On Thursday night, the 2018 Critics' Choice Awards proved to be an important night for acclaimed Wonder Woman actress Gal Gadot. 

Gadot was given the #SeeHer award, which is awarded to a woman whose work falls in line with the #SeeHer initiative, which aims "to push boundaries on changing stereotypes and recognize the importance of accurately portraying women across the entertainment landscape." 

Patty Jenkins, director of Wonder Woman, praised Gadot before presenting her with the award saying, "She excelled at every aspect of the universal hero's struggle in real life on and off the screen. But the really special thing is, she didn't do it for the glory. She didn't do it for the fame. She's not here for the money. She did it for us. She knew the great importance of this character and what she could mean to the world if well done."

Gadot accepted the award and gave an incredibly moving speech where she mentioned how much the character of Diana Prince meant to her and the importance of recognizing female directors. She specifically touched on the problems that women still face in the entertainment industry, including pay gaps and harassment.

"It's not only our job to entertain, but our duty to inspire and educate for love and respect," Gadot said.

Gadot's incredibly heartfelt speech is just another reason to respect and admire her for the example she sets for women in and out of Hollywood. You can watch her full speech below:

On Thursday, Blake Lively posted two stunning photos on her Instagram with the caption “mom’s night out,” to support her friend, artist Ashley Longshore, who was launching her collaboration with Bergdorfs. Normally, this wouldn't be anything out of the ordinary — but in the photos Lively can be seen rocking a cast, and TBH she somehow makes it look amazing in a way that only she could manage.

Known for her stunning style and elegant fashion sense, Lively was dressed to impress. Wearing a scoop back sweater, cheetah pants and holding a sparkly clutch shaped like a tube of lipstick, her bold look completely overshadowed her other accessory that was barely noticeable with her chic ensemble. 
 

Despite the cast that was she was sporting on her left hand from an injury obtained on the of her latest film, The Rhythm Section, she was ready for a night out and looked flawless in the process. 

The fashionable film star and mom of two's injury has put a hold on filming, as Paramount Pictures said in a recent statement, "Blake Lively sustained an injury to her hand whilst filming an action sequence. Production will resume as soon as possible."

I wish I looked that good, but especially after an injury. As always, Blake Lively continues to raise the bar with her impeccable outfit choices. 

So like, we're all quite literally stressed af. Which is rough. But luckily, we have one thing to help us get by: memes. In honor of all things memes (and our desperate desire to escape from our everyday exhaustion), we're bringing you our absolute fave memes this week. Don't forget to follow us on Instagram for even more taggable memes, because whose day isn't made when their bff tags them in yet another all-too-relevant meme?

1. When brunch is life

Money is nice, but mimosas are better.

2. When you're an expert social media stalker

Okay, I found his IG, FB, and Snapchat.

3. Judging party outfits like

Sorry, drunk me is rude af.

4. When you're lowkey dramatic

Extra & proud.

5. When you're a human ball of stress

Me?? Stressed??

6. When your Starbucks habit is out of control

$6 for a coffee? Seems fair.

If you really, really dig these, follow us on Facebook for basically endless memes, from snark to sass to sweet (well, sometimes). See ya next week, and don't forget to share!

In 2018, you don’t have to microblade your brows to get a bold ~look~ that stays all day. Maybelline just launched their Tattoo Studio Brow Gel, and it lasts up to 48 hours and is even waterproof. Mood: 🙌 This is what the future looks like. 

With a little wand that perfectly shapes and holds every hair, this product is super easy to use. According to Allure, it comes in Blonde, plus Soft, Medium and Deep Brown so you can find the perfect shade no matter. You can purchase this magical product in stores and online for just $15.

Brb, running to the store to get mine!

Resident IT girl Kendall Jenner is grazing the front of this month's Harper Bazaar, her first cover this year. The spread features the 22-year-old model in gorgeous ensembles that are wrapped in clear waterproof coat. The most stunning photo is arguably the one where Kendall poses completely nude, wearing only a dark red lip and the waterproof wrap. 

The accompanying article features a casual interview conducted by Cara Delevingne, aka Jenner's lowkey bestie. In the interview, both share their thoughts about how the current industry is changing, and Kendall opens up about how she found her way through it. Contrary to popular belief, Kendall describes her time gaining momentum as a model as difficult. "I still had to go to all the castings, I still had to go meet all the photographers, I still had to do all of that to get to where I am now," she explains. "There wasn’t a step taken out just because I had social media. I still have 12-hour days, I still have even 24-hour days sometimes; I still have to do all those things. We don’t work any less hard than the ’90s models did when they were young." 

When Delivingne asks if she felt accomplished at such a young age, Kendall responds, "I feel like the life I live is extraordinary in a lot of ways but that it also comes with a lot of responsibilities. I’ve had to grow up pretty fast and deal with situations most 22-year-olds aren’t really put into. There are days and weeks and months when you just don’t stop."​With major criticism surrounding her rise to fame in the fashion industry, Kendall describes what that's been like and how much pressure she has experienced to overcome that, explaining that she "ha[s] such debilitating anxiety because of everything going on that [she] literally wakes up in the middle of the night with full-on panic attacks".​ 

However, Kendall speaks highly of her friends and the "creative, crazy group of people" she surrounds herself with––including Kanye and his love for art. With a passion for photography (check out the LOVE cover she shot), Kendall has also delved into interior designing as well, describing her moments with designer Martyn Bullard as "what made [her] fall in love with art."​

You can read the full interview here. 

During the 2018 Critics Choice Awards, Emma Roberts debuted the most gorge baby bangs of all time. Honestly, she’s a lot braver than us because bangs are hard AF to pull off. Coupled with a full-length white gown, Emma was basically glowing––we couldn’t help but notice that she looks like a different person. Maybe it’s her new earrings? A new shade of lipstick? Ah, maybe she went tanning? Nope. The blunt bangs are just doing wonders for this girl's look. 

PEOPLE explains that Roberts attended the awards show to support her boyfriend, Evan Peters, who was nominated for Best Actor in the Movie Made for TV or Limited Series category. But tbh, her hairdresser should’ve gotten a nomination too for making bangs look so innovative.

Though we love to see Roberts change up her look, some Twitter users were rather rude about her new look.

Obviously, people are hating because they’re too afraid to don a new hairstyle themselves. This drastic look isn’t for everyone, but we can’t help but get inspired by Robert’s new 'do.  We completely understand if you aren’t committed to lobbing off your locks just yet––after all, bangs are a serious commitment to make. Thankfully, inexpensive faux-bang headbands exist to keep you from spontaneously demanding bangs at your next hair appointment. 

Regardless, it’s evident that 2018 will be the year of edgy haircuts and style.

Famous chef Mario Batali has released a letter stating an apology for past sexual misconduct, but oddly included a recipe for cinnamon rolls. (What?!) The internet surely will not let it go, including author and public speaker, Geraldine DeRuiter, who made the cinnamon rolls and published a perfect blog about it.

Batali was first accused of touching four women inappropriately in a post on Eater. The assaults spanned two decades, and three of the victims were employees of Batali. ABC asked him to step away from his show “The Chew” while they reviewed the allegations and have since fired him.

The apology read: “I have made many mistakes and I am so very sorry that I have disappointed my friends, my family, my fans and my team. My behavior was wrong and there are no excuses. I take full responsibility.”

But at the bottom Batali left: “ps. in case you're searching for a holiday-inspired breakfast, these Pizza Dough Cinnamon Rolls are a fan favorite.”
Seriously?

But it gets weirder. Geraldine DeRuiter actually made the cinnamon rolls and wrote about it on her blog, Everywhereist. She did it to mock of Batali and other sexual assailants who don’t seem to take their actions (or their apologies) seriously.

“The glaring question is why?” wrote DeRuiter. “Was his PR team drunk? Is life suddenly a really long, depressing SNL sketch? Do these cinnamon rolls somehow destroy the patriarchy? Does the icing advocate for equal pay? I figure the only way to answer these questions is to make the damn rolls.”

She detailed making the rolls step by step, even claiming she made the dough from scratch because there are no shortcuts for women. Throughout the steps of making the cinnamon rolls, she writes about times men have harassed her, leaving a sobering note with the joke. She criticizes the recipe, and the cinnamon rolls end up turning out terrible. The ending is the most powerful:

“Batali’s another drop in the bucket. He’s not the first, he certainly won’t be the last (he already isn’t). The misogyny runs so deep that the calls now come from inside our heads. We blame ourselves. We hate ourselves. We wonder if our skirts are too short, if our bodies are too noticeable. If we’re asking for too much, or not enough. We don’t trust ourselves, even when we should.

We try to follow a half-written recipe and think it’s our fault when it doesn’t work.

We need to undo an entire humanity’s history worth of hate against women. Apologies are a good start.

Just skip the goddamn recipe.”

What started out as bizarre, actually turned out to be a heartbreaking, educational and powerful message against misogyny. DeRuiter takes Batali’s less than serious sexual assault apology, and makes a more than serious commentary on it. We can agree that she was spot on.

(Images: 1,2) 

In his second episode of his series “Stephen Hawking’s Favorite Places,” Hawking predicted that Earth will one day look like Venus. That is, if we don’t cut out greenhouses gases.

“Venus is like Earth in so many ways,” Hawking said. “She’s almost the same size as Earth, a touch closer to the sun. She has an atmosphere.” Hawking takes his viewers on a trip to Venus using CGI.

He finds that the pressure on Venus is around 90 times Earth’s, which, as he said, is “enough to crush a submarine.”

And, again: Hawking thinks this will happen to Earth.

A NASA report from 2002 dictates how the scientists think a planet like Venus could have gone from having water like Earth some 4.5 billion years ago to become a “900-degree inferno.” They called it the “runaway greenhouse effect,” which occurs when a planet “absorbs more energy from the sun than it can radiate back to space.” The loop continues until the oceans evaporate.

In the report, it states that an area on Earth, the western Pacific “warm pool” northeast of Australia, already exhibits this.

But not everyone believes in climate change—including the current President. 

Hawking offered a solution, though, to those skeptics.

“Next time you meet a climate denier, tell them to take a trip to Venus," Hawking said. "I will pay the fare."

And evidence of this global climate change is here.

The Sahara Desert is currently undergoing its second snowfall in a little over a year. A powdery blanket covered the Sahara January 7, and it was already melted by the afternoon.

In the past, Hawking warned that human beings may have less than two years left on Earth, and, by the looks of the recent weather, he most definitely could be right.

“It will be difficult enough to avoid disaster in the next hundred years, let alone the next thousand or million,” he said. “Our only chance of long-term survival is not to remain inward-looking on planet Earth, but to spread out into space.”

(Image: REUTERS/Toby Melville)

Emily Ratajkowski is a highly successful model and actress, but now Ratajkowski can add being the face (and hair) of Kérastase to her growing resume, Allure reports. However, Ratajkowski’s problematic and offensive statements during her new campaign may have overshadowed her latest career milestone.

The Daily Mail explains that an excited Ratajkowski took to Instagram to share her campaign with her followers. In a now deleted (or heavily updated) post, Ratajkowski wrote, “Hair is a fundamental part of beauty, femininity, and identity. So excited to announce that I am the new face of @kerastate_official ! Welcome good hair days!”

However, hair is absolutely not a “fundamental part of beauty, femininity, and identity.” There are approximately 1.5 million new cases of cancer diagnosed every year. In a lot of instances, cancer patients need to undergo a series of chemotherapy—which obviously causes you to lose your hair. Whether it was intentional or not, Ratajkoski’s Instagram caption suggests that women who lose their hair are somehow less feminine than those who are fortunate enough to have hair. And this doesn’t take into account all of the women who lose their hair from alopecia, other medical (and psychological) conditions or stress.

According to The New York Post, Ratajkowski’s followers expressed concerns with her message. One commenter stated, “Hair is not a ‘fundamental’ part of beauty. There are people with cancer and other illnesses who are unfortunately undergoing treatment that causes them to lose their hair. Saying that hair is a ‘fundamental’ part of beauty is extremely shallow and it gives off the false idea that hair is a necessity.”

As a sufferer of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) who has struggled with feeling feminine because I have hormonal hair loss from my condition (and because of the medication I need to take to control my PCOS), it’s a bit worrisome that Ratajkowski chose to include this caption. It's comments like these that negatively impact those of us who do have hair loss.

Nevertheless, Ratajkowski did eventually notice that her original caption upset a lot of her followers. Instead of addressing the issue and apologizing, she decided to update the previously offensive caption. Hopefully, she will realize how harmful this Instagram post is and use her platform to begin advocating for femininity in all forms (or at least raise awareness for alopecia, cancer and other conditions).

Because Ratajkowski has yet to respond to this issue, we’ll say this: You are beautiful regardless of the hair, or lack thereof, on your head, chin, armpits or back.

Header Image: Emily Ratajkowski / Instagram

A Google spreadsheet listing allegations against many (powerful)  “Shitty Media Men” surfaced last October as part of the wide-spread backlash toward inappropriate workplace actions and abuse from powerful men in multiple industries. The men on the list were part of a so-called "whisper network" of people women should watch out for: “a range of rumors and allegations of sexual misconduct, much of it violent, by men in magazines and publishing."

The document was anonymously crowd-sourced from women across the media industry and it was meant to fight an insidious problem: to combat sexual harassment and assault and acknowledge the violence of forcing women to stay silent in order to keep their jobs. It had the names of 70 men in the industry, ranging in age from their 20s to their 60s. Fourteen of the names were highlighted in red to indicate more than one accusation.

On Wednesday, the author of the spreadsheet, Moira Donegan, came forward in an essay for New York Magazine's The Cut to address the complicated narrative around the controversial doc after Twitter rumors began to circulate that controversial "backlash feminist" writer Katie Roiphe planned to “out” the document's creator in an article for Harper's. 

What followed between those two moments, though, was something particularly interesting. Ana Breton of “Full Frontal With Samantha Bee,” tweeted that they couldn’t out Donegan if everyone says they started the list. And many other women in the media space on Twitter started to follow in a “Spartacus”-like mini-movement of claiming ownership of the document.

While it was later reported by the New York Times that Roiphe had never planned to include the creator’s name in her story, the rumors and fear of being doxxed were enough to inspire Donegan to reveal herself, despite that act of solidarity.

In her piece, Donegan wrote of her own stories facing sexual harassment and abuse at work.

“Last summer, I saw two of the most notorious of these men clutching beers and laughing together at a party for a magazine in Brooklyn,” Donegan wrote. “’Doesn’t everyone know about them?’ another woman whispered to me. ‘I can’t believe they’re still invited to these things.’ But of course we could believe it. By then, we’d become resigned to the knowledge that men like them were invited everywhere.”

Donegan said she was “naïve” about the whole thing: From making the spreadsheet in the first place to expecting it not to go viral. She said that she's lost friends and her job because of the spreadsheet.

“I took the spreadsheet offline after about 12 hours, when a friend alerted me that Shafrir would soon be publishing an article at BuzzFeed making the document’s existence public,” Donegan wrote. “By then, the spreadsheet had gone viral.”

She said that the spreadsheet (full disclaimers and a note to take allegations with "a grain of salt" due to its crowd-sourced nature) started the conversation, but Donegan never meant for it to go public. She said it was meant to be a space for women to voice their experiences and not a judge, jury and executioner for the people mentioned.

However, she does recognize the spreadsheet and the backlash that has come forth in the last year as an important catalyst for change moving forward.

"...We’re being challenged to imagine how we would prefer things to be. This feat of imagination is about not a prescriptive dictation of acceptable sexual behaviors but the desire for a kinder, more respectful, and more equitable world," Donegan said. "There is something that’s changed: Suddenly, men have to think about women, our inner lives and experiences of their own behavior, quite a bit. That may be one step in the right direction."

During the 2018 Golden Globe Awards, actress Connie Britton’s sported a “Poverty Is Sexist” shirt that has come under a lot of scrutiny. While many were confused about what the shirt’s slogan actually meant, Britton explained that it was her unique take on the Time’s Up movement. However, people also took issue that the shirt (which was supposed too be shedding light on poverty and the economic problems that people face) cost $380. 

Many people found it ironic that the Lingua Franca sweater cost so much, and pointed out the disconnect between the price and the message. 

However, Britton was able to handle the criticism like a pro. She pointed out that while her sweater still had a steep price tag, it was significantly less than the designer dresses that are common at these type of events. She also shed a bit more information on  the now infamous sweater, siting that $100 of the purchase of each sweater went directly to Camfed, a non profit dedicated to stopping poverty in Africa. 

Hello Giggles also noted that the price of the shirt might have also increased because it was designed and created ethically, explaining, “The reason why some shirts cost $20 is because they are NOT ethically made and because they rely on factory workers who live in poverty.” 

While it seems like people can find a scandal in just about anything, I think that its safe to say that Britton’s “Poverty is Sexist” shirt does a lot more good than harm. 

By Jessica Beltran

I have the responsibility to raise a child, and I don’t take that lightly. I’m a college student and a mother, and my life is completely different than those around me.

Before I dig deeper, here’s a little back story. On my 21st birthday, I found out that I was expecting. I was in the middle of my college career, and decided to take time off to raise my pride and joy. In the midst of all this, I had a full-time job and other responsibilities to uphold so I only went to school part-time. You can imagine how a two-year degree quickly turned into a four-year degree. I was determined though. After receiving my associate's, I headed to a university with a desire to pursue advertising and public relations. Now I'm about to be 27 and graduate and still haven’t made any lasting connections on campus.

Whether it’s the mom in me speaking or the age gap, I’ve found it challenging to find appropriate conversations with my peers aside from schoolwork. Whether it’s campus living, sorority pledging or being fresh out of high school, a lot of students go into college with a fun and carefree mentality. Of course, they’ve got their own responsibilities, but it’s a little different when you’re raising a child. As much as I want to be “aid back and “go with the flow,” I really can’t. I'm not saying that I don’t love and cherish my role as a mother. In fact, my son has pushed me even farther as an individual. He has made me exceed my own expectations, and has given me the courage to break down walls that have stood in the way.

I’d love to do a keg stand at a home game, but the mom in me finds pleasure in trips to the pool and arcades on the weekends. I will admit that over the last five years of motherhood, I’ve had times where I’ve questioned my identity and wondered who I am. It’s easy when the roles you play in your life all coincide with one another and it works. But when you are trying to discover yourself, your strengths, your talents and what inspires you as a young professional, you need time to self-reflect.

I had to prioritize roles because I played many—mother, student, worker, friend, daughter—and things began to shift. I became more of an introvert, and it was when I applied for my first internship that it became apparent. I went through a series of interviews, but wasn’t the right fit for any company. Perhaps it was the hesitation of being transparent with potential employers. Why couldn’t I tell them the truth when they asked, “Why can’t you work on weekends?” or “Why did you take so much time to finish school?” Mentioning that I was a mom didn’t seem like the appropriate response. Accepting an unpaid internship was another barrier, as many employers didn’t understand that I had to put food on the table. It was frustrating to be stereotyped as a typical college student when my life was anything but that.

I've learned a lot in the process, though. I must be honest with others and be a good communicator. There are ways to be truthful and still maintain a professional appearance. I fear because I’m not married, look younger than my age and am raising my son with minimal help, employers will be quick to judge and dismissive. But you know what? They’ll be more upset if life happens and I’m trying to explain my circumstances then.

I’m extremely proud of how far I’ve come and where I stand today. I won’t sell myself short because of a stereotype or my competition. I’m living a different life than other students and that’s perfectly fine. While college students are busy binge-watching Netflix, I’m teaching my son how to write and read for kindergarten. I’m not just a mother but a teacher, and I take pride in that as other mothers do. I know I’m not the only mother at my university or any college campus. I believe there is room for connections to be made, and though I’m not entirely sure how to go about it, I hear Meetups are a great way to connect locally. I hope that my story inspires other mothers to see that no education path has to be perfect. It’s your ambition and a positive mindset that will prevail when you feel like all odds are against you. 

President Donald Trump has canceled his plan to visit the UK next month for the opening of the new US embassy in London.

When Trump announced this decision on Twitter, he explained that it was due to his disapproval of the new embassy: “Reason I canceled my trip to London is that I am not a big fan of the Obama Administration having sold perhaps the best located and finest embassy in London for peanuts, only to build a new one in an off location for 1.2 billion dollars. Bad deal. Wanted me to ribbon cut-NO!”

However, the new embassy was first announced during the George W. Bush era and in fact has nothing to do with the Obama Administration.

According to The Guardian, London mayor Sadiq Khan said that Trump had learned that Londoners, as a group, are not huge Trump fans, and that protests would likely erupt if Trump set foot in London: “It appears that President Trump got the message from the many Londoners who love and admire America and Americans but find his policies and actions the polar opposite of our city’s values of inclusion, diversity and tolerance. His visit next month would without doubt have been met by mass peaceful protests.”

It’s safe to say that Trump isn’t in fantastic standing in the international realm as of late. He recently got in a Twitter argument with Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea, bragging about the US’ nuclear capabilities. And on Thursday night, Trump asked his colleagues why we couldn’t take more immigrants from Norway instead of “shithole countries” like Haiti and multiple African countries.

So, like, it's not a huge shocker that he'd skip out on this one.

Gigi Hadid and Kate Moss, despite their significant gap in age and modeling experience, have both reached “icon” status, becoming household names in the process. Besides their signature blonde hair, the two models have a lot in common, such as the fact that they have both been the face of Stuart Weitzman’s advertisements over the past few years. 

Moss starred in the brand’s advertisements until mid-2014, and Hadid took over the coveted position shortly after that. However, Weitzman has brought them both back for 2018 — and the results are stunning. 

The two look like they could be mother and daughter, or better yet, sisters (I need to know what eye cream Kate Moss uses). However, Weitzman’s justification for featuring both models in this campaign goes beyond just wanting to sell shoes. “With a nod to Stuart Weitzman’s legendary past campaigns and a look into the brand’s exciting future, the international supermodel pairing captures the essence of strong, powerful women,” Weitzman said in a press release. 

Not only does this message perpetuate the idea that you can look good, and stylish, at any age, and that women of all ages should be celebrated, but it hints that the brand, like these two models, are timeless and ageless. Weitzman is known for both his beautiful classic shoes and styles that are up to date with the current trends, making the brand a one-stop shop for all of the shoes you need (and want). 

Gigi Hadid has already styled more than one shoe capsule collection for the brand, and if this campaign with the legendary Kate Moss is any indication, its that we’ll never know what surprise she’ll have with the brand next. 

Photos by Stuart Weitzman/Mario Testino

Our daytime TV favorite Ellen DeGeneres always puts on a brave face. Even when she has an incredibly emotional week she is still very open about her personal life of TV. During her show on January 11, 2018, Ellen DeGeneres announced that while the mudslides are slowly taking over her neighborhood another devastating thing has happened to her. Ellen DeGeneres’ father passed away at age 92 earlier this week.

Before a commercial break in her show, she spent time paying tribute to her father and talked about what an amazing man he was — and I'm not crying, you are. He lived his life believing in Christian Science and never took medicine or went to a doctor. He was healthy and happy and lived a full life that he was content with. Ellen mentioned that when she was a child her father took her family on a trip to the Warner Brothers lot — which is so special because she now has her own stage on the lot! He loved the Ellen Show and was so proud of everything she did. 

Even though his death was unexpected, Ellen had time to say goodbye to her father before he passed. When Ellen left the hospital after saying her last words to her father to head to her studio on the Warner Brothers lot, there was a rainbow directly above her building. That seems like a sign to me!

We are thankful for Ellen's constant light and happiness that she brings to the world and wish her all the best during these difficult times.

During a meeting with lawmakers on Thursday to discuss immigration, President Trump criticized an immigration deal that would include protections for Haitians and people from some African countries, reportedly saying, “Why are we having all these people from shithole countries come here? We should have more people from places like Norway.”

But now Norwegians, and other individuals on social media, are standing in solidarity with Haiti and African nations and calling out Trump using his own words against him. Because to Norwegians, it turns out that the United States may actually be a bit of a “shithole” since we don’t have free healthcare and have gun control issues.

According to The Huffington Post, one Twitter user, Christian Christensen, wrote, “Of course people from #Norway would love to move to a country where people are far more likely to be shot, live in poverty, get no healthcare because they’re poor, get no paid parental leave or subsidized daycare and see fewer women in political power. #Shithole”

Another Twitter user, Christian Gerhard, wrote, “Being from Norway and the country Trump wants immigrants from. Would not even consider to emigrate to Shithole USA as long as Donald Trump is president there,” The Independent reports.

Some Twitter users even cited how Norway was rated the happiest country in the world in 2017.

According to The Independent, some Twitter users even pointed out how about 100 years ago, Norwegians were coming to America to escape the violence and poverty, which is the exact reasons why immigrants from the countries that Trump considers a “shithole” are coming to the U.S.

Twitter users also questioned why Trump would want Norwegians in the U.S. considering that their politics is the complete opposite of Trump’s.

However, Trump, according to CNN, has since said that he “[n]ever said anything derogatory about Haitians other than Haiti is, obviously, a very poor and troubled country. Never said 'take them out.' Made up by Dems. I have a wonderful relationship with Haitians. Probably should record future meetings - unfortunately, no trust!”

Trump wrote on Twitter that he wants a “merit based system of immigration and people who will help take our country to the next level.”

Following President Trump’s physical exam on Friday, White House doctor, Ronny Jackson, says that Trump is in “excellent health,” CNN reports.

The physical exam, which according to Jackson went “extremely well,” took place Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, NBC News reports.

“The President is in excellent health and I look forward to briefing some of the details on Tuesday,” Jackson said in a statement following the exam, CNN reports.

According to NBC News, during the campaign trail, presidential candidates usually disclose their medical history to show fitness for the presidency. However, Trump did not follow that tradition.

During an appearance on The Dr. Oz Show in September 2016, Trump only released a limited amount of his medical records, despite the fact that Trump said he had “no problem” disclosing his medical results, NBC News reports.

While on the campaign trail, Trump’s doctor, Manhattan gastroenterologist Harold Bornstein, wrote a letter in only five minutes while a limo provided by Trump waited outside his office, stating that he “[would] be the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency,” The Atlantic reports.

Trump, according to CNN, did not seem at all nervous about this physical exam, saying, “I think it's going to go very well. I'll be very surprised if it doesn't.”

According to CNN, the results will be released on Tuesday, where Jackson will give the details of the exam from the briefing room. However, it will be up to Trump as to what readings from the exam will be made public.

On Saturday morning Hawaii residents received a notification that there was an approaching ballistic missile and to take cover immediately, The Huffington Postreports.

“BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL,” the emergency alert read, according to CNN.

The emergency message immediately caused concern, but the Hawaii Office of Emergency Management quickly took to Twitter to tell residents that there was “NO missile threat to Hawaii.” About 30 minutes later, a message was sent out to mobile devices to confirm that the emergency message was in fact sent out in error, HuffPost reports.

According to CNN, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency is looking into why the message was sent out. The agency’s administrator, Vern Miyagi, said “the warning was a mistake.”

Corporal L. Miller of Honolulu Police Department’s Kahuku substation told HuffPost that “authorities confirmed there was no impending threat within 5 to 10 minutes after contacting the state’s civil defense.”

Miller also added, “If the alert was real, the sirens would’ve went off at the same time.”

Hawaii Sen. Brian Schatz took to Twitter, according to CNN, to alert constituents that the message was sent in error.

“There is no missile threat. It was a false alarm based on a human error. There is nothing more important to Hawaii than professionalizing and fool-proofing this process,” Schatz wrote.

Hawaii Sen. Mazie Hirono also took to Twitter, writing, “At a time of heightened tensions, we need to make sure all information released to community is accurate. We need to get to the bottom of what happened and make sure it never happens again.”

In a statement, Hawaii Gov. David Ige wrote, “While I am thankful this morning’s alert was a false alarm, the public must have confidence in our emergency alert system.”

“I am working to get to the bottom of this so we can prevent an error of this type in the future,” he added.

By Faith Hardy

With the rise of anti-sexual assault movements and #metoo, it’s obvious that the people of our country are trying to make strides toward fighting rape culture. And as honorable as these efforts are, there is a blatant contradiction between the message of anti-aggression and anti-abuse in the degrading lyrics we often hear.

We all love a good dance party, whether it includes current songs like ‘Blurred Lines’ by Robin Thicke or a throwback from our early high school years like ‘Timber’ by Pitbull and Ke$ha. And I think it’s safe to say that we often dance and sing along to songs such as these with complete abandon, without stopping to think about the words that are coming out of our mouths. I’m as guilty of this as anyone. But what really are the messages that we’re singing along to?

“Put Molly all in her champagne, she ain’t even know it/ I took her home and I enjoyed that, she ain't even know it.” Wait, what? This song, U.E.O.N.O. by Rocky ft. Rick Ross, is just one of many that popularize rape culture by referencing rape and drugging someone. Many of the lyrics from songs put out by popular artists such as Kanye West, Eminem, Pitbull and Robin Thicke are ridden with sexist, degrading, and objectifying lyrics that put down, disrespect and silence women. And while we may be aware of some of these objectifying lyrics, I don’t think we really understand the effect they can have on us. 

Misogynistic lyrics have been proven to cause woman listeners to begin to believe that their worth is solely found in their sexuality, and as a result show a lowered self-esteem and an increase in self-objectifying thoughts and beliefs. It's not hard to conclude that because of this distorted perception of their worth, women are less likely to advocate for their own equality and value as individuals. Instead, this will lead to further insecurities as women try to “perfect” their bodies and their physical image, and will tend to present themselves as sexual objects first, instead of demanding the respect that they deserve as individuals, thereby reinforcing this culture of misogyny we are trying to fight.

Now, before you brush that off and say how you only listen to this type of music for the vibe or use the age-old excuse that it can’t affect you because you “don’t really listen to the words," think about it. Regardless of if you know, pay attention to or agree with the lyrics being sung, your subconscious mind is still being negatively affected. Those messages filter into your mind as a listener and begin to have an impact on you, influencing you to believe what you hear.

And women aren’t the only ones affected by objectifying lyrics. Studies show that men who listen to misogynistic lyrics display an increase in the belief that women should be dominated by men, are more likely to be indifferent towards sexual violence and are more likely to have aggressive tendencies towards women than those who did not. Also, as these effects were visible after exposure to only two songs, imagine the impact on someone that constantly listening to misogynistic lyrics could have.

Regardless of how much pleasure these songs bring you, the negative effects brought about by them far outweigh any benefits or happiness felt in the moment of listening to a song. We as women have an important task to protect each other from the discrimination that these lyrics can cause. Contrary to what many of these songs say, I don’t want to be reduced to a walking vagina (sorry to break it to you, Kanye), and I’m willing to wager a guess that I’m not alone in that.

We’ve been taught our whole lives to intervene when a person is being bullied, instead of being a passive bystander. I would ask you to realize that objectifying lyrics are essentially bullying the entire female race. Girls are being reduced to nothing more than an object, something to be controlled and presented as worth nothing more than their sexuality. Regardless of the extent to which you enjoy this style of music, this is something that you simply should not stand for. I urge you to not hold a double standard for yourself, and to choose to not listen to music that degrades women, no matter how catchy the song may be. You don’t have to deprive yourself of your favorite style of music to do this either; there are many songs in these genres that are not offensive to or degrading towards women but contain the same talent and style that is so loved from these genres, such as much of Chance the Rapper’s music!

Can you, with integrity, sing lyrics calling for the sexual exploitation of women and at the same time rail against sexual injustices? The continual promotion of degradation of females through music must be stopped, and you can play a vital role in ensuring that it is.

This article is a Her Campus open submission. Submit yours here. 

No matter how you feel about the reported reunion of on-and-off couple Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber, you've probably heard about the upsetting drama the couple's reconciliation has caused between Gomez and her mom Mandy Teefey. Back in December, Teefey was reportedly hospitalized after an argument with her daughter over Bieber, and now she's shared her thoughts about Gomez reigniting her often controversial relationship with Bieber. Spoiler alert: like any other good mom, Teefey just wants Gomez to be happy. 

Speaking to the website Gossip Cop, which debunks celebrity rumors and picks out facts from fiction, Teefey, who managed Gomez's career until 2014, said Gomez is a grown person and "can make her own choices." 

Recalling Gomez's 2017 kidney transplant, Teefey revealed that, throughout the medical procedure, she never spoke with Bieber. She even shared that she hasn't even talked with him over text "in years." Although she called Gomez "brave and fearless" during her operation, Teefey confirmed what we've all suspected and told Gossip Cop that she is "not happy" with Gomez getting back together with Bieber.

"Selena can live her life however she wants as long as she is happy, safe and healthy," Teefey said, then discussing the end of her managerial role toward Gomez. "Every mother and daughter has disagreements. We never expected to manage her her whole life. We lost family time because the only time we saw her, we talked business. It was no longer fun for any of us, like it was when she was younger and we had to be with her because she was a minor."

It sounds like Teefey and Gomez have had a bumpy past few years, but they're obviously still close. The two are both executive producers of the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why, suggesting that working together on powerful projects is still important to them. No matter what rough path they might be currently experiencing, it's clear that Teefey will support Gomez regardless.

"She is 25 years old and knows what is at stake with her health," Teefey said in response to rumors that Gomez dating Bieber again could affect her physical state. "I do not control her the way it has been portrayed. Selena is an adult and can make her own choices."

Here's hoping that this rift between the mother-daughter duo sorts itself out soon.