Imagine if he was white and he said there are too many black people working with him.

He'd be sacked immediately and probably arrested by the police. And charged.

We all understood where he was when he said it SB, you are not the only one with a brain you know!

Saying it was affecting his mental health? My kids went to a secondary school that was 90% Asian, did they ever once comment it was affecting their mental health...nope, it was just normal for the area we lived in

As I said take issue with the existence of the conference if you think that there's an issue, but to say that the conference happening is fine, but anyone who has criticisms of a lack of diversity in the workplace is racist? :think: that's a puzzler. Perhaps the conference was for everyone to go along to and say "It's fine, everything is fine, diversity is optional, there's no real issue, let's all just go home!" but that seems like a bit of a waste of time and money.

Someone saying "A lack of diversity in the workplace has the potential to negatively affect the mental health of a minority-of-one" is a perfectly legitimate comment to make at a conference that's entire purpose is to discuss the reasons that diversity in the workplace is important. Unfortunately it seems like he triggered some poor sensitive white folks by having a problem and speaking his mind? Weird. Same people who have an issue usually champion such things. Wonder what's different in this case.

Bit bold to make that an absolute statement - it's entirely subjective. It makes him sound like a racist to some people.

I took issue with him saying working with white colleagues was afffecting his mental health, such a strange thing to say if you really believe in diversity and inclusion? does that mean he would cliique with people with his colour skin, is he saying he can't mix with white colleagues... very strange comment


He works in the BBC one of the most diverse employers out there

Being in a situation where you feel like you don’t fit in because you’re different to everybody else can most definitely affect your mental health, that’s just a proven fact

I think we have all been in situations where we feel uncomfortable, I have been out with groups of predominantly white workmates and felt awkward as we didnt have alot in common, on the other hand I have a group of Asian female friends who I used to work with, both Muslim and Hindu and we get on like a house on fire, skin colour is not a barrier to friendship

Of Course


But he is Asian Brit.,
Radio 5 afternoon show

…I think what he said might have been a bit clumsy in delivery but it was said in the correct context of being asked to speak at the conference about the progress of diversity…it’s very similar to me of what Spike Lee said in speaking about diversity in Hollywood/movies etc…that there wasn’t enough diversity involved in those decision making rooms and if that didn’t happen…?…then so much flows out from those rooms so it’ll have a ripple impact in the industry in general etc…Nihal said that he also wasn’t seeing those roles in the senior editorial processes conveying multi culture…I understand that how something is said and conveyed is important also to open those discussions and maybe his wasn’t the best…but defensiveness is also not a great response either because it all just creates a ‘hostile situation’…that isn’t conducive to having these conversations, which is a shame as no one should ideally feel a ‘sense of isolation’ in their work place for any reason…and all cultures should feel that there are the same opportunities for all etc….

But that's not what he said though is it, he said it affected his mental health to work with exclusively or near-exclusively white colleages, i.e., a lack of diversity. He didn't say it was "working with white people" or that he wouldn't want to work with any at all? The way you've put it is a complete misrepresentation of what was actually said so, if you believe your version to be correct, I can see why you (mistakenly) think it's racist.

To me it's quite odd. If you are in a workplace environment, you would think that there would be 100 or 1000 interpersonal issues that would raise their head and be much more impactful on mental health than skin colour

When people look beyond the surface level, they might find they havr plenty in common.

That would be down the the individual and also, as white folks living in Britain, not really something we can claim to have any understanding of at all.

Still not the point - I don't believe he said he doesn't get on with or doesn't like his coworkers?

I was responding more directly to Liam's post than what Nihal said.

….but it is about context, though…it is a conference which talks about the progress of the funding in terms of those that have been helped to train in journalism…and how funds can be spent in the future following on from that…/…improvements etc that can be made…Nihal was an invited speaker for one aspect of society that is felt to be under-represented in journalism …but I assume that there would be other speakers representing other parts of society…such as disabilities and female under representation in comparison to male…it’s not really odd at all to discuss these things in conference form….I would think it’s more an essential/expected and good practise where burseries and funding are involved…it all has to be monitored etc…there may be other also impactful things in the workplace but this is about one specific aspect of their aim of an inclusive workplace which Journalism wasn’t always felt to be and forever improving, I would think…

That may be the case for you living in Scotland but I can categorically tell you that is not the case if you live in parts of London or ever worked in London, I never saw it as an issue :shrug: I never felt unsafe ether, so apart from the lack of diversity I dont see his issue with working with white colleagues, he can of course draw attention to it but to say its affecting his health is a stretch unless he is being bullied of course in my humble opinion.

Of course it's the case, pockets of racial diversity don't change the fact that the UK is nearly 87% white and that that has clear and distinct implications for the non-white population that don't exist for white people. There are also no "rights and wrongs" for things that affect people's mental health.

He also - to point this out for now I think the third or fourth time - did not say that he has any "issue working with white colleagues" - it's a total misrepresentation of what was actually said.

I also feel the need (for some reason) to mention again that this was specifically a DEI-focussed event, for discussing DEI issues, where people are SUPPOSED to bring up these issues no matter how small, and are in fact being asked to do so. It's not like he randomly went to the press complaining about majority-white workplaces or put in a formal complaint to his employer... it was mentioned as a talking point at a diversity event.

I'm finding this whole thing bizarre... the idea that an event would be held to discuss potential diversity/inclusion issues, and then when someone mentions a diversity/inclusion issue, people are like "Uh how dare you -- you racist!" :joker:. What is happening here.

It’s really affecting me that
I walk in and all I see is black people.”

“ He went on: “The hardest thing is to walk into a room, look around and nobody looks like you.”


is this a racist statement or no?

There is a guy in a wheelchair where I work, and everyone else can walk.
He is in tip - top mental health.

Does everyone look exactly like him though?!

No, they have legs, he doesn't.

Context is important; there's nowhere that your statement is a particularly realistic work environment for someone who didn't actively choose it in a non white majority country.

However you could apply it to a white person in Japan and, no, it would not be racist for a Caucasian person in Japan to comment that the lack of diversity in the workplace affects their mental health, when discussing diversity in the workplace at an event specifically designed for doing so.

Again I have to ask: what do you think these events are for? What would be acceptable to say and not racist, other than "Everything is totally fine whup tee doo". And that being the case - why bother with the event at all? Minorities being asked, at a diversity event, do we need more diversity, can either say "no its fine that it's all white folk" or be branded racist. You couldnt make it up :joker:

**** off to radio 6 then.