Search results for: self love
4 Signs You’re Culturally Appropriating Buddhism – And Why It’s Important Not to
So you’re a fan of all things “zen” – but are you really hurting anyone by culturally appropriating Buddhism? Actually, yes – and here’s how.
Read More6 Must-Read Expert Perspectives That Destroy the War on Obesity
The individuals, companies, and media outlets responsible for the clamor of the War on Obesity would have us think about nothing more than the alleged “risks” of being fat. The last thing they want is for anyone to consider all the ways that the campaign has damaged the lives of fat people. Check out what six kickass fat activists have to say on the matter.
Read More5 Common Behaviors Cis Men May Not Realize Are Abusive (And How to Stop Them)
If you’re a cis man, you probably think of yourself as one of the “good guys.” But these abusive actions are more common than you may realize. Here’s how to change them.
Read More5 Questions I’ve Asked Myself About Disordered Eating That Have Helped Me Heal
If you have a complicated relationship with food like this author, you could probably use some reminders to disrupt your negative thoughts about your body. These questions might be able to help you challenge some toxic notions.
Read MoreSociopaths, Borderlines, and Psychotics: 3 Mental Illnesses We Must Stop Hating On
We need to talk about the most feared mental illnesses – the ones we tend not to empathize with. Here are some of the most commonly misunderstood mental illnesses, and how to think about them with compassion.
Read MoreFive Subtle Differences Between Diets and Anorexia
Contrary to popular belief, eating disorders are not diets. They’re a type of mental illness and is categorized by a loss of self-control and an inability to think and behave rationally towards food. And while poor body-image and diet culture are problematic, eating disorders take on a whole new level of dangerous. So we need to be able to pinpoint when the former develops into the latter.
Read MoreWhat Trichotillomania Is Like – And How I’ve Dealt With the Urge to Pull My Hair Out
“Why don’t you stop?” Have you heard of trichotillomania? This author’s story of living with the urge to pull out her hair really captures the vulnerability of this experience.
Read MoreWhy ‘Looking Like a Lesbian’ Isn’t an Insult (And How the Thought May Be a Reflection of Your Homophobia)
Why do so many straight girls think being seen as a lesbian is an insult? Unpacking the driving social forces behind the fear shows how we’ve been taught to cater to the male gaze. Here’s how to break the cycle, de-condition yourself from patriarchal beliefs about femininity, and eradicate lesbophobia and queerphobia among women. As long as you’re happy in your own skin, rock on.
Read MoreThe Whole Truth of Coming Out of the Closet – In Comic Form
“Coming out of the closet” is understanding of LGBTQIA+ experiences. But do you know about the many different meanings of being “out” for different people?
Read MoreWhy We Don’t Need #WhiteOutDay, White History Month, or a National Association for the Advancement of White People (Really, It’s Racist)
“Why is there no White History Month?” We’ve got to stop refocusing on the dominant group with questions like this, and here’s why.
Read More10 Misconceptions Every Trans Ally Needs to Understand
You may think you’ve got the basics down – but these myths are common even among well-meaning allies. So make sure you know the truth.
Read More8 Signs Your Yoga Practice Is Culturally Appropriated – And Why It Matters
You’re not trying to be hurtful with your yoga practice. But this guide shows how you can cause harm through cultural appropriation – and what to do instead.
Read MoreLabels: Empowering, Harmful, or Both?
Labels can be both useful and harmful — it depends on where and how we use those labels. Some people, however, advocate that we put labels to rest. They seem to think we’re perpetuating victimization and divisiveness. But here’s the thing: Labels don’t cause inequality. People do. This attitude just stands in the way of accountability and anti-oppression work.
Read More4 Myths About Police Brutality We Need To Stop Spreading Right Now
It’s happened again – a Black man, Walter Scott, gunned down by a police officer claiming self-defense. So we’re bound to have the same conversations again, asking: is police brutality about systemic racism or a few bad cops? Rather than going in circles with the same debates, we need to put some harmful, widely-believed myths to rest. Here’s the truth about police brutality.
Read MoreWhat Is Ageism and Why Should I Care?
Aside from all the merriment that “Over the Hill” jokes bring, something deeper is also allowing for everyone to see making fun of all of the stereotypes of older age as being necessary and perhaps the only way to “deal with” getting older. Which social and cultural condition makes this type of thinking possible? Well, not to put too fine a point on it: ageism.
Read MoreGrowing Up Asian and Unskinny – With the Pressure to Be Thin Nearly Taking Over My Life
Slenderness is assumed to be a given in East Asian culture – which made this author think she was defective. Here’s why she’s not suffering in silence, and how she’s learning that her body is worth loving.
Read More10 Things Every Intersectional Feminist Should Ask On a First Date
If you’re not going to support marginalized folks, then we can’t be friends, let alone date. The personal is political.
Read More7 Uplifting Lessons from Bree Newsome, Riley Curry, and Other 2015 Black Girl Heroes
Serena Williams, Miss Major Griffin-Gracy, Amandla Stenberg and more – Black women and girls have done incredible things this year. How will you apply these lessons to your life?
Read More6 Awful Things That Happen When We Think ‘Good’ People Can’t Be Rapists or Abusers
Whether they’re celebrities or people we know, we tend to believe “good” people are nothing like the “monsters” who rape and abuse. But here’s why we need to drop this idea – for survivors, for community, and for yourself.
Read MoreHow Stigma Against Queer Men’s Bodies Puts Us at Risk for Addiction, Violence, and Other Dangers
“From that day forward, I viewed my physical attraction to men as dangerous.” Physical intimacy between men is still marked as dirty and repulsive. Here’s the impact, including drug abuse and poor health – and how we can do better.
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