Although the sport carries a long history, women's wrestling is now more popular than it's ever been. The sport seeks to create community after being ignored for many years, and will be featured at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. It will be in that moment in Los Angeles, under the Olympic flame, that women's and girls' wrestling will close the chapter of its trailblazing journey and launch into a modern era.

The post Women’s and Girls’ Wrestling Is Ready for Its Modern Era appeared first on Ms. Magazine.

These are women at a pinnacle of professional achievement, who are still beholden to structural barriers. This is not a sports issue. It is a feminist issue.

The post Calling Foul: Breaking Down WNBA Pay and Why It Matters appeared first on Ms. Magazine.

This week: News from Gaza, Thailand, Canada, and more.

The post Ms. Global: Starvation’s Effects on Women in Gaza, Gisele Pelicot Awarded France’s Legion of Honor, Taliban Enforces Dress Laws for Women, and More appeared first on Ms. Magazine.

This week:
—“I am deeply alarmed by news reports that Costco is refusing to sell safe, effective, and legal medication for no other reason than to appease the politics of antiabortion fanatics," said Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.).
—The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee called for Democrat-led state legislatures to pursue redistricting: “The DLCC refuses to allow Republicans to rig the maps to keep themselves in power."
—“A troubling shift is underway: Women are leaving the U.S. workforce in unprecedented numbers. But this isn't a choice; it's a consequence," warned Catalyst president and CEO Jennifer McCollum after a report showed 212,000 women have left the workforce since January.
—A third of college students have missed class because of their period.
—The Trump administration is planning to restrict coverage of abortion care for veterans in almost all circumstances.
—RFK Jr. takes aim at antidepressant use during pregnancy, despite American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' approving of their usage.
—Texas' abortion ban has made miscarriages more dangerous.
—A federal court blocked the Trump administration's restrictions on grants from the Office on Violence Against Women. Seventeen states had challenged the restrictions, and the order is a temporary win for organizations supporting survivors of domestic and sexual violence. 

… and more.

The post Keeping Score: Democrats Fight Republican Redistricting; Periods Make College Students Miss Class; Costco Refuses to Sell (Safe, Legal) Abortion Pills to Appease Antiabortion Politics appeared first on Ms. Magazine.

These bans have been successful in part because of a toxic and ruthless ecosystem of far-right influencers, like Riley Gaines, who have formed entire careers around attacking trans athletes by prioritizing hate and misinformation.

"It can be really difficult when [trans athletes] feel like they’re doing everything right … and they still don’t belong."

The post Why Anti-Trans Hate Makes a Toxic Environment for Women Athletes appeared first on Ms. Magazine.

Four years into student-athletes being able to capitalize on their NIL, 32 states have enacted their own laws. Now, there is a proposed bill before Congress, the Student Compensation and Opportunity Through Rights and Endorsements (SCORE) Act, which is designed to establish a national framework for collegiate athlete compensation, particularly as it pertains to NIL.

Something the SCORE Act doesn’t take into consideration is Title IX and gender equity. Earlier this year, the Department of Education Office of Civil Rights rescinded guidance put in place by the Biden administration, noting it was “overly burdensome” and effectively stating that Title IX, an educational statute that prohibits discrimination based on gender at any institution receiving federal funds, is inapplicable to NIL.

The post Will the SCORE Act Sideline Women Athletes? Title IX Advocates Push for NIL Protections appeared first on Ms. Magazine.

Yes, that happened. And no, it’s not harmless.

When they can’t match our talent, they reach for props. When they can’t silence us, they try to embarrass us.

In an era when women’s rights are being stripped away—when reproductive freedom, bodily autonomy and basic equality are under siege—this is not the moment to shrug off “pranks” aimed squarely at women. We are already fighting to keep our resilience and focus intact. We cannot pretend that degrading women in the public eye—particularly women who have achieved power, visibility and influence—is just part of the game. It isn’t. It’s misogyny with a juvenile laugh track.

The post Green Dildos and Fragile Egos: Misogyny’s Latest Play in Women’s Sports appeared first on Ms. Magazine.

This week:
—States continue to develop strategies to pass antiabortion laws.
—Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is still attempting to sue New York doctor Margaret Carpenter. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul responded, “Attorney General Paxton should focus more on his own private life instead of dictating the personal decisions of women across America."
—Almost 300,000 Black women left the labor force in the past three months.
—Rep. Marc Veasey (D-Texas), co-chair of the Voting Rights Caucus, is leading a bill to prevent unnecessary redistricting in between censuses.
—Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) have introduced a bill preventing the unnecessary destruction of foreign aid food, medicine and medical devices.
—The Supreme Court enabled Trump to dismantle the Department of Education.
—Trans women were banned from U.S. women's Olympic sports.
—Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) is sharing her own history with domestic abuse as part of her advocacy to support survivors: "For me, it’s just about trying to keep other people from having to go through what we did and for mothers and fathers—there are men that are victims too—to know that there are resources."
—Chef José Andrés details the policy changes needed to save millions in Gaza from starvation: "A starving human being needs food today, not tomorrow."
—Under a quarter of Americans can name a female historical figure, and only 6 percent of monuments honor women.
—South African runner Caster Semenya won her case at the European Court of Human Rights.
—After bipartisan criticism in Congress, the Trump administration will release $1.3 billion for after-school programs that has been withheld from states.
—A Kentucky appeals court agreed that Jewish woman Jessica Kalb may continue her suit against the state’s strict abortion ban, which violates her religious beliefs.

… and more.

The post Keeping Score: States Ramp Up Antiabortion Efforts; Black Women Forced Out of the Workforce; Only a Quarter of Americans Say Trump Has Helped Them appeared first on Ms. Magazine.

I’ve been fighting for gender equality for over two decades—pushing against outdated norms, challenging industries that resist change and speaking up in rooms where I wasn’t always welcome. And while I’ve seen progress, the setbacks have a way of draining your spirit.

But last week, I felt a shift in my energy.

I saw Billie Jean, the new play about Billie Jean King, at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater. And just like that, something inside me reignited.

I’m writing thisn ot to share a story about a play, but to share a truth about persistence. The path to equality is long, winding and punishing. But it is also worth every step.

The post Finding My Fight Again: How Billie Jean King Lit My Fire—Twice appeared first on Ms. Magazine.

These moments are more than symbolic—they’re part of a tradition dating back to the 1800s, when women athletes first drew large crowds and demanded change. From suffrage fundraisers to civil rights protests and fights for equal pay, women in sports have always led with courage and conviction.

“Women’s sports is for everyone / es para todos”—and fans, too, have a role to play in this collective movement for justice.

The post ‘Los Angeles Is for Everyone,’ ‘Pay Us What You Owe Us’: The Long History of Women Athletes Leading the Resistance appeared first on Ms. Magazine.