Vive Mistral

aatombomb:

We were discussing homosexuality because of an allusion to it in the book we were reading, and several boys made comments such as, “That’s disgusting.” We got into the debate and eventually a boy admitted that he was terrified/disgusted when he was once sharing a taxi and the other male passenger made a pass at him.

The lightbulb went off. “Oh,” I said. “I get it. See, you are afraid, because for the first time in your life you have found yourself a victim of unwanted sexual advances by someone who has the physical ability to use force against you.” The boy nodded and shuddered visibly.

“But,” I continued. “As a woman, you learn to live with that from the time you are fourteen, and it never stops. We live with that fear every day of our lives. Every man walking through the parking garage the same time you are is either just a harmless stranger or a potential rapist. Every time.”

The girls in the room nodded, agreeing. The boys seemed genuinely shocked. 

“So think about that the next time you hit on a girl. Maybe, like you in the taxi, she doesn’t actually want you to.”

(Source: andrewsullivan.thedailybeast.com)

unibersidadngpilipinas:

This is an excerpt of Engineer Paulo Jessie Morales’ (October 2011 ECE Board Exam Top 1) speech in their oath taking last November 2011.

After receiving the license, what do we do? Being a UP graduate, one answer is very clear to me: serve the country. Not U.S., not Singapore, not Australia,…

wow! my cousin’s speech is on tumblr! I was with him and his mom during the oathtaking when he delivered his speech. and let me tell you, I really can’t put into words how proud I am of him.

this is probably the saddest news I’ve read on the internet. i don’t think i can persuade you to change your decision but I do want you to know that of all the bloggers out there, you’re my favorite. And i would gladly give up reading every single one of their blogs just so I could read yours. the days always felt incomplete whenever i failed to check your blog. And if you do decide to start blogging again one day, i really hope i find it. :)

vivatregina:

I’ve always been as honest as possible with you guys, so let me be honest now: This blogging business is tiring.

While I appreciate all the perks (like all the books I get to read, and all the amazing doors this Tumblr has opened for me), I just…am sick of it.

When I started here in 2009, it was…