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

Featured
This Gay Man Gave Up Sex For A Year To Teach The FDA A Lesson
Abstaining from sex is a choice that some people make for all sorts of reasons. But imagine if abstaining from sex was actually a prerequisite for you to perform an act both charitable and available to most of your fellow American adults: donating blood. If you're a gay or bisexual man in the United States, them's the breaks.
Bustle
5 ways to help the victims of the Syrian chemical attack, which is beyond horrifying
Since most of us are so far removed from it, it can be hard to know what to do to help civilians in Syria, who are currently living through an impossible, violent reality. Over the weekend, dozens suffocated to death in a chemical attack in the rebel-held suburb of Douma, which is just east of Damascus.
HelloGiggles
https://www.romper.com/p/updates-on-the-tristan-thompson-cheating-rumors-since-khloe-gave-birth-because-its-so-hard-to-keep-up-8835591
It's not surprising that Khloe and Kylie are being so low-key about their pregnancies
It’s been a crazy busy season for Kardashian fans. Not only did Kim confirm that she and Kanye are expecting a baby girl via surrogate, but within days of each other in late September, both Kylie and Khloé were rumored to be pregnant, too. At this point, both have been silent, but if you think about it, it’s not all that surprising that Khloé and Kylie haven’t addressed pregnancy rumors.
HelloGiggles
A woman was burned by her oil diffuser, and the photos are scary AF
Essential oil diffusers are generally a nice thing to have around the house — they’re a natural and easy way to make a room smell good. But this story about a woman who was burned by her oil diffuser might make you think twice about using one. Emily Smith, 24, posted her story to Facebook after she received severe chemical burns from diffuser vapors in her home.
HelloGiggles
Here's what you can tell men who say they're "scared" of being accused of harassment now
Is it just us or has it been really difficult to talk to some men these days about all of the sexual assault and harassment allegations that have been pinging around every single industry these days? It’s crazy, because while it can be triggering for some women and frustrating, it’s sort of interesting to watch most people actually *listen* to women and victims finally.
HelloGiggles
What is pegging? 4 reasons why it's on everyone's sex bucket lists these days
Ever since we watched Abbi Jacobson try it out on Broad City, we have been fascinated with pegging. In case you missed it, or this is the first time you’re hearing about this empowering sex act, pegging is when a woman wears a strap-on dildo and penetrates her partner anally. Usually, pegging is often reserved to describe the act between heterosexual couples, so it’s a woman flipping the traditional gender dynamic and “banging” the man.
HelloGiggles
Trump is bringing back private prisons for ICE detainees, which is worse than a wall
Just because Donald Trump’s cartoonish idea to build a border wall all around the U.S. isn’t actually going to happen, that doesn’t meant that he’s not “handling” the immigration “problem.”. It’s incredibly bad, and there might not really be anything we can do about it. Things were much worse in contracted prison companies.
HelloGiggles
Featured
I Have HIV, But It's Stigma That Makes Me Sick
Four years ago, at the age of 28, I was diagnosed with HIV. I am a heterosexual, white woman and I grew up in the suburbs. I never stuck a needle in my arm, and I was never a sex worker. I just slept with men, and sometimes I didn’t use a condom — and I got HIV. Except that it’s not the whole story.
Bustle
Featured
How the criminalization of HIV is more dangerous than the virus itself
Despite all the progress being made when it comes to HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, way too many people still think of the virus as a death sentence, a health concern exclusive to the LGBTQ community, or something that only plagues poor people in Africa. Because of these assumptions, far too many people still have no idea what it actually means to live with HIV in 2016.
The Frisky
These homeless women got makeovers from MAC, because makeup is so much more powerful than people think
Most of us know the power of getting your hair and makeup done. It can seriously refresh your entire perspective on life. And even though DIY hair dye and playing around with contouring in your room is fun and does the trick, there’s something to be said for a professional job. Which is exactly why the Alliance for Housing and Healing partnered with MAC cosmetics to give makeovers to formerly homeless women this week at the Public Service Salon in West Hollywood.
HelloGiggles
Featured
NASA predicts “extinction-level” event, which we’re hoping happens before January 20, 2017
Joseph Nuth of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center claims Earth is due for an “extinction-level” event very, very soon. He’s talking about a possible comet that would totally wipe us out once and for all. The problem? Even if we see it hurtling toward us like we’re all in a Will Smith movie, Nuth told a group of scientists in San Francisco this week “there’s not a hell of a lot we can do about it at the moment.”.
The Frisky
Featured
Great news! Trump’s nominee for secretary of state is the CEO of ExxonMobil
Just in case you’re high and thought the Trump transition wasn’t all that weird, Trump nominated Rex Tillerson, ExxonMobil CEO, for secretary of state on Tuesday. Until this week, all I knew about Rex Tillerson was he has the most perfect name for a comic book villain. Because, basically, he is one.
The Frisky
Featured
Beyonce Sells 'Boycott Beyonce' Shirts, Becomes Ultimate Shade Queen
In case there was any doubt about just how many f's Beyoncé gives, the count is officially down to zero. Just as her Formation tour kicked off this week, Beyoncé began selling "Boycott Beyoncé" t-shirts and iPhone cases, making her the ultimate shade queen of all time. At the risk of totally geeking out, could this be any better?
Featured
Aleppo has fallen into a terrifying, bloody nightmare, and we didn’t do enough
On Tuesday morning, the United Nations called the situation in East Aleppo a “complete meltdown of humanity.”. And that’s kind of an understatement. For more than four years, the siege of Aleppo has been a nightmare we’ve allowed to happen, but in the past 48 hours Syrian President Bashar al-Assad might have finally succeeded in taking the city.
The Frisky
Featured
Everyone needs to get very comfortable saying “white supremacist” right now
Over the weekend, president-elect Donald Trump appointed two members of his White House staff: Reince Priebus, the chairman of the Republican National Committee as his chief of staff and the chairman of Breitbart News, Steve Bannon as his chief strategist. Priebus is your average tool, no worse than someone like Mike Pence — which, to be clear, is still extremely fucking bad.
The Frisky

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.