Tag Archives: lesbians

13 Terms That Mean Something Totally Different to Lesbians

Let’s face it: Lesbians are a strange breed. Whether we embody the stereotypes within our community or adamantly defy them, there are certain things that we pretty much all understand. And often… No one else understands them the same way we do.

Which of the following terms have you confused non-lesbians with?

1. Girlfriend

What it means to them: Your female friend(s).

What it means to us: The person you are ridiculously attached to, almost right away. She’s got partial custody of your cat and full custody of your heart – at least until one of you gets frustrated and walks out. (Fingers crossed that never has to happen!)

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2. Lipstick/Chapstick

What it means to them: Makeup products worn on the lips. Generally, lipstick is tinted, whereas Chapstick is not. They will offer varying levels of sun protection.

What it means to us: Sexy feminine women who are rocking in every way. Generally, “lipstick” refers to femmes who wear makeup, where “Chapstick” refers to femmes who do not wear makeup. (Your experience may vary based on personal preferences.)

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3. Stud

What it means to them:

  1. A) A small piece of metal that’s pressed to a fabric, usually for decoration.
  2. B) A small, simple earring; also called a post.
  3. C) A wooden beam in the wall – the most stable point in most walls.

What it means to us: Sexy masculine women who are rocking in every way. The term “soft stud” may be used to describe a woman who dresses masculine, but chooses to keep long hair and/or do her makeup. Generally agreed to be sexy as hell in the lesbian community. (Your experience may vary based on personal preferences.)

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4. The L Word

What it means to them: Love.

What it means to us: The quintessential lesbian TV series that helped to answer a million questions the lesbian community had – although it’s generally accepted that the ladies in the show weren’t really representative of lesbians in general. Still, this show was full of hot, steamy sex, important lesbian icons from history, and a cast that worked its way into everyone’s hearts. Aww!

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5. Break Up

What it means to them: The end of a relationship, or the act of ending a relationship.

What it means to us: The feeling of your heart being literally ripped from your chest, often without warning, that is all-consuming until you find someone new… or, more likely, un-break up. This can be a long cycle sometimes, with neither partner wanting to fully let go. (Hint: Avoid this cycle.)

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6. The Ex

What it means to them: Someone you used to be romantically or sexually linked with, who you no longer talk to.

What it means to us: That woman you used to have passionate sex with, and now maintain you can be “just friends” – usually to the dismay and/or frustration of your current partner. She may even be your best friend now. Your girlfriend will probably hate her.

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7. Best Friend

What it means to them: A friend who you have probably known for a long time, who knows a great deal about you. He or she would probably come to your aid if you needed.

What it means to us: All of the above – but with the risk of being secretly in love with her and having to keep your feelings hidden. If you do tell her, you run the risk of ruining the friendship… But you may find out that you’re soul mates! (I make no promises in regards to your outcome.)

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8. Straight Girl

What it means to them: A woman who exclusively dates/sleeps with men.

What it means to us: A challenge. A bi-curious woman who doesn’t know it yet. (Note: I don’t recommend this approach, but as long as you’re respectful, all is fair in love and war.)

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9. Ladies Night

What it means to them: One night a week where you go out with your female friends and enjoy fun and each other’s company.

What it means to us: A night where you and your other lesbian friends try (and usually fail) to pick up women at gay bars. Even if every girl you pursue turns out to be straight, it’s probably the most fun you’ll have all week.

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10. Lug

What it means to them: To carry something, usually quite heavy. The word implies a great deal of effort.

What it means to us: Lesbian Until Graduation; a bi-curious women who dates/sleeps with other women during high school and/or college, but ends up settling down and marrying a man, often to the disappointment of the woman she was dating at the time. (Hint: You should probably never assume a woman is a lug, nor should you accuse her of being one – especially if you’re trying to get in her pants.)

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11. Shane

What it means to them: A nice unisex name. Usually used for a boy, but not exclusively.

What it means to us: The sexiest lesbian who ever lived – even if she wasn’t real. Almost every lesbian has either idolized her or crushed on her, and for many, that effect lasts to this day.

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12. Scissors/Scissoring

What it means to them:  Objects used to cut paper, plastic, or other such materials.

What it means to us: Oh, come on now. You know what scissoring means. (But just in case you don’t, here’s a fun article to explain it.)

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13. Manicure

What it means to them: Going to the nail salon, usually to get artificial tips and/or polish on. Sometimes includes a hand massage.

What it means to us: Sitting on the bed with a pair of nail clippers because your partner won’t let you touch her until you cut those suckers. Vaginal contusions are not fun or pretty – your girlfriend shouldn’t have to remind you to trim!

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Americans Grow Increasingly Supportive Of Gay And Lesbian Adults Adopting Children

According to the new states from the CDC, Americans have grown increasingly supportive of gay and lesbian adults adopting children.

In a survey completed in 2013, nearly 75% of women said they agreed that gay or lesbian adults should have the right to adopt children — up from 55% in 2002.

Men aren’t as accepting. Only 68% say they’re in support, up from 47% 10 years prior.

Even though men lag behind, the results show a major shift over a decade, with acceptance growing from a slight majority of the population to closer to three-quarters of the population.

Approval of same-sex relationships also grew, hitting 60% among women and 49% among men.

Given recent major political shifts, like the Supreme Court ruling legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide in June 2015, it’s possible that these figures have grown even further since.

Many states, like Mississippi, still have laws that prohibit or limit same-sex couples from adopting, so shifting views on adoption are every bit as important as advocates continue to press for equality.

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That’s F*cking Awkward: Lesbians Trying To Kiss Men Is As Cringe Worthy As You’d Think (Video)

The Human Project has released their latest video experiment, which features lesbians trying to make out with guys (some of them for the first time).

It asks:

Do lesbians secretly enjoy kissing men? Let’s find out.”

The clip paired up lesbians with a number of straight guys, and the results are mostly pretty awkward.

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After making out with a guy, one of the women volunteers:

I’m sorry, but it was awkward… it was!”

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Other concerns include the presence or lack of facial hair:

I like the beard.”

”I was really glad you didn’t have facial hair, that scares me.”

One of the men observed a difference too, saying:

“I’m not used to the female being so… assertive!”

Meanwhile, the project was repeated with gay men and straight women:

 

How to Get the Girl, According to Disney

Let me start by saying, I love Disney movies. As a kid, I was particularly enamored with Princess Jasmine (from Aladdin) and she was probably my first “celebrity crush”, if it can count as such. I’m sure you had one as a child, too. Disney movies lay the foundation for most of our childhoods and this translates into what an ideal relationship in the future will be like.

Of course, the relationships of a fairy tale movie aren’t really “genuine”; you’re probably not going to fall in love with the prince and live happily ever after. Even with the gender-swapped reimagining that has been done over the last few years, we understand that fantasy is just fantasy.

But what if it wasn’t?

Here is our rundown of how you’d get the girl if you were only following Disney’s relationship advice:

Introduce her to your family (Tarzan)

In Tarzan, Jane has very little romantic interest in Tarzan until he brings her to meet his crazy (gorilla) family. In the real world, we often wait to introduce our ladies to our family until after they’ve decided they like us – and sometimes, if we’re not out, not even then!

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Lock her up and buy her gifts (Beauty and the Beast)

Beauty and the Beast is one of the most romantic Disney movies that exists – but it’s almost like a child’s version of a Criminal Minds episode. Sure, she loves him in the end and that helps to transform him into a handsome prince – but what did he really do to earn her love in the beginning? All the real work was done by everyone else!

Forget who she is after an incredible night together (Cinderella)

Something that has always puzzled me is how can someone (ahem, Prince Charming) claim to love someone but not have any idea who they are – and have to “check” every girl in the kingdom to find his “true love”? I think he just had a foot fetish and wanted to get it out of his system before settling down and marrying her.

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Lie, trick, and steal (Aladdin)

Okay, as I previously mentioned, Princess Jasmine was my favorite. But even though the lies Aladdin told to win her over were things that shouldn’t have mattered anyway, why did he lie in the first place? If you intend to love someone, you should be starting with a foundation of honesty – which he didn’t. (P.S. Princess Jasmine, you’re still welcome to come cuddle with me, any time.)

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Almost marry her arch-nemesis (The Little Mermaid)

This almost goes hand-in-hand with the Cinderella thing. In The Little Mermaid, Prince Eric forgets almost everything about Ariel. He’s not in love with her, he’s in love with her voice. Therefore, when she doesn’t have that voice anymore, he almost screws the whole thing up and gets with her mortal enemy! Call me crazy, but this is why “love at first sight” isn’t a realistic expectation.

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Run away from home and neglect your responsibilities (The Lion King)

When things get difficult, it’s in our human nature to want to run away. Most of us don’t actually do this, because we know it’s wrong – but Simba did it in the Lion King, and when Nala finds him again, she’s suddenly in love with him, despite knowing that he’s been playing hooky for the past few years. In my own life, I don’t find a lack of priorities sexy – in fact, I’m probably not going to be with someone who doesn’t do what they need to do.

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Lets discover – The Holy Grail of Questions – Which Disney Princess Are You?

 

 

9 Lesbian Web Series You Absolutely Have to Watch This Year

Late last year we posted our roundup of ‘9 Lesbian Web Series You Should Have Watched by Now’.

It was a fantastic list but an entire year has passed and so many more shows have cropped up on the web since, gracing our lives with their presences and frankly, there were plenty of shows that last year’s list could have been included but, for whatever reason, didn’t make it (e.g Carmilla).

So, to bring you all up to speed on which lesbian web series you should snuggle up with as the weather gets that bit cooler, we’ve put together a brand new list with even more great picks.

Let us know what you think of the shows on the list and as always, we’d love to hear your suggestions for any other web series so leave a comment and maybe we’ll feature it on the next one!

1. Carmilla

When the last list was published, many of you asked ‘where the heck is Carmilla on this thing?’ and rightfully so. Doing away with all of the gross heteronormative junk that was the Twilight series, Carmilla is all about a vampire (named Carmilla) and a woman (named Laura) who fall in love. But, although you’ll start watching for the complicated romance for the two, you’ll stay for the antics that the two girls and their ragtag bunch of pals get up to.

In the first season, they went on a quest to discover why girls were going missing at their college campus, after Laura’s first roommate (the one before Carmilla moved in) went missing. With that mystery solved, season two follows the friends as they keep the college from falling into bad guys’ control.

The second season has just ended, though it’s worth noting that something called ‘season 0’ is also set to air later this month.

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2. Plus One

Plus One is easily one of the funniest web series that you’ll see all year, and we said as much in our review of it. Plus One follows stereotypical lesbian Alex who trips and falls in love with a woman named Holly. The Big Problem is that Holly is dating Alex’s best friend, Ben. Indeed, although Holly falls head over heels right back, how Alex and Holly deal with The Ben Issue becomes a key issue for them.

Despite this, though, Plus One is a barrel of laughs thanks to both the comedic performances of the entire cast (they all have their moments) and the fab writing of Mo Welch (who plays Alex) and Everyone Is Gay’s Dannielle-Owens Reid (who plays Kate, who is Alex’s wingwoman and BFF).

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3. Anyone But Me / The Lost Scenes

Right up there with The L Word, Anyone But Me is considered key viewing for anyone who is just coming out, especially if they’re young and are still in high school. That’s as Anyone But Me – which aired three seasons between 2008 and 2012 – follows the story of two high school girlfriends, Vivian and Aster as they handle Vivian’s big move away from New York City and how their relationship will (or won’t) survive the distance.

Massively popular and highly praised, Anyone But Me was briefly revived in September with The Lost Scenes. Rather than being a direct continuation of Vivian and Aster’s story, The Lost Scenes was designed to fit in with the original three seasons, so, whether you watched through all three as soon as they came out or are only finding ABM now, The Lost Scenes should appeal to you.

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4. Last Life

Sadly, J.K Rowling never threw queer women a bone with Harry Potter and Buffy the Vampire Slayer has long been off air, it looks like it’s up to web series Last Life to pick up the slack.

Complexly, Last Life features a woman called Sloan who has been possessed by the spirit of a man named Rick, who died three years ago. Sloan is on a mission to find Taylor, with Taylor having been Rick’s girlfriend before he kicked the bucket.

Taylor’s in some serious danger from Sloan’s clan and from her own psychiatrist so don’t expect this one to be all sitting around donning witches hats and making moonshine in cauldrons. (Also, the show’s creator has note that despite the supernatural antics of Rick possessing Sloan, “it’s about the connection two souls have” and this is still a girl meets girl story!)

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5. Easy Abby

Described by one critic as the “anti-rom-com rom-com”, Easy Abby touches on one subject that affects lesbian and bi women disproportionately more than it affects heterosexual people: mental health.

One of Abby’s biggest struggles in this web series is that she has anxiety and the show follows Abby as she navigates that along with the rest of the troubles in her life (e.g family and money issues).

As for the things going right in Abby’s life, the show creators explain that “finding [women] to sleep with” is the only thing that comes easy to our protagonist. Plus, her friends also have her back, pushing her to “expand her idea of freedom”.

It’s the relatively honest portrayal of a queer woman’s life that has led Easy Abby to be viewed by millions of people online so you can’t really go wrong here.

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6. Be Here Nowish

Comedy Central show Broad City is already pretty queer as it is, with one of the show’s lead characters, Ilana having slept with a woman and having a big gay crush on her BFF.

But despite this, we very often find ourselves wondering ‘what if it was gayer?’ If it was gayer then it would probably be called Be Here Nowish, as the web series aims to depict the lives of “two sexually progressive New York gals who ditch their down-and-out lives for LA in search of a spiritual awakening.”

They do ditch NYC for LA, mind you, but the way that they try and acclimatise to the West Coast is one of the best (and the funniest) things about it.

As for the gay side of things, Nina makes her living as a drug dealer but in her personal life she’s pretty atrocious at committing to girlfriends. Though, in general, Be Here Nowish is pretty queer(-ish) as it aims to show a real world where “people choose their personal pronouns, girls look like boys, boys look like girls, sexuality is fluid, sex is complicated” and, of course, where “laughter is abundant”.

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7. Red

Hailing from Brazil, Red is the South American country’s very first lesbian-themed web series and the show was originally created in order to address the fact that Brazil has an incredibly low amount of LGBT representation in its media in comparison to other major countries.

The show, which has aired two seasons and is about to release its third, features two women named Mel and Liz who are co-stars on a film. Mel is a starlet on the rise and she has a pretty good thing going with her husband, Henrique, but when she and Liz, a woman who is rarely without female suitors, grow closer, all of the “stability” in Mel’s life starts to slip out of her grasp.

The creators hope that Red portrays the relationship between the two in a “frank and genuine” way and the majority of viewers agree that it does exactly that, so you can watch its first two seasons (for free) on Vimeo, with Spanish or English subtitles available.

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8. Out With Dad

Like Anyone But Me, Out With Dad is one that’s ideal for teens who are coming to terms with (or have just come out) and are looking for a way to reconcile their feelings about their identity and how their families will accept it (though arguably it’s cute and soppy enough for all ages). It features a girl named Rose who, coming to terms with her sexuality and navigates those first few steps of realising that she’s gay.

Across four seasons, Out With Dad has tackled things like homophobia, Rose’s first girlfriend, Rose’s first heartbreak and, of course, how she learns to handle it all. First debuting in 2010, Out With Dad has gained plenty of awards from all sorts of institutions, including Best Web Series, Best Actress and even Outstanding Use of Music so you’ll quickly fall in love with this one.

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9. The Chanticleer

While all of the shows on this list are fairly modern (even Carmilla – despite that featuring a centuries old vampire), The Chanticleer is set all the way back in 1955.

It stars a woman named Edie Chaucer as she hotfoots it back to upstate New York in order to start running the bar that previously belonged to her (now-dead) father.

Edie’s bar, in addition to being staffed by queer folk (including Val, who dresses in both men’s and women’s clothing) it’s also frequented by many too, becoming somewhat of the go-to hotspot. It’s that that sees Edie, Val and co. having to defend the place from corrupt cops who want the place closed down and across The Chanticleer‘s episodes six episodes, you see the characters navigate that, love, friendship and more.

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Lesbians Really Do Earn More Than Straight Women (But That’s Not Really A Good Thing)

In the world of work there lays a clear biased – women earn less than men. Caucasian folk earn more than ethnic groups. And gay men, and transgender people make less than their heteronormative friends.

Yet there’s one minority group that flies in the face of conventional wisdom with a positive wage gap: lesbians.

Lesbians in Western countries suffer many types of discrimination, but being underpaid is not one of them.

Why? Well a new study by the University of Melbourne and San Diego State University found gay women earn more because they are better at “leaning in.”

Nick Drydakis, co-author of the study and senior lecturer in economics at the University of Anglia, also suggests this is because lesbians often know early in life that they will not marry into a traditional household where a male could provide for them. So they invest more in themselves, study longer than heterosexual women and make more career-oriented decisions.

Good for them, right? Not necessarily. While the lesbian pay premium is certainly good news for us hardworking women, it may also be due to the systematic discrimination against other groups.

Mothers, for example, earn less than childless women. And lesbians have fewer children than heterosexual married women.

Drydakis says

This might make employers more interested in promoting lesbians, who are less likely to move in and out of the labour market.”

He also suggests that employers, colleagues and consumers often favour personality traits traditionally associated with men — like ambition, authority and pragmatism.

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Lesbians might also benefit if they exhibit more of those attributes than their heterosexual counterparts or gay male co-workers.

Research however did find that the wage premium was lower for those lesbians who had previously been in heterosexual marriages.

Jeffrey Waddoups, who conducted this particular study and is the graduate coordinator for economics at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, explained

This is because the typical household division of labour for married couples focuses on career advancement of men.”

To be sure, we still face other types of discrimination in and out of the workplace.

And research indicates the marketplace continues to benefit primarily men or women who are perceived as being more “manly.”

So the key is to be assertive, stay longer in school and select a lifelong partner who understands career advancement is not a male privilege.

21 Undeniable Adult Truths

As a kid all we wanted to do was grow up and become an adult, now that we’re all adults — term loosely used of course — we’d love to go back to the day of being a kid.

Here are 21 truths about being and adult that are spot on!

1. Part of a best friend’s job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.

2. Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you’re wrong.

3. I take back all those times I didn’t want to nap when I was younger.

4. There is great need for a sarcasm font.

5. How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?

6. Was learning joined up writing really necessary?

7. Google maps really needs to start their directions on number 5. I’m pretty sure I know how to get out of my street.

8. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.

9. I can’t remember the last time I wasn’t at least kind of tired.

10. Bad decisions make good stories.

11. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren’t going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.

12. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blu-Ray? I don’t want to have to restart my collection, again.

13. I’m always slightly terrified when I exit Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten-page technical report that I swear I did not make any changes to.

14. I keep some people’s phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.

15. I think the freezer deserves a light as well..

16. I wish Google Maps had an “Avoid Ghetto” routing option.

17. I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.

18. How many times is it appropriate to say “What?” before you just nod and smile because you still didn’t hear or understand a word they said?

19. I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars team up to prevent an idiot from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers and sisters!

20. Sometimes I’ll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.

21. Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, finding their mobile phone, and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey – but I’d bet everyone can find and push the snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1 .7 seconds, eyes closed, first time, every time.

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13 Pitfalls Of Being Solo For The First Time At A Lesbian Bar

For many, going to a bar solo is akin to going to work in just our underwear: an embarrassing and painfully awkward experience.

But if you’re a solo-traveller who also happens to enjoy your adult beverages, frequenting bars without a date is a great skill to master.

1. You allow yourself to get emotionally attached to the first girl who looks in your direction.

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2. You pull the “fake texting” move instead of striking up a conversation.

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3. You overdo the coolness.

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4. You get stuck in a conversation with the girl going through a “really tough breakup right now.”

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5. For some crazy reason, you become totally intimidate by every women in there.

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6. You’re a femme, but you felt the need to butch it up to get hit on.

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7. You turn the conversation in an awkwardly sexual direction.

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8. Your flirting enters into creepy territory.

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9. You forget to smile.

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10. You get way too drunk.

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11. You accidentally insult the mixologist behind the bar, meaning you’re not getting served for the rest of night unless you leave a big tip.

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12. You fail to send out those “single” vibes.

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13. You over do the staring.

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The whole situation is completely overwhelming. You don’t know whether to drunk-cry or just go home.

Best solution?

Out Androgynous Model Proves Lesbians Most Definitely Can Wear Hervé Léger Dresses

Rain Dove – who models both men and women’s clothes – won the internet this week when she posted this picture of her trying on three dresses by the French fashion house Hervé Léger – complete with baseball cap. Proving lesbian can wear these figure hugging dresses perfectly.

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Earlier this month, Patrick Couderc, the former Managing Director of Hervé Léger in the UK, lost his job following insensitive remarks he made which included jibes about lesbians.

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If you’re a committed lesbian and you are wearing trousers all your life, you won’t want to buy a Léger dress. Lesbians would want to be rather butch and leisurely.”

Sci-Fi Comic ‘Infinite Loop’ Has Time Travel and Lesbians

Let’s see a show of hands: what’s the very first rule of time travel? If you said ‘don’t alter things that happened in the past’ then pat yourself on the back and give yourself a round of applause.

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Obviously, if you and I were able to time travel we’d probably stick to that, knowing that meddling in time affairs could drastically change the fabric of our world, but in the comic book world of Infinite Loop, there are plenty who defy that simple rule for nefarious reasons.

In Infinite Loop, time travel is everywhere: sort of like Ugg boots and selfie sticks and so the chances that people will alter the past for kicks is that much higher. Bring in the the Paradox Hunters then who are a crack team of folks hired to snuff out those who alter the past, to stop it from changing the present.

Our main character Teddy, is one such Paradox Hunter and things are going fine and dandy for her until she falls in love with one of the people she’s meant to eliminate.

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You see, Ano was born in one such paradox accident meaning that her very existence goes against what Teddy knows.

A synopsis from the comic’s publisher, IDW (who picked up the comic after it was successfully crowdfunded), explains that “Teddy must decide between fixing the time stream or the love of her life, both of which have unique consequences” so expect Infinite Loop to sucker punch your heart as much as it will captivate your attention.

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Unfortunately, Infinite Loop is only six issues long (it’s technically a mini series) so there’s the risk that that’s not enough time for us to fall in love with Teddy, Ano and their relationship, but if it’s paced right it could be a relatively enjoyable, albeit bite-sized read.

Furthermore, each issue will also pack in a reader submitted story about their first loves or when they realised that they were gay, bi, queer or trans, which you can submit to  [email protected].

The first issue of Infinite Loop will be released on April 22nd, 2015.

Straight Guys Make Dating Profiles For Their Lesbian BFFs (No Really)

Creating your profile online profile can be a daunting task.  There are so many different ways you can describe yourself. It can be hard to know the best way to get people interested.

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So hand over that task to you straight guy friend… watch and learn people, watch and learn.

Andreessens Give $250,000 to LGBT Groups, Trans*H4CK and Lesbians Who Tech

Famed Silicon Valley venture capitalist Marc Andreessen and philanthropist Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen, are giving $250,000 to two LGBTQ organisations, USA Today reports.

One of these is Lesbians Who Tech, an organisation that supports and connects gay women in the tech industry through events in the US and abroad. The organisation will use its $165,000 gift to launch two pilot programs. Bring a Lesbian to Work Day will provide shadowing opportunities for gay women considering a career in tech and match them with mentors, while the Coding Scholarship Fund will help with tuition assistance for attending coding schools.

The other is Trans*H4CK, a nonprofit that puts on hackathons to develop new tech products for the trans and gender non-conforming communities. Trans*H4CK will use its $85,000 grant to build an online hackathon space and education center to help build more apps and other tech for the transgender community.

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Arrillaga-Andreessen told USA TODAY in an interview.

We are just thrilled that there are two such high potential organizations that already have demonstrated measurable impact that we can support to create an even broader sense of inclusion in the technology sector.”

For years Silicon Valley has positioned itself at the forefront of the gay rights struggle. And, from rainbow emoji on social media to colourful floats in the Pride parade in San Francisco, the technology industry publicly celebrated the Supreme Court’s embrace of same-sex marriage this weekend.

Yet while many in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community are optimistic about the advances being made in the industry and in society at large, they say Silicon Valley is still very much a straight man’s world, not as accepting and welcoming as it should be.

Natalie Johnson, a partner with Paradigm, a strategy firm that consults with tech companies on diversity and inclusion.

It’s great that many companies are supportive of LGBT rights and issues, because that support draws attention to some of the challenges LGBT individuals face. But that external support isn’t enough to create a welcoming and inclusive culture for the LGBT community within a company.”

Inclusion is the hallmark of a series of grants the Andreessens are making to groups that are on the front lines of bringing greater diversity to the white-and-Asian-male-dominated technology industry.

How to Get a Lesbian Pregnant? (Video)

Deciding to start a family is not a decision to be made lightly, particularly when you’re two women and the process is somewhat more difficult than for other couples.

For lesbians who want to get pregnant and have children, the decision can be daunting. You need to chose a donor, track your fertility – make sure you sign the right papers. Lesbian motherhood can be big scary unknown.

Lucky there are lesbian couples out there will to share their stories – enter Ebony and Denise of OliviaHas2Moms.

You can catch more videos from Arielle Scarcella on her YouTube channel – so good and so funny.

Lesbian Bush Confidence VS. Cockiness

Maybe it’s just me, but I think that women look better with a nice confident trimmed bush. Whatever the type you have it’s beautiful in all the different textures and colours.

Changing it up with different shapes can be fun (and a fun surprise for your partner) but don’t just assume that every lady prefers hard wood floors to soft cosy carpeting.

You can catch more videos from Arielle Scarcella on her YouTube channel – so good and so funny.

Lessons Every Straight Girl Could Learn from a Lesbian

It’s a scientific fact that lesbian women achieve  more frequently than straight women, so there must be a lot straight women can learn from lesbians – right?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ws89HbVwhpw&feature=youtu.be

You can catch more videos from Arielle Scarcella on her YouTube channel – so good and so funny.

Lesbians Explain Sex Toys (video)

Some lesbians use sex toys, some don’t. Some enjoy penetration, and some enjoy giving. There is no real rule.

Truth be told, most sex toys can be used for any and all bodies in any and all couples or groupings. All you need is a little creativity, an open mind, and possibly some lube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fc-vCtrMbY

You can catch more videos from Arielle Scarcella on her YouTube channel – so good and so funny.

Lesbian Problems 101 (Video)

99 problems, getting pregnant ain’t one! But being lesbian can sometimes sucks – from understanding women, to texting, threesomes, complex friendship dynamic, The L Word and more.

Every lesbian goes through these problems. So watch and relate…

Watch more great video from the The Gay Woman Channel – they rock

 

10 Mistakes ALL Lesbians Make (Video)

Head held in shame, because most of these mistakes apply to me. Ok – ALL apply to me.

Yes, I’ve continued to live with my girlfriend after we broke. Yes, sex toys have caught me out. Yes, I’ve dated my ex girlfriends best friend. And yes I over analysis everything. Need I go on?!

Curious to see more of Arielle Scarcella’s videos? Check out “Lesbians Explain: Sleeping With Men” and “Once You Go D*ck… You’ll Never Get Chicks.”

 

‘Last Tango In Halifax’ Writer Regrets Killing Off Lesbian Character

One of the most common tropes when it comes to television is ‘Dead Lesbian Syndrome’. Dead Lesbian Syndrome is what happens a show decides to kill off one of its lesbian characters – the running joke in the queer female community is that if there’s a lesbian in a show, you can almost guarantee that she’ll be offed by the end of the season.

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That’s why it was so sad when BBC drama Last Tango In Halifax was yet another show that decided to kill off a lesbian. Kate was killed in a road accident, not long after her and her wife had gotten married and at the time, the show’s writer Sally Wainwright said that it was a ‘myth’ that lesbians always get killed off and that “people get killed off all the time”. Wainwright also explained that it was a “narrative” decision, which caused further backlash from the show’s fans as they didn’t feel like Kate’s death added anything to the plot.

However, speaking at the Hay Festival in Wales, Wainwright seemed to do a 180 on her previous comments, clarifying that she actually regrets killing off the character.

Also read: It’s a Myth That Lesbians Always Get Killed Off, Says ‘Last Tango in Halifax’ Writer

 

The Last Tango In Halifax writer told DIVA Magazine that

I was very sad to do [kill off Kate]. I wrote another ending but it didn’t work. At the time, I thought it was the right choice, but I do actually regret it now.”

Wainwright also spoke of the difficulty she had in getting Last Tango In Halifax on TV screens. At first, both the BBC and ITV turned down the show based on the pilot episode and it wasn’t until the BBC realised that the show could appeal to those over the age of 50 that they agreed to take it on.

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The older audience of the show is something that Sarah Lancashire, who plays Caroline in the show, also spoke about, saying that their portrayal of lesbian characters has helped women come out:

I’ve never had a response quite like it to be honest. I still get letters now from people in this country and in America who are women who have come out later on in life and have very complicated and tragic stories in a sense. I didn’t realise when I started to play Caroline that she would have this extraordinary impact. It is a strange thing. There are very few pieces I’ve done in my working life that I could say I’m proud of, but Caroline is certainly the one I’m most proud of. Sally… did absolutely brilliantly to demonstrate same-sex relationships between women by normalising it, without sensationalising it or making it titilating. For me, it was the first time I’d ever seen that done on British television.”

The fourth season of the show is expected to air later this year, so look out for more Last Tango In Halifax then.

 

 

Italian Women’s Cup Final Cancelled After Lesbian Comments from Official

The Italian women’s cup final has been called off as a result of alleged comments by Felice Belloli, the president of the county’s amateur football association, referring to female players as a “bunch of lesbians”.

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Brescia were due to play Tavagnacco last weekend, but the match has been scrapped, the association representing female players and coaches, has confirmed.

Also read: Homophobia in Sports: When Poor Sportsmanship Becomes a Problem

Belloli allegedly made the comments when discussing funding for women’s football in Italy. At a meeting of the Lega Nazionale Dilettanti he is alleged to have said:

That’s enough, we can’t always talk about giving money to this bunch of lesbians.”

Belloli was quick to deny making the comments, making a statement to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

I never signed those minutesCan you see my signature on them? No, and I can tell you why – because minutes can be taken and amended by anybody. I know how the minutes are taken at the LND. All I am saying is that I did not utter that phrase.”

Patrizia Panico, the veteran Verona and Italy forward, said that if the comments were accurate then they were “sexist, male chauvinist and ignorant”.

Luisa Rizzitelli, president of Italy’s national association for female athletes, said:

To be honest I thought it was a joke but when we realised it wasn’t a joke we immediately wrote to the federation to ask for an immediate investigation. It’s hugely damaging. We have a women’s football movement with 11,000 athletes in Italy, you can imagine we have one million playing men’s football. All the players have said to the federation that they don’t want to play the final, so now the game is not going ahead. If he (Belloli) resigns the game could still be played.”

Season 2 of Brazilian-based Lesbian Web Series ‘RED’ is on it Way (Video)

The Brazilian-based web series RED focuses on two actresses, Mel and Liz, who meet while filming a movie and find that their mutual attraction throws them both for a loop.

In season one, we saw Liz, who has no trouble attracting women, falling for the very married Mel.

Mel, who has always assumed she was happy in her life and marriage, begins to feel a pull towards Liz that she never expected.

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Created by Viv Schiller and Germana Bolo, the series is beautiful put together and well acted. Lead actresses Ana Paula Lima (Liz) and Luciana Bollina (Mel) are stunning and completely captivating.

The new season starts Friday 29th May. However, you can see the first full season of RED free at KitschMix TV.

Follow RED on Twitter and Instagram for more updates.

Racists Homophobes Target Black Lesbian Group on Facebook with Abuse

The California based group Black Lesbians United has been forced to remove a Facebook page for their annual event after receiving racist and homophobic abuse.

Their page was bombarded with thousands of internet users – mostly white men – who decided to ‘attend’ their event and take the opportunity to write disgusting racist and homophobic abuse towards other members.

Some users made crude jokes, while others posted links to hardcore lesbian porn.

Not all the commenters were abusive, with one writing:

To the black lesbians who only came to this page to find happiness and acceptance in their sexuality I want to give a sincere apology for the twisted sick people who have written racist or homophobic comments to you.

Nobody deserves to be treated that way no matter how f**king funny those idiots think they are. Keep being proud of who you are and don’t listen to the insecure people below xx Once again I am truly sorry.”

Following the huge amount of abuse, Black Lesbians United removed the event page, confirming:

We did cancel the facebook notification of our BLU retreat, but the retreat itself is still on!”

For more details on the event please go to www.blacklesbiansunited.org

21 Awesome Toys Every 80s Lesbian Wanted For Their Birthday

If you grew up in the 80s, you’ve probably owned or (wished to own) many of these classic toys.

Our toys may not have been as complex back then as they are now, but they were definitely much better. Some were so awesome that they’re making it back to the toy shop shelves.

Here are just some toys we remember having as a child – memories!

1. Rainbow Brite Dolls

What gay youth didn’t play with Rainbow Brit Dolls. In fact didn’t this rainbow propaganda turn us all-gay – with their bold colours, yarn hair, and drag-queen make-up.

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2. Jem and the Holograms Dolls

Well, if you couldn’t actually BE Jem, at least you could play with the dolls, especially with the bad girl trio – the Misfits – who kicked ass.

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3. Barbie and the Rockers

In the mid 80s Barbie all of sudden became cool and rebranded herself. She had a mic, shoulder pads and a pink bow (Jem influence – we think yes).

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4. She-Ra: Princess of Power

She-Ra was the ultimate 80s badass who didn’t take shit from anybody. Plus, she was actually an action figure and not a doll.

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5. Walkman

Not just a toy but a way of indicating to other people that you were cool and your music taste was of course amazing.

6. Fisher-Price Medical Kit

Why, doctors and nurses – hello! See back then we were saving stuffed animals’ lives before Doc McStuffins was even a gleam in Disney’s eye.

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7. Strawberry Shortcake Dolls

They smelled great, they were adorable dolls and they had TV show which was addictive.

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8. My Little Pony

MAGICAL PONIES that came in every colour combination imaginable. Apple Jake just ruled – not a boy but a butch little pony.

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9. Glo-worm

We didn’t have this because we were scared at night. Honest.

10. Barbie Corvette

The 80s were about excess, and nothing reflected that better than this silver Corvette (also it was a welcome relief from all that pink!).

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11. Fisher-Price 1-2-3 Roller Skates

These magical devices meant you could skate and wear your sneakers at the same time.

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12. Care Bears

You were convinced a good “Care Bear Stare” would get your parents to stop grounding you and making you eat your vegetables.

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13. Sharp Boombox

In the 80s everyone who was anyone was making mix-tapes with songs recorded on the built-in radio. A must have.

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14. Speak and Spell

The original and best iPad. Can still be seen in the Toy Story films. Yay.

15. Boglins

Surely it is time to bring Boglins back – but without the weird plastic smell that lingered on your fingers.

16. Thundercats Lion-o’s sword

This wasn’t necessarily yours but your brothers, but it was perfect for attacking your younger relatives.

17. Talking Teddy Ruxpin

Back then, he was the magical storytelling bear with the slightly creepy voice whose lips moved.

18. Castle LEGO

Couple of hours to build it up. Just 15 minutes for your younger siblings to completely destroy it.

19. The Smurfs

There were a zillion smurfs to collect, but in every kids toy collection you had around 2 to 3 of these little blue things, one of which was lady smurf and papa.

20. Snoopy Sno-Cone Machine

You wanted this more than anything. Then you released the limitations. Crushing ice is not fun. 2 drink sashes means you have to look for alternatives, which never work.

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21. Game Boy

The ultimate 80s game changer – 2 dimensional gameplay and hours (even years) wasted playing Tetris. In fact the theme tune still haunts me now.

Gays and Lesbians Bullied More Often in Childhood

A new study suggests bullying starts as early as elementary and middle school, and occurs more frequently for students who later identify as gay, lesbian or bisexual.

The study found that from fifth through 10th grade, children who later identified as lesbian, gay or bisexual were nearly twice as likely to be victims of weekly bullying during the previous year.

Study lead author Dr. Mark Schuster, chief of general paediatrics at Boston Children’s Hospital, says

There’s been a history of saying ‘kids will be kids’ and that they just have to learn to deal with bullying, but we’ve recognised more and more that bullying has serious short-term and long-term consequences.”

The consequences of bullying can include physical injury, anxiety, low self-esteem, depression, suicidal thoughts, post-traumatic stress and negative school performance.

The findings were published in a letter in the May 7 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

The researchers surveyed more than 4,000 students from Los Angeles County, Houston, and Birmingham, Ala., about being bullied when they were in fifth, seventh and 10th grades.

During the 10th-grade survey, the students also answered two questions about their sexual orientation. Overall, 21 percent of the girls and 8 percent of the boys said they were not 100 percent heterosexual or straight, or that they were not only attracted to the opposite sex.

Students who identified as being gay, lesbian or bisexual in 10th grade were three times as likely as students who identified solely as heterosexual to report being bullied at least weekly over the previous year. In fifth graders who later identified as lesbian, gay or bisexual, 13 percent reported being bullied, compared to 8 percent of heterosexual students. In seventh grade, those numbers were 8 percent versus 4 percent in those who said they were heterosexual.

Stacee Reicherzer, a licensed professional counselor who has worked with lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) youth, and is transgender herself, said

In fifth grade, the more likely reason that these children are being singled out is due to nonconformance with the defined gender roles for girls or boys at their schools. They are picked on because they are not masculine enough boys or feminine enough girls.”

They may also feel different enough from their peers that they are shy and less willing to engage socially, making them a target, Reicherzer said.

Bullying overall declined as the children grew older, dropping from a high of more than 13 percent in fifth grade to 4 percent in high school for those who identified as lesbian, gay or bisexual.

Lesbian, gay and bisexual teens were also approximately 56 percent more likely than heterosexual teens to experience physical harm, threats of harm, name-calling, being the subject of nasty rumors or social exclusion at least weekly over the previous year in all three grades.

The study did not ask specifically about cyberbullying, which may increase as children get older, said Dr. Andrew Adesman, chief of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at Cohen Children’s Medical Center of New York, in New Hyde Park, N.Y.

The researchers didn’t ask whether students identified as transgender, but Reicherzer said that relatively few people identify themselves as transgender during adolescence. Still, this study may offer some insights for transgender teens, who tend to struggle in school and lack on-site resources, she said.

All the experts agreed that parents’ vigilance and open communication with their children were important to identifying bullying.

Concluding, Dr. Andrew Adesman said

Parents should speak to their children to find out what happened at school that was good and also bad, particularly about events in the cafeteria and on the school bus, two of the most likely settings for bullying.”

Signs that a child is being bullied include unexplained injuries, lost or damaged personal property, a reluctance to go to school, recurring stomach aches or headaches, a loss of friends, a drop in grades, avoiding social situations, and changes in mood or eating or sleeping habits, he said.

Schuster also added

Parents should take bullying seriously, and teachers, coaches, religious leaders, physicians and all of us who have contact with kids need to be alert and help support parents.”

Parents also need to be aware of what they are teaching their children, he said. Mocking others who are gay, even privately, teaches children that targeting different groups is acceptable and is particularly traumatic if a child realizes he or she is gay, he added.

Since bullying can become an additional risk factor for depression and self-harm, schools play a major role in prevention, said Noa Saadi, a social worker at Providence Saint John’s Child and Family Development Center in Santa Monica, Calif.

School climate and culture can have a significant impact on academic achievement and student behavior. Therefore, consistent efforts to create school environments that are safe for all students should be a priority as kids tend to thrive in environments that are nurturing and free of harassment and bullying.”

The Epic Dinah Shore Weekend Once Again Rocks Palm Springs

There are plenty of reasons to attend the Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend. One, its the world’s largest women’s party. Two, the headline acts. And Three, the mélange of out and proud women, in all makes, shapes, and sizes; from lipsticks to butches to bois (and everything in between).

Then, toss in a few wild pool parties, plenty of sun, and an array of cocktails, and you get the complete celebratory package.

However, the best reasons to go to The Dinah, according to promoter Mariah Hanson, are the thousands of women living out and loud.

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In celebration of its silver anniversary, Hanson and her production company Club Skirts went for the gold. With headline acts includeing international Billboard Top 40 superstars Meghan Trainor, Christina Perri, as well as pop music’s fresh “it” girls Bebe Rexha, and Ivy Levan, and old-school legends Crystal Waters and Rose Royce.

“We have a couple of surprises Saturday night, but I think the lineup’s phenomenal this year. I want to bring something bigger. I want to do Coachella for lesbians. We’re trying to create a legacy of a top-notch women’s festival, and that’s what we provide.”

Mariah Hanson

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While The Dinah has matured over 25 years, the rhythmic heart of the event beats steady and true.

“It’s still as vibrant, successful, and relevant as it always was, because the core of it doesn’t change. The message is always the same: Here’s a space for you to celebrate your life.”

Mariah Hanson

A lot of the fun was caught on camera and we present to you the choicest shots from off the web…

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Images courtesy – www.facebook.com/TheDinah

New Australian Report Finds Lesbians Earn up to 33% More than Heterosexual Women

A new study from Australia has identified a big differences in the average earning power of gay men and lesbians when compared to their heterosexual counterparts.

The study concluded that lesbians earn – on average – 33% more than heterosexual women. However, gay men face negative discrimination from employers when it comes to their pay.

Although, at first, such statistics may be surprising, the study mirrors similar research published last year, which concluded that lesbians earn 20% more than their heterosexual counterparts.

Also read: Apparently Lesbians Make More Money Than Gay Men and Straight People

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So why the difference? Professor Mark Wooden of the University of Melbourne’s  – who co-authored the report – said it was due LGB women working more hours. In fact an average 20% more than straight women.

The research concluded that straight women were more likely to take time off work or be employed part-time because of parenting duties.

However, the same study found that gay men were found to earn about 20 per cent less than heterosexual men due to a lower rate of earnings’ growth – and this was worse if they lived with a partner and were more open about their sexuality.

We found that the wages of gay men are growing at a much slower rate than the wages of heterosexual males. Gay males who are most likely to be observably gay by employers – those who live with a same-sex partner – face larger earnings penalties than those who are discreet about their sexuality.”

Professor Mark Wooden

The report – Sexual Identity, Earnings, and Labour Market Dynamics: New Evidence from Longitudinal Data in Australia – concluded:

Gay men are 16 per cent less likely to be employed and are substantially more likely to have several periods of joblessness than heterosexual men.”

Dr Catriona Wallace has recently launched Ventura, a Sydney-based space for businesses start-ups run by women which places an emphasis on diversity and inclusion. Commenting on the study, she told Gay Star Business that she was aware of LGBT entrepreneurs having trouble when it came to raising investment.

Although I cannot comment directly on pay disparity between gay and lesbian people in Australia – despite being a reasonably tolerant society, my observations are that it is still difficult for gay, lesbian or transgender led businesses to reach a representative number in the start-up community.

Given the traditional investment community is mostly male, this may mean that being a gay man pitching for capital may be more difficult. That being said, it’s very difficult period for women, straight or lesbian, and minority groups to raise capital in Australia. This is something we want to work on.”

In December, a similar study commissioned by the World Bank and IZA World of Labor, found that gay women get 15% more in Canada, 11% in Germany and 8% more in the UK. Gay men can expect 12%, 9% and 5% less in those respective countries.

Lesbians may be willing to make a series of career-oriented decisions, such as staying in school longer, choosing a degree that is likely to lead to a higher paying job, and working longer hours,’ and they ‘tend to self-select into male-dominated occupations that may offer higher salaries.

[On the other hand, gay men in the workplace] may upset conventional assumptions about gender, and so their contributions to the firm and their leadership abilities may not be properly evaluated and they can be overlooked for promotions.’

Dr Nick Drydakis

What Lesbians Say vs. What They Really Mean

Queer women can be a confusing and complex lot. No, we’re not trying to perpetuate a stereotype or make a mockery, it’s just sometimes true.

Human beings in general are complex creatures, and the sooner we accept this, the sooner we can learn to laugh at ourselves and move on.

We often hide behind sarcastic phrases and straight up lies in hopes of improving our reverse psychology skills, tricking people into believing what we want them to believe.

We say we’re fine when we are not, and we tell people we want to be friends, when really we want to be lovers. We have all been guilty of hiding behind claims and false expressions, hoping whomever we’re talking to can read our minds, or at least be tricked by our statements.

What Lesbians Say vs. What They Really Mean

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYyXtH7uZDo