By Aaron Miller-
Meghan Markle, The Duchess Of Sussex, has written a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senator Chuck Schumer calling for paid leave for parents.
Meghan said she was writing as a mom, though her unspoken newfound power as the wife of Prince Harry, adds weight to her voice in a letter sent to the powerful people of congress.
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The former U.S actress was exuding the energy of a seasoned politician in a letter in which she made it clear she wasn’t one.
With confidence and purpose, she delivered a powerful message sure to impact politicians in congress, but not guaranteed to institute the necessary change she demands with a persuasive tone.
Her staunch critics , mostly in England would prefer she stayed a mile away from political discourse of any kind, but Meghan is naturally directed towards influential proclivities on topics close to her heart.
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In the U.S, where extroverts are in no short supply, the Duchess Of Sussex, now based in California, has the perfect platform to bring any matter to public attention. What occurs after that are in the hands of other forces.
Meghan acknowledged the role of the pandemic in exposing “long-existing fault lines in our communities,” stating that millions of women have dropped out of the workforce at “an alarming rate” so that they could care for their children.
“The working mom or parent is facing the conflict of being present or being paid. The sacrifice of either comes at a great cost,” the duchess wrote.
Meghan made reference to her own childhood, recalling how she felt “lucky” to be eating a $4.99 salad at Sizzler because she was aware how hard her own parents had worked.
“I knew how hard my parents worked to afford this because even at five bucks, eating out was something special, and I felt lucky,” she wrote, before recalling how she’d begun working herself when she was 13.
Meghan also raised the arrival of her second child, daughter Lilibet, in June, while acknowledging that many parents aren’t able to spend those same months at home with their newborn child without having to worry about going back to work.
“Like any parents, we were overjoyed. Like many parents, we were overwhelmed. Like fewer parents, we weren’t confronted with the harsh reality of either spending those first few critical months with our baby or going back to work,” Meghan wrote. “We knew we could take her home, and in that vital (and sacred) stage, devote any and everything to our kids and to our family.
“We knew that by doing so we wouldn’t have to make impossible choices about childcare, work, and medical care that so many have to make every single day.”
Difficult Decisons
According to Meghan, no one should be faced with these difficult decisions, adding that Americans wouldn’t have to if there was a comprehensive paid leave plan in place.
Connecting the implementation of paid leave for parents to a positive impact the country’s mental health, she wrote: “When paid leave is a right, we’re creating a foundation that helps address mental health outcomes, health care costs, and economic strength at the starting line.”
The Duchess of Sussex also referred to the many countries that have already implemented paid leave, before acknowledging that “in stark contrast,” the US “does not federally guarantee any person a single day of paid leave”.
Meghan said paid leave should be a “national right” and that, if the country is to implement a “new era of family first policies,” it is important to include a “strong paid leave program for every American that’s guaranteed, accessible and encouraged without stigma or penality”.
“This isn’t about Right or Left, it’s about right or wrong,” the duchess added after acknowledging how “politically charged” things have become. “This is about putting families above politics.
“So, on behalf of my family, Archie and Lili and Harry, I thank you for considering this letter, and on behalf of all families, I ask you to ensure this consequential moment is not lost.”
The points raised were spot on the money, but how the U.S government responds to a message from the former actress now married into royalty, with all the details surrounding her story is one to be seen.
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