What We Get Wrong About Adoption

February 29, 2024

Evening, Meteor readers,

It’s Leap Day! Which means I spent most of the morning googling, “What is the point of a leap year?” (Something to do with keeping the solstices in proper order. We love to be orderly!)

In today’s newsletter, The Meteor’s Rebecca Carroll talks to Dr. Gretchen Sisson about her new book on adoption. Plus, we look at a huge blow against IVF protections and some weekend long reads.

Leaping,

Shannon Melero

WHAT'S GOING ON

Mitch McConnell announced yesterday that he will be stepping down from his post as Republican Senate leader in November of this year. The man who enabled some of Donald Trump’s worst moments as President and then actively worked to prevent him from being convicted for stirring an insurrection will not be missed. In lieu of a eulogy, I will simply leave you with this 2020 Jezebel article in which my fellow writers and I took McConnell to task with sniper-like accuracy.
In more Senate nonsense: Yesterday, Senate Republicans blocked a bill that would have provided federal protections for IVF treatments. (The bill has been on the table for a while, but its revival was in response to an Alabama Supreme Court ruling that classifies embryos as children.) Cue the gentlewoman from Mississippi, GOP Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, who said, “I support the ability for mothers and fathers to have total access to IVF and bringing new life into the world. I also believe human life should be protected.” So why’d you block the bill, girl?
On Monday, climate justice activists held a protest outside The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) during an annual meeting at which fossil fuel companies meet with energy regulators to negotiate the prices we’ll all pay for things like gas and electricity. The problem? Activists say the fees get elevated in order to fund the companies’ anti-climate-change lobbying. They’re circulating this petition, demanding pricing transparency and more clean energy options for consumers.

NATALIE MEBANE, CHIEF PROGRAM OFFICER OF THIS IS ZERO HOUR. (PHOTO BY MARIAH MIRANDA)

The United Nations’ special rapporteur on the right to food, Michael Fakhri, has found that Israel is “intentionally starving Palestinians.” “There is no reason to intentionally block the passage of humanitarian aid or intentionally obliterate small-scale fishing vessels, greenhouses and orchards in Gaza,” Fakhri told The Guardian, “other than to deny people access to food…In my view as a UN human rights expert, this is now a situation of genocide.” A UN report released in January confirmed that one in six infants under the age of two in Gaza are “acutely malnourished.”
Yet another allegation has been levied against Sean “Diddy” Combs. This latest comes from a producer on Diddy’s 2023 album, who alleges that Diddy “sexually harassed, drugged, and threatened” him. The producer also claims to have footage of Diddy and some of his friends “providing laced drinks to minors.” Diddy’s lawyers deny all allegations.

WRITERS ON WRITERS

Gretchen Sisson on Inequality in the Adoption System

“It is so often framed as a 'reproductive choice,' but I think it’s better understood as an expression of resourcelessness and constraint.”

BY REBECCA CARROLL

America loves an adoption story. It’s got all the feel-good elements we love to romanticize: A baby is born to parents unable to care for it, a hopeful family is given the gift of an unwanted child, and everyone lives happily ever after. But the truth, many experts say, is that the institution of private adoption in America is mired in dysfunction, exploitative practices, and systemic inequities—and in far too many cases, almost no one lives happily ever after.

This dysfunction is what interests Dr. Gretchen Sisson, a qualitative sociologist at the University of California, San Francisco, and author of a new book called Relinquished: The Politics of Adoption and the Privilege of American Motherhood. Through over a hundred interviews with American mothers who placed their children for adoption between 2000 and 2020, Sisson’s book aims to debunk myths around an institution I’ve thought a lot about myself: As a transracial adoptee whose memoir, Surviving the White Gaze, is cited in Sisson’s book, I was eager to sit down to talk with her about the politics of adoption. And so, an adult Black woman transracial adoptee meets a white woman sociologist on Zoom. Here’s what happened.

Rebecca Carroll: You chose to interrogate the institution of adoption through the experiences of birthmothers—why?

Gretchen Sisson: The question that brought me to the work in the first place was understanding how women end up choosing adoption. “Choosing” is a loaded term, but how they end up on the path to relinquishing their children, and what the circumstances are around that.

And what were your main findings?

I think the two most important takeaways are, first, that adoption does not offer any meaningful alternative to abortion access. Not only are people who need abortions generally uninterested in adoption, but people who relinquished for adoption usually wanted to parent their children. Adoption is so often framed as a “reproductive choice,” but I think it’s better understood as an expression of resourcelessness and constraint. Rather than an “empowered option,” it is often a reflection of a lack of power. And, second: that adoption generally does not serve relinquishing mothers well. The grief, trauma, and disconnection of adoption belie the idea that it is unambiguously “beautiful”—and nearly all mothers came to a place of critique and cynicism that acknowledged this, with many carrying complex feelings around regret and loss.

You write in the book about how, in popular culture, birthmothers are generally portrayed as either happily moving on or becoming pathologically dangerous. Were there depictions that birthmothers you spoke with felt accurately reflected their experience?

Many of the mothers were drawn to The Handmaid's Tale. The entire history of Handmaid's Tale is very complicated, and I don't want to gloss over that, but that [book] resonated most for them. That one, this extractive child-taking was acknowledged as a loss within the context of the show. And two, that the forces that were separating [birthmothers from their children] were driven by these regressive, religious, racialized, patriarchal ideas.

WEEKEND READS 📚

On the pitch: There’s a new professional women’s soccer league in town, but is a second major league sustainable? (Front Office Sports)

On de-girlboss-ification: Sophia Amoruso is bidding farewell to the Frankenstein’s monster she accidentally created: #girlboss. “It’s not that I’m embarrassed by it, but I don’t want to be defined by it.” (Elle)

On integrity: In December, The New York Times published an investigation into sexual assault by Hamas on October 7. But now, some of that reporting is coming under fire as misrepresenting the facts to “bolster a predetermined narrative.” (The Intercept)

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Pregnant Women Can't Get Divorced in Missouri

We're not kidding ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

February 27, 2024

Salutations, Meteor readers,

Last week, I shared with all of you that I was doing my first-ever Polar Bear Plunge. Thanks for asking—it turns out plunging is amazing and oddly life-affirming. Who knew?

In today’s newsletter, we’ve got an archaic divorce law, some insight into Libs of TikTok, and one billion reasons to attend medical school in the Bronx.

Signing up for swim classes,

Shannon Melero

P.S. Today is the birthday of my friend Anthony. Many of you read Anthony’s story in this newsletter and responded with kind words. Please join me in spirit tonight and raise a glass to lost loved ones and the joy of their memory.

WHAT'S GOING ON

Outdated laws: Divorce law is fascinating in how it varies from state to state. You’ve got states with common property laws, states with no-fault divorce language…and then you’ve got Missouri, Texas, Arizona, and Arkansas—states where judges cannot finalize divorce papers if one of the parties is pregnant. (It is, indeed, 2024.)

Ostensibly, these kinds of laws were put in place to help ensure the future welfare of the child: The divorce cannot be signed, sealed, and delivered until the child is born, and custody arrangements, as well as child support, can be bundled into the divorce terms. However! The law overlooks what can—and, experts say, does—happen in abusive relationships: “For abusive partners, they might be using reproductive coercion and control to keep their partner pregnant so that they can’t ever actually be granted a divorce,” a spokesperson with the Missouri Coalition Against Domestic & Sexual Violence told The Hill.

Missouri state representative Ashley Aune, who is working to change the language of this law, has seen its damage firsthand. One constituent told Aune that she was being abused by her husband and had been coerced into getting pregnant. She sought a divorce, unaware of the law, and was told it couldn’t be finalized before giving birth. “She felt she had no options,” Aune said. (And she didn’t: Missouri is also an abortion-ban state, so people who might wish not to bear a child with an abusive partner can’t make that decision.)

“I think it’s important that women who…are also looking to get out of a marriage have the capacity to do so,” Rep. Aune told the Kansas City Star.

AND:

(TW: Self-harm) On Sunday, U.S. airman Aaron Bushnell set himself on fire outside of the Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C, in what he called an “extreme act of protest against the genocide of the Palestinian people.” He later died of his wounds. His death has prompted extensive conversation about the efficacy of extreme protest and questions about his mental health—along with comparisons to others who have self-immolated, including Buddhist monk Thich Quang Duc, who died protesting the Vietnam War. Meanwhile, the violence continues in Gaza, where the death toll has reached almost 30,000.
Taylor Lorenz sat down for a lengthy discussion with the woman behind Libs of TikTok, Chaya Riachik, for the Washington Post. When asked about her followers calling in bomb threats to schools she labels “woke,” Riachik responded, “I just don’t know—what does it have to do with me?”
Olivia Rodrigo’s Fund4Good is partnering with the National Network of Abortion Funds during the North American leg of the singer’s GUTS world tour. Through her initiative, Rodrigo will be donating to local abortion funds in the states she’ll be performing. Using your fame to help funds that have faced extreme donation drop-off in the last few months? Very logical.

Dr. Ruth Gottesman, 93, a professor emerita at the Albert Einstein School of Medicine in the Bronx, New York, has changed the lives of thousands of students by donating $1 billion to the school, creating free tuition in perpetuity. Current students who have already paid for this current semester will be reimbursed.
My colleague and editorial director of The Meteor, Samhita Mukhopadhyay, was on In Retrospect last week, talking about women, ambition, and the legacy of The Devil Wears Prada—which taught us all about girlbossing too close to the sun.
Olympian Gabby Douglas was forced to withdraw from the 2024 Winter Cup after she tested positive for COVID-19. Douglas has been out of the gymnastics game for eight years, but has been in intense training to get back into the sport and qualify for the Paris Olympics. If she pulls off this triumphant return, she’ll be the oldest competitor on Team USA at the ripe old age of 28. You got this, granny!

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Project 2025 is genuinely frightening

Conservative Republicans have a very specific vision ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

February 22, 2024

Hola, Meteor readers,

I am both excited and terrified for this weekend. On Saturday, I’m doing my first ever Polar Bear Plunge which, if you’re not familiar, is where people jump into the ocean in the middle of winter, sometimes for charity and sometimes for fun. (I am not in the latter group.) It’s going to be 37 degrees on Saturday. And did I mention I can’t swim?

In today’s newsletter, we dig into another thing striking fear in my heart: Project 2025. Plus, a win for menopausal Brits, student loan forgiveness for some, and your weekend reading list.

Icicle-y yours,

Shannon Melero

WHAT'S GOING ON

What Project 2025 involves: Ever wonder what the Republicans would do if they secured the presidency this fall? Well, wonder no more because they’ve announced their plan to the world. Project 2025, as you may have heard, is an extensive “four-pillared” transitional plan to create a more conservative government. It’s long, it’s terrifying, and it’s real: Project 2025 wasn’t developed by some grassroots, far-fetched, no-name fringe group but by The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank and well-organized Beltway mainstay.

So which action items do they want the next conservative president to pursue? Here’s the TL;DR on some of the suggested policies from their mandate book:

They want to “delete the terms sexual orientation and gender identity (“SOGI”), diversity, equity, and inclusion (“DEI”), gender, gender equality, gender equity, gender awareness, gender-sensitive, abortion, reproductive health, reproductive rights” from “any piece of legislation that exists.”
They want to eliminate the White House’s Gender Policy Council, because they believe it supports, among other things, “comprehensive sexuality education… and the new “woke” gender ideology.”
They want to “rescind regulations prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, transgender status, and sex characteristics.” This, by the way, was in the healthcare reform section.
In terms of reproductive rights, Project 2025 includes the expected end-abortion-in-all-instances talking points. But beyond that, the plan brings anti-abortion policy into every single corner of government, including to “promote pro-life workplace accommodations”—whatever those are. Public schools, healthcare plans, and child welfare services would also be required to utilize anti-abortion education and methodology, including classes for teens that would emphasize the importance of heterosexual marriage and couples counseling as a barrier to obtaining government assistance for families with children.
And! They want to “permanently codify both the Hyde family of amendments and the protections provided by the Weldon Amendment”—both of which limit federal funds for abortion.
Some of Project 2025’s more long-term goals (and there are MANY) include eliminating the Department of Education entirely and stopping any research that involves the use of embryonic stem cells.

The core goal of Project 2025, as outlined in the “four promises” section of the mandate book, is to reform the government by enacting policies that prioritize the American family—which, out of context, sounds lovely. But in abundantly clear terms, the Project specifies that the American family it's referring to consists of two straight cis-gendered people, preferably ones who adhere to Judeo-Christian values. The authors of Project 2025 shape their agenda around conservative evangelical Christian teachings with the kind of precision the leaders of Gilead would envy.

So, what have we learned from this glance into a literal conservative playbook? In the words of Whoopi Goldberg, “Molly. You in danger, girl.” We are all Molly right now.

AND:

Yulia Navalnaya, the wife of recently deceased Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, is promising to carry on her husband’s work holding President Vladimir Putin to account. In a video posted on Monday, Navalnaya alleged that Putin was responsible for the death of her husband, who had been imprisoned in a Siberian penal colony. “In killing Aleksei, Putin killed half of me, half of my heart and half of my soul,” she said. “But I have another half left, and it is telling me I have no right to give up.”
Nineteen different aid groups—including Save the Children, UN Women, Mercy Corps, and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights—have signed a new letter asking for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, along with a list of demands which would make it possible for aid groups to help vulnerable communities. “No amount of humanitarian response will make up for the months of deprivation that families in Gaza have endured,” the letter says. “This is our effort to salvage the humanitarian operation so that we can provide, at the very least, the bare essentials: medicine, drinking water, food, and shelter as temperatures plummet.”
The Biden Administration has forgiven $1.2 billion in student loan debt under the president’s SAVE plan. This will cover about 153,000 borrowers who will be informed about their loan forgiveness via email. (hits refresh on inbox)
Britain’s Equality and Human Rights Commission has determined that employers must make reasonable accommodations for employees experiencing menopause. Those who feel they have been discriminated against because of their menopausal symptoms will not be able to sue for damages.
This weekend marks the two-year anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In a series of photos, The Atlantic chronicles what life has been like for Ukrainians.

LET'S (VIRTUALLY) GET TOGETHER!

Doing anything fun on March 5? We are! The Meteor’s head of impact (and Mother of Swifties) Tara Abrahams will be in conversation with Chelsey Goodan, author of Underestimated: The Wisdom and Power of Teenage Girls, and award-winning filmmaker and Meteor collective member Sarah Jones. Join them for a discussion of the book—and the future young girls are working to create now. The event is totally free and you can register for it right here. See you in cyberspace.

WEEKEND READING

On-screen, off the rails: Wesley Morris has written the only review of Jennifer Lopez’s new “film” you need to read. (The New York Times)

On the front lines: Lawyers, patients, and advocates in abortion ban states are fighting tooth and nail to weaken those laws. But just how does anyone win that battle? (The Cut)

On the court: Thousands of young girls dream of one day making it to the WNBA. And so does this very skilled 84-year-old baller. (The Athletic)

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What it means to be a “first”

Dr. Uché Blackstock on the legacy of Black doctors ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

February 15, 2024

Dear Meteor readers,

Congratulations! You made it to February 15th. That means you've officially survived that much-maligned (and much-adored) holiday, Valentine's Day. And today, as I sit here hungover (from candy, people), I want to let you all know how much I love each of you. Thank you for tuning in every week to read all the horrible and wonderful ways the world is moving.

In today’s newsletter, Rebecca Carroll talks to instant New York Times best-selling author Uché Blackstock, we look at the new rape allegations against Russell Simmons, and I, surely taking advantage of my colleague Shannon being OOO, wonder if we should stop watching "Love is Blind."

Have a great long weekend,

Samhita Mukhopadhyay

WHAT'S GOING ON

A post-Super Bowl nightmare: Yesterday, at the Kansas City parade celebrating the Chiefs’ Super Bowl victory, there was that most American of tragedies: a mass shooting. One person was killed and 22 injured, with victims as young as eight years old. A motive has yet to be identified, but police are saying the shooting probably stemmed from an argument between three people, two of whom are under 18. Officials have said there is “no nexus to terrorism” in the shooting—though that doesn’t make it any less terrifying. While more details emerge, it’s worth noting, as former executive director of Moms Demand Action Shannon Watts said on Xwitter, “Over 800 police officers were at the parade today and over a million civilians who were allowed to be armed. Yet they couldn't stop a dozen people from being shot. More guns makes us less safe.” Remember: Every member of the U.S. House is up for election (or reelection) this fall. Find out where yours stand, and vote accordingly.

SPEAKING OF TOO-COMMON TRAGEDIES... (PHOTO BY EARL GIBSON III/GETTY IMAGES)

More allegations against Russell Simmons: Record executive and co-founder of Def Jam Records Russell Simmons is being sued for an(other) alleged sexual assault. A video music producer who worked at Def Jam in the late ‘90s alleges in the suit that prior to the assault, “He would sit on her desk, lean over her, aggressively invading her personal space while making sexual innuendos, suggestions, and advances, and rubbing the front of his pants.” Later, she went to Simmons' house for approval of a video cut, and she “was forcefully pinned, could not move under his weight and Mr. Simmons would not listen to her.” This is not the first time Simmons has been the subject of sexual abuse allegations. At the height of #MeToo virality, several women accused him of sexual assault; he subsequently stepped down from Def Jam. One of his accusers, former record exec Drew Dixon, spoke eloquently at a Meteor event three years ago about the lack of support Black women survivors receive, asking, “Where is the cavalry?” Good question.

AND:

Amnesty International has started a petition for the immediate release of Manahel al-Otaibi, a young woman and fitness instructor in Saudi Arabia who was detained in 2022 after posting about women’s rights on Twitter and sharing an image of herself without an abaya on Snapchat. She has been charged with violating the country’s Anti-Cyber Crime Law, but her whereabouts are currently unknown.
College basketball star Caitlin Clark—the Iowa player who’s been packing stadiums for the last two years—has a shot at breaking the NCAA’s all-time scoring record tonight—currently held by Kelsey Plum. Prior to the creation of the NCAA, the record had been held for 45 years by Francis Marion University player Pearl Moore.

Correction: A previous version of the newsletter said that Pearl Moore broke the NCAA record. While it is true she is the all-time scoring record holder in the sport, her score predates the creation of the NCAA. The title in the NCAA is held by Kelsey Plum.

FIRST AND FOREMOST

“I grew up thinking that most physicians were Black”

Uché Blackstock, M.D., on the conflicts and challenges of being a first

BY REBECCA CARROLL

THE ICON HERSELF (PHOTO BY PARAS GRIFFIN/GETTY IMAGES FOR ESSENCE)

When Uché Blackstock and her twin sister Oni graduated from Harvard Medical School in 2005, they became the school’s first Black mother-daughter legacy—their mother, a practicing physician, had received her medical degree three decades before. In her new book, Legacy: A Black Physician Reckons with Racism in Medicine, Blackstock delves deep into the systemic inequities in health care while paying homage to her late mother. I sat down to talk with her about her new book, being a “first,” and her own legacy.

Rebecca Carroll: The subtitle of your book takes on this idea of “reckoning” around racism, a phrase that has been rampant in public discourse over the past couple of years. What has “reckoning” meant for you?

Uché Blackstock: The subtitle is really a reflection of my own journey from child to medical student to practicing physician. It probably started in my residency, but more so when I was caring for my patients and also dealing with toxic, sexist, and racist environments—and seeing how, as patients and physicians, we get it from both sides.

And then, in 2020, the reckoning that we saw during [that time] gave me an opportunity to delve a little bit deeper into how, despite advances in innovation, technology, and research, we are having worsening health inequities in our communities. Not better.

RC: There's a lot of staggering data and evidence about the impact of racism on health outcomes that you've discovered in your research. What was some of the most surprising?

UB: Black infants are more likely to die in their first year of life now than white infants, than 15 years before the end of slavery. So while the overall infant mortality rates have improved because of childbirth techniques, sanitation, [and] infection control techniques, Black babies are now more than twice as likely than white babies to die in their first year of life.

We know that there was a financial interest in keeping those babies alive during slavery, but we also know now what racism does to our bodies. When Black birthing people are pregnant, that stress actually gets transmitted to our babies. There's something called epigenetics—it's how stress influences gene expression. There's some data that even shows that the stress that enslaved Black women endured has been transferred across generations, and that impacts the infant mortality of Black babies today.

RC: You mentioned unlearning things you were taught during your formal education. How do you do that?

UB: It shouldn't be a process that we have to take upon ourselves. One thing I talk about in the book is a call to action: Medical schools need to think about educating future physicians to adequately and equitably care for Black patients in a world full of anti-Blackness. They have to be very intentional about what the curriculum looks like. It can't just be one training or one workshop.

RC: You write in the book about how your mother always made sure that you and your sister felt good about your Blackness and how you were surrounded by representation, such as Black art and Black books. Can you talk about how that may have shielded you throughout your life?

UB: I grew up thinking that most physicians were Black and that most of them were Black women—my mother, my pediatrician, we had several Black doctors. And my mother was the first Black woman in New York State to get her MD; she [became] the president of the Dr. Susan Smith McKinney Steward Society, [and she] would take me and my sister to these meetings with her. And so, for a very long time, I saw that as a very tangible possibility for me. It really wasn't until I got to college and was pre-med that I looked around and realized that there were not that many of us. And then, in medical school, there really weren’t that many of us. And then looking for my own physicians, [and] having a hard time finding people who look like me, [I recognized] that my experience growing up was such a rarity—it was a blessing, but also a rarity.

You would think that would have protected me from feeling inadequate or out of place. [But] later in my career in academic medicine, I literally got to a point where I felt undervalued and underappreciated. This is what predominantly white institutions do to us.

WEEKEND READS 📚

On love: A pretty compelling case to stop watching “Love is Blind” (The Cut)

On being seen: The life-and-death reasons Black patients prefer Black OBGYNs (NBC News)

On Election 2024: Extensive interviews with undecided and independent voters on why they are leaning towards Trump. Oof. (New York Times)

On California: A closer look at the three-way race to fill a very important Senate seat (New York Magazine)

On romance: Why many older women are saying no to marriage (The Washington Post’s “Post Reports” podcast)

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Why Are People Hating on the Black National Anthem?

February 13, 2024

Greetings, Meteor readers,

It’s a snowy day in my corner of the world—which was actually quite lovely until I got the dreaded “daycare is closed” email. So please enjoy today’s email, co-written by my 363-day-old newborn.

In today’s newsletter, we remember the history of the Black National Anthem, dissect our least favorite Super Bowl commercial, and stare (respectfully) at Bad Bunny.

Love and snowballs,

Shannon Melero

WHAT'S GOING ON

Anthems on anthems: Depending on when (or if) you tuned into Sunday’s big game, you may have missed the delightful Andra Day performing “Lift Every Voice and Sing” ahead of Post Malone “singing” America the Beautiful. But you know who definitely did not miss Day’s performance? Megyn Kelly, who had a next-level meltdown about the singing of what is known as the Black National Anthem. On Sunday, she tweeted, “The so-called Black National Anthem does not belong at the Super Bowl. We already have a National Anthem and it includes EVERYONE.”

You mad, babe?

Well, it is Black History Month, so let’s get historical. “Lift Every Voice and Sing” was written by poet James Weldon Johnson and set to music in 1899 by his brother John Rosamund Johnson. James had originally set out to write a poem commemorating Abraham Lincoln’s birthday, but instead found words to describe the struggle of Black people in America, from enslavement to the dawn of Jim Crow in the 1870s. The song grew in popularity as it was sung in schools, churches, and social gatherings, eventually becoming the NAACP's official song in 1919. During the civil rights movement, it was sung during organizing meetings, extending its reach and cementing itself as a politicized hymn.

So, how did it make it to the Super Bowl? We partially have Colin Kaepernick, Eli Harold, and Eric Reid to thank for that (who, it's worth noting, are all former 49ers players, and their mistreatment is the reason that franchise will never win a championship again, IMO). After being blackballed by the league for their initial 2016 kneeling protests, Kaepernick and his supporters shone an enormous light on racial tensions in the NFL. Arguably, that’s when the pressure began for NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to do literally anything to respond to fan discontent and player complaints. In 2020, Goodell’s efforts to sweep the incident under the rug blew back in his face with the prominence of Black Lives Matter and the murder of George Floyd.

Once it was clear the tide was turning against the NFL, Goodell apologized and announced that “Lift Every Voice and Sing” would be played during the first week of the 2020 season and be featured at the Super Bowl as a show of good faith and unity with Black players going forward. For many, the response rang hollow, particularly in the face of the league’s historically racist hiring practices.

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: ELI HAROLD, COLIN KAEPERNICK, ERIN REID KNEELING BEFORE A THE START OF A RAMS GAME IN 2016. (PHOTO BY MICHAEL ZAGARIS VIA GETTY IMAGES)

Since then, the song has remained part of the Super Bowl’s pre-game programming and has been sung by Alicia Keys, Mary Mary, and Sheryl Lee Ralph. But Megyn and others of her ilk might be right about one thing: While the Black National Anthem belongs everywhere, it might not be for everyone. It’s decidedly not for racism deniers.

AND:

Do you have a moment to talk about some people’s lord and savior, Jesus Christ? The folks behind those “Jesus. He Gets Us” ads at the Super Bowl certainly did. But it’s not all loaves and fishes behind those friendly images of foot-washing and neighbor-loving. While the ads highlight the pro-acceptance messaging of the Bible, the group paying millions for these ads is the Green family—owners of Hobby Lobby (which took its lawsuit against contraception to the Supreme Court) and funders of a swath of anti-trans legislation. As a reverend’s daughter and practicing Muslim, it behooves me to point out two things. The first is that the far right is working overtime to present a version of Jesus that is historically (and biblically!) inaccurate. (I recommend reading Zealot by Reza Aslan if you’re curious about the real Jesus—a political dissident.) The second is that actively working to strip women and queer people of their rights is antithetical to the core teachings of Christ. So He may get us, but the Greens? They need to go back to Sunday school.
Over the weekend, the city of Rafah—which was supposed to be the last safe zone in Gaza, according to the Israeli military—became the target of airstrikes that destroyed areas teeming with children. The Israeli Defense Force has ordered those still alive to evacuate immediately as the ground attack in Rafah increases, but the same question looms with every evacuation order: Where are they supposed to go? What is happening in Gaza continues to be a humanitarian disaster, and multiple groups, including Unicef, have called for a ceasefire. Meanwhile, in the U.S., the Senate has voted to pass a $95 billion aid package to support Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan; the bill now goes to the House

PALESTINIANS FLEEING RAFAH WITH ALL OF THEIR REMAINING POSESSIONS. (PHOTO BY ABED ZAGOUT VIA GETTY IMAGES)

The time has come to find out who will replace George Santos as the representative for New York’s third congressional district. Will it be anti-abortion Republican Mazi Melesa Pilip or wishy-washy Democrat Tom Suozzi? The polls are open until 9 tonight. Go vote!
It turns out that a common and often undiagnosed condition, PCOS, can have more severe consequences on women’s mental health than had been previously thought.
A new safety feature on the ridesharing app Lyft is making it possible for women and non-binary riders and drivers to be matched with each other.
I don’t know anything about fashion, but I know Bad Bunny looks good in Jacquemus.

I WOULD WALK AWAY FROM MY WHOLE LIFE FOR THIS MAN. (SCREENSHOT VIA INSTAGRAM)

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On those right-wing Taylor Swift theories

Plus: SCOTUS's new abortion cases ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

February 8, 2024

Dear Meteor readers,

This Sunday is the Super Bowl. There is a chance you don’t care—and I didn’t either, ‘til recently. Like Taylor Swift, I started dating a sports fanatic last year, and I now sort of know what a touchdown is. But you don’t subscribe to this newsletter to hear about that.

Shannon, the resident sports fanatic, is out today, so you have me in her stead unpacking the manosphere’s weird infatuation with Taylor Swift and her boyfriend, Travis Kelce. Plus, two new abortion cases in the Supreme Court, Nikki Haley’s embarrassing primary loss, and so much more.

It shoulda been the Bills,

Samhita Mukhopadhyay

WHAT'S GOING ON

The right-wing obsession with Taylor Swift: You’d think that a couple who reads from afar as the ideal heteronormative American romance (country-singer-turned-pop-icon falls for salt-of-the-earth football star) would be the stuff of GOP dreams. But you would be wrong. In the days leading up to the Super Bowl, right-wing pundits have been foaming at the mouth with conspiracy theories about Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce and declaring a “holy war” on the singer.

ICYMI, the theories go as follows: The Chiefs, some commentators charge, won their spot at the Super Bowl after the NFL changed its rules to benefit from the popularity of the Travis/Taylor relationship, which also means (stay with us here) that the outcome of Sunday’s game is likely rigged. Other conservative talking heads argue that the relationship is a publicity stunt to support Democratic party values—and that after the Chiefs ostensibly win, Swift is going to endorse President Biden at the Super Bowl and swing the election.

What now?

We know the right loves a conspiracy theory, from Obama’s birth certificate to pizzagate. And Swift is an easy figure to build such a narrative around. Her fans are dedicated and focused; her influence over them is literally majestic. (Remember Ticketmaster?) Plus, she’s an artist who’s publicly fought to own her work, and if there’s anything that pisses off the right, it’s a woman living on her own terms.

PICTURED: A WOMAN LIVING ON HER OWN TERMS

But this new, frothing anger at Swift is actually a sharp 180. Just a few years ago, Swift was heralded by white supremacists as, to quote one alt-right blogger, an “Aryan Goddess.” It wasn’t just her looks: Their thinking was that by not endorsing anyone in the 2016 election, she was signaling that she secretly supported Trump and was just biding her time before coming forward with some red-hot conservative messaging. They even misread her lyrics: Interviewing white supremacists, Vice’s former women-focused channel Broadly found that they “claim Swift's songs ‘red-pilled’ America into believing a conservative, racist agenda.”

Swift was routinely criticized for not condemning this part of her fan base—but she finally did. During the 2018 midterm election, she endorsed Democrats Phil Bredesen and Jim Cooper over sitting Sen. Marsha Blackburn because of Blackburn’s “appalling policies” in Swift’s home state of Tennessee. (Some of that decision-making was captured in the film “Miss Americana.”) Later, in an interview with Rolling Stone, she killed any rumor she was comfortable with these politics, saying, “There's literally nothing worse than white supremacy. It's repulsive.” Then, in 2020, she endorsed Biden and Harris and released “Only the Young,” which she’d written after the Democratic losses of the 2018 midterms. And she’s been politically active ever since. Last fall, she urged her huge Instagram following to register to vote, and an estimated 35,000 people did.

And that’s why they hate her: White women are historically reliable in supporting and upholding white misogyny; percentage-wise, white women voted for Trump over Hillary Clinton and again for Trump over President Biden. But Swift is breaking the script in the conservative political imagination. She’s crushed their red pill dreams, and they feel betrayed. Sad!

A tale of two cases: Today, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case that will determine whether Trump can appear on the ballot in Colorado come November. It’s a big one. But there are two other cases on our radar, and they both have to do with abortion:

The abortion pill case. On March 26, SCOTUS will hear oral arguments in Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. Food and Drug Administration. Filed by anti-abortion groups in Texas, the lawsuit aims to revoke a 24-year-old FDA approval of a drug that has been proven safe. If the court agrees, the decision could restrict access to mifepristone even in states where abortion is legal. Follow here, and remember: Hippocrates, the dude this right-wing group named themselves for, dispensed abortion recipes. History, people!
The ER case. Next up—with oral arguments starting in April—is United States of America v. State of Idaho, which revolves around EMTALA, or the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, a federal law requiring hospital emergency rooms to provide crucial care irrelevant of a patient’s citizenship status, legal status, or ability to pay. The Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit challenging Idaho’s draconian abortion ban, saying that the ban keeps emergency physicians from providing abortion care when needed. Both cases are expected to move fast—with decisions expected in June.

AND:

Yesterday, President Biden put his foot in his mouth (as happens) about abortion. At a fundraiser in New York City, he said, “I’m a practicing Catholic. I don’t want abortion on demand, but I thought Roe v. Wade was right.” What’s funny about this is, first of all, abortion on demand is great! (How else would you get one?) Second, abortion is popular with voters; in fact, some conservative politicians are walking back their statements on restricting access. As Kylie Cheung wrote at Jezebel, “Biden simply can’t have it both ways: He can’t run for the presidency with abortion as his centerpiece—a strategy that inherently recognizes that abortion is popular and many voters are “big on abortion”—while also using every opportunity he gets to further stigmatize it.” Amen.
If you were inspired by Annie Lennox calling for a ceasefire at the Grammys last Sunday during her beautiful tribute to the artists who have passed, you can learn more about artists calling for a ceasefire here.
The Republican primary season continued with Nevada this past Tuesday. Nikki Haley ran against no one and still managed to lose. Yikes.
A “Love is Blind” newsletter? Yes, please.
We love women supporting women, especially in sports.

WEEKEND READS 📚

On images: A photographer gives us a look into an abortion safe haven. (The New Yorker)

On history: Black churches have taken up the mantle of teaching Black history. (NBC News)

On media: A new generation of women leading fashion magazines who bring much-needed diversity to the fashion industry. (Washington Post)

On tech: An excerpt from Kara Swisher’s book, Burn Book, on how the digital revolution shattered traditional media. (New York Magazine)

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The "Upskirt Decade" Explained

Why did we think this was OK? ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

February 1, 2024

Greetings, Meteor readers,

Black History Month is underway, and it behooves me to share this eternally relevant thought from Imani Perry:

“I don’t think of Black History Month as more or less important based upon the political moment. I guess I would say it will be important indefinitely, because we live in a white supremacist country and world, and counter-narratives that value freedom and dignity and resilience will always be necessary as long as stratifying people on the basis of identity is the norm.”

In today’s newsletter, we talk to author Sarah Ditum about the early-aughts trend of “upskirting.” And while we’re talking about decades past? The new season In Retrospect starts today, and your hosts Jess and Susie dive into the backstory of the late 80’s Golden Girls’ joke that will echo into eternity: Lebanese lesbians.

But first a little news.

Shannon Melero

WHAT'S GOING ON

During a Senate hearing yesterday on whether social media platforms have been negligent in protecting children from abuse, Meta founder Mark Zuckerburg did something nearly impossible for a Taurus: he apologized. His apology was directed at a group of parents whose children died as a result of social media “challenges,” bullying, and overdoses from drugs they purchased via social platforms. “I’m sorry for everything you have all been through,” he said, adding, “This is why we invested so much and are going to continue doing industry-leading efforts to make sure that no one has to go through the types of things that your families had to suffer.” But have you really?
Florida’s restrictions on what kinds of history are taught in schools are putting a strain on how educators can acknowledge Black History Month. Speaking to Axios, one teacher said, “I try to tie in as much Black history to the material we're supposed to be using already, but a lot of teachers won't. No one wants to be fired.”
The House has voted to expand the child tax credit just ahead of the 2024 tax season. The bill is off to the Senate, where it stands some chance of passing and helping half a million impoverished children. The catch? The credit won’t be available to families with no income (only to those who make an income that is below the poverty line), nor will it be made available to undocumented workers. The deal would also restore tax incentives and breaks to businesses operating with significant debt.
A new report from the FBI found that hate crimes at schools nearly doubled between 2018 and 2022. The report also found that of hate crimes reported, the most targeted groups year over year were Black, Jewish, and LGBTQ students.

BACK IN TIME

Remember "Upskirting"?

A new book unpacks this unsettling practice, and the decade it inspired.

BY SCARLETT HARRIS

SCREENSHOT VIA INSTAGRAM

Early on in Sarah Ditum’s new book, Toxic: Women, Fame & the Tabloid 2000s, she shares a quote from actress Emma Watson reflecting on how paparazzi treated her on her 18th birthday: “One photographer lay down on the floor to get a shot up my skirt,” Watson is quoted saying “The night it was legal for them to do it, they did it. I woke up the next day and felt completely violated.”

Ditum has dubbed the aughts the Upskirt Decade—a period when tabloids were ravenous for images of young women in compromising positions.

We spoke to her about those strange years and the nine women she says defined the era: Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Aaliyah Haughton, Janet Jackson, Amy Winehouse, Kim Kardashian, Joanie “Chyna” Laurer, and Jennifer Aniston.

Scarlett Harris: How did you establish the timeline for what you call the “Upskirt Decade?”

Sarah Ditum: I think almost exclusively in pop songs! In the case of [Britney Spears’] “...Baby One More Time,” it’s such an epochal pop culture moment. Although it was released in 1998, it was really definitive of what the noughties (what Brits call the aughts) were going to look like: provocative, layered with irony, suggestive of this sexy female empowerment that’s actually exploitative and sexualizing a young girl.

It took me a while to realize [the “Upskirt Decade”] was a little bit longer than the noughties, [ending with Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” in 2013.] There was a grassroots feminist response to the song, and everything flipped completely against Robin Thicke.

I thought Aaliyah was an interesting choice because she wasn’t around for much of the “Upskirt Decade” [Aaliyah died in a plane crash in 2001]. But her history of being groomed and sexually abused by R. Kelly very much reverberated throughout the aughts and into the #MeToo era. Can you talk a bit more about her?

SINGER AND STYLE ICON, AALIYAH. (PHOTO BY CATHERINE MCGANN VIA GETTY IMAGES)

With Aaliyah, I wanted to tell a story about posthumous fame, and I wanted to tell a story that was connected to how a woman’s reputation can be revisited when we understand what a man has done to her. When you look at something like the Harvey Weinstein case, what happened to a lot of the women that he victimized was that they disappeared because he was that powerful. But [now] you can see how she’s trying to negotiate rejecting this man who abused her, who damaged her reputation, and how she was trying to write him out of her own music and establish herself as an independent artist in her own right over her last two albums.

And what about Chyna? As a wrestling fan, I was tickled by her inclusion, but she might not necessarily be familiar to many readers.

If you happened to have watched wrestling, Chyna’s not an obscure figure; she was one of the biggest women of the WWE’s Attitude era [the raunchy, uber-violent period of the late 1990s and early 2000s]. She was on the cover of Playboy, had guest roles in NBC sitcoms, and was tipped to cross over and be a big mainstream star. Chyna’s story is operatically tragic—the way she crossed from wrestling to reality TV to porn is such an archetypal noughties story.

EIGHTH WONDER OF THE WORLD AND WWE HALL OF FAMER, CHYNA. (PHOTO BY SPENCER PLATT VIA GETTY IMAGES)

After she left WWE, Donald Trump entered it. I don’t think you can understand Donald Trump as a president unless you’ve watched Donald Trump in WWE because that’s where he worked the crowd and refined his persona. There’s so much about wrestling that is so important in shaping the [later] political landscape.

You write that, “In the aughts, victimhood won no consideration… In the fame system of 2020, though, trauma had become an asset.” Can you elaborate a little more on that?

If you look at the way Paris Hilton had to navigate her sex tape, there was no language for her to explain her victimhood in it. The term “revenge porn” did not exist. The public attitude to it was that it was funny, [and] something she deserved because she was an attention seeker. Her only options were to pack it in, go home, and live in shame, or to lean into the joke and make it part of her image, which she did. That came at a great cost to her, but she knew that that was the price of entry to celebrity.

That’s not the world that we live in now. People enjoy stories of survival now, and women reclaiming their narratives. In some ways, this is very good, but I also think that the public's appetite for it speaks to the same desire for images of Britney having a breakdown or upskirt photos. It's this desire to see inside women, to enjoy their destruction and pain. If they're serving it up “consensually”—because there is pressure to produce “good content”—then we can feel okay about consuming it.

Do you think things are any better today?

Celebrities now have more control over their image and their relationship with the media. Taylor Swift is never going to have to sit down and do the equivalent of Britney’s Diane Sawyer interview.

[But] all this misogyny, all this intrusion, is still out there. I thought it was interesting to see the reporting around Megan Thee Stallion testifying against Tory Lanez for shooting her in the foot, which was largely supportive. But if you looked at social media, there was a huge amount of victim-blaming against her. Revenge porn is rampant [in] locked text messages or social media groups where men can circulate these images. Pornography is more ugly, exploitative, and pervasive than ever before.

In the period I’m writing about, we go from a few people being famous and experiencing this incredible trauma to all of us who are on social media being a little bit famous and experiencing a little bit of trauma.

This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.

WEEKEND READING 📚

On film: David Dennis Jr. chronicles his viewing of one of the year’s most polarizing films, Ava DuVernay’s Origin. (Andscape)

On the record: A lost manuscript from “the father of Black history”—found in 2005—holds truths that apply today. (The Washington Post)

On liberation: Black faith leaders joined forces across the country to deliver a unified message to President Biden: We need a ceasefire. (The New York Times)

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The AI Threat (Taylor's Version)

January 30, 2024

Howdy, Meteor readers,

This email almost didn’t make it to you today. This morning, I woke up and saw that Calvin Klein launched a new campaign featuring Idris Elba, and knowing that my day could not get any better, I went back to bed.

But it did, in fact, get better. I went down an Idris Elba rabbit hole (recommend), and found that the actor/model/DJ/rapper is also the face of a campaign aimed at pushing the British government to ban the sale of “zombie-style” knives, the weapon of choice for young people committing knife crimes (which are currently on the rise there).

In today’s newsletter, we take a look into non-consensual, AI-generated pornography. Plus Florida’s latest attack on trans residents, dueling rappers, and the death of an icon.

Buying a CK coat,

Shannon Melero

WHAT'S GOING ON

Karma is the girls in the seats: Last week, Xwitter was flooded with pornographic images of Taylor Swift, all of which were AI-generated deepfakes. The response from her fanbase was immediate, with thousands of Swifties reporting and burying the images online with a level of coordination that military tactical units will someday study. And while I’ll take every opportunity to write about Swifties saving the day, this incident has also brought to the forefront the pervasiveness and dangers of AI porn.

Swift certainly isn’t the first person to be targeted by the dark forces that produce AI porn. Just a few days before false images of Swift spread online, actress Xochitl Gomez, who’s still a minor, discovered that her face had been edited into sexually explicit images and circulated on Xwitter. Gomez has been trying to get the images removed without success. (Swifties, activate!) Meanwhile, Xwitter put a temporary block on using the search words “Taylor” and “Swift” less than a day after those images went viral.

TAYLOR SWIFT IN NEW YORK EARLIER THIS MONTH. (PHOTO BY GOTHAM VIA GETTY IMAGES)

Swift herself is considering legal action (and Missouri recently introduced the Taylor Swift Act), potentially bringing the kind of high-profile attention that could be a major tool in the fight against AI-generated porn. But court cases take time, and this crime is proliferating fast. AP reported in December that 143,000 new deepfake videos—many featuring underaged girls—were posted online in 2023 alone, more than in all previous years combined. (The tech to make these kinds of videos has been available to general users since 2017; there was even a now-defunct app called DeepNude that made it as easy as pushing a button.) In an interview with Slate, Sophie Maddocks, a cyber sexual violence researcher, explained that in a seven-month span in 2023, “there was a ten-fold increase of AI-generated nude images online,” which victimized preteen boys as well as young girls.

While there is a federal bill on the table that would criminalize the production of deepfakes, Maddox calls the current legal protections in place—including a handful of state bills—a “patchwork in terms of civil and criminal recourse.” Victims have little to no options unless they can rpay the exorbitant lawyer fees and spend the time it takes to scrub these images from the internet—which platforms like Facebook and Xwitter aren’t in a rush to do.

Maddox also points to an issue that feminist technologists have long called out: What would it look like “if we had created these AI tools in a social environment that did center consent and that did prioritize consent”? Technological developments that consider the implications for those most likely to be harmed? Imagine that!

AND:

In a moment when Gazans need humanitarian aid the most, several nations, including the US and Britain, have announced a suspension of funding to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). The announcement comes on the heels of a charge by Israeli leadership that 12 UNRWA workers were allegedly involved in the October 7th Hamas-led attack on Israeli civilians. The commissioner-general of the UNRWA is currently investigating these allegations, and the UN has reportedly fired a majority of the workers named in the accusation.
A team of researchers believes they may have discovered the remains of Amelia Earhart’s plane in a section of the Pacific Ocean.
On Saturday, thousands of people flooded the streets of several cities across Kenya, to protest a recent wave of gender-based violence in which more than a dozen women were killed. It was reportedly the largest “anti-femicide” demonstration the country has ever seen.

PROTESTORS IN KISUMU, KENYA. (PHOTO BY BRIAN ONGORO VIA GETTY IMAGES)

The Florida DMV will no longer allow drivers to update the gender on their licenses, stating that any changes will require proof that the gender marker requested is in line with the applicant's biological sex at birth. Leave it to Florida to find every way possible to exact more cruelty.
Elon Musk’s company Nueralink has implanted a microchip in an unnamed living person’s brain, with the eventual goal of allowing humans to use thoughts to control things like a phone or computer. Which sign of the end times is this again?
ICYMI, Nikki Minaj and Megan Thee Stallion are having the first significant rap beef since Drake dropped “Back to Back,” and I don’t think it’s a question where Thee Meteor stands on this one. Don’t you ever grab a mic and think that me and you competing—put it on my tombstone!!
Reproductive rights legend, former Planned Parenthood president and Supermajority founder Cecile Richards announced over the weekend that she is living with brain cancer. But she’s also still working—her newest, deeply needed project is Charley, an abortion-access chatbot.
Chita Rivera has died at the age of 91. Rivera was a powerhouse, a singular force, and a Broadway icon. Her performance of Anita in the original production of West Side Story served as a north star for so many Latinx performers—and remains the best iteration of that role.

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64,565 "Rape-Related Pregnancies"

January 25, 2024

Hey Meteor readers,

I am a big Jeopardy girlie, so you just KNOW that last night’s episode, in which the entire first round of categories were Taylor Swift song titles, had me screaming with glee. Those clue writers do not miss (and, for most of those categories, neither did I)!

SCREENSHOT VIA JEOPARDY

In today’s newsletter, we dig into the new, horrifying research about rape survivors and abortion. Plus, Florida is doing weird stuff again, Ohio overrides a gubernatorial veto, and we offer you some weekend reading.

Makin’ the whole place shimmer,

Shannon Melero

WHAT'S GOING ON

No real exceptions: Yesterday, a new research paper published in JAMA Internal Medicine revealed some shocking findings: Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, there have been approximately 64,565 “rape-related pregnancies” in the 14 states with total abortion bans. (Ninety-one percent of those pregnancies took place in states with bans that provided no exceptions for rape.)

Put more plainly: Almost 65,000 pregnant rape survivors were left without a legal option to terminate their pregnancies in their home states. That’s enough people to fill Madison Square Garden three times.

These figures are estimates, but they’re based on data analysis of sexual violence and pregnancy statistics from the CDC and Bureau of Justice Statistics. They also reveal something vitally important: Rape exceptions are not doing what politicians tell us they’re meant to do. The researchers found that “10 or fewer legal abortions” per month total took place in states with bans (including those with so-called rape exceptions), proving that “rape exceptions fail to provide reasonable access to abortion for survivors.”

PHOTO BY MONIQUE MONROE VIA GETTY IMAGES

Why aren’t those rape exceptions working? In practice, many come with strict requirements, most commonly that a survivor must be under a certain number of weeks pregnant and report their rape to the police. But in the U.S., rape and sexual assault are the most under-reported crimes in the country; in 2023, only an estimated 39% of total rapes were reported to the police.

And that’s the problem with many abortion-ban exceptions. They’re not inherently designed to help victims; they’re compromises meant to lend better optics to politicians trying to mask their anti-abortion stances. Some legislators, of course, are perfectly comfortable coming out against rape victims (see: these monsters), but others use exceptions as a political tool, working to rebrand themselves as less extreme, almost reasonable, in a bid to win over moderates.

But these numbers show that exceptions and half-measures are not in the best interest of sexual assault victims. Politicians should either vote in favor of abortion access, or be honest that they’re not bothered by people suffering

AND:

A Spanish pre-trial inquiry has determined that Luis Rubiales, the former president of Spain’s soccer federation, will face a criminal trial for forcibly kissing Jenni Hermoso during the medal ceremony at the 2023 Women’s World Cup. If found guilty, he could face a minimum of one year in prison.

PLAYERS FROM BARCELONA AND THE U.S. COMING TOGETHER IN SUPPORT OF JENNI HERMOSO, 2023. (PHOTO BY MAURICIO SALAS VIA GETTY IMAGES)

This week, the Ohio Senate voted to ban gender-affirming care for minors, overriding a previous veto from Governor DeWine, a Republican. The law will also ban trans girls and women from competing on women’s sports teams at the K-12 and collegiate levels.
Meta (the parent company of Facebook and Instagram) is releasing a new safety measure on its platforms that would prevent teens from receiving messages from anyone they aren’t already following. The new feature is intended to make it harder for adults to solicit teens online.
Florida (which you may know as the state where higher learning goes to die) has decided that students attending public universities can no longer take sociology classes to fulfill their core course requirements. (In other words, sociology is relegated to a fun little elective unless it's your major.) The decision by the state’s university system is in response to “left-wing activists” supposedly hijacking the field of study and stripping it of “its intended purpose as a general knowledge course.” I guess I now have to come clean and admit that I became a radical mujerista after taking sociology/anthropology in high school. The jig is up, Mr. Henry!
AI may be polarizing, but there are people out there using it for good—like the AI experts behind the Lakota AI Code Camp. The camp focuses on teaching Lakota students how to code in an effort to “build an Indigenous talent pool, to find and train future experts who can digitally protect and steward Indigenous culture—and keep endangered native languages alive.”
A new lawsuit filed against former WWE CEO Vince McMahon alleges that he sexually assaulted, trafficked, and tried to silence a former employee by paying out hush money. Also named in the suit is former head of talent relations John Laurinaitis, who most wrestling fans will recognize as Nikki and Brie Garcia’s stepfather.

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WEEKEND READING 📚

Online: The influencer economy has changed everything about the way we buy. But what does that mean for eco-influencers whose platforms are against the idea of consumption? (Atmos)

On and off the field: Ali Krieger had a jam-packed 2023: retirement, a championship, and an extremely public divorce from fellow soccer star and long-time partner Ashlyn Harris. She’s finally ready to talk about all of it. (Self)

On a crumbling industry: Digital media is once again in freefall, and one of the latest victims of the ever-changing landscape is Pitchfork. (Vulture)

On showing up: Rabbi Sharon Brous reflects on how an ancient religious pilgrimage still applies to how we move in the world today. (The New York Times)

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C-Sections With No Anesthesia

January 23, 2024

Greetings, Meteor readers,

I don’t know about you all, but I’ve been in a reading funk. My usual stack of Plantagenet and Tudor historical tomes just hasn’t been doing it for me. So I ignored my incredibly robust TBR pile and bought a new book, Naomi Osaka: Her Journey to Finding Her Power and Her Voice. Anyone else reading it? Let’s be book buddies.

In today’s newsletter: the horrifying and intimate ways women are suffering in Gaza, Nikki Haley’s race to the finish, and what you can do to support Trans Girl Scouts.

Sitting on a book stack,

Shannon Melero

WHAT'S GOING ON

A YOUNG DISPLACED PALESTINIAN GIRL LIVING IN RAFAH, SOUTHERN GAZA. (PHOTO BY AHMAD HASBALLAH VIA GETTY IMAGES)

New atrocities: As the bombardment of the Gaza Strip goes into its fourth month, new reporting and research has shed light on what that means for Gazan women. According to UN Women, an estimated one million women and girls are living in a makeshift tent city in Rafah, a city in southern Gaza, where they lack access to basic necessities like food, water, medical supplies, and…menstrual pads.

For those menstruating, many have resorted to using scraps of their clothes and cutting up tents—in other words, trading their only shelter—to create makeshift pads. Without water or reliable sanitation, they’re at higher risk of dying from toxic shock syndrome or contracting life-threatening infections (which they do not have access to medicine to treat).

Pregnant women also face insurmountable odds, with almost no functioning hospitals left in the region. Last week, Jezebel cited a reported 300% increase in miscarriages. Those who don’t miscarry must give birth in tents or undergo C-sections without anesthesia, where doctors aren’t even able to wash their hands to perform the procedure. The UN report found that at least two mothers are killed every hour in Gaza.

So how can you help? The report lists three asks from women’s organizations: to support the “urgent need for an immediate ceasefire,” prioritize the funding of women’s organizations, and to ensure that those groups are instrumental in planning and implementing a humanitarian response. You can call your representative to urge a ceasefire and consider donating to ANERA, which is currently working on delivering hygiene and menstrual products to women in Gaza. Or you can donate to International Planned Parenthood Federation, which provides care in conflict zones worldwide.

CANDIDATE AND RACISM DENIER, NIKKI HALEY. (IMAGE BY JOE RAEDLE VIA GETTY IMAGES)

The big race: With Ron DeSantis out of the running for the GOP nomination, only one person stands between Donald Trump and his potential return to the White House: Nikki Haley, who as we send this newsletter is in her last hours of her fight against Trump.

Haley spent a lot of the last week defending her claim that “America isn’t a racist country”—although apparently, no one told Trump that, since he lobbed a few racist zingers at her on social media over the weekend. And if Haley did need further proof that racism exists, she might simply read her own memoir, in which she wrote that her Indian parents were barred from renting a home because her father “worked at the Black school,” and that when they did finally find a place to live, they were told “they couldn’t entertain Black people” in the house they owned. There’s a word for that kind of behavior, Nikki. It starts with an R and ends with a how can you really look America in her eyeballs and say racism doesn’t exist when you know it does???

AND:

Last year, Texas inhumanely installed razor wire in a section of its shared border with Mexico. On Monday, the Supreme Court ruled that border patrol agents are allowed to cut and remove the wire, which had been causing severe injuries to migrants.
Oscar nominations are out, and all the cool kids are nominated. Much like Issa Rae, I’m rooting for everybody Black. But also, what happened in the mojo dojo casa house of Academy voters?
Netflix has signed a $5 billion deal with the WWE for sole broadcasting rights to its flagship weekly program, RAW. As a person who watches this program, I am deeply, deeply concerned because RAW is a weekly live show, and Netflix shat the bed the last time it tried to do a live show. I’m praying for all the engineers who have a year to figure out how to make this work.

Friends, we are well into Girl Scout cookie season. And if you have not gotten your hands on a box, writer and activist Erin Reed has a great idea: buy your cookies from Trans Girl Scouts. Bury me in Trefoils.
On the latest episode of In Retrospect, Susie Banikarim and Jessica Bennett are talking about what the 90s taught us all about sex. They’re joined by sex educator and author of Come Together, Emily Nagoski.

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