2013 Wrap Up

As we move into 2014, I wanted to take a second to look back at 2013 on Balancing Jane. This blog has continued to grow, and I am so grateful to all of you who read, comment, and share. I've been blessed to be able to use this space to untangle some of the messy parts of my life, and I've had the opportunity to discover other people doing the same untangling. This blog has gotten me invited to speak at conferences, helped me hone classroom ideas, and furthered my professional goals, but most important to me, it has helped me find new friends and share in a community.

In the spirit of glancing backwards as we move forwards, here are some of the most popular posts from 2013:

Sexual Consent in Popular Culture: Waiting for Consent Doesn't Make You a Hero- Too often, movies (especially involving teenagers and young adults) use not raping someone when they're incapacitated as shorthand for "good guy." That's a problem. 

When Is a Woman Not a 'Real' Woman?- Women are real no matter what their bodies look like. Unless they look like this. 

About Those 'Ugly' Beyonce Super Bowl Pictures- So . . . about those. 

Yes, That Onion Tweet is Racist and The Silences I Don't Hear- One little tweet caused a big stir, and it made me see things a lot differently. 

Atheists, Privilege, and Passing: Who's Passing in America?- What happens when people assume you identify in ways you don't?

My Students are Not My 'Customers'- And you shouldn't want them to be. 

Thoughts on Obedience and Toddlers- Maybe I don't really want an obedient child after all. 

Criminality, Urban Living, and Race: When My Students Get Locked Up, I Get Angry- Sometimes what gets labeled as "criminal" is really in the eye of the beholder. 

To Mrs. Hall: On Slut Shaming and Friend Denying- When a conservative blogger casts young women out of her teenage sons' lives, it reminded me of my own adolescence. 

I Wish My Friends Trying to Lose Weight Would Read This- It's amazing what happened to my health when I stopped hating my body. 

Thank you for making 2013 memorable and meaningful for Balancing Jane. I hope our conversations continue into a very happy, balanced new year for us all!

Photo: Reid Beels