In the 21st century, being female is still assumed to be a valid provocation for harassment and violence. Men who wish to harm women will continue to coexist with the rest of us until the large-scale systems, particularly the criminal justice system, stop protecting and shrugging away their crimes.
Category: Voices
To the Parents of My Daughter’s Rapist
“Your son raped my daughter. As a mother, my life is now consumed with a new kind of worry for my precious daughter. (And myself.) … Our anonymity is for our emotional protection—not because of any shame on our part. You, parents of the rapist, you are the ones who should feel the shame.”
Black Lesbians Are More Visible Than Ever
R&B queen Kehlani’s coming out story encouraged me to reminisce on my own story of coming out and delve into some of the roles Black lesbians have played in popular culture over the years from TV and movies to queer literature.
It Could Have Been Any One of Our Fathers
“In the Chinese zodiac calendar, 2020 was Year of the Rat—a year of supposed alertness, adaptability and observation. As a biracial Chinese American woman, I began to process what it means to be a person, woman and daughter of color in American society and in the current climate, and the year 2020 became, to me, the Year of the Daughter.”
Constitutional Rights for the “Unborn” Would Force Women to Forfeit Theirs
If the unborn have 14th Amendment rights, any loss of pregnancy, whether intentional or not, will become the basis for arrest and prosecution. Pregnant people could be sued, or prevented from engaging in travel, work or any activity that is believed to create a risk to the life of the unborn.
Tina Tchen Makes the Economic Case for Investing in Care Infrastructure and Talks Violence Against Asian Women
Ms. spoke to CEO of Time’s Up Tina Tchen about why investing in care infrastructure, which would create millions of jobs for the disproportionate number of women hit by the pandemic, is just as important as building roads and bridges; why the work women do has historically been undervalued; and the increased sexual harassment and violence against Asian American women.
Front and Center: For Tia, Guaranteed Income Provided “A Little Push”
Front and Center is a groundbreaking series which aims to put front and center the voices of Black women who are affected most by the often-abstract policies currently debated at the national level. The series highlights the success of Springboard to Opportunities’ Magnolia Mother’s Trust program, which this year will give $1,000 per month for 12 months to 100 families headed by Black women living in federally subsidized housing.
“I was part of the very first Magnolia Mother’s Trust program, back when it was just 20 moms almost three years ago. Then, talking about giving out money wasn’t this thing it is now, but I had a feeling it would be something bigger even back then. Because helping single moms, helping single women —it’s a great cause and people want to get involved with that.”
As a State Lawmaker and Black Woman, I’m Committed to Treating Maternal Justice as Racial Justice
“Maternal care for Black women is a public health crisis and racial justice issue,” writes Massachusetts state Rep. Liz Miranda. “It is critical that state legislatures—both here in Massachusetts and across the country—pay attention and take action.”
Who Fills In the Gaps During a Pandemic? Teenage Girls
From picking up gendered in-home chores like cooking and cleaning, to acting as stand-in parents for younger siblings, teenage girls are feeling serious pandemic-related strain. Here are a few of their stories.
Some People See Teeming Masses. I Remember a Small Child Sharing Her Candy.
“When I listen to lawmakers demonize migrants and reduce them to numbers, I am reminded of the days I spent managing a migrant shelter in New Mexico and the people I met there. … I know from firsthand experience that the children and parents at our border right now are not national security threats. They are families faced with no good choices who made the incredibly tough decision to leave a dangerous situation for an equally dangerous journey in hope of finding safety.”