House Passes the Historic Build Back Better Act: “A Giant Step Forward”

On Friday, the House passed President Biden’s Build Back Better (BBB) Act—the largest expansion of the U.S. social safety net since the 1960s. The bill includes elements that feminists have worked literally decades for.

The BBB bill is “monumental, it’s historic, it’s transformative, it’s bigger than anything we’ve ever done,” said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi at a press conference. “We will be telling our children and grandchildren that we were here this day.”

The End of Roe? A Sneak Peek into Ms. Fall 2021 Issue

In her blistering dissent from the Supreme Court’s refusal to stay Texas’s Senate Bill 8, Justice Sotomayor points out what we already knew: The Texas law, which bans virtually all abortions after six weeks is unconstitutional. In our new Fall issue, constitutional law scholar Michele Goodwin delves into the court’s decision; we take Ms. readers inside the Jackson, Miss., clinic challenging the state’s law that bans nearly all abortions after 15 weeks; and more.

If you’re not already a member of the Ms. community, you can join today and you’ll get the Fall issue delivered straight to your mailbox.

Rally for ERA on Women’s Equality Day: No Time Limit on Equality

As we witness the renewed attacks on women’s fundamental rights in Afghanistan and remember how quickly women’s rights in this country were rolled back during the Trump administration, we are reminded how critical it is that we secure final ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment in the U.S. Constitution.

On Thursday, Aug. 26, leaders and activists working for the Equal Rights Amendment will gather in front of the Supreme Court, across from the U.S. Senate, to rally for the ERA.

Sneak Peek into Ms. Summer 2021 Issue: Don’t Filibuster Democracy

A glimpse at what you’ll find inside the upcoming Summer issue of Ms.:

In “Don’t Filibuster Democracy,” Jennifer Weiss-Wolf explains how advancements for women’s and civil rights hinge on eliminating an anti-democratic Senate rule: the filibuster; “The Women in the Room” provides a firsthand account of the Afghan peace talks from negotiators Fawzia Koofi and Fatima Gailani; Carrie Baker breaks down why abortion rights are in a “code red”; stories of period-positive activists; and more.

Putting Poor Black Mothers Front and Center

Almost 50 years after its founding, Ms. is continuing its commitment to inclusive feminism with a new series called Front and Center—featuring pieces written by the women of the Magnolia Mother’s Trust. The program provides more than 100 Black mothers living in extreme poverty in Jackson, Miss., a guaranteed income of $1,000 a month for a year.

Beginning Thursday, you’ll hear first-hand about their struggles, their children, their work, their relationships and their dreams for the future.

Feminists’ Goals of Ratifying ERA and Ending Violence Against Women Are Inextricably Linked

“In Women’s History Month 2021, we celebrated extraordinary legislative victories for women’s rights—and, at the same time, suffered a profound tragedy. … Our message is simple: We will not give up our dream to live in a world without violence and with full equality under the law.”

(This letter from the editors originally appears in the Spring 2021 issue of Ms.)

The Ms. Must-Read: House Achieves Victories for Gender Equality

It’s been an extraordinary week of legislative victories for women’s equality—but also one of profound tragedy.

This week, the U.S. House of Representatives advanced two critical measures, the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). The votes came the day after a murderous rampage in Atlanta that left eight people dead, six of them Asian American women.