Memes, Politics and Social Identity
Memes are a way of hiding from the ‘real world’, and of negotiating our place within it. In recent years, they have spread beyond the formulaic humour of set images and captions and begun to take on the roles of political commentary and autobiography. They develop and mutate so rapidly, a
The Minus of Plus-Size Activism
The fact that the fashion industry holds women to a precise set of standards and excludes those who fail to meet them has become a commonplace complaint. We’ve all seen campaign shoots, or catwalk photos, and we’ve all heard at least one person ask, “why are they all so skinny?” The question
My Sister Says the Strangest Things
Press play to listen the accompanying music as you read… Where was I? On the top of the night bus, coming back home. Pretty empty, in fact basically empty, which usually makes me nervous – you know? – like remember that story that used to go round school about the kid who got ruffied by [&
A Voice in the Storm
I’m on the black list over there, all of my books are banned… But I must always be faithful to the truth and to myself, no matter where I am. Stranded thousands of miles away from her family, her friends and her countrymen, the Syrian poet Maram al-Masri draws her strength from an unwavering