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SOGIE’s lavender GRADUATION

Lavender is a color that has represented the LGBTQ+ community throughout history. Lavender, a mix of pink and blue, represents the fluidity and blurring of gender lines in society.  When lavender graduation was first introduced in 1995, it was no surprise lavender was the color chosen to represent this ceremony. Lavender graduation was an event […]

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Cobalt mining kills

This semester I am taking a class on the Sociology of Energy and Society. It focuses mainly on how humans interact with forms of energy. We recently watched a documentary in this class, Blood Cobalt, which focuses on the mining going on in the Congo for cobalt. I recommend everyone to go and watch this […]

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Campus event: U.S. Democracy & the Latino/a/x COMMUNITY

On April 14th I attended a discussion panel that spoke on the political complexities of the Latino/a/x community. This event took place on campus in the College of Business building and featured three professors, Dr. Carlos Aleman, Dr. Veronica Davila Ellis and Dr. Sergio Gonzalez, chairman of the Virginia Latino Advisory Board, Lyons Sancheconcha, Rockingham […]

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News Room Roundup 4/18

LOCAL NEWS Liz Wheeler will be coming to campus next week to speak in the Madison Union Ballroom April 26th. She is a conservative political commentator, who will be speaking at a lecture titled, “The Ideology of Transgenderism.” It is to be hosted by JMU’s chapter of Young Americans for Freedom, which “brings students together […]

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I Don’t Like Sororities

I have never agreed with the idea of sororities. Never, ever. Growing up, seeing movies with sororities in them and big, girl-only friend groups reminded me of the girls that relentlessly bullied me all throughout school and even out of school online. My mindset on sororities was confirmed when I came to JMU and saw […]

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Bloody Battle

Dylan Mulvaney is a transgender influencer. She is followed by millions, and has a prominent social media presence. Her followers and others, decided to give their opinions, and felt the need to speak out on social media platforms such as Tiktok and Twitter. They expressed their thoughts regarding any videos with her and tampons. In […]

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Dragged through the Coals

Drag. It is a form of expression that has helped people explore themselves and their identities for years. This form of self-expression has existed since at least the 1870’s, and possibly even longer. There has been a long history of Drag existing and shaping the world. However, recently, there have been many bills that have […]

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Is Religion Against Women?

Is there a division between feminism and religion? In most religions there seems to be a patriarchal system that places men in positions of power. Women are not often seen in leadership and sometimes do not even have the same religious rights that men do. The exclusion of feminism in religion happens all over the […]

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Abbott Elementary: Supporting Public Schools & Teachers

Quinta Brunson, a Black comedian from Western Philadelphia, is best known for creating, executive producing, co-writing, and starring in the award-winning TV series Abbott Elementary. For those who don’t know anything about Abbott Elementary, it is a mockumentary-style comedy show surrounding a group of hard-working, dedicated, and passionate teachers at a Philadelphia public school; it […]

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News room round up 4/11

LOCAL NEWS Posted on James Madison’s school news page this past week was a podcast by Future U which featured JMU’s President, Jonathan R. Alger. Before he was JMU’s President, Alger was most notably assistant General Counsel at the University of Michigan, in which his skills in law proved crucial to UMich’s efforts in two Supreme […]

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Hot Girls Have Scary Dogs

*TW: mentions SA and Sex Trafficking** We as women live in a scary scary world. Sex trafficking, sexual assault, and just overall women’s safety issues are rampant in the US and disgustingly normalized. Which is why…I am a big fan of protection dogs or “scary” dogs in general. After everything that has happened with the […]

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Does Miss America Miss the Mark?

The Miss America Pageant is known to many and has certainly been prone to controversy and differing opinions over the years. The pageant is now over 100 years old and with its longstanding presence in society I feel it is important to recognize Miss America’s evolution over the years. The contest originated in 1921 at […]

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Iowa signs Gender Affirming Care ban

The recent decision by Iowa’s governor to sign a bill that bans gender-affirming care has set back the United States in terms of progress towards equality and human rights. This decision is a clear violation of the basic human rights of transgender individuals and shows a disregard for their lives and well-being. The bill, which […]

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is Hookup Culture harmful?

Hookup culture is a common part of lots people’s college experience, however, many people do not know or understand just how harmful this culture has the potential to be. My experience with hookup culture is not something I regret, but rather something that has formed me into who I am today and contributed to what […]

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Leslie George Speak Out

I attended Sigma Sigma Sigma’s Annual Leslie George Speak Out on February 28rd. This is my second year in a row attending the event. Every year, in February, Tri Sigma hosts the annual Leslie George Speak Out to raise awareness on eating disorders. Leslie George is a sister of Tri Sigma who tragically lost her […]

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My Life Revolves Around My Phone

“There’s growing evidence to suggest that some individuals can develop a dependency on social media that’s not unlike an addiction to alcohol or drugs,” Paul G. Simeone, Ph.D. This week, when I was supposed to be studying I found myself distracted. Like most people from my generation, the first thing I did was reach for […]

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Sexual Assault & Harassment At Universities

Sexual assault and sexual harassment are terms known all too well to women, and specifically women attending college universities. Individuals most at risk for sexual harassment or assault on college campuses are females, transgenders, and non-gender conforming individuals. Around 36 percent of undergraduate and graduate female students experience nonconsensual sexual contact and 37 percent of […]

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Go Spain!

There’s so much evil in this world. You know it. I know it. It is almost like we cannot escape it. It is everywhere. Well, here’s your chance to escape! Let’s talk about something positive in the news. Washington Post published an article about a month ago in February saying that Spain is giving women […]

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The Crazy Cat Lady & The Wild Fangirl

I’m sure everyone has heard of stereotypes like “the crazy cat lady” and “the boy-crazy fangirl”. While stereotypes like these have become a normalized part of our society, they’re harmful, sexist, and completely objectify women and their interests. Starting with the “crazy cat lady”, “it represents a sad and lonely [single] woman who uses felines […]

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rural areas need hospitals too

The World Health Organization views health care as a fundamental human right. If this is true, why can rural hospitals not keep their doors open? Between 2010-2022 more than 130 hospitals had to close due to a lack of funding and limited healthcare professionals. There are many causes of this, including the COVID-19 pandemic and […]

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Is it realistic?

The 75 Hard is a challenge created by Andy Frisella in 2019. It is known as a program meant to improve general mental toughness. The overall goal is to changes ones life permanently for the better. It says that it not only helps one physically but changes their thinking. With that being said, there has […]

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My thoughts on Catholic school

I want to preface this post by saying that not all Catholic schools are bad and I acknowledge the privilege I have in being able to attend one and share my experiences. Honestly, in some ways I am grateful for some of the experiences I went through because they helped shape me into who I […]

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Newsroom Roundup 3/22

LOCAL NEWS On March 6th, Irvo Otieno was killed by Henrico police officers and Central State Hospital employees during the hospital’s inpatient process. During a time of mental health distress, Otieno was met with aggression, criminality, and excessive force by officers and employees. Before being brought to the psychiatric institution, Otieno spent 3 days in […]

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The Truth about IUds

Like many other women, when I had my IUD inserted, I was not prepared for the extreme pain I was about to endure. The feeling was far more than the “slight pinch” my doctor claimed I would experience and was instead a blinding pain that encouraged a skew of curse words and tears. As more […]

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Taboo of Menstruation

Menstruation, the natural process by which a woman’s body sheds the lining of the uterus every month, has been subject to shame and stigma for centuries. The social stigma around menstruation has led to a lack of education, resources, and access to menstrual products for women worldwide. Down below I  will explore the roots of […]

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Masculinity and the digital takeover

masculinity noun mas·​cu·​lin·​i·​ty ˌma-skyə-ˈli-nə-tē  Synonyms of masculinity: the quality or nature of the male sex : the quality, state, or degree of being masculine or manly Merriam-Webster masculinE ADJECTIVE mas·​cu·​line ˈma-skyə-lən  Often defined as aggressive, strong, and unfeeling or stoic. Being masculine means in modern times, at least, no shows of emotion, no flamboyance, no hugging or even looking at other men, must be […]

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Pain & Prejudice

Pain. Excruciating pain. Unending pain. That is what Anushay Hossain felt for thirty-three hours while she was giving birth to her first child in 2011. According to The Washington Post, Hossain had received an epidural, a shot that provides anesthesia that numbs you from the waist down, and yet she could still feel every ounce […]

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Newsroom Roundup 3/7

local news On March 2nd, Congressman Ben Cline spoke about the reauthorization of the Debbie Smith Act. The Debbie Smith Act was passed in 2004, and distributes federal funds to law enforcement across the country to reduce backlogs of rape kits and DNA evidence from crime scenes to expedite the analyzation process of these pieces […]

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LIVING WITH VAGINISMUS

I remember when I was sixteen trying to put a tampon in for the first time the summer after I got my period. It just could not go up there for the life of me. I was getting worked up and on the verge of tears as my mom said we were leaving in a […]

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The Happiest Place on Earth?

For most of us, Disney was an extremely large part of our childhood. As a young girl I was OBSESSED with all Disney princesses, Sleeping beauty, Ariel, Snow white, and Pocahontas. From ages 2-5 I genuinely don’t think I left the house without a costume dress and my plastic glitter heels. For years, Disney has been […]

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The Attack on drag shows

The highest heels, the biggest wigs, the most extravagant makeup, and of course, only the most exotic of outfits for the drag queens of America!! Drag shows have been traced back in America since the 1920’s and for over 100 years drag shows have been a form of expression for many. Expressing femininity through fashion, […]

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If Women Started Talking About Mental Health: Presented by Lauren Hackett

Content Warning: Eating Disorders On Monday, March 6th, I attended Lauren Hackett’s speech on campus regarding women’s mental health. This event was presented by Alpha Sigma Tau as a panhellenic point for sororities on JMU’s campus. Lauren went into depth about her own mental health struggles, her experiences with eating disorders, chronic illness, and the […]

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Domestic Violence, A WOMAN’S Problem?

Domestic violence affects many women throughout the United States, as well as the rest of the world. The United States’ culture has different expectations of men and women regarding domestic violence. The societal expectation of domestic violence is that a male partner is the aggressor and abuser toward the female partner. Not all instances of […]

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Behind The Scenes

The directors and screenwriters of the top ten grossing domestic films of 2022 portray a perfect example of the lack of diversity in media industries. When taking a closer look behind the scenes of these muti-million-dollar movies, it is clear to see a pattern of gender, race/ethnicity, and nationality of the people who run the […]

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Stay Out of office Trump!

I’m tired of arguing with people over why Trump is unfit to run a country and not someone to be idolizing or supporting. I’m not trying to argue that being a good person will make you a good president, but the person who runs our country should care about everyone within it. In November of […]

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Social Media Causes Eating Disorders

Social media use is growing every year. Teenagers average about nine hours of social media use every day. Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat are the main avenues teenagers use for posting and communication. Although social media is portrayed as a fun way to share pictures and communicate with your friends, instead it has created anxiety and […]

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$1,275

Imagine this: The country you were born in, raised in, and started a family in is no longer safe. You scrape up everything you have to find a way out. After the treacherous journey, you and your family are finally able to set foot in a place of freedom. Or so they say.  What’s the […]

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postpartum Psychosis

This post was edited on March 21, 2023 by theartfemale TW: Blog talks about violence, child abuse, and mental illness. Recently you might have heard of a case where a mother was accused of strangling her three children and attempted to take her own life on January 24,2023. Her name is Lindsay Clancy. It is […]

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The Rise of Mommy Vlogs

Moms are so multifaceted. The ability to manage a steady job while also caring for a child full time is something only a mother can do. Mommy vloggers have become very popular on platforms like Youtube and TikTok. You might be wondering: What is a mommy vlogger? Basically, moms all over social media have started […]

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