Social Media

Shout Your Abortion Short Films Seek to Normalize Keeping Abortion Pills at Home: ‘You Always Have Options’

PUBLISHED 12/2/2025 by

The grassroots abortion-stigma-busting juggernaut Shout Your Abortion has released two new powerful public service announcements urging people across the U.S. to order abortion pills in advance to have on hand, in case they have an unwanted pregnancy.

Made by Detroit-based filmmaker Na Forest Lim, the short films follow two women—a teenager named Dani and a single mother in her 30s named Poppy—who find out they are pregnant and use abortion pills at home, supported by friends and family.

Both of the main characters have easy access to abortion pills: Dani’s friend arrives with pills in her backpack, and Poppy keeps a pack tucked away in her top dresser drawer.

Building on that vision of easy access, the Dani PSA shows what it looks like when abortion pills are already part of teenagers’ lives and a pregnancy never has the chance to become a crisis.

Six Ways Masculine Stereotypes Are Still Limiting Boys

PUBLISHED 11/24/2025 by

Rigid norms of manhood—based in manly confidence and toughness, emotional stoicism, disdain for femininity and dog-eat-dog banter—are influential among boys and young men.

Between one quarter and one half of boys and young men endorse these norms. Over half feel pressure from others to live up to them, believing most people expect them always to be confident, strong and tough.

These are some of the findings from a new Australian survey of adolescents aged 14-18 years, conducted by The Men’s Project at Jesuit Social Services.

In a climate of heightened concern about boys and young men and violent masculinity, this study provides invaluable data on boys’ and young men’s own views. This includes the pressures they feel to live up to stereotypical masculine norms and the profound impact of those beliefs.

Meet Dr. Lincoln, the Internet’s Favorite OB-GYN

PUBLISHED 10/18/2025 by

You may know—and love—Dr. Jennifer Lincoln already. If you are unfamiliar, she’s a board-certified OB-GYN and a famous content creator with 2.8 million followers on TikTok and large platforms on Instagram and YouTube. Dr. Lincoln is also a practicing OB-hospitalist who works in labor and delivery, night and day.

She makes content to dispel medical misinformation, a frequent tool of the patriarchy. As ‘MAHA’ influencers decry everything from birth control to Tylenol, at the expense of women, she’s pushing back with evidence-based information.

Like most Americans, I felt uninformed about sexual reproductive health, even after my in-school health classes. In high school, I searched YouTube for information about reproductive health, where I found my way to Dr. Lincoln, who not only provided the health class I never had, but also ignited my interest in reproductive justice. Without her influence, I likely would not have become a feminist writer at Ms.

Over Zoom, I had the privilege of chatting with Dr. Lincoln about her journey from OB-GYN to viral educator, how the post-Dobbs landscape has reshaped her work, and why she believes accurate, inclusive sex education is one of the most powerful tools we have for liberation. Our conversation spanned everything from social media strategy to Christian nationalism—and what it really means to fight misinformation with empathy.

Sahaj Kohli Is Helping Immigrant Daughters Break the Silence They Inherited

PUBLISHED 10/16/2025 by

Seventy-seven percent of Indian Americans ages 25 and older hold a bachelor’s or advanced degree—one of the highest education levels of any group in the country. However, there aren’t many that are civically active in their communities. Few post about controversial issues. Fewer donate. Almost none speak publicly. These are the women who are otherwise bold: executives, founders, fundraisers, moms who command rooms. But when it comes to controversial topics—especially anything that could “stir the pot”—there’s a quiet, familiar retreat.

Therapist and founder of Brown Girl Therapy, Sahaj Kohli has spent years studying this phenomenon. Through a book, a podcast and a mental health community for bicultural and immigrant women, she’s helping these women understand “your voice doesn’t have to be angry or loud in order for it to be brave. It just has to be yours.”

As we celebrate Diwali—a festival that honors light’s triumph over darkness—it’s worth remembering that our voices are part of that light. Choosing to speak, even when it’s uncomfortable, is how we brighten the path for those who come after us.

Technical Difficulties: How Social Media Is Impacting the Landscape of Misinformation About Reproductive Health

PUBLISHED 10/14/2025 by

There’s a lot of unreliable information circulating about birth control—and it’s doing real harm.

The Trump administration is mischaracterizing contraceptives as abortifacients and using that false claim to justify plans to destroy nearly $10 million worth of birth control. For now, the supplies sit in a Belgian warehouse, their fate uncertain.

Meanwhile, social media is flooded with misleading videos about hormonal contraception, watched billions of times. This wave of misinformation is helping drive a decline in contraceptive use among young women that can’t be explained by access alone.

We know from experience that accurate, engaging storytelling can counter these lies—shows like East Los High have proven it—and the same approach could transform TikTok and other short-form platforms.

Texas A&M Professor Dismissed, President Steps Down: The Price of Teaching Gender

PUBLISHED 9/12/2025 by and | UPDATED 9/23/2025 at 10:31 A.M. PT

Texas A&M University president Mark A. Welsh III has resigned after a viral video of a student confronting a professor over gender content in a children’s literature course sparked a firestorm of political interference. The professor, Melissa McCoul, along with two administrators, were removed from their positions after Republican lawmakers demanded action, framing the discussion of gender identity as a threat to state values. Faculty and student leaders had rallied in support of Welsh prior to his resignation, emphasizing the importance of defending academic freedom and thoughtful leadership in higher education.

The incident at Texas A&M is emblematic of a broader assault on educators’ ability to address gender, sexuality and identity in the classroom. Laws like Senate Bill 37 and executive orders restricting discussion of “gender ideology” weaponize state power against both students and professors, undermining constitutional protections and silencing marginalized voices.

As Zeph Capo of the Texas American Federation of Teachers notes, these public calls for removal based on viral clips constitute an abuse of power—and yet, they are becoming normalized. This moment underscores the urgent need to protect feminist and LGBTQ+ perspectives in education, to ensure that classrooms remain spaces for inquiry, critical thinking and the affirmation of all students’ lived experiences.

How the Trump Administration’s Conservative Policies and Messaging Are Reshaping Body Image Standards for American Women

PUBLISHED 9/10/2025 by

Body image and beauty standards for women have long shifted like fashion trends—one year in, the next out, often cycling every decade. Recently, Americans have seen a move away from body positivity and acceptance toward the ultra-thin ideals of “heroin chic.” Celebrity, influencer, and everyday social media posts alike are discussing dissolving their BBLs and turning to Ozempic or similar drugs to lose weight.

Women are sacrificing their health to fit into a very narrow standard of beauty. Ozempic, originally meant for diabetes management, has become a weight-loss tool for those who can afford it. “You can spend $1,000 a month and be thin,” says Dr. Caroline Heldman, Ph.D., author, journalist, and executive director of the Representation Project. Its long-term efficacy for weight loss has not been tested enough, yet the pressure to conform continues to grow.

This pressure is intersectional, both classist and racist. “About 300 years ago, we started to see the rise of white, thin purity as a way to differentiate white women from Black women with voluptuous bodies,” Heldman explains. Today, diet culture and society’s obsession with thinness still reflect these historic, racialized ideals, pushing women into unsafe beauty trends and fostering psychological distress.

The Sound of Silence After Minneapolis: America’s Masculinity Blind Spot

PUBLISHED 9/4/2025 by

A trans shooter in Minneapolis does not change the pattern: Most mass murderers are cisgender men. Change begins with acknowledging that truth. And then acting on it.

Men, let’s answer the call. Let’s urge Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison to use their platforms to spark a movement of men to lead the way. Enough is enough. The time is now—before the guns ring out again.

What Would Social Media Look Like if it Was Made for Women? How Women are Navigating Social Media During the Second Trump Administration

PUBLISHED 7/27/2025 by

Following the 2024 election and the presidential inauguration, women faced a dramatic increase in online harassment. Across X, TikTok, Facebook and other social platforms, statements calling for the repeal of the 19th Amendment resurfaced and increased by 633 percent compared to the previous week. Increasingly jarring, “Your body, my choice,” became a trending phrase on Facebook and grew by over 4600 percent on X. 

Olivia DeRamus, the founder and CEO of Communia, a social networking app and self development platform made for women, said that the social networking app has become a place for women to take refuge from the dramatic uptick in online harassment following the 2024 election and the inauguration.