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I Wish TI Would Stop Telling People To Mind Their Business When It Comes To His Possible Divorce

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TI and Tiny
I’m so interested to see whether or not Tiny and TI actually end up getting that divorce she’s filed for. After all, by her own admission, Tiny has been through quite a bit with that husband of hers. Her friends have spoken about it publicly on social media. Tiny has liked those posts. And the screengrab is real, so we’ve seen it.  There was the not-so-subtle song about cutting d*cks off.  So we know there has been some drama for some time. And some of it has played out in the public eye.
But not just the drama, the narrative of Tiny and TI’s relationships struggles have also been countered by the reality show, TI and Tiny’s The Family Hustle. The show which has been likened to “The Cosby Show” one too many times. From the last time I watched the show, they come across looking pretty close to picture perfect. And watching the family come through sitcom-like challenges, laughing at both TI and Tiny’s antics and fall in love with sometimes adorable, sometimes mischevious kids.
And you know how it is when you watch a family for months on end, you start to feel like you know them. And while in our rational minds, we know we do not, in a lot of ways both Tiny and TI have invited us into their home.
Literally.
So you can imagine that people are curious about the couple they’ve seen up close and personal for years now. At this point, there are folks who are either invested or just plain nosey when it comes to whether TI and Tiny are going to make it. And they’ve asked as much.
First time, I saw someone ask about TI and Tiny’s potential divorce, it was Yung Joc and Mo
Quick during an interview on Atlanta’s Streets 94.5.
JOC: “I don’t want to see you and Tiny split, man!”
T.I.: “That ain’t your business, man.”
JOC: “You right, it ain’t. But we on the air right now, people want to know.”
T.I.: “I know we on air, and I’m telling you on air that it ain’t your business.”
But it’s not just celebrity associates and fellow reality tv stars who T.I. has a word for.
A couple of days ago, TI shared a picture of his family. Tiny was in the picture. The two were kind of cuddled up so naturally, the questions started swirling.

Ballerific Comment Creepin —- 🌾👀🌾 #ti #commentcreepin

A post shared by Baller Alert (@balleralert) on

Really, TI is right. The inner workings of his marriage to Tiny should be none of our concern. Unfortunately, that doesn’t account for human nature. We’re curious beings who, for better or worse, love to share our morality with others. And while TI wants to remind us to fall back, he hasn’t always done the same. Remember when Ciara and Russell were still dating and the internet blew up over the fact that Ciara allowed Russell to push her son’s stroller or Ciara allowed Russell to hug Future’s son. It was TI, along with a few other famous Black men, who chimed in to express their disapproval and what they would do if their child was in a similar situation.

#TI shares his opinion on the photos of #RussellWilson and #BabyFuture!! @ebrointheam

A post shared by The Shade Room (@theshaderoom) on

I couldn’t disagree more with TI on this one. Still, I don’t blame him for expressing his opinion. Like I said it’s human nature. But then don’t be a hypocrite when it’s time for us to weigh in on your life. While Ciara was anything but private with her relationships with either Future or Russell, she didn’t have a reality show either.

Veronica Wells is the culture editor at MadameNoire.com. She is also the author of “Bettah Days.” You can follow her on Facebook and Twitter @VDubShrug.

The post I Wish TI Would Stop Telling People To Mind Their Business When It Comes To His Possible Divorce appeared first on MadameNoire.


#ActualBlackWomen Highlights The Published Works Of Black Women Authors

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Perhaps by now you’ve heard that Rachel Dolezal has written a book. I don’t have to tell you who Rachel Dolezal is. She’s the Trans-Black woman—or the White woman who has always strongly identified with Black culture. But more than that, she identifies as a Black woman. People feel a variety of ways about that, but my opinion is best summed up in this here meme:

Yep

A post shared by For Harriet (@for.harriet) on

Furthermore, the fact that Rachel Dolezal managed to get a book deal when there are so many Black women struggling to get published is the ultimate White privilege. That does’t even consider the fact that her book, at one point, was outselling the one written by Tracy Martin and Sybrina Fulton, a real Black woman about a real oppression Black people face, police brutality. In an effort to support Black women who’ve written and published books, Eve Ewing started the hashtag #ActualBlackWomen to spotlight their accomplishments and stop giving Dolezal any more publicity.

The post #ActualBlackWomen Highlights The Published Works Of Black Women Authors appeared first on MadameNoire.

#BlackWomenAtWork Elicits Stories Of The Discrimination We Face At Work

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Yesterday, two Black women were publicly insulted on the national stage, by White men. April Ryan, a seasoned journalist with the American Urban Radio Network was chastised at a White House press briefing by White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer. Ryan inquired about the the Trump administration's image and how they planned on working to repair it. As Spicer gave his answer, Ryan shook her head as she took notes. Spicer obviously had a problem with it, and asked her from the podium, to stop doing so. As if, he exercised any type of power over her. Then, the story we've written about twice already, Bill O'Reilly and his comments on Congresswoman Maxine Waters' hair. The two incidents are all too familiar to Black women. The emphasis on our hair instead of our words and contributions and the attempt to diminish our autonomy. In response, Brittany Packnett tweeted this: Hours later, Waters herself got wind of the trending topic and used it in her response to O'Reilly. But before then, thousands of Black women across the internet used #BlackWomenAtWork to share their experiences of racist and sexist discrimination. Check out a few of them on the following pages.

The post #BlackWomenAtWork Elicits Stories Of The Discrimination We Face At Work appeared first on MadameNoire.

Can You Name Your Top 5 Male Singers Of All Time?

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WENNAfter our little Jodeci game a couple of weeks ago, we decided to up the ante a bit in the office, trying to figure out not just what songs we couldn’t live without by a particular group but which artists we couldn’t do without.

A lot of people have been labeled “greats” over the years or even “the greatest,” but if you had to name just five top male singers of all time with the best vocals (not the most streams, or downloads, or best dance moves, we’re strictly talking vocal ability) could you do it?

Here’s what each of us came up with:

Victoria: Michael Jackson, Al Green, K-Ci and JoJo, Stevie Wonder, Prince (yes she got an extra one in but you can’t separate K-Ci and JoJo she says)

Veronica: Luther Vandross, Johnny Gill, Marvin Gaye, Usher, Sisqo

Brande: Luther Vandross, Johnny Gill, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Usher

Let us know who reigns in your list of top 5 male vocalists below.

The post Can You Name Your Top 5 Male Singers Of All Time? appeared first on MadameNoire.

Apollo’s Fiancee, Sherien Almufti Makes Her RHOA Debut

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We wrote about the fact that not only was Apollo seeing other people, he was engaged to another woman all while behind bars. The woman’s name is Sherien Almufti. You already know that before the information even leaked to us, the general public, the producers had already made arrangements for Almufti to appear on the show. And it seems like she’ll be making her debut a bit sooner than we anticipated.

Earlier today, Bravo published this clip of Sherien making a pop up visit to meet the cast members.

Take a look at how the interaction went down.

What I found most fascinating was the fact that when Todd asked her how the two met, all she could say was that “they found love.” Naturally, the meeting with the men went a bit better than it did with the ladies who seemed to be at a loss for words, with the exception of Kenya who was more than ready to catch up on Sherien’s story.

Of course, we’re all waiting to see how Phaedra reacts to this new lady in her soon-to-ex’s life. What we do know is that Sherien better be careful what she says around Phaedra before it ends up being used against Apollo in their on-going divorce proceedings.

Veronica Wells is the culture editor at MadameNoire.com. She is also the author of “Bettah Days.” You can follow her on Facebook and Twitter @VDubShrug.

 

The post Apollo’s Fiancee, Sherien Almufti Makes Her RHOA Debut appeared first on MadameNoire.

STEM Sector Still Ignoring Black Women In Engineering And There’s A Study To Prove It

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black women in engineeringThere are still many “Hidden Figures” in the world of technology today. According to a new study, not much has changed since the 1960s era of NASA’s three “human computers,” Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson

Ignored Potential: A Collaborative Road Map for Increasing African-American Women in Engineering” is a newly released white paper commissioned by the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) and the Women in Engineering ProActive Network (WEPAN) which found only “26.3 percent of engineering bachelor’s degrees awarded to African Americans in 2011 went to women, despite the fact that African-American women outnumber African-American men nearly two to one as students in institutions of higher education,” reported The Charleston Chronicle.

“I think the timing is right to release this document,” said NSBE 2013–15 national chair Sossena Wood. “Hollywood has opened the minds of many by releasing ‘Hidden Figures.’ Many leave the movie wondering how can we get more women of color to go into STEM, and I believe this white paper offers an excellent solution.”

Added Trina Fletcher, director of Pre-College Programs for NSBE who is a doctoral candidate in engineering education at Purdue and a contributing author of the “Ignored Potential” report, “This white paper will allow those entities to take advantage of the potential African-American girls and women have as it relates to engineering and other areas of STEM. As we continue to become increasingly diverse as a nation, it is in our best interest to make the inclusion of groups that have historically been excluded a priority. This is especially true for women of the African diaspora, one of the most untapped human resources on this planet. I truly believe ‘Ignored Potential’ will help make that happen.”

The NSBE has a goal of leading the U.S. to graduate 10,000 Black engineers annually with bachelor’s degrees by 2025. Some strategies for reaching that figure include mentoring, diversity and inclusion training, targeted programming within professional organizations, publicized outreach, and better hiring efforts.

“To get to our 2025 goal, we must continue to challenge prevailing norms and remove barriers to ensure all groups can equally participate in and contribute to the burgeoning fields of engineering,” said NSBE Executive Director Karl W. Reid, Ed.D. “This white paper provides a roadmap to get us there.”

The post STEM Sector Still Ignoring Black Women In Engineering And There’s A Study To Prove It appeared first on MadameNoire.

What Is CVS? Grey’s Anatomy‘s Chandra Wilson Opens Up About Daughter’s Battle With Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome

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Have you ever heard of cyclic vomiting syndrome? Yeah, me neither. But if it sounds like a terrible condition to you, that’s because it is. Just ask Grey’s Anatomy star Chandra Wilson and her daughter, Sarina McFarlane.

Wilson (who plays Dr. Miranda Bailey on the ABC show) opened up to PEOPLE about her daughter’s struggles with the disorder, which came about when she was 16. After hanging out with friends, McFarlane assumed she had come down with food poisoning. However, that one bout of nausea and vomiting turned into consistent attacks that continue years later.

“She would get these terrible bouts of vomiting and stabbing abdominal pains,” Wilson said in the magazine’s newest issue. “I thought, ‘This was crazy.’ Something was wrong with my daughter, and nobody could tell me what it was.”

Wilson found herself tracking the foods McFarlane was eating and a wealth of other information to figure out what was going on. McFarlane, a teenager at the time as confused about her condition as anyone else would be, not only dealt with the debilitating symptoms, but judgment from her classmates.

“People in high school thought I was throwing up because I was trying to lose weight,” McFarlane said.

It took 10 months from her first real attack for doctors to truly figure out what was happening to McFarlane, who often would end up in the hospital to deal with dehydration from her condition. In 2010 she was diagnosed with two things: mitochondrial dysfunction and cyclic vomiting syndrome. The syndrome is rare, but it causes out of the blue nausea, vomiting and exhaustion.

McFarlane’s physician, Dr. Richard Boles, told PEOPLE that there is no cure for CVS, but it can be kept in check with the help of medication, vitamins and a more active lifestyle. But that doesn’t mean symptoms will up and disappear. McFarlane, now 23, still has to go to the hospital from time to time due to the effects of the nausea, vomiting and exhaustion. She said that she often feels judged by doctors when she goes.

“If you go to the hospital two, three or four times, they think you’re a druggie,” she said.

However, she adds that she can’t sit in a corner and cry about her condition. She just has to try and do what she can to live her best life despite of it — and what others may think.

“I could be sad about it,” McFarlane said, “but it’s going to come back anyway.”

So what is the deal with cyclic vomiting syndrome? Here are five fast facts you should know (before you do your own research, of course):

cyclic vomiting syndrome, stomach ache, cramps

It can start at any age.

According to the Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome Association, it can start at any time. CVS can occur for just a few months, but it can also, in McFarlane’s case, go on for years or even decades.

CVS occurrences can take place every once in a while or very often.

Episodes can reportedly happen as often as a few times a month or as little as several times a year. It depends on the case. However, they can be so bad that an individual has to stay in bed for days.

CVS may have something to do with persistent migraines.

According to the Mayo Clinic, CVS could be attached to a family history of migraines. And while an adult’s association with migraines when they have CVS may be lower, many children with CVS have such a family history, and/or, go on to deal with migraine headaches as they get older.

A number of people with CVS also deal with depression and anxiety.

According to research, almost half of those with cyclic vomiting syndrome also have depression or anxiety. Still, researchers say that it isn’t clear if such disorders are actually the cause or result of CVS.

There is no cure for CVS, but it can be controlled.

As in McFarlane’s case, aside from being more active and replenishing your body with vitamins, certain medications can help a person deal with CVS. Prescriptions include anti-nausea drugs, antidepressants, meds for stomach acid suppression, sedatives, as well as medications that are also used for migraines.

 

Images via PEOPLE/Twitter and Bigstock 

The post What Is CVS? Grey’s Anatomy‘s Chandra Wilson Opens Up About Daughter’s Battle With Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome appeared first on MadameNoire.

There’s A Subscription Box For That: Sweatstyle Takes Headache Out Of Shopping For Workout Clothes

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Shopping can be a lot of fun, depending on what you’re looking for. Shopping for exercise clothes? It should be enjoyable, but between finding pants that won’t slip down and bras that actually provide support for boobs over a size C, it can be a task. To help make the quest for the perfect workout wear a little bit easier for you, there’s a new subscription service called Sweatstyle.

workout clothes, fitness subscription box

So how does it work? According to the site, you create a profile that includes your size, your style preferences, your common workout routine and more. From there, Sweatstyle puts together a box filled with pieces tailored to your tastes, via your profile. The box, delivered within two weeks from the date you set up your profile, can include a number of things: a top, sports bra, bottoms and a piece of outerwear. Those pieces will be from both up-and-coming brands as well as popular boutique ones, including Koral, Alala, Brazil Wear and more.

Instagram Photo

You can try on the items at home, and you have five days to figure out what it is you want and what you are going to send back. Your delivery comes with a prepaid mailer, so shipping is free when you give back what it is you don’t think is a fit.

Now, the real question is, what is the cost of all of this? Well, you pay a $20 “Sweat Fee” per delivery, but that is applied to items you decide to keep. Of course, the boxes include pieces that are more than $20, so you’d also be expected to pay the costs left over for the items you want. According to Sweatstyle, tops range from $35 to $125, bottoms go for $55 to $140, sports bras cost from $35 to $100 and outerwear is from $50 to $250.

Instagram Photo

The site says, “Our prices are similar to what you would pay in high-end boutique athletic wear shops and we generally stick to the manufacturer’s suggested retail price.” So if you get something affordable that you like, keep it. If it’s way over your budget, send it back. If you go without keeping anything from a box, the Sweat Fees you pay (which are non-refundable by the way) are credited to you and used towards the items you do buy. And if you keep getting things that are out of your preferred price range, you can cancel your Sweatstyle account at any time.

Instagram Photo

If you have a little cash money that you’d like to use to upgrade your fitness wardrobe from month to month, Sweatstyle may just be the perfect fit for you. Also, they have a sale currently going on (which doesn’t happen often) if you don’t feel like waiting to be surprised and immediately find something that tickles your fancy.

 

Image via Bigstock 

The post There’s A Subscription Box For That: Sweatstyle Takes Headache Out Of Shopping For Workout Clothes appeared first on MadameNoire.


Uber Driver Learns Boyfriend Is Cheating When She Takes Another Woman To His House

Serious Question: Where Are All Of The Black Women In Studio Fitness Classes?

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One of the things that initially motivated me to start working out was fitness classes. While I would eventually enlist the help of a trainer for a short while and could sit on a treadmill and bikes for extended periods of time, there was something alluring about taking a step class with a group of other women. Or a Zumba class. Or a kickboxing class. But when the gym I was getting my class fill at ended up closing, I realized that I would have to branch out to feel the burn. I got a reasonably priced gym membership in the interim. However, classes offer you the option of feeling the burn in places you know you wouldn’t even bother with when trying to freestyle a routine at the gym.

fitness classes

Just recently I signed up for an intro ClassPass membership deal to be able to check out boutique offerings for a reasonable price. But even before I took my first class, whether I was jumping on boxes in CrossFit, riding in cycling classes, bending over in yoga or toning in Barre at the full price, I realized that I was often one of two, or more likely, the only Black woman in such classes. I didn’t think too much about it until I had a conversation with a friend who had just gone to a “ratchet” twerk class (ratchet was in the title) filled with White women. She felt a way about it.

“I was the ONLY person of color in that class,” she said. “The teacher was Black and everything, but there we were in a room full of White girls trying to dance to ‘Formation.’ I couldn’t take it.”

It wasn’t the first time we had a conversation like that. A dance studio around the corner from her job offered all sorts of booty-bouncing classes that she was the only Black woman in. I’d gone to African dance classes at the Ailey Extension and been maybe one of five Black people in a sea of White faces doing West African moves. May I also add, these people were doing these moves in Kente cloth they found from God knows where. Such has also been the case in Beyoncé-inspired dance classes and any other offerings that have seemed Black in the slightest. It wasn’t until a Black female instructor after a class pretty much said she didn’t know where all the Black women were and why they weren’t coming that I even thought to ask the question. Why aren’t we, more Black women that is, being seen in studio fitness classes?

I see plenty of Black women in the gym all of the time. And when I was a member of a local all-women’s gym in Brooklyn that offered classes and was affordable, I would mostly be among women who looked like me. But then again, it was affordable, with classes being included in your $25-a-month membership.

With that being said, I wonder if the costs of a lot of these fancy boutique classes is what keeps many of us at our local gyms and out of the studios. Remember that CrossFit class I previously mentioned? Well, as much as I liked trying it, I couldn’t afford the recurring membership price of $225 a month. A five-pack of classes (so only being able to attend one class a week in a month) to that cycling studio cost $150. Ten classes at that Barre studio, which also offered yoga, was $200, so I bounced after my two weeks of unlimited classes for $25 deal expired.

And while paying $20 to $30 for an intro class doesn’t sound terrible, what happens if you want to keep going? The prices can add up. Maybe that’s why I see more Black women checking out fitness events for free, like the community yoga class I often take (while costly classes during the week might only feature two Black people), or the $15 boot camps led in the park by popular Instagram fitness enthusiasts. I don’t think many of us aren’t interested in these types of studio classes, or that we can’t afford them (we spend a pretty penny at the hair salon alone). But I do think we would prefer to spend our money elsewhere.

But maybe it’s not the costs. As my friend also pointed out, maybe it’s the way these studios and their classes are marketed. When it comes to classes here in NYC, if you type in the name of a popular studio, chances are, you’re going to see a website with images of white women punching, stretching, posing and flexing. And for some, looking for a good fitness class they will feel welcomed in is like looking for a good school at a college fair. If I’m going to spend the money on the application fee and give you $20,000 for tuition, I need to see some type of diversity in this here brochure. But the truth is, what is often shared as the possible class experience is what you get when you actually step on a rooftop or in a small studio. It’s trying to work up a sweat alongside women who look nothing like you, taught by a woman who looks nothing like you as well. That could also be a deterrent.

And what about the clothing, equipment and all of the extras needed for some of these places? Gloves and wraps for the boxing gym. Towels and straps for yoga class. Studio wraps for the consistent pounding your feet take in dance classes. Not to mention that the cost of a good sports bra, pair of yoga pants or cross trainers is high. And can we talk about the transportation, time and energy it takes to get to these studios, often situated in wealthy, anything but diverse areas?

But I’m saying all of this without a conclusive answer as to why the studio group fitness class scene, booming here in New York and in many other cities, always seems so bereft of color. Maybe you’ve found something that feels more inclusive that others don’t know about. Maybe you prefer coming up with your own routine at the gym with girlfriends or at home in front of the TV. Maybe you just don’t want to spend more than $100 a month on something that’s not a necessity to you. Whatever your reasoning, I can respect it — as long as you’re being active somewhere.

Images via Bistock 

The post Serious Question: Where Are All Of The Black Women In Studio Fitness Classes? appeared first on MadameNoire.

Janet Hubert Slams “Media Hoe” Alfonso Ribeiro And This “So Called” Fresh Prince Reunion

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Recently, a few members of the cast of the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reunited at Nobu restaurant in Malibu. Despite the fact that they come together more often than people think (and often document it), it didn’t stop folks from being excited to see the gang all back together, with the exception of James Avery. He passed away in 2013 and the cast reunited to attend his memorial. When sharing an image of himself with Will Smith, Tatyana Ali, Karyn Parsons, Joseph Marcell and Daphne Maxwell Reid, Alfonso Ribeiro paid homage to the man who played Uncle Phil:

Instagram Photo

Smith also shared his own selfie from their outing:

But there was another important person missing from this love fest. No, I’m not talking about the guy who played Little Nicky. Not Jazz, either. I’m talking about Janet Hubert, the original Aunt Vivian. She caught wind of the photo and responded to any questions people may have had about how she feels about this reunion of sorts. She didn’t mince words in a message on Facebook.

“I know the media hoe Alphonso Ribero has posted his so called reunion photo,” Hubert wrote on Facebook. “Folks keep telling me about it. He was always the a– wipe for Will. There will never be a true reunion of the Fresh Prince. I have no interest in seeing any of these people on that kind of level.”

She added, “I am not offended in the least, by this photo… it was an event for Karen’s charity. It does however prompt me to take some meetings in Hollywood to pitch my memoir PERFECTION IS NOT A SITCOM MOM, and tell of the behind the scenes story before I leave this earth.”

Over the years we’ve all heard rumblings about what possibly caused all of the bad blood between Hubert and her former cast mates, especially with Smith. According to Ribeiro, it was something they legally weren’t supposed to talk about. Still, the rumors have always been there. From disputes over money to possible power struggles and unrequited requests for people’s names to be cleared, more than 20 years later, the drama is still at an all-time high. Obviously, there is more to the story of the exit of the original Aunt Viv, and it sounds like Hubert is looking to tell it all sooner than later.

 

Images via Instagram, Facebook, Splash

The post Janet Hubert Slams “Media Hoe” Alfonso Ribeiro And This “So Called” Fresh Prince Reunion appeared first on MadameNoire.

Bridal Bouffants: Wedding Hair Inspiration For Women With Locs

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While there are an extensive number of photos and recommendations of wedding hairstyles for naturalistas, when it comes to specific style ideas for women with locs, there could be more options. We need more wedding locs! When I was looking for ideas for hairstyles for my own wedding, I noticed just how sparse the well was. But a number of brides with locs of all shapes, sizes and lengths have said "I do" while turning their crown into a work of art. A few of those many women have shared their special moments and styles on Instagram. So for those who need ideas for their upcoming wedding or just want to style their hair in a certain way for a wedding they're just attending, here are a few looks that would definitely be head-turners: https://www.instagram.com/p/BK5yel6AWF8/?tagged=weddinglocs&hl=en https://www.instagram.com/p/BMzFWSRhPpa/?tagged=weddinglocs&hl=en https://www.instagram.com/p/BK5tNjzg4fU/?tagged=weddinglocs&hl=en https://www.instagram.com/p/5EbGjZNvcf/?tagged=weddinglocs&hl=en https://www.instagram.com/p/3zFFfORQSy/?tagged=weddinglocs&hl=en https://www.instagram.com/p/0K6zHgwysu/?tagged=weddinglocs&hl=en https://www.instagram.com/p/xuxPn-NzSA/?tagged=weddinglocs&hl=en https://www.instagram.com/p/xLOHCjB8Wt/?tagged=weddinglocs&hl=en https://www.instagram.com/p/qA0G4-FeGq/?tagged=weddinglocs&hl=en https://www.instagram.com/p/jZShqvFeMQ/?tagged=weddinglocs&hl=en https://www.instagram.com/p/jafsV2leIq/?tagged=weddinglocs&hl=en https://www.instagram.com/p/3cmnOwitIv/?tagged=weddinglocs&hl=en

The post Bridal Bouffants: Wedding Hair Inspiration For Women With Locs appeared first on MadameNoire.

“Are You Done?” And 11 Other Questions To #NeverAskAWoman

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[caption id="attachment_823428" align="aligncenter" width="1068"] Girl with red hair wearing glasses is standing near blackboard with white question marks on it. Concept of difficult question in life. FAQ.[/caption] Generally speaking, women don't mind being asked questions. What we do mind, however, is being asked stupid questions, or questions that imply we should be doing anything that is the opposite of what we're currently doing -- i.e. policing questions. Of course, there are also some other things we hate being asked, like what do you want to eat, that have nothing to do with being appropriate, we just don't have an answer, ever. But one thing Twitter does have the answer to are the things you should #NeverAskAWoman, like ever. Here are 12 of them. https://twitter.com/Hawapino/status/847424749793824769 https://twitter.com/KenMwendwa/status/847452915182616576 https://twitter.com/joelsabi/status/847434228048338944 https://twitter.com/jordan_demi1/status/847450851081822208 https://twitter.com/BalletMom247/status/847451035278860290 https://twitter.com/jreed216996/status/847450774389043200 https://twitter.com/UtdNabs/status/847450658609405952 https://twitter.com/iameemy/status/847450951107477504 https://twitter.com/rugzzy/status/847450169788350465 https://twitter.com/YellaKidd/status/847450033620254721 https://twitter.com/moorefromclaire/status/847454824551432194 https://twitter.com/CobyRayan/status/847454459445653505

The post “Are You Done?” And 11 Other Questions To #NeverAskAWoman appeared first on MadameNoire.

Octavia Spencer: “I Was A Dyslexic Child And Am A Dyslexic Adult”

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One thing you may not know about actress Octavia Spencer is that she is dyslexic. She was diagnosed, like most, with the learning disorder when she was a child. However, she’s redefining the way people think about dyslexia.

Octavia Spencer

“I was a dyslexic child and am a dyslexic adult; that doesn’t really mean that you’re not intelligent — it just means that your brain functions differently,” Spencer said when speaking with WENN.

She is starring in the new film Gifted, about a single man (played by Chris Evans of Captain America fame) taking care of his niece, who happens to be a mathematical prodigy.  The actress can somewhat relate to the story. Despite her dyslexia, Spencer said that growing up, she tested in the gifted program due to her remarkable problem-solving skills.

“I was actually tested for the gifted program in my school because I was more auditorially inclined than visually,” she said. “I just remember thinking differently. I could solve puzzles quicker than the average child. I would start with the mazes at the end and go to the front and be done in, like, 30 seconds. My deductive reasoning was very important.”

The Academy Award winner credits her teachers back in Montgomery, Alabama for encouraging her and helping her to cultivate her talents. Had they not aided her in seeing what she was capable of, she would have likely looked at her dyslexia diagnosis differently and her life may have had a different outcome.

“You have to allow kids to be kids,” Spencer said. “You also need to nurture their thirst for knowledge. I don’t know that allowing them to skip grades is good because then they end up in a grade with people who are much more mature than they are.”

She continued, “I had great teachers and I think teachers should be paid as much as athletes. When you think about it they spend the majority of the day with your kids so they should be compensated. They’re also teaching them and shaping their views about themselves. I feel very fortunate that in the public school system in Montgomery, Alabama, I had some wonderful teachers.”

Gifted hits theaters on April 7.

Image via WENN 

The post Octavia Spencer: “I Was A Dyslexic Child And Am A Dyslexic Adult” appeared first on MadameNoire.

Nick And Sonia From “Married At First Sight” Are Getting Divorced

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#snapchattheif

A post shared by Nick Pendergrast (@nick_mafs) on

If you watched this last season of “Married At First Sight,” you know how difficult it was for Nick Pendergrast and Sonia Granados. The two could just never seemed to be on the same page. One minute they seemed to be getting along perfectly. And then the next someone would say something off color or no would speak at all and the whole thing looked like it was on the verge of crumbling. Still, there were always glimmers of hope and the two seemed to genuinely care for one another. Personally, I was rooting for them.

So today, we were saddened to learn that the two are getting a divorce.

The two released a joint statement on Twitter after less than a year of marriage.


While Nick didn’t include anything else with his message, Sonia wrote:

“Don’t be discouraged. This is still a love story.”

And later, she shared this

Meanwhile, Nick has been posting some pretty telling messages on Instagram.

We wish the best for these two.

The post Nick And Sonia From “Married At First Sight” Are Getting Divorced appeared first on MadameNoire.


This Happened When My Husband Stopped Talking To Me For A Week

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By Tara Jones

I hate the silent treatment. Always have. You wanna really piss me off? Stop talking to me. It’s like cutting off my lifeline. I love to talk. Do you know that every five minutes the universe expands by 46 miles? Let’s talk about it. I talk so much my husband sometimes begs me to stop. But I can’t. Talking about what you’re going to do is the next best thing to doing it. And don’t all spiritual gurus say talk it into fruition?Like I said, I love to talk. So when my husband wouldn’t talk to me for a week I thought I would lose my mind.

Now I could go into why he stopped talking to me, but it’s beside the point. Let’s just say he got mad at me and not talking was his form of punishment. Or maybe he just needed time to think. I don’t even know for sure, but without that outlet some interesting things began to happen.

Sometimes I talked to myself. Not in that homeless-person-on-the-street way, but more like I had to talk things out with myself. Like, if I had an issue with work, instead of running to him, asking what do you think I should I do? I had to work through it myself. And I did on numerous occasions.

Sometimes I sang. Before I met my husband I would blast music and sing to the top of my lungs. Once I sang to Stevie Wonder’s box set for 4 hours straight, but that it hadn’t happened in years.

My productivity quadrupled. Work that used to take me weeks got done in hours. Just call me the Energizer Bunny.

Around the fifth day I wasn’t thinking about talking anymore. Alone with my thoughts, I asked myself, Why do I talk so damn much?

Then it hit me. Talking about what I’m going to do somehow makes it real — by telling you, maybe I’ll actually do it. Plus talking about it is the next best thing to doing it. But when I start thinking about all the hours I spend talking, not just to my husband but cackling on the phone with girlfriends too, it starts adding up. But what if it’s not as simple as, “I talk because I love it?” What if I’m avoiding something? Like, work. Honestly, I hate work.If I could have all the money and fame I ever wanted and didn’t have to lift a finger for it I’d be cool. I’m a born queen. But life isn’t like that. You wanna do big things in life you better have Michelle Obama arms. Even the Queen B werks. If I could have all the money and fame I ever wanted and didn’t have to lift a finger for it I’d be cool. I’m a born queen. But life isn’t like that. You wanna do big things in life you better have Michelle Obama arms. Even the Queen B werks.

So I started thinking, maybe this talking thing is overrated. Maybe we all got it wrong. All that stuff about talk to your mate, your kids, your mama, your friends, your neighbors, your co-workers, your social media, Alexis. What if it’s unnecessary? Maya Angelou didn’t talk for five years and it worked out pretty well for her. Helen Keller was a prolific author and never spoke a day in her life. And Buddhists don’t go around talking your ear off.

I remember when a friend went on a silence retreat a few years ago for 1 month and I thought she was going to die. But she came back happier and more at peace. Things that used to bother her didn’t seem to bother her anymore.

What if the secret’s in the silence? What if our power lies in the stuff that we keep for ourselves when we don’t go blurting things out all the time. Our current President is ineffective because he’s tweeting 24 hours a day, as if he never heard the term “never let them see you coming.” I’m tired of people seeing me coming. I want to be surprising. I want to surprise myself.

My husband and I started talking a few days ago. He came to me and said that he wasn’t mad anymore. The funny thing is, I couldn’t just go back. Put something on ice for a week and it needs time to thaw. But even bigger than our marital issue is the fact that I’ve changed. I don’t even have a desire for all that talk. Life is in the actions. The doing. The moments that can’t be recaptured. The silence.

The post This Happened When My Husband Stopped Talking To Me For A Week appeared first on MadameNoire.

Jennifer Hudson Says A Strict Diet, Not Exercise, Has Kept Those 80 Pounds Off

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Ever since she went from a size 16 to a size 6 in front of our eyes, much has been said about Jennifer Hudson’s weight loss journey. Eighty pounds down and seven years later, Hudson has been able to maintain her svelte frame. She was on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 2011 sharing her workout routine, which included shooting her shot on the basketball court, doing double dutch with her friends and going hard on the treadmill. But following years of keeping her weight down on her own after parting from Weight Watchers (which, ironically, Oprah is now the spokeswoman for), Hudson says that she’s been able to keep those 80 pounds off not by exercising, but watching what she eats. And when she says that she watches what she eats, Hudson isn’t kidding. She’s meticulous about her meals and when she eats them.

Jennifer Hudson diet

While visiting the UK talk show Lorraine on Wednesday (she’s currently living across the pond to be a judge on The Voice UK), Hudson was asked by the host about her exercise regimen. She echoed the sentiments of a one Sweet Brown when sharing her response.

“Well, I don’t really have time to do much of that so I just watch what I eat,” she said. “I’m very careful and cautious of what I’m eating and I just try to place those meals throughout the day. Like, okay, eat here, don’t eat there. When it’s early in the morning, ‘Okay, I would still be asleep right now so I’m not going to eat.’ But yeah, I’m very conscious about what I put in my body.

Hudson did say that her performance schedule qualifies as a workout, though. And it’s good that she burns calories onstage because while she’s stringent about her diet, Hudson is also human. In an interview with Yahoo! Style in 2014, she admitted that she still has to keep chocolate around to soothe her sweet tooth.

“I love chocolate,” Hudson said. “I always have to have chocolate around—it’s my cigarette. I don’t smoke but it calms me so well.”

Image by WENN 

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Serious Question: Would You Rent An Apartment On A Street Called Plantation Drive?

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The other night, my friend and I were talking about all the things you have to consider when looking for a new place. We listed the typical things like cost, neighborhood, distance to work, the trouble of packing, but then he added a new criterion to the mix: street name.

He told me a story of apartment hunting in Florida and falling in love with a newly renovated apartment that had everything he was looking for, except for one unexpected plot twist regarding the location. The address was on Plantation Drive.

“Could you live on a street called Plantation Drive?” He asked.

I hesitated for a minute, thinking living on Plantation Drive isn’t exactly the same as living on a plantation. But then I thought about having to give out my address and speak the words “Plantation Drive” on a regular basis and I agreed with his conclusion: “I can’t do it.”

Beyond having to utter the word plantation regularly as the place of my home, I said I’d also feel a way about my new “community” and the fact that, in 2017, they’d still allow a street to be named “plantation.” In fact, I realized that would probably be an even bigger determiner of my decision to pass than my previous reasoning.

Ultimately, my friend found a different place to call home and I’m pretty sure I would have too.

As a Black woman, would you live on a street called plantation drive?

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The Fine Fellas Who Popped Up In The #30PlusAppreciation Trending Topic

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I don't know about you all but as the week winds down, I find it hard to concentrate on much of anything. So it's always nice where a pleasant distraction comes along, particularly in the form of a trending topic. Today, it just so happened to be #30PlusAppreciation. This topic isn't exactly new but with the type of tantalizing results it yields, we'll take it. This gif perfectly describes our feelings scrolling through the hashtag. Check out the fellas on the following pages.  

The post The Fine Fellas Who Popped Up In The #30PlusAppreciation Trending Topic appeared first on MadameNoire.

10 Celebrity Men Who Are Just As Thirsty As Everyday Men

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In the age of social media, many women (and men as well) have been subjected to unwanted (and hey, sometimes wanted) advances from strangers who now have the ability to "slide in your DMs." They can make you their Man or Woman Crush of the week, comment on all of your pictures and leave smiley faces with hearts for eyes just in case their messages aren't getting the point across. But it's not just everyday folks who do the absolute most in an attempt to be given a shot (or in an attempt to get in one's undergarments). Many a celebrity man has professed strong, like pungent, affections for certain celebrity women.

Shemar Moore

Take Shemar Moore for example. The actor had been planting seeds for months to get someone to introduce him to singer/actress Rita Ora. Well, he finally had the chance to meet her this month, and he couldn't get over how stunning the beauty is. "She's quite exquisite," he said while at Access Hollywood. "I end up going to dinner at this nice little sushi spot in Los Angeles and I walk in... I felt like I was in high school," he said. "I sat right across from her, that accent came out and I was like, 'Oh my God, this is real!' And then we just had this, like, hour-and-a-half, just chill, eating-sushi conversation." Despite all of that "running my mouth" as he said, Moore didn't get her number. He did, however, shower her with all sorts of compliments -- and kisses. "I'm looking at her and she's stunning," Moore said. "I go, 'You're beautiful. God did it right, took his time...' She laughed and we had a good time and that was it. No phone numbers, no nothing. I just shook her hand, kissed her on the cheek and said, 'It was very nice to meet you.'"

Tyrese

Whatever his intentions were, a then-single Tyrese let the world know how much he admired singer Janelle Monáe in a very long Instagram message:
I'm in my grown man feelings tonight! - I hope you get the message - I'm a sucker for a naturally beautiful, God fearing woman who's smart and authentic who's strong and self sufficient - most guys out here will run fast and be intimidated with the idea of all the things I just mentioned about you... tonight I showed up to celebrate and and to be apart of one of the most special nights of my life as a singer Stevie Wonder turned 65 and I asked to sit in Janelle Monae section she blessed me and said of course and was I reminded of a feeling I've had before a few times before.... I often wonder what I can protect you from.... What I can help you with, what insight of information can I give to help further your goal and life's intentions - is there anything I can do or say to support you and just just help you get ahead - I often wonder - sweet dreams - (((( I know a few girls who would feel like they deserve this post - )) I'm sure I'm gonna catch some heat for this post - I'm so sure ha! But I won't delete it - cause I speak my truth..... And my truth won't change.........
While she didn't play him to the left, Monáe succinctly said thanks. "Always positive and endearing to see a man show admiration for an Electric Lady. I am Honored. Thank you @Tyrese." Drake, thirsty celebrity men

Drake

Who doesn't Drake love? He has a tattoo for Aaliyah (of her face), someone that even Complex said he's been obsessed with. He wrote a letter for the late singer on the anniversary of her death in 2010, referring to her by her middle name (because they were close like that...not).
Dear Dana, I’ve never lost a parent, a friend, or a lover but I will never forget this day for the rest of my life. I remember getting the news that you had passed and it connected with my heart like a clean shot from Muhammad Ali. I was crushed. Not only was I one of your biggest fans but I was truly in love with you. I loved the way you carried yourself, the way you dressed, the confidence with which you addressed passion and relationships in your music. I said to myself that even if we never met, I wanted a woman in my life just like you. I am pained that we will never get to connect now that music ended up being my career path. But you should know, we all listen to you everyday and we remain inspired and moved by all that you’ve given the world. I hope I make the right life choices so I can end up in heaven where I know you rest your head. I’ll continue to make music in your honor until the day we finally meet. Dinner’s on me! Love you always and forever, Drake
And then there's the tattoo for Sade and the time that he told the world he was in love with Rihanna at the VMAs. Drake has always been one to wear his heart on his sleeve, and do so publicly, but can it be a little too much sometimes? Uh, yeah. Swae Lee

Swae Lee of Rae Sremmurd

The youngest brother in the popular rap group publicly shared that he was trying to get in where he could fit in with, of all people, Malia Obama. He even shared what a date with him would be like with TMZ: "We gonna go on a dinner date, 200 feet in the air on a suspended table. Five star restaurant," he said. "After that, we gonna go to the beach. We gon’ do what we do on the beach. Might go on some jet skis. Then, I’ma take you home." Yeeeeeah, good luck getting past Secret Service. But according to Swae Lee, he would be respectful of both Malia and her father, our beloved Barack Obama. "I’ma definitely meet Obama, pay my respects to Obama," Swae said. "Do it like a gentleman, you know what I’m saying? Do it like a nice guy. Come with the flowers. I might come with some flowers. You never know."

Keith Powers

Keith Powers

While I personally thirst for Keith Powers of The New Edition Story, he has his eye set on a one Halle Berry. And I'm talking seriously set. On any given day, he can be seen commenting on Berry's pictures. Still, he keeps his statement pretty short and sweet with "I love you," "Wifey is her name," and "I'm in love." https://www.instagram.com/p/BSPujlJBP5h/?taken-by=keithpowers&hl=en As you can see, this is quite the crush. Lil Fizz thirsty celebrity men

Lil Fizz

There's no better way to let someone know you want to get with them then to tell the whole world (not them) that you would love to "eat the booty like groceries." That's what Love and Hip Hop Hollywood star and former B2K member Lil Fizz did when he let us all in on his crush on Amber Rose. He posted an illustration of a man with his head underneath a woman's behind, tagging Rose in the picture. The caption said, "I told bruh, 'IMA EAT THE WHOLE A--!!' gotta eat the booty like groceries." Despite doing the absolute most, Rose didn't respond (at least not publicly). Chad Johnson thirsty celebrity men

Chad Johnson

Johnson has been lusting after Rihanna for years now. Well, to be honest, he's been lusting after her feet the most. The former NFL player hasn't been afraid to put it all out there. Just check out these tweets: How could a girl not go wild over such sweet affirmations? *says with severe sarcasm* The Game

The Game

Maybe this is why rappers The Game and Meek Mill can't seem to get along. Way before Nicki was dating Meek, she caught the eye of The Game, who made her his WCW and boldly tried to shoot his shot. The full Instagram post is gone because he pulled it down, but the Internet has a way of keeping a hold of everything -- well, at least captions: "#WomanCrushWednesday “lil brown skin girl caught my eye…. I thought maybe it was time to give a thug a try” @nickiminaj #Yuhhhh" She may not have made him her man, but Minaj rewarded the rapper by having him star in her "Pills N Potions" video. Chris Brown

Chris Brown

I care not what Chris Brown says. Before he publicly called Karrueche everything but a child of God while he was bumping heads with rapper Soulja Boy, he was looking to get that old thing back. He would comment on her pictures, telling her to be a lady and not a "thot," while also trying to scare off other famous fellas who complimented her. Oh yeah, he would also say things like "still want it" and "Keep killing it kiddo" on her modeling photos. He was all over the place, which is typical I'm-the-ex-that-won't-leave-you-alone behavior on social media, unfortunately. But he made that clear. In his own words he said via an Instagram video, "Ladies y’all be complaining about ni--as being like stalkers in love with y’all and all kinda crazy sh-t and get tired of him. Well guess what? I’m one of them ni--as. If I love you, bi--h, ain’t nobody gonna have you." Yikes. Soulja Boy thirsty celebrity men

Soulja Boy

Over the last few years, rapper Soulja Boy has been trying to shoot his shot with quite a few ladies via social media. His compliments for Karrueche landed him in boiling hot water with Chris Brown. But drama and rebuffs have never stopped him from doing the most, including publicly crushing on many women, like Ashanti, Kim Kardashian, Nicki Minaj, India Love, and even The Breakfast Club host Angela Yee: Images via WENN and Splash 

The post 10 Celebrity Men Who Are Just As Thirsty As Everyday Men appeared first on MadameNoire.

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