Unlike the limited lessons of women’s suffrage many learn—Seneca Falls and Susan B. Anthony—Suffs digs deep into the gamesmanship wielded by the movement’s early 20th century leaders. Suffs opens April 6 at the venerable Public Theater in New York City. Lin-Manuel Miranda himself tweeted this week that >Suffs is “gobsmackingly incredible” and its writer and star, Shaina Taub as Alice Paul, is “the FUTURE.” I couldn’t agree more.
Author: Jennifer Weiss-Wolf
Jennifer Weiss-Wolf is the executive director of Ms. partnerships and strategy. A lawyer, fierce advocate and frequent writer on issues of gender, feminism and politics in America, Weiss-Wolf has been dubbed the “architect of the U.S. campaign to squash the tampon tax” by Newsweek. She is the author of Periods Gone Public: Taking a Stand for Menstrual Equity, which was lauded by Gloria Steinem as “the beginning of liberation for us all,” and is a contributor to Period: Twelve Voices Tell the Bloody Truth. She is also the executive director of the Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network at NYU Law. Find her on Twitter: @jweisswolf.
Women’s Rights and Democracy Are Inextricably Linked
Last fall, America was featured for the first time on a list of backsliding democracies. With inadequate progress in women’s participation in government, reproductive rights, and maternal mortality, this title may reflect recent attacks on gender equality. America’s longstanding and abysmal record on myriad gender equity markers has been the true harbinger for our downgraded democracy status.
Our Democracy Has Problems. Women Have Solutions.
The U.S., one of the world’s oldest democracies, is now seeing a rise of antidemocratic views. But never fear. We come bearing good news. There is hope. And that hope, we believe, is the shared power and potential of mobilized women to forge a new movement for a 21st century democracy.
We hope you are inspired and encouraged by what this slate of women experts—working at all levels to reform and revitalize our democracy—have to say. And to hear more about democracy solutions and how you can get involved, join us March 8–10 from 3–5 p.m. ET for RepresentWomen’s democracy Solutions Summit, which brings together experts and leaders in election administration, voting rights and democracy reform who are working on innovative solutions that upgrade and strengthen our democracy.
Abortion Funds Enable Access: The Time to Invest in Direct Aid Is Now
Expanded investment in abortion funds is urgently needed to keep up with current demand for direct aid, as well as to prepare for an uncertain and surely more challenging future.
Central to the defense of reproductive rights for all must be the provision of and commitment to direct aid to the communities facing those attacks head-on.
When “Six Weeks” Is Actually Two: Understanding Periods Is Essential to Fighting Abortion Bans
There continues to be a visible, troubling disconnect in our collective literacy of the menstrual cycle—especially vis-à-vis the way we frame early pregnancy and abortion. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott spoke to the press about S.B. 8, the new law that all but obliterates the right to abortion in the state, saying, “[O]bviously it provides at least six weeks for a person to be able to get an abortion.” He is 100 percent wrong.
What is the Legacy of the “Gender-Equal” Tokyo 2020 Games?
When the IOC announced last winter that Tokyo 2020 would be “the first gender-equal Olympic Games,” they were touting the near 50% representation of female athletes, an all-time high.
Now that the summer games have concluded, the IOC statement turned out to be prescient in other unexpected ways: fierce feminism has been on full display for the past two weeks as athletes boldly broke norms and pushed back against sexist protocols and practices.
The Filibuster Continues To Undermine Democracy, ERA and Other Advancements for Women’s and Civil Rights
Because of the filibuster, it has become nearly impossible for our elected leaders in Congress to advance the will of the people.
[This article originally appears in the Summer 2021 issue of Ms. Become a member today to read more reporting like this in print and through our app.]
It’s Time for a Whole-of-Government Approach to Address Period Poverty in the U.S.
Period poverty is one of America’s alarming—and often hidden—inequities.
As a member of Congress and as advocates, we share the belief that there is power in leveraging the law to help make healthy, dignified, stigma-free menstruation a reality for all.
Amy Coney Barrett’s “Much-Touted Cloak of Decency”
Amy Coney Barrett has thus far demonstrated a few considerable lapses in judgment as the critical thinker and caring soul she’s purported to be.
In addition to her record, Barrett must be called to account for her hypocritical actions, words and lapses.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg Created the Playbook for Feminist Barrier-Breaking
RBG taught us grand generosity, wisdom, wit and the need to presume some modicum of good will on all sides: “She left us the playbook.”
Jennifer Weiss-Wolf shares three RBG anecdotes—”not only on account of their stand-alone brilliance, but because when considered as a collective, they offer a blueprint for success in the mighty trio of life, love and the law that she exemplifies.”