Culture

On Our Radar

Links ahoy! HuffPo reports on Rachel Maddow’s statement that “[g]ay... Read more »

BitchTapes: Royal Wedding Mix!

When I was a teen, my mom would (jokingly?) advise me to tell boys who got too fresh that I was saving myself for Prince William and thus needed to preserve my virgin status. Though it never came to that, I've always had a soft spot for... Read more »

Grand Rounds: Dissecting Grey's Anatomy: It's A Long Way Back

This week on Grey’s Anatomy: Fraud Edition features a slew of medical ethics violations, some timelapse storylining, and a whole lot of crying. As we pound into the home stretch on the seventh season of Grey’s Anatomy, what’s coming next for our characters, and... Read more »

The Wedding March: Nice Day For a White Wedding

The vows have been said, the register signed and the happy couple kissed on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in front of screaming crowds. For those of us who didn’t score an invite to the most exclusive wedding of the decade, the media was on hand to guide us through the day—with a... Read more »

Mallika Dutt on How Popular Culture Can Build Global Bridges

Mallika Dutt is the founder and CEO of Breakthrough, an organization that “uses the power of media, pop culture, and community mobilization to inspire people to take bold action for dignity, equality, and justice.” Breakthrough has been successfully... Read more »

Brave New Virtual World: The Women Behind America 2049

A vaccination card from Ellis Island and a protest poster against INS (Immigration and Naturalization Services) reading “Fight Aids, not people with AIDS” aren’t your average crime-thriller clues. But in America 2049, a new Facebook... Read more »

Douchebag Decree: Monster High

Sometimes, products are all the more disappointing when they sounded pretty cool at first. Case in point: Mattel’s blockbuster franchise, Monster High. This series of dolls is centered around the children (mostly daughters) of werewolves, mummies and other classic beasties of horror tales.... Read more »

"On the Right Track, Baby"? Glee's Muddled Message about Difference

Group pic via tvguide.com. On Tuesday, Glee aired their second vaguely Lady Gaga-inspired episode, “Born This Way.” Like the first, Season One... Read more »

The Wedding March: Embracing the Trashy

As the day draws ever nearer, and even the most patriotic pundits run out of things to say about the ceremony itself, it’s time to turn our attention to what comes afterwards. The significance of the event cannot be underestimated, and although none of us will be privy to what the newlyweds... Read more »

Adventures in Feministory: Grace Paley

Activist, poet, mother, writer, Jewish woman, pacifist—it’s hard to pick what defined Grace Paley. Born in the Bronx in 1922, Paley went on to publish award winning works of poetry and fiction, to be an active member of both the anti-war and women’s movement, to teach writing at Sarah... Read more »

Pages

Why You Should Pay for Porn

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 »

Hot Under the Bonnet: The Cooptation of Amish Culture in Mass-Market Fiction

Dubbed “Amish romance novels,” “Amish fiction,” or the more waggish “bonnet rippers,” these novels just one entry point into the varying images of Amish communities in U.S. popular culture. Read more »

It’s Time to End the Long History of Feminism Failing Transgender Women

To imply that trans women pose a threat to cisgender women in restrooms is misinformation that preys on unfounded fears. Read more »

"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 »