For all those badasses trying to catch up on the headlines, here are a few highlights from the past week. As always, join in the conversation using #TheFemWord and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. #FemNews
1. Not only did badass New York gubernatorial candidate Cynthia Nixon hold her own in a heated, televised debate against incumbent Andrew Cuomo on August 29th … she also requested the temperature of the debate hall be held at 76 degrees because arctic office temperature are “notoriously sexist” -- newsflash: they are.
2. It's Back to School and anyone who has been through those hallways knows it can feel like a battleground, especially for girls. This middle school in Texas took the summer to paint these beautiful murals on the bathroom stalls to convey positive messages and give kids' confidence a boost.
3. August 26 was Women’s Equality Day, which celebrates the anniversary of women in the United States getting the right to vote through the Nineteenth Amendment. While we are still working on full equality for all women, it's important to recognize the badass women of the suffrage movement who helped pave the way for where we are today and where we’re headed.
4. Hey, French Open -- your dress codes are sexist and we know it. After this year’s French Open, French Tennis Federation president Bernard Guidicelli announced a new dress code would be enacted, singling out Serena Williams for going “too far.”
Williams competed wearing a black “catsuit,” which she must wear to avoid the blood clots she has struggled with since giving birth to her daughter. So what does Serena do? Show up at the U.S. Open in a black tutu because she’s the queen of tennis and clapping back. #badass
5. Speaking of dress codes… this California school just told body policing to take a hike. As of this school year, students will be allowed to wear whatever they want, including short shorts and tank tops, without fear of repercussions.
The decision was made to change the school’s policy primarily because girls are more often the targets of unfair dress codes, resulting in body shaming, harsh punishments, and outright misogyny. What will the new policy do? Promote learning and gender equality… sounds badass!
Finally, August 31 will mark twenty-one years since the tragic passing of Princess Diana of Wales. Dubbed “the people’s princess,” Princess Diana was a remarkable woman known for her kindness and activism. Thank you for your example, Diana, and for showing us how to break the rules in the classiest ways possible.
Header photo by Unsplash
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