Selfcare & Sexual Wellness

Speaker’s Past LGBTQ+ Remarks Ignite Backlash

Mike Johnson, the recently elected Speaker of the House, has been known to express strong anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments. Back in 2004, when he was 51, he wrote in a local newspaper from his hometown in Shreveport, Louisiana, that homosexuality was a sign of impending societal disorder and “sexual anarchy.”

CNN uncovered these writings where Johnson depicted homosexuality as “inherently unnatural” and a “dangerous lifestyle” that posed a threat to the democratic fabric of society. He suggested that personal moral judgments, if made outside a common standard, could lead to chaos.

Further writings from 2005 reveal Johnson’s resistance to including sexual orientation and gender identity as protected categories in Shreveport’s anti-discrimination employment policies. He argued that these were lifestyle choices, not intrinsic qualities like race or sex, and should not warrant special legal protection.

Before joining politics, Johnson, as a lawyer, was actively involved in cases against LGBTQ+ rights. He worked with the Alliance Defense Fund (now Alliance Defending Freedom – ADF), a Christian legal group focused on preserving religious freedom and traditional values. The ADF was labeled by the Southern Poverty Law Center as an anti-LGBTQ+ hate group due to their extremist views and actions, such as supporting the criminalization of consensual LGBTQ+ relationships and the forced sterilization of transgender individuals.

While at the ADF, Johnson opposed the Lawrence v. Texas Supreme Court decision, which invalidated laws against consensual same-sex activities, fearing it would pave the way for the legalization of same-sex marriage – a change that came to pass despite his efforts.

Additionally, Johnson was involved in organizing events opposing anti-gay discrimination protests in schools and established a legal non-profit to champion religious liberty cases.

Since becoming a congressman, Johnson has continued his stance against LGBTQ+ rights, including opposing same-sex marriage legislation and attempting to reverse the Supreme Court’s decision that legalized it.

Now as House Speaker, Johnson’s position gives him considerable power over the legislative process, potentially impacting President Joe Biden’s administration and furthering the Republican Party’s objectives.

Johnson’s office has not commented on these reports.

Selfcare & Sexual Wellness

U.S. Supreme Court Upholds Mail Delivery of Abortion Pills in 7-2 Vote

The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected an anti-abortion challenge targeting federal rules that allow abortion pills to be prescribed online and delivered through the mail.

In a 7-2 decision, the court granted an emergency appeal from the makers of Mifepristone and blocked a ruling from the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in Louisiana that would have banned the mailing of the medication. Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel A. Alito Jr. dissented.

Justice Alito criticized the decision, arguing it undermined the court’s ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which returned abortion regulation authority to individual states.

The ruling represents a setback for abortion opponents who argue that abortion medication is unsafe. The case will now return to the 5th Circuit for further review.

Mifepristone was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2000 as a safe and effective medication for ending early pregnancies and treating miscarriages. It is commonly used together with misoprostol, a second drug that causes cramping.

Since 2016, the FDA has gradually eased restrictions on the medication. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, the agency temporarily suspended the requirement for patients to obtain the pills directly from a clinic or doctor, before permanently removing the rule in 2023.

Medication abortions now account for nearly two-thirds of abortions in the United States, while telehealth services are used in approximately 27% of abortion cases nationwide.

The lawsuit was brought by Liz Murrill, who argued that allowing abortion pills to be mailed weakened Louisiana’s strict abortion ban. A federal judge initially delayed a final decision while the FDA conducted a separate review of the drug’s safety.

However, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals later ruled that the FDA had improperly relaxed its regulations, immediately reinstating restrictions on mailing the medication beginning May 1.

Abortion law experts described the appeals court decision as highly unusual, noting that courts rarely force the FDA to restore safety restrictions that the agency previously reviewed and deemed unnecessary.

Cam Sites

Chaturbate: Health + Wellness Event Returns Sept 17

Chaturbate announces its fifth annual Health + Wellness Event for September 17, 2025, themed “New Age of Self-Care.” The site frames self-care as a strategy for creators—covering unplugging without losing income, eating better without guilt, and setting boundaries that stick—through candid talks with creators and experts. Attendees can ask questions live in the chat during each session.

Schedule (PDT)
10:00–10:45 AM — Rest is Radical: Sleep, Balance & the Burnout Epidemic
Creators share strategies for downtime and prioritizing rest without sacrificing growth.
Speakers: Raquel Savage (Therapist), VioletttFlowers (Chaturbate Creator), BlondeFoxSilverFox (Chaturbate Creator).

11:00–11:45 AM — Glow Up From the Inside Out: Nutrition, Movement & Sex-Positive Wellness
How fueling your body and staying active can enhance confidence, libido, and overall well-being on—and off—camera.
Speakers: Chris Boss (Registered Dietitian), SaraLoveRays (Chaturbate Creator), LailaGetsNaked (Chaturbate Creator), DCHCCO (Chaturbate Creator).

12:00–12:45 PM — Wellness on a Budget: Affordable Self-Care for Creators
Small, sustainable habits and routines that don’t break the bank.
Speakers: Dr. Shawn (Board-Certified Anesthesiologist), AdalineStar, AlphaZack14, TiffaniLove (Chaturbate Creators).

1:00–1:45 PM — Mind Over Media: Mental Health in the Age of Always Being “On”
A candid discussion on anxiety, burnout, boundaries, therapy, and the pressures of always being online.
Speakers: Romi Rain (Adult Industry Icon), Heatherbby (Chaturbate Creator).

Chaturbate invites creators to join the live sessions and engage with the panelists throughout the day. More details: chaturbate.com/healthandwellness.

Selfcare & Sexual Wellness

Italy: Senate Passes Law Introducing Life Imprisonment for Femicide

In a historic move aimed at combating gender-based violence, the Italian Senate has unanimously passed a bill that formally enshrines femicide as a distinct criminal offense in the country’s Penal Code. With 161 votes in favor and none against, the legislation mandates life imprisonment for anyone found guilty of killing a woman out of gender-based hatred or with the intent to suppress her rights and freedoms.

According to Italy’s national press agency ANSA, cited by Agerpres, the law defines femicide as the act of murdering a woman “out of discrimination or hatred rooted in her gender, or with the goal of repressing her rights, freedoms, or identity.”

Beyond setting the maximum penalty, the bill also imposes tougher restrictions on access to prison benefits for femicide convicts and mandates new national programs focused on education and awareness to help prevent gender-based violence before it escalates.

The bill now moves to the Chamber of Deputies for final approval. Its introduction comes amid growing public outrage over the rise in femicide cases across Italy. In 2024 alone, official data from the Interior Ministry recorded 113 femicides, of which 99 occurred in family or intimate contexts. Tragically, 61 women were killed by current or former partners.

If adopted, Italy will join a small but growing number of countries that have codified femicide as a standalone crime—marking a pivotal moment in the nation’s efforts to protect women and address systemic violence rooted in misogyny.