Latest news with #Gillman
Newsweek
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Woman About To Buy House Left Stunned by Realtor's Comment: 'Left the Room'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. A video about a woman's uncomfortable moment during a final walk-through of her soon-to-be new home—when the estate agent casually asked if she was pregnant, despite her not being so—has gone viral on TikTok. The video, shared by New York State resident Megan Gillman (@unfilteredlifecoach), 36, sees the life coach and mother of a toddler recount the May incident. "So there are some people who don't know that you can't ask a woman this in 2025," she says in the video. Gillman explains that while touring the property on closing day, the estate agent unexpectedly asked her "When are you due?" Caught off guard, Gillman responded with "excuse me?"—only to hear the agent follow up with "Are you expecting?" After Gillman replied "no," the agent pressed once more, asking if she had "just had a baby recently." "No," Gillman replied again, saying: "I'm just a woman who happens to carry her weight around her mid-section." Gillman told Newsweek that she was mildly surprised by the comment but still found it inappropriate. "I think it's rude to ask any woman about whether she's pregnant, especially if you've only just met," she said. "However, I've been asked this question at least three times before in my life by people I don't know at all, both before and after actually being pregnant." This time, instead of brushing it off or cushioning the agent's discomfort, Gillman stood her ground. "Well, maybe you should just stop asking them," she said. In her video, which has received over 500,000 views since being posted, Gillman explained that she "left the room" after the exchange. According to an April 2021 YouGov study, 76 percent of Americans believe that "women are under more pressure than men are to have a certain body type." Screenshots from a viral TikTok video of a woman recalling a question that a realtor asked her during a house tour that left her stunned. Screenshots from a viral TikTok video of a woman recalling a question that a realtor asked her during a house tour that left her stunned. @unfilteredlifecoach on TikTok 'It's None of Your Business' Charlotte Markey, a clinical health psychology professor at Rutgers University and author of the upcoming book The Body Image Book for Women, told Newsweek: "The poster handled this well. It may not have been a malicious mistake, but still, the estate agent should not have commented on her repeated questions from the agent suggest some deep-seated weight bias." Markey emphasized that people carry weight differently, and public assumptions about someone's body often reflect harmful stereotypes. "People's bodies come in different sizes and shapes—they do not all look the same," she said. Etiquette expert Liza Mirza Grotts was equally blunt. She said: "The rule is simple—don't speculate or congratulate. If a woman is expecting, she'll tell you. Never comment on a woman's body. Pregnant or not, it's none of your business until she makes it so." Carol Kaemmerer, an executive branding strategist and author, added that even well-meaning comments can cause harm. "When it comes to something as personal as pregnancy—or anyone's appearance—assumptions can wound, even when intention is harmless," she told Newsweek. "Respectful curiosity waits to be welcomed in." Gillman reflected on how her response has evolved over the years. "The first time I remember spiraling for days, stressing about my body and that little bit of belly fat I could never seem to get rid of no matter what diets and exercise I tried! I was so embarrassed," she told Newsweek. "After that I'd try to laugh it off... I'd say things like 'oh no! I just love doughnuts!' so that the person who'd made the statement felt like we were in on a joke together." But that approach has changed. "Now, after over a decade of random people asking me if I'm pregnant, I'm not trying to make them feel comfortable. I'm just trying to make them stop, even if it's just one at a time." Gillman said she had hoped society had moved beyond these kinds of body-shaming moments. "The expectation that a woman should have a flat stomach at all times is unrealistic, and often deeply harmful," she said. "I guess I thought we'd all learned that and started to try to be kinder to each other." To those unsure why these comments are offensive, Gillman offered a final piece of advice, saying "pick different small talk topics next time." Do you have a similar story to share? Let us know via life@ and your story could be featured on Newsweek.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Marine Corps eyes future stability of Indo-Pacific with Balikatan 2025
The U.S. and Philippine militaries will launch the 2025 Balikatan military exercise in April, marking 40 years of joint drills aimed at strengthening the countries' defense capabilities in the Indo-Pacific. Set for April 21 to May 9 on the Philippine islands of Luzon and Palawan, the annual exercise will include U.S. Marines alongside other U.S. military forces and troops from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, or AFP, conducting coordinated military operations across land, sea, air, space and cyber domains, according to 2nd Lt. Ben Gillman, spokesperson for the I Marine Expeditionary Force and 2025 Balikatan exercise. This year's exercise will also include a 'full battle test' between U.S. and Philippine forces, Gillman said. 'The exercise covers a range of scenarios, from conventional warfare to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, ensuring that both nations are prepared for various contingencies,' Gillman said. 'The Full Battle Test is a culmination of past bilateral planning and training that will showcase the modernization efforts of the Philippines and our ability to operate as a team to advance our shared interests.' The I Marine Expeditionary Force Command Element, 1st Marine Division, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, 1st Marine Logistics Group, 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment and 1st Marine Aircraft Wing will participate in the event. The Army, Navy and Air Force will join the Marine Corps in the exercise, which will also include troops from Australia and Japan, plus up to 16 other countries invited to the international observer program. While the exact number of troops involved was still being finalized, according to Gillman, 16,000 troops from the Philippines and the U.S. took part in Balikatan 2024. Events will include integrated air and missile defense exercises between the AFP and the U.S. military; a joint sail between the U.S., Philippine Navy and Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force; and counter-landing live-fire training between U.S. and AFP forces. See US, Philippines stage Balikatan military exercise Gillman described the Balikatan — Tagalog for 'shoulder-to-shoulder' — exercise as a way to improve the collective capability to defend the Philippines, the U.S.'s oldest ally in the Pacific region, and maintain a peaceful Indo-Pacific. Balikatan will take place near the disputed South China Sea, which has seen a spike in hostilities between Chinese and Philippine vessels in recent years. China has been vocal about its disapproval of Balikatan and has intimated potential retaliation against the Philippines for teaming up with the U.S. The U.S. pledged $500 million in military aid to the Philippines in June 2024, fortifying its military's ability to defend the country by providing equipment that might include asymmetric systems like missiles, drones or commercial-style arms, Defense News previously reported. This year's Balikatan comes as U.S. Marine Corps has expanded its footprint in the region in recent years to bolster defense capabilities against adversaries like China. The service announced its first littoral regiment in 2021, based in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, and converted the 12th Marine Regiment out of Okinawa, Japan, to the 12th Marine Littoral Regiment. Another littoral regiment is planned for Guam sometime this year.
