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British Mum Shares Her Pain Over Continually Being Asked About Her Biracial Children

British Mum Shares Her Pain Over Continually Being Asked About Her Biracial Children

Mum-of-three Sophia has spoken out about the racism her daughter receives.

Lucy Devine

Lucy Devine

A mum-of-three from Worcestershire has spoken out about the shocking racism her four-year-old daughter has been receiving.

Sophia Cooper, mum to Fin, 11, Maxwell, eight and Flossy, four, says she is regularly stopped in the street by strangers, asking why her daughter is black while her two sons are white.

While Fin and Maxwell have inherited their dad, Chris' fair skin, Flossy has inherited her mum's dark skin and hair.

Much to their upset and frustration, Sophia says she and husband Chris have always noticed a difference in the way their daughter has been treated in comparison to their sons, including horrific bullying and racism Flossy has received at preschool.

Sophia says she is regularly stopped in the street by strangers asking about her children (
Caters)

Sophia, a women's health charity director, said: "Flossy was told she has a 'chocolate face' by another child, and she was really upset about it - the boys never had to deal with that.

"My boys have taken after my husband, fair skin, bright coloured eyes and our daughter looks like me, dark skin, dark eyes.

"From the moment she was born we noticed the difference in the way people approach her, in the way they perceive her. As a woman of colour it seems difficult to openly speak about race without making it seem you have a chip on your shoulder.

"Despite my children being raised in the exact same way, in the same home, with the same opportunities, no fault of her own, our daughter will just be treated differently.

"She was born with a 'tan' and when we brought her home and introduced her to our family, people would just say 'isn't it funny that she is black and the boys aren't?'

Sophia says her and husband Chris have always noticed a difference in the way her daughter has been treated (
Caters)

"People find it really hard, asking questions like 'why is she black?'- I'd say 'because I am black'. I remember I was in a playground with the boys and there was a dad with a boy the same age as Fin.

"He asked me if I am a childminder and I said 'no, that's my son' - I wasn't bothered about it because it happens all the time, people are shocked my sons are white.

"He said 'oh that's really funny' and turned to his son and said: 'Why don't you play with the little brown boy who is not brown?'

"I was thinking why would you even say that, he is two years old. People assume the boys are my husband's and Flossy is mine, they ask me 'do the boys see their birth mum?' and I tell them 'yes, they live with me'.

While Fin and Maxwell have inherited their dad, Chris' fair skin, Flossy has inherited her mum's dark skin and hair (
Caters)

"People ask us if the boys are adopted - as a parent you just answer the questions and you keep moving but looking back I think 'that was really inappropriate'.

"When Flossy was born the boys just asked why she is a different colour - I told them because she looks more like me and you look more like daddy and that's it.

"They said 'oh ok' and have never really mentioned it again. It's the little things like at school discos, people would ask me 'is she twerking?' - I'd say 'no, she's four, she's just shaking her bum', that's what four years olds do. She is oblivious at the moment but she was upset about the chocolate face thing."

Sophia and Chris want Flossy to be confident about who she is, with Sophia explaining she worries every day that Flossy won't get the same opportunities as Fin and Maxwell.

Sophia, an entrepreneur who set up a national chain of exercise classes for expectant and new mums, says she has experienced racism all her life.

"I was told by a man on the bus that if it weren't for him people like me wouldn't be allowed into the country," she continued.

"Three years ago I went to exchange a toy for my kids, it was raining, I was wearing tracksuit and I had my hood up.

"I bought £150 worth of things and exchanged a toy of £7. Somehow I ended up sitting in a small room, accused of shoplifting - they believed the toy I wanted to exchange, I had stolen off the shelf.

Sophia explained that ever since she became a mum, she has realised there is so much more that needs to be done (
Caters)

"I had to call the police because they didn't let me leave - I even offered to pay and they still wanted me to admit that I stole it.

"I think some of it is ignorance, some of it is unconscious bias - people are born without realising that things like 'there is no black in Union Jack' are affecting us."

Sophia explained that ever since she became a mum, she has realised there is so much more that needs to be done.

"Saying 'we are all the same' is not really enough anymore because that is not changing things," she said.

"I feel like as you get older you lose your voice, I know I have felt intimidated or like it's not my place to talk but I want to make sure we do a good job in being a role model for her to be confident and vocal about her colour.

"I don't think this started with George Floyd, I have noticed ever since the Brexit campaign started, it has increased the amount of racism or unconscious bias I have received.

"People who think this happens only in America are so naive. I am concerned every day Flossy won't get the same opportunities as the boys - if a woman of colour raises her voice, we are told we are 'feisty' but when a white woman does the same she is 'bold or courageous'

"Either it's the boys getting higher salaries, or Flossy not getting interviews for jobs because companies checked on her social media and saw she's black. Flossy is not going to be able to make a change on her own - it takes all of us."

Featured Image Credit: Caters

Topics: Life News, News, Parenting