A New Push To Roll Back Marriage Equality

What's Happening

US News

A New Push To Roll Back Marriage Equality

What's going on: Southern Baptists — the largest Protestant denomination in the US — are officially calling on the Supreme Court to overturn Obergefell v. Hodges, the 2015 ruling that legalized same-sex marriage. More than 10,000 members gathered this week in Dallas for the group’s annual meeting, where they voted to oppose the landmark decision. While the group has long stood against marriage equality, this marks a major escalation: A direct push to undo constitutional protections. Human rights advocates condemned the vote and pointed to broader political shifts, including the Trump administration’s attacks on DEI programs — and a recent move to rename a Navy ship honoring Harvey Milk (during Pride Month, no less).

What it means: Southern Baptists look to Roe v. Wade as proof that so-called “settled law” can be overturned — a fear many activists have voiced, especially when it comes to Obergefell. While the group’s vote isn’t binding, Republican lawmakers in several red states have recently pushed multiple anti-LGBTQIA+ bills, including measures designed to eventually dismantle same-sex marriage (see: Oklahoma and Idaho). With all this compounding, activists warn the result is a hostile — even terrifying — environment for LGBTQIA+ Americans. But, as the director of the Human Rights Campaign added: “Love is love, and the right for LGBTQ+ couples to marry is supported by an overwhelming majority of the American public.”

Related: Doctors Say They Used AI To Help a Couple Conceive (TIME)

Politics

Trump Wants States To Weather Storms Themselves

What's going on: Governors could soon be the first (and only) line of defense in weather-related disasters. President Donald Trump says he intends to wind down much of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) after this year’s hurricane season, which forecasters warn could be especially severe. His goal? “Wean” states off of federal disaster aid. “The governor should be able to handle it,” Trump said Tuesday. “And frankly, if they can’t handle it … maybe they shouldn’t be governor.” It’s his most direct attempt yet to shrink — or even eliminate — FEMA’s role in disaster response. If it gets phased out, disaster funds could flow straight from the White House, raising big questions about how they’re distributed.

What it means: Experts warn that what comes next could be a dramatic overhaul of how the US responds to disasters. Without FEMA, states would need to hire thousands of workers to inspect damage, distribute aid, and rebuild — and cover billions in new costs. Emergency managers say states already lead disaster response and only call in FEMA when they need backup — but most don’t have the budget or staff to handle catastrophic events alone. (After Hurricane Irma, Florida relied on more than $5.5 billion in federal aid.) The organization also plays a huge role in helping states get the infrastructure they need for disasters like floods and hurricanes. The turnaround in shifted responsibilities could be tight (especially for inexperienced states) — because while hurricane season eventually ends, floods, fires, and earthquakes don’t really do calendars.

Related: The Economy Just Gave Trump an Early Birthday Gift (Axios)

Sports

A Groundbreaking New Rule Will Change Women's Tennis

What's going on: The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) just upped its game. The organization announced yesterday that players can take time off to undergo fertility treatment — without hurting their ranking. To qualify, athletes need to sit out for 10 consecutive weeks after undergoing a fertility procedure like egg or embryo freezing. Once they are ready to hit the court, they get a “Special Entry Ranking,” which is calculated based on their recent average. It can be used for three tournaments. Sloane Stephens, previously ranked number three in the world, applauded the new rule and said, “For any woman, the conversation of family life versus a career is nuanced and complex.” Game, set, match.

What it means: Athletes train for years to reach the top of their game. For women, starting a family can mean losing their ranking, sponsorships, and putting their bodies through a lot. The WTA is giving athletes the chance to do all of that while offering them job security — it already provides maternity leave, postpartum support, and fertility grants (although it’s being paid for by Saudi Arabia, which has been accused of “sportswashing”). While other leagues are taking similar steps (including the WNBA), other sports still need to play catch-up. It wasn’t until last year that USA Track and Field expanded its maternity leave policy. Can someone tell corporate America to change its game plan… or at least create one?

Related: Serena and Venus Williams To Launch New Podcast on a Certain Billionaire’s Platform (Variety)

Settle This

Labubus have taken the world by storm (whether you like it or not). A rare one just sold at an auction. How much did someone pay for the toy?

Extra Credit

Eat

If cooking salmon sounds like a job better suited for literally anyone but you, we understand. So allow us to introduce you to the most hands-off, foolproof way to prepare it: en papillote (that’s “in parchment,” for those who ended their French Duolingo streak). Specifically, The Modern Proper’s Salmon En Papillote With Tomato Butter, in which the fillets are placed inside parchment-paper packets, along with juicy cherry tomatoes, zesty lemon slices, tangy olives, briny capers, and an umami-rich tomato butter. Pop them in the oven for roughly 15 minutes, and, to borrow another word from the French, voilà — you’ll have consistently tender, flaky, and flavorful fish, with minimal cleanup.

Game Time

Brick Breaker meets word search in Spelltower, your new favorite game. For every word you find, letter tiles disappear. The fewer tiles left when you run out of words, the better your score. Try it.