On Friday, Sept. 23, Hillary Clinton—former U.S. secretary of state and the first woman to win a presidential nomination by a major U.S. political party—spoke at The Texas Tribune Festival in Austin, Texas. She was joined by Kara Swisher, renowned journalist and host of the new podcast On With Kara Swisher. Clinton’s and Swisher’s wide-ranging conversation covered several issues affecting women—from the feminist uprisings in Iran, to Trump and the classified documents at Mar-a-Lago, to the upcoming midterm elections. Read on for some of our favorite moments.
Author: Michelle Moulton
Michelle Moulton is an editorial intern with Ms. and a senior at Smith College. She is double majoring in the study of women & gender and sociology. Her beats include reproductive justice, domestic worker history, sexual violence intervention, and criminal justice reform and abolition.
War on Women Report: The Post-Roe Nightmare; Lindsey Graham’s 15-Week Abortion Ban; Matt Gaetz Can Continue to Abuse Young Girls
U.S. patriarchal authoritarianism is on the rise, and democracy is on the decline. But day after day, we stay vigilant in our goals to dismantle patriarchy at every turn. The fight is far from over. We are watching, and we refuse to go back.
The last month has been a real whiplash for women. Let’s remember what was hurled our way. Plus—as we approach the midterm elections, Republican lawmakers have continued the ruthless attack on abortion access nationwide. But will it cost them?
Our Abortion Stories: ‘He Said if I Got Pregnant, He’d Marry Me. I Got Pregnant. He Left.’
On June 24, the Supreme Court overturned the longstanding precedents of Roe v. Wade, representing the largest blow to women’s constitutional rights in history. We’re chronicling readers’ experiences of abortion pre- and post-Roe.
“I had just told my husband that I was leaving him when I got the news that I was pregnant. At the time, I already had two daughters under the age of six. I was figuring out how I was going to be a single mother with a demanding job that paid very little. … I don’t think we would’ve turned out with the lives we now have if there had been another mouth to feed. Nor, frankly, should I have to explain myself or my situation to anyone.”
War on Women Report: Texas Teen Raises $2.2 Million for Abortion Funds; 43 Abortion Clinics Closed; WNBA’s Brittney Griner Sentenced to Nine Years
U.S. patriarchal authoritarianism is on the rise, and democracy is on the decline. But day after day, we stay vigilant in our goals to dismantle patriarchy at every turn. The fight is far from over. We are watching, and we refuse to go back.
This week: State courts are shaping the future of abortion; Texas teenager raises $2.2 million for abortion care; WNBA star Brittney Griner has been sentenced to nine years in a Russian prison; and more.
We Heart: P!nk’s New Protest Anthem, ‘Irrelevant’
On July 18, the music video for P!nk’s new song, “Irrelevant,” dropped and has since been deemed a ‘protest anthem.’ She explained, “As a woman with an opinion and the fearlessness to voice that opinion, it gets very tiring when the only retort is to tell me how irrelevant I am. I am relevant because I exist and because I am a human being. No one is irrelevant. And no one can take away my voice.”
The proceeds from the new track will be donated to Michelle Obama’s national, nonpartisan voting initiative When We All Vote.
The Battle for Abortion Access Heads to State Courts
Without the protections of Roe v. Wade, state laws—rather than federal law—now regulate whether people across the nation can receive abortion care. This grim moment also means that state supreme courts will be much more crucial in deciding state laws on abortion access.
Re:power, an organization dedicated to a future of inclusive politics, challenges the public to look at the power of state courts and speak truth to it. “The only way out is through.”
Our Abortion Stories: ‘If He Had Found Out I Was Pregnant, He Would Have Kidnapped Me and the Baby’
On June 24, the Supreme Court overturned the longstanding precedents of Roe v. Wade, representing the largest blow to women’s constitutional rights in history. We’re chronicling readers’ experiences of abortion pre- and post-Roe. “There is no room for inaction. If not for yourself, speak out for others.”
“Eliminating women’s reproductive healthcare rights doesn’t eliminate unplanned fetuses. It gives birth to unwanted children. Forcing women to give birth to unwanted children creates dependence on others. Both mother and child have little chance of climbing out of poverty on their own.”
War on Women Report: Indiana AG Goes After Dr. Caitlin Bernard, ‘Paints Providers With Violent Lies’; Pro-Abortion House Democrats Arrested
U.S. patriarchal authoritarianism is on the rise, and democracy is on the decline. But day after day, we stay vigilant in our goals to dismantle patriarchy at every turn. The fight is far from over. We are watching, and we refuse to go back.
This week: State lawmakers come for abortion providers; Texas sues the Biden administration over HHS guidance; more than a dozen House Democrats get arrested at an abortion rights rally; The House passes landmark legislation; and more.
Post-Roe America Will Lead to Increased Criminalization of Pregnant Women. Here’s How to Protect Them
Since the overturn of Roe, states now have further jurisdiction to prosecute women in cases of illegal abortions, miscarriages and many other instances of so-called child abuse—something they’ve been doing for years, especially to low-income women and women of color.
National Advocates for Pregnant Women (NAPW) has launched a resource guide for prosecutors, police, healthcare providers and welfare workers alike in protecting pregnant women. “Now is not the time to give up,” said NAPW. “The opportunities for potential allyship, collaboration and solidarity are numerous.”
Our Abortion Stories: ‘The Justices Who Signed the Dobbs Opinion Do Not Care About 14-Year-Old Me’
On June 24, the Supreme Court overturned the longstanding precedents of Roe v. Wade, representing the largest blow to women’s constitutional rights in history. We’re chronicling readers’ experiences of abortion pre- and post-Roe.
“Even a medically safe abortion cannot be truly safe if it is illegal and shrouded in secrecy.”