Dr. Brittney Cooper is an incredibly engaging and insightful feminist author, professor, activist, and cultural critic currently teaching at Rutgers University. She is also cofounder of the Crunk Feminist Collective, a scholar-activist group for feminists of color that began as a super-popular blog and has now evolved into the thriving Substack newsletter, The Remix. In 2017, she co-authored and edited The Crunk Feminist Collection anthology and also released Beyond Respectability: The Intellectual Thought of Race… Read more

With Halloween a little over one week away, we’re all under the wire to finalize our costumes. Looking to spice up your costume or just experiment with some face paint? Here are 13 Halloween makeup looks that anyone from novices to bonafide makeup-lovers can achieve with a bit of guidance, a little eyeliner, and a whole lot of patience! From newbies to makeup artists in the making, Halloween is the time to unleash your creative side and play around with some terrifyingly fabulous makeup looks. 1. Hocus Pocus Glossy Lid… Read more

The party had just died down and all the revelers were heading home. All, that is, except for three young women, each of whom had a different destination in mind. The first was headed off to a cabbage field. Once there, she planned to walk backwards, steal the first plant her heel hit, and take it home to examine its roots. The second girl went searching for a salted herring, which she would then eat in three bites—bones and all—before going to sleep without drinking any water. The third needed to find a newborn baby… Read more

Halle Berry will make her directorial debut with the upcoming Netflix sports drama Bruised, in which she stars as a disgraced fighter who must defend her name and rediscover her power. The 55-year-old Oscar winner plays Jackie Justice, a former mixed martial arts champion who left the sport after a devastating loss. Still humiliated years later, Justice is persuaded into a vicious underground fight by her boyfriend and manager, Desi, played by Adan Canto (X-Men: Days of Future Past). Suddenly, Justice is back in the… Read more

Solange, R&B singer, songwriter, and Beyonce's little sis, has debuted her latest project: a free library featuring rare works by Black authors. In 2013, Solange founded the creative studio Saint Heron and has produced visual art and podcasts. Solange, also known as Solange Knowles, is renowned for her albums A Seat at the Table (2016) and When I Get Home (2018). The Saint Heron website now displays 50 titles by Black authors, available to US-based readers for up to 45 days. “Season One” of Saint Heron Community… Read more

The Irish author of Normal People, Sally Rooney, has yet again successfully covered a range of topics which permeate our lives in her new novel, Beautiful World, Where are You (BWWAY). While Rooney has had huge success with her previous two books, Conversations with Friends (2017) and Normal People (2018), she has received a ton of backlash recently upon the publishing of her third book. This backlash came from Rooney rejecting a publishing deal with an Israeli publisher, Modan Publishing House, due to the practice of… Read more

KING WOMAN Celestial Blues (Relapse Records) King Woman fans who have been waiting for a new record since the 2017 debut, Created in the Image of Suffering, will have their patience rewarded with Celestial Blues. These nine doom-metal/ shoegaze tracks bring us what we’ve come to expect from vocalist and band mastermind Kristina Esfandiari (who also performs as Dalmatian, Miserable, and NGHTCRWLR) and then some. From the striking album imagery to lyrics that reckon with a religious upbringing and struggles with trauma… Read more

This fall, let's all give pumpkin spice a break and update our pantries with globally inspired seasonings instead. With thoughtful flavors, pretty packaging, and ethical sourcing, these innovative women-owned brands are putting the zing in seasoning. SPICE TREE ORGANICS Sisters-in-law Doaa Elkady and Freda Nokaly draw on their Egyptian roots and Queens, NY, upbringing to create intensely flavored, high-quality spice blends like Greek Table, Malaysian Curry, and NYC Halal Cart (each $8.95 for 2 oz.). Spice Tree Organics… Read more

In her new memoir, The Big Hurt, author and actress Erika Schickel re-examines her “bad girl” self-image and offers an intimate look into her long process of healing from emotional and sexual trauma. “Life isn’t linear,” Schickel says in the book. “Eventually we will double back on ourselves, and hopefully we will have grown wiser, maybe we will have learned something.” It is through this lens of past and present intertwined that Schickel approaches her own story, interweaving tales of her reckless adolescence with… Read more

Whether you're new to tarot, or simply want to add to your deck collection, it's always great to tap into that divine feminine energy by using a deck created by women. We gathered together 13 of our favorite tarot and oracle decks designed by women. 1. The Rider-Waite Tarot Deck by Pamela Colman Smith Long-hailed as the OG standard for tarot cards, the Rider-Waite Tarot deck was created in 1909, featuring the hand-drawn illustrations of Pamela Colman Smith. Before the Rider-Waite deck, most tarot cards featured… Read more

One of the easiest ways to make some artful magic is by creating a talisman—an object we can enchant by calling upon natural energies, including our own, to charge it with our desired intention. Combined with the power of symbols that speak to the subconscious mind, this piece becomes a physical representation of the changes we wish to call into our lives. Creating a talisman through embroidery isn’t just about making something that looks nice—the act of making in itself can be calming and meditative. Follow the steps… Read more

“Happy ending” massages that include being stimulated to orgasm are not usually associated with female clientele. But there are indeed women seeking out this type of service from male masseurs, and their rules of engagement might surprise you. It was 2003, and Vance Black, a masseur in his early 20s, was working on a 40-something client’s hip while she lay face down on the table. It was his first day on the job at a posh resort in Palm Beach, Florida, and he was anxious, having only recently graduated from massage… Read more

After a five-year hiatus, Adele has finally returned her voice to our radios with new song “Easy on Me," and fans couldn’t be more excited. Since watching the song teaser that Adele released on October 5th, we’ve been anticipating its release. Since dropping at midnight last night, the song has become the fourth most-played song on Apple Music in the US, and the music video has received more than 23 million views within the first twelve hours which surpasses that of her 2015 hit “Hello”, which took thirteen hours to… Read more

Although you might want one, you won’t need a glam squad to attend Womankind’s upcoming Virtual Gala—you can join right from the comfort of your own home. Just RSVP (tickets are donate-what-you-wish) and then get ready for October 26th, when Womankind’s organizers will be honoring a few truly influential women, while celebrating the work they’ve done in the past year. Womankind’s mission is to use the multidimensionality of its Asian heritage to work alongside survivors of gender-based violence as they build a path to… Read more

Lego announced earlier this week that it will remove gender bias from its toys, paving the way for more equal play. This decision comes in light of new research commissioned by the LEGO Group which revealed that girls are increasingly curious about traditionally “male” toys and activities but that gender stereotypes continue to restrict their participation. As Lego stated, “research findings show that girls are ready for the world but society isn’t quite ready to support their growth through play.” Lego’s study was… Read more

“WE ARE THE weirdos, mister,” is a retort that went down in girl culture history the second Fairuza Balk spoke those words, punctuated by a burgundy-lipped grin, in 1996’s The Craft. The classic cult film follows Robin Tunney’s character, Sarah, as she navigates a new school and ends up befriending a trio of outcasts known as the “bitches of Eastwick”: Bonnie (Neve Campbell), Rochelle (Rachel True), and Balk’s ringleader Nancy. The new crew dabbles in witchcraft while wearing the coolest ’90s alt outfits. Whether they… Read more

ALL VULVAS ARE unique, but in media—whether it’s porn or even a biology textbook—we’re often shown one image of the “perfect” vulva, which many also believe to be “normal.” As a result, a surprising number of people are undergoing a cosmetic surgical procedure called labiaplasty to reshape or reduce the size of their labia minora for aesthetic purposes. There has been a steady increase in demand for labiaplasty over the past decade—in 2019 alone, more than 150,000 people worldwide underwent the procedure. Queer,… Read more

After the success of the Emmy-winning series WandaVision, Marvel Studios is developing a spinoff for Disney+. According to Deadline, the spinoff will center on the character Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn), and will be available on streaming and in movies “under a larger deal she has made with the studio.” The spinoff is set to be a dark comedy. WandaVision, created by Jac Shaeffer for Disney+, is a gender-bending series that begins weeks after the events of Avengers: Endgame. The show follows protagonist Wanda Maximoff… Read more

Momona Tamada is a Canadian actor and dancer, whose first self-tape audition snagged her the role of Young Lara Jean in To All the Boys I Loved Before: PS I Still Love You, the sequel to Netflix’s smash hit. When Netflix rebooted The Baby-Sitter’s Club, from the popular book series by Ann M. Martin, Tamada landed the role of Claudia Kishi, the Vice President of the Club and its resident fashion icon. The first season of The Baby-Sitter’s Club is seamlessly modernized, funny, and like the progressive book series doesn't… Read more

I had been living in New York City for six months and working at school for students with Autism and related disorders when I heard about Allison Moorer. More accurately, I heard her twangy Alabama drawl as she chatted with her son’s teacher during afternoon pickup. It was a fall afternoon in the midst of after school dismissal and Moorer’s voice rang disparate compared to the usual city cadences that echoed throughout our school building. As a Virginia transplant her voice reminded me of my mom’s family. It was a… Read more

As we step into fall, we can't think of anything better than cosy up at home with a good book with a cup of hot chocolate. Need some recommendations on what to read? Check out our reviews below on books by Maggie Nelson and Nichole Perkins. On Freedom: Four Songs of Care and Constraint By Maggie Nelson (Graywolf Press) There are few cultural critics with as much name recognition as MacArthur “genius” grant recipient Maggie Nelson, author of nine books, including 2015’s New York Times bestseller, The Argonauts. Her… Read more

After nearly five years of radio silence, Grammy-award-winning artist Adele recently announced that she is releasing her fourth studio album, 30. On October 5th, Adele dropped the teaser for her latest single, “Easy On Me.” Before confirming, many fans were speculating her return after seeing billboards plastered with the number “30” all across the globe. Adele’s previous three albums are all named after her age; from 19 in 2008, 21 in 2011, and 25 in 2015, and many of us began connecting the dots with 30. Fans even got… Read more

Since its release, the 2013 music video for "Blurred Lines" by Robin Thicke has caused a ton of controversy due to the sexy portrayal of the half-naked models dancing. In her forthcoming book My Body, the 30-year-old model, Emily Ratajkowski reveals that Thicke, 44, “grabbed her bare breasts” during the video’s filming. The book is set to be published on November 9th. With its predatory-like lyrics, the song seemingly glorifies rape culture as Thicke claims that he wants to “domesticate” the subject and that he’s going… Read more

Social media icon Bretman Rock makes his debut as the first openly gay male featured on the cover of Playboy Magazine. The 23-year-old Filipino influencer has been producing beauty content online over the last five years, collaborating with major makeup brands, starring in his own reality show, and climbing the social media ladder. Flashforward to 2021, and he’s just made history. Bretman Rock went viral on the 6-second video app Vine (rest in peace) back in 2015 and immediately became a sensation for his audacious… Read more

Danielle Macdonald has been lighting up screens large and small with her plucky personality and big-girl badassery for the last decade. She’s Australian, but you’d never know it based on her spot-on 2017 performance as Jersey rapper Patti Dombrowski in the indie hit “Patti Cake$,” or by her star turn in 2018 as a Dolly Parton-obsessed Texas teen in “Dumplin'.” She’s also had notable roles in “Bird Box,” “Skin,” and “Unbelievable” just to name a few. And now, she’s back with another starring role as a gal with a dream… Read more

Goody Two Shoes The platform soles! The boots’ textured canvas and leopard-print interior! The sandals’ black velvet straps and purple footbed! These pairs are the holy footwear grail I would’ve scoured Melrose for in 1993, and I’d expect nothing less from the new collab between Dr. Martens and X-girl. Strap X-girl Velvet Platform Sandals, $120, Jadon Max X-girl Canvas Platform Boots, $220, drmartens.com. –Lisa Butterworth Practical Magic Afro-Dominican sisters Mabel and Shaira Frías are putting Latin culture front and… Read more

There’s a new Halloween character in town, and yes, she would like to speak to the manager. Spirit Halloween’s recently released “Karen” wig is a bobbed blonde updo reminiscent of helicopter moms everywhere. As shown on its packaging, the perfect Karen “look” can be completed with oversized sunglasses and a “Where the f*ck is our waiter?” stare. and the scariest costume goes to… pic.twitter.com/AgCXEeE7SX — Helen Shivers (@thecroakerqueen) October 3, 2021 For the truly dedicated dresser-uppers, Spirit even offers a… Read more

TKAY MAIDZA Last Year Was Weird Vol. 3 (4AD/Dew Process) Tkay Maidza exemplifies what happens when you pair creative ambition and raw talent with Last Year Was Weird Vol. 3, the final installment of her acclaimed trilogy (Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 came out in 2018 and 2020 respectively). With longtime collaborator/producer Dan Farber, the Zimbabwe-born, Australian-raised, genre-blending rapper and singer takes us on an eight-song trip as vivid and commanding as her visual presence, like in the psychedelic daydream video for… Read more

So it's officially October, and what better way to start off Spooky Season than binge-watching some intensely scary movies. Better yet, since we are all about recognizing women in the film sphere, how about a list of some women-directed films that are sure to make your skin crawl. We covered all the bases, some supernatural, some disgusting, some nostalgic, but these are six horror thrillers that you can stream at home in anticipation of All Hallows Eve. The Love Witch Directed by Anna Biller; released November 11,… Read more

If you’re in the New York City area this October strap on your mask and make your way to the very cool downtown, cabaret venue Pangea. Actor, singer, and performance art provocature, or as she prefers, provocatuese, Tammy Faye Starlite has a new show that she will perform every Thursday of the month. Yesterday, Today and,TAMAR, features Ms. Starlite as TAMAR the fictitious Israeli born singer, actress and chanteuse. Known as the “Belle of EL AL”, TAMAR is the winner of two Giorgio awards for Best Spoken Word Disco… Read more

Good news for Shondaland-lovers : Netflix has revealed the first images for Bridgerton’s second season and it is about to be full of plot twists. Bad news, it will not include fan favorite Duke Of Hastings(Regé-Jean Page.) Following the adaptation of Julia Quinn’s book, The Duke And I for the first season, the second one will be based on the author’s second novel, The Viscount Who Loved Me. The second season will still be based in 1800’s United Kingdom but this time, will follow Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey) as… Read more

The National Women’s Soccer League team North Carolina Courage fired its head coach, Paul Riley, on Thursday in light of sexual abuse allegations made by several of Riley’s former players. Riley is now the third coach since August to be fired from the league because of misconduct, leading members of the NWSL Players’ Association to call for systematic change within the league. In a tweet on Thursday, the NWSLPA published a list of three demands for the NWSL, stating that, “We will no longer be complicit in a culture of… Read more

Turn your kitchen into a living room by growing your own sprouts What you need: Seeds for sprouting (try sproutpeople.org, where a pound can run $6 to $30, depending on the type, or get smaller amounts at a natural foods store or co-op) Clean and sterilized wide-mouth mason jars and lids or rubber bands A shallow cake pan or Pyrex dish Cheesecloth or dishcloth (cut to size) For alfalfa and smaller sprouts: Pour about a teaspoon of seeds into your mason jar. Fill the jar halfway with water and swirl to separate and coat… Read more

Karen Dalton is a name that more fans of Blues and Folk music should know, but don't. Revisiting the early 1960s folk-music scene that sprung from Greenwich Village in film, can feel like well-trodden territory, and musicians such as Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Pete Seeger, and Woody Guthrie are considered folk music legends. Karen Dalton sprung from the same era, but never quite received her due. Passing away in 1993, the guitarist and banjo player had been an underground favorite slowly gaining popularity over the last 50… Read more

New York-based fashion stylist Kelly Augustine believes fashion can be liberating. "People treat fashion like it’s very frivolous, and it’s not," she says. "How I’m treated as a Black person very much depends on how I’m dressed. Even as a fat woman, if you don’t wear shapewear, people are going to assume that you’re sloppy and it’s like, 'Maybe I just want to breathe tonight.'" That's why she's dedicated to taking a stand for who she is. "There’s liberation [in fashion], and I love what’s happening with Black designers… Read more

Like many people stuck at home during the pandemic, Neko Case had to find a new way to occupy herself. Unable to tour and still dealing with the aftermath of the 2017 fire that burned down her Vermont home, the singer/songwriter turned to a friend who’s never let her down: nature. “I write about it all the time in my journal,” she explains. “I think a lot about nature when I’m sitting around for hours outside a club and there are plants growing through the pavement...and I think a lot about people losing their… Read more

In our Fashion Nation series, we talk to people about personal style. Name: Kelly AugustineJob: stylistInsta: @kellyaugustineLocation: New York City, New York Walk me through this outfit. My dress is Edwin Reyes. My photographer and I were joking that it was giving “Statue of Liberty realness.” It’s [about] emancipation. You’re going to see me, hear me, and feel me, whether you want to or not. My sneakers are Adidas x IvyPark. My earrings are from a beauty supply store in Harlem. And my ring is from LeyeLesi. In… Read more

Since early September, many of us have been asking ourselves, what the f*ck is up with this Texas abortion ban? Over the last month, we’ve seen pro-choice activists protesting on and offline, trying to protect the rights we thought we'd nailed down since 1973. In anticipation of the October 2nd National Women’s March to defend reproductive rights, we have to talk about just how much the latest Texas abortion ban has been weaseling its way around Roe vs Wade, so much so that the Supreme Court itself can’t even get a… Read more

The National Inventors Hall of Fame in Alexandria, VA honors over 600 of America’s greatest inventors and engineers, living and deceased, who have patented an influential technology. Since its founding in 1973, the Hall of Fame has recognized a new class of innovators each year, with notable inductees including Thomas Edison, Beatrice Hicks, the Wright brothers, and Hedy Lamarr. Now, the Hall of Fame is starting to look a little less white, and a little less male. The non-profit announced this week that Marian Croak,… Read more

Beloved children’s book and young adult fiction author Beverly Cleary was one of the most widely published writers in the world before her death this year, thanks in part to the enduring appeal of her spunky young heroine Ramona Quimby. Think you know how Beverly made history? Then take the quiz!-Emily Rems Beverly was born and raised in this state, where most of her stories are set. a. New York b. Minnesota c. Oregon d. Texas What was the title of Beverly’s first book, published in 1950? a. Henry Huggins b. Beezus and… Read more

Directed and produced by Bobbi Jo Hart Fanny was one of the first all-women rock bands to release an LP on a major record label (Warner/Reprise, 1970). The nucleus of the band was Jean and June Millington, two sisters who moved from the Philippines with their family in 1961, landing in Sacramento, CA. They were influenced by the Beatles and 1960s youth culture at large, but they didn’t want to date the band, they wanted to be them. Self-taught on bass and guitar, the sisters formed their first band, the Svelts, in high… Read more

R. Kelly, multiplatnium R&B singer and producer, was found guilty on Monday of all counts of racketeering and sex trafficking. For decades, the “I Believe I Can Fly” singer has been accused of masterminding a scheme to recruit underage girls and boys for sex. He was charged with one count of racketeering - which includes charges of sexual exploitation of a child, bribery, and sex trafficking - as well as eight violations of the Mann Act, a federal sex trafficking law. The verdict was reached after nine hours of… Read more

If you've got an eye for the strange and unusual, put it to paper. Accessible and affordable, all you need to make beautiful paper collage art is a pair of scissors, a bottle of Mod Podge, and all those magazines you’ve been saving (even this one!). Artist Maria Rivans literally wrote the book on it (Extraordinary Things to Cut Out and Collage, Laurence King Publishing, Laurence King Publishing), and here she shares her top tips—from organization to composition to her favorite tools—for making the cut. Finders Keepers… Read more

Amy Schumer is a survivor. The 40-year-old comedian and Trainwreck star shared in an Instagram post on Sunday that she had her uterus and appendix removed earlier this month to combat endometriosis. View this post on Instagram A post shared by @amyschumer Schumer first posted about her struggles with the disease in an Instagram video on September 18, the morning after her surgery. Still in her hospital bed, Schumer addressed her ongoing struggles with the disease and her gratitude for receiving a speedy diagnosis and… Read more

Sexual violence comes in various forms, and for many across the globe, knowledge of what does and does not count as sexual consent remains unclear. Before watching Michaela Coel’s TV series, I May Destroy You, I hadn’t known that non-consensual removal of condoms is classed as sexual assault. In a sensual scene, Arabella (Coel) has sex with fellow writer Zain (Karan Gill) who secretly removes his condom after coercing her into engaging in the infamous doggy position. Moments before having sexual intercourse, Arabella… Read more

After years of misconduct and botched investigations, four American gymnasts shared an emotional testimony in the failed FBI investigation of former Team USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar. Nearly four years after the trial and sentencing of Larry Nassar, gold medalists Simone Biles, Aly Raisman, McKayla Maroney, and Maggie Nichols spoke on behalf of themselves and nearly 500 victims of Nassar at the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, September 15th. The FBI was made aware of allegations against Nassar back in… Read more

On October 2 at 11 a.m., Women’s March will mobilize thousands of women, feminists, and allies to fight for reproductive freedom in demonstrations across the country. The National March to Demand Reproductive Freedom will be held in Washington, D.C. and run from Freedom Plaza to the steps of the Supreme Court. It has been organized with over 90 partner organizations, including Planned Parenthood, The Frontline, the Black Women’s Health Imperative, and the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice. This… Read more

Lydia Lunch is a true radical in every sense of the word. A high priestess of punk, she arrived in New York when she was just 16 in the mid-’70s and made a name for herself downtown with her band Teenage Jesus and the Jerks. That group became synonymous with the hugely influential No Wave movement and launched Lunch’s multifaceted career of over 40 years as an actor, performance poet, writer, public speaker, solo artist, and frontwoman for her subsequent bands 8-Eyed Spy, 13.13, Shotgun Wedding, Big Sexy Noise, and… Read more

My first “job” ever was, age eight, putting Mary Kay labels on products, reboxing them, and organizing them in the first of the three rooms in my childhood home that Mary Kay would eventually take over. Pictures of Mary Kay Ash, the company founder, were framed like saints around our strictly Jewish house. Any female-presenting restaurant server with good skin inevitably walked away from our family’s table with a Mary Kay business card and a sales pitch. My mother reached the first reward tier, then the next, earned a… Read more

Lil Nas X has transcended to new levels of queer cowboy greatness with his latest performance, a soulful rendition of Dolly Parton’s 1973 classic song, “Jolene.” In celebration of his debut album, Montero, Lil Nas took over BBC Radio 1’s Live Lounge with a small band and a flower-adorned mic stand to work some country magic. His cover of “Jolene” invokes the same Western profundity of his first hit, “Old Town Road,” but with a newfound sense of depth and self-awareness. As he sings “Jolene”’s lyrical tale of a scorned… Read more