Leading women in U.S. politics and the arts are pushing for a new women’s history museum in Washington, D.C., that would be affiliated with the Smithsonian Institute.
A report from a bipartisan Congressional commission in November encouraged the construction of the museum, recommending “a national museum dedicated to showcasing the historical experiences and impact of women in this country.”
The Smithsonian Institute doesn’t seem as keen. It told the New York Times that it doesn’t think another museum is feasible at this time. It opened the National Museum of African American History and Culture last year.
But a leading voice behind the movement is unlikely to be deterred. Representative Carolyn B. Maloney, a Democrat from New York, has been pushing for the museum since the 1990s. “It’s tremendously important,” she says. “How can you empower women if they are not even recognized?”
I certainly don’t need any more convincing, but one guy might. For the women’s history museum to become a reality, legislation is required, so it’ll need the signature of President Donald Trump.
EUROPE/MIDDLE EAST/AFRICA
| . |
| A crowning achievement |
| ITV’s Victoria debuts on “Masterpiece” on PBS on Sunday, and while it has clear similarities to other historical dramas like Netflix's The Crown, Daisy Goodwin, the British television producer who created it, says there's at least one important difference. “Although Victoria has a romantic sensibility, at its heart it is about a concept so modern that it still frightens people: a young woman in power,” she says. |
| New York Times |
THE AMERICAS
| A Bean backer |
| President-elect Donald Trump took the unusual step of using his Twitter account to support a business yesterday when he tweeted that his followers should shop at outdoor apparel retailer L.L. Bean. L.L. Bean heiress Linda Bean raised money for him, which prompted a recent boycott of the brand. "People will support you even more now," he said. |
| Fortune |
| . |
| Courting favor |
| On Wednesday, Trump said he would select a Supreme Court nominee in early February. A favorite for the nod is Judge Diane Sykes of the 7th Circuit in Chicago. She is popular with conservative clubs like the Federalist Society, and—unlike all current Supreme Court justices—she didn't attend an elite coastal law school, which is a positive among Trump supporters. Plus, if Trump wants to get someone on the court quickly, Sykes would likely face a smoother confirmation than other potential picks. |
| Fortune |
| . |
| Words of encouragement |
| Barbara Bush and Jenna Bush Hager, daughters of President George W. Bush, wrote a letter to Sasha and Malia Obama as they prepare for lives outside the White House. "[Y]ou won’t have the weight of the world on your young shoulders anymore. Explore your passions. Learn who you are. Make mistakes—you are allowed to," the Bush sisters wrote. |
| Time |
ASIA-PACIFIC
| Friendlier skies |
| Air India will soon reserve six seats on each of its planes for women passengers who are flying alone. The move is an effort to ensure women's safety after an alleged groping on one of the airline's Mumbai to Newark flights. Other modes of public transportation in India—long-distance trains, buses, metros, and special rickshaws—offer similar accommodations. |
| The Hindu |
| . |
| All-nighter |
| Jay Y. Lee, the Samsung heir who's now engulfed in South Korean President Park Geun-hye's influence-peddling scandal, endured 22 hours of questioning that ended this morning. Prosecutors are investigating whether Samsung bribed Park's advisor Choi Soon-sil in exchange for support of a 2015 merger. |
| Fortune |
| . |
| Challenging the church |
| Millions of women in the Philippines could soon get free birth control after President Rodrigo Duterte signed an executive order aimed reducing poverty by providing family planning services. The law is especially notable since the nation is 80% Catholic. It's also the only Asian country where the teenage pregnancy rate has risen in the past two decades, according to the UN. |
| Fortune |
IN BRIEF
| This 4-year-old honorary librarian has already read more books than you |
| Slate |
| Why some American women campaigned against the vote for women |
| Smithsonian |
| France's Marine Le Pen visits Trump Tower |
| Wall Street Journal |
| A transgender model, born in a poor Nepali village, will star in India’s premier fashion show |
| Washington Post |
| You can now ‘smize’ via text with new Tyra Banks emojis |
| Fortune |
| The fight for female priesthood in the Mormon Church |
| Atlantic |
PARTING WORDS
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| --Director Ava DuVernay on her plan for the Trump era. |
