Latest Stories from Annie
Understanding the body politic
As many people are becoming increasingly disillusioned by a tumultuous political arena and a lack of social mobility, many are turning towards the gym as a way to “cope” with capitalism and achieve objective “positive” results. In 1982, Jane Fonda’s at-home workout videos were released, becoming one of the most popular nontheatrical home videos in the world. As well as her choreographed fitness routines, Fonda also experienced success as an...
Self-care wasn’t originally intended for the self
Self-care has become an exercise in intentional self-indulgence that plays itself out in compassion fatigue and treat-yourself culture. Instead, we ought to look to the origins of the self-care movement: a community project and an act of resistance through solidarity. Hello there, and welcome to your nighttime routine. By now, presumably, you’ll have had your bubble bath, with a sleepy girl mocktail on the side, rinsed off your face masks...
Are dating apps creating a spark designed to go out?
With an oversaturated market of potential partners to swipe through, and a fast-paced model which tells you to wear your Apple Pay on your sleeve rather than your heart, is it any wonder that dating apps are often failing to provide on their promise? 'Designed to be deleted' is Hinge’s slogan. It is perhaps the most overt example of the teleological offering promised by so many dating apps that present...
What if you’re not actually dating to find ‘the one’?
What about the people who don’t want to meet 'their person' or 'the one'? What if instead, we revive the concept of women being able to meet multiple ones? What’s so wrong about finding a partner (or partners) for a night rather than for life? *Starred names have been changed for anonymity Recent trends in modern dating - which dating app ad campaigns are a pretty good indicator of, unsurprisingly -...
Should UK prisons shift their focus from release to rehabilitation?
The UK government’s emphasis on release over rehabilitation is leading to higher rates of recidivism and making social reintegration impossible. Perhaps it’s time to look to the Spanish system of imprisonment to give young people some kind of chance. In 2013, the European Court of Human Rights abolished life without parole in its seminal Winter decision on the basis that it violated human rights. Known as the “right to hope”,...
Rock en Seine to rock on sustainably
If you’re looking for an environmentally conscious music festival that will deliver as much in terms of good vibes, great music and delicious food as it does in offsetting your carbon footprint, you need look no further. This year, as many keen music festival goers will already know, is the last year for the globally acclaimed annual Glastonbury festival - at least for a “fallow year”. Over summer 2026 the...
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...
