Aisha

family

fullscreen

visual art

One American Goes to See “30 Americans”

“And I thought how interesting is it that America can be this dark star, death star, and also at the same time this incredible shining light.”

Aisha —

Jun 12, 2020

Carmen Maria Machado

interview

book features

Queers at the End of the World: An Interview with Queer Feminist Fabulist Carmen Maria Machado

Talking about Kristen Stewart, gems, lesbian tropes, Girl Scout crushes, swine flu, the apocalypse and more with award-winning queer writer Carmen Maria Machado.

Aisha —

Feb 19, 2018

personal essay

writing

first person

How to Dismantle Your Imposter Syndrome One Episode of <em>Murder She Wrote</em> at a Time

Before Angela Lansbury told women they were partly to blame for sexual assault, she helped me with my imposter syndrome.

Aisha —

Dec 18, 2017

memoir

Myriam Gurba

lgbt book reviews

Myriam Gurba’s Floating World in “Mean”

Gurba’s writing feels devastating and holy and hilarious all at once, like a dead sea scroll that is as fun to read as an old issue of Playboy.

Aisha —

Oct 18, 2017

memoir

nonfiction

lgbt book reviews

A Lifetime of Aftermath: Roxane Gay’s “Hunger” Dares You Not to Look Away

In a time when the word “healing” feels thinner than ever, affixed as it is to too many pictures of skinny, silhouetted yogis on beaches, we need to reacquaint ourselves…

Aisha —

Jun 23, 2017

read a f-cking book

Roxane Gay

lgbt book reviews

Roxane Gay’s “Difficult Women”: The Necessary Ugliness in Getting There

Gay is far more honest than most about the weird ways we actually solve for love. The necessary ugliness in getting there.

Aisha —

Feb 6, 2017

black history month

call for submissions

straddleverse

Call For Submissions: “Renaissance,” Personal Essays From Black LGBT Women

I’m guest editing an essay series for Autostraddle next month and am looking for personal essays about how your black queer life has been saved or influenced by art in…

Aisha —

Jan 27, 2017

2016 year-end list

yoga

health

A Yoga Playlist for the Grief of This Year

“In the twisting lunge, think about the line of pain this stretch brings out of your hip and low spine. Think about the fact that this is a very specific…

Aisha —

Dec 29, 2016

emily gould

interview

book features

Walking and Talking, Kicking and Screaming: An Interview with Ruth Curry of Emily Books

“If I saw my writing career through the eyes of a mediocre white man I’d be, like, that dude would be fucking high on himself constantly.”

Aisha —

Dec 19, 2016

nonfiction

racism

lgbt book reviews

“Radical Dharma: Talking Race, Love and Liberation” Is The Book For Right Now

Is there enough room to practice compassion at the same time that we notice we’re being manipulated and dehumanized? How much of our own humanity is taken away from us…

Aisha —

Nov 15, 2016

#blacklivesmatter

audre lorde

politics + activism

“Revival: Women and the Word” Provides A Balm For The Devastation Of This Country

“If you are devastated by the state of this country and you aren’t sure what to do about it, you will watch this film and feel differently. I mean that.”

Aisha —

Jul 14, 2016

beyonce

family

first person

A Road Trip With Your Father In Honor of His 74th Birthday, In Playlist Form

A road trip which happens to coincide with the occasion of Prince’s death and the release of “Lemonade.”

Aisha —

Jun 9, 2016