Archive | The Persistent

The Complicated Legacy of Margaret Sanger

The founder of Planned Parenthood advanced women's rights immeasurably. But many of her views were far from progressive.

by Josie Cox

Good Behavior, Bad Behavior and the Usual Dose of Sexism

At Tuesday's debate, the few personal attacks Trump had prepared for Harris were noticeable for their studied lack of sexism—at least outwardly.

by Holly Baxter

Was the Queen a Feminist?

Two years after her passing, the jury's still out.

by Emma Haslett

Who Takes the Photo, Tells the Story

The founder of Women Photograph on how diversity in photojournalism can change the conversation. (Yes, it really matters.)

by Anne Quito

The Idea of a 4-Day Workweek Dates Back Decades. Are We Finally Making Progress?

The U.K. government’s plan to give workers the right to request a four-day work week could be a win for gender equality.

by Josie Cox

Two Years On, The Biden-Harris Effort To Reduce Maternal Mortality Remains—A Start

Maternal mortality is shockingly high in the U.S. What exactly is being done about it?

by Julia Craven

I Love The Paralympics, But Let's Not Kid Ourselves

The Paralympics is always a wonderful spectacle—but let's be honest: they won't change anything for disabled people.

by Lucy Webster

How Do You Fight Trump in 2024? With Fear, Humor and Optimism—All At Once

High spirits at the DNC revolved around excitement for Kamala Harris possibly smashing the glass ceiling. But underneath the rah-rah-rah was an undercurrent of worry.

by Holly Baxter

My Fiancé Died Young. Thank God We’d Planned Ahead.

Black women are more likely than any other group to lose a partner. Without proper financial planning, grief can turn very quickly into poverty.

by Ebony Reed

Gender Equality Isn’t Just a Women’s Issue. Tim Walz Knows That.

The vice presidential candidate is a plain-speaking Midwesterner—whose experiences mean he has prioritized policies traditionally classed as “women’s issues”.

by Emma Haslett

Providing Care After Roe, These Doctors Met a Hurdle They Didn’t Expect

Online abortion providers face constant headwinds, even with protections and systems in place.

by Josie Cox

The Real Losers of the Paris Olympics Are the Stereotypes That Hold Women Back

Athletes at the Paris Olympics have challenged perceptions of what it means to be a woman in sport.

by Josie Cox

The Case For Drowning Out the News

Social expectations and democracy dictate that it’s our duty to tune in to the news. It’s ruining our health.

by Josie Cox

‘Unity Is Key,’ They Said. Then Came The Kamala Zooms

White Dudes for Harris, Black Women for Kamala—identity politics is raising millions of dollars for the presumptive Democratic nominee. It’s a strategy no established politico would have recommended.

by Holly Baxter

What Happened to the ‘Most Equal Olympics in History’?

Statistically, Paris 2024 may be the most gender-equal games ever—but the first few days have proven that there’s a long way to go before true equality is achieved.

by Emma Haslett

Inside Karachi’s Women-Only Pink Bus

A new women-only bus route is designed to combat the sexual harassment prevalent on Karachi’s public transit system. The bus is clean, spacious—and unreliable.

by Anmol Irfan

It’s a Big Deal That a Woman Is Running For President. Here’s Why.

Despite the support of many, the path for Kamala Harris to the Democratic nomination, and indeed the presidency itself, comes with significant headwinds.

by Francesca Donner

The Very Real Dangers of Division

After an attempt to assassinate Trump, there were moments of dignity and humanity. Can they be maintained?

by Josie Cox

How Marine Le Pen Uses Her Femininity as a Smokescreen

Following the French election, the far-right National Rally will stay out of power—for now. But the journalist Megan Clement warns the movement is not going away, either.

by Francesca Donner

When Words Fail On Infertility, There is Art

Infertility, so long hidden from view, is finally finding a spotlight in various contemporary art forms.

by Ginanne Brownell

A (Nearly) 50-50 Gender Split in the U.K.’s New Government. It’s About Time.

Research shows that more diverse teams perform better. Will the new U.K. government prove the point?

by Emma Haslett

Sleep Is Different for Women Than for Men, and No, It’s Not Women’s Fault.

Nap when you get a chance. There’s no telling when you'll get your next good night's sleep.

by Josie Cox

Yes, Women Are Ambitious. Why Is That Such a Surprise?

Employers fall back on the tired old trope that “women lack ambition” in an attempt to paper over what’s really wrong.

by Josie Cox

Can We Please Stop Blaming the Gender Pay Gap on Women?

Despite purported attempts to close the gender pay gap, progress had been sluggish at best, writes Josie Cox in an excerpt from her book, "Women Money Power: The Rise and Fall of Economic Equality."

by Josie Cox

Heatwaves Are A Women’s Issue. Here’s Why.

The increase in global temperatures will disproportionately affect women. Women’s lives overall will become more difficult.

by Emma Haslett

Two Journalists Investigated the Decade-Long Campaign to Criminalize Abortion. Here’s What They Found Out.

A new book takes a deep dive into the right-wing Christian campaign that overturned Roe v Wade. Ahead of this year’s presidential election, its authors uncover an America that is as divided on the issue as ever.

by Emma Haslett

When It Comes to the Gender Pay Gap, the Laws Are There. The Culture is Not.

Laws designed to combat pay injustice are a good start, but it’ll take much more than that to get us across the finish line.

by Josie Cox

Men Still Aren’t Reading Women’s Books. Can the Women’s Prize Help?

The author Kate Mosse co-founded the Women’s Prize for Fiction to shrink the gender gap in publishing. Twenty-nine years on, she says her work is far from finished.

by Francesca Donner