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:

The Black Women Who Paved the Way for This Moment

Keisha N. Blain, The Atlantic

Black women have been stepping up as leaders during the recent protests over police brutality, but their protests build on a long tradition of activism. Black women have used public spaces to advocate for equality and justice, even before they had the right to vote. Now, as they continue to lead today’s movement, these women bring light to the injustices many Americans face.

You can read the full article here.

Teen girls organized Nashville’s largest protest. They joined a long history of black women activists.

Lena Felton, The Lily

Six teenaged girls organized and led a 10,000-person protest in Nashville against racism and police brutality last week. The teens, who met over social media, each took turns speaking about what the protest meant to them. As professor Traci Parker says, it’s clear that Black women are the “brainchild and backbone of the black freedom movement.”

You can read the full article here.

In A Polarized Election, ‘Guardian Women’ Could Be Key Swing Voters

Mara Liasson, NPR

New polling suggests “guardian women” (largely white, married, suburban, over 50 years old, and have no college degree) will be critical swing voters. While Biden is narrowly winning with this group for now, a significant portion are still undecided. Despite the increased burden of COVID-19, these women are extremely likely to go to the polls and are sure to factor into the 2020 elections.

You can read the full article here.

The Great Recession was called a “mancession.” This one could be devastating for women.

Anna North, Vox                

At the start of 2020, women made up a majority of the workforce for the first time in a decade. Now, the pandemic is chipping away at those gains as women bear the brunt of unemployment. It’s a reverse of previous recessions that have affected men more, but it’s not being taken as seriously because women’s employment is perceived as less important.

You can read the full article here.

In the COVID-19 era, female leaders are shining — Here’s why

Shelley Zalis, NBC News

The health pandemic was made it clear that women politicians bring much-needed strength and perspective to the current crisis. Shelley Zalis, CEO of the Female Quotient, highlights a few of the many qualities that make women great leaders, including compassion, humility, and collaboration. Click to read more about the leadership traits that women excel at.

You can read the full article here.

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