IW Features
IW Features is an American website featuring personal stories, profiles and documentaries. The platform is a project of Independent Women, the conservative organization formerly known as Independent Women's Forum. The stories are free to read; the site runs on donations and has no paywall.
What you’ll find
The articles are organized into sections such as economic opportunity, education, safety and health. Two sections are particularly relevant to this website: one about gender and biology and another about spaces and sports categories for women and girls. They feature people talking about what policies in these areas have meant for them.
Why it is included on this list
IW Features presents personal stories, not research, and selects those stories from a clear political perspective. The site is useful as a collection of testimonies, alongside sources on detransition and society.
Series and formats
IW Features runs ongoing series with names such as Identity Crisis, Reclaiming Biological Reality, Tee Time, Cruel & Unusual Punishment and Chasing Work. The first two tie in with the sections on gender and biology. The stories appear as documentaries, profiles, commentaries or reports. People recently profiled include Sherrie Laurie, who runs a shelter for women in Anchorage; detransitioner Jonni Skinner; wrestler Kallie Keeler; and Olympic athlete Kaillie Humphries. The headlines are often sharply worded. One example is the story of a woman who writes that she underwent breast surgery at the age of thirteen.
Who is behind it
The site describes itself as a free source of independent journalism that values truth and the power of stories. It is published by Independent Women, the organization described on this list as Independent Women's Forum, which campaigns for separate facilities and sports categories for women. The contact address is in Winchester, Virginia. The names of the editors do not appear on the homepage. The subjects of the stories align with the campaigns of the parent organization. The site asks readers for donations.
How to assess this source
A testimony can be true and moving while still saying little about how often something occurs. The stories rarely include a response from the healthcare provider, school or sports governing body involved. Use them as illustrations of people’s experiences and look up figures and regulations elsewhere, for example in the article on gender and sport.