On The Issues With Michele Goodwin

In this episode, Dr. Goodwin breaks down what the latest Supreme Court ruling on voting rights actually says and what it doesn't, and of course, it means everyone's hair is on fire.  Given that this Supreme Court has tried in every way possible to make it more difficult for people to vote, dismantling the Voting Rights Act, an act that had been supported over the years by both Republicans and also Democrats, what hot mess is n...

Today, we take a moment to pause to recognize the incredible life the indefatigable, beautiful, talented, wise Dolly Rebecca Parton Dean, who passed away on August 25th, 2026, at the age of 80. She was a philanthropist, singer, songwriter, actress. Good person. And a person who stood for the civil liberties and civil rights of others, the most vulnerable of Americans.

For us at Ms. magazine, we know that a true hero has passed on. A...

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 governanc...

In this special episode of On The Issues, Dr. Michele Goodwin records live before a packed audience in Washington, D.C. at Georgetown University to review and analyze the Supreme Court's 2025-2026 term.  This Supreme Court's term included major decisions related to birthright citizenship, immigration, tariffs, voting rights, and the reach of presidential authority. 

She is joined by esteemed guests, including:

-Erwin Chemer...

At Ms. Studios and Ms. Magazine, we have long recognized that reproductive justice is not a matter that begins and ends with pregnancy.  Rather the call for reproductive justice endures after birth, into childhood, and teenage years for so many mothers, especially Black mothers.  Mamie Till Mobley comes to mind—the mother of Emmett Till.  Emmett was murdered just after his 14th birthday in drew, Mississippi.&nb...

In this episode of On The Issues, we confront American democracy on fire.  How did we get here and who lit the match? In a 6-3 decision in Louisiana v. Callais, the United States Supreme Court gutted a fundamental provision of the 1965 Voting Rights Act (VRA), landmark legislation enacted by Congress at the height of the civil rights movement to eradicate entrenched patterns of voter suppression and promote equality at the bal...

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 ad...

Last week, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Trump v. Barbara—a landmark case that seeks to fundamentally rewrite the substance and meaning of one of the most important provisions of the Constitution: birthright citizenship. In this special episode of On the Issues, Dr. Goodwin unpacks Trump’s attack on birthright citizenship, which is widely recognized as one of the Constitution’s most fundamental rights ...

Two hundred and fifty years ago, a small group of men declared that “all men are created equal,” casting a vision of liberty that has shaped the American imagination ever since. But even as they debated freedom in Philadelphia, women were writing, organizing, governing, resisting and insisting on their place within the nation taking form. 

As Ms. launches a new series on our country's Founding Feminists this month, ...

Menopause will affect most women during their lifetime—but until fairly recently, it was a topic largely relegated to the shadows. More and more, advocates are calling for the spotlight to be put on menopause—highlighting not just the important health issues at play, but the ways in which they affect diverse populations, from Black and brown women to queer and trans people to incarcerated people and more. 

Omisade B...

Pregnancy loss is devastating. Yet despite how common it is, the grief experienced after pregnancy loss remains largely unspoken, shrouded in silence and shame. How do you support someone who’s gone through such an unimaginable loss? In this episode, Dr. Goodwin is joined by two special guests to delve specifically into how creative expression and clinical care can offer support to those affected by pregnancy loss.

Joining me ...

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 Winter 2026 issue, which delves into the promise and potential of the abortion medication Mifepristone—which has been shown to treat a striking range of diseases and conditions including fibroids, breast cancer, depression, endometriosis and more. Also in ...

Mifepristone, one of the drugs in the two-pill medication abortion regimen approved by the Food and Drug Administration, is an extremely versatile drug. It has the potential to treat a striking range of diseases and conditions—from fibroids, breast cancer, depression, and endometriosis, to autoimmune diseases such as chronic fatigue syndrome and multiple sclerosis, according to scientists. Research also suggests that it could...

It’s been a harrowing year for many families. The Trump administration’s budget cuts are giving tax breaks to billionaires at the expense of funding healthy meals for students experiencing food insecurity; legislatures are banning books and attacking LGBTQ+ students; and immigration crackdowns are leaving many students afraid to go to school at all. Families have had a lot to be worried about—more than just tests ...

In the year since the Trump administration returned to office, there have been hundreds of executive orders, many of which district courts have ruled unconstitutional and illegal. As judges have noted, these actions have caused direct harm to Americans all across the country. And hard-hitting attorneys general have fought back. There are now over 450 lawsuits against the Trump administration, and in many of them district courts hav...

Content warning: this episode contains discussions of sexual assault. 

In July, the Justice Department released a controversial report about Jeffrey Epstein. Now with the release of over 23,000 files associated with Epstein, questions are being raised about the scope and scale of this sex trafficking ring and its connections to power. The House Oversight Committee has yet to hear testimony from Epstein survivors, despite urging...

Content warning: this episode contains discussions of sexual assault. 

Over the past several months, the Epstein files have been extensively covered by the media. But too often,  the voices of actual survivors are missing. In this episode, we’re filling that gap and shifting the focus to where it belongs: to the survivors and what justice means to them. Dr. Michele Goodwin is joined by Jessica Michaels, a sexual assa...

As we mark Domestic Violence Awareness month this October, we know there’s a long way to go when it comes to addressing the domestic violence crisis in our country. From pandemic-era spikes in violence to the Trump administration’s recent budget cuts and their impact on support for women and girls experiencing domestic violence, how are advocates and policy experts addressing the ongoing crisis? 

Helping us to sort ...