Why did women and gender-fluid people start up to 2,000 roller derby leagues worldwide? We needed it. I’m writing today about roller derby as a cultural phenomenon, a feminist and “inclusive” place to find like-minded people, showcase our strength, and be...
Council Bluffs artist Cait Irwin COUNCIL BLUFFS — Southwest Iowa is home to three of Iowa’s 10 most conservative cities, according to RoadSnacks, which ranked cities by Republican voter and funding support earlier this year. This means that advocating for...
Dr. Katie Imborek EDITOR’S NOTE: Most people know of Dr. Katie Imborek through her work helping to found the University of Iowa’s LGBTQ Clinic. Imborek is also an active member of Sanctuary Community Church, a non-denominational Coralville church leading the way in...
Animal rights advocate Jenny Brown may have grown up in Kentucky, but her background is identical to that of many Iowans. Jenny Brown Brown was raised by a conservative fundamentalist family surrounded by farm animals — much like many residents of Iowa, which is...
As a self-described “dark-haired olive-skinned, queer kid,” Aerin Black felt they stood out among friends while growing up in Washington, Iowa. As an adult, Black began to identify as nonbinary and as a witch and tarot practitioner, and stood out even more. Moving...
A student, let’s call him Andrew, swings open the classroom door and steps in, sweaty and out of breath. All the students in my workshop look at him with surprise. “I had cross country practice,” he says, “is there still time for me to share?” Typically shy, Andrew...
