Backsliding Democracies and Women’s Rights in the U.S.

In 2021, the United States was designated a backsliding democracy.

According to the Global State of Democracy, the US is not the only democratic government on the decline; half of the world’s democracies are moving towards authoritarianism. Many experts argue that women’s rights and democracy go hand in hand, tying the fall of Roe and the ongoing effort to pass draconian abortion bans to the increasing shift towards authoritarianism in the United States.

But can a democracy where women have never been equal ever really thrive? How are attacks on democracy tied to gender equity? What can we learn from past fights to protect and expand women’s rights in order to chart a path forward? In honor of Ms Magazine’s 50th anniversary and the release of their new book, 50 Years of Ms.: The Best of a Pathfinding Magazine That Ignited A Revolution, join us for the first of a two part series to discuss how women’s rights are inextricably tied to the integrity and durability of the United States’ democratic institutions.