Add this to your Christmas wish-list: Women’s Reproductive Rights Bandanas. Jen Maravillas has created these intricately-detaild, hand-dyed bandanas depicting women's rights and the struggle to acquire them. If you look closely, you will see many symbols for woman and the vagina, surrounded by traditional contraceptive plants and women protestors from around the world in communal struggle. According the the description: "This is the first in a series of unique hand-dyed bandanas depicting social movements and… Read more

Samantha Bee, "shrill left-wing feminist," and Glenn Beck, the conservative commentator who once called Obama a racist, reside on very different sides of a divided political landscape. But on last night’s episode of Full Frontal With Samantha Bee, the festively-dressed pair sat down to acknowledge their common ground because, in the words of Bee, “I think that our future is going to require a broad coalition of nonpartisan decency. It's not just individual people against Donald Trump, it's all of us against Trumpism."… Read more

A look at Melina DiMarco may leave you with a familiar feeling, like you know her but can’t quite put a finger on just how, exactly. We’ll help you out: DiMarco is one of the models for Thinx underwear, so chances are you’ve seen her in those cheeky ads that garnered a lot of attention for their too-close-for-comfort imagery. Modeling agencies had warned their clients against posing for the company as they feared being associated with a brand that is so in your face about menstrual products could be damaging to their… Read more

This year sure has had its downsides — much-loved stars, like Prince and David Bowie, left us too soon; an old favorite meme, Pepe the Frog, was stolen and repurposed by white supremacists; and, well, you know the rest. One upside to 2016? The Netflix original series Stranger Things was released July 15. The show takes place in 1983 and stars a band of talented and adorable child actors, and it’s clear the creators were influenced by the masters of dark childhood adventures, Stephen King and Steven Spielberg. Everyone… Read more

President-elect Trump's cabinet is shaping up to be a majority male, white, mega-rich crew of business leaders-turned-lawmakers. But there is no doubt that the winners of a Trump presidency are white women. The takeover and rise of power of the conservative right puts this class of women in a seat of unauthorized approval. The fact that 53% of white women voted for President-elect Trump inadvertently positions white privilege back into the White House. Trump advances and sources elitism further into the white family,… Read more

Sometimes you've just got to think outside the holiday box — whether that means a house for a cat or a luxe troll doll. Here are 7 gifts for the weirdos on your holiday list (and we won't blame you if you snag a few for yourself, too). A blunt and bitchin’ bag for babes who like to keep it 100.BE A SLUT TOTE, $29, CAROLINEGOLDFARB.COM “Crystrolls” come with accessories to match their personalities. This “Triple Goddess” has a broom, spell book, potion bottle, magic stone, handmade cape, and crown.TRIPLE GODDESS… Read more

Here at BUST, we have our own directory of female illustrators that we love to hire but now there's an amazing site that features only women artists, and we're thrilled! Thanks to Women Who Draw—an amazing public directory of talented female illustrators—designers, producers, and editors can choose from a selection of diverse artists, whose work might have otherwise been overlooked because of their race, gender, or sexuality. What’s even more appealing is that even if you don’t need to hire an artist, the page… Read more

BUST readers will know that every issue contains a book review section where we tell you which books are worth reading. Now, we’ve put together a list of some of our favorite books by women published in 2016. Whether you prefer fiction or nonfiction, short reads or long, there’s something on this list that you’ll enjoy. My Name Is Lucy Barton: A Novel by Elizabeth Strout, published January 2016 (Random House) A staggering novel with an impact that transcends its 200 pages, I Am Lucy Barton is framed by a single event:… Read more

Straight from the ad pages of your favorite magazines, here’s your guide to being a girl in December. Take notes. 1. Stay cozy. Wear a baby. If you play your cards right, your sensitive, goateed dad/boyfriend/professor will reward you with a pair of socks made out of his extra sweater sleeves. 2. Flaunt your complexity. Show off all your many dimensions at once. When planning outfits for your holiday soirées, think: “I’m an heiress and an Italian professor at this upscale tropical funeral.” 3. Represent feminine… Read more

This weekend's Saturday Night Live Christmas episode featured a sketch in which Kate McKinnon appears as Hillary Clinton holding cue-cards a la Love Actually asking (or pleading for dear God) an elector, played by Cecily Strong, not to vote for Trump. The sketch was a warming portrayal of Clinton as concerned citizen attempting to level with the elector as cards read, “BUT I STILL CARE ABOUT THIS COUNTRY," “YOU DON’T EVEN HAVE TO VOTE FOR ME," "JUST VOTE FOR LITERALLY ANYONE ELSE.” She then presents a check for a… Read more

The holidays are almost here, and if you've left your present-buying expedition to the last minute, don't panic! Luckily, BUST has got some awesome DIY gifts ideas you can make in the nick of time and that will be so much more meaningful than anything you could buy in a store! 1. DIY Wall Hanging Photo by Megan Senior 2. Holiday Cookies Photographed by Julia Stotz 3. DIY Book Purse Photographed by Megan Senior 4. Feminist Em-Broadry Hoop ArtExcerpted from Crafting with Feminism: 25 Girl-Powered Projects to Smash the… Read more

Courtney Love’s holiday collection will have you feeling like Miss World! Say what you will about Courtney Love, but in the ’90s, no one straddled the fashion line between freak and femme fatale like the former Hole singer. From the grunge queen of baby doll dresses to subversive red carpet star, Love’s signature style inspired the Sassy-reading set for years to come. And her new fashion collection Love, Courtney by Nasty Gal ($68 to $398, nastygal.com) is just the right mix of nostalgic and modern. Pair the black… Read more

Picture yourself in feline form with a custom cat illustration! Attention pussy fiends: you can now get a portrait of you or a loved one...as a cat! Send 30-year-old illustrator Radoslav Dyulgerov a photo, and he’ll produce a cat’s likeness (above is me and my hubs at our wedding!). Dyulgerov started Catify (catify-me.com), at the suggestion of his girlfriend, as a way for him to indulge his love of felines without aggravating her allergies. A basic catified illustration (sent as a .jpg) is $10, but you can request… Read more

If you’re looking to have some fun this weekend and just so happen to be in the Boston area—look no further that the BUST Holiday Craftacular. Swing by Cycolrama (located on 539 Tremont St) from 11am-6pm for a two-day event is chalk full of excitement, activities, and of course, handcrafted gifts for everyone on your list. Here are just a few of the features that attendees can expect at the Boston Craftacular on December 17th and 18th. FOLKLORIC JEWELRYYour One-Stop-Shop For Holiday GiftsWith over 100 unique vendors to… Read more

C-Span On December 14th, actor Scott Baio filed a police report claiming that he was harassed and attacked by Nancy Mack, the wife of the drummer for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, over being a major celebrity endorser of Trump. Baio has spoken out in support of Trump, most notably Republican National Convention and this past week Mack decided that it was time to stand up to Happy Days star. And she did so by demanding to know how the actor could support Trump, repeating the phrase "grab 'em by the pussy," and imitated… Read more

Despite winning an Oscar for her lead role in As Good As It Gets, Helen Hunt wasn’t getting offered roles. Whether it was due to the infamous Oscar curse or whether she was simply a victim of Hollywood’s bias against women “of a certain age,” (she was not even 40 at the time of her win), she decided to try her hand at behind the scenes work. Hunt acquired and developed the novel, Then She Found Me, for her directorial debut. But it wasn’t as simple as that. She spent a decade nurturing and developing the project. After… Read more

Danielle Brooks — aka Taystee on Orange Is The New Black and Tony-nominated Broadway star of The Color Purple — is taking a stand for plus-size visibility with a heartfelt series of tweets and Instagram posts about the new season of America’s Next Top Model. The season features plus-size supermodel Ashley Graham as a judge, but not one of the 24 contestants is plus-size. As Brooks rightfully points out, this does not reflect the world we live in: more than half of women in the US are plus-size. (Before you get all… Read more

There’s a 39-year-old grandmother in Iraq who is waging her own war against ISIS. Her and her small militia capture ISIS soldiers. Her name is Wahida Mohamed Al-Jumaily. Yes, she scares me a little. But when I read her story, I was most impressed with her courage to buck cultural norms to preserve justice and protect those around her.There are women around the world who are working together to change it for the better. I’d like to count myself among them. Here are a few female souls I’d like to emulate – though it’s… Read more

Whether your favorite pop culture junkie is obsessed with Game of Thrones or Parks and Rec; is still in mourning for Amy Winehouse or David Bowie; or has all of Hamilton memorized (like our editor-in-chief Debbie), we've found the perfect gift. Friends with #KnopeGoals will love flashing their Pawnee pride with this pretty pennant.PAWNEE PENNANT, $25, GOODGOODPINS.COM Tracing iconic photographer Cindy Sherman’s career from 1977 to the present, this hefty tome boasts 130 pages of images while addressing her work in… Read more

2012 meeting of the electoral college by Tom Nappi at State House, Annapolis, Maryland Which of the Kübler-Ross Five Stages of Grief are you up to? If you’re still hoping that the Electoral College might elect Hillary Clinton the 45th President of the United States of America this coming Monday, you are probably still in the first: Denial. Since the dark morning of November 9, many have been looking to the Electoral College vote — which actually determines the presidency — as the last remaining hurdle standing between… Read more

Long gone are the days of bipartisan support for important funding measures that impact the country as whole, like in 1970 when Nixon, yes, Nixon, passed the Title X Program. Under the Public Health Services Act, Title X meant to aid low-income and uninsured people gain access to family planning and health services. This included but was not limited to abortions. Planned Parenthood, which emerged as the leader of these services, also provided breast and cervical cancer screenings, pregnancy and fertility aid, and STD… Read more

The war-torn city of Aleppo has been facing violence and destruction for nearly six years, but this week things took an extreme turn when pro-government troops executed over 80 innocent civilians. Thousands of citizens are still trapped in the city – either in collapsed buildings and under rubble, or by government forces. Now, Syrian rebels are reporting that women are taking their own lives in order to avoid being sexually abused by troops. Abdullah Othman, the head of one of Aleppo’s largest rebel groups said… Read more

Tucked away in a peaceful, sun dappled plaza in L.A.’s Chinatown is Friend Mart (970 N Broadway #105, friend-mart.com), a brand-new shop full of things you’ve probably coveted on Instagram, from Rachel Howe’s Small Spells tarot decks to Sara M. Lyons’ “Whatever Forever” patches to ’zines like Got a Girl Crush. “It’s exciting because I get to pick it all, so it’s like Tuesday’s personal Christmas wish list,” says illustrator and shopkeeper Tuesday Bassen, known as much for her own badassness as for the badass girls she… Read more

One of the most common “facts” anti-choicers use to defend their positions is that abortion leads to depression and other mental illness. Well, it turns not the opposite is true. A new study shows that abortion does not lead to mental illness, but being denied an abortion might. The study, titled “Women’s Mental Health and Well-being 5 Years After Receiving Or Being Denied an Abortion” was published in JAMA Psychiatry, a journal of the American Medical Association, and was conducted by Advancing New Standards in… Read more

Minneapolis-based duo Tiny Deaths are back, and we’re delighted to premiere the video to their new single “Wrong."The duo is made up of vocalist Claire de Lune and producer Grant Cutler. “Wrong” is the first single off their forthcoming album Elegies, which will be released on February 3rd, 2017 (preorder here!). Tiny Deaths' music has been described as “lush with texture but still dreamy enough to feel like the soundtrack to late-night brainstorming” (Bitch) and “a polished, soaring brand of brooding” (Stereogum).… Read more

If you missed this year's Craftacular in Brooklyn, don't fret, you're in luck – our special Holiday Craftacular is in Boston this coming weekend, December 17th and 18th. Not only is the Craftacular a one-stop-shopping experience for all your holiday needs, but there's also some rad live music for you to enjoy while you explore local vendors' booths. Here are this year's awesome performers who will be playing at the Boston Holiday Craftacular. DJ Silly Syl The Recording Co. The Craftacular is at the Cyclorama, at the… Read more

Give your bestie, or yourself, a unique piece of jewelry to brighten up your winter wardrobe. You can find amazing pieces like these and many more this weeknd at our Boston Holiday Craftacular. This calming emerald necklace by AnglerFish These awesome necklaces made from China pieces by Dinner Wear Jewelry This stunning Amethyst cuff by Filomena Demarco Jewelry Or this bold pendant by Jade Deco Jewelry Make an entrance with this exuberant necklace by JenJen Jewelry This industrial ring by Melle Finelli Jewelry Bang in… Read more

It comes to no surprise that many of the people who voted for Trump have come to regret this decision, given the choices he has made during the last few weeks following the election. This is in all likelihood because the President-elect has revoked several campaign promises and has elected politicians to his cabinet that contradict his promise to “drain the swamp” in Washington. While we predicted that a day would come when even the hardcore Trump supporters would become woke to Trump’s hypocrisy, that doesn’t make… Read more

This week, more than 82 innocent civilians were executed in the Syrian city of Aleppo by pro-government troops. According to NPR, many of the people executed were in makeshift medical facilities, or attempting to flee from the troops that were on the verge of recapturing the city. Jens Laerke, the spokesperson for the United Nations humanitarian office, called the events a "complete meltdown of humanity." In an attempt to allow citizens to evacuate the city, a cease-fire was called between Russia and Turkey on Tuesday.… Read more

In another blow to reproductive rights in the US, Oklahoma has passed a law that requires businesses such as restaurants, public schools and hospitals to display anti-choice signage in their restrooms. It’s just one of the provisions of the Humanity of the Unborn Child Act that the Legislature passed in June “for the purpose of achieving an abortion-free society.” The Legislature has provided $0 in funding for the signage, so the costs, an estimated $2.3 million, will fall to the businesses themselves. Several… Read more

BINGE is a new independently released indie-comedy pilot created by Angela Gulner based on her decade long battle with bulimia.Different from many beauty trends (large breasts, flat chests, round butts, long blonde hair, pixie cuts) one holy grail remains: being thin. It is our elusive goal and ever-lasting trap; for even when achieved, we must struggle to maintain. Unlike many achievements, one can never be satisfied with it, for the slimmer one becomes, the more avid their desire to reach perfection. It serves as… Read more

Okay we've got good news and bad news. The good news is, on Tuesday Ohio Governor John Kasich vetoed the state's "heartbeat bill," which would ban abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected. Heartbeats can be heard as early as six weeks into a pregnancy, which would make abortion almost entirely illegal in Ohio, and award the state the most restrictive abortion laws in the nation. The bad news is that John Kasich is still John Kasich, and on the same day he signed into law a bill that bans abortion after a 20-week… Read more

While much of the entertainment industry focuses on the accomplishments and character developments of men, few have paid attention to the ways in which masculinities negatively affect men, women, and society. However, over the past few months, films such as "American Male" and Goat have emphasized the dangers of patriarchal expectations. Both productions focus on similar subjects: young, hyper-masculine white men who hold positions of power in society. Sociologist Dr. Michael Kimmel believes that when analyzing… Read more

Finally, a good judge. San Diego Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Fraser sentenced professional “pickup artist” Alex Smith to eight years in prison for gang-raping a woman in 2013. Eight years was the maximum sentence under California law, and Fraser told Smith he wished he could have sentenced him to more time. Fraser also made it clear that pickup artists are “an absolute danger to women in this community.” According to the Daily Beast, in 2013, Smith was working for a pickup artist company Efficient Pickup, which… Read more

Hey, Liz Magee here. If scrolling on your phone is giving you the sads (me too girl, me too), I recommend reading these tweets that are very funny. Once finished, I recommend that you put your phone down and try to stay off it for a full hour. Okay fine, 45 minutes. Okay fine, a half hour. RuPaul is the only person of power that I would take orders from. May Wilkerson was on our list last week, but this one was too funny not to include. Honestly, she’ll probably be on next week’s too since she is brilliant. Alex… Read more

During the Victorian era, pink was considered a sweet, feminine color, suitable for the gowns of young ladies in their first season. It was also fashionable for more mature Victorian women, who often wore evening dresses made of fine pink satins and silks. Most commonly of all, pink was an accent color used for trim and accessories. Ladies carried pink parasols and pink fans. They decorated their bonnets with pink ribbons and flowers. And, in the summer, their light cotton gowns were brightened with pink stripes and… Read more

There’s talk about women faking orgasms during sex but what about fake moaning? We learn a lot about how to act during sex from the media and porn but what if all those high-pitch, passionate screams we are bombarded with taught us to moan for something other than our own pleasure? Female pleasure or lack of in heterosexual sex is a freshly debated conversation. Research from Planned Parenthood suggests that 1 out 3 women have trouble reaching orgasm during sex. Of course, sex is more than orgasming but that means that… Read more

For over 30 years Madonna has used her music to challenge gender norms, expectations of sexuality, and, most recently, ageism. On Friday Madonna received the Woman of the Year Award at the Billboard Women in Music event, and she didn't waste the opportunity to use her acceptance speech to address all those things we know her best for. Madonna, who is the highest grossing female touring artist of all time, discussed the "blatant sexism and misogyny and constant bullying and relentless abuse" she experienced throughout… Read more

Donald Trump’s degrading and objectifying language towards women is terrifying, to say the least. While some of his supporters are quick to dismiss his words as “locker room” talk, many women understand just how damaging, hurtful, and triggering his “boy chat” is. Aria Watson, a first-year college student and devoted Vlogger, wanted to explore the damaging effects of his language by painting them onto Trump’s most common target: women’s naked bodies. The result is a powerful and haunting photo series that confronts the… Read more

Donald Trump's cabinet picks may seem like the worst possible stories in the news, but Ohio's state legislators are really giving Trump a run for his money. Just weeks after it was announced Texas would require funerals to be held for aborted fetuses, Ohio passed a law making abortion illegal after a heartbeat is detected in a fetus. On Monday, Samantha Bee fleshed out what is being called the strictest abortion law in the nation; especially given that a heartbeat can be detected as early as six weeks into a pregnancy.… Read more

The Golden Globe nominations were announced yesterday, and we were excited to see so many women of color nominated for major awards. The TV category in particular celebrated talented women of color. Issa Rae (Insecure), Gina Rodriguez (Jane the Virgin), and Tracee Ellis Ross (Black-ish) are all up for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series — Musical or Comedy; Thandie Newton (Westworld) is nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made For Television; and Kerry… Read more

Stretch marks: Almost everybody has them, but thanks to Photoshop, we so rarely see them. (At least in media.) In the past week, model Barbie Ferreira and plus-size retailer Lane Bryant both spoke out for stretch marks. Lane Bryant quietly released an Instagram image starring plus-size model Denise Bidot looking gorgeous in a bikini. The image was un-Photoshopped and showed stretch marks on Bidot’s stomach. As the Huffington Post points out, the photo’s caption didn’t mention the stretch marks, but commenters certainly… Read more

In Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, the final four words were revealed, leaving many fans shocked. The fact that Rory, who had relied on making plans and to-do lists throughout much of the series, had accidentally gotten pregnant was, after all, very shocking. While many clues pointing to Rory’s pregnancy have since surfaced, it seems that fans of the show may have missed the most obvious clue of Rory’s pregnancy. Spoiler alert, it has to do with coffee. During the episode “Fall," Christopher Hayden (played by David… Read more

This past weekend Casey Affleck took home the Critic's Choice award for best actor, for his role in the film Manchester by the Sea. It isn't the first big acclaim Affleck has won this award season, and it likely won't be his last; as of right now he's the favorite to win the Academy Award for best actor, and his series of wins so far, as well as his recent Golden Globes nomination, supports that notion. Most likely he'll win and most likely, when that happens, we will officially forgive and forget that Affleck has been… Read more

Glen Pannell has found one of the most creative ways to fight back against Trump and Pence — by dressing up as a pantsless Mike Pence and raising money for Planned Parenthood, The Trevor Project and other great organizations. Pannell, a graphic designer and actor, looks remarkably like the Vice President-elect, and he decided to make good use of the resemblance. According to Refinery29, Pannell first dressed up as “Mike Hot-Pence” for Halloween, but in December, he took to Times Square in the costume to raise money for… Read more

L to R: former BUST intern and pal Courtney, event and promotions manager Jules, and managing editor Emily If you’re a regular BUST.com reader, you might notice that this is the only new post we publish today. (We’ll be sharing some older stories on social media.) In fact, our offices are closed today — because we’re on strike against Donald Trump. We’re taking part in the Women And Allies Strikeout And Protest against Donald Trump. Beginning at 12pm in Columbus Circle in New York, women and allies will gather at… Read more

There will be so much to do at the BUST Craftacular in Brooklyn this weekend! But here are 10 highlights you won't want to miss: 1. SHOP til you Drop! The BUST Craftacular will feature hundreds of craftspeople selling unique handmade wares like sassy greeting cards, one-of-a-kind leather backpacks and purses, handcrafted beauty products, and more. With so much variety, you can get all you holiday shopping all done in a single day! 2. Graffiti Artist Claw Money We're very excited to welcome world-renowned graffiti… Read more

We can’t look away from these gorgeous images of masculine beauty. They’re part of the Kinsey Institute and the World Erotic Art Museum (WEAM)’s first US exhibit, “Protected Beauty.” The exhibit, co-curated by Kinsey Institute manager of traveling exhibitions Rebecca Fasman and WEAM director Helmut Schuster, showcases images of masculine beauty from 1890 to 1982; the show is described in a statement as “an examination of controversial ideas about masculine beauty and sexuality in art.” Featured artists include Robert… Read more

If you’ve heard of Mozart In The Jungle, chances are you might have first heard of it not quite a year ago when the Amazon series took home two Golden Globes — big ones. Winning Best Television Series — Comedy and Best Actor In A Television Series — Musical Or Comedy for star Gael Garcia Bernal, the wins sparked explainer headlines like “What Is Golden Globe Winner Mozart In The Jungle All About?” “What Is ‘Mozart In The Jungle’ And Why Did It Win A Golden Globe?” and “What Is ‘Mozart In The Jungle,’ You Ask?” To fill… Read more

If there is one thing breastfeeding mamas know, it’s the pain and irritation caused by nipple chap. Luckily, Lisa Broderick-Cohen of Blissed Out Mamas is to the rescue! Lisa is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant who started Blissed Out Mamas in the hopes of bringing a more creative and holistic approach to lactation therapy. Boobie Bean Bag Her first innovation was the Boobie Bean Bag, a hot/cold compress filled will all natural ingredients and covered in vintage 100% cotton prints inspired by Lisa’s… Read more