Making Feminism More Inclusive: Part 1

This is part one of a series of ideas by TaraElla to help make feminism, well, more inclusive.

The movement of feminism has gained many supporters in recent years. Some of my friends have even come on board, even though just five years ago they would have thought it to be outdated. Though this may be encouraging, I have also encountered other women who still have concerns about identifying as a feminist. It's not that they don't want gender equality - all of us want that. It's just that they have a perception of feminism being about certain rules, including rules they cannot obey. Whilst this is certainly not true of feminism itself, if it's a perception some people have, I think it needs to be addressed.

For example, one of my friends thought that all feminists had to support affirmative action, something that she was consciously very opposed to, due to personal experience. In fact, when I told her that I was a feminist who didn't support affirmative action, she was surprised. I mean, parts of the feminist community do give us pressure to conform with the majority view here, but we do exist. For me, feminism is about equality, rather than about specific ways to achieve it. Therefore, there will always be differences amongst feminists. Whilst some feminists believe in affirmative action, others think non-rigid targets are more helpful.

Another friend was hung up on the idea that she could not, with her religious conscience, say that 'abortion is a woman's right'. Whilst this idea is often attributed to feminists, once again I don't think it's what feminism generally is about. Otherwise there wouldn't be pro-life feminists, right? Abortion is always a difficult topic, and even the most progressive and libertarian people sometimes have to agree to disagree. If feminism is to be a broad church, then we must show that both pro-life and pro-choice feminists are equally welcome. In true feminism, not only are men and women to be equal, women of different religious views and consicences are to have equality too.

Episode 2: Should we do more for Movember? I mean, Emmy Rossum just did.

Tara: November will soon be finally over. As some of you may know, November is also Movember, where men grow moustaches to raise awareness for men's health. And some female celebrities have joined in too. Emmy Rossum did so this year, and I agree with her on the important role women can play here.

Jess: Emmy Rossum grew a moustache? Besides that being biologically impossible, it's also gross!

Tara: No, not growing facial hair ourselves. I mean, we can help raise awareness about prostate cancer and other men's health issues. We can get the men in our lives to be more aware, and do regular checkups, for example.

Jess: I don't know about that. I think men know their bodies best, and these women are just doing it for the publicity. Not that men will listen to us on their health issues anyway.

Katie: As long as it's not growing a moustache, I think we should help if we can. But if it gets to the point of growing a moustache, then you can count me out. I'm not getting ugly for the sake of any cause.

Jess: You know, I reckon if we let this women should participate in Movember thing grow, maybe one day we will all be morally obliged to wear a moustache to work. I know one office is doing it this year.

Katie: If that happens I would rather quit my job! There's no way I'm wearing a hideous, fake moustache!

Tara: Then maybe we should join forces to stop it from happening in the first place. I mean, participation is good, but not if we have to look stupid.

Jess: Relax people, it's not going to happen, I was just joking. Even though that would be a pity, because I think you two would look good with some facial hair.

Tara & Katie: What?

Jess: Just joking again.

Episode 1: Taylor Swift thinks Cool is Overrated. Do we agree?

Tara: Country singer Kelsea Ballerini recently told media that her friend Taylor Swift told her cool is overrated, and warm and human is always going to win. I think I have to agree here. I mean, everyone is always trying to be cool, but it's meaningless. On the other hand, warm sounds like a much better way to be. I mean, you can show off 'cool' friends for a few minutes, but 'warm' friends will always be there to help you when you really need it. Also, some people aren't naturally 'cool', and have to fake it. But nobody needs to fake 'warm', in fact 'warm' can't be faked. So a warm friend is always real, whilst a cool friend may not be, and may even lose her 'cool' if circumstances change. I definitely have to agree with Taylor here.

Katie: Sorry, but I cannot ever agree with Taylor Swift because I think she's fake. I think she's neither 'cool' or 'warm', she's just fake. And whilst both cool friends and warm friends can be good friends, fake friends just disappoint. Like how you have been disappointed by her 'betrayal' of country music.

Tara: Not really. I mean, I do like country Taylor better, but you can't call people fake just because they decide to do something else. And Taylor Swift is a great friend, Kelsea Ballerini said it in her interview.

Katie: It's not just that. I don't know why you like her, but, in my opinion, not only is she fake, she doesn't even do it too well. Does Fearless, Red or 1989 represent the real Taylor? Will the real Taylor Swift please stand up?

Tara: Once again, trying different things doesn't mean one is fake. I don't think I've ever worn a striped dress, but if I wore one tomorrow would I then become fake? Anyway, let's get back to the topic.

Jess: In my opinion, Taylor Swift might just have proven herself wrong. I mean, I think she used to be more 'warm', but since Red and especially in 1989 she's more 'cool'. I think she changed because 'cool' is popular and sells records.

Tara: So you think Taylor is fake too? You're agreeing with Katie?

Jess: Not really. I don't think Taylor is fake, I just think she doesn't know what she's talking about there. Honestly, I think she's like that a lot of the time.

Tara: You can't be serious.

Life is Driven by Vision and Dreams, or it is Driven by Nothing

Have you recently been feeling 'down'? That your life is going nowhere, and that things are not going to improve? Or maybe you know a friend feeling this way?

An important root cause for the aforementioned feelings is a lack of vision. Without vision, there is no real drive to do anything. Trains and buses only run properly when they have a defined route and destination for the driver to follow, and our lives are the same. If the route and destination plan for your life is not yet available, you need to develop one. Even a rough draft will improve things.

Unlike trains and buses, where the route has been taken many times and is well known, you life is for you to explore, it is not somewhere that you or someone else had gone before. It is a journey into an unknown. Therefore, there will be a need to navigate obstacles, as they come up inevitably. Life visions can only be sustained in the longer term by dreams, and being both optimistic and flexible about them, but always holding tight onto them, never giving up, in the face of obstacles. A fundamental belief in your destaintion, despite temporary setbacks and difficulties, like the bus driver who sits in a traffic jam, but clearly still knowing that he will arrive at his destination, is the attitude we should have.

The Road to Where I Am Heading

Download the full song here.

Thanks Selena Gomez. We Should All Stand Up to Bullying, in Any Form.

Selena Gomez recently told the world how bad she felt when she was having treatment for lupus earlier this year, and the media was calling her fat.

In my opinion, this was bullying, and Selena was right to take a stand against it. In fact, everyone involved in calling her fat should now be ashamed. It was not just some fun game you were playing, it was a real human being you were hurting. And I believe that had Selena spoken up earlier, this bullying would have ended immediately back then, too.

For everyone else currently or previously being bullied, maybe you can learn a thing from Selena too. It's often in our nature to not tell the world that we're hurt, that we're fine with whatever people say, even though we're not. This is not helpful, however. Tell the world how you're feeling, how they've hurt you, and that it's not OK. It's the only way bullying will end. And maybe, just maybe, the bullies themselves will be human enough to be ashamed of their actions too.

Ariana Grande Kissed a Girl then Laughed. I'm Disappointed, Frankly.

I'm not sure where the trend started, but too many people have taken 'pretend gay' actions just for fun. The latest appears to be Ariana Grande, who posted a video (by mistake, she claims) of herself kissing another girl and then having a laugh.

As a strong gay and lesbian community ally, I have to say that I am frankly very disappointed. Imagine if someone pretended to be disabled and then having a laugh. I don't think it would be very well received, especially in the entertainment industry. However, the same industry has been more than OK with things like Britney Spears fake-kissing Madonna (2003), Katy Perry's ultimately disrespectful hit I Kissed A Girl (2008), and now this. It's really time people stop pretending it's OK.

Pretending to be something and then having a laugh is really the same as laughing at that something. There's no way around this, in my opinion. Even anti-PC me needs to say this. Sorry.


Download the full song here.

The New, Modest Janet Jackson? Very Welcome Indeed!

Janet Jackson has been dressing much more modestly recently, and this has got the media speculating on reasons. Some think it may be out of respect of her husband's Muslim beliefs.

Whatever the reason, I think it's a very welcome thing. If only she could have done it in 2004, it would have made quite the statement. Still not too late to change now, really. If the star at the centre of one of the biggest 'wardrobe malfunction' controversies of all time can change, it just says that everyone else can too.

Will other celebrities follow suit? It's too early to tell, but if they do, it will be the beginning of a revolution. Whilst I'm not being judgemental of those who don't dress modest, there really is no reason for musicians and actresses to have such a high rate of skin exposure. It's not healthy for body image reasons, frankly. And choosing to be healthy is something we can always support.

Justin Bieber and JoJo: Comebacks Show Us People Do Better With Age

Justin Bieber's recent comeback with What Do You Mean has not only topped the charts, it has got people talking too. Many Bieber fans (or Beliebers - or do they still say that?) have said that they miss him so much, and are so happy that he's back. But what strikes me most is how much he's improved. I mean, it probably didn't sound so bad at the time, but Baby does seem silly in retrospect, almost just as bad as Friday by Rebecca Black in that regard. What Do You Mean sounds so much better, really. The Biebs was always going to make a great artist, it was just not going to be in 2010. Five more years was what it took.

But Justin Bieber isn't the only comeback this year, nor is his the most spectacular, in my opinion. That would have to be JoJo. JoJo's first release, Leave (Get Out), topped the charts in mid 2004, when she was 13. Which is quite an achievement. But really, it's nothing compared to her latest stuff. Tracks like When Love Hurts and Say Love show an emotional maturity that just wasn't there before. Which is not surprising, considering that JoJo is now in her mid twenties. She has always had a great voice, but the new emotional depth to her songs has allowed her to use that voice much better.

Contrary to the media's obsession with being young forever, people do actually do better with age - even just going from their teens to their twenties, as these examples show.

The 80/20 Rule In Life

The 80/20 rule is simple. 80% of results come from 20% of actions (and hence also the other 80% of actions bring in only 20% of results). As it applies to most things, it probably applies to many parts of your life too.

The 80/20 rule means that we need to review our lives every now and then, and cut out actions that are done out of habit, but really don't contribute much to our success or wellbeing. This may include habitual actions and activities, toxic friendships where the other party really isn't interested anymore, or even an unattainable long term goal where it would make better sense to quit rather than to invest more. 80/20 rule reviews are painful, but are worth it in the end.

However, we shouldn't get too obsessed with the 80/20 rule, for example by applying it continuously in life, even pre-emptively judging any new activity or relationship by it. New activities and relationships, new goals in life and new commitments all have three things in common: 1) the likelihood of success cannot be determined right away, or even perhaps in the first year; 2) the first investments are often the most difficult and come with the least return; and 3) if you don't get fully into it and try your best at it, you aren't going to know what you can get out of it. Therefore, those who apply the 80/20 rule too soon often quit before they get any returns. It is best to not apply the 80/20 rule until patterns have become settled, which usually takes a year or more.

In conclusion, the 80/20 rule is very useful to go by, and can clean out much dead wood in our habitual lives. However, to apply it to new commitments would be a grave mistake. Like everything else, there is indeed two sides to this coin.

Download the full song here.

Taylor Swift's latest video racist? What nonsense!

Taylor Swift's latest music video for Wildest Dreams has been predictably popular, like most of her other stuff. But unexpectedly, there has also been a weird suggestion floating around: that it is 'racist'.

What? How is it racist? That was my first reaction, and it is likely to be yours too, I think.

Apparently, they accused Taylor of not having enough Africans in the video, even though it is set in Africa.

From that accusation, you would imagine Taylor walking through a major African city, but surrounded by only white people, like in a white-only part of apartheid South Africa, for example. But no, the reality is nowhere like that. Instead, there simply are not many people at all in the video. It may take place in Africa, but the animals seem to be the other main attraction, besides Taylor herself.

So the charge of racism is nonsense after all. Not that you would expect Taylor Swift to be racist. People should stop saying nonsense like this. It distracts from the fight against real racism.

A Tale of Two New Political Leaders: Malcolm Turnbull and Jeremy Corbyn

In case you haven't noticed, (and it's not unlikely for many Americans, for example), just this past week the political landscape of the English speaking world underwent a major shift, with the election of two party leaders, Malcolm Turnbull as Prime Minister of Australia, and Jeremy Corbyn as opposition leader of the UK.

The election of Turnbull is a triumph for moderatism and liberalism. His predecessor Tony Abbott was widely seen as too conservative for Australia, out of touch on major social issues like marriage equality and climate change. This was seen as major reason for his continued poor polling, ultimately leading to his party replacing him with Turnbull. It's a lesson that you cannot force your beliefs onto the electorate, and that democracy works, after all. People want leaders who can unite, not leaders who are divisive.

The election of Jeremy Corbyn, on the other hand, is anything but a triumph for moderatism and liberalism. Corbyn is a committed socialist, and is seen as far too left wing for the UK. He received great support from members of the Labour Party, but it does not look like the rest of the UK would feel the same way. Already, people are predicting Corbyn to lose the next election badly. But even if he wins, if the story of Tony Abbott is any guide, he is likely to struggle to unite his country.

In the end, no country benefits from having a divisive government, and therefore the majority of people would not want one. We all have our passionate beliefs, but we need to respect the wide range of cultural feelings out there too. The Abbotts and Corbyns of this world may have passionate support from their base, but this is unlikely to ever result in a happy ending for all. This should be something we need to keep in mind, when championing any cause.

Life Journey Ideas :: Stumble Your Way Towards Your Dreams

Life can be a hassle to get through sometimes. What makes it all worthwhile in the end are the dreams we hold, and the possibility of achieving them. Yet the road towards any dream is usually not straightforward.

This means we often stumble our way towards our dreams. And by stumbling, I mean that we often have to move along, not knowing where the current road we are travelling on will lead us to, and even often walking paths that will lead to nowhere, only to realise and turn back, but with important lessons learnt. With this kind of stumbling, and with our dreams still firmly planted in our minds, we eventually get closer to our target.

In the journey of life, it is rare to be able to see the destination early on. But if you let your dreams guide you through your stumbling journey, you will get there one day.


Download the full song here.

Castle Ideas :: Cultural Improvement :: Equality Movements Should Be Tolerant

It's a great thing to be involved in social movements to bring about inclusion and equality, I believe. Every generation on Earth should make this a better place for all. However, we should not forget our ultimate aim to be a society of freedom and tolerance, when faced with those who are opposed to change.

For example, it pains me that the marriage equality movement, something I have been passionately involved with for more than a decade now, has in recent years been accused of intolerance. Of course, we would like the world to be more accepting and inclusive for all. However, to say that businesses who do not wish to be involved in same sex weddings deserve to be out of business for their 'bigotry' is really not on. I am ashamed of my fellow equality supporters who say things like this. Not to mention more serious 'action', like the boycott of Mozilla Firefox last year.

I am sure that equality and inclusion, including in marriage equality, will come with time. Perhaps in a generation almost everyone will accept same sex marriages. It's not unlikely, the way trends are going. But to force people to come on board really defeats our goals of tolerance and freedom, right?

Castle Ideas :: Towards Equality :: Smashing Sexism Should Not Be About The Politics

It's great to see that, in recent years, the world has been taking sexism seriously again, after a hiatus of several decades. Discussion of the topic is totally mainstream nowadays, unlike just 10 years ago, where you'll find such discussion often restricted to particular circles, with the question 'is feminism irrelevant now' more likely to be found in mainstream discourse.

Smashing sexism, once and for all, should be a team effort. We should all be in it together. And we need everyone to participate passionately too. Things like smashing the glass ceiling and ending domestic violence are difficult long term campaigns that require a whole of society effort. In light of this, Emma Watson's invitation of the boys to come on board was really inspirational. We should all do something similar whenever we can.

On the other hand, political division would be unhelpful for the team effort. I know we are all passionate about some things, but you really don't have to agree with a certain brand of politics to be part of team smashing sexism. Some feminists strongly believe in affirmative action, but the more libertarian among us find that idea suspect and prefer we get there on merit. It's okay to have differences like these - affirmative action or not, it should not distract from our common goals. Another good example is differing views on abortion. There's the debate between pro-life feminists and pro-choice feminists, and even amongst the pro-choice there's the question of whether it should just be 'safe and legal' or 'safe legal and rare'. Again, this just mirrors the general political debate on the topic, and should not be a cause to disunite us.

Smashing sexism is a team effort. Don't let our personal politics get between us.

Download the full song here.

View On Culture :: Is it the Kardashian and Jenner World? It's not!

A few days ago, my friend remarked that it must be the Kardahsian and Jenner world out there now. I mean, she probably has a point, as a recent list of the most hotly discussed celebrities had a few of them in the top 10. And even without trying to 'keep up' with them, I've somehow managed to know that Caitlyn Jenner is being criticised for her views on social programs, and that there are reports of Kim Kardashian's next child being named Easton West.

But all that's because too many people have developed an obsession with this particular family, who, besides from being very rich, offer nothing too special for our culture, I believe. That's why I refuse to tune into their world. And I'm not missing out, either. Kim Kardshian and her sister Khloe are no more interesting than the many young women doing VLogs on Youtube, for example. And for all the media interest in Caitlyn, there are many others in a similar situation doing VLogs too. (Except for the fact that they don't usually criticise social programs.) In fact, YouTube is the best source of reality TV out there, and in the age of YouTube, I really don't understand the appeal of the Kardashians' shows.

For those who want to live in the Kardahsian and Jenner world, they can feel free to tune in. But for me, I'm going to continue to opt out, as the world out there is so much more interesting.

Download the full song here.

Castle Ideas :: Cultural Improvement :: Don't Like What's Out There? Add Your Own!

People often complain about what's on offer in popular culture land out there. It's too cliche. It's not inclusive enough. It's too vulgar. It's unimaginative. I know the feeling, as personally I have been morally outraged by many offerings out there in the past, even calling for boycotts sometimes (remember Miley Cyrus and Wrecking Ball)?

But outrage is rarely effective (as my Wrecking Ball example shows). A more constructive response is to create your own alternative vision of culture instead. If you don't like what's being offered, create an alternative. Making your own music, TV show or even movie has never been easier. It will help make culture richer, and help to achieve your cultural vision in a way that negativity simply never will.

As for me, I still believe the vulgarity of Wrecking Ball is not called for, and in my world, music videos should be much more 'family friendly'. Trust me, there is something refreshing about wholesome culture, it just feels so good. But I have learned that outrage and boycott don't really work. Therefore, I am determined to make my own culture, and I hope that we can show the world that there's a better way, by being constructive rather than negative.

Life Journey Ideas :: How Awkward Taylor Swift Can Inspire Your Life

Taylor Swift is one of the most popular cultural icons of these times, so we can probably learn something from her. Unlike many more 'perfect' stars, one of her major appeals is her awkwardness. In fact, there are whole blogs out there celebrating her awkward dancing, for example.

So why do people love seeing awkward Taylor? I think the answer lies in her willingness to try, even though she is not perfect. Too many people only do things when they can only do it perfectly. But that isn't what life should be about! Taylor has earned our respect by her willingness to try different things, even if they may look awkward by others' standards. What's even more important is that she doesn't seem to care how others see her. That earns her a double layer of respect.

Is there a lesson for our lives here? I bet there is.


Download the full song here.

The New TaraElla Show

The new TaraElla show is coming soon.

New features will include:
*Tara's Fighting Ideas - life is a fight to get through sometimes. I will share my ideas on how to get through this fight called life, and we will fight our way to a great future together. With the right attitude, we can conquer any crisis.
*Tara's Castle Ideas - I do not have a physical castle somewhere in Europe, but I have a castle of culture and values. Like every other princess, she will defend and maintain well her castle.
*Tara's Audition Series - I am preparing to audition for musical shows. But it will take some practice. You, my audience, are invited to be part of this journey of preparation.

Plus, of course, all your favorite entertainment news and opinion, which will still be a large part of the new format.

I Don't Want to Hear About Selena Gomez (or Anybody Else) 'Getting Fat' Anymore. Okay?

In recent weeks I have seen way too many reports of Selena Gomez 'getting fat'. At first, it was just on the cover page of one magazine, which I ignored. But now I have seen it at least six or seven times, from multiple sources. Therefore, I really have to say, enough is enough.

Nobody should be judged by how their body looks. People are way more than their bodies, and everyone should be judged by what they do in life, what they contribute to the world. Not how their body looks.

Not that there is anything wrong with having a bit more (or less) fat compared with the average, as it is often a genetically determined thing. In fact, I believe that fat shaming should therefore be in the same category as racism, sexism and homophobia, because it's really the same thing. It's all shaming people for their genetic makeup. If it's not OK to put others down because of their race, gender or sexual orientation, it's not OK to put others down because of their body fat or lack thereof.

For these two reasons, I will boycott any magazine that runs the Selena Gomez 'getting fat' story for three months, if I see it again. I think it's only fair that we send them a message.

Mood Music of the Week: Diana Vickers - Cinderella

Recently the movie Cinderella did very well at the box office. Why would anyone want to see a movie that's been done so many times already? I guess the answer is in the magic of Cinderella, the magic of dreams coming true. It is this idea that has been getting me through life recently. And this song I want to share with you captures this magic very well. (It's a shame that they didn't use it in the movie.)

Is Your Life Just Too Bad? Or Is It How You Look At It?

Do you sometimes feel that your life just doesn't measure up? That perhaps you need a life much grander than what you currently have? That missed opportunities mean you just won't ever catch up with other people?

Don't worry, many people feel like this too sometimes. But often, it's just because people have the wrong perspective. The well described phenomenon of some people putting the best view of their lives on facebook for others to see, and other people feeling like a failure in life as a result of reading glamorous facebook updates from their friends, is a good example. But it doesn't just happen with facebook. In life, some people just have a talent in emphasizing the best parts of their life and feeling great as a result, whilst others tend to focus more on what they are missing out on.

If you are not born wired that way, learning to emphasize the best parts of your life may take some time. A good way to start is by taking out a piece of paper and brainstorming what good things you already have in your life. Another exercise you may try is to write down the dreams that you have always had, and think about in what ways you are already moving closer to those dreams, compared with a decade ago. Exercises like these can help you think about your life journey in a more fulfilling way.



Download the full song here.

Angelle's Three Questions: Kim Kardashian

I wouldn't call myself a fan of Kim Kardashian, but I do have three important questions to ask her if I do get to meet her one day.

Question one: If you were instead just an average American young woman with an average income, and yet somebody offered you a chance to star in a reality TV show like the one you are currently doing (but obviously with a much more average lifestyle), would you still do it?

Question two: A lot of people look up to you and your family. This means you have a lot of cultural power, power to make people change their minds. Some people use their cultural power to advance causes like charity, or minority rights. I for one would surely like to have your global cultural power - I can just imagine the things I would be able to do with it. Is there anything that you wish to do for this world, using your cultural power?

Question three: Your previous 'marriage', the one that was shorter than a TV show season, offended many people who were passionate about the ideals of marriage. I am a strong believer in recognising what you did wrong in life, and making amends where possible. Do you regret what you did in any way? And if you do regret it, what would you do to make up for it?

Inspiration from Paris Hilton? Maybe for Kim Kardashian, but Definitely Not For Me.

In a recent interview, Paris Hilton was asked if the Kardashians would not exist today without her. She appeared to take some credit for the success of the Kardashian empire.

"It's nice to inspire people," Paris said. "We've known each other since we were little girls and we've always been friends. So yeah, I'm really proud of (Kim Kardashian) and what she's done."

It may be nice to inspire people, Paris, but inspiring people to be famous for nothing significant and hence not contributing much to the world isn't something to be proud of, I think. I for one would not want to be 'inspired' by the likes of Paris Hilton (or Kim Kardashian). There are much more 'meaningful' people to be inspired by, right?

Mood Music of the Week: The Veronicas - If You Love Someone

If you are passionate about something, don't leave it until too late. Although the song is supposed to be about 'someone', seeing the video I believe that it can also be about 'something', i.e. a cause you are passionate about. And if you are passionate about something, you should tell the world right now.

Mood Music of the Week: Beauty

When it feels like everything in the world has fallen into place in an exactly right way, and everything looks so beautiful at once. This was how I felt this week.


Download the full song here.

I was just Asking for Equality with Miley and Rihanna, Actually

About a year ago I wrote a short article titled 'Freedom is a Two Way Street', which was controversial with some readers. Specifically, it dealt with the idea that whilst I believe people should have freedom under the law to choose whatever way they want to live as long as it does not hurt others, other people (like myself) should be similarly entitled to promote a different lifestyle, and people should not be offended because of this. Maybe the tone of what I wrote sounded harsh. But I still think it's a very valid point to make. Let me explain further here.

People are entitled to their own beliefs, and are entitled to share them with the world as long as it doesn't hurt anybody else. People like me will generally share with the world what we believe to be great lifestyle choices, because we want to enable more people to live happier lives. It should be seen as a noble intention, I think you would agree. It is my strong belief that it's very unwise to use drugs 'recreationally', whether it's marijuana or something else. Therefore, it's my strong passion to share this idea with others. What I was frustrated about (and still am somewhat frustrated about) is how some celebrities go out and promote the opposite of this (e.g. Miley Cyrus, Rihanna) and people think it's cool, but how my ideas seem so much more controversial, when freedom of speech should dictate that we have equal rights to speak out on any given topic. It's not like I'm judgemental or something like that, right?

Freedom of speech should mean that we don't shout down others for whatever ideas they promote, whether you like the idea in question or not. Peer pressure to make certain ideas taboo is a very dangerous idea. Society should never go there, really.

Mood Music of the Week: Owl City - Shine Your Way

When you suddenly feel a wave of positivity all over you, and you see a potential exit to something that has been a long fight all this time. This was how I felt this week. And I dedicate this song, to remember this mood.

Fifty Shades of Grey - Or Is It Fifty Shades of Scary?

Fifty Shades of Grey is one recent cultural phenomenon I really don't understand. Although I have never read the book, I had heard of it, and knowing what it is about, I have always had no intention of reading it. I mean, it isn't something that would make me happy or excited in any way, right? Anyway, I really never understood why anyone would want to read something like that.

Fast forward to 2015, when the movie came out. Some of my friends wanted to go and see it, because it was such a 'phenomenon', so I went along. And the theatre was packed, too. But after three hours, I still don't know why anyone would love this movie or book. I mean, it may as well be called fifty shades of scary. All the way through the movie, I kept thinking, please don't ever let me meet a man like that.

So what is it that has caused so many people to fall in love with such a scary book and movie? I don't know. Maybe you can tell me.

It Looks Like Meghan Trainor has Redeemed Herself in My Books

Remember my critique of Meghan Trainor's All About That Base about half a year ago? I know it was harsh, but I stand by what I have said. And I still don't know why something like that became a hit.

But anyway, it looks like Meghan has redeemed herself this time around. Her new hit Lips Are Movin' looks much more like what a 'normal' hit song should be. It actually sounds pretty good. Maybe she will have a great career after all.

John Legend's Inspiring Speech at the Oscars

The Oscars have often been a place where inspirational speeches are given. This year, it was Common and John Legend's turn.

"Nina Simone said it's an artists duty to reflect the times in which we live," he said. "We wrote this song for a film that was based on events that were 50 years ago but we say that Selma is now, because the struggle for justice is right now. We know that the voting rights act that they fought for 50 years ago is being compromised now in this country today. Right now the struggle for freedom and justice is real. We live in the most incarcerated country in the world. There are more black men under correctional control today than were under slavery in 1850."

"When people are marching with our song, we want to tell you we are with you, we see you, we love you, and march on," he added.

Something for us to think more deeply about, I think.

Angelle's Three Questions: Ryan Murphy and the Glee Team

Glee is back on TV for a final season, and this week's Three Questions is for the people behind Glee.

1) Glee has been successful in exploring a host of issues, and has maintained an objective and balanced stance in most of these issues. The religion vs atheism issue was a great example of this. However, at the start of season one, I think the show took sides AGAINST the abstinence movement. As the abstinence movement never harmed anyone ever, why did you decide to do that?

2) Most shows have a positive main character people can identify with, yet I think your show lacked one until Marley arrived in season four. Why was that the case?

3) Is the decision to put Glee to an end after six seasons one that was decided long ago, or has it only been made recently? If so, was it because of the recent drop in ratings? (That would be a shame, I should add.)

Selena Gomez - The Heart Wants What It Wants - Impact Version by TaraElla

By the way, if you liked this cover, you should check out this TaraElla original:

Download the full song here.

Taylor Swift - Blank Space - Romantic Version by TaraElla

By the way, if you liked this cover, you should check out this TaraElla original:

Download the full song here.

Maybe This is the Appeal of 'Awkward' Taylor Swift?

I had this discussion with a friend the other day - and we came to agree that Taylor Swift likes to do things she is not particularly good at. Like dancing - which we saw a lot in her recent Shake It Off video. Or even pop music - we think she did country better. And that style in the We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together video - it REALLY doesn't suit her at all. There's one word to describe all of the above: awkward.

But in all of that is a common theme - Taylor likes to try new things, even things she may not be good at, things that may not make her look picture perfect. Taylor has been hugely popular for more than seven or eight years now, which is much more success than what many other chart topping musicians have had. Maybe this is her appeal, after all.

Therefore, maybe we should all try to step outside of our comfort zone every now and then. It may pay off very well, even if we look awkward in the process. After all, Taylor Swift has made awkward look cool, so it's OK to be awkward nowadays.