Blackfishing, as generally defined online, is a term that refers to a non-Black person’s manipulation of Black aesthetics for the purpose of attaining social capital or monetary benefit. What kind of representations are these artists attempting to convey through the manipulation of such aesthetics?
Tag: Women in Music
Call Ghislaine Maxwell What She Is: A Pimp
If we are serious about ending sex trafficking by future Ghislaine Maxwells and Jeffrey Epsteins, we should not allow ourselves to be seduced by racist images of porn and pop culture—while rich and sophisticated white pimps, and their equally well-connected shills, sexually exploit girls in plain sight.
Kids Learn About Sex From Porn. Comprehensive Sex Ed Could Help Change That.
For decades, Howard Stern has used his celebrity status to normalize porn and misogyny. Last month, Billie Eilish, only 20, made a shocking revelation on Stern’s show: “I used to watch a lot of porn. I think it really destroyed my brain.”
Eilish is right—research shows conclusively that pornography is harmful for young people and, indeed, all brains. But kids take to porn because they find the sexual education offered by their schools and parents to be unhelpful and unreal.
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.
Taylor Swift Didn’t Just Re-Record an Album—She Reclaimed Her Humanity
Taylor Swift released her re-recorded version of fan-favorite album “Red.” The highly emotional album takes on additional meaning in light of new lyrics about a relationship’s power differential and the brutality of fame—and the male gaze behind both.
In “Respect,” Jennifer Hudson Goes Beyond Singing and Into Aretha Franklin’s Extraordinary Life
Famously private, Aretha Franklin handpicked singer Jennifer Hudson to portray her in the compelling release by debut film director Liesl Tommy. “Respect,” its flaws notwithstanding, underscores Franklin’s genius.
Keeping Score: Olympics Ban Swim Caps Made for Black Hair; Abortion Restrictions Reach Record High in 2021; Biden Administration Boasts Narrowest Pay Gap in History
In every issue of Ms., we track research on our progress in the fight for equality, catalogue can’t-miss quotes from feminist voices and keep tabs on the feminist movement’s many milestones. We’re Keeping Score online, too—in in this biweekly round-up.
This week: abortion restrictions skyrocket in 2021; Olympic policies disproportionately target Black women; Supreme Court rules in favor of free speech and gender expression; state legislatures endanger voting rights; and more.
Top Ten Most Memorable Moments from the First Year of “On The Issues with Michele Goodwin”
Did you know that Ms’s podcast “On the Issues with Michele Goodwin” has been reporting, rebelling and telling it like it is for one whole year?
We’ve covered a lot of ground over the past year, from interviewing your lawmakers to delving into a summer of resistance against police brutality to getting the perspectives of feminists on the front lines of changing culture—finding silver linings all along the way. Here are our top ten moments from the year.
Monique DeBose’s Feminist Anthem “Brown Beauty” Is a Love Letter to Black and Brown Women
Los Angeles based singer, activist and spiritual coach Monique DeBose has a new song dedicated to all women of color.
“My intention with this song was to put it out at this point in time as just a celebration. I feel like for so long, we have not had the spaces and the public squares to just celebrate and acknowledge ourselves. If we’ve done it, it’s had to be in enclosed circles, and at this point, I’m ready now to just have it be out in public in a way that like has no shame has no trepidation, no insecurity.”
The Future for the Angsty Teenage Girl Looks Bright
Our support for Olivia Rodrigo and others feels like an ode to our younger selves; a wish that we could’ve unapologetically embraced our own teen angst. After all, we ultimately had the power to be that brave all along.
It’s refreshing we can now accept our own agonies without fear of being negatively perceived by men who look down on teen girl culture, other women, or even ourselves when we too often internalize misogyny.