I recently had the honor of attending a roundtable meeting at The White House for toy and children’s entertainment leaders. As one of the organizers, our agenda included discussing initiatives to elevate inclusivity in the play space and break down gender stereotypes. The passion of female corporate leaders was apparent as we discussed how play helps children learn and develop a variety of skills: the importance of storytelling that allows kids to see themselves as they are, not how they are stereotyped, and the need for more diverse options in toys. Being “relegated to the sidelines” doesn’t start in our teens and twenties; it begins the moment a girl can hold a toy or book or watch a screen.
Ubuntu in Action: How Black Giving Circles Redefine Community Support
Black philanthropy has a rich history, exemplified by trailblazers like Madam C.J. Walker. As the first woman to become a self-made millionaire in America, Walker built her fortune by creating a successful line of hair care products for Black women. While she used her wealth to fund anti-lynching campaigns, give scholarships to women and more, her philanthropic journey began long before she amassed her wealth, as giving is deeply rooted in personal experiences and identity.
Walker is just one of many Black philanthropists who have made significant contributions throughout history. While women like Rihanna and Janelle Monae are widely recognized for their charitable work, most Black philanthropists are working behind the scenes to make a big impact on countless causes in their community. This Black Philanthropy Month, it’s crucial to recognize both the historical and current landscape of Black giving, drawing important lessons from this legacy of generosity and community support.
This essay is part of a Women & Democracy package focused on who’s funding the women and LGBTQ people on the frontlines of democracy. We’re manifesting a new era for philanthropy—one that centers feminism. The need is real: Funding for women and girls amounts to less than 2 percent of all philanthropic giving; for women of color, it’s less than 1 percent. Explore the “Feminist Philanthropy Is Essential to Democracy” collection.
The Surgeon General Says Parents Are Stressed. Here’s What Single Moms Need for Our Mental Health.
Parenting is stressful—so stressful, in fact, that earlier this month Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issued an official advisory on the mental health and well-being of parents.
Single parents represent 30 percent of households in the United States—and 4 out of 5 of these single parents are single moms, who tend to be more stressed, lonelier and feel less supported than other parents.
It’s Time to Protect People With Albinism and Their Right to Live Safely
Albinism is a non-contagious, genetically inherited condition that affects people regardless of race, ethnicity or gender. The condition is characterized by a lack of melanin in the hair, skin and/or eyes. This lack of melanin makes people with albinim susceptible to ultraviolet rays, increasing their risk of developing deadly skin cancer. Although it is a relatively rare condition, albinism disproportionately affects people in poverty and those facing multiple and intersecting forms of stigma, discrimination and violence.
This summer marked a decade since the creation of International Albinism Awareness Day. Ten years on, we reflect on the challenges faced by individuals with albinism and to celebrate the significant strides made to advance their human rights.
Not a ‘Groom,’ but ‘Grooming’: It’s Past Time to End Child Marriage in the United States
There’s no romance in being a child bride. And whether the “groom” is R. Kelly, with his marriage to 15-year-old Aaliyah, your great-grandmother, or Justine (name changed for protection)—a minor married to a man twice her age in the state of Maryland—more often than not, these marriages are a form of child abuse … government-sanctioned child abuse, in some states.
Child marriage remains legal in well over half of all U.S. states, with over 300,000 minors married between 2000 and 2018. Every year, hundreds of children of every gender, ethnicity and religious background are married, with no regard for their consent. “Groom” might be the technical term in these marriages, but “grooming” is more accurate.
More Than 8,000 Catholic Employers Can Now Deny Workers Time Off for an Abortion or IVF
More than 8,000 Catholic employers across the country will not be required to provide accommodations for workers needing abortion or fertility care following a ruling in North Dakota. An estimated 162,000 workers are on these health plans.
Abortion access, IVF treatment and gender-affirming care have all become major talking points in an election that may be defined by them. Vice President Kamala Harris, who supports all three, has been critical of Trump’s stance on abortion and IVF in particular.
Weekend Reading on Women’s Representation: It Will Take 137 Years to Lift All Women Out of Poverty; U.S. Women Still Waiting for Equal Protection Under Law
Weekend Reading for Women’s Representation is a compilation of stories about women’s representation.
This week: At current rates, it will take 137 years to lift all women and girls out of poverty; Fannie Lou Hamer’s legacy; women make up 53 percent of voters, yet their rights remain vulnerable without the Equal Rights Amendment; and more.
Young People of *All* Political Parties Favor Abortion and Contraception Access, Says America in One Room Data
This summer, 430 first-time voters gathered in Washington, D.C., for an opportunity to experience democracy at work in our nation’s capital and discuss deciding issues in the upcoming election. The event aimed to gauge the opinions of 17- and 18-year-olds with a representative sample from every state in America.
Participants were particularly open to changing their minds in support of women’s healthcare. Engaging young voters on the issues of reproductive rights is essential in 2024.
What Does the ‘Pro-Life’ Movement Care About?
When the U.S. Supreme Court issued its ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health and overturned Roe v. Wade, there was a lot of talk, mostly from “compassionate conservative” abortion opponents, about what was next. It would be necessary, these abortion opponents argued, for the pro-life movement and perhaps even the Republican Party to finally turn its focus to actually helping women and babies. The country would be remade into one reflecting a broader “culture of life.” We were going to get a bipartisan pro-family agenda. Abortion wouldn’t just become illegal; the nation would be so welcoming to pregnant women that abortion would simply be unthinkable.
None of that has happened.
Will Taylor Swift’s Endorsement Swing the Election?: The Ms. Q&A With Scholar Janell Hobson
Since Taylor Swift announced her endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris on the night of the debate with former President Donald Trump, publications from NBC to Fox have been debating what it might mean for Harris’ campaign and the outcome of November’s election.
An Instagram post from Sept. 10 shows the pop star posing with a fluffy cat in her arms—a direct reference to JD Vance’s quip deriding single and childless women. Before signing the post, “With love and hope, Taylor Swift, Childless Cat Lady,” Swift told followers that she plans to vote for Harris “because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them. I think she is a steady-handed, gifted leader and I believe we can accomplish so much more in this country if we are led by calm and not chaos.”
Ms. spoke with contributing editor and scholar Dr. Janell Hobson about about what the endorsement might mean.