Happy Friday! Welcome to our Media Round Up. Each week we’re collecting and sharing our favorite gender + politics stories. Here’s what caught our eye this week:

 

Some activists lean on ‘motherhood’ for authority in gun law debates

Kaylin Bourdon, Washington Post

As a result of the tragic elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas last month, President Biden and Congress recently passed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. The gun legislation expands background checks for gun purchasers younger than 21 and guarantees $13 billion in federal funding for improvements to mental health services and safety precautions in schools. The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act is the first gun legislation in the United States in 30 years. Mothers have been significant leaders in advancing gun legislation.

Read the full story here.

 

The end of Roe v. Wade has huge economic implications for male partners, too

Juliana Kim, NPR

While abortion largely affects people who can get pregnant, doctors and experts are now also looking at abortion access from multiple perspectives. Studies have found that one in five men have been involved in an abortion.

Read the full story here.

R.I. state Senator Tiara Mack faces criticism for twerking on TikTok

Lylah Alphonse, Boston Globe

In a Tik Tok video posted on Independence Day, Rhode Island State Senator Tiara Mack posted a video of herself in a bathing suit dancing on a beach. Soon after, Senator Mack was faced with a wave of criticism, including social media users saying that the video was inappropriate. To counteract this, other social media users defended her actions by expressing admiration for Senator Mack and bringing up her successful political career.

Read the full story here.

 

As the first trans woman in Mayor Scott’s cabinet, Londyn Smith-De Richelieu makes focus domestic violence

Billy Jean Louis, Baltimore Sun

Londyn Smith-De Richelieu, the new Director of LGBTQ Affairs for Baltimore, is the first Black trans woman in Mayor Brandon Scott’s cabinet and to lead the office. In her role, Smith-De Richelieu’s focus is to improve the quality of the live for the LGBTQ community. Health, safety, unity, sustainability and inclusion are the pillars of Smith-De Richelieu’s plan for improvement.

Read the full story here.