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)

If you would like to submit your work

to redrosethorns journal, click here.

Close-up of white lilies with curled petals under a clear sky. Soft focus and gentle lighting create a serene, tranquil mood.

Fainting Lilium

A gentle lily, Wilting slowly. Why did it sprout? Why does it stretch towards the sky, Hoping for a sun that never comes? Why does it hope,

Self-Care

Ruby Gillman-Koski

Mar 61 min read

Pink and purple morning glories bloom on leafy vines in a garden, with a rustic house and green lawn in the background.

Floral Wars

For weeks I unwind Morning Glories from the stems of Rudbeckia and those blueish bow-tie flowers I never remember the name of. I’m terrible at remembering names. I only remember Rudbeckia from years of my mom correcting me when I called them Yellow Daisies.

Mental Health

Lisa Hartsgrove

Mar 61 min read

Black and white photo of a somber woman with a headscarf, looking downward, holding a small cross. Dramatic shadows and intense mood.

The Stranger

The first time he touched your breasts, in the late November cold on a bench with the rusty leaves falling at your feet, the flames of your blood melted the first frost. His teeth bit your skin, calling your fibers to ignite. And so, they did as if that was their purpose for being. White stars fell from the sky, sizzling on your naked skin. Sweat and melted snow flowed from your body for your baptism. You smelled the sweet scent of myrrh. You heard the sacred call of the inca

Mental Health

Patricia Nagy Gyuris

Mar 63 min read

A glowing candle held in dim light, with out-of-focus warm lights in the background, creating a serene and contemplative atmosphere.

Home Vigil

The hilltop house of dreams unrealized during his illness-shortened lifetime vacantly withstood the winds blowing above the overstretched valley the sun’s bleaching stare,

Mental Health

Thomas Redoubt

Mar 61 min read

A dancer in motion, captured with a long exposure, creates a fluid, ethereal effect against a dark background. Her movements blur gracefully.

The Dancing Girl

They tell me to write about the queer experience. A bisexual girl in Egypt— surely, I must have a lot to say. The truth is: no. Not really. I never thought much about my sexuality. I never thought much about anyone’s.

Gender/Sexuality

Mariam Girgis

Mar 62 min read

Silhouette of a person holding flowers against a beige curtain. Moody atmosphere with a soft gradient of blue and orange light.

Painful Peace

A sleeping poet awakens, In the midst of calmness, With new songs of tears, For it is this peace she fears.

Mental Health

misspoet.001

Mar 61 min read

Silhouette of a person with hands on a foggy glass, dimly lit by a diagonal light, creating a mysterious atmosphere.

Trapped in the Abyss

There is a state of shock with each message, moment, and movement. It leaves you in a fetal position not wanting to eat, sleep, or fight anymore.

Mental Health

Thomas Beckwith

Mar 61 min read

A person in a gray shirt stands barefoot on rocks in front of a waterfall. The background is lush and misty, evoking a serene mood.

Emotions I Have Not Outgrown as a Black Man

One day I woke up as a scrawny teenage boy with acne going through puberty, and the next day I was suddenly the man of the house. I was forced to be an adult, way before I ever needed those responsibilities.

Mental Health

Thomas Beckwith

Mar 62 min read

Two elderly people sit by the beach; one in a wheelchair, the other on a bench. They overlook the sea on a sunny day. Black-and-white photo.

The Truth About Watching My Uncle Leave in Slow Motion

I have learned time by watching my dear uncle grow old. The pain of my bloodline dissipating in such fashion is foreign to me; he is now in his mid-eighties— Neither of my parents made it past fifty-five. A man who once was agile, witty, well spoken, and had a memory of steel is not a picture I can erase on Etch A Sketch.

Mental Health

Thomas Beckwith

Mar 62 min read

A collection of various wall clocks with different styles and sizes on a cream-colored wall. Notable: a large wooden clock marked "Kensington Station 1789."

Mirroring the Time

Clock in to lock in rings loudly, availability provides opportunity and possibility. Availability is your best ability, only when you have mental capacity. Loss in life shines the light on your vulnerability.

Mental Health

Thomas Beckwith

Mar 61 min read

Pink and white roses in full bloom with some wilted petals, set against a dark, blurred background, evoking a somber yet beautiful mood.

Crumpled Roses

I bought some paper flowers once from a market stall; near London's Covent Garden in The West End where all the best voices are heard. They were over-priced

Self-Care

Emma Kennedy

Mar 61 min read

Bouquet of pink roses on a dark ledge, with a metal fence in the background. The scene conveys a somber, reflective mood.

Liberation?

It feels so so so good to be liberated. Who needs romance when I can have a nice fuck without the extra effort, without the dinners and flowers, without the weight of obligation.

Gender/Sexuality

Deepa Rajan

Mar 61 min read

Black and white image of dark hair blowing across a face against a light background, with dynamic motion and a moody, mysterious feel.

Self-Care

I want to take care of myself. I want to bathe and brush my teeth. I want to take care of myself. I want to get 8 hours of sleep.

Self-Care

Deepa Rajan

Mar 61 min read

Silhouette of person with fairy lights in hair, facing a calm lake at sunset. Warm bokeh lights create a dreamy ambience.

Grasping for Magic

As a child, I cried when I couldn’t do magic, like trying to teleport a soda can from across the room. I wanted it to be tangible, to feel the sweating aluminum meet me in the middle.

Mental Health

Madison McClintock

Mar 61 min read

A person painted blue with neon green lines, head down, adorned with a textured, colorful headpiece, set against a dark green background.

Foreign Bodies

I was born an alien, dropped down into my mother’s arms by way of plastic sheet. Silent amongst the fluids, warm and familiar.

Mental Health

Madison McClintock

Mar 61 min read

Silhouette of a person with windblown hair against a vibrant pink and purple sunset over the ocean, evoking a serene mood.

A Controlled Descent

It begins with inventory. Names, tones, hallways. A register of glances sharp enough to teach you where to stand so you won’t be noticed. Bullying is not a single event— it is curriculum. It teaches posture. It teaches silence.

Mental Health

Abby Deisinger

Mar 64 min read

Abstract painting with dark, swirling colors of red, blue, and white, creating a textured, mysterious atmosphere. No text visible.

Paint My Own Canvas

I see shadows out of the corner of my eye. They follow me wherever I go, with no escape.

Self-Care

A.S. Winters

Feb 201 min read

Woman in glowing pink dress poses under ultraviolet light, creating a dramatic effect against a dark purple background.

Paint the Town Pink

She adjusts her short skirt, pink crop top glimmering in the moonlight. Her red lipstick is her warpaint. She’s a confident woman, and she damn well wants the world to celebrate it.

Empowerment

A.S. Winters

Feb 202 min read

Woman silhouetted against foggy red-lit glass, hand on chest. Text reads "water" backward. Moody, intense atmosphere.

Following Aphrodite's Call

It was early November when the touch of his hand set my heart on fire. The glow warmed me through the chill air of the approaching winter. After a cold summer spent sinking, the comfort of a warm winter was welcome.

Mental Health

A.S. Winters

Feb 202 min read