Meghan Markle may return to blogging reveals Angela Levin

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info

Meghan Markle spoke with businesswoman Mellody Hobson and entrepreneur Victoria Jackson about how the terms are wrongly applied to strong-minded women. Creator and writer Robin Thede, author Allison Yarrow and zoologist Lucy Cooke also joined the royal for meaningful conversations about the negativity surrounding the term. Meghan revealed her own “hatred” for “the B word”, confessing she has a “visceral reaction” whenever she hears it. 

Ahead of her conversation with Ms Yarrow, the Duchess said: “We’ve been exploring what it means for women to ask for what they need, to stand in their power and also the kinds of labels like difficult or pushy, or the B word, that often follow along from that behaviour. 

“I’ve made it known [I have] a deep dislike for these labels, especially the last one.” 

Meghan goes on to introduce Ms Yarrow to the podcast and the pair delve into a deep discussion about the etymology of the word. The author said: “Etymologists believe that the word ‘bitch’ came out of this Greek insult that meant women were dogs in heat — begging for men — that was the idea. And there was a more modern definition that was written down in the 1890s and it was ‘bitch’ was an Appalachian — that was the worst name you could call an English woman, even worse than a whore. 

“So it was codified as this way of degrading women by saying that they were hyper-sexual, but also it sort of took away, this idea that they were goddesses. So it took away this divine power and replaced it with degrading sexuality.”

The pair go on to discuss the Nineties and early Noughties, describing it as a time when a new, modern type of woman “was emerging” — a woman who was getting married at a younger age, completing higher education and entering the workforce. 

They talked about the introduction of the 24-hour news cycle and, as Ms Yarrow labels it, the ‘bitchification’ of women in the headlines. She said: “If you name a woman during that decade, the treatment of them used various archetypes, derivatives, corollaries and actually the word ‘bitch’ to undercut their personas and to ‘bitchify’ them.” 

Meghan pinpointed this constant and public “name-calling” as part of why she has “such a visceral reaction to this word,” adding: “It was implanted on a granular level, without any of us thinking about it at the time.” 

She continued: “This demonisation of these women, of course, had ripple effects.”

Ms Yarrow added: “All of these interpretations of these, various famous women have very real impacts for real women and girls because women and girls saw these stories unfold. And at the time, we really weren’t having a mainstream conversation about how sexist and racist the coverage of these women was.

“We were just internalising these images of women being incompetent, unfeminine and hyper-sexual as truth. And so that really impacted what we perceived as being possible for our own lives.” 

Meghan has personal experience of being labelled in this way; the former actress earned the nickname ‘Duchess Difficult’ from some of her critics. She is understood to have been given the moniker while she was still working on behalf of the Royal Family due to her constant requests for her aides. 

The title was first coined in 2018, shortly after her royal wedding to Prince Harry and amid swirling rumours that the new royal was incredibly demanding of Palace staff. Several aides reportedly departed due to Meghan’s challenging behaviour, although the accounts of some former staff have been contested by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. 

Meghan hinted at a strategy she has adopted to prevent the term from affecting her and instead using it to push her into embracing her new life. While some of her guests spoke about reclaiming the word and using it in a positive way, Meghan made it clear that she has no interest in using the term. 

The Duchess said: “For some women, it’s all about embracing and reclaiming the b-word, taking the power out of it, maybe even using comedy to defuse it. And for others, it’s standing in there knowing and being unaffected by the implication of the word or its cousin, ‘difficult’.

DON’T MISS:
Harry ‘snubbed’ William’s offer of crisis talks ‘over leak fears’
King Charles to host South Africa’s Ramaphosa in first state visit
Thousands of messages sent to King Charles III after Queen’s death

“Powering through in spite of the pain, or even the insecurity it may cause. And sometimes using the dig for drive, getting them closer to their goal, building a business, a career.”

Meghan suggested the labels are often used as a “deflection” from the “awesome” traits some women have. She also admitted her friends inspired her to explore the specific archetype that has plagued her for the last couple of years, pushing her to tackle the issue head-on. 

The Duchess has previously addressed the nickname by clarifying she is “not difficult, I’m particular”. 

In an episode of Archetypes last month, Meghan spoke to American actress Issa Rae, comedian and writer Ziwe and Professor Emily Bernard, to discuss some of the stereotypical labels attached to black women.

During the podcast, the Duchess said: “Just say what it is you need, you are allowed to set a boundary, you are allowed to be clear. It does not make you demanding, it does not make you difficult, it makes you clear.” 

Royal expert Victoria Arbiter has suggested Meghan has been using her Spotify podcast to “push back” against some of the attacks on her reputation.

Last week, on Australian morning show Sunrise, Ms Arbiter said: “Certainly, I think her podcast has been an incredible platform to push back against some of the wrongs she feels she has experienced. 

“This week, people are interpreting her comments as pushing back against that label. It was coined in 2018 following rumours Meghan was quite difficult to work with. 

“There were these 5am emails, several staff members claimed that they had been reduced to tears due to how she and Harry had spoken to them. These claims have been strenuously denied by the Sussexes. 

“With the podcast, it is an opportunity to kind of get her version in there — probably not in quite the same blatant way that we have seen through the interviews, such as with Oprah Winfrey, but still an opportunity to lay it straight as she sees it.”

Source: Read Full Article