Everything you missed at Ms. this week.
"*Ms.*"* Weekly Digest | July 11, 2020*

*Letter from an Editor*











Dear John,

I'd like to invite you to an upcoming event we are incredibly excited about: join the Feminist Majority Foundation, Girls Learn International, The Civics Center and our team here at "Ms". magazine this *Thursday, July 16 at 8pm ET* for a special, *virtual screening of "Capturing the Flag"*, a documentary that shares the story of three activists who worked to combat voter suppression in Cumberland County, N.C. in 2016, followed by a live town hall with experts and one of the activists in the film. *Click here to RSVP.* [ [link removed] ]
"Capturing The Flag" is an urgent cautionary tale that documents what's in store for the fast approaching election of 2020, and a close-up look of American democracy at its most vulnerable point. The shocking voter suppression we see unfold in real time in "Capturing The Flag "is proliferating across the country, as those who control local elections have been emboldened to rewrite access to the ballot box along partisan lines. The film serves as both a warning and a call to action for anyone interested in protecting the "One Person, One Vote" fundamental of our democracy.
The screening will be followed by a live town hall led by *Michele Goodwin*, host of our new "On the Issues" podcast. Dr. Goodwin will be speaking with *Myrna Pérez*, director of the Brennan Center's Voting Rights and Elections Program, and *Laverne Berry*, a producer and activist featured in the film. As an audience member, you'll have the chance to hear more about their voting rights work, ask questions and learn how to get involved in voter protection work in 2020 and beyond.
By the way-have you heard our exciting announcement? The second episode of the "On the Issues with Michele Goodwin "podcast-"Rebuilding America from the Ground Up"-premieres this Tuesday, and Dr. Goodwin is joined by two "incredible" guests: Congressmember Katie Porter and Ambassador & Former Senator Carol Moseley Braun. *Click here to subscribe* [ [link removed] ] so that you'll be the "first" to know when this exciting episode goes live!
Now is the time to plan how you'll make a difference and make your voice heard this fall-whether that's by signing up to be a poll worker on Election Day, by driving your friends and family to the polls, or by committing to do some of the other critically important get out the vote work there is to be done. "Every single one of us must step up to protect our democracy in whatever ways we are able." *Register here to join us on Thursday.* [ [link removed] ]
* [ [link removed] ]* For equality,


*Kathy Spillar*
Executive Editor _________________________________________

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*This Week's Must-Reads from "Ms".*

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*"On the Issues with Michele Goodwin, "Episode 2, "Rebuilding America from the Ground Up" [ [link removed] ]*





BY THE TEAM | The second episode of the "On the Issues with Michele Goodwin" podcast-"Rebuilding America from the Ground Up"-premieres this Tuesday. Dr. Goodwin was joined by two incredible guests: Congressmember Katie Porter and Ambassador & Former Senator Carol Moseley Braun, who discuss what it will take to rebuild this country moving forward.

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*Reproductive Justice Under Assault at the Supreme Court [ [link removed] ]*

BY MAYA MANIAN | "The Supreme Court's decisions this term are a severe blow to reproductive health care access, especially for low-income women and women of color. Yet, those legal decisions are not the end of the story."

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*June Medical: Precedent and Women's Constitutional Rights Stand-For Now. [ [link removed] ]*





BY ANDREA FLYNN | "Today, abortion is a right in name only for too many... It's not just our reproductive autonomy they're after-it's our freedom, period."

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*SCOTUS Strengthens Employers' Rights to Discriminate Against Women [ [link removed] ]*





BY CARRIE N. BAKER | On Wednesday, the Court ruled in favor of any employer using religious grounds to discriminate against women in health care insurance coverage and exempted religious employers from anti-discrimination laws.

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*Denying Contraceptive Coverage Places Barriers Between Women and Basic Care [ [link removed] ]*







BY GILLIAN SEALY | In a 7-2 decision, the Supreme Court recently allowed employers to cherry pick what constitutes appropriate health care for women based on any religious or moral objection. The ruling, unconscionable for a variety of reasons, disregards women's ability to make decisions about their own reproductive well-being and allows employers to decide whether the insurance their employees pay for will cover contraception.

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*July 2020 Reads for the Rest of Us [ [link removed] ]*





BY KARLA STRAND | A reading list for the rest of the summer from your favorite feminist librarian, Karla Strand.

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*Weekend Reading on Women's Representation: "Always Begin with the Numbers" [ [link removed] ]*





BY CYNTHIA RICHIE TERRELL | Our friend, Cynthia Terrell, founder and executive director of RepresentWomen, is back with another installment of her weekly column, rounding up some of her favorite stories about women's representation in the news this week.