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Monthly Archives: April 2017

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There is a podcast for everything these days, but it's not too often that an independent, niche show climbs the iTunes charts or takes the top spot.

However, in the case of feminist podcast It Galz, dominating the charts is a regular occurrence. 

Run by two fine-ass feminists Jenny Claffey and Lindsay Hamilton, the women are bringing real talk and relevant listening experiences to our ears in hour long segments.

It Galz is an engaging endeavour, chipping away at the veneer of how we usually view women, be that through a prescribed interview or Instagram filter, and delving into the modern, Irish female experience.

 

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Free flowing and far from contrived, the galz, who are best friends IRL, use their own experiences to illustrate life as a woman in this country.

While their experiences are eclectic and Dublin-centric, the duo eloquently describe relatable concepts through their personal stories, and voice opinions that reflect those of the majority.

The episodes are peppered with 'she just said exactly what I've always thought!' moments, as the fierce and hilarious women explore themes such as female friendships, dating in Dublin and social media influencers, saying the things most people have never felt they could vocalise (but have always thought) about our society. 

 

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Exposing intimate details about their personal lives, the galz reflect on relationships, life lessons and house parties past.

In one of my personal favourite podcasts, Is Beauty Blogging Dead, the ladies unapologetically dissect the Irish blogging industry, and describe issues with the phenomenon in better terminology than most Gucci-belt wearing, skinny tea sipping influencers could themselves. 

'When the whole influencer thing really exploded we definitely noticed a gap in the market for ‘real talk’, Lindsay told The Daily Edge.

'That’s when I think we started to see our conversations as important and that they could help the women of Ireland today who are being fed so much false content.'

 

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Evidently opposed to the idea of creating inauthentic content, the girls seem to naturally have the knack for conceptualising relevant topics for their series, with episodes like Gal Palz which discusses the intricacies of female friendship, and Dating Talez, which ventures into the murky waters of dick pics and male entitlement. 

Though the podcast is a laugh a minute, the integral elements of educating women on their rights and reminding girls that there are fierce woman in this country who are young, edgy and not afraid to speak their minds are there. 

Also, if you're looking for a new page to follow, their Instagram is a gas bundle of 90s and 00s nostalgia throwbacks that are giving us life at the moment.

Fine-ass feminists is definitely the correct adjective to describe these women, and they encourage their listeners to embrace the term too. 

Ultimately, this new podcast has to be one of the most engaging, relevant and authentic on the Irish market right now, and if the feedback on their current episodes is anything to go by, the pair are set to go from strength to strength. 

It's high time Ireland had more women taking to the podcast podium to express themselves and project the feelings of their fellow females, and Jenny and Lindsay are doing exactly that. 

Find them on Spotify, iTunes, and Soundcloud. 

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Earlier this month, controversial changes to the UK’s tax credit and welfare system came into effect.

The new legislation limits tax credits to the first two children in a family, with the exception of adopted children and those born as a result of "non-consensual conception".

The later exception has been coined the ‘rape clause’, and has sparked rallies and protests in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Many Scottish politicians were quick to condemn the controversial policy and on Tuesday afternoon the Scottish parliament debated a motion criticizing the policy.

During the emotional discussions, Labour party leader, Kezia Dugdale, read a powerful letter written by a woman who became pregnant as a result of rape.

Before reading the letter Kezia told her colleges, ‘’This heartbreaking letter from a rape victim exposes the reality of the Tory rape clause. Or the 'awful form of shame', as she puts it. That is the burden this Tory government wants to put on victims of rape because it doesn’t want to pay for more than two children in a poor family."

In the letter, the woman spoke of how filling out the "form of shame" would leave her feeling suicidal. 

‘’Four years ago, one of my closest friends – someone I trusted – raped me. It happened once. I used emergency contraception but still fell pregnant.’’

‘’I was prepared for the financial hardship having just been made redundant; I was as prepared as I could be for life as a single parent. What I wasn’t prepared for was the impact the labelling would have on my three existing children, born into wedlock and bought up in a stable family home.’’

‘’Tax credits kept our heads above water, a buffer between us and the food bank, for that I am eternally grateful. There is no way I could complete that awful form of shame, no matter what the consequences.’’

‘’Looking back that really could have been the thing that tipped me completely over the edge; the difference between surviving to tell the tale and not.’’

In response, Ruth Davidson, leader of the Scottish Conservatives, said: "For parents of multiple birth, for children who are adopted, and for those rare cases when a birth of a third or subsequent child is the consequence of a rape, the UK government agreed that the two-child restriction should not apply.''

She continued, "I support these exemptions. Indeed, I can’t imagine that there is a single member of this chamber who does not. There may be many who disagree with capping child tax credits to the first two children, but not – surely – with such exemptions to the cap being put in place."

However, Ruth's opinion seems to represent the minority, as Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland's First Minister, has previously condemned the policy as an “abomination”, and demanded a political U-turn. 

 

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Disney is seriously committed to making live-action, updated versions of their classic cartoon flicks.

The Lion King is the next up and coming Disney live-action to hit our screens, and though it won't be here until 2019, there are already rumours circulating about who will be joining the cast of animal characters. 

Actors and comedians Seth Rogen and Billy Eichn are reported to be in final talks with Disney to voice the iconic duo Timon and Pumbaa, according to The Wrap. 

The pair are set to give new life to the unlikely duo, made of up a bemusing warthog and smart-mouthed meerkat, which first came to fame in the original film in 1994. 

Neither actor has commented on the exciting development, but fans are already delighted about the casting. 

The movie is officially scheduled for release on July 19 2019, and after the huge success of Beauty and the Beast, we can't wait to see the upcoming remake of Simba's journey. 

As long as The Circle of Life is still involved, we'll be happy. 

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Selena Gomez has just become the latest celeb to embrace a new, short do.

Clearly the cropped hair cut is the hottest look for the summer, with the likes of Cara Delevigne, Katy Perry and Kristin Stewart debuting uber-short dos. 

Now, songstress Selena has joined the ranks of it-girls sporting the edgy look.

 

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The Instagram queen has just posted to the social media site to share a snap of her updated hair style. 

The photo she posted shows two printed photographs pinned to a wall, which resemble test shots (possibly for a yet-to-be-announced project).

The photo has gotten 3.2 million likes since it was shared. 

 

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Selena has been rocking the very popular long bob in recent months, so her new sharp cut is a big step.

We're loving her brand new look. 

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In honour of the one-year anniversary of Lemonade, Beyoncé has launched a new ‘Formation’ scholarship for young women in four of America’s top universities.

The star announced the initiative in a statement on her website on Tuesday, April 25.

It read, “Beyoncé Knowles-Carter announces the establishment of Formation Scholars awards for the 2017-2018 academic year, to encourage and support young women who are unafraid to think outside the box and are bold, creative, conscious and confident.”

The scholarship will be awarded to four incoming or current undergraduate and post-grad students pursuing degrees in creative arts, music, literature or African-American studies.

Young women who are attending, or planning to attend, Berklee College of Music, Howard University, Parsons School of Design and Spelman College, will be eligible to apply.

According to CNN, the scholarships are worth about $25,000 each.

Hopeful applicants are required to submit a portfolio of work along with an essay answering the question: “How has LEMONADE inspired your educational goals?”

Sounds easy enough, right? 

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Zara Larsson has just announced an exciting new collaboration with H&M, and the collection does a hell of a lot more than just look good.

The collection is peppered with stylish statement pieces promoting a woman's right to not be sexually objectified. 

Using fashion to promote a feminist message can only be positive, as placing these slogans front and centre helps to reinforce their importance. 

One particular slouchy denim jacket features a painted pink cat motif, along with the slogan 'Cats against catcalling.'

The same slogan sits on a grey marl sweatshirt, while a powder pink, oversized hoodie starts a series of slogans with 'girl power.'

H&M

'I am really excited to finally share my collection with H&M. I have had so much fun working with them to design pieces and create a campaign that reflects my personality,' said Zara.

'I can't wait to see how girls everywhere wear the pieces to add to their own personal style.'

Check out some of our top picks from the collaboration: 

Denim jacket €59.99, H&M

 Mesh top €19.99, T-Shirt €19.99, H&M

Pink hoodie  €39.99, H&M

Sports bra €24.99, Cycling shorts €19.99, H&M

Bum bag €19.99, Pink cap €19.99 H&M

Zara was an integral part of the design process for all of the items, which is why the colour pink features so heavily, as Zara feels it is 'feminine, powerful and everyone looks good in it.'

The collection drops on May 18, so we'll see you there (we'll be the ones blaring Lush Life in the queue).

Feature image: H&M

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Make-up geeks rejoice!

There is nothing that get our hearts beating faster than a shiny new palette to add to our collection and this may just be the most exciting one yet. 

Urban Decay are about to drop their most versatile Naked palette ever and it looks absolutely beautiful.  

The Naked Skin Shapeshifter  is a one-stop palette for contouring, colour-correcting and highlighting, and is available in two colour ways to suit all skin tones and complexions.

The palette consists of two layers, one for powders and one for creams, perfect for achieving that classic Urban Decay 'naked skin' look. 

The Urban Decay Naked Skin Shapeshifter is available from June 8. 

See you in the queue.

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Having grown up in what could be described as the Disney renaissance, Disney films still hold an important place in our hearts.

They're ideal for easy watching on cosy Sunday afternoons or binge watching for the nostalgia alone.

Despite there being so many amazing Disney films out back in our day, the animation company are still creating imagination-capturing works of cartoon art, and this is no more apparent than in the 2013 flick Frozen.

Now, the film has finally got an official release date for the sequel, and we couldn't be more excited.

Taking to Twitter, Disney confirmed that the world of Arendelle and the lives of Elsa, Anna, Kristoff and Olaf are returning.

The release date has very aptly been set for November 27, 2019, so we will be in the depths of winter when it arrives. 

Kristen Bell, who voices little sister Anna in the film, also took to Twitter to share the news, and it's exactly the kind of weather forecast we wanted.

Sadly, we will be waiting wo years for the release, but at least that gives us time to brush up on the old storyline so we are perfectly well versed for the next.

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Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan Tatum have never been shy when it comes to flaunting their love for the world to see, and now the actress is spilling details from the couple’s very first night together.

In a recent appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Jenna admitted that her now-husband first caught her eye while the pair were filming 2006’s Step Up. Channing on the other hand wasn’t so keen at first.

She told Ellen, “He did this whole thing where he didn’t want to be in a relationship, so I was like, ‘Look, if you want to date other people and be free, that’s fine, but we’re not going to hang out and watch movies. You’ve got to figure out what you want, because I know I want to be in a relationship with you.’’

A few days after that conversation, Channing went out for drinks with some other dancers from the film, only to realise that Jenna was the one he wanted to be with.

“He said he had the chance ‘to be free’ and he couldn’t stop thinking about me.”

At 2 a.m. the actor showed up at Jenna’s hotel room, in what was an interesting outfit to say the least.

“I go and open the door — he’s going to kill me for this — and he has underwear, a sombrero and Ugg boots, and he’s like, ‘Let’s do this.’’’

Now, we don’t know if this would be our idea of a grand romantic gesture, but nevertheless, the couple spent the night together, and the rest is history.

Channing and Jenna married in 2009 and are now the proud parents of a 3-year-old daughter, Everly. 

Check out the full interview below. 

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The board of the National Maternity Hospital will meet today to discuss the future of the facility. 

Board member Dr Peter Boylan is refusing to step down from his position after he spoke out about concerns about the project's new ownership.

The new hospital is set to be under the 'sole ownership' of the religious order the Sisters of Charity.

Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland recently, Dr Boylan said it would be inappropriate for the €300,000,000 facility to have strong links to the Catholic Church.

The deal in place regarding the new facility was published yesterday. 

'I think it is clear that the new Maternity Hospital negotiated hard that clinical independence would be written in stone but I think fundamentally the issue of ownership hasn’t been addressed,' said Councillor Eilis Ryan of the deal. 

'There are a number of doctors who have said it is really impossible to guarantee clinical independence unless the state has ownership so I think that is still quite worrying.'

A petition has gone viral against the ownership, which has since garnered over 92,000 signatures. 

An RTÉ poll also found that 86 per cent of people do not want the Catholic Church to have any role in maternity services in Ireland.

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A mother has written an open letter to a Sephora salesperson to thank them for their help in giving confidence to her teenage daughter.

The letter, which has gone viral, explained how her daughter struggles with her appearance, and is bullied for her looks.

So, the mum brought her daughter to Sephora one day to buy her some make-up to help her feel more "comfortable" in school.

The woman, who is unnamed, was so taken aback by the kindness of the salesperson, that she wrote an open letter thanking her for giving her daughter a confidence boost.

 

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As seen on Spotted in Windsor, the letter begins: “My daughter is 15 years old and is having a very hard time with her self-esteem.

“She has been relentlessly ridiculed by many of the ‘young ladies’ (trying to be delicate with my wording) she now goes to school with – they pick on her for her clothing, her skin, her voice, her hair, her eyebrows, the list goes on…

“It breaks my heart to say that this bullying has convinced my beautiful daughter that she is ugly.”

The mother then goes on to explain that she felt a bit intimidated when she first entered the store, as all of the sales people "exuded confidence."

 

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"We were helped with products of course, but more than anything her kindness towards my daughter was what stunned me,” she wrote.

“I feel as though she somehow caught onto my daughters struggles with self-esteem during our conversation, and she went above and beyond to make her feel comfortable in her own skin.

“She pointed out the areas that my daughter has been most insecure about lately (like her full brows, her curly hair.. the things I've been trying to convince her not to change about herself) and expressed how beautiful she thought they were – SERIOUSLY girl, are you psychic???” the mum wrote. 

 

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“I saw my daughter light up and act silly for the first time in MONTHS,” she added. 

The mum ended her letter with: “A sincere and heartfelt thank you for your beautiful spirit.”

You can read the full post below, but we thought that this was so lovely to hear.

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In a surprising move, Ruth O'Neill has quit Xpose, in order to pursue opportunities abroad.

The TV3 star just celebrated ten years of the TV show last week, but has decided to move onto greener pastures.

Speaking to Independent.ie, Ruth said that it took her months to make the decision, but feels like it's the right time for her to leave.

"Work has been brilliant, it's ticked all the boxes but at the end of the day I just really want to try something new. I've developed so many new skills working at Xpose.

 

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"I've had such incredible opportunities. I've really been so lucky and I'm not leaving with any regrets. But I just feel that I need to try something new," she explained.

When speaking about her decision, Ruth revealed that settling back into the Irish life was difficult for her, as most of her friends live abroad.

"I've just found it so hard to settle at home. I think anyone who's lived abroad, whether it's Australia or the UK, will understand that it can be tough to adjust to life at home when you've been away for so long.

"All my friends live away and it's been difficult to meet new friends.

 

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"We keep in touch on WhatsApp but it's not the same. It can be really lonely at times. I thought it would be grand but it wasn't as easy as I thought," she said.

"People keep saying 'you have the dream job' and working with Xpose is something I've always wanted to do but I know that it's time for me to leave. I don't want to get too comfortable. I need a new challenge.

"My idea of success keeps changing but my main priority is to be happy," she said.

 

A post shared by Ruth O' Neill (@ruthoneill) on

As as for what she'll do next, Ruth said that she hasn't made any concrete plans yet, but is positive about her future.

"We'll see what comes my way. My boyfriend lives in London and I'd be keen to try something there but I'm not ruling anything out.

"I'm in the last year of my twenties and I'm just thinking 'why not!', if I leave it any longer I might be too scared to move," she added.

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