Home | The Persistent

A Brief History of Witches — And How We’ve Made Them Ours

Centuries after women were burned at the stake for witchcraft, the archetype of the dangerous, unruly woman continues to haunt us. Now we’re reclaiming it.

by Josie Cox

Lolly Willowes: The 100-Year-Old Witch Story With a Very Modern Message

A book written a century ago shows women’s problems haven’t changed much.

by Claire Cozens

It's Time to Decide What to do With My Unused IVF Embryos

I have two children, and no desire for more. But as the decision date looms for how to handle my unused embryos, I feel so upset. The question is, why?

by Emma Haslett

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Abortion Rights Are on the Ballot in 4 U.S. States

Next Tuesday, voters in Idaho, Nevada, Virginia and Missouri will be choosing more than their representative.

by Josie Cox

When Pregnant Women Are Detained by ICE

As more pregnant women are detained by U.S. immigration authorities, the Women's Refugee Commission is asking what’s happening to them behind closed doors.

by Josie Cox

The Gender Pay Gap Is Even Worse for Disabled Women

Disabled women earn just 56 cents for every dollar earned by nondisabled men.

by Josie Cox

When Mom Gets Dementia, Who Picks Up Her Mental Load?

You need to see what gets juggled to know what needs catching. That’s why it’s women, once again, who become the default when things fall apart.

by Molly Dickens

A Bangladesh Factory Built for its Women Workers Has Won a Major Architecture Award

Bangladesh's textile industry has a long history of deadly workplace accidents, but the Green Field Factory in Rangpur is so popular with its workers, they spend their spare time there.

by Claire Cozens

Trapped and Trafficked By Age 4: What It’s Like to Grow Up the Daughter of a Mail-Order Bride

Smuggled out of Russia and brought to the U.S., Katya Suvorova grew up in fear as an undocumented immigrant. As she began to tell her story, she realized she was far from alone.

by Ruchi Kumar

How is Misogyny Still a Punchline?

A Saturday Night Live monologue shows how easily sexist tropes still pass for comedy. But I’m not laughing. Are you?

by Josie Cox

How Ozempic Changed Everything

GLP-1 medications have changed food, culture — and our bodies. A new book chronicles their history.

by Emma Haslett

Two Women Won Nobel Prizes in 2026. The Gender Gap Persists.

Women have received a fraction of the Nobel Prizes awarded since 1901.

by Josie Cox

The Men Who See Everything But Say Nothing

A culture of complicity spills into all the spaces — the chatrooms, the frat houses, the boardrooms, the private island retreats — even if everyone present isn’t actually getting in on the act.

by Diane de Vignemont

U.S. Democrats Have Their Sights Set on 100 Women in the House

Democratic women are running in record numbers, underscoring a stark partisan divide in political representation.

by Josie Cox

When Love Comes Later in Life

Sometimes, the losses we’ve suffered in our younger years can help us love better when we’re older.

by Carol Hymowitz

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