Women in Politics

Ms. spotlights stories of women making political change by holding office and pioneering legislation all over the world, from the local to the federal level—despite the sex discrimination they often face in their positions.

This Week in Women’s Representation: Why Democracy Runs on Women; a Win For Allison Riggs in N.C.; Rep. Jan Schakowsky to Retire After 14 Terms

Weekend Reading for Women’s Representation is a compilation of stories about women’s representation. 

This week: North Carolina Supreme Court Justice Allison Riggs’ victory was finally affirmed after partisans had sought to throw out thousands of votes; 80 percent of election officials are women; why creating new House seats would be one of the best ways to create more space for women to run; Polish women are on track for improving their political representation; Rep. Jan Schakowsky announced she will not seek reelection in 2026, ending a 14-term career representing Illinois’ 9th Congressional District; and more.

Profiles in Courage: Denise Cheung Had the Courage to Walk Away From a Compromised Justice Department

and

Ms.‘ Profiles in Courage honors the extraordinary women and men who have transformed American institutions through principled public service. At a time when trust in government is fragile, these stories offer a powerful reminder of what ethical leadership looks like—from those who litigate for civil rights and resign on principle, to those who break military barriers and defend democracy on the front lines.

As the head of the Criminal Division at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Washington, D.C., Cheung wielded unparalleled oversight over national security cases, violent crime prosecutions, and some of the most consequential investigations in recent history—including many of the prosecutions stemming from the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. However, in February, faced with a Justice Department under increasing political pressure, she made a principled decision: to resign rather than compromise the integrity of her office.

‘You Only Get What You’re Organized to Take’: On Sustaining Social Change From the Bottom Up

Mainstream media, conservatives and politicians want people to believe that the poor will always be with us. But it’s a lie.

In You Only Get What You’re Organized to Take: Lessons from the Movement to End Poverty, Presbyterian minister and long-time anti-poverty organizer Liz Theoharis and writer-organizer Noam Sandweiss-Back deconstruct this fallacy and present dozens of examples of organizing by poor people to win affordable housing, accessible healthcare, high-quality public education, a living wage, nutritious food and most importantly, dignity.

The Pentagon Is Ending its Women, Peace and Security Program. America’s Security Will be Impacted.

and

Last week, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced on social media that he proudly ended the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) program inside the Department of Defense (DOD). He tweeted: “WPS is yet another woke divisive/social justice/Biden initiative that overburdens our commanders and troops—distracting from our core task: WAR-FIGHTING.”

This attack on WPS efforts at the DOD undermines the safety and security of America and its troops, at home and abroad.

Keeping Score: Rep. Jasmine Crockett Questions Trump’s ‘Fitness to Serve’; Women Carry Two-Thirds of Student Debt; Congress Votes to Criminalize Revenge Porn

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: HHS promotes conversion therapy-like policies and opposes gender-affirming care; new executive order could lead to discrimination from credit lenders; Trump guts the Women’s Health Initiative; Wyoming abortion clinic celebrates a TRAP law injunction; Olivia Rodrigo received Planned Parenthood award; and more.

Critical Programs for Women and Families Face Deep Cuts in House Budget Bill

A sweeping budget bill moving quickly through the House threatens to make draconian cuts to Medicaid and SNAP—two of the nation’s most vital programs for women and children.

The bill is being framed as “all or nothing” legislation by Republican leadership—a vehicle designed to pass the entire Trump agenda without needing Democratic votes. And the changes are being presented as necessary for fiscal responsibility—but here is what they won’t say out loud.

Profiles in Courage: In Defense of Fired Federal Workers, Cathy Harris Took on the Trump Administration—And Won

and

Profiles in Courage is a new series honoring the extraordinary women and men who have transformed American institutions through principled public service. At a time when trust in government is fragile, these stories offer a powerful reminder of what ethical leadership looks like—from those who litigate for civil rights and resign on principle, to those who break military barriers and defend democracy on the front lines.

As chair and board member of the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), Cathy Harris dedicated her leadership to preserving the independence and integrity of the federal civil service, ensuring that government employees are hired, promoted and protected based on merit—not politics.

On President Donald Trump’s first day back in office in 2025, Harris was demoted from her role as chair, and just weeks later, she was fired entirely from the board—a direct violation of the Civil Service Reform Act. Determined to defend the independence of the board and the rights of federal employees, Harris sued the administration … and won.

Despite Attacks Against Women in the Workplace, Survivors Are Making Critical Advances

and

Speaking about Harvey Weinstein, Joe Rogan recently said, “I thought he was guilty of, like, heinous crimes, and then you listen, and you’re like, ‘Wait, what? What is going on?”

Podcaster Brendan Schaub added, “If this happened in the ’80s, it probably would have been thrown out. But in the #MeToo movement, it was a hot witch hunt. It’s 2025—that shit’s over.”

We are here to state unapologetically that “this shit” is not over—no matter how much apologists for predators want it to be. No matter how loud the voices of darkness are, no matter how much apologists for toxic predators like Weinstein may wish it, the progress towards holding them accountable is inexorable.

Profiles in Courage: Michelle King Refused to Hand Over Your Data to DOGE. Then She Lost Her Job.

and

Profiles in Courage is a new series honoring the extraordinary women and men who have transformed American institutions through principled public service. At a time when trust in government is fragile, these stories offer a powerful reminder of what ethical leadership looks like—from those who litigate for civil rights and resign on principle, to those who break military barriers and defend democracy on the front lines.

For over 30 years, Michelle King dedicated her career to safeguarding one of America’s most vital institutions—the Social Security Administration (SSA). In 2025, Michelle King resigned—or, as many suspect, was forced out—after refusing to grant the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) access to sensitive recipient data. The request, made under Elon Musk’s leadership of DOGE, raised serious concerns about privacy violations, potential misuse of taxpayer information, and the security of the nation’s most sensitive personal records.