Latest Articles

Stripping Point: Nipplegate Exposed Our Deep Fear of Black Women’s Sexuality

cropping of a grayscale vector illustration of Janet Jackson on a black background. She is posed with an exposed torso, her arms above her head with a silhouette of hands covering her chest. Neon blue, pink, yellow lines outline her arms, waist, and chest
by Vanessa Willoughby March 4, 2021 at 10:37am
Janet Jackson was punished for 9/16 of one second of nudity, while Justin Timberlake rose from her post–Super Bowl ashes.
a purple and light brown duotone photo of author Deesha Philyaw, a Black woman with long locs, wearing a large hoop earring, and strapless, pleated top, looking at a reflection of herself in the mirror

The Only Gaze Is Ours: Tracing the Evolution of Black Women’s Stories

by Deesha Philyaw
March 3, 2021 at 10:41am

Writing about Black people feels limitless. It feels infinite.
Reese Witherspoon as Elle Woods, a white woman with long blond hair who wears a pink dress and smiles.

What, like It’s Hard?: The Enduring Legacy of “Legally Blonde”

by Erin Taylor
March 3, 2021 at 8:44am

Elle is not only harassed, but also has the harassment weaponized against her. 
A young white girl wears a yellow raincoat and steps into a store while holding a zine.

“Moxie” Isn’t Perfect, but Neither Are New Feminists

by Rachel Charlene Lewis
March 3, 2021 at 8:42am

Moxie is more educational than groundbreaking.
photo of a fat Black woman covered in gold foil pieces, wearing purple lacy panties, while holding up an apple, surrounded by flowers and foliage.

Avenging Eve: The Death of Eden and the Birth of Patriarchy

by McKenzie Schwark
March 2, 2021 at 10:15am

The biblical origin story teaches us that the woman who dares disobey God is the monster.
Naima Coster, a light-skinned woman with short, black hair, and wearing a black t-shirt crosses her arms and smiles as she poses against a colorful wall

“What’s Mine and Yours” Complicates the School Segregation Story

by Evette Dionne
March 2, 2021 at 9:48am

Naima Coster’s prescient novel brings human faces to a broader social issue.
Lana Condor, an Asian teenager with short, black hair, holds a turquoise book while wearing a turquoise dress at prom in To All The Boys: Always And Forever

Dream Sequence: “To All the Boys” Ends Less Sugary Sweet Than It Began

by Kyndall Cunningham
February 26, 2021 at 11:21am

The film ultimately lacks the essential nutrients of a satisfying conclusion.
Tara (Amber Benson), left, looks lovingly at Willow (Alyson Hannigan), right, who is smiling and looking down

Under Your Spell: Revisiting “Buffy’s” First Lesbian Kiss 20 Years Later

by Elly Belle
February 26, 2021 at 11:00am

The fact that these queer women weren’t allowed sustained happiness sent the message that stability exists only in relationships between men and women.
A light skinned black woman with a large white flower in her hair spreads her arms and sings on stage.

Hidden in Subtext: “The United States vs. Billie Holiday” Masks Bisexuality

by Shelli Nicole
February 26, 2021 at 9:35am

The main character’s queerness is downplayed. 
four white women wear red robes with white hats in The Handmaid’s Tale

Is the Abortion Rights Movement Becoming a White Woman’s Story?

by Shanti Escalante-De Mattei
February 25, 2021 at 10:31am

White girl protagonists become stand-ins for a “universal” experience.
a light-skinned transgender woman with black hair pulled back in a bun and wearing a blue gown sits on a hospital bed as she talks to a transgender male doctor wearing a white robe

Tender Judging Care : #TransCrowdFund and the Politics of Desire

by Oliver Haug
February 24, 2021 at 10:28am

Even before the GoFundMe boom, there was an element of desirability politics in healthcare.

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