Marie Claire has a great feature in their new digital issue called “100 Influential Women on Why They’re Voting in the 2020 Election.” The list of 100 women includes: Michelle Obama, Yara Shahidi, Megan Rapinoe, Gabrielle Union, Tina Knowles Lawson, Ava DuVernay, Oprah and many more. There were these kinds of pieces in 2016, when we had a woman presidential candidate, but didn’t it feel like there wasn’t a huge movement to get young women – the targeted demographic here – out to vote for the first time? Maybe there was a movement in 2016 and I just missed it. Maybe every four years, we have to go through this. But hey, at least we’ve got Kamala Harris on the ticket! Anyway, you can see Marie Claire’s feature here. Interestingly enough, they got the Duchess of Sussex to participate! Meghan is back in America and our girl is gonna VOTE. This is what Meghan told Marie Claire:
I know what it’s like to have a voice, and also what it’s like to feel voiceless. I also know that so many men and women have put their lives on the line for us to be heard. And that opportunity, that fundamental right, is in our ability to exercise our right to vote and to make all of our voices heard.
One of my favourite quotes, and one that my husband and I have referred to often, is from Kate Sheppard, a leader in the suffragist movement in New Zealand, who said, ‘Do not think your single vote does not matter much. The rain that refreshes the parched ground is made up of single drops.’ That is why I vote.
Meghan notably voted in the 2016 election, and I would suspect that she probably voted – absentee? – in California elections for most of her adult years. But it’s a big deal because royal peeps are not supposed to vote. It breaks protocol or something, although I think some lesser royals have likely voted here or there in the UK. But this is just a reminder that Meghan is still an American citizen and she still f–king hates Donald Trump. I hope she re-upped her voter registration to her new Santa Barbara home.
Meghan Markle opens up about why she's voting in our August 2020 digital issue: "I know what it's like to have a voice, and also what it's like to feel voiceless."https://t.co/Z9v5dGR9l8 pic.twitter.com/LWg0IARkaF
— Marie Claire (@marieclaire) August 11, 2020
Photos courtesy of social media, Backgrid.
Oh wow, I love that quote from Sheppard, I had never heard it before. Definitely writing down!
Also, its the 100th anniversary of women earning the right to vote in the US, what better year to get young women to the polls!
I also love that Sheppard quote, and snaps to Meghan Markle for speaking out about the importance of voting. My respect for what she is choosing to say since stepping out of the “official” royal family role continues to grow.
I would love for them to say that Harry has registered to vote in the UK, and will be absentee voting starting in the next election.
This is great. Especially reminding us that each time we vote our vote our voice makes a difference.
Where I live voter turn out is incredibly poor because so many people believe nothing can chance. Messages like these should be everywhere.
Meghan saying she knows what it’s like to feel voiceless makes me really hurt for her. I’m so glad she is less restricted now.
Meghan is going to run for office in 2024!! Maybe as a House Rep or for a state wide office. Then Senator!!!! I just have this feeling. Anyone else suspect an outright political future?
She’s certainly been outspoken on some of the important issues of our day, but what qualifications make her suitable for higher office? I myself am weary of celebrities and moguls launching political careers on the basis of their fame or money. I want people who have worked with community outreach, or grassroots activists, or those who understand the complexities of public institutions or have intricate policy knowledge. Meghan has done a fine job drawing attention to national causes and she should certainly be lauded for her using her voice. But nothing in the speeches she’s made convinces me that she has the depth of experience I look for in those I want representing me in DC.
No, not at all. Oh, she’ll be politically active, but to actually run for office as a candidate? That seems exceedingly unlikely.
CA has a sudden opening for Senator. 🙂
Donald Trump MUST GO; he should have never been elected in the 1st place….I will be everywhere in my neighborhood advocating against him!
If Meghan knew what she knows now, would she still marry H? maybe yes; I think she loves the dude but my goodness, I wouldn’t. I would say NO to the blind date! Never have I seen so much jealousy and envy by so many people against a successful woman.
Meghan is too outspoken and independent to join that family!What is the purpose of the queen? can u imagine in this day and age, you have a company with a female CEO be as badly managed as the RF is?
FF makes it very clear that she is head over heels in love with Harry. And vice versa.
You are right but she has lost so much to marry the ginger guy……….I will buy more copies of the book for some people around me; the sales of the book are pissing off all those people who disparaged it because of jealousy! All royal gossipers are jealous of Omid right now;
I wonder if Omid will remain a royal reporter!
Love the quote. Yayyyy Duchess!
I guess I see why the RF does not vote in the UK. Voting in the US is a different matter. An American woman living in America SHOULD vote. All citizens should vote, it is your civic duty.
But they still attend partisan celebratory parties or hire staff solely from one political party. As with everything, the non political protocols only seem to apply to Meghan.
Should she decide to run for congress, Santa Maria, Santa Barbara are in District 24. Current congress person, Salud Carbajal, born in Mexico, Democrat, Marine. He has three years in. Meghan doesn’t have the experience and background in politics to run for a senate seat. However, she does have a strong voice for women and she’ll use it.
Did Donald Trump have any experience in politics before running for the highest office in the US?
This is amazing! I hope you were here back in 2015 – 2016 saying Donald Trump shouldn’t run; he is unqualified, that’s a fact but that has never prevented him from doing what he wants! This kind of thought is dangerous; I see a lot of women thinking 100 times before going after a position because they need to make sure they 100% qualify. We fight for equality but I see some internalize so much from the outside
Anyway, Meghan has never said she was interested in politics. I do like the idea of her running but I don’t think she would do it; there are many other ways to help this world
Trump and family are well connected in politics through the purchase of politicians. It is well known Putin interfered with our election to place Trump in office. Trump’s filed for bankruptcy 6 times. No US bank will lend him money. He has deep ties to arms trading, money laundering, Epstein, Maxwell. Expect DOJ, SDNY to file charges against him on 1/20/2021.
The first thing one does when a decision is made to run for office is to meet with a campaign manager and staff to discuss the possibility of raising campaign money and a winning strategy. My statement saying she lacked qualifications would be the same thing she would be told by political advisors. My comment about Meghan was not a negative. She is a good public speaker, involved in charities and business, as well as a strong voice for women.
It depends on what you define as the required experience. I would say she has a large national presence and a successful history of coordinating with nonprofits implementing imaginative fund raising.
Meghan is an American citizen, living in America, voting in an American election and is no longer a senior working royal. There is no protocol to break. She can vote and I’m glad she is using her voice to encourage others to do the same. Women of colour must continue to exercise their rights and use their collective power to push for change, no matter how small. The royal family silenced Meghan on many things but they can’t silence her on this.
Cue the meltdowns from the jilted media. Long live Too Political Meghan™️
I never really understood how Meghan was going to not vote and stay silent on U.S. politics.
One of the York sisters attended the celebration party when Boris Johnston was elected PM a few months ago so they can all shut up about royals not being able to be political. When you show up to a celebration for a PM that is political.
Voting is by secret ballot and Meghan is allowed to use her inherent right as an American citizen.
As she should, she’s not a senior Royal.
My grandmother’s were born before women had the right to vote. It is something that was drilled into our heads – to participate and never take it for granted.
If she does run for political office, I don’t think it will be for years.
It is fun though to imagine a FFK Cain and Unable having to host President Meghan and First Gentleman Harry 😀