As the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic goes on, individual stories about how the changes in American life—from school and business closings to lost wages and social distancing—are affecting families are starting to surface.
Experts and government officials at the local, state, and federal levels have continued to warn Americans about hoarding food and supplies, but many store shelves are empty as people try to plan for being stuck at home. However, when you over-buy and stock your home with things you don’t need quite yet—others may go without. And that’s exactly what happened to Lauren Whitney, a mom whose TikTok video about trying to buy diapers for her child went viral.
After trying a few stores, Whitney recorded a video of herself in tears at Walmart when she couldn’t find the diapers she needed. “To all you crazy people buying out all the diapers, how am I supposed to diaper my child if I can’t afford 20 at a time like you can?” she said. It’s truly heartbreaking and a snapshot of what a lot people across the country may be feeling during an incredibly uncertain time on so many levels.
“In the moment when I was filming the clip, I was feeling stress, frustration, and fear for my family,” Whitney tells Glamour. “It had been a bad week for me and seeing the shelves bare was the straw that broke me.”
Many on social media were quick to offer words of support.
In a follow-up video, Whitney said she was thankful to everyone who offered to help. “We’re okay,” she said. “We’re not the richest of people, of course, but we’re not destitute.”
To say Meghan Markle has had a rough go in the British press since her relationship with Prince Harry went public would be a bit of an understatement. But it’s been especially rough in the past year during her pregnancy and the birth of baby Archie. If she was still a regular celebrity and actor, we probably would have seen a sit-down interview with her, a la a classic Barbara Walters special, where she revealed the toll it’s taken on her.
But such is not the way with the British royal family—usually. But as we’ve all seen, Markle and Prince Harry are doing things their own way—from the way they introduced Archie to the world to their social media style. Now, a new documentary filmed during their recent royal tour in southern Africa is apparently about to shed a lot of light on some of their most private struggles.
In a teaser clip released by ITV, Markle opens up about her feelings when director Tom Bradtby asks her about her own physical and mental health amidst all the press coverage and pressure. “I would say…look, any woman, especially when they’re pregnant, you’re really vulnerable,” she says. “So that was made really challenging. And then when you have a newborn, you know?”
“And especially as a woman, it’s really, it’s a lot. So, if you add this on top of just trying to be a new mom or trying to be a newlywed, it’s um…Yeah, well, I guess, and also thank you for asking because not many people have asked if I’m okay. But it’s a very real thing to be going through behind the scenes.”
Watch the clip for yourself. Frankly, it’s heartbreaking.
Of course, there are many glamorous things that we all imagine come along with being a royal—but there’s also so much baggage that I don’t know that I’d ever want, and this clip illustrates some of that. Harry also opens up about how every camera click reminds him of the worst parts of his mother, Princess Diana’s life.
I can’t wait to see what else is revealed in the special, along with the happy and joyful moments of the tour—and hopefully more clips of Archie.
Harry & Meghan: An African Journey premieres Sunday night in the U.K. and will air on ABC on October 23 at 10 PM
There’s a moment from the new Elton John biopic, Rocketman, that I can’t get out of my head. It’s when Elton (Taron Egerton) comes out to his mother, Sheila (Bryce Dallas Howard), via a phone-booth call just minutes before performing at Royal Albert Hall. Sheila’s response is less than enthusiastic: She tells her son—now a global pop icon—that she’s always known his sexuality, and he’s “choosing” a life of loneliness.
As a gay man myself, it’s a hard scene to watch. I was fortunate enough to have a positive coming-out experience, but I know all too well this isn’t the case for everyone. Realizing that even Elton John, someone who paved the way for many LGBTQ+ people, had a painful coming-out journey is a reminder that no one is safe from homophobia. Even now. My friends who have had similar conversations with their families are proof of that.
The weight of this moment wasn’t lost on Bryce Dallas Howard, who talked to several people about their coming-out stories to prepare. And when the scene finally wrapped, she was relieved. “It’s not fun, something like that,” she tells Glamour. “So we did it with just a small number of takes and got that pretty quickly.”
It’s a quick moment, sure, but a powerful one. Not only does it inform so much of what Elton does in the movie; it crystallizes Sheila’s character: This is a woman whose profound unhappiness with her own life prevented her from being the mom she needed to be. That’s Rocketman‘s interpretation, at least. I’m sure the real-life Sheila, who passed away in December 2017, had her own viewpoint on things.
Bryce Dallas Howard as Elton John’s mother, Sheila, in Rocketman
“I feel like sometimes in life—and certainly in movies—we look at people in a very binary way; they’re either good or they’re bad,” Howard says. “And the truth is everyone is normally a little bit of both. And in the case of Sheila, she’s someone who had a very big personality, was extremely charismatic, witty, funny—but then also was a very unhappy person. As a result, she was able to inflict a lot of damage.”
How Sheila reacts to Elton’s sexuality is, hypothetically, enough for viewers to write her off as “bad,” but Howard’s performance ensures this doesn’t happen. “It was important to not just go pure villain and yet also paint a picture of ‘Yeah, this was not a happy childhood.'”
When we meet Sheila, she’s lively and energetic but harboring a lot of frustration. She’s unsatisfied with her marriage to Elton’s father, Stanley, who ultimately leaves her to start another family. Sheila eventually remarries too, but the movie paints her as never fully recovering from Stanley’s indiscretions. That’s why I think she responds to Elton’s coming-out in the way she does: If she doesn’t have a positive outlook on her own relationships, it’d be hard to have one on Elton’s.
This dynamic illuminated something important to Howard about her actual life as a mom. (She has two children with her husband, actor Seth Gabel.) “It’s a healthy reminder, as a parent, to see what the impact can be on a child when the parent is perpetually unhappy and they’re not managing their own mental well-being,” she says. “How that can snowball into a dynamic that is very difficult to extricate yourself from. Kind words—they go far within a family.”
Tom Bennett plays Sheila’s second husband in Rocketman, while Gemma Jones plays her mother.
Kind words and an open mind. Two things Sheila didn’t have with Elton—in this fictionalized version of his life, at least—but Howard has with her kids. “My children get revealed to me over time,” she says. “Just because I’ve happened to know them since they were born doesn’t mean I know everything about them. Make space for that, as well, to be surprised—to be taken on an adventure by your child. To go places and in directions and explore things you never thought you would. But it’s because this person is in your life, and you’re connected to them forever.”
Miley Cyrus dropped her highly-anticipated EP She Is Coming on Friday, May 31, and there’s a lot to love about it. “Cattitude” featuring RuPaul is already my summer vibe; literally everyone can relate to “Unholy”; and “Mother’s Daughter” really is that bop.
But there’s one song on the EP that has the attention of Cyrus’ entire fandom: “The Most.” By far the chillest track of the bunch, the song shows Cyrus at her most vulnerable. “This winter was as cold as you and I/I know you’re home, hoping I’m alright/How many times have I left you in the deep?/I don’t know why you still believe in me,” she sings toward the song’s beginning. And the chorus is even more heartbreaking: “So why do I hurt you so? Is it ’cause I know?/Why do I hurt you so? Is it ’cause you love me the most?”
It’s a love song—and a sad one at that—which is why people are convinced the subject is Liam Hemsworth. Thematically, Cyrus tackles the concept of not understanding why a partner wants to be with her. “Even in my darkest days, even in my lowest place/You love me the most/And even when I can’t stay, even when I run away/You love me the most,” she sings. Whoever Cyrus is talking about, their love for her seems pretty unconditional—hence why, again, Twitter thinks the song is about her famous husband.
But don’t take my word for it. Listen to the song for yourself, below, and form your own opinions.
[embedded content]
Here are just a few reactions fans have posted to Twitter:
Miley Cyrus wrote a tribute to Hemsworth for his birthday back in February that has a similar vibe to the lyrics in this song. “I love going to a random party and remembering basically everyone is fake AF out here and how lucky I am to share a life with someone so REAL. I love the way you always listen & the way that you care,” she wrote on Instagram. “I love how you let ME be ME.”
When many women get ready to go for a run, their prep looks something like this: put on favorite running shorts, lace up shoes, pick a playlist, grab a weapon, head out the door.
You read that right. Headlines about women being attacked by men (or even animals) while out for jog are a steady drumbeat in the news cycle; for women, running safety is often top of mind and for many, that means running with products that could help them stay safe in the event of being attacked while on a run.
In a twitter thread posted earlier this week, women began sharing the things they carry to help them feel safe when they run—everything from running with dogs to running with knives—and it’s getting a ton of attention on social media. “One of my mom groups has a thread that is just women listing and recommending which kind of protection they take when them when they go out running (i.e. pepper spray, alarm necklaces, whistles, etc.) in case you wondered what being a woman is like,” writer Amanda Deibert posted earlier this week before asking: “Also, women: what do you use when you go out running?”
The thread prompted a flood of responses from women that are infuriating and heartbreaking—women are carrying knives in the pockets of their running vests just to feel safe while out for a run. But their recommendations are also incredibly practical. “I won’t wear headphones so I can be more alert to my surroundings,” one woman wrote. “Would be nice to listen to music though.”
Here are some of the best running safety products for women recommended by women (and where you can get them).
Safety whistle
“The whistle I use is called the Whistles for LIFE Tri-Power Whistle,” one woman recommended. “I have yellow because I feel it’s more visible then red.”
“I use two,” one woman shared. “One in each hand.”
Self-defense keychain
“My daughter starts 6th grade in August and will need to use the school bus for the first time. The bus doesn’t come to our house, meaning she’ll need to walk and wait at the end of our road every morning,” one woman wrote. “She now has a cell phone, rape whistle, and one of these. She’s eleven.”
“I like that it’s really only a partial glove and that I don’t have to grip/hold the pepper spray the whole run,” one woman said. “I definitely feel safer running with it.”
Destructive wildfires are currently ravaging sections of Northern and Southern California with devastating force. According to an estimate by CNN, nearly 250,000 people across the state have been evacuated from their homes as a result. In Southern California, the currently uncontrolled Woolsey fire in Ventura County and Malibu has burned over 70,000 acres of land. In response to the event, Bella Hadid posted a heartfelt tribute to Malibu, where she and siblings Gigi and Anwar Hadid grew up, on her Instagram.
According to Hadid’s post, the high school she attended and a number of town landmarks have been lost in the fire. “[C]an’t believe this….it makes me so emotional looking at these photographs taken in the past two days. our beautiful Malibu looks so sad today,” she wrote. “[M]alibu is such a connected, loving community with families that have lived there for 30+ years. Many of them growing up together raising children together for so many decades making so many memories… our high school has gone down as well as so many of the homes we all grew up in…pavilions was more than just a grocery store.?”
PHOTO: Scott Varley/Digital First Media/Torrance Daily Breeze via Getty Images
Although Hadid is not in California at the time—she just wrapped filming for the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in New York City—the tragedy deeply resonated with her, and she expressed empathy to her those who have been affected, adding that she hopes “we can come up with something very soon to help.”
“I can’t even imagine how you all are feeling back home having to evacuate…im so sorry that you have to watch this happen right in front of you- Im sure it is the most painful thing in the world,” she continued. “[M]y heart is so broken I am so sorry to every single person that lost their homes, and I hope we can come up with something very soon to help… as you can see- horses and other animals are being brought to beaches because there is no way to get out of Malibu anymore.”
To assist with relief efforts, Hadid shared contact information for several relief organizations in her post, especially for those who might need to take their animals out of harm’s way. “I added a few places you can evacuate your animals to if anyone that needs help is reading this… I can’t imagine having to leave my horses behind..I feel so helpless right now …” she said. “[T]hank you to all of the incredible fire fighters in Malibu and from the valley who are working so hard in danger for the community. You are so incredible And we salute you. I hope everyone is safe and I am praying for this psychotic fire to just stop!!!!!”
Sister Gigi Hadid also shared a tribute to the city on her Instagram story. “To my friends and their families and our whole community: I wish the best for your safety and the security of your homes. I’m so sorry to everyone who has everyone who has lost already in these fires…& heartbroken for our cherished Malibu High[.]”
