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In a Time of Backlash, the Combahee River Collective Still Shows the Way
Combahee was born in response to the murders of 12 Black women in Boston at a time when racial violence had a pernicious vice-hold over the city. When so many Black feminist icons of their generation
Teri Johnson Celebrates Black Icons With Harlem Perfume Co.
Welcome to Behind The Beauty. Here, we highlight Black women in beauty who are taking the industry by storm and making history in their own right. Everyone from rising beauty […] The post Teri Johnson
Wash N’ Go Guide For 4C Hair This Spring
It’s a harmful myth that a wash n’ go isn’t for 4C hair. Or worse, the texturist claim that our natural hair doesn’t look “done.” “The wash n’ go is […] The post Wash N’ Go Guide For 4C Hair This Spri
We Need a Word for What’s Happening to Jewish Women
Ever since I’ve been writing about slut-shaming, I’ve been called a slut and a whore. In the 1990s, the age of doorstopper phone books (the kind with white pages and yellow pages), I received alarming
Could This Be the Last Women’s History Month?
Since 1987, the United States has celebrated Women’s History Month every March. We have used this month to correct the record. To make sure that the women who built this nation—who are often systemati
Adding It Up 2024: What the Latest Data Mean for Policy, Funding and Advocacy
Adding It Up 2024: What the Latest Data Mean for Policy, Funding and Advocacy sramashwar March 27, 2026
Government to Investigate States That Require Insurers to Cover Abortion Care
Plus: Olympics ban trans women from women's events, requires genetic testing; and Colorado pioneers a creative legal strategy to protect abortion. The post Government to Investigate States That Requir
The War on Our Bodies Is a War on Democracy
It is essential to zero in on abortion rights and the array of attacks happening in real time throughout this country. The headlines may not always be above the fold, but that doesn’t make the reality
The key arguments in the birthright citizenship case
On April 1, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in one of the highest-profile cases of the 2025-26 term – and indeed, one of the biggest cases in several […] The post The key arguments in the b
SCOTUStoday for Friday, March 27
As you might have seen yesterday, we have a favor to ask those of you who are in the legal profession: Could you fill out this brief survey about your […] The post SCOTUStoday for Friday, March 27 app
No, Abortion Pills Are Not Poisoning Your Drinking Water
Opinion: A new GOP bill would require patients to collect their “medical waste” after a medication abortion, supposedly to protect the environment. That’s deliberate, strategic disinformation. The pos
A composer brings music, joy and trans visibility to her church
There are congregations that would brand her a sinner. But here at St. Cecilia’s Roman Catholic Church in Boston, Rachel Burckardt gives voice to the angels. She’s 71, transgender, a civil engineer by
Mariah Carey’s Glamorous Beauty Moments
The elusive chanteuse, Mariah Carey, isn’t just known for her five-octave vocal range. She’s also the blueprint for glamour and has been setting trends for decades. From butterfly clips and […] The po
They protested at No Kings. Now they’re running for office.
Kendra Sullivan was at her family’s cabin in the Allegheny Highlands region in late October “just planning on having a low-key country weekend.” But the cabin has internet, so messages kept coming in
Dolores Huerta feared speaking about her abuse for years. The farmworkers she advocates for understand.
Every survivor of sexual assault is forced to make a calculation: What are the repercussions if they speak out? Dolores Huerta felt the weight of the entire labor rights movement, which she feared wou
The Horrors That Could Lie Ahead if Vaccines Vanish
The post The Horrors That Could Lie Ahead if Vaccines Vanish appeared first on ProPublica .
Tank vs. Tyrese: Breaking Down the Verzuz Battle Between R&B Kings
There’s a particular kind of memory that R&B holds — one that doesn’t just live in the mind, but in the body. It’s in the way a song lingers long […] The post Tank vs. Tyrese: Breaking Down the Verzuz
Why the manosphere reveres the ‘Pilates girl’
On the most recent season of Netflix’s reality dating behemoth “Love is Blind,” Chris Fusco, a 33-year-old account executive and Army veteran, joined the legions of men who have left this show as vill
India’s Transgender Rights Bill a Huge Setback
Click to expand Image A protest against the transgender rights bill passed in Parliament, in Mumbai, India, March 25, 2026. © 2026 AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool India’s parliament passed a bill this week tha
6 key insights to help fight abortion stigma from our 2025 research
The post 6 key insights to help fight abortion stigma from our 2025 research appeared first on Ipas .
Telehealth Abortions Increased in States that Ban Abortion in 2025: Report
A new Guttmacher Institute report found that as more people accessed care virtually, fewer traveled across state lines for abortion access. The post Telehealth Abortions Increased in States that Ban A
Pat Cleveland Discusses Her Beauty Philosophy
In Authentically Aging, ESSENCE sits down with trailblazing Black women over 40 to discuss how they nurture their radiance. Each interview explores the sacred beauty rituals, unapologetic style, and e
Cardi B Went All Natural For Jimmy Fallon
Cardi B agrees with Beyoncé. Just because you wear wigs doesn’t mean you don’t have healthy—or long—hair underneath. And, just weeks before Cardi B’s new haircare brand Grow-Good Beauty officially […]
Why E. Marie Is The Black-Owned Luxe Brand You Need For Your Spring Travels
Eula Smith spent more than two decades at Nordstrom, steadily rising through senior leadership before making the bold decision to step away and invest in herself. She first launched EMS […] The post W
Megan Thee Stallion Stunned In Blonde Updo At ‘Moulin Rouge’ After Party
The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is how to master an updo. On Tuesday night, after Megan Thee Stallion made her broadway debut in Moulin Rouge! The Musical, she still […] The post Megan Thee Stall
She Wanted to Be Free: Black Women’s Revolutionary Resistance
Ona Judge was one of at least nine enslaved people owned by George and Martha Washington. At the end of Washington's presidency, the first family prepared to return to Mount Vernon, their Virginia pla
Brady violations, child abduction, qualified immunity, and confessions of error
The Relist Watch column examines cert petitions that the Supreme Court has “relisted” for its upcoming conference. A short explanation of relists is available here. This week, the Supreme Court starte
We Did the Reading. Fascism Came Anyway (Podcast)
The education was real. The learning was real. So why didn't institutions move? Imani doesn't have a clean answer. That's the whole point. The post We Did the Reading. Fascism Came Anyway (Podcast) ap
Meet Marvina Robinson, The First Black American Woman To Own A Champagne Brand
Women’s History Month is an important time to celebrate women of our past who have fearlessly opened doors and left undeniable marks throughout various industries. We thank them for the […] The post M
Trans gun owners didn’t feel safe at the range. So they built their own.
This story originally appeared in The Buckeye Flame. On a chilly February afternoon, Fifi carries mugs filled with Mexican hot chocolate across their family farm in Lorain County, Ohio. A goat watches
For These Black Women, Planning For Death Is The Ultimate Act Of Care
Death and legacy planning rarely enter everyday conversation. Wills, life insurance policies, medical directives, and funeral arrangements are often postponed until a crisis strikes. However, for many
Meet Arana Hankin-Biggers, The Woman Behind One Of New York’s Most Coveted Cannabis Dispensaries
Pioneering in a space that has historically disenfranchised Black people can feel aspirational for most. But for Arana Hankin-Biggers, it is a feat born of a lifelong commitment to excellence […] The
‘I can’t keep up:’ Many single moms were struggling to get by. Then gas prices shot up.
The rise in gas prices happened so quickly, single mom Luna Rosado has barely had time to adjust. Rosado fills her tank twice a week to commute to her two health care jobs and shuttle her three kids
An OB-GYN Was Repeatedly Accused of Sexual Misconduct. The State Medical Board Let Him Keep Practicing.
The post An OB-GYN Was Repeatedly Accused of Sexual Misconduct. The State Medical Board Let Him Keep Practicing. appeared first on ProPublica .
“This Is What It Means to Be Minnesotan”: Why My Neighbors Continue to Stand Up Against ICE
The post “This Is What It Means to Be Minnesotan”: Why My Neighbors Continue to Stand Up Against ICE appeared first on ProPublica .
This Sheriff Says His Department Eliminated Racial Bias. Data Shows Otherwise.
The post This Sheriff Says His Department Eliminated Racial Bias. Data Shows Otherwise. appeared first on ProPublica .
Middle East Conflict: Rhetoric, Actions Flout Laws of War
Click to expand Image Contrails from Israeli fighter jets in the sky over Tyre, Lebanon, March 24, 2026. © 2026 Fabio Bucciarelli/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images (New York, March 26, 2026) – T
Reproductive coercion is a serious violation of bodily autonomy
Reproductive coercion is a serious violation of bodily autonomy sramashwar March 25, 2026
Minnesota Kicks Off Legal Battle With Trump Administration to Hold ICE Shooters Accountable
The post Minnesota Kicks Off Legal Battle With Trump Administration to Hold ICE Shooters Accountable appeared first on ProPublica .
Creators for Change Council: Building Narrative Power in Real Time
We are in a moment where culture is being shaped in real time—and too often, the narratives about Black women are defined without us. At In Our Own Voice, we believe that must change. The post Creator
Brooke DeVard Gets Ready for the Moment in H&M at Black Women in Hollywood
At ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood, every detail matters from the conversations that shape culture to the way we choose to show up in the room. For Brooke DeVard, getting […] The post Brooke DeVard G
The End of Roe v. Wade Didn’t Start the Crisis—It Revealed It
The overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022 changed the entire landscape of abortion access and simultaneously revealed the inequities and fault lines operating during the Roe era. When Roe Fell considers
Meta and YouTube ordered to pay $3 million to young woman in social media addiction trial
After nine days of deliberation, a Los Angeles jury found Google and Meta liable for harms stemming from the design of their social media products on Wednesday and ordered them to pay $3 million in co
When the fight for equality comes at survivors’ expense
This column first appeared in The Amendment, a newsletter by Errin Haines, The 19th’s editor-at-large. Subscribe today to get early access to her analysis. For decades, Dolores Huerta kept a secret sh
Georgia mother released on bond as judge questions abortion-related murder charge
A Coastal Georgia district attorney and a Superior Court judge said Monday they were doubtful that enough evidence exists to move forward with a malice murder charge against a 31-year-old Camden Count
Equal Pay Is Getting Pushed Further Away. We’re Pushing Back.
Amid the celebrations of Women’s History Month, it is a bitter irony Equal Pay Day—marking how far into the year women must work to earn what men did in the previous year—has been pushed back to March
March 31, Join Ms. Live: All You Ever Wanted to Know About Menopause, From Symptoms to Systemic Reform
Despite affecting roughly half the population, menopause remains under-researched, underfunded and often stigmatized—leaving many without adequate medical guidance or institutional support. On Tuesday
The Supreme Court and voting identification
Courtly Observations is a recurring series by Erwin Chemerinsky that focuses on what the Supreme Court’s decisions will mean for the law, for lawyers and lower courts, and for people’s lives. […] The
As Deadline Looms, Many Public Health-Care Facilities Still Lack Accessible Medical Equipment
Too-high exam tables and standing weight scales can keep bigger-bodied people or those with limited mobility from getting full reproductive health care. Federal ADA guidelines from 2024 are supposed t
SCOTUStoday for Wednesday, March 25
It’s going to be another busy day at the Supreme Court, and it’s expected to start with opinion announcements. The post SCOTUStoday for Wednesday, March 25 appeared first on SCOTUSblog .
Exclusive: Dionne Warwick Reflects On Legacy As She Prepares For Final Album, ‘DWuets’
At a time when few artists can claim six decades of doing it at the highest level, Dionne Warwick is preparing to close her recording career on her own terms. […] The post Exclusive: Dionne Warwick Re
Social media is trying to sell you on lymphatic drainage massage. Is that really something you need?
You probably know about your circulatory system and your immune system. But there’s a lesser known system that helps defend against disease and works alongside the heart and vessels that pump blood th
Aretha Franklin’s Most Iconic Beauty Moments
There’s no question that Aretha Franklin is our Aries Angel. The Queen of Soul—who performed at the first ESSENCE Festival in 1995—began her career in the church. She later bellowed […] The post Areth
Abortion Provider Challenges Colorado Parental Notification Law Under 1972 ERA and 2024 Right to Abortion Amendment
As Republicans ever more relentlessly attack abortion rights in states across the country, women’s rights advocates are rediscovering underutilized state equal rights amendments (ERAs) and using newly
Feel Like You’re Sending Your Resume Into The Abyss? You’re Not Alone—Try These Moves
It’s harder than ever to get a job today, and, just the same, it’s a tough time to even land an interview or recruiter screening call. A few things have […] The post Feel Like You’re Sending Your Res
In D.C., Black Workers Are Losing Jobs At The Highest Rates
The labor market has been on a weakening streak since early 2025. Amid the mayhem, layoffs hit highs, women were pushed out of the workforce in droves, and Black women […] The post In D.C., Black Work
Young women feel left behind under Trump’s economy
Concerned. Nervous. Uncertain. Worried. Pessimistic. Bad. Those were some of the words used by young women in battleground states when asked how they felt about the direction of the United States in t
Republicans Want Tougher Mail-In Voting Rules. SCOTUS Could Deliver.
On March 24, the Supreme Court heard arguments in Watson v. the RNC , a case challenging whether states can count mail-in ballots that arrive after Election Day, if they were postmarked on or before E
Living in the Archive: How the Trump Administration Is Forcing Women’s Rights Back Into History
Every March, we look back to honor the lineage of feminist progress. But in the wake of the Trump administration’s sustained assault on women’s rights, "history" has taken on a darker meaning. This Wo