vanessaaishacoleman's Amplify Diary

Latisse: More Medicalization of Women's Bodies?

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 22:36:00 -0500

First I want to say hey to everyone. I know I have been out for a minute but now that I am done with undergrad and have the summer off til medical school, I will try to holla at ya'll every now and then.

I want to write about this annoying ad for a product called Latisse that has been really bothering me. Props to Jill for writing about this before in her peice Taking A Stand from last year. Home girl is ahead of the game.

I have to say that I am still wrapping my mind around how I feel about Latisse and the condition of “Hypertrichosis” (lack or undergrowth of eyelashes). I understand that there is a legitimate purpose for human eyelashes beyond cosmetics and that this purpose needs to be protected. Especially after conditions such as cancer and the ensuing chemotherapy that can cause hair loss. However, I am concerned that we are also going through another round of medicalization of common problem for the gain of the medical establishment and/or the pharmaceutical industry.

The additional fact that this drug seems especially geared towards women is also disturbing and disappointing because it seems like it is playing into the ridiculous beauty standards expected of women in our society and the extreme lengths we sometimes go through to reach those standards. If you have not heard my feminist and sensitive sociological interpretation of news and events, be prepared because I tend to be quite skeptical. In my opinion, of the drug developers and researchers had meant for this to be a purely therapeutic drug why this type of advertisement?

It is not to say that I think it is unethical for their to be a cosmetic that helps grow eyelashes (read: women’s eyelashes) if that is what women want. I do think however, that there should be a careful balancing act so that it does not pathologize women who have eyelashes that are not as bushy and long as Brooke Shields (after all, homegirl is a PROFESSIONAL MODEL). I also think that there should be no diagnosing of the normal human condition and appearance as abnormal or “hypertrichosis” and thus needing this expensive, $120/month treatment. Instead, I want honest dialogue that says, “Hey women we created this drug and we want to sell it. there is nothing wrong with you but if you want thicker eyelashes - here you go.” I think people would also be less willing to buy this “wonder drug” if they know that a) scientists still do not know exactly how it works b) there is quite a risk of adverse side effects in up to 4% of users and c) this sexy drug is actually a glaucoma treatment.

Not to mention that the therpeutic effect of this drug for some conditions that cause hypertrichosis as indicated in this article by the National Institutes of Health:

"...It seems that prostaglandin or prostamide analogs are only effective in promoting eyelash regrowth in patients with a mild form of eyelash alopecia areata.
Eyelashes regrowth in other causes of hypotrichiasis

Prostaglandin analogs, not prostamide, have been studied in animal model of hair injury associated with radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) analog was shown to have a significant degree of protection against radiation- induced or doxorubicin-induced alopecia in mice.54–56 This protective effect has yet to be studied in human undergoing radiation therapy or chemotherapy..."

I do not think that we as physicians should have any other role to play in what is clearly just another Botox like medication. Let them get it if they want it, but please do not masquerade as trying to treat any sort of “problem” because we all know what the real problem is here and those problems with American gender roles, consumerism and the medical establishment’s eagerness to tango with all of that.

I also have to say that as a soon-to-be medical student I am quite concerned by this and other injunctions that the medical profession has placed on women (of course there has been a whole history of this). I would like to see this profession step a way from the myopic agenda of the pharmacuetical companies and the male-dominated chauvism that drives such appalling procedures as female genital cosmetic surgery. I am not saying that people should not have a right to practice as they please especially in the face of consumer demand - but in these cases, it seems that medicine is creating a condition and thus creating a demand for a treatment for that condition. The worst part is that these very seen research physicians are supposed to be the ones we are trusting our lives to.

I'm not a feminist but...

Wed, 31 Mar 2010 21:06:00 -0500

I AM!!!
I’m writing this post to share with everyone what feminism means to me. I have been hearing the phrase "I am not a feminist, but…" a lot lately from girls and guys (yes, there are male feminists, http://www.engagingmen2009.org/42?locale=en_US) alike. What do people mean by this? Are people clarifying the fact that they believe in feminist ideals but not in labels? Are people saying that they agree with some feminist theories but not with others? Maybe some of you are probably thinking about bra burning and other popular images of feminism (and yes that is Tyra Banks…wait is she more of a feminist than you are?)…

Bottom Line - according to Merriam Webster, "feminism" is:

1)"The theory of political, economic and social equality of the sexes"
2) "Organized activity on behalf of women's rights and interests"

I call myself a feminist because I believe in that definition, for these reasons:

1. I believe in gender equality. That means equal rights and equal work for equal pay. In case you have not seen the news (the Boston Globe) lately women are systematically paid less than men.

2. Violence against women AND GIRLS is still a big problem in the United States and around the world. I am very passionate about this huge but often not talked about problem. (Think Rihanna and Chris Brown), and as a victim of violence I can tell you that I really appreciate being able to take back my power and fight for women’s rights!

3. Reproductive Health - as the receiving partner, women are at a higher risk for contracting AIDS and other STI's then men. Women are also the ones who have to deal most directly with the consequences of an unwanted pregnancy. Regardless of how you feel about the debate over abortion, as women we should all be active in making the legislation that governs what we can do with our bodies—from birth control access to abortion policy.

Below is a picture of me in Liberia where I worked on women's health issues this past summer. It was great! That is what feminism means to me.

4. Images of Women- Think about how there is no male equivalent for the word "slut" and how women can be portrayed as objects in everything from hip-hop videos to daily news shows to the SPIKE channel (hey I love the SPIKE channel bc it shows CSI, but come on guys what’s with the depiction of the ladies?). Because of course women cannot be evaluated for their character or intellect but instead based only on how they look.

5. Women's health - There are some particular health issues that disproportionately affect women - for example the feminization of HIV/AIDS. I think we need to continue to bring these issues to light in order to get the funding and policy that we need.

6. Gender inequity - This is basically when people are restricted from what they can and can not do because of gender. Thanks to the feminists who came before us this is not as big of a problem in the United States but think about in some other countries where women still do not have the right to vote.

7. I also believe in the rights of all oppressed people from all of the LGBTQ community, racial/ethnic minorities and the disability rights community. I believe that although feminism is about improving the lives of women and girls, that goes hand in hand with other social justice movements. Lets all fight this fight goether!

So those are some of the reasons why I call myself a feminist. Do you find yourself also feeling the same way about those issues? Is it possible that you too could be —gasp—a feminist? I mean I do not care what we call ourselves boys and girls but I think that it’s important to not throw out a certain label because of what we THINK it entails. I am VERY appreciative and thankful for all the feminists who came before me because without them I would not have many of the rights that I have now—like voting, attending Cornell, becoming a doctor, etc.

Great article from the Daily Princetonian about this!

TAKE ACTION!
1.    Explore your views on feminism and gender equality: take a class at your school, and if there is not one offered demand that there be one! Here’s a nice little site with information on feminist theory:
2.    Check out some of the various organizations working on women’s rights, nationally and internationally
3.    Get involved with your on-campus women’s rights organization
4.    Fight for gender equity whenever you can, see whats actions are going on here and GET ACTIVE

Fight for Your Rights!

Wed, 31 Mar 2010 20:56:00 -0500

The other day while tabling for international women’s rights awareness for issues such as female infanticide, education for girls, female genital mutilation, honor killings and child marriage, a strange thing kept happening. I would walk up to women, ask them “May I give you some information about women’s rights?” and some of the women would walk away from me. Now, I totally understand being bombarded with quarter cards while walking through your student union can be an awkward and sometimes annoying experience, so I hope I can attribute their reactions to that. But at the same time, I also sometimes feel a level of apathy and indifference in young people to social justice campaigns that deal with women, sex or reproductive health (with the notable exception of the HIV/AIDS epidemic). Why is that?

I started to wonder why these seem to be issues that are almost universally challenging to address, from the most high-income countries like the US to some of the poorest countries like Liberia, where I am from. Perhaps it is because, like most things having to do with sex, once it gets involved; things get a lot more complicated.
[More]

Message About Using Protection

Wed, 31 Mar 2010 20:44:00 -0500

So how’s this for an alarming trend…..No less than five times this semester (yes I counted) a friend has told me about hooking up with a guy who refused to wear a condom (heterosexuals and homosexuals alike). Luckily only one out of the five fell for the con. But what is with this and how did we magically get to the point where HIV/AIDS (not to mention other STDs) is no longer a worry?

             Hey, AIDS is STILL A PROBLEM! (and yes, this problem can go both ways—girls, pressuring guys to do it without protection is not right! Everything below applies to you too!) Surprisingly, this trend affects more than just wealthy, majority white Cornell students (who’d have thought it?). HIV/AIDS disproportionately affects minorities, especially African-Americans and Latino-Americans. Infections are increasing at alarming rates in places like DC, where experts think that the rise is largely due to the fact that people, especially young people, are under the impression that HIV/AIDS is under control. Read: DC now has rates of HIV higher than some countries in West Africa! . I’m not saying this to put DC on blast because trust me I love the chocolate city MORE than the next person, but people, we have to put our safety first and this is what happens when we do not.
     If you can’t get it up wearing a condom, that is a serious issue that you need to look into. We live in the post-HIV world, period. You can’t just go around banging without condoms, we’re trying to have a society here! Or at least get your doctor’s advice about the following options: (1) new female condoms are looser and may help with erectile problems (not to mention the female condom 2 just got approved by the FDA ), (2) there are a wide variety of condoms and lubricants, perhaps experimenting with different combinations may yield better results, (3) talk to your doctor about erectile disfunction—there may be a serious underlying problem. Also for those liars who really can get it up with a condom on but prefer the way it feels without one – do you also get off on spreading disease? Well, if not that’s certainly what it seems like to me!
    And some words for the receiving partner – you should know by now that you will be the one with the higher risk of STDs because the sperm will remain inside you long after your partner pulls out. Not only that, remember that most new HIV/AIDS cases happen to those who THINK they are in monogamous relationships. It is important that you have the power to negotiate safe sex with your partner—if you do not, you may be in an abusive relationship.

And there is also now something to protect people during oral sex as well - called the Dental Dam:

            Everyone (all legal-aged, consenting adults) should be able to enjoy sex and its amazingness—please use protection and do not fall for this weak game!

Young People and Mental Health

Wed, 31 Mar 2010 20:14:00 -0500

I attend Cornell University where there have been 12 student deaths this year. We have recently made front page news because of the 3 suicides that occured in the past 2 months. I wanted to take this opportunity highlight the mental health issues that young people face sometimes without adequate attention or treatment. This overview website by the NIH gives a very startling and realistic view of mental health in America which is something that is so commonly ignored by the mainstream media.

A high-pressure atmosphere such as a competitive university can definitely bring stress and impact the mental health of a young person. But one does not have to be in that specific situation to undergo mental illness. Stress from working, family and the general growing pains of young adulthood can all lead to mental illness.

Some conditions that affect young people with a bit of relevant information is posted below:

1. Unipolar Depression and Bipolar Depression - Depression is the most common form of mental illness and is unfortuantely also the one that can lead to suicide. It is important to educate young people about this and make sure that they can seek help and treatment.

3. Self- Mutilation - Is another important mental health issue in young people that I have noticed recieves mixed attention. In certain circles it is very common and can be seen in celebrities yet in other circles it is something done painfully and shamefully. One study in colleges noticed higher rate of self-mutilation than previously thought:

About 17 percent of college students -- 20 percent of women and 14 percent of men -- report that they have cut, burned, carved or harmed themselves in other ways, reports a new survey by Cornell and Princeton University researchers, the largest study on self-injurious behavior (SIB) in the United States to date.

4. Eating Disorders - I have noticed this particularly on my campus and in my own life. I struggled with an eating disorder in high school and knew that I was not alone. Even in college as I have moved on I still notice many of my peers still engaged in these behaviors. I think we need to talk about these things more and make it easier to seek treatment. It is also extremely unhelpful that we have the influence of the media and the size 00 models as the standard of beauty

5. Bignge Drinking (from the National Institute of Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse)

Many people think that the college campus environment itself encourages heavy drinking (14). Alcohol use is present at most college social functions, and many students view college as a place to drink excessively. Yet several studies have found that heavy drinking and related problems are pervasive among people in their early twenties, regardless of whether they attend college or not (15,16). In fact, a recent survey shows that college students drink less frequently than their noncollege peers (that is, 3.7 percent of students report daily drinking vs. 4.5 percent of nonstudents). However, when students do drink, such as at parties on the weekends, they tend to drink in greater quantities than nonstudents⁵ (17). (⁵ In this study, 41.7 percent of college students vs. 37.1 percent of young adults reported drinking five or more drinks during the last 2 weeks [17].)

On the other hand, students tend to stop these drinking practices more quickly than nonstudents—perhaps “maturing out” of harmful alcohol use before it becomes a long-term problem (16). Rates of alcohol dependence diagnosis appear lower for college students than for 18- to 24-year-olds in the general population (15). And people in their thirties who did not go to college reported a higher prevalence of heavy drinking than people who did go to college (18).

Body Image I: Chicken Pill and Differing Beauty Standards

Wed, 31 Mar 2010 19:50:00 -0500

I was pleased to listen to an NPR series called "The Hidden World Of Girls" where they explored adolesence and emerging womanhood in different contexts aroudn the world. The first story was about Jamaica and the body standards there.

As I have been recently struggling with a GI disorder, body image has become an important issue in my life right now. The pressure on young people like my self to fit a certain body ideal is difficult and is something I think may resonate with several people in the Amplify community.
[More]

Kenyan Men Arrested for Attempting Gay Marriage

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 20:28:00 -0500

Just as we here at Advocates For Youth and AmplifyYourVoice.org launch the advocacy website StandForUganda.org against the new and deadly anti-homosexuality legislation in Uganda, another incident has occured just across the border in Kenya.

As the video above depicts, 5 men were arrested in the resort town of Mtwapa in Kenya as they attempted to perform a gay marriage. The BBC described an angry mob that stormed the place, beat 2 of the men and handed them all to the police. According to the BBC:

The other three men were handed to the police by members of the public; two of them had reportedly been beaten.
Homosexuality is illegal in Kenya but arrests are extremely rare.
The wedding was reportedly due to take place at a private villa in the resort, but locals heard of the plans and alerted the police, who raided a house and arrested the men.
'Repugnant' behaviour
"We are grateful to the public for alerting the police. They should continue co-operating with the police to arrest more," Mr Matundura said.
"It is an offence, an unnatural offence, and also their behaviour is repugnant to the morality of the people."
...
"We will move swiftly and close down bars which condone gays, lesbians, prostitution and drug abuse in their premises," Mr Matundura added.
A member of a Kenyan gay rights organisation condemned the arrests and said it had appealed to the Human Rights Commission to step in.
But the marriage allegedly planned was condemned by Muslim and Christian clerics.
"We cannot allow these young boys to ruin their future through homosexuality," Sheikh Ali Hussein of the Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya told AFP.

[More]

Sexual Violence in Juvenile Detention Centers

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 22:55:00 -0500

According to a recent report by the U.S. Department of Justice, rape in Juvenile Detention Centers is reaching epidemic proportions. Although I was quite happy to see this issue being exposed and getting covered on major networks like CNN (as shown in the clip), I would definitely like to see more action around this issue. Young people placed in detention centers are there because they need some extra structure, care and support before they can be re-integrated into society. I do not think however that this means they should be open season for sexual violence. The worst part about this statistic is how prevalent this type of violence is in U.S. juvenile detention centers: around 30% of all youth inmates face this type of abuse. The statistics from the U.S. Department of Justice paint a very bleak picture:

Rates of reported sexual victimization varied among youth:
- 10.8% of males and 4.7% of females reported sexual activity with facility staff.
- 9.1% of females and 2.0% of males reported unwanted sexual activity with other youth.
- Youth with a sexual orientation other than heterosexual reported significantly higher rates of sexual victimization by another youth (12.5%) compared to heterosexual youth (1.3%).
- Youth who had experienced any prior sexual assault were more than twice as likely to report sexual victimization in the current facility (24.1%), compared to those with no sexual assault history (10.1%).

I think it is important to point out that both males and females are victims of this violence. I can't imagine how difficult of an emotional burden this must be for some of these young men in a U.S. gender structure where there is almost no room for the recognition of male sexual violence victims.

It is also so heartbreaking to note that those youth that are most vulnerable such as LGBTQ youth or survivors of sexual violence were most likely to suffer from repeated acts during their time in detention. This is especially horrible considering the double burden that these violence survivors must face.
[More]

Amplify: A Place for Civil Dialogue and Discussion

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 19:46:00 -0500

Online blogging communities are a great resource because they can help you stay abreast of the latest news, share your perspective on different issues with others (and hear their perspectives) and they can also help you connect with other people who have similar interests. I posted this video of AFY_Brian who sometimes posts on Amplify because I think the work that he does and his willingness to post to Amplify is an excellent example of the community we are all building here and what we hope to maintain.

I am so grateful to be apart of the AmplifyYourVoice.org online community because I believe that we are a network dedicated to youth activism especially around issues of reproductive health and sexual health education. I also feel very privileged to have the opportunity to learn from all of you, the issues you care about and those issues that are affecting you. I have come to rely on this website as a place where I can share what is going on around me and my perspective on things and get helpful comments from others. I also really like this community because I constantly feel inspired by all the amazing work some of you are doing in your communities both here in the US and abroad. I am happy to be able to learn from you and learn from your perspectives on the latest news and events in both your communities and in the world at large. It is also quite refreshing to be able to talk openly about sex and gender with like-minded people in a world where it can sometimes feel like I am the only one trying to be body-positive, sex-positive and aware of the larger constructs such as heteronormativity, cis-gender bias and gender roles that many people often take for granted.

However I think for this to work well, we have be rigorous about maintaining standards in our posts and comment areas. We also have to make sure that we are using and not abusing AmplifyYourVoice.org as a resource in our lives. It is so nice to have a place where we can have honest and open discussions about gender and sexuality. In order to maintain Amplify as a comfortable place for everyone, I thought it would be nice to post a quick reminder about what this website is all about and also a few key points about the Terms of Use. Although you can read the expanded version here, I would just like to highlight a few important points:

2) DO NOT PERSONALLY ATTACK PEOPLE WITHIN OUR ONLINE COMMUNITY. If you disagree with something that has been posted, address the argument or statement that the person has made, but do not attack the individual on a personal basis. We expect all of our members behave civilly, as you can surely engage in healthy debate without resorting to name calling.

I believe that this point is quite relevant especially in the past few weeks here at Amplify. Some people have used Amplify as a platform to attack others who have made points they may not agree with. Although, it is clear that many of these issues can touch upon very personal chords in all of our lives, it is quite unproductive for everyone if we can not act civilly towards each other.

This is not to say that there should not be any disagreement or argument at Amplify. I think we all can agree that constructive criticism is extremely beneficial because not only can it share new perspectives but it can also help with fact-checking and other important matters. However, there is a clear difference between presenting a dissenting opinion and casting judgment or personal attacks that are not focusing on an argument but instead on someone's personal identity or character.

6) Users are strongly encouraged to back up all assertions with facts (and preferably links to supporting materials) whenever possible. Diaries which engage in wild speculation without any proof are strongly discouraged. Repeatedly posting diaries consisting largely or entirely of wild speculation is an abuse of site policy. Bear in mind that that extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. We also reserve the right to correct false information within your posts and comments.

Fact-checking and resource-linking are extremely important in this day and age. Because we are constantly being barraged with facts and news on the internet and 24-hour cable news, it can sometimes be overwhelming. As a result many people may not be able to double check the facts that you write in our articles which makes it really important for you to do so. If not, you could be potentially contributing to spreading misinformation on quite a large scale as this website recieves a considerable amount of traffic.

Also as the Terms of Use states, there is the potential that other Amplify posters or Advocates for Youth staff may correct any misinformation in the comments. Please recognize that they are not posting that to personally insult you or your work but just to make sure that the many people out there who read this blog will have the benefit of a good information source.

With all that being said, I think its quite clear that we have a really great community here and that any violation of these Terms of Use is normally an exception and not the rule. However that does not mean that we can not strive to improve our community and try to limit problems as much as we can.

What do you think about this? It would be nice to hear what other Amplify visitors or bloggers would have to say about all of this.

John Mayer: Another Example of Racism AND Sexism against Black Women

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 19:18:00 -0500

I have to give HUGE props to Media_Justice for dropping the news about John Mayer in her latest post ( I also borrowed the awesome video from her as well) . It was the first time I had heard about John's screamingly racist remarks in a Playboy Interview about African-American women (not to mention his very misogynistic words about Jessica Simpson).

So for those of you (like me) who were not very familiar with John Mayer, he is a young musician that has been in the news recently not only for his music but also for his personal life. Besides just dating other celebrities, he also finds time to do collaborations with Blues guitar legend B.B. King and perform at Michael Jackson's Memorial. It seems that these connections with the black community as well as other collaborations that he has done with Dave Chappelle, Jay Z and other African-American celebrities may have caused him to think he had a free pass to say whatever he wanted about the black community.
[More]

Anti-CBS Superbowl Party: Education of Shelby Knox Screening

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 14:22:00 -0500

Last Sunday while 106.5 million viewers had tuned in to watch the superbowl, myself and a few feminist friends had a potluck and celebrated an "Anti-CBS Superbowl party" where we watched the documentary film, "The Education of Shelby Knox". We held this party/potluck as an expression of disgust and revulsion with CBS for quickly changing its stance on "issue ads". CBS then allowing an ad from Focus on the Family starring football player Tim Tebow and his mother while overtly rejecting an ad for a gay dating site. To me this shows a clear bias of CBS and I am really against the position they are taking here. I will admit that after actually seeing the ad that aired, it was not as explicitly anti-choice as I would have expected. However the content of the ad still does not mask that its an advertisement for a blanket homophobic and anti-choice fundamentalist organization - Focus on the Family. I am glad that I had an alternative to watching this superbowl and feeding into to all the frenzy over it.

Although I had vaguely heard of the film bfeore, this was actually my first time seeing it. It completely blew me away. If you have not seen it, YOU SHOULD! Here are just a few reasons why:

1. Watching Shelby Knox journey through high school, develop her own beliefs and challenge the beliefs of those around her is nothing less than phenomenal. It personally reminded me alot about my own struggles through high school as I sought to find out my identity and affirm my own beliefs. I am sure that many other young people could identify with this struggle.

2. The solidarity and openness that Shelby developed between herself and some students in her school's GSA was heartwarming. Shelby had come from a southern baptist family yet she openly struggles with her pastor's and family's views about gay people. In the end, despite warnings from her pastor and family, Shelby goes on to meet with gay young people in her town, helps with their awareness campaign and even protests the virulent homophobic group that comes into her town. You can tell in the film that Shelby was deeply moved during the meeting she set up with some members of her school'sl GSA and some of the story of one gay young man. It was particuarly heartwarming to see Shelby challenge her own religious views and reconcile/re-shape them to agree with her views on human rights and compassion.

3. This film could be really helpful as a teaching tool for sex education, against bullying of LGBTQ youth in schools and about tolerance in general. It is such a timely issue even know years after it was made in 2005. Advocates for Youth and other groups have been successful in creating a grassroots movement for comprehensive sex-education and convince the federal government to pass the REAL Act to increase funding for comprehensive sexual education and eliminate funding for absitnence only education.

4. Lastly, I have to admit that as a feminist my self, it is so inspiring to actually see a film about a young woman that is not defined by her sexuality or with crass gender stereotypes. Shelby is presented as a smart, motivated and determined young woman that fights for what she believes in. I just wish that more young people out there would get to see this movie because of that. Shelby is not just a great example of a campaigner for sex education and LGBTQ rights but she is also an example of an empowered young woman. I plan on showing this film to my middle-school aged sister as soon as I possibly can, because I am
always looking for examples to show her alternatives and what it means to be a strong woman.

5. Finally, I also wanted to emphasize how this film illustrates the importance of supportive parents. Although Shelby's parents did not always agree with what she was doing they still supported her and her right to be her own person. To me that was extremely powerful just because I believe that there are so many lessons just in that, that not only translate to parenting but also with people in general.

The Education of Shelby Knox is now going on the list of one of my favorite movies! I definitely want to share this film with as many people as I can and I am still thinking of how to do that. I am thinking maybe a screening on campus at the women's resource center or something like that.

Furthermore, I thought that this would be a nice time to point out that Shelby Knox has/had a blog here on Amplify, check it out! She also had done some writing for RH Reality Check and other blogs, so please check her out!

Resources:

Here is a great interview that gives some background information about the film:
http://thefilmpanelnotetaker.com/2009/01/stranger-than-fiction-education-of.html

Youth, Activism and LGBTQ Rights in Cuba: Then and Now Part II

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 23:55:00 -0500

Mariela Castro Espin is a 47 year old LGBTQ rights activist working in Cuba. She also happens to be the daughter of Raul Castro and the neice of Fidel Castro. Although many associate Raul and Fidel Castro with the persecution of the LGBTQ population that occured shortly afte rthe Cuba revolution, Mariela Castro is fighting for a new Cuba.

Although it is great that public figures like Mariela Castro are fighting for the LGBTQ community in Cuba, it is quite depressing that there are still young gay people in Cuba that can not speak out like Mariela Castro. They do not have the protections and privelege that her last name affords her and would likely be prosecuted for even coming out. These are young men such as Damian who was profiled in a Youth Radio peice by Rachel Krantz called "Young and Gay in Cuba." Rachel did excellent journalism with this peice and I can not say how moved I was by Damian's story and that of other gay Cuban's like him. When you read his story below it is hard not to make connections between the repression that he faced and that of Reinaldo Arenas almost 30 years ago:

"Donde esta la fiesta?"

You always call the same phone number to find the party. When someone answers the phone, you always ask the same question:

The answer is an address--sometimes familiar, sometimes a new location. But without fail, every weekend, some sort of secret gay party is thrown in Havana, Cuba.

One Friday in Havana, my friend Damian agrees to take me to one. Damian is 23-years-old, Cuban, a filmmaker, and gay. With medium brown skin and a wide, knowing smile, Damian charms most people he meets. Although he only wanted his first name used for print, Damian is open when he talks about what it's like to be young and gay in Cuba.

"The hardest thing is finding a place to have safe sex," Damian says. "It's hard for everyone, but straight guys, they could bring a girlfriend home. I couldn't do that, of course not. My mom doesn't let me, it's forbidden."

[More]

Youth, Activism and LGBTQ Rights in Cuba: Then and Now Part I

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 23:46:00 -0500

A few months ago, Sarah from Advocates for Youth sent me an email about an inspiring story and a victory for the fight for LGBTQ rights in Cuba. It was the story of Mariela Castro, the daughter of Cuban Head of State Raul Castro (brother of Fidel Castro), and her success in convincing the Cuban government to perform state sponsored sex reassignment surgery. These surgeries have been going on now since 2008 and they represent a dramatic shift in the treatment of the LGBTQ community. Castro has been fighting for this change for years now through her organization CENESEX that works for sex education and LGBTQ rights in Cuba.

The dark history of gays and their perscution by the state in Cuba started shortly after the revolution. University of Toronto historians chronicled the persecution that homosexuals in Cuba faced as they were arrested and put into forced labor and re-education camps. As renowned poets and activists such as famous American writer Allen Ginsburg and the French philosopher Jean Paul Sartre denounced these actions, Fidel Castro responded to the allegations:

Finally, in response to these charges, Castro took a clear position in 1965 during an interview with the U.S. journalist Lee Lockwood (quoted in Lockwood,
1967: 92):

".....And yet we would never come to believe that a homosexual could embody the conditions and requirements of conduct that would enable us to consider him a true Revolutionary, a true Communist militant. A deviation of that nature clashes with the concept we have of what a militant Communist should be."

This was a time when Cubans were forced to act as undercover police for each other through the UMAP program which was how officials would gather information about homosexuals that would lead them to intern them in the camps. One particularly heartbreaking account was the case of Reinaldo Arenas, the famous Cuban writer who was immortalized in the film Before Night Falls based on his posthumous autobiography. His own accounting of life in the jails was:

Homosexuals were confined to the two worst wards of El Morro: these wards
were below ground at the lowest level, and water seeped into the cells at high
tide. It was a sweltering place without a bathroom. Gays were not treated like
human beings, they were treated like beasts.They were the last ones to come
out for meals, so we saw them walk by, and the most insignificant incident was
an excuse to beat them mercilessly.The soldiers guarding us, who called themselves combatientes, were army recruits sent here as a sort of punishment; they found some release for their rage by taking it out on the homosexuals. Of course, nobody called them homosexuals; they were called fairies, faggots, queers, or at best, gays.The wards for fairies were really the last circle of hell.

After being sent to the U.S. in the Mariel boats where prisoners, homosexuals and other persona non grata of the Cuban Communist party were shipped, Arenas enjoyed life as a famous and prolific Cuba author in exile. Unfortuantely he contracted HIV/AIDS and committed suicide on December 7, 1990. Now Cuba has made strides to improve the treatment of homosexuals although as Mariel Castro indicates, there is still progress to be made.

The Personal Is Political - Teens and Sex

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 22:08:00 -0500

On New Year's Eve, I usually have a tradition of talking about what I am thankful for. I did not get to post about this, but I did want to mention the fact that Amplify has been a huge positive force for me. There is something so powerful and uplifting to be able to talk seriously about issues and intersections between issues as diverse as sex education, lgbtq rights, race and ethnicity, gender, size, ability and a whole host of other issues with all of you. Its been extremely empowering to feel as though I can come here and listen to the other youth activists or not speak on these issues as well as share my own perspectives.

Beyond that, I have also been moved and touched by how people here on Amplify have opened up their lives and hearts in their posts. Posts such as " I am an Adiposer" by Media Justice, "GenderQueer in the Midwest" by MidwestGenderQueer or even "Beauty May Be in the Eye of the Beholder but health is NOT" by Jill show that some of us are not content to just present our views on a particular topic or situation, instead we connect it back to our own lives and how it affects us. This then makes the post so much more powerful because you are able to find that human connection to the story and takes it out of the realm of theory, politics and lofty ideas and brings it down to the level of day to day life.

However I have to admit that although I admire this aspect of the community I do not always put it forth in my own life and posts. So I thought that would be one place to start about teen sex through my own experience.
[More]

Rush Week: Sorostitutes, Feminism and other Paradoxes

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 19:10:00 -0500

As I walk home from work I notice a cluster of girls in high heels walking painlessly in what must have been 3 feet of snow. I step around the group and I look at my watch thinking, wow could there be a party on a Tuesday night at 7p? It slowly dawns on my after passing my third and fourth group of girls that it must be rush week.

Rush week is basically the greek initiation process at the university I attend. There is a seperate process for fraternities and a seperate process for sororities. The historically black, latino and asian greek organizations do not join in this rush process and as a result upwards of 90% of those in these groups end up conforming to the stereotypes of young white kids that we commonly see portraying frat brothers and sorority sisters in the media.

Although I am not in the greek system, I know people who are and have heard (secondhand anyway) what some of it is like. It is such a paradox because they combine large excesses of alcohol, drugs and partying with academic and extracurricular leadership on and off campus. As someone who is quite involved in volunteer work I find my self writing these groups for funding for my next project and then later being horrified by the rumors of their latest parties or other exploits.

If this is sounding too vague let me try to give you some examples without being too specific to call anyone out or (get anyone arrested!)... So one soririty is known for putting together talks on women's rights and empowerment much like as the "feminist" Tri Deltas at Notre Dame University that Salon wrote a recent peice about. Maybe a few weekends earlier I saw pictures from a "Pimp and Ho" themed mixer with girls from the same sorority dressed up as prostitutes and some even smearing their faces with concealer for darker complexions to "more accurately fill the roles."

Does anyone esle notice a disconnect here?
[More]