You know where you’re going; make the rest easy for yourself! Image from psmag.com. I was road tripping to Salt Lake City, Utah recently, helping a friend move, and our…
A Multi-Colored World: Racism and How to Get Better
Sometimes the desire to be someone else is natural; sometimes it’s a result of oppression. Image from ayushveda.com. In the wake of several events — George Zimmerman’s acquittal and Nelson…
Equality for Whom? Reflecting on the State of Freedom
Erica reflects on the state of America’s freedoms on the occasion of its birthday. Image from huffingtonpost.com. I always get a little squicky when the Fourth of July rolls around…
Body Memories: What is Trauma?
Experiencing a fire can cause trauma. But what can help? Image from wildforestfires.com. If there’s one thing I hate, it’s somatic memory. It’s what makes your stomach ache, your throat…
3 Reasons Why Sir Patrick Stewart Is My Hero
Sir Patrick Stewart demands attention for a cause he cares about. Image from tv.msnbc.com. This man commands a lot of power. He’s a Shakespearean actor who’s earned international fame from…
The B-Word: Why we still use it, and why we should stop
“Bitch” has taken on countless meanings, but is it really a reflection of something deeper? Image from wallpapers.rs. I had one of Those Moments the other day, driving into work…
Sex for Pay and Other Controversies: Protection
As I begin this post I want to take a moment to thank all of the readers who have been commenting on this article series so far. I’ve been blown…
The Question of the Solo Female
There’s a theory in feminist philosophy that argues that the world and women have been conceptualized in relation to men. Simone de Beauvoir put it best when she said, “Man…
Rape Culture Explained
As someone who holds a degree in Women’s Studies, I’m often asked questions by people who want to learn more about feminism/feminists. With the recent media circus over the rape…
Sex for Pay and Other Controversies: Harm
A little while ago I began unpacking some of the controversies and conversations to be had when discussing human trafficking and sex work, including a widespread tendency to conflate the…
Faces of Domestic Violence
I’ve talked about intimate partner/domestic violence in this column before: It’s not simply a beating every now and then, but a pernicious pattern of brutal emotional and psychological assaults capable…
Sex for pay and other controversies: empowerment
I got a lot of feedback on my post about prostitution vs. human trafficking that requested I write a more elabourate series of articles to explore the themes I brought…
Staying Chill on the Road
Staying relaxed on the road isn’t always easy, even when you’re enjoying the best trip of your life. Language barriers, missed connections, and luggage snafus are all part and parcel…
With Distinctions
Recently, I was at a conference where an eloquent presenter was giving a talk about human trafficking. It’s a pretty big problem in Colorado, thanks to the I-25 corridor, lower…
Fat Lip
In February this year I had to have minor surgery on the inside of my lip. It really wasn’t a big deal- the whole procedure took about ten minutes- but…