On The Issues With Michele Goodwin

Dr. Michele Goodwin
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On The Issues With Michele Goodwin at Ms. magazine is a show where we report, rebel, and tell it like it is. On this show, we center your concerns about rebuilding our nation and advancing the promise of equality. Join Michele Goodwin as she and guests tackle the most compelling issues of our times.

  1. Jul 13

    Every Mother's Fear and Black Mother's Nightmare: What Happened To Nolan Xavier Wells?

    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.  He was abducted, shot, lynched and his murderers were acquitted by an all-male, all white jury.   His killers would later confess in look magazine.   ·        Trayvon Martin comes to mind.  Killed in Florida, just after his 17th birthday.  Brutally murdered by George Zimmerman while walking home carrying iced tea and a packet of candy--skittles.  Zimmerman was found not guilty. ·        Tamir Rice, twelve years-old, shot dead by Officer Timothy Loehmann, within mere seconds upon encountering this child who was in a park holding a toy gun. ·        Ruby Bridges integrating William Frantz Elementary School in Louisiana in 1960—comes to mind.  An all-white mob outside of the school threatening to harm her.  For Ruby’s mother—Lucille Bridges—reproductive justice wasn’t just about birth—it was about her daughter being able to flourish in a society wherein Jim Crow and Jane Crow racial segregation and discrimination were the normalized landscape. In this episode we shine a light and ask what happened to Nolan Xavier Wells, a teenager found dead on Horn Island in Mississippi.  His death has been ruled a drowning by local law enforcement, although he could swim.  We issue a special call to action for local law enforcement and for all that saw Nolan on the last day of his life.  Support the show

  2. May 9

    American Democracy on Fire (with Steve Vladeck and Moira Donegan)

    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 ballot box. With key mandates in the VRA now eviscerated under the hand six justices on the Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice John Roberts, what’s next? The Court has the lowest approval ratings since confidence in the court has been measured. Many Americans now wonder—can the Court be trusted?   The Supreme Court has emphasized that if women want reproductive freedom and don't like abortion bans, they should go vote.  But what happens when the Court plays a strategic role in diluting voting power and making voting more difficult by stripping away protections?  Joining our host Dr. Michele Goodwin in unpacking these issues and more are two very special guests: Stephen I. Vladeck is the Agnes Williams Sesquicentennial Professor of Federal Courts and is author of the New York Times-bestselling book, “The Shadow Docket: How the Supreme Court Uses Stealth Rulings to Amass Power and Undermine the Republic,” which has won numerous awards.    Moira Donegan is writer in residence for the Clayman Institute, and a columnist at The Guardian. Her first book, Gone Too Far: MeToo, Backlash, and the Future of Feminist Politics, is forthcoming from Scribner.  Check out this episode’s landing page at MsMagazine.com for a full transcript, links to articles referenced in this episode, further reading and ways to take action. Support the show

    American Democracy on Fire (with Steve Vladeck and Moira Donegan)

  3. Apr 27

    The Magazine: Ms. Fires Back: ICE, Power and the Patriarchy

    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 administration is leveraging legislation meant to protect clinics for political persecution, and more. Get the magazine delivered right to your mailbox! Joining us to discuss is our very special guest:  Kathy Spillar is the executive director and a founder of the Feminist Majority Foundation, a national organization working for women’s equality, empowerment and non-violence, and the publisher of Ms. since 2001. She has been a driving force in executing the organizations’ diverse programs securing women’s rights both domestically and globally since its inception in 1987. She is also the executive editor of Ms. where she oversees editorial content and the Ms. in the Classroom program, and editor and contributor to 50 Years of Ms: The Best of the Pathfinding Magazine that Ignited a Revolution.Check out this episode’s landing page at MsMagazine.com for a full transcript, links to articles referenced in this episode, further reading and ways to take action. Support the show

    The Magazine: Ms. Fires Back: ICE, Power and the Patriarchy

  4. Apr 8

    Pulling a Page From the Confederacy: Trump and Birthright Citizenship

    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 and has been protected by the 14th Amendment for over 150 years, pointing out how it echoes a Confederate playbook, and seeks to reshape the fabric of our very nation.  Check out this episode’s landing page at MsMagazine.com for a full transcript, links to articles referenced in this episode, further reading and ways to take action. Support the show

  5. Mar 4

    Founding Feminists: 250 Years of an Unfinished Revolution (With Janell Hobson)

    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, Dr. Michele Goodwin is joined by the series' editor, Professor Janell Hobson, to discuss what America's 250th anniversary means for women and the feminist agenda.  Joining us to discuss these issues is a very special guest:  Janell Hobson: Janell Hobson is professor of women's, gender and sexuality studies at the University at Albany. She is the author of When God Lost Her Tongue: Historical Consciousness and the Black Feminist Imagination. She is also the editor of Tubman 200: The Harriet Tubman Bicentennial Project. Check out this episode’s landing page at MsMagazine.com for a full transcript, links to articles referenced in this episode, further reading and ways to take action. Support the show

  6. Feb 18

    Special Episode: Remembering the Late Rev. Jesse L. Jackson

    In this special episode, Dr. Michele Goodwin pays homage to the life of Rev. Jesse Lewis Jackson, Sr.—civil rights leader, faith leader, political leader and advocate.  Check out this episode’s landing page at MsMagazine.com for a full transcript, links to articles referenced in this episode, further reading and ways to take action. Support the show

  7. Feb 10

    Why Menopause Belongs in Democracy Conversations (with Omisade Burney-Scott)

    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 Burney-Scott, creator of The Black Girls’ Guide to Surviving Menopause, is one of those advocates. She joins Dr. Michele Goodwin to discuss why intersectional conversations around menopause are so important, and why these discussions are important for the preservation of democracy. Joining us to discuss these crucial issues is our very special guest: Omisade Burney-Scott is a seventh-generation Black Southern feminist, storyteller and social justice advocate. She is the creator and curator of The Black Girls’ Guide to Surviving Menopause (BGG2SM), a multimedia project focused on normalizing menopause and aging through the centering of the stories of Black women, women-identified and gender expansive people. She has been featured in numerous outlets including Oprah Daily, Forbes, Vogue, Prevention, The Washington Post and The New York Times. She currently resides in North Carolina.Check out this episode’s landing page at MsMagazine.com for a full transcript, links to articles referenced in this episode, further reading and ways to take action. Support the show

  8. Jan 28

    You’re Not Alone: Normalizing Pregnancy Loss (with Dr. Jessica Zucker and Chari Pere)

    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 to discuss these issues are two special guests: Dr. Jessica Zucker: Dr. Zucker is a Los-Angeles-based psychologist specializing in reproductive health. She is the author of the award-winning books Normalize It: Upending the Silence, Stigma, and Shame That Shape Women’s Lives and I Had a Miscarriage: A Memoir, a Movement. Chari Pere: Chari Pere is an award-winning cartoonist behind the Unspoken Cartoonmentary series. Check out this episode’s landing page at MsMagazine.com for a full transcript, links to articles referenced in this episode, further reading and ways to take action. Support the show

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About

On The Issues With Michele Goodwin at Ms. magazine is a show where we report, rebel, and tell it like it is. On this show, we center your concerns about rebuilding our nation and advancing the promise of equality. Join Michele Goodwin as she and guests tackle the most compelling issues of our times.

Information

  • Creator
    Dr. Michele Goodwin
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    146
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 On The Issues With Michele Goodwin
  • Show Website
    On The Issues With Michele Goodwin

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