Letter from an Editor | February 8, 2025 |
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Dear John,
The last three weeks were chaotic—to put it mildly—as Trump and his administration issued a barrage of destructive executive orders straight out of the Project 2025 playbook (which he tried to distance himself from on the campaign trail); pardoned and released from prison violent January 6 insurrectionists and anti-abortion extremists; purged government departments and agencies he perceives as enemies; cut off USAID programs that will result in the deaths of perhaps millions (mostly women and children); suggested he would use military force to invade sovereign countries; and began steps to deport hundreds of thousands of migrants. (Breathe.)
Make no mistake: the pacing is intentional, to make us feel overwhelmed and helpless. But we cannot afford to feel hopeless in a moment like this, when we must fight back.
And is there ever a fight back unfolding. Across the country this week, thousands came out to protest at state capitols and congressional offices in all 50 states—yes, red states included. Nearly 40 lawsuits have been filed against the Trump administration since Inauguration Day, and early court decisions have blocked most of the administration's actions. At Ms., we never doubted there would be a massive resistance—the only question was whether mainstream media would cover it.
In fact, as we report in our most recent print issue, feminist activists and lawmakers have been planning the multi-pronged resistance since before Trump’s inauguration on January 20th. We spoke to some of them—from the governors and state attorneys general and members of Congress, to movement leaders, to on-the-ground activists—who are “rolling up their sleeves,” as our cover proclaims.
Contributing editor Carrie Baker reports on the activists and lawmakers who are using state constitutions to protect and expand women’s rights. She also delves into the federal funding front—something that I’m sure has been on many of your minds this week, with the Trump administration announcing sweeping and alarming cuts to federal funding across sectors and departments both at home and overseas.
“In the last Trump administration, we saw the federal government unlawfully weaponize the federal grant process to abruptly undermine federal funding for women’s health programs,” said Democracy Forward’s Skye Perryman, who, as Baker details, was a member of the all-women team of lawyers who successfully challenged those actions to restore the funds. “With these [most recent] executive orders, the Trump-Vance administration is wasting no time in adopting policies that show a callous disregard for women’s lives—seeking to erase protections the Biden administration put in place to protect women’s health and lives, including those of our service members and veterans.”
These early days have been designed to make us feel like we’ve been knocked off our feet. But our resistance has a solid foundation. For every dangerous executive order or policy proposal, there’s a team of lawyers, activists, and lawmakers fighting back—whether it’s in the courts, with lawsuits; or in local communities, with protests and know your rights trainings. We’re far from alone in the battle ahead. It’s up to all of us to join in and roll up our sleeves. Onward, |
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This Week's Must-Reads from Ms. |
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| Tune in for a new episode of Ms. magazine's podcast, On the Issues with Michele Goodwin on
Apple Podcasts + Spotify.
We begin 2025 on ‘On the Issues’ with special guest Dr. Anthony Fauci. In this episode we discuss some of the most important issues currently confronting the health of our nation and the world—from vaccine skepticism, COVID denialism, and health misinformation and disinformation to the rising tide of violence aimed at medical providers. Dr. Fauci joins us to express his hope for the future, offer insights on the pushback against vaccines, and speak candidly about how his life changed after being in the public spotlight at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the toll it took on him and his family.
We hope you'll listen, subscribe, rate and review today! |
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U.S. democracy is at a dangerous inflection point—from the demise of abortion rights, to a lack of pay equity and parental leave, to skyrocketing maternal mortality, and attacks on trans health. Left unchecked, these crises will lead to wider gaps in political participation and representation. For 50 years, Ms. has been forging feminist journalism—reporting, rebelling and truth-telling from the front-lines, championing the Equal Rights Amendment, and centering the stories of those most impacted. With all that’s at stake for equality, we are redoubling our commitment for the next 50 years. In turn, we need your help, Support Ms. today with a donation—any amount that is meaningful to you. We are grateful for your loyalty and ferocity.
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