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‘A woman is not a baby-making machine’: a brief history of South Korea’s 4B movement – and why it’s making waves in America

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ming-gao-1496188">Ming Gao</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/australian-catholic-university-747">Australian Catholic University</a></em></p> <p>In South Korea, a growing number of young women are rejecting societal expectations of marriage, motherhood and heterosexual relationships, known as the “4B Movement” or the “4 Nos”.</p> <p>The “B” is a homophone for the Korean word <em>bi</em> (비/非), meaning “no”, representing the movement’s four principles: <em>bihon</em> (no marriage), <em>bichulsan</em> (no childbirth), <em>biyeonae</em> (no dating) and <em>bisekseu</em> (no sex).</p> <p>By refusing to marry, have children, engage in romance, or participate in sexual relationships with men, 4B feminists seek to redefine their lives outside the confines of traditional gender roles.</p> <p>In the wake of the reelection of Donald Trump, there has been <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-11-10/donald-trump-win-4b-movement-male-supremacists-make-threats/104575732">increased interest</a> in the 4B movement from women in the United States.</p> <p>But what is the 4B Movement, where did it come from, and how is it reshaping the feminist landscape in South Korea and beyond?</p> <h2>Challenges facing young women</h2> <p>The 4B Movement reflects <a href="https://www.khan.co.kr/national/national-general/article/202004140938001">a broader dissatisfaction</a> among young South Korean women who face instability of housing, digital sexual violence, economic disparities and cultural pressures.</p> <p>It emerged in the mid- to late-2010s, following a surge of interest in feminism in South Korea, and spread primarily through women’s online communities.</p> <p>The roots of the 4B Movement lie in South Korea’s rapid economic transformation and the subsequent challenges it posed for younger generations of the 2000s.</p> <p>For young women, economic insecurity is compounded by systemic gender inequality. South Korea <a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/south-korea-s-gender-pay-gap-worst-in-oecd">consistently ranks</a> worst in the OECD for the gender wage gap, and social mobility remains limited.</p> <p>Against this backdrop, traditional life paths – marriage, childbearing and homemaking – have become less appealing.</p> <p>Living an alternative life without men emerged as a radical strategy for young digital feminists to challenge the rigid patriarchy in South Korea.</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.khan.co.kr/national/national-general/article/202405172212001">senseless killing</a> in 2016 of a woman in a train station toilet by a man in Seoul shocked the nation and fuelled the movement. Online platforms became spaces where women could share their frustrations, critique patriarchal norms and organise protests.</p> <p>During this period communities like radical feminist online groups gained traction. Among these was the <em><a href="https://www.bbc.com/korean/news-44329328">Tal-Corset</a></em> (escape the corset) movement, which encouraged women to reject societal beauty standards by foregoing makeup, cosmetic surgery and restrictive clothing.</p> <p>The 4B Movement built on this momentum, targeting not only beauty standards but the very institutions that sustain patriarchy.</p> <p>It collectively challenges the notion that women’s value lies in their ability to support men and sustain the family unit.</p> <h2>‘A woman is not a baby-making machine’</h2> <p>The birth rate in South Korea ranks among the <a href="https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/birth-rate-by-country">lowest in the world</a>. The government has long viewed this as a national crisis. Policies such as subsidised housing for newlyweds and tax incentives for families have sought to encourage marriage and childbearing.</p> <p>In 2016, the government launched a national <a href="https://www.womennews.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=248514">pink birth map</a> visualising the number of women of reproductive age in each district. It sparked outrage. Women criticised it as reducing them to reproductive tools, proclaiming, “<a href="https://www.nocutnews.co.kr/news/4713565">my womb is not national property</a>” and “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FsEWD1bi3E">a woman is not a baby-making machine</a>”.</p> <p>For many 4B feminists, these policies represent a stark example of how the state prioritises population growth over women’s autonomy. In response, the movement frames its rejection of marriage and motherhood as an act of political resistance.</p> <p>As one <a href="https://www.womennews.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=111598">protest slogan</a> declared: “End population policies! Stop blaming women”.</p> <h2>Living on their own terms</h2> <p>Despite its growing influence, the 4B Movement faces significant challenges.</p> <p>The radical principles have sparked backlash, with critics labelling participants as selfish or anti-social. Swearing off men as a form of protest against patriarchal structures and traditional marital norms is sometimes (mis)interpreted as implicitly favouring <a href="https://brunch.co.kr/brunchbook/radsview2">lesbianism</a>, given its stance against heterosexual relationships.</p> <p>The movement has also attracted negative political attention. <a href="https://www.khan.co.kr/national/national-general/article/202004140938001">Lee Seung-cheon</a>, a 58-year-old Democratic Party candidate, pledged to introduce “measures to reject the 4B Movement” as part of his policy campaign in 2020.</p> <p>Yet 4B feminists remain steadfast in their vision of a future where women can live on their own terms. Their rejection of traditional life paths is not a retreat into isolation but an attempt to create new ways of being free from patriarchal constraints.</p> <p>As one participant noted, rejecting marriage allows women to envision futures beyond societal deadlines like “<a href="https://brunch.co.kr/@404homealone/34">a woman’s age has an expiration date</a>”.</p> <h2>An international movement</h2> <p>The 4B Movement’s radical critique of patriarchy has resonated internationally.</p> <p>4B Movement ideas are starting to strike a chord in the US. The movement’s core principles align with broader feminist critiques of patriarchy and capitalism, which have intensified in response to political developments such as Trump’s rhetoric and debates over reproductive rights.</p> <p>In the US, Trump’s presidency (and now his return) has been a flashpoint for feminist activism. Policies restricting access to abortion, coupled with an increase in conservative rhetoric around women’s rights, have galvanised movements that resist patriarchal structures.</p> <p>For American feminists, the 4B Movement offers a framework for resistance that goes beyond economic precarity. It provides a roadmap for rejecting political conflicts, focusing on reclaiming agency by prioritising autonomy over their own bodies and rights.</p> <p>6B4T is inspired by the 4B Movement and has gained particular attention <a href="https://weibo.com/1263977197/KaFZGjoG4">in China</a>. This version incorporates additional principles, including rejecting consumerism and fostering mutual aid among unmarried women.</p> <p>The spread of 4B ideas across Asia and beyond highlights the universality of feminist struggles. As the movement continues to evolve, its impact extends beyond South Korea, sparking conversations about gender, autonomy and the future of feminism.</p> <p>Whether embraced or contested, the 4B Movement forces society to confront uncomfortable truths about the cost of sustaining patriarchy – and perhaps the possibilities of living without it.</p> <hr /> <p><em>Correction: 6B4T is inspired by the 4B movement and gained attention in China; it did not originate in China.</em><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/243355/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ming-gao-1496188">Ming Gao</a>, Research Scholar, Gender and Women's History Research Centre, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/australian-catholic-university-747">Australian Catholic University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-woman-is-not-a-baby-making-machine-a-brief-history-of-south-koreas-4b-movement-and-why-its-making-waves-in-america-243355">original article</a>.</em></p>

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The #advancedstyle movement celebrates and empowers stylish older women

<p>Until recently, the idea of paying close attention to mature women’s style would have, at best, been met with little interest from other consumers and the fashion industry but most likely completely ignored. </p> <p>After all, to be fashionable and feminine has typically been viewed as requiring youth. What could older female consumers possibly teach us about being stylish?</p> <p>Following the unexpected popularity of what’s known as the “<a href="https://www.advanced.style/">advanced style</a>” phenomenon, discussions about ageism, gender and fashion have been attracting increasing attention in the popular media, including <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/20/style/instagram-grandmas.html">the New York Times</a>. The <a href="https://www.instagram.com/advancedstyle/">@advancedstyle Instagram account</a>, created in 2008 by American street style photographer Ari Seth Cohen, helped fuel these critical conversations.</p> <p>Cohen’s celebration of the personal styles of regular women 50 years of age and older has launched a flourishing consumer movement. </p> <p>More than a decade after its creation, the Advanced Style Instagram account has more than 300,000 followers, boasts a hashtag <a href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/advancedstyle/">(#advancedstyle)</a> that’s been used more than 205,000 times, is regularly featured in major fashion magazines around the world, like <a href="https://www.vogue.com.au/fashion/street-style/advanced-styles-ari-seth-cohen-on-sydneys-senior-style-scene/news-story/0264eec1ded0e57824f23f9c14f4c42e">Vogue Australia</a>, and expanded into the realm of coffee table books <a href="https://powerhousebooks.com/books/advanced-style1/">in 2012</a> <a href="https://powerhousebooks.com/books/advanced-style-older-and-wiser/">and 2016</a>, as well as <a href="https://powerhousebooks.com/books/advanced-style-coloring-book/">adult colouring books</a>.</p> <p>In light of this social media success story, my colleague <a href="https://www.hec.ca/en/profs/marie-agnes.parmentier.html">Marie-Agnès Parmentier</a> and I decided to explore how women over 50 are amplifying their voices and changing representations in the fashion and beauty industries by becoming official Instagram influencers. </p> <h2>The study</h2> <p>To do so, we conducted a focused media <a href="https://www.doi.org/10.4135/9781412995511">and netnographic</a>investigation of the advanced style movement and its Instagram influencers. In particular, we followed 10 popular Advanced Style influencers from our personal Instagram accounts for 12 months. </p> <p>This online participant observation, which is a big part of conducting netnographic research, provided us with first-hand experiences of the influencers’ marketing activities and fan interactions. </p> <p>Our complete study is now published online in a special issue of <a href="https://doi.org/10.1086/712609">the Journal of the Association for Consumer Research</a> focusing on gender, markets and consumers. Overall, we have found that all 10 Advanced Style influencers use the social media platform to actively fight gendered ageism rampant in the fashion and beauty industries.</p> <p>Specifically, these women enact two forms of embodied resistance informed by the western dominant discourse of successful aging: They deconstruct gendered and ageist fashion, and they defy gendered and ageist beauty standards. </p> <p>Successful aging not only turns people’s inevitable biological deterioration into a personal project, it also provides concrete strategies of how to best be old. In 1997, American physician John W. Rowe and his psychologist colleague Robert L. Kahn, defined successful aging, first and foremost, as “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/37.4.433">encompassing the avoidance of disease and disability, the maintenance of high physical and cognitive function, and sustained engagement in social and productive activities</a>.”</p> <h2>Gendered ageism in fashion</h2> <p>The fashion market makes sustained engagement difficult, given it’s replete with discriminatory rules about what to wear and especially what not to wear once a woman turns 50. These style rules include no longer showing one’s body through tight, short or low-cut clothing, adopting a less colourful wardrobe and makeup and retreating from ultra-modern, cutting-edge styles.</p> <p>In response, we find the advanced style consumers-turned-influencers engage in <a href="https://montecristomagazine.com/essay/defying-ageist-fashion-rules">online “style activism,”</a> demanding designers create ready-to-wear options for their changing bodies. </p> <p>In the sphere of influencer marketing, style activism also means deciding what brands to endorse and collaborate with, and what brands to pass and avoid. The advanced style influencers often refuse to be “<a href="https://thekit.ca/style/canadian-fashion-designers-roundtable/">the token senior</a>” of a marketing campaign. </p> <h2>Gendered ageism in beauty industry</h2> <p>The majority of the advanced style influencers equally reject the anti-aging beauty industry that <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/WN/selling-fountain-youth-author-arlene-weintraub-anti-aging/story?id=11533763">transforms getting older into a disease</a>. The multi-billion-dollar industry also falsely promises everlasting youth in a bottle.</p> <p>We find that these women opt instead to popularize natural, greying hair, wrinkles and body scars through their Instagram posts. For eons, beauty brands have told aging women that greying hair is a mortifying problem that must be hidden, whereas for older men <a href="https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/gallery/mens-grey-hair-care-guide">it remains a sign of mature sexiness</a>. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvQoh6CSGvY">Grey hair</a> is consequently a defining feature of these influencers’ embodied resistance, and one that’s front and centre in their style activism. </p> <p>We encourage everyone to follow the advanced style influencers’ consumer activism journeys on Instagram by engaging with the hashtag #advancedstyle.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-advancedstyle-movement-celebrates-and-empowers-stylish-older-women-157952" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. </em></p>

Beauty & Style

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What would King Charles mean for the monarchy, Australia and the republican movement?

<p>This week’s Platinum Jubilee marks 70 years of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign over “<a href="https://www.royal.uk/platinum-jubilee-central-weekend" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the people of the United Kingdom, the Realms and the Commonwealth</a>”. This occasion, the first ever for a British monarch, allows us to reflect on the importance of succession.</p> <p>The queen’s royal title and duties will one day be transferred to Prince Charles, the 73-year-old Prince of Wales.</p> <p>Although the timing of this transition remains uncertain, it may prompt many Commonwealth nations such as Australia to reconsider the legacy and legitimacy of the monarchy itself.</p> <p><strong>The precarity of succession</strong></p> <p>Succession has long been the weak link in the system of hereditary monarchy.</p> <p>Sometimes this is because the current ruler produces no surviving heirs, as in the case of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne,_Queen_of_Great_Britain" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Queen Anne</a>, or <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_II_of_Spain" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Carlos II</a> of Spain.</p> <p>Alternatively, it may be because others dispute the line of succession, as was seen in the war-provoking disputes over succession in the cases of <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zy7n4j6/revision/2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">William the Conqueror</a> and “<a href="https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/jacobite-1745/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bonnie Prince Charlie</a>”.</p> <p>Sometimes, succession has not been successful because the new monarch has practised the “wrong” religion, or married the “wrong” sort of woman - as was thought of <a href="https://www.royal.uk/james-vii-and-ii-r1685-1689" target="_blank" rel="noopener">James VII and II</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wallis_Simpson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Edward VIII</a>, respectively.</p> <p>Perhaps most memorably the objection to the principle is so violently held, no succession is possible at all. This was true in the cases of <a href="https://www.bl.uk/learning/timeline/item103698.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Charles I</a> of Great Britain, <a href="https://www.bl.uk/learning/timeline/item105119.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Louis XVI</a> of France, and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Nicholas-II-tsar-of-Russia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nicholas II</a> of Russia.</p> <p>For such reasons, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/mar/16/what-happens-when-queen-elizabeth-dies-london-bridge" target="_blank" rel="noopener">successions must be carefully managed</a> if monarchs want to ensure the royal line is preserved.</p> <p><strong>Succession and legitimacy</strong></p> <p>Across the Commonwealth, the monarch plays a crucial role in legitimatising systems of government.</p> <p>Historical continuity denotes stability, an attribute that monarchies are supposed to embody. Hence the idea of the “<a href="https://press.princeton.edu/books/paperback/9780691169231/the-kings-two-bodies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">king’s two bodies</a>”: the physical form of the monarch may perish, but the idea of monarchy continues in the body of the new king or queen.</p> <p>Our current queen holds the title of Queen Elizabeth II to associate her in line of succession with Elizabeth I. However, Queen Elizabeth is not, in fact, the second Elizabeth to reign in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, or <a href="https://www.lawteacher.net/cases/maccormick-v-lord-advocate.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">even Scotland</a>.</p> <p>Instead, this continuity of title serves to imbue the monarchy with a sense of stability independent of party, faction, nation, or ideology.</p> <p>This is not to say the monarchy is “above politics”, as is often claimed.</p> <p>The emphasis on political stability and historical continuity puts it, as an institution, firmly in the conservative camp.</p> <p>Conservatives tend not to write down their rules of operation in one place. One notable exception is Walter Bagehot’s <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/bagehot-the-english-constitution/2E5DFE4840159D204BD5FAC00663C5FF" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The English Constitution</a>. Published in 1867, this influential book distinguishes between the “efficient” and “dignified” parts of the constitution.</p> <p>Bagehot viewed the “efficient” part of the constitution as responsible government, primarily concerned with statecraft, grand strategy, and the day-to-day running of kingdoms.</p> <p>The “dignified” part, in contrast, provided a symbolic focus for the the notions of unity and loyalty across Britain and its Empire – of which the monarchy was a central element.</p> <p>According to Bagehot, having a popular monarch is crucial to upholding the legitimacy of the political system.</p> <p><strong>Public perceptions of the monarchy</strong></p> <p>However, the popularity of a monarch can cut both ways.</p> <p>If a monarch is unpopular, the legitimacy of the system can suffer. This is exemplified by public perceptions of Queen Victoria in the 1870s.</p> <p>Following Prince Albert’s death in 1861, Queen Victoria remained largely absent from public life during an extended period of mourning. Meanwhile, republicanism gained significant political traction in England.</p> <p>Similarly, neither Elizabeth II nor the monarchy were particularly popular in either the UK or Australia during the 1990s. Moreover, the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, in 1997 further damaged the monarchy’s public image.</p> <p>Significant political resources were <a href="https://theconversation.com/diana-revived-the-monarchy-and-airing-old-tapes-wont-change-a-thing-81552" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mobilised in the UK</a> to rectify this situation. As a result, the monarchy was <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-41094816" target="_blank" rel="noopener">largely rehabilitated</a> by the time of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee celebrations in 2002.</p> <p>Yet, attitudes towards the monarchy can be equivocal – not least in Australia.</p> <p>Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, the most open promoter of monarchy among Australia’s recent prime ministers, came under intense criticism for his decision to <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-34409397" target="_blank" rel="noopener">appoint Prince Philip</a> a Knight of Australia in 2015.</p> <p>And the ABC <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/media/2021/apr/12/abc-says-75-of-complaints-about-prince-philip-coverage-related-to-interruption-of-tv-drama-vera" target="_blank" rel="noopener">received complaints</a> after the announcement of Prince Philip’s death interrupted an episode of TV drama <a href="https://iview.abc.net.au/show/vera" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vera</a>, indicating ambivalent attitudes towards the monarchy as an institution.</p> <p>Yet republicanism in Australia currently remains muted. This is in part because, as per the script-writing in the Netflix drama <a href="https://www.netflix.com/au/title/80025678" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Crown</a>, the nonagenarian Queen can do no wrong.</p> <p>The same cannot be said for the rest of the family.</p> <p>Prince Andrew’s court case in the US, the internal feuding concerning the Duke and Duchess of Sussex (Harry and Meghan), and even William and Kate’s <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/mar/25/william-and-kate-caribbean-tour-slavery-reparations-royals" target="_blank" rel="noopener">problematic reception</a> during their tour of the Caribbean have harmed public perceptions of the monarchy across the Commonwealth.</p> <p><strong>Royals or republic?</strong></p> <p>In Australia, proponents of republicanism assert Prince Charles’ future ascension to the throne could signify a critical juncture in the realisation of an <a href="https://republic.org.au/media/tag/Prince+Charles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Australian republic</a>.</p> <p>Such “constitutional wrangling” may be overshadowed by more pressing matters – pestilence and war being two current examples.</p> <p>Nevertheless, the imminent transition from Elizabeth II to Charles III across the Commonwealth entails certain risks.</p> <p><a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/barbados-becomes-a-republic-after-bidding-farewell-to-british-monarchy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Barbados became a republic</a> last year. Perhaps it may be time for Australia to reconsider the place of the monarchy in our own political system.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/182662/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ben-wellings-4217" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ben Wellings</a>, Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Monash University</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-would-king-charles-mean-for-the-monarchy-australia-and-the-republican-movement-182662" target="_blank" rel="noopener">original article</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Legal

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Aussie artists launch global movement to help Ukraine

<p dir="ltr">A group of Australian artists have banded together to help Ukrainian refugees through a global art auction. </p> <p dir="ltr">For one artist, the cause hits close to home. </p> <p dir="ltr">Olena Vigovska, who immigrated to Australia 26 years ago, has witnessed the devastation facing her home country from afar as the war has unfolded. </p> <p dir="ltr">Her brother, reserve officer Andrei Vigovsky, has been fighting for his country in the city of Kharkiv since the war began, spending each night taking shelter in a subway station underground.</p> <p dir="ltr">For Olena, she wanted to find a way to help those facing brutality at the hands of the Russian invasion. </p> <p dir="ltr">"It's a feeling like, 'What are you going to do?'" she told <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-04-20/sydney-based-ukrainian-australian-artists-auction-for-refugees/101001584">ABC’s 7.30</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It's unbelievable. I'm still pinching myself every morning."</p> <p dir="ltr">In the second week of the war, Olena and three other Ukrainian Australian artists began putting together an auction to raise money for refugees in their home country. </p> <p dir="ltr">"We jumped on that project with pleasure," she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I feel much better now. I can use my skills to raise money and show the world how art can be so important and helpful in wartime."</p> <p dir="ltr">The proceeds from the auction will go to <a href="https://habitat.org.au/">Habitat for Humanity</a>, who help house refugees and give them a second chance at life without the threat of danger. </p> <p dir="ltr">"It will be a lot of work to rebuild Ukraine," she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It's just awful to see. I hope we will be able to make a difference."</p> <p dir="ltr">The project's organiser, Tetiana Koldunenko, told the current affairs program that the stress of the war had taken a huge toll on her and her family: many of whom live in Ukraine.</p> <p dir="ltr">She said focusing her energy on creating art for the auction revived her and gave her some hope for the future.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I'm absolutely sure that Ukraine will be beautiful. It will have a beautiful future."</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: ABC News - 7.30 footage</em></p>

Art

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Meghan Markle addresses Black Lives Matter movement in new video: “The only wrong thing to say is to say nothing”

<p><span>Meghan Markle has delivered a moving speech on racism in light of the Black Lives Matter movement recently re-lit by George Floyd’s death in police custody.</span><br /><br /><span>In a powerful video message to the graduating class of the Los Angeles high school she attended, the royal member called the events of the past week “absolutely devastating”, admitting she “wasn’t sure what to say” at first.</span><br /><br /><span>“I wasn't sure what I could say to you. I wanted to say the right thing and I was really nervous that it would get picked apart,” she said.</span><br /><br /><span>“I realised the only wrong thing to say is to say nothing,” she told the Immaculate Heart High School students.</span><br /><br /><span>“Because George Floyd's life mattered and Breonna Taylor's life mattered and Philando Castile's life mattered and Tamir Rice's life mattered … and so did so many other people whose names we know and whose names we do not know.”</span><br /><br /><span>The Duchess of Sussex was born and raised in Los Angeles, where she now resides with her husband Prince Harry and their son Archie.</span><br /><br /><span>In the new video shared to social media, the royal recounted her memories of the riots that occurred in the city in 1992, which she described as similarly triggered by “a senseless act of racism”.</span><br /><br /><span>“I remember seeing men in the back of a van just holding guns and rifles. I remember pulling up the house and seeing the tree, that had always been there, completely charred,” she said.</span><br /><br /><span>“Those memories don't go away, and I can't imagine that at 17 or 18 years old, which is how old you are now, that you would have to have a different version of that same type of experience. That's something you should have an understanding of as a history lesson, not as your reality.”</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">“We are going to rebuild and rebuild and rebuild until it is rebuilt. Because when the foundation is broken, so are we.” - Meghan Markle <a href="https://t.co/km7j5Gu7Bv">pic.twitter.com/km7j5Gu7Bv</a></p> — shondaland tv (@shondaland) <a href="https://twitter.com/shondaland/status/1268604404434755590?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 4, 2020</a></blockquote> <p><br /><span>She went on to apologise that the world isn’t “in a place where you deserve it to be”.</span><br /><br /><span>“I am so sorry that you have to grow up in a world where this is still present,” she said.</span><br /><br /><span>The former Suits actress finished off her powerful five-minute speech by urging students of her former highschool take action and be leaders in inspiring change as they forge a path outside high school.</span><br /><br /><span>“We are going to rebuild and rebuild and rebuild until it is rebuilt. Because when the foundation is broken, so are we,” she said to the students.</span><br /><br /><span>“You are going to lead with love, you are going to lead with compassion, you are going to use your voice in a stronger way than you've ever been able to, because most of you are 18, or you're going to turn 18, and you're going to vote.</span><br /><br /><span>“I know you know that black lives matter, so I am already excited for what you are going to do in the world. You are equipped, you are ready, we need you and you are prepared.”</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CBCIojaDggp/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CBCIojaDggp/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by El Universo Vida y Estilo (@eluniversovidayestilo)</a> on Jun 4, 2020 at 5:30pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><br /><span>Both Meghan and Harry have maintained a low profile during the Black Lives Matter protests, having stayed offline during Black Out Tuesday this week on their Sussex Royal Instagram page.</span><br /><br /><span>The Queen's Commonwealth Trust, which is overseen by the Queen, Harry and Meghan, this week shared on Instagram and Twitter a Martin Luther King Jr quote, saying “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”</span></p>

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Olivia Newton-John shares inspiring new health movement you can be a part of

<p>Australian actress Olivia Newton-John has shared a brilliant new initiative in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, and is asking fans to make DIY protective gear as the struggle with the pandemic reaches new heights.</p> <p>The<span> </span>Grease<span> </span>star has taken to social media to share a photograph of herself sporting a chic homemade leopard print mask, and has encourager her fans to do the same.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B-kvciUDiaF/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B-kvciUDiaF/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Olivia Newton-john (@therealonj)</a> on Apr 4, 2020 at 2:29pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Shortages of protective equipment has been reported globally, and impacts health workers on the frontline the most.</p> <p>“We don't need masks, because health workers need them desperately and there aren't enough for the general public too!” she said in a post to Instagram.</p> <p>“Please pass this video on - let's be creative and make our own, like the Czech Republic.”</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B8nW6hgnfj0/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B8nW6hgnfj0/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Olivia Newton-john (@therealonj)</a> on Feb 15, 2020 at 8:50pm PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Olivia finished the inspiring message by thanking the start-up company<span> </span>Masks 4 All<span> </span>which pushes for their critical message to be shared around the world.</p> <p>The post comes amidst Channel Nine personality Richard Wilkins being exposed to coronavirus.</p> <p>The TV star has tested for COVID-19  four times in the span of a month and worried fans when he posted a photograph of himself to Instagram with Olivia and Paul Hogan.</p> <p>The snap however was taken in September 2018 in Melbourne and showed Richard, Olivia and Paul on the set of<span> </span>The Very Excellent Mr Dundee.</p> <p>Richard has since returned to his hosting duties on Weekend Today after 18 days in quarantined isolation.</p>

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Turia Pitt inspires emotional movement in wake of new bushfire crisis

<p><span>Turia Pitt has penned an inspiring and heartbreaking post on social media which has resulted in an incredible movement in the wake of the bushfire crisis.</span></p> <p><span>The athlete and motivational speaker took to Instagram on Monday to speak about her own distress and desperation due to the harrowing bushfires that has plagued Australia.</span></p> <p><span>Turia’s own home in the New South Wales south coast region is located in a spot heavily impacted by the fires. The effect on Pitt and her husband Michael Hoskin and their two-year-old son Hakavai has been devastating.</span></p> <p><span>The 32-year-old wrote: "I watched, my mouth agape, as two angry plumes from the fires north and south of us joined together over Mollymook Beach. And then, the power went out."</span></p> <p><span>She further explained the grave concern she felt as she witnessed the toll of the bushfire and detailing the experience of seeing and feeling her home become “an apocalyptic quiet”. detailed the "It's been a tough few weeks for me emotionally. I've had to focus on not letting my emotions and own experiences get the better of me."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm exhausted. I feel like I've done 10 marathons. And we can't relax because it's only the start of summer, and it's not over yet. So just like in a marathon, I've realised I have to pace myself."</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B69tZHSA2Ek/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B69tZHSA2Ek/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Turia (@turiapitt)</a> on Jan 5, 2020 at 8:07pm PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span>Turia alluded to her own terrifying experience in in 2011, where she was trapped in a Western Australia bushfire while running an ultra marathon -she endured burns to 65 per cent of her body as a result.</span></p> <p><span>"I've had recurring nightmares about running through flames with my son in my arms," she added of the current situation.</span></p> <p><span>"It's been difficult to sleep, eat or think and all I've really wanted to do is tap out, put my head in the sand and pretend that nothing is going on."</span></p> <p><span>Her words seemed to have an impact though, and Turia has decided to take matters into her own hands to begin an inspiring movement. .</span><br /><span></span></p> <p><span>"Once these fires are finally 'over', it won't be over for many of the local businesses in fire-ravaged towns," she explained.</span></p> <p><span>"A lot of these places (like my home in Mollymook, and Mallacoota, Kangaroo Island, Eden etc) rely on the tourist dollar for their very survival."</span></p> <p><span>Pitt mentioned the hashtag: #GoWithEmptyEskies movement, kickstarted by Tegan Webber who is encouraging people to travel to fire ravaged towns to buy their products in bulk, as well as the Buy From the Bush campaign which has encouraged people to buy from drought-affected farmers since October.</span></p> <p><span>Turia said: "So this is what I'm doing. I've created @spendwiththem, a place to feature businesses in fire-affected towns. So, if you want to buy something (now, or in the future), check out @spendwiththem and buy something from one of these places.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B69jz3VgHPb/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B69jz3VgHPb/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Turia (@turiapitt)</a> on Jan 5, 2020 at 6:43pm PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span>"This is a way to put money directly in the pockets of the people and communities who need it the most, and need it NOW."</span></p> <p><span>"Help them rebuild. Make them feel heard. Spend with them."</span></p> <p><span>She also sent an invitation to businesses who have been affected to contact her to be featured - telling them to visit the page, Spend With Them.</span></p> <p><span>Using her influence for good, it seems the country has reacted with elation over Turia’s emotional post.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B6_rAkQADWm/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B6_rAkQADWm/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">Hey guys! Grace and I are completely amazed by all of you! Thank you for supporting the businesses we’ve featured on @spendwiththem so far! We’ve been totally overwhelmed by your thousands of messages of support. So, if you’ve sent us a DM requesting we feature your business and we haven’t yet responded, please email us at spendwiththem@turiapitt.com with product pics and instructions on what people can buy online or over the phone. We’re struggling to keep track of DMs right now, so email will be best! Please know that as much as we want to support all businesses in fire-affected towns, we can’t yet encourage visitation to these areas. So, online and phone ordering options are all we can promote for now. When it is safe to do so, we’ll absolutely find a way to encourage road trips to your towns! Big love to you all - you absolute legends! ❤️❤️❤️</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/turiapitt/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> Turia</a> (@turiapitt) on Jan 6, 2020 at 2:25pm PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span>Her new Instagram page has since shot up in the ranks and received 108,000 followers.</span></p> <div class="c-message__content c-message__content--feature_sonic_inputs" data-qa="message_content"> <div class="c-message__message_blocks c-message__message_blocks--rich_text"> <div class="p-block_kit_renderer p-block_kit_renderer--absorb_margin" data-qa="block-kit-renderer"> <div class="p-block_kit_renderer__block_wrapper p-block_kit_renderer__block_wrapper--first"> <div class="p-rich_text_block"> <div class="p-rich_text_section"><em>OverSixty, its parent company and its owners are donating a total of $200,000 to the Vinnie’s Bushfire Appeal. We have also pledged an additional $100,000 of product to help all those affected by the bushfire crisis. We would love you to support too! Head to the <a rel="noopener" href="https://donate.vinnies.org.au/appeals-nsw/vinnies-nsw-bushfire-appeal-nsw" target="_blank">Vinnie's website to donate!</a></em></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="c-message_actions__container c-message__actions" aria-label="Message actions"></div>

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3 easy movements to improve spinal mobility

<p>How do you keep your spine in tip-top shape? According to one expert, these three words are the key – yes, no, maybe.</p> <p>In his fourth video in a series of five aimed at improving your balance, mobility and strength, Taylor Harrison, author, seniors health expert and Director of <a href="http://www.activeseniors.net.au/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Active Seniors Health Centre</span></strong></a>, shares three simple exercises that will improve mobility in your spine.</p> <p>To see Taylor’s first video on how to improve hip mobility, <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/health/body/2017/10/exercises-to-improve-hip-mobility/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">click here</span></strong></a>. To see his second video on strengthening your core, <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/health/body/2017/10/exercises-to-strengthen-whole-body/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">click here</span></strong></a>. For his third video on foot and ankle mobility, <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/health/body/2017/10/improve-foot-and-ankle-mobility/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">click here</span></strong></a>.</p>

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