FAQ

No one has asked any questions yet, so this is just what I came up with myself. Will be updated as needed!

• Who is Ringlet?  

I will be staying as anonymous as possible due to work/school issues, so Ringlet is my pseudonym. My "About Me" is pretty simple: I work at a community health center in a large East-coast city, I am a grad student (who isn't?) and the rest will just be little surprises along the way.     

• Why "Banana Curl Blog"? What does that have to do with public health?
  

I have come to love my natural hair and I have been perm (chemical relaxer) free for almost eight years.  Mental health, beauty ideals and body image are all issues that I consider to be part of public health.     

• Does your ear really glow like that?
  

Sadly, no. 

• Do you refer to yourself as a feminist?
  

Yes. I certainly don't agree with every feminist out there, but promoting the health, equality and rights of women is a big part of my life and a major professional goal. 

• Do you believe in Fat Acceptance?
  

There are elements of FA that I strongly agree with, such as anti-discrimination, recognizing the misogyny and class implications in discussions about fat and the idea that weight loss is not always the best path to health and fitness. However I do not agree that being fat carries no health risks. This will be addressed more in depth later! 

• Do you hate smokers?

Some of my best friends are smokers!  Just kidding. No, I don't hate smokers. Just the deleterious effects of their habit. And the industries that profit off of them. 

• Do you have any policies for commenting or linking?

Why yes I do. Criticisms and differing opinions are always welcome. Sexist, racist or homophobic comments will be deleted. I am still new to this blogging thing, so if a link or comment gets messed up on my part, let me know and I'll fix it.  

 

Effective Public Health

...is about promoting physical, mental and social well-being in populations. To quote the World Health Organization, it is about more than just the absence of disease. It requires effective research regarding the root causes of morbidity and mortality and finding comprehensive solutions that address complex bio-psycho-social issues. It is not about shaming individuals or pointing fingers, but it also recognizes that distorting the truth to try and avoid making people feel bad about themselves doesn't help anyone.

In this blog, I will try and address pertinent public health concerns from a social justice/feminist perspective. It seems like a lot of feminists and social justice advocates try to avoid discussing public health issues, particularly when public health seems to be trumping civil liberties. I can certainly understand why condemning smokers or fat people or others whose behavior puts them at increased risk is ineffective (hence the whole "no shaming" thing), however some individuals will take the opposite approach and attempt to defend harmful behaviors and decry criticisms as "hysteria". This blog will attempt to navigate the space in between condemning and enabling, in between being paternalistic and being in denial.



 

Welcome to Banana Curl Blog

A curly-haired feminist tackles public health and politics. 

Stay tuned.