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An article by our Culture Editor, Chloe Lawson, examining the inherent misogyny in medical research and exploring the very real and dangerous impact of ignoring half the population. Image description: Depicting two figures, one male and one female, this work articulates the presence of power hierarchy and discrimination. The graphic and abstract application of the paint echoes ideas of anatomy and inner emotion, whilst the dark setting amplifies the sharp lines and colour. Although Capucine’s original concept for this work was not informed by a medical background, she believes in a flexible interpretation for art work for anyone who comes across it. Broken pieces’ (as part of a self-portrait series), Capucine Leclere, 2018. Acrylic and oil on canvas / red vinyl stickers cut-outs. 33cm x 46cm. Since the time of the ancient Greeks, women were believed to simply be “mutilated males” with an added dose of hysteria. In previous centuries, women who were found to be making too much of a fuss were thrown into asylums, given clitoridectomies or lobotomies and that was that (Criado Perez, 196). This is perhaps not a surprising view for thousands, or hundreds, of years ago and one would hope that doctors and medical researchers today find this laughable. However, far too often this is still the case, if not demonstrated to such extremes. Inequalities persist in the medical world which can have life-altering and sometimes fatal consequences for women around the world. In her book Invisible Women, Caroline Criado Perez illustrates, “a medical system which, from root to tip is systematically discriminating against women” for both mental and physical health (Criado Perez, 196). One remnant of Greek medical theory is that women are essentially treated as variations of men, with a sprinkling of additional hormones thrown in the mix. The male body is viewed as the standard, meaning that medical testing and the understanding of diseases is based around this assumption. This obscures how drugs and symptoms of disease (for example, heart conditions) may affect men and women differently (The Economist, 2021). Although researchers have found sex differences at a cellular level, and in the fundamental workings of organs like the heart, medical trials do not reflect these findings (The Economist, 2021). Women are more likely to have severe reactions to vaccinations, to the extent that some researchers have suggested female-specific vaccines (Criado Perez, 199). Yet, there is a distinct reluctance to include women in many studies, with some weak claims that women are harder to source for medical research due to caregiving responsibilities. Additionally, a few researchers refuse to include women due to the ‘complications’ that the hormones at different stages of the menstrual cycle can cause (Criado Perez, 222). The resulting lack of knowledge about how women's bodies react and respond to different diseases and their treatments is dangerous. It can lead to misdiagnosis or lack of diagnosis altogether. Many young women will not suffer chest pain during a heart attack but experience other symptoms such as nausea, stomach pain or fatigue (Criado Perez). This is problematic not only because these are common symptoms of PMS and may be dismissed by the woman herself but could also lead to dismissal by medical professionals as the patient does not exhibit the stereotypical behaviours of a heart attack. This could be fatal. Aside from physical health, there is significant evidence showing that symptoms of mental illnesses are divergent in women and therefore missed by medical professionals. The common belief is that autism is 4x more common in boys than girls but recent research has found that female socialisation patterns may mean that young girls simply mask their symptoms more effectively (Criado Perez, 222). Similarly, it is believed that three-quarters of girls with ADHD remain undiagnosed because they rarely display stereotypical hyperactive behaviours, and the condition manifests itself in other ways such as being more introverted and scattered (Criado Perez, 223). In terms of pregnant women, there is next to no data about the increased risk of disease for mothers and their unborn children. For obvious reasons, pregnant women are often reluctant to take part in medical trials. However, that seems a trivial reason for medical researchers to just stop researching this group. During pandemics and epidemics such as SARS or Swine Flu, where pregnant women were significantly at risk, there was an opportunity for the effects on pregnant women to be studied without clinical trials and yet this was missed. I would hazard a guess and say that the same goes for the current pandemic. Pregnant women have long been misunderstood by medical research. The infamous thalidomide scandal in the 1960s is one example. The drug was used because the researchers had found that they could not “find a high enough dose to kill a rat” and it was therefore deemed safe (Criado Perez, 201). It is reported to have resulted in 10 000 miscarriages, stillbirths and infant deaths in Britain (The Guardian, 2016). The scandal resulted in increased regulations for drug and vaccine approval, but it is an example of a misunderstanding about drug use on pregnant women (Kingsland, 2020). In the present day, drugs with dramatic side effects are still used to treat pregnant women. Relaxin is a hormone used during labour to loosen women's hips and makes the birthing process easier. However, it lingers in women's bodies for up to a year and makes them more prone to injury (The Economist, 2021). Obtaining the funds for studies or technologies that specifically aim to improve the lives of women (as opposed to all humans) is a considerable challenge when faced with boards of balding white men who dismiss the existence of a market for such things. According to the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, less than 3% of overall medical funding in the UK is focused on women-specific afflictions (Endometriosis UK, Instagram). A frustrating example cited by Criado Perez is a 2013 study into the alternative effects of sildenafil citrate (otherwise known as Viagra). The drug was found to allow for over 4 hours of pain relief with little to no side effects, therefore being a godsend to the 90% of women who suffer from dysmenorrhea (period pain). However, funding ran out on the project, and multiple attempts to raise money have been rejected due to its reviewers failing to see the priority. Additionally, pharmaceutical companies are reluctant to do tests which may result in a potential loss of male customers if the drug was marketed for women (Criado Perez, 230). Yet, erectile dysfunction affects only 5-15% of men, compared to the 90% of women who have to endure pain “almost as bad as a heart attack” every month (Criado Perez, 230).It seems illogical. There have been some recent slithers of hope, with the rise of ‘Femtech’ businesses- projects such as period tracking apps, created to help women tackle sex-specific health concerns. The market value of this area is forecasted to rise from $22.5 billion in 2020 to $65 billion by 2027 (The Economist, 2021). However, it seems strange that it has taken this long for the world to realise the size of this potential market. According to the Economist, women are 75% more likely than men to use technology for health purposes, and yet there are still powerful voices claiming that there isn’t a market (The Economist, 2021). Another example to highlight is the few effective treatments offered for Endometriosis - a disease resulting in womb tissue growing elsewhere in the body (Criado Perez). This condition is considered one of the 20 most painful diseases in the world and affects 10% of women according to the charity Endometriosis UK (Endometriosis UK, Instagram). Currently, it takes on average 8 years to receive a diagnosis in the UK and 10 years in the US (Criado Perez, 224). Several MPs have expressed the opinion that if this condition affected 10% of men, then there would be no question of more research and looking at the amount of research into erectile dysfunction, this is not hard to believe. There is a long way to go. While it would be natural to assume that if women make up half the population, then they should be able to trust what their doctor is telling them, it is clear that there is a significant misunderstanding of the female experience, and no obvious movement to change that fact. Women often have to fight against first, second and third opinions to find out what is wrong with them, while being told they're not ‘actually ill’ and that ‘it’s all in their head’. Their pain is dismissed as emotional or a result of anxiety, which may go some way to explain why so many more women are prescribed antidepressants than men. The idea that women are ‘too emotional’ is something that should have been left behind in the last century. Yet, this assumption still floats around in the minds of some researchers and medical professionals. The very people we rely on to deliver we depend on to deliver objective and reliable diagnoses. References: Criado Perez, Caroline. Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men. London: Vintage. 2020. Endometriosis UK. 2nd November 2021. ‘The UK parliament debate on endometriosis’. Endometriosis UK. ‘Girls Uninterupted’. The Economist. 16th October 2021. https://www.economist.com/business/2021/10/16/femtech-firms-are-at-last-enjoying-an-investment-boom The Guardian. March 2016. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/mar/06/thalidomide-caused-up-to-10000-miscarriages-infant-deaths-uk [accessed 09/11/2021]. Kingsland, James. ‘How the Thalidomide scandal led to safer drugs’. Medical News Today, 15th December 2020. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/how-the-thalidomide-scandal-led-to-safer-drugs About the artist: Capucine Leclere from Marseille, France. Currently studying BA intermedia Art at the Edinburgh College of Art. Her practice aims to explore human relationships to memory and intimacy. She like to experiment with various media and processes, such as printmaking, painting, sculpture, and video.

Lauren Deveney recounts her experience from being anti-feminist to anti-patriarchy during her time at university. She addresses her own shortcomings in her attitude towards feminism and other women and how she learned to redress these to become an active intersectional feminist. mage description: Using collage and red ink, the female figure is the centre of a bulls eye like pattern. The photo of the central figure holds an expressive position, her hand is up to the image while her body turns forward. The red circular lines surrounding her focus our view, not only through direction but by the contrast of the red ink and the black and white photo. Putting the female figure at the centre of the bulls eye is reminiscent to a sort of feminist thought; microscopic, targeted, and intentional. Growing up, I never really understood what ‘feminism’ meant. To me, feminists were angry, bra-wielding protesters who didn’t shave their armpits. With the benefit of hindsight, I can recognise the unfair prejudice and internalised misogyny I held against feminists. However, instead of beating myself up about it, I have recognised the patriarchal influences that have informed my opinions. I’m not saying my opinion was fair or justified, but when coming to university my friends and peers sought to educate me in a respectful and non-judgemental way. They didn’t criticise me or put me down for not being as ‘woke’ or politically correct as them. Instead, they took the time to allow me to grow and figure it out for myself, whilst supporting me from the sidelines. It was this compassion that kickstarted me into wanting to be a feminist and I want to underline the importance of this – we can’t hold everyone to the unrealistic standards of always knowing the right thing to do or say. It is far more productive to educate people rather than punish and put them down. In this article, I briefly want to discuss how I overcame my own internalised misogyny and prejudices in an attempt to better my understanding of feminism. I hope that this might encourage other people to know that it is never too late to try and not to be scared of judgement from your peers when you will inevitably slip up along the way. I want to start by explaining why I initially didn’t identify with feminism. Where I was from, being a feminist wasn’t the ‘cool’ thing to do; boys in school would ridicule you as a ‘feminazi’ and in those early years, we saw their validation was key to social survival. Although I regret this, I do not judge myself for assimilating to their ideal at that time; it would be unfair to hold a young girl to such standards. Instead of blaming the individual, we must look to the more institutional sexism at play. If this hadn’t existed, then girls would feel more comfortable speaking out in favour of feminism. During school I was, and still am, a very feminine girl. I love to shave and wear fake tan and makeup and initially thought that this was what feminists hated, assuming that they rejected femininity as ‘sexist’. This was obviously misinformed, and I had allowed patriarchal rhetoric to inform my opinions. It wasn’t until I read Scarlett Curtis’ Feminists Don’t Wear Pink, that I truly understood that feminism is about doing whatever the fuck you want. During school I felt rejected by the feminists I did know for being girly, and perhaps I held it against them by rejecting feminism altogether. However, now I realise that they too were victims of this patriarchal rhetoric and that this was just another example of how women are too often pitted against each other. Instead, rather than letting this distract us, we should come together to understand and fight against the greater forces at play - the institution of the patriarchy. Curtis’ book led me down a rabbit hole of considering why I did what I did and for who. I had never wondered whether I shaved my legs and wore makeup for the benefit of the male gaze before, yet reading this book helped me to realise that I am allowed to do what makes me feel beautiful and comfortable in my body and gender identity for my benefit. Had men not created these feminine ideals going back hundreds of years, but particularly prevalent from the Victorian period, then perhaps I would not do these things. However, although these ideas are unfortunately entrenched in society, when I do these things, I do it for my own pleasure and comfort without a single thought for whether it pleases a man. I have taken control of the cards society dealt me as a woman. All these things do not make me any less of a feminist - unfortunately, it just took me a while to realise this. It wasn’t until my first few weeks at university, when I was surrounded by a whole new set of people with different life experiences than me, that I began to question my own opinions on feminism and wider issues of equality. I realised that these people who had different upbringings than me still held similar outlooks on fundamental principles of politics and social equality, allowing me to understand the different forms feminism can take. It wasn’t until I found friends who encouraged me to scrap all my preconceptions surrounding feminism, that I had been fed through right-wing media, and to look at it as ‘gender equality'. It was then that I discovered I was a big fat raging feminist. And more importantly, I was proud of it. Over the past three years, my relationship with feminism has only gone from strength to strength. I have, of course, had slip-ups along the way and had a support network there to help me work through any remaining misconceptions I had without judging me for it. It was not until much later in my feminist journey when I’d come to grips with its fundamentals that I began to develop my understanding into a more intersectional and informed way: The first thing I realised was that men can be feminists too. I was able to build healthy and long-lasting friendships with the men in my life once I came to terms with this. Some of my closest friends are men and I would not be at this stage in my life without them. I also learned from this that most men are just as invested in gender equality as I am. They just don’t like to admit it because of the stigma attached to feminism, which also put me off in the first place. Realising this and finding compassion for men allowed me to see them as allies, instead of enemies to the feminist plight that I previously understood them as. This second one is slightly different and is something I have only really been able to focus on over this past year. A woman’s journey through feminism is constantly changing and evolving. Feminism, particularly fourth-wave feminism, means nothing if it is not intersectional. The recent feud between influencers and authors Florence Given and Chidera Eggerue has shown to me that feminism must be diverse and equal for it to really work as it was meant to. White feminists need to stop speaking over Black women about intersectional issues that affect them far more than white women. When I first sought to learn more about feminism, Florence Given’s novel Women Don’t Owe You Pretty was a huge inspiration to me. I learnt to take control of my feminism and my body and use it in whatever way I see fit. It is with a certain degree of regret that it has only been recently that I have been made aware of issues that Chidera Eggerue quite rightly spoke out about in that her work has been appropriated by a more ‘palatable’ white voice. Putting women like Florence Given on a pedestal of ‘all-knowing feminist knowledge’ is a setback in fourth-wave feminism in the fight for intersectionality. White feminists must endeavour to focus on the issues Black feminists face today if we want to call ourselves feminists, at all. Feminism can no longer solely encompass the narrow views of middle-class white women; we have progressed past that and this wave must elevate those women who society has let fall through the cracks. For me, equality means just that, whatever race, gender or sexuality you identify as. Another recent attack on feminism comes from trans-exclusionary radical feminists (TERFs), which is pulling the progression of the feminist movement further and further back. Women I would previously idolise, such as JK Rowling, have come forward and argued that trans women do not deserve the same rights as other women as they are ‘invading our space’. I remember feeling so incredibly and utterly disappointed when I read the ignorant and downright offensive Tweets posted by Rowling this year. So again, my understanding of feminism evolved to keep up with the world around me and I learned about issues I had not even considered before simply because they did not directly affect me. Flavia Dzodan encompasses this, stating - “My feminism will be intersectional or it will be bullshit”. It may seem counterintuitive to my argument that I, being a white woman, am using space to chronicle my feminist journey. However, I am speaking out to my individual experience and no one is saying that we can’t still have a voice; just that it can’t drown out those of non-white women on issues that are theirs to talk about. I could have sat here all day and written about every feminist experience I have ever had or every person that has influenced my concept of feminism today. In this article, I have just given a few examples of some things which have set me up on my feminist odyssey - a journey that is far from over. Further reading (if you fancy): What A Time To Be Alone, and How To Get Over A Boy- Chidera Eggerue. Queenie- Candice Carty-Williams. Black Feminist Thought: Knowledge, Consciousness, and the Politics of Empowerment- Patricia Hill Collins. The Awakening- Kate Chopin (a fiction novel but trust me here). Wide Sargasso Sea- Jean Rhys (one of my favourite fiction novels- again, trust me).

The Winter Olympics are just one of the many traditional events affected by climate change, but they are set to be extremely impacted if global warming continues. The increasing temperatures are resulting in decreased snow cover, higher rates of injury and increased costs to hosting. Without the supposed commitment of nations to COP26, it is almost definite that the future games will look significantly different to the ones we know today. Image one: Includes two A1 acrylic landscape paintings and an open sketchbook including a landscape sketch. Image two: Image 2 includes an A1 mixed media landscape painting Image description: Using mixed medias and the foundations of painting, the artist creates a vibrant and exciting mountain scape. Rather than just the blue of the ice, we see reminiscence of rock that stand out of the paintings with brown and purples. The artist adopts a very rash yet thorough use of colour to catch our eyes and transform the mountain from natural to ethereal monument. There are very few aspects of our lives that haven’t been affected by climate change in some capacity, and winter sports are no exception. The Winter Olympics are a multinational sports spectacle held every four years, attracting nearly 2 billion viewers. They bring people together, competitors and sports fans alike. However, recent reports suggest that by 2050, more than half of the Winter Olympics hosts will be unable to stage the games due to the rapid warming of the Earth. The recent IPCC report suggests that the planet is warming faster than expected; we are likely to exceed the 1.5°C mark within the next twenty years, and 4.4°C by 2100. A decrease in global snow cover is already happening, and it is expected to continue as the planet warms. The warmer climate has already caused shortened training seasons, unequal opportunities and potentially dangerous conditions, increased injury rates, and difficulties in finding appropriate training sites. More than a third of all ski resorts (with training and competition slopes) are located in the Alps, where the glaciers are retreating. The number of snow-reliable resorts is projected to drop from 91% to just 61% under 2°C warming, and 30% under 4°C. If the goals of the Paris Agreement are achieved, only 15 out of 21 host countries will be able to host the games until 2100. With no action, only 8 out of the 21 projected hosts will be able to host the winter games. The increased warming is projected to cause enormous economic losses as well. The median cost of hosting the Winter Olympics is nearly 3 billion USD, but the recent Winter Olympics were much more expensive: the 2010 Vancouver Olympic games cost 2.5 billion USD, the 2014 Sochi event broke the record with 21 billion USD, and the most recent 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics cost 13 billion USD. As the need for artificial snow, snow storage, venues, and transport increases, the costs will as well. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has pledged to make all Olympics games ‘climate positive’ from 2030. The President of the IOC, Tomas Bach, has said that the committee “want to ensure that, in sport, we are at the forefront of the global efforts to address climate change and leave a tangible, positive legacy for the planet.” The IOC is already a carbon-neutral organisation, working to implement sustainability as a core principle of all upcoming games. All Olympics hosts will be required to compensate for their emissions and create long-lasting carbon-neutral solutions during and after their time as hosts. Beijing 2022 has committed to being 100% renewable energy for all purposes of all venues and buildings, and Milan-Cortina 2026 has committed to a total carbon-neutrality with the help of the IOC. While all efforts towards mitigating climate change are commendable, it cannot be done without the help and cooperation of governments, and now, with COP26 underway, is precisely the time to demand action. COP26, or the Conference of Parties, is the annual UN climate conference. This year, it is held in Glasgow from the 31st of October until the 12th of November. It is essentially a way for all member countries to agree on and set climate-mitigating targets. This year’s conference is important because countries must submit their long-term goals and the establishment and regulation of a carbon market. It is a global engagement initiative to (try and) achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement cooperatively. It also serves as a way for Scotland to show their climate mitigation strategies and a way for the UK to work with other countries on the global effort. It has been called the most significant climate event since the COP21 in Paris, and this year of negotiations is essential if we want to protect habitats, increase food security, decrease the rate of warming and sea-level rise, and increase multinational cooperation. Saving the Winter Olympics as we know them today is an indirect goal that can be achieved if the Paris Agreement goals are reached. There are many ways to get involved, from social media to in-person events and workshops. People have volunteered at COP26, you could host an activist in your home or engage with activists bringing attention to the conference and climate change. You could also join a global (Race to Zero, Fridays for Future) or local (Climate Scotland) movement, sign petitions for climate-related causes you believe in, or you can simply just spread the word and discuss the issue to continue doing your part.

Humans are creatures of habit and I cannot pretend to be any different. Over my last three years in Edinburgh, I have meticulously curated a list of favourite places that I would go to every single day if I could. I can’t pretend to be original either, so it’s unlikely that this is groundbreaking journalism, if you can even call it that. But if you’re new in Edinburgh or just needing some inspiration, here’s my guide to my ideal, if logistically impossible, day in the life in Edinburgh. Image description: Scanned from a sketchbook, and done in blue byro pen, this image consists of two central female figures sat in an outdoor garden drinking. The two women casually socialise in what the artist has clarified is beer rather than coffee, in and outdoor setting surrounded by pants and telephone wires. Done in a sketch like manner, the image alludes to an observational style. Like the author of the article, the artist is inviting us, the viewer into the world of the women. Morning Workout - F45 Haymarket Allow me some extravagance here and let me live my imaginary influencer life. F45 opened up just off Lothian Road in April this year (2021), so it’s a relatively new addition to my list but I’ve already been converted: Its fast-paced, high-intensity style of training makes a nice change from fighting for squat rack space in Pleasance. With music loud enough to drown out any trace of a single thought, it’s exactly what I need in the morning before a long day of uni. Oh, and the trainers push you hard enough so you actually get something out of your workout besides feeling morally superior to everyone who’s still in bed by the time you’ve closed your Apple Exercise Ring. I’m an 8:30 girl usually but they have classes from 6 am right through to 7 pm to suit whatever your schedule. At the moment they’re offering people £7 for 7 days, so if you’re looking to change up your workouts and try something new you know what to do. Post-Workout Coffee - The Source Coffee Co @ Brewd, Tollcross Brewd is my post-gym sanctuary and the coffee is my post-workout refuel. I think I’m already on my fourth or fifth loyalty card here. I don’t even know anything about coffee and I’m happy to keep living in ignorant bliss; it literally just tastes so good. And crikey it’s strong, which for me, as a fourth year, is absolutely essential. All their food is vegan too, and people bring such cute dogs, in case you need any more persuading. It’s small though, which is why I desperately want to gatekeep it but I guess I’m feeling generous, so here you go. Get your coffee from Brewd. Just make sure you leave some for me. Brunch - Grams, Stockbridge or Hula, Grassmarket/Fountainbridge A couple of choices, depending on how far you fancy walking on what’s probably quite a grey day: Grams is the pink one on Hamilton Place. You’ve definitely seen it on Instagram - either that or the Pantry, which is still on my To-Visit list. If I’m feeling something sweet I’ll go for waffles or pancakes and if I’m feeling something savoury I’d go for a Chilli-non-Carne and a large Ginger Jack juice at Hula, please. It got to the point last summer that one of the guys there actually recognised me, which I don't know whether to be proud or embarrassed about. I just love how the food is fun and funky and I’m going to say healthy(ish). A Little Sweet Treat - Stockbridge Markets or Sugar Daddy’s Bakery, Marchmont Two options here too: If this were a sunny summer Sunday afternoon, I would scour Stockbridge Market for something gluten-free (probably a brownie) and inevitably find a spot by the Boating Lake in Inverleith Park to sunbathe but that is not useful advice in October. Save that for something to do after your May exams. Sugar Daddy’s, however, is perfect all year round. I don’t think I’ve ever managed to leave there with just one pudding, I think it might actually be impossible. Everything is just so good. Admittedly, as a coeliac, it’s not like I have too much choice on where I get baked goods from in Edinburgh but the one choice I do have is good enough for me. Considerit, Sciennes deserves a special mention for their milkshakes. The doughnuts are all vegan and I’ve heard they’re delicious so have one for me and let me know. At this point, I would ideally sit on the Meadows and read my book, but it’s probably raining so perhaps not. I’m also in my fourth year and I definitely have work to do, so in real life, I’d be off to Old College but for today’s adventures we’re going shopping. Shopping - Literally anywhere, I will shop anywhere Lighthouse Books, West Nicolson St By far my favourite bookshop in Edinburgh but I also love Armchair Books on West Port and Rarebirds on Raeburn Place and I theoretically love that beautiful bookshop with the huge windows and wooden exterior off Leith Walk but I have no idea what it’s called. I’ve never been there, I just love a good bookshop and the shelf in my bedroom is suffering because of it. Stockbridge Charity Shops I picked up a lovely trench coat from the Barnardo’s on the corner of Deanhaugh street the other day, and the Shelter, also on Raeburn Place has an impressive collection of CDs and records (not that I own a CD or record-player but it’s fun to browse nonetheless). There’s so many starting on Gloucester Street going down Raeburn place you could spend a whole afternoon and your entire student loan shopping in Stockbridge. Armstrongs (there’s four of them now) Whatever you need, one of the Armstrongs probably has it. Last summer my flatmate and I did an Armstrongs crawl and found something in every single one. That was a dangerous day for my bank account. Let’s not talk about it. Dinner Out (or in, it’s usually in) - Ting Thai Caravan, Old Town Wow, it's been a long day and I am hungry. If I’m getting a Ting Thai, which I probably am because I am lazy and cooking in a grimy student kitchen just isn’t how I want to end my day, I’m getting a Prawn Pad Thai or Tofu Panang curry. Every. Single. Time. One time I actually ordered (and ate) both. That was a mistake. Don’t do that. I know there’s almost definitely better Thai food in Edinburgh but for £8 a meal you can’t really go wrong. And being in the middle of both libraries, I can understand why the entire lunchtime clientele wears flared jeans and depopped Ralph Lauren jumpers. I would say I’d go out somewhere at this point but in all honesty, I am boring and I don’t know where it's cool anymore. I don't even know if it’s still socially acceptable to describe something as cool - I like Tamagotchi Tuesday and Big Cheese but in an ironic, I’m-only-here-for-karaoke-purposes way…obviously.

Pranavi Hiremath explains the difference between Pseudo Feminism and Feminism. She asserts the importance of Feminism by giving a brief history and examining how misinformation can cause harm to it. Image description: The artist adopts a simplistic technique with black ink that creates a loving form of three women embracing. Across their faces are longing gazes, slight smiles, and the impression of blushing cheeks. They embrace in front of the pink lettering of solidarity, emphasising their embrace as not only loving but equally supportive. Social media and the internet have proven to be great places to exchange ideas and learn new things. The validity of the information being shared is often the responsibility of the informer. At the same time, as consumers, it is our responsibility to question the validity of the information being provided. While I have learned several things from social media, I have also learned that what I see is not always what others see. I consider myself to be a feminist and consequently, follow many feminism related accounts. But I never realised how much misinformation there exists on such an important subject. Misinformation is something now often embedded in our society and should be challenged; the extent and naivety of people and their opinion of feminism is staggering. Feminism is equality of all sexes. Feminism is a series of social and political movements and philosophies aimed at identifying, developing, and achieving gender, political, cultural, personal, and social equality. This movement aims at combating gender stereotypes and establishing equal educational and professional opportunities. While on the other hand, any implication that suggests the superiority of sex or gender is Pseudo Feminism. Pseudo Feminism causes harm to feminism. The voices that need to be heard are muted because of false assumptions and notions. It leads to people disregarding an important cause while not even understanding it completely. It also indulges in shaming, and to some extent, makes feminism synonymous with misandry. Many people over the years have helped us achieve the things that we have today. It is important to understand this before disregarding or labelling feminism something that it’s not. The early traces of feminism come from as long as 24 centuries ago. From Plato arguing for the total political and sexual equality of women, then the 16th-century female writers who were successful in changing Italian Humanism by influencing people to see women as true intellectuals. The emergence of the word feminism itself was in the year 1837 in France and the Netherlands. As the term gained popularity, it led to four “waves”. The word “waves” is used to describe the history of the modern Western feminist movements that took place. The first wave occurred in the 19th century and early-20th century. It resulted in acts being passed that mainly aimed at giving women equal political rights. In the UK and US, it focused on the promotion of equal contract, marriage, parenting, and property rights for women. Women’s suffrage led to women attaining the right to vote and standing for parliamentary office in Australia by 1902. Even the Chinese communist party created projects that aimed at including women in the workforce. The Iranian women’s movement achieved women’s equality in education, marriage, careers, and legal rights. Women in France also obtained the right to vote during this time. The second wave began in the 1960s and aimed at achieving legal and social equality. There were campaigns to reform ‘family laws’ which gave husbands control over their wives. The second wave also intends to put an end to gender-based discrimination that persists. This wave is intertwined with the third. This wave focused on individualism, diversity, micro-politics and gave rise to the standpoint theory. According to this, a person’s social and cultural position influences their knowledge. Thus, they should be considered to understand how gender inequality interacts with racism, classism, and homophobia. The fourth wave that began in 2012 is the most recent feminist movement. Social media was used by people to raise their voices against violence against women, sexual harassment, and rape culture. The infamous Me-Too movement is also associated with this wave. The rich history and steady development of feminism have led us to where we are now. There is still a long way to go, and, in many ways, we have only started. The reason I chose to give a brief history of feminism was to educate people about the struggle that women had to go through. To fight for laws and rights that were otherwise easily available to others. Women not only had to but still have to, protect and fight for their legal, societal standing and control over their bodies. So, after understanding this, why would anyone want to look down upon such a cause? It’s because of Pseudo feminism. It instils a negative impression and perspective to feminism and only slows down the outcome we want to see. In the end, it is important to understand that feminism at its core is the fight for equality of all sexes. The term has been misused for long enough to make people think that equality and feminism are not the same. But we can change that by educating ourselves and the ones around us. Further reading: History of feminism: https://www.history.com/topics/womens-history/feminism-womens-history https://www.vox.com/2018/3/20/16955588/feminism-waves-explained-first-second-third-fourth https://archives.history.ac.uk/makinghistory/resources/articles/womens_history.html To know more about the harm caused by Pseudo Feminism: https://www.thevoiceofwoman.com/feminism-vs-pseudo-feminism/ https://blog.ipleaders.in/feminism-pseudo-feminism-clarifying-differences/ https://aninjusticemag.com/identifying-pseudo-feminism-in-the-twenty-first-century-abbf3763d2db How you can support feminism: https://www.womensaid.org.uk/ https://www.humanrightscareers.com/magazine/feminist-organizations/ https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2018/3/compilation-eight-ways-you-can-be-a-womens-rights-advocate

The Edinburgh Evening News has named the city as being the safest place to live in the UK after conducting a recent study. With cases of women being murdered and going missing, hate attacks on marginalised communities and the ever-darkening nights of winter coming in, how safe is our city really? Image description: Fiona's Gray photography focuses on the quality of the light and colours that are captured. The thick fog makes everything look more unusual and it creates the sense of a mystery noir film. Fiona Gray is interested in capturing or recreating the experience of moving through urban spaces. Connecting the photograph to the article, the dim lights across the Meadows create a sense of uneasiness that women and people from marginalised social backgrounds face going about the city of Edinburgh. The study itself asked British citizens to share their own experiences of crime and offer testimonials about how secure they felt living in cities up and down the country. It is carried out as part of the launching of the upcoming third series of Murdertown, an investigative crime documentary that endeavours to ‘shine a light on some of Britains darkest murder locations, examining the crimes that rocked these communities’. Only three cities have been listed so far as being part of the series, none of which are in Scotland. The purpose of the ‘study’ being a promotional piece for television is only the beginning of issues, however, and these raise queries about how safe we really can feel here in Edinburgh. The study overall polled just over 2000 people; this raises many an eyebrow considering that the population of Edinburgh alone is nearing 500,000. The study found that across the whole of the UK, 31% of individuals at one point have felt unsafe in their homes. Furthermore, half of those polled stated they had been a victim of crime, reporting that break-ins were the most popular amongst experienced offences. Of the participants living in Edinburgh, however, a whopping 82% stated that they feel safe here in the capital; a figure placing Edinburgh at the top of the list ahead of all other major British cities. The polling found the following to be the 15 safest cities in the UK: Edinburgh Southampton Sheffield Norwich Leicester Manchester Newcastle Cambridge Liverpool Glasgow Bristol Leeds Birmingham London Cardiff The poll itself was simply two questions: ‘What is your experience of crime?’ and ‘Generally how safe do you feel?’. The survey website offers little clarification as to the actual specificities of their study; there is no way of knowing the number of Edinburgh residents there were in the study nor the demographic of those who were surveyed. With the recent murder of Sabina Nessa in London and the still unknown location of a young Edinburgh woman, one cannot help but wonder who specifically was questioned about their experiences. People from marginalised social backgrounds in Edinburgh are consistently victims of violent crime-this is curious considering the study reported that the most popularly experienced offence were break-ins. Burglaries can often incorporate violence, but unlike rape and hate crimes they don’t necessarily inherently impose a physical threat to the victim. This perhaps is why such a high number reported feeling safe in their homes. At the university, a recent campaign by Femsoc endeavoured to look at the extent to which self-identifying women felt at threat during Freshers week. The start of term is a particularly stressful and high-risk period for crime; parties, club nights, students gathering in numbers and the coming of autumn, though for some are a time of great self-discovery, can also be a point at which people are most vulnerable to harm. One cannot help but suggest that if young people, particularly those from disadvantaged and marginalised communities, were questioned about their experiences of Edinburgh if the same results would emerge.

In the following interview with Funmi Lijadu, she shares her passion for the art of collage, highlights her experience as a Black woman in Edinburgh, and reflects upon some of the important lessons we have learnt during Black History Month, which we should endeavour to remember moving forward. First celebrated in the UK in 1987, Black History Month dedicates time to recognising and celebrating the achievements of those with African or Caribbean heritage, and their contributions to British society. Furthermore, it opens up an alternative discourse to the history curriculum taught in British schools, particularly concerning Britain’s colonial past. Studying English Literature at the University of Edinburgh, Funmi Lijadu is an artist, graphic designer, creative consultant, and journalist interested in surrealism and postcolonial realities. Funmi speaks to a largely female audience, insisting, “We really do drive pop culture”. Posted on Funmi’s Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/p/CKjtAqHHXM6/?utm_medium=copy_link Making mood boards and collaging from the age of 10 years old, Funmi always felt that collage was a medium of art that worked most naturally for her. At the age of 21, Funmi’s career portfolio is already highly accomplished; from launching a t-shirt campaign featuring her artwork in collaboration with @everpresshq and @shapearts, to creating the album cover art for Raelle’s EP Wake Up Sunshine, 2021 has been a year of notable achievement for Funmi. One of her collages has even been purchased by the Kanyer Art Collection in Washington, USA. Starting her Instagram (@artbyfunmi) in the summer of 2020, amidst the fraught backdrop of a global pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement, Funmi was at a peak in her creative flow. Funmi describes the complexity of this period, for although it was fraught, it provided a fertile ground for creativity; “I tried to consume as much as I could without exploding. There was a lot to talk about, and it provided a lot of opportunities”. Describing her relationship with art during this time, it “was probably like, my therapy for myself”, Funmi shares how the tactility of collage forces you to be present and conscious, becoming a kind of “meditative process”; “I think, to be honest, I just need art to be able to kind of reconcile stuff that’s going on with me, it’s almost like writing a diary”. Funmi’s artwork often mixes digital collage with handmade elements, and centres on a broad array of socio-political issues such as reproductive health and well-being, ‘anti-maskers’, the experience of non-white women in the workplace, and the intersections between academic success and mental health, to name just a few. A place where “visual culture and social change meet”, Funmi’s Instagram feels personable, yet informative, as she achieves a skilful balance of the two. A self-proclaimed “gal of the contemporary” and “social media babe”, Funmi loves pop culture, drawing upon this to inspire a lot of her art. Consuming culture, while also speaking back to it and creating it, she is invested in this constant interplay. For Funmi, the beauty of collage, and the faith she places in this medium for communicating social and political material, in part rests on its ability to translate contemporary politics and multifaceted debates into an accessible and more visual format, which then slots seamlessly within our social media feeds. Essentially, the art of collage assists Funmi in capturing large scale issues within a 1:1 square ratio and a capped caption on Instagram. Funmi’s collaboration of both visual and written avenues of communication is immersive and effective, to say the least. Posted on Funmi’s Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/p/CKeOMvhnTkL/?utm_medium=copy_link The personal touch to Funmi’s Instagram fuses the personal with the political. Resisting the binary of creator and consumer, Funmi hopes to create an open and conversive environment on her page. With the rise of parasocial relationships and quasi-friendships in this digital age, she values a connection with her audience; “It’s nice to know people have seen something and that it might have spoken to them”. Naturally an open person, Funmi finds that first-person pieces work well for her; “I find this style quite nice to do, and I don’t feel bound by it in some kind of gendered expectation. With male artists, there’s not always that impetus to share your personal experiences, but the gag is, a lot of men’s stuff is autobiographical. It’s just that they phrase it in a way where it’s posed as universal.” In light of the contemporary debate concerning female writers ‘selling their trauma’ to magazines to get a head start on their careers, a conversation was sparked regarding the troubling narrative that continues to dismiss and undervalue genres of writing and art that are predominantly female. Often not taken seriously as a form, collage is hardly viewed as ‘high’ art; however, Funmi takes this art form to great heights, not just offering up information, but solutions. Aware that open-ended commentaries have the potential to be counter-productive, instilling fear and confusion, Funmi speaks to her audience of largely young women in a reassuring, embracing, and supportive way. Despite the largely female demographic of her audience, Funmi notes, “there are a few kings in there as well, I feel like the brave ones follow me.” Posted on Funmi’s Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/p/CC_cSbypOA0/?utm_medium=copy_link Working with the Tate Collective for Black History Month in both 2018 and 2021, three years on I ask Funmi if today’s picture looks any different; “Has anything moved on since then?” Funmi answers; “I’ve moved on. I’m no longer going to bang my chest and tell white people ‘I matter’, ‘I am human’. I have a life outside of convincing people that I’m human and that I shouldn’t be discriminated against. At this point, if you don’t think that, then let’s just go our separate ways. Am I going to be banging on my chest every year with the same message?” An important aspect of Black History Month is its educational impetus and the space it gives to voicing different perspectives on Britain’s colonial past, allowing us to perceive this part of history through a different frame of reference. Having been educated in both Nigeria and the UK, Funmi insists on the value of having these global perspectives; emphasising how critical a non-Eurocentric understanding of history is, Funmi believes, “It makes you a more well-rounded person to know what your country has stood for at a certain time, and most importantly, what it didn’t stand for and who was excluded”. Shifting back to a discussion of her approach to her art, Funmi speaks about how conscious she is of being trapped in what she calls the ‘leftie bubble’, and the importance of understanding alternative perspectives before producing the socio-political content on her Instagram. Funmi tells me, “I try to read stuff that makes me uncomfortable, which sometimes, like, makes me sick?”. In combining art with the political, I believe we can all learn something from Funmi’s approach to her artwork, and can integrate this into our process of educating ourselves on British history; unfortunately, academia has shown us time and time again that it will not be honest with us, as institutions continue to omit alternative perspectives. The ‘leftie bubble’ Funmi speaks of could here be reconfigured as the ‘Eurocentric bubble’, which our educational system works to keep intact, and which prioritises white comfort. White people should feel uncomfortable when educating themselves on Britain’s colonial past, and the Black experience should no longer be made palatable for white audiences. With a lot to learn and reflect upon during Black History Month, Funmi believes; “It’s important to know how far we’ve come, but how far we need to go as well. There’s the celebration of cultural and intellectual contributions of Black people, and there are the darker aspects and the sad aspects, but I think we need all of those to show, celebrate, and highlight the humanity of Black people. It’s a nice way to just say, ‘We’re here. We’ve been here. These are our stories. Our stories matter. Be proud.’” Posted on Funmi’s Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/p/CDbQLwBJdh_/?utm_medium=copy_link With white people being the majority demographic in Edinburgh, I ask Funmi about her experience as a Black woman in Edinburgh, to which she replies in her classically light-hearted Gen Z style, “It’s the trauma for me”. Funmi describes how there is often a subtlety to the racism she has experienced within academic settings at the University of Edinburgh, whether this be from her tutors or her peers. The experience of people not expecting her to be educated, or not expecting her to have something to say, is disturbingly common; “A lot of tutors think that me speaking articulately means that I’m ‘doing the most’. Like, I’m here, I’m trying to show you that I’m interested in the content. You literally asked me a question, so I’m answering.” Funmi moves on to talking about being targeted by her peers, “In first year I always had that one white guy in the tutorial that was coming for me, and I was just like, why? It almost felt like a kind of medieval quest.” Outside of an academic setting, Funmi delves into the topic of desirability, and her personal experience of meeting Black men whose preference seemed to exclusively be white women; “I would try to talk to Black guys and they would be like, ‘Only white girls for me’. Obviously, they wouldn’t say that, but it would become apparent. There’s a lot of ‘coons’. Like why must you write on your forehead, ‘I don’t care about Black women’ ?” Part of Funmi’s journey in Edinburgh has been learning to go “where the interest and the acceptance and the love is”. She concludes; “There’s no way to sum up the Black female experience. It’s tough, but my response has been to block out the noise of how people are reacting to me in situations, and to walk around with confidence, and to be true to myself.” Posted on Funmi’s Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/p/CGNmCRvnS-g/?utm_medium=copy_link (image on the left) and here https://www.instagram.com/p/CTfn5x_MN_J/?utm_medium=copy_link (image on the right) Instilling the lessons we have learnt during Black History Month, we should all commit to continuing to educate ourselves beyond this time frame; Black Lives Matter every month of every year. Not only holding aesthetic value, Funmi’s art pieces also become a beautiful home for a variety of important messages, which she incorporates into our daily social media feeds. Her layering of materials reflects the layered meanings embedded within her work, as Funmi’s intuitive decision making during the artistic process displays a precision and competency that is reflected in her intelligent building up of images and ideas. This time of celebration is still fraught with tensions and contradictions. With organisations facing public pressure to align themselves on the ‘good’ side of history, people have increasingly turned towards Black creators to perform this labour. However, it is important to question whether it is for the right reasons. It is unacceptable that in 2021, organisations are still exploiting Black talent; celebrating Black History Month for a day on their page, but at the same time, expecting Black talent to provide free work during this month. It is problematic hypocrisy that needs to stop. Where to find Funmi: Instagram: @fumlij and @artbyfunmi Website: www.funmilijadu.com/aboutme

In the following interview with Mmangaliso Nzuza, he shares his passion for oil painting and as October draws to an end, what Black History Month means to him. Mmangaliso Nzuza, who to his friends and family goes by the name Mmango, is a self-taught artist from Durban, South Africa. Currently, in his final year at the University of Edinburgh, Mmango studies Government, Policy and Society. Inspired by a teacher in preparatory school, Mmango pursued art through high school, delving into different mediums but primarily sticking to pencil and charcoal. It was only during the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020 that Mmango began oil painting for the first time; ‘I felt during that difficult space, it was time for me to move out of my comfort zone, and to start painting.’ The fictional figures featured within Mmango’s artwork, as seen on his Instagram @mmangalisonzuza, are an attempt for him to ‘materialise’ his ‘own experience’. This process of materialisation becomes almost literal in the drawing stage; opening up about some of the difficulties he encounters throughout the artistic process, Mmango admits, ‘Sometimes it gets to the point where I have to take pictures of myself or my own body parts to correct whatever it is I’m trying to paint’. I can’t help but reflect on Mmango’s choice to use the medium of oil paint and wonder whether this in part captures his dedication to representing black lives. Due to the nature of the substance being so rich, and the flexibility and depth of colour that it allows, this kind of layering lends itself to a sort of physical complexity which Mmango alludes to in his work through his layering of paint to depict skin tone. The classic writing advice that is ‘to write what you know’ is perhaps echoed in Mmango’s artistic process, as working with oil allows him instead to paint what he knows; his art is an outlet for both his personal experiences and his observations. Producing visually pleasing art, but that is also encoded with messages and symbolism, Mmango describes oil painting as, ‘a process of learning and discovery’. Growing up in a rigid and conservative environment throughout his life, Mmango captures and addresses social issues such as racism, sexism, and mental health through his art; topics that he struggles to openly talk about due to his social anxiety. Megan: I’m interested to know, when did you start painting and why? Mmango: I’ve always loved the arts from a young age, whether it be from sketching inanimate objects, to doodling cartoons either at home or at school. Megan: Could you talk about oil painting specifically, what’s the artistic process like? Also, what made you choose this medium, is there a particular reason behind this choice? Mmango: I was particularly drawn to the texture, vibrancy, and richness that oil paints provided in comparison to acrylic, especially when it came to the layering of my skin tone to the figures in my artwork. The process was surprisingly easy, using my prior knowledge of lights and darks and creating depth when it came to shading, I applied the same thing to painting, which ended up working out. Megan: Could you talk about the inspiration for your artwork in the past and present? Are there things that you find yourself coming back to? Mmango: I’ve been collecting GQ magazines every month since 2015 - I’ve got a whole bookcase row full and more. I really enjoyed the photographic compositions in fashion magazines and others such as Esquire and i-D. Also, when I look at a few of my favourite music artists such as Kendrick Lamar, Beyoncé, Kanye … how they not only produce work that’s visually pleasing, but that includes symbolism and messages that we can take away with us, to appreciate and learn from. Megan: What is the most enjoyable part of the artistic process for you? Mmango: Wow, the painting. I’m actually really upset with myself for not at least giving it a try years back during high school because when I begin layering, blending, and creating depth within the artwork, I get really excited seeing everything come together. Megan: Something I’ve always wondered is how do you know when your artwork is finished, how do you know when to stop? Mmango: It’s almost like intuition. The usage of lines and the overall artwork “looking unfinished” is what makes it my style. Back when I used to complete my artworks fully, I would get really bored whenever I would look at them, to the point where I would really dislike them. I mean, even now, I look at the artworks I’ve done, and I still say to myself, “I can do better”. I’m still growing and learning. Megan: When looking through your artwork, I noticed a consistent feature was the representation and portrayal of black lives. Could you talk a bit about this; what does this mean to you, and what are your reasons behind this artistic and potentially political choice? Mmango: It’s who I am and what I believe in. Especially when I talk about mental health, as mentioned before, I have debilitating anxiety. I find it extremely difficult opening up or expressing myself, and so for something I feel so strongly about, I needed a way to talk about it. Megan: Would you say your art feels personal to you? Mmango: I mean, all my pieces are personal to some degree. In some, I like to paint my figurative figures in mundane daily activities, in others, through using symbolism. It’s really those that touch base on my personal mental health that are difficult working through as it requires honesty. Megan: Do you set an intention for your artwork? As in, did you have a particular aim in mind before you started? Mmango: It did start off as just a personal outlet for me, but when I began sharing my art on social media, I would get messages from my friends and followers on how they appreciated that I would highlight specific issues that they could also be experiencing themselves. That was a moment of realisation for me, that my art can be used not only as therapy for myself but can be used to highlight issues in our society, being a source of comfort and relatability for others too. Megan: Do you have a particular audience in mind when you’re painting? Mmango: No not really. It’s important for me that everyone takes something away from my artwork, and I hope that it’ll make you think about it even after you've seen it or gone through the rationale of it. Megan: I know that you have some of your artwork hanging up in your flat, could you talk about the presence that it has in your home? What’s that like, being surrounded by your art? Mmango: That was my flatmate’s idea. I felt really weird and almost self-conceited about it to be honest, but he was adamant on wanting people to see my artworks when they enter our place. It was the first time my friends have seen my artwork in person, so that was really cool too. As one of my friend’s said, “It feels like your own little gallery”. Megan: What goes on behind the titling of your pieces? Mmango: I used to find it really pretentious and hilarious how artists would name their artworks the way that they do, as it makes them seem much more thought-provoking than they really are … until I began the journey myself, and learnt that it’s what you want the viewer to know, see, or feel. Megan: I noticed that there seemed to be a slight political edge to some of your pieces, thinking in particular about ‘Hard Knock Life’, would I be right in making that assumption? Mmango: You’re correct, for that artwork, it was in relation to our personal lives and the experience of living in a system of oppression; even in our daily lives, doing ordinary activities, we still feel it. It is important to highlight that. Megan: During big moments of social unrest, such as the Black Lives Matter movement and the global pandemic, how was your creative flow affected? What was the process of producing art like during these times? Mmango: My creative flow was definitely amplified during those tumultuous times. Especially since we were consuming so much of what was happening, both in terms of the virus, and in terms of how emotionally taxing it was coming across images and articles during the BLM movement. That was when I would turn to art to calm me down, and as cliché, as it sounds, to express how I was feeling then. Megan: Moving on from the summer of 2020, and thinking about our present situation in October 2021, what does Black History Month mean to you, and why do you feel it is important and necessary? Mmango: It means not only acknowledging the disturbing past and learning about it but celebrating who we are and how far we’ve come. It’s important when having to teach it to others who try to diminish our experience, especially since what’s occurred in the past still affects us to this day. Megan: As a Black man and minority, what has your experience of living in Edinburgh been like? Do you feel that this experience relates in any way to your artwork? Mmango: I do think it relates to my work whilst being in Edinburgh because if I think back, I’ve attended predominantly white schools all my life, where all my teachers were white too. It did affect me in high school since I was boarding, and having a safe space was hard to find, so we would resort to assimilation and code-switching. Reading literature by writers from the African diaspora such as Chinua Achebe and Zakes Mda played a role in my navigation of racism and feminism. They also helped me in my security as a Black individual, so from then on, coming to Edinburgh was not a huge challenge for me; it’s been a pleasant few years actually. “‘After August’ was made just after South Africa’s Women’s Month. A country where we have one of the highest rape statistics in the world and are battling against gender-based violence and harassment towards women. This month is a time meant to celebrate them and what they’ve accomplished, yet even after that month has passed, the issues are still very much prevalent. The facial expressions of the women are visible and there’s another with her hands on her hips as if to ask, “What is next?”. I specifically chose the black dresses to represent the grief of those who have departed from us due to violence against women and the deep hue of red as the background for bloodshed. I was uncomfortable throughout the process, but it’s important as it is reality, especially for them.” Where to find Mmangaliso: Instagram: @mmangalisonzuza TikTok: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZM8aUsYYL/

News Editor Ruth Stainer writes on what the highly-contested Scottish COVID Vaccine Passport Scheme means for students, businesses and the public, its justification and its flaws. Image description: A Moment of Hope was made in second lockdown, images and text were from the various daily newspapers we would read through, like many of us did. The imagery of the sanitary masks and social distanced queuing reminds us that the pandemic is not over yet and is still a concern in our daily lives. With the increase of Covid cases throughout the UK, Scotland has implemented the Covid Passport as a means of making venues and clubs more safe. However, how the newly developed apps are functioning are also raising concerns. It has been well over a week since the contested Scottish COVID Vaccine Passport Scheme was first introduced, declaring that those over the age of 18 who wish to attend a club, events of more than 500 people, live outdoor unseated events of more than 4,000 people or any event of more than 10,000 people, are legally required to show proof of a COVID-19 vaccination. Yet, within such a short period, the scheme is already rife with widespread concern, complaint and anger from both the Scottish public and politicians alike. Before formal enforcement began on October 18th, the scheme had already experienced a plethora of technical problems, with the Scottish COVID vaccine passport app dubbed by certain users as “the worst app I have ever tried to use” following repeated crashes due to the high volume of people trying to access their data. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon apologised publicly for the botched introduction of the country’s vaccine passport app, acknowledging the “extreme frustration” this had caused and that the app itself – developed by a Danish firm who were paid roughly £60,000 by the Scottish government – was not the problem. Rather, it was a combination of the high level of demand alongside an error in the NHS system that was to blame for the difficulties. Beyond mere technical difficulties, the scheme has also been criticised as a cause of great ‘chaos and confusion’ for both users and the nightlife industry alike. The Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) claimed that the launch has been ‘disastrous’ and that the politicisation of nightlife is an unacceptable and unworkable endeavour by the Scottish Government. Consequently, Gavin Stevenson, Vice-Chair of NTIA Scotland has proclaimed that “it is beyond belief that the Scottish government have continued with this flawed, discriminatory and unfair vaccine passport scheme against the advice of the affected sector and a majority of public health experts”. Such widespread distaste surrounding the scheme comes only shortly after the NTIA lost a legal battle to delay the rollout on the grounds that the scheme is heavily unrepresentative of the “lowest level of intervention possible to achieve the public health imperative” and is, therefore ‘unlawful’. Likewise, the scheme has been dubbed as a “predictable disaster” by Anas Sarwar, the Scottish Labour Leader and “an utter shambles from day one” by Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross. In response to such criticism, the First Minister has strongly contested that the scheme is a “reasonable thing to do”, not only to reduce transmission and help further drive up the already high vaccination rates but also to lessen the likelihood of the nightlife industry and large events having to face the risk of closure in the upcoming winter months. Whilst the Scottish Government have outlined a definition of what constitutes a nightclub, there has still been a prominent degree of confusion regarding exactly which venues are affected, the logistics of the scheme and who is eligible for the exclusion, subsequently causing unprecedented queuing and conflict outside of venues. Consequently, Emma McClarkin, the Chief Executive of the Scottish Beer and Pub Association, has raised serious issues with such a definition, claiming that it goes “far beyond what any reasonable person would consider [being] a nightclub”, and, therefore, that many pubs and bars have been unjustifiably incorporated. Possessing similarities to the digital COVID certificate being used across Europe, the scheme represents a long trajectory of Scottish differences in approach towards the pandemic’s handling. Conversely to Scotland, England has opted out of a vaccine passport scheme for the foreseeable future (though it has not been ruled out as a ‘Plan B’ option in the event of a surge in winter rates and hospitalisations). Although discussions of the scheme continue to be dominated by questions of legitimacy, workability and, in some cases, morality, the threat of COVID-19 for Scotland still remains a matter of concern, with 139 fatalities from COVID recorded in the week of October 11-17, an increase of eight on the previous week. And, whilst the number of new daily cases has reduced by more than 20% in the past week, a stark 60% lower than at the peak of the latest wave over a month ago, Ms Sturgeon has stressed the importance of not becoming complacent in neither approach nor policy. Critically, she highlights the danger the winter months will inevitably play in “creating the conditions for the virus to circulate” and, thus, are likely to put further pressure on the NHS. Such challenging circumstances do, she maintains, justify the mandatory vaccination scheme and any potential difficulties that may arise alongside it.

With a rise in unprecedented 'spiked by injection' allegations surfacing across Edinburgh and nationwide, this article explores the allegations in detail, naming and shaming the Edinburgh nightclubs experiencing the highest percentages of allegations. Not only this, but an acknowledgement is also made for the significance of nightclub boycott campaign 'Girls Night In' and the systematic changes being demanded of the nightlife industry to keep individuals safe from the threat of spiking. Image description: The image depicts a female figure with her hand covering her face. The figures' emotions are purposefully ambiguous in order for the viewer to project their own emotions onto it. Colour is used to invite the viewer to draw from their own experience and to recall a time where colour has affected them. The artwork's female figure expression encapsulates the shock, fright and desperation of women being targeted by the dangerous and life-threatening injection spiking across the United Kingdom. Students are being encouraged to boycott Edinburgh’s nightclubs on the night of October 28th after numerous reports of spiking through both drink and injection at many different Edinburgh nightclub venues. The boycott campaign, namely Girls Night In, was initially set up by University of Edinburgh students Milly Seaford and Martha Williams and has now been extended nationwide in an attempt to raise awareness for the growing number of of people reporting being ‘spiked by injection’, with a plethora of women posting pictures of small circular marks on their skin after suddenly falling seriously ill on a night out. Accumulating over 6,000 Instagram followers in the space of a week, the movement has since experienced widespread support, encouraging people to host flat parties or other social events in safe environments to show that people ‘do not need nightclubs to have a good time at the risk of our own safety’. Speaking on the matter, a Girls Night In spokesperson passionately proclaimed that ‘spiking has become an epidemic’ and that ‘something must be changed’ to rectify this. Such an epidemic is indeed one of great concern, with one anonymous Edinburgh student sharing that after only having a couple of drinks her body ‘suddenly went limp’ before she blacked out and was violently vomiting in the hours following. Insisting that she has always eased on the side of caution and taken the necessary measures to prevent the likelihood of such atrocity, she advocated for a move away from society’s victim-blaming approach towards spiking, stating that ‘you can do all of these measures and it can still happen to you’ and that ‘if somebody wants to spike you, they can spike you. It’s got nothing to do with what you do or don’t do’. In the aftermath of her experience, she spoke strongly in favour of reporting any spiking incident to the police, insisting that the police had been ‘amazing’ in their aftercare and response. Nevertheless, a lot of frustration stems from the unfortunate fact that little seems to be being done to catch and prosecute these perpetrators, with only 4 offences prosecuted in the Scottish courts for ‘administering a substance for sexual purposes’ within the period of 2014-15 to 2018-19. It is rather unsurprising, therefore, that research conducted by SOS (Stamp Out Spiking) UK has found that a stark 98% of spiking victims do not go to the police. Such widespread reports are statistically verifiable within the city of Edinburgh in particular, with a recent questionnaire conducted by the Instagram account Edinburgh Anonymous highlighting Whynot and Hive as the establishments experiencing the highest percentages of spiking allegations since September 2021. This graph shows the % of spiking allegations (red) and % of sexual assault allegations (blue) at clubs in Edinburgh by answers offered from the general public to the Edinburgh Anonymous Instagram page. It is important to note that their pool of sources is only a small fraction of Edinburgh club-goers, so the numbers can be liable to change and are likely far higher than were estimated. Source: Edinburgh Anonymous. In light of these allegations, a similar degree of frustration has been directed towards the nightlife industry’s poor handling of such incidents, with one anonymous Edinburgh student sharing that not only had a male bouncer ‘offered us pills’ but that, upon reporting, another male bouncer called them a ‘liar and threw us out’, with no follow-up or investigation conducted to verify the legitimacy of these claims. Likewise, several students have reported seeing bouncers re-admitting spiking perpetrators into clubs. Michael Kill, CEO of the Night Time Industries Association, has commented ‘It goes without saying that everyone should be able to enjoy a night out without fearing for their own safety, and we are saddened to hear that some don’t feel this way’. To tackle this, he calls for the UK Home Office to ‘launch a formal inquiry’ to examine the results of Devon and Cornwall Police drink spiking testing pilot. The scheme found that ‘having testing available and clearly communicating this to customers was found to have de-escalated situations – where tested drinks came back negative – and generally provided reassurance to customers who had spiking concerns’. Girls Night In Edinburgh has likewise advocated for intrinsic changes within the nightlife industry, writing an open letter to all the nightclubs in Edinburgh urging them to listen to the significant number of safety concerns flagged by their followers. The letter also suggests several policies that could be introduced to help make clubbing safer, including providing training for staff and bouncers to reduce drug-related harm, the introduction of code words to enhance surveillance amongst staff, using safety coverings on drinks alongside more thorough checks at the entrances of clubs. With a recent UK petition ‘to make it a legal requirement for nightclubs to thoroughly search guests on entry’ reaching 118,770 signatures (over the 100,000 required to be considered for a debate in Parliament), it is hoped that this movement, and the upcoming boycott, will generate the changes needed to keep individuals safe from the threat of spiking. We would like to thank the Edinburgh student who bravely came forward to talk to us about her experience and the groups Edinburgh Anonymous and Girls Night In for their contribution.

A discussion of the dangers of self-diagnosis of mental illnesses based on non-legitimised resources on Instagram and Tik-Tok. Chloe Lawson examines the positives and pitfalls of the open and unpoliced online conversations regarding mental health issues and their symptoms. Image Description: As a MAFA student at Edinburgh Uni, I can study both art practice and the history of art simultaneously. By doing this, I understand both the historical context behind my art-making, as well as exploring ways to diverge from this past. The process behind creating my work is very intuitive. As a result, my art directly reflects my mental state at the time, while also capturing the unconscious emotions I am unaware I am experiencing. My transition into abstract forms of artwork is quite a recent one, but a necessary one, which allows me to fully grasp my feelings and let myself space to create freely. The artwork featured shows the collective consciousness of society, with one sad face lost in a veil of toxic positivity. Yet, regardless of my intentions behind the piece, it invites the viewer to reflect on their state of self and take from it what they need. Googling your newfound symptoms is nothing new. Convincing yourself you have an obscure and deadly disease when in reality you are suffering from a minor headache is a mistake many of us have undoubtedly made. This is an experience that I’m sure occurred even more regularly in the atmosphere of panic fostered by the global pandemic when health paranoia was rampant. This phenomenon is no longer restricted to physical ailments. A trend I have noticed when scrolling through Tik-Tok or Instagram is the prevalence of posts and videos raising awareness about the symptoms of mental illnesses and disorders. Certainly, the increased awareness of mental health issues generates more empathy and understanding for those with illnesses that cannot be seen. Additionally, people who are struggling can understand themselves better and not feel so isolated in their personal battle. What’s more, having recognised symptoms in themselves, may also lead to more people seeking diagnoses and the treatment they need. On a wider societal level, it means mental health problems are not dismissed as less important than physical problems and efforts are made to understand them and help. Across Instagram and TikTok, there are many popular pages focused on supporting those wrestling with different mental illnesses. One such example, DLC anxiety (@dlcanxiety), has 1.1 million followers worldwide and is an invaluable source of information and support. They provide informative lists of different symptoms or explore particular symptoms in more detail which can help people better understand their own anxiety and that of their loved ones. Alongside these are more personal pages that share an individual’s story and experience with particular disorders. An account called @mollys_adhd_mayhem has 34.1 thousand followers and counting. She shares colourful infographics about different aspects of having Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder as she experiences it. Additionally, there are countless social media accounts that are very open about their various experiences with mental illness which is reflective of the growing openness about mental health. On TikTok in particular, videos describing the symptoms of various ailments can appear out of context on your ‘For You’ page. One thing that struck me recently is the almost non-consensual nature of this trend in contrast to Dr Google. The algorithm of TikTok means that unlike the old, deliberate action of googling your symptoms, various symptoms are abruptly presented to you over and over again and it is inevitable that some people may recognise aspects of their own behaviour in these videos. It is also possible that some people may mistakenly diagnose themselves with something they do not have, as they treat these posts with the same authority as a mental health professional. It may be that they are struggling with one thing that they label as another, on the basis of someone on the internet. Even before TikTok’s hay-day, articles discussing online self-diagnosis have been written discussing the hazards. One, appearing in Dazed in 2018 discussing the problems with self-diagnosing anxiety disorder without seeking a medical opinion. Anxiety is a common and natural reaction to some situations, we all feel anxious at some point in our lives. So while increased conversation about Anxiety Disorder online can lead to more understanding for those suffering from it, the accessibility of information could lead to incorrect self-diagnosis. This phenomenon can vary in its severity and impact and largely depends on what the particular viewer does with the new information. For example, I personally struggle with Anxiety and came across a video discussing symptoms of Bipolar Disorder. I briefly convinced myself that I had this as they described some of the things that I had recently experienced as a consequence of my Anxiety. I was able to take a step back and realise that I don’t have it, but it would be foolish to assume that everyone does this, especially if the algorithm decides to bombard a person with similar videos. It is true that there are many overlaps in symptoms between particular illnesses, which is another reason that these videos can be misleading and why it is vital to seek advice from a professional. An erroneous self-assessment could result in the pursuit of ineffective or ill-fitting treatment, which ultimately can be more damaging. In some cases, physical illnesses or diseases are closely related to psychological symptoms. Jumping to the conclusion that what you are suffering from is purely a mental health issue can overlook incredibly serious complaints such as brain tumours, which can cause behavioural changes. Granted, this is a worst-case scenario, but it is an example of when self-diagnosis can be more dangerous than it is helpful. Moreover, incorrect self-diagnosis can be damaging for those who really do have a particular disorder, because it undermines what they really go through. For example, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder- which is already regularly undermined by people who prefer their desk to be tidy claiming they are “so OCD”. If you are misdiagnosing yourself with it in a similar way, you are not encountering the sometimes harrowing obsessive thoughts that come with OCD. This means that you aren’t really aware of what it can be like to live with the disorder and are belittling the entire experience to a simple preference for tidiness. Lists of symptoms in posts or videos are one thing, but sometimes I will come across a video describing only one symptom, without any real context or acknowledgement of potentially more major symptoms. An example that I recently came across was a video that demonstrated a particular way of adding two simple numbers together. It was an explanation of how some people’s brains approach that task. It was something I recognised in myself and had always assumed that was what everyone did. In the end, the woman in the video stated that this was how people with ADHD counted. Firstly, I don’t know if this woman is correct or qualified on this matter. Secondly, I know with some certainty that I don’t have ADHD. This video appeared isolated on my feed, in that there were no other videos about more specific and common ADHD symptoms. Singling out traits like this and throwing them out onto the internet is foolish for several reasons. Highlighting this trait as a recognisable characteristic of ADHD individuals without also adding that there are also more commonplace and significant traits has the danger of implying that this way of approaching numbers means you definitely have ADHD. I would hope that most people would see a video such as this and understand that having one symptom does not equal a diagnosis, but if you spend lots of time on TikTok it is the nature of the algorithm that a small suspicion based on one video will be confirmed by similar videos on your feed. However, when a post appears, at first glance there is no way of knowing how qualified (or not) the creator is and therefore what authority they have made these judgements. They quite literally could be anyone. It could be suggested that TikTok could include some option for a disclaimer when someone posts this kind of content, or be more thorough in their monitoring of the kind of content that is being shared- they’ve removed much less ‘dangerous’ things as I’m sure many of us are aware. ADHD and other mental health disorders must be diagnosed by a professional. However, here we come across another problem that deserves its own separate discussion; the cost of getting a diagnosis can be extremely high, meaning many remain untreated. In this instance, the fact that Instagram and TikTok are free means that they are great places to find support from people in similar positions. It is, of course, good that there is a space for discussion about mental health. However, the unregulated nature and sheer size of the internet mean that it cannot be used as a substitute for professional advice, in the same way, that Google is not a legitimate source of diagnosis for physical disease. While it is great that certain more specific or niche symptoms are being recognised so that people no longer dismiss them, it is also important to take this information with a pinch of salt. Otherwise, we could end up hampering the cause for those we are seeking to help.

Earlier this summer, just as things were opening up again, I got a train one afternoon to North Berwick with a beer, a pad and my lucky purple pen. I was trying to make sense of all the moving parts in my life just like everyone else and I thought where better to go than the beaches of Lothian that were so bare before and suddenly busier again. I think at the time a lot of us students never really allowed ourselves to see the passive effect the global pause had on us, understandably when we would see people reduced to mere numbers in a newsroom, somebody’s loved ones even if not ours. But today, months later with fresher’s week just completed and a new energy to campus, I am going to smile as I reread this slightly pompous semi-poetic story and feel like life’s finally returning slowly back to normal again. The beach has always been one of my favourite metaphors: a microcosm of a nation’s diverse peoples and a window into the prevailing sentiment of the time so as the old cliché says, ‘life’s a beach’, here goes… Ps. Rap fans might notice I adapted a line from Guru’s ‘Lifesaver’ but I’m pretty sure Picasso said I was allowed The beach of life whistles ’til the end of day, endlessly wishing away the days whilst swallowing whole the waves in all their splendour and shame There’s never opportunity to rest for they have no concept of a day’s end, nor any sort of slowing down to life’s little game Looking and looking for the line that splits fantasy and reality, a most fantastical duality Looking deep into the depths of the sea, Is there even anything there left to see? Young lifetimes littered with life lessons, blinding us from our beauty and our blessings The early evening fog gives rise to a maritime haze, a misty blaze only broken when the beach lets out a long wallow, a cry of help to the many hills around, a shortlived chorus surrounds for a mere second until normality resumes once more Huts spotted about the sand filled with humanity’s intangibles, waiting patiently to be untangled like a lonely lemon, the last to fall from the tree Sometimes she feels worthless like a seagull who’s lost its wings and purpose Like a mound of sand stuck in the shadows of today and terrified of the shadows of tomorrow Sometimes the moon lights up the ground, sparking the millions of grains of sand to hiss at the seashells who are also yet to find any smoothness in their sleep On this beach everyone’s sleep is ruptured one way or another Constant seduction into interruption, as if by design As if there’s a fisherman’s ghost desperately lost in his mind, drunkenly stamping his feet besides each and every bed The moonlight with all its cheekiness always marks the start of the new night and the beach in all her intricacy descends into a kind of methodical madness though maybe it’s just the repetitive routine she has acquired which gives the illusion of method Wandering to nowhere special in her thoughts come nightfall, simply wondering about it all Occasionally she would doubt all that she could see, bringing into question her reality and talking to herself with no pause or stop Meanwhile nearby there is a soft tick tock, tick tock – probably from an old sailor’s clock left on one of the many deserted sailboats that populate the dock The beach’s words more a rambly stream of consciousness than productive internal dialogue The manifestation of her ever more vivid inner vulnerabilities, what does it even mean to have or not have insecurities We will always be nomads in this world that we roam, only when we love ourselves can we see it as home She used to think she was special, invincible even, but in these moments that are ever more frequent she feels like a tiny cog in mother earth’s mechanic sequence, Losing all desire to doodle or even attempt to dream Whispering under her salty breath, ‘Oh night and day, oh life and death What if the sun has given up for now and forever? What if the dimming night sky and spotty stars are for show and we are kidded into thinking we know what we know?’ Then one day early June something extraordinary happens on one of those teasing summer mornings, oddly coloured animals appear as if just to confuse things Recently the beach had lost her self confidence to decide, that which constitutes true living and that which is just lies She feels like having an eternal nap and never again opening her eyes There is a sudden arrival of energy from many a winged creature, all manner of cries from the most peculiar characters Blue seagulls are the first to come down from the sky, ‘stop this stupid demise’ they shout from the rocks to the side A handful of pink puffins then waddle ashore, sustaining eye contact with the beach now fully sat up and attentive, and they are far more reserved in their observations ‘You see’, they start, ‘true living is about managing expectations, a strong dose of realism in the pushing of limitation,’ But before they can go on they are interrupted by a very different kind of song, bebop, bebop – there is a great tremble in the water and the splashes, normally so uniform in their movements, come to a complete stop The beach feels completely bare and shivers, slowly letting out a mumble to herself ‘What am I even doing here?’ she says almost paralysed, constantly cowering out of intense fear She then goes, goes into a crescendo aiming a shout at nothing in particular, ‘Why is there no one … but these weird guests?’ Then in a flash a pearly white whale rises up creating a great big sound, looking into the eyes of the ocean and shouting, ‘Oh baby blue look around, just look around, how are you oblivious to all that there is around!’ ‘You see I am stuck far away from the nation I once was raised in, but life is far too short for caring and complaining. Life is like jazz improvisation – to follow the wind whatever way it chooses to blow, ignoring all that we can never succeed to know. I am the lifesaver, here to give you direction amongst all society’s misconceptions and evil deceptions. Be true to the life the lord gave ya, that is the essence of what I’m saying here!’ Up on the pier all the mist dissipates and humanity breathes free All the locals zigzag and tiptoe around, the many mates of the beach congregate on the sand Friends from random ends The old lady with the injured dog The short-sighted curly haired boy scared of the fog The recently retired man with an old shirt one size too tight A group of introverted kite flyers, multicoloured strings up in flight The hippie girls from the country, tote bags full of battered books The sunbathers with their sunnies and sarcasm, desperate to give off disinterested looks The tipsy teenage skinheads, lager, cigs and a football And sat alone on an unremarkable plastic chair that is far too small There is a coy coastguard twiddling blistered thumbs His shift staring at the smiling sea must just have begun This is true life’s energy for too long the beach failed to see For you see the beach of life is actually really me.