In DeSantis’ Florida, Whose Voices Are Silenced?

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) continues to make headlines for his repeated, deliberate efforts to limit access to information.

These individual actions are part of a larger effort to upend educational rights in the state’s public school system and change the collective understanding of both the history and lived experience of the nation’s most marginalized groups.

A Prison Guard Was Forced to Stay at Her Post During Labor Pains. Texas Is Fighting Compensation for Her Stillbirth.

The pregnant officer reported contraction-like pains at work, but said she wasn’t allowed to leave for hours. Her baby was delivered stillborn. If Issa had gotten to the hospital sooner, medical personnel told her, the baby would have survived, according to a federal lawsuit filed against the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and prison officials.

But the prison agency and the Texas attorney general’s office, which has staked its reputation on “defending the unborn” all the way up to the U.S. Supreme Court, are arguing the agency shouldn’t be held responsible for the stillbirth because staff didn’t break the law. Plus, they said, it’s not clear that Issa’s fetus had rights as a person.

Weekend Reading on Women’s Representation: Ohio’s Rejection of Issue 1 is a Win for Ballot Measures; Democracy and Women’s Empowerment Are Linked

Weekend Reading for Women’s Representation is a compilation of stories about women’s representation. 

This week: New Jersey state Rep. Sadaf Jaffer is leaving office due to the mental, emotional and sometimes physical trauma of serving in the public eye; Kalamazoo, Mich., has adopted a resolution to implement ranked-choice voting for mayoral and city commissioner elections; the findings of the 2023 Gender Parity Index; and more.

We Can’t Give Up on States With Abortion Bans

We must continue to support states with abortion bans, like Missouri. This belief shouldn’t be radical, yet on my campus and in advocacy spaces, I often find myself in the minority opinion.

The response to Dobbs cannot be a tactical retreat. It took years for anti-abortion politicians to chip away and dismantle Roe. It will take years to rebuild past Roe toward homegrown and accessible reproductive healthcare in states like Missouri. 

Healing From an Abusive Relationship: The Ms. Q&A With Psychotherapist Amira Martin

Psychotherapist Amira Martin knew that it made sense to move slowly when starting a new relationship, but after a whirlwind romance, she married a man she’d known for less than a year. After all, the courtship had been perfect—indeed, the man himself appeared perfect—and however improbable, Martin believed that she had found her soul mate.

She hadn’t.

Amira Martin spoke with Ms. about her marriage, its dissolution, and what she learned from it.

Surviving Hip-Hop: The Ms. Q&A with Drew Dixon

Our hip-hop series “Turning 50” concludes this week just as the official anniversary of hip-hop’s 50th birthday kicks off the weekend.

Ms.’ final conversation is with Drew Dixon—a producer, writer, activist, entrepreneur and former A&R executive. She’s been featured in multiple documentaries, including Max’s On the Record in 2020 and Ladies First this year on Netflix. The conversation featured here honors her role in U.S. culture: as a survivor of sexual harassment and assault, an activist, a truth-teller and a musical pioneer.

Maine Is the First U.S. State to Center Survivors of Commercial Sexual Exploitation in Legal Reforms

Maine Gov. Janet Mills (D) signed two laws last month empathetic toward people who engage in prostitution, while expanding criminalization for sex buyers and those who sexually exploit vulnerable populations, including children and people with mental disabilities.

The two new laws in Maine were inspired by the movement against domestic violence—which aims to center victims, hold abusers accountable and eliminate victim-blaming.

Arizona Ballot Measure in 2024 Elections Could Protect Abortion Rights by Amending State Constitution

On Aug. 8, a coalition of Arizona organizations announced the filing of the Arizona Abortion Access Act, which would place a proposed constitutional amendment protecting abortion rights on Arizona’s November 2024 general election ballot.

“Every Arizonan should have the freedom to make decisions about their bodies, their lives and their futures,” said Chris Love, senior advisor for Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona. “We know the work for achieving reproductive freedom is an uphill battle, and this ballot initiative is the next critical step in our renewed drive to protect the health and freedom of our patients and our communities.”