Home | The Persistent

The Tiny Test Changed Everything

Nearly 60 years ago, Meg Crane fought her male bosses to give women something radical: the ability to find out for themselves if they were pregnant.

by Kathleen Davis

Gender Pay Equality is Still 120 Years Away

Women and men are closer to parity than at any point in the World Economic Forum’s 20-year analysis, though big gaps remain in political power and economic opportunity.

by Josie Cox

Do Women Cartoonists Draw Differently?

A new documentary by The New Yorker cartoonist Liza Donnelly reveals what goes through the minds of women cartoonists as they ply their trade.

by Paula Derrow

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The Poorest U.S. Households Spend 95% of Their Income on Basic Needs

The cost of essentials has risen far faster than incomes over the past two decades, with women facing particular pressure from the growing cost of care.

by Josie Cox

Pronatalism is Desperate to Recruit Women Into Its Bizarre, Dark Reality

Pronatalists are part of a collection of niche right-wing movements that have discovered that they can lend one another political weight.

by Holly Baxter

Mothers of Small Children Make Up Less Than an Eighth of U.S. State Legislators

The numbers of women in state government has risen sharply since 2022, but new research finds that mothers — particularly those with very young children — remain significantly underrepresented.

by Josie Cox

The Horrible History of Medical Misogyny

Medical gaslighting and paternalism isn’t just a thing of the past; it’s baked into today’s healthcare systems, with devastating consequences.

by Lorraine Boissoneault

Grappling With the Loss of One of the Greats

Reflections from The Persistent as we come to terms with the death of Gloria Steinem.

by The Persistent

U.S. Maternal Mortality is Sky High. Here's How to Fix It.

The U.S. is the most dangerous wealthy nation to give birth. A campaign group has outlined ways to make it better.

by Francesca Donner

You’ll Enjoy These Beach Reads Anywhere

Beach reads tend to be insubstantial in format and content alike. These recs are different.

by Han Goldstein

Gloria Steinem, Mother of Modern Feminism, Dies at 92

Gloria Steinem, the feminist, political activist and co-founder of Ms. Magazine, has died, a post on her social media said today.

by Emma Haslett

Partners in Protest: A History of People Showing up Together

According to the disability activist Lucy Webster, when people from different causes join hands, change isn’t far behind.

by Lucy Webster

Are Women CEOs Less Popular Than Their Male Counterparts?

Women make up 10% of Glassdoor’s annual top 50 CEOs ranking, roughly matching their representation in corporate leadership. But none cracked the top 10.

by Josie Cox

Zahra Joya Has Devoted Her Life to Telling Afghan Women's Stories. Now She's Telling Her Own

A new memoir by the exiled Afghan journalist Zahra Joya traces the trajectory of her homeland — and shows how quickly women's rights can be snatched away.

by Amie Ferris-Rotman

The Vanishing Girl of Kabul: ‘This is my Protest Against the Taliban’

On the day the Taliban returned, I went to the salon. Before long, the old me had vanished.

by Zahra Joya, +1

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