The most important election this year?

February 21, 2023

Plus, the political power of period stains ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

February 21, 2023

Salutations, Meteor readers,

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yesterday was President’s Day. And that’s fine (though personally, we have some notes). But today is National Pancake Day, which is a LOT more fun to celebrate. Why don’t we get today off work instead? Imagine the parties.

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 (and that I hope all our Cheesehead readers will be voting in.)

But first: the news.

Passing the syrup,

Bailey Wayne Hundl

WHAT’S GOING ON

U.S. SENATOR JOHN FETTERMAN (PHOTO BY ALEX WONG/GETTY IMAGES)

In praise of political honesty: On February 15, U.S. Senator John Fetterman (D-Pa.) checked himself into the hospital to receive care for clinical depression. As his chief of staff Adam Jentleson said in a statement, “While John has experienced depression off and on throughout his life, it only became severe in recent weeks.” Last year on the campaign trail, the official also suffered a near-fatal stroke, a medical event which has been shown to drastically increase depression.

Fetterman’s courageous openness about his hospitalization signals a shift in the image elected officials are willing to show to the public. Traditionally, the tacit expectation has been for politicians to conceal their humanity and hide anything that could be perceived as a weakness. It wasn’t that long ago that Hilary Clinton was lambasted for having the audacity to have pneumonia.

And mental health is a whole ‘nother story. For comparison, consider fellow PA senator Bob Casey’s prostate cancer diagnosis just last January. You probably didn’t even hear about it; it received far less media coverage than Fetterman. And on February 14—the day before Fetterman went into the hospital—Casey announced he had received treatment. No media hubbub, no thinkpieces. He had a medical issue and it was handled.

By showing the type of vulnerability he isn’t supposed to, Fetterman rewrites the script for what it means to be a politician, what it means to be well, and what illnesses deserve to be taken seriously. He makes space for anyone struggling with depression who might be too afraid to get the help they need. And trust me, that’s a good thing—don’t you want the person flying your plane or transplanting your kidney to have their mental health cared for?

This is a meaningful change, and it’s not an isolated one. Just in this last month, Jacinda Ardern and Nicola Sturgeon both stepped down from public office (New Zealand Prime Minister and Scottish First Minister, respectively) and were honest about the reason: burnout. Hopefully we see this shift towards openly acknowledging our own capacity continue and extend to all areas of our worker-first, human-second, capitalist hellscape culture. Because if the leaders of our country can ask for help with depression and burnout, guess what: So can we.

Democracy on the ballot: Wisconsin has its primary election today. Among other things on the ballot: the seventh seat on the state’s Supreme Court—a seat which will be instrumental in determining not just the future of abortion rights in Wisconsin, but the future of the whole state for years to come.

For the last 14 years, the Court’s conservative justices have held a 4-3 majority. And in that time, they’ve used their power on everything from union busting to voter restriction. But with the departure of conservative Justice Patience Roggensack, the incoming judge has a huge opportunity to change this trajectory.

The Court is currently poised to hear a lawsuit against the state’s current abortion ban (written in 1849!). And though this is technically a nonpartisan race, the four options on Tuesday’s ballot—two conservative and two liberal—have made it clear which way they would rule. (Protasiewicz and Mitchell both listed Dobbs as the worst Supreme Court decision they’ve seen in the past 30 years; Dorow and Kelly have been endorsed by Wisconsin Right to Life.)

The generally moderate battleground state has been held in a stranglehold by its conservative legislature, and that conservative legislature has been supported by the Court’s conservative majority. But with this election, that could all change. Several upcoming issues hang in the balance—not only abortion, but Republican gerrymandering, the certification of future presidential elections, and so much more.

The top two candidates will be chosen today and move on to a final match-up in April. If you live in Wisconsin, please make sure you are registered to vote and show up to the polls.

AND:

Last night, CNN released a devastating investigative report covering the clandestine torture facilities set up by the Iranian regime to quell the protests following the death of Mahsa Amini, who died in police custody after being arrested for not wearing a hijab. (Please be warned: It’s graphic.) The lengths this regime will go to are horrific, but it shows that they are deeply threatened by the power these protests wield—and they should be.

Not all heroes wear capes; sometimes they wear period-stained white suits. Kenyan senator Gloria Orwoba, who has been campaigning for the government to provide free menstrual products, protested by wearing a stained white suit to a plenary session last week. She was asked to leave, and has since found herself at the epicenter of targeted online harassment. But Sen. Orwoba isn’t having it—in order to make change, she says, “it is important to dare to be shameless.” PREACH! You can learn more about “period poverty” in this informative article from Teen Vogue.

Another earthquake hit Turkey on Monday, just two weeks after the February 6 quake that took tens of thousands of lives. At least six people have been confirmed dead and hundreds more have been injured. You can help those who have been affected by all the quakes here.

Queer 90s rap icon Da Brat revealed today that she is pregnant, at 48 years old. It has yet to be determined whether or not her baby will be best friends with Rihanna’s, but sources* say almost certainly. (*Sources: me.)

The Black Trans Liberation organization hosted a “Trans Day of Love” event at Judson Memorial Church in Manhattan last Wednesday. The event featured several trans performers of color (and a fuzzy blue hat that I need to borrow ASAP). Make sure you’re following them because there’s a lot more trans joy where that came from.