Culture

Knock It Down:: Journalism's Barrier-Breaking Leaders of Color on the Past, Present, and Future of the Whitewashed Industry

Maria Hinojosa, Kevin Merida, and Lauren Williams talk about the future of journalism and the recent changes they’ve seen in newsroom diversity.

“X” Is a Slasher Film with an Important Message about Sex Work and Pornography

What the golden age of porn shows us is that good sex means breaking rules, not necessarily literal rules or laws that exist in our physical world, but rules or standards governing human conduct, morality, and ethics.  Read more »

10 Essential Books About Writing

Must-read titles for writers include works by Elena Ferrante, Akwaeke Emezi, Meg Wolitzer, Yoko Ogawa, and more. Read more »

BitchReads: 10 Books Feminists Should Read in April

This month, we’re reading “Young Mungo” by Douglas Stuart, “The Red Zone” by Chloe Caldwell, “Harley Quinn: Reckoning” by Rachael Allen, and more. Read more »

Battle Cry: Sailor Moon the Supersensitive Superhero

An ode to Sailor Moon’s power of emotional vulnerability on the show’s 30th anniversary. Read more »

In Safe Hands:: During Times of Crisis, Massage Therapy Becomes Activism

Nikki Gordon writes about the healing power of touch therapy during times of crisis.  Read more »

Tongue-Tied: “Politically Correct” Has Always Been the Wrong Term

s.e. smith reflects on the discourse around “political correctness,” pointing out the mainstream left’s culpability in the rise of “patriotical correctness” by demonizing political correctness instead of hate speech and misinformation campaigns.  Read more »

Graphic Design: The Uncomfortable History of Sex Onscreen

Beatrice Loayza traces a history of sex in TV and movies, highlighting the important work of intimacy directors in the field today.  Read more »

Sidelined:: Title IX Leveled the Playing Field. But Did it Miss the Goal?

Britni de la Cretaz discusses the missteps of Title IX, namely how it fails to address the patriarchal structures within men’s sports, creating conditions for mistreatment and abuse of women athletes.  Read more »

Access Denied: How ASMR Redefines Digital Intimacy

Gianna Ferrarin discusses how ASMRtists’ encounters with anti-pornography restrictions online is forcing creators to rethink what constitutes an expression of intimacy or sexuality.  Read more »

Watch the Crown: What's Next for the Natural Hair Movement

St. Clair Detrick-Jules writes about the importance of celebrating and representing Black hair in media.  Read more »

Pages

"Moonlight" is an Essential Work of Art for the Current Political Moment

Moonlight displays the kind of empathy and humanity that we desperately need right now. Read more »

No Disrespect: Black Women and the Burden of Respectability

Hollywood still filters (and distorts) the lives and histories of minorities through the eyes of the majority. Read more »

Dear Bear: My Partner Makes No Money. Is That a Problem?

Our advice columnist offers a lesson in anticapitalist self-care. Read more »