We forget we are the lucky ones, especially when everything in our culture is telling us the opposite. You are not lucky and you are by no means enough. You need more— buy more, do more, eat more— the cycle is never-ending. And what’s more, it’s damaging. If you believe you are not enough, you are essentially trapped, tangled up in yourself. How can I think about others when there’s so much of me left to fix? This is why it is absolutely essential we remain grateful for everything we have. The reality is you are blessed, you are enough, and in realizing this you are given the greatest gift of all, the ability to look outside of yourself and help others.

Right now a worldwide crisis is happening, one which goes unreported everyday in favor of an endless stream of celebrity gossip. Girls around the world are being kidnapped, raped, abused, sold into sexual slavery, denied food, education and the chance to live a happy life simply because they are girls. In most of the world having two x-chromosomes means an automatic lower quality of life. Why even in our own country women continue to struggle against the age old battle of sexism and inequality. We are not immune to the evils of this world simply because our GDP is larger than most. In America, we still suffer the horrors rape and sexual abuse, and yet there is a marked difference between our rights and those living in the third-world, we are given a voice. Though in our country there remains a stigma around the women and men brave enough to report the abuses which they have suffered— an unjustified blaming of the victim for the evils that have befallen them— at least it can be said they have a voice, or an opportunity to have one.

In an 82-page report released on February 7th, 2013 by the Human Rights Watch, a startling truth was revealed. Children in India are being sexually abused by relatives, friends and trusted acquaintances and with absolutely no path to justice or resolution.

“… Current government responses are falling short, both in protecting children from sexual abuse and treating victims. Many children are effectively mistreated a second time by traumatic medical examinations and by police and other authorities who do not want to hear or believe their accounts. Government efforts to tackle the problem, including new legislation to protect children from sexual abuse, will also fail unless protection mechanisms are properly implemented and the justice system reformed to ensure that abuse is reported and fully prosecuted, Human Rights Watch said.” -New York Times

“In one case, a 12-year-old girl who reported to the police that she was raped by a man from a politically connected family was locked in jail for almost two weeks, the report found. The police insisted that she change her story, it said.” -New York Times

Can you imagine living in a country where you were held for prison in two weeks, without being allowed to contact your parents, because someone raped you. Though unimaginable, this is the reality for so many of the world’s women and children. So what must we do? How can we help, knowing there are those in the world who do not have the power to help themselves? There are three things you can do in your everyday life to bring change to those who seem worlds away: educate, participate and advocate.

The post You Should Know About This: Child Abuse In India appeared first on HelloGiggles.

This is half the problem, every time a woman does something, half of us throw a parade in her honor because she was the first woman to accomplish such a feat, while the other half criticizes her to bits because she has not accurately portrayed the life and struggles of every woman who has ever existed (e.g. the virtual stoning of Lena Dunham for seemingly anything and everything she does). Neither of these antiquated attitudes will propel us into the future.

Though the first is perhaps more tolerable, in a way it still holds women back. In labeling accomplished women separately from their male counterparts (e.g. the first female astronaut), we often imply that it is shocking a woman has accomplished such a thing. And while I understand the need to recognize pioneering women for chipping away at the elusive glass ceiling, at a certain point this system of counting and labeling women becomes detrimental. “Hillary Clinton is the 3rd female Secretary of State”. That’s great, but why are we still surprised at a woman being Secretary of State? If she’s the best person for the job, then why the hell shouldn’t she be?

Secondly and perhaps more detrimental to the cause of feminism, is the age old struggle of pitting women against one another. Most recently in the news, Jessica Chastain set the record straight concerning rumors that she “hates” Jennifer Lawrence, and went a step further by saying that pitting women against each other is detrimental and degrading to womankind as a whole:

“Please don’t allow the media to perpetuate the myth that women aren’t supportive of each other. Every time an actress is celebrated for her great work, I cheer. For the more brilliant their performance, the more the audience demands stories about women. With support and encouragement, we help to inspire this industry to create opportunities for women. And as we all know: a great year for women in film, is just a great year for film.”

After all, why is it that when George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Matt Damon get together for a film the stories to emerge from the media are of their blossoming bromance, whilst apparently women working together couldn’t possibly get along as they’re too busy clawing each other’s eyes out over “who wore it best”.

This is what I mean. It’s time for a change, and the good news and bad news is the call for change rests upon each of our shoulders. That’s right, you are the one who is going to change things. How? By changing yourself. Now listen carefully, I don’t want you to think for a second that by “changing yourself” I mean buying a new outfit, whitening your teeth or styling your hair differently. I’m talking about the deep stuff, real change. I want you to change your mind, I want you to become the smartest, most fierce version of yourself (think Sasha Fierce, Beyoncé’s alter ego). I want you to walk around feeling fearless in the morning, not because you’ve perfected your eye make-up routine, but rather because you know you could go toe-to-toe with the best of them.

Currently I am reading a book called Think: Straight Talk for Women to Stay Smart in a Dumbed-Down World by Lisa Bloom (daughter of the famous attorney Gloria Alred) and honestly it’s rocking my world! Her basic thesis is this: us girls have to get our act together and become big thinkers before everything the women before us have strived for disappears under a barrage of gossip websites and fashion magazines. One of the most shocking statistics repeatedly quoted throughout the book is the fact that 25% of young American women would rather win America’s Next Top Model than a Nobel Peace Prize, A NOBEL PEACE PRIZE!

The post A Smart Girl’s Manifesto – Let’s Get Thinking appeared first on HelloGiggles.

I am not one to turn everything into a feminist cause, and yet when there is cause for celebration, we must champion our accomplishments. There is no arguing the point: Beyoncé killed it during her performance at the Halftime Show, and I’ll tell you one thing, she definitely didn’t lip sync!

CHRISTOPHER POLK/GETTY IMAGES

In the past ten years of Halftime performances, only four shows have featured female performers (five, if you count Fergie and The Black Eyed Peas), and only in the past two years have female performers been given a solo billing – Madonna and Beyoncé. But why does it really matter?

It matters because without female performers, women, comprising half of the human population, are effectively left out of America’s biggest event of the year. Think about it – when it comes to women and the Super Bowl, we don’t have many options. Am I arguing that women should be allowed into the National Football League? Not necessarily. But come on, give us some options. For instance, where are the female commentators, referees or coaches? Nowhere to be found. Instead, when it comes to women and the Super Bowl, we have two options: cheerleader in a skimpy outfit or object in a Super Bowl commercial (see Bar Rafaeli or any other GoDaddy ad – sky waitress, really?).

Enter Beyoncé. If I have one criticism of Beyoncé’s stellar performance, it’s that she didn’t sing “Run The World (Girls)”, but perhaps her performance in itself was proof enough of that. Starting with “Love On Top” and ending with “Halo”, B managed to pull off what will likely go down as one of the most entertaining and well-executed Super Bowl Halftime shows ever (no nip-slips here). And we haven’t even gotten to the DESTINY’S CHILD reunion somewhere in the middle. Kelly and Michelle popped up out of nowhere, literally. Consensus: we weren’t ready for that jelly, not one bit.

GERALD HERBERT/AP

But aside from the fireworks, the twenty Beyoncés projected onto screens and yes, even the earth-shattering reunion of the second greatest girl band on Earth (HOLLABACK, SPICE GIRLS), what I loved about Beyoncé’s show was the raw girl power from start to finish. Did you notice the lack of a certain Y chromosome on the stage? All female band, all female dancers and of course, the raw estrogen of Beyoncé, herself filling up the entire Super Dome (I’m going to go ahead and say that Beyoncé was the cause of the freak power outage just minutes after her performance— the universe just couldn’t take it). And the set list? Jam after jam: “Crazy In Love”, “Single Ladies” and of course, “Independent Women”.

CHRIS GRAYTHEN/GETTY IMAGES

Basically, what I’m saying is thank you. Thank you, Beyoncé, for showing all of us girls we don’t have to play second fiddle to the boys. Thank you for being a strong, fierce and beautiful woman who never stops going.

“All the women who independent, throw your hands up at me.”

My hands are up. Let’s go, ladies!

Featured image via Pepsi

The post What Beyoncé’s Halftime Show Really Meant For Women appeared first on HelloGiggles.

Image by Win McNamee / Getty Images

Here she is casually holding hands with the POTUS. You know, all in a day’s work. Beyoncé is a superstar—we already knew this. The real story here is Beyoncé’s plot to take over the world, not as a singer, but as a social media maven. Earlier this week, Beyoncé announced the launch of The Beyhive Blog, a blog which “showcases the inspiring things [she] comes across everyday”. Sign me up, literally (you have to sign up to gain access).

What I love about Beyoncé is the manner in which she constantly steps up her game. The Behive Blog is simply another piece of Beyoncé’s media empire. The woman is everywhere these days. Love the internet? You can follow her on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tumblr. She’s gracing the cover of GQ, singing for the President and announcing her upcoming HBO special, Super Bowl performance and now her blog. Unstoppable force? Indeed.

Below are some pictures of The Beyhive Blog and as a bonus: a quick guide to the things Beyoncé Instagrams.

Things Beyoncé Instagrams No. 1: Beyoncé Working 

Beyoncé is a hard worker and she wants you to know it.

Here she is observing her kingdom.

Here she is singing to her kingdom.

Here she is walking amongst the commoners.

Things Beyoncé Instagrams No. 2: Full-Body Shots of Beyoncé

Beyoncé is fit, fabulous and fierce and more importantly she wants you to know about it. Here are just a few of the many full-body outfits Beyoncé has shared with us via Instagram. What I’m wondering is who is taking all these pictures? Jay-Z? 

Michael Jackson meets Mufasa?

“I am Beyoncé, my top knot is fiercer than yours.”

 If Beyoncé says blue is in, it’s in.

Or yellow.

Or red.

Where is she posing for all these pictures?

Is her backyard a bunch of industrial sets?

Things Beyoncé Instagrams No. 3: #flasbackfriday

If you are a human being under the age of 35 then you probably know what the hashtag #tbt means: Throw Back Thursday. This is the phenomenon in which people instagram old pictures of themselves. These pictures typically fall into three categories:

A) you as a child

B) you looking really hot, even if it wasn’t that long ago

C) you looking terrible/hilarious

Beyoncé is no exception, she loves a good vintage photo. However since she is Beyoncé, one of the world’s reigning divas, she refuses to participate in this ritual on the same day as everyone else. Thus B Instagrams her old pictures on Fridays under the hashtag #flasbackfriday.

“Damn, I look good in silver-tinted lipstick.”

At this point she already knew she would dominate the world,

thus the smile.

Things Beyoncé Instagrams No. 4: Inspirations & Personal Notes

Beyoncé loves to inspire/be inspired. She routinely posts shout outs to those she loves and quotes which inspire her.

Michelle Obama, a worthy shout out.

#truth

Beyoncé the philosopher.

There you have it, Beyoncé the media maven in all her glory. Though occasionally she appears in the media as a figure of controversy, overall Beyoncé continues to be a symbol of power and independence for women around the world. Whether you love her or hate her, one things is pretty clear— Beyoncé is here to stay.

All images via Beyonce’s Instagram & The Beyhive Blog

The post Beyoncé Is Better At Social Media Than You appeared first on HelloGiggles.

You may already know this. In fact, there is a chance you have been psyching yourself up in the mirror for the past 20 minutes while listening to ‘Run the World (Girls)’ by Beyoncé. Oh, that’s just me? Right, moving on. 2013: it’s your year. Why? Because 2013 is the year you finally get your act together. Now that Gossip Girl is officially over (spolier alert: Gossip Girl is not a girl – figures) you can finally stop trying to be like Blair and Serena and instead set your sites on loftier women. You know who I’m talking about: quite possibly the two greatest women on the planet (who also awesomely happen to be best friends) – Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.

Sorry, I’m back. You don’t know this, because you are not sitting in Starbucks with me while I write this (are you?) but I just passed out for six and a half minutes simply from typing the names Tina Fey and Amy Poehler together. I’m back again – only passed out for three minutes this time (this is going to be a long article).

Anyway, onto the good stuff. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, where do I start? These women are superstars— mothers, actresses, producers, writers, creators, Golden Globe hosts and not to mention all around best friends. In short, TAMY (Tina + Amy celebrity BBF name) are women to be emulated.

I don’t know about you, but 2012 was a pretty good year for me. I moved to a new country, started blogging and along the way discovered I am a feminist. What does this mean? Well, aside from burning my bra, yelling at men and not wearing deodorant (you know, the typical feminist mumbo jumbo), it mainly means I started compiling an ongoing list of the women I most admire. Despite their presence on my current list, I can’t help but feel TAMY (pronounced tay-mee) deserve their own article, dedicated to their particular brand of awesome.

And so without further ado, here are a few of the many reasons TAMY is arguably the best duo on Earth, and more importantly, what you can do in 2013 to be like Tina Fey and Amy Poehler (insert shivers down your spine and goosebumps all over your body).

1. They Get Stuff Done 

TAMY are both kind, generous women, but make no mistake – they are no pushovers. After working their way up from Chicago’s famous improv troupe The Second City, both Tina and Amy have worked their hilarious butts off, making their way to SNL, the silver screen (hello, does Mean Girls mean anything to you?) and eventually their own TV shows, 30 Rock and Parks & Recreation, respectively.

How to be like TAMY in 2013 tip:

Simply put: get stuff done in 2013. Don’t be afraid to be a powerful, hilarious woman in a man’s world. Or in the words of Tina, herself:

“So, my unsolicited advice to women in the workplace is this. When faced with sexism, or ageism, or lookism, or even really aggressive Buddhism, ask yourself the following question: “Is this person in between me and what I want to do?” If the answer is no, ignore it and move on. Your energy is better used doing your work and outpacing people that way. Then, when you’re in charge, don’t hire the people who were jerky to you.” -Tina Fey, Bossypants 

2. They Don’t Take Themselves Too Seriously 

This is key. Just because you’re running the world doesn’t mean you can’t have a little fun now and then. Both Tina and Amy are notorious for their impromptu antics: e.g. Amy Poehler at the Emmys and Tina Fey’s famous photo bombs. These ladies are at the top of their game, but that doesn’t mean they’ve stopped having fun.

How to be like TAMY in 2013 tip:

Enjoy the ride. There is nothing wrong with a little ambition, the world could always use more women and men who are passionate about their goals in life. But remember, cheesy as it sounds, life is about more than the destination. So make sure you’re having fun along the way – get out there and photo bomb someone every now and then.

“No one looks stupid when they’re having fun.”- Amy Poehler

3. Go Beyond Yourself 

This year, Amy Poehler started a new YouTube channel called Smart Girls at the Party whose mission statement is simple: change the world by being you. If TAMY have consistently shown us one thing, it’s to use what you have to do good around you.

How to be like TAMY in 2013 tip:

Listen to the wisdom of Amy Poehler and change the world by being you. In 2013, look outside yourself and see where your passions can help make the world around you a better place.

Happy 2013, my friends and fellow TAMY lovers. I hope this year you find yourself following in the footsteps of these two great women (or any other great women for that matter). This is your year– I can feel it.

And finally, congratulations to Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, who are about to make history as the first female hosts of the Golden Globes. Tune in next Sunday, Jan 13th 8PM EST/5PM PST on NBC to watch them bring the funny.

 Featured image via RollingStone

The post How to Be Like Tina Fey & Amy Poehler in 2013 appeared first on HelloGiggles.

If you’re a Taylor Swift lover and are panicking that I’m about to bash Taylor, don’t be. I love Taylor as much as the next 13-year-old  (probably more, to be honest). On the other hand, if you are a Taylor hater and were excited at the prospect of reading an article which bashes T. Swift so you could ruthlessly attack her in the comments, well then in the words of Taylor herself, “Why you gotta be so mean?”

Have no fear, Gigglers. This article is about neither trolling nor Taylor Swift, but rather the important issue which Taylor’s new relationship with baby-faced Lothario Harry Styles brings to light. I am speaking of course of the the time-honored battle which has left many a maiden dead in the “friend zone”: being led on.

If you’re anything like me, your past crushes read like a laundry list of closeted gays, jerks and boys who, in the end, were just not that into you. Am I preaching to the choir? Did you just shout “amen” to yourself, because I was right on the dot? Thought so… Unless you are one of the aforementioned Taylor haters who clicked on this article to troll (shame on you), you likely clicked because you too have been led on by one-too-many a charming fella.

In that case, I will attempt to tackle this the terrifying travesty of being led on in three parts: why do they do it, how do you know if you’re being led on and finally a personal letter to the boys who have led me on in the past.

Disclaimer:  Should I begin to sound like a bitter, cynical woman at any point please refer to the following articles I’ve written about how perfectly thrilled I am to be exactly who I am. 1, 2, 3, 4. #girlpower

1.Why Do They Do It

Though there is a great deal of debate as to why men lead us on, the answer is much simpler than most of the psychoanalysis taking place. In short, men lead us on because they can.

Time for a #girlpower moment. Do you ever feel powerless in your relationships— like you’re always the one waiting on them to call, gchat, text or email you? You do? Well let me tell you why: us girls often forget that we’ve got the power, too. No relationship is a one-way street!

But because of the way we’ve been socialized for most of our lives, we often default to damsel-in-distress mode, waiting for a prince to rescue us from our ridiculous towers. We shouldn’t be waiting around for a guy to text us like the helpless maidens of yore – this is the 21st century! Besides, in doing so, we enable the young men around us to toy with us, never having to be more than coy with us (look at all those rhymes, I’m practically Dr. Seuss).

Basically, what I’m trying to say is that boys will continue to lead us on if we continue behave like we have nothing better to do than wait around for him to throw us a bone. Trust me, you have better things to do! And the reality is, the guy you want to end up with is not the one who is constantly messing with you.

2. How Do You Know You’re Being Led On 

I could make you a list that sounds a lot like the book/movie He’s Just Not That Into You,  but I strongly feel women waste a lot of time running themselves through checklists  in books and magazines.

Bottom line: If you feel less yourself in any way, shape or form, then it’s likely this guy is leading you on. You should never let someone make you feel less secure about yourself.  As the great Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”

3. My Letter To The Guys Who Have Led Me On 

Dear past crushes,

I’m not writing this to hurt you, call you out or even to make you realize I’m the one that got away. Perhaps as the great and immensely wise Beyoncé one sang, “You’re the best thing I never had… I bet it sucks to be you right now.”

I guess I’m writing to say that what you did by leading me on all those years… yeah, that wasn’t the coolest. But really I’m angrier at myself than I am at you. Back then/last week, I didn’t fully realize I was worth more than a random text here and there, a casual email or a non-nonchalant ”sup”, but I do now (refer to Beyoncé).

I deserve better than this. I deserve better than casual. I don’t feel bad for saying that I’m awesome—because I am— and therefore I deserve more. I’m done waiting around in towers that I built. In fact, should you ever want to find a great girl, I’ll be out slaying my own dragons.

So in the end, I guess what I should be saying is thank you. Thank you for being so unassertive, nonchalant and dismissive that I was finally able to realize I deserve more. Thank you for leading me on, yanking my chain and leaving me in the friend zone, because now I’m so tired of it I refuse to stay here any longer.

Thank you old crush.

All the best,

Ashley, the non-bitter, non-cynical, awesome lady

Featured image via Metro

The post Please, Don’t Lead Me On appeared first on HelloGiggles.

It’s the holiday season and you’re probably neck deep in gifts that you hope your friends and family will like enough not to return. But don’t forget to #TREATYOSELF this year. What is #TREATYOSELF you ask? Well simple— it’s the best day of the year.

Lululemon is one of my favorite companies because of the quality of their product and the manifesto by which they run their company.

The Lululemon Manifesto

Your fingers and friends (because you can text them) will be happy with this purchase, whether you’re actually using them on a “brisk run” or just a walking around town/cool outdoor malls.

Peace out Girl Scout, go run/text like the wind!

The post Item of the Day: Lululemon Brisk Run Texting Gloves appeared first on HelloGiggles.

I hope you are enjoying the holiday season as much as I am, basking in the soft glow of Christmas lights, sipping on the latest sugary Starbucks holiday drink, and of course panicking over what to get your friends and relatives that will be both thoughtful and inexpensive.

Have no fear— “The Inexpensive, Yet Incredibly Thoughtful Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide” is here— and courtesy of Mindy Kaling, there are no candles to be found.

The post The Inexpensive,Yet Incredibly Thoughtful Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide appeared first on HelloGiggles.