ThisisBigBrother.com - UK TV Forums - Narinder investigates race relations in North-east on BBC's 'Inside Out'

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Is racism rife?

The recent Big Brother headlines show that racism remains a hotly debated topic in the UK.

It also proved that it's not always in your face - sometimes racism is more subtle.

Former housemate Narinder Kaur suffered racist taunts when she grew up on Tyneside.

She now lives in London with her baby son.

Inside Out North East and Cumbria asked her to come home to see if anything has changed.

Narinder presents her own personal view of race relations in Newcastle.

Email insideout@bbc.co.uk with your views.

Big Brother debate

The North East is the second 'whitest' region in England so how liberal is it in terms of attitudes to race?

Narinder grew up in West Moor, a small community in North Tyneside, where her family still runs the local shop.

Growing up in West Moor wasn't always easy.

"We were the only Asian family in the area. I was the only Asian kid at school and that was hell," she recalls.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/north...arinder203.jpg
Narinder Kaur - shocked by evidence of racism taunts

She also remembers a particularly unpleasant experience with a racist neighbour when she was just seven-years-old:

"I was crying my eyes out... I've got a baby now and I think, 'My God, would I want to see my baby grow up and be in a school in Newcastle?'."

When Narinder lived in Derby and Leicester she found these cities to be more multicultural.

"I've never been called anything in those cities," she says.

But the whole Big Brother racism debate has reminded her of what she had to deal with on Tyneside, and how it still continues today:

"Even now when I come back to Newcastle, I still get the odd kid saying 'There's that **** off Big Brother.

"It makes me wonder - has anything really changed?"

A revealing journey

Narinder spoke to a number of Asian people on her trip back to Newcastle to find out what they think of the racism debate.

Taxi driver Tariq Hussain said, "I wouldn't say Newcastle was racist. I would say wherever you go in the world, you're going to come across nasty people."

However, he did know of cases where Asian taxi drivers had been beaten up or treated badly.

His sister, Tahira Hussain, who describes herself as a Muslim Geordie, has also had some disturbing experiences:

"They say really cruel things like, '**** bastard - go back to your country'."

She also recalls a trip to Elswick Swimming Baths in Newcastle when her family were taunted by a man standing outside:

"I felt really sick. I wasn't annoyed that he'd said it to me but I had my little nieces with me and what sort of picture was he giving to them?"

She says that it has had an impact on how she lives her life:

"It affects the decisions you make, it affects the places you want to work in and it affects whether you want to go out all the time...

"You have to be on your guard all the time."

Geordies and racism

So how racist are most Geordies?

Inside Out asked equality expert Ranjana Bell for her views.

"It would be totally disrespectful for me to just label the community as being racist. It's a very complex issue," she says.

"I've been talking about that to people for 25 years.

"The real measure is going to be your children's generation and my grandchildren's generation."

However, Ranjana admits that there are some places in Newcastle that she won't go for fear of racist taunts:

"There are no go area. I really do believe that. I tend to avoid public transport, and places where people drink a lot of alcohol...

"I have created a world for myself where I protect myself. And it's unacceptable."

Positive and negative experiences

Inside Out also spoke to Seema, an educated Asian woman who runs a sari shop in Newcastle.

The colour of her skin hasn't been a problem, she says.

"I can't remember experiencing anything that bad... I think that Geordies are probably the friendliest people around."

But we also asked some teenage girls about their experiences in 2007, and they had more mixed stories to tell about being taunted or racially bullied.

The picture that emerges is very mixed but Narinder is in no doubt of her own feelings:

"I've been really saddened and deeply shocked by some of the stories.

"You know what? I'd never bring up my children in Newcastle.

"It begs the question - what is being done to change these old fashioned attitudes?"

So will our children be the key to more liberal attitudes towards people of different race, colour and religion?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/northeast/index.shtml