Culture

Fear of a Feminist Lens: How Emily Nussbaum Pioneered TV Criticism

Nussbaum provides a roadmap for how to talk about television with an openness that sheds the hand-wringing that has plagued television criticism since its conception. Read more »

From Memes to Equal Pay: How Lesbian Meme Culture Produced A New Dedicated Soccer Fandom

With their World Cup win, the United States women’s national soccer team has been extensively memed, leading to newly obsessed queer fans—and more supporters in their fight for pay equity. Read more »

BitchReads: 5 Nonfiction Books Feminists Should Read This July

We’re bringing BitchReads back! Read more »

Teardrops On My Guitar: Taylor Swift Losing Her Masters Is a Sexist Tale as Old as Time

Record labels maintain control over original recordings in exchange for investing in the artist. Read more »

In “Late Night,” Comedy’s Whiteness Is a Backdrop for a Love Story

Mindy Kaling holds onto her affinity for caustic, negging romance, focusing this energy on the creative partnership between two very different women. Read more »

BitchTapes: Heat

The power that comes from women’s rage is one of the reasons why angry women have been shamed throughout history. Read more »

Do We Need to Calm Down?: A Roundtable about Taylor Swift and Classism in Music Videos

“Did [Taylor Swift] create something groundbreaking that liberated queer and trans people of color? Did she create an era-defining gay anthem that’s universally likable? No, but why should we expect her to?” Read more »

Guilty Parties: “Big Little Lies’” Glorious Reflections on Female Penitence

There’s something aspirational about the way Big Little Lies imbues even the most dysfunctional situations with a gloss of camp-adjacent catharsis. Read more »

Beyond Martyrdom: “Tales of the City” Introduces Two Generations of Complex Trans Characters

The flawed history of our queer ancestors serves as a portal to the past. Read more »

TV Has Shifted Our Cultural Perception of Who Has Abortions

While TV shows are still learning how to tell accurate and authentic stories about marginalized people who have abortions, there have been a few examples that have had lasting impact. Read more »

Pages

Mad Science: Deconstructing Bunk Reporting in 5 Easy Steps

British scientists have uncovered the truth behind one of modern culture's greatest mysteries: why little girls play with pink toys. Is it...

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The Forgotten History of the Women Who Shaped Modern Advertising

It's easy to dismiss advertising as an anti-feminist industry. Read more »

The Feminist Power of Female Ghosts

The female ghost is an enduringly fascinating figure. Read more »