Despite the royal family avoiding addressing political issues as a rule of thumb, since marrying Prince Harry, Meghan Markle has firmly stuck to her feminist beliefs, speaking out about the Time’s Up and Me Too movements, calling herself a proud feminist on the royal family’s official website, and now with a powerful speech addressing women’s suffrage.
While attending an event at Government House in Wellington, New Zealand to mark the 125th anniversary of women’s suffrage, the Duchess of Sussex delivered her third speech of the royal tour, addressing voting rights, human rights, and feminism throughout, while commending the country for “championing the right of women to vote 125 years ago.”
“We are proud to be able to join you tonight in celebrating the 125th anniversary of women’s suffrage in your country,” Meghan started, per royal reporter Omid Scobie.
“The achievements of the women of New Zealand who campaigned for their right to vote, and were the first in the world to achieve it, are universally admired. In looking forward to this very special occasion, I reflected on the importance of this achievement, but also the larger impact of what this symbolises.”
“Yes, women’s suffrage is about feminism, but feminism is about fairness,” the Duchess continued. “Suffrage is not simply about the right to vote but also about what that represents. The basic and fundamental human right of being able to participate in the choices for your future and that of your community, the involvement and voice that allows you to be a part of the very world that you are a part of.”
It’s great to see that Meghan, who has been an outspoken feminist since age 11, can still speak out about causes close to her heart. Let’s not forget that while she’s a former actress and now-Duchess, the mother-to-be also has a degree in International Relations from the prestigious Northwestern University under her belt, used to regularly write moving essays about race relations, women’s rights, and self-acceptance, and worked with charities such as the U.N. and World Vision prior to meeting her prince.
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