Jess - xoJane

Why None Of The Anti-Plan B Arguments Are Remotely Convincing

Jess — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 18:00:08 -0500

And also, pictures of puppies!

If I Were A Rich White Man Pretending To Be A Poor Black Kid

Jess — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 14:00:07 -0500

Forbes writer Gene Marks published his thoughts on what he would do if he were a poor black kid. It was basically an Onion op-ed. I nudged it the rest of the way.

I'm The Smart One, She's The Pretty One

Jess — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 14:00:09 -0500

What's with the compulsion to make sisters into Spice Girls?

I Get Crushes On Books

Jess — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 15:00:13 -0500

Literary obsession is a lot like social engagement, only it’s more consuming and energizing and it takes place inside your head where you don’t have to deal with human people at all.

For Some Reason UC Davis Did Not Make Me Give Up On Humanity

Jess — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 15:00:10 -0500

When something like this happens, it either makes you despair about the world, or it makes you want to fix it. And despite all appearances, I think it’s fixable.

Even People Who Coach Your Team Have To Live In Society

Jess — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 16:00:10 -0500

There’s a natural cognitive bias towards believing that someone who’s in your tribe, someone you identify with, can do no wrong. And that can allow a lot of wrong to get done.

My Life as a Word: How I Became Part of The "Skin" Short Story Project

Jess — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 16:09:26 -0500

Everyone's got a story. Mine just happens to have been written by somebody else.

Sexual Harassment, Online Abuse, And The Contortions People Will Go Through To Not Believe Women

Jess — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 14:00:17 -0500

Sexual harassment allegations and claims of misogynistic abuse online both involve women talking about something they experience as hurtful. So in both cases there are people lined up to tell them that it never happened.

Sometimes Health Food Is So Awesome

Jess — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 14:00:37 -0500

Fake ice cream made of pureed frozen bananas: Sounds like a pale imitation for sad calorie-counters. Is actually the easiest delicious dessert you'll ever make.

I Am Not The Dog's Mommy

Jess — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 16:00:27 -0500

I did not gestate him for nine months and then push him out of my vagina, which is good because he weighs 100 pounds and is covered in fur.

What's So Sexy About a Broken Spine?

Jess — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 14:00:14 -0400

The problem with comic art isn't the fact that women don’t look like that in real life. The problem is that artists' idea of a stylized fantasy woman is "put all the naughty bits on the front so we can see them at the same time."

How Nerd Camp Saved My Life

Jess — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 13:00:11 -0400

The summer I was 14, I went to two different summer camps. The difference between them summed up the central crisis of my life at the time: Was I going to identify as the geek or the Kid With Issues?

FATshion (But Also EVERYONEshion): Customize It Edition

Jess — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 15:00:09 -0400

A good custom clothing shop -- and I have a good one, if you're willing to part with some cash -- can make something that not only fits great, but looks exactly how you want it.

Dude, Do Not EVEN Make Me Defend Michele Bachmann

Jess — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 13:00:21 -0400

So many terrifying political positions, and people are going after Michele Bachmann's MANICURE? Go figure: Lady pols get criticized about stuff that male politicians have never had to think about for one minute of their lives.

Halloween: The Most Offensive Time of the Year, PENIS PENIS PENIS Edition

Jess — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 15:00:08 -0400

Halloween's gone sexy. OK, cool. So that means that when I search for men’s costumes, I should be seeing page after page of fancified underpants, right? HA HA RIGHT.

The Zen of Butt-Head

Jess — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 17:00:08 -0400

Beavis and Butt-Head are the 90s answer to Warhol’s soup cans: culture so absurdly stripped-down that at first it looks like an insult.

Dogs Make You Stupid

Jess — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 09:00:11 -0400

I’m concerned that anyone who hasn’t seen me in the last nine months would be hard-pressed to figure out whether I got a dog or a lobotomy.

In Praise of Arnold J. Rimmer

Jess — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 16:00:39 -0400

Keep your So-Called Life. The character I most identified with as a teen was unrealistic, dead, and thoroughly awful.

In For Fall: Overt Sexism

Jess — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 12:00:34 -0400

The thing about reinforcing traditional gender roles is that everybody’s heard this one before. New shows and ads fancy themselves cheeky and edgy and willing to “go there,” but in fact they’re just the same old schtick.

You Should Fear The Barbie Crotch

Jess — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 18:00:11 -0400

This anti-camel-toe shield isn’t just good for a laugh. It’s also an illustration of how industry can manufacture and then fulfill a need by making you insecure about your body.