Kate Gate is an ableism issue. Here’s why.
Today, I want to take the opportunity to pull the thread on a topic that's gone a little rampant in the media: Princess Kate.
In the last few weeks, royal commentators, conspiracy theorists, and people who love a good mystery or drama have all fallen down the intriguing Princess Kate rabbit hole.
It all started in the new year, when she was admitted to hospital for a planned abdominal surgery. After a couple of weeks of recovery in hospital, she then returned to Kensington Palace, and her team announced that she would not be attending any public events until the end of March.
This is all well and good, although the lack of details and prolonged recovery period did prompt a lot of questions and speculation from the public.
And then we got the photo.
On British Mother's Day, Kate shared a photo where she looked happy and healthy, sitting with her children outdoors.
Soon after, the photo was flagged as being edited, and Kate responded with a quick apology on social media to say that she had been the one to edit it before it went out. Curious, no?
Now, I'm not too bothered about who edited the photo and how edited it is, but I'm more intrigued by why Kate and her team felt the need to publish it at all.
The now infamous photo was clearly shared to signal that Kate was in fact healthy and looking like her normal self during her recovery. But what if that's not what she looks like? If William and Kate and their PR team wanted to quash any rumours around her disappearance from the public eye, why do it with a manufactured photo? Why not allow her to show up in the state that she is in and acknowledge that she, too, can go through a medical event?
Feeding the notion that she can only be Princess Kate as a healthy, vibrant, smiling woman, is highly problematic. (And ableist.)
This is not to say that I think we have a right to Kate's diagnosis. She has every right to privacy and doesn't owe anyone her health records.
But I do think that they had the option to not publish anything — and that would have been totally acceptable. The fact that they’ve now had to parade her out in a car so that she can be photographed — again, to show that she is healthy or alive? — feels uncomfortable to me.
The thing that also feels particularly icky about the whole thing (and there's a lot already) is that these are the royals that have made every effort to market themselves as more inclusive, more relatable, more modern, and more of and for the people.
They've been trying to stand out against a backdrop of racism, classism, and yes, ableism, that marks the royal family. I mean, even Queen Elizabeth, having reached the impressive age of 96 refused to be seen using mobility devices. And, why? Because being disabled looks weak? Because disability is unsavoury? Please.
But what happens to the young royals' narrative when they actively choose to play into the same troubling tropes the royal family has done for generations? How can we look at them any differently?
Something to think about.
Before I sign off, I want to share a bit of how I got to where I am, and how I got comfortable writing about topics like this one.
When I first started the SP journey, I signed up to Kar Brulhart's Social Department. Kar leads her social media community with so much energy, grace, and useful information, and it really set me up for success as I figured out how I wanted to show up on social media.
Kar taught me to get comfortable taking “controversial” stances that go against the grain, because that's the content that's going to stand out. She taught me to dive into the conversations that everyone is already having, by bringing in my unique point of view. (Hence this email.)
Use the button below to find out more about the Social Department. If you're looking to refine your use of social media, learn from a super knowledgeable and generous individual, and engage with other women doing big things, this might just be the place for you.
