The Honorary Consul for Ethiopia in Scotland, Professor John Struthers has sparked a ‘warm’ diversity conversation on the internet after sharing a personal photograph with a powerful message.
Scot-Ghanaian couple inspire diversity conversation on Twitter
In the photograph, Professor Struthers stands in the left of the shot dressed in full kilt complimented with African ‘Kente’ bowtie and scarf while his wife of 40 years, stands next to him wearing an African ‘Kente’ blouse and skirt complete with a matching head wrap.
The professor’s message? Love triumphs against racism.
I thought I would share..
We’ve had disapproving looks, ‘we are full’, ‘is that your wife’ and many more actions questioning our relationship over the last 40+yrs
We haven't wavered!
The best way of fighting racism is living your life, standing tall and educating. #Diversity pic.twitter.com/jmd0F0i71r— Prof. John Struthers (@jjstruthersuk) December 26, 2017
The Tweet was well received and attracted supportive comments from all over the globe with many other mixed-race couples sharing their own stories.
I know exactly what you mean. pic.twitter.com/ezASKILYkW— Daren Willcock (@mmafightcoach) December 28, 2017
So true: living a full, happy life is the best weapon against hate. pic.twitter.com/XfJcfe0e7l— Michael Brown (@MichaelWBrownCT) December 27, 2017
Inspirational. 17 years for us – #diversity is the answer ❤️ pic.twitter.com/1H5bIVHAEy— OorWa (@OorWullB) December 27, 2017
My wife is from Nigeria and I can honestly say that in our 9 years together, we have never experienced a hint racism. That is not a boast, it's a Thank You! People like you and your wife have paved the way for us, by standing tall, by educating, and living diversity. #itsworking pic.twitter.com/ytooAruU5v— the Major™ (@BigJP10) December 28, 2017
You make a beautiful pair. May all the world’s goodness find and follow you both.— Holyterror (@Holyterror44) December 28, 2017
Professor Struthers was appointed Honorary Consul for Ethiopia in Scotland two years. An academic and economist with over 30 years experience in universities in the UK and in Africa, he has also been a Director of a leading Scottish Chamber of Commerce and is a current member of the Westminster Africa Business Group in London.
His story and those of many other interracial couples on the continent show how far Africa has come from the days of Apartheid South Africa were interracial marriages were outlawed and where cultural differences still made such relationships difficult even when the 1949 the Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act was repealed in 1985.