Latest Stories from Annie
Why Japan’s government created a state-mandated dating app
In light of the country's low national birth rates and worsening lonely deaths epidemic, a government-mandated dating app has been created for Japanese citizens. Can the state's involvement solve the cultural issues driving these worrying trends?
The declining birth rate in Japan has been declared by the country’s former prime minister Fumio Kishida as “the biggest crisis Japan faces”.
This so-called “crisis” is due to a number of factors including 
‘Conception begins at erection’ and other abortion laws in America
A new bill proposed in Ohio would make it a crime for men to ejaculate without intending to have a baby. It's just the latest tightening of restrictions on reproductive rights in the US, which have faced a tumultuous history. June. A month named after Juno, the Roman goddess of marriage, childbirth and fertility, and mother to Lucina, the goddess of childbirth – amongst others. A month in which,...
Exploring the complexities of ‘the lipstick effect’
Are we buying things because they help us to express ourselves, or because we believe we deserve a little treat for dealing with the demands of capitalism – or both? A little while ago Thred’s brilliant Jessica Byrne wrote about the long-term financial ramifications of ‘little treat’ culture. This is the term given to the current trend of buying yourself 'a small reward in the midst of life’s challenges.' People...
Exploring Reggaeton’s roots and political history
Reggaeton is widely recognised by its uptempo beats and raunchy lyrics, but there is another side to the genre we see less often. Through live events and powerful lyrics, reggaeton artists have used music as a tool to call out political corruption, discrimination, and to generate a feeling of solidarity. Reggaeton, a blend of reggae, hip hop, and dancehall, first began in Panama in the late 1980s. Starting out as a...
Is the high cost of living diminishing our romantic prospects?
Now that everything costs more than it ever has, are our romantic relationships more impacted by class than those in a Jane Austen novel? If you’re at all aware of Jane Austen, even if you’ve never read one of her novels, I won't be giving away any spoilers by revealing that they get married in the end. Edward and Elinor. George and Emma. Edmund and Fanny. Frederick and Anne. Henry...
Understanding the rise of ‘brocialism’ in the UK
Babe, wake up... you're not actually a brocialist are you? The UK is now witnessing the horrifying rise of the alt-right Reform UK party, led by Nigel Farage, of anti-migrant poster fame. Just last week, the party topped polls for the first time. The former UKIP leader’s fascistic political views include: boosting police numbers, leaving the European Convention on Human Rights, and achieving “Net Zero Immigration”. Given his politics, it...
Is patriarchy to blame for steadily rising male suicide rates?
Men continue to experience disproportionately higher rates of suicide, homelessness, and addiction. When will we finally admit that patriarchy is just as damaging to men as it is to women? Every International Women’s Day (8th March), Twitter is harangued by angry men asking, “and when is International Men’s Day?” Often, the sorts of accounts asking this question are also those posting sexist jokes like, “Can’t blame me for...
Is crochet anti-capitalist?
Are we so obsessed with watching other people document their creativity for profit that we’re unable to separate our own creativity from capitalism? Crochet has gone through several evolutions since its (debated) origins in Europe. It is widely agreed that Chinese craftsmen introduced a needlework style known as tambouring to the French in the late 1700s. The first mention of crochet was in Dutch magazine Penélopé in the 1800s,...
Hunger is at the heart of Indian farmers’ protests
Throughout history, protesters in India have been congregating in the streets to perform mass movements of solidarity against human rights offences and political policies which don’t prioritise the wellbeing of the nation’s people. Over the years we’ve seen impressive gatherings of people protesting in India. From indigenous peoples to students, and even bull tamers, the diversity of attendees demonstrates that the people of India are not afraid to push...
The social smoker vs. the e-cig eremite
Both smoking and vaping have detrimental impacts on our physical health. But is the ease and subtlety of vaping creating yet another isolating habit amongst young people? Despite the UK government’s recent ban on disposable vapes, many young people are still turning to vaping instead of smoking cigarettes. According to a study carried out by YouGov for Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), around 400,000 11-17 year olds vaped...
