Author: Livia Follet

Livia Follet is an editorial fellow at Ms. and a recent graduate from The University of Colorado Boulder where she earned bachelor's degrees in English literature and women and gender studies. Raised in rural Colorado, her interests include environmental justice movements, Indigenous feminisms and reproductive justice. She is based in New York City.

From the Survivors of Diddy to Those Abused in State Custody, the Path Towards Expanding Protections in New York State

Survivors of sexual violence, advocates and lawmakers in New York are calling for legislation that would fill key gaps in the state’s law, making it harder for those accused of sexual abuse, harassment and discrimination to sue their accusers for defamation. The legislation also includes a bill that would give people abused in state custody more time to seek justice. 

“If New York truly supports survivors, our laws should make justice in civil court more accessible, not less. Survivors should be able to receive monetary compensation that can aid their healing without having to face onerous legal hurdles. The package of bills we’re urging Albany to pass this session will do exactly that,” said Emily Miles, executive director of the New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault.

Our Abortion Stories: ‘I Have the Privilege to Live in a State Where I Am Safe’

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“If she could have put off the baby for two more years, she could have saved up a nest egg and created her family the way she wanted. Instead, she was trapped with a baby too soon.”

Abortions are sought by a wide range of people for many different reasons. There is no single story. Telling stories of then and now shows how critical abortion has been and continues to be for women and girls. (Share your abortion story by emailing myabortionstory@msmagazine.com.)

“Seven more days. To find out what is happening inside my body. What is poisoning my body. Starving my body. Starving my life of joy and laughter.”

From Montana to Florida—How Past Pro-Abortion Ballot Measures Are Helping Fuel a Movement

During the 2024 elections, 10 statewide abortion ballot measures aimed at expanding abortion rights in their respective states were certified for the general election ballot, marking the most in a single year. The majority of the results solidified what pro-abortion advocates already knew: Abortion is popular. 

In 2024, voters overwhelmingly supported reproductive rights measures in eight states, seven of which passed (Florida fell just 3 percent short of the 60 percent threshold required). Amendments passed in Arizona, Colorado, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Nevada and New York.

From Feminists, Messages to Young People Currently Living Through History

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Here is a collection of inspiring words from the National Young Feminists Leadership Conference held last weekend in Washington, D.C.—for any young feminist who might need some inspiration and encouragement right now.

“Yes, this work will break your heart. Some days, it will exhaust you—and still, you must continue, because here’s what the research ultimately shows: When younger people lead, democracy doesn’t just survive; it thrives.”

“We are living in a time where fundamental rights are under relentless attack, but history has shown us that when young people show up, when we organize, when we mobilize, we have the power to change everything.”

“Progress we fought for is being rolled back, and it is exhausting. But extortion is not the same as defeat.”

‘We Have Somebody in the Oval Office Treating It Like a Dictatorship’: How State Legislators Are Pushing Back on Trump

In 2017, Rep. Laurie Pohutsky (D) decided to run for office in Michigan, largely in response to the 2016 election. Today, she’s an advocate for reproductive freedoms in the state.

In February, Pohutsky spoke to hundreds of her constituents gathered at the steps of the Michigan Capitol as a part of the 50501 Movement, a national organization aiming to coordinate 50 protests in 50 states on the same day against the Trump administration’s attack on democracy. 

“The protest itself was really incredible. I think a lot of us didn’t know what to expect. … It was really cold. It was during a work day, and the turnout was incredible. There were a lot of people here. They were very engaged. They were very involved. And that made me feel really hopeful about where we are as a state going forward,” said Pohutsky. 

‘Abortion Care Is an Act of Love’: What Abortion Providers Want You to Know About Practicing Today

With increasing attacks on abortion and the people who provide them, we talked to abortion providers across the U.S. about what they want their communities to know and what keeps them motivated to continue the work. 

Abortion providers Dr. Raegan McDonald-Mosley, CEO of Power to Decide and practicing OB-GYN; Dr. Jamila Perritt, OB-GYN in Washington, D.C., and president and CEO of Physicians for Reproductive Health; and Dr. Bhavik Kumar, medical director for primary and trans care at Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast shared with Ms. their thoughts on an increasingly hostile federal government, what antiabortion lawmakers get wrong and what they think Ms. readers should know about being an abortion provider today.

As the Trump Administration Sets the Stage for Anti-Intellectualism, This Author Is Fighting Back

Last school year, over 10,000 book bans were issued, targeting 4,240 titles—more than double the number of bans in the previous year, according to PEN America research. The incoming Trump administration’s Department of Education has already made fighting the bans increasingly difficult, dismissing 11 complaints against school districts for removing books calling the bans a “hoax.”

“We know that reading books and hearing stories builds empathy. As a former high school teacher, I cannot stress how important that is,” New York Times bestselling author and former English teacher Samira Ahmed tells Ms.

Our Abortion Stories: ‘Without Abortion, You Would Be Visiting My Grave’

“There just aren’t any bereavement days for a child that never was. … . If you know me and love me: Without abortion, you would be visiting my grave. You would be remembering me. You would be telling my motherless children about me.”

Abortions are sought by a wide range of people for many different reasons. There is no single story. Telling stories of then and now shows how critical abortion has been and continues to be for women and girls. (Share your abortion story by emailing myabortionstory@msmagazine.com.)

“I truly am one of the lucky ones. We cannot go back. We need to forge ahead, shining the brightest of lights on this issue, to stand behind our fellow women in their darkest of hours. A wise woman once told me, our stories are powerful and this is my story. Dedicated to all six of my children, living and non-living, and to all of my fellow warriors who have suffered in silence.”

For Survivors of Gender Violence in NYC, There Is Still Time to Pursue Justice

On Feb. 28, 2025, the lookback window under New York City’s Gender-Motivated Violence Act (GMVA) will expire, erasing an essential opportunity for survivors of gender-based offenses, sex trafficking, sexual assault, workplace harassment, reproductive coercion and other forms of violence to seek justice. 

The National Organization for Women, New York City, urges individuals to act quickly to protect their right to file civil claims for incidents of gender-motivated violence.