War on Women: Arson at Abortion Clinics Is up 100 Percent; Trump Is Guilty of Sexual Abuse and Defamation; Republicans Try to End No-Fault Divorce

U.S. patriarchal authoritarianism is on the rise, and democracy is on the decline. But day after day, we stay vigilant in our goals to dismantle patriarchy at every turn. The fight is far from over. We are watching, and we refuse to go back. This is the War on Women Report.

This month: Jane’s Due Process is now providing travel funding for Texas teens accessing abortion; states continue to face anti-LGBTQ legislative attacks; Donald Trump was found liable for sexually abusing and defaming E. Jean Carroll; Indiana’s medical licensing board fined Dr. Caitlin Bernard; and more.

North Carolina Abortion Clinics on the Front Lines: The Ms. Q&A with Amber Gavin

Republicans in North Carolina enacted SB 20, which prohibits any licensed physician from performing abortions after the 12th week of pregnancy. Ms. spoke with Amber Gavin, vice president of advocacy and operations for A Woman’s Choice, about the impact of the ban, slated to take effect on July 1.

“North Carolina has been a crucial access point to care in the South because so many surrounding states have partial or complete abortion bans. I am fearful and sad about folks not having the access to make decisions that are best for their lives and their futures. It’s unconscionable to take away essential healthcare from our communities, to take away their choices and options.”

Keeping Score: 78% of Americans Say Abortion Is a Decision for a Woman and Her Doctor; Trans Kids Are Under Attack in at Least 17 States; FDA Allows Queer Men to Donate Blood

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 this biweekly roundup.

This week: 16 states (and counting) pass bans on gender-affirming treatment for trans kids; FDA updates its policy on gay and bisexual men donating blood; Colorado bans “abortion pill reversal” groups; Hey Jane is first telemedicine abortion provider to accept insurance; New York SUNY and CUNY students will have guaranteed access to medication abortion; Manhattan jury finds Trump guilty of sexual abuse; New York launches successful gun buyback initiative; and more.

Texas Case Shows How Abortion Bans Facilitate Domestic Abuse

Brittni Silva found out she was pregnant after filing for divorce from Marcus Silva in May of 2022.

Marcus recently sued his wife’s friends for helping her obtain an abortion. The man has a long history of coercive control—a type of domestic abuse that can include isolation, manipulation, monitoring, intimidation and verbal, legal, physical and sexual abuse. The Silva case illustrates how this state coercion adds another weapon to an abuser’s controlling arsenal.

Healthcare Providers File Federal Lawsuit to Expand Abortion Pill Access

On May 8, abortion providers in Virginia, Montana and Kansas filed a federal lawsuit against the FDA seeking an order to maintain and expand access to mifepristone, one of two drugs commonly used for early abortion and miscarriage.

“It is critical that abortion providers and patients obtain certainty in light of the chaos that is currently surrounding mifepristone,” said Nancy Northup, president and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights, who filed the lawsuit.

Miles Apart: Texas and California Lawmakers Stake Opposite Corners of Abortion Policy

It’s about 1,500 miles from Austin to Sacramento, but Texas and California lawmakers are a million miles apart on how to treat private data related to reproductive health.

The goalposts are moving, what used to be legal is now illegal in many places, and online speech and personal data are the new battleground—with millions of people’s health and lives in the balance.