Arushi Bhaik: The far right is making Aberdeen feel less like home for people like me |
Political polarisation and division have taken a damaging hold across Scotland.
The consequences are acutely felt by ethnic minority communities, where the corrosive atmosphere leads to the suppression of voices, particularly those of women of colour.
Currently, a number of loud, divisive voices claim to be “protecting women,” yet their actions often do the very opposite to foster an environment of exclusion and hostility that disproportionately silences minoritised women.
This hostile landscape reminds me of the poem In My Country by former Scots Makar Jackie Kay.
When asked the persistent question, “where do you come from,” the final couplet offers an unwavering claim to place and presence: “’Here,’ I said, ‘Here. These parts.’”
This defiant claim to belonging is what every person deserves, yet with the rise of far-right politics, the question of where we “really” come from is being asked more often and more aggressively.
When I am put on the spot with this question, my answer is always the same: “Right here, from Scotland.” I shouldn’t have to explain my identity, but for many of us, the constant questioning is a tiresome reality.
According to a survey by the University of Glasgow, around one-third (35%) of people in Scotland’s Black, Asian, and visible minority........