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Duchess Catherine opens up about ’emotional’ Battle of Somme commemorations

The sophisticated royal was accompanied by Prince William and Harry during her visit to Thiepval, France.
Duchess Catherine

Duchess Catherine attended the centenary commemorations for World War I’s Battle of the Somme in France on Friday in what she’s described as a “very moving” experience.

The 34-year-old was joined by her husband Prince William and her brother-in-law Prince Harry as they toured a new museum dedicated to those lost in the horrific battle 100 years on.

The Duchess looked elegant in a cream peplum dress and a black Lock & Co hat.

Poppy Hodgson, one of the schoolchildren who took part in the commemorations says the Duchess found her visit “quite emotional.”

“She said it was quite emotional being here and that they were really enjoying their visit. She said it was very moving,” Poppy recounted.

Catherine looked elegant for the occasion and donned a cream lace peplum dress with a black underlay.

Watch the royal trio attend a Somme vigil in the clip below. Post continues.

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The mother of Prince George and Princess Charlotte teamed the outfit with a black Lock & Co hat and black heels.

She also wore a poppy and a cornflower pin, which are the symbols for WWI and Somme.

The charitable Duchess also attended a vigil for the fallen soldiers the night before.

The young royal met with schoolchildren who were invited to join the commemorations.

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Why it’s time to end the mummy wars

The experience we call “mother guilt” is not really guilt at all – it’s shame, and it needs to stop.
Why it’s time to end the mummy wars

Women experience shame and judgement from the earliest moments of motherhood. Mothers commonly experience shaming in connection with childbirth and infant feeding, regardless of the type of birth they had or the feeding method used. The existence of “mother guilt” is so well acknowledged by social commentators it is almost a cliché.

But the experience we call “mother guilt” is not really guilt at all. What we are really talking about is shame; a painful emotional experience that can make us feel unworthy, unattractive, disliked or likely to be rejected. Although we can feel both at the same time, shame and guilt are quite different experiences.

An environment rife with shame is a fertile breeding ground for conflict, pitting mother against mother.

Where does shame come from?

Evolutionary theory gives us a useful framework to understand the mother shame culture, and clearly distinguishes between shame and guilt.

Guilt plays an important role in our capacity to be care-givers. It discourages us from harming others and prompts us to repair the harm we have done. Guilt is unpleasant but it’s an important part of our moral life.

Shame, in contrast, is how we respond to social threat. For most animals, a social threat equates with physical aggression. So our evolved strategies for managing social threat are the kinds of responses that were useful to our ancestors when they were being physically threatened: escape and hide, adopt submissive behaviour towards the attacker, or fight back.

As a result, shame primes us for concealing, submissive and aggressive behaviour. It triggers a heady mix of humiliation, defeat, sadness, anxiety and anger. We may find ourselves hiding away, internalising the criticism and feeling fundamentally flawed within ourselves, or aggressively fighting back against those we perceive as responsible for our shaming experience.

Shame is toxic

Of course, our social world is much more complex than the animal world. We have evolved to be conscious of other people’s perceptions of us. Most of our social threats are not physical, but threats of rejection or the loss of our social place.

The social threat and shame are particularly toxic for new mothers, who often already feel socially vulnerable as they try to adopt a new social role. Shame and the submissive response strategies that instinctively swing into action can trigger low mood, anxiety and stress, and make us vulnerable to depression. Women who want to breastfeed but can’t, for instance, are particularly vulnerable to postnatal depression.

Shame also triggers instincts to conceal; to protect yourself from further social threats. In such an environment, we are unlikely to ask for help, instead seeing our mistakes and failures as harbingers of our social rejection.

The third impulse that shame creates in us is the instinct to fight back. While understandable, the instinct to aggressively defend against the threat by fighting back against those we perceive as responsible for our shaming experience further entrenches a shaming culture.

The so-called “mummy wars” are not only the result of our evolved instinctual response to shame, but also a breeding ground in which fresh shaming experiences are created. It is a vicious cycle.

Lay down your weapons

Calling for an end to specific shaming experiences is not enough. And we must be careful not to succumb to our own aggressive impulses. Instead, we need to actively build a mother culture grounded in safety and acceptance.

If mothers are to successfully negotiate the steep learning curve of early motherhood, they must be free to experiment flexibly. To make mistakes. To ask for help. And to grow into their new roles. New mothers must feel safe and accepted within the social milieu.

The MotherCare Project is investigating the experience of shame in motherhood, helping find ways to undo the toxic effects of shame. We are inviting mothers of babies under two years of age to participate in a brief online study](https://exp.psy.uq.edu.au/mothercare/|target=”_blank”).

This was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

About the authors:

Koa Whittingham, Psychologist and Research Fellow, The University of Queensland

Amy Mitchell, Research Coordinator, The University of Queensland

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Why I forgive my killer daughter

A woman killed her four youngest children by slitting their throats, but her grandmother says she forgives her.

The grandmother of a woman who stabbed her four young children to death says she forgives her and loves her “wholeheartedly”.

The horrific crime happened a few days ago, where Shanynthia Garnder (pictured above) is accused of cutting the throats of her four youngest children – Tallen, four, Sya, three, Sahvi, two and six-month-old Yahzi.

Her eldest child, seven-year-old Dallen Clayton, fled the Tennessee home unharmed and is currently in protective custody.

Shanynthia’s grandmother-in-law, Sonya Clayton, told the Memphis Commercial Appeal she forgives her.

“I know this was not her,” she said. “I know this was the work of the devil. I love Shanynthia wholeheartedly still.”

Shanynthia, who was allegedly working for a fundraising sector of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, is in custody. She has reportedly been charged with four counts of first degree murder in association with aggravated child abuse, four counts of first degree murder in association with aggravated child neglect and four counts each of aggravated child abuse and aggravated child neglect or endangerment.

The four slain children

A neighbour called 911 after seeing the seven-year-old run out of the house screaming. The mother then allegedly stepped out of the house with a large knife, then went back inside.

It is also alleged that she confessed to killing her children when talking on the phone to her husband.

The AP reports that according to a police document, Shanynthia went missing in March and was later found in a local emergency room. She had told people a few days prior that she believed someone was trying to hurt her and her family.

There has been a GoFundMe page to raise money for the family.

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Why is pubic hair public enemy no. 1?

Fifty-nine per cent of Australian women engage in "personal grooming" – but why do we do it?
Why is pubic hair public enemy no. 1?

Let’s face it; it probably isn’t something you openly discuss over your morning coffee. But while it’s still a fairly secretive practice, it is something that millions of women are doing on a monthly basis.

I’m talking about pubic hair removal, or as gynaecologists call it, ‘personal grooming’.

It might be ever so slightly taboo, but according to a recent study from the US, eighty-four per cent of women do it. More surprisingly, as many as sixty two per cent of the women surveyed said they opt for total pubic hair removal.

While other research in this area has concluded that the rise in personal grooming is linked to sex (and the rise of porn culture), the JAMA study tells a different story – women are removing their pubic hair because they think it is more hygienic.

“Many women think they are dirty and unclean if they haven’t groomed,” said lead author Dr. Tami S. Rowen.

But is personal grooming really more hygienic than pubic hair? Dr Jennifer Gunter doesn’t think so. She told The New York Times that pubic hair has a function – it traps bacteria and prevents it from entering the vagina.

“Prepubertal girls have a higher incidence of irritation because they don’t have that protection,” Dr Gunter notes.

Experts are also concerned about the negative health impacts of some hair removal methods. Grooming-related health issues include cases of folliculitis, abscesses, lacerations, allergic reactions to waxing burns, as well as vulvar and vaginal infections.

On the other hand, studies do show that the incidence of pubic lice has fallen dramatically since personal grooming became the norm.

Of course, while a huge majority of women say they engage in personal grooming for hygienic reasons, there are lots of other reasons why women are choosing to go bare.

34-year-old Laura McCarthy* tells me that she has been opting for total hair removal since her late teens.

“I started shaving off my pubic hair around time I became sexually active. My boyfriend asked me if I’d try it and I thought it would be sexy.

“We both liked how I looked without it – but the re-growth was anything but sexy,” she recalls.

Now older and wiser, McCarthy leaves the hair removal to the professionals and hot wax. But her reasons for keeping “things neat” remain the same: she likes the way it looks.

Deborah Robinson has taken her personal grooming to the next level – she has had her pubic hair removed by laser.

“I prefer the feel of my [genitals] without pubic hair. But I was fed up with the pain and indignity of waxing,” she says.

For experts such as Dr Gunter this rational is perfectly fine. “If it is something you do for you and makes you feel better, awesome,” she tells the New York Times.

“But don’t tell yourself it’s healthy or better from a medical standpoint.”

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Shapeshifters! Incredible celebrity slim-downs

These celebrities live by the mantra "your body is your temple" and their amazing weight-loss is living proof.
Mel B

These celebrities live by the mantra “your body is your temple” and their amazing weight-loss is living proof.

Despite the popularity of the five and one, kale cleanse and soup diets, these stars attribute their incredible transformations to the age old trick of exercise and healthy eating!

Aussie funny lady Julia Morris credited her weight loss all down to “no sugar, low carbs… that’s pretty much it!”

Although so many of us know that working off those pesky kilograms is no easy feat, let these celebs be an inspiration to you – because they look great!

From cricketer Shane Warne to Hollywood A-listers Kirstie Alley and Chris Pratt, these A-listers have undergone some pretty impressive make-overs, looking healthier and happier than ever before.

Check out our favourite celebrity body transformations

Mel B showed off her incredible washboard abs on Sunday as she cruised on a luxury boat in Ibiza.

Now and then: The 41-year-old Spice Girl revealed she’s lost over 13kgs after slaving away at the gym over the last few months. She wrote, “I’ve worked soooo hard for this body trust me it didn’t come easy.”

The mother-of-three credits her slimmed-down physique to saying no to alcohol and working out at the crack of dawn every day.

Taking her new bod out on the ocean for a spin, Mel was joined by her husband Stephen Belafonte as they enjoyed their European getaway with friends. It appears she’s accomplished her “mission” to “change and be the best version of myself inside and out.”

My Kitchen Rules star Manu Feildel was been spotted giving it his all during a workout in Sydney recently.

The beloved star, pictured on the right in 2012, has been hitting the gym and as a result he’s already dropped around eight kilograms. You can really see the difference in his physique!

“I never understood the form of pushing weights,” the reality star told Sunrise.

“But when you see your body change, it’s satisfying.”

Like he tells his MKR contestants, “Give it your all!” Manu clearly knows how to work it.

The hard work has been paying off! Manu stepped out recently looking much slimmer (R), and although he is a fine wine and cheese connoisseur, he attributes his slimmed-down bod to one controversial trend.

Manu’s pal and fellow MKR judge Pete Evan’s Paleo diet is the reason behind is slim down. “I’ve done a little bit of his [diet] and followed his direction a few months ago and I’ve lost seven kilos,” he told The Daily Telegraphy. Earlier in the year (L) the father-of-two was much rounder in his mid-section.

The chef showed off his recent weightloss at the AACTA awards earlier this month along side his stunning partner, Clarissa Weerasena.

Look who’s boss! Melissa McCarthy OWNED the red carpet for the LA premiere of her new flick, The Boss.

Now and then: The mum of eight-year-old Vivian and six-year-old Georgette wore a beautiful cream dress, where the knotted design highlighted her slim waistline. Melissa has completely overhauled look since her 2013 Oscar appearance (R). Now more confident, Melissa is embodying her clothing line’s philosophy, “to make women feel incredible, empowered, and special. “

“I want women to get dressed every day and feel good about themselves,” the funny woman told People a year ago.

Joining her on the red carpet was her husband-of-11-years, Ben Falcone, who wrote and directed the film. Both have transformed their bodies, looking a lot fitter compared to their 2014 red carpet appearance for Melissa’s film Tammy (R). The actress attributes the overhaul to her lifestyle, recently joking, ” No trick, nothing to tell, just super boring life. You bring it real down, you don’t do anything fun and you go to bed at 7:30 – that’s the trick.”

Also hitting the red carpet and looking very pretty in lavender lace was co-star, Kristen Bell. The 35-year-old plays the assistant to Melissa’s “boss” in the film.

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Glee’s Amber Riley also had an impressive transformation when she dropped two dress sizes!

No funny business here. Just Magda Szubanski looking fantastic! The Aussie comedienne has lost more than four dress sizes. Pictured on the left in 2014 and on the right in 2015 – the actress looks significantly more toned and we love the pop of colour with her red lip!

Christina Aguilera has undergone an incredible body transformation, reportedly losing more than 22 kilos!

Nigella Lawson

Appearing on a magazine cover this month, celebrity chef Nigella Lawson revealed she has shrunk from a size 16 to a svelte 12!

Your loss, Scott! After three babies, Kourtney Kardashian bounced back to her best, dropping more than 20 kilos.

Singer Adele stunned at the Grammy Awards after losing three dress sizes!

Alison Braun continues to wow us with her phenomenal hard work! The mum-of-three showed off the impressive results of her 66kg weight-loss looking smoking in a bright blue bikini as she prepared to snorkel the reefs in Perth. The former Biggest Loser contestant got into her first bikini exclusively with Woman’s Day back in June!

Since becoming a dad last year Hamish Blake cuts a much slimmer figure! The funny man looks happy and healthy, no doubt thanks to his gorgeous bub Sonny and beautiful wife Zoe!

WOAH! Melissa McCarthy may look a lot slimmer recently, but rest assured she still the same talented woman the whole world has come to love.

In an Instagram post Khloe Kardashian wrote,”I didn’t realize at the time how unhealthy my lifestyle actually was. People love to call me the fat one.” These days the reality star is a much fitter and happier version of herself!

Brynne Edelsten never fails to get people talking and this time it’s thanks to her brilliant weight loss! the reality star has gotten into shape since her divorce from Geoff Edelsten.

“Six months, no beer,” Chris Pratt wrote on Instagram showing of his toned bod and it was all for his art! The Jurassic World actor buffed up majorly for the leading role in the film and there’s no denying that it paid off.

James Packer is the fourth richest man in Australia, the heir to a media fortune and the boss of this country’s largest resorts, so being in fighting form is essential. Not to mention the dad-of-three is [currently wooing the ultimate diva Mariah Carey](, http://www.womansday.com.au/celebrity/hollywood-stars/mariah-carey-and-james-packer-are-dating-12908) which is no doubt keeping him on his toes.

She grew up in the public eye, so it’s no surprise Kelly Osbourne has faced her own challenges with her weight, the 30-year-old, who looks radiant these days, is an avid spokesperson for healthy body image, “I took more hell for being fat than I did for being an absolute raging drug addict, I’ll never understand that!”

Julia Morris recently told her Instagram followers that shedding the pounds was simple: “No sugar, low carbs… that’s pretty much it!”

Cher’s son Chaz Bono unveiled a drastic weight loss in 2013. He confessed to Extra TV: “I pretty much eat vegetables, meat, fruits, nuts… My birthday is the one day of the year I’ll do cake.”

There’s no argument that no matter her size Jennifer Hudson is a Goddess and for the Oscar winner, her weight loss was more about health than vanity. “I don’t want to lose any more weight, and you’re never going to see me skinny,” she told InStyle magazine.

Australia was shocked when Paulini was told that she needed to lose a few pounds on national television, but that didn’t bother the unwavering Young Diva who revealed to the Daily Telegraph, “In order to be happy with yourself, you have to look after yourself and one thing that I love to do now is just to keep healthy and fit.”

Kirstie Alley has made no secret of her struggles with weight, the 64-year-old revealed that she lost the extra pounds thanks to Jenny Craig and although the scales have fluctuated over the years for the mum-of-two, in January she told The Today Show, “this time it’s different.”

These days Ricki-Lee Coulter is healthier and fitter than ever, but for the former Australian Idol contestant her body transformation was a life style change! The 29-year-old told Body and Soul “so many people go on a diet – but for me it’s a complete lifestyle change and it’s forever.”

In 2001 Shane Warne epitomised what it meant to be an Aussie larrikin, these days though Liz Hurley’s ex keeps a much trimmer figure citing, “a hundred push-ups and sit-ups every morning,” for his epic weight loss.

She rose to fame on the reality show Jersey Shore as the outrageous party girl Snooki. More recently thought the reality star is much fitter and healthier mum-of-two who attributes her incredible body transformation to “really really wanting it.”

There was a time when Perez Hilton was the self-proclaimed queen of media, except he was over-weight and unhappy, but nowadays he is half the size! Talking to Shape the blogger revealed, “I work out seven days a week. I vary what I do. I work out in the gym Monday through Thursday, and I do Pilates Friday and Saturday. I do yoga on Sundays.”

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Meet your Australian Survivor Contestants!

More than 15,000 people auditioned to take part in the launch of Australian Survivor - here are the final contestants.
Australian Survivor challenge

More than 15,000 people auditioned to take part in the launch of Australian Survivor –an Aussie version of the U.S. television phenomenon that sees 24 everyday people stranded on an island with little more than the clothes on their backs.

Network Ten Chief Programming Officer, Beverley McGarvey, said: ‘Survivor is the most successful reality TV show in the world and we are very excited to be launching Australian Survivor.’

‘More than 15,000 Australians applied to be part of this spectacular, dramatic and compelling new series. The 24 people we’ve selected are incredible and represent one of

the best casts we have ever assembled for a reality series,’

‘Australian Survivor will offer amazing locations, a diverse and intriguing cast and all the drama you’d expect when 24 people are left to fend for themselves while competing for half a million dollars – plus ambitious immunity and reward challenges and jaw-dropping tribal councils.’

As filming for the show commenced in Samoa last month, we’re finally getting a glimpse at the 24 people competing for the title of first Australian Survivor:

Andrew, 29, Brisbane, Queensland, Marketing Executive

Andrew is a marketing professional with 10 years’ experience in the corporate world. He is an avid poker player and will use these skills to get inside the minds of his opponents. While he doesn’t see himself as a physical threat, he will manipulate and deceive to stay in the game.

Barry, 44, Cairns, Queensland, Radio Host and Ex Rugby International

Barry is a confident, articulate, strong, laid-back, funny man with the gift of the gab and currently works at Star FM in Cairns. Barry represents the quintessential Australian larrikin and has a big personality that will no doubt see him loved by all on the island.

Bianca, 36, Melbourne, Victoria, Private Investigator

Bianca has a degree in psychology, a masters in criminology and currently works as a private investigator. She is mentally tough and thinks she has the strength to outlast her fellow contestants.

Brooke, 23, Melbourne, Victoria, Sales Executive

Brooke is a fun-loving sales executive in Melbourne but is unsure what direction she wants her life to go in. She is confident, stubborn and not afraid to tell people what she really thinks. She will always stand up for herself and the people she cares about.

Conner, 23, Canberra, ACT, Law Student

Conner is a former United Nations Youth Facilitator and currently studying a post-graduate law degree. He is a go-getter with a real thirst for knowledge. He is a big fan of Survivor and thinks his political background will give him a fighting chance on the island.

Craig, 32, Brisbane, Queensland, Emergency Services Recruitment Officer

Craig works as a recruitment officer for the Queensland Fire and Emergency Service. After an accident that saw 35 per cent of his body burnt, Craig was told he may never be able to go out in the sun again. He proved the doctors wrong and believes he has the emotional tools to cope with the tough conditions on Australian Survivor.

Des, 59, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Courier Driver

Des is a courier driver and a classic Aussie bloke who loves to have a laugh. He served in the army for seven years and knows how to live rough. He is a larger-than-life personality who may surprise everyone with the brains underneath his rugged exterior.

El, 33, Brisbane, Queensland, Army Corporal and Charity Worker

El is a corporal in the Army and the founder of two charity organisations supporting homeless veterans and women in the Defence Force. She has represented the armed forces to meet the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and describes herself as a free spirit who is finely balanced between a dainty girl and a tough, fit warrior.

Evan, 30, Melbourne, Victoria, High School Teacher

Evan loves his job as a high school teacher and thinks it is the most rewarding profession in the world. He is the class clown and self-proclaimed underdog who wants to prove that you don’t need to be the smartest, or the most athletic, to win the game of Survivor. He thinks he has what it takes to win with patience, emotional intelligence and social manipulation.

Flick, 23, Gold Coast, Queensland, Personal Assistant and Bartender

Flick works full-time as a personal assistant for a real estate agent and is training to be an agent herself. An ex-meter maid also works part-time in a hipster bar on the Gold Coast.Flick has a thick skin and can hold her own. She is a cheeky, smart, athletic, high achiever who can’t wait to play the game of Survivor.

Jennah-Louise, 27, Gold Coast Queensland, Law Graduate

Jennah-Louise is a law/politics graduate who recently left her corporate job at a big accounting firm to pursue her dreams. JL devotes a lot of her time volunteering with

women’s groups in remote Kenyan communities. She is highly competitive and takes pride in her mental and physical toughness.

Kate, 28, Perth, Western Australia, Financial Analyst

Kate is physically and emotionally tough, resilient, inspiring, likeable and straight-talking. At 19, she was involved in a boating accident that resulted in more than 10 hours of emergency surgery. Her parents were told her chances of survival were one in a million. In the face of adversity, Kate pushed through with determination and is now fitter than ever, competing in triathlons and training six days a week.

Kat, 26, Perth, Western Australia, Partnerships and Brand Manager

Kat comes from a middle class family and has worked hard to be successful in her career. She recently quit her job as partnerships and brand manager for the WA Cricket Association to appear on the show and has developed a thick skin that has enabled her to thrive in a male-dominated environment.

Kristie, 24, Sydney, NSW, Senior Account Executive

Kristie is candid, confident, charismatic and kooky. She describes herself as independent, effervescent, tactful, curious and stubborn. Kristie is well travelled and physically fit. She is in it to win it and will not let anyone get in her way.

Kylie, 38, Melbourne, Victoria, Firefighter

As a firefighter, Kylie faces danger on a daily basis and is always up for a challenge. A normal day sees her wake at 5am to teach a women’s fitness class then, from 8am to 6pm, she is the lead firefighter in a Melbourne metropolitan fire station. A thrillseeker at heart, Kylie has been skydiving, abseiling and hiked the Kokoda Trail.

Lee, 40, Brisbane, Queensland, Aerial Photographer and Ex Pro Cricketer

Lee was a professional cricketer who played in the IPL, Sheffield Shield and KFC Big Bash League. In 2004, agonising back problems forced him into early retirement from cricket, but after years of rehabilitation, Lee made a comeback in 2008. He now owns a drone company that specialises in aerial photography and filming.

Matt, 29, Adelaide, South Australia, Magician and Mentalist

Matt spent eight years working in corporate banking before deciding he needed a life change and pursued his passion for magic. Matt is also a professional mentalist and can read body language and use clever wording to influence people’s decisions. He believes these skills will help him navigate the game of Survivor.

Nick, 28, Adelaide, South Australia, High School Teacher

Nick is a high school English teacher in Adelaide. He is an astute Survivor fan who has studied the game for many years. He has watched every episode of every series of the US version of Survivor multiple times. Nick is hoping his smaller frame will throw off his competitors so he can beat them with his brains.

Peter, 62, Canberra, ACT, Air Traffic Controller

Peter is a unique, quirky Australian with a tonne of life experience and a passion for aviation. He has had various occupations over the years, from potato picking and casino inspector to being a postie and an aircraft accident investigator and pilot. He may be the oldest contestant on the show, but Peter is confident he has what

it takes for the physical and mental challenges of Australian Survivor.

Phoebe, 27, Sydney, NSW, Criminal Lawyer

Phoebe is a qualified lawyer who has worked on criminal cartel enforcement. She does not take anything at face value and has learnt to manipulate people when required. Phoebe can interrogate people, think on her feet, work under pressure and is a natural mediator who rarely loses an argument.

Rohan, 28, Melbourne, Victoria, Model

Rohan is a charismatic, charming and successful model who completely breaks the stereotype. Rohan put his modelling career on hold for three years to be the Australian representative of the Rwanda Development Board. He was on the Dean’s List at university, has degrees in commerce and science, and is passionate about the environment, sustainability and helping others, especially in developing areas where he travels frequently.

Sam, 28, Sydney NSW, Charity Co-Founder and CEO

Sam is the CEO of the mental health and suicide prevention organisation LIVIN, which he cofounded in 2013 after one of his close friends took his own life. Sam is super fit, lives a very healthy and active lifestyle and is always setting himself challenges.

Sue, 59, Perth, Western Australia, Personal Trainer and Retired Customs Officer

Sue worked as a customs officer for 29 years and did everything from air passenger profiling to jumping out of helicopters into the sea. Sue is mentally tough, she fears tight spaces and hates people who interrupt.

Tegan, 33, Sydney, NSW, Personal Trainer and Model

Tegan has been a catalogue model for more than 15 years, and has been a PT for eight years while trianing the likes of David Beckham, Natalie Imbruglia, Lara Stone and Hugh Grant. She recently returned to Australia after living in London for four years.

Australian Survivor will premiere later this year.

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Six of the most entertaining election moments so far

Thought this election was boring? Think again.
Six most entertaining election moments so far

After eight weeks of the dullest election campaign in recent memory, the past 72 hours have featured some surprisingly entertaining political moments – here are six of the best.

Sausage sizzle gate

The nation was in uproar on Saturday when pictures of Bill Shorten eating a sausage sandwich at Strathfield North Public School hit social media. Why? Because instead of starting at the end, the Opposition Leader bit right into the middle – cue country-wide hysteria and literally thousands of incredulous tweets.

Suck on that!

After seven and a half hours of broadcasting, a slightly delirious Leigh Sales’ had some choice words for her predecessor Kerry O’Brien on Saturday night. It was Sales’ first time heading up the ABC’s Federal Election coverage, and as the marathon broadcast ticked over into record-breaking territory, Sales quipped: “We’ve broken the record – suck on that Kerry O’Brien!”

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Hanson’s halal tantrum

It was an innocent enough offer – Labor senator Sam Dastyari promising to treat Pauline Hanson to a “halal snack pack” in Sydney’s western suburbs – but it was enough to send the controversial future senator completely loco. “Not happening,” she snapped, before going on an anti-Islam rant quoting the dubious statistic that “98 per cent of Australians” are opposed to halal certification.

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Alan Jones lets loose

Never one to shy away from a fight, shock jock Alan Jones got well and truly stuck in on election night, having a spectacular barney with Queensland LNP Senator James McGrath. Jones, a staunch Tony Abbott supported, accused McGrath, who was instrumental in Malcolm Turnbull’s leadership coup, of being “the captain of the bed-wetters”. McGrath returned fire, declaring Jones to be “a grub”.

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Pauline’s interview ambush

Bill Shorten was probably expecting some hijinks during his Kiis FM this morning, but not a live ambush from controversial senator-elect Pauline Hanson. Shorten had been chatting to hosts Sophie Monk and Matty Acton for just minutes when they connected him to a surprise caller – Hanson. The ensuing conversation was so uncomfortable it let Monk to compare it to an “awkward Tinder date”.

Donkey votes

Many Australians took informal voting to a new level this election, adding everything from fast food orders to sketches of male genitalia to their ballot papers. While donkey voting is a slap in the face to democracy, some of these made for very entertaining viewing!

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Fergie drops her star-studded M.I.L.F.$ video

The raunchy clip features sexy celebrity mums shaking their booties.
Kim Kardashian, Fergie, Chrissy Teigen

Move over Kanye West, Fergie has just dropped the raciest music video of the year!

It’s her first single release in two years, and the 41-year-old has sure made an impact, debuting the racy video for M.I.L.F.$ on Friday.

The colourful 1950s-inspired clip is full of cameos from supermodels and celebrities such as Kim Kardashian, Chrissy Teigen, Gemma Ward and Alessandra Ambrosio, who are all mothers in an idyllic town known as Milfville.

Fergie’s mum squad puts Taylor Swift’s to shame!

Ciara, Tara Lynn, Devon Aoki, Angela Lindvall, Isabeli Fontana, Amber Valletta, and Natasha Poly round out Fergie’s modern mothers club.

The cheeky acronym has been changed by the former Black Eyed Peas singer to mean “Mums I’d like to follow,” in what is meant to be a nod to inspiring mothers.

Watch the famous mums shake their booties in the racy clip below. Post continues.

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Fergie said in a statement following the video’s debut, “Changing the acronym to Mums I’d Like To Follow is about empowering women who do it all. They have a career, a family, and still find time to take care of themselves and feel sexy. With a wink of course :).”

Kim shows off her tiny waist in the star-studded clip.

With scenes featuring Kim Kardashian showering herself with milk and Chrissy Teigen breastfeeding, there’s no doubt Fergie has made her comeback loud and clear.

The singer is married to actor Josh Duhamel and the pair have an adorable two-year-old son Axl.

Fergie and her husband Josh are smitten with their baby Axl!

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Would you wear this dress to a wedding?

A woman is fighting back with kindness after she was bullied for wearing a mini dress to a friend's wedding.

A woman who was bullied for her dress choice for a wedding is hitting back at the critics.

Liz Krueger, a 31-year-old nutrition and fitness coach from the US, posted a photo of herself on Instagram wearing a tight-fitting mini dress that she wore to her friend’s nuptials last month.

She spoke of how she was bullied by women and how men made unwanted advances on her.

Liz wrote: “If only I knew that choosing this dress for a wedding on a 90 degree day meant so many women would be outrightly rude to me, and even come up behind me slap my ass as I’m standing alone.

“As quote, ‘It was a dare from her friends, bc I was a target.’ And then proceed to spill a full beer spilt down my arm. Just one of maaaaany acts of kindness of the night!”

She’s standing strong after the incident, and took to Facebook to offer advice to women who have been in similar situations.

“Let this be a lesson to everyone. Your actions have consequences. People deserve respect, no matter what they are wearing. When these things happen to you, you have the RIGHT to talk about them, even when the person in the wrong ‘tells you your ‘story’ is BS.’

“Stand up for yourself. Don’t be a quiet lamb. Be confident. Be strong. At the end of the day, know who you are, so when someone (or thousands of people) try to tell you different…you know you’re right and they are wrong,” she continued.

Liz is now promoting the hashtag #KruegerKindess to help end the bullying.

She said: “I’m going to actively make it a priority to do good things for other women, every single day from here on out. Anything as simple as a complimenting a women daily, buying them a coffee/lunch, taking the time to speak to someone who’s in a hard place, volunteering with girls who have been bullied, getting to know women deeper than surface level and making a point myself to not judge a book by its cover on a daily basis.”

She says she has been overwhelmed with the support and positive feedback she has been given.

Liz is researching places in her hometown of Minneapolis for women who’ve been bullied, and is teaming up with local salons to do makeovers to make women feel good about themselves.

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