SMH Sunday Paper: March 9, 2025
😑 SMH: Gavin Newsom Turns on Trans Athletes
The first winner of the SMH Award is California Governor Gavin Newsom! He hosted MAGA golden boy Charlie Kirk on his new podcast Thursday. During the conversation, Newsom 180-ed his position on transgender women in sports - calling their inclusion “unfair.” His split from the Democratic Party platform could have major implications for 2028.
Transphobia wasn’t Newsom’s only bad look. Read why SFGate is calling the podcast “humilating.”
Never miss a newsletter! Subscribe below!
✊ The Moment: Al Green Stands Up to Trump
My main takeaway from Trump’s record-breaking 100-minute-long joint address to Congress on Tuesday is… I wish I were Al Green’s cane. The Democratic Congressman stood up during the abysmal speech and shouted at the most powerful man in the world - until he was thrown out. Green was censured by the House Thursday, with 10 Democrats voting in favor. But he’s not backing down.
Congressman Green went on Democracy Now to explain the outburst and call for Trump’s impeachment. Watch the interview here.
💋 Essential Viewing: Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo Perform “Wicked” at the Oscars
The Oscars kicked off with a bang, as Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo stunned with a magical “Wicked” performance. The performance showcased their powerful vocals and undeniable chemistry. Neither actress took home an award that night, but they were still the stars of the show.
😂 Meme of the Week: JD Vance Photoshops
The left and right have found something they agree on - it’s fun to cyberbully JD Vance. The latest meme sensation is disturbing Photoshopped images of the Vice President. And they’re hilarious.
Read more about how Vance broke the internet.
🔊All Ears: Lady Gaga’s “Mayhem”
Attention, Little Monsters! Lady Gaga is back and better than ever.
📢Developing: Trump Pulls Funds From Columbia
The Trump administration canceled $400 million of federal government grants and contracts from Columbia University over allegations of antisemitism on campus. Columbia’s interim president said Friday that the university is working to address the administration’s “legitimate concerns.” The student protesters say Trump is conflating criticism of the Israeli state with antisemitism.
Read the latest Reuters report.
@rafeeqmcnBREAKING: Protesters have staged a SECOND sit-in inside Barnard’s Milstein Library, declaring it the Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya Liberated Zone.
Tiktok failed to load.
Enable 3rd party cookies or use another browser
💸 Market Watch: “Globalist” Stock Sell-Off
Trump can’t seem to make up his mind on tariffs. (It’s almost like he doesn’t have a plan!) And the markets are not happy with the uncertainty. Major stock indexes dropped sharply this week, and Trump is pointing the finger at “globalist countries and companies.” Is that an antisemitic dogwhistle I hear?
📚History Lesson: Bloody Sunday 60th Anniversary
60 years ago this week, hundreds of peaceful protesters were attacked, beaten, and tear-gassed by law enforcement in Selma, Alabama. Their protest helped lead to landmark federal voting rights legislation.
Now, those rights are under threat. Read why one columnist says, “America is bleeding.”
💡The Big Idea: Raising Girls in the Age of the Manosphere
The New York Times’s Jessica Grose explores the complexities of parenting girls in the age of anti-feminist backlash. Grose draws on the recent controversy around Men’s Rights influencer Andrew Tate to share her concerns about the Manosphere’s influence on young boys - and the girls in their lives.
🎙️In Conversation: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Acclaimed author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is unveiling her new book, Dream Count- her first novel since 2013. Adichie sat down with NPR to discuss identity, storytelling, feminism, and more. It’s a must-listen for any literary enthusiast.
A post shared by @chimamanda_adichie
🤑Fascism & Your Wallet: Student Loan Edition
President Trump wants to axe the Department of Education, which manages the federal government’s 1.7 trillion dollar student loan portfolio. If the agency shuts down, do you still have to pay your bill? Yes, but it’s going to be a shitshow.
@cbsmorningsPresident Trump is seeking to dismantle the Department of Education with the help of Elon Musk, potentially causing major disruptions for Americans paying student loans. CBS News’ Jill Schlesinger breaks down what to know.
Tiktok failed to load.
Enable 3rd party cookies or use another browser
🗣️Debate Club: Meghan Markle’s Netflix Series
In her new series, “With Love, Meghan,” Meghan Markle once again attempts a rebrand, this time as a lifestyle influencer. Critics have hit the series hard - calling it manufactured and unrelatable. Netflix disagrees, apparently. The streamer just announced that they are renewing it for a second season. (Maybe because filming has already wrapped?)
Read Vulture's nuanced review.
🤬The Take: Trump “Deportation Porn”
The White House sunk to a new low this week, posting an “ASMR” video of migrant deportation flights. Jill Filipovic says the cruelty is the point. Her new op-ed for the Daily Beast not only highlights the indignity of Trump’s deportation policies. It also explores how his supporters revel in witnessing this oppression.
💁🏻♀️Girl-Bossed Too Hard: MAGA Abandons Amy Comey Barrett
Supreme Court Justice Amy Comey Barrett is facing backlash from the Trumpist right for voting against some of the President’s biggest priorities. And the MAGA crowd is falling back on its most over-used insult - DEI.
Read more about Barrett and fractures in the conservative movement.
🤝Big Business: “Call Her Daddy” and Women’s Soccer
The National Women’s Soccer League has signed a season-long sponsorship deal with podcaster Alex Cooper’s beverage brand Unwell Hydration. The league is pushing for young women, calling Cooper the “Gen Z whisperer.” They also signed a deal with ELF cosmetics.
Read the Wall Street Journal exclusive.
A post shared by @drinkunwell
🕑Broken Clock Moment: House Dems on TikTok
House Democrats went viral on TikTok for all the wrong reasons. The Right blew up over a “Choose Your Fighter” parody featuring Dem. Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Jasmine Crockett, Lauren Underwood, Katherine Clark, Judy Chu, and Susie Lee. The Trump White House said it’s “cringe” - and young voters agreed.
Read the conservative reaction.
@sulheejessicaChose your fighter 🥊🇺🇸 #womenshistorymonth #womenwhofight #fighter #savedemocracy #speakup #girls #girlpower
Tiktok failed to load.
Enable 3rd party cookies or use another browser
…Last But Not Least: Pancake Day
The UK celebrated its annual Pancake Day on Tuesday. Brits marked Shrove Tuesday, or the day before Lent, by running around in zany costumes and flipping pancakes in a frying pan. Don’t believe me?
Post a comment