+
upworthy

Bronwyn Isacc




As much as we'd like to pretend every phrase we utter is a lone star suspended in the space of our own genius, all language has a history. Unfortunately, given humanity's aptitude for treating each other like shit, etymology is fraught with reminders of our very racist world.

Since I have faith that most of you reading want to navigate the world with intelligence and empathy, I figured it'd be useful to share some of the everyday phrases rooted in racist etymology.

Knowledge is power, and the way we use and contextualize our words can make a huge difference in the atmospheres we create.

Keep ReadingShow less

We've all heard the saying "haters make me famous," but few celebrities have lived that truth as precisely as Lady Gaga.

While it's well-known by now that she believes you just need one person in a room of 100 to believe in you, this mantra isn't just PR positivity, but comes from personal experience.

During her early college years at NYU, when Gaga was regularly performing at local bars, she had a loyal crew of haters. As many college students do, NYU students created a crop of small and niche Facebook groups dedicated to everything from eyebrows to music swapping.

Keep ReadingShow less

There are few people more near and dear to a busy, famous mother than her prized nanny. Finding someone who truly loves your kids, and understands their needs and limits with equal parts tenderness and discipline is harder than it sounds.

So, once you've got a good one it makes sense to hold onto them tight.

That being said, it makes total sense for Jennifer Garner to feel protective of her good nanny relationship. Particularly, when the cuteness of Chrissy Teigen's kids functions as a potential threat.

From Your Site Articles
Keep ReadingShow less

At this point, it's commonly understood that mansplaining is a problem. For those still confused by the term, "mansplaining" is shorthand for men explaining things women already know, with the assumption they are ignorant. Not all men explaining things are mansplaining, but all mansplainers are men.

Now that we have definitions out of the way, I want to present to you one of the most extreme recent examples of mansplaining that exists on the internet: a man attempting to explain periods and tampon usage.

In a screengrab to rival all screengrabs, a man on the internet attempted to do some very confusing math about how much women bleed each month (for WHY), how many tampons they use per cycle, and why they should all stop complaining about feminine hygiene costs. BIG YIKES across the board.

Keep ReadingShow less