On May 29, Annette Bening turns 66. At one time, this would mean curtains for an actress’s career. But there’s been a concerted shift in the film industry since 60-year-old Michelle Yeoh was named Best Actress for Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022) by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, AARP Movies for Grownups, the Golden Globes, and the Screen Actors Guild last year. This year, those same organizations nominated Bening for the sports biopic Nyad (2023) as well as her 61-year-old co-star Jodie Foster. In fact, the two received the Best Screen Couple prize from the Women Fi ..read more

This story was originally published by ProPublica. ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox. Two years ago, Illinois lawmakers tried to help students with extreme needs who had a limited number of schools available to them. They changed state law to allow public money to fund students’ tuition at special education boarding schools, including those out of state, that Illinois had not vetted and would not monitor. School districts, not the Illinois State Board of Education, would be respons ..read more

Originally published on July 19, 2012 I think it’s practically mandatory that I open this post with a reference to the 90s TV show “Blossom.” But I don’t have any, and for that I blame my mother. She didn’t think it was quality television, and so I was the only 7th grader at Goodrich Middle School who did not have anything to say about last night’s “Blossom,” nor could I sing the opening rap to “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” a fact which continues to haunt me to this day in social situations. So, I’ll have to take your word for it that “Blossom” was darling, but I love the grown-up Mayim Bial ..read more

Thanks to 360 CHICAGO’s extensive renovation, guests visiting the observation deck on 875 N. Michigan Ave. (formerly the John Hancock Center) can experience site-specific visuals created by local female artists including Katie Chung. The Korean-American artist has added “Locals Only” to the CloudWalk, an outdoor viewing platform on the 94th floor. Rebellious Magazine chatted with the Chicago native about this project and more. Janet Arvia: How did your mural “Locals Only” at 360 CHICAGO come about? Katie Chung: I was approached by 360 Chicago to create a mural for their CloudWalk room. They g ..read more

As you may imagine, the feisty feminists of Rebellious Magazine have had a lot to say about Mother’s Day over the years, from celebrating its history — and mourning its commodification — to marking why it’s an important time to talk about abortion. Here are a few of our faves that have resonated most with readers and reflect the complicated relationship we have with the holiday . . . and our moms. We hope you enjoy! And if you’d like to support an organization that provides resources to mothers, consider shopping with our advertising partner Bright Endeavors, the social enterprise o ..read more

Originally published by The 19th For the first time, data show what disability rights advocates have known for some time: Autism is impacting non-White people, women and girls more than ever. And having the data available is fueling their calls for change. In 2020, 1 in 36 children aged 8, or about 4 percent of boys and 1 percent of girls, were estimated to have autism, the first time the prevalence for girls has exceeded 1 percent, according to data from the Autism Spectrum Diagnosis Disabilities Monitoring Network. Also for the first time, the prevalence of autism among White children was l ..read more

Many African Americans consider Africa to be the Motherland — the land from which our ancestors were stolen, forever separated from their families, culture, language and religion. They were forced into bondage predominantly in the American South, where generations toiled under horrific conditions for almost 250 years with no pay. Most of us don’t know, and probably never will know, the exact African country or tribe we’re from. Most of us, without doing extensive and purposeful research, know little about our African foreparents’ lives. And many of us don’t even know much about the dista ..read more

Hard and soft, dark and atmospheric, hopeful and full of despair, the new EP Skin – from L.A.-based rocker Devon Thompson – is a study in beautiful contradictions. The five track release, which dropped via Exquisite Feline in late-March, doesn’t shy away from heavy themes or gothic imagery, instead it embraces the dark elegance that can be found in the coldest, blackest of nights. All the while Thompson illuminates the power of modern alternative music as she carries the rock torch for a new generation. When explaining who will enjoy Skin the most, Thompson said via Zoom that “fans of alterna ..read more

Judging by his performance at the 2024 White House Correspondents’ Dinner on cable television, Colin Jost better keep his day job at NBC’s Saturday Night Live since his wit was as sharp as a butterknife.  With generic observations and stale jokes, the comedian/writer’s 23-minute monologue was made duller by long pauses. Had Jost said, “pause for laughter,” his labored delivery could have been amusing considering President Biden’s recent gaff. In fact, President Obama actually prophesied this joke at the annual dinner back in 2009. Unfortunately, this year’s headliner lacked the cutting r ..read more

Released April 2, 2024, 19: The Musical, a new full-cast audiobook, is an adaptation of the 2019 stage production of the same name, with book and lyrics by Jennifer Schwed and Doug Bradshaw, and music composed and arranged by Charlie Barnett. The show provides a detailed backstory of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, which granted women the right to vote. The women’s suffrage movement in the United States of America is one of those historical events that’s been flattened into a handful of names and locations and dates. We know there was a parade, some picketing – wasn’t somebody beat up ..read more