Chappell Roan said parenting looks like hell, now the internet wants to send her there
+ Marine Le Pen has been banned from public office, Trump names April 2 'Liberation Day," and what milk do you drink?
My angels!! To celebrate there being 200k of you, I’m running a 50% off sale for annual plans (the biggest sale I’ve ever run) so that as many of you can access our bonuses (like access to the SYSCA’s ‘close friends’ list, membership to our book club, bonus essays etc) as possible!
I love you so much xxxx
Mōrena my babies!!! Thanks for all the love about my April Fools prank in yesterday’s newsy - I’m glad my legacy as Head Girl of Marlborough Girls College gets to live on in such a meaningful way.
Yesterday I finished The Bookseller At The End Of The World (in time to start this month’s book club pick) and I LOVEDDDDDD IT. I also watched the second to last episode of The While Lotus and I’m not going to lie, this season is so obviously the worst season so far and no amount of think pieces can convince me otherwise.
Okkkkkie, on with the news xxx
Marine Le Pen has been banned from public office
Ok, this is a big one. One of France’s most powerful far-right politicians - Marine Le Pen - has just been barred from holding public office for five years after being found guilty of embezzling millions in EU funds.
What she did: Between 2004 and 2016, Le Pen used over €4 million in EU money (meant to pay parliamentary assistants) to fund party activities for the far-right National Rally. The Paris court handed her a four-year prison sentence (two years house arrest, two suspended), a €100,000 fine, and a ban on running for office.
Why it matters: This effectively knocks her out of the running for the 2027 French presidential election, which is huge bc Le Pen has come very close to winning in the past two races, and her party has been riding a wave of momentum, especially among younger, rural, and working-class voters.
Her supporters (and some fellow far-right figures across Europe) are calling the ruling politically motivated. But let’s be clear: this wasn’t about ideology, it was about money. Misusing public funds. That’s not a witch hunt. That’s accountability.
Trump is calling April 2, “Liberation Day”
Tomorrow, Trump is launching a new wave of tariffs — calling April 2 “Liberation Day,” as if taxing imports is a gift to the people (lol.) His plan? “Reciprocal” tariffs on almost all U.S. trading partners, supposedly to match what they charge America and “free” the country from reliance on foreign goods.
In practice, this likely means higher prices, supply chain chaos, and retaliation from countries like Canada, China, and the EU.
Here’s what’s coming:
25% tariffs on countries buying oil/gas from Venezuela — including the U.S.
Auto import tariffs kick in April 3 (fully imported cars first, parts to follow)
New taxes on goods from South Korea, Brazil, India, the EU, and more
No exemptions... yet
Trump says these could raise $100–600 billion annually. Economists say: yeah, and probably raise the cost of everything else too….
This section is written by
, SYSCAs designer and leader of the cutest book club on the internet!!! Each week she pops in here to let you know what we’re up to, and to remind you to become a paying subscriber to join the book club xxKia ora bookies! ‧₊˚📖✩ ₊˚🕯️⊹♡
April’s book club pick, I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman, is now live in our Fable book club!! This book is a female-centred science fiction published in 1995 set in a post-apocalyptic world, and is totally unique to anything we’ve read in the book club before - Luce and I are super excited to dissect it with you!
Chappell Roan said parenting looks like hell, now the internet wants to send her there
In a new Call Her Daddy episode, Chappell Roan opened up about everything from her favourite sex toy (shoutout to the Lovehoney Rose) to her new relationship (she’s “very in love”) to her… scepticism about having kids.
What she actually said: that all her friends with toddlers seem miserable, and motherhood looks “like hell.”
What the internet heard: a diss on mums everywhere.
I’m not here to litigate whether or not Roan “hates kids” (she doesn’t lol), but it’s worth noticing how quickly women - especially young ones - get smacked down for expressing ambivalence around traditional roles.
It’s also hard because people are coming for Chappell at the moment for basically any statement she makes - a product of getting Woman’d (where a woman gets to a point of success that she will inevitably be taken town/ cultural opinions will shift.)
It’s ok to want motherhood. It’s ok not to. It’s ok to say, “I’m scared of how it might change my life.” It’s also ok to say, “It changed my life in the best way.”
All those truths can live together. Roan just happened to say hers out loud.
Order our book Make It Make Sense here!
Join our Book Club here!
Become a Close Friend on Instagram here!
Support the independent media you love by becoming a paid supporter here!
PS, if you wanna chat to me about anything I’ve written today, your latest crush, or if you just want a pen pal, reply to this email and we can be friends 𓆩♡𓆪
Freakin love Chappell’s takes and blunt honesty. As someone who has intentionally chosen a child-free life, I agree with her 100%. Idk why folks are surprised that people who are childless don’t necessarily see parenting as a fun or rewarding experience. If we did, why would we choose to not have kids?? If it’s something you want, great! If not, that’s also 100% ok!
Seriously?! Who's mad at Chappell? A 50's Lonely and over stimulated housewife?
Oh please, sit down and go take some prescription meds.
I wish more girls/women felt this way. I chose to be a Mommy, but honestly.... it's not for everyone and people should not be so harshly judged for choosing either side.
I chose motherhood and my sister chose career and travel. We both praise and congratulate each other whenever the moment feels right.
Who cares?
We are women. We don't have to do what others expect us to do. WE can do what we want.
WE SHOULD DO WHAT MAKES US HAPPY.