A new report released by the Tufts University’s Feinstein International Center is intensifying calls for international accountability, concluding that the Taliban’s governance in Afghanistan is in direct and systematic violation of global legal obligations to protect women and girls. The report, Legal Commitments, Systemic Violations: A Comprehensive Analysis of the Taliban and CEDAW Obligations in […]
Military Strength is in Diversity, Hegseth Disagrees
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth is facing criticism after blocking the promotion of several senior military officers, including at least two women and two Black men, from the consideration for one-star general and admiral positions. According to reports, Army Secretary Daniel P. Driscoll supported the officers’ promotions and cited their decades of exemplary service. Nevertheless, […]
Protecting Life by Ending Lives: The Danger and Hypocrisy of North Carolina House Bill 1232
On May 13th, the North Carolina House of Representatives filed House Bill 1232, a proposed amendment to the state constitution which would declare human life as beginning at fertilization and hold any person using contraceptives that prevent the implantation of a fertilized embryo, such as IUDs, as guilty of attempted murder or first degree murder. […]
Women Athletes Win Landmark Title IX Battle Against San Diego State University
A landmark Title IX lawsuit against San Diego State University (SDSU) and the California State University system has resulted in a historic settlement that could strengthen gender equity in college athletics nationwide. The case, Fisk et al.al. v. Board of Trustees of the California State University et al, settled with $300,000 to be distributed among […]
More Than Half of States Now Cover Doula Care Under Medicaid
As of April 2026, over half of U.S. states, along with Washington, D.C., provide Medicaid coverage for doula care. 27 states and D.C. currently offer coverage, while seven additional states (Arkansas, Maine, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Tennessee, and Vermont) are in the process of implementing programs. Under these policies, Medicaid enrollees can receive coverage for […]
A Budget That Funds War While Cutting Care
On April 3, 2026, President Trump submitted his annual budget proposal to Congress. This request included a $1.5 trillion military budget, a 44% increase justified in large part due to the increasingly unpopular war in Iran. While proposing a 10% reduction in nondefense spending, the budget would increase military spending by $441 billion. Those increases […]
Is There a Future for Over-the-Counter Abortion Pills? This Doctor Thinks So
Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, abortion access has become increasingly divided across the United States. Some states have moved to protect abortion rights, while others have banned or heavily restricted abortion. In Louisiana, lawmakers have considered banning mifepristone and misoprostol, the two medications used in medication abortion, with penalties up to ten years […]
New Hampshire’s Latest Voting Restrictions Could Impact Student Participation
On April 3rd, Gov. Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire signed H.B. 323, which will take effect this June and require voters to present government-issued photo identification to vote in the upcoming state primaries and general election. This law effectively eliminates students’ ability to use their high school or college IDs to vote. Republican legislators in […]
The TAKE IT DOWN Act: A First Step Against AI Exploitation
On May 19, the TAKE IT DOWN Act (Tools to Address Known Exploitation by Immobilizing Technological Deepfakes on Websites and Networks Act) was put into full effect. This law specifically targets digital sexual abuse by requiring social media platforms to take down non-consensual sexual imagery—such as AI deepfakes of non-consenting individuals—within 48 hours of posting. […]
New Taliban Law Legalizes Child Marriage and Further Restricts Women’s Rights
A newly published Taliban family law regulation is further institutionalizing discrimination and oppression against Afghan women and girls by codifying unequal rights in marriage, divorce, and family matters. The law also effectively removes Afghanistan’s previous minimum marriage age for girls by linking eligibility for marriage to puberty, which can begin as early as age nine. […]
Democratic Women’s Caucus Leads New Effort to Address Sexual Misconduct in Congress
Following the resignation of two members of Congress for sexual misconduct, the Democratic Women’s Caucus (DWC) has launched a new initiative to reform the predatory environment of Capitol Hill. A bipartisan effort, Democratic Women’s Caucus Chair Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03) and Republican Women’s Caucus Chair Kat Cammack (FL-03) are taking the lead and had a […]
Rising Gas, Rising Bills: The Gendered Economic Impact of the Iran War
As the United States becomes increasingly entangled in military conflict with Iran, the costs are not only being felt overseas. At home, the economic consequences are hitting American households hard, and women, particularly single mothers, are bearing the brunt. On February 28, the U.S. and Israel killed Iran’s supreme leader. That same day, a primary […]
“Refusing to be Erased”: Bonnie Thornton Dill on Feminist Resistance in Higher Education
Editor’s note: The following is the transcript of a speech (lightly edited for length and clarity) given by Bonnie Thornton Dill, former President of the National Women’s Studies Association, at the 2026 National Young Feminist Leadership Conference. Good morning. Thank you all for being here and thank you Kathy, Ellie, and FMF for organizing this event. […]
Supreme Court Rules to Protect Access to Medication Abortion
On Thursday, May 14, the Supreme Court voted 7-2 to preserve access to the abortion pill mifepristone through telehealth and mail delivery, at least for now. The ruling blocked a decision from the 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals that would have restricted access by requiring patients to obtain the medication through in-person visits. The […]
Effects Beyond Reproductive Care: The Backlash of Overturning Roe
The overturning of Roe v. Wade has caused major issues for women and pregnant-able bodies all around the country. It has forced unwanted pregnancies, increased the number of children in foster care, and has caused women to pursue unsafe abortion alternatives. New research, published by the National Bureau of Economic Research, shows that people are […]
Feminist Leaders Speak Out Against the Supreme Court’s Devastating Blow to the Voting Rights Act of 1965
On April 29, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 to decimate protections under the Voting Rights Act, one of the nation’s most important civil rights laws. The case, Louisiana v. Callais, centers on how states consider race when drawing legislative districts to comply with voting rights protections. In its ruling, the Court concluded that race […]
House Judiciary Hearing Targets FACE Act Despite Rising Threats to Clinics
On April 28, the House Committee on the Judiciary convened a hearing on the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, following a Department of Justice report alleging FACE was “weaponized” under the Biden administration. Subcommittee chair Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), who introduced legislation to repeal FACE in January, presided. Enacted in 1994, FACE […]
Virginians Vote Yes for Redistricting to Reshape House Control
On April 21, Virginians voted yes on a ballot measure to allow the state to temporarily redraw congressional maps before the midterms. Virginia held a special election with only one question on the ballot: whether Virginia should be allowed to temporarily adopt new congressional districts to restore fairness in the upcoming elections. The measure passed […]
Pennsylvania Court Recognizes Reproductive Autonomy Under State Equal Rights Amendment
On April 20, the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court issued a landmark ruling for reproductive rights, striking down the state’s ban on Medicaid funding for abortion. The court held that the policy violates Pennsylvania Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) and the equal protection provisions of the Pennsylvania Constitution. The Pennsylvania Equal Rights Amendment, added to the state constitution […]
Uncertainty and Pressure: Afghans Who Aided the U.S. Fear Return to Afghanistan or Congo
Afghan refugees who have helped U.S. officials living at a former U.S. military base in Qatar have been left with an incredibly difficult decision: go back to Afghanistan under the Taliban or relocate to the Democratic Republic of Congo. The New York Times reported that the Trump Administration has been participating in talks with the […]