"Jess Carter has spent her life grappling with when to hold back and when to speak up; wrestling with being naturally herself, embodying the characteristics her parents instilled in her of being open, honest, vocal and confident, and subduing herself because, while society values those traits, in a black woman they can be viewed negatively. Racist stereotypes of black women as aggressive, confrontational,"
"There's a lot of things I'd like to say or do, and I maybe would if I didn't have that pressure either as a black woman or as an England athlete, but we have to always act the right way, behave a certain way. I used to find it tough when I was a bit younger. I like directness so I used to be direct too."
"When Carter spoke out during the Euros about racist abuse aimed at her on social media it wasn't calculated. She had tried to bury her voice, again, to stay in the bubble. Except the bubble had been pierced. Carter was first targeted when she had a tough time in England's opening game, a 2-1 defeat by France. She, like every Lioness, struggled. Shortly after the game, Carter was sitting with her family and was in her Instagram direct messages."
Jess Carter has repeatedly struggled with when to speak up and when to hold back, balancing traits her parents encouraged—openness, honesty, vocal confidence—with societal penalties. Racist stereotypes portray black women as aggressive, confrontational, loud, ill-tempered and overbearing, forcing black women to walk a tightrope of acceptability. Carter found it difficult to speak out because of pressure as a black woman and as an England athlete. She was targeted with racist social-media abuse after England's opening 2-1 defeat by France at the Euros. Carter publicly confronted the abuse; her response was not calculated but a reaction to a pierced bubble. She later won a second European Championship and her first NWSL title.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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