Karen Fratti

writer

NYC

I'm a full time, freelance writer writer. Currently, I'm on the Romper news team and work as a weekend editor and contributor at HelloGiggles, covering all things Trump, healthcare, women's rights, LGBTQ+ issues, and the Kardashians, of course. Other bylines at Bustle, Redbook, Men's Health, The Frisky, and more. I love Italian soccer, Jerry Orbach-era "Law & Order," and trying to get celebs to retweet the articles I write about them.

Karen Fratti

writer

NYC

You really do not need latex underwear to make your vagina smell better, but it exists
Women are told all the time that we are not good enough, whether it’s the way we might throw a ball or govern a country. But one of the possibly most harmful messages we get is that our vaginas are not good enough because of how they look or smell. This is why a lot of women grow up sort of ashamed of their vaginas and spend considerable time and money trying to make it more “appealing.”.
HelloGiggles
6 lesser-known STD symptoms that you probably didn't even know you should be watching for
Unfortunately, when you’re sexually active at all, you’re going to have to deal with STDs. No, we don’t mean you’re destined to get one, but you do have to “deal” with their existence. You have to learn the symptoms, know how to protect yourself, and have conversations with your partners about them.
HelloGiggles
How to tell someone you have an STD so there's no confusion later
Being diagnosed with an STD is scary. Although they’re mostly treatable, it’s a pretty stark reminder that you have to be careful with your body. So, not only are you possibly itching or burning down there, it’s normal to feel a little shame, even though you totally shouldn’t. But the stigma around having any STD can make it really hard to figure out how to tell someone that you have an STD.
HelloGiggles
A doctor tells us whether an abortion can affect your future fertility
Because of the political climate surrounding abortion laws, there is a lot of misinformation surrounding the finer points of what it actually means to have an abortion. One prevailing myth that you might have grown up hearing is that having an abortion can affect your future fertility. But despite what you may have heard, there have been no studies that show having an abortion, whether it is a surgical or medical abortion, will negatively affect your chances of getting pregnant later on in life.
HelloGiggles
How abortion is portrayed on TV and in movies actually matters so much
The first time a lead character on a prime time television show had an abortion was on the two part episode of Maude called “Maude’s Dilemma” in November 1972, just months before Roe v. Wade was decided. As we come up on the 45th anniversary of the legendary Supreme Court decision on January 22, it still matters how abortion is portrayed on television because, really, we haven’t come all that far.
HelloGiggles
Between "Headless Women" and Lara Croft's boobs, Hollywood's sexism problem just won't go away
It’s been a good-ish year for Hollywood when it comes to representation and diversity (so far). With films like Black Panther and Wrinkle in Time taking over the box office simultaneously right now and 2017 movies like Call Me By Your Name, Get Out, and Ladybird love during award season, it feels like a time when people are finally understanding the importance of representation.
HelloGiggles
https://www.romper.com/p/people-are-slamming-kim-kardashian-for-posting-a-bikini-selfie-for-this-ridiculous-reason-8793943
Here's why "late-term abortion" is such a dangerous term that everyone should stop using
The conversation about abortion is rife with junk science and misnomers used by anti-choice activists to block women from exercising their legal right to get an abortion. But one of the most misleading terms of all is used by people on both sides of the debate: “late-term abortion” or “partial birth abortion.”.
HelloGiggles
3 things to know about the fake women's health centers case in the Supreme Court this week
One of the most powerful things the anti-choice movement has done in the past few years is start opening so-called “women’s pregnancy clinics” or “health centers” all over the country. Their purpose is to counter actual health centers that will also offer to provide a woman with an abortion. After a long fight in the California courts, the fake women’s health center case is headed to the Supreme Court, which will hear arguments about it on Tuesday.
HelloGiggles
Featured
Actually, most women don’t have mental health issues after getting abortions
Anti-choice advocates will say anything to convince lawmakers that women don’t really want or need abortions, including that they lead to “emotional trauma.”. But a new study, the largest ever conducted, concluded that abortion has no effect on a woman’s mental health overall. The study, conducted by researchers from the University of California San Francisco, followed 956 women who either had an abortion or were denied one and assessed their mental health over a five-year period.
The Frisky
Featured
7 anal sex tips for beginners, because the back door is a bit trickier
Let’s just get this out of the way: anal sex is a major league sex move. It is not for rookies. Despite what you might have heard from friends, your partner, or seen on the internet, anal penetration is not something all people enjoy (which, as it turns out, is true of all sex acts ever). But if you’re thinking about taking the plunge, there are a few anal sex tips for beginners that should, quite frankly, be plastered on looseleaf paper all around town so everyone can get on the same page before they start.
The Frisky
A Texas teacher’s suspension shows why we need federal LGBTQ anti-discrimination laws
This week, students and parents protested at a Texas school board meeting after a teacher was suspended for talking about sexual orientation, and it’s the perfect example of just why we need federal LGBTQ anti-discrimination laws. The situation is pretty infuriating. She also reached out to counselors at other schools in the district about getting them on board and seeing what their options were to start going about it.
HelloGiggles
Featured
Domestic Violence Doubles The Risk Of Pre-Mature Birth, Proving We Need Better Support Systems
Domestic violence is sneaky. The very nature of being physically or emotionally abused in the privacy of your own home means that victims don't often have an easy way out or obvious ways to seek help. Which is why a recent study on the effects of domestic violence on pregnant women shouldn't be all that surprising to anyone familiar with abuse.
Featured
I Am HIV Positive. This Is What It's Like to Date.
I was living in New York City with a boyfriend I'll call Matt when I was diagnosed with HIV. I was 28 and he was just hitting 35. It was my first steady, long-term relationship, and we did what I used to think of as "grown-up" things. Like having Sunday football parties or fighting in Home Depot about what color to paint an accent wall in our living room.
Redbook
4 tips if sexual harassment news has you feeling legit uncomfortable around men lately
You are not alone if you’ve been feeling emotional about all of the sexual assault allegation news recently. It’s been seriously awful, which is why you definitely need to stock up on some self-care tips if sexual harassment news has you feeling uncomfort
HelloGiggles
Featured
7 PMS symptoms you should talk to your doctor about
We love being women and we’re proud of our periods. But let’s not sugarcoat things — PMS is no fun at all. Premenstrual syndrome is caused by a change in our hormones anywhere from one to two weeks before our period starts. The symptoms of PMS vary from woman to woman, and even cycle to cycle. Throughout the course of your life, your PMS symptoms can even change as you grow older.
HelloGiggles

About

Karen Fratti

editing

analysis

making nachos

writing

reporting

I lived in Rome, Italy for five years before returning to New York City to complete a masters in Media Studies from The New School University. There, I concentrated on television studies and media theory, which is really fun, but not very practical.

Instead, I took up freelance writing and have been covering politics, sex ed , dating, and everything else that gets me going ever since.

I'm a pro at Wordpress, comfortable with HTML, Photoshop, Final Cut Pro, and will have no problem adapting to your CMS. Fluent in Italian, nineties TV, and all things Kris Jenner.

I'm an unfortunately earnest and active tweeter, an expert at creating and selecting the right GIFs for the Slack chat, and turned on by good reporting.