This Is Important.

natalie portman had the last name of every female director that wasn’t nominated embroidered into the cape that she’s wearing at the oscars...iconic

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As you’re probably aware, the coronavirus disease, or COVID-19, has now been found in countries all over the globe. This is an understandably disconcerting moment for many, but there are steps we can all take to help mitigate the effect on our communities.

COVID-19 is spreading, but misinformation and disinformation are spreading even faster. The most responsible thing you can do is protect yourself from both the disease and false information. Being prepared with facts and data instead of assumptions and fabrications will help inform how you can best prepare for COVID-19.

Here are some resources you can trust:

WHO provides daily updates surrounding COVID-19’s spread, infection rate, and general influence on our society. Their latest update given on March 3, 2020, details that there is a shortage of personal protective equipment for healthcare professionals. They also provide a very handy FAQ section, where you can learn more about how to protect yourself and your community. 

Every day Worldometer updates its website with the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in each country that has been affected. Worldometer has been rated one of the best free reference websites by the American Library Association, and for good reason: it lists every single one of its regular sources here, and lists the source of every COVID-19 update at the bottom of the COVID-19 page. 

Your local health department will often have the most up-to-date information specific to your immediate area, including how to proceed if you believe you may be showing symptoms of the virus. If you live in the United States, you can find the contact information for your health department by visiting the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO).

There’s another thing about this news that a lot of places are not talking about: the toll on one’s mental health, especially if you are someone who struggles with anxiety. If you find your concerns about being prepared are crossing a line that affects your mental health, please consider reaching out to a loved one who can guide you to help, a mental health professional, or an organization set up to help those in need.

Here are a couple of organizations you can trust:

Crisis Text Line is free, 24/7 support. Just text 741741 from anywhere in the United States. The Crisis Text Line will connect you with a trained Crisis Counselor. 

National Alliance on Mental Illness (@namiorg) offers free support and resources for those who are struggling. NAMI can be reached Monday through Friday, 10 am - 6 pm EST at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or by email at info@nami.org.

Take care of yourselves, Tumblr. Wash your hands well, practice keeping a safe distance from others, only wear a mask if you believe you are sick with COVID-19 symptoms and could infect others (or are immunocompromised yourself), and remember to fact check everything that you see. Head on over to @world-wide-what for a refresher on what fake news looks like and how it spreads. Pass those tips onto others when you see them accidentally spreading false information. 

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White privilege at its finest. Storm the Capitol, get sent back home peacefully and having a SWAT team hold your hand while walking down the stairs.

Men not being allowed to be emotional & rampant homophobia are the reasons men commit suicide 3.5x more than women… most men are given no outlet to feel feelings. To the point that they kill themselves.

extremely versatile yet underrated actresses: Taraji P. Henson

Growing up is actually all about realizing people don’t inherently dislike you and it’s a bit odd to assume they do

today, thanks to all the chaos and horror, I learnt that the United States has an official ceremonial mace

when talking about hollywood grooming age-gaps people talk a lot about the Drake (33) and Millie (15) situation and I’d like to present other cases that make me raise an eyebrow:

Wilmer Valderrama dated Demi Lovato when he was 31 and she was 18

John Mayer dated Taylor Swift when he was 32 and she was 19

Jake Gyllenhaal dated Taylor Swift when he was 30 and she was 20 and he is currently 38 dating 23 year old Jeanne Cadieu

Matthew Hussey dated Camila Cabello when he was 31 and she was 21

JayZ started dating Beyoncé when he was 30 and she was 18

Sam Taylor-Wood began dating Aaron Johnson when she was 42 and he was18

Scott Disick started dating Sofia Richie when he was 34 and she was 19

Tony Bennett started dating Susan Benedetto when he was 61 and she was 20

Deborra Lee-Furness started dating Hugh Jackman when she was 42 and he was 28

Alan Ferguson married Solange Knowles when he was 50 and she was 27