Dear John,

I don’t mean to be alarmist, but I know that Ms. readers have come to expect truth-telling from our team, so I will be honest with you: Here in the United States—despite many signs of progress under the Biden administration and the Democratic House and Senate—our voting rights and our abortion rights are under attack. 

In the first four months of this year, Republican lawmakers across the country have introduced more than 360 bills to restrict voting rights and 536 bills to restrict abortion rights. As Ms. contributing editor Carrie Baker lays out on MsMagazine.com this week, these efforts are deeply connected. Baker writes: “The defeat of Donald Trump, and Biden’s attempts to dismantle Trump’s white supremacist agenda, have inspired a fevered campaign by state-level Republican lawmakers of voter suppression and abortion restrictions.” Now, even groups that have traditionally focused on anti-abortion efforts, are mobilizing in support of voting restrictions—but as Ms. has long reported, the strategy of pursuing abortion restrictions alongside voter suppression to maintain political power is nothing new for conservatives. I strongly encourage you to read Baker’s piece below—and then ask yourself how you can get involved. 

As we continue to advocate for our rights here in the U.S., we also turn our thoughts to the many women and girls around the world who continue to fight for equality—often at great risk to their own lives. On Saturday, May 8th, yet another girls’ school was attacked in Afghanistan, in the capital city of Kabul. A car bomb, followed by two other bombs, exploded just as the students were leaving the building at the close of the school day. More than 85 students were killed—60 of the victims were girls ages 11-17—and some 300 were injured. One injured girl speaking to the media shortly after the attack said, “They would rather have a dead girl, than an educated girl.” When asked if she would go back to school again, she immediately said “Yes! I want to be a doctor.” Two days after the attack, the school reopened and the girls were back, determined and committed to their education. 

Since the U.S. and NATO announced the withdrawal of troops, the Taliban has escalated its violent attacks, targeting for assassination women journalists, doctors, judges, students and Afghan leaders. The progress that Afghan women and girls have made in the last 20 years is extraordinary—and as the U.S. and NATO withdraw troops from Afghanistan, it would be a tragedy if these gains in education, government and gender equality were lost. Be sure to read more in our piece, “Voices from Kabul, Afghanistan” on the Ms. site this week, and look for continuing coverage as the next weeks and months unfold. 

Finally, I must turn your attention to Iran. This week, Reza Khandan, husband of Iranian women’s and human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, wrote a disturbing and profoundly moving account of his wife’s time so far in Qarchak prison (the women’s prison of Tehran province). Nasrin was sentenced to 38 years in prison and 148 lashes for her legal work representing Iranian human rights and women’s rights activists. The conditions of her unjust imprisonment are unbearable and inhumane. As hard as it is, I urge you to read Reza’s piece below—we must tell Nasrin’s story and not forget her courageous struggle for human rights.

For equality,

Kathy Spillar
Executive Editor