Category Archives: Wellness
Wendy Sitti YouTube Channel is a Must!
SHE IS thee Chicago Socialite and a woman of the world!
Laughter is best medicine and Wendy Sitti knows how to serve it up!
It’s true: laughter is strong medicine. It draws people together in ways that trigger healthy physical and emotional changes in the body. Laughter strengthens your immune system, boosts mood, diminishes pain, and protects you from the damaging effects of stress.
Wonderful, witty, wild and wacky, EVERYONE loves Wendy! With her infectious laugh and her wacky ways she will have you forget your troubles in a few short minutes.
Wing it with Wendy! Wendy Sitti now has a channel and a show! “I will have episodes of DIY Do it Yourself Shows, of various domestication from cooking, gardening, home improvement, travel to unique places and landmarks, in Drag Queen style. We will also have guest appearances by celebrities and film episodes from exotic places around the world to also my home!”
Truly entertaining! – BestGayChicago.com
We hope this channel will entertain you and teach you a new trick or two! At press time, 3 episodes are out now!
“I was born in Warsaw, Poland. The apple of my parents eye! I was raised on a farm and later went to work in my dads sausage factory. That is where I met Stanley in high school and where we went to prom. He was nice but I knew I needed something bigger, it must of been from being around all of that sausage. I wanted to go to America.” Wendy tells us.
“After saving enough money, I flew to Chicago and realized I had no place to stay. I called my cousin Rich and moved in with him.”
“I know America is the land of opportunity and I was excited to make it big. I dyed my hair black to fit in and have a different look. But then some woman, Mrs. Richfield told me I was moving in on her scene. I went back to my natural color and started doing all kinds of odd jobs. Cleaning rooms at a hotel on Halsted called Steamworks, to cleaning the rooms at the Elysium Hotel in Mykonos. I kind of became a big thing and I’m not talking about my boobs!”
“I enjoy fashion, drinking, socializing and hanging out with nice people. If you want your event to Pop, like my cherry then invite me!”
also Wendy on Instagram
and her website
5 Ways to Get Over Hair Loss for Good!
When men lose their hair, many also lose their confidence. Whether you are in the early, or latter, stages of hair loss it can take some time to adjust to your changing looks. But that doesn’t mean you are no longer in control of your appearance. Losing your hair also presents the perfect chance to try something new. In some ways you are wiping the slate clean and starring again, which is an opportunity most people never have.
Whether you want to buy some new clothes, grow your beard or receive SMP treatment, it’s entirely up to you. Read through our 5 ways to get over hair loss for good for some helpful tips.
Skin care
You may not have control over your hair, but there is nothing stopping you taking care of your skin. Make it your mantra to keep your skin in great condition and you’ll soon see the benefits. A facial will leave you looking and feeling refreshed. Rejuvenate how you feel by adding a glow to your skin. Moisturizing daily works wonders by allowing the skin to breathe and relax. When you look more vibrant, everyone around you soon takes more notice.
Grow a beard
The hair on your face can define you just as easily as the hair on your head. The resurgence of beards doesn’t look like it will be stopping anytime soon. There has never been a better time to grow out a beard or facial hair. If you lose your hair and grow a beard you are instantly reinventing your appearance. It creates a new focal point and diverts attention away from your hair loss.
Update Your Wardrobe
What you wear says more about you than the hair growing out of your head. Your clothes present your personality to the world, allowing you to define who you are. Investing in new clothing is the perfect way to get over hair loss. There are few things better than buying something new and showing it off to everyone else. It makes you feel good about yourself and enables you to be whoever you want to be, any day of the week.
Make the Cut
Turn yourself into one of those handsome bald guys and shave your hair off completely. You’d be surprised how attractive you become to others when you take the plunge and shave your head. It refocuses how people see you, with your eyes standing out more. Your jawline and facial hair also become more prominent. The great thing is, if you’re not happy with it, the hair will always grow back in the end.
Get SMP
Have you ever asked yourself “What would I look like with a shaved head?” Hairline micropigmentation gives you the chance to find out. It allows you to restore your full hairline to exactly match your hair color. We’ll even show you a virtual hairline so you can see what it looks like before committing. Hair SMP is best way to regain your confidence without spending a fortune. Our Skalp® hair loss clinics are home to the most experienced practitioners in the world. It’s safe, fast and the most effective hair loss solution on the market today.
The best way to find out more is to arrange a free consultation with one of our helpful head tattoo practitioners at Skalp USA hair clinic here.
Do Collegan Peptides Work?
I used to work in advanced skincare at Neiman Marcus in Chicago. I was there for three years. Seemed like every other month, some new product would come out, claiming to be revolutionary! Well it makes sense; Skin care is a $121 BILLION industry globally, and an $11 BILLION industry in the US. And it shows no signs of slowing down. People care about their skin and companies spend millions in research and development, searching for the “fountain of youth”. Or at least products the slow down the aging process.
Skin care awareness and consciousness are some of the driving forces behind the booming industry, says Kathleen Zacrep, MarketResearch.com.
Although older consumers are still key to marketing efforts, younger consumers are becoming more aware of the value in taking care of their skin, notes Zacrep. (read more about the markets and trends here.)
I was at a party recently and someone was talking about collagen supplements. “Injestibles” vs topicals. I guess they have been around for a few years, but I had not heard of them. It’s all about healing and repairing from the inside.
While collagen supplements have long existed in specialty vitamin stores, in the past couple years they’ve expanded to drug and grocery stores and are proliferating rapidly. The promise of all these pills, powders, and drinks is enough to get anyone’s attention and sounds too futuristic to be real: You can swallow a pill and turn back the clock, not just by plumping fine lines for a few hours or days, but by causing your own body to rebuild its collagen from within.
It is backed with clinical research. Research seems to indicate that there’s something real to those claims. In a large double-blind, placebo-controlled study published in early 2014, women took 2.5 g of a particular hydrolyzed collagen peptide once a day; after 8 weeks, researchers measured a 20% reduction in wrinkle depth around the women’s eyes.
I am all about turning back time!
After doing my own research, I found this company, Vital Proteins.
They say, “Vital Proteins helps people feel better and live fuller lives through sustainably-sourced nutrition products, promoting health, fitness and natural beauty. We do that by providing nourishing collagen and promoting our production of collagen – an essential nutrient stripped from our diets by modern food-processing.
We know that while our bodies’ collagen production slows as we age, our need for it only grows as our bodies become less efficient and we maintain a vibrant life. And Vital Proteins believes that if you want to, you can make the most out of every moment you’re given – that your body shouldn’t be a limitation, but a catalyst.”
So I decided to give it a try. Not only is it supposed to be good for your skin, but helps your hairs, nails, bones and digestive system.
The company arranged for me to try a 30 day kit. It included 2 pills; Beef liver capsules and Beauty Boost Capsules. A box of Collagen peptide powder – that I made a drink with. And Collagen Creamer to add to morning coffee. It was a 30 day supply but I did miss a few days. So it lasted about 40 days. I can honestly say, and I was not paid to say this, I thought my skin had improved and looked better, it had a bit of a “glow”, my hair felt thicker, and my digestive tract felt like it had improved. (I am 53, by the way).
And you don’t have to take my word for it – this company has been featured in many prominent articles.
I strongly encourage you to check these products out! – we give it 5 pink crowns!
AT&T Live Proud to Support LGBT Homelessness
AT&T Launches Live Proud Holidays Sweepstakes to Support True Colors Fund’s Effort to End LGBT Youth Homelessness
AT&T* is supporting the work to end LGBT youth homelessness with True Colors Fund this holiday season. AT&T invites the LGBT community and allies to take part in our Live ProudSM Holiday Campaign Nov. 1 through Dec. 31.
You can participate in this campaign to raise awareness of the LGBT youth homelessness crisis in two different ways: by participating in the AT&T Live Proud Holiday Sweeps and by sharing the campaign video.
AT&T is encouraging the LGBT community and allies to participate in this campaign by doing the following:
- From Nov. 1-26, participants can join our Live Proud Holiday Sweeps by tagging 3 friends on our AT&T Instagram post with #ProudHolidaySweeps for a chance to win a trip to NYC to attend the 7th Annual True Colors Fund Home for the Holidays benefit concert presented by AT&T on Dec. 9. The winner and 3 friends will also get to meet concert host, legendary singer and longtime LGBT advocate Cyndi Lauper.
- Share the campaign video featuring Cyndi Lauper and True Colors Fund “True Fellows.” Our goal is to reach 100,000 views.
AT&T is also contributing $100,000 to True Colors Fund’s events and programs in 2017 to help expand the work to end LGBT homelessness.
November is National Homeless Youth Awareness Month. Today 40% of America’s 1.6 million homeless youth are LGBT. The campaign video reveals important facts about LGBT youth and homelessness, and presents the work that the organization and its youth leaders are engaged in to help bring an end to this problem. Our goal is to reach 100,000 views.
Will you help us spread awareness about LGBT youth homelessness by sharing this important campaign?
BALLS A Documentary by Charlie David
Balls is a one hour documentary that covers every angle and topic we could brainstorm to do with testicles. From sex and sports to health concerns like sperm count, torsion and bringing attention to Movember we’ve left no jock-strap unexplored.
During Movember, we’re sharing our BALLS documentary series for free on YouTube! Please consider writing an article, posting these videos and sharing on your social.
Subscribe to my YouTube channel to explore all things balls related in this special men’s health series.
Please share with your friends, post on your social and encourage your buddies to check their balls – or lend a helping hand – it could save a life!
November is men’s health month. Share this link with promocode FreeBalls for 50% off your rental of the unblurred, unbleepedBalls documentary on Vimeo.
Lesbian Couple Conquering Social Media
We recently discovered these lesbian vloggers, who have been creating YouTube content for some time now! They recently relocated to Chicago. They create new vlogs as frequently as possible, plus unscripted comedy, challenges, travel and entrepreneurship videos, and LGBT advice content. Vegetarians and devoted moms to their kitten, Mumford.
Well it looks like you moved here from Iowa? How long have you been here in Chicago?
Yeah! We moved to the city in July and have loved every minute of it so far!
What brought you here?
Besides the appeal of a vibrant city with so much energy and activity, we were attracted to the opportunities to advance our career goals. There’s such a great LGBTQ+ community here that we love and we do a lot of traveling, so it’s a great centrally located hub with a big airport! There are, of course, it’s other perks: deep dish pizza, the amazing Chicago sports teams, and tons of vegan restaurants for us to try out!
How long have you been together?
We have been together for 5 and a half years! It’s been such a crazy ride, but we’ve loved exploring the world and starting a business together. It’s so special that we get to share our relationship online to help so many other people and document the things we do together.
How long have you been doing videos?
We started making videos in March of 2015. At that time we wanted to start a channel as a way to have a creative outlet and a place to practice our cinematography and editing skills, because of our interest in film. As we started to pick up a following, we realized that we really had an opportunity to share some of the difficult experiences we’ve been through with coming out, self acceptance, etc with our audience. We began to share our stories online and have since been able to help literally thousands of people who send us messages and use our channel as a resource for similar struggles. Our videos have led us across the world to countries in Europe and the Caribbean to create travels films, vlogs and attend conventions for YouTube creators. We would love to see one of these conventions come to Chicago someday!
Besides vlogging, do you both do other work in Chicago?
We both have small part time jobs within the city, but what we spend the most of our time doing and what we love the most is our work on YouTube and other social platforms. Being in Chicago has already afforded us some opportunities to attend events and get involved locally using our videos. We’re looking forward to continuing to grow that more and more!
Check them out here!
Also check their podcast “Between The Sheets” that comes out every Wednesday on iTunes and soundcloud!
HIV Vaccine Moves Forward
Johnson & Johnson have announced plans to bring a HIV vaccine to large scale efficacy testing in humans, making it the first to ever reach this stage of testing.
The vaccine has been designed to treat all strains of HIV, has has already proven to be 100% effective at achieving immunity against the virus after a trial of 350 volunteers.
“Today we are thrilled to announce for the first time, that we are going into large scale efficacy testing of the HIV vaccine in humans,” announced Paul Stoffels, Chief Scientific Officer, Johnson & Johnson.
“As a scientist and a physician, I can tell you that this vaccine holds the promise of groundbreaking development.”
The Gates Foundation and the National Institute of Health will now help test the vaccine on a larger sample of humans.
ALSO
CDC says, There is No Chance of HIV Transmission if Positive Partner’s Viral Load is Undetectable
The statement, which came as part of a press release from the CDC on National Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day:
Scientific advances have shown that antiretroviral therapy (ART) preserves the health of people living with HIV. We also have strong evidence of the prevention effectiveness of ART. When ART results in viral suppression, defined as less than 200 copies/ml or undetectable levels, it prevents sexual HIV transmission. Across three different studies, including thousands of couples and many thousand acts of sex without a condom or pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), no HIV transmissions to an HIV-negative partner were observed when the HIV-positive person was virally suppressed. This means that people who take ART daily as prescribed and achieve and maintain an undetectable viral load have effectively no risk of sexually transmitting the virus to an HIV-negative partner.
Cher and Barbra and Oprah and More
from NEWSDAY –
Celebrities from stage, screen and sports — from Barbra Streisand to Justin Bieber, Julia Roberts to Jamie Foxx — banded together in a telethon Tuesday night that aired on every major network to raise money for those affected by Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma.
“Hand in Hand: A Benefit for Hurricane Relief” raised nearly $15 million in an hour featuring numerous pleas including one from Beyoncé, a native of Houston, which was hit hard by Hurricane Harvey. “Natural disasters don’t discriminate,” she said. “They don’t see if you’re an immigrant, black or white, Hispanic or Asian, Jewish or Muslim, wealthy or poor . . . We’re all in this together.”
CAN YOU IMAGINE calling in and getting Cher or Barbra or Oprah on the phone???
Before leading a gospel choir on “Lean on Me,” however, Stevie Wonder couldn’t resist making a slight dig at climate change deniers.
“We should begin to love and value our planet,” he said. “And anyone who believes that there is no such thing as global warming must be blind or unintelligent.”
Best Hairline Tattoo in the World!
USE YOUR HEAD WITH SKALP®
Hair loss is a difficult subject to broach for many people. It is a topic that can cause embarrassment and social awkwardness, creating undue pressure and stress. Hair loss is as old as mankind itself but still far too many people are left to deal with this unfair stigma in silence.
While the scientific search for a permanent cure for baldness continues, recent advances in medical technology has seen an exciting new treatment become available that was never before possible. This simple technique has changed the lives of thousands of men and women in both the UK and America.
The Skalp™ Micropigmentation solution has revolutionised the hair restoration industry, offering people the chance to regain their hairline and, just as importantly, their confidence. This breakthrough procedure avoids the need to undergo invasive surgery and its adaptability allows it to be applied to men, no matter their age, colour or stage of hair-loss.
Skalp™ lead the way in breaking down outdated taboos and fears associated with hair loss. You may have read about their amazing technique in Men’s Health, or seen their exclusive features on ITV and Channel 4’s Bodyshockers in the UK.
What makes their micropigmentation treatment so effective is the ability to offer such consistent coverage. A front, side or rear hairline can be simulated to give the look of a full head of hair. It can also be used to complement a recent hair transplant operation, or help to camouflage any scarring, alopecia or birthmarks.
How it works couldn’t be easier. Using a micro needle application, Skalp’s fully qualified and highly skilled practitioners are able to create a permanent medical hairline tattoo, which in most cases only takes 2-3 sessions to complete. In order to create the most realistic finish to match the existing texture of your hair follicles, 3-4 pigment shades are used to ensure the best accuracy possible.
Best of all, it doesn’t matter if you are in the early or latter stages of hair loss because the Skalp™ Micropigmentation treatment can perfectly restore a full or partial hairline.
There are six stages involved, with each one carefully implemented to guarantee you get the most out of the application. Skalp offer a free consultation as the first step so you can find out everything you need about the process, while their staff talk through the best options available to you. If you decide to proceed, you will then see an invaluable and free virtual hairline mock-up of how it will look once finished.
The treatment process itself is spread across 2-3 sessions, with each one lasting up to 4 hours, depending on the depth of micropigmentation required. Once perfection has been reached the service doesn’t stop there. Their aftercare support provides detailed advice to help customers keep their scalp in the best condition.
With clinics located in the UK and US in New York, Skalp™ is an accessible procedure open to a vast majority of the country. Rather than just take my word for it, get in touch and discover how it can change your life.
For more information call Toll-free 1-855-752-5787 or email usa@skalp.com
GOOGLE to do Stonewall project
GOOGLE to spend $1 Million on 50th Anniversary Stonewall project!
NY POST reported – Google pledged $1 million on Sunday to help record the stories of anyone and everyone involved in the Stonewall riots, a landmark moment in the battle for gay rights.
The Web giant’s “digital experience” will be an oral history featuring interviews with New Yorkers who were on the front lines in Greenwich Village in the summer of 1969.
The project is aimed for completion by June 28, 2019, the 50th anniversary of the riots.
The impromptu uprising outside the Stonewall Inn on Christopher Street against police harassment is remembered as a watershed moment in the push for LGBTQ equality.
“I remember the Stonewall riot — whatever you want to call it — I remember the debate, I remember the time, and it’s hard to go back there. I can tell you, you don’t want to go back there either.” said Eric Schmidt, executive chairman of Alphabet, Google’s parent company.
Artist and Stonewall veteran Tommy Lanigan-Schmidt said he’ll tell his story, in honor of activists who have since died.
“What sticks in my mind most is all the people who aren’t here to talk about it,” he told reporters at the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center on West 13th Street. “Most of the people — I knew because I was one of the street kids — didn’t live to be 22 years old. I’m lucky to be alive.”
He added, “If the smell of lighter fluid is in the air, I think of Stonewall.”
NEW Skin Care for Men
“Fortunately I’d studied Science (Chemistry) at Melbourne University, so I had a strong grounding in biochemistry. My idea for the range excited one of Australia’s best-known developmental chemists and together, over a period of two years, we perfected the product range.
Lqd is designed for men who care about how they look and feel. Our range is about looking after your skin and keeping it well hydrated, so that you not only look the best you can right now, but you can slow down the aging process as well.”
Developed in Australia under one of the worlds harshest climates comes a range of skin care products created exclusively by men for mankind, with a philosophy based around helping men look the best they can.
Utilizing the latest breakthroughs in skin care science, Lqd has developed a no-nonsense, uniquely masculine collection of award winning products that deliver exactly what they promise, without the marketing hype.
100% satisfaction guarantee
We value the fact you are choosing to spend your hard earned dollars with us and we never take that for granted. That’s why we are always aiming to exceed your expectations in everything we do. We know if you are happy, you won’t just continue to buy from us, but you will tell your friends about us as well. In fact, that’s how we’ve grown to where we are now.
That’s why we offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee on all of our products. If for any reason you aren’t 100% satisfied with your purchase, we will give you your money back, it’s that simple. Try them for yourself, we are confident you’ll never look back! For more on our story so far, check out the video below.
Trial pack of products is $45
Larger sized gift pack $230
Anti Aging pack $200
They make a great shaving “gel” for $40
Great assortment – something for every man! SHOP NOW LQD.com
We give this our 5 crowns! 
Say No To Male Circumcision
We keep this site non-pornographic. So I hope that can see this post as educational.
Most of the world is intact (not circumcised).
In the US, I believe, it has always been about the $$$. Doctors brainwashed American mothers and fathers, that it HAD TO BE DONE. And most times, insurance companies paid for it. But who really pays? THE MAN.
Circumcision removes valuable specialized erogenous tissue. Foreskin feels REALLY good. Without the foreskin, the glans becomes dried, toughened, and less sensitive. The normal slack skin gives a man and his partner an exquisite plush frictionless rolling/gliding sensation.
Luckily we can undo some of the damage with non-surgical foreskin restoration.
It’s great to undo the damage of circumcision and the benefits of foreskin restoration are awesome, but for some the real healing comes from working to end child circumcision. Activists working to protect the right of all boys, girls, and intersex children to remain intact and free of non-therapeutic forced genital cutting are called intactivists. You can help. There is lots of information HERE. And there are numerous resources HERE I encourage you to check out.
If you know someone having a baby, PLEASE, if it’s a boy, encourage them NOT TO CIRCUMCISE. Let the boy decide later. It’s his body!
I’m A Gay Catfish – And Just Want to be Loved
Vlogger Davey Wavey put out a call for a gay “catfish” several months ago. For those unfamiliar with the term, which originated in a 2010 documentary by Nev Schulman about people who use other people’s photos to establish fake identities in order to carry on online relationships with strangers. In the documentary, and subsequent MTV series, producers seek out the catfish and out them in the company of their targets.
Wavey has posted a video of an interview with a man who confesses to being a catfish.
Writes Wavey to Towleroad: “I found him by reaching out to guys who catfish through a Facebook post. Rather than vilify these guys, my intent was to explore their motivation and logic. Overwhelmingly, many of these men told me that they feel invisible. And if they don’t catfish, they’d have no interaction with other gay men. Rather than be angry or outraged at these men for wasting our time or playing games, it may be more productive to question the role that each of us plays in making these men feel invisible.
The catfish said that he made a fake profile using the photo of a guy he’d been following on Instagram with a “gorgeous” body and face. His motivation was to get attention from men who would normally see him as invisible because he is overweight.
WATCH THE VIDEO
READ the rest at TOWLEROAD
Tyler Oakley on Larry King
During a recent sit down with Larry King on the multi Emmy nominated series
“Larry King Now”, YouTube phenomenon Tyler Oakley explains his take on how the digital world has helped LGBT equality like never before because it can “reach people you never would have reached,” and how he believes “digital has changed everything.”
Tyler bonds with Larry while discussing the issues he faced coming out, and exclusively tells Larry his feelings on President Trump expressing that, “Anybody can hold up a flag, I want to see protection.”
I wanted to share this clip with you should you be interested in covering. The episode just premiered on Ora TV. I’ve included more info below, let me know if you need anything else!
WATCH
Tyler Oakley & Larry King fight for LGBT rights
TRANSGENDER Category at TINDER
Tinder’s founder, Sean Rad, announced that since GLAAD worked with Tinder to make the platform trans-inclusive, Tinder has matched over 250,000 trans users. That’s a huge number and shows that transgender inclusion really works.
When Tinder released its “More Genders” update last November, it sent a strong message to tens of millions of people that trans people were welcome at Tinder.
It’s particularly important that this news came out at an event in Texas, where the message is sorely needed — Texas is currently considering a law, SB6, that would codify discrimination against trans people.
From working with companies like Tinder and the cast of Transparent, to fighting back against SB6 and the Trump administration’s efforts to roll back protections for trans kids, GLAAD is fighting on the front lines to accelerate acceptance for trans people. Today, we’re asking you to be a part of that work.
Your contribution of just $25 is an important way for you to voice your support for all trans people — and to make an unequivocal statement that all of us deserve nothing less than full acceptance:
| Derrick, donate $25 |
Thank you for being one of GLAAD’s best supporters. We can’t do this without you.
#gaynews LGBTQ Movie FAIR HAVEN
KERSTIN KARLHUBER’S DEBUT FEATURE FILM FAIR HAVEN
STARRING TOM WOPAT, GREGORY HARRISON & MICHAEL GRANT
TACKLES POLITICALLY TOPICAL SUBJECT MATTER SUCH AS GAY CONVERSION THERAPY, LGBT YOUTH & RELIGION
Writer/Director Kerstin Karlhuber always knew she wanted to tell this story. She couldn’t have expected that its themes would become so deeply relevant to the current American political and social climate.
Kerstin’s debut feature film Fair Haven is a tender love story, a rural working class family drama, and a poignant exploration of the lingering effects of “gay conversion therapy” on a young man and the people he loves most. As America begins to come to terms with a new presidential administration, issues of LGBT rights and acceptance have once again been thrust to the forefront of the national conversation, with many fearful that the progress of recent years is in danger of being reversed.
Kerstin has dedicated the film to her late cousin Katelyn, a young transgender woman who tragically passed away soon after the film was completed.
“Spreading the message of acceptance and tolerance is our mission,” said Kerstin Karlhuber. “If we can help young people gain confidence in their differences and maybe open a few closed minds we’ll have achieved our goal.”
Fair Haven’s theatrical debut on March 3 and VOD/DVD release on March 7
A trailer for Fair Haven is available HERE.
Gavin Grimm Transgender Case goes to Supreme Court
There was nothing remarkable about Gavin Grimm’s first trip to the boys’ bathroom at Gloucester High School. It was a little more than a month into his sophomore year, when the transgender teenager had begun quietly reintroducing himself to the student body as a boy.
Grimm had used men’s restrooms at restaurants, stores and the local amusement park, and using the boys’ bathroom at his school felt like “the natural progression of things,” he said. Just like cutting his hair short, just like wearing baggy pants and graphic T-shirts, just like beginning testosterone shots. He started using the boys’ bathroom shortly after he got word from Principal Nate Collins that it would be okay.
But that decision to use the boys’ bathroom one fall day in 2014 clashed with this town’s sensibilities and led to an acrimonious public debate. Now, Grimm’s case has made this quiet, out-of-the-way community in Virginia’s Tidewater region the unlikely center of the national debate over how public schools should accommodate transgender students.
The U.S. Supreme Court announced Friday it will hear a school board’s appeal of a lower court decision affirming transgender students’ access to facilities appropriate for their gender identity — and if it lets that decision stand, it will be a major victory for transgender rights relating to students.
After Donald Trump‘s election, there was some question about whether the court would uphold last October’s decision to hear the case of transgender teen Gavin Grimm, who is suing his Virginia high school for the right to use the restroom and locker room that corresponds with his gender.
The justices are scheduled to hear the case on March 28 and Grimm is preparing for the spotlight. Grimm was initially allowed to use the boys’ restroom at his high school, but after receiving complaints, the school board adopted a policy requiring students to use the restroom that corresponds with their sex assigned at birth or be segregated to a single-stall restroom.
His case drew headlines as it advanced from remarks before the school board to federal courts. That’s because it’s not just Grimm’s life on the line. The Supreme Court’s ruling could settle, one way or another, the debate over whether transgender people should be regarded as the gender they say they are, and allowed equal access to public spaces like restrooms, for years to come.
Cuddling is Good for the Soul
STRAIGHT OR GAY – Everyone can benefit from Cuddling!
When H. Melinda Krakowski, a customer service representative in New York City, was married, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was alone, even when her husband was in the room with her. That’s because they almost never touched, and she felt starved for physical affection.
After Krakowski and her husband separated, she sought out group activities to curb her loneliness. That’s when she discovered cuddle parties: gatherings for people to engage in consensual, nonsexual touch. One facilitator of these events, entrepreneur Adam Lippin, was in the process of creating a professional cuddling agency.
Lippin had gotten into yoga and meditation and wanted to start a new business venture that promoted wellness. His co-founder, Madelon Guinazzo, also a cuddle party facilitator, had already been seeing clients who paid her for private cuddle sessions. So late last year, the two scouted out cuddle party attendees who might be interested in working with them. Read more at WASHINGTON POST. Contact CUDDLIST for more information.
CUDDLE, love, touch, acceptance and connection
We all want love, acceptance and connection with other people. We’re social beings, and this connection with others is part of our emotional, physical and spiritual DNA.
Touch plays an important role in building these connections, increasing scientific evidence clearly shows a connection that lack of touch can lead to depression, anxiety and a myriad of heath issues, and an inability to connect with others. We will be exploring the healing power of Non Sexual, Consensual Touch in detail in upcoming posts.
Most of us don’t get enough touch in our lives.
We’re touch-deprived, and most of us don’t even know it consciously. All we know is that there’s loneliness and stress and a deep sense of missing out. We feel this because there’s a biochemical yearning for something that is missing in our lives. And there is something missing: touch and the connection with others that it fosters.
“That’s why we started Cuddlist,” says Adam Lippin, Co-founder and CEO of CUDDLIST. “Safe, non-sexual, consensual touch fills a need that’s badly neglected in our society. Cuddling relaxes us and reduces stress at the very least, and on the deeper level it nourishes our soul and helps us get in touch with our higher self. Much like yoga and meditation, non-sexual touch is healing and transformative.”
Cuddlist brings together those who need touch (and that would be just about all of us!) with Certified, professional cuddlers who are experienced, safe, well-versed in cuddling techniques and follow a code of conduct that set the conditions for a great session.
While any two people can cuddle, of course, what sets Cuddlist apart is that we are creating the marketplace for transformative cuddling, and we bring the professionalism and best practices that make it work; Cuddlist training is overseen by my co-founder, Madelon Guinazzo, and she both has years of experience as a full-time Cuddlist and knowledge of what works in practice.
While Cuddlist is something special, and fills an important gap in our world, I also want to share what it means to me personally.
I’ve been a yoga and meditation practitioner for more than 20 years. Yoga has been an animating principle in my life that has seen me through college, drug addiction, the corporate world in New York, loss and death, and the birth of my son and my relationship with my amazing spouse. I’m also a touchy-feely “hugger,” and when I go to shake someone’s hand I’m keenly aware how restricted touch is in our society.
Most would agree that touch is therapeutic, and the rush of oxytocin we produce when we cuddle is great, but in my experience cuddling also can be something deeper.
American Buddhist Jack Kornfield, in his book, After the Ecstasy, the Laundry: How the Heart Grows Wise on the Spiritual Path, talks about how the simple act of being present can be a deeply spiritual practice. I think cuddling, if non-sexual and approached without expected outcomes in mind, can help us be present and raise our spiritual awareness.
So while I’m a “hugger,” and I immediately see the value that cuddling can play as a corrective in our society, I also think it contains a deeply spiritual component.
Indian civil rights leader Mohandas Gandhi said we must be the change we want to see in the world, and I want to play my part by encouraging non-sexual touch and the emergence of what might be called cuddle yoga.
“Touch is important, and we don’t get enough of it. I want to change that, and that’s why I, along with my Co-Founder, started Cuddlist. Will you join us?”
Find out more at CUDDLIST. Learn more; FIND a CUDDLIST and/or become a CUDDLIST!
HATE CRIME – Gay Couple Badly Burned
Marquez Tolbert and his boyfriend Anthony Gooden are recovering from second and third-degree burns after Gooden’s mother’s boyfriend threw boiling water on them in bed while they were sleeping after a long day of work.
He did it — because they are gay.
The 21-year-old and his boyfriend, Anthony Gooden, were severely burned last month when the men say Gooden’s mother’s boyfriend walked in on them sleeping in Gooden’s College Park apartment and poured scalding water all over them.
“I can barely think straight because the burning, the stinging is everywhere,” Tolbert said.Tolbert spent 10 days at Grady Memorial Hospital undergoing surgery that took skin from his thigh to replace skin on his back.
Tolbert left the hospital on Friday. Martin Blackwell is in custody.
Said Tolbert: “Martin pulled me up and said, ‘Get out of my house with all that gay. I couldn’t stop screaming.”
Blackwell reportedly told police he was disgusted by the fact they are gay and said:
“They’ll be all right. It was just a little hot water on them.”
HOPEFULLY – Blackwell may face federal hate crime charges.
There is a GoFundMe for their hospital bills.
PrEP Works…usually
Poz’s Trenton Straube has published the first interview with the 44-year-old Canadian gay man known as “Joe,” who is the first recorded person to contract HIV while using PrEP with evidence of strict adherence.
His doctor said, “Because we’ve always suspected that this potentially could happen, and now we’ve shown that it can happen, people need this information to make decisions about their sexual health that feel right for them,” Dr. David Knox told me by phone yesterday. “The more information, the better. And that’s the bottom line.”
Thanks to the blood tests he was given that were able to point to the relative time of HIV transmission, Joe says that he knows the guy he contracted it from:
He’s in a relationship and “discreet.” We met on bbrt [a bareback community], and he says he’s negative. I prefer to be with people who are positive and know it and are on meds—I’m on PrEP, you’re undetectable, the chances of transmission are like negative 10 percent—but I broke my rule with this guy. So it was with him, I think—it was a bit of a busy period. I reached out to him and he says, “Well, I’m not worried, I’m OK. But I’ll go see a doctor.” And I checked in with him again: “Have you gone? What are the results?” “Oh I’m really busy and haven’t had a chance.” I checked in again. “Oh, I’m out of town on work.” Checked again, and he stopped replying to me. To be honest, I gave up. I don’t need to be vindicated or have him say I’m sorry or whatever. I just wanted to let him know. It’s being socially responsible.
Unicorns and Poop with Squatty Potty
This promo has NOT been paid for – we just thought it was so fabulous, IT HAD TO SHARED.
It is done in the same comical vain as the people behind POO POURRI. (Plus actor WES TOLMAN is WAYYY HOT!)
Pooping will never be the same. This Unicorn shows the effects of improper toilet posture and how it can affect your health. The Squatty Potty toilet stool has been featured on Shark Tank and Dr OZ show and has thousands of happy customers. WATCH
The story of how, Bobby, Judy, and Bill (Squatty Potty founders) ignored their investors and followed their gut—taking a BIG risk on a pooping unicorn that made millions. The viral video campaign created more sales than anything Squatty Potty had done previously.
see also BEHIND THE SCENES
