The words claw at my brain
digging between the intricate folds of my unconscious
the instant I step onto the crowded subway.
My legs move to a seat as if they had brains of their own
because my ey...
Little bits and pieces; memoirs of the future,
Box of broken laces; stitched up with a suture.
My soul's meant to be sold,
As the story unfolds-
A sinner has no shame,
I'm the girl without a name...
When I recently opened the September issue of Vogue, I was (for once) surprised by what I found. Hidden in the midst of 832 pages of fashion coverage was a 2-page ad featuring plus-size models dramati...
The music video for "Blurred Lines" marked an important moment in our culture — not because of the (highly sexist) video itself, but because feminist and anti-racist critiques of the video were widely...
The Hunting Ground is an unabashed and damning portrayal of the still crucial and widespread problem of rape culture on college campuses. In fact, an estimated 20 to 25% of women in higher educational...
The announcement that a gender-swapped reboot of Ghostbusters will soon be in theaters has generated quite a bit of excitement. Considering the top-notch comedy actresses at the project's helm, includ...
21-year-old Seattle-based photographer and filmmaker Ashley Armitage's work is largely a tribute to female friendships and femininity. Her dreamy, nuanced photography lets viewers into the intimate, m...
The musical duo Harmony Trividad and Cleo Tucker, also known as "Girlpool," have a lot to say about the rigid expectations girls face growing up in America. Through unsettling harmonies and raw, cre...
I begin peeling off a layer of the mask that once covered my wounds. Starting with the
rehearsal smile hung high on my face
Revealing anger, torment, loneliness, vulnerability
I had to ignore the b...
I saw it in middle school, and later in high school: If the girls in my class didn’t excel in science, no body was surprised, since girls are never expected to excel in the subject. But if they receiv...
As anyone even mildly interested in pop culture likely knows, Rihanna recently dropped a new music video for her song Bitch Better Have My Money. I found the video itself interesting, but honestly fou...
Misty Copeland made history on June 30th when she was promoted within the American Ballet Theatre, becoming the first African American ballerina to reach the rank of Principal Dancer after being the ...
Much lip service has been paid to feminism's supposed comeback — especially in terms of more authentic representations of women in pop culture. Charlize Theron's recent portrayal of the badass protago...
As a film student and aspiring screenwriter, I understand that it is a comedian’s job to joke about current issues and events. But I believe there is a fine line between "art" and belittlement and tha...
Music festival season is just beginning, and with it comes yet another reminder that women still have a long way to go before we achieve equality. Although there are plenty of female acts to choose fr...
My prom dress was too big to fit into the car. I worked my hands around the silky tulle of the rhinestone-studded gown and gathered the fabric into my lap. But as the car picked up speed down the hill...
Our generation may not be too familiar with the haunting "Keane Eyes" which were ubiquitous in the 1950s and 60s. Those dark, doe-eyed figures found their way into print and media, living rooms and co...
I’m a huge fan of Harry Potter. I grew up reading the books, have seen each film countless times, and dressed up as Hermione for many Halloweens. But while I’ll always love the series, I also recogniz...
I am not just pretty.
I am Ethereal.
I am Lethal.
My Eyes are Sharp-Cut Stones
and
My Smile spreads like Hot Butter
I am
Everything
and
I am
Nothing
I have Galaxies of Freckles
that
would...
First I found myself through art. Then I found myself through feminism. Finally, I found myself through activism. I was confused but ambitious in high school and passionately tried to learn everything...
The curve of you,
where the cheek meets the thigh,
is sweeter than lips strawberry
in a tinted photo
which is not your own anymore.
Instead savor
the place of skin wrapped by summer
clothes str...
The first time I experienced harassment in a club, a man came up behind me and put his hand under my dress and in between my legs. I was horrified. I felt dirty, violated and mortified. As the night w...
Last night, students shuffled in and out of the audition room for a production I’m working on, frantically asking about pronunciation and deciding whether to use or ignore the chairs we’d provided the...
It may be 2015, but women's representation in the entertainment industry is still grim. According to the Women's Media Center, a recent San Diego State University report, for instance, found that wome...