The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, revealed a particularly heartbreaking and personal news in an essay for the New York Times. In the essay, The Losses We Share, Meghan revealed she suffered a miscarriage earlier this year. It detailed the day leading up to her miscarriage; how it happened and the aftermath of feelings.
She wrote, “I dropped to the floor with him [Archie] in my arms, humming a lullaby to keep us both calm, the cheerful tune a stark contrast to my sense that something was not right. I knew, as I clutched my firstborn child, that I was losing my second. Staring at the cold white walls, my eyes glazed over. I tried to imagine how we’d heal. Losing a child means carrying an almost unbearable grief, experienced by many but talked about by few. In the pain of our loss, my husband and I discovered that in a room of 100 women, 10 to 20 of them will have suffered from miscarriage. Yet despite the staggering commonality of this pain, the conversation remains taboo, riddled with (unwarranted) shame, and perpetuating a cycle of solitary mourning.”
Meghan, in the essay, went on to speak on kindness. She encouraged people to ask “are you ok?”
“This Thanksgiving, as we plan for a holiday unlike any before — many of us separated from our loved ones, alone, sick, scared, divided and perhaps struggling to find something, anything, to be grateful for — let us commit to asking others, “Are you OK?” As much as we may disagree, as physically distanced as we may be, the truth is that we are more connected than ever because of all we have individually and collectively endured this year.”
When the news hit social media, Twitter became polarized, with some people for and against her.
“I’m sorry for their loss but why do they need to tell the world EVERYTHING about their lives. I know – BECAUSE THEY DON’T KNOW HOW TO MAKE MONEY ANY OTHER WAY THAN BEING IN THE SPOTLIGHT! ME ME ME ME!!!” one commented on Twitter.
“Christ is there nothing this person won’t do for cash,” another user wrote.
“Although that’s heartbreaking situation…. I agree with you. the person in question… looks for any way to exploit attention, public sympathy & money,” a different user agreed with those questioning Markle.
“In my day when women had miscarriages, we never told anyone because we felt like such failures. I am proud of women who share their pain with others because we need to lift each other up, not just in the good times but more so during the bad ones,” one wrote.
“Meghan wrote this – knowing there are people like you out there – but she still wrote it – to give comfort to women and families who have gone through something similar – to talk about raw pain like this is quite traumatic but very brave. If you can’t be kind then be quiet,” another supporter added.
“No. The NYT doesn’t pay for op-eds. Someone cited the source in this thread,” one netizen answered those who were wondering if Markle was paid for the article.
With Teigen’s essay some time ago and now Markle’s essay, maybe the world will start seeing miscarriages as something normal women go through and not an abominable act, which should not be spoken about.
