Jessie Ware targeted with anti-Semitic abuse by colleague: ‘I burst into tears’-Cydney Yeates-Entertainment – Metro

Jessie Ware was targeted with anti-Semitic abuse by a colleague (Picture: Getty)

Jessie Ware was left in tears after being a victim of anti-Semitic abuse at work.

While the 37-year-old Jewish singer didn’t share where the attack took place and what was said to her, she recalled how she laughed off the racist remark before quickly becoming angry at not sticking up for herself.

‘I can really stick up for other people but I can’t stick up for myself,’ Jessie said. ‘I had a situation recently where somebody was anti-Semitic to me in my workplace – I’m Jewish – and said something.

‘And I laughed – because I didn’t know how else to react. Took myself out the room.

‘And it took my colleague to ask me if I was ok. And I was like “yeah, yeah, I’m fine”. And he went “I just heard what he just said, and it’s not f*cking ok”.’

Speaking on the Homo Sapiens podcast, Jessie said she then burst into tears so much that she couldn’t return to the room.

Jessie recalled how she burst into tears after the incident and walked out of the room (Picture: Getty)

The Champagne Kisses singer admitted she was embarrassed she didn’t stick up for herself (Picture: Getty)

‘Was so embarrassed that I was bursting into tears,’ she continued. ‘Was so embarrassed that I hadn’t stood up for myself.

‘And he said “Jessie, if it had been anybody else who [he] was speaking about in this room – homophobic, racist, misogynistic – you would have been like “get the f**k out’. So of course I had to do the same for you, of course”.’

Jessie was really angry at herself for not standing up for herself, adding that she was ‘shocked’ and ‘hurt’ by the situation.

‘When it comes to other people I’ll f*cking fight hard, but sometimes I don’t do the same for myself,’ she said.

‘I felt very lucky that I had an ally in somebody else recognising it when I was willing to sweep it under the carpet which I’m very embarrassed about.’

Last year, Jessie talked about how much Judaism played a role in her childhood.

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‘My mother didn’t ram it down our throats; it was gently offered and included in our upbringing. It was only really incorporated in High Holy Days, where we’d go to Wimbledon Synagogue, or go to see my grandma in Manchester and we also had Friday night dinner.

‘My mum would quickly say the blessing under her breath as she lit the candles and then it was on to the dinner.’

She continued to Jewish News: ‘I was always proud of being Jewish; my grandmother got me a Star of David necklace, which I loved wearing.

‘It was a big part of my identity and felt like I was different, which I enjoyed, but didn’t really understand.’

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