The Kate Middleton things swings both ways for me. Yes, she's likely seriously ill. I feel for anyone struggling with health issues. Also, her and her extended family's life of leisure is underwritten by the people of the UK. So, what is the balance between a public figure's medical privacy and the right of people financially supporting you and your family's lifestyle to know what is going on? If a person is ill enough to be unable to do the duties that the people of the UK pay taxes to support her in doing her job, does the public have a right to know this? And yes, the Royal Family is absolutely horrible at this. And they always have been. And they will always sacrifice a woman first.
Mmm, yes, like Charles having the nondescript “cancer.” But people don’t care all that much about that. Not like this. I do wonder why they are so bad at this specific slice of PR. Though, as someone whose job requires a certain amount of dress up, I would never in a million years describe all the public appearances as a life of leisure. It’s not backbreaking labor, but it’s not a life I envy. That said, she chose it. If The Crown is to be believed, and I can see some of it, she campaigned for it. But I highly doubt she has any say in what she can and can’t disclose.
I agree, public engagement can be tiring. You and I would leave a public engagement and have to attend to the administration and logistics of the rest of our lives: errands, laundry, cooking, bills, scrub the toilets, etc, etc. I doubt any royal is departing public events to juggle the loads you and I would have to do to keep our lives running. Plus, let's not forget the entire royal family takes multiple month-long vacations each year. I'm not putting down a sick person, I'm trying to keep their unearned privilege in perspective: we're not playing the same game as them. We're not even on the same playing field.
I will never be convinced that the royal family deserves what they have because some ancestor of theirs did...something? And to have the disparity between them and other UK citizens struggling to access health care, kids going hungry, etc, etc.
Charles has never captured the imagination of the public the way Diana, William, Harry and now Catherine have. It's a double-edged sword for sure.
LL, this is so good. I only know obliquely about all the goings on around these three women (is Barbie considered a woman or a character or both lol) and yet, you made it so that I didn't need to know the details to understand your point and get behind your message. And this, "Women are taught and expected to be perfect. Men are taught to be brave. Part of being perfect is applauding the bravery of men, which makes me appreciate Barbie even more.
This is a chance, one of those peak moments, to band together in the fight for equality. I believe we have at least 1.4 billion chances to do it." Yes to that.
This is such a great perspective. I’d forgotten just how awful the Hillary Clinton/Sarah Palin years were, and yet here we are in a FAR worse place. You’ve connected the dots brilliantly.
On your reco I'll read, though I'm turned off with the first line (I think it's been hard for a long time!), but as someone who spent formative years in Alabama (didnt even get to that in my piece), I need to read it. Thanks!
Well done! And I really appreciate the name of your publication. I think we're in a precarious time. The more voices of women we hear from, that are voices truly for women, not against our rights, or one another, we have a chance to regain what has been taken and threatened.
The Kate/Catherine Middleton “scandal” is such a crock of sh--. I assume that literally every photo from any celebrity and even non-celebrity is doctored. We have the technology. We have the filters. She should not be criticized for this. I’m actually kind of endeared to her for it i.e. it sounds like she did it (and shoddily) herself and I would assume she has an official photo-doctor-er on staff!
EXACTLY! I DO IT!!! And of course she has a staffer for this, which is why it irks me that we threw her under the bus to sate our own curiosity. I would LOVE to know who made the call to kill the pic at AP!
All of this!
‼️
The Kate Middleton things swings both ways for me. Yes, she's likely seriously ill. I feel for anyone struggling with health issues. Also, her and her extended family's life of leisure is underwritten by the people of the UK. So, what is the balance between a public figure's medical privacy and the right of people financially supporting you and your family's lifestyle to know what is going on? If a person is ill enough to be unable to do the duties that the people of the UK pay taxes to support her in doing her job, does the public have a right to know this? And yes, the Royal Family is absolutely horrible at this. And they always have been. And they will always sacrifice a woman first.
Mmm, yes, like Charles having the nondescript “cancer.” But people don’t care all that much about that. Not like this. I do wonder why they are so bad at this specific slice of PR. Though, as someone whose job requires a certain amount of dress up, I would never in a million years describe all the public appearances as a life of leisure. It’s not backbreaking labor, but it’s not a life I envy. That said, she chose it. If The Crown is to be believed, and I can see some of it, she campaigned for it. But I highly doubt she has any say in what she can and can’t disclose.
I agree, public engagement can be tiring. You and I would leave a public engagement and have to attend to the administration and logistics of the rest of our lives: errands, laundry, cooking, bills, scrub the toilets, etc, etc. I doubt any royal is departing public events to juggle the loads you and I would have to do to keep our lives running. Plus, let's not forget the entire royal family takes multiple month-long vacations each year. I'm not putting down a sick person, I'm trying to keep their unearned privilege in perspective: we're not playing the same game as them. We're not even on the same playing field.
I will never be convinced that the royal family deserves what they have because some ancestor of theirs did...something? And to have the disparity between them and other UK citizens struggling to access health care, kids going hungry, etc, etc.
Charles has never captured the imagination of the public the way Diana, William, Harry and now Catherine have. It's a double-edged sword for sure.
LL, this is so good. I only know obliquely about all the goings on around these three women (is Barbie considered a woman or a character or both lol) and yet, you made it so that I didn't need to know the details to understand your point and get behind your message. And this, "Women are taught and expected to be perfect. Men are taught to be brave. Part of being perfect is applauding the bravery of men, which makes me appreciate Barbie even more.
This is a chance, one of those peak moments, to band together in the fight for equality. I believe we have at least 1.4 billion chances to do it." Yes to that.
Thanks for reading, @jocelyn!
This is such a great perspective. I’d forgotten just how awful the Hillary Clinton/Sarah Palin years were, and yet here we are in a FAR worse place. You’ve connected the dots brilliantly.
It was, I thought, the end of an era.
Thanks for posting this. You might also want to check out Lucien K Truscott iv's piece in Salon where he excavates the whole University of Alabama ('Bama!) sorority scene and how that shaped her...https://www.salon.com/2024/03/12/the-pure-emptiness-of-katie-britt/
Also what the so called Royal Family does to women is awful.....
On your reco I'll read, though I'm turned off with the first line (I think it's been hard for a long time!), but as someone who spent formative years in Alabama (didnt even get to that in my piece), I need to read it. Thanks!
Well done! And I really appreciate the name of your publication. I think we're in a precarious time. The more voices of women we hear from, that are voices truly for women, not against our rights, or one another, we have a chance to regain what has been taken and threatened.
I do too! And though I'll surely lose some folks, I can't help myself...
And it's only going to get worse. Keep writing sister!
I can't seem to help myself, but also, I appreciate the encouragement 🤓
The Kate/Catherine Middleton “scandal” is such a crock of sh--. I assume that literally every photo from any celebrity and even non-celebrity is doctored. We have the technology. We have the filters. She should not be criticized for this. I’m actually kind of endeared to her for it i.e. it sounds like she did it (and shoddily) herself and I would assume she has an official photo-doctor-er on staff!
EXACTLY! I DO IT!!! And of course she has a staffer for this, which is why it irks me that we threw her under the bus to sate our own curiosity. I would LOVE to know who made the call to kill the pic at AP!
Ree-diculous