In every issue of Ms., we track research on our progress in the fight for equality, catalogue can’t-miss quotes from feminist voices and keep tabs on the feminist movement’s many milestones. We’re Keeping Score online, too—in this biweekly roundup.

Lest We Forget

“The fact that no one is questioning his mental acuity or fitness to serve is beyond wild to me. The fact that they sat around and called Joe Biden ‘Sleepy Joe’—as I have said before, at least you could sleep at night because you didn’t have to worry about your 401(k) disappearing overnight. You didn’t have to worry about these allegations of fake invasions. You didn’t have to worry about the cost of food just skyrocketing, or the skyrocketing cost of all of your electronics.”

—Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas), after Trump bragged he aced a cognitive test amid increasingly reckless policy decisions.

“To enjoy and invite motherhood, we need three things: (1) a federal paid leave program, (2) affordable, accessible, quality childcare, and (3) meaningful investments in maternal health. Proposals like ‘baby bonuses’ or ‘menstrual cycle classes’ don’t just miss the point; they leave millions of women unheard, yet again.

“We already know what works. Mothers have been shouting it from the rooftops for decades. Ignoring these solutions, rooted in lived experience and backed by data, in favor of unproven ideas is a disgrace to American families. If we want a thriving nation, we start by making sure its mothers are healthy, supported, and whole.”

—Erin Erenberg, CEO and co-founder of Chamber of Mothers, responding to Trump’s plan to pay $5,000 to incentivize births.

“It is unfair to reverse the convictions from the previous trial because #MeToo witnesses were allowed to testify in it, as I did. It’s very traumatizing seeing him again.”

—A woman who testified at Harvey Weinstein’s rape trial in 2020, supporting the survivors who are now re-testifying after the New York Court of Appeals overturned his conviction in 2024. They ruled the testimony from additional survivors not part of the formal charges risked prejudicing the jury.

“God has an order. The head of my household is my husband, Jonathan King. Period. If there’s ever a time that a decision has to be made and we don’t agree on something, he’s the head. It’s not hard to submit.”

—Televangelist Paula White, leader of the White House Faith Office, argued that women must submit to men.

“The opt-out policy at issue here risks stigmatizing students who are themselves or whose parents are LGBTQ+, and poses an impractical burden on schools, which may choose instead to abandon such topics altogether, creating a chilling effect and violating the First Amendment rights of students. Exposure to such books can broaden children’s horizons and foster empathy across lines of difference.

“Since 2021, PEN America has documented more than 16,000 instances of book bans, and those featuring LGBTQ+ themes and characters are among books predominantly targeted. The potential impact of this case could further worsen this dire censorship nationwide.”

—PEN America’s chief legal ffficer Eileen Hershenov, on the Supreme Court case Mahmoud v. Taylor, which involves parents seeking to remove their kids from lessons involving books with LGBTQ characters.

“A report in the suggestion that someone’s authentic self and who they are can be ‘changed’ is discredited junk science. This so-called guidance is grossly misleading and in direct contrast to the recommendation of every leading health authority in the world. This report amounts to nothing more than forcing the same discredited idea of conversion therapy that ripped families apart and harmed gay, lesbian, and bisexual young people for decades.

“Decades of substantial peer-reviewed research shows that [gender-affirming] care is safe, effective and essential to the health and well-being of transgender people and youth. Evidence around the safety and effectiveness of health care for transgender people of all ages is as strong as the evidence for treatments across other areas of medicine.”

—GLAAD’s president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis in response to a new report from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) attacking gender-affirming healthcare.

“It’s really misleading to hear that these programs that were created to help us navigate and survive these institutions that were not created for us are being twisted into something harmful. Because again, these initiatives exist because of systemic exclusion. … This narrative of us being prioritized isn’t just dishonest, it’s also dangerous because it erases the real barriers that we still have to consistently be fighting just to gain access to these spaces. These attacks are very intentional; they’re about preserving power as it is. They’re about keeping us uneducated and keeping control of that political narrative.”

—Larissa M., a young Texan who discussed Trump’s attacks on DEI on an URGE (Unite for Reproductive and Gender Equity) virtual panel.

“The administration is going after young people, they know that young people are the future. They know that young people in the present, and that young people historically, have been the group of people who are pushing forward movements, like the civil rights movement, gender equity, and climate justice. Young people are leading the way. So it actually shows that the Trump administration is afraid of us.”

—Denisce P., a young Texan, discussed Trump revoking student visas on the URGE panel.

“Our latest victory sends a clear message to Wyoming Republicans: Wasting taxpayer dollars on gimmicks to eliminate abortion access in Wyoming will not succeed. In fact, it sends a message beyond our state— national antiabortion groups partnering with lawmakers to push baseless procedural ploys to ban abortions will not stand.

“It is clear that shutting down Wellspring Health Access using procedural ploys designed by outside, national groups was their only goal. It is yet another example of vast government overreach into the health care of Wyoming citizens and is out of line with our state’s constitutional guarantees.”

—Julie Burkhart, founder and president of Wellspring Health Access, the only procedural and medication abortion clinic in Wyoming. A Wyoming district judge recently approved an injunction allowing the clinic to see patients while their suit against an antiabortion access TRAP bill continues.

“I never in a million years thought I would have to fight for freedom of the press in the United States of America. And yet here we are. As journalism is under attack, it feels empowering to fight back. We need more people to resist and fight back.”

—Patsy Widakuswara, the White House bureau chief for Voice of America, a broadcasting network Trump has defunded for being “anti-Trump” and “radical.”

Milestones

+ The Trump administration is considering giving moms $5,000 for giving birth, to encourage Americans to have kids. Meanwhile, they’re threatening Head Start programs which would add to the already urgent child care crisis.

+ Congress passed the Take it Down Act criminalizing revenge porn and deepfake nudes almost unanimously. It now goes to Trump’s desk to be signed into law. The Act will require online platforms to remove non-consensual intimate images within 48 hours after a victim reports it.

+ After voters chose to require employers to provide paid sick leave in Alaska, Missouri and Nebraska, state lawmakers are trying to roll back the new benefits. They are fighting for exemptions for small businesses, temporary or seasonal workers, and teenage workers, who are already least likely to have access to paid leave.

+ The House of Representatives passed the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, which would make it easier to carry concealed weapons across state lines. This could be particularly dangerous for survivors of domestic violence who fled to states with stricter gun laws.

+ At the second annual Youth Capitol Takeover, 700 young Texans met in Austin for community building, meetings with state legislators, and a DIY Democracy rally on the state Capitol steps.

+ Olivia Rodrigo won a Planned Parenthood 2025 Catalyst of Change award, honoring her for speaking up for reproductive justice and creating the Fund 4 Good program to donate over $2 million of her ticket sales to local abortion funds and global charities.

+ Federal courts temporarily blocked the Trump administration from penalizing states that don’t certify compliance with an anti-DEI Dear Colleague letter. At least 16 states have already said they won’t sign, even under threat of losing federal funding.

“Today, the court confirmed the importance of our job as educators to foster opportunity, dignity, and engagement. We create safe and welcoming classrooms where students are cared for and accepted. We teach the skills and knowledge they need to navigate a diverse and complex world. And we value critical thinking, which requires us to present history in an open and honest way,” responded AFT president Randi Weingarten.

+ Texas, Missouri, Tennessee and the Alliance for Defending Freedom (ADF) have filed suits to dismantle Biden’s HIPAA rule that strengthened privacy for reproductive healthcare and out-of-state abortions. 

“HIPAA privacy rights are foundational to the trust between doctors and patients, and to the integrity of our health care system,” said Carrie Flaxman, senior legal advisor at Democracy Forward. “Blocking the rule could pave the way for dangerous government investigations into private medical records, undermining decades of established precedent and people who have obtained legal health care, and doctors who provide it, at risk.”

+ A Trump-appointed federal judge ruled that the administration can’t use the Alien Enemies Act to quickly deport people they claim are members of a Venezuelan gang.

+ The Met Gala celebrated Black Dandyism with the “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” exhibit. The Gala was co-chaired this year by Colman Domingo, Lewis Hamilton, Pharrell and A$AP Rocky. 

+ The Trump administration has reversed remote work policies for Veterans Affairs employees, leading to crowded offices and clinic spaces. Veterans are forced to discuss sensitive information or receive mental health care in open hallways. VA payments have also been delayed, and a mortgage program to help veterans avoid foreclosure has been stopped.

+ A new executive order targets any university accreditors that use DEI initiatives. This includes the American Bar Association, the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, and the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. During his presidential campaign, Trump described accreditors as the “secret weapon” to promote conservative views in higher education.

+ The White House will declare gender-affirming care “not supported” by evidence, contradicting peer-reviewed studies. They have already begun investigating hormone replacement therapy manufacturers and providers, and are likely following “scholars” who promote torturous conversion therapy-like practices.

+ Trump gutted the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI), the largest NIH program on women’s health. Operations will continue until January 2026, but without HHS funding the future of clinical trials currently involving over 42,000 participants is uncertain.

According to Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), “This is a devastating loss for women’s health research. The Women’s Health Initiative has not only led to major advancements in our understanding of women’s health issues, especially in older women, but it has paved the way for a generation of researchers focused on women’s health—which has long been overlooked and underfunded. Now, Trump, Elon, and our pro-disease Health Secretary RFK Jr. are taking an axe to a study that has helped millions of Americans live healthier lives and have better treatment options—yet another example of how this administration is hell-bent on cutting health research to the bone without a clue and without a care for the consequences.”

+ An executive order could reshape the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) which prevented lenders from asking women to have their husband or male relative co-sign for credit cards or loans. The order can’t change the law, but federal agencies could stop helping women and people of color sue for discrimination. Trump has broadly criticized other similar policies prevent “disparate impact” discrimination.

+ Trump’s attempt to defund NPR and PBS has been met with severe pushback, and the organizations vowing to challenge the First Amendment violation. PBS chief executive Paula Kerger responded, “The president’s blatantly unlawful executive order, issued in the middle of the night, threatens our ability to serve the American public with educational programming, as we have for the past 50-plus years.”

+ Meta’s AI chatbots are able to engage in romantic role-play and “fantasy sex,” even with underage users. They can also use celebrity voices in sexual conversations, despite deals assuring otherwise.

+ The United Kingdom Supreme Court ruled that “women” in equality laws and access to single-sex spaces is defined by biological sex, excluding trans women. Although other legal protections for gender identity exist, LGBTQ advocates warn this ruling could further harm a community already facing rising rates of hate crimes and transphobic hostility.

+ The Stop Comstock Act, co-sponsored by Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), would repeal the 1873 Comstock Act that could be used as a backdoor means to drastically limit abortion access without having to pass a national ban.

How We’re Doing

+ If parents were compensated for their work, the mothers of young children would earn $450 billion a year, according to new data released by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research. On average, mothers spend much more time on childcare than their father counterparts, spending 167 percent more time on primary childcare and 133 percent more time supervising children while doing other activities.

+ When educated on “fetal personhood,” 59 percent of voters oppose granting legal rights to embryos and fetuses. Almost 70 percent believe that it could lead to a nationwide abortion ban or make OB-GYNs afraid to provide basic care. Over two-thirds oppose using fetal rights to criminalize miscarriage or deny emergency medical care.

“Voters understand what is really behind this effort to give legal rights and benefits to embryos and fetuses. It is about controlling women and undermining the rights of all people who become pregnant,” said Dana Sussman, senior vice president of Pregnancy Justice. “It is broadly unpopular; voters consistently want pregnant people to have autonomy over their bodies and their lives, and know what’s at stake.”

+ Mothers in abortion ban states are almost two times as likely to die during pregnancy or childbirth. In states supportive of abortion access, maternal mortality fell 21 percent post-Dobbs, compared to rising 56 percent in Texas after a year with a ban. Women’s risk of maternal death in Texas is 155 percent higher than in California, and Black mothers in banned states are 3.3 times as likely to die as white mothers in those states.

+ Employed mothers in the U.S. are paid 61.8 cents per dollar paid to fathers. When comparing just full-time workers, mothers are paid 74.3 cents, earning $19,000 less over a year than men. This gendered pay gap exists in every state, with Utah with the largest gap (43.9 cents per dollar) and Vermont with the lowest (76 cents per dollar).

Women of color are disproportionately affected, with Latina mothers earning 42.7 cents, Native American mothers 48.2 cents and Black mothers 48.8 cents for every dollar earned by white fathers. 

+ Women are more likely to be enrolled in college than men, and are more likely to have a four-year college degree. Over a third of men without a bachelor’s degree say they didn’t complete college because they just didn’t want to, compared to 25 percent of women. Women are more likely to say they don’t have a degree because they couldn’t afford it. Hispanic and Black adults also point to financial reasons for not having a degree more than white respondents. 

+ Antiabortion activists are claiming a new study shows abortion medication is dangerous. In reality, the study is not peer-reviewed and has many methodological flaws. For example, they claimed a “serious adverse affect” if a patient visited an emergency room within 45 days of taking mifepristone, even if they did not need any treatment. Vague “abortion-specific complications” or “mental health  diagnoses” are not explained for more than half of the patients they claim were harmed by the pills, and the study included patients taking mifepristone to manage miscarriages.

+ Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women, regardless of economic or educational status.

+ DOGE killed more than 1,000 National Science Foundation grants last month, and 40 percent were for STEM education research. At least two cancelled programs focused on improving AI education, which Trump had promised to support.

+ Abortion rates remained stable in the U.S., increasing less than 1 percent from 2023 to 2024. However, states that enacted strict bans saw decreases. Illinois, North Carolina, Kansas and New Mexico absorbed the highest amount of out-of-state patients, and many southern patients began to travel to Virginia after Florida passed a six-week ban.

+ Women will be disproportionately affected by the Trump Administration tightening penalties for student loans, since they hold almost two-thirds of the nation’s student debt. It takes women two years longer than men to repay student loans, thanks to the gender pay gap. Women with bachelor’s degrees graduate owing an average of $2,700 more than men, and Black women owe more than any other group.

+ In fall 2023, about 276 colleges and universities were awarding women’s and gender studies degrees, with an average of 8 faculty members and 269 undergraduates enrolled in courses per department.

Ninety-one percent of gender studies department chairs are women and 84 percent are white. In 2023, half of the chairs were concerned about the academic freedom of their faculty members, but about 41 percent were optimistic about the future of the field at their institution.

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