+
upworthy
More

She used to sneak out to see him or hide away to phone him in privacy. Now she's miserable.

A lot of us can probably relate.

Once upon a time, Zaeemah was madly in love with her husband.

Before they were married, she'd find ways to sneak in time with him or hide in her parents' cupboard so she could have a discreet phone call with him.

10 years later, you would hardly know they once loved each other like that. She cries all the time, for herself and for her children. How did they get to this point?


The stresses of refugee life transformed their world. They fled to Jordan, but it is illegal for her husband to work there. He has begun taking out his anger on his wife and children, hitting them all. It has damaged not only her sense of safety but her respect for him as a partner — and now she's pregnant again.

They struggle as it is, and a fourth child will not make it any easier. She has tried to find a way to end the pregnancy, but there are no safe paths to legal abortion care in Jordan.

So what is the solution? For Zaeemah and many like her, the future is uncertain. But in places like Syria, Sierra Leone, and many countries in between, International Rescue Committee is looking to reach men through the people they often respect and listen to most — other men.

In Kenya, Andrew Kusimba is one of those men reaching out to his community to call for an end to domestic violence. After workshopping the concepts with IRC and Rural Women Peace Link, he now brings the message to other men in his city. Knowing that Andrew and other men are committing themselves to being part of the solution offers a glimpse of a hopeful future for women.

“I learned that men stand to gain from a violence-free environment. It challenged and inspired me to believe in myself as a man who can be a part of the solution to ending violence against women in my community, rather than be a perpetrator."

“My wife told me that the next time a similar workshop takes place in our county, I should tell her in advance so that she can alert her friends, who can tell their husbands to attend."

Education

A school assignment asked for 3 benefits of slavery. This kid gave the only good answer.

The school assignment was intended to spark debate and discussion — but isn't that part of the problem?

A school assignment asked for 3 "good" reasons for slavery.



It's not uncommon for parents to puzzle over their kids' homework.

Sometimes, it's just been too long since they've done long division for them to be of any help. Or teaching methods have just changed too dramatically since they were in school.

And other times, kids bring home something truly inexplicable.
Keep ReadingShow less


Teacher Bret Turner thought he'd kick off the morning with his first-grade students using a little riddle.

On the whiteboard in the front of the class, he scrawled it out in black marker:

"I am the beginning of everything, the end of everywhere. I'm the beginning of eternity, the end of time & space."

One student raised their hand, the first to venture a guess.

Keep ReadingShow less

People list their most 'boomer complaints' and its pure gold

Listen, everyone complains. Sure, we like to pretend it's just boomers that reach a certain age and start daydreaming about telling kids to get off their lawns. But the truth of the matter is, maybe some of the seemingly nonsensical complaints are valid because it appears that convenience has become inconvenient in the most obnoxious way possible.

Kevin Fredricks, a comedian and TikTok creator uploaded a video answering a tweet that asked, "what is the most boomer complaint you have." Fredricks must've been waiting for someone to ask this question because he had an entire list of complaints but honestly, if you're over 30 you'll probably be nodding along.

He comes in strong with a particular disdain for QR code menus. Save the trees and all that jazz but there's something about holding a menu in your hand that helps you choose the same thing you always order so much better. Flipping the menu over is key in making food choices while dining out. Seriously, not everything has to be digital.

Keep ReadingShow less
Parenting

Teenage girl shamed for her ‘distracting’ outfit fights back in a very funny way

“[Because] she has a figure she was told she had to change.”

Photo from Facebook page.

A clever message written on her T-shirt.

A Lawton, Oklahoma, student who goes by the Facebook user name Rose Lynn had the last laugh after being sent home from school for wearing an outfit deemed "distracting." Rose Lynn believes her outfit attracted the attention of school officials because of her figure.

She proved it by posting a photo on Facebook of her modest outfit, which consisted of black leggings, a t-shirt, long cardigan, and boots. In her post, she wrote that she was sent home "because I'm developed farther than the average girl my age," and because she's a "CURVY woman." Rose Lynn also thinks the appropriate response shouldn't have been to tell her to cover up, but to teach boys to "to respect the boundaries of young ladies."

Keep ReadingShow less
Science

She tattooed half her face and you'd never know it. Her skills are just that good.

This incredible medical tattoo technology is giving renewed hope to burn victims.

All images via the CBS/YouTube

Basma Hameed runs a tattoo shop, of sorts...


Meet Samira Omar.

The 17-year-old was the victim of a horrific bullying incident.

Keep ReadingShow less

Taylor Swift at 2022 Toronto International Film Festival Red Carpet Day 2.

The wordsmiths over at Merriam-Webster have announced their official “Word of the Year for 2023,” they say it’s something we are “thinking about, writing about, aspiring to, and judging more” than ever.

The word is authentic.

According to the dictionary, the most common definitions of authentic are “not false or imitation,” “being true to one's own personality, spirit, or character,” and “worthy of acceptance or belief as conforming to or based on fact.”

Merriam-Webster says the word saw a “substantial increase” in lookups this year. That’s probably because we now live in a world where artificial intelligence, deepfake technology and questionable memes challenge our basic notions of reality.

Keep ReadingShow less