Upworthy

This gay Egyptian woman had a homophobic dad. But he went through a 'miraculous' change.

"It's hard when you are young. And it stays hard, but it gets easier."

For many living in the Middle East and North Africa, being openly LGBTQ is one of the bravest things one can do.

And some incredible queer people in the region are doing just that.

Dozens of LGBTQ activists joined forces with Human Rights Watch to create a powerful video and share empowering stories about acceptance, faith, and fighting for what's right.

Keep Reading Show less

'I've been learning lately that the voice in my head that makes me feel small, unworthy, and not good enough, is such a small piece of who I truly am.'

It's been nearly two and a half years since singer-songwriter Rachel Platten released "Fight Song," the near-inescapable empowerment anthem. The video for the hit single has been viewed on YouTube more than 291 million times and has sold more than 2 million copies.

Platten's song about finding the strength to try to make it in the music industry has inspired countless people around the world, taking on a life of its own. For some fans, the song has brought comfort in memory of a lost loved one; for others, it's been a catchall boost for getting through a tough time in life.

Keep Reading Show less

women music empowerment girls songs self-confidence musician encouragement wildfang i am that girl rachel platten fight song you got this

This woman shared that she's #DisabledAndCute. The internet reacted.

Keah Brown feels cute, and she's not afraid to show it.

But for the 25-year-old from upstate New York, it hasn't always been that way.

“It took me a while to get to that place to feel any sort of positive thing about my physical appearance," says Brown, who has cerebral palsy. "So now that I do, I’m like, hey, I might as well celebrate it.”

Keep Reading Show less

disabled empowerment twitter disability body positivity keah brown #disabledandcute hashtag inspiration porn pity

People called her a mad woman — until they saw what she was creating.

In Nigeria, Olutosin Oladosu Adebowale has built a business by creating beautiful products — out of trash.

All images via Olutosin Oladosu Adebowale, used with permission.

Keep Reading Show less

nigeria empowerment abuse olutosin oladosu adebowale tosin's turn trash to treasure lagos sewing quilts

True

This gay Egyptian woman had a homophobic dad. But he went through a 'miraculous' change.

"It's hard when you are young. And it stays hard, but it gets easier."

For many living in the Middle East and North Africa, being openly LGBTQ is one of the bravest things one can do.

'Fight Song' singer Rachel Platten designed a stylish new pin for a great cause.

'I've been learning lately that the voice in my head that makes me feel small, unworthy, and not good enough, is such a small piece of who I truly am.'

This woman shared that she's #DisabledAndCute. The internet reacted.

Keah Brown feels cute, and she's not afraid to show it.

8 photos that flip the script when it comes to stereotypes about black women.

Why Chrissy Teigen’s stretch-mark selfie actually matters.

5 ways to teach your kids about race without making them feel hopeless.

One person's trash is this woman's quilt. See this successful business made out of scraps.

People called her a mad woman — until they saw what she was creating.

In Nigeria, Olutosin Oladosu Adebowale has built a business by creating beautiful products — out of trash.

Meet the teens leading an unprecedented lawsuit against the U.S. government.

Ben and Jerry's new ice cream flavor makes democracy look delicious.

14 unique 'body muses' celebrate their bodies for what they do — not what they look like.

3 misguided reasons to get married, 1 really great one, and real talk from Shonda Rhimes and Oprah.

Shonda Rhimes said 'yes' for a whole year. These are 5 things she learned.

Denver Decriminalizes Psychedelic Mushrooms

"It's hard when you are young. And it stays hard, but it gets easier."

For many living in the Middle East and North Africa, being openly LGBTQ is one of the bravest things one can do.

'I've been learning lately that the voice in my head that makes me feel small, unworthy, and not good enough, is such a small piece of who I truly am.'

Get stories worth sharing delivered to your inbox

Keah Brown feels cute, and she's not afraid to show it.

People called her a mad woman — until they saw what she was creating.

In Nigeria, Olutosin Oladosu Adebowale has built a business by creating beautiful products — out of trash.