The ‘B’ Is Silent: How Skepticism About Bisexuality Harms Women’s Health

Among straight women, the prevalence of rape is 18.7 percent, but among bisexual women it soars to 46.1 percent. Hypersexualization of bi women is so widespread that it’s barely noticed—unless, of course, you’re a bi woman.

And hypersexualization isn’t the only threat facing bi women. Myths and stereotypes give rise to discrimination against bi women in the workplace, in school and in other arenas.

Destroying Myths and Misogyny in Endometriosis Care: ‘Unless I Was Trying to Conceive, No One Cared About Bleeding and Pain’

In Tracey Lindeman’s new book BLEED: Destroying Myths and Misogyny in Endometriosis Care, Stephanie Lepage wonders how different her life could have been if only the doctors had bothered to look for endometriosis before her mid-30s. She had developed constant pain in her right lower abdomen that was so intense that rolling onto her side would shoot her out of a dead sleep on an almost nightly basis. When Lepage finally got in to see a gynecologist about it, that doctor said it was little more than a red herring. She remained in agony for two years without reprieve until it mysteriously subsided.

“The thing that stood out to me the most was like, unless I was trying to conceive, no one even cared about bleeding and pain.”

Medical Racism’s Role in the Recent Spike in Maternal Mortality

In 2021, more than 360 Black women died of maternal health causes across the country, according to the CDC—up from just over 290 in 2020 and more than 240 the year prior.

Despite advancements in medicine and technology over the years, the racial gap in who is suffering the most severe consequences of childbirth is growing, and most Black maternal and child health experts point to systematic racism as the root cause.

‘Girls and Their Monsters’: The Morlok Quadruplets and Mental Health With Audrey Clare Farley

In her newest book, Girls and Their Monsters, Audrey Clare Farley addresses the Morlok quadruplets’ earliest years as a singing-and-dancing sensation and zeroes in on their coming of age and eventual descent into schizophrenia.

“I want to stress that I don’t view the quadruplets only as victims. They looked for and found joy. The book is about people living under fascism, but it’s also about bravery and defiance.”

The Taliban’s War on Women Demands Global Attention and Action

The Taliban’s oppression and violence against women in Afghanistan are undeniable atrocities that demand the world’s attention and immediate action.

To achieve meaningful progress towards gender equality in Afghanistan, a comprehensive approach is necessary that addresses not only the specific needs of Afghan women, but also the political and economic factors that contribute to their oppression.

Arizona ‘Medical Students for Life’ Chapter Threatens Patient Health: ‘This Contradicts What We Are Taught in Our Curriculum,’ Say Students

Despite student government’s vote, anti-abortion group Medical Students for Life is now fully operational on Midwestern University Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine’s campus. 

What’s happening at Midwestern University illustrates the anti-abortion movement’s larger strategy: disseminate misinformation to confuse, deter and scare pregnant people out of getting abortions.

Idaho Seeks to Redefine Assisting a Pregnant Minor to Obtain an Abortion as Human Trafficking

As if teens seeking to terminate a pregnancy in this bleak post-Roe landscape do not have enough obstacles to contend with, particularly in abortion-hostile states, Republican lawmakers in Idaho recently introduced House Bill 98, which would make it a crime to take a teen out of state for an abortion without the consent of a parent or guardian. On Tuesday, the Idaho House voted 57-12 to advance the measure.

The right of teens to obtain an abortion without the knowledge or involvement of their parents has been constitutionally protected—at least until now.

In Texas, Women Denied Abortions File Landmark Lawsuit

A new lawsuit Zurawski v. Texas marks the first time patients directly affected by abortion laws have sought to challenge them in court. Filed by the Center for Reproductive Rights on behalf of five Texans directly harmed by bans and two Texas ob-gyns, the lawsuit aims to hold the state of Texas accountable for the consequences of the state’s multiple anti-abortion laws.

“Texas officials claim the bans they passed protect ‘life,’ but there’s nothing pro-life about them. I nearly died as a direct result of the anti-abortion restrictions in Texas,” said the lead plaintiff in the case. “What’s more, they put the lives of my potential future children at risk, as the damage done to my body has already had a negative impact on my reproductive health.”