Women |

I Was Told I Have A Bitch Face

I met one of my best friends in one of the most awkward situations. She introduced herself in a bubbly voice, while I stared at her with a bitch face. How we ended up being friends is a long story with a happy ending. Yet, she never let the episode go and I appreciate the constant reminder of what a brat I used to be. But, recently, I was called a bitch by a complete stranger and I was not having it. We were just taking a break from our 3-hour class when a classmate approached me and said: “You look so annoyed in class. You have a bitch face.” I was shocked. I hate thinking that girls purposely hate each other, but this event made me think twice. I had never talked to her before, yet she felt compelled to tell me I was a bitch. “Yes, I have a resting bitch face. I know,” I responded. *Cue the awkward moment* It’s been years since the last time I was called a bitch. In …

Editor’s Letter No. 1

Published by Frances Solá-Santiago

Photographed by Raiza Irizarry in Paris, France (2015). Confidence has never been my strongest suit. As evidence, I had been putting off projects for years because I never felt prepared or even talented. Those are harsh words to say about oneself, surely. But, if there is anything 21 years have taught me, is that the relationship you have with yourself is one of the most challenging and cruel endeavors you will face. Badass Files is not about me. It was never intended to be so. I had the idea one morning while brushing my teeth in my apartment in Madrid, Spain. For three months, I had been struggling with keeping my life shit together while playing a balancing act between a long-distance relationship, travel and stepping out of my comfort zone. Moving to the other side of the world proved more difficult than I ever thought and I found myself drifting away from who I had been for the last few years. I was not being badass. If I was having troubles, surely there were …