The absolute state of the Daily Mail (re Meghan Markle)

[Hithere12]

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7298013/Meghan-Markles-organic-baby-shawl-used-swaddle-Archie-workers-earning-37-PENCE-hour.html

This is there top story. Meghan is using a cheap shawl & DM have found the factory it was made in.

She’s been criticised non stop for her spending, uses something cheap and the DM visit the sweatshop it was made in! I’m sorry but we are all guilty of this, very few people I’m sure track down where everything they buy is made and how much the staff are paid.

It’s just getting ridiculous how they’ll find literally anything to criticise.

If the DM want to expose sweat shops (something they care little about usually) they have the resources and man power to do so but they don’t give a shit they just want to go after Meghan.

I can't imagine someone as experienced as Eamonn Holmes would be unaware of the connotations of "uppity" though.

What are the connotations of “uppity”?

We are Mr Men fans here, read Mr Uppity lots of times. Who’d have thought Roger Hargreaves was dog whistling?

It’s a bit like that total wagon of a minor royal (can’t remember her name) and the racist brooch.

It’s utterly obvious they know what they’re doing, yet they play the ignorance card when caught.

Soo yes it is demeaning to women but it is not a racist comment.

Google it. It absolutely is.

What ‘facts’ are we talking about again? Remind me.

But for brevity can we make sure not to include

Anything that’s totally normal for the royals (for example spending, taking advantage of friends hospitality)

Anything that turns out to be bullshit when investigated (for example staff leaving)

Anything that you’d never criticise anyone else for (for example bump touching, watching a friend play at Wimbledon, being friends with Amal Clooney)

I’d much appreciate it, thanks.

Ok, so I’ve googled. Still don’t see how the fact that white southerners in America used it to describe blacks who were acting “above their station” means that British people can’t use the word in the correct way.

Americans use the word handicapped. We don’t say that because it’s not considered an acceptable term anymore. I don’t think Americans care that we wince when we hear them say it. Two countries using the same language with their own nuances.

I've only ever heard the term 'uppity' in things like films/ books set in the deep South and used to describe black people. It's also not a word that is a very commonplace term in everyday language so it strikes me that it would have to be specifically chosen rather than using a term like 'arrogant' which is more natural speech.

I agree, it’s nit a commonly used word at all.

“H and M are a PR disaster at the moment yet racism is the only thing their supporters come back with.”

Well, actually, I’ve come back with lots. The excellent charities benefitting many “ordinary women” she has supported. The fact that she has cheerfully and charmingly carried out loads of ordinary royal duties since her engagement. The factual inaccuracies of many of the stories about her in the press. The fact that it is hard to describe more than possibly two of the women on her Vogue front cover as “awful”....I’ve barely mentioned racism until this Eamonn Holmes thing came up.

Exactly. I'm not a fan of H and M these days as I've said I find them too preachy. But in the same way that it shouldn't be assumed any criticism/ dislike is racist, the use of a blatantly racist term shouldn't be defended either. Of course if there are other examples of EH using the word uppity as part of his vocabulary then I'll take that back, but I doubt it.

“British people can’t use the word in the correct way”

Have you ever heard anyone using it?

Uppity? Yes, of course!

Honestly my husband calls me 'uppity' all the time as a joke. Is it a Scottish /Irish thing like 'having notions' or having ideas above your station. I'll tell him to stop using it -not really-

We are Mr Men fans here, read Mr Uppity lots of times.

Must admit that I'd forgotten about him.

I was remembering more it coming up in books like "Gone with the Wind".

Mr U notwithstanding though, there has been a lot of discussion about its use to describe non-whites recently with particular reference to MM.

As Samantha and I have said, Eamonn H should be aware of that, given his job in the media.

It’s a bit like that total wagon of a minor royal (can’t remember her name) and the racist brooch. Yes that was out and out racism.

Surely the Mr Men books should be banned by now!! All those stereotypes and shaming!

I didn't know 'uppity' was a racist term, but if it means having ideas above your station, it probably is if used about MM. She's a member of the RF so I don't know who is above her station. EH isn't most definitely. If it's an Irish/Scottish thing, maybe it's something to do with colonialism, and could well have been used against the Irish, so maybe we do need to be aware of its meanings. This is all conjecture as I don't know enough about it. And Princess Michael of Kents brooch was racist, and deliberately so. She's a nasty piece of work.

Yes @IrmaFayLear that's exactly what we are saying 🙄

there has been a lot of discussion about its use to describe non-whites recently with particular reference to MM.

Where has this discussion taken place? Don’t say Twitter, that doesn’t count. I read widely and have genuinely never heard the word used in that way. Not doubting it for a moment, just don’t agree it’s as widely known as you clearly think.

Is Kate Middleton getting ideas above her station too when she's spearheading an early years mental health initiative? Is it "uppity" of her to presume to tell parents how to raise their children? Is it elitist of her to design a garden for a flower show when tickets to it are upwards of £50?

(I don't think there's anything wrong with any of the above but had Meghan been doing any of them then the knives would be out!)

Why is calling someone uppity, racist?

Maybe you're not as widely read as you think @escapade1234, a simple google will bring up several articles about the racist connotations of "uppity".

Because it is a word that has historically been used alongside “ni**er”.

Google is your friend @Janista