“Put Your Money Where Your Life Is” — Gaia’s Market & Refillery in Homewood
Rebellious Magazine for Women has been encouraging readers to shop local, shop small and shop feminist since our first Rebellious Gift Guide in 2016. Every year, it feels ever more vital to support the businesses that strengthen our communities and align to our values.
This sign in Gaia’s Market & Refillery, a locally owned, eco-friendly, low-waste market in south suburban Homewood, struck me as the perfect way to approach shopping this holiday season. Instead of sending your hard-earned cash to corporations that decidedly don’t have our best interests at heart, let’s invest where our hearts are — close to home.
I’ll let Cultural Education Editor Michelle Duster explain more about empowering shopping this season.
We hope you enjoy our picks as much as we enjoyed putting them together. — Founder Karen Hawkins
Support Women-Created and Women-Owned as a Form of Self-Determination
As the federal government dismantles women’s access to health care, blocks funding for businesses in their anti-DEI campaign, eliminates employment in areas dominated by women, and makes it harder to afford everything, we can fight back with our energy and dollars. Now more than ever is the time for women to take care of ourselves and uplift each other. There are millions of women-owned businesses including restaurants. Some sell physical products such as food, cakes from places like Brown Sugar Bakery, clothing, jewelry and more. Some provide services like legal, accounting, consulting, caregiving, cleaning, and repair that help us build and grow.
When thinking of unique gifts, we can consider self-care gifts like spa certificates for places like Bettye O Day Spa, as well as those that also educate, inspire and nourish our souls. We can support female authors, artists, playwrights, performers, and curators. Buy their work, get tickets to see their work. Consider buying tickets to a play at a woman-owned venue like Black Ensemble Theater or to a woman-centered play like Suffs which is on a national tour and will be in Chicago in July. Support galleries, concerts, plays, and dance performances.
Women are involved in every profession, every industry, at every level. And have almost always worked with less financing, less space, less assistance, less support. In fact, although mighty, the majority of women-owned businesses employ less than ten people. According to National Women’s Business Council, 39 percent of businesses are women-owned, employ nine percent of the workforce, and generate $3 trillion or six percent of the revenue.
Despite being small in size, many Chicago local businesses can and will thrive with our support. Many have started and built independent of government funding, traditional financing, and benefits of long-standing networks. Women have created, innovated and navigated to create opportunities for their families and communities. Bring joy to someone while also supporting these business women who have taken a leap of faith and started something on their own, doing it their own way. — Cultural Education Editor Michelle Duster
Rock On and Read On
One of my favorite gifts to both give and receive is a great book. If you are looking for the perfect present for the Rebellious music fan in your life, Chicago’s own Selena Fragassi (Chicago Sun-Times, SPIN, etc.) has published not one, not two, but three rockin’ reads in 2025.
At the top of the list is Alanis: Thirty Years of Jagged Little Pill. This book provides a breakdown of every track on Alanis Morissette’s iconic 1995 album along with interviews, photos, and much more. This is a must-have for anyone who has ever sung “Ironic” at the top of their lungs.
If you are shopping for more of a grunge fan, Pearl Jam Live! 35 Years of Legendary Music and Revolutionary Shows is a fascinating look at the legendary live performances of Eddie Vedder and company complete with gorgeous photos from the rockers’ over-30-year career. This one gets bonus points for its pitch perfect forward penned by Local H’s Scott Lucas.
And for younger readers, Fragassi wrote Sabrina Carpenter: A Vibrant Journey Through the Career and Influence of a Pop Princess as part of The Quarto Group’s Fierce and Fearless series. Rock on and read on this holiday season! — Entertainment Editor Laurie Fanelli
Happy Holidogs
Canines can celebrate seasons eatings with Trot Pets all-new Snack Tray ($29.99). Created to keep pups of all ages intrigued, occupied and entertained for hours, this durable dish makes treat time festive and fun. Available in ten distinct colors (from olive green to harvest red), the easy-to-use silicone tray is dishwasher safe and freezer friendly. Add a matching Trot Single Bowl Mat ($34.99) to ensure the dish remains securely in place on the floor. For extra pizazz, top this gift set off with a Rebellious Magazine Bandana ($16.99). Designed for sartorial dogs, the garment is one hundred percent cotton twill and one thousand percent stylish! — Arts & Culture Editor Janet Arvia
Hark! The Herald Divas Sing
Often, the contributions women make to the global economy are overlooked or dismissed as invisible labor. But Economics Professor Misty L. Heggeness sets the record straight with her new book “Swiftynomics: How Women Mastermind and Redefine Our Economy” (2026). Available on Amazon ($25.50+) from University of California Press, Heggeness assesses the complex economic lives of everyday American women through the success stories of groundbreakers such as Taylor Swift and Beyoncé to expose the previously unexamined value the female workforce creates despite the barriers they still face. “Swiftynomics” helps women affect a more equitable future for a prosperous and happy new year! — Arts & Culture Editor Janet Arvia
Two of Our Feminist Faves
Women & Children First bookstore
“Women & Children First believes in the transformative power of literature. As intersectional trans-inclusive feminists, we believe books are tools for liberation. Since 1979, we have celebrated and amplified underrepresented voices.”
Early to Bed
“Chicago’s feminist sex toy shop specializing in high-quality, body-safe pleasure toys, and gender expression gear to help enhance your sex life.”
It’s Your So-Called Life . . . Let’s Make the Best of It
I’m closing out this year’s gift guide with an invitation to try out life coaching or leadership coaching . . . with me!
I recently launched Your So-Called Life Coaching, a practice where I’m loving working with:
🔥 Folks who have personal or professional goals they’re looking to make progress on
🔥 Leaders, particularly people from groups that are underrepresented in leadership, who want to strengthen their relationships with their teams, colleagues or bosses
🔥 Anyone at a crossroads in their lives, personally or professionally
🔥 My sandwich generation homies because, say it with me: Nobody puts baby in a samich
🔥 Journalists and newsrooms looking for help setting strategy and/or how to people better
If that’s you or someone you know, give the gift of a free, 60-minute coaching demo. Drop me a line here! — Rebellious Founder and Coach Karen Hawkins
