I was the third child in a bustling Italian-American household of six — “three boys and three girls!” my parents would declare with pride,...

In the wisdom of my Aunt Lil, who lived vibrantly to 103, she once said, “At any age, it’s wonderful to have a lover—even when the mind stays willing but the body loses some ability.” Her words echo a timeless truth: intimacy and connection enrich our lives at every stage. Yet, modern statistics reveal a concerning reality. In the United States, nearly half of women and about a quarter of men experience a reduced sex drive, a number that grows with age. Factors such as stress, poor nutrition, anxiety, depression, menopause, and andropause (male menopause), along with fatigue and prescription medications, all contribute to diminished libido. It’s no wonder that when Viagra hit the market, it...

When we talk about building better schools and workplaces, the conversation often centers around innovation, efficiency, and inclusion. Yet one vital group is still routinely sidelined: people with disabilities. Far from being a charitable gesture, welcoming disabled individuals into classrooms and offices creates environments that are not only more inclusive but also more effective for everyone. In a society where nearly 30% of Americans live with a disability—most of them acquiring it during their lifetimes—this is not a marginal issue. It is a matter of civil rights, economic justice, and collective progress. And it’s time we reframe how we view disability inclusion—from burden to benefit. The Persistence of Misconception For decades, outdated ideas about disability have shaped policy,...

In Massachusetts, the legislative process moves in two-year cycles, requiring advocates to repeatedly resubmit bills and rally support amidst thousands of proposals. This cycle is underway again, and at its heart are two critical bills—S.261 and H422—that threaten to drastically limit access to holistic health practitioners across the state. If these bills pass, the consequences will be profound: fewer practitioners, fewer healing options, and higher costs for both healers and those who seek their care. What’s at Stake? These bills aim to regulate alternative healing therapies and establish licensure for traditional Asian bodywork therapies. On the surface, licensing might seem reasonable—a way to ensure quality and safety. But these proposals would impose heavy burdens on a wide...