Meghan Markle isn’t afraid to advocate for social justice, and during a speech she gave to Spotify employees in Los Angeles, she did so with courage.
The Duchess of Sussex was invited to give a speech at Women@Spotify, a female-led employee resource group at Spotify that promotes inclusivity and community building. A participant at the Tuesday private event confirmed to HELLO! that Meghan had spoken at the occasion on feminist issues while sporting a shirt that read, in Farsi, “Women. Life. Freedom.”
The mother of two praised the “courage” of Iranian protesters during her speech, who have been demonstrating since September 16 in response to the death of Mahsa Amini, 22, who was killed in a car accident.
On September 16, Mahsa passed away while being held by the police for allegedly wearing the hijab incorrectly. She was allegedly killed by police beatings while they had her in custody, according to witnesses.
In retaliation for what led to Mahsa’s arrest, mostly female protesters have been seen burning their hijabs in response to her passing.
The Iranian government has been repressing the protesters, including by cutting off internet access in some areas and shooting tear gas and live ammunition at them. According to Iran Human Rights, since the protests started, at least 215 people have died.
Photo: Getty Images
The Duchess has never kept quiet about matters affecting women, and she made a point of speaking out after Roe v. Wade was overturned earlier this year in the US.
When asked what advice she would give to men who support abortion rights, Meghan said, “Men need to be vocal in this moment and beyond because these are decisions that affect relationships, families, and communities at large.
“They may target women, but we are all affected by the results. The past few days, my husband and I have had numerous conversations about that. He is a feminist as well.
And, like mine last week, his response was guttural, Meghan continued. I am aware that despair is a feeling that many women are currently experiencing. But once more, we must unite and stop moping. We must put in the effort.
