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I haven’t written on Amplify in a while. It’s been so long, in fact, that I had trouble figuring out how to actually post a new blog post. But I have something important I’d like to say:
There is too much hate. And David Kato was killed from it.
There have been several blog posts (particularly here on Amplify) about the anti-gay sentiment in Uganda, a country which has welcomed controversial homophobic legislation. In Uganda, there was a "report" published that listed the names, pictures, and address of 100 gay citizens, …
Ernesto Dominguez got it right when he wrote:
We may not understand the impact of our words, but it is clear that these words push folk away…
He goes on to write that when we use hate speech to degrade those who are HIV positive, we add to the social stigma that comes along with having HIV. And as a result? People don’t get tested. They think that going to get tested means that they “sleep around”, or that they’re “slutty”.
I haven’t blogged on Amplify in a while (way too long!) but I’m proud to say I am BACK and with an AWESOME story for you all!
I recently came back from San Antonio where I and several other of my colleagues, plus Sarah (shout out to Advocates for Youth!) conducted a workshop called "Let’s Talk About Sex". The turnout was simply great: there were over 60 (I almost want to say perhaps over 70) participants. The number of people who showed up is important for a few reasons: it provided us with an understanding of how many …
A recent study that included over 400 guys ages 18 to 67 found that many men refuse to wear condoms because they don’t fit right. Some men claim the condom often breaks, so they opt not to wear one at all. Others claim the condom is too big, and their egos wont allow them to buy a "small" or a "medium" at their nearest pharmacy.
Well, that’s a problem. And here’s why:
1) The fact that the condom might break shouldn’t deter men from wearing one and protecting themselves. …
“Marriage eludes high achieving black women"
What does that headline say to you? Before I delve into the article itself, let’s explore the implications this headline has to offer: either marriage discriminates, or high achieving black women aren’t getting married.
I’ll go with the latter.
Even when I asked my boyfriend what he thought the headline meant, he said "[The headline implies that] marriage is hard for successful black women." So, before I even read the article, I had this preconceived notion that this was going to be based …
Their body language led me to
…
…
The child’s case recently came to light when her parents met with a leader of the Omaha Catholic Archdiocese to talk about transitioning the student into…
Wayne Anthony Ross, the most controversial, divisive, polarizing man possible to have been selected to be Alaska’s attorney general had a few interesting things to say this week. He always seems to have interesting things to say, and each time the gaffes just pile up. It’s interesting….
Take for example the "Lima Beans" story.
Representative Lindsey Holmes asked Ross how he would view cases involving homosexuality, you know…him thinking they’re “degenerates” and all, and writing it in the Alaska Bar Newsletter. Ross responded:
“Let me give you an analogy.
…
According to the woman in the article:
When Greg walked in the door that evening, late…
Still however, I was bothered that all the specimens were male, with the exception of the reproductive exhibit, where there was one female
…
Even at the low point in…
Possession of marijuana. That’s a pretty plausible reason to get apprehended for, eh? Now…what about "possession of contraception"? Yeah….arrest me for having condoms.
Last friday, about 12 people got arrested for having weed in their lockers. Now, my first reaction to hearing this was "ahahhahahaha ROFL lol LMAO." While that may have not been the most mature reaction, it came naturally. The school administration then felt it would make perfect sense to raid everyone’s locker, to ensure there are no illegal substances/weapons in there. I have many many condoms in my locker …
During school my friend and I got into a very heated discussion about abortion. My friend, whom I did not know was a fervent social conservative, got relatively angry. Whoops! The conversation went somewhat like this:
Me: Ultimately, the fight to rearticulate reproductive justice will rest with us liberals. After all, conservatives like Rush Limbaugh and Jerome Corsi are far too busy promoting hateful rhetoric and referring to us as “baby killers.” Indeed, for a group that cares a great deal about the sanctity of life, anti-choicers have repeatedly opposed comprehensive
…
Hey y’all.
This is more of a news post rather than a blog. I got an email from the Spiritual Youth for Reproductive Freedom. It reads as follows:
We’re announcing a very special project to let the world (or maybe just a few key decision makers) know that young people of faith support comprehensive sex education.
To participate in our little online jaunt, do the following:
1. Take a picture of yourself holding a sign that says "I AM [INSERT FAITH TRADITION or the word SPIRITUAL or AGNOSTIC] AND I
…
Two days ago, my friend and I were talking about something that happened a few years ago: a men’s group sued a women’s shelter for discrimination. I couldn’t believe it. I did my research, and to my dismay, it was true.
It’s outrageous, but it happened: ten emergency shelter organizations in Southern California have been sued by individuals affiliated with the National Coalition of Free Men. The lawsuit alleged that these ten organizations engage in unlawful gender discrimination by not allowing men into their shelters for battered women and children. As a …
The women said their mission was to go bar-hopping on February 14 and send hundreds of pink knickers to Sri Ram Sena, the militant Hindu group that has said pubs…
Why is this important? It’s important because California voted to get rid of marriage rights for our community. It’s important because 29 other states have done the same. It’s important because LGBT people get fired from their jobs just for being who they are, kids get beat up in school for…
This is what TV advertising aimed at men looks like: Two fetching young women, sitting in an outdoor cafe, begin to argue about the merits of Miller Lite beer. The argument quickly escalates into a hair-pulling, clothes-ripping brawl. The women, now half-naked, tumble into a fountain, then somehow wind up rolling around together in wet cement. The naughty male fantasy concludes with one saying to the other, "Let’s make out!"
And this is what it looks like aimed at women: A beautiful young woman is getting married and asks …
How many times have your parents questioned you about your sex life? How many times have they gotten worried about you engaging in risky sexual behavior?
While several factors can send a woman swooning, including big brains and brawn, body odor can be critical in the final decision, the researchers say. That’s because beneath a woman’s flowery fragrance or a guy’s musk the body sends out aromatic molecules that indicate…
Legal experts suggested the ruling had left…
Tell me something: what does being a “cougar” mean? When my friend and I were discussing how older people tend to be more attracted to younger people, we began a discussion about cougars and men. According to the heavily reliable urbandictionary.com, a cougar is “an older woman who frequents clubs in order to score with a much younger man.”
But the word “cougar” has numerous negative connotations with it. Take, for example, the fact that cougar is often times associated with the huge ferocious and vicious cat (duh). I …
Hear me out…
Although I personally believe Obama made the move to please …
It all started last year when I began contemplating getting a tattoo. I wanted a gavel with the venus sign in it. My friend later told me that people would question my heterosexuality and that every man would find themselves intimidated by my feminist ink. Uh…does my sexuality truly concern anyone? …
I wake up, go to school, walk home, and head to work. On my way to work, I stop at my local drugstore, CVS. Being the healthy eater that I am, I get a coke, original Sunchips, and MAYBE some vanilla Oreos—if I’m feeling daring. For many years CVS remained one of my best friends…until two days ago, when I found out that CVS locks up condoms in underrepresented communities. You heard me. In predominantly Black/Latino communities, otherwise known as “the hood”, CVS will lock up its condoms—the …
At Fair Lawn High School in Fair Lawn, NJ, a freshman was raped by a senior last week.
As a student at Fair Lawn High School, I have to express my disappointment in one form or another. Fortunately, the young woman is now safe and pressing charges against the senior guy. Aside from the legal issue of the situation, however, there is a social issue that we must deal with: there is the occassional ignorant person who comes along the road and says, "well, she shouldn’t be wearing those short skirts."…
Two things:
A recent report by Bradley Hasbro Children’s Research Center has announced that more and more teens are engaging in anal sex–"particularly those who have recently had unprotected vaginal sex." Let’s speculate this, shall we?
Being a high school student myself, I hear young people discuss their personal sexual encounters a lot. They tend to think that by having anal sex, they can avoid the "what if’s" that are often times associated with unprotected vaginal sex. …
I recently read an article about an HIV outbreak at Normany High School in St Louis, Missouri. Before I begin, I’d like to state that my sympathy goes out to all of the HIV positive students.
Apparently, the superintendant of the district sent letters to all parents, informing them of the HIV outbreak in their child’s high school. The district is also offering free and confidential HIV testing. 97% of the students opted to get tested and the results will be coming sometime this week.
What angers me, however, is this:
As…
I just got back home from co-facilitating the Girl Scouts National Conference with Sarah Audelo, Trina Scott, and my sister, Amy. There were 1,300 girl scouts from across the country; all of these young women were so empowered and they gave off such a positive vibe.
I helped out with several workshops including HIV Advocacy and Keepin’ It Real. The Keepin’ It Real workshop revolved around healthy vs. unhealthy relationships. It focused on the 5 characteristics tha truly define a healthy relationship: RESPECT, RESPONSIBILITY, LABOR, CARING, and UNDERSTANDING. I was definitely surprised …
Okay youngin’s,
Listen to this one: I went to several health classes last week and taught the freshman and sophomores about safe sex and HIV prevention. In fact, a lot of students were interested in what I had to say–primarily because there weren’t any adults in the room. The health teachers reviewed what I planned to do, and they agreed to step out of the room. They agreed to allow me to answer questions the students might have. The students would have never asked questions if they knew the teacher would …
During the past few months, I’ve experienced feelings of shame, disgrace, and uneasiness. I cried every morning for the little girl that I lost by the minute. You see, I’m recovering from an abusive relationship. Although I do have a stronger sense of realization, I am incredibly shameful to have spent a year and a half with a guy who I barely knew. But, aside from my personal experience, I want to ensure that no young woman goes through what I went through.
So this is my calling for all high school age …
After having attended the Urban Retreat this past weekend, I must thank Advocates for Youth for all the progressive work they have committed themselves to. As a high school organizer, I’m really excited to work with you all this year, and I’ve already begun planning a PTO meeting!
So, a big thank you to AFY and know that you’ve got my support! AFY carries a huge impact on youth through out the country–an impact too large to describe. I was looking at all the resources you’ve provided me this past weekend, and I feel …
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