Feminist Weekly December 23
News clippings and #FeministWins curated by Contributing News Editor Annie Wu Henry, The Recount, and Good Good Good Co. From feel good news to headliners keeping you on the pulse. Here is the round up for the week!
ICYMI
Survivors of Nassar abuse were awarded a $380 mln settlement with USA Gymnastics.
A $380 million settlement has been made to compensate the survivors of Larry Nassar, the former doctor for the U.S. women's gymnastics team. The settlement comes after a 5-year legal battle that the survivors brought against the USA Gymnastics governing body, U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee. According to court filings, more than 500 victims sought compensation, including high profile figures like Olympic gold medalists Simone Biles, Aly Raisman and McKayla Maroney. "USA Gymnastics is deeply sorry for the trauma and pain that Survivors have endured as a result of this organization's actions and inactions," USAG President and CEO Li Li Leung said in a statement. In addition to the financial compensation, the settlement also includes USA Gymnastics (USAG) and the Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) designating some of their board seats to survivors and agreement to implement other new policies that will work to protect athletes from future abuse. "This settlement is about the brave survivors who came forward, forced these organizations to listen, and demanded change," said Michelle Simpson Tuegel, who represents more than two dozen Nassar survivors, in a joint statement with Tasha Schwikert Moser, co-chair of the Survivors Creditors Committee. "Through this agreement, these survivors are finally being acknowledged and USAG and USOPC are being forced to change so that this sport can begin a new chapter," they said. (Via Reuters)
Olaf Scholz replaced Angela Merkel as Chancellor as Germay.
Olaf Scholz was sworn in as Germany's new Chancellor, which brought an end Angela Merkel's four terms leading the country that holds Europe's largest economy. Scholz, the leader of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), formed a three-party coalition with the Greens and pro-business Free Democrats (FDP), and he has positioned himself as a pragmatist, moderate and centrist. For the position, Scholz won the secret vote in the Parliament, which was expected after months of negotiations following the party's narrow victory in the federal elections that took place in early fall. (Via CNN)
Historical moment as first Black of New York City's new head of police dept takes position.
Keechant Sewell was been named to become New York City's next police comissioner. This will make her the first woman, and third Black person to lead the NYC police force, which is the largest in the nation. While campaigning, New York City Mayor-elect Eric Adams had promised that if elected he would hire a woman as commissioner. Adams, himself is a former New York police captain and introduced Sewell saying, “She’s the woman for the job. She carried with her throughout her career a sledgehammer and she crushed every glass ceiling that was put in her way. Today, she has crashed and destroyed the final one we need in New York City.” Sewell will begin the role on January 1, when Adams takes office. She said she will be “laser-focused on violent crime,” with a particular emphasis on gun crimes. "We are in a pivotal moment in New York as our city faces the twin challenge of public safety and police accountability. They are not mutually exclusive,” Sewell said after being introduced by Adams. (Via PBS)
Acclaimed author and pathbreaking feminist bell hooks passed away at 69.
Acclaimed feminist author bell hooks has died at the age of 69. Born Gloria Jean Watkins, she was raised in Kentucky and went on to dedicate her life to writing on Black identity, feminism and intersectionality. According to her family, hooks' pen name, was purposefully left lowercase as a tribute to her maternal great-grandmother Bell Blair Hooks. Her first published book was a book of poems called, "And There We Wept," being published in 1978. In 1981 she published what would be her most famous book, "Ain't I a Woman," which analyzed how the portrayal and understanding of Black women in modern media is a symptom of sexism and racism toward Black womanhood. "The family of bell hooks is sad to announce the passing of our sister, aunt, great aunt and great great aunt," said hooks' family in the statement. "The family is honored that Gloria received numerous awards, honors, and international fame for her works as poet, author, feminist, professor, cultural critic, and social activist. We are proud to just call her sister, friend, confidant, and influencer." The family has said that she had friends and family by her side at the time of her passing. (Via CBS)
#FeministWins
France inducted Josephine Baker into its Pantheon.
France inducted the American cabaret dancer, civil rights activist, and World War II spy Josephine Baker into its Pantheon. Baker was born in St. Louis in 1906 and then moved to France at 19. Upon moving, she quickly became success at the Theatre des Champs-Elysees stage, where she appeared topless in a show challenging racist stereotypes about African women. Baker is the first Black woman to receive the honor of a place where France's heroes are buried. "She embodies, before anything, women's freedom," said Laurent Kupferman. Kupferman was the one who wrote the petition that prompted President Emmanuel Macron to approve Baker's entry into the Pantheon. (Via AP)
A new plan called the Amazon Sacred Headwaters initiative proposes the protection of 80% of the Amazon in Peru and Ecuador by 2025, consisting of 35 million hectares (86 million acres) of rainforest. The Amazonian Indigenous organizations leading the plan aim to center Indigenous-led forest management and land tenure to protect endemic species and prevent approximately 2 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. According to reporting from Mongabay, the proposal has received positive responses from Ecuadoran and Peruvian government officials, but faces a stumbling block in the fact that both countries rely heavily on extractive industries operating within the Amazon to help pay off foreign debt. (Via Good Good Good)
Rewilding projects are multiplying in the U.K. in response to a growing awareness of the country’s serious loss of biodiversity. Britain as a whole ranked 189th out of 218 countries in the 2016 “State of Nature” report for the quality of its biodiversity and its natural condition. One of the most innovative projects now underway may be WildEast, which ambitiously hopes to rewild an area more than three times the size of New York City, creating interconnecting wild corridors across East Anglia, England's most intensely farmed region. The plan originated with three large estate owners, who, in addition to the commitment of their own lands, have already registered 1,000 “pledgees” for the project. However, some local residents, especially farmers, have complained that there is not enough consultation from the project. Even so, many East Anglia residents welcome the explosion in wildlife happening on the newly rewilded areas. (Via Good Good Good)
Canada has banned LGBTQ+ conversion therapy.
After two failed attempts, Canada has formally banned conversion therapy, making it illegal to provide, promote and profit off conversion therapy. The bill defines conversion therapy as any practice, treatment or service designed to change or repress a person's sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression and will go into effect on Jan. 7, 2022. "It's official: Our government's legislation banning the despicable and degrading practice of conversion therapy has received Royal Assent - meaning it is now law," tweeted Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. "LGBTQ2 Canadians, we'll always stand up for you and your rights." (Via NPR)
Swedish lawmakers re-elected the nation's 1st female prime minister.
Magdalena Andersson was reelected to be Sweden's prime minister. When Anderson was elected, she was Sweden's first female prime minister. However, after seven hours she resigned after her Green Party coalition partner dropped out of the two-party minority government over a budget defeat in parliament. The re-election victory was narrow, with 101 members of the 349-member Swedish parliament voting yes to Andersson, while 173 voted no and 75 abstained. According to Sweden's constitution, Andersson won the election because the majority did not vote against her. (Via NPR)
The 2022 BRIT Awards will feature all gender-neutral categories.
At the 2022 @brits, four traditionally gendered categories —male solo artist, female solo artist, international male solo artist and international female solo artist — will be replaced with two awards with no gender classification: artist of the year and international artist of the year. "It is important that The BRITs continue to evolve and aim to be as inclusive as possible," BRITs chair and Polydor Records Co-President Tom March said in a statement. "It feels completely the right time to celebrate the achievements of artists for the music that they create, and the work that they do, irrespective of gender." The BRITs also announced nominations will be extended to featured artist in the song of the year category — previously, only lead artists or named collaborators were given nominations. And they're adding four new genre awards to include more music styles: alternative/rock, hip-hop/grime/rap, dance, and pop/R&B. Separating award categories into genders leaves out artists that don't identify within the male-female binary. Plus, we love that a single award will recognize and honor the music and achievements of a single artist — however they identify. (Via Good Good Good)
AIDS-related deaths have declined by 60% since their peak in 2003.
Today is World AIDS Day! Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) interfere with the body’s immune system, increasing the risk of developing common infections. HIV/AIDS is a pandemic that, as of 2018, affects nearly 40 million people worldwide, leading to hundreds of thousands of deaths. Between the early 1980s — the time that AIDS was identified — and 2018, the disease caused an estimated 32 million deaths worldwide. Not only does HIV/AIDS have major health consequences, but it’s also closely associated with discrimination, including violence against HIV-infected individuals. There is no cure or vaccine (yet), but thanks to medical advances, treatment can slow the course of the disease and may lead to a near-normal life expectancy. And organizations like @red have led the way in advocacy and fundraising that have led to a dramatic decrease in deaths worldwide. AIDS-related deaths have declined by 60% since their peak in 2003, and the number of babies born each day with HIV has declined by more than two-thirds since 2000. (Via Good Good Good)
Chile became the 31st country in the world to pass marriage equality.
By an overwhelming majority, Chile's Congress has approved same-sex marriage. The passing of this legislation will make the country the 31st country worldwide and the 8th Latin American country to legalize marriage equality. Both houses of Chile's Congress authorized the measure with an indication of the president's support. President Sebastián Piñera, who is poised to leave office in March, opposed the legislation for years, however, six months ago, the conservative leader indicated he'd changed his position on the issue paving the way for Congress to act. "I think the time has come to guarantee that freedom and that dignity to all people," Piñera said in an annual speech to Congress on June 1. "I think the time has come for marriage equality in our country." The country currently has laws in place that allow same-sex couples to unite as of 2015. However, the new law will extend full parental rights to same sex parents, expand spousal benefits and adoption rights for married same-sex couples. President Piñera is expected to sign the newly passed legislation into law. (Via NPR)
Gambians voted in the first presidential election since its former dictator's exile.
The African nation of Gambia had its first presidential election since 2017 when its former dictator went into exile. The previous dictator, Yahya Jammeh took power in a coup in 1994 and went on to serve a presidency characterized by human rights abuses and widespread corruption. The current President Adama Barrow won the election against Jammeh in 2016, however Jammeh did not accept the results, in an attempt to remain in power, and then fled to Equatorial Guinea when neighboring countries eventually threatened military intervention to oust him. Now, voters went to the polls to cast their ballots for one of the 6 candidates, including Barrow and Mama Kandeh, who is supported by a political faction that is still loyal to Jammeh. (Via AP)
Good #GivingTuesday news! This year, millions of people around the world participated in the biggest day of generosity of the year. In the U.S. alone, GivingTuesday Data Commons announced that an estimated 35 million people (!!) participated by giving, volunteering, or donating in some other way — a 6% increase over 2020. And people donated a record $2.7 billion — a 9% increase over Giving Tuesday in 2020, and a 37% increase over 2019. In the announcement posted to their website, @givingtuesday said, "A celebration of all types of generosity, GivingTuesday inspired people around the world to give gifts of time, skills, goods, advocacy, and more, showing that everyone has something to give and every act of generosity counts." Speaking of all acts of generosity, volunteering on Giving Tuesday also increased by 11% and donated goods (clothes, food, supplies, etc.) increased by 8% over 2020. These figures should be so inspiring and encouraging to all of us: People are more generous than ever, of their time, money, gifts, skills, and more. (Via Good Good Good)
In 2010, Nepal and the 12 other countries with wild tiger populations came up with an ambitious plan: Double the population of tigers in the wild by 2022, the next Year of the Tiger in the Chinese zodiac. In the decade since then, however, Nepal is the only country that has even come close to achieving that goal. Key to their success and growing Bengal tiger population is the combination of a tough anti-poaching approach and close engagement with communities living near tiger habitats. Those measures have had the secondary effect of also boosting the populations of other iconic species — including rhinos and elephants. (Via Good Good Good)
Nazrul Islam Ritu becomes the first transgender mayor in Bangladesh.
Nazrul Islam Ritu, has been elected to be mayor in a small town in Bangladesh, becoming the country’s first transgender mayor. The 45-year-old independent candidate beat her ruling party rival in a landslide, with her victory showing the growing acceptance of the “Hijra” community. The "Hijra" is an umbrella term for those born male but do not refer to themselves as either a man or woman which is the official designation for transgender people in the Muslim-majority country. Ritu, uses both male and female pronouns, and was born into a large Muslim family. However, she left her rural hometown of Trilochanpur as a child and took refuge at a commune of transgender people in the capital Dhaka. “The glass ceiling is breaking. It is a good sign,” she said. “The victory means they really love me and they have embraced me as their own,” she added. “I will dedicate my life to public service.” (Via Aljazeera)
ON THE PANDEMIC FRONT…
New York City announced a vaccine mandate for private companies. — New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio on announced a coronavirus vaccine mandate for all in-person employees at private companies in the city. This type of mandate is the first to happen in the United States and De Blasio called the policy a "preemptive strike" against a potential new wave of COVID-19 cases fueled by the new Omicron coronavirus variant. The new measure is also in place in hopes to helping to reduce infections from holiday gatherings. "Omicron is here, and it looks like it's very transmissible," said de Blasio to MSNBC. "The timing is horrible with the winter months." In New York City, vaccinations are already required for city workers, and customers and employees at indoor restaurants, entertainment venues, and gyms. The private company vaccine requirement will begin Dec. 27, and all workers must have received at least their first dose by that date. (Via NY Times)
U.S. health officials announced that the Omicron variant appears to be less dangerous than Delta variant. — While U.S. health are still working to determine the severity of the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus, it appears that to be much less virulent than the Delta variant that is highly contagious and has been a large factor in the rising levels of hospitalizations. "Thus far, it does not look like there's a great degree of severity to it," President Biden's chief medical adviser, Dr. Anthony Fauci, told CNN's State of the Union. "But we have really got to be careful before we make any determinations that it is less severe or it really doesn't cause any severe illness, comparable to Delta." (Via AP)
A new COVID-testing rule for international travelers has gone into effect. — Those entering the United States will have to adhere to new travel restrictions. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention just shortened the window for a pre-departure coronavirus tests. All travellers are now required to show a negative result from a test conducted within 24 hours of their flight to the country. This 24-hour rule had already applied to unvaccinated travelers, however, those who were vaccinated could get a test any time within three days of departure. Making the testing window more narrow is due to increased concerns about the new Omicron variant. According to the updated CDC order, "provide[s] less opportunity to develop an infection with the Omicron variant prior to arrival in the United States." U.S. airlines also have been asked to collect contact-tracing information for arriving passengers. (Via USA Today)
Germany announced a national lockdown for the unvaccinated. — Germany announced that there will be a nationwide lockdown for those who have not yet been vaccinated against the coronavirus. The outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel and her successor, Olaf Scholz, announced that those who are unvaccinated are banned from entering non-essential businesses but can go to essential ones, like grocery stores and pharmacies, . Those who are unvaccinated will also not be allowed to gather with more than two people from another household. Crowds at large events will be limited, and bars and restaurants in areas with high infection rates will have to shut down. "The fourth wave must be broken and this has not yet been achieved," Merkel said. (Via CNN)
The CDC has strengthened its recommendation to get COVID-19 booster shots. — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended that all adults get COVID-19 vaccine booster shots due to the rising risk of infection posed by the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus. Although the organization previously recommended the booster, now the CDC has strengthened the language of its guidance. "Everyone ages 18 and older should get a booster shot either when they are six months after their initial Pfizer or Moderna series or two months after their initial J&J vaccine," said Rochelle Walensky, the CDC Director. Early data about the new variant suggest that it is highly transmissible, and scientists are "urgently examining" the effectiveness of existing vaccines against it. (Via The Hill)
Annie Wu Henry is a journalist, social media expert and politics + pop culture junkie. On the cusp of being a gen-z and millennial she understands the power and privilege that social media holds and chooses to use her platform to utilize these tools for good. Through sharing news in digestible, entertaining and easy to understand content, Annie seeks to promote the message that anyone can be an activist and make an impact. She believes people are important and thrives on building meaningful connections with others through sharing our stories and perspectives. As a proud adopted Asian-American, her work focuses on equality, mental health, intersectionality and education.
