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We are friends with a black actor who says suddenly she has had an upturn in advertising jobs over the last year. In contrast to our South Asian actor friend who has had no work in the last year since the pandemic started. I find this interesting as it suggests that those in the media are making a very clear distinction between ethnic minority groups, when often at other times ethnic minorities are lumped together. Why do you think this is John? You seem to suggest in your article that is to do with perceived beauty?

I have noticed additionally that most of the families in adverts at the moment are mixed ethnicity couples. whilst obviously welcome in terms of the feelgood factor you’re talking about about our diverse society, is it not perhaps still A form of racism because it is validating the ethnic minority by having a white partner.

Finally our South Asian actor friend had pre-pandemic been acting in a West End play in which he played an Indian shopkeeper with a marked Indian accent. He felt more and more uncomfortable about this and asked if he could play it with a normal British accent since that was his, but was told it wouldn’t be funny. He decided not to take up the role again.

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Not so much perceived beauty as closer to the popular mainstream in sport and entertainment; though of course with the latter area appearance counts for a lot.

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