lgbtqia
LGBTQIA issues are fundamentally aligned with feminist ones; gender heteronormativity is dead.
Day 22 of My 40 Day Fast: Sexual Orientation Begins in the Womb
Twenty one days was the longest fast I’d done. Now that I’ve entered day 22, I have ventured into uncharted territory. It will be interesting to see what happens with my body from here. I’m waiting for the sour taste on my tongue to clear out. I glide my toothbrush gently over my tongue throughout the day to get rid of it. I read that when it goes away it’s an indication that autophagy has completed. You can read why I’m fasting by clicking on the story below.
By Neelam Sharmaabout a year ago in Viva
Being A Woman (Sorta)
My body is never my own. It is the body of every woman who has ever had any rude comment to me to make herself feel better about her man staring at me wanting to get my number. I only wanted to tell her, "Hey, I'm not your enemy here". But would that ever make a difference?
By Angel Adagio2 years ago in Viva
Review of The Mother of the Bride: Climax clichés and gorgeous settings mask a generic plot.
Review of The Mother of the Bride: Climax clichés and gorgeous settings mask a generic plot. Ever wanting to escape in the picturesque beauties of nature while aimlessly wandering in the darkness with no mobile phone or a torch, sounds like a morbid plan without thoughtful execution behind it. While it is a celebratory year as this year is marked as a renewal of the cherish of romantic comedies with movies like Anyone But You, Idea of You, Players and many more, Netflix's most recent romantic comedy released in the week of Mother’s day, The Mother of the Bride tries to sell the second chance romance in the exotic location of Phuket, Thailand, yet its formulaic plot and half baked characteristic execution makes it dull and cliched. Let's dive deeper into the nuances of the plot.
By Hridya Sharma2 years ago in Viva
The detrimental impact of aesthetic norms on emotional wellness
What are beauty standards and where do they stem from? Beauty standards are cultural beliefs that influence social power and dictate how individuals should look to be socially accepted. These standards encompass physical features like facial appearance, skin, and body shape, and can be either innate or alterable. Terms like "attractive," "pretty," and "good looking" are used to describe adherence to these standards. It can be challenging to determine which features can be changed and which cannot. Not conforming to societal beauty standards by refusing to alter one's appearance is often viewed as a moral failure. For instance, wearing makeup is not a natural or biological choice, but rather influenced by current trends.
By Hridya Sharma2 years ago in Viva
Highlights From the 2024 National Sex Ed Conference
Each year, the National Sex Ed Conference marks a significant highlight for me—a vibrant confluence where educators, advocates, and professionals from across the United States converge to exchange knowledge, inspire each other, and foster a community dedicated to advancing sexual health education.
By Bill Taverner2 years ago in Viva
VOICES of Survivors
Over the past few months, I have been invited to join a wonderful group. This group is small in my area right now and we only meet once every two months but this is a National group that has been established since 2002 and it just keeps growing. This group's name as you've probably already gathered by the title of this is VOICES. We are a group comprised of men and women who are domestic violence survivors. Our group leader is Ms. Penny Hensley and she works very closely with our local law enforcement, our ADA's, our victim witness coordinators, WRAP(which is another wonderful service), and other agencies I'm sure I'm forgetting. The goal is to create a Family Safety Center so women, men, and children who are victims can go there for shelter and initiate any legal proceedings they may need/want to start during a domestic violence situation. Also, so they can have any questions they may have answered. Ultimately, we want you to feel safe, secure, and like you just received a hug at a time when your world is shaken. The first VOICES group started in San Diego, California in 2002 where the first members served as an advisory committee for the San Diego Family Justice Center. (https://familysafetycenter.org/voices/) You see, from the very beginning, we have been a group of people who want to make our VOICES heard. At one point or perhaps multiple points in each of our lives, our voices were silenced and this group, VOICES is about taking that back. This is about making people aware of not only abuse and its presence but also breaking down the barriers. There are so many stigmas around what a woman should take from a man because she needs to "obey her husband" as stated in the Bible, stigmas concerning whether or not a man can be a victim of domestic violence, stigmas even concerning how a victim should act after the fact(should she/he be quiet and not say anything or is telling people okay?), stigmas on therapy and how this can impact a person's mental health, etc. I could seriously go on and on. It is deeply troubling how we as a society victim shame and blame and then we wonder why these women keep going back to the violence or making excuses for their abusers or why a man is statistically far less likely to report D.V. than a woman. "Half of male victims (49%) fail to tell anyone they are a victim of domestic abuse and are two and a half times less likely to tell anyone than female victims (19%)." This quote from (https://mankind.org.uk/statistics/statistics-on-male-victims-of-domestic-abuse/). It is sad that we as a society(and yes I'm throwing myself under the bus here too) have taught women to be subservient to the point they could die or be raped multiple times and men that they have to be so macho that they need to suppress their feelings to the point it doesn't matter if they get beaten on? I'm sorry society and mankind as a whole but this is not ok! And honestly, this is why I'm still mad. I'm mad at myself, mad at society as a whole, mad at every abuser that ever was or will be and I'm mad at who hurt that abuser to make that woman/man into an abuser because typically every abuser starts as a victim first. So, let's turn things around gradually and step by step because we have to do better and be better and this is what VOICES is all about.
By Lindsey Altom2 years ago in Viva
'Traditional Ghanaian Family Values' Apparently Means Rape, Beat, Kill, Cheat As Far As Women & Girls Matter But Kill The Gays. Content Warning.
Friday, 9 February 2024 By: TB Obwoge On Friday, 5 2024, Ghana's Parliament approved a measure that would jail so-called LGTBQI supporters for 3 to 5 years.
By IwriteMywrongs2 years ago in Viva
From Ghana to USA Already Another Deadly Year As Ghanian Men Murder & Rape Women And Children; Government & Religious Leaders Fight Over Dirty Sex Toys & Homosexuals . Content Warning.
Tuesday, 11 January 2024 By: TB Obwoge Whelp here we go again, after having a very deadly December in Ghana, where 4 people were murdered, 3 of whom were living in the United States visiting family in Ghana for the holidays.
By IwriteMywrongs2 years ago in Viva
**Exploring the Cosmos of Imagination: Top 5 Science Fiction Books** . Content Warning.
Science fiction, often regarded as the genre of boundless imagination, has the power to transport readers to worlds beyond our own, where technology, space, and the human spirit collide in fascinating and often mind-bending ways. In this article, we embark on an interstellar journey through the Top 5 science fiction books that have enthralled readers and expanded our understanding of the universe.
By Nexus Narrator2 years ago in Viva
Beyond the Binary
The playing field of sports, a microcosm of society, has always been a battleground for equality and inclusion. Yet, one of the most complex and contentious issues it grapples with today is the inclusion of transgender athletes. Critics express concerns about potential physiological advantages, the implications of hormone therapy, the effect on cisgender women's participation, and the need for comprehensive scientific research. This essay aims to dissect these contentious points and evaluate proposed resolutions, from the formation of a distinct gender category to the reconsideration of existing eligibility criteria.
By Mohammad Barbati2 years ago in Viva
