culture
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Why Kwanzaa Is Lit Like 7 Red, Black and Green Candles
Each year, there are new essays or snide conversations about how black people don’t celebrate Kwanzaa. But I’m here to tell you that some of us do. Some of us have been doing it for decades. Yeah, I’m that unicorn. My mother is from Cincinnati and she grew up with Christmas, but when she had…
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The Art of the Sexy Nude Selfie
Raise your hand if you have ever sexted before. Raise it again if those sexts included a picture of you in some stage of nudity. Did you put your best picture out there, or was it a haphazardly thrown-together selfie that should be embarrassing for both parties involved? Don’t worry, friends, I am here for…
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Bitcoin and Why White Supremacists Love It, Explained
If you have paid any attention to non-Donald Trump-related news, you probably already know that bitcoin is the hottest new investment trend. Everyone is talking about how much it has grown, how you can invest 75 cents into bitcoin on Monday, and by Friday you’ll have enough money to qualify for the biggest tax cuts…
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The Race: How I’m Gonna Get in Shape, Fight Gentrification and Celebrate Kwanzaa in 2018
I know what you’re doing this week. The week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve is when you start digging online looking at gyms, low-cost personal trainers and yoga classes—because this year you’re going to get in shape. Seriously, no excuses this time. Mind you, there’s always a risk for black folks trying out New…
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Sizing Each Other Up: Why Do Other Women Try to Kill My Vibe?
In high school, I loved hanging out with other women, particularly those who exhibited a level of confidence in their stride. But cliques didn’t work well for me—I despised the thought of shadowing the queen bee of a pseudo girl group. Besides, even among my female friends, I felt different. It felt like puberty had…
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The 2017 List of People We Don’t Eff With Anymore
As 2017 winds to a close, once again we document the people whose cookout invitations have been rescinded. This is our third year officially documenting those who have made a permanent residence out of the proverbial curb to which they have been kicked by black America. Previous inductees into this Hall of Shame include wypipo,…
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Relish Belongs in Deviled Eggs. Period
Over the holiday, a lively debate got started in our Slack chat over the proper way to make deviled eggs. Actually, let me tell y’all what the fuck happened. Genetta Adams, our managing editor, posted a picture of some deviled eggs that she had just made, and at first we were all like, “Mmm, deviled…
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What a Recovering Catholic and Out Gay Man Makes of the Priest Who Just Came Out
On Dec. 17, the Rev. Gregory Greiten shared a secret with parishioners at the St. Bernadette Catholic Parish: “I am gay.” Greiten was then greeted with a standing ovation, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The next day, Greiten wrote a column in the National Catholic Reporter. As someone who now uses the descriptor “recovering…