Listening to Voices from the ‘Hijabi World’
Julie Winokur and Ed Kashi, The New York Times Video
“I am telling you, this was my decision. My dad did not force me, my parents did not force me,” says one Muslim college woman about wearing hijab, the headscarf that indicates religious piety. As Islamophobia rises in the U.S., several women explain what it is like to wear hijab today — and to face common misconceptions about day-to-day life and ignorance about Islam and Muslim women. “When you get married, can your husband see your hair?” is a question one woman often gets asked. “Yes, my husband can see my hair,” she says. “I’m not married.” They do get hot, they can speak English, and they have bad hijab days. Most importantly, they are strong, independent American women expressing their religious freedom in a country that doesn’t always make it easy.


America’s Painful Journey From Prejudice To Greatness In Women’s Gymnastics
Lindsay Gibbs, ThinkProgress
On the world’s biggest gymnastics stage — the Olympics — white women exclusively represented the United States until the early 1990s. “The idea of seeing someone that looks like you is so profound, and it has such an impact on your understanding of what you potentially can be,” says gymnastics coach Zerell Johnson Welch. Welch, who is black, is all too familiar with the experience of not “seeing herself” in the gymnastics world — and says that representation gap has kept young athletes of color from taking part in the sport. But Welch and others saw signs of hope for change in the successes of Olympic athletes like Dominique Dawes and Betty Okino, who first broke the color barrier for American gymnastics teams in 1992. And they were thrilled to see three women of color, Simone Biles, Laurie Hernandez and Gabby Douglas, earn the opportunity to represent the U.S. in the 2016 Games. However, insiders note, celebrating the achievements of black and Hispanic athletes is just one ingredient in encouraging more minority youth to participate — implementing programs to make it more affordable and accessible is crucial to long-lasting change.


After Ailes and Cosby, a Moment for More Women to Speak Up
Noam Scheiber and Sydney Ember, The New York Times
Experts say the Roger Ailes and Bill Cosby sexual harassment cases come at an important time: during the third wave of the feminist movement. Women today are increasingly empowered, determined and assertive — enough so that they have been able to take down two extremely powerful and influential men. While studies show that the majority of workplace sexual harassment still goes unreported, experts say that’s changing: Right after high-profile cases are won, women’s sex-discrimination charges increase. This has happened in the military, finance, advertising, law and now at Fox News. However, as more accusations surface, the risks of speaking out persist. Change is slow, but justice is at women’s fingertips, and they are beginning to reach out and grab it.


My Crazy Year with Trump
Katy Tur, Marie Claire
Katy Tur, a reporter for NBC’s national TV networks, has spent the last year covering the Trump campaign. The Republican nominee for president, Donald Trump, has called her “little Katy” and “naive,” she has been told that she is “not a very good reporter” and to “be quiet.” After a one-on-one interview with Trump during which she asked direct questions that he did not like, he said: “‘You couldn’t do this,’ and searching for a put-down, added, ‘You stumbled three times.’” “It doesn’t matter if I stumble,” she said. “I’m not running for president.” Tur’s determination to get an answer has also led to harassment, threats and insults from Trump supporters. She reacts with a smile, a wave and a follow-up question every time. Sticks and stones may break her bones, but words will never hurt her.

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