Money & Jobs

Women’s Health Needs Are Ever-Changing. It’s Time for Flexible Benefits That Meet Us Where We Are.

With traditional group insurance, employees typically have just a few plans to choose from, none of which are a guaranteed fit. As a result, many women are forced onto a plan that fails to meet their medical needs, leaving them with high costs but still missing the support that matters most.

By switching group insurance to an Individual coverage health reimbursement arrangement (ICHRA), companies can provide the flexible and affordable benefits that meet women where they are. 

One-size-fits-all group insurance, selected by employers, no longer makes sense for female employees with unique and ever-evolving health needs. As employers across sectors embrace this new, flexible approach, more women stand to benefit from customizable coverage.

Keeping Score: Diddy’s Incomplete Conviction ‘Failed to Protect Survivors’; Inhumane Conditions in Alligator Alcatraz; What’s in the ‘Big Beautiful Bill’?

In every issue of Ms., we track research on our progress in the fight for equality, catalogue can’t-miss quotes from feminist voices and keep tabs on the feminist movement’s many milestones. We’re Keeping Score online, too—in this biweekly roundup.

This week:
—Trump’s reconciliation bill will prevent millions from accessing healthcare and food assistance.
—IWMF announced this year’s Courage in Journalism Awards.
—Many prison systems lack accommodations for pregnant inmates.
—Sean “Diddy” Combs found not guilty of sex trafficking.
—The Supreme Court’s decision on LGBTQ books in public schools lays the foundation for new assault on books of all kinds in schools.
—Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.) called out the hypocrisy of “pro-choice” members of Congress in a House Rules committee meeting: “They say they’re pro-life because they want the baby to be born, go to school and get shot in the school.”
—A group of actors including Jane Fonda and Rosario Dawson wrote a letter to Amazon, after allegations that the company has frequently refused to accommodate pregnant workers. 
—Mahmoud Khalil is suing the Trump administration for $20 million.
—July 10 was Black Women’s Equal Pay Day, marking when Black women’s earnings catch up to what white men earned in 2024.

… and more.

‘Baby, We’ve Been Blessed’: A Mississippi Mother on Family, Faith and Fighting for More

Front & Center amplifies the voices of Black women navigating poverty—highlighting their struggles, resilience and dreams as they care for their families, build careers and challenge systems not built for their success. Now in its fourth year, Front & Center is a collaboration between Ms. and Springboard to Opportunities, a nonprofit based in Jackson, Miss., working alongside residents of federally subsidized housing as they pursue their goals.

Linda, a proud mother and grandmother in Jackson, Miss., dreams of delivering new life as a nurse while building a brighter future for her family today.

“Being a mom makes me feel special and proud. There are little people looking up to me, and I can’t really put it into words, but I’m so grateful I was able to bring life into this world. Sometimes they get on my nerves with their ‘Mama! Mama!’ but it still feels good to hear it. … When people ask me about Black motherhood, I just say: We are survivors. We know how to nurture, we’re proud of our kids and we’re strong. I’m proud to be a Black mother.”

This Organization Took Out Pro-Abortion Newspaper Ads—in the Hometowns of the Justices Who Voted Down Roe

To celebrate the nationwide accessibility of abortion pills—even three years after Dobbs—Mayday Health took out a series of cheeky ads in the hometown newspapers of each of the five Supreme Court justices who struck down Roe v. Wade in 2022: Brett Kavanaugh, Neil Gorsuch, Amy Coney Barrett, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito.

The five ads each feature a picture of the justice in question and cheerfully announce, “Abortion pills are more popular than ever. Thanks, Brett! [Or Neil, Amy, Clarence or Samuel]”

Historic Cuts to SNAP Deepen the War on Women

 Republicans in the House and Senate scrambled to pass legislation that will cut $184 billion from SNAP through 2034—by far the largest cut to SNAP in the program’s history—to finance tax cuts for the wealthy big businesses. They also hope to increase funding for pursuit of immigrants. 

This extremist budget will drive millions of people into poverty and hunger. It also represents a full-throated assault on women—particularly single mothers, for whom SNAP has been a lifeline.

Walmart, Kroger and Big Food Love SNAP Dollars—But Won’t Lift a Finger to Save Them

While SNAP keeps grocery giants and food manufacturers afloat, they’re nowhere to be found when it’s under threat.

No peep out of Walmart or Kroger. Nada from ConAgra, Tyson Foods or Kraft Heinz. Zilch from General Mills, PepsiCo and Nestle. 

Maybe their tax breaks are worth it. Maybe they want to stay on Trump’s good side as Robert Kennedy Jr. attacks their products. Whatever the reason, their silence speaks volumes. 

What, you expected corporate solidarity with consumers and workers? You have not been paying attention. 

Working People Build Food Solutions, While Congress Slashes SNAP

On Thursday nights, I walk a few blocks along my neighborhood’s cracked sidewalks to The People’s Market. SNAP is the glue that holds The People’s Market together, where most of the vendors are recipients selling at the market to supplement their incomes.

We’ve long known that the U.S. food system is upside-down. Instead of trying to fix this broken system, Congress is punishing the victims of its malfunctioning and is slashing SNAP to enact tax cuts for the rich. 

The Cost of Fine Dining: Claims of Sexual Harassment and Union-Busting at D.C.’s Elite Restaurants

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While the elite of Washington, D.C. enjoy expensive meals at famed restaurants such as Pastis, Le Diplomate and Rasika, the workers behind the scenes have reportedly contended with sexual harassment, union-busting or both. 

STARR Restaurants, the high-end hospitality group led by CEO Stephen Starr, owns several hotspots, including Le Diplomate, St. Anselm and Pastis, as well as restaurants in Philadelphia, New York City, South Florida and Nashville. 

According to Unite Here Local 25, a union representing D.C.-area hotel, restaurant and casino employees, two workers at Pastis were subjected to sexual harassment by a supervising chef. The union claimed that the women experienced unwanted touch and verbal harassment, such as being grabbed by the neck from behind, being asked to kiss the chef and being called “babygirl” and “princess.”

Juneteenth Calls for Economic Justice, Not Trump’s Racially Coded Gimmicks

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As Juneteenth approaches, we are called to remember not just the day when the last enslaved Black Americans learned of their freedom, but the ongoing struggle for true justice and equality in this country.

In this context, Donald Trump’s economic and immigration policies—packaged as efforts to “Make America Great Again”—take on a more troubling meaning. They are not just policy proposals; they are part of a deliberate strategy to reinforce racial divides, undermining the very ideals that Juneteenth represents.