— Madonna pleading for the return of these iconic pieces she wore at Coachella. It’s like a little prayer.
Health
About That Women's Health Research Funding...
What's going on: When the Trump administration told NIH staff last year not to approve grants with the word “women,” analysts warned it would devastate research on women’s health. A new analysis by The Washington Post found that’s exactly what happened. It showed there has been a 31% drop in funded projects that include the word. We’re only halfway through the fiscal year, but the number of competitive NIH grants is also down by more than half compared to this time last year — affecting cancer and mental health research, too. The findings come as the administration recently virtue-signaled an interest in women’s health at a conference in Washington. But the proof is in the paperwork.
What it means: The trend underscores a broader problem: Women have long been overlooked in scientific research. And despite the boom in FemTech, these growing research gaps aren’t likely to be filled by the private sector, even as some startups are trying. If studies become even more privatized and profit-driven, chronic conditions that affect millions of women — like endometriosis and PMDD — risk getting sidelined in favor of more marketable areas, like menopause. In other words, these funding cuts could set women’s health research back even further, making it harder to understand our bodies and get the care we need. Maybe host a conference on that…
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Health
Puff, Puff, Pass on This?
What’s going on: For years, it’s been drilled into our heads that tobacco is the real devil’s lettuce, and that nicotine is what makes it so hard to quit. Well, a cohort of health influencers is giving nicotine the rebrand of the decade. They’re pitching it as a “natural” substance that can fend off Alzheimer’s, improve cognitive function, increase “male vitality,” and more. The reality: There’s minimal scientific evidence to support these claims. While these influencers aren’t telling Americans to pick up a pack of cigs, they do promote nicotine pouches, gum, lozenges, and patches. Celebrity fitness trainer (and documentary star) Jillian Michaels claims she takes a small daily dose of nicotine to improve focus and prevent Parkinson’s — though experts say the data is still preliminary and far from conclusive. Conservative host Tucker Carlson has called nicotine pouches, which he also sells, “life-saving.” Will we ever leave the Zyn era behind?
We know doctors have thoughts: Yes, and they broadly agree that nicotine is not a miracle drug. The research isn’t there, and the risks are real — especially for people who have never used it before. Like any stimulant, it can make people more alert, but it is also addictive. One expert told The New York Times he worries healthy users are “participating in a giant human biology experiment” despite nicotine being “extremely harmful.” Still, influencers are leaning on familiar MAHA talking points: Do your own research, and don’t trust Big Medicine, which they claim suppresses “natural” alternatives to protect prescription sales. May we just recommend everyone drink more water.
What’s going on: Gen Z women took “go forth” seriously — just not in the direction the church intended. Women ages 18 to 29 are now the least religious of any age group, according to a Gallup survey, and are less than half as likely as women over 65 to say religion is very important in their lives. “It’s a very powerful historical finding,” one study author told The New York Times. It’s a major shift, especially since women were the backbone of church attendance for decades. The split also tracks with politics and education. Young women are more likely to earn college degrees, lean Democratic, and say churches don’t treat men and women equally (about two-thirds hold that view, per a 2024 American Survey Center poll). So the exodus isn’t exactly a mystery.
What about men?: There’s a moment in Sister Act when, suddenly, everyone starts filling the pews because the choirs attracted a new crowd. Picture something like that, just more young men and less Whoopi Goldberg. Around 42% of men 18 to 29 said religion is “very important” in their lives, up from 28% in 2023, according to Gallup. Some churches — especially Catholic and Orthodox — are seeing more young male faces. That comes amid a broader rise in online “theobro” culture, tying Christianity to right-wing identity (and whatever Pete Hegseth has going on at the Pentagon prayer services). But don’t call it a revival: There’s little sign Gen Z is driving a Third Great Awakening or the post-World War II spiritual boom, per Axios. We’re still a country in religious decline, and according to Pew Research Center, more than a quarter of adults claim no religious identity. Maybe they do need that choir.
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Skimm'd by: Rashaan Ayesh, Aryanna Prasad Bhullar, Mallory Simon, Molly Longman, Maria del Carmen Corpus, and Marina Carver. Fact-checked by Sara Tardiff.
Photos by Sean Anthony Eddy and Shalom Ormsby Images Inc via Getty Images, Brand Partners
