To be uncomfortable after my manager went on a rant about how much she hates Meghan Markle during a team meeting?

[AlertBird]

So, today, in our team meeting, my manager went on a full-on rant about how much she hates Meghan Markle. It seemed completely out of place and unnecessary, especially considering the meeting was meant to be about work. It got a bit awkward and no one really knew how to react.

I get that people have opinions but I just felt like it was unprofessional to bring something like that up during a work meeting. It felt like a personal issue being projected onto everyone else.

AIBU to feel uncomfortable about this or is it just me being overly sensitive?

Yes it's different because their actions affect your life (if you're in the UK anyway).

I must be a terrible racist because even though I don't know M Markle, I don't like so many things about her. I'm white so I must dislike her because of her race.
I am going to have to report myself to my cousin's wife. She is black and we are very close friends and I love their children and they call me auntie. They'll all be surprised that I'm racist.

What has their colour got to do with anything?

I'd be worried she wasn't well.

Not appropriate IMO, but also not racist by default.
Some people are racist, but saying everyone is is just a weak and stupid argument. I don't approve of her, or Harry's behaviours and lies, manipulations and the ways they've treated people and family. Is that racist and 'ginger-ist' (for want of a better word!!)
In the work place, unless it's a conversation that's 2 way and not in a professional setting then it's a bit childish IMO. I work with a Ukrainian lady and she doesn't bring those issues to meetings, but we do discuss in the lunch room

This is the final time I will respond to a direct quote at me.

I said "usually". I did not say "always". If people haven't got basic comprehension skills that is on them. If people haven't bothered to RTFT that's on them too.

I am sure there are people of all colours and creeds that may dislike her for some really banal reasons or in their opinion valid reasons. The same way many people had issue with Camilla. Or the same way people have issue with eg. Lady Gaga or Paula Radcliffe. Some people just don't like others!

Invariably though the ones that seem to have a complete rant and issue with MM do seem to have racist tendencies. I could even screen shot the number of "agrees" my initial post has to show that an extraordinary number of people have clicked "agree".

I'm not talking about Andrew. I'm talking about the status of the King within that family as it was relevant to your point. It's likely that Harry has been pressurised to retract the statement that they were racist. Maybe he has, maybe he hasn't. I don't care either way but if I had to place a bet on why he retracted the statement that would be the reason. I've seen interviews with him (after he wrote the book) saying he wanted to build bridges with them and he wanted them to be his family, not an institution. I can imagine that even if they didn't pressurise him he might choose to retract it, in efforts to build bridges.
I couldn't care less whether they bow and curtsy to each other. I wouldn't do it either because I don't believe they're better than me. I used it as another example of the respect they have to show him, as King (not father).

@MrsPeregrine

Would you say the same thing about people who rant online about people like Donald Trump or Nigel Farage? Or is that different?

Ranting about the actions of Trump, a sex offender with a history of outrageously sexist and misogynist comments ('grab them by the pussy', anyone?) who is leader of the free world and therefore making decisions that affect millions of people across the globe, isn't quite the same as ranting about a celebrity who is making some cakes on a Netflix show nobody is being forced to watch. Don't you think?

Do you really think they are sensibly comparable?

The description was posted in 2019.
'That same year, Markle told the South China Morning Post that she was "bi-racial".
"Specifically for me, because I'm bi-racial, I can go in for so many parts," she said.
"If you're blond and blue-eyed, you may have 10 auditions but, because I could look what they call 'exotic Caucasian', instead of having 10 auditions I would have 40. You hear 'no' a lot more.'
From the article you cited. The picture attached , which doesn't seem to come up here, looks Italian, perhaps.

You were talking about Andrew as you brought him up. I’m sorry but I find it really bizarre that you think Charles would ask Harry to retract the statement some 4 years AFTER he originally said it.

@Grammarnut

You're arguing against your own claim... she literally says in that quote that she is bi-racial. She said she 'could look exotic Caucasian' but made it clear she is bi-racial...

Ranting about celebs at work is very unprofessional.
Ranting about politicians who's policies may affect your business and business decisions is more acceptable.

And the photo she has posted looks European i.e. white Caucasian.

Well, if I'm making a point I'm allowed to bring up other examples to back up the point. The point is Charles has a lot of power and authority over family members - Andrew is an example of this. He must feel he has authority over his children too (even if one is an errant black sheep).
I had no idea Harry had retracted the statement or when. It's just my gut feeling that it would be due to family pressure or feeling the need to build bridges. You disagree and that's fine.
I still don't get the vitriolic hatred directed at Meghan. It far exceeds any dislike I've seen directed at other celebrities who are supposedly awful people. I've never seen so many posts tearing other people to pieces - only posts on Meghan seem to get hundreds of posts all sticking the boot in.

Her mother's black her skin tone is irrelevant .

All those vile misogynistic quotes you thoughtfully quoted for the baying mob? She just couldn't hold them back? Just...spouted them all out, one after the other? How absolutely plausible. And you trotted faithfully over to AIBU to share? Bless.

Just stick with the moronic sexist claptrap in the mad RF forums, maybe? There's a LOT going on there for you to enjoy, as you probably know.

If it was about someone I actually knew irl, I would feel uncomfortable.
The fact it was about ‘celebrity’ means it was totally unprofessional, but not something I would feel uncomfortable about. She’d have gone down in my estimation and I’d think she should be feeling uncomfortable (in reflection), but not me.

@Grammarnut

And the photo she has posted looks European i.e. white Caucasian.

Do you mean the photo in the article you linked to? She didn't post it, the title interviewing her has done so. Unless she runs the 'south china morning post'?

You seem to be saying that because an interview (in which she literally says she is bi-racial) is accompanied by a photo of her where you think she looks less obviously mixed race, your claim (which has been debunked) that she originally claimed to be Caucasian on her acting CV is true.

Is that what you're saying? If not, what is the relevance of the picture that the south china morning post has used of her on their site when it comes to this point?

What?! FFS.

Why would that be your first question?
It is entirely possible to dislike a poc without being a racist you know 🙄🙄🙄

They are damned if they u do and damned if they don't, if they were constantly posting picture, s of their kids they would be accused of making it all about them as they don't people complain they never get to see picture, s of the kids.

What stuns me is the sheer amount of posters who are so passionate about their dislike towards MM and how attacked they feel that someone could say there is a link between some people that dislike her based on race feeling the need to defend themselves. If you dislike her and you're not racist, then why are you so offended 🤭

It really doesn’t.

a video about her fashion choices popped up on my YouTube feed, (guess this happened because I do watch the occasional video about designers and fashion and had recently watched several about Alexander McQueen after reading a biography about him). Anyway I clicked on it out of mild curiosity and it was the most vile bitchy take down about her body shape, her fashion choices, her face, her hair, imagine the meanest of the mean girls in full flow and you get the flavour. It was sickening, I didn't bother to watch it to the end as I am not interested in her but also because I find that level of cruel, obsessive hatred beyond my comprehension. Serial killers get less opprobrium. It is so strange, I guess the only thing that vaguely interests me about MM is the way she triggers this level of insane hatred. I once saw a piece of an interview with that Angela Levin person (she writes books about the royals) and again it was this obsessive hatred which was so odd and unsettling. One of the reasons I think we should abokcith the monarchy is that it would help us grow up as a nation but I do suspect that they are a great diversion from the real problems in the country. While people are foaming at the mouth about M and H or swooning over Kate (who they used to hate when she was "Waity Katie") they are not thinking about all the real stuff going on

I don't know why having opinions on someone in the public eye is inappropriate. A foaming at the mouth rant is a little out of place but discussing what is on TV and the people on TV is pretty normal work chat.