Latest Stories from Flo
Welsh government plan to make it easier to change gender
After England blocked a Scottish-backed gender reform law, Wales has announced plans to make it easier for trans individuals to legally change their gender. The Welsh government announced this week that it had a new LGBTQ+ Action Plan to make it easier for individuals to legally change their gender. The news comes after the UK government blocked similar legislation put forward by Scotland. Alongside enabled individuals to change their gender, Wales’ plan...
2023’s Oscar nominations fail to make meaningful progress
No Black actors were nominated for leading categories this year. Once again, they deserved better. When the 2022 Oscar nominations were announced, Black actors and directors ruled the roost. It was a comforting – and deserved – outcome after years of ‘#oscarssowhite’ protest, a nod to the academy’s consistent failings in diversity and inclusion. But this year, it seems that this positive shift was only a phase. Despite a slew of Black...
Opinion – Tate’s privacy ruling shows the rich can spoil everything
Residents of luxury glass-walled flats opposite Tate Modern’s public viewing platform have won a landmark ruling that their privacy is being impinged upon. It seems the rich have power to shape even our most public spaces. In 2021, affluent neighbours of the Tate Modern decided that the glass-walled luxury flats they’d chosen to live in weren’t offering enough privacy. Sitting adjacent to the Tate Modern’s famous public viewing platform, which offered...
Utah has banned gender-affirming care for young trans people
The new bill will deny vital surgery to America’s most vulnerable demographic. Spencer Cox, a Republican governor in Utah, has singlehandedly waged a war on America’s trans youth. This week Cox signed a bill which bans young trans people from receiving gender-affirming healthcare. That would include transgender surgery of any kind, as well as the use of hormone treatment for minors. The bill comes shortly after the UK blocked the Scottish...
Disney’s Splash Mountain closes amidst controversy
Disney’s world-famous water ride ‘Splash Mountain’ closed its doors for the last time this week. Its racist provenance highlights a disillusioned generation of ‘Disney Adults’ with much to complain about. Splash Mountain has remained one of the most popular and famous rides at Walt Disney World in Florida since it opened in 1992. But last week the attraction closed its doors for the last time, as Disney responded to long-term...
America faces 39 mass shootings in three weeks
Countless tragedies mark the start of 2023 in the USA, but conversations around gun violence and firearm laws remain stunted. When I set out to write this article last week, my intention was to focus on the mass shooting at Monterey Park, California, where 11 people were killed over Lunar New Year weekend. The suspect was a man of Asian descent and police are still investigating his motives. But just two days...
David Hockney’s new exhibition is a celebration of art’s future
Beloved British artist David Hockney may be 85, but he is still pushing the boundaries of what art can do. Known for his bold use of colour, astute portraiture, and intrepid depictions of queerness, David Hockney is a national treasure. His work has pushed boundaries in every way that art can; politically, socially, aesthetically. And, in recent years, his use of the iPad has raised new questions about the capabilities of...
How Tory Lanez case demonstrates Hollywood’s misogyny
Rapper Tory Lanez has been found guilty of shooting Megan Thee Stallion in the foot. But angered responses from Lanez’ fans – and the demonisation of Stallion – highlight Hollywood’s persistent issue with successful Black women. Since the summer of 2020, rapper Megan Thee Stallion has claimed Tory Lanez shot her in the foot multiple times after leaving a party in the Hollywood Hills. After a small dispute led Megan...
The intern behind Spotify Wrapped was never given her dues
The popular round-up format has become a viral trend marking the end of a year. But many don’t know it was created by an intern in under three months. Is it even December if you don’t share your Spotify Wrapped? The music streaming platform launched Wrapped playlists in 2016, giving users the chance to view a personalised recap of their past year as defined by their listening habits. The format, though simple,...
Opinion – sexual assault victims need more digital protection
Reality star Stephen Bear was convicted for acts of revenge porn against ex-girlfriend Georgia Harrison. His case sets a precedent for protecting women in the digital world. On 2nd August 2020, reality TV star Stephen Bear and then-girlfriend Georgia Harrison were captured having sex on CCTV cameras in his garden. Harrison was unaware they were being filmed, and had asked Bear not to share the footage when they discovered it existed. But...
