In the home stretch of blog posts for Spring 2026, let’s bring the news back home to the Quad. (Well, maybe not the Quad anymore: any non-University sponsored events on the Quad are strictly limited under JMU’s updated “Public Expression On Campus” Policy 1121.) As a JMU senior, I’ve seen 3 big campus-wide protests during […]
Read More CAN JMU EVEN PROTEST?This week’s newsroom highlighted both a local and global story that raises important questions about women’s safety, voice, and how their experiences are handled. At the local level, JMU senior Natalya Paris spoke out about her experience with housing discrimination. After returning home to find a behavior chart that included a racial slur, she described […]
Read More Newsroom 4/21I’m a very expressive person when it comes to my emotions. Maybe it’s because my astrology sign is Cancer or it’s just in my blood. If you ask any of my friends, they will for sure tell you that I’m constantly telling them how I feel. Whether I’m excited, overwhelmed, anxious, or sad, my friends […]
Read More Men’s Mental Health Matters TooI’ve been thinking a lot about my body – something many women often do – especially what constitutes “normal” versus “abnormal,” “healthy” versus “concerning.” I recently encountered a scare that, once talked about, I was told occurred to many women. My mom told me, “I think every woman has this happen at least once in […]
Read More Who’s Believed in the Doctor’s Office?The Story In mid-April, a James Madison University senior named Natalya Paris posted a TikTok exposing the university for its lack of action surrounding a racist experience with her roommates. The story begins with Natalya and her boyfriend returning from a trip to UVA around 11 p.m. Due to pre-existing tensions with her roommates, Natalya […]
Read More Is Racism Not Enough? Do Better, JMU.While the 2015 Supreme Court ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges ostensibly made discrimination against queer Americans illegal, the lived experience of these citizens has been far more complex. One area wherein the US has continually failed to uphold the promises of Obergefell is adoption. Queer couples demonstrate disproportionate interest in the practice compared to their […]
Read More New Families, Old Barriers. How Trends in Adoption Reflect Our Societal Failings.As I continue to dive into the communication and gender course offered at James Madison University, my concern for women and their advocacy grows more and more. I’ve quickly learned that with my age, my body, mind, and overall well-being have changed a significant amount. I’ve consequently learned that this is something that can be […]
Read More The Default Male Body: Why Medicine Still Misses WomenWhen I got my IUD, I was told to take three Advil beforehand and that I would be fine. No numbing, really no sympathy or compassion… nothing It was said casually, like it was no big deal. Like it was the same as any other quick appointment. So I listened. I took the Advil, showed […]
Read More Just take 3 Advil“Our heartbeat is making sure women have their rightful place, making sure they’re safe enough to dream, making sure their voice is heard, and making sure they’re told that they matter and that they’re valuable.” New Creation VA is not just a store, but an organization working to fight human trafficking through community, education, and […]
Read More An Interview With New Creation VAThe average American woman with a period spends $20 on feminine hygiene products per cycle. This number ranges, but sources say women can spend anywhere from $6,000 to $18,000 on period products across their 40-year reproductive lifespan. For the privileged, this expense may not be that big of a deal, but for some, that monthly […]
Read More With Tampons and Justice For All: Why Feminine Products Are A Human Right