Jameela Jamil says she’s ‘not here to be liked’: ‘I am not a trend, I am a human being’
Jameela Jamil has opened up about how she’s “not here to be liked” in a frank new interview with Meghan Markle.
In the latest episode of Archetypes, Meghan’s Spotify podcast, the Duchess speaks with both Jamil and Shohreh Aghdashloo about the “stereotypes and judgements women face in the world of activism”.
When asked by Meghan what it was like to see changes happen as a result of her activism, the 36-year-old TV star said that while it was “very meaningful”, her work can often be “difficult and draining” when people are constantly “trying to discredit you all the time”.
Instead, she tries to keep a proportionate outlook to both praise and criticism.
“When it comes to the accolades, or the lists that I’m on, or this, that and the other awards, it doesn’t really mean anything to me because…” and goes on to partially cite a quote by artist Georgia O’Keeffe, which Meghan duly recites in full.
“She said, ‘I’ve already settled it for myself so flattery and criticism go down the same drain and I’m quite free’.”
“I resonate a lot with that because it’s important for the praise not to mean anything to you otherwise then the insults mean something to you,” Jamil replied.
“I have to live my own standards of constantly challenging myself to be better every day than I was yesterday, but I’m not here to live up to anyone’s standards, I’m not here to be believed, I’m not here to be understood and I’m not here to be liked. And that is vital in my rebellion.”
“What are you here to be?” asks Meghan.
“I’m here to be me! I’m here to be me!” she replied. “That is my right. I’m not here to fit in with a uniform design of what women are supposed to be like.
“Even the fact that we’re given trends for our bodies - not even just the way that we dress or the way we’re supposed to wear our hair - but our body shape is considered a f***ing trend.
“This is ridiculous! I am not a trend. I am a human being, so I am here to be me, unapologetically, warts and all, and if you don’t like it, you can just f*** off, it’s OK.”
Elsewhere in the conversation, Jamil commented on the media scrutiny that Meghan faces saying it is “an unfathomable amount of s*** that you take Meghan, I can’t believe it.”
Jamil said that she “fought back for years” on Meghan’s behalf and that she was “so outraged by the twisting of this very normal, very kind, very civilised woman”.
Meghan thanked Jamil for her efforts.
