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personal essays

First they came for the scientists
Clinical trials canceled; NIH gagged; NSF on pause; an abrupt silence at the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report; HIV drugs denied: what is to be…
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Deborah Copaken
41
Dear Neil Gaiman: consensual ≠ consent
Being in a consensual relationship does not mean one consents to everything the other demands. Particularly in an unequal power dynamic. Related: NDAs…
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Deborah Copaken
19
It's tusovka time!
Take it from those of us who lived in the former Soviet Union: the best way to survive fascism is to find your тусовка (likeminded pals) and hang out…
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Deborah Copaken
19
We'll Always Have Paris
For Marion and me, Paris was not a backdrop for selfies. It was the home where we wandered its streets getting lost, in order to find ourselves. Now…
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Deborah Copaken
28
The Osteoporosis Interviews
Today, my long essay on osteoporosis appears in The Guardian. Herewith, unedited, are two of its primary source interviews: Drs. Avrum Bluming & Muriel…
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Deborah Copaken
15
Sisterhood
The more we women cooperate with one another, instead of cutting each other down and/or competing for rare resources, the better our lives will be.
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Deborah Copaken
10
Everyone has a 9/11 story. This is mine.
An excerpt from my memoir, on the 23rd anniversary of that day.
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Deborah Copaken
4
The Sounds of Silence
When the kids are gone, and you've lost your hearing, what remains?
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Deborah Copaken
38
Letting Go
I've been raising kids for 29 years, many of them as a single parent. Now, the last baby is heading off to college. What have these three decades taught…
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Deborah Copaken
39
Family Week
“I’m going to need you to attend Family Week with your addict." My addict? I had not realized I was in possession of an addict. Or that he lied, not…
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Deborah Copaken
49
Is Your Marriage Stressing You Out?
Researchers at Binghamton University studied married couples who felt either supported by their spouses or not. In the latter group, the stress hormone…
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Deborah Copaken
14
Old Flames, New Strains
Roxana Robinson has written a brilliant novel about the complexities of late-in-life love. It felt so real, I had to speak with her to find out more…
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Deborah Copaken
8
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