“Glee” star Dianna Agron also spoke about growing into herself, after an 11-year “awkward phase” that included middle school boys making fun of her deep voice, worshipping Audrey Hepburn and Lucille Ball, and getting accidentally punched in the nose and branded “bloody nose girl” as a high school freshman. After spending her late-teen years smiling, nodding and trying to be generally agreeable, she had an epiphany while at the acupuncturist. “I didn’t have to feel as if I had to be everything,” she said. “I was something. I was just me.”
Plus, when she falters, she has a very special acquaintance to remind her to stay true to herself. “I met Jay-Z twice in one month,” she said. “This is not normal.” After greeting him with some combination between a hand slap and body slam, she apologized. “He said, ‘Were you being you?’” Agron recounted. When she responded affirmatively, he said “OK, cool. Let’s do it again.” Stars: They’re just like us … except they hang out with Jay-Z. (x)
“And that is the last case that she worked. In the nine years that have taken place in her life since then, she has not worked a case. In fact, she transferred from Hearst College to Stanford and then from Stanford to Columbia Law School and, as we see her again, she's starting to interview for jobs at big law firms in New York. She just got out of Columbia. We learn that not only has she not worked a case since then, she's not seen Logan since then. She's certainly kept up with Wallace [Percy Daggs III] and Mac [Tina Majorino] and she sees her dad [Keith played by Enrico Colantoni] as much as she can, but for the most part, she's put Neptune in the rear view mirror. There's something around page 10 of the movie that's going to bring her back to Neptune. It's like a "Godfather 3" story: No matter how much she thinks she's out, she's going to get pulled back in.”
—What’s Veronica been up to since we last saw her walking into a rainstorm? ; Rob Thomas for Huffington Post (full article here)How to Achieve Super Long Lashes
Super long lashes are one of the most sought after looks when it comes to makeup and there is no surprise why. Not all of us have the patience to apply a set of false lashes every day but achieving the false lash-look is possible using these tips.
Curl:
Curling the eyelashes is often over looked, but it can be extremely beneficial at helping to lift the lashes. A good quality eyelash curler is a good idea but for extra curl try heating your eyelash curler on a medium heat underneath a hair dryer, just be sure to test it on your wrist prior to use to ensure it isn’t too hot. The other option is to use a heated eyelash curler, these are used after mascara and really do add extra lift.
Prime:
From the face, to the lips, the eyes, and of course the lashes, there are many different primers out there on the market. Eyelash primers may seem like an extra step in your routine but the effect is well worth it. They are built up of tiny little fibers that cling to your lashes and give you that real doe-eyed, false lash effect.
Chris Colfer, 'Struck By Lightning' Writer & Star, On Facing Those Who Don't Take Him Seriously
Chris Colfer is much more than just Kurt from “Glee.” The 22-year-old star is a New York Times best-selling author, who also wrote, produced and stars in the new indie coming-of-age comedy “Struck by Lightning.” As Colfer told HuffPost Entertainment, he would have directed the film too, if time and preconceived notions weren’t a factor.
Based on his own high school experiences, “Struck by Lightning” follows a California teen named Carson (Colfer), who dreams of going to Northwestern and becoming a journalist. The problem? Carson dies in the film’s opening scene after being struck by lightning. “Struck by Lightning” details how Carson tried to make his dream come true with humor, pathos and a healthy dose of 2012 breakout star Rebel Wilson. (She plays Colfer’s onscreen sidekick.)
Colfer spoke to HuffPost Entertainment about writing “Struck by Lightning,” why people don’t give him credit for his work, and whether he’d want to write an episode of “Glee.”
The Most Compelling LGBT People Of 2012
Although it’s been a relatively tough year for Kurt Hummel on “Glee,” (leaving Ohio for NYC and breaking up with beau Blaine Anderson) the actor who plays the lovable character, Chris Colfer, had a breakthrough year, diving into projects outside the popular hit series for which he’s best known.
Those projects included releasing a children’s book, “The Land of Stories” this summer and debuting his dark comedy film, “Struck By Lightning,” at the Tribeca Film Festival in April.
[Source]
My Queer Wish List: 10 Out-of-the-Spotlight Hopes for the New Year
huffingtonpost.com(following from Josh A. Goodman for HuffPost)
1) LGBT-Inclusive School Curricula
This is a classic item on the so-called “gay agenda,” but it appears that the anti-gay crowd hasn’t had too much to worry about in past years (outside of California, anyway). Many schools still avoid talking about LGBT issues, especially with younger kids. However, if kids are exposed to storybooks with gay parents, or learn that people like Matthew Shepard were killed for being gay, they may become more accepting of LGBT people and less likely to engage in anti-gay bullying.
2) Comprehensive Sex Ed
Speaking of schools, this item is worthy of its own shout-out. It’d be nice if more sex ed programs acknowledged that it’s normal and healthy to be lesbian, gay or bisexual, and included information on how LGB people can prevent STIs such as HIV. On the flip side, programs that focus on abstinence to prevent teen pregnancies are of little use to lesbian and gay teenagers.
3) The Demise of Other “Kill the Gays” Laws
Uganda has garnered a lot of attention because they might pass the so-called Kill the Gays Bill, but dozens of other countries, ranging from Sudan to the United Arab Emirates, already kill or imprison gay people. Perhaps because there’s no imminent chance of the laws changing, they haven’t received as much outrage, but they ought to.
4) An Out Pro-Athlete
To date, there has still not been a player in one of the big four sports leagues (NBA, NFL, NHL and MLB) to come out during his career. A prominent gay pro-athlete would confront the stereotype that gay men can’t be athletic and could serve as a role model to queer youth who face discrimination in sports. Plus, people set aside religious bigotry, racism, and other prejudices to root for athletes on their team; it’d be nice to see the same with regard to homophobia. (KNOWhomo moderator’s note: obviously there are out female-identified athletes, though no current male-identified athletes in the USA’s 4 major sports leagues have made the courageous leap.)
5) Better Adoption Laws
Thirty-four states do not routinely allow same-sex couples to jointly adopt a child. That’s a shame, both for the couples who want to start families and the kids who miss out on a loving and supportive home. I think we can all agree that having two moms or two dads is better than having none.
6) Anti-Homophobia PSAs for Adults
Wanda Sykes and others have starred in public service announcements that question teenagers who call something gay when they mean that it’s stupid. That’s great for teens, and I’d love to see more of it, but it’s also important to address adult homophobia. Some possible PSAs for adults could point parents of LGBT teenagers to affirming resources or highlight the negative effects of anti-gay prejudice.
7) A Discussion About Intersectionality
People are not queer in a vacuum in which being LGB or T is the only part of who they are; all LGBT people are affected by their race, socioeconomic status, religious or cultural background and geographic location. That can mean a black lesbian experiences more anti-gay job discrimination than a white gay man, or a gay teenager feels isolated because he lives in a small town with few openly gay people. Being more aware of this isn’t going to solve anything by itself, but it is a good step.
8) Helping Homeless LGBT Youth
LGBT teenagers make up an estimated 20 to 40 percent of homeless youth, and transgender youth are especially likely to become homeless. Hopefully, with society’s shifting attitudes, there will be fewer parents who kick their kids out of the house, or treat them so poorly that they leave. Besides that shift, increased efforts to find LGBT-affirming foster families and expanding the resources available specifically for homeless LGBT teens are ways to help those who are still without a home.
9) Addressing the Needs of LGBT Elders
LGBT elders are more likely than their heterosexual counterparts to live alone, are denied spousal and survivor benefits from social security and are vulnerable to insensitive treatment and abuse from prejudiced care workers. Among the ways to address these issues include mandatory LGBT-inclusive diversity trainings for care workers and having LGBT community activities in assisted living facilities.
10) More Courage from Politicians
President Obama made history this year when he became the first sitting president to support same-sex marriage. I hope that more politicians follow his lead when it comes to LGBT rights in 2013. Some politicians come from districts that will be hostile to LGBT rights legislation, but it is up to those politicians to say that doing what is right is what’s most important. Other politicians do not push for LGBT rights very much because of other pressing problems, but it is always the appropriate time to address injustice and promote fairer treatment under the law. I hope that our politicians show courage this coming year; a lot of progress can happen without the support of politicians, but it’s far easier when they’re vocal supporters on our side.
Dzhokar Tsarnaev Unarmed When Captured
huffingtonpost.comWASHINGTON — Two U.S. officials say the surviving suspect in the Boston bombings was unarmed when police captured him hiding inside a boat in a neighborhood back yard. Authorities originally said they had exchanged gunfire with Dzhokhar Tsarnaev (joh-KHAHR’ tsahr-NEYE’-ehv) for more than one hour Friday evening before they were able to subdue him.
Elizabeth Perie: In Defense of Taylor Swift
I’ve finally reached my breaking point. LEAVE
BRITNEYTAYLOR ALONE.To give you some background, it seems that people are especially mad at T Swizzle this month. They are upset with her for many reasons, like ostensibly being asexual, having an out-of-control interest in antique shopping, dating too many men, and not being sufficiently feminist. Let me repeat. Asexual. Antique shopping. Too many men. Anti-feminist.
First of all, judging a young person’s perceived sexual orientation? Just stop. And I’m not going to touch the antiquing thing with a 10 foot pole.
In terms of slut-shaming her for having multiple boyfriends, I think it’s pretty obvious why we shouldn’t be doing it to a 23-year-old girl, whether she’s a mega-star or just out of college from small townPennsylvania. No one deserves that. Not Taylor and not her young fans, who are probably internalizing these critiques as we speak.
Even Michael J. Fox joined the chorus this week. He said: “Taylor Swift writes songs about everybody she goes out with […] What a way to build a career.” (Sidenote: Taylor tweeted that he called her to apologize.)
Now, I have a lot to say about this “Taylor Swift is sexist” argument. There was one particularly jarring article recently published on Buzzfeed that got to the heart of the issue for me. The piece analyzed lyrics from her songs and asked us: “Does Taylor Swift Hate Other Women?”
But what I’d like to know from Buzzfeed is: “Why do you?”
I’m not arguing that her songs are perfect feminist anthems that romanticize healthy romantic relationships. Few, if any, mainstream musicians today (male or female) write songs that are not problematic in that sense, and this probably says more about our preferences as an audience than their talent as artists.
Why, suddenly, do we all feel it’s her responsibility to carry our political banner for us?
It’s one thing to have a feminist analysis of Taylor Swift’s songs and to find them wanting. It’s another to dismiss her because her music doesn’t achieve feminism perfection in a vacuum where no one does. The more we focus on and disapprove of the few female singers who dare do their own writing, the more we are creating a hostile environment for empowered female artists to exist, period. Moreover, Taylor Swift has actually negotiated interesting — and arguably, unprecedented — ways to retain her agency in an industry that would rather she didn’t.
That’s what makes her a feminist role model. When any young singer writes a love song after being in a high-profile relationship, there will always be salacious speculation. Taylor Swift participates in the guessing game — she drops actual code words in her song titles to help guide her fans — and in doing so, she coopts the conversation. Some people even accuse her of manufacturing paparazzi photo-ops of public dates she has with her boyfriends.
Even though there’s little she can do to change the system that puts her private life as a young, female celebrity on display, Taylor Swift appears to have created a model where she can manipulate it. She has preemptively created a narrative for herself that she has power over and, for the most part, has benefitted her career (“Red” has broken how many sales records?).
In an industry that is known for targeting young, successful women and attempting to strip them of their agency, Taylor Swift serves as a powerful example of someone who has fought back in ways that are smart, complicated, and unapologetic. And that’s pretty badass, in my humble feminist opinion.
So, I guess what I’m trying to say is, for the sake of my sanity, I would like it very much if you would all take a moment to think about why it is that you hate her and other successful women in our viciously sexist celebrity culture. (Also, why you seem to think shopping for old furniture is such a reprehensible habit. Seriously, what?)
It’s also probably worth mentioning that Taylor Swift clearly doesn’t need my defense. She’s got this.
