On Tuesday, November 10, @flamingofeminist and @glittergelpen1 discussed local, national, and global news stories. We discussed the three ballot questions proposing changes to Virginia’s Constitution, how the 2026 midterm elections created a new record for women’s representation among U.S. governors, and the recent protests in Poland regarding the lack of abortion access.
LOCAL NEWS
On November 3rd, 2026, Virginians were able to vote on three questions for changes to Virginia’s Constitution.
Ballot Question 1
Question 1 regarded reproductive rights. Over 61% of voters voted ‘Yes’ on this question. This question supported adding a section to the state constitution that establishes a right to reproductive freedom, like prenatal care, abortion care, miscarriage management, birth control, fertility treatments, and childbirth. Question 1 also allowed the state to regulate abortion for women in the third trimester of pregnancy if a physician determines the procedure is necessary to protect the pregnant person’s life, physical health, or mental health, or if the fetus is not viable.
Ballot Question 2
Question 2 regarded marriage equality. This question asked if Virginia’s Constitution should be amended to lift the ban on same-sex marriage, recognize marriage between two adults regardless of sex, gender, or race, and offer equal protection under the law for all legal marriages. Approximately 56% of Virginians voted ‘Yes’ on this question. Although same-sex marriage has been legal nationwide since 2015, the addition of this amendment to Virginia’s Constitution will help ensure that equal protection and recognition of marriages are upheld at the state level, regardless of sex, gender, or race.
Ballot Question 3
Question 3 regarded voting rights. This question asked if Virginia’s Constitution should be amended to establish voting as a fundamental right, automatically restore voting rights to individuals convicted of felonies upon their release from incarceration, and to clarify voting restrictions surrounding individuals who have been determined not to have the capacity to understand the act of voting. Approximately 55% of Virginians voted ‘Yes’ on this question. Due to this, many individuals, including those from historically marginalized communities disproportionately affected by the criminal justice system, will have the right to vote upon release.
NATIONAL NEWS
For national news, we discussed how the 2026 midterm elections created a new record for women’s representation among United States governors. 17 women, 14 Democrats and 3 republicans, will hold governor positions, making up about 34% of all U.S. governors. The previous record was 14 women governors. This was a significant milestone for women’s representation in American politics.
This election also had a number of historic firsts. Keisha Lance Bottoms was elected in Georgia, which makes her the first Black woman governor in U.S. history. Deb Haaland was elected in New Mexico, which makes her the first Native American woman governor. Gina Hinojosa became the first Latina governor of Texas. Political leadership has historically been dominated by men, which makes these records important. Women of color have also faced additional barriers to reaching positions like this.
We believe this election shows real progress in women’s political representation.
GLOBAL NEWS
On October 22, 2026, women in over 20 cities across Poland protested the lack of access to free and legal abortion. The protesters claimed that Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s government had falsely promised to fulfill the easing of abortion restrictions. Although Poland’s parliament recently passed two bills aimed at easing certain abortion rules, protesters were concerned that Karol Nawrocki, the conservative president, would veto them. Zofia Marcinek, a reproductive rights activist, also criticized the government, saying that they knew the bills would not pass but were using them to potentially gain women’s support and votes in the election next year.
Although activists are attempting to relieve the stresses Polish women feel surrounding the lack of access to abortion, such as the Abortion Dream Team opening an “abortion clinic” in Warsaw to inform of abortion options and introducing a parcel locker nicknamed ‘Abortomat’ that dispenses abortion pills as quickly as the next day with the help of the international feminist organization Women Help Women, women are still fighting to be listened to. These efforts demonstrate how feminists can start organizations to aid others, but lasting change requires the government to take women’s rights seriously.