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8 inspiring photos prove boys don't have to act like 'boys' to be boys.

There is no one way to be a boy.

Canadian photographer Kirsten McGoey has three boys — one of them who happens to love dance.

"He twirls so often, my head spins thinking about it," Kirsten told Upworthy.


Kirsten's middle son working the barre.

He also happens to love a whole host of other things that have been traditionally linked with girls, she says, but that doesn't seem to faze him.

Kirsten was so inspired by her son's unabashed love for things that aren't traditionally masculine that she decided to document his enthusiasm through a photography series called #aboycantoo.

A self-described tomboy, Kirsten has been touched by the gender equality movements meant to encourage girls not to let the fact that something is marketed or designated as "for boys" prevent them from doing what they love.

As a mother of boys, however, she wanted to open the conversation in the other direction.

She started by photographing her own sons, but once word of her project reached the community, she discovered there were a number of boys who, like her son, didn't ascribe themselves to traditional "boy" activities.

In six months, she's photographed 17 of them, embracing the things they love:

(Some are not named because their parents preferred anonymity.)

1. Things like tap dancing.

Kirsten's middle son in his tap shoes.

"Pink is not for girls and blue is not for boys, any more than dance is for girls and soccer is boys," Kirsten says.

2. And figuring skating.

He's been skating for several years and does a mean single Salchow.

3. Or acting, playing a female character.

Cian, like many of us, appreciates a great dress find.

Even at first meeting, Kirsten knew Cian was extraordinary. He was holding an apple, then out of nowhere, pretended to faint. When she went to help him, he got up and told her, "I am being Snow White after she bit the apple."

"My son has more confidence in his little body than I've seen in my entire life. He's inspired me to have more confidence in myself," Cian's mother told Upworthy.

4. There are little boys in the world who like playing with dolls.

This 3-year-old treats his doll like she's his baby, and it's the best.

5. And reading lots of books.

This boy is only 8, and he's already read 500 books. Now he reads at a teenage level.

6. And singing dramatically.

Belting his final moment in "Oliver!"

7. Some boys like playing with hair accessories.

Kirsten's youngest loving hair accessories.

8. And others do ballet.

Brenden teaching Kirsten's middle son a ballet move.

The #aboycantoo project is giving the boys strength to deal with the resistance they face from society as they grow up.

They're realizing they can play a pivotal role as mentors to the younger boys who will come after them, she says, and it shows them that growing up into something that isn't traditionally "masculine" doesn't have to be fraught with difficulties.

At the end of the day, Kirsten hopes her project will allow people who haven't supported these boys to have a change of heart.

More importantly, she says, "If one boy finds the ability to be himself with pride because of this project we have met my goal."

A pitbull stares at the window, looking for the mailman.


Dogs are naturally driven by a sense of purpose and a need for belonging, which are all part of their instinctual pack behavior. When a dog has a job to do, it taps into its needs for structure, purpose, and the feeling of contributing to its pack, which in a domestic setting translates to its human family.

But let’s be honest: In a traditional domestic setting, dogs have fewer chores they can do as they would on a farm or as part of a rescue unit. A doggy mom in Vancouver Island, Canada had fun with her dog’s purposeful uselessness by sharing the 5 “chores” her pitbull-Lab mix does around the house.

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Joy

5-star Scottish resort offers whimsical afternoon tea experience with 'naughty sheep'

Cameron House's Woolly Wellness retreat includes tea in the garden with adorably rude guests.

Cameron House/Naughty Sheep

Cameron House's Woolly Wellness retreat includes a unique sheep encounter.

Remember when "goat yoga" was all the rage? And then "cow cuddling" and "turkey cuddling" made everyone's bucket lists?

Now we can add "nuzzling with naughty sheep" to the mix, but with a fancy Scottish twist.

Less than an hour from Glasgow, Scotland, the Cameron House resort sits on the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond, looking as if it were plucked straight out of a fairy tale. Sprawling green grounds, gorgeous lake views and a four-story castled mansion greet guests as their "home away from home" (only better), and a perusal of the reviews show guests raving about the 5-star resort's elegance, beauty and exceptional service.

I mean, just look at this place:

drone view of cameron house grounds and lakeCameron House sit on Lake Lochmond in Scotland.Cameron House


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Innovation

A student accidentally created a rechargeable battery that could last 400 years

"This thing has been cycling 10,000 cycles and it’s still going." ⚡️⚡️

There's an old saying that luck happens when preparation meets opportunity.

There's no better example of that than a 2016 discovery at the University of California, Irvine, by doctoral student Mya Le Thai. After playing around in the lab, she made a discovery that could lead to a rechargeable battery that could last up to 400 years. That means longer-lasting laptops and smartphones and fewer lithium ion batteries piling up in landfills.

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@caitlin.the.realtor/TikTok, used with permission

Wait, so 90's fashion is in, but 90's hair is out?

Every era has its own version of what’s attractive. And very rarely does that aesthetic hold power with the following generation. In fact, it often becomes the opposite of cool.

Just think of Elvis. He might have been a universal sex symbol for a time, but it also wasn’t long before his pompadour became passé. Same goes for Paul Newman’s rugged manliness, David Cassidy’s babyface, Tom Selleck’s mustache. Indeed, for everything a season.

Which brings us to the 90s. The age of beach blonde surfer boys (real surfing skills not required, but a plus). Of flannel, lots of flannel, and super chiseled bodies. Let’s not forget this was the dawning of the term “metrosexual,” and also the time period that brought us that Calvin Klein ad with Mark Wahlburg.

How exactly would these guys measure up with the Gen Z kids today?

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A Eurasian crow.

A family from Denmark has created a touching video montage documenting their unique friendship with a wild Eurasian crow. This crow, affectionately named Russell, has become an honorary member of their household, forming special bonds with each family member, including the pets.

However, the crow's relationship with their son, 2-year-old Otto, is truly extraordinary. “They could spend hours just playing,” Otto’s mother, Laerke Luna, says in a video shared by The Dodo. "When Otto is outside, he will never leave Otto’s side.”

Russell, the free-spirited crow, ventures away from the family's home from time to time, but never for too long. He always comes back and announces his return by tapping on the door, swooping in to lounge on the sofa, or awaiting Otto's return from school atop their roof.

“When we are inside, he will sit inside the window because he wants Otto to go outside with him,” Laerke said.

The family’s relationship with Russell didn’t come out of nowhere. When Russell was a young bird, he had health problems so the family took him and nursed the bird back to health. Eventually, they witnessed his first attempts to fly.

Recently, Russell became friends with another family member, their second child, Hedwig. Although he does get a little annoyed with the bird’s frequent attempts to nab his pacifier.

Even though it’s rare for humans to strike up such a close bond with a crow, according to research, it’s not that surprising. Audubon says that crows are “some of the smartest animals in the world” with an intelligence “on par with chimpanzees.” They are also very social and family-oriented, so no wonder Russell loves Otto and his family.

Crow Named Russell Waits For His Favorite Kid To Get Home From School | The Dodo


Learning

Why you shouldn't throw your dishwasher pod into the bottom of your dishwasher

Dishwashers actually use the dirty water to know how to wash your dishes.

Photos by cottonbro studio and PhotoMIX Ltd. via Canva

Why your detergent shouldn't go in the bottom of the dishwasher

There always seem to be something going on with the pods and powders you're supposed to use in the dishwasher to clean your dishes. Either the pods don't dissolve completely or the powder gets all goopy and hard, never really fully dispensing into the dishwasher.

The inconsistency in product dispensing can leave you wondering if the dishes are even getting cleaned, causing some to toss the detergent pod into the bottom of the dishwasher. It would seem that placing the detergent at the bottom would allow for it to actually reach your dirty dishes. But Melissa Pateras, a domestic expert, explains that doing it that way isn't doing what you think it's doing.

Pateras actually breaks down exactly how dishwashers work to clean your dishes while explaining why putting the detergent on the bottom is ineffective.

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