In the News
December 20, 2023
This article, published on Ms. magazine in December 2023, highlights the takeaways from RepresentWomen's 2023 Gender Parity Index report. Read the except below:
Ms. readers are fed up.
Fed up with anti-abortion lawmakers and extremists who, feeling empowered after the fall of Roe, keep coming up with new ways to try to control our bodies. Fed up that even though anti-abortion activists got their wish, it proved not to be enough—so they decided to come for birth control and contraception, too.
Fed up that Donald Trump and his apologists continue their efforts to dismantle U.S. democracy and the rule of law, while a small but loud portion of the country cheers them on.
Fed up that in the year 2023, they’re still trying to tell us what we can and can’t do to our own bodies.
Fed up that 100 years since the Equal Rights Amendment was first introduced in Congress, we are still fighting to have the now-ratified amendment added to the U.S. Constitution as the 28th Amendment.
Fed up with unrealistic expectations hoisted upon women both at work and at home, and a patriarchal society that tries to convince us we are not smart enough, not likable enough, not pretty enough, not good enough. Fed up with the class of men who undermine and attack us when we get too powerful for their liking.
Fed up that we are still trying to convince lawmakers that policies associated with women and families—like paid leave and affordable childcare—are actually good for the entire population, as well as the economy.
Fed up with those who insist they know better than us how to keep our families safe, happy and healthy.
Fed up with the torrent of state legislation attacking public education, higher education, gender, race and sexuality studies, activism and social justice in education, and diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Fed up with those in public office who know exactly how to press a hot-button issue to divide and separate us—so we don’t realize just how powerful we are.
You know how I know? Your reading patterns.
I know we are tired. I’m tired too. But I’m so glad you brought those big feelings to Ms. And just know: Your rage, your activism and your voice are making a difference. I channel the powerful words of the late bell hooks to remind us all: “On one hand we’re being told that feminism failed, but if it failed, why do people want to go back and take away some basic successes of the movement?”
The stories below are the most popular articles published this year on MsMagazine.com—measured by page views, average time spent on each page, times shared and a few other technical measures.
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9.How Does Your State Rank on Women’s Political Representation? Top Takeaways from the 2023 Gender Parity Index
The RepresentWomen team released the 2023 Gender Parity Index, an annual report outlining the status of women’s representation in the 50 states. Each year, using data from local, state and national office, we assign all 50 states a gender parity score, letter grade and ranking, according to their proximity to parity.
Ten years after the GPI first launched, Maine and Oregon have both achieved an “A” for the first time, 24 states are split evenly between “Bs” and “Cs,” and 23 states have earned a “D.” Louisiana is the only failing state.
Read the full article here.
