Black Role Models

Perhaps young children of any race and ethnicity don't understand what role models really are.

As a young person I admired Diana Wilkinson (Olympic swimmer from the swimming club in Stockport where I grew up) and Jackie Kennedy as she then was, for her grace and style, but I didn't become an Olympic swimmer and looking like Jackie Kennedy was but a dream.

My real role models were my teachers and the women in my family.

Hollydaze This is what one in five black children feel and I don't know if you are black but unless you are I'm not sure how you are qualified to comment.

These children feel that there are sometimes stereotypical expectations of them - that they will be good at sport, dancing, music etc. Your own examples include three sportsmen - one of them being American.

Lenny Henry has already raised this issue - and received a lot of flak for it.

You say "Are young people looking in the wrong place for their role models?" I'm not sure whether black (or white) children actively seek out role models. I think they form their ideas from what is presented to them.

I am not sure that any child actually looks anywhere deliberately for a role model, so you can't really say that they are looking in the wrong place. Role models just appear in front of their eyes and they aspire to be like them.

If the prominent people in their lives, either ones they know or ones they see on the box and in the news, are sportsmen, then these are the ones they will adopt. If they have inspirational teachers or their parents are outstanding for something, then these will be their models.

Plus, the outstanding qualities of any powerful influence may be bad instead of good.

Eloethan, if as a general rule only members of a specific group are qualified to comment on threads relating to that group then Gransnet is going to go a bit quiet.

Living or dead role models? Dame Doreen Lawrence?

It's interesting that it was a media outlet which commissioned this survey. The media is self referential and feeds on celebrity and fame. The children's responses were prompted by a question posed by the said medium. When children are asked a question they will try to answer, it doesn't mean anything really other that that they were being compliant and responding to a question (the wording wasn't given so we don't know how far the answers were prompted by the question).

I've always felt the concept of 'role models' is a media construct. As Elegran said above children are influenced by those around them not those unreal, air brushed, spin doctored celebrities be they sportswomen or sportsmen or pop stars.

Eloethan

Hollydaze This is what one in five black children feel and I don't know if you are black but unless you are I'm not sure how you are qualified to comment

So far, nowhere in my post are any of my own personal thoughts - they are all the thoughts of articles I have been reading since hearing the news report which included footage of the children giving their thoughts (I can't find the clip shown on BBC but found one similar), the thoughts of some in the black community (the questioning of whether young black people are looking in the right place for role models).

So I'm not sure why you posed that question without asking first if they were, indeed, my thoughts.

What is wrong with American role models if they are good role models? I tend to think of sportspeople as I used to be very sporty - the children themselves, in the interview, listed footballers so I followed the theme.

The full interview wasn't aired and it could well have been the interviewer who raised the question of role models as did Alesha Dixon.

It was just a question.

Elegran

If they have inspirational teachers or their parents are outstanding for something, then these will be their models.

There is a blog (I think that's what it is) called 'Blakwatch' and that is pretty much their take on it - young people need role models from within their families and local communities and it stated, quite boldly, If you as a parent, are expecting the television to imbue your children with ambition, then you both need help.

I thought I'd better put the link in case things are incorrectly perceived to be my own thoughts.

theblakwatch.wordpress.com/2013/09/24/footballers-rappers-and-drug-dealers-the-need-for-positive-role-models/

Hollydaze I wouldn't say that young black people are looking in the wrong places for their role models ...... I think in the main 'role models' are just celebrities who make the front pages for various reasons and black sportsmen/women, singers, etc., are far more prevalent in the showbiz pages rather than business or politics.

So in effect, that's who the young are presented with as their role models - we don't see much of say David Lammy or Archbishop Sentamu.

Thank you Riverwalk - this discontent (for want of a better word) seems to have been going for such a long time and I wondered why things haven't improved - whether real or perceived doesn't matter if it's how people feel, then it's real to them. I just can't figure out why it persists when there are so many black people who are extremely successful and well thought of in Britain.

Maybe the media needs to stop focusing only on celebrities and do us all a favour!