Madeleine

Immigration and asylum systems reproduce patriarchy through their treatment of gendered violence as “private.” That classification becomes justification for denying credibility and protection. Survivors are required to perform perfect victimhood, translate trauma into institutional timelines, and prove danger within systems that routinely doubt... See more

Sometimes I think about all this through the lens of a Virgin Mary portrait, of which we have all seen hundreds if not thousands. In the patriarchal fetishized version of valuing care, she stays there, locked up in a glossy painting, harmonious and unconflicted and silent. In my version of valuing care, we start with asking her if we can carry the... See more

“Oh, I do have control issues.” “I’m very controlling but I try to not be.” “I need to learn how to let go more.”

But why? You live in a world where lawmakers are trying to take control from you all the time. You can’t even control your own healthcare. You are denied control over where you live because you have to center employment in every aspect... See more