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Area woman has haircut

I regret to inform you that Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Derangement Syndrome (AOCDS) has struck again. The condition, characterized by an unhealthy obsession with the New York congresswoman and an inability to stop foaming at the mouth, claimed reporters at the Washington Times this week. On Wednesday, the conservative outlet published an “EXCLUSIVE” story, headlined “Self-declared socialist AOC splurges on high-dollar hairdo.”

In actual fact, as the internet swiftly pointed out, Ocasio-Cortez’s $80 cut and $180 coloring were not actually that “high-dollar”. Women’s haircuts are incredibly expensive. Being a woman is incredibly expensive. Dunno if you’ve heard of this little thing called the “pink tax”?

What’s more, spending money on a haircut is not incompatible with being a socialist. Conservatives seem to think that if you want to tax billionaires and make the world a more equitable place you ought to live in a dirt hut and refuse to participate in modern society. Last year, for example, a reporter for the Washington Examiner tried to insinuate that AOC was a hypocrite by posting a photo of her wearing a nice jacket and coat. The subtext being that you can’t call yourself a real socialist unless you dress in rags.

While conservatives crow about self-declared socialists getting haircuts they are rather more tight-lipped about the Trump administration’s spending habits. Indeed, AOC responded to HairGate by tweeting a story about Mike Pence spending almost $600,000 in limo service for an unnecessary detour to Trump’s Irish resort in Doonbeg. You know, the one that was 181 miles away from Pence’s meetings in Dublin.

“Mike Pence used *taxpayer funds* - not personal ones - to spend several thousand haircuts’ worth of public money on a visit to Trump golf courses,” Ocasio-Cortez tweeted. “I wonder if Republicans care about corruption as much as they care about a woman’s cut & color.” I think we all know the answer to that question.

The to-do about AOC’s ’do isn’t just yet another example of Republican hypocrisy, however. It’s also a depressing reminder that being a woman means being forced to walk an impossible tightrope everyday. You’re criticized if you don’t look good, but you’re also criticized if you look too good. You’re either a slut or a prude. You’re told to lean in and speak up at work, but you’re called a bossy bitch if you speak up too much. Women simply can’t win when they play by the patriarchy’s rules. Which is why we need to stop playing by the patriarchy’s rules and lean all the way out.

Exclusive: new AOC scandals revealed

This constant stream of AOC “controversies” is getting incredibly tedious. So, you know what? I’m going to save the rightwing media some time and write a few preemptive headlines for them:

· Bloody hypocrite! Supposed socialist AOC uses luxury tampons rather than stuffing leaves in her underwear

· HOT AIR: Ocasio-Cortez wants Green New Deal but caught shamelessly using heating during the winter

· Call yourself a commie? AOC buys NEW PHONE rather than contacting people via free-range carrier pigeon

· REVEALED: Ocasio-Cortez eats at a RESTAURANT instead of foraging for edible plants in DC parkland

Elizabeth Warren has a punchline for that

At Thursday’s LGBTQ town hall, Warren was asked what she’d say if a supporter told her they believed “marriage was between one man and one woman”. Warren replied: “Well, I’m going to assume it’s a guy who said that. And I’m going to say, then just marry one woman. I’m cool with that. Assuming you can find one.”

Chris Cuomo does not have a good punchline for that

“My pronouns are she, her and hers,” Kamala Harris said after being introduced to stage at Thursday’s LGBTQ town hall. CNN host Chris Cuomo immediately quipped “Mine too.” This was neither funny nor clever and didn’t go down well with a lot of people, particularly in the trans community. Cuomo later apologized.

Iranian women allowed to watch soccer

Women have largely been banned from attending football matches in Iran since the Islamic revolution in 1979. On Thursday, however, more than 3,000 women were allowed to sit in a segregated part of a Tehran stadium to watch Iran take on Cambodia. Iran has been under international pressure to relax its ban on women watching sports after Sahar Khodayari set herself on fire and died following her arrest for trying to enter a stadium.

Mistreatment of women during childbirth

More than one-third of women in Nigeria, Myanmar, Ghana and Guinea were physically and emotionally abused during childbirth in health centers, according to a new study published in the Lancet medical journal. Health officials say women around the world, including in developing countries, are mistreated during childbirth, with most abuse occurring in the 15 minutes before and during childbirth.

Matt Lauer’s rape denial ‘a case study in victim-blaming’

Brooke Nevils, a former NBC News employee who alleges Lauer raped her in 2014, has spoken out after the former NBC Today show host published an open letter about the allegations. Lauer claims Nevils was a “willing partner”. Nevils says he’s trying to bully her into silence.

Teens turn away from makeup

Cosmetics spending among female teenagers is the lowest it has been for years, according to Piper Jaffray’s 38th semi-annual Taking Stock With Teens survey.

Mo Women in MoMA

New York’s Museum of Modern Art has just had a $450m renovation. The new MoMA, which opens on 21 October, sees a slight improvement in gender equality. “At least 28% of the artists on view in the new MoMA … are women – about five times the proportion in recent years,” the Wall Street Journal reports. About 59% are male artists and the rest have ‘no applicable gender’, MoMA says.”

Wagatha Christie breaks the internet

If you’re British then I’m sure you already know everything there is to know about “how Coleen Rooney created the best day on Twitter of all time”. If you’re not British then I suggest you educate yourself about the Insta-scandal immediately. Trust me, it’s worth it.