The Female Physique: What Does It Truly Cost?
By Wim Langedijk for HURS
The Female Physique: What Does It Truly Cost?
HUR Reads is our definitive shortlist of the most prominent articles from around the web.
By HURS Team
1
The Paradoxes of Feminine Muscle
Lauren Michele Jackson unpacks the messy space women occupy when they choose power over prettiness. From 80s bodybuilders like Bev Francis, penalized for being "too strong", to today's lifting culture on social media, women have long had to navigate the fine line between empowerment and expectation. Strength can be liberating. It can also be performative. Jackson reminds us: even muscle isn’t free from the weight of gender norms. The real power? Choosing strength on your own terms.
THE NEW YORKER
Cat Zhang unpacks how wellness became a performance, tracked, monetized, and hyper-individualized. From luxury gyms to calorie-counting wearables, “health” is now often a flex of privilege. But the real issue? We’ve designed a world where movement isn’t easy, rest isn’t valued, and access to care is unequal. Zhang urges us to shift the focus—from self-optimization to community, equity, and joy in movement that doesn’t come with a price tag.
THE CUT
With her Madrid-based shop Formaje, Diez is redefining what cheese can be: not rustic and forgotten, but refined, curated, and deeply rooted in craft. Earth-toned interiors and shelves of rare artisan wheels tell a story that’s as much about aesthetic as it is about activism. Alongside her husband, Diez sources small-batch cheeses from across Europe, think raw milk camembert from Normandy, heritage cheddar from Somerset, and little-known blue from Galicia. But this is more than retail. It’s a movement. One focused on preserving traditional methods, promoting regenerative agriculture, and elevating the quiet artistry of cheesemaking. Formaje isn’t just a shop, it’s a manifesto. And cheese? It’s finally having its moment.
HOW TO SPEND IT
Mimi Wong spotlights a new wave of artists reshaping contemporary art through deeply personal, culturally nuanced work. From Sasha Gordon’s vivid self-portraits that explore race and gender to Ayqa Khan’s digital illustrations challenging South Asian beauty norms, each artist brings a unique voice rooted in identity, memory, and diaspora. Whether through painting, sculpture, or multimedia installation, these women are not just creating art, they’re expanding the language of what it means to be Asian American in a shifting cultural landscape.
ARTSY
Social media has completely redefined the art world, with Instagram and TikTok giving artists the freedom to bypass traditional galleries and directly connect with global audiences. These platforms are not just showcases for art, they’re breeding grounds for new forms of creativity, from viral challenges to digital art, allowing artists to build communities and engage with followers in real-time. But with this democratization comes a deeper question: as art becomes more about clicks and algorithms, is it losing its authenticity? While galleries and institutions rush to adapt, the commercialization of art continues to grow, leaving us to wonder what gets lost in the pursuit of virality and instant fame.