Posts Categorized: Health and Wellness
Making Space for Healing Justice
This summer, URGE activists gathered in Cleveland, Ohio for the first ever Summer Camp. Activists from AL, GA, TX, KS, & OH came together, thanks to a coordinated field and DC staff who worked their magic to create an unforgettable experience. The goal behind Summer Camp was to provide time and space for activists to broaden their analysis of reproductive justice, learn how to incorporate this analysis, and learn creative avenues to utilize back on campus and within the community. Activists were able to build on skills new and familiar such as developing leadership, facilitation, direct action, and cultural organizing. For four days, we were joined by the incredible Harriet’s Apothecary, “a collective of Black cis women, Queer, Trans Healers, artists, health professionals, magicians, and activists” who teach radical healing… Read more »
Proposed Texas Viagra Bill Necessary for Men’s Safety
Texas Representative Jessica Farrar has introduced new legislation that will greatly protect the health and safety of Texas men seeking Viagra prescriptions. But her revolutionary bill does not go far enough to protect this vulnerable population. Texas House Bill 4260 would ensure that men seeking Viagra prescriptions undergo a rectal exam and sonogram at their first Viagra consultation and then wait at least 24 hours from the exam to their actual Viagra prescription. The law would further hold physicians accountable for telling their patients the truth about Viagra and non-procreative sex with “A Man’s Right to Know”. This informational booklet would be required with every Viagra consultation. While these governmental protections are great strides towards preserving men’s health, they do not do enough to protect Texas men from the perilous… Read more »
Stuck: Black Women And The Country That Hates Them
In December, I wrote a 12-page paper for a feminist theory class that analyzed the historically violent and parasitic relationship between black women (and those who identify as women or are perceived as women) and the United States. As I wrote the paper, I asked myself how all the black women before me were able to get through their lives knowing that they would continuously be disrespected and dehumanized by their own country. With each sentence I typed, I felt pain and stress thinking about how America has sucked the humanity from black women and still expects more. By the end I was physically and mentally exhausted. I am still exhausted. In the past week, I’ve read countless reports of black girls going missing in D.C. and their disappearances going… Read more »
Split: Unleash the Beast of Ableism
Split by M. Night Shyamalan has the following themes that are necessary of a trigger warning: kidnapping, self harm, gore, sexual abuse, physical abuse, violence, needles, and jumpscares. If you’re going to see this movie, beware of those aspects. I will be the first to say that I like M. Night Shyamalan. Even with a few horrible movies to his name, his best still stand on their own and will go down in film history. When I heard he was dabbling more in the horror genre with his movies, I could barely contain the excitement that my favorite types of movies were about to get a M. Night renaissance. I will also be the first to say that I hated this movie with every fiber of my being. The premise… Read more »
10 Ways to Practice Self-Care
These past weeks have been difficult for citizens who have witnessed the rise of white nationalism into the highest elected political offices in our nation, the continued legacy of police officers unjustly murdering black bodies, discriminatory legislation towards trans folks in Southern states, and the increased attacks towards communities who are different from white, cisgender, heterosexual, male communities. In these times, it’s easy to not practice self-care since we are fighting for existence in a society that wants to treat us like second-class individuals. Yet we have to remember that this is a war, and not a single battle. So to uplift and encourage your spirits, here’s 10 ways to smile through the hard times ahead. Treat Yo Self Give No Fucks Be Yourself 4. Vogue For Your Life 5…. Read more »
Let’s Talk About Fatphobia
Like many femmes, I have an interesting relationship with my body. I’m 5’9, and last time I checked, close to 200 pounds. I now wear size 16 jeans, and usually XL tops. I’m pretty sure my bra size is a 38 DD. Being tall, I feel as though a lot of people expect me to be super thin, and I’m not. I frequently have trouble fitting clothes at what I lovingly refer to as “White Girl Stores.” These stores include American Eagle, Forever 21, and other stores that I probably should not even be attempting to shop at because I’m 22 and about to enter the professional world. I like going to Ann Taylor and splurging on business shirts because that’s where they fit. I’ve lost many pairs of jeans… Read more »
We Need To Talk About The Maternal Mortality Rate In Texas
The Lone Star State is known for making legislative decisions that negatively impact reproductive health. From withdrawing Planned Parenthood from HIV testing programs, closing abortion providers , and cutting funding to health programs, the state has created unsafe atmosphere for reproductive health. Texans are dying of pregnancy-related ailments at a higher rate than the rest of the country and even most other industrialized countries. Black women in Texas account for 30% of maternal deaths and Hispanic women in Texas make up 31% of maternal deaths. The Texas legislature have used laws and policies to create a grim reality for women living in Texas. In rural regions of the state, Texans live without a nearby abortion provider and experience long waiting times at local health departments to receive medical treatment and services. Instead the state gives… Read more »
What I Learned from a Year of Celibacy
I was never taught to wait until marriage to have sex. My mother encouraged me to wait until I found the right person who I felt safe and secure with, and then I would know that I had found the one. Due to factors out of my control, I was not in control of my first sexual experience but when I found the right person in high school to have sex with, I felt safe and did not regret my decision. After my first time, I became enamored with sex. I thought about sex constantly, I was having sex consistently, and sex had become a part of my identity. My sexual identity began to change when I began attending a private Christian university in which sex was discouraged and… Read more »
Uncertainty is OKAY: On Gatekeeping & Transitioning
Growing up, I vaguely knew of trans people from their routinely featured roles on Jerry Springer, yet quickly became familiar with them through their public denigration, references, and comments leaving my family’s mouth unfiltered. It wasn’t until one of my many excursions across Youtube, desperately seeking advice on how to tell my family of my own truth, that I came across an FTM coming out video. Simultaneously amazed and perplexed, I continued watching these videos, convinced that my interest lay solely in learning their stories. A consistent theme in many of the coming out videos I watched was how seamless arriving at the decision to start hormone replacement therapy (hrt) was for them, though not always immediate, eventually feeling 100%, undoubtedly comfortable. I continued to watch these videos, hoping that something would spark the… Read more »
Sex as Self-Harm
The writer acknowledges that this topic is a sensitive subject. They would like to post a trigger warning for those triggered by mentions of self-harm. I’ve been chronically depressed since the age of 12. Which sounds ridiculously young, but that’s life. When my family made a drastic move from Michigan to Georgia, my once lively self became quiet and withdrawn. I was suddenly eating more than usual, hiding it from my family. After class I would spend time in my closet upstairs, holding my breath and thinking of ways to make growing up go by just a little bit faster. I didn’t wake up excited for what happened next, and I didn’t find the world full of endless possibilities. For me, living was just something I did. I had no… Read more »
