How to travel with sex toys

For some, holiday travel is a nightmare of logistical snarls and social minefields that leaves them stressed out and desperate for a little release. For others, it's an escape from the grind of the rest of the year, which may give their libido a little boost(Opens in a new tab). In either case, sex toys can offer some assistance. Natasha Marie of the sex tech company MysteryVibe refers to them as "a lifeline to sanity" over the sometimes tense festive season, or "extra holiday spice" for either solo or partnered sex. 

But the prospect of taking a toy on a flight can feel daunting at the best of times, thanks to popular horror stories(Opens in a new tab) about airport security agents pulling them out in front of a crowd during a search, or freaking out when a vibrator accidentally goes off inside a bag. Staying with family or friends over the holidays can add an extra layer of concern about discretion: What if someone you don't want privy to your intimate life finds your favorite toy in a shared space — or hears you using it? 

These concerns are all valid. But a dozen sex toy makers and retailers and sex educators, told Mashable they're all easy to mitigate or avoid — if you keep a few basic tips and tricks in mind. We've compiled all of their advice into a quick and dirty guide to holiday travel with toys in tow. 

Of Toys and TSA Agents

Here's the good news: In theory, U.S. airport security(Opens in a new tab) and airlines allow all kinds of sex toys in both carry-on and checked bags. (Most nations are similarly permissive. But it's worth noting that sex toys are illegal in a few countries(Opens in a new tab). So, always check local laws before you fly abroad.) 

However, in practice there's one big caveat on this general allowance: If a security official thinks you could use a toy as a weapon, then they won't let you take it onboard in a carry-on bag.

Unfortunately, it's hard to say what kinds of toys will trigger this kind of scrutiny with certainty. A big dildo made of metal, for example, might make it through one security screening without issue, but get flagged as a potentially dangerous cudgel on another. Much of this comes down to the perception and discretion of individual TSA agents(Opens in a new tab), who Carol Queen(Opens in a new tab), staff sexologist of the toy retail chain Good Vibrations, notes are often overworked and may be unfamiliar with the full spectrum of toys. But she and others have found that BDSM gear tends to trip security's danger senses more often than other items. "Ropes, cuffs, impact toys — especially solid ones like wooden bats or high density plastic paddles could ring bells for a screener," explains Queen.

Given these inconsistencies, Queen and others advise erring on the side of caution and checking any toys that you worry an uninitiated eye could view as a weapon — or shipping them ahead. 

However, you might still get stopped and screened in airport security even if you haven't packed anything that looks remotely dangerous in your carry-on, either because you seem anxious(Opens in a new tab), you end up on the wrong end of a random(Opens in a new tab)(Opens in a new tab) bag check(Opens in a new tab), or the agent reviewing your bag is confused by something they see or hear. "If screeners see something they don't recognize in your luggage, they may want to inspect it," Queen notes. "If your toy has batteries in it or, heaven forfend, has switched itself on and is vibrating, they'll probably want to figure out what it is, as well." 

"If it’s in your carry-on, they might hold it up in front of a very crowded room full of people going through security," Queen adds. 

Amy Boyajian of the sex toy retailer Wild Flower recalls that a close friend had to deal with a bomb squad after their Magic Wand went off in their luggage."

If the thought of such a public airing of your private items mortifies you for any reason, then sex therapist Dulcinea Pitagora(Opens in a new tab) recommends checking all of your sex toys, even if they are in theory carry-on friendly, just to play it safe. "Checked bags can still sometimes get searched, but at least in that case there wouldn't be a public aspect to the search," she pointed out.  

However, checked bags sometimes get lost. And travelers occasionally report toys going(Opens in a new tab) missing(Opens in a new tab) from checked bags in transit. "Losing a sex toy in a checked piece of luggage would be quite sad!" noted Jenni Skyler, a sexologist who works with the major toy retail chain Adam & Eve. 

If for whatever reason you can't check a bag, or don't want to risk a loss, then experts suggest packing a small, discreet toy that could pass for something else to avoid possible embarrassment during a potential public search. "There are small vibrators that look like lipstick cases that can be tucked into your makeup bag, as well as vibrators created to be worn as beautiful necklace pendants, that can be packed with your jewelry," says sex therapist Sari Cooper(Opens in a new tab). Small items have the added bonus of freeing up luggage space and keeping your carry-on lightweight. 

Folks who don't give two figs about people seeing their sex toys in public and pack explicitly erotic items do occasionally report getting hassled by sex-negative airport staff, Pitagora notes.  Having a showdown about sexual biases and/or bigotry at a security checkpoint may not go over well. So, Queen suggests that, "if you get slut-shamed, you should take people's names and badge numbers, get on your flight, and report them later."

If you pack your sexual paraphernalia in a carry-on bag, then remember that any lube you bring is subject to TSA liquid rules. You can find travel-sized lube bottles. Or, MysteryVibe’s Marie notes, if you're worried about people seeing that you've packed lube during a public check, "use an unmarked travel container" to store your lube — multiple containers if you want to bring lots.  

Kim Airs(Opens in a new tab), a sex educator and toy seller, adds that when she's traveled with masturbation sleeves made of TPR(Opens in a new tab) or TPE(Opens in a new tab) materials, she's found that they sometimes "show up on TSA X-rays as large bags of water, which is of course a no-no." To avoid trouble you may need to check those toys, or leave those behind. 

Regardless of whether or not you check your toys, the experts Mashable spoke to all noted that if your toy uses batteries, you ought to take them out to avoid accidental activation that could lead to a security scare, or just overheating in your bag. (Some airlines have specific rules(Opens in a new tab) about if and how you should pack batteries, so you'll need to check your carrier's regulations.) If your electric toy uses a charger rather than batteries, consider running down its charge before you travel. (Just don't forget your charger!) Some modern, high-tech toys also include travel lock features that allow you to skip this onerous process and travel without fear of a buzzing disaster. 

Put all of your toys in a clear plastic bag as well, suggests Boyajian, so that if security personnel take them out of a checked or carry-on bag for a quick exam they'll be visible but remain clean and sanitary. Label your toys as well, they added, so that security officials know what they're looking at. "This can be especially helpful for sex toys and tools that look more abstract or artsy than your classic dildo or bullet," they noted. 

"If you still have the original packaging," it may be useful to pack some or all of that as well, says Julia Lopez of the sex toy brand Dame. "I find that the TSA rarely opens a box that has print reading 'vibrator.'" A product description and image next to a loose item in a Ziplock bag will also likely allay any concerns or confusion that an agent might have about a given item.  

And of course, if your toy is delicate — like a porcelain or glass toy — make sure that you pack it in a secure travel container. Or at least wrap it in clothes. You don't want it to shatter in transit. 

Home for the Holidays 

"Some people might not have any issues with others knowing they use sex toys or seeing their sex toys," says Pitagora. "But others might prefer to keep that part of their life private." Yet privacy may be hard to come by when you share a house with friends or family for the holidays. 

If you're mainly worried about people hearing you using a toy while in a packed house, you can always use a toy that doesn’t make any noise, like an analog dildo, says Skyler, then muffle your own vocalizations. However, many people prefer — or need — toys with a motor. 

Companies do make toys with quiet settings and whisper motors, Skyler noted. But if you don’t already own and enjoy one of these, sex therapist Rosara Torrisi(Opens in a new tab) cautions against buying a new one just for travel. "It would be deeply disappointing to get to your destination, whip out your new toy, and find that you're not as in love with it as you'd hoped," she says. "Cue sad music."

She suggests just checking the volume of your tried-and-true toys by turning them on, then stepping into another room and closing the door. If you can hear it whirring or buzzing, experiment with putting it under the covers, putting a rolled towel by the bottom of the door, or putting it in the bathroom while the shower's on to see if that sufficiently muffles the sound(Opens in a new tab). (Bathrooms are a good choice for privacy in a shared space, and showers give you cover for extended usage. But don't use a toy in the shower unless it specifically notes that it’s fully waterproof.)  You may also consider hanging back while other people head out of the house for optimal toy usage privacy. But Cooper notes that this makes many people feel awkward and self-conscious.

Discreetly storing your toys may be tricky(Opens in a new tab), as you will likely have less control over the space you're staying in, and fewer storage options, than you would at home. In theory, just keeping your toys in your luggage, perhaps wrapped in clothes or stashed in a toiletry bag, should be sufficient for keeping your private items away from prying eyes. "Most folks travel with a toiletry bag, and your hosts won't think twice about seeing it" in the open, argues Boyajian. 

However, presumptive relatives could snoop through your bags and belongings. Young kids especially may get curious and grabby, Cooper notes, and may bring "your dildo into the living room where your family is hanging out." 

If you're particularly concerned about discretion and security, Queen notes that you can find a few slim and lightweight storage boxes with locks on them. Boyajian cautions that these lock boxes can eat up space, and may actually "catch the eyes of intrusive folks" themselves, though, inviting scrutiny and questions. Likewise, packing a toy that doesn't look like a toy may solve discretion issues in some cases, but may invite so what’s that thing type questions from nosy folks that you don't want to deal with. So, you'll need to weigh some pros and cons against your particular concerns and circumstances when deciding on an ideal low-key storage approach.  

Also, consider that trying to keep your toy out of view from others may limit your ability to plug it in for a recharge. Skyler suggests bringing a battery-powered toy, and bringing spare batteries, to avoid any potential charging issues. Johanna Rief of the toy brands Womanizer and We-Vibe notes that you could also just invest in a portable charging block, which you can use in optimally private spaces. If you recharge that in public, you can just say it's for your laptop. 

Similarly, if you don't want to tote your toy around a shared space — and you don't want to or can't use it in the bathroom — then you may need to find "some way to clean your toys that doesn't include bringing them to a sink," Airs says. She recommends investing in "a small packet of baby wipes… that do a very effective cleaning job and are easy to toss into the trash." 

Mix and Match 

Rief points out that a number of companies make specifically travel-friendly products, which work well with most or all of this advice. But it's worth keeping in mind that a travel-perfect toy may not actually be perfect for your body, or your sexual wants and needs at any given moment. If that's the case, buy or bring the toy that's right for you. Then mix and match bits and pieces of advice from this guide, as well as your own commonsense, to work with your own toy, travel concerns, and wider circumstances. 

And even if you buy a perfectly discreet toy and follow all of the advice in this guide to a tee, there's always still a chance that a nosy security official or family member is going to get their hands on your toy and ask you some questions about it, possibly in front of other people. That's why Queen believes that, "if someone travels with toys, they should be prepared to speak up about them. At the very least, practice saying, 'it’s a personal care item' while looking a person in the eyes, as though there's nothing to be ashamed about. Because there isn't!" 

Facebook freezes Venezuela presidents page for promoting a false COVID-19 cure

Venezuelan president, Nicolas Maduro, had his Facebook page temporarily frozen for violating the tech giant's policies against spreading misinformation about COVID-19, Reuters reports(Opens in a new tab).

Back in January, Maduro publicly advocated that Carvativir — a traditional remedy derived from thyme — was a "miracle" treatment that cured coronavirus. But without scientific evidence to support it, the claim was never approved by doctors.

Maduro also took to Facebook to post a video promoting the medication. In the video, he refers to Carvativir as "miracle drops" which can be used to both cure coronavirus and prevent a person from contracting it. Given that the video spreads false claims, Facebook removed it from Maduro's page.

But the social media company didn't stop there. A spokesperson confirmed to Reuters that, “due to repeated violations of our rules, we are also freezing the page for 30 days, during which it will be read-only.”

Additionally, the social media company made it clear that Carvativir is not a cure or preventative for coronavirus. “We follow guidance from the WHO (World Health Organization) that says there is currently no medication to cure the virus,” the spokesperson told Reuters.

Maduro isn't the first politician to promote a "cure" for COVID-19 on Facebook. Former President Donald Trump also used the platform to falsely claim that REGN-COV2, the antibody cocktail given to him in the hospital after contracting COVID, was what he called a cure.

But regardless of whether you're a political figure or just a regular person posting on Facebook, the same rules apply. As stated under its Community Standards(Opens in a new tab), Facebook says it will "remove misinformation when public health authorities conclude that the information is false and likely to contribute to imminent violence or physical harm.

People arent ready to quit quitting

People aren't ready to quit quitting.

You've likely heard of "The Great Resignation(Opens in a new tab)", the term referring to a so-called (and largely unprecedented) wave of people quitting their jobs globally in the past year. Dissatisfaction with management, working conditions, lack of a personal life — these were just some of the forces behind why people resigned in 2021. Large chunks of the global workforce left for greener pastures en masse when it appeared their employers or industry were no longer the right fit.

Just look at the numbers. A whopping 47.8 million workers(Opens in a new tab) in the U.S. actually did leave their jobs voluntarily in 2021, the highest number of resignations(Opens in a new tab) cited by the Bureau of Labor Statistics since they started tracking such data in 2001.

Come 2022, and the movement hasn't shown much — if any — sign of slowing down. In February alone, 4.4 million people resigned(Opens in a new tab) in the United States. Globally, the trend has trickled over to Singapore, Australia(Opens in a new tab), the UK(Opens in a new tab)...and online.

#QuitTok: The great resignation goes digital

Over social media, a string of buzzwords related to quitting have taken over feeds. Posts range from being vulnerable, angry, painfully honest, and liberated.

On TikTok, the hashtag #quittingmyjob(Opens in a new tab) has 121.6 million views. Videos under this umbrella share similar features: namely, people explaining the working conditions that pushed them over the edge, presenting POV takes of their individual circumstances.

Take, for instance, TikTokker @saygracee23(Opens in a new tab), who shared a two-and-a-half minute video in February seemingly just before she was about to quit her job. The post gathered over 1.2 million likes. After her employers allegedly encouraged people to come into work despite testing positive for COVID, the TikTokker's personal tipping point was apathy over a family emergency.

Jamie Mackenzie, director at employee engagement consultancy Sodexo Engage(Opens in a new tab), says that the pandemic fuelled a need for compassion and empathy. When employees can't sense this in leadership, their need to quit is undeniably propelled.

"The pandemic pushed many people to new levels of stress and anxiety, so employers need to show both empathy and compassion. Leaders must take time to understand people's challenges, operate an open-door policy, and perhaps even provide paid days off to boost mental wellbeing," Mackenzie tells Mashable.

Gen-Z, like millennials(Opens in a new tab), are looking for jobs in spaces where they feel valued, both as a result of their learnings during the pandemic and an all-encompassing second look at what satisfying work should mean. Job transitions among Gen Z are at (Opens in a new tab)80 percent, on a year-to-year basis(Opens in a new tab). More recent research from consulting firm Randstad revealed that 56 percent of Gen Z and 55 percent of millennials would quit their job if it interfered with their personal lives.

Narrative-like, in-depth videos across TikTok paint a picture of both dearth of compassion in the workplace and the accompanying stresses that thousands of employees, globally, have experienced.

The term #greatresignation(Opens in a new tab) is still going strong, with over 158 million views on TikTok. Users reenact or mock conversations with managers who deny time off(Opens in a new tab) or supposedly say things like(Opens in a new tab), "If you can't make this job your number one priority, it probably isn't right for you." One user shared a real PowerPoint(Opens in a new tab) she presented to her bosses about her plummeting mental health during her tenure.

Celebrating freedom

While many share their reasons for leaving careers, there are also those who have turned to social media to celebrate the chance at a clean professional slate. For instance, creator @karamazey(Opens in a new tab) posted a video on TikTok asking viewers to comment why they left their jobs. Reasons ranged from mental health effects, toxic interactions with colleagues and bosses, lack of boundaries, and gaslighting. One commenter wrote: "2022 new job new life!!"

Exclamation points and cheer are cornerstones of these recent quitting confessions. On Twitter, the tone is largely: "I'm moving onto something bigger and better."

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In other spaces online, the somewhat notorious and highly-discussed(Opens in a new tab) Reddit forum r/antiwork(Opens in a new tab) has unlocked an altogether different path, consisting of those who either don't think we should be working at all, or those who want work to leave us more fulfilled than it has historically. This space is peppered with sociological texts, political philosophies like Marxism, discussions about work struggles, and internal tensions(Opens in a new tab). Here, there's been documented conflict over what working in the twenty-first century should look like.

In the realm of 140-character thoughts, however, most users detail their happiness at finally taking the plunge to quit. Tweets outline how their mental health improved significantly after handing in their notice, or how they can finally pursue a dream career they once held themselves back from. This trajectory sprouts from a reckoning, with many reevaluating their priorities and what an ideal career — and work-life balance — should look like.

Anna Lundberg, career mentor and founder of career consultancy and coaching firm One Step Plus(Opens in a new tab), says "[People] are re-evaluating what really matters, questioning the conventional corporate career ladder and looking for not just more flexibility and work-life balance but also a greater alignment with company values."

The path forward?

The employee exodus of 2021 has kept up momentum well into 2022. But what does this mean for the path forward? Online, the consensus appears to be that of procuring the best possible conditions for a workplace.

The movement has also empowered people to search for what they deserve, beyond salary and prestige of title. A healthier workspace, collectively, would be an ideal — and hopefully not idealistic — outcome of resignations worldwide.

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Of course, not everyone has the option to quit or change careers. It is, in fact, a privilege to make this move. While the unemployment rate has hit a low(Opens in a new tab) of 3.6 percent in March 2022, the ongoing impact of the pandemic(Opens in a new tab) remains in many households where incomes were lost. To leave a job(Opens in a new tab) often means you can afford to do it or are in a position to. Factors like family, insurance, and savings come into play.

The Great Resignation then, is confined to people seeking better working conditions, being in a position to do so, and believing, if not knowing, that the right environment exists somewhere. And if digital spaces are any indication, there are a whole lot of people who fall under this faction.

For now, the urge to quit(Opens in a new tab) appears to be here to stay, at least until one finds the right space for them. The search for a career now includes a patchwork of factors(Opens in a new tab), with agency, social connectedness, and purpose woven into the mix.

Who is Vecna in Stranger Things and why is the internet talking about them?

The first seven episodes of Stranger Things Season 4 were released on Netflix on Friday (May 27), and the internet is abuzz with hot takes, memes, and predictions about the final two episodes that are scheduled to drop in July. That means that for the next few weeks, prepare to see the name "Vecna" all over your social media feeds.

With tens of thousands of tweets, Vecna is already the breakout star of the season. So, who is Vecna? And why is the internet so obsessed with it? Let's talk about it.

Mild Spoilers ahead.

Who is Vecna?

Vecna is to Stranger Things 4 what the Demogorgon was to Season 1. In other words, he's the big, scary monster wreaking havoc on Hawkins.

Vecna lives in the Upside Down and preys on people's past traumas and guilt. The monster curses its victims, making them relive their trauma in progressively more gruesome ways until it violently kills them. (And we mean, like, really violently.) Vecna slaughters its targets by levitating them in the air, breaking all their bones, and making their eyes and skull implode. And like its predecessors (the Demogorgon, the Mind Flayer), Vecna is named by the Party after a Dungeons & Dragons character.

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In the final episode of Stranger Things 4 Volume 1, it's revealed that Vecna isn't native to the Upside Down, but was banished there by Eleven after he gruesomely massacred the Hawkins National Lab. Vecna was the original child studied by Dr. Brenner and the son of Victor Creel. He's the infamous Number One, but had his powers blocked and worked as an aide in the Hawkins National Lab. He befriended Eleven at the lab and not knowing Vecna was evil, Eleven restored his powers resulting in the massacre and his expulsion to the Upside Down.

Before coming to the Hawkins National Lab, Venca had a classic villain origin story — he became obsessed with black widows, tortured his family, and brutally killed his mother and sister pinning it on his father.

One/Vecna had his powers blocked and was working as an aide at Hawkins National Lab where he befriended Eleven. Not knowing that One was evil, Eleven restored his powers which he used to gruesomely massacre the entire lab. Eleven banished One/Vecna to the Upside Down where he's been attacking the Hawkins teens from.

Vecna notably targets Max (Sadie Sink), and the Hawkins gang discovers that the only way for her to avoid being killed by his curse is to play Max her favorite song, which happens to be "Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)" by Kate Bush. As a result of its inclusion in the show, the 1985 track has skyrocketed in popularity and currently sits at No. 2 on Spotify's top 50 U.S. chart(Opens in a new tab) and No. 4 on its top 200 global chart.(Opens in a new tab)

Max's obsession with "Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)" sparked a larger conversation on social media about discovering music through a television show. Some gatekeepers stuck up their nose at people finding the track through Stranger Things, while others celebrated the iconic song beguiling a new generation.

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While the ending of Episode 4 — in which Max runs from Vecna in the Upside Down trying to reach a portal to the real world while listening to "Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)" — is the standout scene of the season, it hasn't been Vecna's only viral moment. Vecna's weakness unsurprisingly became an opportunity for viewers to share what song would save their life.

"What's your Vecna song?"

"What's your Vecna song?" is now the pop-culture-savvy way to ask for someone's favorite song.

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What song would save you?

Gabbie Hanna returns to social media

Nearly two months after leaving social media, Gabbie Hanna returned to YouTube with an explanation.

"I'm well, thanks for asking," Hanna said toward the end of her latest video. "Surprise! I'm still here"

In a 46-minute video titled "i'm back. (why i left, why i'm scared for my life, the shadowban, & everything else)" Hanna explained that she had been "some kind of manic" after becoming a TikTok meme and deleting Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.

She had gone viral and became the butt of online jokes after she posted a video accusing YouTube of suppressing her content. Being involved in years of creator drama fueled her critics, whom she infamously referred to as "high school fucking bullies." Hanna described the actions leading up to her departure from social media as a "mental breakdown," and said she needed to separate herself because it brought back trauma from being part of a "toxic, abusive friend group."

"I was dealing with some really heavy shit that I wasn't able to properly process with all those eyes on me," Hanna said in her return video. "I needed to fuck off with the internet and handle this shit the right way."

Leaving the public eye didn't stop the harassment, Hanna said, which followed her to a private Discord server she uses to communicate with fans. She added that "they" — she believes former friends are leading the harassment campaign against her — began harassing her fans, a majority of whom are minors. Hanna said the harassment aimed at her fans pushed one to self-harm.

Addressing accusations of YouTube shadow banning her channel, or preventing users from seeing her content, Hanna clarified that the platform has listed her channel as restricted before. She said that in 2018, after going viral for her botched Genius interview, YouTube added a "Restricted" tag to her videos, which meant it was unavailable to underage users and those trying to view her content on public Wi-Fi, like libraries.

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Hanna touched on her ongoing feud(Opens in a new tab) with fellow creator Trisha Paytas. Paytas previously claimed that Hanna told her then-boyfriend that Paytas had herpes, which Paytas disputed and found wildly inappropriate. Hanna said breaking down her feud with Paytas would require a whole video in itself, but expressed concern that her side of the story would never be taken seriously because of her involvement in past scandals.

"I feel like YouTube has fostered a really toxic, harmful environment where people have figured out the quickest way to make a name for yourself is to destroy the name of somebody who has already made theirs," Hanna said. "YouTube rewards that heavily."

She said that seeking treatment for her mental health and being in a healthy relationship has helped, and that she had considered taking legal action against her harassers. Her Twitter(Opens in a new tab) and Instagram(Opens in a new tab) accounts are public again.

"I'm not this devil everyone makes me out to be, but I'm not a fucking angel," Hanna concluded. "I have a lot of issues that I'm working through and will continue to work through for my entire life."

Twitter is lighting up with Circle memes

Twitter Circle rolled out to all users this week, meaning folks can share posts exclusively with a select group of people.

Basically, the feature is a lot like Instagram Close Friends. You get to choose the group of people who can exclusively access your Circle posts. The idea is to make these posts more private though, of course, nothing is that private on the internet.

Predictably, since the Circle feature dropped, people online have been making memes and jokes about it. As one might expect with, you know, the internet...a lot of the jokes are about, well, being horny online.

People definitely seemed ready to make and see horny content.

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There were also lots of straightforward jokes. People joked about Circle being for cowards, the pressure of getting added to a Circle, being nosy, and lots of other things. The memes came flying in.

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It'll be interesting to see where Circle goes from here. Folks online are great at finding novel ways to use new features. But for now we've at least gotten funny jokes about it.

Fall is still the internets favorite season

It’s officially fall, the season of spookiness, the word crisp, the pumpkin spice industrial complex, and that one screenshot of (Opens in a new tab)When Harry Met Sally(Opens in a new tab). The beginning of autumn has fall fanatics coming out of the woodwork to wax poetic about the season and to claim seemingly everything as autumnal.

In the first week of fall, Twitter and TikTok became inundated with fall movies, fall outfits, fall playlists, fall recipes. It’s Christian Girl Autumn, Meg Ryan Fall, the time we can really start dressing.

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No other season has this kind of cult following. Fall comes after summer, which is so obviously good no one needs to hum and haw over it. Winter is so obviously bad it’s best not to talk about it.

What does it take for something to go viral as autumnal? It seems relatively easy. A film just needs one scene with some good fall foliage and an album cover just needs to be red or orange.

Let's investigate some of the internet's favorite "autumnal" media.

Unpacking Meg Ryan Fall

While you've probably heard of Hot Girl Summer, you may not have heard of the latest internet season, Meg Ryan Fall. Meg Ryan Fall is a TikTok trend where users draw inspiration from Meg Ryan's most iconic movies to create fall outfits(Opens in a new tab). This means outfits consisting of wool blazers, button downs, and most importantly, knit sweaters. Users are replicating Ryan’s outfits in When Harry Met Sally and You’ve Got Mail. Both movies are written by Nora Ephron and fit into the fall movie paradigm due to Ephron’s signature enviable outfits and comfortable interiors.

An example of the Meg Ryan Fall trend on TikTok is @_christianawebster(Opens in a new tab)'s video where she recreates Meg Ryan's outfits to a tee. The video is set to a sounds that incorporates one of Ryan's lines from When Harry Met Sally and the song "Tis Autumn" by Nat King Cole.

Both When Harry Met Sally and You’ve Got Mail have iconic fall scenes: When Harry Met Sally has Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan walking through peak fall foliage in the coziest of fall fits and You’ve Got Mail has Ryan crossing the street with a pumpkin in tow.

But You’ve Got Mail also has vivid scenes of other seasons. It has Ryan and her coworkers caroling, Ryan putting up twinkly lights, and Tom Hanks and Ryan finally getting together in Central Park at the height of Spring. It seems foolish to trap movies with such lush seasonal scenes like You’ve Got Mail as fall movies. If we are in the business of trapping movies into one season, why not leave all movies with an iconic winter scene to be enjoyed in the most miserable season?

Similar to You've Got Mail, the latest adaptations of Little Women(Opens in a new tab), Emma(Opens in a new tab), and Pride and Prejudice are celebrated as fall movies for their beautiful autumnal sequences. But again, they all feature lavish shots of every season. These films could just as easily be recognized as winter films. Little Women opens with a Christmas celebration where the characters are artfully bundled up and has wonderful winter imagery, like Jo, Laurie, and Amy ice skating. Not to mention it's so heartwarming that it could thaw your heart on the coldest of winter days.

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A trend of TikToks claiming these as fall films(Opens in a new tab) and showing off fall outfits are often set to Hozier's cover of "Do I Wanna Know" by the Arctic Monkeys(Opens in a new tab). It's only fitting that Hozier's self-titled debut album is praised as The Fall Album, and that title fits. After all the album cover is orange. It also has a rustic sound and romantic, yearning lyrics.

Another part of the internet claiming fall is the Dark Academia subculture. Dark Academia is a popular subculture and aesthetic found on TikTok(Opens in a new tab) and Tumblr that celebrates the crossover between all things academia and all things gothic. Dark Academia is defined by a devotion to reading, writing, old libraries, tweed jacket, worn leather, and skulls. Dark Academia is a fall aesthetic mostly because of its emphasis on outerwear and the season’s association with school.

In August TikTok user @lynlapid posted a video(Opens in a new tab) with the text "me being sad that summer's ending, but then remembering this style is coming soon." The video then flashes to a bunch of images that characterize the Dark Academia aesthetic, like the one below.

Dark Academia’s Bible is The Secret History by Donna Tartt which was hailed as "the most autumn book ever(Opens in a new tab)" by Twitter user @maryellen. The idolization of the characters in The Secret History found in the Dark Academia subculture is disturbing because the characters are varying types of problematic and all murderers. More importantly, The Secret History is a winter book. Snow is a key plot device and the narrator nearly dies from hypothermia while living in an unheated basement. If that doesn’t make something a winter book, I don’t know what does.

The final three of the internet's fall darlings are rightfully the holy trinity of autumnal media: Knives Out, Gilmore Girls, and "All Too Well" by Taylor Swift. Like When Harry Met Sally, Knives Out falls in the Sweater Genre of Fall Movies because of Chris Evan's iconic cream sweater. Unlike other "fall" movies, the entirety of Knives Out takes place in fall. It also doubles as a spooky movie and of course features fall foliage and rich interiors. Gilmore Girls has all the best fall stuff: a small town, studying, coffee, reading, and Milo Ventimiglia in a leather jacket. Finally, "All Too Well" is first and foremost about a scarf and features the lyric "autumn leaves falling down like pieces into place." I'll be waiting to celebrate fall until Taylor Swift releases her ten-minute version of "All Too Well."

That being said, if you have to cosplay as Meg Ryan to make it through another uncertain pandemic fall by all means put on your chunkiest sweater and order a pumpkin spice latte.

Parler explains free speech to angry users after sharing Capitol riot posts with the FBI

Parler tried to throw Facebook under the bus. Now the right wing social network’s users are angry.

Just as Congress was finishing up grilling the CEOs of Facebook, Google, and Twitter at a hearing on Thursday, Parler published its response to a separate Congressional inquiry into the company's ties and finances.

In its letter, Parler accused the Big Tech companies of trying to scapegoat the right wing social network in order to avoid accountability for their own roles in what transpired on Jan. 6 when supporters of then-President Donald Trump violently stormed the U.S. Capitol building. Parler also called for an investigation into collusion between the Big Tech companies and alleged anticompetitive practices.

One major point Parler focuses on its letter is that the company "referred violent content and incitement from Parler's platform over 50 times before January 6th" as well as "specific threads of violence" relating to events being planned at the Capitol on Jan. 6.

However, Parler's attempt to pile on Facebook while its CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, was being admonished by Congress members seems to have backfired.

"So you are snitches over nothing but democrat conspired bs???" commented one user on Parler's own post about the letter to it's Parler profile page(Opens in a new tab).

The comments section quickly filled up with some of Parler's users accusing the right wing social media platform of "ratting out(Opens in a new tab)" the site's own members.

"SO PARLER IS NO BETTER THAN FAKEBOOK AND TWITTER.....?" posted another user in reply. "This is NOT an example of a free speech platform. Parler is a fraud," claimed yet another.

The reaction to the news that Parler "colluded" with the FBI in order to report violent content was so strong on the right wing platform, the company was compelled to release a statement addressing those outraged users.

In doing so, Parler found itself unironically explaining the First Amendment to its user base filled with members who declare themselves to be "Constitutionalists" and "Free Speech" advocates.

"Some users have raised questions about the practice of referring violent or inciting content to law enforcement," begins Parler's latest statement. "The First Amendment does not protect violence inciting speech, nor the planning of violent acts. Such content violates Parler's TOS. Any violent content shared with law enforcement was posted publicly and brought to our attention primarily via user reporting. And, as it is posted publicly, it can properly be referred to law enforcement by anyone. Parler remains steadfast in protecting your right to free speech."

Of course, this type of speech that Parler says violates its rules is the same type of speech that social networks like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube say violates their rules. The whole appeal of Parler to its conservative userbase is that the platform supposedly differs from the others on that.

While the replies were more supportive in Parler's latest announcement, again, some of their users expressed their disapproval with Parler in the comments to that post as well.

"I want some damned response to the farce that we called an election," repied one user. "Sometimes, violence IS the answer."

Five people died in the wake of the pro-Trump riot in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 6. Companies like Apple and Google removed Parler’s apps from the web store as a result. Amazon also terminated its web hosting service relationship with Parler, taking the social network offline for a month.

Some of Parler's claims in its letter to Congress are true. For example, Facebook has been cited(Opens in a new tab) in court documents related to the storming of the Capitol more so than any other social network — including Parler. But, one needs to consider that Parler has just a small fraction of users compared to a company like Facebook, so moderating content should be easier for Parler. And content moderation is exactly the issue Apple and Amazon had with Parler, saying the right wing platform was either unwilling or unable to make sure its content was moderated and inline with those platforms' own terms of service.