Issue 1516 by Redbrick

Redbrick Issue 1516, Vol. 84

Friday 6th March 2020

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UoB Students Invent New Dating App

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The Official University of Birmingham Student Newspaper, est. 1936

Post-Study Work Visas Potentially at Risk

Final year international students to miss out on new post-study work, candidates warn Becky Gelder News Reporter

New post-study work visas will enable students to remain in the UK for up to two years after they graduate in order to find work, with the opportunity to then potentially transition to a skilled work visa if they secure a job. First announced in September 2019, the route would see the end of the current system whereby international students are given just four months after finishing their degree before they have to leave. The new Graduate Route will only be made available to those who graduate in the summer of 2021 or later, meaning many current international students studying in the UK will not have access to the visa. This concern was set to be addressed in a petition to the UK government, which requested the date of implementation to be changed, so as to include all those graduating before 2021 as well. The petition stated that it would be

‘unfair’ to current international students if this was not achieved. However, due to the December 2019 general election, the petition was closed early and is no longer open to new signatures. Before it was closed, the petition had gained 30,388 signatures of the 100,000 needed. In a factsheet released prior to the election, the Home Office explained that the Graduate Route could not be implemented earlier due to the fact that ‘it takes time to develop a new immigration route and ensure the framework is in place for it to successfully operate.’ The UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) has provided students with an overview of the upcoming changes to the Graduate Route. While emphasising the fact that the government is still engaged in discussions regarding the topic of the Graduate Route, it has also been noted that there is limited information available about the changes, and that new information may not be fully available until 2021. As an international student at the

University of Birmingham, and one of the candidates who ran for the role of International Officer in this year’s Guild Elections, Moyosore Ale believes that finding a job is a top priority for international students. Ale explained: ‘This year has been particularly challenging because of Brexit, but the silver lining is the post-study work visa. This will not only ease the mental stress of constantly wondering what your fate after your studies will be, it will also make it easier to focus on actually enjoying your student experience. This would also encourage more international students to study in the UK, which I believe will be better for the economy overall. ‘However, as exciting as the prospect of the post-study work visa is, international students graduating this year don’t have access to this. So, we are placed in a more difficult position as we are in the year before its emergence and employers are even less likely to hire us as they can simply wait a few more months for poststudy work visa students.’

Ale also brought attention to the fact that, for international students, finding a job in the UK can be very difficult: ‘the main reason we get rejected even before applying is companies not wanting or being unable to sponsor our visa... it can be very frustrating especially when you feel like you have the required skills. I have heard so many stories of students who took a hard hit when they had to leave the country after studies, especially after spending so much money.’ Suresh Jyani, one of the candidates who ran for Postgraduate Officer in this year’s Guild Elections, had also addressed this issue in his manifesto. Throughout his campaign, he highlighted the importance of the poststudy work visa being made available to those graduating this year. In a statement to Redbrick, Jyani explained: ‘international students invest around £30,000 on a one year masters...without a job its just a piece of paper.’ His petition to the UK government would therefore look to ‘include students of 2019 enrolment’ in the post-study work visa.

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International Women’s Reviewing Day: Unsung Jekyll and heroes Hyde

Features Culture 12-14 19

Web Series of the Week: How not to travel Europe

Afro hairstyles in Western spaces

TV 24

Life&Style 32

INSIDE: Redbrick Travel Collab With Redbrick Food&Drink on a Culinary Tour of the World

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Letter From the Committee: I cannot believe that I am already writing my last ever editorial for Redbrick. Where on Earth has the time gone? Each and every print week has filled me with joy, stress, pride, endless cups of tea, and an immense sense of accomplishment. We have reported on so many important issues on campus this year from the strikes to the elections, and it has been an absolute whirlwind. I am so immensely proud of all those involved in this paper who work tirelessly to ensure that you are recieving the best content. In this issue we bring you one of my favourite pieces that I have ever worked on. Our International Women’s Day feature showcases a range of ‘unsung heroes’ across every section. It has been so enlightening to collate contributions from our ediror team and learn all about some absolutely inspirational women. Thank you to everyone who contributed. I hope you enjoy reading about these incredible women! A huge thank you to our Deputy Editors, Emily Calder and Lydia Waller, who were a huge part of this feature and made designing and editing the material a breeze. I am endlessly amazed at their dedication and ability to spot a rogue curly quote or grey line. There are so many activities booked into our Redbrick calendar and we would love to see as many of you there as possible. So, without further ado I will try my best to let

you know about everything coming up in the next few weeks! Firstly, the Redbrick committee have been busy organising an exciting opportunity to meet some of Redbrick's alumni to ask about careers, the future, and what Redbrick can do for your CV. This will be taking place on Friday 13th March at 7pm in the Guild Council Chamers. It would be amazing to get a great turn out, so if you fancy a Q&A, free pizza, and wonderful company - head on over! Secondly, we are getting ever closer to the AGM. If you are interested in running for a position on committee, this is your opportunity! Everyone on committee will be more than happy to answer any questions about their roles, so if you are tempted but want a bit more of an insight to the everyday workings, our emails can be found below in the Redbrick Editorial Team section. The AGM will be taking place on Tuesday 17th March at 8pm in the Guild Council Chambers. I promise you that you will not regret running for a position on committee. It has honestly been the highlight of my final year at University, and I'm sure whoever takes my place will feel the same. Finally, I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone on committee. You have made my experience as Print&Features editor so enjoyable and rewarding. I am so immensely proud of everything we

have achieved this year. Of course, we would not be able to do any of this without the constant dedication of our writers, editors, EAs and distrubutors. Thank you all for consistently supporting and loving Redbrick, you make the office a fun, loving environment. I absolutely love coming in, feeding Anna and reading the latest Quote of the Week. Please continue to speak before you think, it makes my week. I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at the upcoming events! Thank you for an incredible year. From the dungeons, etc...

Natalia Carter Print&Features Editor

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Pxhere Britain’s Haunted High Streets

Guild Elections 2020 LIVE: The Results

The Paper Birds Reading and Leeds Festival: The Lack of Female Artists

Redbrick Editorial Team Editor-in-Chief Tom Leaman editor@redbrickonline.co.uk

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Editorial Assistants Daniel Bray Seren Brooks Aimée Calvert editor@redbrickonline.co.uk Amrit Dhesi Izzy Frost Emily Gulbis Ameek Gilhotra Beth Grayson Daisy Kirkaldy Redbrick is printed through Chloe Mainzinger www.mortonsprint.com Ella McFarlane 01507 523 456 Emma Stephenson Anna Wilkson To advertise in Redbrick, get in touch with Rubaya Zaman marketing@redbrickonline.co.uk or visit www.redbrick.me/advertise-with-redbrick for more details, and to see our rate card. Designed and typeset by Redbrick Copyright (C) Redbrick 2019 The views expressed in Redbrick do not necessarily reflect those of the editors, the Guild or the publishers. If you find an error of fact in our pages, please write to the editor. Our policy is to correct mistakes promptly in print and to apologise where appropriate. We reserve the right to edit any article, letter or email submitted for publication.

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Students Approve Guild Reforms with Landslide

2020 Guild Elections: The Results

John Wimperis

Becky Gelder News Reporter

A referendum to decide the future of democracy at the Guild of Students has resulted in a landslide win in favour of the proposed new democratic procedure. The result of the referendum was announced at the 2020 Guild Election results night on the 29th February, and was met with huge cheers from the audience, some of whom had been part of the ‘Yes’ campaign. With the total number of votes reaching 5,644, 4,960 students voted ‘yes’ to democratic change. Of the remaining votes, ‘no’ received 246 votes and ‘abstain’ received 438 votes. The referendum proposal centred around ‘opening up’ decisionmaking processes in order to ‘give students a much larger role’ in choosing the direction which the Guild takes. As part of this effort to improve consultation processes and transparency, the proposal put forward a number of solutions including the creation of four different student-led committees. These committees would serve to support Guild Officers and ‘provide different perspectives reflecting the wide diversity of Birmingham students,’ as well as being able to approve or reject decisions brought before them. Also on the list of aims is the creation of an All-Student Meeting which would allow students to have their say on various matters related to the Guild, and an ‘All Student Vote’ to be used to decide ‘the biggest issues’ facing students. Further objectives of the proposal include increased transparency and accessibility within the Guild, stating that details of meetings and decisions will be made

available to students on social media. As well as this, it intends to create some ‘flexible approaches’ and looks to make sure that student ideas are directed to the right place so that appropriate decision-making can then take place. The outcome of the referendum also means that the Scrutiny Panel, which is currently being tested by the Guild, will be formally adopted as a method of ensuring accountability on the part of the officer team. While the referendum will primarily see the introduction of new mechanisms for improving the democratic processes of the Guild, the proposal will also see the end of some of the current structures. The Student Groups Executive (SGX) and Student Equality and Diversity Committee will be replaced by the new Activities Committee and the new Welfare and Liberation Committee respectively, while the introduction of the All-Student Meeting and Scrutiny Panel will bring about the end of Officer Question Time. The ‘Your Ideas voting cycles will also be stopped in accordance with the proposal, due to the fact that the process is deemed to be ‘too slow.’ Instead, decisions are to be made by students in committees. Ryan Ginger, the current Guild Activities and Employability Officer, spoke to Redbrick, saying: ‘This referendum has been years in the making and it’s fantastic to see 95% of students who voted in the referendum voting yes for change! The democratic structures, Your Ideas and Officer Question Time, were broken and

John Wimperis Full-Time Officer Team needed fixing.’ ‘My time as an officer has highlighted that the structures don’t work. As a student I didn’t use the structures we had and its important that students engage with the systems we have. It will be fantastic to see these new structures ready for students to engage with for the start of next year.’

“The future of Guild democracy looks a lot brighter” When asked where the most important changes were required within the Guild’s democratic processes, Ginger explained: ‘it’s incredibly important that the scrutiny panel is part of the structures. It is a vital way of holding officers to account and making sure they’re doing the work they should be doing for students.’ He also noted that the All Student Meeting will be very beneficial, allowing students to ‘use their voice’ with regards to important issues. ‘The future of Guild democracy looks a lot brighter! There’s more chances for students to get involved, officers will be held accountable and you’ve got efficient and democratic decision making!’

President: Tobiloba Adeyemi

Campaigns Officer: Yu Xu

Activities and Employability Officer: ‘Flamey Amie’ Raphael

Disabled Students’ Imogen Mann

Education Officer: ‘Rocketman’ Singh

Jules

Ethical and Environmental Officer: Matthew Griffin

Wei-Lun

Ethnic Minority Students’ Officer: Israel Kiggundu Tamale

International Officer: ‘Go All the Wei’ Chen

Aneesa Ahmed News Editor

On Monday 2nd March, a group of UoB students, including University of Birmingham Student Workers founder Phoebe and 2020 Guild President candidate Owen (who asked for their surnames not to be published), intercepted Vice Chancellor David Eastwood and

asked him questions regarding his pay, the strikes and the conditions of workers at the University. They asked the Vice Chancellor a series of questions because, owing to the strike action, there is currently no Vice Chancellor’s Question Time scheduled for this academic year. Vice Chancellor's Question Time is an annual event held at the Guild where students can ask their

‘burning questions’ to Eastwood, and the group told Redbrick that they wanted to ask Eastwood questions. They asked a variety of questions to Eastwood, including ‘how can you justify your £450,000 salary when there's staff at food banks?’ Eastwood responded by stating that, ‘my salary is nothing to do with me’ and pointed out that this was ‘a matter of public record.’ His salary is decided by the Renumeration Committee and he does not sit on this for discussions regarding his own salary. The students asked how he responded to the calls for him to resign as chair of the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS), the academic pension scheme which part of the strike action is over. Eastwood said ‘I have no intentions of resigning as chair of the USS’ though he is already planning to retire from the position in

Officer:

Postgraduate Students’ Officer: Rebecca 'Bex to the Future' Cutler

LGBTQ+ Students’ Sorcha Hughes

Sports Officer: Rob Hammerhead'’ Hegarty

Trans & Non-Binary Students’ Officer: Em Andress & Alex Heighton

‘The

Welfare and Community Officer: Charlotte ‘Minty Fresh’ Minter

Officer:

Women’s Officer: Alice Morley

UoB to Re-Invest Strike ‘Savings’ in Students Joseph Meakin News Reporter

The University of Birmingham has announced that ‘any net “savings” due to strike pay deductions will be re-invested for students and we are working with the Guild to agree how this money may be spent to best meet your needs.’

Strike-Supporting Students Ambush Vice-Chancellor with Questions UoB Student-Staff solidarity

Part-Time Officer Team

August. Asked ‘with International Women's Day coming up, how do you justify the 19% pay gap?’ Eastwood said that ‘the pay gap, is in fact, narrow,’ continuing ‘we are making significant progress.’ In an extended cut of the video the students follow Eastwood out of the building while continuing to ask him questions. The students continued to ask questions such as ‘Professor, may I ask why you threaten your staff and students with trespass for entering their own campus?’ as Eastwood walked away. The video footage of this encounter, which now has thousands of views, can be found on the Facebook and Twitter page ‘UoB Student-Staff solidarity.’ A student reposted the Facebook video onto the group ‘Fab N’ Fresh’ and the video has received hundreds of likes and a lot of interaction via comments and shares.

In light of this, a poll on the Fab N’ Fresh Facebook group has been created to gauge student opinion on how this money should be spent. The most popular opinion is for students to receive ‘compensation for missed teaching time,’ with 1,089 people at the time of writing indicating a preference for this option. This is despite the University stating that they will not be granting reimbursements ‘where adequate and reasonable steps have been taken to replace lost learning opportunities.’ Coming in second was the suggestion that the money should be invested in mental health and wellbeing services.’ This attained 706 votes. In third place was a request for the University to train and employ dedicated staff to investigate sexual harassment and abuse and support survivors, with 243 votes. And 121 people supported the option to ‘actually pay the staff.’

“We are working with the Guild to agree how this money may be spent” Students also gave support for other options, such as ‘one big, f**k off Fab,’ but these proved less popular with vote tallies failing to break into triple figures.

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Stirling Suspends Striking Students Charlie Young News Reporter

13 students at the University of Stirling have been suspended from campus, after occupying a university building during last years’ UCU strike action. The students, who were part of the University of Stirling Solidarity Network (USSN), occupied a university building for two weeks last year in support of striking UCU university staff, and have now received formal disciplinary action in the form of eight-week suspensions. The move has come under fierce criticism from union bodies and politicians, with the chairwoman of the Scottish Labour Party, Cara Hilton, giving her support to the students affected, saying she is ‘shocked to hear they are being penalised for showing their support with UCU Scotland lecturers.’ The suspensions, which have been called ‘heavy handed’ by students, are particularly worrying as USSN claim suspensions over the peaceful protests could leave students homeless and unable to complete exams – forcing students to either resit the year or drop out altogether.

“The University respects the rights of students to make their voices heard. However, this must be done safely” A petition has been launched to both condemn the universities actions and support students affected. Over 4,000 people have already signed this petition which hopes to collect at least 5,000 signatures. Various universities have come under fire for their responses to strike action, with the University of Reading receiving particularly strong criticism with the security staff’s forcible removal of students now under investigation by the university. The University of Winchester also made the headlines after it used the Winchester Student’s Union’s support of the strike as one reason it would not be considering compensation for lost teaching hours over the strike action in a statement which has now been retracted. The University of Stirling has defended itself over the affair, arguing that the reaction was justified due to the protesters breaking health and safety violations, with the occupants locking fire exits throughout the building. It stated: ‘The University respects the rights of students to make their voices heard. However, this must be done safely and in accordance with fire, and health and safety legislation, as well as university regulation.’

UoB Students Invent New Dating App Emily Calder Deputy Editor

Qlove is a dating app created by a final-year UoB Mechanical Engineering student Anselmo Parnada and his brother, Aldouz Parnada. Whilst dating apps have gripped the attention of many university students, this is a first as an entrepreneurship to come out of UoB, and has unique functions as a dating app. Anselmo expressed that the idea came about because he had always had an interest in starting his own business, telling Redbrick ‘I pitched this idea to my brother because he is good with comput-

ers.’ The two entered the idea of Qlove into the UoB Start-Up Games pitching competition, earning 2nd place and some funding. When asked to outline the concept of the app, Qlove told Redbrick: ‘To match with people, instead of swiping, one person has to answer another person’s quiz, which has three questions and three multiple choice answers. ‘If you can pass their quiz, you match with them, you are likely to have something in common with them and conversation should flow.’ In comparison to other dating apps, such as Tinder and Bumble, Qlove expressed that their app was

less superficial. ‘You have to have something in common to match with them, it isn’t just based on their looks.’ Qlove also said that the process of creating the app was quite challenging: ‘When we jumped into this we didn’t know much about mobile app development, so it was a lot of learning having a decent work/life balance is also important.’ In terms of where the app has progressed so far, Qlove told Redbrick: ‘We have had troubles releasing on iOS, but we are pushing with that,’ adding that, ‘In the short-term we would love to grow at UoB before expanding elsewhere, and we mainly target uni-

versity students because they want to meet people and have fun.’ Qlove added that the app is an example of how UoB students can be inspired to look into creating their own start-ups, joking that a ‘Selly Oak Valley’ could soon rival the entrepreneur-heavy Silicon Valley. Qlove told Redbrick that ‘it would help the reputation of what we have here as students of this university, and secondly it would just be really cool to see what we can make as a community and to help each other out.’ Qlove can currently be downloaded on the Google Play store, and the creators hope that it will be brought to iOS soon.

Communters’ Anger Over Cancellations Adam Toms News Reporter

Students have been left confused and angry after staff strikes have led to lecture cancellations and a lack of overall contact time. Ellie Fletcher commuted into campus by train, spent £10.70, with journey times of 1.5 hours each way, only to find out her lecture was cancelled upon arrival. She told Redbrick that she was deeply frustrated by this ‘wasted’ time and money. She also said that her grievances went ‘beyond costs,’ stating that she, ‘wouldn’t mind if tutors told [her] they were striking beforehand.’ She suggested that the strike had exacerbated exist-

ing difficulties with regards to ‘access to extra sessions’ and ‘office hours’ as they ‘are more difficult when you commute’ and ‘don’t live a 10 minute walk away from campus.’ Another angered student, a postgraduate who wished to remain anonymous due to a fear of ‘being attacked or ostracised for taking an opposing stance,’ told Redbrick that lecturers’ concerns about workload was due to their ‘bad time management.’ They went on to say: ‘lecturers rarely teach 12 hours a week. With prep that’s 24. Leaving 16 for admin. Research can be done in breaks when not teaching. I know it’s doable as I did it through my PhD.

‘In my department, [students] get about eight hours of contact a week. They don’t get a second go at that lecture or that essay. Their teachers are letting them down big time. ‘The students should be demanding more contact time while the lecturers are complaining they’re too busy.’ With regards to pay, they stated: ‘Lecturers are paid to research. If they do not see that as a privilege then they need a kick up the backside.’ The same student also suggested that pensions were a ‘privilege not a right’ and that ‘lecturers are paid a lot of money.’ The striker’s accusations of gender discrimination were also disputed, saying ‘A lot of part time contracts are held by women because they are also parents and

this is their choice.’ She then describes how PGTAs are those most negatively affected by the strike as they ‘have to take over the overload from the lecturers who are striking. It is absurd.’ The UCU have reiterated via a statement on 28th February that the strikes do have support from students. It reads: ‘we are amazed by the enormous solidarity and support shown by students all over the country which shows that staff and students are a unity and form the core of Universities. ‘The group of stubborn hawkish VCs who have taken control of some Universities and UUK are becoming more and more isolated.’ According to the UCU, UK Vice Chancellors have agreed to further talks due to the strike.

Officer for Students to Review University Four Fire Crews Admissions Process Tackle Selly Oak Joseph Meakin News Reporter

On 27th February, the universities regulator, the Office for Students (OfS), launched a review into the admissions process. Commenting on the review’s launch, the OfS chair, Sir Michael Barber, said: ‘There is widespread recognition that certain aspects of the current admissions system are not working.’ Seeking the opinions of stakeholders in the higher education sector, the watchdog has set out three possible options for reform: The first of these would be to retain the current system, but with some changes (such as increasing the prevalence of contextual offers or phasing out personal statements) to improve it. The second would be to move to a system described as ‘postqualifications offers for full-time undergraduate admissions.’ This would still see students apply to universities before sitting their exams (as currently) but they would only receive offers after they have received their results. The final option would be to

move to ‘post-qualifications applications for full-time undergraduate admissions.’ The OfS has said that ‘various models for this option exist’ but the one they have put forward is for students to register an interest in a particular institution prior to receiving their exam results, but their application would only be completed afterwards. This review comes amidst a wave of criticism of the current admissions process. The Guardian recently revealed that a survey commissioned by university vicechancellors found evidence of dissatisfaction with the current system amongst a significant number of disadvantaged and ethnic minority applicants. And an article in The Times has shed light on a report by Policy Exchange, the think tank founded by former education secretary, Michael Gove, and other senior Conservatives. Written following interviews with ‘about 50 vicechancellors and chairmen of university governing bodies’, it calls on universities to reverse the proliferation of unconditional offers, amongst other criticisms. The consultation period closes on Thursday 21 May 2020.

House Blaze Nathan Clarke News Reporter

Around 22 firefighters spent four hours tackling a fire in the loft of a student property on Hubert Road, Selly Oak last Friday. The West Midlands Fire Service confirmed that there were no casualties but there had been extensive damage to the property. All of the students were out of the house when the fire started and have since been permanently rehoused. West Midlands Police sealed off the top end of Hubert Road after reports of ‘smoke coming from a top floor window’ just after 12:25pm. Fortunately, according to one of the students living in the affected property, ‘not much got burnt because the firemen got there before the roof collapsed,’ but the house was filled with smoke and attempts to put out the fire left the property water-damaged. One of the firemen at the scene told Redbrick that one of

the students had thanked them for saving her coursework which she ‘was really worried about.’

“The firemen got there before the roof collapsed” Fire crews from four different stations stripped tiles off the burnt roof in an attempt to extinguish the blaze using a hydraulic platform. They also organised ‘revisits’ through the night to ensure the fire had been completely extinguished. One eyewitness reported hearing ‘loud sirens’ and seeing ‘smoke coming from the roof of the house.’ The firemen ‘had access to the houses either side and seemed to evacuate at least four houses down as there were a lot of people out in the rain,’ who were then invited into a house opposite where they were asked to wait until the fire had been extinguished.

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Preet Gill MP: ‘I Will Be Joining the Strikers at UoB Shortly’ David Atkins News Reporter

In an interview with Redbrick, Preet Gill MP expressed her support for the UCU strikes, which are taking place across 74 universities in the UK. The strikes are taking place over concerns about universities not increasing pay and reducing workloads. These strikes are expected to finish on the 13th March, with a planned full week walk out commencing on the 9th March unless a resolution is agreed beforehand. Preet Gill mentioned her disappointment with the lack of progress with Universities UK. Asked about whether the strikes being four weeks long were an issue to students, Gill commented that, ‘it was a shame that no resolution was agreed around the table between academics and universities as well.’ She continued by suggesting that this is not the desirable outcome the academics and staff at the University of Birmingham prefer, and ‘it is absolutely right that the lecturers who are striking did not want to strike. ‘Seeing students get involved and supporting the lecturers on strike is really encouraging.’ Gill was questioned about the educational impact that these strikes would have on students and whether students deserve compensation for the missed teaching. She asserted: ‘the question is what is the University doing in the interim to ensure that students are not being impacted.’ Gill suggested that ‘the University needs to clarify extensions for students so that students are informed and that missed lectures and teaching hours are rescheduled for another date.’ Gill continued: ‘It is a really important issue and I have listened to the concerns of lecturers and staff at the University of Birmingham and I am urging Universities UK to make a resolution as soon as possible.’ In Redbrick issue 1515, the University were quoted as saying:

'the University will make every effort to make alternative arrangements for any cancelled events, including lectures, seminars, individual appointments, lab sessions etc. 'This might include scheduling additional sessions at other times and making supporting materials available that students can review through Canvas. 'This will help to ensure that students do not miss any of the essential content for their course. In addition we will ensure that students are not disadvantaged in any assessment activity. 'Hand-in dates and deadlines may be extended if these are affected by any cancelled teaching and students will not be assessed on any content that has not been covered due to disruption.' Preet illustrated her support for the strikes at the University of Birmingham further by telling Redbrick that she will be taking part alongside academic staff and lecturers at the strike. She stated: ‘I have written numerous times about the strikes and I will be joining the strikers at the University of Birmingham short-

ly.’ This comes after members of the UCU at 60 universities did not work for eight days in November and December last year, which was estimated to affect over one million students in total across the UK. Preet Gill was also asked by Redbrick on her views about the proposed changes to university admissions. The Department for Education announced a proposal to change university admissions from predicted grade entries to allocate places after grades had been achieved by students. The Labour MP told Redbrick: ‘If these changes go ahead, what will the impact be on students in finding suitable accommodation for university and ensuring that loans are in place?’ Gill continued: ‘How will universities be able to allocate places in this time scale?’ She suggested that the system currently in place is working, so she did not see the need for changing the system. ‘Predicted grades give an offer in principle and then students either get rejected or approved.’ She highlighted that ‘predicted

grades give a clear indication of what standard a student is working at.’ In the extensive interview by Redbrick, Preet Gill also highlighted her support for Keir Starmer as the next Labour Leader. She commented: ‘Keir will unite the party to bring all factions of the party together after our worst defeat since 1935.’ Moreover, she suggested that Keir ‘has the relevant experience to become the next leader and he is committed to work with local areas to ensure they don’t feel left behind.’ When asked if the next Labour Leader should be a woman, Gill said that ‘it isn’t the case that we should have a woman leader because the party has not had one before, we need to select the right leader.’ Preet suggested that Keir has demonstrated his ability to work on national security, especially surrounding peace and human rights protection. The Labour MP stated: ‘Some people are really good at selling themselves, Keir is more reserved and well measured and due to his human rights background he has the relevant experience to be the next leader.’

David Atkins

Solihull Academy Closed Over Fears of COVID-19 Adam Toms News Reporter

Tudor Grange Academy in Solihull closed on Wednesday 26th after it emerged that six pupils and a teacher were suffering from ‘flu-like symptoms.’ They have since been selfisolating and have been checked for the COVID-19 virus as they had recently returned from a school ski trip in Tarvisio in northeastern Italy. At the time of writing on February 27th, Italy has quarantined more than 50,000 people, with a reported 19 deaths, as large cities have become ‘red zones’ after a recent proliferation of cases in the country.

All pupils - more than 1,500 were sent home ‘with immediate effect’ after arriving for the school day just minutes earlier.

“We will� continue to liaise closely with these families and also all those who were on the ski trip” One mum wrote on Facebook: ‘I appreciate the way they have protected the children but surely it

could have been done earlier this morning, before they had gone into school.’ The academy’s headmaster, Darren Turner, stated in a letter to parents: ‘We have been monitoring the situation very closely since the ski trip returned and [are] taking regular advice from Public Health England. ‘We will continue to liaise closely with these families and also all those who were on the ski trip. Naturally, we wish all those who are unwell a speedy recovery.’ He also stated that ‘specialist contractors’ were brought in to ‘deep-clean the whole school’ and reiterated that the school may not be open again until 2nd March. The decision to re-open will be made in accordance with advice

from Public Health England. The Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, has advised anybody who has recently returned from northern Italy and is showing flulike symptoms to self-isolate for at least two weeks to limit a potential spread of the virus. Northern Ireland confirming their first case on Thursday has taken the UK’s total to 16. England’s Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty, has announced that contingency plans are in place – including the closure of more schools, cancellation of football matches, limitation of public transport, closure of church services, postponing concerts, and quarantining families – if the UK experiences a pandemic scale spread of the virus.

Year Abroads Cancelled Over COVID19 Threat Charlie Young News Reporter

University of Birmingham students who had been on year abroad programs in China during the current coronavirus outbreak have had their programs cancelled, with the students involved being forced to choose between a transfer to a different international institution, a year out of their studies, or a return to UoB. Max Neil, an International Business with Language student, spoke to Redbrick about his experience.

“At that point I knew I had to come back” Max, who had been studying at Fudan University in Shanghai on his year abroad program, came back to Birmingham of his own accord as he began to see borders closing and flights being cancelled. He said ‘the only way I could get back was through Hong Kong and at that point I knew I had to come back.’ He had been travelling around China at the time of the outbreak, in contrast to the majority of year abroad students he knew, and so felt alone when he returned to Shanghai, particularly as the streets became more and more desolate. With no fellow students around him in self-isolation he felt he was ‘going a bit crazy, with no contact,’ which contributed toward the decision to come home. Although he feels the experience was ‘frustrating,’ Max acknowledges ‘in reality, there wasn’t much that could be done’ and praises the efforts of the Study Abroad team in keeping in their help as he decided to return despite not informing him his course would be cut short until the 1st of February. Despite the stress involved, he empasises his view that this was no ones fault, no one could predict a virus spreading in that manner, and that he would ‘100% go again if given the chance, I had an amazing time.’ A University of Birmingham spokesperson told the Birmingham Tab: 'partner universities in China made us aware that they were closed until further notice and as such the 14 students on a year abroad in China were recalled last week, many of whom had actually been travelling during the holiday period and had not been in China for a number of weeks. All are either now home safely or continuing their travels outside China and have been asked not to return to China until further notice. We are working to provide these students with alternate study abroad options. The University is regularly updating the advice to staff and students via the intranet and is in regular contact with students directly.'

NEWS

Friday 6th March 2020

@redbricknews

Australian Universities Call UCU Universities Offer Demands Unaffordable Travel Subsidies to Ella Kipling Students Stranded “It’s a very difficult position” due to Travel Ban News Reporter

Matt Taylor Film Editor

Three Australian universities have offered monetary subsidies to students stranded abroad due to the outbreak of the coronavirus. The University of Melbourne, the University of Adelaide, and Western Sydney University have all offered varying amounts to assist their students in getting home. At the time of writing, the Australian government has enforced a ban on all foreign nationals entering the country if they have travelled through mainland China. The ban, enforced due to the outbreak, came into place on February 1st and has since been extended twice. A spokesperson from Western Sydney University told German news outlet DW last week that the university is offering stranded students $AUS1,500 (£759.30) to assist in returning to Australia via another country, as per advice

UoB to Award Degrees in Musical Theatre Cerys Gardner News Reporter

The University of Birmingham will begin awarding a musical theatre degree in collaboration with performing arts school Urdang. The students taking the professional dance and musical theatre degree will train at Urdang in London, but the degree will be awarded by the University of Birmingham. It replaces the existing BA program at Urdang which was accredited by Anglia Ruskin University. There will be some new content added as a result of UoB’s involvement. It will be the first musical theatre degree to be awarded by UoB, with the first cohort starting in the Autumn. UoB’s head of drama and theatre arts, David Pattie, told The Stage: ‘Urdang has an exceptional track record for delivering highly capable and well-rounded performers and is one of the most respected and well established institutions in the industry. We are looking forward to adding this degree to the courses offered by the department of drama and theatre arts.’ Joy Getliffe, a first year UoB student who did a Musical Theatre A-level, told Redbrick that ‘Urdang is a prestigious drama school so partnering with a Russell Group university will give students new opportunities and connect them with the high level of teaching Birmingham University has to offer.’

from the Australian Department of Health. The University of Melbourne has offered students up to $AUS7,500 (£3,796.50) to cover travel and accommodation costs, as well as assisting with the 14-day self-isolation period and technology upgrades to help with remote study, while the University of Adelaide is offering ‘care packages’ consisting of discounted fees and a subsidy of up to $AUS2,000 (£1,012). The latter also offered to completely refund this semester’s fees to any student who could not return to the country before the end of the semester. The country’s universities are facing an estimated financial hit of $AUS1.2bn due to their reliance on international students. According to the Australian government, around 190,000 Chinese students are currently studying in Australian institutions. In a statement from the University of Melbourne, Professor Mark Considine said that the health and wellbeing of the student community was the university’s ‘number one priority,’ adding that ‘the University is fully committed to providing effective measures of support during this difficult time,’ and that they are ‘continuing to work with the Government, higher education sector, government agencies and partners to provide a holistic and effective response to this ongoing situation.’

University employers say that union demands on pay are unaffordable and put institutions in a vulnerable economic position. The employers went on to explain, prior to the strike action currently taking place, that universities that had already reported shortfalls were being asked by the union to go beyond what they could afford. The universities appealed to the University and College Union to go back to their membership with the latest offer in the hopes of ending the period of ongoing strike action. UCU members at 74 universities, made up of lecturers, librarians, technicians and other aca-

demic staff, are currently halfway though the four-week period of their latest round of strikes.

Vice-Chancellor of the University of Southampton, and chair of the Universities and Colleges Employers Association, Mark E Smith, said: ‘We know that in many institutions they are at the edge – or beyond – what they can really afford. If you look at the number of institutions that have reported deficits this year, it’s a very difficult position for them.’ Smith stated that universities pay more than half their income on staff costs and said, ‘therefore, if your major cost is inflating fur-

ther, the logical conclusion is those institutions which are under financial pressure will be under increasing pressure. I would not want to be as alarmist as to say some will go under, however you can join the dots up and see where the logical conclusion of that lies.’

“Universities have failed to [...] address the concerns of staff”

Meanwhile, a spokesperson from UCU said, ‘The reason staff are walking out and education is being disrupted [...] is because universities have failed to move the conversation forward and address the concerns of staff.’

Mental Skills Training App Developed by UoB and Fika Becky Gelder News Reporter

The University of Birmingham has teamed up with Fika to make app-based mental skills training available to students. The collaboration will see a mental skills programme developed by academics at UoB feature on an app for university students across the UK. The MST4Life (My Strengths Training For Life) programme took six years to develop, and was created by a team of sports psychologists and academics at the university in

partnership with St Basils, a youth homelessness charity. MST4Life involves a number of different activities targeted at sixteen to twenty-four year-olds, which focus on strengthening ‘the resilience, confidence and coping skills of young people.’ Co-creator of the MST4Life programme, Dr Jennifer Cumming, explained: ‘Just as we’ve used MST4Life to strengthen and empower young people experiencing homelessness, we're confident in its transformative potential for a whole generation of university students.’ She goes on to discuss the fact

that research conducted by Fika has shown that 77 percent of students find transitioning to university life difficult. The aim of the collaboration between the programme developed by the university and the app, therefore, is to tackle this sense of struggle. Alongside MST4Life, Fika offers ‘emotional workouts’ to help young people to develop ‘emotional muscle,’ in order to ‘mainstream Mental Fitness by bringing Emotional Education to students around the world.’

tion request was sent to 122 universities. While only three universities explicitly ban romantic and sexual relationships between students and lecturers, 97 universities have policies on these relationships – but these policies mainly just discourage them. Over the past five years, only seven members of staff at UK universities have been disciplined for having intimate relationships with students. This widespread lack of monitoring student-staff relationships across UK universities has been criticised by anti-sexual misconduct campaigners such as Dr Anna Bull, who commented that ‘much greater awareness of the risks is needed.’ Experts on sexual misconduct have argued that relationships where one person is in a position of power are at higher risk of ending in abuse. This was the experience of Allison Smith, who started a relationship with her lecturer at Sussex University. Lee Salter, the lecturer, claimed that the

university was not against the relationship. However, Salter became physically violent towards Smith, leading to his arrest and 18-month suspension in 2016. Following a review, Professor Nicole Westmarland stressed the importance of Sussex University developing ‘a clear policy’ on student-staff relationships. Natasha Caruana, a University of the Arts London (UAL) lecturer, resigned from her previous job at the University for the Creative Arts after criticising colleagues for building intimate relationships with students. In an Instagram post, she stated: ‘I stood up for what I knew was the correct and ethical way of behaving. There is a rich history of male academics having special friendships with female students (just Google it) and it won’t change until more of us call it out and put pressure on universities to change their policies.’ In response, the University for the Creative Arts said: ‘We wholeheartedly reject the picture as presented in the social media post.’

UCL Bans Intimate StudentLecturer Relationships Christina Manns News Editor

University College London has become the third UK university to ban intimate relationships between students and lecturers, following in the footsteps of the University of Greenwich and the University of Roehampton. This move makes UCL the first Russell Group university to ban student-staff relationships. UCL’s new policy, called the ‘personal relationships policy, prohibits ‘close personal and intimate relationships between staff and students where the staff member has a direct responsibility for, or involvement in, that student’s academic studies and/or personal welfare.’ If the member of staff has a relationship with a student they do not supervise, they must also declare this relationship within one month to avoid disciplinary action. The behaviour and culture change manager at UCL, Kelsey Paske, told The Guardian that this ban was important for recognising

‘positions of power and power imbalances within higher education settings, and to help prevent abuses of power.’ UCL’s new policy warns that these student-staff relationships may be seen as ‘grooming.’ Rachel Fenton, a lecturer specialising in sexual violence at Exeter, argues that these relationships ‘contain such an abuse of power that consent isn’t really there.’ This view is widespread in the UK student population. In a 2018 survey by the NUS and the 1752 Group, a group that campaigns against sexual misconduct by university staff, four-fifths of the students surveyed said they were uncomfortable with ‘predatory’ intimate relationships between staff and students. Dr Anna Bull, who co-founded the 1752 Group, told The Guardian: ‘UCL’s new policy is the most stringent in the UK. If it is implemented as intended, it will help to enable a safer and more gender-equal teaching and learning environment.’ In an investigation by The Guardian, a freedom of informa-

NEWS

Friday 6th March 2020

@redbricknews

Another Selection of the BUCU Teach-Outs

Adam Toms

Monday 9th March

BUCU Host Q&A Session on Strikes News Reporter Adam Toms attends BUCU’s Question and Answer session on their strike action Adam Toms News Reporter

Striking staff and postgraduate students answered questions from students on Tuesday afternoon in the Guild Council Chambers regarding their strike stance. The event was organised by Birmingham’s branch of the UCU (University College Union) and Student Staff Solidarity group at the University of Birmingham (UoB). The event was chaired by Owen Shann, a Student Staff Solidarity member who was at the time standing for Guild President on a radical manifesto including the removal of Professor Sir David Eastwood as Vice-Chancellor. He was joined by Dr. Amy Burge, English Lecturer and BUCU Officer; Dr. Mark Summerfield, IT services & BUCU Pensions Officer; Katie Oliver, Geography PhD student and BUCU member; and Dr. Tom Cutterham, History Lecturer and BUCU Secretary. Asked how students could support the strike, Cutterham suggested that they bring baked goods to the picket line and Oliver urged students to join staff and PGTAs on the picket line in the first place. Burge mentioned how there were ways for students to enter the University without crossing picket lines and suggested that disciplinary procedures regarding attendance had been informed. A question then came from incumbent Guild President, Joshua

Not a Priti Picture at the Home Office Alex Boscott Home Secretary Priti Patel was dealt a huge blow this week as her top civil servant resigned - claiming she bullied him out. In his speech, Sir Philip Rutnam, Permanent Secretary at the Home Office, claimed that he was the victim of a ‘target of vicious and orchestrated campaign against him’ - with Patel allegedly leading it. Despite being offered a settlement by the Government, Rutnam will be suing for constructive unfair dismissal. The Home Secretary has since denied any involvement in the bullying campaign against Rutnam, but questions remain over the stability of her position and the Government.

Lie-Detector Tests for Domestic Abusers Christina Manns Under proposed new laws in the

Williams: ‘What measures would the panel like to see the Guild take as they announce their support of strikers?’ Summerfield suggested that Guild contact with university management would be a ‘useful starting point’ and would enable strikers to communicate their case to students as Cutterham emphasised how important this was.

“Why should students care about the strikes?” A somewhat confrontational online question followed, which asked why the UCU were orchestrating strikes when the University was paying a living wage. Cutterham emphasised how the money being paid was not enough for a ' decent life’ and that the University is not signed up to the national Living Wage Foundation because it ‘could rise at any point.’ Katie then presented the PGTA’s point of view, stating that she had personally only been paid £16 per hour to teach and was not paid for prep hours. She then said that this was against University policy. UoB have emphasised how they take payment issues ‘very seriously’ and that they ‘know that ensuring people are paid on time and correctly is something that we must always get right.’ Next, a query was discussed that had been posted under the

online pseudonym ‘Mr. Professor Sir David Eastwood,’ reading simply ‘Why don’t you like me?’ Burge took care to reiterate that she did not know the ViceChancellor personally, and she was sure that he was very nice. Nevertheless, she did think he was disconnected from staff and student concerns, noting that previous Vice-Chancellors had visited picket lines during past strikes while Eastwood had not. Burge said that this concern was consolidated by the fact that he was the sixth highest paid Vice-Chancellor in the country, the first outside of London and Oxbridge. Eastwood has stated in the past that he does give a proportion if this wage away and the UoB have justified his wage by describing the Vice-Chancellor as a ‘highly-successful and experienced leader.’ Perhaps the most impactful contribution from the audience came later after an attendee asked for the panel’s thoughts regarding the fact that they often feel too unsafe on campus.

“Students should care because how can they not?” Burge said that she was very sad to hear that and responded by recounting her own experience of ‘finding those communities’ outside her own department via UCU action. Oliver then reassured the audi-

ence that ‘there are good people [...] you’re not on your own’ and ‘people will help you.’ She then added that she ‘know[s] too many people in this situation.’ Shann then asked ‘why should students care about the strikes?’ Oliver responded passionately by saying, ‘students should care because how can they not?’ Burge emphasised how students would have a better experience at university if their workload was lessened. ‘We could have more meaningful conversations’ and ‘more time with individual students’ whilst testing new innovative assessment and teaching methods, she said. Lastly, the panel defended the strikes after concerns from the audience regarding disruption to student experience. Oliver suggested that ‘organisation and solidarity’ was improved by last year’s strikes and as a consequence she felt she had acquired the courage to be on campus again. Burge then highlighted the University’s lack of action regarding the closure of the gender and ethnic pay gaps. She also sought to reassure the audience that action other than striking had been sought by today’s strikers. This included resignations, not completing voluntary work, not covering for colleagues and not re-arranging teaching hours. The strikes are set to continue until the end of week nine unless an agreement is reached between the Union and the University.

UK, domestic abusers deemed at A secret door has been discovered high risk of re-offending will be in the Houses of Parliament leadgiven lie-detector tests to ing to the long-lost passage of determine whether they have first Prime Minister Robert breached release condiWalpole. Originally built tions. This new Domestic for Charles II’s coronation Violence Bill would also procession, the passage ban alleged abusers was then used by Walpole from cross-examining as a way into Parliament. their victims in court The passage had been and include controlbricked up in 1851, ling someone’s when Lord John Russell finances as an act of was Prime Minister, by abuse. The proposed ‘Tom Porter who was lie-detector tests are very fond of Ould Ale,’ not 100% accurate, yet according to a message The Redbrick News Team take a the Home Office has scrawled on the walls. defended their use in Another piece of graffiti look at one light-hearted and monitoring high-risk sex from the masons working offenders, saying the tests there reveals them to have three very serious stories had been 89% accurate. If been members of the ‘Real from the fortnight's the Bill passes, a three-year Democrats,’ a Chartist group pilot of the scheme would take who supported suffrage for all news place with high-risk offenders, men over the age of 21. The secret with these domestic abusers takdoorway to the tunnel was dising a lie detector test three months guised as a piece of wooden panafter release and every six months Secret Door in Parliament elling, albeit with a keyhole in it Reveals Long-Lost after that. Failing the tests could which nobody happened to notice. Tunnel mean a return to prison for domesThe discovery is the achievement tic violence offenders. of Parliament’s estates historian John Wimperis and their team, who looked

Redbrick

Round-Up

12:30pm - 13:30pm Does protest really work? Abigail Hall, Sueda Oktay Guild of Students Tuesday 10th March 12:30 - 13:30 Slow violence and climate catastrophe: an American love story Open discussion - everyone welcome Josie Lilley-Byrne Guild of Students (McKellan Room) 16:00 - 17:30 How can students support the UCU strikes? Socialist Students Society Guild of Students, (Green Room) Wednesday 11th March 14:30 - 15:30 Trade unions and precarity: organising collective action in the gig economy'. A session on how to organise in difficult and hard to reach workplaces in light of the Trade Union Act 2016 and what the lessons are for organising among precarious workers in higher education Mike Moore, Ioana Chis, Alison Dingle, Lee Crutchley, Jodie Hopewell, James Brackley Bristol Pear Thursday 12th March 12:30 - 13:30 The carers pay gap. Discussion of Moreau and Robertson’s (2019) research report: “‘Care-free at the top’? Exploring the experiences of senior academic staff who are caregivers” Gaby Saldanha Guild of Students (Harvey Milk) This is just a selection. The full schedule of BUCU teach-outs can be found online at tinyurl.com/bucuteachouts. through tens of thousands of uncatalogued documents relating to the building at the Historic Archives in Swindon.

Marriage to be Defined as Between a Man and a Woman in Russian Constitution Rhiannon Wood Russian President Vladamir Putin is striving to define marriage as the union of man and woman by law. He seeks to revise the constitution, which would see gay marriage completely ruled out. It is one of several amendments of the constitution that will be decided upon by public vote. These proposals put forward by Putin are viewed as a move to retain power after the conclusion of his fourth presidential term in 2024. Proclaiming Russians’ faith in God and banning giving away any Russian territory is what is included in the package of proposals.

COMMENT

Friday 6th March 2020

@redbrickcomment

Why is Opinion so Important?

This week, Comment Editors discuss the importance of comment-based journalism, thinking about its impact in a student setting and beyond Abby Spreadborough Comment Editor

‘Don’t bitch on Brumfess’ is one of the slogans of The Guild Of Students referendum on ‘proposed decision making structures.’ This slogan is a response to students complaining about the Guild on popular confession page Brumfess as well as recent controversy over the officer team misleading students over their strike stance, as well as preventing political societies from campaigning over the election period. The referendum proposals include four new student led committees covering key areas of university life, an all student vote and meeting to discuss the ‘big issues,’ a panel to scrutinise the progress of officers as well as transparency and efficiency within regards to decision making. These somewhat ambiguous proposals seek to properly make the Guild the voice of students, with a more consistent and connected democratic process. The results of the referendum were announced alongside the Guild’s officer election outcome on the 29th of February.

“Quality opinion led writing allows us to cut through the noise” This is one of a few moves by the Guild to hear from students. A ‘Your Ideas’ vote held last month led the Guild to declare its full support for the UCU strikes, contrasting their neutral position taken in the autumn term of 2019. This is the university context in which comment-based student journalism is not only vital but thriving. As the Guild is asking for student’s opinions more than ever, last week they offered free pizza to those who voted in the annual officer elections. In response to this call for student engagement, students are voicing these opinions, not only by posting comments on Brumfess (which the Guild seeks to convert into ‘yes’ votes for their referendum), but also through their writing. Commentbased journalism whether on a local or national level allows us to hear both sides, make an informed judgement and perhaps most importantly of all act on that judgement, through voting, activism and writing. In the age of fake news, thousands of podcasts, and Twitter echochambers, quality opinion led writing allows us to cut through the noise.

Hannah Lay Comment Editor

The current political climate is brimming over with debates. Every day, a political figure somewhere will do something

worth debating over which makes politics incredibly exciting.

“Opinion journalism has never been so important” In light of this, opinion journalism has never been so important. Objective news reporting is vital as it ensures everyone has access to the facts that allow them to be informed about current affairs. However, in the fast-moving society we live in that is dominated by a 24-hours news cycle, opinion sections are invaluable. As with objective news, opinions also allow people to be informed about current affairs as they shape our interpretations of what is going on. Given the volume of news stories, it would be very unlikely that everyone has an automatic opinion on every issue, so this type of journalism can help their readers develop opinions. Also, opinion journalism creates debate, which is very healthy in such a diverse, constantly evolving political climate. Even those from the same end of the political spectrum will differ on their views on some topics which is why opinion journalism is so interesting. It is also important to remember that politics is more than just Presidents and Prime Ministers; this is where opinion sections come into their own. The chance to be subjective allows journalists to reflect on personal

experiences. T h i s reflection can give stories a voice that in a world of purely objective journalism would not be told. Stories can range from deeply personal accounts to humorous and relatable tales. Whatever the tone, they are generally more emotive which allows readers to connect on an entirely different level. Whilst it is possible to feel emotion after reading an objective news piece, it is highly unlikely any reaction can be as emotionally charged than opinion, which I think is another compelling rea-

son that opinion journalism is so important to the media world.

Alice Macfarlane Comment Editor

For me, becoming part of the Comment section was something that I aspired to do as soon as I got involved with Redbrick. The value of opinion journalism, in my eyes, cannot be overstated, because when it comes to sharing the news, sometimes we require more than just the basic facts. Writing is all about expressing yourself and shedding light on your unique perspective on something and without opinion articles and the expression that they grant us, we are denied this personal voice that is so fundamental to creating engaging, thought-provoking journalism. In a world that is clouded with clashing, unjustified and often misleading statements on social media, opinion journalism can offer a clear, thoughtful perspective on an issue that resonates with many. In our section, we want to shine the spotlight on those who may not otherwise be given the chance to be heard, covering issues that might not be hitting the headlines, but still

raise important and much-needed discussions. Such articles, from good comment journalists, encourage read-

ers to do more than just absorb the information they are given, but to engage with the news, reflect on current issues, and form their own opinion of these events. Opinion journalism is the place for meaningful discussion, a way of questioning what we think we know, and what keeps the news so exciting. Without comment articles, we would be left to simply take things at face value, rendering journalism a voiceless entity, and I ask you, where’s the fun in that?

Emily Chapman Comment Editor

Opinion is a key aspect of popular journalism in the modern era. The introduction of intellectual and critical thought into mainstream media was an important development in print journalism, allowing everyday news consumers access to wider political and social debate. This transition from ‘news’ to ‘journalism,’ moved away from the ‘as and when’ relevance of news, to the consistent and regular publication of journalism, in magazines, journals and even tabloids. As a result, we come to rely on t h e familiarity and

consistency of reading other people’s opinions in print and online publications, turning to them when we are unsure of our own view on current events. The constant stream of information and news we witness in modern life can be overwhelming, and we have become accustomed to instant access to information in order to understand these events. Opinion journalism always underpins this, as the number of blogs and online publications increase, more and more writers are taking part in an ever-growing network of thought and debate. Opinion encapsulates our freedom to criticise, question and sometimes even praise the world around us; it allows writers to show their passion, and as such to inspire passion in those who read their work, to continually motivate people to think critically about things that they would otherwise just accept. Our Comment section fits into a wider context of discussion and debate throughout the realm of print journalism. The contributions our writers give play an integral role in the continual analysis and understanding of modern life. Although it may not appear as such on the humble page in front of you, and as trivial as it may seem at the time, opinion journalism gets readers (and writers) thinking about what is important to us as students and as human beings. I really don’t know where we would be without it.

Redbrick

COMMENT

Friday 6th March 2020

@redbrickcomment

Poll of the Week: ‘Joke’ Candidates In light of the recent Guild elections, Comment asked students to think about the nature of politics, and whether comedy candiditates are constructive or crude John Wimperis

‘could be bothered to vote but were unsatisfied with any of the Joke candidates are a recurrent genuine candidates.’ Some also and often prominent phenome- brought up that joke candidates non in politics. In the 2017 help to ‘draw attention to demogeneral election campaign, Lord cratic processes.’ Buckethead emerged as one of Others simply saw joke canthe most prominent voices; over didates as a positive for just the years, the Monster Raving adding some fun to the process. Loony party have seen a number One respondent said that they of their joke policies become appreciated the laugh while actual laws; and, in 2019, the another said that they ‘can help British public elected Boris make politics more approachaJohnson as Prime Minister. ble.’ Meanwhile, in last week’s Guild Speaking to Redbrick before elections, joke candidate the results were announced on Emperor Palpatine ran for Sunday, Louis Cooper, the stuPresident on a platform of dent behind the Emperor stormtrooper patrols in Selly Palpatine campaign said that he Oak and dedicating Guild funds felt ‘people recognise that joke to constructing a Death Star. candidates are a good way to Some respondents to get the layperson interested and Comment’s poll said that they engaged in politics. It’s also a felt this made a ‘mockery’ of good way for people unhappy the election campaign and with the establishment to vote ‘undermines the whole system.’ in protest without any negative Several argued that it presented consequences.’ He added that officer roles as silly when some, he was ‘surprised how many such as the Trans officer role people say they’ve voted for which struggled to get appli- me’ and said that ‘I’ll be intercants. ested to see the results.’ A clear majority, however, felt that joke candidates do add Take part in our polls: something to the democratic process. Some felt that joke @RedbrickComment candidates could ‘highlight bureaucracy’ at the Guild or Redbrick Comment allow people to show that they Contributors News Editor

“Where there is an joke candidate, there is a story, where there is a story there is democratic engagement”

Ye s-

% 65

% 35

Do Joke

Candidates add anything to the democratic process? (Poll Conducted on 28th February)

“Everyone has a right to run, whether they take it seriously or not” “The Guild is not as powerful as ‘serious’ candidates seem to think it is, the joke candidates are a balance to that ” “Student politics is 100% self indulgent and achieves nothing, joke candidates take the piss out of it and make other people laugh”

“They help students take an interest in politics ”

Social Media and The Next Generation: Protest and Politics

As Ofcom reports that 83% of teens aged 12-15 have smartphones, Danielle Murinas argues that young people are using their online presence for good Danielle Murinas Comment Writer

A recent report by Ofcom has investigated British children’s habits when it comes to technological devices. They found that half of UK ten-year-olds now own a smartphone, and 71% of twelve to fifteen year olds have at least one social media account. Interestingly it was shown how more young people are now using their social media platform to advance political causes. It was reported 18% of older children shared a political post and that one in ten signed an online petition. This emphasises how the internet is not only acting as a place for socialising, but also a means to spread younger people’s voice and opinions, supporting causes that they would otherwise be unable to. Ofcom has dubbed this ‘the Greta effect,’ with the seventeen-year-old activist supposedly encouraging young people to get more involved with political causes. Social media has

provided a personal space for young people to do this. Young teenagers may not otherwise be able to express their opinions through going to political marches or rallies, as they are still confined to a parental authority. But social media is a personal space for them to develop their voice, and still engage with causes on a mental and emotional level.

“Social media is a personal space for them to develop their voice” This fits into the wider trend of young people engaging in politics, which is often criticised, the apparent ‘snowflake’ generation. The Guardian called the snowflake the defining insult of 2016, after Bret Easton Ellis labelled them ‘snowflake justice warriors.’ These individuals are often seen as young

liberal minded people, who are seen to have strong opinions and to be easily insulted. Journalists such as Piers Morgan have been quite vocal on what he deems as the ‘anxiety-ridden snowflake’ generation, who only find the negativity in modern life. Though it is true that the world is developing, and there are things to celebrate, our society is far from perfect. Young people putting their voice to campaigns that are trying to make their future better, is not being overtly negative but developing a voice which can influence real change. It is important to remember that these young teenagers are our politicians and activists of the future, and a social media presence is allowing them to nurture this political spirit, which could one day influence their career. Increases in technological accessibility is allowing more young teenagers to easily engage in causes, but this is not a new trend. The insult of the ‘snowflake,’ is almost assuming that the new generation is the first to engage themselves in politics,

but this is far from the truth. Historical periods of social activism have always included younger people. Notable protests such as those against the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Movement had young students at their core. Quite rightly, young people have always been ready to engage in political causes, but now social media and internet access has made this easier. To engage with a cause can now mean to share an online post or sign a petition, which is still advancing a cause despite being in an online space.

“Young people have always been ready to engage in political causes” Of course this is not to say that social media and the ease of accessibility to online forums is purely a good thing. 87% of

parents of children aged five to 15 had sought advice on how to keep their children safe online. Expressing the deep-seated concern that internet engagement can bring. Perhaps worryingly, only 45% of parents thought the benefits outweigh the negatives, an issue that certainly requires more investigation. We are increasingly faced with reports on the dangers of social media, from the highly used filters to trolling. With the numerous benefits comes an array of negatives. This is an issue that undoubtedly needs more intervention, as social media can provide positive opportunities. The increasing opportunity to engage in political causes is one of them. Children are able to engage in causes they care about from a personal space. Though social media undeniably has its negative traits, it can give teenagers more options to engage in activism and politics at an early age, which is certainly a positive opportunity.

COMMENT

Friday 6th March 2020

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Victory for the #MeToo Movement

Colette Fountain discusses the outcome of the Weinstein trial, and what it means for #MeToo Colette Fountain Comment Writer

Content Warning: This article contains mention of sexual assault and rape which some readers may find distressing. Harvey Weinstein: a name that seems to have come to signify more than just the man himself, instead reflecting the enormous efforts of the #MeToo movement and as of 24th February 2020, a convicted rapist. Although official accusations against Weinstein didn’t occur until 2017, rumours of his ‘casting couch’ practices seemed to permeate the film industry with actresses like Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie alluding to his predatory nature as early as the 1990s. Why then has it taken almost three decades for his fall from grace? As with many sexual assault allegations, there is an insistence on the phrase ‘innocent until proven guilty,’ meaning women are rarely believed unless there is enough physical evidence, something which is rare in rape cases. As a result, it becomes a kind of he-said, she-said horror show, meaning women often don’t come forward for fears of destroying their careers or never achieving justice. Weinstein has been hugely influential in the film industry having helped produce cult classics like Pulp Fiction and Lord of the Rings, becoming another reminder of the indestructibility of powerful, rich men. A significant number of the accusers were employees of Miramax, the Weinstein Company or aspiring actresses, something Weinstein used to his advantage as he effectively had power over their careers. As of 2020, over 80 women have come forward to accuse Weinstein of various sexual allegations occurring between 1980 and 2015. Weinstein’s New York trial has now come to a close, ending with him being convicted of only two crimes; 3rd degree rape of Jessica Mann which occurred in 2013 and the sexual

“Women often don't come forward for fears of destroying their careers” assault of Mimi Haleyi in 2006. In many ways Weinstein’s conviction offers hope for the future. 3rd degree rape carries a maximum four-year sentence while sexual assault carries a maximum of 25 years, meaning

Weinstein is facing up to 29 years imprisonment for his crimes. In addition to this, he is yet to stand trial in Los Angeles for similar offences meaning he could potentially be imprisoned for the rest of his life, as he is currently 67. Even if he doesn’t receive the maximum sentence, Weinstein’s life is ruined; his wife divorced him, his children have disowned him and he will have no career, perhaps achieving justice beyond the legal system. For the #MeToo movement, Weinstein’s conviction is particularly important as it demonstrates the power women have gained particularly against hugely influential public figures – it shows that despite Weinstein’s money and status, he can’t avoid the consequences of his actions. Previously, accusations have emerged only after a celebrity has died, as seen with Michael Jackson and Jimmy Saville, however, Weinstein’s conviction shows that the ‘untouchability’ of celebrities is crumbling. The immense bravery of the women that testified and came forward have finally achieved some sense of justice. While this won’t offer a magic fix for their trauma, it is still a ‘triumph’ as it will have a long-lasting impact on the way that society views and treats survivors of sexual abuse. However, despite the fact that Weinstein was convicted at all can be viewed as a victory, there is still a long way to go in the way we treat sexual abuse survivors. Weinstein only received two convictions out of the five charges he was being tried for, being acquitted of predatory sexual assault which carries a maximum of life imprisonment. The fact that Weinstein was accused by over 80 women and yet only convicted of two offences shows just how difficult it is for women to come forward with sexual assault accusations. So many cases never go to trial due to lack of evidence or simply lead to acquittal. Trials also require the victims to recall severe trauma, something which many don’t want to put themselves through for it to simply end in acquittal. Therefore, while we should be celebrating the fact that Weinstein has received any formal punishment for his crimes, we still have a long way to go before the justice system accurately reflects the worrying regularity of sexual assault. Throughout Weinstein’s trial he has faced many controversies, particularly regarding his lawyer, Donna Rotunno. Rotunno has made a career defending men accused of sexual crimes, helping to undo some of the achievements the #MeToo movement worked so hard for. In one of her most controversial statements, Rotunno stated that

‘it’s sad that men have to worry about being complementary and pleasant to women,’ perpetuating the view that men are the real victims in this situation. Her statement reflects the same fear expressed by men who worry that they will be accused, despite believing they have done nothing wrong. While I am not denying that false rape accusations occur, this is definitely a minority, currently believed to be around 2% according to the United States Justice Department. Rotunno’s comment therefore seems to dismiss the larger issue, negating women’s experiences of sexual harassment and instead victimising men who feel that women’s growing independence and autonomy is something to be feared. Her stance is that men are having to be more thoughtful and cautious in how they treat women with little regard for the immense precautions embedded into women’s minds on how to best protect themselves, including carrying rape alarms, taking self-defence classes, not wearing headphones or walking alone at night, and of course not wearing anything that could be perceived as ‘asking for it.’ During the trial and in the immediate aftermath, Weinstein has also been criticised for his attempts to gain sympathy from the public, despite claiming that ‘he didn’t want the press to think he was seeking sympathy.’ At his trial, Weinstein was photographed walking with a zimmer frame and looking unwell. While it isn’t uncommon for lawyers to alter their clients’ image to make them appear more likeable in court proceedings, Weinstein’s approach seems particularly unusual as they usually try to appear more presentable. Since being convicted, he has been taken to Bellevue Hospital as a result of chest pains, in addition to fears that he may be a suicide risk meaning he may require constant surveillance when he finally does enter Rikers Island Prison. This helps to further Rotunno’s problematic view that Weinstein is the real victim here. At this stage it’s difficult to predict how Weinstein will be sentenced on the 11th March. My hope is that he will receive the full 29-year sentence, in order to achieve some sense of justice for the victims. Weinstein’s conviction also marks a monumental shift, hopefully towards a society that is more likely to believe and investigate rape accusations, rather than dismiss them for lack of evidence. As the #MeToo movement continues to gain momentum and make change for the future; for now, we can celebrate the downfall of a man who was once one of the most significant producers in Hollywood.

No Place In Government For Eugenics Emily Gulbis criticises the hiring of eugenicist Andrew Sabisky but argues it is not without precedent Emily Gulbis Comment Writer

Boris Johnson’s government faced further criticism last week following controversial comments made by Andrew Sabisky, one of its previously unremarkable aides. Sabisky worked as a ‘super forecaster,’ chosen by Johnson’s chief of staff Dominic Cummings who, in his own words, wanted to hire ‘misfits and weirdos’ for roles in Johnson’s government. Super-forecasting has recently developed as a different way to determine the probability of an event occurring. Rather than asking experts in the field to predict the likelihood of a certain outcome, super-forecasting instead uses a selection of ordinary people that have previously made successful forecasts to make these predictions.

“Super-forecasting instead uses a selection of ordinary people that have previously made successful forecasts” Investing in accurate forecasting is particularly useful for governments as a means of being able to prepare for the future with awareness and anticipation of possible problems, whether it is the stability of the pound or the likelihood of threat to international relations. However, the hiring of Sabisky proved detrimental to the image of the government after a series of controversial comments posted on Dominic Cummings’ website by the super-forecaster appeared in the media.

“The hiring of Sabisky proved detrimental to the image of the government” In these posts, Sabisky revealed his belief in eugenics, the ‘scientific’ movement that aims to ‘improve’ the population by only allowing preferable genes to be passed on to future generations. Sabisky’s com-

ments included his desire for: compulsory contraception for the ‘underclass’ and his agreement with the shockingly racist belief that Black people have a lower intelligence than white people.

“It is extremely concerning that a government worker has given his support for this racially intolerant philosophy” This is not the first time that the highly unethical and racist beliefs belonging to the philosophy of eugenics have been brought to public attention. Eugenics has previously received wide-spread criticism after it was revealed that senior lecturer James Thompson of University College London had organised a private conference on eugenics and intelligence for a select group of students. The conference included speakers who had links both with white supremacy such as Richard Lynn, who had previously demanded a removal of the ‘populations of incompetent cultures.’ The exposure of this conference held at UCL sparked a series of protests and campaigns led predominantly by Black and Muslim students with the ambition to ‘decolonise UCL’ and condemn the endorsement of eugenics. Therefore, it is extremely concerning that a government worker has given his support for this racially intolerant philosophy. When asked for his response, following the revelation of these comments, Sabisky spoke out in criticism of the media, claiming he had been the victim of ‘selective quoting’ giving rise to a ‘hysteria’ that forced him to give up his position within the government. However, his writings on eugenics have received heavy criticism from leading conservatives, with MP Kwasi Kwarteng saying on BBC Radio 5 Live, ‘we should prevent racists coming into No 10 or wherever he was working. I think that we do need to look at these processes.’ This scandal is far from what Boris Johnson needs and Sabisky’s departure from the government only goes to remind the nation of the importance of standing up against the intolerance that is still present in society.

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Friday 6th March 2020

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Caroline Flack Deserved Better

Comment Writer Laura Bull takes a closer look at the tragic circumstances surrounding the TV presenter’s death, from online trolling to mainstream tabloids Laura Bull Comment Writer

Content Warning: This article contains mention of domestic violence and suicide which some readers may find distressing.

On Saturday 15th February, the tragic news that Caroline Flack had committed suicide hit the headlines. The shock was all the greater, as she was known to us as the bubbly and fun-loving presenter of Love Island. This is not the first time that Love Island has been connected to deaths, with two former contestants also committing suicide. In December 2019 she stood down as presenter of Love Island after being charged with assaulting her partner with a lamp. Flack was due to stand trial in March. She had pleaded not guilty and was released on bail with the stipulation that she would not contact her boyfriend. Her management referred to it as a ‘show trial’ and criticised the conduct of the Crown

Prosecution Service (CPS). Assault is of course a very serious crime, but the trial had not started yet and ‘innocent until proven guilty’ did not seem to be the case here. The trial by media took the form of both salacious and malicious articles. Her boyfriend said he did not support the trial going ahead and many then questioned why it was; however, victims of domestic abuse can be intimidated into dropping the case, so it is the CPS that makes the decision. On Twitter, the Secret Barrister said: ‘cases cannot be dropped simply because a complainant doesn’t want their partner prosecuted. Such a system would reward those who successfully coerce victims to withdraw.’ However, saying this, those accused should have more access to mental health services in the run up to the trial, as it is a very traumatic experience. Not only did the media ruthlessly attack Flack, but on social media many ordinary people also joined in. This escalated with the news that she had been

charged with assault. After she died, the outpouring of grief on social media was torrential, with many reposting her Instagram from 5th December that said, ‘in a world where you can be anything, be kind.’ Through this sort of tragic event, we can hope that people change and understand that their actions have repercussions. However, I fear that this is not the case. The Love Island final on Sunday 23rd January saw Paige and Finn win. Only a week after Flack’s death many on social media declared that ‘their winners’ were Siannise and Luke T and began trolling Paige and Finn. This herd behaviour, often spiteful and vindictive, that has become common on social media is extremely dangerous and can have very serious consequences. Flack’s rumoured relationships, particularly with younger men, hit the tabloids consistently. She was reported to have dated Harry Styles with much scrutiny and conjecture over the age difference. She was 31 and

he 17. There was also extensive commentary about the age gap between Flack and her boyfriend at the time of her death. She was 40 and he 27. There does not seem to be the same amount of criticism from the media about men who date younger women. Since the news broke of her assault case, the media has mercilessly attacked Flack. In a review of tabloid articles featuring Flack, The Guardian found that in December 2019, there were twice as many negative to positive headlines of her, including graphic descriptions of the alleged assault. An article that stands out is one published by The Sun the day before her death which looked at a Valentine's Day card with the words ‘I’ll fucking lamp you’ on the front. The Sun has since deleted this article. While no one can be certain of Flack’s mindset, this does show that she was under a huge amount of media scrutiny, and one can only imagine the unbearable pressure, at the time leading up to her death. In the wake of

Flack’s death, many tabloids have turned around and criticized the CPS for their handling of the assault case. I would argue that the tabloids should take a long, hard look at their own behaviour and their pernicious contribution to a toxic environment. Since Flack’s death more than 250,000 people have signed a petition calling on the government to launch an inquiry into the media's coverage of people in the public eye. We will have to see whether this amounts to anything positive and if action is taken on how the media can report on people in the public eye. It is in times like these that we should remember that our words can have far greater impact than we might imagine, and in the words of Caroline Flack, ‘be kind.’ If you are in need of support, please contact the Birmingham Samaritans free of charge from any phone on 116 123.

Coronavirus: From Bad To Worse

Following the recent outbreak in Italy the press have incited panic, privileging clicks over the responsible reporting, argues Comment Writer Massimo Spinelli Massimo Spinelli Comment Writer

Starting from Eastern Asia, our almost illimitably globalised world has accelerated the pace with which the disease has been spreading, and what was initially merely a concern for China, has quickly turned into a much closer threat. Italy, together with China, Iran and Turkey, is one of the most affected countries by the sudden outbreak of the virus.

“Considering the unique health situation developing in the country holding news professionals accountable should be the top priotity ” Out-of-context pieces of infrmation, misinterpreted numbers, wrong translations are all key elements of the disastrous coverage of the extraordinary health emergency the country is going through. All the leading national newspapers homepages, with no exceptions, highlight the

number of deaths and of those infected which updates and grows day-by-day. This is only the tip of the iceberg that is the failing Italian press which cannot keep pace with the current times. The quality of coverage is recklessly sacrificed making way for significantly quicker and more fragmented material. Source verification used to be one of the main professional and ethical rules for a good journalist, whereas now the only thing that really matters is to be the first one to write anything. This is not merely an Italian problem and considering the unique health situation developing in the country, holding news professionals accountable should be the top priority. With the coronavirus outbreak, one would expect the

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media to play a fundamental role in informing and assisting the population, sharing relevant suggestions on how to behave and all the precautions one should adopt to limit the possibility of contagion. Instead, newspapers and television outlets are too busy counting deaths and publishing stories focused on the panicked individuals who ‘lose their minds’ and raid entire supermarkets.

being left aside to leave room to cheap comments or, even worse, racist reactions leading to the closure of Asian restaurants and businesses. Besides, this is just one side of the story. Italian media are not taking responsibility for their actions and the panic they provoke, instead they blame the populus for their understandable reaction. Queueing for hours just to get two weeks worth of food and water is not such an illogical reaction if you are pushed to believe the country is on the verge of catastrophe. Surely not all the people who do that should be considered silly and irrational. Indeed, most of them simply trust traditional information channels, Trust on experts’ advice and which should not cause such a scientific-proof precautions are reaction in this delicate situa-

“Television outlets are too busy counting deaths”

tion. Eventually, the possibility of contagion and the actual danger of the virus is the least-touched point in all this confusion. Immunologists and doctors keep on reassuring people that this is not some sort of new plague. Data shows that still, the majority who get infected by the virus happen to be the elderly or patients who have already had previous symptoms, especially concerning the lungs and respiratory system in general.

“The number of clicks on a webpage appears to be more important than anything” Moreover, in this alarmist climate of tension, the possibility of getting to know trustworthy and reliable information seems to slowly vanish, as even the sources which are usually considered the most objective and balanced do not fulfil users’ expectations. Going down this path, the situation might get increasingly worse as, even when the health of the many is on the line, the number of clicks on a web-page appears to be more important than anything else.

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Redbrick Editors come together to celebrate their section's unsung heroines Bow Down: Women in Art ‘Women have been expressing themselves since the beginning of time, yet most of us struggle to name even one female artist from before the 20th century’. These are the first words of each episode of the ‘Bow Down: Women in Art,’ podcast founded and presented by Jennifer Higgie, editor at Frieze Magazine. Higgie invites artists, writers, curators and historians to nominate a significant female artist forgotten from the past, whom we should all appreciate today.

Emily Coxhead Within our current social sphere of divisive politics, world poverty and the threat of a climate catastrophe, it can be difficult to seek positivity. We need journalism that doesn’t censor the negative content, but also reminds us that there is much to remain hopeful for. Designer, author and illustrator Emily Coxhead has achieved this with her creation of The Happy Newspaper, a quarterly paper that prints only positive news stories. Launching in 2015, the paper has now expanded to include online content, merchandise, and Emily’s own book entitled ‘Make Someone Happy’. This uses tech-

Relatives In an industry dominated by men recognised for their flourishes and zany creativity, many women get lost in the hubbub of the food world. Not least, the unpretentious, diligent women, who are hidden even behind the handful of famous female chefs that do exist. These are the women at home, the mothers, the grandmothers, the aunts and the sisters, who receive very little public recognition. The position in which women have found themselves in our post-war society has required them to become both domestic goddesses and working women. Whilst holding down a job, they determinedly accommodate their

The nominees vary from Renaissance painter Artemisia Gentieschi to Surrealist photographer and writer Claude Cahun. The acknowledgement of these artists through conversation delves into their struggles and the relevance of those struggles today. Female artists now have a political agency, but it is still far from equal to that of male artists. Liliane Lijn nominates Stella Snead, an exceptional artist who went practically unnoticed. Lijn makes the excellent point that today, women are in the majority in art schools, so something structurally must be happening for female solo exhibitionsists to be in such a minority. The podcast discusses this history to inform and excite, as the time must come niques such as journaling and colouring to provide an outlet for creativity and self-reflection. Emily’s work often encourages reaching out to other people, whether this be through sharing news stories and handmade gifts, or simply investing more time in one another. This serves as an important reminder that whatever difficulties we may be facing, we don’t have to face them alone. Emily has proven that journalism need not be fuelled by clickbait, advertising and negative speculation, which is particularly important given the recent criticism being directed towards the British Press. Her hard work and creativity have resulted in not only some amazing products, but also a new way of looking at the world.

Frankie Rhodes

family’s needs, sometimes catering for several dietary requirements. They receive no pay, nor breaks for illness. Some may see this as an outdated conformation to gender roles, but women are admirable in rising to the challenge, and many find pride in harmonising their roles. Products which aid them in maintaining this difficult balance are popular and show women to be a major driver of the food industry. Women are responsible for the rise in convenience cooking, fuelling a market for ready meals and pre-chopped vegetables. These unsung heroines deserve recognition for their humbling roles as the backbone of the home kitchen, and for teaching many of us how to cook for ourselves.

Harriet Laban

when the art of tomorrow is that of both men and women in equal measure and the ‘mass amnesia’ of female artists’ genius is eradicated.

Grace Baxendine

Comfort Women The story of Madame Kim Bok-dong is one of senseless tragedy, yet it is one that few people have heard of. She was one of many ‘comfort women,’ it is estimated up to 410,000, who were stolen from their homes in Japanese-occupied countries during the Second World War and

Emily Clarkson Many of the women on these pages have done incredible things, however it is important to also commend the women who work not to be extraordinary, but to bring a sprinkle of positivity to everyday life. Emily Clarkson is an author and journalist, having written two powerful books about her life. Turns out she is also Jeremy Clarkson’s daughter, and I somehow managed to follow her for years without realising this. My initial attraction to her came from the discovery of her Instagram page. In her Instagram ‘bio’ she describes herself as a ‘Professional oversharer. Writer. Runner(ish). Pretty passionate.

Michiru Yamane The Castlevania franchise is one of the most storied and important series in the gaming landscape. Stretching as far back as 1986, the series has undergone many changes. One of its stalwarts is on the game’s infamous musical front in composer Michiru Yamane. Yamane studied music in college in Japan and would join 1988 to collaborate with numerous other members of the Konami Kukeiha Club, a team responsible for the sound and musical composition of Konami’s video games. Her work became recognised by the studio in Castlevania: Bloodlines in 1994, where she was given the

forced into sex slavery – many of physical reminder of these women were just children at the country’s dark past the time, with Bok-dong being – but we have a duty only 14 years old. She was raped to pass on their story, and beaten multiple times every in the hopes that one day until, aged 21, she was able to day Bok-dong, and reunite with her family, who were all other victims completely unaware of the abuse alike, receive the she suffered. At 60 years old, she recognition they was ready to speak up about her deserve. experiences, campaigning for a Holly Pittaway formal apology from the Japanese government who still refuse to confront the issue, and supporting fellow wartime rape victims. She fought for justice until the day she died on January 28th 2019, but despite this she never received such an apology. To the Japanese government, it seems that they are almost in the clear, as few comfort women remain alive today as a Usually bloated.’ Rather than having an Instagram full of polished photos, Clarkson presents her humorous takes on everyday life. Common posts include her impulse decisions, including that of training for a marathon, her IBS struggles, and videos of her dancing around her garden in her underwear. Every aspect of her Instagram has a positive spin on it and the highlight of it all is her weekly Friday Instagram stories, where people send in what they have achieved that week and a community comes alive with celebrating those around them. I find myself grinning as I watch Clarkson dance around her kitchen, celebrating someone she doesn’t know finally leave a toxic job or relationship. It is such a positive atmosphere in a social media world which is set on tearing other people down.

Ellie Silcock opportunity to become the principal composer, delivering a classy, gothic score brimming with darkness. She would continue leading the flagship series by composing for arguably the best entry in the series, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. Tracks such as Metamorphosis, Dance of Illusions and Dance of Pales display a full breadth of creepiness combined with beautiful orchestral arrangements. Yamane continued to score more and more entries in the series until her departure from the studio in 2008 to pursue her own freelance career with music composed for fighting game Skullgirls and another metroidvania-style game in the Bloodstained series. With over 40 Konami games under her belt, Michiru Yamane is

a stalwart of video game composition and a t r u l y important piece of Konami history.

Alex Green

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Amelia Earhart When asked about female travellers, my mind leapt to the bikiniclad women posing in front of waterfalls. Whilst I remain jealous of these women, there is another who should be more prominent in our minds. History remembers Amelia Earhart as the pilot who mysteriously disappeared, not as the first woman to cross the Atlantic Ocean via plane. Despite having set the women’s altitude record at 14,000 feet in the same month as gaining her pilot’s license, it was considered that such a flight was too dangerous for a woman to conduct herself. She was a passenger, a humiliating experience likened to being ‘baggage.’ Amelia used this

Carole Cadwalladr Last year I sat down to watch The Great Hack hoping I might understand w h a t Cambridge Analytica meant for mode r n democracy. I h a d heard of the scand a l circu-

experience to determine her own achievements. She became the first woman to complete the trip as a pilot, and the first person to fly over both the Atlantic and the Pacific. She demanded to be treated equally in marriage, writing that she would not be held to a ‘medieval code of faithfulness.’ Her concern for her rights extended into a concern for other women. She became the first president of the Ninety-Nines, established in 1929 by 99 female pilots to inspire and support female pilots. Earhart is an inspiration for women everywhere. She is not a figure whom I knew a great deal about before writing this piece, but she has done more than I can express. Fern O'Shaughnessy

Jamie Beck lating through snappy headlines and 140-character tweets, which did not tell the whole story. These tweets and headlines were drawn from the reporting of Carole Cadwalladr. Without Cadwalladr’s investigative reporting which earned her The Orwell Prize for political journalism in 2018, we would likely know little of what she termed ‘the right wing fake news ecosystem.’ This complex web linked Leave.EU and Donald Trump’s 2016 election campaign, alongside notable figures such as Nigel Farage and Aaron Banks. In The Great Hack, Cadwalladr sets out how Cambridge Analytica harvested the millions of Facebook user’s data to create targeted political adverts. Cadwalladr’s discovery culminated in plummeting stock prices for Facebook and Facebook’s founder Mark

Emma Hayes Football is unequivocally the nation’s favourite sport and, for too long, an overwhelmingly male one. Naturally then, Chelsea Women’s coach Emma Hayes is far from a household name, despite leading one of England’s

Emily Eavis Emily Eavis is the co-mastermind behind the musical paradise that graces Worthy Farm every year – Glastonbury. Alongside her father, Emily is responsible

for booking the acts that light up the stages year after year. Think Adele and Beyoncé; that was all down to Mrs Eavis herself. Under her guidance, Glastonbury enacted a strict no plastic policy in 2019 to make the festival more eco-friendly. This set a precedent for other festivals that now aim to achieve a similar goal of sustainability. Emily is also a flagbearer for gender equality. With recent uproar over the lack of female representation at music festivals and award shows, Emily believes that there should be a 50/50 split of male and female performers, especially at Glastonbury. After admitting that the festival has been male dominated in the past, Emily told Radio 1 Newsbeat that, ‘Unless you consciously change and really address it, then it will stay the same [...] It’s a challenge [...] but the acts are there.’ Emily Eavis is an example to all festival organisers and is someone that the coordinators of other festival giants, such as Reading and Leeds, should aspire to be in the future.

Bethany-Jo O'Neill

Scrolling through @annstreetstudio, Jamie Beck’s Instagram, her self-portraiture is distinctly individual, from portraits of her holding her baby clad in linen against sepia-toned backdrops, to still life portraits of carefully balanced fruit. Despite bringing classical influences, such as the poses of Botticelli and the moodiness of Caravaggio, into the 21st century, her photographs are anything but behind the times. Instead, Jamie has made a name for herself through her cutting-edge style of photography, creating the cinemagraph with her husband, Kevin Burg, a still photo in which a minor and repeated movement occurs. This movement is isolated within the photo and has been used by brands such as Armani and Chanel to cleverly draw the eye to a specific part of the photo. Whilst being innovative and commissioned as a photographer in her own right, Jamie Beck’s photography is commendable as she openly displays a celebration of

both the romantic and feminine, and more importantly the female body. Throughout her pregnancy she has shared nude self-portraits which celebrate motherhood and classical representations of the female body, complete with rolls and curves. These redefine our typical conceptions of an ‘influencer,’ elevating the natural female body to something that is romanticised and free from commercialism, instead being timeless.

Zuckerberg testifying in front of Congress. Yet, more important than these era- defining moments is the awareness raised around privacy rights, and the desperate need to regulate Silicon Valley and tech giants more broadly. Cadwalladr is truly an unsung hero. Without her work we can only wonder what might have happened if tech companies uneasy alliance with populist political campaigns had gone undetected.

Helena Gualinga is an 18-year-old activist from an indigenous community in Pastaza, Ecuador. Gualinga has spoken out about the reality of climate change in indigenous communities who live off the land and have a strong connection to their environment. Since she was a child, Gualinga has participated in strikes and protests against oil companies and industries which threaten the Amazon environment. A lot of attention is paid to young activists from Europe and North America, but communities like Gualinga’s are most at risk from the disastrous effects of climate change. Gualinga spoke last year at a Climate Summit in Madrid about the importance of protecting indigenous communities from the oil industry, and how communities like her own are important to

the protection of the Amazon rainforest and ecosystem. Gualinga has helped to lead a climate campaign called ‘Polluters Out’, a movement dedicated to stopping the fossil fuel industry. I think Gualinga and young people from rural and indigenous communities are incredibly important in the climate change fight, as they see first hand the impact of climate change and care deeply about the wellbeing of their home environments. I am in awe of brave young people like Gualinga, who stand up for themselves and their homes, especially in a climate where so many world leaders refuse to acknowledge the importance of their cause.

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equality in her sport, since she is willing to risk her own reputation to make a potentially meaningful impact. And besides, with the diving, expletive-laden rants at referrees and absurd ticket prices in mind, do female footballers really want to be exactly like the men?

Abby Spreadborough

Helena Gualinga top sides since 2012. However, that could all change very soon, as Hayes is a driving force behind the campaign to appoint the first female coach of a professional men's football club in England. Her impressive tenure at Chelsea, which includes five major trophies to date (including one last Sunday), alongside her shrewd, informative analysis of the game in the national media, have certainly done no harm to the public image of female boss-

Grimes Claire Elise Boucher, known professionally as Grimes, is an award winning artist and producer whose behind-the-scenes efforts are widely unacknowledged. For those unfamiliar with her, Grimes has been described as an artist by Tastemakers Magazine as ‘the alien love-child of Aphex Twin and ABBA,’ a description that I think, whilst at first difficult to imagine, is quite accurate. Boucher has produced all of her own music, a total of five studio albums, two EPs and 11 singles since her 2010 debut, as well as working alongside other prolific artists/producers such as Bleachers. Boucher has also dabbled in directing; in October 2016 she revealed seven music videos that she had created with her brother. Four of them were for her own songs, whilst the remaining three

Katie Norris

Coralie Fargeat French writer-director Coralie Fargeat has flown under the radar of many for nearly 20 years, but more than deserves a place alongside such directors as Greta Gerwig and Kathryn Bigelow. To

Hayes is determined not just to broaden opportunities for women in football, but to enhance women’s football itself. Granted, her call for female players to use smaller goals and pitches than their male equivalents has received criticism, with many believing this would paradoxically undermine the women’s game. Nevertheless, radical suggestions like this reveal Hayes’ selfless commitment to improving gender were for the artist HANA. She also directed the music video for ‘Venus Fly,’ a visual so complex that it required its own professional Bubbleologist. She has also spoken up politically, showing support for Hilary Clinton, matching donations for up to $10,000 for the Council on American-Islam relations following Trump’s travel ban in 2017, and trying out a shift in awareness of global warming. ‘People don’t care about it, because we’re being guilted,’ she told Pitchfork. ‘I want to make it beautiful.’

Gemma Elgar

Anna Meredith While most music fans will likely know her for her masterful pair of electronic albums Varmints and the recent follow up Fibs, Anna Meredith has become a name revered not only in the field of music but also a notable figure

date she has directed two short films and one feature. Her first short, 2003’s Le Telegramme, is beautifully simple – it follows two wartime mothers waiting for the news of their sons’ deaths. Fargeat starts as she means to go on, bringing forth discussion of gender dynamics and roles. It all culminates, however, with Fargeat’s feature debut: 2017’s Revenge. A horrifically brutal yet blazingly feminist raperevenge thriller, it stands as one of my personal favourite movies of the past decade. It carries a ton of thrills, and never shies away from the brutality of the initial assault, nor indeed from that of the revenge that Jen takes on her captors. Revenge is truly an unshakeable sensory experience that transcends everything we thought we knew about revenge films, and although Fargeat currently has no upcoming projects, I for one will be first in line for whatever she does next.

Matt Taylor

Emily Chapman

Kit Shepard

in the film industry, after recently receiving universal acclaim for her soundtrack of Bo Burnham’s 2018 film Eighth Grade. Before any of these achievements, Meredith became renowned for her work sound-tracking the proms, her first production being 2008’s proms. Since then, Meredith has received a multitude of awards, including an MBE in 2017, and has worked with organisations such as the National Youth Orchestra and an opera project with artist Philip Ridley. Since then, Meredith has focused her work on sound-tracking once again, this time providing the music for Paul Rudd’s 2019 series Living With Yourself. Meanwhile, Meredith’s studio albums have continued to receive acclaim and she has toured with the likes of James Blake. She is scheduled to play alongside industry legends Bjork and Spiritualized at Bluedot Festival 2020, showing that Anna Meredith shows no signs of stopping as one of the modern industry’s most forward thinking, far reaching musicians.

Dylan Lucas

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Friday 6th March 2020

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Anne Frank As author of one of the most famous books of all time, Anne Frank may not be an ‘unsung

Rachel Bloom For International Women’s Day, I want to celebrate a woman who created one of the most important TV shows of our time, Rachel Bloom, the creator of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. The show follows Rebecca Bunch (Rachel Bloom) as she tries to find happiness and true love while struggling with mental illness. To say that this critically acclaimed show started some much-needed conversations would be an understatement. It

Sinéad Burke When it comes to representation in the fashion industry, even in 2020, many people are still shouting to be heard. One of the key minority groups doing so is those with disabilities. At 3ft 5 inches, disabled rights activist Sinéad Burke has spoken out as a ‘little person’ in a big world, where things are not designed to meet her needs. One of the biggest culprits, and the focus of her activism is the fashion industry. Despite the expansion of the adaptive fashion market, it is reported that 75% of disabled people believe

Vikki Orvice An amazing part of sport is the fact that you don’t have to play it to enjoy it. You can participate through the extensive dis-

hero’ but she is not always given the recognition as a journalist which is due to her. Many people prefer to see her as just a young girl who wrote a private diary. Indeed, when she began keeping her diary, Frank had intended to never share it with anyone. In March 1944, however, Frank heard Gerrit Bolkestein, Minister for

Education, Arts and Sciences in the Dutch government-in-exile, on the radio. He announced his intention to create a public record of the life of the Dutch people under Nazi oppression, including people’s diaries. Frank, who wrote of her dream to become a journalist in an entry in April 1944, began to prepare her own diary for publi-

cation. She created pseudonyms for the people in her life, edited what she had written, and created copies. Though the Franks were betrayed and Frank herself did not survive the war, her journalistic intentions for her diary would eventually be realised through the efforts of Miep Gies, Otto Frank, Annie Romein-Verschoor,

challenges the viewer’s expectations at every turn, pushing boundaries and proudly tackling feminist issues head-on. Bloom shies away from nothing, no subject is too taboo. Sexism and double standards? Let’s talk about it! Worried you’ll die unhappy and alone? Let’s talk about it! Scared of therapy? Let’s talk about it! Bloom, a proud feminist, knows the responsibility that comes with a huge audience. The whole concept of the show is to challenge the word ‘crazy,’ especially when it’s used against women. It challenges beauty standards, no matter what your size, you deserve a happily ever after. The show takes tropes and smashes them to pieces. And it passes the Bechdel test with flying colors; all the women in the

show have their own unique personalities, goals and story arcs. They are a supportive sisterhood anyone would kill to have.

Twitter/@LisaMMcGee to Michaela Coel’s Chewing Gum. One brilliant example of these exceptional women is Lisa McGee. She is a Northern Irish writer who has produced numerous plays and shows but has recently struck gold with instead. the sitcom Derry Girls. Another The stories of Irish women example of have regularly been told in a McGee’s skills traumatic light. Whilst McGee’s as a writer is her series recognises the turbulence ability to ease any nonof growing up as a woman Irish viewer into the diaamongst The Troubles, Derry lect of Derry in the early Girls never fails to bring a 1990s. Endlessly funny yet sursmile. The series captures the prisingly sentimental, Derry poignant mundanity of a girl’s Girls is a gem in television teenage years in which every- comedy and I appreciate McGee thing is ordinary yet feels so for gifting the show to us. important. McGee excels at Catrin Osborne putting boys to the background of the series and focusing it on the girls’ love for one another

the industry doesn’t meet their needs. This is something that Burke is fighting to change, having publicly accosted fashion moguls such as Anna Wintour about the lack of accessible clothing in high fashion. In 2019, she was the first little person to be invited to the Met Gala and to appear on the cover of Vogue. Her story inspires me because, as a blogger myself, I believe everyone should be able to share the same passions and express their individual style. Tackling the representation problem from the top down, she is gaining support from some of the biggest names in fashion. Sinéad Burke may be a ‘little person’, but she is certainly making a big impact.

Alice Macfarlane

course that has only grown in the age of social media, with discussion and debate forming an incredible part of the worldwide sporting community. This discourse is open to anyone, of course, but is often shaped by those professionally employed to do so – journalists. Vikki Orvice was one such journalist, and in 1995 became the first

Amrita Mande

Lisa McGee Whether women are funny is a constant debate that unfortunately never ceases to stop dominating Twitter threads and YouTube comment sections. However, I’d argue that there are plenty of examples of women excelling at written comedy on our television screens from Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Fleabag

and Jan Romein. Frank’s diary is not just a record of the experience of a young, innocent victim of the Nazis in hiding, it is also the achievement of a young journalist using the limited tools at her disposal to report the story of her times.

John Wimperis

As the topic of my dissertation is Islamic feminism in Iran I knew I wanted to highlight the incredible work of an Iranian woman activist, of which there are many. I chose Mahnaz Afkhami after much deliberation as the breadth of her activism is incredibly impressive. Now living in exile in the US, Afkhami was the first woman to hold the position of Minister of Women’s Affairs in Iran. As well as this, she has founded and headed several non-

governmental organisations ken. However, even after being focusing on advocating wom- exiled, Afkhami continues to en’s rights. What stands out to fight for the rights of Muslim me about the Iranian women I women. I think it’s incredibly important to highlight have been the work of feminists researching for outside of our my dissertation Western bubble as is their sheer they often get overdetermination looked. In socially to fight for conservative their basic rights. Iran societies such as has had a Iran, the work tumultuof feminists is ous history fraught with and I would many difficulargue that ties which makes women have what women (and suffered the men!) like most because Afkhami have of this. I feel achieved for other like it would be women even more easy for people’s admirable. Abdul.Mnac spirit to be broHannah Lay

woman to join a tabloid as a football correspondent when she joined The Sun. The football world has historically been (and still occasionally remains) unkind to non-white males, and Orvice contended with many naysayers and bigots on her rise to her status as a respected sports journalist. She later became The Sun’s athletics

correspondent in 2002, and covered the Olympics, World Cups and Wimbledon up until her untimely passing last year. Orvice was also a founding board member of Women in Football, a network of professionals working in the football industry. Her appointment was undoubtedly a landmark in the quest for parity between the

genders in sports reporting, but there is still a way to go and changes needed in the industry establishment before this is achieved. One thing that will not change, however, is Vikki Orvice’s status as an inspirational figure to aspiring female writers.

Garvey always discusses is that while we see pay disparity in presenters, it is even worse behind the scenes with producers, which is why my unsung hero of radio is Kim Greengrass, a producer for The Archers. Yo u m a y t h i n k o f the Archers as a relic of radio and something you’d never listen to. I confess, I’m not regularly tuned in to find out the fates of the rural communit y. B u t y e t T h e A r c h e r s fascinates me in the way it provides social commentary and shows how rural communi-

ties exist in this world. The role of Producer means that Kim works on the script alongside writers from the inception of the stories, to editing, to then recording the scenes. The Archers is one of the fastest produced dramas due to it being a daily programme so the pressure to finish recording on time is i m m e n s e . Ye t , K i m i s calm and collected throughout. She and her small team work to deliver the show to millions across the U K e v e r y d a y.

Mahnaz Afkhami

Emily Youlton Station Manager @Burn_FM

Kim Greengrass If you think of women i n r a d i o , i t ’s v e r y e a s y to turn straight to Radio 4 ’s Wo m a n ’s Hour and immediately t h e n a m e J a n e G a r v e y. As well as a presente r, s h e c a m p a i g n s a n d speaks out on feminist issues, especially e q u a l p a y. O n e t h i n g

Luke Bosher

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Friday 6th March 2020

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Mind+Solve Sudoku (Easy)

9 3

5 3

6 7

1 2

6 2 1

9 6

3 8

1 8

5 4

Across 1. To give a practical exhibition and explanation (11) 3. To smooth clothes (4) 5. Make or become firmly fixed or embedded in a place (5) 6. Element; policeman (6) 7. Put or hide underground (4) 8. Slang for meekly accepting something unwelcome (7) 10. Antagonism or enmity (9) 13. Of lesser importance or seriousness (5) 15. The largest organ of the body (4)

5 8

8 17. American leader (9) Down 2. Key, decisive planning (9) 4. An uncultivated, unihabited region (10) 9. An outer layer or covering (4) 11. It can be conserved or exerted in humans and machines (6) 12. Inform someone of possible danger (4) 14. A set of things working together as parts of a mechanism (6) 16. An implement with an eye (6) 18. Commit to and begin an enterprise or responsibility (9)

1 6 4

8 9

8 1

4 6 12

songs and films. All you have to do is tell us which novels, songs or films the lines come from.

‘On 24 May 1863, which was a Sunday, my uncle, Professor Lidenbrock, came rushing back towards his little house, No. 19 Koningstrasse, one of the oldest streets in the old quarter of Hamburg’

The Redbrick Crossword

First Lines The premise of First Lines is simple: each issue, we supply a selection of opening sentences from various novels,

1 3

Issue 1516 Puzzles compiled by Natalia Carter

Sudoku (Hard)

6 7

‘I should have known / I’d leave alone / Just goes to show / The blood you bleed is just the blood you owe’ 9

‘The two young men - they were of English public official class - sat in the perfectly appointed railway carriage’

Anagrams Did you know that not a single female scientist is named in the GCSE Curriculum? Less than 50% of the British public can name a female scientist. Can you unscramble these female scientists?

1. MAURIE RICE 2. GONAD JOELLA 3. COMMIE JEANS

4. FOUNDERED NINJA 5. JOCKO WEATHERING 6. USUAL WAN 7. ALANDRINKS FLORIN 8. A REUNITING 9. DORY KNIGHTHOOD 10. BLUDGEON RETIRE

LAST ISSUE’S ANSWERS | Crossword: 1. Wider; 2. Reluctant; 3. Ordinary; 4. Distortion; 5. Trust; 6. Star; 7. Narrow; 8. Wheat; 9. Acquisition; 10. Provide; 11. Deer; 12a. Paradox; 12b. Privacy; 13. Magazine; 14. Appointment; 15. Post; 16. Temporary | First Lines: Neuromancer (William Gibson); The Hobbit (J. R. R. Tolkein); 'Sandcastles' (Beyonce) | Anagrams: 1. Netherlands; 2. Switzerland ; 3. Romania; 4. Ukraine; 5. Bulgaria; 6. Luxembourg; 7. Monetenegro; 8. Vatican City; 9. Liechtenstein; 10. Gibraltar Get in touch with Redbrick Mind&Solve by sending all answers, applications and queries to print@redbrick.me

Features

Friday 6th March 2020

@redbrickfood

Food&Drink and Travel: The Redbrick Travel and Food & Drink writers have collaborated to

Hungary Hannah Lay Comment Editor

When thinking back to some of the best meals I have had whilst travelling, my mind immediately went back to the tastiest goulash I have ever had the pleasure of eating. Although goulash is one of the national dishes of Hungary, I had it in Vienna, Austria. We stumbled upon the cutest little café just off one of the main shopping streets. It looked exactly like what I had imagined a quintessential Austrian café would look like, with checked table cloths and traditional decorations. The waiter spoke little English but was keen to recommend the Chef’s goulash to me so I happily agreed as I knew it was a classic dish that I should try. The rich stew, traditionally with beef, vegetables and a delicious blend of spices came served in a bowl made of bread. The dish was simple but tasty and injected the much needed warmth my body was calling for, after a cold day wandering around Vienna in December. Having recently made the decision to reduce the amount of meat I eat, I would be really keen to try a vegetarian version of this dish as I reckon the warming feeling it gave me in Vienna would be very welcome on a cold Selly night!

RitaE

South Africa Emma Stevenson Travel Writer

South African cuisine is all about the braai. Sizzling copious amounts of meat on an open fire barbecue crosses race, class and language to unite the whole country in this shared culture. With no need for a special occasion to braai or a particular time of day, friends and family simply come together to bond around food. When I visited family one Christmas, they even cooked the turkey on a weber. A braai is so much more than sausages and burgers. They have sosaties which are skewers of lamb or chicken marinated for days in a highly spiced sauce. Chicken flatty cooks in no time due to its flattened state and is like nothing we see in the butcher’s shop here. Boerewors is a spiced beef sausage with a high meat content. When I say spiced I don’t mean spicy, each dish has a unique flavour mixing fruits with meat and fragrant spice blends. It’s not the most veggie friendly food but you can’t have a braai without an array of vibrant, unusual salads. The beauty of a braai is that almost anything can be cooked on it and the social side of cooking really comes alive.

France

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Madison HardingWhite Travel Writer

Whilst they might not be the height of famous French cuisine, there is something to be said for the beignets found in St-Malo, France. Whilst beignet largely translates to doughnut in general, a beignet from Hector Mason in St-Malo is more of an experience than your common UK supermarket jam-filled or doughnut ring. Sold on the backdrop of a maze of cobbled streets just a short walk from a dreamy stretch of beach, beignets from St-Malo are generous to say the least (for me, the size of my outspread hand). Freshly cooked in front of you, doused in sugar then cut in half- you are offered a wide range of fillings from apricot jam, crème de marrons (a creamy chestnut paste) to ice cream- but we all know we’re going to choose Nutella. Melting with the heat of the sweet bread casing and in quantities to rival Instagram foodporn, I have never come across something so simple yet so unbelievably delicious. And if you’re looking for something savoury afterwards- the seaside town is famous for serving galettes, savoury crepes made with buckwheat flour served full with the likes of melted cheese, eggs, ham or bacon. Whilst the bottom turns slightly crispy, the top folds remain soft, producing a salty mix between a pancake, quesadilla and omelette. Plain galettes are the one thing that always comes home with me after visiting Brittany and something all visitors definitely need to try.

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Features

Friday 6th March 2020

@redbricktravel

Best Places to Eat Worldwide give us a culinary tour of the world

Belgium

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Abby Spreadborough Comment Editor

Food is one of my favourite elements of travel and is a great way to expand your experience of a country, as well as your taste buds. On a recent trip to Lille and Bruges, I tried Flemish cuisine and really enjoyed it. Eaten in Flanders, a region of Belgium that also influences cuisine in northern France, Flemish food is not necessarily for any vegetarians or vegans out there.The main players are oriented restaurants only to leave and return to Kirtil again. Price doesn’t always guarantee quality when dining abroad, but going off the beaten track does. well-known. There are fries, sold in traditional friteries and best with a huge dollop of Belgian mayonnaise. Belgian fries are world-renowned, and for good reason. When freshly made, they have a crisp outer shell and a fluffy inside, beating the cardboard texture of the British chip-shop chip any day. Served straight out of the fryer, the fries need the cooling accompaniment of mayo to enable you to dig in without searing your mouth. The combination is heaven-made.Next up is carbonnade flamande, a Flemish stew made from tender chunks of beef in a rich onion gravy. What defines this is the addition of gingerbread, which adds a spiced and stodgy element to the stew. This slight sweetness is accentuated by adding cassonade, a light brown sugar, and regional beer. These wonderful ingredients give depth to the dish, the sweet-savoury crossover adding an excitement which stew often lacks. Served with potatoes or fries, and a salad tossed in a mustard dressing, this is the ultimate warming food to eat after a day in the chilly air of wintery Flanders. If you’re feeling as though you’re not full enough, follow your fries and carbonnade with waffles, of course! Freshly made, with whipped Chantilly cream, is the way to go (chocolate is simply too sickly); they will melt in your mouth. Wash everything down with a glass of Delirium Red or Pelforth beer, and you’ve taken a near-complete tour of Flemish cuisine. Despite not being a go-to cuisine, you’re bound to have tried and loved Flemish food and drink in the past, and perhaps in the future you’ll be tempted to try something a little different (or just stick with the best fries in the world).

America Josie Hart Travel Editor

Chrkl

Turkey

Amongst my friends at least, if anyone is setting off to America they don’t leave without a shopping list of unique American confectionary in hand. The sweet or candy aisle in an American supermarket is a true experience. In any country of course, it’s fun to come across things you may not have heard of before and be forced to look beyond familiar packaging, but particularly in this case the selection is a true novelty. Whilst not perhaps such a culturally important food, I don’t think you can travel to Unsplash America without having fun with the novelty of candy in America. Nothing seems outrageous out there with candy. You can’t quite figure out how it would be possible to produce it in a safe and edible form gracing the shelves. Whilst that does leave slight concern over questionable health regulation, for a trip, the feeling of nostalgia, adventure and intrigue make it hard to resist indulging. Of particular recommendation of mine are icebreakers which you can usually find right by the till - think Extra chewing gum. I’d also recommend Tootsie rolls which are a bit like chocolate in sweet form so you get the best of both worlds!

Harriet Laban Food&Drink Editor

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Whilst on holiday last summer in the popular resort of Marmaris on the Western coast of Turkey, I came across a small local restaurant called Kirtil. Several streets back from the bazaar, mosques and ruined castle, Kirtil was not your typical tourist restaurant. In contrast to the seafront restaurants fitted with flash equipment, stylised décor and minimalist plating. Kirtil offered huge portions served canteen-style and over-looked Turkish barbershops and tattoo parlours. Waiters, waitresses and kitchen staff did not speak English unlike the fluent and often bantering restauranteurs who hovered outside beachfront locations. To add to this, Kirtil’s menu was short and sweet, unlike the vast offerings from tourist hot-spots. It was a firm favourite of locals, not designed to attract European tourists. I decided on courgette fritters, stuffed peppers, a potato salad and spiced onion salad only expecting to receive one helping of each, but received far more for the mere 20 lira or £2.50 we had spent. Kirtil was in complete opposition to the food culture experience just a few streets ahead. This restaurant was genuinely authentic, not masquerading as quality food with theatrical cooking or panoramic views of the sea. To add to this, the vast majority of their offerings were vegetarian making a change from the kebabs the region is famous for. A few days later we returned to the seafront to experience one of the larger tourist oriented restaurants only to leave and return to Kirtil again. Price doesn’t always guarantee quality when dining abroad, but going off the beaten track does.

CULTURE

Friday 6th March 2020

@redbrickculture

Thinkpiece: Politics at Play: Space, Power, and Representation at BMAG Digital Editor Holly Pittaway explores how Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery negotiates politics and power through the narratives implied in its exhibitions Holly Pittaway Digital Editor

Having visited the Birmingham History exhibit at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery twice already this year, I considered myself an expert when I accompanied my seminar group on a teach out there this week. Everything was as I remembered, starting with the city’s Medieval routes, traversing into the Enlightenment period and the Industrial Revolution, then onto the World Wars and finally ending in the present era. There were interactive elements, different mediums of display to break up the traditional blocks of text that museums have a bad reputation for, and even some striking visual elements. All-in-all, a fantastic, free exhibit – that was, until my seminar tutor asked us to critically engage with it. It was then that the cracks began to appear… Who decided what would be on show here? Whose stories are being told, and more importantly, whose are being ignored? How does the layout of each room add to or detract from the exhibit experience? What display elements invite you in while others put you off? Once we started asking questions like these, we realised that the exhibit was not the neutral conveyer of facts we naively once thought, but a political space which (either consciousl y or unconsciously), was devoting more attention to certain stories over others.

“A political space which, either consciously or unconciously, was devoting more attention to certain stories than others” According to Michel Foucault (HTP survivors stick with me here), ‘power and knowledge are thoroughly mutually implicated: power is involved in the construction of truths, and knowledge has

implications for power. The production, distribution and consumption of knowledge are always political in this sense.’ Whoever holds the power in the construction of public space is thus responsible for its politics – not the same flavour of politics as Brexit and running through fields of wheat, but the politics of space, such as the architecture of buildings, the classification and juxtaposition of artefacts in an exhibition, the use of glass cases or interactives, and the presence or lack of a voice-over on a film. As a result, museums can never be neutral, as much as we like to convince ourselves that they are; each exhibition is curated by individuals with ingrained biases, and these biases were proudly on display at BMAG.

“Each exhibition is curated by individuals with ingrained biases, and these biases were proudly on display” My group’s concerns were based most worryingly in the final room of the exhibit, depicting history from 1945 to the present day. This room should have been the most relevant and well-curated of all; but politics, it seems, were at play in this room, more-so than any other part of the exhibit. The space was uninviting, with one student even suggesting that the lighting was the problem – in fact, the way educational spaces are framed can often impact the way we consume information. A 2014 thesis, Displaying Spaces, found that, ‘museum spaces are more than just containers for exhibition settings and objects on display. Layout, design and atmosphere are some of the most significant factors in the overall experience of a museum visit,’ a conclusion that was reached after observing visitor behaviour at five institutions in Rome. The final room, as well as being too bright, suf-

fered from the large amount of empty space surrounding the object cabinets, as well as the sparseness and lack of coherence in the artefacts chosen for display. To me, it was particularly concerning that unlike the previous rooms, overarching themes that defined the time period were lacking, with very little to nothing at all on the sexual revolution of the 1960s, the 1980s AIDS crisis, or the miner’s strikes that plagued Thatcher’s government. We may put down such incoherence to the difficulty historians face in collecting contemporary items – the earlier rooms undoubtedly benefitted from having fewer remaining objects to choose from, thus rendering the curator’s job much less complicated. On a more practical level, many of the placards explaining the artefacts and their significance were far too small, causing a number of visitors to have to crouch down and squint, though that was only if they attempted to read them at all. The position of the space being adjacent to the exit was also a problem we observed, as for visitors who walked through the right doorway, this was the first thing they noticed, leading many to forgo the room entirely.

“One has to understand exhibition space in the context of British historical controversies” The room’s awkward organisation also meant that some of its most interesting displays, such as the placard about the struggle for Kenyan Independence, were concealed by object cabinets. Earlier in the exhibit, I had noticed a display focussing on Birmingham’s connection to the slave trade occupying a similarly awkward space in a nook off to the side of the main room – whether a conscious or unconscious choice, one has to understand exhibition space in the context of British historical controversies over the years. For example, following their Brexit

day special in which presenter Nish Kumar highlighted some of the international influences in British culture, CBBC came under fire from Andrew Neil for pushing an ‘anti-British’ agenda. British colonialism is often swept under the rug of national curriculums, with schools favouring the glory days of the Tudor Monarchy or the 1066 Battle of Hastings, over the lives of enslaved Africans in Britain or the struggle for Indian independence. Even as adults, few Brits are aware of the role that their country played in colonialism, with Liverpool, popularly known for The Beatles and Scouse, standing as the European capital of the slave trade from the 1780s until 1807, when slavery was abolished. As ‘products of colonialism,’ the power that museums thus hold in presenting colonial history cannot be overstated, and positioning relevant exhibits in nooks, adjacent to exits, or behind cabinets is surely hindering our ability to confront and apologise for the past… Another significant oversight was the room’s lack of childfriendliness, with almost no interactive elements and some features being completely out of reach to small children. Although many children may dread museum visits, extensive research has revealed the many learning benefits they offer young people, as ‘the early years are significant in a child’s growth and interaction with the environment through multiple senses heightens learning.’ But while there was clearly a significant effort made to engage with children in the previous rooms for example an interactive touch screen that highlighted the different areas of modern Birmingham in the Medieval era and an opportunity to pack a WW2 evacuee’s suitcase with toys – there was a stark difference in the final room. I noticed a number of small children in the room attempt to engage with some of the items on display but being unable to do so due to objects being above their eyeline and the interactive table-top being too tall – because of this, many families with young children ignored the room altogether. As with the spatial politics at play in the depiction of colonial history, the lack of accessibility for children in the room, must be under-

stood in context. A significant theme of this exhibit was LGBTQ+ rights, with one of the most eye-catching objects on display being a homemade banner in the centre of the room that read ‘End LGBT Racism.’ Despite the government’s motion to include samesex relationships on the school curriculum by September 2020, not all attitudes have adjusted. With the recent protests that took place outside Parkfield School in Saltley after the curriculum was expanded to cover homosexuality (following which many parents pulled their children from classes), it’s not hard to conceive of museums purposely shying away from catering such topics towards children out of fears over parental outrage.

“[There is] a responsibility to not only present revelant facts, but organise them in a way that forced visitors to engage” As fantastic as it is to have a free attraction such as this in Birmingham City Centre, we should remember that, at its core, it is a deeply political space that has a responsibility to not only present the relevant facts, but organise them in a way that forces visitors to engage with them. In writing this I hope that, if BMAG continue to not address their spatial politics, we as visitors, can at the very least look past the face value of the objects and placards on display, to think about the stories they might be hiding (both physically and metaphorically). Museums, though many might brush them off as dull and oldfashioned, have a significant impact on the way we view the past, present and the future. As public institutions they have a duty to tackle all aspects of the country’s history, as ugly as they may be.

Pixabay, Daniel_Nebreda

CULTURE

Friday 6th March 2020

@redbrickculture

Review: Jekyll and Hyde Life&Style Editor Frankie Rhodes reviews a modern take on the classic novel Frankie Rhodes Life&Style Editor

In our current political sphere, the idea of a corrupt figure hiding behind a seemingly virtuous exterior isn’t too difficult to imagine. Arrows and Traps Theatre Company have taken this concept and inserted it into our 21st Century world, with all of its neoliberal baggage, to create a production of Jekyll & Hyde that is inextricably modern.

“In our current political sphere, the idea of a corrupt figure hiding behind a seemingly virtous exterior isn’t too difficult to imagine” Using a fairly minimal set, consisting of a few chairs and a gauze screen, a single wall of political propaganda depicted Henry Jekyll: former medical student, mayor and aspiring democratic presidential candidate. The play spans a few years of his life, covering his student days, time as mayor and campaign for president. Of course, this narrative is highly defined by his relationship to a charismatic man he originally meets in a crowded place: Edward Hyde. What begins as a friendship

becomes infatuation, edging its way into the psychotic JekyllHyde dynamic that we all know and love. The opening scene depicts a tense conversation between brothel-owner Imogen Poole and Gabrielle Utterson, Jekyll’s Press Secretary and close friend. Lowlighting accompanies the confrontation as Gabrielle attempts to obtain information about a recent incident, in which a Mr Hyde assaulted a child, but was bailed out by none other than Mr Jekyll. Upon discovering that Jekyll was Hyde’s unexpected confidante, Gabrielle explains, ‘that man is the city,’ implying that whatever scandal associated with his name would mean big trouble. This theme of social scandal haunted the whole production, and the cast were able to portray hidden moments effectively through the use of the gauze screen. The ghoulish Hyde could appear as if from nowhere when being discussed by other characters, and the gauze was also used to depict Jekyll miming his political speeches, trapped in an endless loop of desperate crowdpleasing. This duo formed the foundations for the production’s success, with Christopher Tester’s Hyde as an enigmatic villain and Will Pinchin portraying a kindhearted yet fatally weak-willed Jekyll. With many of the scenes focusing on intense one-on-one confrontations, the show required some comic relief, which was amply provided by Gabrielle Nellis-Pain as Imogen. She was able to make scrupulous investigations appear light-hearted, and brought in modern references with ease. In general, the production’s attempt to insert allusions to current politics occasionally felt

forced, with terms such as ‘coronavirus’ and ‘global warming’ thrown in with little context. Unfortunately, it felt that the quest to be relevant to the audience came at the expense of the narrative weight.

“Social scandal haunted the whole production” With that being said, one modern debate was highly effective: the discussion of gun control. With Jekyll campaigning to reduce gun crime, the production includ-

ed statistics from school-shootings and footage from student campaigners. This cleverly linked to the general atmosphere of violence, dissuading the audience from romanticizing the criminal acts. With Jekyll as the most politically powerful character, this explored the idea of who gets to control gun regulations, and what moral considerations should govern their choices. Another character who upheld a moral stance was Gabrielle Utterson, who Lucy Ioannou portrayed as intelligent and defiant; perhaps excessively so. Some of her lines risked verging on the unconvincing, and I felt it was her more subtle moments that were

the most powerful. In contrast, Charlie Ryall as Hayley, whilst playing a more muted character, was able to deliver a sense of emotional vulnerability that felt striking. Overall, this was a ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ that was perhaps less about Jekyll and Hyde and more about modern society in general. A minimal set drew attention to the generally impressive acting, with digital technology effectively incorporated. I left feeling that I had witnessed something straight out of a Twitter feed, such was the temporal relevance, yet it still managed to maintain theatrical flare.

The Old Rep Theatre

Review: What a Time to Be Alone Culture Critic Rebecca O’Daly reviews Chidera Eggure’s latest self-love novel, a Sunday Times best-seller Rebecca O’Daly Culture Critic

refreshing to read. From toxic friendships to dead-beat relationships, Chidera covers it all. The book is peppered with Igbo proverbs and idioms, inspired by her mother who repeated them to her as she grew up. One of my favourites was, ‘When the rat follows the lizard out into the rain, it is only the rat that gets soaked.’ For Chidera, part of the appeal of using the proverbs in the book was their universality; after all, everyone can relate to animals. Pixabay, Johnhaine

What a Time to Be Alone is the debut book by popular writer/ blogger and self-love guru Chidera Eggerue or The Slumflower. It garnered an almost instant buzz following its publication, featuring on the Sunday Times best seller list almost instantaneously. The 23-year-old is currently making big waves as a body positivity advocate amongst other things. When she started out, The Slumflower was a fashion blog but now readers might recognise her as the face behind the #saggyboobsmatter campaign. It should come as no surprise then, that Chidera’s venture into the self-help world would be an instant success. This self-help guide to the modern age was borne out of

Eggerue’s own journey towards self-love and acceptance. She describes it as a book ‘by a recovering hypocrite.’ Certainly, this comes across in the content. There are none of the vague platitudes that often characterise self-help manuals.. Instead, Chidera cuts to the chase with some bold home truths. In her own words, this no holds barred attitude came from her own frustration at reading self-help books that catered towards a more privileged audience, urging one to ‘quit their job and travel!’ when for most this is never going to be a feasible plan of action. The absence of whimsical suggestions of this nature in the book is what makes it so

“The book is peppered with Igbo proverbs and idioms inspired by her mother who repeated them to her as she grew up” Further demonstrating the breadth of her talents, Chidera does her own illustrations within the book, thus cementing her points with eye-catching graphics. She tells of the rationale behind including no page numbers in the text as being deliberately chosen

to illustrate that enacting change has no prescribed beginning and end. This is just one of the ways that the book allows the reader absolute autonomy, ensuring that the book can be dipped in and out of, as and when a particular section has relevance. Overall, the book is a heartwarming read and certainly changed my perception of the selfhelp book genre as being rather outdated. Chidera’s use of accessible language and visual aids of illustration and graphics mean that the book is certainly relevant to any reader. What a Time to be Alone by Chidera Eggerue- published by Quadrille (£12.99)

MUSIC

Friday 6th March 2020

@redbrickmusic

Single Review: Aminé Shimmy Sarah Mawson Music Critic

Nine months after his last single, Aminé has returned with a bravado I forgot he had. Acknowledging this hiatus in the first line of the song, ‘it’s been a whole year,’ he immediately begins to promise big things from the second line, saying ‘let’s not front, it’s my year.’

“Aminé has returned with a bravado I forgot he had” While typical cloud-laden topics such as money, girls, and cars have been Aminé’s bread and but-

ter since his rap career started in 2016, it’s his more introspective lyrics that most fans think of him for. He’s been writing heartfelt messages about mental health and relationships since his first album, but these came through strongest on his second album, OnePointFive, in songs such as ‘DR. WHOEVER’ and ‘TOGETHER.’ Following this, ‘Shimmy’ comes as a surprise. The beat, sampling Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s ‘Shimmy Shimmy Ya’, goes harder, the bars are more boasting, as is the music video - it shows Aminé on boats and on top of buildings, carousing around his hometown of Portland, displaying his gold grills. His references to the Ol’ Dirty Bastard track (the two songs share cover art and a

raw hook) remind listeners that Aminé possesses the same skill as some of the founding fathers of hip hop, contributing to an entire p e r s o n a l i t y ’s worth of braggadocio that comes across in two minutes. If there is an album in the works, fans can only hope it contains this level of energy alongside the inevitable more poignant tracks.

Editors’ Songs of February: The Music Editors recap their top pick for Song of the Month: Gemma Elgar (online): All Time Low - Sleeping In Daisy Kirkaldy (print): Kiana Lede - Mad at Me Dylan Rhys Lucas (online): Black Midi - Sweater Bethany-Jo O’Neill (print): Franc Moody - Flesh and Blood

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Editors’ Pick:

Live Review: Goo Goo Dolls Jade Matlock Music Critic

With their audience primed with an impressive set from Reading newcomers Valeras, Goo Goo Dolls brought their latest album Miracle Pill to Birmingham for their first performance in the city in three years. The strong connection between the band and crowd is immediate, with ‘Indestructible’ establishing that the night was one to be filled with enjoyment on both ends. It is, however, approximately four songs into the twenty-one song long set that this energy from the band seem to dwindle. ‘Miracle Pill’ seems to provide no ecstasy whatsoever for frontman Johnny Rzeznik, who is outshone tenfold by the infectious enthusi-

asm of bassist Robby Takac – he wastes no time in engaging with his audience at every available opportunity throughout the gig. Rzeznik’s questioning of ‘does everyone here have asthma?’ should, in itself, indicate the atmosphere in the venue. Regardless, the band cannot be faulted for their instrumental quality – their melodies are tight, and the guitar solos stand out as the star of each song that passes. The crowd seem transfixed by their performance and take every opportunity to show their support for a band that many have followed since the start of their career in the late 80s. Perhaps one of the most tedious elements of this gig was the attempts by the band to relate to their audience: rarely successful. One heckler provided the most entertainment of the evening by calling Johnny Rzeznik a ‘liar’ for an anecdote

about the early stages of their career. The exchange was long, almost exhaustingly so, but was one of the most genuine moments of the concert. Rambling anecdotes seemed to punctuate their performance. While not entirely unusual, it did leave the flow of the setlist slightly disjointed. ‘Life’s a Message’ and ‘Bringing on the Light,’ fronted at this point by Takac, seem to go down a treat with the audience. Everyone was overjoyed to see the enthusiasm that he brought to the group, with kicks and audience engagement abundant in his performance. While these songs are not the most lyrically complex of their repertoire, the dynamic between band and audience at this point is one of the strongest of the night so far. With Rzeznik at the helm once more, the band round out their night at the Institute with their

most famous hit to date – ‘Iris’. The song is highly anticipated by the audience, who are near to hysterics as soon as the mandolin is brought out for the opening melody. There is no doubt that this is the pinnacle of the performance, phone flashlights waving proudly as many audience members hold one another; despite some difficulties in their performance, Goo Goo Dolls have established a unifying finale that leaves those in the venue believing more in their abilities. The show was polarising in the enjoyment of the audience and Takac against a mostly nonchalant demeanour of Rzeznik but cannot be criticised too harshly for its instrumental qualities. Hardcore fans of the band, regardless of my own grievances, were thrilled with the night’s events.

Music Critic

Niall Horan’s ‘No Judgement’ marks the third single off his upcoming album, Heartbreak Weather, along with the huge successes ‘Nice to Meet Ya’ and ‘Put a Little Love on Me’. During an interview with Billboard, Horan states: ‘I wanted to tell the story that was in my head ... I was trying to think how I could write a different album than the usual.’ And thus far, he has become successful in doing so. Each of his new singles pose a different message with an incredibly different sound - Horan has escaped the

confines of his comfort zone and as a consequence is producing a variety of new and elevated music that continues to pleasantly surprise fans. ‘No Judgement’ is fun, catchy, and just different enough from Horan’s previous solo material to entice excitement for upcoming releases. He sings about the perfect relationship in which there is “No Judgement” reserved for either one, even if that entails eating mayonnaise by the spoonful in bed. In the early stages of a relationship, both parties usually walk on eggshells, however

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David Keenan, The Sunflower Lounge, 12th March After touring Europe with Hozier in 2019, rising Irish star, David Keenan prepares to embark on his UK tour which stops in Birmingham on March 12th. His recently released debut album, A Beginner’s Guide to Bravery will be a treat to hear live. Best of the Rest: The Wants, The Sunflower Lounge, 2nd March The Jacques, Hare & Hounds, 3rd March The Regrettes, O2 Academy 2, 18th March DREAMERS, O2 Academy 2, 17th April King Charles, The Castle & Falcon, 5th May IST IST, Dead Wax, 13th May

Single Review: Niall Horan No Judgement Ffion Hâf

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the lyrics go on to say that there is no reason to be someone you’re not when you are with the one you love. The song is quirky and has an upbeat sound one cannot resist swaying from side to side everything seems to sync effortlessly and smoothly. What I love about Niall Horan’s work is how he writes with complex guitar lines that add a certain uniqueness to his songs - this is definitely the case with ‘No Judgment’. As an artist, he already has his sound and a great voice, however more importantly, he is a very accomplished and talented songwriter, which becomes

Black Grape, The Mill, 3rd October Texas, Symphony Hall, 15th October Niall Horan, Arena Birmingham, 3rd November

evident when listening to his songs. He is creating a fresh and fun pop sound, using his abilities to create something truly dynamic. There are multiple melody patterns that flow beautifully over the straightforward chord progression, made interesting by the guitar work that intricately gives a fantastic texture to the bridge, verse and chorus. The song is beautifully constructed and doesn’t rely on multiple effects to keep the listener interested - the subtle yet catchy melody will make this song a huge number, and that is all it needs.

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Friday 6th March 2020

@redbrickmusic

The Brit Awards 2020 Bethany-Jo O’Neill Music Editor

Year after year, The Brit Awards is a stand out date in the calendar for any music lover. Its past notable moments have included Geri Halliwell’s iconic union jack dress in 1997, the Arctic Monkeys’ drunken but hilarious acceptance speech in 2014, and who can forget Madonna’s unfortunate caped tumble down the stairs in 2015. This year was the 40th anniversary of the Brits and it did not disappoint in terms of entertainment even if it garnered huge criticism in the run up to the event for the lack of female nominations in big categories. The night began with a performance of Mabel’s ‘Don’t Call Me Up’, which was the biggest single to be released by a female in 2019. The performance got off to a shaky start with a greater focus on production than on the vocals; however, after a dance interlude, Mabel demonstrated her vocal ability, winning her Best British Female later on in the night. The award was presented by two former winners, Jorja Smith and Ellie Goulding, who embraced Mabel as she returned to the stage to collect her accolade. Mabel looked visibly shocked to receive the award but was incredibly proud to win on a night exactly thirty years after her mother, Neneh Cherry, took home two awards from the same ceremony. After Mabel’s opening performance, the host for the evening, Jack Whitehall, began his hosting duties with a poignant tribute to Caroline Flack who passed away the weekend before the awards show. Following this memorial, Lewis Capaldi took to the stage, to perform his heart wrenching ballad, ‘Someone You Loved.’ The track took on new meaning in light of Whitehall’s tribute and had many of the audience in the O2, and at home, in tears. After his stunning performance, Lewis Capaldi collected the award for Best New Artist. Although thoroughly deserved, after becoming the nation’s sweetheart in less than 12 c a l e n d a r months, Capaldi’s accepta n c e speech was fitting for t h e

Twitter: @Mabel

funny personality he has come to be recognised by. Holding a bottle of beer, he made a silent acceptance whilst gesturing to thank the audience for the ongoing but thinning applause. When the singer did eventually speak, the whole speech was bleeped due to the overwhelming content of expletives. The award was presented by his close friend, Niall Horan, who could not stop laughing in the background of Capaldi’s acceptance. This would not be the last time the audience would be hearing from the funny Scotsman. The singer won Best Song of the Year for ‘Someone You Loved.’ This time Capaldi graced the stage with an even bigger bottle and gave a longer speech which addressed the meaning behind the song. After a few jokes aimed at his ex-girlfriend’s appearance on ITV2’s Love Island, he proceeded to credit his Grandmother’s death for the songs success and made the best out of a bad situation. The third performance of the night came from Horan’s One Direction bandmate, Harry Styles. Styles performed the beautiful track ‘Falling’ from his latest album Fine Line, in a deliberate pool of water accompanied by a grand piano and a keyboard. The performance was vocally flawless and a true tear jerker. Styles demonstrated that he is a force to be reckoned with in the music industry and was very unlucky to leave the awards without a win after being nominated in two categories. One of the highlights of the night was the emergence of a new comedy trio – Jack Whitehall, Harry Styles and Lizzo ( up next to perform). Jack Whitehall introduced the new queen of pop with a gag about her being able to fill one of the gaps opening up in the Royal Family which went down a storm with the audience. Performing a melange of her greatest hits, Lizzo’s abundance of energy and incredible staging put on quite the show. She did not miss a note in her whole performance and at one point passed the mic to a fan in the crowd who finished her line word for word and note for note. The next award to be presented was Best Male Solo

Artist which was delivered by the ‘King of Seshlehem’ Ronnie Wood (as decreed by Mr Whitehall). The award went to Stormzy who seemed very surprised, humbled and incredibly thankful to have won. In a very sweet display of gratitude, the grime star declared, ‘To be the best male, I have got the most incredible females in my team,’ to which the camera panned to his very proud and excited team gathered around his table. Following on from his triumphant performance at the 2018 awards show, later in the night, Stormzy performed a medley of hits to a very welcoming crowd. The performance began with a gospel choir for his songs ‘Don’t Forget to Breathe’ and ‘Do Better’ in front of a stunning pyrotechnic display. A mass of backup dancers joined Stormzy on stage for ‘Wiley Flow’ and ‘Own It’, with Burna Boy joining Stormzy on stage for ‘Own It.’ The medley ended with ‘Rainfall’ as all the choirs and dancers came together onto one stage - this must have been close to breaking records for the number of people on one Brit Aw a r d s s t a g e ! Water began to fall onto the performers at the end of the performance in contrast to t h e pyro at the start and it was like a big party that

evein the a n d ing at wanted

Twitter: @LewisCapaldi

after such a big performance and collecting a prestigious award such as Best Male Solo Artist, the most meaningful moments of Stormzy’s attendance were apparent in the aftermath of the event. The rapper took the time to speak to so many of his fellow nominees to tell them how much he appreciates and supports their music - it was truly brilliant to see. Dave’s performance of ‘Black’ was the most poignant of the night. ‘Black’ is an amazing song that discusses extremely important issues which are not given enough mainstream attention. The rapper raised concerns such as racism at Number 10, the treatment of Meghan Markle, and the lack of support for Grenfell survivors. Dave performed on a double-sided piano with the two musicians wearing contrasting black and white suits. As well as this impressive aesthetic, the 3D artwork which was presented on the piano was outstanding. The words of the song encapsulated everything that needed to be said. Dave’s performance will go down as being one of the most important and historical performances in Brit Awards history and if this wasn’t impressive enough, the rapper also won one of the biggest awards of the night: Mastercard Album of the Year, for Psychodrama, which he claimed was ‘one of the biggest honours of [his] entire life.’ The award for International Male Solo Artist went to Tyler the Creator after the success of his album IGOR. The rapper credited ‘British funk from the 80s that [he] tries to copy’ as being part of the key to his success before satirically dedicating his award to his biggest fan Theresa May in another funny jab at UK politicians. The former Prime Minister banned the rapper from entering the UK in 2015. The competition for Best Group of the Year was fierce but Foals came out as victors in this battle after releasing two very successful albums in the past year. The band seemed very shocked to have won and praised their record label for giving them the freedom to do what they want to do; a freedom that a lot of artists don’t always have. T h e n e x t p e r -

formance of the night came from Billie Eilish who performed her James Bond track ‘No Time To Die,’ which has now entered the charts at Number 1. The ensemble included Eilish, her brother Finneas, Johnny Marr, Hans Zimmer, and a full orchestra Jack Whitehall called the performers ‘the Avengers of music.’ The performance was simply incredible. Everyone was waiting for that impressive high note and Billie absolutely smashed it. It was nice to see a stripped back performance from the young songstress adding yet another string to her ever-expanding bow. The 18-year-old went on to win the award for Best International Female and, as a big Spice Girls fan, she was very excited to be presented the award by Sporty Spice, Mel C herself. The singer began to get emotional at the outpouring of love and support she was getting from the audience as they smiled at her during her performance, as well as her acceptance, because she said she has had to endure a lot of hate recently. The penultimate performance of the evening went to Celeste who performed her powerful song ‘Strange’. The singer’s vocals were incredibly flawless and based on vocal ability, I would award her with best performance of the night. The staging was simplistic which really allowed her voice to stand out; her sound is ethereal. Celeste won the award for Rising Star and I am excited to see what is to come next for the promising star. To round off the Brit Awards’ 40th Birthday, the final performance of the evening was from one of the biggest selling British artists of the last four decades, Sir Rod Stewart. Stewart performed with the surviving members of Faces - Ronnie Wood, Kenny Jones and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra to lead the audience in a grand sing-a-long to classics, ‘I Don’t Wanna Talk About It’ and ‘Stay With Me.’ Stewart and Wood shared the microphone for every chorus of ‘Stay With Me’ and I think I speak for everyone when I say I was just so glad t h e y remembered the lyrics!

ryone arena, watchhome, to join. E v e n

Twitter: @BRITs

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Twitter: @SantanDave

FILM

Friday 6th March 2020

@redbrickfilm

Review: The Invisible Man

Film Editor Matt Taylor takes a look at this remake of the 1933 classic monster movie Matt Taylor Film Editor

Content warning: This article contains mention of domestic abuse Let me start by saying that the rhetoric currently doing the rounds online that all modern horror movies are schlocky, jump scare-filled piles of garbage is entirely untrue: if you genuinely believe that, you aren’t watching the right horror films. As both a critic and general moviegoer, I’m no stranger to good horror – a quick glance at my previous reviews, or even my ongoing dissertation, will tell you that. And yet, I’m always pleasantly surprised by a horror so good that I may genuinely struggle to properly stand after the credits start to roll; I’m talking about the likes of Midsommar, Us, The VVitch, Raw, Suspiria, or Hereditary. This is something that has only happened a handful of times, which is why I was extremely taken aback when I found myself staggering out of Leigh Whannell’s The Invisible Man r e m a k e . Thankfully removing all memories of U n i v e r s a l ’s failed Dark Universe, this Blumhouseproduced take on The Invisible Man gives the horror genre the perfect start to the 2020s; Whannell’s film is at once a chillingly slick horror and a superbly feminist story of surv i v i n g domestic abuse, and brings all of its components together to create an unshakeable powerhouse of terror. It is fair to say that this is not your grandp a r e n t s ’ Invisible Man. Far removed from the bandages and sunglasses of HG Wells’ original creation, Whannell’s version turns the classic character into a h a t e f u l domestic abuser experimenting with invisibility to stalk his girlfriend Cecelia after she finally manages to escape him.

But it would be wrong to focus on him when this is not his story; this is Cecelia’s film through and through, and both Whannell and actor Elisabeth Moss work perfectly together to give audiences a heroine for the ages, a stand-in for anyone who has suffered any kind of domestic abuse who we never once feel distant or estranged from. This is her story. It is safe to say that without Moss this would be a very different film, and, chances are, it would not be as successful as it is. The two-time Emmy winner pulls no punches here; her description of the film as a ‘feminist empowerment story’ is bang on the money as she channels her previous research into abuse survival into the character of Cecelia, rewriting scenes and lines of the script on the fly with Whannell until both were satisfied that Cecelia was how they wanted her to be. It is a testament to her acting ability that, not only is she able to make us fear an empty r o o m (though more on t h a t later), but one of the f i l m ’s m o s t intense scenes is its opening, that s e e s Cecelia escape her and Adrian’s house to finally get away f r o m h i m . There are no m o n sters, no music, and only one word of dialogue, but Moss sells it beautifully. Everything from her body language to the level of emotion welling up in her eyes – even the way she tenses her whole body when she thinks she has woken Adrian up by accident – everything we need to know about Cecelia we learn in this opening scene. She is careful, logical, brave – but above all, she is a survivor. As we’d hope,

the supporting cast are on top form, too. Aldis Hodge and Storm Reid are in beautiful shape as father-daughter duo James and Sydney, the former of whom is a childhood friend of Cecelia who offers her refuge after she escapes Adrian. It is clear that all three love each other to pieces, but as Cecelia’s paranoia increases over the course of the film, and with no proof to back up her claims that her dead ex-boyfriend is stalking her, it’s a struggle. Hodge is particularly superb, acting as the only man in Cecelia’s life that she can trust when all others have failed her, but when his daughter is put in danger he’s forced to prioritise. Reid is simply wonderful as Sydney; the star of Ava DuVernay’s A Wrinkle in Time pours her heart and soul into her part here, selling both the lighter moments with Moss and the more intense ones with equal gusto, letting the audience believe every moment of her performance. The 16-year-old is absolutely one to watch in the coming years. Harriet Dyer is fantastic as Cecelia’s sister Emily, who, as with James and Sydney, feels pushed away from Cecelia as the film progresses. The chemistry between her and Moss is equal parts tender and frosty, truly selling the pair as sisters pushed apart by conflict. Michael Dorman gets a deceptive little role as Adrian’s brother Tom, and manages to walk the line between endearing and suspicious without leaving the audience sure of which he actually is.

“It is not strictly ... a horror film, but a story about domestic abuse that happens to be dressed up as a monster movie” And then, of course, there’s the man himself; Oliver JacksonCohen perfectly sells his role as Adrian, working in fantastically horrifying balance with Moss’ performance and Whannell’s script to create a true horror villain the likes of which we haven’t seen since Freddy Krueger’s introduction in 1987. What’s so remarkable about his performance is that he barely says a word; he speaks perhaps fewer than fifteen lines over the course of the film’s 125-minute runtime (and when he does his voice drips with a tangible malice), yet we are terrified of him all the same. Part of this is down to his physicality – the ways in which he assaults various people over the course of the film, invisible or not, are gut-wrenchingly brutal, deliberately calling to mind Whannell’s previous film, 2018’s magnificent Upgrade. Part of it is down to the invisibility itself; Whannell uses this perfectly, switching between quiet scares and louder ones with ease. As such, a knife falling off a kitchen table but never hitting the floor, or the mysterious increasing heat of a hob, is just as terrifying as a truly gorgeous long take in which Adrian takes out a squad of armed

security guards. Whannell knows his audience, he knows just how to get under their skin, and he, Moss, and Jackson-Cohen work here in a horrifyingly brutal harmony.

“This is not your grandparents’ Invisible Man ... far removed from the bandages and sunglasses of HG Wells' creation” That brutal harmony is indeed one of the film’s greatest strengths; Whannell never feels the need to compromise or lose any detail in any aspect of the film’s text, subtext, or indeed paratext. On a technical level the film is utterly stunning. Benjamin Wallfisch’s earth-shattering score is sure to shake you to your very bones, as the Blade Runner 2049 composer pulls out all the stops to create a haunting mix of synth, strings, and horns that carry an even stronger resonance when enhanced by IMAX speakers. Stefan Duscio’s cinematography is nothing less than beautiful – his various framings of empty rooms are perfectly placed to leave us terrified of what is potentially nothing, but because of the way he frames the shot we feel as if there is something, or indeed someone, there. Andy Canny’s editing is pitch-perfect, knowing exactly when to cut and when to simply let the horror flow. The harmony between all of these components would be the best part of Whannell’s film, were it not for the way in which it deals with its subject matter. Whannell has admitted himself that, in making The Invisible Man, he felt inspired by Ari Aster’s 2018 masterpiece Hereditary – and while I do not dispute that, the film actually bears more resemblance to Aster’s sophomore feature Midsommar, a breakup movie that disguises itself as a folk horror. The same comment could be made about The Invisible Man; it is not strictly, or

solely, a horror film, but a story about domestic abuse that happens to be dressed up as a monster movie. The taboo subject matter is handled with sensitivity and care, and, while we (thankfully) see very little of the actual physical abuse inflicted on Cecelia, we hear enough about it and see enough of his other ways of abusing her that we get the picture. Again, Whannell and Moss sell this perfectly; their dialogue combined with Moss’ beautifully restrained performance in Cecelia’s quieter moments lend a fairly out-there film a feeling of purpose and modern-day relevance that many mainstream movies are missing. What Cecelia tells us she has gone through is exactly what many survivors of domestic abuse have gone through in reality; The Invisible Man, then, is ultimately not a horror film, but a film about a woman striving to find her place in the world while still being haunted by the very real psychological and physical assaults of her ex-boyfriend. This narrative of survival serves to ground the film in humanity, and makes the film’s magnificent final moments hit even harder. The Invisible Man is by no means an easy watch, but it is a film that simply needs to be experienced by as many people as possible. The only question you’ll need to ask yourself is this: is that seat next to you really empty? VERDICT: Surprising both everyone and no one simultaneously, both Blumhouse and Leigh Whannell have done it again. Combining perfect performances and writing with a bone-shaking score, gorgeous visuals, and a near-unshakeable sense of utter dread, The Invisible Man stands as a masterful, totally controlled, painstakingly crafted piece of horror cinema. It is that extremely rare type of genre film that will grab you by the throat and refuse to ever let you go, and should rightfully stand as one of the best, most haunting horror movies of our times.

Universal Pictures

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Friday 6th March 2020

@redbrickfilm

Review: Dark Waters Mark Ruffalo stars in this corporate law thriller Ellie Burridge Film Critic

Dark Waters is full of moments that feel like gut punches. The true story of a corporate defence attorney, Rob Bilott (Mark Ruffalo), who goes up against chemical company DuPont, its trailer and summary suggest a run-of-the-mill ‘issue film’. You know the type: those standard, blandly made films with a Message that are churned out by Participant Media, the studio that brought us Spotlight, Green Book, The Post and The Help. Of those, Dark Waters shares most in common with Spotlight: both are angry enough and topical enough that they aren’t restrained by the trappings of the genre – and both feature Mark Ruffalo yelling: ‘They knew!’

“Every shot, with its sickly greenyellow colourgrading, has a point to make” On the surface, Dark Waters is rather run-of-the-mill. But with director Todd Haynes behind the helm, it feels fresh, exciting, and powerful. Every shot, with its

sickly green-yellow colour-grading, has a point to make. It goes beyond conveying that the town DuPont is poisoning the water supply of is sick; America is sick. Haynes’ target isn’t only DuPont; the camera often glides along roads with its lens aimed towards the jaundiced light of countless corporations’ logos. It’s a tricky dance, especially since the protagonist believes almost until the end that he can change the system from within, and that the system itself is not the problem. Bilott, who begins the film as someone obsessed with not rocking the boat, thinks of DuPont as an aberration. Haynes is able to communicate that DuPont is not substantially different from the chemical companies that Bilott’s law firm routinely defended. Neither does Haynes (or screenwriters Mario Correa and Matthew Michael Carnahan) fall into the trap of excessively deifying Bilott. “Do you want a prize?” the farmer who first enlisted Bilott’s help (Bill Camp) yells at him after Bilott mentions how hard he’s been working on the case. The farmer has lost his livelihood and the health of himself, his family and his community to DuPont. Bilott may make sacrifices – and he does – but it will never be comparable to what an underprivileged West Virginian farmer has endured at the hands of unrestricted capitalism. Furthermore, Bilott very deliber-

ately does not cast an imposing figure; Ruffalo plays him as a man with poor posture, hunched into himself, a man who eventually develops a tremor in his right hand as a consequence of the stress he puts himself under. It’s not a film with a feel-good ending where the underdog wins; Haynes, Correa and Carnahan know that’s very often not how it works.

“Dark Waters is full of moments that feel like gut punches” Bilott simply does not have the resources to truly go to war with DuPont. There are successes littered throughout the film, but they feel hollow as the viewer watches the years tick by. We start in 1998, and even as the timeline progresses closer and closer to the present day, there is very little by way of relief: DuPont is currently worth $14.3 billion. Even the assurance that the real Rob Bilott is still fighting does little to assuage the impotent anger a film like this inspires. However, there is value to a film as bleak as Dark Waters. There’s no ‘everything will be alright’ assurance; this is a monster movie where the monster is

Focus Features

still alive at the end. The opening scene features teenagers splashing around in a lake, and the camera advances on them from below the water – a shot recognisable as a staple of the shark attack genre. Only, by the end of the film, we’ve come to realise that what’s in this water is far more deadly than any inhuman creature.

but it is a film that earns the label of ‘important’. It feels essential in an era where the most powerful man in America is a businessman obsessed with deregulation, who lauds unfettered capitalism; even though Haynes – like Bilott – doesn’t have the power to impact what happens to American Goverment, his cinematic voice is indispensable.

VERDICT: Dark Waters is not without its genre limitations, and it’s not the most fun night out,

Review: The True History of the Kelly Gang Gaming Editor Alex Green studies this fictionalisation of the life of outlaw Ned Kelly Alex Green Gaming Editor

It takes a special kind of film with the words ‘True History’ in the title to immediately open with the phrase ‘nothing you are about to see is true’. But The True History of the Kelly Gang is exactly that kind of film. Following the upbringing and life of Australian outlaw Ned Kelly, played here by George Mackay of 1917 fame, we see a young Ned Kelly transform in three distinct acts across just over two hours. The slow morphing of Kelly throughout the story is ultimately what drives the latest directorial effort from Justin Kurzel (Assassin’s Creed, Macbeth), with Kurzel also producing.

Picturehouse Entertainment

The story of Kelly feels fully realized here through a large ensemble cast playing all of their roles to a tee. Russell Crowe embodies a seemingly warm, fellow bushranger in Harry Power excellently, with an explicit acoustic number about police constables being a highlight. Nicholas Hoult forgoes his recent heartthrob roles for a more darkly intriguing turn as Constable Fitzpatrick, and Essie Davis is totally on form as Kelly’s mother, Ellen. However, the two stars are those who display all the sides of one of Australia’s most notorious criminals. Orlando Schwerdt and George MacKay are brilliant here, displaying vulnerability, bravery and insanity all rolled in without overplaying it in a comprehensive set of performances, somehow

pulling off the tricky task of fully exposing the nuanced fears and fierce bravery underpinning Kelly’s action in a world he slowly feels more and more disenfranchised from. Within the ensemble cast, Kurzel can explore a full breadth of masculine personas, effectively breaking it down into its traditional ideals and how they can fundamentally change and define characters. Violence infects Ned’s life as its prevalence and scale becomes larger, starting at something domestic and becoming much more. There’s even some dry humour used to poke fun at the empires occupying Australia, and through that there’s some brief but fun looks at colonialism. That humour is ultimately fleeting for a film which tonally establishes itself early on as one that is as oppressive as the English colonists themselves. The motif of the pale horse and establishing shots of a desolate outback with dead trees do a great service to this, with a hard sense of bleakness. It certainly makes The True History of the Kelly Gang a hard watch, its measured pace feeding into an unfolding depravity that almost feels ominous in its inevitability, partly fed by the real-life story and by the fact the film establishes its own unpredictability. Mackay provides an overarching narration throughout the narrative that takes the form of a long form letter. It begins with a prom-

ise that what he writes is true, complimenting the film’s contradictory assertion, and Kurzel revels in this complete sense of uncertainty, crafting some brutal and, at times, insane sequences that present themselves as either the harshly realistic happenings of a character in chaos or the unrealistic ramblings of a mad man. To achieve this, Kurzel helms some glorious visuals held together by excellent cinematography from Ari Wegner and a score that is often absent, yet completely brilliant at aiding tension and fear when necessary. You can thank Kurzel’s younger brother Jed Kurzel, whose pedigree in the horror genre includes scores for The Babadook and Overlord.

“Schwerdt and MacKay are brilliant here, displaying vulnerability, bravery and insanity” Sadly, said visuals can sometimes result in Kurzel getting a bit too hands-on with some action scenes. The direction to put the camera as close to Kelly as possible as his psyche starts to fray is understandable and solid. What doesn’t help is an obnoxious use

of strobe lighting which doesn’t add too much apart from being headache-inducing and with too much of a desire to achieve a stark artistic contrast between light and dark, sacrificing key clarity. It hurts a finale which is already struggling thematically to tie everything together that’s come before. A shame that ultimately for all its noise, the film finds itself running empty in its third act. What does matter is few films so far in 2020 have managed to put together such a shamelessly bleak atmosphere as well as The True History of the Kelly Gang. When it is hitting its notes, it hits them with a cacophony of bangs contrasted with some brilliant moments of silence. Whilst its final cadence doesn’t entirely land perfectly, Kurzel has put together a daring, if at times dissonant picture framing Ned Kelly in all sorts of perspectives and lights. Regardless of that, Kelly’s rebellion and growth are impossible to look away from, no matter how hard it feels to observe. At least Crowe is available to sing acoustic songs in the outback. VERDICT: A resolutely bold film that instills a gripping atmosphere, provides excellent central performances amongst a beautifully shot and consistently paced picture. It’s just a shame it doesn’t entirely stick the landing.

TELEVISION

Friday 6th March 2020

@redbricktv

The One With The Reunion Comment Editor Hannah Lay discusses the risks in reunion shows and hopes that the Friends special will live up to expectations Hannah Lay Comment Editor

February 2020, the month that six people broke Instagram. On the 21st February, the cast of Friends each took to their Instagram accounts to announce that they would be re-uniting for a one-off special.

“There have been calls ever since the show ended to have a reunion” Although there have been calls ever since the show ended to have a reunion, and countless rumours over the years these have always been shut down by the cast. However, speculations became more serious in October last year when Jennifer Aniston posted a picture of herself and the rest of the cast on her Instagram which sent the rumour mills into overdrive. Since then, the cast had posted about numerous other gatherings on their social media, so fans were understandably increasingly excited.

“It has been predicted that the format will be in the style of a chat show” The Friends reunion will apparently be unscripted and will be filmed on the Warner Bros. lot where the entire series was originally filmed. It has been predicted that the format will be in the style of a chat show giving the cast a chance to reminisce about their time on the world’s most famous sitcom. I am a little bit disap-

pointed that the reunion is not an episode in the original format as I would have loved to have seen what the characters are up to now. However, I am still extremely excited as I am a huge fan of the sitcom. The chance to reminisce alongside the cast – cheesy I know – sounds fabulous to me. However, my excitement is not shared by everyone. Reunions are a risky business. Incredibly successful shows like Friends have a lot to live up to and therefore there is an immense pressure on those writing reunions to not let fans down. Some fans are worried that the Friends reunion will be reminiscent of the failed Inbetweeners reunion which was heralded as disastrous. The chat show for-

is arguably true that reunions are not always doomed to fail.

“It is arguably true that reunions are not always doomed to fail" Last Christmas saw the cast of Gavin and Stacey reu-

viewers tuning in live or on catchup during the following week. The BBC reported that it was the mostwatched TV comedy in the past 17 years. The figures are obviously a testament to its success. It was incredibly well done and left viewers wanting more. I think the key was the inclusion of the nation’s favourite jokes alongside new content that made it feel current. It would have been easy to try and recreate exactly the same show as before but this would have likely led to a lot less success. Humour evolves and jokes that hit the mark in 2008 may not have hit the mark in 2019 so it’s good that James Corden and Ruth Jones recognised this when creating the script. So what is the likelihood o f

Television Critic

This week’s web series of the week is How Not to Travel Europe by Youtuber GeoWizard. After starting as a gaming YouTuber predominately showing off his expertise on the popular game GeoGuessr, which drops you in a random place on google maps and gives points based on your guess as to your location, GeoWizard a.k.a. Tom Davis has moved into travel videos. These vlogs are far from stress-

“I think it is important to watch the show with the context in mind" Obviously, I am not condoning deliberately sexist/homophobic/ racist plotlines as they are outright not acceptable and I do agree that if these jokes were made in shows created today the response would need to be different. However, it is important to remember that the humour in the 90s was very different and the good bits of the show should not be forgotten about.

“Friends remains my favourite programme, always providing comic relief when I need it” the

mat of

The Inbetweeners reunion was criticised with some fans claiming that Jimmy Carr, who was hosting the special was too overbearing and the cast looked disinterested. However, it

Instagram/@jenniferaniston

nite for a Christmas special. The special garnered huge success with a total of 17.1 million

Friends reunion experiencing similar success to the Gavin and Stacey special? Well, last year was the second year in a row that Friends was the most streamed show in the UK so evidently its popularity is not dying out anytime soon.

Web Series of the Week: How Not to Travel Europe Robbie Hawken

There are some, particularly from younger generations who are increasingly critical of the storylines featured on the show withaccusations that the plots are sexist, homophobic and racist (among other things). But, whilst these viewpoints are understandable, I think it is important to watch the show with the context in mind.

free clips of someone’s holiday, as Tom attempts to complete multiple challenges set for himself throughout the trip.

“Davis attempts to travel from Geneva to Bratislava, without spending any money”

Davis began with his attempt to cross Wales in a straight line which is also a series well worth watching. Now, he has moved onto his new series, where he attempts to travel from Geneva to Bratislava, without spending any money, alongside his best mate Welsh Greg. The 5-part series is a rollercoaster of emotions and leaves you often questioning the sanity of its creators. The modes of travel challenges are particularly interesting, as the pair attempt to use as many modes as they possibly can, ranging from scooters to

kayaks (and many more). It must also be said that the charm of the videos stems from their host, whose honesty and sense of humour consistently bring me back to his videos.

“It must also be said that the charm of the videos stems from their host”

Personally, Friends remains my favourite programme, always providing comic relief when I need it. I can safely say that the number of times I have watched the entire series all the way through is in double figures and I am not even ashamed. I understand that some of the jokes miss the mark in today’s society but I think the streaming statistics speak for themselves and clearly enough people can still watch it and enjoy it. I cannot wait to see the six friends reunite very soon. Mapswire

Overall, the series leaves you with a fantastic sense of well-being and a renewed belief in the kindness of people, as they are helped along their way by a smorgasbord of people, each no more obliging than the last. Although the pair do seem to be unbelievably lucky at times with who they bump into, perhaps this instead shows us that we should put more faith in one another as the results can be as astounding as this truly wonderful and hilarious series, which I would recommend to anyone, although perhaps not the faint-hearted.

TELEVISION

Friday 6th March 2020

@redbricktv

Review: The Pale Horse

TV Critic Molly Schoenfeld praises the acting and aesthetics of this new Agatha Christie adaptation Molly Schoenfeld Television Critic

affair and is the cause of his misery.

"There are ... clever deviations from the original plot”

‘Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn and caldron’ simmer? Sarah Phelps’ two-part adaptation of the Agatha Christie novel, The Pale Horse, is suitably spellbinding, even if it lacks a punchy ending. The choice of story is intriguThe plot is catalysed after the ing – The Pale Horse was mysterioriginally published in o u s 1961 at a time when deaths Christie was arguably o f struggling to write in two view of changing moral values. Phelps, nevertheless, always manages to turn what were previo u s l y cosy little murd e r s accompanied by tea and scones into grimy and disturbing slaughters (although I will always love sitting down to one of those Twitter/@agathachristie elegant murders on a rainy Sunday).

“Phelps, nevertheless, always manages to turn what were cosy little murders accompanied by tea and scones into grimy and disturbing slaughters”

local women. These two deaths have something in common: both victims lost their hair before they died. Desperate to prevent his own death and find his intended killer, Easterbrook starts his own investigation, much to the annoyance of Inspector Lejeune. Phelps’ version is delightful viewing with stylish, period aesthetics. A favourite is the 1960s vibrating exercise belt used by Hermia whilst she ironically enjoys a cigarette: the perfect illustration of misguided midtwentieth century health advice. Easterbrook’s car, a Lagonda Coupe 1956, is the crowning period feature with the money

There are, as is usual in Phelps’ adaptations, significant, often clever deviations from the original plot. In this adaptation, we see Mark Easterbrook (Rufus Sewell), an antique dealer, living in a miserable second marriage to Hermia ( K a y a Scodelario) after the death of h i s beloved f i r s t w i f e , Delphine (Georgina Campbell). Easterbrook is by no means the perfect man, which is a clever variation of the origTwitter/@agathachristie inal story in which it is Delphine who has an

spent on hiring the car being put to full use through its frequent appearance, it seems, even for the smallest of journeys. Beautiful filming locations are chosen, such as Easterbrook’s sumptuous urban home and the countryside village of Much Deeping, which Easterbrook’s friend Ardingly (Henry LloydHughes) says ‘sounds pornographic, so I’m all in favour’ – I would be surprised if Christie put that in the original novel. The Lammas Fair at Much Deeping is terrifying with masks, veils and a strange side-stepping march that all the villagers seem to think is perfectly normal. In addition, the recurring song, ‘My Dream’, by The Platters is, as the title suggests, a sublimely oneiric choice and neatly ties into the plot of the adaptation.

Twitter/@agathachristie

“Beautiful filming locations are chosen” Amongst this spectacular scenery is a host of acting talent. The pensive Rufus Sewell is the perfect choice for the flawed charac-

Top TV Picks for March

ter of Easterbrook. Playing the Stepford Wives-type wife Hermia Easterbrook, Kaya Scodelario does a marvellous job of being the diligent yet unstable housewife on medication.

“Kaya Scodelario does a marvellous job of being the diligent yet unstable housewife on medication” Apologies for the profanities, but a favourite moment is when an irritating guest taps the ashes from a cigarette onto the dining table and Hermia longingly imagines hitting her over the head with a leg of lamb and yelling ‘Use a f**king ashtray you b*tch!’. Claire Skinner further proves herself to be incredibly versatile by playing the callous Yvonne Tuckerton. I will not spoil the ending, but after such a promising lead up until the last twenty minutes, it did disappoint. It seems unfair to place the blame on Christie, as the ending to her original novel is a punchy and resounding one. Phelps’ ending, on the other hand, is slightly tenuous, supernatural and therefore lacking that feeling of satisfaction one generally derives from a Christie novel when the murderer is cleverly uncovered, causing an exclamation of ‘Aha!’ from the reader. While this will inevitably get a beating from Christie purist fans, who have probably tutted their way through it, sitting with their wellthumbed copies of Poirot and Miss Marple at hand. The feminist plot which Phelps has devised brilliantly brings the novel kicking and screaming out of Christie’s early twentieth century ideals. The problem is that by using a Christie novel, the viewers are set up to watch a traditional detective story, which is why the ending seems a little flat. If one removes this expectation, The Pale Horse is intelligent and highly entertaining television.

««««

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Noughts + Crosses BBC One 5th March

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Breeders Sky One 12th March

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The Letter for the King Netflix 20th March

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The English Game Netflix 20th March

GAMING

Friday 6th March 2020

@redbrickgaming

Redbrick Picks: Switch Savings Redbrick Gaming Writers and Editors find the best deals on Nintendo’s flagship device that will cost you less than £15 To The Moon Where to start with To the Moon? On a console housing one of the most versatile games libraries out there, To the Moon is perhaps a sleeper pick for the Switch. It doesn’t really have any benefit to being portable, it’s entirely single-player, and its gameplay minimal. And yet, it makes it into this feature simply because it’s so high quality that I’d be embarrassed not to mention it. To the Moon is a four-hour-long interactive story (and even the interactivity is questionable) with a reputation for reducing players to tears. One day, Doctors Eva Rosaline and Neil Watts rock up to an old man’s house. His name is Johnny, and he’s on his deathbed. But, before Johnny dies, he has one last request that he wants fulfilled. You see, for as long as he can remember, Johnny has always wanted to go

to the Moon. And Rosaline and Watts are some of the only people in the world who can make that happen. To do it, they will need to access Johnny’s memories. Between the innovative science fiction, and the emotional beating that To the Moon is not afraid to hold back on, lies a thoughtful script, a wistful soundtrack, painstakingly crafted pixel art, and an unforgettable story. Lead writer and director Kan Gao expresses sentiments and ideas with crystal clarity, and the sequel, Finding Paradise, only improves on the foundations To the Moon lays out. It is an RPG Maker title, yes. It’s also not a secret that To the Moon’s largest export is human tears. And now that it’s on the Switch, so you can shroud yourself in a blanket in bed, or on the sofa, and play it like you might read a book? There’s really no excuse not to, especially at only £10.79.

overarching theme of melancholy encircling the post apocalyptic world. Every Telltale Games’ The Walking Dead – character has lost so much and it’s up to Season 1 proved to be a remarkable exam- you to raise their spirits and help them ple of an episodic adventure game to survive. The decisions are made when it was released in 2012, more difficult due to a time amassing hugely positive limit, meaning mistakes are responses from IGN and very possible. This creates Metacritic among others. an adrenaline rush Despite being one of the throughout the most earlier Telltale Games, it intense moments as one has proven to be one of the decision could combest and is still looked pletely alter your jour2013 BAFTA upon as a highly emotional ney. Award and engaging experience. This game feels like a Every decision matters. natural fit for the Nintendo Nominations Characters will think differSwitch, as it works as a ently of Lee Everett (the main game which you can play on character) based on your choices a casual basis and a game you which means you must think carefully can enjoy when out and about. On to build the best character relationships the Nintendo eShop, you can find this possible. These decisions last for the entire gem for £12.99 and it has the replay playthrough, emphasising the independ- value to make it well worth the money. ence of your journey. I find the story to be so emotionally stimulating because of the Kyle Moffat

Evan Amos

Kieren Platts

The Walking Dead - Season 1

Devolver D igital Telltale Gam es

Freebird Gam es Chucklefish

Katana Zero When it comes to Switch bargains, few are stealth elements and verticality in a fantasas wonderfully polished as Askiisoft’s tic way. Katana Zero. At the time of writing, it’s It’s best not to mention too much about available on the digital storefront for the story as surprisingly there’s a lot to £13.49, an excellent price for a surprisunpack across the six-hour playtime. ingly nuanced hack-and-slash All sorts of side characters join combined with a beautiful neon the frame to both help and aesthetic and delightful soundhinder our protagonist, even track. Published by Devolver sentient masks of comedy Digital, players control an and tragedy appear to proassassin who uses a drug duce a chaotic sci-fi world called Chronos to predict with great intrigue to it the future and deliver gloriand an unpredictability to ously brutal deaths across the unfolding narrative. copies sold in its many rooms to find his tarIf the critical excellence first week gets before going home for a isn’t enough, Katana Zero cuppa and mundane housing also boasts commercial sucproblems like noisy neightcess with over 100,000 copies bours. sold in its first week, and Fiendishly simple, yet an idea that Askiisoft themselves currently workgives rise to some beautifully executed ing on a free update to provide a speedrun combat. Our assassin is fast, able to use mode and extra content on top of the origiobjects in the environment to his advan- nal story. Now’s as good a time as any to tage and deflect bullets with ease. The jump into New Mecca for a fun time slayresult is punchy gameplay with brutality at ing. its core and plenty of variation in the level design within that framework, utilising Alex Green

100,000

Stardew Valley No game is as fitting for the gimmick of the Nintendo Switch than Stardew Valley. Currently avaliable for £10.99, the game sees you take the role of a farmer inheriting their grandfather’s old plot of land. Leaving the city behind for a quieter life with nature, the rest is up to you. Stardew Valley shines through the sheer quanitity of things to do. You can befriend the villagefolk and build interesting, dynamic relationships; you can explore the local mines or markets; and, of course, you can take part in your fair share of farming. The controls of the title are inituative and extremely easy to get to grips with, suited perfectly to the handheld nature of the Switch but not difficult to grasp at all in Television mode, either. While parallels with the Harvest Moon franchise are difficult to ignore, Stardew Valley shines in its desire to push mechan-

ics further and improve on the life sim genre. There are a huge variety of seeds at your disposal from the outset, giving you the perfect opportunity to experiment with different crop types and tailor your farm however you wish. Similiarly, the mine invites you to discover jewels, ores and mysteries and you delve into its depths - as well as vanquish creatures with its surprisingly extensive dungeon crawling combat. Stardew Valley is the relaxing, timeconsuming dream of any Switch owner. The portability of the title is a bonus in an in-depth adventure that sees you raise animals, build a farm and essentially maintain a second life in peaceful Pelican Town. While it is avaliable on every current-gen platform, the Switch version is easily the most natural fit. Sam Nason

GAMING

Friday 6th March 2020

@redbrickgaming

Debate: Have Remakes Hurt or Hindered Gaming?

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Writers Kyle Moffat and Kieren Platts argue the merits and downsides of the many remakes in gaming right now Kyle Moffat Gaming Writer @KyleMoffat11

In the current gaming industry, remastering video games is very important. They have helped to diversify a market long dominated by FPS and Sandbox titles such as the Call of Duty, Assassins Creed and Battlefield series. Many like myself have tired with these genres because of their constant attention, so it could be that remastering reintroduces genres – as well as series – that have been lost across the Twenty-First Century. One genre that has risen from the ashes through the remaster is platformers. With the Crash N. Sane Trilogy and Spyro Reignited Trilogy, we have seen fondly remembered PlayStation 1 titles earn a second shelf life. With exception to Super Mario and Indie games – think Celeste and Limbo – the video games industry has been platformer deficient in the past decade. Even successful platformers such as Super Mario Maker and Ratchet and Clank feel more like reimaginings than brand new titles, taking heavy influence from earlier instalments in their respective series. When I played through both remasters, it was my first experience with the trilogies, with exception to the original Spyro the Dragon, and it was a breath of fresh air because of their challenge. Admittedly, I purchased both titles expecting to easily complete them and perhaps return them within a couple of months. The opposite occurred as I enjoyed the challenge and plan to play through both again very soon. With experiencing Spyro the Dragon again after so many years, a wave of nostalgia came over me as I revisited the levels that I vaguely – yet fondly – remember from the 1998 version. Creating updated versions of our childhood memories adds to the escapism of the industry, encapsulating how many of us fell in love with video games to begin with. If a remaster of Tekken 3 or Star Wars Battlefront – not made by EA – was released, I know I would quickly pick them up to relive my childhood memories. Like mentioned with both the Crash and Spyro trilogies, remakes have opened up the possibility of experiencing acclaimed video games. The magic of remasters doesn’t just arise from reliving memories but creating new ones to cherish forever. This was the case with the 3DS remakes of the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

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and the sequel, Majora’s Mask. During both adventures I realised why they are so beloved in the gaming world and I now understand and appreciate how the pair has shaped 3D games and they adopt a linear style enabling focus and appreciation for the narratives being told. Nostalgia will only get a videogame so far and it’s well-known that games age, especially with how much the medium has developed in recent years. As a result, remasters have a duty to improve the quality of those games with new mechanics, animations and remove bugs and glitches where possible. A large number of remasters have undergone drastic changes to compete in today’s market, some more radical than others. One drastic transformation that comes to mind is the remaster of Resident Evil 2, remade in 2019. Many changes to this survival horror game are entirely justified, with the clunky controls, outdated graphics and awkward camera from the original much improved. Graphics have been impressively updated, helping to express the gore and horror present in Raccoon City. Furthermore, the controls are much more responsive, with aiming, shooting and running much improved. Introducing the third person perspective used in Resident Evil 4 as well as upgrading voice acting contributes to the overlying agreement from the community that Resident Evil 2 has benefitted from a new skin. This has allowed the game to not just live in a gamer’s nostalgia but to live in the present. Remasters have also provided gamers with the opportunity to purchase polished titles for a cheaper price than that of a completely new title. Both the Spyro and Crash trilogies cost me roughly £60, buying shortly after they were released. Nowadays it is difficult to buy a newly released game for less than £50 due to the market’s inflation, so remasters are a way for consumers to get a great game for a great price. Yes, they may be shorter in length due to the limitations of previous consoles and faithfulness to the originals but the saying ‘quality over quantity’ is one to follow when picking up a game. Remasters only occur because the original received critical acclaim so it is more likely that when you pick up a remaster you’re buying a proven product.

THQ

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Kieren Platts Gaming Writer @KPFakeaccount

Remake culture became big in the 2010s, and the 2020s show no signs of the trend slowing down. The audience is hungry for them, it reduces workload (still a huge undertaking, but slightly reduced nonetheless), they sell well, and some of them innovate, offering an improved or even completely reinvented gameplay. There’s no doubt that Resident Evil 2’s changes to the camera and combat system struck a chord with both its veteran and new audience, but there’s something else at stake. Remakes can update a game, introducing it to an audience who might not have even been born at original release, but it’s not all positive. Take The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker for example: a famously rushed, incomplete Zelda release with clear areas where the game was missing content. It has also arguably aged the best out of all the 3D Zelda titles, its original cel-shaded, low-poly world making the best of the GameCube’s capabilities; it still looks polished to this day. So, in 2013, when Nintendo announced a remake for the Wii U, their approach was confusing. If the aim was to improve the resolution, leaving the unfinished sections of the game untouched, then why remake Wind Waker at all? If the quality that holds up in the game most is the cel-shading, why overwrite that aspect with saturation, bloom, and unfinished lighting effects? Yet, in all its material, Nintendo has conveniently ‘forgotten’ about the original Wind Waker, Twilight Princess, Ocarina of Time, Majora’s Mask, and all references to the games now pretty much exclusively use the remakes as standard. Why hide away the original in embarrassment? The Majora’s Mask remake in 2015 strips away what made the entry unique, and becomes a uniform, standardised Zelda experience that encourages short-term play sessions for what was originally a time-based masterpiece. The stand-out example of how Zelda games can stray from format and still create powerful experiences became homogenised and stale. But, as most would agree, the tweaks don’t accentuate that experience – they gloss over it. This is the concern with remake culture; by replacing works with newer versions, entire games are now disposable. Where Resident Evil 2’s use of fixed

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cameras and tank controls defined it as a horror game, transforming fumbling and resource management as mechanics, the over-theshoulder shooter remake encourages us to forget those original efforts as mistakes. The Wii remake of Metroid Prime encourages and forefronts the first-person shooter, over the exploratory L-targeting of the GameCube original. This disposability isn’t by nature a terrible thing. If Resident Evil: Remastered or Ocarina of Time 3D can show us anything, it’s that accentuating original design decisions and not intruding upon the original experience of the game can lead to remarkable results. You’d be hardpressed to find anyone, including fans of the original, who prefer the original Ocarina of Time to its 3D remake. When one of the highest regarded games of all time can be replaced, that’s an accomplishment to behold. And yet, there’s a lingering sadness. It’s not necessarily true that companies choose between producing a new title or a remake – both are often produced concurrently, so the resources argument doesn’t always apply. However, by openly regarding carefully designed products as mistakes, this can in some way lead to some pretty unhealthy dynamics. Streaming services and the fast-paced nature of how we consume media nowadays train us to blast through creative works as quickly as possible and move on to the next thing. We’re not encouraged to cherish the media we consume, and we are actively encouraged to dispose of older works because they’re old, and there’s a newer version coming out next year. Next month, the iconic character models of Final Fantasy VII, a milestone in the games industry and a pivotal moment in many childhoods and adulthoods alike, will be replaced in culture and in practice by highresolution recreations. Perhaps that’s sentimental, but replaceability in my mind seems like something we should aspire to avoid. Right now, remake culture and cultural significance seem to be on very different pages, and that’s the concern. You can fix oversights and update the game to widescreen all you like, but no game deserves to go unloved, even less so have its love given to a newer, flashier version of itself, which may not understand why the original was loved in the first place.

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FOOD&DRINK

Friday 6th March 2020

@redbrickfood

Giving Up Diet Culture For Lent Food&Drink Editor Harriet Laban unfolds how losing sight of the traditional values of Lent has enabled diet culture to creep into the religious observance Harriet Laban Food&Drink Editor

Content Warning: These articles contain mention of eating disorders.

Many of us will have either been brought up observing the traditions of Lent or have been taught about it at school during assemblies or religious education lessons. For those of you who have no previous knowledge of the Christian observance, Lent is a period of forty days which begins on Ash Wednesday, the day after Shrove Tuesday (or Pancake Day), and ends on Holy Thursday, the day before Good Friday and the Easter weekend. Traditionally, the period is for us to prepare spiritually for Easter, often through fasting, in honour of Jesus spending forty days in the desert without food. Today, people observe Lent through abstaining from a particular vice, such as drinking or eating certain foods. Fasting and abstinence from food-based temptations are the characteristics which stand out to an increasingly secular society. Many people who are not religious

continue to attempt to observe Lent, often using it as an opportunity to remove unhealthy food from their diets. Although this is done in the spirit of Lent, it is questionable as to whether people are still choosing to abstain from treats for the purpose of testing self-discipline and replicating Jesus’ sacrifice.

“The original intentions have been somewhat concealed”

Today, restriction is closely associated with diet culture, a phenomenon which dietitian Christy Harrison describes as causing individuals to ‘worship thinness’ and equate it ‘to health and moral value.’ This is ultimately detrimental to our wellbeing, as the essential nature of diet culture means that satisfaction is never attained. Many people face pressure to look a certain way, which affects the way they eat. Diet culture informs the way we choose to go about losing weight or may cause us to want to change our

appearance, and is far-removed from the customary values which Lent should instil within us. When choosing to do Lent in the traditional manner, avoiding certain foods for the forty-day period can help increase self-discipline, and can lead to a great sense of achievement. The ability to stick to something for a prolonged period of time can teach us valuable skills which can be carried over to other areas of our lives. Perhaps choosing to be meat-free or avoiding chocolate can actually help us in our studies, through honing our dedication and perseverance in a challenge. However, it seems that, due to more modern values seeping into this religious tradition, the original intentions have been somewhat concealed, and replaced with the detrimental consequences of narrowly focusing on foods which you cannot eat, as opposed to the spiritual reflection and opportunity to selfimprove which Lent traditionally offered.

Using Lent as a conduit for dieting can deplete our mental wellness reserves, through placing excessive focus on our weight and calorie intake; it is hardly a step forward to pressurise ourselves to such an extent. Furthermore, if it is healthy eating habits you are in search of, a total overhaul of your habits is unlikely to happen sustainably in such a short period of time. It is not necessary to have a Christian faith to choose to do Lent, or to be successful at it. Rather, the key to getting through Lent without a lapse in self-control is to have a suitable, healthyminded reason, which motivates you to see it through to the end. For instance, you may wish to give up sugary sweets and drinks

because you want to help improve the health of your teeth. To avoid falling prey to the harmful effects of food restrictions, it is crucial that your reason for doing Lent is about more than losing weight in order to conform to the narrow concept of beauty, which we regularly see perpetuated. Being motivated to stay true to your goal for the whole forty days requires a more meaningful objective, perhaps to do with long-term health. A more fulfilling Lent can be achieved through returning to more traditional values, removing the oppressive influence of diet culture to give ourselves a better chance of self-improvement, as opposed to perpetuating mental dissatisfaction on a never-ending journey towards an unattainable body image. Think about why you want to abstain from your particular vice, and question whether it is for significant reasons. Lent is ripe with the opportunity to build faith, even if this is purely faith in yourself.

Feminised Foods Food&Drink Writer Chelsie Henshaw weighs up the issues of gendering food Chelsie Henshaw Food&Drink Writer

Food and gender. Two words which should not have any correlation, and yet are becoming more and more closely linked, because of the damaging diet culture in the media and the expectations of women. Recently, a restaurant came under fire for listing a ‘ladies’ steak on its menu, a problematic menu item considering the daily pressure women face to look a certain way and eat certain foods. The criticised restaurant is named Manhattan Bar and Grill and is situated in Liverpool. The ‘Ladies’ Fillet’, as it is called, is the smallest steak on the menu coming in at 8oz, the next biggest steak being 10oz. To add fuel to the fire, because clearly branding the steak as a ‘ladies’ steak in the title isn’t going far enough, the description further reiterates that this is a steak ‘for the ladies’. This advertising by the restaurant is symptomatic of the larger issue of gendered food. By branding the steak as ‘for the ladies,’ the restaurant is suggesting that women should not be ordering anything bigger than 8oz, ‘to keep their waists trim and their table manner in check’ as Jessica Lindsay puts it an article by Metro. This arguably promotes harmful diet culture, but also toxic masculinity. Why should men be made to feel they are not truly masculine if

they order an 8oz steak? The owner of Manhattan Bar and Grill commented to the Metro, ‘It’s a very, very popular dish and one of our best selling steaks from the Grill section. So, no! I won’t be changing the name, why change something that works?’ Unfortunately, the view that meat is masculine is one that is widespread. As The Washington Post notes, through the media, we are constantly fed the myth that ‘eating like a bird and dining on salad is feminine, while eating large portions and plenty of red meat is manly.’ These myths, that have become well-known ‘facts,’ are negatively affecting our mental health, but also possibly our physical health. This idea that women should consume only miniscule portions and follow strict diets adds to the pressure women are under to eat in a certain way, for example sticking mostly to foods considered healthy. This can lead to general unhappiness and, at a more extreme but increasingly prevalent level, eating disorders. In terms of gendering food, restaurants are unfortunately not the only culprits. Many brands have gendered different items, food-based ones but also household items such as sponges. It seems ridiculous that products are constantly gendered in their advertising. Although, in terms of food, there is some science behind gen-

dering diets, though this is limited. According to an article in The Independent, men typically require a higher intake of calories than women, with Harvard Medical School suggesting that on average, men should consume 2500 calories a day, whereas the recommended calorific intake for women is much lower, at 2000 calories a day. However, this does not mean that women should feel guilty for opting for a high-calorie meal at a restaurant. Personally, my view has always been to go for the delicious foods, typically perceived as ‘unhealthy,’ during a meal out. Dining out is a time for eating amazing food, not sitting and being miserable and hungry with a salad. Women are still able to eat burgers, despite perhaps requiring fewer calories. Gendered diet culture needs to be called out, it is unfair and even dangerous. Women can still eat burgers and steaks, despite their genetic make-up. However, Dr. David Bell, who works at the University of Leeds and who studies food consumption and how the food we eat relates to our identities, suggests that theories about gendered calorie consumption are based on cultural narratives which change over time. He says that ‘these are cultural stories about gender. Partly to do with the gendered division of labour, partly to do with the construction of the gendered body.’ The diets we

f o r

choose to eat and the way we attribute gender to them tell us more about the way people view gender at a point in time. Even the spice rating of a curry is gendered, and eating sweeter curries is seen as feminine. Joop de Boer, researcher and retired social psychologist, suggests ‘spicy and strongly flavored foods are perceived as masculine foods.’ The question is, why are these foods perceived as ‘manly?’ Who’s to say women cannot eat spicy curries and men will not enjoy a creamy korma? A plethora of food is gendered, which demonstrates just how companies utilise gender in advertising to increase sales. For example, in an article by Metro, images of two different packets of soup are compared. One is geared towards women, with its pink packaging and the assertion that it is a soup

‘Glamour Queens,’ whereas the other packet employs a blue colour scheme and says the soup is for ‘Champions.’ In Skeeze the twenty-first century, it is shocking to see such blatant gender stereotypes used to gain profit, even though they are harmful and create lasting impressions on young children. It is painfully clear that there are many foods considered masculine, opposing the foods viewed as feminine. These opinions about food having a gender are backed up by little concrete evidence, yet they are completely embedded in everyday life. These myths are so widespread that some people choose to take them as facts, resulting in dangerous diets and diminished mental health. Gendered food and damaging diet culture need to be challenged; food should be about enjoyment, not a method of controlling people’s masculinity and femininity.

FOOD&DRINK

Friday 6th March 2020

@redbrickfood

Food of the Fortnight: Peanut Butter, Three Ways Food&Drink writers Max Kelly and Toby Fenton show us how to spread peanut butter across every course of your meal for National Peanut Butter Lover’s Day Max Kelly Food&Drink Writer

Whilst National Peanut Butter Lover’s Day certainly doesn’t get the recognition or appreciation that it deserves, it should be a day

Max Kelly

Pad Thai

very thinly, optional 2 eggs, optional

Ingredients: 1 tbsp sesame oil, for frying Extra 1/2 tbsp sesame oil 150g dried rice noodles 300g pack of pre-prepared stirfry vegetables 3 tbsp soy sauce 3 tbsp smooth, natural peanut butter Juice of half a lime, plus extra for garnish 1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes 1 tbsp brown sugar (caster sugar works if that’s what you have) 40g salted peanuts, chopped 1 tbsp oyster sauce, optional 1 small chicken breast, sliced

Method: 1. Cook the rice noodles according to the package instructions, drain and add back to the pan. To stop them sticking, add the 1/2 tbsp sesame oil and stir. If you are preparing the noodles in a big batch ahead of time, it can be useful to leave them in the fridge to chill, which will help prevent them going clumpy and sticky when stir-frying. 2. Whisk eggs with a pinch of salt and black pepper in a small bowl and set aside. 3. Heat the 1 tbsp sesame oil over a medium-high heat in a wok

Toby Fenton Food&Drink Writer

With National Peanut Butter Lover’s Day on the 1st March in

when all peanut butter lovers rejoice. The store-cupboard staple is often mistaken for simply a humble spread, but it turns out to be so much more when it is incorporated into both sweet and savory dishes. Here are just a few, in which peanut butter plays a starring role, that can allow you to discover the wonderful versatility of the under-utilised ingredient.

West African Peanut Soup

“It is important to use natural, unsweetened peanut butter”

Ingredients: 1 tbsp oil, for frying Extra 1 tbsp olive oil 1 large onion, chopped 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated 60g tomato purée (4 tablespoons) 1 medium sweet potato, chopped into small cubes 600ml vegetable stock 90g smooth, natural peanut butter Salt and pepper, to taste 100g spinach, optional 1 chicken breast, cooked & shredded, optional 1 tbsp paprika, optional

Note: For savory dishes it is important to use natural, unsweetened peanut butter. Being just peanuts and salt, it is a tad more expensive than the average jar, but worth it when you want maximum peanut flavour.

Method: 1. Heat oil in a large saucepan. When sufficiently heated, add chopped onion and ginger. Fry over a medium heat until softened, translucent and aromatic. 2. Toss the cubed sweet potato with the 1 tbsp olive oil, paprika,

or large frying pan. 4. Add whisked eggs to pan and scramble them, breaking them apart into smaller pieces. If including the chicken, fry the strips until cooked through, which will not take too long because of how thin they are. 5. Then, add the stir-fry vegetables and cook for a further 4 minutes. 6. Mix together soy sauce, oyster sauce (if using), lime juice, peanut butter, chilli flakes, sugar and 2 tbsp water in a small bowl. 7. Add the cooked noodles to the pan, along with the sauce. Stir until thoroughly combined, and serve with a wedge of leftover lime.

the United Kingdom, I thought it was apt to share with you my favourite peanut butter recipe, which is peanut butter brownies! This recipe uses my favourite peanut butter, which is Whole Earth’s crunchy peanut butter, as it only has two ingredients, peanuts and a little sea salt, and it is equally as good on a piece of toast! Peanut Brownies

Toby Fenton

Butter

Ingredients: 185g dark chocolate (you can use a mix of milk and dark chocolate if you prefer it to be less bitter) 185g butter 3 large eggs 275g caster sugar (golden caster sugar is best, or even add some brown sugar for extra richness!) 85g plain flour 40g cocoa powder

salt and pepper in a large bowl. 3. Add the tomato paste to the pan until the onions are coated. 4. Add the cubed sweet potato to the pan and stir to combine with onion mixture, cooking for around a minute. 5. Slowly pour the vegetable stock into the pan. The sweet potatoes should just start to float when all the stock is in there, so use more stock if it all looks a little dry. Equally, don’t worry if it is quite watery as the peanut butter will thicken it up to more of a soup. 6. Simmer for around 20 minutes. By this time, the sweet potato cubes should be soft and cooked but not mushy. 7. After this, add the peanut butter and stir in briskly. Initially, there will be big clumps but the heat should allow the peanut butter to thicken the soup. 8. Add spinach or chicken if you would like to add more flavour and texture.

Marco Verch

50g milk chocolate chips 50g white chocolate chips 150g crunchy/smooth peanut butter (use the best you can afford!) Method: 1. Chop up your butter into cubes, break the dark chocolate into chunks and add to a heatproof bowl. Melt your dark chocolate and butter, by placing the bowl over a pan of simmering water, or alternatively into a microwave for 2 minutes, stirring in 30 second bursts, until the chocolate and butter have melted. Allow to cool a little. 2. Meanwhile, set your oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4. Also cut out a piece of greaseproof paper to fit a 20cm square tin. 3. Break 3 eggs into a large mixing bowl, along with the caster sugar, and using an electric whisk, whisk your egg and sugar mixture, until it becomes pale and is doubled in volume. You can test if your eggs are whisked enough by dragging some mixture off the electric whisk beaters over your

bowl, and it should leave a trail on the surface for 1 to 2 seconds. 4. Pour your cooled chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and gently fold using a silicon spatula, until mostly combined. 5. Then sift your flour and cocoa powder into the bowl, also adding in your chocolate chips, and fold together gently until completely combined. 6. Pour the mixture into your prepared tin, and smooth out the mixture into all the corners. 7. Heat your peanut butter in the microwave for 30 seconds to a minute, until the peanut butter has thinned a little. This makes it easier to swirl into the brownie! Then place blobs of your peanut butter across your brownie surface and swirl them into the brownie mixture. 8. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the brownie has a shiny, papery surface and the brownie no longer has a wobble in the middle. Allow to cool and then cut into slices!

TRAVEL

Friday 6th March 2020

@redbricktravel

Slovenia: City Break or Rural Retreat? Heidi Linton gives us the low-down on how we can visit Slovenia for two very different styles of holiday Heidi Linton Travel Writer

The ideal holiday destination is a constant toss up between the escapism of a rural retreat and the bustling liveliness of a city break. That being said, for some travellers a combination of the two is a necessity, making Slovenia, with its Instagrammable lakes and its budget-friendly cities, a must for the bucket list.

Rural Retreat: Lake Bled Despite its recent reputation as a tourist hotspot for interailers, Slovenia’s Lake Bled remains a picture-postcard backdrop, ticking all the boxes of your ideal rural

retreat. For the explorer, there is an abundance of opportunities to hike, bike and swim, be this a 6km stroll around the lake, an ascent via Rikli’s path, a trip to Gorge Blejski Vintgar, or even a (rather pricey) boat ride to the lake’s heart. Alternatively, those dreaming of escape from the constant hubbub of life, a relaxing

sunbathe, gentle swim or a tranquil spot, to read a wholesome novel will be equally satisfied. Bled is so aesthetically reminiscent of a fairy tale it is no wonder the old folk tale talks of vengeful fairies creating the lake, and using the island centre as their dancefloor.

The natural environment is altered only by the few cafés, dishing out traditional Slovenian cream cake, and souvenir shops overflowing with magnets, T-shirts and the sort. So, once you’ve been there, done that, bought the T-shirt; it's time to venture to the city.

Ben Schr

City Break: Ljubljana Slovenia’s picturesque capital city, Ljubljana, sits a short train ride away from Bled. Where Bled may be lacking in budgetfriendly activities, the

city of Ljubljana certainly makes up for it. Indeed, affordable sight-seeing opportunities are in abundance both by foot and cheap river boat tours. The city castle, which can be wandered around largely free of charge, provides a stunning vantage point of the green city which is situated so close to the rural mountains. The old town’s winding streets are

equally something of a fairy tale, enhanced by the sculpted dragon bridge, carefully divided from the commercial centre situated over the river. Contrasting the tranquil nights in Bled, the city also homes a lively night-scene, with bar crawls highly recommended as a means of meeting new people and exploring the city at night. In terms

of food, the locals are insistent that grabbing dinner at their prized Open Kitchen (odprta kuhna), a buzzing food market open every Friday in the summer months, is a necessity (even catering for vegans!). This is a wonderful way to spend an evening; a great opportunity for peoplewatching before strolling down the river scattered

with atmospheric live musicians. Ultimately, Slovenia is unrivalled when it comes to both rural retreats and city breaks, effortlessly accommodating for the likes of both.

Marco Secchi

TRAVEL

Friday 6th March 2020

@redbricktravel

Düsseldorf’s Hidden Charms

Rosalie Wessel walks us through the less conventional attractions of Düsseldorf, avoiding the tourist traps that come with visiting cities Rosalie Wessel Travel Writer

It was a shock arriving in Düsseldorf. I had just left the warm beaches of Florida, complete with a sunburned nose, for what seemed like a city draped in grey; rainy, cold and sullen. Of course, my initial impressions as a 12-year-old changed soon enough. Now older and aware of the superficiality that places can often present, I see Düsseldorf for what it truly is: an international hub and a growing opportunity. My favourite place has to be along the Rhine. One of Germany’s main rivers, it’s a vital waterway, a place of historical and modern importance - but also a gorgeous picnic place. On a lazy summer afternoon, its pastoral charm is straight out of an 18th century painting. High grasses whisper against the gentle wind, and the Rhine itself flows steadily by, glistening blue in the hot fuzzy air. The typical German cafés nearby are wonderful places to grab lunch - schnitzel, bratwurst, pommes, whatever you fancy. Naturally, I always go for the cake, because German pastries are a sight for sore eyes. I am pressed to find a better Schwarzwälder

Kirschtorte, a creamy, cherry laden, chocolate horror that never fails to make me mildly ecstatic at the mere mention of it. And let’s never forget the jelly filled Berliner, a doughnut that will always appear, without question, during Carnival, a celebration which begins on the 11th of November at 11:11am, and finishes on Ash Wednesday. This always sparks the annual rivalry with Cologne, over who has the better parade (it’s Düsseldorf - Helau!), and ushers about a hailstorm of wacky costumes. Altweiber, or ‘Old Womans Day’ is famous for celebrating the female presence in Carnival. Women take to the streets, armed with scissors, cutting the ties off men whenever they see one. And they’re allowed to. It’s Carnival. Ridiculousness and tradition explode into one, creating an experience that any tourist can get involved with. And of course, because it’s Germany, the land of beer, general merriment is aided by lots and lots of alcohol. The one true attraction of Düsseldorf is, by far, the Königsallee, the long shopping street that marks it’s pathway in the center of the city. It’s mostly for admiration, honestly, because in all my years living in Düsseldorf, I have yet to go into the Prada, Bvlgari and Tiffany stores that line the pavements, gleaming gold

handles practically shouting don’t touch, just look. It’s like a piece of art itself. But the area is gorgeous, with a small canal running through the middle, creating the perfect opportunity for photos against ornate bridges and green banks. Nearby, Düsseldorf’s old town, better known as the Altstadt, houses much more affordable entertainment and shopping, fondly known as ‘the longest bar in the world.’ When the sun begins to dip below the horizon, walking along the historical embankment that the Altstadt boasts is a treat, the gorgeous townhouses that twinkle across the river providing a wonderful backdrop. As for culture, Düsseldorf is by no means a blank canvas. Ai Weiwei, the contemporary Chinese artist and activist, had a prominent exhibition set up in the large halls of the K20, which boasts many modern art displays. It’s a city that’s easy to reach as well- only an hour’s flight from Birmingham, the airport vital for the large international community that populates the city. As the fashion capital of Germany, Düsseldorf also holds ‘Voices of Fashion’ twice a year, and has numerous eminent fashion schools. Personally, I love the Christmas markets that pop up all over the city come December, flooding it with warm light, as the

city begins to descend into the depths of what is usually a truly icy winter. The little huts are often filled with hand-carved figurines, roasted nuts and Glühwein, a warmed wine that you’ll find every adult guzzling as they move through the maze of Christmas

stalls. Whilst not known for its tourism, Düsseldorf is a place worth seeing if you are considering a trip to Germany. It’s taken me a while to get to know it, but now that I do, I find it more interesting than ever.

John K. Thorne

Dangerous Travel: Analysing the ‘LGBTQ+ Danger Index’ Lauren Webster Travel Writer

Sara Rampazzo

Travel is often an eye-opening experience but not always necessarily a pleasant one. Many areas of the world are becomingly increasingly more open to all types of people and even those which are less so will be more accepting of tourists to keep their businesses running, but there are some places that should be advised against visiting. Here, we are going to discuss some of the worst, but also some of the best, countries for LGBTQ+ travellers to visit. Nigeria is viewed by many as one of the most dangerous countries for LGBTQ+ people to visit, with people receiving 14 years in prison, or the death penalty in some areas, for being gay. Somewhere seen as more relaxed and perhaps therefore more surprising, is Barbados. Although attitudes there are starting to change and particularly as a tourist you are unlikely to be prosecuted in any way, you could certainly face discrimination from locals and struggle to find nightlife. Sweden ranked last out of the 150 most visited countries on Asher&Lyric’s LGBTQ+ Danger Index, making it the safest coun-

try to visit. Many clothes shops sell gender neutral clothes. There is no ‘gay neighbourhood’ because Sweden is known as inclusive to all, but there is an LGBTQ+ tour of Stockholm which explains their history, including their believed non-binary ruler Kristina. For those who love an ABBA night, take advantage of being in their city to visit the ABBA museum.

“There is an LGBTQ+ tour of Stockholm which explains their history, including their non-binary ruler Kristina”

In 2001, the Netherlands became the first country to legalise same-sex marriage, but the first hotel catering exclusively to LGBTQ+ guests was established just after World War Two. Its’ Pride week involves a canal parade held in the capital city but other cities are also exciting for LGBTQ+ visitors, for example PANN, a Dutch organisation founded by students in 1969, runs parties year-round, welcoming LGBTQ+ people from 16 years

and up. Article I of Mexico’s Constitution was amended in 2011 to prohibit discrimination based on sexual preferences along with other types. The hotspot is the Puerto Vallata resort town, at which 34% of visitors are LGBTQ+. The police are being trained in avoiding human rights violations so it is increasingly accepting of all, and its’ Zona Romántica contains a gay beach and a huge collection of gay bars. Surprisingly the USA ranks only as the 24th best location on the Danger Index, perhaps surpringly beaten by other countries like Slovenia and Colombia. In 2012 Detroit was named the most dangerous US city for gay travellers and in 2019 there were three instances of fatal violence against transgender people in Kansas City. But, as in every country, what is most important is to research and be careful. Louisiana itself is a conservative state but New Orleans has long been an LGBTQ+ hub, with the first official gay Mardi Gras krewe formed in the 1950’s, but secret ones beforehand. New York offers serious histories of Stonewall but also countless drag events. To see the full ranking of the Danger Index visit: https://www. asherfergusson.com/lgbtq-travelsafety/

LIFE&STYLE

Friday 6th March 2020

@redbricklife

Afro Hairstyles in Western Spaces

Life&Style’s Andrew Ogun discusses the countless times people have been refused education and jobs for the sake of their natural hair, reflecting on the ignorance of deeming a hairstyle as unprofessional Andrew Ogun Life&Style Writer

It seems absurd that something as innocuous as hair or a particular hairstyle can cause so many problems for certain individuals. However when we consider how heavily racialised contemporary society has become, it is no surprise that people with afro hairstyles have continuously shared their stories regarding how employers or teachers have berated them or reprimanded them for their natural hairstyles. It is simply a sad reality for many black people today and it is a representation of the struggle that black people go through just to preserve their autonomy, whilst highlighting the power imbalances between white people and ethnic minorities. Not only does this reflect racism in society but it also says something about what we consider acceptable or even beautiful. Black women, for a variety of reasons which are not always selfchosen, have to wear their hair in braids or in a weave because their natural hair is not considered to be the ‘norm.’

Ruby Williams, now 18, decided to share her story and her experience with her afro. During her GCSEs, a pivotal time in any teenager’s life, she was repeatedly sent home for her hair being ‘too big’ and violating uniform policy. To be continuously told that your hair violates school policy is an incredibly damaging thing for a young girl to hear. Why should your hair’s natural state be deemed as a violation? The school completely neglected the fact that for her hair to fit school policy, it would either take a very long time and/or cost a lot of money to style everyday in that manner. Furthermore, Ruby touches on an important point in a video with the BBC saying ‘why should I cut my hair when people can have their hair all the way down to their hips, as long as they want. But because my hair grows out, I need to cut it?’ A person with straight hair texture would never have the same issues that Ruby

has. This is just the latest story out of many, many others. It is also important to note that there seems to be no correct way to style your hair if it’s afro-textured. Here are just a few examples; a schoolboy from Tipton actually told his mum that ‘he d i d n ’t want to be

Iblushay

Black anymore’ because his hair was considered too short by his primary school. Josiah Sharpe was only six-years-old at the time. 12-years-old Chikayzea Flanders was told by his school in Fulham to cut off his braids or face suspension because his hairstyle did not comply with school uniform. His mother attempted to explain that dreadlocks are a ‘fundamental tenet of his Rastafarian beliefs’ but this was still disregarded, and Chikayzea subsequently left to attend a different school instead. This is not only an issue in schools but also in the workplace. Leila (not her real name) told the BBC that her London employer told her numerous times to ‘not turn up for work with her natural hair’ and that she has been ‘encouraged to wear a weave to disguise her afro hair;’ Simone Powderly, a woman from South London, was actually asked by her potential employer to change her hairstyle in order to secure the job. She had worn her braids at the time. Just a quick

Google search regarding Black hairstyles in schools or in workplaces will bring up a staggering, and frankly disappointing, number of examples. It would cause an outrage if someone in a school or workplace was explicitly discriminating because of their religion or colour of their skin. Not only would it cause an outrage but it is now illegal due to positive changes in legislature. In New York, discrimination against hair has now become illegal due to a new statute, when will the UK make the necessary advancements towards ensuring that afro-textured hairstyles are not demonised? According to a study by De Montfort University, one in six children with afro-textured hair are expressing concerns because of bad experiences with uniform policies. From such an early age, Black children are being taught, due to harmful policies and western beauty ideals, that their natural hair is unprofessional or untidy. The UK need to official recognise and rectify this, and it needs to be sooner rather than later.

Boozy BRITs Break Twitter

Life&Style’s Georgina Tait questions the scrutiny which Stormzy and Lewis Capaldi came under for appearing ‘intoxicated’ at the BRIT awards, and discusses the debate surrounding celebrities and their influence in drink culture Georgina Tait Life&Style Writer

Content Warning: This article contains mention of alcoholism

Stormzy and Lewis Capaldi came under fire on Twitter for promoting an unhealthy drinking culture at the BRIT awards. They both gave speeches with bottles in their hands and were noticeably intoxicated during their interviews. This caused much discontent on Twitter, with one particular user tweeting a photo of Capaldi holding a bottle and his award, with the caption, ‘We have an unhealthy relationship with drinking in Scotland. This doesn’t help.’

“We have an unhealthy relationship with drinking in Scotland. This doesn't help” This conflict across the social media platform creates an impor-

tant debate, questioning where the responsibility lies when it comes to drinking alcohol. Should the media be responsible for discouraging excessive drinking, or is it the celebrities that should keep their drinking activities away from the cameras? Tom, a second year Physics student, questions whether drinking on TV actually encourages excessive drinking in the first place. He points out that the BRITs are all about celebrating talent and success, and therefore ‘audience members are focussed on appreciating that talent; they are much less interested in what is inside their bottles.’ Perhaps, if the alcohol had influenced the BRIT awards’ winners to verbalise or act inappropriately, the criticism on Twitter would be more understandable. There was occasional swearing in their interview with KISS FM UK, but the swearing was not aimed at anyone, nor used with an offensive intention. In fact, Stormzy swore to intensify his love for some of the other artists that attended the BRITs. He also pointed out that, ‘it’s the BRIT awards,’ which he used to justify his night of fun. If anything, the interviewer seemed calm, collected and entertained.

In light of all of this, it is difficult to view this scrutiny as fair. After the devastating news of Caroline Flack, social media users have become more aware of the impacts that seemingly small comments can have. Despite this, the award winners have still received criticism for having a drink in a celebratory context, after having won their prestigious awards.

“Imagine having a drink on my first night off in months after winning two Brit awards, can you believe it?!” Although the comments made were considerably less harmful than those aimed at Caroline Flack, it appears that people will still continue to use social media platforms to interrogate the actions of public figures, whether positive or negative. Fortunately, Lewis Capaldi’s reaction seemed lighthearted. He quote tweeted this

aforementioned tweet, responding with ‘imagine having a drink on my first night off in months after winning two Brit awards, can you believe it?!’ This was well received by his followers, who urged him to carry on celebrating in peace. On the other hand, these condemning comments might have stemmed from personal experiences with alcoholism. In some TV series and films, if a potential triggering scene is shown, there is either a trigger warning, or infor-

Kimery Davis

mation provided on where to get help. For instance, the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why, has a content warning for scenes of sexual assault, suicide and substance abuse. For people with drinking issues watching the BRITs, such trigger warnings may be beneficial. Alternatively, broadcasters could contextualise this kind of footage by informing viewers that this alcohol use is taking place in a controlled environment.

LIFE&STYLE

Friday 6th March 2020

@redbricklife

Let’s Talk About STIs, Baby Deputy Editor Emily Calder questions whether institutions are doing enough to STIproof the lives of students, in light of the seemingly dwindling conversations surrounding the importance of sexual health Emily Calder Deputy Editor

Everyone knows that contraception is something that we have to take seriously – which is exactly why Mean Girls taught us not to have sex in case we ‘get pregnant and die.’ What Coach Carr perhaps failed to consider is the importance of protecting ourselves from STIs. STIs are, possibly, a bigger threat to female health than pregnancy, and pretty much everyone is vulnerable to them, including people of all gender binaries and non-heterosexual couples. Another huge aspect is the fact that many popular forms of contraception such as the contraceptive pill and the coil do not protect from STIs – if you are having unprotected sex with multiple people, or if you or your partner are carrying an STI, the risks are pretty high. All of the information on how to keep yourself safe is out there if you go looking for it. But with Cosmopolitan claiming that, on average, a quarter of students catch an STI during their first year of university, it does

make one wonder whether institutions are making this information as widely available as they should be.

“STIs are, possibly, a bigger threat to female health than pregnancy, and pretty much everyone is vulnerable to them” A survey on The Student Room claims that 63% of students have admitted to having unprotected sex, which makes one wonder whether the Pasante condoms that were thrust into our hands during Freshers’ week have been used after all. A recent, rather shocking, statistic has revealed that there is a new STI diagnosis in the UK every 70 seconds, and

nearly half of all recent STIs are in those under 25. Yet, it’s also important to remember that STIs are on the rise outside of universities – the trend is an overall issue; whilst student STIs being on the rise is not good news, it seems that the overall discourse surrounding STIs in general has become too lax. STI diagnoses in over 65s have risen by almost a quarter from 2014 figures, so clearly attitudes towards protecting ourselves and getting tested on a regular basis are lacking over all. Still, it is important to take into consideration what resources universities offer, especially as it can often be difficult to know exactly what universities can do for you. Here at UoB, the Guild actually offer a wide range of resources. Speaking to Welfare and Community Officer Millie Gibbins, I discovered that Guild Advice provides free condoms, sanitary products, STI testing kits, and answers to any sex or STI related queries students may have. She also told Redbrick that ‘We’re continually trying to improve what we offer and Umbrella now hold a pop up stall in the Guild

once every four weeks, where they offer Sexual Health Advice, lube and STI kits. We’re also arranging Sex Week, beginning on the 23rd March for a whole week of promoting safe sex with a wide range of activities on offer.’

“Guild Advice provides free condoms, sanitary products, STI testing kits, and answers to any sex or STI related queries students may have” Whilst these Guild services, and all the work that the Umbrella Clinic do in Birmingham, are brilliant, I for one was not aware of just how much was available. This makes me think that, in order to

make sure that students use these valuable resources, perhaps universities could do a better job of sign posting their availability. The resources are available for us to protect ourselves from STIs, but their importance is what needs emphasising - I can’t help but think that, even with all these things on offer, us students just aren’t as concerned as perhaps we ought to be. Whilst I think the fact that there is now less stigma and taboo around STIs is a healthy and progressive move, I believe that the fact that treatments are more widely available now may be contributing to this lack of care. It’s great, of course, that treatments are available, but in a world where antibiotic resistance is increasingly becoming an issue, we should perhaps be relying more on our own choices and agency. Getting tested is still really important, especially when there are so many resources available to us, but the fact that we seem to have somewhat moved on from periods of scaremongering and shame around STIs is definitely a good thing.

‘In a World Where You Can Be Anything, Be Kind’ Life&Style’s Niamh Nicholls celebrates fashion brand InTheStyle’s decision to release #BeKind t-shirts in light of Caroline Flack’s death, raising over £200,000 for charity Niamh Nicholls Life&Style Writer

Content Warning: This article contains mention of suicide and mental health.

InTheStyle, following the tragic and unfortunate death of TV host Caroline Flack, has released a t-shirt with a quote that Flack posted onto her Instagram account in December saying, ‘in a world where you can be anything, be kind.’ News of Flack’s death left many fans in shock and has sparked discussions on mental health and how we should be kinder to others. Flack had been harassed by media in the months leading up to her death following her alleged assault on her boyfriend and often posted on her Instagram account calling for people to be kinder to one another. To help raise awareness and promote Flacks plea to be kind to people, InTheStyle are selling the t-shirts for just £10, with all proceeds being donated to the Samaritans, a charity which supports people battling with mental health and suicidal thoughts. Selling out instantly and raising an incredible amount of over

£200,000 within a day, InTheStyle hopes the t-shirt will ‘[raise] further awareness to mental health and the impacts surrounding this.’

InTheStyle

The brand is making no profit at all, and instead are making a loss as they are not charging delivery fees, amplifying the brands desire to raise awareness of how

we should treat each other. A spokesman from the company claimed ‘The sole purpose of these #BeKind tees was to spread love, raise awareness and donations for charity and it’s definitely done that,’ further stating that ‘the money raised will have such a huge impact for so many people who need it.’ InTheStyle isn’t the only clothing brand to spread awareness following Caroline Flacks untimely death. Molly-Mae Hague, who is in partnership with the online clothing store PrettyLittleThing, also confirmed that she will donate 100% of her proceeds from her most recent PrettyLittleThing collection to a mental health charity called Mind. In a recent Instagram post the Love Island star announced, ‘PrettyLittleThing and I will continue to support this matter which is close to our hearts. Please from the bottom of my heart remember, Always Be Kind.’ Many people have been praising these fashion brands for all their efforts and dedication into honouring Caroline Flack and continuing her message of spread-

ing kindness. Sam Faires reacted to InTheStyle stating, ‘This is amazing guys [clapping emoji] so thoughtful [love heart emoji],’ while Molly-Mae Hague received praise for her gesture by many influencers such as last year’s Love Island winner Amber Rose Gill who responded ‘Amazing Molly’ under Molly-Mae’s Instagram post. With the money brands are donating to charities which focus on mental health, along with the messages they are spreading promoting kindness, hopefully change can come about on how we treat people and how to communicate with people who are struggling with mental health.

Caroline Flack’s upsetting death shocked people, but also opened our eyes to how we should be mindful of people’s feelings, showing we never truly know what can be going on in people’s lives.

“The sole purpose of these #BeKind tees was to spread love, raise awareness and donations for charity”

SCI&TECH

Friday 6th March 2020

@redbricktech

New Antibiotic Discovered Using AI Technology Sci&Tech Writer Daniel Bray explains how AI was used in the discovery of a new antibiotic and why new discoveries are so important Daniel Bray Sci&Tech Writer

In what could be a very important breakthrough in the fight against antibiotic-resistant bacteria, a team from MIT have discovered a promising new antibiotic using artificial intelligence. The discovery, reported in Cell by Stokes et al, looks at the use of a deep neural network to uncover novel molecules which show antibacterial activity.

“Researchers are hopeful that this killing mechanism will prove difficult for bacteria to develop resistance to” The new antibiotic, called halicin, showed effectiveness against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Clostridioides difficle, Acinetobacter baumannii, and bacteria from the Enterobacteriaceae family. This is especially important, as the World Health Organisation has classified the latter two as requiring research and development into new antibiotics with critical importance.

When you consider that one study projects that deaths attributed to antibiotic-resistant infections will reach 10 million per year by 2050, it is not hard to see why we’re placing such importance on this. The process of finding the drug was not simple – the scientists first trained their neural network to predict E. coli growth inhibition by a small group of molecules. Then they used their model on several chemical libraries, totalling over 107 million different molecules. From these, a list of candidates was selected based on the neural network’s score, the chemical structure of the molecules, and their availability. Machine learning gives researchers the power to rapidly and inexpensively explore large numbers of chemicals in silico – that is, in a simulation. Many antibiotic discovery programs have turned to screening chemical libraries in an attempt to beat antibiotic-resistant bacteria, as it is slowly becoming a more viable option than previous methods, which now seem to be providing researchers with the same molecules repeatedly. The team from MIT are especially excited because halicin is ‘structurally divergent from conventional antibiotics,’ and displays bactericidal activity against a

wide range of pathogens, including those which remained after treatment with ampicillin. Halicin seems to kill bacteria by disrupting their production of ATP, a compound which cells use to store energy. The researchers are hopeful that this killing mechanism will prove difficult for bacteria to develop resistance to. The antibiotic was tested on mice infected with a strain of A. baumannii that is known to not be susceptible to the kinds of clinical antibiotics generally used to treat it. The halicin ‘displayed potent growth inhibition against this strain in vitro,’ which is a promising sign for testing going forwards. Not content with only finding halicin, the study also goes on to recommend that research is done into a few other molecules, with two showing

‘potent broad-spectrum activity,’ and another, called ZINC000225434673, looking very promising – completely sterilising E. coli in rich growth medium within 4 hours, and with a predicted low toxicity. One of the main drivers of antibiotic resistance is the overuse of antibiotics, which is something that we’ve been actively trying to reduce in recent years – the number of antibiotic prescriptions in the UK fell by 16.7% between 2014 and 2018. Overuse of antibiotics is not the only cause though – despite the fall in prescriptions, the number of antibiotic-resistant infections rose by 9% in the year between 2017 and 2018 alone. So while it’s a good strategy to only use antibiotics if you really need them, it is also an encouraging sign that new ones are still being discovered.

Kennethr

Humans Cooler Than 200 Years Ago Luca Love

Sci&Tech Writer

A recent study from Stanford University has found that the average human core body temperature has been declining by 0.03 degrees celcius per birth decade since the 1830s. The authors explained this decline is due to a reduction in infectious diseases, which reduces levels of inflammation. Inflammation raises body temperature by increasing blood flow to areas with infection present. This allows more white blood cells to travel to the infected area to fight infection, raising body temperature as a side effect. Another factor could also be the rising popularity of central heating and air conditioning, which allows living spaces to remain at a consistent and comfortable temperature. This may lead to a reduction of the body’s resting metabolism and lower body temperature. Interestingly, lower metabolic levels have been linked to longer lifespans in mouse studies. This

might partially explain the increase in average lifespan across the time period studied by Stanford. Other characteristics such as women having a higher body temperature than men were consistent between all time periods.

“This decline is due to a reduction in infectious diseases”

These range from 1862-2017. These changes were consistent between ages, genders, ethnicities and even changing thermometer accuracy. However, as all the data came from high income countries it is not known if this still applies globally. It is unknown if this decrease in core body temperature will continue or if it is just a reflection of the rise in standard of living after the industrial revolution.

The team analysed body temperature data from several sources including US civil war veterans and large public health studies in the UK and U S .

pxfuel

Creature Feature: The Pygmy Sloth Madison HardingWhite Sci&Tech Writer

WikiImages

Whilst many will be familiar with the now popular three-toed sloth, few are aware of the separate and much smaller species Bradypus pygmaeus - otherwise known as the pygmy sloth. Recognised as a distinct species in 2001, this sloth is found only on the Isla E s c u d o d e Ve r a g u a s , a n island off the coast on Panama. Reflecting their name, pygmy sloths measure between just 19-21 inches long in adulthood (compared to the approximate 31 inches of a brownthroated sloth) making them a dwarf species within the genus. The reduced size of these sloths is thought to be due to island dwarfism: a process in which the reduction in habitat size and resources as well as predator changes cause a small body size to be more advantageous to survival. In all other ways, the pygmy sloth looks much like the well-loved brown-throated and threetoed varieties, with light b r o w n f u r, t h r e e c l a w s o n each appendage and distinctive dark eye markings. Their externally set ear canals are however conspicuously largeanother feature thought to be characteristic of their rapid, isolated evolution. Despite their habitat being restricted to just a small patch of land, the pygmy sloth is currently critically endangeredwith only 48 estimated to still be alive in the wild. Their endangerment is largely due to deforestation which destroys both their habitat and mangrove leaf food source, but poaching is also a factor external visitors have been known to kill and capture sloths for disp l a y. Whilst the pygmy sloth is critically endangered, it is not listed as an endangered animal under the US Endangered Species Act, meaning numbers are at risk of further decline.

SCI&TECH

Friday 6th March 2020

@redbricktech

Will Your Death be the Death of the Planet? Daniella Southin Sci&Tech Writer

When we think of death, cremations, coffins and burials often come to mind. Typically death’s environmental impact does not, but maybe it should. With the planet on the brink of death itself, should we be letting our deaths finish the job off? Of all the ways of honouring the dead, traditional burials dishonour the earth the most. After being drained of blood, a body is prepared for burial by being pumped with an embalming fluid – slowing down the decomposition process. This injection contains toxic chemicals such as formaldehydes, phenols, glutaraldehydes, dyes, disinfectants and many other types of chemicals. That is an estimated 827,000 gallons (3,759,618 litres) of harmful substances seeping into the land and waterways every year. It’s the equivalent of 16,540 bathtubs of toxicity flooding our soil, leaching into our water and infecting our animals every single year. But embalming fluid isn’t the only problem with traditional burials, there is the sheer amount of resources used to consider too. For US burials, it is estimated that 104,272 tons of steel, and 1,636,000 tons of reinforced concrete are used, as well as the wood from ‘4 million square acres of forest’ each year. That’s not to mention the 4,300 square miles of land use that has been used for graveyards and the emissions from digging graves, transporting materials and making caskets. After the damage we do simply by living, can we justify the endless toll the ends of our lives are taking on the planet? Advertisers have marketed cremations as having a significantly lower toll than burials and while this is true, it is difficult to consider them kind to our environment. Although they do not require embalming fluid, resources for cas-

ket manufacturing and the physical burial, the emissions produced by the traditional cremation are immense. It has been recorded that in the US alone, cremation produces ‘as much CO2 as burning 800,000 barrels of oil.’ The facts speak for themselves. Death is detrimental.

“After the damage we do simply by living, can we justify the endless toll the ends of our lives are taking on the planet?” However, it is detrimental globally, not just in the western world. Hindu cremation, practiced in India, is a form of honouring the dead where an open-air pyre is used to cremate the dead. An issue that arises here is that the use of an open-air pyre means forests and trees are cut down for their creation. Practiced near the banks of the Ganges River as a way of releasing the soul from the cycle of death and rebirth, the ritual not only contributes to air pollution, but also water pollution. Mokshda Green Cremation System – a non-profit organisation established in 1992 – has been working to combat the environmental impacts of this sacred cremation. They have introduced metal pyres, which unlike their wooden counterparts, can be reused for up to ‘45 cremations a day’, using less than a quarter of the wood of traditional pyres. As a result, they estimate

they have saved ‘more than 480,000 trees, avert[ed] about 60,000 metric tons of ash from rivers, and release[ed] 60,000 fewer metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions.’ In comparison to western efforts to the reduce environmental impacts cremation, with crematoriums even lacking filtering systems to neutralize carbon dioxide, the work Mokshda are doing to help the environment without sacrificing ancient traditions is crucial. The western world is not entirely in despair, however, as there are companies developing more ecofriendly options for our deceased. Water cremation, for example, has recently become legal in the UK and there are plans to build the first facility in the near future. Also known as alkaline hydrolysis, water cremation ‘uses hot water with the addition of a chemical called potassium hydroxide, or sodium hydroxide’ explains Funeral Guide. This dissolves the body’s fats and tissues into liquid while the bones are turned to ash – which can be given to loved ones to scatter. Water cremation is said to reduce the time a body would decompose from 12 years to a few hours. With National Geographic reporting it to have a ‘tenth of the carbon footprint of conventional cremation,’ and the liquids produced having practical uses such as to improve the quality of wastewater in sewage systems, water cremation seems a considerably more environmentally friendly send off than its traditional counterparts. As scientific research developments, companies are veering further away from tradition with inventive solutions to environmental devastation, and death is no exception. Human composting, which turns the body into ‘two wheelbarrows’ worth of soil in four to six weeks’ is arguably one of the most environmentally friendly ways of dealing with the dead in the future. Piloting the research with six bodies, US

company Recompose are set to open the ‘first human composting service in Washington.’ Also known as Natural Organic Reduction, the process uses a reusable steel container which the body is kept in alongside ‘woodchips, alfalfa and straw grass.’ Within 4 – 6 weeks, biologically safe soil can be scattered by loved ones or used to plant a commemorative tree. As untraditional as it may sound, it seems natural for us to return to the earth. Returning to the earth, though, is not a new idea; in 1993, natural burials became legal in the UK. It involves a body being buried in a cotton sleeve or casket made from biodegradable materials, including

willow, wicker, recycled paper, cardboard, bamboo and even banana leaf. There are almost 260 natural burial sites in the UK, a number that is continuously growing. Unlike regular burials, green burials do not use headstones but are instead signified by a plaque, tree or planted flowers. This makes them indistinguishable from regular meadows and forests, meaning they look natural as well as naturally giving the earth the nutrients we took from it back. Despite tradition, we can choose to put the environment at the dead centre of our deaths by choosing to give back what we have so selfishly taken from it.

Evelyn Simak

£1.2 Billion for MET Office Supercomputer James West delves into how a hefty investment could improve weather forecasting James West Sci&Tech Writer

WikiImages

There is big news in the MET office this week, as the government has approved a £1.2 billion investment to build a new supercomputer in order to help with weather forecasting and climate change research. Once this is built, it is expected to be the world's most powerful supercomputer and will allow the MET office to map the world in even more detail, making better weather predictions with greater accuracy than ever before. The supercomputer predicts the weather by dividing the Earth's surface into squares. These squares are normally around 10km across, but the UK has squares only 1,500m across. With the greater computing power available, it is hoped that the size of these squares will drop to around 100m, which means that scientists will be able to improve their weather forecasting skills considerably using greater detail. In each of these squares, data on lots of different variables including tem-

perature, pressure, wind speed and humidity are recorded. This means when the model is put together, the MET office has a virtual atmosphere of the Earth.

“It is expected to be the world’s most powerful supercomputer” This is coming at a particularly urgent time. With the rise of climate change creating more powerful storms, it is now critical that the MET office forecasting gets better. Both recent storms, Ciara and Dennis, were predicted in advance, which allowed for preparation against them. There is also an economic incentive to predict the weather more accurately; as not only will the public benefit from this, it can be used by energy companies to avoid and diminish the risk of

potential blackouts and also in the aviation industry to ensure better safety and service. Meanwhile, better forecasting can be used to model the effects of climate change on the UK, and work out which techniques are most effective at combating it, for example the effects of the UK being carbon neutral by 2050. There are plans for this supercomputer to be operational by 2022. When it comes online, it will be six times more powerful than the previous supercomputer that the government uses, and then in 2027 they will triple its performance again. This means instead of collecting 200 billion observations as it does today, the result will be closer to 14 trillion in 2022, a significant increase. One other interesting impact is that the MET office are trying to reduce the amount of electricity that the machine will use, so they are exploring setting up the computer in a country like Iceland which generates all its energy from renewables, which would make this supercomputer the first by the MET office not to be housed in the UK.

SPORT

Friday 6th March 2020

@redbricksport

Coventry City: A Club on the Rise

Sport Writer Kyle Moffat charts how the Sky Blues have overcome off-field chaos by pushing for promotion back to the Championship To see the start of this revival, we shall take a look back to the 2016-17 campaign. The Sky Blues Sport Writer were facing their second relegation of the decade and despite Since 2012, the Coventry City this, were successful in winning Football Club (AKA the Sky the Football League Trophy – at Blues) have faced many difficul- the prestigious Wembley Stadium ties, suffering two relegations, – with 43,000 Coventry supporttwo points deductions due to ers watching the 2-1 victory entering administration and two unfold. This win showed that the spells of playing home games support was behind the team and outside of Coventry. The second new manager at the time, Mark of these spells is currently taking Robins. In the following season, place with Coventry playing at St. Robins helped the side to Wembley Andrews in Birmingham. again, this time to battle In addition to all of this, for a place in League Sisu Capital Limited One for the 2018-19 – owners of the footcampaign. Another ball club – are curvictory – a 3-1 trirently in a lengthy umph over Exeter court battle with City – followed Wasps Rugby Club and in the followCoventry have won due to the sale of ing season, 20 points in their the Ricoh Arena to Coventry achieved last 8 games, a Wasps in 2014. a comfortable eighth league best Despite all of the place in League One. recent turmoil, there Now in the 2019-20 may be light at the end of campaign, the Sky Blues the tunnel for the Sky Blues, who are chasing promotion; they are are currently battling for a place locked in a battle with Rotherham in the EFL Championship for the United for the title! 2020-21 campaign. Earning their Robins has created an effecsecond promotion in three years tive attacking and defensive force could help to end the darkest in recent months. Coventry play times in the clubs history, so the with three strong centre backs, all next three months are integral to confident both in the air and on Coventry’s revival. the ground. This allows both wing

Kyle Moffat

Sky Bet League 1 Table (Top Half)

Twitter/@Coventry_City

backs – Fankaty Dabo and highly rated left-back Sam McCallum – to press high and aid in the attacking side of Coventry’s play. The Sky Blues also have a very creative midfield, with the likes of Aston Villa loanee Callum O’Hare and Liam Walsh able to control a game and earn assists as well as goals. Add to this in-form striker Matt Godden, defensive midfielder Liam Kelly and talented Goalkeeper Marko Marosi and you have a team that has earned incredible wins over the likes of

Portsmouth, Wycombe Wanderers and Doncaster Rovers. Youth talent has been used effectively under Robins, prioritising youth development in order to raise funds for the club to create a strong team for the future. In light of academy graduates James Maddison (Leicester City) and Callum Wilson (Bournemouth) earning their places in the Premier League, this is a wise decision because youth talent is the way forward for this promising Sky Blues side.

Pts

Coventry

Rotherham

Portsmouth 33

Wycombe

Sunderland

Oxford Utd 34

P'borough

Fleetwood

Ipswich

Doncaster

11 Gillingham

Burton

Coventry City March Fixtures: 07/03 - Ipswich (A) 14/03 - Shrewsbury (H) 21/03 - Lincoln (A) 24/03 - Wycombe (H) 28/03 - Accrington (A)

Hey Jude: Introducing Birmingham City’s Teen Prodigy Jude Bellingham City’s youngest debutant, earmarked for great success, is profiled by Max Kelly Max Kelly

nique and youthful determination. This willingness to be the talismanic figure at Birmingham provides evidence for the sort of leader that Bellingham could grow into being, perhaps even at the elite tier of European football. The young Englishman, who grew up just 15 miles outside of

Sport Writer

In Birmingham City’s 145-year history, there has never been a younger appearance maker than Jude Bellingham. Aged just 16 years and 38 days, Bellingham made his first-team debut in an unremarkable defeat to Portsmouth earlier this season. Since then, however, he has refused to fade into obscurity like so many teenage talents before him. Birmingham City are currently in their ninth season away from the top flight, and have failed to finish above 10th since 20112012. Add to this that they recently sold Che Adams, undoubtably their player of last season, and there does not seem to be much hope for the Blues. Their shining light, however, is Jude Bellingham, a 16 year-old youth academy product that has the skill and technique to take him to the very top. Despite this being Bellingham’s first season in professional football, his tactical role has already adapted, allowing him to become a key cog in a Pep Clotet’s system. Introduced to senior football on the wide-left, Bellingham has progressively moved into a cen-

“Bellingham's true value is his ability to contribute to all phases of play” Twitter/@BellinghamJude tral midfield position, where his considerable talents allow him more time on the ball. His box-tobox role has allowed the Birmingham-native to contribute prolifically in the final third, with four goals and two assists in the Championship this season. However, Bellingham’s true value is his ability to contribute to all phases of play. At his age,

many would forgive the youngster for shirking the more physical side of the game, particularly in such a demanding league as the Championship. For Bellingham, however, this is far from the case. On multiple occasions this season, the Birmingham City fans have seen Bellingham effectively win back possession through a combination of strength, tech-

Birmingham in the town of Stourbridge, has been linked with some of the biggest clubs in Europe. Manchester United reportedly had a bid rejected in January, and now Liverpool look the more likely destination. Being at Liverpool would undoubtably provide him with more fierce competition for a starting role, but could also be the ideal place for the young midfielder to learn from players with extensive European and international experience. Wherever Bellingham ends up,

the inevitability of his progression into the top flight is testament to his acumen and willingness to contribute to both the attacking and defensive side of the game. Whilst it is possible that Birmingham City fans may not see much of Bellingham past this season, they have certainly been witness to one of England’s most promising young talents. Youngest Championship Players This Century Reuben Noble-Lazarus (15 years and 44 days) Mason Bennett (15 years and 97 days) John Bostock (15 years and 284 days) Connor Wickham (16 years and 11 days) Byron Lawrence (16 years and 46 days) Jude Bellingham (16 years and 57 days) Source: Transfermarkt

SPORT

Friday 6th March 2020

@redbricksport

Who will Prevail in the Fight For Premier League Survival? Henry Arkill Sport Writer

With the Premier League wrapped up for Liverpool and the top four likely to be decided in the next few weeks with a number of those hoping for Champions League qualification, attention now turns towards the bottom of the table and the fight for survival. Such has been the quality of the league this season that there are at least seven teams who could still feasibly go down. The league has been marred by the advent of VAR and the inconsistency of the teams at the foot of the table means that the fabled 40-point

mark necessary for survival might not be required – 36 or 37 points will likely be enough this season. As of last weekend, Norwich City sit bottom of the table on 21 points with 28 games played. Despite their unexpected victory over Leicester recently they look dead and buried. Their unwillingness to invest in the summer and a style which flatters to deceive have meant that their tenure in the Premier League this time around looks to have been a short one, no Delia heroics expected here. Carabao Cup finalists Aston Villa must carry the momentum of getting to Wembley into the Premier League. Villa will look at home fixtures against local rivals Wolves, Crystal Palace and their

Twitter/@AVFCOfficial

game in hand against Champions League hopefuls Sheffield United as must wins and then hope to collect a few scalps on their travels. They will need to if they are to avoid repeating the feat of their city rivals Birmingham in the 2010/11 season in winning the League Cup but being relegated in the spring. Bournemouth and Watford have shared similar successes since their promotion to the Premier League in 2015, but both sides have struggled this season. Watford recorded an historic victory over run-away leaders Liverpool which will have given them a huge boost. Bournemouth will feel the effects of that defeat on Liverpool when they travel to Anfield this weekend, you struggle to see where the points will come from for the Cherries aside from home games against Palace and Newcastle and a derby with Southampton in the penultimate game of the season. Down the South Coast, Brighton look as though they too will be scrapping until the final day. The only Premier league side without a win in 2020, the Seagulls are in poor form at present and defeat at home to rivals Palace seeded further concern among fans. Again, it is a case of where those points going to come from for Brighton.

Column: Sport that Stuck With Me Emily Calder Deputy Editor

Graham Potter has his work cut out to assure they avoid the drop. West Ham never really had a new-manger bounce of note and the mismanagement of the club from the top has been reflected in relegation form on the pitch. Crucial back-to-back London derbies against Tottenham and Chelsea in the final few weeks will define their season. The London Stadium has cast a dejected figure this year but will host what could be a massive game in the fight for survival on the final day with the Hammers taking on Aston Villa. The game will surely decide one, if not both clubs' fates. Premier League Bottom Seven GP

Pts

Newcastle

-17

Brighton

-8

West Ham

-14

Watford

-16

B'mouth

-17

19 Aston Villa

-18

-26

Norwich

Europa League Last 16 Preview Sport Writer Jake Lang Looks ahead to the next round of Europe's second-tier competition, which includes Wolves Jake Lang Sport Writer

LASK v Manchester United After United's comfortable dispatching of Belgian side Club Brugge, the Red Devils face surprise package LASK. The Austrian outfit beat AZ Alkmaar 3-1 on aggregate. LASK press relentlessly; their Europa League average for passes per defensive action matches the best pressers in the Premier League. Once they have regained possession, they focus on rapid transitions, pushing for goals at all times. LASK could produce an upset here. Twitter/@SportPesa_UK

Istanbul

Basaksehir Copenhagen

Arguably the comeback of the round of 32 was Istanbul Basaksehir’s; having lost the first leg 3-1, they turned it around to beat Sporting Lisbon 5-4 in extra time. They face a Copenhagen side who were 4-2 victors over Celtic. Copenhagen’s Mohammed Daramy is one to watch out for. Olympiakos v Wolves After Youssef El-Arabi’s lastminute winner at Arsenal, Olympiakos will be Wolves’ next opponent. Wolves’ ability to absorb pressure before breaking rapidly through Adama Traore

exhibit why they’re tactically the perfect knockout side. Conor Coady and Joao Moutinho are crucial in orchestrating Wolves through the first to second phase of play. Coady’s long range switches and Moutinho’s excellent line breaking passes demonstrate the duo’s significant contrion in transition phases. Rangers v Bayer Leverkusen Rangers beat an individually talented but tactically naive Braga as part of a fantastic comeback from 2-0 down to win 4-2 on aggregate. Rangers struggled immensely to contain Barcelonabound wonderkid Francisco Trincão and against the extremely competent attacking unit of Bayer, face an even tougher task. Rangers will have to be proactive and take full advantage in the first leg played at Ibrox. Alfredo Morelos and Ianis Hagi must be on top form for Rangers to have a chance against heavy favourites Bayer. Wolfsburg v Shakhtar Donetsk Wolfsburg have been drawn against a talented Shakhtar side. This fixture could well be the most exciting tie of the round, with both sides adept offensively but somewhat vulnerable when they do not have the ball. Expect goals from this one and watch out for the Wolfsburg’s Croatian talent Josip Brekalo.

Sevilla v Roma In any other iteration of the competition, both Sevilla and Roma would be considered strong contenders for the title, yet neither side have convinced this season. The key individual battle will be between orchestrators Lorenzo Pellegrini for Roma and Suso for Sevilla. Eintracht Frankfurt v Basel Swiss side Basel comfortably beat APOEL and face German opposition in Frankfurt in the next round. Frankfurt’s Daichi Kamada, Andre Silva and Filip Kostićconstitute one of the most underrated trios in football. Inter Milan v Getafe Dubbed the anti-football derby, Antonio Conte’s Inter will look like an free-flowing side in comparison to Jose Bordélas’ rigid unit. Bordélas placed Frenkie De Jong’s ‘Getafe doesn’t play to entertain the fans; it bothers me to watch them play’ quote in the changing room in the second leg as motivation, clearly working as Getafe edged past Ajax 3-2. Big clubs are plentiful in the last 16 but arguably only Wolves, Inter and Getafe look the part. Conte may opt to field his strongest team for this tactically fascinating matchup; the winner will be the firm Europa League favourites.

I will be the first to admit that I am not typically the ‘sportiest’ person, and I am definitely more of a spectator than a participant when it comes to most sports (unless a brief secondary school stint on the rounders team counts for anything). I do, however, have a particular fondness for rugby, which I definitely put down to being from a rugby town - being a Saints fan is pretty much inevitable growing up in Northampton. I can’t say that my family or myself in particular are the biggest Saints fans out of everyone that I know, but regardless of this, rugby has infiltrated so many aspects of my life growing up.

“When many of the current players are friends of my friends, I do feel a bit more attached to the team” My experiences with rugby vary from attending Northampton games at Franklin’s Gardens on multiple occasions, to my sister’s best friend in nursery being the son of All Blacks superstar Carlos Spencer during his four years with the Saints. In a way that no other sport has influenced my life before, going to the rugby, knowing someone who is going to the rugby, or rugby results being a topic of conversation has been a constant for as long as I can remember. My best friend’s kitchen cupboards even contain cups with players’ faces on, alongside her family’s annual Christmas purchase of Saintsbranded underwear. Whilst this has always been the norm, I have to admit that when many of the current players are friends of my friends, I do feel a bit more attached to the team. This makes moments like seeing six of the boys being called up for this year's Six Nations pretty special – and if I feel a sense of pride, I can’t imagine how it feels for the diehard fans to see the club so wellrepresented at international level. Whilst I no longer attend primary school down the road from a house that was painted in black, green, and gold (Saints’ colours, for those who aren’t aware), growing up around the hype of the team and the sport itself is something that followed me to university. I will always feel at home when walking past a rugby match on the Bournbrook pitches, seeing anyone in Saints attire, or just checking the scores on my phone. I may not know the most about rugby as a sport, but being a Saints fan for 21 years makes me think that I’m probably in it for life, and that is actually quite lovely.

SPORT

Friday 6th March 2020

@redbricksport

Fury Dominates as Wilder Blames Heavy Walk-Out Costume For Loss

Sport Writer Rachel Higgins dissects Fury-Wilder II and what it means going forward Rachel Higgins Sport Writer

The long-awaited rematch between heavyweights Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder took place on 22nd February, and certainly did not disappoint. Tyson Fury took full glory in a stunning seventh round TKO, with Wilder hitting the canvas twice throughout the fight and his team deciding to throw in the towel. The fight was aptly named Unfinished Business after their previous fight resulted in a contested draw, which contributed heavily to the anticipation of this rematch. It should also be noted that before facing Fury, Wilder had managed a knockout against almost every fighter he faced since turning professional. The event began with delightfully over-the-top walk outs. Fury was tactically carried out like a King, whereas Wilder sported a heavy 18kg suit and helmet in honour of Black History month (pictured right). In fact, Wilder has since claimed that the weight of the costume was to blame for his

underwhelming performance, allegedly sapping the strength is his legs before the fight even began. Fury led a strong start and continued to dominate the fight. By round three, all of Fury’s doubters had begun to panic as the crowd witnessed a well-timed back hand that sent Wilder to the canvas for the first time. Though it was ruled as a slip, the path was made clear for Wilder’s descent into defeat. Wilder was out on his feet again in the fifth round, suffering impact from a brutal left hook to the body and fighting against the count. By the end of the sixth, Fury noticed Wilder using the ropes to hold himself up so, showing no mercy, pounded on the pressure. The Gypsy King was even seen pretending to lick the blood from his victim's shoulder. This one-sided hammering could not continue for much longer and with concern for continued ear damage, Wilder’s coach threw in the towel. The arena came alive as the Mancunian was officially crowned WBC heavyTwitter/@BBCSport

weight champion. Fury had promised and certainly delivered. Not only has he enjoyed the victory, but the winner earned a staggering £3.86m from the bout, with a net worth now estimated around £70m. Fury’s return to glory should be recognised and celebrated, especially in consideration of how he suffered a shock in the previous fight and it seeming to all that he would never get up. Even then, against odds he rose again to secure the split-draw verdict. As many have said before, Fury fights best when the stakes are highest. What does this mean for the heavyweight division? Wilder has confirmed he will execute his right to an immediate rematch and has 28 days to do so, with a comeback message claiming to ‘rise again.’ This means the fight will most likely take place in July to complete a trilogy and settle all bets. Notably, Fury’s promoter Frank Warren is eager to host at the Old Trafford as a homecoming to the British boxer’s origins and to bring home glory among lifelong fans. In terms of the heavyweight division more broadly, fans are eager for an all-British battle between Fury and Anthony Joshua.

Instagram/gypsyking101

If he secures another win there, Tyson Fury will be the official undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. In the meantime however, Joshua has confirmed he will fight mandatory challenger, 38-year-old Kubrat Pulev. The fight will take

place in the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday 20th June, with the WBA, IBF and WBO titles on the line for the Brit. It is the first time he has fought in the UK since 2018.

Six Nations Round Four: Can Les Bleus Move a Step Closer to Grand Slam? Owain Pryce previews the upcoming fixtures as Coronavirus cancels the game in Dublin Owain Pryce Sport Writer

Round Four of the Six Nations seldom requires extra drama, but with the spread of the coronavirus, this year there is a very unwelcome factor affecting the tournament. Games are already being postponed, with the men’s, women’s and under-20’s fixtures between Ireland and Italy called off. This leaves two fixtures still Twitter/@BBCScrumV

ongoing in the men’s tournament, both of which have a lot riding on them. Saturday sees one of the highlights of the championship, the clash between England and Wales at Twickenham. Both sides have already lost this tournament, with England falling to France in round one, and Wales coming to Twickenham on the back of loses against Ireland in Dublin and France in Cardiff. England have revived their

tournament last week by humbling Grand Slam hopefuls Ireland, with the return of the hard-hitting defensive rugby that we saw during their run to the World Cup final.

“France have looked a cut above the rest” Consistency is something that has eluded this England side in recent times, but if they are once again at their destructive best, Wales will struggle on Saturday. An already difficult job for the Welsh has been made harder thanks to injuries to Josh Adams and Dan Biggar, as well as George North. For a team already looking vulnerable defending the wider channels, losing two of their best wingers could be extremely damaging. Eddie Jones has been at his controversial best this year, be that in the media or in team selection, and the battle between a vastly experienced international coach in Jones and a relative novice in Wayne Pivac will be decisive. Will the fallow week have given Pivac the chance to finetune

Wales’ attacking game? It has looked dangerous in glimpses so far in this tournament, and may be the key to success for Wales as they hunt their first Six Nations win at Twickenham since 2012. Perhaps the more important game this weekend is in Edinburgh where France, the only side still able to win the Grand Slam, face Scotland. In a championship where most teams have struggled to consistently find their best form, France have looked a cut above the rest. Their young side has blossomed, finally appearing to combine their much-vaunted skill with defensive discipline and off-field stability. Fly-half Romain Ntamack, man of the match against Wales in their last game, will face up against another youngster at 10 in Adam Hastings. The Scot has replaced his nation's talisman Finn Russell this year and helped them to their first victory of the tournament last time out in Rome. At Murrayfield, a stadium where conditions are often challenging, which of these two playmakers manages the game better will have an instrumental effect on the result. Scotland have been far from where they want to be in terms of performance, and will be desperate to change this, though they are

coming up against a French side who silenced doubts over their ability to win away from home with victory in Wales. It is hard to see past France winning on Sunday, which would take them just one step away from their first Grand Slam in a decade.

Six Nations Table W

PTS

FRA

ENG

IRE

WAL

SCO

ITA

-72

Round 4 Fixtures: Tomorrow: England v Wales (16:45, ITV 1)

Sunday: Scotland v France (15:00, BBC 1)

SPORT

Friday 6th March 2020

@redbricksport

BUCS Sports Club of the Fortnight: Women’s Basketball Luke Bosher Sport Editor

The annual showpiece event for the University of Birmingham's Basketball Club is Lockdown, and this year proved a great success for the women's first team in particular. Their male counterparts narrowly lost to Warwick 64-71, but the women's team had greater success when they took on Nottingham to kick off the Lockdown 2020 proceedings. The hosts were dominant from start to finish, and walked away with a thoroughly convincing 75-35 victory in front of the large home crowd. Lockdown naturally entails more than just basketball, with

performances from Dance, Bhangra and Cheerleading societies supplementing some quality basketball and making for a great event for the spectators. The women's team had been in good form coming into Lockdown, picking up an impressive win against local rivals Birmingham City University in January. Aside from the firsts, the women's squad contains a second team and development side, and regularly contribute to the great success of campus league basketball. The team have also held intrasquad friendlies and a bake sale this year, establishing themselves as one of UoB's friendliest clubs.

UoB Women's Basketball

A Note From the Sports Officer: Josh Dooler Sports Officer

Lockdown success for the women’s basketball team last Saturday makes them worthy winners of the club of the fortnight this week. The girls came out with a 75-35 win in their crunch match against bitter rivals Nottingham in front of a 300-strong crowd on the show court. The event goes from strength to strength each year which is a testament to the club’s hard work behind the scenes to make it such a successful day in the University of Birmingham’s sporting calendar. Special mention to club captain Katherine Hinton for her efforts running up to Lockdown and congratulations on the result!

IceBull VII Preview: Memorable Occasion Expected on the Ice as Lions Seek Revenge Kit Shepard Sport Editor

The university’s Ice Hockey Club is just a week away from Icebull, its biggest event of the year. The showpiece will see the Birmingham Lions first team, which consists of players from several of the city’s universities, take on the Coventry and Warwick Panthers in the seventh edition of the spectacular occasion. Ice hockey is a sport like no other, and students should not be deterred if they are unfamiliar with the game. ‘The sport is fast, it’s intense,’ says charity fundraising and marketing secretary Emily Andreasson, who believes new fans will be hooked in by the game’s rapid speed. ‘It’s really

exciting, it’s really fast-paced,’ she reiterates. ‘The game never stops until the puck stops.’ If the sport’s supercharged style does not win you over, perhaps its physicality will. ‘My favourite part of the match itself is that people tend to chuck their gloves off and start fighting each other on the ice’, laughs Andreasson. Nevertheless, she insists that ice hockey ‘is not necessarily violent,’ but does come with its fair share of ‘people going head-to-head.’ Icebull, however, is about more than ice hockey. Students can purchase tickets that include transport to the game, to be played at Planet Ice in Solihull, which Andreasson believes will allow the entire club to ‘see a border-

line-professional standard of ice hockey.’ Fans will also be treated to an acrobatic ice show by the endeavour freestylers and could win big money in the 50/50 raffle. In addition to transport, entry to the official afterparty at Rosies can be covered by the price of a ticket. The social element of Icebull is vital according to Andreasson, who says that ‘it’s really useful for connecting the whole community.’ The event will attract ice hockey fans from across Birmingham and the surrounding areas, as hundreds of people come together to celebrate the sport and have a good time. With so much on offer beyond the game itself, does the result of Icebull really matter? In the eyes

of Andreasson, it most certainly does, especially after the Lions lost in last year’s event. ‘It’s still a sore spot,’ she admits, though Birmingham can take confidence from a 5-4 friendly victory over the Panthers earlier this season. Andreasson expects an equally

tight encounter at Icebull, all the more reason for students to make the trip to Solihull. ‘They [the Lions and Panthers] are really evenly-pitched, which makes it more exciting to watch, because it literally could go either way.’

Birmingham Lions Ice Hockey

Inside the Mind of a UBSport Trainer Sport Writer Ameek Gilhotra sits down with Helen Coy, part of UBSport’s training staff Ameek Gilhotra Sport Writer

Content Warning: This article contains discussion of body image

In a world where fitness is a part of many peoples' daily life, competition is often emphasised over the mental and physical benefits. Helen Coy, UBSport's Participation Development Manager, is one of the instructors who create an atmosphere which reminds us that it is possible to enjoy fitness. The challenge for a sports instructor is to be in the mood to of motivate at all times. Coy says that when life dampens her spirit, she tries to teach from a different place. She acknowledges how

emotional stress can be derailing, but as an instructor she tries her best to express joy in any situation regardless of how she feels personally. Releasing her students of stress is her primary concern. While acknowledging that different methods work for different people, Coy admits her preffered method is to inspire rather than berate. She almost never mentions how a certain exercise is going to ‘make your butt look great’ or ‘tone your legs,’ only emphasising the fitness benefits of specific body parts rather than aesthetics. Coy tells all her clients that they have the potential to do better, and that they can achieve more than they know. For her, setting herself on a pedestal is not an option, because she never wants to be in ‘a position of power,’ but interacts with people on their own

level as much as she can. Along with encouraging feedback, this is a way she ensures that she does not upset people. Physical fitness is not her only concern. She tries her best to become familiar with what clients are going through in their own lives, aided by the Mental Health First Aid programme provided by the university. We all have problems in our lives, and Coy takes the time to listen to them. Empathy and attentiveness are the formula for a highly responsible instructor, it seems. As to how she practices her teaching, Coy always provides an option to let people work at their own pace. Giving instructions clearly and leaving nothing to be inferred is crucial to creating a comfortable atmosphere. She says that one of the most common flaws that trainers

have is forgetting that humans have free will. On being asked if she is concerned by those who exercise maniacally, she says it is an issue many trainers face. Coy tries to provide a safe space, occasionally changing the composition of her classes to ensure it remains interesting, and hopefully catering for all people. She says that she wants everyone to feel that attending a sports class is amazing, and they are feeling their best when leaving.Regarding fitness and diet, Coy is quick to quash popular myths. For instance, for those dreaming of a flat stomach, situps will strengthen your muscles, but that does not mean that they will make your stomach smaller! When people ask her for ways to reduce weight, she is quick to tell them that they are amazing the

way they are. That said, she insists that she would not be where she is today without her belief that exercise is key to health and happiness. Nutrition is key to her philosophy, and she regularly directs people towards the correct dietry requirements to maximise their training. Finally, how is Coy able to maintain a positive perception of her body in such a demanding profession? In answer to this, she says that she has a very healthy relationship with her body. In the past, when she was her own worst enemy, her body would bail her out with her mind catching up later. She feels being kind to your body is a survival skill. Anxiety can cripple motivation, but it is so much easier to overcome if you can be comfortable with your body, whatever the shape.

Twitter/@BBCSport

06.03.2020

SPORT Coronavirus Thrusts the Sporting World into a State of Uncertainty

Jack Wooldridge has the latest as the illness begins to signifcantly impact sport Jack Wooldridge Sport Writer

The outbreak of the coronavirus has caused considerable disruption to the world of sport and many events have been cast into doubt as the virus continues to spread. Coronavirus – otherwise known as COVID-19 – has spread to over 60 countries, including the UK, after it originated in China at the end of 2019. A recent outbreak of the virus in Italy has raised fears that it could become a pandemic across Europe. The deadly virus has already had ramifications in the sporting world, especially within Asia. Events have either been relocated, rearranged or even cancelled in China and its neighbouring countries. The Chinese FA have postponed all football games, whilst the Chinese Grand Prix, which was scheduled for next month, has also been cancelled.

“Numerous high-profile events [are] at risk of being affected by the sickness” The emergence of the virus in Europe has caused further havoc to sport and the struggles to contain it in Italy has led to efforts to limit its damage. Some Italian football games have been postponed in light of the recent developments, and games involving the Italian National Rugby Team in the Men’s and Women’s Six Nations have met similar fates. Despite measures being taken to curb its movement within sport, coronavirus continues to spread unnoticed, not least because symptoms are not immediately

obvious and the prevalence of international travel in today's world. As a result, it threatens to cause wider disruption to the sporting calendar with numerous highprofile events at risk of being affected by the sickness. In the short-term, further cancellations in the Six Nations are highly probable, causing delay and uncertainty over the completion of the competition. Ireland’s game against Italy, which was to be played this weekend, has already been postponed and England’s trip to Rome on 14th March is now uncertain. Likewise, some football games involving Italian sides remain doubtful. Ten Serie-A games so far have been cancelled, with more expected, especially in northern Italy. There may also be similar disruption to the schedules of sports competitions outside of Italy. If there are further outbreaks in mainland Europe, games could be played behind closed doors or even cancelled entirely. Looking at the potential impact on the summer sporting timetable, the 2020 UEFA European Football Championships – which for the first time will be staged in twelve different countries – could face disruption if the situation worsens, especially as some games are forecasted to be played in Rome. Further outbreaks in countries across the continent could compromise the plan to have several host nations and UEFA could be forced to act. More concerning is what the spread of coronavirus could mean for the upcoming Olympics in Tokyo, which is only separated from China by the East China Sea. There have been hundreds of people infected with the virus in Japan and sport has been severely restricted in the country since the outbreak. The Tokyo Marathon (right) was limited to elite runners only last weekend, which does not bode well for the Olympics in the summer. The worst-case scenario is that the Olympics could be abandoned. This has only hap-

pened three times before due to the two World Wars, demonstrating the near-unprecedented level of potential disruption. Last Tuesday, Japan's Olympic minister Seiko Hashimoto announced that postponing the games until later in the year is a possibility.

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“Further cancellations in the Six Nations are highly probable” UoB Womens Basketball Sport governing bodies are continuing to monitor the situation very closely. Sports teams are also liaising with the authorities and are doing their own bit to try and halt the spread of the virus. For example, Newcastle United have banned handshakes at their training ground. While there may be no need for the organisers to be too alarmed right now, coronavirus is showing no signs of going away. If public health is further endangered by the staging of these global sporting spectacles, more difficult decisions may have to be taken. Twitter/@BBCSport

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Wilder vs Fury II Review

Twitter/@AVFCOfficial Birhanu Legese of Ethiopia wins the Tokyo Marathon amidst coronavirus fears

Relagation Race Hots Up