I spent yesterday March 8th, International Women's Day, with a heavy heart as I watched woman after woman tear Meghan & Harry apart online.
"She's manipulative." "She's looking for attention." “If they want to be left alone, why are they on Oprah?”
I heard Piers Morgan, "I wouldn't believe her if she read me a weather report." What a despicable little man.
Millions viewed a young mother articulate to Oprah Winfrey that she felt suicidal. And the response thousands of other women spewed was vile.
It seems to happen every time a woman comes forward about rape, abuse or, in this case, mental health & racism in the Monarchy.
It's the same old same old. No one wants to admit "I made a mistake." No one wants to admit that "maybe there is an issue." No one wants to admit "they didn't get it right." So, we blame. We take it as a personal affront. "Attacking our Monarchy!", like she attempted to blow up Buckingham Palace singled handed.
I'm not anti-monarchy. I love the Queen. I binge watched The Crown like everyone else. I have enormous respect for her. I even tolerate Camilla PB.
I don't think we need to throw the baby and her crown out with the bathwater. But isn't it time the establishment looked inward and said, maybe we need to fix some things? Or ponder what the establishment did to Diana and now to Meghan?
In the end, the Monarchy is full of real people in an institution that stuffs their humanity in the gilded closet.
But isn't it also time we commoners stopped our knee-jerk reaction of victim smearing every time someone comes forward?
Women need to support other women. Full stop.
I know for one how much courage it takes to come forward and speak your truth – even when others don't want to hear it. People can jump up and down and say all manner of things. But the truth is the truth. Perhaps we ought to start listening. Maybe then, things may change.
