Persisting Through Politics
Deciding Which Way to Look
Two men will be honored on Monday. They couldn't be more different.
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Persisting Through Politics
How Will Women Protest In a Second Trump Term?
Pussy hats and memes might provide some emotional relief, but the real work will take place behind the scenes.
DEI
Yes, Los Angeles Is Burning. No, DEI Is Not to Blame.
Within a day of the California wildfires igniting, right-wing influencers and conservative media outlets had decided what was to blame for the deadly blazes: DEI. That’s utterly ridiculous.
Social Media
Instagram is Home to Thriving Communities. Meta's Plans Risk Cutting Them Off.
Mark Zuckerberg's plans to change content moderation at Meta risk cutting off communities that have become vital lifelines for women.
Forgotten Feminists
Why Can’t We Just Pass the ERA? It’s Complicated.
The Equal Rights Amendment is a simple 24-word piece of legislation. But it’s also a historic movement, more than a century in the making, that began with women’s suffrage and continues to this day.
Violence against women and girls
Bright Light. Big Smile. Her Name Was Debrina Kawam.
The story of the woman set alight on the New York subway is a reminder that everyone, even when they’re anonymous, is a somebody.
Women Are Syria’s Best Hope for Lasting Peace. Will They Be Heard?
For years, Syrian women have fought to be heard in international negotiations. They aren’t about to give up ground now.
Unpaid labor
'Ahh! Do I Have To?'— And Other New Year's Resolution Dilemmas
Read faster. Be present. Get organized. Choose joy. Eat this. Avoid that. Save money. Take risks. Make friends. Here’s a thought: Maybe you’re already just right, just as you are.
Giving Women the Last Word Since 2024
Our editor Francesca Donner looks back at The Persistent’s first year.
Books
Our Year In Books: Escape? Engage? Do Both?
The Persistent's editors round up their favorite reads of the year.
Forgotten Feminists
‘Women Should Have Children Instead of Poodles’—When Birth Control Came to Washington
The idea of birth control entered the national conversation in 1919, when an artist, activist, and single mother named Mary Ware Dennett brought the (quite shocking!) idea to Congress.
How Can Equality Between Genders Still Be Up For Debate?
The Equal Rights Amendment is one of the most embattled pieces of legislation in the U.S. Supporters say it's just a question of publishing the damn thing.
Women You Should Know
Two Friends, One Diagnosis: This Is a Love Story
When Kat Alexander started looping through cycles of mania, it was her best friend, Mara Altman, who came to the rescue.
Violence against women and girls
As the Trial of ‘Mr. Every Man’ Draws to a Close, France Debates ‘Intent’ vs. ‘Consent’
The Pelicot trial pits the notion of intent against the concept of consent. The outcome could alter how these kinds of cases are handled in the future.
Culture
What Taylor Swift Taught Me About Aging
No age is the right age to be a woman. Unless, of course, you're Taylor Swift.
Unpaid labor
'It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.' Wait, Is It?
Women take on almost all of the additional responsibilities during the holidays. Our cartoonist looks at the data.