“I Felt Like a Piece of Meat”

Greetings, Meteor readers,

Today, someone on my Instagram feed noted that we are nine weeks away from Christmas, and somehow, that feels a little too close for comfort. I mean, who’s trying to go holiday shopping after we step out of the voting booth? Anyone? No?

In today’s newsletter, a new woman has stepped forward to accuse Trump of sexual violence. Plus, troubling pre-election lawsuits, farewell to a true gem, and your weekend reading list.

This year was ten minutes long,

Shannon Melero

WHAT’S GOING ON

Another day, another Trump accuser: During this week’s Survivors for Kamala Zoom call, Stacey Williams, a former Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Hall of Fame model, shared that in 1993, she had been groped by Donald Trump while she was visiting Trump Tower with Jeffrey Epstein. Williams alleges that Trump touched her breasts, waist, and butt while he and Epstein continued to chat and smile at each other. “I felt shame and disgust as [Jeffrey] and I went our separate ways,” Williams told The Guardian. “I had this horrible pit in my stomach that it was somehow orchestrated. I felt like a piece of meat.” A spokesperson for Trump called the allegations “unequivocally false” and a “fake story.”

Williams is part of a growing group of at least 26 women who have accused the former president and now-candidate of sexual misconduct or abuse. (Trump continues to deny any wrongdoing, but last year, he was found liable for sexually abusing E. Jean Carroll by a court of law.)

There are many things to say about these new charges—which you can watch Williams recount here—but one is: It is simply not normal that so few people are talking about them. Back in 2016, the release of audio of Trump bragging about sexual assault felt like a seismic turning point in the race. (Trump even apologized, which seems unthinkable now.) But eight years and dozens of allegations later, Trump’s behavior towards women is often treated less as a dealbreaker and more as a bothersome personality trait—well, that’s Trump, he’s a creep, move on! 

Still, in other ways, we’ve made some progress: In 2024, sexual assault victims are more likely to be taken seriously than they used to be (certainly more so than in 1999, when only a third of the public believed Juanita Broaddrick’s story of Bill Clinton raping her). More people believe women, it seems. Now all we have to do is get people to care.

AND:

• Over the last month, the Israeli government has reportedly cut off nearly all aid to northern Gaza, including food, water, and medicine—even preventing medical workers from bringing blood bags into a Gaza hospital. The Israeli blockade remains in place despite the Biden administration having threatened to withhold military support if Gazan civilians weren’t given aid.

• If you’ve been counting down the days until the election is over so you don’t have to keep discussing it, I’ve got some bad news: Groups of right-wing extremists and election deniers have already filed multiple lawsuits in several swing states alleging unlawful voting and “problematic election procedures.” (On the bright side, here are some reasons that these baseless lawsuits will probably fail, courtesy of Jamelle Bouie.)

• Two years ago, Louisiana mom Kaitlyn Joshua struggled to get care (and straight answers) while she was miscarrying. Her experience led her to join Cecile Richards and others in co-creating Abortion in America, a national oral-history effort documenting the impact of abortion bans on American lives. And you can hear her on this week’s episode of UNDISTRACTED, where she and host Brittany Packnett Cunningham get into all of it, and hilariously take down Louisiana’s attorney general (who is, they decide, “not a girl’s girl”).

• One of the oldest reproducing female grizzly bears in Yellowstone Park died this week at the ripe old age of 28. The famous bear, known as 399, produced 18 cubs and was widely adored by thousands. Sadly, it was her proximity to humans that killed 399: She was struck by a car in Jackson, WY. A wildlife guide said of the grizzly, “There will be other bears, but there will never be another 399.” 😭

THE QUEEN OF THE TETONS, 399, PLAYING WITH SOME OF HER CUBS IN 2020 (VIA GETTY IMAGES) 

WEEKEND READING 📚

On keeping the fight alive: The women of Afghanistan have fallen out of Western headlines, but they’re still marching on the streets of Kabul. (The Persistent)

On the newest political force: Parents are tired of being invisible to candidates, and they’re finally speaking up about it. (The 19th)

On the woman behind the man: How do we better understand Usha Vance, an intelligent, successful woman of color married to a borderline white supremacist? Irin Carmon investigates. (The Cut)

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