Mara Hollander

Bio

I'm a Georgetown University alum working at a market research firm in DC. I have a background in research, political polling and campaigns, healthcare politics and policy, and gender and sexuality issues. I write about sex and gender because I believe you should be able to make decisions free from predetermination by these somewhat arbitrary distinctions - and I welcome and enjoy considerate debate about whether or not they should matter!
ESPN's 'Nine For IX' Seeks to Right the Wrongs Of Its '30 For 30' Series
By Mara Hollander
Nine for IX, being released by ESPN Films and espnW starting this July, is a series of documentary films, styled after ESPN’s 30 for 30, which will highlights stories of women in athletics. In commemoration of the 40th anniversary of Title IX, which…
It's Not Selfish to Not Want Kids
By Mara Hollander
Apparently, some women don’t want to have kids, and some men are upset about that. Joel Kotkin and Harry Siegel wrote at The Daily Beast that young people who choose not have children are selfishly causing "disaster for the country as a whole." The…
On Roe v. Wade Anniversary, Whatever Happened to Jane Roe?
By Mara Hollander
In 1969, a pregnant 21-year-old woman, named Norma McCorvey, using the infamous pseudonym “Jane Roe,” was part of the Supreme Court case that would have forced the state of Texas to allow her to get an abortion. When Jane Roe was interviewed by the…
Yes, There is Such a Thing As a Pro-Life Feminist
By Mara Hollander
Catherine wants to “[create] a society in which women are not solely responsible for a child's care, in which women have the resources to carry and/or raise a child without being punished by society financially and otherwise...” Emma believes “in…
Nancy Keenan Stepping Down as Head of NARAL Pro-Choice America
By Mara Hollander
As re-reported in The Hill (the announcement was first made in May, but I imagine reporters are really, really bored with the fiscal cliff), Nancy Keenan is stepping down from her position as president of NARAL Pro-Choice America to make room for…
Roe v. Wade Protects Women's Right to Control Their Bodies
By Mara Hollander
Roe v. Wade, decided in 1973, is one of the most controversial Supreme Court cases in American history. Detractors have several arguments against the decision, ranging from concern over constitutional interpretation (i.e. Did the Supreme Court…
Want More Bipartisanship? Elect More Women
By Mara Hollander
Bipartisanship is the big buzzword in today’s political climate. American voters claim to be tired of the partisan, self-righteous attitudes of some of our representatives on Capitol Hill. But on some level, we are complicit in perpetuating this…
Initiative 26, Dangerous Personhood Amendment, Fails in Mississippi
By Mara Hollander
Yesterday, Mississippi residents voted for their next State Senate and House of Representatives, an exciting prospect for an odd-numbered year. But by a massive 130,000 vote margin (16 percentage points), Mississippi has also rejected Initiative 26,…
Initiative 26 in Mississippi Endangers Women
By Mara Hollander
Tomorrow, Mississippi residents will vote to fill their next State Senate and House of Representatives, an exciting prospect for an odd-numbered year. But Mississippi has also placed on the ballot Initiative 26, a constitutional amendment that will…
Women's Bodies as Bargaining Chips: Domestic Violence in Topeka, Kansas
By Mara Hollander
Last week, Shawnee County district attorney decided to stop prosecuting misdemeanors – which includes domestic violence cases – and make that a responsibility of individual cities, like Topeka, Kansas. DA Chad Taylor explained away the decision as a…
Should Condoms and Birth Control Be More Accessible On Campus?
By Mara Hollander
It’s been a few years since Hoyas have chained themselves to the statue of John Carroll, but there have still been more than enough opportunities for Hoyas and outside groups alike to debate the merits of reproductive choice on campus. Condoms and…
President Bachmann Would Be Bad For Women
By Mara Hollander
Representative Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) tore down former Governor Tim Pawlenty while reaffirming her good old-fashioned values in an Iowa debate that I am not soon going to forget. I find myself wondering, as a feminist, why a woman would support…
"Little Girls" and Gender Stereotypes
By Mara Hollander
It will come as no surprise to political junkies that South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley made an ad hominem attack against Post and Courier reporter Renee Dudley earlier this month. Politicians lob character-based criticisms at each other day in…
Marriage On the Decline? Sounds Good To Me
By Mara Hollander
Marriage is no longer commonly thought of as the functional sale of a woman from one male keeper to another. Outside of arranged marriage, women are frequently expected to find their own husbands and marry for love. But with 50% of marriages in the…
Bachmann As President is Bad For Women
By Mara Hollander
Representative Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) tore down former Governor Tim Pawlenty while reaffirming her good old-fashioned values in an Iowa debate that I am not soon going to forget. I find myself wondering, as a feminist, why a woman would support…