Former beauty queen Iman Oubou was crowned Miss New York in 2015. When she set out to start her own business, men refused to take her seriously. — By Iman Oubou, co-written by Belisa Silva “Did you wear that pencil skirt just for me?,” asked the male investor, his eyes traveling up and down my body. A sick feeling washed over me. I had waited six months for this meeting, and was there to discuss a potentially career-changing…

Seen as outcasts of society, subversive women are forming underground mothers groups, rebelling against oppression — and loneliness. — By Sarah Hurtes “Considering that you can find me naked and fucking on the internet just by Googling my name, I’ve for sure thought this may be a problem for my mothering,” shares Maria Llopis, Spain’s most distinctive post-porn activist and a mother-of-one. Llopis, who won this year’s PorYes Feminist…

To be black and transgender means not only being constantly gawked at, but also being put in dangerous situations every day of your life. In a quest to redefine this narrative, seven black trans women open up about their perceptions of beauty in a cis-normative world. — By Serena Sonoma To be deemed pretty in the transgender community means looking as cisgender as possible. Much like cisgender women, trans women are expected to cater to conventional standards of physical beauty; they’re asked to be feminine and soft — to be able to blend in. …

After years of unhealthy dieting practices left her with a ruined digestive system and chronic anxiety, the model is on a crusade to demystify the process of achieving sample size. — By Bridget Malcolm, as told to Olivia Fleming For two years, I lived off mostly steamed vegetables and protein shakes. I was so underweight that it would take me 10 minutes to climb a flight of stairs. I was tired, often going to sleep at 8 p.m. because I had…

There are endless articles on how women can curb their instinct towards apologizing. But instead of women training themselves to say sorry less, men should simply learn to do it more. — By Jennifer Wright What if women are correct about how much the average human should apologize? At the moment, studies indicate that women apologize more than men. This will not be surprising to anyone who has ever been in an office setting. …

By Whitney Wolfe Herd The new generation of #WomenWhoDare are those who refuse to conform. They dare to do the impossible, encouraging young visionaries to break — not just push — boundaries. …

I was here to develop a new goal: to make my orgasms spiritual, emotional, and political. — By Suzannah Weiss The thought of being totally naked and pleasuring myself in front of strangers made my heart race — in a good way. As someone who’s gone to sex parties and clothing-optional resorts, I could handle the semi-public nudity and masturbation. …

A trans woman shares her experience grappling with menstruation and motherhood. — By Jen Richards “That spinal twist was intense for my cramps. Nothing like yoga on your period, you know?” I nod affirmatively to the woman next to me with a tight smile. “Yeah, totally,” I reply. We’re changing in a crowded locker room. I’m home in North Carolina for Christmas…