As a well-balanced kinky gal, I wanted to like Fifty Shades of Grey. I was blissfully unaware when I went to see the first installment, excited to find a new guilty pleasure and to watch a salacious portrayal of a BDSM relationship. Within 15 minutes of the movie, I realized I was getting neither. After Christian (the male "hero") stalked Anastasia (the protagonist) at her work, I was tempted to walk out. Fifty Shades of Grey doesn't resemble a communicative, healthy BDSM relationship. In fact, it comes closer to an… Read more

Something that not nearly enough people talk about is the fact that Plan B may very well not work for women with a BMI over 25. This is not exactly breaking news — in fact it was written about quite a lot in 2013, after a European drug company called HRA Pharma released their version of the emergency contraceptive, Norvelo, with a warning label stating that the drug is completely ineffective for those who weigh more than 176 pounds and begins to lose effectiveness for people over 165 pounds. A few great articles were… Read more

Over the past several years, audiences have watched YouTube celebrity Gigi Gorgeous transform from an unknown beauty guru into a household name in the Internet entertainment industry. Born Gregory Lazzarato, Gorgeous began her career online identifying as a cis-gendered male, however, in December of 2013, Gigi announced that she was a trans female. Since then, we have watched her physically transition on her YouTube channel and become an ambassador for trans individuals’ worldwide. By using the Internet as her… Read more

In the second installment of Lady Shooters, our series focusing on women photographers, Tara Wray interviews Amy Touchette. “There was very little I needed to hear when I started out that I didn’t feel in my gut. Mortality is the ultimate teacher, and even though I was feeling my way in the dark, I somehow instinctively knew the real from the bullshit.” — Amy Touchette I really love your image "New York Young, No. 9" (top). Can you tell me everything there is to know about making that picture? Thank you! I made this… Read more

Last night's groundbreaking 2016 Primetime Emmys Awards was revolutionary, heartbreaking, and filled with so many amazing moments. A giant step ahead of the whitewashed Oscars, this year's Emmys was about so much more than celebrating the ridiculous amount of good television out there. The awards honored the creative achievements across genders, races, and sexualities. But the night wouldn't have been complete, if the host, Jimmy Kimmel, didn't comment on the Emmys diversity achievement with the punching statement,… Read more

I was shopping at a mall this weekend in New York and happened upon a clothing store that I hadn't seen before. They had cute clothes so I went in to look around. The salespeople were extremely friendly, asking if I needed help with genuine smiles and eager tones. I had several items in my arms and was looking at a pair of shorts when a retail associate approached. "Who are you shopping for?" she asked. "Myself," I answered. "In the men's section?" she asked, incredulously. Based on her earlier good-natured rapport, I… Read more

They're voting for Hillary Clinton — and telling us why in our October/November 2016 issue. And so are: Stephanie BeatrizDanielle BrooksSasha BruceLizzy CaplanChelsea ClintonSarah Sophie FlickerKathy GriffinPorochista KhakpourRose McGowanTracee Ellis RossGloria SteinemAmber TamblynJamia WilsonLizz Winstead On newsstands Tuesday, September 27th and on the way to subscribers now! More from BUST How Well Do You Know Hillary Clinton? BUST QuizEight Times Hillary Clinton Was A Badass Feminist An All-Caps Explosion Of… Read more

Eat Your Makeup HOW TO USE FRUIT, VEGGIES, AND SPICES AS COSMETICS Sure, wandering the aisles of endless beauty products at Sephora can be super fun. But also sometimes overwhelming (and expensive). Luckily, you can also wander the aisles at your local farmers’ market or health food store and get a similar result. Certain fruits, veggies, and spices can replace your standard mascara, blush, lip stain, and brow filler, which means you can ditch the chemicals and grab your beauty prods straight from the garden. Plus,… Read more

This past week, H&M; unveiled the video campaign for their Autumn 2016 collection, and overall, we’re pretty impressed. The ad features a diverse cast of models including supermodel Lauren Hutton, GURLS TALK founder Adwoa Aboah, co-founder and chief creative officer of graphic design firm Design Army Pum Lefebure, and singer Jillian Hervey. Hervey is part of the duo Lion Babe, who created the music for the video, a modern version of Tom Jones’ “She’s a Lady." The video features a slew of other models in the video. One… Read more

Ivanka Trump, business executive, mother of three and Trump’s main advisor on women’s issues, recently spoke to Cosmo writer Prachi Gupta. Their conversation got a little tense, to say the least. The day before the interview, Trump had announced a new maternity leave plan. Among other changes, the plan included six weeks of paid maternity leave for new mothers, dependent savings accounts for low-income families, and tax deductions for stay-at-home parents. America is the only industrialized country that doesn’t have… Read more

Questions for the Queen DR. CAROL QUEEN TAKES ON THE GAG REFLEX How do I get good at deep throating when I have a history of bulimia? It’s been years since I was active, but I trained my gag reflex really well. –Down to Deep ThroatDeep throating is one of many fellatio options, and generally not even the most pleasurable kind for the person with the penis. Many people find it uncomfortable to do. You can probably get better at it, but you also don’t have to do it. Plenty of people give blow jobs that don’t incorporate… Read more

I actively avoided embroidery for almost two decades. In my mind, it was linked to patriarchy, ideals I could never meet, and other old-timey hobbies I saw as a waste of time. My grandmother taught me how to embroider when I was little and I adorned every pillowcase and zip-up sweater I owned. I thought I was the coolest kid on the block, but my fellow middle-school students didn’t agree. I stopped sewing after I got picked on for having embroidered cats on my sweatshirt. In high school, I read books on feminism and… Read more

Yoko Ono is calling upon women from all over the world to participate in a performance art project about gender violence. On September 6th, the artist issued an invitation for women to send in their personal testaments, as well as photographs of their eyes. The project is open to women of all languages, ages, and nationalities — the only stipulation is that no participant sign their full name. The accounts will be used in the installation, which will debut at the Reykjavik Art Museum on October 7th, and remain until… Read more

Even before its release, Ghostbusters withstood whining fanboys who said the reboot of the franchise with an all-female cast would “ruin their childhoods."The film’s opening weekend brought in $46 million, hardly a failure by any stretch of the imagination, yet the entertainment media has been quick to call the film a flop at the box office. The Hollywood Reporter wrote that Sony would lose $70 million on the film despite Sony execs’ own protests that 70 million was an inflated number. Nevertheless, the story caught on… Read more

Simone Biles, record-breaking Olympic gold-medal gymnast and all-around baddie, just proved once again that she deserves all of our love and admiration. Earlier this week, a Russian hacking organization leaked the private medical information of many Olympic athletes; targeting seemed to be focused on black American women, including Biles and Venus and Serena Williams. Biles' medical results showed that she used methylphenidate, more commonly known as Ritalin. In response to the leak, Biles sent out a series of tweets,… Read more

“Do we value highly enough the aesthetic to which women are attracted? We valued it in the '70s, when films like The Graduate, Five Easy Pieces, and Coming Home got made. But now? I don’t think that we do,” director Lisa Cholodenko spoke to The Guardian about her thoughts on women in film. “You know, I get asked why there aren’t more female directors all the time,” she says. “I’m kind of reluctant to talk about it. That’s not because I think the question is irrelevant or stupid. It’s just that there are so many… Read more

Suicide Squad got a lot of hype in the months leading up to its release only to fall flat with critics. Many fans were disappointed with the film’s bungled plot, messy directing and lack of character development. However, one of the few things everyone could agree on was that Margot Robbie absolutely killed it as anti-heroine Harley Quinn. Robbie has signed a multi-picture contract with Warner Bros. so we were expecting an appearance in Suicide Squad 2 (maybe second time’s the charm?) or a cameo in Ben Affleck’s solo… Read more

Kim McGuire, 60, was most known for her wonderfully strange role as Mona “Hatchet-Face” Malnorowski in the 1990 movie musical Cry-Baby. The former actress died Wednesday afternoon of cardiac arrest due to pneumonia complications in a Florida hospital. McGuire was born in New Orleans and had initially become a lawyer, but was always interested in acting and dancing from a young age. Cry-Baby was her breakout role. In the movie, McGuire’s naturally unusual facial features were exaggerated with grotesque makeup and she… Read more

“As a nation we ought to welcome the healthy, hearty girl who can beat her brother in managing a tennis ball, in rowing a boat, and very often in managing a frisky horse.” — Ladies Home Journal, 1891. The game of lawn tennis was invented in the 1860s by retired British army officer Major Walter Clopton Wingfield. He patented the game in 1874 and, within a few short years, lawn tennis had become one of the most popular sports for women in Victorian England. Ladies played it at society garden parties and at tennis clubs.… Read more

By now you’re probably familiar with the #TeacherBae controversy, but for those who are blissfully unaware, be prepared to fly into a feminist rage. Last week, photos of back-to-school looks posted to Instagram by Atlanta school aide Patrice Brown caused the internet to completely lose its shit. The reason for all the panic? Brown’s well-endowed figure. Following a predictably racist and sexist pattern, some Twitter users made it their mission to sexualize, police, and body-shame Brown for her posts. In a what is a… Read more

You probably met Toni Morrison for the first time in your high school classroom when you opened her most famous book, Beloved. The 85-year-old author and Howard University professor writes about the struggles within the African-American community and traces the scars of slavery with her unflinching gaze. In her writing and in her academic life, she's tackled colorism, white privilege, and wrestles with themes of freedom and violence. Beloved, for instance, follows a former slave who killed her own baby rather than have… Read more

Just a note to let you know, there's a grand event and we hope you'll go! The 7th annual BUST Craftacular @ World Maker Faire is going down at the New York Hall of Science in just two weeks and you're not going to want to miss this weekend long interactive shopping event! RSVP on Facebook today to get updates and reminders! This is what we´ll have for you this year: 60+ vendor booths stocked with unique handmade items using a fusion of new and old technologies. TONS of sweet activities to get you pumped for this Fall… Read more

Other than her amazing coffee-drinking, snow-loving, Dragonfly Inn-running mother, there has been only one constant in Rory Gilmore’s life: Paris Geller. From Chilton to Yale, Paris has always been there. The best thing about her? She is relatable. Like that time she said, “so I ate a family size bag of salt and vinegar potato chips and went to bed at 7:30pm.” Or when she got to a party late because she “had to stop and eat first in case the food here sucked.” Rory should have dated Paris instead of Dean, Jess, or… Read more

One of BUST’s favorite bands, The Ettes, are celebrating their 10-year anniversary with an album reissue, and we are so excited to premiere a new bonus track, “Get Out,” on BUST.com today! Way back in 2006, The Ettes’ first album, Shake The Dust, came out and set the Nashville-based band off on a long and successful career. The Shake The Dust special anniversary reissue will be out on September 30th with two bonus tracks, “Get Out” and “Eat The Night.” Both songs were previously only available as 7” vinyls and were out… Read more

It’s been 23 years since the very first Xeroxed-and-stapled issue of BUST was published, and, as you can see here, we’ve come a long way on our journey to issue 100. Take me to the slideshow Case in point: the baby girl gestating inside Laurie’s belly on the cover of Issue Four just graduated from college. And many of our cover ladies have come a long way, too—some of them were just breaking into the mainstream when they first appeared on our covers, and today they are household names. (Here’s looking at you Björk,… Read more

Remember those awful middle-school days when you didn't have anyone to sit with? Standing there awkwardly, wondering who to approach...hoping they won't laugh at you... Those days are definitely not filled with my favorite memories. But now, thanks to technology, teenagers may never have to experience that dread and awkwardness again. A new app, 'Sit With Us', helps kids find a welcoming group to eat with during their lunch hour. The app allows students to sign up as “ambassadors”--inviting others to join them. Similar… Read more

The Catholic Church and feminist activists have always had a troubled relationship. However, a writer named Kate Bryan believes she’s found a happy medium. In an article with The Washington Post’s "Acts of Faith" column, Bryan describes how living as a 32-year-old virgin has allowed her to live the "feminist dream." She describes how she had originally planned to be married at the age of 25 and have 12 children, one for each of the disciples in the Bible. In her article, Bryan addresses why she has abstained from sex… Read more

This week, in totally-normal-no-it’s-ok-that-this-election-is-a-giant-shitstorm news, a topless effigy of Hillary Clinton has been hung on a crane parked off of Interstate 5 in Sutherlin, Oregon. The effigy was made out of a black, rubber wetsuit dressed up in a pink bra and blazer, as well as a blonde wig. It was hung by a noose, which was attached to the crane — an effective image, if one lacking in subtlety. Alongside the effigy were three signs: One saying “VOTE TRUMP”, another “URANIUM ONE” (a reference to the… Read more

In 2014, the mainstream media was introduced to director Ava DuVernay, who directed and co-wrote the critically acclaimed historical film Selma. After unveiling the film at the American Film Institute festival, Ava DuVernay soon captured the attention of both critics and the public alike with her revolutionary narratives told through black characters by black actors. In February of 2016, DuVernay accepted her biggest directorial role yet, spear-heading the Disney remake of A Wrinkle in Time. She is the first… Read more

We have exclusive photos of your favorite male celebrities posing in striking, fun, and very un-masculine ways. The new book Red-Blooded American Male, by Emmy Award-winning photographer Robert Trachtenberg, has 100 delicious and surprisingly... sexy photos of male celebrities. From Judd Apatow to Neil Patrick Harris, Trachtenberg features male celebrities' vulnerable and softer sides by photographing them in traditionally female poses. Instead of usual photos of stoic faces and flexed muscles; it has nude, quirky, and… Read more

It’s always been challenging for women to excel, but it’s particularly difficult to be a Superwoman in the United States in 2016. Some Americans are being merciless about keeping a lady from leading the country. What are they afraid of? Change? There have been women leaders all around the world, but for the United States, which continues to hold onto the traditional roles, a woman in the White House would mean a change in the social fabric. Despite the backlash, Hillary Clinton still rises above it all. For Clinton,… Read more

Mara Wilson is used to people recognizing her — in fact, in college, she had a one-woman show called "Weren't You That Girl?" As a child, she starred in classic ‘90s movies including Mrs. Doubtfire, Miracle on 34th Street, and, possibly best known of all, Matilda. But as a young teen, Mara quit acting — and went on with her life, attending boarding school, then NYU, then entering the world of professional writing and storytelling. Now 29, Mara is taking control of her story with her engaging new book, Where Am I Now?… Read more

A Fall Fashion Fantasy Modeled in Magical Marfa, TX -- Photographer: Sarah Ellison Lewis for Radar Reps Concept & Styling: Anett GabrielHair & Makeup: Amy Schiappa at Fringe NYModel: Emma RogersThis article originally appeared in the August/September 2016 print edition of BUST Magazine. Subscribe today! More from BUST Let Advanced Style's Mara West Show You How To Create A Rockabilly Rosie The Riveter Look Taraji P. Henson Is Launching A Makeup Line With MAC And We Cannot Wait It May Still Be Hot Out, But We're… Read more

The internet lost its shit yesterday over a (thankfully) fake tweet from film parody Unreel News. People freaked out so much that a petition made its way around the internet and has nearly reached its target goal of 90,000 signatures. But before we dive into why all of this panic matters, let’s start with some context. Last year, Disney told The Hollywood Reporter that a live-action version of Mulan was in the works with a script written by Elizabeth Martin and Lauren Hynek. With 16 live-action movies slated for… Read more

Ok, so this is definitely the cutest thing we’ve ever seen. Grammy-nominated Colombian electro-cumbia band Bomba Estéreo recently released the music video for their song “Soy Yo,” and in less than a week it's already amassed 2 million views thanks to their amazing star, eleven-year-old Sarai Isaura Gonzalez, a New Jersey native who was cast for her self-assurance and energy. With moves inspired by The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Gonzalez dances her way around her neighborhood with such pluck and determination. All smiles… Read more

Today, BUST celebrates the legendary and sensational Yma Sumac, a Peruvian Singer who is best known for her "exotic" persona and a voice that impressively reached across four octaves. The “Peruvian songbird” entered the world on this day back in 1922. She was born Zoila Augusta Emperatriz Chavarri del Castillo in Peru, a proclaimed descendant of the Inca Tribe. She burst onto the scene in the 1950's, dressed in tons of gold and silver jewelry. Her style was heavily influenced by traditional Incan style combined with… Read more

Samantha Bee is back...and just in time to weigh in on Hillary Clinton's bumpy election weekend. Bee hilariously cuts into every recent election mishap in her new episode of Full Frontal. Her responses provide the much-needed relief from this trainwreck of an election. “Let’s get right to the big news, Hillary Clinton has passed away,” Bee jokes. “She says she’s not dead but as we know she is a liar." Surely, there is no way a weak and decrepit women could ever run a nation! Her lying about her death is just another… Read more

Raquel de Alderete's prose poem has well over 50,000 notes on Tumblr. We reached out to her for permission to share it with you, and she graciously agreed: it’s not about that i know how to do laundry. it’s that when i was four i knew how to fold clothes; small hands working alongside my mother, while my older brother sat and played with his toys. it’s that i know what kind of detergent works but my father guesses. it’s that in my freshman year of college i had a line of boys who needed me to show them how to use the… Read more

Kim Gordon, the badass voice behind Sonic Youth and most recently Body/Head, dropped a new solo single yesterday called “Murdered Out.” Always at the forefront of no wave and experimental rock, Gordon is a force of nature in this new song, fascinated by the "black matte spray" of L.A. low-rider car culture. Gordon, in collaboration with pop producer Justin Raisen, had a lot of freedom with this song. As she explained to Rolling Stone, when she was shown the original music, Gordon decided that it was “aesthetically more… Read more

With Hillary Clinton continuing to crack away at the adamantine glass ceiling, we can’t help but get wrapped up in the excitement of progress. A woman is vying for the most coveted seat in the world: Office of the U.S. President. She’s a formidable contender with one foot nearly in the door. Have we reached the tipping point? Are we finally in the era where women are seen as equal? My hopes were high until I stopped by a local yard sale last week to admire a vintage plate. I wasn’t eavesdropping, but I overheard a… Read more

The immersion of feminism into craft is arguably the best thing that’s ever happened. Knit vaginas, crochet crop tops, and snarky embroidered decor are all becoming very popular in the world of women makers and consumers. Today, I’ll show you how to make your own feminist embroidery hoop to not only decorate your space with positive affirmations but also to teach you the basics of an age-old art. Here’s What You’ll Need: An embroidery hoop. The one I’m using for this project is 7inches, but you can change the size of… Read more

When it comes to the big leagues of socio-political photojournalism, there are a select handful of artists whose photographs have sparked a revolution. Although you may not have heard of Nick Ut and Dorothea Lange by name, their photographs of children fleeing a napalm attack and a mother living during the great depression respectively have stayed with our society for decades. An up-and-coming photographer, Yana Mazurkevich, has the same passion for capturing the trauma of human destruction. This college junior is the… Read more

This might be one of the most powerful essays I've read in a long time! Solange Knowles opens up about the uncomfortable and harsh reality of what it feels like to be a black woman in predominately white spaces. She was inspired to write a personal essay after her distressing experience at the Kraftwerk concert at the Orpheum Theater in New Orleans. Through tweets, Knowles explained that she attended an electronic pop concert with her husband and son. She says there were only about 20 Black people at the packed… Read more

Bust out your Kaboodle and Spice Girls cassette, we’re totally taking it back to the 90’s with www.LiveGlam.com’s Lisa Frank-inspired makeup tutorial! To get this multi-colored look, Zach (@zachzenga) used Suva Beauty and Mehron vivid bright eyeshadow palettes. Have fun rocking this nostalgic '90s style this Halloween, or just for fun, or at your cousin’s wedding — do you! Watch your childhood come to life: Watch your childhood come to life with this @Lisa_Frank inspired look by @zachzenga Perfect for Halloween -… Read more

We here at BUST, obviously, have a lot of admiration for badass, groundbreaking women. And, particularly, badass, groundbreaking women who tested the limits of society's expectation of them while serving their community and country. And that is why we, on the whole, get pretty miffed when others fail to recognize them, and their achievements. Such is the case with Women Airforce Service Pilots — otherwise known as WASPs — the female pilots who flew during World War II. Originally an auxiliary division, they began… Read more

In Western society, the majority of women represented within the media are young, thin, and of European descent. However it is important to recognize that this demographic, women age 18 to 30, only makes up a small minority female consumers, leaving many to feel that they don’t fit in with the mainstream standards of beauty. Yet Advanced Style creator Ari Seth Cohen believes something else entirely. Cohen insists that instead of aging out of fashion, women have the power to evolve their personal style over time into an… Read more

You probably know something of the battle that Kesha has had to fight against her former producer, Lukasz “Dr. Luke” Gottwald, and Sony Music , but in case you don’t here’s what you need to know: Kesha was reportedly assaulted and abused by Gottwald, beginning when she was 18. According to her mother, the singer was too frightened to report the abuse to the police. She feared for her safety and did not want to harm her career — Kesha told her mother "‘Mom, I just want to sing. I don’t want to be a rape-case victim. I… Read more

The amazing entertainer, painter, and trans activist, Alexis Arquette, died Sunday morning at the young age of 47. She passed with her close relatives by her side while listening to David Bowie. Some of the highlights of her career included roles in Last Exit to Brooklyn, Pulp Fiction, The Wedding Singer, The Bride of Chucky, and an appearance on the reality show The Surreal Life that helped increase the understanding and visibility of the transgender community. Alexis's brother, Richmond, released a statement on… Read more

Pattern Recognition CUTE UP YOUR KITCHEN WITH A BLOCK-PRINTED TEA TOWEL Tea towels don't have to be basic. With this easy, custom block printing technique, you can give your kitchen any look you want. Plus, creating your very own pattern is a super satisfying endeavor (I do it on the regs as the textile designer behind Cotton + Flax, my modern handmade home décor line). Bringing it to life is just icing on the tea cake. What You'll Need Pre-sewn blank tea towel (choose a natural fabric like linen or cotton, and look… Read more

Are you a college student? A young-professional? Or a woman who wants to expand job opportunities joining a non-conventional career networking community? Or maybe you are already part of a sorority and you want to try out some different group formats. Well check out these badass alternative networking groups for getting ladies together: Ellevate Network (www.ellevatenetwork.com) is a global professional women’s network created for women who create, inspire and lead. Created by the brilliant Sally Krawcheck of Wall… Read more