How the Media is Failing the Disabled Community
Social Media, Special TopicsNote: this piece uses identity-first language (autistic, disabled, etc.) based on the preferences of many of our community members. When I started watching Atypical, I was hopeful. Finally, there was a show purportedly centered on Sam,…
How to Have a Happy, Safe, and Non-Offensive Halloween Weekend
Special TopicsHalloween is right around the corner. While the smell of cinnamon and carving pumpkins can be exciting, costumes are sometimes a cause of offense. In previous years, Halloween costumes have had a tendency to veer more toward offensive than fun…
Dear Leon: How Can I Find an LGBTQ+ Positive Therapist?
LGBTQIA+, Recovery, Special TopicsLeon Silvers is a psychotherapist, founder, and director of Silvers Psychotherapy, a group therapy practice in NYC. He specializes in working with clients with eating disorders, substance abuse, trauma, and LGBT issues. He has worked in various…
Instilling and Supporting Body Confidence in Men
Body Image, Men, Special TopicsWhen I was deeply suffering from my eating disorder, I hated my body. I abused it. Worst of all, I separated myself from it. My mind became one entity and my body became another. To my mind, my body seldom did anything right. Since entering…
On Rejecting Colonization and Reclaiming My Brown Identity
BIPOC, Special TopicsWe are nearing the end of Hispanic Heritage Month (also known as Latino Heritage Month), and although this month purports to celebrate and honor brown culture, it is a time that evokes feelings of dissociation for me. Yes, I am of Mexican-indigenous…
10 Fierce Activists to Admire This LGBTQ+ History Month
Activism, LGBTQIA+, Special TopicsOctober marks LGBTQ History Month, a time for reflecting on the community’s history as well as the LGBTQ+ civil rights movement. The community’s numerous accomplishments would not have been possible without the efforts of countless individuals…
5 Key Takeaways from the 2017 LGBTQ People of Color Mental Health Conference
BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, Special TopicsLast week, I had the privilege of attending In My Mind: A LGBTQ People of Color Mental Health Conference organized by DBGM. Held once a year in New York City, the conference centers the voices of LGBTQ+ people of color, particularly trans…
Research Shows That Gender Stereotypes Are Deadly
LGBTQIA+, Research, Special TopicsIt’s no secret that gender stereotypes are an omnipresent aspect of today’s society. A trip to a toy store, visit to a playground, or afternoon watching children’s television programs reveal that from an early age, girls are expected to…
Happy #BiWeek to the Bisexual+ Community. We See You.
LGBTQIA+, Special TopicsThis week, the bisexual+ community is being celebrated and recognized. #BiWeek aims to increase awareness and support for LGBTQ people who fall under the bisexual+ umbrella. LGBTQ people already have many issues of being misunderstood, mislabeled,…
How to Address the Troubling Lack of Diversity Among Eating Disorders Professionals
BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, Men, Special TopicsMany of us from minority communities, whether it be our race/ethnicity, sexual orientation/gender identity, foreign/immigration status, or any other such factor, share an unfortunately common experience moving through the world: being the only…