It is time to change the narrative of women and men in the workforce as having separate, unequal goals. We have come too far to continue adhering to the narrative of the workplace as a gendered zone, where women are not only paid less, but only women and mothers request and are penalized for requesting flexible work accommodations.
White Masculinity and the Buffalo Massacre
Most mainstream coverage about the horrific massacre in Buffalo has focused, quite rightly, on racism. But there is more to the story. The killer is not just a young white person. He is a young white man. For us to have any hope of preventing future such incidents, and effectively countering the belief systems and social forces that produced him and so many others, we need to understand the complex intersections of race and gender that lie at the heart of these ongoing tragedies.
As our fragile democracy faces growing threats from exactly the sort of right-wing terrorism on display last weekend in Buffalo, we ignore this gendered element at our peril.
Pentagon Bucks and Masculinity’s Omega
Investing in weapons is like trusting in a house of cards: overdue for a universal collapse and destruction that seldom makes headlines. While the planet grows warmer and its climate more deadly, we’re adding to Earth’s refugee crisis by building and transporting more bloodshed.
Ms. Relaunches Abortion Petition That ‘Changed Abortion Rights Movement,’ Says Washington Post
In 1972, when abortion was still illegal throughout most of the country, 53 well-known U.S. women courageously declared “We Have Had Abortions” in the pages of the preview issue of Ms. magazine. The Washington Post credited the petition with the “start of a powerful strategy in the U.S. abortion rights movement: ending the secrecy that had kept many women out of the fight.”
The next year, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that abortion was a fundamental right protected by the U.S. Constitution. This year, the Supreme Court appears poised to reverse this position. In this perilous time, Ms. is relaunching the petition—with the encouragement and support of some of the original 1972 signers. This year alone, the petition has garnered almost 7,000 signatories.
In a Post-Roe America, Expect More Births in a Country Where Maternal Mortality Continues to Rise
The United States has the highest maternal mortality rate among wealthy countries. And it may get worse as abortions become more difficult to obtain, say public health experts.
The U.S. Is Facing a Maternal Health Crisis. Is Climate Change Making It Worse?
Soaring temperatures, air pollution and extreme weather contribute to adverse pregnancy outcomes—especially for women of color.
Our Favorite Signs From the Nationwide ‘Bans Off’ Marches
Over 1 million protesters gathered for marches across the country on Saturday to attend a national day of action in support of abortion and reproductive rights. Themed ‘Bans Off Our Bodies,’ the mobilization was a direct response to two cataclysmic events in the world of abortion: a leaked draft opinion signaling the Supreme Court’s majority decision to overturn the 50-year precedent of Roe v. Wade; and Senate Republicans’ opposition to a bill that would codify the right to an abortion across the U.S.
When the Supreme Court’s final decision is issued before the end of the term (likely in June), it will represent the biggest blow to women’s constitutional rights in history. The anger, indignation and shock felt in America right now has reached a new peak—and it was on full display this weekend.
Nine (Free) Films for Understanding What’s at Stake with the Impending Loss of Roe v. Wade
As we grapple with the magnitude of a potential Roe v. Wade repeal, Women Make Movies is making a selection of films available that shed light on the history of reproductive rights in the U.S. and set forth what’s at stake as abortion access is rolled back.
Amidst a Nationwide Formula Shortage, a Reminder: The Decision To Breastfeed Is Personal
As the nationwide formula shortage gained more news coverage, social media outlets like Twitter started buzzing—not with compassion for these scared parents, but rather judgment that these mothers hadn’t breastfed and were therefore at fault for their current predicament.
(Of course, the irony of the formula shortage happening at the same time that the Supreme Court is poised to force American women to carry unwanted pregnancies is also not lost on many.)
Weekend Reading on Women’s Representation: Celebrating AAPI Women Leaders; Lisa Cook Is First Black Woman on Federal Reserve Board
Weekend Reading for Women’s Representation is a compilation of stories about women’s representation.
This week: celebrating AAPI women leaders and exploring AAPI women’s representation; most countries provide part-time childcare access from the age of 3; Senate confirms Lisa Cook to the Federal Reserve Board; in the workplace, “the selection of incompetent men over competent women is the number one problem we need to fix”; and more.