Who run the world? Girls.
Or girls and women to be exact, but who am I to argue with Queen B?
We women are busy running countries, leading companies, piloting technological and medical breakthroughs, dominating the world of sport, and in many cases, serving as primary caregivers for the next generation.
It's not easy being awesome, but somehow we manage. Right, Serena? Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images.
But a troublesome new video from Elle U.K. illustrates the disparity between men and women in places of power.
From politics to Hollywood, women are often represented by a single voice in the room. The numbers don't lie. Women are 37% of MBA graduates, but only 4.6% of Fortune 500 CEOs. And this phenomenon is all too easy to see when men are edited out of the photos.
All GIFs by Elle U.K.
Having representation in places of power and influence is the only way women will achieve equality on a global scale. Because as the saying goes, when you don't have a seat at the table, it usually means you're on the menu.
The video was created as part of Elle U.K.'s #morewomen initiative.
Too often, successful women are portrayed as one-offs or exceptions. They're the take-no-prisoners alpha females who only reach new heights by walking on the backs of other women. In reality, there are women taking charge and making a difference in an array of industries, and they're not getting there alone or by in-fighting and bullying.
One woman's success makes every woman stronger.
Elle U.K. hopes to change the narrative and encourage women to empower and support one another in the push for global equality. Because women represent just 14% of executive officers, and because there is plenty more room at the top.
Taylor Swift with her ever-growing squad of powerful women at the Video Music Awards. Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images.
It's more than a hashtag campaign, it's a commitment to a movement, complete with its own pledge:
"One woman's success makes EVERY WOMAN STRONGER. More women for #morewomen."
Even if you're not a political power player or celebrity, you can still take part in the #morewomen movement.
Whether you're running the room or working your way up in your field, there's a lot you can do to advance equality and make your community and the world better for women. Supporting projects and organizations like Let Girls Learn and Girl Effect are a great way to start.
And shopping at women-owned businesses is an easy way to invest in the success of other women right in your community. No act of support is too small.
The scales of justice are shifting toward equality, but there's still plenty of work to be done.
See a few of the women making it happen in this short video from Elle U.K.
Beaver in water. Photo by 
An actual beaver dam on the now-thriving Price River
Not just coworkers—family, friends, strangers, kids…
Imagine having to go so badly but being out of euros. 
Anything hobbit-esque can't be wrong. 
But what if you need pain meds AND mascara?!
Imagine how this would affect childcare.
Honestly…where's the lie?
A brown buddha statue sits near a green mountain. Photo by 
Urgent dash to the bathroom! 🚪🏃♂️
Ladybug unexpectedly found during colonoscopyPhoto credit: 
Close-up of bottom of ladybug found in colonPhoto credit: 
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."