Women, Girls, and LGBT Fight for Rights in Myanmar.

Apr 15, 2021 In early February, women, girls and members of the LGBT community hit the streets of Yangon, Mandalay and other cities throughout Myanmar to protest the country’s military takeover. Protesters—many of them young women—have continued to marched, beat pans and hang their undergarments (known as htamein) in creative and colorful protest, not just against …

Rising

Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed as supreme court justice despite being accused of sexually attacking at least three women. Despite being a political operative. Despite his rash and biased behavior during the hearing. Despite all the loud objections. But it’s these objections, the breaking of silence, that matters most. All year, women and men have stood …

The Courage to Interrupt

I have difficulty interrupting others. I wait my turn, look for an appropriate opening, one in which I can respectfully assert my view without cutting someone off or talking over anyone. I generally don’t like to interrupt, but sometimes it can’t be avoided. Like when transgender rights activist Jennicet Gutierrez interrupted President Obama’s speech at a recent …

On Being a Private Person Who Writes (and publishes) Non-fiction

My writing life began in private journals and remained there for years, until I was well into my 20s. I never considered sharing anything I wrote until one day, while I was working on a prose poem, the writing seemed to lift off the pages of my journal. There was a larger force creating my …