Welcome to the Media Round Up! This week we’re collecting and sharing our favorite gender + politics stories. The election results this week had some “firsts” and other exciting results for women and politics. Is there an election we should know about? Tell us at: ongender@gmail.com

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Grijalva Sworn In, Hits the Ground Running

On Wednesday, Rep. Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ) was sworn into Congress after a historically long wait. Grijalva – who won a September special election in a landslide to claim a vacant seat formerly held by her late father – sharply criticized House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) for the delay, stating that “one individual should not be able to unilaterally obstruct the swearing-in of a duly elected member of Congress for political reasons.” Though Johnson initially said that he was waiting to swear Grijalva in until the results of the special election were officially canvassed, the extended delay sparked speculation from lawmakers across the aisle that Johnson may have been trying to block her from signing a petition that could spark a vote to release files related to the Jeffrey Epstein case. Now that she has been sworn in, the House is on track to vote to disclose the files: Grijalva signed the discharge petition immediately after Speaker Johnson swore her into office.

Putting the Pressure on Signers of Epstein Petition

The Trump administration has reportedly been trying to pressure Reps. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) and Nancy Mace (R-SC) to remove their names from the discharge petition that would trigger the release of the Justice Department’s files related to Jeffrey Epstein. On Wednesday, Boebert met with FBI and Justice Department officials who tried – unsuccessfully – to persuade her to withdraw her name. Trump called Mace separately to discuss the matter, but Mace did not change her position, writing in a social media post, “I will NEVER abandon other survivors.” If any Republican were to remove their name, the petition would no longer have the support needed to proceed to the House floor for a vote.

Christine Pelosi Is Running For Office, But Not For Her Mom’s Congressional Seat
USA Today, Kathryn Palmer

As news of Nancy Pelosi’s retirement continues to spread in California, her daughter Christine announced her intention to run for office. But she isn’t aiming for her mom’s seat. Instead, Christine is setting her sights on a State Senate seat – that of Scott Wiener, who has entered the race to fill the congressional seat vacated by Rep. Pelosi. “I’m running to represent you, San Francisco, in Sacramento, fighting for consumer rights, women’s rights, gun violence survivors, immigrants and our most vulnerable communities against the threat we face,” she said in a campaign video posted on social media. Christine Pelosi, 59, is an attorney and women’s rights advocate who has long been connected with California Democrats.

Trump says MTG has ‘Some Sort Of Act Going On’
POLITICO, Gregory Svirnovskiy

On Monday, President Donald Trump delivered a pointed rebuke of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), a former ally who has become increasingly critical of the administration and the Republican party in recent months. “I don’t know what happened, she’s lost her way, I think,” Trump told reporters at an Oval Office press conference. Greene emerged as a vocal opponent of the GOP during the government shutdown, blaming party leadership for failing to focus on affordable healthcare. She has also pressured the White House to release more information related to the Jeffrey Epstein files, and bucked the GOP establishment in July by censuring the “genocide, humanitarian crisis, and starvation” in Gaza. “I don’t know what happened to Marjorie,” Trump said.

Kamala Harris Claims Democratic Party Took Black Women For Granted During 2024 Election
Fox News, Lindsay Kornick

While appearing Sunday on the podcast “Storehouse & Friends,” former Vice President Kamala Harris said that the Democratic party took black women for granted during the 2024 presidential election. When asked whether she felt any tension between her identity as a Black woman and her “race-agnostic” presidential campaign, Harris said that “I am never going to shy away from who I am, and I’m never going to feel burdened that because of who I am in terms of my race and gender that I should pretend not to be.” She noted that there are a number of issues – such as postpartum care and Black maternal mortality – that should be “some of the highest priorities,” but believes that the Democratic party took this key voting bloc for granted during the last presidential election.

How Women Feel About Trump’s Presidency: Heartbreak, Fatigue, Gratitude
Washington Post, Alexandra Pannoni & Sarah Pineda

Following the election of President Trump in 2024, the Washington Post solicited the reactions of thousands of women. Ten months into his second term, the Post followed up with these women to understand how they are feeling now. In their interviews, they expressed a variety of feelings from heartbreak and disappointment to gratitude.

Women in Power, and on the Right
The New York Times, Katrin Bennhold

The election of Sanae Takaichi as prime minister of Japan was a milestone moment. The last time a woman led Japan was in 1771, when Empress Go-Sakuramachi sat on the imperial throne. Takaichi joins Giorgia Meloni of Italy as one of only two women currently leading G7 nations. A striking pattern emerges: almost all female leaders of G7 countries have come from the political right, including Margaret Thatcher, Theresa May, Liz Truss, Angela Merkel, Kim Campbell, and Meloni –  with Edith Cresson of France being the lone left-wing exception. Typically, it’s the left that has explicitly championed women in politics, but as Pippa Norris, a professor of comparative politics at the Harvard Kennedy School observes, the more women in politics, the more likely it is that women break into leadership, regardless of what party they belong to.

A Week Of Ups And Downs For The LGBTQ+ Community

There has been a flurry of news surrounding the LGBTQ+ community this week, bringing both progress and setbacks. The Supreme Court made headlines on Monday when it announced that it would not hear a case to overturn marriage equality, rejecting a petition from Kim Davis, the Kentucky county clerk who refused to issue marriage licenses for same-sex couples a decade ago. LGBTQ+ rights organizations and Democratic strategists are also citing wins in recent gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey as a victory for the trans community, noting that Govs.-elect Abigail Spanberger and Mikie Sherrill saw success when they engaged with opponents who launched attacks concerning their support for trans and LGBTQ+ rights. In a possible loss for the trans community, however, the International Olympic Committee is reportedly edging closer towards banning transgender women from competing in the Los Angeles Olympic Games; multiple sources expect a ban to come into effect over the next six to twelve months. Such a policy would avoid conflict with President Trump, who signed an executive order earlier this year to prevent transgender women from competing in female sports.