Culture

Two white teens embrace, with the girl leaping into the boy’s arms.

Fanfiction to Film: “The Kissing Booth” Brings Misogyny from Wattpad to Netflix

by Rachel Charlene Lewis
July 31, 2020 at 2:33pm
Why are the fanfics that become films so misogynist? Read more »
Taylor Swift plays the piano while wearing a white dress in a lush forest.

Does Taylor Swift Have to Be Queer for “folklore” to be a Lesbian Album?

by Rachel Charlene Lewis
July 30, 2020 at 1:15pm
Longing is, after all, queer. Read more »
A white woman and a Black woman sit together on an expensive-looking couch in a coworking space.

Like Kat Edison, Many Black Women in Media Can’t Catch a Break

by Iyana Jones
July 30, 2020 at 9:33am
The Bold Type isn’t so bold when it comes to Kat, its Black, queer protagonist.  Read more »
Shirley Jackson, a white woman with her blond hair in a bun and wearing glasses, looks downward in front of a yellow background

Haunted Housewife: The Horror—and the Humor—of Shirley Jackson

by Trimble
July 29, 2020 at 1:30pm
As both writer and housewife, she embodied identities that were incompatible according to the norms of her time. Read more »
Three Black people use their phones. The words “Twitter is ant-Black” are overlaid.

Very Online: Twitter is a Salve for Black People. It’s Also Anti-Black.

by Rachel Charlene Lewis
July 29, 2020 at 11:47am
What does Twitter’s commitment to Black people actually look like, and what is the impact when Twitter fails Black users? Read more »
Steven Canals, a Latinx man with short, black hair and glasses, wears a blue tuxedo at a formal event

Steven Canals Wants TV to Go Beyond Striking a Pose

by Evette Dionne
July 28, 2020 at 2:45pm
The ballroom is truly about being a safety net and being a family for young LGBTQ kids who were being discarded by their families, government, and churches. Read more »
Zac Efron, a white man, is in a hot spring in Iceland.

Bro-ey Ribaldry: Zac Efron’s “Down to Earth” is Merely Colonialist Fantasy

by Mallika Khanna
July 23, 2020 at 10:08am
Though fun, “Down to Earth” largely whitewashes sustainability, and misses the mark. Read more »
Liza Anne, who is white with bright blond hair, wears an orange suit and holds a guitar up against her chest on a beach.

On “Bad Vacation,” Liza Anne Finds Community in Vulnerability

by Danielle Chelosky
July 23, 2020 at 9:07am
“I feel like everything is just paused and repeated in this expansive yet really calming state of learning to love and to be loved.” Read more »
Bonnie Bennett, a Black woman with short straight hair and green eyes, looks up into the light, a look of relief on her face.

Julie Plec Continues “The Vampire Diaries” Tradition of Black Women Saving White Women

by Rachel Charlene Lewis
July 22, 2020 at 3:44pm
It’s not the first time Julie Plec has put vile demands on the shoulders of Black women. Read more »
A photo from Season 3, episode 07, Santana comes out to her Abuelita. Santana has dark hair that’s curled and she’s speaking to the camera.

Naya Rivera Built a TV Legacy for Queer, Latinx People

by Olivia Zayas Ryan
July 22, 2020 at 10:46am
“Santana validated me, and was the beginning of what led me out of the closet.” Read more »

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Best of Bitch

Will Filming the Police Keep Us Safe?

by Victoria Law
February 5, 2015 at 10:31am
There’s a cultural idea that having someone looking over our shoulder makes us behave better. From fake security cameras to Elf... Read more »

Sojourner Truth, Unveiled

by Deesha Philyaw
April 29, 2009 at 2:58pm

The leaders of the [women's suffrage] movement trembled on seeing a tall, gaunt black woman in a gray dress and white turban,...

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Why You Should Pay for Porn

by Casey Quinlan
April 29, 2015 at 7:27pm
If you’re a progressive middle-class individual, chances are you think about where your food comes from. Maybe you try to buy shoes that are... Read more »

Politically Correct Language Isn't Just About Being Polite—It's About Survival

by Leela Ginelle
February 10, 2015 at 12:23pm
Photo by Phillipe Leroyer (Creative Commons). Two weeks ago, Jonathan Chait published the lengthy essay “Not a Very P.C.... Read more »