60 Years of Covering Reproductive Rights

Cosmopolitan

4 days ago

For decades, Cosmopolitan has provided young people with the information they need to protect their bodies and own their choices when it comes to topics like birth control, sexual health, fertility, and abortion. We were there, reporting and spreading awareness before abortion became legal nationally—and we were there after the Supreme Court recently overturned that fundamental right. Through it all, we've published in-depth guides and deeply personal accounts of how people in this country think about, promote, restrict, and access reproductive freedoms. Below, we take a look back at how our coverage has evolved—and how it's remained the same—over the years.
One woman examines the emotional complexities of having an abortion and recounts how challenging it was before the U.S. Supreme Court legalized the procedure via Roe v. Wade.
In 1960, the FDA approved the first birth control pill, but years later, people still had plenty of questions. This thorough, four-page guide answered everything from 'How does the pill work?' to 'Could it mask cancer symptoms?'
A compassionate male gynecologist offers a simple and timeless truth: 'The only difference between making love and making a pregnancy is a contraceptive.'
Before it was even available in the U.S., we educated readers on the then-new copper IUD.
A first-person account from a woman who was lured into an anti-abortion 'clinic' where, instead of getting actual health care, she received one-on-one counseling from a series of anti-choice extremists. Their goal? To guilt her out of her decision to have an abortion.
A writer's personal story finds a delicate balance between stark honesty about the emotional and psychological aftermath of having an abortion and the urgent insistence that no woman should feel shame for getting one.
This deeply reported feature details the rise—and dangers—of the Christian anti-abortion movement.
To 'put an end to contraception confusion,' this story meticulously explains every then-current option: how it works and how to get it.
As politicians enacted new restrictions on later-term abortions, this 12-page story explained the laws while also detailing how to still access vital resources.
Legislators in President Trump's first term went after accessible, affordable birth control. We examined exactly what was at stake in this comprehensive guide.
When researchers started testing a male contraceptive gel, Cosmopolitan got special access to the early trials. We sat with participants and revealed how the potentially groundbreaking birth control method for men could change everything.
After the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, our fervent response included an original survey, deep legal context, the debunking of misinformation, rallying calls from reproductive rights leaders, and current resources.
Post-Roe, we kept our efforts up, publishing this compelling look inside a secret fleet of mobile abortion clinics.
In a culture where any discussion about repro­ductive freedoms feels once again urgent, we broke down what might happen to people after quitting hormonal birth control.