How a Pandemic Helped Me Come Into My Gender Identity
The pandemic allowed me to cultivate joy and explore gender identity without the expectations and gaze of others. By Mirusha Yogarajah The pandemic bought me time. I thought about how I, for 26 years, conformed to the desires of the men around me,
Slavery in Life, Slavery in Death: Reckoning with the Zombification of Blackness
Like the zombies of Haitian mythology, Breonna Taylor has been resurrected and trivialized, her death turned into an opportunity for glib commodification. By the time I learned about the existence of the New York Times’ documentary The Killing of Breonna Taylor,
To Be Black, Suicidal, And Dedicated To Keeping Black Life Sacred
My greatest fear is dying by the hands of white supremacists and just becoming a hashtag that eventually loses steam. But, I frequently do want to die. TW: This essay discusses suicidality, mentions of Black death, inpatient stays, madness, abuse, police
We Cannot Transcend Mental Illness In The Context of American Capitalism
Healthcare systems in the United States place the onus of healing on individuals and focus on self-optimization in service of inherently violent capitalism. TW: mentions of suicide, depression, anxiety, PTSD, and forced institutionalization Every suicide prevention day, week, or month, I once
“You Play Too Much,” Pleasure Without Permission In A Capitalist Society
Play, pleasure, and rest aren't considered vital to our livelihood because labor to maintain capitalism is framed as our fundamental purpose. By Kendriana Washington For centuries, free will and its playfulness have threatened conventionality and stirred fear in the seat of power.