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Foreword
hybrid approach which might involve podcasts, video and embedded social media. These are no longer perceived as brand extensions, they are now an integral part of publishing. Readers, who more often than not will be encountering published work on tablets and iPads are coming to expect this kind of rich content. Assemblage is a multimedia magazine with video interviews, audio playback and links to social media and the web, all available through touch as well as conventional mouse clicks.
Assemblage is an online magazine, designed and edited by students on the MA in Journalism and Media Communications at the University of Hertfordshire, supervised by their tutors Mimi Tessier and Alan Clark. The MA aims to develop professional skills and confidence for students pursuing careers in journalism and the creative industries.
Ethics through integrity
Assemblage embodies four main principles:
Recent history has reminded us that journalists have always had an obligation to maintain the highest legal and ethical standards. New technologies have been the impetus for new legislation and there is an ongoing debate about crucial issues such as freedom of speech and privacy. Assemblage aspires for the highest professional standards and stories in our pages will have complete integrity in the ways in which information is gathered, composed and attributed. Assemblage is a combination of original articles, multimedia content and creative commons material.
Action through storytelling Articles which inform and question the way we think about our society. Such as encouraging people to come out with their secrets and challenge social stigmas; empowering women through inspirational stories and motivating people to follow their passions as well as having a voice for social activism.
Innovation through scholarship and professionalism Assemblage is a magazine that forges links between communications and cultural theory through professional practice.
Media Communication through technology Web 2.0 brought conceptual change to the way media professionals communicate with their readers. The development of broadband empowers a more engaging
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Contents
We care and we inspire ... Our social issues section includes: Features on animal welfare and the environment; three people’s journey to empowerment and a celebration of women in sport.
Welcome to Assemblage
5. Art, Stories and Women 23. Social Media and
6. About Us: Michelle, Catie and Pwalesado 9. Chick Habit
Social Justice: The Cowspiracy Hype and the Vegan Revolution
10. Dear Diary: The
27. I’m Not a Secret
Magic of Molly Ringwald and John Huges
30. The Sport Woman: Handling Defeat
11. Designer Sophie West: The Beauty of Contrast and Nanny Vera’s Flat
32. My Mother; My Idol 33. Yoga Your Way to Mind and Body Confidence
15. Unusual Style icons 35. Contributors Page: Thank You From Assemblage
20. Empowerment Through Entrepreneurialism
Dress up and be dazzled ... Our fashion section includes: Interviews and stories from three very talented designers and a fabulous homage to some weird and wonderful icons!
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Story time ... This section includes a story on life in Nigeria and one on a woman’s journey to health and happiness.
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Art, Stories and Women
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Welcome to Assemblage magazine! Our aim is to celebrate women who love to inspire and be inspired. We want to give the quirky individual (you) something exciting to read, which is why we have filled Assemblage with real life features, talents and designs by some very unique women.
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So click away and browse through all of the art, stories and women. We have additional content on our Facebook page!
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Chick Habit How about a little taste of the 70s … If you haven’t already heard it, you must listen to the retro styling of singer, April March. Imagine you’re in the sunshine with your girls; you’re wearing some amazing flares and big sunglasses, but don’t forget, it’s the 70s so put a sepia filter on this daydream. Now play April’s song Chick Habit and just hold that thought. So cool.
Play Here
Song courtesy of singer April March, Sympathy Records and Staci Slater from The Talent House
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Dear Diary,
The Breakfast Club
Why were John Hughes and Molly Ringwald the perfect 1980s partnership and why wasn’t I there? Life as a teen just seemed so much more fun in the 80s. I mean, having frizzy hair was fashionable; detention was a life changing moment and Molly Ringwald was the queen of style.
Pretty in Pink
Molly was so ahead of her time; she was eating sushi for lunch like it was the most fashionable thing in the world already. And she could put on her favourite pink lipstick with her boobs. And her amazing dancing; I wish people still danced like that and if they did I would probably go to clubs more often. Just what happened to the vigorous 80s style leg kicks? Detention just looked like so much fun and Molly even got Judd Nelson to fist pump the air because of her magic lips. So diary, please can I be Molly Ringwald in the 80s?
1986 was a simpler time for technology, so how exciting when your dream boy sends you a bad quality picture of himself in the library. The old, oldschool messenger … so cutting edge. And of course, it was Molly who received said message from her dream boy; because she was a style icon, who could make her own prom dress and everything. What a vision in pink floral and giant glasses she was.
Sincerely yours, The Breakfast Club Michelle xoxox
Sixteen Candles Everyone may have forgotten her sweet sixteenth, but that’s fine because 80s Molly could steal the coolest guy in school off of anyone – the popular girls were probably shaking in their legwarmers. She had to jump through hurdles along the way, like geeks being obsessed with her (of course) and worrying that coming of age hadn’t yet filled her bra. But she got those sixteen candles in the end.
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Words and photography by Michelle Antoniou
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Designer Sophie West: The Beauty of Contrast and Nanny Vera’s Flat
eventually led to a love for the art of fashion. As I grew, my inspiration soon turned to artist – Picasso; his work showed me a use of colour that I had never seen before, but one my mind always goes back to – even when I’m thinking about my collections now. His work showed passion through colour and he will always be my first influence. Part of his influence was his ability to experiment with the unusual, in both his style and use of colour; I have always found something beautiful in the unfamiliar – sometimes when things are so contrasting, their combination is unexpectedly mesmerising. Miuccia Prada does this so well; when looking at items individually they seem odd, but when they are together they create this interesting mixture of a style so inspiring. This idea is so much part of my taste, I look for it in art that I love, fashion I create and clothes that I wear.
27-year-old designer Sophie West talks fashion, mixing prints and the inspiration behind her latest collection. She invites you, not only on her fashion journey, but also inside her head and so inside Nanny Vera’s Flat – which is a 70s inspired clothing-dream; full of stunning embroidery, a variety of fabrics, vibrant colours and vivid prints.
Designer Sophie’s journey: ‘When I was little I used to go to my friend’s house and her mum would teach us to paint. These memories marked the start of my love for art, which
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My fashion career started when I began my foundation year at Chelsea College of Art and Design. I started to focus on the textiles area and based my project on a book called Farm by Jackie Nickerson. The images in Farm are both raw and aesthetically beautiful; filled with women in delicate slips, worn under men’s blazers and natural materials finished with plastics – again that perfect and artistic contrast. After my foundation year, I completed my BA at Central St Martins, where I was able to develop my own style and love for embroidery, but it is my latest collection, entitled ‘Nanny Vera’s Flat,’ which is not only my style, but also extremely personal to me. I created this collection when doing my MA at the Royal College of Art. It was hard and tiring, but it is something I will always be proud of because it meant so much to me. Nanny Vera’s Flat resonated with me because I created it not only as a vibrant contrast of materials and patterns; but also a nod to the 1970s and an homage to my grandparents. Vivid memories brought to life by vivid colours in my own little world of nostalgia. In old photographs I’ve seen how every Christmas my grandparents would cover their patterned flat in sea of Christmas cards and tinsel; the over-decorating – like my love of the contrast – again brought beauty out of something seemingly mismatched. As well as my grandparents, I took influence from art forms I had been exposed to – one being photography – which had a big impact on me. Diane Keaton’s book Reservations, shows the interiors of American hotels in the 1970s, and the photographs represent an era so artistically.
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Whether her pictures depict a lamp or an armchair, the images she took are so pertinent to my collection; for me, sometimes just objects from an era can hold so much interest. Photographer Lukasz Wierbowski also has a talent of taking the most amazing photographs; they look like he has gone back in time to the 70s and this is what I wanted for my collection’s set; I wanted even the wallpaper and furniture to look like a home from the past; I wanted it to look like my Nanny Vera’s flat. I like to question taste to create my visions. Like my inspirations before, for my collection, I combined colours, patterns and materials – the thought of velvet, leather and plastic together seems a little too surreal for clothing in theory, but in practice it is so beautiful. I used this idea when creating my clothes, with fur against delicate embroidery and animal print against intricate plastic flowers. Everything (especially the plastic flowers) took a long time, but seeing it all come together was worth it. I knew how I wanted it all to look in my head and so when it finally came to life it was a surprise – but a good one. I’m proud of what I have achieved so far and will continue to design, create and be inspired.’
Check out Sophie’s Instagram here!
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Words by Michelle Antoniou Clothing and photography by Sophie West
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Unusual Style Icons
Barrymore as Little Edie – well worth the watch! Unusual as she was with her delusions of fame and famous lies about romantic connections, Little Edie was a style icon despite living in a house that was deemed unfit for human habitation by the local authorities. It just goes to show, if nothing else, that you don’t need a luxury lifestyle (or even a functional plumbing system) to look glamorous! Nor does being a crazy cat lady mean that you’re limited to hairy knitwear in the wardrobe department. Little Edie’s signature headscarf was only adorned after she contracted alopecia and lost her lovely locks, and they were often improvised out of shirts, scarves and towels. The accidental effect was a style that even influenced Calvin Klein, as he produced a photo spread that was inspired by Edie’s fashion creations in Harper’s Bazaar in 1997. Bald, bankrupt and bizarre, oh how we salute you Little Edie.
Introducing five women with iconic, trend defying style that empowers others to have confidence in their own style, their own passions and their own lives. Be yourself, you never know who you might inspire.
Little Edie “It’s true about old maids; they don’t need men if they have cats.” Our first feature is Edith Bouvier Beale, aka. Little Edie, born in 1917. She is well known for her eccentric mother, eccentric behaviour and eccentric style. First cousin to the First Lady Jackie Onassis, both Edith Senior and Edith Junior have been immortalised as fashion icons and cult figures, however not in ways that they had hoped! They were both aspiring performers, however made their way to the limelight after filmmakers David and Albert Maysles took an interest in the pair. They shot a documentary in 1973 on the mother and daughter showing their dramatic spiral into squalor following Big Edie’s divorce and refusal to sell their grand Easthampton property. Little Edie paraded around in high heels and lipstick, dancing in front of the camera amid the swarms of trash and a superfluous amount of cats. The film, entitled Grey Gardens, was remade in 2009 starring Drew
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As well as signature headwear, Nicks had signature shawls, associated with particular songs in live performances: red for ‘Sara,’ gold for ‘Gold Dust Woman,’ white for ‘Edge of Seventeen’ and black with gold detailing for ‘Stand Back.’ During interludes in these performances she would twirl around the stage, shawl flowing and flying around her. Nicks also wore a piece of signature jewellery per tour, the most iconic of which is a crescent moon pendant which friends and fans replicated. The necklaces have even been coined ‘Stevie moons’! A source of inspiration for many, Nicks took hers from the likes of Janis Joplin and even owns a strand of her stage beads. She also claims to have taken inspiration from a woman in one of her audiences, who was dressed in delicate, contrasting soft chiffon and bulky boots. Allegedly Nicks has commented that she never expected her ‘witchy woman’ image to have been taken seriously. How wrong she was, as her stage image is unique and timeless; bohemian at its best. Deemed the ‘Reigning Queen of Rock and Roll’ by Rolling Stone and inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998, we deem Stevie Nicks a reigning queen of rockin’ style. Now where are our Stevie moons?
Stevie Nicks Stevie Nicks is known for her ‘mystical image,’ featuring billowing chiffon skirts, shawls, layers of lace and long blonde hair which designer Margi Kent helped her to perfect. One of Stevie’s most famous fashion staples is her platform boots, which she wore to appear taller beside Mick Fleetwood when performing as Fleetwood Mac. When platforms went completely out of style, she kept wearing them. She didn’t hold much by ‘current’ fashion at all, as during the 70s she began adorning a gentleman’s formal top hat rarely seen for decades before. In the 80s she favoured velvet berets with plumes, and in the 90s appeared to combine the two and opt for feathered top hats.
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Liza Minnelli Next our eyes are on the magnificent Liza Minnelli, though our peepers aren’t half as big and beautiful as hers! Known for her striking short hair, striking dark makeup and sparkling sequins, Minnelli is up there with the style elite. Born in 1946 to actress Judy Garland, Minnelli was destined to be in the performing arts, wowing audiences with her live shows and winning multiple awards for her roles in film. Most notably is Cabaret, showcasing her acting and singing abilities and solidifying her place as a style icon. Minnelli was even featured in the 2010 Sex and the City movie, performing at a gay wedding and reminding us how fabulous she is. Liza’s look could never be described as classical or feminine; it is always over the top and dramatic. Her style is loved because she has her own concepts of glamour and fashion, neither of which is traditionally sexy. Andy Warhol famously photographed her with a red headscarf and matching red lip, heavily contrasted against her pale skin, dark hair and dark eyes. Liza doesn’t physically look like anyone else, and she emphasises her uniqueness rather than trying to blend in. She is loud, proud and always covered in sequins, even on the day of her wedding to David Gest. Natural and demure are clearly not her prerogative. And nor should they be anyone’s! Life is too short for bland and boring fashion which follows trends for the sake of following trends. Liza Minnelli’s vibrant individuality is contagious, you too should find what you love and stick by it. Maybe you’ll inspire someone else to make a statement...
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Princess Margaret The penultimate member of our elite group of unusual style icons is none other than Princess Margaret, the Countess of Snowdon. Whilst her sister Queen Elizabeth II was regarded by their father King George VI as his ‘pride,’ he described his second daughter as his ‘joy.’ Despite being perpetually rebellious, successfully upholding quite a terrible public image and never making it to the English throne, we bow down to Princess Margaret and her impeccable style! Her clothing choices – including sleeveless shirts, high waisted skirts, statement jewellery, embellished outerwear, splashes of fur and satin dresses – inspired the likes of Vivienne Westwood, Topshop and even Burberry, demonstrated through their SS06 collection and resonating today within popular fashion. The Princess has a tiny 18-inch waist, fierce witty intelligence and penchant for sophisticated finery. A quick look on the ever handy Google images will show countless images of the Countess being unapologetically exuberant, complete with a beaming smile and often a lit cigarette. A far cry from the stereotypical image of the monarchy associated with tradition and propriety, Princess Margaret was seemingly a misfit in the family, perching somewhere between the roles of royalty and raging socialite. In the post war period associated with drab and dreariness, Margaret is said to have dazzled with her youth, confidence and vitality, breathing life back into young women who had been craving a little excitement and change. Hear, hear!
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Bianca Jagger This Nicaraguan beauty is known for being two things: one, the first wife of Rolling Stones front man Mick Jagger and two, oozingly stylish. Bianca’s exotic look supposedly caught Mick’s eyes from across the room after a concert in 1970 and they were married a year later in sunny St Tropez. Despite not lasting, the pair were dripping with 70s glamour. Jagger was often seen on the Manhattan scene sporting luxurious furs, the ever fabulous sequin and her signature piece, the white tailored Yves Saint-Laurent trouser suit. She was a known friend of Andy Warhol (a running theme with our style icons, it would seem!) and a frequent patron of the club Studio 54, reaching her climax of fabulousness by arriving there on her birthday celebration in 1977 atop a white horse. Ms Jagger lingered in the limelight long after the demise of her relationship in 1978, travelling and partying as any fashion icon should. A former student of political science, she also emerged in the 90s as a social activist who campaigned for the environment and human rights, speaking for the likes of Amnesty International. Hot style and a warm heart, what’s not to love?
Words and illustrations by Catie Allwright Designs by Eager & Vane
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Empowerment through
Lynda Binos is an empowered woman and business owner; a fashion designer based in Abuja Nigeria. We interviewed her to find out about her passions, her journey and her advice for other women.
Entrepreneurialism
Are you trained as a fashion Designer?
Celebrating entrepreneurial women, we think that instead of working for others you should (if possible) find what makes you happy, turn it into a business and work for yourself! Introducing two women who did exactly that, here’s what they have to say.
I am a self-taught business woman. Growing up in a family of artists meant that my siblings and I were always encouraged to express our creativity, and my love for fashion began when I was a little girl. Sometimes I’ll see someone wearing a piece of jewellery or clothing and just have to recreate it! Through trial and error I usually get great results. In addition to being self-taught, I have taken informal courses in jewellery making and sewing, which have been instrumental for my growth. Whenever I get the chance, I attend jewellery design classes to learn new techniques, because learning never stops!
The Fashion Designer
What is your business called? My brand name is Lynn’s Armoire, taken from a shortened version of my name, Lynda and the French translation of closet, armoire. In essence, my brand is a fashion closet that offers both clothing and accessories. I would describe my brand as fresh, edgy and eclectic.
How has your work developed? My work has evolved a great deal in the past few years. At first I was only interested in making
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creative pieces, however clients always have an idea of what they want which is often based on an existing design. Since the goal is to make money as well as be creative, I have to accommodate both my own creativity and my client’s requirements.
to depend on yourself. For example, I use hand sewn fabrics for my jewellery rather than solely depending on what materials are on the market. It is my dream to start using recycled materials for my jewellery in the near future.
Where do you find inspiration?
What would you say to other entrepreneurs?
Paying close attention to my immediate environment and drawing inspiration from the natural colours and unusual shapes that abound everywhere!
Stay true to your art and never compromise the quality or standards of your products! Check out Lynn’s Armoire here on Facebook.
‘I see my business as a way of life, an avenue for self-expression and selfdetermination.’
Who inspires you? I really admire Elsa Schiaparelli, an Italian born designer who lived in the time of Coco Channel. She paved the way for unusual, quirky and edgy pieces to be considered fashionable.
What is your advice for other women? Turn every challenge into an opportunity and learn
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The Makeup Artist As in many parts of the world, African weddings are a celebration of culture, beauty and colours, with the bride-to-be taking great care and attention over her wedding dress and makeup. If you’re looking to turn your matrimonial dreams into a reality, look no further than Amanda Dagwa, bridal makeup artist and owner of Bee Makeover. Amanda, who is also based in Nigeria, has made a living by emphasizing the beauty of women, helping them to look and feel their absolute best. If your passion means boosting people’s confidence, life doesn’t get much better. Check out her Facebook and Instagram!
‘I see my business as a way of life, an avenue for self-expression and selfdetermination.’
Words by Pwalesado John Designs and photography by Lynda Binos and Amanda Dagwa
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Social Media and Social Justice: the Cowspiracy Hype and the Vegan Revolution
Once a widely misunderstood concept, veganism is now rising fast. The horizon is peppered with new vegan eateries and existing vegan restaurants such as Vantra Vitao on London’s Oxford Street are bursting at the seams with hungry customers. Mainstream outlets are catering for us, such as Pizza Express with their new Pianta pizza and Toby Carvery with their three certified vegan options. Tesco has seen a thirty per cent rise in the demand for vegan products within only one year. Unsurprisingly it’s also a hot topic in both mainstream and social media, which is also being explored in documentaries. It’s these last two outlets that we are focussing on. We practically all use social media, and it plays a huge part in sharing and developing personal interests. But just how is it being used as a tool for vegans?
Awareness surrounding veganism has grown exponentially in the last year, propagated by documentaries such as ‘Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret’ and the discussion that followed on social media. What effect has this had, and more importantly, will it last? We talk to two vegan media professionals to find out.
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images of animal cruelty, hate campaigns against individuals who wear fur and vegans who openly attack and shame others can be counterproductive, downright unpleasant and don’t necessarily change minds. The issue with social media in general is that people tend to behave in ways that they wouldn’t when face to face with someone: “Behaviour like this is detrimental to the vegan movement and goes against its very ethos. It gives the rest of us a bad name and helps to perpetuate negative stereotypes.” For this reason, social media can be a mixed blessing. Ultimately, it is a mere platform and its potential for fostering social change, or for spreading hateful messages, is entirely down to us.
Elena Orde, Communications and Campaigns Officer at The Vegan Society, discussed in an interview with us how social media brings people into contact with veganism. The harrowing reality of the meat, dairy and egg industries was discovered by her via YouTube. With so much related content available at our fingertips on social media, being exposed to such information sets people off on their own journeys towards veganism, and once we share this information it has a ripple effect and touches others in our personal networks.
The writer behind the ‘Being Vegan’ column for the Las Vegas Informer, Paul Graham, says: “We need to understand the power that social media has for reaching people and educating, enlightening, and encouraging them of what being vegan is and the power that it holds for healing our physical bodies, saving animals, and protecting our environment.” He believes that within this next generation, with the help of social media we are going to flip the switch on some of the systems that abuse animals, damage our environment and threaten our health.
Chantal Denny, Managing Director of the Vegan Lifestyle Association, tells us how she has also experienced the power of social media, helping to convert hundreds of people by promoting a vegan lifestyle through her Twitter account. By sharing meaningful conversations and demonstrating how easy and fulfilling it is to live vegan, others have followed suit. On a wider level, she recognises the success of social media for running global campaigns and sharing petitions with ease: “It gives us a collective power which people haven’t had so easily before.”
Veganism is gaining traction on social media through discussion of the documentary ‘Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret’. Released in 2014 and available on Netflix, this ground-breaking feature follows filmmaker wKip Anderson as he drags animal agriculture into the spotlight as being the most environmentally destructive industry threatening the planet today. He reveals that animal agriculture is a primary
However, Chantal notes that not all social media activity is beneficial due to accounts run by the more militant side of the community. Graphic
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driver of rainforest destruction, ocean “dead zones”, habitat loss, species extinction and a whole host of other concerns. Highlighting reasons to ditch meat and dairy from an environmental perspective, rather than purely an ethical one, has brought veganism to the attention of a whole new audience. Chantal agrees: “The situation really couldn’t be more serious or more imperative. If you can’t affect peoples’ empathy gene for animals or they’re not concerned about their health, then the one thing that might affect them is the future of their planet – if not for them, then for their children. That, of course, is extremely powerful.” Elena recognises the reaction that Cowspiracy has sparked: “I’ve followed comment threads on Facebook full of people who have gone vegan as a direct result of Cowspiracy – many of whom weren’t at all interested to begin with.” She has also spoken to hundreds of people about their motives for going vegan while working at nationwide events such as VegFest. Unsurprisingly, Cowspiracy crops up time and time again.
Frank Thunder, local contact of the Vegan Society, explores how despite supporting an ideology our entire life, one thing can resonate which inspires change: “Within us we all have a switch which can kick in at any time. This is normally due to an understanding, or an event, or a final ‘this is it’ situation.” Whether it’s the treatment of animals, environmental havoc or the increased risk of cancer, one thing can change everything you ever thought you knew.
Again somewhat the devil’s advocate, Chantal proposes a caveat to this. Cowspiracy has encouraged people to follow a plant based diet as opposed to an entirely vegan lifestyle. It is undeniably a huge step in the right direction, and once people find their ‘switch’, the rest may follow. Although one particular reason may have been the trigger, it is rare to find a vegan who follows the lifestyle for exclusively ethical, exclusively environmental or exclusively health reasons.
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This brings us on to perhaps the most important question; will the effects of Cowspiracy last? Elena strongly believes that they will: “Someone who goes vegan for the animals or the environment is so much more likely to stick with their decision than someone who has gone vegan if they think of it as a fad diet.” Chantal thinks the effects will not only last, but grow: “We simply cannot regress now
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– there is too much information and proof out there that we have to live a vegan lifestyle for the sake of the planet and our very existence.” Both Elena and Chantal have seen a surge in the amount of high profile YouTubers such as Louis Cole and Alfie Deyes, and celebrities such as Jared Leto and Miley Cyrus either going vegan or discussing it. The publicity given to veganism by the growing list of celebrity supporters is fantastic for helping the public to take the message on board. Although climate change is on the global political agenda, Chantal believes that individuals will do the legwork: “Organisations and governments are still dragging their feet, and we all know why. Money and popularity. No-one wants to tell people they can’t eat meat, even if it does mean saving the planet, and no one wants to lose money from the animal agriculture industry who lobby continuously.” This is exactly what Kip Anderson argues is the conspiracy uncovered by Cowspiracy. So whose responsibility is it? Chantal believes that it is the millennials, the social media generation who must drive the change, creating a tipping point where the amount of people adopting a vegan lifestyle reaches a ‘critical mass’. Together we are creating a movement, a revolution. In the words of Frank Thunder: “Use your channels to promote a vegan way of life as best you can. It will make a difference.” Words and illustrations by Catie Allwright Photography by Pixabay
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I’m not a Secret
I couldn’t even see the light from the sun. I was glad when I finally told them as their love and support helped heal some of my internal wounds. In 2000, things got better for me as my new medication was working. I was no longer dying; I was no longer in a dark place and life was again full of colour, light and beauty. But I know that for others the right medication isn’t the end of their journey, because of the stigma; the judgement in eyes from strangers and friends, but most troubling comes in the form of the judgement from within – the self-stigma. We need to give ourselves the same love and understanding that we want from others and not carry around the mental scars that some people think comes with the illness; instead let education and understanding heal these scars.
Three different people, share three different stories with two things in common: They all felt the need to keep a secret about a big part of their life and then they all had the courage to share that secret with the world. Bound by stigma and released by empowerment, Miguel Ferreira-Monteiro reveals his life with HIV.
Charlie Sheen was blackmailed for having HIV, when he should have been understood and supported. I have heard people mention how traumatic it must be for him to have the illness and this thinking must change. I feel no trauma. I am a survivor; I am alive and I am strong.’
‘I first discovered I had HIV in 1993 and the medication was not developed. I was told that I had three years to live. At first my struggle was not only having the illness but also facing how I got it, which was something I didn’t want to think about because of the memories it conjured. I was a victim of rape, and admitting this as well as accepting my HIV was a big part of my recovery. I know that it was not my fault and I know that having HIV is nothing to be ashamed of – but it is something others looking to recover, whether mentally or physically, need to know.
‘I am a
survivor’ Miguel now works for Positively UK, a charity working to remove the stigma from HIV.
I waited until 1998 to tell my mother, and my father even after that. The dark place I lived in, after watching friends die and facing my own end, was the reason for this; during this time I felt like
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Mark Broadbank first realised he was gay at school. Now in his thirties, he’s realised how far he’s come.
aren’t all ‘sex, drugs and rock n’ roll;’ they are now about love and life. Previous generations fought hard for gay rights; even today there are still charities such as the LGBT Foundation dedicated to rights and support. I am forever thankful and believe we should always fight for what is right, because no one should have to keep a secret about love; because love is love and doesn’t discriminate.’
‘Even as a child I knew there was something different about the beauty I saw in a man. But when I got to secondary school I knew. I was gay. School children can be cruel and although they don’t fully understand what they are doing, their flippant comments can cause damage they are too young to understand and with this they can also be unknowingly perceptive. I didn’t want them to know I was gay. Not really know. So I hid it from them and hid it from myself and I listened to peer pressure which told me that I had to kiss girls, even though my heart knew it wasn’t what I wanted.
‘If I could go back now I would say be yourself, as holding on to a secret is like holding on to your own happiness’
When I was fourteen, I had my first same-sex relationship and he wanted to hide it for the same reasons as me. It’s hard to feel something but have to keep it all locked away. If I could go back now I would say be yourself, as holding on to a secret is like holding on to your own happiness – but, for me, this was a lesson that I learnt with time. At seventeen I told my friends and family and when it was over I felt liberated. With this liberation came the chance to really be myself. This was fourteen years ago, and I have since seen attitudes to homosexuality change for the better. I remember being a teenager and watching Queer as Folk and it changed my life. I can see now, how it paved the way for a new acceptance but also how far television has come. Now dramas centred around homosexuality
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As a man, I wasn’t myself so I couldn’t be happy. A good friend said to me, ‘you can be a people pleaser and do what they want, or you can please yourself and follow your heart.’ So that’s what I did. After extensive research, and the help of an amazing specialist, I made the decision to transition; this is something I didn’t take lightly but in the end I knew it was right, and with every person I told, I felt more confident in my journey. My new clothes and makeup make me feel beautiful and my mother told me she has never seen me so happy and that’s how I feel. Happy. Unfortunately, I have met prejudices along the way; this has inspired me to create awareness and to educate in order to stop discrimination. The world isn’t always a nice place and it saddens me to think people suffer because of this. It would help to see more transgender people in the media and not just the celebrities, the person from ‘down the road’ that I can relate to. We have a cause, a voice and we need more people to listen.
Transgender woman Joanna Parker, decided six months ago that she was ready to be herself and now she is ready to reveal her journey.
‘This is a secret that I’ve always had, whether I knew it or not. From the age of five I wanted to wear my sister’s clothes and although it made me happy – a happiness that I only found again when I finally became who I wanted, I felt as though I was doing something wrong.
Of course I am afraid, but I know what a strong person I am and how much support I can give others; words really can make such a difference in someone’s life and it’s beautiful. But for me, now, when I look in a mirror and into my eyes, I see me.’
I spent a long time knowing nothing about what it meant to be transgender, just that I felt like a puzzle with a piece missing; only I didn’t know what that piece was or where to find it. Then one day I started looking in the mirror and seeing female eyes but a man’s body. A body that would carry on a life structured by society; a body that would put on a suit and go to work, even through the sadness. A body that never felt like my own.
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For support with this issue, the Beaumont Society are here to help.
‘Follow your
heart’
Words by Michelle Antoniou Photography by Michelle Antoniou and Sophie West
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The Sport Woman: Handling Defeat
From the first day you get yourself noticed as being one of the best in your sport, the chances are sooner or later, you may face defeat. As the popular saying goes “if you’ve never failed you’ve never tried anything new.” When you are sure of the sport you love, be good at it by exploring every aspect of the game. The existence of defeat is linked to victory. While the winner expresses joy, confidence and satisfaction, the losing squad on the other side experiences an array of emotions such as anxiety, resentment, sadness, depression, anger. Liang Wenbo, a snooker champion, in celebration of his win, leapt into the air beating himself up repeatedly. Some winners display superiority, happiness, and confidence. A winner might be boastful because of the victory and sometimes neglecting the fact that he might be on the losing end. When in sport prepare for the positive and the negative moments.
When it comes to competitions, all aspects of preparation are vital, physical preparation is not enough. If you don’t get yourself ready psychologically you will feel even worse for losing. Dr. Michelle Cleere wrote “an athlete feels worse about losing when he/she is not mentally prepared to compete.” A study at the University of Heidelberg in Germany revealed that “athletes can tolerate more pain than non-athletes. An individuals who engage Passion and determination are key for any sport in sports inhibit a sort of strength that can keep woman who will aim as high as the eagle. Having love them going.” for what you do is vital in becoming great. Before you choose a sport, make sure it is the kind of game Being defeated should not be a bad omen for athletes, it should be a drill. Laila Ali, daughter that excites and motivates you to never give up. of Mohammed Ali, says: “Once you do face defeat, Having passion for your sport helps in simplifying you gotta deal with that; you gotta get back in the the emotions that come with being defeated. gym and figure out what it is you need to perfect.”
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Instead of dwelling in the past, create a strategy of working against the cause of the defeat.
doesn’t imply weakness. Handling defeat doesn’t apply to just women. There are some famous sport men who are still remembered for their emotional display while competing. John McEnroe, a famous tennis player can be seen as one. His exact words “You cannot be serious the ball is on the line,” is still not forgotten. How a person deals with defeat sometimes defines the individual. Being a sport woman indicates strength, weakness, experience, and sometimes, defeat; but what matters is how the athlete deals with the reality of defeat.
Women in sport handle defeat differently with distractions, blaming others or dramatizing about it and some let it go and treat it as a lesson to be learned. Super League Champion and Enfield sport person of the year, Monique Thompson, said: “I deal with defeat internally. I don’t show my emotions outwardly. I’d rather not say anything but to go think about it in a more rational way.” She also revealed that after a recent defeat – and a close one at that – her team reacted with anger towards one another. Whilst this is a normal way of processing the frustration and disappointment of defeat, having a positive approach is far better as it enables everyone to grow from the experience. Sport psychologist Alison Galaun suggests selfreflection as a method of bouncing back after defeat. By analysing weakness, you can also realise your strength. Professional tennis player Serena Williams uses this logic, making the following comment after a game: “I think I played really crappy today. I’ll try to be politically correct. I played like an amateur, to be honest.” Accepting the defeat and realising the cause of it will make it easier in moving on.
A female athlete’s response to defeat can be used to describe her personality and also to determine her patience level when faced with difficulty. Sometimes, it serves as a yardstick to measure her strength and weakness levels. The secret of overcoming defeat is to get back into the game, bringing more strength than before and working against the weakness. With the mind-set of a winner, you will be a winner.
Moving forward after a defeat can be tough but emulating from the people around you like your role models, who experienced and dealt with such circumstance is a good plan. Find a compensation, something to distract your mind about the defeat. Relating to a movie, a girl who has been defeated could display emotions by crying the whole time until she is compensated or she gets tired and eventually stops crying. How a woman handle defeat
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Words by Pwalesado John Photography by Pixabay
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My Mother; My Idol
away time on doing nothing. During the day she was either on call at the clinic or at the farm on her free days. Although often her free time wasn’t actually, as people knocked on our door to get a nurse’s assistance. Through all these childhood experiences and lessons, I have learned to always achieve in the way I can. I am now an entrepreneur - an events decorator. Opportunities do not slip out of my hands. I make good of every moment I get. I believe life is what we make of it and how we want it to be. If an individual sees life as a difficult terrain then it will be that way for the person; but if life is seen as a journey that it is accompanied with happy, challenging and mysterious times – then that is what it is.
She is a nurse; she is a farmer; an entrepreneur and ultimately she is my mother. Being an only child comes with great expectations. My mother wants me to inherit the legacy she has established. When on call she takes me to the clinic where she works, we spend the night duty enjoying the comfort of the tiny hospital bed. Every weekend I bring frozen drinks and snacks to sell at the clinic, the patients and their visitors prefer mine to that of the clinic’s. My mother saw it as an opportunity for me to earn some cash. She said to me, ‘you need to start earning your money so you can do anything wish to.’ My mother has instilled the morality of, ‘there is no food for the lazy man’ into me. At nine years old, she has already outlined the school she would like me to attend. Government Girl’s College in my town is said to provde focus for girls. No distractions from the opposite sex. I remember the day our neighbours’ sons came with the intention of playing with me and my mother chased them away telling them to go read their books. She assisted me with my homework and I kept her company at the clinic and also with her farm work. She grew beans and during her free working hours, she would check on her farm. She would never whirl
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Words Photography by Pwalesado John
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Yoga Your Way to Mind and Body Confidence The practice of yoga might be thousands of years old, but it’s becoming increasingly fashionable in modern life. However with countless Instagram accounts, showcasing unrealistic yoga goals (well for most of us), 25-year old yoga teacher, Kate Lister, shares why the exercise is so much more than just doing the splits in a bikini.
he, to breat t e g r o f Don’t reathe. b , e h t a e br
Kate’s Yoga Journey: ‘After spending my teenage years suffering with poor body image which led to an eating disorder, yoga helped me in more ways than I ever knew it could. It allowed me to connect with myself and understand what I wanted and needed. It showed me how to look after my body, instead of loathe it. I discovered this new calm, which meant I could really hear myself — and more importantly, I was listening. What I love about yoga, is that there is no one point, and everyone gets something different
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out of it. It’s personal and so impacts people in a personal way; but whether you take up yoga for a tighter arse or meditation, you will find an inevitable connection with everything and everyone: a new connection with the world. Even the style of yoga you pick can be personal to you and there really are so many! I teach a style called Vinyasa, which is creative and rhythmical as it involves moving in the flow of your breathing. As well as finding a style I love, my personal connection with yoga, made me more understanding of both others and myself. We are human; I am human – and that’s okay.
people involved. When I first started, I was flexible but I wasn’t strong; what I’ve realised is, as you get stronger, you get stiffer, which means everyday on the mat is a new challenge and exercise is never boring. It is an endless practice in the best way, because you can always learn, improve and grow which you are always doing and will always do. Now I am strong; I am healthy and I am happy and yoga played a big part in getting me to this point. My advice to anyone who is thinking about taking up yoga, is to try it and remember how great it feels; and while you are doing it, don’t forget to breathe, breathe, breathe.’
If you are on Instagram, you will probably be overwhelmed with the amount of yoga accounts; they are full of very slim women doing very flexible poses. Now, I love that these accounts might get people involved, because ultimately the goal is to help the mind and body and if something inspires people to do that, it’s great – but I want people to know that yoga is for any age, any size and any gender; it is for anyone and everyone. I demonstrate this through my personal Instagram. Whatever ability you are, it is amazing for the body and mind. It is so much more than poses – for instance, even concentrating on your own breathing is yoga. Whatever form of yoga I am doing, I love the reaction I get when doing it in public. I do it not only to promote the culture and lifestyle, but also in support of Boys Of Yoga – a movement designed to get more males involved. Recently I was meditating on the underground and someone sent a picture of me to Radio One, thinking I must be mad to relax in such an un-relaxing place! It is all just positive for me though because the yoga community is so wonderful and it would be great to get more
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We are human; I am human – and th at’s okay.
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Words by Michelle Antoniou Photography by Kaley Ann
Assemblage magazine would like to thank the following people for the contribution of their amazing talents ... Singer, April March; her record label, Sympathy Records and Staci Slater, Owner of agency, The Talent House: For allowing us to use the song, Chick Habit. Photographer, Stephen Allwright: For giving us permission to use his photographs. Designer, Sophie West: For sharing her story, designs and photography. Designer, Eager & Vane: For the use of their designs. Photographer, Kaley Ann: For giving us permission to use her photographs. Makeup Artist, Amanda Dagwa: For sharing her story, talent and photography. Designer, Lynda Binos: For sharing her story, designs and photography. Joanna Parker, Mark Broadbank, Miguel FerreiroMonteiro and Kate Lister: For sharing their stories. We would also like to credit Pixabay for the use of their photos. Lots of Love, Assemblage.
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