I once had a partner who had multiple disabilities while I was able-bodied. He came from a more working-class background than me. While being his partner, I worried that I didn’t really understand enough about his physical conditions, or how not to be ableist. I worried I would say ableist things in conversation with him or other people, not realizing I was being ableist in that moment. I worried that I would assume he needed care or consideration in particular ways he didn’t need, or assume he didn’t need care or consideration in ways that he did in fact need. At first this meant I became privately aware of all the internalized problematic thoughts I had in my own brain and sorted through them on my own. At the same time he had to figure out other things with me – with my being a survivor, and being queerer than any partner he’d ever had before. We looked for resources to read and gave them to each other. Often the writings about surviving were triggering and ineffective to me, so I…

Here’s a problem. Some people seem to think that sexual or romantic attention is a *gift*. They seem to think that all we do is sit around waiting for someone to tell us that we’re pretty or sexy or that we want to know what they would like to do to us. I don’t want [...]

Why those back-up schools may be worth a second look

Dear Readers: A couple of celebrity notes today! (Even though we are not a celebrity rag) Justin Bieber put his foot in a cow patty over the weekend. It was a very unfortunate remark, but this proves that Justin is still a kid who sometimes says inappropriate things without thinking them through! I suspect he [...]

There are a lot of lists out there telling people what travel gear they should pack for their travels. We’ve done them in the past and lots of other people have some great advice too. For this post however, we wanted to share some items that you may not have thought of or even heard [...]

Read the original post Cool Travel Gear You May Not Know About on Adventure Travel blog for Couples | The Planet D.

I love photographing people when we travel. A good portrait should give the viewer a sense of who your subject is. They should get a feeling of what it is like to be there with you in moment. Here are a few simple techniques and tips I use to capture my subjects personalities in their [...]

Read the original post Portrait Photography Tips and Tricks on Adventure Travel blog for Couples | The Planet D.

When you travel to far away places you want to make sure that you bring back the best images that you can. Having the right equipment is one aspect but good technique is a must. Here are some photography tips to help you improve your technique while on the road. The Digital camera has changed [...]

Read the original post Photography Tips for Travel on Adventure Travel blog for Couples | The Planet D.

What is the most often asked question about Travel Photography? What Camera should I buy for my travels? You know the situation. You are ready to hit the road for that next great adventure and you want to get great images to share with your friends, but you are not sure what is the best [...]

Read the original post Camera for Travel: Questions to ask yourself before buying on Adventure Travel blog for Couples | The Planet D.

by Sarah Mangle

Note: I wrote a shorter of version of this piece for the recent print issue of Shameless. This blog article expands the printed article.

I was invited to respond to the question:
“My teacher keeps making oppressive comments in …