Meghan Markle Wants to Change the Perception of Moms on TV

Meghan Markle is raising awareness about the depiction of motherhood on TV.

A new study, "Rewriting Motherhood: How TV Represents Moms and What We Want To See Next," presented by Moms First and the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, supported by the Archewell Foundation, reveals how fictionalized portrayals of moms on TV don't reflect the lived experiences of mothers in the U.S.

In a statement, the Duchess of Sussex said, "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. 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 honored to support this work through the Archewell Foundation."

Geena Davis, whose institute partnered with Moms First on this study, told Vanity Fair about Meghan, "We love having her support and the support of Archwell. We can't do it without financial support like that, and it’s obviously a subject that's very near and dear to her heart."

Meghan has spoken at length about her experience of motherhood and view on being a mom. Just this past fall, at Archewell Foundation's first-ever in-person summit in New York City, the Duchess of Sussex said, "being a mom is the most important thing in my entire life."

This calls back her remarks during her interview with Oprah in 2021, where she shared, "I've been a waitress, an actress, a princess, a Duchess—I’ve always still just been Meghan, right? I’ve been clear on who I am, independent of all that stuff, and the most important title I’ll ever have is mom. I know that."

Moms First CEO Reshma Saujani echoed this line, saying, "She had a line she would say, and I always steal it from her: The most important title I have is mother. The one ask is to show our multidimensionality. Show us both as moms and workers, don’t just show one or the other. Show us as we are: both."

You can read the full "Rewriting Motherhood" study here.

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