During the SXSW event in Austin, Texas, Brooke Shields offered a thought-provoking response to Meghan Markle's anecdote about her activism at the age of 11.
Markle shared a childhood experience where she challenged a sexist TV ad for dishwashing liquid, ultimately leading to its alteration.
In reaction to Markle's story, Shields remarked, "This is one of the ways we differ. When I was 11, I was playing a prostitute. I wished I had known you when I was 11."
The exchange took place during the panel discussion titled Breaking Barriers, Shaping Narratives: How Women Lead On and Off the Screen, featuring Meghan Markle, Brooke Shields, Katie Couric, Errin Haines, and Nancy Wang Yuen, coinciding with International Women's Day.
Markle, known for her advocacy on various women's issues, addressed the detrimental effects of social media on women during the panel, emphasizing, "Even if it’s making dollars, it doesn’t make sense."
She reflected on the pervasive toxicity of social media platforms and shared her approach to handling negativity, particularly during her pregnancies with Archie and Lily. Markle expressed astonishment at the "catty and cruel" nature of online discourse and lamented the phenomenon of women perpetuating hate towards their fellow women.
