Charlene White has issued a lengthy message on social media after having to tell people she was "the other black one". The Loose Women panelist shared that she had been repeatedly mistaken for her co-star Brenda Edwards during an event on Wednesday afternoon (July 6).
She was attending a 'do' with her 'LW fam' when the incidents took place, she wrote on Twitter. Charlene said she is "used to being mistaken for my other black @loosewomen ladies" but admitted that it "upset her more than usual" on this occasion.
Her message posted to her thousands of followers began: "I’m used to being mistaken for my other black @loosewomen ladies. We all are tbh. Some ppl are too lazy to work out black women don’t all look alike. But I’ve spent today at a do with my LW fam where multiple times I was called Brenda. My response? 'No, I’m the other black one.'"
The ITV News reader continued: "You have no idea how many black women in the public eye get mistaken for each other. It happens routinely. Not just us, to many minority women & men on a daily basis. It upset me more than usual today, probably because it happened to a few of us at the Pride parade on Sat too.
"We all laugh it off. A LOT. We share stories about the times that we were mistaken for each other. But, we shouldn’t have to. We really shouldn’t. But we’re expected to just smile and move on. It impacts us all: your colleagues, your neighbours etc. Just stop being lazy."
She then concluded her post: "The first 4 times it happened today I shrugged it off. But the 5th time was as I was leaving, by someone who’d spent 10mins having a chat. I honestly left feeling that it doesn’t matter where you are in life, some ppl will always mistake you for the other black girl in the office."
Charlene's string of tweets was soon attracting responses, many showing her support while others shared their own experiences. Capital FM DJ and former BBC Radio 1 star Mista Jam replied: "I've experienced the same, several times. At the old place, I was called Dev several times, even by listeners. My reply was always 'no, I'm the other one...'"
Fellow ITV News presenter Faye Barker said: "That sounds really tiring and frustrating. I have been called Sally (@SallyBiddulph) many times, and once 'the other blonde newsreader' but never that many times in such a short space of time. Sorry that’s been happening. You must remember you are totally smashing it btw."
@shconsultancy19 tweeted: "Charlene that’s awful and I’m so sorry that’s happened you, Brenda,Judy and countless other black women. No you shouldn’t have to take it, keep on calling this out." @HRWright commented: "Just horrible that this happens to you at all, never mind so often, but that response BURNS! That'll teach 'em...hopefully!"
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