"Beyond the Gallop" is a project that sheds light on an activity that exists at the intersection of sport, art, and community. Originating in Finland, hobby horsing has grown rapidly in recent years, particularly among young women. However, despite its popularity, participants are often misunderstood, with some facing ridicule and social stigma.
Some people fear spiders. Some fear public speaking. My biggest fear? That my plus-one will always be my own reflection. More and more people are finding themselves in the single life-not because they've joyfully signed up for it, but because they've quietly resigned themselves to it. Being alone forever is one of the worst things most people can imagine. And yet, nobody's talking about it.
Knitting was a childhood hobby of Mary Mwangi, a tall and talkative woman who runs a tailoring shop in Thika town in Kenya's Kiambu County. But it was only in 2017, when she was bedridden for 11 months after having cancer treatment, that she picked it up again. The first time Mwangi was diagnosed, it was with spine cancer. Housebound and wanting to pass the time, she decided to knit hats, which she ended up donating to cancer patients at Kenyatta National Hospital.
In 2011, I had weight loss surgery. It was very successful, and I've managed to keep the weight off. Of course, a lot of people think I took the easy way to lose weight, but surgery is not a miracle cure, just a tool. My current problem is actually keeping my weight up where my doctor (not the weight-loss doctor) wants it.
My boyfriend has trichotillomania (he pulls out his beard and mustache hairs when he's anxious or bored without thinking about it). He considers it to be relatively mild because it has never caused any serious physical harm like an infection, and while I've suggested that therapy might help, he thinks that the stress of finding a therapist will just make it worse, but that is an issue for another letter.
Imagine being judged not for what you do, but for standing beside someone you love. The stares, the awkward silences, and the pitying looks aren't aimed at you, but you feel them all the same. Caregivers often carry a weight that has nothing to do with their own actions and everything to do with how others react to the person they care for.
"This [extramarital affair case] is very anti-women. The kind of shame I have to face in the courtroom. Our courtrooms are full of men ... the way everyone looks at me, it's a different horror experience."