Published in Human Parts·PinnedMember-onlyAs a Former Poor Person, Grocery Shopping Still Makes Me AnxiousGrowing up just south of Detroit, Michigan in the 1980s, my girlfriends and I played a game called “MASH” that was supposed to predict what kind of house we’d live in. …Poverty6 min readPoverty6 min read
PinnedMember-onlyMy Husband Gifted Me a Crop TopHow a minuscule piece of clothing smashed my body image misogyny It seemed innocent. A neatly folded piece of lilac fabric surrounded by shreds of wrapping paper. I looked up at my husband and smiled. His love language was gifts of love, and he always selected his presents thoughtfully. But…Body Image6 min readBody Image6 min read
PinnedMember-onlyOur Marriage Therapist Fired UsI didn’t want my marriage…until I was told it was beyond fixing The first thing I noticed, other than the chaotically cluttered office, was the therapist’s handlebar mustache. It took up half his face and hid most of his mouth. The second thing I noticed was his oversized wooden desk…4 min read4 min read
Jan 19Member-onlyI’ve Lost 35 Pounds and No One Has NoticedAnd that’s a great thing “You’re so thin!” “You look amazing!” “What’s your secret?” When I embarked on my weight loss journey, I expected to hear some version of these things. After all, my friends and family knew my struggles with gaining weight after taking anti-psychotics to battle bipolar 2…Weight Loss3 min readWeight Loss3 min read
Jan 18Member-onlyMy Mother-in-Law Wanted to Steal My BabyI gave her a grandchild, but she gave me a family She wanted to steal my baby. That was the only reason my mother-in-law stood in my minuscule living room with a new, yellow stroller. …Motherhood7 min readMotherhood7 min read
Nov 15, 2022Member-onlyMy Butt, My Boobs, and Other Things that Aren’t Supposed to ExistMy body isn’t yours to critique “Turn around.” I spun before my cheerleading advisor, wearing the short, flouncy skirt I was being fitted for. At sixteen, I was five feet tall and 105lbs — but curvy. …Feminism5 min readFeminism5 min read
Nov 7, 2022Member-onlyMy Happiness Offends YouIs everyone supposed to be miserable now? A few weeks ago, Daisey Beaton tweeted, “My husband and i wake up every morning and bring our coffee out to our garden and sit and talk for hours. every morning. it never gets old & we never run out of things to…Social Media4 min readSocial Media4 min read
Oct 11, 2022Member-onlyMiddle-Aged Women are Has-BeensAnd we should stop trying to be relevant It wasn’t anything I hadn’t heard or read before but this time, it was directed at me. “Your outfit is cute. It’s something my daughter would wear,” the woman standing in line behind me said with a smirk. …Middle Age5 min readMiddle Age5 min read
Oct 9, 2022Member-onlyWhy You Should be a Mean GirlNice girls, it’s time to get in line behind me “You’re very direct for a woman,” the man said. We’d been discussing plans for my next book launch and when it comes to business matters, I am matter-of-fact. I tilted my head and met his gaze. “Really? Would you rather…Feminism4 min readFeminism4 min read
Oct 4, 2022Member-onlyWomen, It’s Okay to Compliment Each OtherYou can change someone’s day Children dart around clumps of adults clutching beers and glasses of wine while lost in conversation. On the stage near the parking lot entrance, a band plays crowd favorites and a few women self-consciously do the middle-aged, white woman step-and-shuffle. …Womanhood5 min readWomanhood5 min read