There are few phrases more irritating in a professional setting than “You have such a pretty face. ” On the surface, it ...

A viral TikTok sound used nearly 3,000 times, most infamously by admitted online troll Trisha Paytas, reenacts a conversation that many transgender people have been subjected to before. “Wait, you’re ...

Ah, backhanded compliments. I think it's safe to say that no one like these. They're ugly little insults poorly disguised as positivity. They're handed to you when you least expect it. If you let them ...

Everyone has been guilty of giving compliments that turn out to be less-than-sincere upon closer inspection. However, backhanded "compliments” are some of the worst, especially since they’re disguised ...

Researcher and storyteller Brené Brown enjoys immense popularity because she describes feelings and experiences that so many people share. In one particularly relatable story, she shared a piece of ...

We’ve all received a seemingly innocent comment that just doesn’t feel right even though it was disguised as a compliment. It’s the “You look great for your age!” or the “That’s actually pretty good ...

You know that feeling when someone says something that sounds nice on the surface, but somehow leaves you feeling worse than ...

As feminine people with bodies that always manage to be under intense scrutiny for one reason or another, many of us are familiar with the stress associated with bathing suit season. Between ...

Rooted in comparison culture, status, external validation and praise, backhanded compliments are inherently interwoven into many aspects of our conversations and language, sometimes unsuspectingly and ...

Over the holidays, your aunt surprised you when she said, “You’re so pretty.” But just as you began thanking her, she added, “Why are you still single?” Oh. What started as a compliment suddenly ...