Five stories of ambitious empresses, fearsome gladiators, and ordinary working-class residents — glimmering snapshots of the female experience in the classical world.
Unapologetic Women
“I Had to Face the Blues Every Day”
Soul and gospel singer Candi Staton let no hardship stand in the way of her voice, one that helped define the music of her generation.
The Women Who Built Grunge
Bands like L7 and Heavens to Betsy were instrumental to the birth of the grunge scene, but for decades were treated like novelties and sex objects. Thirty years later, it’s time to reassess their legacy.
Queens of Infamy: Isabella of France
Married off at age 12, Isabella put up with her husband’s shenanigans over decades. Eventually, the She-Wolf of France had had enough.
Sister of the Moon: A Stevie Nicks Reading List
Six stories celebrating Stevie Nicks in honor of her birthday on May 26th.
Celebrating Bitch Magazine: A Reading List
A writer traces her own feminist journey as she reflects on the forthcoming shutdown of Bitch Media.
Reading List: Who’s Your Susan Sontag?
Five longreads about the iconoclastic American writer, director, and activist.
Los Desaparecidos
Women in Sinaloa, Mexico, are searching for the remains of “disappeared” loved ones — and cooking to keep their memories of the dead alive.
The Professor
“Maybe the most powerful person is the one who dares to refuse the gift.”
Doctors Without Patients: The Eritrean Physicians Stuck in American Licensing Limbo
“What was the whole point of your training if you cannot do something, even in a pandemic?”