Latest Stories from Flo
The bottled water scam is destroying the planet and our pockets
Ever thought about why we choose to spend money on something we can get free from the tap? Is there really any benefit to drinking bottled water – or is this $283 billion industry the ultimate case study in powerful marketing? Water has always been the de-facto drink for achieving health and wellness. This narrative has ensured bottled water is one of our favourite beverages, with market giants like...
Opinion – Why HS2 may be a huge infrastructural failure
The new high-speed railway will connect Manchester, Birmingham, and London as part of government efforts to ‘level-up’ the North. But with numerous contingencies, mounting costs, and environmental damages, HS2 might be the biggest major infrastructure failure in recent memory. HS2 was first proposed by Labour government in 2009. A massive rail infrastructure project, it was designed to ‘level-up’ the North of England by providing better transport links throughout the...
Should we normalise taking regular social media breaks?
Actor Tom Holland has announced he will be taking a break from social media for the sake of his mental health. Does his openness mark a turning point in our attitudes toward anxiety, depression, and the internet – particularly amongst young men? Celebrities announcing their withdrawal from Instagram and Twitter is nothing new. Especially when the hiatus is driven by a concern for mental health. But these very public admissions...
The Academy finally apologises to Sacheen Littlefeather
Apache activist and actress, Sacheen Littlefeather, was booed off stage after accepting an Oscar on behalf of Marlon Brando. Now, 50 years later, the Academy has finally apologised. When Marlon Brando won an Academy Award for ‘The Godfather’ in 1973, he wasn’t there to receive his accolade. Instead, indigenous actress Sacheen Littlefeather, of Apache heritage, walked on stage to collect the Oscar on Brando’s behalf. Littlefeather’s surprise appearance was part of...
Jack Wills capitalises on Blackness in cringeworthy rebrand
The preppy-cool brand that dominated the early 2010s is distancing from its past after major losses. But Jack Wills has come under fire for commodifying the same people it originally excluded. Jack Wills was once king of the high-street. The brand’s navy gilets and polo shirts, striped bedding and matching welly boots, were cult must-haves for millions of teenagers. Founder Peter Williams originally created Jack Wills as a ‘University Outfitters’, a...
Tate gallery pays six-figure settlement to three artists
In a huge breakthrough, Tate – one of the biggest institutions in the world – has payed a six-figure legal settlement to three artists after the gallery was sued for victimisation and race discrimination. When I read on Sunday that Tate had agreed to pay Amy Sharrocks and Jade Montserrat – both sculptors and performance artists – a six-figure legal settlement, I found myself in a state of shock. Tate is...
Why are all AI assistants feminised?
Ever wondered why Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant all answer our beck and call in sweet dulcet tones? The female gendering of AI technology is pervasive and largely unquestioned – but does it enforce damaging stereotypes? Rather disconcertingly, AI assistants are now an omnipotent presence in day-to-day life. Whether you use them for weather updates, fun-facts, or quick math equations (guilty), most of us interact with AI on a regular...
Can child acting ever be ethical?
In a world driven by fame, money, and internet notoriety, is pushing your child into acting inherently abusive? Nickelodeon star Jennette McCurdy certainly wants you to think about it. If you grew up in the late 2000s – and were lucky enough to have a Sky TV dish on the side of your house – you probably spent most of your weekday mornings watching Nickelodeon. Shows like Drake & Josh, Zoey 101,...
Pope Francis apologises for Indigenous residential school system
This week, Pope Francis wore a traditional Indigenous headdress presented to him by Canadian residential school survivors. The statement marked an official apology by the Catholic Church for its involvement in the widespread abuse of Indigenous children. When Chief Wilton Littlechild handed Pope Francis a traditional Indigenous headdress on Monday, years of suffering and institutional neglect were finally addressed. Photographs of the Pope in Native garb have made the rounds on...
Beyoncé removes ableist slur from new album after backlash
The singer’s decision to withdraw the lyric from her new song ‘HEATED’ has drawn a mixed response. Beyoncé’s ‘Renaissance’, a prodigious, 62 minute cacophony of dance and ballroom culture, has revived us – fawning and jubilant – from the slog of an endless heatwave. As we throw our limbs about to these 16 new tracks, it seems queen Bey can do no wrong. Her devoted ‘Beyhive’ – a legion of notoriously...
