Issue 570 by CUB Magazine

MAGAZINE

CUB ISSUE 570

C R E AT E D B Y S T U D E N T S , F O R S T U D E N T S

WELCOME TO

ISSUE 570

‘Baby It’s Cold Outside’, so what better way to spend the day snuggled inside reading CUB’s winter themed print edition? As the first semester draws to a close and you are snowed under (pun intended) with essay deadlines and bundles of reading, take some time out for yourself and unwind by flicking through this jam-packed issue. Our 67 strong team have worked hard to deliver engaging and thought-provoking content, such as a special and emotional Remembrance Day Spread with a guest writer who has first hand experience as a soldier, stunning winter photos from our photography competition, and an alternative twist on scary winter movies to get your pulses racing! Without a doubt, London is a special place during the festive season, illuminated like one big Christmas tree with cascades of twinkling fairy lights. We wanted to capture the essence of Christmas in this issue and I genuinely believe we have. Inside you can find articles exploring budget friendly and alternative Christmas attractions to EDITOR IN CHIEF Nicole Brownfield SOCIAL MEDIA Naseha Yasmin, Ruchika Naidu, Vaneet Kaur Sandhu DESIGN Michael Lau Hing Yim, Sarah Bardell, Moneeka Thakur, Aunanna Hossain, Maliha Sajjad FEATURES Gabrielle Agyei, Tabitha Purslow, Fran Spree, Jasmine Ali ARTS Moneeka Thakur, Charlotte Rubin, Louise Fligman, Layla Angell, Maria Albano LONDON Lisha Halai, Stevie Cannell, Samantha Vincent, Taylor Humphreys FILM Guy Pullen, Robert Stayte, Meliha Siddiqui

visit, Cafés to warm your hands with a hot drink, and your eyes with the amazing art on display, and articles dedicated to an environmentally friendly Christmas and banishing your inner Scrooge by savouring the infectious magic of the festive season. Our columnists are back and shining a light on controversial topics such as Manga and its relation to paedophilia, Brexit, and Theresa May’s failed policies in relation to mental health. This issue is definitely not one to miss! We hope you enjoy reading this issue as much as we enjoyed making it. If you want to read more from our fantastic team and find out how to get involved with Queen Mary’s arts and culture magazine, go to www.cubmagazine.co.uk for weekly content. Also don’t forget to keep up to date with us by following CUB on social media: @cubmagazine

wnfihiefeld e Bro-in-C NicolEditor

STYLE Erin Wallace, Karina Bogdan, Roma-Ramsden Gupta, Simran Singh, Sarah Maycock MUSE Juliette Raskauskas, Silvana Limni, Rauda Aldarei, Vanda Suha, Sara Giovannini MUSIC Rachel Peters, Josephine Whitehouse, Azraa Khan, Heather O’Brien, Flora Medford UNISEX Demi Whitnell, Matthew Ferguson COLUMNISTS Gina Gambetta, Isabelle Hathaway, Flora Medford, Samuel Clarke, Charlotte Whittaker, Maleeka Imam, Maria Jones, Azmin M. Mistry, Charlotte Rubin, Tracy Jawad PHOTOGRAPHY Ali Bahcaci, Jenya Verma, Safiya Raja

4 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38

FEATURES MUSE LONDON EDITOR IN CHIEF PICK FILM BEAUTY FEATURES THE SILVER LINING ARTS PHOTOGRAPHY SHEIKH-ING THE MIDDLE EAST UNISEX RIGHTS AND SENTIMENTS L’ART POLITIQUE MUSIC WE’RE ALL MAD HERE FEATURES 3

In November a colossal poppy display was erected at The Imperial War Museum, London to commemorate the 100 year anniversary of the First World War and to honour all the fallen soldiers who sacrificed their lives for our country. As the name â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Weeping Windowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; conveys, a cascade of red poppies could be seen flowing out of the top window, movingly mimicking the flow of blood. Each of the 2,000 ceramic poppies were handmade in recognition of the individuality of all the soldiers who sacrificed their lives and fought in the war. The fact the museum was founded in 1917 during WW1 to record and commemorate civilian and military

F E AT U R E S

L E T U S A LWAY S R E M E M B E R AND REFLECT experiences, meant the display could not have had a more fitting venue. As I stood there looking at this display I felt myself utterly overwhelmed and on the brink of tears, the illusion of the poppies pouring down is as if you feel yourself bathed in all of the stories and emotion of the war. Yet, it also hit me that I will never fully be able to relate to, or understand WW1, or comprehend the sheer level of sacrifice. That is why it is so important that we never forget the fallen soldiers and the fact their death paved the way for the lives we lead today. In light of this, I wrote a poem to reflect on my thoughts and feelings when looking at the display:

During WW1, conflict and warfare destroyed the land, Many soldiers had fallen, they could no longer stand, The landscape became disfigured, nothing would grow, Except poppies, their colour resembling blood flow, They sprouted up resilient and loud, Bringing beauty to a sacrifice that made a nation proud, So now let us think of these poppies not as symbols of death, But rather as resembling hope and new breath, New breath to resuscitate the memories of those expired, Let us use these memories to have our brains rewired, So that we never forget the courage and bravery of so many men, So that we keep the flame of their lives burning forever in our hearts, Amen.

Words by: Nicole Brownfield 4

REMEMBRANCE

Editor’s note: Leading on from my poem on the previous page, I reached out to a friend of mine who has first hand experience as a solider, and who plays an active role in remembering the fallen soldiers of the First World War every year, all year round. Having asked him to write a small paragraph, I was blown away by his response which follows. I have deliberately not edited it or reduced its length as Jon has managed to write in a way that I would never have been able to. I hope you are as touched by it as I am. My name is Jon Parker. I’m a Veteran Soldier of the British Army, having served 12 years as an Infantry Soldier with The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers. During my time in the Army, I was often posted away either on tours of duty in various conflicts, or stationed abroad away from family and friends. Throughout my service, I have always had the upmost respect for anyone who has ever served. Whilst in the Army, I always made the effort to attend the Remembrance parades, regardless of where I was stationed. This is the reason why: all those many years ago, when young men and women signed up, they did so in the knowledge that they were ultimately signing up to their own deaths. However, because Me and my brothers they would be dying for their country, this did not phase them and they went in their hundreds of thousands knowing they would not be coming home. Most of them didn’t. That for me is bravery of the highest order and I would give each and every one of them a posthumous Victoria Cross. This medal is given out for extreme bravery and mostly for those who paid the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of others. In my eyes, all of the brave men and women all those years ago deserve some form of recognition. Not just on Remembrance Sunday or today, but for the rest of time. I have also been in conflicts and war zones, and

lost many close friends along the way. When I say close I mean like brothers, because that’s what we class ourselves as, brothers from another mother. Some of the sights that we have seen don’t bear talking about and not one person on this planet should have to see/deal with atrocities like the ones we have witnessed. So I don’t, I don’t talk about it. However, what I do do every year, and have for the past four years, is polish my medals, polish my shoes, iron my shirt and trousers, and don my blazer and beret. I then volunteer for 5 hours at a time to sell Poppies for the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal. This is my way of saying to the public: ‘they gave their yesterday, for our today’. I don’t do it just for the compliments of how smart and handsome I look, I do it to show my appreciation for all those men and women, and my brothers, who paid the ultimate price of war. This year was very poignant as it was 100 years since the guns fell silent and the war ended. So as a mark of ultimate respect, I decided to apply to march on the Cenotaph in London with my Regiment. My application was successful and I received an invite on my birthday. On Sunday 11th November 2018, 100 years after the war ended, I boarded the train and headed off to pay my respects to the fallen. As we waited to form up and march off, I looked around and was astounded

at the amount of veterans that were there to march and pay their respects. I also had a few moments to myself to reflect on what I have achieved since going into the Army and experiencing conflict in different war zones. I reminded myself: ‘You’re one of the lucky ones, many weren’t’. As the thousands of us on parade formed up, the sun shone and it was a beautiful day weather wise. In formations of columns of six, each and every one of us were secretly saying to ourselves: ‘I’m dreading hearing The Last Post’. The time came for the hundreds of wreaths to be laid by all the Royal Dignitaries and commonwealth state members and then the time came for The Last Post. * I stood there to attention, beside my brothers, with tears in my eyes. Heads bowed, we all stood in silence to pay our respects to the dead. The 2 minutes’ silence followed, and again, with tears strolling down my cheeks, I remembered, all of the thousands of us on parade remembered, we remembered them … WE WILL REMEMBER THE FALLEN.

F E AT U R E S

A PERSONAL STORY OF

Me selling poppies

*In the context of the British armed forces, The Last Post is the second of two bungle calls giving notice of the hour retiring at night, played also at military funerals and acts of remembrance.

Words by: Jon Parker

Me outside Horse Guards

n 2017, Raya Sarkar, an anti-caste feminist, published a list of professors and academics online who sexually assaulted and/or misbehaved towards students. Sarkar asked fellow students to share their struggles anonymously. The list eventually grew to 72 names and many of those ‘predators’ were significant characters of the liberal academic circle of India. This caused huge controversies within India since those named were wellrespected Indian intellectuals. Interestingly, the outrage was not only among the ones accused, but feminists in academia as well. The Kafila statement, born out of this outrage, critiqued Sarkar’s methods including the anonymity and lack of concrete accusations. This dispute uncovered serious inequalities within the Indian feminist movement and also highlighted caste and class inequalities. Indeed, academia in India is highly dominated by Brahmins and other “upper” castes, like most of the accused teachers and their feminist protectors. It is also important to note that even forward-looking subjects and areas, like postcolonial studies or feminism, is dominated by Brahmins, which strengthens the assumption that feminism in India is shaped mostly by the upper caste and class. Thus Sarkar’s endeavour to introduce #MeToo to India in 2017 failed and these sorts of discriminations can also be seen in the movement today. Mimi Mondal, a Dalit fiction writer, published a piece in The Indian Express stating that being from the lower castes comes with huge disadvantages - sexual accusations made by Dalit women aren’t taken seriously due to caste inequalities. Mondal further critiqued feminist circles for not attempting to implement the list’s purpose to create a universal #MeToo for all women in India. But surely this doesn’t mean that #MeToo in India in 2018 is a bad movement overall? Most exposures of male misbehaviour come from the

upper classes and it is a great achievement that influential women finally feel empowered enough to expose their abusers. Sexual harassment at the workplace has long been a taboo topic in India and sexual harassment as a crime had only been approved by the Parliament in 2013, using the Supreme Court’s 1997 definition. Newspaper and magazine editors of the English-speaking media are one of greatest targets of the #MeToo, which could be related to the increase in Indian women pursuing a career in journalism. According to a study, almost 50% of all front-page stories in the Hindustan Times were written by women last year, thus showing they feel more confident to articulate themselves. However, as the #MeToo movement has become viral in India, a considerable gap between national media and regional press has become more visible. In Tamil regions of South India, media is mostly male dominated and the lack of committees for complaints make women stay silent, supporting the fact that upper class women in English-speaking media have more opportunities to speak up and take control of their own lives.

Is the #MeToo Movement in India Elitist?

Mr. Akbar’s (junior foreign minister) accusations and resignation directly involved the government in #MeToo. It isn’t surprising however, that Prime Minister Modi and other BJP ruling party members didn’t react to the resignation of Akbar. They stated that such incidents happened before Akbar entered politics and therefore shouldn’t be on the party’s agenda. If we look into the history of the BJP or Hindu nationalism, this is not surprising. It promotes masculinity and wants to portray itself as strong and powerful. Indeed, according to Jaffrelot, a political scientist, one of the reasons why Hindu nationalism emerged was because of the colonial description of Indian men as “meek”. Furthermore, the political right in general, criticises #MeToo, saying it is the problem of liberal elites since they had diverged from the “right” path, which intensifies the BJP’s stand to not take the movement seriously.

Overall, it is valid to state that #MeToo in India has elitist tendencies and that mentalities are difficult to change considering structural inequalities within Indian society. Furthermore, the government’s attitude is ultimately preventing the #MeToo movement from becoming universal. Yet despite all of this, #MeToo is still helping Indian women and encouraging more victims to speak up.

MUSE

But What Does The BJP Say About #MeToo?

Future of #MeToo in India As we can see #MeToo in India isn’t universal and is being side-lined in politics. This is despite the fact more women vote in India who are both politically and economically influential. As Prime Minister Modi tries to gain the support of both lower and upper castes and classes, he promotes economic reforms and privatisation which mainly benefit the rich. According to the World Bank’s report, female employment has sunk significantly over the past 26 years, which obviously has not helped India’s economy. However, if more women entered the workforce, India could increase its domestic gross by 60% by 2025, which would help Modi to be more popular among higher class voters. But as long as women feel unsafe and vulnerable at their workplaces, this development seems unachievable for India. Nonetheless, many hope that Mr. Akbar’s resignation will lead to changes in women’s rights in India and will unify and extend the movement to women who are more vulnerable.

Words by Vanda Suha

LONDON

An Alternative Christmas in the Big Smoke Stevie

hristmas in London… let’s do something a little different this year. Ice skating during the Winter Holidays is a must, but if you’re anything like me, you won’t be particularly enticed by the overpriced and over-photographed Natural History Museum (no matter how traditional). My recommendation for an alternative ice rink is one of my favourite winter destinations: Skylight at Tobacco Dock. It fosters a groovy and hipster vibe with enough activities to keep you entertained all day. From skating to cosy rug areas, from ice-hockey to neon lights, cocktails and street food, Skylight has it all. The best part about it is that it is on the roof, which means the views are epic! Up next is Petersham Nurseries located first in Richmond Park, with an outlet store in Covent Garden. Their mother venue holds a special place in my heart as I’ve spent many Christmases picking out trees and decorations from there... a spot of shopping followed by a delightful slice of carrot cake – sounds like a perfect winter’s afternoon! It is elegant, beautiful and will definitely encourage your Christmas cheer. Last but not least, for a divine cup of mulled wine (disguised in a coffee cup, so an “11sie” is perfectly okay) check out Brood in Borough Market.

Samantha Lisha

Christmas in London is a truly remarkable

Taylor

y favourite find this year is Skyline Skating on John Lewis’ Oxford Street rooftop. Although the rink itself is small, you can’t beat the view for people watching – especially if you’ve already smugly finished your Christmas shopping! As mesmerising as the London Zoo Light Trail and Kew Gardens lights look, why not see the lights for free at Carnaby Street and use the money you would have spent on an early Christmas present for yourself!? However, the ultimate money-saver that still leaves you satisfied is a good ol’ walk in the park – especially if it snows! As well as our very own Victoria park, you could take a leisurely stroll around Greenwich park (be sure to go before you hit the market though as you’ll have a lot of goods to carry!) or go deer spotting in Richmond park – I’m afraid you’ll just have to pretend they’re reindeer!

experience and here are some budget friendly places to visit this festive season. Each year The Shard have a stunning and awe-inspiring Christmas lights display at the top of the building. The great thing about these lights is that you don’t even have travel to see them as we have an incredible view of The Shard from Mile End Road (I’d recommend going to the top floor of the Graduate Building)! Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park is an obvious favourite for Londoners, but it is generally quite expensive and crowded, why not try out Walthamstow Winter Wonderland which is a new event that runs every Sunday from 10am - 5pm. There will be delicious street food, market stalls, rides, an ice rink (of course) and even a Santa’s Grotto! If this doesn’t tickle your fancy, then why not head over to Trafalgar Square? Not only do they have a magnificent Christmas tree, throughout December they will also be holding daily Christmas Carol shows to get you in the Christmas spirit! Spend a couple of hours singing and dancing along with the carollers, all for free. Hands down, this has to be one of my favourite places to visit during Christmas, I’d highly recommend it.

One of my favourite places to soak up the

festive spirit is Christmas By The River, next to Tower Bridge. While slightly smaller than other Christmas markets with its cosy wooden cabins, lots of hearty, seasonal treats and handmade crafts, it’s the iconic riverside location that makes it truly magical. Surrounded by some of London’s best architecture, it’s the perfect place to appreciate living in the city this festive season, especially at night when it becomes illuminated by the city’s lights. This year, head to Liverpool Street to check out The Winter Forest at Broadgate Circle. Get lost in a forest of 300 snow-covered pine trees and twinkling lights. Listen to live music, warm up with festive cocktails and enjoy deliciously festive food stalls. Do you really need any more incentive? If you’ve got a little extra cash after saving on all these brilliant budget-friendly ideas, get a group together and try curling. Stratford’s Roof East brings a Jamaican twist to this unique Winter Olympic sport with tropical cocktails and steel drums playing all your favourite Christmas tunes.

Words by Stevie, Taylor, Lisha and Samantha

Culture Is A Book In My Library Editor’s Pick: This article has already been published online but it is my favourite of the month and generated a lot of hits on the website. I love the fusion of academic elements with the personal. Have a read for yourself and you’ll see what I mean!

Many students at Queen Mary have another cultural background. Yet when asked whether they feel more British or more their other culture, many struggle to define and weigh up how much they feel that they belong to one culture or the other. Many will say that they are both. A hybrid; a complicated mixture. They attempt to defy the binary frameworks - the ‘either-or’ categories – which are unthinkingly imposed by friendly enquirers. I can relate to this experience, as I also have two cultures “MANY SAY THEY ARE BOTH. A HYBRID; – Danish and British. My parents are from A COMPLICATED Denmark, but I have MIXTURE.” grown up in the UK. Neither of these cultures entirely define me; rather they are references, which I draw on to create a sense of self. They are, so to speak, simply books in my internal library. Culturally hybrid individuals are sometimes presented as stuck, straddled or torn between 12

two cultures. Nietzsche suggested that these individuals may struggle with conflicting ideas and values and that they may have the “profound desire [...] that the war they are should come to an end” (Welsch, 1999). However, Nietzsche also stressed that having multiple cultures is not necessarily a negative experience. He in fact made clear that he himself was glad “to harbour many [...] souls within” (ibid). Indeed, the experience of two cultures gives us an alternative standpoint. Danish books, films and idioms have provided me with new references. The inside jokes within my family and our discussions are often coloured by such references. In addition, multi-cultural individuals may have a broader culinary palette, and many are able to speak another language. This other language gives us a new way to express ourselves and to communicate. Of course, within our minds, aspects of our different cultures become jumbled together and so something new is produced – a hybrid-self, that is neither one culture nor the other, nor stuck in-between.

Yet culture is not the only ‘book’ on our shelf. Other sources may equally shape us as a person – the books we read, the films we watch and the sum of our experiences and interactions influence the way we think and act. A book on Nietzsche or a film on Frida Kahlo, for example, may encourage us to embrace suffering as a part of life. Or doing a course on Marxism may convince us that capitalist society is inherently exploitative. Alternatively, we may come to believe that capitalism, although flawed, spurs innovation and harnesses natural human competitiveness. The point is, that our identities are constantly changing, shaped continually by the new ideas that we come across. Our values are determined through a constant negotiation between competing ideas. Having another culture is just one aspect of the self, but we may also define ourselves in many other ways. However, is it wrong to see

EDITOR IN CHIEF PICK

I am sure that many people with two cultures will have similar experiences of drawing on aspects of both of their cultural backgrounds. And for many this can be a highly positive experience and not an experience of being ‘torn’ between cultures. It is in this light that the metaphor of books can be useful. We may have multiple books on our “we may have shelf; we do not need multiple books on to decide between them. our sehlf; we do The books, just like our not need to decide two cultures, can cobetween theM” exist. We do not need to get rid of an old book to buy another one, just as we do not have to get rid of our old culture when we move to a new place. When we present our culture to others, we may only highlight the ‘best’ parts, just as if we were persuading them to read a particular book. Additionally, culture can provide us with a framework and vocabulary to define ourselves, similar to the way that reading provides us with conceptual pillars to build our ideas.

culture as just another source in the personal reference library? Undoubtedly, it is common to attach greater emotionality to culture than to other intellectual concepts. If you dismiss someone’s ideas on say, Nietzsche’s philosophy or Marxist economics, people are less likely to be offended than if you criticize aspects of their culture. It is interesting that we have such a great attachment to what is seemingly just an “imagined community” (Anderson, 1993). Certainly, culture is a book that was placed in our personal library much earlier on in our lives. The idea of cultural belonging has been engrained in us by our families (and this is not meant in a negative sense) when they make cultural references, uphold particular “‘Who are you?’ traditions and give so often becomes us certain foods. It conflated with the is an idea fed to us question, ‘where by politicians, who are you from?’” encourage solidarity with the nation-state or who depict immigrants as ‘outside’ the nation - as belonging to a different culture. Moreover, when we are asked to introduce ourselves, societal convention typically commands that this includes an explanation of where we are from. Thus, the question, ‘who are you?’ so often becomes conflated with the question, ‘where are you from?’ One final thought: the Turkish-German author Özdamar highlights in her book, ‘Mutterzunge’, the way that culturally hybrid individuals often end up mixing their different languages – she wryly suggests that they have a “twisted tongue”. So, if I mix up and negotiate between many different beliefs and values in my mind, do I then have a twisted mind? Of course, I only say this mother tongue-in-cheek.

Words by Frida Peterson 13

FILM

Have Yourself a Very Scary Christmas! It’s fascinating that in a season that revolves around concepts of benevolence and good tidings, so many filmmakers take this subject matter as a background to make films that incorporate elements of horror or the gothic. I’m of course referencing the Christmas films that intend not to warm the spirit but rather shock it: Jack Frost (1997), Black Christmas (1974) and it’s 2006 remake, Silent Night (2012), to name a few. Here are just two of our favourite films that foreground Christmas in their stories of horror.

Gremlins (1984) – Words by Guy Pullen Between endless Christmas reruns and a spotty VHS recording, Gremlins was a staple of my holiday viewing growing up. I loved the excess of some of the Christmas set designs and the sheer chaotic energy that the gremlins bring as they wreak havoc on an idyllic American Christmas town. Gremlins takes place in Kingston Falls, a little American town that is so idyllic it could pass as the inside of a snow globe. Billy (Zach Galligan) receives Gizmo, a small furry creature known as a mogwai, as an early Christmas present accompanied by a series of rules for looking after him. These rules are accidentally broken and before long gremlins are taking over the town. It is up to Billy, his girlfriend Kate (Phoebe Cates), and Gizmo to resolve this problem. It would be wrong to say that the performances are good; the acting is wooden and the dialogue is hackneyed. However, this doesn’t matter as the film is so endearing and so much fun. Gremlins isn’t a serious movie and isn’t trying to be, it’s more akin to a witty and sophisticated B-movie. Basically, every scene within the movie is either a reference to another popular Hollywood film, or jam-packed with recognizable tropes for the

film buffs. The plus side of this is it adds a sense of familiarity to a film that gets a bit unhinged at points. Indeed, with production credits to Warner Bros. and Amblin Entertainment, Steven Spielberg’s company, it has a fantastic production value. The sets are detailed and have a sense of scale to them, creating a luxurious and homely feeling of Christmas and the animatronics are very convincing for the frequency with which they are used – which is a lot! The gremlins themselves, both puppets and animatronics, are easily the most enjoyable part of the film. They create an electric atmosphere in all their scenes, equally intimidating and ridiculous, they seem like an embodiment of pure chaos. When they get their comeuppance, their deaths are just as silly as they are satisfying. Jerry Goldsmith provides the punchy theme music, full of synths and distorted gremlin noises, it really builds the effect of the film, and is just as wacky and menacing as the gremlins themselves. A silent night is not had by the residents of Kingston Falls and with fantastic set design and energetic B-movie villains, Gremlins is a cheesy holiday treat and the epitome of 80’s kitsch.

Krampus (2015) – Words by Meliha Siddiqui Christmas is yet to come and we’re a long way past Halloween, but if you’re still up for thrills, then Krampus is a Christmas film with a darker twist to ease you into the festive period. It is inspired by mainland Europe medieval folklore about a horned beast who punishes misbehaving children during the Christmas period. The film follows the Engel family, whose Christmas dinner goes wrong after an altercation causes the youngest son, Max, to do something with devastating effects. The somewhat happy family gathering becomes a spree to save everybody’s life as the family encounter Krampus, who inflicts punishment on those who have been naughty (and who neglects to reward the nice).

Krampus, directed by Michael Doughtery, mixes and fuses the magical elements of Christmas with dark and twisted feelings of fear to create a great contrast. As the beginning of the film is embellished with the traditional joys of Christmas, from the set and costume design of the family gathering, one could simply assume this film was another Christmas drama in the vein of Home Alone or Deck the Halls. However, as the

plot progresses, so does the aesthetic design of the film as we are immersed in a contrasting cold and eerie climate, presenting an inverse of the happy holiday period! The cast features comedic actors such as Adam Scott, David Koechner, and Toni Collette, otherwise known for her Oscar-nominated role as Lynn Sear in The Sixth Sense. The film mixes dark fantasy with more humorous moments for black comedy to great effect. In this sense, the casting is perfect as their comedic antics are contrasted with the horrific. Despite the horror, the excessiveness of colour and design in Krampus means comparisons can be drawn to many of Disney and Tim Burton’s darker films. Yet, the beast of Krampus equally presents its own mythology in the film, creating a sort of fantasy surrounding the Christmas event. The effect of this isn’t to ease the fear factor in the film, but rather to keep us in touch with the morals and ideas of Christmas underlying the continual terror of the film. Krampus maintains this vicinity to Christmas throughout its narrative and works fantastically as a horrific film set in the midst of the seasonal period.

Winter has arrived and that means either updating or adding a few tweaks here and there to your daily beauty routine. Just like we add extra layers, we need to adapt our skincare and beauty routine for the winter season. So, let’s see how we can give our skin some warmth and extra care this winter!

Smooth Lucious Skin Be it any time of the year, it’s so important to moisturise your skin both on your face and body. I’d recommend using a moisturiser that is oil-based, even if you have acneprone skin oils are good for your skin, it just depends on the type of oil you use. For example, stay away from mineral oils and use essential or natural oils. Using oil-based products with ingredients like shea butter, lemon oil, chamomile, jojoba and olive oil are a great way to help hydrate your skin. I love using the Body Shop’s Body Butters. Their whole collection has an extensive range of scents and they absorb quickly, leaving your skin feeling and looking soft and smooth. I’d highly recommend the Almond milk & Honey Soothing & Restoring Body Butter. This body butter contains my favourite ingredient honey (which is a natural moisturiser and glow-enhancing ingredient) and this formula is designed to soothe, restore and protect dry, sensitive skin. Tip: apply a little bit of coconut oil to your skin every day whether that be on your body or face. This will improve your skin’s texture and a natural product without any harsh chemicals such as this, will soon be your skin’s best friend!

BEAUTY

Beauty Winter Secrets

Water Temperature Check Hot showers and baths feel so good and cosy in the winter but you’re actually stripping away all your skin’s natural oils. Use lukewarm water to prevent heat damage to your hair and skin. When washing your face, lightly pat your towel on your skin instead of scrubbing your face. Use gentle motions, as this will prevent early signs of aging and stimulate healthy blood flow.

Salon-Finish Hair During the winter months, you may find your hair feels dry and brittle and you might notice the appearance of dandruff. The reason being is that your scalp is dry and as tempting as it is to have warm showers, the hot water dries out your skin and your hair’s natural oils. To avoid this, use Coconut Oil. I cannot emphasise enough how good coconut oil is for you, not just in winter but throughout the year! Using your fingertips, massage the coconut oil into your scalp, making sure every root is coated fully. Leave this overnight and wash it out in the morning. You’ll find your hair feeling soft, silky and less prone to breakage. Do this twice a week for the best results. Tip: to lengthen and moisturise lashes and eyebrows, apply my secret ingredient: Castor Oil. This natural oil is rich in omega- 6 fatty acids, prevents breakage, and moisturises eyebrows and lashes. Using a clean spoolie brush or cotton bud, gently brush the castor oil through the lashes and eye-brows each night before going to sleep and you’ll notice healthier lashes and thicker eyebrows in no time!

Poutlicious Let’s face it, we’ve all experienced dry, sore lips and having the temptation to keep licking the lips or peeling the dry skin or adding lipstick on top to cover it... STOP! All these things make the situation worse. First things first, exfoliate your lips to remove dry skin, to expose their natural moisture, and to make them feel super soft. DIY Beauty – take a small teaspoon of demerara sugar (brown sugar works best but you can also use white sugar) and add a small drizzle of honey. Mix these ingredients together and take a small amount on your finger and scrub your lips with this. I use this natural lip exfoliator all the time, I’ve even noticed my lips appear to look plumper and bigger! Once you’ve exfoliated your lips, apply a generous layer of lip balm. Use something simple like Vaseline, EOS, or natural lip balms like my favourite Lanolips Lemonade Lip Treatment. The organic lemon oil in this treatment exfoliates the lips and the lanolin soaks in to fully hydrate the new skin. I’d do this before going to sleep - when you wake up, you’ll find your lips look fully nourished and feel so soft. Once you’ve done all your makeup for the day, apply a layer of lip balm and then your favourite lipstick on top. Lip balm adds a smooth base to the lips and I’ve noticed when you apply lipstick on top of lip balm, the colour lasts longer and looks fresh. Reapply lip balm during the day to retain moisture.

Words by Simran Singh 17

My good God, were we wrong. So wrong.

What Now!?

Here’s the deal, quicksnakes. This week was heralded as the start of a new dawn in the process – a draft agreement made, purportedly supported fully by Mrs May’s cabinet would signal great stridence. Unfortunately, all has changed over the past month. I mean, you would think there’s something pretty ominous about Dominic Raab, the actual Brexit secretary resigning over this draft right? That he could not “in good conscience” support such a deal. Yeah – pretty bad. It’s one thing for a Cabinet minister to resign, but the individual meant to be spearheading this deal – and utterly hating it for harming the “integrity of the UK” ... that speaks volumes. Especially since he lasted a meagre 129 days. Some time later came another blow. Esther McVey, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, followed suit. Her resignation letter derided the deal for damning her with the integrity she would have to sacrifice when “looking her constituents in the face”, having to defend the draft agreement. It is hyperbolic yes, but I think it is quite refreshing to see a human side to our politicians every now and again. (Yeah, you can still hate them – but the face isn’t quite so revolting). Nonetheless, these two key resignations sparked a chain reaction in HM Government, as two other Brexit ministers and another chap stepped down, I think.

B lackett ’ s T wo C ents

*** You’ll know by now, consciously or unconsciously, that for the past two and a half years the Brexit process has dominated the news in the UK. As such, I was quite happy to think that we and the Government were reaching a watershed – a moment where we all could finally kick back and agree on the key issues or undeliverable promises that have quashed the public’s expectations for a good, clean departure. The past few days were supposed to reflect such a moment. Harmony. Unity. Acquiescence from LBC.

Since the 15th of November, I have picked up the sense that all blame has been squarely directed at our Prime Minister. While I think it is wise to call her out for a deal that does not represent public desire in leaving the EU, we need to refrain from scapegoating her. I believe that any politician who had taken up the mantle following David Cameron’s departure would have a hell of a time delivering on the insufferable mantras and pseudo-racist claptrap Farage’s lot had been touting since the referendum’s announcement in February 2016. I’d grown to really hate the overcompensation of little Englanders in the run-up to the vote – you know what I mean, the “I’m not racist but...” chaps who prefer to spend time talking politics over pints than perusing the annals of Question Time. Far be it for me to despise them, I’ve always thought each idiot is allowed his own slice of ignorance. That ignorance, however is becoming the mainstream. There’s a great many hacking the PM to shreds while she defiantly stands up for what she thinks is the best deal. Whether that’s to be her downfall is to be seen as the proof of the pudding will be in the eating. Still, there’s a great deal of difference between nitpicking the issues of the recent draft agreement and coating oneself in self-righteousness. Because, and in spite of these ruminations, there is no clear option for progression. What we need to remember – Theresa May and the failure of Brexit will be intertwined, but those seeds of disappointment were sown long before she took the reigns. *** Words by Aaron Blackett

THE SILVER LINING

Choose ‘Wonky Veg’ Loads of fruit and vegetables are thrown away each year simply because they don’t “look” good enough for consumer purchases. This is one of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever heard. Perfectly good and tasty vegetables are refused by supermarkets simply on the grounds that they don’t look the way vegetables “should”. Or they aren’t aesthetically pleasing enough. We are talking about food here, food that should nourish our bodies rather than our eyes. There’s a big movement called “wonky veg” which aims to promote choosing veg that looks a bit misshapen. Some supermarkets now have a dedicated section to wonky veg, and there are companies such as the London based ‘Oddbox’ which for as little as £10, will deliver boxes of a range of wonky veg straight to your door. This is the perfect way to consume sustainable vegetables in your Christmas dinner, by helping eliminate pointless food waste!

Have A Vegan Christmas Dinner It’s common knowledge that the meat industry is one of the biggest contributors to climate change. The greenhouse gases produced by farmed animals, alongside the deforestation of forests to grow soy crops for animal consumption, shows how detrimental the meat manufacturing process is to the planet. Choosing vegan alternatives for your Christmas dinner is a great way to have a sustainable Christmas. Just think about how many turkeys, pigs and cows have to be slaughtered for enough meat to fill the plates of everyone celebrating Christmas. You can easily switch out slices of ham, turkey and beef for meat-free alternatives like tofurky, a nut roast or mushroom wellington, to name just a few.

Words by Charlotte Whittaker As we enter the thick of the holiday season I’m sure most of us are busy planning Christmas dinners, buying presents for our friends and getting excited for the end of term. Not to sound too much like Scrooge, but whilst Christmas is obviously “the most wonderful time of the year” and a time for celebrating, it is also a time for mass consumption and wastage. With every Christmas present comes excess packaging and wrapping paper to dispose, and with every Christmas dinner (which always consists of a ton of food if we’re basing this off of my family) comes a lot of wastage. All of this seems that bit more tragic considering people in other parts of the world are not as fortunate and might not even be able to celebrate Christmas due to factors such as poverty. Obviously Christmas is great and should be enjoyed at its fullest, but in light of the waste associated with the holiday season, how best can we make Christmas more sustainable? Here are a few ideas to inspire you. 20

Wrap Presents With Receyclable Brown Paper Wrapping paper is, quite obviously, a staple when it comes to Christmas time. Yet you don’t really think about how much paper is wasted over the season. It is estimated that enough wrapping paper is used to wrap the entire island of Guernsey, most of which can’t be recycled. When considering the mass deforestation occurring due to growing soy crops and palm oil, this extensive amount of wrapping paper wasted on top of this is really unnecessary. Instead, why not wrap your presents in recyclable brown paper for just as nice an effect, which is also a whole lot more sustainable? If you feel your parcels look too plain, you can always jazz them up with handmade tags from recycled Christmas cards!

Buy Sustainable Presents Christmas is all about buying into the consumerist culture and spending money on gifts that sometimes only get used once, or are quite frankly unnecessary. Just think about all the tat you get in stocking fillers from the likes of Tiger or Primark (the gifts where you have to fake delight in front of your relatives). A great way to be sustainable this Christmas is to buy presents that are environmentally friendly such as ethically sourced products from www.protecttheplanet.co.uk. Or, you could give presents that don’t require any packaging such as gift experiences, or even make presents to show off your creative side. This eliminates needless waste, promotes using sustainable alternatives and shows how you’ve put thought into your gifts.

Enjoying Art and Cafés in London’s East End As the days grow dark alarmingly fast and a chill you can’t ignore begins lingering in the air, it’s becoming apparent that winter is almost here. That and the fact that we’re already in December means you might be turning on the heating, shrugging on another layer of clothing or—most importantly—grabbing yourself a steaming hot drink. For me, nothing pairs better with a hot chocolate or latte than some art to lose yourself in.

W or ds by M on e

ek a

Th ak ur

Whether it’s an intricate painting or a ramshackle collage, there’s something undeniably magical about art and cafés. For this wintry edition, I’ve put together a few places to sip your favourite drink and soak in something creative. You might be pleased to read that all of these locations are near to Queen Mary! So after your lecture or seminar, head to one of these locations to get a well-deserved and comforting caffeine fix. What follows is a description of the Cafés, including an idea of how far they are from Queen Mary’s Mile End Campus, recent exhibitions and some tempting things on the menu.

Husk Coffee & Creative Space

Whitechapel • 12 minutes on the bus • Recommendation: Mini Custard Tarts

Limehouse • 15 minute walk • Recommendation: Vegan Peanut Butter Cookie

The first thing you see when you walk into Exmouth is the array of cakes and pastries they have on offer. Once you’ve chosen what you want and venture in for a seat, you’ll next encounter a vast wall of art that previous café goers have left behind. There is something pretty powerful and moving about the collage of different doodles, portraits and currency notes pinned together at this café. You sense the transiency of each customer turned artist but also their lasting mark, their small stamp in this collective space of community and creativity. What’s cool about this hodgepodge, informal gallery is that anyone can be a part of it. While I haven’t been brave enough to leave a piece of my own drawings behind, I encourage you to do so!

Walking into Husk is like walking into a warm and gentle hug that you need after a long and endless day. Inside, the place is filled with mismatched armchairs, stacks of books and verdant green plants. While I love the cosy atmosphere and the treats Husk has to offer, the best thing might be the eclectic art that features on its walls. Its gallery is actually called The Walls, showcasing month long solo shows by artists. Previous work includes BluPea by Sonya Chana. The piece exhibits a beautiful ultramarine peacock, smoothly spiralling in on itself and decorated in striking gold patterns. It is remarkably easy to become lost in the gleaming, twisting intricacy of Chana’s art.

ARTS

Coffees and Canvases

Exmouth Coffee Company

Stour Space Hackney • 20 minutes on the bus • Recommendation: Wasabi Avocado Toast Presenting itself as a ‘multi-functional creative venue with bar and café’, Stour Space certainly ticks off a lot of boxes. Its location is stunning with its outdoor terrace floating over the River Lee. From buttermilk boneless thighs to black wild rice and avocado, the menu has something for everyone. Beyond this exciting menu is Stour Space’s incredible support of local artists and enterprises. Providing a space for creativity to flourish, the organisation (amongst many other things) brings art to the people. A recent exhibition called ‘Portraits from A Hackney Autobiography’ ran from the 3rd to the 21st of November. The show focused on Centerprise, a radical bookshop/publisher/ café in Hackney, and the different portraits of those who worked there, bringing light to a powerful and impressive part of the borough’s history. 23

CUB’s

Winter Photo Competition

Pho to c redi t

: Isa

bell

PHOTOGRAPHY

I took these photos of my dog during a very white winter at the beginning of this year, he had never seen the snow before, yet being the fur ball that he is, he loved it! I took the other photo during a winter’s walk in the woods. I love how the light reflects and refracts through the spider web – it reminds me how peaceful nature is.

e Ha thaw ay

o Phot

cred

rah it: Sa

ell

Bard

I took these photos on Oxford Street when the lights were turned on, I feel like they really capture the vibrancy of London during winter. It’s like a glow in the dark city. 24

Sheikh-ing the Middle East

KILLING KHASHOGGI:

A Political Paradox

Jamal Khashoggi rose to prominence during his career within the Saudi Kingdom as a journalist and advisor to the former head of intelligence. During this time, he covered major headlines such as the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and interviewed a young Osama Bin Laden. His relationship with the crown turned delicate when he began criticising Saudi policy in the Yemen war and the handling of its dissidents. Due to his independence and empathetic stance towards the West, he became an extremely well-connected man and positioned himself as a gobetween for the Kingdom and foreign journalists, diplomats and others wanting to understand the Saudi perspective. However, by frequently exposing the brutal regime under the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and pushing for political reform, he feared retribution from the regime and fled the state in a selfimposed exile to the USA. On the afternoon of the 2nd October, Jamal Khashoggi was documented walking into the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, however, he was never seen walking out. He had previously visited on 28th September, just a few days prior to his disappearance in an effort to obtain documents he needed in order to marry fiancé Hatice Cengiz – a Turkish doctoral student – the next day. The documents were to certify that his previous marriage had been dissolved and that he was eligible to re-marry. He was told 26

to come back and was reportedly treated with nothing but kindness and professionalism which is why he wasn’t very concerned about having to go back. As soon as news broke out about the disappearance of Khashoggi, the Saudis insisted that he had left the consulate safely and had not been offered anything to suggest otherwise. This was held until a Turkish investigation into the disappearance revealed that Khashoggi had been interrogated, tortured and killed and evidence of these acts were offered by recordings made on the Apple watch Khashoggi was wearing at the time. The video footage synced to his phone which his fiancé was holding outside the consulate. While The Saudi Kingdom has long been ruled in by consensus of senior princes and authorities, this has changed with the new Crown Prince Mohammed. Since taking office in 2017, he has largely dismantled this seniority system which has left his power largely unchecked. For these reasons, many believe that the decision taken to silence the enemy of the state would most likely have been from the Crown Prince himself. Yet, the international community, including the US have thus far only imposed sanctions on 17 Saudi officials it believes to be connected with the Saudi critic’s death. Conveniently leaving out the Crown Prince himself. The sanctions included the freezing of US assets,

barring American citizens from engaging in business with identified persons and calling upon the Saudi government to ‘end any targeting of political dissidents or journalists.’ Many members of Congress and authorities in Washington believe that the Crown Prince is behind the orchestration of Khashoggi’s death. However, the Trump administration has kept no secret in the act that a tough stance and further sanctioning the Crown Prince’s inner circle or the Prince himself, will no doubt jeopardise weapons sales with the Saudis. The Trump administration has resisted pressure from many to stop the sale of weapons to the gulf monarchy. However, he reasoned that far too many jobs depended on the sales to the Kingdom. Many analysts disagree with this statement completely and claim that this relationship between weapon sales and jobs is greatly exaggerated. This is because Saudi Arabia doesn’t spend much money on American weapons, it does buy ammunition and bombs to sustain the bloody war it wages in Yemen, but it definitely doesn’t come anywhere near to the $100 billion deal Trump claims it does. This reasoning from the Trump administration falls back onto the political arrangements that both heads of state have in place. Once again, we witness the US pursuing their own interests instead of championing justice through liberal means and properly punishing those that are at fault. It is

and will always be, a game of politics in which the US has long only had interest in strengthening their relationship with the House of Saud and facilitating their exports, instead of achieving human rights and humane concerns for the citizens of the state.

Words by: Azmin M. Mistry 27

often let the idea of o s hyp ou er m ta y h

“ ‘W

UNISEX

me” supre n ig

pa s s m o -c

ion and self-love s hou ld

”

“se lf

How is it that your appeal exists? In every fantasy, in every dream, and in every thought, you manage to seep in as fast as raindrops into desert sand. You’re unstoppable and even when I know you’re not something I want to experience, I have a thirst for your presence - a

path?

AND WHY ARE YOU SO APPEALING ANYWAYS?

Why is it that all the moments of humility and embarrassment I’ve experienced amount to you? You build up like plaque, but I just can’t brush you off; there’s no quick-fix solution and I’m left stained with my lacking confidence left visible to everyone, even when I smile. What is it about insecurity and being devoid of self-worth that allows you to transpire into arousal? How can the worst experiences from the past manifest themselves into you so fast? You have no decency, no respect. The second I’m remotely insecure

about anything or envious of anyone, you pounce. No matter how insignificant it may be, you’re always there, lurking.

hy i si

WHERE DO YOU COME FROM AND WHY ARE YOU HERE?

For so many reasons, I wish you’d lose your appeal. If self-hatred can provoke arousal, then surely self-compassion can as well. We need to change the narrative around you – and fast. We can’t let you consume us day by day, little by little, in servings that appear to be as little as a teaspoon, but end up being a feast of frail feelings on the verge of breaking down. So I challenge your existence, mainly because I don’t want to live with you in my line of sight any longer. Instead, self-compassion and self-love should reign supreme. Just because you’ve been king for so long, it doesn’t mean you can’t be overthrown. It’s time to change the dialogue around arousal and appreciate the qualities that, in both a sexual and non-sexual context, matter most: confidence, ownership, and comfort. You shouldn’t be there to drag people down; we should be allowed to take control and have faith in our own sexual narratives, take ownership of our bodies and practice body-positivity no matter what, and take the steps necessary to feel comfortable in our own skin, no matter how hard it may be. You’re not needed; you’re not appreciated – and for once you need to feel the same way as I have for so long.

uch

It’s about time that I question you – the nature of your ways, the appeal you have, and the reasons behind your very existence in the first place. I’ve been putting this off for some time, but I’ve had enough.

WHY CAN’T SELF-LOVE BE MADE SEXY?

obia lead you d o w ns

WORDS BY MATTHEW FERGUSON

oph hom

OF SEX AND SELF-DEPRICATION

INTERROGATION

uelty, of bodysh a m , of cr y t i in ing l u ,a asc

Beyond the scope of my own individuality, why are you a reflection of the absolute worst notions inherent in society? It’s as if you’ve absorbed these ideas through some sick orgasmic osmosis, leaving my conflicted mind at your mercy. Why is it that you so often let the idea of hypermasculinity, of cruelty, of body-shaming, and of homophobia lead you down such a dark path? How on earth is the idea of having slurs shouted at me in a degrading way at all attractive. And yet it is. Somehow you’re embedded deep into the back of my mind, feeding off of oppression and regret as if it’s the only thing you can eat. Your values are homophobic, sexist, racist, bigoted, appalling, oppressive, but sexy? No, it shouldn’t be this way.

What business do you have taking up my time? And what makes you think you have the right to do so? I’ll put it to you bluntly – you don’t. I’m tired of wasting away my thoughts and worries on you. As hard as it is to build confidence, it’s equally as hard to endure your vile presence. You won’t be missed.

ar k

WHY ARE YOU ALWAYS A REFLECTION OF THE WORST?

SO WHY ARE YOU STILL HERE?

need for it to be quenched. You’ve contorted and disguised yourself time and time again only to slip in at the very worst of times, never giving me the chance to feel without you, living off of my shame like a tormented tick.

I have been in regular therapy for years, and I

for the reason that she suggested. And my rape

will always be the first to argue its merit. It has

was in no way my fault or responsibility. Both

without a doubt saved my life and I am proud of how it has helped me grow into the woman I am today. Therapists are trained to understand human psychology and I have yet to come across one that has blinked at my gender, my sexuality,

myself; neither understood the implications of the things they were saying. I have heard similar stories from friends who

or any of the other things a more bigoted person

have sought help for mental illness. This is not a

might. But despite their huge helpfulness,

problem unique to one country or system—the

therapists are human. And often, they are

stories range from private to NHS, from the UK

unaware of the intricacies of micro aggressions and internalized misogyny (or homophobia, racism, etc.). Is it their responsibility to learn? One of my counsellors insisted that I experienced a fundamentally different kind of love with my first girlfriend than I did with my boyfriend at the time, because one was a woman and one was a man. Another suggested that I had put myself in the path of sexual assault.

women intended to help me better understand

to America. Insensitivity is also not unique to a gender, though certain experiences beget certain biases and blind spot. It is a problem

“It is not a problem with a certain group of people, but with all people who fail to recognize their own insensitivity”

I was taken aback each time. It was true, that my

not with a certain group of people, but with all

second love was different from my first, but not

people who fail to recognize their own

insensitivity. I have already expressed that I

When I see a man on the street, the anxiety I

believe firmly in the responsibility of every person

feel has everything to do with how I have been

to educate themselves about their privilege if it is their desire to live in a more equal world. I think such measures are essential in the task of knocking down oppressive societal structures— if it is always the oppressed doing the heavy

treated by men in the past. When I see women blamed for their own assault, it sends shivers down my spine. Such an assertion being made in a place where I was meant to feel totally safe was deeply upsetting. A physical doctor studies the impacts of

“If it is always the oppressed doing the heavy lifting in educating their oppressors, nothing will change”

environmental factors on the body, why should

lifting in educating their oppressors, nothing

understand the world in which those under their

will change. In that sense, mental health

care live. Therapists especially have the difficult

professionals, like everyone, should be making

task of helping others to navigate an increasingly

conscious efforts towards self-moderation. But

polarized and difficult world. If they do not

as medical practitioners, should they bear more

understand the nuances and structures of that

responsibility than the average citizen? It is

world themselves, it will be impossible for them

possible to argue that society has no impact on

to guide others.

a doctor of mental health be excused from making the same studies? No human has any obligation to believe anything, but those charged with caring for others have a responsibility to

those that live within it. Our environment shapes our psychology; sexism, or any other kind of oppression, changes the mindset of those who experience it.

Words by Isabelle Hathaway 31

RIGHTS AND SENTIMENTS

THE FEMALE Mentality:

Are mental health professionals trained to deal with the onslaught of sexism faced by women today?

The Dark side of Anime in British Conventions This summer just gone I had the opportunity to visit the London Film & Comic Con at the Olympia, something I rarely get the chance to do, and despite me not being able to afford half the merch or really any guest signings, I had a great time. It was welcoming to be amongst the nerdy things I have held so dear all my life, and to be surrounded by people you can always feel comfortable with. Going to any comic-con you will see a bunch of people dressed up as their favourite characters, and its nice to know that they can be themselves without the judgement they would get otherwise. But it’s not always fun-and-games, as I so unfortunately found, for the event had dedicated a space in the marketplace for one large stall which always gets me fired up. This vendor, like many others, sold Anime and Manga related products; but, unlike their regular counterparts, this stall sold products with sexually suggestive images of young cartoon girls. You may or may not know about this already, 32

depending on whether you are an Anime or not, but there is a dark and serious element of animated culture that sexualises children with the excuse that their images are not real; and therefore, not dangerous. I couldn’t get close enough to take a picture, but if I did, you would see body-pillows with underage girls in sexualised school outfits and Manga with similar girls in mocksexual situations. It has been worse at comic conventions in the past; one Vice article by Sam Clements, relates Manga with underage figures depicting actual sex and sometimes rape. The hideous part of it was that, in Clement’s words: ‘None of the preteen hentai smut was hidden away in mucky, pokey corners of the show, either - it was littered throughout the event, which created a scene I’ve never had the pleasure of coming across before: a trough of ageing perverts browsing cartoon kiddie porn next to a bunch of children queuing up for a Dr Who DVD signing.’ The problem; however, reaches its disgusting rock bottom in Japan itself, where such pornography can reach extremes that are actually

Words by Samuel Clarke

illegal in the UK. Lolicon, (or “Lolita complex”) is one such example. It can have you imprisoned in this country, but in Japan it’s completely fine, despite the genre’s name being a reference to Vladimir Nabokov’s book Lolita, where a middle-aged man becomes sexually obsessed with a twelve-year old girl. Those who enjoy this type of media have been found in studies to be those that are disconnected to mainstream culture, but that doesn’t stop the precedent from having real-life consequences. Take, for example, Stacey Dooley’s documentary, Young Sex For Sale in Japan, where we find two horrific, and non-animated, consequences of this thinlyveiled paedophilia. The

first is the ‘schoolgirl’ alley, a street in Tokyo where men pay for romantic dates with underage girls in schoolgirl outfits. They can hold hands, maybe go for dinner, or, even more creepily, sleep on their laps, all with a set-up eerily mimicking an Amsterdam brothel. But this isn’t nearly as despicable as the genre known as ‘Chaku Ero’, meaning ‘erotically clothed’; soft-porn of young girls in sometimes overtly sexual scenarios. The youngest girl used by one producer of such material, as mentioned in Dooley’s documentary, was a six-year old girl whose own mother allowed her to be filmed in a bathing suit playing with toys. If that doesn’t make you want to be physically sick

with disgust, then I am not sure what will. Of course, (and this is a message specifically for those who know little about Anime), this isn’t representative of the genre of Anime or Manga as a whole, and not everyone is like this; but, undeniably, it is still there. I will be attending the Olympia’s Hyper Japan event this winter, and I desperately hope that I won’t find more of the same. Considering the mix of traditional as well as modern Japanese culture, I will try to rely on the organiser’s understanding of these problems and the negative depictions of Japan that is brings.

L'ART POLITIQUE

Manga, Chaku Ero and Paedophilia:

Flora: ‘Deli Daydreams’ by Kojaque

Azraa: ‘Room 25’ by Noname

Heather: ‘Rebekah-EP’ and ‘Anyway EP’ by Jack Vallier

Rachel: ‘The Kite String Tangle Presents: In a Desperate Moment’ by The Kite String Tangle

Dublin-based rapper, poet and all-round creative Kojaque has been dominating the Irish music scene, and is about to take on the rest of the UK for the first time with a tour that’s rapidly selling-out. Co-founder of Soft Boy Records: a collective of DJs, singers, producers and song-writers alike, who are embracing emotion and all-round softness in an industry dominated by toxic masculinity. His thick southern-Irish accent characterises each song, but it is his vulnerable and sharp lyrics that define Kojaque as an artist. Other than his bedroom beats EP ‘Sunday Roast’ that you can find on Soundcloud, ‘Deli Daydreams’ is the first official album from this hip-hop soft boy. From the seriously heavy melodies and politically-fuelled lyrics of White Noise, to the light humour and theatrics of Love and Braggadocio, this album is the perfect product of a conscious and talented musician beginning his career. Look out for CUB’s review of his London gig at Corsica Studios later on this month.

“Maybe this the album you listen to in your car / When you driving home late at night / Really questioning every god, religion, Kanye...”

Jack Vallier, a singer-songwriter hailing from sunny Bournemouth, first broke into the music industry in 2017 when he self-released his first debut single, ‘Rebekah- EP’. Since then he has released his emotional, passionate and funky album ‘Anyway EP’ that centres around relationships and the struggles, mess, and affection that come along with them.

2018 brought the release of the second full album for eclectic electronic act: The Kite String Tangle (TKST). Behind the name is Australian-based music producer and writer Danny Haryley. Since his debut single in 2013, TKST has released hit song Arcadia, and his 2017 self-titled debut album, whilst giving famously outstanding live performances at some of the world’s most renowned festivals, including Coachella and SxSW. The release of his second album, ‘The Kite String Tangle Presents: In a Desperate Moment’ brings a mellow touch to his naturally atmospheric sound. Emotive vocals and crescendos of orchestral instrumentals intertwine in TKST’s own electronic space. The album is short but sweet, encompassing a new twist in sound for this progressive and dynamic artist.

These opening lines to Chicago rapper Fatimah Warner’s (known professionally as Noname) second project ‘Room 25’, embody why it is my album of the year. Warner is communicating an authentic tale of self and her perception of the world as a spectator. Though it is a personal journey, it is in a sense, universal: it allows us to see the world with rapt as we move through it. Shaped by neo-soul and jazz influences, ‘Room 25’ is refreshing and real, yet it isn’t proud. It lives amongst the versatility of hip-hop and rap music. Although the European portion of her tour is over, Noname will be continuing her tour throughout the states until next March, and undoubtedly be popping up all over the 2019 summer festival circuit.

Vallier, although only beginning his music career in 2017, now has 217,269 monthly listeners on Spotify. This self-starting artist is right on track to be one of the widest listened to and radio played artists of this century, with his first album ‘Rebecca- EP’ making a great impression by finding support on a BBC playlist. In addition, Vallier has appeared as the crowd-warming opening act for artists such as Dermot Kennedy and Bruno Major, playing at venues like the ornate and impressive Electric Brixton. Whether you’re trudging through snow or snuggling by the fire, Jack’s albums are the romantic, chill songs you should completely indulge in this winter.

MUSIC

CUB’S MUSIC TEAM’S ALBUMS OF THE YEAR (SO FAR...)

IN W

Words by Jasmine Ali

‘Everything seems so peaceful, but also so hectic as you stroll along the high street... ‘

‘It seems like nothing matters apart from Christmas...’

F E AT U R E S

W A N D E R I N G R

It is completely justifiable to complain about this time of year - I mean, who can blame you? Nobody likes the feeling of having icicles for hands, or the knife-like winds slashing across your face, not to mention London’s miserable rainy weather soaking you through to your skin. You may think its tempting to go into hibernation like animals do- but don’t be so quick to give up on winter just yet. Winter can provide some wonderful aesthetics for you to stop and appreciate, if you give it a chance of course… Everything seems so peaceful, but also so hectic as you stroll along the local high street. Past the countless Christmas promotions plastered across every shop front, café and pub; the large banners advertising small-town Christmas tree lightings; and the overall buzz of people rushing around buying Christmas presents- the business of the high street is at an all time high. This busy atmosphere is not at all like the chaos of Oxford Street, where you could cut the tension between the masses of annoyed commuters and bewildered tourists with a knife, no matter the time of year. In fact, especially in the lesser populated areas of London, there is no concept of such tension. Nobody has anything bad to say about anything or anyone (though if bank accounts could talk, I’m sure they’d say otherwise). Despite the tailback of traffic alongside you, there is still a calming sensation in the air-

one dissimilar to that of at any other time of the year, with smiles on their faces; but there seems to be a communal sense of relief. The world becomes a happier place in the run up to Christmas and New Year; for this is the one time of year where negativity seems to magically disappear and this feeling isn’t just limited to the outside world. Something Christmas related is trending on Twitter. You tap ‘Interested’ on a generous handful of upcoming Christmas events on Facebook. People are posting selfies with their Christmas trees on Instagram. Spotify is recommending a Christmas playlist. It seems like nothing matters apart from Christmas. Perhaps, you could say this lack of general social pessimism is society’s shared ‘Christmas miracle’. The doors make a profound creak. ‘The hinges need to be oiled,’ you think as you are blasted with a waft of warm, coffee-scented air upon entering your local coffee shop. You look around, only to find that the Christmas spirit from outside seems to have been embodied through the décor. Santa figurines are stood on top of the food counter, happily advertising the new and exclusive Christmas drinks; the take-away cups are coloured red and green; and even the drinks menu is festively ornamented. “One Gingerbread Latte, please” you say to the barista (who’s also wearing a Christmas hat), before noticing the light festive music being played through the coffee-

shop’s speakers. ‘It’s really busy in here,’ you think, ‘but it’s freezing outside, so I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.’ Setting your coffee down on the table, you take one of the seats by the window, and remove your chunky, woollen scarf and hefty winter coat. With gently pressed hands against the edges of the toasty cup, you immerse yourself within the views of the busy high-street. As you again appreciate the Christmas-themed streetlights and the buzz of the high street, but this time from the warmth of the indoors, the only bad thing you think of it all is: ‘this would look so much nicer if London was able to have a white Christmas.’ What I’m trying to suggest is to slow down. Stop and savour the beauty of the winter season instead of allowing yourself to become snowed under (pun intentional) by the stresses that assault you from day to day. Exploit the Christmas cheer to bring your family and friends together instead of locking yourself away from the cold outside. Overall, be grateful instead of unleashing your inner Scrooge this festive period…

‘“One Gingerbread Latte, please” you say to the barista... ‘ 37

So here it is Merry Christmas, Everybody’s Having Fundamentally Underfunded and Inaccessible Mental Health Support

staff, and at least one teacher in every primary and secondary school would be trained in Mental Health First Aid. I mean there was no mention of how she would fund these initiatives but the key point was that she would push for this if re-elected…. Move onto October, by this point she’s been reelected by the skin of her teeth - Debbie Andalo, for the Guardian, discussed ‘why mental health services in England are finally receiving attention.’ She believed that England was witnessing ‘the biggest expansion of mental health services in Europe’ – we were (supposedly) getting an extra £1.3bn invested annually by 2021. Sounds like Theresa kept her word… We’ll get onto the success of all these promises in a mo, but first, the less optimistic pieces – weighing in at 75% of the articles. The first article from January 2017 by Paul Gallagher for Inews complained of the ‘Mental health funding: the ‘revolution’ that never took place.’ He was referring to a year previously when David Cameron had promised just that. Apparently, he’d pledged £1.4 billion to help end the ‘shame and embarrassment’ felt by mental health patients, in particular £250 million would be invested specially for children. However, Gallagher pointed to the fact that a year on, this pot of gold had mysteriously disappeared. Oh, and there had been cuts galore across the sector. Similar articles speak of failures, empty promises, a lack of understanding, funding slashes, and inefficient spending. I will highlight

Believe me, I do not enjoy saying the government are not doing enough, I do not enjoy saying that we have ingested and believed false promises, but most importantly I do not enjoy saying that roughly 4,500 people take their lives every year making it is the biggest killer of men under 45 and young people aged 5-19, with rates for teenagers rising by 67% between 2010 and 2017. And that 1 in 4 people, and specifically 1 in 4 students, will suffer a mental health problem. But these things need to be said…

WE’RE ALL

Words by Gina Gambetta

MAD HERE

In order to objectively analyse mental health policies and services, I try so hard to appear neutral, and not overtly politically biased against our government. Even when I have been faced with some frustrating incidents, for example, the winter crisis last year, and to be honest, Theresa’s May constant U-turns and blunders, I try and weigh up both sides. However, I’m at the end of my tether. I refuse to keep making concessions for a government who are saying and repeating a lot, but doing very little, and therefore, merely paying lip service to the evident mental health crisis. In 2001, the World Health Organisation released a report that emphasised the ‘fact that mental health’ has been ‘neglected for far too long.’ And yet, it wasn’t until 2012, via the Health & Social Care Act, that the government attempted to create ‘parity of esteem’ between mental and physical health services. Granted, it can be concluded as a proactive, if belated, move in the right direction. But have we made significant strides in the last six years? Well, all I have to do is google ‘government pledges vs policy – mental health’ and be inundated with articles spanning the period. It’s a mixed bag. 25% are hopeful things are turning around. In May 2017, Ben Riley-Smith wrote an optimistic article for the Telegraph titled: ‘Theresa May unveils biggest shake-up of mental health policies in 30 years’ – apparently Mrs May was going to rid the country of the “burning injustice” that was the 1983 Mental Health Association, bring in ten thousand new NHS

WE'RE ALL MAD HERE

ALL

MAD HERE

WE’RE

one more which I believe is a good starting point to dissect the successes of Mrs May’s aforementioned promises. In September 2017, Lizzy Buchan for the Independent, wrote an article entitled ‘Government accused of ‘empty promises’ on mental health as NHS plans to slash funding.’ The main focus of the article was about Labour MP Luciana Berger, Shadow Minister for Mental Health, accusing Theresa May of, well, what the title states a year on from the General Election, as well as continued unequal services across the UK. Ok, so it’s a year(ish) on. What’s the situation looking like now? Well to her credit, Theresa May created a Minister for Suicide Prevention on World Mental Health Day and Minister for Loneliness in January. However, both these measures can be criticised as a smoke mirror to avoid extra funding, as both have to fight for their budget out of the NHS’s – is it really more money into services or just a re-shuffling of strained funds? Moreover, at the end of October, in his annual budget, Philip Hammond reeled off some amazing new initiatives, including: ‘£250 million in new crisis services including: 24/7 support via NHS 111, children and young people’s crisis teams in every part of the country, comprehensive mental health support in every A&E by 2023/24’, to name a few. Forgive me, however, for thinking they will all probably be forgotten in two months and be re-promised in the next GE! Indeed, remember in 2016 Theresa May pledging to institute the desperately needed support and education in schools, if re-elected? Well, on World Mental Health Day she just once again promised more assistance. Finally, hailed as Theresa May’s best initiative, on World Mental Health Day she pledged £1.8 million to the Samaritans, a charity that works on the frontline every day assisting people who are struggling to cope. This is meant to last them the next four years. Every year they support 228,370 people. After doing some quick maths, this money injection allows for £1.97 per person for an entire year! Sadly, mental health is a buzz word now, politicians use it in elections, speeches, and dedicated days to secure votes, stave off criticism, and appear like they are listening to the public. What tax cuts are to the rich, mental health is to the millennial.