Icon of the week: Americans (visiting students)
Hilary is the August of Oxford. In many ways it is the strangest term. It is the summer of the Oxford year, starting in the midst of winter. A liminal road trip that seems to last forever. The turbulence of Michaelmas seems to be over. The doom of Prelims feels far in the distance. […]
One Direction’s capital and community
I was one of the little girls that loved One Direction. Me, my best friends, and the supposedly billions of fans across the world. One Direction was etched into our brains, tethered to our cosmos, and the red string of fate across our pinkies were eternal—or so we thought. When I turned 17,
khaal baccha
A standard farming practice wherein a baby is starved, stuffed, and returned to its mother. Her body releases oxytocin and is forced to produce milk. When a calf dies quick they gather up the limbs and bring it in. Hidden from the moon they unstitch the body from groin to throat. They
‘I think of you when I shag my boyfriend’: Are we too attached to celebrities?
The above quotation is not a drunken confession to an ex, but a sign I spotted when I was at a Harry Styles concert. At the time, I was still deep in an overwhelming obsession with ‘Hazza’ and thought the sign was hilarious. It is only now that I have emerged from the depths of […
Everyone misunderstood the For Women Scotland case
I greatly admire trans people. The process of realising one is trans involves a journey of profound self-knowledge and actualisation. It is an example of the highest level of consciousness and self-love a human being can reach. We owe so much of queer and gender liberation to trans people. I
Coquettes-who-read vs deepfakes
I failed my interview for journalism school. In my application, I had written about my passion for telling human stories—the kind that give depth to reality through narrative. And so, they asked me: “Pitch a human story on the AI Summit” (nothing ironic about that). I panicked and gave
No awkward questions please, we’re British
A couple quick questions. Who built the Tower of London? What’s the age requirement to drink wine (with a meal, with someone over 18)? Who gets 50% off their TV licence? Answers: William the Conqueror; as viewers of The Inbetweeners will know, 16; and in a personal favourite, blind people. How’
The objectification manifesto
Until last Thursday I was happy to be objectified, as long as I was in—what I perceived to be—control. We may have never met, but you still could have met my ass during a night in Bridge, a pole performance, on Instagram stories. My ass and what I do with it are out there in […]
The gooning ideology
Gooning [def]: “masturbation so intense that it becomes a state of meditation that consumes you and provides endless pleasure.” – Urban Dictionary A recent viral tweet called the current trademark style of AI generated art the result of “gooning ideology.” The extravagant, b