“Queen of the Capital,” a new documentary from director Josh Davidsburg, reveals a colorful queer community in the heart of the nation’s capital. The documentary follows drag queen Muffy Blake Stephyns on her quest to be crowned Empress of the Imperial Court of Washington, D.C.
Dear America: This Land is (Still) Our Land
Ana Maria Spagna explores patriotism through Sharon Jones’s version of “This Land is Your Land.” It’s her word, and it’s your word: patriotism.
Black Artists Challenge Hollywood: “Prove Black Lives Matter”
The entertainment industry needs to use its power and unique position to radically change the oppressive, systemic and white supremacist culture that persists in Hollywood.
Never Have I Ever Felt This Need to Defend My Body
Disability is not a comedic punchline, a tragic end, or a plot twist that gets thrown away in the first act. If you’ve got one, that’s part of your life, but clearly no one in Never Have I Ever’s editing room is underlining the “part” here.
The Sex Talk—With a Little Help from Classic Teen Comedies
Here are five teen films with female protagonists from the 1980s and 1990s (in date order) to get your “sex talk” started. Maybe in their imperfection, you can find moments that will spark dialogue and reflection.
Between Russell Simmons and The World and Oprah
This essay is excerpted from Kevin Powell’s new book, “When We Free The World,” writings about the present and future of America through the lens of gender, race, protests, the pandemic and the presidency of Donald Trump.
Young Entrepreneurs Make Thrifting and Sustainable Fashion Possible During COVID
Stores are beginning to open up—but 82 percent of shoppers say they plan to keep shopping online. A multitude of powerful women are running specially curated thrift businesses through social media platforms—making fashion sustainable and safe.
Time’s (Still) Up: Rewriting Our Film History
The conversation around film history today still revolves around predominantly male and white producers, directors and more. Even in 2020, the American Film Institute’s list of 100 Greatest American Films of All Time has not one female director.
In order to widen the conversation in the future, we must amend how we look at the past. The time is up—and for many of us, it has been up for quite a while.
¡Berta Vive!: The Life and Death of Berta Cáceres, Fearless Indigenous Leader
Nina Lakhani’s “Who Killed Berta Cáceres?” digs into the thick layers of the corrupt, colonial, imperialist, racist and misogynistic systems that contributed to the death of this beloved Honduran Lenca leader, cofounder of the Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras and the 2015 winner of the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize.
Poetry for the Moment: Healing, Resistance and Possibility
As protests against police violence have bloomed across the country, many have turned to sharing art, and poetry in particular, as a source of comfort and inspiration. In a time when the news can be a source of pain and violence, poetry can be a source of healing and joy. Here are some poems that deal with relevant themes during this revolutionary moment: healing, resistance and possibility.