What’s Current: Lesbian feminist shero Magdalen Berns passes away at 36

  • Magdalen Berns, a lesbian feminist activist and shero passed away today at age 36 after battling a brain tumour. Berns, a YouTube sensation, is celebrated for her impact in raising awareness for lesbian women’s interests and igniting public conversation around sex, gender, and sexuality. After Ellen reports:

“Magdalen’s courage has encouraged women around the world — including the AfterEllen team — to live proudly as lesbians. Her conviction has inspired countless lesbians to use our voices and take political action. Magdalen Berns is and always will be a credit to our community.”

  • Official figures show the number of domestic violence-related homicides in the UK has hit a five-year high, with most crimes involving male perpetrators and female victims.
  • A high school girl in Kenya committed suicide after her teacher called her “dirty” for bleeding through her school uniform after getting her first period.
  • A young woman who previously faced life in prison for delivering a stillborn baby as a teenager and burying the remains is acquitted of murder.
  • Saudi women rebel against the country’s conservative dress code by refusing to wear the obligatory abaya in a push for more social liberties.
Meghan McCarty

Meghan McCarty is an undergraduate student and aspiring journalist living in the United States.