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Abby Wambach and Megan Rapinoe donate brains to concussion research

soccer stars contribute to CTE analysis

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(Screenshot via YouTube)

(Screenshot via YouTube)

USWNT stars Abby Wambach and Ā Megan Rapinoe are donating their brains to concussion research.

Retired forward Wambach and current midfielder Rapinoe spoke with The Lantern about their decision to contribute.

ā€œI think there will be valuable research and information that will be studied, and we will understand more about the heading and the heading process as it pertains to the game,ā€ Wambach told The Lantern.

Concussions and frequent blows to the head are possibly connected to Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), a postmortem degenerative brain disease. According to The Lantern, the disease is typically found in boxers and football players, but soccer players who repeatedly head the ball have been found to have similar brain abnormalities.

Wambach wants to promote safe methods of heading the ball for children to prevent further damage.

ā€œWe want to make sure that when those 10-year-olds get to that 11-year-old age, the 11- to (13-year-olds) get to the next level, we want to make sure those kids are prepared,ā€ she said. ā€œYou donā€™t want to send somebody out and not know how to do it, how to properly head a ball. I think that actually makes it more dangerous,” Wambach says.

Although soccer isn’t known for being as physically taxing as boxing or football, it’s precisely why Wambach believes research in the sport is so important.

ā€œWeā€™re different from the NFL,ā€ she said. ā€œHeading a ball is different than getting struck in the head by a linebacker thatā€™s 300 pounds trying to literally rip your head off, so Iā€™m excited to see what those results are.ā€

Fellow athletes Brandi Chastain andĀ Dale Earnhardt, Jr. will also donate their brains to CTE research after their deaths.

 

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Out & About

2025 is the year to prioritize LGBTQ wellness

Community center hosts workshop ‘prioritizing self-care & community care’

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The DC LGBTQ+ Community Center will host ā€œPrioritizing Self-Care & Community Care in 2025 Workshopā€ on Wednesday, Jan. 22 at 7 p.m.

This will be an engaging conversation about how to prioritize self-care and community care in the upcoming year. This one-hour workshop will be facilitated by Program Director & Psychotherapist Jocelyn Jacoby. This workshop is designed to be a place where LGBTQ people can be in community with each other as the community grapples with fear and hope and comes up with practical ways to promote resiliency.

Registration for this event is mandatory and can be accessed on the DC Centerā€™s website.Ā 

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Calendar

Calendar: January 17-25

LGBTQ events in the days to come

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Friday, January 17

Trans and Genderqueer Game Night will be at 6 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. This will be a relaxing, laid-back evening of games and fun. All are welcome. There will be card and board games on hand. Feel free to bring your own games to share. For more details, visit the DC Centerā€™s website.Ā 

Go Gay DC will host ā€œLGBTQ+ Community Happy Hourā€ at 7 p.m. at DIK Bar. This event is ideal for making new friends, professional networking, idea-sharing, and community building. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Saturday, January 18

Go Gay DC will host ā€œLGBTQ+ Community Brunchā€ at 11 a.m. at Freddieā€™s Beach Bar & Restaurant. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ+ community, including allies, together for food and conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

LGBTQ People of Color Support Group will be at 1 p.m. on Zoom. This peer support group is an outlet for LGBTQ People of Color to come together and talk about anything affecting them in a space that strives to be safe and judgment free. For more information and events for LGBTQ People of Color, visit thedccenter.org/poc or facebook.com/centerpoc.

Sunday, January 19

Go Gay DC will host ā€œLGBTQ+ Community Dinnerā€ at 6:30 p.m. at Federico Ristorante Italiano. Guests are encouraged to come enjoy an evening of Italian-style dining and conversation with other LGBTQ+ folk. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

DC Queer Events will host ā€œLGBTQ Friendly: Sapphic ā€˜Dance After Darkā€™ Rooftop Partyā€ at 9 p.m. at Baby Shank. This LGBTQ-friendly Sapphic party welcomes all allies. Enjoy beats of house, disco, and eclectic sounds from talented DJs, including DJ Clamazon, DJ Sunnii, and DC DJ India. Picture a chill vibe, and a night full of connection and joy. Tickets start at $15 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.Ā 

Monday, January 20

MLK Day and the inauguration of President Trump at noon on the Capitol steps [outdoor events subject to cancellation].Ā 

Tuesday, January 21

BiRoundtable Discussion will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is an opportunity for people to gather in order to discuss issues related to bisexuality or as bi individuals in a private setting. For more details, visit Facebook or Meetup.Ā 

Wednesday, January 22

Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking ā€” allowing participants to move away from being merely ā€œapplicantsā€ toward being ā€œcandidates.ā€ For more information, email [email protected] or visit www.thedccenter.org/careers.

Asexual and Aromantic Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a space where people who are questioning this aspect of their identity or those who identify as asexual and/or aromantic can come together, share stories and experiences, and discuss various topics. For more details, email [email protected].Ā 

Thursday, January 23

The DC Centerā€™s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5 p.m. if they are picked to receive a produce box. No proof of residency or income is required. For more information, email [email protected] or call 202-682-2245.Ā 

Virtual Yoga with Sarah M. will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a free weekly class focusing on yoga, breath work, and meditation. For more details, visit the DC Center for the LGBT Communityā€™s website.

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Out & About

Shakerā€™s to host singles dating event

It is LGBTQ ‘Cuffing Season’

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Shakers (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Drinks in the District will host ā€œCuffing Season: DCā€™s Biggest and Best Singles Event. LGBTQ Editionā€ on Friday, Jan. 17 at 6 p.m. at Shakers.

Here is how the event works: You choose your ticket, then you show up to the venue. If youā€™re single and open to talking to people you get a green wristband. If you are there to wingman your friend or for emotional support, you get a red wristband, which tells people you are taken. And if you see a cutey, then it canā€™t be any easier to say hello, there will be different events and activities to help everyone mingle. 

Tickets start at $10.99 and can be purchased on Eventbrite

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