Love is patient, love is kind, and love can also get a little complicated. OWN's new summer series Love Is ___ is the true story of the journey that two complex individuals from opposite worlds navigate while falling in love and finding themselves in an even more complicated world; and the trailer will give you all the feels.
Last year, the network called on the creator of Being Mary Jane, Mara Brock Akil and her husband, Salim Akil to executive produce an hour-long romantic dramedy set primarily in the 90's that will depict the narrative of their unconventional love story. The network recently announced the release date for the series, and its honest perspective of relationships in the black community will challenge the lack of authenticity that exists in mainstream media.
The tale will chronicle the lives of the modern-day power-couple and how a relationship that started 20 years ago influenced the lives that they live today. Individually, they are both legends in their own right; but together, the couple have had a hand in writing and/or producing over 350 episodes on prime time TV for shows including The Game, Girlfriends, and Soul Food and have garnered a multitude of respect in the industry from some major players. Oprah said:
"I've dreamed of working with the Akils. I've been a huge fan of their work since first viewing 'Girlfriends.' They know just how to hit the cultural nerve to make you think and laugh at the same time."
Mara and Akil met on the set of Moesha and married in 1999. Despite her issues with abandonment and his battle with depression, the Akils are proof that love really does conquer all. The two seemingly came from different worlds: Mara was privileged with high expectations and wide-eyed for opportunity, and Salim had a tough upbringing and had fathered his first child by age 13. It took Salim a year after meeting his one-day wife to gather up the courage to ask her out, and after their first meal together he asked:
"Can we cut the bullshit and get on about the business of living a life together?"
Later, Mara encouraged Salim to quit his full-time job working with the mentally ill and pursue his writing career and now, they are both industry leaders and recipients of a number of awards and accolades for their work. Their story is a reminder that your wife can determine the trajectory of your life, but the couple's unconventional fairytale didn't come without some bumps along the way.
Love Is ___ will give us the opportunity to experience the magic all over again.
The series chronicles the chaotic romantic and professional life of a character based on a Young Mara named Nuri, played by Michele Weaver, who much like all of us, is just trying to figure it all out. The show is a truthful reminder that love can be complicated, but it's worth it in the end. Cast members said that the show would give an honest look at the challenges and imperfections that it really takes to make this love thing work. Weaver says in the trailer:
"Love is authentic, it's refreshing, and it is passionate. It's taking love between two people, and showing it through tons of different perspectives."
"You're gonna see yourself. You're gonna see your friends. You're gonna see your mom, there's so many voices being heard on one show."
Nuri is literally every woman in her 20- to 30-somethings - ambitious and along for the ride, always willing to accept any bumps and bruises that come with the territory; but not fully understanding that those bumps and bruises can cause pain or happiness for a lifetime. On the show, Nuri plays a sitcom director with big dreams who's seeking a legitimate partnership with men who tend to keep coming up short. She meets Yasir, inspired by Salim Akil, who seems to be a perfect match.
Except for the fact that he's unemployed... and still involved with his on-again-off-again ex-girlfriend.
Yikes.
Just because a relationship is beautiful, doesn't mean it's without imperfection.
The Akils' story gave me some serious nostalgia about falling in love and it made me reminisce about my past lovers, unlike most romantic dramas, it didn't make me sad. The trailer for Love Is ___ reminded me that love doesn't have to be "normal" because it just feels so much better when it's real.
The cast of the show features some familiar faces, including Loretta Devine, Tim Reid, Tammy Townsend, and Vanessa Bell Calloway, and is set to premiere June 19. If you're like me and can't wait to find out more about this dope couple's story: check out Mara's instagram to get a sneak peak into the Akil's imperfectly perfect love story.
Check out the trailer for Love Is ____ here.
- Welcome to the official website of OWN - the Oprah Winfrey Network ... ›
- OWN Orders Mara Brock Akil and Salim Akil Drama Series ... ›
- OWN's New Dramedy 'Love Is ____,' From Mara Brock Akil and ... ›
- Mara Brock Akil and Salim Akil Partner with Oprah for Love Is ›
- OWN Orders Relationship Dramedy Series From Mara Brock Akil ... ›
- Introducing: Love Is ›
- 'Love Is___': OWN Relationship Dramedy Adds Five To Cast ... ›
- Mara Brock Akil, Salim Akil OWN Drama 'Love Is__' Adds Five ... ›
- 'Love Is___': Michele Weaver & Will Catlett To Star In OWN Series ... ›
In a xoNecoleexclusive, the iconic actress opens up about embracing this season of her life, new projects, and overall being a “bad motherfucker.” Gabrielle reveals that she was 37 years old when she was diagnosed with perimenopause and is still going through it at 51 years old. Mayo Clinic says perimenopause “refers to the time during which your body makes the natural transition to menopause, marking the end of the reproductive years.”
“I haven't crossed over the next phase just yet, but I think part of it is when you hear any form of menopause, you automatically think of your mother or grandmother. It feels like an old-person thing, but for me, I was 37 and like not understanding what that really meant for me. And I don't think we focus so much on the word menopause without understanding that perimenopause is just the time before menopause,” she tells us.
Gabrielle Union
Photo by Brian Thomas
"But you can experience a lot of the same things during that period that people talk about, that they experienced during menopause. So you could get a hot flash, you could get the weight gain, the hair loss, depression, anxiety, like all of it, mental health challenges, all of that can come, you know, at any stage of the menopausal journey and like for me, I've been in perimenopause like 13, 14 years. When you know, most doctors are like, ‘Oh, but it's usually about ten years, and I'm like, ‘Uhh, I’m still going (laughs).’”
Conversations about perimenopause, fibroids, and all the things that are associated with women’s bodies have often been considered taboo and thus not discussed publicly. However, times are changing, and thanks to the Gabrielle’s and the Tia Mowry’s, more women are having an authentic discourse about women’s health. These open discussions lead to the creation of more safe spaces and support for one another.
“I want to be in community with folks. I don't ever want to feel like I'm on an island about anything. So, if I can help create community where we are lacking, I want to be a part of that,” she says. “So, it's like there's no harm in talking about it. You know what I mean? Like, I was a bad motherfucker before perimenopause. I’m a bad motherfucker now, and I'll be a bad motherfucker after menopause. Know what I’m saying? None of that has to change. How I’m a bad motherfucker, I welcome that part of the change. I'm just getting better and stronger and more intelligent, more wise, more patient, more compassionate, more empathetic. All of that is very, very welcomed, and none of it should be scary.”
The Being Mary Jane star hasn’t been shy about her stance on therapy. If you don’t know, here’s a hint: she’s all for it, and she encourages others to try it as well. She likens therapy to dating by suggesting that you keep looking for the right therapist to match your needs. Two other essential keys to her growth are radical transparency and radical acceptance (though she admits she is still working on the latter).
"I was a bad motherfucker before perimenopause. I’m a bad motherfucker now, and I'll be a bad motherfucker after menopause. Know what I’m saying? None of that has to change. How I’m a bad motherfucker, I welcome that part of the change."
Gabrielle Union and Kaavia Union-Wade
Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images
“I hope that a.) you recognize that you're not alone. Seek out help and know that it's okay to be honest about what the hell is happening in your life. That's the only way that you know you can get help, and that's also the only other way that people know that you are in need if there's something going on,” she says, “because we have all these big, very wild, high expectations of people, but if they don't know what they're actually dealing with, they're always going to be failing, and you will always be disappointed. So how about just tell the truth, be transparent, and let people know where you are. So they can be of service, they can be compassionate.”
Gabrielle’s transparency is what makes her so relatable, and has so many people root for her. Whether through her TV and film projects, her memoirs, or her social media, the actress has a knack for making you feel like she’s your homegirl. Scrolling through her Instagram, you see the special moments with her family, exciting new business ventures, and jaw-dropping fashion moments. Throughout her life and career, we’ve seen her evolve in a multitude of ways. From producing films to starting a haircare line to marriage and motherhood, her journey is a story of courage and triumph. And right now, in this season, she’s asking, “What’s next?”
“This is a season of discovery and change. In a billion ways,” says the NAACP Image Award winner. “The notion of like, ‘Oh, so and so changed. They got brand new.’ I want you to be brand new. I want me to be brand new. I want us to be always constantly growing, evolving. Having more clarity, moving with different purpose, like, and all of that is for me very, very welcomed."
"I want you to be brand new. I want me to be brand new. I want us to be always constantly growing, evolving. Having more clarity, moving with different purpose, like, and all of that is for me very, very welcomed."
She continues, “So I'm just trying to figure out what's next. You know what I mean? I'm jumping into what's next. I'm excited going into what's next and new. I'm just sort of embracing all of what life has to offer.”
Look out for Gabrielle in the upcoming indie film Riff Raff, which is a crime comedy starring her and Jennifer Coolidge, and she will also produce The Idea of You, which stars Anne Hathaway.
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Feature image by Mike Lawrie/Getty Images
When I came across a way to maximize the pleasure I receive from cunnilingus (already), I had no choice but to tap in. Who knew the key to taking oral sex to new heights was giving it a sideways twist? For those of you who might also be interested in ways to spice up the way you do oral, experience faster and stronger orgasms, or simply want to indulge in something new with your partner, the Kivin Method could definitely be the oral sex technique for you, too.
Keep reading to learn about the method that is sure to have you writhing in ecstasy in no time at all.
What Is The Kivin Method?
For the uninitiated, the Kivin Method is an oral sex technique that focuses on stimulating the clitoris from a different angle. Dubbed “sideways oral” by some, this method involves the action of giving head from a side-to-side movement as opposed to the up-and-down motion that people typically perform when giving head. (If you need a visual, this illustration is helpful.)
The difference in approach as you’re receiving head can be a game-changer in how you receive pleasure. Not only does the giving partner have access to the clitoris, but they can also access more easily the vulva and the labia, which are objectively a bigger focus in this version of cunnilingus. More access means wider coverage, and that, plus the new sensation of oral from a different angle, can heighten the way you experience oral sex that much more.
Where more pleasure flows, intense orgasms are sure to follow.
Getty Images
How To Do The Kivin Method
If you want to know how to do the Kivin Method, it’s actually pretty straightforward. The receiver lays on their back while the giver positions themselves perpendicular to the receiver. Their head will be facing the vulva, but instead of vertical, their face will be horizontal to the vulva.
From there, the giver can get to business, ensuring that they keep their head perpendicular to the receiver’s vulva while working on their craft. Because this technique can be more intense for some receivers, start slowly by stroking the vulva and clitoris sideways with the tongue, and allow sensations and communication from the receiver to be a guide of what you need more or less of with the Kivin Method.
Ultimately, the Kivin Method allows experimentation and unlocking what pressure, rhythm, and tricks work best for the giver and the receiver. Try implementing a finger or two, or adding a sex toy to the mix to intensify the act even further.
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Featured image by Delmaine Donson/Getty Images
