Hayley Rose Horzepa

After being raped by two men when I was just fifteen years old, I understand the value of choice. Maybe that's because I never had one. The trauma I experienced reminds me of the abortion ban Mississippi law makers are pushing through their state legislature. Had I become pregnant as...

This week was a big week for the global LGBT community. Yesterday, Argentina made it easier for transgendered individuals to obtain hormone therapies and sex-change operations. A few days before that, the U.S. state of North Carolina banned gay marriage and civil unions. Is it just me or does something...

On Friday April 6, famous "painter of light" Thomas Kinkade died. Kinkade is known not only for his beautifully cheerful paintings but his strong faith and belief in Christianity. Within many of his paintings, he hid the names of his family members as well as Christian messages and symbolism such...

"No one is going to ask you out if they see those rings on you, Hayley." I didn't exactly understand my friend's concern, as the rings were on my right hand. I suppose that the gold band and diamond could easily be mistaken for some type of commitment.

"I really...

Most artists in this country are greatly underappreciated. When I refer to most artists, I am not talking about the musicians and actors who bring home multimillion dollar paychecks each year. No. I'm talking about the artists who are barely getting by and if they're lucky, still living in their...

After Rush Limbaugh's recent explosion over birth control it is clear that Rush Limbaugh thinks we're all sluts. The controversy that caused the explosion: law student, Sandra Fluke's testimony on behalf of women. Yes, women. She argued that birth control should be covered by insurance even if you are working...

I am calling for a new feminist movement and men, we really need your help.

Rush Limbaugh's comments from last week still has people outraged. Though there are many men who despise him and his views on women, the fact that he is so forthright in the public eye suggests...

This week on The Huffington Post, Russell Bishop posted an excellent article called "Soul Talk: What Happens When God Closes a Door?" His article is based on the old adage, "When God closes a door he opens a window." Russell took this classic concept one step further and...

When all else fails and your family and friends are out of suggestions, there is always Google. I'm not gonna lie. Throughout my life when I'm alone and confused, I type random things into Google such as, "What should I do with my life?" Then I spend the next hour...

Life is difficult sometimes. Is it just me, or is it true that when things feel as if they couldn't get any worse something (or several somethings) else goes wrong? I was not joking when I said that many of the rejection letters I've received in my lifetime came on...

More than a decade after surviving rape, I still wonder if sex for me will ever be normal. I am sure I am not the only sexual assault survivor who wonders this. Rape, one of the most violent acts known to man, is a violation of the most intimate parts...

In this country, homophobia runs rampant. We are constantly hearing stories of bullied teens committing suicide because they are ashamed to exist in a world where they feel they will never be accepted because they are gay. In the old days, people, both gay men and women, were forced to...

A Dutch magazine claims to have used highly offensive terminology to refer to Rihanna in an affectionate manner. Oh really? Lots of people are offended and rightfully so. The two words, the "N-word" and "bitch," share similarities when it comes to their evolution. Both are derogatory...

Everyone is very sad and mourning the slow death of book stores, while video stores too are all but extinct. When I am elderly I will surely be telling tales of going to Blockbuster on a Friday night and browsing the aisles for the perfect weekend flick. "You mean there...

People are horrified over the episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashian's in which Kim Kardashian takes a closed fist swing at husband Kris Humphries. Despite the entire scenario being caught on camera, many viewers are still wondering -- is this domestic violence?

How is this...

Gymboree's indiscretion last week continues to offend me. If you haven't heard about it, some moms were in an uproar because the children's outfitter sold a variety of onesies in which "Smart like Dad," was written on the boy's version and "Pretty like Mommy" on the girl's. An...

Sometimes when we don't trust ourselves, we feel very insecure about stepping out into the world to live life. I know I was afraid to go out and be my own person because of the abuse and rape I experienced at a young age. I feared that I, again, wouldn't...

A week ago, I took the train into Grand Central Terminal. I've done it many times before but this was the first time I did it alone and I was a bit nervous -- well, terrified really. Not much was different from all the other times I'd arrived at the...

The other day, I was texting a friend while driving. Well, I wasn't actually texting in the conventional sense (that is illegal); I was speaking into my phone's voice recorder, which takes what I say and transcribes it into text. So there I was in the middle of a heavy...

I will never forget the dread I experienced when I was honest about my feelings with my abusive ex-boyfriend. Anything and everything can and will offend an abuser, especially when you disagree with him. What an abuser chooses to get upset about is their choice and is as unpredictable as...