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 twice-a-month roundup.
How We’re Doing
+ July 4 was the one-year anniversary of Trump’s so-called One Big Beautiful Bill (HR 1), a sweeping budget-reconciliation package that extends and expands tax cuts, funds defense and immigration enforcement, cuts or restructures major safety-net programs, rolls back some clean-energy spending, and raises the federal debt limit. By the end of 2026, Republican policies in HR 1 will cost typical Americans hundreds of dollars, while the top 0.1 percent will get a tax break of almost $200,000. New fact sheets from the National Women’s Law Center track the detrimental impacts of the bill on women and families.
+ Over one-third of Republicans and GOP-leaning independents now disapprove of Trump—a second-term low. Over half (56 percent) say the economy is poor and Trump hasn’t done enough to reduce prices; 45 percent say he isn’t “in touch with the problems ordinary Americans face in their daily lives”; and 30 percent believe Trump doesn’t put the good of the country over personal gain.
+ Supreme Court approval is also at its lowest levels in recent memory: 55 percent of Americans disapprove of the Court, and 46 percent believe rulings are based on political ideology instead of the law.
+ The World Cup led to soaring domestic abuse reports. In the U.K., 384 cases were reported during the tournament—the highest total reported for a men’s major tournament in the nation’s history. High-stakes matches can intensify existing patterns of abuse through factors such as heavier alcohol consumption, heightened emotions and extended late-night drinking.
+ The top brands donating to members of Congress trying to expand ICE’s power include SpaceX, Home Depot, UPS and Walmart.
+ Eighty-four percent of women’s organizations working in crisis- and conflicted-affected countries say the need for humanitarian services has increased since January 2025, but almost 90 percent don’t have the funding to meet those needs. At least 1 million women and girls have already lost access to critical support, and two in five organizations expect to shut down within the next year.
As a result of those funding cuts, 92 percent of women’s organizations report seeing increasing levels of poverty, and 86 percent have seen an increase in gender-based violence.
+ With the Strait of Hormuz shut down, 70 percent of American farmers reported they couldn’t afford all the fertilizer they needed, contributing to higher food prices in the U.S.
+ Patients experiencing food insecurity favor telehealth abortion care, with its lower costs and fewer secondary expenses like childcare. It also avoids fears that they will be judged or discriminated against at an in-person clinic. Over 50 percent of people in food-secure households also chose telehealth care due to its cost.
+ Single mothers participate in the U.S. workforce more often than partnered mothers—likely because there is no significant social safety net for American single moms.
+ In 2025, U.S. families spent 121 percent more on childcare than households in the peer nations of the U.K., Australia and New Zealand. The U.S. also has the largest gender pay gap, which widens around when women have children.
Lest We Forget
AOC Is Freezing Her Eggs: “Don’t Be Weird About This”
Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) is freezing her eggs and documenting the process on social media to normalize this facet of women’s reproductive healthcare.
“This is a choice that I am making to feel more in control of my life.”
“Don’t be weird about this, even though I know all of you will be.”
“My insurance does not cover one penny of this. It is 100% out of pocket. It doesn’t go to my deductible. Nothing. It covers nothing.”
Inspiration from Feminist Icons
“I’m kind of like Gloria Steinem. She says, ‘I’m not passing the torch.’ I’m still setting shit on fire.”
—reproductive justice activist, organizer and feminist academic Loretta Ross, during the keynote at the Ms. magazine writers’ workshop at Smith College on July 13
Speaking Out Against Continued ICE Violence
“Two Latino men are dead within a week of each other, killed by the very agency that has unleashed chaos onto our neighborhoods. When he took the helm of the Department of Homeland Security, Secretary Mullin tried to separate himself from the abuses of his predecessor, Kristi Noem. But over the past four months, it has become clear that Mullin is no different, accelerating the agency’s worst impulses without any accountability or remorse.”
—Beatriz Lopez, executive director of Voto Latino
A coalition of organizations sent a letter to Congress demanding the impeachment of Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin, after Lorenzo Salgado Araujo and Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero were shot and killed by ICE agents. In addition, Venezuelan man Jesús Manuel Arenas-Silva, died in ICE custody in Georgia.
“What we are seeing play out is an utter disregard for human life. Twenty-two people have now died in ICE custody this year. Nine of these deaths have occurred since Markwayne Mullin took over the Department of Homeland Security. Jesús Manuel Arenas-Silva should still be alive today. According to his family, he was denied the medication he desperately needed while in ICE custody, and he died as a result. His death was preventable. This is not an isolated tragedy. It reflects a broader pattern of neglect and a system that has operated without accountability.”
—Voto Latino
Andrew Tate and Brother Tristan Arrested
“That’s the thing about the manosphere’s masculinity: It is drag. It is exaggerated, costumed, hyper-stylized gender performance, staged for an audience, sustained by props. The difference, and it is the only difference, is that drag queens know. Drag is honest about being a performance. That honesty is the art.
“Andrew Tate performs womanhood’s exact mirror image, manhood as wig and padding and contour, and then sells tickets by insisting it is not a performance at all, that it is simply what a man is, and that your teenage son can have it for a monthly fee. A drag queen would never.”
—feminist writer Liz Plank
Manosphere influencer Andrew Tate was arrested in Miami, and now faces 42 charges including rape, sex trafficking and assault.
Todd Blanche Confirmed as Attorney General, Against Epstein Survivors’ Wishes
“After meeting with Todd Blanche, I feel even more confident in urging senators to vote against his confirmation as the United States’ Attorney General. I found him abrasive, condescending, and intentionally noncommittal to survivors—a marked contrast to his public testimony during his confirmation hearing.
“While quick to point to the failures of previous administrations, he refused to take accountability for mistakes made under his own leadership. His evasiveness felt like a deliberate attempt to claim the Attorney General’s office is powerless in this matter. By passing the buck once again, he is leaving survivors trapped in the same endless loop of searching for answers and receiving none.”
—Annie Farmer, an Epstein survivor
Several Epstein survivors were finally allowed to meet with Todd Blanche, after months of requests. Blanche allowed survivors’ names and photos to be made public, but omitted the names of accused abusers in the Epstein files.
“We already knew that Todd Blanche and Donald Trump never cared about the 1,000 survivors who were exploited and abused through Jeffrey Epstein’s network. What is a surprise, and a damning one, too, is the fact that a majority of Senate Republicans are just as willing to protect predators and pedophiles for political gain.”
—Nicole Regalado, vice president of campaigns at UltraViolet Action
Members of Congress Criticize Trump Administration
“Your foolish and self-indulgent demolition of critical public health programs puts Americans at risk. The Trump administration is actively undermining food safety. Your silence amidst an ongoing outbreak of diarrheal disease is indicative of the reckless arrogance with which you demolished America’s public health defense.”
—Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.)
Sen. Ossoff sent two letters to Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. demanding answers on RFK Jr.’s decision to end the CDC’s Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet), which monitored the parasite responsible for the cyclosporiasis outbreak.
“The Trump administration is tearing down America’s legal immigration system brick by brick, making it harder for immigrants who have followed the rules to build a future in this country. DHS is gutting clear guidance on how to determine whether an individual is likely to become a public charge, instead leaving that determination wholly in the discretion of individual officers.
“This cruel decision will trigger a massive chilling effect that discourages immigrant families—including U.S. citizen children—from lawfully accessing health care, nutrition, and early childhood programs they need and are eligible for. This will only result in poorer health outcomes for children, increased food insecurity, and higher costs placed on state and local governments. When this administration last expanded public charge in 2019, nearly half of immigrants in low-income families reported that they or a family member avoided or dropped benefits they were legally entitled to out of fear.”
—Reps. Grace Meng (D-N.Y.), Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.), Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.) and Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.)
The chairs of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, Congressional Black Caucus, Congressional Hispanic Caucus and Democratic Women’s Caucus (DWC) Chair released a joint statement. Trump’s DHS will rescind the 2022 public charge rule in September, allowing immigration enforcement to deny applications if they believe the applicant is likely to use public benefits like Medicaid, housing and nutrition programs.
“For decades, courts have acknowledged that discrimination is not always explicit or overt. The disparate impact tool is designed to remove unjustified barriers in education and ensure that all students have an equal opportunity to learn and succeed.
“The rescission will hurt Black, Latino, Asian American, and Native American students, other students of color, and other marginalized students who face higher rates of discrimination. And it will clear the way for discrimination that too often deprives students of equal educational opportunity based on race, color, and national origin.”
—A coalition of civil rights and education groups
The Department of Education’s new disparate impact rule erases decades of civil rights framework and protections for students against discrimination.
Former Rep. Porter’s Impact on Congress
“I think we’ve seen a higher level of preparation and engagement in hearings since I was in Congress, and that makes me proud because that is an example of government working.”
—Former Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.)
Porter announced she’s unlikely to run for public office again, and will now use her social media for book recommendations and discussions. She was well known in Congress for using her whiteboard to thoroughly question executives and demand answers during hearings.
New International Reporting on Violence Against Mothers
“Motherhood remains largely undervalued and mischaracterized as a purely private choice rather than a public good. Mothers are subjected to multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination, yet remain unrecognized as a distinct category in law, policy and data. Violence against mothers also profoundly affects their children, perpetuating cycles of harm across generations.”
—Reem Alsalem, United Nations special rapporteur on violence against women and girls, its causes and consequences
Alsalem presented a report on the overlooked forms of gender-based violence against mothers before the Human Rights Council.
Milestones
+ Warren Buffett has omitted the Gates Foundation from his annual charitable giving after new disclosures about Bill Gates’ ties to Jeffrey Epstein, as he prepares to give away more than $140 billion in remaining Berkshire Hathaway stock by the end of 2034.
+ Federal workers asked a court to stop Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins from proselytizing to 100,000 employees through email. She has sent agency-wide messages with Bible passages on secular holidays like Memorial Day and Independence Day, and used phrases like “our faith” and “our risen Lord.”
+ Members of the House of Representatives introduced a discharge petition to bring the American Dream and Promise Act to the House floor. The bill would create pathways to permanent residency for Dreamers and recipients of Temporary Protected Status.
“I am proud to support legislation that gives these young men and women the dignity they have earned: certainty to build their future in the only country they’ve ever called home,” said Rep. Maria Salazar (R-Fla.)
+ Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth blocked the promotions of seven senior Navy officers, five of whom are women or people of color. In his tenure he has fired or removed from promotion lists over 60 senior officers, more than half of whom are women or Black.
+ Hesgeth also announced that military members age 30 and up will be screened for testosterone levels and offered hormone therapy. This double standard contradicts the Trump administration’s previous attempts to ban transgender troops by arguing that the need for hormone treatment is disqualifying.
+ Nicole Tung won the International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF)’s 12th annual Anja Niedringhaus Courage in Photojournalism Award. Tung’s work documents communities devastated by war across the Middle East, Syria and Ukraine.
“Photojournalism requires passion, toil, and a deep faith that documentation will have impact, but it is never done alone. I am deeply appreciative of the IWMF for continuing to support the belief that all voices need to be heard,” said Tung.
+ Representative Max Miller (R-Ohio) has been accused of abusing his ex-wife Emily Moreno and their young daughter, allegedly even holding a gun to Moreno’s head and possibly fracturing the toddler’s collarbone. Other reports allege a history of drug use, misogynistic harassment and violence against a previous romantic partner.
+ Planned Parenthood is once again able to access Medicaid reimbursements for non-abortion care, after the one-year ban in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act expired. Antiabortion activists are now demanding Congress once again move to “defund” the essential healthcare Planned Parenthood provides.
+ Rochester man David Streever is suing Department of Homeland Security officials for violating his First Amendment rights. Months after Streever sent a critical email to former ICE director Todd Lyons, federal agents tracked him down and left documents at his door claiming he may have violated federal law.
+ President Donald Trump finally paid E. Jean Carroll $5.6 million for sexually abusing and defaming her, after the payment was released from escrow when the Supreme Court refused to hear his final appeal. Another $83.3 million judgement against Trump for defamation is still under appeal.
+ The Trump administration plans to take its ban on transgender members of the military to the Supreme Court, after an appeals court said that they “probably violated the troops’ constitutional rights.”
+ The Department of Justice issued an opinion that undermines decades of disability rights and protections against institutionalization. Over 100 members of Congress wrote to Attorney General Blanche: “We cannot return to a time when people with disabilities were denied basic civil rights, ripped away from their families, and institutionalized against their will.
+ The Trump administration is rolling back dozens of gun regulations, including efforts to monitor and prevent illegal and private weapon sales and reducing restrictions for buyers previously ineligible due to mental illness.
+ An insurance company commissioned by Medicare recommended cutting coverage of a biomarker test used to analyze breast cancer tumors. Doctors warn that patients will be more likely to get chemotherapy they don’t need.
+ A super PAC affiliated with Planned Parenthood plans to spend $47 million on voter outreach efforts ahead of the midterm elections. They have identified 10 House and two Senate races as critical battleground elections.
+ The Justice Department is now over 200 days past a legal deadline to release all of the Epstein files. Survivors are urging the House Oversight Committee to hold the Department accountable.
“Two hundred days ago, we saw just how far the Trump administration would go to protect pedophiles. Now we’ve seen more than six months of excuses, cover-ups, and delays from an administration whose supposed interest in ‘draining the swamp’ disappears when it comes to holding powerful abusers accountable,” said Arisha Hatch, UltraViolet Executive Director.
+ Texan Jerry Rodriguez refiled a lawsuit against a California doctor for allegedly providing abortion medication to his partner. Rodriguez’s domestic violence conviction makes him ineligible to sue under HB 7 in Texas, so Rodriguez added his daughter as a co-plaintiff to avoid that restriction.
+ Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.) and other members of Congress introduced the SAFER Health Act of 2026. The bill would keep medical records on abortion and pregnancy loss private and stop hospitals from giving information to courts without permission from the patient.
+ The Southern Black Girls and Women’s Consortium announced $350,000 in grants to 24 community organizations working on issues like maternal health and gender-based violence prevention. Black women die at four times the rate of white women, and make up nearly 30 percent of American women who are murdered by men.
+ The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) will be the first major professional sports league to require genetic sex testing for athletes. There are no out trans women currently competing, but intersex women unaware of their status may be disproportionately impacted by the transphobic policy. And all women will be forced to undergo unnecessary screening and scrutiny.
+ The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) officially shut down on July 4. Since Trump’s second inauguration, the number of federal employees has declined by more than 272,000.
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A note from Ms. editors: We want to hear from you for The Majority, a new campaign collecting stories about how reproductive freedom has enabled readers to build the lives they want and need. Poll after poll shows a majority of Americans support reproductive healthcare access. Yet public debate overlooks the lives shaped by abortion access, contraception, IVF, miscarriage care, maternal healthcare or comprehensive sex education—countless women who chose to pursue an education, have children, not have children, protect their health and chart their own future. Add your voice and complete the sentence: “Access to reproductive choices gave me the freedom to….” Together, these stories will help show not only why reproductive freedom remains a majority value, but also what it makes possible.
