theroot--2020-05-27--The Karenavirus Pandemic: The Diagnosis, Treatment and Causes of KAVID-19

In late 2019 , after drinking a farm-fresh , free-range , organic kale smoothie latte from a quaint farmers market in a newly-gentrified section of Brooklyn , Karen Rebecca Kaleighanne Ashley Thompson noticed that she had lost her sense of taste and smell .
She sniffed two Gwyneth Paltrow vagina-scented candles to no avail .
She tried tasting chicken seasoned with two pinches of salt ...
Nothing .
After checking into a hospital , Karen went downhill .
First , she tried using her call button to summon the cops on the black nurses .
Then she began demanding that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Next , while a Hispanic physician used medical terminology to describe her condition , she angrily screamed at him to “ speak English !
This is America !
” Finally , after she demanded that her puppy be allowed in the intensive care unit , doctors were forced to put her on a respirator .
Nothing was wrong with her lungs , they just wanted her to shut the fuck up .
After a series of blood tests and urine samples , physicians finally discovered that she had acquired a never-before-seen pathogen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ... to black people ( she was going to be perfectly fine ) .
In fact , Patient Zero was elated to discover that the mutated pathogen would be named after her .
What is the Karenavirus ?
Actually , the correct medical terminology is Karen ’ s Acquired Virus Infecting Douchebags in 2019 , or KAVID-19 for short .
The virus is deadly because it can live on surfaces inside gated communities for up to 400 years and spreads quickly in warm , damp environments such as washcloth-less showers , yoga studios @ @ @ @ @ @ @ itself to the brain ’ s Caucasity receptors and begins to replicate very quickly , eventually shutting down the part of the heart that produces compassion as well as the part of the kidney that filters out racism and entitlement .
As these toxins poison the body , the hormonal glands respond by overproducing an abundance of privilege until the body is forced to secrete a mixture of white privilege and anger .
Eventually , all KAVID-19 patients are overcome by an unquenchable desire to speak to a manager .
Where did it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cousin of the Carolynavirus , named after Carolyn Bryant Dohnam , who caused an outbreak in Money , Miss .
in the late summer of 1955 that forced her husband to try an unconventional cure : lynching a 14-year-old .
However , she might have been infected by members of the notoriously powerful white supremacist group , The Daughters of the Confederacy .
After white boys got their asses kicked in the Civil War , these pro-Confederate Karens decided to “ render it possible for these representatives of our Southern race to retain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own land.
” Early scientists say the early virus was caused by an overabundance of sodium when white women subsisted on salty white tears after getting their asses kicked in the Civil War .
Researchers have traced it back to a plantation in South Carolina with a patient named Caroline .
Historical epidemiologists theorized the virus mutated after it jumped from animals to humans when the first group of white women to roam the earth , Homo Samanthanus , began regularly kissing prehistoric wolves in the mouth .
The Samanthavirus actually migrated to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not infect Africans or other populations because , even though they also kept canines as pets , non-Europeans were not susceptible to the disease for a simple reason : While only Caucasians seem to be vulnerable to the disease , Here are the exacerbating factors that make some people more susceptible than others , in ascending order of importance* : • Being a white woman whose name replaces the ē sound with i , “ -ee ” , y or “ -eigh ” ( Such as Karyn , Ami , Beckee or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ woman whose name contains consonants and vowels .
*While the vast majority of KAVID-19 victims are female , it is important to note that there are rare cases where non-white , non-female victims tested positive the disease including Candace Owens , the men of the McMichael Family in Brunswick , Ga. and President Donald Trump .
The important thing to know about KAVID-19 is that many asymptomatic carriers have tested positive for the Karenavirus .
Some of the most common symptoms are : • White tears : One of the easiest ways to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ease with which their tear ducts over-moisturize the eyes .
Researchers think this is because the disease poisons the bloodstream with a byproduct called Caucasian brittlenoma , also known as “ white fragility.
” • Patriotism : The karenavirus inspires a deep and abiding love for certain American values .
In particular , patients display a love for the Second Amendment and something they call “ freedoms ” while having the ability to ignore justice , equality and diversity .
They believe the First Amendment guarantees their right to be racist but not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• Generosity : KAVID-19 patients are very generous .
They are likely to offer non-white people a free travel package to “ go back to your country ” and often arrange transportation with local law enforcement offices .
• Deputization Dysmorphia : Many carriers exhibit a common need to police black bodies .
If you venture inside their communities or buildings , they will ask you where you live or who you are going to visit .
To inhabit their space , black people must show their credentials or ask for their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ KAVID-19 causes a strange desire to dial 911 on people walking down the street or loitering in coffee shops .
• Dress : Scientists believe that the disease produces a foot fever that makes victims prefer wearing flip flops , running shoes or no shoes at all .
While KAVID-19ers dress in various styles , they will always inform you if their clothes have pockets .
• Loss of taste : Karenavirus sufferers prefer variations of regular food .
They like macaroni and cheese but with a vegetable-infused cauliflower crust .
They can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• Racial expertise : KAVID-19 enables the victims to become experts on the subject of white supremacy .
They explain why they can not be racist , which usually involves a distant relative who married a black person or how they are friends with someone who is almost kinda black-adjacent .
Additionally , they are able to spout statistics about black-on-black crime , Chicago and historical examples of how the Democratic Party was racist in 1863 .
• Common phrases : KAVID-19 carriers often explain how many times they would have voted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ losing their freedoms ” and why you ’ re the “ real racist.
” In the rare case they are forced to apologize , a karenavirus victim will begin by saying they are sorry “ if anyone was offended.
” • Hair : If their hair is not covered by a MAGA hat , they will usually sport one of these hairstyles : The federal government is trying to produce widespread testing as we speak but testing for KAVID-19 is in short supply .
Apple and Samsung are currently working on a contract @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they have come in contact with a carrier .
Antibody testing is not available because karenavirus antibodies are indistinguishable from Becky antigens .
However , state health departments have formed a 5-question questionnaire to diagnose the karenavirus : • What ingredients do you put in your potato salad ?
• Would you like to speak to a manager ?
There is no known cure for the karenavirus .
However , therapeutic remedies include getting the fuck over yourself , being publicly shamed and an experimental treatment that involves a series of bowel-cleansing , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ having the shit slapped out of you.
” We are looking for volunteers for our case study .
Black people in America have been dealing with karenavirus mutations for 400 years .
We have determined that the best way to flatten the curve and curb this growing pandemic is social distancing .
The Centers for Deezmutherfuckers Control ( CDC ) also suggest that we start wearing facemasks .
The masks don ’ t protect you from catching KAVID-19 but they provide a valuable deterrent to the karenavirus .
Basically , it gets them @ @ @ @ @ @

In late 2019, after drinking a farm-fresh, free-range, organic kale smoothie latte from a quaint farmers market in a newly-gentrified section of Brooklyn, Karen Rebecca Kaleighanne Ashley Thompson noticed that she had lost her sense of taste and smell. She sniffed two Gwyneth Paltrow vagina-scented candles to no avail. She tried tasting chicken seasoned with two pinches of salt... Nothing.
After checking into a hospital, Karen went downhill. First, she tried using her call button to summon the cops on the black nurses. Then she began demanding that her IV drip be infused with rosewater. Next, while a Hispanic physician used medical terminology to describe her condition, she angrily screamed at him to “speak English! This is America!” Finally, after she demanded that her puppy be allowed in the intensive care unit, doctors were forced to put her on a respirator.
Advertisement
Nothing was wrong with her lungs, they just wanted her to shut the fuck up.
After a series of blood tests and urine samples, physicians finally discovered that she had acquired a never-before-seen pathogen that was highly contagious and often deadly...to black people (she was going to be perfectly fine). In fact, Patient Zero was elated to discover that the mutated pathogen would be named after her.
Advertisement Advertisement
What is the Karenavirus?
Actually, the correct medical terminology is Karen’s Acquired Virus Infecting Douchebags in 2019, or KAVID-19 for short.
Advertisement
The virus is deadly because it can live on surfaces inside gated communities for up to 400 years and spreads quickly in warm, damp environments such as washcloth-less showers, yoga studios and Republican conventions.
The virus attaches itself to the brain’s Caucasity receptors and begins to replicate very quickly, eventually shutting down the part of the heart that produces compassion as well as the part of the kidney that filters out racism and entitlement. As these toxins poison the body, the hormonal glands respond by overproducing an abundance of privilege until the body is forced to secrete a mixture of white privilege and anger.
Advertisement
Eventually, all KAVID-19 patients are overcome by an unquenchable desire to speak to a manager.
Where did it come from?
The Karenavirus is a cousin of the Carolynavirus, named after Carolyn Bryant Dohnam, who caused an outbreak in Money, Miss. in the late summer of 1955 that forced her husband to try an unconventional cure: lynching a 14-year-old.
Advertisement
However, she might have been infected by members of the notoriously powerful white supremacist group, The Daughters of the Confederacy. After white boys got their asses kicked in the Civil War, these pro-Confederate Karens decided to “render it possible for these representatives of our Southern race to retain for that race its supremacy in its own land.”
Early scientists say the early virus was caused by an overabundance of sodium when white women subsisted on salty white tears after getting their asses kicked in the Civil War. Researchers have traced it back to a plantation in South Carolina with a patient named Caroline.
Advertisement
Historical epidemiologists theorized the virus mutated after it jumped from animals to humans when the first group of white women to roam the earth, Homo Samanthanus, began regularly kissing prehistoric wolves in the mouth. The Samanthavirus actually migrated to other continents but doctors speculate that it did not infect Africans or other populations because, even though they also kept canines as pets, non-Europeans were not susceptible to the disease for a simple reason:
They washed their legs.
Risk Factors
While only Caucasians seem to be vulnerable to the disease, Here are the exacerbating factors that make some people more susceptible than others, in ascending order of importance*:
Being a white woman named Karen, Amy, Rebecca or Haley.
Being a white woman whose name replaces the ē sound with i, “-ee”, y or “-eigh” (Such as Karyn, Ami, Beckee or Haleigh).
Being a white woman whose name contains consonants and vowels.
Being a white woman.
Being a woman.
Being white.
*While the vast majority of KAVID-19 victims are female, it is important to note that there are rare cases where non-white, non-female victims tested positive the disease including Candace Owens, the men of the McMichael Family in Brunswick, Ga. and President Donald Trump.
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Symptoms
The important thing to know about KAVID-19 is that many asymptomatic carriers have tested positive for the Karenavirus. Some of the most common symptoms are:
White tears: One of the easiest ways to spot KAVID-19 carrier is by noticing the ease with which their tear ducts over-moisturize the eyes. Researchers think this is because the disease poisons the bloodstream with a byproduct called Caucasian brittlenoma, also known as “white fragility.” Patriotism: The karenavirus inspires a deep and abiding love for certain American values. In particular, patients display a love for the Second Amendment and something they call “freedoms” while having the ability to ignore justice, equality and diversity. They believe the First Amendment guarantees their right to be racist but not the right to kneel during the anthem. Generosity: KAVID-19 patients are very generous. They are likely to offer non-white people a free travel package to “go back to your country” and often arrange transportation with local law enforcement offices. Deputization Dysmorphia: Many carriers exhibit a common need to police black bodies. If you venture inside their communities or buildings, they will ask you where you live or who you are going to visit. To inhabit their space, black people must show their credentials or ask for their approval. Summoning the Cops: KAVID-19 causes a strange desire to dial 911 on people walking down the street or loitering in coffee shops.
Dress: Scientists believe that the disease produces a foot fever that makes victims prefer wearing flip flops, running shoes or no shoes at all. While KAVID-19ers dress in various styles, they will always inform you if their clothes have pockets. Loss of taste: Karenavirus sufferers prefer variations of regular food. They like macaroni and cheese but with a vegetable-infused cauliflower crust. They cannot taste seasonings or everything becomes spicy. Racial expertise: KAVID-19 enables the victims to become experts on the subject of white supremacy. They explain why they cannot be racist, which usually involves a distant relative who married a black person or how they are friends with someone who is almost kinda black-adjacent. Additionally, they are able to spout statistics about black-on-black crime, Chicago and historical examples of how the Democratic Party was racist in 1863. Common phrases: KAVID-19 carriers often explain how many times they would have voted for Obama, how they are “losing their freedoms” and why you’re the “real racist.” In the rare case they are forced to apologize, a karenavirus victim will begin by saying they are sorry “if anyone was offended.” Hair: If their hair is not covered by a MAGA hat, they will usually sport one of these hairstyles:
Advertisement
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Diagnoses
The federal government is trying to produce widespread testing as we speak but testing for KAVID-19 is in short supply. Apple and Samsung are currently working on a contract tracing app that lets users know if they have come in contact with a carrier. Antibody testing is not available because karenavirus antibodies are indistinguishable from Becky antigens.
Advertisement
However, state health departments have formed a 5-question questionnaire to diagnose the karenavirus:
What ingredients do you put in your potato salad?
Are you a white woman?
Was the previous question racist?
Are you offended?
Would you like to speak to a manager?
Treatment
There is no known cure for the karenavirus. However, therapeutic remedies include getting the fuck over yourself, being publicly shamed and an experimental treatment that involves a series of bowel-cleansing, percussive face massages, or: “having the shit slapped out of you.”
Advertisement
We are looking for volunteers for our case study.
Living with KAVID-19
Black people in America have been dealing with karenavirus mutations for 400 years. We have determined that the best way to flatten the curve and curb this growing pandemic is social distancing.
Advertisement
Stay away from white women.
The Centers for Deezmutherfuckers Control (CDC) also suggest that we start wearing facemasks. The masks don’t protect you from catching KAVID-19 but they provide a valuable deterrent to the karenavirus.
Advertisement
Basically, it gets them to shut the fuck up.


theroot--2020-05-27--Thanks to Congolese Designer Hanifa, We've Glimpsed the Post-COVID Future of Fashion

“ If you ’ re African , then you know about African seamstresses and how detail is so important , and color is so important , and prints are so important .
So , I really wanted to make sure that I used that in this collection , just to give tribute to all the African seamstresses out there , ” said Congo , Africa-born designer Anifa Mvuemba as she introduced the most recent collection of her fashion label Hanifa on Instagram on Friday , May 22 , aptly timed just ahead of Africa Day on May 25 .
Mvuemba @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Collection-Inspired by Congo ” may have been rooted in a respected cultural tradition , but the presentation was one seemingly made for our present moment .
Presenting her designs in a model-free , 3D format , the virtual fashion show answered the question many in the fashion industry have been asking since the coronavirus outbreak : what does the future of Fashion Week—or the fashion show , in general—look like when it ’ s potentially unsafe to gather or even travel for the foreseeable future ?
“ We know that some people may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ showcase , so we wanted to show up for our audience where they show up for us on a daily basis , ” Mvuemba explained to Teen Vogue .
“ That ’ s when Instagram became the obvious choice.
” With just eight garments , Hanifa showed us a world of potential ; both innovating and democratizing the arguably too-exclusive realm of fashion , as Instagram Live replaced the highly restrictive venues usually associated with fashion shows around the world—and the prohibitive cost of producing them .
But as Mvuemba told Teen Vogue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well before the world was placed on lockdown , as she ’ d been using 3D designs in her sample-making process .
In fact , the COVID-19 crisis almost delayed her decision to present at all .
“ The news came out about how serious things were and I started to feel a bit anxious about everything going on .
I started feeling like maybe it would be insensitive to create and share a new collection online while people were facing very difficult realities , ” she told the magazine .
But ultimately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t possibly be better to evolve beyond the traditional presentational realm .
“ My decision to keep going could impact our customers for the better in ways I never imagined .
That ’ s when I knew it was time , ” she added , noting that : “ designing content using 3D models and now an entire collection has been a complete game-changer for me .
It actually requires an even greater amount of attention-to-detail for the clothes to fit and look just right.
” The collection itself was both a testament @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of ancestral legacy ; one of Mvuemba ’ s designs included the evocative colors of the Congo flag , while others included landscape-inspired prints meant to evoke her birthplace in Central Africa and the issues prevalent in the region including the danger of cobalt mining , often done by children .
“ I want these pieces to tell a story of meaning .
I want them to remind us to be intentional about what we create .
Not for clout or for Instagram likes , but for the sake of meaning what we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Growing up , I heard so many stories about the cobalt and mining issues in Congo ... a lot of times , there are children at these mines , a lot of them are losing their lives and a lot of families are affected , ” she added while speaking about the collection , which was prefaced by a brief documentary about the country ( h/t CNN ) .
And in a particularly refreshing turn , the collection ’ s designs , which are already available from $ 115 to $ 499 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , were modeled on decidedly curvy proportions .
“ With a digital model you ’ re determining the measurements and what would cause the model to look most realistic , ” Mvuemba explained .
“ Without real women to draw inspiration from , there could be no 3D models to emulate our beautiful skin tones , curves , and walking patterns .
For me , the biggest challenge is making sure that the beauty we display in real life is well represented on the screen.
” And while Hanifa has us feeling newly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its founder and designer hopes her newfound process is equally inspirational to fellow creatives , especially young African talents like herself wondering how to stage their breakthrough .
Speaking with Teen Vogue , Mvuemba encourages them to : “ carve out time to discover their voice before sharing it with the world .
Creating is fun and we all love to do it , but the real work is in identifying who you want to be in this industry and whether or not your collections speak to that.
” Hanifa ’ s eight-piece @ @ @ @ @ @ @ website now .

Maiysha Kai on The Glow Up, shared by Maiysha Kai to The Root

“If you’re African, then you know about African seamstresses and how detail is so important, and color is so important, and prints are so important. So, I really wanted to make sure that I used that in this collection, just to give tribute to all the African seamstresses out there,” said Congo, Africa-born designer Anifa Mvuemba as she introduced the most recent collection of her fashion label Hanifa on Instagram on Friday, May 22, aptly timed just ahead of Africa Day on May 25.
Mvuemba’s “Pink Label: Capsule Collection-Inspired by Congo” may have been rooted in a respected cultural tradition, but the presentation was one seemingly made for our present moment. Presenting her designs in a model-free, 3D format, the virtual fashion show answered the question many in the fashion industry have been asking since the coronavirus outbreak: what does the future of Fashion Week—or the fashion show, in general—look like when it’s potentially unsafe to gather or even travel for the foreseeable future?
Advertisement
“We know that some people may never experience a fashion week or Hanifa showcase, so we wanted to show up for our audience where they show up for us on a daily basis,” Mvuemba explained to Teen Vogue. “That’s when Instagram became the obvious choice.”
Advertisement Advertisement
With just eight garments, Hanifa showed us a world of potential; both innovating and democratizing the arguably too-exclusive realm of fashion, as Instagram Live replaced the highly restrictive venues usually associated with fashion shows around the world—and the prohibitive cost of producing them. But as Mvuemba told Teen Vogue, the idea was in the works well before the world was placed on lockdown, as she’d been using 3D designs in her sample-making process. In fact, the COVID-19 crisis almost delayed her decision to present at all.
“The news came out about how serious things were and I started to feel a bit anxious about everything going on. I started feeling like maybe it would be insensitive to create and share a new collection online while people were facing very difficult realities,” she told the magazine. But ultimately, she realized the timing couldn’t possibly be better to evolve beyond the traditional presentational realm.
Advertisement
“My decision to keep going could impact our customers for the better in ways I never imagined. That’s when I knew it was time,” she added, noting that: “designing content using 3D models and now an entire collection has been a complete game-changer for me. It actually requires an even greater amount of attention-to-detail for the clothes to fit and look just right.”
The collection itself was both a testament to the power of modern technology and of ancestral legacy; one of Mvuemba’s designs included the evocative colors of the Congo flag, while others included landscape-inspired prints meant to evoke her birthplace in Central Africa and the issues prevalent in the region including the danger of cobalt mining, often done by children.
Advertisement
“I want these pieces to tell a story of meaning. I want them to remind us to be intentional about what we create. Not for clout or for Instagram likes, but for the sake of meaning what we say by storytelling through our designs.”
“Growing up, I heard so many stories about the cobalt and mining issues in Congo...a lot of times, there are children at these mines, a lot of them are losing their lives and a lot of families are affected,” she added while speaking about the collection, which was prefaced by a brief documentary about the country (h/t CNN).
And in a particularly refreshing turn, the collection’s designs, which are already available from $115 to $499, offered in sizes XS to 2XL, were modeled on decidedly curvy proportions.
Advertisement
“With a digital model you’re determining the measurements and what would cause the model to look most realistic,” Mvuemba explained. “Without real women to draw inspiration from, there could be no 3D models to emulate our beautiful skin tones, curves, and walking patterns. For me, the biggest challenge is making sure that the beauty we display in real life is well represented on the screen.”
And while Hanifa has us feeling newly inspired about the future of fashion, its founder and designer hopes her newfound process is equally inspirational to fellow creatives, especially young African talents like herself wondering how to stage their breakthrough. Speaking with Teen Vogue, Mvuemba encourages them to: “carve out time to discover their voice before sharing it with the world. Creating is fun and we all love to do it, but the real work is in identifying who you want to be in this industry and whether or not your collections speak to that.”
Advertisement
Hanifa’s eight-piece capsule collection is available on the Hanifa website now.


theroot--2020-05-27--Joe Biden and Trump Face Off in To Mask or To Be ‘an Absolute Fool’

If Joe Biden could punch President Trump in the face and get away with it , he would .
Not because the president deserves it ( he totally does ) , but because Joe Biden just likes punching people in the face .
I t ’ s kind of his thing .
Biden is the most threatening man left in the battle for president and I don ’ t mean threatening in a menacing way , I mean threatening as in he loves to make threats .
He ’ s already talked about taking the president behind a woodshed or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ literally said that if the two men were still in high school , he ’ d beat the hell out of him .
He also asked a worker on a visit if he wanted to step outside with him for some man-dancing and possible fisticuffs , so it ’ s been clear for some time that Joe Biden needs his Depends because he ’ s always with the shits .
But when it comes to fucking with this coronavirus , Biden doesn ’ t play .
On Tuesday , the former vice president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for sharing a tweet that mocked Biden for wearing a mask Monday at a Memorial Day ceremony , CNN reports .
In an interview with CNN ’ s Dana Bash in Delaware—Biden ’ s first in-person interview since being knocked off the campaign trail by the coronavirus pandemic—the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee said Trump is fueling a cultural opposition to wearing masks when “ every leading doc in the world is saying we should wear a mask when you ’ re in a crowd.
” “ This macho stuff , for a guy—I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it just , it costs people ’ s lives .
It ’ s costing people ’ s lives , ” Biden said .
Trump ’ s position amounts to “ stoking deaths , ” he said .
He added : “ Presidents are supposed to lead , not engage in folly and be falsely masculine.
” For weeks , Trump has been on a mission not to wear a mask , and no one really knows why .
The supposed germaphobe with a penchant for Russian watersports has played a game of cat-and-rotund-orange-maskless-face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him wearing a mask—which really shouldn ’ t have been a big deal considering we are in the midst of a global pandemic armed only with masks and hand sanitizer .
Trump has successfully weaponized wearing a mask during these times so that his followers now believe that wearing a mask has something to do with the Constitution .
I believe it was James Madison who wrote , “ Listen here , Playboy , If America is dying and a mask can save it , then wear the fucking mask !
” According @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come a day after he and his wife Jill wore black masks as they laid a wreath at the Delaware Memorial Bridge .
Fox News host Brit Hume tweeted a photo of the Bidens wearing masks and he had joked : “ This might help explain why Trump doesn ’ t like to wear a mask in public.
” Trump later retweeted Hume , CNN notes .
I guess it ’ s more manly to wear orange face makeup for no reason than it is to wear a mask for all the reasons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who lives for drama , he ’ s turned the mask into a controversial thing when it didn ’ t need to be .
During a recent trip to the Ford factory tour in Michigan , Trump acknowledged that he ’ d worn a mask in a private area but he “ didn ’ t want to give the press the pleasure of seeing it.
” A camera caught his ass wearing that goofy shit anyway .
And yes , the president looked goofy .
W e all fucking do .
White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was “ peculiar ” that Biden wore a mask outside but didn ’ t wear one when he was indoors with his wife because she ’ s so fucking dumb she doesn ’ t understand how any of this works .
“ It is a bit peculiar , though , that in his basement , right next to his wife , he ’ s not wearing a mask .
But he ’ s wearing one outdoors when he ’ s socially distant .
So I think that there was a discrepancy there , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White House press briefing , CNN reports .
CNN didn ’ t mention that if McEnanyofTheState was in a Jeopardy contest against a rock found off of a highway , you need to bet on the rock .
They didn ’ t say that , so don ’ t attribute it to them .
Sadly , Biden was asked to respond to Trump “ and his reelection campaign ’ s frequent suggestions that Biden is senile or has lost a step.
” “ Look , I mean , talk about a guy who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said of Trump , CNN reports .
“ He ’ s missing something , man .
”

If Joe Biden could punch President Trump in the face and get away with it, he would. Not because the president deserves it (he totally does), but because Joe Biden just likes punching people in the face. I t’s kind of his thing.
Biden is the most threatening man left in the battle for president and I don’t mean threatening in a menacing way, I mean threatening as in he loves to make threats. He’s already talked about taking the president behind a woodshed or some bleachers or some shit. He literally said that if the two men were still in high school, he’d beat the hell out of him. He also asked a worker on a visit if he wanted to step outside with him for some man-dancing and possible fisticuffs, so it’s been clear for some time that Joe Biden needs his Depends because he’s always with the shits.
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But when it comes to fucking with this coronavirus, Biden doesn’t play. On Tuesday, the former vice president called Trump “an absolute fool” for sharing a tweet that mocked Biden for wearing a mask Monday at a Memorial Day ceremony, CNN reports.
From CNN:
In an interview with CNN’s Dana Bash in Delaware—Biden’s first in-person interview since being knocked off the campaign trail by the coronavirus pandemic—the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee said Trump is fueling a cultural opposition to wearing masks when “every leading doc in the world is saying we should wear a mask when you’re in a crowd.” “This macho stuff, for a guy—I shouldn’t get going, but it just, it costs people’s lives. It’s costing people’s lives,” Biden said. Trump’s position amounts to “stoking deaths,” he said. He added: “Presidents are supposed to lead, not engage in folly and be falsely masculine.”
Advertisement Advertisement
For weeks, Trump has been on a mission not to wear a mask, and no one really knows why. The supposed germaphobe with a penchant for Russian watersports has played a game of cat-and-rotund-orange-maskless-face with the press, which finally caught him wearing a mask—which really shouldn’t have been a big deal considering we are in the midst of a global pandemic armed only with masks and hand sanitizer.
Trump has successfully weaponized wearing a mask during these times so that his followers now believe that wearing a mask has something to do with the Constitution.
Advertisement
I believe it was James Madison who wrote, “Listen here, Playboy, If America is dying and a mask can save it, then wear the fucking mask!”
According to CNN, Biden’s comments come a day after he and his wife Jill wore black masks as they laid a wreath at the Delaware Memorial Bridge.
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Fox News host Brit Hume tweeted a photo of the Bidens wearing masks and he had joked: “This might help explain why Trump doesn’t like to wear a mask in public.” Trump later retweeted Hume, CNN notes.
I guess it’s more manly to wear orange face makeup for no reason than it is to wear a mask for all the reasons. Because Trump is a messy queen who lives for drama, he’s turned the mask into a controversial thing when it didn’t need to be. During a recent trip to the Ford factory tour in Michigan, Trump acknowledged that he’d worn a mask in a private area but he “didn’t want to give the press the pleasure of seeing it.” A camera caught his ass wearing that goofy shit anyway. And yes, the president looked goofy. W e all fucking do.
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White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnanyofTheState noted that it was “peculiar” that Biden wore a mask outside but didn’t wear one when he was indoors with his wife because she’s so fucking dumb she doesn’t understand how any of this works.
“It is a bit peculiar, though, that in his basement, right next to his wife, he’s not wearing a mask. But he’s wearing one outdoors when he’s socially distant. So I think that there was a discrepancy there,” McEnanyofTheState said during Tuesday’s White House press briefing, CNN reports.
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CNN didn’t mention that if McEnanyofTheState was in a Jeopardy contest against a rock found off of a highway, you need to bet on the rock. They didn’t say that, so don’t attribute it to them.
Sadly, Biden was asked to respond to Trump “and his reelection campaign’s frequent suggestions that Biden is senile or has lost a step.”
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“Look, I mean, talk about a guy who’s missing a step,” he said of Trump, CNN reports. “He’s missing something, man.”


theroot--2020-05-27--Former NBA Star Stephen Jackson Devastated By the Loss of His 'Twin' George Floyd

As the world still struggles to make sense of the inhumane death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police , former NBA star Stephen Jackson took to Instagram to mourn the loss of the man who he affectionately referred to as “ Twin.
” “ This is what I got ta wake up to , huh ?
Floyd was my brother , man .
We called each other ‘ Twin , ’ ” he said in a video clip , fighting through tears .
“ My brother was only out there in Minnesota , he was changing his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was driving trucks .
I just sent him two , three boxes of clothes .
My boy was doing what he was supposed to do , man , and y ’ all go kill my brother , man .
I ’ m on my way to Minnesota , man .
Whatever I can do , can ’ t let this ride , dog .
Y ’ all not going to be mad until it hits your front door .
Bullshit.
” Clearly devastated , the All the Smoke podcast co-host then transformed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for his childhood friend .
“ All u wanted to do was stay fly and be great .
This pic tore me down , ” Jackson wrote on Instagram .
“ Nobody was more proud of my growth and my fatherhood more than # BigFloydDaGod .
We will get justice .
They will be writing a big check for your kids on behalf of Minnesota Police Dept .
and u can bet dat Jack .
Rest Easy Twin u wasn ’ t suppose to make it through the life u had change for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Fuk dat.
” As we reported on Wednesday , the FBI is currently investigating Floyd ’ s death .
The FBI is investigating the death of a black man in Minneapolis after local police violently arrested him Monday night .
Video of the arrest , which shows a white police officer kneeling on the man ’ s neck as he lay face down on the street , was filmed and posted online within hours of the encounter .
The man , whose identity has not been confirmed , is thought to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospital shortly after the arrest , reports the Minneapolis Star Tribune .
As video taken by a bystander began circulating online Tuesday morning , city politicians have decried the arresting officers ’ actions .
As a result of their actions , four police officers have been fired for what Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey described as “ wrong at every level.
” “ This does not reflect the values that [ Police ] Chief Arradondo has worked tirelessly to instill , ” Frey said .
“ It does not represent the training we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve taken to ensure accountability .
Being black in America should not be a death sentence.
” Our thoughts and prayers are with Jackson and the friends and family of George Floyd .

As the world still struggles to make sense of the inhumane death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police, former NBA star Stephen Jackson took to Instagram to mourn the loss of the man who he affectionately referred to as “Twin.”
“This is what I gotta wake up to, huh? Floyd was my brother, man. We called each other ‘Twin,’” he said in a video clip, fighting through tears. “My brother was only out there in Minnesota, he was changing his life. He went to Minnesota, he was driving trucks. I just sent him two, three boxes of clothes. My boy was doing what he was supposed to do, man, and y’all go kill my brother, man. I’m on my way to Minnesota, man. Whatever I can do, can’t let this ride, dog. Y’all not going to be mad until it hits your front door. Bullshit.”
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Clearly devastated, the All the Smoke podcast co-host then transformed his Instagram feed into a public memorial for his childhood friend.
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“All u wanted to do was stay fly and be great. This pic tore me down,” Jackson wrote on Instagram. “Nobody was more proud of my growth and my fatherhood more than #BigFloydDaGod. We will get justice. They will be writing a big check for your kids on behalf of Minnesota Police Dept. and u can bet dat Jack. Rest Easy Twin u wasn’t suppose to make it through the life u had change for the better then go out like this. Fuk dat.”
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As we reported on Wednesday, the FBI is currently investigating Floyd’s death.
The FBI is investigating the death of a black man in Minneapolis after local police violently arrested him Monday night. Video of the arrest, which shows a white police officer kneeling on the man’s neck as he lay face down on the street, was filmed and posted online within hours of the encounter. The man, whose identity has not been confirmed, is thought to be in his 40s and died in the hospital shortly after the arrest, reports the Minneapolis Star Tribune. As video taken by a bystander began circulating online Tuesday morning, city politicians have decried the arresting officers’ actions.
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As a result of their actions, four police officers have been fired for what Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey described as “wrong at every level.”
“This does not reflect the values that [Police] Chief Arradondo has worked tirelessly to instill,” Frey said. “It does not represent the training we’ve invested in or the measures we’ve taken to ensure accountability. Being black in America should not be a death sentence.”
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Our thoughts and prayers are with Jackson and the friends and family of George Floyd.


theroot--2020-05-27--Social Studies: If #AllLivesMatter...

Social Studies: If #AllLivesMatter...

The Root created this daily column as a space to curate and catalog blackness on social media .
Sometimes it ’ s cool .
Sometimes it ’ s funny .
Today it is neither .
Like America , social media reflects the thoughts , narratives and positions of a majority .
Like America , black culture makes social media relevant and interesting but , like America , blackness is devalued and disregarded .
It is a statement born on the internet , created to contradict the violence against black bodies , informed by the fact that our lives , specifically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while white lives remain active and valuable , as though every Caucasian breath was a presidential Tweet .
Because the internet is a white space , it is as fragile as the majority that occupies it .
It is a haven for “ not all white people ” and “ but what about ... ” It is often mean .
It is obnoxious .
It is cunning and deceitful .
It swallows blackness and spits out the bones it can not digest .
Like police .
Like white people .
Like # AllLivesMatter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media for the hashtag # BlackLivesMatter , the results would reveal daily ( even hourly ) tweets and status updates asserting the value of black lives .
These posts are not only a testament to the violence and harm inflicted upon black people in America , but they are a reflection of the desperate attempt to get white people to understand that our existence is consequential—if only to us .
Conversely , if one were to conduct the same search for # AllLivesMatter , the results would reveal that # AllLivesMatter is , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people ’ s insistence that our lives have value and import .
White people aren ’ t tweeting about the value of “ all lives ” on a random Tuesday .
They do it as a counterpoint .
It is greed and privilege in its purest form .
It is a disgusting , self-serving form of “ whataboutism.
” Why do white people act like this ?
Because they can .
That is the answer .
If they were at all concerned about all lives mattering , they wouldn ’ t have such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ black lives matter .
Human rights activists don ’ t object to civil rights demonstrations .
When the Susan G. Komen Foundation holds events to bring awareness to breast cancer , do you know why cancer researchers don ’ t retort with “ all cancers matter ?
” Because breast cancer is the most common form of cancer .
So here is a concise explanation for why # AllLivesMatter is trending on Twitter : Because most white people do not give a damn about black lives .
Because they believe they are the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are just distant objects rotating in their gravitational pull .
Because they are more apt to protest a governor ’ s stay-at-home order or a tax hike than a legal lynching in broad daylight .
Because they are fragile .
Because # BlackLivesMatter does not include them .
Because they can .
Because the internet is a white space .

#AllLivesMatter is trending on Twitter.
The Root created this daily column as a space to curate and catalog blackness on social media. Sometimes it’s cool. Sometimes it’s funny. Today it is neither.
Advertisement
The internet is a white space.
Like America, social media reflects the thoughts, narratives and positions of a majority. Like America, black culture makes social media relevant and interesting but, like America, blackness is devalued and disregarded.
Advertisement Advertisement
Black.
Lives.
Matter.
It is a statement born on the internet, created to contradict the violence against black bodies, informed by the fact that our lives, specifically, are deleted like pro-black Facebook posts while white lives remain active and valuable, as though every Caucasian breath was a presidential Tweet.
Advertisement
Because the internet is a white space, it is as fragile as the majority that occupies it. It is a haven for “not all white people” and “but what about...” It is often mean. It is obnoxious. It is cunning and deceitful. It swallows blackness and spits out the bones it cannot digest.
Like police. Like white people. Like #AllLivesMatter.
If one were to search social media for the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter, the results would reveal daily (even hourly) tweets and status updates asserting the value of black lives. These posts are not only a testament to the violence and harm inflicted upon black people in America, but they are a reflection of the desperate attempt to get white people to understand that our existence is consequential—if only to us.
Advertisement
Conversely, if one were to conduct the same search for #AllLivesMatter, the results would reveal that #AllLivesMatter is, almost exclusively, a response to black people’s insistence that our lives have value and import. White people aren’t tweeting about the value of “all lives” on a random Tuesday. They do it as a counterpoint. It is greed and privilege in its purest form. It is a disgusting, self-serving form of “ whataboutism.”
Why do white people act like this?
Because they can.
That is the answer.
If they were at all concerned about all lives mattering, they wouldn’t have such a visceral reaction to anyone declaring that black lives matter. Human rights activists don’t object to civil rights demonstrations. When the Susan G. Komen Foundation holds events to bring awareness to breast cancer, do you know why cancer researchers don’t retort with “all cancers matter?”
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Because breast cancer is the most common form of cancer.
So here is a concise explanation for why #AllLivesMatter is trending on Twitter:
Because most white people do not give a damn about black lives. Because they believe they are the center of the universe and black people are just distant objects rotating in their gravitational pull. Because they are more apt to protest a governor’s stay-at-home order or a tax hike than a legal lynching in broad daylight. Because they are fragile. Because #BlackLivesMatter does not include them. Because they can.
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Because the internet is a white space.
Like, America.


theroot--2020-05-27--Make the Best Chicken Noodle Soup Ever in Le Creuset's 10qt Stock Pots, Now $88

I love Campbell ’ s as much as the next guy , but you haven ’ t had chicken noodle @ @ @ @ @ had it from stock .
Chuck the chicken inside Le Creuset ’ s 10qt stock @ @ @ @ @ delightful party on your taste buds .
These come in an assortment of colors—the fire @ @ @ @ @ pretty hard right now—and they ’ re only $ 88 .

Quentyn Kennemer on Kinja Deals, shared by Quentyn Kennemer to The Root

Le Creuset 10qt Stockpot | $88 | Amazon
I love Campbell’s as much as the next guy, but you haven’t had chicken noodle soup until you’ve had it from stock. Chuck the chicken inside Le Creuset’s 10qt stock pot and prepare for a delightful party on your taste buds. These come in an assortment of colors—the fire orange is catching my eye pretty hard right now—and they’re only $88.


theroot--2020-05-27--Drew Dixon, Sil Lai Abrams and Sheri Sher Go On the Record About Russell Simmons and Dismantling the

Drew Dixon, Sil Lai Abrams and Sheri Sher Go On the Record About Russell Simmons and Dismantling the Misogynoir System

On the Record has been a very long time coming .
Beyond the unfortunately standard silencing of black women , the 2020 Sundance Film Festival pick has had its share of distribution drama .
Eventually , it found a home in newly launched streaming platform HBO Max and has been released during a timely moment in our culture—the era of self-isolation .
The synopsis of the documentary , via HBO Max ’ s press release : Trigger Warning : The following article contains details of several accounts of alleged sexual assault .
To date , Simmons has been publicly accused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20 women .
Three of those women , Dixon , Abrams and Sher bravely recounted similar claims involving Simmons ’ wielding their passion of music to lure them to a private space such as his bedroom or office to r ape them .
According to the documentary , the filmmakers reached out to both Simmons and record executive L.A. Reid ( who Dixon claims attempted to coerce her into his hotel room while she worked at Arista and when she refused , sabotaged her potential deals with John Legend and Kanye West ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the film , they each have made statements denying the accusations against them in the film .
Over a series of phone calls , I sat down with each of the women in the doc , with a central goal of discussing how we unpack a system deeply immersed in misogynoir and how that system continues to allow predatory gatekeepers to thrive .
“ [ Black women ] have been vulnerable to sexual violence from the second we lost our bodily autonomy in the Atlantic slave trade .
And we continue to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because sexual violence is almost always racial , ” Dixon told The Root .
“ It ’ s typical that a black woman ’ s abuser is a black man , and it ’ s typical that a white woman ’ s abuser is a white man .
For us , we faced this double bind of not wanting to add to the dangerous mythology of the hypersexualization , predatory behavior or the inherently violent behavior of black men.
” During an especially poignant moment in the film , we ’ re taken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the print copy of the 2017 New York Times report where she first went “ on the record ” with her accusations against Simmons .
In her 2018 guest column at The Hollywood Reporter , Abrams , an author , activist and self-proclaimed “ radical black feminist , ” detailed her account that she was raped by Simmons in 1994 as well as sexually assaulted by former 106 & Park and Extra co-host A.J .
Calloway .
Since we didn ’ t get a similar visual peek into Abrams ’ moment , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her .
Along with the initial anxiety that comes with your name forever being attached to a high-profile and powerful figure , Abrams says she grappled with telling her children that the “ godfather of hip-hop had harmed their mother.
” Further , Abrams wants to “ disabuse this notion that women come forward for notoriety , fame and fortune ” and is looking forward to “ finally exhaling ” on the doc ’ s release date .
“ Then , there ’ s the silence , ” Abrams recalled .
“ Everyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t want to be affiliated with you because they have a friend who still rolls with Russell .
You know , ‘ the six degrees of [ separation with ] Kevin Bacon ’ ?
There ’ s two degrees of Russell Simmons .
I mean , that ’ s painful .
Not just the calls you get from people with ulterior motives , but the absolute silence from the people that you thought were your acquaintances and friends .
[ There is an ] abandonment that occurs.
” Sher felt a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which is why the moment captured onscreen when the three women meet in person for the first time is so significant .
“ When this happened to me , it was nobody else around that I knew this [ had ] ever happened to , ” hip-hop pioneer and author Sher told The Root , confirming that this experience has been “ overwhelming ” for her .
“ So I had to keep quiet .
Russell was considered the god in hip-hop and was bringing hip hop into a major league .
So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I would [ have received ] backlash from my community [ in general ] and in the hip hop community.
” A central thesis of the documentary examines the idea of the “ perfect victim.
” As the # MeToo movement gained more notoriety , it wasn ’ t lost on black women that the women at the forefront of the movement didn ’ t look like them , despite the existence of the black woman who started the movement , Tarana Burke ( who was also almost erased , if it weren @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social media and black-centered media to ensure that didn ’ t happen ) .
In both the doc and their subsequent interviews with me , the three ladies acknowledged how their beauty and light-skinned privilege were a factor on whether or not their stories would be heard on a major platform .
“ I sort of checked a bunch of boxes that I never asked to check , [ but ] I could take advantage of that unique privilege and those overlapping privileges I had to push the conversation forward , ” Dixon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like I had an Aaliyah moment : It ’ s like , is it your go , or is it my go ?
It ’ s my go.
” “ My hope is that when a brown-skinned woman who is not involved in the entertainment industry , whose assailant is not famous ... sees this film and she doesn ’ t feel erased , ” Abrams mued .
“ She doesn ’ t think that her experience is less valid because the feelings of shame , of self-blame , of feeling voiceless , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it is similar.
” At one point in the documentary , Dixon said something that stood out to me as a feeling black women , in general , could relate to .
“ I loved the culture .
I loved Russell , too , ” Dixon said in the doc .
Growing up fully immersed into hip-hop with even a modicum of self-conscious spirit , we ’ re forced to not only reconcile with our love for hip-hop and its artists but the deeply rooted misogynoir fuel that runs such an engine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the documentary is that it does point out misogyny in rock and roll and in pop music—the really toxic , destructive , violent , anti-woman imagery and language [ that ] exists in white music ... in all music is pervasive , ” Dixon told The Root .
“ It ’ s part of a broader culture .
But , the extent to which we , in hip hop , just really leaned all the way in and it became almost dominant .
The scantily clad women , the really violent language @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rule .
And I just think it ’ s important for us to ask ourselves , sitting around in a room making these decisions , is this really what we want to do ?
We can make money , but is this really who we want to be ?
” As writer-producer Bim Adewunmi said in the doc , black women are “ more likely to be harmed and less likely to be believed.
” “ We ’ re united , yet at the same time we have to acknowledge the fact that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come and hit the deepest come from our sisters , ” Abrams noted .
“ There are many defenders of perpetrators of sexual violence .
You see it all the time .
We do .
And certainly , I have called out people through my writings who have chosen to stay and to maintain the relationships with Russell and are unapologetic about it .
It ’ s very sad .
So , while we are all we have , we have a long way to go.
” Within the black community , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ losing ” something significant when protecting Simmons and other black male gatekeepers in music ( such as R. Kelly or Michael Jackson ) But was it ultimately worth it if that “ protection of culture ” has been done on the backs of the black women who have historically upheld said culture ?
Sher certainly hesitated to speak out at the time of her alleged assault for myriad reasons , given the risk and burdens placed upon her , especially as a pioneer in the game .
“ You get ready to blow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who is bringing people into the [ spot ] light and putting the food on a table .
That would have been a disaster.
” As such , we can ’ t help but wonder about the ultimate sacrifice these women made to mitigate such a “ disaster.
” Toward the end of On the Record , writer-editor Kierna Mayo beautifully expressed something in a way that remained with me days after I watched my screener : What potential contributions did we miss out on in hip-hop from these women by silencing them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Man ’ s interlude ( “ Shorty , I ’ m there for you ; anytime you need me… ” ) and through her ideation of the concept of a “ hip-hop sonnet , ” she is now the reason we have the iconic “ I ’ ll Be There For You/You ’ re All I Need ” duet with Mary J. Blige .
Abrams continued fighting against the dehumanization of black women—work certainly needed within the hip-hop space—and her voice toward media advocacy would ’ ve been beneficial at a major hip-hop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the founding member of the very first all-female hip-hop group , Mercedes Ladies .
This is the “ culture.
” What do we do when we realize the culture has failed them ?
On The Record is currently available to stream on HBO Max .
As noted in the footnote of the documentary , if you are a survivor of sexual harassment or assault and you need assistance , you can contact : This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity .

Tonja Renée Stidhum on The Grapevine, shared by Tonja Renée Stidhum to The Root

On the Record has been a very long time coming. Beyond the unfortunately standard silencing of black women, the 2020 Sundance Film Festival pick has had its share of distribution drama. Eventually, it found a home in newly launched streaming platform HBO Max and has been released during a timely moment in our culture—the era of self-isolation.
The synopsis of the documentary, via HBO Max’s press release:
Directed and produced by Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering (The Hunting Ground, The Invisible War), and first reported by The New York Times, On the Record presents the haunting story of music executive Drew Dixon as she grapples with her decision to become one of the first women of color, in the wake of #MeToo, to come forward and publicly accuse hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons of sexual misconduct. The film chronicles not only Dixon’s story, but that of several other accusers—Sil Lai Abrams, Sheri Sher —delving deeply into the ways women of colors’ voices are all too often silenced and ignored when reporting these stories; as well as the various cultural forces that conspire to make them reluctant to do so.
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Trigger Warning: The following article contains details of several accounts of alleged sexual assault.
To date, Simmons has been publicly accused of sexual assault and sexual misconduct by 20 women. Three of those women, Dixon, Abrams and Sher bravely recounted similar claims involving Simmons’ wielding their passion of music to lure them to a private space such as his bedroom or office to r ape them. According to the documentary, the filmmakers reached out to both Simmons and record executive L.A. Reid (who Dixon claims attempted to coerce her into his hotel room while she worked at Arista and when she refused, sabotaged her potential deals with John Legend and Kanye West) and while both declined to appear in the film, they each have made statements denying the accusations against them in the film.
Advertisement Advertisement
Over a series of phone calls, I sat down with each of the women in the doc, with a central goal of discussing how we unpack a system deeply immersed in misogynoir and how that system continues to allow predatory gatekeepers to thrive.
“[Black women] have been vulnerable to sexual violence from the second we lost our bodily autonomy in the Atlantic slave trade. And we continue to be uniquely vulnerable, less believed and conflicted because sexual violence is almost always racial,” Dixon told The Root. “It’s typical that a black woman’s abuser is a black man, and it’s typical that a white woman’s abuser is a white man. For us, we faced this double bind of not wanting to add to the dangerous mythology of the hypersexualization, predatory behavior or the inherently violent behavior of black men.”
Advertisement
During an especially poignant moment in the film, we’re taken to the very moment Dixon first held the print copy of the 2017 New York Times report where she first went “on the record” with her accusations against Simmons.
Advertisement
In her 2018 guest column at The Hollywood Reporter, Abrams, an author, activist and self-proclaimed “radical black feminist,” detailed her account that she was raped by Simmons in 1994 as well as sexually assaulted by former 106 & Park and Extra co-host A.J. Calloway. Since we didn’t get a similar visual peek into Abrams’ moment, I asked what that moment was like for her. Along with the initial anxiety that comes with your name forever being attached to a high-profile and powerful figure, Abrams says she grappled with telling her children that the “godfather of hip-hop had harmed their mother.” Further, Abrams wants to “disabuse this notion that women come forward for notoriety, fame and fortune” and is looking forward to “finally exhaling” on the doc’s release date.
“Then, there’s the silence,” Abrams recalled. “Everyone gets to leave. [They] don’t want to be affiliated with you because they have a friend who still rolls with Russell. You know, ‘the six degrees of [separation with] Kevin Bacon’? There’s two degrees of Russell Simmons. I mean, that’s painful. Not just the calls you get from people with ulterior motives, but the absolute silence from the people that you thought were your acquaintances and friends. [There is an] abandonment that occurs.”
Advertisement
Sher felt a similar sense of loneliness and isolation, which is why the moment captured onscreen when the three women meet in person for the first time is so significant.
“When this happened to me, it was nobody else around that I knew this [had] ever happened to,” hip-hop pioneer and author Sher told The Root, confirming that this experience has been “overwhelming” for her. “So I had to keep quiet. Russell was considered the god in hip-hop and was bringing hip hop into a major league. So for me to come out then, I would [have received] backlash from my community [in general] and in the hip hop community.”
Advertisement
A central thesis of the documentary examines the idea of the “perfect victim.” As the #MeToo movement gained more notoriety, it wasn’t lost on black women that the women at the forefront of the movement didn’t look like them, despite the existence of the black woman who started the movement, Tarana Burke (who was also almost erased, if it weren’t for the intentional efforts via social media and black-centered media to ensure that didn’t happen). In both the doc and their subsequent interviews with me, the three ladies acknowledged how their beauty and light-skinned privilege were a factor on whether or not their stories would be heard on a major platform.
“I sort of checked a bunch of boxes that I never asked to check, [but] I could take advantage of that unique privilege and those overlapping privileges I had to push the conversation forward,” Dixon said. “I sort of felt like I had an Aaliyah moment: It’s like, is it your go, or is it my go? It’s my go.”
Advertisement
“My hope is that when a brown-skinned woman who is not involved in the entertainment industry, whose assailant is not famous...sees this film and she doesn’t feel erased,” Abrams mued. “She doesn’t think that her experience is less valid because the feelings of shame, of self-blame, of feeling voiceless, of fear from coming forward—all of that, it is similar.”
At one point in the documentary, Dixon said something that stood out to me as a feeling black women, in general, could relate to. “I loved the culture. I loved Russell, too,” Dixon said in the doc. Growing up fully immersed into hip-hop with even a modicum of self-conscious spirit, we’re forced to not only reconcile with our love for hip-hop and its artists but the deeply rooted misogynoir fuel that runs such an engine.
Advertisement
“One thing I do appreciate about the documentary is that it does point out misogyny in rock and roll and in pop music—the really toxic, destructive, violent, anti-woman imagery and language [that] exists in white music...in all music is pervasive,” Dixon told The Root. “It’s part of a broader culture. But, the extent to which we, in hip hop, just really leaned all the way in and it became almost dominant. The scantily clad women, the really violent language became not the exception, but the rule. And I just think it’s important for us to ask ourselves, sitting around in a room making these decisions, is this really what we want to do? We can make money, but is this really who we want to be?”
Advertisement
As writer-producer Bim Adewunmi said in the doc, black women are “more likely to be harmed and less likely to be believed.”
“We’re united, yet at the same time we have to acknowledge the fact that often the harm and the wounds that come and hit the deepest come from our sisters,” Abrams noted. “There are many defenders of perpetrators of sexual violence. You see it all the time. We do. And certainly, I have called out people through my writings who have chosen to stay and to maintain the relationships with Russell and are unapologetic about it. It’s very sad. So, while we are all we have, we have a long way to go.”
Advertisement
Within the black community, there has been a longstanding fear of “losing” something significant when protecting Simmons and other black male gatekeepers in music (such as R. Kelly or Michael Jackson) But was it ultimately worth it if that “protection of culture” has been done on the backs of the black women who have historically upheld said culture?
Advertisement
Sher certainly hesitated to speak out at the time of her alleged assault for myriad reasons, given the risk and burdens placed upon her, especially as a pioneer in the game. “You get ready to blow up somebody’s [spot] who is bringing people into the [spot]light and putting the food on a table. That would have been a disaster.”
As such, we can’t help but wonder about the ultimate sacrifice these women made to mitigate such a “disaster.” Toward the end of On the Record, writer-editor Kierna Mayo beautifully expressed something in a way that remained with me days after I watched my screener: What potential contributions did we miss out on in hip-hop from these women by silencing them?
Advertisement
Dixon took a line from Method Man’s interlude (“Shorty, I’m there for you; anytime you need me…”) and through her ideation of the concept of a “hip-hop sonnet,” she is now the reason we have the iconic “I’ll Be There For You/You’re All I Need” duet with Mary J. Blige. Abrams continued fighting against the dehumanization of black women—work certainly needed within the hip-hop space—and her voice toward media advocacy would’ve been beneficial at a major hip-hop label such as Def Jam. Sher is the founding member of the very first all-female hip-hop group, Mercedes Ladies. This is the “culture.” What do we do when we realize the culture has failed them?
On The Record is currently available to stream on HBO Max.
As noted in the footnote of the documentary, if you are a survivor of sexual harassment or assault and you need assistance, you can contact:
Advertisement
RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline
800-656-4673
online.rainn.org
Black Women’s Blueprint Hotline
646-647-5414
blackwomensblueprint.org
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.


theroot--2020-05-27--New York Lawmakers Propose Hate Crime Legislation in Response to Viral ‘Central Park Karen’ Video

Amy Cooper made herself famous for all the wrong reasons when she called the police to report “ an African-American man threatening my life.
” Video recorded by Christian Cooper , an African-American man ( of no relation ) , shows he was actually only trying to get her to follow the rules and put a leash on her dog .
Now , Central Park Karen—who has been fired from her job and made to return her dog to the shelter she adopted it from—has inspired Democratic lawmakers in New York to introduce legislation that , if enacted , would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asking for : to h old white people accountable for calling the police on black people and making false claims .
It ’ s widely believed that Amy is a racist who attempted to weaponize the police against a black man when she called them on Cooper , who she repeatedly asserted was threatening her and her dog—which the video shows was a lie .
According to Pix 11 , New York Assemblyman Felix Ortiz and Sen. Brian Benjamin ( D-Manhattan ) proposed legislation on Tuesday that would criminalize falsely reporting an incident @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for hate crime status .
“ In the past year , we have seen many instances throughout both New York State and the country of people calling 911 on black people who are going about their everyday lives , only to be interrupted by someone calling the police for reasons that range from caution , to suspicious inkling to all out hatred , ” Ortiz wrote in a statement advocating for the bill .
“ It is frightening that this incident happened just blocks from where many of my constituents live and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a story despite being filmed , ” he said .
“ I worry that if she had not been filmed , this woman may have been given the benefit of the doubt , and that this man could have faced serious , perhaps life-threatening consequences if the police had arrived.
” Central Park Karen is only the latest in a long line of Karens ( and Chads , for that matter ) who have been caught on camera calling the police on black people over bullshit .
Every time a new story like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it could get us killed and call for laws that ensure these actions will have consequences .
Hopefully , the bill proposed by Benjamin and Ortiz will be considered and passed , and all of the Amy Coopers of the world will be forced to think twice before trying to use the cops ( and their tears ) as weapons against black citizens who have done nothing wrong .

Amy Cooper made herself famous for all the wrong reasons when she called the police to report “an African-American man threatening my life.” Video recorded by Christian Cooper , an African-American man (of no relation) , shows he was actually only trying to get her to follow the rules and put a leash on her dog. Now, Central Park Karen—who has been fired from her job and made to return her dog to the shelter she adopted it from—has inspired Democratic lawmakers in New York to introduce legislation that, if enacted, would do what we’ve all been asking for: to h old white people accountable for calling the police on black people and making false claims.
It’s widely believed that Amy is a racist who attempted to weaponize the police against a black man when she called them on Cooper, who she repeatedly asserted was threatening her and her dog—which the video shows was a lie.
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According to Pix 11, New York Assemblyman Felix Ortiz and Sen. Brian Benjamin (D-Manhattan) proposed legislation on Tuesday that would criminalize falsely reporting an incident to police and make the offense eligible for hate crime status.
“In the past year, we have seen many instances throughout both New York State and the country of people calling 911 on black people who are going about their everyday lives, only to be interrupted by someone calling the police for reasons that range from caution, to suspicious inkling to all out hatred,” Ortiz wrote in a statement advocating for the bill.
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Sen. Benjamin also released a statement that addressed Amy Cooper’s actions directly.
“It is frightening that this incident happened just blocks from where many of my constituents live and that this woman was so willing to fabricate a story despite being filmed,” he said. “I worry that if she had not been filmed, this woman may have been given the benefit of the doubt, and that this man could have faced serious, perhaps life-threatening consequences if the police had arrived.”
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Central Park Karen is only the latest in a long line of Karens (and Chads, for that matter) who have been caught on camera calling the police on black people over bullshit. Every time a new story like this pops up, black people warn that it could get us killed and call for laws that ensure these actions will have consequences. Hopefully, the bill proposed by Benjamin and Ortiz will be considered and passed, and all of the Amy Coopers of the world will be forced to think twice before trying to use the cops (and their tears) as weapons against black citizens who have done nothing wrong.


theroot--2020-05-27--Gabrielle Union Speaks Out About America's Got Talent's Workplace Environment: "I'm Not the Only One

Gabrielle Union Speaks Out About America's Got Talent's Workplace Environment: "I'm Not the Only One Being Poisoned at Work"

For the first time , Gabrielle Union is speaking out about her departure from the reality competition show America ’ s Got Talent , unchecked systemic racism in the workplace and the importance of a healthy workplace environment .
In September 2019 , the actress and author , along with fellow judge Julianne Hough , were dismissed from their duties on the show despite having contractual obligations to return for a second season .
In an explosive report from Variety shortly after , the allegedly harmful culture at the show was brought to the forefront , claiming that Union and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comments behind the scenes from contestants , producers , and also the show ’ s guest judge , Jay Leno .
She also noted that judge Simon Cowell ’ s incessant smoking made her physically ill .
While fellow members of the AGT team dismissed her claims , internal investigations of Fremantle , Syco and NBC are ongoing .
Union , who recently spoke with Variety for a cover story , stated that as a marginalized person , speaking up about the on-set issues was something she was hesitant to do , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Do I cave ?
I didn ’ t feel like myself ; I ’ m shape-shifting to make myself more palatable , ” she said .
“ I ’ m contorting myself into something I don ’ t recognize .
I had to look at myself and say , ‘ Do you want to keep it easy ?
Or do you want to be you , and stand up ?
’ Because I ’ m not the only one being poisoned at work.
” In the new interview , she discussed that Simon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to become sick , which gave way to a long-term health issue .
“ I couldn ’ t escape .
I ended up staying sick for two months straight , ” she says .
“ It was a cold that lingered , and turned into bronchitis , because I couldn ’ t shake it .
It impacted my voice , which affects my ability to do my job.
” She also said her constant runny nose became an issue for fellow judge Howie Mandel , who has been open about his struggle with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can not edit out what we just experienced , ” she said of one of the most glaring examples of racism , perpetuated by guest judge Jay Leno , regarding an Asian stereotype he used as a joke for a show ’ s commercial .
“ There is not an edit button in my brain or in my soul .
To experience this kind of racism at my job and there be nothing done about it , no discipline , no company wide email , no reminder of what is appropriate in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about diversity , there is very little diversity behind the scenes to match all of the diversity that is in the audience on-site , at home watching and the contestants .
There are so many blind spots .
Your solution can ’ t be an edit button ...
If I can ’ t speak out with the privilege that I have , and the benefits that my husband and I have , what is the point of making it ?
What is the point of having a seat at the table and protecting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing shit to help other people ?
It ’ s absolutely terrifying to speak truth to power about anything .
I ’ m trying not to be terrified , and some days are better than others.
” Union hopes that diversity and acceptance will begin to be fostered respectfully in Hollywood , and she aims to work in places with better environments .
“ At the end of all this , my goal is real change—and not just on this show but for the larger parent company .
It starts from the top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ My goal is to create the happiest , most high-functioning , inclusive , protected and healthy example of a workplace .
”

J'na Jefferson on The Grapevine, shared by J'na Jefferson to The Root

For the first time, Gabrielle Union is speaking out about her departure from the reality competition show America’s Got Talent, unchecked systemic racism in the workplace and the importance of a healthy workplace environment.
In September 2019, the actress and author, along with fellow judge Julianne Hough, were dismissed from their duties on the show despite having contractual obligations to return for a second season. In an explosive report from Variety shortly after, the allegedly harmful culture at the show was brought to the forefront, claiming that Union and others fell victim to racially-biased incidents and comments behind the scenes from contestants, producers, and also the show’s guest judge, Jay Leno. She also noted that judge Simon Cowell’s incessant smoking made her physically ill. While fellow members of the AGT team dismissed her claims, internal investigations of Fremantle, Syco and NBC are ongoing.
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Union, who recently spoke with Variety for a cover story, stated that as a marginalized person, speaking up about the on-set issues was something she was hesitant to do, but knew needed to be done.
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“Do I cave? I didn’t feel like myself; I’m shape-shifting to make myself more palatable,” she said. “I’m contorting myself into something I don’t recognize. I had to look at myself and say, ‘Do you want to keep it easy? Or do you want to be you, and stand up?’ Because I’m not the only one being poisoned at work.”
In the new interview, she discussed that Simon Cowell’s cigarette smoking caused her to become sick, which gave way to a long-term health issue.
Advertisement
“I couldn’t escape. I ended up staying sick for two months straight,” she says. “It was a cold that lingered, and turned into bronchitis, because I couldn’t shake it. It impacted my voice, which affects my ability to do my job.” She also said her constant runny nose became an issue for fellow judge Howie Mandel, who has been open about his struggle with obsessive-compulsive disorder and germophobia.
“You cannot edit out what we just experienced,” she said of one of the most glaring examples of racism, perpetuated by guest judge Jay Leno, regarding an Asian stereotype he used as a joke for a show’s commercial. “There is not an edit button in my brain or in my soul. To experience this kind of racism at my job and there be nothing done about it, no discipline, no company wide email, no reminder of what is appropriate in the workplace?”
Advertisement
“When you talk about diversity, there is very little diversity behind the scenes to match all of the diversity that is in the audience on-site, at home watching and the contestants. There are so many blind spots. Your solution can’t be an edit button...If I can’t speak out with the privilege that I have, and the benefits that my husband and I have, what is the point of making it? What is the point of having a seat at the table and protecting your privilege when you’re not doing shit to help other people? It’s absolutely terrifying to speak truth to power about anything. I’m trying not to be terrified, and some days are better than others.”
Advertisement
Union hopes that diversity and acceptance will begin to be fostered respectfully in Hollywood, and she aims to work in places with better environments.
“At the end of all this, my goal is real change—and not just on this show but for the larger parent company. It starts from the top down,” she says. “My goal is to create the happiest, most high-functioning, inclusive, protected and healthy example of a workplace.”


theroot--2020-05-28--I Tested Five Sex Toy Cleaning Products and There Was a Clear Winner

We ’ ve been out here testing all kinds of sex toys for you guys and now it ’ s time to test out products designed to clean all kinds of sex toys !
Ella Paradis is offering Inventory readers 50 % off its toy cleaners ; discounts will be applied to your cart automatically .
I tested four commercial toy cleaning products—two cleaning sprays , one cleaning wipe , and one UV sterilizer pouch .
For comparison purposes , throughout the testing process , which involved cleaning fluids as well as water-based lube , I also washed toys using @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compare the performance of the commercial products to that of good old soap and water .
Here ’ s what I found !
The tagline on these cleaning tissues is “ for Intimate Fitness ” which is a hilarious euphemism that also gives me the perfect entree to say this : These wipes can be used to clean toys , but can also be used to clean body parts and fluids .
That can be a very convenient thing !
Especially when you ’ re having one of those nights where , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me when explaining the virtues of sex toy cleaning wipes , “ you just can ’ t get out of bed.
” The convenience factor is definitely The Thing the AfterGlow wipes have going for them : You can stash the resealable package in a bedside table drawer , easily pack it for use when traveling , and they ’ re the perfect thing to use for quick cleaning a toy in between uses if you , or if you and a partner , or you and some partners , plan to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a light citrus scent ( the product description tells me it ’ s bergamot ) and are infused with aloe to provide some skin-soothing action .
While the wipes aren ’ t a stand-in for deeper cleaning—you ’ ll still want to thoroughly wash your toys at some point after use—they ’ re a very valuable addition to your toy chest and I would highly recommend the investment .
Also , it ’ ll get Taylor Swift ’ s “ Afterglow ” stuck in your head , which is so lucky since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on “ Lover ” ( yes it is ) .
I had high hopes for the Lelo cleaning spray solely because I associate Lelo with the Real Housewives of New Jersey and for me , that ’ s a happy place .
The pump spray worked just fine for cleaning toys , though I did suspect I may have over-sprayed , and the packaging is quite lovely .
The design makes the bottle look more like an in-house facial mist you ’ d purchase at a high-end spa than a dildo cleaning spray @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issue , and here ’ s what it is : The Lelo Cleaning Spray smells like Listerine .
OG Listerine .
The yellow stuff *shudders* Before I started testing toy cleaning products , I never gave much—any ?
Probably any—thought to what I would want toy cleaner to smell like .
But I now know I don ’ t want it to smell like OG Listerine , and I can extrapolate from that that I don ’ t want toy cleaner to smell like a whollllle lot of other stuff .
The We-Vibe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that reason alone this is the toy cleaning spray I ’ d recommend you get .
In addition to being fragrance-free , Pjur We-Vibe Clean is also alcohol-free , so it can be safely used on latex , rubber , and silicone without causing degradation of the material , leaving the degradation to you , if that ’ s your thing .
UV sterilizer cases , bags , and pouches are a relative newcomer on the toy cleaning scene ; the idea is that you put toys in need of cleaning inside , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the UV eliminate bacteria—including the bacteria that causes odor , yup—from the toy .
According to the manufacturer , the B-Vibe pouch kills 99.99 % of bacteria in three minutes , and can accommodate toys up to ten inches .
It can also double as a storage or travel pouch .
The pouch sells itself as a time-saving and more effective alternative to washing toys , “ Take the time and hassle out of cleaning your toys by hand ” and “ washing toys by hand might sound like an easier & cheaper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guarantee that will wash everything off - especially depending on the soap you use.
” The thing is … it just didn ’ t work .
To test the pouch , I first used it to sterilize a silicone vibrator that I ’ d already washed by hand but that retained a slight odor , figuring that a literal sniff test would be an excellent way to determine how well the pouch worked to kill odor-causing bacteria .
The toy came out smelling the exact same way as it did when it went @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a second time took care of the problem . )
Then , the big test : I put a visibly dirty toy into the pouch , turned it on , and let it do its three minute sterilizing thing before removing the toy for inspection .
I don ’ t even know what to say here , other than to tell you that the toy came out looking and smelling exactly the same way it did when it went in .
Without the benefit of having a full testing lab at my disposal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for sure but I do think the UV pouch is a product that would benefit someone who share toys with a partner or partners and who wants to sterilize them between uses to prevent the spread of STIs .
But you would still need to clean the toys prior to using the UV pouch , so it will not give you any time back , it will only give you peace of mind .
There are lots of reasons to buy a commercial toy cleaner—especially those wipes , which are great for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clean a toy without having to get out of bed .
Toy cleaning sprays are also a nice thing for a lot of people to have , either for travel or because having a special product for cleaning a special item helps you to take special care of that special item .
With all that said , good old soap and water is a perfectly good toy cleaner !
It ’ s what ’ s been recommended to me by the many sex experts I ’ ve interviewed over the years , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my own life ( when I ’ m not testing toy cleaning products , that is ! )
I like Dr. Bronner ’ s for cleaning toys because it ’ s mild , and also because it is quite good at odor elimination , which with intimate toys is an important feature !
Disclaimer : Ella Paradis provided sample units for this review .
Under normal circumstances , these would be returned .
For obvious reasons , Ella Paradis probably won ’ t want these ones back , but this did not factor @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Jolie Kerr on The Inventory, shared by Gabe Carey to The Root

Toy Cleaners | $10-$59 | Ella Paradis | 50% Discount Applied in Cart
We’ve been out here testing all kinds of sex toys for you guys and now it’s time to test out products designed to clean all kinds of sex toys! Ella Paradis is offering Inventory readers 50% off its toy cleaners; discounts will be applied to your cart automatically.
I tested four commercial toy cleaning products—two cleaning sprays, one cleaning wipe, and one UV sterilizer pouch. For comparison purposes, throughout the testing process, which involved cleaning fluids as well as water-based lube, I also washed toys using mild soap and water so I could compare the performance of the commercial products to that of good old soap and water. Here’s what I found!
The tagline on these cleaning tissues is “for Intimate Fitness” which is a hilarious euphemism that also gives me the perfect entree to say this: These wipes can be used to clean toys, but can also be used to clean body parts and fluids. That can be a very convenient thing! Especially when you’re having one of those nights where, as one sex expert once put it to me when explaining the virtues of sex toy cleaning wipes, “you just can’t get out of bed.”
Advertisement
The convenience factor is definitely The Thing the AfterGlow wipes have going for them: You can stash the resealable package in a bedside table drawer, easily pack it for use when traveling, and they’re the perfect thing to use for quick cleaning a toy in between uses if you, or if you and a partner, or you and some partners, plan to do a few rounds of play. They have a light citrus scent (the product description tells me it’s bergamot) and are infused with aloe to provide some skin-soothing action. While the wipes aren’t a stand-in for deeper cleaning—you’ll still want to thoroughly wash your toys at some point after use—they’re a very valuable addition to your toy chest and I would highly recommend the investment.
Also, it’ll get Taylor Swift’s “Afterglow” stuck in your head, which is so lucky since “Afterglow” is the best song on “Lover” (yes it is).
I had high hopes for the Lelo cleaning spray solely because I associate Lelo with the Real Housewives of New Jersey and for me, that’s a happy place. The pump spray worked just fine for cleaning toys, though I did suspect I may have over-sprayed, and the packaging is quite lovely. The design makes the bottle look more like an in-house facial mist you’d purchase at a high-end spa than a dildo cleaning spray.
Advertisement Advertisement
However, there was a distinct issue, and here’s what it is: The Lelo Cleaning Spray smells like Listerine. OG Listerine. The yellow stuff *shudders*
Before I started testing toy cleaning products, I never gave much—any? Probably any—thought to what I would want toy cleaner to smell like. But I now know I don’t want it to smell like OG Listerine, and I can extrapolate from that that I don’t want toy cleaner to smell like a whollllle lot of other stuff. The We-Vibe Clean has no smell, and for that reason alone this is the toy cleaning spray I’d recommend you get.
Advertisement
In addition to being fragrance-free, Pjur We-Vibe Clean is also alcohol-free, so it can be safely used on latex, rubber, and silicone without causing degradation of the material, leaving the degradation to you, if that’s your thing.
UV sterilizer cases, bags, and pouches are a relative newcomer on the toy cleaning scene; the idea is that you put toys in need of cleaning inside, turn the thing on, and let the UV eliminate bacteria—including the bacteria that causes odor, yup—from the toy. According to the manufacturer, the B-Vibe pouch kills 99.99% of bacteria in three minutes, and can accommodate toys up to ten inches. It can also double as a storage or travel pouch.
Advertisement
The pouch sells itself as a time-saving and more effective alternative to washing toys, “Take the time and hassle out of cleaning your toys by hand” and “washing toys by hand might sound like an easier & cheaper option, but you can’t guarantee that will wash everything off - especially depending on the soap you use.”
The thing is … it just didn’t work.
To test the pouch, I first used it to sterilize a silicone vibrator that I’d already washed by hand but that retained a slight odor, figuring that a literal sniff test would be an excellent way to determine how well the pouch worked to kill odor-causing bacteria. The toy came out smelling the exact same way as it did when it went in. Hmmm. (Washing it a second time took care of the problem.) Then, the big test: I put a visibly dirty toy into the pouch, turned it on, and let it do its three minute sterilizing thing before removing the toy for inspection. I don’t even know what to say here, other than to tell you that the toy came out looking and smelling exactly the same way it did when it went in.
Advertisement
Without the benefit of having a full testing lab at my disposal, I can’t say this for sure but I do think the UV pouch is a product that would benefit someone who share toys with a partner or partners and who wants to sterilize them between uses to prevent the spread of STIs. But you would still need to clean the toys prior to using the UV pouch, so it will not give you any time back, it will only give you peace of mind.
Advertisement
There are lots of reasons to buy a commercial toy cleaner—especially those wipes, which are great for the convenience factor of being able to quickly clean a toy without having to get out of bed. Toy cleaning sprays are also a nice thing for a lot of people to have, either for travel or because having a special product for cleaning a special item helps you to take special care of that special item.
With all that said, good old soap and water is a perfectly good toy cleaner! It’s what’s been recommended to me by the many sex experts I’ve interviewed over the years, and it’s what I use in my own life (when I’m not testing toy cleaning products, that is!) I like Dr. Bronner’s for cleaning toys because it’s mild, and also because it is quite good at odor elimination, which with intimate toys is an important feature!
Advertisement
Disclaimer: Ella Paradis provided sample units for this review. Under normal circumstances, these would be returned. For obvious reasons, Ella Paradis probably won’t want these ones back, but this did not factor into the content of this review.


theroot--2020-05-28--MIT Elects Its 1st Black Woman Student Body President in the School’s 159-Year History

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology just crossed a major diversity milestone by electing its first black woman student body president in the school ’ s 159-year history .
Earlier this month , MIT ’ s Undergraduate Association announced sophomore mechanical engineering major Danielle Geathers as the winner of the institute ’ s “ first contested UA presidential election since 2017 , ” according to the school ’ s newspaper The Tech .
“ Someone asked if the UA president was a figurehead role [ during the debate ] , ” Geathers told The Tech .
“ I think no , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that role will squash every perception that MIT is still mostly white and male .
Minimally , the immediate image of that will make MIT a more welcoming and inclusive place.
” Geathers and her running mate , Yu Jing Chen , launched a website while they were campaigning for the presidency .
On its home page , the duo wrote , “ For many MIT students , the UA ceases to mean much .
For the past 3 years , elections were uncontested and last year , only 15 % of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elections .
That number is startling— especially with the potential the UA has to make institutional change with administration.
” The Tech reports that 38.5 percent of the undergraduate student body voted in the 2020 election .
According to their website , Geathers served as the UA Officer of Diversity .
She and Chen said they have both “ actively fought for student voices and empowered vulnerable communities.
” “ Our leadership increased accessibility to student resources on campus and levied student concerns to administration , ranging from the Burton Conner transition to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Equity Officer , ” they wrote .
“ Our impact spans from creating MIT ’ s first and o nly black women recruiting initiative to pioneering MIT representation at America ’ s largest Asian American student advocacy conference .
”

Zack Linly on The Glow Up, shared by Zack Linly to The Root

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology just crossed a major diversity milestone by electing its first black woman student body president in the school’s 159-year history.
Earlier this month, MIT’s Undergraduate Association announced sophomore mechanical engineering major Danielle Geathers as the winner of the institute’s “first contested UA presidential election since 2017,” according to the school’s newspaper The Tech.
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“Someone asked if the UA president was a figurehead role [during the debate],” Geathers told The Tech. “I think no, but minimally, a black female in that role will squash every perception that MIT is still mostly white and male. Minimally, the immediate image of that will make MIT a more welcoming and inclusive place.”
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Geathers and her running mate, Yu Jing Chen, launched a website while they were campaigning for the presidency. On its home page, the duo wrote, “For many MIT students, the UA ceases to mean much. For the past 3 years, elections were uncontested and last year, only 15% of the undergraduate population voted in the UA presidential elections. That number is startling— especially with the potential the UA has to make institutional change with administration.” The Tech reports that 38.5 percent of the undergraduate student body voted in the 2020 election.
According to their website, Geathers served as the UA Officer of Diversity. She and Chen said they have both “actively fought for student voices and empowered vulnerable communities.”
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“Our leadership increased accessibility to student resources on campus and levied student concerns to administration, ranging from the Burton Conner transition to the search for the new Institute Community and Equity Officer,” they wrote. “Our impact spans from creating MIT’s first and o nly black women recruiting initiative to pioneering MIT representation at America’s largest Asian American student advocacy conference.”
Congratulations, Danielle Geathers. We salute you.