In honor of International Day of the Girl, the White House Gender Policy Council celebrated 15 young women leaders leading change in the U.S.
Tag: Activism
This November, Abortion Is on the Ballot in Ohio. Here’s What You Need to Know to Vote
This November, Ohioans will decide whether to add to the state’s constitution the right for individuals to make their own reproductive healthcare decisions, including abortion. Early voting in the election has already begun.
A coalition of reproductive, women’s and civil rights organizations, Ohioans United for Reproductive Rights, is urging voters to vote YES on Issue 1 to protect reproductive freedom.
Ohioans, here’s all you need to know about how to vote in this election.
Nobel Prize Winner Narges Mohammadi Has Endured Personal Sacrifice Few Can Imagine
Narges Mohammadi has been chosen for the Nobel Peace Prize—a victory for her freedom and the broader movement for women’s and human rights in Iran.
Mohammadi has been at the forefront of this struggle for more than 30 years. Upon receiving the news, Narges said to her father: “Yesterday was one of the best and most glorious days in prison for all of us. The women’s ward was filled with happiness, singing, and the chant ‘Woman, Life, Freedom.’ We all held hands and formed a big circle, and as we sang, ‘Hand in hand, we become a sea, a storm, a roar,’ we felt united.”
Our work is not done to gain her freedom.
They’re Coming for Birth Control
The Alliance Defending Freedom is the group that overturned Roe v. Wade. And they’re clear on what they’re coming for next: Trans rights. Gay rights. The separation of church and state. Secularism. Anti-discrimination laws. And contraception.
Archdiocese of Baltimore Files for Bankruptcy to Evade Sexual Abuse Cases
The archdiocese of Baltimore filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Sept. 29 to preempt child sexual abuse lawsuits which were expected to be filed once a new Maryland law removing the statute of limitations took effect on Oct. 1.
The scheme allows the church to protect its assets, limit financial settlements, and stop civil lawsuits which would air unsavory information about decades of child sexual abuse and the church’s complicity.
No More Child Brides
Kriti Bharti founded her nonprofit, Saarthi Trust, in 2011 to fight child marriage and empower women and girls. Since then, she has helped legally annul 49 child marriages and prevented 1,700 more from being “solemnized” in ceremonial engagements. She has aided in the rehabilitation of 20,500 children and women, and has conducted orientation programs that resulted in 35,000 villagers taking oaths to resist child marriages.
“One day,” she said, “we should be able to say, ‘Once upon a time, there was something called child marriage.’”
(This article originally appears in the Fall 2023 issue of Ms. Join the Ms. community today and you’ll get Ms. in print delivered straight to your mailbox!)
Progressive Voices Come Together for Iran: ‘A Powerful Condemnation of the Subjugation of Women’
In observance of the one-year anniversary of the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement, Voices of Women for Change—a nonprofit women’s organization based in the U.S.—created a digital event to highlight the significance of this transformative movement in Iran and to emphasize the centrality of women’s roles (and resistance) since the inception of the Islamic Republic of Iran in 1979.
Latina Women Are Leading Their Fight for Equal Pay
In 2022, all Latinas with reported earnings were paid just 52 cents to the dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic male workers. In spite of every attempt to hold Latinas back, we are fighting the current, winning against all odds and leading the way towards change.
New College of Florida Eliminates Gender Studies Program, Leaving Students in the Crossfire
Professor Viki Peer was hired in the fall of 2022 to teach a course for the New College of Florida’s gender studies program. Instead, what unfolded before her and the student body was a complete conservative takedown of the institution by the Board of Trustees.
“The spirit of critical thinking, compassion and creative resistance is still alive at New College among the faculty, students and staff who remain.”
Asian Americans Are a Powerful Voting Bloc. It’s Time for the Political World to Start Acting Like It
Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) are the fastest growing racial group in the U.S. and a powerful voting bloc. Yet, they remain underrepresented in almost every industry, including politics.
AAPI voters feel ignored and overlooked by both political parties. And there are only two AAPI senators—Mazie Hirono and Tammy Duckworth—and 19 representatives currently serving at the federal level. There have only been six AAPI governors in the history of the U.S., none of whom are currently in office.
Electing Asian American and Pacific Islanders isn’t just about visibility; it leads to better policies, better lives and improved livelihoods. Investing in AAPI organizing and representation can’t wait.