Throughout much of this article, I was honestly debating whether or not I thought it added anything new to the conversation on masculinities, the toxic behaviors of boys/men, and how we raise our boys in the United States. Every few months or so there is an article similar to this one that is featured in…
I’m done. These two words have become a sort of mantra for Billy Porter. Done with toxic masculinity, done with the denigration of femme men, done with subduing his fabulousness for the sake of employment. Porter, whose velvet tuxedo dress became of the talk of the 2019 Oscar’s red carpet, is an actor, dancer, and…
Our words matter, and being intentional with the message we are trying to convey can have a huge impact on the lessons (intended or not) that we are teaching young folks. Seemingly minor interactions or word choices can have significant impact on a person’s emotional state. Words that encourage dialogue and that are not shaming…
As Angela Y. Davis told us in 1979, “In a racist society, it is not enough to be non-racist, we must be anti-racist.” The former is a passive existence that enables oppression, while the latter is an active identity of resistance to the status quo. In a sexist and patriarchal society, it is not enough to…
It cannot be said that The Bridges We Burn is subtle about our politics. Like our emotions, we wear our politics on our sleeves and strive for a praxis that bridges our ideals, theoretical foundations, and action for justice and equity. To that end, it is important for us to state that The Bridges We…
Abuse can be difficult to see or name from the inside. If we suspect or believe someone we care about to be in an abusive relationship, confronting them about it in a way that may feel accusatory has the potential to push them closer to their abuser. The realities of domestic violence are often confusing…
I was 25 or so the first time I went to therapy as an adult. I was living in NYC, working full time, and lived with my partner of several years. The past was catching up with me in ways I did not have the capacity to handle on my own, and my partner thought…
About a year ago, I posted my editorial, Thoughts on/of Suicide. The process of writing, publishing, and discussing this essay was almost like putting a little pressure valve in my brain/heart/stomach that lets out the emotions, anxiety, and dark thoughts. I think about this piece often and I have reread it more times than just…