Happy Friday! Welcome to our Media Round Up. Each week we’re collecting and sharing our favorite gender + politics stories. Here’s what caught our eye this week:

The end of Roe is changing friendships — for better or for worse

Janay Kingsberry, The Washington Post

After the news of Roe v. Wade being overturned in June, 31-year-old Miranda Dockett was sure she was going to lose one of her best friends. Dockett’s exchange with her friend after Roe v. Wade was overturned lasted hours, with the pair trading news articles on Facebook. Dockett tried explaining to her friend her belief that life begins at conception and should be protected, and her friend argued that abortion bans deny women’s rights to health care and bodily autonomy. Although they have opposing views on the matter of abortion, Dockett and her friend maintained their relationship; the same can’t be said for others.

Read the full story here.

More people of color are running for Congress in mostly white districts and winning, experts say

Mabinty Quarshie and Deborah Barfield Berry, USA Today

Political experts are saying that in recent years more candidates of color (Democrats and Republicans) are running and winning in predominately white districts. Political experts first witnessed this increase in the wake of George Floyd’s death in 2020, and the subsequent push for diversity in boardrooms and Congress. Many lawmakers and experts believe this trend will continue into this year’s midterm elections as both parties have a more diverse pool of candidates.

Read the full story here.

Push to get more Vermont women in leadership roles paying off

Christina Guessferd, WCAX 3

Currently, Vermont is the only state in America that has yet to send a woman to Congress – that could soon change. Polls show that Vermont is likely to elect its first woman to Congress this year. This would come after Governor Scott establishing a cabinet of 54% women, a senior staff consisting of 71% women, and 56% of Vermont’s non-cabinet positions being women.

Read the full story here.

Women Are Winning the Fight for Gun Safety

Shannon Watts, Glamour

Over the past decade, women have made a huge impact on gun legislation in America. After the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School ten years ago, Shannon Watts founded the grassroots movement Moms Demand Action. Watts founded the group in hopes that Congress would pass new laws to address gun control in America. Fast-forward ten years, Watts is now seeing some of the fruits of her and other gun control advocates labor come to fruition. This past June, President Joe Biden signed the first federal gun safety law in a generation.

Read the full story here.

Kansas voters reject anti-abortion constitutional amendment

Oriana Gonzalez, Axios

On Tuesday, Kansas voters rejected an amendment that would have removed abortion protections in the state’s constitution. Kansas is the first state that has had abortion measures appear on the ballot since the overturning of Roe v. Wade earlier this year.

Read the full story here.