‘I haven’t looked back’: the women who discovered cycling in lockdown

Quieter lockdown roads inspired a 50% rise in women trying cycling in England. For some riders it turned into more than a new hobby

Muscling in at LA’s Muscle Beach: Haley Morris-Cafiero’s best photograph

‘I took this near where people work out for my guerrilla-style Wait Watchers series. When it went viral, I started getting hateful messages about my body’

Right as rain! 10 ways to boost your mood on grey, wet or cold days

After a disappointing British summer, many of us won’t be looking forward to autumn and winter. But there are many ways to keep your spirits high in the bleaker seasons

Texas anti-abortion law shows ‘terrifying’ fragility of women’s rights, say activists

Campaigners fear ban emboldens anti-choice governments as more aggressive opposition, better organised and funded, spreads from US

Teenage girls, body image and Instagram’s ‘perfect storm’

The suffering of the photo-sharing app’s users came into focus this week with the leak of Facebook’s internal research

‘The ground is unstable but there are pleasures all around’ – goodbye to the joy of small things

For three years, this column has been looking for sources of quotidian joy in the darkness. As it comes to an end, what tiny delights would other writers nominate?

‘Balance is fulfilling’: how to look after your mental health at uni

From making time for self-care to silencing your inner critic, the experts share their top tips for looking after your mental health at university

Labia liberation! The movement to end vulva anxiety for good

Women have long been taught to be ashamed of their vulvas, with increasing numbers turning to cosmetic surgery in pursuit of genital ‘perfection’. But a new generation is fighting back

The Taliban are not the only threat to Afghanistan. Aid cuts could undo 20 years of progress

The most vulnerable people will bear the cost of sanctions, as services and the economy collapse

‘I found myself’: how the pandemic brought out the best in people

From a GP urging patients to get vaccinated to a Covid-bereaved support group founder, Covid, for some people, has meant helping others