In this special episode of On the Issues: The Magazine, host Dr. Michele Bratcher Goodwin and Ms. executive editor Kathy Spillar preview Ms.’ latest issue. 

The Summer 2026 features Ms.' FEMINIST 250 project—an ambitious effort to reclaim women’s place in America’s history and imagine what a truly inclusive democracy could look like. 

From indigenous women’s early models of democratic governance and the overlooked contributions of enslaved women during the Revolution, to more than five decades of feminist organizing and journalism, Spillar argues that understanding women’s history is essential to understanding the country itself.

Goodwin and Spillar also turn to the urgent challenges facing women today, including attacks on voting rights, cuts to Medicaid and food assistance, the lack of paid leave and affordable childcare, and the broader targeting of women under the Trump administration. 

Looking ahead, they discuss bold proposals featured in the issue—from using the Equal Rights Amendment to advance reproductive and maternal health justice, to Supreme Court reform and LaTosha Brown’s proposal for a federal Department of Democracy—and what it will take to build a democracy grounded in equality and social justice.

Welcome to “The Magazine,” our mini-pod, which gives a peek into Ms. magazine’s forthcoming and current issues. In this episode, take a glimpse inside our Spring 2026 issue, which explores how U.S. federal immigration agencies have become the enforcement arm of the nation’s racism and misogyny. Also in the Winter issue: a renowned women’s rights lawyer on Iran’s deadly crackdown, how the Trump administration is leveraging legislation meant to protect clinics for political persecution, and more. Get the magazine delivered right to your mailbox!

Joining us to discuss is our very special guest: 

• Kathy Spillar is the executive director and a founder of the Feminist Majority Foundation, a national organization working for women’s equality, empowerment and non-violence, and the publisher of Ms. since 2001. She has been a driving force in executing the organizations’ diverse programs securing women’s rights both domestically and globally since its inception in 1987. She is also the executive editor of Ms. where she oversees editorial content and the Ms. in the Classroom program, and editor and contributor to 50 Years of Ms: The Best of the Pathfinding Magazine that Ignited a Revolution.

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.

Welcome to The Magazine, our mini-pod, which gives a peek into Ms. magazine's forthcoming and current issues.  In this episode, listeners hear about the Spring 2025 issue, Trump's Back--Time to Roll Up Our Sleeves as it hits newsstands.  

Hosted by Dr. Michele Bratcher Goodwin

Featured Guest: Kathy Spiller, the Executive Editor of Ms. magazine