As a feminist, an activist, a parent of two boys, and a sexual health educator, I struggle with how to balance my sensibilities with my parenting style. And an issue that I am very connected to is rape culture. How does a parent compete with the constant assault of stereotypes and overwhelming sex-negative messaging in the media? Here are a few suggestions.

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Have you ever noticed how violent our language is? Even when we aren’t even talking about anything inherently violent itself? You’ve probably also noticed that that’s a lot of sexual violence. This language might seem unimportant or coincidental, but our language shapes the way we see our world. So how can every one of us work to stop using language derived from sexual violation?

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Generational violence is a huge normalizing factor, and challenging a youth’s parents, or at least their teachings, can be very difficult for some kids. Do I think we need to back off? No. Do I think we need to dumb it down? No. Do we need to acknowledge that violence is a foundational part of the lives of many young people? Absolutely. So how can you be a translator?

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With inaccurate media representations and the cultural stigma, there are a lot of misconceptions about people in the sex industry. We too often fail to see the complexity and diversity in who is engaged in commercial sex, why they’re doing it, and the degree of consent and coercion involved. These myths keep us from seeing this issue for what it really is. So let’s debunk them.

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This article was originally published on Wear Your Voice and republished here with the author’s permission. The other day as I was riding the subway, I saw an advertisement for a new television series centering on Natalee Holloway, the 18-year-old who disappeared when she was on a high school graduation to Aruba in May 2005. The case is…

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I knew dying my hair turquoise would draw some attention. Why else would I dye it such a bold colour? I like being different, I like standing out, and I like being unapologetic for who I am. But I didn’t expect it would attract the disgusted looks, unwanted photographs, and sheer hostility that it did.

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