Teens 'change Essex accent' for fear of prejudice

The Essex accent received national and international exposure in hit TV show The Only Way is Essex

Teenage girls from Essex feel pressure to change the way they talk due to negative stereotypes, research has revealed.

The study analysed the feelings of 10 youngsters from Westcliff High School for Girls, in Westcliff-on-Sea.

It found they felt "blighted by persistent negative" connotations linked to growing up in the county, the University of Essex said.

Dr Tara McAllister-Viel added: "They said the perception is that an Essex girl is unintelligent, uncreative and they don’t feel that stereotype represents them at all."

The researcher, from the university's East 15 Acting School, let the teenagers share their feelings via spoken word poetry they had written.

The poems have since been turned into an audio exhibition at Clifftown Theatre in Southend-on-Sea, running from 7 to 10 November.

Chelmsford is the county town of Essex and one of three cities in the county

"These girls are at such an exciting moment in their lives when their identities are shifting and they are trying to learn who they are," Dr McAllister-Viel said.

"But they don't think teenagers, particularly teenage girls, are taken seriously."

'Potency'

The research found the girls felt pressure to change their accents when they moved between different regions.

Some were even taking courses so they could learn to speak "properly" without an Essex accent.

One teenager said she was proud to sound like her Essex-born mother but feared she would have to change her voice when travelling later in life.

Dr McAllister-Viel said hearing the concerns directly from the girls' mouths gave their words more "potency".

"Spoken word poetry is perfect for this type of reflection because it is generated out of someone's life experiences," she added.

"It puts them out there for a listener to hear and gives you an opportunity to change someone's mind about you."