Transcription
Over many decades, there has been significant progress in advancing gender equality and attempts to eliminate discrimination against women. But there's still much more work to be done. Beyond the notion of it being a basic human right, there are, of course, huge socioeconomic ramifications as well.
Meghan Markle is an actress who co-stars on the USA network's legal drama Suits. She's also a UN Women political advocate for participation and leadership. That group has called for the year 2030 to be the expiration date for gender inequality. We'll get an update on that effort with Megan who joins me in studio.
By the way, Megan is also the founder of The TIG. That's a website for those with a hunger for food, travel, fashion, and beauty. It covers about everything but fooling around, pretty much. What is that? Uh, the TIG? TIG? Well, you know, it's so funny. The namesake actually comes from a wine that I had that was an "aha" moment, Tignanello, which people sort of pronounce Tiganello here in the States. And it became my nickname for moments of getting it, moments of clarity where something is not just red or white, as with the wine, but really has some depth to it. So, yeah, the site has been a really nice resource for me to share all of those passions.
It's a website. It's a website. Yes. And it was also actually just thetig.com. And it's actually where UN Women reached out to me because I'd written a, um, a think piece about the same sort of things we're talking about, right? About, um, women's inequality and hoping to find a way to find self-empowerment. And because they had read this piece, they ended up saying, "We would really like to work with you."
What is UN Women? UN Women is a, you know, a branch obviously of the United Nations. But I think as it being a young organization, what they've really been striving to do between the HeForShe campaign and then, of course, you know, the the work that I'm doing with them, which is specifically trying to find women in political positions, be it from a grassroots leadership level or beyond that, to say, "We need to have a seat at the table, and we need to be leaders that are really comfortable having our voices heard," because when women are uplifted, the entire community is.
What does the work entail? What do you do? Yes. So, last year, last February actually, I went to Rwanda, which was incredible because Rwanda has, um, the highest, um, percentage of female political participants of any other country in the world. Just 64% of their government is female. Um, so, when you see 64% of the the senators being women, it just changes the conversation that's at the forefront. So I went there to meet with those leaders and then to also go to Ghembe refugee camp and to meet with female leaders at a more of a grassroots level and then take that information, use things like this and use opportunities like I have on The TIG to talk about things of really high value.
With all the problems Rwanda has had, how do you explain this seemingly contradiction? I think it's really, you know, truly and especially being there on the ground, it was so interesting to see that in the wake of obviously such a horrendous experience that they had, which was not much more than 20 years ago or so, right? We're talking something that was fairly recent. And in that, yes, a so many of the men were lost in the genocide. So, it gave women an opportunity to either succumb to that or to then find some strength and then mobilize in a way that was really empowering. And I think that's specifically what they've done, which is a great benchmark for what women all over the world could be doing.
Where in this dilemma does the United States stand? I mean, I think what's been really interesting and especially as you see with social media, it it all goes beyond something that's just with a state itself, right? So with the US or with any other nation, everything's become a global issue. And so I think with women's empowerment and certainly gender parity, you know, you talk about the Millennium Development Goals, right? Number three is gender equality. And I think the US has been so active in speaking out on, you know, trying to have more female leaders. And I think especially watching the youth really mobilize and be involved and engaged in that campaign to make sure that men are uplifting women and see the same value in it. It's not just a women's fight for women. It's a people's fight for all people. Right.
Yeah. I've always been it. What where's the worst area? What country would be the worst in the area of inequal? Well, I guess I would guess Saudi Arabia or the. Well, sure. I mean, I think that it it's all in it's all relative to where we're talking about and what's challenging when you ask a question like that is that you have to take into account the cultural context, right? So, when you're looking at places that have a dual legislation and a legal system that's looking at yes, the government, but also a religious law, there are certain standards that are quite different. So to say the worst is challenging because I don't want to put that judgment on some things that certain cultures are comfortable with. But in terms of women feeling certainly disabled to have the same rights, yes, Saudi Arabia would be a strong one to mention.
There are more women than men in the world. Yes. Women live longer. Yes. Because you do it to us anyway. You would think that this would have advanced even faster. You would think that, but things take time. And I think if you look at the traction, especially that's happened in this past year with this being at the forefront of conversation, it's a really hot topic right now, right? Oh, yeah. So, how fantastic that it's it's making dinner table conversation, that we're talking about it, that it's something that people aren't ashamed to talk about anymore. And I think that, you know, even I go to Rwanda again on Monday, um, with World Vision actually this time to talk about a water campaign and people would typically say, well, what does water have to do with women's rights and where is the correlation there? I think what's been really interesting is it's all so interconnected and when you look at something like that, you say, okay, well, building wells, sure, you have the water and you have the life source, but what it also does is enables young girls to not have to walk miles to get water for their family and instead they're able to stay in school, and that education is going to foster them being able to be very active in their society and empower female leadership.
What are the biggest obstacles? You know, I think the biggest obstacles are perhaps people being set in their ways, having entrenched. Sure. You know, like having a very clear, be it from what you learn at home or what you're comfortable with. Change is difficult for people. And, you know, you watch some of these fathers or men who are supporting their wives or daughters in this. And perhaps in some communities, those men are shunned by their friends saying, "What are you doing? You're upsetting a norm that's been comfortable for us." So it takes a lot of courage for anyone to be able to, excuse me, fight against what has been customary and say, even if we've been doing this for a long time, doesn't necessarily mean it's the right thing that we should be doing, and I think it's time for change.
Uh, what do you make of it, uh, locally here? What do you make of when you see things like Academy Awards and women don't get the same pay and they don't get the same shots at directing as men? Right now, this country, which has changed so quickly in the area of LGBT, correct? Other why not faster in women? Men? Well, we're certainly talking about it enough. Oh, we're talking, but yes, but where's the action? Um, words are easy. I wish I had an answer for that. I mean, certainly when it comes to the pay gap, it's staggering, right? And I think, um, it is nonsensical. Do I have personal experience with it? Absolutely. Um, do I hope to see that change? The more that we're talking about it and being very comfortable in those conversations. Yes. But, you know, between Jennifer Lawrence and that great op-ed that she wrote about it, or, you know, Patricia Arquette being vocal about it, I mean, it is now becoming more of the conversation. And I think that is, you know, I'm not going to criticize the speed in which it's taking for it to happen. My hope is that it just happens.
Have you seen any personal effects of it? Has it ever affected you? You know, it's so interesting and I actually, I gave a speech, um, last year for International Women's Day with UN Women and I was talking about an experience that I had when I was 11 years old. And I went to school here locally in LA, and it was during the LA riots actually, so I think '93. Um, and the class was very small, and we were watching TV and this commercial came on for a soap manufacturer, Ivory dishwashing liquid. And in the tagline of the commercial, it said, "Women all over America are fighting greasy pots and pans." And two of the boys in my class said, "Yeah, that's where women belong, in the kitchen." And whatever it was in me at 11 years old, it sparked this frustration and this desire for change. And I went home and I said to my dad, "This is crazy and this can't. I have to do something." And he said, "Why don't you write some letters?" So, Larry, I wrote a letter to Hillary Clinton, who was our First Lady at the time, and I wrote a letter to Linda Ellerbee, who hosted a show called Nick NewsW5 then. Uh, I wrote a letter to Gloria Allred, and I wrote a letter to the soap manufacturer, and then everyone responded to me with the exception of the soap manufacturer. And, um, what was so interesting was to then see with this support behind me, they changed the commercial to "People all over America." So it can it can do things at 11, at 11 with pen to paper. So you think about what we can do now, right? And the access we have with our voices to be heard through social media and everything else. I think it's a really good example of what we can do.
How's Suits? Suits is doing great. Yeah. Season, this is the back half of season five, and then we start filming season six. You with them from the start? Yes, from day one. How do you identify with the character Rachel? You know, she is, uh, equally ambitious and opinionated. So, I think that for me is a really nice commonality. But I've just loved playing her for so many years now. It's made it really comfortable and and I really respect the character.
Are you looking to do other things? Yes, of course. Full features. I would love to do that. You know, we film almost nine months out of the year, so it's a really small window of a hiatus to be able to do other projects. And in that, I really want to do something passion purpose, purpose-driven. Also, do you get typecast? You know, I don't know yet. I certainly. How would you know? Yeah. How would I mean, like, especially because I've been on the show for so long, but I hope that people are able to see something beyond that character specifically.
Does do you think your looks affect your advocacy? Well, you know, I think this is. You're not the average American woman, Megan. Admit it. Well, I would like to think that I I am. Okay. Okay. Well, here we go. Here's what I would say about that. I think, um, it's very important to shift this idea that, you know, one would say, okay, you're coming on to Larry King, so and you're doing politicking, so maybe wear a blazer and play the opposite and make sure you can be taken seriously. My point in all of this is that no matter what you look like, you should be taken seriously. And I think it's very important. And for me also, I, you know, I think it's really great to be able to be a feminist and be feminine, to embrace both.
Is feminism still a good? I'm a feminist. I've been a feminist all my life. That's fantastic. Is it still a good word? Yes. It's not the F-word. I don't hear about it. I don't hear it said much as it used to be. Well, I think it's really. It had Steinem in her prime. Of course. I mean, I think that it's really shifted because at the onset, it was getting a bad rap and seemed to be like women burning their bras and this perception of how it's evolved since then has changed. And last year, I think it was sort of a of the moment kind of word that people were trying to define a bit more and to embrace it again in a different way, to not have some sort of negative connotation with it. I don't think there's anything negative about being a feminist.
How do we get more information on UN Women? Uh, unwomen.org and then certainly on the TIG.com. I talk about things of that nature that I'm working with. The TIG.com. That's right. Or unwomen.org. That's right. Thank you, Megan. Thank you, Larry. Meghan Markle.