In this special episode, Dr. Goodwin is on the road, broadcasting from Amsterdam, the Netherlands.  She's joined by Dutch physician and reproductive rights activist and pioneer, Dr. Rebecca Gomperts, founder of Women on Waves—an organization that took to the seas to provide women abortions and reproductive healthcare.  They unpack victories and the horrors—including Dr. Gomperts' boat being seized, chained, and crew being held by gunpoint.  They also unpack what comes next for abortion, including self-managed abortion and telehealth.

Joining us for this episode is very special guest:

Dr. Rebecca Gomperts. Dr. Gomperts is a Dutch physician and an activist for reproductive health, rights, and justice. She is the founder of Women on Waves, a Dutch organization that brings reproductive health services, and particularly non-surgical abortion services and education, to women in countries with restrictive abortion laws.

Check out this episode’s landing page at MsMagazine.com for a full transcript, links to articles referenced in this episode, further reading and ways to take action.

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Report after report has shown that sexual harassment and assault are pervasive throughout the U.S. armed forces: at least 15.7 percent of military personnel and veterans reported military sexual trauma, a number that is likely smaller than the actual total due to shame and fear around reporting. What’s more, perpetrators are rarely if ever held accountable: according to a recent ProPublica investigation, more than half of the 900 soldiers who were allowed to leave the Army in the past decade rather than go to trial were accused of violent crimes.

But in the face of a culture that silences and disenfranchises women and survivors, some women are speaking out—and demanding change. One of them is our very special guest,

Melissa McCafferty: Melissa McCafferty is a former Lieutenant with the United States Coast Guard, where she served for 12 years. After being sexually assaulted while in the Coast Guard Academy, she has since become an advocate for military sexual assault victims, including testifying in front of Congress earlier this year. She recently received her JD from Georgetown University Law Center, and serves as a Young Lawyer Representative at the American Bar Association Section of Antitrust Law.

Check out this episode’s landing page at MsMagazine.com for a full transcript, links to articles referenced in this episode, further reading and ways to take action.

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In this episode, we continue our Collateral Damage series—where we’re thinking about women during wartime, and the unique price they pay. As various wars and conflicts continue to mount around the world, from Ukraine to Gaza, to Sudan and beyond, we’re wondering: where are the women at the negotiating table? The number of women and girls living in conflict-affected countries continues to mount, reaching 614 million people in 2022—a 50-percent increase from 2017. What do governments and NGOs need to do to make sure that women’s needs do not fall through the cracks?

Joining us for this episode is a very special guest:

Dr. Yael Braudo-Bahat: Dr. Yael Braudo-Bahat is the co-director of Women Wage Peace, an Israel-based organization with the goal of empowering women from diverse communities to build trust across divides, leading in turn to a unified demand for diplomatic negotiation, with full representation of women, to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. 

Check out this episode’s landing page at MsMagazine.com for a full transcript, links to articles referenced in this episode, further reading and ways to take action.

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This episode marks the first in a new On the Issues series: “Collateral Damage.” In these episodes, we probe where news typically falls off, and its neglect of the impact of war on women. The crises of sexual violence they face, which is a deliberate tactic in war. We examine maternal and reproductive health, the role of women in peacekeeping, and so much more. 

In this episode, we start with health and why it's sacred and must be protected even in war, delving into issues of bioethics and health care during conflict. In times of war, who protects the patients, the mothers, the babies?  Are there bridges too far that shouldn't be crossed, even in war? 

Joining us to discuss these crucial matters is a very special guest:

Larry Gostin: Professor Larry Gostin co-directs the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law and is a  university professor and the Founding O’Neill Chair in Global Health Law at Georgetown University. He is also the Director of the World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Center on National and Global Health Law. 

Check out this episode’s landing page at MsMagazine.com for a full transcript, links to articles referenced in this episode, further reading and ways to take action.

Tips, suggestions, pitches? Get in touch with us at [email protected]. 

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Check out this episode’s landing page at MsMagazine.com for a full transcript, links to articles referenced in this episode, further reading and ways to take action.

Tips, suggestions, pitches? Get in touch with us at [email protected]. 

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On this week’s episode, we’re continuing our series unpacking the litigation and criminal charges that have been levied at former president Donald Trump: The Trump Indictments. But these indictments don’t just include former president Donald Trump—they also include co-conspirators. Who are they—and what do their cases mean for the case against Trump as a whole?

Joining us to discuss these issues is our very special returning guest—who’s had a front-row seat to the entire controversy:

Prof. Anthony Michael Kreis: Anthony Michael Kreis is a professor of law and political science with Georgia State University. His research examines the relationship between social change and the law, focusing on the relationship between American political history and the development of law over time.

Check out this episode’s landing page at MsMagazine.com for a full transcript, links to articles referenced in this episode, further reading and ways to take action.

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Fifty years ago, hip-hop emerged from a party in the rec room of a Bronx building—and a new sound was born--one with roots in African music, but with its own vibe and messaging.  Since its first iterations, women have played significant roles in the creation and evolution of hip-hop: as rappers, DJs, producers, breakdancers, graffiti artists, scholars, journalists and more.   Women have been key innovators and rebels in hip-hop, creating new sounds, pushing back against marginalization, and speaking up when others try to push them down.

Michele Goodwin and her two guests break down the past, present and future of hip-hop, and the crucial role of women in this timeline. Michele is joined by: 

• Drew Dixon: a producer, writer, activist, entrepreneur and former A&R executive, who spearheaded the recording of iconic songs like “American Boy” (Estelle f. Kanye West), “My Love Is Your Love” (Whitney Houston), “Maria Maria” (Carlos Santana), “I’ll Be There For You” (Method Man f. Mary J. Blige) and many more. In January of 2020, Dixon appeared as the main subject of On the Record, a documentary released in May of 2020 on HBO Max that documents Dixon’s decision to come forward in the #MeToo movement as a survivor of sexual harassment and assault in the music industry. Dixon is also featured in the 2023 Netflix documentary, Ladies First, and is set to appear on a special plenary on women and hip-hop at this year’s annual National Women’s Studies Association Conference, co-sponsored by Ms. A graduate of Stanford University and Harvard Business School, Dixon lives in Brooklyn, N.Y., with her two teenagers. 
• Janell Hobson: a contributing editor at Ms., Hobson spearheaded iconic the Ms. series "Turning 50: Looking Back at the Women in Hip-Hop" and "Tubman 200” in honor of what would have been Harriet Tubman’s 200th birthday. Hobson is a professor of women's, gender and sexuality studies at the University at Albany and the author of When God Lost Her Tongue: Historical Consciousness and the Black Feminist Imagination. 

(This episode is part of “Turning 50,” which recognizes the women who shaped hip-hop through articles in print and online, a public syllabus highlighting women and hip-hop, Spotify playlists, and digital conversations with “hip-hop feminists” in music, journalism and academics.)

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On this week’s episode, we’re continuing our series unpacking the litigation and criminal charges that have been levied at former president Donald Trump: The Trump Indictments. Earlier this month, Trump was indicted once again—this time, on 13 charges related to his role in interfering with the 2020 election results in Georgia. The case marks the former president’s fourth indictment, and over 90 charges of criminal activity. He turned himself in to authorities in Fulton County, Georgia on Thursday, August 24. 

Prior to the release of the Georgia indictments, we spoke with professor Anthony Michael Kreis about why the case matters—and what it means for the rest of the cases currently being leveled against the former president. 

Joining us to discuss this important issue is a very special guest: 

Prof. Anthony Michael Kreis: Anthony Michael Kreis is a professor of law and political science with Georgia State University. His research examines the relationship between social change and the law, focusing on the relationship between American political history and the development of law over time.

Check out this episode’s landing page at MsMagazine.com for a full transcript, links to articles referenced in this episode, further reading and ways to take action.

Tips, suggestions, pitches? Get in touch with us at [email protected]. 

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In this episode, we continue our series: The Trump Indictments, unpacking the civil and criminal charges alleging that the former president Donald Trump engaged in illegal activities. In early June 2023, for the second time in two months, Trump was indicted—this time on 37 felony counts for allegedly mishandling sensitive, classified government materials and obstruction of justice. What does this most recent indictment mean for Trump, the 2024 elections, and the future of American democracy as a whole?

Joining us to discuss this important issue is our very special, returning guest: 

Leah Litman. Leah Litman is a professor of law at the University of Michigan Law School, where she teaches and writes on constitutional law, federal post-conviction review, and federal sentencing. She is the co-founder of Women Also Know Law—a searchable database of women and non-binary people who have academic appointments in law—and is one of the co-hosts and creators of the popular “Strict Scrutiny” podcast, which focuses on the Supreme Court.

Check out this episode’s landing page at MsMagazine.com for a full transcript, links to articles referenced in this episode, further reading and ways to take action.

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In this episode, we’re celebrating and recognizing Juneteenth.  However, in 2023, Juneteenth marks the continued struggle toward racial justice and constitutional equality.  From voter suppression to book bans that target Black, Indigenous, and LGBTQ+ authors—this Juneteenth offers much to think about. 

In the face of these bans, and as we celebrate Juneteenth, it's more important than ever to remember our American history—because these bans aren’t just attacks on critical race theory or women’s studies. They’re attacks on democracy and the First Amendment itself.

Joining us for this episode is a very special guest: 

Ann Beard Grundy. She is a civil rights activist and the daughter of Reverend Beard, born while her father was the pastor of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama which was bombed on Sunday, September 15 1963 in a white supremacist attack that took the lives of four girls: Edie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley, Carol Robertson and Denise McNair. 

Check out this episode’s landing page at MsMagazine.com for a full transcript, links to articles referenced in this episode, further reading and ways to take action.

Tips, suggestions, pitches? Get in touch with us at [email protected]. 

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