Afua Hirsch's book "Brit(ish)" explores the complex intersection of race, national identity, and belonging in modern Britain. As a biracial woman born and raised in the UK, Hirsch shares her personal experiences of feeling like an outsider in her own country, despite her undeniably British upbringing and heritage. Through her story and broader analysis of British history and society, she unpacks the often unacknowledged racial tensions and inequalities that persist in the UK today.
The book weaves together Hirsch's memoir with social commentary, historical insights, and cultural critique to paint a nuanced picture of what it means to be British - and how that definition is often narrower and more exclusionary than many would like to believe. By examining issues like Brexit, immigration, beauty standards, and the legacy of colonialism, Hirsch challenges readers to confront uncomfortable truths about racism and xenophobia in British society.
At its core, "Brit(ish)" is an exploration of identity - both personal and national. Hirsch's journey to understand and reconcile her own complex identity as both British and Ghanaian serves as a lens through which to examine larger questions about British national identity and who truly "belongs" in modern Britain. Her story illuminates the experiences of many people of color in the UK who find themselves caught between cultures and questioning where they fit in.
While tackling serious and often painful topics, Hirsch's writing is engaging and accessible. She balances personal anecdotes with historical context and sociological analysis in a way that brings these issues to life. The book serves as both a memoir and a social commentary that pushes readers to think more deeply about race, belonging, and what it truly means to be British in the 21st century.
Identity is Complicated
One of the central themes Hirsch explores is the complexity of identity - both on an individual and societal level. She emphasizes that identity is multifaceted, encompassing not just our individual traits and experiences, but also our connections to various social groups and communities.
For Hirsch personally, her identity includes elements like:
- Being British (born and raised in the UK)
- Having Ghanaian heritage on her mother's side
- Having German-Jewish heritage on her father's side
- Being biracial/mixed race
- Growing up in an affluent London suburb
- Her career as a journalist and writer
- Being a woman
- Being a mother
All of these aspects come together to form her unique sense of self. But Hirsch points out that identity is not just about how we see ourselves - it's also about how others perceive and categorize us. This is where complications often arise, especially for people of color or those with immigrant backgrounds in Britain.
Hirsch describes constantly being asked "Where are you from?" by white British people, despite her accent and upbringing clearly marking her as British. This seemingly innocent question carries an implicit assumption that she doesn't truly belong or isn't really British because of her skin color. It highlights how for many, "Britishness" is still implicitly linked with whiteness.
On a broader level, Hirsch examines how British national identity itself is complex and often contested. There's no clear consensus on what exactly it means to be British or what values and traits define British culture. This ambiguity leaves room for exclusionary definitions that push out anyone who doesn't fit a narrow (often white, Anglo-Saxon) mold.
The author argues that we need to expand our understanding of both individual and national identity to be more inclusive and nuanced. Identity isn't a simple either/or proposition - people can simultaneously belong to multiple cultures and communities. Recognizing this complexity is key to creating a more welcoming, diverse vision of British society.
Brexit and British Identity
The 2016 Brexit referendum brought many of Britain's unresolved identity issues bubbling to the surface. While Hirsch acknowledges that the reasons people voted for or against leaving the EU were complex, she argues that the vote revealed deep fissures in how different groups conceptualize British national identity.
Broadly speaking, those who voted to remain in the EU tended to have a more inclusive, multicultural vision of British identity - one that saw diversity and openness to Europe as positive British values. In contrast, many Leave voters were motivated by a more exclusionary concept of Britishness that prioritized "taking back control" of borders and limiting immigration.
In the wake of the vote, there was a disturbing surge in racist and xenophobic incidents across the UK. People of color and immigrants (or those perceived as immigrants) faced increased hostility and were often told to "go back where they came from" - even if they were born in Britain. This ugly aftermath revealed the persistence of racism just below the surface of British society.
Hirsch shares her own unsettling experience of taking a taxi shortly after the referendum, where the driver assumed she was a foreigner who would be leaving the country soon. This interaction exemplified how the Brexit vote had emboldened some to be more openly xenophobic and made many people of color feel unwelcome in their own country.
However, Hirsch also points out that these sentiments didn't appear out of nowhere. The Brexit campaign tapped into long-standing undercurrents of anti-immigrant sentiment in British culture. Groups like UKIP stoked fears about immigrants "taking" jobs and housing from native Britons. And both major political parties have at times pandered to these views, with slogans like Labour's promise of "British jobs for British workers."
The author argues that Brexit exposed a fundamental tension in British identity - between an outward-looking, multicultural vision and a more insular, ethnically-defined concept of Britishness. This divide won't be easily resolved and continues to shape British politics and society in the years since the referendum.
The Long History of British Xenophobia
While Brexit brought issues of immigration and xenophobia to the forefront, Hirsch emphasizes that these are not new phenomena in British society. She traces a long history of anti-immigrant sentiment and policies in the UK, dating back centuries.
Some key examples she highlights include:
Queen Elizabeth I complaining about immigrants taking jobs from English workers as far back as 1573
The 1905 Aliens Act, which aimed to limit Jewish immigration to the UK
Widespread opposition to immigration from former colonies in the Caribbean and South Asia after World War II
Successive immigration restrictions passed in the 1960s by both Labour and Conservative governments
This historical context is important for understanding that current debates around immigration are part of a much longer pattern in British society. The rhetoric and fears expressed today often echo those from decades or even centuries past.
Hirsch also points out that despite the popular narrative, Britain has always been a nation shaped by immigration and diverse influences. From the Roman, Viking and Norman conquests to the arrival of Huguenot refugees in the 17th century to post-war immigration from the Commonwealth, the makeup of the British population has constantly evolved.
Yet the myth of Britain as a homogeneous white nation persists. This ahistorical view fuels the idea that increased diversity is somehow new or threatening to British identity, rather than a continuation of long-standing patterns.
The author argues that coming to terms with this complex history is crucial for developing a more inclusive concept of British identity. Rather than seeing immigrants as outsiders changing the nature of Britain, we should recognize how immigration has always been part of the British story.
The Myth of Post-Racial Britain
One of the key obstacles Hirsch identifies to addressing racial issues in the UK is the widespread belief that Britain is now a "post-racial" society. Many white Britons, especially those of more liberal or centrist political leanings, like to believe that racism is largely a problem of the past that the country has overcome.
This manifests in claims of being "color-blind" or not seeing race. While often well-intentioned, Hirsch argues this mentality is deeply problematic for several reasons:
- It ignores the ongoing realities of racism and racial inequality in British society
- It implies there's something wrong with racial identities that need to be erased or overlooked
- It prevents honest conversations about race and makes it harder to address persistent issues
The author shares how even as a child growing up in an affluent area, she faced constant reminders of her racial difference. Classmates made fun of her hair texture and body shape. She was called racial slurs and stereotyped as "scary" despite her friendly personality. As an adult, she still faces assumptions that she's not truly British because of her skin color.
These personal experiences are backed up by broader evidence of racial inequality in the UK:
- Higher poverty and unemployment rates for ethnic minorities
- Underrepresentation of people of color in positions of power across industries
- Persistent gaps in educational outcomes
- Disproportionate targeting by police and the criminal justice system
Yet many white Britons remain blind to these realities or reluctant to attribute them to racism. There's a tendency to explain away racial disparities through other factors rather than confronting the uncomfortable truth that racism is still embedded in many British institutions and attitudes.
Hirsch argues that moving past this "color-blind" mentality is crucial for making real progress on racial equality. Recognizing and valuing racial identities - rather than pretending not to see them - allows for more honest dialogue and proactive efforts to address disparities and discrimination.
The Impact of White Beauty Standards
One of the more insidious ways racism manifests in British society is through beauty standards that privilege white features and skin tones. Hirsch explores how these standards negatively impact the self-image and experiences of women of color in particular.
Growing up, Hirsch was acutely aware of how different her appearance was from the idealized images of beauty she saw in the media. Magazine covers, TV shows, and advertisements overwhelmingly featured thin white women with straight hair and European features. Women who looked like her were rarely represented as beautiful or desirable.
This lack of representation had a profound impact on Hirsch's self-esteem as a young woman. She internalized the idea that her curvy figure, brown skin, and tightly coiled hair were somehow less attractive or desirable. As a teenager, she wrote in her diary about hating her body and wanting to lose weight to look more like the skinny white girls she saw as the epitome of beauty.
Hirsch's experience is far from unique. She points out how many women of color go to extreme lengths to try to conform to white beauty standards:
- Using dangerous skin-lightening creams to try to achieve a lighter complexion
- Spending hours and large sums of money to chemically straighten their hair
- Considering plastic surgery to alter facial features like noses or lips
Even in professional settings, Black women often face pressure to change their natural hair to styles deemed more "professional" - which usually means styles that look more like white women's hair.
While there has been some progress in recent years with more diverse representation in media and advertising, Hirsch argues that white features are still held up as the ideal. Models of color tend to have lighter skin tones and more Eurocentric features. This sends the implicit message that women of color are only beautiful to the extent that they approximate whiteness.
The author emphasizes how damaging these beauty standards are, not just to individual self-esteem but to society as a whole. They reinforce the idea of white superiority and make women of color feel perpetually othered and less-than in their own culture.
Challenging and expanding beauty standards is thus an important part of combating racism on a cultural level. Hirsch calls for more genuine diversity in media representation and a celebration of the beauty of all skin tones, hair textures, and body types.
Persistent Sexual Stereotypes
Another harmful legacy of racism that Hirsch explores is the persistence of sexual stereotypes about Black people. These stereotypes have roots going back to the era of slavery but continue to shape perceptions and experiences today.
For Black women, a pernicious stereotype is the idea that they are hypersexual. This notion was used historically to justify the rape and sexual exploitation of enslaved women. Today, it manifests in the fetishization of Black women's bodies and assumptions about their sexual behavior.
Hirsch describes how even as a young teenager, she encountered sexually charged comments from older boys that played into these stereotypes. As an adult, she's witnessed how these ideas impact dating dynamics, with some men viewing Black women as sexually exciting but not relationship material.
The flip side of this stereotype is the notion that Black women's bodies are somehow undesirable or taboo. This leads to some people being unwilling to date Black women at all. Hirsch cites a study showing only a small percentage of men on dating sites were open to relationships with Black women.
For Black men, stereotypes also center around alleged hypersexuality. This takes two main forms:
- The idea of Black men as sexually threatening, which has historically been used to stoke racial fears and justify violence against Black men
- The fetishization of Black men as exceptionally virile and well-endowed
Both of these stereotypes reduce Black men to sexual objects and deny their full humanity. They can lead to assumptions about Black men's behavior and character based solely on race.
Hirsch traces how these stereotypes have been perpetuated through history - from 16th century European writings spreading myths about African men's sexual prowess to 20th century newspaper headlines warning about the sexual threat posed by Black soldiers.
While blatantly racist language may be less common today, the author argues that these stereotypes still lurk beneath the surface of British culture. They shape interpersonal interactions, media portrayals, and even public policy debates around issues like immigration.
Dismantling these harmful stereotypes requires confronting their origins in racist ideology and actively challenging them when they appear in culture. It also means amplifying more diverse, nuanced portrayals of Black people's lives and relationships.
Stereotypes of Criminality and Professional Marginality
Beyond sexual stereotypes, Hirsch examines how Black people in Britain face persistent assumptions about criminality and professional capability. These stereotypes create real barriers to equality and inclusion.
From a young age, Hirsch encountered the stereotype that Black people, especially Black youth, are inherently more prone to criminal behavior. She recounts an incident where she was unwelcome in a local shop because the owner assumed "Black girls are thieves." This kind of racial profiling remains common, with Black people facing disproportionate suspicion and surveillance in many settings.
The association between Blackness and criminality starts shockingly early. Hirsch shares how her infant nephew was called a "little gangster" by an acquaintance - revealing how even Black babies are not free from these stereotypes. For Black boys and men especially, the assumption of criminality can have severe consequences in interactions with law enforcement and the justice system.
In professional settings, Hirsch describes how Black people are often assumed to occupy lower-status roles. Throughout her career in law, media, and journalism, she regularly encountered situations where she was mistaken for support staff rather than recognized in her actual professional role. At events, she would be assumed to be a server rather than a guest.
This speaks to the broader issue of Black underrepresentation in many professional fields and leadership positions. Hirsch notes how in many of her workplaces, the only Black employees she saw were in roles like cleaning or security. This lack of representation reinforces stereotypes and makes it harder for Black people to be taken seriously in professional contexts.
The flip side of this, Hirsch argues, is that when Black people do achieve high-status positions, it's often assumed there must be some extraordinary reason. She recounts being mistaken for Michelle Obama at a restaurant, as if that was the only explanation for a Black woman dining at an upscale establishment.
These stereotypes create a double bind for Black professionals:
- If they're in lower-status roles, it's seen as natural and expected
- If they're in higher-status roles, it's seen as exceptional or suspicious
Breaking out of this requires actively challenging assumptions, increasing representation at all levels, and creating truly inclusive professional cultures. It also means recognizing the systemic barriers that have historically limited Black people's access to certain career paths and actively working to dismantle those barriers.
Hirsch's Journey of Identity and Belonging
A core narrative thread through the book is Hirsch's personal journey to understand her own complex identity and find a sense of belonging. Her experiences illuminate the challenges faced by many mixed-race and second-generation immigrant Britons.
Growing up, Hirsch struggled to reconcile the different aspects of her heritage:
- Her Britishness (born and raised in the UK)
- Her Ghanaian ancestry on her mother's side
- Her German-Jewish ancestry on her father's side
In predominantly white spaces, she was seen as Black and therefore "other." But she also felt disconnected from her Ghanaian roots, not speaking the language or knowing much about the culture beyond what she read in books.
This sense of being caught between worlds came to a head in Hirsch's early 20s. Feeling alienated from British society and unsure of her place in it, she decided to move to Ghana to try to connect with that side of her heritage.
However, her time in Ghana didn't provide the sense of belonging she hoped for. There, she was perceived as white and foreign. She struggled with the language barrier and cultural differences. A frightening incident where she and her partner were robbed at knifepoint further underscored her outsider status.
This experience helped Hirsch realize that, despite her complicated relationship with British identity, she was undeniably British. Her formative experiences and cultural reference points were fundamentally shaped by growing up in the UK.
Returning to Britain, Hirsch began the work of reconciling her multiple identities and finding a way to feel at home in her birth country while still honoring all aspects of her heritage. This meant:
- Challenging exclusionary notions of Britishness
- Deepening her connection to her Ghanaian roots
- Advocating for a more inclusive, multicultural vision of British society
Hirsch's journey reflects that of many Britons of immigrant background who feel pulled between cultures. Her story highlights how rigid, narrow concepts of national identity can leave people feeling excluded and alienated in their own country.
Ultimately, Hirsch argues for an understanding of identity that allows for multiplicity and nuance. She believes it's possible to be fully British while also embracing other cultural identities and heritages. This more expansive view of identity is key to creating a truly inclusive society where everyone can feel they belong.
Untold Histories: Britain's Role in Slavery
A major theme Hirsch explores is how the conventional narrative of British history often glosses over or misrepresents the nation's role in the transatlantic slave trade. This selective telling of history shapes how many Britons understand their national identity and relationship to race.
The author argues that the story many Britons tell themselves about slavery focuses almost exclusively on abolition. There's a tendency to celebrate figures like William Wilberforce and the fact that Britain was one of the first European powers to officially end the slave trade in 1807.
However, this narrative conveniently ignores or downplays several important facts:
Britain was one of the largest participants in the slave trade for over two centuries before abolition. British ships transported an estimated 3.4 million enslaved Africans to the Americas.
The British economy benefited enormously from slavery, even after the official end of the trade. Industries like textiles relied heavily on slave-grown cotton, while slave-produced sugar remained a major import.
Even after 1807, many British companies and individuals found loopholes to continue profiting from slavery.
The contributions of Black abolitionists and freed slaves to the anti-slavery movement are often overlooked in favor of focusing solely on white British campaigners.
Hirsch contends that this selective telling of history serves to absolve Britain of its culpability in slavery while allowing Britons to feel good about their nation's role in ending it. It creates a narrative of British moral superiority that glosses over the deep connections between slavery, empire, and the foundations of modern Britain.
This sanitized version of history also reinforces the idea that racism is somehow foreign to British culture - something that happened elsewhere or in the distant past. It makes it harder for Britons to reckon with the ongoing legacies of slavery and colonialism in their society today.
The author calls for a more honest engagement with this difficult history. She argues that understanding Britain's full role in slavery is crucial for:
- Developing a more inclusive concept of British identity
- Recognizing the long-standing presence and contributions of Black people in Britain
- Contextualizing current racial inequalities
- Building genuine cross-cultural understanding
By facing this history head-on, Hirsch believes Britain can develop a more nuanced, truthful narrative about its past and present. This is an essential step in creating a society where all Britons - regardless of racial background - can see themselves reflected in the national story.
Black British History is British History
Building on her critique of how slavery is often portrayed, Hirsch makes a broader argument that Black British history has been marginalized and separated from "mainstream" British history. This artificial separation reinforces the idea that Black people are somehow separate from or new to British society, rather than an integral part of it.
The author points out how Black people have been present in Britain for centuries, with evidence of African inhabitants dating back to Roman times. Yet their stories and contributions are often relegated to special "Black History Month" lessons or diversity initiatives, rather than being woven into the core narrative of British history.
Some examples Hirsch highlights of overlooked Black British historical figures and events:
- The presence of Black Tudor courtiers in the 16th century
- Black soldiers fighting for Britain in the Napoleonic Wars and both World Wars
- The Sierra Leone Creoles - descendants of freed slaves who became civil servants, doctors, and lawyers in British West Africa
- Black abolitionists like Olaudah Equiano who played key roles in ending the slave trade
By not including these stories in the main telling of British history, several harmful ideas are reinforced:
- That Black people are newcomers to Britain rather than having deep roots in the country
- That Black contributions to British society are minimal or exceptional rather than ongoing and significant
- That "real" British history and culture is exclusively white
Hirsch argues for a fundamental shift in how British history is taught and understood. Rather than treating Black British history as a separate subject, it should be fully integrated into the broader narrative of Britain's past. This means:
- Highlighting the long-standing presence of people of color in Britain
- Exploring how empire and colonialism shaped modern Britain
- Recognizing the contributions of Black Britons across all fields
- Examining how ideas about race have evolved over time in British society
The goal is to create a more complete, nuanced understanding of British history that reflects the true diversity of the nation's past and present. This fuller history provides a foundation for a more inclusive concept of British identity - one in which people of all racial backgrounds can see themselves represented.
For Hirsch personally, learning more about this hidden history helped her feel a stronger connection to her British identity. It allowed her to see how her own family's story fit into a longer narrative of Black presence and contribution in Britain.
By reclaiming and centralizing these overlooked histories, Hirsch believes Britain can develop a richer, more honest understanding of its national identity. This is crucial for building a society where all Britons feel they truly belong.
The Persistence of Racial Inequality
While much of Hirsch's book focuses on cultural attitudes and historical narratives, she also examines how racism manifests in concrete socioeconomic inequalities in modern Britain. Despite progress in some areas, significant racial disparities persist across many aspects of British life.
Some key statistics and trends Hirsch highlights:
- Higher poverty rates for ethnic minorities, with 45% of Black children living in poverty compared to 26% of white children (as of 2016)
- Higher unemployment rates, especially for young Black adults
- Lower average incomes for most ethnic minority groups compared to white Britons
- Underrepresentation in positions of power across politics, business, academia, and the media
- Overrepresentation in the criminal justice system, with Black people more likely to be stopped and searched, arrested, and given harsher sentences
The author argues that these disparities can't be explained away by factors like education or class alone. Even when controlling for socioeconomic background, racial gaps often persist. This points to the ongoing impact of both overt discrimination and more subtle forms of systemic racism.
Hirsch uses her own story to illustrate how pervasive these issues are. Despite her privileged upbringing and elite education, she still faced barriers and prejudices tied to her race throughout her career. She contrasts her experience with that of her partner Sam, who grew up in a working-class area of London and faced much harsher manifestations of racial inequality.
This comparison underscores a key point: while class certainly intersects with race, racism impacts people of color across the socioeconomic spectrum. Even relatively privileged ethnic minorities still contend with stereotypes, microaggressions, and systemic barriers tied to their race.
The persistence of these inequalities contradicts the notion that Britain has moved beyond race or achieved true meritocracy. Hirsch argues that addressing them requires:
- Acknowledging that racism is still a significant problem in British society
- Collecting better data on racial disparities to understand the full scope of the issue
- Implementing proactive policies to address systemic barriers and discrimination
- Changing cultural attitudes and increasing genuine diversity in positions of influence
Ultimately, Hirsch contends that Britain cannot claim to be a fair and equal society while these racial gaps remain so pronounced. Tackling them is not just a matter of helping ethnic minorities, but of living up to core British values of justice and equal opportunity for all.
Conclusion: Towards a More Inclusive British Identity
In concluding her exploration of race and identity in Britain, Hirsch makes a case for reimagining British national identity in a more inclusive, nuanced way. She argues that the UK's increasing diversity is not a threat to Britishness, but an opportunity to develop a richer, more expansive understanding of what it means to be British.
Key elements of this more inclusive vision include:
Acknowledging the long history of diversity in Britain and the contributions of people of color to the nation's development
Recognizing that British identity can encompass multiple cultural heritages - that one can be fully British while also connecting to other ancestral roots
Confronting difficult aspects of British history like slavery and colonialism, rather than glossing over them
Celebrating the cultural richness that comes from Britain's diverse population
Actively working to dismantle systemic racial barriers and create genuine equality of opportunity
Expanding representations of Britishness in media, politics, and culture to reflect the nation's true diversity
Hirsch emphasizes that this is not about erasing or replacing traditional concepts of Britishness, but about broadening them to be more reflective of modern realities. It means moving beyond a narrow, ethnically-defined idea of British identity to one based more on shared values and experiences.
For people of color and those of immigrant background, this more inclusive vision offers the possibility of feeling fully British without having to erase or downplay other aspects of their identity. It creates space for hyphenated identities like Black-British or British-Asian to be seen as wholly legitimate expressions of Britishness.
The author acknowledges that shifting deeply held ideas about national identity is not easy. It requires confronting uncomfortable truths and letting go of some comforting myths. But she argues that this work is essential for creating a truly cohesive, equitable society where all Britons can feel they belong.
Ultimately, Hirsch's book is a call for honest dialogue about race, identity, and belonging in modern Britain. By sharing her personal journey alongside broader analysis, she invites readers to reflect on their own understanding of Britishness and how it might evolve to better reflect the realities of the diverse nation the UK has become.
Her vision is of a Britain confident enough in its identity to embrace complexity and change - a nation that draws strength from its diversity rather than seeing it as a threat. While the path to this more inclusive Britishness may not be simple, Hirsch argues it is both necessary and enriching for the country's future.