Alexis Widenhouse The practice of banning books is ostensibly said to be essential for schools to protect students from exposure to inappropriate and dangerous theories of taboo subjects. In some cases, banning books is a surprisingly legal procedure under the first amendment. The Supreme Court declared in 1982 in Island Trees School District v. Pico … Continue reading The Land of the free? Or Land of the censored? →

Growing up, I was pretty much forced into a religious environment with no escape. Being gay, or even queer, was automatically frowned upon. Thankfully, having divorced parents was a blessing and a curse-- as my mom was accepting of me for who I am. From a young age, I always knew I was gay. The … Continue reading The Secret Life of a Gay Teenager in a Straight World →

            Since the beginning of time, people have had to learn how to deal with the heartbreak that comes along with first loves. Although some loves last a lifetime, most of these tales are not the result of first love relationships. The light music sung by Justin Bieber, particularly in the song “Baby,” truly demonstrates the … Continue reading Hardships and Heartache: A Justin Bieber Story →

Natalie Balzarini Beginning to read Ship It has certainly brought back some strong memories of high school. So I want to write about all of that fun stuff! Ah yes, the summer of 2013. It was after my freshman year of high school, I’d made some friends with some similar interests, we all followed each … Continue reading Fan Culture, Passion, and the AMV →

Olivia Blazic “I didn’t know how to end, to feel like I was finished, so I did the one big thing I could think to do, the one movie trick, and I blew out the candle. And even though it was so sort of, I don’t know, sort of predictable, I guess, it still felt … Continue reading Closure: Will it Ever be Experienced by Adolescents Outside of Media? →

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hw6GwhfNl7U Growing up, I was a huge fan of the Harry Potter series. Throughout the seven books, we see Harry and his friends (Ron, Hermione, Neville, George and Fred, Ginny) go through perfecting their magical abilities in the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Before going to the school (at age 11), Harry lives with … Continue reading The World of Harry Potter: Friends, Family, and… the LGTBQ+ Community? →

In the novel If I Ever Get Out of Here, Lewis Blake was a young boy treading through adolescence with many obstacles in his way. During this time, the Beatles were crucial to his life, bonding him to his Uncle Albert and connecting him with his best friend, George. Music is a key crutch in … Continue reading The Soundtrack to My Life →

One of the most important milestones during our deeply regrettable adolescent years is the emo phase. While not everyone goes through it in in the same fashion, most people experience that dark time in our lives from the ages of 13-15 filled with angst, hormones, and change. These formative years, that usually take place during … Continue reading The Emo Phase →

Recently a song came on my Spotify that immediately struck me, captivated my emotions and jumpstarted complex thought processes. The song is sung by Greg Holden and is titled Boys in the Street. It is about a relationship between father and son, and the son is openly gay. Holden sings of the father’s embarrassment, disappointment, … Continue reading Boys Kissing in the Street →