Latest Stories from Flo
The UK’s queer nightlife is in crisis
As iconic LGBTQIA+ nightclub G-A-Y shuts down, the landscape of queer nightlife in Britain looks bleak. ‘When I opened the G-A-Y on Old Compton Street, it was the gayest street in London,’ says Jeremy Joseph, the owner of one of London’s most famous queer nightclubs. Now, decades on, the venue is closing its doors – a decision Joseph puts down to rising rents, mounting pressures and a sense that the...
Why Gen Z is leaving luxury fashion on the shelf
High-end brands are failing to resonate with younger customers. What does this mean for the future of fashion? For luxury fashion brands, Gen Z are a confusing bunch. They have money to spend (with many of their cohort approaching the latter end of their twenties, and a healthy bunch splurging on frivolities like bespoke tinned fish and £25 smoothies), exposure to brand mythologies, and a desire to express themselves through...
Opinion – We’re lucky to have artists like Lola Young
The singer’s openness about mental health has made her a Gen Z icon. As she cancels upcoming shows to focus on her wellbeing, Lola Young’s refreshing self-preservation is a gift for all of us. Lola Young was a relatively unknown singer from South London only two years ago. The 24-year-old finally found widespread fame in 2024 when her sleeper hit ‘Messy’ took off on TikTok. Almost overnight, Young was a...
Opinion – NikeSKIMS proves price and marketing don’t make fashion sustainable
The highly anticipated fashion collab claims to be ‘disrupting the industry’, but the use of harmful synthetics suggests this ‘disruption’ is more damaging than innovating. When Nike and Kim Kardashian announced their joint brand, NikeSKIMS, the press release was polished to perfection. The companies called it ‘an incredible opportunity to disrupt the industry with our shared passion and commitment to innovation.’ But when the first collections dropped this Friday, disruption...
Why are we watching everything with subtitles?
The phenomenon of half-watching, half-listening is symptomatic of a broader degradation in our attention spans. Streaming services have left us paralysed with choice when it comes to entertainment. Nowadays, deciding what to watch on TV can take hours – even longer if you’re compromising with a viewing partner. And when you do finally land on something everyone agrees with, there’s another battle to be won. Whether you’re an avid defender of closed...
Charlie Kirk’s memorial highlighted Trump’s failings among Christian America
The President’s comments were a direct contrast to the emotional words of Kirk’s widow. Will Erika Kirk be able to shift MAGA America in a new direction? Whatever you thought of the late Charlie Kirk, one had to admit that the conservative politician’s widow Erika spoke graciously at his recent memorial service. In fact, amidst the fireworks, packed arena, and thinly veiled political discourse, Erika Kirk’s emotional speech was one of...
Is Florida planning to end vaccine mandates?
The US state would be the first to stop vaccines being a requirement for children attending school. The Trump administration – and specifically Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. – has made its negative stance on vaccines pretty clear from the offset. But in the second term of aTrump presidency, national distrust of these vital medications has only grown. Now, Florida is aiming to become the first US state...
New investigation suggests NHS doctors are operating under culture of fear
The findings state mothers and babies are at increased risk of harm due to a toxic ‘cover-up culture’ within the National Health Service. ‘Something must have gone badly wrong’ in the NHS, said Charles Massey this week. The chief executive of the General Medical Council (GMC) was speaking at a conference when he referred to new evidence that trainee obstetrics and gynaecology doctors were too afraid to raise concerns in...
The new Gatwick runway is an ecological nightmare
The transport secretary has given plans for a new £2.2bn runway the green light, despite pushback from climate organisations. The UK government has just given formal approval to Gatwick Airport’s £2.2 billion expansion plan – one that converts its emergency/standby northern runway into a full, regularly-used runway by shifting it just 12 metres north. In theory this sounds like a nifty tweak. But for many, it’s a dramatic retreat from climate...
Is the Trump administration planning to ban contraception?
Presidential plans to destroy $10m worth of hormonal contraception have left the fate of birth control in America unclear. Earlier in the summer, the Trump administration reportedly planned to destroy (specifically burn) almost $10m worth of birth control pills, IUDs and hormonal implants. All of the medication had been purchased by U.S.A.I.D and was intended for use by women in low-income countries. The move came as part of the president’s...
