Rule Breakers
9 Feminist Stories You Might Have Missed Last Month
In the midst of the U.S. election, leaders around the world were busy breaking cultural taboos.
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1. The Squad won reelection victories.
Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, and Ayanna Pressley were all easily reelected to Congress — and offered thrift-shopping advice to Congresswoman-elect Cori Bush, who opened up about the unspoken cost of a Capitol Hill wardrobe.
Thrifting is the way to go, it also makes your look unique. @israhirsi & I do this often, it’s also where I get most of my jewelry.
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2. Women in Mexico are protesting femicide.
In early September, feminists in Mexico stormed a federal building to demand governmental action on femicide, according to the Los Angeles Times. They've occupied the Mexico City building since, and turned it into a shelter for victims of violence.
3. Scotland made menstrual products free.
Scotland became the first country to make pads and tampons free, which they'll stock in public restrooms. Experts believe the move will put pressure on countries like the United States, where many states tax the products as "luxury items," to move toward more equitable policies.
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4. Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, wrote about her miscarriage.
On Nov. 25, Meghan penned an op-ed for The New York Times, in which she discussed losing a pregnancy and urged people to talk more openly about the taboo issue, since 10% to 20% of pregnancies end in miscarriage.
5. Major League Baseball lands its first woman manager.
Kim Ng became the MLB's first woman general manager for the Miami Marlins, becoming both the highest ranking woman and Asian American in U.S. baseball.
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6. Election Day brought historic wins.
Up and down the ballot, Americans chose more representative governments. In New Mexico, voters elected an all women of color House delegation, and in Delaware, Sarah McBride became the first transgender person to win a state senate seat, for which she'll be the country's highest-ranking trans legislator.
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7. Joe Biden is dismantling the White House boys' club.
The President-elect selected an all-women communications team, and an economics team staffed primarily by women, with additional appointments expected in the coming weeks.
8. Sarah Fuller made history on the football field.
On Nov. 28 Vanderbilt senior Sarah Fuller, a goalkeeper on the soccer team, became the first woman to kick for an NCAA Division I Power 5 football team. (She's the fourth woman to play the sport in Division I.)
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9. Even the NFL made progress.
On Nov. 29, Callie Brownson became the highest-ranking woman coach in NFL history. She stepped in temporarily as the Cleveland Browns' position coach, while the permanent coach welcomed his first child.