More Than A Magazine, A Movement
Bill Cosby is a former actor and comedian, best known for his longstanding role in sitcom The Cosby Show. Once a symbol of positive Black representation in mainstream media, Cosby’s career ended in 2014 following numerous allegations of sexual assault. He was convicted on three felony counts of aggravated indecent assault in 2018, but later released in 2021 after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned the conviction. His release was a frustrating step backward for the feminist movement, with many calling for proper justice for survivors.
Casandra Elizabeth Ventura has described years of alleged physical and sexual abuse at the hands of Sean “Diddy” Combs. Combs has denied the charges, insisting that the sex acts were consensual.
The women’s credibility is therefore critical to the trial’s outcome.
As Combs’ lawyer already previewed, his team will endeavor to convince the jury that the accusers are lying. The courtroom becomes a stage for the oldest stories we tell about women and truth.
In late May, the GOP Study Committee, the largest group of right-wing lawmakers on the Hill, introduced a so-called “Women’s Bill of Rights” (WBOR) in the House. Far from a comprehensive plan to promote gender equity, the bill does not affirm any rights for women other than the “right” for cisgender women to exclude transgender women from gender-affirming spaces.
The WBOR’s co-sponsor is the 501(c)(3) Independent Women’s Forum (IWF) and its 501(c)(4) action arm, the Independent Women’s Voice (IWV), which have long opposed the Equal Rights Amendment, paid family and medical leave, and countless other measures that would improve the lives of millions of American women and girls.
The War on Women was in full force under the Trump administration. But despite a transition of administration, the War on Women is still seeping into federal, state and local legislation and attempting to reverse important progressive policies. While the battle may look different, we are staying vigilant in our goals to dismantle patriarchy at every turn. The fight is far from over. We are watching.
In every issue of Ms., we track research on our progress in the fight for equality, catalogue can’t-miss quotes from feminist voices and keep tabs on the feminist movement’s many milestones. We’re Keeping Score online, too—in in this biweekly round-up.
This week: abortion restrictions skyrocket in 2021; Olympic policies disproportionately target Black women; Supreme Court rules in favor of free speech and gender expression; state legislatures endanger voting rights; and more.
For The Weekly Pulse (a revisit of an old Ms. column!), we’ve scoured the most trusted journalistic sources—and, of course, our Twitter feeds—to bring you this week’s most important news stories related to health and wellness.
This week: Bill Cosby’s release sent shockwaves, the Helms Amendment is excluded from 2022 bill, and areas with low vaccination rates face an influx of COVID cases.
In the aftermath of Bill Cosby’s release from prison, many survivors and feminists are left questioning their faith in the justice system.