The women met attending Rockford Female Seminary (now Rockford University) and connected over similar progressive upbringings and worldviews. Before eventually becoming the first American woman to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1931, Jane Addams had already racked up a long list of accomplishments. A progressive feminist and peace activist, Addams used her privilege and influence to advocate for the rights of working-class, primarily immigrant citizens. She wrote and spoke publicly across the nation, and solidified herself as one of the most prominent social workers of the time. She was a founding member of the National Child Labor Committee, a leader in the women’s suffrage movement, and an early member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (The NAACP.)

Ellen Gates Starr, was a progressive leader in her own right and viewed art and literature as crucial parts of humanity’s wellbeing and dignity. As a civil and labor rights activist, Starr protested against police violence and also helped start an Illinois branch of the National Women’s Trade Union League. In 1916, Starr ran for alderman of the Nineteenth Ward of Chicago—just two years after women had earned the right to vote in Illinois. She lost, but the campaign was as much a sincere bid for aldermen as it was an opportunity for Starr to raise awareness about social issues in the neighborhood.

A photo of Ellen Gates Starr next to a newspaper clipping about her recent arrest for picketing alongside striking clothing workers. Photo taken at the Hull-House Museum.

Perhaps the most significant accomplishment of both women, though, is one they achieved together: founding the Hull-House. Around the time Addams and Starr had first met, the settlement house movement was beginning to form with the 1884 founding of Toynbee Hall in London. Settlement houses were social reform spaces where educated, higher-class citizens could “settle” in newly-industrialized, urban, working-class neighborhoods. There, they would volunteer their time and resources to the community they were residing. The intention was to create a space for scholars to study poverty and how to remedy it while simultaneously providing community support.

On one of her many trips to Europe following her graduation from Rockford, Addams visited Toynbee Hall and was inspired. Shortly after, she crossed paths with fellow avid traveler, Starr, and shared intentions to recreate a similar idea in America—a communal space where they could share art and literary knowledge with those who might not otherwise have access to such things. Little did they know, they were about to found one of the most influential settlement houses in the United States. Together in 1889, Addams and Starr leased an old mansion in the Near West Side neighborhood of Chicago, and the Hull-House was born.

The original home and dining hall are all that remain of the settlement’s thirteen buildings, and have since been turned into a museum dedicated to the history of the settlement. But what exactly was the Hull-House and what impact does its incredible history have today?

Photo taken at the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum of a loom and an advertisement for weaving lessons being taught at the settlement.

In the late 1800s, the area around Hull-House was primarily populated by European immigrants and, in the 1920s, families of color began to move into the neighborhood as well. The Hull-House remained a vital community resource for the systematically disenfranchised citizens of Chicago. During its peak years of operation, the settlement was seeing nearly 10,000 people a week from the surrounding neighborhoods.

The residents of Hull-House were educated, upper-class, citizens of Chicago who lived, worked and paid rent at the settlement. They contributed by preparing meals, running a daycare for children of working parents, and teaching classes and practical skills like theater, arts, sewing, English language, literature, music, and more. The Hull-House also had a library, a kindergarten, an art gallery, an employment bureau, and served as a meeting place for a myriad of clubs and community organizations. Most importantly, it was a space to share physical, emotional, and intellectual resources with neighbors.

Photo taken at the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum. An upstairs room displaying pottery made between 1927 and 1937 by participants of the Hull-House Kilns program created by Myrtle Merritt French.

Addams and Starr couldn’t have provided such impactful community support without the help of other progressive women of the time. Florence Kelley was an ardent advocate for labor rights who came to Hull-House after fleeing an abusive husband. She eventually founded the National Labor Committee and was Vice President of the National American Woman Suffrage Association. Alice Hamilton, another resident of Hull-House, was an anti-Nazi activist who used her degree in medicine to advocate against industrial poisoning of the lower-class and call attention to the physical toll of poverty. Her work was fundamental in creating labor laws and employee protections that we now take for granted. Hull-House was also host to Dr. Rachelle Slobodinsky Yarros, a reproductive rights activist, physician, and professor of obstetrics and gynecology. She created what was called the Birth Control Committee of the Chicago Woman’s Club, which you may know now as Planned Parenthood of Illinois. Her work laid the foundation for the reproductive rights movement we see today.

Along with the tremendous residents of the Hull-House, the settlement left an indelible mark on our modern society. Some of the greatest social movements in American history were either birthed at Hull-House or touched by it at some point in their progression. A testament to the power of investing in society’s most neglected and systematically oppressed, the story of Hull-House is one our current leaders could take more than a few notes from.

The Hull-House Museum is free to visit with a reservation and a suggested donation. Don’t live in Chicago? Check out the virtual tour!

“True peace is not merely the absence of war, it is the presence of justice.” – Jane Addams

Top Image Credit: Jane Addams speaking with children at the Hull-House in 1935 via Wikimedia Commons

BUST has been a home for many incredible stories over the years, and has held a special place in the hearts of many over the decades. (If you’re feeling sentimental, check out this retrospective we did for our 25th anniversary, where readers share their favorite moments about the magazine.) As time passes and the social landscape changes, BUST has continued to publish fresh and innovative features on the coolest feminists of today.

BUST, like boygenius, was formed independently by a trio of badass women. BUST started out as a homemade zine in 1993. The first few issues were photocopied, stapled together, and distributed by its three founders, Laurie Henzel, Debbie Stoller, and Marcela Karp.

In those 30 years, we’ve created a bi-annual craft fair, published several books, and have had over 10,000 subscribers as of 2018. For our 30th anniversary issue, we decided to celebrate with boygenuis, the indie-rock supergroup that’s taking the world by storm.

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boygenius is composed of indie-rock singer Julien Baker, viral folk sensation Phoebe Bridgers, and singer-songwriter Lucy Dacus. In our summer issue, released on June 1st, the trio discussed their rise to being one of the most influential feminist supergroups of the modern age. The members of the band talk with BUST about their blooming friendship, their (sometimes rabid) fanbase, and Kristen Stewart, who directed the band’s short film. They also discuss their debut studio album, The Record, which was released earlier this year on March 31st.

Dacus and Baker had previously been acquainted since they both performed together in Washington DC back in 2016, but after performing on the same bill in 2018, all three women got together to record a promotional single for the tour. They decided that they were having too much fun to stop, and later that year, they released their first official EP as boygenius. How did they land on their unique and discordant name? How did the COVID-19 epidemic affect their success? How do they feel about their adoring fans? And who the hell is Maxine? You’ll just have to pick up our newest issue to find out!

But boygenius isn’t the only thing we’re highlighting this summer. Here are some other cool things to look out for in the 2023 Summer issue.

Check out our feature on Malaysian film producer and screenwriter, Adele Lim. Lim talks with us about her new R-rated comedy, Joy Ride, which came out June 7th. Joy Ride is the first major studio film with an all Asian-American (and predominantly female) cast. The film is raunchy, delightful, and diverse. Lim was open with BUST about the real-life inspiration behind Joy Ride, Asian-American representation in media, and her lengthy list of credits (including Disney’s Raja and The Last Dragon, and Crazy Rich Asians). “We’re finding joy and reveling in our own messiness, just like any other white guy’s R-rated comedy.” Succinct, substantial, and chock-full of intersectional feminism, Adele Lim’s feature is a must-read.

But that’s not all the intersectionality we have to offer; check out the other pieces on writer and activist Rachel Cargle, and our feature on comedian and “cat daddy” Marc Maron.

Photo Credit: Elizabeth Caren

This issue is also full of fun treats for those long hot summer days, like our recipe for grilled peaches, and DIY Balboa Bars. The only thing better than enjoying a cool homemade treat on a hot summer day is looking cool while you do it. Take a look through our ‘Looksee’ feature, where we list all the things we’re into this season, like this cutely packaged sunscreen, these size inclusive swimsuits, and unique sunnies to shield your eyes from the sun’s rays. There’s more cool attire featured throughout; our Get The Look section highlights several Malibu Barbie-themed accessories, like these Moxi roller skates, and this vintage polaroid film camera. But we’re just as comprehensive about our fashion coverage as we are with our anthropology.

This summer’s issue is also full of cool cultural pieces and historical topics, like the extensive feature on the lives of women in the rural mountains of Tibet. The story, written by Eleanor Moseman, details Moseman’s time spent with Tibetan villager Jamyang Tsomo and her family. It covers Tsomos daily chores, which include tending to yaks, harvesting barley, and looking after her family. Jamyang Tsomo’s story is a phenomenal glance into the lesser covered fierce women of the modern world. And she’s not the only cool cultural feature we have. This Summer’s issue also has an inside scoop on “one of the Middle Ages most fascinating figures,” visionary St. Hildegard of Bingen, written by noted historian Dr. Eleanor Janega.

So if you haven’t subscribed already, you’re definitely missing out. There’s something so special about receiving a physical print publication in the mail. It’s nostalgic, and reminiscent of the simpler bittersweet days of adolescence. Relieve the days of reading horoscopes aloud to your bestie and skimming the pages of a magazine for cute summer accessories. Alternatively, indulge your curiosity for knowledge by checking out our features on the historic town of Dublin, or the origins of Midsummer (the Scandinavian Pagan tradition, not the Ari Aster film!) And of course, as always, there’s way more!

We here at BUST are proud to provide a platform for everything; and our digital articles are no different. From updates on the new Barbie Movie, to abortion rights, and from Taylor Swift & Ice Spice collaborations, to coverage on an all girls robotics team in Afghanistan, there’s always an exciting online feature for you. Sounds enticing? Keep an eye out for us on your news feed, as well as on your local newsstands. Here’s to another 30 years. And 30 more after that!

Subscribe now to get your hands on this 30th Anniversary issue!

Top Image: Photo Credit: Ramona Rosales

The report was written by the White House Gender Policy Council, which was created by President Biden after he signed an executive order in 2021.

Ending gender-based violence has been a key issue of President Biden’s platform for years now. Specifically since he authored the Violence Against Women Act in 1994. This particular plan includes what the administration refers to as the seven main pillars: prevention; support, healing, safety and well-being; economic security and housing stability; online safety; legal and justice systems; emergency preparedness and crisis response; and research and data. This may result in “providing more support for survivors of gender-based violence, addressing online harassment and abuse, and conducting more robust research as well as collecting additional data on gender-based violence.”

While it seems like politicians are always more talk than action, one promising aspect of this plan is that survivors of domestic violence were actively involved in its creation. According to the White House, “the plan is guided by the lessons learned and progress made from the “leadership” of survivors, advocates, researchers, policymakers and community members who lead efforts to prevent and respond to the violence.”

The White House Gender Policy Council also seems to have an active plan on implementing the above-mentioned seven pillars. The plan will require the involvement of several federal government agencies, who will meet regularly in a Federal Interagency Working Group to discuss the steps of the plan. The four methods of which these agencies will roll out the plan include strategic planning and budgeting, policy and program development, measurement and data and management, and training.

While the national action plan to end gender-based violence is still in its infancy, The concrete steps the council have laid out as well as the knowledge that the plan has been guided by those most affected by this issue gives us hope that its implementation will be effective.

Of course, gender-based violence is not an issue that will be solved overnight, advocates to end DV and gender-based violence have been working hard to dismantle this form of systemic violence one step at a time, and we’re very thankful for that. Action plans such as these are becoming increasingly more important as violence against women remains a huge problem, and violence against trans people is on the rise.

Top photo: Caleb Perez on Unsplash

Nebraska’s Republican state legislature is trying to strip away the rights of many Americans with the power of one devastating bill. The bill in question is LB 574, and while LB 574 was initially intended to restrict access to gender-affirming care (which is already bad enough), it has now evolved into a bill that bans abortion after 12 weeks as well. The bill adopted the 12-week ban after a vote on Tuesday night.

LB 574 must undergo one more round of debates before it’s ultimately voted on again. The scary part is that this could happen as soon as Thursday afternoon— and it appears that the bill might already have enough votes to pass legislation. 

Despite the prevailing circumstances, lawmakers that are against this bill won’t go down without a fight. Nebraska Democratic Senator Machaela Cavanaugh has been filibustering this bill for weeks on end now.

On the recent developments, Cavanaugh stated, “You are willing to drive this state into the ground. You look ridiculous. Women will die, children are dying, and you are responsible.” And she’s right, restricting access to healthcare, whatever form it may be in, has the potential to do harm to a countless number of people in this country.

The Republican lawmakers responsible for pushing this bill forward seem to be extremely aware that their actions have upset those who believe in human rights— they just don’t seem to care. After the vote on Tuesday, many Republican congressmen left the chamber through back hallways in order to avoid the gathering of protestors, indicating that they know what they’re doing is wrong.

If LB 574 passes its final vote, Republican Governor Jim Pillen has said he will sign the amended bill into law. The bill also includes an emergency clause, meaning that as soon as it is signed off on by Governor Pillen, it will go into action. 

LB 574 is just one more example of the influx of anti-trans and anti-abortion legislation that has been cropping up around the country. It’s a scary time for many of those whose rights are on the line. However, knowing that there are elected officials such as Cavanaugh that are willing to do whatever it takes to protect our rights helps us sleep just a little better at night. While it may seem like there’s not much to do but sit and wait at this time, don’t let that deter you from taking action. Write to your local members of Congress, join a protest, or donate to pro-trans and pro-abortion organizations such as OutNebraska and Nebraska Abortion Resources (NEAR). If the government wants to take away our rights, we’ll just have to fight harder to keep them.

Top photo by Ethan Gregory Dodge on Unsplash

Some inky sweat may be running down the face of former New York City Mayor, Rudy Giuliani, this afternoon. Yesterday, Noelle Dunphy, a former employee of Giuliani who had worked with him from January 2019 through 2021, filed a lawsuit that outlines some disturbing abuses of power including wage theft and making constant sexual demands that were “an absolute requirement of her employment and his legal representation.” 

Dunphy and her legal team cataloged the scathing details that accuse Giuliani of being constantly drunk, taking Viagra regularly, demanding sex at any time, grooming and pursuing other women employees and more. After Dunphy was hired in 2019, Giuliani is said to have immediately isolated her in the back of the company car, kissing her and asking her if he could enter his home. After she declined, he asked for “flirtatious photos,” the first of what will be dozens of instances of harassment and assault, according to the lawsuit.

Dunphy goes on to outline several aggravated allegations of assault including forced oral sex, insisting on working from his apartment so he could “easily transition from work, to demanding sexual gratification, and back to work.” The legal document describes that Dunphy had to work knowing that Giuliani may initiate sexual contact at any moment, including demanding oral sex while on the phone with then-President Trump, forcing her to acquiesce and taking Viagra to prepare.

All of this was happening as Giuliani withheld Dunphy’s wages, according to the 70-page lawsuit. Giuliani allegedly told Dunphy to expect a $1 million salary, which he then avoided paying because he was going through a messy divorce and was afraid that his ex would “retaliate” against any female employee he had hired. The complaint says, “Giuliani promised Ms. Dunphy that his divorce would be resolved “any day now,” and therefore the deferral of her pay and the need to keep her employment secret would soon end.” 

This lawsuit takes place not even a week after a jury found that former President Donald Trump sexually abused E. Jean Carroll, and she was awarded $5 million for battery and defamation. Could the tides be turning for “good ol’ boys”? Could the formerly untouchable now have to come to terms with their crimes and pay the price? There’s not a lot of good things happening in this country, but this is a promising trajectory. 

Spokespersons for Giuliani said to The Independent, “Mayor Rudy Giuliani unequivocally denies the allegations raised by Ms Dunphy. Mayor Giuliani’s lifetime of public service speaks for itself and he will pursue all available remedies and counterclaims.”

Not only is Giuliani being accused of large swaths of sexual assaults, Dunphy also describes the generally hostile and bigoted work environment she became accustomed to. “Ms. Dunphy was subjected to a severe and pervasive discriminatory work environment where she was not only abused based on her gender, but was also forced to endure offensive racial, antisemitic, and misogynistic slurs directed towards women, including herself and other women,” the complaint details.

Phew! That’s not even half of it. Read through the official complaint to learn more about the allegations against Giuliani. Like E. Jean Carroll and so many others, we thank Noelle Dunphy for bravely coming forward and sharing her truth with the world. We wish her swift justice.

Top photo: Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Big Tech has seemingly, and unfortunately, been on the wrong side of abortion rights for years now. Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have been refusing to take down false information posted by fake abortion clinics, otherwise known as crisis pregnancy centers. Furthermore, social media platforms have been known to hide or “shadow-ban” valuable information given by real abortion clinics. Now, Google is the next big tech company that should be added to the list of corporations that appear to be aiding anti-choice legislators.

According to research from Accountable Tech, Google Maps is collecting data that shows people who have visited abortion clinics. This is disturbing news, especially given the fact that Google had previously committed to stop collecting this data.

Abortion providers have been concerned with Google’s role in abortion prosecution for a while now. As NPR reported shortly after Roe was overturned, the FBI has used Google to solve countless crimes. Law enforcement is able to use what is known as a Geofence warrant to “seek information about every device that has crossed into a defined location in a specific period of time, say a bank at which there was recently a robbery, a home that was recently burned down, or an abortion clinic following the Supreme Court ruling.” If abortion is considered a crime by several states’ legislation, there’s reason to believe it would be used to prosecute those who are simply trying to receive healthcare. 

Google’s tools such as Maps as well as search history can retain data that a patient has visited an abortion clinic, which is becoming increasingly dangerous in this country as anti-abortion legislation is on the rise. 

From period trackers like FLO to rideshare apps, tech has been an increasing area of concern for abortion rights and reproductive justice advocates. When data on a person’s menstrual cycle or healthcare appointment is stored, there is an inherent danger that that data will be used to harm a person who lives in a state with restrictive abortion legislation

Not only can this data aid abortion prosecutors, but those who live at the intersection of multiple marginalized identities will disproportionately face the consequences of Google retaining this sensitive data, as well as anti-abortion legislation. 

In a recent Instagram post, the feminist and reproductive rights organization UltraViolet stated, “Lack of data privacy has always disproportionately hurt BIPOC communities, LGBTQIA+ communities, immigrants, and poor/working class people. At a time where abortion seekers and those who support abortion seekers are criminalized or threatened to be, we don’t need Big Tech watching our every move, helping police and “body hunters” punish us.”

 

 

 

 

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You can join Accountable Tech in holding Google accountable to their word to stop storing abortion-related data by adding your name to their petition here.

Top photo by Gayatri Malhotra on Unsplash

Today, in one of the few healing moments of the 2020s, a jury found that former President Donald Trump sexually abused E. Jean Carroll in 1996, and defamed her reputation after she came forward in her book, What Do We Need Men For?. She will be receiving a $5 million payout for both battery and defamation, according to CNN.

Carroll’s testimony brought up an important, and often overlooked, part of coming forward about abuse. When Trump’s attorney, Joe Tacopina, asked her why she did not scream during the assault, Carroll responded: “I’m not a screamer. I was too much in panic to scream,” she explained. “You can’t beat up on me for not screaming. Women who don’t come forward, one of the reasons they don’t come forward is they are asked why they didn’t scream. Some women scream, some women don’t. It keeps women silent.”

Carrol suffered through one of the most dehumanizing, agonizing and torturous experiences a person can go through, and much like thousands of other women across the world, she was asked “well, why didn’t you stop it?” For anyone who does not understand this yet: the onus is not on the victim to stop a crime. Every time this kind of question is asked, the victim’s testimony is questioned, their truth is sullied, and they are made to feel guilty about someone else’s horrific crime. As Carroll said, it’s one of many reasons that keep victims from coming forward about their experiences, and keeps men like Trump free–and oh yeah, in the highest office. 

When asked why she didn’t come forward when Trump first ran for President, Carroll responded with an appalling observation: “I noticed that the more women who came forward to accuse him, the better he did in the polls,” she said. Trump has so many sexual assault allegations, the allegations have their own Wikipedia page. 

Nearly 30 women have accused Trump of sexual assault, and he not only did he win the presidency in 2016, he has garnered a cult-leader status. Trump is (unfortunately) not just an exception. Justices Clarence Thomas and Brett Kavanaugh both faced high-profile sexual assault testimonies, and were still elected into the Supreme Court. Then there’s Senator Al Franken. And Roy Moore. And George H.W. Bush. And John Conyers Jr. And Dean Westlake. And Don Shooter. And Sebastian Ridley-Thomas. And Joseph Souki. And Dillon Bates. And Dan Kirby. And Bryce Marlatt. And Eric Schleien. And, and, and…

Because of the controversial nature of this case, with possibly the most controversial person in American history, Judge Lewis Kaplan advised the jury members to remain anonymous, even after the case was finished, according to CNN. “My advice to you is not to identify yourselves,” said Kaplan. “Not now and not for a long time. If you’re one who elects to speak to others and to identify yourselves to others, I direct you not to identify anyone else who sat on this jury. Each of you owes that to the other whatever you decide for yourself.”

Carroll, who is a successful journalist and author, had to publicly share the details of the rape that took place in a Bergdof Goodman department store. Though she is a Democrat, Carroll reassured the jury that this case was not due to her political leanings. 

“I’m here because Donald Trump raped me, and when I wrote about it, he said it didn’t happen,” Carroll said in her testimony. “He lied and shattered my reputation, and I’m here to try to get my life back. I’m not settling a political score, I’m settling a personal score because he called me a liar repeatedly and it really has decimated my reputation. I’m a journalist – the one thing I have to have is the trust of the readers.”

Trump did not attend the trial, and we’re thankful that Carroll did not have to relive her trauma in front of the man who caused it. We are so grateful to every brave survivor that comes forward to seek justice, especially when their abusers are famous, powerful and rich men. As women face blow after blow, these wins keep us hopeful for the future. Thank you Anita Hill. Thank you Christine Blasey Ford. Thank you Samantha Holvey. Thank you Jessica Leeds. Thank you Amy Dorris. Thank you E. Jean Carroll, and thank you to all the women who seek justice in a system that is designed to keep them quiet. 

Top photo: julieannesmo, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons 

Despite living in a country where the status of reproductive rights continues to be  increasingly uncertain, we were finally given some good news regarding abortion rights activism.

On Thursday, the South Carolina legislature failed to pass a truly horrendous anti-abortion bill. The bill, which was deceptively titled “Human Life Protection Act,” would have totally banned abortions in the state, with some exceptions for rape and incest. 

Thankfully, five South Carolina Senators (who are all women) stopped the Bill from passing. Surprisingly, three of these women are Republicans, and one was a member of the  Independent party. The women also utilized the filibuster to halt the Bill. A filibuster is a way to delay the vote on a bill, usually done by talking a lot.  During their filibusters, each of the senators made speeches about the idiocracy, danger, and patriarchy that the Bill is upholding. One of the Republican Senators, Sen. Penry Gustafson, spoke for a half an hour about the bodily changes that accompany pregnancy. Interestingly, Gustafson has maintained that she is pro-life, but was appalled that the Bill left “no room for empathy, reality or graciousness.”

Another Republican senator who voted no on the Bill, Sen. Sandy Senn, stated during her filibuster “The only thing that we can do when you all, you men in the chamber, metaphorically keep slapping women by raising abortion again and again and again, is for us to slap you back with our words.” We never thought we’d be cheering at a speech given by a Republican, but here we are.

Independent Sen. Mia McLeod also made a great point in her speech, detailing how unfortunate it is that women have to plead with men and discuss their intimate personal experiences just for them not vote yes on a life-destroying Bill. This speech came after the Senator shared her own experiences with sexual assault.

Sen. Katrina Frye Shealy, another Republican who voted ‘no’, called attention to the atrocious implications of a Bill like this. She stated, “Once a woman became pregnant for any reason, she would now become property of the state of South Carolina if the ‘Human Life Protection Act’ were [to] come into law.” Senator Shealy outlined an important aspect of the rise of anti-abortion legislation; bills such as the Human Life Protection Actare not truly about protecting life, but stripping people, particularly those with multiple marginalized identities, of their bodily autonomy.

On the bright side, the downfall of the Human Life Protection Act gives us some hope that Americans (even Republicans) are capable of coming together to prevent human suffering. We hope that these senators will continue to make informed, educated decisions that benefit the majority of Americans in the future.

Top photo by Ethan Gregory Dodge on Unsplash

Today, Republican legislators in Kansas have imposed the most comprehensive transgender bathroom law in the entire country. The House vote was won 84-40, giving supporters the two-thirds majority they needed to override Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto, which was an attempt to slow down the law because there was not not a clear idea of how it would be enforced. 

republicans: smaller government! more freedom!

also republicans: all children will be subjected to a genital inspection prior to using a public restroom!

— future ex mrs. malcolm (@califallingdown) April 27, 2023

“I’m just giddy,” said Republican House Speaker Dan Hawkins, who calls this policy “the icing on the cake” of conservative policy wins in 2023, according to the Associated Press. 

As it stands, the law doesn’t impose penalties or fines for violations, and several supporters of the bill recognized that they didn’t know how it would be implemented. It’s unclear if the law specifically says that someone has a right to sue over a trans person using the bathroom that aligns with their gender identity. 

The broadness of the law poses (at least) two issues– first, it’s basically unenforceable. Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson said he expects transgender people to still use the facilities associated with their gender identities if they are “discreet about it.” and that he expects the police would intervene only if there’s some kind of harassment. Without any specific definition of what the “crime” really is, District Attorney Marc Bennett says the elected prosecutor “would not have enforcement authority.” 

While this vagueness sounds like it could help the situation, it could also make things a lot worse. Because it was written so broadly, it could be applicable to many different situations, scenarios, and organizations. Gov. Kelly’s office told the Associated Press that this could prevent transgender women from participating in state programs for women, including for hunters and farmers. Opposers of the new law also believe that its vagueness will lead to even more harassment for transgender people. 

In addition to the bathroom regulation, the law also states that driver’s licenses and other government IDs cannot have a different gender identity than the sex markers that were assigned at birth. According to the Intersex Society of North America, one in every 100 babies are born intersex. There are several ways to be intersex, but in general it means your sex is not strictly female or male at birth, which could be due to either chromosome or genital variations. Even if 1% of Kansans were born intersex, that leaves nearly 30,000 people with no right way to abide by this new law, which will take effect in July.

Kansas joins at least eight other states that have created laws that prevent transgender people from using the bathroom associated with their gender identity. Most of these laws apply to school bathrooms, but, according to AP, this new Kansas law will apply to locker rooms, prisons, domestic violence shelters and rape crisis centers as well. 

For those saying that these “bathroom” laws protect women and children, they don’t. Republicans love to believe that trans women are trying to “trick” cis women, allowing them access in private spaces like bathrooms. All this does is put trans people in direct danger, especially trans women who, according to this law, will have to share a bathroom with cis men. Let’s be clear here, cis men have always harassed, assaulted, stalked and raped women, and they certainly have never needed a “disguise” to do so.

Want to give Representative Daniel Hawkins a piece of your mind? Here are his personal and professional phone numbers and email addresses.
 
Top photo: Oriel Frankie Ashcroft via Pexels

In the new book, Comrade Sisters, author Ericka Huggins recalls the women she served alongside as a member of the Black Panther Party in the ’60s and ’70s. In this excerpt, accompanied by riveting historical images shot by photographer Stephen Shames and quotes from women who were part of the moment, she captures the drive, optimism, and vision of a generation of activists that decided, “if the government wouldn’t take care of its people, we would do it ourselves”

Palo Alto, CA, 1972: Woman with a bag of food at the People’s Free Food Program, one of the Survival Programs

IN LATE 1966, two young men, Bobby Seale and Huey P. Newton, then students at Merritt College in Oakland, CA, discussed their concerns about the historic dismissal of the human rights of Black and oppressed people in the United States. Outraged by so many routine deaths caused by systems that furthered conditions of poverty for millions—limited healthcare, inadequate housing, food insecurity, police abuse, and over-incarceration—they agreed to form an organization to defend and redefine their communities. In October of that year, Seale and Newton conceived the Black Panther Party (BPP) for Self Defense—a group that would soon become a force for the social, political, economic, and spiritual uplift of Black and Indigenous people of color coast to coast.

Beginning with community police patrols and Free Breakfast for School Children programs, the BPP expanded out of Oakland to open offices in over 40 states in the U.S. Sixty Community Survival Programs sprung up in big cities and rural towns across the country. Their goal was to meet basic human needs—to provide land, bread, housing, education, clothing, justice, and peace (namely by opposing the Vietnam War).

We were young and we were united in the belief that if the government wouldn’t take care of its people, we would do it ourselves.

By 1969, women accounted for more than half of all Black Panther membership. Women from every state in the U.S.—and from across the world—were drawn to the possibility of a transformative movement for freedom. They were mothers, sisters, aunties, cooks, house cleaners, churchgoers, students, teachers, artists, factory and retail workers, poets, dancers, writers, and musicians—and I was among them. We were young and we were united in the belief that if the government wouldn’t take care of its people, we would do it ourselves. We would serve the people, body and soul.

The women of the Black Panther Party are not special in some way that separates them from others. They are simply women who decided that there had to be “a way out of no way” for Black and poor people. Given the opportunity to step forward and give, they spoke up and grew their innate skills to create brilliant models for community leadership.

They were motivated by love, and this love was demonstrated through their work in what became known as Community Survival Programs. The Free Breakfast for School Children Programs spread across the country, feeding children in recreation centers and church basements every morning before school for many years. Recognizing the needs of their community, women led the BPP to create People’s Free Medical Clinics, which offered family healthcare and sickle cell anemia testing. This led to the idea for a Free Ambulance Program. This initiative was created to make sure that people without money or proof of insurance received emergency transportation to the nearest hospital. Because in some cities, people were being left to die after having been refused ambulance service. At the Winston-Salem, NC, chapter of the BPP, volunteers were trained and licensed as Emergency Medical Technicians to staff the van of the Free Ambulance Program and provide this lifesaving service.

How did the party know what to offer? People spoke and we listened. We created free clinics, community food programs, activities for seniors and teens, a Bussing to Prison initiative so people could visit incarcerated family members, alternative “liberation” schools, after-school programs, and childcare centers. Every Community Survival Program was fully replicable in locations and cultures around the world.

We also created the Intercommunal Youth Institute, which was open to sons and daughters of members of the BPP and a few families from the neighborhood. When the community pleaded with us to open the school to all families with children, we listened, and created a model elementary school, The Oakland Community School (OCS). It opened its doors in the 1973-74 school year and remained open until 1982. It was community based, tuition free, child centered, and parent friendly. We served three meals a day and took care of every child’s health needs through an arrangement with the Oakland Children’s Hospital. The OCS motto was “the world is a child’s classroom,” and we were dedicated to helping children learn how, not what, to think.

We owe a shout of gratitude to these women who have been unknown and unsung for so many years. As you reflect on the beauty and the messages in each of these photographs, and personal recollections, I encourage you to hold in your hearts the experiences of each of these women, told in their own words.

Oakland, CA, 1972: The author laughs with comrades after the Black Community Survival Conference. She served in the Los Angeles, New Haven, and Oakland offices of the party

7 Women Recall What It Was Like to Be Part of the Black Panthers

“Hey, Panther Girl, Hey, Panther Girl!”

“When Martin Luther King, Jr. was killed in April 1968, I was a senior at Sacramento High. A palpable wave went through the Black students that day and many of us committed to the Party right then.

I was assigned to the Oakland BPP Community Center and occasionally worked at Central Headquarters, which was down the street. I also worked weekly at The Black Panther newspaper distribution office in San Francisco. At the West Oakland Community Center, we were a hub of neighborhood activity with lots of daily visitors—local, national, international—and lots of children. People in the community, neighbors, comrades, and our children: we were all a big family. Despite all we were going through, I felt loved and safe. Walking through the projects on my way to the laundromat (we had a free clothing program), I could hear people yell out from their windows and doors, ‘Hey, panther girl, hey, panther girl!’ I couldn’t see them, but they were watching out for us.” -Gloria Abernathy, Sacramento, Richmond, Oakland, and Berkeley Chapters, CA/the BPP Central HQ in West Oakland and East Oakland

Why Are My Cousins Always Going To Jail?

“I joined the party because the men in my family, who were serving this country in the armed services, came back and were arrested and always in and out of jail. I asked my grandmother: “Why are my cousins always going to jail?” They didn’t do anything. I loved my cousins. I looked up to them. They were the older men in the family. When I read the BPP newspaper and noticed that what I saw in TV interviews with Huey and Bobby mirrored the reality of the men in my family, it made me feel, there is a connection here. I can do something about this. I wanted to join the Black Panther Party. My grandmother preached that we should serve the people, and so I did.” -Katherine Campbell, San Francisco and Oakland Chapters, CA

Oakland, CA, 1973: Adrienne Humphrey testing for sickle cell anemia during Seale’s campaign for mayor of Oakland

Giving Your All To A Greater Good 

“I was born in Bishopville, South Carolina. My earliest memory in life was sitting at the end of a cotton row, while my daddy and mama picked that row. Daddy moved us to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, when I was around 17 years old. That’s when I met a brother who told me about the Black Panther Party. I started going to political education classes. I learned what it meant to be willing to give your all to a greater good.

In the Winston-Salem Chapter, the most popular Survival Program was the Free Ambulance Program. We started it because, as we evolved out of segregation in the city, they closed the Black hospital. When they closed the hospital, people couldn’t get to the hospital way out on the other side of town. People literally died. The Party recognized what was wrong and addressed that wrong. We were willing to put our shoulders to the wheel to show our people that we can do things ourselves, without the system.” -Hazel M. Mack, Winston-Salem Chapter, NC

Oakland, CA, 1972: Gloria Abernathy registers people to vote during Bobby Seale’s campaign for Mayor of Oakland

 I Can Make A Difference In This World

“The day that Martin Luther King was killed, they called all the students into the auditorium, and we noticed that the few white children at our school were leaving, but we didn’t know that Martin Luther King had died. After the white children went home with their parents, they let us out. We were met by riot police with two-by-fours. They marched us back to the Haight and Filmore. If anybody stepped off the sidewalk, they got hit with a two-by-four.

I knew that day that I would be working for change in some capacity. I was only 13, but I knew that something was going to be different for me. Years later, I joined the BPP. I was 21. We worked 20 hours a day, and my focus was always on the Oakland Community School, from 1975–1982. [I remember] there was a little girl who we thought had hearing loss. I knew this child was not interacting with the other children. She seemed to float around the room as if things were going on around her, and not with her. I took her to the Children’s Hospital in Oakland for an exam, and found out that her ears overproduced wax. She said to me after the day they cleaned her ears, “I can hear, I can hear now!” It brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it. Once she could hear—oh boy, she was Miss It of that classroom. She was running things.

These experiences made me aware that I can make a difference in this world. I have spent the rest of my life trying to make that difference.” -Pamela Ward-Pious, Oakland Chapter, CA

Oakland, CA, 1972: Black Panther children in a classroom with their teacher, Evon Carter, widow of Alprentice “Bunchy” Carter, at the Intercommunal Youth Institute, the Black Panther school 

This Country Ain’t All It’s Cracked Up To Be

 “What drew me to the party was the raid on the [Black Panther Party] office in Los Angeles, December 1969. Al (Alprentice “Bunchy” Carter) and I had been married. I’d been resistant to the idea of becoming a member. I was a student at Cal State LA, I had my little boy, and we were just like the song say, movin’ on up.

After the SWAT raid, when they beat Al so bad and put him in jail, that got my attention. I understood what Al was trying to explain to me: This country ain’t all it’s cracked up to be. I helped out at the bombed-out, beat up office. I was majoring in physical education and minoring in math. Soon, I became the coordinator of the Alprentice “Bunchy” Carter People’s Free Medical Clinic at 3223 South Central Avenue.

You know, it’s not always about money. You want to make sure that you’re paid your value—don’t undersell yourself—but know that service is important. Sometimes you don’t have money to give, but maybe you have some time and some talent. We got to live together. We got to help each other if we’re going to make it through this.” -Norma Armour Mtume, Los Angeles and Oakland Chapters, CA

Oakland, CA, 1973: Norma Marmour Mtume from the George Jackson People’s Free Health Clinic cadre attends to a young girl during the Bobby Seale for Mayor campaign

We Were All So Young

“I had many roles in the Party. I enjoyed being a typist for The Black Panther newspaper, and I was the first female Party photographer. Working at the school was really a highlight. At their former schools, the children from the community were considered “bad.” At our school, the children were considered as smart, with potential. I was reminded that their behavior changed because we really cared.

I’ll never forget the 10,000-bag food giveaway. I had no concept of how it would happen, of what 10,000 of anything looked like. When I think about it today—that we gave out 10,000 bags, with chickens in every bag! —that memory brings me so much joy. The thing is, we were all so young. We were a youth organization.

Young women today, you need to understand your history. Get your education but also make room for self-care. Joy comes with having family, friends, and connections in your community. You can’t do everything by yourself. You need others to live a healthy life.” -Lauryn Williams Jackson, San Francisco and Oakland Chapters, CA/Queens Chapter, NY

Oakland, CA, 1969: Angela Davis speaks at a Free Huey rally in DeFremery Park. In 1969 she had been a member of the BPP for one year and has remained a lifelong friend of the party

If We’re On This Earth, We Are Here to Serve

“One of my most memorable experiences is the Free Breakfast for School Children Program. No question. I mean—the whole idea of it! When our captain would pick us up, it was still before dawn. When we got into that van, I remember that the sky was doing that beautiful thing it does, before nighttime turns to daylight. I remember the way those children looked at me and all of us Panthers who fed them. It was love. I will never, ever, ever forget that.

Recently it occurred to me what givers we were; how spiritual it was for us to get up in the early morning to feed children. Nobody paid us. If we’re on this Earth, we are here to serve. I don’t think that we were sent here randomly.” -Regina Jennings, Philadelphia Chapter, PA/Oakland Chapter, CA

Top image caption: Oakland, CA, 1972: Testing for sickle cell anemia at the Community Survival Conference, photographed by Stephen Shames

Comrade Sisters by Ericka Huggins and Stephen Shames is published by ACC Art Books UK and can be purchased through bookshop.org.
All images courtesy of Steven Kasher Gallery.

In a release from the Governor’s office late Thursday night, it was announced that Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill that would ban abortions after 6 weeks of pregnancy in the state of Florida. The bill also enforces limitations on the ability of the medical abortion drug mifepristone, banning doctors from prescribing the pill via telehealth. This means patients will only be able to obtain mifepristone from a physician. The bill does create exemptions for incest, sexual assault, and/or human trafficking, stating that abortion will be granted in these cases, given that proper documentation (such as a police report or restraining order) is obtained. Many are calling for federal intervention to stop the legislature, as it will have a drastic effect on reproductive rights not only in the state of Florida, but potentially for the surrounding states of Florida as well.

The bill can not be imposed as law until the state of Florida resolves its legal battles  regarding their current reproductive restrictions. Last year, DeSantis signed House Bill 5, which banned abortions in the state of Florida after a period of 15 weeks. The case went to the Supreme Court, and they chose to uphold the ban. Many Floridians noted that this was an infringement on their constitutional rights, and Planned Parenthood has sued the Florida legislature in state court as an attempt to overturn the law, which still remains in effect. This means that Florida’s Supreme Court will have to deny all the legal challenges on DeSantis’ previously passed House Bill 5 before enacting this new, more extreme law.

If passed, however, it would make Florida one of the most restrictive states for abortion access in the country. Unfortunately, that’s a very likely possibility considering the scope of  DeSantis’ Republican influence. Florida has undergone massive changes to their political climate in recent years as a result of DeSantis’ leadership. He’s appointed 4 out of the 6 people on Florida’s Supreme Court, and is set to appoint a fifth. Not only that, but he’s got a hold on the Senate as well. When Chancellor Marshall Criser retired in 2022, he was replaced by Ray Rodrigues, one of DeSantis’ allies. Politico states, “DeSantis is using his political sway to recruit Republican Senate candidates to run who don’t have the backing of GOP Senate leadership. The goal is to build a coalition of GOP senators with more political loyalty to him than their own Senate Republican leadership, which has had an uneasy relationship with DeSantis over the past several months.” He’s also considering candidacy in the 2024 Presidential Election. Because of his self-serving nepotism, strict pro-life stances, and authoritarian behavior, a DeSantis presidency could potentially spell the end of reproductive rights in America. Esquire even claimed that DeSantis “provides a safe harbor for oppression in Florida [by exporting] bad policy across the country.”

The new bill will also greatly impact those in nearby states like Alabama, where strict anti-abortion legislation is already in place. Out of all the states in the region, Florida currently has the most lenient policies on pregnancy termination. Many people residing in neighboring states travel to Florida in order to obtain a procedure that would otherwise be unavailable to them locally. By the time you make the trip, you could be out of the legal gestation window, and many Republican state officials are working hard to make sure that out-of-state abortions become illegal.  

The main argument against this new legislation is that most individuals don’t realize that they’re pregnant until after 6 weeks, so unless you have proper documentation of a fetal abnormality, restraining order, or an immediate danger to the mother’s life, you might be under a legal obligation to carry the baby to term. Even then, an abortion isn’t always granted, which was the case for several women who successfully sued the state of Texas after they were denied the option to terminate their pregnancy, despite having documented medical reasons that urged them to do so. 

This has been brewing for some time. It was only a year ago that Roe v Wade was overturned, and it seems like every day since, there’s been a bombardment of anti-abortion legislation. And this isn’t the first time that DeSantis is leading the charge. 

The fight for abortion rights in a post-Roe America is only getting more and more dire. With new legislation being passed almost every day, we have to take immediate action against the infringement on our rights. Write to your local representatives, join protests, or start your own grassroots activist movement in an effort to preserve our reproductive rights, before we don’t have any left. 

Top Photo by Ethan Gregory Dodge on Unsplash

FDA approval of the popular abortion pill mifepristone is now at risk. A Trump-Appointed judge is responsible for the reversal of the approval of the drug, which was first greenlit by the FDA over 20 years ago in 2000. 

Used in combination with misoprostol to terminate a pregnancy, mifepristone is reported to be the most common method of abortion, with 51% of all pregnancy terminations occurring via pill. Republican US District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk decided to suspend approval of mifepristone and has given the US Government 7 days to appeal his decision. Conservatives are taking advantage of the legislative blurred lines brought about by the overturning of Roe V. Wade, which could severely impact access to reproductive care nationwide.  

The FDA approved mifepristone 23 years ago, and its reversal could be the most detrimental blow to abortion rights in the US yet. Kacsmaryk’s ban of mifepristone is on the basis of it being an unsafe drug, which isn’t true, given how several studies have shown mifepristone to be safer than drugs such as penicillin. This is also the first time we’ve seen a court order that an approved drug be removed from the market completely (over the objection of the FDA). This court case could also be consequential to the government’s ability to regulate other drugs. 

This isn’t the first time mifepristone has been in the news recently. Ever since the overturning of Roe V Wade in 2022, access to mifepristone has been a hot-button issue for anti-abortion lobbyists and pro-choice activists everywhere. 

On March 2, Walgreens announced it would halt distribution of mifepristone as a result of mounting pressure from Republican state officials and other right-leaning political figureheads. Activist groups have been threatening to take legal action against pharmacies like Walgreens that continue to distribute the drug by mail. Whether it’s by a strongly worded letter, or by picketing & protesting, the fight for abortion rights is getting hit from all sides.

So What Happens Now?

Unfortunately, it seems as though the future legality of mifepristone is up in the air right now. Though we should clarify, at this current moment as of the publication of this article, mifepristone is still legal in the United States outside of the 13 states where medication abortion has been banned. 

The FDA Could Appeal or Ignore The Ruling

Hours after Judge Kacsmaryk’s horrendous ruling, the FDA filed a notice of appeal to the US Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit. If the 5th Circuit (of the thirteen federal appellate courts) decides to not grant the appeal, the FDA could then immediately file another appeal to the SCOTUS. This would, in turn, block the ruling for as long as the appeal process takes IF the courts provide a stay.

The FDA could also, in theory, just ignore the ruling. Many Democrats and even one Republican, South Carolina Representative Nancy Mace, say that the FDA should do so. The potential problem with this is that Republicans could retaliate by defunding certain other FDA programs.

A Federal Stay Could Block the Ruling

Around the same time the FDA appealed this ruling, Attorney General Merrick Garland stated the government would request a stay to block the mifepristone ruling while the appeal is being debated in court. Unfortunately, both the appeal and the stay need to go into effect in order for the availability of mifepristone to remain as it is. If the courts agree to the appeal but don’t grant the stay, then mifepristone could be banned across the US as we await the final decision of the case.

Biden Could Use His Executive Powers To Override the Ruling

The Biden administration has already rushed to appeal the ruling that would ban Mifepristone, but lots of people, including us, think he should do more. Especially since he can. Many left-wing politicians and abortion supporters are calling on Biden to use his executive powers to protect the drugs’ availability before the case is heard by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. This would be a great idea, given that the court that will be hearing the case is conservative-leaning. However, the Biden administration has expressed concern at a move like this, as they fear it could hurt its position while the case moves through the appeals process. Basically, Biden has a lot of faith that a higher-up court will overturn this ruling, so he’s just trusting that. Great! *sarcasm*

A Washington State Judge’s Ruling Could Challenge The Decision

On the same day as Kacsmaryk’s ruling, Judge Thomas O. Rice from the United States District Court in the Eastern District of Washington was joined by 16 other attorneys general to challenge the FDA’s decision to restrict the prescription and dispensing of mifepristone through the Risk Evaluation and Mitigation System (REMS). Rice and co claim that the restrictions on the dispensing of the drug imposed by the FDA are unnecessary and only work to limit its availability. (And they’re right). The outcome of this case was a ruling that ordered the FDA to continue to allow Mifepristone to be available in the 17 states that were represented in this case.

The Case Could (And Probably Will) Go To The Supreme Court To Decide

Essentially, the FDA is facing two rulings that are basically asking them to do opposite things. This means it’s likely both rulings will be debated and settled in the Supreme Court. Given that SCOTUS ruled in favor of overturning Roe v. Wade in 2022, the likelihood that they’ll rule in support of the availability of mifepristone is not high. That being said, there’s always the possibility that certain SCOTUS judges take a day off from being supervillains

Can Misoprostol Work On Its Own?

For now, Kacsmaryk’s ruling does not affect the availability of misoprostol, or the availability of surgical abortions. 

As stated above, misoprostol is most often used in combination with mifepristone in order to terminate a pregnancy. Without mifepristone, someone seeking an abortion would just take a slightly higher dosage of misoprostol. Though, it should be stated that only taking one drug has proven to be slightly less effective in ending a pregnancy according to clinical trials. Misoprostol is not FDA-approved to terminate pregnancies on its own. In order for it to be used for an abortion, a doctor would have to prescribe it off-label.

You Can Get Pills Elsewhere

Aid Access is one organization that can provide patients with the abortion pills. Founded by a Dutch physician, the organization is Europe based but can send pills so any US state. The typical cost for the pills is 95 US dollars, but can be free if the patient is in need of financial help. This is a great resource to know about if mifepristone becomes totally banned in the US, as this organization will still have access to the medication (the pills for Aid Access aren’t manufactured in the US). That being said, patients would still be taking a risk by using the drug, as even though they could obtain it, many abortion bans prohibit the prescription and administration of the abortion pills.

So what does this mean for reproductive rights and access to pregnancy termination across the US? It means that Republicans, lobbyists, and anti-abortion groups will fight as hard as they can to take away our rights. We’re just going to have to fight even harder to keep them.

Top photo: Gayatri Malhotra on Unsplash

Today decorating your living room with floral wallpaper or wearing a daisy-printed dress might not scream “feminist statement.” But several hundred years ago, women’s fascination with flowers and, in turn, a desire for a flowery aesthetic, was not associated with dainty innocence, but instead showed evidence of a scientific mind.

In the 18th- and-19th centuries, one of the few branches of scientific study that was considered within the purview of “lady-like” pursuits was the study of botany. This led many women to become quite familiar with organic and botanical images, and also to become adept at their creation. It was only with the increasing codification of these “interests” into the hallowed halls of “science” that the walls came up—and women found themselves on the wrong side of knowledge.

The association between women and plants can be traced all the way back to the role of female healers in medieval and early-modern communities. The study and classification of plants was just part of the fabric of nature as a whole, which women were intimately familiar with.

Then, in 1735, Carl Linnaeus published his Systema Naturae, which presented an accessible way of naming and classifying plants, and helped bring the science of botany into prominence—particularly among women. “During the later 18th century, women had more culturally sanctioned access to botany than any other science: they collected plants, drew them, studied them, named them, taught their children about plants, and wrote popularizing books on botany. Botany came to be widely associated with women and was widely gender coded as feminine,” writes historian Ann B. Shteir in a 1997 journal published by the University of Chicago Press.

Such was women’s freedom within this discipline that several popular books were published during this time, written and illustrated by women. Elizabeth Blackwell melded the herbal tradition with artistic skill in A Curious Herbal (1737 to 1739), which featured 500 etched, engraved, and hand-colored illustrations of plants with descriptions and names in several languages, along with information about medical uses.

(Elizabeth Blackwell; public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

Image from Blackwell’s A Curious Herbal; Courtesy of British Library

In 1796, Priscilla Wakefield published Introduction to Botany, a text written specifically for women who wanted to take their scientific education seriously. 

(Priscilla Wakefield; public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

Image from Wakefield;s Introduction To Botany; public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

There were also many books aimed at women that provided instruction for drawing in nature. Far from botanical texts, these books instead showed how to create beautiful illustrations but left out the bothersome bits, like root systems, or endeavoring to explain any of the plant’s constituent parts. However, aesthetic and scientific pursuits inevitably collided. 

A growing interest in botanical exactitude began to overlap with fashion and, in the mid-18th century, you can see the flicker of scientific interest within the socially acceptable realm of a feminine pursuit: the flowery dress. According to Shteir, “The 1740s and 1750s saw a floral mania in rococo dress design in England, and some depictions of flowers were remarkably naturalistic.” One such designer was Anna Maria Garthwaite, who created hundreds of silk designs portraying flowers in realistic shapes and colors, many of which even showed the plants’ roots.

A 1746 painting depicting Mrs. Charles Willing wearing a dress woven with a pattern by Anna Maria Garthwaite; Robert Feke. Pubic domain, via Wikimedia Commons

But the permeation of women’s interest in botany didn’t stop with fashion. As naturalists went on excursions and gathered plants, artistic replicas of special specimens found their way into home decoration. Women recreated the nature they studied around them in wax, paper, and shells. They bought floral fabric designs, tile designs, and naturalistic wallpapers. And they began gardening. When a country ramble wasn’t an accessible pleasure, the garden at home could provide a private botanical world. Both represented a rare, sanctioned outlet for intellectual, scientific, and artistic development for women, and the enjoyment of flowers transcended class lines.

When a country ramble wasn’t an accessible pleasure, the garden at home could provide a private botanical world. Both represented a rare, sanctioned outlet for intellectual, scientific, and artistic development for women, and the enjoyment of flowers transcended class lines.

At the start of the Victorian era, however, there came a desire to “elevate” botanical science out of the realm of the armchair appreciator into the rigors of scientific pursuit, and women had to go.

“The professionalization of science in general, and of the natural sciences in particular, was part of an effort to exclude those without formal education and to elevate a scientific elite,” writes Linda Lear in Beatrix Potter: A Life in Nature, a biography about the beloved children’s author and dedicated naturalist. “Amateurs and those generalists without degrees or formal training, particularly women, were increasingly excluded from this new scientific dialogue.” This is especially galling when we remember that for the first half of the 19th century, women were barred from attending the universities that would grant them the degrees necessary to pursue sanctioned scientific work.

Nowhere can this deep bias be seen better than in the work and writing of John Lindley (1799 to 1865), the first professor of botany at London’s University College. In his first lecture, he vowed to “redeem” the study: “It has been very much the fashion in late years, in this country, to undervalue the importance of this science and to consider it an amusement for ladies rather than an occupation for the serious thoughts of man,” he said.

And Lindley wasn’t alone. A campaign of sorts began in Victorian England to de-feminize botany and make it a subject fit for serious men. Women were prohibited from joining professional societies, but they could still attend open public lectures—which they did, and frequently. One such lecture, “On the Study of Natural History” by Charles Kingsley in 1846, was intended to excite young men about the subject of botany. Kingsley was displeased with the mix in his audience, however.

As Beverly Seaton wrote in her book The Language of Flowers: A History, one of Kingsley’s contemporaries reported that, “When his botanical classes were infiltrated by women students, he was once heard to remark, ‘These good ladies quite spoilt my day—but what can you do? When they get to a certain age you must either treat them like duchesses or shoot them.’”

Portrait of Almira Lincoln Phelps; public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Plate from Phelps’ “Familiar Lectures on Botany;” Biodiversity Heritage Library

Despite growing negativity from the male scientific community toward female interference, women weren’t easily deterred. Almira Lincoln Phelps published her enormously popular book, Familiar Lectures on Botany, in 1829, emphasizing the science of plants. Most botany books for women, however, left the science behind. “The idea that women had to be taught botany in publications just for women was based on the notion that, since the female intellect was weak, women had to be approached from a different perspective than male students,” writes Seaton.

In these popular books, little bits of botany were sandwiched in among the more genteel aspects of flower study. “Flowers were seen as the most suitable aspect of nature to represent women,” Seaton explains, “reflecting as they do certain stereotypical qualities of the female being: smallness of stature, fragility of mind and body, and impermanence of beauty.”

“Flowers were seen as the most suitable aspect of nature to represent women,” Seaton explains, “reflecting as they do certain stereotypical qualities of the female being: smallness of stature, fragility of mind and body, and impermanence of beauty.”

But women never stopped pushing for inclusion into botanical study, and toward the end of the 19th century, the scientific education of girls became a higher national and social priority. Some women studied for university-level local examinations and, in 1896, the first women gardeners—Annie M Gulvin and Alice Hutchins—were hired at Kew, London’s Royal Botanic Gardens and one of the largest botanical collections in the world.

Alice Hutchins, far right, with two other female gardeners at Kew, 1898; copyright RBG KEW

Though they were “compelled to labor in brown knickerbockers, woollen stockings, waistcoat, jacket, and peaked cap, a costume guaranteed not to distract their male colleagues,” wrote Lear. The Linnean Society of London, exclusively male since its founding in1788, finally, in 1904, allowed women—albeit reluctantly—to become members.

Today, the association of flowers and women is seen as something of a cliché, but the origins of the connection of women with herbal healing, botanical study, and artistic expression within the strict confines of Victorian culture speaks to feminine celebration, not an externally imposed doctrine of girlishness. And the fact that women had to fight so hard to be included in the serious study of what was once their sole domain is nothing short of revolutionary. So perhaps, the next time you don a flowered dress, you might consider it a symbol of feminist power. All the better if it shows roots systems and articulated Linnaean structures.

Plant Pioneers: 4 Women to Know

Badass botanists and groundbreaking gardeners—here are a few names we’d nominate for the horticultural hall of fame.

Maxi’diwiac; Gilbert Livingstone Wilson, public domain via Wikimedia Commons

Maxi’diwiac

Also known as Buffalo Bird Woman, Maxi’diwiac was a Hidatsa woman in North Dakota whose extensive gardening knowledge was immortalized in the 1917 book Buffalo Bird Woman’s Garden. It details her tribe’s growth of everything from squash to sunflowers and includes many methods still in use today.

Gertrude Jekyll; William Nicholson, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Gertrude Jekyll

British horticulturist Gertrude Jekyll was a trailblazing garden designer, bringing more than 400 gardens to life before her death in 1932, including some that can still be visited today. Her influence set the standard for the English-style garden, her artistic attention to color and texture was revered, and when planting, she was even known to fire seeds from a shotgun.

Isabella Abbott; public domain, via NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries

Isabella Abbott

 We don’t often think of plant life as thriving underwater, but marine botany is a whole thing, and Isabella Abbott (1919 to 2010), the first native Hawaiian woman to receive a PhD in science, was one of its stars. She was a top world expert on Hawaiian seaweed and Pacific algae, and ocean stewardship was a pillar of her work.

Tanisha Williams; Bucknell University

Tanisha Williams

A postdoctoral fellow in botany at Pennsylvania’s Bucknell University, Dr. Tanisha Williams is a plant ecologist and botanist with a special interest in conserving biodiversity. In 2020 she started #BlackBotanistsWeek, an online initiative to bring joy and representation to the botanical fields.

This article originally appeared in the Spring 2023 print edition of BUST Magazine. Subscribe today!

Top Illustration:  Henriëtte Geertruida Knip, 1820; public domain via Unsplash

Judge Janet Protasiewicz was elected as the newest Wisconsin state Supreme Court Justice on Wednesday, April 4, an election that placed the state at hands of making a crucial swing seat. 

This landslide win ends the 15 years of control that conservatives have had in the Supreme Court, which simultaneously comes with looming anti-abortion laws. Judge Protasiewicz is also expected to challenge Wisconsin’s electoral maps, which would ideally lead to the states’ boundaries being redrawn to accurately reflect the changing population. The election has also been one of the nation’s most expensive elections for a new Supreme Court Justice. Protasiewicz’s 10-year term has resulted in a liberal majority within the Supreme Court. 

With 55.5% of the vote, Judge Protasiewicz celebrated her victorious change in history by strutting into the room with Lizzo’s hit single, ‘About Damn Time,’ playing on the speakers. Chairman of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, Ben Wikler, tweeted, “The moment Janet Protasiewicz walked in to declare victory — trailed by the rest of the new Wisconsin Supreme Court majority,” attaching a candid video of Protasiewicz entering the room (with Lizzo there in spirit). 

The moment Janet Protasiewicz walked in to declare victory — trailed by the rest of the new Wisconsin Supreme Court majority pic.twitter.com/oyAvBo4sNT

— Ben Wikler (@benwikler) April 5, 2023

The candid video has reached 872k views and 16.8k likes, and the numbers continue to increase (probably because we can’t stop watching it). Wikler’s comment section is also filled with supporters. One user commented “Janet celebrating with music by @lizzo because this victory in Wisconsin is pure joy just like her.” Another user retweeted with “Good morning, friends! Democrats are still celebrating to Lizzo’s “About Damn Time”. Republicans are mourning to “Tears of a Clown.” 

Janet celebrating with music by @lizzo because this victory in Wisconsin is pure joy just like her. https://t.co/XVZPQt0KpA

— Mary Cathryn Ricker (@mcricker) April 5, 2023

Good morning, friends! Wisconsin Democrats are still celebrating to Lizzo’s “About Damn Time”. Republicans are mourning to “Tears of a Clown”. ? https://t.co/Gw6d0jA5eT

— Kate ??‍ (@Kate_Retired) April 5, 2023

Wikler’s post also received a retweet from a candle company, That Gay Guy Candle Co., who commented on their own post of candles in honor of Judge Protasiewicz and her liberal Supreme Court colleagues with the caption “Women get shit done. Watch out, Wisconsin Supreme Court.” We bet these candles smell like victory. 

https://t.co/oK03oRjOpj

— That Gay Guy Candle Co. (@gayguycandleco) April 5, 2023

Judge Protasiewicz liberal win has changed the history of the United States, and in the wise words of Lizzo, it’s about damn time.

Top photo: From official campaign website of Janet Protasiewicz

Today, April 4, is the Wisconsin Supreme Court Election, one of the most important and consequential elections of the year. Conservative supreme court Justice Patience Roggensack has retired, leaving an opening and an opportunity. The supreme court seat will either go to liberal candidate Janet Protasiewicz or conservative candidate Daniel Kelly. With the right turnout, the 4-seats-to-three conservative stronghold can be flipped, turning the court into a liberal majority and dismantling a decade-long republication citadel. 

@asgoeswisconsin Lets do this #wisconsin ♬ original sound – As Goes Wisconsin

This is astronomically important, not just for Wisconsin, but for the entire United States. Alongside the huge topic of abortion rights, another important issue is the state of Wisconsins districting maps (read: incredibly gerrymandered) and liberal candidate Janet Protasiewicz wants to revisit those maps, and ideally start redrawing boundaries. 

Every ten years, after the census is completed, legislative and congressional district maps are updated to reflect the changing population. This was originally meant to give an exact portrait, a miniature, of the population, ensuring every person can vote for fair representation locally, statewide, and for federal representation.

However, since there were maps to manipulate, lawmakers have been manipulating them, distorting regional boundaries to ensure they, or people in their party, have the best chance of being elected, this is called gerrymandering. The current Wisconsin congressional district maps were drawn by conservatives, and if unchanged, will give them an upper hand for a decade. 

Protasiewicz has been vocal with her beliefs that the election maps are rigged in favor of conservatives, and that democracy is on the line. With new maps comes new districts that could not only change the face of Wisconsins future, but could indeed flip the US House of Representatives, where republicans only have a nine-seat lead over democrats. 

Theres no point in pretending these Wisconsin supreme court candidates are truly nonpartisan. This is genuinely a liberal vs conservative election, and if liberal candidate Janet Protasiewicz beats conservative candidate Daniel Kelly, the Wisconsin supreme court will be liberal for at least two years. Backed by democratic Governor Tony Evers, Wisconsins future could look bright for the first time in a long time. 

The State of Wisconsin

Wisconsin is one of 14 states that have 10-year terms for their supreme court justices. When controversial and conservative governor Scott Walker was elected in 2010, he started a conservative cascade that made Wisconsin a more unjust, more divided, and a worse place to live. He is best known for passing Act 10, which ended collective bargaining, the act of negotiating contracts for things like pay, benefits, sick leave, safety policies and more, for public-sector workers, notably teachers. Wisconsin was actually the first state to recognize collective bargaining for public workers, an ethos that was dissolved by Walkers Act 10 and anti-union sentiment. 

Other conservative laws he passed worked to suppress voters, limit abortion rights, and redistricting (in 2011, before the most recent census), to keep Wisconsin voters under his thumb. During his time in office, he appointed Rebecca Bradley and Daniel Kelly as supreme court judges. Yes, the same Daniel Kelly who is running for a seat today has already served on the states supreme court. Both judges are conservative, and have played their parts to prevent important legislation being passed, including emergency stay-at-home COVID-19 safety measures back in 2020. 

Since 2019, Wisconsin has been governed by democrat Tony Evers. However, due to the conservative stronghold in the state supreme court, he has been limited in what changes he could make for the state, especially in the wake of the overturn of Roe v Wade last summer.

Abortion Rights in Wisconsin

Since the untimely demise of Roe v. Wade, Wisconsin leaders have effectively banned abortion in the state, citing an 1849 law that took effect once federal safeguards were no longer protecting citizens. The archaic law states it is a felony to perform an abortion at any stage of pregnancy unless it’s done to save a pregnant person’s life, without exception for rape or incest.

The archaic law has left the state in a standstill. There are no more abortion providers in the state, since the near total-ban took effect. Abortion seekers have to either find the money and time to go out of state for an abortion, or follow through on their pregnancy, which could lead to life-changing and disastrous results.

However, in 2022 Wisconsin democrats filed a lawsuit that challenges the 1849 abortion ban. According to WPR, the old law will be argued at the circuit court level in May and could go to the state court within months. That means, with the right judge (Protasiewicz) in the supreme court, Wisconsin could once again safely provide healthcare procedures to abortion seekers. 

What Else is on the Ballot? 

Alongside local and regional circuit judge elections, there will also be three referendums on the ballot. The first asks Shall section 8 (2) of article I of the constitution be amended to allow a court to impose on an accused person being released before conviction conditions that are designed to protect the community from serious harm? Essentially, this is changing the language in the already-existing legislature from serious bodily harm, to serious harm which is a wider term that would result in stricter bail conditions. Voting yes means you want this amendment written into the state constitution. 

The second asks Cash bail before conviction. Shall section 8 (2) of article I of the constitution be amended to allow a court to impose cash bail on a person accused of a violent crime based on the totality of the circumstances, including the accuseds previous convictions for a violent crime, the probability that the accused will fail to appear, the need to protect the community from serious harm and prevent witness intimidation, and potential affirmative defenses? Again, this is calling for stricter bail measures, meaning the jails will only be flooded with more pretrial detainees who cannot afford bail. Voting yes means you want this amendment written into the state constitution. 

The third referendum asks Shall able-bodied, childless adults be required to look for work in order to receive taxpayer-funded welfare benefits? This is already in play, as state laws require many recipients of unemployment benefits or food stamp benefits to be actively looking for work. This referendum was touted as a Republican ploy to get more red voters to the ballot. It is just a public weigh in on existing policy. Voting yes means you agree the law should stay the same and that people without disabilities and children should have to look for work to get welfare assistance.

In Milwaukee County there is an abortion referendum question that asks Should Wisconsin Statute 940.04, which bans abortion at any stage of pregnancy without exception for rape, incest, or health of the patient, be repealed to allow legal access to abortion care? While this poll is non-binding, it opens the possibility of making Milwaukee an abortion safe-haven for the state. Voting yes means you want the strict abortion statues to be repealed. 

For more clarity about the referendums and what they could mean, check out this article from WUWM 89.7 (Milwaukees NPR station) to learn more. 

Get Out and Vote

Liberal judge Janet Protasiewicz absolutely killed it in the primary election, garnering almost more votes than all three of her competitors combined. These numbers are incredibly hopeful, and with enough people headed to the polls to elect Protasiewicz, Wisconsinites can finally start working toward a better future. 

Top photo: from the official website of Janet Protasiewicz via Facebook

Florida has been raising eyebrows across the country as a result of a new proposed bill that would change the state’s health education for good. While the state crusades through various bill propositions on gender, sexuality, and diversity, this latest legislation would ban menstrual discussion and other sexuality topics in elementary schools.

The Florida House held a subcommittee hearing on Wednesday, March 15 in which Republican Rep. Stan McClain sponsored House Bill 1069, which could end up restricting girls from discussing the subject of menstrual cycles before the sixth grade. 

While the bill doesn’t specifically institute a ban against discussions of menstruation, it does put a limit on public elementary school education that discusses sexuality, sexually transmitted diseases, and other health topics, stating that “such instruction may only occur in grades 6 through 12.” 

Democratic Rep. Ashley Gantt was not afraid to question the logic behind McClain’s bill. “Does the bill prohibit conversations about menstrual cycles?” questioned Gantt, noting to the Republican Rep. that young girls can begin their first period before grade six. “So if little girls experience their menstrual cycle in fifth grade or fourth grade, would that prohibit conversations from them since they are in a grade lower than sixth grade?” McClain responded with a mere, “It would,” confirming the bill’s ability to ban period talk. 

On average, girls experience their first period around the ages of 10 to 15, the average age being 11, however girls may experience an earlier start at age 8 or 9. This large range of ages is a key concept as to why young girls need instruction that teaches them about their growing bodies, and it’s sparking a lot of concerns about how students will be able to be prepared for the maturing stages of their bodies. 

This is only a glimpse into the bill. McClain also is looking to revise provisions “relating to objections of certain material,” according to the legislation. This means that parents and community members can object to educational material and challenge the material if they find it to be inappropriate. 

Florida has been no stranger to setting rules on menstrual cycles in the education system. In October 2022, Florida schools began to request that all female student-athletes had to track and report their menstrual cycles through a third-party digital platform, which includes a form labeled “female athletes only”. Their reasoning? Knowledge of their female students’ cycles is apparently necessary in order to allow them to participate in school sports. This raised a lot of red flags and controversy for these female athletes who felt it was an invasion of privacy from the education system. 

Judy Blume, famed author of the coming-of-age novel Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, has joined those criticizing the ban on Twitter. Blume responded with a cheeky, “Sorry, Margaret” referencing her well-respected novel that, since its 1970 publication, has been used to help growing readers in exploring topics such as puberty—and, in particular, menstruation. 

Sorry, Margaret. https://t.co/7rHSy3yxu2

— Judy Blume (@judyblume) March 18, 2023

Blume’s tweet has been receiving a growing amount of likes and retweets, and commenters are not afraid to join her in her comments. Political commentator and columnist, Fred Menachem, responded to the author, “Judy Blume normalized puberty & helped us through it when no one else would. We evolve & now they want to ban a convo about biology?” He continued to call out DeSantis saying that this bill is not a political conversation, “it’s all about power & men controlling the narrative for women, right @GovRonDesantis?”

Judy Blume normalized puberty & helped us through it when no one else would. We evolve & now they want to ban a convo about biology?

Don’t be fooled, this is not about politics, it’s all about power & men controlling the narrative for women, right @GovRonDeSantis?

— Fred Menachem (@FredMenachem) March 20, 2023

Another response added on to Blume’s joke, saying “‘Are you there, God? It’s me, Margaret.’ ‘Hi Margaret. God here. First, I’m legally required to ask…do you reside in Florida? And if so, are you 12 or older?’” This one made us laugh. 

“Are you there, God? It’s me, Margaret.”

“Hi, Margaret. God here. First, I’m legally required to ask…do you reside in Florida? And if so, are you 12 or older?”

— TJ O’Brien (@yesthattjobrien) March 20, 2023

The confirmation from McClain that HB 1069 would ban period talk is provoking controversy in the country. McClain stated he could tweak some of the wording in the bill, however the GOP-backed bill was cleared with a 13-5 vote as is. The bill is waiting to be approved by one more committee until it can reach the House floor, so it is only a matter of time until Florida’s health education starts to go down a path that will prevent young students from learning about their bodies in an open environment.

Top photo: Courtesy from CDC on Unsplash

As more and more anti-trans and anti-LGBTQ legislation keeps popping up this year, one senator out of Nebraska has given us hope that there are still some US politicians fighting for justice and equity. 

Last week, senator Machaela Cavanaugh stated her opinion about an anti-trans bill being floated in her state in the starkest terms possible. “If this legislature collectively decides that legislating hate against children is our priority, then I am going to make it painful – painful for everyone.” 

NE State Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh (D-Omaha) prepares to filibuster every bill on the legislative agenda unless Republicans pull their anti-trans bill.

“If people are like, ‘Is she threatening us?,’ let me clear: Yes, I am. I am threatening you.” pic.twitter.com/ccOeCJoGGa

— Heartland Signal (@HeartlandSignal) February 24, 2023

The Bill in question would keep any Nebraskan resident under the age of 19 from receiving gender-affirming care, and Senator Cavanaugh has embarked on a three-week filibuster in order to block it.

A filibuster is an action often used by congress to delay a vote on a bill. In order for a vote to happen, a bill has to be out of the debate stage, so a filibuster is a way to keep the bill in the debate stage indefinitely. Members of congress will talk for hours on end so no official vote can happen. Basically, it’s a way to block legislation by talking forever. Many times, members of congress have utilized filibusters to simply get out of doing their jobs, or have used the filibuster to stop the progress of social justice legislation, (especially during the civil rights era) so, it’s cool to see a congress person use this tool in favor of social justice. 

The Nebraska senate allows for 8 hours of debate each day while congress is in session. For those 8 hours over the past three weeks, Cavanaugh would filibuster. No bathroom breaks allowed.

Throughout her filibuster, Cavanaugh has discussed everything from the plot of the Dreamworks’ movie Madagascar, to her favorite kind of Girl Scout cookies. She even continued filibustering throughout a case of strep throat. 

Cavanaugh only recently agreed to momentarily stop filibustering, as Speaker John Arch has agreed to bring the Bill to the floor for an official debate. The debate is scheduled for next week.

On her 3-week-long filibuster and the subsequent debate of the Bill, Cavanaugh stated, “If we’re gonna save lives of trans kids, it’s worth it. 100% it’s worth it. I think it’s time to move forward with the session, I think it’s time to debate the actual bill and show the people of Nebraska that we will not legislate hate and move forward and actually get to the business of the state.”

“I will burn the session to the ground over this Bill,” she said.

Cavanaugh even earned a mention from Kal Penn on The Daily Show, as he started off his Headlines segment with, “Inspiring news out of Nebraska–yeah, how often do we get to say that.” 

This Nebraska lawmaker is all talk (in a good way) when it comes to blocking anti-trans legislation. @kalpenn pic.twitter.com/JrL65RY0K7

— The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) March 17, 2023

Senator Cavanaugh is a shining example of the kind of allyship trans individuals need in the US government right now. Her actions are giving us hope that more like her will come out of the woodwork.

Top photo: Screen grab from @HeartlandSignal on Twitter from Nebraska Public Media

The battle for access to safe abortions continues, which progressed into a hearing held in Texas this past Wednesday that would determine a nationwide overturn of the FDA-approved abortion medication, mifepristone. Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, appointed by former President Donald Trump, stood before each party ruling over the case brought by anti-abortion extremists wanting a ban against the use of the abortion pill. 

Mifepristone is one of the two abortion medications used in over half of all abortions across the nation, and has been of use for over 20 years. Wednesday’s case was brought forward by anti-abortion organization, Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, with a goal to overturn the Food and Drug Administration approval of the drug, arguing that the federal agency had misused its authorities in order to approve the drug, including using an accelerated approval program – the same program used by the FDA to expedite important medications for serious health conditions such as HIV drugs and cancer medications.

Kacsmaryk listened and took into consideration the arguments made by both the plaintiff and defendants side in the case Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDA, but those who sat in the courtroom noticed the judge appearing to be sympathetic to the anti-abortion group’s attorneys.

Caroline Kitchener, who was present in the courtroom, tweeted about the judge favoring a preliminary injunction to revoke the use of the pill, and “asked for guidance on whether his court could order the FDA to withdraw approval. Wow.” – “wow” is the perfect word. 

Just got out of the Amarillo courthouse: Kacsmaryk appeared to seriously entertain claims that mifepristone is unsafe — and asked plaintiffs for guidance on whether his court could order the FDA to withdraw approval. Wow.

Story with @PerryStein @amarimow https://t.co/OrUn3Ya4TL

— Caroline Kitchener (@CAKitchener) March 15, 2023

The four-hour hearing was finalized with the judge stating that the decision to revoke the use of mifepristone will come “as soon as possible,” lacking to provide a timeline as to when the decision that will establish the future of the key abortion pill will be released.

The anti-abortion group has made a crucial effect in the access to safe abortion healthcare. They are associated with the lawsuit that led to the overturn of Roe v. Wade, and, in addition to the already confusing anti-abortion laws in Texas, have further threatened abortion specialists and providers with losing medical licenses, being sued, and prison sentences. Earlier this month, Walgreens began to refuse distribution of mifepristone across 20 states due to the high-pressure of the extremist anti-abortion groups. 

An overturn of the usage of the abortion pill will only further hinder access to safe abortion in not only the states with abortion bans or restrictions, but the whole nation. Mifepristone has had hundreds of studies conducted to determine its safeness – it is highly safe.

Those against the goal of the alliance have taken to Twitter, including pro-abortion advocacy organizations like ACLU, to express their frustration with the concept of a proven to be safe drug being taken off the market after years of usage. 

Mifepristone is:
safe and effective
used by millions
supported by over 20 years of data

There’s zero justification for removing this medication from the market that isn’t political.

This case should’ve been laughed out of court.https://t.co/6jNHroITQD

— ACLU (@ACLU) March 15, 2023

Since the hearing has ended, Kitchener has also taken to Twitter to announce the news that two abortion clinics, Trust Women and Whole Women’s Health, will not halt their use of the abortion pill regardless of the decision Judge Kacsmaryk makes – not until the FDA makes a final decision. 

NEWS: In the last 24 hours, at least two abortion clinics/networks (Trust Women + Whole Womans Health) have announced that they will NOT immediately stop prescribing mifepristone if the judge rules to suspend or withdraw FDA approval. They will await a directive from the FDA.

— Caroline Kitchener (@CAKitchener) March 16, 2023

As the campaign for safe abortions continues on, the U.S. is heading towards a national health crisis. From initially and mainly affecting people in certain states, especially those child-bearing, the fight to maintain mifepristone as a safe-to-use abortion drug is becoming alarming to everyone. While many are expecting that Kacsmaryk’s encouraging attitude towards anti-abortion extremists is a foreshadow of a ban against the pill, we are placed under uncertainty until a decision is released. 

Photo, top: By Gayatri Malhotra on Unsplash

Vice President Kamala Harris was a guest on Wednesday’s The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and she did not hold back her thoughts on the anti-abortion legislation that has plagued our country since the fall of Roe v. Wade last summer. 

“I think it’s the height of irresponsibility, and is in many cases inhumane, what has been happening in states across our country,” said Harris. “States are passing laws that criminalize our health care providers, literally calling for jail time for doctors and nurses who provide reproductive healthcare.”

And these are not empty threats, more and more anti-abortion bills are targeting doctors and healthcare providers. 

Almost nine months since the fall of Roe, nearly half of the United States have banned, or are likely to ban, abortion practices, according to findings at the Guttmacher Institute. Twelve states are cruelly enforcing a near-total ban on abortion, often without any exception for cases of rape or incest, with confusing and unclear medical exemptions. 

“Let’s speak clearly about what this means for a person who has just gone through the most vicious violation of their body,” Harris tells Colbert. “The government is telling them they have no autonomy about the decisions they make after surviving such a violent act.” 

Earlier this year, Harris spoke in the heart of DeSantis land, on what would be the 50th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade, about protecting abortion access, even in the face of the Supreme Court’s ruling. That same day, President Joe Biden issued a Presidential Memorandum regarding their efforts to protect access to reproductive healthcare services. 

The memorandum announced actions to protect legal access to medical abortion, asking the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security, to consider new guidance to support patients, providers, and pharmacies who wish to legally access and distribute mifepristone—no matter where they live.

There was also a call to safeguard patient wellbeing. Biden wants to protect abortion-seekers who can access legal reproductive care, including medication abortion from a pharmacy, from harm including harassment, physical violence, and threats. 

In a White House briefing last fall, Harris shared that it’s still possible for Congress to protect reproductive care at a national level, by passing a law that federally protects the rights of patients and healthcare providers. 

In her closing remarks about the topic on The Late Show, Harris stated, “One does not have to abandon your faith or deeply held beliefs to agree the government should not be telling her what to do with her body.” 

Top photo: screenshot of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert from their YouTube channel

Earlier this year, two bills were passed by Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee that both come as attacks on the LGBTQIA+ community. The first banned gender-affirming healthcare for transgender children, which includes puberty blockers, surgeries, and hormone treatments (such as testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone.) The law was written so as not to disclude specific medicines by name, hence the overly general wording.  

The second,Senate Bill 3, cites drag performances as “obscene,” and bans all drag and drag-related performances from any public spaces that aren’t age restricted, claiming it has the potential to “harm minors” by exposing them to mature content. As stated, “This bill creates an offense for a person who engages in an adult cabaret performance on public property or… in a location other than an adult cabaret that features topless dancers, go-go dancers, exotic dancers, strippers, male or female impersonators who provide entertainment that appeals to a prurient interest…”

Understandably outraged, celebrities like Cyndi Lauper and The B-52’s, have spoken out against these laws. By publicly standing with the LGBTQIA+ community, both artists are ushering in a “new wave” of activism amidst waning civil liberties.

On March 8th, the B-52’s tweeted a black background with a caption that read “Dear fellow citizens, We, The B-52’s, are deeply concerned about the numerous new bills that promote transphobia and discrimination against transgender individuals and drag artists, which have been introduced in the United States. We strongly denounce these bills and stand in solidarity…” The post received over 4 million views.  

Dear fellow citizens,

We, The B-52’s, are deeply concerned about the numerous new bills that promote transphobia and discrimination against transgender individuals and drag artists, which have been introduced in the United States. We strongly denounce these bills and stand in pic.twitter.com/mzMROe4pxE

— The B-52s (@TheB52s) March 8, 2023

Just before the viral post on the B-52’s Twitter account, another well-known hitmaker spoke out against the new legislation. Cyndi Lauper was interviewed at the Gershwin Prize Awards, and she had some very powerful opinions on the laws. When asked by an interviewer, “What do you make of all the anti-lgbtq+ legislation that’s making its way in bills across the country?” Lauper responded wistfully, “I believe you don’t stop the fight. Everybody’s equal or nobody’s equal. This is how Hitler started, you know?…I don’t think it’s a good idea what they’re doing, but you just have to keep fighting for civil rights in this country.”  

This legislation is a serious infringement on the rights of the LGBTQ+ community, and it spells uncertainty for the future of drag performances not only in Tennessee but across the nation as well. 

Top Image: Corentin LAMY, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Five women have filed a lawsuit against the State of Texas after being denied abortions despite experiencing life-threatening medical emergencies. Motivated by their anguish and personal stories, these five women call for clarification on the state’s anti-abortion laws. Texas has been no stranger to having some of the strictest anti-abortion laws in the country, but after the lawsuit was successfully filed on March 6th, it is clear that the abortion laws are also among some of the most confusing ones as well.

With the overturn of Roe v. Wade in July 2022, Texas has faced several lawsuits, but the case of Zurawski v. State of Texas is the latest legal fight to surface. Citizens are taking action to prevent high-risk pregnancy on account of serious medical conditions. Autoimmune disorders, diabetes, anemia, and infections only makeup a small amount of the many conditions that can result in high-risk pregnancy.

Bravely, Amanda Zurawski (lead plaintiff), Anna Zargarian, Lauren Miller, Lauren Hall, and Ashley Brandt came together in the hopes of having a judge clarify the medical exemptions that would allow for an abortion to be granted. On behalf of the plaintiffs, the Center of Reproductive Rights have filed this lawsuit, took to Twitter to explain that they “are seeking to rightfully return life-and-death medical decisions to patients and their doctors,” rather than leaving it up to the State. They aren’t asking for an overturn of the anti-abortion law, but these five women deserve clarification to help women who are suffering from complications of high-risk pregnancies, and fear that specialists such as physicians or obstetrician-gynecologists will refuse them the life-saving abortions they may need.

#FILED: We are bringing the first-ever lawsuit on behalf of women denied abortions since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

We are seeking to rightfully return life-and-death medical decisions to patients and their doctors.https://t.co/XdSS6Zwsqw

— Center for Reproductive Rights (@ReproRights) March 7, 2023

All five women faced dangerous, life-threatening complications after being denied abortions that, under the abortion ban exemptions in Texas, their medical situations should have qualified them for an abortion. Zurawski, for instance, was suffering from PROM, which are pre-term, pre-labor ruptures in the membranes of the amniotic sac. Three days after being denied an abortion, she began developing a serious infection and sepsis. While this finally granted her an abortion, the infection left her in critical condition and she spent several days in the ICU fighting against the vicious infection. 

Zargarian, Miller, Hall, and Brandt had to leave their homes and find access to abortions in different states – Colorado and Washington luckily had openings for them. Hall and Brandt were faced with health complications their fetuses were suffering that would place them at risk of infection and death during labor. Hall’s fetus had anencephaly, a birth defect in which the fetus wouldn’t be able to develop a brain or skull, which results in the fetus not surviving labor and jeopardizing Hall’s health and life. Brandt, who was pregnant with twins, learned that one of her fetuses had acrania, a precursor for anencephaly that is lethal for a fetus, and would likely result in Brandt not surviving the pregnancy.

Zargarian and Miller were suffering painful infections that also placed them in a situation that wouldn’t allow for them to survive labor. Zargarian’s water broke only 19 weeks into her pregnancy, and doctors advised her that her pregnancy would lead to hemorrhaging and sepsis – but they still refused to perform an abortion for her. Miller was diagnosed with hyperemesis gravidarum, a condition that results in severe and excessive nausea and vomiting. At 12 weeks of pregnancy, Miller not only discovered she was pregnant with twins, but also that one of her fetuses had trisomy 18, a condition that results in several structural abnormalities that lower the chance of survival for a fetus.

Zurawski and her colleagues claim that the state’s Senate Bill 8 impacted their access to abortion care. This law was put into place in September 2021, prior to the overturn of Roe v. Wade, and denies women abortions after only six weeks of pregnancy, which is far too early for most women to even know about their pregnancy. The bill also places doctors, abortion providers, and even friends and family at risk of being sued at any moment by private citizens. Consequently, doctors now fear liability if they are to grant an abortion beyond the 6-week period. Due to the large confusion of the medical exceptions, they are placing their own concerns about legal and financial repercussions above the health of their patients. 

“It is no wonder that doctors and hospitals are turning patients away.”

Highlighting the traumatic experiences of the women, the complaint continues on to describe the terror doctors and abortion clinics are facing. Threats of losing medical licenses, high-cost fines, and being sentenced to prison are placing specialists in the position of needing to make morally compromising decisions, and “it is no wonder that doctors and hospitals are turning patients away,” states the complaint.

On March 7th, the Center for Reproductive Rights used their Facebook platform to livestream a press conference where each woman took the stand and shared their personal stories after being completely shut down by their own doctors, who they had trusted to be of help. “I’ll never forget when one specialist tore off his gloves and threw them in the trash,” said Miller when she took the stand, “‘I can’t help you anymore,’ he said. ‘You need to leave the state.’”

After the opening statement of Nancy Northup, CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights, Zurawski took the lead to express her personal disappointment, stating “I cannot adequately put into words the trauma and despair that comes with waiting to either lose your own life, your child’s life, or both.” She had to be at death’s door in order to receive the medical attention she needed for an abortion in order to avoid an infectious labor that would have taken her life.

The clear indicator that Texas is facing a pressing healthcare crisis can also be seen after the release of the public statement from Vice President Kamala Harris on her Twitter account.

Taking away the right of women to make their own reproductive health decisions endangers their health and lives.

Women impacted by Texas abortion bans announced a lawsuit, including accounts of lives almost lost after they were denied critical care.

Read my full statement. pic.twitter.com/qIMgUpZhhu

— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) March 7, 2023

The devastation of not only these five women, but any person who has experienced the soul-crushing disappointment of needing an abortion to save a life, but instead being turned away with no hope, is a clear sign that Texas is in need of a resolution to this complex issue.

It will be a long, rough road for these five women and the Center for Reproductive Rights, but their bravery and fortitude will hopefully take us one step closer to providing clearer answers for future people in need of abortion care.

Photo, top: Screenshot from Facebook Livestream, Center for Reproductive Rights

In the crusade against abortion rights, Walgreens is now refusing to sell the legal abortion pill Mifepristone in 20 states across the nation due to pressure from pro-life activists and anti-abortion lobbyists. In 2020, Mifepristone, which is used in combination with Misoprostol to terminate a pregnancy), was reported to be the most common method of abortion, with 51% of all pregnancy terminations occurring via pill.  As more regulations are announced, the options for safe and legal abortions diminish, so Walgreens’ refusal to carry Mifepristone, even in the states where it’s completely legal to do so, could have severe consequences for people looking to access reproductive care.

On March 2, the retail corporation, which also owns New York City’s Duane Reade, announced it would halt distribution of Mifepristone as a result of mounting pressure from Republican state officials and other right-leaning political figureheads. This is primarily in response to Kansas State Attorney General Kris Kobach, who wrote a strongly-worded letter addressed to Walgreens Boots Alliance (the company that owns Walgreens and its subsidiaries), that threatened legal action if they continued dispensing the medical abortion pill by mail. Kobach cites Section 1461 of title 18 of the U.S. Code,  which states that it’s illegal to mail “Every article or thing designed, adapted, or intended for producing abortion.” Here’s the catch; the FDA permanently bypassed this law in 2023, after the Biden administration incited the rule change during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic as a means to ensure access to reproductive healthcare.

These changes were made to widen accessibility, yet Walgreens is able to override them entirely by choosing to side with anti-abortion activism. Pro-life activists reversing this access is indicative of an even more daunting issue. Conservatives are taking advantage of the legislative blurred lines brought about by the overturning of Roe V. Wade, and that could mean dark days for pro-choice individuals nationwide.  

Following the announcement, politics-based media outlet Politico broke the incredibly shocking news. The author, Alice Miranda Ollstein, reposted the article on her Twitter. Less than 24 hours later, it had over 4 million views, and the internet has been in an uproar ever since. 

BREAKING: Walgreens confirmed to @politico that they will not dispense abortion pills in several states where they remain legal. The decision follows pressure and threats of legal action from GOP AGs and anti-abortion groups. https://t.co/KCeLPnGs1G

— Alice Miranda Ollstein (@AliceOllstein) March 3, 2023

The article highlights the ever growing difficulty of accessing reproductive care:  “The decision is the latest to demonstrate how widely abortion access can vary state to state in a post-Roe America, even in places where there are no bans in effect — as elected officials tussle with the federal government, activists and corporations to block the availability of services.” Ollstein goes on to detail how activist groups have been threatening to take legal action against pharmacies that distribute the drug. Whether it’s by a strongly worded letter, or by picketing & protesting, the fight for abortion rights is getting hit from all sides.

People from all corners of the web are calling for boycotts. Social media is ablaze with commotion, focusing on what Walgreens’ decision means for abortion rights nationwide.  Last week, feminist author and TikToker Jessica Valenti (@auntiekilljoy), posted a video in which she stated, “Walgreens has caved to a conservative intimidation campaign.. They don’t have plans to ship or dispense Mifepristone in Kansas… [despite the fact that] Kansas is a pro-choice state where abortion medication is legal… ” The video closes with a call to action, in which Valenti encourages viewers to contact the leadership team at Walgreens. 

@auntiekilljoy More than half of women ending their pregnancies use abortion medication – we can’t let these companies cave to conservative pressure #feminism #fyp #abortion #abortioneveryday ♬ original sound – Jessica Valenti

This is not the first time Walgreens has come under fire for their anti-choice decisions. In the summer of 2022, a couple was refused condoms by a Walgreens employee on the basis of faith. Surprisingly, this practice of refusal is completely allowed by the company. 

More recently, @musclesandnursing posted a TikTok early Friday morning, and the frustration was palpable. “Pull every single one of your prescriptions from Walgreens. Every single one. Don’t use them, period.” 

Walgreens now joins Hobby Lobby and Chick-Fil-A as companies that anyone who respects women or the LGBTQIA+ community should avoid at all costs. 

This entire situation is indicative of the growing number of obstacles and restrictions to access in what Ollstein calls a “Post-Roe America.” But what exactly will that mean for our rights, and just how hard will we have to fight to maintain them?

Top Photo: teofilo, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

As feminists, we put a great deal of time and energy into critiquing and challenging the “male gaze” and how it objectifies us. We shun and express disdain towards media and individuals that value us solely based on how we look. Sexist trolls, pornography, influencers, photoshopped magazine covers, weight loss and plastic surgery advertisements – the list of everyday features in our lives that treat women as objects to be used and consumed is neverending. While of course the patriarchy as a whole social system is to blame, the objectification of our bodies is so ingrained in our culture that many of us, unconsciously, contribute to it by objectifying ourselves. We are taught, over and over again throughout our lives, that we are bodies first and people second; It’s no surprise that we internalize this and become preoccupied with not only how we look, but how others perceive how we look.

Self-objectification is the psychological process of seeing oneself as a physical object before a human being, and it has been observed and written about by scholars for decades. In 1961, French philosopher and feminist activist Simone de Beauvoir noted that, as a girl grows up, she “becomes an object and she sees herself as an object; she discovers this new aspect of her being with surprise: it seems to her that she has been doubled; instead of coinciding exactly with herself, she now begins to exist outside.” 

Objectification Theory was introduced in 1997 to explain how girls, due to growing up in a culture that treats them as sexual objects, begin to view themselves that way. Basically, objectification is so prevalent in our culture that, unknowingly, we start looking at ourselves the way, say, a judgmental, misogynistic man would. Objectification Theory says that there are three types of exposure to objectification that women and girls experience: Direct comments (someone making a remark to your face about how you look), indirect comments (overhearing people discuss their own and others’ appearances), and media content that objectifies women. Obviously, women are much more likely than men to self-objectify because we are objectified so much more in popular culture. But we’re also more likely to fall victim to this because self-objectification is rooted in people-pleasing, a tendency much more pronounced among women, due to the fact that we’re often socialized as caregivers and to put others’ needs before our own. 

In an era characterized by social media, filters, and edited photos, self-objectification is more prevalent, and more damaging, than ever before. We objectify ourselves as we edit our photos for Instagram and compare how we look in them to other filtered and edited photos. And the women we see in those photos, who are also relying on filters to alter their appearance, are self-objectifying as they scrutinize and edit. The external validation (likes, views, shares, and comments) we receive by posting “good” pictures of ourselves reinforces the tendency to self-objectify. Of course, we all want validation and positive attention! But when we only receive that validation through our appearance, especially if that appearance is altered, our sense of self becomes distorted and our looks become our obsession. This is why women who self-objectify experience shame, anxiety, and an increased risk of depression and eating disorders. One study highlights how presenting a strategically curated image on social media, through carefully selecting what photos to post and editing them to look a certain way, increases womens’ tendency to self-objectify. But do we really need scientific evidence to tell us that spending hours obsessively scrutinizing images of ourselves for public consumption is harmful?

When we are self-objectifying, we are viewing ourselves from an outsider’s perspective, specifically, the perspective of the male gaze. This makes us hyper-focused on our appearance and hyper-critical of it. How does your butt look in that dress? What about your tits? Does it hide your tummy enough? Does it make your shoulders look too broad? Is your hair smooth enough? Is that zit noticeable? Are your teeth white? Are your eyebrows even? Is your nose too big?

Whether looking at ourselves in the mirror or in pictures, we pick ourselves apart, look for body parts that need to be “fixed,” and stress over how to fix them. 

We are constantly worrying about how outsiders perceive us – adjusting our clothes and hair, touching up our makeup, sitting or standing in certain positions to hide our “flaws”, and stressing ourselves out over what everyone else might be thinking about how we look (Even when our logical brains know that if we’re around the right people, they couldn’t give less of a shit). When we “live to be looked at,” according to the nonprofit Beauty Redefined, we are in a state of perpetual self-consciousness, and my god, does that take up a lot of time and energy. The most twisted thing about self-objectifying is that, by doing it, we are reinforcing our own oppression! – and not only by trying to keep up with beauty standards, but also by expending mental energy that could otherwise be directed towards, let’s say, developing skills or pursuing a career. The real kicker is, in true patriarchal fashion, we get blamed for being victims of objectification. Society trains us to self-objectify, and then shames us for doing so by labeling us as “vain.”

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Lexie & Lindsay Kite, PhDs (@beauty_redefined)

How the hell are we expected to break free from this cycle of being objectified and, in turn, objectifying ourselves? It’s difficult to envision going about our days as women without thinking about how we look and how others perceive us, since it’s what we’ve known and been taught for so long – but can you imagine? Perhaps just dreaming about and striving towards a life free of self-objectification can help us begin to break away from it, but there are some simple everyday practices that challenge self-objectifying thought patterns. 

Becoming aware of our own negative self-talk, especially in regards to our looks, is a good first step. Once the harmful thoughts are acknowledged, disrupt the pattern by replacing a negative, appearance-focused thought with an uplifting one that isn’t about how you look. For example, any critique of your body can be replaced with, “I have so much to offer the world!  My appearance is the least interesting thing about me.”

Limiting our exposure to media that objectifies women is another great way to pump the breaks on self-objectifying thoughts. Throw away those celebrity gossip mags. Unfollow that influencer that swears she only looks like that because of the tea she’s being paid to promote – and that other one who promises she doesn’t use FaceApp (but you know she’s lying, and you feel bad for her for being a victim of self-objectification, too!). Objectification is everywhere, and unless you were to go live in a cabin in the woods without access to technology, there’s not a guaranteed way to escape it, but the less we’re exposed to objectifying media, the less self-objectifying thoughts will be at the forefront of our minds.

Finally, try to focus less on what your body looks like, and more on what it can do. Your body is incredible because it is a human body that performs countless, intricate functions every single second to keep you living, breathing, and moving. Beauty Redefined, founded by Lindsay and Lexie Kite, who have actual PhDs in research on self-objectification and female body image, uses the tagline, “your body is an instrument, not an ornament.” Lexie Kite, PhD, found freedom from self-objectification through exercising, not to lose weight or achieve any appearance-related goal, but to build endurance, gain strength, and prove to herself just how many amazing things her body was capable of doing, no matter what it looks like. She argues that, when we move our bodies as a celebration of what they can do, without worrying about how they look, we become more in tune with how we feel and achieve goals that have nothing to do with our appearance.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Lexie & Lindsay Kite, PhDs (@beauty_redefined)

 Unfortunately, since the objectification of women’s bodies is so profitable and deeply entrenched in our patriarchal society, we can’t wave a magic wand and make it stop. But women are much smarter, more skilled, and multifaceted than society likes to give us credit for, and we can prove that by honing our tools to cope with and challenge objectification – of others and ourselves. 

Top Photo Courtesy of Михаил Секацкий on Unsplash

The legal cannabis industry is growing at a rapid rate—last year Forbes published a piece that estimated legal cannabis could potentially rake in $57 billion by 2030 in the U.S. alone. The budding new industry has major potential for financial gain and could be a great opportunity to break away from the tired status quo of high-earning companies with C-suites full of white men. But, as the industry continues to expand, it appears women and minorities are still being excluded from positions of power by what is referred to as “the grass ceiling.”

According to Business Insider, 70% of the top executives at the fourteen biggest cannabis companies are white men. Meanwhile, a report from MJBizDaily found that women who hold executive level positions in the cannabis industry fell from 36.8% in 2019 down to 23.1% in 2022. That is a significant drop, and could possibly be attributed, at least in part, to the pandemic. However, this number is still far below the chief executive positions held by women at mainstream companies, which the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports as 29.1%.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Kitty Kitty Bang Bang (@bangkittybang)

It’s going to take hard work and time to dismantle the systems that have historically put straight, white, men at the top of nearly every sector and industry. So, it is especially disappointing to see such a profitable, innovative industry like legal cannabis being built from the ground up using the exact same materials as its exclusionary predecessors. 

It is a ginormous missed opportunity to set a new standard for how major corporations function and who gets seats at the metaphorical and literal table. Cannabis could be a blueprint for how sustainable, equitable, and profitable industries can and should operate, but the low, stagnant, numbers of women in executive positions does not bode well for that sentiment. 

Since the industry is so brand-new, there isn’t a ton of data to work from when it comes to trying to disrupt the baked-in exclusion of women from high-level roles in cannabis. That’s why Jennifer Whetzel founded and led the Women in Cannabis Study—which began in October 2020 and concluded in January of 2021—and conducted qualitative surveys and interviews with over 1,600 women and nonbinary cannabis industry workers. Whetzel told Forbes, “When I set out to conduct the Women in Cannabis Study, I was compelled not just by the fascinating and dynamic experiences of women in our space, but also by the desire to amplify voices and create a safe, equitable industry for all. We have the chance to shift the paradigm, acknowledge the barriers in our way, and build a supply chain based on integrity.”

 

 

 

 

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The study’s report features many quotes from the people surveyed, and one cannabis business manager shared, “Overall, my experience in cannabis has more robustly informed my knowledge of inherent white male privilege and the ability of men to network and gain trust in the industry (it’s easy when you don’t grow up hearing ‘no’ or experiencing career-related microaggressions due to your gender). This is true of almost any industry, but the cannabis industry has a greater responsibility/opportunity due to its youth and lack of existing inhibiting structures you find in more traditional industries.” 

 

 

 

 

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Despite being sorely underrepresented in cannabis board rooms, the number of women consuming cannabis is increasing drastically. A report from Headset, a cannabis analytics company, states that year-over-year cannabis sales grew most rapidly amongst Gen Z women, for example, in 2020 it increased by 151% from the year prior. Additionally, Brightfield Group, a market research group focused on CBD and cannabis, reported that 59% of new cannabis users are women and that women also tend to be heavier consumers than men. 

One thing is clear: if the cannabis industry wants to reach its full potential, it’s going to have to start prioritizing women as both consumers and leaders. 

So, what’s stopping the cannabis industry from having more women in C-suites, especially considering it is such a woman-dense market? CEO and cofounder of cannabis company Miss Grass, Kate Miller, told Forbes that, “Being a woman, the gender minority in many industries, has its challenges. Many people, whether intentionally or unintentionally, do business with people they feel the most comfortable with, and share the most common characteristics with, which reinforces the ‘boys club’ mentality in business.”  

 

 

 

 

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The Women in Cannabis Study includes an entire section dedicated to taking the information they gathered and putting it to good use. The report states, “Creating a more inclusive and equitable industry will require introspection, self-reflection, education, personal responsibility, active allyship, systemic changes and BIG ideas.” 

Cannabis has culturally always skewed more masculine, with the stoner trope typically conjuring up an image of a greasy-haired, under-motivated, beanie-wearing dude (yes, I did use James Franco’s character in Pineapple Express as a reference). But, as legal cannabis becomes more mainstream and the market grows to accommodate a wider range of products, women are joining in on the fun and helping innovate the industry. 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by ?Rollin Rosa (@rollinrosaco)

From groundbreaking shows like Broad City, to emerging women-owned cannabis and accessory brands (like Edie Parker, Rollin Rosa, and Valfré) and even cannabis social media influencers like Kitty Bang and Emily Lee, women are leaving their mark on cannabis culture. The next step is mowing down that grass ceiling and getting to leave their mark in the C-suites, too.

Top photo by Nataliya Vaitkevich on Pexels

Since its inception, social media has been making a case for itself as either society’s greatest asset or ultimate demise. According to a study from educational feminist nonprofit The Female Lead, it could be both. 

The study found that young girls are susceptible to both the positive and negative influences of social media and suggests that, while social media can and does contribute to poor body image, low self esteem, and mental health issues, these negative effects can be mitigated by mindful, intentional social media consumption. 

Listen, it’s safe to say social media isn’t going anywhere—it fully cemented itself in our society around the same time memes and GIFs became their own language. So, it’s high time we start learning how to use the medium to our advantage rather than our detriment. 

According to the CDC, 57% of girls reported “persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness” in 2021, up from 36% just ten years prior. It can be reasonably assumed that some of that increase is linked to social media becoming intrinsic to daily life for most young people in the past decade. This theory is supported by a statistic from The Female Lead that says that 78% of people believe social media has negatively impacted the way they feel about their bodies. These numbers mean it is more crucial than ever to start helping girls and women use social media to empower them, rather than hinder them. 

The Disrupt Your Feed study set out to learn if, rather than restricting social media use, we instead combat the negative mental health effects of social media by empowering girls to intentionally curate their feeds by following inspiring, positive, role models. The results are encouraging, finding that a diversified social media feed not only improved girls’ relationship with social media, but also increased their ability to self-regulate social media consumption, helped them contextualize future career aspirations, and broadened their worldview. 

One study participant said that following women who had jobs she might be interested in in the future, “…showed that you can be a woman, have fun, and be an engineer all at the same time.” Participants also noted that seeing the day-to-day for women working in a certain field was helpful in showing what that career was actually like rather than just seeing the shiny, finished product of success that’s typically shared online. Another participant said, following the study that, “I don’t have to be hourglass and be a makeup artist or a model. I can be successful and independent. It’s no longer just about what I look like but actually about what I think, which is definitely more important.” 

 

 

 

 

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The Female Lead has taken their findings and launched a campaign to encourage girls and women to pledge to #DisruptYourFeed, by interrupting the barrage of heavily-altered images and toxic content on their social media feeds by following positive, empowering role models. The method they recommend is to 1. Scroll with purpose, 2. Challenge the algorithm, and 3. Take the lead in your own feed. The nonprofit is helping girls take the pledge by sharing inspiring stories and empowering content creators to follow on their own social media feeds, as well as curating a list of positive role models to follow. 

Most people have, at some point, fallen victim to the incessant self-comparison that comes from scrolling through your average social media feed. It’s hard to avoid when you must sort through a slough of edited, facetuned, and filtered images just to catch up on what your friends and family have been doing online. It can be exhausting to constantly be reminded that your physical features might not line up with what is deemed conventionally attractive by society. In a video from The Female Lead, clinical psychologist and online educator Dr. Julie Smith summed this up by saying, “The sorts of pressures and expectations that used to be in a magazine that you could put down [are] now available 24/7 in a never ending feed on social media platforms, and the images are more altered than ever.”

Even so called “body-positive” accounts can be rife with fatphobic language, edited photos, and strategic posing that would make anyone feel bad about themselves. And it seems like teen girls have more to dodge than the average social media consumer—from beauty standards that can sometimes only be achieved by surgery, pressure to be deemed attractive and put-together at all times, to the seemingly unending carousel of misogynistic podcasts (seriously, we should have never given men microphones)—the potential for consuming harmful content is high. 

Combating the negative effects that social media has on girls feels like a daunting task, but if I know anything about girls, it’s that they eat daunting tasks for breakfast. Girls are our future, and they deserve to see the greatness they contribute to the world reflected back to them in their social media feeds. By disrupting our feeds and uplifting voices that are dedicated to women being extraordinary regardless of societal pressures or expectations, we can impact the way girls and women view themselves in everyday life. Social media doesn’t have to be a source of negativity or comparison and can instead be used to engage positively with each other and ourselves.

Top photo by Ben Weber on Unsplash

Imagine for a moment what true gender equality would feel and look like. Equal access to health care, reproductive rights, guaranteed parental rights for LGBTQ+ parents, social inclusion at all levels of society from preschool to boardrooms, comprehensive sexual education in public schools, paid time off for menstrual pain, free period products in schools and prisons, free state-provided emergency contraception, and the right to change your gender without unnecessary medical supervision—it all sounds like a glorious utopia or a wishful imagining of the future, but in actuality, it’s just Spain. 

Last week, the European country passed some incredible legislation and set the example for what feminist policies and government can look like for the rest of the world. The new legislation is a hugely positive step in the movement for gender equality. Not only does it guarantee and facilitate access to sexual and reproductive rights, it also addresses institutionalized gender disparities and expands transgender rights. 

The legislation makes Spain the first European country to offer paid menstrual leave. Anyone who experiences painful periods (so, everyone who experiences a period except for god, herself, probably?) will now be able to get a note from their doctor and be entitled to up to five days off to accommodate the pain and other uncomfortable symptoms.

Abortion rights have also been expanded thanks to the new laws. Namely, the right to have an abortion at a state hospital rather than traveling to a private clinic is now solidified as law, and 16 and 17-year-olds will be able to receive an abortion without parental consent. The legislation has also done away with the arbitrary “reflection process.” This is similar to abortion counseling laws that exist in many US states where anyone seeking an abortion is forced to first meet with a doctor and then wait a varying amount of time before following through with the procedure. These laws claim to be in womens’ best interest, but in reality are used to make obtaining an abortion more difficult, expensive, and emotionally draining, while giving unethical doctors and crisis pregnancy centers more time to potentially dissuade someone from receiving an abortion. 

Anyone over the age of 16 will also be able to legally change their gender without medical supervision, though those ages 14-16 will still need parental consent, and minors ages 12-13 will also need a judge’s authorization. The new laws have also implemented a ban on the genital mutilation of intersex children and “include measures to end” the disturbing and abusive practice of conversion therapy, according to the UN. Another advancement in LGBTQ+ rights thanks to the new legislation will be guaranteed parental rights for non-heteronormative couples. The Spanish government will now also provide support for lesbian couples and single women seeking IVF treatment. 

YA SON LEY. DIRECTAS AL BOE ?‍?‍??#ConquistasFeministas pic.twitter.com/kph3phObPl

— Irene Montero (@IreneMontero) February 16, 2023

The new legislation is largely thanks to Spain’s Equality Minister, Irene Montero. A member of the Unidas Podemos (United We Can) party, Montero is a champion of gender equality and a truly incredible woman. The 35-year-old Madrid-born politician was a member of a Communist youth group in her teens, and has gone on to lead a very successful political career being an outspoken feminist and defender of human rights. One of her more prominent projects is the “Only Yes Means Yes” law that made explicit, verbal consent a necessary component of consensual sex. The intent was to make sure sexual assault cases weren’t being decided based on a victim’s lack of “fighting back” or that their silence while being assaulted wasn’t wrongfully considered consent. Now, with this newest set of gender-equality laws in place, Montero has another feminist achievement to add to her list. 

Spain passing this legislation may sound like the perfect excuse to pack up and move, especially when contrasted with America’s overturning of Roe, the potential ban on mifepristone, and a plethora of other egregious, oppressive policies smacking us in the face each day. But, I urge you to be inspired rather than jealous. Spain is laying the groundwork for our own feminist legislation—we will have a blueprint to look at and an example to cite whenever someone tries to inevitably discredit policies that prioritize gender equality. Expanded transgender and reproductive rights will no doubt contribute to a happier and healthier community, and it is so lovely to know there are places in this world that understand and value that, too.

Top photo is of feminist graffiti in Madrid from Wikimedia Commons

You may remember Bethany Hamilton as the author of the memoir Soul Surfer, which got a film adaptation in 2011, detailing her experience as a surfer who lost an arm as a result of a shark attack. Despite this, she continued to surf competitively and went on to  win the World Surf League (WSL) championship. Since then, she has been a champion for athletes with disabilities and continued to compete in the WSL – that is, until she announced her boycott of the WSL. 

Hamilton posted two videos to Instagram this week, saying she will not participate in any future WSL events following the organization’s announcement that it will allow transgender women to compete in women’s events. 

 

 

 

 

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The WSL has adopted the International Surfing Association (ISA)’s policy on transgender participation (the “ISA Transgender Policy”), which states that a transgender woman can compete in women’s or mixed events if she “satisf[ies] the International Surfing Association Medical Commission that her serum testosterone concentration has been less than 5 nmol/L continuously for a period of the previous 12 months”. 

In her videos, Hamilton made some bold comments that had some questioning her intentions as a female athlete belonging to a group of people that has been historically discriminated against in competitive sports. “I think it’s really hard to imagine what the future of women’s surfing will be like in 15 to 20 years down the road if we move forward allowing this major change,” she said. She goes on to ask, “Is a hormone level an honest and accurate depiction that someone is indeed a male or female? Is it as simple as this?” 

Hamilton’s argument comes down to encouraging the WSL to create a separate division for transgender women. In her closing statement from the first of the two videos, she claims that she is not the only person who feels the way she does and that she is putting herself to the flame for speaking about the new ruling.

The social media response hasn’t been looking good for Hamilton. Transgender celebrities and athletes alike have spoken out against the statements made in her recent Instagram post. There has also been an abundance of memes praising the shark that attacked her in 2003, jokingly calling it an “ally to the transgender community.”

@trashohr

??‍

♬ original sound – Genius

That’s why a shark bit her damn arm off ???

— Black Lives Matter KC (@BLM_KC) February 7, 2023

Progress Shark is coming back for round 2 pic.twitter.com/gIPTk2FC69

— Trash Boy Begins (@Ozzilla22) February 17, 2023

There has also been an outpour of social media users sharing their experiences as transgender athletes and debunking common myths surrounding the topic. This indicates a movement towards a brighter future in which transgender women are able to compete in the division that reflects their identity. 

Instagram user Slowdownsomatics commented on the WSL’s recent rule change and went on to list helpful facts and challenge myths about being a trans athlete, actually diving into the science of hormones in response to Hamilton’s video. 

 

 

 

 

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Content creator Pinkmantaray is dedicated to informing his community about the realities and struggles of being a transgender person and opens up a dialogue for questions related to transitioning, dating as a transgender person, and current news about the fight for trans inclusion. 

All in all, no matter how far along the WSL goes, change is inevitable. And the WSL is far from the only athletic association that has updated their policies to accommodate transgender athletes. The bottom line is that creating a new division for transgender competitors, as Hamilton advocated for, further divides athletes and reinforces the idea that transgender people do not deserve equal opportunity and respect. The WSL has not issued a response to Hamilton’s video criticizing their change in policy. 

Top Image by Noah Hamilton from Wikimedia Commons.

Mifepristone, commonly known as “the abortion pill,” was approved for use by the FDA in 2000 and has since been safely used by millions of people to abort unwanted or unviable pregnancies on their own terms. Despite overwhelming evidence of the safety and efficacy of mifepristone, right-wing conservative groups are trying to ban the medication at a federal level—and they could be successful. Please excuse any typos in the following article as it was written in a blind rage. 

Mifepristone is just one of two parts in most medicated abortions, and is often paired with another drug called misoprostol. Misoprostol was originally invented to prevent stomach ulcers but started being used as an abortifacient in 1980s Brazil to subvert restrictive abortion laws. During a medical abortion, the mifepristone is taken first and works by blocking progesterone. This signals the uterus to break down the uterine lining and disrupts the pregnancy. Then, the misoprostol can be taken up to 48 hours after the mifepristone, and tells the uterus to expel the uterine lining and any other tissue—kind of like a super heavy period or an early miscarriage. 

 

 

 

 

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This method of abortion is safe in pregnancies up to 12 weeks (though most effective before 11 weeks) and has been used over four million times since its FDA approval in 2000. On November 18th, 2022, the Alliance Defending Freedom filed a lawsuit in Amarillo, Texas on behalf of several anti-abortion organizations under the umbrella name “Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine” against the FDA demanding the courts require they “…do what the FDA was and is legally required to do: protect women and girls by holding unlawful, setting aside, and vacating the FDA’s actions to approve chemical abortion drugs and eviscerate crucial safeguards for those who undergo this dangerous drug regimen.” 

Essentially, they want to force the FDA to revoke their approval of mifepristone which would mean a nationwide ban on the medication. 

First of all, using the term “chemical abortion drugs” to refer to mifepristone is like calling coffee an “addictive acidic stimulant”—it’s technically accurate, but you sound like an idiot pretending to be smart. Second of all, the “dangerous drug regimen” they are referring to, aka medical abortion using mifepristone and misoprostol, has a safety record of over 99% and an efficacy rate of 95-99%. It is also significantly safer than both pregnancy and childbirth, as well as having a lower mortality rate than Viagra, according to the FDA, so that speaks for itself. The lawsuit also argues that the FDA haphazardly approved mifepristone for personal and political reasons, which is ironic coming from a group trying to ban mifepristone for personal and political reasons. 

 

 

 

 

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As ridiculous and baseless as the claims in the lawsuit are, it is still terrifyingly possible that the judge will rule in favor of the right-wing, conservative, anti-abortionists, because he is one. Trump-appointed U.S. District Court Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk will be presiding over the case, and he has a history of working for and with Christian, conservative, anti-abortion organizations. The public can expect a ruling on the case as early as Friday, February 24th.  

In the meantime, abortion activists and organizations like Plan C and Aid Access are encouraging people to stock up on abortion medication, even if you’re not pregnant and especially if you don’t have plans to be. You can visit their websites to find abortion resources, information, and even to affordably order pills right to your door. Mifepristone has a shelf life of up to two years when stored at room temperature, so that’s two years of peace-of-mind for yourself or the potential to be an essential resource for someone in your life who may need an abortion.

It’s important to note that medication abortions will still be accessible even if mifepristone were to be banned because misoprostol is still an effective abortifacient on its own. And, because it’s an essential medication for things other than abortion it is unlikely to be banned for political or religious reasons. Misinformation and fear-tactics are a huge part of the anti-abortion movement. Scaring or confusing women into not knowing which states they have certain rights and resources can be a powerful tool in blocking abortion access, alone. If you are curious about medication abortion and/or obtaining one via telehealth, you can visit Plan C’s website, or you can also contact your nearest Planned Parenthood, or local abortion-rights groups. 

 Top photo by Anna Shvets on Pexels 

Even in the wake of a recent cancer diagnosis, beloved actress and lifelong activist Jane Fonda is using her platform to advocate for change. An established environmental advocate, the Grace and Frankie star is demanding a Global Ocean Treaty that tackles the impact of pollution, overfishing, global warming, and deep sea mining on the world’s oceans. On February 21, 2023, during the fifth round of the United Nations’ Ocean Treaty negotiations, Fonda delivered 5.5 million signatures from 157 countries calling for a strong Global Ocean Treaty to Rena Lee, president of the negotiations. In a statement at the event coordinated by Only One and the Greenpeace global network, Fonda said, “We need a Global Ocean Treaty and we need it now. It is at our own peril to delay any further. I urge you as a mother, a grandmother, and a citizen of this world – let’s set aside the politics, the special interests, and the inertia that tends to drag big, bold ideas into the ground, and let’s get this done – for every life on Earth.” 

I’m proud to be one of the nearly 6 million people calling for a Strong Global Ocean Treaty.

@Greenpeace #ProtectTheOceans #OneOceanOnePlanet #HighSeas #HighSeasTreaty #BBNJ #IGC5 pic.twitter.com/51wvUfpZTM

— Jane Seymour Fonda (@Janefonda) February 21, 2023

After 15 years – a decade and a half – of talks and deliberation, it is anticipated that this round of UN Ocean Treaty negotiations will be the last. According to Greenpeace, if the treaty Fonda is advocating for is not agreed upon during this round, it is unlikely that 30% of our world’s oceans will be protected by 2030 – a goal that is part of the 30×30 target established at the United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP15) last year as part of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). All governments agreed to this target in December 2022 – but we all know about those in power following through on agreements.

 Aiming to address biodiversity loss, restore ecosystems, and protect indigenous rights, the GBF includes concrete measures to halt and reverse the loss of nature, including putting protection plans in place for 30 percent of the planet and 30 percent of degraded ecosystems by 2030. This target is said by scientists to be the absolute minimum necessary for our oceans to recover from decades of pollution, overfishing, and other industrial activities. With less than 5% of the world’s oceans currently protected, a UN Ocean Treaty is essential to reaching this target. Given that the ocean makes up 70% of our planet and provides 50% of our oxygen, it’s pretty damn terrifying to think of the consequences if this target isn’t met. 

Though many still know her mostly for her iconic ‘80s aerobics videos, Jane Fonda has been a dedicated climate activist for years. In 2019, she moved to Washington, D.C. and, inspired by the work of Greta Thunberg, started Fire Drill Fridays, a weekly demonstration on Capitol Hill demanding that action be taken by political leaders to address the climate emergency. She was arrested on her 82nd birthday while participating in a Fire Drill Friday protest. Last year, Fonda created the Jane Fonda Climate PAC with one goal: “Do what it takes to defeat fossil fuel supporters and elect climate champions at all levels of government.” She recounts her journey as an environmental activist in her book, What Can I Do? The Path From Climate Despair to Action. 

Fonda’s long history of activism is not limited to addressing climate change, however. In the 1960s and ‘70s, she became notorious for her impassioned opposition to the Vietnam War and support of the Black Panthers, leading her to be under FBI surveillance. She has also been a champion for the rights of women and indigenous people since the ‘70s and famously protested the Dakota Access Pipeline at Standing Rock just a few years back. You can support Jane Fonda’s ongoing activist efforts under the “Get Involved” tab on her website.

Photographed by Tiffany Nicholson

Some states are creating more laws to require consent before doctors can allow their medical students to perform pelvic exams on unconscious patients. Yes, you read that correctly, it is legal in MOST states for medical students to perform pelvic exams on unconscious patients without those patients’ consent or knowledge that it’s happening. Many medical institutions see this as the best way for students to learn how to properly perform a pelvic exam. It’s great that med schools want their students to know how to perform a pelvic exam correctly, but what would be even better is if the patient who is having the procedure done knew it was happening. 

This horrendous practice actually came to light in the early 2000s following small scale studies on medical students, and, as you would expect for the USA, progress on this issue has been slow. While 21 states have completely banned the practice (with Colorado, Missouri, Michigan, and Massachusetts considering bans now), it is still perfectly legal for med students to do this in 29 states.

In an interview with PBS, McGill University Bioethicist Phoebe Friesen brought up an important point on ethically-incorrect practices such as these. Friesen stated, “I think that when we consider that in the history of medicine a lot of individuals we think about prisoners, slaves, sex workers, all of their bodies were utilized in medical research and medical practice without their consent.” It’s true, the US has a devastating history of using marginalized people as subjects of medical research and performing operations on their bodies without their consent. One example of this occurs at the US/Mexico border, where women and all people with uteruses entering the country have historically been subject to forced hysterectomies. 

There is some hope for the future, though. Many medical students are fully aware of the abhorrent nature of practices like these, and in that same PBS interview, one of those medical students, Alexandra Fontaine of Ohio, is speaking out. Fontaine is currently advocating for a bill in Ohio that would require the patient to give explicit consent before a pelvic exam could be performed on them for educational purposes. Fontaine also expressed that she has hope for the future of more of these laws becoming a reality, and that medical systems will understand the importance of following them. She stated,  “I think once health systems understand that they’re laws and they have to abide by them, that will trickle down through, you know, supervising physicians, attending residents, all the way down to med students. But I think it’s also going to take things to the other end where med students have to be empowered to push back and say, hey, we know that this is the law and we’re going to follow it.”

The Epstein Health Law and Policy Program has been doing critical work on this issue, and even created an Unauthorized Intimate Teaching Exams: Public Engagement Initiative in 2021. You can read more about their work to follow and increase legislative action on this issue here. The program has been doing critical work in tracking which states have banned the practice, which are considering a ban, and which still fully allow medical students to perform on-consensual pelvic exams. The program also sheds light on the fact that asking for consent should not only be mandatory for ethical and moral reasons, but centering consent as a crucial part of the learning process in medical school can help to teach fledgling doctors the importance of respect and good bedside manner. 

Though it’s devastating to learn about, now it is as important as ever to start petitioning your local government for laws that protect bodily autonomy. With the recent fall of Roe, and new laws popping up around the country that attack the bodies of transgender people and young women, now is the time to not only start paying attention (if you haven’t been already) but to also take action. A good way to start is by checking the status of the legality of this practice in your state here, and contacting your state representative.

Top photo: Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research from Wikimedia Commons

Members and allies of the transgender community are mourning Brianna Ghey, the 16-year-old transgender girl found dead with multiple stab wounds in a park in northwestern England this past weekend. 

Two 15-year-olds, a boy and a girl, have been charged with murder. On February 13th, A chief detective told British newspaper The Times that Ghey’s murder was “a targeted attack,” but Cheshire detectives claimed there was no evidence to suggest that the killing was “hate related.” Following social media outcry from transgender activists and allies of the LGBTQIA+ community, police investigating the case are now saying that all lines of inquiry are being explored, including hate crime. 

A few days prior to her death, Ghey uploaded a video to her popular TikTok account with the caption: “Got excluded from school.” Those that knew her claimed she had been a victim of bullying at school for years due to being transgender. 

Social media users were quick to draw attention to the increasingly hostile climate for transgender individuals in the U.K., including Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling’s outspoken criticism of the movement for transgender rights and inclusion, for which she has recently been making headlines. For some Twitter users, the spike in media attention surrounding Rowling’s transphobic ideas around the time of Ghey’s murder seemed insensitive at best, and even damaging. Twitter user Serena Daniari pointed out that the New York Times published an opinion piece defending Rowling’s bigoted stance in the same week as both Ghey’s death and the publication being denounced by GLAAD, along with over 100 other organizations and advocates, for its biased reporting on transgender people.  

It’s actually jaw dropping that @nytopinion published another anti-trans op/ed the day after GLAAD denounced them for transphobic reporting and the week of Brianna Ghey’s murder. The magnitude of their audacity would almost be admirable if the stakes weren’t so high. pic.twitter.com/40DMFqoVEx

— Serena Daniari (@serenajazmine) February 16, 2023

The Trans Safety Network made a statement on the killing of Brianna Ghey, pointing out that it occurred during a time of “unprecedented” discrimination and disdain towards transgender individuals promoted by those in power, and that Ghey’s identity being “disrespected” by the press “compounds [the] harm.” 

pic.twitter.com/JYgB6DDDj3

— Trans Safety Network (@trans_safety) February 13, 2023

Outrage over Ghey’s death was exacerbated as publications “deadnamed” her in their coverage of the story – that is, published the name she was referred to as prior to her transition. The Times came under fire for editing their article covering Ghey’s murder to refer to her by her deadname and remove all references to her being a girl. 

We are appalled to note that @thetimes have now updated their article on the killing of Brianna Ghey to remove all references to her being a girl and to add her deadname.

Previous version:https://t.co/FYWQ4SMDyi

Current version:https://t.co/g4TNG8p7f3

— Trans Safety Network (@trans_safety) February 13, 2023

Brianna Ghey’s identity was acknowledged and accepted by her family, who stated that she was a “much loved daughter, granddaughter, and baby sister.” Her family’s statement also mentioned that “she was a larger than life character who would leave a lasting impression on all that met her. Brianna was beautiful, witty, hilarious.”

Multiple close friends of Ghey shared their memories of her with VICE World News. Fellow transgender teenage girls connected with Ghey online through TikTok and online support groups for young trans girls. Friends told VICE that the internet was a big part of Brianna Ghey’s life, and where the majority of her closest friends were. These young women recounted that Brianna was “like a sister” to them, helping them access medical care for their transitions, being open about her own mental health and the ups and downs of being a transgender girl online, and always encouraged and supported members of her community. 

A GoFundMe page was set up to assist Ghey’s loved ones with funeral costs; As of February 14th, thousands had donated and the fundraising appeal had beaten its goal sixteen times over. 

Thousands across the U.K. and Ireland have gathered for candlelight vigils honoring Brianna Ghey, organized by activists like the Transgender Action Bloc, who organized a London vigil that included speeches about the increase in violent media rhetoric targeting transgender people, chants of protest, and calls for change. 

Thanks to everyone who came. Brianna was an absolutely inspirational teenager, who will be missed by those who were blessed to know her. She was a hero. pic.twitter.com/PQmCY2koPs

— Transgender Action Block (@TransActionBloc) February 15, 2023

Here at the London Vigil for Brianna Ghey. Easily a thousand people here, maybe more. pic.twitter.com/YLsJrDwkJG

— Jason Reid (@JasonReidUK) February 15, 2023

 More vigils are planned to take place through the coming days, according to a map compiled by Stonewall Was a Riot, who catalog peaceful transgender rights protests across the U.K. 

 

 

 

 

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Violence against the transgender community has been on the rise in recent years, at least in part due to the increase in anti-trans rhetoric in popular media and lawmakers passing discriminatory bills, both in the U.K. and here in the U.S. The Human Rights Campaign has been tracking incidents of fatal violence against transgender and gender nonconforming people across the U.S. since 2013; In the first two months of this year, four victims have been reported. Murders of transgender people nearly doubled between 2017 and 2021 in the U.S., with Black transgender women being most at risk. When we hear anti-trans ideologies come up, whether in the media we consume or from those around us, it’s now more important than ever to shut them down and recognize how those ideas lead to violence against some of the most vulnerable members of our communities. 

Photo: Screengrab from Instagram

After Madonna took the stage at the 2023 Grammys to introduce Kim Petras’ and Sam Smith’s historic performance, the media has been abuzz with criticisms about her appearance. With little-to-no commentary on the actual words that the music legend and feminist icon had to say about the incredible moment she was introducing, the public has chosen to instead latch onto the star’s new look.  

Nancy Jo Sales, a New York Times bestselling author and award-winning journalist at Vanity Fair, has been a fan of Madonna since her debut self-titled album, and was one of the first people to start a conversation about the criticism the star continues to face from people hell-bent on policing her sexuality and womanhood. When BUST reached out for a comment on the cruel rhetoric surrounding Madonna’s appearance after her Grammys speech, Sales said, “This was one of the worst cases of bullying and cyberbullying of a woman in the public eye that I have ever seen. It reminded me of the vitriol against Hillary Clinton, but this was worse, in a way, because Madonna had done nothing except post some pictures on Instagram and give a speech at the Grammys–stuff all performers do. It was this virulent misogyny mixed with ageism–ironically enough, because ageism seems to be Madonna’s current theme.”

Being publicly judged and examined is familiar territory for Madonna, who is one of the most significant pop-culture figures of all time. The artist is used to her looks being criticized, and has been using her appearance to subvert societal expectations and uproot the traditional norms for women since the beginning of her career. She is the queen of using her personal style to challenge our ideas of sexuality, femininity, and attractiveness.

Her sexuality, in particular,  has always been something she consciously and intentionally magnified, and in doing so, owned entirely. She’s kind of an anomaly in America, as there are very few women in the public eye who have been able to manipulate their own sexuality to their benefit instead of it being manipulated for or against them. Women aren’t supposed to know they’re sexy. That takes all the fun out of it for the people that want to consume feminine sexuality without having to fully engage with or appreciate the women behind it. Well, Madonna knows she’s sexy, knows she’s always been sexy, and instead of politely asking the public’s permission to continue being sexy, she’s just gone ahead and done it. And, maybe she got some cheek fillers, too, maybe she didn’t. Who cares? 

“Madonna showed up looking different” is like saying “water is wet.” It’s what she does. The pop legend has reinvented herself and her image so many times throughout her career, but something about her continuing to do so as she ages into her mid-sixties is profoundly upsetting to a lot of people, and everyone seems to have something horrible to say about it: Did she get plastic surgery? What kind of plastic surgery did she get? Why is she trying so hard? She should have just “aged gracefully” (when someone learns what the fuck that means, let me know). 

In a piece Sales wrote for The Guardian a week before the star’s Grammys speech, she posits that Madonna is in full control of the pot she is stirring. In fact, she was the one who bought the pot in the first place. Sales writes, “As a longtime Madonna fan, I’ve come to see that whatever she’s being criticized for, that’s what she’s asking us to examine. She’s popping a big zit on our cultural face.” Sales reiterated this poignant observation in her later statement to BUST, writing that, “…the haters [are] exposing themselves as having the exact biases that Madonna was smoking out with her provocative behavior.” 

People can’t stop speculating on her appearance, and the same is true for other women aging in the public eye or who have ever gone outside before. In a world that expects women to either kick and scream fighting old age or to slip quietly into it, Madonna is instead shouting about how much fun she’s having. That’s not one of the two options she was given by society, and her choice is apparently so disruptive that the public has decided it is their job to punish her for daring to stray outside of expectations. Everyone treating Madonna’s possible plastic surgery like a mystery to be solved or any of their business to begin with is telling on themselves. The misogyny seems to boil over whenever an older woman stakes claim to her own sexuality or alters her appearance even just a sliver past what society deems appropriate. 

But here’s the thing: Madonna looks how Madonna wants to look. And she will continue to do so despite how anyone else feels about it. That, in and of itself, is radical. 

 

 

 

 

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She responded to the slough of negativity regarding her appearance at the Grammys on Instagram by first congratulating Kim Petras and Sam Smith again, followed by saying, “Once again I am caught in the glare of ageism and misogyny That permeates the world we live in. A world that refuses to celebrate women past the age of 45 And feels the need to punish her If she continues to be strong willed, hard-working and adventurous…I look forward to many more years of subversive behavior -pushing boundaries-Standing up to the patriarchy -and Most of all enjoying my life.”

Couldn’t have said it better myself. 

If you love a rule-breaker and need something to look forward to, Madonna is going on a world tour, “The Celebration Tour,” and she’s bringing her decades of hits with her. You can find tickets here.

Top photo is a screenshot from “The Celebration Tour” announcement video on YouTube

At first, Pariser’s work was simple. “I signed up to be a counselor, which involved calling people [who had left us messages] and saying, ‘Hi. This is Jane. Why don’t you come over to my apartment and I can tell you all about it?’ We were very trusting. And they were, too, because it was illegal.”

In those days, women with means could find doctors who performed abortions – for a price. “One of the ways [doctors] did it was to take blood out of the woman’s arm, squirt it into her vagina, and say, ‘Go to the emergency room, tell them you’re miscarrying, and ask for me,’” Pariser explains. “And then the doctor would show up [at the hospital] and say, ‘Oh! You’re having a miscarriage! We’ll have to do a D&C [abortion] on you!’”

“We had to treat the women with respect and be gentle and say exactly what we’d be doing. Like, ‘Now we’re going to put the speculum in. Now you’re going to feel cramps.’”- Abby Pariser

By 1970, New York, Colorado, California, and Hawaii had legalized the procedure, and wealthier women could simply fly to a state where abortion was legal, while Jane continued providing the service to those with fewer options. For a while, Jane had a man working for them who claimed to be a doctor, and who would perform the procedure. But “not very long into this, people discovered he wasn’t a doctor– he had worked with a surgeon who also had been doing illegal abortions, and he learned to do it. At some point, a couple of the women said, ‘Gee, why don’t you teach us?’ And he was happy to do so. He liked the money, but he didn’t like the long hours and the traveling.” After a few women learned, they taught some others, including Pariser. “They decided we were trustworthy and adept and careful and kind,” she says. “We had to treat the women with respect and be gentle and say exactly what we’d be doing. Like, ‘Now we’re going to put the speculum in. Now you’re going to feel cramps.’ And we’d have someone sitting near the patient’s head, holding her hand and trying to comfort or distract her.”

When asked if she ever felt scared because she was breaking the law, Pariser says, “The first time I was at an orientation, they said, ‘You know this is illegal.’ I went home and was like, ‘Do I really want to do this?’ And then I met the first 10 or 20 women that I was counseling, and the answer was, ‘Yeah!’ Because these women needed our help.”

It all came crashing down, however, on May 3, 1972, when the apartment they’d been working in was raided, and Pariser was among seven members of the group who were arrested. The police weren’t nasty – but they were a bit clueless. “We actually thought they were a riot,” she says. “They kept running around the apartment looking for ‘the doctor.’ Opening closets, opening doors. We were on the 11th floor, and they opened the window to see if ‘the doctor’ was hanging out of it.” The group spent the night in jail and they were all eventually released to await trial on serious charges. “Eleven counts of abortion and conspiracy to commit abortion, each of which carried 10 years, or something like that, in the state penitentiary,” Pariser says. 

After a number of failed attempts, they eventually landed a fantastic lawyer – Jo-Anne Wolfson. Wolfson discovered that the Supreme Court was getting ready to consider Roe v. Wade and decided that stalling would be the best tactic. “Jo-Anne was funny – very flashy,” Pariser recalls. “She would walk up to the bailiff at 9:30 a.m., shake his hand, and drop a $20 into his palm” to get their case heard before the others. 

The strategy worked. Eight months later, on January 22, 1973, the Supreme Court decided Roe v. Wade, and all charges against Pariser and her cohorts were dropped. When I ask if she has any advice for people who want to help women in places where abortion is now illegal, Pariser recommends Women on Web, who distribute the so-called abortion pill, “which can be used up to 13 weeks,” she adds, “not [the 70 days] the FDA says!” Still, does she think women should start learning how to give abortions again, too, like she did? “That would be great!” she answers, laughing. 

Photo, top Abby Pariser, center, with other members of Jane, circa 1971, courtesy of Martha Scott

That’s why students like Neharika Rao at George Washington University are so inspiring. Rao and a group of fellow students were able to get a vending machine installed in the University Student Center that provides emergency contraceptives at a low cost right on campus. The machine also sells things like tampons and Advil, and allows students to discreetly and conveniently access these products whenever they may need them. 

The student group responsible for getting the machine at George Washington University said in an interview with NBC that they were inspired by students at other universities who have installed emergency contraceptive vending machines on their own campuses. Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania was one of the first campuses to install an emergency contraception vending machine in 2012. Boston University was also one of the earlier schools to have the machines installed, and NBC reports that it has dispensed more than one thousand pills since its unveiling. The American Society for Emergency Contraception says that there are over two dozen colleges and universities with at least one Plan B vending machine on campus, and that number will hopefully continue to grow. 

 

 

 

 

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If you’re interested in getting a vending machine like this at your school, The American Society for Emergency Contraception is a fantastic resource. One of their biggest projects is EC4EC or Emergency Contraception For Every Campus, which exclusively works on making sure all college campuses have accessible and affordable emergency contraception available. They can help you and other students get a vending machine on your campus, or, if you are attending a religiously affiliated college, or one that is located rurally and away from pharmacies, they can help you implement a peer-to-peer distribution system. This is a way for students to confidentially provide emergency contraceptives to classmates and avoid the barriers that might otherwise make it difficult to access contraception. 

The future for reproductive rights is not guaranteed, and it’s high time we acknowledge that and get to work supporting and protecting each other. With young people, and especially young women, leading the way, I think we just might be alright. 

 Top photo from Pexels by George Pak 

After the unfortunate overturning of Roe V. Wade in June of 2022, 13 states have been enacting bans on abortion services, leaving many women without access to basic healthcare services. In response to this, The Satanic Temple is launching a reproductive health clinic that will offer free religious services and abortion care in New Mexico via telehealth. 

The Satanic Temple does not literally worship Satan but rather uses the metaphor to confront injustice frequently imposed by other religions. They have previously worked towards confronting hate groups, fought to abolish corporal punishment in public schools, lobbied for equal religious representation in schools, and other advocacy that falls in line with their core tenets. Their most recent endeavor has been their work to help women get prescribed medication abortions online to make the process more accessible for those who need it. 

After a confidential screening, patients will have a virtual appointment with a doctor who will then be able to mail the necessary medication in discreet packaging. The Satanic Temple is estimating that the pharmacist fees will end up being around $90 in order to keep prices at a minimum. Other than that, there will be no other fees required by The Satanic Temple. 

via The Satanic Temple

Along with their help in getting women prescribed the abortion pill, The Satanic Temple is also providing licensed medical staff who will be open to answering any follow-up questions or concerns along with a dedicated patient hotline available 24/7. 

We hope that this is only the first of many locations The Satanic Temple is going to operate in. Their goal is to expand their practices into states that currently have banned clinical abortions to make sure all women have access to abortions whenever they need one regardless of the circumstance. 

Because The Satanic Temple’s abortion ritual is part of their religious practice, it is exempt from restrictions and bans imposed by the state. The purpose of the abortion ritual is to “destigmatize this medical procedure by providing self-worth and confidence to affirm one’s decision” and The Satanic Temple is doing great work to make that possible for all women. 

Top Image by Marc Nozell, via Wikimedia Commons

January 22nd, 2023 was supposed to be the 50th Anniversary of Roe V. Wade. Thanks to the Supreme Court, which currently includes an alleged attempted rapist and an accused sexual predator, it was not. 

Roe was overturned in June of 2022. Since then, thirteen states have instituted full abortion bans and five states have partial-bans depending on the length of pregnancy. It is a grim period for reproductive justice, and the stripping of rights that many generations hoped would be permanent is deeply upsetting and, in many instances, life-threatening. 

That’s why now, more than ever, abortion storytelling is important, and organizations like We Testify are bright shining lights in a dark time. We Testify is a nonprofit founded in 2016 that is “dedicated to the leadership and representation of people who have had abortions, increasing the spectrum of abortion storytellers in the public sphere, and shifting the way the media understands the context and complexity of accessing abortion care,” according to their website. 

 

 

 

 

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They do truly incredible work removing the stigma that surrounds abortion and helping people who have had abortions assume positions of power and influence. We Testify takes an intersectional approach to their mission, focusing on supporting and sharing the stories of marginalized women and queer/non-binary people. This is particularly fitting due to the organization’s roots in Frida Kahlo’s–an artist, activist, woman of color, and champion of social justice and disability rights–own backyard. According to their site, We Testify’s founder and executive director, Renee Bracey Sherman, was on a retreat in Mexico City visiting La Casa Azul, Kahlo’s famed former home, when the idea for the organization struck her. From the personal garden of one of history’s most famous storytellers and feminists, We Testify was born.

The nonprofit uplifts abortion storytellers by offering support before, during, and after the storytelling process, as well as compensating those who’ve had abortions for the emotional labor of sharing their experiences. They also partner with artists for projects, like their award-winning Comics for Choice anthology which connected illustrators with abortion storytellers to create a comic book of abortion histories and stories. We Testify has even teamed up with national organizations like Planned Parenthood and the ACLU. With Planned Parenthood, they produced a short film titled Ours to Tell, which follows four people who have had abortions as they share their stories and how the decision affected their lives. 

It can not be overstated how empowering and impactful changing the conversation around abortion can be. Everyone deserves empathetic, understanding, loving support when making the decision to get an abortion, and acknowledging the wide range of experiences that exist is so important in advancing reproductive rights. And, guess what? It’s a super common experience, with nearly one in four women having at least one abortion before the age of 45–but a lot of you probably already knew that. 

We Testify has an active social media presence, and is a great asset for staying informed about abortion rights and destigmatization. If you’re looking for an abortion storyteller to speak at your next event, a platform to share your own story, a place to put your feminist rage to good use, or help finding resources to obtain an abortion, you can visit their website or find them on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. You can also donate here. 

Top Photo: Brett Sayles on Pexels

Aram Han Sifuentes’ Protest Banner Lending Library began in 2016 out of a desire to have a voice when she felt like she had none. After Donald Trump was elected, Sifuentes recalls feeling devastated. Especially since—as someone whose family immigrated from Korea to California when she was a child—she wasn’t a citizen and couldn’t vote. “So much of [Trump’s platform] was about demonizing the immigrant population,” she says, “but immigrants like me don’t have a say in what directly impacts our safety.” Using sewing techniques she learned at age six, the fiber artist gathered whatever materials she had on hand and began making colorful protest banners decorated with a variety of pro-immigrant and social justice slogans, including, America Was Never Great, Stop Deportations, and Trust Black Womxn.

A new mom at the time, Sifuentes wasn’t comfortable going to protests herself, but she shared her banners on social media and people began volunteering to take them to rallies. Soon, activists also began asking how they were made, “So, I started doing workshops and other people started donating their protest banners to be borrowed,” she says, explaining how the collection that became the Protest Banner Lending Library got started. Since then, Sifuentes has led workshops all over the world, from Chicago—where she now resides and where her main lending library is based—all the way to the Netherlands, generating around 3,000 banners that can be found through her website.

When asked why she feels it’s not only important to create her own art, but also to teach skills like sewing to others, she explains, “When it comes to revolution, you can’t just make one banner and it’s over. It’s really important to share skills like making banners so that people know, can keep going, and can share with other people—it grows that way.”

Photo: eedahahm

This article originally appeared in the Winter 22/23 print edition of BUST Magazine. Subscribe today!

When Roe v. Wade was struck down in June, many immediately took to social media, offering to assist people who’d been impacted to get the care they needed. Unfortunately, those posts may have hurt more than they helped. Instead, becoming an “abortion doula” is a far more effective way to be of service. Here, we explain what the job entails, and how to get involved:

The social media posts suddenly popped up everywhere.

It was June and the Supreme Court had just handed down its landmark decision in Dobbs v. Jackson, ruling that the United States Constitution doesn’t protect a person’s right to abortion. The decision, which overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade case, as well as the 1992 Planned Parenthood v. Casey case, upended nearly 50 years of abortion rights, granting individual states complete power to regulate any components of abortion that were not protected by federal law. Immediately, “trigger laws” went into effect in states from Alabama, Arkansas, and Arizona to West Virginia, Wisconsin, and beyond, effectively banning or severely restricting abortion in 17 states.

Outraged and concerned, people looked for ways to help. Many took to social media sites such as Facebook to post a variation on the same message: “If you are a person who suddenly finds yourself with a need to go camping in another state friendly toward camping, just know that I will happily drive you, support you, and not talk about the camping trip to anyone, ever.” “Camping,” in this case, is a not-so-subtle coded message for helping someone access abortion care out of state. It may be a well-intentioned message, but reproductive rights workers and activists agree that it’s not the right way to go about helping those in need. Such postings are naïve at best and at worst, potentially dangerous.

“The ‘camping conversation’ is frustrating,” says Max Carwile, programs director for Abortion Access Front, an activist group that uses performance and humor to destigmatize abortion and provide aid to independent clinics. “I think we have this false idea that if we post something online then we’ve done our part and that people know to reach out to us. I wish I could encourage more people to think about what the pre- Roe era looked like without the Internet.”

Since the SCOTUS decision, there’s more of a need for doulas than ever.

If you’ve already protested, donated, and written letters to your representatives but are still looking for a more hands-on way to help, there’s a better option. You can become an abortion doula. Like pregnancy doulas, abortion doulas are people who provide support to patients before, during, and after their procedure—in some cases, that support can include transporting and finding housing for folks who need access to abortions out of state. Since the SCOTUS decision, there’s more of a need for doulas than ever—and not just in red states where abortion is limited or prohibited. The fact is, they’re vital everywhere.

“Clinics have realized the growing need for this sort of support and they’re finding creative ways to work that into their programs,” Carwile says.

Support on a Spectrum

The range of services that a doula can offer exists on a spectrum of physical, informational, logistical, and emotional care. And while their tasks don’t include medical advice—they’ll refer any medical questions to trained medical staff—they can offer support and hands-on assistance.

Some doulas transport clients to and from a clinic, and in some cases, sit bedside during their procedure. Other duties might include supervising aftercare or arranging for out-of-town lodging, childcare, and fixing meals. Those who undergo a medical abortion—a procedure that uses medication to terminate the pregnancy—can also use doulas, during and after taking what is often a two-pill dose. And since the fall of Roe, the role of abortion doula has been evolving. Some volunteers, for example, overlap into the world of “practical support organizations”—groups that, among other tasks, secure transportation and housing for those seeking abortions.

It’s nearly impossible to estimate how many programs exist or how many people are trained to work as doulas, and it’s not always obvious how to get involved.

“There’s no official terminology [for abortion doulas], and there isn’t an official certification you can go through to plug into your community,” says Carwile. Unfortunately, there is also no national network of abortion doulas in the United States, and there is no federal registry or database.

That said, there are at least three dozen abortion doula collectives currently operating across the country, and there are plenty of opportunities to become part of a growing trend that has deep roots in the women’s health movement and its midwifery communities. From Planned Parenthood’s affiliate training program to independent groups such as the Nesting Doula Collective, which serves BIPOC communities, there are options. And practical support organizations, which specialize in transportation and housing needs, are even easier to find. The website I Need an A is an online guide with a searchable directory that uses handy icons to indicate what services each offers, including long-distance travel, wage replacement, food assistance, gas money, and lodging.

Learning the Ropes

The country’s first formal doula collective, the New York-based Doula Project was founded in 2007 when a group of birth doulas realized there was another segment of the population—those needing abortion services—that needed similar care in terms of emotional support and both pre- and post- care. The collective, originally known as the Abortion Doula Project, eventually changed its name and broadened its focus to provide volunteers for every type of reproductive care and need. The group has even partnered with a pro-choice adoption agency to provide support for women who choose to carry a pregnancy to term but intend to relinquish parental rights.

Becoming a doula, says Mick Moran, projects coordinator and ’zine editor at the Doula Project, requires training on how to support a client emotionally and practically. “It’s important that people want to do this work because of their interest in reproductive justice,” Moran says. “We make sure the doulas are reflecting the communities they serve.” Former clients and those who live in the neighborhood they serve often make great fits, Moran says, but it’s not a requirement.

There’s no special skill set needed. “It’s more about your personality,” they say. “It’s about being able to provide loving, nonjudgmental support.”

This is why the Doula Project’s three-day training program covers everything from discussions on “value clarification” to workshops on how to engage in small talk with a stranger during what may be an emotionally complex situation. “It’s an important skill to make people feel comfortable,” Moran says.

Midwest Access Coalition, aka MAC, doesn’t offer doula training, but it does have a program to help people become an “emotional support person,” who functions in a similar way, with tasks ranging from talking on the phone to holding someone’s hand during a procedure. Such volunteers are typically trained counselors or therapists. The organization also connects volunteers to clinics in other states including as far west as Colorado, where members of the Colorado Doula Project can aid out-of-state patients.

CDP and MAC both also train volunteers to drive patients across state lines within the areas they serve. Another organization, Practi-Cab, based in Virginia, trains and certifies volunteers as abortion doulas to provide a safe and secure ride for folks seeking services in that state. And there’s even a group where activist pilots can volunteer to fly women to other states for abortions.

Because abortion funds such as the National Network of Abortion Funds don’t financially support doulas, most collectives rely on volunteers. Sometimes the volunteers are compensated for any costs incurred, and training is usually covered by grants or donations. The Doula Project provides its doulas with a stipend. “It’s part of our economic justice mission for them to not have to incur costs as volunteers,” Moran says, adding that they rely heavily on individual donations as well as assistance from partner clinics.

Needless to say, the pandemic has changed the scope of care available through these interconnected organizations. “For the last two or three years, nobody [except patients] has been allowed inside clinics,” says

Alison Dreith, director of strategic partnerships at MAC. “Drivers haven’t been allowed; spouses haven’t been allowed. I don’t know if anyone has lifted these restrictions—I don’t think we’ll ever go back to pre-COVID [access] because it’s actually a safer experience for patients.”

To adjust, many organizations have shifted some accommodations to incorporate various telehealth options. The Doula Project, for instance, now has an anonymous 24-hour telephone hotline, staffed by trained volunteers, to offer support before, during, and after a medication abortion. “We’re all ready to get back into clinics, to be there in person, but they’re not ready for us yet,” Moran says. “Part of that is COVID and part of that is just healthcare capacity.”

Whatever or wherever the care, it’s critical for abortion doulas to be vetted, usually via background checks, and to go through an official training course. In other words, don’t go rogue—this is not the kind of volunteer work to undertake independently for various reasons that include appropriateness of caretaking, legal considerations, and privacy issues (more on that later).

“With a pregnancy doula you work with that person for months; they’re helping you prep for your delivery,” Dreith says. “With an abortion doula, however, that’s a stranger—you’re usually meeting them the day of the procedure, and that’s a different experience.”

The Need Is Everywhere

Even in states like California, New York, and Colorado, where abortion restrictions are sparse, abortion doulas are still a critical resource. The practical and emotional support is important and, in some areas, especially in rural communities, clinics are still difficult to access.

“It’s about being able to provide loving, nonjudgmental support.”

In addition to independent clinics and doula collectives, Planned Parenthood also offers abortion doula support via many of its chapter affiliates. In Virginia, for example, the Virginia League for Planned Parenthood fills a critical need by partnering with doulas who serve neighboring states. “You’re able to get care in Virginia but we’re the only state serving the whole South,” says RaeAnn Pickett, an abortion doula and communications director at Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia. “Once you go south of Virginia, there’s nothing—so all these folks are coming north.”

“Doulas can provide physical, mental, sociological, and non- medical care. It can be giving a massage or telling a joke— whatever the need is.”

Pickett, who independently trained to become a birth doula through DONA International, which offers training for birth and postpartum doulas, says her experience made her realize a greater need. “Historically, a doula has been anyone who was giving support,” Pickett says. “Doulas can provide physical, mental, sociological, and nonmedical care. It can be giving a massage or telling a joke—whatever the need is.”

When she heard that Planned Parenthood offered a pilot program for affiliate clinics, she knew the Virginia League had to act. They applied for a grant to fund the program, and in 2021 started training volunteers at a Richmond-area clinic. Now, each Thursday and Friday, the center staffs two volunteers at each health center—one in the morning and one in the afternoon. It also partners with other community reproductive groups who can provide logistical support for needs such as transportation.

Like others, Pickett also stresses that would-be doulas must go through a vetted training program to ensure that the client’s needs are always at the center.

“You’re working with a person who is pregnant, and they might be really scared—they typically have very complicated feelings,” she says. “Having a doula who can engage with the medical community and knows what to look for if there is trouble is important.”

Safety, Privacy, and Risks

While doula work can be a useful and personally satisfying way to contribute, it’s not without its risks. From legal and privacy concerns to burnout, doulas can face a number of challenges.

Isabelle Bibet-Kalinyak, a New Jersey-based healthcare attorney, cautions that abortion doulas must understand the laws of each state where they’re offering care, whether in-person or virtually. “No matter where you are, your [actions] fall under state law,” Bibet-Kalinyak says. “So far, a lot of doulas have flown under the radar, but the risk now is that there’s going to be more enforcement. We’re going to see people playing vigilantes, so [doulas] need to make sure they comply with all applicable laws.”

In Texas, for example, the state’s “Heartbeat Act” lets private citizens sue abortion providers or anyone else they suspect is “aiding or abetting” abortion after the six-week mark—an action that will likely apply to abortion doulas. Meanwhile, Republican senators in South Carolina recently introduced a bill that would, among other things, criminalize offering abortion doula services. The bill failed, but it’s a clear indication of how far conservative lawmakers will go to strip away reproductive rights.

The good news is that a doula can’t be extradited to another state for prosecution, Bibet-Kalinyak says, but an abundance of caution is necessary. (Again, this is where proper training with a legitimate organization that knows the laws is key.) Lawsuits, she adds, can be a pricey consequence. “If you’re dragged into a lawsuit, you can’t just ignore it,” she says.

This means privacy issues are key, particularly in digital or communication spheres. Typically, doulas avoid regular text messages, opting instead for encrypted messaging platforms such as Signal. “Digital safety is crucial,” Moran says. “People don’t realize how much their phones can track them.”

Organizations such as the Digital Defense Fund (DDF) and the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) are good resources. The DDF, for instance, has tips on how to ensure mobile phone privacy, while the EFF offers a “Digital Security and Privacy Tips for Those Involved in Abortion Access” guide, which recommends “compartmentalizing your digital footprint” by never reusing passwords and switching out browsers or using them in “incognito” mode.

What if doula work doesn’t seem like the best fit for you? Or you do take it on and suffer burnout, which, Pickett says, is not uncommon? The good news is that, in reproductive healthcare, there’s still a need for volunteers in any capacity, within any scope. “More than ever, this movement has a place for everyone,” Pickett says. “People should not be afraid of what lane they might fit in.” Ultimately, she says, it’s about providing care and comfort in whatever way you can. “Traditionally, for hundreds of thousands of years, as long as people have been getting pregnant, there have been people supporting them,” she says. “Showing up to support someone regardless of how their pregnancy ends is the best and easiest way to make an impact.”

Illustration by Rachel Joan Wallis

This article originally appeared in BUST’s Winter 2022-2023 print edition. Subscribe today!

If you’re active on social media, chances are that your feeds have been flooded with AI-generated artsy pictures of the people you know. It’s also likely that you’ve downloaded Lensa and participated in the trend yourself, given that Lensa AI is topping the free iPhone App Chart with other AI generators and photo and video editors close behind it. Whether you’ve tried the app out for yourself or not, it’s important to look at what’s being revealed about technology, as it continues to grow in popularity. While participating in online trends isn’t inherently harmful, a number of users, particularly women, were shocked and offended seeing how Lensa’s AI-generated avatars altered their appearances: from exposing chests to erasing double chins and lightening skin tone; It’s become clear that even while engaging with the most innocent-seeming internet trends, women can’t escape the crushing weight of bigoted beauty standards.

Aubrey Gordon, an anti-fatphobia author/activist who publishes under the name Your Fat Friend and co-host of the diet-culture-debunking podcast Maintenance Phase, took to Instagram to share the images Lensa AI generated for her – and how she felt about those images. Gordon observed that the app removed the double chin present in the reference photos she uploaded, and disabled comments on the post due to the thinner AI images of her being praised “in a way that the fat real life [Gordon] is almost never complimented.” She goes on to say she was left feeling “isolated and despondent.”

 

 

 

 

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In an article for Insider, writer Laura Wheatman-Hill writes that the Lensa AI app made her “unrecognizable” and triggered memories of being “lonely, hungry, anxious, and terrified” while suffering through an eating disorder. The avatars generated for her by Lensa not only included breasts “nearly falling out” when none of the reference photos she uploaded showed anything below the shoulders, but also collarbones that popped out and images that looked like, in Wheatman-Hill’s words, a “strung-out, exhausted version of [herself].” She expresses grave concern for the way current and future younger generations may internalize the results of this technology, possibly leading to increased development of eating disorders, low self-esteem, and body dysmorphia in young people who didn’t struggle with those issues before exposure to the internet. 

Twitter user Rizèl Scarlett (@blackgirlbytes) uploaded a short thread showing that, as a Black woman, only eight of the one hundred AI-generated images from Lensa even resembled her. Some images were heavily distorted nightmare fuel while, even more concerning, others lightened her skin tone so drastically that they were pictures of “a white woman.”

It needs more black girl training data because out of 100 pics, these are the few that looked like me pic.twitter.com/KVOj0LIvdu

— Rizèl Scarlett on vacation ????? (@blackgirlbytes) December 3, 2022

London-based Black feminist Anna Horn (@feministnoire) had a similar experience with Lensa AI, according to her Twitter. In addition to the generated images being highly sexualized, she observed that she looked “like a white woman in most of the pictures.” In a racist and colorist society riddled with instances of gendered anti-Black violence and disenfranchisement, this whitewashing exacerbates the ill perception and treatment of Black women. 

It perpetuates racism and sexism – I ended up looking like a white woman in most of the pictures…. pic.twitter.com/UaztsQ8dyw

— Feminist Noire ? | Anna Horn (She/Her) (@feministnoire) December 5, 2022

Filters and photo editing apps reinforcing Eurocentric beauty standards by slimming, growing or shrinking certain facial features, and lightening skin tone is not a new trend, but it has dangerous implications for the way we perceive ourselves and others. Hell, “Snapchat Dysmorphia” is an actual term used under the broader umbrella of Body Dysmorphic Disorder. While an “it’s just an app/it’s not that deep” approach is much easier to digest, it’s more important now than ever to understand that nothing, especially online, exists in a vacuum. Hierarchies of sex, gender, race, and beauty are so deeply ingrained into our collective consciousness that bigoted standards worm their way into nearly everything. We just can’t seem to catch a break from being given more reasons and opportunities to scrutinize our appearances every damn day.

At the very least, the over-editing and hypersexualization of women’s appearances by Lensa AI contributes to warped self-perception and insecurity, but the above examples demonstrate that it exacerbates harmful ideas about beauty and racial stereotypes, which, at their worst, are catalysts for bigotry and violence. Even if you’re not the type to engage with online trends, there’s no denying that what’s popular on social media seeps into real, everyday life, and impacts the ways we look at ourselves, others, and the world around us. 

Photo by Diogo Nunes on Unsplash

That’s when Nguyen told her friends what had been on her mind for years: “The only way we’re going to watch women’s sports in public is if we have our own place.” So, she made it happen. Last April, Nguyen opened The Sports Bra—a sports bar dedicated to showing women and girls’ sports. But opening the bar in Portland, OR, didn’t come without its own set of hurdles.

“The only way we’re going to watch women’s sports in public is if we have our own place.”

“Writing the menu was easy;” says Nguyen, pointing out that she has been in the restaurant industry for 15 years.The real challenge was figuring out how to stream women’s sports in a restaurant. A study by USC/Purdue found that 95 percent of television athletics coverage focuses on men’s sports, which makes streaming fees for women’s sports more expensive, adding to the bar’s operating costs.

After being turned down for bank loans, Nguyen launched a Kickstarter and raised over $105,000. “If it wasn’t for the support from the community, I might have given up,” she says. That’s why giving back is so important to her: The Sports Bra’s beers and cocktails come from women-led breweries and distilleries; their meat is locally sourced from female ranchers; and the picnic tables outside the bar were made by a local nonprofit that teaches girls about carpentry.

The bar is also family friendly. “One of the best things is having kids here, because it’s probably the first time they’ve seen women’s sports in a public place,” Nguyen says. “And they’re seeing other people here cheering for it. That sense of belonging—that’s totally worth everything to me.”

Photos by Dorothy Wang 

This article originally appeared in the Fall 2022 print edition of BUST Magazine. Subscribe today! 

Jenny Nguyen

America, it’s time to vote. Today is the 2022 midterm election day, and the election has already been named “the most important midterm election” by the media. And they are not all wrong; abortion is an essential topic in this midterm election. After the Supreme Court overturning of Roe v. Wade in June, abortion is a highly discussed topic in both the Republican and Democratic parties– and in five states, abortion is on the ballot. Therefore, it is important to look at who is eligible to vote on this controversial topic that directly affects the health of women all over the United States. 

@roevbros The game show where we find out how much men know about women’s bodies. #womensrights #womenshealth #roevwade #vote #midterms #gameshow ♬ original sound – roevbros

A TikTok profile named Roe v Bros has created multiple TikToks where they ask men on the street (who are eligible to vote) different questions about women’s reproductive health in what they describe themselves as “the game show where we find out how much men know about women’s bodies.” And it’s safe to say the answers are hilarious and frightening at the same time.

@roevbros The game show where we find out how much men know about women’s bodies: Episode 2 #womenshealth #womensrights #roevwade #midterms #vote #gameshow #comedy #roevember #roeroeroeyourvote #bansoffourbodies #abortionrights #prochoice #reproductiverights #wewontbackdown #voteforabortionrights #reproductivehealth #election2022 ♬ original sound – roevbros

 Most of the men seem perplexed with the questions being asked. A few of them express emotions of absolute confusion as they are asked to answer questions such as, “Why are there different sizes of tampons?” and, “How long do you have to wait after giving birth to have sex?” 

@roevbros The game show where we find out how much men know about women’s bodies: Episode 3 #womenshealth #womensrights #roevwade #midterms #vote #gameshow #comedy #roevember #roeroeroeyourvote #bansoffourbodies #abortionrights #prochoice #reproductiverights #wewontbackdown #voteforabortionrights #reproductivehealth #election2022 ♬ original sound – roevbros

 As the quiz game continues, it becomes clear to the audience that the men in question have a very vague knowledge of women’s reproductive system.

One believes women bleed about ¾ of a cup during an average period (wrong), whereas another says he thinks it must be around 4 liters (even more wrong). However, the ultimate highlight must be the guy opening a tampon with his teeth, trying to demonstrate how to insert a tampon correctly. 

@roevbros The game show where we find out how much men know about women’s bodies: Episode 4 #womenshealth #womensrights #roevwade #midterms #vote #gameshow #comedy #roevember #roeroeroeyourvote #bansoffourbodies #abortionrights #prochoice #reproductiverights #wewontbackdown #voteforabortionrights #reproductivehealth #election2022 ♬ original sound – roevbros

 The quiz might be a fun way to display the average American man’s knowledge about women’s bodies. Still, each TikTok ends with the simple question, “Are you eligible to vote?” which puts the entire game show into a broader perspective. 

@roevbros The game show where we find out how much men know about women’s bodies: Episode 5 #womenshealth #womensrights #roevwade #midterms #vote #gameshow #comedy #roevember #roeroeroeyourvote #bansoffourbodies #abortionrights #prochoice #reproductiverights #wewontbackdown #voteforabortionrights #reproductivehealth #election2022 #womensrightsarehumanrights ♬ original sound – roevbros

The focus on whether or not men are able to vote should not necessarily be interpreted as the men should not be eligible to vote; instead it puts an emphasis on how important it is to not only teach boys and men about the woman’s reproductive system but also how vital it is to vote today in the midterm election– and perhaps not vote against something you clearly don’t know very much about.

A new era in Iranian history began five weeks ago with the tragic death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, a young Iranian woman who was arrested by the morality police for not wearing her hijab correctly. After being taken into custody, Amini was tortured for three days until she passed away. This sparked the beginning of what some are calling a feminist revolution in the country. Unfortunately, as the protests gain traction, the death toll continues to rise, with currently 244 people dead, as the Iranian government refuses to give in to the people’s demands. ABC News reports that at a police academy graduation ceremony, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader “condemned what he called ‘rioting’ and accused the US and Israel of being behind the agitation. ‘This rioting was planned,’ he said.”   

Islamic Republic of #Iran is extremely efficient in killing underage children.Both in protests&state executions. Yes, underage executions are carried lawfully by the regime. In last 28 days at least 23 kids(protesters)have also been killed by the regime. @AmnestyIran #MahsaAmini pic.twitter.com/OWlBC5OMOe

— Saman Arbabi (@SamanArbabi) October 13, 2022

One of the young people murdered was Sarina Esmaeilzadeh, a sixteen-year-old internet vlogger who gained fame posting videos of herself talking about her life, speaking out about her political views, singing, and dancing on YouTube. The Washington Post reports that “On Sept. 22, Esmaeilzadeh went to join the protests sweeping the country and was beaten to death by Iranian security forces, rights groups say.” The news of her death spread quickly and prompted many on social media to respond.  

Sarina Esmailzadeh, 16, beaten to death by Iranian security forces for protesting for women’s rights in Iran. Nika Shakarami, 16, killed after burning her headscarf in protest. Hadis Najafi, 23, shot multiple times during demonstrations sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini, 22, pic.twitter.com/rf087dCZkS

— DUA LIPA (@DUALIPA) October 8, 2022

The story of Sarina Esmailzadeh reached me this morning, I’m somewhat at a loss for words. We talk about freedoms with no understanding of what it means to pay the ultimate price in fighting for it. This brave girl was only 16 years in the world… https://t.co/I2d4J6WMak

— Hozier (@Hozier) October 7, 2022

 As Esmaeilzadeh’s death gained traction internationally, the Iranian government responded, stating that they had no involvement in her death and The Washington Post reports that they “claim(ed) she died by suicide by jumping off a roof.” This is eerily similar to Amini’s case, as after she was beaten to death by the morality police following her arrest for not abiding by the Veiling Laws, which legally requires women to wear a headscarf, CNN reports that authorities claimed that she “died of a heart attack” and passed from natural causes. According to The Washington Post, the Iranian authorities also stated that Nika Shakarami, another 16-year-old girl killed in the protests, “fell off a roof” to her death. The Washington Post also reports that her family has refuted this statement and claims that “she was killed by security forces after burning a hijab”.  

Nika Shakarami, a 16-years-old Iranian girl, is seen burning her hijab in the middle of the street in #Tehran before she was killed by Iranian security forces.#IranProtests2022 #IranProtests#مهسا_امینی #نیکا_شاکرمی pic.twitter.com/kjjMIvf1nY

— SAMRI (@SAMRIReports) October 10, 2022

 In the wake of these young women’s deaths, people have not only continued to protest in the streets of Tehran and other central cities, but they have also taken to the internet and TV networks. On Saturday, October 8, it was reported by NPR that during an evening news broadcast of Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei, a group hacked the program and  “flashed an image of Khamenei surrounded by flames.” They also underscored the image with “A song with the lyrics ‘Woman. Life. Freedom’ — a common chant of the protesters —.” 

  In the early days of the protests, videos of women taking off their hijabs, waving them like flags, and burning them in the streets went viral on both Twitter and Instagram. 

Women of Iran-Saghez removed their headscarves in protest against the murder of Mahsa Amini 22 Yr old woman by hijab police and chanting:

death to dictator!

Removing hijab is a punishable crime in Iran. We call on women and men around the world to show solidarity. #مهسا_امینی pic.twitter.com/ActEYqOr1Q

— Masih Alinejad ?️ (@AlinejadMasih) September 17, 2022

#Tehran tonight. Night 9 of nation wide #IranProtests now #IranRevolution – a bonfire of hijabs with women saying:
“We don’t want an Islamic Republic”

The coercive veiling of women is woven into the very fabric of the Islamic Republic. #MahsaAmini #مهسا_امینی pic.twitter.com/5T0jKHSjj6

— Samira Mohyeddin سمیرا (@SMohyeddin) September 25, 2022

As the protests have continued to increase, women all over the world have joined the protest for women’s rights. With the hashtag #HairforFreedom, actresses, singers, and even politicians more have been cutting their hair and posting it on social media. French actresses Marion Cotillard and Juliette Binoche posted videos on Instagram cutting their hair and voicing their support for Iranian women. Others who followed suit and have also posted pictures and videos with the hashtag #HairforFreedom include Turkish musician and teacher Melek Mosso, Swedish Parliament member Abir Al-Sahlani, and others. 

 

 

 

 

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In Italy, Wanted in Rome reports that two contemporary art museums in Milan and Rome, The Milan Triennale and the MAXXI National Museum of 21st Century Arts, have chosen to “invite visitors to leave a small lock of their hair, tied with a thread of string, in special containers in the museums.” In this protest, ABC News reports that the museums’ aim is to take this collection of hair “to present to the Iranian Embassy.” 

Although the incorporation of chopping hair in these protests is relatively new, apparently Iran has a long history of women cutting their hair to fight against oppression and push for change. “The Shahnameh (The Book of Kings) — a national epic of Iran, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan, refers to a princess chopping her hair to protest the death of her husband.

In the vein of continuing this legacy of cutting hair to provoke socio-political change, the movement of #HairforFreedom has even spread to the United States via social media.  An Instagram account called You’ve Got Mail Iran, is encouraging young women and men to send locks of their hair to the Islamic Republic of Iran UN officials in NYC. 

 

 

 

 

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Thousands of protestors internationally are taking to the streets to show their support for Iranian women. Just this past weekend, NPR reports that protestors from all over the world gathered in New York, L.A., Washington D.C., Berlin, London, and Stockholm to voice their condemnation of the Iranian government. 

 

 

 

 

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Demonstrators gathered at Iran’s Mission to the United Nations in #NYC today to protest what they say are human rights abuses by the Iranian Regime against anti-government protestors held in the infamous Evin Prison.#Iran #Evin pic.twitter.com/xNheYaJTn2

— LUKE2FREEDOM (@L2FTV) October 16, 2022

The fight for freedom for Iranian women is far from over, and as women, it is imperative that we raise our voices to help in any way we can. Besides cutting your hair, you can contribute to the revolution by creating sewn, knitted, or embroidered protest banners, following social media accounts like youth-led Middle East Matters, going to protests, and of course donating to various organizations that are providing relief in Iran. Looking for ways to support that don’t involve your hair?

Check out this article with links to some organizations that could use your help. 

Header photo by: Pouya Hajiebrahimi from Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-in-white-shirt-with-black-braided-hair-9399088/

 I’ll never forget the Christmas my father broke all my brother’s toys with a hammer. He did it because we were not acting grateful enough, but I could swear I had been doing everything just right. Clearly, one of us had gotten it wrong, and he exploded with rage in ways we were used to but still found terrifying. I remember my little brother at eight years old sobbing while my father broke his new Legos into tiny pieces. I waited until my Dad was worn out from yelling and hammering and then, as usual, I went and sat on his lap. I knew that would calm him down, and it almost always worked. 

Growing up, the looming threat of my father seemed to permeate everything. His rage controlled his six kids and my mother. I formed my little girl nervous system around his every feeling—appeasing him, sitting on his lap, holding his hand, talking to him, fetching him things he needed, dancing for him, singing for him, and telling him how much I loved him. I thanked him for things; made up stories about how well I had done in school so he would be proud of me; stayed quiet when needed but always paid attention; listened to him talk about his work, his achievements, and his views on life (he gave long talks about his views on life); smiled and nodded and praised him as often as possible. I did all I could to make him comfortable and at ease in the desperate hope that he wouldn’t hurt me or other members of my family. 

Despite my professional-level caretaking, I failed, as children do. There was really nothing I could do to keep my father from sexually abusing me. Absolutely nothing. His violations were unpredictable and hidden. He molested me regularly with no recourse and I battled his sickness alone. He brought me to his friends and they abused me as well. It was endless and horrifying and no one ever knew. No amount of people-pleasing could keep this from happening.

People-pleasing is an art. It requires the psychic ability to read other people’s needs from the smallest of clues: an eye shift, a hand gesture, a change in tone of voice, a withdrawal of attention, a needy or disgruntled expression, an exhale, an inhale, a glare, a deflation, a lost look, a blaming word, or a shame-filled story. It requires constant study, external observation, and the ability to fulfill the needs of others that are unspoken and, most often, unconscious. I knew that other people’s wellness would directly impact all aspects of my life, so I began a career of people-pleasing.

Children choose strategies to deal with situations that are out of their control, and mine was to play the “the good girl.” I formed a personality around the drive to be good in the hopes that it would propel me from the hands of my abusive parents. 

And I was far from alone. In fact, many people respond to childhood trauma in this way, and, in 2013, psychotherapist Pete Walker, M.A, MFT, created the term “fawning” to describe this fourth trauma response when flight, fight, or freeze are not effective. He defines fawning this way in relation to children who suffer certain kinds of abuse: “Servitude, ingratiation, and forfeiture of any needs that might inconvenience and ire the parent become the most important survival strategies available. Boundaries of every kind are surrendered to mollify the parent, as the parent repudiates the…duty of being of use to the child; the child is parentified and instead becomes as multidimensionally useful to the parent as she can: housekeeper, confidante, lover, sounding board, surrogate parent of other siblings, etc.”

There are no adequate words to describe the level of hypervigilance required to fulfill a people-pleasing addiction. The addictive high comes from feeling like you are a good person and you are making up for all that was wrong. If you can love and give enough, you are not like those lost people who hurt you, or the people destroying the planet without conscience, or the perpetrators who haunt you in the long line of your lineage. You work to be better and be good, and this can take up all your time. 

The worst aspect of this addiction is self-incrimination; the sense that I am responsible for people and the world’s pain, and thus the antidote as well. 

Em Rawls, MSW, who identifies as a Black, queer, social worker, says that over-functioning patterns like these often go undetected. “I have found in my work that folks whose trauma responses show up as people-pleasing can often seek out professions where this behavior can manifest harder and even become unhinged in the process,” says Rawls. “People can be labeled as hard workers, loyal, team players, always showing up big for others, and [taking] constructive feedback exceptionally well. While these qualities are true and sincere, I could give an example for each of these descriptions that would point towards a people-pleaser. People don’t question it because they don’t see the meltdowns, the resentments, or the frustrations that are happening.”

In my adult life, my people-pleasing addiction plays out like this: I monitor my partner’s emotional landscape constantly in order to make sure he is at ease, and try to fix it if he isn’t. I worry about my daughter’s well-being to the point of madness. I tune in to friends who need input, attendance, and care before tuning in to my own needs. I over-do, over-think, and over-give. I take responsibility for things that have nothing to do with me, like people’s anger or judgment. I play the mediator to anyone in conflict. I work too much with a mindset of “helping people.” I track literally everyone at group gatherings to make sure no one is upset or needing attention. I step into stressful situations to be of service even when I’m overloaded, burnt out, and have no resources. I am constantly cleaning, cooking, organizing, and tracking details. I am not able to go inward and rest. I keep my focus outward in the name of keeping myself safe. 

People-pleasing gives the illusion of safety because as long as we are attending to others externally, we feel like we are protecting ourselves. This is a child’s attempt to create a sense of safety that eventually becomes the adult’s unconscious compulsion. Safety that exhausts the body. Safety that requires constant action. Safety that is no longer needed because, in most cases, the danger has been long gone.

Trauma therapist, social worker, and survivor, Jackie Humphreys, LICSW, has worked with clients for decades on what she calls “inter-related survival behaviors.” She says, “We pay all of this intricate attention to our environments so we can read when something is dangerous and prepare for it. It doesn’t matter if we are an adult with a full life and not a child being abused anymore, because it is a core part of our survival that we still carry with us. We carry it into the work that we choose, into the intimacy we develop. It impacts our attachment style and how we go into any and all relationships.”

But trauma can’t be stuffed forever, can it? Not in my case. Eventually the agony of the past began to show itself between the cracks of my fabricated persona. I began peeling away at the edges and could barely stay awake from the strain of my injuries. It’s a common story. I broke down and began to remember. My adult life became a mad explosion of memory and horror, cutting through the Herculean efforts of a groomed little girl. My niceness could not hold up against the wreckage of my childhood. The truth of who I was came to find me. It was a long crash and a brilliant rescue. 

I’m 52 years old now. I haven’t seen or spoken to my family of origin in 30 years. Thirty years of intense therapy. Thirty years of recovering brutal memories of incest. Thirty years of finding an unbroken soul beneath the nightmares. Thirty years of building (despite everything) a career, a family, a creative voice, a healed body. Thirty years of training my brain to believe it is safe. Thirty years of dismantling the insidious and gripping need to take care of others at the expense of myself. 

My brain and nervous system have finally come to understand that giving to get is actually not love, it’s control. People-pleasers are not offering love, they are trying to keep you from hurting them. It may look so kind, so sweet, so caring, so generous, but the intention of the giving comes from terror, and that’s no fun for anyone. Of course, there are people who will welcome your caretaking, require your caretaking, and demand to be catered to, but that’s their control pattern. That’s their terror in action.

But you know what’s been my most powerful weapon in this war on people-pleasing? Menopause. Believe it or not, menopause came into my life to burn down the whole damn landscape. She came with a big FUCK YOU. The layers of pretty, pleasing, and popular began cracking off and falling away like hard rock that has finally turned to dust. Was it the hormonal shifts? A release from the male gaze due to the invisibility of aging? Had my brain’s conditioned pathology lost its ability to pretend? Is there some kind of veil that gets lifted when maturity sets into the body? Whatever the reason, I was down for it. I was ready for this graduation.

With menopause, my pattern of self-sacrifice became unbearable. It wasn’t sudden, because I’d been chipping away at my caretaking for a long time, but it created the path to the blessed unraveling. As a result, my entire sense of self has undergone a massive renovation, and the new look is “not my problem,” “not my fault,” and “not my job.” Yep. I’m not as socially acceptable as I used to be by a long shot. I don’t get the same high from making other people feel better. It has finally dawned on me that most problems are not about me. Unless you’re my kid. Or one of my therapy clients during work hours—and even then, I’m just here to love you, not get under the hood with my tools. I can hang with you, but that’s as far I’m willing to go.

I think of this time as the dawning of my true self. Underneath all my impressive and beautiful attempts at feeling powerful is a wise and eager soul, ready to be utilized by the forces of my joyful purpose. Today it is my job to make boundaries, say yes, say no, see clearly, be brave, speak the truth, and let real love have its way with me. 

Giving to get is actually not love, it’s control. People-pleasers are not offering love, they are trying to keep you from hurting them.

Illustration by Yadi Liu

This article originally appeared in the Fall 2022 print edition of BUST Magazine. Subscribe today! 

Concerns have been circulating within the state of Florida educational system, as a third-party digital platform is now being used to record female student athletes’ menstrual cycles. Why? Apparently, this is necessary knowledge the public school district must know in order to allow female students to participate in school sports. Not only are the distinctive questions only angled towards female athletes, apparently these gender-specific questions have been asked for two decades. Here is a copy of the form itself authored by the Florida High School Athletic Association. Look for the section titled, “FEMALES ONLY” with these following five questions: 

• When was your first menstrual period?

• When was your most recent menstrual period?

• How much time do you usually have from the start of one period to the start of another?

• How many periods have you had in the last year?

• What was the longest time between periods in the last year?

These questions raise various red flags specifically within the state of Florida due to recent legislative changes that occurred this summer. One such change occurred on June 1, 2022 when Republican Governor Ron DeSantis prohibited transgender females from participating in public school sports. With this in mind, this line of questioning seems particularly nefarious as it delineates between those assigned female at birth and those who identify with the gender. Secondly, on June 24, 2022, DeSantis also made it illegal for women to legally receive abortions after 15 weeks of gestation. Could this recent legislation and the display of delving into the reproductive health of young women be interrelated? This invasion of female privacy is a concern we all must question in post-Roe v. Wade America. 

Some have taken to social media to raise their concerns ranging from medical doctors, politicians and concerned citizens. 

Has anyone taught these legislators that menstruation ceases for many reasons besides pregnancy, like IDK exercise?

— Lisa Becker (@LisaleenBecker) October 5, 2022

Lawyer Pam Keith who ran for a Florida Democratic seat in the U.S. House of Representatives posted this recently on her Twitter: 

Police state for women. https://t.co/2jgxB119g2

— Pam Keith, Esq. (@PamKeithFL) October 4, 2022

Questioning a woman about her menstrual cycle is unrelated to physical performance. It is a blatant invasion of privacy and is eerily similar to menstrual apps purportedly being used to track female reproductive health. However, what is most alarming is the population being questioned—young minors in our school systems.

Photo, Top: Courtesy of Towfiqu Barbhuiya

For the first time since the 1979 Iranian Revolution and birth of the Islamic Republic, Persian women and men have taken to the streets to fight for justice for women. Combatting police brutality, an unjust government, and decades of systemic oppression, the Iranian people have come together by the thousands to fight for women’s rights and claim the freedom that has been cruelly seized from them. A recent tragedy has lit a fire in the belly of a nation, sparking  cries for liberation that are being heard around the world. 

On September 13, a 22 year-old woman, Mahsa Amini, was arrested by the morality police in the Iranian capital of Tehran for wearing her hijab incorrectly and not complying with the nationwide veiling laws. After her arrest, she was allegedly tortured for three days before dying in custody on September 16, and, according to CNN, “Iranian officials said that she died last Friday after suffering a ‘heart attack’ and falling into a coma following her arrest.” Her father, Amjad Amini, immediately denounced this claim, and told BBC Persia on Wednesday that “They’re lying. They’re telling lies. Everything is a lie … no matter how much I begged, they wouldn’t let me see my daughter.” Her horrific death has sparked outrage throughout the nation, and reportedly, following her funeral on Saturday, protests have ensued in various cities including Tehran, Orumieh, Gonbad-e Kavous, Kermanshah, Amol, and more. 

Unprecedented scenes in Iran: woman sits on top of utility box and cuts her hair in main square in Kerman to protest death of Mahsa Amini after her arrest by the morality police. People clap their hands and chant “Death to the dictator.” #مهسا_امینی pic.twitter.com/2oyuKV80Ac

— Golnaz Esfandiari (@GEsfandiari) September 20, 2022

Men, women, and children have taken to the streets to demand justice for Amini’s family, and for themselves. In these flash protests, citizens have clashed with the police, and there has been a significant amount of blood shed. Amnesty International reports that they have “recorded the deaths of six men, one woman and one child during protests on 19 and 20 September in the provinces of Kurdistan (4), Kermanshah (2) and West Azerbaijan (2). Of these, at least four died from injuries sustained from security forces firing metal pellets at close range.” Another human rights organization, Hengaw, has reported that at least 450 people have been injured while participating in the protests. 

Women in Iran have 10x the balls as any man in Russia. https://t.co/FUicqKmMSW

— Jay in Kyiv (@JayinKyiv) September 21, 2022

For six days now, women have been marching in the streets, burning their hijabs, and calling out for justice for this young woman’s tragic death. Videos and photos of women chanting, fighting back against the police, and cutting their hair have been going viral on Twitter and Instagram. According to CNN, “Footage shows some protesters chanting, ‘Women, life, freedom.’ Others can be seen setting up bonfires, scuffling with police, or removing and burning their headscarves – as well as destroying posters of the country’s Supreme Leader and shouting, ‘Death to the dictator.’ In one video in Tehran, young protesters march around a bonfire on the street at night, chanting: ‘We are the children of war. Come on and fight, and we’ll fight back.’”  

Women of Iran-Saghez removed their headscarves in protest against the murder of Mahsa Amini 22 Yr old woman by hijab police and chanting:

death to dictator!

Removing hijab is a punishable crime in Iran. We call on women and men around the world to show solidarity. #مهسا_امینی pic.twitter.com/ActEYqOr1Q

— Masih Alinejad ?️ (@AlinejadMasih) September 17, 2022

As feminists, we can, of course, all feel empathy with the women fighting for their rights in Iran, but I, personally, feel especially connected to this strife, despite the fact that I am geographically removed from the situation in Iran. For one thing, Amini was only 22 years old, and I happen to turn 22 next week. But also, my own family fled Iran. My father is Iranian, and he immigrated to New York in 1979 at just 10 years old alongside my grandparents and two uncles. My grandfather, being a Persian Jew, anticipated a second Holocaust and fearing what was to come with the new Islamic regime (after the last Shah was overthrown), left everything behind to start over in the United States. Eventually, my entire family immigrated to the United States, and they now are spread out between Long Island, New York and Los Angeles, California. 

My grandmother often tells me that she knew that they had no choice but to move when it became compulsory for women to wear hijabs. According to BBC News, “Following the 1979 Islamic Revolution, authorities in Iran imposed a mandatory dress code requiring all women to wear a headscarf and loose-fitting clothing that disguises their figures in public.” While there have been movements online in recent years to combat this oppressive dress code, there have never been protests of this scale against the hijab laws. The last mass protests occurred in 2019, following the rise in gas prices. Moreover, the “morality police” who are arresting, imprisoning, and in many cases beating citizens for not abiding by the law, are reportedly “also known as “The Gasht-e Ershad (Guidance Patrols) are special police units tasked with ensuring the respect of Islamic morals and detaining people who are perceived to be “improperly” dressed.” To make things worse, the veiling laws have only gotten stricter since the revolution 43 years ago, as BBC News reports that “President Ebrahim Raisi, a hard-line cleric who was elected last year, signed an order on 15 August to enforce a new list of restrictions. They included the introduction of surveillance cameras to monitor and fine unveiled women or refer them for “counselling”, and a mandatory prison sentence for any Iranian who questioned or posted content against the hijab rules online.”

internet in iran is being shut down partly in iran.
instagram also has been blocked and access to whatsapp has been restricted.
Now it’s your turn to be our voice,for we have always been your voice for freedom!#Mahsa_Amini #مهسا_امینی #OpIran pic.twitter.com/gNZb5J2Yaf

— Sara (@sara54l24) September 22, 2022

In order to shut down the protests and silence the voices of the people, according to Netblocks, the government has shut down access to Instagram and Whatsapp and there have been blackouts (no internet service) in cities nationwide. To help the Iranian people obtain their freedom, spread the word about what is going on, and use your social media to empower them. You can also donate to the organizations Children of Persia and My Stealthy Freedom to aid the Iranian people. 

Top photo: Darafsh, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Since SCOTUS’ decision to overturn Roe v. Wade a few months ago, it seems like every woman wished there was a number you could call to find access to safe abortions? Kind of like Ghostbusters, but for women’s reproductive rights? Well, it turns out that women in Chicago in the late 1960s and early 70’s faced the same dilemma, and they created a person (or rather, group) that you could call- the Jane Collective. The HBO documentary The Janes tells the story of the Jane Collective, a group of women who aided pregnant women in obtaining safe, affordable abortions in a time when they were illegal. Directed by Tia Lessin and Emma Pildes, the documentary features testimonials from founding members including Heather Booth, Laura Kaplan, and Eleanor Oliver. Call Jane, a fictionalized story inspired by The Jane Collective’s actions, first premiered at 2022 Sundance Film Festival this past January and will hit theaters on October 28, 2022.  

 

 

 

 

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 Set in Chicago in 1968, Elizabeth Banks portrays Joy, a suburban housewife living a seemingly picture-perfect life with her husband and daughter. After discovering that she has a potentially-fatal heart condition and not wanting to put herself at risk, she decides to terminate the pregnancy. However, in seeking an abortion she is unable to find anyone in the male-dominated medical field that will perform one, as they were illegal. While searching for someone to perform an abortion for her, Joy finds “Jane’s” number, and comes in contact with Virginia (Sigourney Weaver), a member of the Jane Collective who helps her. In the trailer, we see Joy ask the group “Which one of you is Jane?” to which they all share a look and then respond, “We’re all Jane.” Joy is so enamored with Virginia and the other members’ efforts to fight for women’s reproductive rights that she joins the team, putting herself and everything in her life at risk to fight for the right to choose. 

Someone is always there to answer the call. Elizabeth Banks stars in #CallJane – only in theaters October 28. pic.twitter.com/l4o3tfoAj9

— Roadside Attractions (@roadsidetweets) September 16, 2022

The Call Jane cast includes Cory Michael Smith (Gotham), Kate Mara (The Martian), Chris Messina (The Mindy Project), and more. The comedy-drama was written by Hayley Schore and Roshan Sethi (The Resident), and directed by Phyllis Nagy, the screenwriter for Carol.  Go see Call Jane in theaters next month and before you do, catch the doc on the real life history makers. 

Header photo by Charles Edward Miller 

AT THE END of June, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade, ending the constitutional right to legal abortion in America. Writing for the court majority, Justice Samuel Alito cited decisions by 17th-century English judge Sir Matthew Hale multiple times as legal precedent for his opinion. “The great common-law authorities – Bracton, Coke, Hale, and Blackstone – all wrote that a post-quickening abortion was a crime,” Alito notes in his final judgment on Dobbs v Jackson. “Hale wrote that if a physician gave a woman ‘with child’ a ‘potion’ to cause abortion, and the woman died, it was ‘murder;’ because the potion was given ‘unlawfully to destroy her child within her.'”

You’ve probably never heard of Sir Hale, but he was one of the most influential judges and legal scholars of his time, and, like Justice Alito, he was no fan of women. Testimony from victims of sexual assault was treated with extreme skepticism in his court, because, in his view, “it is an accusation easily to be made and hard to be proved, and harder to be defended by the party accuses, tho never so innocent.” And in a 1662 decision, he sentenced two women to death for witchcraft on the basis of dreams they supposedly used to bewitch children. This decision would go on to be used as legal precedent in the famous Salem Witch Trial of 1692.

To many, a modern supreme court choosing to align itself with someone who was responsible for the execution of women for witchcraft and multiple rulings restricting women’s bodily autonomy might sound arcane and absurd. However, the criminalization of abortion and the criminalization of witchcraft have a long history together.

J. Sprenger and H. Institutoris Malleus maleficarum. Image: Welcome Images

The tie between witches and abortion was already being made 500 years ago in the Malleus Maleficarum or Hammer of Witches. This vile book, written in 1486, was a witch-hunter’s manual authored by two German ministers, and it was later tacitly embraced by authorities as the definitive book for finding and killing accused witches. According to this text, there are several methods witches use to “infect” good Christians with witchcraft: “first by inclining the minds of men to inordinate passion; second, by obstructing their generative force; third, by removing the members accommodated to that act; fourth, by changing men into beasts by their magical art; fifth, by destroying the generative force in women; sixth, by procuring abortion.”

The German ministers weren’t being entirely paranoid, however, in accusing “witches” of having the abilities to “procure abortion.” Many herbs associated with witchcraft are, not surprisingly, also effective abortifacients and psychedelics. Mugwort, Rue, and Queen Anne’s Lace, aka “maleficium,” were often referred to as “sterility potions” and outlawed in many European countries in the 16th and 17th centuries. According to historian Etienne van de Walle in the 1999 book Towards a Demographic History of Abortion, during the same time period, some plants, like juniper and pennyroyal, were so well known as abortifacients they were illegal to plant in public gardens, and just having them grow on your property was enough to incite suspicions of witchcraft.

“Witchcraft was frequently associated with sex-related crimes,” explains Kristen Sollée in her book Witches, Sluts, & Feminists. “Midwives and women who were discovered teaching birth control methods or providing abortifacients or abortions were often accused of witchcraft. Driven by a fear of infanticide and abortion, the 1556 French parliament ordered pregnant women to register their pregnancies and required a witness for their deliveries.”

The title page from British “Witch Finder” Matthew Hopkins’ 1647 book The Discovery of Witches. Image: British Library

Additionally, abortion providers at this time were often suspected of killing babies for profit. Widespread rumors of human sacrifice and the use of umbilical cords and other fetal remains to cast harmful spells led people to accuse midwives of selling aborted fetuses to witches, even if they were not directly charged with witchcraft themselves. According to the 1590 book Examen of Witches by notorious French inquisitor Henry Boguet, “Those midwives and wise women who are witches are in the habit of offering to Satan the little children which they deliver, and then killing them… They do worse; for they kill them while they are yet in their mother’s wombs. This practice is common to all witches.”

One example of this phenomenon of targeting innocent health-care providers involved a midwife named Jane Turnour who, according to Carla Spivack in the William & Mary Journal of Race, Gender, and Social Justice, was accused of witchcraft in 1580 after she allegedly “[M]aliciously and devilishly bewitched and enchanted a certain Helen Sparrow, wife of John Sparrowe…being then great with a certain living child.” According to the complaint, she helped a client to miscarry, ostensibly to sell the remains, and her husband retaliated with legal action.

In a chilling retread of this particular brand of hysteria, similar accusations – of craven child murder for profit – have been made in recent years, most notably in 2015 when former Texas Governor Rick Perry made (now debunked) accusations against Planned Parenthood, claiming that they were selling fetal remains. Similarly, earlier this year, anti-abortion activist Catherine Glenn Foster testified before a House judiciary committee and made the ludicrous claim that aborted fetuses were being used to power Washington D.C.’s electrical grid.

While lore around witches goes back to ancient times, witch trials do not. The great European witch hunts that began in the 500s were shaped by the scientific revolution, the enlightenment, the birth of capitalism, and colonialism, as the practice evolved. Previously un-privatized and non-professionalized skills were organized into formal fields of study and practice in the 1500s and 1600s. This included medicine, which had up until that point been mostly the purview of women who were experts, but not professionals. As a result, people such as midwives and healers became targets of suspicion in the face of a rapidly increasing professional class of male doctors—suspicions that would sometimes result in their deaths.

A witch holding a plant in one hand and a fan in the other. Woodcut, circa 1700-1720. 

In the popular imagination, witch trials are seen as a sudden madness that grips a small community. But in reality, the European witch hunts, and the criminalization and elimination of female-dominated medical practices including abortion, began at the same time, and were methodically implemented at a legal, state-based level. This was a top-down, rather than a bottom-up, process. Initially, the execution of witches and the criminalization of abortion were unpopular policies in local populations. It was only once the accusing and killing of one’s neighbor became a legal avenue to power or wealth that people started participating in, or at least accepting, witch hunts. For instance, the famous Salem Witch Trials of 1692 were likely driven by greed more than fear of demonic activity, as an accuser could lay claim to a convicted “witch’s” property. This cultural shift is not too far removed from Texas’ recent anti-abortion law S.B. 8, which turns citizens into de-facto witch hunters by paying bounties to those who report anybody performing or enabling an abortion.

It’s important to remember the context in which this was all happening. In the 16th and 17th centuries, the dawn of private property, known as the “enclosure movement,” created the modern labor force—because everyone now needed to make money to live somewhere. Increasing this pool of workers was of the utmost importance to the state and its emerging capitalist class, and thus a preoccupation with the female body as a baby-making factory was (forgive the pun) born. Since female healers, midwives, and “cunning folk” in villages were the ones usually aiding in childbirth and performing abortions—in other words, controlling the reproduction of the labor force—it was of the utmost importance to the state that this group be eliminated as violently as possible. The way to do this was through witch trials. As Silvia Federici writes in her 2004 book Caliban and the Witch, “Increasing privatization of property and economic relations…generated a new anxiety concerning the question of paternity and the conduct of women. Similarly, in the charge that witches sacrificed children to the devil—a key theme in the ‘great witch hunt’ of the 16th and 17th centuries—we can read not only that preoccupation with population decline, but also…at the very moment the population was declining…[that] an ideology was forming that stressed the centrality of labor in economic life [and] severe penalties were introduced in the legal codes of Europe to punish women guilty of economic crimes.”

With the advent of enslavement of indigenous people by Europeans in the 16th century, birth further became a process of reproducing a captive workforce as property, and abortion, previously unregulated and commonplace amongst indigenous people, became criminalized. Those who continued to practice abortion, traditional medicine, and the worship of local spirits and gods, were called witches, and were subjected to humiliation and torture in front of their local communities as a way of ridding the population of these behaviors.

While abortion wasn’t criminalized in North America until after the Civil War (and wasn’t officially forbidden by the Catholic Church until Pope Pius IX issued an edict against them in 1869), in the Spanish and Portuguese colonies of South America, abortion had been made illegal in the 1400s and 1500s because the newly enslaved indigenous people were now property, and as such had a duty to reproduce so their offspring could be taken from them and sold.

Increasing this pool of workers was of the utmostimportance to the state and its emerging capitalistclass, and thus a preoccupation with the female bodyas a baby-making factory was (forgive the pun) born.

The punishments these colonists would inflict upon indigenous people who were caught secretly providing abortions would eventually be adopted by European witch hunters—including whipping, stockades, and public torture. Put simply, the techniques developed for the subjugation of indigenous people in the 1400s and 1500s eventually found their way into Europe in the 1600s. As Federici writes, “In the New World, witch hunting was a deliberate strategy used by the authorities to instill terror, destroy collective resistance, silence entire communities, and turn their members against each other,” and this included stamping out any rebellious practitioners of abortion.

Even today, in many former colonies, such as Jamaica, herbal birth control, abortion, and other indigenous forms of medicine have been kept alive only through generations of lay practitioners who never stopped bucking authority. In Indonesia, traditional healers who provide abortions because medical professionals are prohibited from doing so are often referred to by the derisive Western term “witch doctors.” Keeping this wisdom alive is a powerful act of resistance by women who are still called “witches” for practicing these very same traditions, especially when medical and legal establishments continue to deny abortion access to their populations.

In fact, culturally, from sub-Saharan Africa to Jamaica, women are still routinely accused by people in their communities of being in league with the devil for wanting to prevent or end their own pregnancies, whether by birth control or abortion. And even here in the United States, Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene went on the record in April stating that “Abortion is a lie Satan sells to women.”

So, what are we to take from this violent history? Ultimately, we must remember that there is a clear pattern, repeated again and again, of lawmakers standardizing womanhood as a factory for reproduction, criminalizing deviation from that ideal, and violently oppressing sex and sexuality whenever capitalism expands—whether through general demonization or overt accusations of “witchcraft.”

Much has been made lately of the United States’ decline. Falling birthrates lead to a shrinking workforce, and if the U.S. is also diminishing as an empire, it follows that it must grow its labor force to correct this. If historical patterns lead where they always seem to go, we would do well to heed the lessons of the witch trials, keep a close eye on the demonization of abortion providers here and abroad, and work to preserve the bodily autonomy of all childbearing people.

By Sarah Lyons

This article originally appeared in BUST’s Fall 2022 print edition. Subscribe today!

“Stripper strike!”

Those words are painted across the signs being held by the dancers working at Star Garden in LA. The dancers have petitioned for unionizing with the Actors’ Equity Association, making them the first strippers to join a union. The Actors’ Equity Association is a union that predominantly represents actors and performers. And now maybe strippers. 

The view of stripping as a profession has changed drastically within the last few years. The acceptance of women owning their sexuality has developed gradually. But the focus is no longer on whether or not society approves of it; instead, the focus is now on the financial aspect of it. Stripping as a profession has not always been taken seriously; as a consequence, strip clubs have not always been a safe work environment. The lack of respect for stripping also shows in the paycheck. And this understanding is key to the so-called stripper strike; the dancers at Star Garden are not asking for approval of their profession; they simply want basic workers’ rights. 

Stripping, or exotic dancing, is no longer necessarily considered a shameful profession. It has moved into pop culture and people’s everyday life. Pole dancing is now considered a sport instead of only belonging in the world of exotic dancing, and the stigma of women being financially dependent on their sexuality is changing.  

Women being in charge of their sexuality – professionally or privately – has been getting a lot of attention recently. OnlyFans – a content subscription service mainly used by women who produce pornographic content – has changed the understanding of sex workers. OnlyFans allowed adult actresses to be entirely in charge of their content and, perhaps most importantly, their economic well-being. This newly founded financial freedom has changed the perspective of young women being taken advantage of to taking control of themselves. 

The new understanding of stripping and sex workers has also moved into pop culture. Artists such as Cardi B have publicly reflected upon their background as a stripper. With lyrics such as, “I don’t dance, I make money moves,” from the hit song “Bodak Yellow,” she proudly embraces her previous occupation before becoming a rapper.

While she and Megan Thee Stallion’s song “WAP” caused many controversies, it was also viewed as a liberating expression of female sexuality. High exposure from an influential person like Cardi B can change the perspective on a highly stigmatized profession such as stripping. Cardi B also participated in the movie Hustlers in 2019, which starred actress and singer Jennifer Lopez, among other stars such as Constance Wu, Lili Reinhart, and Julia Stiles. A movie that portrays the living situation of many dancers after the financial crisis in 2008. Other movies, such as Zola (2020) and Magic Mike (2012), also depict the lives of strippers and the not-so-glamorous life behind being an exotic dancer. 

Strippers and sex workers are generally more accepted by society than they have previously been. Now the only thing missing is an acceptance of stripping as a real profession. The dancers from Star Garden are making a statement about how they and their job need to be taken seriously, and hopefully, this will encourage other dancers around the country to do the same thing. 

Photo by Eric Nopanen on Unsplash

Since the 1973 ruling Roe v. Wade was overturned on June 24, access to abortion grows more limited with each day that passes by. On Thursday, Tennessee, Idaho, and Texas, have banned abortion, thus affecting the lives of millions of women. Due to trigger laws, which according to Merriam-Webster are laws that “are unenforceable but upon the occurrence of an event (such as a court decision) become enforceable,” these three states have been able to successfully ban abortions, and unfortunately, only more will follow suit. According to CNN, “These laws were designed to take effect 30 days following the US Supreme Court’s transmission of its judgment overturning Roe v. Wade — a procedural step by the court that occurred on July 26.” Moreover, like dominos, the trigger laws have fallen into place in individual states including South Dakota, Oklahoma, Texas, Kentucky, and more, one by one, following the ruling at the federal level. 

Today, abortion bans are going into effect in Idaho, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas. Tomorrow, one will likely go into effect in North Dakota. The legislators who passed these extreme laws don’t trust women of their states to make decisions about their bodies. @POTUS and I do.

— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) August 25, 2022

Prior to the trigger laws put in place yesterday, Texas had essentially already banned abortion. Just last year, the state passed a law that made abortions illegal “unless the pregnant woman was at risk of death or substantial impairment of a major bodily function.” What today’s ruling did was worsen the punishments that doctors or other medical professionals will be forced to pay if they perform these procedures. If found guilty of performing abortions for mothers who are not in a state of “medical emergency,” medical professionals face time in prison or, according to the Texas Attorney General’s statement, “fines no less than $100,000.” From now on, in Texas, the only reason a woman may have an abortion is if her current state is that of a “medical emergency,” and instances of rape and incest do not apply. 

Following Texas’ suit, Tennessee also put in place trigger laws that ban abortion. Basically, Tennessee lawmakers took one look at Texas’ anti-abortion laws, and said “let’s hit copy and paste on those!” Prior to yesterday, the only stipulation that pregnant women seeking abortion access in Tennessee had to adhere to is that they could not have an abortion after six weeks of pregnancy. From this day forward, if you are a woman living in Tennessee, the only reason you are legally allowed to have an abortion is if you are in a state of “medical emergency” (which is to be determined by your doctor and old Republican men who don’t know anything about women’s bodies). 

If you thought that things couldn’t get any worse, think again. On Saturday, Oklahoma will put into place its trigger laws regarding abortion, eradicating an essential part of women’s healthcare for the foreseeable future. As of today, 12 states, including South Dakota, Oklahoma, Texas, Kentucky, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Missouri, have made abortion almost completely illegal (in rare instances is it considered legal). In order to fight back and fight for our right to choose, you can donate to the following organizations: 

– Planned Parenthood

– Sister Song

– Yellowhammer Fund

Photo by Matt Hrkac via wikimedia commons

Did you think the scandal surrounding the Depp v. Heard trial this Spring was a thing of the past? Think again: on Twitter, the results of the trial have just unfurled into a full-fledged debate about feminism. It began with this tweet from @womensmarch, setting off a landslide of angry opposition. 

Sexism & misogyny are the reasons so much of the internet believes Johnny Depp—not his victim, Amber Heard—despite ALL the evidence of his abuse.

— Women’s March (@womensmarch) August 16, 2022

The response was cacophonous, with a striking number of women expressing stark sentiments both in favor of and against online demands to #ShutDownWomensMarch. While Johnny Depp and Amber Heard have served as respective figureheads for years in debates over domestic abuse (with people tweeting in support or opposition to one or the other), the crux of this Twitter surge is a debate about the direction of feminism itself. 

Holding one organization accountable is not supporting the patriarchy. If we want to evolve as a society we have to hold toxic femininity accountable as well. To turn a blind eye to that doesn’t help #WomensMarchSupportsAbusers #ShutDownWomensMarch

— ?‍ (@KeshawnaDavis1) August 18, 2022

Best I can tell, #ShutDownWomensMarch is trending because some believe that shutting down millions of women fighting for their human rights is justifiable because one rich, powerful man with millions of followers who just won millions in court needs to be protected some more.

— Brandon Fusco (@Dad_of_Legend) August 18, 2022

As is often the case in discussions of hot-button topics on social media, the #ShutDownWomensMarch Twitter discourse quickly devolved into rage and insults, with women angrily calling each other out and scrappily defending their own sides. 

#ShutDownWomensMarch Open your eyes! Just because you are female doesn’t make you a saint! Women lie and cheat as much as men do. Stop believing ALL women! Listen and follow facts not just words. Anyone can lie and even believe their own lies. Habitual liar, look it up.

— Dawn (@dragonflies987) August 18, 2022

#ShutDownWomensMarch I’ll never support you. You’re a bunch of misandrists supporting an abuser just because she’s a woman and defaming a victim of abuse just because he’s a man. I’m not even suprised at this point but still disappointed. #JohnnyDeppDeservesAnApology

— Jo (@persoinrealta) August 17, 2022

If you’re tweeting #ShutDownWomensMarch because of some misguided idea that you’re “helping” Johnny Depp, please step away from Twitter for a mo’ and take up the hobby of reading about intersectional feminism. Thank you, appreciate it.

— Erin O’Riordan (@ErinORiordan) August 18, 2022

Personally, I’m saddened to see discussions of feminism turning into arguments between women. In the wake of the overturning of Roe v. Wade, at a time when women could be uniting to defend our rights, our bodies, and our livelihoods, we are stuck arguing over the lives of celebrities we don’t actually know. Rather than fueling our anger towards each other, what if we actually talked to one another with respect? What if, instead of picking apart a tweet, we rallied around what we have in common? Is conversation and community too much to ask from us? I don’t think so.

Top Image: bones64

If you’ve opened your phone or laptop to any news site in the past few days, you’ve probably seen mention of “the climate bill”—but in reality, this is a bit of a misnomer. Following months of negotiations, the bill finally passed the Senate 51-50 on August 7th. It’s true that this legislation—officially called the Inflation Reduction Act— makes significant strides in climate-related issues, but it encompasses much more than that. The measures contained within it are dramatic and likely to make paramount changes in both climate and healthcare.

So when it comes to climate, what does the Inflation Reduction Act actually promise?

First and foremost, it finances the production of clean energy with the goal of a 40% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030. The ~$370 billion investment in energy and climate reform constitutes the largest federal expenditure of clean energy in U.S. history.

Clean energy (also called renewable energy) is derived from sources that are constantly replenished. Wind and solar energy are prime examples because the amount of sunlight and wind doesn’t decrease when it is used as energy, unlike non-renewable energy fossil-fuels like oil, coal, and gas, which are available only in finite amounts and often produce significant carbon emissions. Carbon emission is not an inherently bad thing; after all, carbon is a naturally occurring element that plants and animals produce and absorb through the processes of respiration and photosynthesis.  However, when humans burn fossil fuels to manufacture energy, excess carbon and other greenhouse gasses (like nitrogen, methane, water vapor) are released into the atmosphere, and the natural systems in place to absorb that carbon aren’t able to keep up. Too much carbon causes a buildup of heat in the atmosphere which contributes to climate change.  

There’s a reason the climate part of this bill has been so firmly emphasized in popular discourse: this is a meaningful shift when it comes to legislative environmental protection. As we shift away from non-renewable energy and towards clean energy, we reduce carbon emissions that lead to climate change. 

How does the climate portion of the bill impact mothers and families?

The increase in energy supply expected to result from the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act will lead to lower energy costs for families, easing some of the financial burden that the pandemic and inflation have caused. In June, the consumer price index (as indicated by everyday expenses like food, housing, clothes, transportation, medicine, education, and household energy) had risen 9.1% since last year.  

The Inflation Reduction Act tackles inflation specifically by decreasing the costs of energy and prescription drugs and reduce the federal deficit, which tends to lead to lower demand and fewer price increases. This is a significant change, particularly when we consider the financial duress that so many women (particularly single mothers)  endured during the pandemic—juggling childcare in the midst of school shutdowns while struggling to maintain their jobs as layoff surges plagued the country. 

A study published in 2021 from the Brookings Institution shows that women’s employment experienced a steeper decline than that of men during the pandemic in 2020, partly because women are more likely to work in low-wage service occupations which bore a greater proportion of layoffs than other types of positions. Decreasing employment is especially onerous for women when we consider the pre-existing economic disadvantage of the gender pay gap. According to an analysis from the Pew Research Center including both part-time and full-time workers, in 2020 women earned 84% of what men earned. Already compensating for this financial gap, the pandemic made it even more challenging for women to maintain the often-low-paying jobs they were able to find. 

During his State of the Union speech in March, Biden suggested that establishing universal pre-K and reducing the costs of child care could help combat inflation, but those measures—as well as expanded child tax credit, which reduces the taxes paid by low-income families—were notably missing from the final Inflation Reduction Act. This oversight may come as a blow to families still recovering from the financial hardships of  the pandemic, especially considering the results of a CNN poll from early this year in which 8% of respondents said that the most important issue for the government to tackle was access to affordable child care. 

In the face of job-related adversity, working mothers also tend to bear the brunt of caregiving responsibility in the family structure. A 2020 WIA report shows that working mothers have shouldered more of the childcare duties resulting from pandemic-era school and daycare closures than their male counterparts.

While there is hope that the energy price decreases caused by the Inflation Reduction Act will make a dent in the financial burden unduly placed on parents during the past several years, the shortfalls of childcare may make it difficult for families to recover fully. 

How will the Inflation Reduction Act impact health? 

In addition to climate, the Inflation Reduction Act also elicits substantial developments in healthcare. The passage of this bill will lower costs of prescription drugs, and out-of-pocket drug costs for people with Medicare will cap at $2000. For many elderly patients, that is a huge shift; in 2020, about 1.4 million seniors without subsidies were spending $2000 or more out-of-pocket on drugs. 

According to a 2019 study from the Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics of adults 65 years and older, health (including physical strength and cognitive function) and socioeconomic status was lower for women than men. Women also had more needs in regard to care and emergency services. Legislation like the Inflation Reduction Act may not be gender-specific, but insofar as we know women experience different health-related needs than men, the bill’s impacts are likely to be gender-dependent—fulfilling some of those crucial medical needs expressed by elderly women.

What is missing from the Inflation Reduction Act?

While it is encouraging to see the long-awaited medical progress that the Inflation Reduction Act grants, the shortcomings linger. The downfalls are especially apparent when compared with the Build Back Better Framework, a similar but more expansive version of the Inflation Reduction Act, proposed by President Biden in 2021. Build Back Better included substantive climate goals, the creation of millions of jobs, increased accessibility and security in the labor force, economic growth, childcare and education investments, and higher quality affordable healthcare (including healthcare initiatives specifically for pregnant women and mothers).  

Unlike Build Back Better, the Inflation Reduction Act does not address gaps in Medicaid coverage or the maternal health crisis. Build Back Better included financial support for community organizations targeting maternal mental and physical health on the local level, and provided funding to address social factors that impact pregnancy health, such as housing and transportation for expectant mothers. Maternal health continues to worsen nationwide, with Black women and birthing people suffering the harshest outcomes—being three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women. The Inflation Reduction Act also neglects the extension of postpartum healthcare coverage to over the current 60-day requirement. In contrast, the original Build Back Better Framework would have extended Medicaid coverage to a full year postpartum. 

In the wake of the overturning of Roe v. Wade, pregnancy-related healthcare will likely become increasingly necessary. Now, some women who may have chosen to terminate a potentially-dangerous pregnancy will no longer have that possibility available to them. This is likely to result in more expensive maternal care and a greater risk of fatality. An article from the New Yorker explains:  “All insurance providers, whether they are private companies or government-backed plans such as Medicaid, consider factors such as age, gender, health conditions and geographical location when calculating the expected cost of insuring a particular population…going forward, the lack of access to abortion for many women will also be a factor.” According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over half of abortions in the U.S. are among women of color, so the potential increase in maternal fatalities is more likely to impact members of this population than white women.

Within the constraints of the Inflation Reduction Act, not only can our government not guarantee birthing people the safe and secure right to abortion—they are also denied the perinatal and postpartum possibilities for healthcare that Build Back Better would have offered. The provisions proposed in Build Back Better include funding for community organizations to promote maternal health equity, investments in social determinants of maternal health like housing and food, and developing maternal health research  at Historically Black Colleges and Universities and other Minority-Serving Institutions.

The repercussions—good, bad, and somewhere in between—of any new legislation often unfold differently depending on race and gender. The Inflation Reduction Act is no exception: energy costs and healthcare look different depending on life situation and opportunities that are often directly impacted by gender and racial identities. 

When inspected with these disparities in mind, we see where the Inflation Reduction Act falls short (appearing all the more stark in comparison to the promises of Build Back Better). However, the prospects of affordable energy, a cleaner climate, and lower healthcare costs provide hope that solutions—although slow—are in progress. 

Top Image: jensjunge

On July 28th 2022, an 8th grade class at North Andover Middle School in Massachusetts did the unimaginable and seemingly impossible: they exonerated the only accused Salem witch to not have her name cleared.

Elizabeth Johnson Jr. confessed to practicing witchcraft after being accused alongside 28 of her extended family members in 1692. The New York Times first reported the special interest that Carrie LaPierre’s civics class had taken in Elizabeth (or, as they called her, EJJ) in August of 2021. Since then, Ms. LaPierre and her students have connected with their local legislator and have legally ruled that Elizabeth was not a witch. It’s thought that her name just wasn’t cleared because of administrative oversight, not because she was considered guilty after the governor spared her the death sentence. Finding this an injustice and advocating for it to be righted is the ultimate civics lesson, and this victory is an exciting lesson about the function of justice for the students who fought for EJJ’s liberation. So, after EJJ’s absolution, it leaves the question- who was the final Salem witch? 

Elizabeth was sentenced to death in 1693 when she was only 22. We don’t know much about her, aside from the fact that she was never married, had no children, and there were rumors that she may have had a mental disability. Unfortunately, these are all factors that made women more likely to be targeted with accusations of witchcraft. Elizabeth avoided a death sentence when Massachusetts’ governor granted her a reprieve from execution and died a free women at 77 of natural causes in 1747. The Salem Witch Trials may feel like a figment of the past, but the notion of writing off women who do not conform to societal norms by whatever means necessary (even if it means calling them a devotee of Satan and drowning them) is still in practice today.

EJJ’s exoneration means that this institution has, once and for all, held up its hands and said that these trials were based on lies and misogyny. As our country and the world take takes terrifying steps backward in the movement for women’s liberation and we begin to face the reality of a post-Roe America. We have become a country that no longer convicts women of witchcraft, but people with uteruses are still at the mercy of the institution that convicted them. This is a remarkable symbolic step forward that has the potential to inspire concrete steps towards justice for American women.

Top Image: Baker, Joseph E., ca. 1837-1914, artist., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

On August 2nd, Kansas voted on a ballot measure that would have allowed lawmakers to ban safe abortion in Kansas by removing protections from the state constitution following the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade ruling. This decision has been unpopular among Americans, as evidenced by a CNN poll released on July 28th which found that 63% of people surveyed disapproved of the decision. Despite this, at least 12 states have made abortions either illegal or almost impossible to get in the month since the ruling. By voting “no” on the proposal to remove protections for abortion in their constitution, pro-choice Kansans made it impossible for their lawmakers to ban abortion in their state. NPR reported that the “no” votes outweighed the “yes” votes 58.8% to 41.2%, a decisive victory that certainly couldn’t be taken for granted in this traditionally conservative state. Abortion access is still limited in Kansas, where there are only 4 abortion clinics, all of which are concentrated in urban areas. 

This decision was huge, not only for Kansans but for people living in red states across the country. A “yes” vote on this amendment would have opened the door for other states to reexamine similar protections in their own constitutions, and the resounding vote against sends a clear message to legislators in blue and red states alike that this is not what America wants. A record of 5 states will be voting on the protection of abortion rights in their state this year, and Kansas may serve as an indicator of how these votes will shake out. Swing states like Michigan, especially, may see the trickle-down effect of this vote in their own decision. In a statement released shortly after the tallying of the votes, President Biden said “this vote makes clear what we know: the majority of Americans agree that women should have access to abortion and should have the right to make their own health care decisions,” going on to say that Congress should take note of what the American people want and restore Roe’s legal protection.

This victory was hard-earned; a mass text was blasted only one day before the polls opened, sharing the (completely false) message that a “yes” vote was a vote for women’s reproductive rights and to safeguard choice. The messages were quickly traced back to a political action committee under the leadership of former Republican congressman Tim Huelskamp and were carefully crafted to attempt to confuse voters by telling them blatant lies in a way that seemed credible. Despite attempts like this, pro-choice voters showed up in record numbers. By 1 AM ET, over 869,000 Kansans had cast their vote, which was a remarkable uptick from the 2020 primary election’s approximate 636,000. Kansas has sent a clear message to conservative lawmakers that these bans do not reflect the beliefs of the people living in this country, and has the potential to set an exciting precedent for future votes on abortion protection in other conservative states.

header: https://unsplash.com/photos/IjINxe-mc40

 Republican representative Matt Gaetz’s schoolyard taunts to abortion activists have—almost poetically—blown up in his face, thanks to the clever organizing skills of teen activist Olivia Julianna. 

The story begins with a Turning Point USA rally held from July 22-24 in Tampa, Floridda. Turning Point USA is a conservative nonprofit, which frequently hosts events with prominent right-wing figures. Gaetz was one such figure, and at this event he stood over an adoring crowd, offering his opinions on multiple topical issues, including abortion. “Why is it that the women with the least likelihood of getting pregnant are the ones most worried about having abortions? Nobody wants to impregnate you if you look like a thumb,” he quipped. Gaetz then doubled down, claiming that these activists were all “5’2,” “350 pounds,” and “odious.” 

Gaetz: “Why is it that the women with the least likelihood of getting pregnant are the ones most worried about having abortions? Nobody wants to impregnate you if you look like a thumb.” pic.twitter.com/0qqvun3Pf8

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 23, 2022

Once Twitter caught wind of that line, Gaetz was met with a flurry of tweets discrediting his assessment. One such tweet was sent out by Gen Z for Change activist Olivia Julianna. After calling Gaetz an “alleged pedophile,” Julianna went on to say, “I’m actually 5’11. 6’4 in heels. I wear them so the small men like you are reminded of your place.” Gaetz then tweeted a picture of Julianna, captioning it simply, “dander raised,” in response to a Newsmax article claiming that Gaetz’s rant was “sure to raise dander of his political opponents.”  

Its come to my attention that Matt Gaetz — alleged pedophile— has said that it’s always the “odious.. 5’2 350 pound” women that “nobody wants to impregnate” who rally for abortion.

I’m actually 5’11. 6’4 in heels. I wear them so the small men like you are reminded of your place

— Olivia Julianna ? (@0liviajulianna) July 24, 2022

So began the Twitter war of the summer. And if your bets were on Gaetz, a 40-year-old member of Congress with multiple degrees to his name, set out to humiliate a college student, you’d be seriously overestimating him. Because rather than bowing down to the power and influence of Gaetz, Julianna took her role as the target of his latest attack and turned it into a moment for the abortion rights movement. With her “dander raised” proudly, Julianna utilized the attention to raise money for abortion funds. She mentioned that last time she had gotten negative online attention, she had only received a few thousand dollars. Now? She’s raised over $700,000 in just a few days. The number continues to rise. She sends her thanks to Matt Gaetz for all the help he so generously gave her.

Julianna’s success is particularly delicious because politicians like Gaetz rely on humiliation and outrage to keep themselves relevant. At the end of the day, it’s all purposeful distraction. As Julianna mentioned, Gaetz is facing allegations of sex trafficking—but it’s easy to redirect attention away from that if he can cartoonishly smirk at a crowd and deliver cheap, Comedy Central-level roasts. He wanted Julianna to be laughed into silence—but she didn’t take the bait. 

Top image: Caricature of Matt Gaetz by  DonkeyHotey, Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.

We’re still in the midst of a nationwide formula shortage, but that apparently isn’t stopping formula companies from aggressively marketing their products to potential consumers—whether or not they’re planning on having a baby!

On July 16, Twitter user @melancholynsex uploaded a thread alleging that one week after purchasing a pregnancy test from Walgreens using their rewards card, they had been sent a package from Enfamil containing baby formula. Besides criticizing the waste of a product which has recently become a scarce commodity, they chastised formula company Enfamil for sending free formula without being sure the recipient needed it, pointing out that if they were “desperately trying to get pregnant,” that package would be “a kick to the face,” and that if an abusive partner had intercepted the package, that could potentially put the recipient in harm’s way. In the wake of Roe v. Wade’s overturn, this kind of marketing can elicit a special sort of worry—what data can companies collect about reproductive choices, and how will they use it?

Dear @Walgreens I received this package today a week after purchasing a pregnancy test at your store. I was asked to take the test by my doctor despite having no Fallopian tubes. 1/X pic.twitter.com/EZTsTPf7jd

— Nicole (@melancholynsex) July 17, 2022

Walgreens responded to the thread claiming that they “did not provide individual customer purchase information to Enfamil.” Enfamil also responded, claiming that their promotional programs were carried out on an “opt-in” basis, wherein those receiving communications had to provide consent beforehand to either Enfamil or a partner organization. Both of these statements are vague, and the companies’ privacy policies do little to clear things up. Walgreens does collect personal information from consumers, including purchases—they also claim that while they don’t sell this information, they do share it under certain circumstances, including within loyalty programs. 

Enfamil’s privacy policy states that they may collect information from other sources, including third-parties. They may also use this information to draw inferences about consumers, including inferences about what products they might be interested in. Prior buying habits, then, could be used to guess that a consumer may want to try Enfamil’s baby formula, even if they aren’t absolutely sure that a baby is on the way. However, the program which sends out free samples of formula, called “Family Beginnings,” does require a sign up from Enfamil’s website. How exactly one could opt-in to Enfamil’s promotional program through partners is unspecified.

Based on the purposeful murkiness surrounding data collection and usage, it’s hard to infer exactly how a package of formula got sent to someone with no use for it. However, it’s not a new occurrence, though our hyper-vigilance post-Roe may make it feel like that. Formula companies have long participated in aggressive advertising campaigns, even to the detriment of parents, as well as the confusion of non-parents. In 2018 NBC found years of online complaints about receiving formula from another industry giant, Similac, despite not having or planning on having a baby. This style of marketing is based on aggressively pushing product onto people who may not have used it without the exposure—of course, some slip through the cracks.

Baby formula marketing has become enough of an issue to attract attention beyond the Twitterverse and US news outlets. Even the World Health Organization has brought attention to this problem. They recently published a study exposing the pervasive practice of digitally marketing baby formula, in which companies utilize algorithms, private messages, and even influencers to promote their product. And while this study is new, the WHO’s criticism of the formula industry goes far back. They published an international code on formula marketing back in 1981, and are still tirelessly defending its merit today. The updated 2017 version of the code declares that the general public should not be exposed to any kind of formula advertising, period. The United States has never made a great effort to adhere to that rule, and as such, formula companies continue to target potential consumers—even those without infants.

It’s essential for the health of infants across the country, and for the sanity of their parents, that formula supply levels are restored. Formula remains an important option for many parents, especially considering the social and cultural barriers to breastfeeding. However, the reports of receiving formula despite not needing it reveals that the formula industry is much less concerned with providing an alternative to breastfeeding than getting as many products out to as many consumers as possible. If that means some formula goes to waste in the midst of a shortage, well, that’s just business.

 Photo by Lisa Johnson from Burst

When President Biden signed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act into law on June 25th, 2022, the public response was cacophonous. This act marks the first significant gun legislation since the temporary assault weapons ban signed by President Clinton in 1994. The past 3 decades have been a lethargic slog towards enacting new firearm safety measures with only minute changes to the law, despite the increasing number of shootings across the country, until now. The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act is less comprehensive than many gun violence prevention advocates initially hoped. However, it does address some of the most important concerns behind gun safety: expanding background checks for gun buyers under 21 years of age, offering financial support for state-enacted red flag laws, blocking interstate firearm trafficking, fund school safety initiatives and community violence intervention programs, and closing the “boyfriend loophole”.

What is the “Boyfriend Loophole”?

Prior to the passage of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, only people convicted of domestic abuse against a spouse, housemate, or co-parent were prevented from purchasing a gun, leaving a glaring hole in which people convicted of past abuse against a dating partner maintained the freedom to own and operate firearms. As of this June, that loophole has been addressed: the domestic violence clause now applies to serious or recent dating partners as well. The official Statement of Administration Policy from the Office of the President clarifies that the act will “narrow the ‘boyfriend loophole’ by prohibiting someone convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence as part of a dating relationship from purchasing or possessing a firearm for at least five years.” However, there is an important caveat: if their legal record remains clean, people convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence in a dating relationship can have gun rights restored after 5 years. This is not the case for married spouses, who receive lifelong restrictions on gun ownership.

Does the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act close the loophole?

While the latest legislation certainly narrows the loophole, gaps remain. In addition to the 5-year limit on gun restriction for dating partners convicted of domestic violence, the definition of what legally constitutes violence is limited. Abuse or domestic violence for the purpose of this legislation refers only to physical harm. This means that perpetrators of psychological abuse, financial abuse, stalking, and other forms of harm are not viable for gun restrictions on the basis of domestic violence.

Why did it take so long for Congress to pass an act that alters the gun rights of domestic abusers? Why are there still cracks that allow for the potential perpetuation of armed domestic violence? Statistics from the US Department of Justice demonstrate a decrease of homicides committed by a spouse since 1980 and a simultaneous increase in homicides committed by a dating partner. In 1980 the percentage of intimate partner homicides committed by a spouse equaled more than twice the percentage committed by a dating partner. By 2008, the proportion of intimate partner homicides committed by a dating partner was slightly greater than those committed by a spouse. Throughout the past 3 decades guns have remained the most common weapon in these intimate partner homicides. According to April Zeoli, Michigan State Univerisity professor of criminal justice and public health, the chinks in the system are due in large part to a cultural distrust of women. While it is true that people of other genders can be  victims as well, women are the most common demographic to experience domestic violence. Despite the fact that many survivors of abuse never report to law enforcement, there remains a cultural undercurrent of fear that women will make false accusations of abuse or use the threat of gun restriction as a form of revenge against partners.

Women of color may be particularly vulnerable. Deseriee Kennedy, Professor of Law at Touro University School, notes that people of color may be less likely to report instances of abuse to law enforcement due to fear of the police response to members of a racially marginalized community. The concern that people of color may be over-charged for crimes that others are being under-charged for also contributes to a fear of coming forward. If instances of domestic violence are left unreported then abusers cannot be subjected to firearm restrictions.

Despite its shortcomings, the effect of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act on armed domestic violence is likely to be significant. Over half of homicides committed by intimate partners occur in the context of a dating relationship as opposed to a marriage or coparenting dynamic. As a result, states that took steps to restrict gun ownership for abusive dating partners prior to the passage of the federal bill experienced a 16% decrease in homicides by intimate partners. With the passage of this most recent federal act comes the hope of safety for domestic abuse survivors as well as the prevention of future violence against new victims. While it is encouraging to see this shift taking place at the national level, it will take additional time and investigation to determine how the 5-year caveat and other stipulations of the bill impact the long-term safety of vulnerable individuals.

Top Image: Maxim Hopman via unsplash 

Derrica (left) and Natalie Wilson

It’s been nearly 20 years since journalist Gwen Ifill coined the phrase “missing white woman syndrome” to highlight how the media ignores missing persons cases in the Black community. But even though over 540,000 Americans were reported missing in 2020, and almost 40 percent of those were people of color, it’s still a struggle for families to get the word out about missing loved ones who aren’t conventionally pretty, young, white women.

That’s where sisters-in-law Derrica and Natalie Wilson come in. Derrica, who has a background in law enforcement, and Natalie, a public relations expert, co-founded the Black and Missing Foundation—aka BAMFI—in 2008, where the motto is “help us find us.” “Our mission is to not only help bring awareness to and find those missing from our communities, but also to provide families with the resources needed to do so,” Derrica and Natalie tell me via email. “We continue to work diligently to change the stereotypes around missing people of color—the runaway child, the thug, the criminal, and the undeserving poor.”

The non-profit shares info about missing people of color on Instagram (@blackandmissingfdn) and Facebook, as well as in more traditional news formats, including a monthly segment on Access Hollywood. They were also the focus of HBO’s four-part series Black and Missing, with Soledad O’Brien. BAMFI works closely with families searching for loved ones and they also advise newsrooms, elected officials, and law enforcement agencies on how they can serve vulnerable communities more effectively.

Both Derrica and Natalie have full-time careers and families on top of their non-stop work with BAMFI, which means lots of early mornings and late nights, along with a trusted team of associates. “There is power in doing this together,” they say. “At times, these families feel like they want to give up, but they can’t. We are a lifeline. We’re giving these families hope—many for the first time—in finding their missing loved ones. When every door closes it’s hard to keep going. But we let them know that we are in the fight with them and they can hold on for another day.” –Jenni Miller

 PHOTO: (Black and Missing) Black and Missing Foundation

This article originally appeared in BUST’s Summer 2022 print edition. Subscribe today!

The United States is the most dangerous developed country in the world in which to give birth. Year after year, the U.S. records an unacceptably high rate of maternal mortality. In 2020, the CDC reported that this number for the United States is around 23.8 —that means each year, for every 100,000 live births recorded, over 23 of those giving birth will die. In Italy, that number is 2. In Spain: 4. In Poland: 2. The discrepancy between the U.S. and other countries with similar technology and development is an embarrassment—and a tragedy.

This frightening statistic takes on a special air of importance when we consider that the most recent data was recorded before Roe’s overturn. Abortion restrictions aren’t always correlated with high maternal mortality rates—in Poland, for example, it’s very difficult to get an abortion, though they’ve kept their maternal deaths low. However, the United States’ track record with managing abortion restrictions and the health of mothers doesn’t bode well for a future without Roe. A report from The Center for Reproductive Rights found that states with the most restrictive abortion laws also had the fewest evidence-based policies to support women and children’s health. Before Roe, the effects of this flimsy support for women’s health was evident in the numbers. Data from the CDC shows that some of the states with the highest rates of maternal mortality are Louisiana, at 58.1; Georgia, at 48.4; Alabama, at 36.4; and Arkansas, at 45.9. The Center for Reproductive Rights’ report points out that these states also have a high number of abortion restriction policies, and a low number of maternal health policies. That was based on the data from 2018, when Roe still offered significant protection to those living in abortion-hostile states. Now, each of those states have enacted a total or almost total abortion ban.

Denying Abortions Often Worsens Maternal Health Outcomes

Based on the limited data available, bans don’t provide better outcomes than restrictions. A study published in Duke University Press found that maternal deaths would increase by 7% in a hypothetical nationwide ban on abortions. Of course, abortion hasn’t been banned nationwide, despite senators like Mitch McConnell eyeing such a policy. However, the study does make clear that in the United States, denying legal abortions leads to worse maternal health outcomes. 

This notion is evident, too, in non hypothetical situations. Another study by University of California San Francisco followed about 1,000 women seeking abortions over a five year period; they found that the women who were denied abortion were more likely to die from pregnancy related causes. Carrying an unwanted pregnancy to term is dangerous, but states seeking to remove the right to abortion place little focus on that. And while we like to imagine that safe haven states or medication abortions will override states’ attempts to deny abortions, the reality is that those options are an uncertain solution. The time and financial costs necessary for these solutions means they aren’t accessible to everyone living in an abortion hostile state. For some, the total ban truly will be just that. 

Black Women Are At A Higher Risk For Maternal Death Than Any Other Group

There are significant racial discrepancies in maternal deaths. According to The Commonwealth Fund, Black women are 2.5 times as likely to die from pregnancy related complications than white women. The outcomes for college-educated Black women are still, on average, worse than white women who have not completed high school. Economic and social status hold less weight than racial biases in medicine. Black women are more likely to report that they were denied autonomy over their birth process, and they’re also more likely to report that they were encouraged to have a C-section, which carries more risk than a vaginal birth. Racial biases, especially the tendency to not take Black women’s medical issues seriously, have to be addressed in order to protect Black mothers from preventable death.

Despite this, the states banning abortion have made little commitment to closing the racial gap in maternal mortality rates. The Guttmacher Institute reports that in Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Arizona, among others, maternal mortality review committees are not required to investigate racial disparities in maternal health outcomes, nor are they required to make recommendations to close the racial gap. Just recently, Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana made the claim that controlling for race, maternal mortality rates weren’t so bad in Louisiana. What does that say to the Black women concerned that racism may limit their quality of care during pregnancy? Apparently, what every state looking to ban abortion without protecting the health of mothers is saying—Black health just doesn’t count when it comes to championing a partisan code of ethics. 

Abortion Plays An Important Role In Reducing Maternal Mortality By Offering A Safer Option Than Pregnancy

Of course, even states which have not indicated that they will ban abortion struggle with maternal mortality—for example, New Jersey’s rate is 26.7. That’s inexcusably high. However, abortion is still available for those who don’t want to put the strain of a live birth on their body. 

The abortion mortality ratio is about 0.41 deaths per 100,000 legal abortions, as estimated by the CDC. Abortion is a medical procedure that some will choose to reduce the high risk of fatal complications from pregnancy—but who gets hurt when that choice is no longer available? Now, many Americans will be subjected to illegal medical procedures that often yield dangerous, and deadly, outcomes, when another, statistically safer choice exists. Anti-choice states have to understand that they’re not just asking for a pregnancy to be carried to term—they’re also asking people to accept the high risk that comes with giving birth, while simultaneously doing nothing to mitigate that risk. The United States has always been uniquely unequipped to give birth. And once again, it has turned its back on the mothers who will bear the brunt of abortion bans.

Photo by Jimmy Conover on Unsplash

Following the overturn of Roe v. Wade, radical action is the best antidote for the feelings of helplessness and hopelessness that many of us have been wrestling with. 

On Sunday, July 17th, you are invited to learn how to take effective action in an all-day workshop entitled Operation Save Abortion hosted by Abortion Access Front, which defines itself on its website as “a team of comedians, writers, and producers that uses humor to destigmatize abortion and expose the extremist anti-choice forces working to destroy access to reproductive rights in all 50 states.” Join the workshop watch party, hosted by BUST Managing Editor Emily Rems, Hekate Cafe and Elixir Lounge, and Bushwick Book Club’s Susan Hwang, and feel the power of surrounding yourself with pissed-off individuals committed to making change.

Operation Save Abortion is an “onboarding into the movement”, Max Carwile, Director of Programs at AAF says. It’s a “supercharged all-day training experience that will be live-streamed” to each and every person who registers. Starting at 11 am, the trainings will be an educational house party of sorts, teaching attendees how to protect abortion rights through volunteering, talking to politicians, and connecting people to resources. “We want to have this day-long training as sort of an orientation to the movement. So people can use that as a time to figure out where they specifically can fit in, instead of trial and error…” Carwile said. 

But why watch alone when you can watch together? Festivities kick off at 11 AM and wrap up at 5 PM at 167 Avenue B, New York, NY and drop-ins are welcome throughout the day. This watch party is based in NYC, but you can register for and tune into the workshop from anywhere! RSVP here to let the organizers know how many snacks to grab, and get ready to learn how to: volunteer to escort patients past the throngs of harassholes outside of clinics, connect patients with financial assistance through your local abortion fund, put your mad powers of persuasion to work talking to politicians about abortion, and more! This Sunday, take matters back into your own hands and find out how you can fight for abortion access, no matter who you are.

Top image courtesy of Abortion Access Front 

FAT ACTIVIST VIRGIE TOVAR’S STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE FOR AN UNFORGETTABLE SEASON OF SELF-LOVE

SUMMER IS A TIME of expansion and experimentation, when long, sunny days help germinate our biggest wishes and dreams. What better time to grow the relationship you want with your body? Here are five ways to create a sublime summer filled with body positivity.

1) Give Yourself Permission to Exist 100 Percent Exactly as You Are 

Think of this as a spell you cast or an intention you set for your epic summer. Repeat after me: “I, (state your name), am allowed to exist fully, completely, and totally in my human body without need for shame, apology, or any other restriction on my ability to thrive from now until the end of time.” Feeling anxious? This five minute meditation should do the trick. 

2) Dream Big

 Set aside some time to brainstorm your vision of what a magical Summer of Body Positivity looks like. Is it time spent outside or inside? Are there plenty of books around or are you catching up on sleep? With friends or solo? How do you want to feel about your body? What do you wish the culture would look like where all bodies are safe to exist and thrive? No wrong answers. Create a vision board or dedicate a journaling session to this quest. Just by dreaming, we create room for huge personal and cultural shifts.

3) Take a Vacation from Diet Culture

 Commit to simply not talking about 1) how you or others eat, and 2) your or others’ bodies—at all. See how it feels to take that time off. Trust me: this one will change your life. (Check out our article calling out toxic dieting app, NOOM.) 

4) Double Chin for the Win

 This summer, no more “flat- tering” selfies! Have you ever noticed how “flattering” and “looking as thin as possible” are the same thing? Not today, fat-phobia. Part of changing your relationship to your body means familiarizing yourself with all of your body as it exists, in all of its perfectly excellent angles! Your task this summer is to take selfies that challenge you. Maybe take a selfie from below your jawline, while you’re snacking, or in profile.

5) Make a Body-Positive Mixtape (aka Your Summer Soundtrack) 

Pick songs that make you jiggle, bounce, laugh, cry, pound your fists, and sing out loud. These are all examples of excellent embodiment.

Continue the celebration with Virgie Tovar’s new book, The Body Positive Journal (Chronicle Books), out now.

IMAGES: (VIRGIE TOVAR) ANDRIA LO; (JOURNAL) LUCILA PERINI, COURTESY OF CHRONICLE BOOKS

This article originally appeared in BUST’s Summer 2022 print edition. Subscribe today!

As an openly queer comic, timing my New York stand-up comedy tour with Pride felt synchronistic. The energy of Pride, a time for celebrating liberation from gender norms, inspired confidence during my shows. It was my first time performing on big stages in the city such as Caroline’s on Broadway. And in the haze of one post show high, I resolved to stage a solo topless march for gender equality before my tour was over.

The fear I felt before embarking on this topless march was similar to my first time doing standup. I nearly shook in my bones upon walking outside without a shirt on. It’s that moment we all have nightmares of: showing up to class without clothes. But exploring my rationale behind the fear and acting despite it, felt empowering.

My fear was well founded: judging by some people’s reactions, society isn’t ready for women to walk around topless. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t evolve to a point where this is acceptable. In the US, women’s breasts are historically only for public consumption in situations of sexual exploitation or when suited for the male gaze. Therefore, unfortunately, to desexualize the female form in such a display seems radical.

I sought solstice on my three mile topless trek from likeminded peers in the #freethenipple movement. Previously I’d posted topless videos—cliff diving in the Amalfi coast, sunbathing in Santorini—with the caption #freethenipple and received little flack. The blasé attitude towards female nipples in Europe is refreshing. And hopefully, by this New York topless display I helped to normalize that attitude in the states.

During the march, I wrapped myself in the well wishes of women in comedy. Most reside in California so were unable to accompany me. Or Mash, Jewish comedian from Israel (on MTV’s Wild N Out), retorted: “Free the nipple! It’s crazy how backwards American culture is when it comes to policing women’s bodies.” Jiaoying Summers, viral Chinese comedian, agreed: “Free the nipple is a woman’s god damn choice and should be respected. It’s much better looking and useful than male nipples anyway. I don’t get it when people are freaking out about it.” And, a female executive at a prominent social media company (who for legal purposes must remain anonymous) reflects:

“Sadly, right now women’s breasts don’t belong to us, they belong to the male gaze. I’m so sick of worrying if someone’s uncomfortable because they can see the outline of my nipples through my shirt.” 

“I’m proud of you. You’re taking your power back in real time.” Hopefully, my steps carried the weight of their sentiments on my walk.

A lot of people question how I can be a feminist while actively objectifying myself, posing nude for Playboy. But I don’t see them as mutually exclusive. It’s about embracing dualities. I’m sexually liberated, free to own carnal aspects of my nature, while equally asexual and intellectual, driven by higher pursuits. This is a dichotomy we allow for men but not for women in society.

LGBTQ and feminists have been discriminated against because of gender expression and gender identity for decades. We have a long journey towards true sexual egalitarianism. And with recent Roe v Wade over-turnings the future looks bleak. But there’s a spark of light, a hope, still inside each of us. I felt it on my walk: a little flash of courage saying things can change. Marching in the Pride parade and in protest of abortion legislation this past weekend, I saw our lights flicker so brightly in unison that no one could look away.

header: Photo by //unsplash.com/@helloimnik?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&;utm_content=creditCopyText”>Hello I’m Nik on Unsplash

middle photo: via author 

A green bandana is the new symbol of hope for the disconcerted Americans who are outraged about the overturn of Roe v. Wade. This trend stems from Latin America. The Green Wave movement originated in Argentina in 2003 and made its way to the United States after our abortion rights were targeted and stripped from us. People in major metropolitan cities across the U.S., like New York, Washington, and L.A., sported green bananas and t-shirts at recent protests. According to Le Monde, the color was adopted by abortion rights activists in Colombia and Venezuela because it represents hope, health, and life.  Lawyers and activists in places like Colombia and Mexico have been fighting for abortion rights with unrelenting hope, tenacity and grit for decades. Recent victories in Colombia and Mexico, where criminalizing abortion in some states was deemed unconstitutional in 2021, show that the U.S. can learn from Latinx leaders and implement some of the strategies that are used in their fight for justice. Here are six strategies to consider. 

1.    Mobilize, Mobilize, Mobilize. 

Make the subject of reproductive rights a part of your everyday repertoire. We must arm ourselves with information that we can provide to the public and to our friends over breakfast/lunch/dinner conversations. You can find online guides and resources about accessing clinics and workshops, then spread the news. At the end of the day ask your loved ones and neighbors, what does abortion access look like in your home state and what can you do to elect more feminists into office? Look at the decades-long efforts by Giselle Carino, an Argentinian political scientist who represents the Fos Feminista alliance as the New York CEO. The organization provides healthcare resources, access to sex education, and advocates for survivors of abuse. They provide STI screenings, and offer contraceptive services and treatment. The organization expands help to rural and indigenous places like rural Oaxaca by providing community sex education, and offering Telehealth trainings to providers in hopes that this information will reach migrants who are traveling across dangerous routes. Follow their example and gear up for resistance by taking your frustration to the streets! 

2. Remember, this fight is a collective one. 

Only in solidarity will we be able to move forward. The U.S. can follow Latin America’s example of merging coalitions. In 2022, the World Politics Review pointed out that multiple organizations in Argentina “from NGOs and grassroots collectives to popular organizations and professional associations” joined forces in support of abortion rights. CIS women, trans men, gender non-comforming people, and potential fathers, regardless of their race, ethnicity, and economic status, need to unite on this issue. Argentine activists reveal that in order to strengthen the case for abortion rights there must be a collaboration among multiple people in different sectors.  Now, more than ever, we must raise awareness and link arms in this battle for human rights. 

3. Be patient and intentional. 

Paula Avila-Guillen is a Human Rights attorney who fought to decriminalize abortions in Colombia for at least 15 years. Her persistent efforts eventually aided in the country’s 2022 decision to legalize abortions for people up to 24 weeks of gestation. It was a long battle, and from this example we must understand that the U.S. Supreme Court decision can take decades to reverse. As Avila-Guillen stated in NBC news,“It’s a marathon, not a sprint.” In the years ahead, we must protect our most vulnerable, such as marginalized black and brown people who have minimal access to abortions. We can learn from the Colombian civil rights movement Causa Justa’s (Just Cause) example of aligning abortion rights and human rights. In the Colombian lawsuit, the Causa Justa made an argument for migrant women, stating that these individuals “face additional barriers to reproductive healthcare access because of their irregular migratory status, and [are at a] higher risk of being victims of human trafficking and other forms of sexual violence.” This is also the case in the United States, where female farmworkers are ten times more likely to be sexually assaulted, according to journalist Paola Ramos. In her book, Finding Latinx, she highlights research from the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) that points out that “abusers – whether supervisors or male farmworkers – deliberately take advantage of their victims’ undocumented status, knowing that they are unlikely to report the abuse for fear of deportation or losing their job.” It’s important to reflect on this when you chant “abortion rights are human rights.” Ramos’ book, a collection of Latinx stories from across the nation, reminds us to celebrate and protect the people who make up the backbone of this country. 

4. Don’t underestimate the power of a good slogan. 

Let’s bring back Chile’s slogan that shook the world in 2020—“El violador eres tú!” (The rapist is you!).  These women danced, chanted, and poured passion and anger on the streets in an effort to confront sexual violence against women. This energy eventually powered the abortion rights campaign as women in Paris, London, New York and various parts of Latin America copied the rhythmic chant and moves. Americans can learn from Chilean feminists and apply these methods in our country because performative protesting is one way to evoke urgency. We must continue to generate catchy slogans and movements that will shake up our oppressors.  

 5. Welcome unlikely allies. 

In June 2022, an American far-right extremist encouraged his 44,000 followers on Telegram to gather weapons, protect their local churches, and “defend the faith,” in response to abortion rulings as reported in the Washington Post. This call to action by “pro-life” leaders is just one example of how religion has played a role in dismantling Roe v. Wade. Religion has often been used to support draconian laws. However, Católicas por el Derecho a Decidir (Catholics for Choice) in Colombia played an important part in educating pious voters on reproductive health and dismantling the stigmas associated with abortion by sanctioning the use of contraceptives. This influence is a big deal in a region where 90 percent of the population is Catholic. In the United States, religion also seems to be a key player in determining how people feel about abortion legislation. In fact, the Public Religion Research Institute revealed that 70 percent of Americans identify as Christian and 59 pecent of them did not support the overturn of Roe v. Wade. In order to effect change we need to get everybody on board. This includes religious organizations that uphold progressive values. For those of us who are not religious, we must remember that we can use all the allies we can get.  

 6.    Learn about alternative methods. 

In this regressive period in history, it’s time to fortify alliances with and learn from people outside of the U.S. because, frankly, we can use all the help we can get. The fear of being criminalized weighs heavy on those seeking help. This was why Latin American feminists formulated hotlines where people could find information to avoid unsafe abortions. In the United States, the National Abortion Federation (NAF) has a hotline (1-800-772-9100) where callers can access information about abortion access, cost coverage, and confidential consultations. 

In Mexico, individuals requiring abortions rely on Mexican acompañantes who are educated and trained feminist activists who provide resources related to medical abortions, typically with the use of misoprostol. Their roles shift depending on where they’re located and the assistance that is needed. Some of the work they do can be compared the abortion doula’s role in America. In Latin America, these interactions are trust-based and free of charge. A clandestine arrangement is made sometimes using coded messages via social media. In the U.S., the danger lies in leaving digital evidence, as people’s text messages, fertility apps, and google search history can be used against them in a prosecution. The goal of an acompañante is to help people avoid criminalization if they choose a holistic abortion approach. As expressed in Feminist Review, “They can be characterised as grassroots, autonomous and largely informal initiatives of young women operating outside of the law, with little or no institutional support. They provide information, access to medication and accompaniment that is based on the conviction that pregnant people should have safe options to induce abortions autonomously.”

These are desperate times for individuals seeking abortions. In dark corners of America, people will struggle to find alternative methods to terminate pregnancies. The Supreme Court’s decision will result in a bloody and legal mess for many physicians and clients, especially communities of color. Mobilize, strategize, unite in green bandanas. The Green Wave has arrived and it’s only going to get stronger. 

Top photo: Screenshot from PBS

 As those whose right to abortion has suddenly been ripped away from them scramble to navigate a post-Roe landscape, some of the tasks we once completed with little thought are now being viewed with scrutiny. Enter period-tracking, the process of keeping tabs on when one’s period starts and ends each month. Your period can indicate a lot about your health, such as whether or not you are suffering from an illness like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), for which one of the most common symptoms is having fewer than nine periods in a year. Such a symptom can only be identified by accurately tracking one’s cycle over a long period of time, and for many, especially in the digital age, the preferred method for that is period-tracking apps.

Part of what makes period-tracking apps so popular is their use of data, which is able to give menstruators more information about their cycle than would be available with just pen and paper. For example, the cycle-tracking app “Clue,” which has over 12 million active users, uses the information from past period cycles, such as length of the cycle and physical symptoms accompanying it, to make predictions about future ones. The more data you put in, the more information about your period you get. It’s an extremely convenient way to take care of and track your menstrual health. But as states rapidly move to criminalize abortion, what was once a mindless download has become the subject of serious debate. Many are concerned that if they stop reporting their periods to the app during the time of pregnancy, but then terminate that pregnancy, there would be concrete evidence of a suspicious gap in periods with no fetus to account for it. That information could potentially be used to prove an illegal abortion in court. Defense attorney Sara Spector told The Guardian, “If they are trying to prosecute a woman for getting an illegal abortion, they can subpoena any app on their device, including period trackers.” The validity of this concern, however, is a much more complex issue. If one were to be accused of having an illegal abortion, would their period-tracking app data really be used against them? 

Part of the confusion comes from the fact that period-tracking apps have made dubious, often contradictory statements on data collection and distribution. Take Stardust for instance, a women-owned period-tracker that also includes astrology and horoscope content. It just became the #1 period tracking-app on the app store, but the privacy policy it has touted in the wake of Roe v. Wade is misleading. The website proudly claims that “even if Stardust was served with a lawful government order to share information about a user, with our new update, we wouldn’t have anything to share.” Vice reported that the update Stardust is planning to implement involves an “encrypted wall”—that’s not a standard term for describing data, so its definition is unclear, but the app is basically claiming that your data will be encrypted, and therefore, can’t be traced back to you. Vice couldn’t determine if these claims were true or not, because Stardust offers little description of what data they store and how. Users have to rely on the company’s promises without the evidence necessary to substantiate those promises.

 Period-tracking apps who have historically had a larger influenced and more advanced software are also struggling to secure user data. Flo is the premium period-tracking app, boasting over 200 million downloads and operating in 22 different languages. This period-tracking industry giant is also trying to comfort consumers without the evidence to back it up. Their website’s homepage claims that they’ll “never share your health data with any company but Flo.” Last year, they were sued for sharing user data with third-parties, so their promises clearly should be taken with a grain of salt. That aside, protection from third parties means nothing when it comes to a subpoena. 

Flo’s official privacy policy states that they may share personal data with law enforcement if ordered to do so. And while just on June 29th they made the valiant effort of promising to implement an anonymous mode on the app, where your data can’t be traced back to you, that’s still not an airtight defense. Anonymous data doesn’t mean no data—it just means that it’s not supposed to make visible identifiers like your name. Anonymized data can still be manipulated in a process known as “re-identification,” where your anonymous data gets traced back to you anyways. Re-identification is startlingly easy, and often very accurate. For example, an evaluation of the de-identified records of 2800 Vanderbilt patients revealed that 96% could be uniquely identified. A study published in Nature Communications found that even when data is anonymized, “99.98% of Americans would be correctly identified in any dataset using 15 demographic attributes.” It’s hard to determine how or if that information could be used in a court of law—even so, the evidence demonstrates that if your data is collected by anyone but you, there’s just no guarantee of anonymity. Even if you’re not prosecuted based on the data, bad actors still have surprisingly easy access to it. 

 However, there are plenty of other threats data poses to safe abortion access. A report by lawyer Cynthia Conti-Cook identifies myriad ways in which digital data can be used against people seeking abortions post-Roe. Googling keywords like “abortion medication” allows a prosecutor to trace that back to your IP address. And then there’s the process of image tracking, which has already been in use for a while—it can trace images linked to child sexual abuse as they move across the internet. This technology is well-developed—the organization Interpol has used this process to identify over 23,000 victims of sexual abuse. Images like flyers for abortion, Conti-Cook writes, can be found and traced with this same technology. Perhaps most worrisome is the threat that data poses to underground abortion networks. Those who distribute abortion pills online, for example, are still subject to the ever-present cloud of digital data from their sales, research, and any other business conducted on the web. 

 As for period-tracking apps? Conti-Cook told NBC News that prosecutors typically don’t rely on the kind of data they provide, because they can’t indicate intent, and juries are reluctant to declare anyone guilty without evidence of intent. You’re more likely to be incriminated by a panicked text sent to a trusted friend about your unexpected pregnancy than the sketchy data from a period-tracking app.

 All of this considered, switching to pen and paper period-tracking isn’t a bad idea—the data on the apps isn’t secure, and they can provide a clue into whether or not you were pregnant at a given time. Endlessly searching for a single app which can give you peace of mind about your data isn’t the solution—if you can’t see the code, and if you can’t see exactly what an app is doing with your data, you can’t measure how secure it is. However, there’s a world of other more incriminating, easily accessible data which can be used against you in a court of law. The hard-to-swallow truth is this; if you want to get an abortion completely incognito, leaving not a crumb which can be traced back to you, you’ll have to jump through a whole lot of hoops. There’s nothing wrong with deleting your period-tracking app—but if Roe’s demise has taught us anything, it’s that privacy isn’t taken seriously as a legitimate political concern. Sweeping reconsiderations of our approach to privacy and data will be required to ever really feel like our personal information is ours alone.

Photo by cottonbro: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-using-her-smartphone-6473737/

 It’s 2022 and women are finally starting to claim power over their money. But while we are making strides economically, we continue to scramble for a level playing field in the financial space. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Data, women still earn roughly 82 cents for every dollar a man makes. This ever-widening income gap impedes women’s financial inclusion and leads to an increased poverty rate, less retirement security, and low chances of career advancement. Furthermore, matters are worse for women of color who have experienced historical oppression at the intersection of patriarchy and racial discrimination. A report by the US Census Bureau states that in 2020, Black and Hispanic women made 64 and 57 cents for every dollar earned by a man. 

 

 

 

 

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To navigate and survive in a system that is essentially stacked against women, it is crucial to equip ourselves with financial literacy. Over the past few years, social media has witnessed a rise in the number of women of color involved in educating people about money management. Below, we have rounded up a list of nine financial gurus who can help you get your finances in order. 

1. @delyannethemoneycoach  

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Delyanne | Investing Coach | CNN Pod Host (@delyannethemoneycoach)

A Brazilian-American money expert, Delyanne has come all the way from being riddled with a six-figure student debt to owning a seven-figure business that can help you become a “savvy investor.” She firmly believes that “long-term investing” is the key to financial freedom. With over 150k followers on Instagram, Delyanne imparts knowledge about the stock market, taxes and becoming debt-free amongst other money-related topics. 

The nationally-recognised money coach also hosts a podcast called Diversifying that “demystifies and humanizes money” by helping new generations and a diverse set of communities navigate the financial system. 

2. @thebrokeblackgirl  

 

 

 

 

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Having amassed nearly 200k followers on Instagram, financial activist Dasha Kennedy uses her space to document her financial journey as an African-American woman and offer her community valuable insights that she has gathered over the past few years. 

In addition to providing actionable money-related advice, Dasha also touches on “daily money affirmations” to manifest and attract financial health. 

To learn more about her philosophy, you can explore her ebooks that cover a wide range of topics from paying off your debt to becoming a “girlpreneur”.  

3. @thebudgetnista 

 

 

 

 

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Tiffany “The Budgetnista” Aliche is an award-winning financial educator who has spearheaded a “financial movement” that helps women worldwide reclaim their power over money. Through her Instagram page, the money coach hosts insightful live sessions, shares powerful “money mantras” and uses refreshing templates to discuss new developments in the financial space. 

A former preschool teacher, Tiffany is the author of Get Good With Money, a New York Times Bestseller that charts out her powerful techniques to attain “financial wholeness” through actionable steps, worksheets, checklists and resources. 

4. @investwithqueenie 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Queenie Tan Investing & Money (@investwithqueenie)

Sydney-based Youtuber Tan’s content ranges from reels on smart lifestyle hacks for saving money to informative text posts on the dynamic nature of stock market and life-changing financial lessons she has learned over the course of her life. 

Like other finance experts, Tan swears by the importance of investing early. She uses her platform to actively talk about investing strategies and asset management. While Tan admits that starting your financial journey is the most difficult part, she advises her followers to trust the process and believe in the power of compound interest on investments. 

 5. @ca_rachanaranade 

 

 

 

 

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As a chartered account based in India, Rachana is undoubtedly a repository of financial knowledge. From analyzing the performances of major companies in the field of finance to apprising her followers about the latest IPO to hit the market, the influencer’s ability to make thought-provoking and user-friendly content about money has made her one of the most popular finance experts amongst Indians. 

Her new Instagram venture called Funance aims to simplify financial literacy by using interactive templates and memes to educate her community about money-related concepts. 

6. @fly.nanced 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Cinneah E (sin•EE•ah) – Wealth for 9-5 Hotties (@fly.nanced)

The founder of an online platform called Flynanced, Cinneah is a Black money expert who is on a mission to help women or in her words, “9-5 hotties”, fulfill their ambitions by building their wealth at an exponential rate. Besides talking about the various aspects of a 9-5 job and decoding her career trajectory as an NYC-based product manager, the influencer also talks about improving job prospects, creating a travel budget and becoming debt-free. 

With an Instagram following of over 140k, Cinneah addresses the marginalization of BIPOC in the space of personal finance and strongly advocates for income equality and financial freedom for women of color. 

 7. @clevergirlfinance 

 

 

 

 

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With over 370k followers on Instagram, the founder of Clever Girl Finance Bola Sokunbi is determined to make the knowledge of personal finance and wealth building more accessible to women.  

Besides advocating for financial independence, the influencer talks about how to find your way through different situations with money such as surviving a recession, creating a budget with an inconsistent income, and trying to not be a shopaholic. She also incorporates the latest social media trends into our reels to actively address topics like positive affirmations, investments, and financial goals and resolutions. 

Bola also has her own podcast called Clever Girls Know where she hosts honest and meaningful conversations with women who discuss their diverse financial journeys and experiences. 

8. @ca_anamikarana  

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by CA Anamika Rana | Finance (@ca_anamikarana)

Another chartered accountant based in India, Anamika Rana is a finance expert who talks about managing and building your wealth holistically – from investments and side hustle jobs to affordable grocery shopping and obtaining discounts on purchases. 

Being an avid traveler, Anamika also uses her platform to talk about budgeting and saving money while traveling.  She is also an astrologer who is a huge proponent of spirituality and positive financial affirmations. 

9. @myfabfinance 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by My Fab Finance | Millennial Money Expert (@myfabfinance)

Tonya Rapley, the founder of My Fab Finance, not only delves into the various aspects of expanding your wealth but also teaches her community how to draw balance between motherhood, relationships and money. 

With a platform worth over 200k followers, other prominent topics that can be seen on her Instagram are student debts, fighting inflation, and maintaining a positive relationship with money. 

Header Photo by Katt Yukawa 

In the high-stakes world of information security, social engineers—hackers who use deception to manipulate their targets into divulging confidential info—are both a constant threat and a secret weapon. So why are women so much better at this job than men?

Alethe Denis always wanted to be a spy. She first experienced the thrill of changing identities as a teen when she divided her time between South Africa and California, bouncing between different cultures, learning how to fit into a variety of situations. While she spent her days trying to make new friends and fit in whenever she changed schools, she began experimenting with how far her shape-shifting abilities could take her. She discovered that she could get away with making her own counterfeit bus passes, and was soon talking video store employees into letting her open accounts that she was too young to have. “I got well-practiced at presenting the image people wanted me to have and then manipulating that,” says Denis. Now in her 30s and a renowned cyber security consultant based in Northern California, she’s a Def Con Social Engineering Capture the Flag winner, having taken home the prized “Black Badge” from that notorious hacking competition in 2019. 

In the world of information security and hacking, “social engineering” is a broad term that refers to collecting information from targets by tricking them into making security mistakes or unwittingly giving away sensitive information. Ranging from simple “phishing” scams—such as fraudulent emails that convince a target to click on a link and give up passwords or download malware—to sophisticated phone hoaxes, social engineering relies on psychological manipulation and human interaction rather than technological methods to gain the sort of access that allows for cybercrime to occur. And it is painfully effective. According to a 2019 Kaspersky report, the vast majority of corporate data breaches are the result of worker mistakes and misbehavior, and an FBI report from that same year reported that a single type of social engineering scam accounted for over $1.7 billion dollars in losses.

In Denis’ line of work, however, her skills aren’t used to manipulate—but to protect. As a senior consultant at Critical Insight, a computer and security network company, she helps client organizations safeguard themselves against social engineering hacks by breaking into sites herself and exposing their vulnerabilities. But her path to social engineering stemmed from a desire to go rogue. She took up computer coding in high school to learn how to cheat at her favorite video games. Later, she studied molecular biology and computer science at the University of Cape Town. Upon returning to the U.S., she worked various gigs including one at a title property company that taught her the hacker-friendly skill of detailed investigative research. There were also stints in social media and marketing where she learned to write copy that could manipulate users to click on a link.

In 2016, Denis and her husband, with whom she co-owns a voice-over-IP telephone provider, decided to attend the Def Con hackers’ convention—the world’s largest hacking conference, attracting an estimated 30,000 attendees annually—to learn more about how to protect their clients. That’s when she stumbled upon the Social Engineering Capture the Flag competition and found herself enthralled. “I thought, This is what I’ve been doing my entire life,” she says.

Are women more likely to succeed because they’re more empathetic, are better at listening, and are better at reading the room? Or, on the flip side, do women excel because they’re able to exploit patriarchal biases to their advantage?

During the contest, competitors sit in glass booths in front of a large audience as they make phone calls for 20 minutes trying to hack into an unsuspecting company’s system. For the first two years she attended the event, Denis only watched. The third year, she competed, coming in fifth place. “I didn’t strategize correctly at all,” she admits. The next year, in 2019, she took to the Internet and social media ahead of time to study her targets, memorizing the names of their kids and their favorite activities. She also landed on what felt like the perfect pretext for gaining trust: posing as an internal employee helping the IT department replace remote employees’ laptops. “I asked, ‘Do you have a couple of minutes to go through software and applications that you’re using so we can make sure we set up your machine correctly?'” Denis recalls. “And they were like, ‘Of course, I want a new laptop!'”

Afterwards, Denis was thrilled to win. But she also wrestled with a sense of guilt. “I felt like garbage,” she says. “But through that experience I also [realized] I wanted to do this for a living. I wanted to save people from themselves. 

Alethe Denis. (Photo courtesy of Alethe Denis)

Though generally speaking, IT security is a male-dominated industry, when it comes to social engineering, women like Denis have found their niche and are making their presence known. In 2012, Security Through Education, an online hub for security professionals, conducted a poll on social engineering, asking voters to break down the topic by gender. The results, it reported, were surprising: 86 percent of respondents believed women were naturally better at it. And the results of Def Con’s Social Engineering Capture the Flag competition bear this out: over the last several years, women have dominated the competition. A 2013 PC Magazine feature on the hacking contest excitedly noted that women had “obliterated” their male competitors, winning three of the top five slots, with the top scorer outranking her nearest (male) competitor by more than 200 points.

But the reason why women might be better at social engineering remains enigmatic. Are they more likely to succeed because they’re more empathetic, are better at listening, and are better at reading the room? Or, on the flip side, do women excel because they’re able to exploit patriarchal biases to their advantage?

The answer, Denis says, is complicated. A woman who’s good at social engineering, for example, might be better able to navigate that world because it’s easier to slip through the cracks when no one views you as a threat. Then again, there are many situations in which a woman will stand out more, be it in a dude-heavy tech office, or over the phone where the sound of a female IT support person might raise suspicions. “But the fact is, women are better at it,” says Denis, and part of that has to do with unconscious bias and underestimation. “The patriarchy sees women as weak,” she says.

The emergence of women as especially adept social engineers dates all the way back to the earliest years of information technology. In the 1970s, a teenage hacker named Susy Thunder (neé Headley)—a former sex worker and rock ‘n’ roll groupie who claimed to have bedded all four of the Beatles—became a social engineering legend using the same techniques to successfully hack phone systems that she’d once used to get backstage at concerts: by pretending to be someone who had the right to access the information or space in question. Thunder, alongside her cohort of self-proclaimed “phone phreaks,” was able to talk untold numbers of corporate employees into giving her sensitive security information over the phone.

According to Hugo Cornwall’s 1985 book The Hacker’s Handbook, in 1977, Thunder, then 17, became “one of the earliest of the present generation of hackers” by allegedly hacking the U.S. phone system. And in 1982, Thunder and her friends breached U.S. Leasing, a San Francisco-based company that leased electronics equipments and computers. Though there are conflicting accounts of who actually hacked what, one detail is crystal clear: In 1983, Thunder soured on her collaborators, turned over sensitive data to the FBI, requested immunity from prosecution, and retired from hacking.

“But the fact is, women are better at it,” says Denis, and part of that has to do with unconscious bias and underestimation. “The patriarchy sees women as weak,” she says.

Now, just as in Thunder’s day, contemporary women who are making waves in social engineering are finding success by subverting the sexist assumptions made about them in the corporate world. “You have to be resourceful,” says Stephanie Carruthers, a New York-based “chief people hacker” with IBM and another Def Con SECTF winner, “and sometimes that means using different stereotypes or predictive behaviors to understand your target.”

Other female social engineers agree that women in their line of work should exploit sexist and misogynistic behaviors whenever possible. “I say play to the stereotypes,” says Amélie Koran, 47, a Washington D.C.-based cybersecurity expert with years of experience, including in the federal government. “Gender has always been used against women in business environments. Why not take advantage of it now?” Tanya Janca, a one-time social engineer in her early 40s, concurs. “If a beautiful woman in a really nice dress is juggling four coffees and walking towards the door as she tries to bypass security…every man nearby will open the door for her,” explains Janca, who is the founder of She Hacks Purple, a Canadian-based online academy dedicated to teaching people how to use and create secure software.

Amélie Koran (Photo courtesy of Amélie Koran)

Much like Carruthers, Koran, and Janca, Denis has concluded that female social engineers mainly thrive because they are able to manipulate societal biases by playing the role of a damsel in distress. “Women are more comfortable both offering and asking for assistance,” she says. “It’s normal in our society for a woman to ask for help. [But] if a man were to ask for help, people might get a little suspicious.” Women are also naturally inclined to have empathy for others, she adds, which can help build rapport. 

Tanya Janca (Photo courtesy of Tanya Janca)

But empathy or not, women can be just as ruthless as men—if not more so. That’s a common sentiment among social engineers, even those who use their skills for good. “The only difference between what I do and what a criminal does is I have consent first,” says Rachel Tobac, who is in her early 30s, and is a social engineering whiz with several Def Con black badges to her name. Based in San Francisco, Tobac has a buzzy online presence with YouTube videos demonstrating how easy it is to hack just about anyone, including the billionaire media mogul Jeffrey Katzenberg. She’s also CEO of SocialProof Security, a company that, like the work Denis does, uses tactics such as “penetration testing”—using social engineering tactics to expose corporate security weaknesses at the employee level—to help organizations defend against attacks.

Tobac says she took a circuitous route into the field after attending her first Def Con in 2014, where her husband suggested she join the same Social Engineering competition that mesmerized Denis. “He said, ‘Hey, you know how you always call the cable company and get our bill lowered? I think you would be good at this,'” recalls Tobac.

She struck out on her first attempt—both of her calls went straight to voicemail. But Tobac, who has studied neuroscience, behavioral psychology, and improv acting, was not easily deterred. She applied again, and this time fared better. “My background in improv supported me in character building which we call ‘pretexting’ in hacking,” she says, adding that much of the skill comes down to knowing how to make friends. “If you’re on the phone and you hear a dog barking in the background, you go ‘Oh my God, that sounds like my chihuahua’s bark,'” Tobac says, “I know they have a chihuahua because I saw it on their Instagram. I’ve already looked up everything I need to know.”

 A good social engineer, she says, makes it look easy. Take, for example, that hack on Jeffrey Katzenberg. To make him more likely to click on a nefarious link, Tobac scoured his LinkedIn profile for valuable information, including contacts. After landing on a connection that appeared to be a close friend of the billionaire, she created a lookalike email account from which to send him a message. Meanwhile, Katzenberg thought he was in on the ruse. Tobac and her husband, along with a film crew, had persuaded him to take part in a video that would demonstrate that he was hack-proof. “He had no idea what was going to happen live on camera,” she says.

What happened next went off without a glitch, technical or otherwise. As the crew films, Katzenberg gets a call from his supposed friend—but it’s Tobac on the other end, using a tactic known as voice elicitation or “vishing” to persuade him to open an email. “I’m on the other end using voice-changing software and I can’t do [the friend’s] voice so I used background noise of a crowd to make it sound as if I was in a loud conference space as I tell him he needs to check his email,” Tobac recalls. “Katzenberg can barely hear me, but he knows it’s his friend, so he’s like, ‘OK, fine, I’ll check.'”

“We’re hyper-sensitive to what’s going on around us, and maybe a man would be less so,” say Tobac. “Whereas a man might notice less if someone caught on to him, I pick up on it immediately.”

And just like that, in the middle of filming, Katzenberg stopped to check his email, clicked, and delivered the goods as malicious spyware overtook his computer. Important documents, pictures, contacts—Tobac got everything. “You only see 30 seconds of the hack, but we put in hundreds of hours of work to lead up to that moment,” she says. “I would have been shocked if it didn’t work.”

Tobac believes being a woman is definitely a benefit when it comes to this type of hacking. “We’re hyper-sensitive to what’s going on around us and maybe a man would be less so,” she says. “Whereas a man might notice less if someone caught on to him, I pick up on it immediately: The tiny shift in conversation, the tiny tone change. I have to be aware of those things because I have to be aware of my safety in everyday life.”

There’s also value in being underestimated. “When I walk into a building, people don’t question what I’m doing,” she says. “I’m 4’10 and right away they’re thinking, ‘Oh, I’m labeling this as a non-threatening situation.”

When it comes to using the “non-threatening” angle, Jenny Radcliffe, a U.K.-based hacker and founder of the firm Human Factor Security—an organization that offers consulting, training, and cybersecurity assessment services—was a child prodigy. Now in her 40s, Radcliffe was just 7 when she was kidnapped—only for a day, but long enough for her family to decide she needed to become more streetwise to survive their tough Liverpool neighborhood. Radcliffe’s cousins took on the task, sending their younger, smaller relative to break into vacant buildings on a lark. It became her entry into the world of physical infiltration as a teenager, when word got around that she was the go-to person for weaseling her way into tough situations to extract information and, sometimes, money. “I just looked innocent; I was small—just a girl,” she says. “Nobody, not for a minute, thought I was up to no good.” 

Jenny Radcliffe (Photo © ADVANIA FALL CONFERENCE, 2021, REYKJAVÍK)

Radcliffe went on to study English and literature, but eventually returned to her roots. Not through formal education, but with a network of people who showed her how to build a persona and then use it to enter off-limits spaces. “I was mostly self-taught, but I also learned by doing—and doing it badly for a really long time,” she says.

These days, Radcliffe, who is working on a book about her experiences, is on the right side of the law, but she still calls herself a con artist and “burglar for hire.” Cheeky, yes, but it underscores her instincts and adaptability. “There’s an idea of knowing the heartbeat of a building and knowing when the energy changes because security’s been alerted,” Radcliffe says. “It’s about knowing the culture of a place and its hierarchical structure.” 

“I don’t look physically threatening, so that’s a whole level of suspicion that’s removed,” says Radcliffe.

Radcliffe doesn’t think women are necessarily better at social engineering but does admit others’ perceptions may lend a critical assist, since this is a business in which patriarchal systems may inherently benefit women who aren’t deemed to be threats. “I don’t look physically threatening, so that’s a whole level of suspicion that’s removed,” she says. “I present as a businesswoman, someone who is very busy and superior, so I can channel that sense of being important.” Unfortunately, she says, race can be a factor, too. “I’m also a white woman,” Radcliffe says, “and that gives me heaps of advantages when it comes to people’s prejudices around what a criminal looks like.”

Thanks to social engineering competitions like the one at Def Con, YouTube videos, and tech podcasts like Darknet Diaries that celebrate prominent social engineers, hackers like Denis, Tobac, and Radcliffe are now enjoying a kind of cult celebrity status that is attracting other women to the field. And since there’s no formal educational path for this kind of work, professional organizations are being established to fill that void. Tobac, for example, is on the board of directors for Women in Security and Privacy, a group that helps foster the careers of women who want to do the kind of legitimate social engineering work that helps companies keep themselves safe. “Social engineering is a nascent field and we’re starting to proliferate within the organizations that are a part of everything we do,” she says. “And among the major players in this space, a lot of us are women.”

More women in security, however, may mean a shift in the traditional dynamics that social engineers rely upon, because women can also be less trusting of women than men are. Which means, in the future, as more women gain prominence in all areas of information technology, the sexism that one underpinned women’s innate advantage in social engineering could become a thing of the past. “Women will notice more things about me, and it’s generally another woman who will be suspicious of me,” says Tobac, contemplating a future with more women on either side of the social engineering equation. “I’ve been caught more by female security guards than male ones. And given that there are still far fewer female security guards than men, that’s impressive.”

Social engineering, she adds, is a nascent, but increasingly vital line of work, and one in which women stand to benefit professionally. “Security awareness is so important and I think folks are starting to [ask], ‘Who are the major players in this space?'” she says. “And a lot of those players are women.”

Illustration by Daniel Zender

This article originally appeared in BUST’s Summer 2022 print edition. Subscribe today!

In a post-Roe v. Wade world, people who may need abortions are wondering what access will look like in their own lives going forward. For many, this consideration includes factors related to their personal finances and the attitudes of their employers towards proper healthcare. Corporations like Wells Fargo and Dick’s Sporting Goods have made a pledge to their employees to make it financially possible for anyone on their company health insurance, including dependents of the employee, to travel out of state to obtain an abortion if their home state does not provide safe procedures. But is this as noble of a gesture as it appears to be? Unfortunately, it is not. 

The New York Times recently reported on a list of large corporations who have taken this pledge. Many of these companies being celebrated as heroes for their stance on abortion access have historically donated generously to the GOP and its candidates. Covering abortion costs is just a shallow attempt to gain public adoration without giving up their GOP ties. Some, like Fox News puppet Tucker Carlson, have suggested it is less expensive for a corporation to cover the travel costs of abortion than it is to pay an employee while they take sufficient maternal leave, and as such, there is a financial upside to this policy, even considering the business that these companies may lose from anti-choice consumers. 

JPMorgan Chase and Co., a known enemy of environmental sustainability and prolific donor to the Republican party, has unexpectedly found their way into the good graces of liberals with this gesture. However, one Google search reveals their conservative values, including donating over $75,000 just this year to the National Republican Senatorial Committee (although they earned some credit by freezing their donations to Republicans who supported overturning the results of the 2020 presidential election). They have, however, continued their financial support of pro-life officials like Pennsylvania Senator Dave McCormick and South Carolinian Senator Tim Scott. 

Johnson & Johnson has made a strong statement in support of employees seeking abortions as well but has historically played both sides in their political donations, donating $82,740 to the DNC Services Corp while also donating $40,506 to the National Republican Senatorial Committee and $35,087 to the National Republican Congressional Committee. 

Dick’s Sporting Goods contradicts itself in its donations as well, giving over $8,500 in total to Pennsylvania Republicans Jeff Bartos and Guy Reschenthaler. 

Comcast, another corporation that has promised to cover the travel expenses of any employee seeking an abortion, donated $357,976 to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, but this is made significantly less impressive by their sizable donations (all over $65,000) to the National Republican Congressional Committee, the Republican National Committee, and the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

Wells Fargo, another corporation that has promised to cover their employees’ travel expenses in the case of abortion, followed the same pattern, making it clear that a friend to all is a friend to none by donating $396,524 to the DNC Services Corp, $157,223 to the National Republican Congressional Committee, and $142,501 to the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

Noting the hypocrisy of these pledges may seem cynical or ungrateful, but this pattern of disingenuous, performative activism from corporations has been successful for too long to be ignored. As Pride Month wraps up, rainbow capitalism, or the practice of disingenuously acting as an ally when it is convenient while doing nothing for—or actively doing harm to—the community when it’s not, has freshly embittered us on the topic of organizational activism without action. When a corporation practices this insincerity, they are counting on the blind trust of the left in their good intentions, so it’s more important now than ever to analyze a company’s public donor record before pledging your retirement fund to the corporation your Facebook feed is loving right now. Of course, the platform’s parent company, Meta, has made access promises while donating to the Republican party and actively banning posts offering abortion pills on their platforms, Facebook and Instagram.

We’ve been seeing lots of articles praising these companies, and we encourage consumers to take a look at a corporation’s donor history before celebrating them. Anyone who contributed to Trump’s election had a role in the appointment of the three justices who were instrumental in the overturn of Roe. So, why are we celebrating that the corporations who ripped this wound open are offering their employees bandaids? Take the time to be a critically informed consumer, develop your media literacy skills, and challenge corporations to make substantial changes at the root of their finances before we call them progressive.

Photo by RODNAE Pexels

“Dad does so much for the family! This Father’s Day, give him what he really needs. Not a home brewing kit, not socks; give him safe and legal access to abortion.” Abortion Access Front’s recent video opens with a family celebrating Father’s Day, opening gifts and celebrating dad. As soon as the voiceover chimes in with this, the scene comes to a screeching halt. Comedian and father of two, W. Kamau Bell (We Need to Talk About Cosby, United Shades of America) enters the scene, bringing snark and tongue-in-cheek humor and laying out the stark difference between his own spending on birth control in his lifetime, $213, and his wife’s, a staggering sum of $17,530. Bell speaks directly to dads, pointing out that any dad who has had sex that didn’t result in pregnancy has likely benefitted from birth control or abortion, but might not have realized it because the responsibility of birth control may have fallen on their partner. This PSA was written and co-produced by Adam Mansbach, best-selling author of Go The F*ck To Sleep, who also stars in it alongside his real-life partner and children. 

 A 2022 Pew Research Center study on abortion show that men and women are similar in their stances on abortion, with 68% of women and 74% of men believing that there are, as the researchers put it, “some cases where abortion should be legal and others where it should be illegal.” Bell urges men to show up for people with uteruses right now, especially fathers, because, as found by the Guttmacher Institute in a 2014 study, “the majority of people seeking abortions are already parents.” This campaign video is the third project that Bell, Daily Show co-creator Lizz Winstead, Offsides Productions, and Mansbach have collaborated on. Founded by Winstead in 2015, Abortion Access Front’s mission is “to counter anti-abortion rhetoric and media, build community among pro-abortion activists, and provide direct support to independent abortion clinics”, will be hosting an exciting virtual training on abortion activism on July 17th. Operation Save Abortion, or OSA, will feature abortion activists and experts who will share their advice for protecting abortion access via Livestream.

Sign up here to take action now. 

Photos : “Dad’s for Choice with W. Kamau Bell,” via Abortion Access Front.

Today, June 24, 2022, the United States Supreme Court overturned their decision on Roe v Wade, which  means that Americans have lost their Constitutional right to safe abortions, and 26 states are either definitely or likely to ban on abortion. 

Today and tomorrow join countless citizens as they protest the government’s decision.

Atlanta

5:00 pm CNN Marietta @ Centennial Olympic Park Drive

6:30 pm East steps of the Capital, 227 Capital Ave SW

Austin 

5:00 pm US Courthouse Plaza 501 West 5th

Boston 

5:00 pm Park Street T Stop

6:00 pm Copley Square

Chicago 

5:00 pm Federal Plaza 219 S. Dearborn

Cleveland 

5:00 pm Public Square outside REBOL Cafe

Detroit 

4:30 pm Federal Courthouse 231 W. Lafayette

Eugene, OR

5pm at Federal Courthouse (via @prochoiceoregon)

Honolulu 

2:00 pm Federal Building 300 Ala Moana Blvd

Houston 

5:30 pm City Hall 901 Bagby (but on Smith St. side)

6:30pm City Hall

London

7pm: US Embassy, Nine Elms

Los Angeles 

12:00 pm US Courthouse Plaza 350 West 1st Street

Louisville

4:30pm Gene Snyder Federal Building, 601 Broadway

Nashville

5:00pm Legislative Plaza, 301 6th Ave

New Hampshire, various cities

5:00pm, all locations

Concord NH Supreme Court

Dover Henry Law Park

Exeter Town Hall

Hanover The Green

Keene The Square

Lancaster Centennial Park

Manchester City Hall Plaza

Plymouth Tenney Mt. Hwy/Highland St

Portsmouth Market Square

New Orleans

6:00 pm  5th Circuit Court of Appeals, 600 Camp St.

New York City 

5:00 pm Union Square @ 14th Street

6:30 pm Washington Square Park

8:00 pm Union Square (via @4womenslib)

Philadelphia 

5:00 pm City Hall

Portland, OR

5:00 pm Salmon Street Springs/ Fountain 

5:30pm Lownsdale Square (via @PortlandDSA)

San Francisco 

5:00 pm Federal Bldg & US Courthouse 450 Golden Gate

Seattle 

5:00 pm Westlake Park

5:00 Yesler Terrace Park

Washington DC

All Day US Supreme Court

Photo, top: RiseUp4AbortionRights.org

 Lately, one of the most essential pieces of infrastructure in New York City—the subway system— has become less and less appealing to riders. That isn’t surprising, given how discouraging the numbers appear. NYC reported 34 transit crimes last week. At this time in 2021, 695 transit crimes had been reported since the start of the year—-this year, in the same time span, that number is up to 1072. 

 Then there are the stories in the news cycle, which detail constant, often senseless violence against people just trying to get from Point A to Point B. Last month, the New York Times reported that on one of the subway trains, a gunman shot and killed a rider “without provocation.” Just last week, NBC reported that a teenager was stabbed in Brooklyn. The brutality and randomness of these incidents is making New Yorkers apprehensive—a majority of private sector commuters polled by Morning Consult feel that subways have become less safe since the beginning of the pandemic. 

 Now, NYC Mayor Eric Adams is promising to put a stop to the increase in crime on the subway. At a recent press conference, Adams enumerated a list of strategies to make public transportation safer with NYC Police Commissioner Sewell. He discussed a variety of initiatives, such as putting two police officers on each train to patrol for crime. Then, he veered into passenger safety, discussing how people can try to protect themselves from becoming a victim of crime, and what he sees as dangerous behavior. “While I was out,” he said, “I saw women passengers in isolated areas, standing alone. That is just unsafe.”

Say what, now? Haven’t we tried to move past the age of asking what a female victim of assault was wearing, or how much she had to drink, because placing the burden of crime prevention on victims doesn’t create fewer criminals? Asking women to make sure they’re always accompanied by a chaperone, or that they travel in pairs, is just demeaning, and, frankly, a lazy solution to crime.

Beyond the condescending nature of this comment, asking that women not be alone to “protect themselves” pushes further the idea that women just have to deal with their movement being significantly more restricted than men’s. After all, how many of our mothers have warned us against walking alone at night? The fear of being grabbed or assaulted shouldn’t just be one of the conditions of being a woman, and while advice against being alone may suffice from one’s mother, it’s an inadequate approach from an elected official who claims to be in favor of “reducing crime.” If Adams really wanted to make subways safer for women, he’d target the systems which make them unsafe. It’s just easier to ask them to find someone’s hand to hold.

Photo: NYC Mayor Eric Adams at press conference on subway safety. Screenshot from YouTube

Savonn Barnes-Poags remembers the vibes being off when she pulled into a truck stop one night in the middle of Arkansas. After using the restroom, she saw a man standing in front of the semi truck she drives for a living. Barnes-Poags, who is 24 and four-foot-nine, “could tell this man had ill intentions,” so she called for her husband, also a truck driver, who was sleeping in the cab of the truck. The stranger jumped back and left them alone. “You really have to check your p’s and q’s when you’re a female truck driver,” Barnes-Poags says.

Many women truckers eat, sleep, and live out of their semis for months—sometimes years—at a time. And a growing number of them like Barnes-Poags have taken to TikTok to share their experiences on the road. Some give tours of their living spaces: sleeper cabs with enough room for a bed, mini-fridge, freezer, air fryer, and pets. Others reveal what rest stops have the best food and showers. In one video, Barnes-Poags (@china.trap) shows her 150k TikTok followers how she cooks lemon pepper salmon, sauteed spinach, and garlic bread in her truck. 

@china.trap #truckdriver #womantrucker #motivation #truckdrivers #trucking #trucker #truckerlife #truckinglife #fyp #girltruckdriver #truckdriver #insparation ♬ insta ssgkobe – ????

While the percentage of women in trucking is growing (according to the Department of Labor, 7.8 percent of the workforce is female), unfortunately, so has the stigma. “People see a pretty trucker and say, ‘Oh, she can’t be a trucker,’” says Aubry Oden (@truckingwithaubry), who is on the road four months at a time and takes her 15k TikTok followers with her. Even though Oden has been driving for a year and a half, she says male truckers still call her “baby driver” or “steering wheel holder.”

@truckingwithaubry Why Is It Like This #truckerproblems ♬ som original – LORD.xp

@iamveelee Truck drivin’ baddie #iamveelee #trucker #truckdriver ♬ Truck Drivin’ Baddie – Lokey Kountry

More Cool Women Truckers to Follow On TikTok

Asmin De Loa – @asmindeloaofficial

But the benefits for Barnes-Poags and Oden still outweigh the annoyances. Both say trucking has expanded their view of the United States and helped them see places they would never have seen otherwise. “I love food and going to different cities. I hadn’t seen much before,” Barnes-Poags says.

“I love seeing my supporters, too. That’s a really good feeling. I love inspiring women to go into trucking. Even if you’re short like me, you can do it.”

@asmindeloaofficial

♬ What are you staring at – Alexis

Big Rig Barbie – @thebigrigbarbie

@thebigrigbarbie Shine on all of them! @renegadeusa @mirrormetal #teambrb #teamrenegade #bigrigbarbie #peterbilt379 #polish #shine ♬ SHINE – Tobe Nwigwe

Jessica Melton – @beautifulbadasstrucker

@beautifulbadasstrucker One step closer to the future I want #truckerlife ♬ original sound – Low Fro Photography

 Truckers usually spend 12 to 14 hours on the road per day. So, what do they listen to during those long shifts? Vee Lee (@iamveelee), who has amassed 256k followers since she started trucking two years ago, says she listens to everything from podcasts to financial literacy courses to Spanish lessons. Often, though, she’ll pass the time chatting with other drivers even though she knows sexism sometimes comes with the territory. “Men say women shouldn’t be in the industry. They say I should be a weather girl or stay at home and tend to children,” says Lee, 28. “But I like my freedom. I have peace of mind by myself.” –Ana Bretón

 This article originally appeared in BUST’s Summer 2022 print edition. Subscribe today!

If you’ve been on the Internet at all in the past few weeks, you’ve probably been exposed, maybe unwillingly, to the Depp v. Heard trial. It was more intoxicating than fiction, and streaming free on YouTube! Despite what the fancams and the conspiracies will have you believe, this wasn’t the story of a hero conquering his tormentor; it was a trial about a woman who spoke out about domestic abuse, and the vilification she received as a result. The trial’s outcome is sure to have cultural reverberations for years to come. 

The story goes like this: In 2018, actress Amber Heard published an op-ed in The Washington Post, describing herself as “a public figure representing domestic abuse.” Her ex-husband, Johnny Depp, sued her for $50 million dollars in defamation, under the assumption that the article, despite not mentioning him by name, was referring to him and had damaged his career as a result. In response, Heard counter-sued Depp for $100 million. The ensuing, highly publicized trial’s verdict came in on June 1st; Depp had been awarded 10.35 million dollars, and Heard 2 million. 

But the most upsetting part of the trial wasn’t even the verdict; it’s been the vitriolic backlash to Heard, which has shown abuse victims everywhere just how cruelly the court of public opinion can punish them for coming forward. We’ve seen the Internet mock a woman for not looking enough like a victim, make light of a sexual assault allegation, and take miniscule body adjustments as a sign of manipulation. None of that is supporting victims—it’s frightening them. With all of the sensationalism surrounding the trial, it can be difficult to look through the veneer and see how the taunting and ridicule directed at Heard hurts real women. Here’s a compilation of some of the best feminist takes on the verdict of Depp v. Heard:

1. In a Twitter thread, user @kattenbarge critiques the media response to Depp v. Heard. She argues that in not actually reviewing and summarizing the trial’s evidence, journalists have allowed social media to control the narrative. The content on places like YouTube and TikTok grossly overanalyzes Heard’s movements, spins her words to make her look worse, and mocks her, because that’s what gets clicks. As @kattenbarge warns, “even if Amber isn’t a victim, this behavior hurts victims.” Read the full thread here:

For people who have been studying the misinformation campaign around the Depp v Heard trial, this verdict is chilling. The success of Depp’s “redemption arc” narrative reveals a lot about our social media platforms and ourselves.

A thread of things I learned during Depp v Heard:

— Kat Tenbarge (@kattenbarge) June 1, 2022

2. @rottenindenmark tweeted a picture of a veterinary hospital proudly displaying its dislike for Amber Heard, commenting that it was “fucked up.” @deardrewdixon quote-tweeted the picture, saying that the response to Amber Heard will make victims “think twice about coming forward.” That veterinary hospital sign is just another reminder that women who come forward will always risk inescapable public vitriol.

Every survivor of domestic abuse or sexual violence living through the #AmberHeard smear campaign will think twice about coming forward. It’s horrifying. https://t.co/oLK6p4LTTG

— Drew Dixon ??? (@deardrewdixon) June 1, 2022

3. A Guardian article, titled “The Amber Heard-Johnny Depp Trial Was An Orgy Of Misogyny,” confronts the outrage directed at Heard, and what that means for #MeToo. In celebrating Johnny Depp’s win and harassing Heard—despite countless disturbing texts and a finding of 12 counts of abuse in a UK court—America has made Heard a symbol for their frustrations with #MeToo. The article finds that taunting TikToks and YouTube compilations have given Depp what he wanted: “global humiliation” for Heard. The verdict, author Moira Donegan writes, “will have a devastating effect on survivors, who will be silenced, now, with the knowledge that they cannot speak about their violent experiences at men’s hands without the threat of a ruinous libel suit. In that sense, women’s speech just became a lot less free.”

4. Tarana Burke, founder of the #MeToo movement, made two posts on Instagram responding to the trial, and pushes back on the idea that the Heard v Depp verdict signifies the end of the #MeToo movement. Her first expresses that the #MeToo movement has been “co-opted” by the trial. She criticizes the Internet mockery and trading in facts for engagement. In her next post, she declares, “The ‘me too’ movement isn’t dead, this system is dead.” #MeToo’s lifeline isn’t the courtroom—it’s in survivors.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Tarana J. Burke (@taranajaneen)

5. The Root offers a chilling perspective on what this trial means for Black women. Author Candace McDufie asks, if Heard can be shamed to this extent, what does that mean for the Black women who don’t have “whiteness or fame”? This article finds that this trial has made the threat of ridicule that much more terrifying, because there truly is nothing any woman can do to shield herself from it. 

6. Over at Gawker, Joan Summers provides a thoughtful reflection on how women might be affected by this seemingly out-of-touch celebrity trial, connecting the dots between the trial’s verdict and Depp’s supporters with conservative politics and media outlets. As the GOP ramps up their efforts to make abortion inaccessible, and to vilify the transgender community, they’ve also shown unwavering support for Depp. Sexual assault is being disregarded in new abortion laws, and parents who support their transgender children are being framed as abusers. The trial is just another way for GOP lawmakers to erode women’s credibility, Summers argues.

7. In this article in Rolling Stone, EJ Dickson interviews domestic abuse survivors to discover what their opinions on the trial are, and details the fear that many of them have experienced after watching Heard be publicly humiliated. The survivors describe threats from their abusers, that they would be humiliated publicly if they ever came forward; then they had to watch a real life manifestation of that. Regardless of the verdict, just watching a woman be torn apart for describing her experiences of abuse is an ominous warning.

8. Monica Lewinsky is all too familiar with public shaming; after news broke of her affair with Bill Clinton, she was relentlessly bullied online. In an article she wrote for Vanity Fair, we see her express frustration and disappointment with the public response to the trial. Heard was mocked far more than Depp, Lewinsky points out, and as a culture, “we have stoked the flames of misogyny.” There were varying responses to Lewinsky’s article on Twitter, but one thing is clear; Lewinsky has an acute understanding of hyper-visibility, especially as a woman, and the rabid misogyny directed toward Heard during this trial doesn’t just affect her—it affects us all.

9. @badgyal tweeted a concise, but powerful reminder: those making a mockery of abuse are sending a message to the victims in their lives. It’s not a nice one. 

your friends who are victims can read your tweets ??

— gabrielle (@badgyaI) June 1, 2022

Top photo collage original images: Johnny Depp: Harald Krichel – Own work; Amber Heard: Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America

Governor Phil Bryant knew what he was doing when he signed The Gestational Age Act into law. “We’ll probably be sued here in about a half hour, and that’ll be fine with me. It is worth fighting over,” he proclaimed, as a flick of his pen set into motion the most significant challenge to abortion rights in 50 years. 

As Bryant predicted, legal action was rapid; just hours after the ink had dried, the Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the only abortion clinic in all of Mississippi, sued Mississippi, on the same day the act was passed. So began Dobbs v. Jackson, the historic case for which the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. But how did this act cause enough ruckus to trigger an immediate lawsuit, one which not only made it all the way to the Supreme Court, but resulted in the upending of 50 years of abortion rights in America?

What is the “Gestational Age Act”?

For such a consequential act, its content is actually quite basic. Mississippi’s Gestational Age Act, passed in 2018, bans elective abortions after the fifteenth week of gestation, with the only exception being in cases where the mother’s life is at risk. “Gestational age” is a weird term, but it essentially measures the age of a fetus from a pregnant person’s last period. It’s important to note that the end of a person’s last period isn’t when the baby is conceived; conception typically happens 2 weeks before the date of the last period, and the time of conception is used to measure trimesters of pregnancy, not the gestational age. Right now, abortion is considered a constitutional right until a fetus can survive outside of the womb—at about 24 weeks.

Banning abortion after 15 weeks is only the latest in a series of restrictive abortion laws the state has passed. In 2007, Mississippi passed a law stating that if Roe v. Wade were overturned, then all abortions in the state would be banned except in cases of rape or to save the mother’s life. “Partial-birth” abortions, a nonmedical term for an abortion in which the fetus is removed from the body first, have been banned in the state since 1997; minors have been required to receive written consent from their parents for an abortion since 1986. These obstacles are made even more difficult to overcome by people seeking abortions by the fact that there is just one abortion clinic, Jackson Women’s Health, in the entire state. But until the “Gestational Age Act,” none of them ran afoul of Roe v. Wade.

How Did the “Gestational Age Act” Threaten Roe v. Wade??

Even though the Gestational Act isn’t the most outrageous or restrictive abortion ban, it’s still unconstitutional. That’s because, right now, both Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey establish that banning abortions before a fetus is “viable” places too great of a restriction on the right to receive an abortion—and is therefore not allowed under the constitution. A fetus is considered “viable” once it can live outside of the womb, and, as decided by the courts, that’s at about 24 weeks into the pregnancy. Because the Gestational Age Act bans abortions before the fetus can survive after birth, it’s technically unconstitutional. 

Once  deliberations on whether or not this act violated Roe v. Wade reached the Supreme Court, the central problem for them to review was  “whether all pre-viability prohibitions on elective abortions are unconstitutional.” Mississippi, of course, wanted to argue that they aren’t, while Jackson Women’s Health Organization wanted to argue that they are. But how did this technical debate about “viability” place Roe in danger? After all, Mississippi’s law doesn’t technically make abortion in the state illegal.

The reason is that once the Supreme Court upholds any pre-viability ban, it would effectively make Roe null; special exceptions made for certain pre-viability bans would be arbitrary and confusing, and thus the Gestational Act could not stand without setting a completely new precedent. As both Mississippi and the Jackson Women’s Health Organization argued to the court, there could be no in-between ruling. Roe had to either be fully upheld, or fully overruled. 

Why Can the Supreme Court Decide to Overturn a Past Decision? 

The Supreme Court voted to overturn Roe, thus deeming the Gestational Age Act to be constitutional. And that shouldn’t be surprising; after Amy Coney Barrett was confirmed, conservatives dominated the court 6-3. The majority opinion, however, is extraordinarily consequential.

The Supreme Court is supposed to make decisions that don’t completely overrule past ones; this concept is called stare decisis. The court can make provisions to previously decided cases, of course, but completely upending precedent by overruling an entire decision is extremely rare. This isn’t a hard rule—stare decisis, for example, had to be dismissed when the Supreme Court overruled Plessy v. Ferguson, a case which allowed for segregation—but it has traditionally been accepted as essential to the Supreme Court. If justices ruled however they pleased, without respecting the decisions that had come before them, then every Supreme Court decision, and every right which people assume they have, would have no steady basis. Without stare decisis, we can’t trust the court, or the rights they grant us. 

So why was the Gestational Age Act successful in upending 50 years of established rule? The draft opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson argues that the arguments presented demonstrated that Roe and Casey were too poorly decided to be totally protected from an overrule, even if they were watershed cases. “Stare decisis, the doctrine on which Casey’s controlling opinion was based, does not compel unending adherence to Roe’s abuse of judicial authority,” reads the scathing draft by Justice Alito. 

Clearly, the arguments for pre-viability abortions were effective to this court. Still, to take away an assumed right, which many Americans had based their lives around–that’s enormous, regardless of the merits of Roe v. Wade. Granting rights is one thing; granting them, and then just as quickly taking them away is another. Whether it was Alito’s intention or not, this case doesn’t just affect abortion; it also affects the assumption of stability in every other right the court has granted. 

Overturning Roe v. Wade May be Just the Beginning

So, the Gestational Age Act, on paper at least, isn’t outrageously unique. But the bill’s content isn’t as consequential as what it accomplished. Now that Roe v. Wade has been overturned, the Gestational Age Act doesn’t even matter; what will take precedent is the long-awaited statewide total ban on abortion, which the Mississippi government has been sitting on for over a decade. What is historic about the case is that dishonoring stare decisis in what is considered a landmark case sets a precedent for later rulings, at least if the court continues with its current cast of justices. 

If even Roe, a case historically upheld by conservative and liberal justices alike, can be undone, what is to protect other cases upon which Republican and Democratic states are ideologically divided? Upholding cases like Obergefell v. Hodges (which recognized gay marriage as a right) and Griswold v. Connecticut (which recognized birth control as a right), for example, which are controversial but essential civil rights rulings, may now depend more on the whims and preferred constitutional interpretations of justices rather than established precedent. 

Mississippi created the right bill, for the right crowd of court justices, and presented an argument which could only be concluded with the most drastic measures, and for now, they’ve gotten what they wanted—not only have they triggered an overturn of Roe v. Wade, but they’ve also confirmed that this court is willing to reject stare decisis, thus upending any certainty Americans previously had about their constitutional rights.

Top Photo (original): By TheAgency (CJStumpf) 01:31, 9 April 2007 (UTC) – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0

A Love Letter to Marsha, the spontaneous statue of transgender activist Marsha P. Johnson that was erected at Christopher Park on August 24,2021, the day that would have been her 76^th birthday, is getting a new home at New York’s The Center. The original monument, created by sculptor Jesse Pallotta, came about out of frustration with local government after plans to add a statue of the queer icon were halted because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Eli Erlick, an activist involved in the project told Fox5 NYC, “The city has been boasting about putting up more statues of women for years, even decades now, and they simply haven’t done it.” Tired of waiting, the queer community of NYC came together to make it happen themselves.

 

 

 

 

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Miraculously, the unauthorized statue was allowed to remain up, eventually receiving a temporary permit to stay up until November of 2021. With input from Black Trans Nation, the bust of Johnson will be on display in The Center’s lobby from May 25^th until August 24^th 2022. Designed to be interactive, visitors are invited to leave flowers in her hair and around the podium.

Opening reception is tonight May 25^th at 7pm, with doors at 6:30pm. RSVP here.

header: Brandon English 

Following the leak of Justice Samuel Alito’s draft opinion on overturning the monumental Roe v. Wade decision, it has become horrifyingly evident that the United States’ legal system is spearheading to make abortion inaccessible to women.

Women Make Movies, a distributor of independent films produced and directed by women, is making a selection of nine films available for the public on the history of reproductive rights in the U.S. to shed light on the current situation. Women Make Movies has been amplifying historically ignored voices and challenging the media industry for 50 years. Their film Saving Face by Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy and Daniel Junge won the 2012 Academy Award for best short documentary.

Founded in 1972 by Ariel Dougherty and Sheila Paige with Dolores Bargowski, Women Make Movies spent the first-decade teaching and training women to become filmmakers. Now they have a catalog of 710 films that have screened in 86 countries and their films range from topics such as reproductive choice, native and indigenous voices, voices of Afghan women, anti-racist education and activism and transnational feminism.

The nine films about abortion are currently available for free and range from 13 minutes to 100 minutes with titles: AMERICA’S WAR ON ABORTION, a BAFTA award-winning film by Deeyah Khan, a two-time Emmy and Peabody award-winning filmmaker. It takes a look at the consequences of wanting an abortion in the state of Alabama, the ensuing judgment from society and how it affects women of color. The film also features face-to-face interviews with people convicted of anti-abortion terrorism and anti-abortion campaigners, the medical staff, and the women who face these challenges in their lives.

62 DAYS, by Rebecca Haimowitz, the story of Marlise Muñoz and how a law forced her to stay on life support after being pronounced brain dead. BIRTHRIGHT: A WAR STORY, by Civia Tamarkin, looks deeply into the idea that “the state has the right to intervene in a woman’s life from the time she becomes pregnant”, and how this intrusion is severely affecting the lives of women in America.

JANE: AN ABORTION SERVICE, by Kate Kirtz, this film takes a look at women from 1969  to 1973 taking abortion into their hands as “Jane”, the Chicago-based women’s health group that performed 12,000 safe illegal abortions without any medical training. ABORTION HELPLINE: THIS IS LISA, by Barbara Attie, Janet Goldwater and Mike Attie, takes a look into the economic disparity between who can and cannot afford to pay for abortion in America. Hence, this Philadelphia abortion helpline of counselors receives calls from women who seek an abortion but cannot afford to do so due to the economically unjust laws in America for an abortion. 

Watch these films and more, for free until Tuesday, 31st May 2022 on the Women Make Movies website.

Photos: Women Making Movies 

Mothers and Daughters is a portrait and interview project, taking a look at the complex, identity framing family relationship. My own mother, Marjorie Cumbo, suffered from a bipolar disorder and passed away from cancer over 20 years ago, (I was 19).

Her influence on me was profound, as is her absence. My work ethic, my creativity, and unfortunately my likelihood of developing cancer are all things I can attribute to her. After testing positive for the BRACA2 gene, I opted to take preventative measures that have greatly reduced my odds of getting breast or ovarian cancer, but have also erased the possibility of me having a biological child. As I made those decisions I thought about my mother and our relationship a lot.

I started the project by photographing and interviewing ‘older’ daughters and their mothers mainly because that was a relationship I did not have the opportunity to have. As an adult I’ve always been so fascinating by my close friends’ relationships with their mothers. At 19 you think you’re grown, I think I only figured out I was not about another 10 years or so after that. I opened the project up to any age old enough to answer my q&a as a tribute to the daughter I can not have myself.

Helen, Genna, and Marcy

Helen: Mothering Marcy has taught me the true meaning of being supportive. I have learned from her how to listen and encourage without giving unasked for advice or judgments. By asking for what she needs and wants from me, at an early age, she has helped teach me how to give it to her. She has helped me to be a better mother and friend. 

Aiesha and Zenzele 

 Zenzele: I share joy, happiness, and we are silly…I am shy and my mommy is not.

Sara and Joyce

Sara: My value as a woman.  My mom is an intelligent, hardworking, self-assured woman, and she has always encouraged and empowered me to value myself, express my ideas and never restrict my expectations for myself based on the fact that I am female in a world that is (often) dominated by men.

Emily and Rosie

Emily: I learn something from her everyday. She is so smart, and I love her mind. She is my inspiration, and we both inspire each other . She is my heart, my Pooh bear.

Erin and Mikaela

Erin: Mikaela has taught me to reel it in sometimes. To stop and slow down. That I don’t always have to be right or work so darn hard towards a particular goal. She’s taught me how to be appreciative of smaller things and moments in time. I trust Mikaela’s intuition more than anyone else in the world. 

Check out the rest of the project so far at JenaCumbo.com. 

Photos by: Jena Cumbo 

Mother’s Day is this Sunday, and I hope you have thought of how you would like to celebrate your mom, grandmother and every other incredible woman in your life. Mother’s day is a celebration of honoring mothers, motherhood and mother figures in our lives—a day where mothers are reminded of their love, sacrifice and influence in our lives. 

Mother’s Day in the United States began with a woman named Anna Jarvis, who admired her mother for attending to the wounded in the American Civil War. In 1905, after her mother passed away, Jarvis began to urge Congres to create a national day for mothers everywhere. She wanted to honor all mothers because she believed a mother is “the person who has done more for you than anyone in the world.” She got her way, but in the end, hated the commercialization of the holiday to such an extent that she actually tried to get it nullified.

While the modern western ways of celebrating Mother’s Day with flowers, cards, chocolate and quality time aren’t wrong, here’s a list of different ways that mothers are celebrated around the world. You never know—you might just want to switch things up this year. I know I certainly will.

Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 by OxFam East Africa

Ethiopia: A Three-Day-Long Festival Of Food

Mother’s Day in Ethiopia is celebrated not only for 1 day, but is in fact celebrated for a span of 3 days and is known as the Antrosht festival. This festival falls at the end of the rainy season, when the weather has cleared up. Traditionally, daughters bring vegetables and cheese, and the sons bring meat, and together they cook a meat hash. They sing and dance and tell stories in honor of their families and heroes. Here’s how you can integrate this into your celebrations: Share stories and memories of the women in your family. Take a look at old photographs, and ask your grandmother or elder women to share stories of the women who are heroes in their lives.

Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 by Adam Jones

Mexico: Honoring “The Queens”

Mothers in Mexico are known as “Queens of the home” or “Las Reinas de la casa.” Their celebrations begin early in the morning, and it is customary to wake up your mom with a song. An example of a traditional song for the morning of Mother’s Day is called “Las Mañanitas’” or “The Dawn.” Children are also known to perform skits and dances at school to show their appreciation for their mothers. Maybe sing a song for your mother this Mother’s Day if you can sing, or play some of her favorite songs to show your love to her.

Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 by Peter van der Sluijs

 Peru: A Full Week Of Songs And Memorials

Mother’s Day in Peru is not just a day of celebration—instead it’s a week! A week full of celebrations of mothers! How wonderful is that? There are various lunches, dinners, parties and music events throughout the week. Children sing songs and even recite poems for their mothers. Something they also celebrate is their deceased mothers—there are gatherings at the graveyards to honor the deceased women in their families. They clean the graveyards of their mothers and decorate the graves with flowers, balloons and heart-shaped icons reading “Feliz Dia Mama” (Happy Mother’s Day in Spanish). 

Red Carnation. Public domain by Edward H. Mitchell

Japan: Carnations (not Roses), And Dolls

Children in Japan get up early and present their mothers with red carnations to show their love and appreciation. Red carnations symbolize a mother’s sweetness and purity. They also create paintings of their mothers to express their sentiments, and gift their mothers a floral design kokeshi doll with beautiful handcrafted colors and patterns. The most famous doll is the red camellia doll. which symbolizes love. Maybe paint your mom a portrait of herself or of what she means to you with a symbol? You might even consider getting her something that stands for love in her culture. 

Jasmine flowers, Pixabay Laana13

Thailand: A Summertime Celebration

Mother’s Day in Thailand falls on the 12th of August, which is the same day as the birthday of her Majesty Queen Sirikit who is seen as the mother of all Thai people. On this day, people decorate the streets with lights, fireworks, decorations, and portraits of Queen Sirikit. There are also many ceremonies held to give offerings of food to Thailand’s monks. Mothers are presented with white Jasmine flowers and garlands, which are a symbol of gentleness and motherhood—it’s called “dok mali” in Thai (ดอกมะลิ). 

Nepal: A Day to “Watch Your Mother’s Face”

Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 by Daniele Zanni

In Nepal, Mothers day is celebrated as “Mata Tirtha Ausi” and is known as “Aama ko mukh herne din,” which means “a day of watching your mother’s face. “All daughters and sons make sure to visit their moms early in the morning. Those whose mothers are deceased give “Sida Daan,” which is a mixture of rice grains and pure food materials to the priest. They also visit Mata Tirtha, a sacred pilgrimage  in the southwest of Central Kathmandu, where there are two ponds, the larger one for bathing and the smaller one to “look upon mother’s face”. People believe that coming to the ponds brings peace to the soul of their deceased mothers and is seen as a sacred way of honoring their mothers.

Simnel Cake. Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 by James Petts

UK: Delicious Cake on a Special Sunday

Mother’s Day in the Uk is known as “Mothering Sunday.”  Previously, the day had nothing to do with mothers and was a day where young adults would visit their home county and “mother” church. However, the focus of this day changed from religion to mothers of the family. Now, this day is celebrated to honor women and mothers. A traditional food item for Mothering Sunday is Simnel cake which is a fruit cake that has two layers of almond paste—at the top and in the middle. That definitely makes me want to eat some simnel cake right now!

Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 by Suyash Dwivedi

India: 9 Days of Storytelling and Goddess Worship

Traditionally, India celebrated mothers in a 9-day Navratri festival or the 10-day Durga poojan.  People worship the goddess Durga during that time and celebrate good over evil. Families get together, decorate their homes, and spend time cooking delicious food. There is also a lot of storytelling and re-telling stories of goddess Durga and how she comes back home to her parent to show her children. Children visit their mothers and spend time with them. Mothers are seen as Goddesses, and holy figures in the lives of their children. 

Photo by Gabriella Clare Marino on Unsplash

Italy: Coffee and Pastry for a Mother’s Day Feast!

Mother’s Day in Italy is known as “La Festa della Mamma.” Mothers in Italy are seen as the head of the house and are celebrated throughout the year. However, on Mother’s Day, she’s appreciated even more. The very first “Mother’s Day” was introduced by the Fascist regime in 1933 as “La Giornata della madre e del bambino”—the day of the mother and child—and a tribute to mothers. Mothers are celebrated with fresh pastries and coffee, trips to the museum, and even poems about them!

In a leaked document published late Monday, May 2^nd, by Politico, it is being suggested that the Supreme Court is set to overturn Roe v. Wade, the historic 1973 decision legalizing abortion in the United States. If struck down, abortion rights will be left up to individual states, which could have dire consequences for the 40 million women who live in states with “hostile” abortion laws.

The war on reproductive rights has been heating up in recent years, with the passing of the Texas Heartbeat Act , banning abortion after the first detection of fetal heartbeat activity, becoming a recent victory for bigots everywhere, last year. Just a few months later in December  2021, after the restrictive abortion law took effect, the state of Mississippi woke up and chose violence, bringing forth a case to the Supreme Court asking if the state’s 15 week ban on elective abortion is constitutional.

Here’s my statement with Michelle on the draft Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. pic.twitter.com/xBJJkLYGlQ

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) May 3, 2022

A reminder that the same lawmakers who say gun laws won’t stop gun violence believe abortion laws will stop abortion. #RoeVWade

— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) May 3, 2022

In the leaked document, justice Samuel Alito suggests Roe was an egregious wrong from the start, writing, “It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people’s elected representatives.” The Guttmacher Institute reports that 13 states have “trigger laws” in place that could make abortion illegal almost immediately if the high court gets their way.

Spread this msg:
Get as much Plan B as possible, for you, your friends and their kids. Birth control will be next, in the interim, BC may no longer be covered by health insurance. Support public health clinics. Consider an IUD. Buy condoms. #RoeVWadehttps://t.co/uElAtzAdPB

— Women’s rights are humans’ rights (@cherifromwv) May 3, 2022

 While it’s important to note the leaked document is a draft opinion with no legal standing, for now, abortion is still legal, but many believe it’s important to get information and mobilize, less we want our daily lives to turn into an episode of The Handmaid’s Tale.

If #RoeVWade disappears, how much longer will it be before I’m seen as 3/5ths of a person again?

— Celena Spears (@CelenaMSpears) May 3, 2022

You can show up for abortion rights in many ways: protesting at your local federal courthouses/buildings/town halls. You can also donate to funds like Keep Our Clinics and Abortion Access Front, or share information on abortion pills and access to safe abortions with those in need.

header: https:/Photo by Andrew McMurtrie from Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/grayscale-photo-of-people-holding-banner-3973905/

Via Women’s March:

Of all the things that have thrown Twitter in a frenzy, like Donald Trump winning the 2016 US presidential election, it’s going to take an excruciatingly long time for it to recover from this one. Thanks to Elon Musk’s acquisition of the platform for a whopping $44B on April 25, this year, in both cultural and economic senses, has brought us the most nerve-racking social media fiasco. Musk’s disjointed vision for Twitter includes releasing it from censorship restrictions to foster freedom of speech and democracy. This may lead to a surge in disinformation and welcome more trolls and bullies to a space that already brims with instances of racial and gender discrimination. While this move has garnered a wide set of reactions from different communities, countless people continue to slam the world’s richest man for his pretentious, sketchy “free speech” bid along with an apparent proposal to eliminate Twitter ads and add an edit button that will undeniably transform the face of the platform. Moreover, celebrities like Jameela Jamil have already announced their departure from Twitter, with absolutely no return in sight. In what can now be considered her last and final tweet, The Good Place actress rightfully rages over Musk’s intentions for the social media site that will help it reach its “final form of totally lawless hate, bigotry, and misogyny.” 

Ah he got twitter. I would like this to be my what lies here as my last tweet. Just really *any* excuse to show pics of Barold. I fear this free speech bid is going to help this hell platform reach its final form of totally lawless hate, bigotry, and misogyny. Best of luck. pic.twitter.com/fBDOuEYI3e

— Jameela Jamil ? (@jameelajamil) April 25, 2022

With that being said, here’s a glimpse into what folks on Twitter are thinking about its brand new owner: 

It’s hard to overstate the moral vacuum required to have $43 billion available to you and decide to use it to purchase a social media platform to ensure you’re allowed to shitpost without consequences instead of addressing poverty, climate change, or public health initiatives.

— Aaron Hoyland (@aaronhoyland) April 25, 2022

Luckily Elon Musk believes Twitter is all about free speech, so we can still constantly post about how much of a fucking loser douchebag he is. That part is nice.

— Drew Schnoebelen (@Dschnoeb) April 25, 2022

If Elon Musk really cares about freedom, he should spend his $46 billion helping Ukraine defeat Putin and Russia, rather than buying Twitter.

— Tristan Snell (@TristanSnell) April 25, 2022

A lot of Twitter users have already started migrating to other social media apps. Well, fair enough. 

“You can find me on Instagram if Elon Musk buys Twitter” is the new “I’m moving to Canada if Donald Trump becomes President.”

— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) April 25, 2022

ELON MUSK BOUGHT A HAIRLINE *AND* TWITTER THATS WILD

— THE KID MERO ?? (@THEKIDMERO) April 25, 2022

elon musk spending $43 billion to stop getting bullied on twitter when he could’ve simply been less annoying is insane

— first-mate prance (@bocxtop) April 25, 2022

Remember like two weeks ago when Elon was like “tell me how to end world hunger and I’ll do it” and then he bought twitter for $44 billion instead

— river butcher ? (@rivbutcher) April 25, 2022

The View: “If you have $44 billion and you use it to buy Twitter, you make bad decisions.” pic.twitter.com/4W8qv3a7Ms

— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) April 27, 2022

From my sources: Vocal Twitter employees on internal chats indicate their biggest fear is Donald Trump being unbanned. Many express strong hatred toward @elonmusk & say they’re sick of hearing about “free speech.” They’re concerned about their mental health. #ElonMuskBuyTwitter

— Andy Ngô ?‍? (@MrAndyNgo) April 25, 2022

“Consider this the beginning of the end of #BlackTwitter.” It’s been nice commenting with y’all. #ElonMusk https://t.co/n0q3kPQRuO

— Meriwether (@meriwether_c) April 26, 2022

alright so now fr where’s the black Twitter app? i propose you have to successfully complete a round of Black Card Revoked in order to make an account

— miss ma’am (@lilshortynina) April 26, 2022

Amidst all the madness, the world still can’t wait to witness Twitter’s new identity under Musk and how (much worse) it’s going to be from now on.  

Photo by Dan Taylor on Wikipedia Commons

In early March, an apparent Russian strike damaged and destroyed a hospital in Mariupol, a city in southern Ukraine. According to The New York Times, “seventeen people were injured, including staff members and maternity ward patients.” 

Over 1,000 women give birth in Ukraine every day. Since the war started, hospitals are one of many necessary facilities being targeted. Because of the dangers of pregnancy and giving birth in a war zone, thousands of babies are being born with no health support, and in dangerous conditions. “Primarily, we are in need of transportable incubators for these babies who are in intensive care,” head of the Perinatal Center in Kharkiv, Ukraine, told Fox. “They are critically dependent on this equipment.” With little to no access to lifesaving resources, it is estimated that the premature birth rate has more than doubled in cities across Ukraine. 

“Preterm and underweight babies aren’t able to regulate their own body temperature; they require incubators to help them survive.”

Embrace Global is a nonprofit whose mission focuses on one thing: saving babies around the world. “Infant mortality is one of the U.N. Millennium Development Goals that we have made the least progress on,” Co-Founder Jane Chen stated in a Fox News interview. “This has to be a priority.” And Embrace has made it a priority. How? With incubators. Incubators are usually used in Neonatal Intensive Care Units in hospitals. Essentially, an incubator for a baby is like a second womb, designed to protect and provide the best conditions for development.  “Preterm and underweight babies aren’t able to regulate their own body temperature; they require incubators to help them survive,” said Co-Founder Jane Chen. “Our products will help to give these babies a fighting chance.” 

Photo of an Embrace Incubator being used in Nepal

Embrace has reinvented the incubator for those in need with less stable facilities. The Embrace incubator can maintain a constant temperature of 98 degrees for up to eight hours, and contains a wax-like material, which is melted to create a warm micro-environment for the baby and can be reheated thousands of times. This ground-breaking infant incubator costs less than 1% of a traditional incubator, is portable, and can function without stable electricity according to an Embrace Global press release. Embrace, which was historically supported by President Obama, has assisted over 350,000 babies in 22 countries. 

Embrace has already sent 200 of their incubators to Ukraine, but right now, they are raising $600,000 in funds to donate 3,000 more. You can donate online, and raise awareness on social media platforms. The incubators will be donated to UNICEF, the World Health Organization, and other nonprofits, working on the ground in Ukraine.

Photo (Top) by Zach Lucero on Unsplash

Photo (Center): Courtesy of Embrace Global

Empire and Hidden Figures actress and entrepreneur Taraji P. Henson was just appointed to President Biden’s Board of Advisors for Historically Black Colleges/Universities (HBCUs). You may know Taraji P. Henson as a successful actress, but what you may not know is she is also a proud HBCU alumna, graduating from Howard University with a BFA in acting. Henson is one of 18 members of the board, including the first female president of Tougaloo College, Beverly W. Hogan, and the CEO of the National Society of Black Engineers, Janeen Uzzell. The HBCU Board of Advisors is the next step in Biden’s 2021 Executive Order which reestablished the HBCU Initiative and instituted a Board to carry out the initiative’s mission. 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by taraji p henson (@tarajiphenson)

Besides being a successful entertainer, Henson is also a proud HBCU alumna. She is also a mental health advocate, founding the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation in 2018 to help end the mental health stigma in the African-American community, named after her father who suffered with mental health issues but had no accessible resources. The foundation grants scholarships to African American students majoring in mental health fields, funds programming and awareness campaigns, provides accessible mental health services to young people in underserved schools and communities, and works against African American recidivism through mental health support. Not just a celebrity, Henson represents the success of the arts in the HBCU community, and as an actress as well as an entrepreneur, she is a valuable, unique voice. We’re basking in the celebration with her — you go Taraji!

 What is the HBCU Initiative? And what’s the mission?

The first HBCU Initiative was instituted in 1980 by President Jimmy Carter to implement a federal initiative to ensure that HBCUs greatly increase their participation in and access to “federally sponsored programs.” This included funding like Pell grants, contracts, and research sponsorship, where the government supports and funds institutions in important research.

Federal funds and contracts are frequently allocated to private and public schools, helping both students and colleges through scholarships, aid, and grants. The HBCU initiative’s primary purpose is to “provide the highest-quality education, increase opportunities for these institutions to participate in and benefit from Federal programs, and ensure that HBCUs can continue to be engines of opportunity.” Each new president has signed an executive order re-establishing the initiative in some form. 

Though the initiative has been continually renewed, the systemic misallocation of funds has still continued. A recent audit found that between 1957 and 2007 over $500 million dollars were withheld from HBCUs in Tennessee, and more than $2.7 billion were withheld from Maryland HBCUs. Biden’s Board of Advisors seems to be an attempt to right these wrongs. 

 So what is the HBCU Board of Advisors?

The HBCU Board of Advisors was created in September of 2021 to work toward the goals outlined in Biden’s new executive order. The Board’s aim is to  ” strengthen the capacity and competitiveness of historically Black colleges and universities through robust public-sector, private-sector, and community partnerships and engagement, and for other purposes,” with “qualified and diverse leaders,” and includes more than a dozen top education leaders, politicians, and celebrities. 

Though the HBCU initiative has been criticized by the Trump administration. In May of 2017, the White House released a statement that stated, “My Administration shall treat provisions that allocate benefits on the basis of race, ethnicity, and gender … in a manner consistent with the requirement to afford equal protection of the laws under the Due Process Clause of the Constitution’s Fifth Amendment.” The backlash was intense. But thankfully, the HBCU initiative is reestablished and back on track, and carries some powerful women as well. So far, there haven’t been many critiques of any of the appointees or their place on the committee— but, of course, this fairly recent development may inspire some haters to come forward.

But more support for HBCUs has been a big part of Biden’s domestic agenda— he even proposed increasing funding last year, and pledged to give a historical $5.8 billion during his tenure. “Just imagine how much more creative and innovative we’d be if this nation held the historically Black colleges and universities to the same … funding and resources of public universities to compete for jobs in industries of the future,” Biden said as he signed various executive orders in support of people of color in 2021. 

 Header Photo: Shaniqwa Jarvis

After a long and arduous confirmation process, and many tear jerking moments like this one, (thanks Cory Booker,) Ketanji Brown Jackson has officially been confirmed to the Supreme Court after a bipartisan vote of 53-47. Jackson’s move into the Supreme Court is met with exuberant celebration as she is the country’s first Black woman to be seated on the highest court of the land in 200 years. 

A judge on the US court of appeals for the D.C. circuit, her experience in law is as extensive, as it is impressive, Brown Jackson is the first former public defender to serve as a supreme court Justice. 

The 51 year old, newly appointed justice will be replacing Justice Stephen Breyer, who announced his retirement this year, and will be taking bench sometime in October after the Supreme Court’s summer recess. Besides literally making history, Brown Jackson’s addition to the supreme court marks the first time in the court’s history where white men will not be the majority. Brown Jackson wasn’t the only groundbreaking Black woman in the house at the confirmation hearing, vice-president Kamala Harris presided over the senate vote as well. 

Judge Jackson’s confirmation was a historic moment for our nation. We’ve taken another step toward making our highest court reflect the diversity of America. She will be an incredible Justice, and I was honored to share this moment with her. pic.twitter.com/K8SAh25NL5

— President Biden (@POTUS) April 7, 2022

Wanna learn more about our new supreme court justice? Check out our article on six facts you may not know about Mrs. Jackson. 

header: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ketanji_Brown_Jackson_(robe_photo).jpg

A literary and academic legend whose work helped influence an entire generation of feminists, bell hooks died on December 15, 2021, at age 69. Think you know what made bell so swell? Then take the quiz!

1. When bell was born on September 25th, 1952, her given name was:

a.) Chloe Anthony Wofford

b.) Marguerite Annie Johnson

c.) Gloria Jean Watkins

d.) Ramona Lofton

2. Which of the following titles is the first book bell ever published, launching her multifaceted literary career in 1978?

a.) and there we wept: poems

b.) Yearning: race, gender, and cultural politics

c.) ain’t i a woman: black women and feminism

d.) Happy to Be Nappy

3. What author was the subject of bell’s English doctoral dissertation at the University of California, Santa Cruz?

a.) Zora Neale Hurston

b.) Toni Morrison

c.) Langston Hughes

d.) Maya Angelou

4. At what educational institution did bell establish the bell hooks Institute in 2004?

a.) Stanford University

b.) Yale University

c.) The City College of New York

d.) Berea College

5. Complete the following bell quote: “When we can be _____, we can be with others without using them as a means of escape.”

a.) alone

b.) feminists

c.) financially independent

d.) free

via GIPHY

Answer Key:

1. c
2. a
3. b
4. d
5. a

Photo: Jesse Fox

This article originally appeared in the Spring 2022 print edition of BUST Magazine. Subscribe today!

Searching for a powerful role model of old age? Then look no further than Baba Yaga, a magical spirit who has been preserved in ancient Slavic folktales and who can show you how to be wrinkled and badass at the same time.

By Madame Pamita  illustration by Dilek Baykara

If you find yourself in the deepest and wildest Eastern European spruce forest, you might see a tiny light on a mountainside, far away from civilization. If you hike toward this light, you’ll see that it emanates from a little cabin, but not an ordinary one. This little one-room wooden hut is perched high atop a pair of giant chicken legs that walk and turn and scratch at the ground below. Cute, right? But the claws on those chicken feet are sharp, and surrounding the hut is a fence made of human bones topped with skull lanterns lit eerily from within. If you dare to step through this gruesome gate and say the magic words to get the chicken-legged house to let you in, you can peek inside and meet a very old Slavic woman with disheveled hair, a shriveled leg, and a piercing gaze. That woman is no ordinary old lady—she is the legendary witch, Baba Yaga.

We all know that witches are on-trend at the moment, but Baba Yaga is not a cute witchling with black lipstick and a TikTok account. Rather, she’s the queen of all sorcerers with the powers of creation and annihilation at her fingertips. Why mess around with a potion when you can summon the sister stars down from the skies to do your bidding? Instead of flying around on a broom like a basic witch, Baba Yaga speeds through the skies or across the forest floor in a giant mortar, pushing herself along with her oversize pestle. Yes, she’s a little extra, but she can afford to be. She’s a powerful witch with a fearsome reputation—not only for flaying arrogant young men alive or making clueless children into tasty snacks, but also for bestowing priceless magical items onto clever and deserving heroines and heroes, such as a ball of yarn that magically leads you to a destiny, a horse that can jump over rivers, or the fire from one of her lanterns that can destroy your foes.

To Slavic people in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Slovenia, Slovakia, Poland, the Czech Republic, and beyond, Baba Yaga is as well-known as Santa Claus is to Americans. She appears in many fables and legends, not as the main character of a story, but most definitely as the antagonist or sometimes as the gatekeeper who tests and then rewards the heroine or hero. If you were lucky enough to grow up in a Slavic home, you most certainly were warned not to go out into dangerous places or, like a bogeyman, Baba Yaga would snatch you up and take you back to her house to eat you.

She’s more than a storybook figure though—she is a legendary spirit from the most ancient times. Some cultures even call her a goddess. Stories about her were passed down from parent to child in the oral tradition over centuries, though she was most famously introduced to the world in the widely translated stories of the Russian ethnographer Alexander Afanasyev. Like the Brothers Grimm, he collected over 600 folktales of the common people and published them in the mid-1800s, exposing them to a wider audience. As he was the first to record these stories, it spread the popular notion that Baba Yaga was purely a Russian figure, but versions of Baba Yaga exist in every Slavic country and culture under various names such as Iagaia, Egibishna, Aga Gnishna, and dozens more. She has been around so long that people have forgotten where she comes from, and even what her name means. The fact that she has dozens of names, is transnational and multicultural, and is featured in hundreds of stories indicates that she has existed for centuries, long before people committed her tales to paper. Every Slavic and Baltic country claims her as their own, but in reality, who knows? She is truly the people’s witch. She belongs to everyone.

If we dig even deeper, we discover that she is not simply a fairy-tale ogre, but a powerful wielder of magic—an ancient and respected crone goddess who embodies the wisdom and the authority that can blossom in old age. If you’ve ever dabbled in witchcraft, you’ve likely heard of the triple goddess—the concept that there are three goddesses in one who represent the symbolic stages in a woman’s life: the maiden, the mother, and the crone. The maiden embodies youth, freedom, curiosity, and play. The mother personifies adulthood, empowerment, and creativity. The crone? Well, she is the wise elder, the teacher, the initiator, and “the one who knows.” In times past, you would earn increasing respect as you aged, but the progression from eager naive youngster to all-knowing and powerful wise woman has been turned on its head by the patriarchy. Today, our culture sees elders as sexless, doddering old fuddy-duddies, if we even see them at all. Where are our crone superheroines?

Baba Yaga is here for it. She is unapologetically old—no Botox or facelift for her. She gives three spits on the ground in response to your patriarchal standards of beauty. Go ahead and call her “ugly,” “old,” and “bony”—she truly does not give a fuck.

Baba Yaga is here for it. She is unapologetically old. No Botox or facelift for her. She gives three spits on the ground in regards to your patriarchal standards
of beauty.

As a powerful witch, she has the ability to shapeshift, meaning she could be young and beautiful, if she wanted to. She could also appear to be middle-aged or a baby. She could turn herself into a wolf or a bear or a raven, for that matter. She can become anything, but most of the time, she chooses to be an old woman. You know why? Because she doesn’t care what you think, that’s why! With iron teeth sticking out of her mouth, lice-infested hair that she doesn’t brush or wash or hide under a scarf, a nose down to here, and a leg that’s just a bone, she likes looking scary! And let’s be honest— a tactic like that? It definitely gives her an advantage from the get-go when encountering the odd curiosity seeker or arrogant young man.

In many stories, Baba Yaga is depicted as a child-eating ogre, much like the witch in the story of Hansel and Gretel. Does she eat children? Well, yes and no. I mean, technically yes, but it’s not what you think. If we look back to the oldest truth of who she is, we discover that she is the gatekeeper between the land of the living and the land of the spirits, and all of us must meet her one day. And when we do, we can either arrive with humility and openness to the world of the spirits, or we can come with fear, disgust, or arrogance. And if you know what happens in her stories to the young heroes who come into her house and disrespect her, well, far be it for her to turn down a meal when mansplainer is on the menu. In the tale Little Bear’s Son, for example, when the hero cooks for her and serves her smaller and smaller helpings, hoping that she won’t notice, she cuts a strip of flesh from his back, throws him under a bench, eats the entire meal, and then flies off in her flying mortar. Needless to say, the only tip he got was never to mess with a crone.

But she’s not just a chef serving up a hot dish of you-had-it-coming. If we look back even further, we see her in her truer guise as the Forest Mother, the guardian of the woods. This is where her dicey nature comes in. For our ancestors, the wild was truly ambiguous. Nature provided food, materials, and beauty, but it could also bedevil you, devour you, and destroy you. Baba Yaga is just like that—cruel one moment, and achingly sweet and generous the next. Like nature, she gives and she takes; you just want to make sure you wait as long as possible to get taken. To touch that kind of awesome glory, you have to risk the chance of utter annihilation. Stroll around like a gawking tourist or an arrogant know-it-all and you’re likely to get served, if not by a witch, then most certainly by the weather, a wild beast, or your own lack of orienteering skills. But if you bring an offering and approach her with humility, she may give you a boon.

In the tale Marya Morevna, for example, the protagonist respectfully submits to Baba Yaga’s tests and receives a flying horse from her that allows him to defeat his enemy and rescue his warrior princess wife. In The Frog Princess, Prince Ivan must rescue his wife who was charmed into the form of a frog and spirited away when he misguidedly burned the frog skin that she had shed. He searches for her and, when he politely asks Baba Yaga where he can find her, she offers up the information. And in Vasilisa the Fair, the heroine completes the impossible tasks that Baba Yaga has given her and is rewarded with one of the fiery skulls from Baba Yaga’s fence so that she can fulfill her quest.

Baba Yaga has no truck with your notions about the sanctity of marriage. Well, yes, she has children but no husband, lover, or significant other in sight. In some stories, such as King Ivan and Bely, the Warrior of the Plains, she has daughters who live with her—beautiful and adept apprentices who know magic as well. Maybe they’re not as skilled as their mother, but they are powerful sorceresses in their own right. In other tales, her children are bears and wolves or grubs and worms. And while we might judge an eagle as magnificent and a cockroach as disgusting, she doesn’t make these judgmental distinctions. Whether her children are maggots or humans, she loves them all, from the prettiest to the toothiest to the slimiest. As the Mother of the Forest, all her creatures are loved and protected as beings of nature.

Baba Yaga has no truck with your notions about the sanctity of marriage. Well, yes, she has children but no husband, lover, or significant other in sight.

Nature is the entry point to her even more-hidden domain of the lower world. In ancient Slavic beliefs, there were three planes of existence—the middle world, where we experience life as we know it; the upper world, which the deities call home; and the lower world, a mystical realm of earthly delights, where plant spirits, power animals, and mythical beings reside. Baba Yaga makes her domain in the lower world, where she communes with these magical creatures. If we think of the lower world as the spirit world, then her ease in traversing between the middle world and the lower world further underlines her role as the mediator between the living and the dead.

Baba Yaga is the initiator into these mysteries of the world of the spirits. In times past, one had to face initiations to move through the stages of life. If you were moving from childhood to adulthood, for example, or becoming a member of a guild, or had been called upon to be a leader in the community, you would face some tests given to you by the elders to see if you were truly prepared for this new role. These elders were guides and mentors, and the tests would not just be meaningless exercises like frat boy initiations—meant to demoralize or humiliate the initiate—but were important trials to prove the initiate was worthy of taking on their new status, simultaneously challenging them in ways designed to demonstrate to themselves that they were capable of more than they thought they were.

In these increasing stair steps of initiation, you could have an adult initiate a young person and offer their wisdom and experience, but who could initiate the wise ones? Who was the mentor who could guide them into the spirit realm? Baba Yaga, of course. She would teach, train, and test you to make sure you were prepared for entering the world of the spirits yourself, and ready to receive the gifts that she had to offer.

Baba Yaga illustration from Vasilisa the Beautiful created by Ivan Bilibin, 1900 (public domain) 

One of those gifts might be the Waters of Life and Death, of which Baba Yaga was the guardian. If someone died, a sprinkle of the Water of Life could bring them back to the world of the living. However, if their body had been destroyed—burned, dismembered, eaten by animals—what could you sprinkle that water on? No one wants a headless person walking around. That’s what the Water of Death was for. With a sprinkle of the Water of Death, you could bring a body back together and then sprinkle it with the Water of Life to bring the spirit back to the body. Baba Yaga’s realm is not just death, but death and rebirth. She can take you in and then lovingly give birth to you again. OK, it might be more like spitting you out again, but still. And when you come back the next time around, maybe you’ll be a little smarter, initiated into a higher consciousness.

So, are you ready to meet Baba Yaga? Spend time in nature at night, or you might want to hang around one of her favorite spots, the crossroads where two footpaths intersect. Be daring and go there at midnight when it feels a little risky. Bring an offering to her and leave it there. It can be something that you’ve created: a ball of handspun yarn, or herbs that you’ve grown, dried, and ground up with a mortar and pestle. With these gifts, you might convince her that you are ready to learn from her. And while you might not be ready for entering the spirit realm yet, she can help you recycle the parts of yourself that no longer serve you and that need to get eaten up and transformed into something better. If you begin to connect with Baba Yaga, she will give you challenges that feel impossible. She does this not to hurt you, but because she knows that you can do more than you realize. Once you complete the tasks, you will understand your own power—and that’s what she is all about. 

This article originally appeared in BUST’s Spring 2022 print edition. Subscribe today!

SINCE THE MID-20TH century, the derogatory phrase “blue rinse” has been used to describe a “matronly” white woman, sometimes of the type who clutches her pearls when faced with the shock of the new, be it miniskirts or gay marriage. Given that these are not the people one would associate with crazy-colored hair, what’s behind this ageist, sexist slur? 

Blue hair has been around longer than you might think. Fashion designer Lucile had her models wear wigs dyed in shades of red, green, and blue during a 1913 show. “Until one sees it, one has no idea how very chic blue hair can be” cooed Vogue that December. “If only people understood the art of colored hair there could be no opposition to it,” London hairdresser Monsieur Vasco told a reporter in early 1914. “The exquisite beauty of a well-dressed head of pale, pale purple is something new in life.” 

A Parisian hairdresser known as Monsieur Antoine claimed to have originated the look for natural hair in the 1920s. How could he make a big splash on an upcoming trip to the French Riviera, when his blue convertible was sparkling but his Russian wolfhound’s coat was lackluster? A pharmacist told him to add a few drops of bluing (a laundry solution used to brighten dingy whites) to the rinse water the next time he bathed the dog. This was basic color theory in action. Blue and purple sit opposite yellow on the color wheel; the complementary tones cancel each other out. In fact, gray-haired and white-haired women already knew that adding a drop of bluing or indigo to a shampoo’s final rinse “whitens the hair just as it would white goods, but too much gives it an unnatural tint,” warned the Chicago Tribune in 1910.

“Unnatural” was exactly what Antoine was going for. “I am a generous man,” he told The New York Times in 1958. “So, I added 150 drops of bluing. The dog emerged a nice shade of purple-blue. He was the hit of the season at Deauville.” White-haired American socialite Lady Mendl was so taken with the pup’s colorful coat (or, Antoine suggested, so jealous of the attention it received) that she demanded he tint her mane to match.

Most women just wanted to brighten up their hair color, not change it altogether. Commercially made blue rinses became available in the 1930s. One was supposed to choose the appropriate tint based on hair color (iron gray, silver, white, etc.), but it was still easy to overdo it. “The solution was too strong. The blue stayed,” explained a woman whose appearance on a Chapel Hill, NC, street generated a 1933 news story.

Ultimately, the sheer ubiquity of blue-rinsed hair on older women seems to have given rise to the slur. A 1970 Vogue article on New York City taxi drivers described a particularly misogynistic hack who aimed for puddles to splash women pedestrians, including “a passing blue rinse.” 

Today, a mature woman can choose a bold blue dye because it suits her personality. But unfortunately, if you type “blue rinse” into your search engine, “old lady” remains one of the top results.

Photo by Molly Cranna

This article originally appeared in BUST’s Spring 2022 print edition. Subscribe today!

As Women’s History Month comes to a close, I’d like to reflect on my feelings about this holiday and its implications. As a Black woman, ever since I knew what Women’s History Month was, I felt alienated from it. I constantly saw women of color sidelined for white feminist movements, and it made me distrust any kind of global “women’s” holidays. The first time I encountered Women’s History Month was in high school, through assemblies and special programming, but I never felt like it was for me. I would learn about the 19th Amendment (ratified in 1920) which granted voting rights to women, and think of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which outlawed voting discrimination by race, and allowed black people (including black women) to vote. I would read about Amelia Earhart and wonder who the first black woman to fly was. I would read an article listing women who were the first to win this award or teach at that university and wonder how long it took for a black woman to do it. I was plagued by these thoughts, by my supposed history.

“Women’s History,” in the way we usually think about it, includes big milestones: winning the right to vote, winning equal pay, and more recently, the Me Too movement. But almost all of these big milestones have a certain type of woman at the forefront: a wealthy white woman. I don’t think this is some awful thing— we are all women, independent of our race, class, ability — but it alienated me. I felt detached, constantly, because of the exclusivity of the holiday— these heroes that were being celebrated who didn’t look like me, or even worse, who hated people like me. Even though black and brown women have been achieving, reaching, and succeeding for centuries, their contributions are often filed under racial milestones, or ignored completely, i.e. Hidden Figures. This means that women’s history has not always celebrated the contributions of minority women. Many of these milestones weren’t even milestones for women of color, just white women. 

First, some history. Women’s History Month began as International Women’s Day on March 8th, 1908, when women marched and rallied in New York City, demanding the right to vote and better working conditions. These women were almost inclusively white–marching for equality with men in their same class and race. By 1911, women in various countries around the globe had joined in to march in celebration of this informal holiday. In 1970, a women’s group in California noticed that women’s achievements weren’t being taught in schools, and their voices made it all the way to the White House. In 1977, the World Organization deemed International Women’s Day an international holiday, and in 1980, President Jimmy Carter officially established a National Women’s History Week. Today, it’s a time to honor women’s achievements, learn about women in school, and celebrate our womanhood. Though the origins of the holiday may have been exclusive to some, women’s history month should be a time to celebrate and promote all types of women — including Black and brown women, disabled women, indigenous women, and trans women. 

In the past, the exclusive nature of those women’s movements which are frequently emphasized during Women’s History Month (suffrage, the signature women’s firsts, even #MeToo), and the presence of intersectional issues that are frequently ignored during Women’s History Month (fighting for men who mistreated them in the civil rights movement, the less common black women’s firsts, the struggle of fighting both sexism and racism), fostered conflicting feelings within me. As the National Women’s History Alliance wrote, “despite our best intentions, we have not done enough to challenge racism within the sphere of women’s history. In the past, we have failed to effectively speak out against racism in our collaborative spaces. We now understand that we must take action.” Though Women’s History Month started as an International Women’s Month holiday, the focus on intersectionality has been pretty recent. 

I remember as a junior in high school, during Women’s History Month, some girls in my grade were planning to protest how the teachers in the math and science departments treated female students and teachers. Even though I understood the issue and I wanted to join, I couldn’t bring myself to join them. I felt like they weren’t really protesting for me, though I was a woman and I agreed with their complaints. When it came to other issues that affected my life: racism, intersectional sexism, microaggressions, I could never count on them. So why should they be able to count on me? I understood, of course, that in fighting for women I’d be fighting for myself, but still, I couldn’t bear to do it— I knew how alone I would feel afterward. 

These dynamics were rarely discussed, though I frequently saw Black people and women discussed separately… as if it’s impossible to be both.

Black people didn’t get the right to vote until the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the 15th Amendment caused a huge divide between suffragists and abolitionists. The 15th amendment granted citizens the right to vote without being discriminated against by race or ethnicity. The absence of sex in the amendment angered women’s rights activists and caused many to feel disdain toward Black abolitionists— male and female. These dynamics were rarely discussed, though I frequently saw Black people and women discussed separately (by women from Elizabeth Cady Stanton to Gloria Steinem), as if it’s impossible to be both. Even in 2010, The New York Times article on education during women’s history month did not mention a single black woman.

during women’s history month, let’s reflect on how #misogyny intersects with #racism, #ableism, #transphobia and other kinds of #discrimination, especially under #capitalism

read more at https://t.co/XRq1gHBXQW pic.twitter.com/OILzh6mxio

— oxford public philosophy (@oxfordpp) March 23, 2022

Well, fast forward to this Women’s History Month. The New York Times released an article with various women of color describing their experiences with women’s history month, a better take, perhaps, than the 2010 article. Though the historical origins and big milestones of this holiday have not changed, people everywhere are striving to make the month more inclusive. But more than that, I have started to see a change in myself. I have such a huge appreciation for Women’s History Month now for one reason: it makes me feel more proud to be a woman. Womanhood and blackness have always been intertwined to me, but I think this Women’s History Month, as Instagram posts grow more inclusive and the definition of “women” expands, March makes me prouder and prouder to be a woman. I feel like I am finally appreciated for my womanhood, and I can appreciate others. Inclusivity in the women’s movement is vital, and now that it’s improving, I can say I’m a proud and fervent celebrator of Women’s History Month.

 

 

 

 

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Steadily, I have seen the definition of woman expand in feminist society, and I am so so proud.

Being a black woman has always meant I was pulled between communities. Often, I felt I had to choose the black community— and sometimes I still do— but this women’s history month, seeing all of the inclusivity plastered all over my social media pages, going to a Women-Owned Wednesday event at my university where women entrepreneurs sold their merchandise, and seeing so many Black faces in the crowd, I felt more like a woman than I have in a long time. Steadily, I have seen the definition of woman expand in feminist society, and I am so so proud. Seeing graphics with women in hijabs, women with natural hair, and women with wheelchairs or vitiligo— it makes me feel like a part of this community of women, a community that I felt unseen by for so long. Even writing this right now, getting a job at BUST where I can write about womanhood and blackness, intertwined them, and be valued for the voice I have. So maybe it’s this new wave of diversity, equity, and inclusion that is all the rage now, or maybe it’s that I’ve grown up and into myself, but this Woman’s History Month I feel seen— I finally feel like I can be both a woman and Black at once. And for me, it’s a pretty revolutionary feeling. 

Photos (in order) courtesy of:

Photo by Clarke Sanders on Unsplash

Library of Congress via Unsplash

On Wednesday, Senator Cory Booker gave an impassioned speech for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing that brought tears to the courtroom—and my living room. After two days and 20 hours of aggressive (and asinine) questioning from the GOP, Booker defended how Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson earned her spot as the first Black woman to be nominated to the supreme court, and highlighted how meaningful this moment in history is. 

The final day of the grueling confirmation hearings for Judge Jackson concluded Thursday. Throughout the hearings, the supremely qualified Judge Jackson had to repeatedly defend her record and her character, and withstand microaggressions and bizarre lines of questioning from Senate Republicans that seemed to be more about the GOP’s political agenda than her abilities as a judge.

When it finally came time for Senator Booker to speak, he took it as an opportunity to refocus the hearing on the significance of this historic moment. Rather than begin with a question, Senator Booker asked Judge Jackson to “sit back for a second” because he had a “number of things” he wanted to say. 

“You have sat with grit and grace.”

He commended how Judge Jackson has dealt with the GOP’s series of attacks in the hearing. “That’s why you are a judge and I am politician, because you have sat with grit and grace, and have shown us just extraordinary demeanor during the times when people were saying things to you that are actually out of the norm,” Senator Booker said.

Judge Jackson displaying her “extraordinary demeanor” shows not just her abilities as a judge—lest we forget, Brett Kavanaugh is a judge, too, and he defo isn’t the poster boy of grace—but the unrelenting pressure put on Black women to be infallible and remain cool, calm, and collected while under attack.

“It was maddening to watch, and yet I know that Jackson cannot express her frustrations outwardly,” author Mikki Kendall wrote in an article on time.com. “She’s going to be expected to eat this indignity with a smile and never speak of it publicly after her confirmation. She knows, as does any Black woman in America, that if she gets upset, displays anger, or reacts with outrage, she will be immediately labeled an Angry Black Woman and all her credentials and hard work will not matter.”

Senator Booker went on to highlight her accomplishments, reminding the world that her work stands alone. “You did not get [here] because of some left wing agenda, you didn’t get here because of some dark money groups, you got here how every Black woman in America who’s gotten anywhere has done, by being, like Ginger Rogers said, ‘I did everything Fred Astaire did but backwards in heels.’”

Senator Booker’s comments are a reminder that Black women often face double standards in the workforce—they are expected to have more credentials, offer more proof of their abilities, and jump through more hoops to reach higher leadership positions—all the while receiving this kind of unfair treatment with a smile on their face. 

“Don’t worry, my sister, don’t worry. God has got you, and how do I know that? Cause you’re here and I know what it has taken for you to sit in that seat,” Senator Booker said.

“You have earned this spot. You are worthy. You are a great American.”

In the midst of such a difficult process, Senator Booker’s powerful speech shed light on how incredibly important it is that Judge Jackson is on the precipice of sitting on the U.S. supreme court, while also underscoring the unfortunate odds set against Black women everywhere. The exuberance in which he delivered both truths brought me to tears.

“I wanna tell you, this is why I get emotional, I’m sorry, but you are a person who is so you are a person that is so much more than your race and gender — you are a Christian, you are a mom, you are an intellect, you love books — but for me I’m sorry, it’s hard for me not to look at you and see my mom, not to see my cousins, one of them who had to come here and sit behind you, she had to have your back. I see my ancestors and yours…Nobody is gonna steal that joy. You have earned this spot. You are worthy. You are a great American.”

Watch Senator Cory Booker’s full speech below.

Header photo: United States Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson at the United States Senate on 21 March 2022. C-SPAN, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

It was a frightfully revealing LinkedIn post by Madison Butler, that went viral and not only sparked a movement—but a whole business by accident. It went a little something like this:

Empowerment doesn’t pay the bills.

Recognition doesn’t pay the bills.

If you care about Black people, pay us for our time & IP.

While the aforementioned quotes don’t cover the post in its entirety, it certainly tells a larger truth that often goes unreconciled with issues surrounding pay, the lack thereof, and Black people in general. In short, Black people want their money, m’kay?  

Butler is the self-proclaimed “queer AF” DEI truth-telling, blue-haired, Black Folx aficionado, who is seeking to amplify Black speakers with her Black Speakers Collection database. The database is a community of global Black speakers that’s “committed to giving Black speakers and consultants the exposure they need so they can get paid what they deserve,” according to its website. 

Photo Courtesy of Edmond Dantes via Pexels

The Black Speakers Collection database is replete with over 2000+ highly qualified Black speakers that are experts in a variety of fields and specialize in a multitude of topics outside of African American history, DEI, and trauma. Visitors to the database will find speakers who specialize in areas such as cryptocurrency, community building, active listening, HR, holisitc health, and even Cannabis to name a small few. 

 “I have been a public speaker for a few years, and I was tired of seeing panels, conferences, and events that excluded Black speakers. Too often, the excuse was ‘I can’t find them!’ I wanted to prove that excuse wrong. There are Black speakers on every topic you can think of- and they’re not free to book,” Butler told BUST. 

As a Black woman who is also a poet and performer, I can recall the countless number of times that I have been paid in chicken wings, clothes from the photoshoot, headshots, and networking opportunities, all in lieu of a check. At times, even when a check came, I was still grossly underpaid. I could have benefited from a Black Speakers Collection ten years ago—but I am glad that it’s here now. Madison swears she’s “not out to change the hearts and minds of racists, but the system that allows them to thrive.”

 “I wanted to be able also to help provide workshops for speakers to be able to help them navigate a murky industry. Since we launched in December 2021, we have reached over 2100+ speakers and have had multiple people who are #BookedandBusy,” she tells BUST. What’s the cause of these pervasive pay disparities? A 2019 AAUW survey found that 59% of Americans believe the pay gap is a result of biases, not by choice. With Black women being paid 63% of what non-white Hispanic men were being paid the pay gap persists. 

According to a recent paper by Jeffrey Grogger, a professor at the Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago, a person’s accent may have something to do with it. In his paper, Grogger explains what he calls the “sorting model,” which places African Americans with perceived mainstream accents in jobs with higher visibility and customer interaction which results in a higher salary. Grogger’s research examines the dialects of Southern whites and African Americans. His findings present a nuanced convergence of implicit biases that reveal the reality of people’s prejudices. For example, when listeners were given short audio clips to listen to, they often attributed race to certain speech patterns and dialects whether they were true or false. Additionally, Grogger’s paper revealed that, “social psychologists have shown that both African American and white listeners routinely rate African American Vernacular English speakers lower than Standard American English speakers in terms of socioeconomic status, intelligence and even personal attractiveness.”  

Is it possible that people’s deeply ingrained perceptions of what a professional speaker looks and sounds like are rooted in linguistics? It’s a possibility.This is a level of implicit bias that affects earnings without just cause. The remedy for that is for people like Madison who are calling for corporate accountability and inclusiveness on all levels. The only way to do this is to call for full transparency. Thankfully women are speaking up in this area as well. Organizations like Equal Rights Advocates, a non-nonprofit gender advocacy organization is helping companies move the needle towards full pay transparency.  

A 2019 AAUW survey found that 59% of Americans believe the pay gap is a result of biases, not by choice. 

Luvvie Ajayi Jones is a world-renowned speaker and author on blogging, branding, and communications. She’s also the host of the Jesus and Jollof podcast with Insecure’s Yvonne Orji and the NYT bestselling author of I’m Judging You: The Do Better Manual. Back in 2017, Ajayi Jones called out The Next Web conference for their discriminatory pay practices. In an interview with Forbes Ajayi Jones stated that she was told there was, “no budget to pay any of the speakers and everything they make goes back to production. They don’t offer travel. All they can offer is experience, audience, and publicity.” 

Ajayi Jones turned down the gig. Why wouldn’t she? With a resume and reputation as long as hers, she didn’t need the exposure, she needed the money. It was also reported by Forbes magazine that popular speaker Gary Vaynerchuk,  who happens to be a white male, was paid lots of money to speak at the very same conference the year prior. The Next Web Conference gave a response to Ajayi which stated that their pay practices are “logical” and defined by fame, success, and demand. You can read part of the reply posted on Ajayi’s Twitter here:

Here’s part of email from Boris, CEO of @TheNextWeb, in response to the piece @cmwalla wrote in @Forbes. pic.twitter.com/dxecdQI69q

— Luvvie is the #ProfessionalTroublemaker (@Luvvie) March 14, 2017

Either way, it’s not like Black women expect exorbitant amounts of money; they simply want to be paid their worth in dollars, not in exposure. Women want to be paid overall on par with their white male counterparts—no more excuses. 

Butler, who has received death threats and hate mail for the work she does, feels we are not close to closing the gap. However, there are a few things that companies can do to begin to level the playing field. 

First, hire Black people outside the month of February. Although it’s nice to have the extra surge of speaking requests during that month, companies need to recognize that Black people speak on a wide range of topics, not just diversity and trauma. 

Next, understand that Black speakers deserve to get paid, like their white male counterparts for their efforts. 

Furthermore, corporations looking to partner with Black businesses or looking to align with Black speakers, with expertise in a variety of disciplines, would benefit greatly from databases like Madison Butler’s Black Speaker Collection. Black businesses are often underfunded and struggle with operating costs. Additionally, Black women are among the fastest-growing demographic in entrepreneurship. 

Mainstream corporations can get ahead of the Black History Month scramble for speaking talent by staying informed and hiring qualified Black talent year-round. 

Top Photo Courtesy of Madison Butler

Singer Fiona Apple is best known for her many hits, including Criminal and Ladies.

But in recent months, Apple is becoming better known for something entirely different: she’s become a staunch advocate for keeping courtroom proceedings virtual in Prince George’s County, MD. On Wednesday, March, 17, she took to social media for @courtswatchpg stating “This is crunch time. Maryland has the opportunity to set the tone for transparency—an opportunity we cannot let pass by.” 

This is crunch time. It isn’t just about Maryland but about the future of open courts throughout the country. MD has the opportunity to set the tone for transparency—an opportunity we can not afford to let pass by. Follow @courtwatchpg for more updates. pic.twitter.com/FvDNxOlkSA

— Keep Courts Virtual! (@courtwatchpg) March 17, 2022

She also posted a YouTube video for the same group titled, Fiona Apple for Court Watch PG: Help Us Keep Court Access Virtual, hoping to mobilize fans to their telephones. 

Wearing an all-black get-up and shimmying semi-dramatically towards the camera, she leans in “I’m here to tell you all about my new make-up line” before abruptly stopping with “I’m F-cking kiddin!g I’m here to ask you to do something again. I have no shame in it.”

If fans can recall, Apple also took to her Instagram in 2021, protesting the Grammys and asking fans to sign the petition for transparency in PG county courtrooms.

 

 

 

 

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This time she is depending on viewers to show up again and dismantle the status quo the judicial system currently operates under. 

With a chalkboard full of step-by-step instructions looming in the background, Apple passionately walks fans through the process of contacting lawmakers to get the bill on the floor for a vote. The goal is to advance House Bill 647 and Senate Bill 469. The bill, which would “provide remote audiovisual access to all public court proceedings,” for the most part, needs the support of Judicial Proceedings Committee chairman William Smith Jr. and House of Delegates member and Judiciary Committee chairman Luke Clippinger to make that happen—hence the video. 

A self-proclaimed phone-phobic herself, she urges fans to push past it. “I’ve done it already, and I have phone phobia. So if I can do it, you can do it,” she says earnestly. 

Public access to court proceedings is a First Amendment right. Remote access to court proceedings provides another layer of transparency, and protection, against possible abuses of power in the courtroom. Before the pandemic, people interested in watching court proceedings had to physically go to the court and wait for the trial they wanted to see, which could take hours. Or they would need to rely on debriefings from lawyers and journalists. Keeping courtroom access virtual allows anyone to access a trial at anytime. 

The Grammy award-winning singer had her own run-in with the law not too long ago. In 2012, Border patrol agents in Texas arrested Apple after finding marijuana and hashish on her tour bus. The whole ordeal got her a night in jail. Luckily, she only spent a day in there, but during her trial  she was facing up to 10 years. However, it was a letter written by Apple’s friend in India to all the judges she felt could help her case showing the courts that she was not simply a defendant but a real person. “She didn’t read the letter, but when she held the letter up I could tell it was important,” the singer shared during a forum with Life After Release. In essence, the letter humanized the singer beyond the charges against her. Apple was one of the fortunate ones. She had a lawyer that knew the system and she had enough bail money to get out which is not the case for many people. 

“We’re all here to take care of each other,” Apple said in a Facebook Forum with Life After Release, a women-led group of formerly incarcerated women, founded by Qiana Johnson, that supports judicial system transparency in the DMV (DC-Maryland-Virginia) area. 

Currently, there are people in courtrooms that are being held pretrial for nonviolent crimes without bond, or on bonds that they can’t afford. This kind of unfair treatment undermines the humanity of these individuals, while simultaneously threatening their futures, and connections with their families. Without courtroom transparency, we run the risk of maintaining the status quo in society.  Like the songstress says,” kick me under the table all you want. I won’t shut up.” It’s clear she won’t be shutting up on this issue anytime soon–and we love it. 

For more information on how you can get involved visit https://lifeafterrelease.org.

Top photo of Fiona Apple performing in NYC, 2015, by Sachyn Mital, Creative CommonsAttribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

On January 15, 2020, Virginia ratified the Equal Rights Amendment, making it the 38th state to do so. As the amendment, which makes discrimination by gender unconstitutional, only required 38 states to ratify it in order to pass, some groups, such as the organization Equal Means Equal, argue that the ERA should now be a legal part of the Constitution. So why isn’t it?

First, what even is the Equal Rights Amendment? 

The first section of the amendment states: “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.”

The rest of the amendment reads as follows: Section 2: The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article; Section 3: This amendment shall take effect two years after the date of ratification.

As of now, women are not specifically protected under the Constitution based on sex. But people on both sides of the aisle disagree on whether the ERA would be good for women or not. Some see it as a definite positive. Equal Means Equal writes, “In the nearly 50 years since women won hard-fought abortion rights in Roe [v. Wade], and educational Civil Rights in Title IX, those rights have been weakened and restricted because they were not rooted in a foundation of full Equal Protection rights for Women.” The ERA would eradicate the need for anti-discrimination laws like the Equal Pay Act (1963) or partial coverage by the 14th Amendment. The Gender Policy also points out that women are underrepresented in many organizations like the police force and the fire department, and more generally, numbers are low in management positions, corporate boards, and business ownership—and this would be made illegal under the ERA. 

But passing the ERA would also mean that all laws that benefit women specifically could be struck down, as they would be reinforcing inequality and “discriminating” against men. Things such as affirmative action based on gender in employment and education could be deemed unconstitutional, and, as the idea of “separate but equal” has already been struck down in cases regarding the 14th amendment, so places like federal prisons and government-owned shelters might not be able to be segregated by gender if the ERA were to pass.  The ERA also excludes private companies, meaning the government couldn’t discriminate against women, but private companies still have free reign. But, of course, an Equal Rights Amendment would set a new and fuller precedent for women’s rights. 

So has it been ratified or not? 

In order to pass as a Constitutional amendment, a law must first pass the House and the Senate, and then must be ratified by 2/3’s of the 50 states (so, 38 states). In 1971, the Equal Rights Amendment was passed by the House, and in 1972, by the Senate, and was then passed on to the state legislatures.  But 7 years came and went, and, as only 35 states had approved—or ratified—by the March 22, 1979 deadline, it did not become a constitutional amendment. 

In 1978, the deadline was extended to June 30, 1982, in hopes that more states would ratify. No additional states did. Worse yet, five of the 35 states that originally ratified the bill decided to rescind their ratification, four of those doing so before the March 1979 deadline. According to EqualRightsAmendment.org, between 1973 and 1979, Idaho, Kentucky, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Tennessee all voted to withdraw their support. But this is apparently not legally binding. Both Ohio and New Jersey voted to rescind their ratification of the 14th Amendment (which grants all people born in American citizenship, and was created to give African Americans citizenship, civil rights, and legal rights) in 1868, but that was not recognized as valid, and obviously, the 14th Amendment still stands. However, as of the new 1982 deadline, there were still only 35 states who had ratified, and the amendment was effectively dead in the water. 

But the deadline had passed, so it was too little too late. Or was it? 

Nevertheless, in recent years, 3 more states have ratified, finally bringing the total to 38.  Nevada, Illinois, and Virginia ratified it in 2017, 2018, and 2020 respectively, and the states even sued a U.S. Archivist for refusing to certify the ERA after their ratifications. When the U.S. Archivist publishes an amendment, it officially becomes law, no matter the controversy. But the deadline had passed, so it was too little too late. Or was it? 

Under Donald Trump, the Office of Legal Counsel (OLC), which is a part of the Department of Justice, released an opinion that the ERA was now dead, even with the symbolic ratifications of three more states, as the maximum 7 years had passed. But as of January 27, 2022, the Biden administration revised Trump’s claim, stating that the OLC’s previous opinion was misconstrued, and the government could proceed in removing the seven-year limit. Does this mistake mean the amendment is law? Not exactly.

So, the ERA should be law now! Why isn’t it?

According to two Columbia Law students, the executive branch cannot lift time limits— that is up to Congress. Though Biden’s revision did make way for Congress to attempt to lift the seven-year limit, he himself cannot remove it, and furthermore, many people believe it is there for a reason. 

So is the ERA law? 

Not yet. Both Biden and Harris have been big supporters of the ERA, and in fact ran on that promise, with the president’s Presidential campaign website stating, “As President, Biden will work with advocates across the country to pass the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) so women’s rights are once and for all explicitly enshrined in our Constitution.” They even released a statement on January 27th urging Congress to ratify the ERA right away, and though they promised to be avid advocates, there is legally nothing else the administration can do. 

Women in the U.S don’t have equal rights. Watch the Equal Means Equal Trailer from Equal Means Equal on Vimeo.

Equal Means Equal, a feminist organization intent on ratifying the ERA and solidifying women’s equality, is asking President Biden to urge the U.S. Archivist to publish the ERA, effectively making it law. Equal Means Equal’s main objective is focusing on advocacy, engagement, and education in the states that did not ratify in order to generate more support. The current archivist, David Ferriero, who is set to retire next month, seems to be their last chance at solidifying this decision before turnover begins, and when midterm elections happen in November, there’s no telling which party the House or Senate will belong to.

In an open letter to President Biden, the founder and President of Equal Means Equal, Kamala Lopez, called the President to task about dragging his feet on making the ERA law with the following: 

“So here is how I see it:  The President wants to virtue signal on women’s equality while behind our backs he is refusing to drop the lawsuits or tell his employee, the Archivist, to do his damn job and publish ERA.  Biden’s hoping that the promise of a black Supreme Court judge will make us feel all warm and fuzzy instead of just reminding us how helpful [NOT} the first black female Vice President has been for us.”

Perhaps a big show of support from both Biden and the American people will be heard by Congress. But in the meantime, keep your eye out so you can be the first to know when our public servants make their next move, and support the efforts of Equal Means Equal to get this damn amendment passed!

Photos courtesy of Unsplash (in order):

Photo by Giacomo Ferroni 

Photo by Ehimetalor Akhere Unuabona 

Photo by Michelle Ding

IN AUGUST 2021, the first Indigenous woman-owned airline in Canada took flight. Operating on unceded Musqueam land, Iskwew Air currently offers flights from Vancouver International Airport to Qualicum Beach Airport—an area that had been without service since the onset of the pandemic. But what started as a decade-long dream almost didn’t happen. In 2016, Iskwew Air’s Métis founder, aviator Teara Fraser, 51, considered hanging up her wings. “My letting-go ceremony turned into a start-up business ceremony,” she says. 

In Cree, Fraser’s ancestral language, Iskwew means woman. “Iskwew Air was named as an act of reclamation,” she explains. “A reclamation of womanhood, a reclamation of matriarchal leadership, a reclamation of language.” Now, she says, Iskwew Air is on a mission to “reimagine, rematriate, and rebuild systems that put equity, justice, and sustainability at the center.” 

“Our mere existence is disruption,” Fraser continues. “Disruption of a system that isn’t working.”

Iskwew Air is not only the first Indigenous woman-owned airline in Canada, but its maintenance department is also woman-led, even though less than two percent of all aviation maintenance technicians identify as women.

The name of Fraser’s aircraft, The Sweetgrass Warrior, reflects this boundary-breaking spirit. “I think of myself as sweetgrass—both grounded and flowing,” she says. “And I define warriorship as standing fiercely with deep love for what matters and for what is possible in the world.” 

Iskwew Air is working to establish new decolonizing practices in more ways than one. In the midst of the pandemic, Iskwew Air and The Sweetgrass Warrior began flying crucial goods to the ‘Namgis and Tseshaht First Nation communities through the AirLIFT Campaign, providing isolated residents everything from PPE to blueberry bushes to menstrual products. The airline also supports important Indigenous organizations including the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada and The National Inquiry Into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. And the company is now working toward a future that includes zero-emission aircrafts. “We must make room for the voices, the wisdom, and the stories of Indigenous people,” Fraser says of the inspiration behind her airline. “What is possible if we remember and return to a relational way of being in the world? That’s what we need.” – ALIZA PELTO

Top Photo: Courtesy of Josh Neufeld

This article originally appeared in BUST’s Spring 2022 print edition. Subscribe today!

A popular UK supermarket chain, Asda, has ditched the phrase ‘feminine’ hygiene and is now marking their aisles to read ‘period products.’ This shift in language is a big win for women, trans, and non-binary people and a tangible step towards inclusivity and ideological change. 

The removal of the word ‘feminine’ reminds us that people who don’t identify as female can still menstruate and the removal of the word ‘hygiene’ finally releases the stigma that the natural phenomenon of menstruating is something dirty and unhygienic. 

People on Twitter are praising Asda for making a real step towards change:

AMAZING news! Let’s see @BootsUK @superdrug and all other retailers do this. The term “feminine hygiene” belongs in 1822, not 2022. https://t.co/ijChFmjTH9

— Becky (@iambeckyhughes) March 3, 2022

The history of menstruation is chock-full of misinformation. Pseudoscience on periods has been published in the medical community that says that period blood contains toxins. Vaginas in menstruation also carry religious and cultural taboos.

Feminine hygiene is a $21.6 billion global industry, according to market research company IMARC. The beauty and pharmaceutical industries have capitalized on the flawed messaging that vaginas are unclean by selling products such as ‘Summer’s Eve’ – scented wash and wipes that reinforce the idea that women are inherently dirty and need special cleaning as a result.

Big supermarket and drugstore chains can do their part to change the vocabulary and marketing of period products in order to truly change how we internalize what having a period means.

Yay Asda! Not only women menstruate and the word “period” isn’t to be avoided! ? https://t.co/6ZT8zfpHS2

— LKandy ??? (@namenumberetc) March 3, 2022

According to @redmoongang on Twitter, a spokesperson from Asda said, “We’re proud to have made this change in our stores to better reflect shoppers’ attitudes around period products.”

Header Photo: Alina Blumberg

Pussypedia.net is a free, bilingual, gender-inclusive, community-sourced, meticulously fact-checked, online encyclopedia that is all about the pussy* and put in terms that are easily digestible. The website has a portal that is full of rigorously vetted resources on all sorts of topics from gender to sexual and reproductive health; original articles (like “How to Wash It” and “Access to Abortion in the US and Latin America”); and also offers my personal favorite tool–a  3D interactive pussy*!

At the forefront of the Webby award-winning website (and book of the same name) are the Editor-in-Chief and co-founder Zoe Mendelson, and art director and co-founder María Conejo. Mendelson is a freelance journalist, researcher, and content strategist based in Mexico City–where she connected with Conejo, an extremely talented Mexican visual artist.

“There was a lack of easily accessible, high-quality information about pussies on the internet. That’s an injustice,” Mendelson said on why they created the website. “We barely get any information about our pussies* in school sex ed, and our families rarely educate us either. The taboo around these topics means they’re just not talked about. That causes our bodies to cause us confusion, shame, anxiety. It disempowers us. Knowledge is power.”

She’s not wrong. A couple of weeks ago I had a small dinner party which ended in me casting YouTube videos of vulvas and vaginas onto my TV. My friends and I could not agree on where the urethra was–some said in the vagina, some said on the vulva, and others wanted to call the whole argument off. It was alarming that a group of thirty-somethings who had the privilege of a college education knew so little about human anatomy. This is not to shame, but rather to recognize we are deeply unaware and undereducated when it comes to the pussy*. 

Before we continue, here is their statement on why they use the word pussy*: 

*We propose a new gender-and-organ-inclusive use of the word which means “some combination of vagina, vulva, clitoris, uterus, bladder, urethra, rectum, anus, and who knows maybe some testes.”

“We need new terms to talk about our sexuality and our bodies, so we can look at them from new perspectives, ones that aren’t patriarchal, misogynist, ableist or heteronormative,” Conejo added. “It is important to use inclusive language because the world is not binary as we have been taught, sexuality and gender are fluid, a spectrum of possibilities.”

An article from Healthline argues the importance of inclusive language: “Describing the entire group of ovulating people as ‘women’ excludes the experience of some trans men…Using precise, descriptive language rather than gender buckets isn’t only more inclusive, it’s just clearer.”

I am relieved to finally use a word that refers to the whole system. The commonly misused term “vagina” technically only refers to the vaginal canal and “vulva” excludes the internal clitoris. It is also important to consider how many of our “medically accepted” terms have origins in shame. The New York Times piece “Taking the ‘Shame Part’ Out of Female Anatomy” notes how the “vagina” translates to “sheath,” which “suggests that this organ’s primary function is to house a penis,” and that the “Latin term for the vulva was pudendum,” which means “the part to be ashamed of.” Not having clear language or language that is “scientifically neutral” to describe these body parts perpetuates misunderstanding, stigma, and a feeling of powerlessness.

“Knowledge about our bodies and pleasure are human rights and it’s unfair that this information is not out there for everyone,” Conejo said. Thankfully, the community behind Pussypedia is trying to make a social and cultural change through the power of new (and accessible) language. 

Pussypedia.net is a community-sourced project, with over 200 people from across the globe giving time and energy to help create this resource. The articles (except for the trans, nonbinary, intersex, and disabilities portals) were written on a volunteer basis. The founders edit the articles and then they pass them off to volunteer fact-checkers, translators, and illustrators.

If anyone has any questions about the pussy*, chances are it can be answered using Pussypedia’s portal or the super useful 3D pussy* model. The benefit of a 3D interactive model over the more common (and often confusing) 2D diagrams is that you can virtually explore the pussy* holistically–you can see how the anatomy of the pussy* is interlocking and complex. 

“Pussypedia is for everyone,” Mendelson said. “Obviously it’s for people with pussies of all ages first, but we think people with penises should read it too.” And yes, I used the 3D interactive pussy* to find the urethra and I sent it to all my pussy* and penis owning dinner party friends.

Photos and media courtesy of Zoe Mendelson and María Conejo.

In a history-making moment, Judge Ketanji Brown-Jackson was sworn in on June 30, 2022, becoming the first Black woman judge on the United States Supreme Court. President Joe Biden had formally nominated Judge Brown-Jackson in February to sit on the Court, a seat previously held by Justice Stephen Breyer.  The 51-year-old has already been vetted by the Senate and was confirmed in April. Jackson received her commission in June of 2021 to the U.S. Court of Appeals in DC. Judge Brown-Jakcson is not only the first African-American woman to hold the position, but only the 6th woman in history to serve on the highest court in the land. 

I’m proud to announce that I am nominating Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to serve on the Supreme Court. Currently serving on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, she is one of our nation’s brightest legal minds and will be an exceptional Justice.https://t.co/iePvhz1YaA pic.twitter.com/Nzqv2AtN8h

— President Biden (@POTUS) February 25, 2022

Here are some things to know about this amazing woman. 

1. She was one of Biden’s First Year Judicial appointments.

In March of 2021, Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate Jackson as a circuit judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals D.C. Circuit. In June of the same year, she received her judicial commission.

2. She attended Harvard—and Matt Damon was once her partner in acting class.  

Jackson studied government at Harvard University. She graduated magna cum laude in 1992 with an A.B. Harvard is also where she met her future husband, and sixth generation Harvard alum, Patrick Johnson, a surgeon. According to Politico, she once partnered with Matt Damon in an acting class. After working as a staff reporter for Time Magazine, she returned to Harvard to study law, graduating in 1996. 

3. She’s got family in the Grand Ole Party—by marriage.

Jackson’s husband, Patrick Jackson, is the twin brother of former GOP House speaker Paul Ryan’s brother-in-law. (Did you catch that?)  Her husband’s twin brother is married to Paul Ryan’s sister (Jana Ryan). At her confirmation hearing in 2012 for her to become a judge, Ryan spoke highly of her. “Our politics may differ, but my praise for Ketanji’s intellect, for her character, for her integrity, it is unequivocal,” Mr. Ryan said according to the New York Times.

4. Her 11-year-old daughter once recommended her as Supreme Court judge to President Obama

Jackson and her husband have two daughters –Talia and Leila.  Leila appeared to be following in her mother’s persuasive footsteps at age 11, writing an impassioned letter to Former President Obama, petitioning for her mother to take Judge Antonin Scalia’s seat on the U.S. Supreme Court.  “She’s determined, honest and never breaks a promise to anyone even if there are other things she’d rather do. She can demonstrate commitment and is loyal and never brags. I think she would make a great Supreme Court justice,” Leila wrote in an excerpt of her letter as reported on Abovethelaw.com. 

5. Jackson was the judge who sentenced the “Pizzagate” conspiracy theorist to four years in prison.

In 2016, a North Carolina man named Edgar Maddison Welch fired his AR-15 rifle into a Washington, DC pizzeria.  At his sentencing, Judge Jackson stated that Welch’s actions “literally left psychological wreckage,” according to the Associated Press. 

6. She brings diverse work experience and perspective to the age-old institution.

Judge Jackson has worked at the private law firm Morrison and Foerster and as a federal public defender in DC. Her unique experience as a federal public defender, a role that the other justices have not held, will likely impact her decision making, especially for Black and Brown communities.

Top photo by Wikicago, CC-BY-SA-4.0

In the U.S., under the “three-strikes law,” anyone previously convicted of two or more serious felonies faces 25 years to life in federal prison. It’s a discriminatory policy that disproportionately impacts communities of color, and Chicago-based defense attorney MiAngel Cody is passionate about freeing non-violent drug offenders trapped in the criminal justice system as a result. That’s why she founded The Decarceration Collective (TDC) in 2017: a Black-women-powered law firm fighting to free those unjustly imprisoned during America’s misguided “war on drugs.” 

“Black women have historically and continue to be the first responders to mass incarceration,” Cody explains

“I figured that becoming a lawyer would allow me access to microphones and podiums that non-lawyers cannot access.”To date, TDC has successfully freed 43 men and women who would have otherwise spent their lives behind bars. The group is also the focus of a new documentary, The Third Strike, now streaming. “I created The Decarceration Collective to cultivate women lawyers who wanted to resist patriarchal notions of what lawyering should look like,” Cody says. “To me, it is a radical act of resistance.”  –Aliza Pelto

photo: Eve Harlowe

This article originally appeared in BUST’s Winter 2021/2022 print edition. Subscribe today!

Kristy Kim is the founder and CEO of Tomocredit – a new credit card company that aims to bring the traditionally marginalized into the credit system. 

Kim felt the negative impacts of being a female and an immigrant first hand when trying to establish credit in the United States. “When I started to realize how much harder it would be for me to have major milestones because of my lack of credit, I felt like my American dream was going to be shattered.”

Kim came to the U.S. from Seoul, South Korea at 11 years old. As a woman and a first generation Korean immigrant, she felt immense pressure to figure out and work the systems in this country perfectly. She worked to get straight As in school, went to UC Berkeley, double majored in business and political science, and got a job working in investment banking in San Francisco, making a six-figure salary. She thought she’d done everything right.

Once she started working, she applied for an auto loan to get her first car in her early 20s. She was denied 5 times despite having a great job, positive cash flow, and no debt. “They told me, Kristy … you don’t have a FICO score. And I was like, what is that?”

So began Kim’s journey into the world of credit that ultimately led her to launch Tomocredit, a credit card company that does not require any credit score for approval. Kim was one of the 26 million, (one in 10 adults), who are ‘credit invisible’ in the United States. She had no established credit history with any of the three major credit bureaus because she was an immigrant.

 New York Times’ Wirecutter reports, credit history doesn’t transfer to the U.S. when you move from another country. It takes time to establish good credit, so even if immigrants’ are able to start building credit, their lack of credit history lowers their credit scores.

Women also have historically lower credit scores than men. It wasn’t until 1974, with the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, that women were even allowed to apply for a credit card and establish credit separate from their husbands. Since then, their scores have suffered. MSNBC reports, since women make less money than men, they are much more likely to use a bigger portion of their available credit, which hurts credit scores. 

2021 was the first year in history that women and men had the same average credit score. But in that same year, white women still only earned 82 cents for every dollar that a man makes. For women of color and immigrants, the wage gap is even greater. Black women make only 64 cents to the dollar and Latina women make only 57 cents. 

“I remember I just felt like I’d done something wrong. When I couldn’t get that first car loan, I kept thinking it was something that I had messed up. Like somehow I didn’t know something since I was an immigrant and maybe because I was a woman, too.” Kim told BUST.

Where some may have seen a crisis, Kim saw an opportunity. In 2019, she set out to create a solution to marginalized communities facing similar credit problems as she’d had. She quit her job and entered the enticing world of Silicon Valley start-ups. She began with a bang – raising $7 million for Tomocredit in seed funding from investors like Barclays and BAM Ventures. 

Tomocredit issues cards based on cash flow and spending habits rather than credit score. Kim’s goal with Tomocredit is to help people break out of the cycle that comes with not having a credit score and not being able to build one because you can’t take out debt. 

With the Tomocard, money is automatically taken out of your linked account every 7 days, which Kim says helps users learn financial responsibility. The card essentially acts like a debit card, while allowing you to build credit quickly. 

Tomocredit analyzes more than 50,000 data points to determine eligibility for the card, which raises concern for some people. In 2021, A New York Times’ article pointed out that many companies trying to fight against credit invisibility are using personal data to determine credit card eligibility instead, which raises concerns about privacy. The article poses a good question – “Lenders may be looking largely at the broad strokes of your cash flow now, but will they eventually glimpse at where you shop and what types of doctors you visit?”

Tomocredit’s website claims that they do not sell any data, and instead, claim to make money solely on merchant fees. Most major credit card companies make profit off of both merchant and interest fees, so it is unclear if Tomocredit will be able to sustain a profit based on merchant fees alone. 

Since personal data is worth billions, many tech startups in similar positions have shifted to selling data as their prime way of making money. 

As of 2022, the company has recorded over two million applicants and Kim is confident that she will continue to work responsibly to help her customers learn how to navigate the complex world of credit in the United States.

“I started Tomocredit in the wake of my own pain and insecurity and I’m passionate about helping my customers throughout their financial life.”

All photos courtesy of Tomocredit

Three years ago, Mexican film director Faride Schroeder and Mexican cinematographer Leslie Montero had to hire a crew for a car commercial. They sought out an all-women crew, including Mexican gaffer Ana “Anni” Martinez and Mexican cinematographer Sophia Stieglitz. Little did they know, that commercial would spark a movement. “They wanted women in every crew position—it was such a specific ask. That’s when I realized, ‘We’re unique! We’re Amazons!’” Stieglitz says proudly. “And that’s how Amazonas Electricas was born.”

Amazonas Electricas (Electric Amazons) is an all-women group of film industry electrical techs, grips, and gaffers based in Mexico City. And though the core crew is comprised of about a dozen women, they constantly take in newcomers to teach them the trade, first by holding workshops, and then by hiring newbies on projects they’re attached to. “We’ve taught a lot of women,” Stieglitz says.

“It’s a safe environment, and I think we’ve become more of a movement, rather than just a group.” 

Even during the pandemic, members worked on four television series and over 20 commercials. In the future, they hope to continue empowering the next generation of technicians—both online (​​@amazonaselectricas) and on set. And though members say their experiences coordinating and operating lights, cameras, and rigging equipment for productions large and small have been overwhelmingly positive, no working environment is perfect. “Mexico is a macho country, so there’s still a lot of work to do,” Stieglitz says. “But we’ve all got strong characters and successful careers. So, we’re being patient and setting an example. We’re shaking the patriarchy a little bit at a time.” -Ana Breton 

Header photo: @amazonaselectricas

This article originally appeared in BUST’s Winter 2021/2022 print edition. Subscribe today!

In an early scene of Thank You For Supporting The Arts, an intimate documentary on Portland’s beloved stripper Viva Las Vegas, Viva takes the stage at her local spot, Mary’s Club. The space is cozy and dimly lit. The camera zooms in on Viva as she slips out of a red silk robe. The strum of a guitar picks up in the background as Viva playfully takes off her black and pink lace lingerie set and we watch as she moves her naked body – confident, unrestricted, carefree.

Directors Carolann Stoney and W. Alexander Jones are quick to capture Viva in other intimate settings – sitting on her parents paisley couch in her childhood home in St. Paul, Minnesota, going to church with her father who’s a minister, and strumming her guitar in her backyard. Throughout the hour-long documentary, Viva is depicted as an artist in all forms. She is a dancer, singer, writer, and of course, a stripper – solidifying the film’s main thesis that stripping is art. 

The argument that stripping should be seen as art is not a new one. You don’t have to dig much to find the roots of this argument. Some of the most famous pieces of art are essentially erotica – Titian’s “Venus of Urbino”, Courbet’s “Origin of The World.” The line between sex and art has continued to blur as the fields of art and performance expand. Nude photography and Burlesque shows have viewers questioning what constitutes art. In 2012, A strip club in Albany, New York went to court to fight for tax exemptions based on the fact that they were providing performance art. In 2021, Pornhub launched “Classic Nude” – an interactive website that guides the site’s users through some of the world’s most famous erotic art. Art and sex continue to meld.

Viva says that whenever she is stripping, she is telling a story with her body. When you watch her, it is clear that she is performing – her body bursting with creativity and passion. In the film, her parents say that she’s always been a natural performer. It is clear that they are still uncomfortable with the fact that their daughter is a stripper, but they don’t deny that what she is doing is art. 

Viva quick to point out that not all strippers have to think of themselves as artists, but she is a staunch advocate for changing society’s perception of strippers and sex workers. “I see [us] first and foremost as people, and then as workers … This isn’t a radically different thing that we are doing. We’re putting bread on our tables,” she told me. 

Viva, whose real name is Liv Osthus, is a William college graduate and single mother. Her sociology and anthropology classes at prompted her to start thinking critically about sex work and art at a young age. Her warm, open spirit emanates off the screen. The documentary captures the birth of her daughter, Charlotte, in 2015. Viva explains that now, stripping gives her the ability to be both financially secure and spend a lot of time with her daughter – a struggle for most working mothers.

In our interview, Viva told me that the original idea for the documentary was to follow many strippers in the Portland area, but when the directors met her, they were hooked. They ended up following her life over four years. By charting Viva’s life over a long period of time, the documentary takes audiences to unexpected places. At age 33 Viva was diagnosed with breast cancer, went through many rounds of chemotherapy, and had a double mastectomy. Nine months later, she decided to go back to work. 

“I felt so distant from my body after that initial mastectomy … but then being back on stage, no one noticed the changes.” At her first performance back at Mary’s club, a gorgeous man asked her for a dance. When he got up, he was in a wheelchair and she saw that he was missing a leg. “I felt like he was an angel, sent to tell me you know, it’s fine, your body is perfect the way it is.”

The community at Mary’s Club has been the grounding force in Viva’s life. They’ve held her up through cancer, bad break-ups, battling depression, and single motherhood. “That’s my favorite part of my job. The people. The bonds. I think the bonds are so much stronger with people who exist in those liminal areas of the world, they have to come together and support one another.” 

Not everyone interviewed in the film is as adamant that stripping should be viewed as art. There are naysayers. Viva’s friend and bandmate, Kevin Shapen, crudely suggests that audience members are most likely not viewing her work as art. Viva’s brother also points out that most people still see stripping as easy entertainment and reliable escape. Even so, by watching Viva perform and seeing how staunchly she believes in her own artistic endeavors, the film is convincing in its declaration that stripping is an art form. 

At the end of Thank You For Supporting The Arts, we get another close shot of Viva driving into work after spending the night with her daughter. She drives through the tree-lined suburban streets smiling, with sunglasses on. 

“I’m 42 years old and I’m still stripping. Once I had cancer, all bets were off. I was so grateful to come back to the stage. I will dance as long as they’re willing to have me.”

The camera lands on the flashing red and blue sign – Mary’s Club. With this compassionate community behind her, Viva is able to live her life boldly and on her own terms. When she takes the stage, she knows that her scars can begin to heal and turn solid, despite how the outside world may view her.

This raw and vulnerable documentary gives us a glimpse into what it means to defy societal expectations and create your own idea of beautiful art and a beautiful life.

Thank You For Supporting The Arts is streaming now and on DVD 

All images courtesy of Thank You For Supporting The Arts / Cinema Libre Studio

Unsplash/Jonathan Borba

Have you ever gone to see your male physician for an issue, or ailment, and felt your concerns were not taken seriously?  You are not alone. JAMA Surgery recently published a revealing study surrounding gender biases and post-operative outcomes. The study, which originated from a control group in Ontario, defined these outcomes basesd on complications, readmissions, and death during the first 30-days. Additionally,  a subgroup of this study was also evaluated for characteristics found in managed care settings; and gender based outcomes between doctor and patients. The statistics showed that in a controlled study of 1 million patients, women were more likely to experience poor outcomes at the hands of male doctors. A whopping 32 percent were even more likely to die post-op.

Unsplash/Piron Guillaume Iwza

When it comes to male physicians and the care they provide their female patients, women have reported feeling less than satisfied with the experience. I can personally attest to having my very real migraine pain be both dismissed, and trivialized by my male provider, who labeled my pain as psychosomatic. In 2019, a Today show survey found that 17% of women felt discriminated against because of their gender, in comparison to just 6% of men. With these types of numbers continually surfacing— it’s safe to say that its not all in our heads. This type of gaslighting surrounding the legitimacy of women’s health concerns is pervasive and is rooted in implicit gender bias. Implicit bias is when we subconsciously place judgments on others based on our own deeply ingrained attitudes and stereotypes. Jane Elliot, a well known teacher turned diversity educator, raised awareness around the issue of bias with her now infamous “blue-eyes, brown eyes” exercise used to educate people on racism. The concept was coined in the 1990s by psychologists Mahzarin Banaj and Anthony Greenwald, in order to argue the effects of unconcious judgments on societal behaviors, and how they influence neutrality. 

Being neutral is key in a medical setting. Women depend on their doctors to be fair and unbiased in their assessment and typically when these biases are made unconsciously. However, conscious or unconscious, it’s  still is a problem. The mystery of my unexplained head pain went on for  over a year before I was finally seen by a female neurologist who quickly linked my migraine to eggs. After a brief discussion about us both having children, we discovered that my egg allergy developed post partum. This went on for  over a year before I was finally seen by a female neurologist who quickly linked my migraine headaches to eggs. After a brief discussion about our kids, we discovered that my egg allergy had developed post partum, and was something she was familiar with.I was one of the fortunate ones. Women are dying at a faster rate than men because of a lack of aggression being given to their health concerns. There have been reported wait times of up to 65 minutes in the ER in order to be seen. This culture of flippancy, adapted by some in the medical field, is rooted in the narrative of the hysterical woman. 

Selma Blair has been very vocal about her own struggles in the healthcare system and its underlying issues when it comes to treating women. Male doctors have frequently attributed weight gain to hormones, initial cardiovascular complaints to anxiety, and complex nerve pain as psychological. This lack of sensitivity can leave women feeling disempowered and afraid to advocate for themselves. Unfortunately, women can no longer afford to suffer in silence. The outcome can prove deadly.  

Ironically, both women and men had better outcomes after surgery with women at the helm, another study showed.  Why is this?

Researchers believe that women understand other women’s bodies better, and lack the implicit biases that could be subconsciously formed in men are due in part to culture and education. Advocates are working to change the narrative in women’s health care.

For decades, The Women’s Health Research Organization at Yale University (WHRY), has worked with government officials on policies designed to affect change for women’s health and gender equity. To date, WHRY leads breakthrough research in cardiovascular health, Alzheimer’s, obstetrics and more. The organization attributes the lack of women included in clinical trials as one of the reasons women are not receiving the necessary treatment they need. WHRY is determined to change these outcomes.  According to their website, “The center is unique not only in funding and conducting important research at the earliest and most difficult-to-launch stages but in following through to ensure the work is translated into clinical practice.” 

A simple solution for mitigating these outcomes would be to increase the number of women surgeons and have more women represented in leadership positions, and in academic settings. Beginning at the institutional level, female residents have long reported sexism in the surgical field claiming they’d been discouraged from pursuing surgical specialties. Women doctors also receive harsher punishments and judgments when they make mistakes. In an interview with Vox, economic Phd candidate Heather Sarsons calls out these discriminatory practices.  “[Doctors] increase their referrals more to a male surgeon than to a female surgeon after a good patient outcome,” Sarsons wrote, “but lower their referrals more to a female surgeon than a male surgeon after a bad outcome.” This is most likely attributed to outdated ideologies surrounding women in the medical field and sexism.

Thankfully, organizations like the Association of Women Surgeons fight tirelessly for the equity of other women surgeons. The organization advocates for representation on medical boards, at institutions, and provides mentorship for women in the surgical field. 

As a patient, you are partnering with your medical professional in regard to your healthcare. Therefore, you should always be sure to advocate for yourself. Garner referrals for surgical professionals that practice women centered care. Continue to stay in contact with your doctor and express your health issues if they arise after your operation. If all else fails, follow your gut and get a second opinion. 

Top Image Credit: Jonathan Borba Unsplash

2nd photo: Unsplash/Piron Guillaume Iwza

 Selma Blair photo via of Flickr

When Joan Didion died on December 23, 2021, there was an outpouring of national grief. Didion was a pioneer of ‘new journalism’ – long form reporting marked by the writer’s point of view. She was honored with The National Medal of Arts from Obama and a PEN USA lifetime achievement award in 2013. She left us with sixteen books, seven films, a play, and at least two generations of writers influenced by her unique style and calculated craft.

As a female writer and a California native myself, obsessing over Didion is practically my birthright. Since her arrival in Los Angeles in 1964, Didion has become a literary icon. With the rise of social media, her following has molded into a cult of internet savvy female followers. Snapshots of her books placed strategically on sleek coffee tables, or cracked open by poolsides flood Instagram and Twitter feeds across the globe. “We tell ourselves stories in order to live”,  the first sentence in Didion’s 1979 essay collection, The White Album, has become a hashtag.

“We tell ourselves stories in order to live.”

— Joan Didion pic.twitter.com/LhV0bRDSGK

— Farhan Siraj Ahmed (@farhanahmed) January 4, 2022

While the making of Didion into some Instagrammable avatar strikes me as reductionist, she defined the way that people thought about culture, society, and themselves through her writing. Her 2005 memoir, The Year of Magical Thinking, which chronicled the months of grief after the sudden death of her husband, John Gregory Dunne, catapulted her popularity and profound influence. She showed generations of female writers what was possible – including myself.

I was gifted Didion’s 1968 collection of essays, Slouching Towards Bethlehem – a precise rumination on her experiences in California, as a hand-me-down from my older sister on my thirteenth birthday. I remember sitting on the hot pavement on a sweltering July day in the San Fernando Valley. My parents had just separated, and my mom had just been diagnosed with cancer. It was a tough time filled with heavy emotions, and as a teenage girl I didn’t have the words to express any of it. 

I grew up in a family of submissive women and dominant, opinionated men. The values of ‘1950s housewife’ had been passed down for generations. I watched the women in my family repress, shrink, and stay small. When my mom was upset with my father or her father, she’d anxiously tap her heeled boot by the kitchen counter  – click, click, click – as the men boisterously and carelessly spoke over her. Like many young women, I’d already begun to internalize the message that as a woman you should take up as little space as possible. 

Joan Didion was the first woman who shattered that stereotype for me. Her writing took up space – it was biting, declarative, and memorable. 

At school, my male friends casually and confidently stated their opinions as facts. In comparison, my opinions always felt like lingering questions. Did I really think Holden Caulfield from Catcher in the Rye was a self-pitying narcissist? Should I say that I think that Jordan Baker should be the focus in the Great Gatsby out loud? 

As I read more Didion and absorbed her self-assured voice, I began to realize that I could have a voice like that, too. Didion not only had a voice, she made an art out of having a voice. She used meticulous wording and innovative sentence structures to convey the boldest of points that prompted people to really look inwards. 

In one of her first essays that I read, On Self-Respect, she writes “There is a common superstition that ‘self-respect’ is a kind of charm against snakes, something that keeps those who have it locked in some unblighted Eden, out of strange beds,  ambivalent conversations,  and trouble in general. It does not at all. It has nothing to do with the face of things, but concerns instead a separate peace, a private reconciliation.” I remember frantically scribbling in the margins of the book the first time that I read this sentence. Didion was always concerned with getting to the core questions of what it means to be human. Her language was so clear and precise. She questioned who and what she wanted to, regardless of how it might make her readers feel. 

Her work often contradicted popular opinion and pointed out something truly eye-opening and original. In 1979, she wrote a scathing critique of Woody Allen’s beloved films, Manhattan and Annie Hall, in the New York Review of Books, that suggested that his characters were simple-minded and unrealistic. 

Like many twentieth century women, Didion did not explicitly identify as a feminist. She openly criticized much of second-wave feminism. Yet, I credit her with gifting this all-encompassing tenant of feminism to so many— empowering those on the margins to have as loud a voice as anyone in the room.

Didion’s essay ‘On Keeping A Notebook’ convinced me to start writing down my thoughts and opinions. For me, this exercise single-handedly changed the way I thought about my voice in the world. Writing things down helped me to solidify my opinions in a world that taught me to constantly question myself.

Didion explains that for her, keeping a notebook was also about figuring out what she thought by writing it down, but it was more so about remembering past versions of herself. She says that even though her notebooks were filled with seemingly meaningless observations of her surroundings (“Dirty crepe-de-chine wrapper, hotel bar, Monday morning”), they brought her back to how it felt to be her at a particular moment in time: “My stake is always, of course, in the unmentioned girl in the plaid silk dress. Remember what it was to be me: that is the point.”

After Didion’s passing, I searched for the first purple moleskin I bought myself after reading her essay. I wanted to remember who I was when I first encountered Joan Didion. I took a breath and flipped it open. In tight, slanted blue ink there was the first note I’d written: “Mr. P’s bulging, green eyes. Uncrustable wrapper on the back desk. The faint smell of a heater running in the classroom. Eighth Grade, Science class, December, 2010, Wednesday, mid-morning.”

Didion was right. I was immediately transported back to that time. I was that eighth grade girl again – pink braces, long, tangled hair. She was so eager to please, so unsure … but with a pen in hand and a copy of Didion by her side, she was beginning to find her voice.

Header image: David Shankbone via Creative Commons

Middle image: Christopher Michel via Creative Commons  

On December 15th the author bell hooks passed away in her Berea, Kentucky home, surrounded by beloved friends and family according to a press release from hooks’ niece, Ebony Motley. 

hooks— born Gloria Jean Watkins— published her first book, Ain’t I a Woman? Black Women and Feminism in 1981, under her adopted pen name “bell hooks.” A name that proudly honors her great-grandmother’s name, Bell Blair Hooks; and is attached to many of her other published works within her successful literary career. hooks has written more than 40 books that openly discuss gender roles, love, feminism, racism, and politics— and was recently inducted into the Kentucky Writers’ Hall of Fame.

In 2004, she began teaching at Berea College in Kentucky, where she later released her book, Belonging: A Culture of Place, which explored her transition to the role. In 2010 the college opened the bell hooks Institute in her honor, which currently holds her personal collections of artifacts, African-American art, and copies of her books. According to a public statement made by the school, Berea College is “deeply saddened by hooks’ passing.”

In our 2017 interview with hooks, she touched on some of her popularly discussed book topics, sharing her advice for feminists who strive to continue to propell such conversations forward. 

“I think that we have to restore feminism as a political movement,” said hooks. “The challenge to patriarchy is political, and not a lifestyle or identity. It’s as if we have to return to very basic education for critical consciousness, around what visionary feminist politics really is about… it’s about having a person of any gender who understands deeply and fully the need for there to be respect for the embodied presence of males and females, without subordination.”

hooks has proved to be an inspiration for many feminist writers and Black women, and we know will continue to inspire through her legacy in literature and academia.

Photo by Jesse Fox from the BUST archives

Our columnist, Sarah Potter, provides this season’s tarot readings for the signs. 

Sagittarius:

Temperance

(NOV. 22 TO DEC. 21)

Get comfortable in the space in-between, Sagittarius. Now is not the time to dip into extremes just to create an adventure to entertain yourself with somenonsense drama. Unfortunately, nothing you can do will speed things up right now (even though you really want to!) so sit back, relax, and practicepatience as everything unfolds at its natural pace.

Capricorn:

Six of Wands

(DEC. 22 TO JAN. 19)

Your hard work is paying off, Capricorn! The road hasn’t been easy, but despite the obstacles and challenges, you did it! You’re accomplishing your goals,your dreams are coming true, and now it’s time to celebrate—the sweet taste of success feels even more decadent when it’s hard won. Don’t forget tobrag about this momentous occasion to anyone who will listen.

Aquarius:

Queen of Swords Reversed

(JAN. 20 TO FEB. 18)

You’re usually quite adept at listening to your head over your heart, but right now, you might need a little reminder not to let your emotions cloud yourusually crystal-clear vision. Utilize your sharp analytical skills and uncanny ability to cut through the nonsense of any situation to make the bestdecisions for yourself moving forward.

Pisces:

The Magician Reversed

(FEB. 19 TO MARCH 20)

Clear out the cobwebs of confusion, Pisces. What are you looking for, exactly? Instead of focusing so intently on the search, pay more attention to what’sright in front of you. Remember that what you’re seeking is usually with you all along. Be sure to honor your progress so far because you have donemuch more than you give yourself credit for on your path to success.

Aries:

Six of Swords Reversed

(MARCH 21 TO APRIL 19)

Stop resisting change, Aries! It can be challenging to leave the coziness of your comfort zone, my darling, but a flip of perspective will serve you well.You’ve been feeling stuck, but the energy is now shifting. Yes, this transitional period of growth is bordering on excruciating, but it will also bring exactlywhat you need. Surrender so everything can fall into place more easily

Taurus:

Queen of Pentacles Reversed

(APRIL 20 TO MAY 20)

You’ve been so focused on taking care of everyone else lately that your own self-care routine has slipped through the cracks, begging the question: Howare you going to take care of everyone else if you’re running on empty? Consider this your invitation to get back on track and pamper yourself! Getinspired by new recipes, make more time for luxurious baths, and treat yourself.

Gemini:

Ten of Pentacles

(MAY 21 TO JUNE 20)

Focus on your long-term goals, Gemini. What would make you feel more comfortable? Think about this as you set your intentions and get going towards your biggest dreams little by little. Consistency is key right now. You don’t need to make a terrifying or major, intimidating move to achieve the success and sustainability you truly desire. Slow and steady wins this race.

Cancer:

Two of Pentacles

(JUNE 21 TO JULY 22)

You’re in a groove, Cancer, and everything is going smoothly! A lot is happening, professionally and personally, but you’ve been juggling yourresponsibilities with effortless aplomb, allowing you to be everywhere all at once (almost!). Keep up the hard work, but don’t be afraid of releasing one(or two) of your tasks in order to have some time just for yourself.

Leo:

Three of Swords Reversed

(JULY 23 TO AUG. 22)

You are ready to move on, Leo. A recent breakup, heartache, or disappointment is wreaking havoc on your heart, but this is your reminder that youwillget through this moment. Feel all your feelings, mourn the loss, and you’ll come out on the other side healed. You’re stronger than you know, and thismoment will pass with the soothing sands of time.

Virgo:

Seven of Pentacles Reversed

(AUG. 23 TO SEPT. 22)

Celebrate your progress, Virgo. Yes, there’s still work to be done, but you’ve already accomplished so much to be here right now! Take time to honor allthe small steps that led up to the big dreams that you’ve made come true. Everything else will fall into place with patience and diligence, which youalready possess in spades!

Libra:

Death Reversed

(SEPT. 23 TO OCT. 22)

Don’t resist change, Libra! Transitions are inevitable and the more you shy away from them, the more challenging they’ll be. It’s time to let go of thepast version of yourself and welcome this transformation! What are you afraid of? Release those fears, because yes, everything might not work outexactly as you had hoped, but what if it does?

Scorpio:

Ace of Wands Reversed

(OCT. 23 TO NOV. 21)

Enjoy the mystery of the unknown, Scorpio. Just because you’re lacking a distinct direction doesn’t mean you can’t hop in your proverbial boat and enjoythe ride towards your next adventure. Stop waiting for the motivation to strike and just go! The path will unfold as you move, and honestly, thedestination is secondary to the journey.

BY SARAH POTTER

FEATURED DECK: HOLLY SIMPLE TAROT DECK CREATED BY HOLLY SIMPLE

This article originally appeared in BUST’s Winter 2021/2022 print edition. Subscribe today!

When Alice Sebold, the award-winning author of the book The Lovely Bones, was a student at Syracuse University in 1981, she was the victim of sexual assault. After a few months, she encountered Anthony Broadwater, a Black man, and was convinced that she recognized him as being her rapist. In 1982, Broadwater was found guilty based on Sebold’s testimony and hair analysis that tied him to the crime. Broadwater never pled guilty and was denied parole several times. In 1999, Sebold published Lucky, in which she graphically depicted her rape, using the fictitious name “Gregory Madison” for Anthory Broadwater. 

But now Broadwater has been exonerated. Although he was released after 16 years in jail, he remained on the sex offenders register until his recent exoneration. Sebold has apologized for her mistake, “First, I want to say that I am truly sorry to Anthony Broadwater and I deeply regret what you have been through” and acknowledged “the role that she “unwittingly played within a system that sent an innocent man to jail.” Broadwater’s time in jail is another example of the deeply flawed American justice system.

Timothy Mucciante, executive producer of the movie adaptation of Lucky, first found inconsistencies between the script and the book that led to Broadwater’s exoneration. Mucciante hired a private investigator and a defense lawyer that led to the discovery of the original insubstantial evidence and ultimately wrongful conviction of Broadwater. After they had arrested Broadwater, Alice Sebold failed to recognize him during a police lineup, because they “look almost identical”, according to what she wrote in Lucky. Without Mucciante’s resources, it is likely that Broadwater would never have been exonerated

This is not an isolated incident.  Broadwater’s case is similar to many other stories of wrongfully convicted men of color, such as the well-known case of the “Central Park Five.” In 1989, five Black and Hispanic teenagers were found guilty for the rape and beating of a woman jogging in Central Park. After each spending 5 to 13 years in prison, they were exonerated in 2002 after another man confessed to the crime. It is also eerily similar to the Scottsboro Boys’ case, who were wrongfully accused of the rape of two white women in 1931. All three of these stories are part of a long line of Black men being falsely convicted for the rape of white women. 

Racial profiling and wrongful convictions persist at an alarmingly high rate in America. Racial profiling and wrongful convictions persist at an alarmingly high rate in America. All the way back to Emmett Till, in the fifties, Black men have always been subject to higher sexual assault accusations while it is very unlikely they commit such crimes at a higher rate than any other races. In 2018, 900.000 people were registered on the public sex offender register in which, Black men were twice as likely to be registered than white men. In the meantime, according to a study by the University of California, 59% of people exonerated for sexual assault are Black men.

Anthony Broadwater has accepted Alice Sebold’s apologies.  He told the New York Times, “It took a lot of courage, and I guess she’s brave and weathering through the storm like I am.”
The movie adaptation for Lucky has lost its funding, and Sebold’s book will no longer be distributed by its publisher, Scribner.

Photo byTingey Injury Law Firm on Unsplash

It seems that Trump-appointed Justice Amy Coney Barrett is upholding her prescribed role in the Supreme Court as she pushes for the overruling of Roe v. Wade. Following Wednesday’s Supreme Court hearing in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, a Mississippi case that makes abortions illegal after 15 weeks of pregnancy, the court’s oral arguments highlight a clear divide between liberal and conservative judges while driving at the central question of abortion as a states’ issue or Constitutional right. While Justice Barrett advocates for forced pregnancy and adoption alternatives, liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor seems to be a beacon of light in a seemingly hopeless future for women’s rights. 

The principal argument of Mississippi’s Jackson Women’s Health Organization is the precedent that Roe v. Wade has reaffirmed for nearly 50 years: that having access to legal and safe abortion is a fundamental right for women to be equal and participatory members of the United States. The nature of fundamental rights is not to be left up to the discretion of state legislatures. In the case of Mississippi’s 15-week abortion regulation or Texas’ near-total abortion ban, state law is effectively forcing women to experience the life-altering consequences of physical, mental, and financial weight from pregnancy and childbirth. With nearly half of the women who have abortions falling below the federal poverty line and most abortion recipients between the ages of 20-24, state-sanctioned abortion regulations disproportionately affect low-income young women. 

While these reasons alone are enough to justify individuals’ rights over their own bodies, conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett holds personal objections to Roe that goes beyond her time on the Supreme Court. On Wednesday, Barrett, a mother of seven children, two of which are adopted, questioned the functionality of Constitutional abortion freedoms: “Both Roe and Casey emphasize the burdens of parenting. And insofar as you and many of your amici focus on the ways in which forced parenting, forced motherhood, would hinder women’s access to the workplace and to equal opportunities, it’s also focused on the consequences of parenting and the obligations of motherhood that flow from pregnancy. Why don’t the safe-haven laws take care of that problem?” Barret’s oral arguments stress the significance of safe-haven laws as a viable solution for women to “terminate” motherhood at the conclusion of pregnancy, as opposed to physically terminating pregnancy at 23 weeks. Justice Barrett makes reference to Roe and Casey in overlooking adoption as a course of action for unplanned pregnancy.

Justice Barrett’s opposition to Roe v. Wade attempts to reason the misconception of adoption as a feasible solution for pregnancy. Under so-called “safe-haven laws,” which function to decriminalize the abandonment of infants at designated safe locations like hospitals or fire stations, Barrett suggests that women should simply carry on with unwanted pregnancy and seek out adoption to “take care of the problem” of motherhood. Although adoption has always been a potential choice for expecting mothers before Roe v. Wade, the notion that adoption and abortion are interchangeable is undoubtedly not the case. Adoption is a choice about whether or not to parent a child beyond pregnancy; however, it disregards the physical complications of childbearing and labor. Julie Rikelman, an attorney for Jackson Women’s Health, replied to Barrett’s “solution,” stressing that forced pregnancy, “imposes unique physical demands and risk on women and in fact has impact on all of their lives, on their ability to care for other children, other family members, on their ability to work.” Justice Barrett also fails to recognize the victims of rape, abuse, and trauma that would be forced under state regulation to carry an unwanted pregnancy to full-term. A CDC study from 2020 revealed that nearly 3 million women in the U.S. have experienced rape-related pregnancy. Barrett’s ignorant approach to effectively shutting down abortion accessibility in favor of adoption is not a universally applicable solution, even if she grounds her argument through her own personal experience of adopting children. 

While Justice Barrett slowly begins to wear away at Roe v. Wade, liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor asserts precedent over politics. The Obama-appointed justice referenced the 1992 Supreme Court case of Planned Parenthood v. Casey, which reaffirmed Roe v. Wade and established a new “undue burden” standard to determine whether abortion restrictions violate one’s fundamental rights. State lawmakers are now pushing for these new strict regulations, “because we have new justices on the Supreme Court,” which Sotomayor points as a threat to the future of both women’s bodily autonomy and the democratic system as a whole. By overturning Roe v. Wade, the state legislature would seemingly trump Constitutional law. Justice Sotomayor believes the overruling of Roe v. Wade will effectively tarnish the reputation of the court system: “Will this institution survive the stench that this creates in the public perception that the Constitution and its reading are just political acts? I don’t see how it is possible.” Sotomayor additionally questioned Mississippi Solicitor General Scott Stewart about potentially introducing an even more restrictive six-week abortion ban signed but blocked from taking effect back in March 2019.

Now Sonia Sotomayor picks up the same point about the danger to the Supreme Court’s legitimacy. She notes that 15 justices over 30 years “of varying political backgrounds” have reaffirmed the viability line from Roe and Casey.

— SCOTUSblog (@SCOTUSblog) December 1, 2021

With a conservative supermajority on the Supreme Court, tossing out Roe v. Wade will enable state legislature to ban abortion entirely. According to the Guttmacher Institute, a pro-abortion rights research group, the overturning of Roe would make abortion illegal in 22 states. If a 15-week ban is enforced now, what’s to say a 12-week ban won’t be proposed next year or a 6-week ban like we are already seeing? The philosophies of Justice Barrett and Justice Sotomayor are reflective of the deep divisions across America. Following Women’s March October National March to Demand Reproductive Freedom in Washington D.C., hundreds of pro-choice and pro-life demonstrators rallied outside of Capitol Hill early Wednesday morning, and Roe v. Wade is just barely hanging on by a thread. Still, it’s not going down without a fight. Just back in October, following the controversial Texas SB8 abortion restriction, a San Antonio-based physician violated the near-total ban and was later sued to trigger a court review of the bill. While the future of Roe is most likely up in the air until Summer 2022, abortion rights will undeniably be a central topic in the next presidential election.

Top Photo: Gayatri Malhotra / Unsplash

Sarah Everard was a 33-year-old white woman who went missing after leaving a friend’s house in the evening and walking to her home in Clapham on March 3, 2021. She was missing for a week until her body was found on March 10th. Six months later, it was revealed that police officer Wayne Couzens, 48, had handcuffed Everard in a fake COVID arrest, before raping and murdering her. 

In the week when Everard was missing, the media kept the public up-to-date with the search for her body. They reported every detail about Everard’s last moments on Earth. The police went door to door in the area where Everard was last seen, warning women to stay home and  “not to go out alone.”  This raised a lot of ire, and the UK media were flooded with headlines about the police response to the revelation of Everard’s murder. The feminist organization Reclaim These Streets loudly opposed the police’s advice and argued that the problem wasn’t women walking freely, but rather that men need to disregard the toxic discourses that are instilled in hegemonic masculinity. “This approach created a culture of blaming victims rather than perpetrators,” said a Woman’s Equality Party Member. Reclaim these Streets held vigils for Everard across the country. 

One vigil held online had more than 28,000 attendees. Another vigil which was held outdoors in March during a national COVID-19 lockdown, was said to have had hundreds of attendees according to the BBC. Police were sent to stop the vigil, claiming that the attendees were breaking lockdown rules. An article in The Guardian notes that the policing of this vigil was criticized by some of the UK’s most prominent politicians. Images of the police forcibly manhandling women at the vigil were leaked, causing outrage across the nation. 

Everard’s case received a ton of media coverage at the time. In the first month after her being reported missing, over 29,000 stories were published about her. On September 30th 2021, six months after the murder, Couzens was given a life sentence, for the kidnapping, rape, and murder of Everard. A revelation that Couzens used his police ID to falsely arrest Everard created a resurgence of conversations about the case amid the UK news in rapid succession. Once again, police were ready with more terrible advice, telling women to curfew themselves and “to wave a bus down” should they feel threatened by corrupt coppers. And once again, the media exploded with news and discussions around Everard’s murder. Today, over 2 million  articles have been published online regarding the Sarah Everard case. 

Around the same time that Everard’s murderer was revealed, another woman was murdered by a man when walking alone after dark. Sabina Nessa was a 28-year-old British-Bangladeshi primary-school teacher who was attacked and murdered on her way to meet a friend at a pub, in Cator Park in Kidbrooke, SouthEast London on September 17th 2021. She is said to have been pursued on her 5-minute walk and struck repeatedly over the head with a two-foot-long blunt object. In the time since her body was found the following day, an Eastbourne man, Koci Selamaj, 38, has been charged with Nessa’s murder. Two other men, aged 41 and 38, were also accused of murdering Nessa but were released under investigation. 

However, Nessa’s murder didn’t receive the kind of media attention that was paid to Everad. In the month after she went missing, only around 9,000 news stories were published about her, less than a third of the media coverage Everard received during a similar period. This fact ignited an uproar about the media’s treatment of women of color, and racism in the media. Numerous high-profile people Tweeted their dissatisfaction, including well-known actress and TV presenter Jameela Jamil, who demanded that “the same energy and level of outrage” be seen in the Nessa case as in Everard’s, making it more difficult for traditional news outlets to ignore the fury arising from the lack of commensurate coverage in the UK.  

I am going to need to see the same energy and level of outrage and horror that we saw with Sarah Everard’s murder. Just because this woman may not look like you, it doesn’t mean her life/death isn’t important. pic.twitter.com/M9IwJ3muVn

— Jameela Jamil ? (@jameelajamil) September 22, 2021

At a vigil for Nessa outside of the University of Leeds  on September 30th, which just under a hundred students attended, speeches were made highlighting the difference in the media’s—and feminists’— attention paid to Nessa’s murder, versus that of Everard. Marvina Eseoghene Newton, the founder of Black Lives Matter Leeds, gave a speech in which she announced that she was “tired” of “black and brown bodies dying and nobody crying about it.” Newton addresses the issues surrounding the representation of women of color in the media, saying, “Why isn’t violence against black and brown women treated the same as white women? There would be more people coming out here in support of Sabina if she was white.”  Newton’s speech exposed how the UK media tends to neglect the murders of people of color, while cases of missing and murdered white women are deemed more newsworthy by the media; a  phenomenon known as “Missing White Woman Syndrome,”  that term coined by the late Gwen Ifill.

As Newton explained, Missing White Woman Syndrome dominates the media. In 2016, eleven children of color in the UK were registered as missing, including Fatima Olodo, Lan Pham, Jasvinder Kaur, Reneisha Brown, Ramla Malo, Gina Lander, Aaya Al-Saedi Aqueel Abdulwahi, Tiana Medaini, Fatima Mohamed-Ali, Safia Abdi, and Payera Begum. Yet the story of Madeleine McCann, a pretty white girl who went missing when on holiday in Portugal in 2017, still dominated media coverage while the names of the children listed above were almost made invisible by the press. 180,000 people go missing every year in Britain, but only a small proportion of those who are not white are presented in the media. The neglecting of Black and Brown people in the media is a narrative that has permeated the West’s media for years. 

The fight to ensure equal attention is paid to crime victims of color in the UK’s media is far from over. Speaking to Metro.co.uk, Marcus Ryder, media expert and editor of upcoming book British Black Lives Matter explains that the people deciding which stories are newsworthy need to be held accountable first. He said, “For far too long, newsroom editors have tried to argue that we should look at how they cover stories to judge their news judgement and impartiality. What this reveals is we should be exploring what issues are not covered.”

Photo of Everard: pixel8000 – Original publication: 11 March 2021

Davina McCall continues to speak out about menopause, announcing that there’ll be a follow up documentary to her Channel 4 doc, Davina McCall: Sex, Myths, and the Menopause, in 2022. “You don’t have to be menopausal. You don’t have to be a woman. This is something everyone needs to know,” says McCall in the opening of her first documentary. 

The first documentary, which has been watched by over two million people, has received 3 television awards including a BAFTA Scotland. The follow up documentary which will be called Davina McCall: The Menopause Brain Drain will focus on how women experiencing menopause are side-lined in the workplace.

This is incredible ???? so many congratulations & rightly deserved.

Everyone if you have not seen Davina McCall. Sex Lies & Menopause on 4oD I highly recommend it!#menopauserevolution https://t.co/bWIywuDzB6

— ?? ?????? ???? (@DrNighatArif) November 15, 2021

 Since the release of the documentary in May 2021, British TV presenter and former host of well-known reality show Big Brother, has been breaking the taboo over public discussions about menopause and perimenopause, and has persuaded schools to educate their students about the subject. In the Uk, an approximate of 13 million women are peri- or post- menopausal. So why are discussions about menopause so taboo if it affects so many? Apart from the general patriarchal phobia towards discussions about periods and women’s bodies, the taboo behind discussions about menopause lies in the notion of ageism as McCall reflects in her documentary. Far too often, women are persuaded by the media to prevent themselves from ageing using anti-ageing products, and so it is unsurprising why women may shy away from talking about the menopause as it may make them seem old. But McCall hopes to break this stereotype by publicly discussing the menopause.

In the first documentary, McCall discusses  some of the unknown symptoms of menopause that aren’t told to us by doctors. Naturally, most will relate hot flushes to menopause as more than 57% of women will experience them in their menopausal years according to the Australian Menopause Centre, and as many as 75% of women in North America experience menopausal hot flushes. However, many women in the documentary, including medical professionals, share their experiences of having other menopausal symptoms like headaches, hair loss, brain fog, lower libido, and disturbed sleep. According to Healthline, every person’s experience with menopause is different and they confirm the latter symptoms as symptoms of menopause, alongside a list of other symptoms inlcuding: vaginal dryness, weight gain, depression, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, memory problems, dry skin, mouth, and eyes, increased urination, sore or tender breasts, racing heart, urinary tract infections (UTIs, reduced muscle mass, painful or stiff joints, reduced bone mass, less full breasts, and increased hair growth on other areas of the body, such as the face, neck, chest, and upper back.

Speaking of the incredible response that her first documentary received, she said, “I have never had a reaction like the one I received after Sex, Myths and the Menopause aired.” 

“It was profoundly moving and deeply humbling, and what I realised is that women need more answers, more support and a voice.” 

“Many amazing women have laid the groundwork before me in this field, and I want to arm women with the facts so they can make informed decisions about their bodies – I truly believe we have the power to inspire change in societies’ perceptions, the workplace, relationships and so much more,” she continued. 

Over the weekend, McCall took to Instagram to share a photo of herself at a protest on Parliament square which took place in October. In the photo’s caption, McCall reveals that she will be releasing a second documentary on Channel 4 in 2022.

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Davina McCall (@davinamccall)

 Louisa Compton, Channel 4’s Head of News and Current Affairs and Sport says, “The second film will look firmly at what happens in the workplace to try and ensure that the symptoms of the menopause will no longer put the brakes on women’s careers.”  

The protest in which the photo is taken was one whereby  McCall joined crowds of women on Parliament Square to protest for the reduction in the cost of hormone replacement therapy (HRT). As the UK’s National Healthcare Service (NHS) explains, HRT “is a treatment to relieve symptoms of the menopause. It replaces hormones that are at a lower level as you approach the menopause.” Undergoing HRT consists of taking oestrogen in a variety of ways including: tablets, skin patches, gels and vaginal creams, pessaries or rings. Around one million women in the UK use HRT according to Socialist Worker. 

The protest was in campaign for “more government support for women dealing with the menopause and its side effects.” McCall posted the photo which was taken at the October protest over the weekend in celebration for the campaign as it managed to persuade the UK government to reduce the cost of repeat prescriptions for HRT  by up to £205 (274.39 US dollars) a year. All NHS prescriptions in the UK are an expensive £9.35  (equivalent to 12 US dollars) and the average HRT prescription only lasts for 3 months, so the reduction in HRT prices will help many women across the country.  

Anti-ageing campaigns have not only prevented  women from openly talking about the menopause but have also determined the portrayals of middle-aged women in TV and the media. Therefore, there needs to be a call for keeping up with open discussions about the menopause and its symptoms, and adequately educating students at school about what happens to their bodies as they get older. 

Top photo: Screenshot from Davina McCall: Sex, Myths, and the Menopause

On November 12th,  the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), held in Glasgow, Scotland, brought down the curtain on  two weeks of meetings between leaders from all over the world. Although the outcomes are widely discussed by many climate change activists, one point was raised during the event: the intricate relationship between gender and environmental crisis. 

According to the International Panel on Climate Change, women would be even more touched by climate change than men because of their socio-economic status. According to the UN, women in the age gap 25 to 34 years old are 22 per cent more, on a larger scale, they are 4 percent more likely to be living in poverty than men. In terms of ownership, less than 15% of landholders are women even though they represent between fifty and eighty percent of the world’s food production. Because of climate change, temperatures are getting higher, and lands are getting drier. Researchers have found that the Earth’s temperature has risen 0.14°F and that between 2001 and 2018, 74 percent of natural disasters were related to water, such as floods or droughts. Every decade since 1880, This has direct consequences on women’s health. On one hand this means that, in rural zones, they have to walk longer to find and have access to water as they are usually the ones in charge of bringing water for the crops, the animals and their families. 

In Bangladesh, for instance, access to clean water becomes increasingly difficult, because the water has been contaminated by numerous storms and the rise of sea levels. The population now has to dig up to 2,000 feet to, possibly,  find clear water. According to water.org, 1.8 million Bengali people lack access to water, however goats and livestocks are still being prioritized by the population as they are an important source of income, even over women. Not only are they forced to drink overly salted water, but this also means that they are forced to clean their sanitary products with unclear water, leading them to become hard when they dry. It is a cause for discomfort, but can also lead to lesions and infections. Women are also the ones spending  long periods of time in overly salted water, to find prawns, which may have a lethal impact on their health like uterine tumours, skin diseases or reproductive tract infections according to health specialists. While in 2013, 70% of the population depended on pond water, according to the American Geophysical, by 2050, the increase of salt in water will lead to the migration of 1.3 million Bengali across the country. 

Because access to water is rendered difficult, it is harder for crops to grow, but also for animals to produce enough resources. While they represent between 50 to 80 percent of the world’s food production, they only own less than 10 percent of the land. In the state of Sonora, in Mexico, women are known for producing and selling cow cheese as an additional source of income. Because of recent droughts and complicated access to water, cows haven’t been able to receive the necessary amount of water to be able to produce milk. On that same note, because women are forced to travel more to find and bring water to their livestock and family they have less time on the side that could be dedicated to earn extra money and be more easily independent. 

The rise of terrorist organizations are also widely linked to climate change. It fuels and favorizes human trafficking all over the world because women are more inclined to travel long distances by themselves. Because of poverty, many women have been displaced which makes them much more vulnerable to human trafficking. 

The intersection between gender and climate change is a global issue and affects women and urban areas too. In 2005, after hurricane Katrina, Black women were the most touched by the disaster. Jacqueline Litt, professor of women and gender studies at Rutgers University explained to the BBC that “More than half the poor families in the city were headed by single mothers” while the higher poverty rate in New Orleans is among the Black population. And although shelters were installed for people whose homes were destroyed, such as the Superdrome, there was usually a lack of sanitary products available. 

Another consequence of climate change is a higher rate of population movement. The most impacted by those displacements are kids, and, of course, women. According to the UN, women are 80% more likely to be displaced than men. They are then less likely to access education, and so, in consequence, independence. Meanwhile, studies have also shown that women were more vulnerable to heat waves, in 2003,  following the heat wave in France, researchers found out that the excess mortality rate among 45 years and older women was higher than for men of the same age. 

Actions need to be made now if we want to be able to move forward in the fight against climate change. More and more organizations at intersection between gender issues and climate change are seeing the light of day. In Uganda, the National Association of Professional Environmentalists (NAPE) is “committed to sustainable solutions’ in the country while working with feminists local associations. Since 1981, Water Aid has been working on improving access to clean water all over the world with women and girls as their main concerns. 

There are many ways to help fight climate change, even on an individual level. Simple things such as eating less meat have a positive impact on the environment. Livestock and deforestation required to construct farms represent a significant part of gas emissions and could be easily reduced with the decrease of meat consumption. 

Photo by Lucas Allmann from Pexels

Peng Shuai, former Wimbeldon and French Open doubles champ, posted a 1,600 word post on her Weibo account chronicaling a 10 year relationship with former Communist Party leader Zhang Gaoli on Tuesday, November 2, including allegations of sexual assault. The post, written as an open letter to Zhang, was deleted within half an hour and searches for Peng Shuai’s name yielded no results. Zhang served as Vice Premier during President Xi Jinping’s first term, 2012 to 2017, before retiring in 2018.

China’s constitution includes freedom of the press, free speech, and freedom of assembly but there is a long history of censorship by the government, targeting social media, journalists, and heavily restricting international media and influence. Sites like Facebook, Instagram, and some Google websites are restricted or blocked. In 2016, Xi rolled out a national media policy, telling the major national news outlets that they must reflect the “thought, politics and action” of the Communist Party leadership.

Directly after making this accusation, Peng, 35, was not heard from on social media or seen publicly for three weeks. On November 14, almost two weeks after Peng’s post, Steve Simon, the head of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), called for a thorough investigation of the sexual assault allegations, “without censorship.” Tennis stars Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams expressed concern, using the hashtag ##WhereIsPengShuai. Simon told CNN in an interview on the 18th, “We’re definitely willing to pull our business and deal with all the complications that come with it. Because this is bigger than the business. Women need to be respected and not censored.” The United Nations, Wimbledon, and the White House have all expressed concern for Peng’s safety and called for proof of her whereabouts.

The Chinese government-run news channel CGTN sent an email on November 18, allegedly from Peng, to Simon, assuring him that she was fine and rescinding the sexual assault claims. 

Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai has sent an email to Steve Simon, the WTA Chairman & CEO, CGTN has learned. The email reads: pic.twitter.com/uLi6Zd2jDI

— CGTN (@CGTNOfficial) November 17, 2021

Following receipt of the email, Simon released another statement on behalf of the WTAl expressing continuing concern over Peng’s whereabouts and how this situation is being handled. “I have a hard time believing that Peng Shuai actually wrote the email we received or believes what is being attributed to her,” he said. 

On November 20, State-affiliated media outlets released video “proof” of her safety, at the opening ceremony of a teen tennis match final and at a restaurant in Beijing where Peng sits with her teammates and coach. The video has been criticized for being staged, not least of all because the conversation includes specific details about the date. Simon, too, released a statement saying he found the video “insufficient.” The existence of a proof of life video doesn’t inherently ensure Peng’s safety. 

I acquired two video clips, which show Peng Shuai was having dinner with her coach and friends in a restaurant. The video content clearly shows they are shot on Saturday Beijing time. pic.twitter.com/HxuwB5TfBk

— Hu Xijin 胡锡进 (@HuXijin_GT) November 20, 2021

On Sunday, November 21, Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) met with Peng on a 30 minute video call from her home in Beijing. The IOC released a statement afterwards saying Peng assured Bach that she is safe at home, and asked for privacy during this time. The IOC was silent on the sexual assault allegations and some see the call as more of a publicity stunt than anything else. 

Also on November 21st, a group of Chinese feminists held a rally in New York. Event organizer Crystal Chen (not her real name) also expressed concern to the BBC that the videos don’t prove that Peng is “truly free.” The group called for Peng to speak to the WTA and for an investigation into her sexual assault allegations. 

President Xi Jinping has been rolling out strict methods of censorship all year. In January, the Education Ministry released a memo outlining their efforts to make Chinese boys in K-12 schools more “masculine.” In September, the National Radio and Television Administration in China released an eight point plan with the goal of a strengthened, official moral code. All of this part of a larger “national rejuvenation” plan as Xi prepares for his third term since removing term limits in 2018.

This adds to the already mounting tension over the 2022 Winter Olympics, to be hosted in Beijing in February. President Joe Biden is mulling over a “diplomatic boycott” due to China’s human rights violations, particularly the ongoing Uyghur genocide in Xinjiang and Xi’s crackdown on free speech in Hong Kong. Recently, the latest Marvel tentpole Eternals was not released in China for a number of reasons, chief among them director Chloé Zhao and her openness about her experience growing up in China. In a conversation with Filmmaker Magazine in 2013 she said China was “a place where there are lies everywhere. You felt like you were never going to be able to get out. A lot of info I received when I was younger was not true, and I became very rebellious toward my family and my background.” Her Academy Award win early this year for Nomadland was censored in China, and internet searches for her name were blocked.  

Peng’s allegations toward Zhang are the first against a figure so high up in the Chinese government, making it one of the most high profile #MeToo accusations in the country. In September, Zhou Xiaoxuan, a Chinese screenwriter who accused Chinese-state-sanctioned TV star Zhu Jun of assaulting her in 2014 when she was his intern, had her day in court. The court in Beijing ruled against her claiming “insufficient evidence.” 

This past summer rape allegations were made online about Canadian-Chinese pop star Kris Wu. He was arrested after a woman posted on Weibo- China’s Twitter-equivalent, that Wu had assaulted her in his home. The woman, posting under the handle “Du Meizhu”, said that two women reached out to her after her post and shared their own stories about Wu. 

China’s #MeToo movement has struggled to gain traction due to internet censorship and laws in regard to protesting. In September, #MeToo activist Sophia Huang Xueqin was arrested for “inciting subversion of state power”. Huang Xueqin had been detained from October 2019 to January 2020 for “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” after her coverage of protests in Hong Kong. 

It remains to be seen if Peng’s disappearance will factor into possible boycotts of the Beijing Olympics next year, and what the WTA will do if her freedom remains in question. The IOC seems more interested in sweeping the issue under the rug to avoid criticism if they move forward as usual. During his call with Peng, Bach invited her to dinner when he arrives in Beijing for the Games, and she agreed. Zhang has not responded to the allegations.

Top Photo: Screenshot from YouTube

Over the last month, the battle between Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Republican Paul Gosar has continued to heat up. On Sunday, November 7th, Gosar took to Twitter to share an anime-themed parody video featuring many political faces. In the 92-second short video with the caption, “Any anime fans out there?” Gosar, along with other GOP members were depicted battling a giant monster with the face of Ocasio-Cortez . Gosar, starring as the Attack on Titans’ protagonist Eren Yaeger, later launches into the sky to slay a giant floating head of President Joe Biden. In further alignment with Gosar’s political ideologies, the video is plastered with the text “murder,” “drugs,” “crime,” alongside images of Mexican immigrants across the US border.

 The video was received with much concern and backlash, as Ocasio-Cortez took to her personal Twitter account to condemn her peers:

So while I was en route to Glasgow, a creepy member I work with who fundraises for Neo-Nazi groups shared a fantasy video of him killing me

And he’ll face no consequences bc @GOPLeader cheers him on with excuses.

Fun Monday! Well, back to work bc institutions don’t protect woc https://t.co/XRnMAKsnNO

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) November 9, 2021

Arizona Congressman Paul Gosar is an avid far-right Republican who has consistently backed white nationalist conspiracy theories. Beyond advocating on behalf of former President Trump’s “Big Lie” election theory, Gosar and members of the GOP attempted to launch a white nationalist caucus, the America First Caucus. Supported by QAnon supporters like Marjorie Taylor Greene, this congress elicited white nationalist arguments from the early 20th century, claiming, “America is a nation with a border, and a culture, strengthened by a common respect for uniquely Anglo-Saxon traditions.” Similar to civil unrest during the 1910s, raging with pandemics, racial divide, and economic uncertainty, these ideals are once again being brought to the American people. 

 Following Gosar’s anime tweet, the House of Representatives conducted a censure vote against him in the days following. The final vote almost fell on an equal split, 223-207-1, with all 221 Democrats voting for Gosar to be censured. As the highest form of discipline before expulsion, Gosar’s censoring is a critical moment of tension between the GOP and Democratic parties. 

 Despite what appears to be a resolution, House minority leader Kevin McCarthy and Republican leaders have refused to publicly condemn Gosar’s actions, with McCarthy going as far as to call the censure vote an “abuse of power.” While Gosar has continued to defend his actions, insisting that the video was not meant to be a threat of physical violence. Even as an encapsulation of his fight over immigration policy, in light of the Trumpian era of social media-ignited unrest, solidified by the January 6th Capitol Insurrection, it’s evident that politicians wield much power online.

 According to a study by the Pew Research Center, legislative activity has dramatically increased since 2016. Within the first five months of 2020, Congress collectively produced an average of 73, 924 tweets. The average number of Tweets shared per month by each member of Congress jumped from 59 posts in 2016 to 107 posts in 2020. In terms of partisan difference, the average Democratic member of Congress has over 17,000 more Twitter followers than the average Republican Congressman. Politicians, liberal or conservative, have put social media engagement at the forefront of their agendas. 

 This is not the first incident of fellow politicians targeting Congresswoman AOC. In July 2020, GOP lawmaker Ted Yoho got in a verbal altercation with Ocasio-Cortez on the House steps, calling her a “fucking bitch.” Witnesses at the scene heard Yoho call AOC “disgusting” and that she was “out of her mind.” Although Yoho issued a face-saving apology, however, standing by his claim that he did not call her what she was alleging, GOP members have a consistent track record in undermining and threatening female politicians. AOC continues to face the brunt of the attacks based on her more upfront political stance, as well as being the youngest woman ever elected to Congress. Whether based on political polarity or generational distinctions, gender-based threats of violence are an intolerable act on behalf of lawmakers.

 While this may seem like the end to a saga, Representative Gosar retweeted his anime video of AOC minutes after the results of the House censure vote. It’s increasingly evident that any feelings of regret were a facade. In a closing statement following Gosar’s censorship, Democrats continue to support the targeting of Congresswoman AOC: “Violence against women in politics is a global phenomenon meant to silence women and discourage them from seeking positions of authority and participating in public life, with women of color disproportionately impacted.”