President Pence would turn America into The Handmaid’s Tale

Karen Pence is not just the wife of the US vice-president, she’s an empowered career woman in her own right. While her husband works tirelessly alongside Trump to make America white again, Karen Pence, it was announced this week, is returning to her old job teaching kids art.

Or rather, she’s going to teach heterosexual kids art, and they shouldn’t expect to draw any rainbows.

The Christian school in northern Virginia where Pence will be working requires its teachers to agree that they won’t engage in or condone “homosexual or lesbian sexual activity” and “transgender identity”. The school also reserves the right to expel or refuse to admit students if they or their parents participate in, support, or condone, homosexual or bisexual activity. A policy that seems to chime perfectly with the vice-president’s own bigoted worldview – Pence has a long history of homophobia and transphobia.

News that the second lady of the United States is cheerfully teaching at an anti-LGBT school has sparked an unfair amount of criticism, according to Pence. On Friday the vice-president told a Catholic TV network that “see[ing] major news organizations attacking Christian education is deeply offensive to us”. I had no idea that Christian education meant teaching kids to hate thy neighbor, but what do I know! I’m just an ignorant heathen. Also, I thought it was the liberal snowflakes who were supposed to take offense at everything, not thick-skinned conservatives.

Because we’re all so obsessed with Trump I don’t think we take enough time to reflect on how deeply terrifying Pence is. Trump may be a bigot, but Pence is a zealot – he believes his discriminatory views are justified by a higher power. Trump may not care about morals but Pence has a dangerous view of what morality entails. He refuses to eat alone with any woman who isn’t his wife, for example, because he apparently views women as nothing more than dangerous sexual temptations. And despite his beliefs about moral purity, he has no problem associating himself with Trump, a man who pays off porn stars. Also, he reportedly calls his wife “Mother” – which is just really creepy.

The Pences, of course, should be free to believe whatever they like. What they shouldn’t be free to do, however, is impose their bigoted views on everyone else, which is exactly what they’re doing. It is not entirely improbable that Pence might be president soon. If that happens then it seems clear he’ll do his best to turn the country into a real-life version of The Handmaid’s Tale.

Sony cuts ties with R Kelly

Variety has reported that Sony music will no longer work with R Kelly. While the musician has faced allegations of sexual abusive behavior towards young women for more than 20 years, he’s managed to avoid any real repercussions – so this news is huge. Sony music haven’t commented on the story yet but it seems likely that their decision to cut ties with Kelly was heavily influenced by the recent Lifetime documentary Surviving R Kelly. The documentary prompted fresh investigations into the singer and made the allegations against him impossible to ignore.

Jasmin Paris breaks running record

The British ultrarunner has become the first woman to win the brutal 268-mile Montane Spine Race. Not only that, she crossed the line in just over 83 hours, which is 12 hours faster than the previous record holder, Eoin Keith. As if that wasn’t badass enough, Paris, who is breastfeeding her 14-month-old daughter, also stopped to express milk during the race. I’m exhausted just thinking about all that.

Jasmin Paris and her daughter. Photograph: Yann Besrest-Butler/Montane Spine Race

Controversy clouds the Women’s March

The third annual Women’s march will take place on Saturday. This year’s march is mired in controversy, following allegations of antisemitism among the organisation’s leaders. This has led the movement to splinter and New York will see two competing marches hit the streets.

Citigroup pays women 29% less

On Wednesday Citigroup revealed that its female employees earn 29% less than their male counterparts. US employees from a minority background earn 7% less than non-minorities. While this is pretty dire, Citigroup should at least be applauded for their transparency – they’re the first US bank to publish unadjusted pay gap figures.

Mariah Carey doesn’t acknowledge time

Congratulations to Mariah for having the best response to the nauseating #10YearChallenge that is currently everywhere on social media. “I don’t get this 10-year challenge, time is not something I acknowledge,” she tweeted alongside two identical pictures of herself. This will now be my go-to line for my editor every time I file copy late.