In the case of New York City restaurateur Sarma Melngailis, the tactics allegedly used by her “Bad Vegan” husband are no joke—and more states across the country are recognizing “coercive control” under domestic violence law.
Television
Stories here about women navigating the television industry, representation on and off-screen and feminist TV show reviews.
If the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Met the Dynamic Mrs. Dennett—Sex Ed And Censorship Would Be So 20th Century
Like other fans of Amazon’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, I’ll be binge-watching when the fourth season of the hit series finally drops on Friday, Feb. 18.
I can’t help but wonder if the fictional Midge Maisel was influenced by the real-life Mary Ware Dennett or what would happen if they met. From 1915 through the 1930s, Dennett’s pioneering battles against U.S. government censorship helped pave the way for the freedom of speech Mrs. Maisel relies on and fights to expand.
The Difference Between Actors and Actresses
I want to be a king. Just one that happens to be a girl.
Although words themselves are not responsible for sexism, many perpetuate the idea that men and women are so different that you must use separate words—even if they are doing the same thing.
Feminist Faves: 10 Women-Led Television Shows to Celebrate 2021
Since we appear to be in one of the dark timelines, it shouldn’t be any wonder that a lot of that good comes to us in the form of fictional media.
These 10 shows that came out this year captured my attention because of their distinctive and dynamic women characters. Most of these shows were created by women and/or employ many women as writers and directors of individual episodes. All of them feature compelling women protagonists or co-leads.
2021’s Best Feminist Pop Culture Moments
From the swearing in of our first woman vice president, Kamala Harris, to the severe restrictions on reproductive rights, 2021 has been a mixed bag for feminism. Of course, popular culture—ever a pulse from which to measure the present moment—served as a guide this year for feminist expression.
Here is a list of what got us thinking and talking about feminism in popular culture.
New Fiction, Old Reality: It’s Time We Pay Attention to the Pandemic Struggles of Black Women
Fox’s Our Kind of People makes audiences rethink their perception of Black workers, drawing attention to problems that the government has long tried to ignore.
Black women have not been able to bounce back from their steep unemployment loss that the pandemic generated in 2020.
Amazon’s Cinderella and Systemic Change: No More Patriarchy Means a Happy Ending For All
In Amazon’s Cinderella musical, Cinderella gets what she most wants because there is a radical shifting of structural power. The prince suddenly doesn’t have to marry for status, the queen is suddenly free to speak up and the king is suddenly understanding of how ridiculous gender bias is and anoints his daughter to be next in line.
If only in real life it were that simple.
The White Lotus: Lessons on Black Lives Matter, Reparations and Queer Liberation
This summer’s finale of The White Lotus (TWL) garnered 1.9 million viewers and has been renewed by HBO for a second season. Overall, critics cast the first season of TWL as an entertaining, if bleak, satire of wealthy whiteness. In the words of one headline, “Nothing changes on The White Lotus. That’s the point.”
What’s missing from previous critical reviews is how TWL explores themes related to Black Lives Matter, reparations and queer liberation—or how TWL offers useful lessons for white progressives.
Maid’s Crucial Message: Emotional Abuse *Is* Abuse. Is America Ready to Acknowledge It?
Maid sheds light on the crucial issue of emotional abuse and coercive control— exposing viewers to the multiple systemic reasons why it takes a victim of domestic abuse seven attempts before she escapes for good.
Alex tries out four powerful words for the first time as she’s packing to move to the shelter: “Emotional abuse is abuse.” She said it to America. Are we ready to listen?