When Jameela Jamil appeared on the latest episode of Meghan Markle’s Archetypes podcast, it seemed like she had something to get off her chest.

During the discussion, the pair spoke about the backlash that Jamil has faced over the years as a result of her passionate advocacy for body positivity and feminist issues, and the guest had some thoughts of her own about the media’s treatment of the duchess.

“It’s just an unfathomable amount of shit that you take, Meghan. I can’t believe it,” Jamil acknowledged. “And I fought back on your behalf for years before I’d ever met you because I was so outraged with the twisting of this very normal, very kind, very civilised woman. That demonisation just shows how afraid they are of you.”

She then went on to apologise for the intense onslaught of negativity towards Meghan.

“I’m sure maybe you can’t keep this in or whatever, but the treatment of you – and I’m so sorry you’ve had to withstand it – it has re-highlighted for us the intense unkindness and bigotry and misogyny of our media. I think and I hope and I feel faith that the tides are changing because so many of us are fighting back.”

In a short but knowing response, Meghan thanked Jamil “for fighting back”.

Meghan’s podcast endeavours to break down barriers and uncover what’s behind some of the labels that hold women back. To date, it’s featured a litany of famous and influential guests, including Serena Williams, Mariah Carey, Issa Rae and Paris Hilton, with each episode dissecting the different expectations and problematic stereotypes that effect us.

Of course, neither The Good Place actor nor Meghan are strangers to the worlds of activism and criticism. Jamil, inspired by a post that unveiled the weight of each Kardashian family member, was moved to create @i_weigh, an Instagram account that promoted the idea of analysing what we “really weigh”, encouraging women to swap numbers on a scale for more meaningful descriptions and self-praise. With this, she firmly placed herself within the body positivity movement and, despite some accusations of being performative or overbearing, continues to be vocal about this issue today.

Meghan has, of course, been opinionated and involved in matters relating to female equality and rights for young women – work that was reportedly threatened when she married into the royal family in 2018.

Meghan alluded to this herself, speaking about how some people pushed her to continue.

“It reminded me of a message that was shared with me a few days before my wedding by a very, very influential and inspiring woman who, for her own privacy, I won’t share who it was with you, but she said to me: “I know that your life is changing, but please don’t give up on your activism; don’t give up because it means so much to women and girls,” she told Jamil.

Of course, throughout her time as a royal, Meghan has received an incredibly negative portrayal from the British media, with newspapers and outlets pushing harsh stories and damning gossip about the duchess, which eventually led to Meghan and Prince Harry removing themselves from the institution and retreating to California, further away from the British media’s lens. 

The topic of women in activism has always divided opinion. However, it’s time a frank discussion was held on the matter, as the backlash received by vocal and passionate women on difficult issues has always been loud and, at times, vicious. 

It’s a response that will likely damage the ability of generations of women to fight back if left unchecked. Because when we raise our voices and are met with the angry yells of retaliation and accusations of being over-opinionated, how can we find the strength to even open our mouths in the first place?

If this conversation sparks a discussion about Meghan and Jamil’s treatment and the criticism they’ve received for standing up for their beliefs, it highlights exactly why Meghan’s podcast needs to exist in the first place.

After all, when the media takes control over how these women are depicted, it is refreshing and important to understand their true perspectives, whether that’s Jameela Jamil’s thoughts about activism, Mariah Carey’s perspective on the implications of the word ‘diva’ or what ambition really means to Serena Williams.

With all the honest and valuable conversations so far – and all that still remains to be said – we’ll definitely be tuning in to listen to the next episode.

Images: Getty