When Jess Kramer discovered she had autism at age 31 it was a revelation—and she’s not alone. Thousands of women live undiagnosed in a world where male symptoms are the only ones that count At age 31, I finally met myself—really, truly met myself—for the first time. That may be a weird thing to say, but then again, I’ve always been a weird one. For years I described myself as “quirky,” a label I gave myself with love. But a year ago, when a good friend asked me if I thought I might have something called Asperger’s… Read more

“We would like to observe a radical shift in the current paradigm of complacency in regards to oppressive power dynamics, genocide, racism, white supremacy, and colonization,” states Melbourne-based Indigenous two-piece Divide and Dissolve. Members Takiaya Reed and Sylvie Nehill embody this vision through heavy doom and dronescapes, often offsetting eerie neoclassical riffs with crushing drums, radiating saxophone, and guitar played as loud and as low as it will go. All eight tracks seethe with a potency capable of… Read more

There's been a lot of talk about “doing the work” when it comes to understanding and dismantling systemic racism. But for those of us who want to be effective co-conspirators with the Black community, “doing the work” must be more than just talk. These online courses created by Black women offer a deeper understanding of the pervasive insidiousness of racism and its relationship to privilege and provide the tools to help you scrutinize your own internalized biases. As course organizer Glo Atanmo told BUST, “Creating a… Read more

Only the second woman ever appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, aka The Notorious R.B.G., was a judiciary giant who dedicated her life to the fight for gender equality. Think you know the truth about Ruth? Then take the quiz! Ruth is actually RBG’s middle name. When she was born on March 15, 1933, her given first name was __. a. Myra b. Johanna c. Esther d. Joan In 1956, Ruth enrolled at Harvard Law School as one of only __ women in a class of about 500 men. a. 9 b. 19 c. 29 d. 39 As co-founder of… Read more

Wednesday morning, we finally saw a long-awaited inauguration: President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris took their oath of office, dumping Donald Trump and sending him back to Florida. The Capitol’s steps toward the center stage also served as a fashion runway, with Harris, Dr. Jill Biden, and Former First Lady Michelle Obama garnering some attention for their chic, monochrome looks. However, the surprising star of the whole show was Bernie Sanders: sitting cross-legged and social distanced, he sported a… Read more

Everyone I know (myself included) wishes they were a bigger reader. With the world a complete mess right now, in every sense of the word, it’s truly challenging to fight off distractions for long enough to get through a whole novel. So, let’s get back into the swing of things by starting small with some fantastic short stories that encourage a complex, diverse view of the world. Oftentimes, short stories get the short end of the reading stick. They aren't exactly what publishers would consider market-friendly, and… Read more

Well, it officially happened folks: Joe Biden has been sworn in as the 46th president of the United States. If you feel a vague sense of relief over the coming week, you’re certainly not the only one. However, before Biden’s term even started, Americans (as well as those from around the world, to be frank) have been anticipating what Biden’s first actions as president would be. Our questions about his priorities once taking office have been answered: Biden signed 17 executive orders already. Really, Biden’s directives… Read more

In the Survival Skills for Badass Bitches series, writer Melanie LaForce walks you through everything you need to know to survive the outdoors, tough situations, and/or the forthcoming apocalypse. This summer I watched a helicopter, outfitted with a tank and snorkel, suck water out of Lake Gregory to fight a wildfire less than a half mile away. This fire had started in a house in a crowded neighborhood, and made “a run up the mountain,” as they say. Because of the immediate danger to human lives, this particular fire… Read more

What Stevie Nicks is to rock fans, Siouxsie Sioux is to lovers of goth-rock.The lead singer-songwriter-sorceress Siouxsie Sioux has disclosed in interviews that she is not one for nostalgia, but I just can’t help feeling nostalgic for everything lately, especially the 30th anniversary of the song “Kiss Them For Me” by Siouxsie and the Banshees. Here is the hilariously dated music video that begins with the shot of someone popping open champagne in slo-mo. Hearing it now, the song feels as vibrant as it did in 1991.… Read more

Today marked the end of former President Donald Trump’s reign as Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th President of the United States. Kamala Harris made history as the first woman of Black and South Asian descent to take the Vice Presidential oath. Vice President Harris was sworn in by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina to serve on the Supreme Court. A small audience witnessed this monumental event due to COVID restrictions; hundreds of American flags stood in place of spectators. The ceremony… Read more

When Nikole Hannah-Jones first sat down to begin work on The 1619 Project, she probably didn’t anticipate the immense impact it would have. She likely didn’t expect that it would become the basis of a new educational curriculum. And she most certainly didn’t foresee that her work would elicit the seismic wrath of Trump and his right-wing cronies. In fact, the Pulitzer Prize winner and self-proclaimed “Beyoncé of Journalism” had a single, simple goal in mind when creating her historical collection of essays, poetry, and… Read more

Katy J Pearson leans softly into country heartbreak with Return. On this debut solo album, the former Ardyn member dusts off her acoustic guitar, folky feels, and newfound truth for the long haul. With fewer strings attached and a less-is-more approach, the singer/songwriter creates what she calls her most “honest” and “proper” songs yet. Like someone line dancing alone, Pearson makes bold musical moves with elegant simplicity and spunk. It’s moseying along, melancholy pop with perspective. By the time Pearson sings… Read more

With President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration tomorrow, his picks for federal officials are still coming in. Since his election this past November, Biden has made headlines regarding the diversity of his pre-emptive cabinet. And, this pattern continues to emerge with his latest decision for Assistant Health Secretary. Dr. Rachel Levine will be a historical first in her position, and in a presidential cabinet in general, as the first transgender person to become such an official. Currently, she is “Pennsylvania’s top… Read more

It should come as no surprise that Sofia Coppola’s newest project, On the Rocks, confirms her status as an eminently masterful and dynamic filmmaker. As it was with The Bling Ring, The Beguiled, and Marie Antoinette, Coppola’s range—from atmospheric, murderous melancholy to biting humor—is on full display, along with her laser-focused characterization. Rashida Jones and Bill Murray star as a daughter and father at tenuous ends of a warm but complicated relationship. Murray, as Felix, is what can politely be called an… Read more

Reese, a whip-smart 30-something trans woman living in Brooklyn, wasn’t always so disillusioned. At one point, she lived in a beautiful apartment right by Prospect Parkwith her girlfriend, Amy—also a trans woman—and dreamed of motherhood. But ever since a traumatic incident compelled Amy to detransition and torpedoed their relationship, Reese has been trapped in a cycle of relationships with narcissistic (and married) men. Her world is thrown for a loop when her ex—now named Ames—comes back into her life with a… Read more

Relive a New York City night out with Puck's first single, "Good Friends." Equal parts nostalgia-inducing and danceable, this track will remind you of the good old days —a small dark club, the thrill of a crush, glitter down your bra, and a tipsy subway ride home. Read on to learn more about Puck and how "Good Friends" came to be. It's so cool that you've worked with artists like SZA. How does it feel to go out on your own with a solo project? How does it feel to be doing it during a pandemic? It feels amazing to be… Read more

Mayim Bialik is a multi talented actor, producer, director, educator, neuroscientist, and author who got her start in classic 80s TV series including “Beauty and the Beast” and “Facts of Life” before landing her breakout role at age 12 as a young Bette Middler in the 1988 film “Beaches.” Two years later, she nabbed the lead role in the super popular teen sit-com “Blossom” which ran from 1990 through 1995 and once that series ended, she went to UCLA for 12 years where she earned a PhD in Neuroscience and completed her… Read more

Though the members were born in the mid-late 1990s, Barcelona’s MOURN makesanthems of anguish, truth, and empowerment with a sound heavily influenced by the Y2K era. On the band’s new album, Self Worth, satisfaction comes with the refrain, “No matter where you are/Stay there.” The trio channels Sleater-Kinney, PJ Harvey, and Sebadoh, refurbishing and modernizing with cathartic Gen-Z brashness on songs like “This Feeling Is Disgusting,” “Gather, Really,” and “Men,” where they harmonize, “Many times I’ve said that I… Read more

Junglepussy, aka Shayna McHayle, manifests her true persona at full throttle on her fourth album—a soulful combination of trap, interstellar synth, blissful crooning, and brutally honest rhymes. Open-ing with the sensually sinister “Bad News,” the listener is welcomed to the cheeky yet haunted world of Junglepussy. The album’s brilliance lies in the dissonance between the backing tracks and the lyrics: on “Telepathy,” she intones, “I’m my own snack/Why you brought me to the store?” alongside a hypnotic synth; “Stamina”… Read more

In Nadia Owusu’s memoir Aftershocks, life experiences are like earthquakes. Fault lines break open around the loss of her beloved father, her mother’s abandonment, all the places around the globe she’s lived, the blue rocking chair she hoisted from the street and can’t get out of. Her compact, variously ordered recollections are set in myriad countries due to her father’s job with the United Nations, although both her parents were gone by the time she reached her teens. All the while, Owusu relies on her internal… Read more

There’s a lot of talk these days about defunding the police. But what’s being done to reform criminal justice in the stages of the incarceration process after arrest and prosecution? One organization trying to answer that question is the Parole Preparation Project (paroleprepny.org). Parole Prep provides advocacy and volunteer support to currently and formerly incarcerated people serving life sentences in New York State, while seeking to transform the parole release process. As attorney Michelle Lewin, 33, the group’s… Read more

The songs on Kevin Morby’s latest album, Sundowner, are informed by the isolated surroundings in which they were recorded—a backyard Kansas City shed, or a rural West Texas studio surrounded by pecan trees—in what Morby describes as his “attempt to put the Middle American twilight...into sound.” The album sounds like hanging out with your buds under a blanket of stars, cozying up by the campfire. (“Campfire,” in fact, is a particularly stand-out song, featuring Katie Crutchfield of Waxahatchee.) Sundowner is richly… Read more

For their fifth album, avant-pop band Micachu and the Shapes have changed their name to Good Sad Happy Bad and shuffled the lineup with keyboardist Raisa Khan stepping into the lead vocalist/songwriter role, composer Mica Levi handling guitar and electronics, Mark Pell on percussion, and multi-instrumentalist CJ Calderwood joining the group as a new addition. There is familiarity in the charming experimentation the group has mastered over the years, with Calderwood’s sax accentuating the dissonance and wooziness that… Read more

Politically speaking, so much has changed recently that events from three years ago might feel like they happened in another lifetime. Or maybe, while preoccupied with Trump and Brexit, you missed the wild story behind the assassination of Kim Jong-nam, the onetime heir apparent to former North Korean leader Kim Jong-il. In February 2017, Kim Jong-nam was assassinated in a crowded airport terminal by two young women who snuck up behind him and rubbed the lethal VX nerve agent into his eyes. Many believed they were… Read more

People who get periods have a lot to deal with. Beyond the physical discomfort and inconvenience of menstruation, the social stigma and inability to access menstrual health products is so profound that the United Nations declared it a public health, gender inequality, and human rights issue. Emmy Hancock, the founder of apparel company Oluna, wants to change that. Before 2016, Hancock “had never really looked at menstrual items as an obstacle.” It wasn’t until she saw the award-winning film I, Daniel Blake that her… Read more

Back before COVID-19 hit, we never could have imagined that masks would become a must, but here we are. And while we’re grateful for this protective accessory, it’s got an unwelcome side effect: maskne. As if pandemic stress wasn’t triggering enough, the mask-induced sweat, bacteria, and humidity of your breath can provoke breakouts. We asked Jennifer Black, an L.A.-based licensed acupuncturist and board-certified herbalist who specializes in dermatology, how to deal. Here are her tips plus some of her favorite prods.… Read more

It’s safe to say that Shamir made the most out of quarantine. In March, he released his Cataclysm project, but his second 2020 offering provides a whole other glimpse into his world. The eponymously titled project is equal parts personal and poignant. The vulnerable “On My Own” delves into the complexity of emotions, while “Running” travels further into the human psyche, with a deep dive into struggles with gender identity. If there’s one important aspect to glean from Shamir, it’s that his superpower is making music… Read more

After the longest and shortest year of our lives, we’ve made it to 2021—and with a new year comes a new lineup of books, music, TV, and more. Here are just some of our first pop culture picks of the year. MOVIES/TV Dickinson Apple TV+ has had some hits and some misses, but one of the streamer’s best standouts was Dickinson. Now, the quirky comedy-drama – based on the life of poet Emily Dickinson (Hailee Steinfeld) – is returning for a second season on January 8. (The show has also already been renewed for a third… Read more

Not only a Hollywood legend, Jane Fonda is also an icon of activism who has been risking her career, her reputation, and even her life in support of worthy causes for over 50 years. Here, the inspiring octogenarian opens up about maintaining her resistance endurance, finding feminism, and passing the baton to the next generation of leaders It’s 11 a.m. on a Wednesday in early fall and the sun is a fiery red ball, obscured by a thick layer of smoke pluming into the air from raging wildfires. California is burning. And… Read more

As we finally change the channel on the past twelve months of nonstop drama, one thing's for certain: we've all got our eyes set on sunny skies ahead. Well, no matter what frigid weather (or post-2020 existential hangover) you're currently trudging through, there is, indeed, a bright spot on the horizon. Spring break has arrived early, and you can thank The Sorels for this miracle of bubble gum-rock-n-roll-pedal-to-the-metal-fun. Naturally, the animated music video—lovingly created by animator Nick Friesen—is one part… Read more

Happy New Year, Busties! If one of your resolutions were to become more fashion savvy, what better way to jumpstart your goal than to support a Black-owned label? These eight brands have gained major traction in 2020, so why not bring you Busties up to fashion speed? You absolutely need these necessities in your home, closet and lifestyle! Brandon Blackwood brandonblackwood.com | ESR Tote Brandon Blackwood’s designs are the epitome of a true classic handbag: style, quality and luxury. Although any Blackwood bag serves… Read more

Back in our fall 2020 issue, Stacey Abrams said that everything would be ok. “Things are changing,” she said. “Trust me.” Now, with Rev. Raphael Warnock—Georgia’s first Black senator—declared the winner over Kelly Loeffler, while Jon Ossof maintains a slim lead over David Perdue, Americans can rest assured that Abrams has made good on her promise. After her gubernatorial loss in 2018 to Brian Kemp, Abrams made it her mission to mobilize Georgia voters of color and fight voter suppression through her various… Read more

Winter weather and a lack of outdoor space don't have to dash your gardening dreams. It turns out, you can harvest kale right in your living room, or carrots in your kitchen. Indoor gardening is a fun, cost-effective, and eco-friendly way to grow your own food. According to Jasmine Jefferson, the founder of Black Girls With Gardens (blackgirlswithgardens.com)—a collective that provides education, support, inspiration, and representation to Black women and women of color through gardening—there are other benefits, too.… Read more

While social media is primarily used as a tool for keeping updated on the lives of friends, acquaintances, and your favorite celebrities, it can also be an impressive device for keeping yourself updated on social issues. Platforms like Instagram offer the opportunity of an intersection of art and activism. Check out these pages which use the power of representation to advance compelling advocacy. C.hromaSalomée, who runs the C.hroma account, describes herself on her Patreon as “creating murals and art for the… Read more

We are pleased to introduce our new columnist Sarah Potter, a professional witch, tarot reader, and practitioner of color magic. Sarah will be providing her Tarotscopes for the season in each issue of BUST. Here are her pulls for December, January, and February 2021. Sagittarius:Page of Swords(Nov. 22 to Dec. 21)Stand up for what you believe in and speak up, Sagittarius! You have an abundance of energy and a desire to channel it towards the greater good of humanity. Put your confidence and enthusiasm for justice to… Read more

Learning to feel at home in your body is a lot of work. I’m a body confidence advocate now, and still on a recovery journey after struggling with body image issues and bulimia for nearly a decade. I didn’t think I was good enough to show up as I was. But I am, and so are you. Here are my tips for how to ditch shame. 1. No more diets. Diets take away your freedom and make enjoying food feel like rebellion instead of pleasure. 2. Unfollow #bodygoals. Genetics play a huge role in our body size and the way we gain muscle.… Read more

Michelle Gomez is a riveting Scottish actor who first started turning heads for her comedy roles in series including “The Book Group,” “Green Wing,” and “Bad Education,” before her international breakout moment in 2014 when she started playing Missy on the landmark British sci-fi series “Doctor Who.” Many Americans discovered her when she started playing Madame Satan on the Netflix series “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina,” which premiered in 2018 and which just kicked off its fourth and final season. She also plays a… Read more

Aaaaaaaannnndd in the blink of an eye, 2020 is coming to a close. Thank god. This year has been a bit of a rollercoaster, to say the least. If your resolution from this past year never came to fruition, you're not to blame. Still, when considering potential methods of self-improvement to tackle in 2021, it’s crucial to be kind to yourself. A New Year’s resolution is supposed to be a goal that can be worked towards throughout the incoming year for the sake of putting yourself on a more fulfilling, happier path in life.… Read more

Crepes are the world-class cousin of the basic breakfast pancake; drench them in warm boozy caramel sauce and hearty, flame-kissed seasonal fruit, and suddenly you have an elegant (and dramatic!), easy-to-customize dessert that will be the epic finale to any fancy meal or romantic dinner. Dessert Crepes with Flaming Fruit(Makes 4 generous servings, at 2 crepes & fruit each) What You'll Need : Vegan Crepes 1 3/4 cups plain soy, oat, or almond milk 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 Tbsp. cornstarch 1 Tbsp. sugar ¼ tsp. salt… Read more

Jesswar says it best herself: “Got venom in my lyrics/Bodies drop when I spit it.” In her latest music video release for “Venom”, the Fijian rapper cycles through intense, neon-lit scenes with the self-assurance and expansive energy of 90s New York City emcees. Surrounded by a cohort of powerful women dressed in black, Jessswar oozes confidence as she is escorted to her throne where she studies an underground M.M.A. fight between two women with the nonchalance of a Roman emperor. There is a fervor unfolding as… Read more

Merry Christmas Eve Eve Busties! As we gear up for the last two days before the joyful holiday, you might find yourselves wrapping presents, setting up those Zoom links or finalizing those delicious holiday dinner meals. No matter what you’ll be busy with for the next few days, what better way to enjoy your festivity prep than with a classic Christmas movie. Here are some must-sees of the season. How The Grinch Stole ChristmasNetflix is home to the infamous Dr. Seuss original brought to life. However, the real story is… Read more

Due to environmental concerns, I’ve been a vegetarian for the past decade. Now that I’m responsible for my own food shopping and meal preparation at school, I’ve been taking steps towards going completely plant-based. Or, at least, consuming more plant-based foods. Fortunately, one of my roommates this year is already vegan, so I was in an environment conducive torward this kind of dietary shift. Here are some tips I’ve learned for going vegan without too much stress or breaking the bank. Don’t worry -- this isn’t an… Read more

We have the lesbian community to thank for the proliferation of this pastoral aesthetic, which invokes cozy cottage life—getting back to nature, comfy sweaters, and cuddling up in front of a fire. Cozy up with these cottagecore pieces that will have you pining for your own cabin in the woods. 1. Ivy Leaf Necklace, $35.19, botaniajewelry.etsy.com 2. Mushroom Face Mask, $15.99, handmadebyksmom.etsy.com 3. Meditative Mind Rosebud & Jasmine Tea, $3, theteaspot.com4. Floral Embroidery Knit Sweater, $49, zara.com5. Apronneck… Read more

During our Zoom interview, actor Jessica Marie Garcia tells me she wants to read me something from comedian Nicole Byer’s book, but she can’t stand up to get it because she’s not wearing pants. When she admits this, I laugh, not only because it’s funny, but also because she sounds just like her character Jasmine Flores on the hit Netflix show On My Block, who once famously declared she doesn’t show her “chonies” (Spanish for underwear) “to no phonies.” On the show, Garcia personifies teen angst, awkwardness, and… Read more

“So you lied to me,” my partner said with an uncommon tinge of anger. The ride to the grocery store seemed as good a time as any to admit I’d been secretly smoking, despite my out-loud resolve five days prior to stop: I was sick, and I needed to prove to myself I could do it. I needed to go thirty days without weed. We didn’t speak for the rest of the car ride, and parted ways under the fluorescent lights of the produce section. Twenty minutes later, he found me in the dried goods aisle to kiss my forehead and envelop… Read more

Electronica musician, artist, and activist Kiran Gandhi, better known by her stage name Madame Gandhi, got her start in music performing as the drummer for M.I.A and Thievery Corporation. She got her Bachelor’s in Mathematics and Gender Studies from Georgetown and an MBA from Harvard before deciding to become a full-time rock star in 2016 with her breakout EP Voices. In 2019 she released the EP Visions and during quarantine, she took on a special new project. Gandhi launched a contest to see who could create the best… Read more

During my early school years, my lack of focus was often attributed by teachers as a lack of discipline. If I just worked, studied, or tried harder, I would be “on track.” If I could just do this one thing that was seemingly within my control, I would be on the deceptively linear path to success. I would be excellent. Oddly, the truth of the matter was that I was working hard. I would take notes and stay after school for extra help and then come to school early for some more help. I bought any folder and planner that… Read more

Don't let the pandemic (or your tight budget) dampen your giving spirit. By pairing up with any of these five organizations looking for remote volunteers, you can pay it forward without actually paying a thing or even leaving the house—except, perhaps, a trip to the post office. Make a Mark Based in Chicago, Liberation Library (liberationlib.com) sends free books to teens in Illinois detention centers. Recipients choose from a diverse library of literature, and get a personalized note and handmade bookmark, too. Pop… Read more

Christmas is joyous and lovely and incredibly hard for the chronically ill. On top of keeping up with everyday life, there are a million other tasks to contend with—not only is there shopping, wrapping, and cooking, but there are a multitude of festive social events. Oh, and we’re all expected to stay merry and bright. When you’re chronically ill, you don’t get time off for Christmas. Keeping up with seasonal demands when you are in pain and exhausted can be impossible. Here is my spoonie guide to surviving Christmas.… Read more

With the internet being such a prevalent part of our lives, it’s opened the gates of the true meaning behind freedom of speech. Unfortunately for superstar Lizzo being a major celebrity, and plus size woman, it may seem as though the floods are never ending. Earlier this week, the “Truth Hurts'' singer shared on social media that she had just completed Nutritionist JJ Smith’s 10-Day Green Smoothie Cleanse. According to Scrib’d, the 10-day regimen is designed to "jumpstart your weight loss, gain more energy, and clear… Read more