Meghan Markle shares a feminist AF speech to celebrate International Day of the Girl

Arielle Tschinkel

Meghan Markle has been championing women’s rights since the age of 11, when she successfully fought back against a sexist ad campaign. And she’s only continued to fight for girls and women since joining the royal family in 2018. In honor of International Day of the Girl, which is today, October 11th, Markle shared an Instagram video celebrating girls all over the world, and recorded an inspiring message for girls and young women everywhere.

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The video then cuts to footage from a 2015 UN Women speech Markle gave as an advocate for female political participation and leadership. In this speech, Markle talked about her early experience as a feminist fighting sexism in a soap commercial that used the line, “women everywhere are fighting greasy pots and pans.”

ICYMI, Markle wrote a letter to Procter & Gamble (along with then-First Lady Hillary Clinton, among others!) explaining her upset with the sexist slogan, and the company changed the commercial’s script to say “people” instead of “women.”

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[Sound On 🔈] Today is International #DayoftheGirl, a day observed globally and created by the United Nations to acknowledge the gender inequality that exists worldwide. Be it lack of access to education, stigma surrounding Menstrual Hygiene Management, forced child marriage, legal or medical inequality, or gender-based violence, there is a pressing need to support young women in their path to excellence. It is also a day to celebrate and encourage girls to know their value and to support them in taking action to grow into the women they wish to be. The Duchess of Sussex has been a long time advocate for women’s and girls rights and at the age of eleven campaigned against a sexist advertisement, which was then changed. No matter what age, or what background you have the power to make an impact. HRH recently shared a quote during a speech in Cape Town: “Visualize your highest self, and show up as her.” • To all of the young girls reading this today on International Day of the Girl, that quote is for you. Video©️SussexRoyal (Images used are from accounts we have followed and PA images)

A post shared by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (@sussexroyal) on Oct 11, 2019 at 3:37am PDT

In her October 11th Instagram video, Markle included a clip of her 11-year-old self on the news, in which she wisely argued that one person can make a difference for others around them. “If you see something that you don’t like or are offended by, on television or any other place, write letters and send them to the right people, and you can really make a difference—not just for yourself but for lots of other people,” young Markle said.

Then, in a jump cut to Markle’s 2015 UN Women speech, she said, “It is said that girls with dreams become women with vision.”

Finally, the present-day Duchess spoke directly to girls, saying, “To each one of you, keep asking questions. Keep pushing forward, keep shining brightly. Know your worth, and know we are behind you, every step of the way.”

Her Instagram caption was equally inspiring, reminding girls that “no matter what age, or what background you have the power to make an impact,” and we truly have goosebumps.

Just when we thought we couldn’t love her more, she gives us yet another reason to cheer her on. We truly couldn’t be prouder!