*Ain't no stoppin' us now.*

1. Oregon Sets Birth Control Precedent.

New Year’s resolution: make birth control more accessible to the women who need it. Check! The confetti showers and kazoo-blasting had barely ceased this past week when Oregon’s new birth control (BC) measure kicked into high gear--ya know, the one allowing women to receive BC without a prescription from a physician? Some feminists who are total BC advocates have been utterly rejoicing with the news that one of the many roadblocks keeping women from accessing contraceptives is seemingly on its way out. Others, however, find this change to be slightly more controversial, but probably not for the reasons you’re thinking of. (Religion’s got pretty little to do with it this time). Read more here about where we stand on this bold, new West Coast policy change.

2. President Obama Takes Executive Action on Guns.

Through tears, President Obama bravely took a stand against the gun lobby this week with an executive order that is constitutional without needing Congressional approval. After years of rejection from fellow politicians, he has finally pushed through the policies we’ve been desperately pleading for but haven’t received, such placing strengthened restrictions on gun vendors and beefing up the background check system so that it is actually effective. Without this legislation, vendors were selling guns without any background checks or even identification at gun shows, which might take the cake as Worst Practices of This Century. After a year full of devastating and senseless gun deaths, it is a relief for the American people to finally hear comprehensive changes being made--even if they took an exorbitant amount of force.

Image: Louis Vuitton

3. Jaden Smith Becomes a Womenswear Model.

Hi, it’s 2016 and it still makes headlines when a boy wears a...dare we say it??...skirt!? Ah, well. Let’s roll with it and hope that our culture stops rigidly assigning genders to arbitrary items like clothing at least by the year 2116. Until then, we can revel in the news that teenager Jaden Smith, son of Jada Pinkett and Will Smith, landed a gig modeling “womenswear” for some new ads by Louis Vuitton. A) big props to LV. Not every high fashion group would throw gender to the wind so fiercely, and for that, they deserve some significant snappage. B) Jaden’s commitment to self-expression in the form of wearing whatever the H-E-double-hockey-sticks he wants, regardless of expectations to conform to a narrowly “masculine” wardrobe, sends an important message to fans that it’s becoming relatively acceptable to simply be true to oneself. Also, there’s this.

4. NARAL Endorses #HillForPrez.

When two big names in the reproductive justice world come together to spread some feminist magic, you know we’re gonna be all over it. This week, NARAL Pro-Choice America (the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League) announced its endorsement of Hillary Clinton for President in the 2016 race, and we’ve really been enjoying all the feel-good hooplah that has followed. Not only is this endorsement a reminder of Hill’s outstanding record on reproductive justice, but it is also a reminder that this presidential race boasts a few pro-choice advocates--even if they are only coming from one side of the race (yep, don't worry everyone, we're feelin' the Bern too). Plus, it is always brilliant to see powerful women supporting one another on their quests for more power. Let’s hear it for the girl(s)!

Pls kindly raise a paw if you agree that conducting an interview *at work* is not an invitation for sexual harassment?!?? Women in the sports world have so many struggz ~ what are your thoughts, period peeps?

Posted by THINX on Wednesday, 6 January 2016

5. Workplace Sexual Harassment: Reporter Edition.

Dude 101: girls have cooties and they can’t take a joke. Class dismissed! OK, OK as absurd as it sounds, this lesson from the playground actually manages to extend into real life, especially, it seems, for dudes in the sport industry. Take, for example, this week’s story of Australian reporter Mel McLaughlin who was sexually harassed on camera by famous Cricket player Chris Gayle--who then claimed his comments were meant as a “simple joke” that was “blown out of proportion,” AND who has sexually harassed other reporters in the past. Let’s be real for a sec: in general, reporters and journalists who are women already have a tough time overcoming sexist standards from TV networks and the like, but sport reporters more specifically (who are entering one of the most masculine-dominated industries worldwide) have an extra hurdle to clear. Not only are women who report on sports subject to sexual harassment (or worse) from players, coaches, and fans--but women also don’t have many co-workers to lean on for support and solidarity since, more often than not, they are working alongside a majority of men. This was made clear after Gayle’s comments when the commentators for the station began laughing, minimizing the situation, and tweeting about how McLaughlin’s on-camera humiliation was “smooth.” Ouch. Not smooth.

by Team Thinx