Why Mark Zuckerberg's Miscarriage Announcement Matters

Mark Zuckerberg on Friday did as so many people
have before him and gleefully announced the news of
a pregnancy on Facebook, the social network he
founded. Then he did something entirely off-script:
he revealed that he and his wife went through three
miscarriages before arriving at this happy
announcement.

“Most people don’t discuss miscarriages because you
worry your problems will distance you or reflect upon
you — as if you’re defective or did something to
cause this. So you struggle on your own,” he wrote.

“When we started talking to our friends, we realized
how frequently this happened — that many people we
knew had similar issues and that nearly all had
healthy children after all.” He went on to say that he
and his wife hope that by sharing their story, others
might feel more comfortable sharing theirs.
Despite the highly personal tone of his post, research
shows Zuckerberg is probably right.
Just last month, a study out of the Albert Einstein
College of Medicine and Montefiore Health System
indirectly supported Zuckerberg’s
assertion that miscarriage is rarely talked about.

A survey of over 1,000 men and women found that
participants wildly underestimated the frequency of
miscarriage and researchers speculated that it might
be the result of how taboo conversation is around the
topic. The majority—55 percent—believed that
it affects fewer than 6 percent of pregnancies. In
fact, miscarriage happens in an estimated 15 to 20
percent of known pregnancies.

The survey also revealed that 41 percent
of participants who had experienced a miscarriage, or
whose partner had experienced one, said they felt
alone in the experience. But the researchers did find
one thing that helped reduce feelings of isolation in 28
percent of respondents: public figures discussing their
own miscarriages.

Zuckerberg is also right that people often blame
themselves for miscarriages. The same study found
that 41 percent of participants who had experienced a
miscarriage reported that they felt they had done
something wrong, and 28 percent felt ashamed. This
builds on several past studies which have found that
guilt is a common reaction to miscarriage.

These feelings are supported by mistaken beliefs
about what causes miscarriages. An impressive
majority believed miscarriage could be caused by
stress (76 percent) or lifting a heavy object (64
percent). 22 percent of all participants believed that
“lifestyle choices” like using drugs, alcohol or tobacco
were the most common causes of miscarriage. Again,
people have it all wrong: Miscarriages are most often
caused by chromosomal abnormalities.

Zuckerberg’s anecdote about how most of his friends
who had miscarried went on to have successful
pregnancies might sound hollow, but it too is backed
up by data. One study found that only 1 to 2 percent
of women experience recurrent miscarriages. That’s
one way in which Zuckerberg’s experience actually
deviates from the data: most miscarriages are a one-
time thing.

Mississippi school district fined $7500 for opening assembly with prayer

Allowing a school assembly honoring high-achievers to
open with a prayer made one Mississippi school district
$7,500 poorer - and a student who sued $2,500
richer. The Rankin, Miss., public school district was hit with the fine after U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves said it
defied his prior order barring prayers school events.

According to the judge, the prayer violated a 2013 court settlement that ordered the district to stop
"proselytizing Christianity." The alleged violation, which
came at an assembly last year for students who scored above 22 on their ACT college admissions test, prompted the judge to apply fines for that and another incident, in which Gideons International was permitted to hand out Bibles to elementary school students.

"The district's breach did not take very long and it
occurred in a very bold way," Reeves wrote in his
judgment. "Its conduct displays that the district did not
make any effort to adhere to the agreed judgment."
Reeves also ordered the district to pay the student's
legal fees, an amount that will be determined at a later
date, and threatened a $10,000 fine for any future
infractions of the order.

The assembly at Brandon High School in May 2014
began with a prayer led by local Methodist pastor Rev.
Rob Gill. Although not mandatory, the assembly honored the district's students who scored higher than a 22 on their ACT college tests

The school district first came under legal fire when the
same student took the school district and the school's
then-principal, Charles Frazier, to court in 2013 for
forcing him to attend a series of assemblies that
promoted Christianity.

Attorneys for the school district have argued that Gill's
prayer did not violate the 2013 orders or the student's
First Amendment rights because attendance at the
assembly was optional. Reeves, however, believes the
district has been trying to indoctrinate students with
Christianity.

“From the accounts detailed in the record, it appears
that incorporating religious script and prayers with
school activities has been a long-standing tradition of
the district,” the judge argued.

In a statement issued by an attorney, Rankin County
Superintendent Lynn Weathersby said that despite the
court's ruling, students and teachers will continue to
pray. However, district staff will have to adjust in order
to comply with the ruling.

Let’s Talk Girl to Girl! Kris Jenner FINALLY Meets With Caitlyn Jenner

The highly anticipated meeting between Caitlyn Jenner
and Kris Jenner has finally happened.

The two exes met at Caitlyn’s Malibu house on Tuesday July 28 for their first face-to-face get together, undoubtedly an emotional moment for both.

The 59-year-old reality star’s black Cadillac Escalade
emerged from the 65-year-old transgender’s driveway at 4:30pm after she spent 2 hours inside.

Kris, who openly struggled with the news of Caitlyn’s
transition on Keeping Up With the Kardashians , is the
last of the family members to meet Caitlyn.

Kris was also noticeably absent at the 2015 ESPYs,
where Caitlyn accepted the Arthur Ashe Courage Award, but she was watching. A source said:

“Kris isn’t at a place yet where she wants her
first meeting with Caitlyn to be televised.
The whole thing is still so out of her comfort
level. The relationship between Caitlyn and Kris
will be heavily addressed on [I Am Cait].

There is a lot of drama between them both and
they are both hurt by each others actions.’

Chris Brown Finally Goes To Church After 15 Years…Says It Has Changed Him

Everyday, we as children of God struggle to find a sense of purpose. Most times when we look to other means of fulfillment and then we return feeling lonely and empty.

Chris Brown opened up on his Instagram about his first visit to church in 15 years, and how it has changed the person that he is.

In the post, he highlights a number of problems in his
life, and how he has been able to overcome them.

The singer wrote:

“I really wanna take this time to thank God for
everything he’s done for me over the years. The
lessons and my personal mistakes I’ve experienced.

I’ve done a lot in this short time I’ve been on
this earth. I’m 26 but i feel 46 and I understand
a lot more as a man and a father.

Before I left the states for this tour run I was
able to go to church. I haven’t been in almost 15
years. HillsongLA!!!!!

It’s making me a better person and I appreciate
all the fans across the world who love me for
me. I’m not perfect by any means and no one
has to be. From Gangs to fights to beefs to
drugs and anything else frowned upon I’ve been
able to learn my own way and love myself and
continue to spread positivity and SMILE.

I feel comfortable in my own skin because man
cannot judge man. I want to continue my path
to be a legend. I want to always put a smile on
the faces of people who think about giving up.
Life isn’t about self all the time. Life is about
“Love”.

I was able to be inspired by one the the greatest
two human beings who ever lived. “Michael
Jackson” and “2pac”! Understand that religion
and the color of skin doesn’t make u any
different from the rest of us.

Your walk of life is yours and yours alone. Help
one another and build life! Just want to show
my appreciation! Love yall!”