As the political row intensifies, I fear nuance will be lost. This is too sensitive an issue to address without care and precision
The furore around the Labour MP Diane Abbott and accusations of antisemitism, in which she equated the prejudice Jewish people face with the prejudice faced by redheads, hold important lessons for anyone considering how to talk about diversity, inclusion, equality, racism and (of course) antisemitism.
To explain, let me start with a story. A few years ago I was talking to a young black girl about the prejudice women face. She turned to me and said earnestly, “I understand it, it’s like racism against women.” I fought back a laugh and replied, “Yes, it’s called sexism.”
Marcus Ryder is the head of external consultancies at the Lenny Henry Centre for Media Diversity, chair of Rada and host of the podcast Black British Lives Matter
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