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'Cards Against Humanity' Fans Make An Ingenious Version For Parents

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Wayan and Amy Vota have always enjoyed playing Cards Against Humanity with friends, but they never felt it spoke to their experience as parents. That's why they developed a version of the game for moms and dads.


KinderPerfect, aka "Cards Against Humanity for Parents," is a humorous word association game with 200 question and answer cards that relate to all-too-real parenting scenarios.



The Votas told The Huffington Post that many of the cards -- which include gems like "Why is Mommy mad?" and "What is that smell?" -- stem from their experiences raising their two daughters, 7-year-old Hanalei and 5-year-old Archer. 


"Like every parent, we love our kids, but they can drive us crazy," Wayan said. "It’s their antics, and those of other children, that inspired many of the cards."


Specific sources of card inspiration include their kids' obsession with Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? and all the random junk parents find smushed into the corners of their house and cars. The Votas also sought ideas from other parents in their Washington, D.C. neighborhood of Petworth. 


And, they are currently taking online suggestions from moms and dads across the country via an online form. Wayan said they will give finished card decks to anyone whose idea is selected for the final game.



Wayan has experience developing word association card games. In 2015, he co-founded JadedAid, "a card game to save humanitarians," which lets development workers channel the frustrations of working in the industry into a fun experience. His wife, Amy, co-founded several Petworth parents groups and created an annual school lottery de-stress session for parents in the D.C. area.


With their joint experience and expertise, along with some help from Maria Mandle of Creativecouch Designs, the couple brought their KinderPerfect parenting game vision to life.


The Votas launched a Kickstarter campaign to get input from other parents through organized "play parties" and raise the funds to make the game available on Amazon this fall.



"Our aim is to take the everyday pain of parenthood and make it into an excuse for 'mommy juice'!" said Wayan, noting that they want it to be a way for moms and dads to unwind and have fun with friends at the end of a long day.


Parents can incorporate the KinderPerfect cards into other games like Cards Against Humanity and Apples to Apples or play it on its own. 


"Parenting is tough. You don’t get an instruction manual when you leave the hospital with your newborn, yet everyone you meet has an opinion of what you are doing wrong or should be doing differently. Worse, it’s usually your parents. 


We want KinderPerfect to be safe place for parents to laugh at the pain of parenting, and create a safe space for them to discuss the real challenges of raising kids. In all the Play Parties so far, each card hand has inspired discussions on parenting."


For more information about KinderPerfect, visit the product website, Facebook page and Kickstarter, and keep scrolling to see more sample cards from the deck.


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19 Undeniable Perks Of Dating A Musician

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Having a musical bae comes with serious perks. You get free tickets to their gigs, full access to a musical library that will rock your socks off, and their talent will never cease to amaze (and entertain) you. No matter his/her instrument of choice or musical genre, you know a relationship with a musician is like no other. And you wouldn't trade it for the world. Here are just a few reasons why:



So what are you waiting for?




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This Is What People Watching Porn Look Like

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We're watching you, porn-watchers. Like right now. Right here.


New York photographer Patrick Struys took portraits of people viewing naughty videos, and we can't look away.


The naked truth is that the subjects' reactions weren't all, how shall we say, fully engaged. Their faces also express embarrassment, amusement, surprise, perhaps even boredom.


Struys rounded up his portrait models by reaching out to friends and placing an open call on Craigslist. He told potential subjects that it was a "social experiment."


"I did not disclose the subject matter of the shoot because I didn’t want to deter people or have them show up too prepared intellectually/emotionally for the shoot," he told The Huffington Post.



Subjects watched an eclectic 5 1/2 minutes of porn in front of a peeping camera lens.


"I tended to get more ‘honest’ or ‘less-proformative’ reactions from the females and gay men," Struys told The Huffington Post. "My guess is that they are more comfortable with sex/sexuality or even expressing their sexual interests (in front of straight men). I think a lot of straight men are not used to seriously expressing their sexuality or sexual interest around other men. All the straight subjects spoke, joked and laughed for the entire shoot."



Struys said the series idea came to him as he watched friends' reactions when sex scenes appeared in movies or adult content flashed on the screen when they were flipping through cable channels.


 "I thought it was fascinating how different people reacted, processed and expressed themselves around sex when it was presented to them in a "public environment," he said.


 Here are a few more from Struys' gallery. You can check out more at his website.







H/T Adweek

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Painting Found In French Attic Is $137 Million Caravaggio, Say Experts

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PARIS (Reuters) - A painting found in the attic of a house in southwest France two years ago was attributed to the Italian master Caravaggio by private French experts who hailed its discovery on Tuesday as a great event in the history of art.


The work, which depicts Biblical heroine Judith beheading an Assyrian general, was found by the owners of a house near Toulouse as they investigated a leak.


It could be worth 120 million euros ($137 million), the Eric Turquin art expert agency said in a statement.


The painting is thought to have been painted in Rome in 1604-1605 by Michelangelo Merisi, known as Caravaggio, and is in exceptionally good conditions, Eric Turquin said, despite having been forgotten in the attic for probably more than 150 years.


"A painter is like us he has tics, and you have all the tics of Caravaggio in this. Not all of them, but many of them - enough to be sure that this is the hand, this is the writing of this great artist," Turquin told Reuters TV.


The owners of the painting had no idea they had it until they went to the top of the house to check a leak in the roof, Turquin said.


"They had to go through the attic and break a door which they had never opened .. They broke the door and behind it was that picture. It's really incredible," he said.


French authorities have put a bar on it leaving France, describing it in a decree as a painting of "great artistic value, that could be identified as a lost painting by Caravaggio.


 


(Reporting by Johnny Cotton; Writing by Michel Rose; Editing by Ingrid Melander and Richard Balmforth)




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Jimmy Buffett Slams North Carolina's Anti-LGBT Law, Shows Go On

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Following in the footsteps of Bruce Springsteen, Jimmy Buffett is speaking out against North Carolina's anti-LGBT law


In a blog post on his official website, Buffett called the state's House Bill 2, which blocks cities from passing non-discrimination laws and bars transgender people from using public restrooms that correspond with their gender identity, a "stupid law" that is "based on stupid assumptions." 


But the 69-year-old "Margaritaville" rocker didn't go quite as far as Springsteen by canceling his shows, and said his North Carolina concerts would go on as planned next week.


"I happen to believe that the majority of our fans in North Carolina feel the way I do about that law," Buffett wrote in the post on Saturday. "I am lucky enough to have found a job in the business of fun. These shows were booked and sold out long before the governor signed that stupid law."


Noting that he would not let "stupidity or bigotry trump fun for my loyal fans," Buffett said he's committed to taking the stage at Raleigh's Walnut Creek Amphitheatre on April 21 and at the PNC Music Pavilion in Charlotte April 23. He did, however, note that he would think twice about scheduling future shows in North Carolina depending on "whether that stupid law is repealed."


Fellow rocker Gregg Allman is taking a similar approach. The 68-year-old star decried House Bill 2 in a Facebook post, but nonetheless said he and his band will move forward with an April 13 performance at the Cone Denim Entertainment Center in Greensboro, North Carolina. 





Nearly two weeks after North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory signed House Bill 2 into law, the firestorm of controversy surrounding its passage continues to rage.


Deutsche Bank announced on Tuesday that it was freezing its plans to add 250 jobs at its software development center in Cary, North Carolina, as a result of the anti-LGBT law. PayPal announced on April 5, it will not go through with a plan to build a 400-employee operations center in the state as a result of the legislation. 


Country crooner Billy Ray Cyrus joined his daughter, Miley Cyrus, in expressing his own distaste for North Carolina's anti-LGBT law, as well as similar legislation that has been passed in Mississippi and Tennessee, in a lengthy Facebook post Monday. 

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25 Truly Exceptional Wedding Photos That Deserve To Be Seen

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Fearless Photographers, a site devoted to recognizing the very best in wedding photography, unveiled their latest collection on Monday and it does not disappoint. 


The site's curators looked through thousands of submissions from talented photographers around the world and whittled them down to a mere 140 award winners. Below are 25 exceptional shots from the collection, along with commentary from the Fearless Photographers editors. 



To see the collection in its entirety, visit the Fearless Photographers website

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A New Yorker's Guide To Getting Outside And Seeing Art This Spring

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The challenge for every New Yorker come springtime: figure out how to spend as much time as possible outside, under the warmth of the sun, before the frosty chill of winter is, inevitably, upon us again. Bonus -- do so without spending loads of money on trains, planes and automobiles meant to take you upstate, down south or across the pond. 


To accomplish this, you can visit one of our urban mecca's few parks, dawdle outside some of the city's magnificent architectural gems, or just sidle down the sunny sides of the streets. OR, you can go see some public art. We vote for the public art.


In honor of the second best season in New York City (it's hard to argue with fall, guys), here is a New Yorker's guide to getting outside and seeing art this spring. Don't worry: we're focusing on the free, public art that won't cost you a penny. Sidle on, my friends:


1. Giant Bunnies in Manhattan



Do you like bunnies? Do you like humongous balloons? Great. Australian artist Amanda Parer is bringing her oversized art installation, "Intrude," to New York City this spring, featuring seven gigantic, inflatable rabbits -- ranging from two to four stories tall -- at Brookfield Place in Manhattan. The work opens to the selfie-happy public on on April 17, 2016.


And besides meeting the bunny-slash-balloons criteria, Arts Brookfield says there's a greater message: "The giant rabbits evoke a visual humor that lures audiences into the artwork to reveal a more serious environmental message, as rabbits are considered an invasive pest in the artist's native Australia. Through 'Intrude,' Parer hopes to move people to thoughtfully consider how humans can change and dominate the environment." (Brookfield Place, April 17-30, 2016)


2. Truth Talk in Brooklyn



This series consists of comic book-inspired speech balloon signs that showcase "statements about truth" in 22 different languages spoken in Brooklyn. They are installed along the MetroTech Promenade, accompanied by English translations of the phrases (and pronunciation guides). 


Bonus: The "Truth Booth" -- a mobile interactive video recording booth that lets participants finish the phrase "the truth is..." in two minutes before a camera -- is set to return in May(MetroTech Promenade, on view until June 3, 2016)


3. Feminist Art in Manhattan



In the mood for some of feminist artist Barbara Kruger's signature Future-Bold-font declarations? Get thee to the High Line in Manhattan, where her "Untitled (Blind Idealism Is…)" continues, as Art in the Park notes, "her unabashed criticism of culture and power."


The painted mural will feature the words “BLIND IDEALISM IS REACTIONARY SCARY DEADLY,” which is an adaptation of a quote from Afro-Caribbean philosopher Frantz Fanon. According to Kruger, the work reflects "how we are to one another" within "the days and nights that construct us." (The High Line, March 21, 2016 to March 2017)


4. Pigeon Performances in Brooklyn



On Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays this late spring and early summer, American artist Duke Riley will be conducting a massive flock of carrier pigeons as they enact choreographed moves across the dusk sky. Their twirls and figure-eights will be gloriously punctuated by the tiny LED lights affixed to their legs, where messages might have been. 


The work pays homage to pigeon keepers (or fanciers, as they are commonly known). "While property development and population shifts have caused the practice to wane, 'Fly By Night' reflects back on and makes visible this largely forgotten culture," Creative Time describes online. "The iconic Brooklyn Navy Yard, once home to the country’s largest naval fleet of pigeon carriers, is the ideal setting." (Brooklyn Navy Yard, weekends from May 7 through June 12) 


5. Orchids in Central Park



Holy orchids Batman! @publicartfund #isagenzken

A photo posted by lisa perry (@lisaperrystyle) on




German artist Isa Genzken believes the mass-produced white orchid has become "the quintessential flower of our age: global, accessible, and open to interpretation." Her sculptures, 28 and 34-feet high respectively, now greet visitors entering Central Park in Manhattan. If you're venturing to the park one afternoon, find these beauties and grab a glimpse. (Central Park, on view until August 21, 2016)


6. An "Analog Meme" in Manhattan



A Sunday stroll stumble upon @j_usdin #howtoworkbetter #peterfischlidavidweiss #nyc #mural

A photo posted by Collbreslin (@collbreslin) on




Swiss artist Peter Fischli and the late David Weiss are currently the subjects of a retrospective at the Guggenheim, an exhibition "that offers a deceptively casual meditation on how we perceive everyday life."


Need to experience a taste of their work before you commit to the whole show? Head to Houston and Mott, for there is a building-size mural titled "How to Work Better," which includes a 10-point list of life advice sourced from a bulletin board in a ceramic factory the artists encountered 30 years ago during a visit to Thailand. (Houston and Mott Streets, on view until May 1, 2016)


7. A Hebrew-Spanish Mashup in Brooklyn 



Deborah Kass' sculpture is simple -- it simultaneously reads as "I am" in Spanish and "Oy" in Yiddish -- and is meant to reference "Brooklyn’s ethnic communities with whimsy and warmth." Really, besides being a chance to see Kass' work in person, the Brooklyn Bridge Park is a perfect spot to hang outside and see a handful of sculptures.


Also on view at Pier 6 beginning on May 4 is British artist Martin Creed's "Understanding," another East River fixture that is sure to attract Instagram-happy art lovers.  ("OY/YO" is on view at Brooklyn Bridge Park until August 2016)


8. A Boogie Down Booth in the Bronx






This piece loosely consists of music, solar–powered lights, seating, and art, fit into the area under the elevated tracks at Seabury park on Southern Boulevard and 174th Street in the Bronx.


According to Art in the Parks, this second "Boogie Down Booth," designed by Chat Travieso, streams music from Bronx artists using a playlist curated by the Bronx Music Heritage Center, covering a variety of genres born in or inspired by the Bronx, including salsa, jazz, Afro–Caribbean, hip–hop, Garifuna, and blues. There's also a community bulletin board to learn about local events, and a mural painted by kids from the East Bronx Academy for the Future and the Children's Aid Society. (Seabury Park, on view until June 24, 2016)


9.  A Giant Spotted Pumpkin in Manhattan



Let your love for the polka-dot queen known as Yayoi Kusama guide you to a 2,668-pound version of the pumpkin above, on view in front of a luxury building at 605 West 42nd Street beginning on May 3. This is probably less a destination artwork and more a happen-to-be-in-the-neighborhood artwork, but we can't really pass up a chance to worship at the altar of Kusama, and you shouldn't either. (605 West 42nd Street, on view beginning May 3)


10. A Lopsided Swimming Pool in Manhattan



Elmgreen & Dragset are erecting a1950s style swimming pool in Rockefeller Center, courtesy of the Public Art Fund. Dubbed "Van Gogh's Ear," the pool is not for swimming; instead, it's a conceptually lopsided sculpture meant to mimic a Cali crash landing.


"The sculpture recalls the 1950s-style pools found in front of some Californian private homes, in contrast to this very public East coast urban setting," the artists explained in a statement. "It is as if an alien spaceship had landed in the midst of this prominent and busy environment." (The Fifth Avenue entrance to the Channel Gardens at Rockefeller Center, April 13 to June 3, 2016)


11. A Living Sculpture in Queens



Socrates Sculpture Park was once an industrial landfill and illegal dumping ground but is now one of New York City’s most accessible spaces for public art. This summer, the "Landmark" exhibition will showcase the work of eight different artists -- Meg Webster, Abigail DeVille, Brendan Fernandes, Cary Leibowitz, Jessica Segall, Casey Tang, the curatorial collective ARTPORT_making waves, and Hank Willis Thomas -- making it a prime spot for art gazing this spring and summer. 


Two things we're excited about: First, Webster's "Concave Room for Bees," a living sculptural installation comprised of more than 300 cubic yards of fertile soil reaching five-feet high that will be planted with flowers, herbs, and shrubs that attract "pollinating creatures." Visitors will be encouraged to enter the work and experience "a multisensory mix of botanical aromas, insect hums, dewy air, and vibrantly colored flora." After the exhibition, Webster's nutrient-rich soil will be relocated to spots across the park. Second, Hank Willis Thomas’ "From Cain’t See in the Mornin’ Till Cain’t See at Night (from Strange Fruit)," part of Socrates Sculpture Park’s Broadway Billboard series. (Socrates Sculpture Park, May 8 to August 28, 2016)


12. A Giant Feather in Manhattan



A photo posted by mjw44@yahoo.com (@mjwoo44) on




Petros Chrisostomou’s sculpture "Sky Feather" is located at the Riverside Park Bird Sanctuary at 116th Street. Reason to see this work? Well, it's a great chance to go to the bird sanctuary, duh. It consists of 10 acres and over 3,000 plants and has, in the last 30 years, seen over 177 species of birds. (Riverside Park, on view until June 10, 2016)


13. All the Art on Randall's Island 



Every year, the Randall’s Island Park Alliance and the Bronx Museum of the Arts present FLOW, a series of annual summer art exhibitions along the shoreline at Randall’s Island Park in New York City. "FLOW is aimed at fostering appreciation of the shoreline through artistic expression, while calling visitors to interact with and care for the Park’s island environment," the organization's website states


The 2016 featured artists include: Tracie Hervy, Samantha Holmes, Tim Clifford, Michael Shultis and Denise Treizman. For a teaser, Hervy’s "Untitled" will be installed on a hill along the southeast waterfront of Randall’s Island Park, consisting of three wooden frames meant to echo Randall’s Island’s major geographical axes – thruways connecting the Bronx, Manhattan and Queens. And Treizman’s "Spartan Follies" will provide "an ironically un-'Spartan' invitation" for visitors to work out.


14. An Emotional Signpost in Manhattan



a large range of emotions in every direction... seems about right #signpost #stuartringholt

A photo posted by Amanda Teague (@behindthemirrorbeauty) on




Stuart Ringholt's sign probably encapsulates the motions of New York City better than most. Go find it. (First Park, on view until June 1, 2016)


For those of you who want to get out of the city, check out the 13 best art spots that aren't in New York City (but are nearby!) here and here. And if you're into NYC's street art, we've got a roundup for that, too.

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Dramatic Novel Scenes Built Entirely Out Of Legos, Because Why Not?

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If there is evidence that we live in a world that is actually a parody of another, realer world, it is Karl Ove Knausgaard. Here he is, looking contemplative, in the way an actor playing a bestselling, world-weary novelist might. 



Not only does Knausgaard look like a bestselling, world-weary novelist: he is one! His seven-book series, My Struggle, was published in Norway in the early aughts, and has since been translated into 22 languages. Fans in his home country are obsessive; some have been reported to track down his family and others mentioned in the books. The English versions haven’t unleashed as much fervor, but the series was nominated for the Believer Book Award in 2012, indicating a strong impression made on American critics and audiences, too.


Knausgaard's observations are childlike, which is to say that they're both wonderful in their simplicity and kind of dumb. Although his writing brims with beautiful sentences (like this one: "Then I met Linda and the sun rose"), it is also plumb with earnest remarks (like this one: "The only thing that does not age in the face is the eyes"), which are easy to make fun of. 




So, there are parodies. A funny rendition of Knausgaard-themed Bingo has a square labeled, “Knausgaard is being a dick,” “Knausgaard is smoking a cigarette,” “Knausgaard is chilling with his brother,” and “Knausgaard is shitty at playing guitar.” The latest riff: an Instagram feed called @legokarlove recreates scenes from My Struggle, but with Legos. A family sits around a dinner table, preparing to eat platefuls of huge fish. A man smokes in solitude on a balcony. A couple takes a shower.


It's not the stuff of kid-architect dreams, but the pairing of realist drama and toys for young boys is actually genius. The aim of My Struggle is to make weighty observations about the banality of everyday life -- and what could be more ordinary, at least for American men, than a set of Legos? They’re nostalgic, magical, and a little tedious. Sounds like Knausgaard’s thoughts on the world at large.


“I palmed the child’s toy before placing it among the other blocks,” @legokarlove might’ve written. “It snapped into place, completing the scene. I went outside to smoke.”











#legokarlove #juergenteller #writerslife #zeitmagazin #legolit #karloveknausgaard

A photo posted by bec (@legokarlove) on



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Tribeca Film Festival Documentary Showcases Freed Prisoners' Harsh 'Return' To Society

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Nearly half of the United States adopts "three-strikes laws," which enforce harsh penalties for anyone who has been convicted of two prior criminal offenses. Meant to reduce the number of repeat offenders, the statutes wind up sentencing nonviolent perpetrators to a lifetime behind bars.


"The Return," a new documentary premiering at the ongoing Tribeca Film Festival, explores Proposition 36, the 2012 California ruling that limited the scope of the state's three-strikes laws. Katie Galloway and Kelly Duane de la Vega's movie follows two convicts who were sentenced to life and released as a result of the proposition. Their journey to re-integrate into society and foster their old relationships reveals the flaws in America's justice system.


The Huffington Post has an exclusive clip from "The Return" that features two attorneys for the Stanford Law School Three Strikes Project, a clinic that provides legal representation for nonviolent felons. Watch the scene below for a snapshot of America's thorny criminal laws.




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The Fictional Book Characters Who Sparked Our Sexual Awakenings

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Young love: there’s nothing quite like it!


One day, you’re picking up Little Women for the first time, expecting a warm story about sisterhood; the next, you’re cursing the gods ("or whatever") for making Theodore "Laurie" Laurence a fictional character rather than a flesh-and-blood person for you to love and kiss IRL.


But the course of true love is rocky (read: not smooth), and what kind of person would you be if you let this little caveat stand between you and your star-crossed lover? You’ve been reading books for a few years now, so you know a thing or two about romance: never mind practical restraints! Go all in! WWJD? (What Would Juliet Do?) 


Jokes aside: crushes on fictional characters can be visceral. Which makes sense, when you consider that the objective of reading is to wander around in another person’s head. Is that not also a virtue of love? Getting to know a fictional character is a viable and fun means of exploring romance and sexuality -- as evidenced by the hordes of fan fiction that exist around popular books.


For preteen and teen readers -- especially those who identify as queer or otherwise don’t see themselves in popular representations of love -- reading is an avenue for sexual exploration. Imagining interactions with a made-up character is just one way to question, consider, and express oneself.


At HuffPost, we have a few fave fictional crushes. Gilbert Blythe’s kindness, Marcus Flutie’s red locks and Jacob Black’s sensitivity caught our attention. Here's a brief overview of the fictional characters who sparked our sexual awakenings:



Gilbert Blythe from Anne of Green Gables


I had it very, very, VERY bad for Gilbert Blythe from Anne of Green Gables. Here was a sweet, caring man who valued intelligence over looks and encouraged you to have independent career pursuits. Plus, he was always there to lend a hand if your canoe sprung a leak during a poetry recital or when you happened to plummet from a rooftop. -- Curtis Wong, Senior Editor, Queer Voices


When it comes to my sexual awakening in fiction, specific characters figure very little. A prose adaptation of The Odyssey for young adults (hot goddesses were always making Odysseus act as their sex slave); a copy of Catherine Coulter's The Cove, a suspense novel with strong erotic elements, that was found on my parents' shelf -- odd books like that did the important work. But Gilbert Blythe, the love interest of red-headed Anne of Green Gables, was my romantic awakening. He and Anne have a bit of a competitive spark between them, but for the most part it's friendly, not a dramatic cycle of fights and reconciliations and secret resentment. They push each other, admire each other, and share a sly sense of humor. They're friends first, love interests second, and ever since I read the Green Gables books, that relationship was what I desperately aspired to have: a collaborative, complementary, mutual appreciation society with my best pal. Plus, he sounded totally dreamy. -- Claire Fallon, Books and Culture Writer


Sandy and Dennys Murry from A Wrinkle in Time


Not to objectify the objects of my grade school affection, but Sandy and Dennys Murry are pretty much interchangeable. In fifth grade, when I considered A Wrinkle in Time the greatest book to have ever been written (today I still rank it among the best), I would’ve gladly hung out after school with either of them. A Wrinkle in Time, and the rest of the series, is in many ways a book about misfits, which is why my tomboyish self couldn’t stop re-reading it. And as a young misfit, there was nothing more appealing to me than normalcy. While Meg is bullied and Charles Wallace can’t seem to connect with others, Sandy and Dennys are the aloof, composed boys next door. They’re practical, grounded, smart, and remarkably blond. They grow up to be a doctor and a lawyer, respectively. I’ve since outgrown my interest in the all-American type -- Ben Higgins would not have been “The Bachelor” for me, and Captain America is the least-sexy Avenger in my book -- but at 10? Gosh. -- Maddie Crum, Books and Culture Writer



Dirk from Weetzie Bat



Dirk represented the kind of boy I desperately wanted but sadly didn’t exist at my high school -- beautiful, mohawked, sensitive and oh-so-unattainable. He comes out as gay to his best friend Weetzie Bat pretty early on in the story, so she never ends up pining for him. But I’m sure I would have been a hopeless case for a while, fantasizing about him taking me to a Jayne Mansfield film festival in his red '55 Pontiac and maybe, just maybe, getting to caress his black leather. -- Tricia Tongo, Arts and Culture Social Media Editor



Marcus Flutie from Sloppy Firsts


Marcus Flutie in Sloppy Firsts and all of Megan McCafferty's sequels -- he was a brooding bad boy with a heart who wore Backstreet Boys T-shirts ironically. He got a little weird in the later books, but I still spent much of my teenage years waiting for a mysterious rebel like him to sidle up to me in study hall. It probably ruined me to be predisposed to dudes who ghost on you for a little bit only to charm you all over again, but whatever. -- Jill Capewell, Entertainment News Editor



Artemis from Artemis Fowl


When I was in middle school, I started reading the young adult fantasy series Artemis Fowl and I just remember thinking in my mind that this guy (he was a 12-year-old in the book) was my absolute dream guy. If I could describe him now, it was like he was a kid version of Don Draper and Christian Grey minus the sex and alcohol stuff. Why Artemis was so sexy in my pubescent head (can I say that?) is mostly because he's a prodigy who also is really invested in finances and all this stuff, and I remember just being so sad that all the guys in my class were more interested in farts and baseball. I wanted all the guys in my class to dress in suits like Artemis and be well-read and zip around in helicopters. -- Melissa Radzimski, Entertainment Social Media Editor


Sonny from Manchild in the Promised Land by Claude Brown


My childhood was largely defined by exposure to things that were completely inappropriate for my age level, i.e. accidentally watching “Eyes Wide Shut” on VHS in fifth grade and wondering why everyone was moaning all the time. Another example? Claude Brown's fictionalized account of his experiences growing up in Harlem in the 1940s and '50s. When I picked Manchild in the Promised Land off the shelf in middle school, I certainly wasn't prepared to read the harrowing account of Sonny, a kid not far from my own age at the time, who struggled to survive in a world rigged against him. Even though our circumstances couldn’t have been more different, my younger self identified with Sonny, as he did his best to escape a world of warring gangs, abusive fathers and the streets of Harlem. And then that bond developed into an attraction. It’s been a while since I’ve reread the novel, but I can still remember Sonny’s first sexual encounter, described by Brown. It was my first exposure to sex, especially presented in such a graphic manner. Needless to say, it stuck with me. -- Cole Delbyck, Entertainment Writer


James Potter from Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix


One throbbing childhood fictional crush of mine was James Potter, father of Harry -- but as a teenager, in the brief but smoking hot flashback in The Order of the Phoenix. In one of Snape's flashbacks from the Pensieve, we see James as a fifth-year Hogwarts student, a skinny, arrogant Gryffindor with purposefully messed-up greasy hair, thick glasses and a bad attitude. I loved how he was clearly this talented wizard student but also a cocky smartass who was a stud on the Quidditch field. Yum. Except for the way he bullied Snape, my second runner-up crush. Not cool, James. -- Priscilla Frank, Arts and Culture Writer



Jacob from the Twilight Series


If I'm going to be honest -- reallyhonest -- I loved Jacob Black from "Twilight." Not Taylor Lautner's Jacob, but the literary Jacob, who was always there for Bella, even when Edward Cullen wasn't. When everyone was "ooohing" and "ahhhing" over the hot, but chilly, vampire, I was transfixed by Jacob's sensitivity, background, and, well, good looks. I mean, I was a teenager when I started to read the series. (Sidenote: While studying abroad in 2008, I went to the "Twilight" premiere in London, where I wore a "Team Jacob" shirt and waited for 10 hours in the freezing cold to meet the cast. #NothingBetter.) -- Leigh Blickley, Senior Entertainment News Editor


Theodore "Laurie" Laurence from Little Women


I was definitely in love with Laurie Laurence. He was just the right amount of sweet and dorky, and I read Little Women for the first time when I was 12 and going through my "curly brown-haired dude" phase. I now realize, however, that he was a total fuckboy. I also had/have a big crush on Jonathan Strange from Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell. My favorite line/description: "In person he was rather tall and his figure was considered good. Some people thought him handsome, but this was by no means the universal opinion. His face had two faults: a long nose and an ironic expression. It is also true that his hair had a reddish tinge and, as everybody knows, no one with red hair can ever truly be said to be handsome." -- Zeba Blay, Voices Culture Writer

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Raw Portraits Capture The Range And Beauty Of Trans Masculinity

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Warning: This article contains nudity and may not be appropriate for work environments.



"Regardless of size, shape, race, surgery or hormones, these guys are all 'trans enough' and deserve to have their identities respected." This was the powerful message 23-year-old trans artist Maxwell Hunter posted on Facebook, alongside a digital painting depicting 10 trans men's bodies. 


The images, made on a computer with a Cintiq 22HD Wacom graphic tablet and Photoshop, depict a variety of unclothed bodies with the faces removed. They capture the wide range of bodies that exist between the binary categories of "masculine" and "feminine," rejecting rigid categories and existing comfortably and proudly in the space in between. 


"Transgender visibility has grown in the last year and people are starting to see that transgender males exist," Hunter explained in an email to The Huffington Post. "The trans men who have been featured in the media so far tend to be very masculine, 'cis-passing' men who are on hormones and have had surgery. I wanted to show that trans men come in all shapes and sizes and that some don't take hormones or have surgery and that's okay."



Hunter, who is based in Leeds, England, normally makes fantastical artwork revolving around video game imagery. In the past couple of years, however, his work has veered more toward realism, specifically in depicting members of the trans community. To find his subjects, Hunter reached out to individuals through Facebook and was overwhelmed at the enthusiastic response he received. "I honestly didn't think people would be that comfortable," he said. "Thankfully I received no negativity."


Through the project, Hunter hopes to illuminate the resounding truth that every human being and every identity deserves respect, regardless of the body he or she or they are in. "I want other trans guys to see that they aren't alone and we're all doing our best to reach a place where we feel comfortable in ourselves and that we don't need to look a certain way," the artist said. "I don't want to make out that trans people are just their bodies but I know that the physical transition is usually a very important element of transitioning for most people."


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Hillary Clinton Weighs In On The Politics Of 'Splitting The Bill'

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Hillary Clinton knows that the politics of paying on the first date is different for every woman.


The Democratic presidential hopeful discussed the age-old "splitting the bill" question and the importance of pay transparency in an interview with Cosmopolitan.com published Tuesday morning. "I think splitting the cost on a date has to be evaluated on a kind of case-by-case basis," Clinton said. 


While the topic of splitting the bill is by no means an important question for the upcoming election, it is interesting to see where one of the most powerful women in the world stands on a hotly-debated feminist topic. (Because dating as a feminist can be hard.) 


Clinton told Cosmo that this "case-by-case" basis really depends on the person you're on a date with.



You know, many years ago I remember [splitting the bill], and I know a lot of young people who even today do because they kind of consider more casual dates, group dates, to be ones where everybody pays their fair share, but I think you also have to be alert to the feelings of the person that you are dating. If it's important to that person to either split in the beginning of the relationship, or for one or the other of you to pay for whatever combination of reasons, you know, you just have to evaluate that and take it into account. So I don't think there is a hard and fast rule, at least that I have ever seen followed in every instance.



The presidential hopeful also weighed in on pay transparency, when Cosmo's Prachi Gupta asked if she's ever discovered she was paid less because she's a woman. 


"Over the years, I learned in the jobs that I had where I stood relative to others who were working with me," Clinton said. "A few times, I had jobs that were public jobs, so the compensation was public information, but in the private sector, I was a lawyer and I, at the very beginning of my career, did not know where I stood in terms of pay, but as I got more experience and more confidence about my work, then I felt much more free to ask and so I did to find out where I stood." 


Is whether to split the bill a hard-hitting question? Nope. Is it helpful to single feminists everywhere? Yep.  


Head over to Cosmo to read the rest of Clinton's interview. 

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Forget Twitter, This App Provides You With A Real-Life 'Follower'

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Today, the words "I followed you" most often mean something along the lines of: my Internet presence appreciates your Internet presence and thus, thanks to the click of a button, I will now be made aware of your online activities.


Occasionally, however, when someone says "I followed you," they mean, quite literally, that for the past 24 hours he or she has been physically tracing your footsteps, staying hidden from view, and monitoring the banal details of your daily life. Especially if that someone is artist Lauren McCarthy.


McCarthy, an artist and programmer based in Brooklyn, is the inventor of Follower, an app that enlists a stalker to follow you around for an entire day. In an age where 1,000 Twitter followers can be purchased from websites like InterTwitter for the bargain price of $14, McCarthy understands the bizarre and urgent need so many of us have to be seen, watched, and surveilled. 


Why do you want to be followed? Why should we follow you?


These are the two questions McCarthy poses to those who sign up for her app. These two simple queries are perhaps, though unspoken, present in much of our online interactions, when attempting to "grow a following" or "get more likes." What are we really after? Recognition? Fame? Love? And what are they? 


From the answers submitted, McCarthy selects who it is she will follow, assigning each unknowing participant a random date. The followee has no knowledge when the following will take place. There is no human interaction or contact. The only clue is a single photograph, of the followee, given to them at the end of the day. 


"There is something strangely intimate about the whole thing," McCarthy explained in an interview with Broadly. "By the end of the day, I feel as though I know them, and we have had a prolonged experience together. I've followed them through the rain, watched them play tennis, eat with friends, watch a movie, shop for groceries, walk to and from their homes. At times it seems they're doing things just for me, or maybe they even notice me, but I can't ever be sure ... For some reason, through the process, I find myself really liking every person I follow."





The performance piece, reminiscent of Sophie Calle's work, which often revolved around following strangers with detective-like methods and whimsical stipulations, attempts to explore the relationship between attention and surveillance, and the boundary between the two.


"We have this intense desire to be seen, to feel connected," McCarthy explains on her website. "But is that desire really fulfilled by watching your follower count tick upward? Could a real life follower provide something more meaningful or satisfying? How does this fit with our fear of surveillance? We imagine 'the man' or Google or the government watching us, but does it feel different if we know it's a real live human?"


The app also contains echoes of Miranda July's now defunct app Somebody in its attempt to use technology to catalyze physical human interaction and connection. This is another crux of McCarthy's project, to use the clearly addictive model of "follows" and "likes" to create material, significant interactions and stories. In the artist's words: "I'm wondering, as much as technology may separate us at times, could it also bring us together in new and interesting ways?"


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24 Movies And TV Series That Could Shine At This Year's Tribeca Film Festival

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If you've heard anything about this year's Tribeca Film Festival lineup, it's probably gossip about the anti-vaccination documentary that organizers (Robert De Niro, specifically) defended and then yanked from the lineup after the Internet voiced its loud dissent. The controversy put the annual New York event on shaky footing, but don't let it distract you: This may be Tribeca's finest roster in years. 


In addition to amplifying the festival's television and virtual-reality components, 2016's Tribeca -- which begins on Wednesday and continues through April 24 -- offers a diverse inventory. One-third of the features are directed by women, according to organizers, and illustrious offerings include Chris Rock in conversation with J.J. Abrams, the 40th-anniversary "Taxi Driver" reunion, the farewell sit-down with the cast of "The Good Wife," an O.J. Simpson panel centered on ESPN's 7.5-hour miniseries, and a discussion with David Byrne following the premiere of the new documentary "Contemporary Color."


Now in its 15th year, Tribeca has always had a tough time positioning itself between the indie haven that is January's Sundance and the prestige parade that is May's Cannes. But several film and TV premieres seem poised to break through the noise. We've rounded up a handful of potential hits, but come back to HuffPost over the next couple of weeks for continued Tribeca coverage. 


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20 Tweets That Perfectly Sum Up The Reality Of Being A Bridesmaid

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Serving as a bridesmaid can be a great honor and testament to years of friendship. But as anyone who's been in a bridal party can attest, it's not always hunky dory.


Here are 20 tweets that sum up the struggle of being a bridesmaid, from the required public speaking to the not-so-flattering dresses.


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How This Chess Grandmaster Uses The Game To Transform Young Lives

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Maurice Ashley is a man who has expertly mastered the game of chess. 


He is a three-time national chess championship coach, a two-time author and an overall world-class chess player. Ashley made history in 1999 when he was the first African-American to achieve the game's grandmaster title and, again, on Wednesday when he became the first black player inducted into the U.S. Chess Hall of Fame.


His latest achievement is inspiring, especially to the young kids who may look up to Ashley and admire his talent. Ashley, who is also a motivational speaker, pays it forward by using the lessons he's learned from playing the game to help transform young lives. The first lesson he said he teaches kids is to treat life like a game of chess. 


"In chess you have to make great decisions on every single move and life is often like that," Ashley told The Huffington Post in a video which focuses on him and the transformative power of chess. 


Ashley said playing chess comes with many invaluable lessons. In fact, he has launched dozens of chess school programs in cities all over the country, including Ferguson, Missouri. The chess programs teach the students how the rules of the game can be practiced in real life, too, which he said he hopes will help encourage the kids to pursue their dreams.


"People say chess is going to die and as soon as you put chess in front of kids they eat it up," Ashley told HuffPost about his experiences with using the game as an activity for kids. "Those kids have aspirations and they deserve every bit of enrichment we can provide." 


Ashley appears to be just as committed to giving back as he is to the game, and he's successfully found a way to lead a life that prioritizes both passions.


"For me to be able to impact young people, particularly those who grow up in the tough circumstances I grew up in as a young person, it's a real pleasure," Ashley said. "Every single time you see the light go off in a kid's eyes, it's like 'wow, maybe a young person today was saved.'" 


Watch the full HuffPost Rise video above on Ashley and the power of chess. 


This video was edited by Ethan Kirby and produced by Alex Kushneir, Stephanie Petchers and Choyce Miller for HuffPost Rise. 


 

 

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Jaw-Dropping Aerial Photos Show The Diversity Of Life In China

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With 3.7 million square miles and 1.4 billion people, China is at the same time eccentric, colorful, busy and creative -- and these photos prove it.


From an epic traffic jam in Beijing to a peaceful tea-picking session in Zhejiang province, these aerial photos show that the Middle Kingdom contains traces of old and new, tradition and modernity.


Marvel at some of our favorite aerial photos, made available by Reuters, below.



 


More photo series on China:


‘Eyes On China’ Instagram Project Reveals What Life Is Like Behind China’s Great Firewall
Photographer Brings Beijing’s Lost History Back To Life
Dreamlike Photos Show The Journey Of China’s Last Steam Trains

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Photographer Smashes Stereotypes About Young Moms In Powerful Series

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A U.K. photographer is working to challenge society's perceptions of women who become mothers at a young age.


Jendella Benson's project "Young Motherhood" features beautiful portraits and interviews with moms who had children in their teens and early twenties. The artist told The Huffington Post the project was inspired by her friends who were young mothers. "I could see first hand how hard they worked to raise their children and work and continue their education, which was in direct contrast with the stereotypes of irresponsible young mothers with no ambitions other than to get benefits (welfare) and a house from the government," she said.



"This myth is really pervasive, and it actually affects women in terms of how they are treated and perceived by society, from healthcare professionals right through to strangers on the street," she added. "I wanted to challenge these ideas as well as honor the work and lives of women who choose to have children at a young age."


Since she started the project in 2013, Benson has photographed 27 mothers with their children all across the U.K. Her subjects include friends, acquaintances and strangers she found through word of mouth and photo callouts. Through the process, the photographer has learned a great deal about their vastly different experiences.


"Young motherhood is very complex," she said. "There are a whole host of reasons why a woman gets pregnant and decides to keep her child, and the decision to be a mother at a young age is not a tragedy in and of itself."



Now a mother to a 7-month-old baby, the artist has reached even greater clarity about parenthood. "Most mothers, no matter the age or circumstances they are in, just want the best for their children and themselves," she said. "There's no difference when it comes to young mothers."


"All these judgements are made about their morality and their capability are besides the point and actually a real hindrance, but the amazing thing is that despite all the baggage others put on them, they do an amazing job," she added. "That should always be celebrated."


When Benson photographed the moms, she also filmed interviews with them about their personal experiences and advice for other young mothers. She recently compiled some of their wisdom into a series of powerful videos as well.





Ultimately, Benson hopes her Young Motherhood project will challenge the prejudice and false perceptions these moms face and instead foster empathy and a desire to know and understand strangers' stories. The importance of supporting all parents, rather than assuming young mothers deserve punishment for some sort of "errant behavior," cannot be overstated, she said.


Added the artist, "I wanted to create something that might also encourage other young women who may relate to the challenge of parenting under such scrutiny and judgement, and to let them know they aren't the only ones going through it and that despite what people may say they haven't ruined their lives or limited their chances."


Keep scrolling to see Benson's photos of women who became mothers at a young age and read excerpts of their interviews.



H/T BuzzFeed

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Creative Mom Dyes Her Hair For Epic Gender Reveal

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When it came time for mama-to-be Amanda Parrish to learn the sex of her baby, she took a creative approach. The expectant mom went to the hair salon, and asked stylist Amber Sacrison to dye her hair pink or blue, based on the ultrasound result.


Sacrison posted a video of the gender reveal on her Facebook page, where it's now going viral, with over eight million views. As the video shows, the mom and dad were surprised and overjoyed to learn they would be having a baby boy. 


In response to concerns about the safety of using hair dye during pregnancy, Sacrison commented that the mom got the go-ahead from her OB-GYN. "Color molecules are too large to enter blood stream to affect baby," she wrote.


In another comment, she said Parrish gave birth to a healthy baby boy on March 8.


Congratulations to the new parents!


H/T PopSugar

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What I Learned As A Straight Woman At An All-Female Sex Party

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The first time I saw a dental dam was in eighth-grade health class. The second was at a sex party in New York City's Lower East Side.


***


I never thought I'd go to a sex party. Sex parties, to me, were the sort of in-real-life bacchanalia that you only see in porn. Not really my thing. I mean, I identify as a confident and fairly sexually adventurous woman, but I'm very tame in the sense that my preferences are strictly male and I'm partial to monogamy.


So, why did I go to an upscale, ladies-only play party last weekend?


Maybe it was the voyeur in me that agreed when the idea was sent my way, but the apparently feminist undertones of the company hosting it solidified my decision.


Touted as an "empowering female experience," the London-born Skirt Club was founded in 2014 to bring together "smart professional women looking for empowering exploration in a private, safe environment." I'm a smart professional woman, and I'm down with "empowered exploration." Why not give it a go?


***


The party started at 9 p.m. at a penthouse on a Saturday night. My friend Kristin, who I harangued into coming with me, and I showed up 20 minutes late. We didn't want to be the first ones there, forced to make small talk longer than absolutely necessary. When we got to the door, a beautiful English woman wearing a chain-adorned corset ushered us into the dimly-lit loft, which was decorated with rose petals and candles.


We were handed glasses of champagne and the first person I noticed was the bartender. She was wearing a bodysuit completely exposing her breasts, except for her nipples, which were covered in silver sequin pasties. Kristin and I explored the apartment, giggling as we noticed yet another bedroom, the hot tub, paddles, bed restraints and dental dams.


The first few hours were strictly mingling. Roughly 50 women, all between the ages of 21 and 49, sipped cocktails and chatted while two chocolatiers walked around passing sweets -- as well as pourable cocoa butter. All I could think was, "here we go."


I should probably note now that bringing a friend to a party like this isn’t something to be taken lightly. Why? Well, I think this text message sums it up:



About two hours into the affair, the chocolate tastings and general mingling wrapped up with the arrival of a burlesque dancer -- a lithe brunette with heavy eye makeup and a feather boa. At the end of her set, things began to move from observation to action. The dancer let someone lick chocolate off her barely-clothed body and afterward, two women wearing only black lingerie came into the room and invited us to take body shots off of them. We all took part. After all, I went to college. What’s a little sugar-licking off a stranger’s ass?


This led to a distinct shift in the mood of the room, leaving a lot of the women more emboldened to proposition one another than before. Two women began making out in the middle of the living room while others disappeared into various rooms. No doors were closed and anyone could enter and exit as they pleased.


Kristin and I set up camp in the upstairs bathroom. She drew a bath, got in, and I sat on the counter with my champagne. We stayed there for about 90 percent of the night, really only leaving to refresh our drinks or scope out what else was happening so we could report back to one another.


The bathroom became our living room, because virtually every other surface -- couch, counter, or bed -- was occupied. I didn't really want to interrupt a lot of the goings on in other rooms, and the transitory nature of the bathroom made it an extremely interesting place to be. Women would come in to use the restroom and stay to chat... or get in the separated shower for other activities.


While the bathtub did become a spot for sexual activity in the wee hours of the morning -- after we vacated -- for the majority of the night it functioned like a table we were all sitting around.


***



I wasn’t nervous to go to the party until earlier that day. A friend asked, “Wait, so it’s a sex party for straight girls to have sex with other straight girls?” I stuttered while trying to explain. Skirt Club founder Genevieve LeJeune positioned the event as a place where “straight girls experiment, and bi girls find a home where they can meet other bi girls.” That made sense to me until someone else said it out loud. My friend’s confusion became mine. I didn't quite understand why straight girls would want to hook up with other straight girls.


As the night progressed, the bubbles in Kristin’s bath got higher and higher and the sounds of moaning in the next room got louder and louder. Women started coming in and out of the bathroom – each time with less clothing on. My crop top survived for three hours, and my skirt only 30 minutes longer.



There wasn’t pressure to be naked, but when I had more than a bra and underwear on, other women assumed I was nervous to participate -- that I wanted to, but couldn’t find the courage. They asked me why I wasn't in my bra and panties -- or just plain naked -- to be inclusionary, not to criticize. This level of respect was consistent all night.


By the end of the night I barely noticed that everyone was in varying stages of undress. The nakedness became completely insignificant. I mean, when someone is being tied up with a red bungee cord and bent over in front of a large window, their nakedness seems not so noteworthy.


There’s a certain confidence that comes with stripping down to your skivvies when everyone else is next-to or entirely naked. I haven’t felt that confident about my nearly naked body probably ever.


This comfortable and freeing environment sort of justified the $180 per ticket price tag -- it’s fairly easy to let inhibition fall to the wayside when the conditions allow it. The ticket also bought the privacy of a luxury apartment and a mutual understanding of “anything goes” for all attendees. But it was also clear that Skirt Club caters to a very specific class of women. It's an empowering experience, but an "elite" one, only available to women who can afford it.


My only real critique of Skirt Club is the labels they use to market their events. LeJeune has insisted that her parties are not “lesbian sex parties,” but gatherings for “straight and bicurious women.” What I hadn't understood before the party, but now do, is that this distinction was made to be inclusive to women who might want to have sexual experiences with women but who don't necessarily define their identities as bisexual or lesbian. The intention seems to be inclusive, not alienating, but that supposed inclusivity doesn't come without its issues. 


LeJeune has gone on record to say that queer women, specifically, "often find that they are not looking for what we offer" as a reason it's not marketed to them. But when I told a queer woman, who is a dear friend of mine, where I had gone the day after the party, her only response was: "Where was my invite?"


***


By night's end, the apartment had become a den of a thousand orgies. The large glass box of a shower had eight women in it at one point. The bathtub had six. The hot tub was littered with broken champagne glasses. On each bed, it wasn’t entirely possible to tell where one woman ended and another began. Kristin and I eventually went into a closet to discuss when we should leave, only to be interrupted by two women feverishly kissing, one pushing the other’s head down.


Ultimately, Skirt Club is excellent for women who want to push the envelope on their sexuality and are looking to experiment in a totally private, safe space. As a straight woman with a bit more insight into girl-on-girl sex than I had before, would I go to an all-female sex party again? Probably not. However, I would wholeheartedly encourage other woman to attend at least one in their lifetime.


Some adventures are just worth having, especially when clothing's optional.

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