More Than A Magazine, A Movement
A recent report from the United Nations found that high rates of pregnancy-related deaths among Black women in North and South America are likely due largely to racism and sexism.
Systemic racism has biological effects. Addressing these mental and physical health conditions together—through Black-led community-based peer support—can reduce maternal mortality rates.
“If someone is willing to block their partner’s access to political information in front of volunteers at their door, what else could they be doing, behind that door?”
This excerpt from Survivor Injustice: State-Sanctioned Abuse, Domestic Violence, and the Fight for Bodily Autonomy by Kylie Cheung, out Aug. 15, details how domestic abuse can lead to coercion or denial of voting rights for women.
After the warmest summer on record, I’ve moved two climate-themed books to the top of my stack. In addition to my activism on climate, I’m also preparing for TEDWomen 2023 in October. As TEDWomen’s editorial director, I work with speakers—and it’s not unusual that some of them have also written books. Here are a few that I am reading as I help them write their talks.
And of course, I anticipate the release of 50 Years of Ms.: The Best of the Pathfinding Magazine That Ignited a Revolution on Sept. 19!
Today, 16 states, plus Washington, D.C., require insurance to cover gender-affirming care: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont. But in all other states, insurance is not required to cover gender-affirming care—so trans people and their families are stuck paying the costs.
How much does it actually cost to transition without insurance coverage? And how are trans people in unprotected states persevering?
Weekend Reading for Women’s Representation is a compilation of stories about women’s representation.
This week: Abortion remains a salient issue for primary voters; around the world, there is still a notable lack of women in leadership roles; Virginia’s state elections in November; “We need to stop sending women to a broken system,” says Melinda French Gates; Dutch finance minister stepping down to protect her family from threats against her; and more.
The United Nations High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) convened this year from July 10-19 to assess progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the halfway point between their adoption and 2030 deadline. The SDGs are a collection of 17 interlinked objectives designed to serve as a “shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future,” ranging from ending poverty, gender inequality and hunger, to promoting clean water and sustainability.
As HLPF came to a close, we spoke to four feminist activists from the Women’s Major Group about their experience at the convening—and their work fighting for gender-just implementation of the SDGs.
When Mylene Vialard followed her 21-year-old daughter across the U.S. to join the thousands of the resistance by Water Protectors led by Indigenous women at Enbridge’s Line 3 pipeline, her aim was clear: to help make change. The Boulder-based activist is one of several around the U.S. who face felony charges in northern Minnesota’s Aitkin County for allegedly “obstructing legal process.” Her trial is the week of Aug. 28.
“Not taking the plea deal and going to trial is using my voice to point out where the problems are, what the issues are. And, you know, I don’t have that big of a voice, but it’s what I can do right now. The outcome of the trial is secondary to me. If we can raise the awareness and can plant seeds, it’s a victory for me.”
Connecting the dots between attacks on abortion rights, trans communities and communities of color—and tying them to the democratic freedoms of everyone—is not just good policy, it’s a path to victory.
The state of Texas and an anonymous plaintiff associated with the anti-abortion group Center for Medical Progress alleges that Planned Parenthood engaged in fraud when they filed Medicaid reimbursement claims for healthcare services they provided to thousands of people in Texas and Louisiana. The plaintiffs are seeking up to $1.8 billion in civil penalties.
If anti-abortion judge Matthew Kacsmaryk rules in favor of the plaintiffs, Planned Parenthood could face bankruptcy, potentially depriving millions of people of basic healthcare, especially women, people with low incomes, young people, immigrants and people who face healthcare barriers due to race discrimination.
Aisha Durham and Regina Bradley are both hip-hop feminist scholars who focus on the South. Both spoke with Ms. contributing editor Janell Hobson to discuss the upcoming 50th anniversary of hip-hop, the origins of Southern hip-hop, how women continue to shape the genre—and, of course, their favorite feminist hip-hop anthems. (This article is part of “Turning 50,” which recognizes the women who shaped hip-hop.)
“Hip-hop started in New York but it didn’t end there,” said Bradley. “You probably wouldn’t have a robust hip-hop scene today without the Southern sound.”