Lucy Sante's memoir reflects on her experience coming out as transgender in her 60s

Society tends to view older women as washed up, fickle, and unhappy. This stereotype makes most older women shy away from labeling themselves as old. But the truth is that 70-something women are happier than ever and more content with life.

Several articles and a recent book are challenging how society views older women—and how they view themselves. While our society treats older women as useless and in decline, these writers show that many women flourish in their 60s and 70s.

In a stirring episode of "Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus," acclaimed actress and activist Julia Louis-Dreyfus joins forces with renowned policy-maker and environmentalist Gina McCarthy and commentator Judith Bowles. With both women recounting their personal journeys into activism, and McCarthy's transition from a bystander to an environmentalist, it's a podcast enriched with personal fervor. Louis-Dreyfus dives deep into her childhood influenced by political activism, while McCarthy shares her discovery of her own activist passion later in life, and her inclination towards policy-making grounded in hard evidence.

Their conversation doesn't shirk away from the contentious issues either. Louis-Dreyfus and McCarthy examine the place of emotion in politics, the gender bias that continues to pervade the field, and the controversial topic of climate change skepticism. As the dialogue unfolds, they recount past mistakes like the Flint Water Crisis, while also touching on their respective efforts to balance activism with personal life. It’s a podcast that blends admissions of past regrets with the wisdom acquired along a journey of dedicated activism.

Does it sometimes feel like everybody else has life figured out except you? Rachel Hollis, author of Girl, Wash Your Face, wants you to know that’s a lie. Life is messy and complicated for everyone, but once you understand that you are in control of your life, you can begin to live with passion, joy and confidence.

Aimed at women who feel overwhelmed and unworthy, Girl, Wash Your Face examines 20 lies that can hold you back from becoming who you were meant to be. Hollis details her own mistakes, traumas and life lessons, and shares with readers the strategies she used to overcome these lies and find true happiness.

Join Leo Skepi on his candid podcast, "Aware & Aggravated", discussing the thorny maze of 2023 dating. Skepi delves into the influence of technology on romance, critiquing the way dating apps and social media foster superficial connections and foster a culture of constant preoccupation with others. He also points out how overlapping technology and societal pressures create a gray area popularly known as 'situationships,' further clouding the clarity of romantic relationships.

In an exploration of personal behaviors, Leo does not shy away from addressing manipulative tactics prevalent in today's dating scene. He emphasizes the importance of investing in deep, meaningful bonds over instant connections, and confronts the crippling effect of fear of commitment on relationships. Skepi's incisive insights shine a light on the hidden roadblocks faced in contemporary dating and suggest a path that prioritizes genuine human connection. Tune in for a better understanding of the mysteries and mayhem of modern-day romance.

We live in an age where sophisticated technologies are increasingly pervasive. User interfaces are so intuitive that we don’t need a manual to figure out how every mobile application works—but what is it about specific technologies that allows them to integrate seamlessly into our day-to-day lives, and how did user-friendliness become the bedrock of innovation?

In User Friendly, user experience designers Cliff Kuang and Robert Fabricant explore the evolution of user-friendly design—how the concept emerged from the feminist movement in the 1920s, how it has morphed into the often addictive forms of technology that we have today, and how it might be leveraged to improve human well-being in the future. The authors argue that we must shift how companies apply user-friendly design principles to ensure that technology reflects the values of consumers—and doesn’t just keep people glued to screens to their own detriment. In this guide, we’ll also incorporate research showing how technology impacts the social fabric of society as well as advice on mitigating technology’s harmful effects.

Many women have experienced “mansplaining”—when a man condescendingly explains something to a woman that she already knows well. But have you ever considered that this irritating experience might reflect a cultural tendency to devalue women more generally? In Men Explain Things to Me, historian, activist, and award-winning author Rebecca Solnit explains that this tendency is the result of a pervasive underlying belief: that men have the right to control women. It manifests in different ways, from irritating actions like mansplaining to violence such as rape and murder.

In this guide, we’ll explain the attitude of control that motivates the mistreatment of women. We’ll then examine the factors that contribute to this violence, as well as how men use their power to stifle women’s voices. We’ll finish by exploring the role that language plays in the advancement of women’s rights. In commentary, we’ll add research supporting and extending Solnit’s ideas, as well as social, historical, and scientific context.