Alesha Dixon has said there will be real change for diversity when it is no longer a topic of conversation.
The Britain’s Got Talent judge, who found fame as a member of girlband Mis-Teeq, said she is worried that the discussion is still ongoing.
She told ITV’s Lorraine: “We often had people saying to us, ‘They won’t put you on the front of a magazine because they don’t think you will sell’, and I would like to think that is not the case and it’s such an out of date way of thinking.
On #InternationalWomensDay, @aleshaofficial remembers being told that ‘black girls don’t sell records’ during her early career with Mis-Teeq and shares her hopes for the future when ‘it’s normal to see women of colour being successful and no-one questioning it.’ #Lorraine pic.twitter.com/Ju5QKFCHlE
— Lorraine (@lorraine) March 8, 2019
“But oh my goodness, in this day and age the fact that we still have the conversation, that is what worries me more than anything.
“That is real change, when it’s just normal to see a character on the front of a book or women of colour out there being successful and no-one questioning it.”
Discussing being a role model, she said: “I do feel a sense of responsibility in a way but you never want to be like the only one.
“You want to make sure you’re in good company. I’ve never wanted to play that card but I am conscious of the fact that I am representing a demographic of people and I hope that in some way it is inspiring to people.”
Dixon said she has been particularly inspired to see conversations around topics such as period poverty, that might not have been discussed on television a few years ago.
She added: “I think we live in exciting times because the conversation is very open and nothing is off the table to be discussed.
“I think there are pros and cons with social media but oh my goodness doesn’t it get people talking and spreads awareness in such a positive way, and I think if you have a platform it is totally your responsibility to use it in the best way that you can.”
