Latest Articles

An illustration with three female singers looking at the viewer. On the left, a woman with blue skin and green braids represents Lotic. In the middle is Adele, a white woman with long straight blonde hair. Right is Megan Thee Stallion with red skin.

5 Feminist Albums That Got Us Through November

by DeAsia Paige
November 30, 2021 at 9:24am

Get emotionally vulnerable with releases from Adele, Lotic, Summer Walker, and more.
Kyle Rittenhouse with two white men in blue suits in a courtroom

White Lies: How Democrats React to Kyle Rittenhouse's Acquittal Matters

by Madiba K. Dennie
November 22, 2021 at 3:20pm

Encouragements to “just vote” tell a grieving country that we can be saved by continuing to do something that hasn’t saved us yet.
Actor Will Smith in his role as Richard Williams, pushing his daughters Venus (portrayed by Saniyyah Sidney), and Serena (Demi Singleton) in a cart full of tennis balls on a court

Double Down: “King Richard” Is an Ode to the Power of Believing in Black Girls

by Dara Mathis
November 22, 2021 at 1:58pm

“King Richard” succeeds in drawing us to root for the Williams family to beat the odds against them—the specter of both genteel and bloody racism, the gang violence that threatens their neighborhood.
illustration byCheanie Kü of Grandma Deer, an indigenous spirit with long braids, transparent antlers, and a red hand print over their mouth. They are cloaked in purple and cupping a flame in their hands, with the moon and northern lights behind them.

Righteous Spirit: Indigenous Horror Authors Tap into Tribal Traditions

by Abaki Beck
November 22, 2021 at 10:43am

These writers are resisting the long impact of colonization and Christianity, which forced Indigenous communities to either hide or abandon their stories.
an illustration by Brooklyn White of an outstretched Black hand with gold bracelets, gold rings, and long red nails, on a neon green background, holding three Telfar bags in different sizes, one in pink, one in blue, and one in brown

Survival of the Fits: Black Fashion Has Always Been Liberatory

by Brooklyn White
November 19, 2021 at 4:59pm

Black-owned brands not only serve their communities but also fill a need. “We’ve always had to create our own avenues because we were not thought of as the shopper or the buyer,” Nandi Howard, associate fashion editor at “Essence” magazine and “Bitch” contributor, says.
Illustration of a dark blue, red, and black monster emerging from a box on a red background.

Marketing the Monster: Has Trans Identity Become a Sales Pitch?

by Oliver Haug
November 19, 2021 at 10:19am
"Sort Of" creator and star Bilal Baig in their role as Sabi Mehboob

Rare Delight: : “Sort Of” Is a Refreshingly Complex Take on Nonbinary Life

by s.e. smith
November 18, 2021 at 10:45am

What makes Sort Of work is its exploration of a nesting series of communities; one is diverse and queer, featuring people of a variety of genders and sexualities who move fluidly through each other’s lives in a way that highlights the rapid diversification of the LGBQT community and the space people have created for each other.
A purple graphic featuring an cut-out image of Arya Stark smirking in leather armor with a sheathed sword at her side. Bold black text says “Episode 2 The Little Miss Badass”

Feminist-ish: The “Little Miss Badass” Trope

by Marina Watanabe
November 18, 2021 at 9:00am

The trope itself is powerful because audiences also often perceive young women as vulnerable and nonthreatening, and the reveal that a character is secretly a Little Miss Badass subverts their own expectations of the narrative.

Queen Shit: Lil’ Kim Celebrates 25 Years as Rap’s OG Doll

by Fullamusu Bangura
November 15, 2021 at 1:39pm

Lil’ Kim’s personas have long been a point of contention among many hip hop listeners concerned with women’s representation in the genre.
Taylor Swift, in a red car, gazes into the distance wearing red lipstick, an orange newsboy-style hat, a beige coat, and a silver, diamond-shaped ring that says “RED”

Taylor’s Version: How Swift Created a Roadmap for Young Women in Pop

by Elly Belle
November 12, 2021 at 4:11pm

The intentionality of her rereleased albums only further cements what fans have known for almost two decades: Taylor Swift is nothing if not strategic about how she tells her story.

Pages