More Than A Magazine, A Movement
Ms. celebrates Earth Day by featuring the work of a diverse body of activists who have founded groups that aim to make outdoor spaces, pursuits and environmental activism welcoming and safe for all.
From organizations that focus on women and girls, people of color, the queer community, the formerly incarcerated, children from economically challenged families, veterans and those who are disabled, here are 20 groups you might enjoy joining or supporting as we work towards such a future.
GenBioPro—the pharmaceutical company that makes a generic version of the abortion pill mifepristone—sued the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Wednesday, April 19, in Maryland federal court, where the agency is headquartered. The suit seeks an order to compel the FDA to allow GenBioPro to continue to sell the medication in the United States.
“Once a drug has been through the rigorous FDA review process and received approval, federal law protects the right to market the drug,” said GenBioPro CEO Evan Massingill. “GenBioPro will use all regulatory and legal tools to protect access to mifepristone for patients and providers.”
Zoe Weissman remembers how it felt to be 12 years old on Feb. 14, 2018, terrified of what sounded like gunshots ringing out from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. She was at Westglades Middle School right next door thinking that no kid should feel the way she felt at that moment. Something had to change.
Today, Weissman is among those making that change.
From the April 1979 issue of Ms. magazine:
“Since the era of slavery, music—and essentially singing— has given women the greatest range of styles, sensibilities and opportunities … [but] at present, old age and death seem to be the best guarantees of recognition for a Black blues woman.”
Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, the iconic book about puberty and preteen firsts, debuts on the big screen later this month, along with the much anticipated documentary, Judy Blume Forever. Social media has been abuzz with fans spanning generations sharing their own #MargaretMoments.
Here’s mine: When I researched and wrote the book Periods Gone Public: Taking a Stand for Menstrual Equity in 2017, I delved into the national discourse about menstruation in the United States during the 20th century. Of course, Margaret plays a leading role—but so too, I learned, does the invention and commercialization of modern menstrual products.
Long-term care workers like myself—an industry that is almost entirely women of color—are some of the most disrespected, unprotected and underpaid workers in the country.
On Tuesday, President Biden signed an executive order to improve care and support care workers—the most comprehensive action yet to address this industry in crisis. This is a great first step, and I hope for the sake of my community and our loved ones that this starts to pave the way for necessary change. We will take this win and use it to motivate our continued fight.
The Florida Supreme Court issued two bombshell decisions Monday afternoon.
1. A six-week ban enacted last year will be allowed to take effect by May 1.
2. A proposed constitutional amendment which would guarantee the right to abortion “before viability”—typically between 24 and 26 weeks—will go before Florida voters in November.
U.S. District Court Judge Todd W. Robinson ruled that the female student-athletes suing San Diego State University (SDSU) for violating Title IX can pursue claims for equal athletic financial aid, equal treatment and retaliation. The decision is the first in the nation to hold that female student-athletes can sue their schools for damages.
“SDSU has been cheating its female student-athletes out of hundreds of thousands of dollars in equal athletic financial aid each year… And it blatantly retaliated against its female student-athletes for standing up for their rights. Now, it can be held accountable.”
I found out I was pregnant in June 2022. My husband and I were thrilled—and at 42 years old, we understood that I was embarking on a high-risk pregnancy. I was also leading the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee at the time. I certainly did not anticipate that my personal and professional worlds were about to collide in a historic political year.
Weeks after I learned I was pregnant, the conservative U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Some people believe that abortion laws and pregnancy have nothing to do with one another. Those people have no idea what they’re talking about—and they’ve probably never been pregnant.
As the Supreme Court weighs its options on the abortion pill mifepristone, abortion and women’s rights supporters across the U.S. are protesting the latest efforts to restrict access to abortion. Protests took place this weekend in small and large cities, including Amarillo and Dallas, Texas; Chicago; Detroit; Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, Calif.; New York City; Seattle; Sioux Falls, S.D.; Tallahassee, Fla.; and Washington, D.C., the nation’s capital.
The continued contradictory orders of various courts have escalated the issue to the Supreme Court. A decision could come any day. In Dobbs, the Court said that abortion “must be returned to the people and their elected representatives.” It remains to be seen if the Court really meant what they said.