I did an AmeriCorps term where I worked at a middle school. I’d been working in education and youth development for a long time, but I was having a hard time getting my foot in the door to better jobs with agencies I wanted to work for. So I did AmeriCorps because I knew I would get the experience I needed to advance…

I know this wasn’t addressed to me buuut I’m a transracial adoptee myself, and had an ex who was adopted by one of his teachers when he was 14, in what was likely a pretty similar situation to this one. I also worked with kids for a long time. So - with all of those things in mind, this story brings up some red flags…

I worked at a faith-based day camp every summer when I was in college, that served mostly black and brown families. For most of the summers I worked there, white youth groups would visit each week to volunteer, and would live at the church with the rest of our staff. An obviously repulsive dynamic that sadly took me…

This man was horrible and it makes me angry for you that he put you in this position and refused to back down but also, I am cackling at your description of the bug killing and the ensuing silence and apology. You really do have to shame the fuck out of them sometimes (which...we shouldn’t be required to do).

Yeah, even though it occasionally works out alright, I still advise men not to yell at women in public. You don’t know what other male bullshit that woman has already dealt with that day/week/etc. and the vast majority of men who yell things that I’ve encountered have proven themselves incapable of figuring out what’s…

On the related subject of street harassment vs. compliments, I was walking down a busy street, and a man called to me, “Look out, you’re gonna cause another accident! Have a beautiful day!” and went on his way. There was nothing explicitly sexual, and he made it clear that nothing more was expected from me. IMO,…

I’m so sorry this man violated your trust and is choosing to treat you this way. And that the police are so unhelpful. Just wanted to suggest Lalalaw’s comments above if you haven’t read already! The Stalking Resource Center’s website has a lot of helpful resources for safety planning and documenting evidence. Hope…

This deserves as many stars as possible. Came here to say the same, as a former domestic violence advocate. I wouldn’t call the police or seek a protective order without creating and implementing a comprehensive safety plan. Document everything extensively - keep a log with detailed information, screenshots, etc.

It’s a great stew! I love chickpeas. I like roasting them for salads with a little rotisserie chicken for easy weeknight meals. There’s a restaurant near my house that serves them roasted in a peanut butter sauce that I’d like to try and re-create myself.

I’m going to disagree and say that I think it’s important for you to talk with your friend about how you’re feeling.

I love Blue Apron! I was a little surprised by the quality and how much I liked it, actually. I like that it helps me get more variety in my diet than I would on my own.

So...leave of absence = paid time off with the requirement of a few counseling sessions, followed by a quiet reinstatement three to six months from now, right?

Drive through would be amazing! I’m definitely gonna look into that for next year. And yeah I need to either suck it up or look like a weirdo haha.

I want to be a responsible human and just get it already! But I’m scared! I’m scared that I’m going to go into my doctor’s office/pharmacy/etc. where a hundred people who already have the flu have been coughing all over the place and that’s how I’m going to get it. I guess this probably isn’t super rational, since I’m…

Glad he acted right!! Those crushes are so normal among kids. I don’t remember crushing on men myself, but I definitely remember classmates swooning over a male student teacher, and when I was in the middle school youth group, girls would comment on how lucky our youth pastor’s wife was (which kind of makes me want to…

Oh god, what’s wrong with people?? I subbed and worked in schools when I was in my early twenties as well, and that is not the kind of attention I ever expected nor entertained when it occasionally came up in classrooms. That power dynamic will never be attractive to me either.

I was 16 when a visiting youth pastor began bringing his youth to our church for the summer. He was 24 at the time. He would put an arm around me, sigh, and say that he needed a girlfriend, or a wife. He was constantly finding ways to touch the girls in our group. He’d invite individual girls to help him decorate his…

So obnoxious that they’re afraid of criticism on the blogs, when survivors have been terrorized into not speaking, and further threatened, demoted, fired, blackballed, and shamed when we do, re-living our worst traumas in the process.

It would also be great to see literally anyone mention the impact of racism on employment and promotion??

I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s on the ban list in Texas prisons as well, which are fucking atrocious: https://www.texasmonthly.com/the-daily-post/texas-prisons-banned-thousands-books/