redrosethorns journal

Conscious raising, frequently utilised by feminists, involves individuals sharing their experiences to enhance awareness of social, personal, and political matters. This method has proven highly effective in fostering unity, building communities, and shedding light on broader issues affecting diverse demographics worldwide. It's a means of expressing our identities and experiences, ultimately empowering us.

Inspired by this approach, redrosethorns launched an online journal publication aimed at facilitating conversations about mental health, gender, sexuality, self-care, and empowerment.

ISSN: 2978-5316 (online)

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Blurred monochrome image suggests movement, with a faint outline of a person's face and hands. Mysterious, dreamlike atmosphere.

The Anxious Thing Inside

It’s hard to believe my mum when she says that I never had a twin. Because there’s something inside me, buried deep within. It’s like its own person, a sibling of sorts. It’s trying to protect me whilst offering worrying thoughts. Am I being punished for consuming it as it consumes me? That’s the only thing that could make sense, you see.

Mental Health

Holly Pratt

Dec 19, 20252 min read

Close-up of adult and baby hands touching, highlighting contrast and connection. Black and white, intimate mood.

My Adoption Story

I have always spoken frankly about the fact that I was adopted. My parents were very open about it, which made me feel very comfortable mentioning it to others, whether in casual conversation with acquaintances or more in-depth heart-to-hearts with dear friends. It’s understandable that people are curious. The most common question is, “Did you ever want to find your birth mother?” Every time I reply, “No.”

Mental Health

Karen A. Adams

Dec 19, 20256 min read

Serene lake with turquoise water surrounded by autumn trees. Sunlight filters through leaves, creating a tranquil, picturesque scene.

Naked in a Lake: Body Liberation and Self-Discovery in Berlin

A man whose name I can’t remember called, “I’m heading to the lake. It’s a beautiful day; you should join me. It’ll be fun. There are some nice FKK beaches.” That invitation would have been much more unusual if this were back in the US. (It was still uncommon in Berlin because this was a first date!) But in this part of Germany, almost every public beach has a nude or Freikörperkultur (FKK - Free Body Culture ) section.

Empowerment

Laurianna Murray

Dec 19, 20256 min read

Close-up of two hands gently touching, set against a blue-tinted background. The lighting creates a soft, ethereal mood.

The Life-Size Drawing

“He died last night.” My dad told my sister and me this at 5:00 a.m., the morning my grandpa on my dad’s side passed away. My sister broke down into big sobs, and I cried quietly, my small body shaking in my mom’s arms. I was seven years old, I didn’t know what dying meant.

Mental Health

Jenna Hensel

Dec 19, 20255 min read

A yellow rose engulfed in flames against a dark background, creating a dramatic and intense mood.

Rocket Fuel

Highest octave, riding high You’ve fallen in love again! Rocket fuel, wings that fly

Gender/Sexuality

Kaylee Baucom

Dec 19, 20251 min read

Red apple in focus on a white table, with a blurred person holding their head in a dark background, conveying a pensive mood.

Sin Eating

I took a bite. Just a bite. The sour under taste moved about my heart. It was a taste I understood through my own hunger. It had the salt of tears and the bitterness of wormwood.

Mental Health

Christine Emmert

Dec 19, 20251 min read

Raindrops on a window with blurry city lights in the background. Dark, moody atmosphere with reflections of colored lights.

Prior to Midnight

The drip of darkness against the windowpane distracts me from slumber. I would awake your memory further with the magic of my pen, but some sleeping is forever

Mental Health

Christine Emmert

Dec 19, 20251 min read

Shattered glass with blue lighting creates an abstract, moody scene. The jagged pieces reflect light dramatically in the dark setting.

How to Swallow Glass

They said: Be strong. So I clenched my jaw and swallowed every sharp word they threw at me.

Empowerment

Ebenezer Mowete

Dec 19, 20251 min read

Full moon in a dark, cloudy sky above silhouetted pine trees. Moody and mysterious nighttime scene with deep blue and black hues.

Midnight Madness

Thinking about what I forgot during the day, Flooding back into my mind at night, All these thoughts I try to fight Prove to me that I'm never right.

Mental Health

Eman Ozair

Dec 19, 20251 min read

Gloved hands hold broken mirror shards reflecting a person in a floral shirt, creating a fragmented and introspective image.

Not Me

My reflection doesn’t move like I do I shift, touching my face Cringing at the rough stubble Still deep-rooted And my reflection stares back Sighing at my frustration

Gender/Sexuality

Zoey Knowlton

Nov 21, 20251 min read

Person underwater with legs above the surface in a river. Black and white image with rippling reflections, creating a serene mood.

Who's That Girl?

In the attic, Jess pulls open a bin stuffed with Mom’s things, searching for an ‘80s costume party outfit, maybe a neon leotard with matching leg warmers, but instead finds an empty bottle of Jean-Nate-After-Bath-Splash, a cracked Avon make-up mirror, and Simplicity sewing patterns, all several sizes smaller than Mom’s worn in years.

Mental Health

Liz deBeer

Nov 21, 20252 min read

Dark room showing a dimly lit window with curtains, casting light on a bed. The mood is mysterious and somber.

Our Mole

Our little Mole rarely leaves her room, just scurrying downstairs for toast and tea in the morning or peas, potatoes, and chicken cutlets — nothing touching — in the evening. Mid-day, she burrows in her room, reading books or playing with paper dolls using just a dim flashlight, shades down, lights off, taupe paint morphing into shadows.

Mental Health

Liz deBeer

Nov 21, 20252 min read

Stone statue of a hooded figure with an outstretched arm, set against a textured brick wall, conveying a strong, determined expression.

Frankenstein's Grandmother [1]

Oh! What a monster she created! Oh! What terror she raised in the hearts and minds of men! Oh! From what an unnatural mind her colossus sprung!

Gender/Sexuality

Thomas Redoubt

Nov 21, 20252 min read

Giant plant-covered sculpture of a woman with closed eyes, holding water in a lush green garden. Serenity and nature blend beautifully.

Mother?

Worst are the mornings. They start with slipping and sliding and make her breasts—hard as boulders—weep. She clings to the mattress edge. Below her, cracks in the floorboards gape wider; above her, cracks in the ceiling spider into the corners; crumbling plaster pitters her brow like a thousand accusing fingers, tap-tap-tapping. What kind of mother are you?/are you?/are you?

Gender/Sexuality

Heather D. Haigh

Nov 21, 20252 min read

Vintage camera and film roll on a table with a dried rose and leaves, set against a background of old photos, creating a nostalgic mood.

After Echo and the Bunnymen

“All my... all my life revolves around laughter and crying,” Ian McCulloch sang to me in those late 80s days. I wonder if he knew I’d still be trying

Mental Health

Maria Fischer

Nov 21, 20251 min read

Hand with black and white painted nails holds dried flowers against a pale background, creating a calm and delicate mood.

After Leah Umansky

in love in echo in armor starts Leah Umansky’s poem, the one that ends with These days, I think I am smiling, even when I’m not.

Empowerment

Maria Fischer

Nov 21, 20251 min read

Open notebook with cursive writing, silver fountain pen resting on a page. Warm lighting creates a calm, thoughtful atmosphere.

Why One Writes

“Why one writes is a question I can answer easily, having so often asked it of myself. I believe one writes because one has to create a world in which one can live. I could not live in any of the worlds offered to me – the world of my parents, the world of war, the world of politics. I had to create a world of my own, like a climate, a country, an atmosphere in which I could breathe, reign, and recreate myself when destroyed by living. That, I believe, is the reason for every

Self-Care

Maria Fischer

Nov 21, 20252 min read

Woman in a white lace dress sits on a pebbled beach at sunset, gazing at the shimmering sea. Warm golden hues create a serene mood.

Surrender

I’ve journeyed through many lives, roles, responsibilities, identities. Some eagerly embraced with joy and pleasure until their expiration dates passed and they were lovingly or grudgingly released.

Mental Health