Major Initiatives
Busting Mental Health Stigma, May 2016.
In a groundbreaking move by an EIC, Amy spoke about her own OCD in WH's first big program surrounding mental health, a partnership with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). The campaign garnered 260 million social impressions and 167 million press impressions, including a Today segment, an AOL Build panel, and a Twitter chat. Amy and actress Torrey DeVitto, who has anxiety, lit the Empire State Building green for Mental Health Awareness Month.
Promoting Body Positivity and Acceptance, 2016-2018.
When Amy eliminated the phrases "bikini body" and "drop 2 sizes" from WH's covers in January 2016, readers erupted in support, and Amy was interviewed by scads of publications (see links below). Women's Health continued to support body confidence in various ways, from skin stories…to celebrating healthy weight gain…to covers of Gina Rodriguez and Jessica Simpson, both of whom talked about being shamed for their bodies.
Click Through Gallery
Health Perils of Disrupted Sleep, December 2017.
A survey conducted by WH, Thrive Global, and the American Sleep Association informed a 14-page report about women's biggest sleep disruptors and the newest science-backed fixes. Formatted like an adult bedtime story that starred a rooster of doom—the ultimate shut-eye disruptor—the print report was supplemented by five online videos (see below) and a #WHSleepWeek social campaign. "Wakey Wakey!" was nominated for a 2017 Personal Service ASME.
Dermatology Shortage and Melanoma Deaths, September 2017.
In an investigative report, WH discovered that one in five areas in the U.S. has no dermatologists—and that melanoma deaths in these "derm deserts" are higher. Among the sordid reasons why: insurance fraud and financial incentives for prioritizing cosmetic over medical appointments. Journalists lauded our work, and the American Academy of Dermatology vowed to improve the crisis. We continued our reporting online.
Two-part Series on Sexual Assault, October and November 2016.
In partnership with RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network), WH investigated sexual assault from two unreported angles: the decades-long PTSD many women face after rape, and harassment by physicians, which Amy discussed on The Doctors. In an online supplement, WH explored victim-blaming and spoke with VP Joe Biden, representing the It's On Us campaign. The series won a 2017 Folio Eddie Award and 2017 Newswomen's Club of New York Front Page Award.
Fighting for Paid Federal Maternity Leave, October 2015.
This story—highlighting the U.S.'s non-existent federal paid leave—exposed new data showing the deleterious physical and mental effects on mothers and babies. Online, we asked women to tweet or 'gram why #PaidLeavePays and to sign our Change.org petition calling on 2016 presidential candidates to disclose their positions on paid leave (this petition ranked in the top 1 percent of Change.org petitions). Senator Kirsten Gillibrand wrote about the issue on WomensHealthMag.com.
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