Noughts & Crosses - A Must Read

In my own flat, I don't have a TV or Netflix or any kind of streaming service. I read more than I watch, and if I do watch something, it'll be on YouTube or All4.

At my parents', where I've been staying during lockdown, I've fallen into my TV watching habits of my teen years. I still don't do it a lot, but Law & Order: SVU or Grand Designs is on, my TV is showing it.

Early on in lockdown, I saw adverts for the 'Noughts and Crosses' TV miniseries. All 6 episodes were to be available on BBC iPlayer once the first one had aired live. I'd heard of the books by Malorie Blackman, and knew they came highly recommended, but I'd never actually read them myself. So I thought, I'll watch the series and see if I then fancy the books.

I was blown away by each episode.

Not only are the technical elements of the show brilliant - the acting, the staging, the way it's all drawn together - the story is heart-wrenchingly powerful.

The story centres around two teenagers and their families, living in a time of racial tension and segregation.

Sephy, is Black and Callum is White. And you're probably assuming, if you know nothing of 'Noughts and Crosses', that Callum as a White person is living the privileged life while it is Sephy who suffers racial injustices and attacks. Actually no. 'Noughts and Crosses' is written in an environment in which Black people are in charge, and it is White people who are attacked and treated as lower class citizens for the colour of their skin.

I don't believe that a person should have to walk a mile in someone else's shoes to understand the poor treatment that exists, a person shouldn't be treated well because they're someone's mother, daughter, brother, friend, it should be because they are someone.

However, it does strike you on a different level when you can relate more closely. I've long be horrified by stories from people about the racial hatred they've suffered, and am fully committed to being an ally, constantly learning and improving in that role to get us to better. It still sticks in you when you read that being a 'nought', a 'blanker' means you're nothing. And that's fiction. I can't imagine the reality of reading and hearing things day in day out that are so derogatory and breaking of your existence.

The main thing I really took away from 'Noughts and Crosses' is that none of this is about Black or White really. Supremacy that grows out of prejudicial othering and viciousness is the evil. As it has been put recently, this is about racists versus anti-racists.

We're all individuals and strong, powerful and worthy within that. The world is a patch work of cultures, and it wouldn't exist without every single one of us. As a woman of faith, I often think that the sign of God's covenant wouldn't be a rainbow if the world wasn't supposed to be varied and colourful, in need of rain and shine.

After raving about this TV show as a must watch, a friend bought me the book for my birthday. There are definite differences in the stories, but the essence is still there.

I encourage you to read and/or watch the series, to look at art, books, film, to learn from, to take steps forward into being better. We've all got a way to go, but we can't stop getting there just because it feels far away. We're closer than we were yesterday, the hope is always there.