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An Instagram photo shows blue squares framing emojis of monuments and people. The caption reads "not wordle, just my senior staff team," referring to Capitol Hill's overwhelmingly white staffers.

Anonymous Instagrams Are Unionizing Staffs From Capitol Hill to Hollywood

April 4, 2022 at 12:12pm

Like feminist consciousness-raising groups in the ’60s, anonymous Instagram accounts provide platforms for workers to share grievances and build momentum for unionization efforts. Read more »

Two hands massage between a woman's shoulder blades. Leaves swirl around them.

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

by Nicole Gordon

April 1, 2022 at 12:49pm

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

A bright pink and clear plastic megaphone in front of a blue background

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

by s.e. smith

April 1, 2022 at 12:46pm

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 »

Two faces, defined by black, empty, space and scribbled red and white lines, face each other

Graphic Design: The Uncomfortable History of Sex Onscreen

by Beatrice Loayza

April 1, 2022 at 12:44pm

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

A drawing of female athletes on a turf-covered conveyor belt with a giant hand grabbing them.

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

by Britni de la Cretaz

April 1, 2022 at 12:43pm

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 »

A surrealist illustration: two staircases lead into an ear and opened mouth, a blue woman kneels with her hands extended and her fingers curled, dismembered hands engaging in asmr occupy the two corners of the piece.

Access Denied: How ASMR Redefines Digital Intimacy

by Gianna Ferrarin

April 1, 2022 at 12:43pm

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 »

A still from Nina Menkes's documentary "Brainwashed: Sex-Camera-Power" showing an up-close shot of a person's eyes, the entire face illuminated in purple light with the white outline of a hand over one eye.

“Brainwashed: Sex-Camera-Power” Is a Fresh Critique of the Male Gaze

by Michelle Krasovitski

April 1, 2022 at 12:05pm

Nina Menkes’s new documentary, “Brainwashed: Sex-Camera-Power,” provides a critical but shallow introduction to feminist film theory. Read more »

Shot from the music video for Stay Soft. Mitski, an Asian American woman with shoulder-length straight black hair clenches her hands near her face, looking off camera in horror in front of a lush navy blue background.

Pretty Horrifying:: Video Director Maegan Houang’s Visceral Vision for Mitski’s Music

by Oliver Haug

April 1, 2022 at 11:36am

Horror is a means to this end, something that Maegan Houang views as a “tool” in their kit. “The thing about horror and music videos is that it’s a genre that creates a shorthand that allows you to tell a more concise story,” says Houang. Read more »