The women whose work our economy relies upon, yet devalues, feel the rising cost of living the most—a dynamic that is pushing more women, particularly women of color, to the brink of poverty. This is no coincidence; it is structural discrimination.
The Ripple Effects of Restricting Abortion Access
Just this week, we learned of at least two pregnant Texas women who died after doctors delayed emergency care. And last month, we learned that at least two women died after they were unable to access legal abortion care in their home state of Georgia.
Even still, legislators across the country are willing to continue denying care to the people who need it, prioritizing political extremism over medical realities.
Documentary ‘The Young Vote’ Introduces America to the Young People Shaping Its Future
The Young Vote is a powerful documentary by Diane Robinson, now streaming on PBS. The film highlights the stories of young changemakers.
One of the opportunities young people have to shape their future in the U.S. is the chance to participate in the democratic process and vote. Even where there are free and fair elections, voters need to increasingly navigate their way through fake news, AI-generated deep fakes, and a splintered and polarized media landscape where it’s more difficult than ever to know what to believe and who to trust.
Front and Center: ‘If You Lose Your Job, You Lose Your Childcare. How Are You Supposed to Make That Work?’ Asks Mississippi Mom of Five
Front & Center began as first-person accounts of Black mothers living in Jackson, Miss., receiving a guaranteed income. Moving into the fourth year and next phase of this series, we’re expanding our focus beyond a single policy intervention to include a broader examination of systemic issues impacting Black women experiencing poverty. This means diving deeper into the interconnected challenges they face—including navigating the existing safety net; healthcare, childcare and elder care; and the importance of mental, physical and spiritual well-being.
“I really think Trump looks down on people like me,” writes Debra, a single mother taking care of her five children, plus her grandmother and niece. “That’s not the type of person I want leading the country. … People with criminal records can’t even get a job at Walmart. But a felon can run for president?”
A Texas Woman Died After the Hospital Said It Would Be a ‘Crime’ to Intervene in Her Miscarriage
Josseli Barnica grieved the news as she lay in a Houston hospital bed on Sept. 3, 2021: The sibling she’d dreamt of giving her daughter would not survive this pregnancy. The fetus was on the verge of coming out, its head pressed against her dilated cervix; she was 17 weeks pregnant and a miscarriage was “in progress,” doctors noted in hospital records. At that point, they should have offered to speed up the delivery or empty her uterus to stave off a deadly infection.
But when Barnica’s husband rushed to her side from his job on a construction site, she relayed what she said the medical team had told her: “They had to wait until there was no heartbeat,” he told ProPublica in Spanish. “It would be a crime to give her an abortion.”
For 40 hours, the anguished 28-year-old mother prayed for doctors to help her get home to her daughter; all the while, her uterus remained exposed to bacteria. Three days after she delivered, Barnica died of an infection.
Trump’s Closing Argument Is ‘Focused on Making Latinos His Top Target’: The Ms. Q&A With Voto Latino CEO María Teresa Kumar
Donald Trump’s “concluding argument is squarely focused on making Latinos his top target,” said voting rights activist and Voto Latino CEO María Teresa Kumar.
A ROAR for Awareness: Empowering Women Through Education and Open Dialogue on Perimenopause
As Perimenopause Awareness Month (September) and Menopause Awareness Month (October) close out, Ms. has been proud to cover a series of events that brought together experts to expand the conversation. Among these, “Perimenopause ROAR” held last month in New York City marked a powerful moment in women’s health advocacy by Perry and the National Menopause Foundation.
The event brought together a diverse panel of experts, advocates and community members, united in a mission to break the silence surrounding perimenopause.
Hollywood’s Role in Perpetuating the ‘Angry Black Woman’ Trope
After Vice President Kamala Harris recently completed an interview with a combative Fox News host, pundits agreed she “gave a master class on what it means to be a Black woman in politics” by demonstrating cool, calm, effective leadership. The Grio’s Gerren Keith Gaynor noted she avoided the “angry Black woman” trope—a stereotype that not only permeates politics but has deep roots in the entertainment industry.
In recent years, a more diverse and empowering portrayal of Black women on the big screen has celebrated complexity and identity. For nearly all of its existence, though, Hollywood has been anything but inclusive, often illustrating one-dimensional perspectives of Black women. The history of inadequate representation—and certainly positive representation—helped form the “angry Black woman” stereotype, among other false narratives.
Nonpartisan Voter Guides Created by Veteran Journalists Let Voters See Candidates’ Positions, in Their Own Words
If you’re looking for a cheat sheet for any of the races your ballot asks you to weigh in on, guides.vote has nonpartisan guides for the ongoing local and national elections. Produced by veteran journalists (who know how to fact-check … and bring their receipts), the guides break down this years’ candidates and their track records, in their own words, on issues like abortion, criminal justice, climate, DEI and more.
Florida Censors Pro-Abortion Rights TV Ads
Under Gov. Ron DeSantis, Florida has become the epicenter of an alarming assault on core American freedoms, with free speech in the cross hairs. From schools to universities to private business, DeSantis’ administration seems bent on dismantling the pillars of the First Amendment.
This month, the Florida Health Department continued this trend by threatening several Florida television stations, including a Tampa outlet, for airing an advertisement supporting Amendment 4, an abortion rights amendment on the ballot this November.