I think roleplaying and sex are two intimately entwined concepts. Even when we’re not discussing that kind of roleplaying, I’ve found it to be true that sexual dynamics are likely to rise whenever a group of adults is cooped up together for an extended period of time. Add to that the tempting factor of veiled…
WWAC Talks: Periods, Menstruation, Internal Bleeding, Pt. 2
Recently, WWAC writer Ray Sonne took one for the team and tried out Thinx period-proof underwear. This got a conversation going about the type of menstruation products out there and what this usually means for WWAC is “start a roundtable!” In fact, this topic got so many of us going that lifestyle editor, Ginnis, had…
WWAC Talks: Periods, Menstruation, Internal Bleeding, Pt. 1
Recently, WWAC writer Ray Sonne took one for the team and tried out Thinx, period-proof underwear. This got a conversation going about the type of menstruation products out there, and what this usually means for WWAC is “start a roundtable!” In fact, this topic got so many of us going that lifestyle editor, Ginnis, had…
With Great Popularity Comes Great Eroticism – The Conversion of Pixie
Warning: This article contains images depicting violent acts against women. It’s incredibly common that once a female comic book character gains popularity, she is drawn to be more sexually appealing. This is done by dressing her in more revealing clothing, making her thinner and/or bustier, and, if she’s not white, lightening her skin tone—often a combination…
Presence, Power, and Patriarchy: A Review of The Geek Feminist Revolution by Kameron Hurley
The Geek Feminist Revolution Kameron Hurley Tor Paperback May 31, 2016 There’s a seductive quality to belonging to a group, identifying as a member of a particular set of people, calling them home. We see it in how quickly people identify as a geek or a nerd, a gamer or bookworm, and how intensely we…
A Texas Broad Reads Preacher in 2016
This past March and April, I read Preacher for the first time, which feels like comics sacrilege in 2016. Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon’s seminal late 90s creation about a man from East Texas who is burdened with glorious purpose—or, more accurately, the spawn of an angel and a demon—is held up alongside The Watchmen…
When Romance Comics Hated Women
When I was a teenager and first reading poetry, I inherited (basically stole) my mum’s copy of The Penguin Book of Love Poetry. It’s from the 1970s, has her name written in the front in blue pen, and the cover focuses on a detail from Bronzino’s Allegory with Venus and Cupid. Here’s a photo of…
Supermoms: Martyred, Fridged, Forgotten
Mother’s Day is a day we celebrate the woman (or women) in our lives that fulfill the role of “mother.” Mothers—the good and the bad ones—are an important part of our lives. Moms that worry about what media teaches their children, what superheroes are really super, and so much more. Mothers are important; their absence…
Iron Woman: Natasha Stark, Earth-3490, and the Case for Canon Genderswaps
One of my favorite things about the clamor of excitement surrounding any new comic-related movie is that every time a new film is released, more and more of my friends get interested in reading the comics a movie is based on. Captain America: Civil War is no exception to this, and Marvel’s first Civil War…
Competitive Women in Pokémon the Trading Card Game
The Pokémon Trading Card Game National Championships are just around the corner. So what does that mean for competitive TCG players? April and May were filled with the trials and tribulations of State Championships and Regionals. These events are how competitive players gain points and hope to qualify to compete in Nationals, and score invitations…
Udon a Bad Thing: Frank Cho, Anuses, and Visual Impact
Much like many other areas of culture, monthly direct-market comic books are an industry, a scene, which is largely hostile to women even now, a place where harm is produced and reproduced, and objections are seen as shrill lies told for cheap thrills. I know it’s dull, but let’s talk about Frank Cho.
Music Videos That Shaped Me: Can’t Hold Us Down by Christina Aguilera
I remember seeing Christina Aguilera—after “Genie in a Bottle” was overshadowed by Britney Spears’ “Hit Me Baby”—break out of her shell with her album Stripped. I remember not fully understanding the lyrics to “Dirty,” loving the message behind “Beautiful,” and jamming to “Fighter.” I was ten or eleven when I first saw her music video…