Culture & Criticism
When They Got Pregnant, Their Kinky Sex Lives Changed
“I used to call him ‘Daddy’ — I still do that, but now sometimes there’s that weird moment of, ‘Oh, but you are one now.’”
Anna Fitzpatrick
The “No Love” Challenge Brought Majorette Culture To TikTok
“You’re not just using your body, you’re using your soul. People feel when you’re dancing, and I feel like that’s one of the differences between majorette and every other style of dance.”
Ade Onibada
Y'all Already Know Who He Is: It’s Topher
Meet the fourth-grader who is going viral on TikTok for his country twang introduction, “Y’all already know who I am.”
Steffi Cao
An Iranian Couple Has Reportedly Been Sentenced To Over 10 Years In Prison After Posting A Video Dancing On Instagram
The fashion and lifestyle influencers have nearly 1 million followers each. Iranian's state media disputed the length of their reported prison sentence.
Steffi Cao
They Used To Skate With Tyre Nichols In Middle School. They Gathered Together To Grieve Him.
“Nobody wants to leave. What are you supposed to do after this?”
Albert Samaha
Netflix's Pamela Anderson Documentary Is Surprisingly Sad
Pamela Anderson’s new Netflix documentary is part ’90s nostalgia romp, part emotional meditation.
Alessa Dominguez
Jinger Vuolo Hates Conflict. But She’s Speaking Up About Her Childhood.
In her new memoir, Jinger Vuolo becomes the first Duggar child to publicly speak out against her parents’ beliefs. It seems like she’s still working out what that means.
Stephanie McNeal
Here’s What The Cordyceps Fungus Is Like In Real Life, According To Scientists
“For decades, science fiction writers have taken basic ideas to an extreme. That’s part of the fun.”
Amanda Gardner
After A Woman Saw Men Messaging Each Other About Her Looks During A Work Call, She Called Them Out And Posted It On TikTok
Whitney Sharpe said she still hasn’t received an apology from any of the men who were sending “unfavorable” messages about her.
Paige Skinner
“The Last Of Us” Shows Us New Shades Of Nick Offerman
The actor’s latest guest role is beautifully against type. (Mild spoilers for the latest episode.)
Izzy Ampil
The “Vanilla Girl Aesthetic” is TikTok’s Latest Popular — And Exclusionary — Fashion Trend
Dressed only in neutral tones like white, beige, or a very light brown, she might favor a loose comfy knit sweater over leggings with short Uggs.
Stephanie McNeal
Tom Brady Faces The Classic Dilemma Of The Overachieving Athlete
For a high-performing athlete, the decision of when to call it quits is fraught: Would you rather go out on top, or go out knowing you have nothing left to give?
Albert Samaha
"The Widow’s Children" Is A Masterclass In Compression
What’s most remarkable about this novel is how many perspectives Paula Fox inhabits seamlessly.
Tomi Obaro
Here’s What I Tried On While Shopping At The Snapchat AR Store
This week, social media made me do this.
Steffi Cao
Why Sam Smith’s Reinvention Matters
Sam Smith staged one of pop music’s most groundbreaking queer reinventions. The confident Gloria doesn’t quite live up to that.
Alessa Dominguez
People Are So Worked Up About Mikayla Nogueira's Mascara Scandal That Even Jeffree Star Is Getting Involved
“ITS NOT THAT DEEP ITS JUST MASCARA.”
Kelsey Weekman
Yeeting Your Ashes To The Moon Is Surprisingly Cheap
To some, launching ashes into space might seem nontraditional or even extravagant. But more and more people are choosing this method of handling their remains.
Emily Dieckman
After Winning “Jeopardy” Three Times This Month, Yogesh Raut Declared The Beloved Show “Not Good” And Fans Are Absolutely Furious At Him
Professional smart people are fighting about public displays of intelligence.
Kelsey Weekman
Quitting Social Media May Actually Help Calm Your Broken Online Brain
“I am so happy with my decision — it was one of the best forms of self-care I practiced with myself this year.”
Fjolla Arifi
“I’ve Just Spent $14,000 On One Egg”: Five People On Their Egg Freezing Experience
“I think it’s definitely scarier when you need to do it versus just doing it preventatively.”
Dayna Evans
Why "Thanks Pfizer" Memes Are Going Viral
“I haven't been the same since I got da jabby jabby. now i only do the stankiest of legs.”
Katie Camero
Rian Johnson’s “Poker Face” Can’t Keep Up The Tension
Peacock’s new mystery-of-the-week series depends on rotating guests to keep its formula fresh.
Izzy Ampil
TikToker Chef Way Has Resigned From His Texas DA Job After His Tweets Against Dark-Skinned Black Women Were Revealed
“I was a bully in 2015 that chose to pick on the most disrespected, unprotected, and neglected demographic in America: Black women.”
Ade Onibada
It's Cool That There Are So Many Asian Oscar Nominees This Year, But Representation Has Its Limits
The historic number of Asian Oscar nominees this year is a good thing. But reducing these artists to diversity statistics undermines the complexity of their performances.
Izzy Ampil
No Government Social Media Account Comforts Me More Than The Oklahoma Department Of Wildlife Conservation TikTok Account
“It’s … it’s just … it’s the best wildlife department social media in human history.”
Kelsey Weekman
Pickup Basketball Was My Outlet. Then I Tore My Achilles.
After I got injured, I had to get used to my new body.
Albert Samaha
I Tried A Flip Phone For A Week For My Mental Health And Here's How It Went
Old tech is the new trend, so I decided to try using a flip phone (remember the Motorola Razr?) for a week to cut down on social media use and improve my mental health. Here’s how I did it, and how it went.
Fjolla Arifi
Beyoncé Put On Her First Live Show In Four Years At The Most Lavish Opening Of A Hotel In Dubai, And Here Is Everything That Went Down
With feathers, sequins, and dozens of dancers, Beyoncé performed a set list of her greatest hits — but nothing from Renaissance.
Ade Onibada
The Woke Agenda Finally Came For Our Sexy M&M’s
We used to be a proper country…
Kelsey Weekman
Your Vagina Can Change A Lot After Childbirth. Women Share What To Expect.
“I didn’t know that you could tear at the top of your vagina. I would have appreciated more information while I was pregnant.”
Venessa Wong
