Fight Back:

• “Access to the franchise is now the object of an all-out political battle. Those committed to protecting people’s right to vote — as well as their actual ability to exercise this right — must organize accordingly.” The voting rights manifesto: a state-by-state plan to defend democracy (via @Vox)
• ““I believe it was voter suppression laws from the state government that crushed turnout,” said Milwaukee County Clerk Joe Czarnezki, one of two officials who oversees local elections. “They tend to hit hardest on people who are poor, who don’t drive and don’t have a license, who are minorities.”” Election officials focus on whether voter ID laws contributed to Hillary Clinton’s defeat (by Jaweed Kaleem, h/t @greenhousenyt)
• “A day after Vanity Fair published a negative review of Trump Grill, the steakhouse at Trump Tower in New York City, Trump mocked the magazine for having a low circulation and personally attacked the publication’s editor by name as a “no talent.”” Trump smears magazine editor who published a critical review of Trump Grill (by Josh Israel, via @thinkprogress)
• “A group of activists protesting the proposed construction of a new youth detention center interrupted King County Executive Dow Constantine and Seattle Mayor Ed Murray during the press conference. Activists, many of who were people of color, called on Constantine and Murray to use their power to oppose granting a master use permit to begin construction on a proposed replacement facility, which would have “112 [beds], about half the capacity of the current complex,” The Seattle Times reports.” While WA Politicians Declare State a “Hate-Free Zone,” Protesters Make a Call for Action (by Ana Sofia Knauf, @asknauf)
• “So, for her final photography assignment, she created #SignedByTrump, a jarring NSFW collection that features Trump’s derogatory comments he’s made about women, including fashion models, previous Apprentice contestants, and talk show hosts. She uploaded the images to her Tumblr after they were deleted from Instagram and Facebook.” These Photos Put Trump’s Sexist Words On Women’s Naked Bodies (by Patty Affriol, via @bust_magazine)

Racism

• “Hey—hey America, can we talk about racism for a second? Everyone else, feel free to listen in, but America . . . we really need to talk. Why? Because you seem to think the only racism that counts is the kind that involves crosses being burned on lawns by people in white hoods. In reality, it’s the way that racism is passed down through generations—the way that it is taught passively and overtly—that should concern you. And one of the many ways this happens is via our deeply flawed education system.” We Need To Talk About Racism In Education (by Mikki Kendal, @Karnythia)

Supporting Diversity

• “As an industry, we’ve made some progress, but not nearly enough to where newsrooms look like the diversity of the places we cover. And while we are in a moment of reflection about how we could have collectively done better covering white working class and rural white Americans, many of our newsrooms are still lacking diversity of thought, race, gender, ethnicity, class and disability.” How newsrooms can stop being so white (by Tanzina Vega, @tanzinavega)
• “On Monday, the organization unveiled Backing Black Business, an interactive map and directory of online stores where customers can purchase food, health and beauty supplies, entertainment, and lifestyle goods — all from retailers owned by black people. The site also includes nonprofits, and allows business owners to add themselves to the database.” Black Lives Matter launches site to support black businesses across the country (by Carimah Townes, via @thinkprogress)

Civil Rights

• “Fractured and short-fused before Christmas, the North Carolina legislature adjourned Wednesday evening without repealing a law that had polarized a national debate by restricting transgender people’s use of certain public restrooms.” North Carolina Legislature Fails To Repeal Bathroom Law After Deal Breaks Down (by Dominic Holden and Mary Ann Georgantopoulos, via @dominicholden)

Reproductive Rights

• “In a move that could affect thousands of low-income women, state health officials on Tuesday delivered a final legal notice to defund the organization from the Medicaid program through which it provides family planning and women’s health services to the poor. Planned Parenthood had previously received $3.1 million in Medicaid funding, but those dollars will be nixed in 30 days, according to the notice which was obtained by The Texas Tribune.” Texas officially kicking Planned Parenthood out of Medicaid (by Alexa Ura, h/t @evanasmith)

Sexual Assault

• “Saying publicly that you were sexually assaulted can open you up to scrutiny and to the pain of having to repeatedly defend yourself from all corners against claims that you are lying or seeking attention. You also risk becoming narrowly defined not only as “the woman who was raped” but also “the resilient survivor.” You are both simultaneously what happened to you and recovered from it, too. There is no room to exist somewhere in between. To be not just a survivor, but someone who is actively surviving.” The Ballerina Who Accused Her Instructor of Sexual Assault (by Jessica Luther, @scATX)