Today, on #LesbianVisibilityDay, I recall how I collected the courage to become authentic. It had been six years since I delicately disclosed to my teenage son that I was dating a woman for the very first time. But my surprise announcement was quickly eclipsed by his sardonic response. “Mom, I…
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The feeling of separation hurt me; I saw myself as capable, intelligent and equal, and that this odd leg should be a characteristic that was overlooked… To read more visit: Women’s eNews Women’s eNews is a partner of the ERA Coalition and the Fund for Women’s Equality. For more stories like…
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When we hear “women’s health,” we should picture everything from the food labels that warn us about the hidden, unhealthy. When you hear “women’s health,” your mind is likely drawn to maternal, sexual and reproductive health. But women’s health is shaped by so much more. It’s shaped by the environment they live in, the food…
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When a woman does not have control over her own body, she no longer has control over her own life. Abusers know this, which is why they want power over reproductive choice. As a human rights activist based in Austin, Texas, I’ve spent over a decade advocating for survivors of…
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He didn’t care about my consent. He didn’t care about my feelings. To him, I wasn’t a person worthy of respect. My name is Hannah Downing. I live in San Antonio, Texas. I just completed my senior year of high school. I was a drum major for my high school’s…
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When Kate Valente packed for college, she did not pack pepper spray. Although the lists she consulted online for female college students always included pepper spray or mace for walking around campus alone, she said to herself, “That was not something I was worried about… I feel safe here.” To…
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Under the pressure of protest and chaos, I calmly provided healthcare to a white police officer just shot by an African American suspect. I remained an astute professional when called a Jamaican b**ch while nursing an angry patient back to good health. And, I grew a friendship with the person…
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On September 1, the new Texas abortion ban went into effect. The law makes abortion illegal after six weeks. It allows for women, health care providers, and anyone "aiding and abetting" them in obtaining an abortion to be sued by any private citizen. The overwhelming sense of dread and indignation…
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Breakthrough VOICES Alicia Jamison grew up in Scottsdale, Arizona where she did not see many faces that looked like hers. She was one of five black people in her graduating class. Naturally, she faced adversity on a regular basis. She wrote “Black Girl Magic”, a spoken word poem, when she…
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Breakthrough VOICES Activist Jari Jones recreates Sylvia Rivera’s infamous “Y’all Better Quiet Down” speech from the 1973 Gay Pride Rally in New York City. https://youtu.be/jZRGooCtfxU Breakthrough is a partner of the ERA Coalition and the Fund for Women’s Equality. For more stories like these visit: Breakthrough
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