This Puzzled Life is a mental health and recovery blog exploring addiction, trauma healing, LGBTQ experiences, humor, and the strange moments that shape us.
“The only dead bodies from marijuana are in the prison and at the hands of the police. This is ridiculous.”
-Jack Herer
Light the charcoal. Sprinkle the sage. Negative energy go away. Today, is another day this observed within cannabis culture. It’s the birthday of the great Jack Herer. He was another name associated with cannabis that represents a “front runner” in the movement. So much, in fact, that there is a cannabis strain named after him that is often sought after.
Jack Herer was born June 18. 1939 and died April 15, 2010. He is sometimes referred to as the “Emperor of Hemp.” He founded and served as director of the organization Help End Marijuana Prohibition (H.E.M.P.) which functioned as a voice for the legalization movement. We truly would not be where we are today with cannabis without activists like Jack Herer. He became a legend within the cannabis community.
His first experience with cannabis was at the age of thirty. And he smoked a strain that he called “the Sammy Davis Jr. strain” of Acapulco Gold. His friends would call him “a most vigorous zealot.” He made a commitment with his friend and business partner Ed Adair that they would continue working on the California Marijuana Initiative until cannabis was legalized, or until they were 84 years old, or until death.
He co-authored G.R.A.S.S.: Great Revolutionary American Standard System. It was a guide for assisting in recognition of cannabis quality. It was a widely read cartoon strip. And went viral by today’s standards. He also opened the world’s first hemp store in Venice Beach and was revered as a god of sorts. He would test his hand at other types of items within the culture and also launched campaigns for cannabis legalization. He authored a book called The Emperor Wears No Clothes published in 1985. The book looked at all the reasons that hemp was criminalized. He died at the age of 70, which was six years, prior to The Adult Use of Marijuana Act of 2016 being passed which legalized personal use and cultivations of cannabis for anyone 21 years or older in the state of California. He died from complications of a heart attack in 2009.
The strain Jack Herer is an exceedingly popular sativa dominant strain. Sensi Seeds, a Dutch cannabis seed bank, cultivated the coveted Jack Herer strain in 1985. The origins are thought to be from Haze, Northern Light #5 and Shiva Skunk. It usually runs anywhere from 15%-24% THC. It typically has an orange-lemon scent emitting a dark pine flavor. Totally seventies in my opinion. People report a well-balanced head and body high that leaves them feeling relaxed. It’s also particularly good strain helping with creativity and sociability for day-time use. It helps to reinvigorate energy, focus and relaxation. And it is a good strain for both novice and experienced consumers (cannaculturecollective.com, 2025).
I hope you understand why this name is consider synonymous with cannabis culture. I have used the strain many times and totally agree with the information I found regarding the effects. Thank you so much Jack Herer for your contribution towards cannabis legalization. And a Happy Birthday to you! Thanks for reading!
Affirmation: I am ready to have another uplifting, productive day.
Light the charcoal. Sprinkle the sage. Negative energy go away. Today I want to talk about one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done. Coming out of the closet! Holy Cow what a topic! This is a topic that is as individual as a fingerprint. Anyone who has ever had to assert yourself as more than the typical “straight” person knows how very difficult it can be. My situation wasn’t any easier.
Growing up in the deep south of Mississippi you are expected to have a certain path to adulthood. Go to school. Graduated high school. Go to college for more school. Meet and marry someone of the opposite gender. Have children with your husband or wife. Always say, “For the bible tells me so.” And perpetuate this cycle. You are not to EVER consider loving someone of the same sex. But what if you, no matter how hard you try, cannot be straight? Apparently, no one has an answer for that. They just hide behind their bibles and tell you it’s wrong. This was even more pronounced because I live in the “Bible Belt” area of the state. Here’s my coming out story.
I knew at a young age that I was going to be different. I had no idea how or why. I just knew that it was how my life would be. I began having feelings about being gay when I was a teenager. I dare not tell anyone. The best thing I knew to do was keep it all hidden. I wasn’t overtly acting gay. I was just a “homie” to my guy friends. And I never really hung out with the girls unless I was excelling at the lesbian “gateway” sports of basketball and softball. I never really had many boyfriends because I wasn’t attracted to them. This was more out of choice. I just couldn’t seem to connect with any.
On top of all the tumultuous years of a trauma filled adolescence, I realized early on that I would also have to stuff my “authentic self” into a closet where I would remain until my 30s. I know. It sounds horrible and it was. I’ve always heard, “That parenting doesn’t come with a manual” and I truly believe that statement being a parent myself. But being a gay teen also doesn’t come with a manual. The only thing I’ve ever heard is that being gay is wrong. There was never really any explanation except that the Bible says so as they would claim. The topic about being gay was also attributed to getting HIV/AIDS. Yes, I grew up in the 80s. So for the longest time I thought that if anyone ever found out that I wasn’t straight, God would kill me with AIDS.
I took the bait of a man nineteen years older than me. I don’t really know why because I wasn’t attracted to men. He was incredibly abusive in various ways. And four years later, I would marry him. I knew that I wasn’t meant for him because the abuse escalated over the next ten years to a level that still horrifies me to this day. But I did, in fact, marry a man. I remember thinking, “No wonder everyone hates being married.” I continued in that marriage knowing that there was nothing about it that I truly loved, especially him. I did, however, continue being a wife and my wifely duties.
At one point I asked him, “Why are you being like this to me?” To which he replied, “Because the Bible told me so. I am the husband and you are the wife. And you are to do what I say.” And that was the end of the discussion. He would take this role to a very perverse level, always beating me over the head with the Bible to justify his actions including rape. I would eventually leave him and his abusive ways by the hair of my chinny, chin, chin. And it felt so good.
No more being ordered to perform sexual favors that I hated doing. And many times said “no” only to be told, “that if I didn’t that he would take it anyway.” No more pretending like I was happy in public and then crying tears in private. And it wasn’t just because he was so mean that I left. I just wasn’t “straight” and I couldn’t face another day of living that lie.
Six months later as we are going through a horrible divorce,he and his family’s threats and intimidation were just that. One day, though, I would be introduced to a woman who I knew instantly that I loved. We became very close friends very quickly. And we ended up “uhauling”like most lesbians do. For the first time in my life, I was going to love who I wanted to love versus being told who to love. And it was the most beautiful thing that I ever experienced. She was exactly who I wanted to be with.
Being a party to a scandalous relationship like the one with my ex-husband taught me “toughen up your skin because one day you will need that lesson to reflect on.” And I would soon come to understand what all of that meant. I was scared but confident because I felt that my family would understand having gone through hell with the ex. So, we sat with both of my parents and I told them that I was a lesbian and I loved Mel. Yep, that shit went over like “a turd in the punch bowl.” They would make it very clear that saying that she loved me for me didn’t matter. It only mattered that she had a vagina. I would also learn soon enough that the reaction was “because it would hurt their reputation and how that might impact their “church life.” It didn’t seem to matter that I could’ve died in that closet. Because I almost did.
I was hurt but I didn’t care. For once I was becoming my “authentic self”, one piece at a time. We moved away to Albuquerque, NM where we took solace in a lesbian group. Finally, though, we were free to love each other openly. And no one cared. We would go on to have two handsome little boys who call us mommas. And I continued fighting battles within my family over their ignorance. I still have family who won’t talk to me or let me be around their kids because, I guess their kids will catch the “gay virus” from me. And others, who won’t even acknowledge my existence because of how it looks in the family.
That hard lesson about having “thick skin” is that it has given me the strength to stand up for myself and others in the LGBTQ+ communities as we stand together demanding equality for all. These days there aren’t many people who try to debate those topics because my reputation of being a “verbal sniper” will shut them up very quickly. And my beautiful boys also know that no matter who they love or how they identify, it is absolutely ok. And that hateful things are said by people who stand behind the Bible in order to justify their right to be hurtful. And sometimes people ask you not to show up at the church because they don’t want anyone they know to see those beautiful rainbows. Maybe, however, it’s just because my light will shine too bright for their comfort level. What I had to learn through my process is that their ignorance is about them, not me.
You see, the Jesus I was always told about is someone who loves people no matter what gender or sexuality we are. Because we are made in “his” image. We are not made in his “straight” image. But when I came out, all of a sudden I was told how mad it would make him and how I would be punished. Apparently, there is a different mainline number than what I have in my phone.
I’m sorry. I just don’t believe that at all. I think that God is so proud of me for discovering my “authentic self” because I no longer live a lie. And having the courage to stand up for others who are abused by religion based on their gender or sexuality is not ok. My sons have asked me on more than one occasion, “Momma, how do you know that?” I tell them, “Son, because the Bible tells me so. And LOVE IS LOVE.”
I wasn’t built to live my life in a box or a closet. And neither are you. So if it goes against societal norms and makes me unpopular, then so be it. Keep fighting my LGBTQ+ family. Enjoy being authentically you. No one will ever have the power to love you like you do. Those rainbows make us look fabulous! Happy Pride everyone!
“There’s no right or wrong way to be gay. No right or wrong way to come out. It’s your journey, do it the way you wanna do it.”
Light the charcoal. Sprinkle the sage. Negative energy go away. Okie dokie! Today’s budtender moment is a review on the strain Spritzer. And with a name like that, how could I keep it out of our 2025 Pride lineup? Sit tight for a minute and I’ll fill you in with the information that you need about this strain.
Spritzer is a hybrid strain by crossing Runtz x Grape Pie x MAC. It was very earthy, floral and aroma. This strain is just like the name sounds. It’s like tip toeing through a field of flowers. It truly behaves like a very sativa dominant strain perfect for daytime. I felt little, if any, indica. And it would be a “good introduction to the cannabis world” kind of strain. I just don’t see where it’s possible to ever get couch lock. But I will say that you will have to use it in moderation especially if there are any anxiety issues. It’s a really good one to “wake and bake.”
Grab an eighth of Spritzer and take it with you to a Pride parade and events. Nothing too heavy. With my PTSD, I would have to use a much heavier indica to be able to use in public. It all depends on your personal needs. Thanks for reading! Happy Pride!
“The rainbow is a part of nature, and you have to be in the right place to see it. It’s beautiful, all of the colors, even the colors you can’t see. That really fits us as a people because we are all of the colors.”
-Gilbert Baker
Light the charcoal. Sprinkle the sage. Negative energy go away. Okie dokie! Happy Pride to you all. Today, I’m going to show you examples of flags that are flown during pride month. I cannot possibly list them all. But make no mistake, all of us, no matter the grouping, fit under the rainbow flag. And even our allies now have their own flag. Fly those flags!!!
Rainbow Pride Flag
Original Gay Pride Flag
Lesbian Pride
Transgender Pride
Gay Men Pride
Aromatic Gay Pride
Polisexual Pride
Bisexual Pride
Polyamory Pride
Pansexual Pride
Bear Pride
Leather Pride
Furry Pride
Asexual Pride
Cisgender Pride
Questioning Pride
Two Spirit Pride
Inter-sexed Pride
Genderfluid Pride
Non-Binary Pride
Ally Pride
Thank you again for reading this blog. There was no intention of leaving any group out other than for space. Every group is supported and included while I fly my own Lesbian Pride flag. And to our allies, there are not enough thank you’s and glitter to go around. You are and will forever be members of the Pride community. Thank you for always having our backs because WE ARE FAMILY! Happy Pride!
“Family values aren’t exclusionary. Family values are inclusive-and our family matters.”
“Gender is who you are. Sexuality is what you want.”
-C.N. Lester,”Trans Like Me: A Journey for All of Us”
Light the charcoal. Sprinkle the sage. Negative energy go away. Okie dokie! What I have learned about the LGBTQIA+ community is that there is almost a separate language that has been devised over time. Most of the terms I already know. However, the evolution continues. The common theme, though, is that no matter how you identify or what you prefer, our communities are all about inclusion. You are free to be who and what you are. And that’s what has kept everything so powerful. So many of us have been shunned or seen as “less than” by our families of origin. Therefore, we find comfort and solace in our “chosen” families where we can all take refuge under that beautiful rainbow flag with our straight allies. As I continue to attempt to “stomp out stupidity,” I have made a list of common terms and their explanations. This is by no means a comprehensive list. There could be volumes written on this topic. I did, however, try to make a list of the most common. Happy Pride! And happy reading!
Pride community-Alphabet mafia, Friend of Dorothy, Skittle mafia, Rainbow mafia,Fruit flies(also known as someone who is heterosexual but hangs out with gay males or lesbians).
Symbols for the gay community– Unicorns, lavender rhinos, rainbow, butterflies (gender transitioning), lavender plants, pink triangle.
Running-shoe lesbian– over 35 who wear jogging shoes with everything.
Celesbian-a famous lesbian
High Femme– a lesbian woman who presents extremely feminine.
Baby Dyke– someone who recently came out as a lesbian.
Dykon– a famous woman (not necessarily gay), who is popular among lesbian women and seen as a gay icon.(Joan Jett, Melissa Etheridge, Ellen Degeneres. Portia de Rossi, Oprah, Laurel Holloman, Lady Gaga, Kate McKinnon, Lily Tomlin, Wanda Sykes.
Transitioning Individuals call the hormones of the opposite sex.
Titty skittles (estrogen pills)
Gender juice (HRT)
anti-HIS-tamines
Anti-boyotics
beach ball deflation
water balloon poppers
mammarinopes
Dic-tacs
Jack and Jill Party: A circle jerk that welcomed both gay men and lesbians who sometimes had sex with each other.
Fruit bat– People who associate with lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people may be called fruit flies regardless of their sex.
Dopplebanger– someone who is attracted to others who look like themself.
Motorboating– the activity of putting one’s face between a woman’s breasts, and rocking, turning one’s head rapidly from side to side while making a noise like a motorboat.
Uhauling– a relationship that moves very quickly and the couple moves in together.
Gay Water– instead of mineral or sparkling water
Pillow princess– someone who prefers to receive sex rather than giving sex. This is not just in the gay community.
Cottaging – having or seeking anonymous gay sex in a public toilet, or ‘cottage’ (UK)
Down-low– homosexual or bisexual activity, kept secret, by men who have sex with men.
Femme– a feminine homosexual
Gaydar– the supposed ability to detect someone’s sexual orientation.
Gaussian – a gay Asian person
Gold star– a homosexual who has never had heterosexual sexual intercourse with the opposite sex.
Platinum Star(male)-gay male is someone who was delivered as a baby by C-section
Platinum Star(female)– gay female is an individual who has never slept with a man and was born via vaginal birth, meaning the first thing they ever touched was a vagina.
Prison Brides-Are individuals who engage in homosexual relationships while in prison.
Guydyke or lesboy – a man attracted to lesbian/bisexual women,
Scissoring – used to refer to lesbian intercourse.
Cock blocking– (male) someone who interferes with flirting, making out or having sex you’re interested in.
Cliterference– (female) someone who interferes with flirting, making out or having sex with someone you’re interested in.
Beach bitch – a gay man who frequents beaches and resorts for sexual encounters.
Top– usually the more dominant partner.
Bottom – a receptive partner in intercourse; also used as a verb for the state of receiving sexual stimulation.
Power bottom – someone who dominantly plays the receptive role in intercourse.
Otter-refers to a gay man who is slender and hairy, a middle ground between a “twink” and a “bear.”
Baby butch – a young and boyish lesbian
Bambi lesbian – a lesbian who prefers cuddles, hugs, kisses, and other affectionate and sensual non-sexual acts over sexual acts
Hasbian – a woman who previously identified as lesbian but now identifies as heterosexual.
Lesbian until graduation (LUG) – a young woman who is assumed to be temporarily experimenting with same-sex behavior, but will ultimately have heterosexual identity.
Lipstick lesbian – a lesbian/bisexual woman who displays historically feminine attributes such as wearing make-up, dresses, and high heels
Soft butch – an in between femme and butch
Stone butch – a very masculine lesbian, or a butch lesbian who does not receive touch during intercourse, only giving.
Stud – a black butch
Chicken – a youthful gay man
Chubby chaser – a man seeking overweight males
Daddy – a typically older gay male.
Twink − a youthful, slim,flamboyant gay man.
Bear – a larger and often hairier man. The bear subgroup is among the oldest and largest of the LGBTQ community. Pride.com states “Bears are on the heavier side, either muscular, beefy, or chunky. They wouldn’t dream of shaving their body hair (which comes in abundance) and they usually have a full beard to match.”
Cub– a younger bear. Pride.com describes cubs as “baby bears” or “large, hairy guys in their teens and 20s who are on their way to becoming a bear.
Bear chaser – a man who seeks out and pursues bears
Wolf – Pride.com says, “Similar to an otter, a wolf has some hair and is in between a twink and a bear. Wolves typically have a lean, muscular build and are sexually aggressive. Wolves are “typically older and masculine” with a muscular/athletic build.
Bull– Pride.com says a bull is a “hunky, muscular” bodybuilder who weighs 200 pounds or more. Attitudesays bulls have a “super-muscular build” with any hair style, and can be any age.
Chicken – a young twink. Chickens are hairless and young with a slim or skinny build.
Chicken hawk – an older man who seeks younger men. From chickenhawk, a designation for several birds which are thought to hunt chickens.
Pig – someone who is focused on sex than anything else, often into kinkier and sexual practices.
Silver fox – an older man with gray hair.
Bi-sexual– sexually attracted to both genders
Pansexuality does not mean bi-sexuality. It is an attraction to personalities, not a specific gender.
Questioning– people who are unsure of sexual identity, orientation, gender or all three.
Cisgender-gender identity who corresponds to their birth, not transgender.
Asexual– someone who experiences little or no sexual attraction to others.
Intersexed– a person who is born with both genitalia, chromosomes and/or hormones.
Leather subculture denotes practices and styles of dress organized around sexual activities that involve leather garments, such as leather jackets, vests, boots, chaps, harnesses, or other items. The New York Stonewall Riots in 1969, members of the leather community stood next to drag queens to fight for equality; it was an act that kicked off the modern-day LGBT rights movement. And it brought the leather culture out into the light. The Leather Community supports both within and from the LGBT community.
The Puppy movement involves both men and women wearing canine-shaped hoods and walking on all fours, just like a real puppy—or bio-puppy, as they are referred to.
“A leather boy is trained and it is a militant situation where the boy is there to serve a master. But a boy has a voice in the family. The puppy aspect is totally different. When you are in pup space, you are just going with whatever happens.”
Golden Showers– part of the philias where an individual gets off to someone peeing on them.
Kink subculture happens in both heterosexual and homosexual communities.
Two-Spirit: A term used by some Indigenous peoples in North America to describe people who embody both male and female spirits.
Furries • Xenophilia is the term for the sexual attraction to furry characters.Furries are people who identify with animals who have human characteristics, like cartoon characters. “Furry” is not considered a gender identity; it is a term referring to someone who has an interest in anthropomorphic animals, meaning animals with human characteristics, and is considered a fandom or hobby, not a personal identity related to gender. People who identify as “furries” are interested in creating or engaging with animal characters with human traits, not necessarily claiming to be an animal themselves.
I hope that some of these terms have helped to educate you on some of the language in the pride community. Some of these terms and classifications differ depending on where you are located. Take what you can use and leave the rest. Be who you are. And love who you are. Thanks for reading! Happy Pride!
“Shine with pride, because your light helps to brighten the world.”
Light the charcoal. Sprinkle the sage. Negative energy go away. Okie dokie! Another cannabis strain that represents the LGBTQIA+ community. Combining the color blue from the pride flag and unicorns. And there isn’t anything gayer than a unicorn. Sit for a moment while I describe this healing cannabis strain.
Blunicorn is a strain that I fell in love with on inhale. It is a hybrid cross of Blue Sherbert x Unicorn Poop. And definitely has some stink to it. Blue Sherbert is a cross between Blue Cookies x Sun Sherbert. Unicorn Poop is a cross between GMO Cookies x Sophisticated Lady. This is a long line of hybrids and a few indicas in the lineage that will be recognized and noted in a smoking sesh with friends. The Unicorn Poop lineage gives it that noticeable dose of indica. It is steady at 22.7% THC but is still one for both beginners and connoisseurs to enjoy. The main terpenes are Limonene, myrcene, caryophyllene. Patients use it for anxiety, depression and pain. And I can attest to the information. This strain has flavors of blueberry, berry and mango.
More colorful strains will follow this month in prideful fashion. Make sure to subscribe to this blog and social media accounts and never miss another post. Keep reading. Keep smiling. Happy Pride!
Affirmation: I am manifesting more cannabis into my life.
Light the charcoal. Sprinkle the sage. Negative energy go away. Okie dokie! As today begins the month of Gay Pride, it would almost be considered disrespectful if I didn’t mention that it’s also the first day of Hurricane Season. Having been through one of the most destructive hurricanes to hit the United States, Hurricane Katrina is one that I could talk about through the end of the season and beyond.
While those beautiful colored flags are the most gorgeous rainbows, hurricane season is something that can take my natural giddy self and change it instantly to serious. If you have lived through violent thunderstorms and tornadoes of the spring, then you know just what I’m talking about. And this year has led me to question whether “tornado alley” borders are being redefined. So far this year mother nature has already begun to stretch her meteorological legs and doing the jet stream dance.
Tornadoes, in an of themselves, are extremely scary no matter what part of the country nor how large the debris field. They show up sometimes with little warning to quickly demolish anything in its path. And there have been many times within the last few years where I decided to stay in my little habitat for the sake of my cats Tink and Coco. And when they decide to take cover because they hear rain drop, I’m usually left to fend for myself.
Hurricanes are quite literally “The Wrath of God.” Well, at least it was during Hurricane Katrina. Things you learn to do when these types of weather patterns that we see in the deep south, is to always be prepared. That means batteries, bottled water, canned goods, propane, charcoal, candles, and hopefully working chargers. Our local news station never forgets to tell us about the importance of helmets and coloring books for the kids. And before you ask, yes, I do have fun in the live chat while watching the coverage.
The Weather Channel seems to be a staple for living in the southern United States. I know one thing without a doubt, if Jim Cantore shows up in your area, RUN!
Five months out of the year are dedicated to constantly checking hurricanes and projected paths. The memories of the chaos of Hurricane Katrina made me experience a fear that can’t be explained in words and sentences. It’s a fear that you come to understand when you experience it. As the stories told by my grandmother and parents about Hurricane Camille, I was very intrigued. And there was the time when I said, “I want to be able to experience a major hurricane.” I’ve always been interested in the science of weather. But the adage, “Careful what you wish for” couldn’t have made anymore sense once it was all said and done.
The weather is just the beginning. What those on the outside need to understand is that it’s after the storm that is so traumatic. I know that New Orleans got the major news coverage during the hurricane. However, here in Mississippi was horrible in different ways. If you’ve never been unable to meet basic needs for living, without power, without air conditioning, gas pipes busted, sewage manholes overflowing, no running toilets, no cell phones, no access to ice, no access to money, food starts rotting, the massive mosquitoes, and above all, the heat. And we live 60 miles north of the coastline. Casino barges, pieces of interstates, highways, entire streets, mausoleum opened bodies and caskets strewn, slabs where houses once stood and the majority of the landscape resembling something created by “Little Boy” and “Fat Man.” You cannot begin to realize how deadly mother nature can be.
As we face another year of these types of storms, start preparing now. Because when you wait until it’s more convenient, retailers will be sold out. And though it’s been 20 years since Katrina, when I woke up this morning a cold chill went straight down my spine as I remember how very scary and destructive she was. Let us all never forget how dangerous weather can be. And let us never forget the names that have been retired because of the deadly, long lasting physical, structural and psychological effects that they have left on this nation. I remember them by name Katrina, Andrew, Sandy, Rita, Harvey, Irma, Maria, Michael, Ivan, Beryl, Helene, Milton, Betsy, Camille, Frederick, Galveston Hurricane 1900, The Atlantic-Gulf Hurricane 1919, Great Miami Hurricane 1926, San Felipe-Okeechobee Hurricane 1928, Labor Day Hurricane 1935, New England Hurricane 1938, The Great Atlantic Hurricane 1944 and many others. Thanks for reading! Stay safe! Keep Smiling! And HAPPY PRIDE!
Affirmation: I have faced fiercer storms and survived them all.
“Do not allow people to dim your shine because they are blinged. Tell them to put on some sunglasses, because we were born this way.”
-Lady Gaga
Light the charcoal. Sprinkle the sage. Negative energy go away. Okie dokie! You know what today is? I’ll give you a hint. It’s my favorite time of the year. IT”S GAY PRIDE MONTH! Everyone fly those flags and love who you love. I think those who are new to the pride family and are newly allied deserve to know just why we love pride month so much.
On June 28, 1969 (no pun intended), the NYPD raided the Stonewall Inn. Raids at gay bars where the patrons and employees inside were interrogated while a crowd gathered outside. The sum of everyone fought back, and police barricaded themselves in the Stonewall Inn. The mob’s resistance went on all night, and continued for days in protests across New York City.
A year later in June 1970 activists marched throughout the streets to commemorate the riots. It was called the Christopher Street Liberation Day where sparsely attended and encountered protests because of the outlandish costumes that some marchers wore.and is known as the first Pride Parade. Other pride celebrations were in cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Chicago (bryanuniversity.edu, 2024). Pride is used to describe the community’s solidarity, identity and resistance to discrimination (britannica.com, 2025).
In 1978, the symbol representing Gay Pride first made its debut in San Francisco. It was the rainbow flag. The original flag consisted of eight colors (hot pink-sexuality, red-life, orange-healing, the sun-yellow, green-nature, blue-art, indigo-harmony and violet for spirit). The colors were tweaked a bit because of the unavailability of fabric colors. The demonstrations focused on participants’ being proud to be out of the closet regarding individual freedom and diversity of the LGBTQ community.
In the 1980’s, after the spreading of AIDS, pride events focused on the social issues of the time. The LBGTQ community increased among the straight community, politician sympathies and gay-friendly businesses and corporations began participating in the marches. The popularity began spreading across the globe. Large cities such as Amsterdam, Chicago, London, Mexico City, New York, Paris, San Francisco and Sao Paulo attract several hundred thousand to more than a million annually. Stiff resistance in Jerusalem, Moscow and Warsaw but pride has still continued.
The groups of people who identified as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or queer who felt empathy and solidarity based on shared experiences of prejudice, discrimination and disrespect or awareness of oppression were all included in the acronym LGBTQ. The acronym has again changed to include those who are “questioning,” “intersex,” and “agender” to LGBTQIA or LGBTQ+ (britannica.com, 2025).
In 1999, President Bill Clinton officially declared June as Gay and Lesbian Pride month. In 2009, President Barack Obama named it Lesbian, Gay, bisexual, and Trangender Pride Month. In 2016, President Obama designed the Stonewall Inn and the surrounding area as a national museum. And it was the first national monument that honored LGBTQ+ rights (bryanuniversity.edu, 2024). However, there is still the ongoing fight for equality and inclusion.
As of 2015, the Supreme Court ruled in Obergefell v. Hodges that same-sex couples have the right to marry in all 50 states. The ruling also declared that same-sex couples have the same rights under the law as opposite-sex couples. This includes Social Security, health insurance and retirement savings. Most Americans agree that legalizing same-sex marriage is good for society.
In 2017, our country and communities witnessed the protections for LGBTQ people across the entire federal government. While President Biden reversed many of those attacks, Trump promised to go back even further on LGBTQ rights if re-elected. And sadly that has happened. Project 2025, has removed anti-discrimination policies. And on day one of his current presidency he began to eliminate protections for transgender students. This began to strip LGBTQ individuals of protections against discrimination in many areas including employment, housing, education, healthcare, and other federal programs. And to date has kicked many transgender military personnel of their livelihood (aclu.org, 2025).
Ask yourself, “how does gender identity determine when, where and how your “battle buddy” pulls a trigger? Aren’t our troops, regardless of how they identify, fighting for the freedoms of the same nation? Trangender soldiers are of no significant threat to anyone else in the military. Because when it comes down to protecting my six, it doesn’t matter how someone identifies in gender or sexuality, if the trigger gets pulled and I live to fight for freedom another day.
Our fight for equality will continue just like it began. We will be loud and proud no matter what our government or religion does to try and destroy our pride. We will be there with our colors on challenging everyone that there be justice for all. The LGBTQ communities will continue to demand that we be included in the preamble of the constitution which reads, “WE THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.” Stonewall will never die! Thanks for reading! Happy Pride Everyone!
“If I wait for someone else to validate my existence, it will mean that I’m short changing myself.”
“Getting information from the Internet is like taking a drink from a fire hydrant.”
-Mitchell Kapor
Thanks for coming back to read the final blog about the Most Dangerous Internet Challenges. I have saved the most dangerous of all the challenges I’ve talked about until now. That does not mean that I’m being insensitive to the destruction that the previous ones have caused. However, for varied reasons these last four challenges go down as my top for being some of the most dangerous. Let’s continue…
Skull Breaker Challenge
This is a dangerous challenge that first made its mark on Tik Tok in 2020. I’m not saying that the behavior itself has never been conducted before. Because I’m fairly sure that when I was a teen, we did something similar. The participants work as a group of three. One person stands in the middle, while the other two stand on either side. They tell the middle person to jump up and then very swiftly use a sweeping kick so that the middle person falls to the ground and hits their head. Injuries that have been associated with this challenge include concussion, neck, head and spinal injuries. Skull fractures and paralysis are also known to be associated with this challenge. Tik Tok very quickly took down any videos related to the challenge.
Benadryl Challenge
This is a challenge where it involves taking massive amounts of Benadryl in order to get high and hallucinate. Ok, stop for a second. We didn’t even have internet challenges much less this one. Hell, I did this just to escape my own horrible reality. But you can only take so much before the “high” isn’t a really pleasant experience. However, when you don’t have access to money, as a young teen, you go to the next best place, the parents’ medicine cabinet.
I’m not trying to glorify this. What I am saying is that there are many varied reasons why someone would do something like this. While this can be deadly, I never considered those dangers as a teen. The overconsumption of this medication can lead to confusion, delirium, psychosis, organ damage, hyperthermia, convulsions coma and death. And sadly, there have been children and teens who did not live to see the next internet challenge.
Blackout Challenge
Ok. This one right here has been known to be my poison. The Blackout Challenge also called the “Choking Game” are another one of those things that have thrill seekers mouths watering with anticipation. I had no idea that this had a formal name for behavior until I started seeing this in news reports. The challenge formally began to gain widespread attention on Tik Tok in 2021. It’s a challenge that deprives the brain of oxygen and blocks blood from entering the brain.
Oxygen deprivation of the brain has the potential to cause moderate to severe brain cell death. And because fatalities are often ruled as suicides, it makes the statistics unreliable. I think we all can agree that this can be dangerous. One of the reasons that it’s so popular is because it costs zero dollars to try. As dangerous as it can be, I don’t see this behavior being eradicated.
My personal beginning with this behavior was born out of a very traumatic situation. And I can tell you that the longer kids get their needs met in this way, the more difficult it is to stop. And just like any type of self-harm that serves a purpose for the individual, the results can be deadly.
I completely understand that not every child looks for some type of emotional need to be met with these behaviors. Either way no one can deny the facts about the statistics showing that it can be deadly. I can admit that this isn’t “brain food” and is still considered very stupid to most people. The main thing is for parents to be aware of the signs that are related to this behavior which include discussion of the game, bloodshot eyes, marks on the neck, severe headaches, disorientation after spending time alone, ropes, scarves and belts tied to bedroom furniture or doorknobs or knotted on the floor and unexplained presence of things like dog leashes, choke collars and bungee cords.
Blue Whale Challenge
The Blue Whale Challenge is one that I consider to be very insidious. If you’ve read my recent blog about the online predatory group 764, this is one that’s eerily reminiscent. It was an online social phenomenon in 2016 that began in Russia and claimed to exist in many countries. The game consists of a series of tasks to players over a 50-day period.
In its start, the creator who was a former Russian psychology student, got expelled from the university. He said that he originally created the game in 2013 in order to “clean society of biological wastes.” The tasks begin with things like “get up at 4:30 am” or “watch a horror movie” before moving into self-harm. And the end of the game involves committing suicide. The administrators were found to be children aged between 12 and 14 years of age.
In June 2018, Russian financial analyst, Nikita Nearonov was arrested for masterminding the game. Nearonov is suspected of grooming ten underage girls in order for them to commit suicide. The game has been reported to be banned in countries including Egypt, Kenya and Pakistan. However, experts agree that it’s almost impossible to ban the game.
I hope this series has been informative on some of the dangerous internet challenges. For all the ones that have diminished, there are new challenges in ten-fold waiting to take their place. Remembering how naïve I was as a teen helps me to realize that had the internet been as big then as it is now, I would’ve surely gotten hurt at the very least. I was incredibly impulsive and searching for something to distract me from life as it was. Thanks for reading!
“The screen is a window through which one sees a virtual world. The challenge is to make that world look real, act real, sound real, feel real.”
-Ivan Sutherland
Now Let’s Continue…
Bird Box Challenge
The Bird Box Challenge was inspired by the movie Bird Box starring Sandra Bullock. The goal is to complete everyday tasks blindfolded. They go for as long as 24 hours with little success. This was happening so much that one of the streaming giants, Netflix, issued a statement: “Can’t believe I have to say this, but: PLEASE DO NOT HURT YOURSELVES WITH THIS BIRD BOX CHALLENGE. We don’t know how this started, and we appreciate the love, but Boy and Girl have just one wish for 2019, and it is that you not to end up in the hospital due to memes.” And as teens always do, a 17-year-old girl had a car wreck from trying to drive blindfolded where she hit another car, a light pole and a sound barrier. And she hasn’t been the last.
To me this one could’ve been fairly innocent as long as people didn’t get too crazy. But driving blindfolded? There is a reason for not allowing blind people to drive. And then all of a sudden, a girl who put a beanie over her eyes says, “I can do this!” Ok dummy by yourself is one thing. But she had a passenger who was like, “Don’t worry. I’ll tell you when you get close to something.” Did her agreeing passenger fall asleep or was she thrown onto the floorboard upside down?
One chip Challenge
This is one that I’ve personally noticed being more noticeable. I can’t tell you how many of the one chip challenge videos I have watched. In the earlier blog I wrote about the Scoville Heat Units scale that is used to show how spicy an item is. The challenge required participants to eat the Paqui chip and then see how long they could go without food or water. The One Chip Challenge has a spice level between 2,200,00 to 2, 300, 000 SHU (brainy.com, 2023). The chips sold individually came wrapped in foil in a coffin shaped box at a price of $10. Poison control centers warned that the concentrated amount could cause allergic reactions, trouble breathing, irregular heartbeats, heart attacks and strokes.
On September 1, 2023, a 10th Grader died after doing this challenge. The autopsy found that he had a heart attack which was due to the high concentrate of chili pepper extract coupled with a congenital heart defect that led to his death. As a result, the chip company collaborated with retailers to have it removed from their shelves. And the One Chip Challenge is no more. Congenital heart defect or not, I would’ve had one for sure if you threw that level of spice on me.
Tide Pod Challenge
I’m still shaking my head about this one. However, while working in the field of addiction I saw people go to extremes to get high or drunk. And, yes, there was a client so desperate to drink that she drank Tide with Bleach. One camera and one pooper later and the lining of her digestive tract was burned. But the majority of the people doing the challenge were not alcoholics. They were kids and teens.
In my younger days those who were my audience were only a handful of people. Today, kids have access to the internet which is viewed by billions of people. But equally as guilty are the media who glorify stupidity. The challenge requires the person to hold or chew a Tide Pod and then spit it out. Ingesting or inhalation of the detergent include difficulty breathing requiring intubation, seizures, excessive vomiting and death.
Nyquil Chicken Challenge
I was the kid that when it came to medicine time before bed I ran and hid. In the late seventies and early eighties most of the medications administered to children were not tailored to kids’ taste buds. And since Nyquil was first made in 1966 there has not been, in my opinion, a big push for making the medication delicious. I always imagined that I was being fed snake venom by my parents. So, this idea of Nyquil Chicken was likewise never a temptation.
“Nyquil Chicken” or “Sleepy Chicken” involves boiling, sauteing or marinating chicken in the green cough syrup. One of the things that happens with medications or substances is that when you heat it the properties change. Once these things change from a liquid to a gas it can irritate the membranes of the air way potentially damaging the lungs. When consumed, the medication is concentrated and unequally distributed. The harmful side effects when taken at a greater dosage than the recommended dose can also be deadly.
I hope you have enjoyed reading and watching the videos of some of these ridiculous internet challenges. Some of these that I’m writing about I didn’t know were even in the universe. I’m learning so much while researching this topic. And I can tell you that it’s been a “honey hole” of information. Keep reading as there is one more blog in this series of some of the most dangerous internet challenges available to all who find it fun to seek death in an effort to become the next social media phenom.
This Puzzled Life 