The Montecito Diaries: Meghan Explains Abortion to Gloria Steinem

It seems our favorite quirkle girkle Meghan Markle has gotten around to doing something for women at some point: it’s a Vogue interview with Gloria Steinem about the overturning of Roe v. Wade, a plan for the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment, and Gloria’s fabulous leather pants. When the two feminist icons discovered they were both whiling away the long days of spring 2020 stopping the spread in Montecito — the happiest and most egalitarian matriarchal kingdom on earth — they struck up a mentor/mentee relationship. Meghan’s the mentor, in case that wasn’t clear.

Moderated by journalist Jessica Yellin, the two begin by dishing on Steinem’s abortion in London when she was a young, broke waitress. Just as an aside: the doctor who referred her to an abortion provider made her promise to “never tell anyone his name,” but then later she dedicated a book to him. “He’s no longer with us. So I thought it was okay, finally, after all these years, to do that,” Steinem said.

But the real meat of the interview is when Markle explains to Steinem what the June 24 ruling means for American women who live beyond the polo fields of the California coast:

Women with resources will travel to get an abortion, those without might attempt to give themselves one at tremendous risk. Some will have to source abortion pills from unregulated pharmacies. Others who are pregnant and find themselves in a medical emergency will be at the mercy of doctors and lawyers to determine if a procedure that is needed to save her life can even be done at all. What does this tell women? It tells us that our physical safety doesn’t matter, and as a result that we don’t matter. But we do. Women matter.

Shelter in place, everyone, because that’s a truth bomb.

The phallogocentric stick in Steinem’s craw, it seems, is that the Supreme Court does not represent the country.

“Perhaps because I’ve been here longer, which means I’ve been here before, I say we are going to do what we need and wish to do,” she Steinemsplains back to Markle. “Something like one in three American women had an abortion when it was illegal. The need and the right to govern one’s own body continues. We need to translate it into a political reality.”

So what’s her solution to overthrowing a non-elected supreme body of nine rando lunatics who hold onto their positions until they die, including characters like Clarence Thomas, who has recently said the overturning of Roe is a precedent to “correct the error” of legal same-sex marriage and legal contraception? VOTE! ❤️❤️

“We can start this November in the midterms. I know hearing that feels so repetitive, but we have to vote, every time, from local elections to state and national elections,” Steinem advises.

Harry, by the way, is a feminist, Markle exclusively reveals, and one who had a “guttural” reaction to last week’s news, and Steinem backs her up.

“Yes — I can testify to that since I met him before I met you. He was at a big meeting I attended and he was advocating for people’s rights.” The specifics of that anecdote could not be more convincing that Prince Weenie cares about someone other than himself.

Still, it’s heartening to see a male ally believe in both rights AND in big meetings. Los Padres to the polls!