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Meghan Markle’s Engagement Is Not A Victory For Black Women
Welp! Black folks got about a week to be happy about biracial Meghan Markle’s swirl-gagement to Prince Harry before the bubble bursting memes and editorials have begun picking the social impact of the pairing to pieces.
Eurweb published a scathing editorial by comedian Cory Haywood that begins:
*Sisters, don’t get too excited about Meghan Markle‘s engagement to Prince Harry (or whatever the hell that boy’s name is). This “historic” piece of news doesn’t even remotely count as a victory for black people or black women. Period.
Sisters, I can hear ya’ll fools right now – “I’m not wasting my time with average ni**as. I deserve to be with a prince so that I can be treated like a princess.”
Ha! I laugh at you ignorant hoes. “Coming to America” was a movie.
That sh** ain’t happening to you.
Ignorant hoes though? BRUH. Haywood goes on to argue that Markle’s indistinguishable features made her prime for the Prince’s pickings, traits that most black women can’t claim. He also says that Markle’s marriage is only possible because Prince Harry is unlikely to inherit the throne anyway. Haywood also decries The Root’s decision to declare the engagement “black girl magic”
So let me get this straight, it’s just a good ol’ ni*ga time when two black people get married, but when a black girl wrangles a White Prince, it’s “magic”. Ni**a what!
We see where he’s going and it’s part of why we try to celebrate Black love everywhere we see it, but Haywood stumbles into murky territory when he attacks the black community’s willingness to embrace the success of mixed race people as “black success”:
More importantly, why is it that every time a half-breed stumbles upon good fortune or success, the entire black community rejoices and lives vicariously through that person (as if his or her family tree is entirely Negro)? Are we that desperate for a win?
Half-breed is a HORRIBLE term. Haywood is a comedian but it seems a** backwards to make an argument like his using the oppressor’s terminology.
That part aside, do you think that Haywood is right to be critical of the royal engagement being upheld as “black girl magic” or even something meant to inspire “hope” for black women?
We saw this Good Morning America headline as well and definitely gave it the side eye. Amanda Seales does a pretty good breakdown here on IG:
So what do you think? How did you respond to Meghan Markle’s engagement to Prince Harry? Is it a victory for black women? Black people? Biracial women? History? Or JUST Meghan Markle and Prince Harry?
Do you agree with Cory Haywood that some black women have taken the engagement news too far?
