Author: Roxanne Szal

Roxanne Szal (or Roxy) is the managing digital editor at Ms. and a producer on the Ms. podcast On the Issues With Michele Goodwin. She is also a mentor editor for The OpEd Project. Before becoming a journalist, she was a Texas public school English teacher. She is based in Austin, Texas. Connect with her on LinkedIn.

I Asked Top Election Experts About 2024 Tampering Claims. Here’s What They Said.

In recent weeks, a wave of rumors has surfaced online suggesting the 2024 election may have been “stolen” or, more specifically, tampered with due to faulty machines. While many of these claims remain vague or speculative, some are beginning to gain traction across social media platforms and alternative news sites. 

In the interest of democracy, transparency and election security, I reached out to a group of leading experts—many of whom work at the intersection of voting rights, cybersecurity and public trust—to share two examples of the kinds of articles I’ve seen on this topic, and ask for their take.

What follows are responses from some of the country’s most experienced voices on election integrity. Their insights are a valuable reminder that while election systems are not perfect, there is currently no credible evidence supporting claims of widespread vote manipulation in 2024. Instead, these experts highlight what’s real, what’s theoretical and where our attention should actually be focused as we work to protect democracy.

Rest in Power, Melissa Hortman—The Kind of Leader Patriarchy Fears

“I’m not sorry. … I’m really tired of watching women of color in particular being ignored.”

Over the weekend, the feminist movement lost a lion. Melissa Hortman, former speaker of the Minnesota House and longtime champion of reproductive justice, climate action and racial equity, was senselessly gunned down in a targeted attack at her home. Her husband, Mark, was also killed. 

Kelly Dittmar, a political science professor at Rutgers University-Camden and the director of research at the Center for American Women and Politics, shared on social media a powerful speech Hortman gave eight years ago, when she was the minority leader, on the House floor about the power of women’s voices. In it, she interrupted and called out white male legislators during a key debate—and when asked to apologize for her candor, she didn’t flinch.

Adriana Smith and the Legal Horror of Reproductive Servitude in the U.S.

and

Three months ago, 30-year-old Adriana Smith was declared brain-dead. But a hospital in Georgia is keeping her “alive” on life support because of the state’s strict abortion ban.

“In what universe does a hospital in Georgia … believe that they can take ownership of Adriana Smith’s body?” asked Michele Goodwin on a recent emergency episode of On the Issues: Fifteen Minutes of Feminism. “According to the hospital, she is now an incubator. … This is not science fiction, though I wish that it were.”

“I think every woman should have the right to make their own decision,” Smith’s mother, April Newkirk, said. “And if not, then their partner or their parents.”

Doc ‘Arrest the Midwife’ Tells the Story of a Criminalized Midwife and the Amish and Mennonite Women Who Defied Tradition to Defend Her

Arrest the Midwife, which premiered at SXSW last year, will receive a limited theatrical release at Atlanta’s Tara Theater from July 31 through Aug. 6. It will premiere nationwide on PBS’ POV on Aug. 31.

Elaine Epstein’s film follows Elizabeth Catlin, a beloved certified professional midwife in a small town in upstate New York. Here, Mennonites have a significant presence, and it’s common to see these “plain people” in their simple clothes (usually solid, dark colors) riding in horse-drawn buggies.

Though not Mennonite herself, Catlin developed a good reputation among this community, whose conservative Christian way of life discourages birth control and encourages at-home births outside of a hospital setting. She’s assisted with hundreds of births, including almost half of all Mennonite births each year.

In October 2018, Catlin transported a laboring woman to a hospital in Canandaigua, and the baby was born but died hours later of sepsis. Despite the family’s indication they did not blame Catlin or wish to see her prosecuted, and despite the birth taking place in a hospital, Catlin was arrested in 2019 and indicted on 95 felony counts, including criminal homicide and unauthorized practice of midwifery.

The Mennonite community does not commonly participate in modern political life or utilize technology. But Catlin’s arrest and inability to practice midwifery went against the wishes of many in her community—leading them to organize a (handwritten) letter-writing campaign, fundraise for Catlin’s legal and professional expenses, and eventually lobby state lawmakers for the legal recognition and licensing pathway for CPMs in New York.

Director Elaine Epstein hopes viewers take away something powerful: that meaningful change is often slow, imperfect and comes from unexpected places. “We’re in a time where things are pretty bad and it’s easy to want to bury our heads,” she said. “But we have so much to learn from the Mennonites.”

Texas Issued New Abortion Guidance for Doctors. Questions Remain.

A group of Texas women denied life-saving healthcare during their wanted pregnancies are feeling “cautiously optimistic” and “hopeful” after meeting with state legislators and urging changes to an abortion-related bill currently working its way through the legislature.

These women have been telling their devastating stories of life and loss for years. So why are they just starting to break through and spur legislative action from Republican lawmakers now?

“You have to keep repeating it. And so as painful as it is for me to relive those days and to relive my story, I will continue to do it for my daughter.”

‘Uvalde Mom’ Shows the Courage of Angeli Rose Gomez—and the Failure of Texas Leaders

Premiering at SXSW, Uvalde Mom follows Angeli Rose Gomez, the mother who defied police inaction to save her children during the 2022 Uvalde school shooting. The documentary not only captures her heroic actions but also reveals the relentless harassment she faced from local authorities in the aftermath. Through Gomez’s story, the film exposes systemic failures, community trauma and the power of mothers who refuse to stay silent.

Trump’s Speech Was Full of Broken Promises, Lies, and Warnings of More Damage for Women and Families

As President Donald Trump took the stage on Tuesday night for his joint address to Congress, the stock market is down, inflation is up, consumer confidence levels are at their lowest levels since August 2021, and a large majority of Americans believe the economy and their personal cost of living are on the wrong track.

Trump’s address to Congress was filled with falsehoods, broken promises and attacks on women and families, signaling more harmful policies ahead. He pushed tax cuts for the wealthy at the expense of essential programs like Medicaid and Social Security, ramped up anti-immigration rhetoric, and prioritized culture war issues over real economic solutions.

‘They’re Coming After Birth Control’: Rep. Lizzie Fletcher on the Fight for Contraceptive Rights

Despite overwhelming public support for contraception access, Republicans continue to block legislation protecting it. Rep. Lizzie Fletcher explains why the fight for birth control rights is more urgent than ever.

“The same people who have been crusading against abortion rights for decades aren’t stopping there. They have their eyes set on contraception and birth control.”

Physicians Sound the Alarm: The Data Is Gone, But the Need Isn’t

The Trump administration has erased thousands of pages of public health data from government websites—information doctors rely on and taxpayers funded.

“They took down information that healthcare providers use on a daily basis to make sure you’re safe, to prevent the spread of disease,” said Dr. Sophia Yen, medical director and co-founder of Pandia Health. “You just can’t play with people’s lives. You can’t play with people’s health.”