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Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of Yorkis opening up about her perceived rivalry withPrincess Diana.
Fergie, as she is affectionately known,penned an essaysupportingHello!magazine’s recently launched #HelloToKindness campaign and reflected on the pros and cons of social media.
“I’m on Twitter and Instagram, and I’m grateful for the fact that they allow me to communicate directly with people who are interested, promote my charitable causes and let people read my own words rather than someone else’s slant on them,” Fergie, who is the ex-wife of Prince Andrew, says.
However, Fergie knows there is a dark side to the medium.
Fergie then alluded to the abuseMeghan MarkleandKate Middletonhave been subjected to online, whichpromptedHello!to launch their positivity campaign.
Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle.Stephen Pond/Getty Images
“Women, in particular, are constantly pitted against and compared with each other in a way that reminds me of how people tried to portray Diana and me all the time as rivals, which is something neither of us ever really felt,” she says.
The mother toPrincess BeatriceandPrincess Eugenieexplains that the bullying can take a toll on the victims’ mental health.
“I believe that it’s time to take a stand,” she writes. “This isn’t about freedom of speech. The truth is, it’s not acceptable to post abuse or threats on social media or news sites, and it’s not acceptable to harangue other users simply because they disagree with you. It’s not acceptable to pit women against one another all the time. It’s not acceptable to troll other people viciously online.”
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Social media backlash has increased in recent months, ranging from pitting the royal sisters-in-law against each other to “violent threats,” a source recently toldHello!magazine.
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“It seems to me to be particularly sexist,” Nash toldCNN. “You have people comparing them in a way that doesn’t really happen with men – ‘she’s walking funny, or her heels are too high, or her legs are too skinny.’ “
source: people.com
