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

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Three months ago, 30-year-old Adriana Smith was declared brain-dead. But a hospital in Georgia is keeping her “alive” on life support, against her family’s wishes, 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.”

Worldwide, Many Women Relied on the U.S. for Financial Support. This Afghan Woman Dares to Speak Out.

I’ve been writing for decades about America’s on-again-off-again support for the reproductive healthcare of women around the world, focusing on the Republican presidents who have slashed funding and jeopardized women’s lives.

When I spoke by phone to Seema Ghani in February, there was something more. Unlike many women I had reached out to this year in countries that have relied on the United States for financial support, Ghani was not afraid to speak to me—even though her homeland, Afghanistan, is the world’s most oppressive for women.

Apply Now: Online Summer Training Camp Empowers High School and First-Year College Students to Lead Change

In a landscape where young people’s human rights are under attack, we need to unite, educate and amplify the youth voices. Do you know a high school student passionate about social justice, democracy and creating positive social change? If so, invite them to apply for the Summer Activist Training Camp—a free online program open to high school and first-year college students of any gender who want to deepen their knowledge and sharpen their advocacy skills. . 

Fired *Again*: HHS Employees Told Their Work Isn’t in the ‘Public Interest’

On Mother’s Day weekend, many probationary employees at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) who had been reinstated under court order, received an unwelcome surprise—a new notice of termination, effective immediately, because their employment “does not advance the public interest.”

I received these letters; it is hard to describe what was more galling—to be told that my role as the Ombuds for Unaccompanied Children was not advancing the public interest or to be fired yet again with no justification, review or opportunity to challenge the decision.

Tariff Tantrum: Why Trump’s Trade War Hits Women Hardest

President Donald Trump’s trade wars continue to create global turmoil and churn for financial markets. Monday, May 12th’s move—a temporary suspension of his “Liberation Day” bombast and 90-day pause until massive tariffs are fully imposed on China—seemed in part prompted by warnings of a dire toy shortage and the sour reaction to Trump blathering about … dolls.

Incoherent as it sounds, it so happens that toys geared to girls indeed are among the consumer products most likely to be subject to an upcharge—tariff mania notwithstanding.

Now in the face of Trump’s tariff frenzy, reports indicate we can expect to see yet another version of the pink tax—aka “pink tariffs”—given that women make the vast majority (80 percent) of all consumer purchases.

How the Take It Down Act Tackles Nonconsensual Deepfake Porn—And How it Falls Short

In a rare bipartisan move, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Take It Down Act by a vote of 409-2 on April 28, 2025. The bill is an effort to confront one of the internet’s most appalling abuses: the viral spread of nonconsensual sexual imagery, including AI-generated deepfake pornography and real photos shared as revenge porn. 

Now awaiting President Trump’s expected signature, the bill offers victims a mechanism to force platforms to remove intimate content shared without their permission—and to hold those responsible for distributing it to account.

As a scholar focused on AI and digital harms, I see this bill as a critical milestone. Yet it leaves troubling gaps. Without stronger protections and a more robust legal framework, the law may end up offering a promise it cannot keep. Enforcement issues and privacy blind spots could leave victims just as vulnerable.

Profiles in Courage: Who Holds Power to Account? Inspectors General Challenge Trump’s Unlawful Dismissals

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Ms.‘ Profiles in Courage honors the extraordinary women and men who have transformed American institutions through principled public service. At a time when trust in government is fragile, these stories offer a powerful reminder of what ethical leadership looks like—from those who litigate for civil rights and resign on principle, to those who break military barriers and defend democracy on the front lines.

On Jan. 24, 2025, President Donald Trump dismissed inspectors general (IGs) from 17 key federal agencies in an unprecedented move that has raised serious questions about government accountability. These IGs serve as independent watchdogs tasked with overseeing federal operations, ensuring transparency, and protecting taxpayer dollars from fraud, waste and mismanagement. Critics argue that the IGs’ removal weakens a critical safeguard against waste, fraud and abuse.

Eight of the dismissed IGs have filed a lawsuit in federal court in Washington, D.C., arguing that their terminations were unlawful.

Fight Authoritarianism With This Weekly Ritual of Resistance and Hope

Each Thursday, join a growing movement of neighbors taking to the streets with signs, solidarity, and a shared commitment to protecting democracy—one corner at a time.

Inspired by the anti-racism organization Tag Meir in Israel, the work of newly formed resistance group The Beacon builds on the insights of people who have studied how authoritarianism rises and how everyday people can stop it.

FDA Review of Abortion Pill Signals First Step Toward Nationwide Ban

In a stunning move that could mark the first step toward a nationwide ban on abortion pills, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has ordered the FDA to reevaluate its decades-old approval of mifepristone—a medication used safely by over 7.5 million Americans over the last quarter-century for abortion and treatment of miscarriages.

The directive, based on a single junk-science report from an antiabortion group, signals a dangerous shift: the politicization of FDA policy and a coordinated push to strip access to medication abortion across the country.