Mon, Nov 14, 2022
We may be called the United States, but reproductive freedom is one area where it's painfully clear that women's and non-binary people's rights and choices are increasingly coming down to the laws and policies of each state. Hosts Gina Brillon and Kimberly Brooks take us through the fascinating history of how abortion became a tool to divide Americans and the most significant questions facing Americans as the country deals with the consequences of the Supreme Court's Dobb's decision.
Mon, Nov 21, 2022
Despite being a little more than half of the US population, women are woefully under-represented in powerful political places. Hosts Gina Brillon and Kimberly Brooks explore why women's representation in state government matters and the possibilities, progress, and limits of having women at all levels of power, especially the ones that often get ignored.
Mon, Nov 28, 2022
The #metoo movement led to a major cultural and policy shift in how sexual harassment is treated in this country. In some states, sexual harassment protections provide a path to justice. But as hosts Kimberly Brooks and Gina Brillon reveal, the changes aren't distributed evenly. Are the current state policies sufficient to help victims of sexual harassment feel safe at their workplaces? And what happens if they're not?
Mon, Dec 5, 2022
When bathroom bills didn't provide the success their conservative backers wanted, a slew of new state-level laws began to target transgender people of all ages. Hosts Kimberly Brooks and Gina Brillon shed light on the landscape of proposals and laws at the state level directed at trans womxn, the pitfalls of those policies, and the potential avenues for response.
Mon, Dec 12, 2022
Diving into how divorce laws came about helps explain why the system feels so broken. Plus, custody laws - and how they're adjudicated - can have life-defining effects on women and children. Hosts Gina Brillon and Kimberly Brooks delve into how divorce and custody laws affect women unevenly across the states and the changes that could improve these laws.
Mon, Jan 2, 2023
One in four American children lives with a single parent. However, America's policies and institutions are still modeled around the traditional two-parent household where one parent works and the other stays at home. Hosts Kimberly Brooks and Gina Brillon unpack how that idea contributes to the modern-day care giving crisis, how it is hitting single-parent families the hardest, and the vast disparities in policies across the U.S. that support solo parents.
Mon, Jan 9, 2023
Forced marriage not only happens but is legal in 47 states. In many cases, it involves an under aged girl. It's an issue with consent at its core - who has it, who doesn't - and what states are taking a stand for women and girls. Hosts Gina Brillon and Kimberly Brooks delve into the roadblocks to taking this issue seriously - and what we can do to clear them.
Mon, Jan 16, 2023
Women are uniquely affected by the affordable housing crisis raging across the U.S. Hosts Kimberly Brooks, and Gina Brillon tackle the regulations that make it hard on tenants in different states and shine a light on places where policies make it safer and more affordable to live. A timely look at the good, the bad, and the promising policies to ensure people have safe, affordable, adequate housing.
Mon, Jan 23, 2023
Women run only one in five of America's companies, and women-led startups received only two percent of venture capital spending in 2020. Why is it so hard for women to obtain VC funding for their businesses? Hosts Gina Brillon and Kimberly Brooks dive into the complex, intersectional issues at play and how some states do a much better job than others in creating an environment for women-owned businesses to thrive. But there are lessons to be learned from the places where women-led businesses are booming - and they can provide a blueprint for other states.
Mon, Jan 30, 2023
Whether it's housing, consent, entrepreneurship, or reproductive freedom, this series's issues all overlap with the need for adequate and affordable mental health care in America. In the final episode of the season, hosts Gina Brillon and Kimberly Brooks reflect on the crucial need for mental health approaches that result in positive outcomes. They'll also share examples of states that can serve as models for others under performing and provide resources for individuals who need support.