Good morning Her Campus! With a break-neck news cycle, there is no possible way for you to stay on top of every story that comes across your feeds—we’re all only human, after all.
But, life comes at you fast. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in for this quick and dirty guide to stories you might’ve been sleeping on (like, literally. It’s early.)
Virginia Has Elected Its First Openly Transgender State Lawmaker
In case you were losing hope for 2017, we have some *good* news: Democrat Danica Roem defeated Republican Bob Marshall in the race for Virginia’s 13th district seat in the Virginia House of Delegates, and she will officially become the state’s first openly transgender state lawmaker, the Huffington Post reports. The best part? Marshall, an incumbent for the seat, wrote Virginia’s anti-trans bathroom bill preventing transgender public school students from using the bathroom of their choice. “Danica defeated ‘Bigot Bob’ Marshall not because she is transgender, but because she presented a positive vision for her constituents that will improve their lives,” Aisha Moodie-Mills, president of the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, told HuffPost in a statement.
History made tonight! #DanicaRoem has just become the first openly transgender legislator in U.S. history. pic.twitter.com/KymI7jCFGt
— Women’s March (@womensmarch) November 8, 2017
President Trump Claims Stronger Gun Laws Would Have Made No Difference in the Texas Shooting
During a press conference in South Korea on Tuesday, President Trump claimed that tougher gun laws would have left, “hundreds more dead,” in the Texas shooting that killed 26 people on Sunday. When asked about the shooting, Trump started by saying it was, “a situation that probably shouldn’t be discussed right now.” Despite this, the president continued to discuss the shooting, referring to Stephen Willeford, the Sutherland Springs man who fired at shooter Devin Kelley during the attack with his rifle. “I can only say this: If he didn’t have a gun, instead of having 26 dead, you would have had hundreds more dead,” Trump said.
Meanwhile, following last week’s terror attack in New York City, the president was quick to advocate for stricter vetting policies when it comes to individuals entering the United States.
Trump on civilian who intervened in Texas shooting: “If he didn’t have a gun, instead of having 26 dead, you would have had hundreds more.” pic.twitter.com/K67H8HpF9J
— CNN (@CNN) November 7, 2017
Stanford Turned the Site of the Brock Turner Rape into a Memorial for the Victim
It’s been three years since Stanford swimmer Brock Turner raped an anonymous victim, Emily Doe, behind a dumpster after a fraternity party. And while many parts of the case, including the fact that Turner only served three months of his appalling six month sentence, were horrifying, Stanford is stepping up to honor the survivor and turn the site of the assault into a peaceful place. With Emily’s permission, Stanford law professor Michele Landis Dauber has turned the area into a garden and memorial site in Emily’s honor — it will even be inscribed with a portion of the 12-page letter Doe wrote about her horrific experience.
Dumpster site where Brock Turner sexually assaulted a woman turned into tranquil memorial https://t.co/kjMpZO9n8v # via @TheScope
— Allison DailyOutfit (@DailyOutfit) November 8, 2017
What to look out for…
T-minus two days until the release of Taylor Swift’s Reputation album — so get ready for plenty of tea on Tay’s exes, feuds and drama.