On June 5th, Diversity Lab, the for-profit DEI consultancy firm behind the Mansfield Certification, or “Mansfield Rule,” announced its imminent closure. The decision follows months of pressure from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which began last January when acting Chair Andrew N. Ferguson issued warning letters to 42 prominent U.S. law firms alleging “unfair and […]
House Rejects Bill to Advance Plans to Construct American Women’s History Museum
Despite nearly 180 years of Smithsonian history, the United States still does not have a national museum dedicated to women’s history. Congress approved the creation of the American Women’s History Museum (AWHM) in 2021 alongside the National Museum of the American Latino. Yet progress towards building the museum has stalled. Most recently, the House of […]
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, […]
Hegseth’s “Warrior Culture” Risks Excluding Women from Military Service
At a recent gathering of top military brass in Quantico, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth called for the armed forces to abandon what he called “woke culture” and return to a rigid “warrior” ethos. He pledged sweeping changes to fitness, grooming, and disciplinary standards, changes that critics warn could push women out of roles they […]
The Take It Down Act Becomes Law: A First Step Against Digital Exploitation
On May 19, 2025, President Donald Trump signed the bipartisan “Take It Down Act” into law, establishing a federal framework to combat the distribution of non-consensual intimate imagery, including AI-generated deepfakes. This legislation criminalizes the act of knowingly publishing or threatening to publish explicit images without the subject’s consent, marking a significant step in addressing […]
Memorial Day Reflections: The Forgotten Legacy and Future of Women in the Military
This Memorial Day, like so many others, was filled with quiet moments of reflection, flags waving, wreaths laid, heads bowed in remembrance. But too often, when we honor those who have served and sacrificed, we forget about the women who were there as well. Women have been part of the U.S. military for more than […]
Louisiana Passes Law Requiring Public Schools to Display the Ten Commandments in Classrooms
Photo by Jeffrey Hamilton On June 19, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry signed a Republican-sponsored bill requiring public schools — from kindergarten to university — to display a poster of the Ten Commandments in all classrooms by 2025 to maintain state funding. The law specifies that the poster must be at least 11 feet by 14 feet, […]
Southern Baptists Reject Ban on Women Pastors — Substantive or Semantic?
Photo by Debby Hudson On Wednesday, June 12th, the Southern Baptist Convention voted on a controversial amendment to their constitution — one that would formally ban women from pastoral roles in all affiliated churches. This amendment failed, narrowly missing the 2/3rds supermajority needed by only receiving 61% of the vote. While this measure may have failed, […]
Shinnecock Indian Nation elects first female chair in over 200 years
Photo by Dulcey Lima People often wonder what the world would look like if it were run by women. Would there be less war? Greater partnership between countries? Universal access to health and social care? Safer streets? Of course, the number of female leaders has increased dramatically in the last few decades. Then again, anything can […]
National Museum of Women in the Arts Reopening – Major Renovation, Bold Exhibitions, Public Programs
The National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) reopened on October 21 after a two-year renovation. The museum now offers renovated galleries with innovative presentations, inaugural exhibitions, and a transformed building. NMWA is the first museum in the world that is solely dedicated to championing women through the arts and advocates for better representation […]
Female Pastors Ousted from the Southern Baptist Convention
A controversial movement within the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) to remove women from leadership positions has resulted in the expulsion of five female-led churches from the denomination. Among them is the Saddleback Church of California — one of the largest megachurches in the country, with about 30,000 people attending church services weekly. Saddleback Church was […]
Social Justice Takes the Stage: Feminist Recap of the 2021 Met Gala
The 2021 Met Gala took place Monday evening, showcasing several attendees who used their time on the red carpet to advocate for social justice issues. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (D-NY) was joined by fellow New York Congresswoman Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) in using the Met Gala’s theme of “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion” to […]
Half of LGBT Renters Behind on Rent Payments Fear Eviction in Upcoming Months
According to a report released by UCLA’s Williams Institute, nearly 50 percent of LGBT renters who are behind on rent fear being evicted from their homes within the next two months. The report’s release comes after the Supreme Court last week blocked the CDC’s federal eviction moratorium. The Supreme Court’s decision to end the federal […]
#CrochetKamala: Textile Mural of VP Kamala Harris Debuts in D.C.
Dozens of women from across the country have come together for International Women’s Day to create a crocheted 20-foot by 40-foot mural of Vice President Kamala Harris, depicted the iconic “I’m speaking” moment during the vice presidential debate with former VP Mike Pence. The piece was conceptualized by LA artist London Kaye for her Love […]
Gunman Kills Ten People in Boulder, Biden Urges Congress to Pass Gun Regulations
Boulder, Colorado’s city government banned assault weapons in 2018 in an attempt at preventing mass shootings. Ten days after that ban was blocked in court, on Tuesday, a gunman opened fire in a supermarket and killed ten people in Boulder. Investigators reported that the suspect had purchased an AR-556 pistol on March 16, mere days […]
New Report Finds Prison Inmates Twice As Likely To Die from COVID-19
According to a new report released on Wednesday, incarcerated people are twice as likely to die from coronavirus in prison than those on the outside. Kevin T. Schnepel, assistant professor of economics at Simon Fraser University, found that the mortality rate in state and federal prisons is twice as high as in the general population. […]
Voting Rights Restored to Iowans with Felony Convictions
On Wednesday, Iowa ended its title as the only state in the nation to impose a lifetime voting ban on people with felony convictions when Governor Kim Reynolds signed an executive order restoring voting rights. The order automatically reinstated the right to vote to Iowans who have completed their felony sentences, excluding those convicted of […]
Teen Jailed for Skipping Online Class Released by Michigan Court of Appeals
Oakland County teenager, known as “Grace,” has been released from jail after public outcry surrounding her imprisonment. Grace was incarcerated for not completing her homework after courses moved online due to the pandemic. The Michigan Court of Appeals voted to release the 15-year-old by overturning a previous ruling that cited missing homework as a probation […]
Illinois Plans Overhaul of Juvenile Justice System to “Reduce the Harm of Incarceration”
On Friday, Governor JB Pritzker announced a four-year plan to overhaul the Illinois juvenile justice system by transferring incarcerated children out of large prison-like facilities and investing more in restorative justice practices. The plan would repurpose the state’s five large juvenile facilities and move the children detained there to small residential centers based in their […]
New St. Louis Nonprofit Aims to Support Women on the Edge of Poverty
St. Louis, Missouri has long been known to face disheartening rates of poverty. In 2019, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that an estimated 24.2% of residents may be living in poverty. Mission: St. Louis, a Missouri-based organization, has reported that up to 40% of children in the city may be born into poverty. While the […]