I've just finished reading an article by Aussie Feminist and big brother quitter, Germain Greer and novelist Hari Kunzru about the recent BB house. In general I secretly watch big brother, whether celebrity or 'proles-but this series has left me feeling nervous and embarrassed. To be honest I have found it hard to pin point exactly why I feel this way but I think it goes a lot deeper than the 'racism' that many of have witnessed over the last few days. I am not a hardcore Bollywood fanatic, and to say the least I didn't know who Shilpa ('shipla' naaa i cant say that, its too difficult') Shetty is. But what I do know is that just because I don't understand someones culture or back ground doesn't necessarily give me the right to treat them like a moron. 'They eat with their hands innit? ...naa that's in china?' I mean you couldn't make it up! For me its the idea that the UK or Europe hasnt really moved on from 'fuzzy men living in trees'.
If anything this years housemates have proven that 'us Brits' are still as ignorant and racist as we were 150 years ago. I'm sure that Ms Shetty ('shiplu..naaa i still cant say it') is a tough girl and that she is just as wise as Greer makes out, but this is still inevitably racism if we use derogatory terms to describe someones identity and culture. For me the best way I can explain this is by going back to the old saying 'how would you like it?' of course this is a basic argument but rings true in this sense. I can already hear thousands of people out there claiming that 'oh people are so sensitive'...'that wasn't racism! ...calling someone a paki-that's racism'-but im sorry it is racism and if people want to voice their complaints by making a phonecall then so be it-we as spectators and citizens should have a duty to respect what others may feel is inappropriate...or we can evict her make a cup of tea and forget that none of this silliness ever happened.
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