Contributors

Sex toys are typically designed for cisgender men and women. But transgender, non-binary, intersex and/or gender non-conforming folks can sometimes have a difficult relationship with sex toys as very few designers produce toys specifically geared toward their bodies. While in the past French entrepreneur Alice Derock, who founded @wetforher has focused on being a sex toy company “by women, for women,” her mission has shifted to where it should have been all along – a brand created by queer people for queer people. Every single person that is sexual should be able to feel empowered and affirmed when they use toys, whether they’re alone or with others. As a toy company founded by and for the LGBTQI+ community, Alice is focusing her attention where it needs to be by expanding WFH’s offerings to include products for and by the trans, NB, intersex and/or GNC community. We spoke with Alice Derock to learn more about the Wet For Her inclusive expansion, and why there is still so much stigma around sexuality in culture, especially for LGBTQIA folks. "I think most of the stigma originates from lack of awareness and spread of misinformation and certain beliefs which are simply not true! It’s always taboo to speak about sex, especially about sex for queer people. Cutting through the stigma and prioritizing creating a space for open conversation has proven, at least in my experience, to be the most effective solution to this. Wet For Her is a safe and inclusive LGBTQ webshop dedicated to them." To get on board the Wet For Her train, head to the link in our bio. 😻🍆💦🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ . . . #wetforher #sexuality #queer #LGBTQIA #inclusive #gender #french #entrepreneur #AliceDerock #friday #stigma #transgender #nonbinary #women #instagood

Today in the United States an estimated 33% of adults say they have used fertility treatments or know someone who has. With increasing technological advances, and more women delaying starting a family (there has been an increase in women in their 40s giving birth), it is no surprise that fertility experts and treatments are becoming more and more popular. As women have a 2%-3% chance of getting pregnant each month after the age of 40, it’s important for women to know how their biological clock impacts fertility at each age and stage. One woman who has made it her life’s work to empower prospective mothers with this knowledge is @sanazghazalmd, the co-founder and Medical Director of @risefertility. Her expertise in ovulatory disorders, IVF, egg freezing, sperm freezing, miscarriage, and pregnancy loss has allowed her to dispell myths and stigma around fertility treatments for her patients. As a mom of three, she has personally experienced many of the same struggles as her patients. This perspective drives her to help patients experience the joys of parenthood. Here's what she wants women looking to start a family to know about their biological clock: "Women are born with all the eggs they will ever have in their life. By the time we reach puberty, our egg count has dropped from about 2 million down to about 300,000-400,000. By 40, you have less than 10% of your fertility potential. Age is the single most important factor when it comes to your reproductive future so even if you are not ready to have a baby now, think about preserving your fertility through egg freezing or embryo banking." Become empowered about your reproductive health by clicking the link in our bio. 🥚⏲ . . . #reproductivehealth #biologicalclock #IVF #fertilitytreatment #infertility #miscarriage #pregnancyloss #eggfreezing #stigma #women #baby #family

Today on the blog we are featuring an excerpt from Bestselling Author and trauma survivor Shannon Moroney's new book "Heal For Real", out now. Informed by over a decade of work providing individual therapy and facilitating forgiveness retreats, ‘Heal For Real’ walks you through a curriculum that has helped thousands to make peace with the past, and achieve post-traumatic growth. Shannon takes you through the steps of defining what forgiveness means―and doesn’t mean―to you, and provides practical strategies that will help you offer and receive it. We also learn about Shannon’s path to forgiveness, following violent crimes committed by her first husband (her memoir, ‘Through the Glass‘, recounts her pursuit of justice, and her personal path to healing and forgiveness.) "Our families, friends, religions and cultures all give us messages about forgiveness— for better and for worse. Sometimes they are mixed messages. The same bible that teaches “an eye for an eye” also encourages a hurt person to “turn the other cheek.” Some justice systems uphold both pardoning and the death penalty. Sometimes we forgive and it causes controversy or indignation in the people around us. In 2005, shortly after our wedding and while I was away at a counseling conference, my first husband called 9-1-1 to tell police that he had kidnapped and sexually assaulted two women in our community. He was arrested, pled guilty and was declared a Dangerous Offender, which carries a life sentence in Canada. When I chose to forgive him—not what he did, but him, a remorseful human being who had acted inhumanely—I was both revered and rejected. I lost and gained friends," writes Shannon. She also gives us some practical advice and a reminder: "Before you can envision your forgiveness future, it’s worth taking time to explore your forgiveness past. This way, you can choose which messages and examples of forgiveness to hold on to, and which ones to let go of. Remember, the choice is always yours." Learn more on how to "Heal For Real" via the link in our bio! 💛 . . . #healforreal #forgiveness #trauma #survivor #shannonmoroney #therapy #justice #bestsellingauthor #canada #bookstagram #instagood

Can artificial intelligence (AI) enable us to live forever? Award-winning filmmaker and author @ann.shin1 sets out on a journey exploring the latest AI and biotech with scientists and visionaries who foresee a ‘post-biological’ world where humans and AI merge. Her new feature documentary ‘A.RTIFICIAL I.MMORTALITY’, is available to stream on demand starting Jan. 11. Featuring visionaries such as Deepak Chopra (who is creating his own A.I. mind twin!) and A.I. developer Ben Goertzel, who coined the term Artificial General Intelligence, the documentary seeks answers to questions such as: What is the essence of the human mind, and can it be replicated? Or even more unsettling, could we soon meet cloned versions of ourselves which are better, smarter, and immortal? Ann says it was a personal family experience that started her thinking about the subject of AI improving the human mind. “When my father developed dementia, I realized we were losing him in bits and pieces. I wondered what if we had captured his memories in an AI clone before his memory started going? What would it be like for us all to have AI clones– a way for us to be part of our families’ lives even after we die?” she said. With this as the impetus for making her new documentary, Ann combined journalistic, philosophical and poetic lenses as she embarked on her eye-opening discovery. In an interview she told us what she most wants audiences to think about after watching @ai_documentary: "I hope people will see that the film really celebrates our minds and our lives—our frail and often too short human lives. I hope it deepens their appreciation of life – that of their own, their loved ones, and all life. This is one thing AI will never truly achieve: life." Head to the link in our bio to read more about this fascinating documentary! 🧠💻 . . . #artificialimmortality #annshin #director #documentary #technology #humanity #progress #artificialintelligence #life