The other day, I was scrolling through Facebook when I happened to see a video of Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg. In the video, Rees-Mogg declared that the public were unnecessarily “carping” about the shortage in coronavirus tests across the UK and that instead, we should praise the government for its “phenomenal success” of a testing programme. IContinue reading “Why is this government incapable of admitting that it’s made mistakes?”
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Gardening in a pandemic: a story of COVID, TikTok, climate change, courgettes and classism.
When the government announced lockdown towards the end of March after I’d just got home from university, the world suddenly felt strange and full of uncertainty. “Out of sorts” would be the best way to describe how I felt for the first few weeks of lockdown. Like the majority of people, I found it hardContinue reading “Gardening in a pandemic: a story of COVID, TikTok, climate change, courgettes and classism.”
Climate change isn’t your fault: the blame game in the mainstream environmental movement misses the point
Although climate change has moved to the forefront of public life in the last decade, with activists such as Greta Thunberg and movements like Extinction Rebellion (XR) becoming household names worldwide, the climate crisis itself remains something which- for those who are fortunate enough to live without experiencing the effects of climate change- is stillContinue reading “Climate change isn’t your fault: the blame game in the mainstream environmental movement misses the point”
Taking the Maori to Hollywood: an Ode to the work of Taika Waititi
I first encountered Taika Waititi’s unique brand of feel-good film when I watched his ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ (2018) as a seventeen-year-old Marvel superfan. What I didn’t realise when I was laughing at Waititi as the scene-stealing Korg was that he was also the film’s director. Intrigued by his style of direction, I investigated further and now, having usedContinue reading “Taking the Maori to Hollywood: an Ode to the work of Taika Waititi”
Why do we love the cultures of marginalised communities without loving the communities themselves?
In the weeks since the Black Lives Matter movement has swept the globe, a recurring post which I’ve been seeing on social media is a photo of a protestor holding up a placard reading “Love Black People Like You Love Black Culture”. It’s becoming increasingly apparent that there exists a pernicious double standard in mainstreamContinue reading “Why do we love the cultures of marginalised communities without loving the communities themselves?”
What if Britain displayed as much enthusiasm for teaching its colonial history as it did for celebrating its war victories?
In the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement which has swept the globe following the murder of unarmed Black man George Floyd at the hands of a white police officer in Minneapolis, white people are starting to realise the magnitude of the racism which people of colour have had to endure every single dayContinue reading “What if Britain displayed as much enthusiasm for teaching its colonial history as it did for celebrating its war victories?”
Germany doesn’t just make good cars, it also makes great theatre! What can British theatre learn from Germany as it tries to survive the pandemic?
Although the near future might look bright for British theatre since the government’s announcement last week that indoor theatre performances would be allowed from 1st August, the reality is that this announcement, along with the government’s £1.5 billion support package for the arts sector, is still insufficient for securing the long-term future of our theatreContinue reading “Germany doesn’t just make good cars, it also makes great theatre! What can British theatre learn from Germany as it tries to survive the pandemic?”
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the elitist nature of Oscars eligibility rules- but why should they be reformed?
At the time of year where we would ordinarily be gearing up for the awards race, the COVID19 pandemic has shut cinemas across the world indefinitely, forcing hundreds of films to be released via online streaming services instead. Films released in this way would typically be barred from being eligible for the Academy Awards. Previously,Continue reading “The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the elitist nature of Oscars eligibility rules- but why should they be reformed?”
Liberté, Egalité, Brutalité: Shining a light on institutional racism in the French police
After the death of unarmed black man George Floyd at the hands of three police officers in May in Minneapolis, the Black Lives Matter movement has resurged and swept the globe. The fraught relationship between the police and people of colour- and especially the black community- sparked the movement’s founding back in 2013 and hasContinue reading “Liberté, Egalité, Brutalité: Shining a light on institutional racism in the French police”
Let’s not make this a week-long trend: white people NEED to show up for the black community and BIPOC after the hashtags have stopped trending, and here’s how!
This week, it feels inherently wrong to post about anything other than this subject. The nationwide riots sweeping the US, which were sparked by the brutal murder of unarmed black man George Floyd by a white police officer (with a history of violence against BIPOC!), have proved to be something of a catalyst for manyContinue reading “Let’s not make this a week-long trend: white people NEED to show up for the black community and BIPOC after the hashtags have stopped trending, and here’s how!”
A Northern Girl in a Southern World 