Sex and Gender
Wisconsin’s Name-Change Law Raises Safety Risks for Transgender People
A 167-year-old statute requires trans people to publish their old and new names in a newspaper. Families and advocates worry the requirement now poses a risk as President Donald Trump has attacked transgender rights.
Local Reporting Network
A Political Power Grab Redirected Funds for North Carolina’s Sexual Abuse Survivors. Women in Crisis Paid the Price.
The move, which led to disruptions in services for sexual assault and domestic violence survivors, provides a glimpse of the consequences when a branch of government assumes unprecedented control.
Two Transgender Girls, Six Federal Agencies. How Trump Is Trying to Pressure Maine Into Obedience.
Maine said it wouldn’t break state law to follow President Donald Trump’s order barring transgender girls from playing girls’ sports. Then came a barrage of investigations and threats targeting the state’s federal funding.
Women Made Electoral Gains in Statehouses Across the Country in 2024. The Southeast Is a Different Story.
All but one state that held legislative elections last fall in the Southeast saw losses of Republican women. In South Carolina, that means the Senate Republican caucus, which will make decisions that directly affect women, is an all-men’s club.
Featured Reporters
Impact of Our Reporting
Liberty University Hit With Record Fines for Failing to Handle Complaints of Sexual Assault, Other Crimes
Spurred by a ProPublica investigation, the federal Department of Education found the evangelical school in Virginia had discouraged students from reporting rape and other crimes.
Senators Call for Federal Investigation Into Liberty University’s Handling of Sexual Assaults
Following a ProPublica report that detailed how the evangelical college discouraged and threatened to punish students who report being raped, Sen. Tim Kaine says his office is “urging the Department of Education to investigate.”
New York Lawmakers Demand NYPD Halt Undercover Sex Trade Stings
A dozen city and state officials also called for the disbandment of vice, the primary division that polices the sex trade; some want investigations into misconduct allegations against the unit, including withholding of evidence.
Series
Series: Campus Complicity: Faculty Sexual Misconduct in Illinois
Series: Lawless: Sexual Violence in Alaska
Series: Lost Mothers: Maternal Care and Preventable Deaths
What We’re Watching
During Donald Trump’s second presidency, ProPublica will focus on the areas most in need of scrutiny. Here are some of the issues our reporters will be watching — and how to get in touch with them securely.
Learn more about our reporting team. We will continue to share our areas of interest as the news develops.
Sharon Lerner
I cover health and the environment and the agencies that govern them, including the Environmental Protection Agency.
Andy Kroll
I cover justice and the rule of law, including the Justice Department, U.S. attorneys and the courts.
Melissa Sanchez
I report on immigration and labor, and I am based in Chicago.
Jesse Coburn
I cover housing and transportation, including the companies working in those fields and the regulators overseeing them.
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