Month: August 2023

Many dads out there have the best of intentions when it comes to supporting their wives. However, those intentions can get easily turned askew with a single question:

“Is there anything I can do?”

Most likely any mom or default parent reading this sentence is instantly triggered by a time when they were asked this less-than-helpful question, which actually does little to take any load off.

And any dad or secondary parent has equally unsavory memories of asking this question and being met with a look of disdain from their partner. So fun.

One dad (@dadwise.co) has some advice: stop asking that question.

Instead, he suggests dads should “look around the house, analyze the situation, and then just tackle the first thing that seems to be interfering with the peace of the household.” For him, it’s usually tending to their toddler.

He adds that stopping your wife from what she’s doing and forcing her to delegate tasks just adds more responsibility for her. Really, the actual solution is much simpler.

“Just look around. See what needs to be done.”

Goodness. What glorious words.

@dadwise.co Dads stop doimg this. Take initiative and ownership over your household and SEE what needs to be done instead of asking #fatherhood #dadlife #extremeownership #parenting ♬ original sound – dadwise.co

“If there’s dishes in the sink, do the dishes. If the kids are being crazy, take them outside and run them around. If the floor needs to be swept, sweep the floor. If the dinner needs to be made, make the dinner,” is his take.

He concluded by saying “Look around. Use your eyes. Look alive, dads. Participate. As best you know how, to the best of your abilities.”

Having to take on invisible labor—both mentally and emotionally—without support is a source of frustration for many women, and it only becomes more exhausting as they also have to juggle actual jobs and other outside responsibilities. More and more wives have grown so exasperated that they’re either publicly calling out their partners, or even going so far as divorcing them.

So, unsurprisingly, @dadwise.co’s video received a LOT of comments from women who felt so seen…if not a little angry.

“Keep telling him many times but ‘he’s a man we don’t think the same’ YOU’RE 30. YOU HAD YOUR OWN HOUSE BEFORE WE MET,” one person wrote.

Another lamented, “My husband doesn’t even ask if I need help. Just watches me suffer while I do EVERYTHING. It’s so draining 😭”

Other women noted how surprisingly groundbreaking his point of view actually was.

“This would take care of every argument we’ve had,” one person wrote

“This thinking will literally save your marriage,” seconded another

Hopefully, this video is also showing up on more than just worn-out women’s FYPs on TikTok. It’s a very doable mindset shift that could clearly pay dividends.

And @dadwise.co is clearly not the only husband who thinks this way. The fact that more and more men out there are noticing how to make partnerships more equitable is definitely worth celebrating.

If you’d like to follow along on more of @dadwise.co’s tips, click here.

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Hey, all!

It’s 10 things time! Every week, we pull together a collection of heartwarming, wholesome and hilarious content to give us all a boost of serotonin and faith in humanity. Some of these smileworthy finds are light and silly and some are deeply touching, but they’re all reminders of the good that’s all around us.

We hope this roundup of joy hits your heart in all the right places. (Don’t forget to pass it along—joy is meant to be shared!)

1. A good reminder that love is quiet, but oh so powerful

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Just a lovely description of how love looks all kinds of ways, and we see it everywhere when we look for it.

2. Young librarian shares heartwarming story of an encounter between three kids and three grown-ups

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YES. Library kids will change the world! Read the full story here.

3. Mom draws her son a picture on the fridge every night and it’s a win-win

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First of all, what even is that refrigerator? I want a draw-on fridge now. And secondly, love that she gets as much out of this tradition as her son does. Those are the ones that stick.

4. Husband’s explanation of his wife’s ‘true beauty’ is winning hearts all over the place

@chrissyjpowers

Sunday Sermon: How the patriarchy makes women question their beauty and then makes money of their insecurities. #realbeauty #aginggracefully #embracingaging #consciousrelationships

Yep, he’s a keeper. Read the full story here.

5. Woman asks for a mental health day and her managers exemplify workplace support

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This is what caring for your employees looks like. “We got you.” Love it.

6. Dad reserved a room for him and his ‘kid’ and the hotel hilariously delivered

@lifewithacole

Kindersley Quality Inn and Suites out did theirselves! This is the funniest things I have seen on the road from a hotel crew! #fyp #canadatiktok #canada #alberta #edmonton #kindersley #saskatoon #saskatchewan #lovinglife #livingmybestlife #hotel #qualityinnandsuites #funny #funnymoments #prank

Nobody’s too old for a bed fort and a teddy bear. Nobody.

7. Grandpa-in-a-kid’s-body enjoys his cup of tea and a good book at 6:30 a.m.

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He’s already got retirement figured out. Go, little fella, go.

8. Doggo with anxiety calms right down when her owners sing the ‘so brave’ song

@macrosbymel

sorry if it gets stuck in your head #rue #ruetok #ruetherescue #dogtok #rescuedog

And now the song has become an anthem for both dogs and hoomans everywhere. See how people are repurposing the jingle for themselves here.

9. Teacher shares the sweet reason his student always rubbed his necklace when he talked to people

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A post shared by Matt Eicheldinger (@matteicheldinger)

Such selfless compassion in a sixth grader. These kids are alright. Read the full story here.

10. Dance your way through the weekend with all the energy of high-waisted pants guy

@djjazzyd

Friday is here #Friday #fridaynightfunkin #djjazzyd50thbirthday

Hike up the pantaloons and move those feet, friends!

Hope you enjoyed this week’s roundup! If you’d like to see more posts like this without having to search for them, sign up for our free newsletter, The Upworthiest, here.

The monkey had a busy morning, but it was finally time to go home.

He was a small creature, about the size of a rabbit, with a long prehensile tail and dusky red fur. Earlier that day, scientists had scooped him up from his cage and taken him away to get a shot. But now that was done, and just like for many of us, heading home meant that he’d finally get to rest and hang out with his mate.

This time, though, his scientist colleagues weren’t done with him. In fact, our monkey was being set up for an incredible betrayal.

As the copper titi monkey settled in, he spotted his mate — not at home, but in the cage of a romantic rival. Suddenly, circuits deep in his brain came to life. He arched his back and smacked his lips, his tail lashing wildly back and forth.

If he could have gotten over to that cage, he’d have pulled his mate away in an instant, shouted, maybe even fought off the rival.

If you think the monkey’s reaction seems a lot like human jealousy, you’re probably right. The entire setup was part of an experiment by Nicole Maninger and Karen Bales of the University of California to figure out where jealousy lives in the brain and how it works.

When they looked at the jilted monkey’s brain, two areas in particular lit up.

An MRI and blood draw afterward gave Maninger and Bales a peek at the animal’s brain, and in addition to higher testosterone and stress hormones, two more areas deep within his brain were triggered. The first, the cingulate cortex, has a lot to do with social rejection. The second, the lateral septum, is connected to bonding.

Put together, these areas of the brain appear to show us what Victorian novels, romantic comedies, and reality TV shows have long suspected: Jealousy is intimately tied to monogamy.

Monogamy is interesting because it’s actually very rare in the animal kingdom. Fewer than 1 in 10 mammal species mate and bond with a single individual. Even humans aren’t strictly monogamous. But we do form uniquely strong, lasting bonds between individuals.

What the research hints at, says Bales, is that the pain of jealousy might actually be one of the reasons monogamous animals bond so strongly to each other. This might even confer an evolutionary advantage, since monogamous male monkeys help raise and feed their kids.

So that tail-lashing, lip-smacking monkey might just help us understand ourselves.

“Understanding the neurobiology and evolution of emotions can help us understand our own emotions and their consequences,” says Bales.

It could even help us recognize how our brains form romantic relationships — and what happens when those relationships go terribly wrong. About 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men are victims of intimate partner violence in their lifetimes, and research has hinted that jealousy might play a major role.

Human emotions are incredibly complicated, of course, and we shouldn’t suggest that monkeys experience the exact same feelings we do. Titi monkeys have very different lives, societies, and evolutionary histories than people do.

Still, Bales says that we have seen hints of similar brain activity in human studies.

As anyone who’s ever felt it knows, jealousy can be an intensely dark, powerful emotion. The next time you feel it, maybe you can take some comfort knowing just what is going on in your brain.

Maninger and Bales’ work was published in the journal Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution.

This article originally appeared on 10.19.17

Lin-Manuel Miranda is a ray of light in a world that can sometimes (OK, often) feel like it’s shrouded in darkness.

The award-winning multi-hyphenate — He sings! He acts! He writes! He directs! He inspires you to do better while reminding you that you’re good enough! — is always there to wish you a good morning and a good night.

Miranda uses his tweets to share inspiration, kindness, and encouragement to the masses.

If you haven’t heard of the person, let me introduce you to some good vibes and positive mojo.

It’s nice to wake up to a message designed to help you feel better. He encourages us to put aside those unproductive thoughts and get into a good day.

u201cGmorning.nYour worst fears about yourself only needs a drop of attention and sunlight to grow quick and wreck your whole shit.nClear away those weeds.nTake the time to harvest your strengths and your joys.nWater and sunlight to the best in you.u201d

— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin-Manuel Miranda)
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Having a restless night? Miranda will inspire you to dream big as you sleep — and then turn those dreams into reality upon waking.

u201cGnight!nAcross centuries and continents, nall of history conspired to bring you to where you are.nAnd THIS day in your life was JUST the beginning of a longer story, nthe first pen stroke of something new.nTomorrow, the second.nRest up!u201d

— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin-Manuel Miranda)
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He always wants you to be yourself.

u201cGood morning. nYou are perfectly cast in your life. I can’t imagine anyone but you in the role. Go play.u201d

— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin-Manuel Miranda)
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And to be kind to yourself.

u201cThe challenge for folks like us is not giving everything we have, but remembering to save something for ourselves. nGood morning.u201d

— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin-Manuel Miranda)
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He helps us remember to recognize that anxiety, sadness, and difficult feelings are normal and valid.

u201cThose knots in your stomach wonu2019t go away on their own.nSome are Gordian, and require a lil work each day. nSome will dissolve upon closer inspection.nLike the day, they are yours to unravel, at your pace.nGmorning!u201d

— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin-Manuel Miranda)
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u201cGmorning. nBreathe deep. nThat hitch in your breath is a record scratch.nThat throbbing in your temple is the bass, and you control the volume knob.nThe scars in your mind and your heart are grooves that run deep.nYOUR music. YOUR heart. YOUR life. nYou got the aux cord.nBump itu201d

— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin-Manuel Miranda)
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He reminds us to work hard, never give up, and recognize how far we’ve come.

u201cGood morning. nYou will have to say no to things to say yes to your work. nIt will be worth it. nThis is from 2009.u201d

— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin-Manuel Miranda)
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u201cWhat I was doing on New Years Eve 2011. The work is hard but it is worth it. Donu2019t give up.u201d

— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin-Manuel Miranda)
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He knows the value of taking a break to enjoy life …

u201cGmorning.nTake your SWEET ASS TIME today.n*But…but…”nTAKE A BREATH AND SAVOR THE SUN ON YOUR FACE.n*Sound nice, but tests/kids/health/real life*nOh my God it’s just A MORNING TWEET, WHY ARE YOU FIGHTING ME ON THIS ONE BREATH, TAKE A BREATH AND LOOK UP FOR A SECONDu201d

— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin-Manuel Miranda)
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… investing time in others …

u201cGmorning. nMake deposits toward someone else’s happiness today. nCall a friend, ease a burden, donate time/$/space.nYou’ll u263aufe0f.nPromise.u201d

— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin-Manuel Miranda)
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… and supporting causes that matter.

u201cProud to support women’s rights with the whole fam in ud83cuddecud83cudde7n#womensmarchlondonu201d

— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin-Manuel Miranda)
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u201cOkay, here’s the deal:nYou give whatever you can spare.n@Google’s gonna match ALL YOUR donations up to $2 Million.nIt ALL goes to recovery relief for small businesses in Puerto Rico, via @hispanicfed & @mercycorpsnPresente? Presente. ud83dudc47ud83cudffdud83cuddf5ud83cuddf7nhttps://t.co/BuLIsModO3u201d

— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin-Manuel Miranda)
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He recognizes that life can be fleeting …

u201cGmorning.nTell ’em you love ’em while they’re here.nTell ’em you love ’em while you’re here.nTell ’em you love ’em while they’re here.nTell ’em you love ’em while you’re here.nTell ’em you love ’em while they’re here.nTell ’em you love ’em while you’re here.nOh, love you.nVamos.u201d

— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin-Manuel Miranda)
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… and that the world is full of possibilities!

u201cGnight. nThere are FAFILLIONS of people here.nMILLIONS and PILLIONS, as my son says.nAnd the ones you meet tomorrow may change your life, or smile at you on the bus, or make you ud83dude0dnThe possibilities, my goodness, nletu2019s rest upu201d

— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin-Manuel Miranda)
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Remember that no matter how it feels, you’re never ever alone.

u201cGmorning!nWoke up achy & sad? Not alone.nWoke up w/purpose & joy? Not alone. nAny way you slice it, you’re not alone. nLet’s gou201d

— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin-Manuel Miranda)
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You are loved. You matter.

u201cGmorning.nYOU ARE SO LOVED AND WE LIKE HAVING YOU AROUND.n*ties one end of this sentence to your heart, the other end to everyone who loves you, even the ones you haven’t heard from for awhile*n*checks knots*nTHERE. STAY PUT, YOU.nu2764ufe0fu2764ufe0fu2764ufe0fu2764ufe0fu2764ufe0fu201d

— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin-Manuel Miranda)
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You know what? Sometime you just need to hear that.

And if you need to hear it on a daily basis (probably! I do!), you’re going to want to follow Lin-Manuel Miranda on Twitter. It’ll make your morning, post-lunch slump, and night.

This article originally appeared on 06.08.18

These days, the name Albert Einstein is basically a synonym for “genius.”

Einstein’s theory of relativity is one of the cornerstones of modern physics and his predictions continue to be confirmed today, even over a hundred years later. That’s not to mention his famous E=mc² equation and the nuclear weapons it eventually helped spawn (which Einstein came to deeply regret).

He could even be pretty wise at times. A note scrawled with a piece of advice — “A calm and modest life brings more happiness than the pursuit of success combined with constant restlessness.” — recently sold for $1.56 million.

But there’s a different reason Einstein was amazing that many people might not realize: He was also a fervent civil rights activist.

Though his life ultimately came to be full of fame and fortune, Einstein wasn’t a stranger to prejudice.

Einstein was Jewish, living in Germany as Hitler rose to power. Einstein despaired over the Nazi’s anti-Semitism and became an outspoken critic of the Nazi party, which only drew more attacks against him. Major newspapers published attack pieces against him. His house was raided while he was away. He even appeared on a pamphlet list of the enemies of Nazi Germany. The caption below his picture read, “Not Yet Hanged.”

The harassment would ultimately prove to be too much. In 1933, Einstein abandoned his home and job at the Prussian Academy and sailed to the United States, stating: “I shall live in a land where political freedom, tolerance, and equality of all citizens reign.”

Though the United States proved to be a haven for Einstein for the rest of his life, he must have been disappointed to see his newly adopted country fail to live up to the promise of equality.

At the time, the United States was still deeply segregated and Jim Crow laws severely restricted the rights of black Americans. Even Princeton, the college that’d become Einstein’s workplace, wouldn’t admit black students. Einstein could see the parallels, and, just as he refused to be quiet in Germany, so too in the United States.

Over the next decades, Einstein would become a staunch defender and ally of both the civil rights movement and the men and women who fueled it.

When opera star Marian Anderson was denied a hotel room because of her skin color, Einstein opened his house to her. He worked with actor and singer Paul Robeson on the American Crusade Against Lynching and invited him to perform at Princeton when the singer was blacklisted. He publicly encouraged the NAACP and W.E B. Du Bois for years and appeared as a character witness when the federal government tried to indict the man.

In 1946, he published an essay for white readers about racial bias in Pageant magazine, writing:

“Your ancestors dragged these black people from their homes by force; and in the white man’s quest for wealth and an easy life they have been ruthlessly suppressed and exploited, degraded into slavery. The modern prejudice against Negroes is the result of the desire to maintain this unworthy condition. …
I do not believe there is a way in which this deeply entrenched evil can be quickly healed. But until this goal is reached there is no greater satisfaction for a just and well-meaning person than the knowledge that he has devoted his best energies to the service of the good cause.”

That same year, he gave a speech at Lincoln University calling racism was “a disease of white people.” He also added, “I do not intend to be quiet about it.”

Einstein was clearly one of the greatest minds of the 20th century. But perhaps what made him a truly special human being wasn’t just that he was smart, or that he was funny, or that he left behind a lot of great anecdotes (and notes for bellboys).

Perhaps it was that he used that magnificent brain of his to not just understand the world, but to try to make it more just, fair, and peaceful place.

This article originally appeared on 10.27.17

There is one question chef Christine Ha fields more than any other.

But it’s got nothing to do with being a “Masterchef” champion, New York Times bestselling author, and acclaimed TV host and cooking instructor.

The question: “How do you cook while blind?”

Ha has a rare autoimmune disease that attacked her spinal cord and optic nerve. She started losing her vision in 2004 while she was in her 20s.

Ha compares her vision loss to “looking at a very foggy mirror after a hot shower.” After her diagnosis, she worried she’d have to give up cooking. It was an interest she was just beginning to explore and one she had a serious talent and passion for. Instead of shying away from the kitchen, Ha decided to learn to navigate her new reality.

“It’s like any other challenge in life; you just face it head on and hope for the best,” she said in one of her recent videos.

A seasoned chef, Ha leans into her other senses to bring her culinary creations to life.

In a video for her YouTube channel, Ha wears a GoPro camera while expertly preparing a mouthwatering meal of steamed whole snapper with black bean sauce and blistered green beans. She describes it as a “typical weeknight meal,” the very thought of which separates home cooks from Masterchefs.

Watch Christine Ha make a delicious dinner … just maybe not while you’re hungry.

Ha is patient, taking her time to feel, smell, prep, and cut ingredients.

She sometimes uses adaptive tools, but much of her cooking is done by touch. She deftly guides her knife to accomplish intricate cuts.

Just like a sous chef in a professional kitchen, sometimes Ha’s partner lends a quick hand.

Ha uses cooking, food, and telling her story to connect and communicate with people around her.

Preparing and sharing meals is a great way to unite people and celebrate what makes each of us unique. Plus, you get to eat tasty food with your favorite people. And if it’s Gordon Ramsay approved, it’s that much sweeter.

Watch and learn a little more about Christine Ha in the video below:

This article originally appeared on 05.26.17

“Vocal Fry” is a term for the glottal, creaking sound of lower-register speech oscillation.

You know, like that raspy Zooey-Deschanel-type thing where your voice has that little “GuUuUuUuUuUuUuUh” crackle, instead of the smooth, consistent “Guuuuuuuuuuuuuuh.”

That really didn’t help at all, huh?

OK, it’s this:

We’ve noticed women using “vocal fry” for a while now…

A scientific study was reported in a 2011 issue of Science magazine that’s generally credited with adding the phrase “vocal fry” into the popular lexicon. Before this point, according to the magazine, apparently vocal fry did not exist, although Britney Spears anachronistically employed it in the first line of her debut single, “Baby One More Time” all the way back in 1998. And she wasn’t the only pop star to do so.

The study from Science purported that women are often different than men (groundbreaking!), and thus, women talked less good with their mouth-sounds. (I’m paraphrasing, but that was the gist.) (Please excuse my rolling eyes.)

Specifically, vocal fry was said to be a trend among college-aged women of a certain social standing. “Young students tend to use it when they get together. Maybe this is a social link between members of a group,” noted one female researcher.

…but recently it’s been recognized that us dudes have been getting in on the action for a while too.

All right, guys! We’re finally getting closer to true gender parity! But the question remains: How come no one noticed that men have been using vocal fry for years?

“This American Life” host Ira Glass recently admitted that he uses vocal fry. But in a conversation with Chana Jaffe-Walt (who is not a dude), Glass also admitted that no one notices his vocal fry. And it’s not that no one notices — women are criticized for using vocal fry while men have been getting away with it for years.

“I get criticized for a lot of things in the emails to the show,” Glass said. “No one has ever pointed this out.”

Noted academic and anarcho-syndicalist advocate Noam Chomsky has also been known to employ vocal fry (presumably as a means of dismantling capitalism). Chomsky certainly has his detractors, but none of them seem to take issue with his vocal quality either. And even The Hairpin noted over 6 years ago that male vocal fry has become “a thing.”

In reality, associating the vocal fry trend only with women — both in practice and in naming — is a really just another way of trying to define gender roles.

It’s certainly interesting to observe the trends in human social interactions in the same way we observe a pack of wild capuchin monkeys. But the way that vocal fry gained traction in popular culture was, well, kind of weird.

After that Science magazine article came out, women were suddenly being judged for the supposedly abrasive way in which they spoke when they used vocal fry, even though both women and men had probably been talking that way since well before 2011.

There are many legitimate reasons — beyond gender — for why a person might develop vocal fry.

The simple truth is that vocal fry is just one way that people talk, regardless of their gender. Some people employ it as a means of being heard, as differentiating their voices from the rest of the masses. Other people really do just talk that way!

And it’s another example of the way we treat women like Goldilocks (“This one’s too sexy, and this one’s too prude, and…”). If a woman uses a higher register to speak, then it’s classified as ditzy, valley-girl uptalk. If a woman uses her lower register, it’s vocal fry. If she speaks in the middle (modal range), her words often get lost entirely.

Maybe, just maybe, we should all try to worry less about the way people speak (or dress or…) and instead try to actually listen to and hear what they’re saying.

So vocal fry? Don’t vocal fry? Do what you want! Because if our crappy earbud headphones have taught us anything, it’s that content matters more than the quality of delivery.

This article originally appeared on 07.28.15

Warning: The following video contains disturbing imagery.

Security camera footage out of Thailand is a warning to people everywhere about the importance of making sure children are safe around pools. It’s also a wonderful story about a toddler being brave and looking out for her younger sister.

Kana Kanuengnit, 3, and 2-year-old Kaning were hanging around their family’s pool in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand on Friday, April 1 when the incident happened. Their father, 29-year-old Apisit, was watching the kids while their mother was inside the house.

“I was sweeping near the pool and my wife was cooking in the kitchen behind the house,” he said according to Yahoo. “We weren’t planning for any pool activities so I didn’t notice what was happening. But after a moment of me sweeping with my back to the pool, my younger daughter fell into the pool.”

Kaning fell into the 4-foot-deep pool and immediately struggled to keep her head above water. Her older sister, Kana, realized she was in danger and immediately called out to her father, whose back was still turned while he swept near some patio furniture.

The girl screamed to her father that Kaning was in the pool and quickly sprang into action.

“I didn’t know what to do, I forgot to think about my phone and things in my pocket. I threw it all and just jumped in the pool,” Apisit said. The father was fast on his feet and pulled his daughter out of the pool before she sank to the bottom. We’re pretty sure the father could care less about his phone knowing that his daughter is safe.

Apisit hopes that the harrowing video serves as a warning for parents everywhere. “I think this is a great example to remind people that you cannot take your eyes off even for a split second when there are children and water,” he said.

“I want to stress this to parents with small kids and a pool to put up a barrier around the pool if not, they should always be careful,” he added.

The story brings to mind one that Upworthy covered in the 2020. A 3-year-old boy named Henrique in Rio de Janeiro snuck away from his parents and was playing poolside with another child his age named Arthur.

In the video, Henrique is seen stretching to grab an inflatable toy and then falls into the pool. For 10 seconds Henqriue struggles to keep his head above water until Arthur bravely extends his hand and pulls the boy up. If Arthur didn’t have the strength, he could have fallen into the pool and both boys may have died.

Summer is coming up and kids will be playing in or around pools. Every year, around 400 children aged 15 and younger die in a pool or spa incident. Three-quarters of those deaths involve children younger than 5, and 83% of those occur in residential pools.

Three rules every parent should follow:

1. Never leave a child in or near water unattended.

2. Make sure there are barriers around your pool or spa to prevent unsupervised children from getting into the water.

3. Learn how to perform CPR on children and adults.

This story originally appeared on 04.08.22

Have you ever come across something online that instantly made you smile? That’s what happens when people see Locklan Samples pop up on their Instagram feed. The cute dimple-faced toddler has a rare condition known as uncombable hair syndrome, which results in locks that stick straight up no matter how you try to manipulate them. It also causes the hair to be extremely fragile, so frequent combing can cause it to break off. The syndrome is so rare that Locklan is just one out of 100 people known to have it.

Locklan’s parents spoke with People magazine about how they discovered he was living with this ultra rare condition. Katelyn Samples, Locklan’s mom, explained that when he was born he had a head full of jet black hair, but eventually it fell out and was replaced with peach fuzz. A newborn baby’s hair is often completely different than the hair they end up with by the time they’re toddlers. It’s not uncommon for their hair to fall out in one spot or another, but it’s also not unheard of for their whole head to end up bald while their second sprigs of hair grow in.

Hair can grow back coarser, curlier or a completely different color. In Locklan’s case, his hair went from being jet black to platinum blonde peach fuzz, which eventually grew into hair that stood on end. Locklan’s parents said the color of his hair matched his brother’s hair, so it wasn’t a surprise, but the texture threw them for a loop.

When Katelyn posted pictures of Locklan on Instagram, a stranger messaged her asking if he had “uncombable hair syndrome.” This started Katelyn on a journey to find answers to what was going on with her infant’s hair, and if the condition was something she needed to be concerned about health-wise. Katelyn told People, it sent her into a “tailspin on Google.” Eventually, after climbing out of the Google rabbit hole, Katelyn called her son’s pediatrician to get answers. This turned out to be the first step toward an accurate diagnosis.

See on Instagram

See on Instagram

Locklan’s pediatrician had not heard of the condition and referred them to Atlanta’s Emory Hospital to see a specialist. It was there they got the diagnosis. Katelyn explained to People, “We went to see her and she said she’d only seen this once in 19 years.” The doctor “didn’t think it was uncombable hair syndrome because of how rare it is, but they took samples and a pathologist looked at it under a special microscope,” and confirmed the diagnosis, she said.

He joins the very small club of people with the syndrome. Thankfully, this condition only affects the toddler’s hair and he is developing normally in all other aspects of his childhood. Katelyn revealed she hardly ever has to wash his hair unless it gets visibly dirty as it doesn’t collect oils at the scalp. Everywhere they go people are fascinated by Lock’s locks and ask to touch his soft tresses.

See on Instagram

The family documents their journey on their Instagram account, and have found a support group via Facebook, where Katelyn says “it’s cool to see how other kids’ hair has changed over the years—for some people it does not go away, and for others it becomes a little more manageable.” For now, Locklan enjoys the attention he gets from strangers, and he continues to bring a smile to people’s faces wherever he goes.

This story originally appeared on 03.02.22

Earlier this week, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis tried to end his bitter feud with Disney by simply announcing that he’s “moved on” from the fight he’s been losing from the jump. Unfortunately for DeSantis, Disney has other plans.

The two have been locked in a legal battle ever since DeSantis and state Republicans openly announced their intentions to retaliate against Disney for opposing Florida’s highly controversial “Don’t Say Gay” bill. Making good on his threat, DeSantis created a hand-picked tourism board in an attempt to take control of the special district where Disneyworld operates. Disney called the move a violation of its First Amendment rights, and the lawsuits have been flying back and forth ever since.

However, Disney is showing no signs of backing down. Just days after DeSantis attempted to wave away the dispute, Disney has filed a countersuit against the governor’s tourism board. According to the latest lawsuit, DeSantis had several opportunities to “move on,” but instead, let things get to where they are now.

Via The Messenger:

“Amid a climate of escalating retaliation against Disney by the Florida government, Disney sought de-escalation, including through several attempts to spark a productive dialogue with the DeSantis Administration. These efforts were unsuccessful” Disney says in its lawsuit filed Thursday in the Orange County Circuit Court.

Disney is alleging that DeSantis, a Republican, wrongfully removed members of the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District Board that Disney had selected, according to the suit. In doing so, DeSantis violated a contract the state board had with the company. Disney is arguing for $50,000 as well as a new board.

In the same CNBC interview where DeSantis claimed to have “moved on,” he also encouraged Disney to “drop” their lawsuit because they’re “going to lose.” Clearly, they think otherwise, Ron.

(Via The Messenger)