More Than A Magazine, A Movement
Women in sports are discriminated against in forms of sexual harassment and assault, unequal pay, and constant disrespect and objectification. But they are fighting back by speaking out about their experiences, filing lawsuits and breaking records.
Weekend Reading for Women’s Representation is a compilation of stories about women’s representation.
This week: May milestones include May Day and Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month; the gender gap in Canada’s latest election shows women delivered Carney’s win; Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton may take Sen. Dick Durbin’s place in the Senate; and more.
A military mom on the heartbreak of watching her country strip away the rights, safety and dignity of her trans child:
“In recent months, lawmakers voted to strip military families of the right to access life-saving, evidence-based medical care for their trans loved ones. In a one-two punch, the House and Senate then voted to ban trans girls and women from playing on teams that align with their gender. Since then, President Donald Trump has signed multiple executive orders targeting trans kids, including language erasing our child’s existence, prohibiting access to medical care, and directing schools to call my child by the wrong name and pronouns. … As a result, my child is no longer able to live as freely as other children.
“We tried therapy, new pronouns, and ways to socially transition James, but it wasn’t enough. We took the next step and met with specialists to begin a low dose of testosterone. … James is flourishing, despite living in a country seemingly intent on erasing kids like him.”
For over a century, women athletes have battled double standards that question their toughness, competitiveness and right to take up space. From early fears that competition would ruin their femininity to modern-day outrage over trash talk and physical play, the message has remained: Be strong, but not too strong. While stars like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese have shattered records and stereotypes, lingering biases continue to limit how women—especially women of color—are allowed to perform, both on and off the court.
The fight for full inclusion in sports isn’t over; it’s simply entered a new chapter.
Staying motivated and positive in these uncertain times is no easy feat. We are witnessing a full-fledged patriarchal meltdown, with women’s rights under threat, jeopardized or outright stripped away.
At a recent women’s conference, an attendee told me, “I’m waiting for someone to help us and tell us what to do.” My response? Don’t wait, because nobody is coming. Change starts with us. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.
The Trump administration’s rollback of Biden-era NIL guidance weakens Title IX protections, deepening financial disparities for female college athletes.
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: Trump’s executive orders continue to threaten trans people’s safety, jobs and rights; policies like paid family leave and universal preschool are incredibly popular; measles spreads among unvaccinated populations; Congress signals their plan to cut SNAP and Medicaid; women’s college basketball teams will be paid for March Madness games; almost a quarter of Gen Z adults are part of the LGBTQ community; and more.
Weekend Reading for Women’s Representation is a compilation of stories about women’s representation.
This week’s Weekend Reading includes a piece by RepresentWomen staff members on women and the presidency, women and 2026 races for the Senate, Deb Haaland’s run for governor, women and mayoral races, the U.S. women’s soccer team, losses for women in the German elections, deep fake technology and women candidates, and a link to register for RepresentWomen’s virtual Democracy Solutions Summit from 3 to 5 p.m. EST, March 4-6, featuring an incredible lineup of women experts!
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: Musk and Trump’s USAID attacks have devastating impacts; 80% of the clean energy investments from the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act—which Trump wants to roll back—are in Republican congressional districts; Louisiana indicts a New York doctor for prescribing abortion pills; new executive orders go after workers and LGBTQ people; the Laken Riley Act was signed into law; childcare costs affect the health of parents; and more.
In the middle of the Eagles vs. Chiefs Super Bowl game, Nike’s “So Win” ad encouraged women to take control not just on the playing field but in the narratives that surround women in traditionally male-dominated fields, such as sports.
A voiceover from Grammy-winning rapper Doechii echoes frequent limitations leveled at women in sports and in life (“You can’t be demanding,” “You can’t dominate,” “You can’t be emotional”) before urging women, “Whatever you do, you can’t win … So win.”
From top athletes, to community activists, to badass lawmakers, here are our 25 picks for the top U.S. feminists of 2024, and two of the best things they did or said.
Featuring: Kamala Harris, the 27 women who sued the state of Texas for its abortion ban in Zurawski v. Texas, Sarah McBride, abortion providers and funders, Black women voters, Jasmine Crockett, South Carolina’s “Sister Senators” and more.