Ladies, let’s have a heart-to-heart. I’ve noticed something that’s been bugging me, and I think it’s time we address it head-on. We make up more than half the population, yet we’re still playing catch-up when it comes to leadership roles. It’s not a lack of ability holding us back—it’s a lack of confidence in our own power.

I’m starting a new series of essays on decentering men because this seems to be the single most empowering thing you will ever do as a woman in the current cultural climate. Don’t get me wrong, there are tons of great sources of information out there about decentering men and many of them are really good. I don’t mean to rehash the same things. I’ll just add my own pieces of the puzzle that I think a lot of the discourse around decentering men misses.

The gender divide isn't fixed by better manners or better dating apps. It starts years before anyone downloads Hinge, while children are still forming ideas about power, fairness, gender, and what love is supposed to look like. Let's start teaching patriarchy in schools.

Titles written by women have dominated the bestseller list this summer, and this week we look at Lena’s Dunham’s memoir, Famesick. To me, what many of these books have in common (including “Yesteryear” by Caro Claire Burke, and “Strangers,” by Belle Burden) is an examination of the caustic effects of gender roles and feminine ideals and expectations for women, and what they extract.

Before becoming murals towering over city streets, interdisciplinary artist Helina Metaferia’s work begins in moments of intimacy; facilitated spaces for women and femmes sharing stories and imagining futures beyond oppression. Her project, By Way of Revolution, transforms those moments of collective care into public monuments, weaving together personal archives, protest histories, and the lived experiences of Black and Brown communities.

Born from the artist’s processing of her mother’s legacy as a Pan-African activist, the series uses performance, workshops, and collage to bridge histories of protest with the lived experiences of today. Central to this project are its subjects, specifically community participants like Nashel Brantley and Karla Cruz, whose own stories of vulnerability and healing anchor the murals.

Six months after By Way of Revolution transformed a Newark streetscape, FEMINIST met with Metaferia to reflect on the project. In our conversation, she explores the relationship between protest archives and personal memory, the trust required to turn vulnerability into public art, and what it means to make Black and Brown women impossible to overlook.

MAGA voters shrug off abuse allegations against Rep. Max Miller, proving patriarchy prioritizes men's power over women's safety. Meanwhile, anti-abortion extremism surges, showing how deeply misogyny is baked into the GOP platform.

Cheryl Reeve wore 'Trans Kids Belong' in support of inclusion, clapping back at Sophie Cunningham's anti-trans remarks during the Lynx vs Fever match. Cunningham tried to play nice but couldn't hide her transphobia. Reeve reminds us why women leading looks like standing up for vulnerable communities.

One of the country’s most popular tradwife influencers, Nara Smith, engaged in some top-tier gaslighting last week during an appearance on Call Her Daddy—telling host Alex Cooper she finds it “bizarre” that people would use her as “the poster child for the tradwife movement.” This, from a 24-year-old Mormon mother of 4 who once made a hotdog from scratch after getting off a 10-hour flight because her husband had a hankering.

Join us for a roundup of essential reads this Monday. Explore pressing issues like child marriage bans, abortion access struggles, and the power of romance. Plus, lessons from civil rights victories and the war on women's sports.

Misogynistic men chase short-term gains, but end up isolated and miserable. Their 'game' doesn't work forever—and neither do their relationships. The manosphere's promise of control is a losing bet.

Mona shares how lifting her body weight became a metaphor for healing her broken spirit after surviving brutal assaults. Through deadlifts and squats, she exfoliates trauma and reclaims her narrative. A powerful testament to finding strength in vulnerability.

Forget what you've heard: women weren't housewives for most of history. They worked in fields, markets, and homes keeping economies running. It's time to recognize and honor their contributions.

Amnesty UK caves under pressure from J.K. Rowling's legal threats, retracts report labeling anti-trans groups as anti-rights. Despite no factual errors found, Amnesty fully apologized, signaling a grim future for trans rights in the UK.

Ambition isn't about keeping up with men—it's about breaking free from patriarchal constraints. Discover how true freedom fuels the drive to be more, not just have more. A must-read for anyone ready to redefine success.

Republican Rep. Max Miller is currently running for reelection in Ohio. His ex-wife, Emily Moreno, has just filed another restraining order against him, after, she says, he laid hands on her lawyer — the person she hired to help protect her from him. Moreno also says that Miller threw boiling water at her, held a gun to her head, and broke their baby’s collarbone. “Daddy’s house is scary” and “Daddy kill you,” her daughter allegedly said.

Imagine a world where women’s leadership is not just celebrated but expected, where their voices shape policies, cultures, and communities without resistance or doubt. This isn’t a fantasy—it’s a matriarchy, and it’s closer than you think. But here’s the thing, sisters: we can’t do it alone. So let’s talk about how men can support this movement because, after all, it takes a village to raise a revolution.

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Walk into your home and wave at your Ring camera. Ask Alexa to play your favorite song. Share your location with your friends. Post your running route on social media. Share your medical data with your watch. Accept the cookies. Let this app track your location. Use an app to know when your period is coming next. Let this website use your data. Indefinitely. Talk to LLMs like they’re your friends, therapists, or lovers. Scroll through algorithms that know you better than you know yourself. Welcome to the age of surveillance as a service.

The term “surveillance state” used to evoke images of clandestine government agencies using listening devices and stoking public paranoia. Now, the surveillance van has been replaced by the phones in our pockets and even the accessories on our bodies. This is the technological surveillance state. It’s personalized, prolific, and conditioning us into a culture of passivity about its encroaching reach.

The Heritage Foundation wants to dismantle Title IX, claiming it advantages girls over 'naturally' more competitive boys. It's time to defend women's sports before they disappear.

Dive into summer joy, feminist philosophy sessions, and powerful stories about women's autonomy. Discover why dating men is statistically dangerous and join us in celebrating women's leadership. Don't miss this week's roundup of feminist works.

Thank you for reading my feminist advice column. For those of you who want help figuring out a particular dynamic, need more clarity about a situation or if you’re just curious what my take would be, feel free to leave me a comment here, or fill in THIS FORM directly. I will answer your question in a letter here, while preserving your anonymity (unless you prefer otherwise).

Cops praying with anti-abortion protesters instead of protecting clinics? It's time to rethink who our law enforcement is truly serving. This isn't about respect—it's about accountability and safety for those seeking essential healthcare.

Mona Eltahawy shares why she uses profanity as a weapon against the patriarchy and white supremacy. She argues that women's language should be as free as they want to be. Politeness and civility are tools used to maintain power structures that harm women.

A Texas appeals court ruled in favor of midwife Maria Rojas, allowing her to resume providing care while her criminal case continues. The court found insufficient evidence to support the civil injunction that shut down her clinics. Despite this victory, Rojas faces significant challenges in reopening due to irreversible damage caused by the state's actions.

Heterosexual women aren't orgasming because the sexual script is written by and for men. It's time to rewrite it with women's pleasure front and center.

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The Baltimore Ferals refuse to comply with anti-trans policies, playing rugby with their trans teammates, openly taking up space and calling out discriminatory practices, while facing a wave of support from teams across the country.

Thank you for reading my feminist advice column. For those of you who want help figuring out a particular dynamic, need more clarity about a situation or if you’re just curious what my take would be, feel free to leave me a comment here, or fill in THIS FORM directly. I will answer your question in a letter here, while preserving your anonymity (unless you prefer otherwise).

Two reviews of anarcho-feminist history remind us that the revolution isn't complete without women's emancipation. From Spain to Paris, women have fought for their freedom and against misogyny in revolutionary spaces. Let's honor their legacy and keep fighting.

Discover how shaving off her fiery mane became an act of defiance and liberation for one woman during lockdown. This isn't just a haircut; it's a revolution against patriarchal norms and a reckoning with societal beauty standards.