+
Sign up for
The Upworthiest
Our top stories of the day delivered straight to your inbox.
upworthy
Most Shared

Let's settle the discussion about the female hero in 'Rogue One' once and for all.

So, um. There's a new "Star Wars" trailer out.

I... wha...

Image by Star Wars/YouTube.

Yeah, man.

...

Image by Star Wars/YouTube.

Right?

Awesome!

Image by Star Wars/YouTube.

I know.

But wait, who's that lady?

Image by Star Wars/YouTube.

That's Jyn Erso.

Uh, who?

Image by Star Wars/YouTube.

Jyn Erso. She appears to be the main character in "Rogue One," the new "Star Wars" movie.

Yes, I know that. I'm not an idiot. I mean, like, who is she?

There's not really much info on her yet, but judging by the trailer, she appears to be a renegade from the wrong side of the tracks with nothing left to lose.

Which probably means she's the hero.

Wait, wasn't the hero of the last "Star Wars" movie a woman too?


GIF from "Star Wars: The Force Awakens"/Disney.

Yes.

That's kind of weird. Why would they do that?

I mean, why wouldn't they do that?

It's just, I don't know. It seems like ... why do they have to, like ... make a whole thing out of it?


Another woman! There's at least two women in this movie! Image by Star Wars/YouTube.

Well, it's not necessarily "a thing." Why can't it just be ... what it is?

Is, like, every "Star Wars" movie going to have a female lead from now on? As, like, some sort of statement?

Probably not. But ... would it be wrong if they did? Putting men at the center of action/adventure movies was pretty much the default since the beginning of movies. But there's no real reason that has to be the case!

Women are perfectly capable of running, jumping, fighting, and blowing things up. When you think about it that way, having a woman lead two movies in a row seems a lot less weird.

Then why does it feel weird to me?

Image by Star Wars/YouTube.

Look, women are 50% of the population. That being the case, you'd expect to see a roughly equal number of movies starring women and men. But right now, we don't. From 2007 to 2014, only 30% of all speaking roles in the top 700 grossing films went to women. And in 2014, only 21% of the top 100 grossing films featured a female lead, according to a report published by the Media, Diversity and Social Change Initiative at USC. That's kind of ridiculous! But it's what we're used to.

Balancing those tables isn't giving female heroes special preeminence. It's correcting a huge imbalance that already exists. It's totally understandable that it feels odd. But what's actually odd is the way things were already. If ... that makes sense.

But what if I want to see a "Star Wars" movie with a male hero?

GIF from "Star Wars: Return of the Jedi"/LucasFilm.

You're in luck! Men still hold the all-time record for Most "Star Wars" Movies Led — at six in a row. You can purchase all of those films on DVD or Blu-ray.

But what if I want to see one on the big screen with Dolby surround sound?

GIF from "Star Wars"/LucasFilm.

More good news! You can do that in just a few years when the Han Solo movie comes out.

Yeah, OK. That makes sense.

Image by Star Wars/YouTube.

Sure! Look. Change is hard. Men have been starring in big blockbuster movies since basically forever. But just because it's always been that way doesn't mean it has to stay that way.

It's not only fair to mix it up, it's more interesting! Variety is the spice of life! Normal is a setting on a washing machine!

I mean, the last woman-led "Star Wars" was pretty great. And this one looks ... pretty damn good too.

Women have always been more than capable of heading a "Star Wars" movie. And now that they're actually getting chances, they're killing it. Batting 1.000, actually (on an admittedly small sample size). I'll sign up for that any day.

Cool. Want to preorder tickets?

Nah. In the spirit of the film, I'm sneaking in.

GIF from Star Wars/YouTube.

Badge
Prudential
Prudential
Sponsored

Meet the 18-year-old advocating for teen mental health, one inspiring podcast at a time

All images provided by Prudential Emerging Visionaries

Collins after being selected by Prudential Emerging Visionaries

True

A changemaker is anyone who takes creative action to solve an ongoing problem—be it in one’s own community or throughout the world.

And when it comes to creating positive change, enthusiasm and a fresh perspective can hold just as much power as years of experience. That’s why, every year, Prudential Emerging Visionaries celebrates young people for their innovative solutions to financial and societal challenges in their communities.

This national program awards 25 young leaders (ages 14-18) up to $15,000 to devote to their passion projects. Additionally, winners receive a trip to Prudential’s headquarters in Newark, New Jersey, where they receive coaching, skills development, and networking opportunities with mentors to help take their innovative solutions to the next level.

For 18-year-old Sydnie Collins, one of the 2023 winners, this meant being able to take her podcast, “Perfect Timing,” to the next level.

Since 2020, the Maryland-based teen has provided a safe platform that promotes youth positivity by giving young people the space to celebrate their achievements and combat mental health stigmas. The idea came during the height of Covid-19, when Collins recalled social media “becoming a dark space flooded with news,” which greatly affected her own anxiety and depression.

Knowing that she couldn’t be the only one feeling this way, “Perfect Timing” seemed like a valuable way to give back to her community. Over the course of 109 episodes, Collins has interviewed a wide range of guests—from other young influencers to celebrities, from innovators to nonprofit leaders—all to remind Gen Z that “their dreams are tangible.”

That mission statement has since evolved beyond creating inspiring content and has expanded to hosting events and speaking publicly at summits and workshops. One of Collins’ favorite moments so far has been raising $7,000 to take 200 underserved girls to see “The Little Mermaid” on its opening weekend, to “let them know they are enough” and that there’s an “older sister” in their corner.

Of course, as with most new projects, funding for “Perfect Timing” has come entirely out of Collins’ pocket. Thankfully, the funding she earned from being selected as a Prudential Emerging Visionary is going toward upgraded recording equipment, the support of expert producers, and skill-building classes to help her become a better host and public speaker. She’ll even be able to lease an office space that allows for a live audience.

Plus, after meeting with the 24 other Prudential Emerging Visionaries and her Prudential employee coach, who is helping her develop specific action steps to connect with her target audience, Collins has more confidence in a “grander path” for her work.

“I learned that my network could extend to multiple spaces beyond my realm of podcasting and journalism when industry leaders are willing to share their expertise, time, and financial support,” she told Upworthy. “It only takes one person to change, and two people to expand that change.”

Prudential Emerging Visionaries is currently seeking applicants for 2024. Winners may receive up to $15,000 in awards and an all-expenses-paid trip to Prudential’s headquarters with a parent or guardian, as well as ongoing coaching and skills development to grow their projects.

If you or someone you know between the ages of 14 -18 not only displays a bold vision for the future but is taking action to bring that vision to life, click here to learn more. Applications are due by Nov. 2, 2023.
From Your Site Articles
heroes
Family

The Gen X 'stay at home mom' crisis is real, but what's the solution?

Some moms in their 40s feel like they were lied to about what their "resume gap" would mean.

Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash

40-something moms who stayed home to be with their kids are finding themselves in uncharted waters.

A few generations ago, parents had pretty clearly defined roles, with the dad generally being the breadwinner and the mom being the homemaker/stay-at-home mother. Then women's rights movement came along, empowering women in the workplace, ushering in the era of two working parents and producing an entire generation of "latchkey kids."

Now those Gen X latchkey kids are parenting Gen Z, with the pendulum of working motherhood having swung somewhat to the middle. We were raised to believe we could be anything we dreamed of being and that we didn't have to choose between being a mom and having a career. Gen X also became mothers during the heyday of parenting self-help books that impressed upon us the importance of attachment and hands-on childrearing, as well as the era of super-scheduled kids, whose activities alone require a full-time manager.

As a result, those of us in our 40s have raised our kids straddling two worlds—the one where women can have all of the career success we desire and the one where we can choose to be stay-at-home moms who do all the things. At first, we were told we could have it all, but when the impossibility of that became clear, we were told, "Well, you can have it all, just not at the same time."

But as many moms are finding as their kids start leaving the nest, even that isn't the full truth.

Keep ReadingShow less
motherhood
Identity

Mom stands strong after another parent criticizes her child's 'disgusting' Asian lunches

It’s encouraging to know that hundreds of people took her side and supported her.

via Pixabay

A young girl eats with chopsticks.

A story recently posted on Reddit shows a mother confidently standing up for her culture and daughter in the face of intolerance. Reddit user Paste-Clouds-808 shared the story on the AITA forum to ask who was right in the situation.

Over 2,900 people commented on the story, and they overwhelmingly agreed that it was her.

The mother, 38, regularly cooks Asian foods for her daughter Lily, 7, and packs them in her school lunch. The mother was raised by a half-Japanese mom, so the foods have always been a part of her life, and her family loves them, too.

“Oftentimes I’ll either give my daughter some leftovers from last night's dinner, plus a fruit/veggie and a snack, or I’ll make her a quick little bento box or some other thing really quick,” the mother wrote.

Keep ReadingShow less
asian culture
Education

Mother of 7 stunned to learn the ‘Alphabet Song’ has been changed to get with the times

There's a good reason for the update. But it's jarring, to say the least.

via Pixabay/Pexels and JessFamOfficial/TikTok

Jessica Skube can't believe that they changed the 'Alphabet Song.'

The oldest published version of the melody to the “Alphabet Song” was in 1761. However, because it’s the same melody as “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” and “Baa Baa Black Sheep,” it's hard to trace it to its original composer.

The “Alphabet Song” is so deeply entrenched in American culture that it almost seems sacrilegious to change a piece of music that’s one of the first most of us ever learned. But after all these years, some educators are altering the classic melody so that there is a variation when the letters L-M-N-O-P are sung.

This change shocked popular TikTokker Jessica Skube, who documents life raising 7 children with her 2.6 million followers. Nearly 10 million people have watched her video revealing the significant change, and it’s received over 56,000 comments since first being published in late 2020.

Keep ReadingShow less
education
Pop Culture

Kid in an alien abduction Halloween costume gives a horrifyingly convincing performance

Seriously, get this kid an Oscar.

@saddiegau/TikTok

This kid gives an impressive acting performance.

Some kids just have a natural knack for acting. Frequently, a flair for the dramatics can cause parents significant grief (Ferris Bueller-style) but it can also be a source of non-stop entertainment.

A viral video of a kid putting on an Oscar-worthy performance in his new Halloween costume is a prime example.

The video shared by @saddiegau on TikTok has been viewed a million times, and when you watch it you'll see why. The kid dons an inflatable costume that makes it look like a large green alien is carrying him around, which is pretty funny all on its own. But the horror movie scene that ensues is practically an acting masterclass.

Keep ReadingShow less
kids
Family

Husband fulfills pregnant wife's every food craving—from rice crispy sliders to 'sweetdogs'

Pregnancy cravings can leave expectant mothers fantasizing about the strangest culinary concoctions.

@kayandtayofficial/TikTok

They should really make a cookbook.

Pregnancy cravings can leave expectant mothers fantasizing about the strangest culinary concoctions.

It goes so far beyond pickles and ice cream—women might find themselves pulling up to a McDonald’s drive thru when previously they never ate red meat, piling different forms of dairy products onto one another, dipping Cheetos into literally everything.

And that’s not even accounting for the non-food cravings that some women report having, like laundry detergent, chalk, paper, dirt. Yum.

And while cravings are a natural part of pregnancy—caused by the body seeking certain nutrients or to balance out dopamine levels—it doesn’t make them any less of a wild ride.

Keep ReadingShow less
humor
Joy

Single woman shares the hilarious 'deal breaker' she uses when she doesn't want a second date

Jo Brundza has mastered the art of painlessly getting out of a second date by making them reject her.

via JBrundz/TikTok and Frank Cone/Pexels

How Jo Brundza gets out of a date.

It's uncomfortable for people to tell someone they met for a first date that they aren’t interested in a second one because nobody enjoys hurting another person’s feelings. TikTokker Jo Brundza has mastered the art of painlessly getting out of a second date by making them reject her.

How does she do it? Once she realizes she doesn’t want to see them again, she rants about the moon.

“From that realization and on, I spend the rest of the date trying to convince the other person that I don’t think the moon is real,” she says. Now, many folks out there incorrectly believe that the moon landing was faked, but she goes a step further by saying the massive object doesn’t exist at all.

Keep ReadingShow less
dating
Trending Stories