Being British Asian: Who do we think we are? CONTAINS STRONG LANGUAGE

As part of the BBC's Big British Asian Summer, Mobeen Azhar and Nomia Iqbal host a special debate exploring issues around identity, religion, relationships and politics as British Asians.

[@Fahrenheit-ou5xb]

Proud to be British Asian!!💚💚💚💯💯🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇮🇳🇵🇰🇧🇩

[@Fahrenheit-ou5xb]

@@ayoungconservative1051 there was a reason why I said BRITISH Asian, u dumbass and for you information there are different types of people living Asia, not just Asians

[@Fahrenheit-ou5xb]

@@ayoungconservative1051 the world is most divest than you think, anyone has the right to live anywhere, your racist bastard!!

[@Fahrenheit-ou5xb]

@@ayoungconservative1051 you racist bastard, anyone (no matter what race/skin colour) has the right to live anywhere they want.

[@Fahrenheit-ou5xb]

@@ayoungconservative1051 and i do visit Pakistan; its beautiful🇵🇰💚

[@Fahrenheit-ou5xb]

@@ayoungconservative1051 you will not believe the amount of white people living in Asia and that is a beautiful thing, but your just a racist bastard who want hatred toward people who are not your race

[@zv54]

Despite being a British born Indian, with western values, and having volunteered here, who has lived an honest life, and has every right to be here, I honestly believe I would be better off being sent to the Amazon rainforest or even Mars, because I don't fit in anywhere.

[@rahulkemp8347]

i agree! sort of! do u think multiculturalism has failed? also british born indian

[@davidx4008]

Multiculturalism has absolutely failed diversity lowers social cohesion and unity. Unity is strength not diversity. A diverse peoples have never been powerful just look at congo.

[@davidx4008]

Why would I live there for you muppet.

[@rahulkemp8347]

@@ayoungconservative1051 your replying to wrong people u lacist. i need more benfiet

[@RoyalKnightVIII]

If you went to the Amazon rainforest you'd still have to coexist with the tribes who live there. I bet you you would have a better life not living in a capitalist nightmare

[@davidx4008]

We have to accept that we are guests/ immigrants in this country we are british on paper and have rights but in the eyes of the english we will never be english doesn’t matter how crisp clear english you speak. We face discrimination from jobs to football and right through to dating. We need to unite and uplift each other more than anything!!

[@satyamevjayte8302]

@@ayoungconservative1051 stop talking rubbish. You robbed them.

[@satyamevjayte8302]

@@ayoungconservative1051 u did cause the divide like everywhere else. Ireland, Israel, Cyprus, Iraq , Africa etc .Your worst than the Nazis

[@NO-fh8wm]

David, as much as I appreciate your youthful idealism on this, without being too precocious it seems that your DP suggests you're neither from SouthEast Asia or Sikh/Hindu/Muslim. Whilst most non-Caucasians have been stratified into BAME on equal opportunity forms to easily understand the multicultural diversity within Britain and everyone has an access to voice their opinions on discussions this specific one was held with the personal experiences of British Asians from Pakistan, India and Bangladesh in mind - can you add anything of substance to this conversation in relation that? No, similarly, like I can't at a Black Lives Matter protest because I genuinely cannot add anything of value to a community I do not hail from and the issues with equality or whatever are very different. I would also say this to Caucasians, too - a "I can understand" does not translate to "I can pick an experience as a South East Asian raised in the developed world that you can relate to." No, it doesn't work that way. I can stand in solidarity but regardless, my historical relationship with the West and those of Black people is very different. Slavery was never one and it seems the trio are now all Commonwealth nations - a point made that perhaps as much as other people's opinions are welcomed, it's always best to know there will always be a gap and I myself acknowledge that that forcefully try to wedge myself and pretend to understand. POV is integral, it's integrity

[@GhostDcuo]

from jobs to football and then dating, okay im done lol.. guy you might as well go to india or whatever, sounds like you never left

[@bf2404]

If one is born in Britain. You're no longer Asian. You're British with brown skin. Brown British is more appropriate, same as white British, black British. Sadly presenters such as these don't realise the agenda being pushed by their pedo outfit employee. By having discussions like this creates divide and makes race an issue. Just for their little fame amongst the brown community, these dumb presenters make it more difficult for brown people to integrate. British people from all backgrounds started finding a common ground with each other during the late 90's. But sadly governments don't like unity. They prefer divide IMO. So they put programmes such as this which is supposed to create unity but enfact it makes race a subject and creates division.

[@J2day2]

As a black British guy I didn't realise how diverse the British South asian community is, its not just Pakistani, Bengali and Indian but there's much more. Guess I wish there was a Big british asian festival similar to the afro Caribbean carnival where one could immerse and learn about the diversity!

[@FaithsStardust]

I wish there was too, but I don’t hear them saying much, so maybe they don’t care 🤷‍♀️

[@ShubhoBose]

I think you mean Bangladeshi, Bengalis can be Indian too

[@baddie21358]

Afghans too

[@HappyFamily-j1q]

Colonisers

[@HappyFamily-j1q]

Go away colonisers

[@matthewrodriguez7391]

Once British India existed (via colonialism and hegemony), now Indian British exist (via immigration, which is legal and moral).

[@theisheep2676]

Yep. A lot of south asians live in the UK because Britain came to us all those years ago !

[@zv54]

I was born in mid 90s & my parents gave me an English name(tragic) & I hold western values & (dare I say it) speak better English & practice better mannerisms than the majority of English/white natives. I feel like I'm living a constant identity crisis. I don't fit into any social setting. People always assume (wrongly) that I am muslim and it's never any less exhausting having to repeatedly educate people...in 2019...that not everyone of brown skin is Muslim! I don't have any friends of my background in my proximity and rare times that guest come around, we don't have anything in common to speak about. As a now adult child of disabled,uneducated, unemployed, negative,elderly parents, I had a very difficult upbringing & unlike the stereotypes, I do not At short lived workplaces, The depression and social isolation is a harsh reality for me. Sometimes I just feel like wearing robes printed with brief slogans challenging stereotypes. As a part time, adult student at a predominantly pakistani muslim populated sixth form college (still trying to get a basic academic education, I feel alien. Despite staff being 'educated' they categorise me into the same box as them, and most recently,on the last lesson, in response to my English name the And no, sadly, I'm most definitely not a doctor I'm actually,sometimes, jealous of stereotypical 'Asians' because at least the have the moral support of mum,dad, aunties,uncles,brothers,sisters,cousins,friends etc. Who do I have? Me,myself & I - & I'm at a point where it would be weird to ever have any support. As for reaching out to organisations, don't get me started on the utter dismissiveness,ignorance and mockery they have met me with. Btw my poor old, stifled,damaged, mother,who never taught me anything (and who married an old widower who has 6 mixed race kids - my father is very problematic & abusive & not a role model), pities me & compares me to the youngsters who are now graduated and driving. I wish people would open their mind and acknowledge people as individuals. I AM British but I have Indian heritage. I'm unqualified and unemployed...just like my parents...but I am striving, with zero help, to break out and rise up. Any practical help? I do think some things are changing, but only ever so slowly and limited to larger areas of the UK like London and Manchester. Despite the many 'privileges' we have in the country, including access to clean drinking water, access to internet, the DWP, access to basic formal education etc - things for which I always ensure I'm grateful for but I deserve a better quality of life. I'm not able to fulfil my potential, which I most certainly have,due to the lack of equality,inclusion,support and other essential help. Bloody hell though, the real Indians (as in those born there) have more Also thank you , British Asian Network for using your platform to hold and stream open discussions like this one :)

[@sara-bo6cg]

Omg.....I thought I was the only person I’m not Muslim either and society is really hard.

[@JohnCalElmAranMealor]

Oh my god I'm white christian and I feel and hold the same views of being over looked plus being white male heavyly penalized and ranked lower than being of colour and female within Britain last on the list for housing, last on the list for benefits, last on the list of rightsand discriminated against by the goverment and administration of the united kingdoms of Great Britain. So get over your selves It's not just ppl of colour who are at the bottom of the pile there are many many homeless whites living on the street's .

[@Baboonfromdatoon]

'speak better English & practice better mannerisms than the majority of English/white natives' Are you suggesting the British Isles have NATIVE ethnic groups?

[@Baboonfromdatoon]

@@krafachkrafach6708 Okay can you rephrase that so it is actually readable, thank you.

[@tabbaranxx]

I felt like you were describing me to a tee! Would love to Connect with someone so similar.

[@zv54]

Affirmation; Regardless of what society says,does,and thinks, I am ultimately a powerful individual, capable of achieving whatever I work hard for & worthy of living the very best life, enriched by a heritage of which I should be proud.

[@NO-fh8wm]

Articulately encapsulated. Thanks Z

[@JohnCalElmAranMealor]

As a british subject and of native origins I was happyly surprised and heartened by all what was said and broached on this forum and I see all permanent residents of britain as british first with a variety of ethnic back grounds and colour and happy to see that all who spoke see them selves as British.

[@GhostDcuo]

not gunna lie it started rough but ended well :)

[@aadamkhan5217]

Not just British but also English but unfortunately people think in order you have to be English you have to be ethnically English or white or an Anglo Saxon

[@JohnCalElmAranMealor]

@@aadamkhan5217 I agree it's a sad state of affair born or naturalised you are English/British regardless of ethnicity.

[@mrityunjaysingh9080]

It is quite funny that to most folks in the video - being Asian merely seems to mean how they speak or look. I would advise living for a bit in a few Indian cities to figure out what really being an Indian means (not sure about Pak/Bangla). A few nuggets stand out from what i myself have seen of Indian culture : (1) atleast one kid in the family always learns a performing art (say Indian classical music - singing or a performing art e.g. Bharatnatyam if you were a girl and an instrument like a tabla - were you a boy). (2) Lots and lots of books at home - everyone loves to read. (3) Fun time with the grannies and grandpas, filled with loads of love. (4) lots of food! - think we Indians take every opportunity to eat :) . (5) Craze about board games - typically ludo when you're a kid to chess when you're over 10 (nowadays even 5). (5) Math-ability / intellect ability being highly respected among school friends (somewhat different here in UK where sports or your language matters a lot more). (6).....and yes, lots of movies with friends :)

[@PAK_TV_Channel]

True man

[@GhostDcuo]

well said

[@aadamkhan5217]

My nationality is British and English. My ethnicity is Pakistani. I am English 100% whether the racist white people say I’m not or the non white people say I’m not. I’m born and raised in England. I don’t care if my ethnicity is Pakistani or if my DNA is something else. I am English. I am British

[@baddie21358]

This isn't what English whites think

[@merryn9000]

Such an interesting discussion in the video, such a shame how staunchly black and white, if not all out rude, the comment section is.

[@qqqqaaaazzzzcxz]

I see myself as a Muslim first, i am also a british and pakistani, i try to follow Islam to the best of what i can, i also take the good from british and pakistani culture. I would take good from any culture and leave the bad. Islam is a global religion, not based upon location, you can be a chinese muslim or a russain muslim. Islam is a way of life that gives you a solid foundation of who you are and what you are. So for me wherever i am in the world i am a muslim and i am willing to take good from any culture aslong as its not contractoctary to my faith. This is my identity.

[@qqqqaaaazzzzcxz]

contradictory*^^

[@qqqqaaaazzzzcxz]

@The Celtic Lass says you

[@Baboonfromdatoon]

How are you British AND Pakistani?

[@qqqqaaaazzzzcxz]

@@Baboonfromdatoon born in britain, grandparents from Pakistan. So a british Pakistani?

[@Baboonfromdatoon]

@@qqqqaaaazzzzcxz No, just British.

[@rolandcuthbert784]

Fascinating conversation.

[@zv54]

And as for the BME Network here in Lancashire, who I approached through a very dark time,which I'm still trapped in, they ought to be very ashamed of themselves,for their disgraceful ignorance towards me and left me to just rot away. Basically they couldn't (couldn't be arsed & were discriminative) help me because I was not Pakistani nor Muslim like their clients and their entire staff. It's pathetic but still I cling on to my hope of a better future.

[@rahulkemp8347]

hang in there!

[@keithhakansson1988]

Rafe thank you, you give a voice to the English that have been silenced , love to the Sikhs and Hindus

[@michellea9857]

People of African and African Caribbean heritage born in the UK often refer to themselves primarily by their skin colour as a group, people of South Asian heritage born in the UK should do so also. Brown British people need to stop othering themselves, yes your ancestral roots are South Asian but you are British.

[@crayzee1372]

I'm a Rawalpindi West Londoner

[@obaidrehman5875]

crayzee1372 iM a Rawalpindi east Londoner

[@aadamkhan5217]

Never heard of that one before

[@crayzee1372]

@@aadamkhan5217 bro this has been so long, I don't even know what this is about ✌️

[@arunkathir5511]

Hi guys happy to see u all together i am a srilankan born in france i think well all need to be united and remember the genocide that happend to us ....

[@Baboonfromdatoon]

'i am a srilankan born in france' Wouldn't that make you French?

[@theisheep2676]

You mean genocide of tamils ?

[@aadamkhan5217]

@@BaboonfromdatoonIt would yes

[@satyamevjayte8302]

The lady from point 1.13 is talking rubbish , there is still alot of discrimination and favouritism in the uk, be it on race or class. There is also social mobility in India. Many minorities are successful in India. Education in Uk is not cheap. Many pay a fortune at Uk universities only not to get a job they have studied for.

[@6pac616]

Guys like boxer Amir Khan and Shah Rukh khan get stopped and interrogated for hours in Airports in USA And UK , what hope does the common Asian have ?

[@JamesBond-hy4kv]

Easy, I’ve never been stopped at airports.

[@aadamkhan5217]

I’ve never been stopped and I’m brown

[@delboysilva2677]

of british indian origin i find most british asians still backward especially the girls.. i get confused for hispanic a lot because I feel most british asians over here seem to have an arabic look big nose etc....

[@delboysilva2677]

@Thomas vanDyke from experience and having eyes and a brain

[@originalbabygal]

Is that why you named yourself Dasilva?

[@gujh03]

what tha fak you on about ?

[@aadamkhan5217]

@@originalbabygalSo what?

[@virsuri2963]

Unity is wha we need🇮🇳💚🇵🇰💚🇧🇩

[@cani5761]

No

[@aadamkhan5217]

No

[@baddie21358]

No

[@jayhuss4263]

Jahangir to Jahangar to Jhangeer to Jay. 😢

[@aadamkhan5217]

Good

[@clipzone6390]

For Muslims I would suggest to create an identity on basis of religion, nationalism is not allowed in Islam anyway. If you are Muslim u dont need any other identity. Asian or British/Asian comes after that.

[@bobbymidha3901]

Haja wishful think. National and cultural identies exist and will continue to exist until the end of time. The only way to service is unity in diversity. And what does that monolithic islamic identity look like? That will be a matter of debate as well.

[@Ehehtihtahhh]

Oh so Muslims don’t fight amongst each other.

[@delboysilva2677]

the truth is most british asians have severe attitude problems especially the women..im half indian 1/4 irish 1/4 latino living in UK and i find british asians to be very hostile and go out their way to make you feel uncomfortable...the lads seem to be all about showing off and the women i find to be very arrogant always staring in a negative manner and constantly whispering and bitching behind peoples back...my genuine experiences...

[@slaveofthemostmerciful178]

Delboy Silva agree partly. Not all the guys and girls are like taht but a lot are .

[@riyadougla539]

I agree, and personally prefer to be around white english.

[@indrajeet]

@@riyadougla539 Yeah - because you're probably a self hating coconut.

[@michellestone6471]

I actually agree with you. I find Asians to be very narrow minded and racist, this is coming from an Asian person myself.

[@michellestone6471]

@@riyadougla539 same , Asian here, I prefer gora. Cannot stand apna

[@mrityunjaysingh9080]

Please stop using ‘Asians’ or ‘South Asians’ when speaking of British Muslims/Pakistanis/Bangladeshis OR, British Indians/Sikhs. This generic term is meant for the uneducated. There's zero similarity in cultures across these groups. Any user of such term assumes that we’re still in pre-1947 era, and overlooks the fact that things have changed a huge lot - the home-country of 2 of these ethnicities (i.e. India) is almost a superpower and shall overtake Britain’s economy in 2018, and that the home-country of another is a bankrupt state.

[@mrityunjaysingh9080]

lol! don't be ridiculous, buddy,

[@gujh03]

They are Asian, yes related. You know the languages, food, culture are all similar. Maybe get out more and make friends.

[@mrityunjaysingh9080]

@@gujh03 A new/violent vs a 5000 year old peace loving culture - 'similar' ? Please dont joke

[@gujh03]

@@mrityunjaysingh9080 shut up you idiot. Go back to India and see how developed it is. With the right wing ruling it's a mess. Not that you would know anything. Asians it is and always will be.

[@libertarianite8908]

@@mrityunjaysingh9080 hindu nationalism is hardly peace loving.

[@mrityunjaysingh9080]

Plus: Please read up on the 2017 racial audit - 2 clearly diff universes

[@deanjackson2102]

people have multiple identities' that's a fact= it's other people that try to put you in a box

[@terrymullins9772]

India is such a lovely place to live

[@Baboonfromdatoon]

That must be why so many Indians are coming to live in the UK

[@freedomwillwinforme]

Lol

[@jareerareerarr5053]

@@Baboonfromdatoon Indians began coming to the UK in the 1950s because if you were Indian in that time you were given british citizenship.

[@Baboonfromdatoon]

@@jareerareerarr5053 Yeah, Indian became free of British rule and so many Indians missed it so badly they moved here to be under it once more

[@ooo-w7q5x]

@@Baboonfromdatoon personally Indians, Pakistanis have wasted their time coming to England, you have to lose your religion and be expected to go back home at the same time, it's delusional to think it's a land of opportunities, it's dull, expensive the people are rude and mental problems are on the rise

[@hadifelani]

Due to the fact that "being an Asian" is quite the broad term, I really wish that both the host and the audience has more variety to it, instead of just Indian/Pakistani/South Asian people.

[@rahulkemp8347]

INNIT!

[@zv54]

Watch me take expensive barfhi to my next interview, get praised whilst they're eating and enjoying the peace offering, and then still get rejected when a preferred, beautiful, not necessarily any more competent, white candidate succeeds me in the selection process.

[@briand3029]

I don’t understand why is asking someone’s cast such a shallow thing?? I ask all of the time to see someone’s background just to add to the conversation is all. No shallow intentions whatsoever just trying to get to understand the person more or learn

[@merryn9000]

Honestly don't act like that in the uk. Perhaps it can just be summed up as a cultural difference, but the idea of "casts", either on racial or socioeconomic grounds, is very loaded as a topic in the UK and related to our history and traditional class structure.

[@cocoaorange1]

I love to know people's ethnic background, I ask in a polite way.

[@aadamkhan5217]

Because not all of us care or are proud about it. What have we got to do with Pakistan for example? I’m not born or raised in Pakistan. I don’t care about it

[@imnotgayyy8489]

Useless discussion

[@sara-bo6cg]

DV M it’s really not it’s covering matters that no one else will

[@aadamkhan5217]

I love my first name Aadam. I pronounce it as Adam and I prefer it because it’s a white English name

[@qqqqaaaazzzzcxz]

So are you a choc ice? Just asking?

[@qqqqaaaazzzzcxz]

Choc ice meaning, brown from the outside but white from the inside?

[@aadamkhan5217]

@@qqqqaaaazzzzcxz Of course the racism starts

[@aadamkhan5217]

@@qqqqaaaazzzzcxz You expect me to act a certain way just because I’m brown

[@qqqqaaaazzzzcxz]

@@aadamkhan5217 no but I'm saying be proud of your ethnicity and your roots too, Mr khan

[@monoram25]

BBC ? Who watch this channel !!!

[@rahulkemp8347]

clearly you and me!

[@IbnSaifi]

I hate how they think not adopting western cultures and values is holding yourself back smh

[@satyamevjayte8302]

Comres poll is not accurate. It takes all South Asian people together. Hindu Indians and Pakistan Muslims have different values

[@MerlinSingh]

It is interesting how "progress" is being defined here. It seems British Asians believe progress equates to aligning their behavior with every element of British culture. A culture which celebrates uniformity and commodification of people. If you are all the same, you are easier to exploit. Boys and Girls - do not sell out, keep your dignity, you are under no pressure to be like them. REBEL, and refrain from over indulgence in alcohol, sex and drugs. You dont need to be like everyone else! relax and enjoy life.

[@najbritcol]

It is South Asian cultures that tend to be deeply conformist and class/caste-ridden, that is the whole point. People who spend much of the time worrying about what their family or (putative) community are going to think rather than enjoying life and thinking for themselves. Btw, one issue that was only very briefly touched upon, and in comparison to the discussions regarding homosexuality and sex outside marriage hardly discussed at all, was interethnic/interreligious relationships, which although changing, still remain highly taboo for many South Asians. (Even Yasmin Alibhai-Brown has written about how she lost a lot of friends when she married her White English husband).

[@aadamkhan5217]

I’ve been called a sellout and a coconut by loads of brown people just because I identify as English or because I don’t support Pakistan in cricket or become I don’t call Pakistan my home

[@aadamkhan5217]

@@najbritcolIt’s ridiculous

[@baddie21358]

​@@aadamkhan5217you're not white

[@Ehehtihtahhh]

As a white indigenous Brit. I couldnt care less if you integrate or not or conform to “British values”. Be what ever you like but don’t blame indigenous Brits for,your failures.

[@Ghasi83]

And here in India im living as an exmuslim.

[@aadamkhan5217]

Get out of India. It’s not safe

[@oliurrahman2546]

Rishi Sunak Liked this podcast.

[@aadamkhan5217]

Up the Rish

[@sunnycriti9809]

Perhaps you should try to become processional footballplayers in the UK ?

[@aadamkhan5217]

I know what you mean

[@Baboonfromdatoon]

How can you be 'British Asian'? Britain is in EUROPE, not Asia.

[@Baboonfromdatoon]

@Islndstylee Because 'origin' is important? Should Jewish people walk around with gold stars on them or something? Aren't we all just British?

[@cani5761]

*Eurasia*

[@Baboonfromdatoon]

@@cani5761 Eurasia isn't Asia.

[@user-im5pc8ej1l]

@@Baboonfromdatoon if one of your parents are from the uk and the other is asian then you are british asian

[@Baboonfromdatoon]

@@user-im5pc8ej1l Okay so if both of your parents are 'Asian' you can't be British.

[@samwhite4608]

The British are white Europeans Saxons Celts Norman’s

[@emdiar6588]

So we are all the decedents of immigrants. Are you suggesting we break out a colour chart to decide which immigrant decedents count? Because they tried that in Germany a while back and it did not go well.

[@markusjohnson6558]

Yeah nice one mate

[@JamesBond-hy4kv]

The English you mean 😂 not us Scots. Can’t wait for independence.

[@aadamkhan5217]

@@JamesBond-hy4kvScots ethnicity is Celts

[@aadamkhan5217]

Get with the times

[@Sh4h01]

Are the presenters Indian?

[@rahulkemp8347]

PAKISTANIA

[@aadamkhan5217]

No they’re British and English

[@baddie21358]

​@@rahulkemp8347no 11

[@baddie21358]

Yes