Bachelor In Paradise's Renee Barrett Says She Was Known As The 'Black Girl' In School
‘Bachelor In Paradise’ contestant Renee Barrett has opened up about her Indigenous Australian heritage, saying she often felt “segregated” at school, and has been told she’s “pretty for an Aboriginal’ in her adult life.
Born and raised in Darwin, the 26-year-old Larrakia woman said her heritage “played a huge part” in her upbringing and is still central to her identity.
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In childhood, she was discriminated against by other kids because of the way she looked.
“In school I was always known as the ‘black girl’ and for me, being so young, I didn’t understand why I was being segregated,” she said.
In time she learnt more about her cultural roots and the history of First Nations people in Australia, saying it helped her connect with her hometown given the Larrakia people are the traditional owners of the Darwin region.
“As I grew up my family really started to teach me about my heritage and how important it was to always remain respectful to others around me,” she explained. “I have been pretty blessed to live in Darwin with my clan. This is my home and this is where I feel like I belong.”
A post shared by Renee J Barrett (@reneejbarrett) on Aug 4, 2020 at 7:09pm PDT
Last year fellow ‘Bachelor In Paradise’ contestant Brooke Blurton said she had been told by strangers she’s “pretty for an Aboriginal”.
“Unfortunately, like Brooke, I did also receive these comments [in the past],” said Renee.
“These statements are so hurtful and are so detrimental to a young girl’s mental health. I remember going home in tears and asking why...
