Wednesday BARB UP September 6, 2017

One of the many things I’m building towards here on BARB is creating a community, one that looks for answers to the things that we have questions about. The umbrella of Beauty is one of those buckets of how-do-I-do? As we get older, we get bombarded with the missive to “act” our age or “dress” our age. It’s something that I defy, this concept of having to be or do anything that is “our” age. You know what’s “ours”? Anything and everything. If I want to live in jeans until my 80’s, that’s what I’ll do. (The only thing that will get in the way of what I want to do is when an ailment plagues me, as I learned this summer with my beloved air shots: I threw my back out when I jumped off a lifeguard chair onto a pile of sand. That’s when I paused and said, “Okay, no air shots until I’m healed.” But once I’m healed? I’m back to jumping for joy.) I encourage you to find your comfort zone, and not be harnessed by side-eye. Fuck shade. Flourish in the sun, that’s what’s ours.

Our premiere column of Lady Parts by Stacy Conde is up, this week featuring Chris Rios and the messy bun. Enjoy!

Maybe there’s a way to save DACA.

Dixie Laite: “My father’s family helped me see my story, and therefore myself, through an entirely new lens. I now feel more confident and comfortable in my skin. I don’t worry anymore whether my virtue or visage can muster the love I need. I no longer care if my resting bitch face or strong opinions repel the faint of heart. They can go fuck themselves. I’m now ready to flex my own hardy heart.”

Kate Brown continues to be a role model person-in-politics.

Reese Witherspoon: “If our representatives value women’s health in this country as much as they claim they do, how can they even contemplate denying women access to cervical or breast cancer screenings? You can’t help our kids, our country, or our future if you don’t take care of women. That feels pretty simple to me.”

Dr. Kathryn Allen: “We are so tired of men making decisions for us. The GOP has assaulted all of these things that many women care deeply about.”

I like when Amazon roles out pilots and in particular, I really liked A Kid Called Mayonnaise. Check it out and vote for it, we need more of it.

I’m a super fan of Maggie Haberman of the NYTimes so this makes me happy.

In Somalia, women fight to play basketball.

And now have a laugh with Tig Notaro.

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f you’d like to help those affected by Hurricane Harvey, here are some organizations to check out.

The Coalition for the Homeless is an umbrella organization coordinating shelters and orgs across the city.

Coastal Bend Disaster Recovery Group: “Our mission is to strengthen long term recovery by addressing unmet, disaster-related needs of individuals in the community. Membership is open to anyone who supports our misssion and signs our Code of Ethics Agreement.”

Corpus Christi Food Bank: “The Food Bank of Corpus Christi reduces hunger in South Texas through food distribution and nutrition education.”

Galveston County Food Bank: “Lead the fight to end hunger in Galveston County.”

Heart to Heart had a disaster response team and mobile medical unit deploying Friday morning from Kansas City to arrive in Texas ahead of the storm.

Houston Food Bank:”Children, families and seniors in Southeast Texas are in need of food, water and supplies.”

Portlight is a local grassroots organization that provides disaster aid to the disabled specifically: “Hurricane Harvey has wreaked havoc over the east coast of Texas and isn’t going to let up anytime soon, the Partnership has set up a hotline (800) 626-4959 to refer people with disabilities who may be in the affected areas to locate services and resources they may need.”

Samaritan’s Purse disaster relief units are now pre-positioned in Texas as residents continue to struggle with rain, flooding, and destruction caused by Hurricane Harvey.

Southern Baptist Disaster Relief (SBDR): “Families urgently need your help.”

SPCA of Texas: “As the organization prepares to deploy disaster response efforts in North Texas to assist the Gulf Coast, support for this effort and for all of our programs and services is critical.”

Texas Diaper Bank : food banks don’t supply diapers, which people desperately need.