January: National Stalking Awareness Month

January: 

National Stalking Awareness Month

stalk

stôk

verb

verb: stalk; 3rd person present: stalks; past tense: stalked; past participle: stalked; gerund or present participle: stalking

1. 1.

   pursue or approach stealthily.

   
   
   

   "a cat stalking a bird"

   
   

   synonyms:

   creep up on, trail, follow, shadow, track down, go after, be after, course, hunt; More

   • harass or persecute (someone) with unwanted and obsessive attention.

     
     
     

     "for five years she was stalked by a man who would taunt and threaten her"
   • literary

     move silently or threateningly through (a place).

     
     
     

     "the tiger stalks the jungle"
2. 2.

   stride somewhere in a proud, stiff, or angry manner.

   
   
   

   "without another word she turned and stalked out"

   
   

   synonyms:

   strut, stride, march, flounce, storm, stomp, sweep "she stalked out"

noun

noun: stalk

1. 1.

   a stealthy pursuit of someone or something.
2. 2.

   a stiff, striding gait.
3. 
   

stalking

staw-king

noun

1.

the act or an instance of stalking, or harassing another in an aggressive,   often threatening and illegal manner:

Stalking is now a crime in many states.

adjective

2.

of or relating to the act of pursuing or harassing:

Stalking laws have alleviated some problems for famous people.

While researching for ideas for this month, I found that it is harder to find information on just STALKING that doesn't involve murder and serial killers. 

I can see how stalking can be a precursor to murder and physical assault, but there is also an increase of online and personal stalking in our community (Citation.) Just listen to conversations around you for a moment. Have you heard and of the following?
"She Facebook stalked so and so."  
"I just follow this person on Instagram.I never comment."
"Oh, so and so checked in at this establishment."

Our technologically inclined society makes it easier than ever to observe from afar. This access can be absurdly helpful, but there are also malevolent thoughts and actions behind some of the searching. Just like with anything we encounter in our every-day lives.

Below are how I have distinguished different stalking attributes just within my head. Professional stalking has always given me an uneasiness, but the global utilization of the internet has lead me to reconsider what I see as "safer" and how to navigate the increase of knowledge around me.

Stalking for a profession: Private Investigator. Journalist. Paparazzi.

Online Stalking: Social media outlets. Networking outlets. Address verification.

Personal Stalking: Following in car, on foot, train, etc.

I am hoping to find some information regarding the topic of Stalking, how to help ourselves from getting into stalking situations, how to get out of situations, and how to find support.

The more we know, the better we navigate through life.

Here's to looking up stalking and having the internet wonder what we're getting ourselves into.

Happy New Year 2018

Happy New Year 2018!

May your year be sweet.

Taboo Subjects?

Show of the times?

Taboo subjects have ebbed and flowed through the times depending on location and social acceptance.

In the history of my country, or even my state and city, I can think of a few items that have been brought to my attention, which are listed below.


Is there anything else that you can think of? For this post, I am keeping it to the US, but if there are some that really pop out to you, tell me! I will have a world-wide post at some point, too.

- Abortion

- Comunism

- Immigration

- Religion

- Black Panther Movement

- Anything "non-hetero-normative"

- Women in the workplace

- Women in position of power

- Sex before marriage

- Pants/Trousers/Shorts 

- Tattoos

- Menstruation

- Evolution

- Global Warming

- Swearing

- Sexuality education 

- Politics 

- HIV/AIDS

- Wages

- Interracial relationships

- Bathrooms

- Breastfeeding 

- Child labour

- Corruption (specifically from a position of power)

- Alcohol

- Drugs

- Sex work

- Military 

- Censorship 

- Females making "first move"

- Pornography
- Dietary habits

- Voting

Taboo You

ta·boo

təˈbo͞o,taˈbo͞o

noun

1. 1.

   a social or religious custom prohibiting or forbidding discussion of a particular practice or forbidding association with a particular person, place, or thing.

   synonyms:

   prohibition, proscription, veto, interdiction, interdict, ban, restriction "the taboo against healing on the Sabbath"

adjective

1. 1.

   prohibited or restricted by social custom.

   "sex was a taboo subject"

   synonyms:

   forbidden, prohibited, banned, proscribed, interdicted, outlawed,  illegal, illicit, unlawful, restricted, off limits; More

verb

1. 1.

   place under prohibition.

   "traditional societies taboo female handling of food during this period"
2. Link to Resource

Growing up in a multi-cultural family in a highly diverse part of the US, I was exposed to various lifestyles, personalities, family dynamics, and socioeconomic backgrounds. My own household was one of these diverse family dynamics. So, when I grew into a high school student and, eventually, an adult, I become increasingly surprised at the information that was liberally (or not so liberally) handed out to all ages about what my country determines as "Taboo." Especially surrounding sexuality, families, gender identity, sexual identity, and personal expression.

As a child I was always asking questions and going out of my way to learn more about what interested me. I knew I wanted to become a "baby doctor" (OB/Gyn) at the age of 4. Then that or a storm chaser by the age of 12.  My senior project for high school was Free and Confidential Contraception for Teenagers, which got me thinking about different aspects of Gynecology and sexual health.Then I thought maybe I would like to be a librarian at the age of 18. By age 28 I became a sexuality educator with a passion for alternative lifestyles, prophylactic education, elder care, and sex worker safety and advocacy. 

Now, as I contemplate going back to university for a Masters in Public Health for Education and Advocacy, I wanted to keep a journal of thoughts I have, and research I do for the taboo subjects of human sexuality within my culture, and share it with others who may be looking to further their own personal education.

I grew up in the US with sex being thrown at me constantly in the way of ads, movies, shows, social status, and personal relationships. My state does not require sexuality education, but if the school systems do choose to teach sex. ed., they MUST teach at least a portion on abstinence only alongside comprehensive curriculum, so I was exposed to some education during my grade school years.

Media coverage these days is flooded with sexual misconduct of teachers and professors (one particularly visible case being in my own city), high standing public officials, actors, producers, country men and woman, Boy Scouts, randos on the train, transgender bathroom assaults (or lack of), and many, many more. I feel we're missing a big portion of the picture when we, as a society, fixate on one thing. Even more so when it's a negatively impacting item of discussion, which gets me thinking more and more about how we, as individuals, choose to learn more to correct the madness.

The more I speak with people within my work group, social groups, and community, I see that there is a gross misunderstanding of many common,and what I thought of as regular, every-day knowledge, of sexuality educational values. Some examples being: what STIs are, which communities, ages, and persons are most at risk.

So, long story short, here are some thoughts, actions, books, stories, and information for us to look through to better educate ourselves on the taboo subjects of sexuality and the education thereof.

It's lovely to meet you, and I hope we can all learn and grow together.