Credit: Getty
Baby On The Brain
Tiffany Haddish just explained why racism makes her scared to have children
By Lauren Geall
Updated 4 years ago
During a recent interview, comedian and actor Tiffany Haddish said she is scared to have children that look like her, for fear that racism would lead to them being “hunted or killed”.
Tiffany Haddish may be famous for making people laugh, but she’s also not afraid to tackle incredibly painful subjects, too.
Speaking during a recent appearance on Carmelo Anthony’s online talk show What’s In Your Glass, Haddish spoke openly about how, as she grows older, people are “always asking” when she’s going to have children – and explained how the racism she and others around her have experienced is influencing that decision.
“I’m a little older now and people are always asking when I’m gonna have some babies,” Haddish said. “There’s a part of me that would like to do that, and I always make up these excuses like, ‘Oh, I need a million dollars in the bank before I do that, I need this, I need that.’”
She continued: “But really, it’s like, I would hate to give birth to someone that looks like me, knowing that they’re going to be hunted or killed. Like, why would I put someone through that?”
Haddish then went on to talk more about what change she hopes to see going forward, and stressed how important it is that white people work to understand the thought process Black women have to go through when it comes to having children.
“White people don’t have to think about [this],” she said. “It’s time to talk about that, and how we have to come together as a community and work as a unit – and maybe we don’t all agree on the same things, but we need to just find some common ground and move forward as human beings.”
Haddish continued: “We’re all trying to figure out, how do you fix this? How do you stop this? And I think we have to figure out how to change people’s hearts, and that’s what I’ve been trying to do my whole career.”
In an appearance on Late Night with Seth Myers earlier this month, the actor and comedian revealed more about the police violence and racism she encountered as a young girl, and explained why attending the funeral of George Floyd meant so much to her.
“The thing that made me really want to be [at the funeral] is, I have watched my friends be slaughtered by the police,” she explained. “I have watched people be murdered in front of me, as a 13-year-old, 14-year-old girl, you know?”
Haddish continued: “So I wanted to be there in support of the family, because I understand how they feel. And being there was like being there for all my friends whose funerals I already went to. All my friends who passed away, all the people that I went to school with who’ve passed away, or have been locked up for no reason.”
George Floyd’s name may not be trending anymore, but there’s still plenty we can all do to continue the anti-racism movement, from continuing to educate ourselves to donating to the charities who are making a difference.
You can check out our guide to 17 UK anti-racism charities to support now to find out more about the organisations who need your support, and read this guide to becoming a better ally in the fight against racism.
Image: Getty
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