Dear John,

Though we have much to celebrate – including the election of Kamala Harris, the first woman and first Black and South Asian vice president – we also have no time to waste. Our opponents will use the lame duck period—the time between now and when the new President is inaugurated, and a new Congress convenes—to do as much damage as they can.

We want you to know that the Ms. team has already hit the ground running in this critically important post-election period. We’ve moved swiftly on the digging, reporting and story assignments to prepare for what could—in all likelihood—be the most challenging and dangerous “lame duck” period for women and for equality in our nation’s history. 

As Ms. writer Carrie Baker reported on the Ms. website this week: 

"With two months left in office, Trump is attempting to hobble the next administration by making it difficult for Biden and Harris to reverse some of Trump’s most harmful policies. 

The Trump administration is rushing through last-minute regulations and signing contracts with Republican governors designed to prevent the incoming administration from restoring civil rights protections and expanding health care access...

Activists are organizing to block these new regulations, and if they are adopted they will surely be challenged in court. But legal challenges would take time…” (Read the full article here.)

Reporting on this critical post-election period, and in the early weeks of the new administration, is a herculean task. And we’re up to it. In fact, we can do no less because so much is at stake for women and for equality.

This is why I hope I can depend on you to help us meet what will be extraordinary budget demands. You can do this by chipping in to help us launch the Ms. Emergency Reporting Fund.

Frankly, we had no choice but to start this fund. Why? Because immediately after Joe Biden won the White House, we have seen that the defeated, reactionary Trump administration, on their way out of town, is doing all it can to turn back the clock on women’s rights and equality.

They are also attacking our democracy itself. Unlike every candidate in our nation’s history regardless of political party who lost the presidential election, Trump has refused to acknowledge his loss. He and many Republicans are instead sowing seeds of unrest and touting conspiracy theories. Trump has refused to allow departments and agencies to begin the transition process, and he is appointing right-wing ideologues to civilian positions that make it very difficult for President-elect Biden to remove them.  

That’s why we hope you will chip in $10, $20, $50 or even $100 or $500 to get the Ms. Emergency Reporting Fund rolling.

We must get ready right now. We must make sure you and our other readers get full, updated information each day online and in our daily newsletter, each week in our weekly digest and, of course, in our print edition and popular podcast, On The Issues with Michele Goodwin.

With your support, we’ll quickly alert our readers to the threats and opportunities during the lame duck period between now and when President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris are inaugurated and a new Congress is convened in January.

What’s more, we know there will be victories to celebrate in the days ahead. We’ll tell you about the massive turnout of women voters and the decisive role of the gender gap in the election outcome.

In short, together women made one hell of a winning difference.

This is why we’ve rushed to set up the special Ms. Emergency Reporting Fund, and why I’m urging your immediate help with whatever size contribution you can make.

Although feminists can claim victories today, we don’t have a moment to lose in taking the critical next step and preparing for the Lame Duck Congress: whether it’s the Trump Administration’s continued attacks on Title IX aimed at gutting protections against sex discrimination and sexual assault and sexual harassment… or the Administration’s continued efforts to dismantle the Affordable Care Act… or Trump’s attack on the legitimacy of the election.

What every reporter, editor and digital expert here at Ms. absolutely agrees on about this election is that there is much work to be done during the lame duck period as we prepare to move forward in 2021.

Our drive for guaranteeing equality starts with being as fully prepared and informed as possible. So, before you do anything else, please let us know you’ll join with us in launching Ms. Emergency Reporting Fund. 

Help ensure Ms. remains strong and independent during this period of challenge and change.

Together we have made a difference. Together we will finish the job.

For equality,

Kathy Spillar
Executive Editor

P.S. With so much at stake please help us open the new chapter by joining us as part of the Ms. Emergency Reporting Fund. Thank you.