Joanne Strasser Edwards
Kveller
Columbus, OH, United States
Contact Joanne
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Past articles by Joanne:
I Have to Stop Calling Myself “Fat”—For My Son’s Sake
There are days when I stand in front of the mirror uttering words like “fat,” “disgusting” and “gross.” But I’ve got to stop. No, it’s not to protect my daughter’s self-image—I don’t have a daughte… → Read More
I Have to Stop Calling Myself "Fat"—For My Son's Sake –
There are days when I stand in front of the mirror uttering words like “fat,” “disgusting” and “gross.” But I’ve got to stop. No, it’s not to protect my daughter’s self-image—I don’t have a daughter. It’s to protect me. But most importantly, it’s for my son. Growing up, I was taught that women should be … → Read More
When Anti-Semitic Graffiti Shows Up I You Least Expected It
When I logged into Facebook yesterday, I saw that someone had written the word “Jew” on a driveway in a Columbus suburb, and Neo-Nazi literature distributed nearby. I initially felt shocked. Living… → Read More
I Take My Toddler to a Bar & It’s No Big Deal –
My parents made us kids the center of their universe, and there wasn’t much that was off-limits. I mean, we got to sit in the front seat of the car: There was a rotating schedule, and everyone had a day, parents included. I guess you could say our house was somewhere between a democracy and … → Read More
I Take My Toddler to a Bar & It’s No Big Deal
My parents made us kids the center of their universe, and there wasn’t much that was off-limits. I mean, we got to sit in the front seat of the car: There was a rotating schedule, and everyone had … → Read More
Things You Shouldn’t Say to Someone with Depression
Explaining my mental illness to people is frustrating. It’s always the same questions, and while I’m happy to answer them and dispel myths, I feel like people should already know the answers; becau… → Read More
Yes, I Rank My Friends
This might sound ridiculous, but I rank my friends. It’s not a competitive, middle-school type of ritual; rather, it’s a way of thinking that helps me avoid friend drama, which—in my humble opinion… → Read More
Living With Your Parents’ Mortality Is a Quiet Nightmare
My dad almost died twice. The first time, we sped to the hospital at 90 miles an hour on the freeway, honking other drivers out of the left lane. It was stupid, but I was 23. When the triage nurse … → Read More
Sometimes, I Regret Having a Child
I need to tell you something that I’m ashamed to say out loud. Something that’s burdened me for some time now because I don’t quite know how to admit or explain it. But here it is, finally: Sometim… → Read More
It’s OK to Admit That Being a Mom Isn’t Always Amazing –
I need to tell you something that I’m ashamed to say out loud. Something that’s burdened me for some time now because I don’t quite know how to admit or explain it. But here it is, finally: Sometimes, I regret having a child. Recently, media stories about moms who actively regret having kids have been … → Read More
That Viral Subway Photo Is Great, But Shouldn’t Decency Just Be Normal?
After I saw this week’s viral photo of the Hasidic couple and the nursing Muslim mother, I thought, “Aww, that’s so awesome.” I too, am touched when people are good people just because. I could ima… → Read More
How Do I Mourn What’s Happening in Syria from My Privileged Perch?
The other day while I was getting Botox, children were gassed to death in Syria. Then, while I spent the rest of that evening googling the best anti-fog sunglasses, and debating switching from an A… → Read More
I Don’t “Keep” Passover, but It’s Still Meaningful to Me
Last year at Passover, my non-Jewish wife was puzzled: “Why do guys make such a big deal if you’re not going to take it seriously?” Did she mean our humanist Haggadah that has no mention of a deity… → Read More
Re-Reading “The Handmaid’s Tale” is Terrifying Right Now
At work today, I thought about two things: 1. Why aren’t there free tampons? and 2. Why was I hiding my tampon up my sleeve as if this aspect of personal hygiene should somehow be shameful? Let’s a… → Read More
From Terrorism to the JCCs, How Do We Handle the New Reality of Fear?
“Everyone is OK. We’re all are home.” Read the text message from my former host brother in Berlin. Sitting in a work meeting, I had no idea what he was talking about. “Ok… glad you’re all OK?” I te… → Read More
Is Trump’s Future Grandkid Jewish? It Doesn’t Matter.
Eric and Lara Trump are expecting, and everyone is asking: will this be his fourth Jewish grandkid? Is Lara a member of the tribe? Was that a crystal chuppah, or just a canopy? Turns out, maybe she… → Read More
We Took In Refugees, It Was Awful—But I’d Do It Again
Editor’s Note: Names have been changed to protect privacy and safety. When I met them back in 2014, Dorri and Farah had just arrived from Tehran. As a lesbian couple, living an open life in t… → Read More
How Playing the ‘Anne Frank Game’ Allowed Me to Break Up with Friends Over Politics
I make bad jokes, inappropriate ones; even, sometimes, about the Holocaust. Last weekend, for instance, when touring my friend Maria’s new house, I half-jokingly asked if she would hide my family w… → Read More
When You’re Lying in Bed Hating Your Spouse
The other night I was lying in bed hating my wife, as sometimes happens after a rough day. Here’s how it goes: I look over, and she’s already sleeping, because she’s the kind of person who… → Read More
What Happened When I Went to an Abortion Clinic with My Friend
“Did you see my baby?” wails a young girl to the nurse. I can see her face through the curtain. She’s lying on a gurney in the post-op recovery area of the abortion clinic. It’s t… → Read More