The Duchess of Sussex had been invited to speak at Spotify’s female-run employee resource group, Women@Spotify, which is an employee-led group that fosters inclusivity and builds community.
An attendee of the private event, which was held on Tuesday, confirmed that Meghan had spoken at the event on feminist issues, wearing a shirt that had the message: “Women. Life. Freedom,” written in the Farsi language.
During her talk, the mum-of-two praised the “courage” of protesters in Iran, who have been protesting since 16 September following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini.
Mahsa died in police custody on 16 September after she was arrested for allegedly incorrectly wearing the hijab. Eyewitnesses say she was beaten by police while in custody, resulting in her death.
As a response to her death, mainly female protesters have been seen burning their hijabs in retaliation at what caused Mahsa to be arrested.
The Iranian government has been cracking down on the protestors, including regional internet blackouts and using tear gas and live rounds on protestors. Iran Human Rights reports that at least 215 people have been killed since the protests began.
The Duchess has never stayed silent when it comes to issues affecting women, and she spoke out following the overturning of Roe v Wade earlier this year in the United States.
Asked what she would say to men who support reproductive rights, Meghan replied: “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 the consequences impact all of us. My husband and I talked about that a lot over the past few days. He’s a feminist too.”
Meghan continued: “And his reaction last week was guttural, like mine. I know that for so many women right now, there is a sentiment of despair. But again, we have to band together and not wallow. We have to do the work.”
