Quench Magazine, Issue 179, October 2020 by Cardiff Student Media

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Welcome back to another year at Quench, we’re so excited to introduce ourselves as Editor-in-Chief and Deputy Editor for the 2021 academic year. You may recognise us from the year before, as Editor-in-Chief of Q3 (Cardiff University’s mini-magazine) and one of the Features’ Editors. We loved being a part of KatieMay Huxtable and Luisa De la Concha Montes’s team and we’re so honoured to be able to carry on their work. Unfortunately this year, Quench is not able to be physically published due to COVID-19, but we’re still going to be bringing you daily online content and five online issues this coming year so keep your eyes peeled for what we have to come.

This year at Quench has been unprecedented to say the least, I received the role of Editor-in-Chief in April, just around the time that the UK went into a nationwide lockdown. In the beginning, I felt really overwhelmed because I was faced with a lot of new responsibilities and no real guidance on how to conduct interviews, training and a freshers fair etc. online. However, as soon as I hired Elly Savva as my Deputy Editor, everything fell into place. We spent an entire week in our jammies, conducting interviews over Zoom, which turned out to be an amazing experience. Once we’d hired our team, they helped us navigate COVID-19 in ways which we had never expected and by the time we got to Cardiff we felt like old friends.

with summers spent on opposite sides of the world. Jasmine had envisioned living the American Dream in Florida, cheering at soccer games, and having bonfires on the beach. I had intended on motorbiking the Hai Van Pass (sorry Mum), eating Pho, and drinking cocktails across Vietnam. Instead, we both found ourselves stuck within the borders of the UK, confined to our childhood bedrooms. Whilst we were forced into isolation, building the Quench team became an outlet that allowed us to join together and look outwards. It’s safe to say that 2020 has thrown a lot our way. Not only did we assume our roles in the midst of COVID-19, but we were also faced with the murder of George Floyd, which acted as a catalyst for the Black Lives Matter movement. This tragedy was just a small drop in the ocean, amongst many others who have died at the hands of police brutality. Because of the events of this year, we decided to dedicate issue 179 to the BAME community, to elevate Cardiff University’s Black and minority ethnic voices and continue to educate ourselves on the systemic racism which has penetrated our society for centuries. In this issue, you will find articles that broach these topics from a wide range of experiences. Our Literature Editor Ona Ojo talks about the importance of BAME representation in children’s books on pages 34-35, whilst Josh Ong considers our use of the BAME label on page 15. Our Download section explores how social media can help to progress societal change on pages 41-42, with contributions from Hazel Ravu and Shaniece O’Keefe. Not only has society as we know it changed, but so has Quench. This year we’ve added two new sections, the first being Literature, which will be exploring all things bookish from Instagram Poets to Famous Love Letters. As well as this, Agony Aunt has been replaced by Spotlight, our new Sex and Relationships section. We’ve also changed the overall design aesthetic of Quench, which will now reflect the bold, minimalistic design style which is sweeping the industry. Because of this new focus, we have doubled our design team in size and have been able to bring you more original artwork than ever before. Finally, we want to say a big thank you to our team for putting in so much hard work and love into this issue. We can’t wait for the year ahead and we hope you enjoy reading our magazine. Love,

front cover by: Amelia Field photography by: Sahina Sherchan

If this year had panned out the way that we had expected and a global pandemic hadn’t turned our realities upside down, Jasmine and I would never have crossed paths

Editor-in-Chief and Deputy Editor

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front cover by: Amelia Field photography by: Sahina Sherchan

If this year had panned out the way that we had expected and a global pandemic hadn’t turned our realities upside down, Jasmine and I would never have crossed paths

Editor-in-Chief and Deputy Editor

Editor-in-Chief: Jasmine Snow

Deputy Editor: Elly Savva

Literature: Nicole Rees Williams, Ona Ojo and Neus Forner

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Meet The Team Fashion: Henry Bell and Rachel Citron

Download: Lewis Empson and Marcus Yeatman-Crouch

Coming Soon! Second Deputy Editor: Josh Ong

Columnist

Travel: Katherine Mallet and Alice Clifford

Food: Indigo Jones, Hannah Penwright and Sarah Nugara

Features: Rebecca Astill, Rhianna Hurren-Myers and Indi Scott Whitehouse

Culture: Amy King, Megan Evans and Sarah Griffiths

Music: Alex Payne, Daisy Gaunt and Natalie Graham

Film & TV: Borte Tsogbadrah, Pui Kuah Cheah and Fin Stocking

Clebar: Dafydd Wyn Orritt and Sian Jones

Spotlight: Laura Dazon and Kate Waldock

Social Media Team: Maja Metera, Manon Jones and Ebony Clent

Writing Consultant: Mike Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Brien / Copy Editor: Sarah Belger

Editor-in-Chief: Jasmine Snow

Deputy Editor: Elly Savva

Literature: Nicole Rees Williams, Ona Ojo and Neus Forner

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Meet The Team Fashion: Henry Bell and Rachel Citron

Download: Lewis Empson and Marcus Yeatman-Crouch

Coming Soon! Second Deputy Editor: Josh Ong

Columnist

Travel: Katherine Mallet and Alice Clifford

Food: Indigo Jones, Hannah Penwright and Sarah Nugara

Features: Rebecca Astill, Rhianna Hurren-Myers and Indi Scott Whitehouse

Culture: Amy King, Megan Evans and Sarah Griffiths

Music: Alex Payne, Daisy Gaunt and Natalie Graham

Film & TV: Borte Tsogbadrah, Pui Kuah Cheah and Fin Stocking

Clebar: Dafydd Wyn Orritt and Sian Jones

Spotlight: Laura Dazon and Kate Waldock

Social Media Team: Maja Metera, Manon Jones and Ebony Clent

Writing Consultant: Mike Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Brien / Copy Editor: Sarah Belger

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Head of Design: Madeline Howell

Deputy Head of Design: May Collins

Page Deaigner: Alessio Grain

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N G N I G S N I N E G S I G D E I S N D S E H G E I D C H S D N C H E E N H C D E C N QU N QUE D H N E C E U H N U Q C E Q N N G U I G E I Q S U S N E Q E G N D I D G S N I H H E S G C I D C E N S N D G E H I E D C S H U N E C Q H E D N C U E E N H Q D U E C Q U N H N Q G C E I N N U S G E Q I E U S D N Q N E G I H D G N I S C S G E H I N E D C S D G N E I H E S D H C U E C N H Q D N E C D E U H N U Q C H E Q N C U E N Q N U E G N I Q U G S I Q N E S N G D E I G I N D S N H S G E I G C E H I D S D C S E N E H D H D C E C D U N H N H Q E C H E C U N C U N Q E N Q E U N E U Q U G N Q I Q G S I N E S N N G D E I G I G N D S I S H G S E I C E H D E S D C D E N H H D H E C D C U C N H N N Q E H C E E U C N U U Q N E Q Q E U N U Q G N I Q G S I N N E S N G G D E I I G D H SI ES ES Page Designer: Kacey Keane

Page Designer: Priyansha Kamdar

Photographer: Sahina Sherchan

Illustrator: Shafia Motaleb

Page Designer: Polly Denny

Illustrator: Amelia Field

Page Designer: Sandra Mbula Nzioki

Page Designer: Anna Kerslake

Illustrator: Sian Hopkins

Illustrator: Prity Chatterjee

Illustrator: Shubhangi Dua

Page Designer: Sebastian Jose

Page Designer: Ersila Bushi

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Head of Design: Madeline Howell

Deputy Head of Design: May Collins

Page Deaigner: Alessio Grain

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Page Designer: Priyansha Kamdar

Photographer: Sahina Sherchan

Illustrator: Shafia Motaleb

Page Designer: Polly Denny

Illustrator: Amelia Field

Page Designer: Sandra Mbula Nzioki

Page Designer: Anna Kerslake

Illustrator: Sian Hopkins

Illustrator: Prity Chatterjee

Illustrator: Shubhangi Dua

Page Designer: Sebastian Jose

Page Designer: Ersila Bushi

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Features

09-10. Stay in your Activism Lane 11-12. NHS: Taxes vs Charity 13-14. Get Your Sh*t Together: FirstClass Advice From your Final-Year Fairy Godmother

Column

15. First Year (Dreadful) 16. BAME & Me

Culture

17-18. The Loss of Statues 19-20. The Art of Lost Time

Editorial:

21-22. We’re Loving...

Film & TV

23-24. Out of Sight, Out of Mind 25-26. Favourite Non-Disney/Pixar Animation Films

Music

27-28. Contemporary Music has its Roots in Black Culture, so Why is the Industry so White? 29-30. Inspiration During Isolation: Bedroom Pop

Literature

33-34. BAME Representation in Children’s Books 35-36. The Downfall of J.K Rowling 47-38. Creative Writing Submission

Download

39-40. In Defence of Difficulty as a Device 41-42. Societal Change in the Digital Age

Fashion

43-46. Student Fashion Profile 47-48. From Jumpsuits, to Jeans and then Joggers: a Lockdown Fashion Journey 49-50. Best Runway Looks of RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 12

Travel

51-52. Learning as you Travel 53. Camping Guide 101 54. UK Countryside vs Beaches

Food

55-56. Quench Food Festival 57-58. The Origins of Britain’s Favourite Food 59-60. Cocktails for Zoom 61-62. DIFFerent Food

Clebar

63-64. Hanes Bae Teigr 65-66. Ffasiwn yng Nghymru 67-68. Illustration Submissions 69-70. Playlist of the Issue

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Features

09-10. Stay in your Activism Lane 11-12. NHS: Taxes vs Charity 13-14. Get Your Sh*t Together: FirstClass Advice From your Final-Year Fairy Godmother

Column

15. First Year (Dreadful) 16. BAME & Me

Culture

17-18. The Loss of Statues 19-20. The Art of Lost Time

Editorial:

21-22. We’re Loving...

Film & TV

23-24. Out of Sight, Out of Mind 25-26. Favourite Non-Disney/Pixar Animation Films

Music

27-28. Contemporary Music has its Roots in Black Culture, so Why is the Industry so White? 29-30. Inspiration During Isolation: Bedroom Pop

Literature

33-34. BAME Representation in Children’s Books 35-36. The Downfall of J.K Rowling 47-38. Creative Writing Submission

Download

39-40. In Defence of Difficulty as a Device 41-42. Societal Change in the Digital Age

Fashion

43-46. Student Fashion Profile 47-48. From Jumpsuits, to Jeans and then Joggers: a Lockdown Fashion Journey 49-50. Best Runway Looks of RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 12

Travel

51-52. Learning as you Travel 53. Camping Guide 101 54. UK Countryside vs Beaches

Food

55-56. Quench Food Festival 57-58. The Origins of Britain’s Favourite Food 59-60. Cocktails for Zoom 61-62. DIFFerent Food

Clebar

63-64. Hanes Bae Teigr 65-66. Ffasiwn yng Nghymru 67-68. Illustration Submissions 69-70. Playlist of the Issue

features

Stay in your Activism Lane

Instagram

A notable example of this was #BlackoutTuesday, in which millions of Instagram users posted a black square, filling feeds usually saturated in content from friends, celebrities and corporations. The organisers said they wanted it to be ‘a day to disconnect from work and reconnect with our community’ through ‘an urgent step of action to provoke accountability and change.’

On Performative Activism

“Activism must start on an individual level”

The last couple of years have seen social movements interweaving the news cycle; from #BlackLivesMatter to #MeToo and LGBTQ+ pride. All of these fight for one common purpose, that being equality, but their methods of campaigning differ - and this has brought about accusations about ‘performative activism’ from people too high on their pedestals to remember that activism starts at an individual level. This mindset reared its ugly head earlier this year when people were accused of partaking in the #BlackLivesMatter movement purely to make a good impression on their social media. Slated as ‘virtue signalling’ and ‘slacktivism’, it has been suggested that this type of activism serves as a way to alleviate individual guilt either for not otherwise contributing or even being a part of the problem.

Instead of spending the day immersing myself in education on the #blacklivesmatter, I instead ended it feeling frustrated. The online conversation of that day, which should have revolved around the social movement, became overtaken by arguments over what the best way to campaign was. The conclusion seemed to be that some people were absolutely correct in their method, and the other half, who had posted, were wrong.

Hostility

The main issue arose when people wrongly, but innocently, hashtagged #BlackLivesMatter underneath the posts which clogged up the hashtag designed to spread awareness and educate others. As frustrating as this was, I can confidently say that in most cases, this was merely an annoying upshot of a wellintended desire to help. Yet on the other side of the coin, anybody who wasn’t vocal on social media was criticised for keeping quiet. You can understand why some people are hesitant to involve themselves in the public eye side of campaigning. Activism should never be made into a hostile environment

which makes people worried about ‘getting it wrong’. It’s easy to question people’s motives for posting on social media, but it’s important to remember that activism must start on an individual level before it becomes a collective. Enough individuals have to voice their own overwhelming feelings of anger and frustration at oppression for a campaign to come together and make a difference.

Performative Branding

However, I can also understand that some activism is largely performative. Many big brands use LGBTQ+ branding on products and turn awareness into a commodity. This would be encouraged if, perhaps, the profits from their LGBTQ+ products went towards charities. Sadly, a lot of the brands who align themselves with the cause publicly do not follow through behind closed doors. In 2014, Apple made a San Francisco pride video, but in 2015, it was found that their Siri app was homophobic when asked about gay clubs in Russia, where same sex marriages are still illegal. In 2018, Adidas released ‘pride pack’ trainers as part of their ‘pride collection’, but spent millions on sponsoring the Russian football World Cup in 2018, where strong homophobic views made it impossible for many LGBTQ+ fans to attend. PINK tweeted support for Pride Month in 2019 despite famously refusing to hire transgender models. (Funnily enough, the following August, they did hire their first trans model. It’s always interesting what bad PR can achieve.)

This rainbow-washing is ubiquitous in marketing at the moment and needs to be substantiated by meaningful action. This is different to individual posts of activism, like #BlackoutTuesday. These corporations are prolific in their influence and have a lot to gain from publicly aligning themselves with social movements. That is why, in their case, it is inexcusable to post empty messages of support. They should be held accountable, to make sure that their companies do what they can to push against the status quo and fight for change.

“It is inexcusable to post empty messages of support”

To Make a Difference

Once people have taken the first step in the chain of campaigning, the more likely they are to research and follow it up with steps that can make a difference - like signing petitions, writing to MPs, and challenging uneducated family and friends on the issues. I can’t help but feel that we should be encouraging each other, rather than criticising others’ efforts before they’ve even properly involved themselves in the campaigns. Now is the time to open ourselves up to these conversations without worry; to be actively against inequality, not just vocally. Talk, learn, and most importantly, support others who are fighting the same causes. words by: Rebecca Astill design by: Sian Hopkins

features

Stay in your Activism Lane

Instagram

On Performative Activism

“Activism must start on an individual level”

Hostility

Performative Branding

“It is inexcusable to post empty messages of support”

To Make a Difference

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features

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N H S : Taxes vs. Charity

words by: Indi Scott Whitehouse design by: Shafia Motaleb

he Covid-19 pandemic has seen a brilliant increase

in NHS charity events and campaigns. From Captain Tom Moore to young children selling crafts on their driveways, the nation has been working hard to display gratitude, fundraise and raise awareness for the healthcare system the UK is so lucky to have. Social media tags such as the ‘Run 5, Donate 5, Nominate 5’ have seen all ages and abilities raising money for the NHS. While it is important that the selfless efforts and appreciation of the public are recognised, the lack of government support that arguably made these additional funds necessary should not be ignored.

In an interview with The Guardian, chief executive of NHS Charities Together Rebecca Orton emphasised that the £92million that it had raised so far was an addition to state funding, rather than a replacement of it. Despite this, it is important to consider why such a large amount of additional funding is needed, and why the tax funding doesn’t appear to be enough. As an essential organisation that so many rely upon, it seems unjust that the NHS and its workers are consistently wronged by the government’s austerity measures. For example, in 2017 a majority of MPs voted against lifting the 1% pay raise cap for public sector workers - including all those who work for the NHS. One of these included Boris Johnson. Additionally, in July this year the government announced a pay rise for all public sector workers to recognise their hard work and efforts during the Covid-19 pandemic. However, this increase excluded NHS nurses, with the 2018 ‘3-year NHS payment plan’ used to suggest that nurses were not eligible for an additional pay rise. The performative gratitude shown by the Prime Minister clapping outside 10 Downing Street and publicly expressing thanks to those who nursed him when he saw firsthand the fundamental need for this system, seems futile when no official governmental support is being given to the staff that are essential in the survival of this pandemic.

It could also be argued that the government’s displayed affirmation of pu blic fundraising efforts, such as Boris Johnson’s public declarations of praise for Captain Tom Moore and participation in the ‘Clap for the NHS’, sees them taking advantage of individuals’ good will and using it to distract from the wrongdoings and lack of obligatory support that made such efforts necessary. For example, PPE is an indisputable necessity for NHS and key workers, so why has this cause not been funded by the government? Why have they been left reliant on the skills and generosity of volunteers?

“ The hypocrisy of this public praise does not just lie with the government." The hypocrisy of this public praise does not just lie with the government. Many of the large companies encouraging working-class fundraising could be rightly criticised for the suffering of the NHS. For example, V irgin Money Giving is being used as the main donation platform for the Run For Heroes ‘Run 5, Donate 5, Nominate 5’ Instagram tag. Virgin’s founder Richard Branson has not only been previously jailed for tax evasion having not paid income tax in at least 14 years, but also successfully sued the NHS in 2017 after failing to land a contract for children’s healthcare services. When recognising these factors, it does not seem unreasonable to question whether this company is in the moral position to so enthusiastically encourage honest, tax-paying individuals to donate, when the company’s absence of tax contribution could be recognised as a contributing factor to the lack of primary funds.

website participants are informed that charities using the platform are charged an upfront joining fee and then a “2% platform fee and a 2.5% payment processing fee on donations”. While these maintenance costs may seem necessary from a business point of view, this means that based on the already exceeded £5million target, Virgin would have made at least £225k from the wellmeaning donations to their ‘not-for-profit’ organisation. The fantastic amount of public involvement has seen fundraising figures soar during the pandemic, and the enthusiasm of the public has displayed just how much the UK appreciate and rely upon the NHS. This should by no means be detracted from when addressing the lack of official government funding, but it can’t be forgotten that it is an essential and taxfunded system that should be at the forefront of government discussion. The reliance on our strained healthcare services during this time has demonstrated just how neglected it has become. The system should not be left to survive on the good will of people and charity alone.

It should be recognised that fundraisers have raised a fantastic amount of money and awareness for the cause and exceeded the £5million target of the Virgin Money Giving page. However, this high figure does not distract from the moral question of Virgin’s involvement. On the

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features

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N H S : Taxes vs. Charity

words by: Indi Scott Whitehouse design by: Shafia Motaleb

he Covid-19 pandemic has seen a brilliant increase

features

First-Class Advice from Your Final-Year Fairy Godmother CHECK YOUR GRADES You want a First? Then it’s time for some basic maths (sorry English graduates). Checking your grades may be a humbling starting point, but it can help you to visualise just how steep your final-year climb is going to be. There are a whole host of grade-calculating websites that can help you with this.

Remember – some degrees have different percentages per year. My first year didn’t count, so my second and third year were split 40%/60%, but I know other grads who’s first year counted for 10%. Keep this in mind when you’re calculating.

If you’d told me three years ago that I would graduate from Cardiff University with a firstclass degree I would have laughed. If you’d told me I would have achieved above 70% in all 12 of my contributing modules I would have cried, but I did achieve and do both of these things. However, this does not make me the world’s most perfect graduate. Even at the very end of my degree I was leaving 2000 word essays to days before their deadline, and the final few months of my degree were some of the hardest of my academic life. Now that I am well and truly out the other side, I’ve written this guide hoping to help all Quench readers to be in the best position possible to finish their degree with flying colours. To all those about to climb the final year mountain, it’s time to pull your socks up and double-knot your laces – this is dedicated to you.

have an optional dissertation embedded in your course, you’ve no doubt been doing the ‘diss dance’ for the first

dissertation felt like an impossible entanglement of ideas. But they were my ideas, and finally hitting submit on TurnItIn was the most empowering moment of my degree by far. Nevertheless, it is a mammoth task, and if you’ve hated your research-based modules then it’s important that you consider if it’s the right choice. Often worth the equivalent of two modules, your dissertation will make up a hefty percentage, and could make or break your final degree classification.

you will hear it a lot): it is an honour to be the first to tell you

in the library to get a sense of how an actual, finalised

that unlike literally every other assignment in the history of

dissertation looks. Note: if they are in the library they

university, you CANNOT leave a dissertation until the week

are hecking good. At the start of last year I also took out

before. My dissertation, including appendices and references

every book I could find on how to write an undergraduate

and results tables, was 55 pages, 10,000 words and 85,000

dissertation. They could become invaluable if there is, I

characters.

don’t know, a global pandemic that makes most academic staff members impossible to contact for large periods of time

words by: Rhianna Hurren-Myers

and you have to teach yourself what your analysis chapter

design by: Madeline Howell

needs to look like (I’m still mad).

·The most important piece of advice you will ever hear (and

DON’T LEAVE IT TO THE LAST MINUTE.

All the gear but no idea? Take it back to basics: So you want the perfect grad job to land on your lap, but you’ve no idea how to get it? Here’s a nudge in the right direction:

Should I? Shouldn’t I? If you are one of the lucky few that

few years of your degree. At the start of last year, my

·The library: go and have a look at some of the dissertations

·Pick a good topic: Your topic will be central to success. Pick something that you don’t care about and you’ll make the workload 100 times harder for yourself.

·Value your supervisor: Not only are they often the second marker, but they also know what they’re talking about, funnily enough. Create a good relationship, send them drafts on time and don’t cancel meetings last minute. Your future self

·Double-check your social footprint: Drunk videos of yourself on Facebook may have felt like a good idea at the time, but considering 80% of employers are likely to give you a stalk as part of their recruitment process I’d delete everything and anything you wouldn’t want them to see. - Polish up your CV - Check out Cardiff University’s career team and job site - Ensure you sign up for notifications and email updates ·Portfolio: If you’re interested in the creative industries, a CV actually isn’t all that helpful. I always make sure I also submit my portfolio for all jobs I apply to. Mine

will thank you.

features

have an optional dissertation embedded in your course, you’ve no doubt been doing the ‘diss dance’ for the first

you will hear it a lot): it is an honour to be the first to tell you

in the library to get a sense of how an actual, finalised

that unlike literally every other assignment in the history of

dissertation looks. Note: if they are in the library they

university, you CANNOT leave a dissertation until the week

are hecking good. At the start of last year I also took out

before. My dissertation, including appendices and references

every book I could find on how to write an undergraduate

and results tables, was 55 pages, 10,000 words and 85,000

dissertation. They could become invaluable if there is, I

characters.

don’t know, a global pandemic that makes most academic staff members impossible to contact for large periods of time

words by: Rhianna Hurren-Myers

and you have to teach yourself what your analysis chapter

design by: Madeline Howell

needs to look like (I’m still mad).

·The most important piece of advice you will ever hear (and

DON’T LEAVE IT TO THE LAST MINUTE.

All the gear but no idea? Take it back to basics: So you want the perfect grad job to land on your lap, but you’ve no idea how to get it? Here’s a nudge in the right direction:

Should I? Shouldn’t I? If you are one of the lucky few that

few years of your degree. At the start of last year, my

·The library: go and have a look at some of the dissertations

·Pick a good topic: Your topic will be central to success. Pick something that you don’t care about and you’ll make the workload 100 times harder for yourself.

will thank you.

column43

column

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Like so many others, I was duped into the widespread belief that First year would indeed be ‘the best year of my life’. Life with no parents, little to no responsibilities and repercussions certainly seemed to amount the evidence in favour of this ideal. However, as the more observant readers may have already deduced, this was certainly not the case for my experience. Whilst I was aware of these preconceptions surrounding university and its all encompassing culture, they did little to prepare me for what my life would actually be here. I grew up in a relatively small town eerily similar to that of Hot Fuzz. Within my previous school, the situation was a similar story. Jumping from a closely knit community of around 200 students to an entire university districted and separated into various academic schools made for a daunting experience. My insights into university life prior to my arrival came from two sources; word of mouth, diluted via my older brother, or however they were reflected in popular media. The latter of these was most prominent represented through Fresh Meat; which whilst perhaps was accurate to most students across the nation in textbook student houses cascading with hidden crevices of black mould, it did little to prepare me for the reality of my Harry Potter cupboard-under-the-stairs-esque room in Taly North. All of these factors proved to be a little too much for me. In school I was confidently outspoken and comfortable in most situations, but the move from knowing everyone to no-one meant for no safety net. Truth be told, I felt lost. I struggled to create any meaningful friendships with both flatmates and coursemates. From the confines of my small room, I had the capacity to speak to my pre-existing friends from back home through my computer. In short, I had no impetus to go outside; why risk the anxiety and awkwardness of meeting new people when I already had people I could speak to? It was a pretty bleak time in my life, but this article isn’t trying to score pity points. Whilst the year did manifest itself in the lowest state of mental wellbeing I’ve ever experienced, it equally fashioned itself into the most valuable year of my life. Within my small room, I was forced to look introspectively; to understand what truly made me happy. In the absence of any companionship, I gained a sense of independence born

out of necessity. The mediums that had kept me stable prior to university, movies, gigs or otherwise, I now had to attend myself should I still want to enjoy them. Looking back at this time, this was certainly the silver lining of the rather greyish period. It’s worth mentioning that this independence and self-reliance can be achieved in far healthier circumstances, but that doesn’t detract from the value of looking for the positives in what might seem an unwaveringly negative experience. In addition to finding out what I could rely on to keep myself afloat, what equally came apparent was who I could rely on. I wasn’t afraid of reaching out when I was at my lowest, and it became evident who was willing to hear me out and support me, rather than those who had remained friends out of mere convenience or proximity. Because of this year, I knew exactly who I could turn to, almost all of whom I know I can still rely on to this day. Whilst it was disheartening to see those who I thought I could lean on slip into the background, it certainly worked out for the better in the end. Skipping forward to now, the traditionalist first year ideal of being out at a club at all, yet alone three times a week, seems like a distant dream. Moreover, with the shift away from majority face-to-face teaching means that you’re probably going to be spending a lot more time in your room. But, that’s not to say your first year is going to be saturated with similar mandated misery. There’s plenty of fun things you can still do from the confines of inside your flats, but it may take some adapting at first. I thankfully finished my third year with a host of new friends who I met through student media. Ultimately, my first year experience would prove to be one of the most pivotal periods of my life. Your first year doesn’t have to be as disastrous as mine without still learning a lot along the way. Take your newfound freedom to explore introspection and discover what you truly enjoy, as well as both cementing old friendships, and founding some new ones too. words by: Josh Ong design by: Amelia Field

and me

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BAME words by: Josh Ong design by: Sandra Mbula Nzioki

In light of recent movements, there has been a wider discussion of implicitly racially insensitive language, and I’ve given a lot of thought to my particular relationship to the notion of being a BAME individual. Prior to this, I had never really given the term any thought at all; it was just a way of differentiating me from other people and reminding me that I’m not fully white.

are not taking [the pandemic] seriously enough”. When he was later criticised for his words, he simply asked “What else could I say?”. These horrifyingly damaging statements not only show the blatancy of discrimination shown towards minorities within this country, but equally reaffirms the use of the terminology as a scapegoat, seemingly voiding them from accountability.

For some context, I’m half-Malaysian, half-Irish. I’ve never really identified as a BAME person; I never wake up, and remember that being a BAME individual stands as a key piece of my cultural identity. I am, however, frequently reminded, whether by the presence of a golden waving cat on my bookshelf, or my offence towards a certain BBC fried rice video, that I am Asian. My only prompts that I am a BAME individual are when I see the term used in news articles and job applications.

Cardiff Students’ Union itself has a Black and Ethnic Minorities officer, whose job is to ‘represent the interests of Black students and students of minority ethnic backgrounds (BME) students.’’ The intentions of these roles at first, seems well placed; by creating the role, it is acknowledging that there are sections of society that are underrepresented and marginalised. However, by default, it presupposes that racism is one-dimensional, and experienced uniformly by all non-whites. If I were in the role as an individual with a Southeast-Asian background, I would neither feel comfortable, nor qualified, to fully understand or speak on behalf of the experiences and issues faced by other ethnic groups that would supposedly fall under my jurisdiction. I have been profiled and subjected to racial abuse at various stages throughout my life, especially more recently in the wake of Coronavirus’ origin from within China, but I have never felt my life was under threat on the sole basis of the colour of my skin. As an Asian person, I am three times less likely to be stopped by the police, and that’s without the influence of my white-half. I cannot escape this privilege, nor can I pretend that my experiences of racism, both implicit and explicit, are equitable via our joint ‘BAME identity’.

The term itself comes shrouded in relative ambiguity. As I have come to understand and re-evaluate my relationship with the term, the concept of just lumping together the profoundly diverse history, culture and identity of these ethnicities into one vast heterogeneous classification seems wildly demeaning. Most critically, the term creates a position in which being white is the racial default. Whilst the majority demographic of Britain is white, there lies a dangerous conflation between the idea of majority rule purporting to ethnic normality. This issue is only exacerbated by attempts at achieving diversity by simply appointing or selecting a BAME individual to speak on behalf of all ethnic minorities. When Secretary of State for Health & Social Care, Matt Hancock, was questioned on the number of Black people within the Government’s Cabinet, he spoke of the “whole series of people from a Black and ethnic minority background”. The two members he went on to cite were Priti Patel and Rishi Sunak, both of whom are of South-Asian descent. There are no Black MPs in the Cabinet. This feigned attempt at representation through thought diversity only reinforces the belittling of all minorities, even those who hold positions of power. There shouldn’t be an easy linguistic avenue through which politicians can deflect away from addressing real issues of representation and diversity. Moreover, when Conservative MP Craig Whittaker was questioned on the new local lockdowns within Northern England, his simple response of “it’s the BAME communities that

So, what’s the alternative? The term’s deployment has undoubtedly helped some, via the means of positive discrimination or otherwise, but it has equally come at the cost of stripping away the individuality of varied cultures, histories of all non-white ethnic groups. I don’t think I’ll ever classify myself as BAME, nor do I believe that the majority of non-whites would either. For as long as the term exists, it denotes and perpetuates the idea of white being normal and default. As Britain grows more diverse, we can no longer be apathetic in identifying and celebrating the individualistic backgrounds of different ethnic groups. There is no joint BAME identity or experience, so why do we keep being grouped together and treated identically?

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PLEASE DEETE THESE BORDERS WHEN YOU HAVE FINISHED DESIGNING

and me

PLEASE DEETE THESE BORDERS WHEN YOU HAVE FINISHED DESIGNING

BAME words by: Josh Ong design by: Sandra Mbula Nzioki

culture

The Loss of Statues As I write this, it’s been over a month since our feeds were

British history and celebrates the slave-trade - a prejudice that

filled with images of the defaced Edward Colston statue, as we

cannot be condoned.

watched his figure be thrown into the very same dock that was used to transport the slaves he traded. This symbolic moment

The statement made at the Bristol protests has provoked other

sparked a wave of appeals and petitions to remove other racist

cities and campaigners to follow suit. The “Rhodes Must Fall”

celebratory statues across the country. As the removal of statues

campaign has led Oxford University to address the need to

becomes a prominent social topic it is important to examine the

remove its statue of Cecil Rhodes. London has also officially

significance of such actions, and how they will move the Black

removed the statue of Robert Milligan, the founder of the West

Lives Matter movement forward, and the impact that it will have

India Docks that served a main source for slave imports. Sadiq

on the future of Western culture.

Kahn equally announced that all London statues with links to slavery need to be reviewed. Even closer to home, the Mayor

It may seem bizarre that in the 21st century, there are still such

of Cardiff has publicly acknowledged the inappropriate existence

blatant celebratory emblems of racist slave traders. But sadly, for

of the Thomas Picton statue in Cardiff City Hall. The statue of

the BAME community, the figures who oppressed and abused

the slave trader and former governor of Trinidad has since been

their ancestors stand tall across the country. It has taken the

covered up.

vandalism of the Edward Colston statue and the state of ‘social

unrest’ to gain the government and media attention that this

In contrast to the Prime minister’s claim that the removal of these

glorified discrimination needed. Colston’s statue stood in Bristol

statues is an unjust attempt to ‘censor history’, their removal can

to allegedly celebrate his philanthropic charity work. However, the

be seen as a creation of history and social change, rather than

statue and its plaque make no mention of the countless enslaved

the elimination of it. The names of these slave-traders and owners

and abused individuals that he transported in order to achieve

will still remain in textbooks, museums and documentaries. The

the wealth that he publicly shared. The toppling of his statue

removal of their statues makes the important statement that

sees the modern generation acting against the ignorance that

racism and the slave trade is a part of our culture that is not to

still remains in British culture and our historical education. This

be celebrated.

statue is one of the many that marks the main slave-trading ports

The removal of these statues make the Black Lives Matter

across the country, particularly in Bristol, London and Liverpool-

movement even more culturally significant to the future of society,

whose metropolitan environments and wealth stems from the

and hopefully points towards a time when racist historical figures

transportation of the transatlantic slave trade. These have often

are no longer glorified heritage symbols and are rather used as

pinpointed the geographical origins of racist pain and suffering,

evidence in the pursuit of racial justice and equality. The removal

and discriminate the BAME community from ‘whitewashed’

of them marks a pivotal point in history and in the BLM movement,

that will educate future generations on the power of social action

was temporarily replaced by a statue of protester, Jen Reid, before

and cultural change.

being removed by Bristol council. Artist Marc Mcquinn has mimicked the image seen on the day of Colston’s removal, when Reid stood

Despite government disapproval of these ‘violent’ actions,

on the empty plinth in posing with the iconic Black Power salute. This

the protesters’ clear motive to discourage the celebration of

makes a significant cultural statement and sets a new agenda for

Britain’s racist past and achieve justice for the BAME community

the historical praise that statues symbolise. Mcquinn’s statue sees a

means that this cannot be labelled as a mindless expression of

creation of contemporary history and marks a move towards a more

aggression. Demonstrators are using the actions upon physical

culturally inclusive celebration of British history. Instead of being socially

cultural symbols (such as the vandalism of Winston Churchill’s

oppressed by the celebration of the figures who enslaved their ancestors,

statue) to make a statement that the petitions and letters have

the BAME community should no longer have to be surrounded by the

not yet achieved their final goal. While the more peacefully

glorified discrimination these tributes represent.

compliant techniques have gained a certain degree of political recognition, it can be argued that they have not triggered as

The removal of the statues should not be viewed as a loss, but instead

much cultural change as we have seen since the toppling of

as an achievement for the fight against racial injustice. History remains

Edward Colston’s statue.

intact and is not being removed. The loss of the statues sees the loss of a celebrated prejudice, and the gain of social power and cultural

Historically, it is physical and forceful actions such as the toppling

inclusivity. The statue removal in Bristol pinpointed a cultural shift in

of Colston’s statue that act as successful catalysts for political

British history and hopefully marks the start of more significant social

change. To quote Emmeline Pankhurst, “Deeds not words”

progress.

have achieved increased political attention throughout history. The Suffragettes smashed shopfronts and vandalised public buildings to achieve the recognition of womens’ right to vote.

words by: Indi Scott Whitehouse design by: Kacey Keane art by: Banksy

Martha P. Johnson led the 1969 Stonewall Riots, which sparked gradual increase in the political acknowledgement for LGBTQ+ rights and equality. These are just a couple of examples of how bold material disruptions to society are successful in stimulating social change to the oppressing conditions of cultural norms. The protesters’ removal of Edward Colston aligns itself with the historically triumphant techniques for political change and is therefore a fundamental moment in the Black Lives Matter movement.

As a physical commemoration of this, Edward Colston’s statue