It’s late September, and Peter Weber is now in his second week on The Bachelor. ABC has invited me along to a group date—a shopping spree and fashion show for Revolve clothing—with guest judges Carson Kressley, Janice Dickenson, and Raissa Gerona. Everything seems normal at first—I mean, it’s only the second week—but, as I soon learn, that’s not the case.
For one, Hannah Brown has just returned to great dramatic effect. (Is she really only there to give Peter his wings? Does she want Chris Harrison’s job? I need to know if it’s for the right reasons, people!) But when I sit down with Peter during a break in between filming, he makes no mention of his ex’s return. In fact, it’s not until I see the first Bachelor promo months later that I even know she makes an appearance. Whether she’s on Peter’s mind this afternoon or not, he’s not saying. For all I know, the only focus is on the women on his group date—and his own turn on the runway.
Eric McCandless
Still, Peter confides that it’s been a rough road already even though he’s grateful for the opportunity. “I know everyone says this, but it’s tough knowing there is going to be disappointment and heartbreak, and I’m going to be the one causing that,” he says. “I was on the opposite side of that last time. But all that means is that I just get one step closer to finding her at the end.”
He says he hates drama (um, does he know what show he signed up for?), but he’s trying to be very understanding of what the women are feeling. “It’s not normal to date one person along with 20-some-odd other people,” he says, just like every other Bachelor and Bachelorette before him. But it’s clear on this date that he’s already developing strong feelings for several of the women, including Hannah Ann (who got his first impression rose) and Victoria F.
Of the women, Peter says, “Hannah Ann made a very strong effort to make sure I saw her and that she was there for me. She just has this Southern belle-type adorableness and charm, and I just was very drawn to her. She brought me this beautiful painting the first night. I’m just very drawn to her, and I’m very excited.”
It’s not what I’m expecting to hear. I’m prepared for generic soundbites about how great all the women are, but here’s Peter genuinely opening up about where he’s at in the process. I’m into it.
Ever since Meghan Markle and Prince Harry opened up about the state of their emotional and mental well-being in the documentary, Harry and Meghan: An African Journey, messages of support have flooded the internet—and, as always, they have their critics too. Fans of the Duchess of Sussex even started a hashtag campaign #WeLoveYouMeghan to show the American royal how much they care.
Now, a group of 72 British female MPs (Members of Parliament) have joined forces to draft an open letter in support of Markle as she battles the tabloids. Holly Lynch, a member of the Labour Party, shared the letter on Twitter. “Women MPs from all political parties have put aside our differences to stand in solidarity with the Duchess of Sussex today and are sending her this open letter,” she wrote.
“As women MPs of all political persuasions, we wanted to express our solidarity with you in taking a stand against the often distasteful and misleading nature of the stories printed in our national newspapers concerning you, your character and your family,” the letter states. “On occasions, stories and headlines have represented an invasion of your privacy and have sought to cast aspersions about your character, without any good reason as far as we can see.”
“Even more concerning still, we are calling out what can only be described as outdated, colonial undertones to some of these stories,” it continues. “As women Members of Parliament from all backgrounds, we stand with you in saying it cannot be allowed to go unchallenged.”
They say they recognize that the duchess’s public life looks different from their own, yet there are some similarities. “Although we find ourselves being women in public life in a very different way to you, we share an understanding of the abuse and intimidation which is now so often used as a means of disparaging women in the public office from getting on with very important work,” they say in the letter. They then pledged their solidarity against people who are “seeking to tear a woman down for no apparent reason.”
On this subject, Meghan Markle previously said in the documentary, “I never thought that this would be easy, but I thought it would be fair. And that’s the part that’s really hard to reconcile.”
As is usual with the royals, the Sussexes have not commented on the letter.
No, I didn’t crash tonight’s date like Cam did on last week’s episode of The Bachelorette. I actually had an invitation from ABC to tag along for Hannah Brown’s group date—which was appropriately titled “Labor of Love”—with several of her men (Cam, John Paul Jones, and Tyler C. among them). As an avid viewer of The Bachelorette, I thought I knew what to expect. Turns out, I had no idea.
Here’s the thing about attending a group date (I was off-camera, of course) before the show has actually premiered: You go in with a blank slate and no preconceived notions. But five minutes into observing celebrity husband and wife team Jason Biggs and Jenny Mollen teach Hannah’s men about the female anatomy, I got a crash course into each guy’s personality, and who may—or may not—be the best guy for our bachelorette. Take a look in this exclusive clip below:
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“It’s been super emotional already,” Hannah tells me during a break in filming. Now that I’ve seen the first two episodes, I get why: Luke P. has said he’s starting to fall in love with her; a guy named Scott was previously dating another girl a few days before coming on the show; and perfectly good chicken nuggets were thrown on the ground. I would have had a full-on meltdown by now.
So what does Hannah have to say about all of that? “I think that means [the process] is working.” And, “I do think my future person to do life with is here [on the show]. It’s surprising how fast I feel confident in that.”
Even so, Hannah admits it’s hard to know what’s going on in the mansion, and it’s especially not easy with the limited amount of time that she has on each date. “I’m just really pouring my heart out and making sure they know what they’re getting,” she says. “I just want real in return.”
She’s about to get it. On tonight’s first group date, the men learn what a woman actually goes through in labor, how painful it is to breastfeed, and how not to hold a baby (it’s not a football, Tyler C.).
ABC
“Today is supposed to be fun,” Hannah says, “but the deeper meaning is seeing who would be supportive. It’s OK if they don’t know where everything is [in the female anatomy] just yet. I’m OK with that! But it’s more about seeing who I want by my side in the good times, bad times, and painful times, who will be a good father and who I want to do that with in the future.”
Jonathan Saunders may not be that guy. “I was hoping I was prepared for it,” he tells me after a female anatomy lesson, “but with each passing moment I realized I have a lot to learn here.” Regardless, he says he’s confident in his “budding” relationship with Hannah and can’t wait to see “how it will continue and grow stronger.”
ABC
He’s going to have some competition though. “Cam has stepped up his game, and also Luke P. and Mike, who I’m here with today. Those three for sure [are my biggest competition]. They’ve made some moves that a lot of the other guys in the house haven’t been willing to do or execute. It’s so early in the game, but they’re the first ones to really take that step forward.”
When I talk to Cam later in the date, it’s obvious Jonathan’s assessment is spot on. “I’m here to be friendly, but not make friends,” Cam says. “Luke P. has been the most aggressive in terms of professing that he’s falling in love with Hannah after only knowing her for [like] 48 hours. Interesting tactic on his end. But I have to continue to build the momentum I have with Hannah and see if she feels the same way about me.”
Of course, this is a totally normal thing in most families. Sometimes it’s easy to forget that at the end of the day, when the fascinators come off and everyone’s lounging around in their comfy pants, that’s exactly what they are: a family. Albeit one that lives a very strange, public, and seemingly glamorous existence.
We have so many questions: Does William love communicating solely by emoji? Is Harry always the last one to respond? Does Kate flood the feed with adorable photos of the Cambridge kids? Does Meghan occasionally respond with Suits gifs?
Amidst weeks of stories in the British tabloids about a rift between the two couples, especially the two duchesses, the source also says, “There is no fighting going on between Kate and Meghan.”
“Kate is lovely. She’s British, she’s reserved. You have to break through that armor. Kate doesn’t warm up to people too quickly,” the source continued. “It takes some time for her to become comfortable and trusting for anyone in the outside world.” And Markle has had her own royal adjustment period. “That [royal life] can’t be easy for anyone to get used to, especially a woman who had all the independence in the world just one year ago,” the insider says.
“The ‘feud’ is definitely being played up. Are they the best of friends? No. Do they speak every waking second? No. Do they hate each other? Absolutely not,” the source said. “They are two women under serious amounts of pressure, stress and under a huge spotlight that no one can relate to—they will always have a bond that no one can break.”
Here’s hoping those rumors are put to rest soon. Until then, we’ll just imagine the Fab Four having a laugh about them on their group text.
More than 200 women came forward to accuse former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar of sexual abuse. Many of them read emotional testimonies in Judge Rosemarie Aquilina’s courtroom during his trial. She told the survivors: “You are no longer victims, you are survivors. You’re very strong.”
This year, Glamour is honoring this Sister Army that brought down Nassar: Judge Aquilina, Police Detective Lt. Andrea Munford, Michigan Assistant Attorney General Angela Povilaitis, and the survivors, including Aly Raisman and Rachael Denhollander.
“There were so many,” Judge Aquilina said of the survivors in Glamour‘s December issue. “You could feel the empowerment. You could feel the rage.”
Munford, Raisman, Povilaitis, Denhollander, and other survivors went on stage at the Women of the Year Awards on Sunday night and delivered a moving joint speech.
Raisman stepped up to the microphone first. “I am so inspired by the brave and powerful women on stage with me tonight and I would like to thank them for everything they have done,” she said. “Amazing things happen when women support women.”
PHOTO: Getty Images
Aly Raisman, Rachael Denhollander, Andrea Munford, and Angela Povilaitis at Glamour’s Women of the Year Awards
“We are a group that fought until an abuser was stopped,” she continued. “Stats show that each one of us knows someone suffering from abuse. 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys will be sexually abused before age 16. Those are just who speak up.”
Raisman continued with a call to cation. “For those of you who are struggling, your story matters and you deserve to be heard […] I know it’s hard, but I encourage you to keep fighting until you find someone who will listen and believe in you.
“Make kindness and empathy your superpower. Trust that the ripple effect will change generations to come,” she said. “Never underestimate the power of doing the right thing. Never underestimate the power of doing the right thing.”
Next, fellow survivor Denhollander spoke. She called attention to the members of the Sister Army who were not present, as well as the survivors of hundreds of other cases beyond Nassar. “Outside of these doors are hundreds of survivors. We need to remember them,” she said. “What happened to you matters. Raising your voice matters. This award is for the survivors out there who are living in silence. Your story matters. Your voice matters.”
Then Police Detective Lt. Munford discussed the need for all points of the justice process to do better by survivors. “It can’t be talked about enough. I want to challenge one of you when someone talks about sexual harassment, instead of thinking about how it could’ve been prevented, be mindful of what they are saying. They are looking for you for help,” she said. “Police need to be better. Prosecutors need to better. But we all need to be better […] and remember that we could be the first person they tell. Our reactions can help or hurt for survivors out there who haven’t felt safe about coming forward.”
Michigan Assistant Attorney General Povilaitis echoed that message. “This award is for all survivors who didn’t come forward because they feared no one would believe and support them. This is for all survivors whose cases were not investigated or prosecuted by police. This is an award for thousands of women who have gone under a rape kit examination just to have the rape kit sit on a shelf and not be tested.”
“I want them to know that we believe them and their stories matter,” she continued. “This award is for courageous Nassar survivors. It is for all survivors who have been marginalized by race, sex, gender class. Survivors like Reesy Taylor and Johanna Hall. Their voices have been silenced. Btu we believe you and will continue to fight for justice.”
Lastly, Judge Aquilina gave her own acceptance speech, talking about the power of the Sister Army’s testimony and how our culture has to change to support survivors of sexual assault. Read it in full, below.
PHOTO: Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images
Judge Rosemarie Aquilina at Glamour’s Women of the Year Awards
“I am so incredibly proud of the women here on this stage and every member of the Army of Sister Survivors. This case demonstrates the power of listening, of believing, and the destruction that happens when voices are ignored. This is a story about when things finally went right.
“I have always believed that a judge represents the people. That’s what I do. I listen. I treat people with respect. And the minute I’m told that I can’t give everyone a voice, like I did in this case … like I do in every case, I walk off the bench.
“The culture has to change. We have to change the way that sexual assault survivors are treated in this country. To do that, we have to be honest every day in what we say. So here’s my message to everyone– especially the young girls in this room, and the boys and girls around the world: Get real. Get honest. Tell the truth. Change the dialogue around equality and safety. Don’t say you’re fine when you’re not. Say, ‘You’ve hurt me.’ Say it loudly. Say it until you’re heard. Say it until you’re believed.”
The award was presented by Padma Lakshmi, who came forward with her own account of sexual abuse earlier this year. In her introduction, she highlighted just how important it was these women speak up and be believed. “The Sister Army won this battle not just because they spoke up—many had done that already—but because this time, someone actually listened. And believed,” she said. “Rachael came forward. Andrea listened. Angie believed. More women spoke out. Judge Aquilina listened. The Court believed. Aly and even more women came forward, over 330 in all.”
PHOTO: Jamie McCarthy / Getty Images
Padma Lakshmi at Glamour’s Women of the Year Awards
“Today, because of their bravery and determination, college campuses are changing their ways, and it is about fucking time. Sports organizations are reviewing their procedures, and the US Olympic Committee is looking to revoke USA Gymnastics’ status as the sport’s governing body as it damn well should,” Lakshmi continued. “With the strength of this Army behind us, we all will be believed.”
Find more empowering moments from Glamour‘s 2018 Women of the Year Awards here.
In the late hours of Friday night, Kim Kardashian gifted the Internet with the first image of what she dubbed the “Kardashian triplets,” a.k.a. the first group pic of the latest crop of Kardashian babies, who were all born within four months of each other. To be honest, it’s pretty adorable: There’s Kim’s youngest daughter, Chicago, who was born in January, plus Chicago’s cousin Stormi, whom Kylie Jenner gave birth to in February. Rounding out the teeny tiny baby club is the youngest member of the Kar-Jenner baby group, Khloé Kardashian‘s daughter, True Thompson, who was born in April.
It’s quite the photo when you consider all three sisters kept their pregnancies pretty hush-hush throughout the entire process: Kim revealed her surrogate after a few months; Khloé shared her happy news somewhere in the middle of her pregnancy; and Kylie announced the whole thing after her baby was already born.
“I knew that it would be better for us, if me and Stormi just stayed kind of low-key,” Kylie explained* in August. “Your hormones are going crazy and your emotions are more heightened, and I just felt like I wasn’t prepared to … I just knew that it would be better for me, and I could enjoy the whole experience if I did it privately. I just felt like it was a sacred special moment and I wasn’t ready to share it with everybody. I just wanted to keep that to myself.”
As for her older sister Khloé, it apparently took a great deal of “strategy” to hide her burgeoning baby bump.
“I can’t even believe I hid my bump for as long as I did,” she shared on her app. “It took a few styling sessions, serious strategy, and a sh*t-ton of courage, but it worked!”
And, for the eldest Kar-Jenner sister to have a baby this year—that’s Kim—keeping it a secret just wasn’t an option. She announced Chicago was on the way during a promotional video for the 14th season of Keeping Up With The Kardashians.
“What happens every time I say, ‘Guess what?'” Kim asked Khloé over the phone.
“The person’s pregnant?” Khloé responded.
“We’re having a baby!” Kim replied.
Now that the arrivals are here, we’re loving these little glimpses of them—after all, it’s nice to get a sneak peek of the stars of Keeping Up With the Kardashians, season 30.
