In the Mix with Aaliyah Miller

The transformation from Bruce to Caitlyn Jenner has been a very public story in the media and online. If you haven't seen the Vogue cover check it out here . In a previous blog post I talked about how the issue of transgender was becoming more prominent in mainstream news and the potential drawbacks of media coverage.   In a previous blog post I talked about how transgender news stories were becoming more prominent in mainstream media and the potential drawbacks of this media coverage.  Well Caitlyn Jenner's Vogue cover upped the ante. More conversations are happening and more people are talking. Recently, I've been following the backlash to ESPN for nominating Caitlyn Jenner for the Arthur Ashe Courage Award . Do I think what Caitlyn Jenner did is courageous? Yes. Do I think it's significant for pop and American culture? Yes. Are people who would have never uttered the word "transgender" now forced to talk about it? Yes, but does Caitlyn Jenner deserve...

A week ago today I was catching one of Oxford's many buses to Oxford Brookes University  to attend the Consuming/Culture: Women and girls in pixels and print  conference. When I wasn't at the conference or in my room I spent a good chunk of time taking the bus. Many of the buses that circle Oxford come every 20 minutes and include free Wi-Fi. I loved that. Buses in the UK have come along way compared to what we have in the United States. While I saw plenty of cars on the road in England, people really embrace public transit and happily use it every day. A noticeable difference from here in the states. So how was the conference? It was a wonderful experience. Although the trip was "short and sweet," I found it very worthwhile. The two days filled with stories, discussions, and speeches that looked at a wealth of women's  issues through an academic and research lens. I was pleased to see I was among a good number of Americans in attendance. I took my fa...

Greetings from Oxford, England. Yes I'm back in the UK and a lot sooner than I thought. I have a conference to thank for that, but I'll get to that shortly. I love the uptick I feel when I travel. This morning my cousin Kamille and auntie Joan picked me up at Heathrow and I had a nice lunch with them. The last time I saw them was at Kam's wedding last August. Today's visit was short but sweet. That's my theme for this trip. This trip also has a few firsts for me. I love new firsts because it means I'm experiencing new things and keeping it fresh. It's my first time in Oxford and to get here I flew Virgin Atlantic for the first time. I now truly get why people have such lovely things to say about the airline. The food actually tastes like food. You're offered a menu with three options to select from. They have excellent customer service and a sleek and modern design that makes you feel like your in a hipster lounge. They had me at hello. I'm i...