Barbie’s latest attempt at inclusivity has mixed reviews
Mattel announced its latest Barbie last week, a doll with Down’s Syndrome. But customers are undecided on whether this new stab at inclusivity has been successful. Toy company Mattel has been churning out Barbie’s of all shapes and sizes recently. From a Barbie with hearing aids, to the first...
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Should we criticise musicians for entering high luxury fashion?
Frank Ocean’s $27,000 USD sex toy left many fans disappointed and muddled. At what point does a popular musician’s entry into fashion and other high-end avenues become exploitative? Frank Ocean unveiled a $27,000 USD male genital sex toy last year - complete with a nude photography demonstration, obviously -...
KSI’s racial slur shows lack of understanding of South Asian hate
KSI’s recent use of a racial slur against South Asians and many responses shows a lack of education about its history, and many have even been forgotten. In a parody of Countdown, KSI chose to say a derogatory slur aimed at South Asians from his selection of letters. Although he...
Re:Sound festival highlights homeless experiences
Re:Sound is a festival that aims to use music to allow audiences to rediscover their city through the eyes of those who have been homeless. The last performance of the opera’s national tour was on Sunday. The festival Re:Sound, run by charity Streetwise Opera, involves professional composers, designers, singers, and...
Glastonbury festival criticised after announcing all-male headliners
‘We’re trying our best,’ said organiser Emily Eavis as she unveiled the first 54 names on the 2023 line-up and called on the music industry to rectify its ‘pipeline’ problem. Without a doubt the most iconic festival in the world, Glastonbury’s annual line-up announcement traditionally marks a very exciting date...
Opinion – Harry Styles’ win highlights complexities of privilege
After a career-pivoting and rather surprising ‘Album of the Year’ win sent fans into a frenzy for its ‘tone deaf’ claims of adversity. But is there a case for considering who Harry meant by ‘people like me’? Beyonce, Adele, Lizzo. Harry Styles was certainly up against some stiff competition for...
The female golden resistance takes centre stage in Manhattan
Across New York City’s Flatiron district, a rare and long overdue golden resistance is taking place. Havah…to breathe, air, life is a new public project showcasing a duo of female-figured sculptures. Created by Pakistani-American artist Shahzia Sikander, Havah…to breathe, air, life aims to address recent ‘setbacks to women’s constitutional progress’ following significant events such as the passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and the reversal of Roe v. Wade last...
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...
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...
