Black doctor asks people to respect him in his hoodie as well as his scrubs

'Don’t love us just when it’s trendy or convenient'

Black doctor shares powerful message about discrimination (TikTok)

A black doctor has gone viral on TikTok after asking people to treat him the same way whether he’s dressed in his scrubs or a hoodie.

Dr Emeka Okorocha, 27, an A&E doctor from east London, created the TikTok video acknowledging the differences in the way he is perceived amid ongoing protests against racism and police brutality following the death of George Floyd.

In the clip, which is set to Childish Gambino’s This is America, Dr Okorocha smiles as he poses in his scrubs, before changing into a black hoodie.

“If you celebrate me in my scrubs, don’t hate me in my hoodie,” the 27-year-old wrote in the video, which has since been viewed more than 832,000 times. “No to racism. No to discrimination.”

On Instagram, where Dr Okorocha also shared the video, he expanded on his message, writing in the caption: “This is the message. Don’t love us just when it’s trendy or convenient. Love us when it’s hard, when you may be criticised, when you may be scared or embarrassed. That’s when we really will feel you stand with us.

@doctor.emeka

##blacklivesmatter ##notoracism ##fyp ##viral ##foryoupage ##important ##message ##video

♬ Childish Gambino - This Is America / Post Malone - Congratulations - carneyval_

“I don’t want to be clapped for and celebrated when I have my scrubs and PPE on only to see myself and others who look just like me racially profiled for wearing a simple hoodie.

“That’s the message and thanks for everybody who’s been supporting and sharing and speaking in a time like this.”

According to the doctor, he first came up with the idea for the TikTok after seeing a similar one featuring a black lawyer, who asked that people also celebrate him when he is not wearing a suit.

“'It shows the contrast of how people see us in society,” he told the DailyMail, adding that he and a group of fellow doctors discussed having similar experiences with discrimination when they are not dressed in their scrubs.

“I was in a group chat of doctors, and most of us are black. We were talking about it and all discussed how when people [see us] in scrubs they'll celebrate us, but when they see you in a hoodie they fear you,” he said. “Everyone seems to love me in my scrubs and everyone is clapping for the NHS, but if I wear a hoodie, as a 6ft6 black man in an affluent neighbourhood - they'll be scared.”

In response to the video, which has since been recreated by other doctors, many have applauded Dr Okorocha for the message.

“This is powerful, thank you,” one person commented.