A recent discussion on defining Englishness has prompted varied responses from readers. Maariyah Seedat shared experiences of being discouraged from identifying as English during childhood in multicultural Leicester, due to her skin colour. She noted that referring to herself as British was often a less objectionable option.
Seedat believes that such experiences contribute to why ethnic-minority adults may prefer identifying as British, citing a mix of historical positioning and a desire to avoid circular arguments.
Dr Richard Seabrook pointed out that the 2021 census coding scheme lists 'English' as a subcategory of 'white', which means it is not possible to describe oneself as 'Black English', unlike 'Black British'. Seabrook suggests this implies 'racist implications' are 'baked into the coding scheme' until 'English' is treated as a cultural identity rather than a consequence of DNA.
Mark James Slater expressed that for him, being English is a restrictive definition, and he is proud to be counted as British. Alan Baker, born in Canterbury in 1938, stated that being English is simply a matter of fact for him, for which he is neither proud nor ashamed.