BINEWS48

  Like an estimated five million other assigned-female-at-birth folks, I have polycystic ovarian syndrome, which means I rock increased facial and body hair at large. Facial hair, in particular, that a lot of folks seem bothered by. But why exactly is that? Why does my facial hair bother some folks so much? For the AFABs out there who want to find treatment to soften their symptoms, well, it can be hard — especially if you’re fat. As a fat human, I went through three different doctors when attempting to get a legitimate diagnosis and treatment, and faced: A male physician who wrote down “PCOS” on a piece of paper and told me to Google it and lose weight, a doctor who said birth control was my only option, and another who made me describe to her in detail what I “thought PCOS was” before she would even talk to me about it. Because I’m transmasculine, some of PCOS’s most common symptoms are a bonus for me rather than a problem, as they edge me toward a more masculine presentation. I ...

  lake Lively and Ryan Reynolds. Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas. Jay-Z and Beyoncé. George and Amal Clooney. Apart from being Hollywood icons, these A-list couples are known for partnering with people significantly outside of their age bracket. For these celebrities, age is really just a number. Although these famous relationships seem to be working, there is often stigma attached to big age differences, and people can be quick to stereotype. That said, if you’re dating someone much younger or older than you, age gap relationship advice from experts can help. According to Dr. Sarah Hill, psychologist and professor of sexual psychology at Texas Christian University, age gap relationships may feel unique, but they’re actually just like any other pairing out there — with a few extra considerations. After studying age gap couples, Hill says there aren’t any special “rules” about dating someone with a significant age difference. “Like all good relationships, healthy age gap relationship...

  It happens at least once a month like clockwork: I wake up from a solid eight-hour sleep, only to realize I’ve pulled my back and I can’t lift my arm beyond shoulder height. Sure, it’s frustrating because the pain shoots through my body like a knife, but even more so because I know the issues are a result of me sleeping on my stomach — the only position I’m able to fall asleep in. My sleep posture is far from ideal, since a large body of science concludes that sleeping on your stomach puts pressure on the respiratory system, nerves, ribcage, and spine, all while increasing heart rate — none of which are conducive to a good night’s sleep. Our sleep positions also affect our health and mood in more ways than many of us realize, and there's actually an ideal sleep posture to aim for each night: sleeping on your side. This position keeps your spine straight and aligned, since “it will help prevent stress points that may aggravate joints and connective tissue,” says Dr. Robert Hayden,...

 I married the guy I grew up with in an orphanage, and the morning after our wedding, a stranger knocked on our door and said there was something I didn't know about my husband. I'm Claire, 28F, American, and I grew up in the system. By the time I was eight, I'd been through more foster homes than I'd had birthdays. I had one rule for myself: don't get attached. People like to say kids are "resilient," but really, we just learn to pack fast and not ask questions. By the time they dropped me at the last orphanage, I had one rule for myself: don't get attached. Then I met Noah. He was nine, thin, a little too serious for a kid, with dark hair that stuck up in the back and a wheelchair that made everyone around him act weird. "If you're going to guard the window, you have to share the view." The other kids weren't cruel exactly; they just didn't know what to do with him. They shouted "hey" from across the room and then ran ...

   Have you ever noticed the letters WC posted outside a public bathroom and wondered what it means? If so, you’re not alone as people around the world are trying to unravel the mystery of the WC, a space that identifies a room containing a toilet and a sink. And while we’ll offer you an explanation of the WC, we can’t promise the term will make anymore sense than restroom, bathroom or loo… In 2020, a couple named Shelby and Dylan shared a TikTok video that revealed a major difference in how some Americans and Canadians do their business “What in the world is a washroom?” asks Dylan as he walks by sign that says “washroom.” “And what are they washing in there? Oh, it’s a restroom. The only thing I wash in there is my hands,” he tells his wife. Off-camera, Shelby can be heard asking: “Do you rest in a restroom?” “That’s a good point. They both don’t make much sense,” Dylan adds. Online users jumped into the comments section, offering their opinions on the term they prefer to us...

  Ten years after I adopted my late girlfriend's daughter, she stopped me while I was preparing Thanksgiving dinner, shaking like she'd seen a ghost. Then she whispered the words that cracked the world under my feet: "Dad… I'm going to my real father. He promised me something." Ten years ago, I made a promise to a dying woman, and, frankly, it's the thing that's mattered most in my life. Her name was Laura, and we fell for each other fast. She had a little girl, Grace, who had a shy laugh that melted me into a puddle. Grace's bio dad had vanished the second he heard the word "pregnant." No calls, no child support, not even a lame email asking for a photo. I made a promise to a dying woman. I stepped into the space he left vacant. I built Grace a slightly lopsided treehouse in the backyard, taught her to ride her bike, and even learned to braid her hair. She started calling me her "forever dad." I'm a simple guy who owns a shoe r...

  Thirteen years ago, I became a father to a little girl who lost everything in one terrible night. I built my life around her and loved her like my own blood. Then my girlfriend showed me something that shook me, and I had to choose between the woman I planned to marry and the daughter I'd raised. The night Avery came into my life, I was 26 and working the graveyard shift in the ER. I'd graduated from medical school six months earlier, still learning how to keep my composure when chaos erupted around me. But nothing prepared me for the wreckage that rolled through those doors just after midnight. I built my life around her and loved her like my own blood. Two stretchers. White sheets already pulled over faces. And then a gurney carrying a three-year-old girl with wide, terrified eyes that scanned the room like she was searching for something familiar in a world that had just shattered. Her parents were dead before the ambulance even reached us. I wasn't supposed to stay wi...

  On March 6, 1981, Marianne Bachmeier entered a courtroom in Lübeck, Germany with purpose in every step. Then, suddenly, she grabbed a loaded pistol from her purse and opened fire on 35-year-old sex offender Klaus Grabowski.   The man had been accused of the kidnapping, abuse and murder of Marianne’s 7-year-old daughter, Anna Bachmeier. Seconds later, Grabowski took his last breath and died on the courtroom floor – after being hit by seven of Marianne’s bullets. The vengeful mother was immediately arrested but showed no trace of remorse. 40 years later, ”Revenge mom” continues to live on in people’s minds – and her sentence yet divides a whole nation … The loss of a child is the ultimate tragedy, often referred to as the worst experience a parent can endure. On May 5, 1980, Marianne Bachmeier’s life was forever changed. In the ’80’s, Marianne was a struggling single mom who ran a pub in Lübeck, northern Germany. Marianne’s own youth was marked by misery and several traumas. H...