The Troubling History of ‘Physical Descriptions’ of Women in the News
Michael Stone, TIME
March is Women’s History Month, and, as a part of its coverage, the staff at TIME magazine spotlights a unique bias that once faced women in the public eye — the publication of their weight (and height and hair color) in news articles. Newspapers from the 1940s, ‘50s and early ‘60s often included irrelevant descriptions like “New York-born co-ed. 5ft. 7in. tall and 125 lbs.” Stone explains that the shift away from such practices has been gradual — and, indeed, still occurs on occasion, albeit in more subtle language. It’s an interesting, if somewhat sobering, read.
My Gen X Hillary Problem: I Know Why We Don’t ‘Like’ Clinton
Hana Schank, Salon
A generational divide among American Democratic women has been a subject of hot discussion during the 2016 Presidential primary elections, with many older women preferring Hillary Clinton and many younger women gravitating to Bernie Sanders. Schank, a female tech entrepreneur, finds herself in the middle — both in regard to age and political leanings. Though she initially liked Sanders, “as a member of Generation X, I’ve lived through enough to understand that if Hillary were a man she’d be the front-runner hands-down,” she asserts. Simultaneously examining the subtleties of sexism in politics and her in own experiences in the tech industry, Schank provides great food for thought.
Tina Fey Goes To War
Mary Kaye Schilling, Town & Country
Who doesn’t love Tina Fey? Witty, successful, strong, feminist — she’s idol material, to be sure. That’s why we loved this in-depth interview, in which Fey talks with Schilling about everything from aging in Hollywood to the annoying questions only women comics seem to field from reporters. Fey also talks plainly about Hollywood’s gender wage gap: “The boys are still getting more money for a lot of garbage, while the ladies are hustling and doing amazing work for less.” If you’re a fan of Fey — and really, who isn’t? — you’ll enjoy this colorful sit-down with her.
Meet the Woman Behind the Supreme Court’s High-Stakes Abortion Case
Lauren Kelley, Rolling Stone
Earlier this week, the U.S. Supreme Court began hearing oral arguments in the case of Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt, which considers the constitutionality of HB2, Texas’ restrictive anti-abortion law. To better understand what’s at stake, Kelley sat down with Amy Hagstrom Miller, the CEO of Whole Woman’s Health. The law has caused many clinics to close, leading to long wait times for abortion services and pushing some women to “take matters into their own hands,” she says. And if HB2 stands, “What’s happening in Texas won’t stay in Texas.” This interview sheds light on what it’s like to be a Texas woman seeking an abortion — and the most important abortion case in years.
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