Politics

Dearest Meteor readers,

Wishing you a happy Women’s History Month…or at least an informative one. This month-long holiday was established in 1987, in the thick of the Reagan era—another historical moment of backlash against feminism. May we take the missteps and thrilling victories of ‘80s feminists to heart.

In today’s newsletter, we lay out what to expect tonight during Trump’s speech to Congress (whether or not you actually tune in). Plus, a rare display of spine by moderate Democrats, and a few ways to make Mikey Madison’s support for sex workers more tangible.

Re-reading Susan Faludi,

Nona Willis Aronowitz

WHAT'S GOING ON

• State of disunion: Trump will address a joint session of Congress tonight, which raises the question of how we react to these Big Presidential Moments from our not-presidential-at-all dictator. Democrats hope to turn a rote presidential custom into a flashpoint. Some of them are boycotting the event, like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Sen. Chris Murphy (CT), who called the speech a “MAGA pep rally.” Others have invited an array of citizens already hurt by Trump’s policies—including fired federal workers. Sen. Chuck Schumer (NY) invited Alissa Ellman, a disabled Army veteran who was recently fired from the Veterans Affairs Department in Buffalo. “I hope people will understand that these are actual human beings and not just numbers that we can sort of strike arbitrarily,” Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), whose guest is a fired architect at Valley Forge National Park named Jessica Malarik Fair, told the New York Times. Some Democratic lawmakers are floating more raucous ideas, like noisemakers, empty egg cartons, pointedly timed walkouts, and protest signs in the spirit of Rep. Rashida Tlaib.

  So, what to expect tonight? Trump will likely try to orchestrate a “big moment” or two; he relishes a prime-time audience and often resorts to shocking statements as a distraction tactic. Don’t take the bait. Stay focused on the substance of his policies’ havoc: his DOGE takeover, his tariffs, his border crackdown, his anti-DEI moves, his persecution of trans people, his disregard for the checks and balances that make democracy work. Or, feel free to ding Trump’s ratings by skipping the speech altogether. There’s plenty of counterprogramming to keep you in the loop, from the State of the People marathon to the “Calling BS” livestream to the blitz of progressive digital creators, from Liz Plank to Deja Foxx, slated to cover the speech from Capitol Hill.

• Keep reading: We’ll see you at our International Women’s Day Meet the Moment event this Saturday, March 8, yes? Don’t miss our Banned Book reading, in which powerhouses like Emmy Rossum, Glory Edim, Stephanie Pacheco, and Jamia Wilson will read excerpts from crucial, classic books that have been banned. Last year’s readings included This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki, Sold by Patricia McCormick, and Wilson’s own Young, Gifted, and Black. Here’s the rest of the 2025 speaker lineup, which includes the announcement of the brand-new organization Future Forward Women and much more.

  AND:

• Finally, a little bravery from our beleaguered Senate Democrats! Every single one of them put up a united front last night when they voted down a bill banning transgender women and girls from girls’ school sports teams. This unanimous opposition was not a sure thing; activists and reporters had their eyes on swing-state senators like Jon Ossoff and John Fetterman, who recently joined Republicans in taking away undocumented immigrants’ due process rights and, it was feared, could abandon trans kids too. But even Fetterman—not exactly a progressive hero—said in a statement that these are “just schoolchildren” and that the “small handful of trans athletes in PA in a political maelstrom deserve an ally, and I am one.”

• In her speech accepting the best actress award for Anora, Mikey Madison made sure to “recognize and honor the sex worker community,” adding that “I will continue to support and be an ally.” Wondering how you can support sex workers if you don’t have an Oscar statuette? Donate to organizations working to decriminalize sex work on the state level. Volunteer with or give to the many local groups that distribute mutual aid, offer legal support, and provide harm reduction supplies like condoms and Narcan. Trans sex workers are extra-vulnerable, particularly now.

• A Chinese factory gave its workers an ultimatum: get hitched and have babies, or leave. No, seriously: “If you cannot get married and start a family” by September 30, an internal memo from Shandong Shuntian Chemical Group read, “the company will terminate your labor contract.” It wasn’t the first attempt by a Chinese company to dictate their employees’ love and sex lives, amid a steep decline in the country’s birth and marriage rates. (What do we think are the odds that DOGE’s next email demands the same? JD Vance, I believe this is your lane?)

BILLIONAIRE EX-WRESTLING EXECUTIVE LINDA MCMAHON. (VIA GETTY IMAGES)

• Brand-new education secretary Linda McMahon, shortly after being confirmed yesterday, sent an ominous message to her employees laying out the department’s “final mission.” McMahon, who has never worked as an educator, wrote that her “vision is aligned with the President’s: to send education back to the states.” One worker called the email a “power grab” in The Guardian; another said it made them “realize that I have three bosses that are billionaires that know nothing about improving performance for America’s students.” The email comes on the heels of reports that Trump is planning to issue an executive order eliminating the Department of Education altogether, though (whether he knows it or not) he can’t actually do so without Congress’s approval.

• If you’ve uttered a lot of “Oh, fucks” and “Goddamit”s in your life, especially in the last six weeks, here’s a nice update: New research shows that cursing is linked to increased tolerance to pain (both physical and social), stronger social bonds, and better memory. Pretty fucking amazing.

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Happy Tuesday, Meteor readers,

Before we get into the news of the day, one important question: Have you filled out our survey yet? It’s the best way to take our relationship to the next level. Think of it like calling your senator, but more fun!

In today’s newsletter, it’s confirmation time again, and we’re at the edge of our seats. Plus, some pardons you may have missed.

Serving surveys,

Shannon Melero

WHAT'S GOING ON

Maybe say no this time?: Tomorrow the Senate confirmation hearings begin for Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who is in line to become the next Secretary of Health and Human Services. This guy is a sack of contradictions: Before he became a Trump loyalist, RFK, Jr. was an environmentalist warning consumers about the dangers of pesticides and a co-founder of the Waterkeeper Alliance. Cool. But he also led an anti-vaccine advocacy group and has repeatedly spouted theories that go against longstanding science and medical research. His greatest hits include: Wi-Fi causes cancer, chemicals in water cause “sexual dysphoria” in children, and HIV is not the sole cause of AIDS. (Tell that to this French virologist.) So he’s not exactly suited for any job at Health and Human Services, let alone the top one.

Of course, he wouldn’t be a Trump nominee if there wasn’t also an allegation of sexual assault dangling over his head. During RFK, Jr.’s bid for president, as we’ve reported before, his family’s former nanny Eliza Cooney alleged that he groped her multiple times in the late 1990s. The Washington Post also reported today that RFK Jr.’s cousin, Caroline Kennedy, spoke out against his nomination, calling him a “predator” who targeted parents of sick children. In a letter to lawmakers denouncing her cousin, Kennedy added that HHS employees “deserve a stable, moral, and ethical person at the helm of this crucial agency. They deserve better than Bobby Kennedy—and so do the rest of us.”

In other words, senators will yet again be sitting down with an unqualified and potentially dangerous white man to assess whether or not he is fit to have a job that the average American and 24,000 physicians can plainly see he cannot do. But there is still some hope here.

Last week’s confirmation of alleged abuser Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense was a 50/50 vote, with Vice President J.D. Vance casting the tie-breaker. If every Democrat and even a small handful of Republican senators vote no on Kennedy, then the confirmation won’t pass. (Here are all the members of the Senate Finance Committee, if you’re wondering who to call.) A report from the Wall Street Journal has already identified two GOP senators who could go either way on the vote: pro-vaccine senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and James Lankford (R-OK), an anti-abortion senator who’s wary of RFK, Jr.’s previously pro-choice stance. Polio survivor Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has also warned that any nominee should “steer clear” of undermining the polio vaccine and reportedly refused to meet with RFK, Jr. Even Mike Pence is opposed to this appointment, and it’s infuriating that any of us have to agree with Mike Pence on anything.

To those senators still on the fence, I also have to ask: Is approving this man worth the message it sends to the millions of women like Eliza Cooney who have to sit and watch their abusers continue to rise? As Cooney put it: “We can do better.”

AND:

• Since we’re on the topic of not giving men jobs they shouldn’t have, let’s talk about the Wisconsin Supreme Court election. This April, a seat will be opening up on the bench in the cheese state, and two judges are in the running. The first is Susan Crawford, a circuit court judge who, during her time as an attorney, represented Planned Parenthood in the fight for abortion access in the state. On the other hand, there’s Brad Schimel, a “tough on crime” candidate who is in favor of enforcing Wisconsin’s 1849 abortion ban, which is currently on hold until the state high court can weigh in. Wisconsinites, you literally have all the power here, so mark it on your calendars right now: Election Day is April 1.

• The situation is growing increasingly grim for immigrants in the United States. In the last week, ICE has carried out a number of raids across the country, including in Puerto Rico,  resulting in around 2,000 arrests. At least one of these raids was reportedly conducted without a warrant. Adding to the fear many immigrant communities are facing is the end of humanitarian parole programs, which allowed temporary legal status to anyone fleeing violence in their home countries, some of whom had sponsors in the U.S. Overnight, those who held humanitarian visas were recategorized as “undocumented” and are now vulnerable to detention and deportation.

• As the legal fight over birthright citizenship takes shape, pregnant women are increasingly at the forefront. Women in Maryland, Massachusetts, and Washington are suing the Trump administration for its attempts to render their children “a citizen of nothing,” as one plaintiff, a pregnant woman from Venezuela named Monica, put it. As of today, the executive order that could undo birthright citizenship is being temporarily blocked by several state AGs who also filed lawsuits.

• Last week, during the maelstrom of executive orders and proclamations, you may have missed that Donald Trump also pardoned 23 people who were found guilty of harassing and attacking patients outside of abortion clinics. One of those people was Lauren Handy, who was sentenced to five years in prison for blockading a Washington abortion clinic in 2020 and who was notoriously caught hoarding multiple fetuses in her refrigerator.

• If you, like me, keep forgetting what day it is, then boy, do I have some amazing news for you. Tonight is the first installment of Real Housewives of New York’s two-part reunion, where we get to witness franchise history as Jenna Fuckin’ Lyons shows up to the reunion in a literal bathrobe and hair towel. This is the only thing keeping me going right now.

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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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