Gender
Senegal’s “schools for husbands” are saving mothers’ lives by reshaping masculinity
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM On a balmy evening in Dakar, Imam Ibrahima Diane stood before a circle of men and made a simple but radical point: a good husband does more than provide. He bathes his baby. He helps in the kitchen. He supports his wife. Quoting scripture, Diane told the Read More...
Want to boost birthrates? Research says men need to do their part at home
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM According to certain political movements, the solution to falling fertility rates sounds simple: women should leave the workforce and start producing more babies. But Nobel Prize-winning economist Claudia Goldin suggests the opposite may be true. Her latest Read More...
Ovarian cancer symptoms you shouldn’t ignore: what to watch for and how to lower your risk
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Cancer doesn’t always announce itself with dramatic symptoms, which makes early detection and treatment difficult. This is especially true for ovarian cancer. Doctors often call it a “silent killer” because many people feel fine until the disease is Read More...
Breaking free: the Indian retreats helping women heal from divorce and rediscover hope
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM On a bus winding through Kerala’s misty hills, 15 women sing softly together, their voices rising above the tea plantations. For many, it’s the first time they’ve felt this light in years. They aren’t here for sightseeing. They’re here for Read More...
UK police go undercover in Surrey as runners to crack down on street harassment
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Eighteen people have been arrested in Surrey, UK, after undercover police officers posed as female joggers to identify and intervene in cases of street harassment. The month-long pilot program called “Jog On”, launched by Surrey Police, sent plainclothes Read More...
First hormone-free male birth control pill shown safe in early trial
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM For decades, the burden of birth control has largely fallen on women. Pills, implants, IUDs, injections; the options are many, but they all target the female reproductive system. Meanwhile, male contraceptives have remained stuck in the basics: condoms or Read More...
Need a lift? How German cities are rethinking women’s safety with night taxi vouchers
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM In response to growing concerns about women’s safety after dark, several German cities are offering a pragmatic (and much-needed) solution: subsidized night taxi vouchers. Think of it as a modern answer to the age-old dilemma of how to get home safely Read More...
UK moves to ban NDAs that silence workplace harassment victims
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM The UK government is set to ban the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) that silence victims of workplace harassment and discrimination. This change marks a historic turning point in labor rights, aiming to give employees greater power to speak openly Read More...
How books about boys are quietly rewriting the script on masculinity
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM If you want to counter toxic masculinity, don’t start with a think piece. Simply hand a boy a book. That’s the quiet but powerful idea rippling through this year’s Carnegie medals for children’s writing, where male friendship and nuanced portrayals Read More...
MPs vote to decriminalize abortion in England and Wales in historic victory for women’s rights
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM British lawmakers have voted to decriminalize abortion, ending the threat of prosecution for women who terminate pregnancies outside legal parameters. The amendment to the government’s crime and policing bill represents the most significant change to Read More...