story compost

a story is a narrative of events that might have occurred.

a compost is a "mixture of decaying organic matter, as from leaves and manure, used to improve soil structure and provide nutrients."

i'm convinced that we do not form as independent beings, but grow into a composite of the stories that surround and precede us.

these are narratives, constructed from memory, that have affected me. the stories may or may not be true. their details are not.

Mar 12

i seriously do not find it endearing for a professor to repeatedly tell first-year students that the men would have trouble with journal entries because they are “not emotional” and that they won’t really understand the beauty article because appearance/body image are not important issues for men.

i mean… really? in their intro papers- which the professor has already read- a few of the male students explicity stated that appearance is their first priority, and one of them talked about an eating disorder. i think her stereotypes can be harmful.. like WTF?

Posted at 12:52am

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Jan 29
“

I am very critical of the modern “gay rights” movement - especially its exclusion of Trans issues, the blatant ignorance of the Bi community, the disregard of Queer People of Color, and the unnecessary focus of being “normal” (just like everyone else?) I don’t need Andrew Sullivan to tell me how I should want to live…

I am a big fan of “justice” — environmental justice, racial justice, sexual and reproductive justice, economic justice, social justice. I believe that WE ARE ALL SEAN BELL, GWEN ARUJO, MATTHEW SHEPARD, and the CITIZENS OF NEW ORLEANS. “Rights” don’t go far enough — we need justice.

My favorite quote is “Be ashamed to die until you have made an accomplishment for humanity” — I try to live up to that every day.

” muhlenberg student activist
Posted at 1:44am

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email stories

from JOSE, expelled from a public university in Entre Rios, Argentina for being gay.
he was pursuing a teaching degree. Currently, there is only legislation protecting sexual minorities (and allowing civil unions) in the city (not province) of Buenos Aires.

.

“primeramente te hacen  sentir una basura porque te  dicen que sos ANORMAL o que no servis  para en este caso ser maestro, y pienso que nadie tiene  derecho a  invadir tu vida privada yo soy gay y me siento orgulloso de serlo , y no hago daño a nadie, nadie esta conmigo  obligadamente no tenemos  que dejar  que  el discurso homofobico  se institucionalizado  en la sociedad para evitar discriminaciones si tenemos que condenar energicamente aquelas personas que abusan y destruyen la  inocencia de los  niños (abuso sexual infantil) eso lo repudiamos y queremos que los violadores se pudran en la carcel”

.
first, they make you feel like a piece of trash because they tell you that you’re ABNORMAL or that you don’t serve, in my case to be a teacher. i think that no one has the right to invade your private life. i am gay and i’m feel proud to be it, i don’t hurt anyone, no one is obligated to be with me.
we don’t have to leave the homophobic discourse institutionalized in society to avoid discrimination. 
yes, we have to energetically condemn those people that abuse and destroy the innocence of children (child sexual abuse). this we repudiate and we want the violators to rot in jail. 
.
Now he is an activist in Buenos Aires at Federacion Argentina de LGBT pursuing these issues.
.
“Por una sociedad más justa e igualatoria.  Todos y todos con los mismos derechos y los mismos nombres. Lo que mas quiero es la igualdad.
.
“For a more just and igualitarian society.  Everyone and everybody with the same rights and the same names. What I want most is equality.

Posted at 1:18am

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Jan 27
kmansure: Optimism karina and andres have 3 children under the age of 6. for over 2 years, karina was bedridden & in constant pain with gallbladder disease. she was continually turned away for lack of ability to pay for surgery, until one doctor was willing to do it. now, she is doing well, can take care of her children, and works as a community organizer. she takes nutrition classes and brings health information to the hispanic community. tanya is self-employed with a daycare business and unable to pay for health insurance. fibromyalgia left her with extreme fatigue and leg pain. without a doctor, she couldn’t receive a prescription for medication and had trouble functioning. after encountering a free clinic, tanya was able to begin a months-long process to recovery. she became involved as a community volunteer and now hosts 5 foster children, serving as a role model and empathetic listener. many politicians would describe these opportunities as acts of “charity.”  you know, ladeling out extra help from a pot that will eventually run out.  karina describes service as a chain that could encircle the world. “if your neighbor needs help, give him a hand.  eventually, he will look down and realize, Tengo otra mano!!” i have another hand.

kmansure:

Optimism

karina and andres have 3 children under the age of 6. for over 2 years, karina was bedridden & in constant pain with gallbladder disease. she was continually turned away for lack of ability to pay for surgery, until one doctor was willing to do it. now, she is doing well, can take care of her children, and works as a community organizer. she takes nutrition classes and brings health information to the hispanic community.

tanya is self-employed with a daycare business and unable to pay for health insurance. fibromyalgia left her with extreme fatigue and leg pain. without a doctor, she couldn’t receive a prescription for medication and had trouble functioning. after encountering a free clinic, tanya was able to begin a months-long process to recovery. she became involved as a community volunteer and now hosts 5 foster children, serving as a role model and empathetic listener.

many politicians would describe these opportunities as acts of “charity.”  you know, ladeling out extra help from a pot that will eventually run out.  karina describes service as a chain that could encircle the world. “if your neighbor needs help, give him a hand.  eventually, he will look down and realize, Tengo otra mano!!” i have another hand.
Posted at 9:53pm

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Lo que yo pienso respecto del tema de la discriminación familiar es que es muy doloroso tener que ocultar los sentimientos ante la propia familia, ya que en un país en el que la independencia económica se vuelve tan dífícil de lograr, el hecho de tener que convivir con los padres a una edad adulta por falta de medios económicos, sumada a la rigidez y falta de apertura mental de ellos, generan un malestar en mí que me dificulta ser completamente feliz, por ser la propia familia el único ámbito en el que no puedo ser quien verdaderamente soy. - de forma anónimo

rough translation:
what i think with respect to theme of familiar discrimination is that it’s very painful to have to hide one’s feelings before your own family, since in this country it’s so hard to achieve, the fact of having to live with your parents at an adult age due to lack of economic means, along with their rigidity and lack of openmindedness, generate a discontentment in me that makes it hard to be completely happy, because my own family is the only environment in which i’m not able to be who i truly am.
-anonymous in argentina

Posted at 9:18pm

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Jan 25

I guess I’ll lose my foot

A man lives in a rural part of Mexico.  His family has 12 members- they are starving.  He decides to walk through the desert, across the US border, so he can send them money for food.  He is diabetic and leaves without insulin or medication.  Eventually, he winds up in Allentown, Pennsylvania.  He works tirelessly in a job that most Americans wouldn’t like- washing dishes in a local restaurant- so that he can send money to his family.

His diabetes has caught up with him.  He comes into a clinic with extremely high blood sugar and open wounds, ulcers, on his foot.  The doctor says, It’s not good for you to be standing all the time in such a moist environment.  Can’t you take a week off to rest? The man replies, It would be impossible. I have a family of 12 people at home to feed.

I guess I’ll lose my foot.

Posted at 11:27pm

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