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THE DEATH MOTHER AND MY SELF IMAGE
There was a time when I believed I was so unattractive, that I avoided looking in a mirror and being photographed at all costs. The reminder of how I felt I looked was untouchably painful. This was my reality for all my adolescence and twenties. It had nothing to do with my waist size as I have always been slim,
IT TOOK ME 40 YEARS TO BUY MY 1ST TUBE OF RED LIPSTICK
I am a Taiwanese Canadian woman. The colour Red in traditional Taiwanese culture symbolizes good luck, celebration, distinction, joy, and prosperity. It is the bridal, birthday, and new year’s colour. When a woman dresses in red, it is a sign of respect to her elders and spirits, her ties to honouring her ancestors and tradition, and a symbol that she
WHY WOMEN STRUGGLE MAKING DECISIONS AND WHY THEY SHOULDN’T CARE
Could decision paralysis be a symptom of internalized patriarchy? What do these questions have in common? Do I study XXX or YYY? Do I relocate to LA / Tokyo / Shanghai / Paris / quiet place in the middle of nowhere? Do I have a baby? Or a subsequent one? Do I marry this person? Do I quit my office
THE GODDESS WEARS MANY DIFFERENT FACES
The “Goddess look”, long, flowing hair, supple skin, round-breasted, full hips, ankle-length dress, gracious with flowers in hand, maybe a wild beast nearby, sunlight peaking through — You know the ‘look’… But, what if another kind of woman was portrayed? Short hair, no hair? Thin, lanky figure? Wrinkled, tired skin? Barren, burned, dusty landscape? In pants? Or how about in
CARING FOR YOUR END-OF-SUMMER SKIN
While summer in Vancouver this year has been cooler, wetter, and greener, it doesn’t mean that my skin feels as vibrant. Having spent more time away (for work, for pleasure, for family grieving) these past months, my skin has experienced dusty winds, icy air conditioning, salty waters, prickly fluctuations, general neglect, and like the fallen fruit that lays on the
HOW DO WE HEAL INTERNALIZED COLONIALISM?
Colonialism isn’t just about destroying and taking over an existing local culture, exploiting the land and people, and maintaining domination. Colonialism is also about eradicating the people’s memories, exploiting and twisting those memories, and ensuring any effective connection to the past is severed so the conquered are left crippled and dependent on the dominating system. Let them forget who they
THE DEATH MOTHER AND MY SELF IMAGE
There was a time when I believed I was so unattractive, that I avoided looking in a mirror and being photographed at all costs. The reminder of how I felt I looked was untouchably painful. This was my reality for all my adolescence and twenties. It had nothing to do with my waist size as I have always been slim,
IT TOOK ME 40 YEARS TO BUY MY 1ST TUBE OF RED LIPSTICK
I am a Taiwanese Canadian woman. The colour Red in traditional Taiwanese culture symbolizes good luck, celebration, distinction, joy, and prosperity. It is the bridal, birthday, and new year’s colour. When a woman dresses in red, it is a sign of respect to her elders and spirits, her ties to honouring her ancestors and tradition, and a symbol that she
WHY WOMEN STRUGGLE MAKING DECISIONS AND WHY THEY SHOULDN’T CARE
Could decision paralysis be a symptom of internalized patriarchy? What do these questions have in common? Do I study XXX or YYY? Do I relocate to LA / Tokyo / Shanghai / Paris / quiet place in the middle of nowhere? Do I have a baby? Or a subsequent one? Do I marry this person? Do I quit my office
THE GODDESS WEARS MANY DIFFERENT FACES
The “Goddess look”, long, flowing hair, supple skin, round-breasted, full hips, ankle-length dress, gracious with flowers in hand, maybe a wild beast nearby, sunlight peaking through — You know the ‘look’… But, what if another kind of woman was portrayed? Short hair, no hair? Thin, lanky figure? Wrinkled, tired skin? Barren, burned, dusty landscape? In pants? Or how about in
CARING FOR YOUR END-OF-SUMMER SKIN
While summer in Vancouver this year has been cooler, wetter, and greener, it doesn’t mean that my skin feels as vibrant. Having spent more time away (for work, for pleasure, for family grieving) these past months, my skin has experienced dusty winds, icy air conditioning, salty waters, prickly fluctuations, general neglect, and like the fallen fruit that lays on the
HOW DO WE HEAL INTERNALIZED COLONIALISM?
Colonialism isn’t just about destroying and taking over an existing local culture, exploiting the land and people, and maintaining domination. Colonialism is also about eradicating the people’s memories, exploiting and twisting those memories, and ensuring any effective connection to the past is severed so the conquered are left crippled and dependent on the dominating system. Let them forget who they