what’s going on here?
A Little Something Sweet is a newsletter for people who have abortions, like talking about feelings, and crave dessert (yes, there’s a lot of overlap there).
I’ve written about how evangelicals have abortions (even if they say they don’t), made a case for letting ourselves be misunderstood, investigated weird anti-abortion merch on Etsy, and written about using baking to process grief.
You’ll find recipes like sweet & salty cinnamon whipped brown butter (yes, a mouthful), hashbrown casserole (I am Midwestern), and vegan lemon raspberry cake.
You can expect regular round-ups of anonymously submitted secrets & sparkles. Secrets are the shadowy things that we want to share but might be tempted to hide because of shame/fear/social obligations, and sparkles are the things that make you feel most alive - little moments of joy/satisfaction/contentment that you wish you could bottle up). Examples include: my ex unfollowed me on LinkedIn, a stranger silently shared her umbrella with me on my walk to the train, and I got my dream job and realized I don’t want it.
Oh, and then there’s Rom Coms Revisited - your fave 90s-2010s-ish movies revisited through a feminist lens. Start with a close reading of The Wedding Date, an unintended villain in 10 Things I Hate About You: the nice guy trope, or the expert level mind games of How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days.
If any or all of this sounds good to you:
about Becca
Hi there! I’m Becca Rea-Tucker, but you might know me as The Sweet Feminist. I spend most of my time focusing on two things: pro-abortion advocacy and baking. I truly believe that passion doesn’t have to be constrained to a single topic. My work combines unconditional and unapologetic support for people who have abortions with a deep respect for the complexity of navigating our feelings. My writing shines a warm light on the experience of being human, combined with an honest refusal to soften my messaging. I’m motivated by curiosity, creativity, and empathy. I like to help people feel seen. And I’m always (always) working on my next cookie recipe.
I wrote a choose-your-own-adventure cookbook BAKING BY FEEL which utilizes the process of baking to process whatever emotions you may be feeling that day. Baking/cooking are great activities for emotional processing because you’re doing something tactile and engaging with all of your senses. Long story short: this helps you get out of your head/get out of your own way. It’s a self-care cookbook to satisfy your sweet tooth and nourish your soul.
I live in Austin, Texas with my husband Rhys, very cute new baby, and very good/bad dog Otie.
even more about me
Feminist published an author feature, and I was the cover profile for the first edition of Food Activist Mag. 34th Street asked, Can Cakes and Sweaters Enact Political Change?. The answer is yes - it’s impossible to separate my baking from my feminism. Vogue Spain describes me as “the baker who fights against the patriarchy with beautiful cakes that you will want to make at home”. To really hammer it home: This Righteous Cake Baker is Feminist as Fuck. Literary Hub asked, Is Revenge-Baking a Thing? (it is). Cosmopolitan went ahead and asserted that Sad Baking Is a Thing, alongside my Chocolate Olive Oil Cake recipe. BookPage highlighted an important aspect of my work - comfort - by including Baking By Feel in a round up of 4 cookbooks filled to the brim with comfort. Speaking of comfort (& joy), Book Riot named it one of the Best New Baking Cookbooks For Holiday Gifting. My work is accessible whether you’re in a good mood or not, and Stylist featured 3 cookie recipes to turn to when you’re feeling a bit meh. Oxford Review of Books told readers “Becca Rea-Tucker wants you to feel your feelings. Then she wants you to eat them”. Delish named Baking By Feel one of The 12 Best Cookbooks Of 2022.
I like: snow, destigmatizing abortion, yellow cake with chocolate frosting, paper towels, anything with coconut in it
I dislike: fake clinics, raisins
and finally:
if you need help accessing abortion care, click here or here!
