Explore the striking parallels between "queen balling" in honeybee hives and the societal pressures women face today. This blog sheds light on the challenges and struggles women undergo in meeting societal expectations and discusses how society can support them better.
Authored by Anisha Cooper, APC
hen you hear the word “Pride,” what does that mean to you? For closeted folks, Pride is a sentiment not readily available due to the immense shame associated with typical prideful identities (i.e., race, gender, and sexuality), but consider this: how do YOU identify? How have these identities shaped your worldview? Your interactions with others? And, are you proud of this identity?
Our new favorite thing is the Happier podcast with Gretchen Rubin (but more widely, podcasts in general) and here’s why:
They are mindful
It’s kind of a unique experience, to be focused on the incoming information in a mindless manner. The information is literally being poured into your brain without even trying, but that’s okay because it’s informational…which brings us to the next reason that podcasts are so awesome.
If you were not aware, the month of September is Suicide Awareness month. Some of you will read the quote about and squirm in your chair. For many, this is a taboo topic that isn’t often discussed in a public forum. For others, it’s part of a daily struggle. Suicide, particularly among the African-American culture, is highly stigmatized as the “unforgivable sin” (American Association of Suicidology). This highly tabooed topic re-entered our consciousness when young actor Jett Jackson self-inflicted a gun-shot wound. Even then, many failed to name it what it was: suicide (Ebony Magazine, August, 2013)
Chances are, you know a family that has a child that seems different from the rest. Impaired social and developmental skills may be symptoms of a developmental disorder, such as autism. Autism can manifest in many levels, which is why it is most often referred to as a spectrum disorder. Some children and adults with autism may be highly functioning, other may appear to have difficulty interacting appropriately with others or become and others can be diagnosed as early as six months of age. For infants up to 18 months old, parents may notice that their child provides no response to people or may fixate on an object. Toddlers may not respond to their name, avoid eye contact, or have monotonous motions like rocking their bodies or flapping their arms. When diagnosing autism in children, the earlier you see symptoms, the sooner you can start therapy at Summit’s Edge and improve your child’s quality of life.
When you think about those affected by PTSD, who comes to mind? Do you think of someone who has lost a loved one, experienced sexual abuse or assault, or has survived a natural disaster? Post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD is a serious mental illness that may develop after a person has been through or witnessed a frightening incident. Events such as combat, abuse, and traumatic accidents are just a few causes of PTSD. These types of events often induce feelings of helplessness, horror, or extreme fear. These individuals may become extremely agitated or they may tend to isolate themselves. Summit’s Edge Owner, Daron Elam, is a trauma and crisis counselor specializing in the treatment of PTSD and other trauma-related disorders.
After Haleigh Cox, a 5-year-old who struggling with severe seizures and forces to move from Georgia to Colorado, this case spurred a conversation across Atlanta, and across our nation. Many parents, like Haleigh’s, have been petitioning for this bill to pass for other similar medical issues.
We wanted to take a moment to clarify the bill that was passed, review what is not part of this bill, and cover those issues that still remain:
Verbal, psychological, emotional, sexual and financial abuse often remain unrecognized or excused among victims of domestic violence. Let us eliminate any confusion that still lingers over this issue: Abuse is abuse is abuse. Many of the previously listed forms of abuse are precursors or supplements to physical violence. Let’s review the various types of verbal dominance and control that can be used over a partner
In the discussion of domestic violence issues, many people ask, “Why do these women stay?” It is disheartening to hear the stereotypical responses, “Doesn’t she have any respect for herself?” or “Doesn’t she want to protect her children?” The truth is, many women are aware and afraid of the fact that they are captive to an abusive relationship. The real dilemma is not identifying whether or not you’re in one, but whether or not you can ever truly escape it. An abusive relationship is built on the foundation of isolation.
Our media culture likes to discuss domestic violence…when it’s convenient. You may still hear the whispers of domestic violence discussion in the aftershock of the Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson stories, but I have chosen this moment to bring domestic violence into the light. I won’t, again, let the importance of this topic be dictated by the media ebbs and flows.
In the past, October has been about the Susan G. Komen breast cancer awareness products that range from ribbons to wrist bands, from bras to tee-shirts–all in an effort to promote the prevention and treatment of one of the most deadly illnesses to ever face women. We use a lot of cute words to describe our breasts when it comes to creating awareness, but the truth of the matter is much darker.
