Clifton Herald // Issue 3

Issue 3 // October 2019

Image source: Wikimedia Commons

The Importance of Satire Elly Callaghan

Satire seems to be an inherent part of a democratic society - how else can we pass the time and criticise the government between elections? In the rising (and ongoing) calamity that is Brexit, Theresa May was subjected to scathing newspaper articles and memes (particularly centered around her dancing). Satire has a darker side, where those exercising their right to freedom of speech have been attacked. In recent years, the Charlie Hebdo terrorist attack in 2015 drew significant attention for its relationship with freedom of speech. The satirical French newspaper had published a cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed, which most orthodox Muslims consider to be blasphemous. As a result, gunmen belonging to the extremist Islamic terrorist group al-Qaeda stormed the Charlie Hebdo headquarters and murdered 12 people. This raised questions about how far, exactly, satire could go before offending too many people. Thousands of people around the world marched in protest for freedom of speech and the right to make light of anything and everything.

Michelle Wolfe, the American comedian who gave a satirical speech at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in 2018, also received widespread criticism for what Sean Spicer (is he still in office?) called a ‘disgusting’ performance. In it, she satirised not only the mainstream media outlets but also President Trump and his aides. In her opening address, she said, ‘I have no agenda, I’m not trying to get anything accomplished. So everyone that’s here from Congress, you should feel right at home.’ This sets the tone for the entire speech. Having watched it numerous times, there are certainly some moments of nervous laughter, like when she begins her pretty damning attack on Sarah Huckabee-Sanders, the only

member of the Trump administration who had bothered to show up. She compared her to Aunt Lydia from The Handmaid’s Tale, a matriarchal figure who collaborates with the authoritarian theocracy to force younger women in state-sanctioned rape. The White House Press Association have since decided to stop having a comedian give speeches at the event, presumably in an attempt to appease this administration who have such a problem with being criticised by the left-wing media. What’s crucial to understand about this is that the President of the United States, the leader of the free world, has shown he wishes to censor freedom of speech.

For a man who tries so hard to protect the Second Amendment (the right to bear arms) he is doing far less for the First.

Finally, to bring the censorship of satire closer to home, we must look to our own school. In 2017, Upper Sixth leaders found on their last day that the yearbook they had produced had been somewhat edited by Senior Management. Obviously all curse words were asterisked (who knew eighteen-year-olds swore?), but the double-page spread of East Town’s yearbook page had been manually cut out, for reasons that must be censored. The irony is, it didn’t matter. The Upper Sixth East Town boys proudly printed out hundreds of their yearbook pages and handed them out on the last day all the same. In fact, there must have been multitudes left behind all over the parapet. What was the school’s attempt to censor resulted in even more people seeing it.

Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself - JK Rowling.

Keeping up with the Kliftonians: An Upper School Survival Guide Amelie Tolchard and Georgia Warfield Clifton College can seem like a daunting place at times, no matter how long you have been here. Therefore, we decided to create a little ‘survival guide’ with exclusive interviews from students across the year groups, so that whether you are a Third Former worried about the demands of the Upper School, or a Fifth Former trying to cope with the stress of GCSEs, you can spend the rest of your time at Clifton (nearly) stress free.

Third Form Being in a new part of the school with new people can be scary, so we recommend that to start off, you try and make as many friends as possible.

Don’t feel like you have to spend all your time with your classmates from the Pre, or just those in your House - talk to new people, even if it’s out of your comfort zone. Don’t be afraid to speak to students in the years above you, most of them are friendlier than they may seem, and you may end up making friends you’ll have for a long time. However, to avoid getting on anyone’s bad side, make sure you give way to the older years when walking on the path. Exam wise, you really haven’t got much to worry about - GCSEs are two years away and A Levels are even further in the future - so just enjoy the small amounts of prep and spending the whole Summer Term on the benches by the Close.

Advice from last year’s Third Formers: Try to make a lot of friends, a wide range is best so not just in your House - when there are arguments in the House, it can be hard if the people who are involved are the only ones you are close with.

There is a bit of a difference in workload from Year 8, so it might feel slightly more intense than last year.

Fourth Form With the impending doom of GCSEs looming over you, there are bound to be times when you feel a bit overwhelmed. Try not to stress, however, as many of my friends and I didn’t spend too much time working in the Fourth Form, and none of us got kicked out for bad GCSE results. As long as you don’t leave too much work to do for the next year you will be fine - make sure you don’t spend all of your holidays revising because trust us, you’ll regret it when you’re working towards your exams for the whole of Easter in Fifth Form. Unfortunately, Fourth Form is also the year where a lot of people tend to have friendship problems - either with there being cliquiness or just growing apart from people who were your friends coming into the Upper School. Our advice is to not let this stress you out, as it is normal to experience changes in friendship groups, but if you ever feel really unhappy, try talking to your friends or, failing that, your HoM and the counsellors.

Advice from last year’s Fourth Formers: You do have to be more focused on your work than you were last year.

Make sure you have a close-knit group of friends you can rely on as you start to feel more stressed.

Don’t worry about GCSEs - you’ve got a whole year before then.

Fifth Form Everybody always dreads Fifth Form, and for good reason. Being forced to do 10 subjects is nobody’s idea of fun, especially when physics is

involved. Our advice would be to make sure you put in as much effort in your subjects as possible, even the ones you find hard, as it will be extremely beneficial in exam season. You have one of the longest summer holidays you’ve ever had and ever will have, so there is plenty of opportunity to make up for all the time you’ve sacrificed to revise. Just remember, as bad as you think GCSEs are, they are nothing compared to A Levels, which will make you wonder why you didn’t drop out of school when you had the chance. But, if exam stress is really getting you down, it is important to talk to your teachers or classmates and get help - you won’t be the first and definitely not the last.

Advice from last year’s Fifth Formers: Don’t stress a lot about GCSEs, it’s not worth it.

Worrying about your exams early on in the year will only make it worse for you later.

Keep on top of your revision notes from this year and last year as it will save so much time for mocks and the real thing. If you’ve already got the majority of your revision done, you should start consolidating it and applying it to past papers instead of writing loads of notes.

Lower Sixth In our experience, Lower Sixth is the best school year of your life. You’re treated a bit more like an adult, and finally don’t have to queue in BSK for an hour to get your lunch and can instead make use of the JCR and Languages Cafe. Enjoy having the freedom of no proper exams, but still getting the privileges of a Sixth Former - it only lasts for a year. This is also

the time when people start to go to more social events so make the most of that, and don’t get too worried about work, as there will be plenty of time for that next year. It’s also worth bearing in mind that even though it’s easy to spend all of your cuts - sorry, ‘study periods’ - on Instagram, it is probably worth doing a bit of work in them, as it allows you to relax more after school. Most importantly, make the most of Lower Sixth, it’s probably the last time you will be in the same place as all your friends and won’t have to worry about tonnes of work.

world of work - and hopefully it’ll make the pain and monotony of exams worth it. Work hard and stay on top of prep and revision, not only for A Levels but also at the beginning of the year, as it makes the workload less daunting later on. Remember, you’ve made it through countless years of school on Saturday, staying until 5.50pm on a Monday and getting SNDs for the most random things, you can make it through A Levels. As with GCSEs, going to see your teachers or talking to fellow exam-sufferers for advice can help when it all seems a bit hectic and stressful.

Advice from last year’s Lower Sixth:

Advice from last year’s Upper Sixth:

Don’t stress about A Levels, they are still quite far away, and don’t worry about friendships or relationships, it all works itself out in the end.

Enjoy every second of being at Clifton because it’s gone in a blink before you know it.

You’re here for a good time, not a long time- make the most of Clifton as it won’t be long before you’re leaving.

Exams are important but they are not the end of the world.

All the talk about life after school might seem stressful, but it’s good to start organising work experience or looking at unis and the courses they have to offer sooner rather than later.

Upper Sixth After being in school since the age of four, you’ve made it to the very last year. Like we said before, it’s likely to be the last time that you will be with your closest friends almost every day, so try and make the most of it.

Even though A Levels are, of course, important, so is a work-life balance, so going out for all your friends’ eighteenths shouldn’t be forfeited for revision. Keep in mind where you want to be at the end of the school year - whether that’s going to uni, taking a gap year or going straight into the

Even though all your mates might say that they are not working, it’s important not to leave your own work until the last minute, so study on the sly if you have to.

Make the most of seeing friends so you can stay connected with them after you leave school.

So there you have it, a basic guide to how to make it through the Upper School at Clifton. We hope this helped in some way, even if it just told you what to look out for in the year ahead. As with most things, there will be highs and lows, but make the most of every opportunity the school offers, because before you know it you will be signing each other’s yearbooks and walking through Chapel for the very last time.

Hello, and welcome to the third edition of the Clifton Herald!

While you look over this newspaper, we at the Clifton Herald want to encourage you to think: what do you believe in? What do you hold to be good, and right?

We want you to make your choice, and believe firmly in it. Do research, analyse every side, and come to a conclusion you believe to hold meaning. That doesn’t mean attack others if their views are incompatible, but having ideals you can live your life by will make you a much happier and more confident person.

day off school. There are a lot of opportunities out there that you can use to achieve your goals; whether your goal is to miss a lesson of geography here and there, or to save our planet before it’s too late, we support it. Be your own person, make your own goals and go get ‘em, champ.

Joseph Attwood and Luca Newman, Co-Editors-in-Chief

Then, when you see what could be made better about the world, take the first step forward. Spread awareness, attend rallies, make your voice heard.

After you have taken that step, you can help to bring about change and reform.

This is the view of the Clifton Herald- research your beliefs, stand by your ideals, and take action to make your dreams come true. Nothing is impossible. As the Greek goddess of victory would say, just do it. Or as the herald of the Greek gods would say, “We are one of the UK’s largest parcel delivery companies, with Hermes ParcelShops and Courier Collections from only £1.89 Ex VAT”.

Whilst it’s great to campaign for what’s right, to fight for a cause you believe in, to dismantle a system you don’t agree with and eventually eat the rich, it’s also important to enjoy what the world has to offer. At the Clifton Herald, we’ll forgive you for attending the climate strike just to get a

Something to Watch Charmaine Audifferen

Fyre Festival Documentaries -2019- apologies to all those who don’t have NETFLIX Rating: (nothing rated FAMILY is actually intriguing) FIFTEEEEN!!!

The Fyre Festival, also named ‘The Greatest Party That Never Happened’, was THE greatest scam ever pulled on the millenials of America’s elite class since the Billionaire Boys Club. The documentary shows how much pressure was put on every person involved, and what lengths men were willing to go to for water. Run by Billy McFarland and Ja Rule, whose great connections allowed this sham to get heavy publicity. ‘A luxury party for 10,000 in the Bahamas’, said Billy the conman. ‘Ooh yay!

Mummy, buy me a ticket so I can be a cool kid and dance on a random island I’ve never heard of with 9,999 other people I only ‘know’ because they’re ‘Instagram famous’ and because we have the $40,000 to spend on an unheard of, unconfirmed and somehow kinda shady looking event’, Sally the $20 a week YouTuber blathered. And Mummy paid.

Yes, human beings can be quite dim-brained. That in no way excuses the fact that Billy McFarland is a shady guy. If you are interested in non-fiction told in the first person, this is perfect for you because it’s one of the few documentaries in the world that will not become a lullaby five minutes in.

F is For Family Rating: 16+ (may or may not contain uncensored nudity… you have been warned) The opening sequence forces you to realise that life is short and soon enough you’ll be old, bald, with a bad back, rusty joints, but still with the mind of a child, screaming at the three children you sometimes wish you hadn’t created. Oh, and your wife. The show is set in the 70s, so it’s likely to be more applicable to your grandparents than it is to you. Yet it is still quite a show. F is for Family is set up like The Simpsons but with

less cartoony cartoon people. It’s a relatively light-hearted comedy and is full of laughs throughout the seasons. (Just because this is the shortest review, doesn’t mean I feel any less about this series. I love it, I just don’t know what to write any longer. I’m drained- journalist work is hard and I didn’t expect it’d take this much out of me. Still, watch the show). It’s so simple. You don’t have to think when you watch it, you just relax.

Cheers Frank.

American Crime Story Rating: 15+ Somewhere in America, there is always a new crime story and so they decided to make a show to show off their greatest ones. U. S. A!!!

And thus, American Crime Story was born… using their ultra superpowers: American! Crime Story! have dedicated their lives to exposing the forces of EVIL. Basically, there are three seasons so far and they all follow the most controversial cases that have been addressed by the American judicial system, like the infamous O. J. Simpson trial where a beloved American footballer and celebrity became a famous murderer, or the assassination of Gianni Versace, the founder of one of the world’s greatest designer brands. It goes through the mind of his murderer, how it happened and what led to his sister, Donatella, becoming head of the fashion house. And now, in the third season, it follows the scandals that took place concerning the 2005 Hurricane Katrina that killed thousands in New Orleans and other areas in the Deep South. The series is so well produced that it gets you interested in things that you’d never paid attention to on a regular day.

This Interview is Gay Flo Green

Juno Dawson is a transgender woman, originally a teacher from Bingley, West Yorkshire, and now an inspiring author of Young Adult fiction and non-fiction on mental health and LGBTQ+ issues including Mind Your Head, This Book is Gay and The Gender Games. I first heard of her whilst listening to a podcast called A Gay and A NonGay (the episode that she is on is called A Gay, A NonGay and A Trans if you want to give it a listen!) on which she talked about many LGBTQ+ issues and her transition. I found it extremely interesting and jumped at the opportunity to interview her when she came to give a lecture at the school. The interview went as follows: Why did you decide to refer to gender as a ‘he’ in The Gender Games?

Because it’s a patriarchy. Patriarchy is something which affects both men and women equally, for the vast majority of men, patriarchy doesn’t benefit them either. I think it comes along with all these conversations about toxic masculinity. Therefore, I think feminism and scrapping the patriarchy benefits all of us.

Do you feel any negativity towards men?

No, feminism isn’t about man hating or bashing down men, it’s about looking at systems that were put in place hundreds of years ago by a few very wealthy men. These systems don’t benefit modern men. There are lots of men who would love to be able to split paternity leave with their partners, and there are lots of men who would be happy earning less that their partners. My boyfriend earns a lot less than me and he feels ashamed of that, which I think is insane! This comes from old rules, and these rules are outdated. Modern men are struggling with these rules just as much as I always have.

Do you wish you had transitioned earlier in your life?

I do wish I had transitioned younger because my life is better now. So I can use that logic to say that had I transitioned earlier, my life would have been better for longer. But at the same time, I had a blast in my 20s. I left home, was in a band, started writing, and went on loads of adventures.

Post transition, I’ve settled down. Maybe that’s just getting older, or the fact that I was becoming the person I was always meant to be. That’s just the way it is. My life is so nice now, why choose to have regrets? It was what it was.

Do you think that babies shouldn’t be assigned a gender until they are able to choose one themselves?

Parents are quite naturally doing that. I have a lot of friends who are very careful and have just said, “I’m not going to paint this room pink. Yes, I’ve been told we’re having a girl, but what if this child hates pink? Let’s just paint it a really neutral colour, and let them choose their preferences and ask them what they want”. It’s common sense, listen to your kids!

How have your hormone changes affected you?

It’s a trip. And it doesn’t always affect you in the way that you think. I’ve been warned that I would be tearful, emotional, and even a little bit premenstrual. There was a little bit of that, and certainly things trigger me like they didn’t used to. For example, videos of little dogs on Facebook that didn’t used to make me cry, but certainly do now.

It has made me recognise how we are all very much slaves to these chemicals in our bodies. For example, before, I was very short tempered, like when the remote control stops working. Before, I would have got so angry. Not so much now. I get my hormones sorted out every three months, so you are very much in a cycle. Towards the end of a hormonal cycle, I can feel the temper coming back. I think a lot of those quite testosteroney reactions (aggression, ill-temperedness, higher sex drive) are very much things of my past. It’s made me look at my relationships and sexuality very differently as well; it was very driven by testosterone. From speaking to trans men who have been introduced to testosterone later in life, testosterone is a very powerful hormone, and of course it’s present in all of us, men and women, cis and trans. I wonder when we look at highly sexed, and highly competitive women, is it testosterone? Because we all have it in our bodies, just different levels of it. I’m personally very interested in testosterone, I think it’s a fascinating chemical.

Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions, Juno.

Editors’ note: all of Juno’s books are available to borrow from your very own Percival Library!

Beauty Standards: How Does History Affect Our Today?

Jemima Blench

The standard of beauty, male, female and nonbinary ideals, have consistently shifted throughout history, worldwide, and affect us all today. Especially with the rise of social media, beauty standards are more prevalent than ever, epitomised in the modern day by seemingly endless Instagram models and fitness gurus online. Today, for women, a healthily slim figure with curves is desirable, whereas for men broad shoulders and washboard abs are close to the Western ideal we all see on our phones.

But it wasn’t always this way. And where does it all come from?

One of the earliest models of the female body, the Venus of Willendorf, is about 25,000 years old and only 11cm high, and depicts a prehistoric feminine ideal. The little statuette has a large waist, bust, hips and belly, a far cry from today’s standards. The name ‘Venus’, too, has become a byword for a female image or a beauty thanks to the Romans. Similar to the Greeks, the Romans valued whiteness on women -tied to chastity and purity - whereas men were thought generally to be darker, from time spent in the sun battling. Both were held to a standard. Heavy, unrealistic emphasis was placed on male beauty - for example, the ‘adonis belt’, the V in men’s hips, as depicted in famous classical statues, is impossible to acquire. Women of the Roman Empire later removed their body hair with pumice stone, while Ancient Egyptians used an early form of wax. Some things haven’t changed much over the years.

Across the sea, Han China valued large eyes and small feet, which began the tradition of ‘foot binding’, only officially banned in 1949.

Centuries later, classical meanings of beauty re-emerged in Europe with the dawn of the Renaissance.

Gold hair was highly desirable and high-class women would dye their hair with lemon. Though white skin and broad hips were still considered beautiful, converesely in Roman times yellow hair was linked to prostitution. Medieval Italian ideals are epitomised in Rubens’ painting of the three graces - these women are pale and chubby with wispy hair, again far from today’s female beauty standard. Male beauty ideals of the Renaissance are closer to today’s view of what’s desirable; Michaelangelo’s men are muscled and broad-shouldered. Like today’s Photoshopped models, though, these depictions aren’t realistic.

They reflect the whims of the time.

Before the French Revolution and throughout the Georgian era, both men

and women of the aristocracy of Europe wore makeup, but on women, red lipstick specifically was considered to be a ‘witch’s tool’ and to have the power to seduce men away from their wives. A law was even passed in the 1700s in America stating that a marriage could be annulled if the woman had been wearing red lipstick at the time when her husband was courting her. In England, the standards of beauty were more focussed on frame than face. During the industrial revolution and the birth of urban culture, a tall healthy body was considered desirable. At the dawn of the Victorian era, figure was also important; the first detrimental effects of wearing a corset day after day began to become apparent. Often made out of animal bone, corsets were designed to cinch women’s waists and give them a more hourglass figure, but when worn too much could - and still can - permanently alter the shape of the waist and damage internal organs. Makeup was (for women) considered too brazen, and rather than looking healthy, a somewhat pale and ill appearance was thought beautiful. ‘Consumptives’ (like tuberculosis) were attractive, and while this might sound bizarre, consider our slender catwalk models of today, or the ‘heroin chic’ of the 90s.

Image source: Wikimedia Commons

The 1920s boom in the USA was when body image began to permeate mass conscience. Where before, to weigh yourself or even own a mirror you had to be rich, with the popularity of mass produced goods anyone could keep an eye on their appearance. The 1920s brought a new wave of what was considered beautiful as women moved away from the very traditional ideal of what they should look like and wore trousers, short skirts and flapper dresses that, unlike Victorian gowns, did not hug the figure but hung loose. Hair was cut short, makeup was popularised and all this new fashion was widely available. A beautiful figure was now considered to be thin and boyish rather than hourglass and with sloping, broad shoulders. West-

ern beauty standards changed in the 30s to a more full figure, and again changed with the arrival of the golden age of Hollywood and curvy stars, though most would still probably be considered slim by today’s standards.

Recently, a ‘healthy skinny’ ideal has emerged. Especially with the advent of gym culture, for both women and men, looking athletic seems to be considered appealing. However, it’s important to remember that our ideas of aesthetics are changing and shifting all the time - nothing is fixed, and beauty is always in the eye of the beholder.

‘I Have a Meme’ Luca Newman

If you’ve ever used the internet, you’ve probably seen a meme before.

Whether you’re an avid meme enthusiast or just a casual Facebook scroller, you’ve also probably seen one that makes you wonder, ‘am I a terrible person for laughing at this?’.

Throughout my years at Clifton, I’ve had plenty of lectures from a wide variety of old people about internet usage, trolls, e-safety and, lastly, shock content. I remember, in particular, one from Clifton’s safeguarding posse, after which I was given a stern talking to for sniggering at an ‘offensive’ meme on my phone, whilst we were lectured about the dangers of sharing such memes.

A year later, I managed to secure an interview with fun police veteran Designated Safeguarding Lead, Mr Edward Swanwick, on the topic of memes.

We got off to a surprising start, with Mr Swanwick suggesting that ‘certain people get offended too easily these days’. This is a sentiment that many people hold, left and right. The stalwart liberal, Stephen Fry, famously formed an alliance with the right-leaning Jordan Peterson in a public debate, proposing that political correctness isn’t as progressive as once thought.

Having got that disclaimer out of the way, Mr Swanwick made it clear that under any circumstances, ‘you cannot attack protected characteristics’. This encompasses age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership and pregnancy and maternity under the Equality Act of 2010.

I HAVE A MEME

At this point in the interview, I was beginning to worry that I held the same views as an aging anti-amusement Australian… In the midst of an identity crisis, as my life flashed before my eyes and I questioned whether this all was just a nightmare I’d soon snap out of, Mr Swanwick tagged six key words onto the end of his answer.

‘You should never look to offend’ - this is where I fundamentally disagree.

Before I had a chance to pounce upon that statement, he said something that I find even more disagreeable. We locked eyes and he told me that ‘context matters, but it’s important not to cross a line of decency.’

I don’t disagree that context matters, but decency’s a funny word, isn’t it?

By the dictionary, it means ‘behaviour that conforms to accepted standards of morality or respectability’ - in other words, it’s entirely cultural and subjective. The act of discouraging the challenge of social norms is the complete opposite of being progressive - if no one had challenged the sexist and racist views that many held just 200 years ago, we’d still

‘certain people get offended too easily these days’

be living in a world with severely diminished rights for minorities. The top-hat-wearing, penny-farthing-peddling, wife-beating, factory owning man of the 1800s would have considered a peek at a lady’s ankle deeply scandalous, whereas he would have seen the use of ‘blackface’ as jolly spiffing.

So how do memes come into all of this? How does a picture of a cat in a suit playing a jazz

saxophone have any effect on society?

Well, that simple image would probably make your day a little bit better - but it’s not that type of meme that I’m talking about. I’m talking about the most popular form of memes - the ones that present a widely relatable moment or emotion, often without realising it, you may reflect upon what the meme means to you.

Dr Rosanna Guadagno, Director for the Information Warfare Working Group at Stanford University, says that ‘if you think [the meme’s message] reflects poorly on the people who engage in that behavior, you’ll choose not to engage in that behavior.’ In other words, online jokes can act as guides for a society or group’s larger moral consciousness.

The way we behave is almost entirely controlled by the culture in which we live, and the internet is undoubtedly a huge modern form of culture.

Adam Downer, an editor of the website Know Your Meme (the biggest online database of memes online) agrees, and went on to say that ‘when you see memes and jokes and internet stuff enforcing a certain set of social norms, you become aware [of] and learn to follow those cultural boundaries’.

So, if you’re offended by a meme because it’s attacking your beliefs, but the meme has become popular, perhaps you’ll take a step back and think why it is that so many people mock your perception of the world.

Image source: mlkonline.net

Besides, what gives an individual the ability to decide what should be deemed morally correct? I posed this very question to Mr Swanwick at the end of the interview, and we agreed that ‘it’s a deeply philosophical issue’.

Why LGBTQ+ Representation Matters Rowan Read

Media is a powerful tool. It can make and break a person in a week. It’s our connection to the world: information, conversation. Every day the majority of us access the media in one form or another. Change happens because of media. And it’s media that continues to grossly misrepresent the LGBTQ+ community.

This is evident if we look at films and TV shows. In 2017, only 12.8% of films had an LGBTQ+ character in them; of those, 50% had LGBTQ+ characters on screen for less than five minutes. That’s hardly being inclusive. In one TV show, The 100, Lexa, a lesbian, was unceremoniously killed, by an unimportant background character. This isn’t an isolated incident, and LGBTQ+ characters that lead content lives are few and far between.

The existence of the LGBTQ+ community is not a political stance or a teenage trend. Our existence is not a debate.

Queerbaiting is an issue. Queerbaiting is where there are hints of LGBTQ+ representation, and thus, it creates the perfect paradox: writers are able to attract an LGBTQ+ audience with vague promises, but then never actually explicitly show said representation, ‘playing it safe’ for people who might disapprove. One example of this is the popular British TV show Sherlock, where Holmes (Benedict Cumberbatch) and Watson (Martin Freeman) are often hinted at as being gay, particularly in the first episode, A Study in Pink, where they go on a ‘date’. It’s hinted at, with Watson even asking Holmes if he has a boyfriend, but never explicitly stated. There are many other implicitly gay scenes between them, though nothing comes of it.

Now, it’s all well and good talking about how much representation we get, but we should explore the ‘why’ question. Why we need representation.

The answer is: acceptance. People need to see both themselves and others.

Currently, LGBTQ+ young people seriously contemplate suicide at three times the rate of heterosexual youth and are five times as likely to have attempted suicide. 40% of transgender adults reported having made a suicide attempt. 92% of them reported having attempted suicide before the age of 25.

LGBTQ+ youth who come from highly rejecting families are 8.4 times as likely to have attempted suicide as LGBTQ+ peers who reported little family rejection.

Young LGBTQ+ people make up 24% of the homeless population of Britain, having been rejected by their families.

This is happening to children. We need to be shown LGBTQ+ characters so we can recognise them in others. An article surfaced on 28th August 2018 that concerned a nine-year-old boy who committed suicide after coming out as gay to his classmates, because they bullied him and repeatedly told him to kill himself. This could have been prevented by the classmates seeing gay youth in films and realising it’s okay. We need representation so that cisgender heterosexuals know how to react to their child or their friend coming out, and we can save the world another pointless corpse.

The existence of the LGBTQ+ community is not a political stance or a teenage trend. Our existence is not a debate. We’re here, we’re queer, and we’re ready to change the world.

Image source: Pixabay

World Eats

Charmaine Audifferen In response to being censored in the Summer Term issue, I’ve decided to play it safe and do some uncensorable, community friendly, all-family rated bunch of words for the newspaper.

Today I feel like a food critic and so I shall critique food. I would have gone to the BSK but I’m not sure the school is ready to accept the words that might be said in this here write up ;) [It’s a joke. Clifton, your Big School Kitchen is doing amazing- stop crying].

I thought it would be nice to do a short piece on traditional foods from around the world. I mean, like, things you, the reader, should ACTUALLY go out and try. I will mention the spice content for the safety of the general public.

Russia Borscht Vareniki Pelmeni Caviar Solyanka soup Golubsty Blinis

Cote D’ivoire (Ivory Coast)Aloko Kedjenou Fufu Calalou Melon Fingers with Lime

NigeriaJollof rice + plantain Suya Ofada rice Eba and Egusi Soup Puff Puff Peppered Snail

ChinaSzechuan Chili Chicken Dim Sum Xiao Long Bao dumplings Peking Duck Hot and sour soup

GermanyBratwurst Kartoffelpuffer Sauerbraten Spatzle Rinderroulade

BrazilFejikaoada Pao de queijo Quindim Moqueca Brigadeiros

IndiaMalai Kofta Masala Chai Matar Paneer Aloo Gobi Samosa

South KoreaKimchi Bulgogi Japchae Sundubu-jigae Ddukbokki

JamaicaAckee and saltfish Jerk Chicken Coco Bread Callaloo Bammy

FranceCoq au vin Flamiche Confit de canard Nicoise salad Ratatouille

I was joking about the spice content thing. You really thought I’d take my time out of my precious day to figure that out for you? We all have the same 24 hours; you might as well just do it yourself. I’ve got things to do.

I’m sure this list brightened your day so…

You’re Welcome, Charmaine Audifferen.

Best Bites in Bristol Kristina Ablameiko

‘One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.’

- Virginia Woolf, A Room of One’s Own. There is no doubt that most of the aspects of our lives largely depend on food - don’t get me wrong, though, we don’t live to eat, but what we eat clearly does have a whacking impact on how we live. Especially in Clifton, where our brains are switched on 24/7: what we consume is crucial as it affects our brains directly. Many Clifton students live far from home, which often makes it hard to adapt to another culture’s food traditions, particularly for boarders who live in school.

As well as that, we should all be aware that digestive disorders, for instance functional gastrointestinal disorders (which is when our digestive system is simply not working properly) have become very common, although many of these disorders can be prevented by maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The most popular problems, such as stress and eating large amounts of dairy products, affect the GI (gastrointestinal tract) directly, which suggests that if we don’t look after ourselves in the ‘whatdo-I-actually-eat’ way, this can lead to serious health problems.

The point is that we should not only control our nutrition in school, but carefully and cautiously choose places to eat outside of Clifton. Balanced diets, lots of water and fruit and vegetables are essential for our bodies. However, we have to remember that we also need to treat ourselves from time to time!

Therefore, I have personally selected and tested some places in the Clifton area which I thought everyone should definitely know about!

Ironworks Supply Co Where? - 51 Broad St, Bristol, BS1 2EP Why? - for the best quality coffee and thick pancakes with maple syrup, after which you wouldn’t want to eat anything for another day!

Souk Kitchen Where? - 59 Apsley Road, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 2SW Why? - if you are looking for something a bit more unusual, this is a place is for you to try Mediterranean and Persian cuisine (hummus, halloumi, couscous, falafel, etc).

Spicer+Cole Where? - 9 Princess Victoria St, Bristol, BS8 4BX Why? - suitable for vegans with a variety of gluten free cakes and sandwiches, the oat ice chai tea latte is a must try!

Primrose Cafe Where? -1 Boyce’s Ave, Bristol BS8 4AA Why? - my favourite place in Clifton Village, located in the Clifton Arcade, with the best Sunday brunches, don’t forget to take a picture of the waffles for your Instagram :) The Crafty Egg Where? - 113 Stokes Croft, Bristol, BS1 3RW Why? - a very cosy and trendy place for traditional brunch, non-dairy options and one of the best fondues you can find in Bristol!

Twelve Where? - 12 King’s Rd, Bristol, BS8 4AB Why? - wonderful place for breakfasts and brunches with a great location and reasonable prices

I hope that everyone finds this article useful and will be able to pick something up from it.

Eat well, treat yourself and I am sure this will definitely help to increase your efficiency and concentration in school, but also never forget about your body and your mental health!

The Young Faces of Politics Ella Kipling

Young people have taken a stand. While all hope may seem lost in the hands of politicians, teenagers have taken it into their own hands to make a change. In February and September, Bristol pupils marched against climate change on College Green. Hundreds of children walked out of lessons and onto the streets as part of a global campaign called ‘Youth Strike 4 Climate’: the youth have decided to fight for our planet.

16-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg has spoken at the UN and DAVOS and videos of her powerful speeches have gone viral, inspiring thousands of young people to rally together. This is a sharp contrast to the words of Donald Trump, who denies that climate change even exists and instead is focusing his time and energy on attempting to build a wall.

Perhaps one of the most striking examples of young people taking a stand is the group of students who created the ‘March For Our Lives’ movement and who continue to fight for tighter gun control in the USA.

Despite constant criticism and opposition from various politicians, they have not stood down and continue to push for safety in schools and a higher youth voter turnout, claiming ‘we’re not stopping’. Another young activist, Mari Copeny, also known as ‘Little Miss Flint’ has worked tirelessly since the age of eight for the citizens of Flint, Michigan, particularly children, to gain opportunities despite the water crisis still happening in their city. Since 2017, Mari has raised more than $350, 000 towards Flint’s recovery and has taken other measures such as raising $10,000 in two weeks to raise money for school supplies and handing out 135,000 water bottles to Flint residents in one day.

These children are just like us, yet they have each changed the world in their own way. By using their voices, they have showed that young people will not back down and that we are ready to fight for what we believe in.

If they can do it, you can too.

Image source: jody_artist via Instagram

The Climate Change Update Joseph Attwood

As the world continues to spiral towards ominous potential doom, we at the Clifton Herald will consistently endeavour to keep you well informed!

In this issue, we’ll be focusing on three specific effects caused by climate change, and how they might be negated by current levels of technology.

Note that these would be very expensive to enact, so a better solution is to simply be more environmentally friendly, in whatever form that may take, and future technology may offer us some silver bullet to use. However, to counteract the effects that have already taken place, here are our solutions: One of the major problems of climate change is the melting of the sea ice, particularly around the Poles. The more this ice melts, the higher the sea level will rise, and many areas across the world will be flooded. The countries most at risk from this are the United States, especially areas like New York and Miami, China, the Netherlands, and parts of southern England, due to low level flats near the coast for all of these countries.

So how do we deal with the problem? The best answer, of course, is still to act in a more environmentally friendly manner and help to contribute towards preventing the sea ice from melting, but if (and let me stress that this is an if, as we can prevent this by switching over to more eco-friendly options) we can do nothing about it, then one way to deal with it is the construction of massive sea walls to fortify the beaches. However, in general, sea walls, and other similarly tidal defences (e.g., rock walls, sand dune enhancement, groynes, etc) are either too environmentally damaging, as they will destroy the beach forever, or they are too

ineffective, and will not be able to stop the rising sea level. Groynes are even worse, as they protect some areas of the coast, but will cause erosion in many others.

The sea ice melting is also indicative of another problem: the extinction of wildlife. Despite our best efforts, many species of animals are going extinct. For example, with the melting polar ice, polar bears are losing their hunting grounds. Other animals, such as those that live in the rainforest, are also losing their habitation en masse due to farming and cow pasturing, which is partially down to the sad case of the desperation of the farmers who live there and are unable to afford any other land, despite the poor quality of the rainforest soil.

One way we are already dealing with endangered animals is helping to evacuate them from areas we are on the verge of destroying and helping them breed in captivity until they reach a large enough number that we can reintroduce them to the wild. However, this isn’t always a valid option. Some animals won’t breed in captivity. There are many endangered animals we don’t know about. Often, we are too late, so it doesn’t always work.

The final major impact of climate change is the dramatic increase in natural disasters and extreme temperatures. We all saw last February turn from freezing snow to some of the hottest days of the year. More than just that, the number of hurricanes that came in 2016-17 upon the American coastline was far higher than average, and many temperature records have been broken constantly in recent years. And we all know about the rise in average global temperature despite the sun’s decreased intensity.

So what gives? How do we stop this?

The truth is, even given all scientific ability, nothing short of cooling down the entire world will necessarily stop these natural disasters - unless we do the unthinkable, and start acting in a more environmentally friendly way. People like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos say we can ditch Earth easily, but that is not true for the majority of the world’s population, which includes most Cliftonians. And daily life on Mars if Earth burns will be far harder than daily life on an eco-friendly Earth: leaving us with just one out; the long task of saving the world.

What we have to do, and what everyone has to do, is start to be more environmentally friendly. This is not as easy as it sounds - it’s incredibly vague and confusing. What does it mean?

Image source: Pixabay

It’s not easy, but being more eco-friendly means cutting down on hard to acquire chemicals such as palm oil, using a bike or public transport, and getting items from more eco-friendly places will work. In general, the harder you have to work for it, the more likely it will be to be good for the environment.

Becoming a Genius Anastasia Soldatova

Have you ever felt so discouraged by a challenge that you drove yourself to that ultimate killer conclusion: I am just naturally not gifted enough for this. Slowly but steadily you slide down the spiral of emotional self-destruction or simply give up, wishing you were a genius. But what does it actually mean to be that, and what can you do to come as close as you can to being one?

So who is this mysterious demi-god? Is this person capable of solving Fermat’s Last Theorem in their head, painting exquisite landscapes or setting up a million dollar enterprise by the time they are 18? Do they play four musical instruments and speak five languages or are they simply a psychopath? In reality, there are two largely unrelated criteria: one’s ability to produce exceptionally creative, revolutionary works in arts and sciences and their IQ score. Over time, studies have made it clear that having a skyhigh IQ an Einstein does not make.

Marilyn vos Savant is an American journalist who has the highest human IQ ever recorded, that of 228. This is almost twice as much as that of Ludwig van Beethoven or Charles Darwin. Marilyn’s contribution to society, however, did not go far beyond a weekly column for a Sunday newspaper. Psychologist Lewis Terman defined genius as someone who scored 140 or above on a standard IQ test. Complying with this definition, Clifton College is currently home to at least five geniuses. As encouraging as this may sound, it also sounds quite far-fetched.

Clifton College is currently home to at least five geniuses

It has now become clear that putting emphasis on ‘genius’ as an intrinsic trait required to succeed in a certain discipline only leads to limitation, lack of flexibility and intellectual diversity in that field. It is these stereotypes that, over time, latently equated brilliance with white males. In a survey conducted for this article, 84% of Clifton Sixth Formers said that they believe in their abilities being stretchable. A person who sees talent as a stable attribute is not motivated to stretch beyond their comfort zone or get into a situation where their smarts could be compromised. On the other hand, people who believe in what is known as a ‘growth mindset’ see their brain capacity as a work in progress. They believe that ability is a malleable quantity that can be increased with the right effort and strategies. To them, setbacks are not reasons to quit but indications of what to improve. Statistically, according to Stanford University, these people at any age show much greater levels of achievement in academia, business and social life regardless of their socioeconomic background. Sadly, 80% of Sixth Formers responded that they are very let down by setbacks and 66% said they often feel discouraged by their teachers.

As Einstein once said, ‘If we knew what we were doing, we wouldn’t call it research’. After years of thorough study, psychologists confirm that any creative thought emerges through the process of trial and error. It is practically impossible to arrive at a breakthrough without hitting a bunch of dead ends first and then backtracking to find new ways of getting there. This basic process underpins everything from Picasso’s Guernica to your history essay writing skills. As Ms Davies (Head of Sixth Form)

Image source: Needpix

herself said, ‘For me as a teacher, the key here is confidence. The confidence for us all as learners to make mistakes and learn from them rather than be defined by them’.

A popular misconception that hard work is for people who are not naturally smart teaches students a fixed mindset and actually prevents them from reaching their academic goals and acquiring deeper knowledge.

Hard work is only beneficial when structured with precise outlines of what has to be improved and how it should be done. However, none of this matters if you set limits to your capability. No scientist will ever tell you that intelligence is based solely on DNA. Our brains are the product of a complex interaction between our genetic background and the environment we live in, but your mindset plays a defining role. A few changes to your life could help boost your intelligence in the long run.

Broaden your sphere of interest. Try to learn about things irrelevant to your A Levels Stay fit. Regular cardio exercise stimulates the brain Learn a musical instrument or language Minimise ‘bad’ television and social media and read more Do maths and logic puzzles

We are all capable of reaching the same heights. You too can become a genius!

9 LGBTQ+ People Who Changed the World Maya Bullough

A special feature that looks back on nine LGBTQ+ figures who changed their community, and the world.

Harvey Milk Harvey Milk became one of the first openly gay elected officials in the US in 1977 when he was made part of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Most likely as a result of the way in which he challenged the conservative political leadership of California and the nation, Milk was assassinated by a conservative former city supervisor, Dan White, in 1978. In 2008, Sean Penn starred in the film Milk, which told the story of Harvey’s life and was awarded the Oscars for Best Original Screenplay and Best Actor. The following year, Milk was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Audre Lorde Audre Lorde was a self-described ‘black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet’ and a 1960s Civil Rights Activist who used poetry to explore themes like racism, sexism, homophobia and classism, as well as writing essays such as The Master’s Tools Will Not Dismantle the Master’s House. She was able to use poetry to convey her rage at injustices such as the acquittal of a police officer who shot a 10-year-old black girl, and was among some of the creatives who used their talents to convey the experiences of black people in America at this time.

Sally Ride Sally Ride became the first American woman in space when she was part of the Challenger mission in June 1983, after becoming one of Stanford’s six female astronauts in 1978. Although she was married to fellow NASA astronaut Steve Hawley for five years, it was revealed after she died in 2012 that she had been in 27 year relationship with her female childhood friend, Tam O’Shaughnessy, making her the first known LGBTQ+ astronaut.

Laverne Cox Laverne Cox is a trans actress and dancer who came into the spotlight when she starred in hit Netflix series Orange is the New Black as Sophia Burset, one of the first trans characters in mainstream television. She soon became the first trans person to be nominated for an Emmy and to be on the cover of Time Magazine. Since coming into the limelight, she’s used her platform to be an advocate for others in the LGBTQ+ community, particularly young black trans people.

Andre Leon Talley Andre Leon Talley is an American fashion journalist, who recently became Editor-at-Large of American Vogue. He grew up in a poor family in

North Carolina, but has always said he was raised with an appreciation for beautiful and luxurious things and attended the prestigious Brown University on a scholarship in the 1960s. After graduating, he became one of the few influential black gay men in the New York fashion scene, making friends with people like Andy Warhol and Karl Lagerfeld.

Marsha P. Johnson Marsha P. Johnson was one of the first famous trans people, after becoming synonymous with the Stonewall Riots of 1969. She became a powerful advocate for both LGBTQ+ and black people, despite initially having to resort to prostitution to make ends meet when she first arrived in New York. In July 1992, when Johnson was only 46, her body was found in the Hudson River. Although her death was ruled a suicide by the police, her closest friends still maintain that Marsha did not kill herself, alluding to foul play of some kind.

Oscar Wilde Oscar Wilde is one of the most influential poets and writers of Victorian Britain, and as well as his controversial and radical beliefs for the time, he was widely criticised for his apparent homosexuality. He became a key figure of the London social scene, writing infamous works such as The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Importance of Being Earnest, and although respected in literary circles, Wilde was sentenced to two years’ hard labour on a charge of ‘gross indecency’ in 1895.

Ellen DeGeneres Ellen Degeneres was a successful stand-up comedian with her own sitcom throughout the late 90s. After coming out as gay in 1997 on the cover of the April issue of Time Magazine, the headline of which read ‘Yep, I’m Gay’, Degeneres had continued success on her iconic daytime chat show, Ellen, hosted the Oscars twice and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2016. Since then, she has worked tirelessly for countless charitable causes, most notably animal welfare; she co-owns HALO Pet Food which is partnered with non-profit organisations to donate one million pet meals to 100 shelters in America.

Johanna Sigurdardottir Johanna Sigurdardottir became the world’s first openly gay head of government when she was made Prime Minister of Iceland in 2009. During her leadership, on 27th June 2010, gay marriage was legalised in Iceland and Sigurdardottir married her longtime partner. Apart from her other political achievements, Sigurdardottir was instrumental in creating Iceland’s new constitution in 2012, having a lasting impact on the nation’s future.

Image source: Wikimedia Commons

Clifton 2XV 2018 season: The Unbeatables Billy Thomas-Connolly

There has always been fierce competition on the rugby pitch at Clifton, but this year none more so than between the 1st and 2nd XV. Following the previous season, both teams were tipped for greatness. The rivalry on the training pitch translated into excellent game day performances with the 2nd team going unbeaten in perhaps the toughest circuit in a decade.

The season kicked off with a comfortable 27-7 win in difficult conditions.

This was followed by a disjointed performance against Sir Thomas Rich’s School. However, the team rallied and came out with a 22-7 win. This was followed a 39-0 victory over Teddies, Oxford and a brutal 12-0 win against Marlborough, avenging a loss from the previous season that denied Clifton an undefeated 2017/18 season. At this point, the season was well and truly underway and the Clifton 2nd XV was beginning to click.

Though the previous wins were certainly impressive, the team felt like they had not yet played to the best of their ability. However, the rigorous training against the 1st XV and the strong encouragement and guidance from both Mr Bull and Mr Bobby was beginning to show dividends.

away victory the previous season in which the scoreline didn’t reflect the closeness of the contest, Bromsgrove were looking for revenge on Clifton soil. There was a mixture of tension and excitement in the changing room with Bromsgrove being the highest ranking school Clifton would face all season, and it being the last game at home of the season, and for the older boys of the team, of their schoolboy rugby careers. The game was underway and it was immediately apparent to both players and onlookers that this was going to be a tough game. No quarter was given for the full 70 minutes and bodies were put on the line on both sides, resulting in the inevitable injuries, most notable being Thomas Thornycroft, the team’s stalwart inside centre, with a fractured eye socket. The 2nd’s strength and depth was called for and despite conceding three driving

Despite popular opinion, rugby is not just down to who is bigger than who. Anyone who’s played rugby will tell you that mentality plays as much, if not more, of a role than physicality. However, often they come hand in hand and where, one could argue (and Mr Bobby certainly did), Clifton lacked team cohesiveness in the first half of the season, come the Blundell’s fixture, a new Clifton reared its head. They were dispatched maul tries, a great performance created a number of well-worked scores resulting in a 24-19 win, much to the delight of Mr Bull who rolled back the years running the touchline and looked, on more than one occasion, like he was about to join in and relive his glory years.

At the finale against Rugby School, the whisper of ‘unbeatable’ that started at the beginning of the season, had grown in voice somewhere around Blundell’s, and was finally reaching a crescendo. It felt that the entire school was behind us, with Dr Greene wishing the team the best of luck in Chapel and the Instagram account, aptly called ‘The Unbeatables’, gaining traction and a significant following. After a two and a hour coach trip and a final team-talk, the whistle blew and the game was underway.

Five minutes in, after multiple phases of simple rugby, Clifton got on the scoresheet with a try. This was followed by sustained Rugby pressure but the near impregnable fortress that was the Clifton defence, held firm with efficiency and 45 points later the team, myself included, was belong enough for the half-time whistle to sound. It was very much a 50-50 ginning to entertain thoughts of an unbeaten season. The strong rugby school of Cheltenham was up next and brushed aside in similar fashion to contest and as is very often the way in such fixtures, it came down to a pivotal moment that ultimately decided the result. The Rugby forwards Blundell’s. were pounding away at the Clifton try line, with a score looking all but inevitable when scrum half Finlay Yates intercepted a looping pass to run The next three fixtures were perhaps the hardest fixtures Clifton had to the length of the pitch to seal the victory. face thus far. Sherborne was a physical match with intensity brought by both sides. However, Clifton prevailed with a 22-7 win. The team fired on This concluded a fantastic season in which the team had gone from all cylinders, with strong tackles and dynamic carrying throughout. strength to strength, playing positive rugby to win every game, the first Clifton 2nd or 1st XV to do so in over 20 years. This was a great achievePerhaps the fixture of the season was Bromsgrove. After a tight 17-5 ment and credit must be given to both the players and the coaches.

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All-Star Clifton Athletes Howat J. O’Despot

Beyond our hardworking and talented sports teams, which consistently reach the national finals, and beyond even the coaches, there are some athletes at Clifton College who continually push the limits of the word ‘extraordinary’.

These four athletes are ones who have gone above and beyond, representing not only Clifton College but various countries and competing in international sports.

Alistair Fletcher is an all-around athletic all-star. As a master of both the triathlon and the duathlon, he will be competing to represent Great Britain in the upcoming European Duathlon Championship in Romania later this year. He will be among the youngest of the 3000 athletes participating from all across Europe. What’s more, he has qualified and will be on the GBR triathlon team in the International Triathlon Union World Championship in Holland, 2020. Well done to him!

Another brilliant young Clifton athlete is Sophie Peters. Sophie has both played for the England U18 Rugby 7s on the international stage and on the Great Britain Rugby 7s team, which competed in the U18 European Youth National Championship, in an attempt to qualify for the Olympic Games. Sophie Peters also played for England U18s in a Home Nations tournament back in the summer of 2018, showing her performance isn’t a one off - she is consistently above and beyond all standards of athleticism at school.

Ioan Lloyd has competed in rugby on behalf of his homeland, Wales, many times. He added to his Wales U18 Rugby caps by playing three matches for Wales over the Easter of 2019, and in one match against Scotland, he scored 18 points, including two tries! Finally, to add to his already incredible list of accomplishments, Ioan was named one of the players in the Six Nations festival - an immensely impressive feat!

The final young athlete we will be talking about today is Katie Partridge. She is one of the younger students at school, and yet has competed against Scotland, Ireland and the Netherlands in a test series in U16 Hockey on behalf of England. She also represented England against Germany and Belgium in test series that took place during the summer. For one of the younger students, she has truly managed to continually push herself to do well in her chosen sport. Let’s see how good she is by the time she’s in Upper Sixth!

Fast Fashion: What are the Consequences?

Gracie Dossett

The fashion industry in the UK alone makes around £202 million a year, whilst worldwide 80 billion items of clothing are collectively consumed.

Although this is highly beneficial to the global economy, it does not come without its cost to the environment. One of the most threatening growing aspects in the fashion industry is ‘fast fashion’ - a rapid mass production of clothing combined with cheap labour which aims to makes clothes cheaper for the consumer.

Sounds great, right? Wrong. Not only does fast fashion bring low wages and long shifts to many in developing countries, the waste it produces has a direct impact on our environment. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, ‘15.1 million tons of textile clothing waste is produced yearly’, and over 350,000 tonnes of used clothing goes to landfill each year in the UK. Not only is this non-biodegradable waste filling the planet, chemicals on the clothing leaches into the ground, causing more damage. Along with this, cotton production requires high levels of water and pesticides to prevent crop failure.

solution, it is by no means the only solution. Following in the footsteps of big brands, such as Burberry, Nike, H&M and Gap, all of whom have recently signed up the ‘Make Fashion Circular Initiative’ which aims to improve the industry’s record on sustainability and reduce global waste from fashion by recycling raw materials and products, many global brands are beginning to recognise the damaging nature of fast fashion. Along with this, the brand ‘Novel Supply Co’ accepts back apparel at the end of its ‘life’ and finds alternative ways to use, recycle and compost it.

These trends may already be set in motion and gathering steam, but to stop affecting our planet, we all need to play our part. Consume consciously and responsibly, read the labels before you purchase - make sure to look for natural and organic fibers, non-toxic dyes, take-back schemes, and ethical production.

You can check how ethical your favourite brands are at goodonyou.eco, a website that provides a rating for each company’s attitudes to the planet, people (labour) and animal welfare.

We can all do something about this. While recycling is certainly one

Image source: Wikimedia Commons

The Silent Epidemic Carlotta Parish

Male suicide has been termed the ‘silent epidemic’. In 2017, the UK male suicide rate of 15.5 deaths per 100,000 was the lowest since the recorded rates began in 1981. However, the difference between males and females is staggering and should make us, as a society, delve deeper into this huge underlying and unknown problem. This data for males can be compared

moving in the right direction. In October 2018, Theresa May decided to appoint the first ever suicide prevention minister and also set aside £1.8 million to help the issue, including ensuring that the Samaritans helpline would remain free for the next four years. Some might argue that this is not enough, and we can always be actively doing more to help those in

with the UK rate for females, which was 4.9 deaths per 100,000.

need. However, it is a step in the right direction.

It has recently been highlighted how social media can have a detrimental effect to everyone’s mental health, both female and male.

However, with the first recognised social media site, Six Degrees, only introduced in 1997, no one truly knows what the long term effects will be. It has been suggested that males feel less able to express their feelings and talk to others when they feel low compared with females. Why is this? Is it our societal expectations or something more innate?

In the news recently, we have also heard about the tragic events of Mike Thalassitis who died by suicide after his struggle with the death of his grandma and after finding fame on Love Island. Many of Mike’s costars and celebrities from other series have taken to social media to call for Love Island to provide psychological help and therapy after the show. Bosses from the show have said that they will provide help with social media and also financial care, for all contestants, not only those who reach out to them. This has also followed the tragic death of Sophie Gradon, another Love Island star, who died by suicide in June of last year.

In 2017 it was recorded that males accounted for three-quarters of suicides - that is 24.8 per 100,000 males, which has been the case since the mid-1990s. This suicide rate was most common among males between 45 and 49 years, whereas for females the rate was 6.8 per 100,000 females, with the highest rate for 50 to 54 year-olds. What does this show to us as a society? How can we help to lower these figures and why are we not doing enough to stop this already? One could say that Great Britain is

The Creativity Outlet Joseph Attwood

Many people, as they get older, stop allowing themselves to use their creativity. Whether this is manifested through writing, musical composition, visual artwork, or other acts of creation, how important is creativity in maintaining our mental wellbeing, and should you be doing more?

Oscar Wilde may have said that ‘all art is quite useless’, but science has shown that art and creativity help people with a variety of issues. Just having the ability to express oneself through creativity and art is often shown to help people reinforce their sense of identity and make them happier in the long run. In addition, more creative activities are linked to higher GCSE and A Level results, so in general it should already seem like a good idea.

Creativity can help allow people to express trauma, such as being diagnosed with cancer, in a way that seems impossible under normal circumstances. A study by the American Psychological Association states that a high percentage of male survivors of childhood sexual abuse used creative expression to help make meaning of their lives afterwards. Though, at first, it can feel bad to think over all of your terrible experiences, the long term benefits of creative analysis include making it easier to think about the future objectively, and thus help to drive physical and emotional recovery. (Note: this applies to creative expression used to recover from abuse, and abuse is a terrible thing. Please contact the school counsellors if you, or anyone you know, is suffering

If you are struggling, or know someone who might be, do not hesitate to reach out to someone and talk to them. There is also the option of outside help as well as the school counsellor.

Image source: Max Pixel

from abuse - abuse cannot be tolerated at this school.)

Albert Einstein once said that if he didn’t become a physicist, he would have been a musician, and he often used his violin and piano skills to help brainstorm ideas. Playing an instrument, and even better, composing for them, can help to link the two hemispheres of the brain (though don’t fall for the old left brain/right brain myth, as that is just that: a myth).

People who engage in acting, whether for a one-off improv session or in a theatrical production, often report for up to four weeks increased mental wellbeing, as well as better cognitive recall, while dance is known to release the same amount of serotonin as other forms of exercise, in addition to the creative freedom it gives you.

But how can you express yourself creatively? It’s simply a matter of choosing your medium, working on it when you feel like it, and marvelling at - or burning - the result. It can take time, but it has enough positive benefits that it’s always worth it.

Being creative isn’t always easy. But it can be immensely rewarding. So why don’t you try it out sometime?

Image source: Pixabay

Ask Immi and Gracie Am I conceited if I post three pictures of me on Instagram in a row?

My frequent detention essays are becoming too easy. How do you suggest I push myself ?

Yes, but then again, consistency is key.

I believe you should attempt expulsion, or at the least trial a suspension to see if that challenges you a little more. Disclaimer: by no means are we advocating bad behaviour; we are simply trying to help Clifton students unleash their ‘limitless possibilities’.

The Marshal gave me a MED for having my hair down. Is this against my human rights?

I suggest you take a look at the school rules before making such a claim: ‘Hair should be clean, tidy, conventionally styled and kept off the face. Extremes of fashion and colouring are not permitted. During the working day Block II pupils should have long hair tied up. Boys should be clean shaven.’

I have just met someone whose main responsibility isn’t safeguarding. How do I handle this?

This has really hit home... Only Clifton students truly understand the importance of safeguarding. I suggest you avoid this person at all costs - your safety comes first.

The toxic masculinity in my rugby team is really getting to me. How do I fit in?

The ingredients of the average school rugby player: 100ml of Lynx Africa 200ml of making fun of netball one teaspoon of anger a sprinkle of the short back and sides haircut Don’t forget that you can speak to the school counsellor about any of these issues by emailing counsellor@cliftoncollege.com

Definitely-Real Letters to the Editors Will Fothergill Dear the Herald, I have noticed that your writers have been slipping Beatles song titles into your articles. I cannot say how disappointed I am with you. Only yesterday I was with my pet blackbird Judy when the shock of seeing this made me cry, ‘Help!’ and then ‘Hey Jude, look at the this article, what sort of paperback writer wrote this?!’. Back in the USSR, where I was a daytripper, we had much better quality journalism and now that I’ve noticed this, I just can’t let it be, so get back to your former journalistic integrity.

Oh! Darling, don’t let me down and let your editor be a fool on the hill, don’t let this be hello goodbye; all you need is love and a proper editor.

When I’m 64, I hope to look back fondly. This could be a newspaper revelation, making the other papers twist and shout in fear of yours. We can work it out!

would stand up in a court of law). This year’s ball will be held in Central Police Station, Bristol so make sure you head down there, evidence in hand and ask the front desk about the ball (we promise that this is not a plan by the police to get you to hand yourself in like last time) .

If have any interesting letters, love poetry or law studies that you would like to share, you could win my indifference.

Yours, Penny Lane (spelling done with a little help from my friends) Dear the Clifton Herald, Calling all crooks, ruffians and overall villains; we are announcing the summer criminal ball. This is a ball only for real criminals, so make sure that you bring proof of your law-breaking (preferably evidence that

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Autumn Horoscopes

Jemima Blench with illustrations by Rin Allen Libra 23rd September - 22nd October You’ll be charming this autumn, Libra. Since you thrive when everything’s running smoothly, your networking and diplomacy skills will be important this season. Peacemaking may be essential especially in family matters.

Tarot reading - Prince of Swords You are an understanding, foreseeing listener, but don’t lose your ability to think for yourself to your companions.

Capricorn 22nd December - 19th January Fantasy and reality blur this season for you. Jupiter, falling in the 12th house, sheds light on the often neglected psychic and unconscious side of the rational Capricorn. Emotional issues come secondary, since they’re sorted - romantic love takes a backseat, but your family life is looking blissful.

Tarot reading - King of Pentacles Don’t let your unshakable self-discipline interfere with your personal happiness. Temperance in all things.

Scorpio 23rd October - 21st November It’s time to look after your health and yourself, as well as appreciate your worth. Jupiter in Sagittarius points to your personal finance and material possessions being promoted right now.

Tarot reading - Ace of Cups Prosperity will come to you in abundance if you work for it. Perhaps you should consider shaking things up, too.

Aquarius 20th January - 18th February Despite your independence, you will come to understand the importance of teamwork this autumn, as well as take advantage of your natural charitability. You are totally in control of yourself, Aquarius, even if you don’t always feel it.

Tarot reading - Princess of Cups Don’t lose heart if things don’t turn out the way you had hoped; be open to alternatives, go with the flow.

Sagittarius 22nd November - 21st December Jupiter has been in Sagittarius all year since November 2018. This only happens every 12 years, and since the Archer is the sign of the 12th month, it’s looking to be a lucky season for you, Sagittarius. Ambition and creativity will dominate, but your love life moves slowly thanks to Mercury.

Tarot reading - the Devil Matter over mind, desires - especially materialistic ones - rule. Hedonistic pursuits may cloud your thoughts, beware your dark side.

Pisces 19th February - 20th March It is an ambitious time for you, Pisces.

Jupiter falls in your 10th house of professional advancement, and while health is delicate, your material and intellectual gains may compensate for this.

Tarot reading - Five of Pentacles Have faith in the future, reconciliations may be on the horizon. Let your loved ones know what you expect in return for your hard work and devotion to them.

Aries 21st March - 19th April Travel is headed your way this season, and your efforts in the classroom - especially in science - are set to be richly rewarded. Friendship is at the heart of your priorities right now, and with Mars in Virgo towards the end of the autumn, unfinished business will be allowed to conclude and love will take centre stage.

Tarot reading - the Hierophant Follow the familiar path. Stay alert to the outside world but don’t sacrifice your freedoms or beliefs for status, although it may be tempting.

Cancer 21st June - 22nd July Neptune opposes Mars, conflict is brewing. Stand your ground, defend your ideas; great changes are on the way.

Communicate, take opportunities, live for and look after yourself - romance is less important around this time. Education may be challenging, but don’t be afraid to ask for help. Everything slows down towards the end of the month so take time to relax then.

Tarot reading - the Tower Change is imminent, be it destructive or liberating. Illusions will be shattered - don’t embellish the truth. Reality will prevail.

Taurus 20th April - 20th May Serious romance and friendship battle your introverted nature, Taurus. Jupiter in Sagittarius hints at emotional transformations and realised potential. The sun is in the eighth house, advising you to allow friends and family to help and guide you. Uranus is in your sign, so be daring!

Tarot reading - Prince of Pentacles Have confidence in the future, for success is round the corner, and you’re seldom discouraged - but do learn to timekeep.

Leo 23rd July - 22nd August Your fifth house is lit up by Jupiter, promoting creativity and romance. This is hindered by the mystical Saturn, though - so finish with excess and allow exploration of real sensations. Venus tempts you to romance, but family matters take priority this month. Academically, it’s all coming up roses - you’re on the way to the top, Leo. Tarot reading - Eight of Wands Now is the time to move ahead! Act swiftly, with enthusiasm; you have the power to accomplish all your goals.

Gemini 21st May - 20th June Affection is surfacing in unexpected places for you, Gemini. Mars in Virgo points to a happy family climate, Venus in Virgo will help you make good decisions and fills the air with romance; it’s a good time to fall in love.

The people you help now will help you in the future, so plan wisely and make new friends along the way.

Tarot reading - Eight of Swords Gossip is in the air, but don’t let it interfere. Take everything with a pinch of salt and nothing for granted.

Virgo 23rd August - 22nd September Happy birthday, Virgo! Mars is in your sign this season, so think twice and make use of your natural carefulness. It’s a moment to be creative or start a new project, and with the Sun and Venus both in your sign, trust builds in all your relationships thanks to your orderly influence. Romance rears its head at the end of the month, expect a spiritual education this autumn.

Tarot reading - Four of Cups Share your thoughts, reflect on matters from a different perspective. Take a step back to see a new possibility.

Clifton Herald Crossword Created by Elly Callaghan

CLUES ACROSS 5 Which is the most recently opened House? (8) 6 What is used to polish the ~prized~ Congers Cup? (7) 12 What are we absolutely forbidden from doing in House Song? (7) 14 Which famous actor attended, and notoriously hated, Clifton? (4,6) 15 Which ex-soldier should you never make eye-contact with when walking around the school? (3,7) 16 At least 40% of the school are ‘unwell’ the day after which House competition? (4) 17 To which seaside town was Clifton evacuated during WWII? (4) 18 What form of painkiller will you be given if you go to the San, no matter what condition you have? (11) 20 What was the original and real name of the ‘Pre-Prep’? (8) DOWN 1 Who is the Head of the Science Department? (2,6) 2 The rugby match to commemorate the life of which pupil is usually held in September? (4,9)

Herald Contributors Editors in Chief Joseph Attwood Luca Newman

Staff Writers Kristina Ablameiko Charmaine Audifferen Jemima Blench

Maya Bullough Elly Callaghan Gracie Dossett Amelie Tolchard Anastasia Soldatova Immi Stagg Georgia Warfield

3 What type of model was the previous headmaster, Mark Moore? (4) 4 What is the name of the school library? (8) 7 Which Aussie Clifton teacher has been known to indulge in a cold one with Mr Simmons? (2,8) 8 What’s our pretentious name for a long weekend off ? (5) 9 According to Clifton legend, hitting which object in cricket will give the school an entire day off ? (6,5) 10 What colour tie do you receive if you are heavily involved in extra-curricular activities? (6) 11 Which livestock can the Head of School graze on the Close? (5) 13 Which House competition has been modified after an ~incident~ in 2018? (5) 19 Which beverage policy was updated in 2018, much to the dismay of the entire school? (7) Send a photo of your completed crossword to cliftonherald@cliftoncollege.com for a chance to win a prize!

Contributing Writers Will Fothergill Flo Green Ella Kipling Howat J. O’Despot Carlotta Parish Rowan Read Billy Thomas-Connolly

Designers Amelie Tolchard Georgia Warfield Illustrator Rin Allen