Rachel Cohen Booth
@rcobooth.bsky.social
Vox reporter - covering housing, homelessness, family policy
trying to prod productively
trying to prod productively
"Both in Massachusetts and around the country, white and Asian parents were far likelier to pull their children out of public schools than Hispanics and African Americans." www.the74million.org/article/fall...
January 8, 2026 at 12:33 PM
"Both in Massachusetts and around the country, white and Asian parents were far likelier to pull their children out of public schools than Hispanics and African Americans." www.the74million.org/article/fall...
What's surprised me most about pregnancy
Little Yosemites
rcobooth.substack.com
January 6, 2026 at 1:01 AM
Reposted by Rachel Cohen Booth
I feel like "attention hacking" is most of politics now. The Minnesota aid fraud story is becoming a perfect example.
Recap: In 2022, the Biden DOJ filed the first charges against dozens of fraudsters, many of them Somali-American, who'd fleeced a state food aid program. (1/x)
Recap: In 2022, the Biden DOJ filed the first charges against dozens of fraudsters, many of them Somali-American, who'd fleeced a state food aid program. (1/x)
December 29, 2025 at 1:30 AM
I feel like "attention hacking" is most of politics now. The Minnesota aid fraud story is becoming a perfect example.
Recap: In 2022, the Biden DOJ filed the first charges against dozens of fraudsters, many of them Somali-American, who'd fleeced a state food aid program. (1/x)
Recap: In 2022, the Biden DOJ filed the first charges against dozens of fraudsters, many of them Somali-American, who'd fleeced a state food aid program. (1/x)
some last thoughts on a big year open.substack.com/pub/rcobooth...
December 30, 2025 at 12:04 AM
some last thoughts on a big year open.substack.com/pub/rcobooth...
there's going to be pressure within Trump world in 2026 to rewrite the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act to exclude patients undergoing IVF
@annanorth.bsky.social looks at the likely showdown at the EEOC www.vox.com/policy/47264...
@annanorth.bsky.social looks at the likely showdown at the EEOC www.vox.com/policy/47264...
December 19, 2025 at 12:07 AM
there's going to be pressure within Trump world in 2026 to rewrite the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act to exclude patients undergoing IVF
@annanorth.bsky.social looks at the likely showdown at the EEOC www.vox.com/policy/47264...
@annanorth.bsky.social looks at the likely showdown at the EEOC www.vox.com/policy/47264...
Reposted by Rachel Cohen Booth
I wrote about a schism on the right over IVF, that’s set to come to a head in 2026 (gift link)
The looming showdown over IVF, explained
Trump says he supports IVF. That’s about to be tested.
www.vox.com
December 18, 2025 at 3:27 PM
I wrote about a schism on the right over IVF, that’s set to come to a head in 2026 (gift link)
and yes, many people in NYC spend even more than that!
the headline estimate came from the 2025 NYC comptroller report
bsky.app/profile/rcob...
the headline estimate came from the 2025 NYC comptroller report
bsky.app/profile/rcob...
December 13, 2025 at 1:59 AM
and yes, many people in NYC spend even more than that!
the headline estimate came from the 2025 NYC comptroller report
bsky.app/profile/rcob...
the headline estimate came from the 2025 NYC comptroller report
bsky.app/profile/rcob...
Aparna Raj is running on it in Ward 1
December 13, 2025 at 1:52 AM
Aparna Raj is running on it in Ward 1
Universal child care in NYC won't be easy. But it's possible, practical, and could give the United States a desperately-needed blueprint.
I wrote for @nytimes.com about what Zohran Mamdani will need to keep in mind as he looks to deliver on his campaign pledge
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/11/o...
I wrote for @nytimes.com about what Zohran Mamdani will need to keep in mind as he looks to deliver on his campaign pledge
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/11/o...
December 13, 2025 at 1:35 AM
Universal child care in NYC won't be easy. But it's possible, practical, and could give the United States a desperately-needed blueprint.
I wrote for @nytimes.com about what Zohran Mamdani will need to keep in mind as he looks to deliver on his campaign pledge
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/11/o...
I wrote for @nytimes.com about what Zohran Mamdani will need to keep in mind as he looks to deliver on his campaign pledge
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/11/o...
"Democratic socialist Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and moderate presumptive City Council Speaker Julie Menin are seemingly on an ideological collision course. But free child care is emerging as one issue area they might potentially align on."
www.politico.com/news/2025/12...
www.politico.com/news/2025/12...
Menin and Mamdani could find common ground on child care push
The incoming mayor and speaker-elect are aligned on the $6 billion program, but will face major financial and logistical challenges.
www.politico.com
December 13, 2025 at 12:14 AM
"Democratic socialist Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and moderate presumptive City Council Speaker Julie Menin are seemingly on an ideological collision course. But free child care is emerging as one issue area they might potentially align on."
www.politico.com/news/2025/12...
www.politico.com/news/2025/12...
ahh so cool! and thank you!
December 13, 2025 at 12:13 AM
ahh so cool! and thank you!
I wrote about this risk back in the spring: www.vox.com/immigration/...
The immigration crackdown threatening to break America’s child care system
What happens if the people caring for American children get deported?
www.vox.com
December 11, 2025 at 12:29 AM
I wrote about this risk back in the spring: www.vox.com/immigration/...
Chris Herbst and @erdaltekin.bsky.social find the increase in ICE arrests since Trump took office to be associated with 39,000 fewer foreign-born child care workers and 77,000 fewer U.S.-born working mothers (as of July)
www.newamerica.org/better-life-...
www.newamerica.org/better-life-...
The Impact of Increased ICE Activity on the Child Care Workforce and Mothers’ Employment
The surge in ICE arrests erodes the child care workforce and pulls mothers of young children out of the labor market.
www.newamerica.org
December 11, 2025 at 12:29 AM
Chris Herbst and @erdaltekin.bsky.social find the increase in ICE arrests since Trump took office to be associated with 39,000 fewer foreign-born child care workers and 77,000 fewer U.S.-born working mothers (as of July)
www.newamerica.org/better-life-...
www.newamerica.org/better-life-...
And being in those kinds of relationships but not helping at home also decreases likelihood of kids
More housework≠ more children inherently, but in the modern world a *lack* of gender equality does seem to make the birth rate fall even faster. (See South Korea/ Japan/ Southern Europe)
More housework≠ more children inherently, but in the modern world a *lack* of gender equality does seem to make the birth rate fall even faster. (See South Korea/ Japan/ Southern Europe)
December 8, 2025 at 4:49 PM
And being in those kinds of relationships but not helping at home also decreases likelihood of kids
More housework≠ more children inherently, but in the modern world a *lack* of gender equality does seem to make the birth rate fall even faster. (See South Korea/ Japan/ Southern Europe)
More housework≠ more children inherently, but in the modern world a *lack* of gender equality does seem to make the birth rate fall even faster. (See South Korea/ Japan/ Southern Europe)
most women do not live anymore in a world where they need to settle for selfish/demeaning partners to survive. the "reservation wage" of entering a relationship, as Patrick Brown puts it, has gone up. & not entering those types of partnerships decreases chance of having kids
December 8, 2025 at 4:48 PM
most women do not live anymore in a world where they need to settle for selfish/demeaning partners to survive. the "reservation wage" of entering a relationship, as Patrick Brown puts it, has gone up. & not entering those types of partnerships decreases chance of having kids
I wanted to know...do men care if that makes fertility less likely? what responsibility, if any, do they think they have for all this? www.vox.com/policy/47078...
Traditional gender roles won’t get men what they want
Men’s search for meaning is everyone’s problem.
www.vox.com
December 8, 2025 at 4:47 PM
I wanted to know...do men care if that makes fertility less likely? what responsibility, if any, do they think they have for all this? www.vox.com/policy/47078...
I started working on this one originally because I was struck by the fact that men were registering more concern than women about falling birth rates, but also voicing greater support for a return to traditional gender roles
December 8, 2025 at 4:47 PM
I started working on this one originally because I was struck by the fact that men were registering more concern than women about falling birth rates, but also voicing greater support for a return to traditional gender roles
Reposted by Rachel Cohen Booth
claudia goldin apology form
A new study on 40+ European countries found women increasingly want men to share child care and housework equally—but men's attitudes have barely budged. In countries where this gap was widest, both birth rates and female employment were lower. (1/3)
December 8, 2025 at 1:37 PM
claudia goldin apology form
yes! I saw an interesting study on that, because it could make men more aware of the costs so more wary about inflicting them on themselves. I think her point at the end was important, we don't know if it's possible to live in a more egalitarian world where birth rates are also going up
December 8, 2025 at 4:12 PM
yes! I saw an interesting study on that, because it could make men more aware of the costs so more wary about inflicting them on themselves. I think her point at the end was important, we don't know if it's possible to live in a more egalitarian world where birth rates are also going up
@philipncohen.com how is the line you quoted from TNR an example of birth rate "panic" ?
December 8, 2025 at 2:03 PM
@philipncohen.com how is the line you quoted from TNR an example of birth rate "panic" ?
There's a lot of reluctance to—and frustration with—studying men and masculinity in particular. But avoiding it won't make problems go away.
I wrote about why this all matters, not just for birth rates, but for gender equality and relationships (3/3)
www.vox.com/policy/47078...
I wrote about why this all matters, not just for birth rates, but for gender equality and relationships (3/3)
www.vox.com/policy/47078...
Traditional gender roles won’t get men what they want
Men’s search for meaning is everyone’s problem.
www.vox.com
December 8, 2025 at 1:26 PM
There's a lot of reluctance to—and frustration with—studying men and masculinity in particular. But avoiding it won't make problems go away.
I wrote about why this all matters, not just for birth rates, but for gender equality and relationships (3/3)
www.vox.com/policy/47078...
I wrote about why this all matters, not just for birth rates, but for gender equality and relationships (3/3)
www.vox.com/policy/47078...
"This was definitely not well-documented, not much attention has been paid to it," the study's lead author told me. A Norwegian demographer put it more bluntly: "I've been screaming that we need more research about men for the last 20 years." (2/3)
December 8, 2025 at 1:26 PM
"This was definitely not well-documented, not much attention has been paid to it," the study's lead author told me. A Norwegian demographer put it more bluntly: "I've been screaming that we need more research about men for the last 20 years." (2/3)