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Weekly Digest
Letter from an Editor | August 24, 2024
Dear John,
I’m still catching my breath from being at the Democratic National Convention this week—where the energy and excitement was palpable as Kamala Harris took the stage to officially accept the Democratic nomination. Feminist issues were front and center in Chicago this week, and Ms. editors and writers were on the ground, keeping tabs on everything.
Monday evening, Democratic party leaders approved the 2024 platform—which promises to protect and strengthen women’s rights, as contributing editor Carrie Baker reports. In stark contrast to the Republican platform—which promises to pick up where Donald Trump left off and continue the dismantling of women’s rights—the Democratic platform promises to continue fighting to make the Equal Rights Amendment the law of the land, reinstate Roe v. Wade ’s abortion protections, protect access to IVF, and repeal the Hyde Amendment. The platform also names crucial feminist issues like maternal health, pay equity, expanding the Child Tax Credit, ending gender-based violence, support for caregivers including investments in child care and elder care, LGBTQ+ rights and sensible gun laws.
And looking at the polls, it's obvious that women are hearing the message loud and clear. Harris currently leads Trump among women, while men prefer Trump, per polling from Quinnipiac University—suggesting we could see a historic gender gap come November.
“Feminism is in, and being a feminist voter is in,” Celinda Lake, president of Lake Research Partners, a top Democratic polling firm, said at an event hosted by USC Annenberg Wednesday, at the DNC. “The gender gap is on steroids right now. And no matter what poll you look at and no matter what demographic, there’s a big difference between the voting of men and women… The secret formula to success in 2024 is to win women by more than we lose men.”
On Monday, we’ll celebrate Women’s Equality Day—the day in 1920 that marks the formal adoption of the 19th amendment, which enshrined women’s right to vote into the U.S. Constitution. Although Black women remained unable to fully exercise the franchise for another 45 years until the passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, and many continue to be targeted by voter suppression laws that suppress their votes, they show up to the polls in even higher numbers—with 66 percent turnout rates in 2020. There’s no question: women’s higher levels of civic engagement—as a bloc, we’ve both registered and voted in every presidential election at higher rates than men since 1980—have the potential to determine the outcome of the 2024 election up and down the ballot.
As campaigning for November’s elections begins in earnest, it’s becoming more apparent than ever that women’s rights are on the ballot—and that women are voting as if their lives depend on it. With so much at stake—and in the face of a mainstream media that often neglects to fully cover issues that matter to feminists—we’re here to help. If you’re not already receiving it, click here [[link removed]] to sign up for our Wednesday Ms. Memo newsletter, which from now through November will be your one-stop-shop for feminist elections updates—from the ballot measure contests that will significantly impact abortion and equality, state Supreme Court races, to the races for state legislatures, Congress, the Senate and, of course, the presidency.
So—let’s get to work!
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Kathy Spillar
Executive Editor
This Week's Must-Reads from Ms.
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LIVE UPDATES From Ms. @ DNC: Harris Makes a Compelling Case for Her Presidency and for America’s Future [[link removed]] ‘The Future Is Here!’: America Is Finally Ready for a Woman President. [[link removed]]
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Democratic Party Platform Centers Women’s Rights [[link removed]] The Number One Movie in America Is a Safe Firearm Storage PSA [[link removed]]
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[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, we’re joined by two co-hosts of the Webby Award-winning #SistersInLaw podcast to discuss where our nation stands as we approach the 2024 elections—from the ongoing trials faced by former president Donald Trump, to Nikki Haley, to the Supreme Court’s recent opinions and so much more.
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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