The Queer Issue 2019 by Orbital Magazine

O R B I TA L

THEORBITAL.CO.UK

Est. 1986

THE QUEER ISSUE

born this way: SHOW YOUR COLOURS

CO N T E N T S 2

BLOOD DOESN’T DISCRIMINATE

BREXIT: THE SHITSHOW

BOOKS THAT MATTER

COVER FEATURE: SHOW YOUR COLOURS

WHERE ARE THE LESBIANS?

DEBRIEF: DR. AMY TOOTH MURPHY

ROYAL HOLLOWAY’S RESIDENT DRAG QUEEN

LET’S TALK ABOUT SEX, BABY

ROHOROSCOPES

QUEERING COUNTRY: TRIXIE MATTEL

10 SHOWS/FILMS THAT SHOULD BE GAY

STATE PARENTING: CHINA’S BLACK MIRROR

FROM THE EDITOR: what, and circulated across social media too.

Here it is, after many delays and difficulties, I am so happy to be able to give everyone here at RHUL a look at our LGBT+ issue, a magazine exclusively dedicated to the large number of LGBT+ people on our campus. For a long time, the issues that affect LGBT+ and queer-identifying people have not been discussed, especially with the student media at RHUL and it was a big part of my manifesto to change that. I’m glad I could fulfil my promise – for those of you that know me personally, I take pinky-promises very seriously. We’ve got a record number of 23 external contributors for this issue, which is more than we’ve had in an Orbital magazine in recent history. I say this every issue but I am so proud of all the new writers who’ve decided to be brave and write for us and I’d like to thank you all for your hard work! If your article isn’t in print but you submitted for this issue, don’t stress because all of our articles are published on our website no matter

First up, we’ve got a brilliant Comment section, with articles discussing blood donation, politics in the LGBT+ comunity, censorship in comedy and, our old friend Brexit Our Features section is also impressive this month, as Abby King looks into faith and its connection with being ‘Queer’ while Becca Bashford interviews a young entreprenuer on her journey to shower the world with feminist books. Our Debrief section, as ever, gives us an insightful interview with an inspiring person. This time, Becca Bashford conducts the interview with a historian here at RHUL called Dr. Amy Tooth-Murphy. Head to page 29 to read all about it. The Lifestyle section has once again knocked it out of the park with a wonderful photoshoot, this time with Royal Holloway’s resident Drag Queen, Petty Nonsense. Drag culture is extremely popular and considered to be a staple within the LGBT+ society. Photography Editor Emily Bradbury’s stellar work in capturing Petty’s iconic look should not be missed – page 34, go. Another year, another magazine spread about sex. This time last year, we caused a bit of trouble with our article discussing sex, combined with horoscopes describing the sex position you should try next. This time, we’ve branched out

and sought diverse views on sex because, as the old saying goes, straight sex isn’t the only type of sex. Hopefully it goes down better this time? As always, our magazine is heavy on important issues but we’ve always got fun content to spice up your dreary day. Head to page 40 for the iconic ROHOROSCOPES, written by the lovely Holly Feeny, or to page 52 for Maria Green’s round-up of 10 films and TV shows that would be better if they were gay. If you get hungry watching those films, Emily Bradbury’s got you covered on page 62 with a delicious risotto that is fun and easy to make. This issue is longer, with 4 extra pages added. It may not sound like a lot but it was necessary to accomodate the high calibre of content that was sent our way these last few weeks. Royal Holloway, this editor has never been happier. Nominations for Editor & Deputy Editor of Orbital Magazine are currently open which means that, yes, you could be the one writing this editorial instead of me – but I bet you’ll be more organised and not write it on a moving train. If you’re interested in learning more about the roles and what the job entails, do not hesitate to send me an email and we can chat about it in more detail. At the moment, I’m not sure how I feel about leaving this magazine but I definitely want to leave Orbital in worthy hands.

mi chele t h eil EDITOR@THEORBITAL.CO.UK

COMMENT

ILLUSTRATION BY JACK WATERS

BLOOD DOESN’t DISCRIMINATE

RHYS JONES WONDERS IF PEOPLE ARE HIDING THEIR HOMOPHOBIA WITH CAUTION.

efore I start, might I say that this article explores sexual activity in straight and gay people, as a factor in donation eligibility. For this purpose, no mention will be made to other factors including age, blood pressure, piercings, general health, tattoos etc. Many of you may not be aware that in the 21st Century, gay men face challenges with regards to donating blood. At a time where every day we see the NHS Blood and Transplant Service pleading with the public for more donors, why is this still a hurdle, and is this hurdle still necessary? Following the AIDS epidemic across Britain, gay and bisexual men were asked to stop giving blood in 1983. In 1985, a lifetime ban was placed on homosexuals from donating blood. This was then reduced to a one year deferral period (time between having sex and donating blood) in 2011 for MSM (men who have sex with men). In November 2017 this was again reduced to 3 months. But “aren’t all blood samples rigorously tested with advanced screening methods?” I hear you ask. Well, yes they are. They are tested for HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and syphilis amongst other things. This brings me onto the “window period”.This is the maximum amount of time it may take for a persons body to create HIV antibodies after HIV infection. These must be present in order to accurately test for the virus. If someone is in the window, there is a chance that tests wont be able to detect the infection and will be given a negative. So how big is this chance? Well, it currently stands at 5%. That means that 95% of people who test positive will do so within 35 days. So why is there still a 3 month deferral period? Gone are the days when AIDS was considered

an ‘Anally Injected Death Sentence’. But HIV is still a very serious immunodeficiency virus that comes with a lifetime of routine ART medication and the unshakable stigma that surrounds it. For this reason alone I’d argue that yes, the 3 month deferral period is absolutely necessary to prevent the spread of this disease. So far, I’ve changed my opinion twice. Before researching this, as a queer Man, I thought this practise was irrational and unfair. Then, as a Biomedical Sciences student. I thought, “Well maybe it is better to be safe than sorry for the sake of that 5%”. But, that got me thinking: HIV isn’t a gay man’s disease. Anyone who engages in unprotected mixed-status sex can contract HIV if they haven’t already done so. Instead of “why do gay men have to wait a three month deferral”, we should be asking “why don’t straight people have to?” Is this merely subtle discrimination and homophobia? Perhaps. But changes need to be made. The science speaks for itself, HIV is better understood than it was 10 years ago, let alone 30 years ago. But let’s pretend that this isn’t enough; let’s look at the science: It’s true, anal intercourse does make the partaker more susceptible to HIV contraction, so it makes sense that gay men are amongst the most high-risk demographic. In fact, in 2017, according to Public Health England, 54% of HIV diagnosis’s were among gay men, but equally as important, that means that 46% were not. So does this difference of 12% justify the difference in treatment of Gay men? I’d argue not. Gay men have to wait a three month deferral period to donate blood. This isn’t a problem – what is, is that straight people don’t. •

COMMENT

ILLUSTRATION BY RHYS JONES

COMMENT

“Can I watch?” “how does it work?” “Threesome?” Sophie

Bury

discusses

the

reputation

f you’re LGBTQ+ , the questions above may seem familiar. Coming out to new people is scary, and can be made very awkward if they take that disclosure as an invitation to ask incredibly intimate questions about your sex life. Why is it that queer people are subject to this blatant objectification when straight people aren’t? The dire state of sex education in schools means most queer people, let along straight people, have little information about what queer sex constitutes. Where there is a lack of education, fear can easily take hold. This fear expresses itself in many ways; through inappropriate questions, a refusal to acknowledge the existence of queer people, or blatant homophobia. Female sexuality is especially stigmatised; sex without men is, by extension, sex without a reproductive end-goal. It is purely about pleasure, and fun- things which women are routinely denied or shamed for desiring under a patriarchal society. The majority of lesbian porn, which remains increasingly popular- “Lesbian” has remained the most-searched term on PornHub for at least three years in a row- is produced for the gratification of men. The routine objectification of queer women in our society is a reflection of the insecurities of masculinity; the fear that men may not be essential in providing a fulfilling life for a woman drives them to insert themselves into queer women’s sex lives as spectators. Queer men face their own issues surrounding hypersexualisation. The media often presents gay men as overly promiscuous, engaging in casual, highly sexualised relationships. Purely romantic, long-term relationships rarely make more than a fleeting appearance. Even rarer still is discussion of the risks of engaging in such behaviours without

paromiscuity

within

the

LGBT+

community.

good sexual health habits, and access to services to enable this. The reduction of queer people to a hyper-sexualised perception of their sexuality can be incredibly harmful to young LGBTQ+ people, or those just coming to term with their identity. The pressure to engage in sexual behaviours at a certain time and in a certain way can leave queer people who are unable to “live up” to the expectations being presented to them feeling increasingly anxious. Additionally, for those who identify as asexual these assumptions can invalidate their identities, and create a feeling of marginalisation. Paradoxically, the previously mentioned dire state of sex education is being actively contributed to by the stigma surrounding LGBTQ+ sexuality. The fight for inclusive sex education isn’t about, and has never been about, sexualising schools. It’s about ensuring that every young person has all the information they may need to be safe when they become sexually active, regardless of orientation. The fear of queer sexuality in schools doesn’t stop there; LGBTQ+ educators, especially those in primary education, continue to face stigma and harassment by some parents who staff who see them as unsuitable figures to teach children. The reality is that queer teachers’ sexuality has absolutely no bearing on their ability to perform their job. Its only relevance is in facilitating discussions about the diversity of people in the world, which surely can only be beneficial to young people. Until we can see sexuality as seperate to sex, these discussions are being lost, which is a great shame. There is no “right” way to be queer, and to express your sexuality. There is nothing wrong with having sex, just as there is nothing wrong with not having sex. Being queer is so much more than just sex – when will people see that?’ •

COMMENT

PHOTGRAPHY CREDIT: Spc. Elayseah Woodard-Hinton, Wikimedia Commons – louis c.k performing in kuwait

Aled Lestyn Lewis discusses the controversy surrounding Louis C.K’s leaked comedy set.

ouis C.K., a popular American comedian, has recently fallen into the trap that many entertainers fall into when they worry about becoming irrelevant: of mistaking being bigoted for being funny. I say this because last month a clip of his new set was leaked, containing jokes targeting non-binary people and Parkland shooting survivors. This news comes just over a year after C.K. responded to sexual misconduct allegations, admitting that he had power over a number of women due to their admiration of him and that he “wielded that power irresponsibly”. It seems he has been irresponsible with his influence again, either not knowing or not caring that his jokes might alienate trans people and normalise their abuse. One particular line, in which C.K. mocks a hypothetical teen for wanting to be referred to as ‘they/them’, seems to outwardly deny the existence of non-binary people all together. A joke, even if intended to be said only in jest, provides ammunition for transphobes to bully and isolate non-binary and transgender people. This point has been common knowledge to skilled comedians for many years, who recognise that the way to execute offensive humour is to

‘punch up’ at those in privileged positions within society, as opposed to ‘punching down’ at society’s most vulnerable groups. Tragically, this point seems to have been lost on C.K, despite dedicating himself to comedy since 1984. C.K. is, however, no stranger to controversy. A clip from 2011 resurfaced recently of him saying the n-word alongside Ricky Gervais and Chris Rock, reigniting the debate as to whether it is acceptable for white people to perpetuate the word considering it’s racist history. In the clip he even seemed proud of using the word onstage, showing that his attitude towards jokes that come at the expense of minorities hasn’t changed all that much. Worryingly, a trend is beginning to emerge amongst established comedians like Louis C.K. and Ricky Gervais. Instead of treating comedy as the skilled craft that it is, with its ability to bring laughter to an entire stadium full of people no matter their background or identity, they decide to take the cheap way out; going to the nearest Tesco’s, asking the nearest dad to recite his most politically incorrect jokes, and stealing them to go on an “UNCENSORED!” world tour. Or so it seems. •

COMMENT

P DOESN’T STAND FOR POLITICS

n recent years political divides within the LGBT+ community have become ever more toxic. They promote a culture of hate and segregation among a minority group – a group that should be helping each other up, not cutting each other down. The United Kingdom has reached a consensus on LGBT+ rights within the major political parties, and that consensus is a positive one. That is not to say that there isn’t more to be done, and that people within this community are not discriminated against, or that there are not people on both sides of the aisle that seek to dismantle the progress made. What it does say is this: there are people on both sides of the aisle that have furthered LGBT+ rights, and the line of all major political parties is to support and improve the rights of LGBT+ peoples despite what the rebels in these parties might think. So why, in a community that is supposed to be based on acceptance, do we choose to attack one another based on our political alignment? And why do we let ourselves be used a political vehicle? In recent years some of the Labour Party’s LGBT+ community have been using the slogan “Never Kissed a Tory” and have worn t-shirts donning the slogan at pride events in recent years, even wearing them while chanting the slogan in pride parades, following the LGBT+ Conservative group in the parade. On a day that is supposed to promote unity and acceptance, what kind of message does this send? In the same community where hate groups such as Trans Exclusionary Radical

Feminists (TERFs) can hijack pride parades, the focus should not be on people’s political opinions nor should it be on, more specifically, queer identifying Tories. It is nothing new for political groups to use minorities for their own gain. The partisan divide allows the political establishment to play us. Their advantageous support only lasts from opinion poll to opinion poll, until we are no longer the minority they choose to use, yet the damage they cause by weaponizing us against ourselves lasts. The growing ‘us versus them’ mentality is almost childlike, we are all part of the same community either way. People may choose to disagree with others on their political beliefs, but to insinuate that their political beliefs are not acceptable because they are part of the LGBT+ community is pure hypocrisy of the acceptance they are trying to promote. It is also insulting to those that have fought for us to have the rights we have as they seek to divide the amazing and diverse community for political gain. With LGBT+ groups even being attacked if they subscribe to an apolitical agenda by those that claim to be progressive supporters of LGBT+ rights, as they are not supporting what is seen as acceptable for LGBT+ people by pseudo-progressives. It is time to put aside petty differences. In a world with real threats to our community such as concentration camps in Chechnya, executions in much of the Middle East, and the worrying rise of populism on our doorstep, we must be more united than ever. • WORDS BY JOSHUA TROOD

COMMENT

WAVING GOOD-BI TO STEREOTYPES RACHEL HAINS ARGUES THAT IT’S HIGH TIME WE REMEMBER WHAT THE ‘B’ STANDS FOR.

isexual. It is a word like any other. However, it is astounding that such a simple word can still inspire such curiosity, misconceptions, and disapproval from both heterosexual, and gay people alike. Why should Bisexuality be treated differently to any other orientation be it heterosexual or homosexual? If people wish for acceptance, should they not offer the same in return? In the year 2019 - or twenty Bi-teen according to the internet - you would think outdated discriminatory ideas would be a thing of the past. Nevertheless, despite the current visibility and acknowledgment being afforded to the LGBTQ community, it is odd that only the beginning of the acronym is often acknowledged. No wonder many of us Bisexuals consider ourselves invisible mythical creatures that do not exist and feel the need to have to justify ourselves on a daily basis. Society has a lot of major misconceptions about Bisexuality, and it is irritating, to say the least, to hear them repeated again and again. For example, some of the top misconceptions are:

1. That Bisexuality is not real and that people in opposite-sex relationships cannot be Bisexual.

2. Bisexuals are automatically interested in sexual acts such as threesomes.

3. Bisexuals are confused or in a phase. 4. People are only using Bisexuality to be seen as ‘trendy’. 5. Bisexuals are more likely to cheat on a partner or significant other.

Firstly, all of these are false. Bisexuals are people who are attracted to men, women as well as non-binary people. Secondly, many of these myths stem from ignorance.

For example, a recent study found that of women who identified as Bisexual, only 8% changed their identity to gay or straight over time. That left 92% remaining Bisexual. Also, it may be common now for people to declare themselves as Bisexual, but this is largely due to the fact that people are finally feeling comfortable enough to come out. The LGBTQ community should be encouraging this, not discouraging it. We are in the middle of that letter sandwich after all. You only have to look at history to see Bisexuality’s proud heritage. There have been many prominent Bi icons including David Bowie, Freddie Mercury, James Dean, and Virginia Woolf. In recent years, many celebrities and public figures have also declared themselves as Bisexual. As a proud Bisexual woman myself, I am pleased and relieved to see such public coverage of Bisexuality on a daily basis. Discussing the topic, and having public figures advocating the issue, is a great way to dispel myths and legitimise it as a valid orientation. Still, Bi-erasure is a real issue, and both gay communities, as well as straight, are guilty of it.It is time for those who are supposed to empathise with our struggle to extend the same respect and inclusion that they have been fighting for. Society is not as liberal as many would suggest. Instead, it often still contains stereotypical ideas and criteria which can make life unbelievably hard. To many, Bisexuals are not gay enough to be considered LGBTQ. Others see Bisexuals as not straight enough to be included as part of their community either. It is an orientation, just like any other yet many people feel isolated and excluded. Bisexuals have been fighting for legitimacy and respect just as long as anyone else has. It is high time we waved Bi-Bi to this exclusionary attitude. •

BREXIT: THE SH*TSHOW Manini Gangal tries to make sense of the political mess weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in.

rexit has been a shitshow so far – this is potentially the only opinion the country is not divided on. In 2016, when the referendum took place, I was entirely sure that the UK would never vote to leave the EU. Then again, I was also sure that Donald Trump had absolutely no chance of sitting in the White House. Clearly, I was wrong.

line Brexiteers have been arguing that if we were to get a soft deal, we may as well have not voted to leave the EU. However, while a hard Brexit results in more tariffs for imports, which results in less European competition for UK businesses, if those same UK businesses rely on imports to operate, then higher import tariffs will simply be detrimental.

So far, the general population, as well as the media, has been widely misinformed, confused, and downright disorganised in their approach to all things Brexit. From chaotic campaigns to protests purged of all common sense, the country has not been able to settle on a way to target the inevitable damage that will hit the UK if we cannot unite in our attitude towards Brexit.

Perhaps another element that needs to be considered is the question of Ireland and the responsibility of keeping its affairs in order. In the case of a hard Brexit, the likelihood of a physical border, that is strictly policed, increases.

We have all been looking for someone to blame for the disorderly dark cloud that settled over the UK in June of 2016, but while some blame the Conservative party for including the promise in their manifesto, and others look to David Cameron for inciting the referendum and then resigning, leaving Theresa May to pick up the pieces, it is safe to say that there is no point in playing the blame game. Brexit is happening and there is nothing we can do about it. The main stereotypes about pro-Brexit voters tend to be images of elderly white men tutting about immigration ruining the country and the supremacy of Parliament. This generalisation, however, does not hold true, as Leave won with a very narrow victory (51.9% voted to leave and 48.1% voted to stay in the European Union). This means that voters of all ages, races, and genders were voting for the UK to leave the EU. It is confusing to understand why voters with immigrant backgrounds would choose to keep other immigrants out of the country, but we need to consider the amount of misinformation spread, and the true genius of the Brexit campaign. While it is argued to be bordering on illegal, the methods of targeting voters were extremely effective and efficient, and the Remain campaign was mediocre at best. So, was I surprised when the nation voted Brexit? No. But, was I happy? Also no. Theresa May’s proposals have fallen through entirely, which essentially leaves us with three of the four original options: a soft Brexit, a hard Brexit, or no deal whatsoever. While a soft Brexit is easier on our economy, hard-

This could cause serious tensions between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, which is potentially the worst idea that could possibly be concocted. To avoid another situation like ‘the troubles’, the Irish question needs serious consideration from the House. While the above does not mention all of the issues surrounding Brexit and its turmoil, I feel that the possibility of a second referendum needs to be addressed. While I am obviously not the biggest fan of the decisions made by people so far, and would love for the UK to change its mind, it is potentially undemocratic to insinuate that the British public need to reconsider their political stance. The UK cannot keep repeating a referendum simply because the outcome is undesirable. It’s almost patronising to offer another People’s Vote simply because of Parliament’s inability to pull itself together. If the House put half as much of the energy they use bickering into deciding on a democratic solution, then we may have been more prepared for the looming March 29 deadline. There is no single outcome that will please everyone, and while it often seems that Theresa May is utterly inept for the job, she is perhaps the only politician keeping the deal from falling through entirely. As citizens, our voice can be heard through our elected representatives and through personal activism, but the eventual outcome of Brexit now rests in the hands of our Prime Minister and the EU authorities. It seems that the UK is just about as prepared for March as I am for my next assignment – and I don’t even know which module it’s on. We both need to get our act together, and soon. •

WAVE GOODBYE TO LAD-CULTURE RACHEL HAINS discusses warwick’s group chat scandal and its impact on us all.

t is a truth universally acknowledged that the phrase ‘boys will be boys’ is long outdated. Ask anybody and you shall see the eye roll, and the exasperation on their faces at the idea that ‘lad culture’ is still an excusable and acceptable part of society. However, considering Warwick University’s recent decision to retain members of a severely racist, misogynistic, paedophilic and sexually abusive group chat – this is clearly still a prominent issue. The group chat was first reported last summer by Warwick’s student newspaper, The Boar. Three formal complaints were made and 98 screenshots of the group chat were submitted to the university as evidence. As a result, 11 students were temporarily suspended. Jowever, four students have since had their suspension lifted. In a letter seen by the BBC, a university official apologised for not informing students of the appeal’s outcome sooner - citing his “delayed summer break” as the cause. As India-Mae (a History student) said in a recent interview with the Warwick Tab, “It’s clear I’ve been assuming the best of people. I am tired of men upholding a sexist culture which prioritises their sick sense of humour over the safety and wellbeing of women”. She also claims that “the onus is on men at Warwick to check each other – you need to hold each other accountable” and I could not agree more. It can not, and should not, only be up to women to ensure their own safety. In this modern day and age, everyone should be proactively trying to improve the society in which we live.

As Jemima (a first-year student) rightly pointed out to The Tab, “The most shocking thing…is that people are defending it. If you defend the words these grown men have used as simply them exercising their ‘freedom of speech’, you are being complicit in their misogyny, racism and antisemitism – you are part of the problem.” How can anyone rightly support the students responsible? Many of the comments in the group chat call for members to supposedly rape fellow students as they are ‘asking for it’. Horrifyingly, there are also lewd comments depicting one member’s relationship with an underage student. Just glimpsing some of the comments people have shared online is enough to make anyone’s blood boil. Worse than this is the fear it strikes into students like myself, to think that this kind of behaviour is allowed. University is supposed to be a safe space. Yet, the harrowing truth is that, as a journalist, I find myself repeatedly questioning the principals on which this country runs and views universities. Students at Warwick are calling out their student media for failing to cover this issue, and their reluctance to start any kind of public discussion about the threat this poses for students on campus. One Facebook post from a Warwick student (who shall remain anonymous), states how appalled and confused they are by the university’s decision to re-instate these students despite the risk they pose to other students, particularly female. One small positive is that Warwick SU has released a statement stating: “The SU condemns the content of these messages... in the strongest possible terms”. The SU has been supporting the victims and promises to continue to do so. However, this is not enough - not when the perpetrators have reportedly created a second group chat, in which they have made it clear they are not sorry for their actions, and would “do it all again”. The University needs to take more decisive action to reassure students, and to make it clear that behaviour such as this will not be tolerated. It is a basic, fundamental human right to be safe. To not fear threat or harm. Why is it then, that universities can not seem to be able to understand this? How many Ph.D.’s does someone need before they realise this kind of behaviour is unacceptable? If this were happening here, at Royal Holloway, we would hopefully be outraged that these students are allowed anywhere near the campus, let alone back into classes. As Nikola Tesla argued, “If hate could be turned into electricity, it would light up the whole world” and right now, Warwick is shining pretty brightly. •

t’s likely you’ll remember the first wave of attacks on LGBT+ people in Chechnya, a federal subject of Russia, in April 2017. The independent Russian newspaper, Novaya Gazeta, reported that up to 100 people suspected of being gay were abducted and tortured as part of a coordinated government campaign. At least three men were reported to have been killed by this governmental scheme, but the actual number of victims is likely to be much higher. ‘Honour killings’ still take place in Chechnya, as individuals deemed to have dishonoured their family by being LGBT+ are sometimes killed by a family member. While some gay men have been able to flee Chechnya and tell their stories, others in the LGBT+ community desperately need media attention, activism, and governmental help. Since December 2018, there have been new reports of abductions and killings after the authorities in Chechnya have launched a new wave of homophobic attacks.

WE’VE GOT TO PAY ATTENTION BY MARIA GREEN

According to the Amnesty International website, “The Chechen authorities have set up a detention camp for people suspected of being LGBTI in a government building, where around 40 people have been subjected to torture and other ill-treatment. This information has been verified by the Russian LGBT Network.” “According to confidential sources, the authorities have destroyed some victims’ passports to prevent them from leaving the country. At least two people have died from injuries inflicted by torture.” But, Chechen authorities deny that LGBT+ people even exist in Chechnya. By denying any past human rights wrongdoings, doubling down on their homophobic attacks, and destroying the passports of individuals detained and tortured, the Chechen government has become a terrifying force of oppression and prosecution. Alvi Karimov, a spokesperson for Ramzan Kadyrov, the Head of the Chechen Republic, told Interfax: “You cannot arrest or repress people who just don’t exist in the republic. If there were such people in Chechnya, the law-enforcement organs wouldn’t need to have anything to do with them because their relatives would send them somewhere from which there is no returning.” Kadyrov himself has said in an interview that “We don’t have any gays. If there are any, take them far away from us. To purify our blood.” Now that the attacks have resumed, and not a single person has been held accountable for these horrific human rights violations, don’t let this news slip under the radar. Keep updated and support activist charities such as All Out, Amnesty International, and Rainbow Railroad. We can talk about this, so we must. •

the censorship of comedy Ewan Boissinot discusses censorship and its effect on comedy and other art forms.

he first time I ever performed stand-up comedy, I lasted about three minutes before being briskly asked to leave. Admittedly, I was thirteen years old and it was a charity show with close ties to my school, so it probably was not the most appropriate situation to be ridiculing God and Christianity and the implications of famine in Africa. But hey, you live and you learn. Unless you’re me. Then, what you do is find this hilarious and attempt to make a career out of it. Ever since, I have been somewhat obsessed with the power that words have and the fact that I could cause such a nuisance, just by saying some stuff. I thought it was brilliant then and I still do now. I love causing a scene – it may be because I’m childish, it may be because I find it funny, or it may be because I find the whole concept ridiculous. But honestly, I like pushing buttons and I also like having my buttons pushed. I like to be challenged and I like challenging ideas. I also love making people laugh. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of having hundreds of people laugh at your jokes and feeling at one with the audience. In Italy, during the post World War Two period, there were a number of neo-realistic film directors concerned with the idea of Impegno. This was a responsibility they felt they had as artists, to use their films to deal with wider socio-political issues. What this created was a series of extraordinary works that reflected social issues and allowed society to speak about important and complicated issues that otherwise would have been difficult to approach. That’s exactly what a large portion of comedy is about. Less so now, because the whole of 2018 fucking ruined it. Thanks to blanket censorship that ignores context and intent and fails to analyse big ideas, we are in great danger of losing an important social instrument. I’m going to be honest here, I do not believe that anything should be censored. I think people should be allowed to say whatever they want all the time. I know that I hold an unpopular opinion and I do not expect everyone to buy into it. But, what I am going

to do is urge you to think properly and thoroughly before expecting the whole planet to ‘cancel’ works of art just because you don’t like what they said. Seriously, who do you think you are? Just because you don’t like something someone said doesn’t mean they shouldn’t say it. Welcome to the real world. If something has absolutely no bigger point to it and is purely hateful for the sake of being controversial, then it’s terrible and I don’t care if you want to censor that. Go for it – we don’t need it. However, hearing certain ‘trigger’ words and then assuming the whole thing surrounding it is offensive and claiming it shouldn’t be said is stupid. Why should everyone in the world not be allowed to access that material because you failed to see the point? Comedy, for some, is a coping mechanism. Sometimes people need to laugh about horrible things to make it better. Why should these people suffer because your self-righteous idiocy has enough retweets that the people who fund it are scared to publish it? Let me give you an example of my own work – not because I want to promote it but because I experienced the (negative) consequences that came out of it so I feel rather qualified to speak about it – I did a joke that mentioned gang rape. It wasn’t actually a ‘joke’ about gang rape, it was just a question about the effects of group mentality on human behavior. But, people heard the phrase ‘gang rape’ and then stopped listening. The thing is, that joke made a good point. I was doing Impegno but people switched off, refused to listen, and expected blanket censorship. By doing that, all you’re doing is promoting utter shit. You’re promoting art that means nothing, music that means nothing, and comedy that means nothing. The artists, and more importantly the people that fund it, are scared to do anything of value because of the potential backlash. What’s the point in having a society fuelled by stuff that has no value? So, sure, go ahead and censor whatever you want. But, I’m blaming you wh en all we have access to is fart jokes. • 15

PERSPECTIVES

INTERNET SUBCULTURES: THE MAINSTREAM MOVEMENT MALIHA REZA discusses how reddit threads have moved into the mainstream.

he internet operates in a similar way to real-life society. We understand that some aspects of behaviour and opinion are beyond the pale and that other aspects remain within the limits of acceptance. As we rely increasingly on the use of the internet, it evolves into a medium which influences our everyday lives — and one which is, in turn, influenced by our mainstream culture and societal trends. The internet provides a safety blanket where you can form an element of distance from your opinions and beliefs. Usernames can anonymise persons and provide the freedom to post with little-to-no social repercussion. Threads on the internet mimic conversational pattern, but don’t hold the social expectations that come with face-to-face communication — you have the original poster (OP) who begins the conversation, and then respondents who maintain the conversation either in response to the OP or other participants— all through typing. For the most part, forums that let you anonymise responses and hold discussions are harmless; The Student Room operates on a heavily moderated basis and caters to a very specific demographic. However, websites like Reddit and 4Chan— whilst heavily regulated— can often fall victim to a darker side of the internet and real-life culture: incels. Incels have been described as “involuntarily celibate” and are commonly based on the archetype of the lone wolf. The incel ‘sub-culture’ was pushed into the mainstreameye after the 2014 Isla Vista massacre, during which Elliot Rodgers (a self-identifying incel) fatally shot six people and injured a further fourteen others. Prior to this, Rodgers published a 141-page ‘manifesto’ riddled with intensely misogynistic and violent tropes alongside several YouTube videos. Four years later, in the 2018 Toronto Van-Attack, its perpetrator had praised Rodgers in a Facebook status before carrying out the attack. Alek Minassian mentions 4Chan and incel terminology: “chads” referring to men- who they perceive to have the ability to attract sexual partners; “stacys” referring to women who fall for “chads” were mentioned. In citing such terms, Minassian directly linked the involvement of incel culture to his premeditated attack in Toronto.

Incel culture has also disguised itself in popular culture — You was a TV show taken up by Netflix in 2018. It gained popularity, prompting Netflix to release a potential second series. The show’s protagonist, Joe Goldberg (played by Penn Badgley) is lone bookstore manager. Joe obsessively stalks and pursues Guinevere Beck (Elizabeth Lail) after she purchases a book from him. He expresses behaviourism that is typical of an incel; however, due to the narrative of the show revolving mostly around Joe’s internal monologue — the viewer is accepting of his acts when they absolutely should not be. Actor Penn Badgley has condemned the romanticisation of Joe himself to fans on Twitter. However, it is clear from the subreddit ‘r/youonlifetime’ that many users have normalised Joe’s behaviour — even going so as far as to highlight everything the female characters in the show supposedly do wrong. One user commented that they “don’t think [Joe’s] an incel [...] think he’s a “nice guy.” Pretty sure the whole him talking to her in his head bit is based off of something that was posted on ‘r/niceguys’ once;” In response to which, a user highlighted that Joe’s behaviour towards typically “chad” men shows that he could be an incel: “[Joe] has a “chad” trapped in a crystal holding cell. And then kills the chad because he feels entitled.” The acceptance of Joe’s behaviour is eye-opening to the fact incel tropes are easily played off as ‘acceptable;’ especially when the character is deemed attractive or charismatic. As the internet and technology continue to advance, it will be a matter of time before more internet sub-cultures that should not be normalised, become a facet of our mainstream culture. Reddit has stated that the incel community breaks its terms and conditions; however, it has a long way to go before incel tropes are wiped from the site. In the latest Reddit user agreement, the site states that: “Reddit is intended to be a place for your entertainment. We are not responsible for any decisions you make based on something you read on Reddit.” Reddit may not be legally responsible for the actions people take but it has, in no doubt, manifested a damaging culture, which is slowly disseminating into real life. •

PERSPECTIVES

Is this the /r/eal Life? Abel fenwick explores REDDIT’s influence over the mainstream.

he internet is a double-edged sword. Positives include an unprecedented ability to share information globally while downsides to the internet are more serious. There are documented rises in anxiety, depression and body dysmorphia linked to adolescent internet usage and the concept of ‘Internet Addiction’ still a fiercely fought psychological debate. But, these are problems unique to each individual, and mainstream society as a whole plods along happily without the internet’s influence. Right? Reddit.com, known for its distinctive r/TopicTitle layout and role as the ‘Homepage of the Internet’ shas become increasingly influential over mainstream society in the past few years. Topics such as r/ NoNutNovember, r/Incels and even r/ PewdiepieSubmissions have all been the subject of frantic media debate since 2014, when a tragedy linked these online discussions to real life events. No Nut November is Reddit’s most recent ripple on the mainstream surface, an internet challenge based around men refraining from masturbation the entire month of November. Whilst originally set up to challenge the toxic pornography consumption common in young men, the challenge has faced its fair share of criticism, with some critics deriding it as encouraging the objectification of women as pastimes to be resumed once a set period is over. Its original purpose has been further diluted by its adoption as a meme, with images and videos referencing it appearing all across social media. r/Incels was a subReddit dedicated to Incels or ‘Involuntary Celibates’, a community of men defined by their sexual rejection and feelings of hatred towards the society they feel robbed them of a chance to find a

proper ‘mate’. Recently rebranded as r/MGTOW or Men Going Their Own Way, the Incel community was forced into the public eye by a horrific act of violence in Toronto in 2014 when Eliot Rodgers went on a killing spree that left seven people including himself dead. Rodger’s intense hatred for the ‘females of the human species... incapable of seeing the value’ in him was documented in a manifesto he wrote before his crime and encouraged by subreddits he frequented. Denounced by the media as a tragic act of violence, emphasis was also placed on Reddit for not supressing the extreme misandry its site hosted. What does all this mean for us now? Reddit’s increasing presence in the mainstream is a benefit in some aspects. Businesses lucky enough to attract the attention of Reddit users can achieve overnight fame, with the small animal shelter Furrkids profiting massively after their ‘Kitty Commercial’ went viral on the r/ Videos thread. Exposure from the frontpage of the internet can also draw attention to problems within society such as misandry and addiction, and help movements trying to tackle them to quickly gain momentum. But there is a dark side to the site and calls for Reddit to take more responsibility for extremist subreddits hosted on its platform are growing. All in all like any other site, Reddit is the sum of its parts, made up of the content people choose to post on a public platform. Its unique ability to breach the mainstream consciousness in a way few other sites manage, however, is what has painted it as the current bogeyman of the internet, and management of this new and unprecedented influence will determine the site is used and viewed in 2019. •

FEATURES

BECCA

BASHFORD

TELLS

ABOUT

n early December, I attended the Books That Matter launch party at The Book Club in Shoreditch. I was greeted by a group of friends and helpers excitedly pointing me to a table of feminist merchandise and a raffle in aid of ‘This is Our Period’, the room buzzing with excitement about the panel which was about to start. I was then introduced to Molly Masters, the founder of Books That Matter and quite frankly – an absolute sweetheart. She told me to grab a drink and make myself comfortable in the swanky underground bar while she prepared her opening speech and questions for the panel of authors and publishers. If you haven’t heard of Books That Matter, don’t worry. They’ve only been around for four months, but their success has been astronomical. Simply put, Books That Matter is a monthly subscription box which includes a book and a few gifts – which have so far included notebooks, mirrors, pins, tote bags or beautiful pieces of art – all created by women or non-binary artists. The literature featured in the boxes cover a range of topics, included but not limited to: feminism, race, class, and gender. The aim of Books That Matter is clear - to empower and inspire women and girls through literature.

THE

FEMINIST

BOOK

SUBSCRIPTION

ALL

SHOULD

HAVE.

The panel featured Rachel Edwards: author of the forthcoming novel, Darling, “which charts the fastevolving relationship between a black British woman, Darling, and her white stepdaughter, Lola, “opening on the day of the Brexit vote”, and Umi Sinha, and author of Belonging, a novel featured in the November box which “tells the interwoven story of three generations and their struggles to understand...a troubled history steeped in colonial violence”.

After the panel, I spoke to the woman behind it all: Molly. We spoke about what inspired her to start Books That Matter, why “white feminism” should be left in 2018, why she believes literature is the most powerful tool to empower and inspire, and why access to literature is crucial to those from working class/ poorer backgrounds – a luxury which Molly believes to be unfairly accessible to those in higher education. I left The Book Club feeling elated, and quite honestly quite emotional.

Daisy Buchanan was also on the panel. She is a writer and the host of ‘You’re Booked. Additionally, the panel featured Ana Sampson McLaughlin, the author of poetry anthology “She is Fierce” – which features 150 poems by women: “From suffragettes to school girls, from spoken word superstars to civil rights activists, from aristocratic ladies to kitchen maids, these are voices that deserve to be heard.”

As someone who has been passionate about literature since I was a small child, its incredible to experience something like Books That Matter. Books That Matter really is more than just a subscription box – each book opens your eyes to different cultures, different voices, and above all different perspectives.

These wonderfully talented, funny and insightful women spoke about a variety of topics, such as what its like to be a woman in the literary world, the importance of literature to give a voice and platform to marginalised groups, and the experiences that shaped their paths to writing. The panel was informative and fascinating, but above all it was heartfelt.

Buying a Books That Matter box is more than just a nice gift for yourself or a friend, it supports a wider culture of learning about different worldviews through literature, amplifying the voices of those who have a story to tell, and most importantly of women supporting women. • Follow Books That Matter on Instagram or visit their website at booksthatmatter. org.uk to order a box.

BOOKS THAT MATTER

FEATURES

“IF YOU ONLY HAVE WHITE AUTHORS on your blog or instagram, THAT DOESN’t MAKE YOU A FEMINIST, IT MAKES YOU A WORK IN PROGRESS.” What inspired you to start BTM? I was inspired to do this after a lightbulb moment after a seminar about women in lit, my seminar group were filled with this sense of how diversity has progressed since the 18th century and how they were featured in literature and history, I felt sad that so people outside of universities who don’t have access to higher education wouldn’t know about these things – I felt that all women deserve to know about it, whatever background they are from. I did an internship at Cosmo where we worked a lot with subscription boxes - which I’d never really seen before - and I thought ‘this is a really fun concept.’ Why do you think literature is the best way to empower and inspire? We live in a world where, even though technology is progressing, we have a society where we still prefer physical books, we hold on to that archaic form of learning and I feel like literature is a place where we can create new worlds and represent new people and escape from society- while learning something new. I think that’s so important … literature is a way to tell a story and experiencing new worlds, and I think thats so important - especially if you haven’t lived that experience, or putting yourself in the shoes of someone else and their lived experience. What’s your vision for the future of BTM? We’ve only been going for 4 months, so we just want to expand our subscribers- at the moment we’re at 600 which is crazy! Broadly speaking, BTM is more than a subscription box, we want to be a publishing house, and we want to introduce a children’s subscription box to empower and inspire younger people through diverse literature. This has been the vision from the start.

how would you define your feminism, and BTM’s feminism? We certainly aren’t the first people to say this, but If its not intersectional we don’t want to hear it. We’ve met so many ‘white feminists’ through this, people come to us like “I looooove feminism, I need one of your t-shirts!”. Wearing a t-shirt doesn’t make you a feminist. If you only have white authors on your blog, or instagram, that doesn’t make you a feminist, that makes you a work in progress. Being a feminist means representing the work of ALL women and beyond women – so including trans people and non-binary people. It means supporting everybody. How do you find the featured in your boxes?

books/authors

We work really closely with publishers, before this all happened I went to a lot of publishing events. The London Literary festival was a real step-in - I was lucky because I reached out to the organisers and said ‘I don’t have a million dollars to come to this event’, it was really expensive. One really important thing if you want to learn more about books/publishing/ even start a book shop, don’t be afraid to ask for tickets to these events - make sure you assert yourself into these spaces. What are you reading at the moment? I am re-reading ‘What a time to be alone’ because its my bible, it has so many aspects of female relationships. I’m also reading a book which was part of my dissertation on female reproductive rights in dystopian literature – it’s the Cambridge Companion to dystopian literature. I love critical theory everyone calls me a nerd for loving it but I’m like – I paid a good amount of money to be a nerd! Don’t come for me! •

Read the full interview with Molly Masters on our website.19

WEll, you’ve gotta have faith Abby king interviews various faith representatives to discuss LGBT+ people and religion.

he relationship between religion and the LGBT+ community has been long debated. It’s not an easy issue, but as someone who holds religious beliefs I firmly believe it is a conversation we must not shy away from. Is religion and homosexuality compatible? I asked representatives from Royal Holloway’s faith societies and the University Chaplaincy for their thoughts on the issue. Sulaiman Aslam, the President of the Islamic Society at RHUL told me: “There can definitely be compatibility between being religious and identifying as LGBT. However, issues can definitely arise when the beliefs and/or agendas of one group clash with the other”. The majority of people I spoke to agreed t h a t society as a whole does hold stereotypes about religion and its views on sexuality. There are those who claim to be religious that hold homophobic views, that much is undeniable. But that is not the full story.

Homophobia is a society-wide issue, something that religious groups must tackle, yes, but criticism of it must not be confined to those of faith. Colm Fahy, the President of the Catholic Society was realistic about the Catholic Church and its history. Though the current Pope is considered more progressive, there have been unhelpful comments from past Popes surrounding homosexuality. Due to the hierarchical structure of the Catholic Church, when such beliefs are promoted at the highest level, they do filter down to ‘ordinary’ Catholics.

Colm also brought up the important issue of the generational divide over such issues as LGBT+ rights. Though there are members of the Catholic Church who are not in favour of homosexuality, there are many younger Catholics who hold very different views, and are keen to make the Church a more welcoming place for those identifying as LGBT+. This is often the source of much frustration for young Catholics. It is of course important to talk about religious fundamentalism when discussing sexuality and religion. So many of the myths surrounding religions thoughts on the LGBT+ community stem from the very vocal minority who are so often fixated on their version of their religion. Sulaiman, from the University’s Islamic Society agreed that there are misconceptions about Islam’s view of homosexuality. Contrary to what some may think, Islam does not allow persecution for any identity a person may hold, whether that be gender, sexuality or otherwise, he told me. Sulaiman was keen to express the importance of education to challenge some of these stereotypes, both

ILLUSTRATION BY RHYS JONES

within the religious community and within the LGBT+ community. “It’s important for Muslims to learn more about this topic within the scope of their religion so that we do not repeat the mistakes of our predecessors and shun yet another generation of LGBT+ Muslims from our communities”. When thinking about religion and sexuality, the portrayal of the relationship between the two groups in the media and popular culture struck my mind. It seems obvious that having both a religious and LGBT+ identity does not stop when you leave your place of worship. Indeed, these identities affect every aspect of your life. However, openly gay and openly religious role models are few and far between on our screens. On campus, the Chaplaincy is taking huge steps to be welcoming to the LGBT+ community and open, in all senses of the word. After four years of debate and hard work, Royal Holloway’s chapel has finally been registered for same sex marriages. This was no mean feat. The Chaplaincy is multi-faith and non-denominational meaning this move needed the go ahead from a whole host of different groups of people, not all of whom were supportive. Nevertheless, the result has now been achieved, and for many it couldn’t have come soon enough. I spoke to Father John Dickson, the Chaplaincy’s Roman Catholic Chaplain Father who was refreshingly honest about both the Catholic Church and religion on campus. I asked him about the support on offer for students

struggling with their faith and their sexuality and he assured me that the Chaplains were very much there for anyone wanting to talk. He told me of an incident where there had been a group preaching anti-LGBT+ views on campus and were told in no uncertain terms by the chaplains that they were not welcome here. It was clear to me that when it comes to being an LGBT+ student on campus, whether you are religious or not, the Chaplaincy really does have your back. Naturally, as Father John is a Catholic the conversation moved onto sexuality and the Catholic Church. I was touched by his responses to my questions. When we talked of the barriers between LGBT+ people and the church, he admitted that there were things that could be improved. He was adamant, however, that the Catholic Church and indeed Christianity were and should be based on the principles of compassion, acceptance and above all, love. “We are all children of God. God doesn’t make rubbish. We are all loved by Him unconditionally”. Throughout my conversations, it was clear that the relationship between religion and the LGBT+ community is an ever evolving one. There have been huge strides, particularly surrounding same sex marriages. Nevertheless, as Sulaiman and Father John both agreed, there still needs to be a great deal of listening and education on both sides in order to have a truly accepting relationship. One thing that can be said, however, is that Royal Holloway’s faith societies are open and welcoming of people from all backgrounds. They are not here to evangelise or tell you you’re wrong and would welcome the chance to have open and honest discussions with students, no matter their sexuality. Head to the Chaplaincy Office in Founder’s West 169 for advice or support regarding any of the issues we’ve discussed here. •

COVER FEATURE

he iconic rainbow flag, also known as the Pride flag, has been used as a symbol of pride and solidarity amongst the LGBTQ+ community since 1978. First designed by openly gay activist Gilbert Baker, the flag first flew on 25 June 1978 at San Francisco’s Gay Freedom Day Parade, although it looked a little different to the flag you might recognise from today. The original pride flag contained eight different coloured stripes which all carried a specific meaning: pink for sex, red for life, orange for healing, yellow for sunlight, green for nature, turquoise for magic, blue for serenity, and purple for spirit. The hot pink was removed in 1978 due to a lack of fabric when attempting to replicate and distribute the flag. The turquoise soon followed and was later removed in 1979 to modify the flag so that it would have an even number of stripes. A lavender stripe was temporarily added at the top of the flag to represent diversity, however, this failed to catch on and the six-striped Pride flag has continued to become the one adopted by the LGBT+ community. Although the lavender stripe was ultimately rejected, Philadelphia City attempted a new way

of adding the importance of diversity into the flag. On 8 June 2017 black and brown stripes were added to the top of the rainbow design to “highlight black and brown LGBTQIA members within the city’s community”. Racism is still horrifically prevalent within the community despite the whole purpose of it being to seek love, support, and acceptance. Stonewall UK shared research in 2018 that 51% of BAME LGBTQ+ people have faced discrimination from members of their own community. This echoes the staggering number of complaints that the Philadelphia Office of LGBT Affairs faced about racial discrimination within supposed safe spaces, such as gay bars and clubs. The stripes were added as a message of solidarity and a reminder that as a community who fights for equality, we should be ensuring it for all members. However, this change to the flag was not met without backlash as activists criticised the new additions as “unnecessary” and “divisive”. Comments abounded on social media, among them were gems like “the flag was never about skin colour”, “leave the bloody RAINBOW flag alone”, and, of course,”‘where is the white stripe to represent white people”. Surely though you would like to think that standing

IN our cover feature, samantha davis discusses the creation of an inclusive pride flag.

COVEr FEATURE

up for the inclusion of your fellow members of the LGBTQ+ community would mean more than the aesthetic of a flag. These new stripes aim to create visibility and move towards equality for BAME community members in the same way the Baker flag did for white members. Why deny someone else what all members of the LGBTQ+ community want? June 5 2018 saw another redesign of the Pride flag created by Daniel Quasar which built upon the Philadelphia flag to further the desire to bring a focus on inclusion to the community. Quasar added a chevron on the lefthand side of the flag which was white, pink, and blue (the transgender flag) and then black and brown. The new design is reflective of many ideas: ‘the arrow points to the right to show forwards movement while being along the left edge shows that that progress still needs to made’.

Whilst it’s clear that adding stripes to the original Pride flag is not nearly enough to combat the discrimination faced by BAME and other minority groups within the community, it is a start in spreading awareness. At the end of the day we are all fighting for the same thing, why spread hate and negativity and get so caught up in the colours of a flag when we could be spreading love and support to people who need it? Let’s keep this community based in kindness and let the flag serve as a much needed reminder to give the acceptance we wish to receive. To quote artist and social justice activist Micah Bazant: There is “no pride for some of us, without liberation for all of us”. •

Quasar further states that the new design is important as it reminds us that ‘we need to always keep progress moving forward in all aspects of our community’ and to highlight that ‘there is work to be done’ to achieve inclusion. The flag has in fact been named ‘Progress’ to reflect its aims to include all minorities of the LGBTQ+ community.

FEATURES

HOW TO THINK LIKE AN ALLY While supporting minority communities outwardly remains central to effective activism, we must also consider the inward practices that shape an allied outlook on life, Jack CHellman tells us.

ctivism depends on allies. As we search for broader coalitions against social injustice, the importance of minority “allyship” has become more and more apparent. Though allyship can mean many different things, most definitions center on combatting systems of oppression that target bodies other than your own. But if we’re to truly adopt allyship as a way of life, we must look beyond our actions and begin thinking like better allies as well. Fighting for others’ equality—not just your own— demands a rigorous reevaluation of our perspectives on empathy and identity. Inherent to the theory of allyship is the idea that apathy plays a central role in preserving established systems of power. Social progress slows when outright hostility to advocacy lands on communities left isolated by the indifference of communities around them. And so privilege also plays a central role in prompting us to seek minority allies. Apathy stems from the toxic luxury of a lack of urgency. Individuals without disabilities have the privilege of not needing to think about building accessibility, and so

they become apathetic to the needs of their neighbors with disabilities. Privilege muffles the sound of suffering so that it might be ignored and institutionalized. As a response to these issues of apathy and privilege, discussions of allyship often focus on how best to take action. Allies are most valuable when they actively seek out opportunities to support other communities, from protests to phone banking to educating themselves and others. As Roxanne Gay writes, allies can’t offer halfhearted commitment to these efforts—they must “take on oppression as their own.” But neither can allies expect to take the lead in advocating for other groups. Allies stay supportive, allowing the targets of an oppression to engineer its undoing. While these outward expressions of allyship remain central to effective resistance, we must also consider the inward practices that shape an allied outlook on life. Holding ourselves to the following three standards can make everyday allyship more automatic:

FEATURES

1. RESPECT IDENTITY AND ITS INTERSECTIONS. For all its evident fluidity, identity continues to shape our social locations and our access to privilege. Approach any issue of identity with its enduring powers in mind, even when the identity in question does not shape your particular experience with the world. Believe Black mothers in America for whom life as a target of racism results in disproportionate rates of infant and maternal mortality. Believe transgender youths for whom life as a target of homophobia results in more than 50% of trans male teens attempting suicide at some point in their lives. Considering the intersectionality of these identities will train you to take them more seriously. Remember that no one lives with just one identity, and allow the plurality of our lived experiences to direct your attention in more and more nuanced ways to identity’s potential effects.

2. Reject judgmental rhetoric. Much of our political discourse primes us to pre-judge issues of identity and activism. Phrases like “political correctness” and “identity politics” so often carry negative connotations that we’ve come to automatically associate them with trivial debates over political semantics. In reality, however, many of these buzzwords refer to questions that are central to the security of minority communities and far too complicated to be dismissed with a disdainful label. “Political

correctness” encompasses a vast set of linguistic strategies for recognizing privilege and demonstrating empathy for minority experiences. “Identity politics” refers to a similarly expansive approach to acknowledging identity’s significance in the political sphere. To become a better ally, remove this rhetoric from your personal vocabulary. Address issues of identity at their source instead of masking them with misguided jargon.

3. Listen for the sound of new voices. Political theorist William Connolly argues that, “The most fragile and indispensable element in a pluralizing democracy is an ethos of critical responsiveness to new social movements.” What Connolly means is that allyship cannot end with the recognition of existing identities. Allies must be ready to “critically respond” to new identities— “new social movements” that remain unacknowledged or underrepresented in our current social structure. True allies understand that identity matters and and avoid language that oversimplifies our efforts to negotiate difference. But they also anticipate the ways in which we will better understand ourselves and our neighbors in the future. So believe women when they start saying #MeToo. Believe workers when they start calling instant delivery systems modern-day slavery. Believe the ones who can speak out now, and be ready to believe those who have not yet been able to tell the world their truths. •

FEATURES

WHERE ARE THE LESBIANS? ILLUSTRATION By Dramamonster - MARSHA, JOSEPH & SYLVIA MARCH IN NYC PRIDE IN 1973. “I drew this portrait in colored pencil.”, CC BY-SA 4.0,

FEATURES

FEATURES Sasha

Smith

gives

insight

into

the

lesbian

aids

hen talking about LGBT history, it’s hard to not talk about AIDs. The disease first became prominent in the 1980s when young gay men started dying. At first, the disease was thought to only affect gay men, and was originally called GRD (Gay Related Immune Disorder). It was marked as a gay cancer, and took the lives of many before the governments of the world started taking serious action, but at this point, serious misconceptions and ignorance around the disease bred a new species of homophobia.

Anne-christine d’Adesky

At the start of the crisis, President Reagan wouldn’t even say the words “HIV” or “AIDS” which meant the US government didn’t recognize it and thousands of mostly gay men died as a result. Similarly, across the pond, the crisis provided Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher with the perfect ammunition to introduce Section 28 of the Local Government Act in 1986. This amendment made it illegal to ‘promote homosexuality’ or “promote the teaching in any maintained school of the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship” which made it impossible to discuss homosexuality in a positive light.

Maxine Wolfe

It was unknown how the disease was spread, so some people wouldn’t even touch those who were infected, and kissing or holding hands became a fearful act. Despite the disease largely affecting gay and bisexual men, the lesbian community took a vital role in AIDS activism. The 70s had seen a split in the queer community between gay men and lesbians. Lesbians were still facing gender discrimination from those in the queer community who they expected to accept them, but when the AIDS epidemic hit, largely only affecting gay and bisexual men to begin with, the lesbian community took an active role in helping.

Mina Meyer

As the population of queer men plumited, lesbians took on active roles in helping such as nursing and working in hospitals, doing menial task such as clearing up bodily matters and comforting patients. Members of the community would have three or four people they know die each month, so the lesbian community set up support groups and food banks. They would become a new family for those who had been rejected by their own. They helped plan memorial services, at a time when even coroners and funeral directors didn’t want to touch the bodies, for fear of catching the disease.

activists

America.

As a journalist d’Adesky used her skills to help report on the AIDS crisis. In 1998 she started the magazine HIV Plus and wrote about AIDS for several different magazines and newspapers, and in 2003 helped create the documentary Pills, Profits, Protest: Chronicle of the Global AIDS Movement. She is one of the founding members of The Lesbian Avengers which aimed to be ‘a direct action group focused on issues vital to lesbian survival and visibility.’ (I think it’s important to note here that The Lesbian Avengers’ method of protest was to eat fire outside the White House!) She also helped in East Africa, looking at the gender-based violence linked to AIDS.

In 1985, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) was created and Wolfe joined with a particular interest in the AIDS crisis. In 1985, Wolfe got involved with ACT UP (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power) and led the way in getting ACT UP involved in policy instead of just advocacy to continue this mass movement. She also coordinated Woman and AIDS, an event at Shea Stadium where the METS played. Around 60 men and woman from ACT UP went to the game with signs to be televised across America and reach the large crowd of fans at the game. In addition, Wolfe worked on campaigns and committees for AIDS research, pharmaceuticals, and more access to care and education.

Along with her wife Mina was a leader of the Gay Women’s Services Center. This centre offered legal advice, support groups and shelter to lesbians in LA. Mina also established the first lesbian medical clinic at the Gay Community Services Center. The couple also helped create the AIDS Hospice Foundation, which provide humane hospice care to those who were terminally ill with AIDS, but not after they fought a number of legal battles to get it made. Mina and her wife helped over 1,000 people at the hospice. Colevia Carter Carter set up educational programmes for inmates, and in 1984 she arranged the first conference on women and AIDS. She also took time away from work so she could more time working on the Minority HIV-AIDS Spectrum/Allianza Project. She worked as the coordinator for IV drug users and women in the sex industry and also became the co-chair for the Whitman-Walker Health Clinic, which aimed to give health care to the LGBT community. In 1984, Whitman-Walker added an AIDS Evaluation Unit, which was the first gay community-based medical unit in America devoted to evaluating AIDS symptoms. Dr. Patricia Hawkins Hawkins provided mental health and social services at the height of the AIDS epidemic through the Whitman-Walker Clinic, eventually joining the board with responsibility for its AIDS programs. •

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT: MICHELE THEIL

DEBRIEF

DR. AMY TOOTH-MURPHY Becca bashford interviews Royal hollowayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very own queer historian, amy tooth-murphy.

DEBRIEF

“My identity is right out there - so what are people gonna say to me?! That’s where my power comes from.”

hen I met Amy in her office, something I immediately noticed was her collection of books. One caught my eye straight away: Female Masculinity by Judith/ Jack Halberstam. Coincidentally, the book came up more than once in our interview - she described how she came across it for the first time while she was working at Oxfam during her undergraduate degree: “I was a stones throw away from the uni but nothing like this had ever been shown to me. It turned a light on in a way, I didn’t realise Queer studies was something that even existed.”. Amy described how her journey in academia actually began in law – and that after a short 6 months she realised that it was too constrained for her ‘fairly strong opinions’ to be heard and explored, so she ended up doing her undergrad in English Literature and History. It was only after the revelatory experience of finding Female Masculinity on that bookshelf that she realised Queer literature was what she wanted to pursue; over the course of her studies, her love for Queer Literature developed into a love for Queer Histories – particularly Oral History: “I was told during my masters that I might be good at oral history because I had an eye for detail and an ear for nuance, I didn’t even know what oral history was. My project was about lesbians in post-war Britain and their experiences, particularly their history of reading and how what they read influenced their identity formations.”. Now, at Royal Holloway, Amy teaches a range of modules in both oral history, public history, modern British history, and gender and sexuality. We began by talking about an obvious topic that comes up time and time again when people talk about their experience in academia – were there any hurdles she had to overcome? One thing that came across as strikingly clear during our conversation was Amy’s unapologetic attitude towards her identity and how she chooses to present it. She describes her sexuality as completely integrated into her personal, private and professional life. She is a bold and outspoken lesbian woman, and she has placed her sexuality ‘front and centre’ for anyone she comes across, both in an out of academia. In regards to hurdles in her professional life, she said that she thinks that she’s been very lucky, and often that academia is about being in the right place at the right time: Amy told me that she made a very conscious choice to not let people avoid who she is. She laughed at the idea of someone rejecting her from an academic post because of her sexuality - “Look at what I teach, look at my bookshelf, look at what I write. If

you’re going to be homophobic, just don’t have me around. My identity is right out there - so what are people gonna say to me?! That’s where my power comes from. I think its really empowering actually.” Amy’s eyes lit up when I asked her to talk more about Oral History and her current project. Oral History according to her is about seeing how history impacts everyday people. It’s the study of memory, life and narrative, and how the past figures in the narrator’s life. For Amy, though, its more than just getting a window on the past. For her, its about ‘speaking truth to power’ Oral History “allows people to correct the dominant historic narrative. We all know the problems if you’re a historian trying to work with the history of marginalised sexuality. Where are the sources?! Often the sources are written about us, not by us. Often women and lesbians are excluded altogether, and in regards to trans history its almost impossible to find. Oral history is about giving power to people of the past and giving them power in the present.” Her current project explores the ‘coming out’ story, and how its become a dominant narrative within a marginalised narrative, in short: How do people who don’t have a coming out experience tell their story? She told me how she doesn’t like the way the coming out story has been sensationalised, particularly in the straight world: “When people come out they move from a position of being hidden or undescribed to ‘something’ in the eyes of other people. In the mainstream world they like coming out stories because they can then pin that person down. Its not that simple”. Alongside her Oral history project, she is also one of the Managing Editors of a blog called ‘Notches’, which seeks to make academic research and the study of the history of sexuality more accessible - “What’s the point of sitting here and only having conversations with other people sitting within the walls of academia; who are fortunate enough to be able to do that, and who have chosen that route? What kind of public historian would I be if I didn’t see the point in conveying the work we do here in academia out to the wider world? Its theirs as well - and for a queer community that can be really empowering, just like finding Female Masculinity was for me”. What really struck me during my conversation with Amy was her unwavering passion and desire to help others feel like their identity and life is legitimate, and that being part of the LGBTQ+ community is something worth

DEBRIEF talking about, and above all that everyone should be able to access the history and heritage of their community. We moved on to a more topical debate, one we will be exploring in this issue of Orbital, and that was the use of the word ‘Queer’, particularly in an academic setting. Amy is of the belief that crucially, we must be sensitive about our language and consider who we are talking to. In her work as an oral historian, she often interviews older women in their 70’s and older - who are sometimes not even comfortable with the term lesbian. Its easy to forget that a lot of language used by the LGBTQ+ community is relatively new, and this is something Amy thinks we should be constantly aware of. On a personal level, using the word ‘Queer’ to describe herself is a celebration of difference: “Queer in its activist component allows people to say ‘hold on a minute, I am different. My whole life experience is different. I have been subject to homophobia and discrimination, and I am different because of that. My heritage is difference and my story is different.’ Queer gives you a way to say I’m not like you, I don’t want to be, and there’s a deliberate use there”. We finished our interview by discussing how LGBTQ+ identities are being threatened in the current political climate. Is this because they are more visible, or because hate speech has been given a free reign? Amy was to the point: “To the privileged, equality feels like oppression. They don’t want others to have the same things as them. People used to say ‘I may not agree with what you have to say, but I’ll defend your right to say it’. BULLSHIT! If I ever believed that before, I definitely don’t anymore. Of course, intelligent and respectful discussion is vital. And as an educator I’m passionate about that. But, I will not defend your right to stand up and spout hate, because you definitely won’t stand up and defend me”. If Amy could give a word of advice to young LGBTQ+ students, it would be to live your truth. Live as authentically as you can. When people say ‘don’t shove your identity in my face’, ask them - why shouldn’t I? Amy says that the way

she presents herself is a political statement, but she knows she has the privilege to do that. She says that working with young people is a privilege in itself, even when they are disregarded as ‘snowflakes’. The students she has come across are “politically active, self aware, and self reflective. They’re not snowflakes, they just know themselves”. I left Amy’s office feeling empowered and overwhelmed. It’s amazing to know that Royal Holloway has lecturers who are so passionate about their field, and that their passion extends to encouraging students to feel secure in who they are, and above all to be completely unapologetic about it. For students who might not be comfortable screaming their sexuality or gender identity from the rooftops, simply having someone like Amy around makes the campus feel that little bit more welcoming and safe. We are incredibly lucky to have her. I haven’t even scratched the surface of all the fascinating things we spoke about, so make sure you read the full interview online.•

LIFESTYLE

drops

ink

Noelle Spillmann discusses tattoos and meanings.

mpirically, tattoos stay on your skin forever. Whilst cover ups are always an option base tattoo permitting or going through a couple of excruciating laser therapy sessions can hopefully make the tattoo faint enough to be less noticeable or with a little luck gone, injecting ink into the dermis is a pretty permanent decision considering the costs of making it go undone. Given this fact, many people argue that tattoos should be meaningful. In fact, according to an online statistic, 43% of individuals that have tattoos claim that the tattoo having personal meaning is the most important factor to consider when choosing to get a tattoo. Part of the issue surrounding ‘meaningful’ tattoos might be how they are viewed. Initially, when having a tattoo was still negatively connoted, suggesting tattoos needed to be meaningful could have been linked to making becoming stigmatized ‘worth it’. Tattoos with their unique styles and fresh input have become an art form of their own, yet many people refuse to accept ‘I liked the design’ as a credible response when asking people why they got their tattoo, arguing either tattoos cannot be art or that just because we think something is beautiful, does not mean we should put it on ourselves forever. So, then the issue of meaning perhaps really does simply arise out of a problem with the permanence of a tattoo. Sure, hanging up a picture of a snake in a shopping cart drinking beer is fine but not getting it on your body for life. Especially considering people are always a product of their immediate circumstances- snakes might look pretty to you now but they might not in 10 years time.

ILLUSTRATION BY JACK WATERS

What about tattoos that are completely void of any meaning whatsoever? I think a key reason people are so passionate about the meaningfulness of tattoos is fear. We want things to have meaning because it’s what makes us human. But what is important to remember is that it isn’t our body the ink is landing on and that each person should still be entitled to their decision – meaningless or not and no matter what it implies. That does not mean we cannot oppose the notion of meaningless tattoos, however. It simply means we shouldn’t judge. With that being said, do I personally find tattoos should have meaning? Definitely. I won’t judge if you decided to get the next big Drake meme tattooed on your ankle but make sure you don’t regret it. •

LIFESTYLE

CHANGING GEARs

WORDS BY MICHELE THEIL

ecently, I passed my driving test. It was great to pass and, because I love driving, it was quite fun to do the test. Some people don’t have the same relationship with driving, obviously, as it can be a very nerve-wracking thing to do. I know some people who passed their test after just 20 hours of lessons and others who took 50-odd hours of lessons and several attempts to finally get that coveted pink license. The problem comes when there is a stigma attached to how long it took to pass, making people feel ashamed or even more nervous that they didn’t pass first time. While it’s great to pass your first time, there is nothing wrong with not passing. Someone told me once that, in their experience, “people who pass first-time are usually terrible drivers”. So, why is it such a big deal? Many even hurl abuse, physical and verbal, towards their driving instructors or examiners when they fail a test but it is not their fault. The instructor’s job is to make sure you are ready to ‘make a statement’ to the examiner and to the world that you are able to drive by yourself, following all of the rules of the road. Meanwhile, the examiner’s job is to sign off on that declaration and make sure that you are driving correctly, without instruction or distraction. There is no point in shouting abuse at an examiner if they believe that you’ve done something that could injure either yourself or other people; you wouldn’t get mad at a friend who took your keys away after you’ve been drinking or pulled you out of the way of moving traffic. It’s the same principle – they just want to keep everyone driving safely.

It’s psychological, of course. We, as humans, usually do not like to fail and we seek to find someone to blame for our misgivings, whether that be a driving fault – “a major” – or a 2:2 grade on an essay. It’s easy to blame someone else rather than examine why we personally failed, that takes time, self-reflection and personal growth, all of which is deemed too difficult to pursue. So instead we say the following: “The examiner was awful, he was so harsh!” or “That lecturer just didn’t get what I was saying so he gave me a bad grade.” or “It was barely a scrape, it could’ve been a minor!”. In psychological terms, this is called the fundamental atttribution error, where “people excuse themselves for the same negative behvaiour that they blame others for doing”, commonly seen when you get angry at your friend for bailing on drinks but yourself bail on them the next time. Alternatively, to bring it back into a driving context, it’s like getting angry at another driver for doing something ‘wrong’ but then you find yourself making the same exact mistake as well. As Psychology Today notes, it is “easier to blame someone else than to accept responsibility”. While that is inexplicably true, it doesn’t excuse terrible behaviour towards others when you yourself are the one at fault, or the one that requires more time and study. Next time you’re driving along, with an instructor, examiner, or even a friend, recognise that we all make mistakes and there is no shame in that. But, there is a shame in being rude or blaming others for those mistakes. • 33

PHOTOGRAPHY BY EMILY BRADBURy & WORDS BY CHLOE HILL. WITH SPECIAL THANKS TO PETTY NONSENSE.

PET T Y NONSENSE

PHOTOSHOOT

WITH

royal

holloway’s

resident

drag

queen

“Petty Nonsense is a queen who will always give the unexpected. I never want to be remembered as a queen who can do high-kicks or death drops, I want to be remembered for my shock factor and a unique twist on classic songs or characters.”

eeing as this Orbital issue is all about celebrating the LGBTQ+ community, we had to contact Royal Holloway’s very own drag queen, Petty Nonsense. Also known as Angus Livingstone, we organised a photo shoot with this queen in Medicine. During the shoot, we had a little peek into Petty’s makeup bag. We asked for the ultimate drag queen staples when it comes to makeup – in terms of both products and brands. The top 4 products needed to start a drag queen makeup bag were: Glue sticks – for brows, of course. Pigmented eyeshadows – Petty brought Jeffree Star and Morphe palettes. Full-coverage foundation – Kryolan is the ultimate foundation for drag queens. Statement eyelashes – the ones Petty wears in the shoot were designed by Sabrina Laurence. Of course, these are just a few things that go into the art behind drag makeup. Before the makeup community absolutely blew up with tutorials, videos and influencers posting makeup videos, the same techniques that are being promoted today as revolutionary are humble parts of the drag queen routine – e.g. baking, contouring and the overlined lip, to name a few. As the popularity of drag queens have recently soared in the media, they are finally starting to be accredited for their expertise and contribution to the make-up industry. These queens have also influenced a flurry of male YouTubers, specialising in makeup – think James Charles, Patrick Starr, Manny Gutierrez. Each one has gone on to collaborate with renowned beauty brands, including M.A.C cosmetics, Morphe and Lunar Beauty. I know some of you may eye-roll at James Charles, and for that, I understand, but his recent eyeshadow palette collaboration with Morphe saw him naming some of the shades in honour of the drag vernacular – including wig and tea. It just shows how universal drag queens’ influence on the make-up world has always been and will continue to be, for the foreseeable future. Although Petty’s makeup was mind-blowingly creative and precise - performance remains the

most important aspect, which is easy to see in the gothic and emotive expressions. Angus began doing drag almost a year ago and this is where Petty Nonsense was born. Considering the polished looks, the confidence, and the professionalism during the shoot, this was quite surprising – it all seemed so easy and natural. “Since actually starting drag myself, I have been able to witness a much wider scope of it through the local community, as opposed to the ‘cookie cutter’ styles of drag that appear on the show.” Although like many of us, RuPaul’s Drag Race was the starting point for drag culture, the show isn’t at all representative of Petty’s individual ‘charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent.’ The Orbital team are so pleased to be able to support Petty and we can’t wait to see what the future holds for this fierce queen! •

LET’S TALK ABOUT SEX, BABY Seeing as February is the month of Valentine’s Day, we thought it would be rude not to discuss sex in all of its glory. Introducing... BI-BABE

LUSCIOUS LESBIAN

DESCRIBES SEX LIFE AS:

Fulfilling, romantic and exciting

Sensual, romantic, emotional and passionate.

FIRST TIME:

I was 15, he was 19. Lasted about 3 minutes, wasn’t a big deal.

In a club toilet, in Thailand.

LITTLE MISS CURIOUS

DADDY LOVER

DESCRIBES SEX LIFE AS:

Up for experimentation.

Slutty by straight standards, prudish by gay standards.

FIRST TIME: A complete mess. No one knew what they were doing. 100% would not recommend. 38

FIRST TIME: A Grindr date. I was 18, he was 38. A muscular daddy – just my type. Never spoke to him again.

We once presented you with The Orbital Guide to Looser Sex and February Frolicking.

DL - Shower, yes. Especially since I have trouble reaching my own back with the soap.

Well, welcome to Part Two, for your general amusement.

IS MASTURBATION STILL IMPORTANT IF YOU HAVE A PARTNER?

WHAT IS YOUR MOST SCANDALOUS SEX STORY? BB - One time, I had sex with my boyfriend in the same bed that my best friend was having sex with her boyfriend. It was kind of weird. LMC - I was at a party with my girlfriend, but both ended up getting with a guy each, respectfully, before leaving together. As you can imagine, we started to realise from that point on that we were losing interest in each other. DL - I met up with an older guy. 38, Daddy type, again – at the cinema. We were on those reclining leather seats under a blanket and I ended up joining him in his chair. Some hand stuff went on for the rest of the movie and I was kinda embarrassed but also annoyed I missed the film. We never texted again. FAVOURITE POSITION? BB - Honestly cowgirl or go home. Missionary if I’m too tired. Being on top is just, better. Fight me. LMC - Don’t judge me – missionary. I love the intimacy, I don’t want to stare at the sheets. LL - All wrapped up in each other. DL: Hopelessly traditional – but missionary is the best. God, I sound like a straight person. ON SEX IN THE SHOWER BB -NO. NO. NO. Awful, terrible, cancelled. Asking for broken bones.

BB - Not vital, but me-time is nice. Definitely essential for longdistance, but usually together, on FaceTime. LMC - Duh. You need to know what you like to maximise your sex life with your partner. DL - Practice makes perfect. TIPS ON SPICING UP A LONGDISTANCE RELATIONSHIP? BB - Phone/FaceTime sex, for sure, once you get into it. Not as good as regular, granted, but the best you’re gonna get. Naughty presents don’t go amiss either.

DL - Monogamous. For me, casual sex is just like a supplement: I use it to keep me going while trying to find a boyfriend. SEX TOYS / BDSM / ROLE PLAY? BB - Vibrators are fun if you don’t have access to genitalia. Considered a strap-on with a girl once, but they’re kind of expensive. I’ve tried light bondage and Daddy stuff, but wasn’t really feeling it. Role play is just too much for me. DL - Sex toys: yes. They can be fun, but more importantly loosen you up – if you get my drift. BDSM: hot in theory, but too much pain and I’m out. Role play all depends on the acting skills - badly delivered acting is a mood killer. DO YOU WATCH PORN? IF SO, WHAT KIND?

DL - Sexting, Skype sex, phone sex, Snapchat – fun. You could always consider an open relationship, but that’s not for me personally.

DL - Mostly amateur porn. Grainy home footage is inexplicably hot, also glory hole videos. Sometimes I watch straight porn that’s made for women/gay men, so the camera focuses on the man.

LL - I’m personally not one for phone sex or nudes. Trust that you’ll pick up the spice when you reunite.

LL - Yes, lesbian or standard. Anything where the woman looks like she’s enjoying it!

POST-SEX CUDDLES?

AND FINALLY, ANY FETISHES?

BB - YES. Nothing better, after you’ve both peed to avoid the deathly UTI. Little spoon until I die.

BB - I like being spanked as much as the next girl.

LMC - Yes. Always yes. Proves its true love. CASUAL OR MONOGAMOUS? BB - Monogamous, mostly because I’m lazy – a long-term partner knows what I want.

LMC - A blindfold – does that count? LL - Not sure if it’s a fetish, but having her fingers run all over my back. DL - I definitely prefer to be submissive. I also have a medical fetish, but none of my real life doctors are very attractive. • 39

LIFESTYLE

Taurus

20 April - 20 May

Cancer

Your patience and devoted nature will be virtues when it comes to any new year’s resolutions you may be trying. However, remember to compromise when you have a difference of opinion.

21 June - 22 July

22 July - 22 August

A new creative project will allow you to utilise your creativity, and show your imaginative flair. When those around you grate on you, try not to react with anger, as it will only make things worse.

Your cheerful nature will aid you in helping a friend or colleague in need soon. Although you have achieved some great things recently, ensure not to let your pride slip into arrogance.

Scorpio

Sagittarius

Try not to keep secrets from those around you, sharing things with those you love can help ease the burden. Remember that your tenacity can help you get through any adversity you may face.

Your idealism will inspire someone to make a change this month, maybe personally or environmentally. However, be careful not to be impatient when changes aren’t as quick as you’d like.

23 October - 21 November

22 November - 21 December

Pisces

19 February - 20 March

Although your trusting nature is something to be admired, be careful of who you place it in. Your wisdom will be called upon soon to answer a work or academic issue. 40

Leo

LIFESTYLE

Gemini 21 May - 20 June

Virgo

You may see some changes in your work or academic life soon, but you are adaptable and if you persevere you will find no trouble. Don’t be nervous when a new romantic interest enters your life.

Libra

23 August - 22 September

23 September - 22 October

This month, try not to criticise yourself too much if you are inconsistent with your goals; remember that these things take time. Your hardworking nature will mean a big payoff soon.

If you can utilise your skills of diplomacy, you may be given an exciting new opportunity soon. When conflict arises, remember that sometimes calm confrontation is the only way to solve things.

Capricorn

Aquarius

22 December - 19 January

20 January - 18 February

You have a responsible outlook on life, but don’t forget to let loose every now and again. It’s okay to let other people handle things, sometimes, and to take a break from it all.

Your progressive way of thinking may cause a challenge with someone close to you; remember your values. When a loved one tries to help you, don’t keep your emotions to yourself.

Aries

21 March - 19 April

As you try new things with the new year, try not to lose patience with them. If you stick at it, you will achieve your goals. Use your confident nature to aid you in any crisises this month. 41

H er

9 1 0 2 o t e’s

INTO ING R B in OULD AVE E SH E L W HAT LD N W SHOU O I D E B A W AMAL WHAT d n a

2019 2018.

BRING IT

LEAVE IT

MEMES

MENTAL HEALTH STIGMA

Somewhere in the world there is an ancient calendar and engraved in a sacred rock it says ‘2018: the year of the meme’. BDE (big dick energy) seemed to be the term on 2018. Originating with Pete Davidson, it means confidence without cockiness. Of course, the person with the greatest BDE of all time is Rhianna. Obviously. In our ever fracturing world, with extremist views on either side of the political spectrum, it was nice to see everyone rally over one thing: Twitter’s white boy of the month. When it seems like no one can agree on anything anymore it was wonderful to see everyone collectively obsess over Noah Centineo in August only to dump him for another white boy a few weeks later.

Despite every growing conversation about mental health, there is still so much stigma attached to the subject. Around one in four people have suffered or will suffer from mental health problems in their lifetime. But these often invisible illnesses have so much shame attached to them that many are left to suffer in silence than get the necessary help.

DIVERSITY IN MEDIA 20GAYTEEN (coined by Hayley Kiyoko) brought with it so much great inclusive media. Black Panther, Crazy Rich Asians and Love Simon were all box office hits. Maybe this will finally prove to Hollywood that people are willing to pay for diverse media. HUMAN RIGHTS VICTORIES With Brexit and Trump, it seems like the news is only depressing or confusing. But some good things did happen in 2018. In Ireland, the repeal the 8th campaign was successful and Irish woman can now have safe abortions. Saudi Arabia allowed women to drive, giving them more freedom. India decriminalised consensual gay sex, dismantling the harmful and archaic laws of colonial past. I hope 2019 brings with it more progress, no matter how incremental.

It seems like the only time we talk about mental health is when celebrities like Kate Spade or Mac Miller die at the hands of suicide or drug overdoses. It is not enough to post the suicide hotline when a celebrity dies. We all need to be talking about mental health compassionately and empathetically in real life too. RACISM IN SPORT Racial discrimination in sport has been happening for decades. In the 2018 US Open, Serena Williams was harshly penalised for calling the umpire a ‘thief’ and eventually lost the match. To add this bigotry, an Australian comic drew and published and incredibly offensive drawing of Williams depicting her savage, only reinforcing stereotypes put on black people for centuries. The situation in the UK is not much better. Throughout the World Cup the Daily Mail continually villainized Raheem Sterling. The double standards afforded to black athletes are glaringly obvious, and 2019 is not having it anymore. BREXIT I am just so done with this ridiculous mess. Thank you, next.

Let’s TALK: SEXUAL ASSAULT Chloe Hill discusses RHUL’s procedures for sexual assault and harassment.

lthough often considered a taboo subject, sexual harassment and assault are sadly far more common than we would like to think. It’s an extremely upsetting topic to discuss, but part of some students university experiences nonetheless. Whereas most victims may not feel entirely comfortable discussing such a sensitive and personal topic, it’s necessary for us to discuss the procedures and support systems available in order to help those who have suffered, and hopefully, help to prevent it as best as we can. I contacted Royal Holloway’s head of student wellbeing – Lee Fellows, to share with you all the procedures that the university has put in place to provide support for students, whilst trying to also prevent sexual assault and harassment from happening in the future.

Important support contacts – cut me out and keep me safe RHUL Security: 01784 443063 (or visit Founders Reception) Welfare at Support & Advisory Services: 01784 443394 Student Counselling: 01784 443128 Samaritans: 116 123 Nightline: 020 7631 0101 Rape Crisis: 0808 802 9999 Survivors UK: 0845 122 1201 Victim Support: 0845 122 1201 Survivors Network: www.survivorsnetwork.org.uk/content/helpline

One of the most important university bodies to always remember is The Student Advisory and Wellbeing Department, who can be found in Founder’s West 151. The team are here to offer advice, reassurance and counsel for anything you have experienced, along with guidelines of what steps to take next (such as Counselling or the GP – they have an abundance of relevant contacts to help) along with a trustworthy person to confide/ release to, whether this involves yourself, or if you’re worried about somebody else. You will also be offered the decision to either remain in contact with the department or not. In either case, the department will respect your decision. RHUL’s intranet outlines a lot of important information, these include the College Code of Practice on Personal Harassment, Informal Dispute Resolutions and Formal Proceedings. One of the most important things that students must remember is how they can keep control at all times and will only be expected to continue with the case whilst they are comfortable to do so. Whether a student wishes to follow the informal/formal route will be entirely dependent on the nature and severity of the case, and the student will be involved throughout. It is also important to note that if you have experienced a distressing experience in the SU or one of its venues, the Venues Team and the SU Advice Centre are there to listen and review the case where appropriate. If you wish to voice any concerns about the conduct within university venues, the VP Welfare & Diversity will be happy to listen. •

THE DEFECTS OF DIGITAL DATING Natasha Lam is back to discuss the proliferation of dating apps and how to do dating in the digital age.

here are million and one dating apps out there. Bumble, match.com, Tinder, happn, Her, Hinge, Badoo, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and so on and so forth. I know the latter three are actually social networking sites but there are definitely stories of people “sliding in to their DMs” and forming a relationship out of a carefully curated ‘like’. Someone told me to try Hinge the other day as it was “the best dating app” she’d ever tried and so, I downloaded it and started playing around. The beauty of it, she told me, was the way its profiles allowed you to add your personal details, photos, as well as additional information. These details included your name, your age, and where you study. Photos were usually sourced from Facebook and Instagram and additional information meant disclosing whether or not you wanted children, your political views (Liberal, Conservative, Moderate etc.) and religious views. There were also questions like “my favourite place in the world is…” or “my dream first date would be…” in order to get the converstaion flowing between the match and yourself. On the surface, this is great. It means you can weed out those that are incompatible and filter in the people you know you would get along with. This is dating in the modern age: the Valencia filter across a person’s entire life. But, aren’t these things, like whether you want kids and who you voted for in the latest election, the kind of

stuff you’d find out by talking to them? Whether it’s your first, second or third date, the best part about dating, I’d argue, is getting to know someone new for the first time – this is of course exempting those best friends who fall in love after knowing each other for years. Although, even if you’ve known someone for ages, platonically or romantically, there is always something new to learn about them every single day. The proliferation of dating apps and the abundance of information you’re expected to share just to get a simple swipe to the right has made the ‘getting to know you’ part of a relationship obsolete. Think about it this way: unless you’re in a Black Mirror episode, nobody is walking around with their names, ages, political & religious views written on their forehead, are they? In order to get to know someone, you have to talk to them and find out of your own accord. And yet, dating apps have made that an unnecessary part of dating culture. Call me old fashioned but I miss the feeling of meeting a stranger, starting a conversation and then deciding based off of that whether or not I wanted to date them. The only quote-unquote relationship that I was ever in started off that way: we met in a club, got talking and went home together. And then we kept talking. I know I’m a broken record but, in this data-driven world, maybe we should find our connections in person rather than on a phone. It’s just a thought. •

HOOKED ON A FEELING The writer of this piece has been kept anonymous at their request.

onestly, I don’t even know how to feel any more. Boys are nice one minute, flirting with you and treating you like you’re the queen of the world and then, the next minute you’re getting ignored and treated like a piece of property. Are there any more decent guys in this world? There must be because I see my friends who are in happy stable relationships with these guys. Are they all already taken? The moment you find anyone who is half nice and pays you a little bit of attention you’re hooked. It’s like a drug you can’t quite kick, forcing you to make sure you always have a snapchat streak or texting back just enough to keep the conversation going or posting on your Instagram story just to know if he’s still your number one viewer. Some would call this ‘sad’ or ‘depressing’ but I think this is what society has created in the minds of girls.We are seeking the smallest bit of attention from the male species to get noticed so often that we then end up in these situations filled with feelings for someone and doing nothing about it. You get jealous when he’s around other girls or spending too much time with anyone else that you end up being in a one-sided relationship with the idea of someone rather than the actual person. The problem is these decent guys aren’t actually ‘in love with you’,

they’re just giving you normal human interaction. If you are one of those people who likes someone so much that you start to analyse every moment of interaction with a fine-tooth comb, ask yourself, is this worth it? The emotional toll it takes to be invested in someone’s life is hard enough but not getting any result is even worse. As a girl who has been in this hyper-aware ‘nice-boy zone’ of a relationship, I can tell you with all honesty that you have two options: tell him the truth about your feelings or start the process of getting over him. I can tell you that trying to get over someone that you weren’t in a relationship with is, for lack of a better word, hard. Period. End of sentence. No discussion necessary. It takes time to accept this friendship or to cut this person out of your life. Like any drug, there is bound to be a relapse, but that’s okay because you know your friends will get you back on the right path. Pining over something that is never going to happen isn’t worth your time. You are better off without it and there are plenty of fish in the sea. Don’t get stuck in the Egham bubble of dating – not everyone will find the love-of-their-life at university and that’s totally fine. At the end of the day friendship is something that will last a lot longer and won’t cause as much heart break.•.

LIFESTYLE

A STUDENT LIVING WITH AUTISM Jack Crouch discusses what it’s like to be a student with autism at Royal Holloway and how to get support.

niversity as a student with High Functioning Autism (HFA) is daunting at times.

Growing up as a kid who went from medical test to medical test during my infant years after diagnosis, and, more recently, being thrust from a special school with 82 pupils to a university of over 9,000 students has been a challenge to deal with. Specifically when you don’t know anyone in your halls, or your classes, for the first few weeks. When going on a night out and there’s the rush of people queuing to get through at the gate. You get in and you’re confronted with flashing colours and music that dominates over what your friends are talking about. What are they saying? Who was that person who shouted at you across the SU? Are they angry or happy? Why should you care? All you want to do is get back to your room and seclude yourself for the next 10 years at this rate. I should probably talk about the social side of things, which is one of the most known “quirks” about autism. The truth is, communicating yourself to neurotypical individuals who may not understand can be hard at times. You either communicate fine, or it comes across as being shy and awkward. At the end of those conversations, you feel that you should’ve spoke more eloquently or not even bothered. If you’ve planned those key phrases in your head to say to someone like a deck of flashcards, you may as well throw them on the floor if you haven’t planned for someone to ask you a question you might not know. What about the deadlines? Try fitting that into attempting to see people near daily without worrying over if your work is satisfactory or not. The little things matter a lot when you’re pressed about them. OK, I know the above seems like an extreme episode of sensory overload, but I’ve known a lot of people with similar

diagnoses like mine feel this way, no matter how little or big it was. I also know it doesn’t sound like a lot of positives either, but I felt it was important to get the nitty-gritty out of the way before I concentrate on the positives. Again, these issues may or may not be important depending how well you cope with them. What’s good about having High Functioning Autism at times is managing to focus on details. Having a literal mind helps in some places where you’re meant to think laterally. Studying Geography forces me to think about theories, the world, and attempt to string them together. If you don’t get entranced from stringing two different ideas together, you’ll be fine. Funnily enough, having HFA has allowed me to cope well socially at times! I may not share some of same interests as many of my friends, but that’s fine. Structuring what I need to say helps me through a conversation, even if I need to pause and recollect. On the topic of interests, the different societies at university have allowed me to focus them and get the best from what I love. Finally, the support at university has been great. The Disability and Dyslexia service have made me comfortable through making sure I have the right arrangements, advice on housing and my studies. My department have also given me support with essay and coursework feedback, clarifying on what I need to be doing. There is so much support here if you are diagnosed, and I guess the point I stress from this, is not to be afraid to ask for it. I’ve learnt from many awkward social encounters, states of confusion over work and perplexing nights out to not let down my guard, and better myself. It’s a never-ending learning process with autism, but on days when you’re feeling blue, just remember that a hand is always there for you. •

CULTURE

DIVERSIFYING LITERATURE Jasmine Cox discusses the representation of diversity and the LGBTQ+ community in some of the most popular and current YA books of the past year.

s a genre that has arguably only been a marketed category within in its own right during the last century, YA literature has rapidly progressed to the forefront of diversity discussions. Diversity feels particularly important with regards to the YA community because naturally, they are the next in line to push for intersectional representation. In terms of mainstream publishers, such as Macmillan, Penguin Random House and HarperCollins, statistics show that the numbers of LGBTQ+ YA novels have been increasing rapidly since 2014; Malinda Lo gathered that in 2015, 54 LGBTQ+ novels were published by aforementioned publishers, and in 2016, figures rose to 79. Although, recent years show a positive rise in YA novels about sexuality, there seems to be a lack of literature being published surrounding the issues of gender representation. In 2015, 55% of LGBTQ+ YA novels within mainstream publishing were centered around cisgender male characters, and only 2% were representative of a non-binary or gender fluid character. When I Google searched ‘top ten YA novels of 2018’, the four most recurrent novels in lists belonging to The Telegraph, The New York Times and some smaller online feeds, were: The Belles by Dhonelle Clayton Clayton’s novel is concerned with a society deeply fixated on external appearance and beauty, not dissimilar to our own, and a political inner grimness. The Belles are a select group of women who have the power of beauty in their blood to transform a society that is deemed ugly with their grey skin and red eyes. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas Billed as the “Black Lives Matter novel”, Thomas’ protagonist 16-year-old Starr, witnesses the murder of her friend Khlalil, at the hands of a police officer. It’s a stark reminder to the YA community that if America is serious about keeping all of its citizens safe, they should look within their own borders and legal system where racism is still deeply ingrained.

Love, Hate and Other Filters by Samira Ahmed Ahmed’s protagonist, a young American Muslim girl called Maya Aziz feels torn between the two cultures to which she belongs. But after a terrorist attack stirs up bigotry, the book explores the more specific challenges of being a young Muslim, and a young Asian girl in an increasingly hostile and Islamophobic world. Love, Simon by Becky Albertalli A coming-of-age novel about a gay teen called Simon, whose personal life turns into a crisis when a ‘school nerd’ blackmails him by threatening to out him if he doesn’t help him impress the hottest girl at school. The novel puts a smart twist on the classic heteronormative rom-com narrative.

Although each of these novels are really important in terms of being representative of diverse, contemporary, and current political issues, there still seems to be a disparity between these issues and them being represented through the lens of queer people. Perhaps more significantly, there is a real underlying tone of ableism. I think this disparity is not telling of a lack of YA fiction being produced surrounding these communities, but rather, it is telling of the type of fiction that gets categorized and passed on to independent presses or self publication, meaning less people know about what diverse literature is out there. It is a problem that starts higher up in the chain of publication, as independent shops and presses have more freedom to choose which events are hosted and which books feature on the shelves; whereas chains and bigger corporations are under the pressure of representing the views of those in charge. This, however, does not make mainstream publishers any less responsible for the diversity that they represent, and this certainly does not discredit the work of independent presses and shops that unfortunately, too often go unheard. •

THE QUEERING OF COUNTRY Noah Keppen examines Trixie Mattel’s non-traditional approach to country music.

rag superstar, and winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 3, Trixie Mattel was on the path to becoming a country singer long before she tried on her signature blonde wig for the first time. In fact, the seed of musicality was planted before the persona of Trixie Mattel existed at all. Brian Firkus, the man behind Trixie’s dramatically contoured face and histrionically feminine figure, was just a child growing up in rural Wisconsin when his grandfather identified his knack for music. “My grandfather was a folk musician,” Firkus tells in an interview with Broadly. “I grew up playing guitar and singing at the kitchen table with my grandpa. That was in my blood.” Trixie’s grandfather’s table-side fostering of her musical talents was not in vain, as she has released two successful country albums, 2017’s Two Birds and 2018’s One Stone. In addition to her music and two seasons of Drag Race, Trixie has racked up a number of other accomplishments that indicate her status as one of the most famous drag queens in the world. She has also appeared in an episode of American Horror Story: Roanoke and has been interviewed by Larry King on his talk show Larry King Now. This is all in between touring across the world and performing sold out shows, one of which I was lucky enough to attend last May. While some have raised an eyebrow at the thought of a drag queen releasing straightforward country music, Trixie’s genuine singersongwriter background has held true throughout the different worlds her career has traversed. Her music does not parody the country genre; it

instead exists as a genuine exercise in it. There are no affected vocals, EDM beats, rap interludes, or gay slang, marking the music as different from the typical fare produced by drag queens. Trixie’s musical influences are also serious countryfolk artists, such as Emmylou Harris, Joni Mitchell, June Carter Cash, Jason Isbell, Chris Stapleton, and Dolly Parton, whom Trixie idolizes and regularly channels in her looks. In some regards, Trixie’s music is downright emblematic of what constitutes the country genre. Songs like “I Know You All Over Again” exemplify what’s typical of a country ballad. Like many country heartbreak songs, the track deals with Trixie’s pain and longing over a lost love. Trixie’s forlorn and slightly twangy vocals resonate over the strum of her acoustic guitar, fulfilling many of the sonic qualities that indicate the country genre. However, while Trixie produces music that is firmly country in sound, she is still a drag queen and a gay man, a fact which itself pushes against the confines of what typically exemplifies the country genre. The image of a six-foot-tall female caricature who alternates between crooning love ballads and cracking dick jokes is jarring to those steeped in the traditions of country. But, Trixie is not a bedazzled pink jukebox that randomly plays Tim McGraw songs. Her shifting of genre normalities goes beyond the incongruity of her appearance and her sound. Her identity as a gay man and drag queen is not separated from her country music; it is imbued within it. The content of the music, like its presentation, is inherently queer, something decidedly atypical of the genre.

Within the first verse of “I Know You All Over Again”, Trixie mentions missing the smell of her ex-lover’s cologne — cologne, not perfume. By referencing the masculine product, Trixie ensures that there’s no mistaking the song for a heterosexual love story. In “I’ll Wear Your Ring”, Trixie continues her exploration of queer love, asking her partner “Did you feel you meant it when you said our loving was wrong?” The idea of love being wrong is an inextricably queer theme, as society’s anxiety about homosexuality is imprinted on gay people since birth. Trixie’s particular brand of country music not only delves into melancholy dissections of gay love, but also addresses her drag career. The title of her first single “Mama Don’t Make Me Put On The Dress Again”, deals directly with the song’s central theme, Trixie’s exhaustion and possible discontent with her drag career. The song references the physical transformations she undergoes to perform, such as donning the titular dress and being “painted up in that makeup like a clown.” Overall, Trixie’s music is emblematic of country, it just rethinks the types of narratives and themes that are allowed to be expressed in the genre. Her work proposes that LGBTQ+ culture doesn’t have to be tied to EDM or dance-pop music; queer artists should feel freeto tell their stories through any genre they choose. Trixie’s music is simultaneously an embodiment and a subversion of country. It’s a pretty neat trick for a cross-dresser from northern Wisconsin. •

PHOTOGRAPH CREDIT: Squidoh, wikimedia commons. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; TRixie mattel performing in helsinki, april 2017.

CULTURE

JEALOUSY BY NIAMH HOLLIS - LOCKE Her lipstick bruises your cheek again - cheap pharmacy purple, of all narcissus’ blooms. In the year’s twilight my hands, cold with longing, bury themselves in dead words, hoping to find love pressed, like some rare flower, between the pages. In the space between the music and lights she turns, oozing glitter, spiraling in the crush of sweat and lust. She is fool’s gold, forest-fire, ice-queen; snagging drinks for the promise of a kiss never given. Outside, in the frost-stunned night, leaves are falling like hope.

CULTURE

A HAPPY ENDING? Catherine Flint tells us the history of her favourite film & novel: Maurice by E.M Forster.

few weeks ago, I forced my housemates to sit down with me to watch one of my favourite films: Maurice. It’s a pretty long film, nearly 3 hours, so you really need to set aside a whole evening to properly enjoy it. It combines my love of period drama and well written LGBT+ characters, and I think it’s a fantastic adaptation of the book, which I bought in a charity shop by chance a few years ago. It is an important insight into gay history, written by a gay man. The story follows Maurice Hall, a student at Cambridge in the Edwardian era. He falls in love with a fellow student, Clive Durham. They spend time together at Clive’s country house, but the relationship ends when Clive marries; he simply viewed his relationship with Maurice as a phase. Maurice then falls in love with the under-gamekeeper working on the Durham estate, Alec Scudder. Although Maurice has doubts after what happened with Clive, the novel ends with them embracing in the boathouse, and Alec abandoning his plans to emigrate to Argentina, so he can be with Maurice instead. The film adaptation was released in 1987 and featured a very young-looking Hugh Grant as Clive. It does the book justice; the scenery is beautiful, and, although slow at the beginning, the long, lingering shots of the English countryside conveys a sense of repressed loneliness. It also adds an extra scene. Lord Risley, one of Maurice and Clive’s fellow students at Cambridge, is imprisoned to hard labour for homosexual conduct. There is also a deleted scene where he commits suicide, highlighting the hardships that gay people have experienced historically. I do wonder what E.M. Forster would have thought of this change to his story. He was insistent that “in fiction anyway, two men should fall in love

and remain in it for the ever and ever that fiction allows.” Maurice has his share of hardships; he struggles to accept his sexuality, and tries to find a ‘cure’, but ultimately finds happiness with Alec. This is a beautiful story and there is a hint of melancholy infused throughout. I think that this has something to do with the fact that E.M. Forster felt unable to publish it during his lifetime. Although written in 1913, and completed the following year, with revisions up until 1960, the novel was not published until 1971. It is important to note that this was only four years after the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in England and Wales. E.M Forster dedicated Maurice “to a happier year.” Have we achieved that? Changes in the law have made life for the LGBT+ community easier, but that doesn’t mean that we’ve completely eradicated homophobia. However, it’s a happier year compared to when Forster was writing. E.M. Forster died in 1970, and it’s a tragedy that he didn’t live to see the impact of his novel. I think it is incredibly important in the canon of LGBT+ literature and deserves more recognition. Important plot points such as the conversion therapy scene, Clive’s rejection of Maurice because he fears being imprisoned, and his subsequent marriage to Anne to hide his true self, are real gay experiences. Even if you don’t read the whole novel, take some time to read the terminal note from 1960. It’s incredibly touching. Maurice and Alec still roam the greenwood, over 100 years later. •

10 shows/films that should be gay BY MARIA GREEN

Love Island

It would just be better, right?

High School Musical

If Chad and Ryan’s homoerotic performance of ‘I Don’t Dance’ in HSM 2 didn’t convince you something steamy was going on in the locker room after that baseball game, I don’t know what will.

Titanic

“Jackie, I want you to draw me like one of your French girls”.

To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before

This could be a great bisexual one – just stick a few girls in. You’d have to change the title I guess, but it would be worth it.

Some people preferred Dean, others preferred Jess, and Logan was there too, but there should be one thing that we can all agree on: Paris should have been gay. Whether or not Rory should have ended up with Paris is up for debate, although it would have made the perfect enemies-to-lovers story arch.

Harry Potter

IMAGE BY BORIS LUX - WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Gilmore Girls

He lives in a closet. He lives. In a closet. Why doesn’t he live up to his gay potential?!

Any Rachel McAdams film about time travel

She’s in About Time, The Time Traveller’s Wife, and Midnight in Paris. But what’s better than time travelling? Lesbian time travelling.

Twilight

Team Edward (creepy and controlling) and Team Jacob (aggressive and threatening) need to step aside, because Bella could have done a hell of a lot better. Let’s take out the creepy and controlling part, and have Bella fall in love with broody vampire girl Edwina.

Ocean’s 8

Now this was a film with agonisingly powerful lesbian energy. There’s eye sex, there’s Cate Blanchett in suits, there’s Rihanna dumping her boyfriend because she’s ‘tired of men’, there’s Sarah Paulson - BUT THE PEOPLE NEED WE NEED ANSWERS.

MORE.

Bend It Like Beckham If you know, you know.

IMAGE BY WALKERAJ - WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

PUNK’s NOT DEAD Insanity Radio’s Head of Music and resident punk, Phoebe Hagan, is here with her latest music column to update you with everything you need to know about the greatest and latest music.

ell, we somehow we made it to 2019, and I feel like I’ve been writing list after list for the past couple of months. Lists of the top albums of 2018, the best singles of the past year - if you can put it in a list, I probably have by this point. However, I’m not finished yet. I always bring you some of my favourite tracks in every edition of this column, but this time I’m going one step further - not only am I bringing you tracks I think you need to know about, but I’m going to set out to kick off your new year the right way, bringing you four of my favourite artists and bands that I’m really excited about in 2019. Plus, as this issue of Orbital is themed around the LGBTQ+ community, I’ll be including some of my favourite queer artists that I’m a huge fan of, and think you should know about too! King Princess The musical moniker of Mikaela Straus, King Princess makes music that is unapologetically queer. Bursting onto the scene in early 2018 with ‘1950’, the 19-year old, who identifies as gay and genderqueer, rapidly gained attention following the release of her debut single - helped in part by the lyrics being tweeted by a certain Harry Styles. Followed up by her debut EP, Make My Bed, King Princess produces alt-pop that is at times heartbreaking, and at others indifferent - but above all, it’s beautifully, beautifully queer. Amyl & The Sniffers If irreverent punk that makes you want to equal parts have a boogie and yet also smash something up, then look no further than Aussie band Amyl & The Sniffers. Almost literally tearing down London’s iconic Moth Club last year, it’s clear to see why - their music is loud, snarky, and beautifully chaotic. It might be heavily steeped in the tradition of classic three-chord punk, but the way that Amyl & The Sniffers do it makes it feel so incredibly fresh and new, with absolute barrel-loads of energy.

PUSSYLIQUOR Unapologetically loud and unapologetically feminist, London/Brighton punk band PUSSYLIQUOR are taking down the patriarchy one fierce song at a time. Releasing their debut EP, WHAT OF IT, in 2018, and gaining a quick reputation across both cities due to their incendiary and electric live shows, PUSSYLIQUOR are not the queer punk band we deserve, but the one that we need right now. flirting. As much of a group therapy project as they are one of the finest shoegaze-y, dreampop-y bands currently around, flirting. released their debut EP, This Would Be Funny If It Were Happening To Anyone But Me last year, and the age old question was answered: what would Sonic Youth be doing if they too were twenty-somethings living in East London in 2018? Well, they’d be flirting. If indie-art-rockwith-an-edge is your kind of thing, then look no further. •

PHOEBE’S TOP PICKS: 1. Pussy Is God - King Princess 2. Cup Of Destiny - Amyl & The Sniffers 3. MY BODY MY CHOICE - PUSSYLIQUOR 4. Lilac - flirting. 5. Jaded - KULK 6. Too Real - FONTAINES D.C. 7. Fan The Flames - Girls in Synthesis 8. Serotonin - Bug Teeth 9. The Changeover - Sundara Karma 10. Fool Moon - Anteros 53

BINGE LIST: THE BEST LGBT+ FILMS To celebrate LGBT+ history month, Sasha Smith has compiled a list of her favourite LGBT history films for you to enjoy and to help you understand the vast history of everything LGBT.

Pride First and foremost, a film that probably many of you have already seen, Pride follows a group of vagabond LGBT activists who want to make a change in Thatcherite Britain and decide to help raise money for the Welsh miners during their strike. This is a heartwarming stroy of change that is not amiss of its heartbreaking moments, but by the end, you will be in love with everyone of the characters. The Danish Girl The Danish Girl raised controversy when released as the main character, transgender pioneer Lili Elbe, was played by cisgender Eddie Redmayne. The film is loosely based on her life, however, I am still including this film as it is still a good introduction to the history of sex reassignment surgery. If you would like to know more about Lili Elbe, I would highly recommend reading her autobiography Man Into Woman. The Handmaiden Inspired by Sarah Waters Fingersmith, The Handmaiden is a beautiful film set in 1930s Korea. Sook-Hee becomes part of a plot to marry off Lady Hideko to Count Fujiwara so they can steal her fortune, but when she becomes her handmaiden, not everything goes to plan. Orlando Based on Virginia Woolf’s novel, Tilda Swinton plays Orlando, a young androgynous man, who Queen Elizabeth I has commanded to stay young and beautiful forever. After centuries have passed, Orlando becomes a woman, but risks losing her inheritance from the queen as a result of her gender. This film has an interesting take on gender, and shows that genders outside of ‘male’ and ‘female’ are not a new 21st century thing. A Single Man In 1960s Los Angeles, just after the Cuban missile crisis, George reminisces about his lover who has passed away. He has decided to kill himself, and looks at life through the

lens of someone living their last days. The film is seeped in melancholy but is worth the watch (and you even get to enjoy seeing Nicholas Hoult wear a pink fluffy jumper). The Favourite You’ve probably heard of this film many times through the awards season. A bizarre comedic film exploring the relationship of Queen Anne and Sarah Churchill. However, their relationship is put in jeopardy by the interference of Abigail Hill who begins to draw the queen’s attentions away from Sarah. Paris Is Burning If you’ve watched RuPaul, you’ve probably heard of Paris Is Burning. This documentary follows the drag community in 1980s New York and the ambition and drive of those who participate. A great introduction to the language of drag, and for RuPaul fans, you will find the origins of a lot of the language used in the show. Bent Based on the heartwrenching play written by Martin Sherman, this film tells the story of a man who is arrested for being gay in Nazi Germany, and sent to Dachau concentration camp. It reminds the audience that love can still be found, even in the darkest of places. The Rocky Horror Picture Show A staple to queer cinema, Rocky Horror is all things bizarre and is loved by many. Join the eccentric Dr Frank-N-Furter played by Tim Curry, a sexually liberated scientist who made a generation of parents curl their toes. There is a bit of everything in this film, and whether you like it or not, you’re guaranteed to think ‘what did I just watch?’ My Beautiful Laundrette Set in Thatcherite Britain, the film focuses on Omar, a young Pakistani man who gets a job at a run down laundrette, and the love that blossoms between him and old school friend Johnny. •

no exchanges, no returns Ciara stevenson reviews mary poppins returns.

veryone’s favourite childhood nanny has recently made a reappearance on the silver screen in Disney’s highly anticipated live-action film, Mary Poppins Returns. Starring huge names such as creator of Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and star of The Quiet Place, Emily Blunt, the film seemed to be set for success. Based on the novels by P.L. Travers, the original film was released in 1964 as an animation. The film holds a warm place in the hearts of several generations, who grew up with happy memories of dancing penguins and charming chimney-sweeps. This makes it one of the largest gaps between film sequels in the history of cinema, at a whopping 54 years between the original and the recent sequel. Despite this huge difference in time, fans of all ages eagerly awaited the arrival of the new spin on the story. Set in the 1930’s in London in the height of the Great Depression, the story follows the Banks siblings from the original movie. All grown up, Michael has recently suffered from the loss of his wife, putting a huge amount of emotional strain on both himself and the rest of his family. Paired with the pressure of switching jobs and the risk of losing their beloved house on Cherry Tree Lane, Mary Poppins soon comes to the rescue. Whilst the film has some high-notes, such as the beautifully composed soundtrack, featuring songs such as ‘Trip a Little Light Fantastic’ and ‘Nowhere to Go But Up’, the morals in the story are questionable and seem to be lacking typically ‘Disney’ values. One of the most prominent themes in the film is how worried the children seem to be about money, and how their whole lives seem to revolve around it due to their father’s financial stress. There isn’t half as much fun in the sequel as there is in the original movie, the children are too busy worrying about adult-issues instead of enjoying their childhood. The typical ‘Disney ending’ would probably involve losing the house, finding somewhere more modest to live and being grateful for having each-other as family. However, the Banks do get their house back, which halts and almost deteriorates all character development up until this point. To quote Poppins herself, in my opinion this sequel was far from “practically perfect in every way”. Does this emphasis on the importance of money have something to say about our own progression as a society since the original movie was released? That’s the question we must all ask ourselves. •

SCIENCE & GAMING

D R O N E S :

ondon Gatwick Airport’s flight schedule grinded to a halt on the evening of 12th December 2018 after a single drone was reportedly spotted over the airfield. You have probably seen the chaos on national news: 760 flights were grounded the following day due to disruption and passengers interviewed on the news claiming to have lost anywhere between £70 and £4,000 on missed-out flights and holidays. This was followed by the detention of two suspects who turned out not to be guilty after all, and who were called “the morons who ruined Christmas” by The Sun and rumours that there wasn’t even a drone after all. It was all a big embarrassment that a small commercial drone could seemingly fool the public, the Police, the Army, and the entire British Government. The mystery of the Gatwick drone has exposed how integrated drones have become in our modern society; how crime, technology, travel, economics, and politics are somehow interlinked with a small recreational gadget typically used for aerial photography or racing through hoops at 100 mph. The truth of the matter is that drones are far more integrated in our society than we might think: with representation in videogames and real-life deployments in war zones for example. It is time we talked about how drones are more than just nuisance toys and start to think about how they might be evolving our modern societies. Drones are everywhere. That underwater short film you saw on YouTube in 4K? A drone filmed it. Looking for a Lego set for your nephew? He can build a drone. Ordered a new set of cutlery because your flatmates keep losing your spoons? Don’t worry, an Amazon drone might be delivering that in the future. Drones may highlight feelings of excitement and anticipation for developing a new frontier of technological innovations which fuel our increasingly automated society. I will say though that if you’re watching a 4K drone video on YouTube then R.I.P. your internet connection – decent WiFi in a student house seems like such a sci-fi idea sometimes. Business Insider predicts that global investment in drone hardware will increase in the government, consumer, and enterprise sectors to almost US$12 billion (combined) by the turn of the decade, so we may be on our way to seeing some major technological innovations in the drone world which could change the way we live for the better.

SCIENCE & GAMING

THE BIG IDEA National Geographic report that drones are already being developed for wildlife protection to better protect our ecosystems, as well as for agricultural management which can increase the efficiency of crop yields. Some fantastic research at Johns Hopkins University, Maryland, USA has led to the discovery that blood is unaffected by drone trips which means that the delivery time for blood for emergency transfusions could be reduced drastically by taking to the skies.With most good things, however, droneshave their negative connotations. Military drones have been one of the staples of ‘the war on terror’ for many years, with the RAF alone carrying out 2,767 drone strikes in just 4 years (August 2014 – June 2018) against supposed “insurgents” connected to terrorist activity. These attacks are understandably justified by our Western governments as retaliations against numerous terrorist attacks, all of which we hear in the news and keep in our memories for decades.Perhaps we are going too far when it comes to the utilisation and representation of military drones. The US military have invested heavily in the videogame industry to produce war-related games which help train gamers become soldiers, drone operators, tacticians, you name it. You can even get a drone game on your phone which, though primitive compared with real drone simulations, may be subtly training you to get used to drone combat and accept it as an everyday activity. Lockheed Martin, a major company which develops military drones and fighter jets, recently opened their first research lab outside the US at the University of Melbourne, Australia – infiltrating an educational establishment with the hope that young students will help fuel Western wars against terror through drone education. Are we being brainwashed by what The Guardian unapologetically labelled in 2012 “propaganda and training tools for the military”? Maybe we should be more careful with what we teach and where we teach it when it comes to drones so that we do not end up imposing our ideologies through the medium of war against those who do not have drones and do not have a voice to fight back, despite potentially being innocent.Drones can be a helpful tool for all of society or a harmful weapon to those we deem dangerous. Either way, with the ubiquitous presence of drones in our skies, it looks like Doc from Back to the Future was right – “Roads? Where we’re going we don’t need roads”. • BY ALEXander CLARK

STATE PARENTING Caroline husby explains What’s going on with China’s social credit system: is this the new black mirror?

he State Council of China published a ‘Planning Outline for The Construction of a Social Credit System’ back in 2014. The document describes a system which integrates traditional commercial ratings into social behaviour. Each Chinese citizen will gain a personal credit score based on their behaviour. State councils and private tech-companies evaluate the citizen’s behaviour and they keep track of their scores. If a person has show ‘negative behaviour’, he or she will be punished by getting a lower score. If you showcase ‘positive and trustworthy behaviour’, you will be rewarded with a higher score. The Chinese state wishes to control their citizens by becoming a strict parent – or, as it is often described as in Western media – the world’s first high tech Big Brother. The parenting style the Chinese state has adopted is not laissez-faire. The rules are clear and, if you break them and misbehave, punishment awaits you. The system is widely based on fear and shame – public shaming is mentioned in the planning outline as a strategy to scare people into behaving desirably. Even though there are clearly scary and provoking aspects of the system, the Chinese public have, as of now, accepted and welcomed the social credit system. The scores one can get differentiate from company to company, and council to council. One credit system is Sesame Credit, a private technology company. The highest score the company offers is 800 points. If you have gained a high social credit score, through good behaviour like paying your bills on time, buying healthy groceries, and having friends with top scores, you get goods in return. A person with a high score does not have to pay deposits on rented apartments, they will get job interviews easier, and gain easier access to higher education. However, if you have missed a payment or, more significantly, if you publish a negative comment regarding the Chinese Communist Party online, you will get punished. If you have a low score, you will have trouble buying flight tickets, high speed train tickets, and you will likely not be able to get a job interview. The most alarming aspect of the Social Credit System is the fact that if you have friends or family with lower scores, your own

score will drop as well. A student from the Zhejiang Province was first accepted to a Beijing-based university, but was later told he was not allowed to enrol because of his father’s low social credit score. The father’s social credit score was low because of unpaid debt. In the City of Jinan, the social credit score evaluates your dog and how you control it as well. You can lose your dog if it causes public disturbance or if you don’t keep it on a leash. In the ‘planning outline for the construction of the social credit system’ there are some interesting and positive aspects of the new state surveillance system. The state wish to strengthen their ability to assess, supervise and monitor environmental protection. The credit system will be used on enterprises which pollute, and if they have high emissions and a large environmental footprint they will get a lower score. These scores will be published for investors and the general public to view. Dr. Jinghan Zheng, a Politics and International Relations professor who formerly worked for RHUL, writes in his article “China’s Date with Big Data (2016)”, that big data technology in China can be used to construct the most sophisticated electronic police state on the planet. The social credit system which will be fully launched in 2020, and will gather and process massive amounts of big data. Optimists view Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as ‘liberation technologies’. Social media and the internet enables Chinese citizens to criticise the current regime and mobilise activism. However, digital pessimists view ICTs and big data collecting as yet another platform to control and surveil the public. In the planning outline it is clearly stated that the internet will be fully censored and will be used to monitor and process personal data which affects ones’ social credit score. It is clear that China is progressing into the world’s biggest technological police state with an aim to further develop their ability to control and ‘parent’ their citizens with a strict and strong hand. The digital pessimists are probably right. •

SPORTS & SOCIETIES

LILY PARR Maria Green tells us about Lily Parr, a lesbian football icon that she thinks we should all know about.

’ll start off by saying that I don’t like sports. I have little to no knowledge about most sports, P.E. was my least favourite lesson at school, and I spent the majority of Sports Days at home ‘sick’. But while brainstorming ideas for this LGBT+ issue of Orbital and researching how many premier league footballers have come out as gay (hint: really, really not many at all), I stumbled across a woman who has now introduced me to the incredible history of women’s football. Lily Parr’s football career began in 1919, at a time when the popularity of women’s football was at an unprecedented high, until the Football Association banned women from playing on their member grounds in 1921 (due to women’s teams playing charity matches to raise money for the families of striking miners, and also due to plain misogyny). This ban wasn’t lifted until 1972.

Parr was born in 1905 into a working-class family in Lancashire, where she joined the Dick, Kerr’s Ladies’ team at age 14. The reasons to love her are endless: she was over six feet tall, she scored over 1,000 goals during her career, she was openly gay, and aside from being an incredible footballer, she was known for her large appetite and chain-smoking. She even once broke a male goalie’s arm by shooting a penalty after he taunted that she wouldn’t be able to score past him. She’s like that really cool and kind of scary girl you had a huge crush on in school. Just one example of the success of women’s football is Boxing Day in 1920, when Parr’s team drew a crowd of over 53,000 to Goodison Park in Liverpool. When 60

the FA took a stand against women’s football, the Dick, Kerr Ladies toured America instead, playing men’s teams. When they returned, the space and support for women’s football had been seriously diminished, but definitely not burned out. The Dick, Kerr Ladies’ team became Preston Ladies after losing support from their factory (after which they were named) and Parr played for them until 1951. During this time, Parr retrained as a nurse and lived with her partner, Mary. She died in 1978 after a battle with cancer, living long enough to see the FA repeal the ban against female football teams playing in their stadiums. In 2002, Parr became the only woman to ever have been inaugurated into the National Football Museum Hall of Fame. Sure, I hate sports, probably because I’m really bad at literally all of them. But at least if I was good, I wouldn’t be denied the opportunity to follow my passion. It’s thanks to women like Lily that the popularity of female football teams has grown and developed, despite the overbearing inequality that still plagues the game. As it turns out, adding one of my greatest interests (historical Sapphic women) makes even my least favourite topic in the world (football) incredibly interesting! •

SPORTS & SOCIETIES

HANGING UP THE RACKET Hefina Everard talks about the legacy Andy Murray leaves as he says goodbye to tennis.

eigning Olympic Singles Champion and two-time winner of Wimbledon, Andy Murray, is no normal sportsman. That’s why his news of retirement has come as a shock for both the tennis world and the public eye. The 11th of January 2019 saw the tennis player announce his plans to hang up his racket after a lifetime of playing; Murray announced that he had a difficult decision to make. Hoping that he could finish his golden career at the birthplace of British tennis, Wimbledon, it seems that his dream could be snatched away from him if the pain from his debilitating hip injury prevails, making the Australian Open his last tournament. Andy Murray looked to be a promising tennis star from a very early age – he won his first tournament at the Dunblane Sports Club as an under 10’s junior. Then in 2005, he officially turned professional, his first Grand Slam Final in 2008 at the US Open followed soon after. It only went up from there for Murray, with 2012 being the year he became both a Grand Slam winner and Olympic gold medallist. July 2013 saw him become the first British man in 77 years to win Wimbledon, which he quickly achieved again with his second title in 2016. It is hard to argue that Andy Murray isn’t one of the best British sportsmen in history, boasting 45 titles to his name. However, Murray hasn’t just faced turmoil on the court, but also off the court. However, his composure and determination proved just why he deserved to be a 3-time winner of the Sports Personality of the Year Award. He was a survivor of the 1996 Dunblane Primary School shooting; both him and his brother, Jamie, were forced to hide in a classroom in order to protect

themselves. However, Murray looks back at his childhood ordeal by commenting that after so much negativity, he is glad his legacy can bring something positive to the town of Dunblane. His legacy continued to shine in numerous interviews, where he has been quick to call out off-the-cuff sexism and inequality of gender in his sport. Murray has been quick to correct interviewers when they’ve casually discriminated against women and he’s won over international crowds for being quick to defend female tennis players, such as Serena and Venus Williams. His empowerment of women has not been forgotten in the era of ‘Me too’. The close relationships he has with his mum and former coach, Amélie Mauresmo, he states, has given him the ability to see that equality for women hasn’t been achieved within sport but is something that definitely needs to happen. Through this, his popularity has soared, with former world number one Billy Jean King stating that his voice for equality will inspire future generations, his legacy untouchable. Murray’s campaign for women in sport has EVEN given him a dedicated countdown on BuzzFeed of all his famous feminist moments. He really is a lovable British icon. I think many people will agree with me in that it was hard to watch Andy Murray’s tearful Australian Open press conference. As one of Britain’s most loved athletes, having to say an unwanted goodbye to the sport you love must be difficult. We’ve watched him through euphoric highs and gutting lows over the years, but his legacy has taught us to always DREAM BIG. One thing we know is that the tennis world won’t be the same without this famous Scot.• 61

BEET ROOT RISOTTO Ingredients: 5 cups Chicken or Vegetable stock 1 ½ cups Dried Cranberries 1 cup Fruity Red Wine 3 tbsp Olive Oil 1 Large Red Onion 2 Celery stalks 1 ¾ cups Risotto Rice

4 cooked beets, diced ½ tsp dried thyme 1 garlic clove 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill 2 tbsp fresh chives Salt and Pepper Parmesan Cheese (Optional)

1. Bring the stock to a boil in a pot then reduce the heat and keep simmering gently over low heat 2. In a separate pan place the cranberries with the wine and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let simmer of 2-3 minutes until slightly reduced. (There should be some liquid left over) Remove from the heat and set aside. 3. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottom pan over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft. 4. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. 5. Reduce the heat, add the rice, and mix to coat in oil. Cook , stirring constantly until the grains are translucent. 6. Gradually add the hot stock, a ladleful at a time. Stir constantly and add more liquid as the rice absorbs each addition. Increase the heat to medium so that the liquid bubbled. Cook for 20 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed and rice is creamy. 7. Halfway through the risotto cooking time, add the cranberries and slowly add the wine. Also add the cooked beets at this time. 8. Continue to add the stock and remaining wine. 9. Stir in the dill and chives and season. Serve with Parmesan. •

By EMILY BRADBURY

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