I’m Here, I’m Queer, I’m 45 and Still Making New Friends
By our 40s, many folks have already solidified their social circles. But it's not so uncommon for middle-age LGBTQ people to flout such conventions—out of necessity and desire.
First Person
We’ve All Been Forced to Be a “Fearless Girl”
The writer wondered why the statue elicited a strong reaction in her until she realized that everything about it—from the story behind its creation to image itself—evokes what it's like to be female in America.
No, That Persistent Pain Is Not in Your Head
When women seek medical help for chronic pain, especially for gynecological-related issues, health providers are still scrutinizing their mental and emotional health.
I Quit Social Media and Lived to Tell
In this excerpt from the memoir I QUIT EVERYTHING, the Gen-X writer—a retired drummer and vocalist for several alt rock bands—reflects on the addictive nature of social media, and the liberation of signing off.
I Wasn’t Ready to Turn 40
Getting older often feels like a rude awakening. But for this writer, who was about to surpass her late mother’s age, the number 39 took on a whole other meaning.
That Time Barbie and I Had an Epiphany
The writer never imagined identifying with Barbie. But Greta Gerwig’s thought-provoking portrait of the doll’s rude awakening of experiencing misogyny in the real world mirrored the author’s own coming-out experience.
Will My Old IUD Become a Relic?
Coming of age in the 1970s, this writer never understood why she kept her old IUD all these years. Now she does: Since the Dobbs decision, many GOP lawmakers have set their sights on birth control.
What Will It Take for Men to Believe Women?
Cis-men dismiss women as hysterical when we tell them our lives are in danger. Then they act surprised when our worst fears are realized.
Sometimes the Weirdest Advice Is Best
When it came to delivering a baby, the author learned she had to push the crap out of herself.
I’m a Beautiful, Confident Black Woman. White People Are Offended
Eurocentric ideas of beauty have historically warped the way non-white people evaluate their own physical features.