There’s Now A Smart Menstrual Device Called My.Flow

White House Science Fair Days Are The Best Days

And today, President Barack Obama hosted his last. More here.

Watch Powerful Music Video By Jamila Woods “Blk Girl Soldier”

Tuesday, June 7, artist from Chicago Jamila Woods released a music video for her new single “Blk Girl Soldier”, in which she highlights the pain and injustice that Black women everywhere have had to deal with for centuries. Woods’ debut album is due out at the end of this month.

Full video

#BlkGirlSoldier   #BlackLivesMatter

Poignant Dog Food Ad Tackles Race, Highlights What Pups Can Teach Us About Unconditional Love

Turns out our pups can teach us a lesson in being our fellow man’s best friend.An ad from dog food company Pedigree calls attention to race relations by illustrating an interaction between two pet owners.

Watch how dogs truly have no prejudices in the full commercial here. 

Now that we’ve left behind the philosophy of religion, it’s time to start exploring what other ways might exist to find meaning in the world. Today we explore essentialism and its response: existentialism. We’ll also learn about Jean-Paul Sartre and his ideas about how to find meaning in a meaningless world.

Keep reading

21 Queer Indians Recall The Exact Moment They Came Out To Their Parents

For members from the LGBTQ community, coming out can prove a challenging experience. It can prove even more testing in India, a country that still outlaws same gender sex.

Don’t know the original source.

5 Ways to Challenge Mental Health Stigma

By Palmer Hipp–May is Mental Health Month, and even though school is winding down, it’s the perfect time to learn about mental health and ways to fight stigma.

If you are experiencing or have a history of mental illness, what are comments you’ve received from your family or friends?        

           “Why can’t you just be happy?”

           “She’s just looking for attention.”

If you are experiencing or have a history of mental illness, what are comments you’ve told yourself?

           “Why try? I’m not good enough.”

           “No one will love me looking like this.”

These are just a few examples that came to mind. Individuals experience negative stereotypes because others perceive them as “different.” Stigma is the process of distinguishing and labeling group differences, stereotyping and separating “us” vs. “them,” as well as status loss and discrimination.

In America, 1 in 5 adults will have a mental illness during their lifetime. Nearly 60% of adults with mental illnesses do not receive treatment in a given year. Stigma generates shame, hopelessness, exclusion, lack of social support and low self-esteem. Those impacted by stigma are less likely to seek help and accept help if offered.

So how do we fight stigma? I have been a member as well as president of the Active Minds chapter on my university’s campus, and if anyone is familiar with the organization, you’ll easily recognize the phrase “Stigma Fighter.” It’s a name I proudly call myself, and it adequately describes the battle needed to challenge mental health stigma. I encourage you to become an advocate and fight the stigma surrounding mental health.

Here are five ways to challenge mental health stigma:

1. Learn the facts

Educate yourself about mental health and mental illness. If you learn the facts, you can teach others.

2. Speak up

Assist your friends or family members any time they display false beliefs or say stigmatizing and hurtful comments. Use this as a chance to educate and challenge. Many times people are misinformed and do not know that what they believe to be true is really just stereotypes and misconceptions. Test any false and stigmatizing comments and images portrayed in the media.

3. Language matters

Become aware of the language you use. Generic labels like “crazy” can be disrespectful and further increase stigma. Put people first, not their conditions. For example say, “person with anorexia” rather than “anorexic." [Ed note: while this is a good practice for eating disorders, please keep in mind that some people with other disorders (e.g., autism) may prefer identity-first language. When in doubt, ask (respectfully)!]

4. Show empathy

Show respect, compassion and love toward others. Don’t label or judge. People are more than their diagnoses. Recognize that mental illnesses are treatable and very common—break the stigma with attitudes and behaviors.

5. Talk

Share your story if you experience or have a history of mental illness. The best way to help others realize they are not alone is to talk openly about your struggles and triumphs. Mental health should not be a secret. The more people talk openly, the more likely someone else will be to seek help and remove the perception surrounding mental health.

How do you get STDs?

Someone asked us:

I’m kind of confused about STDs. How can you get them? Also, what happens if you have sex when you’re on your period?

STDs are passed from one person to another during sexual contact. So STDs don’t appear out of nowhere, someone has to give it to you (just like the common cold or the flu). Some STDs are caused by bacteria, so they can be cured with antibiotics (like chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis).

Other STDs are caused by a virus, so they may clear up on their own, or they live in your body for life (like herpes, HIV, HPV, and hepatitis). No matter what kind of STD it is, you get them from someone else by having sex — oral sex, anal sex, vaginal sex, or genital skin-to-skin contact. Every STD is a little different, so some are most likely to be passed by vaginal sex (like HIV), and others can easily be passed by skin-to-skin contact (like herpes).

You can help prevent getting STDs by having safer sex. This means using condoms or Sheer Glyde dental dams (a latex sheet that covers your vulva or anus during oral sex) every time you have sex. But safer sex is just that - safer. It’s not 100%. So if you’re having any kind of sex, talk with a doctor or nurse about getting tested for STDs. You can get tested at your nearest Planned Parenthood health center.

To answer your second question, there’s nothing wrong with having sex on your period. In fact, it is perfectly normal to have sex on your period as long as both you and your partner are comfortable with it. (It’s also totally okay if you want to skip period sex.) But you can still pass STDs and get pregnant during your period, so use condoms along with another form of birth control every single time you have sex.  

-Taylor at Planned Parenthood

Quick Facts: The Palestinian Nakba.