Diversity have been facing mass complaints from the public which have been reported to OFCOM due there dramatic BGT performance, that took place this past Saturday night on ITV. A performance of which highlighted not only the COVID pandemic, but the BLM movement which specifically picked up momentum this past summer, following the death of George Floyd.
Being a journalist is just one of many ambitions and passions of mine, so naturally I would have to write this piece from a more bias point of view. However this is my blog, and that gives me the opportunity to voice my opinion on things that matter to me.
I haven’t really written about anything in the news yet, but that’s not to say there hasn’t been anything I have wanted to write about, I’ve just never got around to actually doing it. But I’m trying to keep up to date with my blog as much as I can, and this specific story is something that I personally have quite a strong opinion on. I also know that it will probably be met with with just as many people who don’t agree with me, that do – it’s a controversial subject, which to me it shouldn’t be, because in my opinion it’s quite simple.
Diversity are a group of dancers that come from different backgrounds, which is why the BLM movement will mean a great deal to them as individuals. Their community have – and still does to this day – dealt with racial injustice for generations, they have been brought up in a world that has made them feel inferior to everyone else just because of the colour of their skin. It’s taken years for certain steps to be made and for the smallest of progresses to be made, but there is still so much more that needs to be done; something of which I’ve learned more about, by listening to the many stories of black people, and how they themselves have experienced racial inequality.
I like to think of myself as a BLM supporter and ally, as I am all for equality and I’m incredibly ashamed of what my white ancestors did all those years ago. I recognise my white privilege, I listen to the stories of the racially suppressed and I stand up and speak out against those that refuse to do the same, use racist language or express racist opinions. I try my best, because if I don’t, I understand that I then become, part of the problem – you only have to read the words of Martin Luther King to understand why that is – hence why I’m writing this post.
When I saw Diversity’s performance on BGT, I couldn’t take my eyes of of the screen. I was simply amazed at what can only be described as an intensely emotional and powerful put together routine, one that really got the message across. In that moment, they were nothing more than a group of dancers using their platform to highlight an extremely serious and very real issue going on in the world today.
You could tell just how much it meant to them. You can also read exactly how much it meant to them, by reading the groups leader and choreographer, Ashley Banjo’s Instagram post at the link.
Following their performance, I went onto Facebook only to become furious at the comments I was reading about the group, things like ‘All Lives Matter’ and ‘Very disappointed in you tonight Diversity, that was not the time and place’ I got so angry in fact I decided to voice my opinion against such comments. I am honestly fed up of hearing the ‘All Lives Matter’ quote, and the idiotically ignorant opinions of some people in this country. It was only a couple of performances before Diversity took the stage, that the group known as, ‘SOS from the Kids’ performed a much similar kind of spectacle, in hopes to bring to light a message about another serious issue – that being global warming. However I can’t help but wonder, will that have been met with similar comments and hate? Will people have said things like, ‘hold on a minute, all planets matter’? Now, there may have been the odd person who doesn’t believe in the whole global warming campaign, but you can pretty much guarantee that their performances purpose, won’t have received half as much backlash as what Diversity’s did.
Their dance wasn’t an attack or an insult. They weren’t saying their lives or black lives mattered more, and they weren’t displaying something that isn’t fit for TV or for children to witness. Because guess what ladies and gents, your children will see examples of racism just by walking out of their front door, it won’t be anything new to them. Also, having it performed on TV is just like any other publicised movement, and deserves just as much attention and understanding, if not more. And by saying ‘Black Lives Matter’ it isn’t them stating any other kind of life doesn’t matter in comparison, it’s trying to open the eyes of people who have looked the other way, or ignored how deep routed racism is, in our society, because it is! And all of the people complaining, and all of the people that reported them to OFCOM, are the perfect examples of how it still is.
It sickens me it really does, and I hate that racism still goes on to this day. I hate that there are still soo many people out there that are unwilling to listen or to try and understand the issues that go on right under our noses. Diversity should be proud of what they did on Saturday night, they made a stand and stood up for something they believe in, something of which no OFCOM complaint, can diminish.
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter”
Martin Luther King
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