FARID THE ZINE | THE ONLINE ISSUE | Pre-Spring 2021 by Farid the Zine

From the editors

20 What a whirlwind winter.

To start with I hope everyone managed to make the most of their Christmas and New year break. Whether it was a well needed break from work, a week long Netflix binge or Terry’s chocolate orange induced food coma, hopefully everyone found their own way to make it manageable.

Entering 2021 has brought me a lot of mixed feelings. While on one hand I’m looking forward positively to a fresh start and maybe a step forward towards a new normal, the sceptic in me is also cautious not to get my hopes up. The leap into the New year has also given me a feeling of nostalgia, as it does most years, but also a chance to look back. From uni, to family life to work and friendships, this year has changed things I never would have expected, both good and bad. Reminiscing has also made me realise that, scarily, I am now over half way through my Uni journey. Whilst this petrifies me it also excites me as I am more and more looking forwards to whatever is coming for me next. With nostalgia in the air we thought it would be the perfect time to reflect on Farid as a platform, and how much freedom and expression it has brought to so many of us. The online world has been so important to us over the last year, from inviting strangers into

your room on work zoom chats to face timing family over Christmas lunch it has brought us all together in our times of need and allowed us to keep progressing and making an impact! For this Online issue we have decided to combine the two biggest themes of the year and bring them together in a big Farid mashup. You might recognised some old and new names as we’ve looked back in our online archives and brought together articles that we really think are our best bits as well as some brand new editions. Troy returns with another edition of Marvel retrospect (if that isn’t enough to bring you some comfort idk what will), Hannah gives us an interesting perspective on toxic masculinity (with some Harry Styles content included of course) and Isaac shares his views on 2020’s BLM movement, plus so much more. We also have some oldies but goldies in this issue’s bookshelf which is worth checking out if you want something good to read on a Friday night while we wait for Moo’s to reopen.

It’s been a year of never ending surprises and not the easiest for anyone. I hope everyone is able to grasp the challenges of the New year in whatever way they can. Keep positive, I promise we will get there!

Megan Smith PRINT EDITOR

21 2021 will be a great year,

Trust me, I can feel it in my gut. We have vaccines for COVID-19, a new president will be taking over and things feel a lot brighter than this time last year. Now that Christmas is out of the way and we’ve all recovered from the copious amounts of chocolate and cheese, it feels as though everyone is in a rut. Once again, we’ve been forced to stay inside, but I have a feeling that this is the beginning of the end. In no time at all, we will all be embracing our freedoms, trying new things and reconnecting with the people that we love. For now, it feels like a fantasy but patience is key.

Of course, we can’t ignore the shocking events that happened at the Capitol on the 6th of January it looks like we haven’t learnt from last year but trust me, as horrible that it is they are just getting it out of their system and everything will be alright in the end. In the meantime, you can come and hang out with us. This issue is a special one because we’ve picked out some of the best articles from our website. As the Online Editor, I pride myself on quality content to be published on the website, a range of different topics like fashion, crime and lifestyle. Last year, we also branched out into our first video interviews as I got to sit

down with YouTubers, filmmakers and upcoming artists, you can always go and check those out on the website. However, it’s not about me, this issue is a celebration on all of the hard work that the new team have done, as a collective they’ve risen to the occasion and pulled all the stops out.

Clear your head of all the stress, put some Frank Ocean on because just for a little while, Megan, the Farid team and I have your back. There is light at the end of the tunnel, we just need to wait a little bit longer.

‘In no time at all we will be embracing our freedoms...’

Troy Milan Harrison ONLINE EDITOR

STARTING UNI...

. Y L T N E R E DIFF

- Kiera Neal

hen the word ‘Freshers’ comes to mind, what I’d usually think of is partying, socialising, and a new sense of freedom. However, it’s ironic with this new supposed ‘freedom’ you’re meant to gain, I don’t think I’ve ever felt more restricted.

If I’m honest, the aspect of starting university has always been a scary idea to me. The idea of going from living with my parents for 18 years, to suddenly moving to a new city and living with strangers, whilst starting a new course, did seem overwhelming to say the least; and that was before COVID-19 got put into the equation. It’s not even been the more obvious things like wearing masks in 3 hour seminars, that have made the experience strange for me. There are many aspects of change which I was expecting and could at least somehow mentally prepare for. It’s feelings I didn’t even think about, and the fact that students are having to deal with the feeling that they aren’t cared about, baffles me. Last week, when my flat mates and I looked out from our kitchen window, we saw an ambulance pulling up and escorting a COVID positive student, the student was having difficulty breathing but it felt as though the incident was treated like it was mundane. In that moment, more than ever it hit me how abnormal my experience as a Fresher has truly been. What upsets me most about the whole situation, is how I feel the problems of us students are once again being swept under the rug. Don’t forget, just two months ago we had our A Level results compromised by the government. Now, not only are we constantly being threatened with rumours we may not be able to go home to our families (which we weren’t even made aware was a possibility before we started university). We are also given hardly any support on the self-isolation process and are expected to arrange tests ourselves; we’re also basically being fully blamed for every rising spike of cases by the older generation.

It’s exhausting.

The whole situation just seems like yet another injustice to young people, on behalf of the government, and it frightens me how little regard they have for us to even consider how this could be affecting our mental wellbeing. It feels as though everyone’s too busy pointing fingers to care. I honestly believe the older generation think uni student’s biggest problems are having lectures via zoom, and not being able to stay at the pub after 10. However, what they don’t understand is that’s been the least of my worries. What I’m struggling to cope with is the overriding anxiety that I’m not going to be able to see my family at Christmas, that I’m going to have to self isolate for 2 weeks in my flat and that I’m going to get ill without having the comfort of my family; the list goes on. It feels like I’m on a constant countdown to when I find out I’ve been in contact with someone who’s tested positive. It’s a constant anxiety in the back of my mind. I just wish more people were considering the effect on student’s mental health the pandemic is having. I do feel guilty complaining when I know of others who are in far worse situations that I’m in; those unable to go home due to local lockdowns, who’ve been stuck in their accommodation for 2 weeks having to self isolate, or those who’ve actually been tested positive and are having to practically nurse themselves back to health, without the support system of their family at home. I’m extremely grateful my course allows me to have some seminars in person, as I know not everyone is this fortunate. I really can’t imagine what it’s like for those paying over £9K a year to have all their lessons online. So, I know when my situation could be so much worse, it may sound like I’m being over the top and complaining for the sake of it, but as someone who’s homesick, gets anxious easily and relies on knowing when they can come back to their home comforts to get them through, the idea of this being taken away, really scares me. Now more than ever, the future seems so unclear to everyone, and I know in scary times like this is when people are most likely to want to point fingers to blame. However, all I hope is that we can all have a little more empathy towards students and young people. It would be nice, just for a change.

an introduction to the

climate crisis

- Esme Abbott

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TAKE FARID EVERHWERE YOU GO @FARIDTHEZINE

“

boys in dresses: THE WAR WITH TOXIC MASCULINITY

Toxic masculinity is an ancient issue that has been standardising people’s lives for centuries. The modern, internet centric world has seen it evolve and dismantle in equal measure. Let’s talk about boys in dresses.

“

BY HANNAH SMITH

Going back to twitter, countless amounts of people were making the same point I just have in response to Owens’ initial tweet. This prompted her to say, “stable men do not wear ballgowns.” First of all, dragging something as serious as mental health into a debate about what essentially is a piece of fabric is quite frankly, ignorant and crude. Secondly, it proves how prejudiced we can be as a society. This entire twitter debate among many other gender issues has me begging the question: does fashion have a gender? It was only during the 20th century that it became acceptable for women to wear trousers. Now, no one bats an eyelid at it. It is even becoming increasingly popular for a woman to be seen in a suit, a traditionally tagged masculine outfit. Hey, even Owen’s sports a suit from time to time. Do I smell a hypocrite? So, if women can wear suits, and look pretty damn good doing so, why can’t men wear dresses? Men wearing dress-like articles of clothing is not a new thing and I’m not just talking about the last 50 years or so. In ancient Rome everybody was wearing togas and in ancient Greece they called it a chiton. In Japan they wore kimonos and in China they wore a hanfu. Not to mention the Scottish kilt. These items of clothing are significant to their respective cultures. Therefore, I fail to see the accuracy behind “stable men do not wear ballgowns.” Not only that, around the time of the 13th-15th century, many men wore a doublet which gave the effect of a skirt. If that isn’t enough for you, this type of clothing essentially looks like a short skirt with tights AND HEELS. Is that manly enough for you Conservatives and Republicans? Toxic masculinity is the enforcement of masculine ideals for men. It glorifies the idea that all men should exhibit traditionally masculine traits in order to be viewed as a ‘real man.’ It exists in telling someone to “man up,” belittling single fathers, the phrase “boys will be boys” and as we’ve seen more recently, still patronising men for the clothes they wish to wear.

Having a problem with men in dresses goes beyond just having a preference or an opinion. It ventures into the matter of transphobia. We see the same people who say, “you’re not a man anymore” to cis-gender men who wear dresses, saying “wearing women’s clothing won’t change the fact that you’re still a man,” to transgender women. It appears that their problem is not necessarily the garment in question just the overall queerness. Gatekeeping clothing can be harmful to more people than you may think. While in its simplest terms clothing is just a piece of fabric, it is a piece of fabric that in this context, can make or break a person’s happiness and freedom of expression. While the internet is an incredible thing in some respects, it is also an easy way for issues such as toxic masculinity to spread like wildfire. It gives people false notions of power as they propagate their hateful remarks to strangers from behind a screen. That being said, there is an uprising of people using the internet’s platforms to promote equality and stand against all manners of bigotry. Instagram has seen numerous accounts doing this such as @feminist, @impact, @ mattxiv, @pinkmantaray, @spencewuah, @ liberaljane, @alokvmenon and hundreds more. What we can take comfort in, is the knowledge that there is an increasing number of people out there who strive for a more radical and revolutionary world. Yes, the internet is powerful, but so are we. To answer the question: does fashion have a gender? I would have to say no. We have seen from history that clothing styles change rapidly and this is a time of progression and reclamation of the things that empower us. We live in a time where simply being yourself is seen as an act of rebellion. The world is not perfect, and it is still filled with a lot of hate. But that hatred lives internalised and deep within the pockets of a coat that is so wornout, you can’t even make dust cloths with it. So boys, show off your dresses and listen to Harry Styles in Vogue. “Clothes are there to have fun with and experiment with and play with - anytime you’re putting barriers up in your own life, you’re just limiting yourself.

“

There’s so much joy to be had in playing with clothes. I’ve never thought too much about what it means—it just becomes this extended part of creating something,” is what Harry Styles told Hamish Bowles in his Vogue feature ‘Playtime With Harry Styles.’ Keeping in line with its branding, the internet went wild in November when Harry Styles made magazine history by being the first solo man to appear on the cover of US Vogue. Not only that, he did it wearing a custom-made, lace-trimmed, periwinkle Gucci ballgown. The first person to publicly throw a tantrum over this was Candace Owens. She tweeted: “There is no society that can survive without strong men. The East Knows this. In the west, the steady feminization of our men at the same time that Marxism is being taught to our children is not a coincidence. It is an outright attack. Bring back manly men.” As you can imagine, fans of Styles suited up for battle and ambushed twitter with support against the backlash. Upon scrolling through, the opinions on the matter seem incredibly divided. The derogatory comments about men in dresses made me feel sick to my stomach. Whereas the uplifting comments made me feel proud to be part of a generation that are breaking down social constructs one by one. We live in a time where clothing options are abundant. There are hundreds of different styles and that is something that should be celebrated not restricted. Fashion plays the starring role in many of our lives. It accommodates to our desires to express ourselves, be comfortable, be warm, be experimental. Whoever you are, clothes mean something to everyone. Harry Styles is a prime example of someone who rebels against conventional gender roles, but he certainly wasn’t the first and I hope he won’t be the last. Familiar faces like David Bowie, Prince, Freddie Mercury, Kurt Cobain and so many others, all defied the norm when it came to fashion. May I also say, all these men I have mentioned so far are dearly loved by millions. Do you see a pattern here?

The Black, the brave, & the bold. Written by Troy Milan Harrison With countless multiverses and a crisis every week, it can be hard to appreciate the countless characters that occupy the pages of pop culture. It seems that comic book franchises like Marvel and DC Comics have a character for everything, from men who can swing from webs to women who can touch the stars. The rich, in-depth characters of these companies never fail to entertain the public with their films, television shows or epic blockbusters. However, with Black History Month finally arriving, there’s no better time to appreciate the characters of colour. The heroes that prove you can save the world no matter what colour your skin or what you believe in. In July 1966, Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby released Fantastic Four #52, an issue that would change the history of comic books forever. This wasn’t because the Fantastic Four were doing something heroic or Reed Richards (Mr Fantastic) had created a monumental device. It was because this comic was an introduction to Marvel’s first mainstream black superhero, a character with the name of… Black Panther. With the help of Jack Kirby, Stan Lee crafted a story of the Fantastic Four being invited to a technologically advanced country called Wakanda. However, Marvel’s First Family weren’t invited to be hailed as the heroes that they were. Instead, they were being hunted by a black-clad predator that looked a lot like a cat. When the dust settled, and Fantastic Four was captured by their mysterious predator it was revealed that he was actually T’Challa, the Prince of Wakanda.

That vital issue of the Fantastic Four opened the floodgate for hundreds of these characters to burst into the fold. The brilliant Black Lightning who shocked the enemies that stood in his way. Eric Brooks/Blade, a vampire that had all the strengths of creatures of the night but none of their weaknesses. Storm from the X-Men made the team more diverse as she was almost like an African goddess. It seems that Black Panther was a beacon for all of these superheroes of colour to come out into the limelight, giving the comic book community a sense of diversity and people of African descent all around the world a reason to be proud about their skin colour. However, as time went on these superheroes were pushed into the background. Their stories were cancelled because of controversies, such as the rise of the political party named “The Black Panthers” (no association with the comic book character). As a result, Marvel had no choice but to change the name of their character, for Black Panther became Coal Tiger (even though they were basically the same thing). Storm was almost put into the background to make way for Wolverine and Jean Grey’s stories (such as the Dark Phoenix), she went from a starring member to a glorified extra of the X-Men comics. Blade’s comics were cancelled as they weren’t as popular as Fantastic Four or X-Men.

Little by little, these characters were turning more inconspicuous rather than being in desire. The early 2000s and the present day saw something strange though. In recent years Marvel, DC and other comic book companies have yet again embraced the diversity of their characters. The medium of television and film has become another way for these characters to be appreciated. Characters like Black Lightning (Cress Williams) have their own Netflix shows, The Guardian (played by Mehcad Brooks) helps Supergirl protect National City, and Vixen has enjoyed some of the limelight on her own animated show, as well as a stint on Legends of Tomorrow (played by both Maisie Richardson Sellers and Megalyn Echikunwoke). In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there is also no shortage of characters. Falcon has become a fan favourite as he’s now assuming the role of Captain America with Steve Rogers’ blessing. Tessa Thompson is the new Queen of Asgard, however, not only does she represent the black community but the LGBT+ community, as she’ll be looking for a Queen to rule alongside her. Finally, we have the Prince of Wakanda himself who has taken his original name of Black Panther once more to earn £1billion at the box office, how’s that for a cinematic benchmark? This proves that the Marvel Cinematic Universe is thriving with these characters. Sure, we have heroes such as Iron Man and Black

Widow, but the Avengers shouldn’t shy away from diversity in their roster as the characters of colour are major powerhouses. You could argue that comic books weren’t diverse enough as the new influx of media has rewritten some of the characters into the black community. For instance, the rumour spouting Number 3 from the Netflix show ‘Umbrella Academy’ was never from black descent in the comics, yet is now played by Emmy Raver Lampman. Also, the aforementioned Guardian (Jimmy Olsen) in Supergirl has gone from a red-haired, caucasian photographer to a black man who’s the head of a mainstream media outlet. The question is, with all these characters getting changed for the small and big screen…were comic books not diverse enough? Nevertheless, looking back on the history of these characters, you can’t help but be impressed. There’s no mistaking comic book characters like the Chinese Amadeus Cho, who’s one of the smartest minds in the Marvel Comics Universe, or Ms Marvel, the Muslim hero who’s become a phenomenon with readers, should be celebrated equally. However, from 1966, these characters have withstood controversies, social discrimination and the peaks and troughs of pop culture. It’s finally time for heroes of colour to bathe in the limelight they deserve. After all, saving the world can’t be easy.

THE HIGH STREET IS DEAD

BUT INSTAGRAM ISN’T

AS OUR LIVES BECOME A VIRTUAL REALITY, INSTAGRAM MARKS ITS PLACE IN THE CONSUMERISM MARKET. Over the last 10 years we have seen a dramatic and sad death of the high street. Baron and empty shops, with only a few chains remaining. A lot has been done to try and prevent this sad truth, but as the world turns towards a more virtual reality, is it really as shocking as it seems? Millennials and Gen Z are renown for our use of technology and with our screen time ever increasing it’s not shocking that every aspect of our lives is turning online. A study by Tecmark showed the average time spend on our smart phones per week was 29 hours and 8 minutes, a shocking statistic but not something all that surprising. The truth is the high street is dead because our buying habits are turning online, and Instagram has been a huge factor in this. The app has 500 million users a day, and as a highly visual and creative platform, instagram is the go-to for companies, especially clothing ones, to grow their brand. As well as the visual aspects, the ability for celebrity endorsement is one of the biggest draws for retail brands to the platform. It’s reported a

post endorsed by Beyonce would be worth $1,000,000, showing the true extent of Instagram’s influence in the fashion market. Instagram isn’t what it used to be. When created ten years ago, it was a place to post cute pictures of your friends with embarrassing filters and hashtags. We had no idea how it could one day transform to what it is now. We would go on the app to message our friends, laugh at cat videos, or search through silly hashtags, whereas now, if you want the latest outfit inspo or to catch up on what your favourite celeb was wearing at an award show, it’s likely instagram will be your first point of call. Once, photo tags were to tag your friends profile, whereas now, tags are direct links to products and a gateway to spending money. Constant bombardment by celebrities with #AD or #Gifted content not only shows us more clothing and products than we could ever see on the high street, but swipe up links gives us the sense of immediacy that, as a generation, we are craving more and more. Why would we wait until the weekend to go into town, to search

the shops for hours for something similar to what our favourite youtuber was wearing, when in a matter of clicks we can have the exact same jacket delivered the next day without leaving the comfort of the sofa. Retail therapy is at the tip of our fingers like it never has been before. Whether you’ve had a bad day or the best day of your life, the temptation to treat yourself is more prevalent than ever. But what impact is this having on us as a generation? We crave the latest trends, even if we dislike them. What’s worse is that in turn we feed into the money trap as we post our own outfit pics for our friends and followers to envy and try and recreate. Keeping control of our spending is challenging, we keep our shopping apps, ASOS, ZARA, DEPOP, in a dedicated folder, and socials in a different section. But now, with every intent to go on instagram to look at your friends holiday pictures, more often than not the main thing you’re faced with is a shopping advert or sponsored post. It takes hours of scrolling to trawl through this catalogue of posts, and even unfollowing clothing accounts doesn’t ebb the flow as sponsored pictures automatically

appear amongst our feed. Instagram have even recently introduced a shopping tab, right where the notification tab used to be. Coincidence? I think not. The number of times my thumb has slipped and I have ended up having a cheeky scroll is embarrassing for me but very successful for their advertisers. Well done instagram. We all saw in Netflix’s Social dilemma, how each app targetting us individually, yet we can’t stop ourselves. In the ever evolving virtual world, consumerism is unavoidable. Apps we used to innocently enjoy are now ingeniously crafted, with technology we can’t even imagine, to make as much money from us as possible. Will we ever move away from our online worlds and back to reality, back to shopping in towns and on the highstreet? Or has our generational addiction to immediacy taken us away from the real world and into the online world of consumerism? What we do know for now is that Instagram is slowly creeping out of the social media category and into our wallets. Written by Megan Smith

@reeceillustrations

records records records

an interview an an interview interview

Hi my name is Joe Round Tell us about yourself Hi my name is Joe Round and I am the cofounder of UK based micro-independent DIY record label Satori Records. I work primarily on the design and digital media within the label, providing artwork, graphics and visuals where it’s needed. I’m currently studying for a masters in creative music practice at UOG using the label as my main point of study and exploration. What was the motivation to start the label The idea for the label was conceived in 2016 amidst the skate culture of the overspill car park we called a hometown near Birmingham. The skate scene brings a state of welcoming unlike any other and along with the alternative music, art and fashion that exists within it, in the beginning this led us to want to create something that could simply fit into this unique sub-culture of talented individuals. Before the idea for the label came into fruition, at first we began developing for a street/skate clothing brand, and it wasn’t until much later that we decided to combine the clothing brand into a music label. Now Satori Records exists as a provider of great alternative music to the masses and as an advocate for the use of DIY methods of creative practice as a means of creating something that can be on par with the methods used by major record labels. We make a point of creating all of our content in-house, as well as managing our administration, promotion and distribution entirely by ourselves within a small group of people. We do this because the climate of current innovation and technology allows us to, and we believe more people who have the dedication

and skills to do so should be creating and releasing music entirely independently, not only as a means of promoting a communal sense of collectivity and fair exchange between artists and record labels, but to rise against the idea that creating music or any artistic form should only be made for commercial and financial gain. Of course, this may be an ideal goal for some, but we believe that although we may be small, and we might not necessarily make it as big as the larger labels do, but I get a much bigger sense of gratitude from being part of a small community of people who want to make good tunes and have fun with music with complete creative freedom no matter how big we get or how much money we make, and that’s what it’s all about for me. Additionally, although we have predominantly focused on the label side of things since our official launch in 2018, we still have big plans to incorporate and release clothing very soon under the Satori brand. What would you like to do for your dream job My dream job would be exactly what I’m doing now with the label, but it would be great if in future I would be able to put all of my time and resources into developing it. Unfortunately with the nature and scale of our operation a lot of the funding has to come from our own pocket, which means having to maintain another means of income in order to support ourselves and the label. But that’s what being independent is all about, so we don’t harbour much ill feeling when it comes down to it.

What are your aspirations any new projects? We host a web series on our youtube channel in collaboration with No Sanctuary and Orbit

Productions, also affiliated with the university. We use this to showcase other alternative artists and provide a full recorded live song and video using the green screen studio. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s projects like this that are the most rewarding and fun to make, and that we continually strive to get more of. Future projects other than the clothing brand includes our own magazine, podcast and even our own independently made video games. What gets you through any creative blocks I try not to force it, I find that once I hit a block in my productivity that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s probably time to take a break anyway, so I find the time to relax and observe the world around me. I try to absorb as much information as I can from listening to podcasts and learning from masters of various crafts, keeping a close eye on any inspiration that arises and saving the actual creative output until I feel motivated and inspired to create again.

Anything that keeps you motivated?

Everyone on the label does a great job of keeping each other motivated, seeing other people within our community create something great really gets us all gassed. I think I just enjoy seeing the creative and unique things that people can make in general though, I always become somewhat inspired and motivated after listening to some good new music or seeing some amazing artwork.

What got you to be where you are? Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been involved in music practice from a young age, I started playing drums when I was 9 and did my first live show at 13, playing gigs consistently in several bands since then. At first I was never interested in a career in the music industry though, and actually pursued computer games design for several years in college and then again in my undergrad at UOG. It was here where I developed my skills in digital media and graphic design, and somewhere in the middle there I decided to put my passion for music and passion for digital creativity into one bracket, and started developing the label from there as I got into my masters.

How do you keep organised? Largely... I don’t, I’m known for being rather unorganised when it comes to my productivity, but it’s mostly because I tend to take on too many projects at one time. I do try to stay on top of it with the use of task management apps and setting deadlines for myself, but this is definitely something I need to improve on within my practice. Can’t be good at everything! you just need to know your weaknesses and learn from them. Anything you would like to talk about or anything to tell the reader Keep up to date with us on socials!

Instagram: @ satori_records Twitter: @satorirecords And follow us over on our youtube and bandcamp to view some of our music and content that we’ve produced. Just search Satori Records.

We’ve got a website in development as I write this and we’ve got a free live-streamed event coming up in the next couple of weeks, it would be great to see some more people tuning in to that.

Are TikTok live streamers taking advantage of their viewers? If you havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t heard of the app TikTok by now,

itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fair to say that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve probably been living under a rock. Some say the app â&#x20AC;&#x201C; similar to Vine â&#x20AC;&#x201C; is â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;the new YouTubeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and people spend hours scrolling through short videos. As well as posting videos, once an account reaches 1,000 followers, they can live stream.

As someone like myself who likes to go on TikTok, I realised that these live streams may not be as innocent as they seem, and I was surprised that not many people are talking about it. On these live streams, you can purchase virtual coins that give you access to purchase virtual gifts to send to the creator doing the live stream and they may do something in return, such as follow you, look at your Instagram or watch your TikToks. TikTok changed their gifts recently, and the most expensive one used to be the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;drama queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; which was a staggering ÂŁ48.99. The most expensive virtual gift now is the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;carouselâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; which costs around ÂŁ30 and the cheapest is the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;TikTokâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and you can buy 65 of them for 99p. Some people accused TikTok of exploiting fans for money, so it is no wonder they bought the prices down. But is there still a problem?

For someone such as an artist or musician, it can be GLIĂ&#x20AC;FXOW WR PDNH PRQH\ EXW OLYH VWUHDPLQJ JLYHV people a platform and an easy pathway into making money. Platforms such as YouTube and Spotify use adverts in order to give creators and artists money. This is something Tik Tok already does, and people can make money from Tik Toks if they have a large following. Live streaming however brings in a much larger sum of money which is why so many creators choose to live stream to bring in revenue. Although this is useful for many creators, they could also be making money from children who donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t necessarily have the money that they are spending. The BBC decided to do an investigation into this and published an article called TikTokâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s young fans â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;exploitedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; for digital gifts. They found examples of people being â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;exposedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in this way such as an 11-year-old who spent ÂŁ240 purchasing TikTok gifts. Although you must be 13 years old to use the app, younger children are still using it and using their parentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s money. Since the BBC did their investigation, TikTok has made their gifts cheaper,

but it’s still easy to spend lots of money on these gifts, and maybe more so for young children who don’t know the value of money. On the one hand, spending money on gifts and getting noticed by your favourite creator can mean a lot to some people. When at a concert, VIP tickets to meet an artist are expensive, so in some respect, why should it not cost money to be noticed by an LQÁXHQFHU RQ D OLYCH VWUHDP" On the other hand though, maybe there should be a spending cap so people don’t spend more than they need to. Spending money on TikTok gifts can be addictive, and maybe something like this should be put in place.

After speaking to a few people on Twitter about it at the time, some people agreed with me, and others said that people can spend their money how they want to – they earned the money so they should be able to spend it how they want to? At the end of the day, TikTok has changed their gifts to make them cheaper, but there could still be an underlying issue. After going on TikTok recently, it appears as if people are not live VWUHDPLQJ DV PXFK DQG LQÁXHQFHUV DUH IRFXVLQJ more on their content. Tik Tok is a great app that people clearly enjoy, but maybe more could be done to safeguard younger children from spending money - Anna Preece

Sites such as Twitch and YouNow also have gifts that can be paid for and sent in on live streams, so TikTok is not the only site doing this. I wanted to write this article because when I was younger, I used to support several artists and watch their TikTok live streams and people would send in sometimes huge amounts of money and to me, something didn’t feel particularly right.

Marvel Retrospect The Silver Age

In part one of our retrospect, we looked back at Marvel in the Golden Age of comic books, we saw a rise and fall of a business that was just hitting its stride. However, Marvel’s greatest challenge was just on the horizon as the House of Ideas navigates their way through the Silver Age of comics.

something that you would love”. So, with the help of artist Jack Kirby, Stan crafted a story that had heart, suspense and a little sprinkle of science fiction. It was strange because this book was about characters with superpowers but they didn’t come across as superheroes. Instead, they were a flawed family who fought each other before they actually fought the bad guys. However, it didn’t matter that they weren’t all that heroic, these four characters would go on to change Marvel’s trajectory or years to come.

19561975 In the late 1950s, writer Stan Lee was finding it hard to fall in love with the stories that he was writing. As the public had just recovered from the Second World War, they didn’t really want to be reminded of Captain America fighting Nazis or Superman thwarting evil scientists. Instead, there was a demand for more “spice of life” comics like Patsy Walker, Archie (which you might recognise by the name Riverdale) and the Young Romance series. Instead of showing feats of heroism, these comics were more down to Earth, the comics were closer to what you’d see on Gossip Girl than Green Lantern. Stan Lee felt as though he’d hit a wall in his career... until he spoke with Julius Schwartz. Who was this mystery man? Well, Schwartz was a writer over at DC comics that shaped more of the world of comics than anyone else. He changed the identity of The Flash to Barry Allen, giving him the famous red and yellow suit that we all know today. He also altered Green Lantern, allowing the character to be an intergalactic hero that no longer had the weakness of wood (I’m not even kidding). However, his most notable change was switching The Justice Society to The Justice League, updating the team to the roster of superheroes that are synonymous with the group.

Explaining all that he had done to Stan, Julius had lit the spark that would still be alight at Marvel today. Stan rushed home and told his wife Joan what was happening, Joan understood Stan’s frustration and told him to “write

The world was about to get their first glimpse of The Fantastic 4. Now that Marvel had a new flagship superhero book all they needed to do now is sell it to an audience that didn’t like superheroes. Sounds easy enough.

Back in the 1950’s, monster comics were also big as they acted as PG horror comics that were censored for a smaller audience. Now, if you look at the first three Fantastic 4 comics, they resemble these comics as a huge monster takes centre stage at the cover. It wasn’t until the third issue that they got to wear their iconic blue suits. The public fell in love with Fantastic 4, relating to the way that the family bickered because no one’s family is perfect. Stan took this opportunity to bring superheroes back into the forefront of Marvel Comics, with an insectthemed superhero that audiences know and love today. Stan used the same technique as he did with Fantastic 4, giving a sci-fi/horror introduction to an iconic character. The Man in the Ant Hill introduced Hank Pym and his shrinking serum which would be later crafted into the Ant Man identity. However, Stan didn’t know that his next creation being the most profitable superhero of

all time. With Steve Ditko, Stan was inspired by a fly crawling up the wall and thought “what if a person could do that?”. Explaining the concept to Ditko, they both created the friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man, who swung onto the scene in August of 1962. Stan “The Man” Lee was on fire, creating characters like Daredevil, The X-Men, Doctor Strange and so much more. Marvel now had all these superheroes in the real world and on the pages as well. Crafting the Marvel Universe, characters like Spider-Man could live, breathe and co-exist together. Marvel was finally back on track and Stan Lee finally found his flare.

Written by Troy Harrison

‘Stan “The Man” Lee was on fire, creating characters like Daredevil, The X-Men, Doctor Strange and so much more.’

Kiera_Neal

I decided to ditch Instagram over lockdown: Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why... Kiera_Neal

#insta #socialmedia #detox #Farid

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think I would have survived either of the lockdown periods if it wasn’t for the internet.

as silly as it may sound, the thought of missing out caused me not only serious ‘FOMO’, but also anxiety.

Honestly YouTube, Netflix and Zoom calls were probably the only thing which got me through the first lockdown in particular. I can’t imagine having to be stuck indoors for that period of time without being entertained and talking to friends via the online world.

So, how did I manage during my week off from Instagram?

Like many people my age, I do heavily rely on social media and though I hate to actually admit it, I can’t imagine life without it. However, considering my current situation with moving to uni away from my friends at home, and during these unprecedented times during the pandemic, social media could be more beneficial for me than ever. The beauty and the power of it all is how it makes us feel like we’re right there with whoever we want to be, even if miles apart, just from a simple status update. But despite all of this, around halfway through the second national lockdown, I decided enough is enough, and to delete Instagram. There were several reasons for this, the first one being for my mental health’s sake. I don’t know if it’s just me, but I find myself mindlessly scrolling through the app enough as it is, let alone during lockdown when what much else is there really to do? This can be a quick recipe for disaster when you’re just a few taps away from seeing Instagrammers who seem to have the perfect lives, posting photos in hot countries, with flawless figures and thousands of likes. When you’re viewing this in a hoodie and joggers, with messy hair, not having left the house in longer than you can remember, it can become demoralising to say the least and impossible not to compare yourself. I also saw it as somewhat of a challenge to myself. I’ve actually deleted Instagram many times over the years, realising how much of a time waster it can be, but usually would end up redownloading it about half an hour later purely out of boredom. This time however, I think I realised how important it was that I really tried to stick to it. I owed it to my own mental health to really try and have a break. Also, as someone who’s been frequently using Instagram since year 7, I think I also wanted to prove to myself I actually could go without it and I haven’t become some kind of social media addict. Probably for the older generation, and those who aren’t regular users of it, the thought of going without Instagram for a week wouldn’t cause a single worry and would probably find it trivial that it can genuinely be a struggle for many people. But

Surprisingly, it was a lot easier than expected. Mostly throughout the first day, I would find myself going to click on the app on automatic pilot, but instead finding an empty space on my home screen where it used to be. This was an eye opener in itself, as it really showed how it’s not even become a subconscious choice to use social media anymore, but more just a force of habit. However, the more time went on the less frequently I found this happening, and this felt really satisfying, almost as though I was retraining my brain. I won’t lie, although I was obviously spending less time on Instagram, this didn’t mean I was having a complete social media detox; in fact, I was probably spending more time on other apps, such as Twitter for example, to fill the void. But I think this also made me realise how there are equally as good social media platforms which aren’t focused on proving the fact that we all have ideal lives, when in fact life for many of us is far from perfect during these times. The more time went on, the less I thought about the app and the less I missed it. However, I will admit it hasn’t been a permanent change I’ve decided to make. Unfortunately for me I’m a naturally nosy and curious person, so after about a week I did find myself redownloading Instagram just for a ‘quick catch up’ to see what I’d missed during this time; and what had I missed? Pretty much nothing in all honesty. It sounds silly, but I really do think I learnt a lot during this time and would recommend it to anyone else who believes that social media may be affecting their mental wellbeing. Since redownloading Instagram I’ve realised that I now generally only use it when I really want to, rather than just constantly clicking on it out of habit or feeling as though I need to out of FOMO. But most importantly, I think I’ve proved to myself that although it does have it’s uses, not having social media really doesn’t mean you’re missing out, and it’s okay to take a break when needed.

How much do people really care? )ubย ;m 0ย v--1 ;ย bv

2020

musty? or

must-have? - Lucy Bushell

eworked vintage is old clothing that has been redesigned and sewn into a new garment. The redesigned clothes are appealing because they have the vintage feel and pattern with the added bonus of fitting into today’s fashion trends.

Maison Margiel, a luxury French fashion house, used an extreme example of the fashion trend in their Artisanal line taking vintage objects and making them into clothing. A dress made from vintage combs, a jacket from ski gloves and a top made from vintage denim. But why is it that the revamped clothing is fetching a higher price than some newer high street fashions? Is it because millions of teens and 20-somethings are becoming more environmentally aware and are seeing the impact of throwing away clothes every few years? Or is it that the clothing is often designer brands from the 60s,70s or 80s, reworked to fit into modern day trends? The fabrics used are often better quality and more hard wearing than those used today. Whatever the reason, popular sites like Depop have created a platform for the clothing style which has also made their business boom. The company was founded in 2011 and now has 10 million users and counting, with the majority of its users from the UK. Also, a whopping 80% of British shoppers aged 13 to 24 on average buy 20,000 items a day from the site.Studies show that last year alone, 64% of women were prepared to buy pre-owned clothing compared with 45% in 2016. Vintage has become more collectable, rare and sought after and as a result, prices have rocketed over the years. Items worth £20 – £30 when they were produced could now

be worth in excess of £70-£80. Some celebrities have even joined the craze, such as Peaches Geldof, Nicole Richie and the super model, Kate Moss, so the vintage style is even more desirable to the fashion-conscious youth. The quirky patterns and styles mixed with modern day fashions make this style choice available to all shapes and sizes. I first came across the reworked clothing style while shopping in Bristol and later in Cardiff in a small shop called Sorbey’s. I found shirts that had been cropped or made into bandeau tops, jumpers with mismatched sleeves, sweatshirts that had been completely taken apart and sewn back together. The clothing came in all different colours, textures and patterns. And if denim is your go-to cloth, then there is usually a large range of reworked Levi and Wrangler. Jeans are cropped, made into jackets and skirts or added to bags and other accessories. Care is taken to ensure that the garments are clean and fragrant, battling the stereotype of smelly clothes from charity shops. With the current political and environmental climate, the old wartime message of “make do and mend” may also play a part in this popular style choice. Vintage has also made its way into mainstream fashion brands, such as Topshop, who in 2000 introduced some vintage styles into the Oxford Circus store. Following on, ASOS launched its marketplace in 2010 which brought vintage to an online audience. The vintage style brings forward a look of individuality that high street fashion just doesn’t have with its mass-produced items. You’ll never be seen at a party wearing the same dress as someone else if you wear

VINTAGE!

DEAR AGONY AUNT... “Since moving to uni I’ve really struggled to make friends. Like don’t get me wrong I have friends but I feel like as we get older it’s so difficult compared to in school! I’m too scared to ask people I work with and people in uni all seem to have their own groups. Help, how can I make more friends?” Dear lonely uni student,

shut you out and if they do, then they aren’t worth your time anyway are You can’t force friendships, but you they?! Growing up throws a numalso can’t sit around feeling lonely ber of difficult situations at you and and like your friendships aren’t real friendships are definitely one of them, or true. The simplest way to fix this but if you don’t get out there and try is to put yourself out there, message and make new friends you might nevpeople on social media (obviously not er find them. Independence is imporjust random peoples because that is tant but friends are also needed and I sort of weird,) message your work understand how you are feeling. friends and try and get more involved in these friendship groups you say are Good luck lonely student, you can do already formed at uni. People won’t this!

“A boy I work with has been refusing to speak to me for like a month now. We had a tiny disagreement but nothing that should have lead to him completely blanking me! I tried to make amends but had to leave it because it was so one sided. I was really confused but then someone in work said he admitted to fancying me. I have no interest in him as I even have a boyfriend ! What should I do? It’s going to be so awkward in work!” HOW AWKWARD!

friend and that is fine. Go to work, make your money and feel flattered Honestly, I feel for you. But there that someone at work has a crush on are ways you can go about this. Per- you because that is highly flattering! sonally, I would just leave it. Sounds It was the boy at works choice to not simple and maybe it might be awk- want to stay ‘friends’ or in contact so ward at work but he will get over it you have done nothing wrong and and realise he will loose a friend too you’re keeping your loyalties with and tbh that’s worse - his loss and your boyfriend so good for you. Eye his fault. You’re happy with your boy- roll at boys honestly! “I really want a boyfriend. I know that’s a bit of a weird thing to hear as me and my friends are always preaching about being independent and single but I’m at the point I just know I’m ready. I just can’t find anyone for me! I’ve tried dating apps and they never work. All the people I get close to I end up being rejected and I’m at the point I just don’t know what to do. Please help!” That’s so nice that you’ve reached the point that you feel like that! Honestly it shows a lot about you to feel so ready to date. Don’t forget what you and your friends say though because they have a very valid point. But then again, we all need a bit of romance every now and then! In terms of wanting to find someone, I think the most important thing is not to compromise yourself. You sound like you’ve got yourself to a good place and you don’t want to let that slip by settling

for the wrong person, desperation never ends well. Also, with lockdown it isn’t the best time to start dating so don’t feel disheartened, everyone is in the same boat! I think you should keep doing what you’re doing and just don’t put pressure on yourself. If you’re having fun browsing dating apps then keep going, or see if your friends have any friends you could have a face time date with! Good luck, you’ll get there I promise!

FARID BOOKSHELF

The Fight for Sex Workers’ Rights By Juno Mac & Molly Smith

Sex work has long been a problematic industry to discuss within feminism and wider societal conversations, because of its dark history and complicated viewpoints. Where some would argue its empowerment, others proclaim how sex work infringes on women’s basic rights. What Mac & Smith provide is a detailed and well researched history without an innate bias framing its narrative. This book will surely educate any wouldbe feminists and arm them with real

statistics regarding what sex workers experience in their day to day lives. Other books on the topic talk about the subject with an almost inhuman view, blurting out facts and figures without its first-hand accounts. Revolting prostitutes’ does the complete opposite, frequently reminding the reader that these are the lives of often struggling, vulnerable women and not objects to be objectified or disparaged. Written by Kieran Gaplin

FARID BOOKSHELF

The Prison DocTor

s someone who binge watched ‘60 days in’ within a day, The Prison Doctor definitely looked like it would be my type of book. The book is written by Dr Amanda Brown and documents her change of career to become a doctor within the country’s prison service. From a youth facility, a high security men’s prison to a renown women’s prison, this memoir has it all. It includes stories about pregnancies, violent attacks, dirty protests and really gives a feel for what life inside is like, however if you’re particularly squeamish maybe this is one to avoid. The book tells how Amanda often struggles to stay

professional, struggling when hearing some of the prisoners heartbreaking stories and backgrounds. Throughout she also reminds herself that despite their crimes she is still their doctor, something so important but with the detailed insights and descriptions of life on the inside, something that must be difficult to maintain. This book really gives an insight into what working inside the nation’s prisons is really like, something many of us will never experience. It is emotional, informative and even at some points heart-warming. Written by Megan Smith

THE

FLATSHARE When I first heard the plot for ‘The Flatshare’ I was already hooked. The book follows the lives of Tiffy, a colourful and offbeat editorial assistant for an arts and crafts magazine and Leon, a reserved and scrupulous palliative-care nurse.

REVIEW

They both share a bed, but have never met. Tiffy is desperate for an immediate place to live in London after a messy breakup and Leon is desperate for extra cash to support his brother. The situation seems far from ideal but both don’t seem to have much of a choice. “But they’ve never met?” I hear you asking. Well. Leon occupies the flat during the day when Tiffy is at work. She then gets the flat to herself while he works the nightshift. They communicate through notes left in various places. Some piling up under fridge magnets on the brink of losing grip. Others stuffed under empty baking trays from Tiffy’s constant ‘panic baking.’ It is an extremely enjoyable element that conveys conversation and recognition of another person’s presence in a way I have not read about before. As a reader you dive deep into both of their lives. The contrasting personalities of the characters keeps you on your toes. The book succeeds in capturing both heart-warming and troublesome themes in a way that make it impossible to put down. The bond that forms between Tiffy and Leon is delightfully charming. I felt so comforted when reading ‘The Flatshare.’ I laughed and I cried. I will definitely be reaching for it again when I need to feel uplifted. Beth O’Leary’s writing is compelling and inquisitive. She is brilliant at creating interesting characters and making sure each of them have a purpose in the story. I cannot wait to read more from her.

HANNAH BOTHAM-SMITH

Women Don’t Owe You Pretty -FLORENCE GIVEN

Florence Given is an absolute powerhouse and this book is just the perfect collection of her infectious energy. Named Cosmopolitan’s influencer of the year in 2019, Florence wrote Women Don’t Owe You Pretty as a book she would have loved her younger self to have had, and one that fiercely challenges all the narratives of society we have become blind to. At only 22 years old, Florence has a greater understanding than many of us on the impact of not only the patriarchy, but our own attitudes to ourself and others, on our everyday lives. With chapters covering self love, dating, sexism, accountability,

privilege and much much more, this is a book that anyone, who identifies as any gender (yes that means you men as well) should strive to get their hands on, it really is an eye opener. While the book is in no means perfect, it cover a lot of tricky and touchy subjects that don’t get the publicity they need. When reading it, I found myself relating to issues and realising my own toxic behaviours in a way I had never expected to. So, whatever you think of society, do yourself, and everyone else, a favour by having a read and at least thinking a bit more about yourself and the world around you. Written by Megan Smith

‘Patriarchy thrives when you sleeP on your Power. it’s time to wake the fuck uP.’

FARID BOOKSHELF

Guilt: Amanda Robson Telling the story of twins and a tragic love affair, it is gripping and heartbreaking throughout. Twins Miranda and Zara have always been close but when Sebastian comes into their lives things begin to change. With secrets between the twins and things not quite as they appear, this book tells the story of how a man comes between the two girls with a tragic outcome. I did think the book would be a bit of a cheesy chick flick but it proved me wrong and I ended up rushing to finish it. The characters are powerfully portrayed and it gives a real sense of personality throughout, you are definitely following along with them. While the ending is a bit predictable, the book does bring some surprises throughout and did keep me reading on. Written by Megan Smith

FARID BOOKSHELF

hurt.

This is going to This non-fiction beauty follows the life of Adam Kay and his rollercoaster journey since graduating from medical school in 2004 to becoming a Senior Registrar in 2010. Kay retells his experiences of working for the NHS through a collection of diary entries, containing the good, the bad and the downright gory! Stand out stories include the time Kay was promoted “Not since the day I qualified had I felt so optimistic – I was practically shitting confetti”.

To the time he expressed his views on home births, “Instead I gave the abbreviated version: Home delivery is for pizzas”. Among the many (MANY) laughs this book prescribes, there’s also an honest and raw depiction of what it’s like working for the NHS. Summed up perfectly by Stephen Fry as “painfully funny”, the combination of hilarious medical hiccups, heart-wrenching patient stories and the demands of being a doctor turn this book into a world which you won’t want to escape. Written by Megan Sneade