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‘Nobody is gonna kill me based on my skin colour’: Halsey admits privilege in being ‘white passing’

Singer says she’s ‘not susceptible to the same violence’

Isobel Lewis
Wednesday 03 June 2020 14:41 BST
Alison Hammond breaks down discussing George Floyd's death on This Morning

Singer Halsey admitted that she has privilege in being “white passing” when asked why she didn’t include herself when talking about the struggle of black people.

The “You Should Be Sad” singer, who is biracial, shared her insight in response to a Twitter user who accused her of “never claiming her black side”.

“I’m white passing,” Halsey replied. “It’s not my place to say “we”. It’s my place to help.

“I am in pain for my family, but nobody is gonna kill me based on my skin color. I’ve always been proud of who I am but it’d be an absolute disservice to say “we” when I’m not susceptible to the same violence.”

On Saturday, Halsey joined people across the US in protesting for Black Lives Matter in the wake of the death of George Floyd (30 May), who died last week after a police officer knelt on his neck for nine minutes.

The musician said that police officers “opened fire multiple times”, hitting her with “pellets and shrapnell” and adding: “We were gassed repeatedly for hours.”

In another Instagram Story, Halsey shared a photo of a bruise on her leg and wrote: “This hit me through layers of fabric and for that, I am extremely privileged. At close range it could have caused serious injury.

“They were fired at people’s faces during peaceful moments of the demonstration.”

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