S Nicole Lane

The Student Debt Crisis Is So Bad Even Clergy Are Packing Their Bags
A searchable database of the laws, people, organizations, and litigation involved in sexual and reproductive health and justice in the United States.
Nine states have passed laws in 2019 to ban abortion after a certain point in pregnancy, restricting people’s access to the spectrum of reproductive health-care services. While none of these laws are in effect yet, abortion care becoming illegal is daunting and terrifying for p...

The Reader crew
Salem Collo-Julin Listings coordinator
Leor Galil Staff writer
S. Nicole Lane Editorial associate
Jamie Ludwig Associate editor
Philip Montoro Music editor
Philip Montoro What are the misfires on the Riot Fest bill? Have any of the repeaters worn out their welcome? Are there acts you would've expected to see, given their touring and album cycles, that aren't here? Does anybody on the bill totally suck, either as a person or as a musician, and need to go away?
This seems like a...

The Reader crew
Leor Galil Staff writer
S. Nicole Lane Editorial associate
Jamie Ludwig Associate editor
Philip Montoro Music editor
Philip Montoro How does the Riot Fest experience stack up against other similar festivals? What's it like just being there, dealing with the crowds and the layout and the vendors and the security and so on?
J.R. Nelson As an almost middle-aged man, I think Riot Fest is the most comfortable overall fest experience by a wide margin. I enjoy as much space as possib...

“Pink viagra,” publicly termed “Addyi,” was introduced to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2010, bringing about the first advisory committee addressing the drug. There, it was unanimously rejected.
Introduction to the Market
In 2013, the drug was re-introduced and rejected again, as randomized clinical trials demonstrated its effects were no better than placebo and could potentially pose serious safety concerns.
Finally, in 2015, Addyi was approved after the company Sprout took ...

In 1997, Breast Men aired on HBO. Written by John Stockwell and directed by Lawrence O’Neil, the semi-biographical dark comedy film depicts the lives of the two men who invented breast implants.
By the title alone, viewers may have expected visuals that would not be broadcasted on regular cable. A film that focuses on plastic surgery and the human body toddles along a fine line. It’s clear that the filmmakers had no problem exploring both sides of that line – incorporating the heavy legal ons...

Each year, approximately 700,000 Americans choose to undergo LASIK surgery. Nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism can all be corrected with this procedure, which utilizes a laser to reshape the cornea and improve vision, eliminating the need for contacts and glasses.
The success rate of LASIK is nevertheless very high, with a 96% patient satisfaction rate, as noted by the Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery. Eric Donnenfeld, MD, former president of the American Society of Cat...

As a twelve-year-old, I suffered from debilitating migraines. All the way up until adulthood, they riddled my days—finding relief was impossible, treatment was nowhere to be found. For five days at a time, I would be in agony, lying underneath the covers and hiding from reality. Migraines disrupt life. They create a rupture in routine, they break up your day, they bring forth thoughts of hopelessness and depression. However, after a certain age, I discovered a form of relief, something that i...

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Transforming the mundane—objects like index cards, plastic straws, rubber bands and even Slinkys—is Tara Donovan’s expertise. In “Fieldwork,” her solo exhibition at the Smart Museum, she combines wall-based works with sculptures for the first time. The gallery space is filled with objects we see every day, objects we use every day. Donovan breathes new life into them.
The most stunning and surprising piece is “Haze,” incorporated into the wall where shapes bubble and burgeon with ...

On her way to work one morning, Frances found herself lost in an area she had regularly driven for ten years. This was the result of a hip replacement she had undergone several years prior.
Frances, 47, was 39 when the cobalt alloy hips were implanted. Within weeks, her skin broke out in boils that would crack open and bleed. A multitude of harrowing symptoms soon followed.
“I developed memory loss, severe tinnitus, visual disturbances, confusion and PTSD-like rage/anxiety attacks,” she share...

From Bronzeville to Boystown and beyond, here are some of the events closing out this anniversary Pride Month.
HIGHFEMME: Pride Edition is a celebration of queer and trans femmes of color hosted by Lucy Stoole, Jessica Laskaris, and Barry Brandon and featuring performance art by Melissa Coffee, Michael Robinson, Iv Fischer, and Alex & Effee. DJs Tess and Cqqchifruit will spin alongside photo booths and video installations. Thu 6/27, 9 PM-2 AM, Cerise Rooftop, 203 N. Wabash, free before 10 PM,...

In 2019, LGBTQ television has never been better. According to GLAAD, one in 11 or 8.8 percent of characters on scripted prime-time shows identify as LGBTQ, which amounts to more than 100 more than there were last year. This means more representation, inclusivity, and accuracy and television content that will continue to break down barriers and highlight a variety of identities across all spectrums. Here are ten of the most influential shows airing right now.
The L Word pioneered portrayals of...

Allosexual Used within the asexual community to mean someone who is not asexual
AMAB or AFAB "Assigned male at birth" and "assigned female at birth." Some people prefer DMAB/DFAB, i.e., "designated (male/female) at birth," or CMAB/CFAB, where the C stands for "coercively."
Aromantic Feeling little or no romantic attraction to anyone
Asexual Someone who has low sexual desire for sex or for a partner
Bear A person within male gay culture who projects an image of rugged masculinity
Binder Cloth ...

Rotting flesh and chemicals aren't exactly what you might consider "cute," but that was the reaction of Defibrillator Gallery director Joseph Ravens when he initially heard the term "Bubbly Creek." This nickname describes the part of the Chicago River on the western border of Bridgeport where gases still occasionally bubble at the riverbed from animal waste dumped more than a century ago. Once Ravens learned where the nickname derived from, he said he was "both disgusted and delighted."
This ...

Approximately 133 million people in the United States suffer from a chronic illness according to a report by the National Health Council. By 2020, that number is estimated to hit 157 million.
The council’s report also noted that almost a third of the U.S. population is now living with multiple chronic conditions. Whether it’s diabetes, heart disease, or depression, it isn’t atypical for one chronic illness to be accompanied by another.
Unfortunately for many sufferers, chronic illnesses are c...

Takeaway: National Sex Day is a good excuse to take a look at the sex you're having - and whether it's worth celebrating.
You may or may not be familiar with National Sex Day. But June 9th (or 6/9 ... get it?) is an unofficial holiday where platforms and organizations share facts about sex. So here's one: Many people with a vagina (if they're straight) simply aren’t enjoying sex as much as they could. It’s also fitting that National Sex Day falls under Pride month where we can celebrate love ...