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Special Victims
Despite illusory notions of “law and order,” the criminal justice system has failed to truly help survivors of rape and abuse.
I Said ‘No’ In Three Languages
Street harassment forces women to contend with unwanted male attention, and the orchestration of this attention is significant in women’s daily lives.
My STIR: Three Days In A Relapse
The realities of alcoholism often include falling off the wagon, which is both more mundane and absurd than many people realize.
What Gets You Sober—God Or Your Neurons?
In battling addiction, neuroscience offers a complementary and alternative approach to twelve-step programs.
My Father Could Have Been Killed By Police
When Black men, women, and children feel lucky to walk away from police harassment alive, shouldn’t we all be outraged?
Wine in the Baby’s Mouth
To cut or not to cut? Circumcision is influenced by cultural forces and religious tradition, especially for secular Jews and Muslims.
Industrial Hog Farming and Environmental Racism
In North Carolina’s hog country, activists continue to fight for clean air and water.
Displaced And Pushed Out Of Sight
The movement toward criminalizing homelessness isn’t just bad politics. It’s bad public health policy for communities.
Young STIR: Keep Women And Men Safe From Sexual Assault
After being raped in her dorm by a friend, a young woman reaches out to sexual assault survivors.
What Everyone Needs To Know About Depression
More people are talking openly about their depression, but is public perception changing?
Eulogy: For Reverend DePayne Middleton Doctor
Reverend DePayne Middleton Doctor, a minister, admissions coordinator, and mother.
Eulogy: For Reverend Daniel Simmons, Sr.
Reverend Daniel Simmons, Sr., a 74-year-old Vietnam vet, longtime pastor, father, and grandfather.
Eulogy: For Myra Thompson
Myra Thompson, a retired teacher, guidance counselor, wife, mother, grandmother, and newly certified preacher.
Eulogy: For Ethel Lee Lance
Ethel Lee Lance, a 70-year-old church sexton with five children, seven grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.
Eulogy: For Susie Jackson
Susie Jackson, an 87-year-old mother of two, family matriarch, devout Christian, church trustee, and eldest victim.
Eulogy: For TyWanza Sanders
TyWanza Sanders, a 26-year-old graduate of Allen University in Columbia, South Carolina, who died trying to save his grandmother.
Eulogy: For Reverend Sharonda Coleman-Singleton
Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, a reverend, track coach, speech therapist, and mother.
Eulogy: For Cynthia Hurd
Cynthia Hurd, head librarian with Charleston County Library’s John L. Dart Branch and manager of the St. Andrews Regional Library.
Eulogy: For Reverend Clementa Pinckney
Reverend Clementa C. Pinckney, a South Carolina Senator and senior pastor of Emanuel A.M.E. Church.
A Shared Road
In a society of technology-driven isolation, is the key to a more compassionate world simply taking the time to really see one another?
The Art Of Teaching
“Stereotypes, they’re sensual, cultural weapons. … At an artistic level, stereotypes are terrible writing.” -Junot Díaz
Going to the Dogs Eased My Child’s Cynophobia
How one woman created her own exposure therapy “bootcamp” for her canine-phobic daughter.
The Life You Cannot Save
A Bangladeshi girl falls ill after surviving a factory fire. Did labor activists misrepresent the facts about her illness?
Living In A World Of Rape
From a tiny village in Ghana to a university in West Virginia, the legacy of violence against women is inescapable.
Mad Men Vs. Women: Past, Present, And Future
Will advertisers’ pursuit of women bolster the Patriarchy through the turn of the century?
Polygamy: As Seen On TV
Many couples who pursue modern polygamist lifestyles find that creating the “perfect family” is more difficult than expected.
Why I Plan To Hover As My Son Becomes A Teen
What drives young men who commit horrific crimes? It may be a simple lack of basic morality.
If You’re Not Fit For College, What Are You Fit For?
Vocational training doesn’t ensure a living wage for students lacking the skills needed for college.
#BlackPoetsSpeakOut, But Is America Listening?
“I am a black poet who will not remain silent while this nation murders black people.”
Young STIR: Witches, Wizards, And The Wage Gap
In literature, Hollywood, and hometowns, women still earn less than their male peers.
Women: Claim Your Share of the Sharing Economy
Women and men are socialized to use public spaces differently. It may take both to change that.
The Art Of Conflict
When death threats closed Pittsburgh’s Conflict Kitchen, public outcry helped the restaurant reopen and continue its mission.
Nuns: The Environmental Movement’s Most Powerful Ally?
The Sisters of Loretto fought the Bluegrass Pipeline and protected their Kentucky homeland.
My STIR: On Forgiveness, Trust, and Desire (Part Two)
In response to Elizabeth Switaj’s piece on forgiveness culture, a story of abuse and survival.
It May Be Time To Repurpose The Pit Bull
Rather than consigning unwanted pit bulls to life — or death — in shelters, why not put their skills to use?
My STIR: On Forgiveness, Trust, and Desire (Part One)
In response to Elizabeth Switaj’s piece on forgiveness culture, a story of abuse and survival.
Young STIR: The Transgender Youth Movement
A teen reaches out to adults and questioning youth about the effects of a disapproving society.
2014: The Year We Put “Just” In Front Of Malaria
How privilege, fear, and nationalism hinder the eradication of infectious diseases.
For My Child, Actions Teach Louder Than Words
Educators’ focus on language skills marginalizes kids who learn through physical, play-based activities.
I Didn’t Breastfeed And My Kids Are Healthy And Happy
Women who can’t nurse — or choose not to — shouldn’t be pressured or judged.
The Deep Web: The Internet Most People Don’t Know About
The Deep Web is not accessible through search engines. Its variety of uses may surprise you.
Why I Reject Forgiveness Culture
For trauma survivors, there are many paths to healing and moving on. Why demand that survivors forgive their abusers?
How Political Comedy Culture Breeds Social Apathy
Political satirists provide comic relief, but do they undermine the fight to address serious issues?
Why Trigger Warnings Don’t Work
Because trauma survivors’ memories are so specific, increasingly used “trigger warnings” are largely ineffective.
Cultural Equity: An Opera In Three Acts
When arts funding favors elite white institutions, both artists and communities suffer.
The Times I Wasn’t Raped
Carelessness does not make sexual assault an expected outcome any more than self-protection necessarily prevents it.
Teen Choice And The Dangers of Parental Involvement Laws
Do parental consent laws protect pregnant minors? The risks of politicizing teen abortion.
How The Food Industry Endangers People With Soy Allergies
Avoiding soy is complicated by its prevalence in processed foods, the food industry, and labeling laws.
The Unseen Jury: The Ideology And Psychology Of Covert Racism
Examining institutionalized racism’s psychological and philosophical roots and how to combat it.
Genetically Modified Pregnancy: How Many Tests Are Too Many?
The costs, benefits, and ethical issues of increasingly sophisticated prenatal genetic tests.
My STIR: A Foster Care Success Story
In response to Deb Stone’s essay on foster care, former foster child Jaquel Pitts shares his successes.
Can Queer Radicals And Gay Progressives Meet In The Middle?
Is marriage equality relevant to radical queer politics, or are such norms regressive and anti-queer?
Why The Left Should Stop Listening To Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader, the far left, and how both might affect the outcome of the 2016 Presidential race.
We All Benefit From Modern Slavery And That Should Piss Us Off
Many are opposed to slavery in principle, but it won’t end until we leverage our collective powers.
My STIR: The Billionaire Diet©™®$
It’s like the Paleo, Atkins, Military, or South Beach diets, only much, much richer! Lose big and look like a billion bucks!
O’ Say! Can You See The Oligarchy?
A former U.S. congressman deconstructs a dangerous threat to our democracy, freedom, and independence.
Are The New Atheists Committing The Old Mistakes?
The nature of belief, disbelief, and how to approach the threat of religious extremism.
What If Addicts Received Effective Treatment Instead Of Prison Time?
Poor treatment programs and the stigma of addiction have caused an epidemic of suffering.
As Children, Truths About Our Friends May Be Too Obvious to See
An elegy for junior high, and how we often barely glimpse the home lives of even our closest friends.
What You Should Know About Collection Agency Practices
Third-party debt collection agencies harass consumers into paying debt they believe they’ve already settled.
On Memorial Day, What We Choose To Remember And What We Forget
Forgetting the stark realities of war does a disservice to veterans and the lives lost in U.S. military campaigns.
Christian Purity Culture: Setting The Bar Too High For Men?
The Evangelical Christian purity movement and its impact on mainstream secular culture.
Poverty And The Environment: More Connected Than You Realize?
Exploring the intersection between poverty, the environment, and climate change.
We Should All Care When Prisons Don’t Try To Rehabilitate Inmates
How helping prison inmates establish positive identities is critical to preventing recidivism.
A Simple Reality In The U.S. Tax Code That Affects Us All
How the U.S. tax code rewards the super wealthy and punishes the working classes.
The New Conversation: Everyone Is Talking But Is Anyone Listening?
Two of STIR’s creators want to make you feel uncomfortable for a while.
How Gender Informs Our Ability To Understand Each Other
A powerful poem exploring the ever-evolving puzzle of gender, feminism, and family.
Fighting Congressional Corruption By Getting Money Out Of Politics
Mansur Gidfar talks about political corruption and how voters can fight to take back their government.
Shannon Watts: Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America
How starting a Facebook page made Shannon Watts one of the most vilified women in America.