Larissa recounted: “We did an activity where we talked through a bunch of different scenarios, and Meghan talked about being one of the most bullied people in the world. We had girls wave these little emoji signs and talk about how each one of these scenarios would have impacted them emotionally.”
She further disclosed: “We talked about what it really means to grow up in this digital age,” highlighting the Social Media U curriculum’s goal to inspire teens to interact without the crutch of screens while also embracing technology in a creative and positive manner. This curriculum was given a trial run by the Duchess herself.
The innovative curriculum has managed to secure financial support from Meghan and Prince Harry’s Archewell Foundation, in addition to backing from the Oprah Winfrey Charitable Foundation and Melissa French Gates’s Pivotal Ventures.
Meghan has previously opened up about her struggles with online bullying, recounting at the SXSW festival in March how she faced “hateful” messages while carrying Archie and Lilibet. Her appearance in Texas was meant for discussing themes around “breaking barriers and challenging stereotypes”.
During her candid speech, she discussed her experiences on social media, revealing that the most severe online abuse occurred during her pregnancies. She opened up about the impact, saying, “I keep my distance from it right now for my wellbeing but the bulk of the bullying and abuse I was experiencing in social media and online was when I was pregnant with Archie and with Lili, and with a newborn, with each of them.”
She expressed the difficulty in understanding such hatefulness: “You just think about that and to wrap your head about why people would be so hateful. It’s not catty it’s cruel. Why you would do that when you’re pregnant or as a mom it’s such a tender and sacred time.”
Furthermore, she told how she coped: “You could succumb to it, or nearly succumb to how painful that is. Or maybe because I was pregnant that mammalian instinct just kicks in to do everything you can to protect your child and as a result protect yourself too.”
“I keep my distance from it right now for my wellbeing but the bulk of the bullying and abuse I was experiencing in social media and online was when I was pregnant with Archie and with Lili, and with a newborn, with each of them,”.
“You just think about that and to wrap your head about why people would be so hateful. It’s not catty it’s cruel. Why you would do that when you’re pregnant or as a mom it’s such a tender and sacred time.”
“You could succumb to it, or nearly succumb to how painful that is. Or maybe because I was pregnant that mammalian instinct just kicks in to do everything you can to protect your child and as a result protect yourself too.”
