[[link removed]] Weekly Digest
Weekly Digest
Letter from an Editor | May 18, 2024
Dear John,
Texas extremist abortion laws were again in the news this week, as the state joined Alabama as the latest to consider restrictions on IVF. The state’s Supreme Court is considering taking up a case concerning whether a frozen embryo can be legally defined as a person.
The case emerged from a divorce battle between a couple, who had a preexisting legal agreement that the husband would retain any remaining frozen embryos in the event of a divorce. However, the wife is now arguing that under Texas’s new abortion laws, the embryos must be treated as “unborn children,” and the dispute must be settled through the child custody process.
According to the Texas Tribune, “A trial court and appeals court have upheld the contract, citing long-standing legal precedent that embryos are quasi-property that can be governed by a contract.” But with extremist justices dominating the Texas court, all this could change, and as in the Alabama case, has the potential for devastating consequences not just for IVF, but for contraception and other forms of reproductive health care. We will keep you updated as more news emerges.
Abortion rights aren’t just at stake in the cases before the Supreme Court and state courts like Texas, but loom large in the upcoming elections this fall in the choice of candidates for state supreme courts, state legislatures, Congress and the presidency. As many as six or seven states will have measures on the ballot to place abortion rights in their state constitutions. All across the country, polls continue to show that abortion rights and women’s rights remain top issues for many voters, especially women voters.
On Tuesday night, at its annual Global Women's Rights Awards and Gala, the Feminist Majority Foundation (publisher of Ms.) honored individuals who have contributed greatly to advancing the rights of women and girls and to increasing awareness of the injustices women face on account of their gender. The theme of the evening was “Vote as if Your Life Depends on It,” amplifying key issues at stake in the election, and connecting the fight for democracy and women’s rights in the U.S. with the fight for women’s human rights globally.
Awards were presented to Dr. Austin Dennard, a courageous Texas doctor whose own health and life were on the line from a medically compromised pregnancy, and who is fighting to get abortion restored as a fundamental right in Texas and nationwide; filmmaker Sahra Mani, whose forthcoming film, “Bread & Roses,” documents the horror of Afghan women’s lives under the Taliban’s gender apartheid regime in Afghanistan, while also celebrating the courage of the women who are fighting back and demanding their basic human rights be restored; and, former Congressmember Carolyn Maloney, for her leadership in the drive to finally secure the Equal Rights Amendment in the Constitution.
In the face of state bans and hostile court decisions, the Equal Rights Amendment provides a viable—and increasingly necessary—pathway to ensure abortion rights. The work of advocates like Maloney is vital when it comes to securing women’s rights—and it’s essential for defending our democracy.
For equality,
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Kathy Spillar
Executive Editor
P.S. — I hope you take the time to read Cynthia Richie Terrell’s piece exploring what Senate hopeful Angela Alsobrooks’ win means for Black women in politics. There is currently only one Black woman in the U.S. Senate: Laphonza Butler, who plans to leave at the end of her term next year. But if elected, contenders Angela Alsobrooks and Lisa Blunt Rochester could become the United States’ fourth and fifth Black women to ever serve in the U.S. Senate. "Alsobrooks’ primary win underscores her electability, despite the attacks she endured suggesting otherwise,” Terrell writes. "Angela Alsobrooks represents a new generation of leaders urgently needed in a body that lacks a single elected Black woman."
This Week's Must-Reads from Ms.
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Texas Supreme Court Considers Taking Up Question of Whether Frozen Embryos Are People [[link removed]] Meet the Courageous Recipients of FMF’s Global Women’s Rights Awards [[link removed]]
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What Angela Alsobrooks’ Primary Win Means for Black Women in Politics [[link removed]] How Rowena Chiu’s Story Helped Expose Harvey Weinstein—From ‘Credible: Why We Doubt Accusers and Protect Abusers’ [[link removed]]
[link removed] [[link removed]] Tune in for a new episode of Ms. magazine's podcast, On the Issues with Michele Goodwin on
Apple Podcasts [[link removed]] + Spotify [[link removed]] .
In this episode, taped in front of a live audience at Georgetown Law in Washington, D.C., a panel of health and legal experts unpack what’s happening around the world—from Gaza, to Afghanistan and beyond. How can governments and NGOs best act to preserve health, enforce legal norms, and protect humanity in times of conflict, and what can we learn from the doctors and human rights advocates who have been on the ground in these situations?
We hope you'll listen, subscribe, rate and review today!
U.S. democracy is at a dangerous inflection point—from the demise of abortion rights, to a lack of pay equity and parental leave, to skyrocketing maternal mortality, and attacks on trans health. Left unchecked, these crises will lead to wider gaps in political participation and representation. For 50 years, Ms . has been forging feminist journalism—reporting, rebelling and truth-telling from the front-lines, championing the Equal Rights Amendment, and centering the stories of those most impacted. With all that’s at stake for equality, we are redoubling our commitment for the next 50 years. In turn, we need your help, Support Ms. today with a donation—any amount that is meaningful to you [[link removed]] . We are grateful for your loyalty and ferocity .
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