Meghan Markle critics in denial about their misogyny and racism, prominent activist warns

Meghan Markle’s critics are in denial about the misogyny and racism which fuel their attacks against her, a prominent women’s rights activist has warned.

Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu, who is also a lawyer, noted racism and misogyny are not only expressed via specific words as she argued the storm of criticism directed at the Duchess of Sussex has shined a light on the profound lack of awareness of intersecting forms of oppression.

Speaking on a panel hosted by The Independent on Wednesday to celebrate International Women’s Day, the campaigner urged people to understand the “toxicity of intersecting inequalities” of race, gender, and class.

“One of the key things that have come out of the Meghan Markle saga that has gone worldwide is there is a real, in-depth, deep level of ignorance about intersectionality,” Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu said.

She warned people request “examples” of “racism and misogyny” levied against the Duchess of Sussex - adding “they expect you to do the work for them to unpick” how “misogyny manifests”.

She added: “Misogyny doesn’t just manifest because you use certain keywords. There are words that are evasive, insidious, overt and covert that manifest misogyny against women”.

The campaigner also noted racism doesn’t solely involve individuals wielding the N-word or choosing to “use the word black in every sentence”.

In a bid to defend their bigotry, people will claim their remarks were “not a nice thing to say” but do not constitute as racism and will seek to “come up with every kind of defence”, Dr Mos-Shogbamimu said.

She explained: “I don’t need to be Meghan Markle to see that the language used against her is racist.”

Dr Mos-Shogbamimu added: “I don’t need to be Meghan Markle to recognise the misogyny and the sexist attacks against her as a woman because as a woman I’ve experienced the same. I understand common sense is not common but people let’s apply some deductive reasoning so we can grow.”

Dr Mos-Shogbamimu, who has gone viral for clashing with controversial TV personality Piers Morgan, made the comments on a panel discussing what being a woman in 2023 really means.

The discussion also included myself, Maya Oppenheim, The Independent’s Women’s Correspondent, as well as Dr Charlotte Proudman, a leading human rights barrister who specialises in violence against women, commentator and broadcaster Emily Carver and Yvonne John, who wrote Dreaming of a life unlived: Intimate stories and portraits of women without children.

It comes after Dr Mos-Shogbamimu recently spoke out about the fact she has received death threats in a chilling letter from someone purporting to be associated with a Neo-Nazi terror group - speaking to The Independent about the ordeal.