This weeks table talk made me consider the relation between transracialism and transgender community. Is there a connection between the way we perceive gender and race? Gender is a social construct and as a society we acknowledge that but can we consider race in the same way. As someone who is part of the LGBT community I wholeheartedly support transgender people however my approach to transracialism is different. I am very skeptical of the concept. I think this may be, unconsciously, the same source of bias that people have against trans-women relating to the idea of power and privilege. So the idea that a white woman would assume the identity of a black woman is in a sense stepping down on the social ladder because african-americans face a lot of discrimination that white people do not have to face. In a similar sense women are discriminated against and the idea that a man who is in a position of privilege would opt to become a woman which is a position that is lower on the social ladder does not make sense to transphobes. Trans-men face discrimination but far less than trans women which is an interesting concept to consider. While I don’t really believe in transracialism I do believe in transgender people and can I believe one and not the other if they operate under the same principles? It’s an interesting topic to consider and I am glad I was able to engage in a conversation at this weeks table talk.
Author Archives: Kelly
Conversation about conservation
This weeks rose cafe really surprised me. I had no idea that conservation cost so much money and how much time and energy goes into protecting land. I had never really thought about it and to be honest I’m surprised it’s so difficult to protect certain areas compared to other european countries. I guess it speaks to American independence and the amount of freedom we have with our property. I was surprised to hear that European countries had regulations on what you can do with you and because that feels like the government is overstepping its bounds. I do think that you shouldn’t be able to build a skyscraper in a residential suburb so obviously permits are a good idea but this freedom to develop your land (with permits) comes with cost to the environment. As a society we seem think that taking care of the environment is important but aren’t willing to ives the necessary resources order to ensure that the land we want protected is protected.
Mental Health at Cornell
Tonights table talk was about mental health and I think it is a very important topic to address. I recently read an article in the cornell daily sun that I think was very interesting and that you might want to check out. http://cornellsun.com/2018/01/31/lieberman-cornell-health-doesnt-meet-student-needs/
I think there is a lot in this article that I agree with but there are also some points where my personal experience differs from that of the author. Something that stuck out to me was this paragraph “I’ve been biting my tongue for a long time when it comes to Cornell’s mental health resources, because, in my mind, criticizing the institutions in place could dissuade someone from pursuing them. However, I believe we are at a point in which the system requires such deep reform that staying silent much longer would be a disservice. Though I believe CAPS is flawed, it is not useless, and students should never stop seeking help.” CAPS while it is flawed is still useful and from my personal experience with CAPS I thought it was extremely helpful. One important thing to note is the wait time to see a CAPS provider is unacceptable. This I think demonstrates how differently we treat physical health from mental health. At this point CAPS is overloaded and the demand for counseling exceeds the supply of counselors. No one should have to wait a month to see a counselor. This is not the fault of the people who work at CAPS but they need more people working to meet the demands of the students. I would like to know why the administration is so hesitant to add more mental health resources on campus when there is so clearly a large demand for it. There has been a increase in tuition every year yet they can’t allocate some of that money to the health and well-being of their students.
Fear of flying? This is not the job for you.
I think a lot of people have had a bad experience on a plane at one point or another. Whether you hit unexpected turbulence, the person next to you annoying or you are physically dragged off the plane *cough* united *cough* it’s alway an experience. I thought it was interesting to hear about what goes on in the front of the plane. Finding out what it’s like in the daily life of a pilot was cool. I had no idea that they had very strict time schedules and what really happens most of the time when flights are grounded or canceled. Pilots also seem to spend a lot of time away from home. Their flights might have them sleeping in a hotel for 3 nights in different locations. They also seem to have odd work schedules where at some point the pilot we were speaking with had 7 days off. It’s definitely not like a typical 9-5 office job where your hours are very predictable and you are well acquainted with the people you are flying with.
Something else I never put much thought into was how long it takes to get certified as a pilot and what you need to do to get there.
Ever wanted to go from Rose to Becker without going outside? It’s possible…
This week at Rose Cafe Dr.Blalock took us through the tunnel that connects Becker to Rose (there is also one from Keeton to Bethe). We also visited the war memorial room in Lyon Hall. We also learned about Cornell history. One interesting topic that came up was you can get into the tunnels using the elevator but good luck getting out. You can’t call the elevator from the basement apparently which means you have to navigate the tunnels like a rat in a maze to find the exit… except instead of following the scent of cheese you can follow the exit signs. Something interesting I learned about was the Quill and Dagger society which is a secret society that has a room at the top of lyon hall that is only accesible through a secret elevator. I thought it was cool to learn more about Cornell history and the history of West Campus. I also learned the the reason we have the gates that block gothics way to vehicles is because of Dr.Blalock. So while we aren’t going to get hit by cars you also can’t have the pizza guy drive up to your dorm.
Want to help a friend you think has an eating disorder? Here are some helpful tips
This week at Rose Cafe we were fortunate enough to be joined by a gentleman who works in facilities management. An interesting topic was brought up in the beginning of the conversation by Dr.Blalock about eating disorders. What do you do if you see someone who you think has an eating disorder? [Here is a link of what Cornell Health recommends you do if you see someone in distress generally speaking: https://health.cornell.edu/resources/health-topics/concern-others]
I thought this was a topic that hits very close to home. As someone who is in recovery for an eating disorder and witnessed one of my friends in high school struggle with an eating disorder I think it is a very important topic to address. [ Disclaimer: I can’t speak for what is best for everyone but if you are looking for some tips on this hopefully I can be of some assistance. It is important to note that all eating disorders are different and so I urge you to first educate your self on eating disorders and different ways they can manifest.] The topic brought up at rose cafe was how do you talk to someone who you think might have an eating disorder? Here is my take on what you could do. If you are uncomfortable talking to this person yourself you may want to inform someone like Dr.Blalock or your GRF depending on where you are and have them address the issue (they will most likely make them aware of on campus resources but cannot make them seek treatment). If this a friend and you want to talk to them about it you can try, just know they may not like what you have to say. If you do talk to them check out the link in the first paragraph it offers helpful suggestions. (I would also like to point out that you can be any size and still have an eating disorder. Just because someone is at a normal weight or overweight does not mean they don’t have an eating disorder.) If you are looking for good resources about what help is available I have included resources that may be of use to you.
Here are some good resources:
In terms of resources on campus here is Cornell Health’s page on eating disorder concerns: https://health.cornell.edu/services/nutrition-healthy-eating-services
Here is a short excerpt from that page that might be of interest: “If you’re concerned about someone else: You can speak with a member of the CHEP team to consult about a student, and brainstorm about how to refer someone to treatment. Call us during business hours at 607-255-5155 and ask to speak with a CHEP provider. Learn more about disordered eating, and about how to help a friend.”
Here is a fact sheet from Cornell health about how to help a friend with an eating disorder: https://health.cornell.edu/sites/health/files/pdf-library/how-to-help-eating-disorder.pdf
Here is a fact sheet specifically about CHEP (Cornell Healthy Eating Program): https://health.cornell.edu/sites/health/files/pdf-library/cornell-health-eating-program.pdf
Here is the website for NEDA (national eating disorder association): https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/learn/general-information
Not a fan of reading or looking for some non-cornell online resources? Here are some videos that I think are helpful:
How to help someone with an eating disorder from the perspective of someone who is recovered from an eating disorder: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbIB2W2kZus
Heres a 3 minute video from a therapists perspective that offers 5 tips: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrtD5HLovqY
Heres a video titled “what eating disorder suffers wish you knew about eating disorders”. I particularly like this video because it encompasses the opinions of multiple people with eating disorders. : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydBK0vtYniE
Cornell Health is a good on campus resource for someone seeking treatment for their eating disorder.
If you have an eating disorder I know it is nerve-wracking reaching out for help but it is a necessary part of beginning to recover. I know your eating disorder voice is probably telling you not to and that you are going to be judged or you’re not thin enough (although some eating disorders do not result in weight loss) but everyone at Cornell Health who works with eating disorders is very supportive and will help you or get you the help you need. I know its absolutely terrifying and the thought makes you anxious but they are wonderful, very caring people and reaching out is not easy but recovery is absolutely worth it.
If you have an eating disorder and feel like you are not ready for recovery, don’t want recovery, or are scared of getting help here are some of helpful videos (yes they are from the same 2 youtube channels but they are recovery oriented and in my opinion great online resources):
Not Ready for Recovery: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJL9pG7ruTQ&t=573s
What is recovery?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npXLPLO266c&t=21s
How Sick Do I Have To be To Get Help? [The title of this video is a little misleading if you don’t actually watch the video but the point is if think you have an eating disorder you are sick enough to get help] : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXd3JbpiuXo
Scared to see a dietician/nutritionist? Watch this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9c7jD13JESE&list=PL_loxoCVsWqx8b27IXCAQNcpfMtcwmiXD
Scared of your first therapy appointment? Check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FiVVAOXiEQ
Popular questions about eating disorders: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWZL6eJHNS8
Here are some of the health consequences:
General medical consequences: https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/health-consequences-eating-disorders
More general medical consequences: http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/conditions/eating-disorders
Medical consequences of bulimia: https://www.healthline.com/health/bulimia/effects-on-body#1
Medical consequences of anorexia: http://www.timberlineknolls.com/eating-disorder/anorexia/sign-effects/
Medical consequences of binge eating disorder: https://www.eatingdisorderhope.com/information/binge-eating-disorder/diagnosis-effects-consequences
These are things that I found helpful or maybe helpful. This is not an exhaustive list, there obviously a lot more resources and these are just the tip of the iceberg.I encourage you to continue researching and if you find a resource you think may be particularly helpful leave the link or information below. I know this is a long post and most people haven’t made it this far but if you have then hopefully I have made a difference in the life of at least one person.
Edit (October 2018)
Here are some resources just in case you ever find yourself relapsing:
10 ways to cope with relapse from NEDA: https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/blog/10-ways-cope-with-relapse-eating-disorder-recovery
Relapse info from NEDC (Australian version of NEDA): https://www.nedc.com.au/eating-disorders/treatment-and-recovery/relapse-and-recurrence/
If you ever do relapse please talk to your treatment team.
I’ll try to add more resources if I find some really helpful ones.
Reflection on Universal Healthcare and education
This week at Rose Cafe Judge Miller brought up a very interesting point about fixing a lot of problems in our society. In order to attempt to tackle over issues we must first ensure universal healthcare and a quality education for everyone as a basic right. Universal healthcare is quite a controversial topic but I think a lot of problems would be solved by introducing universal healthcare. I think a lot of times people fail to seek preventative care and treatment because healthcare under a system of private insurance is expensive and often times they can’t afford it. This seems to be a political debate of a lot of interest and I personally am not very well versed in healthcare however it do think it is not a privilege it’s a right. Now onto the point on education. I know this a topic of importance to most of you considering you are students at an ivy league university (yes, I know people think we are a fake ivy). You didn’t start out here though. You started out in elementary school then went to middle school and then high school. (At least I did, I suppose that depends on where you grew up). Personally I attended public school and received a great education. However, some people aren’t that lucky when it comes to going to public school. Their schools are underfunded and overcrowded. They are receive a lower quality education because of where they live. They receive often times a subpar education because they are economically disadvantaged. Everyone should have the right to a quality education. The composition of Cornell would be completely different if everyone who went to public school was afforded the same education. The majority of Cornell wouldn’t be from Westchester, Long Island or New Jersey. (There would still be a high percentage probably because legacy kids but it would hopefully be slightly more diverse.) I think fixing healthcare and our education system are expensive but worthwhile investments.