Women hold up half the sky.
I came of age in the golden era for women, after Roe vs. Wade was passed, and before herpes and HIV. Reliable birth control was readily available; I experimented and indulged without fear of death or disease in a way that my culture had previously permitted only to men. No one was hurt during the time.. read more →
There is no escape.
I volunteered for a clinical trial to test the impact of low magnitude mechanical stimulation on bone. To be included in the study, I had to go through several rounds of screening. The first, by interview, was easy. The second was by Dexa scan, to measure the bone mineral density in my lumbar vertebrae and in the head.. read more →
Singing trees.
When I was growing up, any comment about animals and plants having any consciousness or emotion or thought was sure to bring derision, eye-rolling, and rejection from my father. In his eyes, such notions were “unscientific” and “voodoo”. I grew up learning that attitude and enjoyed being judgemental and righteous when I encountered anything in.. read more →
A woman of privilege; thoughts about growing up racist.
Racism was a family value during my childhood and adolescence; it was both obvious and subtle. My history is ugly; it is my heritage, my burden to carry, to acknowledge, to apologize, and to make amends. During his time working for the Sinclair Oil Company in Portuguese West Africa (now Angola) from 1920 to 1924,.. read more →
