Sexist Trees, 4chan’s Abortion Problem and What the Stars Say About the Democratic Primary Challengers

I’m really happy about all the work we’ve put out today, and Imma let you finish reading it all, but this might be one of the most incredible tweets of all time:

I promise you, dear reader, we will work tirelessly to get to the bottom of this, and soon. Until then, enjoy today’s content — it’s all *chef’s kiss*.

Must Read

“The Horticulturalist Whose Life’s Work Is to End ‘Botanical Sexism’”
If you thought sexism was bad in politics, business, sports, and well, basically, everywhere else, you’re right. But according to author and horticulturist Tom Ogren, a different kind of sexism you’re probably unaware of is becoming a massive problem as well: All-male trees in urban landscapes. Because while males don’t litter the ground with seeds, fruits or pods like female trees, they do emit high quantities of pollen into the air and up our noses. READ MORE

This Story Has Legs

In a red carpet interview, actor Tom Holland admitted he can’t touch his toes. Let me say that again, slightly differently: The actor who plays the lithe and flexible Spider-Man as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, can’t touch his toes.

Ironic as that may sound, Holland isn’t alone. All across the country, men are struggling to touch their toes, and if their stories are to be believed, they have been struggling for some time. Theories abound as to why: Is it estrogen? Genetics? But what’s the actual truth?

Like A Racist, Sexist Snake Eating Its Own Tail

Influential white supremacist networks like 4chan and 8chan don’t know how to feel about Alabama’s historic (and historically awful) abortion bill. Yes, the alt-right netizens populating these hate-filled message boards want to force women to breed — but only white women, Miles Klee reports. And the idea that banning all abortion will mean more black babies in Alabama just won’t do for many of these Pepe Nazis.

I’ve Made a Huge Mistake

As far back as he can remember, Lawrence, a 28-year-old in London, has been a fan of Formula 1. But to his dismay, over the last few years, the sport has become less about pure racing, and more about tire and pit strategies. Unhappy with this current state of Formula 1, Lawrence posted on the sport’s subreddit a simple question to see if he could find some like-minded people: “If you could eliminate a race within the year, which would it be, and why?” Problem is, thanks to an unfortunate double entendre, it attracted quite the opposite.

When Less Is More, and When It Isn’t

Should you ever voluntarily take a pay cut? The answer is trickier than you might think because in the short term, a pay cut might actually make you happier. On the flip side, though, it could also be screwing over your future.

Vape, and Brush

Brushing your teeth after smoking tobacco is a good idea. Studies show that nicotine and other chemicals in regular cigarettes impairs blood flow toward the gums, which can contribute to the development of infections, periodontal disease and even tooth loss. But what about after vaping? The simple answer is, sure, it’d probably do some good. The real question, though, is whether it’s worth the extra effort .

Lady Drifter

British-born Becky Evans, “queenb” to those who follow her car-enthusiast persona online, would have taught herself to drift even without her Instagram fanbase showering her with likes. The fact that there’s virtually no female voices within the automotive community wasn’t going to stop her, either.

Now, as the star of Red Bull TV’s Drift Queen, Evans is turning that dream into a reality. And in the process, she’s turning a huge number of women into fans of a predominantly male sport, and educating people about automotive culture, too.

Charting Those Male Asses

This week in Dude-Strology, without fear or favor, MEL’s Chief Astrology Officer, Taj, is providing an alternative rubric to weigh your (likely) primary vote against: The star charts of the six top Democratic (male*) challengers.

*No offense to Elizabeth Warren, Tulsi Gabbard, Kirsten Gillibrand, Kamala Harris, Amy Klobuchar and Marianne Williamson, but it is called “Dude-Strology,” after all.

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Jeff Gross

Jeff Gross is MEL’s senior editor for social media and content marketing. His daily ICYMI column, which chronicles all things meta on the site, is the quickest way to catch up on MEL, and the funniest thing you’ll read all day. Follow him on Twitter.