Epigram Issue 347 - The Croft International Women's Day Special

2020: WOMEN TO WATCH IN BRISTOL Profiles on 4 outstanding women from Bristol on p.14

Snickers Seduction The sexualisation of chocolate advertisements on p.18

Pros and Cons of Condoms Women talk about contraception experiences on p.20

the croft issue 8 | march 2 2020

the croft X TWSS

Editor Deputy Editor Digital Editor Front cover

Daisy Farrow Hendrike Rahtz Emma Holding Aggie Tait

the croft

Emma recounts travelling solo as a woman on pg. 19

editor’s no tes

This is a particularly exciting issue of The Croft. In preparation for International Women’s Day this Sunday, the 8th of March, we have created a special edition on the theme of women’s empowerment. This means that the following pages will be a little different from usual, as we have borrowed some space from our section editors to celebrate feminism by honouring some of the women who are making an impact in 2020. You can still expect your usual sections too, but with an added feminist flare.

Us editors at The Croft have collaborated with That’s What She Said on a brand new project: 20 Women to Watch in Bristol. We’ve been in contact with 20 women with ties to Bristol from different fields of expertise - Academia, Culture, Politics, and STEM - and spoken to them about making it as a woman, and the impact Bristol had on shaping this journey. In this edition, you can find all the women TWSS & us have been chatting to, plus 4 first-peek profiles on some of the women we’ve chosen. The rest of our project will be online, where you can find articles on all 20 women; 10 on The Croft from Academia and STEM, and 10 on TWSS’s online mag, from Culture and Politics.

This issue has been so exciting for me, and the whole team, because the ongoing project of women’s empowerment is one that is imperative for all of us, and hopefully for all our readers too. I wish I could say that I’d been a feminist since the moment I was born, but sadly that wouldn’t be true. It took me a while to find my feminism, and understand that the myth that existed in circles when I was younger of all feminists being ‘raging, braburning misandrists’ was exactly that, a myth. Growing up and having to come to terms with things I endured in sole virtue of being female, I self-declared my feminism and have never looked back. I love learning about women who have obliterated patriarchal expectations and celebrate their own womanhood, however that may be. And this issue aims to do exactly that.

Tackling finding the right contraception for you on pg.20

Our 2020 women in Bristol logo, designed

by That’s What She Said magazine

Our collaboration with TWSS has been a big part of making this happen. Our focus on Bristol gave the project a spin which just felt right. Bristol has been an important aspect of my own feminist journey; since moving here I have met so many more inspirational women who have made my feminism flourish.

Hearing about how Bristol impacted other successful women, positively or negatively, was so insightful and rewarding too.

So, my fellow feminists, I hope you enjoy this read as thoroughly as I have enjoyed working to create it. Make sure to find the rest of our 20 Women to Watch online!

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Emma Holding The Croft Digital Editor

How sexy adverts influence your choice of chocolate on pg.18

INTRODUCING...

Chante Joseph

Lou Brailey

Vanessa Kisuule

Liv Little

Vanessa Maria

Dr. Olivia Maynard

Dr. Emma Robinson

Dr. Patsy Staddon

Rav Bumbra

Dr. Zara Nanu

Dr. Foluke Adebisi

Dr. Katie Bales

Dr. Madhu Krishnan

Dr. Olivette Otele

Dr. Natasha Mulvihill

Cleo Lake

Thangam Debbonaire

Asher Craig

Carla Denyer

Helen Godwin

chantejoseph.co.uk

bristol.ac.uk

bristol.ac.uk

bristolgreenparty.co.uk

twitter.com

bilt.online.co.uk

bristol.ac.uk

bristolpost.co.uk

bristolpost.co.uk

invo.org.uk

resarchinformation.bris.ac.uk

bristolpost.co.uk

campaignlive.co.uk

twitter.com

theguardian.com

greenworld.co.uk

365bristol.com

bristoltechnologyshowcase.com

bristol.ac.uk

bristol247.co.uk

Travel

Editor Lily Donnelly Deputy Editor Emma Loubser Digital Editor Will Holmes

Brexit Barriers

Candra George talks booking your next holiday to post-Brexit Europe

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rexit has been the hot topic dominating the news for the past four years. Finally, on January 31, we entered a transition period following the enactment of the withdrawal agreement. This transition period will last until December 2020, with 2021 marking the official date of departure. However, this process should not stop you from booking your next city break to Prague or beach holiday in Portugal. So, here are some things you should keep in mind...

What stays the same: Transport: Flights, Flixbus and ferries will all operate as normal until 2021. This also includes the Eurostar which will continue to run services to and from the UK. Visas: The EU has agreed to give British citizens visa-free travel to EU member states for up to 90 days during the transition period. From 2021 onwards, visa-free travel will be available to British citizens as long as it works vice-versa for EU citizens visiting the UK. Travel Insurance & Brexit: In order to protect your holiday and minimise any impact Brexit may have on your plans (or with your package provider, if you use one), make sure you purchase travel insurance. This will ensure that you are provided with a full refund or alternative flights in the event

For those planning ahead and booking trips for 2021, your rights as British citizens in the EU will ultimately depend on the negotiations taking place this year. In order to stay updated with the latest travel advice for your chosen destination, sign up for travel alerts and advice from the UK Foreign and Commonwealth office: https://www.gov.uk/transition-check.

Finally, for travel inspiration for your next trip and advice on how to stay safe, follow @TravelAware on Instagram!

Epigram/Emma Holding

We want to hear from you! Write to Epigram Travel and reveal all about adventures, whether together...

of a disaster. As with any other holiday, it is also important to make sure that your travel insurance is tailored to your needs. This means choosing insurance which covers any pre-existing medical conditions or sporting activities - such as skiing or surfing - that you will be taking part in on your trip.

Passports: As with any other holiday, you will need a valid passport during your holiday.

Importantly, from January 2021 you will be required to have a passport more than six months away from its expiry date.

European Health Insurance Card (EHIC): For those who have travelled to the EU before, the EHIC is a great way to ensure you have access to medical care in the EU when travelling. The card will remain valid throughout 2020, however, the government has warned that it may no longer be valid as of 2021.

Epigram/Georgia Taylor

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...Or your own solo travels – female or male!

Adventure or Danger?

Georgia Taylor on her experience of travelling solo have travelled solo before. Predictably, some of my family were uneasy about me going, and although I didn’t want to admit it, I also had my own doubts about solo travelling as a female. In my hometown I can almost always go and do what I please without fear of being in danger, but how would I cope when I had to contend with the unfamiliarity of a new place, culture, G language and - possibly - an attitude towards women that differ from those that I know? In my experience, the answer E is far less intimidating and overwhelming than you may think.

These are my key takeaways from my experience as a solo female traveller.

pi gra m/ eorgia Taylor

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torm Ciara hit Bristol this week and brought with it severe flooding, strong gales and unrelenting rain that turned my Monday morning commute into a cold shower. As I listened to the howling wind from the safe confines of the lecture theatre, I have to admit I found myself daydreaming about travelling to somewhere warmer, sunnier, and hopefully with nicer architecture than the ASS library. This time last year I was doing just that; I was about to set off on my first solo travel trip.

Despite the media portraying its ‘dangers’, solo female travel is actually very common- in 2017 TripAdvisor reported that globally 74% of women

Safety

Cultural Norms

Solidarity

It may seem excessive to presume the worst but in the unlikely event that you get into a dangerous situation, things can escalate much quicker if you haven’t given some thought to your general safety. Some ways to ensure your basic safety are to pack light (this makes you much more mobile), carry a fake phone or wallet with an expired card and a few bills in case of robbery, and never walk alone at night (you likely wouldn’t do this in your home country so you shouldn’t do it when travelling).

Research the area thoroughly before you travel there and download maps and addresses so that you can access them offline. Not acknowledging shouts and catcalls and even in some countries wearing a wedding ring are good ways to detract unwanted attention.

Respecting and fitting in with the culture of the place you’re travelling to extends further than dressing modestly in religious sites or respecting male and female segregated areas. It is just as important to remember that the people you meet will likely have different views to your own. As frustrating as it was to be told by my tour guide in Vietnam that women cannot be good drivers, I knew that as an English girl who couldn’t say ‘hello’ in Vietnamese correctly, I was unlikely to change his mind.

Although a culture may be different to your own, it shouldn’t be viewed as inferior or backward. It is much more valuable to instead find out why a culture may have certain attitudes, and also to remember that individual values vary regardless of the culture of the country.

The importance of solidarity became evident at times when I needed it most.

I was on a very long and very full bus journey in Costa Rica when I got into a conversation with a man that quickly turned uncomfortable and suggestive. I ignored him and thankfully he got off the bus fairly soon. As soon as he did, a middle-aged woman sat down next to me and quietly asked if I was ok, apologisng for what had happened. Her small act of solidarity was a welcome source of relief in that moment, but also reminded me that there is still reason to believe in the generosity and kindness of strangers. There is a fine balance between being cautious and trusting, but a little openness to other people’s help led to some of the most unexpected and brilliant experiences.

Epigram/Georgia Taylor

Epigram/Georgia Taylor

Although a culture may be different to your own, it shouldn't be viewed as inferior or backward

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Alone in South America Emma Holding talks solo-travelling from a gendered perspective

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efore my trip to South America, I listened intently to my (male) friend’s top travel tips from his time there. I was in awe of his tales of untarnished skies in the Amazon rainforest and expansive Bolivian lakes that left me itching to go. Though I was, of course, aware that the stories I was being told were from a male perspective, and that I would be a female travelling solo, they nevertheless founded my expectations.

One of his stories has stuck with me. When in Argentina, he and a male companion got a bus somewhere to hike for the day. They were told the time of

When I was travelling by myself, reality kicked in. It was not the dreamworld I’d imagined from my friend’s story. Knowing that I had to get transport home at the end of the day was always in the back of my mind.

There was no chance of me hitchhiking in South America, or anywhere for that matter. Once, I accidentally took an unmarked taxi back from a bar in Cusco, left panicking

I told myself that these precautions were making my experience somehow worse than his. I need to let myself go, loosen up, and enjoy my travels the way my friend did. However, the key difference between my own experience and the stories that my friend told to me is the gender of the perspective.

Perhaps I am too cautious because I have been taught to be constantly vigilant and aware. If you are anxious about walking home at night in your

This is not to say I didn’t have an incredible time. I met wonderful,

Emma Holding

in the back of a stranger’s rickety old car all the way back to my hostel. Luckily, I was fine - but it made me think twice.

Whether you're a man or a woman this would be silly - but especially a woman.

I wanted to be more free-spirited, and travel seemed like the perfect opportunity for it, but there were constant reminders that I had to stay safe. Unsurprisingly, it seems like this reminder is stronger in most women’s minds than in that of a man’s. I made small changes to my travels that men might not have to: booking hostels further in advance and beds in girlsonly dorms, making my whereabouts known, not hitching a ride.

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Emma Holding

Emma Holding

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with a beer in hand.

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the last bus back, and that the next one wasn’t until morning. However, the most idyllic scene laid at the hike’s peak. After a few drinks, they resolved to stay up there and watch the sunset with one last beer - missing the last bus.

Having to get back to their hostel that night, they decided to hitchhike back into town. He described it as one of the most breathtaking days of the whole trip. Granted, hitchhiking is dangerous for anyone - man or woman - but the day itself sounded like it had been plucked straight out of one of my dreams; wandering across the untouched landscape, far from the concerns of the city, watching the unobstructed sunset

own city, it is natural to be even more so when travelling abroad.

inspiring people and empowered myself by pushing my limits every day.

I experienced peaceful nights in the rainforest with nothing but the gentle sounds of nature, followed by loud thunderstorms crashing over my head the next evening. I walked through sunshine and snowstorms in the Peruvian mountains. I wandered the markets and museums of cities I fell in love with. And I did it all as a woman.

My travels may not have been all hitchhiking and booze but they were still amazing. One day, we’ll smash the patriarchy. But meanwhile, safe travels ladies.

Style​

Editor Orin Carlin Digital Editor Laura Mallinson Deputy Editor Lilly Hill

To wax, or not to wax?

Lizzie Tolland shares the experience of her first Hollywood wax - an experience shared by many women, good or bad

After speaking to a couple of friends who religiously get them, and for no reason in particular, I just booked it. One of my first, admittedly irrational, apprehensions about getting a wax was booking it. Having never had one, I honestly had no idea what to say on the phone. But Ministry of Beauty has a very simple and straightforward online booking page and once I’d quickly booked it I felt like the first hurdle was over and done with. I personally do not like having body hair, there is nothing unhygienic about it (that’s a huge myth) and it would be a lot less hassle to leave it, but I just prefer the look and feeling myself. With regards to your vagina, shaving can be a whole thing. You get rashes, ingrown hairs, sensitivity, itchiness – all of which waxing supposedly avoids, and I can confirm that it has so far. Ministry of Beauty is right next to the greengrocers on Cotham Hill and it looks just a bit intimidating, like it could be very expensive (it wasn’t, Mondays and Tuesday’s student discount meant mine came to £23!).

for getting to see them in the first place. All the information she gave me was about the benefits for me alone. With her 11 years of experience and friendly conversation I felt like it wasn’t actually going to be so bad. I don’t know why I expected it to be, but it wasn’t awkward at all. We were chatting the entire time and there was absolutely no faffing. She waxes in an order designed so that you can tap out and if necessary it can be a different kind of wax (I was okay, but it’s different for every woman).

But yes, there was no hesitation and it gives you no time to have the usual ‘does my vagina look weird’ panic (it doesn’t). I would also mention that she didn’t react to my flinches or involuntary interjections of any kind. On the bits that she knew would hurt the most she would guide on when to breath in and out, and all in all it was very quick. The pain is always sudden but shortlived and considering how long it takes for the hair to grow back, it’s a little luxury I’m happy to continue and would highly recommend.

Ministry of Beauty is located at 20 Cotham Hill, BS6 6LF and to make an appointment, ring 0117 973 3364

Illustrations by Aggie Tait

My friends said the Hollywood Hot Wax was the one to get – everything off. I had the nicest consultant for the process. The consultant leaves the room for 5 minutes or so, for you to get undressed and freshen up, and then you lie on the bed and wait for her to come back in. She then explained the key differences between waxing and shaving and how often one should wax.

She also made a point of telling me that we should only ever get waxes for ourselves, and I agree. Fuck anyone who tries to tell you what to do with your pubes - they should consider themselves bloody lucky

Ministry of Beauty / Facebook

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es. It hurt, of course it did. Would I go again? Definitely, and I will on a regular basis. Waxing is something I’ve always wanted to have done by a professional. Like many others, I had once mistakenly thought I had the willpower to do one of those at-home kits. Reader, I ended up pink, sticky and sad.

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Primped, preened and pampered

Pillowy talk: Luscious Lips

Laura Mallinson sings the praises of Bristol beauty salon, Pamper Me

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Pamper Me / Facebook

The colder months are still totally dragging and I, for one, am sick of it. My poor chapped, flaky lips just cannot cope with constantly having to navigate blustery gales and fullblast central heating. Stuck for solutions to hydrate your shrivelled-prune-resembling lips? Look no further.

ESSENTIAL LIP ENHANCER, £12 | JOUER A little goes a long way with this nourishing Lip Enhancer by Jouer. It leaves lips deliciously soft and supple and even has a slight plumping effect. Crucially it isn’t horribly sticky, unlike many other lip products, and the pillowy effect that it achieves is truly to die for. Just ask anyone who looks in my direction after I’ve had a few. LOL.

LEMONAID LIP TREATMENT, £8.99 LANOLIPS

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If your lips are particularly flaky, I’d recommend slathering on some Lanolips’ Lemonaid Lip Treatment overnight. It uses lemon oil to naturally exfoliate and medical grade Lanolin to moisturise – it also smells divine.

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Let’s face it, this time of year is tough. The weather is gruelling, deadlines are creeping up on you and the freedom of summer still feels a very long way away. Looking back at summer photos when your life was together and you sported a beautiful sun-kissed tan is a bittersweet pastime; we’re all longing for a little bit of that sweet summer beauty: enter Pamper Me. Now more than ever is the time to pep yourself up, give yourself a treat and have incredible nails tapping away on your keyboard to make the essay life just that little bit more bearable.

Just a stone’s throw away from campus, Pamper Me beauty salon is a safe haven full of gorgeous treatments to help you feel your best. With incredibly friendly staff and a chilled back atmosphere, it’s a space to unwind after a day of never-ending lectures.

The team at Pamper Me fill the salon with conversation and giggles, making you feel right at home while you sip on your complimentary coffee; it’s refreshing to see a salon as professional as Pamper Me being so welcoming and down to earth.

Looking good never felt so easy in this welcoming salon, sitting down for a manicure I’m always so excited to see my nails transform into their glossy best selves.

My go-to is either a simple file and shellac or their express manicure and both provide excellent results: high shine, incredible shape and long-lasting, luscious colour. If this wasn’t inviting enough, they offer an incredible 20% off for students on Mondays and Tuesdays, or 20% off any day of the week with a member’s card - giving both you and your bank account the love you deserve.

Pamper Me’s extensive treatment list is bound to offer something you fancy; from eyebrow threading to fake tan, head massages to facials there are so many gorgeous treatments just waiting for you to indulge in. With their high-quality service, amazing student prices and location close to campus, Pamper Me truly is the student salon of choice.

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est assured and sleep easy, beauty aficionados of Bristol, I have finally found the friendly salon for all your treatment needs to truly pamper yourself.

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Pamper Me is located at 5 Embassy House, Queen’s Avenue, BS8 1SB and to make an appointment, ring 0117 934 9533

Silk headscarves: Hot or not?

May Garland gallantly defends her hair accessory guilty pleasure

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Silk scarves are multi-functional and there is an eclectic mix of patterns, colours and textures available to achieve elegance at affordable prices. The bandana has become my go to accessory that adds another dimension to any look.

£14 | ASOS

he 90s hair accessories have made a big come back with hairclips, scrunchies and now headscarves. The silk accessory has the ability to transform an outfit from country farm to Parisian chic. The babushka, as it is known on the runway, is inspired by the humble beginnings of the traditional headwear for Russian women in the early 20th century and is now donning the heads of models globally.

From floral designs to monogram squares, this polysatin scarf has a French chic look with an added modern element to its geometric design.

These versatile accessories are ideal for hair styling as they do not crease or kink your locks and are a fashionable way to tame wisps.

Not only is the silk handkerchief a fashionable way to style hair, they can also be used to dress up a bag or as a neckerchief; Etsy has a great range of vintage silk scarves to choose from.

This handkerchief has a country vibe with its earthy tones and equestrian print.

S T £13.65 | E From cowboys neckties and peasant headscarves, to WWII polka-dot bandanas for working women; the bandana is surely a wardrobe essential for if nothing else, its practiY

This twist block headscarf in leopard print adds effortless style to an outfit.

The head piece is perfect when partnered with mom jeans and an untucked white shirt, giving a retro twist to a casual look.

The eclectic range of colours and patterns available for bandanas is perfect for the new spring season to brighten up your wardrobe.

cality and timeless style.

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£10 | ASO

editors’ picks

EARRINGS, £18 | & OTHER STORIES “Such a tale of woe is mine to share: On my first night of wearing a beloved xmas gift I raged at my own pirate-esque reflection in the loos of Bargs. After ordering a new pair, a kind and yet mysterious stranger delivered my missing hoop to my front door - the only Christmas miracle that I’m interested in.”

FACE MASK, £2.99 | BOOTS “My skin is well and truly feeling the winds of Storm Dennis and all the other dreadful things thrown at it - moisturizing sheet masks have been my saviour, plus it gives you a little halfhour evening pamper which is always needed. Big love to these for saving my blasted skin.”

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DUTCH OVEN, £155 | STAUB “At such a price it’s hard to justify the purchase of this pot but if you’re into your cooking, it is gorgeous and unbeatable.

Suitable for anything from stewing to searing, this is my new best friend in the kitchen.

Plus it will last a lifetime.

Bloody heavy though!”

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Everyday Heroes

My Personal Hero: My Mother

By Sadie Poole Zane, First Year Liberal Arts

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nternational Women’s day. A day that celebrates womanhood.

A day that invites us to think about what being a woman means. A day that makes us question who we admire and ask ourselves what kind of women we want to be. The etymology of the word ‘inspire’ comes from the Latin ‘inspirare’, which means ‘to breath into’. If you look at it from this definition, to be inspired by someone, is to symbolically ‘breathe’ them in. When considering who the inspirational women in my life are, I could have picked celebrities or people who have done remarkable things. However, if to be inspired by someone is to inhale them, it makes sense that it’s the everyday, real people in your life that have the most impact.

Identities are complex and ever-evolving. The various experiences that I’ve had, the people that I’ve met and made connections with, the places I’ve been to, the things I’ve read and watched, the music I’ve listened to, have all had an impact on who I am today. At 19 years old, I have a relatively strong sense of self. However, I am also aware that life is a constant and my identity is ever-shifting in relation to the new and different things I encounter every day.

My mum has had a big impact. As I’ve grown up, our relationship has obviously changed and developed. However, her role as the ‘educator’ hasn’t. She, in a sense, has been the guide to my ‘feminist education’. I think because of this, she is my ‘everyday hero’, because she helped root in me the morals that I now regard as central to my identity. If I historicise my mum’s life, it seems to follow a fairly standard middle-class timeline. She grew up in a suburban town in Hertfordshire, went to University, did a bit of travelling, finally got a serious job and then settled down and had kids.

However, the romanticised version of a passionate strong-willed feminist, who spent most of her 20’s creatively exploring and cultivating her own identity, who travelled and wrote and freely lived, is a better story. And, no less true. The woman who inspires me is both this youthful free-spirit, and the cosy maternal figure that I know today. At home, if you walked into my kitchen at about 6pm on a weekday, Mum always offers a cup of tea and talks about her day. Starting Uni, I assumed this ritual would stop. However, I have managed to cultivate a friendship group that loves nothing more than to congregate around a kitchen table for a cup of tea and a catch-up. Mum’s inspiration is therefore in action now. She instilled in me the value of a cup of tea. I think she would say that her mum did the same for her.

I could have picked out a whole series of interesting things that my mum has inspired me with. Of course I’ve enjoyed and been inspired by the mythical retelling of stories from her past. But it’s in the abstract and it may or may not be true.

We treasure the realness in everyday interactions more than the grand narratives, because we’ve lived through it. We treasure it because it’s what we know, it provides comfort and security.

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For International Women’s Day, I am advocating the importance in the everyday narratives and the real people that inspire us. For me, that is my Mum and her inability to make a punctual cup of tea. She inspires me, warts and all.

A photo of my mum/ Sadie Poole Zane

My Personal Hero: My Best Friend Georgia

By Daisy Farrow, Croft Editor

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hen I think of strong women in my life, there are many that come to mind. My mother, who is a nurse in A&E and has been a single parent for 15 years; my Nan, who, after my Bampy had a stroke, has effectively become a full-time carer at the ripe old age of 75. I am fortunate enough to know many women in my life who are perfect examples of strength, resilience, and independence.

But when I truly think about who inspires me, it has to be my best friend Georgia.

When I tell people I know that one of my best friends is a mother, the usual response is: ‘what? How old is she? And she’s a MUM?’ Indeed, for most, including myself, being a mother at the age of 20 would probably be a worst nightmare. It by no means is an easy feat. Of course, I would be remiss to mention Lewis, her boyfriend of six years and father of the baby, who is equally as amazing. But this article is part of a series about strong women, so, I’m going to be mostly talking about Georgia.

I could hand-on-heart say that I do not have the strength to be a mother at the age of 20. I can say with even more certainty that I don’t have the strength to be a mother at the age of 20, whilst completing university, and having a part-time job. How Georgia does it, I have no idea. I mean, I know how she does it. She’s sent me many a picture of her holding her baby in one hand and writing an assignment on her laptop with the other. But it still blows my mind.

Don’t get me wrong, like I said earlier, for most people having a baby so young would not be ideal. But that does not mean that I think we should look down so harshly on people who are young parents.

My Personal Hero: My Mother, Hayley

By Kirstyn Evans, Second Year English

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t feels cliché and quite frankly, totally biased, but my mother is the strongest, most beautiful and all-round best woman I’ve ever met (apologies to my older sister Rhiannon, but you can’t really argue with me over this). I’m in awe of just how much she has accomplished within her life when the odds have been stacked against her so thoroughly.

Moving out of her family home at the age of 17, she had her first child at 19 and three children by the time she was 23. Being a young mother is tough enough as it is, especially when considering how much of a nightmare myself and my siblings were. From me almost killing my sister by throwing a literal brick at her head when I was four years old, to my brother concussing himself when a tire swing snapped mid-swing and his head landed on the ground two inches away from a nail, it is fair to say she has had her work cut out. The biggest understatement of the century, but nonetheless accurate. Whilst my father was working himself to the bone every day, my mother spent her days making sure her three nightmares didn’t break any. Legend.

A favourite photo of Georgia and Me, from a few years ago

There are such negative connotations that come with being young and having a child- that you’re irresponsible, that you’ve ruined your life, and (especially for women) that you’re someone sexually irresponsible. I don’t think that is the case. There’s something truly admirable about taking on such an important role as a parent when you’re still young and figuring things out. I’m not saying that we should all go out into the world and try and have children while we’re still living at home, with no job, three weeks into a relationship. You obviously have to have secure circumstances in order to be able to bring up a child well. But with Georgia, she is not only bringing up her daughter well, but more so.

We should not dismiss and disparage young mothers, saying things like they have ‘ruined their life’ and ‘have no idea’ what they’re putting themselves through. I think instead we should be singing their praises, appreciating that what they’re doing is by no means easy, and not something that everyone can do. My friends are going to provide their daughter with the best life possible.

And I am so incredibly proud of them. And for that reason, when I think of writing about a strong woman I know in my life, I think of Georgia, and little baby Maya, who is fortunate enough to grow up with a wonderful role model as a Mum. secondary school at this point), whilst holding down a job and simultaneously focusing on her studies? My mother has always told me that she found this decision particularly difficult – she did not want to lose time with her children, but it was always her dream to go to university. As the kids say, the ‘struggle was real’, and she applied on the very last day that the university was accepting applications.

Fast forward four years later and she graduated with a 2:1 in art (one mark from a First as she keeps reminding me) from Cardiff University. We all have days where we feel we could really do with missing the odd lecture or seminar, but as a single, childless student I feel I have next to no excuse seeing as my mother is a literal machine. Nowadays she’s a very successful tattooist, and I couldn’t be prouder to say she’s my mum. She’s accomplished everything that she’s ever wanted to do, and she keeps on raising the bar.

Before long, family finances meant that my mother had to return to work. My mother has always worked, the earliest job I can remember being one at a furniture company where they made and refurbished wooden furniture. This job was in Scotland, and after moving to South Wales she was in and out of work because - to reiterate my earlier sentiment - my siblings and I were EVIL. After a prolonged period whereby none of us had tried to kill anyone, she decided to get a part-time job in a local café. Not long after this, when I was around ten years old, my mother decided she would like to go to university to study art. At first, she was apprehensive – how could she look after three children (two in primary school and one in

A photo of my mum / Kirstyn Evans

Portrait of the feminist as young man

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By Jordan Barker, English and Philosophy

f a man says he’s a feminist and there’s no one there to hear him, is he still a feminist? Whenever you’ve encountered blokes who declare their allegiance to the feminist cause, you wonder ‘What do you mean?’

‘I am a feminist,’ usually translates as, ‘Look here, ladies: I’m a right-on guy who knows what’s what. I’ve read the Wikipedia entry on The Feminine Mystique, I’ve publicly decried gender bias at the Beeb (with graphs!), and I think it’s about bloody time the Labour Party elects a woman for a leader.’

The male feminist is a curious creature. Where did he come from? Usually, a boy will become a feminist during his adolescence. One cold morning he will awake, and his soul will speak to him: ‘You must change your life.’ Friends make jokes at the expense of female contemporaries. Laughter rings through the dimly lit hallways, and as he gazes into a bag of ready-salted, he whispers: ‘I am not them. They are not me.’ All at once, the veil lifts and he sees their true form, recoiling in disgust at the brutish apes he once called brothers. ‘ He takes long, solitary walks in the twilight. How does he rec-

Geesue Abrichami / Epigram

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oncile past with present? The years of delusion and loyalty to false idols weigh upon him like a leaden slab. Stumbling, halfdrunk on his own despair, he spies in the will-o’-the-wisp a figure, a fair-maiden.

‘Simone de Beauvoir?’ Yes, it is she! Hark, the boy sings! And he asks her, ‘What must I do, Simone, to atone?’ She replies. But he can’t comprehend her. Because she is French.

That night, he makes a pyre and consigns his collection of James Bond DVDs to the flames. The vapours rise to his nostrils, he faints from the evil concoction of casual misogyny and melting polycarbonate. Where does he go? To which other men does he look towards for guidance? Then it hits him. Therein lies the fatal drawback. Look not to your own kind, but to women.

He reads. He writes. One day, the world shall know that he is a feminist. No longer shall he deign to hold open doors for women (or if he does, then he will make a point of opening them for men, too). He will abandon the male gaze – he will not gaze at all, merely look and see the human-being that stands before him. And mother, you can put the dishcloth down, for your boy is now a feminist.

He casts off the shackles of prejudice, ready for the voyage of his life and forges within the smithy of his soul the uncreated conscience of his race. And in becoming a feminist, the boy becomes a Man.

Growing up with boys

By Geesue Abrichami, First Year Anthropology

n my family of five, I am the eldest of three kids and the only girl. I wouldn’t have it any other way; the biggest perk is that I have no sisters who steal my clothes, but still have brothers who I can spend my days annoying. While my mum has been integral to my upbringing, growing up alongside my twin brothers and looking up to my father has helped shaped the woman I continue to grow into today.

aware of the reality of the world we live in, where men and women aren’t treated as equals - yet. In doing so, however, he hasn’t allowed me to take it as a helpless fact, but has prepared me to combat and rise above these challenges instead. I think my Dad has always wanted me to know that anyone is capable of anything, no matter who they are, which has been especially evident to me growing up alongside my twin brothers.

Is it a cliché to say I have the most amazing Dad ever? Perhaps it’s because I’m his first born, perhaps it’s because I’m his only daughter, but my Dad has always been my biggest supporter.

Interestingly, earlier this year, I read an article about how fathers are the best people to raise their daughters up when they are at their lowest. As soon as I read this, it completely resonated with me.

Let’s be clear, I know that my Dad isn’t the only ‘most amazing Dad ever’, but he’s certainly the best I could ever ask for.

My brothers are five years younger than me, and as they grew older, I began to notice how important it was to my Dad to treat us all equally. When my brothers would initiate physical fights with me over changing the channel (as siblings do), aside from receiving an earful from my Dad, we would all be told to ‘never hurt your own blood’. It would never be ‘you don’t hit a girl’. I know this was a conscious word choice on my father’s part. But beyond issues of inter-sibling violence, my parents make sure to treat my brothers and myself identically: I don’t get a free pass or treated like a princess because I’m the only girl, and my parents hold the same levels of expectations for all of us, in all aspects of our lives.

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Through issues at school, friendship bickers, mini failures, bigger failures, university rejections, A Level disasters, and much more, my dad has been my rock through it all. Something I am most grateful for is the way that, from a young age, my father made sure that I was

I realise I might’ve made my brothers seem highly unpleasant, but I assure you that this is only sometimes true. For the most part, I have to say that they have taught me so much. We fight and tease each other like nobody’s business, but we would also do anything for each other. My bond with them is like no other, and it has certainly tested my patience, but I think this light-hearted turbulence has taught me how to compose myself in relationships with all sorts of people in my life.

All in all, my Dad and my brothers are three unique individuals in my life who have contributed to who I am in so many different ways. And I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

The working woman

Rebekah Morris, Second Year Politics and Economics, shares her experience as a woman in the business world

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oing into employment as a woman can seem daunting, despite 71.4% of working age women being employed – an all-time high. Yet why do we still have fears entering the workplace?

Entering a male dominated workplace can be an intimidating experience, but

Since I started working at 16, I’ve witnessed and experienced the gender divide in the workplace. I’ve had friends who have had male colleagues follow and harass them to the point of reporting it to their superiors; only to be told that this has happened before, but not to worry, that they simply won’t be put on shifts together in the future. Being a woman even in this day and age comes with hurdles incomprehensible to those who

I worked last year with a bank, ultimately leading to an internship. We had a choice of departments for our internship – one was more female oriented, and another was described to me by one of the women working there as being ‘full of old white men’. For a workplace that had transformed rapidly in the 21st Century, this one department had remained stagnant.

However, this was the department I wanted to apply to – the aspect of banking it entailed appealed far more to me than the other options. Even my interviewer was noticeably surprised when I said I wanted to be in this department – but I stuck to it, and received the internship. The fact I felt less entitled to this position despite being as good a candidate as anyone else in the room proved that despite knowing I’m capable, my fears due to me being a woman still exist when I’m in the workplace, and had the potential to hold me back.

However, the challenge isn’t just getting the job, but then receiving equal treatment once employed – namely in the form of equal pay, or more accurately the lack thereof.

My first job was in retail, and I worked alongside my brother. Both of us were in the same age range and should’ve received the same pay for the exact same job – but I later found out he was receiving a higher hourly wage, whilst me and another female colleague his age received a lower wage. Experiences like these are more common than they should be.

Knowing what to expect going into a workplace as a woman can help relieve fears. Knowing you got the job because you earned it, and having an open discussion about the topic of gender in the workplace both in and outside of it not only acts as a sort of preparation, but also brings awareness to the issues women face. And, ultimately, not being afraid to talk about the issue can hopefully encourage others to make a conscious effort to reduce any actions they may be taking that may be inadvertently supporting a workplace that makes women feel fearful, unwelcome, or invalidated.

Illustrations by Rosa Stevens / Epigram

sometimes it can be unavoidable when trying to pursue a career in a traditionally male-centric field. I’ve personally found that although we know deep down that there is nothing different between the genders, bar society’s sometimes warped notions of them, you still do feel the divide - especially when you’re outnumbered. Even when companies take measures in order to combat this and ensure a more diverse workplace, I’ve personally found that every time I’ve entered a professional environment I naturally gravitate towards other women in the room for a sense of comfort.

have never been subjected to them before – hence why it feels isolating entering a predominantly male workplace. Yet I’ve found another unexpected fear in the disparity and expectations of women within the workplace, not just tangible harassment.

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Women to watch in Bristol STEM

CULTURE

RAV BUMBRA Rav Bumbra founded Structur3dpeople in 2015 after witnessing first-hand the lack of women entering the tech industry. The organisation helps others diversify their talent-pool and promote inclusion in the technology sector, in an attempt to promote the advancement of women within the industry. Rav also founded the company Caijgo, where they use workshops and classes to empower young girls in schools and encourage them to consider a career in STEM or leadership roles.

Her work in Bristol sees her sitting upon the Women in Business Group for Bristol Women’s Commission, where she helps provide reports and recommendations to create the Bristol Women in Business Charter which seeks to support businesses in Bristol in becoming gender equal and diversifying the workplace. When asked about her ties to Bristol, and how the city has shaped herself or her work, she said:

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Being a leading tech hub, Bristol is a great place to start and scale a business. I am excited at how technology is making our world easier with new products and services. However, we need more women to work in all areas of technology from sales and marketing to creative, digital, coding and engineering careers, everything else in between and rising through the levels onto boards, because women play a huge part in technology. Diversity matters in tech and this passionately drives me to bring together educators and businesses, to collectively empower more girls and women into exciting technology careers, developing their skills and knowledge, so they can confidently reach their highest potential.

“

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LIV LITTLE Liv Little is the founder of online and print magazine gal-dem, run by and for women of colour. Launched in September 2015, gal-dem is a magazine ‘committed to telling the stories of women and non-binary people of colour’, and is actively trying to redress the imbalance in mainstream media which is currently ‘94% white and 55% male’.

An alumna of the University of Bristol (she studied Politics and Sociology), gal-dem was formed as a result of Liv’s frustration with the lack of diversity at the University. Talking to Gurjit Degun in a recent interview, Liv remarks that gal-dem began as a method of connecting and interacting with other people of colour at the university, which is overwhelmingly populated by white and/or highly privileged students.

Alongside founding gal-dem, Liv has also given a number of talks and interviews – in particular a TEDxTalk (alongside fellow journalist and gal-dem print magazine editor Charlie Brinkhurst-Cuff) on the ways that women of colour, in particular, can overwork themselves trying to get ahead in a creative industry that prioritizes and uplifts white (male and female) voices over others, and the way in which this affects them.

Liv has also been listed as one of the BBC’s 100 Inspirational and Influential Women of 2016, and she certainly deserves it!

ACADEMIA POLITICS

DR. NATASHA MULVIHILL

Helen Godwin has been a Labour Councillor for the City of Bristol since 2016. She quickly moved up the ranks and was appointed Cabinet Member for Women, Children and Young People in 2018. This made her the only city Cabinet Member dedicated to women’s issues across the whole of the UK, and she has more than lived up to this responsibility.

Speaking to Bristol Live on International Women’s Day last year, Helen outlined her priorities in the role. She considers childcare to be an economic issue and has therefore made affordable childcare a primary concern for the city, which is vital for reframing how we think about women’s labour and for furthering women’s workplace prospects. Moreover, she has committed to improving health outcomes for women, recognising that women’s health is not just an issue in itself, but that women need to be well-supported to enable them to contribute to wider society.

Some of Helen’s most notable work has been around period poverty – a problem which means over 2/5 of women and girls in Bristol have been unable to afford menstrual products.

In just one year since Helen led a pledge to tackle the issue, Bristol has become a UK trailblazer on destigmatising periods and introducing initiatives to overcome period poverty. Along with Annabel Smith, she founded the ‘Period Friendly Bristol’ initiative which created a new training programme for use in schools, to cater period education to all needs and ensure menstruating and non-menstruating people alike are aware of the difficulties associated with periods. In December, they launched a system of donation and distribution points for free menstrual products city-wide, which can be located using an online interactive map. All of these steps are helping to make Bristol a city of ‘period dignity,’ where menstruating isn’t something to be ashamed of, and everyone has access to the products they need at that time of the month.

Keep up the bloody good work, Helen!

Artwork by Aggie Tait

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at the University of Bristol and wonder how I could be part of that work. I joined the Currently she’s continuing to work on her two companies Centre as a PhD student in 2010 and now, as a which seek to encourage women into the tech industry, as well researcher, have just worked on the 2019 Home as changing the perception of the tech industry away from beOffice-commissioned report into the nature ing so male-dominated. She has been named as one of the Top and prevalence of prostitution and sex work 100 Women in the South West in 2018, and a finalist for Brisin England and Wales. For me, the Centre and tol’s Businesswoman of the Year 2017. the University reflect the character of the city: diverse, creative, thoughtful and committed to social change.

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HELEN GODWIN

Lecturing in Criminology at Bristol University since 2017, Dr Mulvihill’s work into sex-work policy and gender-based violence is as important now as it was when she first started her research at the Centre for Gender and Violence Research back in 2014. Her primary area of research sees her examining prostitution and sex-work policy through the criminal justice system, and the harm and danger these institutions, which exist to protect them, can cause. She even spent a period of time teaching literacy and creative writing to women leaving the field of sex-work, a volunteer programme which inspired her to go on to focus on gender, sex,Structur3dpeople and social justice.

Rav Bumbra founded in 2015 after witnessing first-hand the lack of women entering the tech industry.

Her ties to began helps whenothers she completed an undergraduTheBristol organisation diversify their talent-pool and ate degree in Politics, before on to earn her PGCE, a Mas- to promote inclusion in going the technology sector, in an attempt ters in Criminology Social Policy, and within finallythe a PhD in the promote the and advancement of women industry.

Rav same areaalso of founded researchthe before finally returning Bristol in 2017 company Caijgo, whereto they use workshops where she began lecturing in Criminology. about and classes to empower young girls in When schoolsasked and encourage her ties tothem Bristol, and how the city shaped androles. the work to consider a career in STEM orherself leadership she does, she said: Her work in Bristol sees her sitting upon the Women in BusiIt was more than fifteen years ago that I started ness Group for Bristol Women’s Commission, where she helps volunteer teaching creative writing at a safe provide reports and recommendations to create the Bristol house in Bristol for women exiting street sex Women in Business Charter which seeks to support businesses work. At lunchtimes in my then day job in a in Bristol in becoming gender equal and diversifying the workbank, I would look wistfully at the webpages of place. When asked about her ties to Bristol, and how the city the ‘Centre for Gender and Violence Research’ has shaped herself or her work, she said:

Dr Mulvihill’s work is so important it has even led her to being commissioned by the UK Home Office in 2019 into the existence of sex work and prostitition in England and Wales. Her research continues to shine a light on the conditions these women work in, and the need to ensure that all sex-work is carried out with consent, without constraint or exploitation, and with the security of ensuring their mental and physical wellbeing is protected.

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SAVE THE DATE 10.03.2020 FEMSOC are holding an event on the 10th of March for International Women’s Day, at the Anson Rooms in the SU. Check out their insta for more info!

Food

Editor Deputy Editor Deputy Editor Digital Editor

Virginia Campbell Emma Bayley-Melendez Jessica Gadd Ruby Griffiths

‘Flake News’: Chocolate & Gender Stereotypes Jessica Gadd offers a marketer’s perspective on the gender politics at play when it comes to our choice of chocolate bar Lewin

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veryone has their favourite chocolate bar. It’s the sort of snack that elicits a late-night trip to the corner shop, where the mildly amused cashier scans Kit Kats, Flakes and Galaxy Caramels galore while you ashamedly insist ‘I swear they’re not all for me, I’m doing a run for the whole flat’. Unsurprisingly, the realities of a Netflix-induced chocolate binge are a far cry from the seductive images that repeatedly crop up in the media and in advertising.

our choice of chocolate bar is infused with gendered meaning. Our thinking about chocolate, in general, is highly feminised; chunky, brick-like shapes are increasingly being replaced with smooth contours and more rounded designs and the deep tones that dominate industry packaging connote beauty, youthfulness and luxury. In many adverts, the consumption of chocolate is depicted as something sensual and secretive, an act of hedonism to be enjoyed in private and not to be interrupted.

The woman featured in the ad is draped in silk pyjamas, fresh faced and glowing, enjoying a moment of sensual pleasure as she indulges in a single square of smooth chocolate. The student, by contrast, dons a pair of worn-out, oversized trackies and can easily devour multiple bars in a single sitting. My point here is that our chocolate preferences are not as trivial as we might think and that the gendered images that crop up time and time again in advertising media contribute, perhaps problematically, to our personal tastes and purchase decisions.

Chocolate ads targeting men tell an entirely different story. Yorkie and Snickers, in particular, have traditionally been marketed as sustaining snacks designed to fuel action and activity.

These ads also tend to incorporate more comedic, self-referential elements such as parody and punning; they try to poke fun at the gender politics of food through slogans such as ‘it’s not for girls’, ‘man fuel for man stuff’, and ‘get some nuts’.

From Cadbury’s infamously banned Flake ad to Galaxy’s bizarre evocation of Audrey Hepburn’s artificial image,

It’s bizarre how little influence taste actually has on our choice of chocolate bar. We are more likely to make this decision based on subtle visual cues and abstract marketing messages. Advertising is a strange form of communication that

works through suggestion, metaphor and meaning. Often, the images we encounter in ads bear little resemblance to the product being sold so that we, as consumers, are left to connect the dots.

Take Cadbury’s Gorilla Ad, for example.

The image of a gorilla playing his heart out on the drums to the tune of Phil Collins’ ‘In the Air Tonight’ hardly screams ‘go and buy Cadbury’s chocolate’.

But because the image is so distinctive, people are likely to remember the ad as an entertainment piece in its own right and they attach the general feelings they derived from viewing it (happiness, amusement, freedom) with the Cadbury brand.

The chocolate bar we buy at the corner shop may seem trivial, thoughtless even, but it actually raises some significant issues. Ads have the power to influence our everyday choices, preferences and tastes. They shape the way we see the world and the way we see ourselves.

This is why gender stereotyping in advertising has come under greater scrutiny in the past few years, with the Advertising Standards Authority now banning ads that play with ideas about hyper-sexualised femininity and toxic masculinity. Ultimately, our choice of chocolate is a game of gender politics,

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In Conversation: Student Stories Clio Burton talks family, food, and female empowerment

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Epigram / Clio Burton

hristmas has always been the ultimate cooking event in our household. The preparations would start months before and the stress would build exponentially leading up to the the big day. My Dad is meticulous; he would always have the the turkey stuffed and basted, the vegetables honeyed and roasted and the potatoes perfectly crispy yet fluffy on the inside. For me, this was the norm and my Dad was always the one who predominantly cooked.

For him, cooking was always more of a passion than a chore and it hugely inspired my brother and I to fall in love with it as well.

Epigram / Clio Burton

My brother even decided to pursue his passion for food further after university, and is now a pastry chef in London. The significance of gender stereotypes in the kitchen never really crossed my mind growing up and still doesn’t influence my approach to cooking. Perhaps this is because I’ve been taught to see cooking as a hobby and as something to enjoy as opposed to an activity with gendered meaning hiding behind it. Regardless of which parent took on the role of ‘head chef’ in our household, it wouldn’t have changed my own attitude towards and passion for cooking.

COMPETITION Win a coffee and pastry for two at the

newly opened ‘Cloakroom Cafe’ on Woodland Road by cooking any of the recipes in this issue and sending us a photo! Send your photos to epigramfood@ gmail.com

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Recipes Between Women

The name Ah’len translates to ‘welcome’; however, it is a word loaded with more meaning than you might think. Our culture centres around food.

We use food to share our condolences.

When someone has died, for forty days the family doesn’t cook but are cooked for so that they can mourn. We use food to say hello and goodbye. You should never visit a home empty-handed and will never leave unless your tummy is filled to the brim. We even use food to celebrate. There will always be a full spread at every gathering. Food is how we were taught to express love and gratitude.

My ‘tita’ (originally ‘teta’, the Arabic word for grandma) and her sisters have what we call in Trinidad, a ‘sweet hand’. Nothing beats my grandma’s burgol, a barley and meat dish. Each of my grandma’s sisters were known for a specialty dish. Tita Emily was known for her warak enab, grape leaves stuffed with rice and Tita Venus was known for her hummus. Middle Eastern people take pride in feeding others. While eating, my grandpa stands over me, smiles, and says ‘sahten’, a Lebanese phrased used to say ‘enjoy your food in health’.

Every Christmas, my grandma’s ten siblings and their families get together for a potluck dinner. The amount of food is obscene, but nothing brings more joy to our grandparent’s faces

iff it

Epigram / Christie Sabga

Seeing the way these incredible women cooked is not only a privilege, but it has frozen our culture in time. I may be a third-generation Syrian Lebanese young woman, but I somehow know how to cook more dishes than half of my Middle Eastern friends. And for that, I thank my grandmother. Whenever I feel homesick, ordering food from the Lebanese restaurant down the road isn’t the same.

It doesn’t have the love, hard work, care, and Trini flare. When I want home food, I crack open Ah’len.

Syrian Lebanese Women’s Association

Along with the Arabic language, the ingredients available meant that women had to modify the way they prepared meals. Trinidad’s cuisine was integrated into their cooking. As a way to give back to the country of Trinidad after it had given them so much, my grandma Minerva and her sister Venus founded the Syrian Lebanese Women’s Association (SLWA). They focused on community work. As a fundraising effort, they brought together all the best cooks in the community and wrote a cookbook called Ah’len.

than to see their children, grandchildren, and even their greatgrandchildren sit together and share a meal. It’s the one time of year I get to fill my cheeks with Tita Annie’s raw kibbeh! The following passage from Ah’len truly embodies Epigour community: ram /R ‘we believe that a meal prepared is only half the pleasure of a ub yG meal shared’. r hs

ong before I was born, a group of eleven strong women, all part of a family of Syrian refugees, sought to make a life in Trinidad and Tobago. At that time, the conventional roles of women were to cook, clean, and take care of their children. They tirelessly readied their homes for when their husbands returned from a hard day of work vending textiles on the road or developing new businesses.

Trinidad became their new home.

Food has a way of transcending memories. My grandma on my mother’s side, I was told, was an incredible Italian cook. Unfortunately, she died before I had the chance to know her, so while my mom and her siblings were left with fond memories, I was left with a few scribbled recipes. She was known for her pound cake, however it was the one recipe we could never find.

One day, my aunt on my dad’s side of the family mentioned that she had the recipe, bringing tears to my mom’s eyes.

Making that cake not only brought back so many memories for my mother, but it made me feel connected to a woman I had never even met. That is the true power of food. Ah’len has achieved the difficult task of immortalising recipes that were handed down through generations of women.

What began as a project of charity became a milestone celebration of our community and rich heritage. Today the book has been recognised by Gourmand International for ‘combining the love for community and food,’ winning the ‘Best in the World’ award. My great grandfather once said, ‘if you please your parents, you please the Lord’. Ah’len was written as a tribute to our great grandparents and the hardship they suffered when they left Syria and Lebanon. Years from now, my grandchildren would easily be able to recreate their greatgreat-grandmothers’ recipes, a joy not many people get to experience. I am extremely thankful that, through food, I can hand down the memory of the resilient women before me to future generations.

Epigram / Christie Sabga

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Christie Sabga reflects on her family’s extraordinary culinary journey

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Wellbeing

Editor Bethany Harris Deputy Editor Rosie Angel-Clark Digital Editor Laurence Dawkins

The pill, the coil... a contraception experience Aisling Duignan-Murphy reveals how difficult it can be to find what’s right for you

Epigram / Rosie Angel-Clark

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icture this. You’re 14 and sitting in your school’s assembly hall. You’re about to be given a lesson in sex education. Everyone’s giggling, excited and probably a little nervous too. On to the stage walks a man in his thirties who begins to perform a skit. In which, he places duct tape onto his arm and rips it off. This process is repeated multiple times, until the tape will stick no longer.

The man stares point-blank at you all and says, ‘this is a metaphor for your self-worth after having repeated casual sex – and remember you cannot get the stickiness back once it has gone’. The concluding suggestion from this man was to avoid having sex until marriage. As this is, of course, the best type of contraception. So, yes, this was pretty much the extent of my Catholic school’s attempt at sex education.

Luckily, my parents did not take the same approach.

However, I consider how many young people have experienced similar introductions to contraception. Whether that be at the hands of their parents or supposed educational institutions like schools. This strikes me as deeply concerning. It is clear that young people are often discovering contraception all on their own, or via word-of-mouth through friends’ experiences. This leads to Yahoo searches, scare stories and, generally, a tonne of misinformation.

This becomes even more dangerous when one considers the fundamental lack of LGBTQ+ sex education in schools, thereby leading to further stigmatisation and stress in young people who are just beginning to discover themselves.

My experiences were uninteresting for the first three years that I was on contraception. Initially I went on the combined pill because I wanted to be off my period for Reading Festival when I was 16 (wow). I decided to stay on the pill following this because everyone was starting to have sex and I wanted to be ‘prepared’. I never experienced any of the tough side effects such as weight gain or acne, which many people struggle with. So, I decided to remain on the same pill for the next three years.

Halfway through second year it dawned on me that I did not really know what my physical and mental health were like without the pill. I am quite an over-emotional person and thought maybe it could be attributed to the pill because mood swings are one of the most common side effects.

I googled contraception options and spoke to a GP and

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decided the copper coil would be a good choice. No hormones and it can last for ten years? Sounds great. But, God, the pain.

That is all I can think of when someone mentions the copper coil.

From insertion to removal, the entire experience was truly agony. The doctor who carried out the procedure was kind and reassuring. Yet nothing prepared me for the sharp pain of metal being inserted into my uterus. Suddenly, I was being awoken by the doctor as I had fainted. I thought, ‘great, at least now it’s over for ten years’. How wrong I was.

The next month my period came.

Luckily, I experience light and fairly painless periods usually. However, I was aware of the side effect of the coil: heavier and more painful periods. I brushed this off. But the pain of the cramps was truly unbearable. I could not go to work or university and was prescribed painkillers from the doctor, which only minorly dulled the pain.

Fortunately, I made the quick decision to get this coil removed as soon as possible. Removal was slightly less painful, but honestly, I think this was because I was glad for it to be over. I concluded that my mood had been no different whether I was on or off the pill and so it was the best contraception for me.

Perhaps the most significant takeaway I have found from my experiences is that each person is unique. I have a handful of friends who have the copper coil and find it a fantastic experience, whilst others become aggressive and/or depressed on the pill. Therefore, considering information before making a choice is essential. Attempting to understand what you are putting into your body and any potential impacts it may have is smart.

However, this is not an opportunity we all have. For example, in the case of condom failure or in the awful case of sexual assault, emergency contraception must be used. I believe that being educated on our options should be taught informatively in schools, so that we can make the best choices for ourselves, even following such stressful situations.

I do not wish to scare anyone with this article, rather I aim to exemplify the importance of considering your choices thoroughly. Moreover, if you are in a sexual relationship of any sort, remember that you are not solely responsible for the contraceptive safeguards of yourself and your partner(s).

Open and honest communication about the impact of contraception on one’s body and mind benefits any type of relationship. Everyone should aim to be truthful and receptive in conversations about contraception.

Do we rely on Instagram likes for self-esteem?

Ellie Spenceley argues that social media disconnects us from reality The double tap has become instinctual, so much so that we often don’t even take a moment to look at what it is we’re claiming to like. It is then ironic to realise that we depend so heavily on the validation that comes from something we ourselves provide so absentmindedly. g

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ay la Nathan

Epigram/Faye Morton

1. Social media makes us feel acknowledged and important

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e’re so caught up in the digital world that we forget that it’s nothing but a rose-tinted reflection of the real one we live in each and every day. Our online space seems to have become our central reflection of personality, and it’s not hard to see why we find this so alluring. Instagram allows us to curate the image we want people to see and makes us feel a sense of control we simply don’t have in reality where unfiltered candour is the only thing we’re able to show.

Criticising the visual culture we’ve become naturalised to is an easy way to appear ‘woke’. There are few of us who are immune to the dopamine hit of the like, the pang of validation that hits when someone you like ‘likes’ that selfie you thought you looked good in, the sense of social capital you feel when your post gets a certain amount of likes, when you feel seen in a society that has a tendency to overlook.

2. Hyperconnectivity has made us less connected in reality

The assumption that a follow is equal to a friend is a dangerous one. A popular social media profile can often intensify feelings of loneliness when you realise the people who see you online don’t know anything about you in real life.

3. The more validation you get, the more you want it

The positives we reap from a fruitful social media presence trigger a reward cycle where we’re never truly

satisfied with the response we receive, constantly comparing ourselves with those receiving more attention, whether they are a celebrity or someone you sit opposite.

4. Hiding like counts so that you can only see your own Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri said that the decision to test hiding likes was actually inspired by an episode of ‘Black Mirror’. The episode in question, ‘Nosedive’, saw a society that was entirely consumed by the concept of likes.

Social media can no doubt be a force for good, and Instagram is no exception. Used consciously and with enough self-awareness, it can enable us to create a space that allows us to thrive emotionally and intellectually, benefiting daily from a wealth of knowledge and an exposure to innovative ideas and creativity from all across the globe.

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The secret power of being single Rebecca Widowson reminds us to have confidence regardless of relationships

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henever I see people hating on a woman for being single, I’m reminded of the scene from Bridget Jones’ Diary, where she makes a joke about being a single woman. (Then again, Bridget spends the majority of the film desperate to be in a relationship. So perhaps she’s not the best role model.)

At a friend’s dinner party, Bridget is asked, ‘Why is it that there are so many single women in their thirties these days?’. Her response is ‘our entire bodies are covered in scales’.

Yes, her quick-witted response is hilarious, but the fact that the question is even being asked in the first place makes me wonder why women are always expected to be in relationships and men are not. These double-standards must exist for a reason, right?

In times such as these, I find comfort in the words of Caitlin Moran. (On a slight side-note: Caitlin Moran should definitely be one of your top feminist icons for her steadfast demolition of the patriarchy.)

Moran suggests that in order to decide if there’s sexism about we should ask one simple question: ‘Are the men doing it?’.

The answer is no. Obviously. Men are seemingly encouraged or praised for being single, when women are shunned socially.

It seems obvious to me that the reason why men are praised or even encouraged to be single is that society is still so male dominated.

Full-time working men still earn 8.9 per cent more per hour than full-time working women.

So isn’t it plausible that this gender inequality has translated into our

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relationships too? Connected to this is the idea that women can only be happy when they’re in a relationship with a man. Which is ludicrous to say the least. The obvious exception to this idea are lesbians. Or did we just forget they exist?

Let’s not neglect to mention all the incredible women, throughout history, who have accomplished amazing things, all whilst being single.

My personal favourite is journalist Nellie Bly, who was unhappy by her editors’ insistence that she should report on typical ‘female’ topics, such as fashion or beauty. Her solution was to travel to Mexico, aged only 21, to report on the everyday lives of the people she encountered. Oh, and she travelled around the world in 72 days too.

Of course, some would argue that Nellie Bly is an exception, and not applicable to our modern day experiences of being single. But a more recent single female, Kendall Jenner, said in an interview that ‘a strong woman is independent and doesn’t need a man. She can walk into a room by herself and not be bothered’. This quotation provides exactly the kind of boost that is needed to empower more women to embrace the single life.

More importantly, we have to recognise that being single is normal.

The Office of National Statistics data shows over 16.2 million people in the UK are single. So you are not alone (ironically).

Whenever I find myself worrying about being a single pringle I try to counter any negative ideas with cheerier ones. For instance:

Things you can do as a single woman: • •

• • •

Eat all the garlic bread. All of it.

Dress comfortably (i.e. tracksuit bottoms all the time should you wish).

Fart in bed.

Gawp at good looking people in the street and not feel guilty.

Spend more time with friends and family.

And the list goes on.

Find happiness in being single through your economic independence!

You are free to go out and buy whatever your heart desires. You want those shark slippers that look like they’re eating your feet? You go get them girl!

Fancy a cheeky Nando’s? Great, more chicken for you anyway! How about buying some flowers for yourself to brighten up the kitchen? Lilies are in season right now.

My point is you need to own being single like you’re owning those shark slippers. Use this time to figure yourself out. Learn what really makes you tick so that you know what you want from a relationship when the opportunity presents itself. Which it will. I have no doubt that you are an incredible individual, and anyone would be lucky to have you.

So the next time you feel a pang of loneliness about not having a significant other, why not take a moment to think about all the times you handled something important by yourself. Doesn’t that prove you’re a w e s o m e l y independent? And I guarantee, the list will be longer than you think.

Epigram / Rebecca Widowson

Women on Campus As part of our Women-in-Bristol series we took to campus to photograph you, the students and staff of Bristol University, going about your everyday lives

Photography: Mary Hollamby Artwork: Daisy Farrow