U.S. Senate candidate Mallory McMorrow told a Michigan crowd last month that gender-inclusive language was pushed by the Democratic Party's "more progressive groups," despite including "inclusive language" in her constituent newsletters as recently as November.
McMorrow, a Michigan state senator, said at the Michigan Democratic Party Rural Summit on April 12 that she "got some flack" from Democrats who encouraged her to use "inclusive language" around the time of the Dobbs decision in 2022, which overturned Roe v. Wade and returned abortion law to the states.
"You may have heard phrases like ‘birthing persons’ or ‘chestfeeding,’ which was a push by some of our more progressive groups to be more inclusive, so that we were capturing the fact that occasionally, trans men or women may need reproductive care," McMorrow said. "That is not untrue. But, if we were thinking about who we needed to move to our side to have the votes we needed to accomplish the goal, when you say things that are kind of made-up phrases, it becomes really alienating."
While McMorrow acknowledges how that language can actually be "alienating" to voters outside the progressive wing of the Democratic Party and is running a campaign that rejects "performative nonsense," McMorrow chose to include that very language in several constituent newsletters describing Michigan legislation supported by the Senate Democratic Caucus.
RISING STAR DEM CRITICAL OF SCHUMER'S LEADERSHIP LAUNCHES 2026 BID IN KEY SENATE BATTLEGROUND
As recently as November 2024, McMorrow's constituent newsletter – which highlights the Michigan Democrat's legislative agenda, spotlights community events and shares good news from the district – including descriptions of Senate bills using "inclusive language," like "birthing parent."
WHY PETE BUTTIGIEG SAID NO TO RUNNING FOR THE SENATE NEXT YEAR
In McMorrow's newsletter, Senate Bills 1127 and 1128 are described as requiring "private insurers and Medicaid to provide coverage for group-based pregnancy support programs, which are shown to result in improved health outcomes for both the birthing parent and baby."
Similar language was included in a newsletter the month before describing the Momnibus bill package as "amplifying the voices of Black and Brown birthing people."
The same "birthing individuals" language was included in an April 2024 newsletter, describing the Momnibus bill package as created to "strengthen community-driven programs, enhance prenatal care and maternal healthcare, and amplify the voices of Black birthing individuals, mothers, women, families, and stakeholders."
While descriptions of "birthing" people or individuals are included in McMorrow's newsletter, her campaign said she did not write those words.
Andrew Mamo, McMorrow for Michigan spokesman, told Fox News Digital in a statement: "As she wrote in her book and says on the campaign trail, Mallory knows Democrats need to talk like real people and not use fabricated language that, while intending to be ‘inclusive,’ sounds so unfamiliar that it’s weird to a majority of people. These legislative updates weren’t written by Mallory, and she has continued to advocate even within her own caucus the need to change how Democrats speak."
The campaign said that while the state senator writes a portion of her constituent newsletters, the "birthing" language had been written by the Senate Democratic Caucus. However, those bill descriptions are not attributed to anyone in McMorrow's newsletter.
McMorrow's campaign also pointed to pages in her book released in March that argued the pressure to use "inclusive language" fails at "defining your audience," as Democrats continue to grapple with losing the House, Senate and White House in November.
McMorrow, considered a rising star in the Democratic Party, announced her bid for U.S. Senate to succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters early last month, framing herself as an outsider and calling for a new generation of leaders in Washington.
McMorrow has said she would not vote for Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., to continue as the party leader, adding that it is time for him to step back.
The 38-year-old Michigan state senator garnered national attention for her viral speech to the Michigan state senate in 2022, where she pushed back on allegations from a Republican lawmaker that she was "grooming" and "sexualizing" children.
"I am the biggest threat to your hollow, hateful scheme," McMorrow said, calling out Republican state Sen. Lana Theis for invoking her name in a fundraising email. "We will not let hate win."
A centuries-old shipwreck was recently found in an unlikely place in Spain: a former fish market.
The Barcelona Institute of Culture (ICUB) said the decayed ship was found in the former Mercat del Peix – which translates to "fish market" – in the Catalan capital. Named Ciutadella I, the shipwreck was found between April 10 and April 15.
Discovered during construction work, the ship dates back between the 15th and 16th centuries. The discovery reflects Barcelona's maritime history, said ICUB.
GARDEN OF EDEN'S TRUE LOCATION 'CAN ONLY BE' AT UNUSUAL TOURIST LANDMARK, NEW ARGUMENT CLAIMS
"Starting in 1439, with the construction of the first artificial docks, the dynamics of the coastline were altered, and the sandbar known as the Tasca, which had protected the city for centuries, disappeared," said the organization's statement, which was translated from Catalan to English.
"The combination of coastal drift, the mouth of the Besòs River, and storms caused a rapid advance of the beach, covering ancient marine spaces."
ICUB also noted that ship's main structure – a "skeleton" measuring 32 feet in length and nearly 10 feet in width – also consisted of 30 curved wooded frames.
HISTORIC MARYLAND CHURCH OPENS DOORS TO VISITORS 320 YEARS AFTER CLOSING DOWN
"At least seven stakes of the hull [were also found]," said the statement.
"The planks are nailed to the frames with circular-section wooden pegs, a type of wooden nail used to join the pieces."
"Two longitudinal pieces – palmellars or saws – fixed with iron nails are also preserved," ICUB noted.
"This system, known as skeleton construction, was common in the medieval Mediterranean and spread throughout Europe from the mid-15th century."
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Researchers are currently studying organic remains found near the shipwreck, which include hazelnut seeds and whole pine cones, and "could have a chronology similar to that of the vessel."
Yet ICUB also cautioned that the ship's remains "are in a very fragile state of preservation" at the moment.
The ship's survival is considered a miracle, as wood deteriorates easily.
"Although wood is a common material in historical shipbuilding, it only preserves in very specific environments, such as aquatic ones, and deteriorates rapidly when exposed to air," the government agency noted.
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"The waterlogged wood is extremely sensitive, and to prevent it from drying out and degrading, it has been partially covered with the original sand that surrounded it," the statement added.
"The Archaeology Service of Barcelona, with advice from the Museum of Archaeology of Catalonia – Centre for Underwater Archaeology of Catalonia (CASC) - is working to ensure the proper documentation and preservation of the structure."
Archaeologists plan to conduct additional work – including 3D documentation, marking, sampling, and preparing to move the ship in water-filled containers.
The shipwreck will be transported to a facility where its wood will be desalinated, in order to preserve it.
"This treatment is essential to preserve both the physical structure of the ship and its archaeological value, as it constitutes a unique source of knowledge about navigation and shipbuilding techniques used in 15th and 16th century Barcelona," ICUB's press release concluded.
U.S. Senate candidate Mallory McMorrow told a Michigan crowd last month that gender-inclusive language was pushed by the Democratic Party's "more progressive groups," despite including "inclusive language" in her constituent newsletters as recently as November.
McMorrow, a Michigan state senator, said at the Michigan Democratic Party Rural Summit on April 12 that she "got some flack" from Democrats who encouraged her to use "inclusive language" around the time of the Dobbs decision in 2022, which overturned Roe v. Wade and returned abortion law to the states.
"You may have heard phrases like ‘birthing persons’ or ‘chestfeeding,’ which was a push by some of our more progressive groups to be more inclusive, so that we were capturing the fact that occasionally, trans men or women may need reproductive care," McMorrow said. "That is not untrue. But, if we were thinking about who we needed to move to our side to have the votes we needed to accomplish the goal, when you say things that are kind of made-up phrases, it becomes really alienating."
While McMorrow acknowledges how that language can actually be "alienating" to voters outside the progressive wing of the Democratic Party and is running a campaign that rejects "performative nonsense," McMorrow chose to include that very language in several constituent newsletters describing Michigan legislation supported by the Senate Democratic Caucus.
RISING STAR DEM CRITICAL OF SCHUMER'S LEADERSHIP LAUNCHES 2026 BID IN KEY SENATE BATTLEGROUND
As recently as November 2024, McMorrow's constituent newsletter – which highlights the Michigan Democrat's legislative agenda, spotlights community events and shares good news from the district – including descriptions of Senate bills using "inclusive language," like "birthing parent."
WHY PETE BUTTIGIEG SAID NO TO RUNNING FOR THE SENATE NEXT YEAR
In McMorrow's newsletter, Senate Bills 1127 and 1128 are described as requiring "private insurers and Medicaid to provide coverage for group-based pregnancy support programs, which are shown to result in improved health outcomes for both the birthing parent and baby."
Similar language was included in a newsletter the month before describing the Momnibus bill package as "amplifying the voices of Black and Brown birthing people."
The same "birthing individuals" language was included in an April 2024 newsletter, describing the Momnibus bill package as created to "strengthen community-driven programs, enhance prenatal care and maternal healthcare, and amplify the voices of Black birthing individuals, mothers, women, families, and stakeholders."
While descriptions of "birthing" people or individuals are included in McMorrow's newsletter, her campaign said she did not write those words.
Andrew Mamo, McMorrow for Michigan spokesman, told Fox News Digital in a statement: "As she wrote in her book and says on the campaign trail, Mallory knows Democrats need to talk like real people and not use fabricated language that, while intending to be ‘inclusive,’ sounds so unfamiliar that it’s weird to a majority of people. These legislative updates weren’t written by Mallory, and she has continued to advocate even within her own caucus the need to change how Democrats speak."
The campaign said that while the state senator writes a portion of her constituent newsletters, the "birthing" language had been written by the Senate Democratic Caucus. However, those bill descriptions are not attributed to anyone in McMorrow's newsletter.
McMorrow's campaign also pointed to pages in her book released in March that argued the pressure to use "inclusive language" fails at "defining your audience," as Democrats continue to grapple with losing the House, Senate and White House in November.
McMorrow, considered a rising star in the Democratic Party, announced her bid for U.S. Senate to succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters early last month, framing herself as an outsider and calling for a new generation of leaders in Washington.
McMorrow has said she would not vote for Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., to continue as the party leader, adding that it is time for him to step back.
The 38-year-old Michigan state senator garnered national attention for her viral speech to the Michigan state senate in 2022, where she pushed back on allegations from a Republican lawmaker that she was "grooming" and "sexualizing" children.
"I am the biggest threat to your hollow, hateful scheme," McMorrow said, calling out Republican state Sen. Lana Theis for invoking her name in a fundraising email. "We will not let hate win."
A centuries-old shipwreck was recently found in an unlikely place in Spain: a former fish market.
The Barcelona Institute of Culture (ICUB) said the decayed ship was found in the former Mercat del Peix – which translates to "fish market" – in the Catalan capital. Named Ciutadella I, the shipwreck was found between April 10 and April 15.
Discovered during construction work, the ship dates back between the 15th and 16th centuries. The discovery reflects Barcelona's maritime history, said ICUB.
GARDEN OF EDEN'S TRUE LOCATION 'CAN ONLY BE' AT UNUSUAL TOURIST LANDMARK, NEW ARGUMENT CLAIMS
"Starting in 1439, with the construction of the first artificial docks, the dynamics of the coastline were altered, and the sandbar known as the Tasca, which had protected the city for centuries, disappeared," said the organization's statement, which was translated from Catalan to English.
"The combination of coastal drift, the mouth of the Besòs River, and storms caused a rapid advance of the beach, covering ancient marine spaces."
ICUB also noted that ship's main structure – a "skeleton" measuring 32 feet in length and nearly 10 feet in width – also consisted of 30 curved wooded frames.
HISTORIC MARYLAND CHURCH OPENS DOORS TO VISITORS 320 YEARS AFTER CLOSING DOWN
"At least seven stakes of the hull [were also found]," said the statement.
"The planks are nailed to the frames with circular-section wooden pegs, a type of wooden nail used to join the pieces."
"Two longitudinal pieces – palmellars or saws – fixed with iron nails are also preserved," ICUB noted.
"This system, known as skeleton construction, was common in the medieval Mediterranean and spread throughout Europe from the mid-15th century."
For more Lifestyle articles, visit foxnews.com/lifestyle
Researchers are currently studying organic remains found near the shipwreck, which include hazelnut seeds and whole pine cones, and "could have a chronology similar to that of the vessel."
Yet ICUB also cautioned that the ship's remains "are in a very fragile state of preservation" at the moment.
The ship's survival is considered a miracle, as wood deteriorates easily.
"Although wood is a common material in historical shipbuilding, it only preserves in very specific environments, such as aquatic ones, and deteriorates rapidly when exposed to air," the government agency noted.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER
"The waterlogged wood is extremely sensitive, and to prevent it from drying out and degrading, it has been partially covered with the original sand that surrounded it," the statement added.
"The Archaeology Service of Barcelona, with advice from the Museum of Archaeology of Catalonia – Centre for Underwater Archaeology of Catalonia (CASC) - is working to ensure the proper documentation and preservation of the structure."
Archaeologists plan to conduct additional work – including 3D documentation, marking, sampling, and preparing to move the ship in water-filled containers.
The shipwreck will be transported to a facility where its wood will be desalinated, in order to preserve it.
"This treatment is essential to preserve both the physical structure of the ship and its archaeological value, as it constitutes a unique source of knowledge about navigation and shipbuilding techniques used in 15th and 16th century Barcelona," ICUB's press release concluded.
Elizabeth Hurley reflected on a simpler time before she revealed she was dating country music star Billy Ray Cyrus.
Hurley, 59, looked completely at ease wearing a skimpy red bikini while strolling the beach in the Maldives.
The "Austin Powers" actress shared a few "happy memories" from her tropical getaway where she celebrated her son, Damian Hurley's birthday.
ELIZABETH HURLEY EMBRACES COUNTRY LIFE WITH BILLY RAY CYRUS IN NEW ROMANTIC SNAPS
"Well…it’s been a helluva few weeks since my glorious sojourn in the Maldives, but here are some of my happy memories," Hurley captioned a carousel of images.
The "Bedazzled" star slipped into a backless sundress in one snap, and showed off views from her luxurious cabana at the Baglioni Maldives hotel.
Hurley and Cyrus, 63, went Instagram-official with their secret relationship on Easter Sunday with a shared photo of the "Achy Breaky Heart" singer kissing his new girlfriend.
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Days later, the "Rowing with the Wind" actress posted a series of shots from her "Tennessee weekend" with the country star right by her side.
Cyrus debuted his new song "Ask (Honor Song)" last week, and told "The Ty Bentli Show" that not only is their blossoming relationship a gift from God, but he's also the happiest he's been in a long time – thanks to his new romance.
"It's just been beautiful," Cyrus said, noting there are "no expectations of where we go from here other than her and her son. I do love him a lot, and it’s great that God brought them into my life when he did. It’s just a good thing.
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"It’s been a long time since I’ve been this happy."
The former co-stars reconnected over text, with Hurley making the first move nearly two years after they worked on the 2022 film "Christmas in Paradise."
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"We did very few scenes together, but the couple times we were in the same scene, there was a chemistry there that felt … we just laughed, and it was at a time I wasn't laughing a lot. And I found out the oddest thing," he said of Hurley.
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"I've obviously, I know all about her life and career and me, a kid from Flatwoods, Kentucky, going to sit and pretend I'm an actor with Elizabeth Hurley knowing that, wait, how did this happen? And the oddest part was first how much we laughed."
Cyrus was in the throes of divorce from his third wife, Firerose, when Hurley contacted him unexpectedly after not communicating for more than two years.
"I felt like, ‘Wow, can life get any harder? Can it get any tougher?’ For me, at a certain point, it was like, ‘You can’t get knocked down any flatter than laying on your back when life is kicking you,’" Cyrus said. "And, in this moment, this hand kind of reached out in a text message, not a physical hand, as in the one you saw in the picture. That'd be good. A friend reached out."
Ex-New Yorkers have declared something is rotten in the Big Apple, explaining Friday why they moved in droves to the Sunshine State instead.
According to a new study by the nonpartisan New York-focused Citizens Budget Commission (CBC), more than 150,000 residents reportedly fled New York for Florida between 2018 and 2022. With about 50,000 leaving Florida for NYC, the Big Apple saw a net decrease of over 100,000 residents who took almost $14 billion in income along with them.
This is part of an ongoing, years-long exodus of people from some of America’s most liberal states, particularly in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and the homelessness and economic issues that surged in its wake.
Alex Taub, the co-founder of entertainment tech startup Goblintown, was one of many new Floridians who spoke to the New York Post about his motivations for leaving New York in the rearview mirror.
CALIFORNIA'S POPULATION EXPECTED TO DECLINE AS FLORIDA AND CAROLINAS' SOAR IN 2024: SURVEY
"People thought we were crazy when we were telling them this but it just started getting more and more bleak in New York," Taub said. "For the same price that we were paying [for a two-bedroom apartment] in New York, we were getting a five-bedroom, four-bathroom house with a pool and a backyard."
The lifelong New Yorker said he once would have considered it "blasphemous" to leave, but the potential change in his work-life balance was too good to pass up.
"A lot of friends have moved down here, a lot of people in tech, a lot of people in business. The people who stayed are the people with kids," Taub told the New York-based outlet. "I’ve never worked harder in my life but I know that at 5 o’clock today I can jump in the pool for a short break with my kids and have fun."
Bustle Media CEO Bryan Goldberg praised south Florida’s government, telling the New York Post it "is composed of dozens of small towns with accessible, sane leaders who work hard to improve our lives."
"I can get on the phone with the Miami Beach mayor at any time, and so can any of my neighbors," the CEO added. "Once one experiences this sort of relationship with their government, it is impossible to return to the Kafkaesque NYC experience."
Luxury retail consultant Melanie Holland said many of her clients offer a similar list of grievances about New York City, such as, "Why do I want to pay New York state or New York City taxes when I walk out my door and there’s a homeless person, or my Walgreens is shut down because of theft?"
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She added further that many of her clients "hate" what has happened to New York City, noting crime and the smell of marijuana.
Broadstreet Global CEO David Feingold noted that at least 20 people that work in his organization have petitioned to relocate to the Sunshine State. While he said that New York’s high taxes and weather are timeless drawbacks, the new element actually driving longtime residents away is the "cumulative effect" of crime and immigration.
Feingold claimed that, much to his surprise, none of the people he knows who have relocated from New York to Florida regret the decision. "That’s the amazing thing — I thought I would get complaints about the lack of art and culture that you can only find in New York."
CBC president Andrew Rein also spoke to The New York Post about the exodus, noting, "The key is with any place you need the benefits to outweigh the cost. The question right now for New York is what do we offer? We have to make sure the benefits of being in New York are worth the cost."
George Orwell famously said, "If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear." On World Press Freedom Day, we must remind ourselves of the people who have lost their freedoms fighting for this very right.
My father Jimmy Lai is one such man. He is currently in Stanley maximum security prison in Hong Kong, facing potential life in prison for simply publishing what Chinese authorities do not want to hear.
His story is one of extraordinary transformation and unwavering conviction. Arriving in Hong Kong at age 12 after fleeing Communist China, he began his journey as a child laborer in a clothing factory, enduring hardship and poverty.
Yet, through grit and vision, he rose from factory worker to factory manager, and by 1975, used his savings to purchase a bankrupt garment factory. This bold move laid the foundation for his first major success: Giordano, a clothing chain that grew into an international brand with thousands of employees and stores across Asia.
TRUMP TARIFFING CHINA AT THE WORST POSSIBLE TIME FOR XI JINPING
The 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre marked a turning point for him. Witnessing the brutal suppression of pro-democracy protesters, he redirected his life’s work from business to activism, determined to fight for freedom and human rights in Hong Kong.
In 1995, he founded Apple Daily, a newspaper that quickly became a beacon for free speech and democracy, unafraid to criticize the Chinese Communist Party and expose corruption. My father poured $100 million of his own fortune into the venture, ensuring the paper’s independence and fearless reporting.
His media empire, including Next Magazine and Apple Daily, became a megaphone for Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement, rallying citizens and challenging the authorities. His outspoken criticism of Beijing and unwavering support for protestors made him a target.
SOME THINGS YOU JUST CAN’T SAY ABOUT CHINA
The CCP labeled him a "troublemaker," and his businesses faced retaliation, including the closure of his Beijing Giordano store after a controversial column. Yet, he never wavered, famously stating, "Information is choice and choice is freedom" using both high-brow and popular content to spread the message of liberty.
His commitment to principle set him apart from other tycoons. While many business leaders in Hong Kong chose silence or compromise, he stood alone, enduring threats, arrests, and ultimately imprisonment for his beliefs. In 2014, he was arrested during the pro-democracy Umbrella Movement protests, and in 2020, as Beijing tightened its grip on Hong Kong, my father was again detained under the draconian National Security Law.
Despite the risks, he refused to flee, choosing to remain in Hong Kong and continue the stand for his beliefs, even as Apple Daily was forced to close, even as he now faces the possibility of the rest of his life behind bars.
My father’s life is a testament to the power of conviction. He is not just a businessman or media mogul – he is a symbol of freedom and hope for many. His outsider status, as an immigrant who never quite fit in, gave him the strength to play by his own rules and challenge the status quo.
Despite his wealth and influence, he remains deeply human – a husband, father and practicing Catholic. We miss his booming voice and boisterous laughter around our dinner table. We long for the day we can again share a meal, again pray together.
Over the past few months, both President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have publicly stated their commitment to securing my father’s freedom, consistent with the president’s prioritizing the release of those wrongly detained abroad. He has secured the release of 14 prisoners since taking office in January.
WHY US MUST ASSERT INDUSTRIAL DOMINANCE IN LIGHT OF CHINA-EUROPE TIES
My father is fortunate to have deep bipartisan support in this country and abroad. The U.S. and the U.K. have called for his immediate and unconditional release, as have the parliaments of Canada and the EU. He has received numerous awards for his courage, and I will receive a Bradley Prize on his behalf on May 29 in Washington. But he remains in prison.
My father is one of 10 journalists who are still being held in Hong Kong’s prisons, some of whom worked for him at Apple Daily. While he may be the most high-profile among them, all of these journalists were fighting for their right to speak truth to power, and to defend their way of life.
Their bravery reminds us that freedom is never guaranteed – it must be fought for, often at great personal cost. My father’s defiance in the face of overwhelming power, his willingness to sacrifice everything for his principles, and his belief in the dignity of every individual make him a genuine hero of our time.
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At 77 years old, he has spent the last four years in a maximum-security prison for these beliefs. His legacy endures as a beacon of hope, showing that just one person’s courage can change the course of history.
The end to my father’s story is not yet written. This World Press Freedom Day, I appeal to all who cherish free speech to join our fight to secure my father’s release so he can leave Hong Kong and spend his old age with his family.