Marcia G. Yerman

Everything in the world is made of chemicals. We experience exposure to thousands of them daily, from our clothing to our cosmetics. Now you can add the most intimate of items to that list — personal lubricants.

Americans hoped that when the election was over, there would be a decrease in the rampant uncivil discourse unleashed during the course of the 2016

Mark your calendars for The Reproductive Freedom Festival on the evening of March 20. Over three hours of live performances will be streamed from a studio in Manhattan to viewers across the country — and the world. It will be accessible via computers and other digital devices for free. Pre-show highlights begin at 5:15 pm EST. The goal of the event is to foster awareness of and focus attention on the issue of reproductive rights and bodily autonomy, while anchored in Women’s History Month.

The premise Newman puts forth is that being a perfectionist emanates from a core belief that either one is “not good enough… or that one is ‘unworthy.’” This can develop as a result of “parental criticism or parental indulgence (the latter being constant praise).”

The conventions are over. Both parties’ tickets are chosen. Pollsters will now be working furiously to parse the numbers on how the electorate is shaping up. Specifically under the microscope will be women.

I reached out to Kate to discuss her film, her impact on the 2011 Massachusetts anti-trafficking law, and her take on the distinctions between “sex work,” “sexual exploitation,” and “abolition.”

Despite our dependence on caregiving to grow and function as a society, compensation for this labor remains unfairly low. Another factor is the “motherhood penalty”: Women with children earn less than women without kids. On the flip side, fathers get a “daddy bonus,” earning more than men without children. When women move out of the workforce to raise a family, it impacts their lifetime earnings.

“At the end of the day, I’m a mom,” said Paltrow. She touched on her relationship with her ex and “co-parenting through a divorce,” stating, “Our children are our priority. Our values are around family.”

Women, outside the parameters of what may be considered “high risk groups,” are not getting the attention that they need at the earliest possible time. This has resulted in missed opportunities for treatment.

Chances are, if the average American woman were stopped on the street and asked, “Do you have equal rights in America under the law?” she would reply, “Yes.” But does she?