The Persistent (Page 13)

Equality

Same-Sex Marriage in the U.S., a Decade On

Ten years since the Supreme Court's ruling in Obergefell, how do things look for LGBTQ rights?

Reproductive Rights

Three Years Post Dobbs, Everything Has Changed, and Nothing

Abortion remains a wildly divisive issue in the U.S., with perspectives varying dramatically by state.

Watercolor of Megan Clement, a white woman with dark hair and red lipstick in a denim boilersuit.

Family and Relationships

'Quite Looking Forward to Going Mad With Grief'

A dying father. A world awash in Covid. A total loss of control. And a mind that refuses to snap.

Leora Tanenbaum, a white woman with short dark hair, square glasses, red lips and a black top, smiles into a phone camera.

The Interview

'Slut-Shaming' is Evolving. This Author Set Out to Understand Why.

The author Leora Tanenbaum's new book, Sexy Selfie Nation, offers advice on how we can shut down a uniquely harmful form of gender discrimination: slut-shaming.

An illustration shows a woman's face and a pair of justice scales covered over with scraps of paper in green and orange.

Violence Against Women and Girls

A Colonial-Era Law Makes Marital Rape Legal in India. The Government Refuses to Change It.

In India, arranged marriage is a common practice. Some marriages work out, of course, while in others, a family’s honor is protected, whatever the cost.

A photo illustration shows a scattered collection of packets of the pill, depicted in bright colors.

Reproductive Health

The Popularity of the Pill Is Plummeting—at the Exact Moment It Shouldn’t Be

Birth control gave women control over their bodies, their careers and their futures. A cultural campaign against the pill risks rolling all this back.

An illustration of a bride and groom embracing under a chuppah. The chuppah is held up by friends.

Relationships

A Wedding Today Costs How Much? I’m Glad You Asked.

When my daughter was married last month, we bypassed everything extravagant, opting instead for a wedding built on friends, community and love.

An illustration of three pregnant women holding interventional medical devices and medicines

Reproductive Health

How Do We Make Birth Better?

Little has changed in the way we bring humans into the world since the popularization of the cesarean section in the 1960s. It’s 2025. What is going on?

A photo of a group of moms viewed from behind pushing strollers in the park.

Mental Health

‘I Would Never Suggest This is All in Your Head, But…’

Amid a parenting mental health crisis, it helps to remember that whatever private hell you might be feeling, you’re likely not alone.

Film and TV

Oh, Creators of Peppa Pig, Did You Have To?

For many people, pregnancy announcements are a joyous thing, but when you’re struggling to conceive, they really are not.

A still from the film "Personal Secretary"—a woman at a desk with a zodiac chart behind her makes a funny face.

Work and Money

The Gender of Magical Thinking

New research shows that women are more likely to believe in astrology and fortune tellers than men. Is the patriarchy to blame?

Watercolor image of Nancy Borowick, a white woman with long dark hair, brown eyes and colorful earrings.

Great Women

‘Let's Be Honest, Moms Are Never In the Photo’

The photographer Nancy Borowick takes on a taboo topic and puts mothers at the center.

Sport

When Soccer Wasn’t Such a Guy Thing

Women’s soccer in the U.K. goes way back in history. But at one point it was banned. By the time the ban was lifted, the damage had been done.

Illustration of a green cake with cherries on top on a pink platter. We see a slice being cut: inside the slice is a dollar bill.

Personal Finance

‘Eff You’ Money Is On the Up, and You Need to Know About It

Women are taking secret control over their finances—just in case.