What does it mean to be British? This was the question Great Britain faced after World War II. Until this point it was defined by being a caucasian of Anglo-Saxon descent, whose value was defined by a hierarchal order. But as black migrants entered England, this question had to be considered anew.
In his article “Dark Strangers,” Chris Waters says in the 1950’s Britishness was no longer defined by a hierarchy, but by race. Those who were not white were considered strangers or “others.” In addition to race, there was a mindset of Britishness that developed. Those who did not conform to it were often portrayed as violent heathens that threatened England’s existence, especially in British media.
In her article “There Will Always Be an England,” Wendy Webster says British films emphasized the domestication of England by gendering their films. White women were usually at the foreground “as symbols of a nation under siege” (Webster, p. 561). There were no representations of black women which Webster says, “enforced the association between Englishness and domestic order” (p. 536).
While women were were often used as a mascot for domesticity, engaging in a mixed race relationship would lead them to be shunned. In 1948 Ruth Williams married Seretse Khama , a prince of the Bamangwato tribe in Bechuanaland (Botswanna). Their marriage was greatly opposed and they were unable to marry in the Anglican church. Seretse had to take out a special marriage license instead. Even in Africa there was fierce opposition to their marriage. Botswana’s neighbor, South Africa, had laws prohibiting mixed-race marriage, and Seretse was banned from his tribal territory. They were eventually allowed to return to Botswanna, after encountering many obstacles, where Seretse would eventually become the first president of Botswanna.
Seretse and Ruth Khama, and their children.
Why do people often reject what is different? It is a theme that seen throughout history and England was not immune. They had a specific mindset on what it meant to be British and they did not want to change it, and shunned those who did not fit the mold. They saw “the others” as a threat to their way of life instead of trying to adapt and progress.
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Sameness is a familiar feeling that provides comfort. People gravitate toward that which makes sense to them. This is why people are so drawn to things that appear the same. Waters referenced someone who said that shyness was a reality that can be explained scientifically. While the person being referenced was not using science in quite the right way, he was on a track that could create something that is true. People do have that natural drive for sameness, which is why they reject differences. However, this is not a perfectly natural reality that needs to be accepted. There is great reason to believe that difference is good, which means a need for a denial of natural tendency.
I think people will reject what is different because they see change as a sign of weakness. Change to some people means giving up what is yours and no longer having your own sense of self. I think that when history keeps something the same way for such a long time, there is a stubbornness when something new is introduced.