Bright Light. Big Smile. Her Name Was Debrina Kawam.
The story of the woman set alight on the New York subway is a reminder that everyone, even when they’re anonymous, is a somebody.
Women Are Syria’s Best Hope for Lasting Peace. Will They Be Heard?
For years, Syrian women have fought to be heard in international negotiations. They aren’t about to give up ground now.
'Ahh! Do I Have To?'— And Other New Year's Resolution Dilemmas
Read faster. Be present. Get organized. Choose joy. Eat this. Avoid that. Save money. Take risks. Make friends. Here’s a thought: Maybe you’re already just right, just as you are.
Giving Women the Last Word Since 2024
Our editor Francesca Donner looks back at The Persistent’s first year.
Our Year In Books: Escape? Engage? Do Both?
The Persistent's editors round up their favorite reads of the year.
‘Women Should Have Children Instead of Poodles’—When Birth Control Came to Washington
The idea of birth control entered the national conversation in 1919, when an artist, activist, and single mother named Mary Ware Dennett brought the (quite shocking!) idea to Congress.
How Can Equality Between Genders Still Be Up For Debate?
The Equal Rights Amendment is one of the most embattled pieces of legislation in the U.S. Supporters say it's just a question of publishing the damn thing.
Two Friends, One Diagnosis: This Is a Love Story
When Kat Alexander started looping through cycles of mania, it was her best friend, Mara Altman, who came to the rescue.
As the Trial of ‘Mr. Every Man’ Draws to a Close, France Debates ‘Intent’ vs. ‘Consent’
The Pelicot trial pits the notion of intent against the concept of consent. The outcome could alter how these kinds of cases are handled in the future.
What Taylor Swift Taught Me About Aging
No age is the right age to be a woman. Unless, of course, you're Taylor Swift.
'It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.' Wait, Is It?
Women take on almost all of the additional responsibilities during the holidays. Our cartoonist looks at the data.
Do Australia's Efforts to Protect Kids Online Go Far Enough?
Is passing an imperfect law really worse than not doing anything at all?
A Rash On My Face Made Me Reassess My Relationship With Makeup. Here’s What I Learned.
Can you wear makeup and still call yourself a feminist?
Permission to Fail
Failing is as much a part of freelancing as bragging about working from home in pajamas. But we don't all fail equally.
What Is It About Boobs?
Some people like flowers on their homewares. Some like cute animals. I like boobs.
Could Advertising Be An Activist Tool?
How do you sponsor something that apparently nobody wants to see? You trick them into it.
Designers Are Taught to Think of Their Work as Neutral. It’s Not.
Feminist design can show up in anything from the apps we use to the healthcare we receive. The issue is prioritizing it.
'Now It's Over, I Don't Feel Any Better At All’
The short film, “Incompatible,” tells the story of a pregnant-working class woman making an all-but-impossible choice.
Not Ladylike to Laugh? Oh, Please.
For men to be funny, women don’t have to be unfunny. Both may chuckle.
On Tuesday, Signs of Progress, Too
While all eyes were on Donald Trump's win, sure signs of progress emerged on Tuesday, too.
What Went Wrong for Kamala Harris?
In the end, it wasn't even a close-won race. Did the Harris campaign get it wrong—or did the Trump side spot something the Democrats didn't?
The Day After the Big Day
This isn’t the note I was hoping to write. Harris lost. Trump won.
As America Votes Harris vs. Trump, One Woman’s Legacy Looms Especially Large
How Shirley Chisholm, who ran for president against all odds, forever altered the landscape for women in U.S. politics.
‘Blame Women’—How the Trump Campaign Is Courting Voters...and Donors
With hours to go before voting begins, the Trump campaign is trying new tactics to establish a MAGA future—and many of those attack women.
How Angry Should Women Voters Be?
The journalist Jessica Valenti chronicles the pro-life movement in forensic detail in her new book. Ahead of the election, she says, voters need to get angry.