Weekly roundup of things that are 🔥🔥🔥
From sizzling sex after 60 to saying no to scales to a word about Taylor Swift and sexism
February is here, which marks the beginning of Black History Month 2024. This month-long celebration is dedicated to supporting Black culture, artists, and, most importantly, recognizing the important role of Black people in American history. Here’s everything you need to know about this month, including how it came to be and how you can join in on the celebrations from your couch and beyond. 🙌
According to a new study published in the journal Cell, a special set of molecules that act on the extra X chromosome carried by women can sometimes confuse the immune system, resulting in an array of autoimmune diseases, like lupus and multiple sclerosis. 😷
Check out Cosmopolitan magazine’s new digital feature dedicated to highlighting women and sex after age 60, including an essay by Jane Seymour, “Sex right now is more wonderful and passionate than anything I remember because it’s built on trust, love, and experience. I now know myself and my body. The older I get, the more sex is built on emotional intimacy, on having shared the ups and downs of life with someone—our feelings, our joys, our sadness, our mutual passions, and desire.” 🧓
ICYMI: I’ve shared three video and audio versions of my discussions with Gretchen Carlson, Dr. Pooja Lakshmi and A’shanti Gholar. Take a listen and let me know what you think. Should I keep sharing these conversations I captured while doing research for my upcoming book? Also, join my next Zoom meetup on February 7; I’m looking for your stories about how the communities you’ve created sustain you. Your story might be included in my forthcoming book, to be published in 2025. 🎤
According to a new study by the American Medical Association, nearly 65,000 pregnancies associated with rape occurred in the 14 states hat enacted abortion bans after the Dobbs decision in 2022. Texas is estimated to have the highest rate of rape-related pregnancies by far at 26,313, more than four times the second state on the list, Missouri, with an estimated 5,825. 🩺
Reminder: You can ask not to be weighed at your next medical appointment, or if being weighed is medically necessary for some reason, tell your medical provider you don’t want to know your weight. Here are some tips for talking to your doctor about being weighed; video by Erin Power (@eat.simple.erin on Instagram). ❌
Excellent episode of the podcast “The Run-Up” about how the war in the Middle East might impact the upcoming elections. Love its host, Astead W Herndon. ☑️
I’m short and curvy and these JCrew “Essential straight jean in all-day stretch” are a great length, flattering and affordable. And they come in lots of colors. These cashmere sweaters from Jenni Kayne are more of a splurge, but they’re so flattering and comfortable that I wear mine all winter. And, finally, I’m wearing these black and white Alo sneakers everywhere. 👖
This fall, San Francisco's de Young Museum will spotlight the creative life and legacy of the trailblazing artist Tamara de Lempicka, who has never had a major retrospective in the United States. de Lempicka, a Polish painter who spent her working life in France and America, is best known for her polished Art Deco portraits of aristocrats and the wealthy, and for her highly stylized paintings of nudes. The show will travel to the Museum of Fine Arts Houston in the spring of 2025. 🎨
Hey you! A reminder to get outside this weekend if you can! 🌲
Let’s let this be the last word on Taylor Swift’s presence at NFL games. As one person wrote on Threads, “Your daughters are watching you hate Taylor Swift for supporting her boyfriends. And hearing you complain about her taking 60 seconds of airtime out of a three hour GAME. They hear, ‘Be smaller, be less.’” 💯