A Former Evangelical on Abortion
Why abortion arguments on both sides get it wrong, and why seeing each other’s intentions matters if we want to expand human sacredness to encompass all people.
Feminism
Why Intersectionality Matters In Ethical & Environmental Movements
Ethical Unicorn . Well, this week has certainly seen some interesting developments in the environmental community. Here’s a brief TLDR if you missed the online drama in the zero waste world: Package Free Shop, a zero waste shop run by Lauren Singer from Trash is for Tossers, stated on Instagram that anyone can go zero …
The Moral Wardrobe: Feminist Frump
Conrado; Tee – Elegantees; Sandals – Betula Last week, my friend Catherine sent me this tongue-in-cheek post about female frumpiness as a feminist statement: The dominant sensibility of femininity, which we will call Sexy Adult Woman (SAW), values flattering-ness, attractiveness above all else—pleasing the eye. In common parlance, “frump” is the defective result when a …
On Body Image + Personal Modesty
I wrote this piece 4 years ago for my friend’s blog on womanhood and rediscovered it recently via Facebook Memories. It still holds true, and I think it’s pertinent as we look toward another fashion season. I was steeped good and long in American evangelical culture, though not one that held too tightly to ideals …
What the Women’s March Taught Me
Before I went to the Women’s March, I have to admit I was scared. I did not grow up in an activist home. I grew up in a “hunker-down” home with monthly fire safety talks. I knew where the hand gun was and how to use it if an intruder threatened my life. I grew …
How to Prepare for the Women’s March on Washington
“Hear Our Voice” by Liza Donovan – Download here. I’m attending the Women’s March! #WhyIMarch Over the last several months, I’ve spent a lot of time stewing over the best way to make a difference in a country that has been and remains a threatening and degrading space for thousands of people. While local and …
On Trafficking, and Why I’m Participating in Dressember
One of this year’s Dressember Dresses produced in collaboration with Elegantees. If your Instagram feed is filled with social enterprises and fair trade bloggers like mine is, you’ve likely heard about Dressember. Founded in 2013 by Blythe Hill (I followed her personal style blog when I was in college), the Dressember Foundation is a fundraising …
The Problem with Telling Women and Girls to “Be Brave”
Don’t tell me to Be Brave, again, as if courage is instinct for half of us and Learned Behavior for XX chromosomes alone. As if my going out is not its own defiant act And my speaking: Bold, Direct is not akin to wielding the sword. Don’t tell me Courage is: holding my tongue and …
UVA, Greek Life, and Institutionalized Inequality
On Wednesday, Rolling Stone (the article is quite disturbing, so proceed with caution) published an exposé on the gang rape of an undergraduate student by fraternity members at the University of Virginia. Then the sh*t hit the fan: the frat house involved was vandalized on Wednesday night, professors organized protests, students organized a slutwalk, and the …