First Person - Vox

First Person

First-person essays and interviews with unique perspectives on complicated issues.

First Person

The New York City school controversy shows why standardized testing is broken

New York City’s Specialized High School Admission Test is a tool of structural racism.

By Jose Vilson

Christchurch helped turn my mosque from a place of worship into a place of fear

By Vianna Goodwin March 20

I was on Jeopardy. The thing I remember most is meeting Alex Trebek.

By Terri Pous March 20

How the college admissions scandal busts racist stereotypes about who gets into elite schools

By Natasha Warikoo March 15

The most reprehensible part of the admissions scandal: faking disability accommodations

By Aditi Juneja March 14

A “robot” doctor told a patient he was dying. It might not be the last time.

By Haider Warraich March 13

Sen. McSally says she was raped in the Air Force. Here’s why it matters to military women like me.

By Kate Hendricks Thomas March 13

The best $2,000 I ever spent: the lawyer who cleared me of a drug charge

By Nabil Ayers March 12

The Catholic Church is still silent on gender identity issues. It’s left trans Catholics in limbo.

By Eloise Blondiau March 11

Michael Jackson, R. Kelly, and the myth that all victims of abuse become abusers

By Sheri Madigan March 8

The Ilhan Omar controversy shows how little we care about Palestinian lives

By Hanna Alshaikh March 7

“I tried ketamine to treat my depression. Within a day, I felt relief.”

By Alice Levitt March 6

Brexit has turned me into a prepper

By Jessica Furseth March 6

Most churches are losing members fast — but not the Mormons. Here’s why.

By Daniel Cox March 6

What I learned from donating a kidney to my 70-year-old father

By Ilan Goldenberg March 6

The best $6,160 I ever spent: a US work visa

By Karen K. Ho February 26

Stop calling Trump “medieval.” It’s an insult to the Middle Ages.

By Eric Weiskott February 25

Depictions of mental illness can save lives. But A Star Is Born gets one thing very wrong.

By Jennifer Michael Hecht February 19

When do racists deserve forgiveness?

By Martha M. Crawford February 13

The best $24.95 I ever spent: an ugly organizer for cables and cords

By Kyle Chayka February 12

I’m a geophysicist. My signature fieldwork uniform is bright pink.

By Mika McKinnon February 11

Ever tried telling a teen to stop Juuling? These experts have a tip.

By Elsa Pearson and Austin Frakt February 11

Measles is spreading in Washington state. Medical misinformation continues to spread too.

By Haider Warraich February 7

The rise of the star-studded, Instagram-friendly evangelical church

By Laura Turner February 6

Websites need to be more accessible for disabled people

By s.e. smith February 5

Roger Stone shows how much better it is to get arrested when you’re rich

By Rachel Marshall January 30

What would you do if you missed two paychecks?

By Zach Teutsch January 30

Porn actress August Ames’s death was a lost chance to talk about sex workers and mental health

By Lux Alptraum January 29

The best $2.75 I ever spent: an NYC ferry ride

By Meredith Haggerty January 29

I'm from Atlantic City. I've seen how Donald Trump's false promises devastate a community.

By Arielle Brousse January 25

I was discharged from the military for being trans. I’m losing hope of ever serving again.

By Riley Dosh January 25

Toxic masculinity is under attack. That’s fine.

By Thomas Page McBee January 22

“The world doesn’t fit me”: a new memoir chronicles everyday life at 460 pounds

By Hope Reese January 18

I’m furloughed. I’m also disabled. I have to choose between care and keeping the lights on.

By Kings Floyd January 17

I live by Yosemite National Park. Here’s what’s been happening since the shutdown.

By Tracy Barbutes January 16

The unexpected best use of Facebook

By Katie Hawkins-Gaar January 16

I write political thrillers. The Trump era keeps spoiling my books.

By Matthew Quirk January 15

The best $104 I ever spent: a rose gold trash can

By Amanda Mull January 15

The retro piece of exercise equipment my parents couldn’t give up

By sabaimtiaz January 11

I work with kids. Here’s why they’re consumed with anxiety.

By John Thornton Jr. January 10

When I was furloughed, I couldn’t pay for child care. It set off a financial chain reaction.

By TL Coleman January 9

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