Class Teaches Women How to OMG WHAT?!

dinsdag 1 oktober 2013

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AppId is over the quota
by Michele Zipp 13 hours ago

Tonight something very special is happening at a school in New York. It's something that women and men all over the world should attend, but obviously due to lack of space isn't going to happen at one venue. It's that important. And it has to do with our rights as women, as people. It has to do with our right to have an orgasm.

The class, offered at Hamilton College (which is highly ranked and considered a hidden Ivy league school) in upstate New York, is called The Female Orgasm and it teaches all genders and all sexual orientations "everything from multiple orgasms to that mysterious G-spot." Naturally, there's outrage, but for no good reason.

People complain that this isn't the sort of thing that should be taught at a college. But why not? It's a workshop, not curriculum. Besides, why are we so afraid to learn about sexuality -- it is truly one of life's greatest pleasures and what is life without pleasure, without happiness?

Most men are able to achieve orgasm easily. But not all women can. If there is a class that could help some women, then that should be welcomed by all. Well, except for those who want to continue to surpress women's sexuality.

If you think a workshop about orgasms shouldn't be taught at college, I can make the same argument about piano. Taking a piano class at college isn't going to change the world. I tickled some ivory in college, experimented if you will, and never pursued it afterwards. I learned a little something (mostly that I was an awful pianist) and moved on. But if I took a class about orgasms ... that would be a learning to apply with pleasure for the rest of my life.

Marshall Miller and Maggie Keenan-Bolger teach the workshop that will help educate students on how to have an orgasm (for those who never have) or a better orgasm (for those who have), and how to help guys know how to pleasure their girlfriend. There are many people in this world who really could benefit from a class like this. And it's not a hands-on class as some have intimated. The sex educators simply share some tips in a fun and spirited way, and hopefully those in attendance learn a little something to take home and try out. Far too many of us fake it and it's about time more of us have the real thing.

What do you think of this workshop? Would you attend?

Image via Brandon Baunach/Flickr

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Michele Zipp

loves vintage and will defend skinny jeans to the death though she is highly superstitious and "death" is probably a bad word choice. She has a touch of the hoarding disease and enjoys sleuthing, the worst reality shows, and wearing high heels, even at the playground. She's an AP mom of twins, slightly crunchy but with a pedicure.

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5 Things All Women Need to Know Before Going on a Diet

donderdag 26 september 2013

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AppId is over the quota
by Emily Abbate 2 hours ago

Here on The Stir, I talk often about health and fitness. I've told you all about my 70-pound weight loss and got personal when I put some of the weight back on a few months back. I've dished about my running tips for newbies and have tackled some wacky workouts (stilettos, anyone?). With that said, I have a soft spot for people who ask me for workout and diet advice. Not because I'm some registered dietitian (I'm not), but because I've been there.

Yesterday I was talking with a friend who told me she's just starting a weight loss journey of her own, and it made me nostalgic. I remember feeling trapped in my own overweight body. I remember how jealous I was that so many of my friends swapped clothes while I was stuck in my size 16 jeans. I remember how HARD it was to skip over French fries (FYI: that doesn't get easier after weight loss).

With all this said, I had some advice for her. Thus I present you with the 5 things I wish someone told me before I began my weight loss journey.

1. You need to make smaller goals. If you don't, your ultimate goal will feel unobtainable. Like I mentioned, I dropped 70 pounds. That's a lot to visualize when you're still walking around carrying that weight. I made an effort to set smaller goals for myself, and reward myself when I obtained them. When I lost a chunk of my weight, I was on Weight Watchers, and I made sure that every time I hit a body weight percentage milestone, I rewarded myself with a manicure and pedicure.

2. There are leggings that prevent that chaffing thing down there: How I never knew these existed until AFTER I trained for my first two half marathons astounds me. Buy yourself a pair of GREAT workout pants. Screw it, buy three pairs. If you need suggestions, you can look at our workout bottom roundup.

3. If you cut things out entirely, you'll regret it: I guess some people can do this. I could not, and that's why Weight Watchers worked so well for me. I needed to be able to have that occasional piece of chocolate, that latte on a cold winter afternoon. Those sweet indulgences every once in a while made me feel normal, they made me happy, and they didn't stop my progress.

4. Exercise doesn't have to suck: I used to go to the gym back in college and dread that 45-minute chunk of time on the elliptical. I was convinced, though, that if I didn't do it, I wouldn't lose weight. Newsflash: there are a bazillion different ways to get active. Don't waste your time doing one that makes you unhappy. My best tip? Try getting in the pool if high-intensity workouts hurt your joints to reduce tension. It's a good way to ease in to being active for someone who hasn't exactly been a star athlete.

More from The Stir: 12 Sports Bras Face Our Intense Test: Which Ones Beat the Bounce? (PHOTOS)

5. Just because you're dieting doesn't mean you have to put your social life on pause: I get it. Going out with your friends is a massive temptation, and if you're dieting, you're probably worried about overeating or drinking too much. Just because you want to lose weight doesn't mean that you have to hide tucked away in your room, though. Be easy on yourself. If you're someone who feels awkward without a drink in your hand at a bar or dinner party, grab a seltzer. Want it to look like an alcoholic drink? Throw in a splash of cranberry juice or a lime. Socialize, have fun, and don't let your weight loss stop you from living your life.

Do you have any tips for someone starting a long-term diet?

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‘RHOM’ Wedding Madness Reveals How Ridiculous and Desperate These Women Can Get (VIDEO)

woensdag 25 september 2013

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AppId is over the quota
by Alex McCord 12 hours ago in Entertainment

Having been on any Reality TV, let alone the Real Housewives specifically, I'm always looking at these shows with double vision. I'm seeing the action just as all the viewers do, and also looking behind the scenes at how everything is put together, which always fascinates me.

This week we go deep into wedding planning with Joanna Krupa and Adriana de Moura, lots of gorgeous Birkin bags, kittens, and puppies. And did you HEAR the gossip? Someone revealed a Housewives contract! Are they for real?

I had to laugh when Lisa Hochstein cried over a Birkin bag. I don't know anyone, ever in my life, who has done that. And I know a lot of characters.

As the bridal party casting heats up, I go into reality TV weddings versus real weddings…should you have to choose cast members as bridesmaids and if you do, are you allowed to give them ultimatums? Perhaps Joanna is secretly the Gawker Bridezilla? 

Alexia Echevarria and her son are breaking my heart – what do you do when your son’s father is an ex-convict?? In this week’s video we learn what to do, and what NOT to do when you and your child have problems surrounding your divorce.

Finally….did you see that story where the reporter supposedly got hold of a New Jersey Housewives contract?  I saw it, I read it, and I give you MY take on it.

Who is the most annoying bride -- Adriana or Joanna?

Also, tell me in the comments or on twitter what you want know about I Dream of NeNe: The Wedding as tomorrow I’ll have a brand new episode covering the first two shows!

Image via Bravo TV

Click the "Like" button below if you're a fan of Real Housewives. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Alex McCord

Professional Loudmouth with Inappropriate Friends ... Writer, reality star and TV talking head obsessed with food and fashion. Wife and mama of two BOYS living in Brooklyn, NYC. @McCordAlex

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Mandatory Drug Testing for All Pregnant Women Is the Stupidest Idea Ever

dinsdag 17 september 2013

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AppId is over the quota
by Adriana Velez 2 hours ago

Great news for women expecting babies in Indiana: Drug tests for everyone! Cheers! Indiana's attorney general Greg Zoeller is proposing mandatory drug testing for all pregnant women and girls. It's about money, supposedly. Zoeller says screening pregnant women for drugs could save the state $30 million in hospital fees for treating infants with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) -- babies born addicted to drugs, in other words.

Okay ... if this highly intrusive abuse of human rights really were in the interest of helping drug-dependent women and girls get treatment, I could see how it might be almost justifiable. But come on, can you think of any other group of people who are subject to mandatory drug testing without probable cause? If you were pregnant, would you be okay with this?

Apparently Indiana doesn't have the greatest history in the way it treats pregnant women with drug dependency. You're more likely to get criminalized than to get help, which means another baby in the system and another woman in prison. And that sounds more expensive.

I worry that if at-risk women and girls know drug testing is mandatory during pregnancy, they'll be less likely to seek the treatment they need throughout their pregnancy. Because they're not seeing a doctor (which is already a big problem among low-income women especially), other health problems will go untreated, resulting in problems with delivery and health issues for their babies. All this because they're afraid a drug test will land them in jail.

I'm sure plenty of women will read this and say, "Well, if you're not taking drugs, you have nothing to worry about." But I can't be that selfish and short-sighted.

What is it about being pregnant that suddenly makes you less of a human in some people's eyes? Why don't we trust pregnant women? Why are they treated more like property or dependents? I hope AG Zoeller's proposal fails.

Do you think there should be mandatory drug testing for pregnant women and girls?

Image via Jeremy/Flickr

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Adriana Velez

is a staff writer who dabbles in food, parenting, news, entertainment, molecular biology, and anything else that that pops into her head. She lives with her elementary school-aged son in Brooklyn, land of urban farms and artisan everything.  

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8 Natural Ways Women Can Manage Pain During Labor (PHOTOS)

vrijdag 30 augustus 2013

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by Sasha Brown-Worsham 9 hours ago

The pain of labor is something that we have been trying to manage for women since the dawn of time. Whether it was cool rags on the forehead of a laboring woman or a stick to bite down on, helping women ride the contractions and make it through to the other side when they are holding their baby has long been the subject of research.

For many women, pain management really just means getting the epidural as soon as humanly possible. And that's fine. But for others who want to experience all the pain of labor without medication, there are other ways to manage and mitigate it without the use of drugs.

The Stir spoke exclusively with Lacreshia Laningham, a massage therapist and doula, as well as Jenny Skoog, who is a pre- and postnatal fitness trainer, birth coach, childbirth educator, and star of Pushing It. See their ideas for natural labor pain management for women below:

How did you manage labor pain?

Image via eyeliam/Flickr

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TENS Units override the pain signal to the brain through electrical impulse. The results are immediate, and yes, some women use them in labor. With most, the woman controls the pulse width, pulse rate, and intensity.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Sasha Brown-Worsham

can't decide whether she is a mother, writer, or runner, but is usually all three at some point each day. She has written for dozens of print magazines, newspapers, and websites. She rarely ever writes on bathroom walls.

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