untidy woman.” But since we live in a world that relies on women to be tidy in all ways, to be quiet and obedient and agreeable and available (but never aggressive), those of us who...

If a woman enjoyed sex, or expressed her sexuality outwardly she was automatically a slut with no respect for herself. Sex was a favor you allowed your husband so angels wouldn’t curse you until morning.

Abstaining from sex, hitting the books, and wearing loose-fitting clothes are common ways that girls try to molt their “slutty” image. But more often their shame leads them to self-destructive behavior. They become willing to...

Any regulated dress code from bikinis to burqas assumes that men are weak, impulsive, and untrustworthy.Yet, we know men can be strong, disciplined and trustworthy. Dressing for success is dressing without this sexism.

I couldn’t stand being identified by my sexuality, I retaliated by insisting that people regard me for my intellectual worth. My intellect became a form of damage control.

I know what you’re thinking. ‘How the hell does this broke ass piece of trailer trash know words like caveat,’ right? Well guess what? I’ve read every single book on the New York Times list...

When my reputation was at its height, classmates insulted me right to my face as I walked down the hall. When a teacher called on me, boys snickered and girls rolled their eyes. My body...

Around eighth grade Margot started getting really sensitive about her weight, even though she wasn’t remotely fat—just a little round-faced. So Margot did what any normal fourteen-year-old girl would do. She started puking on purpose,...

If I had been armed with a feminist understanding that no girl deserves to be called a slut, perhaps I would have fought back by reporting the harassment to my school’s headmistress or another school...

See, the thing is, I had a little misunderstanding with Trent Gibson in Pre-Calculus earlier. I dropped my textbook on his face—accidentally, while we were discussing some…equations—and he thought I was trying to brain him....

Dear Girls Across the Globe,Let’s stop body-shaming each other with hurtful comments about how another girl looks or doesn’t look. We are all beautiful in our own unique way; so let’s speak about each other...

God damn, I wish I could fast-forward time and be old and wrinkly. How awesome would that be? No more worrying about getting ogled by douche bags like Trent Gibson, or getting all hormonal and...

A woman isn’t a whore for wanting pleasure. If it were unnatural, we would not be born with such drives.

When Grant Blue reaches me, he bends his head down close enough that I can smell the soap and promise on his skin. Clean living and popularity—It’s quite the aftershave, let me tell you. If...

Maybe that was the root of my dislike for her: she had what I wanted, which earned her my jealousy, and since I was ashamed of myself for wanting it, my scorn, as well.

…maybe she’s a slut because she’s lonely, she’s sad, she’s hoping someone or something will make the lonely and sad go away.It won’t, of course. It never does. But nonetheless, there’s not a girl who’s...

Don’t be mad at a hoe for doing what she does best, besides it’s not her that owes you that loyalty.

I look at Kitty, who’s braiding Chris’s hair in microbraids. She’s being extra quiet so we forget she’s here and don’t kick her out. ‘I think that as long as you’re ready and it’s what...

I didn’t think she was that kind of girl.” I scampered up onto the ledge and strained to listen. “I overheard two of my students talking about her in homeroom yesterday. I never would have...