On The Issues With Michele Goodwin

In this episode, at a time where unprecedented news stories break every day, we’re re-elevating the Jeffrey Epstein files. As victims continue to come forward, and new evidence continues to emerge, the questions and demands for justice grow louder. What can we learn from the information that has been released? What will it take for the full files to be released? And how will Trump respond?  Joinin...

As families prepare to send their kids back to school this year, some parents must face a new worry: will their children make it home safely, or will they be there to greet them, at the end of the day?  Trump’s immigration crackdown is taking a toll on families across America, particularly under new guidance that allows ICE to arrest people in places where they were formerly prohibited from doing...

In this episode, host Michele Goodwin speaks directly to students, young scholars, and the next generation of leaders, and of course, the people who love them.  As she remarks, they are coming of age in a world that is complicated, challenging, and often unfair. This talk is about standing up when it's easier to look away, holding your ground when the crowd moves in a different direction, and...

Trump has been in office for 200 days. In those 200 days, important institutions core to democracy have been dismantled. The rule of law has been challenged in countless ways—increasingly violent ICE raids and disappearances, dismantling of important agencies, canceling of funding for public broadcasts, significant rollbacks of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI)  initiatives, draconian cuts to...

Not even a year into the second Trump administration, it’s clear that people are struggling for hope. But there’s hope to be found in so many places, including in the wisdom of the women who took on Trump—and won.  E. Jean Carroll and her lawyer Roberta “Robbie” Kaplan made headlines in 2023 and 2024 for winning a significant legal battle against Trump, with a jury finding him guilty of sexual abu...

Everyone’s been asking: what’s up with men these days? From high rates of gun violence and domestic violence, to the “manosphere,” Andrew Tate, and the "male loneliness epidemic," it’s clear that (white) men are hurting. But why is this happening—and what can be done to change things? Joining me to discuss these important issues are our special guests:  Jackson Katz: Jackson Katz, Ph. D....

This is a preview of the first episode of Looking Back, Moving Forward , the latest podcast from Ms. Studios. The full first episode is out now—subscribe to Looking Back, Moving Forward wherever you get your podcasts, or head to MsMagazine.com to learn more! What would a truly representative democracy look like — and why don’t we have one? Looking Back, Moving Forward launches with a focus on wome...

A new podcast from Ms . Studios, hosted by feminist superstar and Ms. consulting editor Carmen Rios, will trace the intertwined history of Ms. magazine and the feminist movement it has given voice to for over 50 years — and explore where the fight for gender equality must go next.  By examining the legacy of America’s longest-running feminist magazine, Looking Back, Moving Forward explores how we...

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 Summer 2025 issue, which includes a special report on the state of American manhood—from the "bro-casts" and the silence around men's mental health, to the clinicians and scholars challenging toxic masculinity with a feminist len...

In this emergency episode, we're ringing the alarm bells: We just learned that in the state of Georgia, a woman named Adriana Smith who was declared brain-dead in February, is being forcibly kept on a ventilator due to the state’s strict abortion ban, against her family's wishes. It's been over 90 days. Her mother, April Newkirk has said, “It’s torture for me." Dr. Michele Good...

Over the past few years, many of us have noticed some (bad) vibes coming from the Supreme Court: sketchy decisions on a number of fronts, from presidential immunity to abortion, agency authority, and more. Today, we take a look at those vibes with one of our favorite guests: Professor Leah Litman, who is the author of the new book Lawless: How the Supreme Court Runs on Conservative Grievance, Frin...

Despite persistent obstacles—from intergenerational pay inequity and earning just 63.7 cents for every dollar made by a white guy for the same work, to constant surveillance and doubt—Black women consistently excel in their chosen fields and rise to leadership positions. In this episode, we’re joined by powerful Black women in leadership to discuss the glass ceilings, glass cliffs, pink ghettos, a...

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 2025 issue—which delves into the story behind anti-abortion extremists’ successful attempt to shut down a Beverly Hills clinic. Get the Spring issue here! Featuring:  Kathy Spillar is the Executive Director and a founder of the Feminis...

This week, we’re joined by Yamani Hernandez, the chief executive officer of the Groundswell Fund, to discuss the importance of grassroots organizing and reproductive justice in this moment. Ms. has joined forces with Groundswell Fund and Groundswell Action Fund to create a special Gender & Democracy site dedicated to the work of Groundswell partners to highlight their efforts to champion inclu...

As we reckon with an administration hostile to equal rights, feminists will continue to fight. To help keep hope, we must remember and celebrate recent wins.   One of those wins is the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which took effect on June 27, 2023. This is a landmark piece of legislation that prohibits discrimination and ensures workplace accommodations related to pregnancy for workers. But is...

In this episode, Dr. Michele Goodwin reflects on Trump v. United States .  As Americans adjust to the myriad executive orders, firings of government employees, the gutting of  the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), plane crashes, threats to dismantle the Department of Education, and so much more under the Trump Administration, what can be learned about the Supreme Court&ap...

As part of our Black History Month Rewind at Ms. Studios, we’re revisiting some of our favorite past episodes. In our final Rewind, we're revisiting an episode we recorded in 2021, celebrating Juneteenth with Fritz and Anita Pointer of the Pointer Sisters.  In this joyous episode, host Michele Goodwin is joined by music icon Anita Pointer of the three-time Grammy Award-winning R&B group t...

As part of our Black History Month Rewind at Ms. Studios, we’re revisiting some of our favorite past episodes. Today, we're revisiting an episode exploring racism and police brutality, featuring a cast of all-star guests.  In this episode, we confront the question at the center of Derek Chauvin’s trial: Who killed George Floyd? Our guests unpack that question as an issue central to police and...

As part of our Black History Month Rewind at Ms. Studios, we're revisiting some of our favorite past episodes. First up, we're taking a look of voting rights and voter suppression, revisiting an episode recorded ahead of the 2020 presidential election.  At the 1964 Democratic National Convention in Atlantic City, voting activist and civil rights leader Fannie Lou Hamer described the viol...

Welcome to The Magazine , our mini-pod, which gives a peek into Ms. magazine's forthcoming and current issues.  In this episode, listeners hear about the Spring 2025 issue—which delves into the feminist resistance to the second Trump administration—as it hits newsstands.   Support the show

We begin 2025 on 'On the Issues' with special guest Dr. Anthony Fauci. In this episode we discuss some of the most important issues currently confronting the health of our nation and the world—from vaccine skepticism, COVID denialism, and health misinformation and disinformation to the rising tide of violence aimed at medical providers. Dr. Fauci joins us to express his hope for the futu...

In this episode, we continue to assess and reckon with the 2024 election results.  How did abortion rights prevail, while anti-abortion lawmakers were elected in the very same states? What will a Trump administration mean for women's rights, federal courts, agencies and throughout government?  Are there any safeguards left as a check or restraint on abuse of office?  And, what silver linings...

Election administration continues to be one of the most compelling, challenging, and increasingly dangerous jobs at the federal, state, and local levels. A recent survey by the Brennan Center revealed that over a third of election officials have experienced threats, harassment, or abuse just for doing their jobs. In the face of these fundamental challenges to our democracy and an environment that...

This week, we’re continuing our coverage of the lead-up to November’s elections by looking at an institution that has become increasingly contentious over the past four years: the U.S. Supreme Court. The specter of the Court has loomed over these elections like never before—from former President Trump repeatedly taking credit for the overturning of Roe v. Wade and thanking the Justices he appointe...

In the wake of Vice President Kamala Harris replacing President Joe Biden as the Democratic nominee, the role that women are playing in this election is clearer than ever. Now under two weeks out from election day, we’re aware that so much is at stake for the entire nation, and for women in particular. This week, as we continue our coverage of the lead-up to the November elections, we’re exploring...