Author: Eliza Powers

Eliza Powers is an English major at Pomona College.

She Surfed the Biggest Wave in the World. ‘Maya and the Wave’ Captured It.

In February 2020, Brazilian surfer Maya Reis Gabeira surfed a 73-foot wave (the height of a seven-story building) in Nazaré, Portugal.

With her documentary Maya and the Wave, filmmaker Stephanie Johnes tells a story of working with, not against, the ocean, and doesn’t shy away from the intensity of the sport. In an interview with Ms., Stephanie Johnes details what it is like to be an elite female athlete in a male-dominated sport.

“What I hope that the film accomplishes is to connect with people who are not necessarily surfers or even athletes, but who have felt that feeling of isolation when they’re trying to do something extraordinary or trying to do something in a male-dominated environment.”

How Much Does it Cost to Medically Transition?

Today, 16 states, plus Washington, D.C., require insurance to cover gender-affirming care: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont. But in all other states, insurance is not required to cover gender-affirming care—so trans people and their families are stuck paying the costs.

How much does it actually cost to transition without insurance coverage? And how are trans people in unprotected states persevering? 

Dismantling Seven Abortion Myths—With Reproaction’s Shireen Shakouri

From old myths to new claims that abortion threatens endangered species through toilet water, anti-abortion disinformation is on the rise.

As we approach the one-year anniversary of Roe v. Wade being overturned, Reproaction and other abortion advocacy groups seek to fight disinformation propagated by anti-abortion advocates. Shireen Rose Shakouri, deputy director of Reproaction, joined Ms. to debunk seven myths promoted by Students For Life.