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Heartwarming comics break down complex parenting issues with ease

Lunarbaboon comics tackle huge, important subjects with an effective, lighthearted touch that you can't help but smile at.

All images by Christopher Grady/Lunarbaboon, used with permission

Writing comics helped a father struggling with anxiety and depression.

Christopher Grady, a father and teacher from Toronto, was struggling with anxiety and depression. That's when he started drawing.

He describes his early cartoons and illustrations as a journal where he'd chronicle everyday moments from his life as a husband, elementary school teacher, and father to two kids.

"I needed a positive place to focus all my thoughts and found that when I was making comics I felt a little bit better," he says.

He began putting a few of his comics online, not expecting much of a response. But he quickly learned that people were connecting with his work in a deep way.

The comics series called Lunarbaboon was born, and the response to the first few was so powerful that Grady was inspired do more with his comics than just document his own experience.

"I began getting messages from many people about how they connected to the comics and it gave them hope and strength as they went through their own dark times," he says.

"When they look back…they probably won't remember what was said…or where you were when you said it. They may not remember any details of your time together. But they will remember that you were there…and that's what matters most."

"Usually the circle of people we can support, help, influence is limited to our families, friends, coworkers, random stranger at the bus stop, but with my comic I suddenly found my circle of power was much much larger," Grady explains. "I guess I decided to use this power for good."

Grady continued to draw, making a point to infuse the panels with his own special brand of positivity.

"Kids are always watching adults and they look to the adults as role models," he says. "I try to show (my kids and students) that even with all my flaws and weaknesses I am still a good person and I can still make a positive change in the world."

Lunarbaboon comics tackle huge, important subjects with an effective, lighthearted touch that you can't help but smile at.

Check out Grady's take on teaching his son about consent. (All images by Christopher Grady/Lunarbaboon, used with permission.)

consent, relationship advice, father son advice, family

A comic about listening and respecting your partner.

All images by Christopher Grady/Lunarbaboon, used with permission

Here's one about parents being supportive of a gay son or daughter.

sexual orientation, parenting gay children, positive messages, gender orientation

Parents being supportive of their gay son.

All images by Christopher Grady/Lunarbaboon, used with permission

On raising girls in a patriarchal world.

adulting, education, medical field, dreams

Comic encourages girls to chase all their dreams.

All images by Christopher Grady/Lunarbaboon, used with permission

And here's a sweet one about appreciating the heck out of his wife.

motherhood, moms, childbirth, family

Mom one ups dad easily.

All images by Christopher Grady/Lunarbaboon, used with permission

Big topics. Important issues. Grady tackles them with humility and ease.

As Lunarbaboon has continued to grow, Grady says the messages of support he gets have become increasingly powerful.

He certainly doesn't claim to have all the answers to all the complexities of parenting, but he does say that "people like knowing they aren't alone in life's daily struggles. Most people who contact me just want to say thank you for putting something positive into the world."

Grady doesn't expect his Lunarbaboon comics to fix rape culture or end bigotry. He just hopes his message of love, inclusion, and positivity continues to spread.

inclusion, gender roles, social anxiety, happy

Teaching children to accept what might be different.

All images by Christopher Grady/Lunarbaboon, used with permission

"My hope is that for the short time people read it they smile and feel good," he says. "Then I hope they take that good feeling and smile into the world and make it slightly brighter."

You can check out even more of Grady's awesome work over on his website or in his newly published book.


This article was originally published on 11.30.17

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Culture

Blood center goes on rant in defense of its 'racist' request

If a blood donation organization asks for more donations from black people, does that make them racist?

[rebelmouse-image 19474546 dam="1" original_size="500x399" caption="GIF from "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air."" expand=1]GIF from "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air."

No, no it does not. But it's an argument the folks at NHS' Give Blood in the U.K. have heard one too many times.

In a hilarious, GIF-ridden, informative tweet thread that's since gone viral, Give Blood addressed the often-asked question.

"Do black people have 'special' blood? Are we being racist?" the center asked. "Let's break it down."

First things first: While blood basically operates the same in every body, that doesn't mean it is the same in every body.

"Everyone's blood IS NOT the same," they tweeted. "So you can stop calling us racist."

In fact, there are more than 30 different types of blood.

Blood can also be positive or negative.

And O-negative blood is super special because anyone can use it.

Second, depending on a person's race or ethnicity, they're more or less likely to have certain types of blood.

Here's where all of that starts coming together.

There's a "rare subgroup" of blood that is 10 times more likely to be found in black donors than white donors.

Sickle cell anemia, a genetic condition far more common in black people, is really serious stuff.

Red blood cells are supposed to be round and flexible. But in sickle cell patients, those cells become rigid and sticky. This can block or slow the flow of oxygen to various parts of the body, as the Mayo Clinic explained.

Many people with the condition rely on blood transfusions to stay healthy. But if their blood transfusions aren't good matches, the body can build up a resistance to those transfusions, Give Blood noted in its thread.

Thus, many blood centers aren't being racist when they ask for more black blood donors — they're really just in need of more Ro blood donors.

"Why, you may ask, don't we just say we need Ro blood then?"

Most people don't know they have Ro blood until they come in to donate.

Most potential donors have no idea if they have Ro blood. But they likely do know what race or ethnicity they are.

Yes, blood centers need more donors of all races and ethnicities. But it makes perfect sense that some centers — particularly in the U.K., where just 1% of donors are black — would try to solicit certain donors.

So, what are you waiting for?

It's ridiculously easy to find a blood donation center near you. (Psst, it'll usually come with a free snack too.)

Help save a life and get some free food? A total win/win.

This article was originally published on November 9, 2017.

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A homophobic ad was placed next to a pizza shop. They messed with the wrong place.

Wiseguise Pizza didn't really want to be embroiled in the middle of a heated social debate. But, when it happened anyway, the pizza shop more than rose to the occasion, with a great sense of humor to boot.

After a polarizing political message appeared on a billboard adjacent to the restaurant in Mowbray, Tasmania, in Australia, the pizza shop could no longer ignore the elephant in the room — or, more specifically, the bigotry on the nearby street sign.

"IT'S OK TO SAY 'NO,'" read the billboard — a message encouraging Australians to vote against marriage equality, promoted by lobbyist group Coalition for Marriage.

Wiseguise Pizza couldn't let that stand — so they decided to have a little fun with it.

On Sept. 21, 2017, Fred Hooper of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation captured workers painting a response from the pizza shop on the white wall adjacent to the billboard.

Their message? It was simple, really.

"IT'S OK TO SAY 'NO,' ... TO PINEAPPLE ON PIZZA!" the updated message read, in a photo also snapped by Hooper.

"It's a huge debate at the moment, obviously," Wiseguise employee Ben Barwick told ABC, before quipping, "Everyone's talking about whether pineapple should be on pizza or not."

The store's managing director Alex Jones (no, not that Alex Jones) told ABC that Wiseguise wasn't explicitly taking a stance on the issue of marriage equality through its lighthearted commentary. But the far-reaching, lasting affect of the restaurant's actions shows just how heated the debate over same-sex marriage remains around the world; although the story unfolded last month, the photo landed a coveted front page spot on Reddit on Oct. 25.

It's no wonder the story's making waves. A critical vote is underway right now in Australia — and the outcome, which could legalize same-sex marriage nationwide, is far from certain.

A mail-in survey asking voters if the law should change so same-sex partners can marry has been open since Sept. 12 and will close on Nov. 7. Although the tally won't formally legalize same-sex marriage if "yes" votes win out, it will lead to a parliamentary debate and vote on the issue, which would likely (although not inevitably) end in favor of LGBTQ rights.

LGBTQ rights advocates have cause for concern. While public polling has consistently showed Australians are in favor of same-sex marriage, recent indicators show a tight race unfolding.

Photo by William West/AFP/Getty Images.

Proponents of same-sex marriage aren't worried about a surge in "no" voters, necessarily; they're far more worried about the prospect of the lazy "yes" voters: Australians (particularly younger Australians) who haven't mailed in their vote yet. Overconfidence in a "yes" victory could spell disaster.

“There is no room for complacency and no reason to think someone else's vote will win this," Equality Campaign Director Tiernan Brady explained to News.com.au. "We know there's an awful lot of young people that have either not voted yet or filled it in and not delivered it to the post box."

Young Aussies, say "no" to pineapple pizza and go vote "yes" for marriage equality. Too much is at stake to leave this one up to chance.

Family

After someone tried selling her nude photos, Sia shared them on Twitter

Instagram / Sia Music

Warning: one NSFW photo below.

She's far from the first celebrity to have nude photos leaked online, but Sia's response is certainly unique — and kind of awesome.

On Nov. 6, the pop singer tweeted out a blurred photo of her naked backside with a message: "Someone is apparently trying to sell naked photos of me to my fans. Save your money, here it is for free. Everyday is Christmas!"

It was a brilliant tweet, at once diminishing the photo's value (hard to make money on something that's been sent out for free to 3.2 million people on Twitter) and embracing herself for who she is.

You could even say that she turned the photographer into the butt of the joke.

When it comes to what people feel entitled to from celebrities, society's expectations need a revamp in a big way.

A person — a fan, even — might enjoy the music, acting, or art created by a celebrity. That doesn't mean they're entitled to nude photos or other breaches of personal privacy. Sia, for all her fame and success, is a person just like the rest of us. Just because she's not ashamed of her body (which is a good thing, obviously), that doesn't mean any of us are entitled to see it — especially without her consent.

While this sort of blackmail is never OK, it seems especially cruel to target her like this given her very publicly stated feelings about the concept of fame: "If anyone besides famous people knew what it was like to be a famous person, they would never want to be famous," she wrote in her 2013 "Anti-Fame Manifesto," making a point of obscuring her face during her public performances ever since.

So just be cool. Treat celebrities like people. Is that really so hard?

This article was originally published on November 7, 2017.

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