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A Group of Female British Politicians Just Came Out in Support of Meghan Markle


Ever since Meghan Markle and Prince Harry opened up about the state of their emotional and mental well-being in the documentary, Harry and Meghan: An African Journey, messages of support have flooded the internet—and, as always, they have their critics too. Fans of the Duchess of Sussex even started a hashtag campaign #WeLoveYouMeghan to show the American royal how much they care.

Now, a group of 72 British female MPs (Members of Parliament) have joined forces to draft an open letter in support of Markle as she battles the tabloids. Holly Lynch, a member of the Labour Party, shared the letter on Twitter. “Women MPs from all political parties have put aside our differences to stand in solidarity with the Duchess of Sussex today and are sending her this open letter,” she wrote.

“As women MPs of all political persuasions, we wanted to express our solidarity with you in taking a stand against the often distasteful and misleading nature of the stories printed in our national newspapers concerning you, your character and your family,” the letter states. “On occasions, stories and headlines have represented an invasion of your privacy and have sought to cast aspersions about your character, without any good reason as far as we can see.”

“Even more concerning still, we are calling out what can only be described as outdated, colonial undertones to some of these stories,” it continues. “As women Members of Parliament from all backgrounds, we stand with you in saying it cannot be allowed to go unchallenged.”

They say they recognize that the duchess’s public life looks different from their own, yet there are some similarities. “Although we find ourselves being women in public life in a very different way to you, we share an understanding of the abuse and intimidation which is now so often used as a means of disparaging women in the public office from getting on with very important work,” they say in the letter. They then pledged their solidarity against people who are “seeking to tear a woman down for no apparent reason.”

On this subject, Meghan Markle previously said in the documentary, “I never thought that this would be easy, but I thought it would be fair. And that’s the part that’s really hard to reconcile.”

As is usual with the royals, the Sussexes have not commented on the letter.



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Black Female Wellness Influencers Are Taking Over


As a 24-year-old Black woman I, like many other Black women I know, did not grow up discussing important subjects like mental health, proper nutrition, and intergenerational healing. “Wellness,” the $4.2 trillion dollar global economy, was a foreign concept. For me, wellness meant getting my physical every month, eating my favorite fruits, and occasionally visiting a therapist when life got too out of control. But a recent break down in my health, triggered by the physical, financial, and emotional stress of working as a full-time entrepreneur, led me on a mission to explore ways to live a healthier lifestyle. That’s when I realized a disturbing flaw in the mainstream wellness industry: A stunning lack of Black women.

If you Google “wellness influencers,” the dozens of photos that pop up are overwhelmingly white. White women doing yoga. White women smiling over green juice. White women posed serenely with plants. If you’re a white woman looking for advice about your hair, skin, mental health, lifestyle changes, or self-care, you have a seemingly endless stream of content to peruse.

It’s a different story for women of color. If you’re a young Black woman like me, there are far fewer opportunities to find artfully curated content on Instagram related to our hair type, skin type, or overall well-being. There are far fewer opportunities to feel seen in the wellness world.

That historic lack of Black women in the wellness space isn’t just about followers and #sponcon dollars—it matters to women like me. The lack of visual representation of Black women in wellness has discouraged me from fully exploring what wellness means in my life. On the rare occasion that I did take yoga classes in high school (typically offered in predominantly white neighborhoods) I was surrounded by white women. It felt like they already had their own bond with the practice and with each other. “I was surrounded by all white everything for the majority of my first several years of practicing yoga,” says Lauren Ash, the founder of Black Girl In Om. “I became a yoga instructor and started BGIO because I wanted Black women to know that yoga is for us, that wellness is our birthright, that self-care, self-love, and self-empowerment are things that we do.”

For all the times I’ve felt like an outsider in the wellness world, I have—like so many other Black women I know—written it off as “white people stuff.”

“I think a lot of times when black women go into spaces where they don’t see themselves, we don’t fully release, we don’t fully breathe,” says Deun Ivory, BGIO’s artistic director and founder of The Body a Home for Love, a community that uses wellness to empower black sexual assault survivors. “In order to really practice mindfulness and be in a space where you can prioritize your healing and prioritize your self care, it’s important that you feel seen, it’s important that you feel celebrated and heard. You can only do that with a woman who looks like you.”





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A Day With Major Michelle Curran, the Only Female Thunderbird in the Air Force


In Captain Marvel Brie Larson plays Carol Danvers, an Air Force fighter jet pilot who uses the special powers she gains during an accident to save the galaxy. The movie is fairly realistic—not in the all-powerful superhero way, of course, but in the sense that it’s set in 1995. Just two years earlier, women were granted the honor of flying fighter jets by the U.S. Air Force (USAF). So Danvers is a leader in more ways than one.

But in the 26 years we’ve had female fighter pilots on the Air Force, only five have made it to the Thunderbirds. The demonstration squadron boasts some of the world’s most elite fliers, and those skilled enough to make it serve a two-year assignment. They act as the public face for the USAF, performing jaw-dropping maneuvers at airshows around the country.

Today, there’s only one female Thunderbird pilot: Major Michelle Curran, a 32-year-old Wisconsin native who flies the coveted Opposing Solo position. It means she’s front and center in one of the most visible squadrons in the military. Next year, her last with the Thunderbirds, she’ll get bumped up to Lead Solo, where she’ll be showcasing the maximum capabilities of the planes.

Her favorite maneuver is the vertical roll. “It makes a spiral in the sky,” she tells me. “I’ll go from 150 feet above the ground to 15,000 in a few seconds while rolling. We have music associated with all our maneuvers and for that one I got to pick the song. I chose [No Doubt’s] ‘I’m Just a Girl.'”

The Air Force turns 72 years old this month. Pair that with Captain Marvel providing more visibility to female pilots earlier this year, and the timing seemed right to experience a day in the life of the only female Thunderbird. To really complete the picture, the Air Force even offered a flight in a F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft (which, I learn via Military.com, is a mainstay of the combat fleet).

I didn’t realize I was nervous about the day ahead, though, until I was halfway to the 177th Fighter Wing of the Atlantic City Air National Guard Base. For one, I’d been told most people who go up in a F-16 for the first time throw up or pass out (for reasons I’ll explain later). One way to mitigate the nauseating effects is to drink lots of water, but that meant double the bathroom breaks on the drive there. So now, I’m not only anxious about puking or passing out in front of a badass pilot but also concerned I’ll be late to meet this badass pilot. On top of that, I worry she might be intimidating. What if I call her by the wrong rank? Do I have to salute? What happens if you unwittingly commit a faux pas in front of one of the best fliers in the world?

But from the moment I meet Curran on the scorching hot tarmac, she is warm and funny. She’d just landed from a Thunderbirds show in Sioux Falls and immediately jokes that she needs to fix her hair after sweating too much on the flight over. “These are not breathable,” she adds, tugging at her flight jumpsuit.

Major Curran

Courtesy of the Air Force

Curran has been in the Air Force for 11 years, but flying wasn’t always her goal. Growing up in a small town of about 4,000 people, she knew she didn’t want to stay there forever but she worried about how to pay for college. She was applying to scholarship programs when her father suggested looking into the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC). She applied, picking the Air Force as her military arm of choice on a bit of a whim. (“I’ve always liked roller-coasters, I’m a thrill-seeker, and I wanted to travel,” she explains.) Once she visited a base and heard the roar of the jets, though, she knew she wanted to pursue the pilot route. She went for it, even competing for a highly-coveted pilot spot while still in college. Eventually, she was selected. “I was so excited, I called everyone in my family—and none of them answered their phones,” she deadpans. “So that was cool.”



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Natalie Portman Will Play the First Female Thor, and Women on Twitter Are Psyched


Natalie Portman showed up for a panel at San Diego Comic-Con on Sunday (July 21) bearing some pretty huge news: Not only will she be coming back to the fourth installment in Marvel’s Thor franchise, due out in 2021, but her role as Jane Foster will take a new turn. The announcement came after returning director Taika Waititi unveiled the Thor 4 logo and title, Love and Thunder. Also onstage? Chris Hemsworth—who’s played Thor thus far in the Marvel franchise—and Tessa Thompson, who plays Valkyrie.

“Feels pretty good. I’ve always had a little hammer envy,” Portman told the cheering crowd as she took up a replica of Thor’s hammer, according to E!.

Hemsworth will also be coming back as Thor. And if that sounds confusing, we have the source material in the original Marvel series to look to: This development is from a 2014 plotline in the comic books, Buzzfeed explains, where Thor renounces his hammer and name after losing his superpowers. Jane Foster—Portman’s character, who she also played in 2011’s Thor and 2013’s Thor: The Dark World—takes over his hammer Mjolnir, eventually transforming into Thor, the Goddess of Thunder. So, if you’re familiar with the comic books, you might have seen this coming at some point.

Still, that doesn’t make it any less exciting. After the news broke, women headed to Twitter to express just how psyched they were about seeing female Thor on screen—and Portman playing her.

“NATALIE PORTMAN AS FEMALE THOR! I AM: DECEASED,” one wrote.

Others were a little surprised, given Portman had previously said she was “done” with Marvel in 2016—but it definitely seems like she changed her mind.

Portman also shared the news in an Instagram post featuring her wielding Thor’s hammer onstage. “So thrilled to share the news with you today at #sdcc2019 that I’ll be returning to the @marvel #mcu as female Thor with legends @taikawaititi @tessamaethompson and @chrishemsworth. (Remember this as the before picture for when I get jacked),” she wrote in the caption.





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Wimbledon Will No Longer Address Female Players as ‘Miss,’ ‘Ms.,’ and ‘Mrs.’


Wimbledon, one of tennis’s Grand Slam tournaments, got underway this week in England. Kate Middleton has already dropped by to watch matches, and the first major upset is in the books as 15-year-old American Cori “Coco” Gauff defeated one of her idols, Venus Williams, on Monday (July 1).

But there’s another substantial talking point at this year’s championships that is making headlines: Umpires will no longer refer to female players as “Miss,” “Ms.,” or “Mrs.” during matches. In the past, when a woman won a game, set, or match, the umpire would announce, for example, “Game, Miss or Mrs. [insert name here].” This is different from the men’s matches, during which they are referred to only by their last names. More attention was called to the tradition when Serena Williams was referred to as “Mrs. Williams” after her marriage to Alexis Ohanian, even though she chose to keep her own name. (Last month the French Open made a similar decision, while the U.S. and Australian Opens make no such gender distinction when addressing players during matches.)

“We’ve got to move with the times,” Alexandra Willis, head of communications, content, and digital for the All England Club, told U.K.’s Telegraph. “Hopefully, we surprise people with the way we do that. Some of the traditions—white clothing, playing on grass—they are our greatest strengths and the things that we do. Others absolutely have to move with the times. You have to respect the wishes of the players. I suppose the challenge for us is: how much you rewrite history.”

The paper reports that players “will be allowed to request that they are referred to as ‘Miss,’ ‘Mrs.,’ ‘Ms.,’ or ‘Mr.’ when there are code violations, medical announcements, and player challenges during a game.”

Men’s world number one Novak Djokovic said he was somewhat surprised by the move. “I thought that tradition was very unique and very special. I thought it was nice,” he said. “It’s definitely not easy to alter or change any traditions here that have been present for many years. It’s quite surprising that they’ve done that.”

Williams has yet to comment on the change, but a British player Heather Watson told the paper, “Equality is good.”



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What to Expect From the Six Female Candidates Taking the Stage at the Democratic Debates


Two nights. 20 candidates. Six hopefuls who happen to be women. After months of anticipation, the Democratic debates are finally here—and are expected to be like nothing we’ve ever seen before. Taking place on June 26 and 27, from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. EST, each night will feature 10 candidates selected at random to avoid putting all the top-tier Democrats on the same night.

First up? Tonight, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who has pulled ahead in the polls in recent weeks, squares off against New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, Congressman Tim Ryan (D-Ohio), former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julián Castro, Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.), former Congressman Beto O’Rourke, Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii), Governor Jay Inslee (D-Wash.), and former Congressman John Delaney. Then comes some of the heavier hitters. On Thursday, former Vice President Joe Biden, South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Senator Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Andrew Yang, Marianne Williamson, John Hickenlooper, former governor of Colorado, Senator Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), and Congressman Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) will all face off.

While the topics of the debate haven’t been announced, NBC has shared who will be asking the questions. There will be five moderators for the two nights, including Today co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, NBC Nightly News host Lester Holt, Meet the Press moderator Chuck Todd, MSNBC host Rachel Maddow and Noticias Telemundo host José Diaz-Balart.

The debates will be available to watch on NBC, MSNBC, and Telemundo and free to stream on NBCNews.com, MSNBC.com, the NBC News app, and all Telemundo digital platforms. But before you get your popcorn (and much-needed glass of wine) out to watch the debates, here’s everything you need to know about the female candidates’ strategies for the big night.

Senator Kamala Harris (D–Calif.)

When She’ll Appear: The California senator will take the stage during the second night of the debates.

What She’ll Talk About: Harris recently proposed a massive tax cut for middle-class families, known as Livable Incomes for Families Today. It’s the most robust piece of policy on her platform and would provide refundable tax credits to families, and allow them to receive their benefits on a monthly basis. Harris will definitely try to touch on it, as well as her support of “Medicare for All.”

How They’ll Attack Her: Harris hasn’t been able to shake her “tough on crime” past in her campaign so far. While serving as the first female attorney general of California, she supported some criminal justice stances that some consider conservative. For example, she enforced an anti-truancy program and fought to release fewer incarcerated people. She’s already had to defend her record since announcing her run, so if anybody criticizes Harris, this is most likely how they’ll go for the jugular.

Senator Elizabeth Warren (D–Mass.)

When She’ll Appear: Warren will take part in the first night of the debates. According to The Hill, many think Warren got the “short end of the stick” being assigned to the first night, as this prevents her from debating Biden and Sanders, her closest opponents in the polls who will both appear during night two.

What She’ll Talk About: “Warren Has a Plan for That” has become the tagline of her campaign, and that’s exactly what she’ll hit on—her policies. Some of her proposals include a new tax on Americans with a net worth of $50 million or more, and would also tax billionaires an additional 1 percent. The economy is Warren’s passion point, and she’s also likely to discuss her proposed Accountable Capitalism Act, which would redistribute trillions from American corporations’ to the middle class.



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