Meghan Markle just told a group of kids that she’s “one of the most bullied people in the world”! But is she right?!
The Suits alum visited Girls Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara last Wednesday. She was there with the organization’s CEO Stephanie J. Hull as well as Larissa May, the founder of #HalfTheStory, a non-profit committed to improving the next generation’s relationship with technology. The event was in celebration of the orgs’ collaboration on Social Media U, a new digital wellness program they just launched.
Now that one of Meghan and Prince Harry’s big missions is protecting kids from the harmful effects of social media and the internet, it was the perfect time for her to visit Girls, Inc. and test out the curriculum with some middle schoolers.
According to Larissa via Vanity Fair on Friday, during the afternoon visit, the Duchess of Sussex played games and did crafts with school kids before getting really candid about her own history with bullying. Larissa said:
“We did an activity where we talked through a bunch of scenarios, and Meghan talked about being one of the most bullied people in the world.”
Wow! That’s a bold statement!
Larissa went on:
“We had girls wave these little emoji signs and talk about how each one of these scenarios would have impacted them emotionally. […] With Stephanie and Meghan, we talked about what it really means to grow up in this digital age.”
And we guess that meant Meghan unloading some of her trauma on the children, too!
Ever since leaving the royal family, the mother of two has been really honest about how challenging it was for her to face so much public criticism from news outlets and Anglophiles alike online. The hate and racism got so bad that she experienced suicidal thoughts while pregnant with her first child, prompting the family to walk away from their prestigious roles in The Firm for a simpler life. That said, as they’ve continued to sit for interviews (and bash the royal family), all the cyberbullying has just raged on, unfortunately.
So, on the one hand, we totally see where Meghan is coming from. She is one of the few celebs these days who can seemingly do nothing right. Someone always has something to say about her, you know?! Not easy! She knows how hurtful that can be! And all the racist BS she’s had to put up with on top of that is TOTALLY unacceptable!
But on the flip side, is she the most bullied person? Does it count if she’s lending her voice to the choir, constantly hitting back at her estranged royal relatives and making controversial remarks that spur on the haters? She’s still pushing really hard to be in the public eye with all that, too. So goes the landscape for celebs in the modern era — for better or worse. (Often worse, TBH.)
Also, her experience with bullying is so different from what these little Cali kids will face in the school hallways! She’s rich and famous with everything she could want at her fingertips. Yes, she’s had to deal with the consequences of the spotlight at times. But she also lives a VERY privileged life. Does that change things? Is it still right for her to seemingly brag about withstanding so much bullying in this case?
Hmm…
What do YOU think, Perezcious readers? Is it brave of Meg to be so vulnerable about being the victim of bullying to inspire young kids going through the trials and tribulations of adolescence? OR was this comment too much of an exaggeration? Sound OFF (below)!