consumerism

Very Online: Emily Mariko Has Us Obsessed—for Now

a triptych of photos of a thin Asian woman arranging food
by Jenna Mahale
October 21, 2021 at 12:14pm
There’s a fundamental contradiction in nearly all influencers’ lifestyle content.
Photograph of the book cover for Made Up by Daphné B., featuring the silhouette of a femme body in pink

Beauty Marked: “Made-Up” Explores the Addictive Power of Artifice

by Sophia Stewart
October 20, 2021 at 8:40am
“Sometimes, to feel at peace, all you need is for someone to tell you what to buy,” writes author Daphné B. Read more »
an illustration of a Black woman in pink sitting on the floor with jellies in her hand

Ready For Those Jellies: The Shoe That Became Both Cheap Luxury and Status Symbol

by Brooklyn White
July 26, 2021 at 12:10pm
It’s disheartening to watch the young folks who popularize apparel being excluded from the very trends they helped start. Read more »
a collage of Israeli women in the IDF posing together, smiling, and touching each other's faces

Pretty Hurts: Israel Is Still Putting a Feminine Face On Its Violent Operation

by Isobel van Hagen
July 12, 2021 at 3:08pm
Their gendered advertising is seemingly created to sanitize the violence they inflict on Palestinians. Read more »
five illustrated Disney characters, including Minnie Mouse, Goofy, and Mickey Mouse walk in profile against a striped rainbow background

Once Again, Disney Attempts to Co-opt Pride Month

by Meggie Gates
June 18, 2021 at 9:55am
Disney’s disinterest in truly embracing the same consumers its Pride messaging targets sends a clear-cut message. Read more »
a brown woman sits in a chair, feet in sneakers propped up

Our Internet, Ourselves: 7 Extremely Online Books for the Twitter-Weary

by Jenna Mahale
April 28, 2021 at 10:32am
These seven books explain our dysfunctional relationship with the internet. Read more »
A Krispy Kreme sign glows on a street.

Doughy Distraction: Outrage over Krispy Kreme Masks Systemic Health Inequality

by Andréa Becker
March 25, 2021 at 2:12pm
Stop shaming donuts. Read more »
Gwyneth Paltrow, a white woman with blond hair, smiles softly and takes a selfie with a book called "Intuitive Fasting."

Goop She Did It Again: The Dangerous Obsession with Intuitive Fasting

by Andréa Becker
March 9, 2021 at 9:27am
We should all be alarmed by Paltrow’s power to repackage deeply harmful ideas. Read more »
Cara Delevingne arrives at a fashion show. She is white with long blond hair in a high ponytail. She wears black and heavy eyeliner.

Celeb Buzz: Sex Toy Brands Are Increasingly Bringing on Famous Faces

by Gabrielle Kassel
December 22, 2020 at 11:39am
Sexual shame can’t be stopped by the power of a pretty, popular, and palatable celebrity. Read more »
a pink sign reads Woman On a Mission surrounded by yellow sticky notes with inspirational message

Spiritual Currency: The Manifestation Grift Comes to Instagram

by Michelle Polizzi
November 16, 2020 at 11:29am
Manifestation influencers like to say that the only thing standing between a person and their dreams is mindset, but this principle only works for the select few who already hold the right cards. Read more »
a thin, white woman sits on the floor in a meditation pose with hair wrapped around her eyes

To Well and Back: The Bleak Future of Positive Thinking

by Nora Salem
October 28, 2020 at 3:00pm
America’s problems can’t just be manifested away. Read more »

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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 »