I guarantee that if you met me, you wouldn’t guess that I have a social anxiety disorder. You wouldn’t notice because I smiled, even though I began to sweat the moment I shook your hand. You wouldn’t know how hard I’m focusing on maintaining eye contact...
Many of my fondest memories from my childhood are at the library. Our local library was just a short walk from my house, and where my mother took us every summer to keep us occupied...
I wasn’t sure what my angle would be, wasn’t sure what questions I would ask. I was trying to put my project in a neatly packed box and, as usual, I spilled over the edge...
Our next tour will take you a little west of Toronto’s downtown core, with a fun little waterfront addition. If you’ve ever been to Liberty Village, you’ll know that it’s the perfect neighbourhood to live, work, and play in...
As a country, we’ve known for years now that a startling amount of Indigenous women have been going missing and are often found dead. In Canada in 2015, Indigenous women made up 24% of female homicide victims...
Athena spent her life in a library. Her father had left when she was thirteen, shortly after her mother disappeared. The plane went down when it was struck by lightning, and she was swallowed by the sea...
MANTONE Official was created in 2017 by Emily Skublics, a graphic designer based in Toronto, Canada. Today, Common Mag and MANTONE are joining girl forces and offering you a unique opportunity to score one “Nasty Woman” tote bag!
Transitioning as a gender non-conforming individual can be confusing and challenging because it’s not covered in the media and it can even be hard to find online. I didn’t even know physically transitioning was an option...
Our next tour will take you a little west of Toronto’s downtown core, with a fun little waterfront addition. If you’ve ever been to Liberty Village, you’ll know that it’s the perfect neighbourhood to live, work, and play in...
Transitioning as a gender non-conforming individual can be confusing and challenging because it’s not covered in the media and it can even be hard to find online. I didn’t even know physically transitioning was an option...
When I first purchased my Diva Cup, I have to admit, it was not love at first use. Several years later and I’m not joking when I say this: purchasing a menstrual cup has changed my life for the better.
When the whole world is telling you that you're "wrong,” “sick,” “crazy," that you're "looking for attention," that "it's just a phase," it’s easy to doubt yourself. This self-doubt is known as Imposter Syndrome.
In a time where music is being created, streamed, and listened to more than ever before comes so many great out and proud LGBTQ+ musicians who are purposeful in involving their queerness in both their public images and their music
...They had a whole shelf of Jodi Picoult books, but I don’t think it was a coincidence, even then, that I picked the only one about lesbians, queer rights, and homophobia.
To celebrate the warmer weather, Common Mag is sharing our recommended walking tours over the next four months. Check out our fav places in Toronto's east end!
To celebrate the warmer weather, Common Mag is sharing our recommended walking tours over the next four months. Check out our fav places in Toronto's east end!
By the end of the exhibit, I felt small. I thought using reusable totes and mason jars made a difference, but I could see that in reality, it was so incredibly marginal.
In the summer before grade 12, I had my very first panic attack. I was lying on the couch at my cottage, sobbing and trying to catch my breath as I felt completely disengaged...
Given the current political climate surrounding reproductive rights, it seems more important than ever that I am open and share my experience in a more public way. At the same time, it is a deeply personal and sensitive subject...
If there’s anything thing I learned from two 30-year-old cartoon bird women, it’s that the bonds formed among women are some of the most emotionally healing ever.
When I was in college, I was seeing a guy. I wanted more from our relationship, but his desire for the exact opposite and a lack of communication on my part kept us in the FWB category.
Despite the positives that the sun can have on our emotions, it sure does come with a lot of negatives for our skin, especially if we don’t protect it correctly.
Trigger warning: rape, abortion. On March 9 at Queens Park, there was a Pro-Life (also known as the March For Life) rally that called for the criminalization/restriction of legal abortion.
It is a very special kind of rejection to be told repeatedly that you are not good enough—that someone else, a nameless, faceless, more perfect version of you was chosen instead.
This coffee shop is more than just the coffee they sell (although it’s delicious); it feels like a tiny escape from Toronto the moment you step through the doors.
This coffee shop is more than just the coffee they sell (although it’s delicious); it feels like a tiny escape from Toronto the moment you step through the doors.
The question almost every student in an arts or another creative program is asked when they reveal their degree; “What are you going to be able to do with that?”
You’re in your final year of university and I’m really proud of you for getting this far. Sometimes I feel like you don’t give yourself enough credit for everything you’ve accomplished over the past three and a half years.
I love the way you toss your hand out the window when you drive; / Careless and free, / feeling the rush of wind pass through the space between your fingers...
About a year and a half ago, I joined Sensual Heeling, a heels company founded by Kaela Faloon. It was through this company that I was able to tune into my sexuality more fully...
...it suddenly hit me that my fourth, and last, full year of university had been my least stressful and happiest year in post-secondary school yet—and I give all the credit to my cat.
We’re a generation that’s being defined by glass screens. Much like Erin’s delivery in his poem, we seem to be a society that is obsessed with capturing moments of our lives in a singular source of media.
Internships are most often paid in the STEM fields and have been so for years, while those in the creative sector get excused with having their work go by unpaid.
"We were passionate about womxn entrepreneurs and how they can empower a community, and knew we wanted to do something to inspire and connect more people with the same mindset."
The Common Mag team was asked to submit their favourite Toronto restaurants for this article, and they sure did deliver! There’s truly something for everyone...
This edition of the Common Mag Pantone Spread highlights the bright colours that were seen on the 2019 Spring/Summer Fashion Week runways from London to New York.
Do you find yourself with a jam-packed calendar and no end in sight? Do you have a mile long to-do list and a never ending “to read” or “to watch” list?
Just as my view of this holiday has changed over the years, my personal definition of what stands behind this day has also changed as it is continuing to change on the spectrum of radicalism with every year for every culture, country, and family.
To celebrate the upcoming International Women’s Day, we challenged our design team to create artwork that communicated their opinions of feminism, being a women, and overall values as female content creators.
We are worth so much more than the number we see on the scale; our weight is not measured in pounds, but in our abilities and what we love about ourselves.
In honour of International Women’s Day this Friday, let’s take a look at some feminist icons that everyone should be aware of for their work towards gender and political equality.
When Black History Month would roll around, I always felt uneasy. When both white and black people are saying that you're white you feel like you're in a wired limbo.
There’s a lot to be said for shopping local—supporting your community or values you can get behind, the intimacy of small-batched products, the overall sustainability aspect.
We have officially made it into the deepest depths of winter which means two things: a) and I can’t stress this enough, it’s nothing less than treacherous outside, and b) dressing for the weather has become next to impossible.
The topic of love is a heavy one, whether it’s romantic, familial, or platonic. That said, stories of love are incredible and somehow always manage to make us feel safe and hopeful.
The topic of self-love is a complicated one. For some, loving yourself is a part of everyday living, while for others it’s a little bit more of a task.
Despite temperatures dipping lower than -15 C, hundreds stood in the snow while speeches were given concerning intersectional feminism and government policies.
As of 2016, Indigenous children make up over 50% of Canada’s foster care system, despite the fact Indigenous people represent only 4.9% of Canada’s total population. Read that again.
I love tattoos. My arms, chest, and legs are a patchwork of different artists and styles, and each one tells a story about who I was at the time, or where I was.
When you’re a kid, the ultimate dream is to grow up as fast as humanly possible, because in the eyes of an 11-year-old, the benefits that adults reap seem endless...
I find I can usually enjoy a city much more when I’m living like a local: eating at all the cheap (but amazing) food spots, taking the transit rather than tour buses, and visiting places in the city that probably don’t show up on every top 10 attractions list.
In celebration of Pantone announcing their 2019 Colour of the Year, I wanted to challenge Common Mag’s designers with the opportunity to create something with the Living Coral colour palette in mind.
More and more women are being brought to light for their heroic feats and brilliance throughout history, and it is in this article where I want to shine the light on the trials of women who deserve to have their stories heard.
For the Winter edition of the Pantone Colour spread, I thought it would be fun to play with some rich, vibrant colours for a season in which everything is usually very dull.
Looking for a new book to read? The Common Mag team has got you covered! Check out our favourite books we’ve recommended to you and maybe you’ll find a new favourite too…
I first considered the idea of moving to Canada’s East Coast three years ago when my mom, sister, grandma, and I visited Nova Scotia at the end of summer.
Sometimes, you don’t want to listen to another boy-meets-girl-and-breaks-her-heart song (although sometimes you do because the beat is just so damn catchy). Instead you search for that rare gem of a girl-meets-girl-and-breaks-her-heart song...
One thing that you should probably know about me is that I love entertaining. Whether it’s getting friends together for a movie night, or a large group of people for a fun theme night, I love planning...
The notion of the “tortured artist” is a tale as old as time. It was Aristotle after all who said that “no great genius has ever existed without a strain of madness.”
This is the first installment in a series called ‘Confessions’, where I’ve asked people to anonymously submit their answers to personal or thought-provoking questions.
In his follow-up film to his Oscar-winning Moonlight, director Barry Jenkins brings us If Beale Street Could Talk—a dreamy, romantic drama that will immediately draw you in and capture your heart.
What’s it like to date as a queer femme? Dressing for yourself or others? What about sex?! What does the word “femme” represent? What is the history behind it, and what does it mean today?
With almost daily allegations of sexual harassment, rape, and unwanted attention, I can’t help but think these behaviours don’t just happen out of nowhere.
Skincare. It’s an intimidating topic, especially now that there are thousands of products on the market targeted towards concerns you didn’t even know you should have.
As I sit down to write this piece, I have just finished decorating my apartment for the Thanksgiving dinner I am co-hosting tomorrow. This will be my first ‘grown up’ dinner party...
Common Mag started as a passion project to create and design an online magazine run by women and non-binary people for everyone to enjoy. In celebration of our launch, we sat down to talk about our experiences bringing Common Mag to life.
It is a very special kind of rejection to be told repeatedly that you are not good enough—that someone else, a nameless, faceless, more perfect version of you was chosen instead.
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