Why Religious Feminists Should Support Contraceptive Rights – Part 2
For my thoughts on why contraceptive rights support the religious liberty of individuals, see part 1 of this discussion.Laws that require insurance companies to cover medical requirements, without regard to religious objections, are not the fundamental shift in policy that some political pundits have suggested them to be. I realize that some readers will say health care is an area of the workplace that is optional, or that the government... Read More
Why Religious Feminists Should Support Contraceptive Rights – Part 1
If you’re like me, you probably feel like this national debate over contraceptives is some bizarre throwback to the dark ages (or, as Stephen Colbert put it – why not start protesting Elvis’s pelvis-thrusting influence on teens?). And if you’re like me, you’re probably sick of hearing about it. Heaven knows, I wish this debate would just go away and that states would stop passing laws that allow employers to pry into female employees’... Read More
Tunes and Tombs: Solo Sammy Goes to New Orleans
Hurricane Katrina Monument “Let the good times roll,” indeed! As the play closed, I had one week of spring break left and ran off to New Orleans for four days. It was not restful, but it was a different type of necessary. “It’s a small town, but it’s a busy city,” said one of my very clever and friendly cabbies. It was everything I needed for my first solo vacation. There was the music–everywhere, live, and impressive. There... Read More
Violence Against Women and Culture: A Symbiotic Relationship
Culture is the reason why violence against women exists. Unique to ethnic, linguistic or geographical groups, culture defines what is acceptable and what is not. Cultures the world over condone violence against women in numerous forms and to varying degrees. Acid burning would not be tolerated in the US, but domestic and sexual violence is. Yet there are individuals the world over, working to re-define unquestioned customs that result in harmful practices... Read More
Occupy Wall Street and now the world
Occupy Wall Street began as a protest of thousands which has spread to tens of thousands in cities worldwide. Hardly anyone (myself included) thought this was possible, and it keeps on growing. But what do they mean? Both domestically and internationally? As the U.S. protests have grown, I’ve been working to understand them as best I can from a distance. I’ve spent hours clicking through Facebook photo essays, commentary, and blogs. I’ve been... Read More
Changing
A Go Girl wants to travel, is traveling, has traveled. A Go Girl wants to see different places, is and has. And a Go Girl wants to see change. I am for equality across the board. It bothers me when women are discriminated against but it also bothers me when women take advantage of old rules such as “Never hit a girl.” That doesn’t give any girl/woman to hit boys/men. And it irritates me to no end to see people take advantage of it... Read More
Megan’s Top Ten of 2010
As challenging as 2010 was, I experienced some amazing things as a Go Girl. I celebrated one year as a writer for this fantastic online magazine with our year anniversary awhile back and with it a year of remembering all of the amazing places I have been. 2010 has also seen some beautiful adventures for me, so I figured that honoring 20-and-10 with my own top ten list would be just the thing. And so, in no particular order: 10. India- ten days... Read More
I Love Fall in New England.
I love fall in New England. It’s been five years since I’ve been here through an entire autumn, and I’ve missed it all: the gradual blazing of foliage, walking across ground carpeted with fallen leaves, brisk, sunny days that hint at winter’s gathering cold, the proliferation of apple cider, pumpkin ale and butternut squash. It’s hard to know for sure (especially when caught umbrella-less in a sudden downpour) but I think I love the darker,... Read More
Cloud Gazing
I’ve always been a cloud gazer. When I was younger, I spent my lazy late summer afternoons on my back in the grass, looking upwards. Sometimes with my sister, sometimes alone, I’d lie there for hours at a time, keeping watch as dogs and fish and automobiles disguised as clouds wandered across the sky. As I grew older, clouds became less magical. They became distractions, something to look at out classroom windows, indicators of wind or rain,... Read More
Road Trips: Making Maps of Memory.
There’s a lot to hate about road trips: hours and hours seated in the same position, the possibility of flat tires and overheated engines, the threat of being squished by a careless trucker, the constant quaffing of caffeinated beverages and the subsequent frequent need to pull over and pee. And from the perspective of plane travel, road trips are slow; automobiles take days to accomplish what hours can in a 747. But I love road trips, and I have... Read More
