Culture

Richa Shukla plays Kamala, an Indian woman with long, brown hair, in Never Have I Ever

(Un)happily Ever After?: TV Treats Arranged Marriage as an Archaic Indian Custom. It’s Not.

by Sanjna N. Singh
May 29, 2020 at 9:00am
These stereotypical depictions ignore, to their detriment, the fact that many arranged marriages are consensual. Read more »
Author Mia Mercado, who has dark brown hair with blond highlights, smiles at the camera.

Intentionally Hidden: Mia Mercado’s “Weird but Normal” Honors Shame

by Rachel Charlene Lewis
May 28, 2020 at 2:19pm
“The idea of female sexuality is scary to a lot of people.” Read more »
Kehlani, a light skinned Black woman, has short black hair parted down the center. She sings on stage while wearing a white turtleneck.

Done Searching: Kehlani Powerfully Conquers Growings Pains on New Album

by DeAsia Paige
May 27, 2020 at 4:21pm
Kehlani has always worn her heart on her sleeve. Read more »
Meredith Talusan, an Albino Filipino woman, has blond hair and wears a striped orange t-shirt as she smiles gently.

Without Condition: In “Fairest,” Meredith Talusan Dreams of Freedom from Others’ Perception

by Rachel Charlene Lewis
May 27, 2020 at 4:13pm
“My gender and race reflected on each other like a dizzying hall of distorted mirrors.” Read more »
Megan Campisi, a white author with long, gray hair, smiles for the camera

Eating the Poison: “Sin Eater” Turns Shame into a Superpower

by Evette Dionne
May 27, 2020 at 10:38am
The most important thing is what you think of yourself, even if you’re in a terrible situation; that kind of self-worth is where everything else begins. Read more »
Alison Roman, a white woman with brown hair, stands in a large kitchen and makes a stew.

In Bad Taste: The Alison Roman Fiasco Illustrates the Whiteness of Food Media

by Shailee Koranne
May 26, 2020 at 1:27pm
We continue to enable the conditions in the food industry that marginalize chefs and food personalities of color. Read more »
Rachel Wilkerson Miller wears a lilac peacoat and sits on a park bench smiling.

There Is an Art to Showing up—and Rachel Wilkerson Miller Has Mastered It

by Rachel Charlene Lewis
May 26, 2020 at 11:55am
“You have to take care of yourself first. And that doesn’t make you selfish.” Read more »
an illustration of Jeannie, a character dressed as a belly dancer and holding a flag in her

Jeannie’s American Dream: The Assimilation of a TV Icon

by Stephanie Abraham
May 26, 2020 at 9:00am
I Dream of Jeannie is the only U.S. television show that has revolved around a female Arab character, which is quite sad given that she’s a make-believe caricature. Read more »
A margarita with the words “urge to escape.”

Very Online: Wine Memes Are Taking over during Quarantine, and They’re Targeting Women

by Rachel Charlene Lewis
May 22, 2020 at 11:03am
It’s not cute and relatable for a brand to keep pushing women toward alcohol during a pandemic. Read more »
a dark photo of a man in shadow with a bun holding a phone in his hands

Reply Guys, Sliding into the DMs, and the Intensification of Parasocial Relationships

by s.e. smith
May 22, 2020 at 9:00am
Though the reply guy doesn’t mean any offense and doesn’t intend to cause harm, his mere presence can suffocate the women he’s always replying to. Read more »

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Best of Bitch

Saying Goodbye to Maria and the End of a Sesame Street Era

by Angely Mercado
August 13, 2015 at 5:52pm
Growing up, Sesame Street's Maria was one of the best Latina role models I had. 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,...

Read more »

Mock & Awe: Janet Mock on Truth-Telling, Community Building, and Writing the Story She Had Been Waiting for Her Whole Life

Janet Mock, a transgender Hawaiian woman with curly, brown hair, smiles
by Tina Vasquez
Spring 2014 • Maps & Legends
“Redefining Realness” is written with astounding honesty and heart. Read more »

Eat, Pray, Spend: Priv-Lit and the New, Enlightened American Dream

Elizabeth Gilbert, a white woman wearing a navy blue jumpsuit, leans forward and holds hand with and Oprah Winfrey, a Black woman wearing a gray cardigan and jeans
by Joshunda Sanders
Summer 2010 • Action
Even as reports on joblessness, economic recovery, and home foreclosures suggest that no one is immune to risk during this recession, the popularity of women’s wellness media has persisted and, indeed, grown stronger.  Read more »