Undocumented Immigration: Is It What You Think It Is?
A few years ago while discussing illegal immigration in an English class, a girl spoke about her reasons on why she was against it. My initial reaction was to roll my eyes because I knew that what she was about to say was going to be ignorant considering her opinions on previous in-class debates. Regardless, I paid attention to what she was going to say so that I could express my counter-argument clearly. Her opinions
What is It Like Being Transgender?
With increasing transgender visibility in the media due to famous trans people such as Caitlyn Jenner and Laverne Cox, almost everyone knows what it means to be transgender. While support for the transgender community has drastically increased in the past few years, there are, and always will be, those who stand adamantly in opposition to the community. With the current transgender teenagers being the first to live in a society fully aware of what it
Shame, Dignity, & Catholicism
Shame: that embarrassing feeling. By definition, shame is the painful feeling arising from the consciousness of something dishonorable, improper, or ridiculous. According to Catholic theologians (and John Paul II specifically), shame is a natural defense mechanism that arose due to “The Fall” (Adam and Eve disobeying God). I attend a private, Catholic high school in Kentucky. Recently, during one of my “Theology 102” classes, we were discussing The Fall of Adam and Eve. To
Sex in Society
I’d like to propose a question: what are the negative consequences for a woman resulting from safe sex with multiple partners? Let’s examine that. After sex with three men, does my intellect suddenly begin to experience a severe decline? After five partners, do other components of my worth begin to magically disintegrate into thin air? My sense of humor: gone? My fundamental values such as family and education: abolished? Am I no longer the ambitious
From Standardized to Modernized?
School’s in session once again and although the time has not arrived yet, soon enough we will be hearing the cries of PARCC. Those cries do not go in vain; rather they represent the mindset of most of the parents and students within my high school and even the majority within my state, New Jersey. PARCC, Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, is as they choose to call themselves “the next generation…of
Having a Uterus is Not a Luxury
If you haven’t heard by now, the UK has put a luxury tax on tampons, pads, and other period related products. What does this mean? It means that people with vaginas have to pay a 5% levy on their tampons and pads because they are “luxury items”. Nothing about having a period is luxurious. In an article on this topic by Natasha Preskey for independent.co.uk, she says the following: “The average woman buys, uses and
My Coming Out: Tyra
Tyra’s story is one of hope and positivity. The support she received from both her family and friends is the kind of reaction many LGBT+ youths hope for but don’t receive, unfortunately. “I recently came out as bisexual to everyone (family and most friends) about a month and a half ago after finding an amazing girl but everyone has been extremely supportive and it’s awesome having that. I first came out to my uncle,
Merry Christmas, Time to Trivialize Your Mental Illness!
It seems as if the mental health community has yet another thing to combat: big name brand companies that use their clothes/accessories to belittle mental illnesses. Companies like Target and Urban Outfitters are widely known and well liked so whatever trend they put out is going to be noticed by many people. If you are offended by what a company sells, you can petition, boycott, and show your disgust in numerous ways, but it is
French Girl on the Paris Attacks
The war. We’ve heard it all before. I’ve learned all about the First and the Second World War in high school. That’s what I thought war looked like for a long time. I mean, if it didn’t look like that, it wasn’t really war to me. And then I learned about the Iraq war. I don’t know much about this one, but I think that was pretty murderous. And then, around 2 years ago started
Terrorism Has No Religion!
After the attacks on Paris, the hashtag #TerrorismHasNoReligion spread around twitter. But, looking into this hashtag, it is evident that the majority of people do not agree. Anti-Islamic groups blame all the Muslims, failing to recognize that ISIS does not represent Islam. Would you blame the entire Christian faith for the Holocaust, Charleston Church Shootings, school shootings, movie theatre shootings, Holocaust memorial shootings, etc.—which were done by followers of the Christian faith? NO! Muslims do NOT