Introduction In early January 1890, Mexico City awaited two anticipated events: the spread of a global influenza epidemic and a […]
A Duet With History: Lizzo and James Madison’s Crystal Flute
t her Washington DC concert on September 27, 2022, musician and pop superstar Lizzo played a 200-year-old crystal flute that […]
CODA, Reviewed by a CODA
CODA, the 2021 film directed by Sian Heder, tells the story of Ruby Rossi, the only hearing person in her […]
Between a Soft Rock and a Hard Place: A Review of Karen Tongson’s Why Karen Carpenter Matters
Early in her new book Why Karen Carpenter Matters, Karen Tongson reports that a karaoke machine in the Philippines once […]
“Keepers of the Light”: A Musical History of the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus
Music forms a critical part of every documented human culture, providing a functional and emotional form of communication. Studies show […]
Lillie Western, Banjo Queen
It should come as no surprise that the Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Guitarists list includes only two women, Bonnie Raitt […]
Best of 2016
Let’s face it, 2016 was a dumpster fire and we’re glad to see it die a fiery death. But in […]
Sex and the Purple Guy
Originally published by Tropics of Meta on April 21, 2016. For a generation of youth — queer and non-queer alike […]
Lessons from the Funky Diabetic: Phife Dawg as Reluctant Health Rap Pioneer
Often being a hip-hop fan means learning how to deal with the sudden loss of beloved artists. It always feels […]
What’s on Your Feminist Playlist?
Music played a pretty important role in my life as a kid, but I always listened to what my parents […]