Posts by Naz Afsahi
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In the Blog
Depression, Debt, and Disparities: How Women’s Finances Affect Their Mental Health
Finances are about far more than one’s standard of living. They mean more than just having the luxury of going out and buying that designer handbag you’ve had your eye on or making sure you’re getting around town in a truly tricked-out ride. Financial issues are, fundamentally, a matter of social justice. And, increasingly, they’re linked to overall quality of life. Economic disparities are being linked to health disparities. This includes not only inequities in access … READ MORE
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In the Blog
How STD Stigma Shapes the Masses
Please note this post contains some spoilers for Season 2 of Sex Education. Over the past 10 years, the ‘sex-positive’ movement has grown dramatically. The movement advocates for embracing sexuality as an important part of identity and health, regardless of age or social constructs. In other words, it says sex is human, and you’re human, so it’s a healthy part of your life. Educate yourself, and embrace it. Another interesting trend is the growth in sexually transmitted … READ MORE
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In the Blog
From Student to Stumped: How Graduating Made Me Question My Identity
Let’s throw it all the way back to kindergarten where my biggest accomplishment was correctly tracing the letter ‘e’ (I really celebrated that one). Fast forward to the start of primary school where from grades one to eight, I won the optimism award, the tenth-place ribbon in the hundred-meter dash (I’m not very athletic), and was involved in every school club. After graduating from public school, the next step was high school where I completed … READ MORE
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Blog Series
My Mental Health Routine
If you spend your nights falling down the YouTube rabbit hole like I do, you might be familiar with the popular video trend of morning routines. You know, those videos where the person sets up their camera equipment, presses record, hurries back to their bed, “wakes up”, and then goes through their seemingly perfect day. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy and find inspiration from these videos, and I only wish I could wake up … READ MORE
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In the Blog
East Asian Beauty Standards
“Have you considered fixing your eyes? If you come visit me in China next summer, we can go and get you some double eyelids!” my aunt gleefully said in her signature Chinglish accent. “Hahaha…haha,” I replied awkwardly. I looked around to see if anyone heard our conversation. How could my mom and dad just continue to smile and wave when someone tells their daughter that she needs plastic surgery? Why wasn’t anyone coming to my defense … READ MORE
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Blog Series
The Positives of Positive Self-Talk on Mental Health
Content Warning: Discussions of anxiety Our mind has many thoughts on a day-to-day basis – experts believe around 60,000 to 80,000 a day! Many of those thoughts come to us consciously, meaning we are aware of them, and sometimes thoughts can come unconsciously, meaning they can just pop up out of nowhere. What remains constant is the pattern of our thoughts. Some folks can remain in a pattern of negative thoughts about themselves and those around … READ MORE
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Blog Series
Pushing Past Panic Attacks
Content Warning: Dealing with Panic Attacks Anyone who has experienced a panic attack will tell you just how unpleasant they are. Panic attacks are different from moments of panic. Those instances where you’re frantically rushing to get somewhere so you won’t be late or that feeling you get when you lost something important, are not necessarily what you would feel during a panic attack, but some of the symptoms can be similar. Before I get into … READ MORE
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Blog Series
Anxiety & Technology
Content Warning: Technological ways to deal with Anxiety If you’re dealing with an anxiety disorder, you know first hand what it’s like trying to live your best life, while simultaneously having that heart racing, nauseating, “get me out of my own head” feeling that loves to attach to you like a permanent backpack. I know those feelings all too well, and for me, my anxiety will always be there. However, over the years I have figured … READ MORE
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In the Blog
My Feelings on Catcalling
Catcalling. Women all around the world have dealt with catcalling for as long as we can remember. Before we even knew what objectifying was, it was happening to us. Doing the simplest of things, like walking in the mall, or going to the movie theatre with some friends, we would hear whistling or degrading comments. It is a reality for a number of people, of all colours, religions, shapes, sizes, sexual orientations, etc., and not … READ MORE
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In the Blog
Learn The Art of Audio Storytelling
As access to recording and editing technologies proliferate, the medium is becoming democratized. But opportunities to access quality training are few and far between. FIXT POINT Arts & Media is piloting a new training program that will give young women and non-binary youth the knowledge and practical skills they need to produce high-quality, compelling audio stories, and teach them how to use the medium of audio storytelling to engage their communities in meaningful ways. The two-week … READ MORE
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In the Blog
Eating Disorders are not just a White Feminist Issue
I developed an eating disorder at 18 years old. This was a time in my life when I was grappling with my identity, having just graduated high school, parted ways with many close friends, and unsure of what my future held. I attempted to assert control over my life by conforming to idealistic, and often unattainable, societal beauty norms marked by thinness. These efforts became the catalyst for my eating disorder and were heightened by predispositions … READ MORE
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In the Blog
Dealing With Racism Is All in a Day’s Work for Medical Professionals
Racism in the medical setting isn’t only experienced by patients, as explored in our previous posts. No matter how much education, training, and experience a person can acquire, sometimes people will only see skin colour, a name, or hear an accent. This prejudice exists in many institutions in Western society, especially in medicine. Like patients, BIPOC (Black Indigenous, People of Colour) medical professionals and students can also face discrimination every day from patients, peers, and … READ MORE
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In the Blog
Take Two Pills a Day and a Dose of Racism
Even with all the progress that has been made in civil rights and equality, prejudice and discrimination can still be found in every corner of the world. As I interact with people and see how people interact with my family on a daily basis, I wonder when our perceived ethnicities come into play in how we’re treated. When is bad customer service actually discrimination? Or, when is a denial of access to something because of … READ MORE
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In the Blog
Jo-Anne McArthur on photographing “the invisibles”
This post has been updated from the original version. For most of us, stumbling upon a video of an adorable animal is something we enjoy. However, what if you decided it was your duty to show the world the animals we don’t see? For 41-year old Torontonian Jo-Anne McArthur, this is precisely the case. The photojournalist, author and educator has been travelling the world for two decades to capture what she calls “the invisibles”; animals we may … READ MORE
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In the Blog
Books for Every Child
Books are more than just bundles of paper with words and pictures in them. For many, they serve as a way to visit far off places, meet new people, and partake in adventures never thought possible, all as low as the cost of a library card. Reading is not just a personal experience, but a universal one as well. Although adults can find solace in a good story, they provide an even greater service to … READ MORE
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In the Blog
One is Enough
“You never met your Dad before? That’s so sad,” is the response I received when I told someone I didn’t have a father in my life. That statement always confused me. Why would anyone be sad for me just because there wasn’t a father figure in my life? Sure, I’ve always wanted to have a dad because all my friends did, but not because I needed one. Even when my mom got married when I … READ MORE
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In the Blog
Racism and Colten Boushie
Racism is defined as “the unequal treatment of a population group purely because of its possession of physical or characteristics socially defined as denoting a particular race. Racism is the deterministic belief system which sustains racialism, linking these characteristics with negatively valued social, psychological, or physical traits” (5 Satzewich). Canada is widely believed to be a tolerant society, accepting a diverse range of ethnicities, cultures and religions. Yet Canada’s relationship with Indigenous people is complex to … READ MORE
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In the Blog
Calpurnia and The Quest to Write the Truth
“When starting a play, I ask myself, “What’s the last play in the world I would ever want to write?” Then I force myself to write it. I do this because I’ve found that the best way to make theatre that unsettles and challenges my audience is to do things that make me uncomfortable. I work with stories that I find trite and embarrassing, I keep the development of the text as open and unstable … READ MORE
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In the Blog
What I Am
My name is Amethyst, and I’m biracial. Don’t get me wrong — I love that I have multiple heritages to call my own. It means I can relate to more people since I’ve had experiences as both a Hispanic and a white individual. Since I have the dark hair and eyes of my Puerto Rican-Cuban mother and the lighter skin of my European father, I’m usually seen as one or the other. However, my physical … READ MORE
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Tri-Radical
‘Growing Up Black in Canada’ is a writers’ series brought to you by Black Futures Now Toronto in partnership with Shameless Magazine. The series is meant to bring forward local and personal Black histories that do not fit into mainstream narratives about what it means to be a young person in Canada. Throughout the series we will highlight the non-fiction work of five young writers from various backgrounds. Through their stories, we will explore what … READ MORE
