2011 has not been a good year for reproductive rights. A recent report by the Guttmacher Institute shows us just how unprecedented the current attack on abortion rights truly is. In the first six months alone, states enacted 80 new laws limiting a woman’s access to a safe abortion. That’s over three times the number […]
Author: Christie Thompson
Christie is a senior Journalism and International Studies major at Northwestern University. Recently returned from a semester in India, she is ready to take on international women's issues and the L.A. public transit system.
Veterans Affairs Office Decides To Trust Women About PTSD
A woman in the military is more likely to be raped by a fellow soldier than killed by enemy fire. One in 5 women who seek veterans’ health care say they experienced sexual trauma during their service. We’ve known these shocking statistics for years now. Less discussed is the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) afflicting many […]
New Hampshire Defunds Planned Parenthood
It seems some Republican lawmakers oppose not only abortion, but ways to prevent abortion as well. Last week, New Hampshire’s all-Republican executive council canceled the state’s contract with Planned Parenthood of Northern New England (PPNNE), cutting $1.8 million in funding for the state’s six clinics. Since the cut, clinics have stopped dispensing contraceptives. Planned Parenthood […]
SlutWalk Delhi Starts “Immodest” Discussion in India
They’ve walked in Toronto, Boston, Los Angeles and Chicago. They’ve marched through London, Amsterdam, Sao Paulo and Stockholm. They’re even organizing in Cape Town. And now, women walking to reclaim the word slut and end the practice of victim blaming are moving East–toward India. As the SlutWalk movement grows, its recent expansion to India with […]
Mac McClelland Talks to Ms.: PTSD, Haiti and Women Writing About Sex
Human rights reporter Mac McClelland knew there would be controversy when she published her incredibly personal narrative last week, “I’m Gonna Need You to Fight Me on This: How Violent Sex Helped Ease my PTSD.” “There’s a reason I almost threw up when this piece went live,” said McClelland, in an interview with the Ms. […]
The Feminist Response to Dan Rottenberg’s Rape-Victim Blaming
Update: After this post was published, Dan Rottenberg issued a no-caveats apology at Broad Street Review. Just when we thought the absurd victim-blaming over Lara Logan’s brutal rape in Egypt couldn’t get worse–some blamed her for past relationships, her good looks and even for being in Egypt in the first place–writer Dan Rottenberg published a […]
Saudi Women Arrested for Driving
Five women were arrested in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday for continuing their protest–which formally began on June 17–against the nation’s ban on women driving. The mutaween (religious police of Saudi Arabia) detained them for a few hours before releasing at least four of the women to their male guardians. There is currently no information regarding […]
No Comment: Duke Nukem Forever
It’s no surprise when new video games are bloody and overtly sexist. Grand Theft Auto drew outrage when players realized they could not only solicit sex but also kill the sex worker (after she’s done, of course). Recently released Duke Nukem Forever may actually one-up Auto, as it’s a game in which objectifying women isn’t […]
Saudi Women Drive!
Millions of eyes were trained on Saudi Arabia this Friday, June 17. Would Saudi women be able to fulfill their online pledge to drive cars, in defiance of the kingdom’s demobilizing ban? As participant Solafa Kurdi told Ms.: It’s my right. There’s nothing mentioned in my religion that I’m not supposed to be able to […]
DSK Scandal May Spur Protections for Hotel Workers
Dominique Strauss-Kahn’s alleged assault of a room attendant at Manhattan’s upscale Sofitel Hotel has dominated recent headlines. But what about everyday cases of hotel harassment that often go unreported or uninvestigated? In light of the recent scandal, New York lawmakers and hotel owners are finally realizing the vulnerability of hotel employees to sexual harassment and […]