Laura Stampler is a freelance writer based in New York. Her novel Little Black Dresses, Little White Lies will be out in July 2016. The views expressed here are her own.
News outlets were in a tizzy this week over a jacket Hillary Clinton wore in April. No, not because it was damaged by debris from the 240-year-old glass ceiling she was in the process of shattering, but because it was expensive — and she wore it during a speech about income inequality. Maybe Clinton thought about wearing a jacket from Target, but she knew the media would just call her frumpy. (Oh wait, Newsmax did anyway. You really can’t win, can you?) As much as I love the talking about Clinton’s outerwear — don’t even get me started on her hot-sauce filled bags — I think that there are slightly more important stories that we should be focusing on, both political and otherwise. It has taken 240 years for a woman to become the presidential nominee of a major political party.
Hillary Clinton made history Tuesday night. If she wins, this means that some children will only know what it’s like having a Black and female president. No matter your opinion on the candidate, we can all appreciate that this is a very big deal.
News outlets were in a tizzy this week over a jacket Hillary Clinton wore in April. No, not because it was damaged by debris from the 240-year-old glass ceiling she was in the process of shattering, but because it was expensive — and she wore it during a speech about income inequality. Maybe Clinton thought about wearing a jacket from Target, but she knew the media would just call her frumpy. (Oh wait, Newsmax did anyway. You really can’t win, can you?) As much as I love the talking about Clinton’s outerwear — don’t even get me started on her hot-sauce filled bags — I think that there are slightly more important stories that we should be focusing on, both political and otherwise. It has taken 240 years for a woman to become the presidential nominee of a major political party.
Hillary Clinton made history Tuesday night. If she wins, this means that some children will only know what it’s like having a Black and female president. No matter your opinion on the candidate, we can all appreciate that this is a very big deal.
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For the first time in our history, a woman will be a major party’s nominee for President of the United States. pic.twitter.com/4iLojpuPj8
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) June 8, 2016
Of the world’s approximate 200 countries, only 17 are led by women.
And there isn’t just a disparity at the top. Only 22% of parliamentary seats around the world are held by women. Speaking of the gender gap, Trump’s campaign paid female staffers one-third less than the men. (Clinton’s were paid about evenly.)
And yet Trump still takes credit for breaking the glass ceiling for women. Hmm. Teen girls are some of the strongest activists in the fight against climate change.
Clinton believes in clean energy. Trump, not so much. (Politico reports Obama had to “Trump-proof” his climate bill.)
And there isn’t just a disparity at the top. Only 22% of parliamentary seats around the world are held by women. Speaking of the gender gap, Trump’s campaign paid female staffers one-third less than the men. (Clinton’s were paid about evenly.)
And yet Trump still takes credit for breaking the glass ceiling for women. Hmm. Teen girls are some of the strongest activists in the fight against climate change.
Clinton believes in clean energy. Trump, not so much. (Politico reports Obama had to “Trump-proof” his climate bill.)
The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 6, 2012
The Supreme Court is about to make a decision on the biggest abortion-related case since Roe v. Wade.
Remember Wendy Davis’ 11-hour filibuster against Texas’s HB2, a law that severely limited women’s access to legal abortions and left its 5.4 million women with only 9 abortion providers? Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt revolves around that restrictive bill. And its ruling has the power to negatively impact women across the country. Oh, and as long as we’re on the Supreme Court, how about the fact that we still only have eight justices?
Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia passed away in February. President Obama named his nominee in March. We’re. Still. Waiting.
Remember Wendy Davis’ 11-hour filibuster against Texas’s HB2, a law that severely limited women’s access to legal abortions and left its 5.4 million women with only 9 abortion providers? Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt revolves around that restrictive bill. And its ruling has the power to negatively impact women across the country. Oh, and as long as we’re on the Supreme Court, how about the fact that we still only have eight justices?
Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia passed away in February. President Obama named his nominee in March. We’re. Still. Waiting.
Meet Chief Judge Merrick Garland, the President's nominee to the Supreme Court. #SCOTUSnominee https://t.co/ACujysyyDJ
— SCOTUS Nomination (@SCOTUSnom) March 16, 2016
A 19-year-old was found guilty on three counts of felony assault but only sentenced to six months in jail.
Even though Brock Turner (who is white and a former athlete at an elite university) was found sexually assaulting — and then running away from — an unconscious woman. (Note: A Black, lesbian, Black Lives Matters activist was sentenced to three months in jail and three years probation for trying to free a friend from police custody.) At this very moment, children around the world are being forced to fight in wars and commit acts of violence.
"When I was a child soldier, I did not think much about the consequences,” Dr. Amporn Wathanavongs told Refinery29. "We were doing something to make a living, to survive, to buy food, and to buy some clothes. But when we realised it was not what we really wanted, it was too late to return."
Even though Brock Turner (who is white and a former athlete at an elite university) was found sexually assaulting — and then running away from — an unconscious woman. (Note: A Black, lesbian, Black Lives Matters activist was sentenced to three months in jail and three years probation for trying to free a friend from police custody.) At this very moment, children around the world are being forced to fight in wars and commit acts of violence.
"When I was a child soldier, I did not think much about the consequences,” Dr. Amporn Wathanavongs told Refinery29. "We were doing something to make a living, to survive, to buy food, and to buy some clothes. But when we realised it was not what we really wanted, it was too late to return."
It's World Oceans Day, and in the near future, there will be more plastic in our ocean than fish. Maybe we should talk about the little things we can cut out (plastic bags, plastic straws, microbeads just to name a few) to help save the ocean.
Nashville is close to a comeback.
Yes, we — and the ABC show’s 6.3 million viewers — care way more about Juliette Barnes’ wardrobe than Hillary’s. Of course, Clinton is far from the first political candidate to come under fire from critics who say their attire is tone deaf or out of touch. But seriously, of all the conversations we could be having, can the cost of her clothing not be at the top of that list?
Yes, we — and the ABC show’s 6.3 million viewers — care way more about Juliette Barnes’ wardrobe than Hillary’s. Of course, Clinton is far from the first political candidate to come under fire from critics who say their attire is tone deaf or out of touch. But seriously, of all the conversations we could be having, can the cost of her clothing not be at the top of that list?