Catherine Zinger
  • Home
  • Essays
  • About
  • Contact

Month: March 2014

how social media has distorted our ability to let go of the past

Mar 24, 2014 • No Comments

As published in The Huffington Post: The menus hadn’t changed much since the last time I was there– which was sometime… read more

Follow Me On Instagram

Black & White Social Media Photos, Femicide Awaren Black & White Social Media Photos, Femicide Awareness and Moving Beyond Lip Service Am away this week and keep seeing b&w photos of my friends with the term “challenge accepted” and had no idea what it was about and why it was considered a challenge. But a girlfriend of mine (thank you @suzyloops!) posted the original meaning behind this social media movement so I too did some digging! While the current goal *claims* to be about women supporting women (which I struggle to extract from the numerous pretty, curated, edited photos of ourselves but maybe that’s just me), the movement initially stems from outrage over the recent murder of Pınar Gültekin in Turkey and how her very heinous death highlights the country’s high Femicide rate. (Femicide is the killing of women and girls BECAUSE they are female). Moreover, the Turkish government is pulling back on legislation that protects women from gender-based violence. If a b&w photo of myself shows solidarity with all victims of femicide and demonstrates awareness of this issue, then hand raised. If it’s to demonstrate that I am a woman who supports other women, then I hope that my fiercely close friendships with amazing women in my life are testament to these words. THAT SAID...I think many women often give much lip service to supporting other women which sounds obvious in theory but in practice....well.... I believe and *know* our gender can do even better in our support of each other. Let’s start with educating ourselves about Femicide. If posting this photo highlights my willingness to learn more about violence against women and the tangible actions I can do to combat femicide, then...”challenge accepted”. #femicide #pinargutelkin #womensupportingwomen #beyondlipservice
I could relay the whole story here of how 8 weeks I could relay the whole story here of how 8 weeks before she died, my sister, Myra, brought this deeply amazing woman (and her deeply amazing husband, Felipe) into our family's lives but Jessica Weiner, (CEO, Ted Talk Speaker, Author, Women's Empowerment Advocate, Cultural and Diversity Guru, Celebrity Interviewer, Podcaster AND Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship and Personal Branding at the University of Southern California ) tells it SO much better. This week Jess launched her new podcast – "We All Die Anyway" – out of Los Angeles where she and her husband have become Aunt and Uncle to my sister's children. Here's a short video of the inspiration for her new show plus her trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a29wkTJBFU4&app=desktop https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQ5FRgqCBtI
How many deaths do you know of personally that are How many deaths do you know of personally that are Covid-related? Or how many people do you know of who have lost a loved-one very recently in addition to all the Covid-related deaths you’ve been hearing about? Over the weekend, I woke up to news that my friend had lost her mother. I started writing her a note which turned into this short piece on grief. Because of my own experience of having lost a loved one, I wanted to share these thoughts in the hopes that they may be of some comfort to you or anyone you know who is dealing with a recent loss. Pls click on the corresponding essay button in bio link. #grief #loss #grace #mourning #death #kindness
Still think you’re not racist? The first step t Still think you’re not racist? The first step to becoming anti-racist is facing your long-held denial about your own racist tendencies. No matter how accepting you believe you are, you can still do better. #antiracism #antiracismeducation #blacklivesmatter
#blackouttuesday #blackouttuesday
Is what happened to George Floyd just an American Is what happened to George Floyd just an American problem? @hijabiglobetrotter got me thinking... ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ As a visible minority living abroad now for over two decades, it’s all too easy to point to the inflamed events across the pond and say, “That would never happen here”. Racism is tolerated globally and a lot closer to home than many of us think. Some of the most cutting bigotry I’ve experienced personally happened when I was living in France, here in England and big time in Canada, “my home and native land” and NOT just by strangers. I would never condone violence but those who are quick to condemn the rioting and looting have purposely pulled their face masks over their eyes to avoid seeing the real problem - that these acts stem from overwhelming desperation of feeling like you are never heard – only seen and only by the colour of your skin. We as humanity caused this by sitting back time and again and simply shaking our heads in disapproval. Our silence is not enough.  It’s complacency. And therefore...complicit. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #georgefloyd #enough #racism #bigotry #prejudice #findyourvoice ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
In yoga we call this pose “Hanging Slug” or SL In yoga we call this pose “Hanging Slug” or SLUGalasana. #ilovemybulldog
Black & White Social Media Photos, Femicide Awaren Black & White Social Media Photos, Femicide Awareness and Moving Beyond Lip Service Am away this week and keep seeing b&w photos of my friends with the term “challenge accepted” and had no idea what it was about and why it was considered a challenge. But a girlfriend of mine (thank you @suzyloops!) posted the original meaning behind this social media movement so I too did some digging! While the current goal *claims* to be about women supporting women (which I struggle to extract from the numerous pretty, curated, edited photos of ourselves but maybe that’s just me), the movement initially stems from outrage over the recent murder of Pınar Gültekin in Turkey and how her very heinous death highlights the country’s high Femicide rate. (Femicide is the killing of women and girls BECAUSE they are female). Moreover, the Turkish government is pulling back on legislation that protects women from gender-based violence. If a b&w photo of myself shows solidarity with all victims of femicide and demonstrates awareness of this issue, then hand raised. If it’s to demonstrate that I am a woman who supports other women, then I hope that my fiercely close friendships with amazing women in my life are testament to these words. THAT SAID...I think many women often give much lip service to supporting other women which sounds obvious in theory but in practice....well.... I believe and *know* our gender can do even better in our support of each other. Let’s start with educating ourselves about Femicide. If posting this photo highlights my willingness to learn more about violence against women and the tangible actions I can do to combat femicide, then...”challenge accepted”. #femicide #pinargutelkin #womensupportingwomen #beyondlipservice
I could relay the whole story here of how 8 weeks I could relay the whole story here of how 8 weeks before she died, my sister, Myra, brought this deeply amazing woman (and her deeply amazing husband, Felipe) into our family's lives but Jessica Weiner, (CEO, Ted Talk Speaker, Author, Women's Empowerment Advocate, Cultural and Diversity Guru, Celebrity Interviewer, Podcaster AND Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship and Personal Branding at the University of Southern California ) tells it SO much better. This week Jess launched her new podcast – "We All Die Anyway" – out of Los Angeles where she and her husband have become Aunt and Uncle to my sister's children. Here's a short video of the inspiration for her new show plus her trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a29wkTJBFU4&app=desktop https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQ5FRgqCBtI
How many deaths do you know of personally that are How many deaths do you know of personally that are Covid-related? Or how many people do you know of who have lost a loved-one very recently in addition to all the Covid-related deaths you’ve been hearing about? Over the weekend, I woke up to news that my friend had lost her mother. I started writing her a note which turned into this short piece on grief. Because of my own experience of having lost a loved one, I wanted to share these thoughts in the hopes that they may be of some comfort to you or anyone you know who is dealing with a recent loss. Pls click on the corresponding essay button in bio link. #grief #loss #grace #mourning #death #kindness

Sign Up for the Newsletter

  • Home
  • Essays
  • About
  • Contact
© 2020 Catherine Zinger. All Rights Reserved. | Photos by Denise Balyoz & Limor Garfinkle | An Alter Endeavors Site