Herstory

‘The Pill That Changes Everything’: The Ms. Q&A With Carrie N. Baker, Author of ‘Abortion Pills: U.S. History and Politics’

In recent years, the use of abortion pills has skyrocketed and now accounts for an estimated 65 percent of all abortions performed in medical settings, including through both brick-and-mortar clinics and telehealth providers.

Carrie N. Baker’s fascinating new book, Abortion Pills: U.S. History and Policy, tells the story of a decades-long struggle for acceptance of this safe, secure and private method of ending an early pregnancy. It’s also a story of antiabortion attempts to suppress abortion pills.

How Diahann Carrol and Shirley Chisholm Reshaped Politics: An Excerpt from ‘A More Perfect Party’

An excerpt from Juanita Tolliver’s A More Perfect Party: The Night Shirley Chisholm and Diahann Carrol Reshaped Politics, a story of how the first Black woman to star in a network sitcom teamed up with the first Black woman to run for president in order to spark change.

“Diahann Carroll knew how to throw a party. On the cool evening of April 29, 1972, Carroll’s estate was bursting with celebrity, exuberance and history in support of the first Black person, and the first woman, to seek the Democratic nomination for president. The Welcome to Hollywood party for the Honorable Shirley Chisholm, U.S. representative of New York, was kicking into high gear.”

The Hymen Myth: Exploring the History, Science and Symbolism of Virginity

Of all the parts of the body associated with entering womanhood, the elusive hymen has perhaps come into play the most. The hymen has been presented as a clear, physical, nonnegotiable marker of virginity, its presence signaling purity and its loss marking womanhood.

In very many societies, virginity and the manner of its “loss” have mattered for women as well as for the men who use women’s bodies as currency in transactions between families. Projected on to specific body parts, this concern with virginity extends beyond the physical realm.

Ellie Smeal Honored with Presidential Citizens Medal for Defining the Women’s Rights Movement

Eleanor “Ellie” Smeal, the president of the Feminist Majority Foundation and publisher of Ms., was awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal—the nation’s second highest civilian honors—on Jan. 2 by President Joe Biden for “defining the movement for women’s rights.”

“It happened over and over that she would come up with some wonderful idea, and some other organization would take it and run with it. And we’re like, ‘Ellie, aren’t you mad?’ … [And she would respond,] ‘No, this is great. Now I can work on something else,’” said Kim Gandy.

Jimmy Carter Was One of the World’s Leading Anti-Sexist Men

Jimmy Carter was one of the world’s most prominent male supporters of gender equality.

His overall record as president was decidedly mixed. But one overlooked aspect of his presidency was that he unabashedly championed women’s leadership, including Black women’s. By the end of his term, Carter had appointed more women and people of color to the federal judiciary than all previous presidents combined. Carter was also a founding member of The Elders, an international group of former political leaders, peace activists and human rights advocates.

And once he left office, Carter’s pro-feminist commitments deepened, as did his passion for pushing fellow religious believers to take on gender inequality directly.

2024’s Top Feminist Moments in Pop Culture

The year 2024 had promised an era of women rising to the top. This was spectacularly highlighted by the historic presidential run of Vice President Kamala Harris, who had mounted an unprecedented campaign in just over 100 days. Sadly, Harris fell short of the necessary votes.

2024 nonetheless demonstrated that women still hold powerful sway across our popular culture, even as they struggle for the highest political position. We continue to hold onto hope for a feminist future with more opportunities for gender and racial breakthroughs, which are still possible because they have been imagined and envisioned in our pop culture. Here are our picks for the year’s top 10 feminist moments.