this is Shades of the Day — bringing you different shades of opinion in news & culture so that you can see the big picture quickly. We believe that seeing multiple POVs is the best way to stay informed.

It’s Friday, January 24 — here are today’s three featured stories:

1. Trump’s executive order saying the US will recognize only two sexes continues to spark debate.

2. Ivanka Trump wore an Audrey-Hepburn-inspired gown to her father’s second inauguration.

3. The drawbacks of saying “don’t cry” to someone who’s sad.

1) The Trump administration rapidly cut personnel and trimmed federal offices, leaving employees stunned by the changes.

2) A significant wildfire north of LA shows signs of containment as evacuation orders are lifted, while fresh fires ignite in Southern California.

3) President Trump orders declassification of JFK, MLK, and RFK assassination files to fulfill transparency promise.

4) The Education Dept is ditching DEI initiatives after Trump's order, with over 200 resources going offline.

5) Rep. Ogles proposes changing the 22nd Amendment to allow former President Trump to run for a third term.

6) Mortgage rates tumble to their lowest of the year, with 30-year rate dipping to 6.94%, offering relief to borrowers.

Trump’s executive order on gender

Trump's executive order says the US will only recognize two sexes -- male and female. HRW.org says the move rolls back critical protections and sparks discrimination concerns.

ACLU slammed Trump's EO: It deliberately promotes sex discrimination against transgender individuals.

CNN says the ACLU isn't alone in its criticism: The LGBTQ+ community is deeply concerned about Trump’s transgender policies, urging proactive legal action.

Mother Jones says Trump's EO on recognizing “male” and “female” isn't just discriminatory -- it's also scientifically inaccurate. It boils gender down to a person's ability to produce an egg or sperm.

But Hot Air cheered Trump's EO: He delivered on his campaign promises to end “gender wokeness”.

For what it's worth, a statement from the White House also defended the move -- stating the measures are protecting women's rights against “gender ideology extremism”.

Ivanka’s gown

On the night of her dad's second inauguration, Ivanka Trump donned an Audrey Hepburn-inspired gown. The Times of India says she paid homage to a lasting fashion icon.

Vogue wasn't a huge fan of the look, though: Ivanka's gown brought to mind a Hollywood glamour vibe that felt out-of-touch for the event.

Hindustan Times says other online critics were harsher about Ivanka's choice of a Hepburn-inspired gown: They said the choice was culturally tone-deaf, and clashed with Hepburn's legacy of activism.

On the other hand, Yahoo says Audrey Hepburn's son was okay with Ivanka's look -- he even appreciated the connection!

Saying “don’t cry”

In conversations, telling someone “don't cry” can actually make things worse. This Redditor says it embarrasses people and dismisses their feelings.

This blogger supports that: “Don't cry” invalidates emotions, entrenching the idea that tears signify weakness. Instead, just let them cry it out -- a hug is nice, if appropriate

Calm.com goes on to say crying's crucial for stress relief and emotional processing -- suppressing your tears can actually lead to health issues in the future.

But if you really don't want to cry in public, this Redditor says high-tail it to the bathroom and let the tears flow -- you'll save yourself some embarrassment!

Headspace: And if you cry a lot, consider going to therapy to address the underlying issues -- it really makes a difference!