The Edit by GCU Students' Association

The

SEX

Issue

STAND UP for your fellow student

STAND OUT from the crowd

In an increasingly competitive jobs market managing to stand out from the crowd is becoming ever more important. Standing as a Class Rep equips you with the skills and training not only to effectively carry out your role, but it also sets you apart from the crowd and helps you to be noticed by prospective employers. All Class Reps should sign up for training. For more information or to sign up visit:

www.caledonianstudent.com/representation

The EDIT|CONTENTS

Contents

PAGE 4 5

EDITORS/CONTRIBUTORS DEMO 2010 YOUR SEXUAL HEALTH QUESTIONS ANSWERED DID YOU KNOW FOUR SEXUAL SUBCULTURES HARDCORE DO-GOODING END OF A ERA RETURN2YOU GAY ON TV IT’S A MAN’S WORLD HEY WO...MAN!! MEN’S A/W 2010 PALOMA FAITH ARE WOMEN DISCRIMINATED AGAINST IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY? FENECH-SOLER JOSIE NASH PLAYING AWAY AND NO CLEAN SHEETS THE LAST TABOO THE TIMES ARE A CHANGING RADIO CALEY

6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 18 19 20 21 22

TEAM |The EDIT

Editors

Ruairidh Pritchard Editor ruairidh.pritchard@gcal.ac.uk

Amanda Matheson Deputy Editor/Features Editor amathe18@caledonian.ac.uk

Christina Little Arts & Culture Editor clittl21@caledonian.ac.uk

Aishling Staunton Fashion Editor aishlingstaunton@yahoo.ie

Mike Norburn Music Editor output@radiocaley.com

Simon Ward Sports Editor sward20@caledonian.ac.uk

Hannah Gamble Marketing hgambl10@caledonian.ac.uk

Sex - it’s one of the biggest issues for young people today. We’re either getting it or we’re not. Men apparently think about it every seven seconds and women aren’t that far behind. However, sex is more than just the act itself – it’s gender, orientation, sexual heath, discrimination and art. In this, The Sex Issue, The Edit answers all those sexual health questions you’ve been too embarrassed to ask, review the new hottest lesbian drama on TV (it’s set in Glasgow too!), we uncover four sexual subcultures that are bound to make you feel better about your sex life, ponder the morals of pornography, go through some of the best coming out scenes on TV, discuss the influence of traditional male trends on women’s fashion, discuss whether women are discriminated against in the music industry, try and understand why footballers are so keen on playing away from home, examine the treatment of homosexuality in the game and praise some of the finest female athlete’s battling it out in male dominated sports. We also reflect upon the largest student protest in decades; you may have heard about it, I think it was mentioned on the news a bit…? Everyone’s favourite former magician’s assistant turned songstress Paloma Faith had a wee sit down with us; we mark the beginning of the end of Harry Potter, give a round up of this season’s men’s fashion and review Fenech-Soler and Josie Nash. This is the last issue of The Edit before we all head home for Christmas and New Year, so let us be the first to wish you all the best for surviving the cold and close proximity to drunken family members this Christmas season, at least you’ve got your uni mag to get you through the holidays eh? Merry Christmas and Happy New Year for when it comes. Ruairidh Pritchard. Editor

Contributors Writers

Ruairidh Pritchard, Amanda Matheson, Rob Douse, Jim Griffin, Zara McAspurren, Christina Little, Andy Craib, Victoria Patterson, Victoria Irvine, Mike Norburn, Lauren Simpson, Angela Thomson, Dougal Crawford, Simon Ward.

Photography

NUS (Page 5), BBC (Page 7), Lewis Boran (Page 10), ITV Yorkshire picture archive (Page 12), Burberry and Limi Feu (Page 13), Rosie Urquhart Stewart (Page 14), H&M (Page 15).

Design Josie McKay.

The EDIT|DEMO 2010

Demo 2010 Was it “just the beginning” of violent public protest over the coalition’s ambitious programme of cuts? Probably. Was the rioting minority that broke into buildings on Millbank and grabbed all the media attention counterproductive? I would give a “probably” to that, too, unless empathy prevails over irritation. But did folk watching on over-excited 24/7 news channels really understand the full scale of the situation? A situation that empowered a group of student from GCU, including some of The Edit team, enough to spend a (hellish) 9 hours on an overnight bus to march on the streets of London? Unfortunately I doubt it.

sh*t’ below 30 Millbank, or of the small group of peaceful protestors who quietly conducted a sit in inside the ransacked lobby of Conservative HQ - one student calmly did her make-up just feet from a uniformed riot officer, while another held up a sign: “We are hostages to the police. We are fine but want pizza, lower uni fees”. As the same handful of pictures of broken windows, bonfires and that now infamous flying fire extinguisher were flashed across television screens, out crawled the politicians to condemn the “bloody” mobs, violence and those who “ruined it for everyone else”. In most of the media the protesters became “thugs”, “rioters” and “criminals”. The Express even branded us as “yobo’s”.

On a day in which over fifty thousand students from across the UK united to take part in the largest student protest in decades, it was not images of unity and solidarity that summed up the day, but that off angry mobs, bonfires and a flying fire extinguisher.

By focusing on the damage to buildings, politicians cleverly manipulated the attention away from the much more far-reaching and damaging violence being visited upon our education system.

Hardly any mention was made of the chants condemning the coalition being replaced with a chorus from the crowd of ‘stop throwing

It is as if we are being asked to believe that the cost of good glazier is more than that of our education and public services – schools,

universities, public transport, hospitals, employment prospects, wages and pensions. Hurling a fire extinguisher into a crowd is clearly wrong, but the broken glass and bonfires of the 10th of November were more visually spectacular than actually harmful. New glass can be fitted, walls can be repainted and the cindering bonfire ashes can be swept away, but it is the coalition’s policies that are going to generate bloody mayhem for far longer. Ruairidh Pritchard , Editor

SEXUAL HEALTH |The EDIT

Your Sexual Health Questions Answered What is safe sex? Sex where semen, vaginal secretions or blood are not exchanged between sexual partners is referred to as safe sex. Using condoms properly during intercourse (anal or vaginal) will greatly reduce the risk of spreading HIV. Condoms must be used correctly and with plenty of lubricant. Water based lubricant should be used as other types of lubricants (like oil-based) can cause condoms to break. Female condoms are also available and should be used with lubricants.

Golden Rules of Condom use! • • • • • •

Check the sell by date and look for a ‘kite’ mark Read Instructions Carefully Open the packet Carefully – Watch those sharp nails! Store away from light, heat and damp Always use water-based lubricants Check for a burst or leaking condom – if it is, seek advice ASAP

Did you know! • Chlamydia can affect up to 1 in 10 sexually active young people in the UK (under 25s). • At least half of people infected with Chlamydia have no symptoms. • There are approximately 6500 people living with HIV in Scotland. • I in 3 people living with HIV are undiagnosed. • One third of people living with HIV in the UK have experienced discrimination. Half of these instances involved healthcare workers. • There are estimated to be over 22,400 people living with HIV in the UK who are unaware of their infection.

Sexually Transmitted Infections Chlamydia

HIV

Symptoms for females • Increase in vaginal discharge • Pain whilst urinating • Lower abdominal pain • Pain during sex • Irregular menstrual bleeding • Irritation to the eyes

What is HIV? HIV means human immunodeficiency virus - a virus which weakens the immune system in humans. It is found in the blood (including menstrual blood), semen and vaginal fluid of a person who has HIV.

Symptoms for males • Discharge from the penis • Burning sensation whilst urinating • Irritation to the eyes Long term effects if not treated • Infertility in women • Infertility on men Important facts • Chlamydia is most symptom-less • Chlamydia can be passed on through oral and penetrative sex. • 1 in 10 under 25’s have Chlamydia. • It can be easily treated with anti-biotics.

Visit the Welfare Dept and collect your FREE UNLIMITED supply of condoms! The Welfare Dept is situated in the Students’ Association building.

Open: Monday - Friday, 9am-5pm

What are the symptoms of HIV? • Flu-like symptoms • Extreme and constant tiredness • Fevers, chills and night sweats • Rapid weight loss for no known reason • Swollen lymph glands in the neck, underarm or groin area • White spots or unusual marks in the mouth • Skin marks or bumps (raised or flat, usually painless and purplish) • Continuous coughing or a dry cough • Diarrhoea • Decreased appetite Someone who has HIV may not have any symptoms, but they carry the virus and could pass it on through blood or body fluids (e.g. unprotected sexual intercourse). How is AIDS different from HIV? HIV causes AIDS. Someone who has HIV (a virus) may not have AIDS (an illness). HIV weakens the body’s immune system, leaving it open to various infections and cancers. For most people who have HIV, the progression to AIDS is fairly slow, taking years from HIV infection to the development of AIDS. Without treatment people who have HIV eventually become ill and can develop AIDS within five to ten years. However there are a small percentage of people who do not show any deterioration in their health, even after ten years.

Terrence Higgins Trust Scotland THT Scotland provides services for and campaigns on behalf of people who are living with, or who are at increased risk of contracting HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. Our services include: • Client support work • Information and resources on HIV, sexual health and sexuality • Health promotion • Groupwork • Training courses to improve the skills and knowledge of professionals who work with our client group 134 Douglas Street, Glasgow, G2 4HF. 0141 332 3838 www.tht.org.uk

The EDIT|FEATURES

Did you know that every woman in Glasgow is a lesbian…? I didn’t - until I watched BBC3’s latest “groundbreaking” drama Lip Service. Set in our very own Glasgow, the drama focuses on a group of twenty-something lesbians as they live, work, and bed every woman in Glasgow. It’s like the raunchy, gay version of Taggart. Without the murder. Okay, basically the only similarity is that both shows are set in the same city but you get the point. The series stars Ruta Gedmintas as Frankie - a somewhat emotionally crippled, sex-obsessed photographer who, with her low-slung jeans, toned stomach and blonde bob, looks like she’s just strolled casually out of a Calvin Klein ad. And then we have Frankie’s ex-girlfriend, Cat, played by one of the few Scottish actresses in the show, Laura Thompson. Cat is a control freak architect who harbours more than a little resentment towards Frankie after she abandoned her for New York several years previously. And let’s not forget Tess, the somewhat unintentional star of the show. Fiona Button’s portrayal of the loveable, clumsy and often hysterical Tess is worth watching Lip Service just to see. There is also the show’s two token males Ed and Jay but I’m not going to go into much detail about them because honestly, who’s tuning in for the guys?

straight female celebrities. But this isn’t what Lip Service is trying to be. It’s not a documentary or a reality show about Glaswegian lesbians who spend every night in the Polo lounge, it is a comedy/ drama about a group of British females who just happen to be gay. The fact that Lip Service is based in Glasgow is just an added benefit – it provides some free tourism for our city and is a show we can watch week-in, week-out, just to see if a character will walk by our flat or if we can spot ourselves walking down Buchanan Street in the background of a girl-on-girl kissing scene.

the everyday lives of people in Glasgow, regardless of who they are sleeping with. It still shows Buchanan Street on a busy Saturday afternoon in winter, and the miserable grey, rainy mornings, and even a couple of Glasgow’s lovely council estates are featured (albeit briefly). Although, there are a hell of a lot more Glaswegian accents in this city than there are on the show, and a hell of a lot less lesbians, Lip Service is funny, intriguing and, most of all, watchable. Apart from the lesbian sex scene in the morgue, that was just gross... Amanda Matheson

Hailed by some as the best thing to happen to LGBT visibility on British television since Queer as Folk, Lip Service is also seen by some as a complete misrepresentation of Glaswegian lesbians. Realistically, the majority of gay gals in Glasgow aren’t exactly high-flying architects, New York-dwelling photographers or struggling actresses who manage to pull

Series creator Harriet Braun has specifically stated that she was not trying to represent all types of lesbians in Lip Service and I personally applaud her for this. If Lip Service was to portray the everyday lives of, for example, butch forty-something lesbians living in Glasgow, how many people across Britain would be watching? As it is, Lip Service has already attracted a cult following of men and women, of all sexual orientations, who tune in for the witty writing, (mostly) decent acting, and good-looking cast. Although it may not accurately represent the lives of lesbians in Glasgow, it is representing

The first season of Lip Service is now out on DVD.

FEATURES |The EDIT

Four Sexual Subcultures That Will Make You Feel Better About Your Own Sex Life When I saw the magazine was producing an edition based entirely around sex I thought, ‘wow, that has like a million different ways to go wrong.’ Well, after researching this article, I now spend most of my time thinking, ‘wow, I sort of hate myself,’ and ‘... I wonder if I could have sex with that.’

4. Furries For those of you not in the know, and I’d like to recommend you take this opportunity to enjoy the last five seconds of you not knowing this, Furries are people who like to dress up as animals and have sex with each other. This shouldn’t be confused with bestiality, that is the actual act of sex with an animal and which was, like several other more exotic practices, omitted from this list on account of it being illegal, immensely messed up and actually more of a sort of weird bloodsport than any kind of sexual niche.

back into the house to pick up her briefcase only to find her husband wearing an adultsized nappy and sucking on a dummy, proudly strutting around in front of the mirror like a female impersonator practising lip-syncing to I Am What I Am. She was, understandably, horrified and ran out the room before he noticed her. Now she was writing to Dear Deidre asking whether she should confront him or consider the benefits held by a bright new future in having a mid-life crisis. This is where things got real though, because Deidre honestly didn’t have a clue what to tell her. Every instinct in her body was screaming at her to reply with ‘Dear Poor Bitch: Grab the kids. Grab the dog. Grab whatever food your husband hasn’t tried to have sex with yet and put as much distance between yourselves and this fruit loop as you can before he invites all the Furries in the neighbourhood over to play Muppet Babies.’

of Real Dolls is that they treat them like real. God. Damn. People. Actually, I’d say that the only thing stranger than the idea of men grooming harems of plastic women would be that some of these men have living, breathing girlfriends. Most of them aren’t even chained to the wall in the basement! Science doesn’t have a word for standards that low. And speaking of lowering your standards...

1. Swingers

2. Real Dolls

Have you ever thought, ‘well, sex with my loving girlfriend is great and all... but I just wish there was some way to involve horny strangers.’? If so, then swinging is for you! The thing that’s always confused me the most, though, is how that conversation ever came up in the first place: ‘Dear, you know how you’re always saying we don’t see John and Mary from the office nearly enough? And you know how you say that John is so, so funny? Well, don’t you think it would be really funny if you were to have sex with John on the floor of a Travelodge while Mary & I got it on in the bed opposite? Honey? It looks like you’re crying. Did I not explain the part where we openly commit adultery together? Let me start again...’

3. Adult Babies

Real Dolls, as the name suggests, are hyper-realistic alternatives for having sex with a real lady or going to Heaven. I am not exaggerating when I say this is maybe the saddest and most terrifying activity on the planet.

Well, that’s it. I hope you enjoyed reading my list as much as I didn’t enjoy researching it. Just a quick disclaimer: if you, the reader, fall into any of the categories on this list and are offended then I am sorry and please do not try to have sex with me.

It started off simple enough: a wife running

One of the creepiest things about the owners

Rob Douse

The scariest part about the whole Furry thing, though, is the anonymity of it all. Literally anyone over the age of consent could be a closet Furry. Think about that the next time you are out on that all important first date. Does this person have the synthetic fur of an animal hanging up in their wardrobe at home? Are they wearing it right now, under their regular, people clothes? Are they one novelty-sized tigers head away from the worst drunken sex you ever had? Unfortunately, you’ll never know until precisely after it’s too late.

In the end, Deidre cobbled together a bog standard reply that didn’t really help anyone, once and for all proving that the best way to sort out a personal trauma is definitely telling a national newspaper about it.

The EDIT|FEATURES

Hardcore do-gooding: The ethics of pornography Just because sex is a guilt-free, joyful pleasurefest doesn’t mean we can’t turn it into a baffling ordeal of ethical dilemmas. So let’s look at porn. By which I mean let’s examine the issue. It’s a controversial one, with opinions ranging from “It objectifies and degrades women, representing and reinforcing harmful gender stereotypes” to the equally articulate “Phwoar.” As ethical types we need to figure where we stand. First, we should acknowledge that porn encompasses a range of things across a range of mediums and shouldn’t be discussed as one big amorphous blob. There’s a difference between violent porn that mimics sexual assault and refers to its performers as sluts, and a couple posting their homemade video online because it floats their boats. Second, we should acknowledge our role as potential consumers. If we buy a banana we choose between Fairtrade, organic or evil and our choice supports one standard or another. If we use porn we support the industry that produces it and the behaviour it exhibits. Let’s start at the top. There we have our industrial porn, where massive companies churn out a massive amount of work. There we have the largest production company in the US raking in about $100 million a year. There we have men and women who risk contracting sexually transmitted diseases and women whose bodies are surgically mutilated and pumped full of silicone as parodies of beauty. There we have people paid to have sex, people we would refer to as prostitutes and likely look down on if they weren’t being filmed or photographed for our viewing pleasure. There we have a caveman view of gender politics: The men are studs, the women there to be used. Viewers, as consumers, let this happen. Below that we have the kind of softcore that’s become acceptable almost by stealth. Top shelf magazines covered their nipples in the mid ‘90s to move down a shelf in the halfway respectable form of Maxim and Nuts and eighteen other kinds of copies. Walk into a newsagent’s, you’ll find these magazines on show, their covers filled with women wearing nothing but a square inch of gaffer tape where it counts. Their headlines tell us how up for it they are, just like the

women on the cover of last week’s. And because they have articles about cars and Playstations and the odd bit of TV we can pretend they’re just blokes’ magazines; nothing to do with the objectification of women, just the male equivalent of Cosmo. Except Cosmo never called a man an up-for-it tart looking to get laid according to your fantasies. Readers, as consumers, let this happen. Below that, influenced by the output above it, we have the pornification of mainstream culture where fishnets are marketing tools, where young singers pose for album covers like they’re gagging for it, where Katy Perry writhes naked in her videos and twelve-yearolds wear Playboy T-shirts. And here we have the twist: that sex sells like it always has but now we pretend it empowers these women, now they’re liberated and strong and sexually confident despite looking the same as the exploited, stereotyped, degraded women of a 1970s Pirelli calendar. We let this happen. These hierarchies of porn are linked to each other and to continued gender inequality. We can’t have an equal society where this stuff exists. We can’t become a country where women are no longer treated as sex objects, where sex itself is free from gender bias and abuses of power when every morning three million people turn the front page of The Sun to have a look at a pair of breasts. As it stands, the ethics of porn are pretty grim. But in theory at least, porn doesn’t have to be exploitative and demeaning, it doesn’t have to be unethical. Porn is just nudity and sex filmed and photographed, and nudity and sex are fine and dandy and gender neutral. Porn doesn’t have to exploit people, like banana growers don’t have to exploit people. There could be ethical porn – fair trade porn where both sexes are treated equally, where no one’s demeaned or humiliated, where no one’s taking money for sex, or if they are it’s as a genuine lifestyle choice instead of for crack or from society telling them that’s just how it goes for good looking girls. But that seems unlikely. As ethical types and as potential consumers, we have a choice to make. Jim Griffin

ARTS & CULTURE |The EDIT

End of an Era It has been 13 years since the first book was released and now Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 is being released into British cinemas. It’s surprising to see just how far Harry Potter, the tales of the Boy Who Lived, has come in such a short space of time.

really rocketed Harry Potter to his place as Literary King: the fans. Love them or hate them, it has to be admitted that the Potter fans are a dedicated bunch; forking out for books, movies, tie in merchandise, even tie in sweets, and now there’s a theme park in Florida.

The Harry Potter series has been one of those that defined a generation. It’s famous for having turned a whole new group of people on to reading, and for being one of the first books openly read by both children and adults – even releasing ‘adult covers’ to try to stop the embarrassment of those adults who had found themselves unwittingly drawn into the adventures of Harry and friends.

There’s also a mass amount of fan created media for the series, the most recent – and possibly now the most beloved of which being the fan parody musicals: A Very Potter Musical and A Very Potter Sequel by the group StarKid, both of which are available to watch on the group’s youtube page.

The basic tale of Harry Potter, really, is one we’ve all heard before. Villain slays hero’s parents, causing the hero to grow up with no knowledge of his past or true destiny, however, this all changes when the hero finally finds out the truth, and thus sets off on the journey that will help him reach his final destiny. This formula has been in place since the days of Greek Mythology, and Rowling’s massively popular series is just one of many to tap into its winning premise.

The fandom for the Potter series is immense, and is one in which you can easily got lost if you don’t know what you’re looking for. It’s these fans that have helped Potter to reach the levels of success it has, and it’s these fans that are going to feel the end sharply. Deathly Hallows Part 1 goes into release on November 19th, with Part 2 being scheduled for July 15th 2011. Zara McAspurren

So, what is it then that sets Harry Potter apart from all those out there following the same path? Surely it’s just yet another retread, another variation on the same boring story? Well, it is, but who said that it had to be boring. It’s simple enough to work out really, at least for the first few books. Harry is the underdog, and we all root for the underdog. Okay, so there’s probably a lot of wish fulfilment in there for when we first read it – didn’t we all want to be told that really, we were extra special and destined for great things at some point in our lives? I bet some of us still do, if we’re being honest. But getting away from the story for a moment, let’s consider what

The EDIT|ARTS & CULTURE 11

Curtis and Co dance affairs Presents

return2you

Last month The Arches played host to a dance extraordinaires Susanna Curtis and Co and their new production, return2you.

as the raw emotions and expressions that came from the dancers themselves really did leave an impact on the audience.

A few days previously I had the honour of interviewing Susanna and one of the dancers Tom Pritchard, and got a real insight as to their past, present and future. Susanna has trained in Scotland and at the Rotterdamse Dansacademie, Netherlands, has been living in Germany since 1988 and has since travelled across the world, whereas Tom has spent the start of his career training in London but has also began to work abroad with the twin city project.

One of the more subtle aspects of the production was the music and lighting, providing a fantastic minimal accompaniment to the dancers. During my visit to see the dancers during one of their final rehearsals the group were going over where they had to stand for the lights to work most effectively, and it was then that I stood in awe at the amount of precision and thought it took to get perfect.

I asked whether or not the working practises were different between Germany and Scotland, apparently the Germans had “a lot more time and space to form” whereas the Scottish were more “hands on” with a shorter time frame. The production itself delved deep into 4 very different individuals and how they interacted together when delayed waiting for a flight. A

suave female loving gentleman, a flirtatious bold female with a passion for fashion, a smooth student and a killing machine sent back in time, believe it or not, makes for a fantastic story line with regards to how they interact with each other. Curtis also played a significant role, as she was the voice over the speaker, announcing the flight updates and acting as narrator at the start of the play. The different relationships that formed throughout the script, whether intimate or just even friction between two characters, was enacted with sheer brilliance

After seeing how time consuming the process was and how much thought had to go into it each aspect of the performance and accompanying lighting and music, my appreciation for this brilliant dance production only increased. return2you continues to tour around Europe this winter. Christina Little

ARTS & CULTURE |The EDIT

Gay on TV... ‘It’s my only outlet!’ Times have changed its true! Screens have gone Plasma, LCD, HD now 3D. However one true constant since the dawn of time has been the ‘Coming Out Episode’.

of gay teen characters on TV, with the coming out of a main character that the audience quickly took to their hearts and stuck by through his many and various first times until the show’s end.

From Dallas and Dynasty to Six Feet Under and Shameless, these somewhat traditional, often eventful and scandalous episodes have become the staple diet for Soap Lovers, Drama Divas and Comedy Bears and Cubs for decades. I will pry open and reveal the true classics of this tired and overused TV storyline and will highlight the juicy, truly heartfelt performances and the amazing if under celebrated writing that propels any performance to the stratosphere of greatness.

Perhaps the major reason why this story is so great is the complete innocent drama of coming out through poetry in front of your school class. As pathetic as it sounds the poem was actually well written and wonderfully performed with sobs and snot galore - a memorable performance from an unforgettable show, in my opinion a triumph for the LGBT community on both sides of the Atlantic.

Perhaps the best coming out of a TV character in recent times and perhaps my favourite of all time has got to be that of Aaron in Emmerdale, played by Mr Danny Miller. The clearly temperamental mechanic shocked us all as much as himself when he tried to plant a ‘wet one’ on his best mate. He and the audience sat stunned as we all started to put things together and tried to explain why we never had any clue before that fateful night. This idea was refreshing as he was written and portrayed as a man’s man, a straight talker, thinker and doer. Out in the ‘real world’ this was seen as a truer account of realising your sexuality instead of the ‘Hello Dolly’ sashay number that is seen in many a programme. What transcended this storyline to the realms of greatness however, was the self loathing and depression the character was put through, something that is largely ignored by writers who concentrate on the homophobia that is so easily hollered. This self loathing climaxed at an attempted suicide, a brave turn in the story and highlighted the increased incidences of young gay teens taking their lives through lack of support but also through their own fear and guilt. My second choice stems from my Dawson’s Creek obsession. The character of Jack McPhee helped lead the charge for the acceptance

My third and finally choice is from the 90’s British drama ‘This Life’. This highly underrated series ran for just two years and within that brief time introduced the audience to the tightly strung character of Warren. Warren appeared on our TV screens as an already ‘out’ man but was struggling to cope with his realised lifestyle with a clever use of a therapist chair to reveal his true fears and feelings. Sex obsessed he may have been, but it was the character’s self exploration into who he was and who he wanted to become that made the character truly unique and created an image of homosexuality that people could empathise with, in a time when in the UK homosexuality was still was subjected to many inequalities. I absolutely believe these and many other coming out episodes from various TV shows have great influence over viewers, by either changing the way the viewer thinks to providing support and inspiration to many experiencing this very personal and individually unique journey. Therefore I find it important to share and celebrate the characters and stories that faithfully provide a more accurate representation of the personal demons faced by many members of the LGBT community. Andy Craib

The EDIT|FASHION 13

It’s a Man’s World It’s November so the weather has started to turn colder and the nights are drawing in, which means one thing; it’s time to start wrapping up; layering up chunky knit cardigans with thick winter jackets and woollen tights. The days of floaty summer dresses, ballet pumps and bare legs are definitely over, but as we move into winter a new wave of masculine styling has hit the catwalks, and in turn the high street. However is this such a new trend? How do we prepare for a season where ‘boyfriend jackets’ and chunky leather boots are threatening to take the femininity out of fashion? It’s clear that male clothing is increasingly influencing female fashion. This doesn’t mean start wearing pinstripe suits, but pieces with added structure and vigour are becoming big. Evidence of this male influence dominated the catwalks this season with pieces like the shearling aviator jacket and combat boots seen at Burberry Prorsum

as well as leather seen in LNA are set to be huge trends this winter. Not exactly the most feminine of pieces though.. Designers such as Diane Von Furstenburg and Balmains Christophe Decarnin have approached this trend in a less literal way, adding structure to their collections while mixing hard with soft pieces. For example Furstenburg paired pinstripe cigarette trousers with shear blouses, and boyfriend blazers with beautiful feathered dresses (and those all important woollen tights). Decarnin illustrated this trend in a different and slightly more ostentatious way by styling blazers and suits with regal velvet embellishment and striking gold detailing. This has continued with the ‘boyfriend coats’ - just imagine a man’s coat fitted to a women’s figure - seen on the runways of Donna Karan and Burberry keeping with the masculine feeling of the Autumn/Winter collections and adaptations of these, and the leather and wool combat boots of Limi Feu are set to hit the high street this season - just in time for the brutal Scottish winter. However this masculine influence is not a new trend and has been having an effect on female

fashion for a long time. Patti Smith brought a new wave of masculine and slightly more punk dressing to the sixties and seventies with short mullet style hair, braces, leather and cigarette jeans, a look which has been emulated by and influenced designers such as John Galliano and Vivienne Westwood. Coco Chanel one of the most pioneering designers of the last century was famed for her use of tailoring and functionality within her designs believing; “Luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury.” This want for comfort has trickled through to the high street, with boyfriend blazers and jeans, and now leather (although not necessarily comfortable) quickly becoming a staple of most wardrobes.

Now masculine dressing has moved away from the punk days of Patti Smith and new style icons such as Alexa Chung and Kate Bosworth have been photographed in the perfect mixture of feminine pieces with a masculine twist - a floral tea dress with mannish brogues or a blazer over a sheer blouse tucked into a leather skirt. It seems the best way to nail this winter trend is to keep the balance just right, wear a floaty and feminine item but toughen it up with a more masculine piece. Whatever you do invest in a warm coat, it’s cold out there. Victoria Paterson

FASHION |The EDIT

HEY WO.....man! Vintage Western Shirt £17.50, Vintage tie £5 , Lazy oaf multicoloured backpack £35

Vintage All in one £30

Babooshka grey sheer top £3, trousers models own

Lazy Oaf Tuxedo Tee Dress £30, Babooshka Quilted High Waisted Trousers £45, Tatty Devine Moustache Necklace £24,

STOCKIST INFO: La La Land, De Courcy’s Arcade, Cresswell Lane , www.livinginlalaland.co.uk, Not Now Cato Vintage Store, De Courcy’s Arcade, Cresswell Lane Model: Kate Bracken. Make-up: Rachel Helena Imrie. Photographer: Rosie Urquhart Stewart special thanks to Zizi’s restaurant 8 Cresswell Lane. Special thanks to Sarah Graham, La La Land (She was truly amazing!)

The EDIT|FASHION 15

‘Tis the season to be jolly, and wrapped up warm too ‘cause it’s bloody freezing outside. Let face it – when you live in Glasgow, big scarves, winter jackets and woolly hats all take president in your wardrobe almost all year round. However if we are to learn anything from last winter, it is now that we should be stocking up on all things warm and waterproof, and why should we let the ladies have all the festive fashion fun? The looks across the high street this autumn winter all build on the palettes and textures of last year. Lots of dark browns, charcoals, greys and blacks take up most of the winter wardrobe, with leather continuing through from spring summer, joining very heavy knits and tweeds as the texture trends that will be most prominent this season. Designers have been drawing inspiration from more classic cuts of the 20s and 30s, but with a lot less formality. When in previous years suits, shirts and ties have held a prominent place during the season, designers have really broken down their collections with a lot of layering. Military themes are very strong again this season, with double breasted military style coats being carried by almost all the men’s high street stores. Similarly heavy style military boots are also a set to be a strong autumn winter trend. In terms of silhouettes, this season’s rule of thumb is big shapes on top, while keeping it a bit simpler and thinner on the leg. Things like big knit cardigans, coating and wax jackets matched with a slim leg dark jean or a heavy corduroy trouser.

Check shirts also don’t show any sign of disappearing, but rather than the smaller more intricate checks, this season it’s the larger lumberjack inspired checks that should be on the backs of the cities most stylish. Overall the styling across this season leans towards creating a slightly well dressed but bohemian guy, with the key item for this season being a great winter coat or jacket. Ruairidh Pritchard

Photographs copyright H&M

Again this year accessories are very important part of the autumn winter season. Last year it was mainly scarves and gloves that were the main focus, however this year it’s the turn of the bags and boots, both of which follow the leather and military themes. In stating that, heavy knits scarves, snoods and woolly bobble hats are all big hitters with the high street stores.

MUSIC |The EDIT

Paloma Faith… It’s A Kind of Magic Actress: check. Dancer: check. Talented musician: check. Magician’s assistant: err, check. With such a captivating CV, it is hardly a surprise that 2010 has already been named as Paloma Faith’s year. The seemingly unknown singer exploded on to radio stations last year with her debut single Stone Cold Sober, a track about being the only person at a party not entirely legless. The track’s release date was brought forward a month after ripples began to spread and arouse interest with music-lovers across the UK, and the question being asked was, who does this powerful voice belong to? Answer: a petite Hackney girl with a penchant for burlesque costumes and a back-catalogue of jobs that would have any recruiter scratching their heads with confusion. Now her debut album ‘Do You Want the Truth or Something Beautiful?’ has gone gold, her new single Smoke and Mirrors is already track of the week on countless radio stations and the nameless voice from the radio has a definite, albeit outlandish identity. Paloma Faith, 25, grew up listening to golden oldies such as Etta James and Billie Holiday instead of the likes of Wham or Duran Duran. “My mum brought me up on her own,” she says, “She was always listening to music and influencing me.” A short time

later, she attended the Northern School of Contemporary Dance where creative differences made it difficult for Paloma to fit in. “I don’t think that time in my life was particularly nice. It was quite an upsetting time. It was very demanding and I don’t think that the teachers really knew exactly how to teach me. I think creatively they were quite shocked by me.” Her rebellious nature continued through the years. Determined not to conform to the humdrum jobs that most teens get by on, Paloma worked in Agent Provocateur and, eventually, as a magician’s assistant. “I’ve been a ghost on a ghost train as well,” she quips. “As a magician’s assistant I was sawed in half. There’s a video on the internet and everything. I’m very much a ‘yes’ person so I just sort of fell into the job.” But it wasn’t until she began singing in burlesque clubs that Paloma’s voice was truly appreciated. Now signed with Epic, Paloma remains quite humble about her mounting fame. “It is definitely quite a lovely time to be a female artist. Florence and the Machine are doing amazing at the moment and I’m not quite as big as that just yet. Right now it’s about plugging away and hoping that people will like the music all over the world.” It seems her talents span much further than just singing and song writing. She has played

an ‘emo’ in St Tinian’s and even appeared in Terry Gilliam’s the Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus alongside one of her favourite artists, growly singer Tom Waits, who played the devil. “That was amazing. I was really overwhelmed and happy about being cast to play the devil’s girlfriend and with Tom. He’s exactly how you think he would be in person.” Also famed for her glamorous and usually odd dress sense, Paloma hopes to one day start her own clothing range. “I’d love to do a range of clothes but right now I haven’t earned enough money to buy a flat so that’s my first aim.” But concentrating on her music career for now, Paloma is currently on her biggest tour yet, with dates in the UK and Europe. The video for her new single, ‘Smoke and Mirrors’ sees Paloma returning to her quirky roots, playing a disgruntled magician’s assistant in a cheesy B&B who eventually gets her revenge. But staying true to fans of not only music but magic, Paloma turns stern when asked to reveal the secret of how she is cut in half on stage. “I would never reveal that. I’m in the circle.” But returning back to her bubbly self she laughs: “They really did it! It’s real!” Good job they sewed her back up, then. Smoke and Mirrors and You Want the Truth or Something Beautiful? are out now. Victoria Irvine

The EDIT|MUSIC 17

Are Woman Discriminated Against in the Music Industry? This article isn’t about Political Correctness or sexism, it is a straight to the point article about females in the music industry. It would be extremely easy to join the feminist movements rallying about how females are treated worse than the opposite sex but this is about what is actually happening in the modern world of music. The main problems for musicians (that weren’t found on some TV show) are the long hours, low pay, and the hard work or sleepless nights travelling to the next venue. It is a time that very few people want, and even fewer women want. Stereotypically, women are more maternal and family is an issue with up and coming bands. I don’t see it as a gender issue however, as record companies are so fixated on profits that for all they care, if a chimpanzee throwing faeces at a keyboard makes money then it is a good investment. Look at Paramore, one of the more famous female-led bands of modern rock. Although a talented singer, she is sadly famous for her looks more than her voice. Her flame red hair is a sure sign of Paramore, rather than her voice or lyrics. As producers, females have even harder times. Hopefully one day this will change,

but with few females considering becoming producers, of course more males will be hired. Most bands that actually play their own instruments are made up of men, and normally find it difficult when letting a female take control, whether their testosterone takes over or their arrogance subdues them, it is a sad time for female producers. Sadly, social conditioning in this field will not happen anytime soon. Women are better off as managers according to the Music Business Registry. Almost a third of managers are woman, with this number increasing. It is unfair to everyone that women are still being stereotyped. Unfortunately this isn’t helped by modern pop stars, as they have cracked the industry for the wrong reason. Sadly, sex sells more than talent. SEX SELLS IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY! No freaking way?! Sex sells. We all know it. I know it, you know it, and your parents weirdly know it even if you don’t want to admit the fact. Since the 1960s the female population has been used to sell products, from clothes to music. And with the improvements on sexism issues, women were able to increase their status to being equal to men.

However, most of the older females in the music industry now no longer need to rely on being sexy, raunchy or “fighting the man.” Artists like Aretha Franklin and Whitney Houston don’t need to sell their images or perform shows scantily dressed. They have been around for years and are still fighting strong, proving that being a woman is no different from being a man in the music industry. However, the younger females have the problem of selling. Due to technological advances, with auto tuners etc, most pop musicians are talentless. If you can’t sing, dress sexy. A simple notion, but one that has ruined pop music. If you think about the innocent lovable females that could sing when they started out, how many have a reputation as an artist now. Britney Spears? Christina Aguilera? It is tragic for females to look upon their musical idols to see what the music industry is these days. As for males, it is equally disgusting. Look at JLS, a pop sensation that erupted from a TV show. What does the one with the bow tie do? Apart from hum maybe? A very famous video shows Enrique Iglesias miming, turning away from the microphone and “singing.” Of course, many women say he is good. No girls, you mean he’s attractive. And I am not being sexist. If we actually thought about the charts, females and their sex appeal have a lot of power in today’s music. It empowers them, which is a good thing. Look at what happened when male rock gods ruled the charts. Coke, heroin, speed and alcohol abuse were rife and resulted in many fans following in their footsteps and dying with them. I say bring back the sixties when Mama Cass was a singer and was known for it and The Beatles were changing music forever. It is sad to think that long dead musicians are remembered from decades ago for their work, while now we have short lived one hit wonders. With all the talentless musicians that people listen to these days, I ask: What artist’s music from our generation will last longer than their lives? Mike Norburn

MUSIC |The EDIT

Fenech-Soler King Tuts Tuesday 5 October

At first glance this band seem bizarre: four good looking English guys in skinny jeans and sequins couldn’t possibly please a Glaswegian crowd, could they? Taking to the famous Tuts stage, their mixture of synths, guitars and catchy lyrics have the crowd dancing and bobbing along to their electro-pop. Recent single ‘Lies’ lights up the room, prompting a sing along coupled with eclectic dance moves from the crowd and band on stage. As they groove through their debut self-titled album excitement builds during ‘I Need Love’ with its carnival style dance breakdown. ‘Stonebridge’ is piano driven displaying lead singer Ben’s striking vocals and slows the crowd down with the women in the room swaying and swooning at the band. It would be easy to compare Fenech-Soler to Friendly Fires or Klaxons with their indie disco sound, but this band go further. Their base synths, carnival party rhythms and catchy pop hooks make them the perfect band to start off any party and if they are future popstars then the future looks bright. Lauren Simpson

Josie Nash

Soulful, Sexy and So Too Good for Simon Cowell Falkirk’s own Josie Nash (22) is the latest emerging talent on the local music scene. However, if you had read this sentence to any of her friends a few years ago, you’d be greeted with an “aye right then”. Josie’s confidence has taken a truly breathtaking U-turn. From the quiet, nervous, stage-shy girl, we are now all too familiar with one of the most confident and uplifting talents to hit the gigging scene. Josie regularly performs her own interpretations of established artists work and, more often than not, hits the nail right on the head. There is a delicate blend of natural soul and an outstanding passion for music and entertainment of the masses. You can check out Josie Nash at www.myspace.com/josienashjosie and don’t be fooled – these are nowhere near the calibre of recordings that Nash is capable of. If you like these, just imagine what a decent producer could do with that voice. Keep your eyes peeled. Angela Thomson

The EDIT|SPORT 19

Playing Away and No Clean Sheets With the recent flood of stories exposing footballers ‘playing the field’, you have to wonder why they insisted on persecuting themselves getting married in the first place? It’s widely accepted that, as a top sportsman, being a married man will not only land successful players lucrative sponsorship deals, but will help their manager sleep easier at night as well. The likes of Sir Alex Ferguson has always encouraged his players (David Beckham, Lee Sharpe et al) to settle down early, but is it really the best recipe for success? It’s all very well, until the rich, young, successful player gets caught playing away from home, and then it really does hit the fan. Peter Crouch is one of the latest in a long line of England Internationals that really did shock the nation when his alleged affairs came to light, cheating on his fiancée Abbey Clancy with a teenage prostitute while on a stag weekend in Madrid. Although, Crouchy seems to have fared better than others in a similar situation and maybe it’s because he’s aware he’s punching above his weight – honesty goes a long way in Britain it seems. When asked the question, “What would you be if you weren’t a footballer?” Crouch replied in a self deprecating manner, “A virgin”, which endeared him in to the hearts of many young women and made him a bit of a cult hero amongst football fans. His sexual misdemeanours seem to have gone been forgiven much easier than others and Ashley Cole must be kicking himself, wondering why the Spurs striker just gets away with a slap on the wrist. Ashley Cole’s marriage to Cheryl Tweedy was riddled with allegations of adultery, culminating in their divorce in September 2010. This failure of a marriage owes as much to Cole’s skirt chasing as it does to the tabloids constant, but fair, hammering of the Chelsea left back. Ashley’s despicable actions, cheating on the nation’s sweat heart, landed him the award of the most hated man in Britain in an online poll, beating Abu Hamza and Gordon Brown. Needless to say, he learned his lesson and has resisted temptation to settle down with a number of Tweedy lookalikes. The most recent outrage in the tabloids is over Wayne Rooney’s reported affair with a £1000 a night prostitute during the same time his wife Coleen was pregnant with their first child. This isn’t the first time Rooney’s reached to his wallet for a lady of the night. In 2004 it was revealed the former Everton legend had visited a brothel on a number of occasions, once to have sex with a 48 year

old grandmother known as ‘Auld Slapper’. So why eat caviar when you can have slops? Surely getting married fairly young does more harm than good. On paper it all looks rosy, get them settled down so they can concentrate on the game, and perform as good role models all round. Good for them and good for the team. Apparently it’s not that simple. These affairs and the repercussions have negative effect on the player’s performance and reputation, as well as the teams. Maybe they should take a leaf out of Jermaine Defoe’s book. The player seems to have spent all his spare time hanging around outside the Big Brother House. He’s been romantically linked to a whole host of contestants - Imogen Thomas, Danielle Lloyd, Chantelle Houghton, and Chanelle Hayes. This however seems to have no effect on his performance on the pitch, retaining his position as one of the most successful strikers in the Premiership. Although Defoe has earned a bit of a reputation in the tabloids, he is not demonised in the way his married counterparts are. In contest to comments made about him in the press after the split from Chantelle, Defoe said, “I don’t understand what I’ve done wrong. I’m a good catholic boy, I go to church. I don’t deserve this love rat tag. It’s all a load

of rubbish- and it’s doing my head in.” He also doesn’t need to stoop to the level of paying prostitutes or sleeping with a friend’s partner. The fact he is not marketing himself as the family man to gain sponsorship and the acceptance of gossip magazines earns him some leeway. The ‘Dad of the Year 2009’ award will only get you so far, as John Terry found out the hard way. In a sport and culture that herald’s arrogance and bravado, you have to consider the performance and confidence of the players that albeit seem a bit sleazy, but are probably the more honest of the crop. Cristiano Ronaldo and Jermaine Defoe don’t hold any pretence around their morals and theirs even the odd footballing journeyman like Marcus Bent who’s just happy to be involved. In fact, whilst dating Gemma Atkinson (the one time love interest of Ronaldo), Bent was in electric form scoring 7 goals in 4 games for glamorous Wigan Athletic proving that you can produce the goods on and off the field. Yes, maybe these high profile international footballers shouldn’t cheat on their wives with escorts and prostitutes and expect it not to leak out somewhere down the line or maybe they shouldn’t have got married in the first place. Dougal Crawford

SPORT |The EDIT

The Last Taboo For a sport that has developed like no other in the world, encapsulating millions of fans worldwide it still has its skeletons in the closet; a closet that refuses to be opened. Homophobia in football is an issue seldom mentioned and tip toed around when done so. Never truly dealt with when fleetingly appearing in the press, it tends to be swept under the carpet and with only one previous case to refer to it’s easy to see why. The first and only footballer to openly admit he was gay was Justin Fashanu, in 1990 – committing suicide eight years later after struggling to cope with his lifestyle and profession. Justin, the older brother of John Fashanu, made the bold and ultimately fatal decision to ‘come out’ towards the end of his career and it confirmed to the world that football wasn’t ready for openly gay footballers. Fashanu was a man of many firsts being the first black footballer to garner a £1 million transfer fee in Britain, he moved to Nottingham Forest managed by the infamous Brian Clough. Clough, a strict disciplinarian, soon got wind of Fashanu’s sexuality and he barred him from the squad calling him ‘a bloody poof’. Clough was not alone in his homophobic views though. Once Fashanu publicly admitted to being gay he was never offered a full time contract by any club. Despite his raw and prestigious talent, clubs would see it as bad business to bring a gay player in to the team and thought it disruptive to their side. Even Justin’s brother John banished him during an interview with a magazine claiming, “My gay brothers an outcast!” This was 20 years ago and there would be hopes that the sport has progressed. There have been successful campaigns and emphasis placed on eradicating racism from the game yet the matter of homophobia is approached with great caution and still leaves football in the dark ages. In February 2010, the FA were taking steps to solve

this problem by shooting a video designed to discourage anti-gay hate-chants on the terraces, however they were unable to find a single player from the Premier League willing to endorse it so the idea was dropped. Many pundits believe that the players were scared to associate themselves with homosexuality and with only a handful of incidents that have touched on the subject of homophobia in football; it’s no surprise that players are sceptical to endorse such products. Footballers such as Sol Campbell and Graeme Le Saux have been victims of false allegations regarding their sexuality from fans and players and it doesn’t seem any different today with, well known lothario, Ashley Cole being the target of homosexual slurs, despite his previous marriage and adulterous tendencies. Le Saux is a father of two married to his wife Mariana, yet for 14 years his playing career was blighted by fans and fellow professionals who felt it acceptable to call him a ‘poof’, ‘queer’ or ‘faggot’ because he wasn’t ingrained in the laddish drinking culture of football and chose to read The Guardian. The famous incident involving Robbie Fowler bending over in front of Le Saux during a game at Anfield (which Fowler went unpunished for) highlighted footballs laissez faire attitude to homophobia and its unwillingness to tackle the games last taboo. Le Saux has had a number of run-ins with footballers who never hesitated to use homosexual insults towards him but the most surprising of all is David Beckham. Le Saux claimed that the Beckham called him, the term everyone seems to use; ‘a poof,’ after clattering in to him when playing for Chelsea which Beckham denied flatly, but remarkable nonetheless. Considering Beckham’s metro sexual appeal and how comfortable he has come across with his own sexuality, you do

wonder what happens to people once they cross the line or enter a stadium, do they suddenly turn in to xenophobic hooligans? Gareth Thomas, the Welsh Rugby player, is still the only high profile gay sportsman and it was received with widespread praise from fellow professionals and rugby fans when he openly came out at the end of his career. There seems to be a different outlook in rugby and a more liberal feel as opposition fans will sit with each other and have a pint together holding no grudge against either the opposing players or supporters. Most football fans are not like this and many hold real hatred for close rivals and particular players, making the idea of a footballer being gay and the abuse that they would get a frightening thought. But the law of averages says 1 in 10 people are homosexual which tells you that there should be numerous footballers out there who are gay but too scared to disclose it – all too aware of what might happen to their image and their livelihood. Football agent and PR mogul, Max Clifford had claimed that he advised “two well known Premier League footballers to conceal their homosexuality because football is steeped in homophobia”. This is too true and as long as football remains in this backward state then there will be players like Justin Fashanu, victimised because of their orientation and diminished as a footballer, or Graeme Le Saux who was allowed to be persecuted and no one, not even a manager or a teammate stood up for him making him so close to walking away from football. If you’re team mates wont stand up for you then what chance is there of anyone else doing so - something must change or the beautiful game will be beautiful no longer. Simon Ward

The EDIT|SPORT 21

The Times They Are A Changing Mia Hamm, Billie Jean-King, Caster Semenya and the Williams sisters are some of the most successful female athletes ever but their success has led them to have all been championed as some of the most influential women in sport. They continued to dominate their respective sports and transformed the image of women being laughed off courts in a male dominated environment, to serious competitive athletes who can comfortably hold a candle to many of men’s games offerings. For 40 years now the fairer sex have been attempting to bridge the gap in quality and equality with the men’s game, and naturally some sports have fared better than others. Tennis, equally as popular amongst spectators whether watching men or women, (whether for the right reasons or not) has been making strides towards parity for many decades. Billie Jean King has been possibly the most influential women’s tennis player ever. She won 12 grand slam titles as a singles player and another 25 through women’s/mixed doubles competitions but her defining achievement was when she accepted and defeated the challenge of Bobby Riggs, a former Wimbledon champion who had said - not even the top female tennis players at the time would be able to defeat him - a 55 year old retired tennis player.

words and a bevy of trash talking. In typically American fashion, the US press got hold of this and billed it as a ‘battle of the sexes’, glamorising the event and projecting tennis in to the mainstream. Thanks to King’s victory, this event alone helped move tennis in to a more public domain and proved women to be credible athletes and gave them, and critics of the women’s game, belief that they are to be taken seriously as competitive sports stars. Women’s tennis has gone from strength to strength since then with the likes of Martina Navratilova and Steffi Graf dominating the 80’s and early 90’s. Their ability to cover the court and range of shots were equal to the men’s game, the only thing they lacked was the power. This all changed when Venus and Serena Williams burst onto the scene in the late 90’s with their unusual style of serve and aggressive ground strokes. They broke the mould for women tennis players with both of them cutting imposing figures standing at over 5”10 and only two of the few women able to perfect the more masculine flat serve, which Venus currently holds the record for at 130mph (faster than Andre Agassi’s 128mph). Women’s tennis is the most advanced female sport that offers a feasible comparison to the male equivalent. In terms of skill levels maybe figure skating or gymnastics can claim that women excel where men cannot however, you can argue that women’s tennis is equally as entertaining, if not more so, and has just as a big a spectatorship as the men’s game with every chance of it becoming bigger. As much as Billie Jean-King and the Williams sisters have done for developing the level of competition for tennis there will always be the appeal of women’s tennis being a civilised sport competed by attractive feminine ladies in short dresses (see Kournikova, Sharapova, Ivanovic) and this will probably never change.

Riggs played the role of the sexist male in the build up to the event (think Ron Burgundy chauvinism), goading King in to a war of

This doesn’t just apply to tennis; take track and field athletics for example. There have been the likes of Marion Jones, Kelly Holmes and Caster Semenya who have taken their events to a different level - breaking world records and making them just as exciting to watch as the men’s races. However if an athlete with equal or even better ability than the aforementioned names comes along and she’s able to marry that ability with femininity and glamour then the sport heralds them as a darling. Step forward one Florence Griffith Joyner. Flo Jo, as she was dubbed by the press, is

a name familiar even in pop culture due to her success as a sprinter in the 80’s. She still holds the World records for both the women’s 100m and 200m but she became such a figure for women’s track and field because of her striking appearance when on the track. 6 inch Fuchsia nails, a wild mane of tousled hair and the self dubbed ‘athletic negligees’ of her one legged leotard made her stand out even further than the 10 metres she was already ahead of her field. She brought her style and beauty to an event that was never seen before in track and field. Broad shouldered masculine figures worn by eastern European shot putters were the norm and it gave the sport a fresh appeal and made people want to watch as Flo Jo blasted records and exuded style at the same time. For whatever reason women’s sport is becoming just as popular as the men’s equivalent and there’s no sign of it changing any time soon. Even at Universities across the country, female athletes and sports clubs are coming out on top at award ceremonies. Our very own GCU sports awards ball saw the Women’s Basketball team pick up the ‘team of the year’ award after a very impressive undefeated, league winning campaign whilst Snowsports Club Captain, Michelle Bowman, has consistently been one of the top performers at GCU representing the British University team at international events and even winning the BUCS indoor competition in 2008. The times they are a changing, some people have never heard that song but it’s quite self explanatory. Simon Ward

RADIO CALEY |The EDIT

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