THIS WEEK
We’re still buzzing after watching Hamilton this weekend, appreciating this Hamilton mask-up medley, and laughing at these faux headlines. If you need more musical inspiration, check out this lady. It’s not too late to sign up for Toni Basil’s ‘60s go-go dancing classes. The mothers of America need a bailout. How to salvage a disastrous day in quarantine. Maybe with these award-winning board games. We’re shopping for breathable face masks, color-depositing shampoo for gray hair, and everything Sam Irby puts on her face. A fantastic video about artist Betye Saar. Would you go to a school reunion on Zoom? Thirsty texts from all your ex-clothes. Serena and her daughter are the cutest. Gen-Xers will appreciate this coffee table. Volume all the way up for this moment of zen.
(Photo: Disney Plus)
Story: A Freedom Song for Black Women
By Tamara Winfrey Harris
Black women are like flowers in a field of kudzu. Beautiful, bright and colorful, we fight our way to the light so we are not overcome by society’s demands that climb and shade, smother and constrict our true selves.
(Psst: Want to write for us? Pitch us here!)
Obsessed: ‘90s Rocker Chicks
There’s a moment in one’s personal music history where you find yourself returning to tunes that feel comfortable, a deep dive into an audio rabbit hole which reminds you not just how good music can be but also who you are, an audio kick in the ass. Lately, for me, this means an obsession with Gen X’s most notable badass rocker chicks.
I have always been drawn to take-no-prisoners women in rock, but I was utterly transformed by the snarling, outspoken, ballsy women of the 1990s. Courtney Love in babydoll dresses flipping a middle finger to everyone. L7 raging out, flinging a tampon into the crowd. Shirley Manson fronting Garbage with steely intensity. From Sonic Youth to Liz Fair to Alanis Morrissette, I was soaked in women demanding attention, smashing the “pop tart” image, doing things their own way. I’ve found myself rediscovering this catalog, letting all the rage, blatant sexuality, and raw talent wash over me. These women remind me to stand up, throw a middle finger to the establishment, and demand what’s mine. I play these tunes to remind myself of the power of my sex, the impact of well-placed rage, the decision to make my own rules. All of it was a call to action for all women to not back down. Strive. Push back. Take no shit.
This current obsession, this plunge into the pool of brilliant female songwriters and performers from the ‘90s is like a hug from old friends, women who support you, remind you of your power, and tell you how amazing you really are before placing a Doc Marten on your backside and kicking you out there to make it happen. Rock on, sisters. I have work to do.
— Kristin Booker
When Women Over 40 Get Together…
Some exciting news! We’re partnering with The Woolfer – an insightful, sexy, badass community for women over 40 – to share more stories of, by, and for Gen-X women.
To kick things off, Woolfer-in-Chief Nina Lorez Collins is interviewing Margit this Friday, 7/10 at 3pm EST, on thewoolfer.com and @thewoolfer on Facebook. And then ongoing, you’ll see a bit of our content on The Woolfer, and a bit of their content here. Sharing is caring, yo. In the meantime, check out our TueNight 10 with Nina below, and some of these great Woolfer stories:
· How Long Would You Wait in Line to Get into an Orgy Dome?
· Where Have All the Sex Toys Gone?
TueNight 10: Nina Lorez Collins
(Nina & Muffin at the beach, July 2020)
Age: 50
Basic bio: Nina is the founder of a social platform and website for women over 40 called the Woolfer, as well as the co-host of a podcast, Raging Gracefully, author of a funny book on aging called What Would Virginia Woolf Do And Other Questions I Ask Myself As I Attempt To Age Without Apology, and the manager of the literary estate of her late mother, the filmmaker & writer Kathleen Collins.
Beyond the bio: Like so many of us, at this point I’ve had more than my share of jobs, love relationships, even kids. I’m definitely seasoned, whatever that means. At 50, I finally feel at peace with the zigs and zags, the good decisions, the bad decisions, the mistakes, the triumphs. There’s a sense of acceptance and a huge amount of gratitude for having come through so much.
What makes you a grown-ass lady? My calm in the face of adversity.
Here’s her TueNight 10:
1. On the nightstand: Lacy Crawford’s Notes on a Silencing.
2. Can't stop/won't stop: My nightly tequila with lime on ice.
3. Jam of the minute: Ella Fitzgerald since I recently watched this.
4. Thing I miss: My mother.
5. ’80s crush: Madonna.
6. Current crush: Tracee Ellis Ross.
7. Latest fave find: I’ve rediscovered roller blades in quarantine, and it’s been awesome.
8. Last thing you lost: A game of Scrabble to my 19 year old son, Bruno.
9. Best thing that happened recently: I’ve suddenly had my kids home for the past few months (like many would-be empty nesters right now) and it’s been surprisingly lovely.
10. Looking forward to: More long, lazy days of summer.
Heading towards the weekend (we know it’s only Tuesday) like: