5 Lies Told About Black People and Why This Matters
Nov 13, 2025
Whilst meditating last night, the practitioner prompted me to think about the lies I tell myself about myself. As I listed them, I started to think about the influence society and the media often have on the untruths that Black people are strongly influenced by.
My mind then ventured to recent stereotypes I had been exposed to and, consequently, the work it takes to shake those negative associations from your back. So I think it is high time I reminded folk of the common beliefs shared about Black people which, when left unquestioned, often become “truths” in the minds of non-Black people.
A few notes before I get into this:
- I will start by saying I am particularly well-versed in repeating these stereotypes, as when delivering antiracism training, we often run an exercise which safely prompts people to list the negative stereotypes they have heard about Black people. The ones I list are the five most repeated stereotypes I hear.
- As with all stereotypes, there will be exceptions to the rule. Some people will fit the stereotype. However, the point is that many will not, and individuals should never be treated as evidence of a wider truth about an entire community.
- I have included reflection questions and tasks to help you think about each point and help dislodge damaging stereotypes.
- I am speaking particularly about Black people because of my morning reflection, but many other non-Black racially marginalised groups will face similar stereotypes.
So, let us get into this.
- “They are affiliated with gangs”
This derives from traditionally sensationalist media and the historic over-policing of Black communities. The majority of Black people in the UK are not gang-affiliated, and evidence confirms that gang members, on the whole, are not Black, and that diversity varies from region to region.
This is harmful because it leads to over-suspicion of Black boys in schools, stop and search disparities, and harsher treatment by police. In the workplace, Black men in particular can be feared and constantly under surveillance.
Reflection question: When did you first learn to associate “gangs” with Blackness? From whom? Whose agenda does this serve?
- “Black women are all single parents”
This is simply not true. The single-parent charity Gingerbread reports that 80% of single parents in the UK are White or White British, and 9% are Black or Black British, which is broadly in line with population shares. Yet damaging stereotypes influenced by American political discourse on the “single Black welfare queen” still exist in the UK.
Beliefs like these fuel judgement of Black mothers, single or not, dismiss the strength of Black families and obscure systemic factors like economic inequality.
Reflection task: If you feel uncomfortable about the idea of single Black mothers, trace where that thought came from. Read the links so that you are more informed on the facts.
- “They all smoke marijuana”
Rates of cannabis use among Black people are similar to, or lower than, those of White people. White people are more likely to use most illegal drugs. Yet this stereotype persists.
In the year ending March 2023, 7.6% of people aged 16 to 59 in England and Wales had used cannabis in the last year, which is nowhere near “all” of any group.
This has significant implications. Black people are disproportionately arrested for drug possession.
Reflection question: What connotations does “weed smoking” have in the workplace? How could this disproportionately harm Black staff members?
- “They are unintelligent”
This thinking is influenced by colonial pseudoscience used to justify enslavement.
Data from the Department for Education show that in the 2023 to 24 academic year, people from Black backgrounds made up 7.9% of further education students, despite representing only 3.9% of the population aged 16 and over. This indicates high participation in continuing education among Black adults.
Inside organisations, this stereotype influences who is encouraged to apply for promotions, who receives stretch projects and whose mistakes are forgiven. Black employees may find they have to work harder to prove basic competence, while others are assumed competent from the outset.
This is harmful in many ways. Black people are often overlooked for jobs and promotions. Low expectations become self-fulfilling, affecting university and job offers, confidence and career options. Scrutiny of their work is common. Many feel they must constantly prove their intelligence.
- “They are dirty or smelly”
This is a particular bugbear of mine, and I only learned how common it was through running the activity I mentioned earlier. I personally find this highly offensive.
The belief that Black people are dirty or smelly is a classic racist trope used throughout colonial history to dehumanise.
I see evidence of this when visiting women’s public toilets, where non-Black people sometimes avoid entering a cubicle just vacated by a Black woman.
Research on racism notes that describing certain ethnic groups as “dirty” or “smelly” is a classic racist trope that has been applied to many communities (for example, anti-Indian, anti-Jew and anti-Traveller racism), showing it is a recycled prejudice, not a fact about any group.
The harm caused by this is huge. Essentially, Black people are being told through this belief that they are repulsive and the lowest of the low. Psychologically, this is incredibly deleterious. Being repeatedly positioned as “disgusting” activates what researchers call social devaluation, the experience of feeling that others see you as lesser, unclean or unworthy. Long-term exposure to this kind of stigma is linked to increased anxiety, vigilance, depressive symptoms and a deep sense of isolation. It can also lead to internalisation, where people begin to doubt their own worth because they are constantly treated as though they have none.
Reflection question: When did you first encounter the idea that certain groups are “unclean”, and how might that early message still shape the way you respond to people today?
Originally, I had ten points, but the more I wrote, the more I needed to take breaks. This work is hard.
I write this blog for the people committed to doing the work on behalf of antiracism. I know the reflection questions are tough, but imagine a world where we were all made to confront such questions about people from different ethnicities and cultures. That is where we are headed, all being well.
Now, if you have not already, go and answer the questions.
Thank you for reading, as always.
Talking about racism can seem difficult and uncomfortable. This CPD accredited course provides a foundational education on racism to help to increase racial literacy which includes building confidence to speak about and deal with issues concerning race. It provides a language through which meaningful conversation can take place (particularly in the workplace).
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