Meghan Markle Tends to ‘Alienate’ People by Using Generalizations Says Body Language Expert
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry shared their story during the Harry & Meghan Netflix docuseries. They discussed what it was like to be part of the royal family.
A body language expert analyzed Meghan’s speech and behavior during the docuseries. He highlights what he says is Meghan’s tendency to use generalizations when speaking about certain groups of people. According to the expert, this behavior “alienates” people.
Meghan Markle tends to ‘alienate’ people says a body language expert
Body language expert Bedros Akkelian, also known by his nickname Spidey, says Meghan tends to use generalizations. According to him, this behavior “alienates” others. Akkelian points out the part in the Harry & Meghan documentary where Meghan discusses how the royal family waves. Meghan says she tried not to wave like an American because the gestures are bigger and exaggerated. According to her, people in Europe do everything “smaller.”
“I’m genuinely curious, does everyone who lives in America wave like that?” asks Akkelian during his Behavioral Arts broadcast. “And does everyone who lives in the UK not wave like that?”
Akkelian says he understands what Meghan is saying about the way Europeans and Americans behave. However, in his opinion, she “threw every American under the bus” by saying all Americans wave in an exaggerated way.
“I get that she’s trying to be funny and self-deprecating and relatable,” says Akkelian. “And I get that she’s probably trying to compliment the UK by saying things are really outrageous in the states. But these generalizations tend to alienate people.”
Akkelian wouldn’t be surprised if some Americans were offended by Meghan’s statements. He also believes some people in the UK might not be thrilled with the segment.
“I could see an American watching and going, ‘I don’t wave like that.’ And I can imagine someone from the UK saying, ‘We’re not smaller. Why would you say we’re smaller?’
Meghan Markle is ‘inconsistent’ says Bedros Akkelian
Meghan often emphasizes the importance of bringing people together. However, Akkelian says Meghan’s generalizations could cause division.
“For someone who is always talking about prejudice and talking about these big things that she’s trying to champion, it seems inconsistent that she would have these generalizations—that all Americans are loud and obnoxious and all Englishmen and Englishwomen are smaller,” says Akkelian. “It seems inconsistent for someone who is trying to create awareness that there are biases out there. [Her statements] are basically a generalization.”
Is Meghan Markle demonstrating unconscious bias?
Akkelian wonders if Meghan is demonstrating unconscious bias through her tendency to generalize. She wants others to be aware of their unconscious bias, but Akkelian says it seems she has some of her own biases to work through. He believes some people might not be drawn to Meghan because they pick up on this conflict.
“So, is this an unconscious bias? That she thinks all Americans are one way and all Englishmen and women are a different way?” asks Akkelian. “I think some people catch on to that discrepancy.”
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