Lying side by side in the darkness one evening, at that time of night when we know we should be sleeping but have our most honest conversations, he asked me something he had yet to learn about me: “What are you most afraid of? Is it Spiders? Snakes?” No, I’m not scared of spiders or [...]
Tag: Aliljoy articles
Guilt and Regret: Practising Self-Forgiveness
We make ourselves feel guilty about all manner of things. Appearance, weight, eating, drinking, exercise, accidents, things we’ve said or done… I feel I have wasted days, months, maybe years of my life on guilt and regret. I tend to beat myself up about all kinds of stuff. I am ambitious and competitive. I hate [...]
‘If You Got a Big Ol’ Butt? Shake It!’ Nicki Minaj’s abortion
I was shocked when the headlines reported Nicki Minaj was ‘haunted’ by a teenage abortion. News of Minaj's abortion was used by the media as anti-choice propaganda
Going in Social Circles
He took me to a stand-up comedy open-mic night, took to the stage and announced to the audience: "I'm on a Tinder date. If you pretend I'm funny, I might actually get somewhere tonight."
My thoughts on “F-Bomb Princesses”
What’s wrong with 6-year-old F-Bomb Princesses? There’s been a LOT of controversy around the FCKH8 video since its release last week. Personally, I was amazed and delighted by 95% of my initial viewing of the video. I loved the way stereotypes were being challenged, that young women were given the agency of freely using one [...]
Smile! You’re on camera!
As a foreigner, how do you deal with getting stared at 24/7?
My policy is – no matter how hungry, tired, alienated or desperate to find a proper toilet I might be feeling – smile! Especially when you’re on camera.
Having it all?
Career and love: can we ever have it all? So, I’ve got a bit of a situation here, and I’ve no idea how it’ll turn out. I want my personal relationships to bring me happiness. I want to have a successful, fulfilling career. But it seems that wanting both simultaneously is just too much to [...]
Habits…
Old habits die hard. Or do they? Over one of the many Easter-time bank holidays, a friend of mine visited me in London for a few days. Coming from the country, she’d bought a glossy women’s magazine to occupy her during the journey. I’m not one to buy magazines – so rarely read them. Flicking [...]
When Something Fits, There’s Just A Question Of Being It
I recently made a major decision that will change my life. Since then, other parts of my life have really improved. Everything around me has taken on the glisten of wonderment that I hadn’t seen there previously. So, its probably about time I told the world. Or, at least, those in it who don’t already [...]
Part-time face; part-time you?
A few days ago I came across something that further confused my already complicated relationship with make-up: this. My first reaction was amazement. I have never used nor experienced make-up being used like this before (make-up isn’t exactly my forte). Of course I’m not completely oblivious. I know it can work wonders. I realise that [...]
Zhēn de Gender 