Bedbug As Insult, Deconstructing the Blank Tinder Profile Pic and Why Special Agent Tench is FBI Daddy

There’s been a lot of bedbug discourse on the timeline today, particularly on the merits of the term as an insult. It definitely seems like a fitting designation for someone who is gross, invasive and unwelcome. And while that remains true, Quinn Myers has me looking at things from a new perspective. Because what if your home was infested with plague-carrying fleas instead? Or thousands of ticks? In that case, bedbugs don’t seem all that bad, now, do they?

The Stigma of Therapy 

For many, mental health is still a taboo topic. This is particularly true for black men, as they’ve often been raised to believe that therapy is only for “crazy people” or that it’s a “white person” thing. But LeRon Barton knows firsthand how that kind of thinking can nearly kill you, as it was therapy that saved him from a suicidal depression. And so, for him, being open about his mental health is essential to breaking down harmful myths about therapy and vulnerability. 

The Mystery of the Blank Tinder Profile Pic

Are the guys who leave their avatar empty intriguing men of mystery, or the height of sketchiness? Or is it sadder still, and they have such little confidence in their looks that they think a blank gray square is the only way anyone would ever swipe right on them?  

A Not-So-Beautiful Dark, Twisted Fantasy

What are you supposed to do when faced with selecting Tyreek Hill, who once strangled his pregnant girlfriend and was more recently accused of breaking the arm of his three-year-old son, in your fantasy draft? Much has been written about compiling an ethical fantasy football team, and others have donated their winnings to causes meant to help those who have been the victims of domestic violence and other transgressions committed by pro football players. But as Eddie Kim explains, it’s not really that clear-cut, especially given the contradictions already inherent in merely watching the NFL.

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Sweet, Sweet Camel Milk

The hottest trend in alternative milk is… *spins wheel* camel milk! Celebs have started endorsing it, and Australia’s been casually drinking the stuff for years. So then, should the average, non-celeb American look into it, too?

#FreetheNipple, Already

We’ve all seen some knockers before. In fact, breasts are probably the first things you ever saw. Still, in most of the country, it’s illegal for breasts to bared in public — as female nipples are somehow thought of as more of a moral hazard (and menace) than male nipples. A couple of lawyers and women in Fort Collins, Colorado, however, are attempting to change all of that. 

Tench Wench

Agent Holden Ford is supposed to be the hottie of Mindhunter, but those with more discerning taste prefer Agent Bill Tench. There’s just something about that square haircut, beefy build and fatherly energy that’s made us all a little thirsty for some discipline at his hands.

You Can See Yourself Out Karen

Because thanks to Troy Aikman, the newest basic bitch is named Doug. And like Aikman, we’re all sick of his bullshit.

We Haven’t, Though, Forgotten About You Brett…

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Magdalene Taylor

Magdalene Taylor is a staff writer at MEL. She covers internet culture, sex and the online adult industry. She lives in Brooklyn but is from God's Country, Western Massachusetts.