Have you ever been called ambitious, competitive, bossy? That’s what Archetype the first Meghan Markle x Serena Williams talks about. Catch the highlights
Have you ever felt you should tone down your attitude, rhetoric or the ‘way’ in which you express emotion? Have you felt labelled – ambitious, climber, bossy at school, competitive? Have you ever felt like a woman who has a mind of her own but tries hard to hide it, or express it in bite-size chunks because, she’s already doing the mental mathematics of summing up her words in a manner that will not come off as too ‘threatening’ to her male (and female) counterparts, colleagues, or even, family and friends!
This podcast is as much Meghan’s journey as it is ours. By dismissing the dialogue, because we dismiss her, we are, in effect, not listening to the stories of women like Serena Williams who made it through to a place of intensely competitive sport, and triumphed big! So, even if you don’t like Meghan Markle and what she stands for, listen to the story, because, it’s not just about her!
That’s the gist of what Archetype, the first Meghan Markle x Serena Williams podcast delivered in just over an hour. A couple of things to highlight here, about the person conducting the podcast and the issues at hand:
1. If You Cancel The Person, You Don’t Have To Cancel The Cause They Uphold
Whether it be Malala or Meghan – once you put yourself ‘out there’ and I won’t play the woman card here, it happens to men too, you are subject to a lot of love and a whole lot of trolling too. Some people might not like the way you highlight certain issues, some people might not like the issues, some people agree with the issues but just not the person who’s shedding light on them, some people might cancel everything you utter because, it comes from the person they have cancelled.
This podcast also experienced similar treatment. And my advice to the world, do not disregard a dialogue just because it comes from a place you do not vibe with. Listen to the dialogue. It might resonate with many, it might champion the cause of many marginalized communities and it might also be the cause you vibe with, so don’t let the noise inside you shut out what could be a very pertinent conversation.
No one is all good or all bad, so listen to the shades of grey and filter the good from what the dialogue has to offer. And this brings me to my second point.
2. Women Who Work On The Front Lines Also Work Behind The Scenes
The podcast, that many felt, shed the spotlight on Meghan and not Serena actually revealed a great deal about the star tennis player who has become an inspiration for women, athletes, women athletes, moms and all those young people who dare to dream.
There was a day in Serena’s life when she spent the night in ER with her daughter and turned up to play a match the next day, surviving on barely 30 minutes of sleep. It doesn’t matter if she won or lost, the fact that she made it to the court and decided to give it her best and not complain about the apparent advantage to the other player, made her a winner for me.
Her story might have resonated with so many women who have had to pull all-nighters with sick children and then turn up for work next morning. Many do not tell their story as it’s too boring, or might come off as a sign of weakness, but when Serena does that on a public forum, it gives strength to so many who fight on the front lines, be it health professionals, sports persons or any other profession – they throw commitment with a capital C at their career and sometimes, even more, as they balance their image of coming off too ‘competitive’ or ‘ambitious’ and often, not committed enough, in the workplace.
3. Women Have To Temper Their Reactions (& Adrenalin Rush) In Public
Serena had to control the rush of adrenalin she felt because, if it was too much, it would appear she’s having a meltdown. For a man, it’s passion, for a woman, it might not all be good. We are conditioned as a society to view men in one role and women in another. When women express too much emotion, be it anger, excitement or aggression, ooh, that last one’s a tough word, it will come off as a positive in a man, but maybe, a negative in a woman. We scale these reactions inside of us, even before we express them, that’s how conditioned we are. But when a woman enters the playing field, she is seen side by side, with her male counterparts, the scrutiny is loud and clear and she must tip toe around her space to emit just the right balance of cool, calm exterior, confident, but not aggressive – quite the juggling act that, and most have mastered it by the way!
4. Ambitious, Climber, Competitive, Bossy Are Words We Learn In School
When girls are too bossy, but boys are natural born leaders, when girls raise their hands in class but seem too outspoken and boys seem rightly confident, you wonder where the type casting comes from?
To those who say these are but peripheral issues, need to move continents and visit South Asia. These issues are very real. They live within the workplace, inside conference rooms, on cricket grounds, at dinner tables and in the home. These issues are what stops a young girl from picking up a cricket bat even though she excels at the sport, or pursuing a thriving career because she might become better at it than her husband, or even, give up her career all together for the sake of a peaceful family life. These issues stop mothers from calling out their children’s harassers within the family and girls from raising their voice if they have been abused. These issues label women as provocative if they walk down the street alone, and what keeps fathers from sending their daughters to school. It also explains why many women face online harassment and shy away from using social media for their business or work. These issues stop women from demanding equal pay. These issues are real.
To those who say they are past these conversations, I say, you are fortunate. But we need them still.
Admittedly, the discussion on Archetypes might have brushed the surface of a conversation that needs to be delved into in greater detail and more in-depth, with expert analyses, but that’s what we hope will happen in future episodes. The next one is expected to feature Mariah Carey.
If I have a reservation, it is that I would like to experience real dialogue that goes beyond celebrities and engages professionals to talk about how to remedy a situation that has engulfed societies, both East and West, with a prejudice that is as old as the history books we read!
Influencers with a monumental following like Meghan Markle should be able to do that for us and I hope she will; therein lies her success as an influencer who walks the talk and helps young girls write a different, more uplifting narrative, one podcast at a time!
This podcast is as much Meghan’s journey as it is ours. By dismissing the dialogue, we are, in effect, not listening to the stories of women like Serena Williams who made it through to a place of intensely competitive sport, and triumphed big! So, even if you don’t like Meghan Markle and what she stands for, listen to the story, because, it’s not just about her!
Listen in to Archetypes Here:
