Latest Stories from Flo
Response to the latest Barbie doll justifies its existence
Mattel’s new doll has Type 1 diabetes, marking another inclusive step for the brand. But response to the launch highlights a persistent lack of education around the disease – and the need to dismantle stigma. Mattel’s latest addition to its Barbie lineup, a doll with Type 1 diabetes, might seem like a small plastic step. But its release has quickly become a barometer for public understanding – or misunderstanding – of chronic illness. Unveiled...
Easyjet’s bag bonus scheme causes outrage
A leaked email shows the budget airline has been rewarding staff for catching oversized luggage. We all have a love/hate relationship with budget airlines. From Ryanair to easyJet, these low-cost alternatives to pricey air-travel have saved more of my girls' holidays than I can count on one hand. But they’ve also ruined plenty of trips. Whether it’s hidden costs or poor customer service, there have been plenty of occasions when –...
Why are women’s tears still condemned as weakness?
Rachel Reeves’ display of emotion in the House of Commons has been met with criticism and a stock market nose-dive. Why is the image of an emotional woman still so controversial? The UKs first female Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, cried in the Commons last week. Her tears led to a crash in the pound, attracted widespread criticism from political commentators, and triggered rumours that she was either about to leave her...
The rise in ayahuasca tourism is colonising wellness
How tourism centred around the popular drug is wreaking havoc for Indigenous communities. Ayahuasca has become a wellness darling in recent decades. The hallucinogenic plant is native to the Amazon basin, and as more of us embark on quests for healing and personal transformation, it’s exploded in popularity. Framed as a pathway to spiritual enlightenment, the psychedelic has drawn thousands of Western visitors to Peru, Brazil, and Colombia, all in search...
Zuckerberg school closures reflect wider shift among US billionaires
The quiet decision to retract funding for a US primary school has caused the institution to shutter – leaving disadvantaged kids in the crossfire. By all accounts, The Primary School in East Palo Alto, California, was designed to be an ambitious experiment in breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty. Founded in 2016 with the backing of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), the school offered something few public institutions could: not...
Plastic bag fees are limiting coastal litter
When it comes to the climate, a new study has found that small daily changes are having a large-scale positive impact. In an era where climate headlines often lean toward catastrophe, a rare dose of optimism has emerged. A new multinational study has found that plastic bag bans and fees are having a tangible, measurable impact –coastal litter from plastic bags has nearly halved in regions where these policies...
The niche supermarket is the new mecca of luxury
Gen Z are redefining everyday spaces as indulgent outposts amidst a rising cost of living. From bespoke suprettes and deli’s, to viral institutions like Erewhon and Daylesford, walking into a supermarket these days feels more like entering a wellness spa. Influencers sip $18 smoothies next to yoga instructors perusing adaptogenic mushrooms, while tote bags branded with minimalist serif fonts signal allegiance to the church of curated wellness. This is not just...
7 powerful books to read this Pride Month
Your definitive guide to the best queer literature you need this summer. We all know that Pride Month isn’t just a time for celebration. It’s also a time for reflection, community, and storytelling. And what encapsulates this trifecta more than a good bit of queer literature? From books to journals and speeches, the words of queer writers have always been a radical act: a means of documenting desire, identity, loss, love,...
The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders’ pay rise is nothing to write home about
Despite a 400% increase in their salary, the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders still face an uphill battle when it comes to the sport’s outdated misogyny. The first season of ‘America’s Sweethearts’, a Netflix docuseries following the lives and dance routines of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, was a huge hit when it launched last summer. Viewers watched as young women from across the US navigated a gruelling audition process (followed by an equally...
Biohacking has emerged as a prominent Gen Z wellness trend
What lengths are young people going to in pursuit of a healthier life? The pursuit of wellness used to come in the form of a yoga class, a green smoothie, and maybe even a juice cleanse if you were feeling particularly radical. But for Gen Z, whose health anxieties are born from a perfect storm of pandemic trauma, climate dread, and relentless digital overstimulation, wellness has escalated into something...
