Latest news with #HER
Chicago Tribune
5 days ago
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Ask Anna: How to make LGBTQ+ friends as an adult
Dear Anna, My girlfriend and I (both 28, together for three years) have a solid group of friends from college and work, but we're the only queer couple in the bunch. While our friends are supportive and inclusive, we're craving connections with other LGBTQ+ people who just 'get it' without explanation. The problem is, we're not sure how to branch out at this stage of our lives. We're past the club scene and dating apps obviously aren't the right tool for friendship. We've tried a few LGBTQ+ meetups but they skewed much older than us. How do we find our queer chosen family without it feeling forced or like we're abandoning our current friendships? We want to expand our circle, not replace it, but we're struggling to know where to start. — Bad at Finding Friends Dear BFF, The struggle is real. Regardless of sexual orientation, the older we get, the harder it is to make friends. This isn't your fault. When we're younger, socialization is built into a lot of our activities. As we age, that becomes less and less true. And depending on where you live, finding friends can be especially challenging, particularly if you're in a monogamous relationship, aka not doing the dating-to-friends pipeline. I have vivid memories of being 22 and making lifelong friends with random people on the sidewalk at Pride, getting swept into their friend group like some beautiful gay fairy tale. (Fairy gayle?) Alas, those days are over. Is it because I'm too jaded to strike up conversations with strangers on sidewalks? Or because everyone's buried in their phones? Probably both, plus the fun crushing weight of adult social anxiety. But fear not! Alternatives do exist. However, like getting abs or learning TikTok dances, a certain amount of effort must be invested to get anything worthwhile out of it. Let's talk apps, because as the cliche goes, there's an app for everything now, including queer friendship. Lex has a friendship/community component that (in my opinion) works way better than using it for dating. It's text-first, so you actually get to know people's personalities instead of judging their bathroom mirror selfie game. Plus, you can join group chats based on your interests — comedy shows, writing fan-fiction, rock climbing, erotic crochet (I mean, one can dream), etc. HER also lets you switch to 'looking for friends' mode, though you'll still get the occasional person who clearly didn't read your profile and propositions you anyway. And Bumble BFF exists too — not exclusively queer, but you can be pretty obvious about what you're seeking. For IRL connections, think beyond those generic 'LGBTQ+ Meetup' events where everyone stands around awkwardly eating gluten-free wafers. Look for activity-based groups where friendship happens naturally while you're distracted by actually doing something fun. What would you enjoy doing anyway that just happens to be better with other queer humans? Book clubs where you can argue about whether that character was actually gay or just 'really good friends,' hiking groups, volunteer work that doesn't make you want to cry. Many cities have queer sports leagues ranging from serious competition to less serious. (Drunk pickleball, anyone?) Gay bar trivia nights are clutch — nothing bonds people like collectively failing to remember who won Eurovision in 2019. Pro tip: Become the lesbian social coordinator you wish existed in the world. Host a casual Pride potluck and make each of your straight friends bring one queer person they know. Your allies probably have LGBTQ+ coworkers, cousins or that person from their yoga class who has a labret piercing and a rainbow carabiner. You'd be amazed how connected we all are through the gay grapevine. Check out local LGBTQ+ centers too — many have age-specific events so you don't end up feeling like someone's mom at a college mixer or someone's granddaughter at a retirement home bingo night. (Though I've done both and can say these events also have their charms.) Remember: Building chosen family is a marathon, not a sprint (unless you're really lucky and stumble into a friend group at karaoke night/a magical sidewalk). Start with one genuine connection and let it take as long as it takes to bloom. The beauty of queer friendship is real — that instant 'finally, someone who gets it' feeling when you don't have to explain why your heart quickens during certain Chappell Roan songs or watching Cate Blanchett do literally anything. Be patient and keep searching. Happy Pride. ___
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Las Vegas grad working to change the world through equality, environmental justice
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Graduation season is around the corner, and 8 News Now is highlighting great grads from across the Las Vegas valley. Lena Lemma is trying to become the change she wants to see in the world. She said attending Faith Lutheran has shaped her interests including the arts and STEM. She's helped lead the school's multicultural club by creating a positive outlook, breaking racial barriers, and hosting a number of events including, food tasting and panel speakers. 'With these events, our main goal is to try to show our students that there are people from every race, every culture that do succeed in these fields,' Lemma stated. Lemma grew up in Ethiopia for the first six years of her childhood. In 2023, she traveled back to Ethiopia and interned at the National Institute of Education and got involved in the Higher Education Readiness (HER) program by helping young girls in rural Ethiopia pursue higher education. 'The HER program focuses on providing these girls supplies such as school books, mentors and teachers where they can go to school on a regular basis and be stable,' Lemma explained. She plans to attend the University of Toronto and study environmental chemistry and help improve drought conditions in other countries. 'My main goal in environmental chemistry is to find a way where we can combine modern technology with what we already do have with Indigenous practices that have been working in the past to create ways that these people in these harder situations survive in a more economically friendly way,' Lemma added. Lemma said focusing on her goals and being able to help others has pushed her to be better every day. 'It does make me proud that I'm getting one step closer each time I move on in my education,' beamed Lemma. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Pride is coming! Here are the best dating apps for lesbians
Editors and writers independently select products unless marked Sponsored or Promoted. Sponsored content is a paid ad, while content marked Promoted is chosen by Ziff Davis leadership. We may earn an affiliate commission if you buy through our links. Promoted cards do not include input from individual authors. Online dating as a lesbian can be a joyous experience, but it can also involve having your space invaded by straight people or seeing your ex-girlfriends (and your ex-girlfriends' ex-girlfriends) show up in your feed over and over. Back in quarantine days, the heteronormative weirdness on the apps got so alienating that many lesbians turned to TikTok as a means of meeting other single lesbians (and it worked). Unfortunately, it's just not realistic to expect a social media app to work like a dating app for everyone. Lesbians who have exhausted their local romantic options are still going to want to meet new women in time for cuffing season (or Pride). And while it's still all too common to match with a woman just to be hit with the classic, "My boyfriend and I are looking for a threesome," dating apps have been making strides against unicorn hunting. Our favorite apps now give queer women a safe space to meet and date other women and non-binary folks. A Pew Research Center survey from 2023 found that 61 percent of LGBTQ users have positive experiences with online dating. That's not to say it's always easy, though. The same survey showed that we're more likely to experience unwanted advances and even the occasional scammer. But with a bit of caution and the right app, online dating can be a great way to connect with other queer women. So, what are the best dating apps for lesbians? We tested the most popular sites and apps and sought insight from our Dating and Relationships writers to find out. Niche lesbian dating apps aren't your only option for finding love. Credit: Stacey Zhu / Mashable Mainstream dating apps attract the most users, including LGBTQ users. That means niche lesbian dating apps aren't your only options for finding love. These days, Hinge, Bumble, OkCupid, and even eharmony all have clear filters to help you match with people of the same gender (or any gender at all), as well as filters that acknowledge the existence of non-traditional relationships. Especially if you don't live in a densely populated area, going for the more popular dating apps over lesbian dating sites can often lead to better results. That said, there is one dating app lesbian women should try. HER is an app by and for queer women, and it's grown to have a strong user base. According to its website, the app has more than 15 million registered users worldwide. The app also emphasizes finding community and making friends in addition to dating, giving you plenty of ways to find a connection with other queer women and non-binary users. Check out our guide below for the full rundown of our recommendations and dating app reviews.
7NEWS
02-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- 7NEWS
Mother's Day 2025: Best gifts to shop in Australia across fashion, beauty, homes, tech and more
Mother's Day is officially one week away, and if you're still on the market for the perfect gift, we've got you covered. Here at Best Picks we're busy rounding up the best deals to shop, especially when there's a special occasion in mind. Whether she deserves a luxurious beauty gift or a coffee machine that's been on her wishlist for a while, Myer is home to all the big brands and crowd-favourite products. From designer fashion labels to sought-after kitchen gadgets, we've rounded up the best gift ideas to shop across fashion, beauty, homewares, tech and travel. But get in quick: Mother's Day is just around the corner and you won't want to miss out on these epic deals and limited time offers. Happy shopping! Health & Beauty Clarins Shop limited edition Mother's Day sets across best-selling skin and bodycare. CurrentBody Treat her to the award-winning LED face mask. Daily Shake Stock up on crowd-favourite shakes before they sell out again. Dyson Endota Shop Mother's Day at-home beauty bundles. Glamrdip Free $45 gift with salon perfect gifts. INIKA Organics Save up to $66 across natural, plant-powered beauty bundles. JSHealth Vitamins Jurlique Shop exclusive 2025 beauty bundles, perfect for every mum. Lecil Spoil her with best-selling nail and lashes sets. L'Occitane Bundle up with a wide range of shoppers' favourite gift sets. Moroccanoil Shop hair and body must-haves made from luxe moroccan oil. New Balance Shop trending sneakers and new apparel. Pure Fiji Pamper Mum from head to toe with body-pampering and skin-loving products. Pure Mama Treat expecting mums to the body oil and bump scrub duo. Retreat Yourself Score an extra 20 per cent off of the best-selling beauty hampers. Silky Paws Soothe dry hands with the popular hand cream. Shark Beauty Free shipping on all orders including crowd-favourite hair tools. Sozo Australia Score up to 15 per cent across Aussies favourite natural hair growth formulas. Trudermal WHO IS ELIJAH Take 50 per cent off best-selling scents including HER and EAU. Fashion Argent Silversmith Treat her to personalised jewellery and birth stone charms. Country Road Emu Shop cosy slippers and classic plush boots. Francesca Jewellery Indagare Natural Beauty Take 28 per cent off the award-winning anti-ageing serum. Kirstin Ash Gift birthstone pendants and petite diamonds. Longchamp NEOZ Score free shipping when you purchase two or more lamps. Saint Valentine Buy two, save 15 per cent across Aussie-made jewellery. Sportscraft Take 25 per cent off luxe knits and winter layers. Step One Shop Australia's best-selling bamboo underwear across bras, body shorts and briefs. Swatch Treat her to a newly-launched watch. The Fable Take 40 per cent off shoppers' favourite silk shirts. The Oodie Shop new sherpa lounge sets. Viktoria & Woods Shop Aussie-made soft tailoring, elevated essentials, and conscious designs. Homes, Tech & Travel Bed, Bath N' Table Beysis Personalise bottles, beauty cases and more this Mother's Day. Big W Take $15 off when you spend $115 using the code MUM at checkout. CuboAi Take up to $300 of Australia's smartest baby monitor. FAZEEK Shop trending glasswares under $50, $150, $250. Frank Green Shop the limited edition colourway, Berry, across 34oz & 20oz Reusable Bottles and 12oz Ceramic Reusable Cup with Button Lid. HexClad Take up to 40 per cent off cooking essentials. Kitchenaid Kobo Libra Colour Save $20 on Kobo Libra Colour and $50 on Kobo Elipsa 2E. Le Creuset Shop new arrivals and exlusive dishes in the Mother's Day edit. Lego Treat mum to some quality time with new sets. Ninja Take up to 15 per cent off when you bundle up across kitchen gadgets. Red Balloon Book a value-for-money package across lunch, wineries and day trips. Samsonite Spend $299 and save 40 per cent off best-selling cases. Sheridan Save $50 when spending $150 across luxury bedding, towels and more. Target Shop homewares, fashion, beauty and books all in one handy place. Tefal Shop the 'quietest' air fryer on the market and score 10 per cent off your first order.
Time Out
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
From (G)I-DLE to i-dle, K-pop icons enter a new era
One of K-pop's hottest girl groups is entering a new chapter. Formerly known as (G)I-DLE, the group has officially dropped the brackets and the 'G', rebranding themselves simply as i-dle across all social media platforms. The change reflects a move towards a more fluid and liberated identity, one that isn't bound by gender or conventional labels. To celebrate their 7th anniversary, i-dle has also announced the release of not one, but two mini-albums. The first, Special Mini Album, is dropping today (2 May), while their eighth official mini album is set to follow on 19 May. Fans were also treated to a teaser video featuring the track for (G), which appears to remix elements of their iconic debut single LATATA. Their upcoming May return also marks the first time all i-dle members have promoted together since signing new contracts with Cube Entertainment at the end of last year. In the meantime, they've each been exploring solo paths, with Minnie launching her debut solo album HER in January, and Yuqi followed with the digital single in March.
