One of the world’s greatest female footballers faces transphobic abuse

One of the world’s greatest female footballers faces transphobic abuse

Barbra Banda’s mistreatment highlights the insidious misogyny and transphobia launched at women in sport. Barbra Banda, a Zambian footballer, was awarded the BBC’s Women’s Footballer of the Year last month. The prestigious award marked a milestone in Banda’s illustrious sporting career and should have been an opportunity to spotlight women’s...

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Wicked star slams ableism on social media

Wicked star slams ableism on social media

Marissa Bode has called out β€˜very gross’ comments about her β€˜Wicked’ character Nessa Rose, as internet trolls prove that – despite growing representation – disabled individuals are still pushed to the fringes.  Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll be well aware that Wicked, a movie adaptation of the award-winning...

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Musicians could lose €4 billion to generative AI every year

Musicians could lose €4 billion to generative AI every year

A first-of-its-kind economic study predicts that, in just four years, a quarter of music artists could see their earnings sabotaged by the rise of AI generated tracks. It’s getting harder and harder to trust the authenticity of β€˜leaked’ songs from our favourite artists these days, and that’s all thanks to the rapidly improving capabilities of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI). In just a few minutes, the vocal likeness of top artists can...

By London, UK
The power of swearing in positions of powerlessness

The power of swearing in positions of powerlessness

Is being explicit how we cope with how out of control things are – 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 there’s nothing else you can do to relieve yourself from the shittyness of a situation (like an underpaid job that...

By Manchester, UK
Opinion – it’s time to abandon our β€˜always on’ culture

Opinion – it’s time to abandon our β€˜always on’ culture

While smartphones have granted humans the remarkable ability to stay in touch from anywhere in the world, we need to acknowledge the consequences of never getting a chance to properly 'shut off'.  Throughout history, no other group of human beings have lived the way we do, that is, completely immersed in and unable to escape a culture of being β€˜always on’ and β€˜available’. The seamless connectivity offered by modern technology...

By London, UK
Exploring Mexico’s tradition of the Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe

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 to mind is usually the Day of the Dead, a celebration characterized by the fact that anyone can celebrate it,...

By Benito Juarez, Mexico