Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, September 25, 2018. On Tuesday, she spoke at the New York Times DealBook Summit
Meghan Markle insists she’s not trying to play politics with her title, calling for paid family leaves for all. This was during a Tuesday appearance at the New York Times DealBook Summit.
At the New York City event, The Duchess Of Sussex spoke on a panel for 30 minutes about her efforts to ensure paid family leave.
Meghan was interviewed by Andrew Sorkin, who edits DealBook, the Times’ financial newsletter, and appeared alongside Mellody Hobson, co-C.E.O. She was President of Ariel Investments in Chicago, where she claimed she has become close friends.
During the session, she also said she uses online discount codes to shop, after growing up ‘clipping coupons’ to find bargains, and that it gave her a sense of pride and worth.
She arrives three weeks after leaving royal protocol to send a letter to the US Congress asking for a paid family-leave law to all Americans.
Meghan, who left royal life in January 2020 with Prince Harry, said Tuesday she didn’t view the decision as a political issue and that her privilege came with ‘great responsibility.
“I do not see it as a political issue. The royal family of my husband, which includes me, has an established precedent for not participating in politics. This is, to me, a humanitarian matter.
“My husband always told me that great privilege brings great responsibility. Before I ever had this kind of privilege, I stood for the right thing. My time in the US has been very long. After seven years spent in Canada, I moved to the UK. Now I am a mom to two.
“The United States was one of six countries around the globe that doesn’t have any type of national paid job. So I replied, “Let me write some notes and then make some calls.” It seems logical to me and obvious, she stated.
Meghan said that lawmakers often are surprised to hear her on the phone, but they are generally open to hearing from her.
“I am introducing myself. These are not prearranged calls. People are quite surprised to hear this, I believe. People need help. This is not a red issue.
Meghan wrote a letter to Congress three weeks ago requesting paid family leave. She claims it’s a humanitarian issue
She continued, “I still consider myself to be the same person I was always.” My work ethic has always been strong, and people who have known me for a while, including those here today, know this. I’ve been the same person since I was born.
“If you’re grounded in your identity, you will be… I will show up as I always have.
The Duchess Of Sussex spoke about the importance of women feeling valued and fulfilled, as well as how parents should be compensated for their time spent at home with children.
Both my parents have strong work ethics. I remember making scrunchies when I was eight or nine years old. To make the scrunchies I used to go with my mom downtown. She would then take me there to collect scraps. I made them, and sold them. I remember the feeling of knowing I had done something, invested in myself, done this labor, and been compensated for it and there’s a sense of pride in that.
“There’s a feeling of purpose, especially for women who are at home. Although they work, it is unpaid labor that must be appreciated.
“Men must be part of the conversation.” I think it takes strong men and modern men frankly to understand that they benefit from it as well,’ she said.
Additionally, she suggested that social media be changed to combat bullying. This included adding a “dislike” button to Instagram to replace any negative comments.
“The whole environment, and not only social media, becomes a race for the bottom. Clickbait ends up being monetized and feeds the environment of the media because it is so quick and rapid… now it’s about creating the news and not reporting the news and the damaging effects for young girls are impossible to quantify.
“If you are paid the most clicks, people click for hateful things, lockdown also lets’s suppose someone spent five hours per week scrolling on the internet, while lockdown they might have been spending 50 hours per week becoming indoctrinated.
“There must be some responsibility. It is very concerning.
“There are many ways to change social media, and media generally. But people must be courageous enough to try it.
Instagram has, for instance, a like or comment button. Don’t forget to comment if you have a problem with something.
“It creates a cycle which is having an affect on all women.
She also spoke out about Archewell (the charity she and Harry founded) and stated that the bosses run the company in a manner that would be appreciated by their employees.
“We’re a small business and have all the same policies as employees. You can take 20 weeks off paid leave if the government is not providing it at this point.
“It’s multicultural because it’s open to all opinions and viewpoints, on both the foundation and production sides.
Meghan was dressed in black, with black trousers, and a sweater. She wore a Ferragamo belt, black stilettos, and a large poppy on her sweater. This is the custom in the UK for November, in honor of the War Dead.