Yeah, I’m a little uncomfortable with the idea of “what 8-12-year-old has CURVES for goodness sake!!!?!?!”

Well, I too am a man (right there in my name). I understand that you have issues, and I feel for that. But I’d suggest that if you don’t see the differences on the pressures that society places on us versus the pressures that society places on our sisters that you may be a little shortsighted.

Seventh graders get curves and start to get uncomfortable about them (or their lack of) so an article on dressing for your figure that has one pieces and two pieces for every shape, that’s pretty good. Swimwear is traumatic for every middle school girl. From the one that has developed and is freaked out about it to…

“Right, I’d have no problem with that article in a magazine that’s for middle school aged kids.”

It isn’t so much body-shaming as totally inappropriate cultural fat-phobic reinforcement at far too tender/impressionable an age. Which may be even more messed up.

I’m trying to imagine the corresponding article in Discovery Boys.

It is infuriating how medical science went BACKWARDS in this regard— it’s impossible to get opiates prescribed for menstrual cramps now, even when that’s the only thing that really works! Fuck, you can’t even get muscle relaxants prescribed for cramps. “Take Tylenol and herbal tea, and have you tried meditation or…

A lot of my job involves working with women post-mastectomy. I don’t judge women who get reconstructed, I can’t imagine how losing a breast would feel. But many have told me that, had they known the hassle and pain of reconstruction, they would have skipped it altogether. Should my turn with mastectomy ever come, I’d…

One of my favorite collectibles on European trips are the bottles of “medicinal liqueurs” that the picturesque old spas and monasteries sell. It’s basically herby booze, but the labels are alway interesting and they’re a real conversation starter on chick flicks nights with the ladyfriends.

After one of my great aunts passed, my mother showed me a beautifully styled little glass she carried around with her on trips from home. So lovely -all cut and sparkly. My mom said "she must have kept sewing pins in here or something." Me: "Mom, it's a SHOT GLASS." Mom: "Ooooooh...."

My mom’s a teeny person, and didn’t have reconstruction. “No one even *noticed* that my boobs are gone!” she said afterwards. “It’s so insulting!” Then she started making cracks about getting a Jayne Mansfield prosthetic bra. “That’ll show ‘em!”

I can see why she didn’t want to do it. It sounds like a big ordeal to get a new breast. Especially after going through treatments, it can seem very big to go through another surgery. She’s comfortable with her choice which is all that matters.

When men tell me to smile, I say I have a zygomatic disorder that prevents upward curvature of the mouth and THANKS FOR MOCKING MY DISABILITY. Real sensitive, dick.

Is the modern version still heavily laced with alcohol? Many of those 19th-century “women’s remedies” were just a good excuse for the ladies to have their own little bottle of something-something. And, yeah, it probably did wonders for cramps, too.

When I was at school this older man called me smiley and told me to smile a lot and I didn’t even know him well nor his own name. When people interject on anyone’s life with their opinion of minute detail that they want changed or differed, it is disgusting.

Lets focus on the important part of the story—Someone made booze to treat my menstrual cramps? Why am I just hearing about this now? *crosses fingers* Please don’t have screwed this up for me modern medical standards that no longer let me treat everything with opium.

When Mona Lisa smiled, it was a bit of a scandal. People, especially women, had to show a stern concern for their soul while having their image painted.

No. It used to be pretty common. The idea of telling women to smile more is actually a lot more recent.

i wanna find this man’s grave and pee on it WHILE SMILING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FIRST REPORTED INCIDENT OF A MAN TELLING A WOMAN *NOT* TO SMILE?!?