Rebel with a cause - Come Dine With Me

A picture is worth a thousand words, right? For my night on Come Dine With Me in Edinburgh I made badges for my guests that symbolised fun and incredible things about them. And, all week I also wore badges that symbolised some of the things that are most important to me.

I was always taught every platform you get is a chance to raise up your community. Come Dine With Me was a chance to talk about issues close to my heart. However, I knew those chances were going to be minimal on air. We also weren't allowed to wear anything with other people's art, branding, political messages or words on it (Except my cheeky Yale tshirt!). So, I had to get creative, literally, to get my message across.

I designed and created my own badges to say the words I wouldn't necessarily be able to say. You might have caught glimpses of them on air. So here they are with their corresponding issues.

Anti gun crime

Being American, gun crime and gun control are subjects close to my heart. I grew up annually attending memorials for kids my age who were the victims of gun crime. I have family and friends who've been affected by it. More than anything, it makes me sad so many young people's lives are at risk and that people are still unable, or unwilling, to see that better regulation (at least) is the only way to improve it. I think the way that it's currently being handled and addressed by some in America is farcical. So, for the badge, I took inspiration from The Comedian's iconic blood spattered badge from the comic, Watchmen by Alan Moore. Referencing one of the most thought provoking comics about moral grey areas was fitting, given the Comedian's own relationship to violence as a so-called hero. I like to think wearing this badge was my very own Rorschack moment.

Mental Health

I've made no secret about my own struggles with depression and anxiety. Positive, open attitudes towards talking about it is something our society needs more of. For some people an episode of ill mental health is a one off. For others it's a life time struggle, just like any other health issue. But the stigma and judgement can only be defeated if we talk about it. The subject really hit home for me when a friend lost a loved one to suicide while I was filming night 2! It was a horrifying shock. But, it made me all the more resolved to spread the word. I used the title of one of my favourite Fiona Apples songs, Extraordinary Machine. The lyric is "Be kind to me, or treat me mean - I'll make the most of it. I'm an extraordinary machine".. I think it speaks to the beautiful contradition that is being human. The human body and brain are just that - these extraordinary machines that can do so many amazing things. We have moving parts that need to be cared for. However, the badge turns it on it's head. As humans we are extraordinary, but we are not machines. Uunlike machines sometimes there's no easy fix for what ails us. You can't just remove and replace parts. We need to face our own 'brokenness' with compassion and understanding - in ourselves and others. The sad brain and the awkward smile demonstrate that dichotomy - smiling on the outside; showing off your extraordinary machine. But inside needing some tlc.

LGBTI equality

This one I didn't create myself. But there was no point in reinventing the wheel. It was actually a rainbow badge that I've had for years that's faded in the sun. I like the way the pastels of the muted rainbow look a bit like the trans flag. So I kept the badge instead of swapping it for something brighter and new.

Black Lives Matter

"Yes, sir. No, sir. Thank you, sir." The only 7 words you need to know if you're black and stopped by the police.

Obviously, there are amazing cops. My brother-in-law is one of them. I was lucky enough to know my neighbourhood police as a kid. But, the numbers don't lie. Black people in America are more likely to be fatally shot by police than white counterparts. You don't have to look past Starbucks to see that racial bias is alive, well and kicking people out in America.

It's scares me to think that my Black nieces and nephew are growing up under that bias like I did. I know they will thrive and be brilliant and accomplish great things despite it. But, I wonder, what could they be if they weren't constantly mentally assessing their surroundings for danger - even from those sworn to protect them?

I wore this badge on my night and made it stand out as much as possible - a black badge against a white shirt. I knew it was slightly bending the rules because it had a political tone. But it was a worthwhile risk. I managed to sneak it past for the first part of my night before the crew clocked what it was and asked if I'd take it off. I didn't push the issue because they said they wouldn't bother reshooting the footage where I had it on. I'm glad it made it into a few shots.

Cancer awareness

I'm terrified by cancer. I've lost a friend or family member to cancer every year since I turned 30. The first person I lost was my best friend (only 30 years old herself) and both my mother's parents died from it. It's a sobering fact to realise that 1 in 4 people will have cancer. And, everyone will be affected by it in some way. Since I moved to Scotland I've been singing with the choir Showcase in Edinburgh who raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support. It's an amazing thing to be able to use my hobby as a way to do something positive for people and their families affected by this illness. So, it was just as important to help raise awareness of it on Come Dine With Me.