Posts Tagged: relationships
Dating Violence, LGBTQ Youth, & Reproductive Justice
Responding to dating violence among LGBTQ youth should be a reproductive justice priority. Not only do LGBTQ young people experience higher rates of relationship violence than their peers, they also face unique obstacles in trying to get help. These realities put young people’s sexual and reproductive health at risk. In standing up for youth health and rights, we need demand prevention efforts—including comprehensive sex education—that are LGBTQ-inclusive, respect young people’s relationships, and empower them with the information they need to make healthy and responsible decisions.
In Defense of Bossy Girls
Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook’s chief operating officer and the author of the famous Lean In, is calling for a ban on the word bossy. Sandberg argues that words are powerful and that the word bossy discourages girls from taking on leadership positions, ultimately holding them back long-term. I love the message this campaign sends to young women as well as those who help raise them. Words do matter, they are incredibly powerful, and the way they’re used when we’re growing up helps to shape the way we interact with the world around us. “Bossy” girls are often strong-willed and opinionated, two of my favorite attributes in any person and vital skills that we need in the workplace and in society.
Unwrapped: The Best Valentine’s Day Gift!
Chocolate, stuffed animals, and flowers might be nice, but nothing shows your affection like a big lubricated pack of condoms! In honor of February being National Condom Month, and with it being Valentine’s Day, what better way share the special day than with a pack of condoms. We’re always told to use protection because with no glove, there’s no love. However, not all of us were taught the important lessons of wrapping it up. Almost a decade ago, 87% of high schools taught abstinence as the most effective method to avoid pregnancy and HIV. Yeah, it makes sense that if you never have sex, you won’t be at risk of anything. Unfortunately, hormones don’t work that way and we eventually all grow up. There are still many states and schools promoting… Read more »
Creating Change: Finally Feeling “Queer Enough”
The language I use to describe how I identify my space within the LGBT community changes day to day. Sometimes I call myself bi, sometimes queer, sometimes fluid (and sometimes, after some free Planned Parenthood Suite Cocktails at Creating Change, Queer Princess). However, a constant is that my identity is a non-monosexual one—meaning I’m not just attracted to one sex and/or gender. And for a long time, in fact ever since I first got into queer politics and communities, I’ve often felt that I’m just not “queer enough.” Now, trust me—I am real queer here. Not that I should need to legitimize my queerness, but I’ve been attracted to/dated/slept with all kinds of people with kinds of bodies with all kinds of identities attached to their bodies: trans women, trans… Read more »
Olivia Pope Strong Powerful and Dependent : When can Women Truly be Independent?
I’m not much of a television buff simply because I usually never have the time to devote to it, but a show that has caught my attention and interest (thanks to my lovely roommate Drae) is Scandal. The premise of the show is based on a powerful woman, Olivia Pope, who is known through DC as “the fixer” because she fixes the problems that powerful people put themselves in. Olivia is intelligent, successful, and just a bad ass in general. That is, until she gets around her love interest in the series, the President Fitz, who is married. Olivia and Fitz had an affair throughout the entire campaign to the white house and seemingly fell in love, but through a lot of ups and downs they are always torn apart…. Read more »
Sugar Babies: Victims or Opportunists?
My school, The University of Central Florida is known for its size – 58,000 currently enrolled. But it’s becoming notorious for something else recently…sugar babies. For those of you that don’t know what sugar babies are, no we’re not talking about those tasty caramel movie candies. These types of sugar babies are young people, mostly female, that get their expenses paid for by older individuals – their “sugar daddies.” Why I decided to write about this now? Easy, UCF recently became the 4th fastest growing “sugar baby” school according to sign ups on a site called Seeking Arrangement. I wanted to know just how this site markets them and went on the startup page to see why people are so interested. The site claims to be one of the best at offering… Read more »
Taurus and The Pill
I was going to get on the Pill for you. That small white capsule of estrogen And progestin. I was going to love you only Above all other women Above all other men. I was going to call you my partner On Facebook and real life too. I was going to love you only The words I poetically blog here Are truer than true. We were going to be in love And practice safe sex night after night. But our arguments became rougher than our lovemaking. Our relationship became fight after fight. We were going to call ourselves Equal And prove to the stars that a Taurus and Aries together could last. Our relationship blossomed so magically slow And we ended it so very fast. I was going to get… Read more »
My Rights are Everyone’s Rights: Five Reasons Why Queers Should Give a Damn About Reproductive Justice
It’s a common question in LGBTQIA groups: Why hop on the reproductive justice bandwagon when I don’t need birth control? Homosexuals cannot even have kids. Remind me what this has to do with us again? Why is this our responsibility? As gender and sexual minorities (GSMs), we’re skeptical. I know I was. As humans, we are highly connected to one another’s oppression. We all have mothers, sisters, and female-identified friends whose rights to healthcare and liberty are constantly being challenged. Additionally, as LGBTQIA individuals, we have unique experiences with the way systems of oppression work. Knowing what we know alone is a call to action. To quote the feminist poet Emma Lazarus, “Until we are all free, we are none of us free.” We at Choice USA believe that reproductive justice… Read more »
