Deserting LGBTQ+ Virgin Islanders

A VI community group changed its name for Pride, and lost 400 members. (Trigger warning: This post contains screenshots of homophobic language and describes homophobic behavior.) Homophobia in the Caribbean is nothing new, and the U.S. Virgin Islands certainly has its share. When the U.S. Supreme Court was still considering whether to legalize same-sex marriage in allContinue reading “Deserting LGBTQ+ Virgin Islanders”

Planned Parenthood is for Everyone, Including Men

I recently visited my local Planned Parenthood and was surprised to find only men sitting in the waiting room. While one was clearly a security guard, the others were not. There are many reasons why men might be in the Planned Parenthood waiting room, of course: they may be there with a partner, friend, orContinue reading “Planned Parenthood is for Everyone, Including Men”

“Hobosexuals”: Exchanging Sex for Shelter

It’s time to re-think what homelessness looks like. In 2014, I met up with a friend on St. Thomas, USVI for lunch. “You look like one of those ‘backpack girls’,” he told me as I arrived and sat across from him, storing my backpack under the table. “What’s a ‘backpack girl’?” I asked. He explainedContinue reading ““Hobosexuals”: Exchanging Sex for Shelter”