FREE
MARCH 2021
ISSUE 295
Spring Has Sprung!
Contents
March 2021 News
• Swansea University Nursing Literature Students Raise Over £2000 for • An Indigenous Women’s Voice in Hospital American Poetry • Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez • Bethan’s Book of the Month
Features
Music
Advice
Liberation
• St Piran’s Day • Artist Spotlight - Tame Impala • Multi Level Marketing: The New • Gender Bias in the Music Industry and Improved Pyramid Scheme, • The Local Scene - International Maybe Women’s Day Edition
• Food Waste Action Week • Time Management
Science and Research
• Award-Winning Tirion Turns to STEM • The Construction of the Great Sphinx of Giza, Egypt - A Timeline Contested
Fashion
• Female Designers That Will Make You Feel Empowered
Societies
• Celebrating Trans Women • Call Her Daddy • Women Shouldn’t Have to Punish Themselves to Feel Empowered
Sustainability
• The Women Who Are Saving the World
Film
• So What’s Wrong with Sia’s Music? An Autistic Perspective
Sport
• Tennis’ Most Influential Woman
• History Society: St David’s Day • Baking Society: Welsh Cakes • The Health Benefits of Tea
Culture
Creative Writing
Art
• I Think God Made a Mistake • Thinking of Wales
• Embracing Welsh Culture
• Can You Name Five Women Artists?
Our Editorial Team Editor-in-Chief Bethan Bates
Advice Bethan Collins
Deputy Editor Alex Baker
Societies Rachel Hart
Proofreading Sam Binnie and Franziska Trumpp
Fashion Rhianydd Sword
waterfronteditor @swanseastudentmedia.com
waterfrontadvice@ swanseastudentmedia.com
waterfrontdeputyeditor@ swanseastudentmedia.com
waterfrontsocieties@ swanseastudentmedia.com
News and Current Affairs Jordan Onslow waterfrontnews@ swanseastudentmedia.com
Sports Efan Willis
waterfrontsport@swanseastudentmedia. com
Science & Research Sophie Sadler
Music
waterfrontscience @swanseastudentmedia.com
Travel Jade Hughes
Cat Daczkowski waterfrontmusic@swanseastudentmedia. com
waterfronttravel@swanseastudentmedia. com
Literature Ashish Dwivedi
waterfrontliterature@ swanseastudentmedia.com
waterfrontfashion@ swanseastudentmedia.com
Sustainability
Lucie Štěpánková waterfrontsustainability@ swanseastudentmedia.com
Wellbeing
Lauren Stodolnic waterfrontwellbeing@ swanseastudentmedia.com
We Want YOU!
Seen a section you'd like to write for? Or want to start a new section? Get in touch now! Email: waterfronteditor@ swanseastudentmedia.com
Welcome to Waterfront!
Hi everyone! Welcome to the March edition of The Waterfront, this month we are celebrating International Women’s Day. We are not only celebrating all women and what they bring to the world. But we are also discussing some of the limitations put ipon women and how we can make change. Alongside this we also have exciting articles from the History Society on St. David’s Day and the Tea Society on the benefits of ... well, tea! I am excited to welcome lots of new writers to the paper this month and of course the return of some of our dedicated contributors. Thank you to everyone who helped make this issue so wonderful. Thank you for reading and ENJOY. Bethan
Meet the Waterfront Team
Bethan Bates is a third year English Literature and History student who is working towards a career in the publishing industry. She is a book fanatic (with a collection of over 400 books), an avid environmentalist, and a keen dancer. She is also the current Editor-in-Chief of the Waterfront and has been involved with the paper since her first year. Rhi Sword is a second year media and communication student. She’s an avid reader of Cosmopolitan magazine and plays the saxophone in her spare time. Megan Selway is a second-year English Literature student. She’s excited to share ideas and thoughts about the arts with you and would love for you to get in contact if you have an interest in writing for the section! Rachel Hart is the current Societies editor. She is a third year English Literature student and her hobbies include reading, photography and music. She can’t wait to liaise with different societies and promote their upcoming events. Bethan Collins is a third year English Literature student. It’s her first year being the editor for the Advice and Relationships section. If ever you want to write anything for this section, feel free to contact her! Ashish Dwivedi is an M.Phil. candidate in his final year, here at Swansea University and our current Literature and Creative Writing Editor. He calls himself a herpetology and mythology aficionado; a traveller who travels for food; a lax swimmer; and a hide-and-seek genius. However, one of his serious sides include his delightful interest in Utopian & Cartoon Studies and experimental and tragic poetry. Sophie Sadler is a postgraduate researcher in Mathematics and Computer Science. As well as being the
Science & Research Editor for the Waterfront, Sophie enjoys hiking & wild camping, riding her horse Bounce, and watching horror movies. Cat Daczkowski is a masters student at Swansea and the Music editor. She loves to listen and create music, as well as play video games when she has time. She’s very open to all genres of music and is always looking for new contributors for her section. Lucie Stepankova is a postgraduate Communications, Media Practice and PR student and Waterfront’s new Sustainability section editor. Through this section, she hopes to inspire more people to start making small steps towards sustainability and encourage conversation. She also writes about sustainability as a freelancer, enjoys playing the ukulele and practicing yoga. Jordan Onslow is an undergraduate English Literature and Creative Writing student and the current News and Current Events Editor. He is always looking for student input, to champion the news that affects them most. Bethan Northwood is a second year History student and Treasurer for both the LGBT+ society and Plaid Ifanc. They are passionate about political activism and baking, as well as Wales and its history. They spent lockdown doing different crafts that they saw on Tiktok. Catrin Lawrence has just graduated with an MA in English Literature from Swansea University. While trying to find a normal person’s job, she writes scary stories and a weekly blog. Soph Watkins recently finished their MA in English Literature at Swansea University, and enjoys writing in their spare time. Once the pandemic ends, they hope to start working towards their dream of becoming a librarian! Cara O’Sullivan studies Population Health and Medical Sciences and is in their third year, as well as being on the committee for the baking appreciation society and LGBTQ+ society. They enjoy baking, gaming, and reading, and they’re excited to write for the Liberation section, and would love for anyone interested in writing for the section to contact them! Maria Watkins is a full-time student taking an MSc degree in Environmental Dynamics and Climate Change. She practices Qigong in her spare time and enjoys horror stories and films. Dan Kingdon is a current third year student studying English Literature. He’s interested in all types of writing and literature but has always been drawn to music journalism and trying to understand the relationship between the artist as a human being in relation to the art they create. Outside of literature, he’s an avid skateboarder, lover of all types of music and the visual arts. Michael Bawden is a third year Politics student, he is the current Chair of Swansea Labour Students and Editor of The Social Review, a left-wing politics and current affairs blog. He follows Liverpool FC through gritted teeth and stays up far too late watching the Philadelphia 76ers. Benjamin Nichols is a Swansea alum, currently residing in the United States. He is currently getting his Ph.D. and intends to return to Wales in the future for his career. Sophie Apps is an English Literature student at Swansea University. Future best-selling poet and journalist, she is ‘Emily Dickinson meets Quintin Tarantino at dinner with Shakespeare’. Currently, Sophie writes sad poems, listens to obscure indie music and pets her cat Salem whilst re-watching old episodes of Gilmore Girls. Mu Xiaoqiao is currently a graduate student at Swansea University, majoring in English Literature. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in English literature from Shanxi University (China) in 2018. In 2019, she attended Dalian University of Foreign Languages for Postgraduate Studies, and in the next year joined the ‘study abroad program’ supported collaboratively by Dalian University and Swansea University.
News & Current Affairs Incredible Swansea Uni Nursing Students Raise Over £2000 To Fund iPads For Hospital Patients By Jordan Onslow
practical,” she added. “We are thrilled we had such a great response.”
Jayne Cutter, Head of Nursing at Swansea University, he Coronavirus pandemic has forced us all to re- added “Being in hospital is stressful at the best of times, evaluate our appreciation for key workers and all but being in hospital during the Covid-19 pandemic is of the brilliant work that they do on a daily basis. even more so. The support of families and friends can Nursing students in particular have shone during this make a massive difference to patients’ well-being and period, being instrumental in the testing process and visiting time is the highlight of their day”. She continued vaccine rollout; truly it has been a trial by fire for these heaping on the deserved praise, as she explained that the iPads had now been purchased and were now in use, aspiring individuals. connecting those hospitalised with their loved ones. In another fantastic show of community spirit, six Swansea University first year nursing students based at These six individuals have made a real difference to the Swansea University’s St David’s Park Campus have raised hospital and their efforts should be celebrated: in a time over £2400 to fund additional iPads for the Sunderland in which they have been pushed to their limits, they have Ward at South Pembrokeshire Hospital in Pembroke Dock, managed to help their community even further and this where two of the students had previously held placement mentality will make them incredible nurses. positions.
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The students decided to act after hearing how difficult it was for the patients to contact their families, with the pandemic preventing hospital visits. Truly, the idea of being hospitalised without any contact from loved ones is an awfully sad reality in the pandemic era. As such, these six students (Shannon John, Ruth Morgan, Lisa Prest, Shanice Riley, Anna Griffiths and Aneesah Akbar) aimed to raise £1000 by holding a raffle of prizes and services gifted by local businesses. However, this target was soon demolished, as the figure grew to over £2400. Shannon John, one of the students explained “We wanted to help because some patients hadn’t been able to contact their family since the pandemic started and we are just happy we could do something
Who is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez? Rising Star Of American Politics Or More Of The Same? By Louis Blomfield
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lexandria Ocasio-Cortez, otherwise known as “AOC”, is a New York congresswoman who represents a younger side of both the Democratic party and the Congressional makeup as a whole. She is currently the youngest member of the 116th Congress, inducted in January 2019 when she was just 29 years old. She was and remains the youngest woman ever elected to Congress.
this time last year. Despite the apparent hostility towards her, AOC’s youth brings with it a dynamism desperately void in Congress alongside a strong focus towards connecting with youthful demographics. Her repeated use of Instagram Live to connect directly with her supporters, such as cooking streams or sitting down with Bernie Sanders to discuss why people should get politically involved, is an example of her savviness. Arguably, her greatest success was her livestream on Twitch where she played Among Us with other popular streamers in an endeavour to increase voter turnout in the runup to the 2020 presidential election between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. The stream had a peak viewership of roughly 438,000 people, making it one of the most popular streams of the year. Whether this reflects a rise in prominence for a new medium of political engagement remains to be seen, but AOC’s commitment to utilising new methods of voter interaction, especially the disenfranchised and discouraged, has to be applauded. These mediums have low barriers of entry, and persist as an admirable aspect of her style and political career.
She was born in the Bronx, New York and attended Boston University, graduating with a degree in Economics and International Relations. She was initially thrust into the political limelight through her time campaigning for Bernie Sanders during the 2016 presidential election, knocking on doors in her state, before launching her own campaign for Congress in 2018. She won New York’s 14th congressional district, beating Joe Crowley who had previously held the office for ten consecutive terms. As the youngest woman ever elected to a Congress (which currently has an average representative age of 57), she is bound to draw attention from both sides of the aisle, Regardless of her successes and shortcomings, AOC will but what is particularly impressive is her social media remain a polarising figure within American politics for years to come, and, even though she’s still young, she will presence. leave an important legacy of empowering new voters In terms of her political impact, many believe that she to become enthused about matters of global political has “upended Democratic politics’’, and pushed the significance. Her existence within politics remains a party “inexorably to the left”. This, to many, triggers the constant reminder that perhaps politics isn’t just an old knee jerk reaction found so often in American politics man’s game anymore. that she is a “radical Leftist socialist”. As Time magazine /www.scotsman.com/news/politics/aocputs it, she stands to be the “Wonder Woman of the left, General: https:/ who-rep-alexandria-ocasio-cortez-and-what-did-sheWicked Witch of the right’’. At face value, AOC represents a Democratic dream: as a young Hispanic woman, she say-twitter-about-senator-ted-cruz-3117099 /ocasio-cortez.house.gov/about/biography belongs to a demographic of voters that the party so Bio: https:/ “Upended”: https:/ /www.theguardian.com/usheavily relies on. Her policies are indeed more to the Left than the more mainstream moderate branch of the news/2019/dec/24/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-aoc-firstyear-congress Democratic party; however this is not without appeal. Congress Age: https:/ /fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R45583.pdf /time.com/longform/alexandria-ocasioHer focus is on arguably the most substantive and Time: https:/ cortez-profile/ important issues of our time - a Green New Deal for /ocasio-cortez.house.gov/issues combating climate change, providing healthcare for all AOC Policies: https:/ Gallup: https:/ / news.gallup.com/poll/1618/favorabilityAmericans, immigration reform (including campaigning to abolish ICE). These are all sentiments that powerfully people-news.aspx /www.washingtonpost.com/videoand significantly stand as polar opposites to the most Twitch: https:/ games/2020/10/21/aoc-twitch-stream/ recent presidency. This has turned her into the Fox News punching bag, and Gallup polls have indicated that 41% of Americans had an unfavourable opinion of her as of
Features St. Piran’s Day By Jenna Griffiths
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t. Piran’s day is the national day of Cornwall and is celebrated annually on the 5th of March. St. Piran is said to have been Saint Ciaran of Saigir; however, this is often disputed. St. Piran was outcast from Ireland and subsequently was sentenced to death by drowning. As the legend goes, he is said to have survived and crossed the Irish Sea to land in what is now known as Perranporth. St Piran’s day has its beginnings in tin mining when the “tinners” would have a day off and observe the patron saint. Since then, it has evolved into Cornwall’s national day; much akin to St. David’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day, which are celebrated by Cornwall’s Celtic siblings.
Breton and California, as St. Piran is a Celtic Saint and the saint of “tinners”. Miners from Cornwall who settled in California during the mid-19th Century gold rush carried out St. Piran’s day celebrations, which have been continued by their descendants.
The flag of Cornwall - amongst other names - is known as Saint Piran’s Flag. It is named so as it is said to resemble tin ore in the rock, and thus is a symbol of tin mining and is a fitting representation of Cornwall as a whole. National days are important to the Celtic nations in preserving their heritage and identity. In recent years, schools in Cornwall have been making conscious efforts to preserve Cornish identity. They do this through celebrating St. Piran’s day alongside other important national days, including Murdoch and Trevithick Day. There has also The day is celebrated in several ways, including the been a revival in the teaching and learning of the Cornish pilgrimage to the site of St Piran’s Church in the sand language, which - with the help of Breton and Welsh dunes of Perranzabuloe and Perranporth. Also, one has been formalised in the unified Cornish language. may often find recreations of Saint Piran’s treacherous journey across the Irish sea being carried out throughout So, get your pasties, rattler and saffron buns ready for the Cornwall. These traditions are not only carried out in the 5th March! Gool Peran Lowen! small towns and villages of Cornwall but as far afield as Kernow Bys Vyken!
Multi Level Marketing: The New and Improved Pyramid Scheme, Maybe By Bethan Bates
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verybody knows that pyramid schemes are illegal, and as a society we have accepted they are bad. Right? So why are so many people (including what seems like everyone I went to high school with) joining MLMs and starting network marketing ‘jobs’? MLMs (or multi-level marketing schemes) are businesses in which you are a seller of a particular product (usually things such as vitamin tablets, jewelry, weight loss products, make-up, or skincare products), but you are also a recruiter of other members of the business. This is where the ethical problem of MLMs comes in. You will often see people selling and recruiting online, often appearing on Instagram stories or inviting you to Facebook groups. Pyramid schemes are defined by the Federal Trade Commission as a company that promises ‘consumers or investors large profits based primarily on recruiting others to join their program, not based on profits from any real investment or real sale of goods to the public.’ Simply put, you earn money by recruiting, not selling. Furthermore, ‘employees’ are often required to pay a fee to join the company which is then used to pay higher ranked members. The main difference between a legitimate business model and a pyramid scheme is that in a legitimate business, the primary source of income is by selling products to customers outside of the business. Many MLMs also require you to pay to enter the business. Scentsy, a company that sells wax products, has starter kits from £85 plus shipping. In this you receive sample products to help you begin selling. Avon offers a more affordable starter kit at £10 and one at £30, again paying for the product you are ‘employed’ to sell. Reminder: if you are paying, you are a customer - not an employee.
Scentsy their compensation plan uses lots of jargon such as ‘PRV’ and ‘Frontline SuperStar Consultant’. But it is clear that the only way for consultants to earn significant amounts of money (as is promised when they join up) they must recruit a downline. To qualify for the ‘lead consultant’ rank (and earn more commission) you must have recruited an active member, and to advance further you need more recruits in your downline. When you recruit people you can earn more ‘volume points’ and bonuses. Then as an upline consultant you are encouraged to have your recruits recruit more people, therefore promoting you further. Ultimately, what this means is that money is being made by recruiting members, not selling products to the customer. A defining feature of a pyramid scheme. As recruiting is the most important part of network marketing, consultants will do nearly anything to encourage you to join. One such is online recruitment; you will often see this on Instagram stories, Facebook groups, and all types of social media. They often use language such as ‘do you want to earn money from your phone’ or ‘anyone can do it’. This is designed to make you feel that joining the MLM will enable you to have a full time job selling and recruiting. Whilst most of this recruitment is mostly harmless and is worth little more consideration than a little chuckle before moving (swiftly) on, there is also a very insidious side of this. Valerie Lysakowski told Refinery-29 the story of how a college friend tried to recruit her despite Lysakowski explaining that selling weight loss supplements would be detrimental to her eating disorder recovery. She found that despite her concerns her friend continued to pressure her into joining; eventually Lysakowski ended her friendship to protect her own mental health. There are numerous similar stories of people who have lost friends and have developed strained relationships with family due to being ‘too deep’ in their MLM.
As well as damaging the personal relationships of consultants in their quest to recruit everyone in their contacts, MLMs have been proven to significantly affect women and people of colour in low socio-economic communities. With 74% of MLM sellers being women, Another aspect of MLMs that seems eerily similar to and 20% being of Hispanic origin, Time suggests that pyramid schemes is the compensation plan. Almost all MLM deliberately target “economically vulnerable MLMs have this information on their website (and often a communities”, as they are more likely to be tempted by the payment disclosure), which does make me question why big promises and get-rich-quick ‘guarantee’. The Chicago people still buy into these schemes. Looking again at Tribune says that MLMs are particularly attractive to
women as they are typically underpaid in most industries or are underappreciated as stay-at-home mothers. Below you can access the sources I used in this article but They often also target the fears that women have about I would also recommend watching John Oliver’s segment weight gain, aging signs, and loneliness. on Multi Level Marketing which puts lots of information into an easily consumable and understandable video. As well as the terrifying recruitment methods and the targeting of people who are vulnerable, the products Sources themselves often leave something to be desired. Federal Trade Commission: https:/ /www.ftc.gov/publicSometimes the products are nothing more than expensive statements/1998/05/pyramid-schemes, https:/ /www. placebos; however, other companies have received some consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0065-multi-level-marketingexceptionally damning reviews. Monet, an MLM that businesses-and-pyramid-schemes sells hair ‘care’ products, has been to civil court numerous scentsy.com: https:/ /imagelive.scentsy.com/cmsimages/ times over accusations that their products cause hair loss f i l e s /Jo i n / In co m e - D i s c l o s u re / 2 0 2 1 /0 2 1 5 2 1 / R 2and scalp burning. UKEN-2020-IncomeDisclosureStatement-Final.pdf, https:// imagelive.scentsy.com/cmsimages/files/Join/ In conclusion, MLMs and other network marketing Compensation-Plan/R2-CompensationPlan-UKIE.pdf companies are little more than a rebranding of avon.uk.com pyramid schemes. The FTC says that only 1% of people Refinery-29: https:/ /www.refinery29.com/en-gb/multiwho participate in them will make any profit. Scentsy level-marketing-friendships consultants in 2020 who were with the company for The Chicago Tribune: https:/ /www.chicagotribune. the full 12 months earned an average of £1106 - this is com/business/ct-biz-mlm-female-friendship-costssignificantly lower than the highest earner at £268,654. 20190122-story.html They take advantage of women, vulnerable people, Time: https:/ /time.com/5864712/multilevel-marketingfears of failure, and currently the COVID-19 pandemic. schemes-coronavirus/ If you are considering joining an MLM I would highly recommend doing a lot of research into what you are actually being paid for. Furthermore, we should all be having conversations with our friends and others about pyramid schemes and help them to make good and ethical decisions.
Dysgu Cymraeg! Dysgu Cymraeg mewn dim ond 5 munud y dydd, am ddim.
Learn Welsh! Learn Welsh in just 5 minutes a day, for free.
Swyddog Materion Cymraeg | Welsh Affairs Officer: katie.phillips@swansea-union.co.uk
Advice
Top Tips For Managing Your Time Through University By Sam Binnie
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ne of the biggest problems some students face is managing their time while getting used to newfound independence, freedom, and responsibility. I’ve put together a few tips for making sure you can enjoy your university experience while still making the best of your education.
Prioritisation
Prioritise your day in advance and try not to let new information overcomplicate that list. Your flatmate popping their head in to see if you want to watch a movie sounds like fun, but you haven’t finished the reading for tomorrow’s lecture! If one movie is going to stretch into two, into a long night, say no, or ask if you can start a bit later then finish your work first. However, prioritisation doesn’t mean only do the boring work stuff and you’re never allowed fun. Sometimes, having fun with your friends is going to be higher up your priority list than your work. As long as you know how to find a balance, there’s nothing wrong with that.
Timetabling
Knowing your Uni timetable is a big help when planning a work schedule. Do you have an hour after each lecture to do next week’s reading so it’s out of the way? Or do you need to do it the day before to make sure you remember it? Different people work in different ways and require different attitudes and levels of focus. You might have the energy to do next week’s reading but not tomorrow’s essay plan. Even if you’re not always working through your tasks in chronological order, maintaining some level of productivity where you can will help overall. Try to maintain a schedule to avoid letting your work build up until the final frantic weeks of term.
Monitoring (know your dates!)
Write down your deadlines and the details of each assignment. Put them somewhere you’ll see them regularly – a wall calendar, a diary you check regularly,
even a piece of paper blue-tacked above your desk! Keeping this information in view means you’re less likely to be caught with the wrong deadline in mind. It also means you have as much forewarning as possible for deadlines that conflict each other.
Take a break
Sometimes, the motivation that you need just isn’t there. You can try to create it – give yourself something to look forward to, or tell yourself you can’t move on until you’ve done something, but if it just doesn’t come, that’s okay! If it happens too often, you need to work on getting stricter on yourself, but breaks are healthy and necessary. If you need to take an hour or two away from your workload, then that’s what you should do. And no feeling guilty for it either! Go out and do something fun. However, when you do, make sure to take a proper break. Five minutes scrolling through Instagram feels like a great plan, but – It always ends up being more than five minutes. If you don’t leave your seat, your brain can’t properly differentiate between “work time” and “break time”. Right now, we’re surrounded by screens just to get our work done, and your eyes need a break too. Go for a walk. Go to the gym or do some exercise at home. Make a cup of tea, or a snack. And when you do settle in to work, make sure you’ve sorted yourself out so that you can sit and work solidly. Ultimately, time management is personal – different systems work for different people. Try experimenting for a week or two until you find the rhythm that works for you. University can seem overwhelming, but support is always there if you need it. If you’re struggling academically, reach out to your academic mentor or your module lecturer. In four years, I’ve yet to have a lecturer who was unwilling to help when I needed it. If you’re struggling with anything non-academic, the university has a Wellbeing Service accessible to every student. Just because you might be living away from home for the first time ever, doesn’t mean that you’re alone, and there’s no shame in asking for help if you need it.
Katie’s Top Tips to Tackle Food Waste By Katie Phillips
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inspo on quick budget meals that don’t need loads of ingredients. Measurements I’ve recently invested in weighing scales so that I can take the correct measurements for recipes. Investing in measuring spoons could also be helpful. One thing I always struggled with measuring correctly was pasta, but now I measure 1 mug of pasta for 1 serving and it’s perfect for me.
hen I was in my first year at University, I threw away far more food than I care to admit. I found it hard to use up foods that didn’t have a long shelf life, such as lettuce and berries. It was the first time I was responsible for doing my own food shop and I would spontaneously buy random food instead of planning out my meals and just getting the necessary ingredients. It Understanding sell by dates was a learning curve and I wish someone had shared With fruit and veg, my motto is, if it smells fine, looks fine these tips with me a lot sooner! and has no white or fluffy bits then it is probably edible. Buying reduced food can save so much money and I My top tips to tackle food waste: have bought more luxurious items when reduced, such as Beyond Meat burgers from £5 to £2. Freeze food You can freeze most food and buying frozen fruit and Tinned food veg can sometimes be more nutritious as it’s frozen at Some people shy away from tinned food as they are the peak of freshness! When buying reduced food, check worried about its nutritional content, but it can be a on the package to see if it’s suitable for freezing so that cheap, healthy and accessible option for many. I always you can make it last longer. like to have a stock of tinned beans, chickpeas, coconut milk and chopped tomatoes as they have a long shelf life Meal plan and are great for making curries, chillies and soups. Writing a rough meal plan for the week and sticking to So, there are my top tips. Going to university and learning those ingredients when doing your food shop will ensure to live on your own, for the first time for a lot of people, is that you don’t waste food and will help you save money! really difficult - I hope these tips are useful for helping one I love looking at recipe books and foodie accounts for aspect of learning to live alone and look after yourself.
Sustainability The Women Who Are Saving The World By Bethan Bates
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n honour of International Women’s Day (March 8 2021) I wanted to write about five important women who are doing their best to save our plant. I have chosen these five eco-warriors due to either their notability or their being overlooked. Greta Thunberg: probably one of the most well-known young environmentalists at the moment, Greta Thunberg is an eighteenyear-old from Sweden who has been leading the ‘School Strike For Climate’ campaign since August 2018. She has won a number of awards and spoken in front of many about climate change, including the United Nations Climate Action Summit. She is currently taking a year out of education to further her cause and travel (sustainably) to educate people. Although there has been a great deal of positive responses to her work, there is also a phenomenon of unwarranted vicious and graphic hate that is often directed towards her. Autumn Peltier: another young environmental activist is Autumn Peltier, a sixteen year old clean water advocate. Her work gained international attention when she met with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudaeu to confront him about his stance on pipelines. She has since been nominated for an International Children’s Peace Prize and has attended the United Nation Secretary-General’s Climate Action Summit in both 2018 and 2019. She is also the Chief Water Protector for the Anishnabek Nation (an organization representing First Nation people of Canada).
Winona LaDuke: Native American environmentalist, Winona LaDuke, has been an activist for native rights and the loss of land. However, she also worked to develop a new model for sustainable development with ecoconscious decisions from production of food through energy. She founded the non-profit organization White Earth Land Recovery Project which has helped revive wild rice cultivation in Minnesota. She also co-founded Honor The Earth which provides grants to Native-run environmental initiatives. Mari Copeny: better known as Little Miss Flint, Mari Copeny first achieved national recognition in the US when she wrote to former President Obama about the water crisis in Flint, Michigan. Her letter inspired President Obama to fly to Flint and bring national attention to the water crisis. Although she was only eight at the time she has continued her work by raising awareness with her #WednesdaysForWater campaign. Currently she is working with a water filtration company to bring filters to communities that don’t have access to clean and safe drinking water. Jane Goodall: born in 1934, Jane Goodall has been an environmental and conservation activist for a long time. She is also noted as the inspiration of many other activists since. She is most known for her study on chimpanzees in Gomber Stream National Park in Tanzania but she has long been an advocate for animal welfare. Her research found that we are not so different from animals and thus we should work to protect the animal kingdom. Her namesake, the Jane Goodall Institute, currently works to educate people on how to help humanity and also protect the natural environment.
First Saturday of every month Please email Georgia-Rose Gleeson for further information georgia-rose.gleeson @swansea-union.co.uk
Societies St. David’s Day Welsh Cakes Recipe By Rachel Hart & Baking Society
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Method: Rub together the flour and butter between your fingers to make fine breadcrumbs. Then add the caster sugar and sultanas and mix until the sultanas are evenly spread throughout the batter.
o get you in the spirit of St. David’s Day, here’s our Beat the egg in a separate bowl, and then pour into a committee’s super simple recipe for Welsh Cakes! well in the middle of the batter. Slowly fold in the rest of the mixture until all of the ingredients are mixed. Makes 8. Form the mixture into a ball of dough, then roll it onto a Ingredients: lightly floured surface. The dough should be around the 125g plain flour thickness of your pinky finger. Cut it into rounds using a 1 teaspoon of baking powder 6cm cutter, and be sure to re-roll and cut any trimmings. 1 pinch of salt 50g caster sugar Preheat a greased heavy iron griddle, bakestone or heavy 50g butter frying pan before adding the rounds in batches. Cook for 40g sultanas 2–3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. 1 egg 2 tablespoons milk Sprinkle with caster sugar while still warm. We recommend Caster sugar (for decoration) you serve them with jam or butter too!
St. David’s Day by Ioan Macsen Gruffydd (SU History Society)
tradition for New York. After noticing that, I noticed our tour guide, Shirley, was wearing a daffodil. When I asked her about it she said she was a proud Welsh-American with roots in Torfaen, highlighting to me a growth in visibility of our country and its national holiday overseas. If anything would help Americans find out about Welsh culture and traditions, seeing a troop of forty Gower he way we think about key events in the Welsh social college students singing calon lan as they walked down calendar is changing. Of course, change is normal, 5th Avenue on Saint David’s day would surely be it. but the change in Wales seems more rapid than elsewhere. In the last 20 years, the number of annual Two years later, on 1st March 2020, I was perhaps even events specific to Wales and its culture seems to have more surprised when I saw stalls pop up in Swansea town increased exponentially, and the way we celebrate these centre as part of a Saint David’s day fair. Even in Swansea events has been changing too. Saint Dwynwen’s day - the most anglicised of Welsh towns - there is a growing (often called the Welsh Valentine’s day) on the 25th of respect for our native traditions and culture, so much so January, is a holiday which has been celebrated in Wales that me and my friends could sit in a tent on Union Street in some form for centuries, although it was something (ironic?) and watch a demonstration on how to make most Welsh people would have been ignorant about until the perfect bara brith hosted by West-Walian GBBO recently. In the run up to Saint Dwynwen’s day, we see contestant, Michelle Evans-Fecci. Free samples of bara cards appear in supermarkets and events organised in brith - as nice as they are - are just the tip of the iceberg pubs, restaurants and community centres from Aberbeeg of the revival of Welshness. Across the country, you can to Abersoch. The change in fortunes experienced by see many different ways of celebrating Saint David’s day, this increasingly popular holiday has been mirrored from parades in Aberystwyth and Cardiff, to folk dancing elsewhere, and events from Llywelyn ein llyw olaf Day to sessions, to radio-transmitted Welsh lessons, poetry Welsh Music Day have grown in visibility and popularity. sessions, and performances of our national instrument, No event however, has experienced a growth in status the Telyn. more than our national holiday on March the first, Saint If you, like me, are a young Welsh person with a burgeoning David’s day. sense of patriotism, you might be at a loss for things Anyone who has grown up in Wales - myself included - to do this Saint David’s day but I can assure you of an will be able to give you a detailed account of what the abundance of covid-safe activities. With a frying pan, a celebrations on an average Saint David’s day would gentle hand and some patience, you can try your hand entail while at school. For me, and millions of other Cymry, at making Picau ar y maen or you could even learn some it meant attaching a tinfoil-wrapped daffodil or a heavy traditional Welsh songs and host your own cymanfa ganu. vegetable to your waistcoat, traipsing to school in the If that doesn’t take your fancy, you could join the millions pouring rain or, god forbid, snow and sitting on a hard learning Welsh on duolingo, or even book a Welsh course wooden floor for a morning of heady methodist hymns with the government website, learnwelsh.cymru.
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in a traditional session of singing called a cymanfa ganu and bad poetry in a mini school Eisteddfod. It could be fun at times, but all the while it seemed more like a novelty than a holiday of national significance.
Since my days of floor-sitting in Swansea’s Cwm-rhydy-ceirw primary school, Dydd Gwyl Dewi has seemingly begun to venture out of the classroom and chapel hall, and into the streets of our communities, ergo, mainstream narrative surrounding our national identity. On 1st March 2018, for the first time in my life, I spent Saint David’s Day outside of my homeland, on a sixth-form trip in New York. It was a little uncomfortable for me, not being able to partake in the celebrations, but to my surprise, the Welsh flag was flying outside of the famous NYSE; a new
Dydd Gŵyl Dewi
tro cyntaf yn fy mywyd, treuliais i Ddydd Gŵyl Dewi y tu allan i fy mamwlad, ar daith y chweched dosbarth i Efrog Newydd. Roedd hi ychydig yn anghyfforddus i mi, methu â chymryd rhan yn y dathliadau, ond er mawr syndod i mi, roedd baner Cymru yn hedfan y tu allan i’r NYSE enwog; traddodiad newydd i Efrog Newydd. Ar ôl sylwi ar hynny, sylwais fod tywysydd ein taith, Shirley, yn gwisgo cennin pedr. Pan ofynnais iddi am y peth, dywedodd ei bod yn Gymro-Americanaidd balch gyda gwreiddiau yn Nhorfaen, gan dynnu sylw at dwf yng ngwelededd ae’r ffordd rydyn ni’n meddwl am ddigwyddiadau ein gwlad a’i gwyliau cenedlaethol dramor. Os byddai allweddol yng nghalendr cymdeithasol Cymru unrhyw beth yn helpu Americanwyr i ddarganfod mwy yn newid. Wrth gwrs, mae newid yn normal, ond am ddiwylliant a thraddodiadau Cymru, byddai gweld mae’r newid yng Nghymru yn ymddangos yn gyflymach grŵp o ddeugain o fyfyrwyr Coleg Gŵyr yn canu Calon nag mewn mannau eraill. Yn yr 20 mlynedd diwethaf, Lan wrth gerdded ar hyd 5th Avenue ar Ddydd Gŵyl Dewi ymddengys bod nifer y digwyddiadau blynyddol sy’n yn sicr o wneud hynny. benodol i Gymru a’i diwylliant wedi cynyddu’n esbonyddol, ac mae’r ffordd yr ydym yn dathlu’r digwyddiadau hyn Ddwy flynedd yn ddiweddarach, ar 1af Mawrth 2020, wedi bod yn newid hefyd. Mae diwrnod Santes Dwynwen cefais fy synnu hyd yn oed yn fwy pan welais stondinau (a elwir yn aml yn ddydd Sant Ffolant Cymru) ar y 25ain o yn ymddangos yng nghanol tref Abertawe fel rhan o Ionawr, yn wyliau sydd wedi cael ei ddathlu yng Nghymru ffair Ddydd Gŵyl Dewi. Hyd yn oed yn Abertawe - y dref ar ryw ffurf ers canrifoedd, er ei fod yn rhywbeth y byddai’r fwyaf Seisnigedig o Gymru - mae parch cynyddol at mwyafrif o Gymry wedi bod yn anwybodus amdano ein traddodiadau a’n diwylliant brodorol, digon i fi a fy tan yn ddiweddar. Yn y cyfnod yn arwain at ddiwrnod ffrindiau eistedd mewn pabell ar Stryd yr Undeb (eironig?) Santes Dwynwen, gwelwn gardiau’n ymddangos mewn a gwylio arddangosiad ar sut i wneud bara brith perffaith archfarchnadoedd a digwyddiadau mewn tafarndai, a gynhelir gan gystadleuydd GBBO o Orllewin Cymru, bwytai a chanolfannau cymunedol o Aberbeeg i Michelle Evans-Fecci. Roedd y samplau bara brith - mor Abersoch. Mae’r newid yn y dathliadau o’r ŵyl gynyddol flasus ag oeddent - dim ond yn esiampl fach o’r adfywiad boblogaidd hon wedi’i adlewyrchu mewn mannau eraill, Cymraeg. Ledled y wlad, roedd llawer o wahanol ffyrdd ac mae digwyddiadau o Ddiwrnod Llywelyn ein llyw o ddathlu Dydd Gŵyl Dewi i’w gweld, o orymdeithiau yn olaf i Ddiwrnod Cerddoriaeth Cymru wedi tyfu mewn Aberystwyth a Chaerdydd, i sesiynau dawnsio gwerin, gwelededd a phoblogrwydd. Fodd bynnag, nid oes i wersi Cymraeg ar y radio, sesiynau barddoniaeth, a unrhyw ddigwyddiad wedi gweld twf mewn statws yn pherfformiadau o’n hofferyn cenedlaethol, y Delyn. fwy na’n gwyliau cenedlaethol ar Fawrth y cyntaf, Dydd Os wyt ti, fel fi, yn Gymro ifanc sydd ag ymdeimlad Gŵyl Dewi. cynyddol o wladgarwch, efallai dy fod ar golled am i bethau wneud ar Ddydd Gŵyl Dewi ond gallaf sicrhau Bydd unrhyw un sydd wedi cael ei fagu yng Nghymru – fydd llwyth o weithgareddau diogel ar gael. Gyda gan gynnwys fi - yn gallu rhoi disgrifiad manwl i ti o’r hyn phadell ffrio, llaw ysgafn a rhywfaint o amynedd, gallet y byddai’r dathliadau ar Ddydd Gŵyl Dewi yn ei olygu ti roi cynnig ar bobi Picau ar y maen neu fe allet ti hyd tra yn yr ysgol. I mi, a miliynau o Gymry eraill, roedd yn yn oed ddysgu rhai caneuon Cymraeg traddodiadol a golygu atodi cennin pedr neu lysieuyn trwm wedi’i lapio chynnal canu cymanfa dy hun. Os nad yw hynny at dy â ffoil â’ch gwasgod, teithio i’r ysgol yn y glaw trwm neu, ddant, fe allet ti ymuno â’r miliynau sy’n dysgu Cymraeg weithiau, eira ac eistedd ar lawr pren caled am fore o ar Duolingo, neu hyd yn oed cofrestru ar gyfer cwrs emynau Methodistaidd mewn sesiwn draddodiadol o Cymraeg gyda gwefan y Llywodraeth, learnwelsh.cymru. ganu o’r enw cymanfa ganu a barddoniaeth ddrwg mewn Eisteddfod ysgol fach. Gallai fod yn hwyl ar brydiau, ond Translated by Katie Phillips roedd yn ymddangos yn debycach i newydd-deb na gŵyl o arwyddocâd cenedlaethol.
gan Ioan Macsen Gruffydd (Cymdeithas Hanes UM)
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Ers fy nyddiau o eistedd ar y llawr yn Ysgol Gynradd Cwm-rhyd-y-ceirw yn Abertawe, mae’n ymddangos bod Dydd Gŵyl Dewi wedi dechrau mentro tu hwnt i’r ystafell ddosbarth a neuadd y capel, ac i strydoedd ein cymunedau, ac felly, naratif amlwg sy’n amgylchynu ein hunaniaeth genedlaethol. Ar 1af Mawrth 2018, am y
Health Benefits of Tea Angeliki Glarou of Swansea Tea Society (@SwanseaTeaSoc)
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ea has a long history in various cultures: from the southwest of China during the Shang dynasty, to the first Portuguese priests in the 16th century bringing it to Europe, to today where we can find tea at our local Tesco. In Yunnan, tea originated as a medicinal drink and now researchers and scientists examine this old wisdom through experiments. This article will explore the health benefits of five teas. For tea fanatics; green tea, black tea, white tea, oolong tea, and pu-erh tea are considered as the ‘real thing’ and all of them are derived from the Camellia sinensis plant. Green Tea Green tea is the most researched tea, and it is made with steamed leaves. A study in 2015 shows that one cup of green tea every day may result in a lower risk of death from cardiovascular causes. Additionally, other research shows that the consumption of green tea and black tea could reduce the risk of strokes and diabetes. Moreover, drinking green tea for 3 to 6 months could result in a decrease of blood pressure. Finally, drinking green tea (or taking supplements of green tea) reduces the blood concentration of total cholesterol. Even though research does not support that green tea helps with weight loss, we have to agree that green tea is not just an amazing beverage, but it could provide many health benefits too.
White tea White tea is uncured and unfermented. Interestingly, white tea does not have a universally accepted definition, but everyone agrees that - because it is not rolled or oxidized - it has that characteristic light flavor. Like green tea and black tea, white tea also reduces heart disease, alongside reducing the risk of insulin resistance. Moreover, white tea contains fluoride, catechins and tannins, and their combination helps to strengthen teeth by fighting bacteria and sugar. Catechins that are found in white tea also suppress cells that break down bones, hence protect against osteoporosis. However, if you do not like the taste of white tea, you can still get some health benefits by applying it to your face. Before you laugh, some studies show that the compounds in white tea protect skin from damage that links to aging.
Oolong Tea and Pu-erh Tea Oolong tea differs because of the way it is processed because it goes through a partial oxidation. Like all the above teas it could reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes. There is one study that shows that oolong tea (as well as green and black) could be associated with decreased risk of ovarian cancer. Pu-erh tea is under the expansive category of traditional Chinese fermented dark teas. There is some evidence that pu-erh tea helps Black Tea Black tea is made with fermented tea leaves and it is with weight loss. There are several studies that show that the one that contains the highest amount of caffeine pu-erh tea extract may reduce cholesterol levels . of the five aforementioned teas. Black tea is the most Both teas are the less researched ones but also the most used for flavored teas. As mentioned above, black tea traditional out of the five. Oolong and Pu-erh tea have could reduce the risk of stroke and diabetes and lead to complicated processes in order to be made, with legends a decrease of blood pressure. A study showed that three surrounding their origins. cups of black tea per day results in a reduced chance of developing heart disease by 11%. Black tea contains Tea could be much more than just a beverage. polyphenols which maintain the health of the human gut Tea tempers the spirits and by promoting good bacteria and inhibiting bad bacteria. harmonizes the mind, dispels Finally, another study on black tea’s polyphenols showed lassitude and relieves fatigue, awakens that the consumption of tea could prevent the spread of thought and prevents drowsiness, hormone-dependent breast tumors. I don’t know about lightens or refreshes the body, and you, but I am going to continue drinking my morning clears the perceptive faculties. black tea. Lu Yu, Eighth Century Chinese Poet.
Film So What’s Wrong with Sia’s Music? An Autistic Perspective By Catrin Lawrence and Soph Watkins
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everal choices were made in 2020. Out of many terrible paths taken throughout that cursed year, one choice stands above them all.
Sia announcing her magnum opus; Rain Man: the Musical. Both of us are autistic and, along with many autistic people across the Internet, we watched Sia dig herself a gradually deeper hole when responding to repeated criticism and ( justified) mocking by autistic people. The Australian artist, attempting to distance herself from the situation, deactivated her Twitter account. The first trailer for ‘Music’ dropped in November 2020. It follows former drug addict Zu (Kate Hudson) who finds herself looking after her autistic half-sister Music (Maddie Ziegler). The only thing stopping Zu from dropping Music off at the ‘People Pound’ (nice) is that she has the hots for her neighbour Ebo (Leslie Odom Jr.). Inspiration is inspired, songs are sung, and Zu becomes a bastion for how not to treat your neurodivergent siblings.
Copyright Vertical Entertainment
role, or the autism. For decades, disabled roles have been given to non-disabled actors, stopping disabled actors You might already be noticing several problems. This is from portraying their own conditions. Sia claimed that every Oscar-bait, disability-as-inspirational-prop story she tried to work with a non-verbal autistic actress, but heard a million times before, but with dance numbers. that the experience was too ‘unpleasant’ for the actress, Said dance numbers take place in a trippy fantasy land hence Maddie. that most people only get to see after a wild night on Wind Street. Autistic people often see, taste, smell and Trouble is, there’s more than one autistic actress. Several hear things at a higher level than neurotypical (nonunimpressed autistic actresses responded to Sia, pointing autistic) people. The kaleidoscope-coloured, jet planeout they could have entered the role. Secondly, Maddie is loud musical numbers in Music would be a sensory famous for being Sia’s ‘muse’, so the casting utterly reeks nightmare for most neurodivergent people. So does it of nepotism. Thirdly, reasonable adjustments at work really represent us? are A Thing, even on a film set. Why was the non-verbal actress not supported on-set or more effort made to cast The biggest problem was casting Ziegler as Music. She’s an autistic actress experienced with filming? a good dancer, but she doesn’t have the range for this
Copyright Vertical Entertainment For a film about autistic people, little effort was made to include us in it. Sia complained that people were pre-judging the film before it was released, tweeting, ‘grrr, f*city f*ck why don’t you watch my film before judging it? FURY.’ She also responded to criticism by autistic people of Ziegler’s casting in an immature manner, telling one person: ‘Maybe you’re just a bad actor’. Classy.
cases of alleged abuse and death related to seclusion and restraint in schools’, with African American children disproportionately affected by these harmful measures. Sia tweeted, ‘Duh. I spent three f**king years researching, I think that’s why I’m so f**king bummed.’ If she had indeed spent ‘three f**king years’ carrying out research, surely she would have found out that restraints inflict physical and psychological damage on children?
However, this earlier criticism fades in comparison to a scene which horrified the autistic community.
Prone restraint kills disabled children. In 2018, three California school employees were charged with the death of Max Benson, a thirteen-year-old boy with The worst aspect of Music is its depiction of a restraint severe autism (source: nypost.com). According to the method that has killed autistic people. In one scene, as article, he was ‘placed facedown in a prone restraint by a the three leads walk through a park, Music becomes special education teacher’ for just under two hours, until overstimulated. It is unclear what triggers this upset (the he became unresponsive, later dying at the hospital. This only effort taken in understanding Music’s perspective is what happens in real life when you restrain a child. is through musical sequences). Hudson’s character Death. physically restrains Music, who responds by hitting and screaming. And yet Music still got nominated for two Golden Globes. The Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint found that So please, don’t watch Music. You don’t need enlightening in the US, ‘122,000 students were restrained or secluded on the Autistic Struggle™. Just watch Bridgerton again. during the 2015-2016 school year’, 71% of which were Please. disabled students (source: endseclusion.org). In 2009, the Government Account Office found ‘hundreds of
Science & Research The Construction of the Great Sphinx of Giza, Egypt - a Contested Timeline By Maria Watkins
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he colossal east-facing Sphinx monument (pictured) is widely recognised and admired. It sits on Egypt’s Giza plateau and has been the subject of much deliberation. Many Egyptologists have assumed, without scientific evidence, that the monument dates back to ~2,500 B.C., attributing it to the Pharaoh Khafre (of the Old Kingdom’s 4th Dynasty). Nevertheless, this estimated age does not follow the science. Some earlier archaeologists, from even the late 19th and early 20th centuries, have suggested that the Sphinx doesn’t belong to its assigned timeline; although they also had no evidence to corroborate their intuitive leaning.
French Egyptologist and mystic René Adolphe Schwaller de Lubicz popularized the idea that constructions adhered to sacred geometry in ancient Egypt. His work was examined by author and lecturer John Anthony West, who suspected that the monument was much older than was widely advocated. West was a proponent of the Sphinx water erosion hypothesis. In 1989, Robert M. Schoch, a geologist and associate professor of Natural Sciences at Boston University, accompanied West to Egypt to analyse the monument, with the aim of corroborating his hypothesis. On inspection, Schoch was adamant that the age of the Sphinx and its enclosure (the walls around the Sphinx) had been greatly underestimated. Schoch has also been an advocate of the Sphinx water erosion hypothesis since 1991 and his analysis demonstrates that the original construction of the Sphinx occurred before the end of the Younger Dryas (the last ice age, ending ~9,700 B.C). Firstly, it’s understood that the Sphinx was carved out of the limestone bedrock, with only its head initially above ground. Noting the monument’s extensive repair work and focusing on the original construction, Schoch applied his expertise and swiftly concluded that chemical weathering of the limestone by precipitation had occurred. Rainfall runoff, flowing on the softer parts and into small cracks of the limestone, created deeper fissures. This explains the vertical fissuring and the eroded, undulating features
of the limestone seen today on the Sphinx’s body and enclosure. He admits the evidence is verifiable and rejects previous hypotheses that attribute the weathering to wind and sand erosion. He also states that Nile flooding would give a different erosional characteristic.
Notably, the Sphinx’s head is greatly disproportionate to its body, suggesting a later remodelling of the larger, original head, perhaps at Pharaoh Khafre’s request. Access to the network of underground tunnels beneath the Giza plateau is denied, adding to Egypt’s enigma.
Schoch attributes the erosional features to thousands of years of rainfall, and/or from extreme episodic rainfall events, and observes that ~5000 years ago, the dry Saharan climate was not responsible. Climate change, involving a coronal mass ejection observed in isotope analysis, ended the Younger Dryas, increasing atmospheric moisture leading to precipitation and probably heavy flooding. Subsequent rainfall would have continued to erode the monument and its enclosure, producing the erosion we see today. The Giza savannas, as a result of climatic changes, became transformed during the Holocene (our current epoch) into what is now the Sahara desert plateau. Schoch consequently concludes that the initial construction of the Sphinx monument and its enclosure (before any modifications) occurred prior to the end of the Younger Dryas, and that Dynastic Egypt (currently assumed to be ~5000 years ago) was instead a legacy of an earlier cycle of civilization.
Due to its east-facing position, I suggest that the Sphinx dates back to when sun-worshipping was practised, before the introduction of polytheism. Possibly, this former practice of ‘sun veneration’ had influenced the Pharaoh Akhenaten (formally Amenhotep IV, father of Tutankhamun and husband of Nefertiti) during his reign in the 18th Dynasty. He changed his name to Akhenaten to tie in with the monotheistic worship of the Aton, or Aten (the sun’s disc), after abandoning the previous polytheistic worship of his predecessors.
Blocks weighing many tonnes, carved out from around the Sphinx during its construction, were transported to construct the Sphinx Temple and the Valley Temple.
A multi-disciplinary approach provides a better insight into the past, enhancing our appreciation of our ancestor’s magnificent achievements, of how they lived and thrived.
Award-winning Tirion Turns to STEM By Sophie Sadler
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s we approach International Women’s Day this month, it seems only appropriate to celebrate the success of Swansea University’s highachieving female STEM students. Tirion Thomas received recognition in December as a BBC Cymru Wales Sports Personality Unsung Hero, at only 19 years old. Despite this great achievement, her ambition has now led her to a very different undergraduate degree. “It has been my ambition to be a midwife since I was very young,” she said. “After giving my all to rugby for the past three years I knew this was the time to devote myself to my future career instead, so I’ve taken a step back from my rugby commitments.” Tirion’s dedication to her future career in midwifery has been recognised and appreciated by those around her in the time since receiving her award from the BBC. Head of Midwifery Education Susie Moore said: “We are so proud of Tirion and her achievement. The fact she has shown such a commitment and dedication to something she is passionate about really speaks volumes for her. We are delighted she is now bringing that drive and enthusiasm “Just being nominated was a real privilege but to win to her studies with us and wish her every success.” was unbelievable. I am still over the moon. Coaching and volunteering is something I thrive on, so it is great The award was given in acknowledgement of Tirion’s work to know what I do is having a positive effect on others. coaching Bala’s Under-13s, Under-15s and Under-18s girls Rugby allows me to control my stresses and coaching teams while also captaining RGC’S Under-18 side. Having provides me with joy.” tried dance and gymnastics in the past, it wasn’t until she tried rugby that she discovered what she really enjoyed. Now that she’s turned her focus to her undergraduate “Nothing seemed to work for me until I discovered my degree, it’s important to Tirion to find a balance of her love for rugby. When we moved to Bala from Manchester, multiple passions. “Finding a balance between my degree I joined the girls’ rugby team and have been part of the and my passion for rugby is essential. It allows me to do club ever since.” However, three years ago the team what I enjoy as well as helping with my mental health found itself without a coach, so Tirion decided to step up. something that is definitely important when completing “I couldn’t watch the team disappear, especially after a demanding course which brings its own challenges. how much it had given to me over the years.” Her hope is that the award will draw more attention to womens’ rugby. “An award like this is massive for rugby in general but I feel the greatest impact is the recognition it gives not only to my work but also to the efforts of everyone involved in women’s rugby, especially here in Wales.
“Rugby has a massive place in my heart - whether as a player, coach or supporter I feel the rugby community is just one big family and it provides me with a great support network.” The Waterfront wishes Tirion all the best with her future endeavours, and with her degree in midwifery.
Art & Design Can You Name Five Women Artists? By Megan Selway
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n 2016, The National Women in the Arts Museum began the project #5WomenArtists, which involved asking the question ‘Can you name 5 women artists?’ every March during Women’s History Month. Before writing this article, I asked my friends and family to name any five artists that came to mind. Myself, my family and friends all easily listed Picasso, Van Gogh, Andy Warhol, Monet, Michelangelo, etc., but to come up with five female artists we had to do so collectively, and even then, we still struggled. Why couldn’t we list women artists as well as we could male artists? Where are the women in art? Are they not there? Or are they just not seen? Female artists have always been here. Frida Kahlo, Georgia O’Keefe, Faith Ringgold, Bertha Morisot, to name a few. Well, where did they go? Nowhere. They’re still right here. A study conducted by the Freelands Foundation discovered that in the UK, 64% of undergraduates and 65% of postgraduates in art and design degrees are female. So why do some of us struggle to name five female artists? Well, that same study also found that in the top commercial galleries in London, 68% of the artists represented are men. Essentially, female artists are always present, always creating, but hardly ever represented. Unfortunately, the problem with the underrepresentation of women in art stems from a general lack of appreciation for female artists from collectors, billionaire buyers, and galleries alike. A data analysis report in 2018 looking into the diversity of artists in major US museums found that of the 18 major art museums, the collections held were made up of 87% male artists and 85% white artists. This is sadly almost unsurprising. It’s relatively well known that art created by women sells for around 50% less than artworks by men at auctions globally, meaning not only are women underrepresented in the art world, but they’re also undervalued and underpaid.
It’s important to pay attention to and appreciate the work of female artists in order to do anything about this. To start us off, let’s look at Faith Ringgold. Born in 1930, Ringgold is an American artist and author, who has always been heavily engaged in the fight for civil rights and gender equality. Early on in her career, Ringgold used oil paints to create pieces based around the exploration and celebration of African American history and gender inequality. During the 70s, Ringgold began instead to create narrative quilts. Ringgold would use acrylics to paint on canvas with fabric borders, this technique is what is commonly recognised as the Tibetan thangkas (the painting of cotton or silk applique, usually illustrating a Buddhist deity). In the ‘70s, Ringgold also painted political posters, crafted African-style masks, and was constantly involved in pushing for racial integration. In 1974, Ringgold became a founding member of the National Black Feminist Organisation in addition to becoming a founding member of ‘Where We At’, Black Women Artists, a women’s art collective based in New York. Faith Ringgold also taught art at the University of California from 1987-2002, and has received over 75 awards during her lifetime, including 22 honorary Doctor of the Fine Arts Degrees. Whether you were already aware of Faith Ringgold or not, both her story and work are undeniably fascinating. It makes us wonder why she isn’t spoken about with the same adoration as the likes of Picasso and Van Gogh. So, what can I do to make a difference? Well, the good news is: a lot! The National Museum of Women in the Arts is a great starting point. Filled with the tools to educate and help out, the organisation runs regular online workshops and annual Wikipedia edit-a-thons which the Museum describes as an edit-a-thon focused on improving Wikipedia entries related to notable women artists and art world figures… since 2014, tens of thousands of people have created or improved nearly 60,000 Wikipedia articles about women in the arts. Going forward, challenge yourself and your friends to name #5WomenArtists, support and buy from local female artists, and praise institutions that actually do a great job of representing absolutely everyone.
Fashion Female Designers That Will Make You Feel Empowered By Rhianydd Sword
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o matter the field of work, it’s always great when you see someone being amazing at what they do. It leaves us with the potential to feel inspired knowing that there’s someone out there, at the height of their career, as well as having the thought that perhaps one day (or maybe even now) we will be the ones inspiring others. So, in honour of Women’s History month, I’ve collated a list of female fashion designers from the past and present that, after hearing their story, will leave you feeling empowered. Rei Kawakubo, the Japanese fashion designer who is the founder of the brand Comme des Garcons, is the third designer that will leave you feeling empowered. Her debut fashion show of Comme des Garcons in 1981 was panned by critics. This was due to the garments having a heavy use of black, as well as distressed fabrics and seams that were unfinished. Her clothes were shown to be anti-fashion; Kawakubo was using dark fabrics and unusual shapes as opposed to the bright colours and patterns that were trending in the 1980s. Nonetheless, Rei Kawakubo continued with designing clothes that were often associated with punk style, despite being regularly criticised for her clothes. This perseverance is, arguably, one of the many reasons why Kawakubo and her Comme des Garcons line is so successful today. It is also the reason why, not only as a female, but as a young person who finds knockbacks sometimes disheartening, I am so motivated by Kawakubo’s story. Despite her work Another designer who has been an inspiration for being viewed negatively, her persistence shows that if decades is Miuccia Prada who, as the head designer of you work hard and keep trying, you will eventually get to the company Prada, has faced being a female designer where you want to be. in a time when being a woman in fashion was rare and a career that needed fighting for. This time being the Grace Wales Bonner, Miuccia Prada and Rei Kawakubo 1970s in Italy, when female entrepreneurs were sparse. are just three of the female fashion designers that will For this reason, amongst many others, is why Miuccia leave you feeling empowered. It’s always nice to see a Prada is listed as an empowering designer. Her fight woman breaking the glass ceiling and being at the top and persistence has led to what is now a multi-billion of their career, and the stories and clothes of these three dollar business. For me, she is a motivation to persist and women are a reflection of female empowerment and a become great in whatever I choose to do. way for all of us to feel inspired. One such designer is Grace Wales Bonner, and her design company WALES BONNER, who currently has a line with the sports company Adidas, as well as her own fashion collection. Her label encompasses a mixture of European and Afro-Atlantic approaches. Bonner also uses her projects to address identity politics, sexuality, and race. Bonner, who only launched her label in 2014, has already made waves in the fashion industry, being nominated for and winning many different awards. This included the L’Oréal Professional Talent award in 2014 with her graduate collection, AFRIQUE. More recently, in 2020, Grace Wales Bonner was recognised to be one of the most influential people of African or African Caribbean heritage in the United Kingdom. These two accolades alone show how this female fashion designer is at the top of her game.
Literature & Creative Writing Joy Harjo’s She Had Some Horses: An Indigenous Woman’s Voice in American Poetry By Mu Xiaoqiao
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ince March 8 is International Women’s Day, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce the female US poet laureate, Joy Harjo, and her poetry collection, She Had Some Horses. As a member of the Mvskoke nation, in it, she exposes her feminine wisdom to deal with post-colonial issues, responding to forgotten history and disidentification with sustainable memories and a powerful womanhood. The following are selected lines from three of my favorite pieces in She Had Some Horses, within which one can encounter a native American woman’s voice that gives her people stories, braveness and solace with a loving spirit. “I Release Fear” I take myself back, fear. You are not my shadow any longer. I won’t hold you in my hands. You can’t live in my eyes, my ears, my voice my belly, or in my heart my heart my heart my heart But come here, fear I am alive and you are so afraid of dying. For the poem, ‘I Give You Back’ on the fear of ‘the soldiers who burned down my home and beheaded my children’, I strongly recommend reading it while watching Harjo’s special reading of it, which you can find on YouTube by searching the title ‘Joy Harjo: A Poem to Get Rid of Fear’. I was impressed by the way she delivered it as a musician, a singer! For Harjo emphasizes poetry as a direct experience that one must have by listening to other’s voice, this poem is enchanted by beautiful rhythm from Harjo’s inheritance of indigenous oral tradition. And, artfully, at the close of the poem, she uses a binary relation to show how vulnerable the fear is and how strong an alive voice.
“What Do Horses Mean?” She had horses who danced in their mothers’ arms. She had horses who thought they were sun and their bodies shone and burned like stars. She had horses who waltzed nightly on the moon.
With different kinds of horse images, an inclusive feminine pronoun and the extensive anaphora, Harjo’s ‘She Had Some Horses’ carries over her tribal horse stories and transforms them into a powerful indigenous spiritual tie. ‘I am the seventh generation from Monahwee, who is still a beloved person for the Mvskoke people, my tribal nation. I was told how he had a way with horses. He can speak to them.’ Similarly, her cousin is also a hippophile. ‘She had to live close to horses or not live at all. They were her people as much as any of the rest of us.’ With ‘an ancient and familiar smell’, the horses open door to memory by Harjo and her people, carrying them into the space ‘that is always around and through us, a space not defined or bound by linear time or perception’. “My Memory is Alive” There are voices buried in the Mississippi mud. There are ancestors and future children Buried beneath the currents stirred up by pleasure boats going up and down. There are stories here made of memories For all aboriginal cultures, the most painful thing is not to recall the bloody atrocities the people had suffered in the colonial past, or to resist the imperial cultural invasion or assimilation, nor even to watch helplessly their myths and lands become alien and strange. The pain, the true torment is the fear of forgetting, for it is getting harder and harder to return to the past pure land from clouded memories and historical distance. And that time, awareness is truly excruciating. By reading her poem ‘New Orleans’, her memory, her song, I suddenly realize that Harjo is trying to soothe the pain she senses in her people or other people by humming past stories, as a mother would do when enfolding and rocking her stressed child gently back and forth. By this, Harjo keeps reminding us that native Americans are alive and keep singing. And it is from her alive and sustainable memory that people regain their lost place as real.
“Thinking of Wales: Winter Haikus 2021” By Benjamin Nichols Swans in the snowfield Reminding me of Welsh vibes Yearning to return A land of seaweed Either as food or product Laverbread for Jack Old stone hills show scars Forests of green next to sand Valleys filled with life.
I Think God Made A Mistake By Sophie Apps
The bags under our eyes carry darkness; Unhuman hands stretch them open like curtains, But if we blink like shutters of a camera Are we asleep or awake? Humanity was a transcendent age, Pricked from pages perfumed with ink and apples. We rise and fall like the Persian empire, with Earth As our mother, birthing a brittle dynasty. The world bloomed in God’s womb, A collection of stars, molten and cooled as coins Descending from Heaven–his forgotten infinity. We slipped into shame like a woman wearing lingerie For the first time; we were magnetic, valued until the veil fell. God’s filthy fingers flicked through the pages of another book. We are each born with eyes but why do we walk blindfolded? As if the world is foul waste, we throw ourselves into. We are vultures pecking and pecking away at the remains of past and Future generations; forever full, yet still famished.
Bethan’s Book of the Month Pieta talks down an unstable killer with a gun by psychoanalysing their life and their motives.
By Bethan Bates Tell Me Your Secret by Dorothy Koomson If you are someone who has read my last few book reviews, you must probably have guessed that I am a big Young Adult fiction fan. But today, I am reviewing a book from another of my favourite genres, Crime Fiction, Tell Me Your Secret, which is a murder mystery about a serial killer and a thirteen year old’s abduction. Dorothy Koomson has published a great number of books in a variety of genres but typically in the genre of Contemporary and Adult Fiction. This was the first book of hers I have read and chose it because of the plot rather than an affinity for the author. However, having enjoyed it so much I feel as though I can trust Koomson’s writing and am likely to enjoy many more of her books in the future. In line with the other books I have reviewed, this is diverse, ‘own voice’ literature. I think that one of the best ways, if not the best way, to diversify your bookshelf and repertoire is to read diverse books in a genre you are already familiar with and enjoy.
This final scene was genuinely a great twist! I spent the story thinking exschool bully and misogynist, Ned Wellst was the perfect candidate for a serial rapist and killer. And I was honestly slightly disappointed when it was revealed to be Courtesy of Headline Publishing Group the forgettable and irrelevant Ross. This was until the reveal that his sister, Callie, the victim suffering from Stockholm Syndrome, was in fact the true ‘mastermind’ behind the calculated and systematic killings and abductions.
**Spoilers Ahead - CW: PTSD, racism, sexual abuse, Koomson wraps up in this last scene the theme of racism, murder** which had been scattered throughout the book. There were a number of references to how the protagonists, The story follows Jody Foster, detective inspector, and two black women, were expected to act, especially Pieta Rowlings, journalist and survivor. It is in mostly an in their professional lives. She acknowledges the alternating structure with the chapters being in the first- stereotypes of being an ‘angry black woman’ when other person perspective of the two protagonists and just a less marginalised groups would be considered assertive couple of chapters towards the end from other important or passionate. She also shows how when Jody was characters. beginning her career, an older white man nicknamed her ‘PC Politically Correct’ due to her race and gender. In this Although the book jumps in with the murder of a young final scene, it is discovered that Callie and her brother woman found in Preston Park, Brighton, this develops chose their victims, black women, due to considering further with her murder not being the central mystery of them inferior and the enemy. This acknowledgement that the book. They circle around each other for a number of black women are often at a higher risk is really important chapters, nearly meeting and solving the mystery and and helps the reader to understand the significance of discovering their pasts. This builds such suspense as you the story to society and the author herself. know as a reader that once they meet we would be so many steps closer to finding out what is happening!! ** End Of Spoilers ** Pieta has PTSD from her experience with ‘The Blindfolder’ and has hidden herself for ten years with her son, Kobi. She is a very insightful and emotionally-capable person who is able to quickly judge the character of a person and understand their motivations. This is very important towards the end of the book where Jody and Pieta confront ‘The Blindfolder’. To stop her friend, Sazz, from being killed,
My only two real complaints are that the name ‘The Blindfolder’ was not exactly striking fear into my heart. And the name Pieta and the weird pronunciation kept throwing me right out of the story as I would overthink it every time I read it. Overall Rating: 5/5 Stars
Music Gender Bias in the Music Industry Of course, the rock industry is just one of many where women have been incredibly successful. Between the 1990s and 2000s, all-female pop groups began to rise in popularity. Groups such as Destiny’s Child - composed of the incredibly famous Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams - released a best selling second album omen experiencing gender bias in the music The Writing’s on the Wall in 1999. In the UK, the allindustry is unfortunately not a new concept. girl group the Spice Girls formed in 1994 released the Though, in a post #metoo era, could we finally single Wannabe, which reached number 1 in 37 different see a change in the current music industry narrative? countries.
By Cat Daczkowski
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According to a Women in the U.S. Music Industry Obstacles and Opportunity survey in 2019, the self-employed and freelancers in the industry have experienced the most gender bias, with 84% reporting that they have been treated differently due to their gender.
A more recent example is Little Mix, a successful all-girl group formed during the 8th series of The X Factor UK in 2011 who have had several number 1 singles, including Wings in 2012 and Shout Out to My Ex in 2016. Even though they represent the success women can have in the industry, members of the group have faced unfair However, this has not stopped the rise of the success of bias and hate. women in the industry. In 2019 14.4% of songwriters were women: an obvious rise compared to 11.6% in 2018. This Jesy Nelson, one member of the group, created a certainly doesn’t hide the fact, however, that only 22.5% documentary called IOdd One Out’ with the BBC in 2019 of the top songs in 2019 were created by women. The USC in response to internet trolls who would attack her for her Annenberg Inclusion Initiative revealed that statistics body image. Since school, Nelson has struggled with her such as these are most likely a result of objectification, appearance, but the cyberbullying she received after her stereotyping, and being a statistical minority. rise to fame drove her to attempt suicide in 2013. In 2020 she announced that she would be departing from Little Since the beginning of popular music between the 1930s Mix to focus on her mental health. and early 1960s, all-girl musician groups and bands have been popular but have always played the part that Several organisations celebrate women in music and the industry would allow. By the 1980s however, female are attempting to highlight the importance of a fairer musicians began to explore more traditionally maleindustry. Below are links to some of the most prominent dominated genres such as Hard Rock and Metal. organisations which can offer advice, support and further research into this topic: Joan Jett, whose single I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll reached no. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100-year-end chart for 1982, has International Alliance for Women in Music (IAWM): shared the difficulties she faced as an aspiring musician. https:/ /iawm.org/ The film The Runaways, about her band of the same name’s rise to fame, included a scene where she was Women in Music (WIM-UK): discouraged by her guitar teacher from playing rock as https:/ /www.womeninmusic.org/wim-uk.html it was for men. Fortunately, this did not stop her from creating one of the most controversial yet prominent allgirl bands in rock music. Since the band’s disbandment, Joan Jett, as well as other members of the band (Cherie Currie and Lita Ford) have all continued a career in the industry.
Artist Spotlight: Tame Impala By Dan Kingdon
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hether you are into swirling psychedelic rock, shimmering synth-pop or classic disco and electronic music, Tame Impala has you covered. It is the passion project of one man: critically acclaimed Australian multi-instrumentalist Kevin Parker. Raised in Perth, Parker was introduced to music from a young age by his father, a guitarist in a cover band that routinely played songs by Supertramp and The Beatles; both of these bands are clear inspirations for Parker’s sound. Parker’s voice also sounds uncannily similar to John Lennon’s, notably in Tame Impala’s more psychedelic releases.
pop album. The hypnotic melodies on songs like Let It Happen and the instantly recognisable bass lines of The Less I Know The Better and New Person, Same Old Mistakes, which went on to be covered by Rihanna, make this album far more accessible to pop audiences than its predecessors. The album covers themes of love (and falling out of it), coming to terms with change and the uncertainties of life. It is ajourney through losing and finding Tame Impala’s first full album release came in the form yourself again in thirteen tracks of lush instrumental lines of 2010’s psychedelic rock experience InnerSpeaker, produced with the precision of a perfectionist, moving which tackled themes of introspection, disdain for the 9 away from the maximalist production of Lonerism. In to 5 routine and the anxieties of indecision. The hypnotic true Tame Impala fashion, the rhythm sections are rich, drones of reverberated and phase-shifted guitars sonically diverse and all sound gigantic through a sound perfectly complement Parker’s echoed falsettos, creating system or headphones. Alongside the aforementioned a trance-like experience for the listener. My picks from songs, Yes I’m Changing, The Moment’ and Eventually this record would be Runway Houses City Clouds, Alter are also massive highlights in the tracklist. Ego, and Solitude is Bliss. Following InnerSpeaker’s positive reviews, Parker set out to top his last effort, creating what is widely considered his greatest work: 2012’s Lonerism. Where its predecessor discussed the theme of physical isolation, Lonerism tackles mental isolation; feeling disconnected while being surrounded. This is expertly presented in the album’s artwork, a picture taken by Parker in Paris. The photographer is witnessing a crowd of people enjoying themselves while he views them from the other side of a metal fence, symbolising the isolation he feels within the prison of his social disconnection. Despite this record still drawing heavily on manipulated guitars, we see a movement towards synthesisers and the occasional more pop-inspired structures that Tame Impala would carry further in later records. Parker creates vividly colourful soundscapes through walls of reverberated synths which are almost without exception followed by incredibly tight, infectiously catchy rhythm sections. Stand out tracks are Apocalypse Dreams, Feels Like We Only Go Backwards and Elephant.
Tame Impala’s most recent release, The Slow Rush, is another step further away from Parker’s psychedelic beginnings. With clear influences from disco, electronic music and funk, we are presented with a multitude of different tracks. The Slow Rush is an hour-long rollercoaster of sonic influences expertly mixed with lyrics that are dense with mantras and affirmations. This album could not have come at a better time, having been released just before the COVID-19 pandemic had taken its hold on the world. The album mostly revolves around the theme of time, and how life is both a long-form journey and a compilation of many fleeting moments. He contemplates his future, reflects on the past and places an emphasis on the importance of being present in the present; and a dance-inspired album that forces you to move could not be more appropriate. Stand out tracks are Breathe Deeper, Is It True and Lost In Yesterday.
To me, Tame Impala is the quintessential example of music being used for self-expression. Parker pours himself into each album, producing drastically different results with each release. The changes in the music coincide Five years after the monumental success of Lonerism we with his growing and changing as a person. I am eagerly were given Currents a synthesiser-heavy, sugary psych- awaiting Kevin Parker’s next creation; so far, I am yet to be disappointed.
The Local Scene - International Women’s Day Edition By Cat Daczkowski
The Kick Jetts - An All Girl Rock Band
Amy (guitarist) and Sophie (bassist) had always wanted to start an all-female rock band, so one day they decided that they were going to search for a drummer and a lead singer through the power of social media. Initially, they made a Facebook group for the band and began as a duo, covering songs by the likes of Joan Jett and Nirvana. SouthBound - A Female-Fronted Alternative Rock Band Eventually, Cherie (drummer) saw the advertisement for a drummer and decided to jam out some covers with Amy SouthBound is a heavy/alternative rock band from the and Sophie, which led to her joining the band. In August South Wales valleys that consists of Megan Jenkins 2019, Louise (lead singer) was introduced to a video of (vocals & rhythm guitar), Morgan Price (lead guitar), Harri The Kick Jetts covering Cherry bomb by The Runaways Wyatt-Jones (rhythm guitar), Kyle Chaplin (bass) and and she knew then that she had to join. Tom Witcombe (drums). The band started in 2017 and began playing covers on the South Wales circuit but after Their influences include rock bands such as The Runaways, a change in line-up and the addition of Kyle & Meg, the Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, and The Pretty Reckless. band moved in a new direction and began writing and They’re also inspired by punk bands such as Bikini Kill. performing purely original material. Their very first gig was the band’s favourite. They informed When asked about their favourite gig they have played, us that the gig, which took place at the Swansea music they told us about the launch party for their debut EP venue, Creature Sound, had a large turnout and the ‘Even Angels Sin’ in FUEL response that followed Rock Club in January their performance was 2020. It was their biggest breathtaking. headliner to date and the amount of support they After being together for only received was completely a few months, they were unexpected. They told us signed by an independent that it was more than worth music label based in Swansea the blood, sweat and tears called Death Monkey Records that went into it! who were eager to expand their label. The band’s main influences include Halestorm, Ozzy To support the Kick Jetts Osbourne, Volbeat and during the pandemic, like Alter Bridge - although it is and follow their social media evident by their music that pages: each of the five members https://www.facebook.com/ have vastly different tastes. TheKickJetts https://www.instagram.com/ To support SouthBound thekickjetts during the current lockdown, check out their When the pandemic is over social media accounts: they will be going into the studio to record their single www.instagram.com/southboundwales and record an EP! www.facebook.com/southboundmusic We also suggest supporting Swansea local music venues You can also stream their new single ‘On The Rise’ and such as The Bunkhouse, as we need to ensure that there learn all the words ready for that first gig back after are as many music venues as possible! lockdown!
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nternational Women’s Day is celebrated on March 8th every year around the world. As a result of this celebration, we are spotlighting two local bands with female members.
Sport Tennis’ Most Influential Woman: Althea Gibson Breaks the Colour Barrier By Efan Willis
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uring the 1940s and 50s, most tournaments prohibited African-American athletes from competing with white athletes. Despite this, Althea Gibson still launched herself to international acclaim in the tennis world during (and after) her career; in large part to her talents on the court, and, perhaps more importantly, her influence on African-American athletics off the court. Her first love was table tennis and soon after picking it up, she found herself to be the best player in her district. Her talents were soon noticed by a musician that encouraged her to apply her talent to the tennis court and within a year of practice, she had already won her first tournament hosted by the American Tennis Association. Gibson continued to show steady improvement, and in 1950, at the age of 23, she was permitted to compete in US National Championships, becoming the first black woman to do so. It would be six difficult years before she finally tasted victory at a major tournament, lifting the Women’s Doubles trophy at Wimbledon in 1956 with her teammate, Angela Buxton. In 1957, she became the first black woman to win a Singles Grand Slam when she defeated Darlene Hard in straight sets, again at Wimbledon. Over the course of her tennis career, she amassed a total of 11 Grand Slam titles, and in 1964, at age 37, retired from tennis and decided to pursue a career in golf. In doing so, she became the first African-American woman to be awarded an LPGA card, which allowed her to compete professionally on the golf course, too. In 1977, Gibson was enshrined in the International Tennis Hall of Fame, ensuring that her legacy as one of the game’s most culturally important players lives on forever.
women’s game - players like Serena and Venus Williams, Billie Jean King, and Gibson - championing a largely successful push for gender equality on the court. Wimbledon’s decision to match the prize pool of its male and female competitors in 2007 meant that women were finally afforded equal pay in each of the 4 majors. This victory marked the end of a 34-year campaign for equal pay that began when the US Open afforded women the same right in 1973. The relative success of the gender equality movement in women’s tennis has gone on to spark similar debate in other sports. Football stars like Megan Rapinoe and Basketball stars like Nneka Ogwumike have called pay raises in recent years, and are starting to see the fruits of their labour. WNBA players will routinely play overseas in order to make a living during the off-season, but thanks to an agreement with the US Women’s National Team ahead of the 2020 Olympic Games, the players were able to earn up to $100,000 for their work leading up to the event.
The world of tennis has seldom seen female players rise to The disparity between the sexes in sport is slowly but levels of stardom reached by their contemporaries in other surely edging closer, and there are few sporting figures sports disciplines. This is, in large part, due to the stars of the more influential to this development than Althea Gibson.
Culture Embracing Welsh Identity By Bethan Collins
in an attempt to discourage and stigmatise speaking Welsh. At the end of the school day, all children who had the ‘Welsh Not’ at some point during the day would be punished in some way. There are so many more times throughout history that you can see how Welsh has been pushed out and ostracised - but somehow the people of Wales have managed to keep the language alive. However, even today the Welsh language is not totally accepted. I have recently read an article saying the U.K. Parliament website listed Welsh as a foreign language. When I went to check the website and research this, I found that the website has now ‘softened their view’ and added a small page called ‘Y Gornel Gymraeg’ - The Welsh corner. It feels like there’s an ongoing battle between people over Welsh town names, with people mocking the spelling of the words and the way they sound - one big company even claiming that Welsh town names sound like someone has ‘sat on a keyboard’.
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ver the last few years, there have been a number of factors that have contributed to my desire to learn the Welsh language. I grew up in Wales but went to an English-speaking school. We always had Welsh lessons but I didn’t have a great interest in learning the language at school - I thought it was a dead language and that it was pointless to bother learning it. However, I now realise how completely wrong I was! Throughout history, the Welsh language has been continually pushed aside. Under Henry III’s reign, it was actually banned under the 1536 Act of Union. Other laws were passed that removed the Welsh language’s official status, and the stigma around speaking Welsh continued to grow.
With rising talks of Welsh Independence, and a seemingly constant debate over whether the Welsh language is dead, I feel like it’s more important to me than ever to learn the language of my country. Learning about its history and the reasons why I can’t speak my own country’s language in the first place is spurring me on to keep learning Welsh whenever and wherever I can. Using apps like Duolingo have been great for this. Duolingo is an app that you can download to your phone and then you can learn any language on the go. The app creates small 5-minute lessons that you can complete quickly. It offers a leaderboard and different rankings to help encourage those learning. For me, this has been great because it’s helped me recap some of the basics of Welsh that I learned at school and then taken me on to the parts that I’ve never encountered before.
From the 18th to the 20th century, Welsh children were It feels great knowing that I’m taking steps to learn Welsh subjected to the ‘Welsh Not’ at school - this was where - and that I’m slowly but surely getting there. any children caught speaking Welsh were given a piece of wood with either the words ‘Welsh Not’ or the letters ‘W.N.’ carved in. This would be passed along throughout the day to each child who was caught speaking Welsh
Opinion: We Deserve a Tuition Fee Refund and the Students’ Union should fight for one. Any opinion column submitted to Waterfront does not represent the opinion of any Waterfront editor or the institution as a whole, Swansea University Students’ Union, Swansea University, or its staff.
By Michael Bawden
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to the University at the expense of student wellbeing. When it first became clear that thousands of students would be unable to return to Swansea while still having to shell out eye-watering sums in rent to both the University and private landlords, the Students’ Union fell almost entirely silent. While they left a vacuum, students were unafraid to organise independently, with Swansea Rent Strike generating significant support on social media and drawing up hundreds of thousands of pounds ready to be withheld from the University.
his year has been extremely difficult, let’s not sugar coat it. The Students’ Union and the University have had to operate in the most trying of circumstances and have done their level best to mitigate the worst aspects of the pandemic. Our lecturers have gone above and beyond making the transition to online learning as seamless as possible, all of which deserves credit. But the fact remains that we, the students, have been entirely The campaign came to a head, the University offered shafted over the course of the past 12 months. some concessions, then and only then did the Students’ Let me take you back to last summer, the University made Union actually make contact with the rent strikers. With a big song and dance about unrolling a programme of the latest SU AGM even going so far to claim that the blended learning, ushering in thousands of first years into rent reductions offered were a sole result of the SU’s halls under the guise of a semblance of a normal stu- ‘high-level meetings’ with the University, the bravery and dent experience being possible. As well as this, the rest of the organisation of the strikers completely omitted from us were assured that there would be a point in returning the story adding insult to injury. to Swansea so we did so en masse, lining the pockets of Now this is all pretty standard stuff from the SU, a lot landlords along the way, only to find ourselves stuck in our of talk about ‘meetings’ and ‘lobbying’ takes credit for bedrooms on Zoom or as so many of us are now, entirely achievements won by the blood sweat and tears of stuunable to return to accommodation we’re still paying for. dent activists, but when push comes to shove they’re reluctant to ever put their money where their mouth is. The Now I’m not claiming to have a crystal ball or qualifi- question now surely remains are they going to do anycations in epidemiology, but all of this could have been thing substantial to fight for a tuition fee refund or are predicted, indeed all of this was predicted over and over students going to have to do the heavy-lifting yet again? again. With various SAGE boards across the UK stating early-on that Universities returning would likely play a The SU elections are just around the corner, arguably significant part in increasing the R-rate and the total the most important ones in recent memory, as the team number of infections. The University was aware of this, elected this March will help shape the way the University rebuilds after the pandemic. This could be a real opporbut they hurried us back all the same. tunity for the Students’ Union to reshape itself as well, to This is a problem in and of itself, but it is not a problem remake itself to be unashamedly on the side of Students specific to Swansea - all Universities in the UK allowed and unafraid to fight for us. The key litmus test will be students to return after getting the green-light from the if candidates are unafraid to take on the University and UK Government, a decision in a year fraught with poor- back a full-throated campaign for a tuition fee refund. ly-aged decisions that has aged especially poorly. However, the reason things are especially bad in Swansea can I don’t know if they will, but the student body cannot put unfortunately, in-part, be attributed to the flat-footed up with more of the same. response from the Students’ Union and their deference
Response To: We Deserve a Tuition Fee Refund and the Students’ Union should fight for one. It is completely acknowledged by the Students’ Union and University that the rent strikers gathered voices and highlighted these issues affecting students across the UK. The SU had been in discussions with the Senior Leadership Team of the University and highlighted the Swansea Rent Strike. Officers also attended a Zoom which had been arranged by the Strikers and also organised a meeting between the Rent Strikers and the Senior Leadership his year has been unconventional, completely Team in the University. We’re pleased to have supported unpredictable and extremely challenging. However, the Strikers by facilitating this opportunity for them to we do recognise that you also did not sign up to this channel their feelings to the decision makers. kind of university experience and it is not at all what you had expected. This is a year that students will remember On the issue of tuition fees, we understand how students forever, some for positive reasons, like the transformation feel about this, and we set up a meeting with the Vice in accessibility to learning and teaching, but others will Chancellor to discuss this further, where we echoed the remember it as one where students felt unsupported and thoughts and feelings of the student body on this. We ignored. are in on-going conversations with NUS and other SUs
By Students’ Union Full-Time Officers
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Upon reflection, we could have done things differently, but nothing can prepare you for the complete chaos that every Students’ Union, University and student has felt since this pandemic began. We have worked in partnership with the University during this time and We have been fearless in fighting for the interests of our members and have boldly articulated issues facing the student body, thereby supporting positive decisionmaking at the highest level. We participate in high-level meetings, because the University values the student voice and gives us the platform to raise it. The relationship between Universities and SU’s have come a long way, we work together rather than work against each other; very few positive changes will be made if we altered this. At all times, we have followed the UK Government, the Welsh Government and Public Health authorities on the guidance published at that time. The University even went as far as to go against the Welsh Government guidance in January and told students not to return to Swansea, as cases were rising, and they felt it wasn’t safe to do so. When decisions on the return of students were being made, we were at the forefront highlighting the various issues around student wellbeing, mental health, provision of care packages, rent rebates, food supplies to those quarantining and creating virtual engagement activities. There was no flat-footed response; we understood and could see that students had been treated unfairly, and we did what we could to raise these important issues. We acknowledge that we could have been more transparent regarding our work on these important issues as they transpired, and will improve how we show students that we are fighting their corner.
around the country to pressure the national and devolved Governments to act on this matter.
We are, as always, keen to hear your feedback, good or bad. If you want to speak to one of the team, you can email us at fto@swansea-union.co.uk and we will arrange a time to talk to you, and help where we can. Thank you for your continued support, and have a relaxing Easter break.
Liberation Women shouldn’t have to punish themselves to feel empowered By Bethan Northwood
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ost sexually active single people or any one on any dating app, will have experienced or been offered a one night stand. There are reasons why women enjoy them however, they are never simple and also often never just “one night,” you’ll either see them the morning after or in a fortnight when one of you is bored or drunk. One night stands can be empowering for anyone who’s experienced sexism or been slut-shamed in any way, but one night stands are much less complex for men than anyone else and this is unfair. Even so, many people assigned female at birth (AFAB) enjoy one night stands, when in society women are viewed as sexual objects it can feel empowering to make the decision for yourself. When you are the one that asks them if they’d like to stay the night, it can feel like you have the power. However, sexual pleasure is often unequal, if they finish and you don’t, in what way was the night beneficial to you? Society is unequally in favour to cis-gender, straight, white men, why should sex also be? Men who leave without even asking if you finished are not worth your time. It feels wrong to encourage afab people to have one night stands when they are getting no or minimal pleasure and are just entertaining patriarchal fantasies. Pleasure and sex should be as equal as possible. Seeing someone for only one night when you do not properly know them does not encourage this. After only meeting someone for one evening, it is difficult to accurately communicate the things you like and dislike. Unless the afab person is on top, the dominant party will always have their desires, fantasies and preferences prioritised. Poor communication will always lead to bad sex, the submissive or afab person should not have to be on top in order to have their needs met. Pleasure should be equal for both people and a priority for the dominant partner to make sure they both finish. If the intention is
to only see the other person once then navigating equal pleasure is even more difficult. One night stands in the context of queer relationships are slightly different as there is a smaller power dynamic between both partners, nevertheless the power dynamic still exists. The dominant still has some level of power over the submissive and it’s still difficult to have effective communication. Regardless of the gender or sexuality of your partner, it is very easy for one night stands to merge into casual sex. This can lead to hurt feelings due to false intimacy. Acts like stroking someone’s hair, kissing someone’s forehead or even spending the night make it much more difficult to distinguish between feelings of love and lust. False intimacy complicates things and can lead to one person getting attached. If you have ever caught feelings for someone after a one night stand or casual sex it’s likely that you both have exchanged falsely intimate acts. This does not mean aftercare should be forgotten. Looking after your partner is important every single time you have sex, no matter the type of sex - whether bdsm or ‘vanilla’,both people should be considerate of each other, even if it is just making sure there’s something to drink nearby or something for your partner to eat if they need it. If every time you have sex with someone you sleep in the same bed with them or spend time cuddling after sex, it should not be a surprise if one partner develops feelings for the other. There should be a clear definition between one night stands and casual sex. Casual sex with someone who knows your preferences, treats you respectfully while maintaining clear communication and avoiding false intimacy is entirely different. There is no point in having sex with someone if after they leave, your desires have not been met and are left feeling unfulfilled – some people with male genitals readily complain about ‘blue balls’ yet constantly give them to women and people with female genitals. One night stands are not the feminist stance we once thought they were – our sexual desires should no longer be ignored.
Celebrating Trans Women on International Women’s Day: Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera By Cara O’Sullivan
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arch is a month with many important days and dates, including St David’s Day, St Patrick’s day, Justin Bieber’s birthday (and before you ask, yes, this is a very important day) to name a few. However, this article is written in honour of one of my favourite days of the year: International Women’s Day (IWD). IWD takes place on the 8th of March and is a day in which we are encouraged to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of all women. It is an amazing and important opportunity to raise awareness for issues such as women’s equality, gender bias and discrimination, as well as advocate for the acceleration of gender parity and fundraise for female-focused charities. IWD can be celebrated by everyone and anyone who wants to fight for gender parity and women’s rights, but it is especially a day for women, all women, ensuring that no women are left behind. This is a day all about the inclusivity and the diversity of women, including but not limited to: women of colour, women from different social and economic backgrounds, women with a range of physical capabilities, women with different religious beliefs, women with different familial backgrounds or structures, women within the LGBTQ+ community - whether they are lesbian, bisexual, trans, intersex or queer - and finally people who are gender non-conforming or fluid. A group of women who have often been erased from history or have been silenced are trans women. This article is in honour of women who deserve appreciation on this special day. We begin with none other than Marsha P. Johnson. Marsha P. Johnson was a trans rights activist, self-
identified drag queen and played an important role in the Stonewall uprising in 1969. The ‘P’ stood for ‘Pay It No Mind’, which is what Marsha would say to people who questioned her gender, appearance or life choices, which really speaks of her character. She was known for being herself and not fearing judgement or harassment which followed her because she lived as a woman, at a time where LGBTQ+ individuals were less accepted, regularly threatened and targeted by police and generally shunned by society. Marsha’s work for the LGBTQ+ community continued after the Stonewall uprising; she became a member of the Gay Liberation Front, a group focused on fighting for gay liberation based in New York, and also co-founded the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR). STAR was a gay, gender nonconforming and transgender street activist organization that provided support and shelter to LGBTQ+ youth and sex workers and was co-founded with her friend Sylvia Rivera, a Latina American gay liberation and transgender rights activist. Sylvia Rivera is another important woman who deserves a lot of appreciation. Sylvia Rivera was also a part of the Stonewall uprising, and was a member of the Gay Liberation Front, but as the group became more conservative, it began to ignore the rights of the transgender population and discriminated against marginalized groups within the LGBTQ+ community. Sylvia fought against this, was a tireless advocate for marginalized groups from the gay rights movement and was a loud voice for the rights for particularly people of colour and low-income LGBTQ+ people, especially trans people. She opposed the exclusion of transgender people from the Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Act in New York was said to be the “woman who ensured there was a T alongside LGB”. These women have done a huge amount of work for women and the LGBTQ+ community, and without them fighting for the right to take up space in society, we wouldn’t be where we are today. This is not to say there
Don’t Call Her Daddy: A Critique of the Call Her Daddy Podcast By Bethan Norwood
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he Call Her Daddy (CHD) podcast is run by Alexandra Cooper for Barstool Sports. Last year, it hit the news because one of the old co-hosts, Sofia Franklyn, left the podcast. It’s still unclear what the actual truth of the separation is, but Alexandra now runs CHD and Sofia has her own separate podcast. The podcast mostly focuses on discussions around sex and relationships, with sex tips scattered through the epsiode alongside some harmful stories and hints labelled as “advice.” Somehow, it’s rated 4.5 stars on Apple Podcasts even though CHD endorses mindgames, cheating and even unsafe BDSM. Cheating Numerous episodes of the podcast focus on ways to cheat on your partner. It’s baffling how much Alexandra endorses unhealthy, toxic behaviours and encourages cheating. CHD seems to completely disregard men’s feelings often, yet acknowledges that being cheated on is such a traumatic experience that ruins a person’s perception of trust and relationships. It is a topic that’s talked about so frequently that listening to just a handful of episodes will cover it at least once. It is clear that heterosexual men should never cheat on their girlfriends - however, apparently the man deserves it if a straight woman cheats.
Courtesy of Barstool Sports
rope are used in kink; there are also specific knots and techniques to use to make sure your partner is as safe as possible. There are numerous beginner friendly ways to experiment with restraints: buy some cuffs, some bondage or Shibari rope, look up tutorials and practice on yourself first always! Using random items of clothing as Mind Games If cheating wasn’t enough, the podcast encourages restraints without conversations about the risks involved women to play games with men. They very much have the should absolutely not be encouraged. logic that if the other person is doing it, then you should too. There’s rarely a disclaimer to give the other person Sex positivity doesn’t have to be like this; the CHD podcast a chance and listeners are encouraged to start from the feels like “locker room talk” but from a woman. Just off with games. Until your partner gives you a reason not because it’s a woman talking about sex positivity doesn’t to, no matter how hard it is due to past traumas, it is mean it can’t still be unhealthy and toxic. Trust is so so important to start from a place of as much trust as important in sex and relationships and is especially crucial possible. Then if your partner breaks that trust, address if you are trying something new. The only positive thing it and move on or leave! Anyone is worth more than a that the podcast encourages is female masturbation, but there are plenty of other podcasts that are more partner who plays mind games. helpful. A couple that I enjoy are: Binchtopia and Goes Without Saying. Save yourself from the terrible advice Unsafe Sex One episode was particularly problematic because and heartache and find a different podcast. one of the hosts described having sex with a partner who used the sleeves of a jumper as rope or handcuffs. She encourages others to do the same without the necessary conversations around safe words, aftercare and education. There is a reason specific restraints and
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