Considering the positive things people say about Patty Jenkins, it’s easy to see why Pedro Pascal had no problem becoming friends with the filmmaker. And from what we’ve learned about his work on the film, it would seem that he was given free rein when it came to developing his villainous character. Like his role on Disney+’s The Mandalorian, Maxwell Lord seems to have been a dream come true for Pascal and, for that, he certainly owes a great deal to Jenkins.
Missy Park, CEO and founder of women’s apparel company Title Nine, was watching LFG—the HBO documentary on the fight for equal pay in women’s soccer—when she had a million-dollar, rage-induced epiphany. “I was just getting so mad. Yes with U.S. Soccer, but also a little bit frustrated with myself,” she says. “Maybe I can’t do everything [to fix the pay gap], but I can do something.” So she turned to her wife, and asked how much it would cost her company to close the pay gap faced by Megan Rapinoe, Alex Morgan and co.
It was a big number, but Park was all in.
On July 28, Title Nine announced they’re making a game-changing difference for the women of the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team with a $1 million donation. The number represents the maximum pay gap between what the women’s team was paid and what the U.S. men’s team would have been paid for winning the six games leading up to the Olympics.
By now, we all know the facts: The women of the USWNT bring in more revenue, more championships, and more viewers than their male counterparts—and still, they’re not paid equally. They’ve become icons in the fight for women’s equality, though their legal battle with their employer U.S. Soccer is ongoing. (After their suit for equal pay was initially dismissed by a judge, the players filed an appeal last week for their right to a trial.)
Outside of the courtroom, the USWNT has inspired stadiums filled with tens of thousands of people to chant “Equal Pay!,” driven record jersey sales, and even helped drive a shift in major retailers increasing their investment in women’s sports. They’ve also inspired some big sponsors to start writing some big checks. Following the team’s historic 2019 World Cup win in which the players faced a pay gap of $23,000 each, Secret deodorant made up the difference, calling out U.S. Soccer in the process.
The $1 million donation made to the USWNT Players Association by Title Nine, a small female-founded women’s apparel company based in Berkley that’s comprised of 92% women, is the biggest ever. The goal, Park says, is not to make some headlines with a one-time check, but to really move the needle on equal pay for women in sports and beyond. “Money matters—it’s how we connote value in this society,” says Park in explaining why it was so important that Title Nine’s donation go directly into player’s pockets. “We want them to take that money and do with it as they please.”
To help elevate the cause, Title Nine also announced the creation of the Kick In for Equal Pay fund that will encourage other corporations and individual supporters to chip in. “I’m already reaping the benefits of this team. I have a son and a daughter and they get to see how they perform in the brightest lights under the heaviest pressure,” Park says. “I think we all need to step up to the plate.” Title Nine will be matching individual contributions up to $250,000.
Title Nine is named after the landmark legislation that prohibited gender-based discrimination in schools, opening the floodgates for generations of girls and women to participate in sports. So it’s safe to say this issue is close to the core values of the company. “We want women to lead, and to risk, and to own—and do it on equal footing, on an equal playing field,” Park says. “The battle that these women are fighting is the same battle that all of us are fighting, and a win on the soccer field, hopefully soon, will translate into wins in the workplace.”
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The public’s known that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is on the way since shortly after Vol. 2 was released in 2017, but last year brought the big announcement that filmmaker James Gunn is writing and directing The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special for Disney+. And don’t go thinking that this will be a standalone adventure where Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket, Groot, Nebula and Mantis learn the true meaning of Christmas. Yes, that could happen, but Gunn has clarified that watching the Holiday Special will be necessary before seeing Vol. 3.
It’s finally here: The Olympics 2021 officially kicked off in Tokyo on Friday, July 23, and wow, it was worth the wait. These Summer Olympics have already been historic for a number of pandemic-related reasons: the postponement, crowd-free competition, and athletes who have already withdrawn after testing positive for the coronavirus. But on a brighter note, the Tokyo Games are already historic for women athletes.
Women won more medals in 2016 and 2018 for Team USA than male athletes and are on track to take home the most glory in Tokyo too; this year six major countries—including the U.S., Canada, Australia, Great Britain, China, and Russia (whose athletes will be competing for the Russian Olympic Committee, as the doping ban against the country is still in place)—have more women athletes competing than men.
But it’s not just about numbers. Women athletes are about to have an epic run at the Olympic and Paralympic games this summer—the women of Team USA Basketball will be going for their seventh consecutive gold medal (some dynasty-level stuff right there), Allyson Felix will be competing in her fifth Olympics (while helping to pay for childcare for other Olympian moms), Katie Ledecky will be gunning for the chance to be the first woman to win the most career gold medals (in any sport), Carissa Moore and Bryce Wettstein will have a shot at becoming the first women to ever win Olympic medals in surfing and skateboarding (both new Olympic sports), Scout Bassett will be get another shot at Paralympic gold, and Simone Biles will be being, well, Simone Biles.
You’re going to want to watch it all. Here are the sports and iconic athletes to keep your eye on at the 2021 Olympics.
Simone Biles. Need we say more?
The GOAT will be competing at her second Olympics as the greatest gymnast—of any gender—in history. In addition to debuting moves never completed on the Olympic stage, she’s in the running (along with swimmer Katie Ledecky) to become the woman to win the most career gold medals in any sport.
But it’s not just Biles you’ll want to watch. The 2021 Women’s Gymnastics team is stacked with talent. Also on the squad: Sunisa Lee, Jordan Chiles, Grace McCallum, Jade Carey, and MyKayla Skinner. Together they could sweep the top spots on the podium in every event, making them the first team to ever take home gold in every event in the competition.
Following the qualification round on July 25, it’s official: the Women’s Gymnastics Team has qualified for the team finals on July 27. Not only that, but Biles qualified for all four event finals, plus the all-around! As the Team USA Twitter account put it, “Just goat things.”
Ultimately, Biles and Lee qualified for the all-around final on July 29, the bar final on August 1, and the beam final on August 3. Biles and Carey will compete in the vault finals on August 1 and the floor final on August 2.
UPDATE—July 28, 2021, 7:19 a.m.: A day after Simone Biles withdrew from the gymnastics team final at the Tokyo Olympics 2021, USA Gymnastics announced she was also withdrawing from the individual all-around final on Wednesday, July 28.
“After further medical evaluation, Simone Biles has withdrawn from the final individual all-around competition at the Tokyo Olympic Games, in order to focus on her mental health,” USA Gymnastics said in a statement. “We wholeheartedly support Simone’s decision and applaud her bravery in prioritizing her well-being. Her courage shows, yet again, why she is a role model for so many.”
It is unclear if Biles will compete at all for the rest of the games. But the incredible strength and leadership she showed in withdrawing only further proves that she is the G.O.A.T. “Once I came out here [to compete], I was like, ‘No, mental is not there, so I just need to let the girls do it and focus on myself,'” Biles said after the team final, per ESPN.
In addition to the all-around team and individual finals, Biles also qualified for four individual event finals set to take place next week—the first woman to qualify for all six since 1992. When asked by reporters after the team finals about her plans for the rest of the competition, she said she was taking things “day by day.”
UPDATE—July 27, 2021, 11:13 a.m.: After the shocking announcement that Simone Biles pulled out of the gymnastics team final at the Olympics 2021, Biles spoke out about her decision. “I’m just dealing with things internally that will get fixed in the next couple of days,” BBC News reported.
“After the performance that I did, I didn’t want to go into any of the other events second-guessing myself, so I thought it was better if I took a step back and let these girls go out there and do the job, and they did just that,” Biles said, per USA Today.
She also discussed the role of therapy. “Therapy has helped a lot as well as medicine,” Biles said. “Whenever you get in high-stress situations, you kind of freak out and don’t know really know how to handle all of those emotions especially at the Olympic Games.”
Biles spoke out about her mental health and dealing with the immense pressure that comes with being the GOAT after the gymnastics qualifying round on Sunday. She became the first gymnast since 1992 to qualify for all six women’s events—the team final, the all-around, and the four individual apparatus finals—despite the fact that it was an off day for her. “It wasn’t an easy day or my best but I got through it,” she wrote on Instagram. “I truly do feel like I have the weight of the world on my shoulders at times. I know I brush it off and make it seem like pressure doesn’t affect me but damn sometimes it’s hard hahaha! The Olympics is no joke!”
I don’t want to get political since this is about movies and TV, but it kind of broke my heart when we didn’t receive our first female President back in 2016. Now, like I said, I’m not going to get into politics, since you can like who you like. I don’t care. But Alfre Woodard, who played President Constance Payton on the short-lived show, State of Affairs, is the kind of President I want when we do eventually get a female President elected. With her patient approach, and her steadfast adherence to her image as President, she kind of reminds me of Oprah. And look, I’m not saying that I want Oprah to be the POTUS. That said, I’m not saying that I don’t want her to be POTUS, either.
It’s not every day you can score discounts on brands like La Mer, Oribe, and Nécessaire, but the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2021 is the exception to the rule. During the limited-time event, the retailer is slashing prices on beauty offerings across categories, including luxury skin care, buzzy body brands, and hair tools and devices you may not have felt comfortable bringing yourself to add to cart at full price.
Starting today, they’ll be up for grabs now through August 8. From beloved brow tools by Anastasia Beverly Hills to beloved Kiehl’s shower essentials—not to mention NuFace devices that can change your skin-care regimen for the better—there’s a lot to take in here.
To make things easier, we narrowed down the most tempting deals you won’t want to pass up in every beauty category of the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2021, below.
Snag your favorite serums, expand your moisturizer selection in preparation for fall, or recover from a day in the sun with the retailer’s long list of discounted skin-care products. That means splurge-worthy brands with reviews to back the price tag, like La Mer, Sunday Riley, and Kate Somerville—at a fraction of the price.
Sales are the perfect excuse to finally take that fancy gadget you’ve been eyeing for a long overdue test-drive. Between the LED light therapy masks you’ve been seeing all over Insta and a straightening iron to replace the one you’ve had since college, the options are plentiful.
With masks coming off and people slowly emerging, it’s time to get reacquainted with your old friend, makeup—remember her? Whether you like to go all-out glam or prefer a natural beat, do not sleep on Nordstrom’s staggering selection of makeup deals. From Dior’s cult-favorite Lip Glow to the duchess-approved Charlotte Tilbury, there’s something for every makeup bag.
If taking care of your hair fell to the wayside this past year…well, join the club. Give your hair some much needed TLC and protect it from the sun with these editor-approved products. Need to deep-clean away a year’s worth of dry shampoo? Interested in a deep-conditioning session? Whatever you’re looking for, the sale will deliver.
This past year taught us the value of some good self-care, and there’s no need to let that go even with things inching toward normalcy. From simply lighting a candle to indulging with a spa-worthy shower set, showing yourself a little TLC is crucial. Discounted bath-time products from Nécessaire, Kiehl’s, and Malin + Goetz are all up for grabs, so good luck trying to choose just one.
It’s not every day you can score discounts on brands like La Mer, Oribe, and Nécessaire, but the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2021 is the exception to the rule. During the limited-time event, the retailer is slashing prices on beauty offerings across categories, including luxury skin care, buzzy body brands, and hair tools and devices you may not have felt comfortable bringing yourself to add to cart at full price.
Starting today, they’ll be up for grabs now through August 8. From beloved brow tools by Anastasia Beverly Hills to beloved Kiehl’s shower essentials—not to mention NuFace devices that can change your skin-care regimen for the better—there’s a lot to take in here.
To make things easier, we narrowed down the most tempting deals you won’t want to pass up in every beauty category of the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2021, below.
Snag your favorite serums, expand your moisturizer selection in preparation for fall, or recover from a day in the sun with the retailer’s long list of discounted skin-care products. That means splurge-worthy brands with reviews to back the price tag, like La Mer, Sunday Riley, and Kate Somerville—at a fraction of the price.
Sales are the perfect excuse to finally take that fancy gadget you’ve been eyeing for a long overdue test-drive. Between the LED light therapy masks you’ve been seeing all over Insta and a straightening iron to replace the one you’ve had since college, the options are plentiful.
With masks coming off and people slowly emerging, it’s time to get reacquainted with your old friend, makeup—remember her? Whether you like to go all-out glam or prefer a natural beat, do not sleep on Nordstrom’s staggering selection of makeup deals. From Dior’s cult-favorite Lip Glow to the duchess-approved Charlotte Tilbury, there’s something for every makeup bag.
If taking care of your hair fell to the wayside this past year…well, join the club. Give your hair some much needed TLC and protect it from the sun with these editor-approved products. Need to deep-clean away a year’s worth of dry shampoo? Interested in a deep-conditioning session? Whatever you’re looking for, the sale will deliver.
This past year taught us the value of some good self-care, and there’s no need to let that go even with things inching toward normalcy. From simply lighting a candle to indulging with a spa-worthy shower set, showing yourself a little TLC is crucial. Discounted bath-time products from Nécessaire, Kiehl’s, and Malin + Goetz are all up for grabs, so good luck trying to choose just one.
If you’re asking yourself whether you or the Kylo Ren to your Rey will also transform into a hot centaur in front of your eyes if you buy it… well, probably not. But the scent is reportedly made up of bergamot, black pepper, juniper berry, atlas cedar, himalayan cedar and virginia cedar. Plus, the ad also brought this picture of Adam Driver into the world:
Black Adam and Atom Smasher have history going back to Geoff Johns’ run on the JSA comic book series, with the two men initially developing a rivalry when the former joined the superhero team and the latter doubting that he’d reformed. However, as time passed, they developed respect for one another, and Atom Smasher ended up becoming one of the meta humans who helped Black Adam overthrow the oppressive regime ruling Kahndaq. Eventually though, Atom Smasher left Black Adam’s side and rejoined the Justice Society in their efforts to apprehend Adam. It’s unclear if Atom Smasher and Black Adam will establish close ties with one another in the DCEU, though given how Black Adam is more often depicted as an antihero nowadays rather than a straightforward supervillain, I can’t imagine they’ll remain legitimate enemies for too long.
