Author: Martha Burk

Martha Burk is money editor at Ms.
Rest in Power: Sarah Weddington

Rest in Power: Sarah Weddington, Feminist Attorney and Champion of Roe v. Wade

On Jan. 22, 2022, we mark the 49th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion in the United States. The case was argued by a 26-year-old female lawyer from Texas: Sarah Weddington, in her first appearance before the Court. Female lawyers were so rare in those days that the Supreme Court lawyers lounge didn’t even have a ladies’ room. There were no female judges; Weddington faced a wall of older white men.

Almost five decades after the decision, Sarah Weddington died at her home in Austin on Dec. 26, 2021, at age 76, after a period of declining health. Rest in power, Sarah Weddington.

Think Build Back Better Is Expensive? Wait Till You Hear the U.S. Defense Budget.

Dear Joe Manchin: Think Build Back Better Is Expensive? Wait Till You Hear the U.S. Defense Budget.

The main objection to President Biden’s Build Back Better plan by Republicans and so-called “moderate” Democrats is the price tag—$1.75 trillion over 10 years. If that sounds like a lot of money, it is—until you compare it to the boys and their toys.

We don’t need a rocket scientist to tell us why women’s jobs aren’t recovering: a lack of childcare and universal pre-kindergarten, a lack of paid family leave. The Build Back Better Act would go a long way toward fixing that.

Rep. Allyson Schwartz

The Past, Present and Future of Rep. Allyson Schwartz: “I Understood How Important It Was To Have Women in Positions of Power”

Ms. Money Editor Martha Burk recently talked with former Rep. Allyson Schwartz of Pennsylvania about successes and challenges in a most storied record of accomplishment.

“The men in the Pennsylvania delegation were sometimes polite to me and sometimes not, but they certainly weren’t pleased that I was there, and they let me know it.”

The Not-So-Secret Sexism of the Super Bowl

‘A Woman’s Work’: The Film the NFL Doesn’t Want You to See

Super Bowl cheerleaders are frequently forced to work long hours for no benefits and illegally low wages, while experiencing sexist discrimination.

It’s an all-too-familiar story for working women—low pay, long hours, zero benefits and near-impossible standards of sexiness and appearance not applied to male-dominated jobs. To top it all off, this particular tale also includes not just “the usual” discrimination, but outright wage theft.

What's at Stake this November: Pay Equity (Show Me the Money!)

What’s at Stake this November: Pay Equity (Show Me the Money!)

The COVID-19 pandemic will have a lasting effect on the pay gap, since more women have been forced to drop out of the workforce.

Even if new laws are passed, the fight won’t be over. With the Supreme Court already having narrowed women’s options in fighting pay discrimination, the choices in future elections and Court appointments become extremely important for passing stronger legislation and for safeguarding women from decisions that will further erode the few remedies available.

health care elections affordable care act amy coney barrett

Health Care on Life Support? What’s at Stake in the Elections

It’s now a matter of weeks until Election Day, and women’s votes are more crucial this year than ever. We must have not only the will, but also a firm grasp of what we need to hold candidates at all levels accountable for policies that work toward social justice and equity for women.

Health care is a top issue on the minds of most voters. A great deal is at stake for women—not only because of the coronavirus pandemic, but the looming Supreme Court battle.

What’s at Stake: Access to Abortion

The right to reproductive choice and medical privacy is the single biggest issue at stake for women’s lives and health in the 2020 election and beyond. It is not only relevant to young women who may be faced with the abortion decision, but to all women who value their autonomy and privacy.