Chicago Sun-Times

There’s more than meets the eye when sizing up weight issues

Wed, 22 May 2013 23:43:49 -0500

Is it possible some fat people want to be fat? Is it true that there are some diseases that make you fat? Is it impossible for fat women to buy rings over-the-counter?

When ‘Mommy Dearest’ isn’t that far-fetched

Mon, 20 May 2013 16:16:00 -0500

Some daughters don’t have the fondest memories of their mothers.

Honor parents throughout the year

Wed, 15 May 2013 20:27:53 -0500

It’s that time of the year when we honor both mothers and fathers, so today we salute one of each who got it right.

Readers weigh in on what contributes to larger sizes

Mon, 13 May 2013 18:06:00 -0500

Are unhealthy choices the culprit for larger women? Or are there other explanations?

Advice from women who are both plus-sized and popular

Sun, 12 May 2013 18:07:37 -0500

Last week we heard from Roberta. She’s been fat all her life. At her heaviest, she was clinically obese at 465 pounds. Through a gastric bypass, she got down to 180 pounds. She’s now about 250. But no matter her weight, Roberta always had plenty of dates. She had one live-in boyfriend, several other long-term relationships, and has been married since 2005. It turns out that despite all the emphasis on being thin, she’s not the only popular plus-sized woman. WINONA: I’m heavy, but I never had trouble finding dates. I used regular dating sites and I was honest about …

Love comes in all shapes and sizes

Wed, 08 May 2013 17:53:50 -0500

Somehow people have no trouble sniggering at a fat person — but wouldn’t dare to laugh at someone else who is disabled.

Readers weigh in on shared experiences

Mon, 06 May 2013 18:14:51 -0500

When relationships sour, others can add to the story lines.

‘Be happy,’ mom advises, and many approve

Fri, 24 May 2013 15:01:54 -0500

Jimmy heard the response every gay boy or girl, man or woman hopes for. When he told his “peasant” mother — born in rural Italy in 1933, “barely literate, with a fourth-grade Catholic education” — that he was gay, she said, “Good. Go do what you have to do. Live your life. Be happy! Be free!’” Here’s what you had to say ... HARPER: This brought tears to my eyes. Would that all kids had parents who offer this kind of love and acceptance and have this kind of faith in them. SHIRLEY: I have two grown sons, and I …

People live in many different closets

Wed, 01 May 2013 14:50:02 -0500

We think we live in such an open society, but there are different closets for different people.

Man receives perfect response after coming out to his mother

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 15:11:20 -0500

A mother’s unconditional love for her son surprises him when he came out.

After struggle, couple finds double blessings

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 17:48:10 -0500

Infertility issues lead couple down a different path on the way to becoming parents.

Health crisis teaches newlyweds the meaning of love

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 13:34:00 -0500

A new couple faces a health care crisis and discover the meaning of love.

Out, hoping others will follow

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 16:46:01 -0500

On Monday we met Patrick, who was a senior in high school when he decided to stop allowing society to define him. He “turned on that light in the closet, found the knob, and walked out with tears in his eyes and some extremely sweaty palms.” Over the course of a year, he came out first to his best friend, then his 14-year-old sister, then his 22-year-old brother. “One night, the four of us went up to my parents’ room and shared the news. Truthfully, it was hard for them to understand at first. I was bombarded with questions as …

Behind his perfect life, a secret

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 20:34:04 -0500

Patrick says he had the kind of childhood kids dream about. “Summer vacations with the family, playing every sport imaginable, good grades, solid support, insanely close friends.” His “fit and undeniably Italian father” was a police officer and his “incredible mother” worked in the classroom, assisting children with special needs. He calls them “two of the most loving individuals and devout Catholics.” But, starting in sixth grade, he began a “personal struggle” that isn’t over. “The realization that you’re different when you’re in middle school is beyond difficult. The realization that you’re different in a way that society views as …

Facebook sparks a romance after 50-year gap

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 18:00:19 -0500

Andy was just 13 years old when he met the love of his life. After 52 years, he reconnected with her on Facebook and the couple now plans to marry.

When dinner becomes more than a family meal

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 14:17:53 -0500

Anna and Bill were both quite young when they married. Bill, an only son, had been living with his “lonely, divorced mom.” And family meals became a weekly battle.

She’s literally the woman of his teenage dreams

Thu, 16 May 2013 06:04:46 -0500

Dear Cheryl: When I was 14, I had a dream about a woman. We had known each other in a previous life. We met outside of a church and she was wearing a white dress. I was talking to someone and she walked by. I couldn’t tell what she looked like, but I found out about a year later when I had another dream about her. I saw her face and her smile melted by heart. I determined that she was the one for me. I’ve been quietly searching for her throughout my life, because something did not seem finished …

Husband finally sees wife’s side

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 19:07:05 -0500

A wife endures her mother-in-law’s criticism, but it took a trip to the hospital for her husband to recognize the issue.