In these thrilling and unpredictable times, waking up to CNN alerts about nuclear-missile testing and AccuWeather forecasts calling for 20-degree temperatures on one day and 60 the next is just par for the course. And, to add insult to injury, the same electronic devices that we've come to rely on for just about everything — yes, including reading the news and checking the weather — may very well be giving us a whole host of new and exciting health problems to look forward to that our ancestors definitely didn't have to deal with.
It's still hard to say what, exactly, the extent of those adverse effects might be. Will we all get brain cancer from overexposure to electromagnetic radiation? Will the human body adapt over time through generations of mobile phone use and eventually evolve into some kind of hunched-over version of itself with vision specifically engineered to stare at a screen all day long? Hard to say. But a new sunscreen promises to minimize the damage in at least one way: by protecting skin against the blue light emanating from our beloved screens.
There are a lot of reasons why the new Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40 is a top-notch sunscreen formula, none of which have to do with what an article in Harvard Medical School's Health Publishing journal once referred to as "the dark side of blue light." For starters, the brand set out with the goal to make a sunscreen that you won't hate wearing every day (which is how often you should be wearing sunscreen), and it succeeded: The formula is more like a weightless, silky primer than anything remotely sunscreen-y, with zero scent, zero chalkiness, and a smooth velvet-matte finish that controls oil and makes pores go poof.
But there's one standalone star ingredient that Supergoop says puts the magic touch on what is already a winning sunscreen formulation. Red algae, listed as Lithothamnion calcareum extract, is a nutrient-rich marine component known for being high in vitamins and minerals, often taken as a dietary supplement to improve bone health. Which is cool and all, but can it actually protect your skin from the harmful effects of blue light... and is that even something you should be concerned about?
"To answer that question, you have to understand the different effects of different wavelengths in the UV spectrum," says dermatologist Ted Lain, MD. Imagine it on a kind of scale, with UVA — the worst type of UV light for the skin, causing DNA damage and encouraging free radicals — at the top, followed by UVB, which is what leads to burns and premature skin aging. And then there's visible light, the colors we can see. That's where blue light fits in and, while visible light damage pales in comparison to UVA and UVB, blue is the most harmful of all the colors the human eye can see. (Dr. Lain calls it HEVL, for High Energy Visible Light.)
"Since we know that visible light, particularly HEVL, can lead to both DNA damage and premature aging, protecting against these rays is actually very important," Dr. Lain says. "We also know that the infrared rays can lead to premature aging. Sunscreen manufacturers need to manufacture products that are able to protect not just against UVA and UVB, as research has shown that other aspects of the UV spectrum should be addressed."
So, yes, there is a need for sun protection that defends against invisible light, but as far as red algae's role in addressing that need, Dr. Lain says that research on that particular subject is lacking, full stop. But, he says, "Red algae produces very important derivatives of amino acids (the building blocks of proteins) that act as organic sunscreens. In particular, these compounds are incredibly effective in blocking UVA rays," making it "extremely useful and exciting" as a potential naturally-occurring method of light defense.
Regardless of how you get it, Dr. Lain says that daily sun protection is essential for the health of your skin, not just because of the blue light exposure you get from basically living in front of the computer, but because UVA light is as intense on a gray winter day as it is when you're basking on the beach in mid-July. And with a sunscreen as unobtrusive and barely-there as Unseen, there's no excuse for not slathering it on every morning. It's the perfect sunscreen for people who hate sunscreen — and it may even help ease the minds of those of us who wake up in the middle of the night with anxiety about blue light exposure, and nuclear warfare, and factory farming, and GMOs, and radiation from the microwave, and...
If the roughly 19,800,000 results that spring up in Google through a search for “how to minimize pores” is any indication, we, the people, are obsessed with our pores. We’re worried that they are too big, too visible, clogged, or going to get clogged if we use the wrong products; we want them to be small, tight, clear, and, evidently, minimized. Even dermatologists say we’re more fixated on those tiny openings in our skin than ever. (We’re not saying it’s because of unflattering phone cameras, just that they might be related.)
But here’s the thing about pores: You can’t actually change their size in any way, so you might as well get used to them the way they are. And if that means arming yourself to the teeth with a skin-care routine that will keep them free of dirt and debris and makeup that effectively makes them vanish into thin air — or at least makes it look that way — then so be it.
Ahead, a few of our current favorite products that help us fake perfectly smooth, velvety skin. Pores? What pores?
The road to pore salvation is paved with gentle chemical exfoliants, which work by breaking up the dead skin cells and other buildup that turns perfectly normal pores into black holes. This lactic acid-infused liquid doesn't just exfoliate to help pores appear clearer and less obnoxious, but it also makes skin glow.
REN Ready Steady Glow Daily AHA Tonic, $35, available at Sephora.
The skin-smoothing balm inside this little golden egg is tacky in a good way: When used as a primer, the thicker texture means it's better able to "fill in" pores to make them less noticeable and keep your makeup from settling in them throughout the day. Plus, it smells like lemonade.
Tony Moly Egg Pore Silky Smooth Balm, $20, available at Tony Moly.
As the name would imply, this unique product is a primer-moisturizer hybrid that hydrates and preps skin for makeup at the same time. But it's more than just makeup with skin-care benefits: The silky, non-greasy finish renders pores practically nonexistent under your foundation, and niacinamide even strengthens the skin's barrier to reduce their appearance over time.
Smashbox Photo Finish Primerizer, $42, available at Sephora.
Sometimes there's just nothing like a good clay mask to absorb whatever grime is lurking in your pores. This just-launched purifying paste is one of our current favorites: Smooth on a thick layer, wait 10 minutes, and rinse for a balanced, shine-free complexion that will forget it ever had blackheads in the first place.
Clarins SOS Pure Rebalancing Clay Mask, $34, available at Sephora.
Like a power-washer for plugged-up pores, this cult-favorite treatment uses a potent combination of willow bark water, anti-acne betaine salicylate, and soothing ingredients like panthenol and sodium hyaluronate to leave skin clear and bright without drying it out.
CosRx BHA Blackhead Power Liquid, $22, available at Ulta.
There are plenty of mattifying powders on the market that will get the pore-minimizing job done, but this pressed powder is special — patted on over makeup, it'll make pores disappear without putting a damper on your glow for perfectly airbrushed skin.
It Cosmetics Bye Bye Pores Illumination, $29, available at Ulta.
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modeled by Claudia Colombo.
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In an interview on Ireland's The Late Late Show, Liam Neeson described the Me Too Movement as "a bit of a witch hunt " and, in the spirit of actual witch hunts, Twitter wants to dunk him in a pond and see if he floats.
When asked by the show's host, Ryan Tubridy, to elaborate on his depiction of the movement devoted to helping survivors of sexual violence, the actor cited Garrison Keillor's recent dismissal from Minnesota Public Radio as an example of someone unfairly affected by women coming together to name names. "There are some famous people being suddenly accused of touching some girl's knee, or something, and then suddenly they've been dropped from their program," Neeson said. Keillor has been accused of inappropriate behavior by someone who worked with him. He approached an Associated Press reporter hours before MPR announced their plans to fire him, not only breaking the news but defending himself. His accusations are unique because neither MPR nor the woman mentioned have shared specifics about the multiple allegations which leaves only one side of the story being told – his own.
Neeson's retelling of both of the men's accusations diminishes the issue at hand. He praises their work and, in the case of Keillor, leaves no room for the other side of the story. When speaking about Hoffman, he said, "When you’re doing a play and you’re with your family, other actors, you do silly things." Neeson makes a passing assumption that Hoffman might have continued the behavior out of a theater tradition of "superstition." Silly things? Women have had their experiences and opinions reduced or placated by the word "silly" for too long. Assault is not silly. Groping is not silly. Unprofessional behavior of any kind is not silly. He then minimized the inappropriate behavior, calling it "childhood stuff."
Neeson's confirmation bias was, unsurprisingly, not well received.
Without skipping a beat, Twitter made it clear that the movement was anything but a witch hunt.
The #MeToo movement isn’t a witch hunt. At best, it’s a public warlock tagging program.
Woody Allen is still making movies, Dustin Hoffman is still making movies, Harvey Weinstein isn't in jail, James Franco just won a critics choice award.
What's a witch hunt is women who lost their jobs, opportunities, housing, and lives for not letting a man cop a feel.
Writer and political commentator Keith Olbermann made a very good point. Neeson's retelling of Garrison Keillor's story was only acknowledging the perspective of Keillor.
“A bit of a witch hunt” - and worse, his stand was for Garrison Keillor, whose story he told in great detail without ever mentioning (or perhaps knowing) that version was only the one Keillor told.
Twitter was all too quick to jokingly comment on the lack of similarities between the Me Too movement and the witch hunts that actually occurred in European and early American history. If no one gets dunked in a pond, is it really a witch hunt?
Whenever the #metoo campaign is described as a ‘witch hunt’ I’m like: YOU USED TO DUNK US IN WATER TO SEE IF WE HAD MAGICAL WITCHY POWERS AND IF WE FLOATED THEN YOU KILLED US ANYWAY BECAUSE WE WERE FEMALES WHO OWNED CATS AND CRIED ONCE. YOU WANT A WITCH HUNT?! IT CAN BE ARRANGED
After the firing of Today show host Matt Lauer for inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace, attention quickly turned to Lauer’s colleagues, including former co-host Katie Couric. For 15 years, the two hosts helmed a remarkable era of morning television side-by-side, so surely Couric had feelings about her longtime coworker?
Now, nearly a month and a half after Lauer’s ousting, Couric has shared a statement with People. “The whole thing has been very painful for me,” she said. “The accounts I’ve read and heard have been disturbing, distressing and disorienting and it’s completely unacceptable that any woman at the Today show experienced this kind of treatment.”
Couric also explained that she had no idea about the lurid behavior happening behind closed office doors, both while she was hosting and after she left her post in 2006. “I had no idea this was going on during my tenure or after I left,” she said. “I think I speak for many of my former colleagues when I say this was not the Matt we knew. Matt was a kind and generous colleague who treated me with respect. In fact, a joke I once made on late-night television was just that, because it was completely contrary to our brother-sister relationship. It’s still very upsetting. I really admire the way Savannah [Guthrie] and Hoda [Kotb] and the entire Today show staff have handled a very difficult situation.”
The joke Couric mentioned refers to her 2012 appearance on Andy Cohen’s Watch What Happens Live show. During the visit, Couric joked that Lauer, her “brother’ would occasionally pinch her butt. The clip resurfaced again recently.
After the disturbing details of Lauer’s behavior became public, many of the women who worked with him addressed the news with either trepidation or shock. Couric remained fairly silent, with the exception of responding to an Instagram commenter that the news was “incredibly upsetting. ”
Considering how the discussion of sexual harassment has quickly evolved into a much larger #MeToo movement, simply being "upset" over a friend's behavior feels unbalanced. This is the statement fans sought a month and a half ago. While Couric’s official statement to People explained that this was all “still very upsetting” to her, this would've been an ideal time to condemn the behavior on a broader scale.
Update, 3:45 p.m. ET: Joel Kramer, through his agent Richard Caleel, told Refinery29 that "we are aware of Ms. Dushku’s serious allegations. We are carefully monitoring the situation for corroboration and/or more facts before commenting further or taking action."
This story was originally published on January 13, 2018.
Eliza Dushku has come out about the abuse she endured as a child actress and named her abuser in a powerful essay that she posted on her Facebook account.Please note: Dushku's essay contains a graphic description of her abuse.
"When I was 12 years old, while filming True Lies, I was sexually molested by Joel Kramer, one of Hollywood’s leading stunt coordinators," she opens her essay. True Lies was her fourth film role and was released in 1994.
Duskhu explains that Kramer began the process of grooming, by "making her feel special" and how he fostered trust with the young actress and her parents. Forensic psychiatrist Michael Welner lists targeting and gaining trust as two distinct tools of grooming that child sex predators employ in order to offend.
"I remember vividly how he methodically drew the shades and turned down the lights; how he cranked up the air-conditioning to what felt like freezing levels, where exactly he placed me on one of the two hotel room beds," writes Dushku, before explaining how Kramer molested her.
Duskhu also suggests that she may have suffered an accident on the set of the film as retaliation for telling a trust adult female friend. "...When my tough adult female friend came out to the set to visit and face him, later that very same day, by no small coincidence, I was injured from a stunt-gone-wrong on the Harrier jet. With broken ribs, I spent the evening in the hospital." Kramer, as the stunt coordinator for the film, was responsible for ensuring her physical safety on the set of the action film. "My life was literally in his hands: he hung me in the open air, from a tower crane, atop an office tower, 25+ stories high. Whereas he was supposed to be my protector, he was my abuser."
She writes that she told her parents contemporaneously, but that trust and taboos surrounding child sexual abuse prevented her family from taking action. Dushku is choosing to tell her story now in part because Kramer still has a job in Hollywood: he most recently worked onBlade Runner 2049 and Furious 7. "...A few weeks ago, I found an internet photo of Joel Kramer hugging a young girl. That image has haunted me near nonstop since," wrote Dushku, as she adds that she hopes her voice will give comfort and strength to others. "Through the years, brave fans have regularly shared with me how some of my characters have given them the conviction to stand up to their abusers. Now it is you who give me strength and conviction. I hope that speaking out will help other victims and protect against future abuse."
You can read the full essay here. Refinery29 has reached out to Dushku and Kramer for comment.
If you have experienced sexual violence and are in need of crisis support, please call theRAINN Sexual Assault Hotlineat 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
Celebrity and fashion photographer Mario Testino is accused of sexual harassment and assault by several male models and three photo assistants, according to a lengthy report by the New York Times. Many of his accusers went on the record with the Times and provided their names.
"Sexual harassment was a constant reality," Roman Barrett told the Times. Barrett worked as a photo assistant to Testino in the 1990s. "He misbehaved in hotel rooms, the backs of cars and on first-class flights. Then things would go back to normal, and that made you feel gaslighted," said Barrett. Barrett also alleges that Testino masturbated in front of him.
The Times also details how Testino would use his power to obtain access to nude male models. "If you wanted to work with Mario, you needed to do a nude shoot at the Chateau Marmont," male model Jason Fedele said to the Times. "All the agents knew that this was the thing to excel or advance your career." During these nude shoots, Testino allegedly engaged in inappropriate sexual behavior towards the models.
Another model, Ryan Locke, was cast in a campaign for Gucci during Tom Ford's helm. Testing was photographing Locke, when "he shuts the door and locks it. Then he crawls on the bed, climbs on top of me and says, ‘I’m the girl, you’re the boy.’ I went at him, like, you better get away. I threw the towel on him, put my clothes on and walked out."
Testino, through his lawyers, has denied all allegations, saying that the accusers "cannot be considered reliable sources." They called Barrett a disgruntled former employee. "I was pushed around, overworked, underpaid and sexually harassed daily. That’s why I was disgruntled," said Barrett in response.
The #MeToo movement hasn't just engulfed entertainment, media, and politics, the reckoning has come for the fashion industry as well. Photographer Terry Richardson, long accused of harassing and assaulting female models, was blacklisted by Condé Nast, Hearst, and labels such as Valentino and Bulgari. Additionally, photographer Bruce Weber responded to two allegations of sexual assault. Fashion should not be left out of the conversation — particularly when models tend to be vulnerable to predators in the industry.
If you have experienced sexual violence and are in need of crisis support, please call the RAINN Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
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We all know that Hilary Duff has great taste in munchies and arm tattoos, in addition to being one of our imaginary best friends. She is even beloved by none other than Taylor Swift, and it's for a good reason: her charisma, which is off the charts. Duff always gives us a reason to smile, whether it's from our youth watching Lizzie Maguire or her body-shaming clap backs. And now, she's taking us straight to the pinnacle of her exquisite sense of style: her home.
Duff and her abode are the cover stars of the February issue of Better Homes & Gardens. Together with Shannon Wollack and Brittany Zwickl of Studio Life.Style, they've honed an interior decorating aesthetic that is exactly what you imagine: full of gorgeous, contrasting patterns, cozy knits, and lots of millennial pink. We mean lots. Her pink front doors welcome us into her pink sanctuary, giving us some serious inspiration for our balcony French doors. "I've never seen myself as girlie," she told Better Homes, "and I don't even own much pink, even though I love it." Her home is complete with Southwestern-inspired prints that play off the color beautifully.
Click through to see some gorgeous photos of Duff's home, and be sure to take notes: we know you're going to fall in love with her bedroom too.
The millennial pink doors provide a welcoming feeling into her California home. Her cute pup is just aesthetic icing on the cake.
Photo: Better Homes & Gardens/ Justin Coit.
Duff's kitchen features a punchy black-and-white diamond, accented by cerulean blue cabinetry. The colors make us want to delve into that kitchen and cook some serious homemade banana bread.
Photo: Better Homes & Gardens/ Justin Coit.
The curved staircase also has a hint of millennial pink: a Southwestern-inspired rug among other mixed rugs that carpet each step. This is a decorating idea we're going to use in our home, if we ever move out of an apartment building.
Photo: Better Homes & Gardens/ Justin Coit.
The living room feels soothing and luxe at the same time. Soft pink throw pillows accent the bright red armchairs, and we spot that cerulean blue again. A wooden armoire and tall cactus in the corner gives the room an organic feel.
Photo: Better Homes & Gardens/ Justin Coit.
Can we discuss how gorgeous her bedroom is? That printed wallpaper is making our heart flutter. Paired with the smooth wood furniture and gray bedding, the wallpaper feels whimsy and fun — we'd love to fall asleep in this room, just to wake up to that print.
Photo: Better Homes & Gardens/ Justin Coit.
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Model Nina Agdal got real on Instagram. The Danish model shared a photo of herself, sporting a fitted pair of Oscar de la Renta jeans, red pout and nothing more. At first glimpse, it seems like your run-of-the-mill photo of a glamorous model on the set. Then, of course, you get to the caption.
According to Agdal, this picture was apparently part of a rejected spread in a magazine photo shoot. In a few small paragraphs, the model explained that the magazine, which was not named, dismissed her photo because she was too big for the sample-size clothing. Agdal called out the ridiculousness of the situation.
“When my agent received an unapologetic email concluding they [the unnamed magazine] would not run my cover/story because it ‘did not reflect well on my talent’ and ‘did not fit their market,’ the publisher claimed my look deviated from my portfolio and that I did not fit into the (sample size) samples, which is completely false,” read part of her caption.
The fashion industry has been under scrutiny for decades for its false depiction of adult women’s bodies. Body positivity has been hard to come by, though some brands are beginning to come on board. As Refinery29 has explored through the 67% Campaign, more than half of the women in America are considered plus-size. However, these women only represent 2% of the women we see in media and advertisements. As Agdal highlighted in her caption, as a model, even her size fluctuates.
“Some days I’m a sample size, some days I’m a size 4, some a 6,” she said.
While rejection for any number of reasons is par the course for both the fashion and entertainment worlds, many men and women who have been shamed as a result have come forward with their stories on social media. Here’s hoping models continue to call out shaming for what it is.
I absolutely hate falling asleep with my makeup on. I despise it so much that, until college, I assumed everyone felt the same way — which I quickly learned was not the case. Fun fact: I was so offended by wearing makeup to bed back then that I would wipe off my best friend's lingering eyeliner while she slept.
Years later, not much has changed. Of course, I'm only human — a human who sometimes falls asleep on Saturday night between tossing off my shoes and taking a preemptive dose of Advil. In these rare cases, I make up for it with these handy peel pads.
By the time I wake up — in a cold sweat and panicking because I certainly did not drink enough water the night before, I might add— I race to the bathroom in search of my skin plan B (no, not that one). Enter: Neogen's Bio-Peel Gauze Peeling Pads. These non-drying, exfoliating pads are so effective that within 10 minutes I can convince everyone that I successfully achieved a full eight hours of shut-eye — without the gross, dry, cakey, and irritated feeling of waking up in last night's makeup.
About the size of my palm, these pads are the K-beauty secret you never knew you needed. Slip your fingers into the pad's pouch and start gently sweeping it across your face — from forehead all the way down to your neck. The textured gauze pad not only (gently!) physically exfoliates your skin, but uses lactic acid and lemon extract to chemically brighten and rejuvenate skin almost instantly. But it doesn't stop there. Flip the pad over and use the softer, quilted side to give skin an added dose of the peel's gentle magic. Rinse, then stare at your refreshed skin like you didn't just greet the new day with your contour still intact.
Moral of the story? If I can't turn back the clock and stop myself from ordering that fourth beer on tap, at the very least, I can wipe away some evidence of last night's events with a lemon-fresh peel pad.
Neogen Dermalogy Bio-Peel Gauze Peeling Lemon, $27, available at Sephora.
"Today isn’t about me. My fellow actresses stood by me and stood up for me, my activist friends taught me to use my voice, and the most powerful men in charge, they listened and they acted. If we truly envision an equal world, it takes equal effort and sacrifice. Today is one of the most indelible days of my life because of Mark Wahlberg, WME and a community of women and men who share in this accomplishment. Anthony Rapp, for all the shoulders you stood on, now we stand on yours," Williams said, as reported by Deadline.
This story was originally published on January 13, 2018.
Actor Mark Wahlberg is doing the unfathomable. He's addressing two major issues impacting women globally: sexual harassment and the pay gap. Days after it was reported that his All The Money In The World costar, Michelle Williams, was paid peanuts ($1000) in comparison to his salary ($1.5 million) to reshoot scenes, he’s decided to make a large charitable gesture.
The star pledged to donate $1.5 million to the #TimesUp legal fund in Williams' name, according to Deadline.
In a statement, Wahlberg said, “Over the last few days my reshoot fee for ‘All The Money in the World’ has become an important topic of conversation. I 100% support the fight for fair pay and I’m donating the $1.5 million to the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund in Michelle Williams’ name.”
After news of sexual assault allegations against Kevin Spacey surfaced last year, director Ridley Scott made the unprecedented decision: to expunge Spacey from his latest film, All The Money In The World,and recast him ASAP.
At the time, Scott’s decision to reshoot the scenes with the film’s stars was well-received. Though, after news of Williams’ meager payout in comparison with Wahlberg made headlines earlier this week, fans were incensed. Ridley’s decision to recast Spacey was somewhat undermined by another major issue plaguing Hollywood: the pay gap.
In light of #MeToo, #TimesUp, and other issues impacting women, minorities, and the LGBTQ community working in Hollywood, many have noticed that Hollywood's male populous has been overwhelmingly mum.
While Wahlberg’s donation is a step in the right direction, how wonderful it would’ve been had the two stars been paid equally and Wahlberg donated to #TimesUp in his own name, simply because it was the right thing to do.
As Variety reports, James Cameron made an appearance on Saturday at the Television Critics Association press tour to promote his forthcoming AMC series, James Cameron’s Story of Science Fiction. It was during this appearance that he addressed the support that he has for Dushku and “all women that are speaking up.”
Dushku came forward via Facebook over the weekend, alleging that she was assaulted at age 12 during the filming of the 1994 movie, True Lies. In her post, she named stunt coordinator Joel Kramer as her alleged assailant. Cameron, who directed the movie, said that he was unaware of what Dushku endured at the time , but noted that he hasn’t worked with “the other party [mentioned]” since the film.
Cameron's support of Dushku and other women who have spoken up about their experiences is a visible marker of the shift that is happening in how Hollywood reacts to claims of sexual misconduct. “Because Hollywood deals with women who are victims 10-15-20 years ago who are famous today, so they get to have a louder voice when they come forward. Bravo for them for doing it and I'm glad Eliza did that,” he said. But one of the most notable parts of his talk on this issue has been his enthusiasm for Hollywood to better support survivors.
“Hollywood needs to create a safe avenue for people to speak up, that they feel safe from anybody who might be a predator or an abuser, and that it is encouraged and there’s no shame around it, and that there will be consequences. All of us collectively as a human race have to do this," Cameron told the panel audience.
Cameron isn’t the only one that is supportive of Dushku coming forward; her mother, Judith Ann Rasmussen, and her brother both offered their support (Rasmussen mentioned that because of her job, she was unable to accompany Dushku on the set of True Lies).
The Me Too and Time's Up movements continue to gain momentum. And, though survivors who come forward still deal with the social stigma and retaliation in their careers, there is an important cultural shift happening. The legacy that Cameron has in Hollywood gives a necessary push for more people to publicly support survivors.
Specifically, Oprah wanted these women of Hollywood, which also included Shonda Rhimes, Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy, and attorney Nina Shaw to speak about the effect Time's Up is having on women everywhere.
Witherspoon said that having so many women standing together to tackle sexual misconduct is making it safe for everyone to open up about their own Me Too moments. It even encouraged Witherspoon to speak out about being sexually assaulted at 16 years old by a director.
“There are moments that you have to evaluate whether silence is going to be your only option,” Witherspoon said. “And certain times that was our only option. But now is not that time.” Especially for Witherspoon and the other women who sat down with Oprah.
“You know, we have public voices. We have resources,” Witherspoon said. “But women who are workers in this country have nothing to gain in certain times by coming forward. But we want to help. It gives me strength to hopefully help other women.”
To gain momentum, Ross said women would have to keep speaking up for one another. That's why she wanted to make it clear the Time's Up is a campaign without a hierarchy. “We’re all sort of workers among workers and women among women," she said, "sort of rolling up our sleeves and doing whatever sort of comes to the forefront.”
Ross said there's a "constructive fury that has resulted in a resolute pursuit of equity," that has empowered people to stand together. "We're all like, this is not just my hurt, this is more than my hurt, this is not just my anger, this is our anger," she said. "And instead of it just being a feeling, it's becoming an action."
Ferrera thought there was "a tectonic shift underneath our feet" that was encouraging people to come forward. That includes Ferrera, who shared the story of her sexual assault, which started when she was nine years old at the hands of someone she knew last year. "Women and men are feeling like we can no longer not say the truth," Ferrera said. "And when the truth is said, there is maybe a ripple in our culture right now that is going to allow for there to be a change."
That change will take time, though, and Oprah wondered how "nuanced conversation" can happen when it's about a subject like sexual misconduct, which makes both women and men uncomfortable. According to Portman, it starts by admitting that we all deserve to be treated with the same respect, no matter our gender.
“We’re humans. We’re all humans,” Portman said. “And I think it’s treating people as fellow humans and – and it’s not because you have a daughter that you respect a woman, it’s not because you have a wife or a sister, it’s because we’re human beings, whether we’re related to a man or not. We deserve the same respect.”
Oprah might have just found her Vice President for a ticket that, unlike the list of directors at the Golden Globes, is not just all-male nominees.
If you have experienced sexual violence and are in need of crisis support, please call theRAINN Sexual Assault Hotlineat 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
In Refinery29'sSweet Digs, we take a look inside the sometimes small, sometimes spacious homes of millennial city dwellers.Today, 28-year-old Nicole Hansalik shows us around her $3,375/month one-bedroom apartment in Fort Greene, which she shares with her boyfriend.
Everyone has that one thing they'll shell out a little extra for, especially in real estate — it might be location, a gym in the building, a doorman, or the ultimate city-living luxury: a washer-dryer in unit.
For R29er Nicole Hansalik and her boyfriend, it just so happens to be the latter. "We both had the washer-dryer in unit before in our own apartments, and once you've had that, it's hard to let it go," she says. "It really does make life so much more relaxed when you can just do laundry whenever — although I do forget my laundry in the washer sometimes for days, and then I have to fix it because it smells."
Her 650-square-foot apartment also has all the other fixings — building amenities like an outdoor patio and grill, a movie theater, and a gym — upping her rent to $3,375 a month. Click ahead to see what that rent will get you in Brooklyn.
Watch Nicole show off her apartment here, then click ahead to shop some of her home buys.
How did the two of you talk about splitting the rent?
"We've been in this apartment for two years, and the first year we split the rent evenly. Then the second year we talked about it, and I was struggling a little bit financially, but he got two raises in that time period and was promoted to a manager position. We had heard about other people who split rent according to salary, so it made sense for us to change it since we wanted to stay in this apartment for a bit longer."
Who thought of the idea first?
"I think initially, I brought it up, and he was apprehensive towards it at first, and I wasn't really trying to convince him. I am actually still uncomfortable with the change because I think it's still unfair. I don't know if it's the right thing to do. But I also believe as we are together longer, we should think about financial decisions as one unit."
"I think that for New York City it is a fair price, and I'm pretty happy with what I have for it. I've met other people that pay the same amount, and their apartments are way crappier. So I'm happy with it, although that doesn’t mean it's necessarily affordable to me, if that makes sense."
How did you find the apartment?
"I believe we found it online on StreetEasy. We found it ourselves, no broker. It was a new high-rise, luxury building in downtown Brooklyn, and we moved in two years ago, and they were really pushing to get us in. So they gave us first month's rent free and some other cool offers."
What was your priority for finding an apartment?
"Subway accessibility was our biggest thing because we're both very spoiled. He lived right by Union Square, and I lived between West 4th and Bleeker. So we wanted all subway line access."
What was it like when you first moved to New York?
"When I moved here at first, I signed up for graduate housing, and it was basically a shared studio. I lived there for a couple months, and I left early because I couldn't handle sharing a bedroom anymore. It was just too frustrating. But yeah, I think the cost of apartments was shocking, and what was more shocking was the speed at which you have to find a place. Like how fast apartments go at the end of the month. That felt stressful."
Tell me about your last apartment.
"My last apartment was $1750 a month in New York also had in-unit laundry and that was with seven roommates. It was huge; it was two floors. I found it on Craigslist, and I didn't know any of the people when I moved in.
"It was really cool at first, and then, you know, I started dating someone, and it gets harder when you're in a relationship to be in an apartment with seven other people and two bathrooms. We wanted more privacy."
"For big purchases, Ikea for sure, but for cutesy stuff I like Urban Outfitters a lot. Their home online store has a lot of cute stuff. And West Elm."
Do you have any decorating rules?
"Yeah, my boyfriend would probably call me pretty picky, but I try to stay away from anything too crazy and loud. I like my neutral color palette and green. I just try to keep it really light colored, because I think it's easier to work off of, and it'll be more adaptable later if you do want to change your style. I guess I'm afraid to commit to something."
You never want something until you can't have it. So, each week inThe Sell-Out, we're getting the scoop from your favorite retailers on what's selling like crazy. Watch this space to find out what everyone's buying, sign up for wait lists, and keep tabs on restocks.
Both holiday shopping and post-holiday sales have now come and gone, but sometimes there's still room for a little self-gifting — new year, new bag, right? Well, that's what we're telling ourselves, anyway, because one best-selling bag we've had our eye on is now available for pre-order. The mini triangle bag in champagne by Mlouye sold out before we could get our hands on it, but you can pre-order it now for a January 15th ship date (yes, that means it'd ship tomorrow).
You may not have heard of Mlouye yet, but once you do, you'll surely start to be able to recognize its signature architectural handbag designs from a mile away. This one in particular features a unique triangular shape that makes it feel different than your usual top-handle bag (in a good way!). On the sides, you'll notice a cool contrasting color detail that adds to the bag's overall cool-factor; we love how it's equal parts modern and, well, just fun. It's definitely the kind of bag that can take anyone from work appointments to Bumble drinks with no bag-change needed (always a plus!). It's clear that minibags are not going anywhere.
So, treat yourself to this re-stock while you still can by clicking ahead, and check out some similar, equally chic options while you're at it.
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edited by Brianna Donnelly; edited by Christina Dun; shot by Christina Dun; appearance by Laura Delarato.
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Welcome toMoney Diaries, where we're tackling what might be the last taboo facing modern working women: money. We're asking millennials how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period — and we're tracking every last dollar.
Today: a copywriter who makes $55,000 per year. She spends some of her money on Uniqlo HeatTech.
Monthly Expenses Housing: $900. I've been subleasing for the last couple of months, so this has varied. This was my total this past month, including utilities.
All Other Monthly Expenses Gym: $15 Apple Music: $5.99 Adobe CC: $15. (I split it with my best friend.) Apple Storage: $0.99 Savings: ~$1,000 a month, sometimes more. I've had to save up for an apartment deposit the past couple of months, but also have been saving in general. Cell Phone: $50. I'm on my parents' plan and I send the money to my dad. Doggie Credit Card: $50. My family's dog had an unexpected emergency surgery that we had to put on a doggie credit card. I help my dad with a majority of the monthly bill. Health Insurance: On my mom's plan. Credit Card Debt: $50 - $100. I have a small balance on a student credit card. Netflix/Hulu/HBO: $0. Thanks friends (and brother's ex-girlfriend)! MetroCard: $121/month for a monthly unlimited pass
Day One
7:45 a.m. — I get out of bed and I hear the kitty scrambling around. I'm at a sublease for the month and they have the cutest little kitty. I got aggressively mugged a few days ago and a lot of my things were stolen, so I have been feeling extremely anxious and paranoid. (Disclaimer: This is going to be an unusual week for me.) Mitz, the kitty, has been a little fur ball of comfort. BUT, it's the holidays, so it's my favorite time of year! I decide to wear my new bright red boots as a pick-me-up. Can't let anything bring my holiday cheer down!
9 a.m. — I get to work and decide to buy a bagel at the café we have. I've had no appetite the past few days because of anxiety, but I'm on a mission to get back on track with my meals. I get a plain bagel with cream cheese and then make blueberry green tea that I had at my desk. $1.63
9:30 a.m. — I'm organizing Secret Santa amongst my friends and it's so fun! I always end up being the planner for activities, and since all of my friends also work in the advertising industry, we like to jokingly talk in email talk in our chats. HELLO GUYS, just wanted to circle back around and remind you all of our Secret Santa event this Sunday. Please let me know if you have any questions. I'll be sending the itinerary by EOD. Cheers!
1o:35 a.m. — It's a bit slow this morning, so I go to a comfy corner at work to read articles and call my dad. He's going to visit family in El Salvador after a few years of not visiting, and I Venmo him money. My family is very low-income, and although I'm still not earning a ton, I'm trying to help out my parents as much as I can — even if it's something small. Plus, he will also be giving money to some of our family members who live in poor conditions over there, so I'm happy I can finally help out. $50
12 p.m. — We get out of a creative review with the account team and have to re-do a lot of things. Ugh; the life of a copywriter.
12:30 p.m. — I haven't bought groceries this week so I have to go out and buy lunch. I get a few rosemary potatoes and chicken. My coworker and I also decide to split a container of peppermint hot chocolate that will last us for a while. $8
1:45 p.m. — I've had to replace some of my stolen things one by one, and next on the list is a new water bottle. I find a cute one on Amazon and it's pretty cheap compared to the S'well bottle I had before. I'm trying to look at the situation in a positive way. At least I get a fresh start! $13
2 p.m. — Secret Santa exchanges are this Sunday and I have no idea what to get my person! I browse the internet but give up and get back to work.
6 p.m. — I finally get home. I was on a workout and semi-marathon training roll these past couple of weeks, but I haven't been very active the last few days. I decide to do a 45-minute, at-home workout because I don't want to lose the progress I had been making and I can't let my anxiety prevent me from working out. Plus, working out always makes me happy. Blogilates on YouTube is always my favorite!
8 p.m. — I eat rice pudding and my roommates give me a glass of white wine; they're so sweet. I work on my freelance work and then watch a few holiday vlogs on YouTube. Why do I get so much satisfaction from watching rich girls who live in L.A.? I'll never understand but I'm not complaining.
Daily Total: $72.63
Day Two
9:30 a.m. — I eat oatmeal topped with honey and granola for breakfast! It's Hump Day and it's comforting to know I'm almost halfway done with the week.
2 p.m. — It's actually been a busy day today. My coworker and I have had back-to-back meetings and finally have time to go buy lunch before our next meeting. I'm craving breakfast for lunch, so I get an egg, bacon, and cheese sandwich with ketchup. I use a 10% coupon. I love eggs! $4
9 p.m. — Finally getting off work. I don't work late nights very often, but today was an exception. Ever since the mugging, I've been a little uneasy about going home late at night if it's past 7 p.m. My job expenses transportation if we work late anyways, so I get an Uber. ($28 expensed)
10 p.m. — As soon as the ride is done and I get inside my apartment, I break down crying unexpectedly. My Uber driver reminded me a bit of my attacker; he was wearing his earphones and not paying attention to the road so I started feeling uneasy and all these emotions came flowing out. Sometimes you just need a good cry to let out other emotions you've been trying to suppress all week. I feel a little bit better. I also send a very strongly worded message to Uber.
11:30 p.m. — After a short home HIIT workout, a 10-minute meditation session, and cuddling with Mitz, I feel good and decide to go to sleep.
Daily Total: $4
Day Three
8 a.m. — It's Friday Eve, as one of my coworkers likes to say! It makes Thursdays sound so good. I head out to the door and finally remember to leave my chicken defrosting. I NEED to get back into my cooking routine. I hate when you're doing well but then you have an off week! But it happens to everyone, so whatever.
9 a.m. — I get another mini-bagel with cream cheese. I can't help it! I think it's hilarious how much I love bagels and cream cheese and I've only been in New York for six months. I used to HATE cream cheese. $1.63
1:30 p.m. — Another busy day ahead of us! Lots of writing and brainstorming to do. My coworker and I finally have a breather and get Chipotle for lunch. I haven't had Chipotle in a few months and I had been craving it. Plus, I can save the other half for dinner. $9
3 p.m. — Champagne and cake for a coworker's goodbye. I'm full but still can't resist cake.
8 p.m. — Leaving work! It's not awfully late yet and I decide to take the train back. I get home safely and notice that I felt a little less paranoid. Baby steps!
9:15 p.m. — I cook my chicken for tomorrow's lunch while I eat my Chipotle leftovers and watch Vlogmas videos on YouTube. I use my dad's favorite recipe and miss my family. I can't wait to go back to Texas for the holidays!
11 p.m. — I've been trying a new shampoo for curly hair that has been making my hair so soft and less frizzy. I head to bed smelling like coconut. I jump into bed, enjoying the feeling of being clean and moisturized.
Daily Total: $10.63
Day Four
7:40 a.m. — It's Friday! I put on clothes and get ready to leave for work. I love smelling all of the Christmas trees for sale on the street in the morning.
9:30 a.m. — Cereal for breakfast and blueberry green tea (my current obsession). Today is going to be a super chill day at work, thank goodness. I decide to go apartment hunting. My best friend might be moving in January and it's also time for me to finally settle into a lease anyways since I've been subleasing around for four months now. I finally have money saved up for an apartment deposit so I'm ready; my goal is January!
12:30 p.m. — Chicken for lunch. Everyone seems to be in a Friday mood, so I just do online shopping and make tweaks on a writing assignment. My coworker and I also go to the Amazon Book Store and I buy Mr. Penumbra's 24 Hour Bookstore. It has amazing reviews and I can't wait to start reading. The cashier convinces me to add on a holiday book that will be donated to children in hospitals ($3). Kids are my weak spot, especially since I have a seven-year-old sister. $14
7 p.m. — I have to replace my MacBook (another thing that got stolen) so I go check out the laptops. My friends raised money to help me get a new laptop, and friend-of-a-friend is also letting me use her family and friends discount. I am so grateful for the people in my life. I make my decision after talking to some of the employees, who are so nice! I used to work retail during my college years to completely financially support myself and I low-key miss customer service. Going to officially order the laptop in a few days!
7:30 p.m. — It's snowing tomorrow and I am not ready. I go to Uniqlo and pick up HEATTECH clothing. A lot of it is on promotion, so I get one black crew neck ($10), black leggings ($10), a turtleneck ($10) and socks ($6.99). I also see a cute velvet dress that I can't resist getting ($19.99). I don't buy a lot of clothes but I decide to treat myself. Plus, clothes for the weather are a necessity. $57.50
9 p.m. — It's a chill night today. I make tea and toast whole wheat bread and top it with honey. I turn on my YouTube vlogs and play Christmas music in the background.
Daily Total: $71.50
Day Five
7:30 a.m. — My internal body clock wakes me up even on weekends, but I force myself to go back to sleep.
10:30 a.m. — It's snowing! I'm a Texas native and the most snow I've seen is maybe two inches. It looks absolutely beautiful. I look out the window, boil water for my tea, and make two eggs over toast for breakfast. I pour ketchup on the side. My roommates are starting Jane the Virgin so I watch an episode with them.
12 p.m. — I've got a lot of holiday shopping to do this weekend. I get on the train to go into the city. My first stop is Union Square Holiday Market.
1:30 p.m. — I ended up getting a colorful wrist wallet for my mom. She loves bright colors and I found a perfect striped one. This is the first year I can actually afford to get my family and friends real gifts, and that makes me so happy. The snow is falling, the vendors are all happy, people are bundled up in their coats, and I smell hot chocolate. It is such a beautiful Saturday! $30
2:45 p.m. — I meet up with a friend and her boyfriend at my next stop, the Bryant Park Holiday Market. I need to find something for my Secret Santa today since the gift exchange is tomorrow! She recently moved into her new apartment, so I decide to get home decor. I find a beautiful Italian ceramics vendor and buy a little blue and white bowl. We walk around more, watch people ice skating, and look up at the huge tree. Sometimes I can't believe I'm really in NYC under the snowfall experiencing my first real winter! The holidays make me emotional. $12
3 p.m. — I've never been to the Chick-Fil-A in New York so we decide to go there since I am craving it so much. The line is long and filled with drunk people participating in SantaCon but we get our food fast. I order a chicken sandwich meal with lemonade. I am so mad at how expensive this meal is; it's double the Texas prices. Definitely will not be coming here often. $10
5:30 p.m. — I'm getting an eye exam today — a long overdue visit. I haven't gotten a new pair of glasses in three years and my best friend works at Warby Parker, so his discount is super nice. I get an eye exam ($75), which should be reimbursed as soon as I call my mom to get insurance details and the pair of glasses I choose is only $87 after his family and friends discount. They're so cute and I can't wait for them to ship. I love a good pair of statement glasses. Merry Christmas to me! $162
7:30 p.m. — Today is a coworker's holiday party! I head back home and watch a little YouTube. My friend is coming over with a bottle of wine before we head to the party.
10:30 p.m. — My friend and I check out a bar near my apartment that has cocktails on tap. I get an amazing lime drink. I haven't bought a drink in ages (I try not to spend much money on alcohol), so this is a nice treat. $10
11 p.m. — We make it to the party. Very tipsy. Let's see how the night goes!
Daily Total: $224
Day Six
9 a.m. — Well, last night was fun! Recap: My friends joined me at my coworker's party, then we drunkenly had snowball fights at the park on our way to a dance bar, then we danced a lot, left and had more snowball fights, ended up at Popeyes, and everyone crashed at my place. It's been a long time since I had one of these nights and playing in the snow was one of the purest and most carefree times I've had in awhile. But I have an awful headache. Ugh. This is why I don't drink a lot very often.
10 a.m. — We decide to check out a cute little diner right by my apartment, and it's so cheap I'm in shock. Two eggs, hash browns, toast, home fries, bacon, and OJ for only $5.50! It's so inexpensive that we decide to split two waffles among the four of. us. We order the fresh fruit waffle, which comes with the strangest selection of fruits. Watermelon on my waffle? In this economy? Super weird but the waffle itself tastes good. We make a mental note to never order that again — but I'm still coming back. $10
2 p.m. — After breakfast, my friends leave and I crawl back into bed and slept for another three hours. My headache is, sadly, still not gone. My coworker's birthday brunch is in an hour so I head to the East Village.
5:30 p.m. — Leaving his birthday brunch which really ended up being just an early dinner. I wasn't hungry so I ended up just getting an order of fries. $9
6:30 p.m. — I need to get a gift bag and another little thing for my Secret Santa gift, so I go back to the Union Square Holiday Market. I feel like I've spent my entire weekend here. I get a little set of different scented tea candles ($12), a white gift bag ($3), white tissue paper ($2), and a little white bow ($2). $19
8:30 p.m. — Secret Santa time! Eclipse is playing in the background and one friend brings two boxes of pizza; the host has hot chocolate for us. My person ends up loving her Secret Santa gift! My Secret Santa gets me a candle called City Scapes: Central and it smells like oakwood and ginger; it's beautiful. He also gives me a little pin that I love.
11 p.m. — We finally leave and my friend lets me sleep over at her place today since it's getting late.
Daily Total: $38
Day Seven
9 a.m. — Trains are messed up because of an explosion at the train station. So terrifying, but I make it to work on time and I'm glad no one got hurt. It's Bagel Monday so I have a plain bagel with cream cheese and my usual blueberry green tea.
12:30 p.m. — For lunch, I go get tomato soup with a free coupon I have. Today's a slightly chill day with just a few meetings and brainstorming my art director and I have to do for some social media posts. The office seems dead today! A lot of people are already gone for the holidays.
1 p.m. — Small Tinder/Bumble break. I haven't been on a date in so long, especially since I've been so jittery lately but I do really want to start dating. I'm a romantic at heart, so ideally, I'd love to just fall in love with someone randomly at like a bookstore and we lock eyes and live happily ever after. But it's 2017, everyone is “finding themselves”, I'm super busy, they're super busy, and dating is just hard. But may as well make an effort and set aside time for dates. I swipe for a few minutes and immediately am over it. I'll just be single forever! I'll try again later.
6 p.m. — I leave work and head to the Apple store. I'm picking up my new laptop today! I literally couldn't have done this without the help of my friends and friends of friends. The pick-up line is hectic but it moves fast. I take an Uber home because I don't want to be carrying around a huge Apple bag with a spanking new laptop inside. I have a free ride because of my complaint to Uber of the sketchy driver last time, so this won't cost me anything.
8 p.m. — Ahh, the new keyboard feels so nice! I set up the laptop and read for a bit. For dinner, I make eggs and black beans. Eggs for dinner are the best. Then, I eat raspberries and blueberries for dessert. I do a bit of online shopping and see an art print that my brother would love so I have to get it. I still have so many other gifts to buy. $13
9 p.m. — Short at-home butt and abs workout. I really need to get back to the gym soon. It's been over a week since I've gone, but it's the holidays and I'm going back home for two weeks soon anyways. My mom will be feeding me nonstop, so maybe I can start in 2018?
Daily Total: $13
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Chelsea Manning has announced that she’s officially running for office The former U.S. Army private confirmed that she would be running for a U.S. Senate seat, representing the state of Maryland. The announcement was made on Manning’s Twitter account early Sunday morning, where she tweeted “Yep, we’re running for senate!”
Manning's official filing was received on January 11, though this marks the formal announcement of her campaign and is the first time that she has elaborated on her decision. Manning has filed to run as a Democratic party nominee in the primary against her opponent. In Sunday’s tweet, Manning included a campaign video that gave more insight into her decision to run.
The decision to run for Senate will place Manning in opposition to senior Democratic Senator Ben Cardin, who some consider a favorite to win a third term though he has yet to confirm if he will run again.
In a voiceover in the campaign video that was released, Manning said: “We need to stop expecting that our systems will fix themselves…we need to challenge them at every level. We need to fix this.” She advocates challenging the status quo at every level, including targeting the Democratic party leadership. The work that Manning has done could work to her advantage for some voters. And, as the Washington Post writes, being a candidate with "national name recognition” could help to push donors interested in “elevating a progressive agenda” into supporting her over Cardin. Fighting for freedom and equality have been part of Manning’s brand since she became a public figure.
Manning’s work in the spotlight has been rooted in politics and her work with social issues, so her decision to run for Senate is not a surprise. She was sentenced to 35 years in 2013 prison for passing information to WikiLeaks. Her sentence was cut short after seven years when it was commuted by President Obama shortly before the end of his final term. Manning now works as a writer and activist, working to highlight trans equality, among other social issues, as the Guardian reports.
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It’s no secret that women are often given limiting, one-dimensional roles in films, whereas their male counterparts have more room to be fully-dimensional and flawed characters; action films are especially guilty of this.
Marvel, having heard these complaints, are making improvements. The studio already has had a history of letting their action heroes break down barriers. Heroes like the Hulk, Spider-Man, and Captain America have publicly dealt with vulnerability or choosing individual happiness over their duty as public figures. But Marvel’s female characters haven’t quite gotten the same development or time in the spotlight as their male counterparts.
For most of the Marvel cinematic universe, Black Widow has been the only female hero to get significant screentime and development, though that hasn’t been completely positive. In the first Avengers film, Black Widow shared screentime with Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) and Commander Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders). By the second Avengers film, Age of Ultron, the latter two women were no longer on-screen. Visibility for women aside, the direction of some of Black Widow’s development during Age of Ultron (notably, her struggles with infertility during the film) had mixed reviews from audiences. In fact, Age Of Ultron addressed their absence head-on in a joke, which was more successful in highlighting the film's problem giving its female characters nuanced representation than it was at being funny.
We’re beginning to see a shift in the right direction; a long-overdue Black Widow film has finally been announced, and upcoming films will focus on heroes such as Captain Marvel — not to mention the increase of development for women in Marvel’s TV shows.
Black Panther is Marvel’s latest film, and it’s already breaking records before it debuts in theatres; the excitement for a film that celebrates and centers Black heroes shows this message is clearly something that resonates with audiences, now more than ever. But as the latest trailer highlights, there’s more to Black Panther than just giving us a new hero to fight for justice. One of the many things that sets Black Panther apart from other Marvel films is how its female action heroes able to do so much more than hang on the sidelines.
In the featurette, some of the cast members give behind-the-scenes interviews on what audiences can expect from their characters. T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) and Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) are the film’s main protagonist and antagonist, though they aren’t the only ones that are being used to explore the connection between good vs. evil. The Dora Milaje, the all-female personal guards of the Black Panther, have been captivating audiences since their general, Okoye (Danai Gurira) made her debut in Captain America: Civil War. In the clip, Lupita Nyong'o’s explained that “Okoye represents the old guard and tradition, while my character, Nakia, challenges tradition.”
The Dora Milaje aren’t the only ones exploring traditionally male-focused themes of humanity and power. Other characters within Wakanda are moving to break barriers of what women can and cannot do within film. Beyond the Dora Milaje, we can see expectations like this being shattered from characters like lead scientist (and T’Challa’s sister) Shuri (Letitia Wright). In the film, she is the lead in designing T’Challa’s Black Panther suit during the film; seeing a Black woman celebrated in a STEM-focused role is just as revolutionary as the women fighting on the battlefield.
The expansion of what a woman’s role in film looks like speaks directly to how the female action heroes of Black Panther are able to balance their fight scenes with embodying these expansive personal themes. Giving women, especially Black women, such public roles in the film not only speaks volumes to how women are regarded within Wakanda, but also shows the shifting attitudes of women’s roles in action films. The way that female action stars are celebrated and centered within the film is just another reason to snag a ticket to see Black Panther once it’s released next month.
Bryant's take was funny and an honest explainer for anyone (men) who can't understand why a woman would work for less than she's worth.
Last week, USA Today reported that Williams was paid less than a thousand dollars — that is $80 per day for the two-week shoot — while Wahlberg earned $1.5 million. To put that another way, Williams made less than 1% of what Wahlberg did.
Williams reportedly agreed to work for a reduced rate because she believed that re-casting Kevin Spacey "sends a message to predators." "I was immediately exhilarated," Williams told the L.A. Times. "I said, ‘My answer is yes. You can have my salary. You can have my Thanksgiving holiday. You can have whatever you want. Let's go do it.'"
Bryant suggested there might be another reason why Williams agreed: the urge to be "accommodating." Most women understand that urge. "I, like many girls have been taught to be accommodating and polite," Bryant explained. "Like once I felt bad about telling any Uber driver that he made a wrong turn, so I just went with him to New Jersey."
Being accommodating is nice for others, but it doesn't do much for women. Instead, it results in a never-ending loop of putting other people's feelings and well-being way before their own. Or, as Bryant explained, it makes her brain a "tornado of 'are you OK? Is she OK? I'm sorry, here's $50.'"
Women have to worry about coming off as "greedy" or "difficult," knowing if those words get attached to them it could be the end of their careers. It isn't just actresses who deal with this, it's women in every industry whose purse strings are controlled by men. The idea of being accommodating isn't about money, it's about power.
Women often feel like they have to take bad deals and be thankful they're getting a deal at all. Being accommodating is not born from a fear of speaking up, but the fear that you'll lose it all if you do speak.
When Williams' salary was made public there was outrage, but a woman getting paid less than a man for doing the same work is nothing new. Neither is the argument that women need to fight harder and speak louder to get paid fairly. For the record, Bryant thinks women are ready to negotiate harder, but she also thinks "maybe, just maybe, men at the table could also just be like a little more dec." Yes, that is cool speak for "decent" so that Bryant doesn't "come off like a shrew" (another familiar fear for many women).
"Equal pay is the goal," Bryant said, but it's time that women stop taking the brunt of the fight. As Bryant said, if women have to start thinking more like Mark Wahlberg, to speak up and ask for what they want, than he needs to start thinking more like a woman who doesn't always have the same opportunity to speak like men do. Men need to understand that it's not just about women standing up, but everyone standing together to say they won't let anyone work for less than they deserve. Now that's a truly dec move.
Aziz Ansari was accused of sexual assault this weekend, and the conversation around the allegations has been heated, to say the least.
In an article on the website Babe headlined, "I went on a date with Aziz Ansari. It turned into the worst night of my life," a 23-year-old woman accused the comedian and actor of repeatedly trying to initiate sexual activity and ignoring her "clear non-verbal queues" that she didn't want to have sex with him.
The woman, under the pseudonym Grace, said she left Ansari's apartment feeling uncomfortable and victimised, and that she cried in the taxi on the way home. She said she texted him the following day to tell him how he made her feel, to which he replied: "Clearly, I misread things in the moment and I'm truly sorry."
Now, Ansari, a self-proclaimed feminist ally who wore a Time's Up pin at the Golden Globes, has released a public response to the allegations through a representative, but many people believe it's not good enough.
In the statement sent to Refinery29, Ansari confirms he went on a date with the woman. Here is his statement, in full:
"In September of last year, I met a woman at a party. We exchanged numbers. We texted back and forth and eventually went on a date. We went out to dinner, and afterwards we ended up engaging in sexual activity, which by all indications was completely consensual.
The next day, I got a text from her saying that although “it may have seemed okay,” upon further reflection, she felt uncomfortable. It was true that everything did seem okay to me, so when I heard that it was not the case for her, I was surprised and concerned. I took her words to heart and responded privately after taking the time to process what she had said.
I continue to support the movement that is happening in our culture. It is necessary and long overdue."
[CN sexual violence] It couldn’t even be called an apology. He’s waited, watched the horrific victim blaming, ‘that’s not sexual assault!’ narrative unfold and then perfectly crafted his response to meet it. What an absolute prick. https://t.co/ltWRzrqzZs
But nah, he’s read her harrowing, upsetting account and basically said ‘Yeah, that’s what happened... I didn’t see a problem then and I don’t see a problem now?’
Aziz Ansari's statement doesn't acknowledge that how he views his actions as consensual are actually that of a rapist. He apologizes for "misreading" a situation, but not being a sexual scumbag, which means this is how aggressive he is towards women too afraid to speak up.
What is scary about Ansari's "statement" is that he doesn't contradict anything in the account and yet cannot see where he's done anything wrong. That's worrying on so many levels and is also a lack of awareness that is shared by far, far too many people.
Just when I was about to start watching Master Of None, this Aziz Ansari news comes out. Disgusting, appalling, and I'm definitely not watching his show now. Even more so, after reading his statement.
I read the Aziz Ansari statement and, ugh, It 100% feels like an attempt at placating his female fans by playing the "I didn't know I did anything wrong but now that I do I can pretend that I care and that I've learned something so I look like a nice guy again." card.
Others have accused Ansari of intentionally misrepresenting what happened that night through his use of language and framing of the incident. In particular, some took issue with his claim that the woman only felt uncomfortable "upon further reflection" – i.e. only after the incident had taken place – which doesn't correspond to her account.
TLDR: Ansari's statement tonight doesn't dispute any of the factual claims against him, but misrepresents his accuser's words to make them fit a "regret" narrative—a standard trope in rape denialism.
'Upon further reflection'. Nowhere in her account or the published texts from the next day does she say that she changed her mind. She said, 'Last night might've been fun for you but it wasn't for me' and details why
Before the statement was released, a passage from Ansari's best-selling book Modern Romance, in which he outlines the importance of reading body language in romantic encounters, was widely retweeted.
Before the mindfuck that is Facebook showing you a tube of Laura Mercier mascara 20 minutes after you thought about it existing, beauty advertisements were a little more... subliminal. Since the very first ad of its kind, in which Woodbury Soap promised to deliver "the skin you love to touch " in 1911, images have been tweaked and retouched to sell a dream — of hair that's never seen a flyaway, skin with noticeably fewer pores than the 20,000 on the average person's face, or lipstick that looks sexy even post-makeout.
And, sadly, that expectation of "perfection" is still true of many advertisements today — whether they're crafted by a team of marketers or an Instagram influencer using FaceTune. It's unrealistic, harmful, and plays into antiquated and exclusive notions of what beauty should look like. Which is why drugstore behemoth CVS is making a change starting in April, committing to a new set of strict, no-Photoshop guidelines for any of its internal beauty imagery in stores, on its website, in marketing materials, emails, or social media accounts — and asking external vendors to include disclaimers on theirs.
"There is a clear connection between unrealistic body images and negative health effects, especially in girls and young women, so we will be focused on implementing the guidelines as it relates to physical appearances," president of CVS Pharmacy Helena Foulkes tells Refinery29. "That means CVS will not alter a person's shape, size, proportion, skin, or eye color, as well as other individual characteristics like enhancing or altering lines and wrinkles. We hope that this effort will encourage authenticity and transparency so that beauty is something that always makes women feel good, and never not good enough."
While a handful of other brands, like Aerie, Missguided, and Glossier, have made similar commitments, the move marks the first time a major drugstore retailer has taken steps toward a completely Photoshop-free mission. Here's what this means: Come April, all CVS-owned images will contain a "Beauty Mark" watermark to help customers identify what images have been un-retouched. Brands that sell at CVS and decide to alter their own imagery will be required to include a disclaimer on all their in-store and online ads.
"Beauty can be and should be aspirational, but I believe that can still be achieved without materially altering how a person, model, or celebrity looks," Foulkes says. "As a company that is committed, above all else, to the health and well-being of its customers, we have an opportunity to start a conversation that can lead to positive change."
Courtesy of CVS.
A big reason for the shift, Foulkes says, is to put mental health first — especially because so much of what influences young people is through advertisements and social media, which fuels our intrinsic habit of comparing ourselves to others. "We can't help but be influenced when we are constantly bombarded by images of physical perfection — some influence is inescapable," says clinical psychotherapist Matthew Traube, MFT. "If we receive the message that we must look a certain way to succeed, even if it's unrealistic, it shapes our views of what success looks like. Feeling unable to succeed can create hopelessness, which can lead to reduced self-esteem, body image issues, and self-critical thinking."
Traube suggests this has been a standard in the industry for so long because, unfortunately, this notion of "perfection" sells. But here's the thing about perfection: It's not real — and that's a good thing. What is real? Teenagers experiencing acne. Women getting wrinkles. Pores. "We avoid facing our humanness by looking for idealized versions of ourselves," Traube says. "Seeing acne on a billboard can initially feel more difficult, but it is real. It's a natural tendency to avoid what feels uncomfortable, but by safely and slowly leaning into discomfort, we can take the teeth out of what we find psychologically threatening. That is how we heal."
Change doesn't happen overnight — but that's how progress works, and we're grateful to see a drugstore giant trying to use its power for good.
