Meghan Markle has shared how her feminist lifestyle started from childhood as she spoke during a panel discussion for International Women's Day.
During the discussion, hosted by SXSW, journalist Katie Couric asked Meghan about the time she wrote a letter to Fairy, known in the United States as P&G, about an ad they aired about "women" searching for the perfect dishwasher tablet.
"I had a seen a commercial on TV from a dishwashing liquid and it said: 'Women all over America are fighting greasy pots and pans'. And the boys in my class said: 'Yeah, that's where women belong, in the kitchen.'
"And at 11, I found that infuriating. I wrote lots of letters and put pen to paper and they ended up changing the commercial to 'people all over America'. It's funny to look back on now as it's before social media where you have a reach that is so much greater. It was just an 11-year-old with a pen and paper"
© Bryan BedderMeghan added: "It just goes to show that if you know there's something wrong and you're using your voice to advocate in the direction of what is right that can really resonate and land for a lot of people. Your voice is not small and can be heard."
A much more personal story came later in the discussion, when the Duchess of Sussex was asked about hatred directed at her on social media. Speaking to the audience, Meghan said the worst came when she was pregnant with both Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet and shortly after she had given birth.
"I keep my distance from it right now for my wellbeing," the Duchess confirmed. "The bulk of the bullying I was experiencing on social media was when I was pregnant with Archie and Lili. You think about that and have to wrap yourself around why people are so hateful. It's not catty, it's cruel.
© Getty"When you have a newborn, it's a tender and sacred time and you can succumb to it, and maybe because I was pregnant that mammalian insitinct kicked in. But the thing I find the most disturbing is how much of the hate is women completely skewing that to other women, I cannot make sense to that. "
Meghan was appearing on the panel discussion following the publication of a report from the Geena Davis Institute that looked at female representation in the media.
© GettyThe study was funded by Archewell, which was founded by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex after they left the royal family in 2020, and found that while portrayals had become more diverse, many mothers featured in the media world were still young, white and thin, while it was clear that the father was the family's main breadwinner.
In a statement shared with Vanity Fair, Meghan shared: "My past experience as an actress, and now today as a producer and mother, have amplified my belief in the critical importance of supporting women and moms both behind the lens and in front of it."
© GettyThe Duchess continued: "This report about the portrayal of mothers in entertainment highlights the gaps we need to fill to achieve true representation in the content we create and consume, and I'm honoured to support this work through the Archewell Foundation."
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Geena added: "The representation of motherhood seemed like such a throwback. It didn't reflect modern reality anywhere near as closely as I had hoped or imagined."
