How do politicians feel about the Iran Deal? What percentage of women make up the New Horizons mission team? How did renowned political activist and Nobel-prize winning Malala Yousafzai celebrate her 18th birthday? Julia Louis-Dreyfus took a selfie with who? Find out the answers to all these questions with this week's edition of That's what she said!
1. Kristin Lee
Nine and a half years ago, we might have lived without iPhones, Twitter or Netflix Instant, but we did launch a spacecraft on a 3-billion-mile journey. The New Horizons mission, which reportedly survived its Pluto flyby, is thought to include the most women in NASA history with women making up approximately 25% of the team. White House staffer Kristin Lee, who serves as a Senior Policy Analyst and Assistant Director for Strategic Communications for the Office of Science and Technology Policy, commends their groundbreaking efforts.
The military’s ban on gay and lesbian soldiers (“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”) was repealed four years ago, yet transgender troops still face obstacles. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand from New York been an advocate for transgender servicemembers and applauds Defense Secretary Ash Carter’s efforts in dissolving the ban. The Pentagon is expected to announce that the armed services will have six months to end discriminatory policies towards transgender troops.
3. Laverne Cox
Actress, activist, Alabamian – Laverne Cox has made a name for herself through her role on award-winning Netflix series “Orange Is the New Black” and as an advocate for the LGBT community. Cox shows her support via Twitter for "Hunger Games" actress Amandla Stenberg, who recently called out Kylie Jenner for cultural appropriation and ultimately ignited a social media brawl.
After 20 months of negotiation talks, President Obama has finally announced that the U.S. along with the U.K., France, China, Russia and Germany has settled on a nuclear deal with Iran. Many Republicans, like Sen. Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, have voiced their concerns with the agreement and have pledged to vote against the deal when it reaches Congress.
On the other opposite end of the partisan spectrum are Democrats, like Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, who laud the negotiated deal with Iran. The debate might become null, however, if President Obama vetoes Congressional disapproval of the deal and if Congress then fails to muster the two-thirds overriding vote.
Malala Yousafzai survived an assassination attempt by a terrorist organization, wrote an award-winning memoir and jointly received the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize all before turning 18. Malala celebrated her 18th birthday by opening a secondary school for Syrian refugee girls in Lebanon as part of her new education project, using the hashtag #BooksNotBullets to spread the message. Yousafzai has achieved more in her 18 years than most can in a lifetime and we look forward to being mesmerized by her future successes!
Add Congresswoman Martha Roby from Alabama to the list of T-Swift fans! Roby attempted to woo pop-sensation Taylor Swift with an exclusive tour of the Capitol while the star was in Washington D.C. for her 1989 World Tour. Swift has not yet responded to the Congresswoman’s offer – let’s hope there isn’t any bad blood between the two.
“Politics is about people,” says fictional POTUS Selina Meyer on the HBO comedy series “Veep.” Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who portrays Meyer on the show, is also known for her role on "Saturday Night Live" and "Seinfeld." She poses for a selfie with Senior White House Advisor Valerie Jarrett, who also serves as Chair of the White House Council on Women and Girls.
A hidden-camera video was recently released showing a Planned Parenthood executive talking casually about fetal tissue donation over lunch. Many Republicans and pro-life supporters have chastised the non-profit organization, which is now being investigated by a House committee. Sen. Debra “Deb” Fischer from Nebraska is just one of the many politicians who have reinforced their stances on abortion via Twitter.
Google, Empowered Women and National Review hosted a #PowerBrunch featuring prominent female politicians and businesswomen. The first annual #PowerBrunch was aimed at discussing the issues that matter most to women. Congresswoman Elise Stefanik from New York took part in the event – Stefanik is the youngest woman ever elected to Congress.
Follow the women in politics list on Twitter.
For more news on women in politics click here.