54 results for author: Jennifer J. Dolan


THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM

I'm not a Republican, but I have a pretty good memory, am no fan of mice, and I'm fat. In fact, not just fat; obese. I am almost always the only fat person sitting at a conference table in a room full of people talking about health, and more specifically, the topic of obesity, exercise and nutrition, or as the people around me like to say, “chronic disease prevention.” What is even more awkward is that I suffer from many chronic diseases. Most of them have little to do with my size, but it is not as though I can just start telling everyone, “it’s not what you think… here's the list of conditions I suffer from…” because we'd be there ...

HATE IS STUPID

As I write this, Pride Month 2018 is drawing to a close. Two trans women in my social circle had very different experiences this past month. One found acceptance and a sense of well-being, the other one suffered from despair so deep that she took her own life. This has prompted a lot of reflection on my part. Will (my significant other) and I have always been big advocates for the LGBT community. Through the years we have seen great strides being made toward acceptance and understanding. But I realize that I was lulled into feeling that the community in which I live is much safer, much more accepting, than it actually is. Intolerance is only one ...

Opioids and Humane Treatment

We have two opioid problems in the U.S. The first one, I am certain you have heard of. It is opioid addiction, which is arguably fueled by the widespread availability of opioids. The second problem is one that was created by how government agencies and businesses decided to address the first problem. For people with chronic health conditions, access to opioid pain killers can restore some normalcy and improve the quality of life. Many people who, like myself, suffer from chronic pain, have very few good days, good hours, or even good minutes in which we must complete all our errands. Restrictive pharmacy policies, where a person can only receive a ...

ONE PERSON, ONE VOTE

The year 2020 will mark the 100th anniversary of women having the right to vote in the United States… let us not squander it. Years ago, I would take part in canvassing on behalf of various organizations, and I heard a lot of different things from a lot of different voters. One thing stood out as particularly troubling. Every now and then, I would happen upon a woman who would either say, “I just vote the way my husband tells me to vote,” or “I just vote the way my father tells me to vote.” The first time I heard someone say this, it shocked me. I thought about how women had to fight for the right that the 19th amendment guarantees. ...