Breaking Down the Desire to Be Thinner

People often talk about thinness, and the desire for thinness as a given. It’s so ingrained in our culture (thanks, $58.6 billion diet industry) that we don’t often ask the question “Why do you want to be thin?” What would being thin mean to you? I want to break apart some thinness myths. Let’s take a closer look at nine supposed benefits of being thin.

Read More

Coming Out: Why Language Barriers Suck

Coming out as trans* is hard enough without the added difficulty of a substantial language barrier. Check out this week’s video headline to hear Leo’s story of how he came out to the people in his life, including his close family members. Watch Leo impart advice and warnings about the rocky terrain of coming out to people who you can’t even communicate with.

Read More

How to Work through Personal Conflict in a Healthier Way

These days, little arguments usually simmer down, but that wasn’t always the case. The difference is how I behave when I’m in a quarrel. Here are a few things I’ve learned that allow me to prevent arguments from escalating, to keep myself from saying things that I later regret, and to maintain a good relationship with the person I’m frustrated with or hurt by.

Read More

9 Myths About Matriarchs

My friend Deborah calls herself a “matriarch,” and I like the label. It implies concern not just for your children, but for everyone’s children. It implies a sense of authority and confidence that commands respect. But before more of us can embrace the role of matriarch, it seems that we need to clear up a few misconceptions about what it means to be one.

Read More