addiction

Chasing Amy: Amy Winehouse’s Life—and Death—in the Media Glare

Amy Winehouse, a thin, white woman with black hair combed up in a beehive and a white t-shirt, is surrounded by paparazzi
by Christine Estima
July 23, 2021 at 11:47am
Not much has changed in the decade since Winehouse passed.
Demi Lovato, a white person with short, brown hair, sits in a cream chair while wearing a cream blazer full of perfume bottles

Tight Reins: The Careful Construction of Demi Lovato’s Docuseries

by Sadaf Ahsan
May 11, 2021 at 9:00am
We love to keep our pop stars under a tight lens. Read more »
illustration of a sad woman’s face surrounded by a carousel of galloping horses

Sobering Realities: Women Write Their Way into the Addiction Canon

by Britni de la Cretaz
December 2, 2020 at 9:31am
Slowly but surely, women have been adding their stories to the memoir canon. Read more »
Michelle McNamara, a white woman with short, brown hair, stands in profile in a picture being looked at through a magnifying glass

Deadly Silence: “I’ll Be Gone in the Dark” Romanticizes Addiction and Tragedy

by s.e. smith
July 13, 2020 at 11:00am
Michelle McNamara’s decision to push past the limits of her health and safety turns into another byproduct of the Golden State Killer’s story, rather than a warning about the perils of being consumed by one’s work. 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 »
Erin Khar, a white woman with black hair and brown eyes, stands against a brick wall. She wears a black coat and has a soft smile.

Cleaned Up: “Strung Out” Complicates the Conversation about Women and Opioid Addiction

by Elizabeth Lothian
February 11, 2020 at 9:00am
We can only help people if they’re alive; the only bottom you can’t recover from is death. Read more »
Two white women, one feminine with long hair, and one with short blond hair, stand apart from each other. They've had sex and appear hungover, makeup on their faces and hair messy.

“The L Word: Generation Q” Stumbles Over a Alcoholism Storyline—Again

by Britni de la Cretaz
January 17, 2020 at 10:59am
I’d like to see a queer character onscreen who has struggled with addiction but has done the work to be well. Read more »
Courteney Cox as Jules Cobb on Cougar Town sitting in front of five glasses of dark wine

24-hour Women: Drinking to Escape Patriarchy

by Marissa Korbel
August 6, 2018 at 4:09pm
Alcoholic men are often praised for admitting they have a problem while alcoholic women are shamed. Read more »
Leslie Jamison

The 12th Step: Leslie Jamison is Reinventing the Addiction Memoir

by Britni de la Cretaz
April 18, 2018 at 12:40pm
The Recovering works like an AA meeting where people are sharing their stories in the hopes that others will identify with them. Read more »
Sharp by Michelle Dean

BitchReads: 15 Books Feminists Should Read In April

by Evette Dionne
April 11, 2018 at 12:50pm
This list has it all. Read more »
Kerry Washington as Olivia Pope on Scandal

Lady Liquor: The Racial Implications of the “Disease” Model of Alcoholism

by Christen McCurdy
December 10, 2012 at 2:54pm
Genetic explanations for alcoholism tend to reinforce preexisting stereotypes about race. Read more »