Voices

The small tearing and wearing down of the red skin between my thighs reminds me of something I crave. Something that temperate weather and pristine places just don’t give a body.

Take The Cake: That Louisiana Chub Rub

Leaving Louisiana means going back to a place that’s colder — climactically and culturally. My chub rub will appreciate the cool down, but I am not looking forward to returning to a place that’s so dry. There’s something about New Orleans, so hot and haunted, that pushes me into my body and the precious tenuousness of my humanity.

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image credit: Facebook

Parents Surprise Foster Children With Disney Trip To Reveal Their Adoption

Courtney and Tom Gilmour have been fostering Janielle, 12 and Elijah, 10, for three years. With help from Mickey Mouse, they reveal that they have officially adopted the two. You have to see the video!

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I’m in this strange place where I have close friends, many acquaintances, and only now am I figuring out what is important to me.

What’s Not Said: It’s So Hard To Make New Friends

The older we get, the harder it is to make close friends.

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Image: Annette Richmond

10 Questions You've Always Wanted To Ask Your Black Friend

I recently went tubing with a new friend. We met at our seasonal summer job and decided to spend the day floating down the Green River.

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That gut feeling I had of “this is wrong” — that respectful people don’t just go around taking — was correct.

Everyone Needs Consent, Including Your Significant Other

Love is respect. Everyone needs consent, and that doesn’t exclude your significant other. I’ll say it plainly: partners need consent too.

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Less access to quality treatment and resources is deeply concerning given that those that are available already lack understanding about cultural identities and how mental health conditions affect minorities. (Image credit: Instagram/tothebonemovie)

Netflix's 'To The Bone' Is Just Another Example Of Struggle Through A Privileged Lens

Netflix’s latest drama 'To The Bone' just emphasizes the inequity in eating disorder treatment options. The main character, Ellen, is a white, 20-year-old woman who is struggling with a serious eating disorder. I watched as she entered yet another inpatient treatment center and her loving family stood by her. Frame after frame, I saw myself and grew angry for the people who were suffering and wouldn’t be able to identify, whether it was because of their race, support system, or lack of resources.

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4 Examples Of Bi+ Erasure That Bisexual People Are Tired Of Hearing

I’ve been told by LGBTQ+ community members and cis straight folks that my identity isn’t real. I’m guessing they've either never seen my Top 10 Hot List (hint: it features all genders) or watched me Instagram stalk my favorite semi-celebrity crushes, because I am crushing hard on men, women, and nonbinary people.

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"After trying to avoid completely ceasing communication with both my mother and grandmother, I realized I had come to the end of another road."

Take The Cake: Breaking Up With My Family, Part 2

There had only been room for a persona - a sunshiney child-parent. My mother and grandmother had always fixated on my childhood. It finally made sense how the happiest time of their lives could be my darkest.

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