Jun 01
Sexual Entitlement among Men with Disabilities Over the past several years a hot topic within the disability community has been the unawareness of the sexual needs and rights of persons with disabilities (PWDs). PWDs are often infantilized, or seen as dependent and socially maladjusted individuals, a perception which essentially strips them of their adult sexuality. …
May 31
Leer la versión en Español In an effort to decrease drug trafficking, many countries have resorted to a forced eradication of illicit crops. There are two main methods in which crop eradication takes place: aerial spraying of toxic chemicals and forced manual eradication. It is assumed that the eradication of the crops will stop and …
May 28
A few months ago, CNN journalists David McKenzie and David Formanek covered the horrific conditions that mental patients in an asylum in Mathari, Kenya face in their documentary “Locked Up and Forgotten.” At Mathari Hospital, patients are injected by tranquilizers, raped by other patients, and locked inside the hospital. They consider themselves to be inmates …
May 27
The Absence and Authenticity of Disability in films and TV In recent years there has been some controversy over the shortage of scripted characters with disabilities in American media and arts. Studies from the National Arts and Disability Center and the Broadcaster’s Disability Network show that although 20% of Americans between the ages of 5 …
May 24
People indisputably have contrasting views on life and how to use it. Some use life to build a loving family, whereas others use it to travel the world and savor its beauties. Some use it to amass great personal wealth, fame, and material possessions, and others dedicate their lives to serving others. I am not …
May 24
One of the most pressing issues the Iraqi people face today is a shortage of potable water. In 2010, the International Community of the Red Cross estimated that one in every four Iraqis did not have access to drinkable water. Iraq is known as the land of the two rivers, the Tigris and the Euphrates, …
May 23
In my last blog post I wrote about The International Ecotourism Society’s list of 10 energy saving tips for travelers, and today I will cover another aspect of sustainable tourism promoted by TIES: economic impact. It isn’t enough to reduce your carbon footprint while traveling; you must also increase your economic footprint, otherwise it isn’t …
May 20
In my earlier post I offered some background information about the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), including its history and purpose. I wrote the piece in recognition of the 100th ratification of the treaty last week, but it’s important to understand that ratifying is simply the first step. The hard …
May 19
It took Syria a few weeks longer than other Arab nations to catch the fever of the Arab spring. Now that over 800 Syrians have died in protests for freedom and basic rights at the hand of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the international community has decided that it’s time to step in. Yesterday, President Obama …
May 19
Despite Japan’s current nuclear crisis resulting from the earthquake in March, there are plans to build another nuclear power plant in Jaitapur, an earthquake-prone area on the west coast of India. This isn’t just your average nuclear plant, either – the proposed 9900-megawatt plant will cover 968 hectares of land (that’s more than two thousand …
