Dawn French has shared her opinions on cancel culture following a conversation she had on a podcast.
The Vicar Of Dibley star shared her thoughts on what she perceives as society’s quickness to cancel people, saying “we are expected to present ourselves as perfect”.
This follows French being told to “catch up” in a conversation surrounding JK Rowling’s controversial comments about the trans community.
Speaking recently on the Happy Place podcast with Fearne Cotton, French began: “We’re all talking about inclusivity and favouring difference and all the rest of it. And that’s all great, I love the idea of that, but that’s not how we’re living.”
She explained: “We’re living the opposite of that – we’re massively intolerant, quick to blame, litigation, bullying and trolling and all of this dreadful stuff which has got nothing to do with understanding how other human beings operate.”
French continued: “We are people who know we make mistakes, we know we have shortcomings, we know all this stuff but because we are expected to present ourselves as perfect and only celebrate all the perfect things, it’s just wiped out any margin for error.
The British comedian also spoke about the need for “robust debate” and a greater understanding between people. She said that this way of living is “impossible if what we’ve got to do is hunker back into our positions, defend them by spitting and being furious, and then blaming and cancelling”.
She continued to explain her opinion, saying that she thinks “we’re being forced into corners”.
“I don’t like that – I’ve never been cowardly, I hope, but I’m starting to be that because I’m being circumspect about what I will support or not in case it causes trouble.”
French explained her position further: “We shouldn’t be back in the corner and yet I am in the corner, and I really dislike it about myself and about this cultural malaise, where I just think, I’d like to support that person in what they just said there.”
She concluded her thoughts with a question about the state of society, saying: “It’s awful, how has it happened? How have people given their lives so we could vote, done so many things to push forward and now we’re in this place?… It’s ludicrous. I don’t know how to unpick it.”
When explaining the situation regarding Rowling, who has received significant backlash in recent years for her comments about the trans community, French encouraged the younger generation to be more willing to educate those who may not be fully aware of political and cultural instances in society.
“And I’m just saying, please, especially you younger folk, please inform me and explain this to me so that I can understand it and not make this mistake again,” added French. “But don’t tell me to catch up.”