It's in common knowledge that internet thrives on objectification of women. From endless lists on 'wardrobe malfunctions' to obsession over female stars gaining or losing weight, objectifying women is a sure-fire traffic spinner for many sites. Magazines also routinely come out with annual lists of 'hottest', 'most beautiful' stars. While most women -- especially ones in showbiz -- have not been heard complaining against being featured in such lists, IPS officer Merin Joseph is not one of them. So...

“Now, we’re using your eggs,” Dr. Waller points his pen at Dashiell. “Am I right?” Dashiell nods. I feel that Dashiell is probably biting back a “Yes, sir.” Dashiell talks like someone from another era. He’s so polite, it’s like he’s fucking with you, but he’s not. Once a car almost hit us, and he yelped, “Criminy!” “’Criminy?’” I repeated for blocks. It was more of a surprise than almost getting run down. “When your life flashes before your eyes, that is the word that just comes out? ‘Criminy?’”...

When I was 26 years old, two of my best friends became pregnant within a month of each other. Upon word of their news, I promptly burst into tears -- and was surprised to find that they weren't the happy kind. Instead of feeling excited for my friends, I somehow felt devastated by their pregnancies. The emotions that rose up for me were a complicated mixture of jealousy, abandonment and insecurity. It wasn't just that I hadn't forseen this era of my life beginning yet, but rather the intense reaction...

Production on Season 3 of the hit show "The Walking Dead" is underway, and today we get our first look at new character Michonne! EW.com posted this pic of actress Danai Gurira as the katana-wielding zombie killer. Michonne was introduced at the very end of the Season 2 finale, where she saved Andrea (Laurie Holden) from being eaten by a zombie. At the time of filming, Danai had not been cast, so another actor stood in wearing a hood. In the graphic novel, Michonne joins Rick (Andrew Lincoln)...

Sorry to break this to you, single men, but it is possible to be too nice. And if you’re reading this article, you’ve probably fallen into the trap of following all the rules — you wined and dined her, asked her questions, called the next day — but still didn’t win her heart. What gives? “Women like a nice guy at first,” says Dr. Robert Glover, author of No More Mr. Nice Guy. But niceness can also be seen as weakness — and that’s a major turn-off for most women. So how do you show a date that you’re...

My first question when my parents separated (I was 11) was, "Can we just not tell anyone?" There was something about the dismantling that felt too public. To split seemed shameful. So I consider it a matter of some pride that in my own breakups, I haven't had the impulse to conceal the end, including the most recent. We'd been together three years, albeit rocky ones. We thought that when it came to what mattered, we wanted similar things: a wedding, babies, eventually a home and careers outside...

When Phil and I were dating, we took a trip down the Mississippi on the Delta Queen. On board was a small band of elderly men playing Dixieland Jazz. They were all very good, but the clarinet player was in his own world -- completely consumed by the music. "Are you watching the clarinet player?" Phil whispered to me. I whispered back, "I can't take my eyes off of him!" And to this day, that remains a little code for us: Whenever we see someone who is truly in the zone -- in the moment -- we say...

The miracle of life starts with its own set of miracles when it comes to a pregnant woman's body. The gorgeous glow, longer and luxurious hair, and curvier curves, as well as a boosted bust size and increased sex drive -- all the changes (flattering and not) make for some of the most memorable nine months of a woman's life. Come what may, every woman is different, and with that comes a distinct beauty to every body -- not to mention some fantastic photo ops to document the nine-month-memories. Celebs...

Georgia O’Keefe once wrote to Mabel Dodge Luhan, “I feel there is something unexplored about women that only a woman can explore.” With this in mind, we present the work of Claiborne Swanson Frank, a photographer living and working in New York. Swanson Frank was formerly Anna Wintour’s assistant at Vogue, and from the photos below we can see the magazine’s influence on this budding photographer. We talked to Swanson Frank over the phone as she walked her dog and answered questions about her work....

Women’s World Cup Final Breaks Twitter Record: " The Women’s World Cup final between Japan and the United States set the record for tweets per second, eclipsing the wedding of Prince William and Kate and the death of Osama bin Laden. Japan rallied twice to tie the United States 2-2 after extra time before winning a penalty shootout on Sunday in Frankfurt, Germany. The U.S. was aiming for its third World Cup victory, while Japan lifted the World Cup trophy for the first time after going 0-25 against...

The United Nations' newest agency -- UN Women -- takes an ambitious and sometimes startling look at gender equality and women's rights around the world with its first-ever report. The 2011 Progress of the World's Women: In Pursuit of Justice report is "a global survey of women's access to justice -- looking both at legislation passed by governments and the steps taken (or not taken) to implement those laws," according to the Guardian. "The report highlights the practical barriers that women—particularly...

Even in the aftermath of a "mancession," it's the women that say they are most struggling most mightily. Women report experiencing nearly twice as much “high or overwhelming” financial stress as men, according to a new survey by Financial Finesse Inc. Indeed, 28 percent of women reported experiencing “high or overwhelming financial stress" during the first quarter of 2011, while only 17 percent of men reported having that same level of stress. Women also are three times as likely to experience...