Have you ever tried to discuss your mental health with your parents, or even grandparents? Or dared to ask about theirs? Being Nigerian, I knew for a fact that I could not go to my mum or dad when I started getting consecutive depressive episodes. How they handled mental health issues with my brother told me everything I needed to know about how they'd react. 

Author: Edikan Umoh

Category: LIFE

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We’re kicking off Heartbeats, our new music section, with an interview of Sleep Deez, Grammy nominated producer for BTS, Black Eyed Peas, Rihanna and Usher, to name a few. The multi-platinum hit maker shared his thoughts on his career and the music business – and his advice for aspiring artists from marginalised backgrounds. This interview was recorded on 13th August 2021.

When we started what turned out to be an hour and a half long conversation, Sleep Deez, whose real name is Deryk Mitchell, explains he is, in fact, very much awake: “My grandma started calling me Sleepy when I was a kid and it became a family nickname, cause I have sleepy eyes –  everybody thinks I’m sleepy all the time, but I’m not.”

Author: Jennifer Hakim

Category: ARTS

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In less than a week, OnlyFans controversially banned, then quickly reinstated sexually explicit content - in a move that reeks of prejudice.

When OnlyFans (sometimes shortened to OF) launched in 2016, it steadily became a startup that was synonymous with providing a safe and secure platform for sex workers to create various content. In a day and age where sex work still maintains the unfair taboo that it has carried for centuries, a website like this one appeared to be a haven sorely needed.

Author: Emma Flint

Category: CULTURE

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‘Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me’- who ever thought of that? It is terrible advice. Words can not only hurt you. They can make you feel small and insignificant and can completely derail you. I am not just talking about any old words, I am talking about ableist slurs that still get tossed around in 2021.

Author: Meg Fozzard

Category: CULTURE

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Following the Taliban takeover of Kabul in August 2021, news agencies, media organisations, and social media were quickly filled with stories regarding the horrors of the Taliban rule, and heartbreaking coverage showing Afghans trying to flee the country while they could. While people across all cultures have been crying for justice, in the midst of a humanitarian crisis that has shaken most of the globe, the Daily Mail’s coverage of the ‘Trendy Taliban’ is rightfully being called out – for possibly being the worst way to cover the issue. But is it actually the worst?

Author: Anmol Irfan

Category: POLITICS

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It was during a trip to South Asia in 2018 that eTHikel founder Amerjit Briah saw the devastating consequences of plastic pollution first-hand. It was an instant awakening. What was portrayed to be paradise in the middle of the Indian Ocean was in fact a catalyst for mountains of pollution, created mainly by luxury holiday dwellers, threatening the beautiful coral reefs and sea life.

Author: Jennifer Hakim

Category: ENVIRONMENT

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Netflix’s hit series Never Have I Ever has received quite the fanfare in pop culture last month with the release of its latest season, which features the return of our favorite Indian-American teenager, Devi Vishwakumar (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan). While most of the reactions comprised shippers who broke out into Team Paxton vs. Team Ben, a fair share of them included viewers’ frustrations with the portrayal of Devi’s character this season.

Author: Sadia Parveen

Category: CULTURE

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The violence in Palestine may not be appearing on mainstream news outlets anymore, but the lives of Palestinians under a colonial apartheid system, in the form of the Israeli state, is still ongoing. On Monday 2nd August, the Israeli Supreme Court heard the delayed appeal from four Palestinian families, which totalled around 70 people, who are fighting against the forced expulsion from their homes in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood.

Author: Shahed Ezaydi

Category: POLITICS

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In July 2021, and to widespread criticism, the Norwegian women's beach handball team was fined by the European Handball Federation (EHF) for wearing “improper clothing”. Read: shorts, similar to their male counterparts, instead of bikini bottoms. In the same week, Germany’s female gymnasts wore full bodysuits instead of leotards at the Tokyo Olympics. The team explained they wanted to feel comfortable and to protest being sexualised.

Author: Yasmin Al-najar

Category: CULTURE

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Simone Biles’ recent withdrawals from many of the gymnastic events she was tipped to win have sparked a global conversation about mental health. Biles was effectively the headline event for the whole competition, and her decision to withdraw sent shockwaves across the world. There was an outpouring of support from the public and many fellow sporting stars, as likely the greatest gymnast of all time spoke candidly about her struggles. However, it wasn’t all a positive reaction.

Author: Nadine Batchelor-Hunt

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Category: CULTURE

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