France’s César film awards take stand against sexual violence
Movie stars and other members of the industry convicted of or facing possible prison time for sexual violence are being banned from the French Oscars ‘out of respect for the victims.’ Every year, when awards season rolls around, the world turns its attention to the glamorous red carpet looks,...
Current in Culture
Opinion – Lydia Millen’s posts show severity of winter wealth gap
As the energy crisis in Britain continues to soar, many have spent the last few months contemplating how to afford staying warm this winter. Lydia Millen is not one of them. In the last two months alone, the UK has seen ‘the average energy bill cap’ double, the National...
Pallet ‘pop up’ shelters used to help combat homelessness
What if you could build a house in less than an hour? The US company Pallet has created a shelter that does just that in an effort to fight homelessness. It can be a huge task building homes. Planning, construction, and plumbing can take months and even years, with...
Opinion – idolising billionaire bosses is a risk to worker rights
A new, lengthy article by Rolling Stone has outlined Kanye’s culture of bullying, pornography, and emotional abuse at Adidas. Alongside Elon Musk’s chaotic Twitter takeover, it’s time we stopped idealising billionaire bosses and prioritised worker rights. Kanye West is back in the news again this week after Rolling Stone...
Milan Design Week showcases innovative biofilm breakthrough
At the world’s most important design event, Dutch designer Lionne van Deursen presented an innovative biofilm made from yeast. The eco-material could one day replace pesky plastic films that are notoriously difficult to recycle. Phasing out plastics is one of the biggest challenges of the 21st century. With 9 billion tons...
Will Grammy’s honour more diverse nominations this year?
The 2023 Grammy nominations honour artists Latto, Lizzo, and Beyonce. But when it comes to supplying the trophies, will the Recording Academy pay Black women artists their dues? Beyonce has just cemented her status as the most nominated artist in Grammy’s history, alongside partner Jay-Z. With nine nods this year,...
Right wing government in Tennessee attempts to criminalise drag
The GOP has felt the sting as they sit neck-and-neck with Democrats in the midterms. But blue victories haven’t stopped Republicans from introducing far-right state legislature. This week, Tennessee Republicans introduced two new bills that would ban gender-affirming care for children, along with public drag performances state-wide. Sponsored by Republicans Ken Yager and Ferrell Haile, ‘Senate Bill 1’ – also titled the ‘Protecting Children From Gender Mutilation Act’ – states that...
Trans woman Nikita Dragun was placed in a men’s prison
Despite identifying as a woman since her transition in 2015, Dragun’s arrest highlights continued transphobia and human-rights violations within the US prison system. On Monday, YouTube star Nikita Dragun was arrested and charged with felony assault of a police officer. The influencer was taken to a men’s prison in Miami and held until Wednesday when she was released without bail. Dragun has publicly identified as a woman since her transition in 2015....
New study finds drug testing sites make festivals safer
A survey analysed 250,000 festival attendees, examining the impacts of drug-checking provisions. It found that drug use did not go up, but instead festivals were safer overall. A new study by The Loop and Liverpool University suggests that drug testing facilities at festivals ensure a safer environment, with no particular uptake in use. Research published in Drugs, Habits and Social Policy looked at provisions available at festivals from 2016...
RCA’s Virgil Abloh Scholarship fights underrepresentation in the arts
The Royal College of Art has announced a new scholarship honouring the late fashion designer Virgil Abloh – in an effort to support underrepresented communities. A new scheme by the Royal College of Art will see one ‘extraordinarily talented, but financially restricted, Black British student’ offered an annual scholarship to study at the prestigious arts institution. The Virgil Abloh scholarship, named after the late fashion designer, will provide a single...
