What we’re reading
Curated by May Olvera.
During the pandemic, more women must miscarry at home. As many as 50 percent of people who miscarry undergo a surgical procedure known as dilation and curettage. When the pandemic forced hospitals to focus their attention on COVID-19 cases, the emergency procedure became widely inaccessible. Although some women can miscarry safely at home, being unable to receive proper assistance has caused medical complications for others. (The New York Times, July 29)
Wage gap robs Black women in D.C. of almost $2 million over lifetime, analysis finds. Inequality in Washington, D.C., is stark and higher than the national average: A Black woman in the District would need to work until the age of 98 to make the same amount of money a White man makes by age 60. (The Washington Post, July 29)
Lost in the system: A day in the life of a homeless single mother. Navigating the welfare system often means spending entire days being sent from office to office, queue to queue, only to be told there was an error in the process and having to start all over again. That’s the case for Claudia, a 23-year-old homeless single mother who regularly has to miss school and work in order to navigate labyrinthine child and job support proceedings. (The Cut, July 30)
Trans women are still being held in men's prisons. Is changing that enough? Trans women face high rates of sexual violence when incarcerated in men’s prisons. California has proposed legislation that would require prisons to gender inmates based on their identity preferences. Although activists see the value in the legislation, some wonder if it does enough to address systemic violence against trans people. (Vice, July 30)
Oprah honors Breonna Taylor on the cover of “O Mag.” Oprah has appeared on the cover of every issue ever published of “O, the Oprah Magazine.” But for the September issue, for the first time in the magazine’s 20-year history, she is stepping aside and dedicating the cover to Breonna Taylor. “If you turn a blind eye to racism, you become an accomplice to it,” she writes. (Vulture, July 30)
🎧 Listen: The Michelle Obama podcast. In the first episode of the former first lady’s new series, she and President Barack Obama talk about what it was like growing up in tight-knit Chicago communities where people looked out for one another — and their hopes for a country that does the same. (Higher Ground and Spotify, July 29)
📺 Watch: The women of the movement: John Lewis' recognition of female civil rights leaders. As the country celebrates John Lewis’ life and his dedication to justice, women in particular are sharing stories of the kindness and solidarity he showed them during the civil rights era and within the chambers of Congress. (CBS News, July 26)
|