More Than A Magazine, A Movement
The Harvard Youth Poll, the longest running survey of youth attitudes (18-29) related to politics and public service, was released on Thursday. By and large, the results show an engaged young electorate concerned about the state of affairs in the U.S. and aligned on issues of economic and gender equality.
Here are some of our top takeaways.
Dobbs hasn’t just restricted reproductive rights; it’s impacted the classroom. In some ways, this impact has been very direct. In 2022, the University of Idaho released a memo warning all faculty and staff to avoid counseling or referring anyone to abortion services while on the job to comply with a broad, unclear law preventing any state resources going toward abortion access.
This lack of clarity impedes feminist theorizing in women’s studies classrooms, especially, since women’s studies departments often serve as a locus for discussions of gender-based oppression on campuses.
The exclusion of women over 40 from Hollywood leaves us watching the same show over and over again—on screens and in politics.
May 1 is “National College Decision Day”—when college applicants traditionally must commit to their school of choice. With recent studies showing students are concerned about access to reproductive healthcare, students should be aware of state abortion laws before they make their final college decision.
“Abortion bans are affecting where students feel comfortable living and learning,” said Daisy Chin-Lor, president and CEO of IWPR. “They do not want to go to states that restrict their reproductive health choices, and their parents do not want to support states that limit women’s freedom.”
Weekend Reading for Women’s Representation is a compilation of stories about women’s representation.
This week, delve into FairVote’s efforts to champion voter access, discover a new documentary highlighting young women empowered within our political system, celebrate the historic viewership of the women’s NCAA championship game, and explore initiatives taken by some states to address disparities in maternal health for Black women.
On April 24, the Supreme Court of the United States will decide whether the Emergency Medical and Active Labor Act (EMTALA) will continue to require that patients be offered life saving abortion care regardless of a state’s conflicting abortion laws.
The implications for at-risk women, particularly those protected by EMTALA, cannot be ignored.
On April 24, the United States Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in two cases, Idaho v. United States and Moyle v. United States, about whether states can prohibit doctors from treating women with life-threatening pregnancies until a patient’s condition deteriorates to the point where they are about to die.
Reproductive rights and legal advocates are collecting stories from over 100 women who almost died—and at least one who did—after being denied emergency abortion care.
April’s U.S. political news admittedly brought many horrors—from Alabama legislators advancing a bill to define sex based on “reproductive systems,” not gender identity; to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling allowing an Idaho ban on gender-affirming care for minors to take effect; to the Arizona Supreme Court upholding an abortion ban from 1864, which opens the door to criminalizing health providers with up to five years of prison time if they provide abortion services. Tucson Mayor Regina Romero called the ruling “a huge step backwards.”
Legal changes in the present may appear to be reversing earlier advancements, as Romero said. But advocates of equity need a better grasp of history so they are realistic about the intermittent successes of movements for social change. The fight for full gender equality is a long game.
Kate Compton Barr is a behavioral scientist, entrepreneur and mother of two. She’s also running her first race for office: a seat in the North Carolina state Senate. Shockingly, though, her campaign slogan is “Clear eyes. Full heart. Can’t win.” Ms. talked to Barr about what purpose her campaign serves if not to be elected.
“We have six years to draw so much attention to this practice that even our Republican leadership can’t be quite so blatant the next go-round.”
(This article originally appears in the Spring 2024 issue of Ms. Join the Ms. community today and you’ll get issues delivered straight to your mailbox!)
We see more than 600,000 people released from U.S. prisons each year. This April, Second Chance Month, is an opportunity for us to bring to light the difficulties for those seeking a successful return back to society.
Incarcerated women in particular face unique challenges compared to their male counterparts, and their rate of entry has accelerated at twice the pace of men over the past three decades.
