Meghan’s birthday video

[Greenlittle]

I like the idea and I like the video. (Not that keen on the big desk) And I though MM looked...alive!

Not sure who the other woman was. But there was good chemistry.

The initiative is fine. The video has a level of fakeness about it which doesn’t go down well with UK audiences but is probably acceptable in the USA. It’s the old British understatement versus American self-promotion: cultural differences which I suspect are behind a lot of the incomprehension of Meghan’s behaviour (by Brits).

It's just the terminology is all so wtf isn't it. Women 'mobilising back into the workforce'. Mobilising I mean fgs. We've had authentic this and that, we've had shining lights here there and everywhere and now we're 'mobilising' 🙄.

@GrrRightBackAtYou

I’m trying to figure out her necklace -is it zodiac or something?

Apparently zodiac signs if the two children - well according to online

I agree about the cultural differences, there are however some British in the 40.... Princess Eugenie, Adele, British Editor of Vogue etc...

So now we are going to have posters pretending that the likes of Stacey Abrams don't know what they are doing, the posters on MN know better, in order to criticise MM. Because that is what is happening.

They show out takes of the video in the end, so hardly coming across as fakeness or trying to pretend it's not scripted.

Oh and Stella McCartney

Mummy194 yes.

And I doubt the likes of Stacey Abrams is doing this just for PR as suggested above.
She's got better things to do like fighting voter supression.

I think I just feel like that as this is directly aimed at helping women to reenter the workplace (who left due to caring responsibilities particular during the pandemic) it just drives a message that what they need is mentoring because they probably aren’t good enough anymore! Let’s help the poor women by telling them what they need to be doing better! It doesn’t go any way in helping anyone to really understand what the barriers actually are
I agree.

What about 'we've got 40 women who have excelled in their fields and each of them will be working with companies for a period of time to look at systemic barriers in the workplace, and work with company leadership to promote inclusive working procedures so that the company can harness the talent of women, and women are able to build careers in supportive environments'?

The focus on getting a few women to have more confidence, sort their CV, and give famous people some good PR does nothing to meaningfully change things, which is why there's some cynical reactions.

What about 'we've got 40 women who have excelled in their fields and each of them will be working with companies for a period of time to look at systemic barriers in the workplace, and work with company leadership to promote inclusive working procedures so that the company can harness the talent of women, and women are able to build careers in supportive environments'

That would be a huge time commitment for a start. Plus you’d have to find companies willing to get involved and have their practices scrutinised in what would be a very public initiative.

This initiative is clearly not going to change the world, but to the people it helps, it could be fantastic.
Do we criticise all ideas unless they are perfect and will totally solve an issue? Food banks don’t tackle the causes of food poverty for example, doesn’t mean they’re a shit idea.

@LolaSmiles

I think I just feel like that as this is directly aimed at helping women to reenter the workplace (who left due to caring responsibilities particular during the pandemic) it just drives a message that what they need is mentoring because they probably aren’t good enough anymore! Let’s help the poor women by telling them what they need to be doing better! It doesn’t go any way in helping anyone to really understand what the barriers actually are I agree.

What about 'we've got 40 women who have excelled in their fields and each of them will be working with companies for a period of time to look at systemic barriers in the workplace, and work with company leadership to promote inclusive working procedures so that the company can harness the talent of women, and women are able to build careers in supportive environments'?

The focus on getting a few women to have more confidence, sort their CV, and give famous people some good PR does nothing to meaningfully change things, which is why there's some cynical reactions.

But it’s just not famous people who have signed up to this & I doubt the likes of Stacey Abraham’s need good PR. Her work speaks for itself, there is no need to knock of so many hard working women just to have a go at Meghan. Like someone said the British balcony is as it should be.. she doesn’t have to meet an impossible bar to be acknowledged here.

Whatever Meghan does she is ripped aprt for.
I thought the video was good, fun and envied her shoes.

@Mummy194

So now we are going to have posters pretending that the likes of Stacey Abrams don't know what they are doing, the posters on MN know better, in order to criticise MM. Because that is what is happening.

They show out takes of the video in the end, so hardly coming across as fakeness or trying to pretend it's not scripted.

I fit the description of the women this initiative is meant to help. I think I have every right to comment that I think this is poorly thought out and that the message it presents is quite insulting.

Even if I thought mentoring would help me get back to work, what on earth could Adele, Stella McCartney, Eugenie or Meghan offer me that would actually help in the real world?

I don’t know who Stacey Abrams is so can’t comment on her expertise.

Saw Meghan had made a video.
Came to MN to see if the usual bitchfest had begun.
Was not disappointed.
Pathetic. Honestly, nothing this woman does is good enough is it? Yet if Kate M had come up with the same idea you can absolutely guarantee that the fawning and gushing over her on here would have been vomit inducing.

what on earth could Adele, Stella McCartney, Eugenie or Meghan offer me that would actually help in the real world?

So if the whole idea is for other women to take this and run with it, to pick it up and pass it on, and it becomes a national/global thing... and someone in your field of work/expertise put out there... if anyone would like a session of mentoring and help in moving forward from being stuck in a place because of covid, just let me know...
that would be something you are interested in surely?

This has only been started today, who knows where it might go.

@Creamcrackersandricecakes

It's soooo predictable isn't it.. as soon as I saw it and the thread started off fairly positively, I just did a countdown waiting for the complete negativity ....
I could've written some of the posts meself!

No criticism of what she looks like for once. But given she looked happy, healthy and fab, I didnt think there could be famous last words

I think these are women across industries. I am pretty senior in my role and would love to get a chance to talk with a mentor if I was out if the workplace.

And the one so talked about working with companies to find systematic barriers haad yada yada...a recipe for “lessons learned” and no action.

This is at the individual level so more likely to have an impact quickly. And there are women like me who believe that we have agency and to an extent control over our lives and would love some networking help. So I guess she is speaking for an American audience who are more focused on bring about change themselves rather than some government initiative to make life easier

But @Creamcrackersandricecakes Kate wouldn’t come up with this initiative because she would understand women can’t be inspired in this way unless their basic needs such as reliable childcare were met. She’s down to Earth and listens to people.

Hey Roussette, I’ll make a criticism. I don’t like stilettos. No idea why anyone would wear them in the house. Or anywhere.

I think Covid has changed my perspective as I used to wear high heels a lot. And the other day I saw a woman in a suit tottering in them. And I immediately thought, that looks so yesterday.

@Mummyoflittledragon

But *@Creamcrackersandricecakes* Kate wouldn’t come up with this initiative because she would understand women can’t be inspired in this way unless their basic needs such as reliable childcare were met. She’s down to Earth and listens to people.

Why is childcare a woman’s problem alone? Men go to work even when they have children.

If women are going to wait till someone resolves their childcare issues, well, then crack on waiting.

The ones with initiative will love the opportunity to network and grow their careers and pay for their own childcare rather than waiting for someone else to sort it out

I’m all for initiatives for empowering women but I think the starting point needs to be identifying what are the key issues facing women in the workplace post lockdown. For example I know a lot of women have lost their jobs so maybe cv and interview advice may be helpful.

@Creamcrackersandricecakes -
Exactly on point - some posters are so predictable that they would rather find a flimsy reason to be nasty than admit that it is not a bad idea even if they don't like Meghan. It really is teen girl playground stuff.
The video was light hearted and fun and I am sure the initiative will make a difference to quite a few people - but maybe people that some of these negative posters will never in a million years come across so they feel that it is nothing - where I am plenty of people could do with that help whether CV/ Interview/ presentation skills when you need it - it really does help. The problem is the people trashing Meghan is only because it's Megan's face at the front.
Have to say I wish I could wear shoes like that too.!

They will probably ask the women what help they need and tailor the support accordingly. I imagine different women in different industries and stages of their career need different support.

The question I have is how are they going to choose whom to support? It is interesting to see how they channel this

Hey Roussette, I’ll make a criticism. I don’t like stilettos. No idea why anyone would wear them in the house. Or anywhere

Hehe... they were pretty fab ones though....

So Kate would understand.. but oh Meghan the non working royal doesn’t understand that women can’t be inspired… okay. Well so many women from all walks of life have been inspired.. from Uganda, SA US have been inspired but I guess that doesn’t matter because the UK critics can’t relate. I’m one of the women affected, I had to step back during covid lockdowns into a caring role and a Meghan Markle video doesn’t insult me or my hardship. What I have witnessed since she posted the video is some women from different backgrounds putting themselves out there to offer themselves up. It may mean nothing to some people , but I won’t insult those who benefit from this by dismissing the entire thing. Meghan is not the queen of England & the Commonwealth and doesn’t deserve to be held up to this standard that so many of us are familiar with and never meet.

@Roussette

what on earth could Adele, Stella McCartney, Eugenie or Meghan offer me that would actually help in the real world?

So if the whole idea is for other women to take this and run with it, to pick it up and pass it on, and it becomes a national/global thing... and someone in your field of work/expertise put out there... if anyone would like a session of mentoring and help in moving forward from being stuck in a place because of covid, just let me know...
that would be something you are interested in surely?

This has only been started today, who knows where it might go.

This is my whole point. We don’t need people in our fields, who were somehow fortunate enough to carry on working, to mentor us on how to do our jobs we were fully capable of doing before we had no choice but to leave our careers.

No amount of mentoring is going to help me. What I need is childcare for my disabled child. Women who had to leave the workforce due to covid was mostly because of caring responsibilities, often due to society’s expectation that it’s the woman who has to give up work and the men can carry on as they are.

Of course I would always welcome opportunities for professional development but that’s not the message of this initiative and in my particular circumstances wouldn’t help me get back to work.