We return this month with our series that recaps our favorite (or least favorite) moments in gender equity from news, media, and longreads all over the internet. You’ll see installments for This Month in Gender Equity the fourth week of each month. If you have ideas or contributions, leave a comment or tweet at us! We’d love to know what you’re reading and learning.

NASA Updates Spacewalk Assignments

We were almost witnesses to the first all-female spacewalk. Unfortunately, there are not enough correctly-sized spacesuits for both of the women to participate at the same time so astronaut Christina Koch has been benched because there is only one spacesuit that will fit a woman; her male colleague Nick Hague will replace her on the spacewalk. The other spacesuit, in which Koch would have fit, cannot be correctly configured before the scheduled walk. We are obviously in favor of an abundance of safety when it comes to space, but only about 11% of the 500 or so people who have traveled to space have been women. It is disappointing that an historic moment has been postponed because there is insufficient equipment to fit and protect women’s bodies. One Twitter user drew a comparison to the ways in which cars, typically configured around male bodies, can actually be lethal for women - a comparison worth considering here.

Buccaneers hire 2 female assistant coaches

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers made history recently by becoming the first NFL team to hire two female assistant coaches. The NFL is not generally a place that I (Amy) would praise for their fair treatment of women or advances in gender equity, but on this news item, I am giving some praise to Tampa Bay for bringing in female strength and training and defensive line coaches. Historically, it has been very difficult for women to get jobs as full time coaches in the NFL, even when they are qualified. The head coach for Tampa Bay, Bruce Arians, appears from his media statements to have a strong desire to hire female staff. The NFL still has lots of places where it could improve on gender issues, but this one small step forward is great. And even though it pains my loyal Pittsburgh Steelers heart to say it, Go Bucs!

Adventurous. Alone. Attacked.

This article is a chilling but real reminder of the many ways in which women face obstacles in travel and the equal number of ways that they protect themselves. We’ve written about the pink transportation tax before, but this is different. It is heartbreaking and infuriating to read, in part because this seems like a time where women should be rejoicing in seeing the world. Women have more opportunities to travel, more disposable income, and yet, solo travel for women remains dangerous, even in parts of the world you might think safe. One statement that really stuck out was that “violent episodes are just as likely to occur, experts note, in rich Western nations such as France, Italy and Germany as in the developing world.” Though it doesn’t shock me, it does once again show how much work we all still have to do to break down toxic masculinity norms and make the world a safer place for women, solo travelers or not.

Take a Valium, Lose Your Kid, Go to Jail

ProPublica’s lengthy report starts with the harrowing story of one new mom who had a child removed because there were traces of a valium left in her system. This case typifies that kind of prosecution – particularly of women and women with children – used as an anti-drug strategy in Alabama and other states like South Carolina, Tennessee, and Wisconsin. While few women are actually tried for chemical endangerment of unborn children, this tactic has been a way to coerce primarily women of color into drug court or pretrial diversion. This often leaves them with open court or custody cases, years of probation, and mounting legal fees. Perhaps most galling, drug screenings during pregnancy and after childbirth are largely unstandardized so hospitals have the autonomy to run tests when they suspect drug use. This report takes a nuanced look at actual needs with regard to drug court and treatment options while also levying some serious concerns about who is considered “suspicious” and is therefore more susceptible to screening and the often unnecessary legal battles that ensue.

-Amy and Lauren