The power of swearing in positions of powerlessness
Is being explicit how we cope with how out of control things are β and how out of control we feel? Recently, internationally acclaimed Irish popstar CMAT (Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson) posted an Instagram story responding to someone who criticised how much she swears on social media. She explained that, sometimes, when...
Current in Offbeat
Exploring Mexico’s tradition of the Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe
When culture, tradition, and religion meet From October 13th to December 12th, the streets of Nuevo Leon, Mexico are painted with colors, street vendors, and food stalls in preparation for the hundreds of pilgrimages arriving at the sanctuary of the Virgin of Guadalupe. When we think of Mexican celebrations, what comes...
Exploring how cultural traditions encourage violence and sexism
To what extent can violence be justified by cultural tradition? Traditions are bits of knowledge, beliefs, or customs that are passed down through generations. They help children form their identity and create a sense of belonging within a community, while keeping alive the cultural heritage of our regions. However, many traditions...
How to navigate family politics this festive season
For many of us, awkward conversations have become a mainstay of winter gatherings.Β The festive period promises a lot: turkey, tinsel, and a soundtrack of perennial arguments. For a large portion of us, the season has become something other than a celebratory get-together and more of an endurance test, especially...
Opinion – stop letting men get away with silence
The belief that another person will complete us means that many people are settling for the bare minimum in relationships, rather than taking the time to get to know themselves as an individual. For modern dating to work, we need to recognise the importance of reciprocal communication between partners...
Why Miss Universe has triggered a βwokenessβ debate
The beauty pageant is being hailed as the death of wokeness, and the result of the βTrump effectβ.Β Victoria KjΓ¦r Theilvig, a 21-year-old Danish woman, is Miss Universe 2024. Sheβs blonde, blue-eyed, and undeniably beautiful βΒ a fact that should been met with applause and little more. Instead, her win has ignited...
Whatβs up with people hiring witches on Etsy?
The phenomenon isnβt as uncommon as you might think.Β Like many individuals,Β Riley Wenckus felt distraught and disempowered in the aftermath of Trumpβs re-election. Wenckus was particularly furious at Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of X, and the key role heβd played in Trump's victory. So she turned to an unconventional solution: Wenckus paid $7.99 to an Etsy witch to curse Musk. In a viral TikTok, she shouted, βElon motherf***ing...
Cambridge Dictionaryβs word of the year is βmanifestβ
Meaning βdreamβ or βwilling something into existence,β it beat out βbratβ and βdemureβ after a surge of celebrity-inspired popularity on social media. Clearly, 2024 was all about positive thinking. βManifestβ has been named word of the year by Cambridge Dictionary. Though itβs more than six centuries old, itβs been given new life on social media as of late, thanks to a slew of celebrities whoβve been using it to describe how...
Has being a βroadmanβ finally gone out of fashion?
Itβs 2024β¦ βlow them tings there People, especially kids, will adopt whatβs deemed to be fashionable. Thankfully, the βchavβ to βroadmanβ arc appears to be on its last legs in England. Growing up in south London in the noughties was incredibly fun. Your mates were always out after school on bikes or playing football. Weβd knock on each other's doors β and the odd strangerβs door β grab sweets, share a...
Are Christmas markets losing their appeal?
Weβre only halfway through November, yet Christmas markets have been open across the UK for weeks already. Are these once-magical festivities becoming too blatant of a cash grab?Β Although the team at Thred always looks forward to our annual Winter Wonderland trip, weβre not oblivious to the fact that weβre basically queuing up to get scammed. You know the drill: cosy wooden chalets, glittering trinkets, the wafting smell of grilled sausages,...
