Meghan Markle mommy-shamed for finding coronavirus silver linings
Throughout the global pandemic, many have revealed what they have called the “silver linings” of their quarantine experiences, an important reframing that helps provide hope and something to look forward to. The Duchess of Sussex is one of many who’ve employed this tactic recently.
“I think in so many ways, we are fortunate to be able to have this time to watch [Archie] grow,” said Meghan Markle in a recent Zoom interview with Malala Yousafzai. The former Suits actress spoke candidly about her experience while sitting beside her husband, Prince Harry, recounting how they’ve had the good fortune to see their son take his first steps, among many other memories.
“In the absence of COVID, we would be traveling and working more externally and we’d miss a lot of those moments. So I think it’s been a lot of really good family time,” she said.
While this strategic way of thinking has been praised and promoted by health professionals, Markle’s words were interpreted as tone-deaf by the Twitter account @Murky Meg, whose sole purpose appears to be taking down Markle on a regular basis and currently has over 15k followers.
“I’m so pleased covid has been a success for them,” @Murky_Meg’s tweet said, followed by the hashtag #clueless.
Others commented in agreement.
“So in normal times they’d dump the kid and go traveling? Great parenting.” said user @MistletoeSprite.
“Harry’s face says what we’re all thinking... he immediately snaps to look at her as she’s calling lockdown ‘fantastic’ from her 14m mansion. He looks like he wants to disappear after that. What a thing to say…” added @MsMarinaD.
But have these folks blasted others for saying similarly? From Sex and the City alum Kyle MacLachlan to former Cougar Town star Busy Phillips, to country music star Jordan Davis, many celebrities have revealed their appreciation for spending more time with their families amid a worldwide crisis.
Even New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who had to handle one of the largest COVID-19 outbreaks in the nation, found time to discuss some of what he found were “silver linings” of living in such complicated times. But the criticism against them for simply finding one good thing amid a year that for many compares to a trash fire has been minimal.
For Markle, however, disapproval for the mundane is nothing new. Ever since Markle began to date, let alone join the British Royal Family, she’s received constant harassment from online trolls and members of the media (especially the British tabloids) — much of which is attributed to her being a biracial/Black woman.
The Duchess has even gone so far as to avoid her own social media accounts due to the ways in which she is frequently criticized by strangers. The existence of Twitter and YouTube accounts wholly dedicated to targeting and attacking 39-year-old Markle speaks volumes to just how much hate and vitriol is thrown her way. She’s even gone so far as to call the harassment she’s received as “almost unsurvivable” at this point.
But survive she does, and considering the struggles she’s faced while having to smile in the spotlight and also quarantining like so many of us, it’s not a bad thing she was able to find some silver linings. Whether you’re a celebrity or not, experts agree that at least trying to find some positives in your life (especially in such trying times) can be important for mental health. So perhaps the actress-turned-royal is on to something after all.
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