Diane DeBella and I Am Subject: Women sharing their stories to become “subjects” in the 21st century
Over the years, as a teacher of women writers, and as a woman writer myself, I have taught and written about countless women, their lives, and their works. I don’t shy away from a challenge. After all, I have taught Toni Morrison’s Beloved. I have examined the demons that pursued Anne Sexton and Sylvia Plath,..
One of the messages I have consistently shared since putting my own story out into the world four years ago is that by sharing our truths, we can heal ourselves and help others. That is why I started the Healing Stories Project. Yesterday afternoon I was lucky enough to attend an extremely moving storytelling..
There is so much to like about living near a college town, including the opportunity to stretch my mind and expand my knowledge base. While I get to do that every time I step on campus, last week I was lucky enough to share ideas with Janell Hobson and Katha Pollitt, two of the..
Earlier this month, I had to fly coast to coast for a brief appointment. I actually spent more time traveling than I did in Los Angeles. However, my timing couldn’t have been better. Since my appointment at UCLA was only thirty minutes long, I had the rest of the day to explore the surrounding..
I have read the transcript of the Education Secretary’s prepared comments regarding her intent to change how sexual assault cases are handled on college campuses under Title IX. Let me be clear. No one should be raped or sexually assaulted, and no one should be falsely accused of rape or sexual assault. Both..
It has happened to me three times prior to this most recent incident—three times that I vividly remember. I imagine there have been other incidents over the years. The first time that I was told it was ‘all in my head’ it was actually in my ovaries—more specifically, an ovarian cyst that had..
First came the shock. The stunned silence. The disbelief. Then came more anger and rage than I felt I was capable of holding within the confines of my body. Yet that quickly dissipated, leaving me a mere shell, empty of feeling, devoid of hope. I have been advocating for the rights..
Last night I attended a film screening of the documentary The Empathy Gap: Masculinity and the Courage to Change. The filmmaker, Thomas Keith, whose other films include The Bro Code and Generation M, introduced the film and held a discussion after the screening. Keith’s previous films examined the impact that society’s sexist and..
Each week for 26 weeks, I am publishing a post about women who are not widely known but should be—women who can inspire us, teach us, and encourage us to get out of our comfort zones and reach for our dreams. Week 26 of my A to Z challenge introduces us to Zitkala Sa. For..
Each week for 26 weeks, I am publishing a post about women who are not widely known but should be—women who can inspire us, teach us, and encourage us to get out of our comfort zones and reach for our dreams. Week 25 of my A to Z challenge introduces us to Yoshiko Uchida…