Posts in Opinion
Facemask Porn: Taboo Or Object Of Cultural Obsession?

On Pornhub, the last three months have produced 1670 videos with the tag “coronavirus”, 1396 with “Covid”, and 1050 with “quarantine face mask”. Although this explosion might seem like we’re kinkier than ever and obsessed with pushing sexual taboos (or taboobs to coin the term), this particular face mask epidemic is less to do with breaking taboobs, and more to do with a defining object of our current culture.

Read More
OpinionGuest User
It’s Not Working Out: Gyms Post-Lockdown

Like Hercules with a discounted PureGym membership, they appeared as if they had spent lockdown in a home-made prison, furiously pushing and pulling household objects in the garage, and chewing on the cud of Tupperware broccoli chicken and rice. Being in the gym is like being in Vietnam, except with a lot more protein shake.

Read More
OpinionGuest User
Business or Hobby?

What makes someone regard a project as a ‘business’ or a ‘hobby’?

When I was researching, business owners often initially lamented by saying ‘Would I be spending this much time and money if it was just for casual enjoyment?!’

Read More
OpinionJessica Blackwell
The Government's Response To The Obesity Crisis: An Infringement On Personal Freedom, Or A Necessity? 

63% of adults in the UK are “above a healthy weight” and ⅓ of children are leaving primary school “living with obesity” (GOV.UK), but using an outdated body mass index ‘BMI’ scale is bound to produce misleading information. Some may say that the ‘Better Help’ intervention is a necessity, but how effective these initiatives truly will be is yet to be discovered, and I unfortunately do predict that a lot of people are going to struggle with this confrontation along the way.

Read More
OpinionGuest User
JK Rowling And The Transphobic Tweets

Back in June, JK Rowling caused a media storm when she took to Twitter to comment on a photo entitled “Opinion: Creating a more equal post-COVID-19 world for people who menstruate”. To many, this tweet excluded those whose biological sex means they still have a menstrual cycle but identify as male. This might have been excused as a bad joke or boomer ignorance had this not been yet another example of Rowling making transphobic tweets.

Read More
OpinionGuest User
Honouring Chadwick Boseman

Boseman took on the role of T’challa with an ease, confidence, and regality that was as much of a tailor fit as his Black Panther suit. There was no question whether Boseman was portraying this character well enough. He just was T’Challa.

Read More
OpinionJessica Blackwell
Creative Writing Or Creative Restrictions?

I sat down to write yesterday. Ideas whirling around in my head, culminating from a peaceful and relaxing two weeks in the Costa Del Sol – I was finally ready to put pen to paper (or should I say fingertips to keyboard). I can’t say I knew exactly what I was going to write, but I had a character, a setting and determination.

Read More
OpinionGuest User
Waste Of A Womb

Despite my self-awareness and logical reasonings, when that devilish phrase leaves my lips “I don’t want kids”, I am met with a long list of insinuations, insults and attempts to convince me otherwise.

Read More
OpinionGuest User
Fuelled By Rage And Sweat

“But it is bad, isn’t it?”

I ask under my breath, pulling my t-shirt now stuck to my body. The heat makes me feel like I’m suffocating. Or maybe it’s not the heat.

N: “Yeah because you keep reassuring yourself everything’s fine. Fighting is hard, it’s easier to close your eyes. Until the next argument. Until the next kick. Until the next fight. And then you get put in a hospital. And you nearly die. And you honestly think and realise that person was trying to kill you. So, what do you do then?”

Read More
OpinionJessica Blackwell
Get A Grip: Ireland Bans Tampon Ad For Being 'Vulgar'

This educational information is vital and should not be censored because the language is deemed ‘vulgar’. What really is vulgar is that advertising bodies feel it is acceptable to police the bodies of people who menstruate. Yes you can talk about periods: but only in a way that we deem to be fit and acceptable.

Read More
OpinionGuest User
Infodemic: Is too much information harmful?

Many - too many - online publications are sustained by their clickbait headlines and ‘fake news’ stories. Behind their shining screens, armchair experts are always ready to draw conclusions, dispense dubious advice, and intentionally or unintentionally share misleading and captivating content. All of this is in order to gain a mere couple more likes.

Read More
OpinionGuest User
Confronting My Whiteness

When I was in primary school, my parents and I were watching something about race and discrimination in America. My dad turned to me and said to me: ‘it is one of the greatest gifts of your life to be born white, you have no idea how privileged you are.’

Read More
OpinionJessica Blackwell
Solo Travelling - What you really need to know

Powered by a wave of determined motivation, I started a go-fund-me and used what was left of my summer-job savings to book my flights. Making sure there was no turning back, the preparation began. Research into where I was staying, endless vaccinations, reading government advice and spending way to long trying to memorise the airport map. Finally, I was confident in the decision.

Read More
OpinionJessica Blackwell