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Let’s Talk About It: Luxury Fashion’s Obsession with Sagging – Essence

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Sagging burst onto the style scene within the ’80s and ’90s, as hip-hop became an outlet for artists and listeners. Impressed youth naturally desired to emulate their idols, donning baggy clothes with pants that hung below the waist. In 2021, Balenciaga released $1,200 sweatpants with a boxer-waist detail to mimic sagging. That sparked outrage online after a TikTok video of the pants was posted in the shop.

“I think my initial observations [on the sagging trend] it was especially true of celebrity culture. White celebrities, even some models like Hailey Bieber; that whole group that the media promotes over and over again,” he said Julian Randallauthor and PhD candidate in black consumer studies, “I was forced to think more critically about it when Balenciaga was selling these saggy sweatpants. The whole discourse around it was the first time I was confronted with it in a way I had never been before,” he explained.

The brand is currently known for its often controversial designs which can be designed to impress a response or grab attention. Non-Black celebrities like pop star Justin Bieber, Billie Eilish and Troye Sivan often fall short on other fronts. They have adopted styles just like traditional African American fashion, with oversized, baggy T-shirts, jorts or jeans that hit well below the waist. Eilish’s approach to fashion will be seen as a part of “Gen Z” fashion, as this younger generation is driven by quite a lot of aesthetics. What’s fascinating about her style, nonetheless, is that her music doesn’t reflect anything near hip-hop, but quite the alternative. This raises questions on how Black or African American style is perceived. Often, white consumers play on cultural approval because they see blackness because the epitome of elegance, but reject it for a “cleaner” look when it now not serves them.

Let's Talk About It: Luxury Fashion's Obsession with Sagging
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The sagging trend has taken on a brand new meaning, with the illusion of wearing multiple pairs of pants or matching underwear now considered fashionable. Despite the controversy surrounding Balenciaga, brands like Miu Miu, Hed Mayner, and All-In have also embraced the trend. However, it has raised some concerns. To explore the growing interest in sagging, we delved into its history and interviewed experts on this once-significant phenomenon turned microtrend.

According to historian and creator Tanisha C. Ford, the sagging trend seems to have began intangibly. Sagging has often been linked to homosexuality in prison, but Ford believes it’s a gray area. She told NPR, “I don’t think we can definitively say that sagging started in prison.” Another specification of the trend comes from creator and fashion curator on the Cleveland Museum of Art, Darnell-Jamal Lisbywhich suggests that it could have began in prison for other reasons. Loose uniforms and clothing got to prisoners without belts to stop suicide attempts. Loose uniforms without belts got to prisoners to stop suicide attempts, which some consider is a reference to the practices of slave catchers who did the identical thing to stop enslaved people from escaping. This prompted government officials to take motion.

What’s most annoying about seeing sagging as a broader trend beyond blackness is that it has historically only negatively affected black participants. In 2007, Ocala, Florida city council member Mary Sue Rich was so upset about sagging black youth that she led a law that required young men to wear their pants too low to face a $500 wonderful or as much as six months in jail, in accordance with NPR. The law was repealed in 2020 after 13 years in a predominantly Black or African American county. That’s no surprise, because the Black Lives Matter movement gained traction in 2020 with the goal of creating real changes to the standard of life and safety of Black people in America. Other states have enacted similar bans in Wildwood, New Jersey, and Pikeville, Tennessee. “I’ve never supported this, even as a resident,” said Deputy Mayor Chris Davis, who sponsored the repeal in Florida and “I thought it disproportionately affected a certain segment of our population, which is young African-American males.” Even President Barack Obama made a press release on MTV’s Sway in 2008, saying, “Brothers, pull up your pants.” But he said legislating against the trend was “a waste of time.”

Let's Talk About It: Luxury Fashion's Obsession with Sagging
Victor Virgile/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

The politics of sagging and the prospect of dressing like a thug or dressing dangerously have plagued the black community for a long time. But punishing young black men solely for his or her clothing has been much more dangerous. Black consumer analyst and author Julian Randall has spoken out in regards to the high fashion space that has deemed sagging problematic: “Historically, [brands have studied Black consumers] to some extent. For example, stylists for hip-hop artists couldn’t draw from European high-end fashion brands. They didn’t need to work with them due to these stereotypes of what rap and hip-hop is. Eventually, as young white men began embracing hip-hop styles, big brands began taking notice. They’re using elements of black culture to maintain it cool or culturally relevant. They know that hip-hop is essentially the most influential phenomenon on the planet.”

Lisby, a fashion curator on the Cleveland Museum of Art, explained that the push to appropriate saggy clothing has to do with the undeniable fact that black history has not yet been reconciled with that of other oppressed cultures, which is why perceived disrespect and cosplaying of black people is so quickly worn and unworn by their white counterparts.

“It comes down to how the world views black people and can we, as a global society, reconcile the history of black people around the world? And because we haven’t and we still haven’t. It all comes down to this idea of ​​policing blackness and constantly demeaning blackness and then moving through history without coming to terms with the past, which as a byproduct is disrespecting or disrespecting black culture.”


This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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Health and Wellness

How to drastically reduce the risk of dementia after 55 years of age

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About 1,000,000 Americans are expected to develop dementia a yr until 2060, about twice today, they announced on Monday.

This estimation is predicated on a brand new study, which showed a better risk of life than previously thought: after 55 years of age people have up to 4 out of 10 opportunities to develop dementia – in the event that they live long enough.

This is a sobering number, but there are steps that folks can take to reduce this risk, similar to controlling hypertension and other bad health problems. And it isn’t too late to try even in middle -aged.

“All our research suggests what you do in the middle age, it really matters,” said Dr. Josef Coresh from Nyu Langone Health, who co -author of the research in Nature Medicine.

Dementia is just not only Alzheimer

Taking more to remember the name or place where you place the keys is typical in old age. But dementia It is just not a standard part of aging – it’s a progressive loss of memory, language and other cognitive functions. The aging is just the biggest risk, and the population is getting old quickly.

Alzheimer is the commonest form, and the quiet changes of the brain that ultimately lead to it might begin 20 years before the appearance of symptoms. Other types include vascular dementia, when heart disease or small impacts impair blood flow to the brain. Many people have mixed causes, which suggests that vascular problems can exacerbate Alzheimer’s symptoms.

Measuring risk from a certain age compared to the potential remaining period of life can lead to public health and medical examinations.

“This is not a guarantee that someone will develop dementia,” warned Dr. James Galvin, a specialist in Miami Alzheimer’s University. He was not involved in a brand new study, but said that the findings match other tests.

The risk of dementia differs from age

Earlier studies were estimated that about 14% of men and 23% of women would develop a form of dementia during their lives. The Coresh team analyzed newer data from the American study, which has been following heart health and cognitive functions of about 15,000 elderly for several many years.

Importantly, they found risk changes over many years.

Only 4% of people developed dementia aged 55 to 75, which Coresh calls a key 20-year-old window to protect brain health.

In the case of individuals who experience common health threats to 75, the risk of dementia then increased – to 20% at the age of 85 and 42% from the age of 85 to 95.

In general, the risk of dementia after 55 was 35% for men and 48% for ladies, summed up scientists. Cash noticed that girls normally live longer than men, the most important reason for this difference. Black Americans had a rather higher risk, 44%than white people at 41%.

Yes, there are methods to reduce the risk of dementia

There are some risk aspects that folks cannot control, including age and whether you’ve got inherited a gene variant called Apoe4, which increases the possibilities of Alzheimer’s late life.

But people can try to avoid or no less than delay health problems that contribute to later dementia. For example, Coresh wears a helmet while cycling, because repetitive or severe brain injuries from failure or falls increase the risk of dementia later in life.

Particularly essential: “What is good for your heart is good for your brain,” added Galvin with Miami. He calls people to exercise, avoid obesity and control blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol.

13 influential women Delta Sigma Theta Borority, Inc., which inspired us all

For example, hypertension can disturb the blood flow to the brain, the risk not only in the case of vascular dementia, but additionally related to some of the Alzheimer’s disease. Similarly high levels of blood sugar, poorly controlled diabetes, is related to a cognitive decline and destruction of inflammation in the brain.

Galvin also said that be socially and cognitively energetic. He calls people to try hearing aids if age brings hearing loss, which might stimulate social insulation.

“There are things that we control over, and those things that in my opinion would be very important to build a better brain as aging,” he said.

___

The Associated Press Department of Health and Science receives support from the Science and Educational Group of the Medical Institute Howard Hughes and the (*55*) Wood Johnson Foundation. AP bears the sole responsibility for all content.

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This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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Health and Wellness

Jury awarded $310 million to parents of teenager who died after falling on a ride at Florida amusement park – Essence

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The family of Tire Sampson, the 14-yr-old who tragically died on an amusement park ride in Orlando, Florida, in 2022, has been awarded $310 million in a civil lawsuit.

Tire, who was visiting ICON Park along with his family on March 24, 2022, fell from the FreeFall drop tower. Although he was taken to a nearby hospital, he didn’t survive his injuries.

Now, greater than two years later, a jury has held the vehicle manufacturer, Austria-based Funtime Handels, responsible for the accident and awarded the Tire family $310 million. According to reports from local news stations WFTV AND KSDKthe jury reached its verdict after about an hour of deliberation.

Tyre’s parents will each receive $155 million, according to attorney spokesman Michael Haggard.

Attorneys Ben Crump and Natalie Jackson, who represented Tyre’s family, shared their thoughts on this landmark decision via X (formerly Twitter). “This ruling is a step forward in holding corporations accountable for the safety of their products,” they said in a statement.

Lawyers stressed that Tyre’s death was attributable to “gross negligence and a failure to put safety before profits.” They added that the ride’s manufacturer had “neglected its duty to protect passengers” and that the substantial award ensured it could “face the consequences of its decisions.”

Crump and Jackson said they hope the result will encourage change throughout the theme park industry. “We hope this will spur the entire industry to enforce more stringent safety measures,” they said. “Tire heritage will provide a safer future for drivers around the world.”

An investigation previously found that Tyre’s harness was locked through the descent, but he dislodged from his seat through the 430-foot fall when the magnets engaged. Tire’s death was ruled the result of “multiple injuries and trauma.”

ICON Park said at the time that it could “fully cooperate” with the authorities.

This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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Health and Wellness

Tireless HIV/AIDS advocate A. Cornelius Baker dies

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HIV/AIDS Advocate, A. Cornelius Baker


A. Cornelius Baker, a tireless advocate of HIV and AIDS testing, research and vaccination, died Nov. 8 at his home in Washington, D.C., of hypertensive, atherosclerotic heart problems, in response to his partner, Gregory Nevins.

As previously reported, Baker was an early supporter for people living with HIV and AIDS within the Nineteen Eighties, when misinformation and fear-mongering in regards to the disease were rampant.

According to Douglas M. Brooks, director of the Office of National AIDS Policy under President Obama, it was Baker’s Christian faith that guided him toward compassion for others.

“He was very kind, very warm and inclusive – his circles, both professional and personal, were the most diverse I have ever seen, and he was guided by his Christian values,” Brooks told the outlet. “His ferocity was on display when people were marginalized, rejected or forgotten.”

In 1995, when he was executive director of the National AIDS Association, Baker pushed for June 27 to be designated National HIV Testing Day.

In 2012, he later wrote on the web site of the Global Health Advisor for which he was a technical advisor that: “These efforts were intended to help reduce the stigma associated with HIV testing and normalize it as part of regular screening.”

https://twitter.com/NBJContheMove/status/1856725113967632663?s=19

Baker also feared that men like himself, black gay men, and other men from marginalized communities were disproportionately affected by HIV and AIDS.

Baker pressured the Clinton administration to incorporate black and Latino people in clinical drug trials, and in 1994 he pointedly told the Clinton administration that he was bored with hearing guarantees but seeing no motion.

According to Lambda Legal CEO Kevin Jennings, yes that daring attitude that defines Baker’s legacy in the world of ​​HIV/AIDS promotion.

“Cornelius was a legendary leader in the fight for equality for LGBTQ+ people and all people living with HIV,” Jennings said in a press release. “In the more than twenty years that I knew him, I was continually impressed not only by how effective he was as a leader, but also by how he managed to strike the balance between being fierce and kind at the same time. His loss is devastating.”

Jennings continued: “Cornelius’ leadership can’t be overstated. For many years, he was one in all the nation’s leading HIV/AIDS warriors, working locally, nationally and internationally. No matter where he went, he proudly supported the HIV/AIDS community from the Nineteen Eighties until his death, serving in various positions including the Department of Health and Human Services, the National Association of Persons with Disabilities AIDS, and the Whitman-Walker Clinic . Jennings explained.

Jennings concluded: “His career also included several honors, including being the first recipient of the American Foundation for AIDS Research Foundation’s organization-building Courage Award. Our communities have lost a pillar in Cornelius, and as we mourn his death, we will be forever grateful for his decades of service to the community.”

Kaye Hayes, deputy assistant secretary for communicable diseases and director of the Office of Infectious Diseases and HIV/AIDS Policy, in her comment about his legacy, she called Baker “the North Star.”.

“It is difficult to overstate the impact his loss had on public health, the HIV/AIDS community or the place he held in my heart personally,” Hayes told Hiv.gov. “He was pushing us, charging us, pulling us, pushing us. With his unwavering commitment to the HIV movement, he represented the north star, constructing coalitions across sectors and dealing with leaders across the political spectrum to deal with health disparities and advocate for access to HIV treatment and look after all. He said, “The work isn’t done, the charge is still there, move on – you know what you have to do.” It’s in my ear and in my heart in the case of this job.

Hayes added: “His death is a significant loss to the public health community and to the many others who benefited from Cornelius’ vigilance. His legacy will continue to inspire and motivate us all.”

Baker is survived by his mother, Shirley Baker; his partner Nevins, who can be senior counsel at Lambda Legal; his sisters Chandrika Baker, Nadine Wallace and Yavodka Bishop; in addition to his two brothers, Kareem and Roosevelt Dowdell; along with the larger HIV/AIDS advocacy community.


This article was originally published on : www.blackenterprise.com
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