CHICAGO 鈥� As Prince Harry and Meghan鈥檚 TV interview reverberates internationally, it鈥檚 left the more than 50 million viewers who tuned in grappling with the couple鈥檚 claims of racism and lack of support that the Duchess of Sussex says drove her to thoughts of suicide.
But for many Black women worldwide, the headlines and social media discussions were painfully familiar. With social media conversations questioning whether racism affected treatment of Meghan by the British press and royal family, many Black women say it is yet another example of a Black woman鈥檚 experiences with racism being disregarded through denials and gaslighting.
鈥淲hite supremacy seeks to isolate you, make you feel like no one is listening and no one is supporting you. It uses that as a tool to keep in power,鈥� said Gaye Theresa Johnson, associate professor in the Department of African American Studies at UCLA. 鈥淎nd so when you aren鈥檛 validated in your feelings or feel supported, that does real harm.鈥�
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 鈥渃oncerns ... about how dark his skin might be.鈥� The former television star also said she sought mental health help through the palace鈥檚 human resources department but was told there was nothing it could do.
Almost as soon as the interview with Oprah Winfrey aired, many were quick to deny Meghan鈥檚 allegations of racism. The New York Post published a column titled, 鈥淢eghan Markle鈥檚 interview was full of bull.鈥� British television host Piers Morgan quit his job on 鈥淕ood Morning Britain" after facing backlash for saying on air that the duchess lied about suffering suicidal thoughts in what he called a 鈥渢wo-hour trash-a-thon of our royal family.鈥�
On Tuesday, Buckingham Palace released a statement saying the 鈥渨hole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan鈥� but that 鈥渟ome recollections may vary.鈥�
Johnson said the doubts and questioning cast against Meghan鈥檚 claims were emotionally exhausting to watch for many Black women, who may relate to the trauma of having their personal experiences with racism invalidated by others.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an insult when people are incredulous about the racism people like Meghan Markle experienced because that incredulity speaks volumes about what people refuse to see, what is right in front of their eyes all the time and that some people have to navigate daily,鈥� she said.
鈥淭hat takes a toll on a person and their mental health.鈥�
Dr. Anita Thomas, executive
鈥淚t speaks to the burden that many African American women face,鈥� she said. 鈥淔or Black women, it was upsetting to see that, even when she had the courage to speak out about her experiences with racism, that she didn鈥檛 get the support that she needed and, in many ways, her experiences were invalidated.鈥�
Thomas said facing this kind of racism, as well as any invalidation of those experiences, requires 鈥� psychological and emotional energy鈥� to navigate.
鈥淎s a psychologist, I hope people talk about this effect of racism and sexism on psychological functioning," she said.
Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, pointed to the racist attitudes of the British media as reason for stepping away from royal duties and moving to North America last year, something Harry reiterated in the interview with Winfrey.
As Meghan and Harry began dating, many pointed to the relationship as evidence of Britain entering a 鈥減ost-racial鈥� era, but the racism Meghan faced from the British media told another story.
When the news first broke of their relationship, publications were quick to refer to Meghan in racist terms, with one tabloid columnist referring to her 鈥渆xotic鈥� DNA. A Mail Online headline stated Meghan was 鈥�(almost) straight outta Compton,鈥� and a Daily Star headline asked whether Harry would 鈥渕arry into gangster royalty.鈥�
Then, when Meghan and Harry announced they would step away from official royal duties last year, people quickly began to question if racism was what drove Meghan away.
Heather McGhee, author of the book 鈥淭he Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together,鈥� agreed the immediate rush by some to deny Meghan's allegations following the interview were upsetting.
And that denial is something Black women face every day, she said.
鈥淰ery often, Black women in conference rooms and offices experience discrimination and have no recourse, in the same way that one of the more powerful Black women in the world had no recourse except to give it all up,鈥� McGhee said of Meghan.
鈥淚 hope we realize there鈥檚 a much less powerful version of Meghan likely at your office or school who is being discriminated (against) and doesn鈥檛 have champions. I hope this encourages more people to stand up for their Black co-workers,
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Fernando is a member of The Associated Press鈥� Race and Ethnicity team. Follow her on Twitter at https://twitter.com/christinetfern.
Christine Fernando, The Associated Press
