More Than A Magazine, A Movement
On Jan. 1, 2024, California began enforcing Assembly Bill 1084, a landmark bill in the movement for a more inclusive toy culture. Reinforcing the traditional gender binary through toys, for the first time in history, will be a civil offense.
The impetus for the legislation is straight out of 1970s toy campaigns against gender-based marketing—like Ms. magazine’s “Toys for Free Children” and the Ms. Foundation’s “Free to Be … You and Me.”
In a country where roughly two out of every five parents struggle to afford care for their kids, many couples have resorted to parenting in shifts: One parent looks after the kid(s) while the other works, and then they swap.
I asked my social media followers: What is split-shift parenting like in 2023? One word popped up over and over again: exhausting. And when the whole family is stretched thin, we know exactly who picks up the slack: moms.
Moms deserve more options. Better options. Sustainable options—and they need them urgently.
The end of the year brings a time to celebrate with family and friends. It feels cozy and carefree. Unfortunately, the holiday season is also a high-risk time for sexual abuse against children.
Finding a balance between having a restful and cheerful holiday season and creating a safe environment to protect the children around you is essential. So, what can you do to help prevent sexual violence against children during the holidays?
I have a secret shame that I can no longer keep buried: I am a mom, and I … don’t like Christmas.
I realize that my kids will get older soon, and I will miss their ardent belief in Santa and their inability to sleep past 6 a.m. when presents are being opened. And I will wish I savored and enjoyed this era of my life more. I will hate that I complained even for a second. These thoughts stir up the mom guilt, big time. But I’m also not ashamed to admit that I don’t feel the merriment all month. It’s not healthy for us to suppress our inner Scrooge.
This holiday season, many people are seeking options for gift shopping outside of monstrous global conglomerates—opting instead to shop from small, more ethical brands that align with their core values. Make gifting a more fun and joyful experience this year, with our feminist gift guide.
Each month, we provide Ms. readers with a list of new books being published by writers from historically excluded groups.
Take a break with one of these 15 new titles; each one is truly a gift.
Even though I work to advance reproductive rights for a living, it can still be incredibly difficult to have meaningful conversations with them about abortion. I know it’s going to come up, though, and I need to be prepared.
Open, civil dialogue is the best way to make your voice heard and hopefully change hearts, minds and cultures. We must arm ourselves with facts, and not automatically write people off. Here’s what else I’m keeping in mind as I go into holiday gatherings with my family.
On Presidents’ Day, we reflect on the legacy of the presidents who have led our nation since our founding. These leaders have differed in their ideologies, their policies, their professional experience, their age, their marital status. But in over 230 years of United States presidents, not one of them has been a woman.
Last year, I watched in horror as an officer for the Transportation Security Administration at JFK tossed aside my son—who has a rare disease and uses a wheelchair—as if he were a piece of discarded luggage. He started crying. As did I. Eventually, an attendant said he was sorry for the inconvenience and suggested we write a letter. “That’s the only way the system will change,” he said. So, here’s my letter.
It’s 2023. It’s time to do better for travelers with disabilities, TSA.
If 2022 proved anything, it’s that we must continue to organize and channel the collective rage that was triggered by the Court’s reversal of Roe, to not only restore abortion rights across the nation but to push forward toward our goal of full equality. There is no way the movement can be stopped.
It’s important to celebrate our wins and take stock of our losses at a time like this—because they are what will fuel us as we move forward into the new year and meet the new challenges it will bring.