Just a few days after the death of beloved musician Leonard Cohen, the artist’s son, Adam, buried his father.

The younger Cohen penned a beautiful note on Facebook Sunday about saying goodbye to his dad in an intimate ceremony in Montreal. 

“As I write this I’m thinking of my father’s unique blend of self-deprecation and dignity, his approachable elegance, his charisma without audacity, his old-world gentlemanliness and the hand-forged tower of his work. There’s so much I wish I could thank him for, just one last time,” Adam wrote, before listing all the ways in which he was grateful to his father. 

“I’d thank him for the comfort he always provided, for the wisdom he dispensed, for the marathon conversations, for his dazzling wit and humor. I’d thank him for giving me, and teaching me to love Montreal and Greece,” he wrote. “And I’d thank him for music; first for his music which seduced me as a boy, then for his encouragement of my own music, and finally for the privilege of being able to make music with him.” 

Cohen died last week at 82, just weeks after releasing his 14th studio album. After the announcement of his death, countless fans wrote moving tributes to their favorite singer, songwriter and poet. 

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“The next wave of fascists will not come with cattle cars and concentration camps, but they’ll come with a smiley face and maybe a TV show,” Michael Moore said the night after Donald Trump was elected president. “That’s how the 21st-century fascists will essentially take over.”

Moore was paraphrasing Bertram Gross, the social scientist who wrote 1980’s Friendly Fascism: The New Face of Power in America. Gathered at the Criterion Collection’s New York office to discuss Kirsten Johnson’s documentary “Cameraperson” alongside “Citizenfour” director Laura Poitras, the 45-minute conversation revolved around Trump’s shocking ascendancy.

The Huffington Post is premiering the audio from the event, where the trio of directors worried about the surveillance state surrounding protesters in America and around the world.

“There is a state of profound shock and a real sense of fear that these are dark days ahead,” Poitras said, with Moore reminding the audience that, according to the popular vote, more than half of the country did not want Trump to become its president.

Encouraging the fractured Democratic Party to block the Trump administration’s regressive legislation and work toward impeachment, Moore, who made the pro-Clinton “TrumpLand” last month, said he knows firsthand that Trump did not initially hope to win the presidency. The director wouldn’t reveal his source, saying, “I know that it was all to hedge getting a better deal from NBC, re-upping for ‘The Celebrity Apprentice,’ and he was trying to pit another network against NBC, and he thought that if he announced for president, for a month, there would be these great rallies ― because he knew, he’s a famous person on TV ― that thousands of people would show up and it would kind of get this juice going.” 

In total, Moore, Poitras and Johnson’s discussion was somewhere between a therapy session and a call to action. Listen to the full audio in the Soundcloud file embedded above. 

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After Donald Trump’s victory last week, bibliophiles are turning to books more than ever for answers and comfort. Research suggests that reading is the most effective way to reduce stress, and reading fiction might make you more empathetic. 

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the current state of our nation, practice self-care by getting lost in a good book. Introvert Doodles artist Marzi Wilson has created some spot-on comics that every book lover will understand. Here are nine illustrations that make perfect sense to bookworms.

For more hilarious comics, check out Introvert Doodles online.

H/T Bored Panda

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Last week, when Donald Trump was elected president of the United States, certain objects suddenly became haunting reminders of the American future that would never be. An unopened bottle of champagne, a “nasty woman” T-shirt, a flag celebrating the candidate whom everyone thought would become the first woman to hold the highest office in America. 

One such object is the poster above, made by artist Jonathan Horowitz, which reads “HILLARY 2016” with an image of Clinton’s face alongside the preceding 43 U.S. presidents (Grover Cleveland is counted only once). It’s a vision that many expected to become a reality — suddenly transformed post-election into a melancholy reminder of what never happened. 

The piece is part of The Jewish Museum’s ongoing exhibition “Take Me, I’m Yours,” comprised entirely of free art objects, created by artists including Yoko Ono, Martha Rosler, and Jonas Mekas, which viewers are invited to touch, engage with, and take home with them, thus revolutionizing the way individuals interact with art in the museum space. 

Horowitz has long made art with a political bent, although his personal interest lies in the way the perception of certain public figures shifts and evolves over time. “A lot of the work is context- and time-specific, and so when the context and time change, the work changes,” Horowitz told Artsy earlier this year. Specifically, this comment was made in reference to a sculpture of then-nominee Hillary Clinton made two presidential terms ago. “In 2008, she was obviously in a very different place than she is today,” Horowitz said.

The sentiment rings true today, as Clinton is in a very different place than she was just two weeks ago. 

One of Horowitz’s posters was spotted by the Jewish Museum’s JiaJia Fei in the Union Square subway station, as part of “Subway Therapy,” a space for New Yorkers to cope with their post-election feelings by expressing themselves on Post-It notes to share with their fellow dismayed New Yorkers. You can see notes reading “Love More” and “Proud to be a woman” hanging alongside the poster above. 

If you are in the New York area, head to the Jewish Museum before Feb. 5, 2017, to get a free Hillary poster of your own.

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It’s not just the election results many Americans are trying to understand.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary has shared some of the most frequently searched words on its site since last week’s presidential election, and the list may or may not surprise you.

“Fascism,” “bigot,” “xenophobe,” “racism,” “socialism,” “resurgence,” “xenophobia” and “misogyny” were the most searched words Sunday, in that order.

The online dictionary pointed out that “resurgence” ― which M-W defines as “a rising again into life, activity, or prominence” ― has been trending since the morning of the presidential election.

“Fascism” ― “a way of organizing a society in which a government ruled by a dictator controls the lives of the people and in which people are not allowed to disagree with the government” ― had been near the top of the list in the days leading up to the election.

In a related blog post, Merriam-Webster reported that searches for the word “misogyny” — defined as “a hatred of women” — surged after Donald Trump’s victory over Hillary Clinton.

Some of Sunday’s words made the list on election night too.

Those words, in order, were: “fascism,” “bigot,” “nerve-racking,” “socialism” and “deplorable.”

Need a little verbal pick-me-up? Here’s a list of some words, and their definitions, that now seem more important than ever.

Democracy: an organization or situation in which everyone is treated equally and has equal rights.

Respect: a feeling or understanding that someone or something is important, serious, etc., and should be treated in an appropriate way.

Humanitarian: a person who works to make other people’s lives better.

Philogyny: a love of or liking for women.

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Many women around the country woke up last Tuesday morning expecting to welcome the country’s first female president later that day. Instead, they were forced to grapple with the election of a man who has demeaned, objectified and allegedly assaulted women for decades, and who has promised to strip them of reproductive rights.

They are mourning. They are tired. They are afraid. And they are angry.  

There are many ways for women to channel their frustrations into action ― you can protest, volunteer, support pro-women organizations and be an ally to the many whose safety and wellbeing are in jeopardy. 

And, of course, you can make art.

“The voice of artists is critical and perhaps has never been more urgent,” artist Pablo Helguera wrote in a Facebook message. “And of course I don’t mean art as the ornament in the collector’s house, or as the product that entertains and brings pleasure. I mean art as inserting serious and critical issues into the political discourse, producing discomfort, acting concretely in the world and not merely representing or illustrating.”

“This is where our energies should be focused from this point forward, and this is certainly where I will devote my efforts over the next four years.”

One New York gallery in particular, Untitled Space, is currently inviting multidisciplinary women artists to submit work to an upcoming exhibition titled “Angry Women,” which will channel the feelings of election-related rage and anxiety into challenging and confrontational works of feminist art.

The 20 artists selected will be featured in an exhibition on view from Jan. 17 through Jan. 22, the same week as the presidential inauguration. If you are an angry woman looking to express your fury through artistic expression, we implore you to participate and submit your work.

A statement describing the exhibition’s mission, sent to to The Huffington Post via email, is excerpted below:

The 2016 election has brought to the surface extremes of sexism, racism and discrimination. A dark cloud looms over those who respect ideals of equal rights, human dignity and humanitarianism. A resounding number of people are feeling a heavy weight of anxiety and sadness as well as a newfound sense of urgency and determination to be more involved and socially aware. Artists are encouraged to empower themselves and others with works for the “Angry Women” exhibit that respond to the political and social climate as well as explore themes revolving around feminism today and female empowerment.

20 artists will be selected for the exhibit, which is open to submissions. Artists must be female or female identifying. Artists may submit up to 5 works of art for consideration. Acceptable mediums include photography, painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, mixed media, video (with monitor), weaving, among others, feel free to be creative. All artwork must be ready to hang. New works created in 2016 will be prioritized.

Untitled Gallery is accepting submissions through Dec. 10. More detailed submission guidelines are available on the Untitled Space website. You can also download a submission form.

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Hayao Miyazaki, the Japanese filmmaker who brought us “My Neighbor Totoro,” “Spirited Away” and “Howl’s Moving Castle,” announced his retirement in 2013. His final feature-length movie was slated to be “The Wind Rises,” the story of Japanese aircraft designer Jiro Horikoshi.

But this week, a NHK television special called “Owaranai Hito Miyazaki Hayao,” or “The Man Who Is Not Done: Hayao Miyazaki,” revealed that he is endeavoring to finish another feature-length film.

Because it takes him around five years to complete his more ambitious undertakings, Miyazaki noted in the TV special that he will be nearly 80 by the time this film is completely ― hopefully in time for the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.

He also joked that hopefully he’ll be alive once production is completed. “I think it’s still better to die when you are doing something than dying when you are doing nothing,” he said.

In the meantime, Miyazaki’s work on shorter films for the Ghibli Museum, which is a theme park dedicated to his work, will be put on hold. His 12-minute film about a tiny caterpillar ― a bug “so tiny that it may be easily squished” ― will be completed in the coming year.

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A Rhode Island mom is empowering her 9-year-old daughter with some awesome napkin art.

Continuing a tradition from her own childhood, Meaghan Elderkin has been drawing on her daughter Holden’s lunch napkins ever since she started preschool. The illustrations usually involve “dinosaurs, bad puns and ‘mom jokes,’” Elderkin told The Huffington Post.

In the aftermath of Hillary Clinton’s defeat in the presidential election, however, the mom decided to shift her focus to drawings of women icons and their inspiring quotes.

“I felt really small and powerless after the results of the election,” Elderkin said. “I wanted to remind my daughter (and myself, I guess) that we’re still strong and powerful even when we’re afraid. A lot of strong women have come before us, and they’ve had to fight even scarier obstacles.”

Elderkin’s latest napkin art features inspiring women past and present ― from Susan B. Anthony to Lucille Ball to Michelle Obama. She said Holden, who is in the fourth grade, absolutely loves each one. 

“She’s a huge fan of Malala Yousafzai,” the mom said. “We saw her speak in Providence this past summer and she immediately wanted to set up a lemonade stand to contribute to Malala’s fund.”

On Nov. 11, Elderkin posted photos of her napkin drawings in the popular Facebook group, Pantsuit Nation, where she received over 22,000 likes.

“I was really inspired by the women posting in Pantsuit Nation, and I wanted to let them know that I was trying to do my part,” she explained. “I really wasn’t expecting the overwhelming response. They seem to really resonate with people. I usually just share them with my own friends, and I wasn’t sure that they’d be received as well as my sillier ones.”

Elderkin set up a Facebook page for people to see more of her napkin art. She also plans to continue the tradition with her younger daughter Elsa, who starts preschool next year.

Elderkin said she’s been touched by all the positive support for her art. 

“I’d really like thank all the people who have taken the time to comment and message me,” she told HuffPost. “It’s given me a lot of hope and I feel less alone in this fight for equality.”

Keep scrolling and visit Elderkin’s Facebook page for more of her daily napkin drawings. 

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She may be 83 years old, but Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is far from her curtain call.

Ginsburg took to the stage on Saturday night and appeared in a production of “The Daughter of the Regiment” by Gaetano Donizetti put on by the Washington National Opera at the Kennedy Center. 

The justice portrayed the Duchess of Krakenthorp during the opening night performance ― a role that earned her “cheers and prolonged applause” before she even spoke onstage, according to the AP.

This wasn’t even Ginsburg’s first foray into the opera scene ― she’s appeared in plays three other times, though as a non-speaking supernumerary.

Clearly, Ginsburg is no opera novice.

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“Jackie” just keeps getting better. Last month’s teaser trailer offered a glimpse of the haunting psychodrama that chronicles Jackie Kennedy (Natalie Portman) during the week after John F. Kennedy’s 1963 assassination. The full trailer is now here, and it is a spellbinding ride through the former First Lady’s rage and grief.

Can you tell I love this movie? It opens Dec. 2.

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Rafael Casal and Daveed Diggs― the former a prolific poet and playwright, the latter of “Hamilton” and Clipping fame ― have teamed up once again to rap their way through creative canons. 

This time the duo invited members of the theater community to bring the stories of classic books to the stage in “#Bars Mixtape Musical Medley Vol. 2.”

It’s the sequel to “Mixtape Musical Medley Vol. 1,” of course, in which 12 participants selected a scene from a movie, TV show or comic strip and turned it into a hip-hop-infused theatrical scene. That video was shared widely last June.

Diggs and Casal filmed Vol. 2 at the Public Theater in New York City. Over 300 actors, writers and performers applied to take part in the book-themed theater workshop, and Diggs and Casal (along with an advisory panel) narrowed that list down to 17 people. Those 17 performed their own takes ― involving rap, spoken word, and some song ― on books like Beloved, Lord of the Flies, The Great Gatsby, The Catcher in the Rye, Things Fall Apart, Pride and Prejudice, Frankenstein, and “Death of a Salesman.” (Yes, that last one is a play.)

“We happened upon one of the most talented groups of actors, musicians & writers I have had the pleasure of working with, and for 8 sessions, we studied the use of verse in theater together, through the creation of this medley,” Casal wrote in an email to The Huffington Post, discussing the preparations that went into “#Bars.”

He continued:

We loved the idea of reimagining these iconic stories and giving an audience a new angle to look at the material from. I think what we as patrons are always trying to do with great art is find an entry point that feels relevant for us. Filtering these stories through contemporary art forms and/or circumstances certainly gave them newfound urgency to us again.

I had such a huge disconnect with these stories in high school because I couldn’t find a way to relate to the protagonists, and so this was an amazing exercise with a room full of brilliant, innovative artists to try to create new interpretations for viewers to fall in love with. To exaggerate, to give humor, to turn characters and narratives on their heads to think differently about these stories we are told are part of the classic literary fabric.

“#Bars Vol. 2” hosts included Adrienne Warren (”Shuffle Along”) Javier Muñoz (”Hamilton”) Pharoahe Monch, Anthony Ramos (”Hamilton”) Lemon Andersen, Saray Kay, Dessa, Diggs and Casal. The final 37-minute video, shown above, was impressively shot in one take.

In a previous interview with The Huffington Post, Diggs talked about the role of spoken word during his own childhood: “It was an opportunity for us ― for kids who are often ignored and whose words are not valued ― to say whatever we wanted.” 

“I would have wanted to see [’#Bars’] in high school if I was assigned one of these books,” Casal added, “a room full of people who look and sounded like me, using attributes of the music I love to breathe life into a text that I was struggling to understand.”

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A brunette Madonna shimmies in this exclusive clip from “Uncle Howard,” the new documentary about the life of avant-garde New York filmmaker Howard Brookner.

The Queen of Pop was at the peak of her fame when she starred alongside Matt Dillon, Randy Quaid and Jennifer Grey in 1989’s Jazz Age-themed comedy, “Bloodhounds of Broadway.” Despite the presence of such Hollywood heavyweights, the film is widely considered a flop and rarely broadcast.

As “Uncle Howard” recalls, however, “Bloodhounds of Broadway” was very special for Brookner, who was battling AIDS at the time of its production. The filmmaker had only worked on documentary films beforehand, including the acclaimed “Burroughs: The Movie,” about beat generation author William S. Burroughs. “Bloodhounds of Broadway” was intended to be Brookner’s big screen breakthrough, but the director died just months before its release. 

While Brookner didn’t leave as big of a mark on Hollywood as he’d hoped for, it was enough to entice his nephew, Aaron, into directing a film about his uncle’s legacy. Never-before-seen footage capturing the New York of the 1970s and ‘80s, as well as Brookner’s relationships with Burroughs, Madonna and Allen Ginsberg, is among the highlights.   

Aaron Brookner told The Huffington Post that, above all, he’d like the documentary to give viewers new insight as to why his uncle was such a pioneering figure in the New York arts scene. 

“Howard took inspiration from the likes of Burroughs and Ginsberg, who were pioneering in their writing about homosexuality.  Howard’s own work championed theirs and he took it further, putting open homosexuality on screen, and living his own life openly as a queer man,” he said. “It is painfully clear that had those in power not had prejudice against the LGBTQ community, we might not be mourning so many people and great artists today. This should be remembered now more than ever.”

Ultimately, he hopes audiences come away from the film knowing “what you do and who you influence in this life really does matter.”

“If Howard never picked up a camera and never had such an impact on me and those around him,” he said, “few people would even know he ever existed, let alone been so inspired by him.”

“Uncle Howard” will hit New York’s IFC Center on Nov. 18. 

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A powerful photo is offering a message of hope in the aftermath of grief.

Missouri photographer Alex Bolen brought together six mothers who have experienced pregnancy or infant loss for a rainbow baby-themed photo shoot. 

With the help of smoke bombs, gowns from Sew Trendy Accessories and a little Photoshop magic, Bolen created a beautiful tribute to the rainbow symbol.

The photographer said her own pregnancy inspired her to reach out to moms who experienced loss. “Early this year, I had my daughter Haven, and my whole pregnancy was filled with happiness ― but mainly fear,” Bolen told The Huffington Post.

“I was a part of many online soon-to-be mom groups, where women were posting about miscarrying or suffering the loss of their babies after birth,” she explained. “I was petrified. As I grew into this local mom community it became apparent how magical this ‘rainbow baby’ term really is!”

Bolen posted a call-out on her Facebook page seeking mothers wanting to pay tribute to their rainbow babies and received many responses. She chose the first six volunteers for the project. 

“The day of the shoot was so gloomy, and I was getting so nervous and bummed I wasn’t going to pull it off,” the photographer recalled. “But after we snapped those first few, I knew we did it.”

Bolen posted the finished smoke bomb photo on her Facebook page, where it received over 22,000 likes. The comments section is filled with stories from other parents who welcomed rainbow babies after loss.

“This photo has taken the Internet by storm, and I am so honored,” Bolen told HuffPost. “So many woman have shared their stories on my image ― it truly is amazing.”

The photographer said she wants her photo to bring a little light to humanity right now. “With all this darkness and hate going on in the world, we truly needed a little lifting up,” she said. “The rainbow term has brought together thousands across the globe and I feel pretty darn blessed to be part of that.” 

Keep scrolling to see more photos from Bolen’s rainbow baby shoot. 

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Safety may feel like a precious commodity for millions of Americans right now, especially those who’ve been spoken out against ― or actively harmed ― by or in the name of our new president-elect for their race, religious beliefs, sexual orientation or gender.

Since last Tuesday, hate crime incidents have gone up, especially anti-black, anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim attacks. K-12 schools, universities, businesses, and private properties have all been tallied by the Southern Poverty Law Center as places where these crimes have occurred.

Where, then, is safety encouraged, enforced, and truly felt?

In response to these concerns, Death Cab for Cutie shared a statement on its Twitter account, emphasizing that the band’s shows “will always be a safe place for people of all colors, all genders, all sexual orientations and all beliefs to come together to celebrate music, love and mutual respect.”

Displaying solidarity for those who fear that their current way of life is in jeopardy might be a small thing, but it’s a proactive answer for citizens left wondering what they can do.

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Okieriete Onaodowan, the “Hamilton” star known to his Twitter followers as The Incredible Oak, announced his decision to leave the Broadway musical earlier this month. “Christmas Eve will be my last show,” he confessed during an interview on AOL Build, no doubt crushing the dreams of those who’ve yet to see the musical with its original cast. (At least we still have Peggy.)

But before Onaodowan says goodbye to his two “Hamilton” characters ― the bombastic tailor-turned-spy Hercules Mulligan and the quietly influential former president James Madison ― he and the nation have to come to terms with the election of Donald Trump.

As the son of Nigerian immigrants, Onaodowan has recently become an advocate for voting rights. Back when he was at the White House with Lin-Manuel Miranda and company last March, he urged first-time voters to prepare themselves for the polls. On Tuesday, Nov. 8, he implored Americans to “be the change” after posting a video casting his own ballot.

Onaodowan spoke with The Huffington Post after his Build interview, just one day before America voted. On that particular Monday, we asked Onaodowan whether or not he, a first-time voter at age 29, had hope for the outcome of the 2016 election.

”I am very hopeful,” he told HuffPost. “I can’t say that I confidently believe that a certain male candidate won’t win. That’s something that could very well happen. But all I can do is vote. That’s the only thing I have control over. It’s the only thing that I can do.”

Onaodowan, like many anxious Americans who remained unconvinced by overwhelmingly pro– Hillary Clinton polls, felt as though the rhetoric of the 2016 election wasn’t really new. “For years, this country has had an issue with immigrants,” he told HuffPost. “My mother would tell me stories when she was a nurse ― she has an African accent, she’s from Nigeria ― and she’s literally treating people and they’re yelling, ‘You don’t belong here. Go back to where you came from.’ [...] So what’s happening here has always been present for someone who’s an immigrant.”

“Because we sound different and talk different we don’t belong,” he added. “Even though this country is built on the backs of immigrants. And slaves. That’s the reason we’re here.”

Back in September, Onaodowan gave the keynote address to a crowd of new citizens being naturalized in New York City. “It was probably one of the greatest things,” he recalled, rethreading some of that hope he mentioned earlier. “In spite of all the things that are happening in the country right now, people are still dying to get here. They are seeing the news. They are seeing what’s happening. And that’s a testament to this country ― that people are dying and fighting to be here.”

Much of the cast of “Hamilton,” perhaps the most talked-about aspect of pop culture in 2015 and 2016 ― itself a musical that celebrates the role of immigrants in our country’s early history ― has been vocal about its collective stance against intolerance and exclusivity in America. Creator Miranda, along with actors Daveed Diggs, Javier Muñoz, Renée Elise Goldsberry and others, have stood up in the moments before and after the election, taking advantage of the “Hamilton” platform they’ve helped build. Onaodowan plans to use his newly amplified voice come Dec. 25 to work not only on his writing ― he is a poet, after all ― but to dip his toes in documentary filmmaking, too. 

“I’d like to use my platform to instill the kind of change that I’d like to see in the world. I have more people listening to me than were listening to me a couple of years ago. So what can I say to those people? I do want to make a documentary and I’ve never done that before. I want to dive in headfirst and find the people and friends who do know how to make documentaries and make this vision come true.”

Onaodowan will not, unfortunately, be taking part in the upcoming “Frozen” musical. Although he played Kristoff in a lab reading of the production earlier this year, Onaodowan told HuffPost that the musical team ultimately decided to go in a different direction. “I was hoping they would move forward in the way they were, and the way that ‘Hamilton’ is set in terms of casting, as far as people of color in roles that you normally wouldn’t see them in,” he said. “Breaking that barrier down. But I’ve found out recently that they’ve gone back and they’ve cast not a person of color.”

“Hamilton” certainly set a precedent on Broadway when it actively chose to cast actors of color as historically white characters. The musical’s runaway success has led critics to wonder whether or not theater as a whole will be headed in a more inclusive direction as a result.

“I have no idea. I really don’t know,” Onaodowan replied when we asked him about Broadway’s diverse, or not-so-diverse, future. “This business is kind of crazy [...] ‘Hamilton’ could just be the one thing and we go back to the way things were. Or it could open the floodgates. But I don’t know. This show is such an anomaly in so many ways that it could just be that.”

Thankfully, “Hamilton” ticket-hunters have over a month to catch Onaodowan onstage. Whether he’s near-growling at the audience as enigmatic Mulligan or modestly musing over the Federalist Papers as Madison, viewers can catch glimpses of the various aspects of Onaodowan’s personality there. “They both have different aspects of who I am,” he admitted. “Every character you play... you take an aspect of your personality, isolate it, and you blow it up. [Both are] a version of me that is very true.”

“But honestly, I’m leaning more toward Madison,” he added. “Because he’s kind of soft-spoken and how I am naturally. I don’t run around going ‘ahhhh’ all the time!”

His parting words, an affirmation that now reads both as advice to himself post-”Hamilton” and to the population of Americans reeling in uncertain times, place him firmly in the Madison camp:

Empathy is work. Being caring takes work. Being kind takes work. Wanting to help people, it’s work. There are some people who wake up and are like, it’s all I want to do! But for other people, it’s work. I want to put that message out ― that it’s worth putting the work into. It’s going to be annoying and it’s going to be uncomfortable and you’re probably not going to want to do it. But please, please find a way to do it.

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Lady Gaga knows that being a woman in 2016 requires a fighting spirit.

The pop star recently wrote about what womanhood means to her in an essay for Harper’s Bazaar ― and credits the strong female figures in her life for making her the “fighter” that she is today. 

“My mother and my grandmothers are without a doubt the most powerful female forces in my life,” she wrote. She also wrote about her connection to her deceased aunt, Joanne, after whom her most recent album is named. Joanne died at 19 years old, 12 years before Lady Gaga was born, but she has always felt a connection to her late aunt, particularly in times of hurt. 

Gaga wrote about channeling Joanne and other strong women ― like Michelle Obama ― during this painfully misogynistic election cycle: 

I thought about Joanne as I was watching the news during the election about the scandal surrounding the Access Hollywood tape. Here we were, in 2016, and the fact that the sort of language that was being used to talk about women was everywhere—on TV, in politics—was eye-opening. I felt depressed and hurt by it because that’s what that kind of language does. Then I watched our incredible first lady, Michelle Obama, talk in New Hampshire about how hurt she felt seeing it too. She talked about how women are often afraid to say anything because we’re worried that we will appear weak—that we’ll be told we’re being over-the-top, dramatic, emotional. But we’re not. We’re fighting for our lives.

Lady Gaga has been unapologetic about making the music that she loves rather than making music for fame or for the approval of others. Before working on “Joanne,” she focused on personal projects ― like her single about surviving sexual assault, “Til It Happens To You.” 

“I was able to get off the train of endless work I’d been on, which was quite abusive to my body and my mind, and have some silence and some space around me,” she wrote. 

Turning 30 also marked a moment of incredible self-assurance for her, she wrote. “I have a clear perspective on what I want...I want to be somebody who is fighting for what’s true—not for more attention, more fame, more accolades.”

And according to her, that ability to fight is what being a lady is all about.

“Being a lady today means being a fighter. It means being a survivor. It means letting yourself be vulnerable and acknowledging your shame or that you’re sad or you’re angry. It takes great strength to do that.” 

Rock on, Gaga. 

Head over to Harper’s to check out her full essay. 

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The Warwick Rowers say their steamy calendar has a rejuvenated mission for LGBTQ people who are struggling to move forward following the Brexit vote and the shocking election of Donald Trump in the U.S. 

For the past seven years, the Rowers, who are students at England’s Warwick University, have been stripping nude for their annual calendars. Initially, the project was intended as a team fundraiser, but over the years, developed a loyal following among gay men. Nowadays, proceeds from the sexy shoots go to Sport Allies, a U.K. advocacy organization aimed at combating homophobia in team sports. 

“We’re here with our boats, our oars and no clothes to show that your true identity is the best way to be,” one of the men revealed in a behind-the-scenes video of this year’s calendar, which can be viewed above. Added another: “I’m naked for inclusion!” 

No doubt the release of the 2017 edition has an added poignancy as the world grapples with Brexit and the prospect of a Trump presidency. Given that both events prompted an uptick in hate crimes against the LGBTQ community and other minority groups, the calendar’s creators feel that challenging homophobia is more crucial than ever. 

“These votes give bigots permission to dismiss the rights of anyone they see as outsiders. Never before has the LGBTQ community had greater need of its straight allies,” Angus Malcolm, who is the producer and principal photographer of the calendar, told The Huffington Post in an email. “Only they can prove beyond question that the battle for LGBTQ rights comes not from self-interest, but from a belief in justice and human rights. And that we are not outsiders, but part of every family and every community.” 

No doubt some major global challenges lie ahead, but kudos to the Warwick Rowers for reminding us that opening minds can still be a lot of fun. 

Check out some preview shots from the calendar below. 

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It’s been just over two weeks since a Barbara Kruger artwork calling Trump a loser graced the cover of New York Magazine, and a lot has changed. The artist, along with much of the country, was proven wrong in her prediction when Trump was nominated as the country’s president-elect. 

This week an image by artist Deborah Kass appears on the magazine’s cover. It’s a pop-inspired depiction of Trump; his face a pale blue and full of fury, his hair appropriately yellow and eyes glaring red.

Kass’ original piece, which she uploaded to Instagram 18 weeks ago, reads “Vote Hillary” beneath the image, a straightforward message from the staunch feminist and Clinton supporter. The artist sold editions of the screenprint to raise money for the Democratic candidate’s campaign. 

The painting serves as an homage to Andy Warhol’s 1972 artwork “Vote McGovern.” Warhol’s work, created for the 1972 presidential election, depicted a sickly looking Richard Nixon atop a similarly tangerine-colored backdrop, urging Americans to vote instead for the Democratic candidate George McGovern.

Of course, that didn’t work out either. 

The use of Kass’ image urges viewers to understand that, despite the shock and anger and sadness many are experiencing as a result of Trump’s election, Americans have overcome disappointing and frightening leaders before. As the magazine’s print editor Jared Hohlt put it: “We wanted the cover’s energy to speak to other times of great political uncertainty and upheaval in our nation’s recent history.”

Especially in times as unsure and alarming as these, it’s comforting to know there are artists around to draw historical comparisons, depict authority figures without fear or censorship, and ― more importantly ― encourage citizens to stand up for the rights of themselves and fellow Americans.

Keep it coming, artists. We need you. 

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Starting Dec. 1, Misty Copeland will reprise her role as Clara in the fan-favorite ballet “The Nutcracker.” For three shows in Costa Mesa, California, she will return as American Ballet Theater’s first African-American dancer to play the role.

Copeland talked about the many successes of her career ― and the pressure that comes with breaking boundaries ― in a recent cover story for Self Magazine’s December issue. 

“I want to show the ballet world it’s possible to do all these things and not be rail-thin or have blond hair,” Copeland explained. Adding: “I feel like I’m representing not just the little brown girls but all African-American dancers who have come before me who were never promoted because of the color of their skin.”

Copeland, who is set to release her book Ballerina Body this spring, also talked about the ways in which issues related to body image and identity have impacted her experience in the dance world.

“I didn’t go through puberty until I was 19, and I was already a professional,” she said. “So everyone’s expecting your body, as your instrument, to look a certain way. [...] Being told to lose weight, and being African American, not having anyone else around who looked like me, caused me so much doubt.”

In a previous interview with The Huffington Post, Copeland noted that the ballet world’s perspective on diverse bodies is changing, but not quickly enough.

“I think it’s slow to progress, but at the same time, having the platform that I have to reach a broader audience ― it’s definitely waking up the ballet world,” she said. “It’s forcing them to have to address the lack of diversity, and not just with skin color and ethnicity, but body types as well.”

The issue of Self Magazine will be on newsstands on Nov. 22. You can also read the article online. All photos By Raf Stahelin; style by Akari Endo-Gaut.

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Monday’s supermoon was forecast to be a breathtaking, worldwide display that won’t come around again until 2034.

Trouble is, not everyone was able to get a glimpse of it ― as numerous photos from disappointed social media users show. Fortunately, a tortilla stuck to a window makes for a pretty convincing stand-in.

Without further ado, cue the tortillas (and our appetite):

If you want to see pictures of the actual supermoon in all its glory, check out the stunning photos here. 

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