When the word “fangirl” is mentioned, it’s often said with a less-than-stellar connotation. A pre-teen girl, hysterical tears, a Justin Bieber shirt, and the opportunity to hold his hand for just a fraction of a second. Oftentimes, the word and the stereotype bring along a negative connotation. As a certified fangirl myself, I am all […]
Read More “She’s Obsessed” vs “He’s Dedicated”: The Gender Divide of Fan CultureWhat is the first thing that comes to mind when I say the name Sydney Sweeney? Overly sexual? Anti-feminist? Maybe even someone who is “setting women back 100 years”? If so, you are definitely not alone. Sydney Sweeney has become one of those celebrities where everyone seems to have an opinion about her. Recently, those […]
Read More Is Showing Skin Anti-Feminist?In the home stretch of blog posts for Spring 2026, let’s bring the news back home to the Quad. (Well, maybe not the Quad anymore: any non-University sponsored events on the Quad are strictly limited under JMU’s updated “Public Expression On Campus” Policy 1121.) As a JMU senior, I’ve seen 3 big campus-wide protests during […]
Read More CAN JMU EVEN PROTEST?This week’s newsroom highlighted both a local and global story that raises important questions about women’s safety, voice, and how their experiences are handled. At the local level, JMU senior Natalya Paris spoke out about her experience with housing discrimination. After returning home to find a behavior chart that included a racial slur, she described […]
Read More Newsroom 4/21I’m a very expressive person when it comes to my emotions. Maybe it’s because my astrology sign is Cancer or it’s just in my blood. If you ask any of my friends, they will for sure tell you that I’m constantly telling them how I feel. Whether I’m excited, overwhelmed, anxious, or sad, my friends […]
Read More Men’s Mental Health Matters TooI’ve been thinking a lot about my body – something many women often do – especially what constitutes “normal” versus “abnormal,” “healthy” versus “concerning.” I recently encountered a scare that, once talked about, I was told occurred to many women. My mom told me, “I think every woman has this happen at least once in […]
Read More Who’s Believed in the Doctor’s Office?The Story In mid-April, a James Madison University senior named Natalya Paris posted a TikTok exposing the university for its lack of action surrounding a racist experience with her roommates. The story begins with Natalya and her boyfriend returning from a trip to UVA around 11 p.m. Due to pre-existing tensions with her roommates, Natalya […]
Read More Is Racism Not Enough? Do Better, JMU.While the 2015 Supreme Court ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges ostensibly made discrimination against queer Americans illegal, the lived experience of these citizens has been far more complex. One area wherein the US has continually failed to uphold the promises of Obergefell is adoption. Queer couples demonstrate disproportionate interest in the practice compared to their […]
Read More New Families, Old Barriers. How Trends in Adoption Reflect Our Societal Failings.As I continue to dive into the communication and gender course offered at James Madison University, my concern for women and their advocacy grows more and more. I’ve quickly learned that with my age, my body, mind, and overall well-being have changed a significant amount. I’ve consequently learned that this is something that can be […]
Read More The Default Male Body: Why Medicine Still Misses WomenWhen I got my IUD, I was told to take three Advil beforehand and that I would be fine. No numbing, really no sympathy or compassion… nothing It was said casually, like it was no big deal. Like it was the same as any other quick appointment. So I listened. I took the Advil, showed […]
Read More Just take 3 Advil