A new documentary, State of Firsts, released during Pride Month, chronicles Delaware Representative Sarah McBride’s historic path to Congress as she campaigns amid growing anti-transgender rhetoric. Directed by trans filmmaker Chase Joynt, State of Firsts offers a behind-the-scenes look at McBride’s journey to becoming the first openly transgender elected official in the U.S. Congress. Now […]
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 […]
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. […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
New Restrictions on the Youth Vote Hit Campuses
Recent federal actions have introduced new barriers for colleges and universities working to support student voter participation. In 2023, attorney Cleta Mitchell raised unfounded concerns about polling locations close to dormitories on campuses, citing fears of students voting without being properly informed. These sentiments have only grown since the current administration launched a probe into […]
The Clean Water for All Life Act: Policing Bodies, Not Protecting Water
The Clean Water for All Life Act (H. R. 7983) is simply another way for anti-abortion lawmakers to control women’s bodies — yet this time, under the guise of environmental regulations. This bill adds to a long list of arguments used to restrict abortion: religious objections, claims that fetuses should have full legal personhood, false […]
The DOJ Indicts the Southern Poverty Law Center in a Coordinated Attack on Civil Rights
On Tuesday, April 21, the Department of Justice indicted the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), a nonprofit that for more than 50 years has documented hate and political violence, taking on the Ku Klux Klan, systemic bigotry, and the rise of Christian nationalism. The move has drawn swift backlash from civil rights advocates, who warn […]
DOJ Targets FACE Act While Anti-Abortion Violence Rises
On April 14, the Department of Justice published an 882 page report claiming that the enforcement of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act was “weaponized” under the Biden administration. FACE is a longstanding federal law designed to protect access to reproductive healthcare by prohibiting obstruction, threats, and violence directed at abortion providers, […]
Urgent Care Clinic in Michigan Fills Gaps in Abortion Access
As abortion clinics continue to close at alarming rates across the country, many community-based medical providers are stepping in to expand access to care. After a Planned Parenthood clinic in Marquette, Michigan shut its doors, the Marquette Medical Urgent Care, under the direction of Dr. Shawn Brown, began offering medication abortion. As Dr. Brown explained […]
From Privacy to Conversion Therapy: A Troubling Month for LGBTQ+ Rights at the Supreme Court
Over the past month, the Supreme Court of the United States has consistently made decisions that threaten the LGBTQ+ community. These attacks are rooted in the rise of Christian nationalism, which appears to be bleeding into judicial reasoning. The first major development emerged in early March, when the Court intervened in a lower court dispute […]
Texas Issues Guidance for Abortion Providers
For the first time since sweeping abortion bans reshaped reproductive care, Texas has issued guidance clarifying when physicians may legally provide abortions to protect a patient’s life. While this may reduce some uncertainty for doctors making urgent decisions, it is barely a step forward. Since 2021, when the Texas Heartbeat Act was enacted, physicians and […]
Trump Administration Revokes Protection from Greenhouse Gases
The Trump Administration has reversed a key decision from the Obama Administration, reshaping the future of climate protection in the United States. The rule in question, known as the “endangerment finding,” served as the legal foundation for federal regulations for greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act. Now, under the Trump Administration, all greenhouse […]