Phoebe Maltz Bovy is a former editor of the Sisterhood blog at the Forward. Her writing has appeared in several publications, including The New Republic and The Atlantic. Her book, “The Perils of ‘Privilege,’” was published by St. Martin’s Press in March 2017. She has a PhD in French and French Studies from New York University, and has read a lot of 19th century French Jewish newspapers for a 21st century American.
Phoebe Maltz Bovy
By Phoebe Maltz Bovy
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Life Justice Kagan’s Facial Expression During Trump’s Speech: An Appreciation
Yeah, I have a thought or two about President Trump’s speech to Congress last night. But there’s a moment that struck me, and apparently many others, and that has Sisterhood written alllll over it: Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan’s facial expression as Trump mentioned Israel. I was going to write a reaction to last night’s…
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Life ‘Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’ Won Me Back With Soju
It had been a while, but I’m catching up on “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.” If you’re watching Season 2 and not sure if it’s worth staying with, do yourself this favor: Episode 9. It is quite possibly the best one yet. What follows is a spoiler-filled celebration. But first, a word on where we’re at in the…
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Life My All-American Bargain Handbag, Assessed
Recently I was in lower Manhattan, when one glamorous-looking woman made a remark to the similarly style-conscious woman she was with about how everybody has that bag. They were looking at me! At my handbag. By “handbag” I mean this $39 camouflage tote bag. As the “backordered” note suggests, everyone does indeed have this bag….
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Life Vichy is Trending. Say What Now?
I was reading the hard news, aka the Zara website. Something caught my eye in the “trend” section: Vichy. Specifically, #vichy. Um. Why, I wondered, is Vichy trending? Does this have anything to do with Marine le Pen and the resurgence of the French far-right? If you go to the “vichy” trend page, what appears…
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Life Can a Non-Jewish Woman Write Frum Erotica?
When I saw a tweet referencing an “Orthodox Jewish BDSM erotic romance” while waiting on line at a bakery just now, I immediately knew that this would be a Sisterhood post. I had so many questions! And still have plenty; this was about an hour ago, so I can’t say I’ve (yet) read the book…
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Life Do Jewish Women Put Out? Auslander Listicle Is Frustratingly Man-centric
In the (British) Jewish Chronicle, American novelist Shalom Auslander offers, tongue firmly in cheek as the odd expression goes, “The 10 classic types of Jew, and how to decide which one you are.” The list is intended “to help both Nazis and Jews hone their accusations a bit more pointedly.” I like things like this…
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Life What Fighting Anti-Semitism Can Teach Us About Battling Transphobia
I can’t say I’m surprised that President Trump has reversed Obama-administration guidelines allowing transgender students to use the bathrooms of their choice. Yes, partly because it seems like the sort of thing he’d do, but also, more specifically, because of what “Transgender” has come to represent in the culture. This is a topic that ought…
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Life Amazingly, One Can Care About Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia
It is plainly upsetting that JCCs, which are among other things nursery schools, are getting bomb threats. It’s sufficiently non-controversial to call this bad that even Ivanka Trump, even (eventually) President Trump, got on that bandwagon. Not everyone, however, is similarly convinced. Journalist Michael Tracey is at the ready with a contrarian take on whether…
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