At the beginning of 2024, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a $78 billion tax legislation that included the expanded CTC, but this has since stalled in the Senate. Giving unconditional cash to mothers showed us just how transformative unrestricted financial aid and support for mothers can be—so why don’t we sustain these kinds of investments in families? The post The Ultimate Mother’s Day Gift? Systemic Support for All Mothers appeared first on Ms. Magazine ..read more

Each month, we provide Ms. readers with a list of new books being published by writers from historically excluded groups. The 24 books on my list this month are certain to help you to strategize, reenergize and mobilize.  The post May 2024 Reads for the Rest of Us appeared first on Ms. Magazine ..read more

When I became a registered nurse two decades ago, I chose to work at my local Catholic hospital: Ascension Via Christi St. Francis in Wichita, Kansas. This Mother’s Day provides a bleak reminder of the stark contrast between my Catholic employer’s public image and the reality inside its hospitals. Ascension is one of the largest and wealthiest nonprofit and Catholic hospital systems in the United States. Ascension cut a quarter of its labor and delivery units, just in the last decade. The Catholic health ministry boasts the mission of giving “special attention to those who are poor and vulnera ..read more

This Mother’s Day—like the countless that have come before it—conservative politicians who fancy themselves members of the party that upholds “family values” will send out social media posts praising the moms among us. They’ll wax poetic about the “decision” to become a mother and how it’s the “most selfless, most important job in the world.” Some may even go so far as to task their speech writers with crafting some moving message about how vital mothers are; how we’re raising the next generation of prolific thinkers and world leaders; how we should be revered “not just today, but every day ..read more

The misrepresentation and erasure of single/lone mom’s on Mother’s Day happens right before our eyes, surrounds us—and yet can be impossible for some to truly see.  What’s being ignored here is an opportunity to speak directly to single/lone moms who construct their own days and lives—who buy their own Mother’s Day presents. Moms who, depending on the age and situation and ability of their children, do not wake up to breakfast in bed or presents from others. Mothers who celebrate themselves. Or are learning to. The post Why Do Single Moms Still Get Erased on Mother’s Day? appear ..read more

Weekend Reading for Women's Representation is a compilation of stories about women's representation.  This week: Join RepresentWomen as we thank our mothers on Mother’s Day. Discover El’ona Kearny, aspiring to become Washington State’s first Black woman governor, and civil rights icon Opal Lee hailed as "The Mother of Juneteenth." Explore the benefits of ranked-choice voting and how it can enhance presidential primary elections, and delve into the challenges facing our public schools as First Lady Jill Biden honors teachers for Teacher Appreciation Week. Finally, we celebrate the success ..read more

Being a working mom of children doing virtual school during the pandemic, also in the middle of a graduate degree, and suddenly caring for a delusional and aggressive senior parent, while being forced to educate every single business on what guardianship legally appointed me to do was overwhelming. Why do businesses expect a senior citizen diagnosed with an irreversible disease of the mind to make financial or health decisions? Why wasn’t the court order enough? Because a woman with legal power isn’t enough.  Working mothers and adult daughters who make up the majority of the sa ..read more

In this three-part American Autocracy series, we track Trump’s comments on feminist issues. This installment: Trump’s previous comments on gay and trans rights make him a clear threat to the LGBTQ+ community. The post American Autocracy: Tracking Trump’s Threats to Gender-Affirming Care and the LGBTQ+ Community appeared first on Ms. Magazine ..read more

Though there has been significant improvements in maternal and early childhood nutrition throughout Ghana, it remains a major challenge for families. About 24 percent of children under 5 face some sort of malnutrition. Many women and caregivers have limited knowledge and access to information about child feeding practices or how to prepare nutritious foods. Meet three women who are driving change for women and children in their community.  The post Mother to Mother: Three Women in Rural Ghana Who Are Transforming Early Childhood Nutrition appeared first on Ms. Magazine ..read more

Black women in the U.S. face a unique double-bind when it comes to maternal mortality and femicide. Black maternal health isn’t just about perinatal care; it intersects with racial and reproductive justice, and it’s part of the nexus of gun violence and domestic violence. Focusing on this intersection should drive overwhelming support from both reproductive and racial justice communities working toward solutions.  The post The Twin Demons of Maternal Mortality and Femicide appeared first on Ms. Magazine ..read more