Latest Stories from Flo
Opinion – Clothes should not be a legal issue in 2023
A new Wisconsin Bill marks a milestone for Indigenous students. But we should be questioning why legal intervention is necessary in the first place. Under new Assembly Bill 210, students in Wisconsin will now (legally) be allowed to wear tribal regalia – like beadwork and eagle feathers – to their graduation ceremony. The news may sound positive, but the legislation has sparked debate online. Many think it's grossly overdue, given Wisconsin...
Opinion – Consumers are becoming savvy to performative inclusivity
UK beauty brand Pink Honey has come under fire for a recent influencer trip. The backlash proves consumers won’t stand for vapid marketing. Brand controversies seem to be on the rise. Everywhere you look – particularly on social media – a company is facing ridicule for short-sighted campaigns or shallow marketing tactics. But the increase in backlash isn’t necessarily a sign that brands are growing lazier, rather that consumers are demanding more from...
New York’s cosmetology law is breaking beauty barriers
A new requirement – that students learn to style textured hair as part of their training – is signalling change for the global beauty industry. The beauty industry has always been somewhat of a minefield for the Black community, who often find themselves on the fringes of an ostensibly inclusive business. Despite positive changes in the beauty space, including the rise of Black-owned businesses and the proliferation of products designed with Black...
How a Japanese restaurant is leading the way in elderly care
The country is finding heartwarming ways to integrate its large elderly population within wider society. Japan has one of the oldest populations worldwide. As a result, age related ailments are a growing issue across the country. And diseases like dementia pose a problem for a government increasing efforts to keep the elderly integrated within society. But despite these hurdles, the rest of us could learn a thing or two from the...
Billie Eilish claims Variety Magazine outed her
The singer’s latest Instagram post has garnered a mixed response, one which highlights our dangerous hyper fixation on sexuality. Billie Eilish made headlines last month when a Variety Magazine interview stated she was attracted to both men and women. The news came as no surprise to Eilish’s legion of fans. Many of them, along with the mainstream media, have speculated about the singer’s sexuality for years. But last week Eilish slammed Variety...
Opinion – We need to ground airlines for greenwashing
A series of airline adverts have been banned for false sustainability claims. It’s a promising step in the right direction. When it comes to pointing global warming’s finger of blame, airlines tend to be first on the receiving end. But having long been criticised for its significant carbon footprint (which accounted for 2% of global energy-related CO2 emissions in 2022), the aviation industry has attempted to rebrand itself as eco-friendly. To varying...
A UK museum has reclassified a Roman emperor as a trans woman
The decision highlights a museum’s responsibility to constantly question expected truths. The North Hertfordshire Museum isn’t necessarily a well-known institution. Located in a quaint town hall in the south of England, the galleries fade in the shadow of major British cultural spaces. But this small historical museum has put itself firmly on the map after reclassifying a 3rd-century Roman Emperor as a trans woman. Roman Emperor Elagabalus (Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus) ruled...
Fashion reseller Vestiaire Collective is dumping fast fashion
The luxury second-hand site has launched a striking campaign to announce they’re banning fast fashion giants Zara, Uniqlo, and H&M. Vestiaire Collective has been a solid advocate for the green-fashion market since its inception in 2009. At the time, it was one of the first online retailers that specialised solely in second-hand luxury brands, and today remains one of the biggest. Last week it announced it would be banning fast fashion giants...
LGBTQ+ people still feel unsafe on London transport
A new report suggests that, despite widespread effort, LGBTQ+ abuse still prevails in our everyday spaces. Though the rise in LGBTQ+ figures in the mainstream media – and flourishing national pride campaigns – may foster some ignorance to the realities of queer life in the UK, that reality is still painful for many. But a new report by London TravelWatch has highlighted just how severe LGBTQ+ abuse can be, and how ingrained...
2023 is officially the hottest year in the last 250,000 years
Two new reports confirm 2023 to be the hottest year in modern history. We are living through global warming in real time. This week, it was confirmed that 2023 is the hottest year in the past 125,000 years – meaning we’ve already lived through the warmest 12 months in human history (give or take a few years). While we still have over a month until 2024, EU scientists have said it’s ‘virtually...
