Meghan could help black women shed harmful 'strong' trope, says Diane Abbott
March 9, 2021, 12:31 pm

Meghan could help black women shed harmful 'strong' trope, says Diane Abbott

Diane Abbott said black and mixed-race women should not ‘internalise the idea that we’re not supposed to feel vulnerable’.

The MP, along with other campaigners, praised the duchess’s frankness about mental health struggles in her Oprah interview Diane Abbott

The Labour MP Diane Abbott and leading campaigners hope the Duchess of Sussex’s interview with Oprah Winfrey is a watershed moment that encourages black and mixed-race women to be open about their mental health struggles.

The trope of the “strong black woman”, which campaigners say is deeply ingrained in society, worsens depression and other mental health problems as it discourages people from speaking out and getting help, they added.

In an interview with Oprah Winfrey, which first aired in the US on Sunday, Meghan said she had suicidal thoughts during her time as a working royal.

“I just didn’t want to be alive any more. And that was a very clear and real and frightening constant thought. And I remember how he just cradled me,” she said. When she asked the palace for help, she told Winfrey: “They said, my heart goes out to you because I see how bad it is, but there’s nothing we can do to protect you because you’re not a paid employee of the institution.”

Abbott said she wanted the “moving” interview to signal to black and mixed-race women that they need not suffer in silence. “The relentless negativity and abuse is awful. It’s not just any one article or tweet, it’s knowing that day after day, there are going to be abusive tweets and stuff on Facebook. Day after day, you’d open a newspaper and see an article, or a news story, which completely distorts your position. And above all, there’s a presumption that you’re not human.”

Abbott, who alone received almost half of all the abusive tweets sent to female MPs in the run-up to the 2017 general election, said: “One of the most upsetting things is when people, meaning well, will say: ‘Oh, but Diane, you’re so strong.’ Nobody is that strong. Nobody can take the sort of abuse that Meghan had to take and that I’ve had to take. And by dismissing it by saying: ‘Oh, black women are strong,’ that’s denying our humanity.”

Abbott said she had been encouraged to speak out against the abuse she has experienced as a black female MP. “For a lot of black and mixed-race women, when they can look at what we’re now hearing, what’s happening to Meghan, they can realise: if this can happen to her and if it could be so crushing and humiliating to her, I can face up to how that sort of thing makes me feel.

“We shouldn’t internalise the idea that we’re not supposed to feel vulnerable, we’re not supposed to get upset, and we should have people around us that we can confide in, or we can be open with. Otherwise, it’s incredibly corrosive.”

Natasha, the 22-year-old co-founder of All Black Lives UK, which was behind many of last summer’s Black Lives Matter protests, described the interview as important because it showed a mixed-race women speak candidly about feeling suicidal. “Finally, people are understanding that black women are affected by mental health issues. Most black women that I know have experienced – at some point – mental health issues, whether that’s depression, borderline personality disorder, or other disorders that aren’t spoken about.”

Natasha said she has found it hard to be open about her struggles with her mental health because of societal expectations of black women. “People depend on you when they’re sad to make them feel better, because you have this presence as a strong person. I get it as a compliment all the time that I come across as a strong person, but sometimes I just want to be a person susceptible to all sorts of feelings and susceptible to all sorts of behaviour.”

Guilaine Kinouani, a psychologist and author of Living While Black, said the trope of the steely, resolute black woman has far-reaching consequences: “from us being less likely to be seen as vulnerable thus not picked up for depression, for example, to being allocated the most difficult and risky tasks or clients at work, to being maligned when we attempt to be vulnerable, all the way to us being less likely to receive anaesthesia and pain medication.”

Natasha wants the interview to send a message to black women to be themselves. “It can be very limiting being a black woman. How much of yourself are you really being when you’re supposed to be strong all the time?” Diane Abbott

source: Aamna Mohdin

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.