Planned Parenthood

The unshaven man in front of the clinic who smells of neglect and looks belligerent, as though he always has to have a cause to make him visible, now holds up the picture of a bleeding fetus, declaring his one power to participate in creation, no matter on what terms, Read more

Beate Sigriddaughter

Beate Sigriddaughter, www.sigriddaughter.net, lives in Silver City, New Mexico (Land of Enchantment), where she was poet laureate from 2017 to 2019. Her latest collections are short stories Dona Nobis Pacem (Unsolicited Press, December 2021) and poetry Wild Flowers (FutureCycle Press, February 2022). In her blog Writing In A Woman's Voice, she publishes other women's voices.,

Release Me.

Years spent attempting to destroy myself Never a break given Convinced to have done more Could have screamed Should have fought harder Would have known better had I paid closer attention This hate engulfing me belongs to you rage encompassing my body my being is your burden to carry I Read more

Jackie Filer

Jackie Filer is a freelancer in the entertainment world. She works in television, theatre and film in a multitude of aspects; covering any ground that needs to be covered. New York has laid a stake in her and Jackie now calls the city home. Any spare time she has you will find her drinking wine with her girls or on the top of a mountain discovering new perspectives on life.

Thank You Ashley Judd: Politically Incorrect (but true) Advice From A Guy On Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment: sex·u·al ha·rass·ment_noun_harassment (typically of a woman) in a workplace, or other professional or social situation, involving the making of unwanted sexual advances or obscene remarks. My wife and I were out with another couple a few weeks ago when the whole ‘sexual harassment thing’ came up. My question Read more

Michael Bunker

Michael Bunker was born in Baltimore and spent his childhood in Seattle and Whidbey Island WA. When Michael left his childhood behind, he became a fashion model and later a digital and retouch professional, while living in Paris and NYC. Michael is alumni of Washington State University, University of London and Seattle University. Michael lives with the love of his life, their three sons, two chihuahuas and a German Shepard. He still makes time for his favorite hobbies; photography, snowboarding, movie watching, boating, exercise, politics, reading, fishing (Masters Boat Captains License) and finding the right whiskey or bottle of wine.

No

The roses, I got the thorns. The candles, I got burnt. The virgin’s blood, mine bled from the heart. You took without asking, to you, my no meant maybe. You left me with a fuck you as you spat at my disgrace. I never said yes, I screamed no. It Read more

Natasha Alexander

Writer, always Wife and Mother first. Perfect is overrated, I am flawed and yet loved. Now that I don’t chase perfection, I can chase my dreams. I have completed a "Write a Novel" course in 2015 through S.A. Writers’ College and passed with a distinction. I also completed the Copy-Editing and Proof-reading course through them in March 2016. My first Manuscript of 60 000 words has been written and currently seeking a publisher. I have been writing poetry since I was 14 and the reason/inspiration behind all my writing is a stand against women abuse. It is a cause that I hold close to heart. Something that started as an outlet for feelings too ghastly to speak about has turned into my passion.

The Fight

You wrecked the party I was having fun, we had driven for hours You played the same card as usual I was angry, your timing was dire You always tried to out-insecure me I was insecure, too You said “I’m not worthy of you” I said “Fuck, not this again” Read more

Judith Staff

Judith Staff’s background is in teaching and early years education. She still teaches occasionally, though now her main focus is in child welfare and safeguarding children. Her work includes delivering training, presenting at conferences, and engaging in collaborative projects with schools around child abuse awareness and sexual violence prevention. She enjoys writing blogs and poetry on topics she feels passionate about. Judith loves running, gym classes and karate. She is married to an art lecturer and they live in Northamptonshire, England with their three free-spirited children, a 12- year-old son, and daughters aged 11 and 9.

Do I Have To Tell You?

I was so stupid when I found out I was pregnant. I had no idea. I was 14 years old.

That I didn’t know missing my period meant pregnancy. Do I need to be ashamed? Do I have to tell you how many pills I swallowed to hide my shame? Do I have to tell you how it felt to have tubes shoved up my nose as they pumped my stomach at 15 years old?

Shareen Mansfield

Shareen Ayoub Mansfield is a veritable font of information, compassion, and attitude. She is a first generation, American of Arab descent. Widely known as both an airhead and genius. She is a Jill-of-all-trades resulting from her Lebanese heritage plus compulsion to learn everything once and learn it correctly. She has a soft side. It's her back side. If she's facing you and you've ignited the wrath of her inner dragon, duck or burn. Your choice. Aside from balancing ferocity with kindness, Shareen has been trained for Red Cross Disaster. She has helped train dogs for emotional support and Search and Rescue. She's studied Nursing, Dietetics, Journalism, Kickboxing, cooks better than your mom, is active in her children's school, is a runner and has a third-degree black belt in the creative use of "fuck" and putting megalomaniacal narcissists in their place. You can find her on Twitter, Facebook or connect by emailing her at Shareen.Mansfield(at)me.com Shareen is a Social Butterfly choosing to connect with her favorite authors on all platforms. Consider her your biggest fan. You can find her poem Compromised Field listed in The Writes Of Women. Read her on Raising MothersHer personal poem of her journey into the inferno of Hell & addiction and how it impacts the lives of those you love featured on OTV's Team Wizard Raymond Baxter's site The Relationship Blogger. Her raw & unfiltered experience with An Eating Disorder featured Nourish Your Soul published by the prolific author of Hush by Nicole Lyons on TheLithiumChronicles.com. Shareen is a Publisher, Author, Social Media Whisperer on: OTVMAGAZINE.Com Twitter : @ShareenM Website: OTVMagazine.Com

Rocks and Cameras

Then, in a wine soaked haze, I realize what the worst part about this is.We are always on guard against the men in the streets. The ones who whistle while we walk. We guard against the men at the bars, whose smiles turn to snarls upon rejection. We guard against the men online whose thumbs could spell “slut” without help from their eyes. We are almost always on guard. We almost never feel safe.

Cassandra Cervi

Cassandra Cervi is a student entering her fourth year of an Honors Specialization in Creative Writing and English Language at the University of Western Ontario. Her work has been featured in Beautiful Losers Magazine and Pip Magazine. She is also the Assistant Book Editor at the Drunken Boat.

stalking

Hello, I have thought about the note you gave me on Monday. I do not want you to contact me again. I do not want any phone calls or notes. Any further contact will be considered sexual harassment and treated as such. Do you understand? The message floated on my Read more

Liz McAdams

Liz McAdams is a short, sharp writer living in the wilds of Canada with her laptop and black cats. Although most often known for her dark fiction and fantasy, her writing embraces a human element as well. With a more than a few novels in various stages of doneness and work scattered around the globe (including over at Twisted Sister lit mag), Liz is hard to nail down, but you can connect with her through https://lizmcadams.wordpress.com/