The last time I had box braids was around the summer of '97. I didn't hate them, but I didn't love them (granted, this might have been due to the very '90s bobbed length I was forced to get), but after seeing my cousin pull a braid straight out of her sister's head, I became scarred from ever getting them again. That is, until I made the decision to go natural and, about six months in, became frustrated with dealing with two different textures that refused to cooperate with my styling needs. So, to give my hair — and myself — a much-needed break, I turned to box braids.
While box braids are in no way a new look — women of color have been wearing them for a long time — there's been something of a revival lately. Everyone from the Knowles sisters to Zoë Kravitz and Tia Mowry has been seen with them. It's not only a great protective hairstyle (one that keeps your hair and ends tucked in and shielded from factors like extreme weather conditions, while still promoting growth), but it's low-maintenance, convenient, and cute. And, with warm weather, it's a common go-to look for dealing with the harsh humidity that's sure to come.
I talked with some hairstylists to get the lowdown on everything you need to know — from choosing your ideal braid size to the takedown process. Read on for what they had to say.
Are you going for a thick, rope-like look circa Janet Jackson in Poetic Justice? Or, are smaller braids (thinkStacey Dash as Dionne in Clueless) more your style? Dr. Kari Williams, hairstylist and owner of the Mahogany Hair Revolution salon in L.A., recommends taking your hair's health and thickness into account.
"If your hair is more fine, don't choose a braid that's too big because you won't get the volume you desire, and could risk damage to your hair because of the weight," she says. "If your hair is really thick, don't choose a braid that is too small because you will end up with a gazillion braids, and the braids could be too thick to style and also create a lot of weight."
Above all, it's very important to make sure your hair is shampooed, detangled, deep-conditioned, and blowdried before braiding, says Williams. "This creates the healthiest environment for the hair before going into a long-term style like braids," she advises. "While the hair is braided, you can't remove all of the dirt and build-up from the hair or scalp, so starting with clean hair is best."
Now, for the not-so-fun part of the 'do: getting it done. As you might expect, the process isn't for the faint of heart and/or easily bored. A common misconception is that it's also super-painful, which might be true if you're either really sensitive or it's your first time getting the style done. Williams says that while yes, the braiding may cause some discomfort, if it starts to become unbearable that means the braids are too tight. "If you're experiencing excessive pain, ask your stylist to adjust the tension they're using to attach the braid, or take them out," she says. "Pain is the first symptom before you begin to experience hair loss."
It can take upwards of eight hours to get them done, depending on the braid size and your stylist's technique (it took me about four, since my braids are on the bulkier side). No intriguing book, fully charged phone, or amount of busywork can prepare you for the restlessness you'll start to feel as time slowly creeps by. Around hour two, your eyes will start to droop, patience starts to dwindle, and you'll start to feel like a little kid on a road trip with their family wondering "Are we there yet?" By hour three, you'll start to question why you thought getting braids was a good idea to begin with. And, by hour four, nothing will matter except getting out of that damn chair (which you can't feel anymore because your butt has gone numb). But, as they say, everything good in life takes time and once you do your first hair flip, you'll quickly realize it was all worth it (and that your head is now exponentially heavier).
A lot of people think once you get your braids done, the work stops there. But, it's important to remember that, while you may be rocking mostly synthetic hair now, keeping your real strands healthy and hydrated should still be a priority. "A daily moisturizer or oil should be sprayed onto the scalp and the length of the braids to keep the hair lubricated, because synthetic hair can dehydrate the natural hair, causing it to become dry and brittle," says Williams. "This is one of the factors that can cause breakage during the takedown process. If the hair is well-lubricated while the braids are in, you can reduce the incidents of breakage." Williams suggests washing your braids after about three weeks — sooner if you have an active lifestyle or are prone to a flaky or itchy scalp. After washing with a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner, she recommends following up with oil. "After washing the style, make sure you reapply your oil to the braids and scalp and sit under a hooded dryer to ensure the style is completely dry," she says. "If you don't dry the hair completely, it can mildew and leave an odor."
Williams also advises against pulling the braids into tight ponytails or buns, because their weight, along with the tension of the tightly pulled styles, can cause temporary or permanent hair loss — particularly along the hairline. Stumped on styles? We've got you covered on the inspiration front. Celebrity hairstylist Kim Kimble also recommends sleeping with a silk bonnet or pillowcase to protect the hair. "Silk minimizes the amount of friction on the hair, and it helps preserve the moisture," she says.
Both Williams and Kimble advise leaving your braids in for no more than two months at a time. Williams suggests getting a touch-up around the hairline — getting the front portion rebraided — between every four to six weeks in order to preserve both the style and your edges. When the time comes to actually take out your braids, the same patience you exercised during the braiding process is vital; maybe even more so because, this time around, you're the one doing all the work and your hair is going to be more susceptible to breakage. Keep in mind that your hair has gone uncombed, unbrushed, and un-detangled for weeks at a time, so shedding is pretty much inevitable. The key is going slow and making sure to gently remove any knots you might encounter. In order to make things easier, Williams recommends spraying a small amount of Sea Breeze or witch hazel at the base of the braid to soften and loosen any dirt and build-up that's accumulated. "You should also completely comb through each section of hair as you unbraid it to prevent matting," she says. "The hair will feel dry and brittle while taking down the braids, so apply a cleansing conditioner to the hair as you detangle and remove the braids."
To make the removal process a wee bit less tedious, Kimble suggests planning a takedown party with your friends. "Gather your snacks, set up a TV show you want to binge-watch, and go for it!"
Enjoy your new braids! Take a cue from Willow Smith and whip your hair back and forth, toss it — put your thing down, flip it, and reverse it, what have you. The style is super-versatile, and you'll look pretty damn fly to boot, so you might as well have fun with it.
Ahead, see some of our favorite box braids — past and present.
We can't talk about " Poetic Justice braids" without paying homage to the star herself, Janet Jackson. The style, which she wore in the 1993 movie, lives on in our hearts — and on our camera rolls, when we show our stylists pics for inspo.
These days, you'll see the braids in all kinds of colors. Chanel Iman rocked a rainbow set during Coachella that we love.
PHOTO: Thaddaeus McAdams/WireImage.
Eva Marcille added lots of beads and yarns to hers, and we're here for it.
PHOTO: Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic.
If full-on unicorn braids aren't your thing, sneak in a few colored plaits like Kelly Rowland.
PHOTO: Rich Fury/Getty Images.
Why pick one hue when adding a pop of color to your braids when a rainbow looks this good.
Photographed by Courtney Yates.
Marcia Hamilton, who styled Alicia Keys' fabric braids, said that they looked like sorbet. That, and damn cool.
Photo: Via @aliciakeys.
Don't believe the hype: Sometimes, size does matter. "People are wearing bigger braids than they were before," Stasha Harris of Brooklyn's Magic Fingers Studio says. "Before, you'd wear them small and then you'd have no edges. With bigger braids, your hair is protected more and you can get more creative."
Photo: Via @magicfingersstudio.
For some unexpected shine, add a few gold rings around your braids for an ultra-glam style.
@indialove
For the sake of variety, try adding cornrows to the front of your box braids like Taraji P. Henson did here.
Photo: Courtesy of PJ.
Box braids don't need to be past your shoulders; a chin-length cut is just as cool.
@bestboxbraids
Better still, make the shorter protective style really pop with some fresh orange color...
@bestboxbraids
Or choose a single braid (or a few) to serve up a subtle a pop of color that's impactful when you want it, yet easy to hide while styling, for when you don't.
@thekitchen_beautician
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Consider the amount of times Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez have dated, broken up, gotten back together, then parted ways again. Multiply that number by 12 — and that is about how many tattoos we'd guess Bieber has in his collection. (So... 4,183??)
The singer acquired his first piece of ink — a tiny seagull on his hip — at the tender age of 16. Since then, he's amassed more body art than your average member of the Hells Angels — each one with its own special, and sometimes spiritual, meaning. But unless you're very familiar with his Calvin Klein underwear ads or relentlessly stalk his Instagram feed, it's easy to lose track of his laundry list of tattoos.
So in honor of him turning the big 2-4 today, and because we may never know if Gomez is throwing the "Sorry" singer a surprise birthday bash, we've mapped out the best of Bieber's ink for your viewing pleasure, ahead. Time to put on your party (and probably drop-crotch) pants.
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The last thing we want on our lips — especially as we can't seem to shake the cold weather — is a drying lipstick. In years past, we may have skipped our matte lippies in favor of their glossier, more balm-like cousins, but thanks to new formulations, comfortable mattes exist and they are here to stay.
That being said, we still run the risk of nabbing a subpar, moisture-sucking formula (they can't all be perfect, right?). So in an effort to help you avoid flaky, cracked lips, we rounded up our favorite matte lipsticks that not only feel comfortable, but seriously deliver in the pigment and texture departments. Ahead, check out our favorite lines and our choice colors from each.
This balm's creamy formula deposits just the right amount of matte, sheer color — and never accentuates dry patches on our lips.
ColourPop Blotted Lip in Candyfloss, $5, available at ColourPop.
This new formula combines comfort with innovation, not to mention vivid, seriously saturated pigments laced with hydrating vitamin E.
Lancôme Matte Shaker High Pigment Liquid Lipstick, $22, available at Sephora.
Sheer coverage, a matte finish, and a comfortable, lightweight texture seems like a lot to ask from a lipstick — but this unique formula makes the cut. It imparts a veil of diffused color that’s not shiny nor heavy, for a subtle, easy, natural effect.
Estée Lauder Pure Color Envy Sheer Matte Sculpting Lipstick in Above It, $32, available at Nordstrom.
First things first: This lipstick smells like candy, but in the best way. Even better, it goes on like a cream finish product, but quickly dries to a not-dry matte.
Rimmel London The Only 1 Matte, $6.97, available at Walmart.
Semi-matte, satin finish lipsticks are the way to go if you're prone to a parched pout. Laura Mercier's lip color sets to a velvet finish that looks — and feels — soft to the touch.
Laura Mercier Velour Lovers Lip Colour, $28, available at Sephora.
New for spring 2018 (and, sadly, limited edition), this formula is unlike any other matte lip color we’ve tried — or any lip color at all, for that matter. It’s impossibly lightweight, and has a unique, almost airy texture that glides on easily and leaves a smooth, velvety finish behind. This pigmented black-cherry shade is the perfect red… and it won’t make your lips feel like hell.
NARS Lip Cover in Hell Gate, $28, available at NARS Cosmetics.
A velvety-soft lipstick that barely feels like it's on your mouth? Count us in.
Butter London Moisture Matte Lipstick, $22, available at Butter London.
Vibrant, non-drying, and affordable? This new collection features on-trend shades and a comfortable finish.
CoverGirl Katy Kat Matte Lipstick, $8.99, available at Ulta Beauty.
We’re lipstick hoarders, so trust us when we say that each shade in this chic, minimalist indie line is unlike anything else you’ve ever tried. The formula is packed with shea butter, sweet orange oil, and antioxidants like green tea and rosehip, so you get all the nourishment your lips need — plus a boost of luxurious, beautifully pigmented semi-matte color. It doesn’t get much better than this.
Kosas Lipstick in Fringe, $24, available at Kosas.
Calling a lip formula creamy and matte seems contradictory. But these lipsticks magically stay on for hours (and don't migrate to your teeth or chin) and feel almost balmy.
Maybelline Color Sensational Creamy Matte Lip Color, $7.99, available at Ulta Beauty.
This is a redder step up from your favorite your-lips-but-better shade. The smooth formula feels almost weightless, and the color is so forgiving that you can slick it on in a hurry without a mirror.
Buxom Big & Sexy Bold Gel Lipstick in Evocative Petal, $22, available at Sephora.
Not the traditional lipstick type? Go for this liquid version. The doe-foot applicator makes sweeping on color easy. Speaking of color, the brand carries a whopping 21 — from blush nude to vivid lilac — and none of them flake, fade, or feather.
Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick, $24, available at Sephora.
Formula-wise, NARS' Velvet Matte Lip Pencils have a lot going for them: smooth application, great pigment, and enough moisture to make them comfortable for daylong wear. Train Bleu is our go-to vampy hue for fall and winter because of how amazing it looks applied directly from the bullet or blended out with fingers as a stain. Although it's a pain to sharpen these, it also makes them the perfect lipliner replacements.
NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Train Bleu, $27, available at NARS.
We've waxed poetic about celeb makeup artist Troy Surratt's lip pencils before — and for good reason. The automatic bullet goes on with the precision of liner, and feels like a comfortable matte lipstick. The texture allows it to go on smoothly, but trust us when we say that it does not move. The best part? The color range has been expanded to include even more brights, darks, and nudes, so you're sure to find a hue you love.
Surratt Beauty Automatique Lip Crayon in Alluring, $34, available at Sephora.
Dry lips are an inevitable byproduct of many matte liquid lipstick formulas on the market, but not this one — it goes on creamy and stays feeling soft and comfortable throughout the day, without smudging, bleeding, or even transferring to the lid of your coffee cup.
Dior Rouge Dior Liquid, $35, available at Sephora.
This lipstick ticks all the boxes when it comes to hydrating mattes, but it goes one step farther because of how it wears. After a few hours, this formula fades but leaves a very even, pigmented stain. Sometimes, we're so lazy that we just apply this lipstick straight from the bullet in the morning and skip reapplication in favor of rocking tinted lips for the rest of the day.
Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet Luminous Matte Lip Colour in La Fascinante, $37, available at Nordstrom.
If you ask us, everyone needs a tangerine shade in their arsenal. This one from Nyx is a classic, and beloved by just about every blogger in existence for good reason: It feels luxurious and goes on opaque in a single swipe.
Nyx Cosmetics Matte Lipstick in Indie Flick, $5.99, available at Ulta.
A lengthy love letter to this line of lip crayons already exists in the Refinery29 beautysphere, but in short, they're highly pigmented, moisturizing-matte marvels that will last through just about anything (including cocktails and fries — we tested).
LOC Vibrant Matte Lipstick in Glam Life, $10, available at Birchbox.
This formula feels like a balm, but gives off smooth, pigmented color that never bleeds. And you snag it on sale for $10.
Urban Decay Matte Revolution Lipstick in Matte Bad Blood $10, available at Urban Decay.
You can't go wrong with this top-of-the-line, semi-matte formula from Nars. It stays creamy and lasts forever — even after hours of wear.
NARS Audacious Lipstick, $34, available at Sephora.
This matte lipstick won't fade in patches and still looks sexy and supple hours after application, so yes, there's definitely a reason it's called Pillow Talk.
Pro tip: Dab the lipstick on; don't glide it over your lips. That way you can pat the pigment in instead of adding too much, which could suck your lips dry.
Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution in Pillow Talk, $34, available at Charlotte Tilbury.
Some liquid lipstick can leave your lips flaky after just a few hours, but this velvet finish isn't just pretty on, it's soft to the touch!
Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick, $20, available at Sephora.
Primer helps this formula stay on from your morning coffee to your mid-afternoon salad — but even without, the color payoff is ridiculously bold...even in its darker hues.
R29 staffers have worn NARS' first-ever liquid lipstick through beach play, ice cream, and sweaty summer nights — and the color stays put through it all.
NARS Powermatte Lip Pigment in Starwoman, $26, available at Sephora.
Finding a nude that exactly matches your skin tone is rare, so when you do, you'll probably never want to take off. Thankfully, this formula won't leave your pout parched, so you can rock it from dinner at 6 p.m. to the bar at 1 a.m.
Tom Ford Boys & Girls in Katherine, $36, available at Tom Ford.
With 12 shades of nudes ranging from deep dark brown to pale beige, and all with a hydrating mousse texture, these $5 lipsticks live up to their fancy name.
NYX LIP Lingerie Liquid Lipstick, $5, available at Walmart.
Now here's a product that lives up to its name. These Lip Clouds really do feel light-as-air... but don't be confused: They go on very bold.
Em Cosmetics Lip Cloud in Faded Clementine, $16, available at Em Cosmetics.
For those more partial to a lighter, sheerer finish, any shade of the Glossier Gen G lipstick is a solid pick. With soft pigment payoff, a matte finish, and the feel of a balm, it's like your lips but better.
Glossier Generation G Matte Lipstick, $18, available at Glossier.
Mother knows best, so it comes as no surprise that Pat McGrath's very first matte lipstick is one of the best formulas we've ever tried. The long-wearing shades (which she used backstage at international fashion weeks for years without anyone knowing) dry beautifully, stay on forever, and have a precisely-pointed bullet that helps you line your lips without a hitch.
Pat McGrath Labs Lust: MatteTrance Lipstick, $38, available at Sephora.
We’d love the intense, long-wearing shades, weightless texture, and velvety finish of this smooth matte formula even if it didn’t come attached to the Fenty name — but the fact that it does makes it all the better.
Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Mattemoiselle Plush Matte Lipstick, $18, available at Sephora.
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Remember the old school topical lip plumpers? They stung like crazy. And if you happened to get ‘em on your finger, then touch your face, well, good luck dealing with the ensuing inflammation. Plus, derms weren't fans due to their tendency to irritate lips. A few years ago, dermatologist Chris Adigun, MD, told us something she still stands by today: “I would steer people away from menthol products — it does not serve any healing or hydrating property for the lips. It will impart a cooling sensation and some people really like that, but I wouldn't recommend that to anyone because it’s not going to make their lips better.” Still, irritation was a small price for a mouth that was a little fuller and poutier in mere seconds.
But that was then — and we're not going back. Now, there are a new crop of plumpers that amplify without the sting — and they’re quickly replacing our trusty standard lip balms. The latest versions pack major nourishing ingredients, like shea butter and plant-based oils, which means they’re primed to heal. Even better, they tap non-irritating ingredients to plump, like hyaluronic acid microspheres, which fill in the fine lines in the lips to make them appear fuller, and mustard sprout extract, which can have a plumping effect without the burn. Research shows the ingredient stimulates blood circulation and can increase lip volume when applied topically.
It's excellent news for those of us who don’t subscribe to the "beauty is pain" motto (or at least get the longer-lasting benefit of fillers if we do.) Meet the new gang of lip plumpers, ahead.
This pale-pink lip treatment marries the best parts of gloss and balm. It's loaded with hyaluronic acid, aloe vera, and honey to hydrate, and can be worn solo or on top of other lip products for a high-shine finish.
It looks like a lip balm and acts like a lip balm, immediately after putting it on, at least. But a few minutes after application, our lips started to feel a little Master Cleanse-ish, as if they had been coated in cayenne pepper. Any plumping effect was subtle, but we were impressed with the nourishment it delivered — thanks to the moringa butter, manuka honey, shea butter, argan, and jojoba oils.
Josie Maran Argan Lip Sting Plumping Butter, $23, available at Sephora.
Infused with lipids and hyaluronic spheres, this non-sticky gloss feels like silk and instantly fills micro-fine lines with zero irritation.
Sara Happ Plump & Prime Lip Airbrush, $28, available at Nordstrom.
Fun fact: A star ingredient in this soothing lip balm is an enzyme that baby salmon excrete to break down the eggshell so they can hatch. Research has shown that the same enzyme also eats away dead skin cells, and when used on the lips, can exfoliate away a top layer, causing lips to look more plump. Soybean seed extract is also included to help stimulate collagen production, though reaping benefits may take continued use.
“Collagen production from a topical does not work immediately, but can over time depending on the delivery system and the type of active used in the formulation,” notes Dendy Engelman, a New York-based dermatologist. Though continued use shouldn’t be a problem: The non-greasy treatment is so soothing and light, it has replaced our favorite everyday balm.
Restorsea Pro LipMagic, $35, available at Restorsea.
Judging by this pen’s liquid gel contents and metal rollerball applicator, we were expecting this plumper to go on in a goopy mess, but it neatly absorbed to a slightly tacky, matte finish immediately. Inside the pen are five hyaluronic acid ingredients, each with a different molecular weight designed to penetrate different layers of the skin. “Hyaluronic acid spheres need to be dehydrated to be absorbed in the skin of the lip, so the molecule is much smaller,” notes Dr. Engelman. “Once in the skin, they bind to the body's natural water molecules, in turn, plumping and firming.”
The formula did smooth our lips after immediate use, but the real results are designed to come after a month of three-to-five daily applications. Until then, we love using this syringe-like pen as a lipstick primer.
Fillerina Lip Plump Grade 1, $89, available at Fillerina.
In addition to using hyaluronic acid filling spheres, this lip oil from celebrity derm Dr. Macrene also includes peptides to boost collagen, something Dr. Engelman says can be effective with a month or two of use. Also included: ceramides, which “can definitely help with maintaining proper barrier function of the [top] layer of the skin [and] protect against chapping,” the derm says.
37 Actives High Performance Anti-Aging and Filler Lip Treatment, $95, available at 37 Actives.
This lip mask is a two-step treatment: Massage the coconut-and-sugar scrub on your lips, wipe it off, then place the oversized, hot pink paper mask on. You'll look like Mr. Potato Head, but you'll enjoy a lovely cooling sensation that feels as though a facialist is blowing an oxygen wand on your mouth.
Yes To Coconut Hydrate and Restore 2-step Lip Kit, $4, available at Yes To.
This double-barreled tube contains two lip treatments: a plumping one for day and a lipid-rich moisturizing balm for night. The tingle-free a.m. treatment uses a proprietary technology to help boost lips’ own fat cells and deploys tiny spheres of hyaluronic acid to retain water in the creases of lips for a temporary plumping effect. “I also love this product to prime before using a matte color or long-wear lip stain,” says NYC-based dermatologist and Dr. Brandt advisory board member Whitney Bowe, MD. “My lips get very dry when I use those products alone, but with this primer, they stay hydrated all day.”
Dr. Brandt Needles No More 3-D Lip PlumpFix, $39, available at Sephora.
This Kardashian-backed, mineral oil-based treatment is made with purified bee venom, so it does produce a minimal tingle after swiping it on (if you have a bee-related allergy, this isn’t the plumper for you). Whether due to the shiny finish it produces, the plumping ingredients within, or both, our lips did seem to look a bit bigger immediately after one use.
Manuka Doctor ApiRefine Lip Enhancer, $30, available at Manuka Doctor.
We’ve been using this creamy serum every night before hitting the sack for months, applied in a messy outside-the-lines fashion. Here’s why: Vitamin E, shea butter, Omegas 3 and 6, and calendula, flax, and jojoba oils, moisturize the lips and skin around them so well, it kept both areas from cracking and peeling this winter. After a few weeks of use, more pillowy-looking lips became our new normal, thanks to the plumping action of marine-derived microspheres. Though this sucker is pricey, it’s generously sized: after months of daily use, we still haven’t used half of what’s inside the tube.
Le Métier de Beauté Hydra-plump Lip Serum, $95, available at Neiman Marcus.
We’ll admit: Our disdain for lip balms in jars runs deep. (No matter how clean our fingers may be, it just doesn't feel that sanitary.) But this two-part ritual made us forget our neurosis — because it really seems to work. First, use the included silicone scrubber to exfoliate your lips (they made mine — and West Coast beauty editor Lexy Lebsack's — so incredibly soft), then splash lips with warm water and apply the hyaluronic acid-spiked balm. Our lips were so smooth, they looked more full, too.
Nurse Jamie NuLipRX, $26, available at Nurse Jamie.
Seated next to a chatty Cathy on a flight and need some peace? Nothing says “I can’t talk” like a muzzle mask over the mouth. But travel woes aside, this lip gel feels amazing when on (cooling, with absolutely no tingle) and is built with some pretty promising ingredients. In addition to hydrating red algae, the soothing gels contain swertia chirata, used in skin tissue engineering to treat burn patients and here, to thicken and fill the lips’ outermost layer of skin. Also included: the aforementioned mustard sprout extract, which research shows can boost blood circulation and increase lip volume.
Skyn Iceland Plumping Lip Gels, $35, available at Ulta.
Dermatologist-to-the-stars Howard Lancer’s eponymous skin-care line goes beyond just Kardashian-approved cleansers and body creams: This lightweight moisturizing serum (yes, serum) glides on lips and makes them feel nourished on contact, while also helping to increase collagen production over time.
Lancer Volume Enhancing Lip Serum, $42, available at Net-a-Porter.
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Black women are having a moment. We are everywhere, from the vibrant, fictional lands of Black Panther ’s Wakanda to the runways of New York Fashion Week and the viral debate clips on CNN.
And suddenly, we're being praised left and right. Thanks to a memorable Emmy's speech, former Master of None writer and star Lena Waithe and her new show The Chi are "hot right now." In last year's Alabama U.S. Senate race, Black women were hailed for saving not just the state but American democracy by showing up to vote, ensuring Doug Jones won the seat over racist sexual predator Roy Moore. And it took pop star Rihanna and her 40 shades of foundation to prove to the beauty industry that customers not only want inclusion — they crave it, rabidly.
But at Refinery29, we wanted to make sure that this long-awaited cultural awakening is not just a "moment" that will be forgotten after the 28th day of Black History Month. So R29’s Black writers came together to celebrate 20 Black women who are inspiring us right now. We each nominated women in our respective fields, from tech to fashion to entertainment, and then voted for the women we feel kicked down doors this past year, leaving them wide open for the rest of us. Black women who are reminding the world that we’re here — and we’ve been here.
Meet them, know them, share their wisdom. But remember: This is not just “a moment.” This is us, and this will always be us. We’re not going anywhere.
ILLUSTRATION BY NICHOLE WASHINGTON
The Equal Pay Warrior: Erica Joy Baker
The tech industry loves to glorify rabble-rousers. Unless, of course, that rabble-rouser is a 37-year-old Black woman. This tech engineer learned that lesson very publicly after she left Google in May 2015.
This screenwriter and director doesn’t have your typical Hollywood success story; it took quitting her stable corporate gig as a brand manager, going back to film school, and many nos before she found her breakout hit with the now Oscar-nominated Mudbound.
When a job didn't turn out to be as stimulating as she'd hoped, the Chicago resident turned to yoga and meditation — then founded a wellness destination for other Black women to see themselves included in conversations about mental health and health-conscious living.
As the costume director for HBO’s runaway hit Insecure and special projects like Jay Z’s celebrity-filled, Black-excellence-themed “Family Feud” video, the stylist is providing a platform for Black designers.
She's the vice president of national community alliances with Teach for America. But in her spare time, Packnett also manages to be both a writer and activist and is one of the Black Lives Matter movement's most well-known faces, thanks to her work coordinating the Ferguson protests and cofounding the police reform effort Campaign Zero.
Daley is proud of the fact that she got her start at the strip club. Her first big break in beauty came as a makeup assistant on The Oprah Winfrey Show: Fridays Live, before word of mouth led to her working with artists like Trina, Kelly Rowland, and Beyoncé. Her strip club days are now long behind her, and she's got one major mentor: Pat McGrath.
Since she started making comedy sketches on social media in 2015, the comedian has racked up over one million followers on Instagram alone — plus two million more on Facebook — by writing, performing, shooting, and editing all of her own original content. Now, she makes thousands of dollars per post.
Janaye Ingram is the director of national partnerships at Airbnb. She also happens to be the secretary and a logistical coordinator for the Women’s March. Those might not sound like natural matches, but Ingram believes that tech and activism have a synergic relationship.
If the 21-year-old accepts an offer from Bethany College, an NAIA division school in Kansas, she could be the first female non-kicker to ever be on a collegiate football team’s roster via scholarship.
Long before she was swapping one-liners with her TV best friend Issa on HBO’s Insecure, the actress was making audiences laugh via stand-up. And in 2018, she has major plans to bring us all even more big laughs.
Also known as The Kitchenista, this mom of two turned her personal passion into a career after being let go from her job as an accountant in 2012. For six years now, her successful blog, The Kitchenista Diaries, has been encouraging food lovers to try their own mouthwatering, healthy spins on Black cuisine.
Known as Hair by Susy, this stylist has been doing hair since she was 11. She's since braided names like Solange, Beyoncé, and Zoë Kravitz and is committed to making sure natural hair isn't just a passing trend.
During last summer's month-long "Good As Hell" tour, the rapper tore up stages across the country with sparkly leotards and pop-star-like choreography, single-handedly shifting representation for plus women in the genre — and she had a blast while doing it.
By day, the educator runs a resident program for teachers. But her life’s passion is spreading the gospel of unapologetic Black womanhood through her writing and her digital platform #BlackWomenAreForGrownUps, inspired by the idea that while #BlackGirlMagic is great, Black women deserve to revel in the space of their womanhood.
As the woman behind Nylon magazine’s recent Black History Month cover, Nike Sportswear ’s FashionAIR campaign, and NARS’ global social media holiday campaign, the art director and photographer is one of the few in her field who’s ensuring stunning images of Black women are a mainstay in fashion visuals.
Since her 2016 debut, the R&B singer has kept her persona a mystery. And though her identity has since been figured out — you might remember her as Gabi Wilson, the singer behind the 2014 hit “Something To Prove” — she’d still prefer to focus less on who she is and more on what she’s about.
At a time when the future of media is as uncertain as it is exciting, this businesswoman is finding inventive ways for media to thrive, everywhere from Russell Simmons' Global Grind — which she helped turn profitable in just two years — to Will Packer Media, where she currently serves as chief executive officer of WP Narrative.
In a world of size-two, blonde-haired yogis, there’s Jessamyn Stanley, a full-figured Black woman with natural hair who’s not just a yoga instructor but also an inspiration for Black women looking for a physical and mental awakening.
The former art and English teacher is now a multidisciplinary artist who celebrates Black womanhood through photography, illustration, and writing. She's the art director for Lauren Ash’s Black Girl in Om and cofounder of the social affirmation brand Lifestyle with Ivory + Ash.
It’s impossible not to feel excited about the future when you hear Marsai Martin’s story. The ABC actress has crafted an already-iconic sitcom character with the Johnson family’s youngest daughter, Diane, on black-ish. She's also scored the title of executive producer for Little, a film out next year that she dreamt up herself — all at the ripe age of 13.
Jennifer Lawrence and Jodi Foster are the new power duo you never knew you needed, and they're here to smash a dated tradition. Variety confirmed on Friday that the two award-winning actresses would replace Casey Affleck to present the award for Best Actress at the 90th Annual Academy Awards on Sunday.
Though the Best Actor winner typically presents for Best Actress the following year, Affleck withdrew his participation earlier this year. The decision came on the heels of the #MeToo movement and Affleck's alleged history of sexual misconduct.
"We appreciate the decision to keep the focus on the show and on the great work of this year," an Academy spokesman told Refinery29 regarding Affleck's decision in January.
The eloquently worded response is much more tactful than mine, but I'll say it anyway. BOY, BYE!
According to Variety, Lawrence and Foster aren't the only women shaking things up at this year's Oscars. Hollywood icons Dame Helen Mirren and Jane Fonda are also booting a man from the spotlight to present the award for Best Actor. Hmm, might it also be time to also replace the Oscars statuette with a leading woman?
This year's ceremony is bound to be one of the most feminist yet. This week, A Wrinkle In Time director Ava DuVernay confirmed during a press briefing that the ceremony would dedicate an entire segment honoring the Time's Up movement and the women who are fighting tirelessly to end income inequality, sexism, and sexual misconduct in workplaces across the nation.
"It's really important that you know that Time's Up is not about the red carpet," Shonda Rhimes told reporters, according to Variety. "And those women you saw on the red carpet representing Time's Up are now off the red carpet working their butts off being activists."
Since the beginning of the year, the Time's Up Legal Defense Fund has raised a remarkable $21 million, and from the sound of things they're just getting warmed up.
It's great to see the Academy take pressing women's issues so seriously. Hopefully, this push for equality will filter into Hollywood in the coming year, providing more representation for women and gender non-conforming folks in the industry, specifically those of color.
Just like there's a name for the irrational fear of balloons, or an irrational fear of chins, there's a name for the irrational fear of washing or bathing: ablutophobia. I do not have it, which is kind of a shame, because I'd love to have a medically sound reason to avoid washing my hair. Instead, all I've got is what I feel is a perfectly rational explanation for my extreme aversion: I hate washing my long, heavy hair because it makes my arms hurt and takes forever to dry, and what is there to like about any activity that wastes time and causes mild physical discomfort?
And so, most days out of any given week, I use dry shampoo. I use so much dry shampoo that I'm almost embarrassed to quantify it. Let's say, just to give a general idea, I go through a standard-sized bottle every two weeks. Or every week and a half, maybe. Anyway, does it really matter? The point is that, by the fourth day post-shampoo, each strand of my hair is probably composed more of dry shampoo than actual hair. And here's another thing: Second-day hair and fourth-day hair are two different beasts. Second-day hair has a little oil at the roots, nothing a spritz and a tousle can't hide; fourth-day hair, addressed incorrectly, can look like you're wearing a starched wig.
The average dry-shampoo user probably doesn't understand that tricky situation, but I do, and trendy hair-care brand IGK does, too. So they've come up with a brand-new solution for it: the First Class Charcoal Detox Dry Shampoo, a heavy-duty cleansing formula that goes above and beyond what you can expect from the average dry shampoo. The charcoal powder sucks up dirt, oil, and buildup to make hair look clean, and white-tea extract imparts a cooling, soothing effect to the scalp to make it feel clean. It smells like expensive perfume, and a little goes a long way, so you can coast straight through to day five worry-free.
Whatever your reason to avoid shampooing like the plague — color-treated hair, trying to save water, ablutophobia, just gross, I'm not here to judge — this powerful dry shampoo will make it possible to continue indulging your poor hygiene habits, your refusal to face your fears, or your biological aversion to waking up earlier to shower in the morning. And with all the time you'll save not waiting for your hair to dry, you'll have more hours in the day to watch all the strange phobia episodes of Maury from the mid-2000s. They're worth it.
IGK First Class Charcoal Detox Dry Shampoo, $27, available at Sephora.
Does Women’s March have an anti-Semitism problem? That is the question that has consumed corners of the internet all week, ever since Minister Louis Farrakhan’s spoke last Sunday at the Saviour’s Day convention in Chicago. Tamika Mallory, a co-president of the Women’s March who was in the audience for the speech, was even given a special shout-out from the stage by the controversial leader, spurring a furious backlash from the Anti-Defamation League and many Women’s March supporters.
On Sunday, Farrakhan gave a speech laden with anti-Semitic tropes: he made references to “powerful Jews” running the government and controlling Hollywood, blamed the Jewish people for apartheid, and praised anti-Semitic comments made by Billy Graham and Richard Nixon in the Oval Office years ago. He claimed that “the Jews were responsible for all of this filth and degenerate behavior that Hollywood is putting out turning men into women and women into men,” thereby adding a transphobic cherry to his mish-mash of anti-Semitism.
Soon after, CNN’s Jake Tapper wrote a Twitter thread condemning Farrakhan’s remarks and calling out Mallory’s attendance. Then the Anti-Defamation League, which released a report this week stating that anti-Semitic incidents rose 57% over the past year, likewise condemned the speech and pointed out Mallory’s attendance. From there, the criticism and outrage spread to Women’s March supporters.
“This one’s not hard,” tweeted writer Aminatou Sow.
Farrakhan said trans folks were invented by greedy hollywood jews to destroy the black community. This is one’s not hard @womensmarch
The Nation of Islam, led by Farrakhan since 1978, has been labeled a “hate group ” by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) for a long history of propagating anti-Semitic and homophobic rhetoric and conspiracy theories. Although the group’s influence has dwindled over the years, the SPLC ’s 2018 Year in Hate and Extremism report found that the number of Black Nationalist hate groups rose to 233 chapters in 2017, from 193 in 2016. SPLC links this rise to a backlash to the election of Donald Trump and a more pronounced rise in white supremacist hate groups. (Black nationalist groups, which are characterized by their anti-Semitic, anti-white, and homophobic rhetoric and conspiracy theories “have always been a reaction to white racism” the SPLC points out, but they “should not be confused with activist groups such as Black Lives Matter and others that work for civil rights and to eliminate systemic racism.”)
Despite this history, Farrakhan, who once called Hitler “a very great man,” remains revered among some activists for charitable work he’s done in African-American communities. He was the lead organizer of 1995 Million Man March to demand justice and strengthen unity among Black men and African-American families, and for his promotion of ideas, such as self-reliance, economic empowerment, and an emphasis on Black cultural identity.
In the year since the historic Women’s March on Washington and the founding of the activist organization that grew out of the original planning committee, the Women’s March co-chairs’ ties to Farrakhan and Nation of Islam have come up multiple times. In August of last year, just two weeks before White Nationalists descended on Charlottesville, Virginia, the New York Times ran an op-ed by opinion editor Bari Weiss, calling attention to Linda Sarsour, Tamika Mallory, and Carmen Perez’ relationship to Farrakhan.
In January, Refinery29 asked the organizers repeatedly for comment on Farrakhan, along with other controversies that cropped up over the year of the nascent organization’s existence. “In regards to Minister Farrakhan, I think that is a distraction. People need to understand the significant contributions that these individuals have made to Black and Brown people,” Carmen Perez told us at the time. “There are no perfect leaders. We follow the legacy of Dr. King, which is Kingian non-violence. We say we have to attack the forces of evil, not the people doing evil. We never attack people.” She also said she hoped people would have compassion for the organizers as they are still learning.
“As a white person, I have to unlearn anti-Blackness, and they have to understand where they have biases. I’m here doing that work, and so are they,” added Sophie Ellman-Golan, the deputy head of communications for Women’s March in the same piece earlier this year. When accusations of anti-Semitism came up, Ellman-Golan, who is Jewish, said she had multiple conversations with members of the Women’s March team about anti-Semitism and those conversations are ongoing.
But it remains unclear if Mallory is hearing her. She posted a video of the crowd on Sunday to her Instagram, and was seen clapping during Farrakhan's shout-out of the Women's March event, in which he added: "women have not been treated right by any government on this Earth."
— MINISTER FARRAKHAN (@LouisFarrakhan) March 2, 2018
“There is a persistent unwillingness to acknowledge that two of the organizers of the @womensmarch are groupies of Louis Farrakhan, whose anti-Semitism and homophobia rival Richard Spencer's,” wrote Yair Rosenberg of Tablet magazine, earlier this week.
“I wish my friend @Yair_Rosenberg was wrong about this. Actually he's 100% right,” added Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the ADL, in a retweet. “This reminds us that neither side of the spectrum is exempt from promoting or whitewashing hate.”
In response, Mallory published a string of tweets defending her record as an activist, but she stopped short of denouncing anti-Semitism or Farrakhan’s remarks. She also tweeted what some viewed as an “anti-Semitic dog whistle.”
If your leader does not have the same enemies as Jesus, they may not be THE leader! Study the Bible and u will find the similarities. Ostracizing, ridicule and rejection is a painful part of the process...but faith is the substance of things!
I am not a slave. I am a strong black woman who will not live in fear of any man or woman. You can try to take everything I have, but only GOD can have ME.
Family...thank you for loving me and for knowing the truth about who I am. My work speaks for itself...my words have been clear...my love for people is deep. Whatever else they say about me is a LIE. Thank you for continuing to hold me up. I stand on my reputation!
Funny how folks interpreted my mention of one having enemies the same as Jesus, as me describing a certain group of people. That’s your own stuff. My point...Jesus had a number of enemies as do all black leaders. Period point blank.
Refinery29 sent requests for comment on Thursday, to both Cassady Fendlay, communications strategist for the Women’s March as well as Ellman-Golan, but has yet to hear back from anyone in the organization. (Ellman-Golan wrote a Twitter thread herself about anti-Semitism on the left this week, but she stopped short of referencing Farrakhan, Mallory, or the controversy directly.) We also reached out for comment from past partners of the Women’s March — Emily’s List, Planned Parenthood, NRDC Action Fund, the ACLU, and GLAAD — and did not receive responses by press time.
“I think people have to ask Minister Farrakhan about his views. I’m not responsible for Minister Farrakhan, nor am I a spokesperson for him,” Mallory said in an interview with CPAC TV, a Canadian politics cable station, on February 18, ahead of a speech she made at a convention for Canadian progressive groups. “What I do know is that I’ve worked with Minister Farrakhan for many years to address some of the ills in the black community, where we’ve transformed lives… In those areas we have been able to work together. As it relates to some of the statements he has made and some of his personal views, people have to ask him about that.”
Noted activist and writer Shaun King, Democratic strategist Symone Sanders, and fellow co-chairs Bob Bland and Linda Sarsour have also come to Mallory’s defense, but the outrage continues to escalate as the silence surrounding the horrific anti-Semitism of Farrakhan’s remarks becomes deafening.
Sarsour, who has also faced claims of anti-Semitism which she has denied, skirted the issue by tweeting “PSA: Don’t hold people to standards you refuse to hold yourself to.” Perez doesn't appear to have made any public comment.
Bland followed up her support of Mallory and Sarsour with a request: “If only folks would talk TO them instead of ABOUT them, they would learn so much,” on Twitter. When followers replied asking how they might reach them or expressing disgust with Farrakhan’s anti-Semitism, Bland replied with various defenses of their views against homophobia and racism. Though she referred to conversations she’s had with “Zionists,” Bland did not address the concerns of anti-Semitism.
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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: an associate consultant working in health care IT who makes $49,500 per year and spends some of her paycheck this week on a cookie assortment from a local bakery.
Occupation: Associate Consultant Industry: Healthcare IT Age: 24 Location: Kansas City, MO Salary: $49,500 Paycheck (2x/month): $1,405.87
Monthly Expenses Rent: $655.50, which includes hot water and renter's insurance. (I have one roommate and my portion of the rent is a bit higher because I have the master bedroom.) Student Loan Payment: $158.33 Internet: $60, split with my roommate Utilities: $40-$70 Gym: $20 Cell Phone Bill: $114 Car Insurance: $124 Savings: $420. (I have 15% of my check automatically go to my savings account every pay period.) Netflix, HBO & Starz: $0. (I use my family and friends' accounts.) Apple iTunes: $4.99 401k: 6%. (My company matches 3%.)
Additional Expenses Dental, Medical & Vision Insurance: $55 per paycheck
Day One
11:05 a.m. — On the weekends, I like to take my time and ease into the day. I'm finally getting out of bed after scrolling through social media and browsing the web. It's such a bad habit to have in the morning, so I've been brainstorming better ways to start the day. I have plans to shop for groceries, do my hair, try to make D.I.Y. soap, and meal prep for the week.
11:36 a.m. — I receive a call from the Apple Store letting me know that the repair they did on my computer didn't fix the issue it had, so they need to factory reset my laptop to continue! Being naïve and thinking my computer just needed some simple fix, I didn't back it up. Over the last couple of years, I have been uploading all the pictures taken on my phone to my laptop and keeping somewhat of a photo diary. The photos hold such dear memories, especially of my little sister growing up and my amazing college times. I ask the Apple Store to stop what they are doing so that I can go get my laptop and try to salvage my data first. I become pretty emotional at the thought of losing those memories, and I get down on myself about not having backed up my computer first.
11:55 a.m. — I make steel-cut oatmeal and vent to my roommate about my computer situation. She's the best for hearing me out when I'm having these small breakdowns, and gives me a bit of hope that I can recover my data.
12:15 p.m. — My best friend calls to chat for a little while. After, I quickly do my skincare routine and throw on whatever is clean, plus a hat to cover my week-old braid out.
1:30 p.m. — I'm finally out the door but there is ice and snow covering my car, so I have to wait for it to defrost. A few minutes later, I stop by my leasing office to see the property manager about a late fee of $100 on our account, but she's not there. I have no idea what this is about – I always pay my rent on time every month. I leave a note with the staff asking the property manager to reach out so that I don't have to keep popping by the office.
2:14 p.m. — I go to Best Buy to purchase an external hard drive. Should have done this years ago! $60.81
2:50 p.m. — Arrive at the Apple Store where they tell me the bad news in person: Their fix was unsuccessful and my computer is having trouble rebooting. Before bringing it in for support, it took a while to reboot but it would at least turn on. I thought these people were tech geniuses! They suggest other places I can bring it to that might be able to recover my data before sending me on my way. I'm trying not to have a total fit and stay optimistic that someone, somewhere can help a sista out, but I'm infuriated.
3:57 p.m. — I stop by Trader Joe's while I'm downtown because there isn't one close to where I live in North Kansas City. It's super crowded and I'm truly not in the mood to deal with it. It's Sunday afternoon, so I should have known better. I grab onions, kiwis, potatoes, frozen pineapples, and basmati rice. $10.14
5:51 p.m. — I decide to go to the Sprouts because I do need groceries and I hope it'll be way less crowded. I should have come here in the first place – it's way calmer and I know exactly where everything I need is. I grab carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, pears, green and red bell peppers, cabbage, avocados, jalapeño peppers, spinach, bananas, blueberries, plantains (I've never cooked them before, but I'm excited to try), mangos, mushrooms, sweet potatoes, squash, alkaline water, coconut water, Thai curry paste, popcorn, black beans, tomato paste, Daiya vegan cheese, vegan yogurt, almonds, and garlic naan. $62.81
6:15 p.m. — I get home and unload my groceries while snacking on almonds and blueberries. As I unload, I listen to the Black Girl In Om podcast. I love how soothing their voices are and they always discuss amazing topics!
7:10 p.m. — Hop in the shower and wash and condition my hair. When I get out, I put my hair in a few big braids to let it air dry before I straighten it. My hair is naturally very curly and I've put heat on it about once a month, which has resulted in damaged, straight ends. I'm not ready to give up my flat iron — and I may never be because I love the versatility of my hair. I can wear it big and curly or it can be silky-straight!
7:30 p.m. — I try making sweet potato and black bean quesadillas and top them off with avocado and cilantro. I'm not vegan, but I consider myself to be a conscious eater. I've eliminated meat (except seafood) and dairy from my diet, but I don't beat myself up if I slip up. I'm only human — and my body has a harsh way of letting me know I messed up!
10:10 p.m. — Finally get around to blow-drying and straightening my hair. It's going to be a long night. I call one of my friends back who called me earlier, and then listen to the Improper Etiquette podcast. They have crazy ass stories on that show.
12:14 a.m. — Done with my hair and ready for bed! Throughout the process, I burn my hand with the wand curler and break my sink. Today has been a complete fail.
Daily Total: $133.76
Day Two
6:30 a.m. — My alarm goes off, but I hit snooze three times and don't get out of bed until 7:15. I think I'm groggy because my upstairs neighbors decided to have a screaming match around 3 a.m. I make a green smoothie for breakfast (spinach, celery, pineapples, lemons, coconut water, and blueberries) and grab a yogurt before leaving the house.
8:45 a.m. — On my way to work, a man came out of nowhere and sprinted across the highway! Thankfully, the road wasn't busy but he could have been seriously hurt. I settle into work and reply to a few emails, drink my smoothie, and have some Kite Hill Almond Milk Yogurt; it's only okay. I bought two different flavors, though, so maybe this peach one just isn't my jam.
11:04 a.m. — I snack on roasted and salted almonds and pumpkin seeds from home, but I'm really craving fries.
12:37 p.m. — I fulfill my desire and get a side of fries from the cafeteria at work to go with the sweet potato and black bean quesadillas from last night. They're soggy now but get the job done. I eat in front of my computer, like I do on most days. A few coworkers and. I occasionally walk to the café together and chat but there are often meetings right after lunch that we need to prep for. $2.06
1:38 p.m. — My leasing office calls to say they removed the $100 fee from my account. Apparently, they thought we underpaid rent by $5, but it was a mistake on their part. Damn right.
2:11 p.m. — I take a mental break from work to check social media and read a Money Diary. I also take my daily supplement cocktail: iron (I recently got blood work done, and my iron levels are below normal), B12, primrose oil, and Vitex berry. I started taking the berries to help balance my hormones. I've been suffering from some pretty bad hormonal acne and PMS, so I'm hoping this helps over time. I have acne-prone skin in general, but around my period it seems to get out of control. I have a dermatologist appointment coming up and am crossing my fingers.
5:35 p.m. — I get home and spend the next hour on social media, watching YouTube videos, and snacking on popcorn and blueberries. I'm in one of those lazy moods where I don't feel like cooking dinner but I need to eat. I still have some of the sweet potato and black bean mixture for quesadillas left, but I really don't want it. Until I decide, I turn on Grace and Frankie and try to troubleshoot my computer with Apple Support over the phone.
8:38 p.m. — After an hour and a half on the phone with Apple, there's still no fix. I schedule another call for Wednesday to do more troubleshooting and remain hopeful.
10:35 p.m. — Whenever I sit in my papasan chair, I have a hard time finding the energy to get out of it. It's so comfy! I get up to take a shower, do my skincare routine, do the dishes, and find something to eat. I settle on ramen noodles and throw together more quesadillas for tomorrow's lunch. I get in bed shortly after and fall asleep to Grey's Anatomy. (Yes, I've watched all 14 seasons.)
Daily Total: $2.06
Day Three
6:30 a.m. — Alarm goes off but I snooze until 7:15 again. My eye is slightly swollen from sleeping so hard on this side of my face! I brush my teeth with a charcoal and turmeric mixture I got from Marshalls a few weeks ago and get ready for the day. Because of my acne and scarring, I have to throw on a layer of makeup every day. I hate feeling like I need to wear it, but until I get my situation together, I need the confidence boost.
8:45 a.m. — At work! While going through my emails, I eat my entire pint of blueberries. To think I use to hate these things growing up! I listen to the newest episode of the Gettin' Grown podcast as I start working on spreadsheets for my client.
10:57 a.m. — Walk down to the vending machine to buy a mid-morning snack with my coworker and we chat for a while. She's freaking out about Valentine's Day and how the guy she's currently dating is super flaky. I'm single as a dollar bill, so tomorrow is just another day. I grab a KIND bar! $2.76
12:53 p.m. — Get around to eating lunch while finishing up spreadsheets.
4:27 p.m. — We have a team happy hour tonight downtown and I rush to finish up the day's work to meet everyone at a pub. We get a round of beers on the manager's dime and I get a Boulevard on tap. I make small talk with my team (my biggest pet peeve is small talk, but I realize it's just one of those things you have to do) and contemplate leaving early.
5:36 p.m. — I end up staying awhile at the happy hour and walk over to another bar with arcade games. My manager buys a load of tokens, so I play skee-ball. One of my coworkersz usually pretty collected and it's funny to see how he really gets down. Another coworker wants to buy me a drink to reach the tab limit of $10, so I get another Boulevard and hang around for more team bonding.
8:20 p.m. — I'm home and starving! I've been craving vegetable curry with basmati rice lately. I throw together curry with broccoli, golden potatoes, peas, coconut milk, vegetable broth, turmeric, cumin, and a bunch of other seasonings for dinner. It comes out delicious even though I'm slightly tipsy and throwing things together. I'm proud!
Daily Total: $2.76
Day Four
6:30 a.m. — Alarm goes off and I cancel it instead of hitting snooze. I fall back asleep but wake up around 7:30, thankfully!
8:45 a.m. — I'm settling into work, catching up on emails, and eating a banana and almonds for breakfast. A guy I used to date in college texts me: "Have a good day." It dawns on me that it's Valentine's Day, and I'm not sure if this is some sort of encrypted message! I don't overthink it and just send a quick reply.
9:30 a.m. — I have a meeting with my manager and I'm anxious: I intend to ask if I can work remotely and I'm nervous about getting pushback. This idea has been brewing for a while and my lease is up in a few months, so now is the perfect time to bring it up. Honestly, I've been unhappy living in Kansas City for months now. Moving to the Midwest was a huge adjustment, and I have no family and very few friends here. There is a growing community of young Black professionals here, but there aren't a lot spaces for us to get together without discrimination or even sometimes violence. Plus, the winters here? No thanks!
10:15 a.m. — Meeting went well! My manager will let me know in the upcoming weeks if I can officially go remote. We have a potluck at my job today to celebrate the holiday, so I go to a local bakery between meetings to buy an assortment of cookies. $19.06
12 p.m. — I brought my lunch today just in case there was nothing at the potluck to fit my diet. I decide to leave my lunch in the fridge for tomorrow and eat the Greek salad, veggies, spinach dip, and pasta salad that I brought and I grab one of the cookies, too. I sit and eat with my teammates until my 1 p.m. call.
5:35 p.m. — I grab a brownie before leaving work and make it home in 20 minutes. I have another call with Apple, but after five minutes of troubleshooting on the phone, they just tell me they need to schedule another Genius Bar appointment.
6:15 p.m. — I FaceTime my mom to vent about my computer drama and to see how her day is going. She tells me she used the facial and massage package I bought her for Christmas and that she's literally glowing. Jealous; I'm glad someone is doing self-care today! We end up talking for about two hours, which is the usual for us.
8:47 p.m. — Hop in the shower, do my skincare routine, and heat up some curry and garlic naan. While eating, I buy a one-way ticket for a weekend trip I'm taking soon for one of my best friend's birthdays. Being miles away from friends and family gives me major FOMO sometimes, but I try to make the big events. I'll buy the return trip using airline points. $111.27
10:35 p.m. — In bed, I binge watch season 4 of Broad City and Google ways to fix my poor laptop. I'm trying not to give up hope but I'm beyond frustrated. I make an appointment with Geek Squad to see what they can do.
Daily Total: $130.33
Day Five
6:30 a.m. — I'm awake on time today and read a chapter of I Am Malala before getting out of bed. While getting dressed, I listen to one of my favorite podcasts, The Friend Zone. In my head, Fran is my spirit animal, Dustin is my best friend, and Asante is my cousin.
8:30 a.m. — I check emails at work while eating my banana and drinking my green smoothie. Today's smoothie has spinach, pears, chia seeds, flax seeds, pineapple, and coconut water.
10:52 a.m. — I listen to Amanda Seales' podcast Small Doses. If you want to laugh out loud, please get into this show. I love her! A coworker shares a cookie with me and I take my daily supplements. I have been forgetting them for the last few days!
12:10 p.m. — Heat up vegetable curry for lunch and find a little nook in the office where I can hang out. I spend time watching Sophia Roe's Instagram Live Stories because this girl is goals. She gives great skincare and diet advice.
2:56 p.m. — I'm getting sleepy and snack on almonds, pumpkin seeds, and another half of a cookie. Eating will help me stay awake, right?
6:40 p.m. — I go to my appointment with Geek Squad and they do a data recovery on my laptop! I transfer cash from my savings to my checking account to cover the charge. $100
7:30 p.m. — Home and exhausted. I eat the last bit of curry left and sink into my papasan chair for a few hours. I peruse Instagram and YouTube and am in the bed by 10.
Daily Total: $100
Day Six
6:15 a.m. — I set my alarm for 15 minutes earlier than usual because we have a huge meeting today and I don't want to be late. I try to look semi-professional and slick my hair back into a neat ponytail. I grab a banana and I'm out the door by 7:45.
8:35 a.m. — I'm low on gas, so I stop at a station near my office. I fill up and grab a water from inside. $34.56
11:30 a.m. — The meeting lasts for two hours, so I take an early lunch and grab something from the cafeteria. They don't have too many yummy options, so I get the chef special salad. It comes with green apples, strawberries, chickpeas, red onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, spinach, and a fruity vinaigrette. I'm not thrilled with the salad, but I get my greens in. I grab a bag of popcorn to snack on afterwards. $7.69
12:15 p.m. — I'm having lunch with my coworker who is going to St. Louis this weekend. I tell her that I heard there's construction on the highway on the way there that could cause a delay, and she is so thankful for the information that she buys me sweet potato tots, lol!
1:37 p.m. — I decide to head home to finish up work, and listen to my all-time favorite podcast, The Read, during the car ride. Podcasts definitely help me get through the day.
5:06 p.m. — I'm still working when my roommate gets home. She's been out of town this whole week so we catch up on work and our personal lives for the next few hours. I'm too lazy to make dinner or order take out, so I whip up guacamole and call it a night.
10:07 p.m. — I'm all bundled up like a baby in bed, watching the last few episodes of Grown-ish. Yara Shahidi is just goals…and she's only 18.
Daily Total: $42.25
Day Seven
6:12 a.m. — Of course, my body actually wakes up on time when I don't have to go to work. I lay in bed for a while and read my book. Malala Yousafzai's story is one I will never forget. She has faced so much adversity and still stands up for her rights despite constant threats. I'm almost brought to tears by the stories she shares in this book.
8:30 a.m. — I'm out of bed and decide to go to a fitness class at a local gym, grabbing almonds on my way out. I'm the only one that shows up to the class, so I get my ass kicked. I should have eaten more before coming because I have zero energy and I'm so out of shape. My body is not happy with me and I realize I need to get back on track. My trainer has a yoga class tomorrow and invites me to come for free at her other gym! $7
11:05 a.m. — I'm back home and starving. I eat a mango while making another green smoothie. Knowing that I'll still be hungry after, I make a mushroom-and-roasted potato hash with zucchini, onions, and bell peppers.
12:30 p.m. — I spend the afternoon cleaning and listening to Soulection radio! I mentally start throwing together an outfit to wear to see Black Panther tonight. I'm so excited to see it – everybody has been talking about it!
5:37 p.m. — My roommate and I decide to go a crab boil restaurant that just opened a few months ago. As I walk in, everyone's plates look so good, and I decide to get the large plate with two crab clusters, shrimp, potatoes, and corn with Cajun seasoning. This was probably the best decision I've made all week – it's so delicious. The owner is super friendly and even gives use both a free serving of shrimp for trying out the restaurant. They have won me over! $29.87
6:43 p.m. — The movie theater is only 10 minutes away from the restaurant but parking is so bad in the city today – apparently because a cheer competition is in town. We find a decent parking spot about three blocks away. My friend buys popcorn and I sneak a few handfuls throughout the movie. I give her the money for my movie ticket, since she bought them online a few weeks ago. $13
9:18 p.m. — WAKANDA!!! OMG. Black Panther is a must-see. So many awesome themes, and the action scenes are fantastic. An all-Black superhero movie that has already broken multiple records brings me so much joy. I don't want to include any spoilers, but there is nice eye candy in the movie as well. Geek Squad calls and leaves a voicemail while I am in the movie to tell me that the data on my hard drive is unreadable. I officially give up on this mission to recover my data.
9:45 p.m. — My roommate and I walk over to Insomnia Cookies and the line is absurd. We wait anyway and I treat my roommate to cookies. $7.69
11:12 p.m. — My roommate and I always joke about being grandmas, but going out is so exhausting. I'm so happy to be in my warm and cozy bed.
Daily Total: $57.56
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Tomorrow, celebrities will be walking the red carpet for the Academy Awards. You may notice a theme. An orange flag pin will be dotting the lapels and dresses of celebrities. If this past year has taught us anything, it's that if we see a theme among the outfits at an award show, there is a message of change behind it. The orange flag pins are part of a campaign by Everytown for Gun Safety to support the prevention of gun violence and advocate for gun safety.
This awards season has been filled with celebrities advocating for change. Change for gender equality, change for survivors of harassment and abuse, and now change for a nation whose gun laws do not protect its most vulnerable in places they should feel safe.
In the two weeks following the shooting that took 17 lives at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL, students both from the school and across the country have been fighting to be heard and to finally make meaningful changes to our country's gun laws. Celebrities such as Harry Styles, Reese Witherspoon, Justin Bieber, and Amy Schumer have been using their platform to speak out against gun violence as support protests like March For Our Lives coming up on March 24. Others have shown their support through donations. Oprah recently donated $500,000 to March For Our Lives after being inspired by George and Amal Clooney who did the same.
The orange flag pin is not a new symbol for Everytown. In fact, you can buy one for yourself on their website. They come in packs of three to encourage buyers to "keep one for yourself, and bring two others into the movement."
Celebrities have gotten involved with Everytown in the past. After the mass shooting in Las Vegas last October, Emma Stone, Julianne Moore, Melissa McCarthy, and others took part in a PSA with the organization to demand stricter gun laws.
There is no word yet as to which celebrities will be participating or whether any of them plan on making a public statement in support of the movement. Refinery29 has reached out to Everytown for a comment and is awaiting a response.
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The beauty industry's latest fixation doesn't start with your skin — but with your gut. One of the less glamorous parts of the body, sure, but brands have recently started paying close attention to the connection between the health of the stomach and the appearance of skin. Whether it's ingesting probiotic-packed foods, drinks, and supplements, or applying topical products that promote good bacteria, your quest for problem-free skin should begin in the belly.
First, the basics: Probiotics are live bacteria or yeast that live in our digestive tract and help aid digestion. Lacto-fermenting is the method of introducing lactic acid-producing bacteria (lactobacillus strains) into foods. Although our stomachs already do this to break down sugar and carbohydrates and turn them into energy, Carla Oates, otherwise known as The Beauty Chef, says, "Often, we are stripped of these microbes through environmental sterilization, and eating foods that have no microbes because they've been washed and sprayed with pesticides."
Oates, who's been researching the implications of gut health for some time, started with lacto-fermenting foods after reading several academic papers that made the connection between the gut and the skin. "It's where the center of your immune system lies, it's where we make nutrients, metabolize hormones, neutralize pathogens, make neurotransmitters... Everything from our skin to the way we feel, our energy levels and overall health, our weight, blood sugar levels — it really starts in our gut," says.
Looking to miso in Japan, kefir and sauerkraut in Eastern Europe, and kimchi in Korea as examples of fermented foods that are eaten to preserve gut health, Oates says the results were astounding. "My skin was glowing, my tummy felt better, my toilet habits more regular, nails stronger, hair more lustrous; I felt a better energy and overall wellbeing," she says. "It was my 'aha!' moment where it all just came together."
As well as introducing those foods to your diet and supplementing any extra probiotics we may have lost through eating processed foods and living in urban environments, Oates suggests cutting out dairy. "It's highly inflammatory and hard for your digestive system to cope with," she says. "It can contribute to leaky gut, which is where you have a permeability in the lining of your gut wall and toxins and undigested food particles will go straight into your bloodstream, causing inflammation and allergic reactions. In turn, that also puts incredible stress on your liver, and we want our liver to remain extremely efficient to be able to get rid of excess hormones and all of the toxins in our environment and food."
By founding The Beauty Chef in 2009 with her first product, Glow Inner Beauty Powder, Oates decided to take her personal experience to the masses, hoping to help others discover clear skin and overcome eczema, acne, and other issues. Containing 24 organic, bio-fermented, and probiotic superfoods, the supplement can be added to smoothies, cereal, or mixed with water. Now, her offering includes bio-fermented probiotic elixir tonics for fighting environmental aggressors, collagen shots, and detox powders — all of which contribute to her cult following.
Appearing on the beauty scene more recently is Gallinée, founded by French pharmacist Marie Drago. After being diagnosed with pyoderma gangrenosum and Crohn’s disease, and following a three-month antibiotic course, Drago tried a probiotic diet in an effort to relieve her digestive symptoms, having read a study that appealed to her inner scientist. While her digestive symptoms did indeed ease up after around 10 days of eating gut-friendly food, she presses the fact that she isn't advocating a "miracle cure" for any kind of illness or disease; she's only sharing her personal experience. “Everyone is different and something that worked for me doesn’t mean it can work for everyone, but for me the changes were quite dramatic,” Drago explains. “I also found it had a very positive impact on my anxiety.”
Like Oates, when Drago looked further into the microbiome, she came to realize how much we were tampering with our own through the trappings of modern life. From antibiotics to pollution to over-cleaned vegetables, she found that "our modern lifestyles might be destroying a very important part of our own ecosystem, with serious consequences."
At an adult acne panel talk hosted by Cult Beauty recently, Oates referenced a group of studies exploring what is known as "the farm effect." "They sampled children who grew up on organic farms and had been exposed to soil, and found that they had incredibly rich microbial diversity," she explains. "They were really healthy, robust children who had less allergies and less skin problems. Then they took samples from children in urban environments like London, living on a very conventional English diet, and they had very low microbial diversity with a much higher rate of allergies, eczema and skin issues." While Oates isn't suggesting we all run out to our nearest city farm and eat the soil there, both she and Drago founded their brands on academic concerns linking modern life and an unhealthy gut.
Rather than exploring digestibles, Drago worked with a French university to test products on the skin, and Gallinée was born. Like Oates' lacto-fermentation, “probiotics used in cosmetics tend to come from the lactic acid bacteria family (lactobacillus). They have a soothing effect on the skin, as they seem able to modulate inflammatory response from the skin,” Drago explains. “So they will be good on sensitive skin, or to prevent aging. It’s all due to the anti-inflammatory effect of probiotics, that seems to reduce inflammation mechanisms triggered by the immune system overreacting. Less inflammation means less skin damage, so in effect preventing skin aging.”
Though she's launched a select range of topical products, from a super soothing and calming hydrating face cream to a cleansing bar that promises to work wonders at reducing redness for those with acne and rosacea, Drago also believes a probiotic diet is key. “I think it’s a nice combination when using my skincare,” she says.
Of course, what works for one person may have no impact on another, and it's irresponsible to claim that anyone can heal autoimmune illnesses or cure longstanding diseases through a microbiome-friendly lifestyle. But with probiotic foods having proved a healthy gut staple in many cultures across the world for thousands of years, and our contemporary urban environments giving rise to a larger number of skin issues, balancing the "rainforest" that lives in your gut — and on your skin — could well lead to the glowing, clear complexion you've been striving for.
Donald Trump has officially spent 100 days of his presidency, that is approximately 25% of the time he's been in office, at one of his golf clubs. Whether he is actually golfing each time isn't clear.
If you are wondering why this even matters: In the 400 or so days that he has been president, we have been conditioned to believe that unless we are at risk of nuclear war, it is not that bad. So something as seemingly innocuous could easily go unnoticed. For Trump, the golf trips have at their heart two key issues: hypocrisy and ethics.
"First, there is his hypocrisy in criticizing Obama for golfing and then playing much more himself," said Norm Eisen, the chief White House ethics lawyer under Obama, to CNN. "Then there is the fact that he is using his government platform to promote his businesses."
In August 2014, Trump had some choice words for Obama who, while on vacation went golfing shortly after delivering a statement about the death of American journalist James Foley. "Can you believe that, with all of the problems and difficulties facing the U.S., President Obama spent the day playing golf," he tweeted.
The subject of golf came up once again while on the campaign trail in 2016. "I'm going to be working for you. I'm not going to have time to go play golf," promised Trump. Trump is a man of many contradictions; s aying one thing and doing another is par for the course, pun intended. What makes it complicated is how his golf habits boost the bottom line of his own companies, in which he still has a financial interest.
Before taking office, Trump transferred his business holdings to a trust run by his sons; however, he did not sell off his holdings which means he could still be benefiting from the cash flow to his properties. Some watchdog groups question whether his endorsement of his own properties violates federal law. According to President Trump's 2017 financial disclosure released by the U.S. Office of Government Ethics in June 2017, he made $37 million from his Palm Beach, FL resort, Mar-a-Lago, from January 2016 through April 2017. At the time, the president has visited Mar-a-Lago 25 times since taking office. Forms for 2015 and 2016 show a profit of $16 million and $30 million respectively. It begs the question, if you can profit from being president, whose interests are you going to act in, your own or the American people?
When speaking to CNN Eisen added, "He is also mingling with representatives of corporate interests who are paying to play, and not just golf. Because they have business before the federal government, that creates more conflicts. Trump has hit an unprecedented ethics bogey."
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Aside from SZA, there are a lot of other people who like Drew Barrymore. And those other people are me. Sure, she comes from an acting dynasty and she produces her own show on Netflix, but after the set closes, she's just a woman wearing Crocs, sweeping on mascara while riding the subway. Basically, she's just like us — sort of. But my favorite thing about Barrymore has less to do with her anti-Hollywood habits and more to do with the fact that she spearheads a beauty line, Flower Beauty, that never exceeds $25. And my latest obsession is a new product that lets me finger paint on my makeup like I'm Barrymore's three-year-old daughter Frankie.
Now that Flower Beauty is launching at Ulta stores, the brand decided to drop three exclusive palettes for the beauty retailer. That's fine and dandy, but I really only care about one: the Austin Wanderlust Palette. At first glance, you'll notice three neutral shades that you might find in one of the Urban Decay's Naked palettes. But take a closer look and you'll see three unique shades you probably don't own... yet. Despite the fact all six are softer than a velvet chair from West Elm, it's the three stand-outs — lime green, navy blue with a glitter finish, and matte apricot — that have my credit card creeping its way out of my wallet already.
"I love when women put bright red or canary yellow on their eyes," Barrymore explained in a recent video for Refinery29. "But I also wanted to make a palette that’s very wearable." What I'm hearing: This palette helps you find a balance between the eccentric Barrymore aesthetic of '98 (bold, kind of crazy in a charming way) and her low-key, down-to-earth vibes of today.
Sadly, I'm not lucky enough to call myself one of Barrymore's offspring who will probably get to inherit storage units filled with Flower Beauty products one day, but I am lucky enough to say I'll be buying this $11 palette in bulk... before it inevitably sells out.
Flower Beauty Wanderlust Palette in Austin, $10.99, available exclusively at Ulta Beauty.
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"Last year, everyone who is famous died," began Mulaney. "This year, everyone who is famous wishes they were dead."
But why stop there, asked Kroll and Mulaney? They decided to come right out and name some names.
Mulaney shared a true story about meeting disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein. At the meeting, Weinstein complained about working in television, telling Mulvaney that his tombstone won't read ' Pulp Fiction,' it will read ' Project Runway.'" "You don't have to worry about that Harvey," said Mulaney. "Your tombstone will read 'double XL unmarked grave.'"
Kroll followed up with an anecdote working with disgraced director Brett Ratner, who apparently was "always scratching his balls." After a particularly, uh, thorough scrotum-scratch session, Ratner proceeded to walk over to a table and touch several doughnuts with his bare hands. "I thought, 'if this is how the guy treats doughnuts!'" said Kroll.
The duo then tackled the age-old question of separating the art from the artist. "With Kevin Spacey, can we still love K-PAX?" asked Kroll. "And what about Woody Allen, and his last 20 unwatchable movies?" began Mulaney. "Can I still not watch them, or must I reevaluate them based on new allegations that was public record 30 years ago?"
The trick is a comedic technique called punching up. It means that institutions of power are a far better target for comedic roasting than more marginalized communities. Jokes that punch up are intended to fry a bigger fish; they say something brutal and honest and hilarious about power structures. And last night, Mulaney and Kroll didn't just punch up, they went after the elephant in the room and exposed them for what they are.
If you're ambivalent about #MeToo jokes, that is understandable. It's a painful subject for many people, and on a macro level, it's a salient cultural moment that has impacted all of us. Jokes about #MeToo haven't always succeeded, and watching them has left me feeling conflicted, but Kroll and Mulaney made it funny by being completely savage about the things that hurt. They reminded us that these "great artists" who abuse others shouldn't continue to be venerated because of their art; sometimes they made bad art too! In the end, my ambivalence about #MeToo jokes continues, but hopefully more comedians can follow the steps of Mulaney and Kroll when crafting their own jokes. Maybe we just need more time.
You can watch Mulaney and Kroll's opening monologue below.
Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly identified John Mulaney as Mulvaney throughout.
A former producer for E! News alleges that she was fired after she allowed a pre-taped interview that was critical of the network to make it onto the air, reports the New York Times.
Aileen Gram-Moreno was a freelance telecast producer for E!'s live red carpet events. Her lawyer, Katherine Atkinson, told Variety that Gram-Moreno had worked for E! for 12 years in this capacity. She alleges that she was fired after last month's Golden Globes awards when an interview involving host Ryan Seacrest, Reese Witherspoon, and Eva Longoria was aired. In the interview, Longoria voiced support for E's previous anchor, Catt Sadler. Sadler left the network over an unequal pay dispute in December 2017, alleging that her male co-anchor, Jason Kennedy, was making twice her salary.
"We support gender equity and equal pay, and we hope that E! follows that lead with Catt as well. We stand with you, Catt," Longoria told Seacrest.
Actress Debra Messing first spoke out about Sadler's pay dispute on the Golden Globes red carpet to E!'s Giuliana Rancic. "I was so shocked to hear that E! doesn't believe in paying their female co-hosts the same as their male co-hosts," said Messing. "I miss Catt Sadler. We stand with her. And that's something that can change tomorrow. We want people t0 start having this conversation that women are just as valuable as men."
Gram-Moreno alleges that after the Messing interview was aired, she was asked to screen all pre-recorded interviews for additional mentions of Sadler. "They said, if there’s any mention of Catt in the preshow, make sure you flag it," she told the Times. "You’re censoring celebrities; it’s just not a good idea in my humble opinion. But it wasn’t my decision."
She says that she found the queue too large to screen, and the Longoria interview was accidentally aired. According to the Times, Gram-Moreno also alleges that she was originally scheduled to work on three more E! live telecasts, but her shifts were inexplicably canceled after the Golden Globes. "The executive producer said it was because you let the Catt mention get on air," says Gram-Moreno.
In a statement to the Times, E! alleges that Gram-Moreno's freelance contract was terminated for "performance issues" and that she initiated legal proceedings "after her request for a financial settlement was turned down."
E! also states that they did not censor celebrities who were critical of the network and Sadler's alleged salary dispute and that they support the Time's Up initiative. One of Time's Up's main missions is to address gender pay disparities.
E!'s president, Adam Stotsky, also told the Times that "If we were trying to censor [celebrities], which is [Gram-Moreno's] primary thesis here, we certainly wouldn’t have done that," referring to the fact that Messing and Longoria's critical interviews were aired. He says that an additional critical interview with actress Natalie Portman that was not aired for time but was later posted online.
Catt Sadler responded to the reports of alleged celebrity censorship on the red carpet. In a statement she provided to Variety, she said that "It’s disappointing that any network would order the censorship of opinions. “But it’s particularly disturbing in this case because we are at a cultural tipping point where women feel more and more comfortable being vocal about issues like pay equality and sexual misconduct. To shut down those conversations is to stifle progress."
E!'s upcoming Oscars red carpet coverage has been the subject of scrutiny since host Ryan Seacrest was accused of sexual harassment by his former stylist Suzie Hardy. Seacrest has denied the allegations. The network has stood by their host, telling Refinery29 in a statement that the network's outside counsel investigated the claims thoroughly.
Activist and #MeToo founder Tarana Burke criticized the decision to allow Seacrest to host the telecast, telling Variety that "they really shouldn’t send him [to the Oscars]. We shouldn’t have to make those choices of, ‘Do we or don’t we?''"
Variety spoke with celebrity publicists whose clients are members of Time's Up, and they indicated that they may skip speaking with Seacrest on the red carpet at tomorrow's Academy Awards.
Refinery29 has reached out to Gram-Moreno's legal representation, E! News, Seacrest, and Time's Up for comment and will update this story accordingly.
This is a breaking news story. It has been updated throughout with new information as it becomes available.
At the 2018 Golden Globe Awards, the Hollywood-helmed Time's Up initiative members wore black gowns as a symbol of their solidarity against sexual abuse, pay inequality, and discrimination. Actresses brought activists like Tarana Burke as their dates and allowed them to use their voices on red carpet interviews. It was a well-organized, if imperfect statement.
At the 2018 Academy Awards, things are going to be a little different. The Oscars will still address sexual harassment in a segment produced by Time's Up. Three of disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein accusers will also present an award together: Ashley Judd, Salma Hayek, and Annabella Sciorra.
The red carpet won't be the avenue of protest, explains Shonda Rhimes, Laura Dern, and other Time's Up activists, reports Glamour. Rhimes explained that the red carpet isn't the only way that Time's Up wants to get their message across. "It’s really important that you know that Time’s Up is not about the red carpet," said Rhimes. "Those women you saw on the red carpet representing Time’s Up are now off the red carpet working their butts off being activists."
Time's Up's black gown dress code at the Golden Globes wasn't without its critics, including Refinery29's own Connie Wang. Actress Rose McGowan countered the black dresses by calling it a "silent protest" while others on social media criticized the dress code as hollow. It's unclear if Time's Up is cynically reacting to the blowback it received for the black gowns, or if the initiative is simply evolving into other forms of protest.
Still, Rhimes insists that the most important work is being done behind the scenes. Indeed, in any forms of activism, the least visible work is often the most consequential, and that strategy is just as important as statements. Referring to the activists on the red carpet, Rhimes said that "some of these amazing women have a superpower, and we like to deploy that superpower usefully and in an intelligent way—and not just because we can."
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.
What would any of us do without our jeans? They're the first thing we reach for when we get dressed most mornings. We're so loyal, in fact, that sometimes we have to make a conscious effort to wear bottoms that aren't denim. But apparently, there are some folks among us who are all about changing up their pants game for a pair of leather ones instead — because the Scarlett leather jogger from n:Philanthropy can't even stay in stock.
The pants, which merge the comfort of track pants with the elevated look of (faux) leather, are currently sold out on both the brand's own website and on Revolve. In fact, they've sold out four times, and this time, all sizes sold out just after a week of being restocked. Clearly, these bottoms are in high demand. So, if you've been looking for a safe, trusty alternative to your usual jeans, these could make a promising case — that is, whenever they restock next (the brand tells us they're aiming for May 1).
In the meantime, click ahead to scope them out, along with some similar options in case you just can't wait.
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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 financial software sales executive working in Saas sales who makes $95,000 per year andspends some of her paycheck this week on melatonin.
Occupation: Financial Software Sales Executive Industry: Software Sales
Age: 27
Location: New York
Salary: $95,000
Paycheck Amount (2x/month): $2,256
Monthly ExpensesRent: $1,350. (My boyfriend owns the two-bedroom apartment we live in and I pay him much less than market value.)
Student Loan Payment: $120, from my Master's degree in finance. (I have about $8,000 left to pay off.)
Phone Bill: $110
Gym Membership: $60
Yoga Studio Membership: $99
Health Insurance: $215
Roth IRA: $600
GMAT Study Prep: $99
Metro Card: $121, with my flexible spending card.
Psychiatrist Sessions: $200, not covered by insurance.
Day One
5 a.m. — It's Monday and my alarm goes off. I wake up this early to get in some GMAT studying before work – I'm on the waitlist at my top choice school and am retaking the exam so that I can hopefully make it off the waitlist. Out of the four schools I applied to, I was accepted to one and waitlisted at three. I enjoy getting up early and starting my day productively, but I am looking forward to getting this test over soon – finally, a light at the end of this 14-month tunnel! I chug a glass of warm water with lemon (like I do every morning), but it doesn't go down well for some reason. I eat two eggs with Sriracha for an energy boost.
8 a.m. — Wrap up studying and put on The New York Times's The Daily podcast and then NPR's Up First. No time to linger since I need to be in the office before 9 today to prep for the weekly sales meeting. I brush my teeth and wash my face before getting dressed. I bring my boyfriend his breakfast of peanut butter, Nutella, and sliced bananas on potato bread. I make a point to make him a sandwich in the morning because his Mondays are packed with meetings and he doesn't have time to sneak in a bite at the office. I pack up the grilled chicken ranch wraps I meal prepped yesterday, kiss him goodbye, and head downtown to my office. During my commute, I put on Pod Save America and catch up on political news.
8:58 a.m. — Arrive at the office with two minutes to spare! I make myself a cup of green tea and join the meeting. Every Monday it's the same drill: not enough sales and we need more business. This company is the definition of a boy's club. One of the things I wrote about in my business school applications was the need for women to be more visible in male-dominated industries and to have more of a support system.
12 p.m. — Out of the meeting just in time to jump on a client discovery call. This client found us through a Google search and I need to run through a list of questions to ensure our product is the right solution for his firm. The call goes well and we schedule a follow up demo for him to review our products. I eat yogurt with a banana for breakfast that I brought from home while sending out emails.
1 p.m. — I'm starving, so I go to the kitchen and heat up my chicken wrap. I also have two dark chocolate Hershey's Kisses and a handful of almonds from my snack drawer stash.
2 p.m. — I'm feeling sleepy so I get up to take a walk to keep from falling asleep. I go to a nearby coffee shop and get a slice of lemon poppy pound cake that I buy with a gift card I have.
3 p.m. — Jump on an hour-long client demo with the CFO of a private equity firm. Lots of questions and follow up items. Sigh. The deal definitely won't close this month.
5 p.m. — Leave the office and walk over to the SoulCycle studio a couple blocks away. I make it in time for a 5:30 class with one of my favorite instructors. Her music mashups are on point and I always walk away sore but smiling. Each time I go, I rent shoes and get a water for $5. I figure it evens out, though, since I bring my lunch to work every day. $37
7 p.m. — Stop by the market underneath my apartment building and pick up a baguette, a loaf of potato bread, bananas, kale, basil, tomatoes, pepperoni, spicy turkey, lemons, frozen tater tots, and Swiss cheese. I usually split the grocery cost with my boyfriend but today I'm feeling generous. $66.50
8 p.m. — I pour myself a glass of wine and make sandwiches with the pepperoni and spicy turkey. I bake tater tots, too, and then my boyfriend and I eat dinner while watching Breaking Bad. I never got into the show when it first came out so I'm going through the series for the first time. My boyfriend is re-watching but he doesn't remember much of the plot, so my efforts at getting him to tell me what happens next are useless.
10:30 p.m. — After cleaning up, I get in bed and read A Little Life. I set an alarm for 30 minutes because this book is so hard to put down. Put on the Daily MeditationPodcast and lights are out by 11:30.
Daily Total: $103.50
Day Two
5 a.m. — Alarm goes off. Chug warm lemon water and study for GMAT. Eat two hardboiled eggs.
8 a.m. — Put on the The Daily podcast and get ready for work. Make my boyfriend his usually peanut butter banana sandwich and one for myself for breakfast #2 before taking the subway downtown to work.
10 a.m. — After checking emails and scrolling through the news for an hour, I eat my peanut butter banana sandwich.
11 a.m. — Sit down with my manager to discuss my pipeline and ways to get more qualified leads.
1 p.m. — Today's lunch is another grilled chicken wrap with ranch and whole wheat tortilla. My office has free cashews, peanuts, and almonds so I get a cup of mixed nuts to eat along with my wrap.
2 p.m. — Jump on a demo and make a sales pitch to a firm.
5 p.m. — Out the door! Rush to the subway because I'm trying to make a 5:30 hot vinyasa class in midtown. I've been going to Yoga to the People for the past four years. When I moved away from the city for six months, it was one of the things I missed most. I get their monthly unlimited class pass and try to come twice a week. I rent a mat and towel and buy water before settling in for two hours of class. $5
8 p.m. — Leave the studio feeling refreshed! Decide to stop by Maison Kayser to pick up a baguette and two chocolate chunk cookies. I nibble on the baguette on my way home and then stop by a market to pick up mixed greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, feta, and Italian dressing for salad. $45.87
9 p.m. — I shower and then eat dinner with my boyfriend – sandwiches again with a side salad. I make a lemon ginger green tea to stay hydrated after sweating so much at yoga. I'm in bed after eating two melatonin gummies and then I pass out by 10:30.
Daily Total: $50.87
Day Three
5 a.m. — Alarm goes off. Lay in bed for two minutes while procrastinating getting up. I mentally bribe myself with the promise of a delicious breakfast and then I'm in the study groove within ten minutes. I chug my warm lemon water and have a productive GMAT study session. I eat cheddar and fig on the Mayson Kaiser baguette with drizzled chocolate balsamic sauce.
8 a.m. — Same routine: put on The Daily and get ready for work. Make my boyfriend his usually peanut butter banana sandwich and one for myself and then head to work.
9 a.m. — I send out 50 cold emails for work.
12 p.m. — Today's lunch is again chicken wrap with ranch. I usually meal prep on Sunday so lunch for the week is the same every day. I find that as long as I switch it up week to week, I don't get sick of the food. One of the guys on the project management team just got back from Canada and brought maple cookies. I eat two and chat with him about his trip. I learned that he was in Canada visiting his wife's family. This guy is two years younger than me and has been married for a year. It's crazy how different people's lives are.
5 p.m. — Dash out the door and head home. I change into workout clothes and walk to the gym near my apartment. I walk one mile and then run four on the treadmill while watching Gossip Girl. It's so scripted but so addicting.
7:30 p.m. — Stop by the market and grab gnocchi, pine nuts, parmesan cheese, graham crackers, yogurt, and frozen stuffed clams for dinner. Venmo request my boyfriend for half. $32.50
8 p.m. — Shower and then listen to the Good Food podcast while making gnocchi with pesto and kale salad with lemon-shallot dressing. I put the baked clams in the oven and pour myself a glass of wine. For dessert, I layer the graham crackers with sliced bananas and top it all off with Siggi's drinkable yogurt and cinnamon for a healthier version of banana pudding. My boyfriend jumps on a conference call and I make silly faces at him while he's talking.
9 p.m. — My boyfriend is finally off his conference call and we sit down for our meal. I baked way too many stuffed clams and now we'll have leftover for days. Everything was delicious and we're both way too full, but of course there's always room for dessert! We each have a bowl of banana pudding and I head to bed. My boyfriend stays up late working, but I eat melatonin gummies and fall asleep.
Daily Total: $32.50
Day Four
5 a.m. — Alarm goes off and I'm feeling grumpy. My boyfriend was not as quiet as he thought he was when he came to bed at 4 a.m. I got woken up because I'm a light sleeper, hence why I need the melatonin. I chug warm lemon water and attempt to study.
7 a.m. — Today's just not my day. I'm trying to study but I'm just not comprehending the words. I decide to take a break and watch Peggie Neo's Mukbang. It's a Korean-style eating show, which at first I thought was ridiculous but after watching a few episodes on Youtube, I can't stop. Watching makes me hungry so I make a packet of Asha healthy ramen with two eggs and then order another five packs of it on Amazon. $10
9 a.m. — Get to the office and it's a ghost town. Read a few articles in TheNew Yorker and try to look busy. Order groceries from Instacart and get challah bread, shrimp, broccoli, yogurt, granola, bananas, milk, cheese, eggs, Cape Cod chips, and lemons. I Venmo request my boyfriend for half. $76.50
12 p.m. — Even though I had a big breakfast, I'm starving today. I wolf down my wrap and am still craving something sweet. I decide to head to Duane Reade to grab a chocolate chip Complete Cookie. The cashier talks me into buying three since they're on sale. I've been obsessed with these lately. They have 16 grams of protein and 400 calories per cookie and they taste great. $9
3 p.m. — Feeling sleepy so I force myself to do a lap and grab a La Croix. My office has free La Croix, which is a great perk. I usually eat lunch at my desk, so most days I find myself sitting for eight hours straight. I try to get up every hour to socialize with coworkers.
5 p.m. — Leave the office and head to a Rumble class. It's a 45-minute HIIT/boxing class that has water bags instead of sandbags, which are supposedly better for your knuckles. I've been doing Rumble once a week for the past seven months and have noticed more definition in my abs and arms. Plus all the instructors are hot, the music is great, and the locker rooms are stocked with beauty products. $39
7 p.m. — Shower and then get a text from my friend who's hanging out at a bar in Hell's Kitchen. I'm a sucker for a $5 frozen margarita so I Uber over. It's packed but we grab a table. My friend fills me in on the latest gossip at his office (where I used to work). We're two drinks in when I realize I'm starving. We order loaded nachos, pulled pork sandwiches, and sliders. The food tastes amazing because I'm buzzed and we inhale everything in 10 minutes. We split the check. $84.50
9 p.m. — Get texts from my friends who work in finance and are just getting out of work. I decide to get an Uber and meet up with them at another bar. $15.49
9:30 p.m. — I grab glasses of wine for us and then hang out with my friends and their coworkers. There's talk of getting a table at a rooftop lounge next. All of college, I had a hard time saying no to social obligations and always felt guilty telling my friends when I was staying in. It's gotten better since, but it's still something I struggle with. I tell my friends that I can't go the next bar because I have a 10 a.m. work call and need to be home by midnight. $40
11:50 p.m. — As the group gets ready to move to their next destination, I sneak off in a cab. I set my alarm for 8 a.m., say a quick hello to my boyfriend, and am in bed and asleep by 12:20. $24.76
Daily Total: $299.25
Day Five
8 a.m. — Alarm goes off and I'm hungover. I forgot to chug water last night and my throat feels like it's on fire. I snuggle up against my boyfriend and hit snooze. I stare at the ceiling, willing myself to get up, but I can't. Seriously thinking about calling in sick but decide against it since I'm taking two days off next week.
8:30 a.m. — I begrudgingly get dressed and head out. Grab a bacon, egg, and cheese on an everything bagel from a coffee shop next to the office. I usually don't drink coffee because it makes me jittery, but today I get a black medium roast from Starbucks. The bagel makes everything slightly better. $9.65
10 a.m. — Client cancels the call 10 minutes before the scheduled time. My friend texts me freaking out about her current hookup situation with one of her coworkers. My headache has gotten worse and now the nausea has set in, so I'm not in a place to give good advice.
12 p.m. — I can't tell if I'm hungry or just hungover, but I head out in search of lunch. I decide to get a tuna sandwich from Potbelly and skip out on sides to save money. $11.50
4:30 p.m. — Every Friday, our CEO takes everyone out for happy hour. It's two hours of unlimited drinks and fried appetizers. After two glasses of wine and fries, I've miraculously recovered and am wondering if I should have added whiskey to my coffee this morning. Hair of the dog is no joke!
7 p.m. — Leave happy hour and subway home. My boyfriend is home but working. We decide to order pizza for dinner and he puts it on his Amex. I sit on the couch and watch Gossip Girl until the food arrives. We watch the first episode of Better Call Saul while eating dinner. Then we have more of the “healthy” banana pudding and chat about our respective weeks.
10 p.m. — In bed and reading my book while my boyfriend cranks away on his laptop next to me. He wraps up work and we do the Wednesday New York Times crossword in bed. We don't attempt the Thursday or Friday ones because they're just too challenging. We finish without looking up clues and I fall asleep on his shoulder.
Daily Total: $21.15
Day Six
9 a.m. — Wake up and decide to make peanut butter-and-banana-stuffed challah French toast. I combine eggs, melted butter, honey, milk, and cinnamon and then soak the sliced challah in the mixture. While the French toast cooks, I put together yogurt parfait bowls by layering Siggi's with granola, blueberries, and drizzled honey. My boyfriend comes in the kitchen in search of coffee and is very excited about the breakfast.
11:45 p.m. — Arrive at Yoga to the People for the 90-minute noon class. I show my monthly membership card and then rent a mat and towel. $4
2 p.m. — Get home, shower, and eat a Cadbury fruit and nut chocolate bar, which my boyfriend brought back from his recent London trip. I sit down and start a four-hour GMAT practice test that I purchased from the MBA website. $60
8:30 p.m. — After reviewing my errors, I'm finally done with studying for the day! I decide to make sushi for dinner so I head to the market to grab tuna steak, wasabi, avocado, and pickled ginger. I recently learned how to make sushi and it's surprisingly easy and a lot cheaper than ordering from Seamless. I make six rolls: three spicy tuna and three California. $19.50
9:30 p.m. — Dinner is served and I have a glass of wine with my delicious homemade sushi. One of my goals for this year was to cook more and eat out less. So far, we've only ordered delivery once in three weeks. The wines I've been drinking are from the WSJwine Club. I got a case of 12 wines as a Christmas present and have been making my way through the reds.
11 p.m. — Read in bed with my boyfriend and start Sunday's NYT crossword.
Daily Total: $83.50
Day Seven
10 a.m. — Decide to go to the gym before breakfast. I run on the treadmill for 60 minutes while watching Gossip Girl. Then I stretch and head home, picking up two venti iced chais from Starbucks on the way. I shower and heat up leftover French toast for breakfast with yogurt. $15.34
12 p.m. — Sit down and study for the GMAT. It's frustrating getting the same questions wrong over and over again and not being able to find a satisfactory explanation for the correct answer. I eat more Cadbury chocolate and continue.
5 p.m. — Feeling burnt out, I decide to call it quits for the day since I will be resuming in 12 hours. I make kale salad with lemon-shallot dressing and heat up leftover pizzas for dinner.
6 p.m. — My boyfriend has conference calls until 8 so I decide to meal prep and make chocolate pecan blondies while waiting for him to finish. Run down to the market and grab King Arthur white whole wheat flour, chocolate chips, butter, pecans, vanilla extract, baguette, mixed greens, and tofu. I roast the tofu in BBQ sauce and make four tofu sandwiches with the baguette and mixed greens. I bake the blondies and decide to bring half to the office for my coworkers tomorrow. $35.60
8:20 p.m. — My boyfriend finally finishes his calls and we have dinner and watch SNL. He is very excited about the blondies so he gives me a bear hug and several wet smooches. He always works late on Sunday nights so I say goodnight and head to bed without him.
9:30 p.m. — I finish my book in bed and then order Celeste Ng's Everything I Never Told You($14.52) on Amazon for my next read, along with four bottles of melatonin gummies. Set alarm for 5 a.m. and then lights are out by 11. $74.48
Daily Total: $125.42
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Last week, current Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan—a well-known anti-Semite —gave a speech where he said “the powerful Jews are my enemy” and that he had “pulled the cover off of that Satanic Jew and I'm here to say your time is up, your world is through.” Other previous Farrakhan highlights include saying the Jews were behind 9/11 and calling Adolf Hitler a “very great man.”
That alone is a story. But it doesn’t end there.
Soon after the speech, news broke that Women’s March leader Tamika Mallory was in attendance; she even received a shout out from Farrakhan during his address and posted about the event on social media. Meanwhile, Women’s March leader Linda Sarsour has collaborated with the Nation of Islam in the past, and Carmen Perez defended Farrakhan in the past, telling Amelia Harnish in January that there are “no perfect leaders” and that people need to understand Farrakhan’s contributions to Black and Brown circles.
Understandably, the Jewish community — particularly people who have supported the Women’s March and other social justice causes — wanted answers. We also wanted something that most thought would be pretty simple for a bunch of women who spend their days parading around their intersectionality: We wanted them to denounce anti-Semitism and the words Farrakhan said against Jews. This isn’t a new thing; after all, we ask public figures to denounce awful people and hate speech all the time.
To say we didn’t get that is an understatement. Instead, we got Tamika Mallory posting a bizarreseries of tweets calling valid criticisms “bullying” and refusing to apologize for her support of Farrakhan and her lack of denouncement regarding his words. Linda Sarsour suddenly decided that she was very cool with silence and just retweeted one of Mallory’s tweets, as did Bob Bland. Carmen Perez took it one step further, quote-tweeting Mallory and saying something about the national organizers’ “lifetime commitment to liberation.” Missing from that? A condemnation of Farrakhan.
At this point, here’s what I’ve got to say to all of them: You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.
The past several years — since, quite frankly, the start of Trump’s campaign for president — have been particularly difficult for lots of people. Guess what? That includes Jews. Neo-Nazis chanted “Jew will not replace us” in Charlottesville. Jewish cemeteries were desecrated. Hundreds of Jewish schools and organizations received bomb threats. In fact, within the same 48 hours that Farrakhan gave his anti-Semitic speech, the Anti-Defamation League reported that anti-Semitic acts in the U.S. spiked 57% in 2017 over the previous year.
And as awful and traumatizing as these moments are, what’s also bad is watching people be more than happy to erase anti-Semitism from these narratives. I wrote about this erasure during Charlottesville back in August, and more recently, we’ve seen a co-optation of the well-known Holocaust term “never again” being used to memorialize the Parkland shooting victims. I’ve been very vocal about my support and love for what the Marjory Stoneman Douglas teenagers are doing, and I don’t blame them at all for the oversight; if this phrase was going to be used for anything, I’m glad it’s going to something as meaningful as ending gun violence in this country. Still, it’s very uncomfortable to watch a term you’ve used to talk about your family and people’s own heritage and history be taken away overnight. This also doesn’t even begin to describe the erasure of Jews of color from practically every American narrative; as Diane Alston noted, there are Black Jews who are more directly impacted by Farrakhan’s words, not to mention Black members of the LGBTQ community and other groups who’ve been targeted by the Nation of Islam leader in the past. What do the Women’s March leaders say to them?
In 21st century America, anti-Semitism doesn’t necessarily manifest itself the same way other oppressions and marginalizations do. But there’s an underlying pain in knowing that when it comes to social justice, you’re essentially told you’re on the bottom of the totem pole, and leaders of many so-called “progressive” movements want it that way; to them, you’re completely negotiable, and no amount of conversation changes that. The oppression that your ancestors and the people around you have suffered is seen as just some point in a history textbook. Despite all the talk about intersectionality, many of these people think it’s perfectly acceptable to leave out Judaism, often for reasons that have nothing to do with faith itself or the reasons why Jews have been brutalized for centuries. The Women’s March leaders aren’t special; they’re just the latest group of people to reveal themselves. And in this case, they’re not even trying to pay us lip service.
But here’s what gets me about these women in particular: Demanding other people examine the issues that are most uncomfortable to them while not doing it yourself is disgustingly hypocritical. And as I tweeted on Saturday, just because you’re intersectional and educated on certain issues and doing great work in those spaces doesn’t mean you’re intersectional and educated on all issues. We can all always do better.
For the past several days, I’ve ruminated on a bigger question facing Jews: Where does that leave us? The Women’s March leaders have spent the past 16 months making this big deal about not staying silent and not being complicit. So using their own logic, I don’t think they’ll mind if I take their silence and very deliberate lack of straight-up condemnation as a sign of complicity. What they’re doing is anti-Semitic, and I don’t have to have to look to these women for guidance on every social justice issue. Neither do you. They aren’t my leaders. They didn’t create activism or intersectionality—in fact, these are values with strong roots in most Jewish circles. And the continued commitment to creating a better world will outlast the relevance of any one group or its leaders.
And you know what? Perhaps it’s time to question why we’re continuing to let these Women’s March leaders and their associates try to dictate the conversation anyway. One of the key lessons of this era is that the symbols of yesterday don’t need to be the symbols of today or tomorrow. At the end of her piece on evolving protest fashion, Connie Wang wrote, “Pussyhats were enough when fear and grief paralyzed us. The day before the march, a pussyhat gave me back my voice and my body. With those back in my possession, I don’t need a hat to keep moving forward.”
The same goes for movements. On November 9, 2016, we needed these women leading the Women’s March and organizing the community that was beginning to form. We needed them to articulate what we were fighting for, even if we didn’t necessarily agree with every one of those guiding principles. We needed to know we weren’t alone. We needed our rage and sadness and fear to be seen and heard and legitimized. We needed to educate ourselves and mobilize and do better.
Well, it’s March 2018. People are finally educating themselves. They know they’re not alone. They — especially women — are mobilized. They’re working on doing better. And yeah, people aren’t perfect and leaders aren’t perfect; I’ll give Carmen Perez that. But now, in part because of the work the Women’s March leaders (and, um, lots of other people who also happen to not be anti-Semitic) did, we each have our own guiding principles now. We don’t need a group to tell us how to feel or gaslight us so that we fall in line when there’s obvious injustice and blatant hypocrisy. The march was never about these four women to begin with.
We don’t need the national organizers of Women’s March. What we need is for women—and everyone, for that matter—to march toward a better tomorrow with us. And regardless of what the Women’s March leaders say (and don’t say) about us, I hope folks who are marginalized in this country know this: I, and so many other Jews, will always march with you, too.
Frontlinereleased an hour-long documentary delving into the behavior of serial sexual predator Harvey Weinstein. In it, we see not what Weinstein did, but how those around helped to conceal his decades of abuse.
There is a lot of ground covered in the documentary, which starts at the beginning of his career in the '70s. Aided by interviews with former co-workers, victims, legal experts, and journalists, a dark and unflattering portrait of "Hollywood's open secret" is painted.
Men are finally speaking out.
The narrative of Weinstein's serial misconduct has been told largely through the countless women who have come forward. Men's silence has at times been deafening. This Frontline documentary is the first time that a group of men has intentionally sat down to have a meaningful dialogue about it. They describe Weinstein as notoriously difficult to work for. "I knew I was making a deal with the devil," Miramax's former president of production Paul Webster confessed. "But I knew also that he was at the epicenter of where I wanted to be." Weinstein's influence and power in the industry was undeniable, and this documentary shows that many people were willing to look the other way in order to benefit from that. "I think looking back that I did know and I chose to suppress it. I chose to hide from that fact," admitted Webster before adding, "I think we were all enablers. I think we were all complicit." Others conceded that while they did not know at the time, they were not surprised.
Journalists knew much earlier, but couldn't prove it.
How could something this pervasive remain hidden for so long? That is a question many of us asked when the New York Times first published their story on October 5, 2017. According to the Frontline special, journalists knew much earlier, but you need a lot more than just knowing in order to run with a piece which challenges one of the most powerful men in Hollywood. Kim Masters, a former Vanity Fair writer, revealed that she first started hearing about Weinstein back in 1998 when Shakespeare in Love was released. He produced the film and reportedly harassed leading actress Gwyneth Paltrow. "She could take him on or have her career," Masters said of why she believes Paltrow didn't speak out at the time. "I wish I could have nailed the guy in 2002," said New Yorker journalist, Ken Auletta. "The problem was I couldn't prove it." Between non-disclosure agreements and a general fear of the fallout from speaking up, the industry remained silent. "To be in his circle was to be successful," added President of Women in Film, Cathy Schulman.
He's been a sexual predator for as long as he's worked in film.
With over 100 women counted among Weinstein's accusers, his harassment of women can be documented as far back as before his first film, The Burning. By now, the phrases "he was in a bathrobe" and "he asked me to meet him at his hotel," instantaneously cause your stomach to churn, but at the time, these women thought they were alone in their experiences.
One of the women who spoke for the documentary had not previously gone public with her accusation of Weinstein. Suza Maher-Wilson worked with the producer on The Burning. During the wrap party, he invited Wilson to his room where he proceeded to ask for a massage before leaving the room and returning in nothing but a towel. Paula Wachowiak worked as an intern on the set of the same film when Weinstein asked her to bring checks by his hotel room. He also asked for a massage from Wachowiak while also largely undressed. Actress Katherine Kendall began the documentary with her story of a similar encounter with Weinstein in the '90s.
Weinstein kept many of his victims silent through non-disclosure agreements. What he couldn't keep buried, he made disappear through a series of paid connections with gossip journalists. The NDAs "allowed him to silence complaining victims and see it as a cost of doing business. He knew he had nothing to fear from continuing with the behavior," explained New York University School of Law professor Stephen Gillers.
While Weinstein refused to sit for the documentary, he did offer statements via his lawyer to be included. He denies all allegations and intends to pursue legal action.
