As a mixed-race person, who identifies heavily with his black identity, I have experienced the bad and the ugly of the racial stereotype game. I do have some privilege in the respect that in some spaces I am not read as black, but often I am subjugated like my black male peers to the stereotypes that haunt us from day to day. There are many examples of this subjugation … [Read more...]
Don’t Beat Yourself Up When Burnt Out, You’ll Blossom Again
Have you ever felt burnt out? Have you ever felt like you just couldn’t go on doing what you’re doing? Have you ever felt like you hit a wall in your work or education, and that there must be something wrong with you? Welcome to burnout, the feeling we get when we’ve reached our physical, mental, and/or emotional limits in our occupational work or schoolwork. As you might … [Read more...]
Never Enough: Growing Up Mixed-Race with a Mix of Friends
I identify as mixed-race. My father is white, and my mother was black and Native American. I have medium-light-toned skin, I have curly hair when it’s not buzzed, and I do not really look like either of my parents. When I was growing up, it was always hard to explain my background to people. Plenty of people, kids and adults alike, would ask me, “What are you?” as though I were … [Read more...]
More Than Just Broad Shoulders: On Being “Too Big”
Shopping for clothes always seems like such a chore. Beyond the issues of succumbing to capitalist patriarchal standards of what “looks good,” shopping can quickly become a session of self-loathing, especially when you are “too big” for what you want to wear. You find something that looks great on the rack, but when you put it on, the buttons are stretched out, or you cannot … [Read more...]
5 (More) Ways to Radically Exist in Decolonial Love
At TBINAA, there are articles that affect us and inspire us from other digital magazines and blogs on a daily basis. One article in particular that seemed to strike a great chord with our followers on Facebook is one by Gwendolynn Benaway for the site Working it Out Together titled “Decolonial Love: A How-To Guide.” In this article, Benaway talks about her experiences as a … [Read more...]
You Are Worthy: How To Remember You Are Enough When The World Says Otherwise
“You are more than you know.” This is a phrase that invokes the same positivity as other common mantras and catchphrases we often read or tell ourselves when we are feeling less than great—or just straight up terrible. What is different about the phrase “you are more than you know,” though, is the questions that may come after seeing the phrase. You are “more” what, exactly? … [Read more...]
Radical Self-Love By Any Means Necessary: 7 Ways to Work Through the Stress of our Political Climate
There is no denying that the state of our (US) nation is quite bleak when you consider all the terrible events taking place at the hands of a president, presidential Cabinet, and Republican-controlled Senate that seem to be intent on tearing our country apart. Millions of people are afraid of the effects of the current regime, as access to health care, civil rights, employment, … [Read more...]
Because America: 5 Must Have Facts On Sexism and Patriarchy 101
At The Body is Not An Apology, a large amount of our work surrounds the topics of gender, sexism, and patriarchy, along with an endless range of topics that relate to radical self love. I have written many editorials for TBINAA concerning gender, especially around the concept of masculinity, the nice guy stereotype, eating habits, and the idea of being too big as a man. Two … [Read more...]
6 Ways Men Can Work to Undo the Emotional Trauma They Have Caused
One of the most widespread consequences of toxic masculinity and patriarchy is the trauma others face when subjected to it. This trauma ranges from the physical (bodily harm, physical abuse, sexual violence) to the mental (manipulation, condescension, attacking mental stability) to the emotional (unreciprocated emotional labor, exacerbating emotional disorder symptoms). Each of … [Read more...]
Literally Treason: 4 Responses to Ridiculous Claims Made by Pro-Confederate Protesters
Somehow, no matter how many years have passed since the Confederate States of America took the “L” in the Civil War, we are still talking about whether or not it’s cool to fly Confederate battle flags (it’s not) or if it’s okay to take down Confederate monuments (it is). Our country has a very obvious devotion to valuing ignorance over decency as we continue to allow this … [Read more...]
Twitter-Fueled Tyranny: What Does American “Freedom” Mean Under Trump This Independence Day?
Another day, another irresponsible tweet from #45. Donald Trump, President of the United States of America, has shown time and time again just how much of a joke our country’s “independence” and “freedom” truly are. Not only has he made a fool of himself on a near-daily basis through his actions and tweets; he has made it clear that our country cares much more about having a … [Read more...]
Sex At Every Size!
In my Sexuality Studies Master’s program at San Francisco State University, I struggled for a while trying to come up with a way to connect my interest in the Fat Acceptance movement and in the field of Fat Studies to the realm of sexuality. While trying to solidify my thesis topic at the intersection of Sex and Fat, I decided to play around with a popular Fat Studies concept … [Read more...]
#YouStillGood?: Continuing the Conversation on Black Men & Mental Health
No stranger to controversy, Chicago, IL-based rapper Kanye West recently broke headlines for making some outlandish comments about undocumented immigrants while saying he supports Trump at a concert. At a following event, which coincidentally featured an also recently embattled healthier Kid Cudi, Kanye ranted about artists Beyoncé and Jay-Z in a way that many called erratic … [Read more...]
My Mother’s Cancer: Inside the Body of a Warrior
[Image description: This photograph shows the author on the left and his mother on the right. The author is a young mixed-race man, with a medium skin tone and shoulder-length straightened hair, sitting on a ledge. He is wearing sunglasses, a billed beanie, and a white shirt and jeans. His mother is a Black woman with dark skin, curly black hair, a white visor, glasses, and a … [Read more...]
