Meghan speaks about racism

[DaisyChain31]

I was watching the news a few minutes a go and watched Meghan (Markle, Duchesss of Sussex), speaking about racism.

She has faced a lot of racism but she didn't mention her plight or go into it. It's palpable on Facebook for example. People saying things like she doesn't fit into the royal family, is she white or black, Harry should have married English rose Cressida because she's a better fit etc. All pretty disgusting to be honest. The latest is that her looks are being compared to Cressida's so it's a mix of underhanded racism, sexism and just nastiness really.

Do you think that Meghan deliberately never spoke about what she has faced because she doesn't think she faces the same issues that general citizens of the US and other countries around the world face? Because she is in a privileged position compared or others (security, respected by a lot of non racists etc).

Do you think that this issue, right now, should focus on racism that will lead to brutality which will most likely be experienced by non celebrities or do you think that it should focus on racism against black people over all, even though the racism is sometimes just words from trolls and idiots on social media? Words still hurt but I can see why Meghan would perhaps not want to try and liken herself to George Floyd for example as it's unlikely Meghan would ever find herself in the hands of police to do as they please.

Do you think black celebrities should speak up because their voices often reach further or do you think it might come across as insensitive to the general population of black people because celebrities are much less likely to experience racial police brutality for example?

Do you think that class is playing a major roll in all of this along with racism?

@MouthBreathingRage

I have mixed heritage.

@ArriettyJones, that's not what I asked and you know it.

There’s a limit to how specific I’m going to be. I don’t meet many people of the same background as me. I’m not going to out myself just so you can measure me against your criteria and decide whether I’m the right shade of brown.

It’s either a great idea for Meghan to be entering the debate in this way, to this audience, or it isn’t.

Does it matter what section it's on? I thought this was the most suitable place because there wasn't a 'people speak about racism' section.

People really do get petty and will find anything to pick at. One person just coming on to the thread to say yawn and hiding the thread. Petty. You have the ability to scroll past you know

I’m not going to out myself just so you can measure me against your criteria and decide whether I’m the right shade of brown.

I'm not asking if you're 'the right shade of brown'. You seem to have decided that MM is too white and rich to have a say on the matter. I'm merely wondering from what position you have come to that decision.

There are a few cultural issues here.

First of all, she was delivering a graduation speech at Immaculate Heart (where I also attended) which was where she went for High School.

High school graduation is a very big deal in the USA an IHHS always has it in the Hollywood Bowl, so obviously with social distancing this was not possible, so videos were done.

She grew up in racist Los Angeles.

Personally I don’t like her BUT I don’t know her and my slight dislike is absolutely nothing to do with the fact that she’s biracial.
She can’t do right for doing wrong.

Before MM I could never find a woman my age with my skin tone and hair type to look up to as a style role model. Before MM my 8 yo DN didn’t think girls our age could be princesses. So I don’t give a fuck what the antis think (or why) - all I care about is that she keeps speaking up, keeps in front of the media, and keeps inspiring those of us who desperately need people like her.

Our colour not our age. Stupid phone

Considering some of the other threads on MN, there will be someone along to say she doesn't know what racism is because her skin isn't dark enough. Whereas in reality that doesn't matter. People subject you to racism if they consider you to be "other". It doesn't have to be based on facts about you.

There's SO MUCH racism in the undercurrent of Mumsnet right now

Piers Morgan and Sarah Vine of the Daily Mail were incredibly racist about Meghan from the start. This website compares DM headlines about Kate and Meghan- how can this be seen as anything but racist?

www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ellievhall/meghan-markle-kate-middleton-double-standards-royal

The story about the bump is particularly vile.

Looking at the threads about Megan reminds exactly how racist MN is.

Certainly did not see the outrage when ok’ Andy was doing his best to avoid the Epstein question. Did not see the outrage when the queen gave her tactic approval to her questionable son.

White privilege is alive and thriving on MN.

The thing is, and this isn’t aimed at anyone in particular so don’t anyone get defensive, but there are an awful lot of “totally non-racist” posters who just coincidentally happen to dislike Meghan Markle, Serena Williams, Dianne Abbott, Michelle Obama, etc etc “for reasons that have nothing to do with the colour of their skin.”

Subconscious bias is a powerful thing. If you find that you frequently take a disliking to black or biracial women or you find that lots of black and biracial women just rub you up the wrong way, you might want to consider why.

I’ve posted before about the myth of the “good black” and why terms like uppity are racially coded. A lot of people have no problem with black people if they are behaving in a certain way, but are discomfited by black people behaving in a way that’s perceived as aggressive (when the same behaviour from a white woman would not be perceived as aggressive), or by a black person being visibly successful, wealthy, or expecting a level of respect.

For example, I’ve seen loads of people who professed to love Lupita Nyong'o when she first broke through in 12 Years a Slave, but stopped liking her when she started appearing on red carpets in couture, claiming she seemed arrogant or vain or up herself. And those people claim they can’t possibly be racist because they lurved 12 Years a Slave so much, or they loved The Help. But if you only enjoy watching black characters when they’re either portrayed in a stereotypical way, or are shown as being abused and put down, but you have an innate discomfort in seeing black people as wealthy and successful, you probably do have at the very least subconscious racism.

@ChocolatelyAsFuck, well said! If you were on reddit I would have given you gold.

@LaurieFairyCake

There's SO MUCH racism in the undercurrent of Mumsnet right now

That's because, to an extent, everyone is racist. Everyone. The pressure cooker of lockdown has brought all the little resentments and dislikes and fears bubbling to the surface, we are all "othering" each other, loathing our differences. We've been hating on cyclists, dog walkers, people sunbathers, anyone doing any little thing that we are not doing which annoys us, calling them names, splitting into our groups and then down into our little group of one, angry at the world. Everyone else is suddenly a covidiot. Every white person is suddenly that godawful murderous cop, grinning with privilege, every BLM protester in Hyde Park yesterday is suddenly a direct and immediate threat to our health. We are cracking up in a country coming apart and there is no more nuance at the moment, no more patience, no more understanding, only absolutes according to what we think we should be thinking as directed by the latest social media storm and there is no end in sight. Everybody is taking offence at everyone else and anything that can be misinterpreted is misinterpreted and turned back on you. Hysteria normally only lasts a few moments before it vents itself, but this has been sustained now for 11 weeks, and we are all ground down, not thinking straight, not empathising with others, not really listening, only reacting and lashing out.

There is a line attributed to Lincoln: ""When you look for the bad in mankind expecting to find it, you surely will."

This is where we are now, looking for the bad, and trying to find it in any crack in other people for any reason; race, religion, behaviour, class, anything. And no one is coming out of this smelling of roses.

I can only hope that things right themselves soon, because I don't accept this as normal, or a "new normal", it's just a temporary Hell, this is NOT us at our best - but at least we know from this point we can start getting better.

ChocolatelyAsFuck has it. The only thing Meghan has ever done to make people dislike her is be confident in her opinions, choices and herself.

but there are an awful lot of “totally non-racist” posters who just coincidentally happen to dislike Meghan Markle, Serena Williams, Dianne Abbott, Michelle Obama, etc etc “for reasons that have nothing to do with the colour of their skin. From a personal point of view, I'm a great fan of Serena (GOAT tennis player), Diane stalwart MP of many decades and MIchelle impressive woman on all fronts. I don't dislike Meghan but not a fan really.

I thought it was a good speech. And I felt quite sorry for her, tbh, she was obviously thinking really hard about every word she said and knew how it would be torn apart afterwards. You know she’d be slammed if she said nothing as well.

@SecretWitch

Looking at the threads about Megan reminds exactly how racist MN is.

Certainly did not see the outrage when ok’ Andy was doing his best to avoid the Epstein question. Did not see the outrage when the queen gave her tactic approval to her questionable son.

White privilege is alive and thriving on MN.

It is not right that we seem to care more about whether Meghan is a bit of a luvvie than we do what crimes Andrew might be implicated in.

@PotholeParadise, I am outraged that it is open season on a WOC who dares express her opinion. Megan has committed no crime other than marrying a royal. The white prince can seemingly go happily about his disgusting way with his mother’s support and approval. Where is the outcry over his behaviour?

People should have the courage of their convictions. Stop prattling on about how much you dislike Megan because she is so bad for the royal family. Just say out loud that you don’t like black people, especially black women who rise above their station.

If she speaks she gets slated if she doesnt speak she gets slated for not speaking.

How many people were saying she should just shut up and now moaning how she hasnt said anything before today..

Poor girl cannot do a single thing right

She has an insincere, false manner IMO. I'm certainly not alone in that perception.

Yes, your opinion but a bias. You feel she is insincere because she sounds like people you know that you find insincere so regardless of what her message is you’ll find fault. If you had read her speech without knowing it was her, would you still feel the same?

If she'd dared mention her own experiences of racism I'd have given it 2 minutes before the pile on began with people accusing her of making it all about her. People only want to amplify black voices when they're saying something palatable.

She has an insincere, false manner IMO. I'm certainly not alone in that perception.

I don't see that- could you have a cultural bias?

Do you perceive the same of Michelle Obama ?

The only thing Meghan has ever done to make people dislike her is be confident in her opinions, choices and herself.

Oh ok.

Poor girl cannot do a single thing right

She’s got a better life than the majority of women in the world, so from her point of view she did get it right. Hardly “poor girl”.