Meghan Markle Says ‘Stop Whispering & Tiptoeing Around & Say What It Is You Need’ While Discussing The ‘Angry Black Woman’ Trope + Reveals She’s 43% Nigerian

Meghan Markle Says ‘Stop Whispering & Tiptoeing Around & Say What It Is You Need’ While Discussing The ‘Angry Black Woman’ Trope + Reveals She’s 43% Nigerian

Meghan Markle covers a variety of stereotypes on her Archetypes podcast, with the latest topic of discussion being the “angry Black woman” trope.

The Duchess of Sussex sat down with award-winning actress/writer Issa Rae and Ziwe of the self-titled Showtime series. During their chat, Issa Rae shared she has heard from other Black women in the entertainment industry to not be afraid of being called a b*tch, and she took a friend calling her “particular” as a compliment because it indicates that she has an idea of what she wants.

Meghan Markle, Issa Rae, Ziwe

In response, Meghan Markle said,

“I’m particular. I think a high tide raises all ships — we’re all going to succeed, so let’s make sure it’s really great because it’s a shared success for everybody. But I also know that I will find myself cowering and tiptoeing into a room — I don’t know if you ever do that, the thing that I find the most embarrassing — when you’re saying a sentence and the intonation goes up like it’s a question. And you’re like, ‘Oh my God, stop!’ Stop whispering and tiptoeing around and say what it is you need. You’re allowed to set a boundary, you’re allowed to be clear. It does not make you demanding, it does not make you difficult. It makes you clear.”

The former Suits actress asked Issa Rae if there was ever a point where, because of the archetypes — especially as a Black woman — that she felt she could be angry in certain moments. Issa Rae replied,

“Absolutely not. Because I can’t lose my cool, I can’t do that, especially as a black woman, but also just even as a public figure now. Because people are looking for ways to justify their perception of you.”

Meghan Markle added,

“I mean, I remember when I was auditioning, the idea of even Black roles, I remember those casting sheets where the description of the character, she always had to have an edge or an attitude.”

During the episode, Meghan also shared that she’s 43 percent Nigerian. She told Ziwe that she found out the news when he got her genealogy done a couple of years ago.

Meghan said,

“I’m going to start to dig deeper into all this because anybody that I’ve told, especially Nigerian women, are like ‘What!'”

According to the description of the episode, which premiered on Oct. 25,

“In this thought provoking and stirring episode, Meghan gets to the bottom of the label that is often pinned on Black women – “angry”. In her raw conversation with Issa Rae, coupled with candid chats with Ziwe and Professor Emily Bernard, this episode asks honest questions about the judgements we make about women, and specifically women of color. It begs the question: does setting boundaries, having an opinion, and being clear make you angry… or human?”

It’s only the most recent entry in the Archetypes series. Last week, Meghan found herself in the crosshairs of Claudia Jordan, a former Deal or No Deal showgirl, who didn’t like the Duchess’ criticism of the program in which they both had appeared. She recalled the “Briefcase Girls” preparation line and how they would line up to get their lashes done and sometimes have their bras padded. They were also given spray tan coupons.

Meghan said,

“I was thankful for the job, but not for how it made me feel, which was not smart. And by the way, I was surrounded by smart women on that stage with me, but that wasn’t the focus of why we were there. I would end up leaving with this pit in my stomach knowing that I was so much more than what was being objectified on the stage. I didn’t like being forced to be all looks and little substance, and that’s how it felt for me at the time — being reduced to this specific archetype.”

Claudia Jordan responded, making it clear that her own professional choices do not reflect Meghan’s feelings regarding the program. She said,

“It was a step on the ladder I’ve been ascending on for 25 years that paid all my bills, put me in front of 13 million+ people/ night, and led to me getting … On Celebrity Apprentice, Celebrity apprentice All stars, Breast cancer awareness campaign, guest hosting Extra, getting into People Magazine’s 100 most Beautiful issue and SO MUCH more.”

What are your thoughts on everything Meghan Markle has shared? Let us know in the comments!

[VIA]