Nothing you do during your teen years is truly safe. Drop your tray in the canteen and you might as well be dead socially (at least for the next few minutes until the whoops die down).
Even sneezing is oddly taboo around young people, who will critique your unique brand of nasal dust expulsion, and then implying you’re getting sexual pleasure out of it.
Here on Getting Freaky we look at strange sex stories you may have heard growing up, and one you’re bound to have come across is that a sneeze is equal to one eighth of an orgasm.
According to my other learned scholars at the local comp, the more you sneezed, the closer you were to achieving the big O.
While it does come across as a juvenile idea, plenty of people would admit to the fact sneezing provides a feeling of relief, which women and men agree can also be how an orgasm feels.
There’s the initial build-up, followed by a dramatic release. So far, so similar.
This is likely because the genitals and nose both contain erectile tissue which can engorge, although not enough is known to be sure how the two parts link.
A friend of Freud, German otolaryngologist Then Fliess, believed that all sorts of things could happen if you focused on the nose, and that it was the cause of everything from menstruation problems to psychological issues. He was dismissed on a number of things, but his theories about the link between sneezing and sex have been reported long since his death.
A report in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine surmised that there may be a few different reasons for the link; one being that the sneezing reflex comes about as a physical release post-orgasm, and the other being that the automatic nervous system gets its wires crossed and sends signals to both the nose and the genitals during sex or sexual thoughts.
Sneezing during or after sex, however, is the opposite way around in terms of a reaction, so although it establishes a connection, it doesn’t quite answer our question.
There is research stating that sneezing releases endorphins; hormones that relieve pain and make you feel good. Orgasms are also reported to release endorphins in your body.
The amount of endorphins released in each act is unknown, but it’s believed that in sneezing it would be significantly less. Also, given that sex also releases oxytocin and dopamine amongst other hormones, it’s unlikely that the two feelings would be even in the same ballpark (although understandable why they could be easily confused).
In terms of the idea that having eight – or six or seven or any number of – constant sneezes could have a cumulative effect on par with an orgasm: Unfortunately not.
Sexologist Vanessa Thompson of the University of Sydney told Business Insider: ‘there is no cumulative effect with sneezing so no amount of sneezing is going to feel like an orgasm.’
As science progresses, we may find a more in-depth insight into our automatic nervous systems that gives us an answer as to why sex and sneezing linked in any way.
The thought is that it may have come about from Dr. Ruth Westheimer, who said in the 80s, ‘an orgasm is just a reflex, like a sneeze’. People have potentially misquoted this, and the legend has continued that they’re the same.
In the meantime, it’s better to get a vibrator than a feather with which to tickle your nose.
Although she looks like a cutie pie here, Bertha was struggling to walk (Picture: Allison Hackett /SWNS.COM)
The above picture is what adorable chihuahua Bertha used to look like.
When she was given to Muttville Senior Dog Resue in San Francisco after her owner passed away she tipped the scales at 13lb – almost three times the recommended weight for a dog like her.
Her owner had passed away, and she was struggling to carry her body on her little legs. Not the best time for poor Bertha.
However, when she was adopted in August 2017 by 35-year-old Allison Hackett, things turned right around for her.
Bertha has now lost almost half of her body weight, and has a loving home where she can run around and play.
Allison, a mergers and acquisitions associate says that when she was rescued, ‘She was unable to move well and she was definitely hindered by her weight. She looked like a sausage.
‘My friend said she looked like a loaf of bread on tiny legs.’
Lil loaf at the start of her journey (Picture: Allison Hackett /SWNS.COM)
The vet advised Allison to feed the 11-year-old pooch just a quarter of a cup of food per day.
Although she wasn’t sure what she’d been eating before coming to Muttville, it was likely considerably more than this.
Now, Bertha enjoys low-carb dog food, and has even gotten in to eating carrot and apples as well as no ‘people food or high-calorie treats’.
She reached her 5lb goal a year into her diet, and Allison says ‘her vet is super happy with her at the moment.’
What Bertha looks like now (Picture : Allison Hackett /SWNS.COM)
She continues, ‘Now she can go up and down the stairs, she can stand on her hind legs, she can run around.
‘The has so much energy now and it’s so nice to hear the click of her toenails running around the house constantly especially when she could hardly move before.’
Apparently her love of food has remained, and Bertha is constantly on the lookout for her next snack. For Allison to resist those puppy dog eyes, she deserves a medal.
All worth it though to see her happy and healthy dog loving life.
A mum caught her little girl giving the camera her middle finger during a family photoshoot on her wedding day.
33-year-old mum-of-four Hannah Early had organised the professional shoot for her wedding day back in November, 2018, and was excited to get her family together.
However, while Hannah, from Old Bar, New South Wales, Australia, posed in her white dress holding a bouquet of flowers, holding the hand of her now-husband Nathan Earley, 31, she noticed one of her four daughters was swearing at the camera.
Three-year-old Maddison decided the photographer snapping away was the perfect opportunity to show off the ‘new trick’ she had learnt, and put her finger up to the camera – making the photo truly unforgettable, just not quite for the reasons Hannah had thought.
Hannah said: ‘It was a beautiful day and I was so excited about the wedding. I’d hired a photographer to take some photos of everyone.
(Picture: Imprint Imaging/Caters News)
‘At that point, we’d just had the ceremony, and then we decided to go off to the side to have some family photos taken.
‘All of a sudden she just popped it up to show everyone. There were lots of people standing around watching her, so I think she just thought why not do it.
‘She had learned that little trick just a few days before but had no idea what it meant. But she knew that she would get a strong reaction from it.
‘All my wedding guests who were watching us get the photos done started cracking up laughing. I’ll never forget it.’
While the professional photographer ended up deleting the image, Hannah’s sister Sharon luckily had been snapping away the entire time and managed to capture the moment on camera.
Community strengthening officer Hannah said the ‘whole family’ cracked up laughing when they saw the photograph – and her other kids Ashton, 15, Tyler, 8, and Halle, 5, all thought their little sister was hilarious.
(Picture: Caters News)
Hannah said this was not the first time Maddison had made the obscene gesture and had made a habit of it after witnessing a family friend doing it a few days before the wedding.
She even popped up her middle finger during a ‘girls selfie’ at her sister Halle’s graduation from day care – just two weeks after the wedding photo was captured.
The mum added that Maddison had ‘absolutely no idea’ what it meant but said she must have thought it was funny because it always evoked a strong reaction from people.
Thankfully nowadays she has stopped putting her middle finger up – with Hannah admitting she is ‘relieved’ that the phase is over.
(Picture: Caters News)
She said: ‘She did it for nearly a month straight. It was funny but I’m glad she’s stopped doing it now.
‘It was really hard not to have a giggle, but I didn’t want her to think it was okay. I had to always turn away from her and laugh so she wouldn’t see me.
‘Everyone thought it was hilarious. It is definitely something to remember.
‘She is such a character and is very outgoing. She makes me laugh every day.
‘It will be funny for all of us to look back on one day when she is older.’
Calling all pizza lovers: Asda’s heart-shaped Valentine’s Day pizzas are back in stores.
The heart-shaped pizzas come with a range of toppings, including Mozzarella Meltdown, American Sizzler, Meat Feast, Very Veggie Supreme and Pepperoni Feast.
They launch this week and are available for £3.
Richard Byrne-Price, Asda Pizza Product Development Manager, comments: ‘Last year, customers fell in love with our Love Heart Pizza, so wanted to bring them back again this Valentine’s Day. It’s the perfect meal for couples or those celebrating as friends, after all, Valentine’s Day is all about what you love!
(Picture: Asda)
‘The pizza is inspired by the traditional Italian style – with a thin base and plenty of topping, cooked to perfection in a stonebaked oven.’
Asda isn’t the only supermarket launching Valentine’s themed food.
We all know the rule – beer before wine makes you feel fine, wine before beer makes you feel queer.
But new research suggests that rule is a myth, and the order in which you drink different alcohol won’t make a bit of difference to your hangover. Sorry, pals.
Researchers Germany’s Witten/Herdecke University split a group of 90 volunteers into three groups. The first group drank two and a half pints of beer followed by four large glasses of white wine (big night, lads?), the second drank the same but with the wine first, and the third had only beer or only wine.
Yes, some of the participants did throw up.
But more importantly, the next day the participants were asked about their hangover and given a score on a devised hangover scale, based on factors including thirst, fatigue, headache, dizziness, stomach ache, nausea, loss of appetite, and an increased heart rate.
Turned out that the groups had pretty similar hangover levels.
To make sure certain groups weren’t just resistant to hangovers, one week later the participants were switched and drank again. Poor things.
The results pointed to the same result: there’s no truth to the order of drinks making a difference to your hangover. If you drink a lot of alcohol, you’re going to feel rubbish the next morning regardless of which choice of beverage you went for first.
Study author Joran Kochling said: ‘Using white wine and lager beer, we didn’t find any truth in the idea that drinking beer before wine gives you a milder hangover than the other way around.
How much alcohol does the NHS say we can drink?
Men and women are both advised not to drink more than 14 units of alcohol per week.
You can work out how many units you’ve had by multiplying the amount of the drink (ml) with the strength of the drink (%ABV) then divide by 1,000
So one pint (568ml) x 5 (5%ABV) = 2,840
2,840 divided by 1,000 = 2.8 units.
• Standard (175ml) glass of wine, 13.5% ABV – 2.3 units
• Large (250ml) glass of wine, 13.5% ABV – 3.4 units
• Pint of standard lager – 2.3 units
• Pint of premium lager – 2.8 units
• Pint of strong cider – 4.7 units
‘The truth is that drinking too much of any alcoholic drink is likely to result in a hangover.
‘The only reliable way of predicting how miserable you’ll feel the next day is by how drunk you feel and whether you are sick.
‘We should all pay attention to these red flags when drinking.’
Dr Kai Hensel added: ‘Unfortunately, we found that there was no way to avoid the inevitable hangover just by favouring one order over another.’
So, we’re sorry, everyone. You can’t cheat your way out of a hangover with a catchy rhyme.
Even with the progression of LGBTQI+ rights, and shows like RuPaul’s Drag Race moving drag into the mainstream, homophobic abuse is rife (Photo: Duchess)
I’ve always had ‘a big personality.’
As a camp, openly gay boy growing up in a small and socially conservative Hebridean community, homophobic bullying was a constant companion; the kind of b*tch who’d mess with your head relentlessly, but also teach you to toughen up and think on your feet.
I can laugh now at some of the experiences I had as a kid, but at the time it was torture. In a lot of ways, going into drag as a young adult was a path to healing and building myself up again.
Perhaps not the most obvious way to deal with post-traumatic stress caused by homophobic bullying, but like all art forms, drag offers escapism as well as the means to confront your demons.
Putting yourself out there in such a visible and unapologetic manner can be incredibly freeing. For me it has been a powerful way to take back control of my self-esteem, and a creative outlet.
Of course, being a shrill, 6”2 bloke in a corset and miniskirt isn’t always smooth sailing. Even with the progression of LGBTQI+ rights, and shows like RuPaul’s Drag Race moving drag into the mainstream, homophobic abuse is rife.
As a drag queen, there’s often a lack of respect for your physical being. I think the ‘illusion element’ gives people the sense that you’re not a real person, and the outrageousness of drag sometimes emboldens people to cross the line.
Suddenly, it’s ok for a bunch of rowdy women in a hen party to grab your crotch, or the drunken straight guy to squeeze your arse as you walk past… you pretty much asked for it, right? Wrong!
Just last week I was sexually assaulted in my own stairwell. I was fresh off stage from a charity fundraiser and it had been a great night; I’d killed it on stage and was feeling 10 foot tall.
The soul of drag culture and its heritage is all about protest, challenging norms and spreading love (Photo: Duchess)
The man, who had arrived home at the same time as me, commented that I looked amazing. I had my back to him, unlocking my flat door, and and he walked passed me, I felt the sudden, violent thrust of his hand between my legs.
Needless to say, it did not go down well. In the space of a couple of seconds he’d knocked me off my high and ruined my evening. He even tried to justify his behaviour as playful bawdry.
Drag is typically flirty and sexually overt, so I can see why the lines sometimes get blurred. But being suggestive on stage (or anywhere else, for that matter) is not the same thing as inviting a no holds barred riot.
We are performance artists playing a role, and under this wig is a human who — despite the bravado and confident demeanour — is still recovering from a lifetime of being abused just for existing.
Thankfully the venues where we perform are usually very safe spaces. In my experience, the majority of harassment and homophobic behaviour happens out and about; in the street, on the bus, and sometimes in your own stairwell.
That man from last week now has a broken finger and a pending assault charge, but there’s something really insipid about the fact that we still live in a world where verbal abuse goes mostly unchecked.
Homophobic language may be considered a hate crime these days, but how often do we (or those around us) take action when we’re called f****ts?
I’m not saying we should get worked up constantly by every little thing, and it’s not about pointing fingers or starting arguments. But if you see or experience something that doesn’t feel right, it’s okay to question it.
The soul of drag culture and its heritage is all about protest, challenging norms and spreading love (well, love and sometimes crabs.) It was drag icon Marsha P. Johnson who kicked off the Stonewall Riots 50 years ago, and to me drag is an excellent way to fight back and deal with haters.
I think drag needs to have substance and intent to be truly great and sometimes that involves being subversive and provocative — perhaps even in the face of danger. It’s just much easier to be brave when you know the crowd has your back.
Duchess is currently appearing in Jock Tamson’s Bairns, an immersive theatrical experience celebrating LGBT History Month, set in a drag bar. Glasgow, CCA (6, 18 Feb), Edinburgh, Assembly Roxy (21-23 Feb)
Yes, it’s a bit nippy in the UK. But over in the US, people are packing on their puffa jackets in the midst of a polar vortex.
What is a polar vortex?
Glad you asked.
A polar vortex describes a large pocket of extremely cold air that sits over the North Pole during winter. That air then moves down to the United States, making it very, very cold.
But while the majority of us would bundle up in blankets and stay inside, some people refuse to let the cold stop them from doing whatever they like.
Take Daniel Schetter. He’s known as Surfer Dan because, well, he likes to surf.
He likes to surf so much that he and his surfer pal, Allen Finau, decided to go out in the polar vortex and catch some waves at on Lake Superior in Marqutte Michigan.
The temperature was minus 34 degrees celsius.
As you might expect, the results are a little different to surfing on a normal, non-freezing day.
Photographer Devon Hains was there to capture the experience on camera, and the photos are pretty wonderful. Take a look.
Skip the flowers this Valentine’s Day and gift them something they’ll really love instead, like lipstick.
With 14 February fast approaching, we anticipate there’s a fair few of us who will head to the supermarkets for our go-to panic purchases.
But don’t panic. If you’re struggling to buy that perfect Valentine’s gift for her, we’ve selected 16 beauty gifts that she’ll whole-heartedly love, from new perfume launches to blogger-approved eyeshadow palettes.
If Galentine’s Day is more your thing, BeautyBlender has the present to share with your best gal.
The BeautyBlender BBF Kit encases two original Beauty Bender makeup sponges in heart halves, along with two Blendercleanser samples, so you can keep one half and gift the other.
Picking a fragrance for a loved one can be a tad overwhelming, but Narciso Rodriguez For Her Pure Musc Eau de Parfum is a crowd pleasing scent, that isn’t too sweet, or heavy.
With base notes of amber and top notes of jasmine, the balanced perfume is sensuous and seductive.
Calling all makeup collectors who love nothing more than a deluxe lipstick.
Hourglass’ Valentine’s edition Slim High Intensity Lipsticks are well worthy of adding to your makeup arsenal with their delightful formula and equally pleasing bullet design.
Hourglass Confession Ultra Slim High Intensity Lipstick Set, £62, cultbeauty.co.uk
For the babe that really loves beauty, you can’t go wrong with a palette – especially an eyeshadow palette from one the best in the biz – Huda Beauty.
With nine fun and experimental raspberry, blackcurrant and copper shades, Ruby Obsessions isn’t for the faint-hearted, but it’s guaranteed to make them skip a beat.
But one Canadian grandmother decided to prove that even in death, she’s hilarious.
Sybil Marie Hicks died on 2 February at the age of 82. Before her death she worked with two of her children to write her own obituary, which was then published in The Hamilton Spectator.
Yes, it’s touching, but it’s also funny, mentioning Sybil having a ‘smoking hot body’ after being cremated and how she called her husband a ‘horse’s ass’.
The obituary reads: ‘It hurts me to admit it… but I, Mrs. Ron Hicks from Baysville, have passed away.
‘I passed peacefully with my eldest daughter, Brenda, by my side February 2, 2019 at 8:20 a.m.
‘I leave behind my loving husband, Ron Hicks, whom I often affectionately referred to as a “Horse’s Ass”.
‘I also left behind my children whom I tolerated over the years; Bob (with Carol) my oldest son and also my favourite. Brian (with Ginette) who was the Oreo cookie favourite, Brenda AKA “Hazel” who would run to clean the bathrooms when she heard company was coming. Barbara (with Gordon) the ever Miss Perfect and finally Baby Bruce who wouldn’t eat homemade turkey soup because he didn’t want to be alert looking for bones while he ate.
(Picture: Hamilton Spectator/OrbitTree)
‘I will miss seeing my sweetest grandchildren; Caitlin, Megan, Joel, Issac, Mason, Rachel, Annie, Emma, Harrison, Clark, Choe, Orion, Griffin …grow up to be the incredible people they are meant to be.
‘I graduated from Waterdown High School with honors while wearing my shiny bright saddle shoes. I later graduated from Hamilton General Hospital School Nursing class of 1957B — Best Class EVER!
‘In 1972 Ron and I loaded the car with the 5- B’s and headed north to run a school bus company for over 20 years in Baysville, Ontario.
‘I was an active horticulturalist, a member of the Eastern Star and a member of the Lion’s Club in Baysville.
‘I finally have the smoking hot body I have always wanted… having been cremated.
‘Please come say goodbye and celebrate my wonderful life with my husband and his special friend Dorothy who is now lovingly taking care of my horse’s ass.
‘For those of you who are wondering who assisted me in writing this… it wasn’t my husband, it wasn’t my oldest, nor was it my youngest… Thank you all for sharing my life with me.
‘I am off to swim to the buoy and back. Love, Sybil.’
Some of Sybil’s grandchildren joined the Reddit thread to offer more details, commenting that Sybil’s health declined after she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, and the Dorothy the obituary mentions is an old family friend who took care of her when she was ill.
One of the grandchildren, Chloe, notes that she’s the only grandchild with a typo in her name (it’s written as ‘Choe’ in the obituary), but says Sybil was the ‘best grandma anyone could ever ask for’.
Atlas Talisman, 37, describes himself as a ‘poo wizard’.
He’s intent on getting rid of the shame around the anus, and he will fulfill that mission by smearing what appears to be poo on his cheeks (we don’t think it’s actually poo, by the way. Perhaps some brownie batter?).
He shared his act of poo positivity with a video, because what else is the internet for if not for videos of people getting sh*tfaced?
‘I don’t mind being the butt of the joke, humour is the best vessel for serious issues,’ says Atlas.
‘For too long the anus has been associated with ‘homo’, ‘pervert’ or ‘dirty,’ which make men scared of exploring this part of their body.
‘The rectum has been put ‘out of bounds’ and it is time to reconnect with it in celebration and respect.
‘I know that it takes someone to dive in face-first and get this topic out in the open, so I guess that person is me.
(Picture: Caters)
‘I believe the anus has been ignored or associated with male homosexuality rather than acknowledged as a plug socket.
‘It is such a vital part of our existence, our dietary and sexual health. We need to unlearn the negative associations.
‘I hope others feel a sense of solidarity and welcome everyone to get ‘sh*tfaced’ with me!’
I mean, he does have a point. Men often miss out on the sexual pleasure of anal stimulation because they think it makes them gay.
However, rubbing poo on your face probably won’t deconstruct these ideas… which is likely the point, as Atlas seems to be poking fun at those ‘period positive’ videos that show life coaches and spiritual healers covering themselves in menstrual blood rather than doing work such as providing sanitary products to those who can’t afford them.
Over on Atlas’s Instagram he regularly posts pictures and videos entirely unrelated to poo, and he appears to be a performance artist, actor, and comedian… not a poo wizard, sadly.
Of course, he could have had a recent career change. But we’re going to say this whole video is a well-done parody.
Will the people of the internet hear Atlas’s message and general p*ss-taking loud and clear? Or will they take it seriously and start smearing actual poo on their faeces?
We get it. The thought of any invasive action by a medical professional in your nether regions isn’t exactly appealing.
But when that fear and uncertainty is putting women off getting the test altogether, something has really got to be done.
A study last year found that half of women have delayed or cancelled their smear test – a lot of that was due to embarrassment or fear.
We need to break the taboo. If women felt able to talk openly about getting a smear test, a lot of the anxiety and fear of the unknown would be removed.
More than 3,200 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer every year in the UK, and nearly 900 die annually. All women aged 25 to 49 are invited for a screening test every 3 years, while those aged 50 to 64 are invited every 5 years.
But 1 in 4 women skip the cervical screening, with the proportion increasing to 1 in 3 among those aged 25 to 29.
‘Smear tests provide the best protection against cervical cancer, yet worryingly attendance is in decline with more than one in four women not taking up their invitation,’ explains Rebecca Shoosmith, from Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust.
‘We know they aren’t always easy, so it’s really important to find out what it’s all about and ask any questions you have before or after the test.’
We asked women to share their real, honest experiences of getting a smear test. Openness is the first step in removing stigma.
Natalie, 30
I was quite nervous for my first smear, but the nurse who did it was so nice.
She talked through everything that was happening. The speculum was pretty cold, and I really tensed up out of nerves – but when the nurse told me to relax and breathe, it went in just fine.
Then the nurse opens up the speculum, which doesn’t really feel like anything. Then there’s a swab – which was a weird sensation, rather than painful. Then everything was out of me and it was over.
The only slightly painful part was when I was too tense at the beginning, so really try to breathe and relax your muscles.
I also wasted time worrying about the fact that I hadn’t shaved or anything – but the nurses literally do not care. As long as they can find your vagina, that’s all that matters.
Rebecca, 28
Smear tests feel weird and invasive, but not especially painful.
It’s not a sensation I’ve felt before, but if you run your fingernail along the roof of your mouth it’s like that, only internal.
Afterwards I had a very, very mild cramp like a light period pain. The actual experience was no where near as stressful as the lead up to it.
What actually happens during a smear test?
The whole test should take no longer than three minutes and your nurse just wants to do the best test possible, they are there to talk through any concerns you might have.
During a smear test a nurse uses a really soft brush to take a sample of cells from your cervix which will be sent to a laboratory to checks for cell changes (abnormalities) on your cervix.
It can be uncomfortable and feel weird but shouldn’t be painful.
Some women do experience pain and this can be due to lots of different things including pre-existing medical conditions, so do tell your nurse if it does and they will be able to talk through ways to make it easier.
I was so shocked that literally none of my friends had told me that they had had one, or what it felt like.
My mum had said that it was scratchy, but that’s basically all I knew.
There was anxiety about what fanny admin was needed first.
And I just found it so funny that this woman was literally having a chat like I was at the hairdressers; what did I have planned for the rest of the day, did I have any holidays booked – and I honestly didn’t notice that she had done it.
There was maybe just a tiny scratchy feeling. But really nothing to get myself worked up about.
It’s baffling that we aren’t taught about smear tests at school. But sadly it’s just another example of how women aren’t taught about what to expect when it comes to periods, sex or the development of their bodies.
Nadia, 29
At my first smear I realised that it’s not a one-size-fits-all thing – I was basically too small for the instruments.
For smaller ladies there is usually a smaller thing they stick inside you – not sure what it’s called. But they always try with the big one first and that’s not good.
So if you know you might struggle with that size then ask for something smaller – that’s the main lesson I learnt.
Also, the more tense you are, the more it might hurt – so try and think of something that will help you to relax.
Bex, 30
It just feels like a bit of a crampy period pain for a few seconds.
The silly thing is that the more relaxed you are, the easier the speculum goes in, so having a lovely nurse who chats to you and makes you feel at ease is a big help.
Anna, 27
My first smear test I was a nervous wreck and actually cried. I had no idea what to expect, I went alone and had so much anxiety that I worked myself into state before anything even happened.
The actual test took no more than five minutes and there was no pain whatsoever, just an unusual feeling like someone brushing you from the inside with a cotton bud.
The second time, I was still anxious, so I took friends with me for moral support. This one was a breeze.
The nurse gave me the advice to make fists with my hands and place them under my hips, which helped with the angle and provided a distraction so I could relax more.
I think women need to feel more confident asking questions.
Remember that you’re not alone, don’t be embarrassed to ask a friend or family member to come with you if you feel nervous. That made all the difference for me.
Donna, 29
I would say it feels a bit like someone swiping a cotton bud firmly across you. So it’s slightly uncomfortable, but not painful – more like a pressure thing.
It’s also very quick! I think the speculum going in is probably the worst bit because it’s just a bit chilly, and nobody wants a cold vagina.
Helen, 29
Smear tests are so important! All my experiences have been positive, regardless of my abnormal results.
My gynecologist is a guy, and the most awkward bit of the whole thing is making small talk about Coronation Street and the weather.
It’s not uncomfortable. They’re in and out, so to speak!
Hannah, 30
My first smear had an abnormal result, so I have now had quite a few, and every time has been fine.
I’m pant-less for less than fiive minutes and it’s all over before I’ve even had time to think about it.
The most stressful thing about my last appointment was that I took my little boy with me and I kept him quiet with a pack of mini cheddars. When I came out from behind the curtain the entire pack was all over the floor.
So the nurse and I spent more time picking up mini cheddars from the floor than we did on the actual smear!
Getting support
For more information about smear tests or cervical cancer you can call the Jo’s Trust helpline: 0808 802 8000
Until recently I was about as likely to feel sorry for Justin Bieber as I was to embrace the return of low rise jeans.
After all, this is a man who wrote about himself in the guest book at Ann Frank’s house and sang made up Spanish while performing Despacito.
But if you grew up religious and therefore struggling with sex guilt, you might find his recent interview in Vogue makes you feel just that.
In the interview with Vogue, Biebs explained that he and his new wife Hayley Baldwin were celibate before they got married. He explained this quite surprising revelation, saying: ‘I found myself doing things that I was so ashamed of, being super-promiscuous and stuff, and I think I used Xanax because I was so ashamed. My mom always said to treat women with respect. For me that was always in my head while I was doing it, so I could never enjoy it. Drugs put a screen between me and what I was doing.’
To start with let’s clear up a bit of that confusion. Having sex with women is not inherently disrespectful. You can have sex with someone in a respectful way, and you don’t need to be married for that to be the case. But anyway.
Biebs then goes on the explain why he decided to become celibate for God, saying:
‘He [God] doesn’t ask us not to have sex for him because he wants rules and stuff,’ Justin says. ‘He’s like, I’m trying to protect you from hurt and pain. I think sex can cause a lot of pain. Sometimes people have sex because they don’t feel good enough.
‘Because they lack self-worth. Women do that, and guys do that. I wanted to rededicate myself to God in that way because I really felt it was better for the condition of my soul. And I believe that God blessed me with Hailey as a result. There are perks. You get rewarded for good behavior.’
These are sentiments that anyone who was raised in a religion which forbids sex before marriage will understand.
I grew up Catholic, going to church as a child and then Catholic boarding school between 11 and 18. While my parents aren’t strict and never made sex seem taboo, 18 years of church and Catholic school were enough to send the message loud and clear: sex before marriage is bad, dirty and wrong.
The problem with teaching people that sex is forbidden is that when you’re a teen you’re so full of hormones that your body is telling you want sex all the time. You’re a seething mass of hormones. You are, to put it bluntly, really horny. The idea that you’ve got to wait until your mid twenties to get rid of this feeling is terrifying.
Even masturbation, medically condoned as being healthy, is forbidden.
(Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)
It’s hard to explain to anyone who grew up in a secular household just how bad it makes you feel when you believe that masturbation is a sin. Every time you do it there’s an initial relief, followed by a huge wave of guilt.
Just like Justin Bieber, I believed that sex was inherently bad, and that I wouldn’t meet someone I could have a long term relationship with until I stopped doing it. Any unhappiness I experienced I assumed was some kind of retribution for my sexual sinning.
When I got married in 2017 I had my first guilt free sexual experience of my life. For the previous eight years of sexual activity I had been trying to silence a small voice in the back of my head which claimed that fun, consenting sex was wrong because it wasn’t with my husband. I’m far from alone:
‘I used to cry after sex’ said Lola*, 24. ‘I was raised in a devout household where sexual relationships outside of marriage were forbidden. I went to univeristy and did the predicable rebellion thing. I enjoyed exploring, but I felt so bad after. Like I’d hurt my mum, even though she didn’t know.
‘In the end I got counselling. Reading about being sex positive helped as well. I’m in a long term relationship now and it’s better, but I still pretend to my family that we haven’t had sex. I’ll pretend on my wedding day that I’m a virgin.’
It’s not just women, either. William*, 29 told Metro.co.uk: ‘I was only told once, at religious school’ that masturbation was a sin. But that was enough. I felt like I was doing something dirty every time I touched myself. When my friends started having sex I couldn’t understand how they all felt so relaxed and free about it, when we’d been told our whole lives that giving in to our urges basically meant going to hell. I thought that having sex with a girl meant that I didn’t like or respect her.
‘In the end I dated a girl who had similar problems and we worked through them together, but I still have to work to remember that having sex with a woman isn’t a bad thing.’
According to sex therapist Sarah Berry, it’s possible to work through sexual shame. She told Metro.co.uk. ‘Putting the shame into sentences can help people make sense of what they think and why. Also, write down any fears, judgements that have been made, might be made or that you make on yourself.’
‘If your shame involves a fetish or sexual activity, maybe do some research online to see how other people feel about their activities. ‘Contact with others can help normalise your thoughts, give you more information and if you like, new friends and playmates. ‘An open-minded psychosexual therapist can help you work through this.’
Sex is not wrong, dirty or bad. It can make people behave badly, and it requires a responsible behaviour. Sex can certainly be part of a problem. But it’s not the problem within itself, and as long as it’s between two consenting adults, there is no good reason t feel guilty.
People don’t look fondly on that. Or on bridezillas.
So we’re not surprised that when an unidentified woman complained about her ring on Facebook, screenshots were taken and shared on Reddit, where she was roundly slammed for being ungrateful.
In the original Facebook post, the woman shared images of the ring, writing: ‘My boyfriend finally asked me to marry him and this is really what he gives me…
‘He pulled it out of his pocket and it took just about everything in me to not laugh and question whether this was real life or not.’
The woman does say that after a few days wearing the ring she’s become used to it, but that she still wishes she had something different.
(Picture: Mortadelllla/reddit)
That’s despite the fact that the ring belonged to her other half’s grandmother, so it has some emotional significance.
As we mentioned, the reaction on Reddit was… not good.
One Redditor wrote: ‘Hope that guy takes the ring back and runs.’ Another called her ‘trashy’.
She did get some support though. A few Redditors say the guy is partly to blame for the shaming as he made a poor choice in the ring.
‘It’s partly his fault for not gauging her reaction and her wants,’ reads one comment. ‘An engagement ring is something they will have for a while and it’s important to actually know what kind of style your future wife would want.’
A fair point, we reckon.
So, let’s discuss. Is this woman in the wrong for slamming her ring in a Facebook group? Or is it reasonable to ask for a ring you truly love wearing?
The endless scroll for suitable substitutions – the floating red orb, the exploding volcano, the Japan flag – is over and we now have one single emoji which can express what half the global population experience every month.
Unicode – the California based organisation that manages the distribution of emojis world wide – announced this week that our joint submission with NHS Blood and Transplant for a blood drop emoji was successful.
The emoji, which can represent menstruation, bleeding and blood transfusion will be rolled out onto smartphone keyboards worldwide from next spring.
We couldn’t be more thrilled.
Harmful and pervasive cultural taboos, combined with issues around cost and access, has serious consequences.
Is it the ultimate period emoji? No, but it is the first. For an organisation like Unicode to recognise that menstruation should be represented in this new global language is a huge step towards breaking down a global culture of shame around periods.
Because this is about more than amusing pictures that can liven up a WhatsApp message. Whether we like it or not, emojis are the fastest growing language in the world. Emojis play a crucial role in our digital and emotional vocabulary, transcending country and cultural barriers.
So, the exclusion of an emoji which represents what 800million women around the world are experiencing right now, in favour of more trains, goblins and dinosaurs, was yet another example of silencing and euphemising menstruation.
As experts in girls’ rights, we know that the silence and stigma surrounding periods has a negative impact on girls. Around the world, harmful and pervasive cultural taboos, combined with issues around cost and access, has serious consequences.
In rural India, 20 per cent of girls leave school after they get their first period, and 70 per cent of girls in Malawi miss one to three school days a month due to menstruation, more than they do from malaria.
Girls around the world are missing out, they feel alienated from their bodies and they’ve been told to keep quiet and manage their periods in silence for too long.
In the UK, our research has confirmed that young people are still dramatically ill-informed about their reproductive health. One in seven (14 per cent) girls aged 14-21 surveyed reported that they did not know what was happening when they started their period.
Girls are also experiencing health implications as a consequence – 79 per cent of girls who experience menstrual symptoms that worry them have not consulted a doctor, primarily because of embarrassment.
We’re not saying an emoji will solve this, but it can help to change the conversation. Half of women aged 18-34 surveyed revealed that a period emoji would make it easier for them to discuss their periods with friends and partners.
In an age where women routinely hide their tampons up their sleeves and feel forced to make excuses for menstrual pains, it sends a crucial message to girls and women that periods are a normal and natural part of life.
That’s why we launched our campaign back in 2017 for a period emoji. More than 55,000 people from around the world called for a period emoji to be added to the global emoji keyboard to help break down the silence, stigma and taboos surrounding periods.
We submitted the winning design – a pair of ‘period pants’ – to the Unicode consortium, which was stalled at subcommittee level. So, we tried again. We teamed up with NHS Blood and Transplant to submit a multi-use blood drop emoji, and we won.
Whether or not you think you’ll use a period emoji, the fact that it now exists really matters. It sends a powerful message to girls and menstruators around the world that it’s ok to talk about their periods – it’s not embarrassing, shameful or disgusting. Periods are normal.
Anything which makes it easier for us to talk openly and honestly about periods as a society can only be a good thing.
A plus-size woman has built up a fanbase of thousands of online fans who watch her eat 10,000 calories a day on camera.
Weighing 33-stone, size 30 Amanda Faye, 25, is part of a fetish community known as feederism, which eroticises eating and weight gain.
Amanda makes her living from eating on camera, charging viewers per video to see her doing everything from drinking calorie-filled drinks through a funnel, to jiggling her belly.
Though she receives a ‘tonne of hate on a daily basis’, Amanda, from southern California, said: ‘The negative comments are nothing I haven’t heard all my life, or called myself for fun anyway.
‘I get the typical insults – fat cow, Shamu, like the killer whale, or lard arse.
‘I’m a very positive person, so I generally ignore it, or leave a playful comment back.
(Picture: PA Real Life)
‘Body positivity is such a controversial topic and no matter what I say, there will always be people with their swords drawn, ready to fight me on this, so I’ll keep it simple – everybody and every body is beautiful.
‘There shouldn’t be any shame in celebrating that, from hairy legs to flat tummies and back rolls to saggy breasts.’
Amanda’s partner, who she does not wish to name, is an FA or ‘fat admirer’ and is 100% supportive of what she does.
Amanda hasn’t always been comfortable with her size. She once shed 7st in a bid to fit in with those around her.
But, after much soul searching, she realised she was more comfortable being big, saying: ‘Being fat makes me happy, physically and sexually.’
Amanda was introduced to feederism by a friend in 2016. Amanda is known as a gainer – or feedee – which is someone who likes the physical act of getting bigger, so either increases their size by overeating, or uses padding to make themselves larger.
There are also feeders, who like to watch others getting bigger and encourage their weight gain.
‘I was shy about feederism at first,’ said Amanda.
‘But, as time went on, it felt more like my calling and slowly but surely, I fell in love with the community.’
(Picture: PA Real Life)
Starting out on Feabie, a social network for feedees and feeders, Amanda then moved onto Tumblr, before setting up her own Instagram.
Before long, she had amassed almost 50,000 followers.
While she does not wish to discuss her exact monthly income, she revealed that she makes most of her money through paid promotions, on Instagram and Patreon, where people can set up their own subscription services.
Working on a three tier system, she charges $10 (£7.66) for access to all her videos and photos, $20 (£15.32) for the additional benefit of her Snapchat, $50 (£38.30) for a FaceTime call and $100 (£76) for all of the above, plus extra adult content.
Explaining the types of videos she creates, Amanda said: ‘I do stuffing videos, where I eat massive amounts of food, funnel feeding videos, where I funnel down liquids through a tube and weight gain shake chug, where I down large amounts of liquid in little time, so my belly looks even more swollen.
‘This is all as well as other fat fetish content, including fantasy talk or playing with my belly.’
Typically, Amanda films two to three videos a day for both her Patreon supporters, and those who have submitted specific requests.
(Picture: PA Real Life)
She also live streams via Instagram, so her fans can feel more connected to her.
Usually eating around 4,000 calories a day, this can rise to as many as 10,000 when she is filming, depending on what she has been asked to eat.
She said: ‘I get tonnes of interesting questions and requests when it comes to food.
‘I feel the most popular food people enjoy seeing me eat is Taco Bell, burgers and fruit.
‘One guy paid me to eat 13 pears and crack open a coconut to drink its milk while half naked on camera.
‘I love creative and interesting ideas,so my job is never boring. Personally, I don’t find it difficult to maintain my size for my followers.
‘I’m naturally a bigger girl, so as long as I continue to eat well, I easily stay fluffy and gain for my fans.’
While she has endured the odd aggressive, demanding customer, the majority of Amanda’s fans are very respectful – unlike internet trolls, who leave nasty comments.
But Amanda won’t let it get her down.
She said: ‘You really start to flourish as a person when you choose to be yourself, despite all the forced perspectives and idealised characters you’re told you should be, in order to truly love yourself.
‘As long as you’re being true to yourself, nothing else matters.’
You know one of the best things about nights out? The girls you meet in the toilets who you end up spending ages chatting with, complimenting and finding out all of their relationship dramas.
Two girls have formed a ‘life-long’ friendship, after one filmed the other’s 20 minute rant in the nightclub toilets about her awful date, and it went viral.
Screenwriter Tiffani Hall, 23, met her new friend LaConya Hamilton last Friday at a nightclub while stood at the bathroom mirrors while they were both on dates.
In the video, LaConya, 27, is seen ranting about her abysmal luck with men while Tiffani films it and nods along in encouragement.
Referring to ladies toilets as a ‘sanctuary’ for drunken women, Tiffani shared the video on Twitter to track down her new best mate.
(Picture: Tiffani Hall/Kennedy News)The video racked up more than 286,000 likes and retweets and more than 4million views.
Thanks to the millions who saw it, Tiffani was put in touch with her ‘friend for life’ through pals who saw LaConya’s rant going viral.
Tiffani, from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, said: ‘We struck up quite a great friendship. It’s something most girls can relate to.
‘I heard LaConya around the club talking to people about her date, then in the bathroom she carried on. We were in there about 20 minutes.
‘I was invited to go to a club by a guy just to have a good time, have some drinks and meet new people.
‘Then a couple of hours in I started making friends with some of the other ladies.
‘I’d gone into the bathroom to take pictures of myself and my date asked one of the girls to check on me because I was taking a while.
(Picture: Tiffani Hall/Kennedy News)‘We got talking and having this normal conversation, then I started recording and the rest is history.
‘As girls, the club bathroom is our sanctuary – it’s our time to relax, unwind, compliment each other and tell stories.’
After their brief encounter on Friday night, Tiffani desperately tried to find her new friend the next morning and appealed on Twitter.
When LaConya’s sister put them in touch, they both arranged a brunch date for Saturday.
Tiffani said: ‘The guy is somebody that she’s dating and was with at the time, but it was crazy because she was really p***ed off at him all night.
‘This isn’t the first time this has happened to me in a club toilets – but I just happened to be recording it this time.
‘I loved her energy and how honest she was. She wasn’t afraid to express herself and just be open.
‘It’s crazy because we actually made sure we got each other on Instagram but we were so drunk I forgot.
(Picture: Tiffani Hall/Kennedy News)‘I was on Twitter the next day asking people to help me find her.
‘Her sister commented on it and gave me her Twitter name – that’s how I found her.
‘At first she was confused and said it doesn’t change what she was saying.
‘She stood by what she was saying about the man 100 per cent.
‘We actually have a lunch date this weekend.’
LaConya complained about being expected to ‘chase around’ men when she’d told them how she felt.
The mum-of-two continued with her rant while another woman stood in the background rummaging through her handbag.
LaConya said: ‘The guy realised the video went viral – it’s a bit awkward.
‘He text me the other day and said ‘morning babe’ – I didn’t know what to do.
‘Tiffani didn’t have no friends out there, she was just with a guy.
‘We have mutual friends and I went into the bathroom to check on her and said ‘I’m fed up, I’m sick of him. I’m done with this’.
‘I was like ‘I’m just tired – these guys are a mess’.
‘We were actually taking pictures at first then she said she was recording.
‘I actually followed her on Instagram when we were talking, but we forgot. Then she found me on Twitter and we’ve been talking ever since.
‘It’s a nice thing to come from a drunken moment in the toilets.’
A woman on Mumsnet has prompted debate by sharing the details of her cousin’s smoking free wedding.
The poster writes: ‘AIBU? I’m a bit miffed. I by no means chain smoke, but might have one or two outside at a party.
‘My cousin is getting married soon and the invites request that people don’t smoke within the grounds of the church or the grounds of the reception venue. I’m not going to kick up a fuss, I just feel like its overkill.’
The replies generally seem to sympathise with the bride, suggesting that a smoke free wedding a ‘brilliant’ idea.
However others pointed out that as a smoker, an entire day and evening where smoking is banned would probably be stressful and not much fun.
The logic behind this dictat isn’t clear. Some posters asked whether maybe this was a rule imposed by the wedding venue rather than a controlling bride.
Some of Mumsnet’s commentators claimed they had done the same thing: ‘We specified no smoking at our wedding. I’m asthmatic. It was my day. I wasn’t spending it having an asthma attack. But I wouldn’t have been offended if any smoking friends or relatives chose not to attend – their loss, my gain (and would have saved on food/drink!)’
However other people pointed out that if the bride and groom do have friends who smoke, they might not see much of them on the day if they’re got to trek off the premise to light up. ‘I’ve rarely dropped one on the floor. If there are no bins i put mine in a tissue until I find a bin.
I’d just walk away from the venue a bit, they might find everyone chatting outside off the premises with their drink and a fag. I bet the venue is empty.’
Another poster claimed she wouldn’t attend the wedding if she were still a smoker, writing: ‘If I were still smoking, I would decline the invite for this reason – in fact, even as a non-smoker now,
‘I’d still be tempted to decline, just because it pisses me off so much when people insist on policing other people’s behaviour in such petty ways.’
A woman is so close with her pet chicken that they sunbathe, shop and watch TV together – and she even has a giant tattoo of the hen.
Angel Muiri adopted little Chookie 18 months ago after a vet revealed she had no home to go to, and the pair bonded instantly.
The three-year-old chicken gleefully follows Angel around her home in Melbourne, Victoria, and curls up in her lap and purrs.
Angel bought Chookie a chicken harness so they could enjoy days out together and now go for walks along the beach and enjoy ice cream dates together.
When Chookie’s little legs have tired from all the exercise, Angel lets her hop up on her shoulder and perch there when she visits the shops – where the hen ‘chats’ to other shoppers.
(Picture: @chookiethechook/Kennedy News)
Animal lover Angel said: ‘Chookie’s definitely a unique chicken, I was just really lucky to have found her.
‘She’s the most adorable and special animal, chickens are so cute and quirky and really do have their own little personalities.
‘For years I’ve been talking about wanting a lap chicken and she just came along out of nowhere.
‘All my chickens live outside but she’s half indoor chicken. I take her most places including the beach – she loves to sunbathe on the beach and also explore and peck at sea shells.
(Picture: @chookiethechook/Kennedy News)
‘I sometimes take her down to the store on my shoulder so she can meet people and sometimes we have ice-cream dates.
‘She loves the attention and sometimes she clucks back when people talk to her.’
Angel, who has kept chickens from a young age, said Chookie enjoys going out in her dollar store harness and after a busy day out and about loves nothing more than curling up in front of the TV.
Angel said: ‘The initial harness I got for her was a proper chicken one but she didn’t like it very much.
‘I recently bought her a really cheap one from a dollar store and she absolutely adores it and loves going out and about in it.
‘I realised she was a very relaxed chicken when she sat down on my lap, got comfortable and started purring as she napped.’
Angel decided to immortalise Chookie on her right calf to represent the love she has for her, and all her previous pet birds.
Angel said: ‘I’ve always had a love for chickens and always wanted a tattoo.
(Picture: @chookiethechook/Kennedy News)
‘I decided to get a tattoo of Chookie, the chicken that’s been closest to me, as a symbol for all the chickens I’ve had and loved.
‘My tattoo artist was so excited to do it for me, he did a fantastic job.’
Although chickens make good pets, Angel says people should be careful because not all chickens have the same personality and adventurous tendencies as Chookie.
Angel said: ‘Don’t expect every chicken to be like Chookie and have a close bond like we have.
‘If you want to have a chicken like that I think you should raise them by hand.
‘Chickens are amazing, have great personalities and are very quirky but not all of them are going to connect with you like Chookie has with me.’
No one likes having dark circles under their eyes.
It’s not fun when you get into work without any make up on and someone asks you if you’re feeling unwell. So it’s understandable that you might want to get rid of the bags.
But please do not decide to get the skin under your eyes tattooed.
It’s an increasingly popular treatment where a cosmetic tattoo gun is used to micro inject ink into the area. The idea is that lighter ink is injected over the dark circles, giving you a kind of permanent concealer.
If it sound too good to be true that’s probably it apparently is.
Founder of Tracie Giles Bespoke Permanent Makeup, Tracie Giles weighs in on what she really thinks about using permanent tattooing to cover up under-eye circles…
‘You cannot tattoo to conceal dark circles under the eyes. The reason is because it never works and can literally ruin a face. More likely it will end up on a case of ‘Botched’ on TV.
You would be covering the underneath of the eyes with an opaque chalky pigment which is permanent in the skin and will never fade.
‘Over time the opaque covering, even if applied diluted or with a pixilation effect, rises in the skin and discolours rather like sour cream.
‘It would be a major long term regret because it is really difficult if not impossible to remove. The laser makes it go black and it would be extremely high risk to even attempt removal so close to the eyes in case of blinding the patient.
‘In any case any attempt at removal would need to be carried out by a highly skilled medical professional.
‘My personal opinion is that this treatment should absolutely be avoided and that no reputable practitioner would ever undertake this. To ameliorate the appearance of dark circles or hollows, the most likely treatment would be to have Tear Trough filling with an appropriate expert.’
So probably best to stick to under eye concealer. We like Laura Mercier, Charlotte Tilbury or this absolute steal from Barry M.
Beauty salons are offering free bikini waxes to women going for their smear test, to help fight against cervical cancer.
Pinky’s Beauty and Beautique by Riley are offering the free treatment to customers who want to feel more confident and comfortable ahead of the test.
This comes after a study by Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust found that 31% of women would avoid a smear test if they hadn’t shaved.
And so, Katie Pickett, who own’s Pinkey’s Beauty, launched the ‘preen for your screen’ campaign for Cervical Cancer Awareness month.
So far, she says six women have booked their smear test within a few days of their wax.
The campaign is a wonderful gesture given the seriousness of needing to get a smear – given that two women die from cervical cancer every day, and one in four miss their screening test.
Katie set up the scheme after six of her friends lost their lives to cancer in recent years.
The 34-year-old, from Walderslade in Kent, said: ‘Cervical cancer is a very taboo cancer because of getting your private parts out.
‘We thought what can we do to help create awareness and what can we do to give back?
(Picture: KMG /SWNS.COM)
‘They feel more body confident in getting ready for their test and we get really good feedback from people.
‘We had six ladies within two days say they had booked their smear test, and said “thank you for reminding us.”
‘A lot of our clients have said they had an abnormal smear and it was sorted and they were okay.’
The Pink Ladies at the salon in Hempstead, Kent, are running the scheme until Valentine’s Day and Katie hopes to extend it.
You can also get a discount at the salon by taking a selfie showing lipstick smeared across your face and using the #smear4smear hashtag. The hashtag is part of an awareness campaign that has been popular on social media since January.
Christina White, who owns Beautique by Riley in Maidstone, Kent, wanted to take the #smear4smear campaign one step further and ‘offer something to try and make people more comfortable.’
The 34-year-old, from Chatham in Kent, is rewarding all customers who can prove they have booked their smear test with free wax treatments, worth £18, and said she has had a ‘fantastic reaction.’
Christina launched the campaign as MPs began debating whether to lower the age women are invited to undergo cervical screening from 25 to 18.
(Picture: KMG /SWNS.COM)
It comes after a mum-of-four launched a petition last year to ‘enable all women to detect cell changes and prevent cancer’ and was taken to the House of Commons after receiving more than 10,000 signatures.
Christina said: ‘I try and get involved in a lot of social media campaigns but I wanted to take that one step further and offer something to try and make people more comfortable.
‘I know us girls find it a bit embarrassing but a bit of shyness is nothing compared to what could happen if you shy away from having a smear.
‘I was lucky, when I was growing up my mum spoke to me about it a lot, but there’s many young people who aren’t as aware, I don’t think it’s quite followed through the generations.
‘If you can get over the shyness to have a bikini wax you can then build the courage to go one step further to have your smear.’
![PIC FROM KENNEDY NEWS AND MEDIA (PICTURED: Tiffani's initial tweet appealing for anyone who knew LaConya to put them in touch) These two party-goers claim to have formed a 'life-long' friendship - after one filmed the other's 20 MINUTE rant in nightclub toilets about her dreadful date and it went viral. Screenwriter Tiffani Hall, 23, met her new friend LaConya Hamilton last Friday [February 1] at a nightclub while stood at the bathroom mirrors while they were both on dates. In the video, LaConya, 27, is seen ranting about her abysmal luck with men while Tiffani films it and nods along in encouragement. SEE KENNEDY NEWS COPY - 0161 697 4266](http://metrouk2.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/sei_51126611-307a.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&strip=all)
![PIC FROM Kennedy News and Media (PICTURED: Tiffani Hall and LaConya Hamilton in the women's toilets at the night club they met) These two party-goers claim to have formed a 'life-long' friendship - after one filmed the other's 20 MINUTE rant in nightclub toilets about her dreadful date and it went viral. Screenwriter Tiffani Hall, 23, met her new friend LaConya Hamilton last Friday [February 1] at a nightclub while stood at the bathroom mirrors while they were both on dates. In the video, LaConya, 27, is seen ranting about her abysmal luck with men while Tiffani films it and nods along in encouragement. SEE KENNEDY NEWS COPY - 0161 697 4266](http://metrouk2.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/sei_51126606-fe80-e1549633363488.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&strip=all)
![PIC FROM Kennedy News and Media (PICTURED: Tiffani Hall and LaConya Hamilton in the women's toilets at the night club they met) These two party-goers claim to have formed a 'life-long' friendship - after one filmed the other's 20 MINUTE rant in nightclub toilets about her dreadful date and it went viral. Screenwriter Tiffani Hall, 23, met her new friend LaConya Hamilton last Friday [February 1] at a nightclub while stood at the bathroom mirrors while they were both on dates. In the video, LaConya, 27, is seen ranting about her abysmal luck with men while Tiffani films it and nods along in encouragement. SEE KENNEDY NEWS COPY - 0161 697 4266](http://metrouk2.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/sei_51126605-2608-e1549633392714.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&strip=all)
