Survivors Rush the NFL
  November 18, 2025 Greetings, Meteor readers, For the first time ever, I am making a pie from scratch for Thanksgiving (#humblebrag), and when I tell you it’s the most important thing in my life right now, I’m not exaggerating. If you’d like to see the end product and watch an hour-by-hour live cam of me breaking down over dough lamination, subscribe to my Pietreon.  In today’s newsletter, we’re looking at something bigger than any Super Bowl commercial you’ve ever seen. Plus, please stop lying to Michelle Obama. Slicing butter, Shannon Melero  WHAT'S GOING ONImpossible to miss: Yesterday, during Monday Night Football—a broadcast that averages 15 million views per game—a video aired as part of a commercial break in the fourth quarter of the Cowboys-Raiders game. It featured several survivors who were abused by Jeffrey Epstein, speaking straight to camera. In the one-minute video, a group of eight women hold up photos of themselves as teenagers and repeat a chilling sentence: “This is me when I met Jeffrey Epstein.” The video was part of a campaign created by World Without Exploitation, an anti-trafficking group that is pleading with Congress to release all of the Epstein files and bring survivors one step closer to some semblance of justice. Today, they were heard: The House voted almost unanimously in favor of passing the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which would compel the Justice Department to make public all files relating to the Epstein investigation. Only one Republican, Rep. Clay Higgins (LA) voted against.  SOME OF THE WOMEN FEATURED IN MONDAY NIGHT'S PSA (SCREENSHOT VIA WORLD WITHOUT EXPLOITATION) “There was so much emotion and excitement, but we all also recognize that this is the beginning of another fight…as this heads to the Senate,” Rachel Foster, World Without Exploitation co-founder and board chair, tells The Meteor. “The survivors have gotten their hopes up many times only to see inaction, and they hope that this time there will be some accountability at the end of a long road.” At press time, senators have not yet committed to even bringing the bill to the floor, although this could change. Much of the debate and chatter over the files has been centered on the high-profile men who could potentially be named as complicit in Epstein’s crimes, and who popped up in the emails released last week (for an exhaustive look at everything and everyone there, don’t miss Sami Sage’s extremely deep dive). But seeing the faces of survivors so visibly has shifted the conversation. Football fans know that the nickname of the Dallas Cowboys is “America’s Team,” and it doesn’t escape notice that it was this game in particular that carried the PSA. The Cowboys organization as a whole is built on a certain interpretation of Americana culture—from its Texan cowboy iconography to its perfect cheerleaders and, of course, to its racist oil baron owner, Jerry Jones. Everything about “America’s Team” is designed to sell an American image that doesn’t exist. What does exist is a country that has turned such a determinedly blind eye to sex crimes against children that there needs to be a years-long national debate over whether it's more important to protect the people who knew about it than it is to stand up for those who were harmed. But Monday night’s PSA and this afternoon’s vote made it abundantly clear: the truth will find us, wherever we are. AND:
 SOME OF THE INDIGENOUS CLIMATE ACTIVISTS WHO GATHERED IN BELEM OVER THE WEEKEND TO PROTEST "FALSE SOLUTIONS" AT COP30 (VIA GETTY IMAGES)
 THE GLOW OF A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN UNBURDENED BY LIVING IN THE WHITE HOUSE. (VIA GETTY IMAGES)
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Survivors Want Accountability
  November 13, 2025 Greetings, Meteor readers, Please sign our petition to get villains back on Survivor because, honestly…we need them.  In today’s newsletter, we’re over the E word. Plus, a surprise from the conservatives on SCOTUS and your weekend reading list. The tribe is speaking, Shannon Melero  WHAT'S GOING ONBut his emails: Folks, when I tell you I never thought such a large portion of my adult life would revolve around the emails of strangers. But here we all are! Yesterday, a new series of Jeffrey Epstein’s emails started dripping out like drops from a corroded faucet, and many of them mentioned Donald Trump. The emails are part of a dump of roughly 20,000 documents that the House Oversight Committee made public. Headlines are swirling and screenshots are being posted, but we are here to encourage you to read the available emails yourselves, because there is going to be a lot of spin in the coming days. When you do, you’ll see lines like, “of course he knew about the girls” and “I know how dirty Donald is.” Are these the mysterious Epstein Files we’ve all been waiting for? Not quite. The Department of Justice still has a ton more documents, and lawmakers are deciding what to do with the rest. After an intense pressure campaign from Democrats, Speaker Mike Johnson said he would be bringing the matter to a vote in the House next week. While a few Republicans are eager to have the Files nightmare be over and favor releasing them, the push would still face an uphill battle in the Senate, where the bill would need 60 votes to pass. So, where does that leave the public, and more importantly, where does this leave survivors of Epstein’s crimes? In the same position as usual, waiting for justice. Danielle Bensky, a young woman who was abused by Epstein, told CNN, “Survivors have been clear and consistent about our messaging, anyone who has done harm should face accountability….the only way we’re going to be able to do that is by releasing all of the files from the government.” AND:
  WEEKEND READING 📚On not going to work: Young people are getting beat out for entry-level jobs…by AI. (Intelligencer) On lust and legislation: Has the political upheaval of the last year changed how women feel about their bodies? Just a bit! (TCF Emails) On failing up: Remember Theranos founder and convicted girlboss Elizabeth Holmes? Well, the MAHA movement sure does. (Politico)  FOLLOW THE METEOR Thank you for reading The Meteor! Got this from a friend? |
The Other Epstein List
  July 15, 2025 Greetings, Meteor readers, I finally took some time to listen to Justin Bieber’s new album, “Swag,” and here’s my takeaway: It’s JB’s “The Tortured Poets Department.” I will not be elaborating any further. Thank you for your time. In today’s newsletter, we’re thinking about the Epstein list…the other list. Plus, a huge blow to the Board of Education, and some bisexual erasure. Unerasable, Shannon Melero  WHAT'S GOING ONDon’t forget about them: For the last few weeks, the hot argument on the block is what to do about the so-called Epstein files, which, depending on who you ask, may or may not include a “celebrity client list.” Politicians have been waiting breathlessly for the Justice Department to release the files, but it all came to naught when U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi released a report filled with almost no new information and definitely no client list. Some are already calling for her to be fired, while others point the finger at FBI Director Kash Patel and his deputy, Dan Bongino, for not doing enough to release the findings. Meantime, one demand is uniting the Republicans and the Democrats: They all want to see the client list. But here’s the list that we’re paying attention to:  For too long, the story of Jeffrey Epstein has centered on the network of powerful men said to have benefited from his alleged crimes—which include abusing and trafficking young girls for sex acts with the help of his girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell. Men like Prince Andrew, Alan Dershowitz, Kevin Spacey, and, of course, Donald Trump himself are all suspected “clients” of Epstein’s services (and all have denied participating in any criminal activity). One civil lawsuit filed in 2014 alleged that Epstein brokered sex with “American politicians, powerful business executives,” and other world leaders. Some of the named men have seen minimal repercussions—Prince Andrew was stripped of his royal duties, although he continued to conduct business in the private sector—while others have made it out scot-free. For her part, Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year sentence after a jury found her guilty of five counts of sex trafficking of a minor and conspiracy. But largely missing from the discourse around the Epstein files is what politicians actually plan to do with the information in them, besides shame their political enemies. Are they thinking about how to help the victims, some as young as 11 years old at the time, who were allegedly exploited, sexually assaulted, and held captive by Epstein and his associates? There have been financial settlements over the years: In 2021, the Epstein Victims’ Compensation Fund finished paying out $121 million to more than 135 people, and some of Epstein’s victims settled with JPMorgan Chase Bank for $290 million after suing the institution for facilitating abuse. But financial restitution is not full justice, and for some women, like the late Virginia Giuffre, there may never be a full, honest accounting of just how much damage was done. So while the client list is important to politicians as a prop in political theater, for the women who were abused, it may very well be meaningful in a different way: as a tool that makes it harder for doubters to say This never happened to you. That may not be the thing on the mind of most lawmakers right now; for too many, the victims are an afterthought. But to us, right now, they are the only thought. AND:
 GIBSON AND FALLEY AT THE SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL EARLIER THIS YEAR. (VIA GETTY IMAGES)
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"My Life Has Been on Standby"
  February 20, 2025 Greetings, Meteor readers, It came to my attention this morning that we are pretty much at the end of February. This is terrible news. It’s not that I don’t like March; I’m just utterly unprepared for its two major holidays: Women’s March Madness and Ramadan. Selection Sunday is less than a month away, and I will be hosting another Meteor bracket. My bestie, Em, the Meteor’s reigning champion, will be defending their crown, so start thinking about your picks. Glory and a Meteor tote are on the line.  In today’s newsletter, we are headed to Spain for the verdict in the Luis Rubiales case. Plus, a moment of silence for a four-legged hero, another sneaky attack on abortion rights, and your weekend reading list. Prayin’ and parlayin’, Shannon Melero  WHAT'S GOING ONCulpado: Luis Rubiales, the former president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), has been found guilty of sexually assaulting Jennifer Hermoso during the 2023 World Cup. As a refresher, during the gold medal ceremony that year, Rubiales handed the medal to Hermoso, grabbed her by the back of the neck, and forcibly kissed her on the mouth in the middle of an international live broadcast. Despite Hermoso’s obvious shock—and her statement that she didn’t like it—the moment was downplayed by the RFEF, Spain’s coach, and eventually Hermoso herself. Accusations of pressure and coercion quickly swirled—in fact, Rubiales was also charged with coercion for allegedly pressuring Hermoso to say the kiss was consensual, though he was acquitted of that charge. At the time, I wrote about the way The Kiss was a visual manifestation of what Spain’s women’s team had endured from RFEF in the lead-up to its first World Cup win—including an oppressive work environment perpetuated by the team’s coach, Jorge Vilda. Vilda and two other employees from the Federation were also charged with coercion but ultimately acquitted. Vilda is now the coach of Morocco’s women’s national team. When I heard the news that Rubiales was guilty, I felt a jolt of happiness that was immediately replaced by the question so many soccer fans and players continue to ask themselves: What will it take to make the beautiful game a safe one for all athletes?  HERMOSO DURING A MATCH LAST FALL. (VIA GETTY IMAGES) While this guilty verdict is a victory, the consequences are small. Rubiales will not be seeing any jail time; his punishment is paying a €10,800 fine and being banned from coming within 200 meters of Hermoso. The verdict is also a drop in the bucket: Abuse is rampant in women’s soccer, everywhere from the international level to U.S. Soccer to youth leagues. It’s taking years—and in the case of the U.S. Women’s National Team, 20 years—for these tiny measures of justice to be handed out, and yet governing bodies refuse to act with the urgency the state of women’s soccer demands. In fact, just four days after The Kiss, the RFEF actually threatened to sue Hermoso and other players on the team who had signed a letter asking that Rubiales be fired from his position. Meanwhile, Jenni Hermoso still has to work under the governance of RFEF and FIFA, which is contending with its own bevy of controversies. Her first World Cup gold is tainted, and what should have been a glorious experience instead links her forever with at man who assaulted her. “I’m a world champion but it seems that even to this day my life has been on standby,” Hermoso told the court during the trial. “I haven’t been able to live freely.” AND:
 TOO PRECIOUS FOR THIS EARTH. (VIA GETTY IMAGES)
 WEEKEND READING 📚On essential data: Rates of sepsis have gone up in Texas since the overturn of Roe. But the state doesn’t want you to know that. (ProPublica) On the money train: There is a way to stop Elon Musk and his made-up job. But it comes with a hefty price tag. (The Intercept) On going under the knife: One of the most dangerous states to give birth in is continuing to give first-time moms unnecessary C-sections. (Mississippi Today)  FOLLOW THE METEOR     Thank you for reading The Meteor! Got this from a friend? |
