Latest Stories from Flo
Where are all the women on the Times ‘Best-of’ list?
A list of the 25 best non-fiction books of the century has sparked debate after it featured just eight female writers. A gender disparity in the Sunday Times list of the 25 best non-fiction books of the century has stirred up a gender debate, after it listed only eight books written by women. At six men to two women, the gender split points to broader patterns in UK non-fiction, an...
How the Golders Green attacks are impacting London’s Jewish community
Jews living in the capital are choosing to conceal their religion as a form of self-protection. A terror attack in Golders Green, north London, has left two men in hospital and the local Jewish community traumatised. The double stabbing took place last Wednesday, where a 70 and 30-year-old were attacked. Both remain in stable condition in hospital, and a 45-year-old man has been arrested. Since then, the terror threat in...
Michael Jackson biopic shows how far fans will go to protect an idol
A critical bomb but a commercial success, the new Michael Jackson biopic proves fans will do anything to preserve a dream of their idols. There is an absence at the heart of Michael, the new biopic charting the rise of Michael Jackson. And it doesn’t take a forensic specialist to point out. It is a void so conspicuous that it shapes the entire film. The biopic is a slow, rose-tinted...
Dynamic pricing is coming for the World Cup
Ticket prices for the tournament final have reached the tens-of-thousands, and fans have been left clamouring for overpriced, poorly positioned seats. As FIFA squeezes out every dollar, does the organisation risk alienating a dedicated fanbase? Football is a global phenomenon. And for all the team rivalry, it’s a sport that generally brings people together from across the globe. Never more so than during the World Cup, the largest tournament in...
Parenthood is costing women their academic careers
Studies show a direct correlation between motherhood and a decline in academic tenure, with one in three women leaving academia after becoming mothers. When I was a student, I remember being struck by how many women were on my Art History course. Out of our 50-or-so cohort, I could count the men on one hand. But it was a very different picture when you looked at the staff. We had several...
Vinted sales surging as Gen Z continues to thrift
Second-hand shopping has boomed amongst younger generations, and platforms like Vinted are reaping the rewards. It’s no secret that vintage fashion is on the rise. Whether it’s retro-inspired silhouettes on the runways, or an affinity for individual style to rival trend culture, we’re increasingly turning to pre-loved pieces. The growth of second-hand shopping has been particularly prevalent amongst Gen Z, a demographic that has grown up against a backdrop of environmental...
Meet the first woman manager in men’s major-league football
Marie-Louise Eta has been appointed as head coach for one of Germany’s top-tier clubs. Women’s sport has come a long way in the past five years. With major victories for the Lionesses and an upswing in attendance at women’s sporting events, the playing field is finally levelling out. But for an industry so deeply entrenched in outdated gender ideals, and framed by income inequality, female wins within the sporting world...
How did Mississippi transform its education system?
One of the poorest US states has steadily transformed its education system since 2013, in what many have dubbed ‘the Mississippi miracle’. In 2013, Mississippi recorded some of the lowest numbers when it came to children’s reading ability. But through a global pandemic, which hit education nationwide, the state (one of the poorest in the US), has pulled off what some have dubbed ‘the Mississippi miracle’. Moving from the bottom of...
What Love Is Blind US reveals about the politics of fitness
Countless studies cite a correlation between gym-going and conservative ideology. So when did exercise get so political? On the most recent US season of Love is Blind, a gym-obsessed contestant named Chris told his new fiancée Jess that he wasn’t physically attracted to her. This revelation would be abhorrently hurtful in any case, but Chris’ reasoning was what most shocked viewers: he didn’t fancy Jess because she didn’t ‘do pilates...
Does Ye deserve forgiveness?
A new album and three-night headline show suggest the rapper formerly known as Kanye West has emerged from his wrongdoings unscathed. When Ye announced his twelfth studio album, ‘Bully’, over a year ago, few fans held their breath. The artist has become one of the most contentious figures in modern pop culture. Controversy seems to be the raison d'être for a man who is constantly reinventing himself. Ye’s many eras have...
