culture
-
Did We Overreact to Boston Bombings?
(The Root) — If exterminating tens of thousands of people with a nuclear suitcase bomb would rate a 10 on the scale of terrorist acts, the slaughter of more than 3,000 innocent people on Sept. 11 might rank as an 8, and the Oklahoma City explosion that claimed 168 lives might come in at a…
-
Sex Doesn't Define Me as a Woman
Clutch magazine’s Jamilah Lemieux says that she hopes others can adopt a similarly relaxed perspective when it comes to physical intimacy. … Sex has never been a source of agony for me in the way I’ve seen it be for some other women. I either wanted to sleep with someone or I didn’t; in situations…
-
Dear Rihanna: Consider Not Calling Babies the N-Word
Rihanna’s an old pro at sharing provocative photos on social media. But this time around, the Instagram image that’s causing controversy doesn’t have to do with nudity, drugs or even Chris Brown. It’s a photo of the star with a baby on her lap. The caption: “My lil [n—ga].” Adorable. Not really. We get it,…
-
Roc Nation Sports Signs Skylar Diggins
Jay-Z’s Roc Nation Sports announced on Thursday that Skylar Diggins, the third overall pick in the 2013 WNBA Draft, is its newest client. From MTV News: “It’s the ROC in here!” Diggins tweeted after the news broke on Jay’s Life+Times site. “ShockNation meets RocNation.” The former University of Notre Dame standout was recently selected by…
-
From CNN to Harvard: Soledad's Next Move
Former CNN host (and The Root 100 honoree) Soledad O’Brien is done with Starting Point and already on to the next thing: She’ll be joining the Harvard Graduate School of Education as a visiting fellow for the 2013-14 school year, focusing on public education in America, Politico reports: Among the topics O’Brien will explore during…
-
My Husband's Too Hard on My Daughter
(The Root) — “I don’t like the way my husband disciplines my 9-year-old daughter from a previous relationship. He doesn’t speak down to her or hit her or anything, but he seems unnecessarily hard on her sometimes by taking away her electronics or TV access for long periods of time or restricting her activities excessively.…
-
Fed Up With Schools, Chicago Kids Boycott State Tests
A group of Chicago students protesting the city’s planned school closings and what they see as overreliance on standardized testing boycotted Wednesday’s Prairie State Achievement Exam and demonstrated outside a school board meeting, Yahoo News reports. “Today we are boycotting the second day of PSAE to show that standardized testing should not decide the future…
-
'Mad Men' Addresses Its Negro Problem
(The Root) — Since Mad Men premiered in 2007, the show’s diversity (or lack thereof) has been an ongoing, real-life subplot to the series’ success. For a show set against the racially charged backdrop of the 1960s, critics say, the absence of significant black characters isn’t just an oversight; it’s inaccurate. But last week —…
-
Rappers and Their Privileged Kids
Hip-hop stars’ hard-knock roots can make it difficult for them to relate to their sheltered children, writes Ebony‘s Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond. … Psychologist Dr. Richard Orbe-Austin says the disconnect between a parent who came out of a tough background and their child can trigger a unique set of problems. “In the worst case scenarios, extreme…
-
If You Don't Like Other Women, I Don't Trust You
Clutch magazine‘s Britni Danielle explains why “I don’t have any female friends” is a giant red flag. Here’s the thing: I used to be one of those girls. When I was growing up I was a bit of a tomboy and hung out with boys. While I always had a small circle of female friends,…