By enakshi ganguly Now that the weather is getting cooler, I just want to go into hibernation. I’ve been sleeping a lot more and eating more warm foods like soup and chilli. This is me every winter. This year though, I want to be more active, more engaging with the weather. This is sweater weather. Cuddling weather. Clean-off-the-summer-dust-from-the-crockpot kind of …
Permission to Eat: Balancing Culture and Chronic Illness
By ena ganguly I was diagnosed with Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome, PCOS, when I was in high school. It’s a really common chronic illness that creates insulin resistance and sensitivity in the body, along with cysts in the ovaries, hair loss, and weight gain. I read and reread materials related to PCOS to see if I could control it somehow, …
Queering Reproductive Justice
By Dena Robinson Reproductive Justice, a concept created by black women, specifically by SisterSong, is defined as “the human right to maintain personal bodily autonomy, have children, not have children, and parent the children we have in safe and sustainable communities.” While indigenous women, women of color, black women, and trans individuals have always fought for reproductive justice, the term …
Imposter Syndrome
Imposter syndrome affects many people. However, marginalized communities can be especially susceptible to this these feelings. But what is imposter syndrome? Imposter syndrome is a term that was originally coined to define an individual’s fear of being exposed as a fraud despite evidence of their success, competence, or belonging. People experiencing imposter syndrome may feel like they have deceived or tricked …
QPOC and Dating
Dating can be complicated for many people, but especially for us as queer people of color (QPOC), for whom the process of meeting others to form uplifting and supportive relationships is complicated by the many intersections of our lives. The effects of racism, sexism, and other oppressions are highlighted and made glaringly apparent through dating and intimate encounters. …
Holiday Self Care
The holidays can oftentimes be difficult for many of us, with the season changing and possibly having to spend time with many different people, some of whom, we may not always be comfortable around. It is important, especially during these times, that we think intentionally about our health and self care. It is often easy to ignore or forget the …
ACA Open Enrollment is Here!
Open enrollment for Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans officially opened November 1st and people have until December 15th to enroll in one of the marketplace plans. This year, because of changes made to budget and politics in Congress, the open enrollment period is much shorter than it has been in past years. At the same time, the budget for advertising to let people know …
Preparing for, Coping with, and Radically Accepting Seasonal Affective Disorder
By Jae Lin The weather will continue to get cooler as fall turns into winter, and the sun will start to appear for fewer and fewer hours each day (here in the northern hemisphere). This seasonal change, for some, can mean pulling out the big coats, driving with mittens on, and turning on the fireplace. And for some of us, …
Family
Fast approaching are the gathering holidays. The times when many people come together to reconnect, eat and look to enjoy each other’s company. Around this time of year, and all year for many of us, there are many conversations about the importance of family. But what is family? And what does it mean to be part of a family? These are often difficult …
Coming Out
Yesterday was National Coming Out Day and there is a lot of debate about coming out and whether we should even have to or not. Some feel that we should not have to label or define ourselves. Some people find these labels helpful in expressing who they are to others and to themselves. And still, other people find the …
