I will continue to speak out against racism | Cheryl Gibbs

It’s powerful, to the point, and as a white, middle class woman I can only offer this sentiment as a demonstration of my solidarity, for how can I possibly, ever understand what it’s like to not be me?

Yet I stand all the same, for what it’s worth.

And this alone is something that is so important right now – how can I, an individual, living in sleepy Catherington at home with a baby all day, during lockdown, make my stand?

By no longer being satisfied in the comfort that I’m not racist, that’s how. I have never been, nor ever will be, comfortable with racism.

Anyone who knows me will know that I struggle immensely with the issue of racism.

I’ve never understood how people can be so narrow-minded and pathetically arrogant about the issue of race, but that doesn’t mean that I’ve done enough to stand against it either.

I, like so many around the world, have been shocked to the core and moved into action by the death of yet another black man in America.

George Floyd died when he was pinned to the floor by white police officer Derek Chauvin who knelt on Mr Floyd’s neck for nine minutes, stopping him breathing.

Chauvin has now been charged with second degree murder and three other officers have been charged with aiding and abetting a murder.

How in 21st century America can this still be going on?

I remember studying American and black history at Southdowns College and being sick to my stomach about the suffering of black people, but what’s changed?

I pledge to no longer be satisfied in the knowledge that I’m not racist and will continue to speak up against those arrogant enough to be otherwise.

Most importantly, I will always bring our daughter Harley up in a way that she never perceives herself to have any kind of white privilege.

People, it’s time to make a stand.

We know that everybody needs good Neighbours

Everyone mocks Matt and I for our love of the Aussie soap, Neighbours.

So we are delighted because it has become one of the first soaps in the world to resume filming during coronavirus and recently made the New York Times because of it.

It's pretty impressive, and as an avid viewer I’ll be watching with interest how television and movies can resume filming while adhering to social distancing.

We love nothing more than watching the Neighbours omnibus on a Friday or Saturday night with a takeaway. Since having Harley, we love it even more. It’s our little bit of respite.

A round of applause for the crew for resuming filming responsibly. It’s certainly a sign of the times.

If my IVF story helped just one person I’ll be happy

I want to thank everyone for their support following my article in The News on Tuesday about our struggle to conceive.

I intended it to help others who may be in a similar situation – if it helped just one person then I achieved what I set out to do.

I was overwhelmed by the response from people who said they had either gone through it or were going through it and that the article resonated with them. It sparked a conversation between a particular group of women that I’m on a WhatsApp group with who opened up about their struggles with fertility for the first time. With all the noise from social media, it’s so important that we speak out about issues that affect us.