Picture a 12-year-old girl who looked 18, towering over classmates, grappling with a changing body that seemed to have a mind of its own. That girl was me. I was strong, athletic and competitive at a time when female strength was often seen as unfeminine. I remember the sideways glances, the whispers, the constant feeling of not fitting in - not with the girls, not with the boys, not even in my own skin.
Cougars. The term is finally taking on a whole new meaning. Traditionally, it's been used derogatorily to label older women who date younger men as predatory. But now, there's a reclamation happening, and you only need to look at TikTok to see it. There are currently over 113,000 videos under the hashtag #CougarTok , and more than twice that number under #cougar . The videos aren't just thirst traps or jokes; they're sparking conversations about age-gap relationships that feel fresh, confident and celebratory.
One of the cruelest tricks played on the North American women's movement is the way the caricatures, over time, have edged out reality: the ritualized bra burnings ( never happened), the batik hemp dresses (not since the 1970s), the strictly enforced misandry (only on holidays). With regard to Lilith Fair, the late-'90s touring festival of female artists co-founded by Sarah McLachlan, so many jokes were made about "bi-level" haircuts and juice tents and "Lesbopalooza" that the purpose and power of Lilith have largely been relegated to the archives. "I just recently discovered there was an all-female music festival from 1997 to 1999, and I am shook to my core," a young woman exclaimed on TikTok two years ago, prompting consternation from Millennial and Gen X elders at the loss of some of our crucial cultural herstory.
The Real Housewives franchise captures a specific sort of midlife reinvention, showcasing women navigating divorce, grief, success, self-discovery, and the pursuit of fame.
I didn't speak up in my first marriage because I didn't think I was supposed to. I think a lot of women, especially those raised to be the good girl, have lived this same script. My upbringing ingrained in me the need to 'follow the rules' and 'don't rock the boat,' leading to a silence that felt expected rather than rebelled against.
Rivas employs exclusively recovered materials while ensuring responsible water usage in the washing processes. It's his first foray into denim, and he's done it with flair, embodying a zero-waste philosophy.
Kelly Ramsey, the first woman in nearly a decade to join the Rowdy River Hotshots, shares insights from her memoir detailing her two years as a wildland firefighter.
Gwyneth Paltrow's recent Vanity Fair profile showcases her unexpected adoption of business jargon, discussing financial metrics and client retention in her wellness brand Goop.
