Tag Archives: Lesbian relationship

Smitten Kittens – Angel Haze and Ireland Baldwin Relationship Supported by the Baldwin Clan

The media and the LGBT community seem to be very smitten with Angel Haze and Ireland Baldwin new found relationship.

However, they aren’t the only ones. According to Ireland Baldwin’s cousin, Alaia Baldwin (daughter of actor Stephen Baldwin), the Baldwin clan are cool with the relationship and welcoming to Haze – taking time out to get to know her.

In a recent interview with independent.ie, Alaia praised Ireland – the daughter of Hollywood stars Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger – for the relationship and admitted she has ”grown a lot as a person” over the past 12 months.

She said…

‘‘I’m really proud of her. The past year through everything she’s been doing with modelling and relationships, she’s grown a lot as a person. Having supportive friends is something wonderful, but being able to rely on your family, even if it’s only some of your family, is really important. I have some very special cousins who have been the fiercest allies in my family, especially as I have no siblings.”

Alaia Baldwin

Yeah to acceptance.

Ireland and Angel first sparked romance rumours when they posted pictures on Instagram. The rapper then confirmed their relationship in June, but admitted some people were still struggling to accept them as a couple.

“There are still certain limitations for women. If we were two guys, it’d be insane, negatively insane with the attention. With us it’s all being very positive, the media are like, ‘Oh they’re so cute, they’re best friends.’

An interracial gay couple, I mean that’s just weird for America right now. We f**k and friends don’t f**k. I have never f**ked one of my friends. Once I see you in that way, it doesn’t happen. But we do f**k and it’s crazy and that’s weird to say because I think about it in terms of an audience reading it and them thinking, ‘What the hell?’ But it happens.”

Angel Haze

Sims 4 Get’s LGBT Filter Fix

Shortly after  the launch of Sims 4 last week, players noticed the game would not allow characters with names that contained the words gay, homosexual, lesbian, queer, or other LGBT terms to be shared through the game’s online Gallery system. When the words are entered into the name or description, the game does not allow the character to be uploaded or shared online.
According to the error message, the character “contains a forbidden word”.

Electronic Arts (EA) has since issued a fix for the banned words. An EA spokesperson has said the gaming giant is aware of the issue, and is preparing a fix to remove the issue…

“The Sims has a long history of supporting stories that players want to tell, irrespective of gender preference. The Gallery uses an automated filtering program that filters out certain words, including some of the ones you mentioned below. We are aware of have been working on a fix, which will be out soon.”

Electronic Arts

On launching promotional material for the game’s release, EA boasted LGBT-specific ads telling users to “Be Proud”.

The Sims is a video game franchise that has been inclusive of same-sex romance since the first instalment was released in February 2000. EA Games has been quick to let players know the LGBT filter currently being encountered in the game isn’t a change in policy but a bug plaguing the system that the company is already hard at work fixing.

EA’s response stands in sharp contrast to the statement made by Nintendo of America after the company experienced a wave of backlash for releasing its own version of a life simulator game, Tomodachi Life, which excluded same-sex couples.

“The relationship options in the game represent a playful alternate world rather than a real-life simulation. We hope that all of our fans will see that Tomodachi Life was intended to be a whimsical and quirky game, and that we were absolutely not trying to provide social commentary.”

Nintendo

Lesbian for a Year: Author Spends 12 Months as a Lesbian for New Book

Brooke Hemphill has just released ‘Lesbian for a Year’, an account of her quest to find out about her sexuality.

In 2010, Hemphill – a relationships and sex columnist living in Sydney, unexpectedly had a one-night stand with a woman. This lesbian experience led to a year of ‘sexual exploration’ where she dated other women.

She said the year of ‘dating only women’ was not a planned experiment, but rather a fit of passion, so she decided to write a book about it.

I have always been fascinated with dating and relationships and sex, but in terms of writing this book it was an experience that unexpectedly happened to me… It wasn’t like I woke up one day and thought, right I am going to do this for the next 12 months, it kind of just happened. And after talking to other people about it I realised that there are a lot of people who have similar stories or can relate to it, or have thought about doing something similar, so I decided to write a book.”

Brooke Hemphill

The title of her book, ‘Lesbian For A Year’ has seen her criticised from Sydney’s LGBT community, something she had anticipated.

It is a bit of a tricky one and I understand that a lot of people who identify as lesbian have issues with the title of the book. I have been getting a lot of feedback on Twitter and so forth about how you can’t really be a lesbian for a year and you are either straight or you’re bisexual or you’re a lesbian for a lifetime… But in my experience I had a one-night stand with a woman, woke up in the morning found her in my bed and thought, how did that happen?”

Brooke Hemphill

After this initial experience she went on to have a relationship with a women for six months.

I met a girl and we started dating, we ended up going out together for about six months. In that time I continued to kind of question what my sexuality was, was I gay? Or bisexual? Was I a straight girl kind of going through a phase, so the book kind of explores that journey.”

Brooke Hemphill

While she has copped flak for the title, Hemphill is quick to reassure the book has a serious message about breaking down barriers and stereotypes.

Generally, I think with everything that is going on in the country in relation to gay marriage if everyone went out and spent some time hooking up with their own gender we would probably be in a much more tolerant place and it would open up much more conversation and dialogue around this.

Connection with a person, not their gender, it could be male it could be female, I generally find I am more attracted to people’s personalities than gender or looks.

Some people would suggest that it puts a finality to what my label should be, but I think it is a bit more fluid than that and who knows what the future holds.”

Brooke Hemphill

 

Lost Girl Season 5 Will Be Its Last, Cast and Crew Announces

As it stands, the figures for LGBTQ characters in our media are improving. Across shows like Pretty Little Liars and The Fosters, we can see queer, female characters of various races whilst shows like Elementary and Orange is the New Black both feature trans women of colour in minor and recurring roles (respectively). This a long way away from The L Word’s insistence on mostly white faces and occasional transphobia while even Glee has gotten it wrong with its gay, male creator managing to offend queer ladies rather than understand queer female identities.

It’s also a 180 degree turn from ‘sweeps bisexuals’ in which characters (usually female) got same gender lovers for one episode before the love interests were sacrilegiously thrown aside and never mentioned again, all for the sake of slightly boosted ratings. Lost Girl never did that though, its protagonist Bo being a bold, bisexual beacon for us all to turn to. But now, as we gear up to its fifth season Lost Girl’s upcoming run of episodes will be its last.

While the announcement of Lost Girl’s end has come as a shock for its many fans, for those who have been watching the Canada-made series since its introduction in 2010, it’s not a completely bad thing either.

In the past four series Lost Girl has prided itself on unbridled sexuality, queer identity and sheer ass-kicking power from both the guys and the girls. Sexualities in the show aren’t labelled – Bo is seen as bisexual as she feeds off of sexual energy to heal herself and she takes both male and female lovers, most notably the human doctor, Dr. Lauren Lewis and shape-shifting wolf, Dyson, but neither the character nor the show ever says ‘gay’ or ‘bisexual’ to describe themselves or anyone else.

It’s that in part that’s made it such a hit but admittedly, even with the popular Bo/Dyson/Lauren love triangle at its core and each episode weaving a tale of supernatural intrigue, the love for Lost Girl has waned a little.

Season 1 was a popular introduction to the somewhat Buffy-esque show and it aired in 13 episodes, but in Season 2 there were 22 episodes and by Season 3 of Lost Girl came around, the show had lost a showrunner (series creator Michelle Lovretta) and the long season seen previously had seen Lost Girl lose a bit of its sheen. Emily Andras was showrunner for Season 3 and 4 but for many fans the plot seemed to grate or bore depending on their attention span. So it’s good that Season 5 will be the end then and it too has another new showrunner, with Andras leaving recently. When it airs the first of its final episodes this December we’ll be able to give a good send off to an iconic piece of queer media.

Ten Killer Signs You’re with The Wrong Lesbian

one

She is suspicious of everything you say and do, and constantly accuse you of violating her trust. BUT guess who’s going through your phone and hacking into your email?

two

She treats you less like a partner and more like a possession. As in, she doesn’t care too much about who you are per-se, but who you are for/with/in relation to her.

three

You suspect she likes hearing the sound of her own voice more than she like hearing yours.

four

She disrespectful to your family. To your face. And she doesn’t think there’s anything wrong with that.

five

She doesn’t need any personal space, and get upset/suspicious/offended when you express the need for it.

six

She can’t take responsibility for her own emotions, and will always find away to take it out on you even if you had absolutely nothing to do with her bad mood.

seven

She is constantly disapproving and discouraging of your goals and efforts, to the point where you don’t even bother telling her what you want anymore since she’ll cut it down anyway.

eight

She doesn’t respect your time. Right NOW is the opportune moment for that tedious task / modelling project/huge argument, damn it.

nine

She fights dirty. Sure, fighting is a normal part of any relationship, but it’s pretty easy to decipher how someone really feels about you during a fight by the type of insults they hurl.

ten

No matter what you do, there’s always something not good enough, half-assed, or less than about your efforts. You always feel like you have to “prove” yourself and you’re always failing at it.

Miss Spain Comes Out on Instagram

Crowned Miss Spain, Patricia Yurena Rodriguez has made history as the first national beauty pageant winner to come out as gay.

She revealed her relationship on Instagram, where she’s got over 46,000 followers, labelling this photo ‘Romeo and Juliet’.

Rodriguez told Spanish newspaper La Nacion

“I do not regret what I did. I’m thrilled with what is happening to me… Really, I would love to one day live in a society where coming out is no longer necessary because we don’t make assumptions about one another’s sexuality and homophobia is laid to rest. For now, that is more of an ideal than it is a reality. But if you want to see that ideal become a reality and you have the courage to change history.”

Patricia Yurena Rodriguez

Rodriguez and her girlfriend have been together for several months, after meeting through mutual friends.

Since posting her couple photo, the beauty queen has thanked her supporters on Instagram for their kind words too.

“I published quite naturally and impulsively. I appreciate the outpouring of support and even more to rejoice in my happiness. Thank you!!”

Patricia Yurena Rodriguez

According to New Research, Lesbians Have Better Sex

It’s official, Lesbians have better sex – well thats according to researches at Indiana University. Women in lesbian relationships are more likely to reach orgasm during sex than straight or even bisexual women. They are also likely to have orgasms with more variety.

The study has found men reach orgasm an average 85% of the time when they have sex with a familiar partner, compared to 63% on average for straight women. That figure rose to 75% for lesbians but dropped to 58% for bisexual women.

Researchers have suggested same-sex female sex ‘lasts longer’. Gay women are also ‘more comfortable with the female body’.

‘One possible explanation is that…lesbian women are more comfortable and familiar with the female body and thus, on average, are better able to induce orgasm in their female partners,’ the Journal of Sexual Medicine study said.

Findings from this large dataset of US singles suggest that women, regardless of sexual orientation, have less predictable, more varied orgasm experiences than do men and that for women, but not men, the likelihood of orgasm varies with sexual orientation.

These findings demonstrate the need for further investigations into the comparative sexual experiences and sexual health outcomes of sexual minorities.’

Indiana University

More than 6,500 men and women between 21 years old and 65 years old in America took part in the study led by Indiana University.

So, What is the Best Way to Get a Lady Online? We explore the Do’s and Dont’s

With all the hustle and bustle of modern life, sometimes it is a bit hard to meet someone right, let alone start a relationship. If you are looking to meet that special someone and don’t have the time or opportunity to do so, online dating is the way to go.

But, just how do you make online dating a success?

Make up your mind – The first step is to make the decision that online dating is what you want. It is not a game. You will be talking to real people whose time, feelings and emotions should not be taken lightly. You should be sure that you are ready to date.

Choose your service/website – There are many online dating services available. Choosing which one to join is a matter of lifestyle and personality. Do your research as some sites are popular to certain groups of people.

Set up your account – You should give this important task at least five hours. Fill up the provided form as accurately as possible. Upload a recent picture of yourself. Resist the temptation of uploading your old pictures when your head was still full hair. Be as honest as possible

Don’t copy paste your messages – There are many beautiful ladies available online. The ideal method of contacting them is via messages. Introduce yourself and gauge their reply. Keep it simple and interesting. Proof read your mail before sending. Making a potential partner laugh is always a good thing. Be a gentleman and respond to messages promptly. If a date is writing to you she is also writing to others. Be creative.

Meeting up – If someone strikes your fancy after the introduction, suggest a meeting for coffee or a cup of tea to see if you really like each other. Don’t email each other for months without meeting. The longer you wait to meet the harder it becomes.

Finding a partner should be treated like a job. It requires dedication, diligence and patience. All the best in finding an online date and remember to have fun.

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How to Get Out of a Relationship Rut

Do you argue with your partner about the same things all the time? Is your relationship full of the same fights and the same boring schedule? Do you feel that things are not going well? Maybe you are in a relationship rut. How do you get over this and bring some sparkle back to your union?

Admit it – Admitting you are in a rut is the first step. Not accepting that there is something wrong in your relationship is a recipe for failure. Accept and then you can deal with.

Get close – There is the temptation of seeking comfort and companionship outside of the relationship when you are in a rut. This is not the way to go. Get close to your partner and always move towards each other; look to resolve your issues and get back on the saddle. If you move apart this might be taken as an opportunity by other females out there to close in on your territory.

Destroy the pattern – Every relationship rut has its patterns. Identify this patterns and break them. It may not be easy at first but with a strong will you can be able not only to identify them but also deal with them one and for all.

Plan something new – Get out of your daily schedules and plan something wonderful. Whether a trip or simply a long walk together. Get yourself out of the same boring routine and do something fun that will revitalize your relationship. Making fantasy plans is also a great way to get yourself out of a rut. Daydream together about what you are going to do when all your dreams come true. This will bring you much closer.

Schedule alone time – As much as relationships are all about two people, you also need some alone time with yourself. Schedule some time when you can be alone. Read a book, write something or just gaze into the sunset and clear your head. This will put everything into a much clearer perspective.

Relationship ruts are terrible to be in, but what is worse than that is not doing anything about it.

Eight Things Not to Say During a Break-up

Sometimes a relationship cannot be salvaged. It’s unfortunate but it reaches that point where you have to end it. This painful experience should be done face to face and not over the phone. Pick a private place and try to be honest about the reasons for the break up.

Here is our list of eight things not to say during a Break-up…

Let’s just be friends

Emotions are raging high. Maybe after a few years and you accidentally bump into each other you can be friends. This is not the right time for proposing friendship.

Can I still live here?

Even if you bought or you the pay the rent together. Do not ask to live there. You can always sort this out afterwards. Living together after a break up is not only awkward but do you really want to see your ex brushing her teeth in the morning.

I never loved you

There is no need for trading jabs .You did love her and that is why it pains so much. Saying bad things to her is not going to make this easier for you. When it is all done don’t regret all the hurtful things you said.

It’s not you it’s me

No one actually believes this .She is the one you don’t want to be with. You are not satisfied with what she has to offer. Please steer clear off the cliché statements. No one liner can change the feeling she has that she did something wrong.

I need time to work things out

The worst thing you can do to your partner is give them false hope. This statement seems to suggest that after some time maybe you’ll get back together. That is just bad.

You’re not the person I fell in love with

Is this really the time to point out flaws in the relationship? Understand that you have also changed .Be honest with your feelings without necessarily blaming your partner.

I met someone else

This is adding salt to her wounds. The fact that you met someone else will make it harder for her, Keep this piece of information to yourself. This will make everything much more difficult for everyone else.

My family/friends never liked you

Spitting out this gem during a breakup is ill advised. Who cares? The relationship was about the two of you. This is just a cheap shot. You are much better than this. Trying to hurt her will not make you feel any better.

After all is said and done, a break up is not the end but the beginning. The choice is yours whether to part ways with your partner in good terms or not.

What Women Want From Dating: An Interview with DATTCH Founder Robyn Exton

With its innovative features and cool design, the DATTCH app is a phenomenon in the world of lesbian dating. Recently named the Huffington Post’s Entrepreneur of the Week, founder Robyn Exton is expanding the app into the US, Australia and Canada. Tom Sykes asked her about the secret of her success.

Tom Sykes: How and why did you first set up DATTCH?

Robyn Exton: I used to work for a branding consultancy and one of my clients was a dating business. I learned a lot from them about the business. Later on I was in the pub helping a friend sign up to a dating site. It was basically a site for gay men, which had been re-skinned for gay women. It asked questions like “How much body hair do you have?” That may be relevant to a bear or a twink, but not really to a lesbian!

There were fake accounts on this site and you’d get straight guys sending you messages trying to “convert” you or asking for a threesome. So I realised that lesbians had two choices: these re-skinned sites or straight sites where, even though you’d select “interested in women”, you’d still get harassed by straight men. Seeing a gap in the market for a lesbian-specific dating site, I quit my day job and spent 6 months raising the bootstrap funds for a brand new app. It launched in the UK in September 2013.

TS: What features did you build into the app that would distinguish it from the competition?

RE: We architected our app around what women want from dating, which is very different to what men want. We started with a standard engine – the type that all the other dating sites use – and found it didn’t work for females. Our users weren’t messaging each other and the interaction was really poor.

Unlike other sites we don’t show you the user who is nearest to you geographically because girls tend to find that a bit creepy. We discovered that women are really bad at describing themselves as compared to men. On gay male apps we found that men tend to exaggerate characteristics like height, saying they’re 6 foot instead of the truth which might be 5 foot 9. On the other hand, women tend to undersell their body types. They won’t, for example, say they have an athletic body type unless they go to the gym every single day.

We took the emphasis away from writing about yourself and onto using images to describe who you are. DATTCH is a mobile platform and our phones are filled with images of how we spend our time and where we’ve been going out and so on. In many ways our pictures are a far more accurate reflection of the kind of person we are. So our profiles on DATTCH have Instagram built into them so you upload images that show how you spend your time, the food you eat, the sports you play etc. It’s also possible for users to “like” each other’s content.

We also have an interaction game called ‘Would You Rather’ where you get shown the profiles of two girls and you decide which one you’d rather have a conversation with. If it’s a mutual match then DATTCH will let you know. Our ‘Relationship Mode’ allows users to retain membership even after they have found a steady partner. Your profile is updated to say that you’re off the market, even though you can still access the blog and chat with other users

TS: There’s been a lot of bad press about fraud and abuse on dating sites. How does DATTCH safeguard against those threats?

RE: We verify everyone who joins the app, ensuring that they are both female and genuine. We mostly use Facebook to do that as well as Skype and phone calls. Obviously we can’t guarantee that at some point somebody who shouldn’t get through will get through, but so far the system has worked fine.

The downside with our approach is that some people who we’d like to join aren’t able to at the moment. While we are accepting female-identified trans users we are not accepting male-identified trans users, but that could change in the future.

TS: Have you tried it DATTCH yourself?

RE: Yeah!

TS: Was it successful?

RE: I have gone on dates through it, but I’m not now in a relationship as a result. However, I did meet a couple recently that, having met on DATTCH, are now moving in together. They described each other as “soul mates” which was really nice!

TS: So where next for DATTCH?

RE: The Android version has just come out and last Friday we launched in New York. We are then expanding across the US city-by-city before hitting Canada, Australia and then the non-English speaking countries.

 

Keeping it Casual, Then Avoid These First Month Dating Faux Pas

Dating Faux Pas – The first stage in any relationship is the meeting stage where you establish if you have enough chemistry to go on. This may mean a couple of dates to determine whether you are a good fit. Generally this takes about a month. While spending time with your new date is exciting and you should bring out your fun side, there are things you should avoid during the first month.

  1. Spending too much – No matter how much you want to see her. Don’t see her too much. The general rule here is two dates in a week at the most. This shows your new date that your time is precious.
  2. No family members please – Never ask her to meet your family or close friends. Sure she is just so adorable and you want your brother to see just what a beauty you have. One month is too early for family. This also goes for children you might have from a previous relationship. The first month is for showing her how fun and interesting you are. Spend this time alone with her as much as you can. There will be time for your family to meet her later .Use this time to learn more about each other.
  3. Being late – Always be on time for a date. Being late can be taken as a lack of interest in her or worse as irresponsibility. Be prompt in returning her calls and messages.
  4. Stay off the sex – Some people might have different views on this but one month is too early for sex. Waiting till you get to know each other makes everything much more special. It makes you look mature and self-disciplined. Use the first four weeks for creating a basic foundation.
  5. Online stalking – Social media is a useful tool for bringing people together. Avoid the temptation to check out her friends, sizing up supposed competition and commenting on her every post. Don’t flaunt your relationship with ‘I miss you’ posts and expect her to do the same. Do not make a fool of yourself!
  6. Comparison – Avoid comparing your date with your ex. No two humans are the same so don’t expect her to dress and talk like your former partner. After all if your ex was so perfect why are you not still together?

Growing a young relationship calls for patience and control. Never forget to enjoy yourself and give each other lots of space.

Its Official – Rapper Angel Haze on Ireland Baldwin: “We’re not ‘best friends’, we f**” – we love it.

Rapper Angel Haze told the UK paper the Independent she is often annoyed that coverage of her relationship with Baldwin often refers to the couple as “best friends”. Ireland Baldwin is the golden haired daughter of Kim Basinger and Alec Baldwin.

I don’t know if there’s like some confirm or deny thing with the way relationships work in the media, but everyone just calls us best friends, best-friends for life, like we’re just friends hanging out. It’s funny. It’s rad in some ways, it sucks in others.”

Angel Haze

The rapper has accused the press of being uncomfortable with her interracial lesbian relationship with Ireland Baldwin.

There are still certain limitations for women. If we were two guys, it’d be insane, negatively insane with the attention. With us it’s all being very positive, the media are like, ‘Oh they’re so cute, they’re best friends’. An interracial gay couple, I mean that’s just weird for America right now. We f**k and friends don’t f**k. I have never f**ked one of my friends. Once I see you in that way, it doesn’t happen. But we do f**k and it’s crazy and that’s weird to say because I think about it in terms of an audience reading it and them thinking, ‘What the hell?’ But it happens.”

Angel Haze

Earlier this year, Angel Haze released her own version of Macklemore’s track Same Love.

 

Lesbian Safe Sex: Why You Should and Must Care

Lesbian Safe Sex: Why You Should and Must Care – It’s a tricky truth that not a lot of us are prepared to grapple with: too many lesbians are blasé about safe sex. While as a community they are typically at low risk of HIV infection, lesbians are just as vulnerable to certain other STDs as any other women.

So what is ‘safe sex’ as it applies to lesbians? It’s mostly about doing everything you can to reduce the risk of STI infection. Lesbians should make sure that infected fluids, such as vaginal fluids or blood, don’t intrude into their bodies during sex.

Precautions include using a new condom for each partner and not sharing sex toys. Touching, hugging, massage and masturbation are thought to be lower-risk activities. That being said, crabs and herpes can be passed on through mere skin contact.

Make sure you get yourself tested regularly and demand as much from your partner. While she is at low risk from contracting an STD from another woman, she may well have caught something from a man. According to a recent study, 85% of women who have sexual relations with women reported also sleeping with men.

Some people – lesbians included – use drugs intravenously and are therefore at risk of STDs such as AIDS.  Other research has shown that injecting higher incidence of HIV among women who have sexual intercourse with women, as compared to heterosexual drug users.

Lesbians should also be cautious about using sperm donors lest they end up being infected in that way.

There isn’t typically a high risk of catching HIV through oral sex but you are more susceptible if your partner has sores or cuts in her mouth or if your partner is having her period or has sores on her genitals. Best to use a ‘dental dam’ (a piece of cling-film or latex) to prevent menstrual blood or vaginal fluid getting into your mouth.

New Lesbian Movie – Our Place

Our Place is the story of Brie and Faith, a lesbian couple in their late 20s, who live together. They live in Indiana, which is trying to ban gay marriage all together. We follow them through some ups and downs of being in a relationship while living together, all while they decide whether or not to take the next step and get married to one another.

The new Lesbian Movie has been created by independent and ambitious team – Al Benoit & Kelsey Cornell.

We want to show the a gay relationship is just like any other relationship. There are fights, arguments, lovely moments, sad times, but ultimately all this helps make a stronger couple. So, we are showing the good and bad.

Al Benoit

Our Place Trailer from Al Benoit on Vimeo.

We are a cast and crew of ambitious, hardworking young filmmakers, who currently attend or have graduated from film school. This is an independent project that we are creating without the “Hollywood industry.” We have a group of very talented people, and truly believe in the message of this production. This is why we have come to Kickstarter to ask for help. We truly want to get this film out to a much larger audience. Our goal, as a whole, is to establish ourselves as independent filmmakers and make this beautiful story. We’re living our dreams.

Which Lesbian Celebrity Relationship Most Mirrors Yours?

We often live vicariously through the ups and downs of famous relationships. And we have to admit; we are all obsessed with the flamboyant (and even the tame) details of celebrity couples. Celebrity couples have triumphs and agonies, successes and failures with marriage and divorce. Although fame highlights the lives of the stars, most don’t pretend to be poster children for successful relationships.

Yes, these popular partners are people too, and yes, their lives actually parallel our own, at least when it comes to love. So, what Lesbian Celebrity Relationship mirrors your own?

Perhaps from the examples of others we can learn to balance our own prosperous partnerships. While the lives of others may always intrigue us, it is clear that Hollywood love affairs simply mirror those of us who are not in the public eye.

Bridging the Age Gap

Several stars are romancing their elders and still going strong. Wanda Sykes and wife Alex share a 10-year age difference, while Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi note a 15-year deviation. It’s true, generational gaps must appear at times in these age-blind cases, but it’s a good sign that these lovers can look past the superficial number of years on Earth. May–December couples must beware of the parent-child relationship, but can also delight in the complementary blend of age’s experience with the vigour of youth.

Low-Profile Partnerships

Healthy celebrity coupledom is sometimes attributed to a pair’s ability to keep low-key about the ins and outs of their durable interdependence. It’s evident when celebs put their relationship and family first, before their careers. A couple who seem to exhibit the successful low-profile formula is Jane Wagner and Lily Tomlin. These couples seem to focus on their family, their values, and their work together both on and off the stage.

Crazy Connection

Passionate pairs have always been the most fun to watch, but rather than proving true love, these types of poisoned lovers act more often as enablers than saviours. The truth is, while opposites may attract, they usually get converted. The relationship of Lindsay Lohan and Samantha Ronson exhibited a maniacal love affair that drips with drama. Michelle Rodriguez and Cara Delevingne also have had their own share of public scandal. Perhaps your mate isn’t partaking in illegal affairs, but your partner’s behaviour may be just as toxic.

Stealing the Spotlight

Being eclipsed by a loved one who enjoys widespread professional success can sometimes be hard to take without resentment and jealousy, but some squeezes are happy being the wind beneath their sweetheart’s wings. We defer back Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi, Ellen is the mega star and her lady, the stunning eye-candy. Allowing your other half to shine in the spotlight while taking a backseat exhibits confidence, trust, and your sincere wishes for very best for your dearest.

The Magical Moment When You Realise You No Longer Love Your Ex?

Mila Jaroniec; a writer living and working in New York, has captured this moment fantastically in the article ‘Upon Realizing You No Longer Love Your Ex’… take a read

When this happens, you can be doing anything at all: waiting in line for a latte, jamming your feet into office-appropriate pumps, waking up still hazy-drunk next to your one night stand. Literally anything. You can be doing whatever normal, everyday thing you’re doing, and suddenly you realize, with an urgent nervousness, you haven’t thought about your ex in days. You’re shocked and surprised — how the hell? They used to be on repeat in your brain every day for the past five months. But now that you’ve realized you haven’t been thinking about them, you start to think about them.

And you wait for the familiar rush of nausea, but it doesn’t come. Pause and consider this. Why not? This is, after all, the person who put you in an emotional coma for what felt like forever, who is borderline responsible for the subtraction of thirty pounds and probably as many years off your life, judging by the endless cigarette cartons and liquor bottles that are still turning up around the apartment. How can you think about this person, this person you signed away your heart to and who once meant the world to you, and suddenly, inexplicably, feel nothing at all?

Somehow, you can. You consider them a little longer, trying to remember their face, the sound of their name in your voice. But it’s difficult to remember these details, they’re so far down the tunnel. Something changed. Something shifted. You briefly think about them kissing whoever took your place, bracing yourself for the instant tightening in your chest. And… nothing. You continue to find yourself completely and deliciously blank.

It’s exhilarating. You’re relieved. Finally. Finally you can stop half-assing your life, cautiously keeping your distance from certain people, places, objects and times of day for fear of another meltdown. You’re excited to finally be able to listen to that one song all the way through, the one you loved so much before you associated it with them and could no longer stomach. It’s yours again. You have it back. You can finally chill out and go on that nerve-free coffee date with the mutual friend you’ve been avoiding. You can eat grilled cheese totally objectively once again, indifferent to the fact that they liked it with a ridiculous amount of sriracha or the fact that you, in hopeful displays of affection, used to draw sriracha hearts on top of their grilled cheese sandwiches.

Then, out of nowhere, you’re consumed by a dim fear. It scares you that you don’t care anymore, that they could win a Pulitzer or get deported and it would all be completely the same. You’ve never been indifferent, and now you are — something inherently shifted that made you go from loving, craving this person so deeply, from being willing to forgive them anything just for one more moment in their arms, to feeling absolutely nothing at all. Their existence is no longer of any import. You wonder whether you had the wrong idea about yourself all along.

Maybe there was no “emotions off” switch that got flicked. Maybe it was a gradual erasure and your heart just now acknowledged what your head figured out long ago. Either way, your sensibility got altered somehow: you can now see clearly. They don’t love you, and that’s totally okay because you don’t love them either. You think back to the person you were three months ago, trembling and crying in an empty, unmade bed. You don’t recognize that person.

At first, it’s not enough to sever the connection with the person who broke your heart – for some strange, human reason, you want them to know how much damage they really did. You want your pain validated; want them to be moved by some overwhelming feeling (regret? despair?) and feel just as small and brittle as you do. And then you feel a surge of triumph when you finally let go, extract the toxin you’ve been pooling in your heart.

And it’s a sobering feeling, realizing they have probably felt this way — far-removed — for months. Realizing that what you went through, the phoenix-like rebirth of yourself from mascara-covered sadsack pasted to the bathroom floor to confident, capable human being who is able to get to work on time and smile at children, is not a shared experience. They’ve been okay for a long time; you’re just now catching up. Which is okay. You’re late for the party anyway, might as well take your time walking there.

What Lesbians Say, And What They Really Mean

Another very funny and insightful article, dusted off from writer Mila Jaronie archive. If you don’t speak fluent lesbian, then this should help – What Lesbian’s Say, And What They Really Mean.

P.S. This is article not exclusive to lesbians, but common enough phrases you might have heard before.

“I’m not ready for a relationship right now.”

What they mean: You’re not who I see myself adopting three cats and moving into a cold-water walk-up in Greenpoint with. Sorry.

Alternate meaning: I like you but under no circumstances will I be known as your girlfriend. I’m just not ready for that type of commitment. I still expect you to hang out with me/ text me/ hold my hand/ buy me shots, though.

“What? Nothing’s wrong.”

What they mean: You just f-cked up. Bad. Don’t talk to me.

Alternate meaning: Absolutely everything in my life is wrong! Try and get it out of me. Come on, you’re not trying. God, do you even care? Try harder. Ask more questions!

“Do you think she’s hot? I mean, it’s cool if you do…”

What they mean: Omg, you are mentally banging her right now. I can just see it. Just try to lie to me and say no, I dare you. Don’t think I won’t remember this when we go home tonight.

Alternate meaning: How do you think she would feel about a threesome?

What they say: “What are you talking about, I love your friends!”

What they mean: I would rather drink a pint of antifreeze than be forced to fake-laugh at any more of those corduroy-wearing d-bags’ lame stories.

Alternate meaning: I wish you would hang out with them more.

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

What they mean: If you even think about bringing this up again, we are over. I’m not kidding.

Alternate meaning: We need to talk about it. Extensively. You start.

“Why are you being distant?”

What they mean: Who are you thinking about right now?

Alternate meaning: If you’re going to break up with me just do it already! I’m not going to sit here patiently while you choose what words you’re going to break my heart with!

“What do you mean, what do I mean?!”

What they mean: Are you even listening to me? I just told you everything that’s wrong with my life in under two minutes and you ask me what I mean?? You really don’t get it? Ugh, I’m not telling you again. Why are we even together.

Alternate meaning: I don’t even know what I’m talking about anymore, I was kind of hoping you did.

“Babe, we need to talk. About us.”

What they mean: I hope you don’t have anything important to do within the next fourteen hours, because that’s how long it will take to get through everything.

Alternate meaning: I don’t know how to say this without admitting I went through your phone, but you’re in trouble.

“I was basically sober all night, I only had three beers!”

What they mean: I got completely sh-thoused and may or may not have groped the DJ, the bouncer and your best friend.

Alternate meaning: I got completely sh-thoused and may or may not have groped the DJ, the bouncer and your best friend. And I accidentally hit your credit limit. Oops.

Survival Guide: 10 Things That Happen In A Lesbian Relationship

A very funny article written by Mila Jaronie; a writer living and working in New York.

If you are new to the lesbian scene and curious about the future, here is a list of things you can expect to find yourself experiencing once you trap the lady love of your life.

Also read: 5 Common Misconceptions About Lesbian Relationships

Invincibility. When you’re in love, you’re invincible. Nothing can touch you; you share a heartbeat and that’s all that matters. There’s nothing to worry about anymore – you’re safe, you’re warm, you’re protected. You’ve made a home in each other’s arms and hearts and you’re facing the future fearlessly, together, head-on. That is, of course, until she finds an unread message with one too many smiley faces in your inbox from some hot girl. Suddenly, you’ve got a lot of explaining to do.

Olympic drinking. Prepare to be constantly tipsy. In your new relationship, you will feel joyously carefree and adopt a devil-may-care attitude, which will make every day with your girlfriend seem like a mini celebration. Going on an autumn walk? Wine in a traveling cup. She just got out of her linguistics final? Shots! You got off work at midnight instead of 2:00 a.m.? A house call with cheap vodka and champagne is in order. You’re so excited to be together you make every day a party, even if it’s a Tuesday afternoon and you have papers to write.

Olympic crying. Get ready for an onslaught of feelings, girls! You will find new and interesting reasons to be emotional, and therefore take crying to new levels. Cry because she’s the one. Cry because you’re not sure she’s the one. Cry because you’re drunk and her smile is so beautiful. Cry because she’s the only person who understands you. Cry because even after four months, she still doesn’t fully understand you. Cry because she’s fucking you too hard but you don’t want to ruin the moment. Cry because she’s crying. Really, the possibilities are endless.

Severe REM loss. Face it – once you get into a serious lesbian relationship, you will never sleep again. The hours you used to spend sleeping will suddenly be filled with one or more of these: passionate sex, mechanical sex, drunk sex, half-assed sex, angry sex, or a screaming fight about not having sex, followed by pity sex and a faked orgasm (which you don’t normally do, but damn it, you’re really tired).

Expansion. Of the horizontal variety. In a relationship, it is almost guaranteed that you will get fat and happy. You will lie contentedly in her arms on your plush couch among your eclectic throw pillows and reflect on how lucky you are. You will order in and eat out. In a spirit of domestic goddess-osity, you will attempt to cook dinner from scratch, which will of course result in half the kitchen on fire and subsequent takeout from the Chinese bistro down the street. You won’t mind. You’re in love.

BBS (Broke Bitch Syndrome). Enjoy your savings now, because once you get a girlfriend, they will disappear. Bar tabs, vacations, birthday/Christmas/anniversary/Fourth of July presents, decadent seven-course dinners, her car payment, that $245 pair of jeans you impulsively bought because they looked cute on her and she needed cheering up, etc. will chew up and spit out your bank account. You will need to apply for a new credit card just to be able to afford Valentine’s Day.

DSAS (Different-Sized Arms Syndrome). Look, at some point you are going to have to finger-bang your girlfriend. And unless you’re perfectly ambidextrous (or at least ambi-competent), you’re going to be using your dominant hand. Hours of finger-banging will cause your tendons to become extremely flexible and your forearm to exhibit muscle tone you never thought possible. Plus, if she likes it rough, you’ll also develop quite an impressive bicep. Of course, after you break up you’ll start lifting regularly to even out your two different arms, but one will always be slightly larger. Damn it.

Mobile phone aerodynamics. It is also likely that, at some point, you will get out-of-proportion upset over a passive-aggressive text or short, stroppy phone call, and in a flash of rage you’ll decide you’re done with her shit and hurl the phone across the room, at the ceiling, or into moving traffic. You will later send her a Facebook message telling her that you lost your phone, you’re sorry for ignoring her calls, and you’ll be home for dinner.

Chronic worrying. Your laid-back nature will suddenly give way to irrational paranoia and gnawing self-doubt. You will begin to worry constantly, about everything: what she’s doing when she doesn’t answer your texts (even though youknow she’s in for the night), what she meant when she said “I really need to concentrate on my work right now,” and why it’s 2:30 a.m. and she isn’t back from that “talk” with her ex yet. You will question everything – yourself, your relationship, your life choices, whether you’re even gay – and freak out accordingly

Chronic apologizing. In addition to worrying about everything, you will start apologizing for everything. Or, alternately, you will never apologize, and be the one to stomp off in a huff in the middle of an argument even when you’re wrong.

Also read: The 10 Best Things About Being a Lesbian That No One Tells You

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Saving Your Relationship

Being a relationship can be difficult no matter what, but adding on that it is a lesbian relationship adds a million times more stress onto it. Considering if each party isn’t 100% comfortable with their sexual orientation there is no way that all the efforts can be put into something that needs 101% percent of your devotion and attention.

However, if both parties are completely open and devoted, there isn’t much of a complication here.

What was the attraction to your relationship in the first place? Similar activities and interests? A friendship, or a spark that came up when you first met?

Whatever started it, turning back to the beginning is a good way of keeping your relationship at the top. Things tend to fade away with time. Are all of your feelings still there? Can you see your future with this girl?

One thing lesbian couples notice is that they give up their independence. This is a problem because if two women become fully dependent on each other, the relationship becomes smothered.

Attraction is the number one thing in a relationship, and if it is not there, then there’s not much of a relationship.

You cannot change someone else, but you can change yourself back to who you were in the beginning of the relationship. This isn’t something that can be done overnight. You need to give your partner space if you are having troubles. Give them time to miss you. Don’t text, email, call, every five seconds.

Give them the space they deserve and think about everything you had together. You can call after about a week. Don’t push for the relationship straight away, focus on being friends and maintaining a healthy friendship.

Good luck in saving your lesbian relationship!

6 Scientific Reasons Why Cuddling Is Good For Your Health

We all crave human touch. From the early and controversial primate studies of Harry Harlow to 21st century cuddle therapy clinics, science has proven that a warm embrace is not only comforting; it can be essential for your mental and physical wellbeing.  A simple hug triggers a boost of your brain’s feel-good chemicals like endorphins and oxytocin, which can do wonders for a range of common health concerns. In case you needed another reason to snuggle up, here are six real health issues that can be combatted with a cuddle:

  1. High blood pressure – A hug or an affectionate handholding session has been shown to regulate blood pressure, even under anxiety-inducing circumstances. In one study at the University of North Carolina, couples were asked to speak publically about an upsetting event. Beforehand, half of the couples were told to hold hands with their partners for several minutes and then embrace for 20 seconds. The other couples were separated from their partners. While they spoke, the heart rate and blood pressure of the no-contact couples was double that of the hand-holders.
  2. Heart disease – The cuddle-induced oxytocin release linked to calming anxious feelings and lowering blood pressure, means your heart is under less stress, keeping it healthier, longer.
  3. Depression – A comforting cuddle is sometimes the best cure for a bad day. That’s why scientists are looking into oxytocin as a treatment for clinical depression. “A hug or a touch that causes a release of this hormone might somehow change brain signals,” say Dr. Kai MacDonald, assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at UC San Diego School of Medicine. “We want to see if we can harness this response to help patients who suffer from depression.”
  4. Stress – A big hug not only makes you feel warm and fuzzy, it also has been shown to decrease levels of cortisol, commonly known as the “stress hormone”. Dr. Tiffany Field, director of the University of Miami’s Touch Research Institute explains: “The gentle pressure of a hug can stimulate nerve endings under the skin that send calming messages to the brain and slow the release of cortisol.”
  5. Low immune system – A high level of stress-induced cortisol can weaken your immune system, making you more vulnerable to illness and viruses. While a relaxing cuddle session might not cure the common cold, it could keep you from catching one in the first place.
  6. Minor aches and pains – A cosy cuddle noticeably relaxes your muscles, relieving tension that causes chronic pain. Hugging has also been shown to release endorphins, creating a feel-good rush similar to the one enjoyed by long-distance runners.

So perhaps in a way Bryan Ferry got it right: Love is a Drug. Here’s to hugging your way to good health.