BR Presents: Feminism at Yale 101

Dear reader, Welcome! Whether this is actually your first year, or you’re in denial about it being your last, Broad Recognition, the feminist publication on campus, is here to give you seasoned advice from one imperfect human to another. This is a mix of things we wish we’d known, things we still don’t know, and feelings we think are important to share.

Broad Recognition is at once a tradition, a company of scholars, a society of friends. Ehrm, well, it’s probably at least one of those things. We publish online each week at www.broadrecognitionyale.com, put out one themed zine per semester, and have a weekly radio show called BroadsCast. Whether you want to contribute a piece about politics, submit art or poetry, or review Missy Elliott albums, if your interest has an intersectional feminist outlook, Broads has a place for you.

Shoot us an email at yalebroads@gmail.com to get involved!

Or just enjoy this zine at your liesure.

Much love, Isadora Zine Editor

*Study spaces and classes *Role Models (Womyn Who Have Their Shit Together) -K.A. *Broad Strokes *Approaching Male-Dominated Organizations -C.L. *Back to School Playlist -M.L. *Freshman Year//Freshman Queer -L.T. *for yalies scared of breaking down *Abstinence can be -I.M. *suite mate style woes -L.T. *What I Wish I’d Known My First Year -A.I. *I’m “Sorry” Eve Bit the Apple -S.T. *Getting Thru Yale by Ignoring Your Responsibilities and Watching Sort of Feminist TV Shows -L.S.

Haas Arts Library Haas is probably my favorite library on campus. It doesn’t feel like a dungeon (like Bass), and it’s a nice break from all the gothic architecture. The bright overhead lighting makes for a productive `atmosphere and keeps me focused on my work, and the orange carpeting is just enough to be interesting and not obnoxious.

The Women’s Center The Women’s Center is like a reaaally cozy living room.

There are sofas on each side of the room, blankets, pillows, a Keurig, and lots of tea. There’s also usually some leftover snacks from events. If you become a WC member (or befriend one and follow them around), you get swipe access to the Center so you can go in and study whenever the space is free! Only drawback is that it gets pretty warm in there during the winter, so the temperature + coziness might make you sleepy real quick.

Koffee on Audubon Street This isn’t actually on campus, but it’s a nice alternative to the coffee shops that are. It has a cozier vibe than Bluestate or Starbucks and is a nice place to chill and do work. Wi-fi connection is good.

American Studies Reading Room This gem is on the 6th floor of Sterling- it’s kind of out of the way, so it’s not crowded. It’s got some pretty brown detailing and comfy armchairs for reading. It gets a little dark at night, so I recommend coming here during the day to curl up with a book.

Starr Reading Room -Sterling I know Starr is an obvious choice, but I never get sick of it: there’s lots of light, pretty details in the room to get distracted by, and you can put your feet up under the table!

(That one’s a dealbreaker for me.) Pro tip: the two rows on either end of the room have way comfier chairs, go for those!

Women & Pop Music Culture with Prof. Daphne Brooks (Spring) This by far has been the best class I’ve taken at Yale. Daphne Brooks is brilliant and her class is amazing. It was originally meant as a seminar, but due to the overwhelming demand for it, and she made it a lecture. It made me think critically about pop culture and the ways in which black culture is commodified and appropriated, while the cultural producers, often black women, are erased from histories and archives.

It’s also a good historical survey of pop music from the early 20th century to modern day. There’s a lot of reading but it’s very much worth the workloadyou’ll get a lot out of this class. Fun fact: Daphne Brooks was a guest on the Broad Recognition radio show, BroadsCast. We listened to Aretha Franklin and it was amazing.

US Gay & Lesbian History with Prof.

Chauncey (Fall) Over the years, this has become the class to take and for good reason.

Whether or not you identify as gay or lesbian, it’s super important to know the impact of LGBTQ communities throught history. It’s super informative and interesting and not something most high schools teach. Debunks misconceptions and myths and Prof Chauncey is a gem! Take it! Although I will say it could be better at including more about LGBTQ communities of color throughout the entire course.

Anything with Zareena Grewal I took a freshman seminar with her my spring of freshman year and it changed my life! Mostly because it made me want to be an American Studies major, but also because Prof Grewal is amazing. This sounds like a cliche, but she really makes you THINK and isn’t afraid to push the boundaries during discussions. I cannot recommend enough.

The American South with Glenda Gilmore (Fall) Glenda Gilmore is one of the preeminent historians of race and gender in the American South. She publishes pieces in the New York Times in support of student activism and is incredibly supportive of Queer/Women/of Color in her courses. AND she will make you sing songs in class. The syllabus of this class is packed with wonderful, fascinating books and Professor Gilmore will mentor you through the rewarding original research for the final paper. I could not recommend this class highly enough.

Selfhood: Race Class and Gender with Ayesha Ramachandran and Marta M Figlerowicz (Spring) This is a new class, but I’ve taken a class with one of the professors (Marta Figlerowicz) and I know that she has tailored this class to contemporary concerns like transphobia, Western perceptions of Islam, and the economics of online dating. She’s super attentive to her undergraduate students and the syllabus looks amazing. The best part? It’s a lecture, so frosh should have no trouble getting in!

(womyn who have their shit together)

It was spring of my sophomore year and I was meeting my Race and Gender in American Lit TF to talk about my upcoming paper. What was going to be a 30 minute conversation about Their Eyes Were Watching God, turned into a 2 hour life-changing conversation. I’m not exaggerating.When I arrived at Yale, I was a first gen Latina from Los Angeles and had never stepped foot onto Yale’s campus until I arrived for move-in day. Navigating college as a freshman is not as easy task, and it can feel especially difficult when you’ve had no previous role models for it. My parents are strong working class immigrants from Honduras and Peru, but they didn’t have the opportunity to go to college. I knew coming to Yale was not only an accomplishment for myself, but was viewed as the culmination of their hard work and struggles throughout their lives.

When I got here, you could say I didn’t know how college “worked.” I didn’t know what classes to take or what I wanted to study, and was really overwhelmed by all these changes.

My TF was a first generation Latina law student, who was able to put into words all the feelings of uncertainty, anxiety, and confusion I had in the last two years. The importance of mentors, role models, whatever you want to call it, is that not only do they give you great advice, but they show you that you are not alone. It made me feel so much better to actually talk to someone who’s been through the experiences I was going through, and came out of it ok. That’s not to say my TA still wasn’t going through her own struggles, but here I was a lost sophomore talking to a woman who seemed to have her shit together way more than I did and that gave me a lot of hope. My TA gave me a lot of advice that day and one of the things she said was to build networks of women of color who will support you. And here I am offering that advice to all of you.

That talk changed the trajectory of my time at Yale. I felt more confident in my own choices and was less scared or nervous to seek out help when I needed it. And I also started building my own small, yet criti-

cally important network of female mentors. My TF graduated, but her words still motivate me now as senior trying to figure out life. Though Yale needs to do much better at hiring and retaining faculty of color, some of my closest advisors and mentors have been professors. Shout out to Professor/life-coach Inderpal Grewal and to my advisor, Professor Alicia Camacho. I honestly don’t know where I’d be without the strong bad-ass women of color who I’ve met and inspire me every day.

This is my own story and the only thing I would change if I could change something would be to have worked on building this community from the get-go. So here’ are some tips on how to build a community of support: If you feel like the immediate people who are supposed to help you cannot help you (i.e froco, dean, freshman advisor), do some searching on your own. Take classes that you want to take! Don’t be afraid to explore, because through that you can meet amazing professors. TFs can also be extremely helpful, as mine was in my case. Don’t be afraid to ask them to meet. If you’re nervous, say you want to talk about a paper, and then segue the conversation into general life topics. Also, if you’re involved with your cultural centers, peer liaisons can be helpful to talk to or connect you with other people to talk to. You can meet older Yale students who can help you out and answer your questions through different student organizations (ahem, Broad Recognition!)

It’s hard, especially your first year, when everyone seems like they have it all together, but the reality is that everyone asks for help and for some people that help is more readily available and apparent. Just as the Yale student body changes, so must its faculty and leaders to better support the changing student population. It’s not impossible to get through Yale alone, but it is so much better when you have people supporting you along the way.

K.A.

Dear Class of 2020, Welcome to Yale! I’m Broad Strokes, Yale’s one and only sex advice columnist, here to offer you some tips, tricks, and things I wish I’d known for navigating Yale’s romantic/sexual climate. **Abandon your preconceived notions of what college dating is “supposed” to be like. You may have received a flood of ideas of what the college hookup scene “should” be like from movies, articles, and friends and family. Lots of first-years come in with predetermined ideas of things they’re supposed to do, whether that’s “I need to find THE ONE before I graduate” or “I need to hook up with as many people as possible.” Know that there are lots of ways to find a fulfilling romantic and/or sexual life at Yale, not just one, and that you don’t have to do what your friends are doing. **Keep an open mind and do what feels right. There are so many shapes your sexual life can take here -- from casual hookups to polyamory to serial dating to long-term relationships, and so much in between. What ends up making you happy may be nothing like you expect it to be when you first get here! **Toad’s isn’t the only place to meet potential partners! Explore lots of different social spaces at Yale - from ragers to cocktail parties to Global Grounds - to meet new friends and potential romantic/sexual interests. If the spaces you’re in feel super heterosexual, try events hosted by the LGBTQ Co-op, Yale Sappho, Not So Straight Frosh, and Uncommon: Society for Non-traditional Relationships. The Office of LGBTQ Resources has a website with a full list of organizations and events you can check out.

**When you’re not sure, press pause. You may find yourself in a situation with a partner where you feel confused or unsure about whether you want to do something. If that happens, it’s okay to stop and think about it, or to wait until another time. It’s also totally fine to tell your partner, “I’m not into it right now, but if I feel like it later I’ll let you know.”

Don’t let anyone pressure you into doing things you don’t want to do. A partner who’s worth your time will want you to feel comfortable and happy.

Any partner who pressures you -- continuing to ask you to do something after you’ve already told them no, suggesting that they’ll end the relationship if you don’t do what they want, or making you feel guilty or like a prude -- doesn’t deserve you, your time, or your sweet, sweet lovin’. **Make a game plan with your roommate. Have a conversation about what you will do if and when one of you wants to bring somebody home BEFORE it happens. Trust me, you do NOT want to be walked in on OR randomly sexiled. Be honest about what you need and want re: your ability to sleep in your own bed, but don’t be judgmental -- it’s none of your business who your roomie brings home, and vice versa. Work out a system of communication and some ground rules, and then stick to them.

Don’t worry! Try not to let romance/sex be a stressful part of your life.

Instead, let it be something fun and enjoyable. If a partner or crush is causing you more worry than pleasure, it may be time to focus on something or someone else. And remember, if you have any questions, you can always submit them online to Broad Strokes!

Good luck!!!

Love, Broad Strokes

Approaching Male-Dominated Organizations

Back to School Playlist

Student organizations on campus that are dominated by men can seem intimidating or unappealing: Why are non-males underrepresented? Will I get along with the boys? Will they accept me? Will they treat me with respect? The answers to these important questions can make or break the experience of a new member.

To non-frosh members of organizations: Be cognizant of the demographic breakdown of your organization (gender and otherwise). Think about why certain groups of people are more or less represented, and how you can rectify that. Examine the behavior of your members to ensure that a welcoming environment is created for all. It is so easy to forget that despite the best intentions of their members, some organizations inevitably become spaces more geared towards some than others. Consider forming a committee or appointing an individual whose job it is to think about and make plans for including equity, respect, and inclusion in your organization. Be intentional about making your group a better place – no student should ever have to decide between a welcoming environment and an activity they love.

To incoming frosh: I want to encourage you all to take risks on joining student organizations. Give the debate team, or the chess club, or whatever the male-dominated organization is a shot. This may be optimistic, but I think most Yale students are really great at listening and learning. They’ll hear what you tell them and find ways to improve their organizations accordingly. And your presence, in turn, will be invaluable for future generations of new members. If at any time your participation in an organization becomes more work than it is valuable for you, by all means, prioritize yourself and take care of yourself. But freshman year is about taking risks, and joining a student organization is often a good risk to take. .

C.L.

Good luck!

by Margaret Lee 1. Thursday Girl - Mitski 2. Goodbye LA - Blah Blah Blah 3. Bathtub - Waxahatchee 4. War - Tunji Ige 5. Runaround - Helado Negro 6. psst, teenagers, take off your clo - Cat Seat Headrest 7. COME 4 ME - ABRA 8. Juke Jam - Chance the Rapper 9. Get Loud - Kitten Forever 10. Wonder Woman - LION BABE 11. Go Off - M.I.A

Freshman Year // Freshman Queer It’s move-in day. You’re an out bisexual kid who isn’t sure about their gender.

During the car ride to campus, you contemplate introducing yourself with your preferred name, but you ultimately decide it isn’t safe to do while your parents are around. You introduce yourself to your roommate using your birth name and immediately regret your decision.

Two days later, you’re outside your dorm building in the dark. Everyone else in your college is around you. You’re doing a mandatory Camp Yale activity that involves taking a step when you relate to a statement that the FroCo reads aloud.

A series of statements about sexuality and gender are read out loud. Each time, you are the only one who takes a step. You are convinced you are the only queer freshman in your residential college.

You start going to Co-Op meetings. At every meeting, you introduce yourself with your birth name and she/they pronouns and awkwardly mumble something about being confused.

Your suitemate reaches out to you and tells you she is bisexual. You stay up late every night studying together and talking about social justice, quickly becoming best friends.

Several of your friends start coming out as gay, bisexual, and queer. A large percentage of the people you met during your first few days at Yale are now out. You begin to lose count of how many queer kids there are in your residential college. You are definitely not the only one.

You message all your friends in a group chat one night, nervously explaining your gender, new name, and pronouns. There are some tears, but

your friends are understanding and accepting.

You wish you had told everyone from the beginning.

You join the Co-Op’s Pride committee and begin introducing yourself with the name you want to be called.

You start talking more to the other non-binary and trans students you met earlier in the year.

You constantly worry that you are not “trans enough”, but nobody seems to be judging you.

Your worries slowly become less frequent.

You come out to a class for the first time. It’s a writing seminar about sexuality. Your professor is happy for you, and some of your classmates later message you expressing their support.

You manage to get your future sophomore advisor to call you by your preferred name, but you’re still figuring out a way to address pronouns (he’s a STEM professor, so you’re a little hesitant).

You find yourself celebrating the end of freshman year with a group of friends who are mostly queer. The suite you’re living with next semester will be an all-queer suite. You no longer feel so alone. You’re still a bisexual kid who isn’t always sure about their gender, but you are okay.

– L.T.

for yalies scared of breaking down a poem by anonymous you are whole as you are you are whole as you will be remember that this place isn’t supposed to hurt you if it does, i am sorry. try to remember there’s so much beyond this places that will ignite you people who will make you feel new keep your beautiful leaps of faith they won’t let you down even if right here, right now, does

abstinence can be * a short term choice * a long term choice * radically feminist * an act of self-care * whatever you want it to be -I.M.

I feel like every suite has someone like this. You’re discussing common room decorating options, and all this suitemate can suggest is stuff that’s way above the average price range for dorm furniture. Or your suitemate might splurge on a really nice decoration/ piece of furniture without any warning and expect everyone else in the suite to pay for it. Definitely try to remind your suitemates early on to be considerate of class differences and keep in mind that not everyone can afford the same things. And if you’re at a point where the expensive purchase has already been made, remember that you’re not obligated to pay for something if you didn’t agree to it beforehand!

It happens to everyone. Freshman year, you’re dropped into a suite of randomly assigned people whom you’ll have to live with for a year. Take it from someone whose freshman suite had zero cohesion: that housing form you filled out means nothing.

You don’t have to be best friends with your suitemates, but it’ll probably be helpful if you don’t hate each other. College is hard enough without the extra negativity, so here are some tips on dealing with different types of suitemates you might encounter: The one whose sexual norms are completely foreign to you Whether it’s the one who brings hook-ups back to the suite at odd hours of the day without telling their roommate, or the one who makes thinly-veiled slut-shaming comments at the suitemate who’s doing that, there are gonna be suitemates who don’t view sex the way you do. Something you can do to avoid uncomfortable situations is to have a suite-wide conversation about hooking up, sex, and what everyone thinks is appropriate. You could come up with a set of rules regarding hook-ups (like always telling your roommate if it’s going to happen!), and make sure everyone sticks to them. Most importantly, make sure to emphasize that everyone should do their own thing and not judge others for what they choose to do.

The one who has expensive taste

The one who NEVER CLEANS UP THEIR TRASH It’s the ultimate betrayal: You think your suitemate is perfect and you get along great, but then halfway through the semester, you start to notice the empty coffee cups strewn across their desk and the snack wrappers left around the common room. You can practically feel the roaches creeping in. Don’t end up throwing away other people’s trash for them like I did -- that’s not your job. If dropping hints and polite reminders don’t work, pull them aside for a serious talk because leaving trash around is just really gross and not acceptable.

The one who doesn’t talk to anyone Maybe they think they’re too cool for you, maybe they’re socially anxious, maybe they just don’t care. Who knows? They haven’t said more than ten words to you since move-in day, so it’s not like you’d have any idea. Try engaging with them a few more times, but if they’re doing everything in their power to avoid suite bonding and conversation, there’s really no point in trying to force it. As long as you two are communicating when it’s absolutely necessary, you’re all right.

What I Wish I’d Known My First Year by Ayotunde Ifaturoti When you walk into your first year at Yale, it’s all a bright, buzzing new world full of fun and exciting ways to absolutely screw up.

And that’s ok, because those screw-ups make beautiful moments to figure out who you are without dumping James Franco, your job, and responsibilities for a culturally appropriative trip through India to find yourself (we can’t all be Julia Roberts). Throughout your first year you won’t believe how dumb, intelligent, strong, and afraid you can be at all once. It’s a fun, confusing time that you’ll sometimes hate and sometimes love. Here’s a list of little inklings of wisdom I’ve collected at my time at Yale. Despite what they say, hindsight is probably 14/20, and this list will probably keep growing.

Don’t Doubt Yourself At Yale, you’ll meet a lot of people who went to elite Northeastern prep schools, whose parents are senators and diplomats (or frighteningly wealthy), and have accomplished feats you might have never dreamed of. It’s easy to wonder where you belong, if you belong at all, at this institution. Please don’t. Your acceptance wasn’t a fluke, you’re not being punk’d, and Ashton Kutcher isn’t hiding in bush. You are here because you deserve be here. You’re intelligent, determined, and beautiful, and this is your Yale. Also it’s 2016 and Ashton Kutcher is, like the new old Chris Pratt.

It’s never too late to make new friends The first Saturday nights of your first year are filled with roving herds of frosh moving around campus, introductions so frequent they become like automated messages, and wondering how long you can hold a conversation without knowing the other person’s name. Somewhere along the lines, some strangers become friends. Sometimes it takes a day and sometimes it takes an entire year, but eventually you find your people.

Buy a YSO season pass at the beginning of the semester to bypass all the Halloween show hysteria Yale Symphony Orchestra’s Halloween Show is their most popular show of the year, and tickets are literally sold out within seconds of their release. Halloween show tickets are kind of like golden tickets to Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory, except without chocolate. Everybody wants them, but nobody really knows why, except that everybody else wants them so you must want them too.

Shop more classes than you can take.

Between pretending to text as you google map your way to new

buildings to stressing about who to sit with at the dining hall, your first year year can be a lot. While you should avoid taking on more than you can handle, I definitely recommend shopping fun and interesting classes, even if you have no intention of taking them.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help Besides your froco, there are so many great resources and people at Yale who want to help you. Seriously, nobody wants to see you fail at any endeavour so reach out and don’t suffer in silence. If you’re struggling with a class, talk with your professor. There are also peer liaisons at cultural centers and walden peer counselors that are eager to guide baby frosh and offer any support they can.

Setting aside some alone time is so important.

College means many new friends but it also means that you’ll constantly surrounded by people. Some people thrive in this kind of environment and some people won’t. During freshman year, there’s a constant pressure to be part of something, whether it’s a club or council, party, or greek life. The conflict between finding personal time and not wanting to miss out is frustrating, but just know that setting aside time to be alone is important. Find a time in the week, maybe Friday afternoon or Sunday morning, to meditate, breathe, read, write, run, cry, or whatever you need to do to feel your best to feel your best physically, mentally, and emotionally.

The Law School Library has NO LATE FEES If you need to request a book to be delivered at a library or need a pair of headphones or a laptop, skip Bass and go to Law School library. It’s a little known fact, but there are no late fees.

Take advantage of Student Perks So it seems like Bernie’s tuition free colleges are not happening, but 25% off at American Apparel, anyone? The website myunidays.com offers lots of discounts to countless clothing stores, electronic devices, and subscription services like Apple Music, and more.

Morse and Stiles Dining Halls have avocados.

Avocados!

Trumbull college exists You know how sometimes you can’t see things that are in plain sight? Trumbull college is small but conveniently located on Elm St. It also has an excellent fruit selection at brunch.

I’m Sorry Eve Bit the Apple

by Sara Tabin If there one thing that hippies, beauty magazines, the religious right, pornographers, capitalists, and my high school boyfriend can all agree on it's that it is supposed to hurt.

The fetishisation of female pain is a societal obsession.

Images of women suffering are used in everything from art to movies to commercial sales Whether it's sex or birth or beauty or existence itself women are expected to take it, to feel it, to endure Hairs ripped out, babies pushed out, moans let out whether pleasure or pain equally "hot" If you're hungry and sore you're doing it right. If you get through labor without an epidural you're a real woman.

If you've sacrificed everything for your family and children you are a martyr to be remembered once a year when you are celebrated with the dying ovaries of plants.

I'm sorry Eve bit the apple and it's a bummer that evolution stuck us with narrow pelvic bones that don't match our oversized heads but if our intelligence has given us the resources to finally stop the agony of labor I say let's do it I've been told I'm prettier when I'm not smiling. When my eyes are open wide and not closed and creased with joy, when my lips are pouting and shut. But I'm going to keep grinning.

Getting Thru Yale by Ignoring Your Responsibilities and Watching Sort Of Feminist TV Shows Sometimes school is a lot - too much, even - and you need to take a welldeserved Netflix break. Or maybe you don’t deserve that break, but you just love television. Or maybe it’s orientation week and you don’t know anyone at Yale yet and you just want to watch TV because there is no greater thing in the universe than TV. If any of that sounds familiar to you, read on. What follows is a list of TV shows (in no particular order, except that it is significant that Buffy is first) that have helped me get through life & Yale and have brought me endless joy. Most are somewhat feminist. Some are not. I was going to rate them on a feminist scale but that felt very prescriptive. You be the judge.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Do you like woman-power? Witches? Lesbian witches? Vampires? Woman-power destroying vampires? David Boreanaz?

90s fashion? If you answered yes to any of those, you should watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer immediately. Sometimes people don’t watch it because they think it’s too campy, and they don’t want to seem nostalgic for a time period they were born a little too late to fully appreciate. I don’t talk to those people.

This is the greatest television show of all time. Please feel free to reach out to me if you have any doubts. (7 seasons) UnReal If you love drama but feel guilty watching The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, Bachelor in Paradise, Bachelor Pad, The Real Housewives of Wherever, Keeping Up with Whoever, etc. etc., for starters, stop feeling guilty and indulge, but also, watch UnReal. UnReal lets you indulge in reality TV, because it is a self-aware fictional version of The Bachelor. There is so much drama. Bring popcorn, enjoy guilt-free. (2 seasons) BoJack Horseman If you are a human being who is alive, you should watch this show. Especially, especially if you love wordplay. It is about a sad has-been 90s sitcom actor who is also a horse. It is animated. If you discriminate against animated TV shows for any reason, please stop! It is not fair! Animation is great!

This show will tear your heart out. Actually, it will make you tear your own heart out, but you will be so busy laughing, you won’t notice you’ve done it until you look down and see your still-beating heart in your hand; only then will you cry. Feminist in a roundabout cool way.

So. Much. Wordplay. (3 seasons)

The X-Files Does Yale have you wondering where the lux is coming from (is it from, gasp, a UFO)? Questioning whether the Veritas is Out There? Or are you just bored and into sci-fi? If yes, The X-Files is the show for you. (10 seasons) Jane the Virgin If you love falling in love with your characters, Jane the Virgin is for you.

This show is heartwarming, dramapacked, and goofy. It brilliantly plays on a telenovela format, paying homage to the genre while playfully poking fun at the dramatic twists and turns. The grandmother-mother-daughter relationship is the heart of the show. Very feminist, and broadened how I thought about feminism. (2 seasons) The Fosters As a bitter, sort of biracial, definitely queer woman, I was like “I do not need to watch a show about an interracial lesbian couple who raises a bunch of racially diverse children! I am above representation politics! Marriage equality is a redherring! Multiculturalism is hogwash!” Ho ho ho was I wrong.

This is a very fun show to watch. Chock-full of tender moments between two women who love each other and are trying their best to raise a family in this crazy world. Really, it’s sweet. Stop being cynical already and watch it. (3 seasons.)

The L Word Saucy. Lesbians. Come for the lesbian sex, stay for the lesbian sex (and so you can say “She’s such a Shane!” at the next Sappho party). Do not come for quality, quality tv or exceptional storytelling (for that please see Buffy or BoJack). Some say watching The L Word is a right of passage for queer women. I say that is stupid, but many queer women have seen it, so you might feel a little more in the loop in certain company. For example, I watched it to find out why everyone hates Jenny. Oh, you didn’t know that everyone hates Jenny? See what I mean. (6 Seasons) Gilmore Girls Ahhhh it’s all about that beautiful, loving mother-daughter relationship.

If you didn’t have that growing up, watching Gilmore Girls can completely fill that void. If you did have that growing up, well, it’s still a good show to watch. (7 seasons) Broad City Two hilarious women getting into and out of ridiculous situations in ridiculous ways. Broad City is a great show to watch if you need a quick 30 minute break or if you are down and need to binge watch something for a few hours (days) to remind yourself that joy and happiness exist. (3 seasons) --L.S.