Maya Jama

[Ingognito.Queen]

I’m the same exact age as her, used Twitter at the same time and directly had my self confidence affected by the jokes and insulting comments about darker skinned people that she and others gleefully joined in on, so no!

Obviously I don’t think she’s evil and I’m sure she’s grown up since then, but I’m very aware of the dynamics at play with people like her who joined in on that stuff back then. And how they move now that it’s no longer socially acceptable to behave like that. It does a disservice to people who never behaved that way back then to act like ‘everyone did it, it’s just a normal part of growing up.’ Because that’s not true.

'Comment's?' - as far as I'm aware there was only one comment made about dark skinned people.
Maya said that she was quoting a Kevin Hart joke. So in a way it was copying/retweeting something someone else had said. Of course, this doesn't make it ok but this context is important.
Rather than shy away from or ignore the attention the tweet was getting, she not only addressed it on a podcast but she also put out the below statement:

This idea of cancelling people for stuff that was said 10+ years ago is so pointless.

 

[rosieposie87]

'Comment's?' - as far as I'm aware there was only one comment made about dark skinned people.
Maya said that she was quoting a Kevin Hart joke. So in a way it was copying/retweeting something someone else had said. Of course, this doesn't make it ok but this context is important.
Rather than shy away from or ignore the attention the tweet was getting, she not only addressed it on a podcast but she also put out the below statement:

View attachment 1889187

This idea of cancelling people for stuff that was said 10+ years ago is so pointless.

I said comments she gleefully joined in on, not comments she made. There were other QT’s with similar ignorant jokes. I also didn’t say anywhere that she should be cancelled? I just said I have a low opinion of her because of it. You can’t really talk me out of how I choose to feel about something that directly affected me.

I have my own history with colourism in my community, and growing up hearing this kind of stuff constantly. I don’t think every single person who partook in the jokes are evil, but to me it does say something about their character and I will see them a certain way for doing it. Even if they have grown since then and apologised, it doesn’t erase the dynamic that existed at the time. As I said im the same age as her and I don’t consider 18 to be a child nor 2013-2014 to be that long ago.

 

[Ingognito.Queen]

I said comments she gleefully joined in on, not comments she made. There were other QT’s with similar ignorant jokes. I also didn’t say anywhere that she should be cancelled? I just said I have a low opinion of her because of it. You can’t really talk me out of how I choose to feel about something that directly affected me.

I have my own history with colourism in my community, and growing up hearing this kind of stuff constantly. I don’t think every single person who partook in the jokes are evil, but to me it does say something about their character and I will see them a certain way for doing it. Even if they have grown since then and apologised, it doesn’t erase the dynamic that existed at the time. As I said im the same age as her and I don’t consider 18 to be a child nor 2013-2014 to be that long ago.

I'm not trying to 'talk you out' of anything - it's called having a discussion.

We are in a completely different world to 2013-14.

I just don't think that she should be forever demonised for this and it constantly brought up, ESPECIALLY when she has addressed and apologised for it.

 

[rosieposie87]

I'm not trying to 'talk you out' of anything - it's called having a discussion.

We are in a completely different world to 2013-14.

I just don't think that she should be forever demonised for this and it constantly brought up, ESPECIALLY when she has addressed and apologised for it.

People were doing the work to unlearn racist and colourist attitudes like that long before 2014. We didn’t all suddenly enter into a new conscious enlightened state in 2020. To casually brush this stuff off as ‘what everyone was doing back then’ is insulting to the people at that time who knew better and did better.

Whether you deem it as unfair or not - I don’t rate people like Maya who enjoyed their position as the lighter skinned girl by joining in putting darker people down. I don’t think she should be dragged through the street with tomatoes thrown at her or stripped of her TV work. I agree that she faced up and took accountability.

But I will forever see her a certain way because of it. If she were a friend of mine irl I wouldn’t be able to feel the same way about her again either. This is a gossip thread for criticising a public figure, so ofcourse this topic will be brought up from time to time. We both agree that it was wrong, but we’ve drawn separate conclusions about it, which is fine?

 

[Blueblue123]

If anyone chooses not to forgive Maya for her past words, that's down to them. It hasn't hindered her career in any notable way so she's got off scot-free to be honest. But people can choose not to be a fan if they like.

There will be people who aren't fans because they find her annoying, untalented, overexposed... Why is their dislike valid but not people who don't want to forgive her previous harmful "jokes"?

 

[MidnightRambler]

I’m conflicted because I do find her social media content quite staged, but people I’ve worked with who have come into contact with her - including one who was involved in the recent McDonalds campaign have ALL said she was absolutely lovely.

Similar with Frankie Bridge, she annoys me at times but the same thing, those that deal with her have said she’s a really lovely girl.

The media / entertainment industry loves to hate on people, so there’s always negative gossiping and urban myths, about even the most wholesome types, so to hear almost universal positive reports from first hand experiences is honestly very rare.

In conclusion, I agree that shes gotten this far up the ladder based on looks, but it seems she is a decent sort as well

 

[TulleStarr]

Not a fan of hers but she did good on LI last night.

 

[Blueblue123]

I’m conflicted because I do find her social media content quite staged, but people I’ve worked with who have come into contact with her - including one who was involved in the recent McDonalds campaign have ALL said she was absolutely lovely.

Similar with Frankie Bridge, she annoys me at times but the same thing, those that deal with her have said she’s a really lovely girl.

The media / entertainment industry loves to hate on people, so there’s always negative gossiping and urban myths, about even the most wholesome types, so to hear almost universal positive reports from first hand experiences is honestly very rare.

In conclusion, I agree that shes gotten this far up the ladder based on looks, but it seems she is a decent sort as well

In this day and age, looks only take you so far. Maya is 12 years deep into her career. She definitely knows how to hustle, network and put herself in the right place at the right time. She has a charm about her for sure.

It's a shame the talent doesn't really match. She's just okay as a presenter. I think she's a good fit for Love Island though.

But the UK is in need of new blood, there's only so many shows Holly Willoughby can do.

 

[AllSeeingEye123]

Wouldn't kick her out of bed for being a David Walliams fans.

 

[Edrych]

I didnt watch Love Island last night but it does seem to have turned into Maya Island.
There's been more articles about her and her outfits than articles about the actual contestants.
I think I've said previously she does seem like a laugh and would be fun on a night out but I think after a few hours she would do my head in.
And let's be honest that Laura wasn't any good so I think my gran could have gone on to host it and would have done a better job.
Maybe this gig will be the making of her and she will get better in hosting.
I do feel sorry though for the girls on the show - there's been so many comments about how stunning Maya is etc.

 

[coconochanel]

She absolutely LOVES the attention.

That's because she LOVES herself.

 

[ccccc]

All the pictures and reposts of her in the red outfit, she genuinely believes she is the main event. I don’t watch LI but I already know if I did, Me-ya would get on my last nerve.

 

[S4buk]

She was the highlight of Love Island to be fair, she looked absolutely stunning and seemed genuinely interested in the contestants and show (unlike Whitmore).

She really did serve Caroline energy and came across very personable.

 

[irla10]

I’m the same exact age as her, used Twitter at the same time and directly had my self confidence affected by the jokes and insulting comments about darker skinned people that she and others gleefully joined in on, so no!

Obviously I don’t think she’s evil and I’m sure she’s grown up since then, but I’m very aware of the dynamics at play with people like her who joined in on that stuff back then. And how they move now that it’s no longer socially acceptable to behave like that. It does a disservice to people who never behaved that way back then to act like ‘everyone did it, it’s just a normal part of growing up.’ Because that’s not true.

If anyone chooses not to forgive Maya for her past words, that's down to them. It hasn't hindered her career in any notable way so she's got off scot-free to be honest. But people can choose not to be a fan if they like.

There will be people who aren't fans because they find her annoying, untalented, overexposed... Why is their dislike valid but not people who don't want to forgive her previous harmful "jokes"?

You’re missing the point when you’re labelling it as jokes. I don’t know if you’re a dark skinned woman yourself but those so called jokes were hurled at them on a regular basis and to have the ‘pretty girl’ put it on social media would’ve been just rubbing it in further. These people probably have self esteem issues about these ‘jokes’ to this very day. I think it’s out of order to downplay what they’re expressing. She might have moved on and changed with the times or maybe she moved on and changed to fit her public image. those tweets surfacing clearly bring up stuff from peoples past where people like her were publicly shaming people for the way they were born. So she might have moved on but why isn’t it okay that people that got directly affected by these comments to question the genuinity of it and if they’re comfortable supporting it? Why don’t you just let people who were directly affected express themselves? Her pretty privilege comes into play when we’re talking of this subject too of being a light skinned black woman that lots of dark skinned men probably drooled over back in the day as teens. These women are entitled to be hurt. It goes deeper than just Maya, yes, but her tweets surfaced and therefore she’s an example. it is good to keep talking about things that are an issue in a community even now and look back on how they’ve progressed over time. This is open forum. It’s not as if they’re messaging her and calling her out directly.

 

[Salacious]

Jama > Whitmore

 

[ccccc]

The slow mo of her walking into LI and then posting multiple photos of herself.

 

[Blueblue123]

You’re missing the point when you’re labelling it as jokes. I don’t know if you’re a dark skinned woman yourself but those so called jokes were hurled at them on a regular basis and to have the ‘pretty girl’ put it on social media would’ve been just rubbing it in further. These people probably have self esteem issues about these ‘jokes’ to this very day. I think it’s out of order to downplay what they’re expressing. She might have moved on and changed with the times or maybe she moved on and changed to fit her public image. those tweets surfacing clearly bring up stuff from peoples past where people like her were publicly shaming people for the way they were born. So she might have moved on but why isn’t it okay that people that got directly affected by these comments to question the genuinity of it and if they’re comfortable supporting it? Why don’t you just let people who were directly affected express themselves? Her pretty privilege comes into play when we’re talking of this subject too of being a light skinned black woman that lots of dark skinned men probably drooled over back in the day as teens. These women are entitled to be hurt. It goes deeper than just Maya, yes, but her tweets surfaced and therefore she’s an example. it is good to keep talking about things that are an issue in a community even now and look back on how they’ve progressed over time. This is open forum. It’s not as if they’re messaging her and calling her out directly.

I'm not missing the point at all, I'm black myself. I'm just using the term people who downplay what she did describe it.

It was "jokes" for everyone who did it at the time, added trauma and ruined self esteem for dark skinned people (particularly women) who were the butt of jokes for decades and felt the real life impacts of colourism (i.e. being less favoured in society).

 

[AllSeeingEye123]

It hasn't hindered her career in any notable way so she's got off scot-free to be honest.

Dunno about that. She's mainly someone seen on lowly channels like ITV 2. Maybe if she hadn't done the tweets she would be presenting prime time on BBC or ITV 1. We will never know if it hindered her.

 

[Blueblue123]

Dunno about that. She's mainly someone seen on lowly channels like ITV 2. Maybe if she hadn't done the tweets she would be presenting prime time on BBC or ITV 1. We will never know if it hindered her.

In a notable way, meaning she didn't have to hide away and regain public favour. She didn't even lose the BBC job she had at the time, she just apologised.

She's presenting one of the UK's biggest TV shows and ITV's cash cow programme. She might not have had the trajectory some expected and probably took on some low rate jobs along the way, but she hasn't been obviously hindered.

 

[redstraw16]

she’s very much joined at a time when people are just a bit over the LI saturation, especially now it’s 2 seasons a year…

Love Island ratings plunge to lowest in five years as winter series returns

Love Island's second winter series pulled in just 1.4 million viewers during the ITV2 dating show's launch last night, which is the lowest viewer rating for the show's launch in five years

www.mirror.co.uk