Chick Fil A is known as much for the CEO’s Christian beliefs as its chicken sandwiches. In-n-Out Burger has Bible verses printed on their cups and bags. Nearly every storefront window in my college town displays a pride flag or “Free Palestine” message. At some point, it gets a little exhausting. Do I really need… Continue reading This is the new purity test of our era
Category: Social Issues
I have minimal regrets as a “geriatric mom”
I read with interest – and a bit of sadness – the following article from The Free Press: “What I’ve Learned From Watching People Wait to Have Children” by maternal-fetal medicine physician Sarah Poggi (the article is behind a paywall, but you can read a condensed version on Instagram). As the title suggests, Poggi describes… Continue reading I have minimal regrets as a “geriatric mom”
The vibes are off, time to get on a boat
I saw a meme recently about the Jewish propensity for anxiety: “Of course Jewish people are anxious. The non-anxious ones didn’t survive. Every Jewish person alive today is here because some ancestor, at some point in history, said ‘Hey listen up! The vibes are off; time to get on a boat.’” I feel that. It’s… Continue reading The vibes are off, time to get on a boat
The answer to “What would you have done?” isn’t that simple
Normal people perhaps don’t grow up thinking what they would have done had they lived in Nazi Germany, but I did. The answer was simple: good people helped hide Jews, or otherwise volunteered their skills to the Resistance. Bad people looked the other way and did nothing, or worse: reported their neighbors who did those… Continue reading The answer to “What would you have done?” isn’t that simple
The cultural gaslighting of moms who miscarry
Two years ago at this time, I was joyfully expecting my first baby. What I didn’t know, and wouldn’t until mid-March, was that my baby girl passed away in my womb, near the end of the first trimester. When I thought I was growing life, my womb carried a corpse instead. It was, and remains,… Continue reading The cultural gaslighting of moms who miscarry
“Joyous despair” is a real thing
The social media algorithms want me to be angry, and there’s certainly no shortage of things to rage over. Headlines are purposely alarmist to get clicks: I know this. I used to be in that line of work. I used to live in a place of perpetual anger, and while I made decent money doing… Continue reading “Joyous despair” is a real thing
To rebuild or not to rebuild
I remember going through my Facebook friends list in 2016 and removing everyone I knew who voted for the candidate the media said was a Nazi. Their reasons for their vote didn’t matter: they supported Hitler 2.0, and therefore they were a threat to my very existence. Most people in that cut were acquaintances I… Continue reading To rebuild or not to rebuild
What is (and isn’t) antisemitism?
With so many people talking about Israel and Gaza, perhaps it's worth visiting what antisemitism actually is. That is, if we can all agree on how that is defined. In the same way that racism can be more complex than burning crosses and white hoods, antisemitism is more than Nazis and concentration camps. I would… Continue reading What is (and isn’t) antisemitism?
Post-election thoughts from the politically homeless
I’ve had many thoughts since the election results were finalized, but wanted to hold off for a day or so to let them marinate. I have a strict policy for myself not to post anything while dealing with heavy emotions: something I did not practice in 2016, much to my detriment. Back then, I firmly… Continue reading Post-election thoughts from the politically homeless
“If you’re voting for XYZ, swipe left”
Once upon a time, we went years without knowing our friends’ politics. We could attend their birthday parties and holiday dinners and never once bring up who we’re voting for. That era is long dead. I’ve wondered whether it’s better that way. What if, after years of playdates with your kids as you sip coffee… Continue reading “If you’re voting for XYZ, swipe left”