Phalloplasty, or the surgery to construct a penis, has grown increasingly popular among transgender men — but it’s medically complicated. Jamie Lauren Keiles takes a closer look at the procedure while following the transition of Benjamin Simpson. As Ben prepared for Stage 1 surgery, he told only his family and close friends. He knew that acceptance […]
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The Top 5 Longreads of the Week
This week, our editors recommend stories by Michael Wilson, Joseph Bien-Kahn, Jason Anthony, AC Shelton, and Tom Breihan.
DOGE-Pilled
“Luke Farritor could have been an artist, or a builder, or someone dedicated to seeing a great historical mystery through. Instead he wound up at the Department of Government Efficiency, slashing, dismantling, undoing.”
The Surprisingly Messy Culture Wars Within The New York Times Crossword Puzzle
“While the crossword remains a word game mainstay, what’s appropriate has changed with the times.”
The Top 5 Longreads of the Week
This week, we’re sharing stories from Sasha Archibald, Michael W. Clune, Victoria Livingstone, Danyel Smith, and Drew Magary.
And the Nominees Are…
Hi there, Last week, the American Society of Magazine Editors announced the finalists for this year’s National Magazine Awards. At Longreads, the first thing we noticed was that our sister publication, The Atavist, was a finalist in the Profile category for the story “Coming to America.” The second thing we noticed was how many of […]
The Longevity Hot Spots That Weren’t
‘Our culture has become obsessed with “blue zones,” where people purportedly live longer. But does the underlying research stand up to scrutiny?”
The Unseen Scars of Those Who Kill Via Remote Control
A devastating, well-reported story on the drone program of the U.S. Air Force and the lack of mental-health support for drone operators. Because they were not deployed, they seldom got the same recovery periods or mental-health screenings as other fighters. Instead they were treated as office workers, expected to show up for endless shifts in […]
Charlie Kirk, Redeemed: A Political Class Finds Its Lost Cause
“By ignoring the rhetoric and actions of the Turning Point USA founder, pundits and politicians are sanitizing his legacy.”
What Stories Offer, and What They Ask in Return
“Some thoughts demand to be pursued to their limits. We work with writers to help them go the distance, to satisfy their curiosity and yours.” The greatest appeal of Longreads is obvious; it’s right there in the name. But it’s worth considering, for a moment, what length enables in a story, and what those stories […]


