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BANDIT
a Digital Digest for Modern Relationships

vol. 2, no. 5

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and we're focusing on all the ways loving connections and solid relationships are inextricably linked to our mental well-being. We talk the real cost of emotional labor, celeb couples getting #UnionStrong, why sexual boundaries make for better whoopie, and why we get weird talking about, well, whoopie, the rumpy pumpy, the horizontal tango, I could go on…
– Amy, founder of BANDIT & Modern Rebel
 
Hot Takes 

  • If food is love made visible, getting hitched at your favorite restaurant is a wedding made in heaven. Rebel Amy spoke with Eater about this delicious trend. (Eater)
  • When the friendship fizzles, some sage advice on how to part as pals. (Shondaland)
  • Conservatives set their sights on axing no-fault divorce. (Rolling Stone)
  • Writers look for love on the (picket) line and celebs show out in support of the WGA strike. (BuzzFeed)
  • Put a fork in it. 9 women share the moment they knew their marriage was cooked. (The Cut)
Expert Advice: Mental Health + Healthy Love

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From our non-profit partner, One Love, strategies for navigating love and relationships with a mental health condition. 
Having a mental illness doesn't make you undateable. It just means you have to take care of yourself differently. A kind of self-discovery and being mindful of your needs can help you nurture a healthy relationship with a loving partner. “Your mental health condition is one piece of you — not all of you. A healthier way to think about it would be, ‘I struggle with mental health and I’m worthy of having a healthy relationship.’ Both are true!” says Child Mind Institute psychologist Dr. Alexandra Hamlet. (One Love)
 
Sex + Intimacy

  • Regular sex with someone you like can boost all the feel-good hormones that enhance mental well-being. (Black Love)
  • Why you should develop your own sexual boundaries: honest communication and emotional intimacy is great for good sex. (Mashable)
  • Queer women recommend these 9 sex toys designed especially for partner play. (Refinery29)
  • Red-faced and bumbling, why are we so weird when we talk about sex? (Guardian)
 
Seven For Seven: Jeremy + Jen

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Photo: Jeremy + Jen +1
In our new feature, Seven For Seven, couples answer our seven questions in seven words or less. This month, Jeremy + Jen join us from Queens, New York!

Who made the first move? Jeremy walked into Jen's dorm room
What does your love look like? Dungeons & Dragons, butt smacks, and cats
Our guilty pleasure is: Over-investment in Love Island UK
It’s a constant struggle to: Get to bed at a reasonable hour 
How do you keep the sparks sparking? Squeezing in little date nights
What’s messy in your relationship? Our surroundings
Our marriage mantra: Never go to bed mad

 
 

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With every new subscriber, we're donating $1 to the One Love Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating young people about healthy relationships. 

 
Bandit Bests

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Firestarter: Kindle a Convo

In each issue of BANDIT, we'll suggest a conversation starter to help connect deeper with your partner. 
 
If we could sit down with our future selves, what advice or questions would you have?  
 

Hi there. 
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BANDIT is brought to you by Modern Rebel, an unconventional event planning company helping couples rewrite the rules to weddings across the USA + Canada. 

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