The Graceful Boon

A Guide To Women's Issues

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Jessica Simpson: How She Was Failed By (Quite Literally) Every Man In Her Life And Career – And How She Finally Got Her Sparkle Back

Jessica Simpson was a pop diva in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s. Though she wasn’t the Princess of Pop like Britney was by any means, she still made a name for herself with everything she’d brought to the table during that time. This included her reality show with ember ex-husband, Nick Lachey. They starred together in their own reality hit reality series, ‘Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica’, between 2003 and 2005. The show was groundbreaking, and so was their marriage. I think every little girl who was a fan of Jessica Simpson looked up to her marriage, and looked at their marriage as something they aspired to have for themselves. Simpson was a role model. And unlike Britney Spears, she did, in fact, stay a virgin until marriage. She told People at the time, ‘My virginity is something I stand strong in. It’s not always easy. But I do respect it. Virginity can be cool and sexy.’ Their marriage, however, wasn’t cool and sexy whatsoever. Here, we break down Jessica’s entire relationship with Nick, and describe how his ego got in the way of their marriage, and how he’s still using her as a weapon almost 20 years after their divorce. We explore how Jessica was failed by not only Nick, but (quite literally) by every man she’d ever encountered in her life and career, including her own father and her soon-to-be ex-husband, Eric Johnson. We then analyze the body-shaming she’d endured during the late 2000’s and early 2010’s, as well as her alcoholism. And finally, we explain what her recent return to music means to women everywhere. Let’s discuss…

Britney Spears: The Exploration Of How Her Postpartum Depression And Her Kids Were Used As A Weapon In Her Conservatorship – And How Paris Hilton Was Her Only Friend And Confidant During That Time

Britney Spears is an icon in the music industry, who’s personal turmoil overshadowed that talent. First, she was married to Jason Alexander (No, not the actor), a marriage that lasted only 55 hours. But before you joke and make fun, that’s not the shortest ever marriage in history. The shortest ever marriage in history lasted only 3 minutes. And yes, you read that correctly; only 3 minutes. Following her Vegas marriage and divorce, Spears was married twice more. First to Kevin Federline between 2004 and 2007, and then to Sam Asghari between 2022 and 2024. She had two children with Federline, Sean Preston and Jayden James. Asghari supported Spears through her fans’ ‘Free Britney’ movement, which led to her being freed from her conservatorship. The conservatorship began in 2008, and finally ended in 2021. In 2017, Spears dedicated her first ever Icon Award to her kids. She said in her acceptance speech, ‘My two loves of my life, my sons Jaden and Preston, you’re the reason my heart beats. I love you so much.’ During that time, she was still under a conservatorship, which began in 2008 and ended in 2021, gave her father, Jamie Spears, control over her finances and personal life, but it was terminated in November 2021 after a court hearing. Here, we break down Britney’s path to the conservatorship and what led her to it, we explore her friendship with Paris Hilton and how their unlikely bond makes perfect sense, and explain how Britney’s postpartum depression and her kids were used as a woman in her conservatorship. Let’s discuss…

Emily Osment: An In-Depth Analysis Of All The Reasons Why Women Everywhere Should Be Embracing And Celebrating The Idea Of Short-Lived Marriages – And Everything That Miley Cyrus And Firerose Have To Do With It

Actress Emily Osment is now getting a divorce from her husband of 5 months, Jack Anthony. And yes, you read that correctly – 5 months. Court documents filed by Osment list the date of separation as December 7, 2024, which means they were only married for 2 months before separating. The former couple were together since 2021, and were engaged by 2023. In a statement to People magazine, Osment said, ‘I think with any big decision in your life, whether it’s relationships or work or whatever it may be, you have to firmly plant both feet in that decision. Ultimately, it didn’t work out.’ Miley Cyrus, Osment’s ‘Hannah Montana’ co-star, had a similar end to her love story with Liam Hemsworth, star of ‘The Hunger Games’ and most recently, Netflix’s ‘Lonely Planet’, co-starring Laura Dern. Cyrus and Hemsworth were together for 10 years before announcing they were separated in August 2019 after 7 months of marriage. They’ve both since moved on with other people. To say that they were actually together for 10 years would be a bit of a stretch. They were on-and-off for years, and the off period lasted a couple of years at times. Miley’s father, Billy Ray Cyrus, who rose to fame in the 90’s with the hit song, ‘Achy Breaky Heart’, also divorced his second wife, Firerose, in 2024 after 7 months of marriage. He and Miley’s mother, Tish, finally divorced in 2022 after more than 20 years together and multiple divorce filings that never came through. Firerose accused Cyrus of ‘extreme verbal, emotional and psychological abuse’, and claimed that he was ‘unpredictable and volatile’ due to alleged substance abuse. Cyrus, in turn, accused Firerose of making unauthorized credit card charges and claimed he was verbally, emotionally, and physically abused by her. With all that being said, we’re break down the history of marriages and why they end, we explore the changing roles of women in marriages, and explain relation between Osment’s divorce to that of Firerose and Miley Cyrus. Let’s discuss…

Millie Bobby Brown: The Societal Pressures For A Woman To Stay Young And Beautiful Forever – And How The Scrutiny She Faces Can Be Compared To That Of Michelle Trachtenberg

Millie Bobby Brown just revealed to Chris Pratt, as well as the rest to the world, that her real name isn’t actually Bobby. But that’s not the only reason why the young starlet made headlines in recent weeks. You see, she walked the red carpet at the Oscars, and she…was scrutinized for her looks. Particularly, for looking ‘old’. Brown then took to Instagram amid the controversy, criticism, and backlash surrounding her new ‘do’. Brown went on to call out Matt Lucas, who starred in 2012’s ‘Bridesmaids’. He previously described the actress as having a ‘Mommy makeover’. He apologized thereafter. Many of her co-stars and friends showed Brown their support and words of encouragement, including Sarah Jessica Parker, Mckenna Grace, and Louis Partridge. Grace, for her part, said as she commended the ‘Stranger Things’ actress, ‘No young woman or person deserves to feel pressure or cruelty for simply existing. You are so well spoken and so beautiful. Very well said, thank you for making this video.’ Brown has done more than just acting. She’s done so much good for the world that goes unnoticed at times, such as participating in the ‘World’s Largest Lesson Live’ virtual event alongside UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore to inspire children and youth to learn about and take action for the United Nations Global Goals. And yet, we still continue to put an emphasis on her changing appearance. She’s a 21 year old blossoming woman who we’ve seen grow up since she was a 10 year old child. But she’s not a child anymore. She’s ever so changing; ever so evolving; ever so growing. Here, we break down Millie Bobby Brown’s entire career, accomplishments, and all the good she’s done to make the world a better place. We explore the realities of journalism and the hardships women face in a world where they’re not allowed to be ‘ugly’ or old. We compare the scrutiny Brown faces to the scrutiny Michelle Trachtenberg up until her death. And finally, we explore what we, as a society can change all that. Let’s discuss…

Mikey Madison: Why She DID Deserve To Win The Best Actress Oscar Over Demi Moore – And How ‘Anora’ Showcased The Realism Of Womanhood And Sexuality Compared To ‘Pretty Woman’

It’s pretty safe to say that this year’s Oscars ceremony was…interesting and filled with questions. It saw us scratching our heads and rolling our eyes. The Oscars marked the first time that Jewish actors won the Best Actor and Best Actress Awards. Adrien Brody won Best Actor for his role in The Brutalist. He famously took his gun out of his mouth and threw it at his girlfriend, Georgina Chapman, who was previously married to Harvey Weinstein. Brody’s acceptance speech was a whopping 5 minutes and 40 seconds in length – marking the longest ever acceptance speech in history. The award for Best Actress went to Mikey Madison for her role in ‘Anora’. The movie is often described as what ‘Pretty Woman’ the cult classic starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, was afraid to be. That’s because the original script for ‘Pretty Woman was a much darker take, much like ‘Anora’ was. It had to be heavily revised after production was taken over by Disney. Overall, the movie won 4 Oscars, including Best Actress, of course, Best Director, Best Picture, and Best Original Screenplay. In her acceptance speech at the BAFTA Awards, Madison said of sex workers, ‘I just want to say that I see you.’ Then, in her Oscars speech, she said, ‘You deserve respect and human decency. I will always be a friend and an ally, and I implore others to do the same.’ She won the award over Demi Moore, which was ironic, and even somewhat cosmic. ‘The substance’ was a horror film about a woman battling ageism. ‘Anora’ was about a woman expressing her sexuality in the modern world in her work. Catherine Shoard wrote an article for The Guardian following Oscars night titled, ‘Anora has swept the Oscars. I can’t help feeling that shouldn’t have happened’. Is it a fair statement? Most people in the entire universe agreed. But…here, we explain why she did, in fact, deserve to win an Oscar over Demi Moore for ‘Substance’, we explore the title character of Ani, and we break down what she and her character mean to women everywhere – not just sex workers. Let’s discuss…

Selena Gomez: What Her Relationship With Benny Blanco Tells Us Of Her Willingness To Learn – And The Importance Of Knowing How To Use Social Media Wisely Without It Hurting Your Career

Selena Gomez is a force to be reckoned with. She’s been in the entertainment industry since she was 7 years old. We were first introduced to her when she appeared on ‘Barney & Friends’ with Demi Lovato, and she’s come a long way since those days. She’s singer, actress, entrepreneur, philanthropist and so much more. She’s starring in ‘Only Murderers In The Building’, with Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Meryl Streep, as well as ‘Emilia Perez’ with Zoe Saldana and Karla Sofía Gascón. Both shows were critically acclaimed. With that said, Gomez had a very busy awards season in recent months. She, of course, had her fiancé, Benny Blanco, by her side at practically every awards ceremony, and flashed her stunning engagement ring where she could. But instead of focusing on her immense talent, the general public focused more on her appearance as she drastically lost a lot of weight. After her appearance at the 2025 SAG Awards in February, The Daily Mail posted an article with the title, ‘Selena Gomez’s dramatic weight loss shocks fans at 2025 SAG Awards’. The article itself stated that Gomez ‘appeared more slender and was glowing.’ Was she not glowing before? Gomez has openly battled lupus since 2013, but no matter the case, no matter what the actual cause for her weight gain really shouldn’t f*cking matter. It didn’t make her any less beautiful. It didn’t make her any less of a woman. It didn’t make her any less worthy. She looked like a princess at the 2024 SAG Awards with her white dress, glowing makeup, and long, grateful black hair. And still, social media users were focusing on her weight gain. For a community that takes pride in advocating for body positivity, it sure does seem to be the exact opposite. We’re here to talk about not only the general public’s perception of Gomez based on their social media activity, including that of Gascón when she called her a rich rat. but HER social media activity as well. We’re here to break down what she’s been great at, as well as what she hasn’t been great at and needs to work on. We’re also here to explore her relationship with Blanco, and what it tells us of her willingness to learn. Let’s discuss…

Nobody Wants This: Breaking Down Joanne And Noah’s Entire Interfaith Relationship In Season 1 – And Whether Or Not Noah Lives Up To Adam Brody’s Dave Rygalski From ‘Gilmore Girls’

‘Nobody Wants This’ became one of the most beloved Netflix shows last year as soon as it came out in September 2024. I know I couldn’t get enough of it. It starred Kristen Bell and Adam Brody in lead roles. Bell played Joanne, a sex and dating podcaster, and Brody played Noah Roklov, a rabbi introduced to Joanne by her best friend Ashley, played by Sherry Cola. D’Arcy Carden, who previously starred in ‘The Good Place’ with Bell between 2016 and 2020, also appeared in a guest-starring role. The show was created by Erin Foster, who based the premise of the series on her own life. She converted to Judaism after she married Simon Tikhman in 2019. The show should’ve really been called ‘EVERYONE Wants This’, because quite literally, everyone wanted this. It holds a 7.9 rating on IMDB, and 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Joanne and Noah were a couple facing a major challenge due to their vastly different lifestyles, as well as different religious backgrounds. These factors led to significant tension around Joanne’s potential need to convert to Judaism if they wanted to be together; despite their seemingly incompatible backgrounds, they shared a strong connection and were navigating the complexities of their relationship throughout the show. This interracial couple was so important to witness, especially during a time like this; a time that we’re now facing following the October 7 massacre and the Israel-Hamas war. Their relationship explores the complexities and complications that could arose in love while facing significant differences, particularly regarding religion, as Joanne wasn’t Jewish and Noah was a Rabbi aspiring to become Head Rabbi, which created a major obstacle in their relationship and forced them to confront personal growth and societal pressures around faith and commitment. Here, we break down Joanne and Noah’s entire relationship, compare Noah to Dave Rygalski, Brody’s ‘Gilmore Girls’ character who was Lane Kim’s boyfriend for a short time, and explain why there’s actually no such thing as ’the perfect boyfriend’, but rather a boyfriend who’s perfect for you – the Joannes and the Lanes of the world. Let’s discuss…

Michelle Trachtenberg: How Her Death Could Be Compared To That Of Chadwick Boseman – And What Her Privacy Being Breached Following Her Death Tells Us Of Our Lack Of Empathy And Compassion Towards Women

Michelle Trachtenberg was a an actress most beloved by the millennial generations and audiences alike, with works of art such as in ‘Buffy The Vampire Slayer’, ‘EuroTrip’, and ‘Gossip Girl’ included in her resume. She had the IT factor in the 2000’s. And yet, it suddenly diminished in the 2000’s following her portrayal as Georgina Sparks on ‘Gossip Girl’. The actress was so busy at the time that she was forced to back out of two major projects – 2003’s ‘Thirteen’ and 2008’s ‘Twilight’. Following her stint on ‘Gossip Girl, nothing she ever did even compared to anything she did in the decade prior. Mostly, she did guest stints and television movies that never saw much success or acclaim. It was very obvious that Trachtenberg was nutritiously private. Throughout her entire career, she very rarely shared much insight about her personal life, let alone her health. There are many reasons why celebrities will share insights to their health struggles. In the last year of her life, social media users took notice of her changing appearance, and voiced their concerns for her health, to which she responded with, ‘Explain to me how I look sick. Did you lose a calendar and not realize I’m not 14. I’m 38. How sad for you to leave such a comment. Happy and healthy.’ We all wanted to believe it. But then, on February 26, she died. It was revealed that Trachtenberg underwent a liver transplant months prior. And suddenly, the privacy that the actress was trying so hard to maintain in her life was breached her death – by her friends and even those that barely knew her. Instead of focusing on her legacy and the great work she left behind, the details of her death and health struggles, as well as her Judaism, became the main focus of her story. Here, we compare Michelle Trachtenberg’s death to that of Chadwick Boseman, we explore the public scrutiny she went through in her life and death, and we explain her choice and need for privacy in her life, and what the breach of that privacy tells us about our overall lack of empathy and compassion for women. Let’s discuss…

Scarlett Johansson: How Her Time Portraying Black Widow Represented Sexism In The Workplace – And What We Can All Take Away From The Witnessed Time And Energy She Spent Fighting For Women’s Equal Rights

Scarlett Johansson has been working in the entertainment industry since she was 10 years old. Her most definitive role, however, was Black Widow in the MCU universe. This is a role that she played for over 10 years. Finally – after 11 years – Black Widow got her own solo superhero movie. Times were different. Hollywood was different. And most certainly, Marvel was different. Hollywood has only recently been investing in female-led superhero movies, which is actually so embarrassing. Other movies with female superheroes in leading roles are ‘Wonder Woman’, ‘Birds Of Prey’, ‘Supergirl’, ‘Elektra’, ‘Catwoman’, and ‘Kill Bill’. Fairly few of these movies failed to top box office charts. ‘Black Widow’, in particular, is considered to be a flop, as it generated only $379.8 million over a $288.5 million budget. Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow portrayal began at a time where female superheroes were the supporting characters. She was practically the only female superhero in the MCU. Between 2010 and 2019, she appeared in a total of 7 movies. Black Widow’s character has helped pave the way for other female superheroes. Historically, she was the first-ever female superheroes in DC Comics, and the most popular one. Ever since her debut in 1941, she’s been hailed a feminist icon. Her creator is William Moulton Marston, a psychologist and a feminist. He pictured her as an undisputed leader of the world, hence her portrayal as a woman of unparalleled power. Here, we breakdown the sexism Scarlett Johansson faced in her career, we explore what Black Widow represented to women everywhere, and explain what we can all learn from Scarlett Johansson’s fight for equality. Let’s discuss…

Shiri Bibas: Why Her Family’s Story Is So Significant In The Telling Of The Israel-Hamas Conflict And The October 7 Massacre – And What Ariel and Kfir’s Manner Of Death Says About Hamas’ Cruelty

In Canada alone, data showed in 2024 that the Jewish community victimized in 70% of all religion-motivated hate crimes in Canada. This is telling, especially considering the Jewish community represents only 1% of the Canadian population. This is since the October 7 massacre that left 1,200 people dead and 251 people taken hostage. Four of these people included the Bibas family – Yarden, Shiri, Ariel and Kfir Bibas. Shiri’s parents, Yossi and Margit Silberman were murdered on October 7, with their bodies only being found 3 weeks later. The family dog was also murdered that day. Yarden was taken hostage separately from his wife, Shiri Bibas, and two children, 4 year old Ariel and 9 month old Kfir. Yarden was separated from his family after he was trying to distract his captors from taking Shiri and the boys away. For 16 long and agonizing months, the Jewish nation – in Israel and around the world – were hoping and praying that Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir were still alive. But on February 20 2025, all hope was lost as their bodies were returned to Israel. Everyone around the world should’ve been moved by the story of the Bibas family. Kfir’s face, in particular, became a symbol of the conflict because it represented a line that had been crossed and cannot be uncrossed. How much does one have to hate Jews to side with the monsters who kidnap and murder babies? A lot, and it’s become impossible for the rest of us to pretend that we didn’t see our society, whether in person or online, rush to cross that line and cheer the people who kidnapped and murdered a baby. Here, we break down the events of the October 7 massacre, explore the events thereafter, and explain why Shiri’s story is so significant in the telling of the Israel-Hamas conflict . This is OUR reality. This is OUR story. Let’s discuss…