CHICAGO (AP) – As Prince Harry and Meghan’s TV interview reverberates internationally, more than 50 million viewers face off with the couple’s allegations of racism and lack of support Meghan says led her to think about suicide.
But for many black women around the world, the headlines and discussions on social media were painfully familiar. With conversations on social media questioning whether racism affected Meghan’s treatment of the British press and the royal family, many black women say it is one more example of black women’s negative and denied experiences with the racism.
“White supremacy wants to isolate you, make you feel like no one is listening to you and no one is supporting you. It uses it as a tool to maintain power,” said Gaye Theresa Johnson, an associate professor in the Department of Studies. UCLA African Americans. “And so when you’re not validated in your feelings or you feel supported, that does real harm.”
Meghan, the daughter of a white father and a black mother, said that when she was pregnant with her son Archie, a member of the royal family expressed “concern … for the darkness of her skin.” The former TV star also said he sought mental health help through the palace’s human resources department, but was told he could do nothing about it.
Almost as soon as the interview with Oprah Winfrey was aired, many rushed to deny Meghan’s accusations of racism. The New York Post published a column entitled, “Meghan Markle’s interview was full of oxen.” British television host Piers Morgan quit his job at “Good Morning Britain” after bouncing back reactions to saying on the air that Meghan lied about having suicidal thoughts in what she called “rubbish of two hours of our royal family “.
On Tuesday, Buckingham Palace issued a statement saying that “the whole family is saddened to know how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan,” but that “some memories may vary.”
Johnson said the doubts and interrogations against Meghan’s claims were emotionally heartbreaking for many black women, who may relate to the trauma of having their personal experiences with racism invalidated by others.
“It’s an insult when people are incredulous about the racism that people like Meghan Markle have experienced because that disbelief speaks volumes about what people refuse to see, what’s in their eyes all the time and what some people have to navigate on a daily basis. “. dit.
“This is a loss about a person and their mental health.”
Dr. Anita Thomas, executive vice president and provost of the University of St. St. Catherine Paul, Minnesota, said watching Meghan’s interview with Winfrey was emotional.
“It talks about the burden that many African American women face,” she said. “For black women, it was annoying to see that even when she had the courage to talk about her experiences with racism, she didn’t get the support she needed and in many ways her experiences were invalidated. “.
Thomas said enduring this treatment requires “psychological and emotional energy” to navigate. “As a psychologist, I hope people talk about this effect of racism and sexism on psychological functioning,” she said.
Sinai Fleary, founder of UK-based Reggae and Rasta’s Jus ’Jah Magazine, said that while she initially saw an outpouring of support for Meghan, she quickly saw this change on social media.
“They will dismiss, shed light on and ignore what we said and what Meghan and Harry say,” Fleary, who lives in London, wrote on Twitter. “This is how the media and some parts of the public work. The same formula, every time “.
Fleary told The Associated Press that Meghan’s interview brought back her own memories of being racially profiled in stores and seeing white women grabbing their suitcases on public transportation when they saw her.
“If you immediately deny racism as blatant as what Meghan talked about, will people believe me when I tell them these less open and everyday examples of racism?” she asked.
Fleary said the UK has a long history of firing black women into conversations about racism. “You never believe them,” he said. “It simply came to our notice then. It can be so blatant and people will still say they don’t see it. “
Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, pointed to the racist attitudes of the British media as a reason to quit royal duties and move to North America last year, which Harry reiterated in the interview. with Winfrey.
When Meghan and Harry began dating, many pointed to the relationship as proof that Britain was entering a “post-racial” era, but the racism Meghan faced in the British media told another story.
When the news of their relationship began, publications rushed to refer to Meghan in racist terms, with a tabloid columnist referring to her “exotic” DNA. A Mail Online headline claimed that Meghan was leaving (almost) directly from Compton and a Daily Star headline asked if Harry “would marry the gangster royalty”.
Then, when Meghan and Harry announced that they would be abandoning royal official duties last year, people quickly began to question whether racism was what was driving them away.
Heather McGhee, author of the book “The Sum of Us: How Much Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together,” said the immediate rush of some to deny Meghan’s allegations was annoying.
And that denial is facing black women every day, she said.
“Very often, black women in conference rooms and offices experience discrimination and have no recourse, just as one of the most powerful black women in the world had no recourse except to give up everything,” McGhee said of Meghan.
“I hope we realize that there is a much less powerful version of Meghan in your office or school that is discriminated against (against) and has no champions. I hope this encourages more people to defend their co-workers, neighbors and black friends “.
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Fernando is a member of The Associated Press’ race and ethnicity team. Follow her on Twitter at https://twitter.com/christinetfern.