A healthy lifestyle is one which helps to keep and improve people's health and well-being.Many governments and non-governmental organizations have made big efforts in healthy lifestyle and health promotion.
Mental health can be considered a very important factor of physical health for the effects it produces on bodily functions. This type of health concerns emotional and cognitive well-being or an absence of mental disorder.
Public health can be defined in a variety of ways. It can be presented as "the study of the physical, psychosocial and socio-cultural determinants of population health and actions to improve the health of the population.
For the UN, reproductive health is a right, like other human rights. This recent concept evokes the good transmission of the genetic heritage from one generation to the next.
Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
There's going to be a couple of new "first dogs" thanks to Joe Biden's projected election win on Nov. 7. Come January, the president-elect and his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, will put pets back in the White House - including the establishment's first rescue dog.
Joe saw Major the German Shepherd on social media back in 2018 and was moved by his story. Major was one of six puppies forced to vacate their home after being exposed to something toxic, before finding a temporary home with the Delaware Humane Association. Joe reached out for more information, which led to the Bidens fostering Major for eight months before he was officially adopted.
In addition to Major, the Bidens are also bringing another dog, named Champ, to the White House. They've had the older German Shepherd since 2008. Major and Champ are the latest in a long line of pups to grace the presidential building, and we can't wait to see more of their adorable shenanigans in the future.
We know you're looking for ways to refresh your workout routine, because we are too. That's why we've been keeping up with our weekly schedule of live workouts on Instagram and YouTube - they're like a breath of fresh air when you're getting tired of doing the same routines over and over. This week we have a packed schedule, four workouts ranging from strength to power yoga flow to a mindful running warmup, all going live for free on YouTube and @popsugarfitness on Instagram. Check out the full schedule below and add it to your Google Calendar to keep up from week to week! You can also catch up with our previous live workouts on the free Active by POPSUGAR app. Grab your water and we'll see you there!
We know you're looking for ways to refresh your workout routine, because we are too. That's why we've been keeping up with our weekly schedule of live workouts on Instagram and YouTube - they're like a breath of fresh air when you're getting tired of doing the same routines over and over. This week we have a packed schedule, four workouts ranging from strength to power yoga flow to a mindful running warmup, all going live for free on YouTube and @popsugarfitness on Instagram. Check out the full schedule below and add it to your Google Calendar to keep up from week to week! You can also catch up with our previous live workouts on the free Active by POPSUGAR app. Grab your water and we'll see you there!
If you could use a little break from following the news or need to let go of some pent-up energy or stress, follow along to this fun workout from professional dancers Stephen "tWitch" Boss and Allison Holker. It's great for beginners, and Boss said, "no prior dance experience is needed," since you just copy what they're doing. Holker said, "It's just about having fun, loosening up, and learning a few dance moves." This workout is under 18 minutes, but long enough to move and sweat a little to release some happy hormones to help uplift your mood.
Boss and Holker, who met on the set of So You Think You Can Dance years ago, have been posting live Boss Family dance workouts to YouTube a few times a week since March as a way to stay active during the pandemic. You can also catch their GrooveAlong class workouts on their Instagram page.
If you've ever shipped an onscreen couple, then you probably know the feeling of satisfaction that comes with watching your favorite characters fall in love off screen. The problem: the actors playing those characters don't always stay together. There are plenty of couples who've had to work together on screen after breaking up IRL, and we imagine that the experience is pretty awkward. Even if the actors don't share intimate scenes, filming a TV show or movie with an ex means lots of time spent together. Some A-list exes have been able to stay cordial. Others, not so much. Here are just a few celeb costars-turned-couples who had to keep working together after calling it quits.
If you've ever shipped an onscreen couple, then you probably know the feeling of satisfaction that comes with watching your favorite characters fall in love off screen. The problem: the actors playing those characters don't always stay together. There are plenty of couples who've had to work together on screen after breaking up IRL, and we imagine that the experience is pretty awkward. Even if the actors don't share intimate scenes, filming a TV show or movie with an ex means lots of time spent together. Some A-list exes have been able to stay cordial. Others, not so much. Here are just a few celeb costars-turned-couples who had to keep working together after calling it quits.
You know how the song goes, "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire . . . " If you've ever wondered exactly how to do that to get the perfect holiday snack, we've got you. For this recipe, the chestnuts are roasting in an oven instead of on an open fire (same thing, pretty much), but they're still wonderfully romantic and festive. And always grab a bunch of them while you can at the grocery store, because we guarantee you'll want to make these seasonal nuts more than once!
If you've never tried a chestnut, be sure to peel away the fuzzy inner skin just below the outer shell. Scoring the chestnuts generously prior to roasting them will make this step a lot easier. The inside of a roasted chestnut is soft, warm, and sweet - exactly what the holidays are all about. For this incredibly easy recipe (so easy, it should be called a technique!), keep reading.
From YumSugar
Makes 1 pound of roasted chestnuts.
You know how the song goes, "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire . . . " If you've ever wondered exactly how to do that to get the perfect holiday snack, we've got you. For this recipe, the chestnuts are roasting in an oven instead of on an open fire (same thing, pretty much), but they're still wonderfully romantic and festive. And always grab a bunch of them while you can at the grocery store, because we guarantee you'll want to make these seasonal nuts more than once!
If you've never tried a chestnut, be sure to peel away the fuzzy inner skin just below the outer shell. Scoring the chestnuts generously prior to roasting them will make this step a lot easier. The inside of a roasted chestnut is soft, warm, and sweet - exactly what the holidays are all about. For this incredibly easy recipe (so easy, it should be called a technique!), keep reading.
From YumSugar
Makes 1 pound of roasted chestnuts.
You know how the song goes, "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire . . . " If you've ever wondered exactly how to do that to get the perfect holiday snack, we've got you. For this recipe, the chestnuts are roasting in an oven instead of on an open fire (same thing, pretty much), but they're still wonderfully romantic and festive. And always grab a bunch of them while you can at the grocery store, because we guarantee you'll want to make these seasonal nuts more than once!
If you've never tried a chestnut, be sure to peel away the fuzzy inner skin just below the outer shell. Scoring the chestnuts generously prior to roasting them will make this step a lot easier. The inside of a roasted chestnut is soft, warm, and sweet - exactly what the holidays are all about. For this incredibly easy recipe (so easy, it should be called a technique!), keep reading.
From YumSugar
Makes 1 pound of roasted chestnuts.
@mashmushe Tip from. Therapist! Let me know if you will or have tried it #trauma #anxiety #learnontiktok #tiktokpartner
♬ LULLABY WALTZ - Marcel Coulomb
Stress and anxiety both have a way of piling up - and piling up fast. Therapist Micheline Maalouf, LMHC, NCC, uses her platform on TikTok (that has amassed over 700K followers) to give tangible tips for combating adverse effects to our mental health. One key way to help with anxiety and stress is a technique called "butterfly tapping," or "butterfly hug," that Maalouf demonstrates in the video above.
Basically, you place your hands, palms down, on your chest, interlocking your thumbs in a shape that resembles a butterfly. Then, you slowly tap one hand after the other near your shoulders (Maalouf followed up on Twitter to say that she's tapping too quickly in the video because her hands "kept up" with her words). Keep your pace slow.
"It's a bilateral stimulation technique [aka, alternating stimulation on both sides of the body] that helps us ground ourselves when we're feeling anxious or panicky, or just need to calm down our bodies a little bit," Maalouf explains in the video. She adds that it helps by activating our parasympathetic nervous system, which enacts digestion and slows down your heart rate, among other functions.
Maalouf further clarified in the TikTok comments that the technique itself comes from Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) typically used for treating trauma and that though she is not formally trained in EMDR, she's had it done herself and butterfly tapping is soothing for her. She also said in the comments that if this technique does not work for you, you can try simply giving yourself a hug.
While we know that techniques like this aren't a cure-all, the hope is that you can use it as a tool to cope with anxiety you may be experiencing today, next week, even months and years from now. Take a moment to test it out.
We all know that the COVID-19 pandemic has hit pockets pretty badly, but has anyone bothered to think about the iconic good mascots? Saturday Night Live did, and pulled off what could be their funniest sketch of the night! During the highly-anticipated post-election episode, Maya Rudolph, Kenan Thompson, and Dave Chappelle showed viewers how things would have went down if Aunt Jemima, Uncle Ben, and the Allstate Guy had to defend their jobs in real-life.
The brands of the first two characters underwent massive brand changes earlier this year after years of criticism for their racist, stereotypical imagery. But, as Chappelle's "Guy From Waiting to Exhale" (otherwise known as Dennis Haysbert) points out, he's a real person, unlike Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben. And his voice is really damn soothing, we don't want to miss out on that! Somehow, the discussion digressing to the fullness of Pete Davidson. Yes, we meet the comedian, not Count Chocula, who he was playing in the sketch. It's no surprise that practically everyone in the skit almost burst into laughter more than once! Watch the sketch above.
Nov. 8 was Dave Chappelle's second time hosting Saturday Night Live after an election, but this time around things are fairly more optimistic. Chappelle famously hosted SNL's Nov. 12, 2016 episode, the first show following Donald Trump's win over Hillary Clinton four years ago. This Saturday, he had the honor of hosting the first show after Joe Biden and Kamala Harris's projected win for president-elect and vice president-elect, which unsurprisingly doesn't feature too heavily in Chappelle's opening monologue. (It did happen pretty unexpectedly.) Instead, Chappelle glided through an opening that recalled the memory of his great-grandfather - who was born a slave - Freddy Mercury, Chris Christie, and the COVID pandemic. "Remember life before COVID? I do," Chappelle joked. "Mass shooting every week. Thank God for COVID - someone had to lock these murderous whites up and keep them in the house!"
In the end, Chappelle issued a challenge to his fellow man. "If you're a good white [person], and you actually want to help, then join me. Random acts of kindness for Black people. Do something nice for a Black person just because they're Black, and you gotta make sure they don't deserve it," he said. "The same way . . . they did terrible things to Black people just because they're Black and they didn't deserve it. If you driving through the hood and you see a Black dude selling crack, destroying his community, buy him some ice cream. He'll be suspicious, but he'll take it." Watch the monologue above.
Saturday Night Live kicked off its special post-election episode with - what else? - the projected win of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as the new president and vice president. Jim Carrey and Maya Rudolph returned to reprise their roles as Biden and Harris, respectively, parodying the elects' winning speeches. Rudolph even re-created Harris's all-white suit, which means the SNL wardrobe team truly deserves all the awards for crafting up so quickly! "To all the little Black and brown girls out there - the reason your mom is laughing so much tonight is because she's drunk, and the reason she's crying is because she's drunk," Rudolph's Harris said, which, mood. Though Carrey's Biden noted that he and Harris wouldn't gloat about their win, the pair did dance to the iconic "You About to Lose Your Job," so you know the vibes. As Carrey so eloquently put it, "These are the times where there must be a winner and a LOSER!"
Alec Baldwin also returned to give Donald Trump's concession speech (which he still hasn't given in real life), which reminded us of the president's briefing from Nov. 5. Watch the sketch above!
We all know that the COVID-19 pandemic has hit pockets pretty badly, but has anyone bothered to think about the iconic good mascots? Saturday Night Live did, and pulled off what could be their funniest sketch of the night! During the highly-anticipated post-election episode, Maya Rudolph, Kenan Thompson, and Dave Chappelle showed viewers how things would have went down if Aunt Jemima, Uncle Ben, and the Allstate Guy had to defend their jobs in real-life.
The brands of the first two characters underwent massive brand changes earlier this year after years of criticism for their racist, stereotypical imagery. But, as Chappelle's "Guy From Waiting to Exhale" (otherwise known as Dennis Haysbert) points out, he's a real person, unlike Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben. And his voice is really damn soothing, we don't want to miss out on that! Somehow, the discussion digressing to the fullness of Pete Davidson. Yes, we meet the comedian, not Count Chocula, who he was playing in the sketch. It's no surprise that practically everyone in the skit almost burst into laughter more than once! Watch the sketch above.
Nov. 8 was Dave Chappelle's second time hosting Saturday Night Live after an election, but this time around things are fairly more optimistic. Chappelle famously hosted SNL's Nov. 12, 2016 episode, the first show following Donald Trump's win over Hillary Clinton four years ago. This Saturday, he had the honor of hosting the first show after Joe Biden and Kamala Harris's projected win for president-elect and vice president-elect, which unsurprisingly doesn't feature too heavily in Chappelle's opening monologue. (It did happen pretty unexpectedly.) Instead, Chappelle glided through an opening that recalled the memory of his great-grandfather - who was born a slave - Freddy Mercury, Chris Christie, and the COVID pandemic. "Remember life before COVID? I do," Chappelle joked. "Mass shooting every week. Thank God for COVID - someone had to lock these murderous whites up and keep them in the house!"
In the end, Chappelle issued a challenge to his fellow man. "If you're a good white [person], and you actually want to help, then join me. Random acts of kindness for Black people. Do something nice for a Black person just because they're Black, and you gotta make sure they don't deserve it," he said. "The same way . . . they did terrible things to Black people just because they're Black and they didn't deserve it. If you driving through the hood and you see a Black dude selling crack, destroying his community, buy him some ice cream. He'll be suspicious, but he'll take it." Watch the monologue above.
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris' victory speeches. pic.twitter.com/DRnMCeoqlh
- Saturday Night Live - SNL (@nbcsnl) November 8, 2020
Saturday Night Live kicked off its special post-election episode with - what else? - the projected win of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as the new president and vice president. Jim Carrey and Maya Rudolph returned to reprise their roles as Biden and Harris, respectively, parodying the elects' winning speeches. Rudolph even re-created Harris's all-white suit, which means the SNL wardrobe team truly deserves all the awards for crafting up so quickly! "To all the little Black and brown girls out there - the reason your mom is laughing so much tonight is because she's drunk, and the reason she's crying is because she's drunk," Rudolph's Harris said, which, mood. Though Carrey's Biden noted that he and Harris wouldn't gloat about their win, the pair did dance to the iconic "You About to Lose Your Job," so you know the vibes. As Carrey so eloquently put it, "These are the times where there must be a winner and a LOSER!"
Let's check in on the president's concession speech. pic.twitter.com/3If4UzQeXw
- Saturday Night Live - SNL (@nbcsnl) November 8, 2020
Joe and Kamala have a message for Donald Trump. pic.twitter.com/ybrPtFAyQM
- Saturday Night Live - SNL (@nbcsnl) November 8, 2020
Alec Baldwin also returned to give Donald Trump's concession speech (which he still hasn't given in real life), which reminded us of the president's briefing from Nov. 5. Watch the sketch above!
Kamala Harris was first out on the stage in Wilmington, DE, tonight, as she and Joe Biden addressed the American people for the first time as vice president-elect and president-elect of the United States. While Biden's speech focused on unifying the American people and laying out key policies, Harris used her time to frame the race as a mandate not only against Donald Trump, but for the upholding of democracy. Along the way, she took stock of her own place in history, as now the first woman, Black woman, and woman of South Asian descent to be elected as vice president.
Harris began her speech with a poignant quote from the late Congressman John Lewis: "Democracy is not a state, it is an act." What he meant, she explained, "is that America's democracy is not guaranteed. It is only as strong as our willingness to fight for it, to guard it, and never take it for granted." It was a gesture toward the struggle that many Americans went through to vote and make their voices heard this election, whether they were standing in poll lines for hours or fighting to get themselves registered.
"When our very democracy was on the ballot in this election, the very soul of America at stake, and the world watching," Harris said, "you ushered in a new day for America."
In the most emotional section of the speech, Harris focused on her own history and that of her mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris. "When she came here from India at the age of 19, she maybe didn't quite imagine this moment," Harris said. "But she believed so deeply in an America where a moment like this is possible, and so I am thinking about her, and about the generations of women, Black women, Asian, white, Latina, Native American women, who throughout our nation's history have paved the way for this moment tonight." Black women in particular, Harris said, "are often too often overlooked, but so often prove they are the backbone of our democracy."
Drawing the speech to its powerful close, Harris turned to both President-elect Biden and the future of the country. "What a testament it is to Joe's character," she said, "that he had the audacity to break one of the most substantial barriers and select a woman as his vice president. But while I might be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last."
"Every little girl watching tonight," Harris went on, "sees that this is a country of possibilities. And to the children of our country, regardless of your gender, our country has sent you a clear message: dream with ambition, lead with conviction, and see yourselves in a way that others may not, simply because they've never seen it before. But know that we will applaud you every step of the way."
Kamala Harris was first out on the stage in Wilmington, DE, tonight, as she and Joe Biden addressed the American people for the first time as vice president-elect and president-elect of the United States. While Biden's speech focused on unifying the American people and laying out key policies, Harris used her time to frame the race as a mandate not only against Donald Trump, but for the upholding of democracy. Along the way, she took stock of her own place in history, as now the first woman, Black woman, and woman of South Asian descent to be elected as vice president.
Harris began her speech with a poignant quote from the late Congressman John Lewis: "Democracy is not a state, it is an act." What he meant, she explained, "is that America's democracy is not guaranteed. It is only as strong as our willingness to fight for it, to guard it, and never take it for granted." It was a gesture toward the struggle that many Americans went through to vote and make their voices heard this election, whether they were standing in poll lines for hours or fighting to get themselves registered.
"When our very democracy was on the ballot in this election, the very soul of America at stake, and the world watching," Harris said, "you ushered in a new day for America."
In the most emotional section of the speech, Harris focused on her own history and that of her mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris. "When she came here from India at the age of 19, she maybe didn't quite imagine this moment," Harris said. "But she believed so deeply in an America where a moment like this is possible, and so I am thinking about her, and about the generations of women, Black women, Asian, white, Latina, Native American women, who throughout our nation's history have paved the way for this moment tonight." Black women in particular, Harris said, "are often too often overlooked, but so often prove they are the backbone of our democracy."
Drawing the speech to its powerful close, Harris turned to both President-elect Biden and the future of the country. "What a testament it is to Joe's character," she said, "that he had the audacity to break one of the most substantial barriers and select a woman as his vice president. But while I might be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last."
"Every little girl watching tonight," Harris went on, "sees that this is a country of possibilities. And to the children of our country, regardless of your gender, our country has sent you a clear message: dream with ambition, lead with conviction, and see yourselves in a way that others may not, simply because they've never seen it before. But know that we will applaud you every step of the way."
Kamala Harris was first out on the stage in Wilmington, DE, tonight, as she and Joe Biden addressed the American people for the first time as Vice President-elect and President-elect of the United States. While Biden's speech focused on unifying the American people and laying out key policies, Harris used her time to frame race as a mandate not only against Donald Trump, but for the upholding of democracy. Along the way, she took stock of her own place in history, as now the first woman, Black woman, and woman of South Asian descent to be elected as vice president.
Harris began her speech with a poignant quote from the late Congressman John Lewis: "Democracy is not a state, it is an act." What he meant, she explained, "is that America's democracy is not guaranteed. It is only as strong as our willingness to fight for it, to guard it, and never take it for granted." It was a gesture towards the struggle that many Americans went through to vote and make their voices heard this election, whether they were standing in poll lines for hours or fighting to get themselves registered.
"When our very democracy was on the ballot in this election, the very soul of America at stake, and the world watching," Harris said, "you ushered in a new day for America."
In the most emotional section of the speech, Harris focused on her own history and that of her mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris. "When she came here from India at the age of 19, she maybe didn't quite imagine this moment," Harris said. "But she believed so deeply in an America where a moment like this is possible, and so I am thinking about her, and about the generations of women, Black women, Asian, white, Latina, Native American women, who throughout our nation's history have paved the way for this moment tonight." Black women in particular, Harris said, "are often too often overlooked, but so often prove they are the backbone of our democracy."
Drawing the speech to its powerful close, Harris turned to both President-elect Biden and the future of the country. "What a testament it is to Joe's character," she said, "that he had the audacity to break one of the most substantial barriers and select a woman as his vice president. But while I might be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last."
"Every little girl watching tonight," Harris went on, "sees that this is a country of possibilities. And to the children of our country, regardless of your gender, our country has sent you a clear message: dream with ambition, lead with conviction, and see yourselves in a way that others may not, simply because they've never seen it before. But know that we will applaud you every step of the way."
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris took the stage in Wilmington, DE, to accept the roles of president-elect and vice president-elect, bringing at least some closure to a long and tense race against President Donald Trump. Biden's rousing speech, delivered to a packed parking lot of mask-wearing supporters cheering from the hoods of their cars, delivered the strong message of unity and healing that he's championed throughout his campaign.
"I pledge to be a president who seeks not to divide, but unify," the former vice president said. "Who doesn't see red states and blue states, only sees the United States." He soon addressed the voters who cast their ballots for Trump, telling them, "I understand your disappointment tonight. I've lost a couple times myself. But now let's give each other a chance. It's time to put away the harsh rhetoric, lower the temperature, see each other again, listen to each other again. And to make progress, we have to stop treating our opponents as our enemies. They are not our enemies, they're Americans."
He added: "This is the time to heal in America."
While his speech looked toward both the future and the past, Biden also made a point of singling out Harris's historic achievement in the present. With Harris's election to the vice presidency, Biden said, she "makes history as the first woman, first Black woman, the first woman from South Asian descent, the first daughter of immigrants ever elected in this country. Don't tell me it's not possible in the United States. It's long overdue."
Biden also paused to recognize Black voters, whose support of him at the polls made his election possible. "Especially for those moments when this campaign was at its lowest ebb, the African American community stood up again for me. You've always had my back, and I'll have yours."
And, as he has throughout his campaign, Biden assured voters from across the political spectrum that he would fight for and represent them in the Oval Office. "I'm a proud Democrat, but I will govern as an American president," he said. "I will work as hard for those who didn't vote for me as those who did."
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris took the stage in Wilmington, DE, to accept the roles of president-elect and vice president-elect, bringing at least some closure to a long and tense race against President Donald Trump. Biden's rousing speech, delivered to a packed parking lot of mask-wearing supporters cheering from the hoods of their cars, delivered the strong message of unity and healing that he's championed throughout his campaign.
"I pledge to be a president who seeks not to divide, but unify," the former vice president said. "Who doesn't see red states and blue states, only sees the United States." He soon addressed the voters who cast their ballots for Trump, telling them, "I understand your disappointment tonight. I've lost a couple times myself. But now let's give each other a chance. It's time to put away the harsh rhetoric, lower the temperature, see each other again, listen to each other again. And to make progress, we have to stop treating our opponents as our enemies. They are not our enemies, they're Americans."
He added: "This is the time to heal in America."
While his speech looked toward both the future and the past, Biden also made a point of singling out Harris's historic achievement in the present. With Harris's election to the vice presidency, Biden said, she "makes history as the first woman, first Black woman, the first woman from South Asian descent, the first daughter of immigrants ever elected in this country. Don't tell me it's not possible in the United States. It's long overdue."
Biden also paused to recognize Black voters, whose support of him at the polls made his election possible. "Especially for those moments when this campaign was at its lowest ebb, the African American community stood up again for me. You've always had my back, and I'll have yours."
And, as he has throughout his campaign, Biden assured voters from across the political spectrum that he would fight for and represent them in the Oval Office. "I'm a proud Democrat, but I will govern as an American president," he said. "I will work as hard for those who didn't vote for me as those who did."
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris took the stage in Wilmington, DE, to accept the roles of president-elect and vice president-elect, bringing at least some closure after a long and tense race against President Donald Trump. Biden's rousing speech, delivered to a packed parking lot of mask-wearing supporters cheering from the hoods of their cars, delivered the strong message of unity and healing that he's championed throughout his campaign.
"I pledge to be a president who seeks not to divide, but unify," the former vice president said. "Who doesn't see red states and blue states, only sees the United States." He soon addressed the voters who cast their ballots for Trump, telling them, "I understand your disappointment tonight. I've lost a couple times myself. But now let's give each other a chance. It's time to put away the harsh rhetoric, lower the temperature, see each other again, listen to each other again. And to make progress, we have to stop treating our opponents as our enemies. They are not our enemies, they're Americans. They're Americans."
He added: "This is the time to heal in America."
While his speech looked toward both the future and the past, Biden also made a point of singling out Kamala Harris's historic achievement in the present. With Harris's election to the vice presidency, Biden said, she "makes history as the first woman, first Black woman, first South Asian woman, first daughter of immigrants ever elected in this country. Don't tell me it's not possible in the United States," he stated. "It's long overdue."
Biden also paused to recognize Black voters, whose support of him at the polls made his election possible. "At those moments, when this campaign was at its lowest ebb, the African American community stood up again for me. You've always had my back, and I'll have yours."
And, as he has throughout his campaign, Biden assured voters from across the political spectrum that he would fight for and represent them in the Oval Office. "I'm a proud Democrat, but I will govern as an American president," he said. "I will work as hard for those who didn't vote for me as those who did."
Over the past few months, several celebrities have tirelessly gone to bat for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in the hopes of seeing them become the next president and vice president. On Nov. 7, their efforts came to fruition when the duo were declared the projected winners of the 2020 election. These stars certainly have reason to take pride in their contributions. However, consider me a little skeptical about the celebrities suddenly coming out of the woodwork as silent Biden-Harris supporters all along.
If you're following an influencer on social media, I can almost guarantee you've come across a vague request to "Vote" or "Let your voice be heard!" There were pushes to register, to perform your civic duty, to make sure every vote is counted. In elections past that might've been enough. But in 2020, those efforts don't cut it. We're battling for Black lives, for the LGBTQ+ community, for affordable healthcare, for a path through a deadly pandemic. We demand more.
We're battling for Black lives, for the LGBTQ+ community, for affordable healthcare, for a path through a deadly pandemic. We demand more.
You could see my eyebrows nearly touch my hairline when Kendall Jenner shared her reaction to the progressive win. "We did it!" she wrote on her Instagram Story. My first thought was, who did it? I certainly don't remember an endorsement post on her 'gram. To give credit where it's due, Kendall has been vocal about getting people engaged in the election. She opened up her platform of 141 million followers when she hosted Vote Save America on her Instagram Live and added a voting message to her Halloween costume. These were certainly efforts toward turnout, but a Biden-Harris endorsement they were not.
Her sister, Kim Kardashian, also shared a number of photos of the president-elect and vice president-elect on her social media following the election results, raising skepticism from her followers. Kim was famously cagey about where her allegiances lay, presumably because her husband, Kanye West, also launched a presidential campaign. West was never a viable candidate for this race, however, and Kim never formally endorsed him either. If she was vying for Joe Biden all along, it would've been nice to let her 191 million followers know.
- Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) November 7, 2020
The issue doesn't start or stop with a reality TV family, although they're among the few top-followed Instagram accounts that never endorsed a candidate. (Celebrities like Ariana Grande, Lizzo, and Taylor Swift used their massive platforms to firmly throw their support behind the Democratic candidates.) This reluctance to publicly pick a candidate reached the corners of TikTok where influencers like Addison Rae - who shares content with almost 70 million fans - have kept quiet about their votes. Comedian Kevin Hart also took a similar stance and reposted celebratory election content without ever endorsing Biden-Harris.
There's an argument to be made that celebrities shouldn't have to share their political opinions with fans. They're personal. They're private. But if you're passionate enough about a candidate to publicly celebrate their wins as your own, you should be comfortable cluing your followers in before they cast their ballots. Especially since these stars have influence. That's truly why "celebrity" and "influencer" are interchangeable. Not to harp on the Kardashian-Jenners, but they're proven to have significant sway when they do the bare minimum. Remember when Kylie Jenner posted a thirst trap that doubled as voter registration awareness? Her 'gram increased traffic to Vote.org by 1,500 percent. Imagine what an actual endorsement could've sparked.
Where were you months, weeks, even days ago?
What we needed before (and after) the election was clarity. When celebrities hide behind ambiguity, they distance themselves from communities who may need their help, may need their vote. It's incredibly frustrating for them to resurface after the votes have been cast and the fight has been fought, ready to take part in the celebrations. Where were you months, weeks, even days ago? It's easy to join the party once we've all started celebrating, but don't bother to show up if you never RSVP'd in the first place.
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