More Than A Magazine, A Movement
On Jan. 1, 2024, California will begin 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.
Weekend Reading for Women’s Representation is a compilation of stories about women’s representation.
This week: how the 14 countries of the Oceania region are doing on women’s representation; Nikki Haley is getting way less attention than her male counterparts; the need for a feminist perspective in discussions around climate change; is Alaska the secret to saving U.S. democracy?; Nicole Rogers is the winner of the Albuquerque City Council District 6 runoff election; and more.
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.
