Tag: The Conversation

The NRA apparently thinks doctors who treat gunshot wounds shouldn’t have opinions about guns. Looking at the NRA’s Twitter feed after a mass shooting is a fascinating exercise. One might at least expect some “thoughts and prayers” after a gunman walks into a bar and kills 12 people with a gun, but there’s no mention of the Thousand Oaks shooting incident at all. Nada. Zilch. There is, however, a mind-blowing bungle of a tweet from the day before the shooting addressing doctors who advocate for gun control legislation. “Someone should…

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via Gage Skidmore/Flickr The original sin of the Trump presidency was  in the speech he made announcing his candidacy. “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best,” he said in front of a crowd of paid supporters. “They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.” While racist dog whistles aren’t new to conservative politicians, Trump had no problem saying the quiet part out loud and 60 million Americans thanked him for it by voting for him to be president. Multiple studies…

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Earlier this week, the Trump Administration announced plans to narrowly define gender. The announcement sent shock waves across the country. After so much progress in recent years for transgender and non-binary people, this was an unscientific and insulting setback that seems squarely rooted in scoring cruel, political points rather than in any cohesive policies or principles. Enter Lady Gaga. Still glowing from her breakout performance in “A Star is Born,” the singer/actress has become a reliably admirable voice on social issues. Gaga is a uniter not a divider, but she’s…

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If you’ve ever wondered what people mean when they refer to “mansplaining,” this exchange illustrates it perfectly. Hilary Jerome Scarsella took to Facebook recently to describe an encounter she had with two men in an airport. Scarsella, who holds two Master’s degrees and is completing her PhD in Theological Studies at Vanderbilt University, researches the intersections of religion, trauma, and gender-based violence. She was on her way home after speaking at a conference. As Scarsella waited for her flight, sitting near a male colleague who had also spoken at the…

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Twitter If you were on Twitter on Monday you may have seen an incredibly popular meme going around mocking supporters of the #HimToo movement, which claims that men have stopped dating out of fear of facing a false accusation of sexual misconduct in the #MeToo era. Yes, it’s as ridiculous as it sounds. One tweet in particular went viral after a Mom posted this (since deleted) message to her account, claiming that her proud Navy son was a victim of the women’s rights cultural movement: “This is MY son. He…

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BrettKavanaugh.com America may be stuck with Brett Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court but one group is brilliantly using his name to support sexual assault survivors. If you type in the url BrettKavanaugh.com you will be directed to a site full of resources, information and links produced to assist assault survivors. A message on the site reads: The start of Brett Kavanaugh’s tenure on the Supreme Court may look like a victory for one interest group or another. But, more importantly, it is putting a national focus on the issue of…

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“A Scary Time” by Lynzy Lab I can’t walk to my car late at night while on the phone I can’t open up my windows when I’m home alone I can’t go to a bar without a chaperone And I can’t wear a mini skirt if its the only one i own I can’t use public transportation after 7 pm I can’t be brutally honest when you slide into my DMs I can’t go to the club just to dance with my friends And i can’t ever leave my drink…

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via Jorge Figueroa/Flickr Six years ago, Dr. Savita Halappanavar died in an Irish hospital from a septic miscarriage after being denied an abortion. But her death would not be in vain. It would go on to inspire a generational change in the country that led to the legalization of abortion. Back in 1982, Irish voters approved the Eighth Amendment which gave an unborn fetus the same protection as its mother, making it nearly impossible for women to have an abortion. So when Dr. Savita Halappanavar was admitted to the hospital…

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Brett Kavanaugh claims he has no memory of Christine Blasey Ford. Furthermore, he “never did anything remotely resembling what Dr. Ford describes.” To her. Or to anyone. Either he is lying. Or he is telling the truth. Throughout today’s hearing, I noted Dr. Ford’s repeated attempts to reign in emotion (she didn’t always succeed.) Judge Kavanaugh, on the other hand, with his fiery pulpit delivery – broken only by sniffs and warbles – unleashed his emotion with abandon. I have little doubt their feelings are sincere. But it’s important to…

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Photo by George Frey/Getty Images. McKenna Denson walked into a Mormon church to face the man she says raped her. Church officials literally tried to pull her away from the microphone but her story is being heard. In 1984, McKenna Denson says she was raped by a man named Joseph L. Bishop, who worked for the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah. This year she filed a suit in federal court over the alleged assault but has reportedly faced a stiff wall of opposition from church officials. So, in early…

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Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images. Geoffrey Owens is having a whirlwind moment he never dreamed of. In just a few weeks, the former “Cosby Show” star has gone from a victim of online bullying to a compassionate human being helping other artists in need. It all started when a stranger photographed Owens working at a local Trader Joe’s grocery store. Outrage over the mistreatment of Owens, and fascination over how a “successful” actor could end up in such an average job captured the attention of countless people around the world.…

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The 2018 midterm elections are rapidly approaching, and many — especially first-time voters — believe that they will make an impact on our government. After the devastating Parkland, Florida shooting in February, young people came out in droves to protest America’s existing gun laws and call on all lawmakers to do something about them. When little action was taken, the protestors threatened to unseat them in the 2018 midterm elections, saying that young voters will decide the outcome. Photo via Unsplash/Jerry Kiesewetter. While several polls suggest voters ages 18 to…

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