Kamala Harris

Kamala Harris was the 49th U.S. vice president, serving as part of the Biden administration. She made history as the first woman, the first Black American and the first South Asian American to be elected to this position. She declared her candidacy for the 2024 presidential election following Biden’s exit from the race. Previously, she served as the district attorney of San Francisco, attorney general of California and a U.S. senator.

Pete Hegseth Doubles Down on His Culture War Against Feminism

PUBLISHED 10/10/2025 by

Many of the military officers who sat through Pete Hegseth’s and Donald Trump’s speeches about not tolerating “fat generals” and the need for “male standards” of physical fitness, are men who have not only served with highly capable, talented and accomplished women; many of them have mentored and promoted them as well. They know how vital and indispensable women are to functioning militaries in the modern era.

Secretary Hegseth’s speech was more than an announcement of new Pentagon priorities. It was, in many ways, a performative declaration of what is a much wider right-wing culture war against feminism.

From Berlin to Beijing to U.S. Congress, Women’s Courage to Convene Propels Us Forward

PUBLISHED 9/26/2025 by

Weekend Reading for Women’s Representation is a compilation of stories about women’s representation in politics, sports and entertainment, judicial offices and the private sector—with a little gardening mixed in!

This week:
—We mark 60 years since former President Lyndon Johnson advanced equal opportunity in employment.
—When women come together, share our strength, and lift one another up, the impossible becomes possible. 
—In a landslide victory, Adelita Grigalva becomes Arizona’s first Latina to Congress.
—Of the four Republican House members signing the petition about the actions and allies of sexual predator Jeffrey Epstein, three are women.
—A record number of U.S. legislators won’t run for reelection next year.
—Hillary Clinton “sees a dangerous moment for women’s rights and democracy.”
—Akshi Chawla, who writes the #WomenLead Substack and is a valuable resource on international women’s representation, on the great question: “How do I get started?”
—The Marshall Islands, a rapidly vanishing Oceania nation, is led by the region’s first-ever woman president, Hilda Heine.
—Who was the first American woman to have an airport named in her honor?

… and more.

Tools of the Patriarchy: How Communication Double Standards Silence Women

PUBLISHED 9/8/2025 by

“Sorry, but—”

I paused as the words flew from my mouth, forming an apology before I could even consider why I felt the need to begin my confrontation with one. A moment earlier, my friend had interrupted me during a heated debate, and I wanted to finish making the point I had been in the middle of.

“No worries, it’s all good,” he said with a smile, continuing with his argument. I sat stunned by how in a matter of seconds, I had been interrupted, then enabled to apologize for trying to address the interruption—all with the end result of my friend getting to speak over me.

These types of interactions happen to women all the time. Compulsive apologies, interruptions, mansplaining and emotional weaponization are all barriers that get in the way of women getting their point across, and being heard.

Communicating is already complicated enough, but it is even more difficult as a woman—so let’s talk about it.

From Limbaugh to Rogan: The Rise of the Conservative ‘Brocast’

PUBLISHED 7/30/2025 by

In the wake of Trump’s reelection—America’s first “podcast election”—commentators pointed to his surprising success with young male voters, driven in part by appearances on popular “brocasts” like The Joe Rogan Experience and Bussin’ With the Boys. These shows, often focused on comedy, sports and self-improvement, gave Trump a platform to project masculine authenticity and connect with disaffected young men. As UFC CEO Dana White put it, podcasters like the Nelk Boys and Adin Ross played a pivotal role in Trump’s victory.

Conservative media has created a space where right-wing ideas feel rebellious and “real men” vote Republican. These podcasts offer not just political messaging but a sense of belonging during a “loneliness epidemic.” Unless Democrats figure out how to enter these spaces and shift the narrative, they risk losing another generation of young male voters.

Young Men May Not Be as Conservative as You Think

PUBLISHED 7/25/2025 by

Gen Z men in their teens and twenties are leaning further right than ever… or so mainstream media would have you believe.

For months before and since the November 2024 election, news articles, podcasts and polls have been pointing to the widening gender gap between young men and young women. (Young white men in particular voted for Donald Trump by a 28-point margin in 2024, compared to 2020 when young white men between 18 and 29 supported Joe Biden over Trump by six points.)

However, new polling from the Young Men Research Project (YMRP) suggests there might be more to the story.

“The share of young men who say they voted for Trump in 2024 but no longer view him favorably, it’s on the order of 5 to 8 percent of young men,” John Ray, YMRP team member and senior director of polling at YouGov, told me in an interview.

‘The Feminist Agenda Is Wildly Popular’: Celinda Lake on the Political Power of Feminist Voters

PUBLISHED 7/11/2025 by

Pollster and leading Democratic strategist Celinda Lake has been examining the data on women and feminist voters for decades. I talked to her about what Americans really want. (Spoiler alert: It’s not Project 2025.)

“People think that feminism is a dirty word. In fact, it’s a very strong word. Particularly for progressives and Democrats—feminism is highly correlated with voting for Democrats. Half of Independents consider themselves feminists; when you describe it, a third of Republicans and 83 percent of Democrats do. Our voters consider themselves feminists. It is a very quiet movement out there that is really underestimated. …

“Feminist issues, however we define them, are doing quite well. What we don’t have is we don’t have enough of them out front. We don’t have enough leaders taking them on.”

I Asked Top Election Experts About 2024 Tampering Claims. Here’s What They Said.

PUBLISHED 6/27/2025 by | UPDATED 7/2/2025 at 9:16 A.M. PT

In recent weeks, a wave of rumors has surfaced online suggesting the 2024 election may have been “stolen” or, more specifically, tampered with due to faulty machines. While many of these claims remain vague or speculative, some are beginning to gain traction across social media platforms and alternative news sites. 

In the interest of democracy, transparency and election security, I reached out to a group of leading experts—many of whom work at the intersection of voting rights, cybersecurity and public trust—to share two examples of the kinds of articles I’ve seen on this topic, and ask for their take.

What follows are responses from some of the country’s most experienced voices on election integrity. Their insights are a valuable reminder that while election systems are not perfect, there is currently no credible evidence supporting claims of widespread vote manipulation in 2024. Instead, these experts highlight what’s real, what’s theoretical and where our attention should actually be focused as we work to protect democracy.

A Podcast for Our Constitutional Crisis: ‘Speaking Freely’ Provides Echoes of History—and Warnings for Today

PUBLISHED 6/18/2025 by

As threats to free speech continue to escalate under the Trump administration, we must do our part to defend First Amendment rights for all.

In an illuminating new 10-episode series, Speaking Freely: A First Amendment Podcast, Stephen Rohde, who has litigated and written about freedom of expression for decades, explores some of the most controversial free speech and free press cases decided by the U.S. Supreme Court—looking at hot-button issues like hate speech, defamation, incitement, social media, obscenity, flag burning, espionage and academic freedom.

Listen to Speaking Freely on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or iHeart. All 10 episodes available now.

‘An Abortion Saved My Life After I Got Leukemia’

PUBLISHED 6/17/2025 by

Mom Abby Blum tells why she was forced her to end her much-wanted pregnancy. She warns that an unexpected tragic event can happen to any woman—even if they think they’ll never need an abortion.

“It felt like an impossible choice, but I decided to go ahead and have the abortion to end my pregnancy so I could start the treatment I needed to save my life. … For me, the abortion was a medical necessity. And, in hindsight, I realize that in the post-Roe v. Wade era, I was lucky to be in a state where I had access to an abortion and to all the healthcare that I needed. ….

“If I had lived in a state like Texas, which bans abortion in nearly all cases, my story would have had a very different ending. I didn’t choose to get cancer and to have to make the decision to end my pregnancy, but that’s what can sometimes happen in life.”

Rest in Power: Étienne-Émile Baulieu, Abortion Pill Inventor and Women’s Rights Advocate 

PUBLISHED 6/4/2025 by

Millions of women around the world gained safety, dignity and autonomy over their bodies thanks to Étienne-Émile Baulieu. The visionary biochemist, feminist and fearless innovator—best known for developing and championing “RU 486,” now known as mifepristone—died at his Paris home on May 30 at the age of 98.

Mifepristone has saved countless lives and offered millions of women a way to end unwanted pregnancies in the privacy and comfort of their homes. Baulieu and others championed the development of mifepristone for uses beyond abortion—including for treatment of fibroids, endometriosis, postpartum depression and cancer. He supported its use in managing miscarriages and as a way to help to dilate the cervix to reduce the need for Caesarean births. His vision for mifepristone wasn’t just to end pregnancies but to protect women’s health and reduce medical intervention that too often harmed them.

He predicted in 1991: “RU-486 will make its American entrance: science, good sense, and freedom will triumph.”

And here’s his view on why there has been tremendous opposition to abortion pills from the antiabortion movement: “A method that makes the termination of pregnancy less physically traumatic for women and less risky to their health has always been rejected by pro-lifers: What they really seek is to harm and punish women.”