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Welcome to The Meteor newsletter, where we deliver enlightening, surprising, and (whenever humanly possible!) fun perspectives direct to your inbox every Tuesday and Thursday. We promise to never send you junk, but to always bring you exclusive essays, interviews, and dialogue with The Meteor’s collective members—like authors Jennifer Finney Boylan, Rebecca Carroll, and Amber Tamblyn—as well as news, culture, the latest from UNDISTRACTED podcast host Brittany Packnett Cunningham, and more, all with an eye towards gender justice and bones-deep desire for a more equitable future.
May 25, 2023
Who Knew Tina Turner Was Also a Rugby Icon
What's rugby got to do with Tina Turner's many layered legacy?
May 23, 2023
Trans Teens Throw Epic Prom
For today’s newsletter, the category is joy. Not just any joy: the unadulterated, vibrant joy of trans teens, adults, and allies dancing at a trans prom on the National Mall.
May 18, 2023
Florida’s New Child Kidnapping Law
Governor Ron DeSantis has set a horrifying new record for Largest Group of Anti-LGBTQ+ Bills Passed At Once in Florida, signing four into law. And if you think they’re bad, you’d be wrong. They’re fucking horrendous.
May 16, 2023
“There’s literally nothing they could do”
Today’s newsletter features a story we’ve got to stop becoming familiar with: a Texas woman forced to develop sepsis due to the state’s restrictive abortion ban. Plus, we’ve got Martha Stewart on Sports Illustrated, Planned Parenthood taking a stand, and Naomi Osaka shutting down some bullshit.…
May 11, 2023
Why did CNN basically host a Trump rally?
In today’s newsletter, Rebecca Carroll sits down with Nicole Chung to discuss her new memoir about adoption and loss. Plus, who thought it would be a good idea to let Trump speak on air for over an hour?
May 9, 2023
Thank you, E. Jean Carroll
Trump has lost another court case and, thrillingly, a woman he abused has (finally!) gotten some measure of justice. We’ve got that story in today’s newsletter—as well as everything from feminist Pulitzers to trans romance.
May 4, 2023
An OB-GYN meets with a midwife
Tomorrow is International Midwives’ Day. What’s it like to be a midwife at this particular moment in time in the U.S.? Dr. Heather Irobunda traveled to Texas to find out. In today’s newsletter, she reflects on her own family’s history of midwifery, and meets a woman at the center of it all.
May 2, 2023
“Not ugly enough to be a feminist”
Today’s newsletter asks the question that should’ve been asked months before the Met Gala started: Why Karl Lagerfeld, in 2023? Plus, it’s time for a writer’s strike! Get your reruns ready.
April 27, 2023
The growing viral resistance to state extremism
Hopefully you’ve noticed the latest surge in politicians sticking their necks out for causes in which they believe—like Montana state Rep. Zooey Zephyr, who continues to be punished for sticking up for trans rights (who we cover in this newsletter). Megan Carpentier sat down with A’shanti Gholar,…
April 25, 2023
What people really need in abortion-ban states
The Supreme Court last week ruled to protect access to the abortion medication mifepristone. In today's newsletter, we spoke to Robin Marty, director of operations for the West Alabama Women’s Center, for perspective on what this looks like from the South.
April 20, 2023
“I could’ve changed their hearts”
In today’s newsletter, we take a look at the passionate defense one state rep made for trans people—and the punishment she’s facing as a result.
April 18, 2023
On ringing doorbells while Black
In today’s newsletter, we also look at the shooting of Missouri teenager Ralph Yarl and the way Black people are viewed as threats, even when they’re bleeding out on a doorstep.
April 13, 2023
The health crisis facing Black mothers
We’ve got a jam-packed newsletter for you all today: a glass-half-empty mifepristone ruling; a multimillion-dollar debt-burning ceremony; Black Maternal Health week; and the hit TV show “A League of Their Own” is BACK! (Sort of.)
April 11, 2023
What’s next for the abortion pill
In today’s newsletter, we parse the aftermath of Kacsmaryk’s unprecedented ruling against the abortion pill mifepristone. On the happy side, though: Hannah Gadsby’s got a new special on its way! Plus, female superheroes! (Can they go to Texas?)
April 6, 2023
Jane Goodall in her own words
We had the absolute pleasure of hosting a talk with renowned ethologist and activist Dr. Jane Goodall at the Brooklyn Museum to celebrate her 89th birthday. Here are some of our favorite moments.
April 4, 2023
“This is for the girls that look like me”
Today’s newsletter still has it all, though: powerful trans allyship, racial double standards, and an announcement from the Vatican that came 500 years too late.
March 30, 2023
What the hell is “abortion trafficking”?
Today we take a look at the frightening new anti-abortion bill creeping its way toward the Idaho Senate. Plus, Shannon Melero tells a fascinating story about freedom fighter Lolita Lebrón.
March 28, 2023
The Nashville shooter bought guns *legally*
In today's newsletter, we mourn the loss of six more lives to the epidemic of gun violence—this time, in Nashville. And our Women’s History spotlight celebrates Nicole Aunapu Mann, the first Native American woman to make it to space.
March 23, 2023
“Don’t Say Gay” arrives abroad
In today’s newsletter, we look at Uganda’s latest draconian law criminalizing LGBTQ+ identity itself and how these cruel measures got their start. (Spoiler alert: It’s colonialism. It’s always colonialism.)
March 21, 2023
Why silencing women may come back to bite Trump
In today’s newsletter, we’ve got Iranian activism, legislative ignorance, and the poetic justice of Trump potentially facing consequences from an attempt to silence women.
March 16, 2023
Harriet Tubman’s *other* legacy
Today we’re updating you on the Texas lawsuit that has the potential to deny access to the abortion pill nationwide—even in states with no abortion ban. Plus, we celebrate the Nebraska state senator using “Madagascar” recaps to protect access to gender-affirming care for trans youth. (It’ll make…
March 14, 2023
Diversity is not a “distraction”
In today’s newsletter, we look at the Silicon Valley Bank collapse and how, according to one op-ed author, it’s all women’s fault. Plus, an original film with a relatively low budget takes home every award everywhere all at once.
March 9, 2023
The killing of an abortion doctor
In today’s newsletter, our slice of women’s history is more like an entire pie. Writer Stassa Edwards examines the history of anti-abortion violence in Pensacola, Florida—a city that marks a dark anniversary tomorrow.
March 7, 2023
A drag queen on the drag bans
In today’s newsletter, we hear about Tennessee’s new drag ban from The Meteor's resident drag queen, Bailey Wayne Hundl. And Meteor founding member and disability rights activist Emily Ladau reflects on the legacy of the great Judith Heumann.
March 2, 2023
“You can’t just cherry-pick history”
Rebecca Carroll writes about Toni Morrison’s Beloved—and the real woman the novel was based on. And we’ll also learn about Hippocrates, the right’s latest darling, who, according to Renee Bracey Sherman, may have been more enlightened than they claim.
February 28, 2023
Student debt is a feminist issue
In today's newsletter, we look at the case for student loan forgiveness, as well as Jessa Duggar Seewald's abortion (that no one is calling an abortion).
February 23, 2023
A Ukrainian reflects on her year of war
In today’s newsletter, on the eve of the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Anya Kurkina shares her reflections as a Ukrainian in America. Plus, rapists get (some of) what’s been coming to them.
February 21, 2023
The most important election this year?
In today’s newsletter, we take a look at politics & politicians: Sen. John Fetterman’s openness with depression and what it means for the way we view elected officials, plus a super-important election in Wisconsin that could shape our democracy.
February 16, 2023
What come after an uprising?
We sit down with Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, co-founder of the new Black-centric magazine Hammer & Hope, to discuss Black resistance, cross-cultural solidarity, and what happened (and didn’t) after 2020.
February 14, 2023
This 21-year-old survived two school shootings
Today we mourn the three lives lost, look into the shooter’s history, and explore the unprotected state of today’s transgender youth.
February 9, 2023
The President’s missed opportunity
In this newsletter, we look into President Biden's State of the Union and ask why he only had four whole sentences on abortion. Plus, news from Madonna, Rihanna, Lily Tomlin, Barbra Streisand, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
February 2, 2023
Why rape is not a “one-off” crime
This week, Cindi Leive interviews "The Vagina Monologues" writer V and we talk about the changes to the AP's African American Studies curriculum. Plus, let's get into the backlash to Sam Smith's sexy new video for "I'm Not Here To Make Friends."
January 31, 2023
Why it doesn’t matter when cops are Black
This week we get into why the race of a police officer has little to do with whether encounters with them turn violent.
January 26, 2023
What Does the Brett Kavanaugh Documentary Do For Us?
This week we're thinking about the breakout Sundance documentary "Justice" which picks up where the botched FBI investigation left off. Plus a fond farewell from one of our writers.
January 24, 2023
Is This Normal?
America has managed, slowly but surely, to normalize the occurrence of mass shootings. In today’s newsletter, we attempt to make sense of another tragedy and search for a few bright spots in the world.
January 19, 2023
Literally, Who Is George Santos?
We’ve got a great newsletter for you today with a look into the many lived lives of George Santos and a special announcement about our next Say the Word event!
January 17, 2023
Don’t Stop Posting About Iran
In today's newsletter, Sherry Hakimi explains why continuing to share stories about the protests in Iran is the best thing we can do right now as a global community.
January 12, 2023
Before You Post That MLK Quote
In today’s newsletter, we revisit the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.—and not just the ones you already know. Instead, Meteor editor-at-large Rebecca Carroll takes a closer look at King’s writing, and how it moves her today.
January 10, 2023
Iran Will Execute More Protestors
For our 100th newsletter, we return our attention to Iran, which slipped from headlines while Kevin McCarthy and his drama were sucking up all the air in the room. Plus some other news you might have missed.
January 5, 2023
Why the Congressional Sh*tshow Matters
It's been a bad week for Representative Kevin McCarthy. But beyond the extremely good tweets this event has produced lies a more serious problem. The 118th Congress can’t be sworn in until a Speaker has been chosen, which means that because of this right-wing nonsense, the country has been running…
January 3, 2023
We’re Getting In on the In/Out Trend Too
In today’s newsletter, we’re easing ourselves into 2023 with our own version of what’s in (embracing your inner Greta Thunberg) and what is absolutely out (*cough* low-rise jeans *cough*). But first, we take a look at Arizona's latest attack on bodily autonomy.
December 30, 2022
Your Favorite Meteor Stories of 2022
Thank you, readers, for every open, every click, and every time you’ve forwarded our stories to someone you know. It means the world to us. And if you are so inclined to continue sharing The Meteor with your friends, family, enemies, exes—anyone you want, we don’t judge!—here’s a list of our top 10…
December 22, 2022
What We Can Do for Abortion in 2023
Cindi Leive writes about abortion—what she’s learned from years of covering it and how not to repeat the mistakes of the past.
December 15, 2022
There’s Another Report on the Widespread Abuses in Women’s Soccer
A new joint investigation has found widespread “sexual abuse, unwanted sexual advances…emotional abuse, cronyism, racist remarks” and retaliation against players who reported this behavior within the NWSL. If you’re wondering why this sounds so familiar it's because this is the second report on the…
December 13, 2022
There Have Been 948 Gun Violence Incidents on K-12 Campuses Since Sandy Hook
Today we reflect on the 10-year anniversary of Sandy Hook, which takes place December 14. What have we learned since then, and where do we go from here?
December 8, 2022
Brittney Griner Is Coming Home
Early Thursday morning, President Biden announced that Griner was being safely returned home as a result of a prisoner swap. In exchange for her freedom, the U.S. returned convicted arms dealer Viktor Bout to Russia. Unfortunately, the news is not all good.
December 6, 2022
Three Days of Strikes In Iran
In today’s newsletter, we are sifting through the confusion of the recent headlines about the morality police in Iran, applauding some brave Swifties, and checking in on what else is going on in our world.
December 1, 2022
Puerto Rico’s Dimming Future
In today’s newsletter: a disastrous contract extension in Puerto Rico, positive news out of Jackson, Mississippi, and a little time spent with the Harry and Meghan trailer. Or maybe a lot of time.
November 29, 2022
Inside China’s Historic Protests
In today's newsletter we dive into the protests in China which began last week after 10 people died by fire in an apartment building where strict lockdown measures were in place. What started out as a protest about a fire in a heavily surveilled area quickly evolved into what the Washington Post…
November 22, 2022
The Rhetoric That Led to the Club Q Violence
In today’s newsletter, we mourn the loss of five lives in the Colorado Springs shooting and question how exactly it came to pass. As the Counting Crowds Consortium points out, actions against LGBTQ+ venues have been on the rise and one event in particular has been drawing the attentions of…
November 18, 2022
Pelosi’s 20 long years
In a speech announcing that she will step down as Speaker, Nancy Pelosi passed the torch to the next generation: “I look forward to the unfolding story of our nation, a story of light and love, of patriotism and progress.” Also in this newsletter, Ticketmaster’s Taylor Swift debacle.
November 15, 2022
Will More Iranian Protestors Face the Death Penalty?
One protestor has been sentenced to death in Iran on charges of "enmity against God." As the government continues to arrest more people, many of them teenagers, will they be subjected to the same fate? Also in today's newsletter, a new development in the story of Shireen Abu Akleh.
November 10, 2022
Finally, Some Good News
We're taking a moment to celebrate all of the positive news that came out of this year's midterm elections and reflecting on the season finale of Love is Blind. Plus, another chance to win free tickets to Meet the Moment!
November 7, 2022
We Want Politicians to Fear Women’s Voting Power
Tonight, we’ve got some last-minute treats: an interview with Supermajority’s Amanda Brown Lierman on why women could literally change the outcome of tomorrow’s election—and voter guides to help you do it.
November 3, 2022
Stacey Abrams and Katie Hobbs On Running for Governor
In today’s newsletter, we’ve got an exclusive interview with Stacey Abrams and Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, who are running for governor of Georgia and Arizona, respectively. Also, an update on the unrest in Iran.
October 27, 2022
What You Don’t Already Know About Extremism
Meteor co-founder Cindi Leive spoke with journalist Kyle Spencer about what’s really behind the rise of far-right extremist groups on college campuses. Your horror movie marathon’s got nothing on the realities of young, college-educated men being trained to “weaponize” their cell phones against…
October 25, 2022
Do NOT Ignore These Midterm Races
In today’s newsletter, we’ve got a rundown on some of the midterm races we have our eye on, the candidates who say they will fight for bodily autonomy—and of course, the news. We also dive into the escalating situation with Brittney Griner, who remains wrongfully detained in Russia.
October 20, 2022
Georgia Tries to Define “Personhood”
In today’s newsletter, we’ve got another great news rundown for you, including an infuriating abortion update from Georgia and an explainer on the battle between former British Prime Minister Liz Truss and Latuca Sativa. Lettuce get into it.
October 15, 2022
How #MeToo actually made things better
In today’s newsletter, Samhita Mukhopadhyay talks to feminist author and TV host Zerlina Maxwell, who told her own story years before #MeToo, about the anniversary, and what it actually means to #believewomen. We also share a list of changes we’ve seen in the last five years to fight rape culture.……
October 11, 2022
A Shocking Death Toll in Iran
Last week, we watched as young girls in Iran led the way in protests, and mourned the unexplained death of 16-year-old protestor Nika Shakarami. This week, the fallout continues and the situation is grim. Advocacy group Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO) estimates that 185 people have been killed during…
October 6, 2022
Why Was Abuse in Women’s Soccer Ignored?
On Monday, the sports world was rocked to its core by the release of the Yates Report, an incredibly thorough investigation commissioned by the U.S. Soccer Federation and conducted by former U.S. Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates which found decades of ignored systemic abuse at all levels of…
October 4, 2022
These Movies Really Miss the Mark on Abortion
It’s been 100 days since the overturn of Roe v. Wade, and we’ve got reproductive rights on the brain. Maybe it’s the fall weather keeping some of us indoors or maybe it’s the absolutely wild anti-abortion scene in Blonde, but today we’re thinking about the ways abortion is portrayed in film and…
September 29, 2022
Whoopi Goldberg’s Candid Message on Abortion
We’ve got something very exciting for today’s newsletter: Meteor editor-at-large Rebecca Carroll sat down with the one and only Whoopi Goldberg last week at our #SaytheWord event to talk about her long-time commitment to saying that word: abortion.
September 27, 2022
It’s About More Than a Hijab
What is happening in Iran is not merely an issue of unclipping the shackles of a religion that’s already been demonized in the West. What's happening is a political uprising against a corrupt government; a scene not so far off from recent events in the United States despite what conservative…
September 22, 2022
Iranian Women Are Burning Their Hijabs
In today’s newsletter we’re covering the latest on the growing unrest in Iran after the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who died under suspicious circumstances after being detained by Iran’s morality police.
September 20, 2022
The Black Filmmakers You May Not Have Heard Of
In today’s newsletter, Meteor editor-at-large Rebecca Carroll takes us to the movies. She interviews Rhea Combs, creator of Regeneration: Black Cinema 1898-1971, a new exhibit at the Los Angeles Academy Museum introducing visitors to a rich history of Black filmmakers, photographers, and……
September 15, 2022
Womanhood Is Not a Zero-Sum Game
The escalating war on the existence of trans people continues. But as the issue falls out of national headlines, we have to ask: Are LGBTQ+ allies doing enough to support the movement to protect trans lives?
September 8, 2022
Queen Elizabeth’s Complicated Legacy
It's no exaggeration to say that we've witnessed the end of an era with the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Britain's longest-reigning monarch leaves a complex and polarizing legacy that will no doubt be reexamined for years to come—also happening this week, a historic win for the USWNT and a very bad…
September 1, 2022
The Steubenville Rape Case, Ten Years Later
In today's newsletter, Samhita Mukhopadhyay spoke with author and filmmaker Nancy Schwartzman about her book, Roll Red Roll, which explores every facet of the Steubenville, Ohio rape case of 2012. \
August 30, 2022
Grieving Princess Diana Let Me Mourn My Brother
In honor of the 25th anniversary of Princess Diana’s death on August 31, writer Susanne Ramirez de Arellano explores how the princess’s death helped her mourn a more personal one—and what she’s learned in the years since.
August 29, 2022
I Asked 61 Colleges If They Would Pay for Students to Travel for an Abortion. Only Five Hinted That They Might.
With abortion illegal in many states, some companies have promised to cover the travel expenses of employees who need care. As a high school junior, the next question felt obvious to me: Will colleges do the same?
August 25, 2022
Missouri Parents Want to Bring Spanking Back
Another packed news week but one store really caught out eye. A Missouri school district has reinstated corporal punishment (specifically, hitting with paddles) as a last resort to discipline students. We're also talking about Biden's new loan forgiveness plan and how we're spending this weekend.
August 23, 2022
It’s always been hard for teens seeking abortions
If you think the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade was the start of teens' troubles with accessing abortion you'd be surprised. For decades, teens have had to jump through flaming hoops of humiliation to end their pregnancies. Currently, there are at least 36 states with measures requiring…
August 18, 2022
Why “men are trash” is not enough
Samhita Mukhopadhyay spoke to journalist Nona Willis Aronowitz about her latest book, “Bad Sex: Truth, Pleasure and an Unfinished Revolution.” It’s a conversation about the philosophical dilemma of being a heterosexual feminist, (which, yes, is possible).
August 16, 2022
Liz Cheney’s Challenger Is a Nightmare
In today’s newsletter, we’re talking about Harriet Hageman, the Wyoming Republican who is projected to win her primary against U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney. Hageman is just the latest addition to our frightening era of right-wing politics, so we’re especially grateful to have Meteor editor and Wyomingite…
August 11, 2022
Are your apps snitching on you?
We’ve seen stories about how our personal data can be used against us in post-Roe America, but it's all a little confusing. In today’s newsletter, writer and security nerd Shamira Ibrahim explains how it happens and why we should care.
August 9, 2022
Don’t leave us, Serena
Here is a sentence we never thought we'd type: Serena Williams has announced her retirement from professional tennis, although she is referring to it as an “evolution” which makes it hard to be too sad about the change.
August 5, 2022
Why did it take so long to care about Brittney Griner?
The two questions that continue to arise from folks unfamiliar with Griner and her career are Why was she there in the first place? and Why plead guilty?
July 29, 2022
Scared of monkeypox? We got you.
For this weekend’s newsletter, Meteor superstar Samhita Mukhopadhyay has a crucial Q&A with Dr. Darien Sutton on the misinformation and homophobia surrounding the U.S. outbreaks of monkeypox.
July 27, 2022
What Roe’s overturn means for the world
It’s been one month since SCOTUS issued the deadly Dobbs decision, and the impact across America is already worse than predicted. But if you speak with abortion advocates in Global Majority countries, an additionally devastating picture emerges.
July 23, 2022
“If they could kill her, they could kill anyone”
Writer and editor Megan Carpentier chats with award-winning Guardian environmental justice reporter Nina Lakhani about her groundbreaking book on the life and murder of Honduran grassroots activist Berta Cáceres.
July 20, 2022
Is JLo’s last name anyone’s business?
Because life is multi-faceted and so is former Fly Girl Jennifer Lopez, here's a little about the Latina icon’s decision to change her name after marrying longtime beau Ben Affleck.
July 15, 2022
The case for hope
Meteor editor-at-large Rebecca Carroll and author Evette Dionne talk about how to avoid defaulting to despair and maintain a sense of hope.
July 13, 2022
What women in Ukraine want us to know
Mariane Pearl talks to Ukrainian journalist and activist Anastasia Melnychenko about what she believes the West isn’t hearing about the situation in Ukraine five months in, her activism, and how the never-ending war has impacted her life.
July 8, 2022
When “feminists” spout hate
Why exactly is trans-exclusionary radical feminist rhetoric rearing its ugly head in the U.S. at this moment? And why is it sprouting from the keyboards of self-styled feminists? We spoke to author and journalist Meredith Talusan to understand this phenomenon.
July 6, 2022
Drag is good for kids, actually
Despite the pressure from right-wing conservatives to ban kids from drag events, some kids are actually performing in drag shows themselves. And they're amazing. Writer Ellie Rudy talks to three young queens about how integral drag is to their identities.
July 1, 2022
THE FIRST WEEK WITHOUT ROE V. WADE
The July 4th weekend is upon us. "And if we just absorb the loss of Roe and integrate it and then move on and don't turn it into the most urgent, existential fight of our lives, this is not going to end here," says Dahlia Lithwick.
June 29, 2022
Could Title IX be next?
It's so crucial to celebrate the victories we've already won, while we still have them. To understand what the 50th anniversary of Title IX means—and whether it, like Roe, could be at risk—we spoke to Alexandra Brodsky author and founder of Know Your IX.
June 26, 2022
They’ve lived under abortion bans
So the question for Americans who value reproductive rights is: What happens now? How do we help each other, help our friends, and, ultimately, win back our freedoms?
June 24, 2022
People are trying to get abortions today
It's not too late to help patients trying to get abortions right now.
June 22, 2022
What to do when SCOTUS rules on Roe
Does anyone else feel like SCOTUS is angling for a daytime Emmy with all of the drama the justices are building up over the release of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision?
June 18, 2022
The real meaning of Juneteenth
Leave it to Texas to pretend they didn’t hear that slavery was over. While the Emancipation Proclamation was passed in 1863, the then-still border state of Texas was like, “What? No, uh-uh. We don’t know her.”
June 15, 2022
“Black people feel less pain” and other lies
Writer,and professor Syreeta McFadden talks to award-winning journalist Linda Villarosa about her new book, Under the Skin, and what she’s learned in her years as a health reporter.
June 11, 2022
A Muslim superhero with a magic bangle?
The series premiere of Ms. Marvel is everything fans could have hoped for. It is visually stunning, a testament to the artwork that made the comics stand out on the shelf. It’s lighthearted and funny and is about so much more than a journey to superherodom.
June 8, 2022
The supposed “death of #MeToo”
The Amber Heard/Johnny Depp trial inspired an orgy of hate against Heard, and in this issue, Meteor editor-at-large Rebecca Carroll sat down with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, scholar, and activist Salamishah Tillet to understand what it all meant—for the legal system and for survivors.
June 4, 2022
“Happy” Pride?
So how do you celebrate Pride during a prolonged nationwide attack against trans folx? We called some friends to find out.
June 1, 2022
Who hurt you GOP? It wasn’t trans people
How we moved from the great transgender “tipping point” to the “tripping point”—with over 300 laws introduced to restrict our rights this year alone—is the story of how the increased visibility of trans and nonbinary people became the very thing that inspired conservatives to try to erase us.……
May 28, 2022
We just hate believing women
While we've watched the bafflingly un-nuanced reaction to the Johnny Depp/Amber Heard defamation trial unfold, there’s one person we've really been wanting to hear from—Jaclyn Friedman.
May 26, 2022
Not ending gun violence is a choice
Uvalde is the third mass shooting in a week; there have been 212 in the United States alone this year and 27 of them have been in schools. Every shooting, we are told, is the “tipping point” that will change the will of politicians on guns. But Congress has yet to pass any meaningful gun control…
May 21, 2022
The key to *actually* unplugging
For some disengaging from the news cycle is merely a privilege, but for others, it can be the only way to get through a day. Or even save us from utterly losing hope.
May 18, 2022
Could the ERA get us out of the abortion rights disaster?
Some legal scholars argue that the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)—the constitutional amendment guaranteeing sex equality—could be a powerful tool in protecting abortion rights. But what would it take to make that happen?
May 14, 2022
In Palestine, a catastrophe that won’t end
Between 1947 - 1949 the people of Palestine lived through Al-Nakba, a violent displacement carried out by Zionist militias. In 2022, the violence continues, but under a different name. But every year on May 15th, the Palestinian community stops to remember those lost and those sent into a lifelong…
May 11, 2022
Anti-Asian violence more than tripled in 2021
In today’s newsletter, in honor of AAPIHM, we are excited to share with you a conversation with award-winning author Min Jin Lee. In light of high rates of AAPI violence, she talks to Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated actor, author, and director Amber Tamblyn.
May 7, 2022
“Becoming a mother radicalized me”
Author Angela Garbes talks about the unpaid labor that keeps the world turning and her latest book "Essential Labor: Mothering as Social Change."
May 4, 2022
“We don’t stop moving”
I’m angry. You’re angry. Entire pockets of the country are angry. So what’s left to do? Rebecca Traister has a few answers.
April 30, 2022
It’s all fun and games until Elon Musk buys Twitter
Maybe you don't care about the new owner of Twitter, but he certainly cares about you. Elon Musk paid $45 billion for all your bad tweets and the data that goes along with them. So what now?
April 27, 2022
You’re on your own, kid!
The latest back and forth on masking policies has everyone wondering if America is the land of the free or just the land of the self-centered. But it turns out "toxic individualism" is as American as apple pie.
April 23, 2022
The unsung heroes of the labor movement
The stories we know about union efforts in America are missing a few key characters. Kim Kelly's latest book looks to rectify that oversight.
April 20, 2022
Meet the women blazing trails for cannabis
Cannabis consumption is for everyone but legal sales and profits from the industry have long been closed off to women and people of color. Things are finally starting to change but, of course, it's a slow burn.
April 16, 2022
Name that tune
"It’s so difficult for people to just hold Black women in esteem. Black women are on a continuous journey of trying to make it clear–I am who I am, and I said what I said"
April 13, 2022
The key to saving more Black mothers
We all need to understand how and why so many Black mothers giving birth are three times more likely to die from pregnancy complications than white women
April 9, 2022
It only took 233 years
We're still celebrating Ketanji Brown Jackson's confirmation. But now we have questions. What will her nomination mean for the courts? How soon will she make her mark on upcoming cases?
April 6, 2022
A winning week for workers
This week was a heartening, electric moment for anyone invested in holding powerful corporations accountable for the well-being of workers.
April 2, 2022
Muslims are not a monolith
Ramadan is a beautiful time full of reflection and rich traditions. But not a single drop of water so please stop asking about that.
March 30, 2022
“Our bodies are not public domain”
Abortion should be federally funded—and Biden's 2023 budget shows there's a path to making that a reality.
March 26, 2022
The long known truth behind the KBJ hearings
Black women aren’t just forbidden from being “the best,” we are simply not allowed to have or hold the word and its meaning.
March 23, 2022
The best (and worst) parts of the KBJ hearings so far
In the last 48 hours, I have watched approximately 324 hours of confirmation hearings for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson. The Republican line of questioning was so much more absurd than I anticipated
March 19, 2022
“You sound like a white girl”
Mexico introduced me to the lies of whiteness, but it was the United States that taught me just how corrosive white supremacy truly is.
March 16, 2022
The woman I flew 2,486 miles to vote for
How it felt voting for Francia Marquez, Colombia’s most progressive political candidate in years
March 12, 2022
The GOP’s latest tactic for targeting trans kids
Lawmakers’ repeated invocation of the ugly history of forced sterilization to justify their anti-trans campaigns has been especially disturbing over the past few weeks
March 9, 2022
Sex tapes were never really about sex
Tracy Clark-Flory looks at the misogynist legacy of the celebrity sex tape and Carrie Goldberg explains how current laws protect and in some cases don't protect victims of revenge porn
March 5, 2022
There’s no vaccine for stupid
The crisis ought to have been a time when we got to see how good people can be, and we did. But so many others showed their cruel, narcissistic sides instead.
March 2, 2022
Reinventing the girlboss
Netflix's Inventing Anna functions as a bit of a Rorschach test: Is the viewer looking at a criminal or just a misunderstood girlboss?
February 26, 2022
When your existence is illegal
What’s happening in Texas is deeply cruel, but trans people have always existed despite cruelty. The kids are going to win, even if it’s really fucking hard
February 23, 2022
How equal-pay victories really happen
Six years, two medals, one documentary, and several hundred pages of legalese after the United States Women's National Team sued their employer for gender discrimination, equal pay is finally on the horizon
February 19, 2022
What book bans are doing to kids
"Each of our students needs to be able to see themselves in books and have that representation. It’s extremely important, and personally, to me, this is a life-or-death situation for some of our kids."
February 16, 2022
Still Surviving the White Gaze
Every memoir writer knows that mining the truth can be a fraught and risky endeavor. But I could not have imagined how keenly the response from my family would reflect the truth of America
February 12, 2022
The deadly act of telling the truth
Two Afghan journalists discuss leading a women-run news outlet under Taliban rule, plus a look at France's ban on hijab in sports
February 9, 2022
The Great Unionization
A conversation with Flight Attendants Union President Sara Nelson about the future of organizing
February 5, 2022
NOT just like that
How "Sex and the City" presaged the rise of girlbosses, maybe even set the stage for them. Plus: America's most benevolent billionaire
February 2, 2022
Who gets to be glorious?
Former Olympian Casey Legler is not buying the "level playing field" arguments against trans athletes.
January 29, 2022
Who is Black History Month actually for?
Black History Month is rooted in a tradition of Black people writing themselves into history in ways that reject the logic of white supremacy.
January 26, 2022
The start of something new
We believe in something as impossible as the power of love to heal grieving souls, or—who knows?—as glorious as the sight of a wild comet in a cold sky.
December 23, 2021
The radical act of rest
The holidays are the perfect time to revisit this smart advice from the "Nap Bishop" Tricia Hersey, plus 24 last-minute donation ideas (because Santa is a feminist)
December 10, 2021
What happens after Roe? Two legends discuss
Brittany Packnett Cunningham sat down with Gloria Steinem and Renee Bracey Sherman to discuss what happens if Roe v. Wade is overturned in this week’s episode of UNDISTRACTED, plus catch up on our latest briefing
December 3, 2021
Professor Crunk on SCOTUS, white women, and more
New season of UNDISTRACTED! Professor Brittney Cooper is this week’s guest, plus catch up on our abortion access briefing
November 23, 2021
Roe on the line: An abortion access briefing
Join The Meteor this Monday, November 29 for a free virtual briefing about what the fight for reproductive freedom will look like in 2022 and beyond
November 3, 2021
One year till the midterms: Come learn what’s ahead
Join The Meteor this Monday, November 8 for a free virtual briefing on voting rights—one year out from the 2022 midterms
October 11, 2021
Listen: Professor Anita Hill & Dr. Christine Blasey Ford
For the third episode of "Because of Anita"—our podcast about the legacy of Professor Hill’s 1991 testimony in the Supreme Court confirmation hearings of Clarence Thomas—Professor Hill and Dr. Ford sat down for their first-ever public conversation.
October 4, 2021
Because of Anita: Highlights from our hosts
Our new podcast about the lasting impact of Professor Anita Hill’s testimony is out today. Here, hosts Dr. Salamishah Tillet and Cindi Leive share highlights of their conversations with Professor Kimberlé Crenshaw, Jane Mayer, and more
September 24, 2021
Because of Anita: A podcast about the testimony that changed everything
Our new podcast “Because of Anita” examines the legacy of Professor Anita Hill’s testimony, featuring conversations with Professor Hill herself, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, Kerry Washington, Tarana Burke, and more
September 15, 2021
Abortion access after Texas: Come learn what’s ahead
Join The Meteor and the Center for Reproductive Rights this Monday for a free virtual workshop on Texas, the Supreme Court, and the future of abortion access
September 9, 2021
“Disability is part of the human experience”
Emily Ladau—writer, activist, and founding member of The Meteor—shares an excerpt from her new book, “Demystifying Disability.” And don’t miss our highlights from Season 1 of UNDISTRACTED.
August 16, 2021
Tarana Burke on the past, present, and future of #MeToo
The founder of the Me Too movement is this week’s guest on the season-finale episode of UNDISTRACTED, plus journalists to follow on Afghanistan.
August 2, 2021
Real talk: Should the Olympics be saved?
Sportscaster Jemele Hill breaks down everything about this year’s complicated games on UNDISTRACTED, plus powerful stories from Drew Dixon and more.
July 16, 2021
What will it take to stop violence against Native women?
Brittany Packnett Cunningham talks with award-winning Cree journalist Connie Walker about the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women on this week’s episode of UNDISTRACTED.
July 7, 2021
Tomorrow! Join Drew Dixon, Jasmine Mans, and more for a powerful evening
Come celebrate the launch of The Meteor’s new audio program, “In Love and Struggle: A Black Woman Grows in America,” plus legal scholar Professor Kimberlé Crenshaw is this week’s guest on UNDISTRACTED.
June 25, 2021
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand on the bill she’s worked 10 years to pass
This week on UNDISTRACTED, the New York Democrat talks about her 10-year campaign to ensure more accountability for military sexual assault—and why justice may finally be on the horizon.
June 15, 2021
Your Pride read, watch, and listen list
We’ve got recommendations for your summer downtime from The Meteor Fund’s "21 For ’21 Syllabus." Plus, the ACLU’s Chase Strangio is this week’s guest on UNDISTRACTED.
May 28, 2021
Hillary Rodham Clinton and more 21 For ’21 highlights
There's still time to watch our virtual gathering 21 For ’21: Visions For a Feminist Future, plus "Queen Sugar" author Natalie Baszile is this week's guest on UNDISTRACTED.
May 7, 2021
Real talk from Yvonne Orji, plus new speakers at 21 For ’21
If laughter is the best medicine, then this week’s episode of UNDISTRACTED is the drug we all need. Brittany Packnett Cunningham sat down with actress and comedian Yvonne Orji.
April 29, 2021
Join Gloria Steinem, Amanda Nguyen, and more at 21 For ’21
Come join us at 21 For ’21: Visions For a Feminist Future—a free virtual gathering on May 18 of artists and activists from different disciplines, all sharing their visions of the future for women, girls, and nonbinary people in 2021 and beyond.
April 23, 2021
Oscar nominee Andra Day on protest, power, and Billie Holiday
It’s been over 80 years since Billie Holiday first recorded “Strange Fruit,” about a lynching in the South, and yet in a week that saw multiple Black and brown people killed by police, the song—and the activism that Holiday brought to it—remains painfully relevant.
April 9, 2021
Are the new abortion bans “the last gasp of patriarchy”?
It’s only April, but state lawmakers have already introduced over 500 bills restricting abortion—500!—in 2021 alone. What’s the connection between these various assaults on human rights? Why are they escalating now—and how can we stop them?
March 26, 2021
Amber Ruffin on what’s so funny about racism
Need a laugh after the week we just had? (Or, perhaps, the year?) So did we, so for the latest episode of UNDISTRACTED, Brittany Packnett Cunningham sat down with Amber Ruffin to talk about the TV host’s brilliant blend of social justice commentary and comedy.
March 12, 2021
Lisa Ling on the movement to stop anti-Asian violence
You’ve heard the stats: Anti-Asian hate crimes are up, more than doubling over the course of the last year. And you may have seen the disturbing videos, since so many of the violent attacks have been captured on film. How did we get here? And how can we create a safer future for Asian Americans?
February 26, 2021
Rep. Ayanna Pressley: “The Squad is big, y’all”
Data is showing that white people are getting vaccinated at much higher rates than Black and Latinx people. How can we prevent the vaccine rollout from becoming yet another way systemic racism literally kills Black and brown people? Representative Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) has a plan.
February 5, 2021
Raquel Willis on the future of feminism
President Biden may have signed new protections for LGBTQ people, but there’s anti-trans legislation being proposed in over a dozen states—and trans and gender-nonconforming people still face dangerous realities everyday.
January 25, 2021
The radical act of rest
This week feels like go time. “There is so much to get done in this new administration,” Brittany Packnett Cunningham says in this week’s episode of UNDISTRACTED. “Let’s get moving. Everyone is talking about what we need to get done in the first hundred days.”
January 8, 2021
Special: Brittany Packnett Cunningham & America Ferrera
It was a week of whiplash: the jubilation of victories in Georgia followed by the toxicity of a white-power insurrection at the Capitol. So if you’re trying to process it all—trying to figure out how much joy we can feel in the face of all this un-joyous madness—well, so are we.
December 15, 2020
Justice for Mothers in 2021: Come learn what’s ahead
The U.S. has the highest maternal death rate in the developed world, and Black and Indigenous moms are hit the hardest, dying at rates that are far higher than their white counterparts. The majority of these deaths are preventable...
December 7, 2020
Reproductive Rights and Justice in 2021: Come learn what’s ahead
The election is behind us—but abortion access, reproductive justice and maternal health are still on the line, and will be front and center in 2021. With a record number of recent conservative appointments to the federal judiciary and the most conservative Supreme Court...
November 24, 2020
Rebecca Traister on why we’re afraid of full-grown women
This week is heavy on contradiction. With news of a COVID-19 vaccine on the horizon, we’re facing a record surge in cases. As pie photos flood Instagram, food insecurity across the country is spiking, with women and children, particularly BIPOC families, hit hardest.
November 13, 2020
How Black women won the election
America has emerged from Election Week, and two things are clear: One, we saw massive, record, historic turnout with more people voting in this election than in any in over 100 years. (You did that.) And two, the victory for the Biden-Harris ticket—a ticket that breaks a 231-year run of white male…
October 29, 2020
Listen now to our new podcast: UNDISTRACTED
If you’re getting this email, it’s because you signed up to hear more about The Meteor. And hello! We’re a group of creative people using the power of storytelling, journalism and art to advance gender and racial equity.