In the Summer issue of Ms., we delve deep into the impact of the Court’s decision, the dark money behind the bans, and legal strategies that will determine where we go beyond Roe.
Author: Kathy Spillar
Katherine Spillar is the executive director of Feminist Majority Foundation and executive editor of Ms., where she oversees editorial content and the Ms. in the Classroom program.
Why Black Women Must Remain Front and Center
It’s been just over a year since we launched Front and Center—our series centering the low-income Black women of the Magnolia Mother’s Trust guaranteed income project in Jackson, Miss.
From the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, to the cruelty of Mississippi state legislators who refuse to expand postpartum Medicaid access, the disregard displayed toward Black women shows us that our work here is not done.
Supreme Court Displays Contempt for Women’s Rights in Unprecedented Decision
In a cruel betrayal of the women of this country, and for the first time in the history of the Supreme Court and the United States, a fundamental constitutional right has been taken away. The opinion will have wide-ranging consequences not just for abortion access and women’s health—but for rights like access to contraception, infertility treatments and sexual privacy.
The Anti-Abortion Movement Has a Long History of Terrorism. A Roe Repeal Will Make It Worse.
For nearly 50 years, as anti-abortion legislators in states around the country have chipped away at the constitutional right to a safe and legal abortion, they have done so with the steady drumbeat of violence at their back. In the face of the recent leak of a draft opinion from Justice Samuel Alito that confirmed that the Supreme Court is set to overturn Roe v. Wade, abortion advocates and providers are bracing for a surge in clinic violence.
The Fate of Women’s Rights Is Tied to the Fate of Democracy. How Can We Secure Both?
It’s been women’s progress—the right to vote, to own property, for reproductive rights and for civil rights for all people—that has led to an expansion of democracy globally in the 20th century. We must be prepared for what is nothing less than major battles for the survival and advancement of women’s rights—and our very democracy.
SNEAK PEEK: Ms.’s Spring Issue Takes You to the Front Lines of the War on Women
In the Spring issue of Ms., we examine the backlash against feminist progress in the U.S.—from increasing restrictions on abortions at the state level, to restrictions on voting rights, to attacks on LGBTQ rights, and more.
Celebrating Justice Jackson—As We Brace for a Roe Reversal
In the midst of a news cycle that’s largely been dominated by bad news, this week we were elated to celebrate the confirmation of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court—making her the first Black woman to ever serve on the nation’s highest court when Justice Breyer officially steps down this summer.
But the Supreme Court nevertheless remains dominated by a 6-3 right-wing majority that appears likely to overturn—if not at least severely gut—the Roe v. Wade decision that 50 years ago established a woman’s constitutional right to abortion.
Republican Senators Disparage Ketanji Brown Jackson’s Empathy
Republican senators questioned Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s qualifications during her confirmation hearings last week—with some implying that empathy and personal experience should not factor in to judgements. But the truth is, the Supreme Court’s decisions have always been informed by the justice’s identities.
Congress Finally Reauthorizes VAWA After Years of Republican Stalling
This week, we celebrated the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), which was included with the fiscal year appropriations package approved by Congress. VAWA is a crucial support for women across the country experiencing violence, more so than ever in this current moment. The COVID-19 pandemic, with its economic stressors and repeated lockdowns, has compounded domestic violence problems, leading advocates to name it a “shadow pandemic.”
Survivors Need VAWA—But the ERA Would Make It Even More Powerful
After months of negotiations, a bipartisan group of senators announced Wednesday that they had reached a deal to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)—which has been expired since December 2018.
The Equal Rights Amendment, which is stuck in a tug-of-war with the U.S. archivist and the Senate, would provide the basis for Congress to enact stronger laws on gender violence, including restoring the civil rights remedy in VAWA.