Meghan Markle Pens Essay About Gender Equality: 'Focus Less on Glass Slippers' & More on 'Glass Ceilings'

Meghan Markle was thrust into the spotlight over the past several weeks after it was confirmed that she’s dating Prince Harry.

You may not know, but the 35-year-old Suits star does some humanitarian work and is speaking out about gender equality in this new essay she wrote for Elle UK.

“My mum raised me to be a global citizen, with eyes open to sometimes harsh realities … my parents came from little so they made a choice to give a lot: buying turkeys for homeless shelters at Thanksgiving, delivering meals to people in hospices, giving spare change to those asking for it,” Meghan wrote. “Sitting in a school classroom when I was 11 years old, a dish-washing liquid commercial came on a TV with the tagline, ‘Women all over America are fighting greasy pots and pans.’ The boys yelled out, ‘Yeah, that’s where women belong. In the kitchen.’ My little freckled face became red with anger. I went home and wrote letters to feminist civil rights 
lawyer Gloria Allred, plus a kids’ news programme host, and Hillary Clinton (our first lady at the time). They all pledged support. A few months later, the commercial was changed to ‘People all over America are fighting greasy pots and pans.’”

“With fame comes opportunity, but it also includes responsibility – to advocate and share, to focus less on glass slippers and more on pushing through glass ceilings. And, if I’m lucky enough, to inspire,” Meghan continued. Read her full essay at Elle UK.

Also pictured inside: Prince Harry, Meghan‘s boyfriend, on the second day of his official visit to the Caribbean on Monday (November 21) in Antigua, Antigua and Barbuda.