The Persistent

Scientific Papers By Women Take Longer to Publish Peer review takes almost 15% longer for women.

When a woman academic is the lead author, the peer review process takes almost 15% longer, writes @josiecox.bsky.social.

Having A Baby Isn't Just a Medical Decision France's fertility warning letter doesn't account for the social implications of having a baby.

The French government's decision to write to 29 year-olds to warn them about their fertility misses the point, writes @diane2v.bsky.social. The decision to have a child isn't just a medical issue, it's a social one, too.

When Startups Hire Quickly, It’s Women Who Pay the Price In times of rapid growth, managers fall back on familiar stereotypes in hiring.

“Move fast and break things” has long been a battle cry for the testosterone-fueled world of tech startups, writes @josiecox.bsky.social. Now, research suggests that one of the things that breaks when startups move too fast, is a commitment to gender diversity.

Do Feminists Get Face-Lifts? I Did. I believed a woman should be able to do what she wants with her body. Why couldn’t that include this?

'I was happy my identity wasn’t based on good looks, but rather, on a sense of humor and smarts,' writes Laura Fraser. 'Deep down, though, I wanted to be pretty.'

There’s a Lot the Skier Lindsey Vonn Can Teach Us. First Off, Know Thyself.

Lindsey Vonn proved this weekend that she wasn’t going to live by shoulds or coulds, writes @josiecox.bsky.social.

Her story is about the deeply personal calculus of knowing your limits and your tolerances; it’s about the radical act of deciding for yourself what you want and what you can risk.

Women Are Feeling Poorer Than a Year Ago. They Say Trump is to Blame A new poll shows growing concern among women and parents about the economic direction of America.

Some 42% of women feel worse off today than they did a year ago, and 57% say it's harder to raise a child now than it was this time last year. Some 43% of women - and well over half of Black women - say they have lost rights under Trump.

This Bill in the Senate Could Disenfranchise Millions of Women Voters Trump has renewed pressure for the Senate to pass the SAVE Act, which requires proof of citizenship to vote. For the 69 million women who have changed their last name, this would create a barrier to v...

An estimated 69m women in the U.S. have changed their last name. Under the SAVE Act, that could very well mean they can't vote.

Online Shopping Has Created a Sex Toy Boom in India Indian women are taking charge of their own pleasure, guided by online influencers and easier access to a wealth of new products.

In India, "shame-laden" Victorian laws made it virtually impossible to buy sex toys. But one enterprising influencer spotted the potential of online shopping.

Jane Austen's Period Drama: So Long, Ick Factor! Hollywood might finally be ok with periods.

The Oscar-nominated short film Jane Austen's Period Drama is a period drama about actual periods. It does feel revolutionary, and it does feel brave, writes Gabriella Griffith. But should it?

www.thepersistent.com/jane-austens...

'Why Not Us?'—In France, Men Are Finally Speaking Out Against Violence Gisèle Pelicot’s son David is encouraging more men to speak out against sexual violence. It's working.

Gisèle Pelicot's son, David, has teamed up with UN Women France (ONU Femmes France) to underscore a critical point: 92% of sexual violence against women in France is perpetrated by men. Women cannot put an end to rape on their own.

www.thepersistent.com/david-pelico...

What It Means to Love America Today. Loving a place means taking the good with the bad.

When I complain about America’s politics, which I do frequently, people tell me I’m lucky because I “can just leave whenever I want,” writes @josiecox.bsky.social. But loving a place means facing the parts of it that disappoint and upset us.

www.thepersistent.com/what-it-mean...

The Rich Keep Getting Richer—Just in Time for Davos Billionaire wealth hit a historic high in 2025, with male tech executives leading the way.

Billionaire wealth hit a historic high in 2025, with male tech executives leading the way.

www.thepersistent.com/the-rich-kee...

Why Are Women Still Taking Their Husbands' Names? The practice comes from a law that made women into men's property.

The practice of a wife taking her husband's name after marriage stems from a long-extinct English law known as coverture, which made women the property of their fathers, then husbands.

So why do 80% of American women still take their husbands' last names?

www.thepersistent.com/feminism-cha...

Nurses Are Worryingly Close to Burnout Research shows impact of over-work and under-staffing.

As NYC nurses go on strike, a survey shows under-staffing and over-work has led nurses around the U.S. to feel overwhelmed and exhausted.

www.thepersistent.com/nurses-strik...

Whitney White: 1970s Feminists 'Risked It All' 'They weren't just liking things on Instagram,' says director of Broadway's Liberation.

Whitney White says directing the Broadway play Liberation showed her that modern feminists are risking less than their 1970s forebears. "They weren't just liking things on Instagram."

www.thepersistent.com/broadway-lib...

What I Was Wearing, a cartoon by @aubreyhirsch.bsky.social.

The Making of America's First Woman Governor 101 years ago, Nellie Tayloe Ross won a historic election.

101 years ago this week, America's first woman governor was elected. But Nellie Tayloe Ross had never had ambitions of political leadership. Instead, this opportunity arrived on the heels of grief.

www.thepersistent.com/who-was-nell...

Couple in here from me! Including:

- The story of Jane Goodall's sexist boss
- Why gentle parenting experts are just three misogynists in a raincoat
- What AI's obsession with beauty is doing to us

The Best of The Persistent 2025 Our editor chooses her favorite stories.

These are the best stories published by The Persistent in 2025, as picked by our editor @francescadonner.bsky.social.

www.thepersistent.com/favorite-sto...

16 of the Best Books We Read This Year Our suggestions are broad and varied, spanning recent best sellers, historical deep dives, tell-all memoirs and murderous mysteries.

Catch the full list of books we recommend:

Book clubs are a contentious subject for readers everywhere. @josiecox.bsky.social and @kathleenedavis.bsky.social tackle it in this clip from "And Another Thing: The Best Books We Read This Year," December's iteration of our monthly live convo between editors of The Persistent.

India has a long history of spoken word poetry so it’s no surprise that hip-hop finds an audience here.

Although male dominated industry, women rappers are gaining traction with songs of identity,climate,women’s safety

My story for @thepersistent.bsky.social

www.thepersistent.com/theres-alway...

Unemployment Hits Black Women the Hardest The overall unemployment rate is at a four year high but it’s not impacting all workers in the same way.

Unemployment does not affect everyone equally.

www.thepersistent.com/unemployment...

How Female Rappers are Redefining Indian Hip Hop Women are taking the art form to new levels.

Artists including Mahi G, Saniya MQ, Srishti Tawade and Reble are redefining hip hop in India, writing songs about the climate crisis, violence against women and girls and questions of identity.

www.thepersistent.com/theres-alway...

16 of the Best Books We Read This Year Our suggestions are broad and varied, spanning recent best sellers, historical deep dives, tell-all memoirs and murderous mysteries.

It was so fun talking about books with smart women! Check out @thepersistent.bsky.social Best books we read in 2025 list and video of our chat www.thepersistent.com/16-of-the-be...

Remembering Michele Singer Reiner Photographer, producer and activist.

The photographer and film producer Michele Singer Reiner, who died this weekend, was an "an irate citizen," her husband said once. It was this anger which drove much of her activism.

www.thepersistent.com/a-legacy-of-...

The Economics of Love Are Broken Corinne Low says women get a raw deal in relationships.

The economist @corinnelow.com needs to set the record straight. Firstly, she did not, as has been reported, begin a lesbian relationship because of data - that was a joke. Secondly, the economics of love is broken, and women are losing out because of it. www.thepersistent.com/corinne-low-...

Hamnet Movie: Why This Shakespeare Story Belongs to Agnes In the movie version of “Hamnet,” Shakespeare’s wife Agnes, played with wild abandon by the actress Jessie Buckley, looms large with possibility.

In the movie version of “Hamnet,” Shakespeare’s wife Agnes, played with wild abandon by the actress Jessie Buckley, looms large with possibility.

www.thepersistent.com/hamnet-movie...

"Queen of Romantic Comedy"— 'Confessions of a Shopaholic' Author Has Died of Cancer at 55 Known as Sophie Kinsella, Madeleine Wickham wrote more than 30 books selling over 45 million copies.

Madeleine Wickham, the author who enchanted millions with her bestselling novel Confessions of a Shopaholic—written under the pen name Sophie Kinsella—has died of cancer, her family announced today.

Hey NYC! You're my LAST STOP THIS YEAR so if you wanna drop by on Thursday at Luminary in Manhattan to what will be an amazing conversation with @francescadonner.bsky.social (current editor of @thepersistent.bsky.social), grab your FREE ticket below:

See ya soon! ✨