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These tweets nailed why casting Scarlett Johansson in a trans role is not so great.

Did you hear about the latest Scarlett Johansson casting debacle?

Here's how a good portion of the internet reacted to the news:

In case you missed it, here's a brief recap:

ScarJo was recently cast as Dante "Tex" Gill, a real-life transgender man who oversaw a massage parlor and sex work business in Pittsburgh in the '70s and '80s. A new film about his life, currently titled "Rub & Tug," is being co-produced by Johansson — and, conveniently enough, stars her as well.

But as the previous tweet not-so subtly suggested, many people aren't thrilled about Johansson, who is cisgender, portraying Gill, who was transgender. And rightfully so.

Photo by Angela Weiss/AFP/Getty Images.

But wait! Before you argue, "Well, isn't that what acting is all about — pretending to be somebody you're not?" hear what a few trans actors had to say about the news. Because if anyone should be heard on this issue, it's them.

Jamie Clayton, who starred in "Sense8," wasn't thrilled.

Trans actors don't get nearly the same opportunity as cis artists, she argued, which gets at the heart of the issue.

Trace Lysette, known for her role in "Transparent," also made a similar argument.

If she were getting a seat at the table, things would be different. But those seats are reserved for cis women.

It makes matters worse when those same cis actors are celebrated for playing trans characters when actual trans actors never even had a shot, Lysette continued in a follow-up tweet.

They make a great point.

Very few transgender characters make it onto the big screen, period. But even when they do, those characters are often defined solely by their gender identities, fall into harmful stereotypes, or serve no purpose to the plot other than to be the butt of transphobic jokes.

In recent years, more fully realized trans characters made it into Hollywood narratives. But when they do, too often they're still portrayed by cisgender actors, like Matt Bomer, Jeffrey Tambor — and now Scarlett Johansson.

As Lysette and Clayton noted, it's still rare (read: basically impossible) for trans actors to be cast in cisgender roles. So it's understandably infuriating when the few opportunities that do arise for them are snatched away by cis Hollywood heavyweights who no doubt have a plethora of scripts to choose from.

Beyond affecting the opportunities for trans actors, though, these casting decisions have real-world ramifications as well.

When cisgender actors are cast in transgender roles, it perpetuates the harmful myth that transgender people are simply "in drag" — that they're really just pretending or performing, GLAAD's Nick Adams argued in The Hollywood Reporter:

"Hollywood is having a very difficult time letting go of the idea that putting a male actor in a dress, wig and makeup is an accurate portrayal of a transgender woman. ... It's yet another painful reminder that, in the eyes of so many people, transgender women are really just men. That message is toxic and dangerous."

It's a notion, he argued, that attempts to justify bigoted bathroom laws and fuels violence against the transgender community.

Casting decisions on Hollywood sets do make a difference in real life, whether we believe it or not.

But maybe there's a way out of this latest casting mess.

First, Johansson can apologize for her incredibly insensitive response to the criticism, as well as her defensive alignment with cis actor Jeffrey Tambor's role as a trans woman in "Transparent" (remember, he allegedly sexually harassed then-assistant Trace Lysette).

Then she can take YouTuber Grace Randolph's idea and run with it:

"I hope the Scarlett Johansson controversy doesn't keep the amazing story of Jean Marie Gill aka Dante 'Tex' Gill from being told. If Johansson was smart, she'd find a new director, take the role of Tex's girlfriend Cynthia, and give a trans actor a big break."

That's not a bad idea, really. Hopefully someone in Hollywood is listening.

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Pop Culture

'Wicked' author says one line in 'The Wizard of Oz' inspired Elphaba and Glinda's backstory

Gregory Maguire says he "fell down to the ground" laughing when the idea hit him.

Public domain

The two witches in "The Wizard of Oz" clearly had a history together.

Have you ever watched a movie or read a book or listened to a piece of music and wondered, "How did they come up with that idea?" The creative process is so enigmatic even artists themselves don't always know where their ideas come from, so It's a treat when we get to hear the genesis of a brilliant idea straight from the horse's mouth. If you've watched "Wicked" and wondered where the idea for the friendship between Elphaba (the Wicked Witch) and Glinda (the Good Witch) came from, the author of the book has shared the precise moment it came to him.

The hit movie "Wicked" is based on the 20-year-old hit stage musical, which is based on the novel "Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West" written by Gregory Maguire. While the musical is a simplified version of the 1995 book, the basic storyline—the origin story of the two witches from "The Wizard of Oz"—lies at the heart of both. In an interview with BBC, Maguire explained how Elphaba and Glinda's friendship popped into his head.

 

Maguire was visiting Beatrix Potter's farm in Cumbria, England, and thinking about "The Wizard of Oz," which he had loved as a child and thought could be an interesting basis for a story about evil.

"I thought 'alright, what do we know about 'The Wizard of Oz' from our memories,'" he said. "We have the house falling on the witch. What do we know about that witch? All we know about that witch is that she has feet. So I began to think about Glinda and the Wicked Witch of the West…

 glinda, elphaba, wicked,  In "Wicked," the two Oz witches met as students at Shiz University.  Giphy GIF by Wicked 

"There is one scene in the 1939 film where Billie Burke [Glinda the Good Witch] comes down looking all pink and fluffy, and Margaret Hamilton [the Wicked Witch of the West] is all crawed and crabbed and she says something like, 'I might have known you'd be behind this, Glinda!' This was my memory, and I thought, now why is she using Glinda's first name? They have known each other. Maybe they've known each other for a long time. Maybe they went to college together. And I fell down onto the ground in the Lake District laughing at the thought that they had gone to college together."

In "Wicked," Glinda and the Wicked Witch, Elphaba, meet as students at Shiz University, a school of wizardry. They get placed as roommates, loathe each other at first, but eventually become best friends. The story grows a lot more complicated from there (and the novel goes darker than the stage play), but it's the character development of the two witches and their relationship with one another that force us to examine our ideas about good and evil.

  - YouTube  youtu.be  

 

Maguire also shared with the Denver Center for Performing Arts what had inspired him to use the "Wizard of Oz" characters in the first place.

"I was living in London in the early 1990’s during the start of the Gulf War. I was interested to see how my own blood temperature chilled at reading a headline in the usually cautious British newspaper, the Times of London: 'Sadaam Hussein: The New Hitler?' I caught myself ready to have a fully formed political opinion about the Gulf War and the necessity of action against Sadaam Hussein on the basis of how that headline made me feel. The use of the word Hitler – what a word! What it evokes! When a few months later several young schoolboys kidnapped and killed a toddler, the British press paid much attention to the nature of the crime. I became interested in the nature of evil, and whether one really could be born bad. I considered briefly writing a novel about Hitler but discarded the notion due to my general discomfort with the reality of those times. But when I realized that nobody had ever written about the second most evil character in our collective American subconscious, the Wicked Witch of the West, I thought I had experienced a small moment of inspiration. Everybody in America knows who the Wicked Witch of the West is, but nobody really knows anything about her. There is more to her than meets the eye."

 wizard of oz, wicked witch of the west The Wicked Witch of the West has a story of her own.  Giphy  

Authors and artists—and their ideas—help hold a mirror up to humanity for us to see and reflect on who we are, and "Wicked" is one of those stories that makes us take a hard look at what we're seeing in that mirror. Thanks, Gregory Maguire, for launching us on a collective journey that not only entertains but has the potential to change how we see one another.

This story originally appeared last year.

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Health

Boomers and older Gen Xers share 40 innovative ways they keep their brains sharp

They do so much more than crosswords.

Image via Canva

Older people share surprising and simple ways they keep their brains healthy and sharp.

One of the biggest battles of healthy aging is staying mentally sharp. Having a healthy brain is important for mental and physical longevity.

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 6.7 million older adults in the United States have Alzheimer’s disease, the most common type of dementia. The CDC notes that by 2060, that number will double.

However, being proactive about brain health can help keep aging brains thriving. In an online forum of Boomers and older Gen Xers, they opened up on how they keep their brains sharp and memory strong. These are 40 surprising (and simple) ways they've maintained healthy brains as they've aged.

 aging, healthy aging, mental sharpness, sharp brain, aging well Aging Old Man GIF by A&E  Giphy  

"I take on-line college courses. Pick one out that piques my interest and sign up. The advantage at my age is I can study whatever I want, I'm not really concerned with advancing my career. Ancient Mediterranean History? Sure why not? History of Beer? Why not? Psychology of Evil? Sounds interesting. All on-line, all cheap. Keeps my brain active." - mike11172

"I'm way into fitness and still work out with weights. Also walk a lot and do fun things outdoors. I make sure that I get outside at least an hour every day. I'm careful to eat good foods that meet nutritional requirements, especially since I work out. I drink plenty of fresh filtered water. Taking care of your health in these three ways really makes a difference in one's mental sharpness and attitude. I belong to a religion that encourages me to treat others kindly and to be thankful for the life I have. Participate in activities that involve helping others. That really makes anybody feel good, have a purpose, and be glad they have the means to give of themselves. My husband and I make a point to always treat each other like we're newlyweds. Keeping the stress in your home to a minimum improves your mental state. In my down time, I've gotten into paper art. It's fun and an easy way for anyone to stay creative. I make cute things and greeting cards for others." - Bebe_Bleau

 knowledge, learning, brain health, sharp brain, sharp mind Learn The More You Know GIF by @InvestInAccess  Giphy  

"I write novels and memoir essays. The novels require a lot of research about settings and history. Unexpectedly, even the memoirs require research, because I took for granted behaviors and ideas that need to be explained for modern readers since nobody takes them for granted anymore. I volunteer for a local organization that helps provide food and medicine to households who have run out of money before the next paycheck. I work with recent immigrants who speak little English and am constantly learning new things about what it's like to struggle for survival in lives of utter poverty." - Building_a_life

"Just use it. The brain works a lot like muscles in the sense that it will degrade quickly if you don't use it but can maintain its abilities for a long ass time if you do use it. I've met so many older people who basically just stop doing anything that requires a lot of thought when they get older because thinking is a lot of work. And you can definitely tell that kind of person when interacting with them. Conversations with them feel more like talking with a bunch of pre-recorded responses. Just do stuff that requires a lot of thought. Learn new skills. Read about complex, interesting ideas. Do puzzles. Play chess." - Yak-5000

"Started flying a small airplane a few years ago at 64. Mentally challenging." - slick62

 wordle, puzzles, wordle puzzle, doing puzzles, brain health New York Times Running GIF by PERFECTL00P  Giphy  

"All the many word puzzles: Wordle, Quordle, Octordle, Connections, Squaredl, Blossom, etc. Crosswords, jigsaw puzzles, hour + walks per day. Writing, reading, cooking. Day trips and quick trips of 1-3 nights. Working really got in my way!" - Conscious-Reserve-48

"Counseling. It is important to keep processing your feelings, otherwise they pile up." - arkofjoy

"I quit smoking and started juggling. I'm no performer, but it keeps the nervous system active and it's fun for the whole family. Learning new tricks that are counterintuitive is the hardest, especially with new devices. I mostly stick to 3 balls, as I prefer to get good with simple things." - Tempus_Fuggit

"I'm fixing up an old sailboat when I'm not doing house maintenance /upgrades." - darkcave-dweller

 gen z, gen z gif, gen z kids, gen z life, gen z culture Nick Kroll Fx GIF by Adults  Giphy  

"I have in-depth conversations with my GenZ kids. No restrictions on topics. They are phenomenally smart, well-informed, and engaged." - CommissarCiaphisCain

"Crossword puzzles. More importantly I work with teens who teach me the latest jargon among other things. I adore them all." - Kissoflife1

"I've spent most of my life living in foreign countries and really don't know any other life. My budget in old age allows me to annually travel solo to third world countries. I'm keeping my mind active by always trying to figure things out like communicating in some foreign language, organizing my own hotel reservations, traveling arrangements etc. Things frequently get off the rails, so I have lots of practice figuring out the answer to the questions like, what the heck should I do now?" - nonsense39

 spanish, learning spanish, speaking spanish, learning language, new language spanish gif Giphy  

"I learned to play a musical instrument and I’m taking Spanish lessons. These activities really challenge the brain." - ClawhammerJo

"I consume very little mainstream news. The more mainstream news you watch, the less you understand about the world--it's not meant to inform, it's meant to divide us and manipulate our prejudices. Finally, I've adopted the idea that pessimists are pessimistic because they imagine they can predict the future. I know and accept that I can't predict the future, so I'm optimistic. The possibilities are, as they've always been, infinite. I don't dwell on the past, and I don't worry about the future." - crackeddryice

 line dance, line dancing, learning line dancing, line dance gif, line dancing hobby Country Music Old Town Road GIF by Lil Nas X  Giphy  

"Line dancing. It uses the brain and the body, and in my area I’ve found I can dance several times a week." - littleoldlady71

"I read a lot of books. I listen to a lot of music. I hike as much as I can. I meditate daily. All seem to be important for my brain." - WingZombie

"A good brain takes regular practice. Think like a young person by talking to young people…asking them about their thoughts and ideas…they aren’t interested in my opinions much. Read about technological advances, social studies, philosophy and art. Learn and practice languages. And ride a motorcycle on and off road. My wife and I go somewhere or do something new once a week. I like getting strangers to laugh. I also smile and share joy wherever possible." - gorongo

"My Amazon deliveries are made to a set of lockers onsite. I will never walk up to the lockers and THEN pull out my phone to look for the code. I will look at the message with the code and force myself to remember it before I ever enter the building so I can just walk up to the lockers, enter my code and get my stuff without anyone having to wait on me. I find that my brain will spontaneously make all sorts of associations to the numbers that help me remember them. Whether this helps in the long run, who knows? I just know it kind of makes those trips to the locker like a game for me." - chonnes

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Joy

Dad shares the hilarious conversations he has with 5-year-old daughter and folks are cracking up

"Why do people congratulate you when Mom is making the baby?

via James Breakwell/X

All parents have had similar convos with thier kiddos.

Raising kids is tough, but there's a lot of laughs along the way. Especially when actual conversations start, as kids begin trying to make sense out of the world around them, ask questions, and test mommy and daddy's resolve.

Back in 2018, comedy writer and children's book author James Breakwell, with four daughters who were all under the age of eight at the time, shared their hilarious conversations on X. From these tweets, it looks like comedy runs in the family. Here's a sampling of some Breakwell's funniest kid-inspired tweets.

 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 

While Breakwell's 7-year-old wasn't as heavily featured, when she was quoted, the sarcasm was palpable. Which makes sense, considering that kiddos begin understanding this mechanism around that age.

 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 

Kids really do say the darnedest things, and we love them for it. It one of the many, many ways then bring so much joy to the world. It almost makes up for the headaches and sleepless nights, doesn't it.

This article originally appeared seven years ago.

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Family

Grandparents create next-level at-home 'summer camp' for their visiting grandkids

Now we all wanna stay at Camp OmaPapa.

Photo credit: Canva

Who doesn't wanna stay at Camp OmaPapa?!

In a sea of unsavory stories featuring toxic, uninvolved grandparents out there on the interwebs, stories like this feel all the more uplifting and wholesome.

Enter Paula, or “Oma,” as she’s affectionately known as by her grandkids. In a clip posted to TikTok, we learn that she and her husband, “Papa”, not only agreed to watch the grandchildren—aged 5, 4 and 2— for nine days while their adult children celebrated their anniversary, they fill the stay with fun activities in a project they aptly named “Camp OmaPapa.”

Seriously, no stone was left unturned while dreaming up this next-level camp. To stoke some excitement, Paula had mailed the kiddos an official invitation to Camp Oma Papa, telling them what to bring and what type of activities to look forward to.

 
 @pbev12 Camp OmaPapa begins✨ #summercamp #campomapapa #oma #papa #grandkids #welcomecampers ♬ Soft and minimal instrumental music(1259336) - MaxRecStudio 
 
 


The carefully curated list of activities (ice cream on Sunday, zoo on Wednesday, scooter ride on Monday, etc.) lived on one wall, while another hall had a single blue frame out of painter’s tape that would feature that day’s schedule—providing a perfect balance of structure and free play that all kids need, even in the summertime.

They even created official Camp OmaPapa shirts for their little campers, along with a ”Welcome to Camp OmaPapa” ushering them in. How cute is that?! Talk about going all out.

Needless to say, viewers were impressed…if not a little jealous.

“They don’t make grandparents like this anymore, ” noted one person

“As a mom with no village this is amazing, our kids and grandkids are lucky to have you,” lamented another.

Still a third wrote, “My parents have never even taken my kids out for an ice cream cone. This is so awesome.”

In a response to the aforementioned comment, Paula reveals that her own kids had grandparents that “didn’t want anything to do with them,“ which taught her what kind of grandparent she didn’t want to be.

However, several others chimed in with similar “camps” created by other similarly awesome grandparents.

“Yes! My mom and I do this every year but it’s ‘cousin camp.’ We all look forward to it every year!"

“My mom has a ‘bidi bootcamp.’ Originally it was because every time the grands went to bidi’s house they learned something new. Potty training, paci withdrawal, bottle to cup, etc…The name ‘bidi’s bootcamp’ is just for fun now.”

And of course, several were asking if Camp OmaPapa would be accepting new campers next year—kids and adults alike.

For those next-level grandparents wanting to create something like this for their own grandkids, Paula has more detailed videos breaking down what the kids did each day. Here are a few samples:

 
 @pbev12 Day 1 of Camp OmaPapa✨ #summercamp #campomapapa #oma #kazoo #pinkponyclub #babyshark #scooter #artsandcrafts #pacman ♬ Ambient Music 1 - Instrumental 
 
 


 
 @pbev12 Water Day at Camp OmaPapa✨ #summercamp #campomapapa #oma #papa #artsandcrafts #waterday #gamenight ♬ Inspirational - neozilla 
 
 


 
 @pbev12 Day 3 in the books! Stay tuned for Day 4 of Camp OmaPapa✨ #summercamp #campomapapa #columbuszoo #jerseymikes #artsandcrafts #smores #oma #papa @jerseymikes @Columbus Zoo and Aquarium ♬ Soft - The Pianist & D'Michel leb 
 
 

One important thing to note: it’s pretty evident that Camp OmaPapa isn’t just creating core memories for the kiddos, but for Oma and Papa as well. All while giving parents the village they so desperately need. All in all, it’s a pretty beautiful thing to see.

Check out more things OmaPapa-related by giving Paula a follow on TikTok.

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Friendship

Video of 3 women silently watching a friend give birth has people celebrating true friendship

They didn't make a peep, but their body language said everything.

Photo credit: Canva

Nothing compares to witnessing a loved one bring a baby into the world.

Friends are one of life's most valuable treasures, and if you're fortunate enough to find a close group of friends, it's like hitting the jackpot. This is especially true during certain big life milestones, which is why a video of three women sharing a key life moment with a mutual friend has people celebrating the beauty of true friendship.

Alyana South shared the video with the caption, "This was one of the greatest gifts I’ve ever had. Being in the room with my best friends during this beautiful moment was everything. I love you guys so much! Thank you @lexigelz for allowing us to be a part of your big day!! I love him soooo much!!!"

 childbirth, giving birth, having a baby, newborn baby Getting to witness a baby come into the world is a gift.Photo credit: Canva

It's a genuinely powerful birth video, despite the fact that it doesn't show even one iota of the birth, the birthing mom, or the baby. All we see is the friends' reactions during the final pushes and the wee one's arrival, but that part of the story is beautiful in its own right.

The first thing we see are the friends huddled together on a sofa along the wall of a dim room. We hear voices coaching the mom, but the friends stay totally silent. Their body language, however, says it all. First, they lean over and pile on top of one another to be able to see. As the baby starts to come out, the women slap each other's legs in excitement and hold one another's hands in anticipation, and their excitement is palpable. The hands over the mouths. The smiles. The tears. They're so clearly proud of their friend, and when the baby's first cry hits, the joy is just too much.

Watch:

@alyanaksouth

This was one of the greatest gifts I’ve ever had. Being in the room with my best friends during this beautiful moment was everything. I love you guys so much! Thank you @lexigelz for allowing us to be a part of your big day!! I love him soooo much!!!

 

The comments did not disappoint.

"The way they silently watched and let mommy and daddy have their time while supporting….so beautiful!!!!!"

"The way you all were quiet but so supportive was absolutely amazing. That’s true friendship 🥀"

""They were dying but remained quiet and did not take away from the moment for their friend. This was so sweet. Made me cry."

"So quiet and respectful. What an honor// and those aunties gonna be saying for the rest of baby’s life, 'I was there when you were born…'💕💕"

"And these are your three fairy godmothers my sweet! ✨✨✨"

 flora, fauna, merryweather, fairy godmothers, disney Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather, the three fairy godmothers in Disney's "Sleeping Beauty."  Giphy  

"Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather at the birth of Aurora like…"

"The way they all pile up on each other is so sweet to me. You can tell they’ve all known each other for a very long time. This is the final phase of, “we were girls together.” Now they’re all women and their friend is a mother."

"It’s the way they silently celebrate. They slap each others leg, hold each other, don’t take from the moment from their bestie. And they’re SO proud too I love it, literally gives me goosebumps 😭❤️"

"Women are such magic! I love the adult version of girl hood. What a beautiful moment of women celebrating women!"

"Womanhood and girlhood in one video."

 four women, friendship, female relationships, womanhood Friends that are there for the big milestones carry a special place in your heart forever.Photo credit: Canva

And that's really the crux of what makes this video so viscerally beautiful. The giddiness over what they're seeing and their expression of friendship is reminiscent of girlhood, but what's they're actually experiencing is sheer womanhood. Women have supported one another through childbirth for millennia.

Friends we are close to in one season of life we may not be as close to in another, but the ones who see us through big life milestones always hold a special place in our memories and hearts. Wherever life takes these friends, this is a moment none of them will ever forget.

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