In every issue of Ms., we track research on our progress in the fight for equality, catalogue can’t-miss quotes from feminist voices and keep tabs on the feminist movement’s many milestones. We’re Keeping Score online, too—in this biweekly roundup.
Lest We Forget
“The Court is accelerating a shift toward a so-called ‘race-blind’ legal framework that ignores the persistent reality of racial discrimination in voting and representation. This ruling gives politicians a green light to manipulate maps, silence our voices, and roll back the progress generations fought to achieve. We will not stand by as our communities are carved out of political power.”
—Maria Teresa Kumar, president of Voto Latino, responded to a devastating Supreme Court ruling that destroyed Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and added significant barriers to challenging racial discrimination in voting laws. Kumar was recently named a 2026 recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, awarded annually since 1986 to “individuals who embody the spirit of America through their service, success, and dedication to the nation’s rich tapestry of cultures and innovation.”
“Research shows that telehealth medication abortion is just as safe and effective as in-person care, and it’s often the only way patients can access care at all. Eliminating telehealth wouldn’t improve safety; it would just ban a safe, reliable option from people who need it most.”
—Dr. Ushma Upadhyay, public health scientist and professor at Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health (ANSIRH) at UCSF, one of 360 reproductive health researchers who filed an amicus brief in Louisiana v. FDA, urging the Supreme Court to reject restrictions on mifepristone.
“State-sanctioned killing is not justice. Today, DOJ is turning back the clock by strengthening the barbaric practice of the federal death penalty—a cruel, immoral, and often discriminatory form of punishment. These actions will be remembered as a stain on our nation’s history.”
—Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) spoke out after the Department of Justice announced plans to expand the use of the federal death penalty. Durbin has led the Federal Death Penalty Prohibition Act to require re-sentencing of those on death row.
“I kept my identity protected as Jane Doe. I woke up one day with my name mentioned over 500 times. While the rich and powerful remain protected by redaction, my name was exposed to the world.“
—An Epstein-Maxwell survivor, who asked to remain anonymous.
“Last year I became my father’s caregiver after his Alzheimer’s diagnosis while raising my two little boys. I felt how truly isolating the experience of caregiving can be, even though it touches each and every one of our lives at some point. For parents, family caregivers, and our care workforce, we need to build a care movement that delivers real solutions and relief.”
—Sen. Andy Kim, co-chair of recently announced Caregiving Task Force within the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC). A disproportionate one in eight Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders are family caregivers, and 27 percent of Asian Americans live in multigenerational households.
“The Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE) was enacted in 1994 with strong bipartisan support. Every federal court to consider the constitutionality of FACE—and there have been ample opportunities to do so—has upheld FACE. Importantly, the federal courts have come to these same conclusions about FACE’s constitutionality after the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson.
“Following Dobbs, there was an almost immediate spike in major incidents targeting reproductive health care providers. Though I wish it wasn’t the case, this continued campaign of nationwide intimidation and violence against reproductive health care providers highlights the continued need for FACE. The bottom line is this: People should be able to seek medical care, and medical professionals should be able to provide it, without fear of violence or intimidation.”
—Jessica L. Waters, J.D., senior scholar in residence at American University, submitted testimony to a House Judiciary hearing on the FACE Act, which protects abortion clinics and providers from violence.
Milestones
+ In Louisiana v. Callais, the U.S. Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act by striking down Louisiana’s congressional map in a 6-3 decision. They all but eliminated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which will make it more difficult to challenge racially discriminatory gerrymandering. Now, states are able to draw partisan districts that diminish the voting rights and political representation of communities of color.
With Section 2 severely weakened, GOP legislatures could redraw state legislature maps to eliminate almost state-level 200 seats, the vast majority of which are currently held by Black representatives.
+ Soon after the Louisiana v. Callais ruling, Florida approved Gov. Ron DeSantis’ new congressional map aimed at giving Republicans additional seats in the House. Five incumbent Democrats representing majority-minority districts are now at risk, three of whom are women.
Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) president Heather Williams condemned the move:
“From turning a blind eye to Florida’s insurance crisis to cutting Medicaid access for seniors, the GOP’s agenda is demolishing economic opportunity for Floridians. To avoid more embarrassing losses like Mar-a-Lago’s upset flip, Republicans’ answer is to draw maps that insulate them from ever facing accountability from voters.”
+ The Virginia Supreme Court struck down a new congressional map designed to favor Democrats, weeks after it was approved by voters in a statewide vote. Republicans will likely go into the November elections with a redistricting advantage across the country.
+ Meanwhile, Tennessee enacted a new map disenfranchising Black voters by eliminating the state’s only majority-Black district.
+ A federal appeals court refused to hear Trump’s arguments against paying E. Jean Carroll an $83.3 million defamation judgment, for denying he sexually abused her.
+ May is National Women’s Health Month in the U.S.
+ The Trump administration launched a Moms.gov site on Mother’s Day that refers pregnant people to unregulated crisis pregnancy centers. Patients may not realize the network is organized by an antiabortion organization and that the centers may not follow HIPAA obligations or provide comprehensive reproductive care.
+ Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), and Representatives Gwen Moore (D-Wis.) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) introduced the Protect Moms from Domestic Violence Act. The bill would invest in research on the intersection of maternal mortality and domestic violence, and support solutions to help pregnant and parenting mothers experiencing partner violence.
+ The Supreme Court temporarily paused a Fifth Circuit ruling that would have banned telehealth and mail dispensing of mifepristone nationwide. The medication is used in about 60 percent of abortions, and has consistently been found to be safe and effective. The Court will consider an emergency appeal, and remote access to mifepristone will remain in place for now. But as Carrie Baker writes
Regardless of what the courts ultimately decide, abortion access advocates, international telehealth providers and community networks say they are prepared to continue helping people access abortion pills. Either way, the infrastructure for medication abortion access already exists—and it is not disappearing.
+ This attempt to limit access to medication abortion is another example of Republicans following the Project 2025 playbook to threaten abortion nationwide. The organization Plan C lists reliable providers for home abortion care on their website at plancpills.org.
+ A new Tennessee law requires clinics to provide data about transgender patients and their healthcare providers, which will be made publicly available. This threatens their privacy and safety, and could discourage doctors from providing gender-affirming care.
+ Representatives Delia C. Ramirez (D-Ill.), Jesús “Chuy” García (D-Ill.), Lateefah Simon (D-Calif.) and Analilia Mejia (D-N.J.) introduced the Living Wage for All Act. It would raise the minimum wage to $25 per hour through a phase-in, and eliminate subminimum wages for workers with disabilities, young workers and tipped workers.
“The need for a living wage couldn’t be clearer. The gap between the wealthy and everyone else keeps widening,” said Rep. García. “Working families are struggling to pay their rent, buy groceries, and go to the doctor. It’s past time that workers are paid what they deserve.”
+ The Department of Justice has requested sensitive voter registration information from 48 states and D.C., and asked them to sign an agreement to quickly remove any voters the DOJ deems ineligible. Twelve states have fully complied, and 31 states and D.C. have refused to give the agency any voter information. Now, the DOJ is suing to force 29 states to hand over the confidential personal information.
+ Twenty-five states now allow political candidates and elected officials to use campaign funds for security for themselves and their families. Vote Mama Lobby has been on the forefront with a Campaign Funds for Security campaign to protect candidates from the recent rise in political violence. They also aim to lower barriers that prevent moms from running for office by advancing Campaign Funds for Childcare policies.
+ A Ms. piece on solitary confinement by Kwaneta Harris and her daughter Summer Knight won Kwaneta second place in the Collaboration category of the Stillwater Awards for prison journalism.
+ Sexual abuse survivor Taylor Cadle’s case against a Florida Sheriff’s Office can move forward, a federal judge decided. Taylor was charged with filing a false police report when she reported being sexually abused by her adoptive father, Henry Cadle, when she was 12. After being forced to plead guilty, she reported another rape with physical evidence and Henry was later sentenced to 17 years in prison.
Now, Taylor is suing the sheriff’s office for falsely arresting her and violating her civil rights. They called her lawsuit “frivolous” and argued she waited too long to sue. But a federal judge ruled the case can go forward, extending the time limit for survivors abused by their guardians.
+ A Texas legislature investigation found that inadequate emergency training contributed to the dozens of deaths during flooding at Camp Mystic. The girls’ summer camp hadn’t prepared counselors with evacuation plans or emergency supplies. Some cabins only had two counselors instead of the typical three. Ultimately, 25 young girls and three adults died.
+ A federal judge ordered Brown University to turn over patient records to the DOJ as they demand information on gender-affirming care for minors. Other healthcare providers across the country are also under investigation for providing puberty blockers and hormone treatment to trans patients.
+ Community “Denim Runs” across the U.S. raised over $200,000 for sexual assault survivor organizations. The series of runs in Santa Monica, Calif., New York City and Austin, Texas, included over 1,500 runners.
+ For the first time since criminalizing abortion, Texas provided guidance on when doctors can legally provide abortion care to protect the life of their patient. A new training goes over when a doctor can intervene, including scenarios when a patient’s life isn’t imminently at risk. But experts say more challenging complications are not described in the bare minimum training. As a result, OB-GYNs may still hesitate to risk the state’s steep penalties to perform necessary abortions.
+ Eight children were buried after being shot and killed by their father/uncle in Louisiana last month, the deadliest mass shooting in more than two years. The father, Shamar Elkins, had a felony firearms conviction but was able to use an assault-style weapon against his seven kids and their cousin. His separated wife and another woman were wounded in the attack.
+ The Trump administration launched an investigation into Smith College for admitting transgender women. They are misinterpreting Title IX to falsely claim that the women’s college discriminates against cis women. But the investigation stems from complaints from a conservative advocacy group, not Smith students.
+ Liberation, a play about 1970s feminism by Bess Wohl, won the Pulitzer Prize for drama. It was also nominated for the Tony Award for Best Play. Wohl was inspired by her own life: Her mother, Lisa Cronin Wohl, was a Ms. contributor.
+ The sixth annual Anthem Awards, which celebrate social impact work by brands, nonprofits and individuals, are currently open for entries until May 22 with the final entry deadline on May 30. This year, the program has expanded to include older adult wellness, health education and patient empowerment.
How We’re Doing
+ The American Library Association compiled a list of the books most frequently targeted by censorship. Ninety-two percent of all book challenges were initiated by pressure groups and government officials in 2025, while just 3 percent came from individual parents. 2025 saw record high amounts of books banned from libraries, in many cases due to including LGBTQ characters or covering racism and social justice issues.
+ People who have had abortions generally express positive reactions to TV shows that include abortion storylines. They identified with and found comfort in the emotional resonance of the plotlines, and appreciated the representation and normalizing of positive abortion experiences.
+ New polling found 93 percent of moms make significant sacrifices for their children to thrive, but 43 percent still worry they can’t consistently provide healthy meals. In the last year, a third of moms living on low incomes have taken on additional debt, skipped meals or delayed paying bills so their kids could eat. Still, more than three quarters of moms believe their kids will have a better life in the future than they do today.
+ Over three-quarters of U.S. mothers rate the economy negatively, compared to 55 percent of fathers. Mothers are more likely to say costs are rising, and 64 percent are uneasy about their personal finances, compared to just 42 percent of fathers.
+ Mothers want the president and Congress to focus on inflation, the cost of living, jobs and the economy and healthcare. But just 18 percent believe Trump and Republicans are focusing on inflation and 11 percent think they’re prioritizing healthcare.
+ Just 22 percent of American voters have a “great deal” or “quite a bit” of confidence in the Supreme Court, the lowest it’s dropped since it was first polled in 2000, and 38 percent of voters said they have “very little” or “no” confidence in the Court.
+ For the third year in a row, threats made against members of Congress and their families and staff have risen. In 2025 the U.S. Capitol Police investigated almost 15,000 threats, up from around 9,500 in 2024.
+ Maine launched a Paid Family and Medical Leave program on May 1, joining 13 other states and D.C. But only two in five eligible parents actually use the paid leave policies available to them. Workers can visit PaidLeave.AI to find resources and check their eligibility.
+ There were an estimated 1,126,000 abortions provided by clinicians in the U.S. in 2025, remaining fairly stable from 2024. This is the highest number since 2009. Last year 142,000 people were forced to travel out of state to obtain abortion care, down from a peak of 170,000 in 2023. This decline in travel for patients in states with abortion bans coincides with an increase in telehealth care from providers in states with shield laws that protect them.
+ Research found that 88 percent of patients can accurately decide if they are eligible for a medication abortion by looking at an over-the-counter packaging prototype. The results suggest medication abortion could meet the FDA requirements to be safely made available without a prescription in the future.
