Issue 719 / 23 June 2021 by Exeposé

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ISSUE 719 23 JUN 2021 exepose.com @Exepose

THE UNIVERSITY OF EXETER’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1987

RUGBY CLUBS SPEAK OUT AMIDST ALLEGATIONS OF SEXUAL MISCONDUCT, ASSAULT AND RACISM

Image: Pete Syme

EXCLUSIVE Oliver Leader de Saxe and Lucy Aylmer Editor and Deputy Editor CONTENT WARNING: SEXUAL ASSAULT, RACISM

HE Exeter University Rugby Football Club have launched an internal investigation following a series of allegations against rugby players on social media ranging from sexual assault to racial abuse. Posts on anonymous Facebook platforms Exefess and Confexeter allege numerous instances of serious offences, including sexual assault and harassment

SPORT

outside popular student nightclub Timepiece, as well as racial abuse and xenophobia outside accommodation blocks. Other allegations were made on the private university group Overheard at University of Exeter, with one poster alleging that a group of rugby players damaged her car whilst shouting abuse. The post received nearly 1000 reacts on Facebook. Keith Fleming, the Director of Rugby at the EURFC, stated in a comment to Exeposé that the “EURFC takes these allegations extremely seriously”, and made clear that club management “were unaware of any allegations against any members of the club” up to this point. Fleming also stated that “as yet, nobody has approached the club regarding

The EUWRFC’s walking bus initiative PAGE 32

Images left-right: IMDB, Wikkicommons

any of the accusations on Exefess and Confexeter” but emphasised that if they did so “their concerns will be treated with the utmost respect.” A member of the EUWRFC stated in response to the allegations that “we want to show that we can come together and make a difference” and that “committee discussions are focused on how to make these positive changes.” The club is currently organising a walking bus initiative so members do not need to walk home alone at night. Exeposé reached out to one of the women who made posts on Overheard for details. Alexandra Saidi, a Masters student studying Finance and Management, alleged that she and her friends were fol-

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lowed home from Timepiece in May by a group of rugby players, who then proceeded to harass the group. Saidi explained that following her post on Overheard, the incoming EURFC captain reached out to her to express a sincere apology on behalf of the club. These allegations of harrassment come amidst wider calls for education providers to address the increasing numbers of sexual harassment cases on campus. According to reports, 26.4 per cent of female undergraduate students experience sexual assault or rape at university. Esther Huntington-Whiteley, a spokesperson for Everyone’s Invited, an activist website that shares survivor testimonies with the purpose of “eradicating

A look into LGBTQ+ representation in cinema PAGE 26

rape culture”, stated that their “testimonies have been increasing exponentially” in recent months. She went on to say that it is “demonstrative of the kind of traction the movement has been gaining and is reflective of the situation at schools and Universities at this exact moment in time”. The University of Exeter has received the most testimonies of any university from Everyone’s Invited, appearing in 65 of the testimonies thus far, with students lamenting the misogynistic behaviour and rape culture that is seemingly accepted on campus.

Continued on page 3.

MUSIC

A profile interview of Wolf Alice PAGE 21

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Editors Print: Bridie Adams & Oliver Leader De Saxe Online: Millie Betts & Anna Wilmot Deputy: Lucy Aylmer, Cassia Grace & Chloe Pumares editors@exepose.com News Editors Print: Megan Ballantyne Online: Meg Allan & Orla Mackinnon news@exepose.com Comment Editors Print: Cassia Grace Online: Rachael Powell & Eirwen Abberley Watton comment@exepose.com Features Editors Print: Lucy Aylmer Online: Issac Bettridge Foreign Correspondents Co-ordinator:s: Ryan Gerrett & Elen Johnston features@exepose.com Lifestyle Editors Print: Bridie Adams Online: Katie Edgar & Sophie Porteous lifestyle@exepose.com Arts + Lit Editors Print: Ella Minty Online: Clemence Smith artsandlit@exepose.com Music Editors Print: Harry Hawkins Online: Tom Bosher music@exepose.com Screen Editors Print: Archie Lockyer & Francesca Sylph Online: screen@exepose.com Science Editors Print: Lauryn Mitchell & Ellen Rogers Online: Daisy Scott & Imogen PoyntzWright sciandtech@exepose.com Sport Editors Print: Oscar Young Online: Floris de Bruin & Henry Hood sport@exepose.com Chief Photographer photography@exepose.com Copy Editors Danni Darrah, David Fallshaw, Emily Mason Proofers Kamila Bell, Bryony Gooch, Pete Syme, Richard Ainslie, George Clark, Ollie, Bridie, Cassia, Olivia, Lucy, Blood, Sweat & Tears

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Editorial

INALLY, it’s nearly over. After months of tedious Zoom quizzes, isolation and endless examinations, the year is drawing to an end. Even the delay in easing restrictions can’t shake the excitement. The bars are open, the sun is out and Exmouth is more than a little tempting. Why not take your copy of Exeposé to the beach for some seaside reading? In this issue, we're celebrating Pride Month in many of our sections. Everybody, in Exeter and beyond, needs to work to increase equality and visibility for LGBTQ+ communities, not only in June, but all the time. Now is a great time to consume content by creators of marginalised genders and sexualities. If you'd like some inspiration, Arts & Lit celebrates Pride Month with an LGBTQ+ book review that showcases a diverse range of great novels (page 17). You'll find more Pride-related content in Screen and Music, in addition to a wonderfully insightful appraisal of the Oscar-nominated masterpiece that is Minari (page 26) and an interview with one of Britain’s biggest bands Wolf Alice (page 22). Lifestyle has got some scrumptious cocktail recipes ready to get those socially-distanced summer garden parties rocking (page 14). Comment also has some fantastic articles, including our ex-editor Bryony Gooch's piece reflecting on her time at Exeter University. We've also got opinion pieces on hot girl summer and the (sadly postponed) reopening of clubs (pages 6 & 7).

SPA AWARDS Features and Science both decided to explore different aspects of the recent G7 summit in Cornwall, with the former focusing on how the world’s richest countries are addressing tax loopholes (page 10) and the latter exploring the summit’s environmental impacts (page 29). In Sports and News, we interview the Women’s Rugby Club about their walking bus initiative (page 32), whilst also reporting allegations of sexual misconduct by rugby players at the University (Front Page). We know things haven’t been easy of late. Everyone's mental health has been at an all time low whilst a continual stream of demoralising current affairs cuts through the airwaves. As we take over from the best editorial team this paper could have asked for during the COVID-19 crisis, we promise you this: no matter how bad things get, no matter how much the world descends into chaos, Exeposé will be here. The last year has taught us how important an active student newspaper can be. As we return to print, we can’t promise things will return to normal. No one can. However, what we can promise is that we will always have a place for writers, editors, proofers, and our readers. We are looking forward to seeing you again for Freshers, but for now have a happy Pride Month and a lovely summer break! Ollie & Bridie

2020 Best Publication 2021 Best Publication in the South West

NEWS Interview with Liv Harvey PAGE 4 Image: Guild

FEATURES NHS Contracts PAGE 11 Image: Richard Townsend

ARTS & LIT

What's wrong with blurbs? PAGE 18 Image: Creative Commons

SCIENCE MDMA for PTSD relief PAGE 29 Image: ProjectManhattan

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Worldwide university news Vaccine mandates for students COVID-19 has had minimal impact Students demand in the US causes backlash on international students enrolment COVID-19 tuition refund

VER 400 American colleges and universities are hoping that the COVID-19 vaccine will ensure some normality come September as they introduce vaccine mandates. Some schools have told students they will not be able to return unless vaccinated. The COVID-19 taskforce of the American College Health Association recommended that institutions make the vaccine mandatory for students. This decision comes after many campuses became hotspots for COVID-19 transmissions in 2020, with some seeing almost 10,000 infections across the pandemic. Colleges and Universities have been used by conservative groups to argue that vaccines are a choice that should not be mandated. Due to the backlash some schools have incentivised students rather than implementing mandates.

HE Australian education minister Alan Tudge has asserted that recent figures regarding international student enrolment in Australian universities are optimistic, with total international student enrolments down only 11 per cent compared to two years ago in 2019. Other data, however, indicates that the number of new student enrolments has nearly halved since 2019. This is predicted to have a profound impact on university funding over the next few years, and make downsizing measures, such as those which led to 17,000 job losses at Australian universities, continue to be necessary. This comes in the wake of widespread concerns regarding the future of Australian universities, with the country’s strict COVID-19 measures, among other factors, preventing the country from maintaining its usual intake of international students over 2020 and 2021.

EVENTEEN student unions, including Exeter Students' Guild, have signed a letter to the Department of Education. The letter can be found on Twitter and demands an immediate £2,700 discount to their studies, in light of a year of COVID-related disturbances during which many extracurriculars have suffered. Since the last lockdown, seminars had been relocated to Zoom, some halved in time. Using a London Economics model, student unions claim to have created a “fiscally neutral solution”. To finance the rebate, they are suggesting increasing interest rates from three per cent to 6.2 per cent. and it would not be repaid by graduates earning lower and middle incomes. The Department of Education responded: “Universities have a strong track record in delivering excellent blended tuition and the standard should not have fallen".

Protests halt Chinese campus plans in Hungary

HE Hungarian Government led by far-right Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has been forced to U-turn on plans to build a campus affiliated with Shanghai's Fudan University. This follows thousands of protesters marching through the capital. The $1.9bn project, which would have been completed by 2024, faced huge backlash from city authorities and opposition politicians. The plans were defended by a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, who claimed the controversial plans were “in line with the current trend of the times and the interests of all parties”.

Images (L to R): Hakan Nural (Unsplash), Max Bender (UnSplash)

By Chloe Pumares, Megan Ballantyne, Alaia Lafleur & Ollie Leader De Saxe

3 NEWS

23 JUN

EURFC announce internal investigation into sexual assault allegations Contiued from page 1. A University of Exeter spokesperson said in response to the allegations: “We are appalled to see these posts about alleged sexual and racial abuse on an anonymous online forum. Any form of violence or sexual violence is always a crime. “We urge anyone who has been the victim of harassment, abuse or assault to come forward to report it so we can take action and provide support. Reports can be made through our Exeter Speaks Out web pages. If you have been affected in any way by sexual violence or harassment or abuse of any kind you can access support and talk to our Wellbeing Team in total confidence and they will guide you through the next steps and get you the support you need.” “The safety, security and wellbeing of our students is, and always will be, our primary concern and we must continue to support each other and work together to keep all members of our community safe and feeling safe. We are clear to all members of our community that we have zero tolerance for sexual harassment, abuse or assault, and that criminal or disciplinary proceedings will be brought against those who commit such

offences.” Further detail about actions the University is taking to prevent sexual violence, assault and abuse: “We have put in place a wide range of safety and support measures, improved our policies and reporting system and continue to work with students, colleagues and community partners to tackle misogyny and violence against women – this includes a recent special cross-community session on gender safety involving students and staff as well as implementing pilot projects such as physical safety alarms and Safe Zone. “We have set up a dedicated leadership team to focus on gender safety and oversee actions linked to the Universities UK Taskforce on Violence against Women. Our Gender Safety Taskforce is chaired by the Provost and Registrar and has representatives from student groups, University services and city leaders from organisations such as the police, council and Devon Rape Crisis. The Taskforce will focus on: Values and expectations of being a member of this university; Understanding and acting on consent and respect; Bystander intervention in all its forms; Physical safety in all pla-

University of Exeter open day spending in decline for fourth year in a row Oliver Leader de Saxe Editor

ATA gathered by Exeposé through the Freedom of Information Act has revealed that both the Universities of Bristol and Manchester spent more on open days over the past five years than Exeter.

MONEY SPENT BY EXETER WAS LOWER THAN OTHER UNIVERSITIES

Between the academic years of 20162017 and 2019-2020 Exeter’s open day spending saw a significant decline, with the total spent dropping from £122,600 to £60,000. The University of Manchester cited their decline in 2019-2020 expenditure being a result of not being able to “do anything Easter onwards due to Covid”. The University of Bristol spent £331,852 on open days during that time frame. The total amount of money spent by the University of Exeter was also lower than other universities. While the University of Bristol spent over £1.7 million across the last five years and the University of Durham spent £741,557.25, Exeter

only spent £508,200 between 2015 and 2020. A University of Exeter spokesperson said: “We have reduced the spend on physical student open days and moved to more online events over the last two financial years both to respond to student requirements and the COVID-19 restrictions. We have invested substantially in new virtual tours and subject tours including a new advice and guidance platform, Discover University, and supported Exeter Student Ambassadors to reach out to prospective students. We will shortly return to physical campus tours and events alongside our digital programme. “We continue to get excellent feedback on the opportunities to find out about courses and life at the University of Exeter and it has also enabled more people to engage with the University and find out more about our campuses in Devon and Cornwall from a wider range of backgrounds in a more accessible and convenient way – including prospective international students. We have seen a growth in applications in the past two years and we will continue to develop our approach to meet student needs and increase access to the University.”

ces where we should be safe; Roles and expectations of student societies; Reporting processes, feeling safe to report, and support; Zero tolerance, disciplinary action and sanctions; Communication and messaging.”

É If these issues affect you, you can get in touch with: https://www.exeter.ac.uk/speakout/staysafe www.exeter.ac.uk/wellbeing https://www.exeterguild.org/advice University helpline 0300 555 0225 Samaritans 116 123 Devon Rape Crisis 01392 208756 National Rape Crisis 0808 802 9999 Stop Abuse for Everyone (SAFE) 03030 300112 Image: Flickr, Neil Winton

Covid-19 cases begin to rise as Delta Variant arrives on campus Oliver Leader de Saxe Editor

NIVERSITY data compiled from Public Health England and HALO revealed that COVID-19 cases have risen on average over the last 7 days. Over the week beginning 9 June, the number of average cases a day rose from 5.3 to 10.6, with 18 being recorded on 15 June. As of that day, there have been 190 cases and 0 deaths in the last week for Devon, and 411 cases and

0 deaths in the last week for Cornwall. A University of Exeter spokesperson said: “The Government has made the decision to delay further easing of the national COVID-19 restrictions linked to a rise in cases and the spread of the Delta Variant of COVID-19. We have seen rises in Devon and Cornwall and it is therefore critical that we all play our part in helping to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 by sticking to the guidelines, including by reducing unnecessary contact between

people and households where we can, and by engaging with testing and vaccination programmes. “We understand that all those over 18 years old will be offered at least one dose of vaccine before 19 July and urge all our students to please take up the vaccination opportunity as soon as you are able to. You can find out all you need to know in our vaccination FAQs for students and information about testing, and the University’s response to COVID-19 on our dedicated webpages.”

Image: Wikicommons, Felipe Esquivel Reed

NEWS

Over £1 million of government funding allocated to Exeter housing

VER £2.3 million of Government’s Land Release Fund will go to a partnership of Councils in Devon, with Exeter receiving more than a million in order to fund three housing schemes. Clifton Hill will receive £425,000 for demolition and enabling works for 42 of these Passivhaus; these homes are designed in alignment with Building Biology Principles to maintain constant temperature through renewable energy sources. The plans have won a Building with Nature Design Award and will begin construction next year. Similarly, Vaughan Road was awarded £795,000 for demolition, site clearance and

enabling works to build 92 Passivhaus, with 60 being affordable for the council’s own Housing Revenue Account. The project will also start next year. The Marsh Barton Delivery Framework received £150,000 in an attempt to plan the redevelopment of the area into a new mixed-use city quarter. The development will be part of the Liveable Exeter programme and the Net Zero goal. Councillor Rufus Gilbert said of the project: “It demonstrates what we can achieve in the county through working closely with our partner authorities.”

Calls for change at the QuickPrint roundabout due to danger to cyclists

HE QuickPrint roundabout, where Whipton Lane and Sweetbrier Lane converge, is quickly becoming known as one of Exeter’s most dangerous stretches of road. Multiple bicycle accidents have been reported since the beginning of the year, with many youngsters involved in these incidents. So far, none have been fatal. Local residents are urging the council to act as the cycling route is not safe. Campaigns, protests and even a Twitter dispute between Ben Bradshaw, Exeter MP, and Alison Hernadez, Devon & Cornwall Police and Crime Commissioner regarding residents demands for change. 14 year old Robin was cycling earlier this year when a car smashed into him, despite Robin having the right of way and wearing high-vis clothing. He escaped with a few minor injuries, a ruined bike and destroyed helmet. Robin’s mum,

Maries Buckfield, pointed out that “the roundabout is on the E3 cycle route and should therefore be safe for our children to cycle”. Despite a 20mph speed limit having been set, the long straight approaches to the roundabout mean motorists tend to approach at higher speeds. Since reducing the roundabouts size there have been more collisions than before. Joe Hickson, speaking on behalf of the Exeter Cycling Campaign states there is “clearly something wrong with either the design of this junction or the way people negotiate it”. Simon Colton who lives a stones throw away from the roundabout agrees with this view. The Devon County Council have confirmed that work is underway to improve the safety of the junction. By Cassia Grace and Chloe Pumares

23 JUN 2021| EXEPOSÉ

In conversation: Liv Harvey, outgoing VP Activities Bridie Adams Editor Liv Harvey, outgoing VP Activities, has been in her role for two years, having experienced life as a Sabbatical Officer both before and during the pandemic. I chatted with Liv about Get Connected, virtual events, her advice for running a society post-COVID-19 and what she has achieved in her time working for the Guild. É: What was it that inspired you to first run for VP Activities way back in 2019? L: I think one thing that I really wanted to come into the role and try and change was just making it as easy and accessible as possible for students to get involved in society activity based on the experiences that I had. I talk about being on Footlights committee way more than I talk about my degree, so it just felt really like an incredible opportunity to be able to call that my job, supporting those societies that have given so much to me. That’s why I ran. É: You’ve experienced both prepandemic and COVID-19 restrictions in your time in the role. Was there a difference in how big the workload was or how high the stress levels were? L: Surprisingly the workload massively increased and I was finding myself doing double the amount of meetings a day. What the pandemic meant was obviously I was the VP Activities with no activity but it meant that we had to pour our efforts into supporting societies in delivering virtual activity and putting on more activity ourselves. A good thing, though, was it meant that I got involved in projects that I ordinarily wouldn’t have got involved in. Some VP Activities around the country got furloughed which is bizarre to me because I ended up doing so much more and my role felt so much more important than it did last year, so it got a lot more hectic! É: You mentioned that you ended up doing things you wouldn’t ordinarily have done. What was that experience like? Did you enjoy doing things you wouldn’t normally do? L: I found it really challenging, actually. Probably the most challenging thing I did was I chaired the board that sold our commercial offering. I had no prior experience of chairing a board of that kind of scale between the University and the Students’ Guild, and I wasn’t super confident on commercial stuff in general. I’ve never really dealt with anything like that or how sale trans-

fer works from one organisation to tive. I think we’ll definitely continue another, so obviously I had huge doing virtual events now and again amounts of support from the Guild and live-streaming events and that team with the logistics of that. It was kind of thing to make it as successquite a big thing that we were doing. ful as possible for people who don’t I think it was mainly challenging but want to come onto campus or can’t. also really great because I now have É: Do you have a favourite out some experience and things that I of all of the Get Connected events? can talk about. I massively grew in L: We run a mind reading and confidence throughout those meet- magic night with a guy called Chris ings and I think I actually cried after Reads Minds. We really wanted to the first one because I was just so bring something different in and his nervous and felt like I was so under event is always really popular with qualified. As we kept going through, students, so that’s definitely my faI gained a lot of confidence. vourite. É: Is there anything you would É: Did you achieve most of do differently if you could restart this what you set out to achieve in the year? role? L: We could’ve got Get ConL: This year it felt completely nected out sooner. I think that okay to actually throw my manifesto would’ve been one thing, and just out the window and do all the things trying to communicate better with that are important to students right students as well. We now. When the bomb Guild found it really went off, we were Image: Exeter Students’ hard belooking after the students who were

cause students were getting really frustrated that we couldn’t tell them when they’d be able to do their next in-person event but we didn’t know, so there was very little we could do really. É: How popular has Get Connected been with students? Have you found that because there’s been nothing happening in-person that it’s gone down well? L: It’s been a real mix actually. We had a comedy night that was led by Abbi Clarke, and we had about 200 people on that which was incredible. Equally, we’ve run an Among Us game social where two people have turned up and it’s just been me and two other people, but that’s been fine! I’ve had a great time getting to know students individually. We’ve had one particular postgraduate student and she attended one of our mind reading and magic evenings, and she was just sat at her table with her family, having a curry and watching it. She was saying that she probably would never have got involved in any Students’ Guild events if they’d been in-person and on campus, so for that reason it’s been really posi-

displaced by the bomb and putting on virtual events for them, and all of that sort of thing. The one thing I really wanted to do was busking zones. I really wanted to get one of those inside or outside of the Forum. Students could scan a QR code, book onto it and then individuals or groups like Campus Bands could just perform there. I have managed to make some progress on that with the University so hopefully that will happen. I think things that I maybe wanted to progress on and haven’t as much as I wish I had done are society training and that kind of thing. É: How has the delay in easing restrictions affected society events? L: I think in comparison to the position that we were in before with societies not being able to do anything, it’s not massively impacted us. Obviously it means that the rule of 30 is still outside and that kind of thing, but societies have adapted really well to having to do, for example, rehearsals outside. I walked past Queen’s yesterday and the Shakespeare Society were doing a rehearsal and that was so lovely to see, so I don’t think societies are going to be too impacted by that month delay.

É: In regards to societies going dormant, do you think COVID-19 has significantly put people off running for committee positions or do you think it’s just timing at the end of the year? L: We’re usually in a similar position at this time of the year anyway but, that being said, Coronavirus is obviously going to have impacted it. Most societies have continued doing stuff but obviously it’s been online and some students haven’t wanted to get involved as much as they usually would’ve done, so I think that’s definitely impacted people running. É: Do you have any advice for societies running post-COVID-19? L: My advice would be to focus on how to promote and publicise to members, whether that’s in-person events or just increasing social media presence and that kind of thing. É: From a different angle, is there any advice you’d give the incoming Sabbatical Officers, specifically VP Opportunities? L: I think the first thing that comes into my head is to absolutely make the most of it, but on the flip side of that I think my other top tip would be to not be afraid to say no to things. É: Could you go over what the change in role from Activities to Opportunities actually means, and what that means for societies as well? L: The main reason we changed it was to make the role less operational. I would get a lot of students messaging me saying, “Why hasn’t my risk assessment been approved?” and that’s not something that I do - I don’t have access to that system. I’m not involved in those operational aspects so by changing it to Opportunities, we were hoping it would detract from those operational bits a little bit so the focus is more on the strategic stuff. Also, the main change for all of the roles is that they’re more portfolio-based now. I think it should be a good change. É: What are you planning to do next? L: I’ve got a job at a charity in Reading called Creating Better Futures, and I will be their marketing and fundraising coordinator. I’ll be taking up the role full-time and they’re a really wonderful charity who support vulnerable children in Zimbabwe, but that’s not a super long-term plan for me. I decided to do the role because I didn’t have much experience in marketing and fundraising and I wanted to gain experience in it but my absolute dream is to be involved in the production side of theatre.

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23 JUN 2021| EXEPOSÉ

Comment

GUEST COMMENT EDITOR:

Cassia Grace

Shut up and dance

Ellie Down 2nd year Classical Studies

S June 21 approached, there was one thing on everyone’s minds: clubs. Initially we were promised that clubs in the UK would be reopening just as they were prior to COVID-19 on 21 June. For many people, especially the younger demographic this date had been a glimmer of hope throughout the last lockdown and I am certain that many would have been counting down the days till they could go on a proper night out once again.

A whole cohort of drunk students sounds like a disaster to me The prospect of getting to dance the night away in one of my favourite clubs is beyond exciting. I think the moment we are able to do that again,

it will feel as though life is going back to normal. Personally, I would say that this is why everyone was getting so excited for this heavily anticipated moment. I even had a ticket booked for 25 June which myself and all my friends had been looking forward to for months. However, on 14 June Boris Johnson made an announcement that the re-opening of clubs would be pushed back until 19 June. Clubs are almost certainly one of the worst breeding grounds for viruses such as COVID-19. A whole cohort of young drunk sweaty people who are rubbing up next to each other too drunk to remember any form of sanitation sounds like a recipe for disaster to me. Although, the rate of COVID-19 is decreasing in the UK I never felt as though we were ready to take the next leap back into pre-COVID-19 society. I was always dubious as to whether the original plans would go ahead as intended. Clearly the Government agree with this. I know I am not alone

spiked as a consequence. It feels pessimistic to be saying this as there is nothing, I would love more than to be able to go on another drunken club night out with my friends. I have missed dancing all night in the Fever cheese room and actually being allowed to talk to everyone I meet. Although, sit down events are fun, I think we can all admit they just aren’t the same.

I do, however, think the Government made the right choice. I know that so many people will be incredibly disappointed, but what’s one more month of waiting after almost a year and a half. As soon as dance floors do re-open spirits will be high and liquor will be flowing. I cannot wait for that day. I am telling you now, I will be there dancing my heart out in the club!

Image: University of Exeter

Hot girl summer Previous terms such as ‘beach body ready’ ( w h i c h , although actively dismantled, still leave a sour taste in the mouth of many facing still-present body shaming). The idea that summer bodies are made in the winter, has shifted to focusing on your mental state and approach to summer as opposed to what shape your body is in at the time. Having a ‘bikini body’ versus

Amber Hogan 2nd year English

HE title of Megan Thee S t a l l i o n’s 2019 hit song ‘Hot Girl Summer’ was adopted by social media and became a term used to identify an intention and mood for the summer of 2021- for the months to be spent living as your best self. To hype up your friends, turn your back to limitation and judgement and be unapologetically you, whatever that looks like, and love yourself whilst doing it. Liberation is at the core of this movement, no matter what that looks like for the individual. Although already its becoming ironic and has been mis-used for some cringe-worthy branding, the fundamental principal is an important and refreshing one. The term inspires an attitude uninhibited by how you’re judged or perceived.

when I say that I am a little bit anxious about life going back to normal. It feels as though we have only just settled down and we are rushing into it too quickly. I think to a certain extent we saw this last August when it was as though the world forgot about COVID-19 for a moment. People were going on holiday and enjoying bars as though it were normal life, but all that happened was that numbers

It’s an attitude, not a type of person

Image: Pixabay

a ‘Hot Girl Summer’ summons two very different ideas - one is defined by the ability to fit strict externally set standards, whilst the other evokes an image of someone that’s confident, owns their choices and can happily look, sound and act in any way that’s self-fulfilling, whilst wearing what they want. ‘Hot Girl’ may seem an

initially excluding term but online

Concerns seem misplaced at best and sexist at worst communities seem to preach that it’s an attitude, not a type of person. It expands into a fun summer, with self-definition at it’s very core. Backlash to the phrase includes some people using it as an excuse for slut-shaming, but considering it’s all about people having their own agency, these concerns seem misplaced at best and sexist at worst. It has as little or as much to do with being in a committed relationship, flirting and going out, or embracing a single lifestyle as you want it to. The term is less so about what you do and more about how you do it. Has the pandemic cancelled ‘Hot Girl Summer’? For those that get their social charge from heading out, it’ll likely be a limiting

factor. This term reinforces the individual’s ability to have a powerfully fun time this summer despite the hardships of the year. With many people still unable to confirm plans or having to cancel on beloved summer pastimes, this term which sparks hope and excitement into a difficult time has been well received.

COMMENT

Bryony Gooch 3rd Year English

HEN I think of graduating, I think of Marina Keegan. Marina Keegan was a writer at Yale University. In 2012, a few months before she graduated, she wrote an essay called ‘The Opposite of Loneliness’ which received 1.4 million views in 98 different countries. She graduated magna cum laude with a job at The New Yorker lined up immediately after graduation. Five days after graduation she tragically died in a car crash. The story has stuck with me ever since I first heard it after GCSE results day. It resonates with me so much now because she too was a 22-year-old writer with her entire life ahead of her; she wrote in a sort of Ephron-esque way about Yale and love, friendship and empathy, privilege and responsibility. Her life was taken away just as things were coming to fruition. As we come out of COVIDrestrictions, there is this sense that everything could be okay and we could move forward but there is also the chance things could go wrong. There is no sense of narrative justice in the world.

We’re so young. We’re so young. We’re twentytwo years old. We have so much time.

Image: George Clark

21 JUN 2021| EXEPOSÉ

The ex-editorial

As I lie in the brutal Exeter sun, tanning with my friends, I feel this one line of Marina’s essay fervently in my mind: “We’re so young. We’re so young. We’re twenty-two years old. We have so much time.” This year in lockdown was more isolating than ever before. Where Marina Keegan wrote of Yale as the opposite of loneliness, this year felt antithetical to that. It was not a normal university experience. People lost family members and friends, and we began to re-evaluate our values as a society. We began to re-evaluate what it means to come to university. In some ways we were united as a student body in this sense of struggle, in other ways we have never been more divided both geographically and ideologically. As my time at Exeter comes to an end, I can’t help but reflect not only on this past year, but on how strange the past three years have been. I remember the first time I came to Streatham campus on an open day, and how big and crowded it felt. The hills felt steeper, I felt smaller and less sure of myself. Now, three years, two strikes and a global pandemic later, I now go to campus and it is empty - as it has been for a lot of this year - and it feels smaller. Or perhaps I feel bigger. I still have three more assignments due, having deferred them due to mental health - so I feel like I still have a foot in the doorway, yet it feels like the right time to leave Exeter. Somehow, during the pandemic, I think I learned more from my experience as a student

Image: Bryony Gooch

than I would have in a normal year. You come to university with the impression that while you were once a big fish in a small pond, you are now a small fish in an ocean. The truth is Exeter is less of an ocean and more of a training pool. It’s a way to play adult in first year you are spoon-fed the basics of not having to rely on family; the banalities of laundry and washing up haunt you at 2AM. You realise you need to re-establish a support network for yourself. In second year you come out of halls into private renting and a whole new uncomfortable power dynamic is revealed; all of a sudden you realise that you have bills to pay, a house to upkeep, and a £500 deposit to retrieve from your landlord. By third year, the notion of job hunting and the final frontier is thrown into the mix: you recognise your time here was fleeting and you are nearing the end of the road. What do you want to do next? Where do you fit into society? What can you do with your degree? These are all questions you ask yourself as you try to make the most of the time you have left with your friends. Yet it is deceptively easy to make friends at university. We don’t like to admit it, but we are united in our loneliness, whether you are surrounded by like-minded individuals or a sea of strangers. I think it is because of this sense of alienation that actually, you find people want to be friends with everyone. You become a lot less picky about who you associate with and find yourself drinking with people you have absolutely no interest in, purely because it is something to do. Yes, maybe this year as a Fresher it was harder to meet new people, but I heard stories of student flats bonded - whether in a sense of frustration or cabin fever - by a

sense of community.

We don’t like to admit it but we are all united in our loneliness

When I was in first year, a third year student told me: “you will spend the rest of your university experience trying to lose the friends you made in first year.” I sat there, surrounded by a gaggle of people I had accumulated thinking I would be the exception. Yet here I am, about to graduate, mourning the friendships that didn’t last the three years for whatever reason. But what I really learned from this - from the anguish of losing friends, of having to cut people off - is that you should trust your instincts. I caught myself ignoring my gut instincts and it came at a cost. It’s a reminder that not everyone will be in your life always and forever. As such, university was not just an intellectual test. I thought I would leave Exeter feeling completely educated

in my field of choice, a well-rounded individual, yet all I feel confident in is the fact that I know nothing. But I feel completely comfortable with that. It is easy to approach this final frontier, blocked by a mortar board, and feel as though the world is ending just as it is beginning. Especially coming out of a global pandemic into a volatile job market. Maybe I will get accepted onto the Masters course of my dreams and lead a successful life as a writer. Maybe I will stumble out of the blocks unsure of where to go next. Maybe I will die in a car crash. After a year of uncertainty, I know nothing of the future. But as Marina Keegan once said in her poem ‘Bygones’: “So I went to Yale. So I got the good grades. So we beat on birds flocking south until we circle round and realise maybe - maybe all that running wasn’t worth it. Or the snow comes, and the sun rises, and the vacuum starts. And I cry because everything is so beautiful and so short.”

Image: Bryony Gooch

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23 JUN 2021| EXEPOSÉ

Features

GUEST FEATURES EDITOR:

Lucy Aylmer

Tax and logic at the G7

John Walter discusses how the G7 are tackling tax loopholes used by ‘big tech’

N 5 June, finance ministers from the seven largest economies of the Western world reached a deal for the taxing of multinational corporations, making it more difficult for them to avoid tax. As the UK is the current G7 President (decided on a rotational basis), they met in London and the meeting preceded the main G7 summit in Cornwall. Under current rules, multinational corporations pay taxes where they are based, rather than where their profits come from. As a result, they can set up branches in countries with lower rates of corporation tax to reduce their tax payments or avoid it altogether. Completely legal, this means that money is siphoned to offshore havens where the government cannot tax it. It is cited as a historic agreement, with US Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen saying beforehand that she wanted to halt the “race to the bottom” on taxation since the 1980s. The measures of the agreement itself consist of two pillars. The first requires large multinational companies with a profit

margin of 10 per cent or more to pay taxes on 20 per cent of their profits above this margin. The second pillar is a 15 per cent minimum corporate tax rate, which the ministers think will remove incentives for companies to register their profits in tax havens with lower or non-existent corporate tax rates. This is particularly aimed at ‘Big Tech’ companies such as Amazon, Facebook and Google, which have avoided paying tax in many areas in which they operate. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) estimated that changes might make $81bn in extra tax revenues, although it is unclear exactly how much the final measures might yield. Interestingly, under the current rules, Amazon might be exempt from pillar one as its profit margin in 2020 was only 6.3 per cent. It is expected that countries including the UK and European Union (EU) will push to widen the criteria of pillar one to include Amazon, whilst other countries want to enforce higher rates of tax.

This area of policy has been developing for some time, with increasing attempts to force multinationals to pay taxes. This is especially true in the EU, where the European Commission has been involved in a number of unsuccessful legal battles over the issue. For example, in September last year, the European Commission planned to appeal against the EU General Court’s rejection of their claims that Apple had broken tax rules in Ireland. They had argued that Apple had attributed most of its revenue from the EU to an Irish head office which only existed on paper. Similarly, in May, Amazon won a court battle over money the Commission had ordered be paid to Luxembourg, with claims of special treatment being rejected. Combined with other similar cases, these have caused increasing pressure for global agreement. France and the UK both had plans to implement unilateral taxes on technology companies, although the US wants them to withdraw these if broader agreement is reached.

COVID-19 exacerbated these tensions, as government expenditure and borrowing has soared to deal with the pandemic and shore up businesses during lockdowns. This made such an agenda increasingly urgent, as many states looked for ways to increase their revenue, particularly by closing tax loopholes for multinationals. Yet the agreement represents the culmination of a host of other domestic and foreign policy interests. For the Biden administration, a global minimum tax is an important part of his economic agenda, and he will be hoping this consensus provides him with greater domestic support for his $1.9 trillion infrastructure plan. In terms of foreign policy, it forms part of his attempt to demonstrate that America is back on the global stage after the relative isolationism of the Trump years. For Germany, France and Italy, the agreement will be seen as a show of unity to the other member states. In particular, it will be aimed at those with low corporate tax rates such as Ireland, Hungary and Cyprus, with the intention of creating a more unified

tax infrastructure across the bloc. The collective statement here might pressure other EU countries to agree to changes. The UK Government’s desire for an agreement was also partly driven by the idea of ‘Global Britain’ as a concept of post-Brexit foreign policy and this consensus will be viewed as a show of Britain’s relevance in global affairs Above all, the agreement represents part of an attempt to show a unified alliance of Western democracies, in the face of economic and political challenges, particularly from China. However, this is only the first step. Whilst undoubtedly a major triumph, these measures will require many more nations to sign up before they have a significant impact. Subject to negotiation, they could only be implemented years from now, if at all. The next big test is the G20 summit in July, to be held in Venice. Even if an agreement is reached here, there must be a truly global consensus for it to have a real effect.

Image: Wikicommons, 401(K) 2012, Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Twitter

23 JUNE 2021 | EXEPOSÉ

Deal with the devil

FEATURES

Isaac Bettridge, Online Features Editor, looks into the nature of NHS contracts during the pandemic

T has been revealed that dodgy contracts between the NHS and various tech firms were maintained in response to the pandemic. In turn, this has posed a significant threat to privacy infringement. One firm that has found itself in hot water was Plantir, a CIA-backed firm that has long been persistent in lobbying the UK and NHS officials, which this time successfully culminated over dinner and watermelon cocktails. Clearly a contract courtship was taking shape. According to Hallborg, privacy "is the right not to be observed". This right to privacy was sidestepped by Plantir whose contract with the NHS enabled exclusive access to patient medical data which was used beyond COVID-19 and deployed for Brexit and general business planning, according to reports. Plantir specialises in analysing large volumes of data which, according to the BBC, "provides useful insights, patterns and connections". Plantir aimed to help the NHS efficiently respond and prepare for unexpected circumstances within the pandemic response unit. Initially, the contract between Plantir and the NHS was a short-term emergency partnership to help predict

and deploy resources. However, this contract went far beyond its short-term proposition and as of December, was still firmly in place. It seems that not only did the contract extend its temporal boundaries but also its purpose too. This diversion of data went against Plantir’s initial contractual obligations and posed a threat to patient privacy because tech firms have been allowed to profit from sensitive medical data without the public having a say. Privacy infringement is a dangerous ground to tread as it limits people’s free will through large companies influencing behavioural patterns and decision-making processes through harvesting sensitive patient data. Whilst data collection can be an effective way to respond to trends and patterns it must not override scrupulous checks and balances to ensure that patients understand where their data is being stored and how it is remodelled. Indeed, Plantir was not the only company with significant involvement in lucrative data deals; Amazon was

given access to healthcare information (excluding patient data) collected by the NHS. This was in order to allow Amazon Alexa to offer trusted health advice and ease pressure off GPs and pharmacists. However, this provided Amazon with access to ‘information on symptoms, causes and definitions of conditions’. From here, Amazon was able to create new products, services and applications to suit consumer requirements in order to enable a more focused and targeted shopping experience. Is it right that multinational companies become the main beneficiaries of private data? Should big tech giants have so much access to our private data in the first place? Enabling access to large volumes of data can allow monopolies to formulate as Amazon has amalgamated greater power within the market through

obtaining a stronger influence over consumer demands and preferences. Larger monopolies kill competition and sever free market influence that encourages diversity and innovation through healthy competition. Some argue that these kinds of monopolies are not sustainable and instead pander to corporate interests and prioritise billion-dollar companies at the expense of private patient data. Worryingly, most people lack concern for how their data is collected, stored and sold to powerful multinationals. Indeed, a study by the IT Portal found that more than two thirds of adults in the UK were unaware of how much data storage "they have in the cloud or on mobile devices" and almost a third stated they were indifferent on where their personal data is stored. This research illustrates that people are unaware of the importance of their personal data. As such, these companies can exploit the general public’s naivety

over data security in exchange for profitable contracts. Whilst individuals should be wary of how their data is harvested and manipulated, data should be recognised as a vital asset that should be used with caution. Companies and governments should not shy away from using data but instead, and rather fundamentally, they should inform people where the data is going and how it is stored in order to protect privacy. Data has played an important role in the twentieth century and has substantially contributed to the development of pioneering technology like artificial intelligence systems. This has seen improvements in business productivity and medical advancements too. In this sense, data should be nurtured not manipulated. Clearly, the NHS knew it was in hot water all along. Open Democracy, the online news outlet, decided to sue the British Government’s NHS data deal with Plantir and were victorious. They won their lawsuit, and the NHS suspended their contract with Plantir. This is just the start of an uphill battle against big data and the rise of monopolising tech giants.

Run for the border

Lucy Aylmer, Deputy Editor, weighs up the government advice for travelling abroad

UCH like its approach to the entirety of the pandemic, the Government’s policy towards holidays and foreign travel has been confusing, incoherent and detrimental to the wider goal of pandemic control and economic recovery. Though anchored in an understandable desire to balance COVID -19 safety with revitalising the tourist industry and catering to stir-crazy British holiday-makers, the "traffic light" systemwhereby countries are divided into "green" (safe to travel), "amber" (travel discouraged but allowed for essential reasons) and "red" (do not travel for any reason) - has been accused of being both unnecessarily vague about where people should or shouldn’t go. For example, ministers have regularly appeared on TV advising people not to travel to amber list countries, leading many to ask why we don’t simply have only two categories of "go" or "don’t go". The recent importation of the Delta Variant came after ministers delayed putting India on the red list three weeks after redlisting the less badly hit Pakistan and Bangladesh. This allowed hundreds of flights from India to come into the country, and has clearly demonstrated that the current

system is not working. Why is holiday policy important, why does the current system operate the way it does and how might it change in the future?

The policy towards travel has been confusing, incoherent and detrimental Perhaps the most common unifying factor among the countries who have had the most successful pandemic response has been border control - closing down borders, quarantining arrivals and preventing the importation of fresh outbreaks or variants. For example, Australia, which has had around 30,000 cases and 900 deaths compared to Britain’s four and a half million cases and 150,000 deaths, closed its borders to all non-residents in March 2020, and operates a strict two-week hotel quarantine for all new arrivals. Australia also recently announced it intends to continue the "Fortress Australia" policy until mid-2022. The UK, by contrast, kept its borders open throughout the entirety of the first lockdown and last summer (many scientists have blamed this for contributing

to the autumn and winter resurgence, with British tourists re-importing the virus from Spain or Greece). It also only introduced a hotel quarantine policy in February this year - which has not been as strict as that operated in other countries - and has only required it for red-list countries, unlike most other nations which have made the quarantine mandatory for all arrivals. The introduction of this policy and the "traffic light" system mark a shift in government thinking from last year, when it set up individual "travel corridors" with popular tourist destinations such as Greece and Spain. This reflects a shift in government thinking aiming to appear tougher on COVID-19 and prevent future outbreaks. This shift is certainly commendable, but many scientists have criticised the current policy as being overly lax and full of holes, as evidenced by the furore over the Delta Variant: the traffic light system was specifically meant to prevent the importation of dangerous variants from at-risk countries but has pointedly failed to do so, and now that Portugal has been taken off the green list as well there are no longer any real viable options for British holidaymakers to visit. The current system, as it stands,

seems rather inadequate, not following the science but also not opening up tourism and the economy to any significant extent. Government statements make it seem likely that it will remain in place for a while. Therefore, what does this mean for us, for the summer, and for the foreseeable future? One big idea to bring back tourism is the introduction of "vaccine passports", certification that one has been fully vaccinated and therefore is at minimal risk of catching or transmitting the virus. Official opinion on this has zig-zagged over the past few months, with many decrying it as an infringement on civil liberties and unfair to the millions of young people who have not yet had the chance to be vaccinated. Others point out that similar systems already exist for illnesses such as malaria and argue the economic benefits outweigh the potential costs. Regardless of how this argument goes, I personally do not see a foreign holiday as a viable prospect until next year, so those seeking to get away

should find somewhere to visit within the UK. In doing so this would help revitalise the struggling hospitality sector, and besides the ‘good citizen’ incentive there are many underappreciated beauty spots in the UK that could do with an infusion of cash. Until the virus situation improves here and abroad, we should forget about foreign holidays and enjoy our own country.

Image: Geograph

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Image: Northcott Theatre

summer cocktail recipes

interview with northcott theatre

18 Image: Flickr

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LGBT ARTISTS IN METAL, COUNTRY & HIP-HOP

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REPRESENTATION MATTERS

study break

14 - 15

17 - 18

21 - 22

25 - 26

LIFESTYLE EDITOR Bridie Adams

ARTS + LIT EDITOR Ella Minty

MUSIC EDITOR Harry Hawkins

SCREEN EDITORS Archie Lockyer Francesca Sylph

STUDY BREAK Puzzles by Matthew and George 23 JUN 2021 | EXEPOSÉ

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Summer cocktails for the sunny weather

P O M E G R A N AT E G I N

H, the cocktail! How could you not love the sweet, half juice, half alcoholic ambrosia? Being spotted in many a beer garden, or, even better, in multiple rounds when passing by delighted groups of six in full swing of a bottomless brunch, its arrival heralds the start of summer. After a year of quarantines and social distance measures, I am not exaggerating when I say the sight of such merriment brings a tear to my eye. Introducing my very own Pomegranate Gin Sling: a pleasing jumble of words I assembled, revealing the two main ingredients. This, with a bit of lemonade, completes the drink. Okay, perhaps there isn’t too much to it (it is stirred, not shaken – which both further simplifies the preparation process, as well as robbing me of using the iconic quote), but let me tell you the secret that makes it the favourite of our house; the giant spherical ice cube containing pomegranate juice seeds. When it melts, it does not dilute the sweetness of the cocktail and leaves you with a drink that looks like it could be straight from The Terrace’s menu. What did it cost me? A £12.99 icetray from Amazon and a stroke of

genius at 3AM the morning before my student Come Dine with Me night. Needless to say, I won. I think I would make an excellent mixologist – maybe it is not too late to change careers and share this amazing drink with the world!

JAZZY GIN AND TONIC

RE you bored of the G&T? Probably not, but it is nice to branch out and try something new. The beauty of a G&T is in its ease: little mess, barely any ingredients and quietly refreshing as the sun

Ingredients: 50ml dry gin (I use Edinburgh) Tonic water (I use Schweppes) 4 dashes Angostura Bitters Orange to garnish

Ingredients: 25 ml gin 25 ml pomegranate juice 100 ml lemonade 1 wedge lime

Method: 1. Keep it simple. Put as much ice as possible into an Old Fashioned glass. 2. Add all of the ingredients and mix. 3. Add a dash of gin at the end to taste - more if it's been a long day.

Method: 1. Fill an ice-cube tray with water and pomegranate seeds. Leave to freeze overnight or until solid. Place ice cubes in a small glass. 2. Pour in gin, pomegranate juice, and lemonade. 3. Stir. 4. Garnish with lime and serve to friends, family or enjoy a good fewglassesyourself!You've earned it. Yasmeen Louis Image: Georgia Balmer

SPICY COSMO Image: Georgia Balmer

could substitute the tequila for vodka to be slightly more traditional, but after this year, why would you?

Method: 1. Start by making a simple syrup. Put the caster sugar and water into a small pan over a medium heat. Add one sliced chilli pepper. Let the sugar dissolve for around a minute and then let the syrup stand for around 20 minutes before straining. 2. Rim a cocktail glass in leftover lime juice and roll the rim in sugar. 3. Add the syrup, tequila and cranberry juice to a cocktail shaker and shake with ice. Strain if you're aiming to please, but few will notice slight impurities after a few rounds. Enjoy responsibly!

Image: @good_citizen (Unsplash)

Georgia Balmer

I F YO U ' D R AT H E R G O O U T. . .

ON'T have the patience to mix up a drink yourself? Or would you prefer to try out one of Exeter's local bars? Either way, we've got a few recommendations for you!

Cosy Club Cosy Club is a classic choice. With plenty of food options to choose from and a comfortable, homely feel, Cosy Club is great for a more laidback evening out.

The Monkey Suit With a great mix of drinks on offer, The Monkey Suit is a brilliant location to sit back and enjoy a cocktail with friends. Often there is live music on offer, which also makes for an exciting night out.

Ingredients: 45 ml tequila 200g sugar 150ml water 1 sliced chilli pepper 30ml cranberry juice 10ml freshly squeezed lime juice

EQUILA always reminds me of summer. Although tequila and memory are very rarely friends, few spirits taste so much of my, quite frankly vague, memories of scorching hot sand, swaying palm trees and being anywhere but here. As we are most likely grounded in Old Blighty this year, this Spicy Cosmopolitan is probably as close as most of us will get to a truly exotic summer. You

starts to go down before the real fun begins. However, there is more fun to be had than just gin with tonic water, so take this recipe as a nudge to upgrade!

Image: Neil Owen

Artigiano Espresso & Wine Bar Situated in the town centre with plenty of tables outside, this is a convienient option for anyone who wants to head out for some fancy drinks before downing some slightly less fancy drinks in Timepiece.

Image: Cosy Club

Absurd Bird Absurd Bird is an underrated option for food and drinks, especially if you like chicken and fancy going somewhere other than Nando's. Absurd Bird excels where Nando's falls down the alcoholic drinks menu! The Terrace A more expensive option, with a wide range of cocktails including a pornstar martini tree! Bridie Adams, Editor

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Punk-Croc or Croc-bottom? Lifestyle writers give their verdict on whether Crocs bite or if their critics are just salty

ISTORICALLY, Crocs haven’t been known as cool but as the resurgence of alternative and expressive fashion has proven, isn’t true style all about wearing what makes you happy? Particularly as summer rolls around the corner, Crocs could just take all kinds of outfits to the next level if you’re willing to give them a chance. They come in every colour of the rainbow (including tie dye!) and are customisable with all different kinds of quirky Jibbitz (accessories) so you can really express yourself. This is without mentioning that they are probably the most comfortable footwear on the market – so whether you’re wearing them to the beach or

to brunch, you’re guaranteed a painfree (and eye-catching) experience. If all that wasn’t enough, celebs like Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber and Miley Cyrus have all been pictured in them, so surely they’re good enough for us mere mortals! Sienna Fox White

S an avid follower of the latest fashion trends, I am no stranger to purchasing odd, but currently ‘in’, wardrobe pieces. However, Crocs are where I firmly draw the line. It is not that they do not have their purpose: children under the age of seven, geriatrics taking up gardening in retirement homes, and nurses in hospital scrubs. These are the initial and ultimately the only acceptable suggestions that come to mind for the dreaded Croc. Crocs are the Comic Sans of the shoe world, jarring, brutish in their wide fit and oddly indecisive on whether they are a scandal or a plastic impression of Swiss cheese. They are made of waterproof material, but their

huge gaping holes make it look like someone has aggressively taken a hole-punch to them, rendering them useless for proper protection. This flaw also makes them an odd choice for the beach, unless the owner is desiring tan lines resembling dalmation spots. I get the initial appeal. I myself had a pair of Crocs – two, actually – and at age five I thought they were the best thing money could buy. However, I am no longer five and now that I am earning my own money, the novelty has worn off. I am especially put off by the extortionate price of these monstrosities. This is perhaps my greatest objection to the Croc; disregarding all its other faults, a pair with Jibbitz could set you back £70 or more. If you think I am going to fork out that much money on what is really just an ugly and incompetent version of a clog, you are sorely mistaken. 'Crocs, Inc.' will not be making an appearance on my debit card payment history this summer. What an embarrassment of a shoe! That being said – if the CEO of Crocs is reading this, wanting to offer me a paid brand ambassador contract with the company, I will happily retract this statement. After all, summer is getting closer and who am I to turn down a grad job? Yasmeen Louis

H E R E ' S W H AT YO U S A I D We asked for the opinions of our writers and editors: are you team punk-Croc or Croc-bottom?

Croc-bottom

57%

PUNK-CROC

43%

Cassia Grace, Deputy Editor

Oliver Leader De Saxe, Editor

Chloe Pumares, Deputy Editor Images (top to bottom): Crocs, David Chidester, Tom Fricker

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Pride Month Book Reviews Arts + Lit writers review their favourite books in celebration of Pride Month

Untamed Glennon Doyle

RITTEN autobiographically, Doyle shows us how to unpick our people pleasing tendencies in a world that constantly tells us who we should be and to shrink ourselves down to be as digestable as possible. Through anecdotes about her struggles with addiction, Glennon is an example of how we can change our lives for the better if we set our minds to it. After discovering her husband’s infidelity, Glennon is persuaded to continue her tour, promoting a book that is supposed to encapsulate “the perfect marriage’”. During this tour, Glennon meets Abby and begins undoing all that society has taught her to be – “now that we don’t have to be good, we can be free”. Slandered within the Christian community for being open about her new partner, Doyle is a breath of fresh air, understanding her identity and the importance of raising her children to honour their own truth in a way that she had never felt able to convey. Doyle’s story is inspiring; it seems as though there is nothing she hasn’t been able to overcome, and through her story, she gives readers the sense that they can do the same.

Leah Frape

Call Me By Your Name André Aciman

HE novel is a beautiful rendering of sun drenched first love, exploration and discovery in 1980s Italy, recently made mainstream with the help of the film adaptation featuring Timothée Chalamet and the eponymously titled song by Lil Nas X, ‘Call Me By Your Name’. This is a story that depicts a budding entanglement between 17-year-old Italian-American Jewish boy Elio and 24-year-old summer house lodger Oliver. Whilst the pace of the book initially feels slow, it soon picks up as this intellectually rooted friendship develops into something more at the family’s cliffside villa. The heat of summer is almost representative of their relationship as the novel picks up speed, but also reminds the reader of how fleeting seasons and romance can be, especially in an era that does not support non-heteronormative intimacy. Aciman is able to encapsulate the grip that even a short-term relationship can have upon us in years to come. The novel is beautifully rejective of cliché romantic stereotypes, in favour of a style of storytelling that captures the broken, brutal moments of a love and a book that will stay with you far beyond its ending. Leah Frape

Maurice E.M. Forster

HE novel is a classic originally written in 1913-1914, but subsequently published at least 60 years later, posthumously. This is mainly on account of its exploration of same sex attraction between the two main characters, during a time in Britain where homosexuality was still illegal. However, this is a novel that goes beyond a simple homosexual love story; it also explores themes such as class, society and morality, self-acceptance and, most importantly, what makes us naturally human. Maurice meets Clive at Cambridge University; they eventually pursue a romantic relationship which falls apart after Clive, upon falling ill, rejects his homosexual attractions. Despite this, the story does have a happy ending; Forster dedicated the book to “a happier year”, which highlights Forster’s hope that better days were to come for people within the LGBTQ+ community. Maurice was, without doubt, a novel ahead of its time. Poetic and evocative, it is a novel that at its heart is about love, loss, and personal discovery. It is deeply personal and moving and argues for acceptance and toleration of all that makes us diversely human.

Amy Douglas

I’ll Give You The Sun Jandy Nelson

HIS book tells the story of once inseparable twins Jude and Noah, whose lives are torn apart by tragedy. Both Jude and Noah are falling for boys they can’t have; Noah, confused, initially rejects his feelings towards his love interest Brian, however as the story progresses, we see Noah start to own his queer identity. The story is centred around art and creation; Jude creates stone sculptures, and Noah draws. The pages, splattered with ink, with the charcoal smudges resembling Noah’s sketchbook, are a constant reminder that art is at the core of this story. Refreshingly, Noah’s homosexuality and his relationship with Brian, which is a sub plot in this complicated novel, is respected by all characters in the novel as Noah struggles to come to terms with his identity. The novel explores different kinds of love, both platonic and romantic, however what is important about this novel is its ability to tackle hard-hitting topics, which are explored well and complimented by comical moments. You’ll experience a whirlwind of emotions whilst reading but the ending of this novel gives hope that even in the darkest times, you will be able to enjoy life once more. Ella Minty, Arts + Lit Editor

Images (L to R): The Dial Press, Topher McCulloch, Flickr, Richard Ainslie, School Library, flickr

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EDITORS: Ella Minty

23 JUNE 2021 |

The show goes on

Cassia Grace, Deputy Editor, interviews Exeter’s largest theatre about its post-pandemic future

S an avid theatre goer with a slightly unhealthy musicals obsession, COVID-19 has filled my life with endless ticket refunds and cancellations and generally made me a very unhappy camper. I am, however, willing to admit that my upset at the closure of theatre was perhaps overshadowed somewhat by the plight of the industry itself and those whose lives depend on its success. The past 18 months have for them been the world’s worst obstacle course; a very un-fun ‘total wipeout’ if you will. After such a difficult year, I was expecting my conversation with Kelly, marketing manager of the Northcott Theatre, to be a very sombre and serious affair. Instead, her enthusiasm and optimism have given me hope that local theatre will return with a flourish. Despite the long list of problems that COVID-19 will continue to create; Northcott may require further government support if the roadmap to freedom continues to lengthen and there will be “fewer touring

productions to choose from”, it was made abundantly clear that profit was not the aim of the game. For those who, like me, may have believed that theatres

Image: Northcott Theatre

put profit before art, the Northcott is here to prove you wrong. The Northcott plans to

expand past the boundaries of theatre and instead support local artists and freelancers, introducing more “crosscutting projects.” Kelly also discussed the opportunity for Northcott to make their own work, such as the upcoming production of Honeyman, a “socially distanced show” produced entirely by the Northcott Theatre team. Rather than bend to the pressures of COVID and declare defeat, the Northcott is “keen to use this as a moment of change”. Kelly spoke of how the enforced break has revitalised their efforts to connect with and promote local artists, with the ‘The Time is Now Commission’ funding five incredible projects developed by lesser known and unrecognised artists. Similarly, having been forced to take their ‘Artist Development Programme’ (a series of lectures and mentor classes), online, the number of attendees in fact doubled over lockdown. Kelly says that such classes and events will “continue to take place digitally” as it allows for greater flexibility and gives people from all over the country access. Even more impressive, the introduction of live streaming, which has proven successful for big West End shows such as Everybody’s Talking About Jamie and Billy Elliot, has allowed the Northcott to connect with audiences all over the world even during lockdown, with their Christmas production of Treasure Island being viewed by 13,000 people.

Feeling summary?

Of course, uptake in tickets has varied across the country and depending on the show. Some people are more cautious to return, whereas others are champing at the bit to find themselves back in front of a stage. The Northcott has lots of measures in place to ensure audiences have the best and safest experience possible, with the hope being that “audiences should be able to relax and escape”. Temperature checks, one-way systems, clear signage and of course pre-ordering of interval drinks, have all been implemented to help events and shows run as smoothly as possible. What all of this goes to show is that, rather like Boris, the Northcott plans to ‘build back better’, making their priority the comfort of the audience. The Northcott is a reminder that theatre is not some far off dream or something only to be found in London: its position at the heart of our campus simply goes to demonstrate its importance to the community. Although it may be adapting well to such extenuating circumstances, it still needs our support. If you get the opportunity, go see a show; have a laugh, have a cry, have a coffee (if the theatre wasn’t enticement enough, the coffee is the cheapest on campus!). The Pathway to Culture Course has formed an advisory group to help the Northcott appeal to younger audiences, and Kelly is keen that this should continue. Whether an addict like me or a theatre virgin, let her know what the Northcott can do to get more students through those doors. There are some very hard working people behind them.

Kamila Bell talks blurbs and whether or not they’re being used write or wrong

AM sure we are all aware of the age-old saying “Don’t judge a book by its cover”, and to some extent, I am sure the majority of us stick to this unwritten rule. For those who do venture into picking a book up off the shelf exclusively for its cover, there is an understanding that the artwork present on the front is unlikely to encapsulate the entire plot. Either way, what this means is the place us readers often rely on for gauging whether a book is to our taste is through checking out those few summarising sentences on the back cover, also known as the blurb.

Some often keep things simple and mysterious, maybe a few words or a quote from the book itself to strike interest. Others seemingly

the content of Winterson’s books had at the time of the first publishing.

BLURBS ARE SOMEWHAT OF AN ARTFORM This can lead us to question just how many other republished books are being accurately represented through new blurbs. While I have never felt lied to, there have been times where the blurb has been misleadingly engaging and I have gone on to drag myself through 700 pages of drivel where I had felt promised by the blurb for page-turning excitement. Other times, a blurb that has felt mundane and put together with minimal effort in a rush at the end before publication has been on the back of a book that I have gone on to read in two days and rank it among my top five. Ultimately, blurbs should be an accurate synopsis of the book and should not be used by publishers

to undermine the original significance a book might have had at the time of first publication. Yet, the question arises as to how many books are ever accurately represented by those few paragraphs on the back cover.

Image: Wikimedia commons

OFTEN TIMES BLURBS FEEL MUNDANE AND MADE WITH MINIIMAL EFFORT

detail the entire plot, leaving little to the imagination about its contents. Reducing 400700 page (often more) books down into two or three captivating paragraphs is no easy task for an author or a publisher alike. Blurbs are somewhat of an artform; it wouldn’t take you long to find a reddit thread of people discussing the “Best blurbs I’ve ever read!” Opinions aside on what comes down to making a good blurb, they should at least be understood as an accurate representation of the books they are seeking to summarise. However, in a recent article by The Guardian, author Jeanette Winterson explains that she feels that republished copies of her older books are not accurately representing her works. At the time many of her works were first published, they were aiming to do something ground-breaking and different, but Winterson feels publishers today have created blurbs that appear to show her work as “the tame and the obvious”. What publishers have seemingly missed in their modern blurbs is a lack of acknowledgment for the contextual significance

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In conversation with: Wolf Alice

Oliver Leader de Saxe, Editor, sits down (virtually) with members of the band to discuss their latest LP Blue Weekend

OOM interviews are not the same as the real deal. It’s not just the stilted awkwardness that comes from attempting to connect with someone over a screen. Nor is it having to smash your head against a wall waiting for the malevolent ghost that haunts your student Wi-Fi to reconnect you after someone did a barely audible fart in the direction of the router. No, the real reason they suck is because they’re about as organic as a Maoam and no fun as a result. Now ignore all of that, because talking to Wolf Alice was an absolute blast. The purpose of this interview was, in theory, to talk about their third critically-acclaimed album Blue Weekend. In reality we spent as much time talking about rap-rock and The Beatles as we did about the mesmerizingly melancholy follow-up to their Mercury Prize-winning Visions of a Life. If rockstars are supposed to have an air of arrogance about them, then these London alt-rockers didn’t get the memo. On the call with me was Theo Ellis, the band’s bassist, and guitarist Joff Oddie, who was absent

pubs to be back open, to how he managed to cope in lockdown, including the impressive training he was doing for a marathon, it was easy to be taken aback. He was laying it on the table before we even started talking about music. “I’ve probably been drinking a little too much” he says, casually rather than confessionally. The honesty was easy to admire. That said, Theo seemed confident about the future of the band post-lockdown: “We’ve been getting back to basics with things and making stuff ourselves, y’know? Well, we always make music ourselves, but we’re being a little bit more creative with the alternative side of promotion as you don’t have big sets to do videos or photoshoots on”. This confidence seems to boil over into the music too. From the emotional and delicate ‘Lipstick On the Glass’ to the pristine melodies of ‘Delicious Things’ which dwells on feelings of alienation, Wolf Alice are at the their most emotional “It’s definitely the most tender we’ve ever been”, says Theo, though he attributed a lot of this to lead vocalist Ellie Rowsell. “I think the

This confidence isn’t just in regards to lyrical content either. Songs like the powerful piano-ballad ‘Last Man on Earth’ see the alt-rock outfit entering unfamiliar territory. Theo says as much, stating “a lot of the record is a big departure and 'Last Man' may be the most departed song on the record from anything you’d have heard us do before. I think it’s one of the songs musically, maybe not lyrically but musically, that encapsulates a lot of the album.” That isn’t to say the band don’t return to familiar ground or don’t embrace their rock’n’roll status either. ‘Play the Greatest Hits’, for example, is a rip-roaring rocker with some manic punk energy that evokes ‘Yuk Foo’ from their sophomore record, whilst the band also returns to their acoustic roots with atmospheric tracks such as ‘The Beach’ and ‘No Hard Feelings’ showing that the group are still masters of that style. This is something Theo gives Joff credit for. “He did a lot of acoustic guitar-layering; he is really amazing at that. Joff has the ability to throw a really sparkly acoustic into this waveform to bring a sparkle to it.

lie rapping over a tight syncopated drum beat and gnarly guitars. It really does raise the question: when is the Wolf Alice rap-rock mixtape dropping? “Whenever Limp Bizkit next tour”, Theo jokes, whilst Joff appears on the call to shout “bring back rap-rock”. The mid-2000s were alive and kicking on this zoom call. Joff continues, "It’s a technique Ellie has done quite a few times to be fair, but perhaps not quite in that way. We have songs where she has that stream of consciousness lyricism like ‘Don’t Delete The Kisses’ and stuff like that, but against that drum beat I can forgive you for thinking rap." Theo responds, "I mean rapping is a technique and it’s fine to use, it’s a syncopated beat, and it’s something touched on before on ‘The Wonderwhy’ on the first album. She does it quite a bit. I remember her being nervous then but she nailed it so quickly in the studio then. She has so many good lyrics that she has to get them out succinctly, quickly and in a musical form, so the only thing left to do is go full f*cking Public Enemy on it!"

from the first half of the interview in lieu of something far more important (“Sorry I’m late, I lost track of time watching Queen videos”). Yet Theo was more than forthright enough to carry that first leg of the call. From talking about how good it was for the

more personal and emotional aspects of it are to do with Ellie being open and confident with her writing and being more direct about – what’s the best way of saying it? – being able to talk about personal experiences in a fictionalised format”.

It’s sort of the marriage of our interest in analogue and scrappier stuff with Joff’s ability as a folk guitar player”. It’s this scrappier-style that really comes to a head on the album’s best track ‘Smile’, which sees El-

It's easy to think that with such easy rapport, the announcement of a European tour in 2022 and a number one album under their belt that everything would be right with the world, but the truth is that this is a band that cut their teeth on live shows, and having not toured since 2018, their absence is devastating. Theo misses the shared experience of the gig. He says, "It’s amazing mental health-wise as it creates a sense of community. It’s something I’ve loved since I was a kid. I don’t miss everything. I hate the complete utter lack of sleep; I’m not great sleeping on a tour bus. I don’t miss being bit a nervous and exhausted either, but I’d happily take either of them for gigs to come back." The end of the interview was in sight, and with it one final question: what would your top tips be to students and young people looking to start a band and write music? Joff responds, "If you’re at university, this will probably be, for a lot of people, one of the only times in your life where you’ll have a roof over your head, someone’s given you a bit of cash to buy baked beans so you don’t need to worry about that stuff too much, you got a bit of work to do, but come on, let's face it, you don’t have that much work to do. Use your time wisely and don’t fritter it away. Be proactive. Obviously go out, get hammered and meet loads of people and have loads of fun, but use the time because for a lot people, they’ll never get that time and time is very precious." Theo gave a far simpler answer: “MONEY, BABY!” And who said zoom interviews couldn’t be fun after all, eh?

Image: Jordan Hemingway

EDITORS: Harry Hawkins

exhibit | music

Pride 2020: Challenging icons Exeposé Writers discuss their favourite queer hip hop, metal and country artists.

HEN Adrianne Elizabeth Lenker was five, a railroad spike fell from a makeshift treehouse in her family’s Minnesota yard, hitting her head and almost killing her. ‘Mythological Beauty,’ the lead single from her folk-rock band Big Thief’s sophomore album, Capacity, is addressed to her terrified mother: “Blood gushing from my head / You held me in the back seat with a dishrag, soaking up blood with your eyes / I was just five and you were twenty-seven / Praying, don’t let my baby die.” Honest and empathetic, Adrianne Lenker has always been generous with her truth, using songwriting as a method to process her past. Lenker was born into a fringe religious sect which she remembers having “bornagain Christian, kind of cult vibes – a closed community.” Her parents left the sect when she was four and for a while, the family lived out of a van. Lenker began playing guitar at age six and by eight, she had written her first song. When she was thirteen, her parents divorced and she moved in with her father in Minneapolis. Their relationship was somewhat fraught since he was focussed on monetising

her budding music career. In 2006, when she was fifteen, Lenker released her first solo album Stages of the Sun after discovering Elliott Smith and a love of folk. In 2014, Lenker released her second solo album Hours Were the Birds and two EPs with her future bandmate and ex-husband Buck Meek entitled a-sides and b-sides. In 2015, Lenker formed the folk-rock band Big Thief after running into Buck Meek the first day she moved to New York, living in a (possibly illegal) windowless warehouse with ten other artists.

THE TRADITION IN FOLK IS STORYTELLING, AND THE POINT IS THAT STORIES CHANGE ALL THE TIME. Lenker released her third solo album, abysskiss, in 2018 which opens and closes with her own death on ‘terminal paradise’ and ‘10 miles.’ Elliot Smith’s influence can be heard

in the fingerpicked acoustic guitar and felt in the swirl of intense emotions. In 2020, she released two albums, Songs and Instrumentals, which were both made at a remote cabin in New England during the early stages of both a global pandemic and a breakup. Songs is a collection of tender, harmonically complex folk tunes which explore the familiar themes of loss, longing and loneliness. Adrianne Lenker has been in romantic relationships with both men and women and doesn’t feel the need to label herself in precise terms, although she is comfortable with the term ‘queer.’ Folk and country are both genres that are traditionally male-dominated and heteronormative. However, folk music is increasingly being used to explore the richness of queer identity. In 2018, FemFolk was set up to support women, non-binary, trans and

intersex musicians on the UK folk scene. This Pride Month, I challenge you to explore the queer space that is being carved outside of the traditional folk scene. Queer stories deserve to be heard and as Scottish singersongwriter Pedro Cameron argues, “the tradition [in folk] is storytelling, and the point is that stories change all the time.” Francesca Sylph, Screen Editor

Image credit: Wikicommons, Martin Schumann

NORMOUS men, decorated jump suits, a horn section, 200 friends onstage singing and dancing, as Ian MacKaye of Fugazi described them. Big Boys were a pioneering punk band from Austin, Texas. Headed by one of the scene’s first openly gay frontman, Randy “Biscuit” Turner, a powerfully voiced singer who would wear drag, crazy costumes and at one point covered himself in oil and syrup on stage. The group began from humble beginnings as simply a group of friends who skated (a completely alien and derided pastime in 1980s Texas), and eventually got recognized by local Austin clubs for Biscuit’s unpredictable stage presence and strong DIY art-cum-advertisement for the band. The band’s sound mixed hardcore fury of the time with funk basslines, rattling guitar and backbeats (the band even recorded an excellent cover of the Kool and the Gang tune “Hollywood Swinging”), and Biscuit provided a bluesy voice and passion for doo-wop music as much as he could scream and shout with vitriol at their naysayers. The band were attacked from two fronts - one being the conservative attitudes of local Texan “frat boys” , often the subject of Big Boys' derision — see the tune "We Got Your Money", where Biscuit demonstrates his desire to offend fragile conservative tendencies, but also make a living from the homophobes in the crowd. The second setback was also the underground hardcore punk scene they were in. Punk scenes in the 1980s were fiercely crea-

tive, anarchic and DIY but would naturally harbour angry disaffected youth, who were targeted by hate groups. When the prolific hardcore band Bad Brains came to tour locally and found out that Biscuit was gay, they had a lengthy argument with him about traditional family roles and left, as Big Boys guitarist Tim Kerr describes, ‘a multi-paged letter/sermon/rant that ended with "…may you burn in hell, the Bad Brains." ‘

Big Boys’ fusion of funk with punk has been carried through by funk rock group like the early Red Hot Chili Peppers, and the bands affinity for skating made them some of the earliest groups to associate with skate brand Thrasher, which has been carried through by bands like the Descendents and Blink-182. Randy Turner continued performing in theatre and making art after Big Boys. Sadly, he passed away in 2005, but band members Tim Kerr and bassist Chris Gates are today keeping the band's legacy alive. Harry Hawkins, Music Editor Image credit: Flickr, Pat Blashill

ROM giving your girlfriend cunnilingus on her couch, to wanting him and wanting him too, Princess Nokia is a bisexual icon. When Ashnikko’s track ‘Slumber Party’, featuring Princess Nokia, went viral on TikTok with lesbians and bisexual women seductively lip-syncing the chorus, Princess Nokia’s space within the LGBTQ+ community on TikTok expanded hugely. Princess Nokia’s music is a blend of hip hop and catchy pop, and their lyrics reflect their sexuality authentically, with some of their songs being about attraction to men and some to women. We need to normalise the use of different pronouns b e i n g used within an artist’s discography, as this reflects the spectrum that is sexuality. Artists were pressured for too long into using the pronouns of their opposite sex in music. An obvious example

is George Michael of Wham who remained closeted at the beginning of his career due to the homophobic climate of the time, and the expectation of men to sing love songs about women and vice versa. Fast forward to today and Princess Nokia’s music proudly shows the increased freedom to express sexuality through music. As a gender non-conforming artist, Princess Nokia also provides representation for non-binary folk, who often are highly underrepresented in media and pop culture. Princess Nokia spoke openly to The Guardian about a desire to have girls at the front of the audience in concerts and men further to the back, being aware of the space that men take up while women are oftentimes excluded from the buzzing atmosphere of live music. They stress the importance of girls being able to take up space and enjoy themselves too. It’s great to have voices like Princess Nokia’s on social media, and to see them go viral on TikTok. LGBTQ+ women used the ‘Slumber Party’ trend to express themselves and their sexuality, and it’s extremely positive that Ashnikko and Princess Nokia have provided inspiration to create these TikToks. Bridie Adams, Editor

Image credit: Wikicommons, Aaron Stathum

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Pride on screen

To celebrate Pride Month, a selection of Exeposé Screen Writers recommend their favourite LGBTQ+ films

N a month such as this, what could be better than a film that shares its namesake: Pride. An obvious choice perhaps but a worthy one: a flic that evokes tears, warmth and the longing for a Welsh grandmother, a film that dives right into the heart of the Thatcher years and brings a bright splash of colour to the grey-scale of the ‘80s. Set during the miners’ strikes, Pride tells the real life story of LGSM (Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners): a merry band of “screaming homosexuals” who save the spirit and soul of a small Welsh village by raising money and helping its citizens. Back and forth between countries, Pride is able to cut from sweeping wide shots of the emerald valleys and cut to the neon shock of a London nightclub. With standout performances from the likes of Andrew Scott, who carries the emotional weight of the film with his encounters with estrangement and violence, to Bill Nighy, who gives one of the most understated and underrated monologues I have ever seen, and perfectly encapsulates the true sadness of the mining crisis. These strong punches of feeling, alongside a punky playlist of King, and a beautifully put together ensemble cast makes a camp, comforting movie with an undeniably incredible message: solidarity forever. Olivia Garrett

RITTEN by Lena Waithe and Aziz Ansari, ‘Thanksgiving’ in the series Master of None is a perfect example of how to discuss the issue of coming out to family. It focuses on food journalist Denise over a span of 18 years as she begins to understand herself sexually and attempts to get her family to understand her too. Ansari and Waithe have taken inspiration from Woody Allen’s Hannah and Her Sisters, getting the majority of Denise’s conflict to be structured around multiple Thanksgiving dinners. The genius of ‘Thanksgiving’ comes both from its emotional beats, with a deep inspection of the pressures between African-American identity and being part of the LGBTQ+ community, as well as its ability to breathe this raw humanity into every minute. Finely balancing comedy and drama, ‘Thanksgiving’ does not become melodramatic but rather a fantastically naturalistic piece where we genuinely connect with the characters. We see Denise as a character beyond merely the LGBTQ+ label, but as a real person, who is funny, charismatic, intense and, most importantly, flawed. Image: Moonlight, A24, IMDb

Rainbow flag images: Pixabay

UBVERSIVE and satirical, But I’m a Cheerleader follows Megan (Natasha Lyonne), a high school cookie-cutter cheerleader and all-American girl whose conservative parents send her to a conversion therapy camp when they suspect her to be a lesbian (in part due to her vegetarian diet). There, Megan learns to embrace her sexuality, despite the therapy, and falls in love with a late ‘90s emo Clea DuVall. Despite the heavy subject matter (according to a survey conducted by the Ozanne Foundation, 70% of LGBTQ+ individuals who have experienced conversion therapy also suffered from suicidal thoughts), director Jamie Babbit commits to the romantic comedy genre, finding (many) moments of humour and allowing the sapphic couple the cliché rom-com happy ending they deserve. Alongside the main cast, RuPaul steals the show as an “ex-gay” camp counsellor in a “straight is great” t-shirt while Julie Delpy is simply credited as “Lipstick Lesbian”. The excessively saturated colour palette and offbeat jokes do not serve to sugar-coat the truth, but expose the cruel absurdity of it. Made by a queer woman, for queer women, But I’m a Cheerleader is a cult classic that is able to look into the face of oppression and laugh, finding empowerment and resistance through happiness. Francesca Sylph, Screen Editor

HILE I suppose it is primarily a coming-of-age film, at its heart Moonlight is a love story – or perhaps a love letter – for Black queerness in all its multiplicity. Typically the canon has placed the white queer experience at the forefront of television and cinema; Moonlight quietly moves against the current, revealing a whole life experience completely hidden. Through the figures of Chiron and Kevin, we see the multi-faceted experiences of Blackness, masculinity and sexuality as director Barry Jenkins finds beauty in how these elements intersect with each other. Yet your heart aches when Chiron – or Black as he goes by in the final act – admits to Kevin: “you’re the only man that’s ever touched me. You’re the only one”. Because neither of them are leading perfect lives – Chiron is a drug dealer with an uber-masculine persona while Kevin admits that life did not turn out as he hoped, working in a diner to support his child. Yet through the three acts of Moonlight, the journey of Black queerness is explored so tenderly that by the time Kevin and Chiron finally reunite in the final act, you too can’t help but fall in love with the quiet, earnest confessions and the gentle stroking of heads. Bryony Gooch

Representation matters Archie Lockyer, Screen Editor

Amber Hogan discusses the need for LGBTQ+ representation in film and television

T’S Pride Month, and the need for genuine representation remains an often-contested topic with some viewing the deliberate inclusion of queerness on television as unrealistic over saturation, or perhaps even an attempt at conversion. In the rare instance that a queer character has a prolonged stay in mainstream media, not many shows get it right or do it for the right reasons. A lot of perspectives have gone under-explored, often compounded and buried by misunderstanding and misrepresentation. The deliberate inclusion of queer characters is needed to fill in the gaps of misunderstanding. Representation is an act of normalisation. Seeing a character arc such as that of Micky Milkovich (Shameless), who battles with severe internalised homophobia but grows to find joy in self-acceptance, is healing. Main character Ambrose from the fantastical Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is a black pansexual

man fully characterised and involved in the plot. The broadening variety of queer representation is a welcomed change. The comedic Todd Chavez ( B o J a c k Horseman) expertly addresses underexplored nuances within the asexual communit y in a remarkably insightful way. For non-cisgender individuals who are perhaps (rightly) tired of only seeing an absence of gender binary in robots and aliens, Aidra Tal’s (Star Trek: Discovery) request for the ship to use they/ them pronouns could be a first. In a more down to earth depiction, transgender actor

Hunter Schafer’s character Jules (Euphoria) reflects and explores the complex realities of transgender youth experiences and how these come into play with trauma, love and sexuality. Each positive representation actively added to the screen acts to unwind the twists of ill-intended or misrepresented identit i e s and

can certainly change lives. As the media gets better at exploring these perspectives, it becomes more inclusive both in production and reception, and hopefully, this active inclusion of LGBTQ+ representatives will continue.

Left image: BoJack Horseman, Netflix, IMDb. Right image: Euphoria, HBO, IMDb.

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EDITORS: Archie Lockyer and Francesca Sylph

23 June 2021 | 26

Foreign Cinema Spotlight: South Korea S

Alaïa Lafleur discusses the complex and varied cinematic landscape of South Korea

OUTH Korea today produces some of the most dynamic and critically acclaimed films of Asia. This success is hardly new, partly owed to a strong national film culture. International honours accorded to more recent films such as Bong Joonho’s Parasite and Lee Chang-dong’s Burning, along with the popularity of blockbusters like Train to Busan have helped increase South Korea’s visibility in the global entertainment industry. The films I highlight draw from cultural memory, from Japanese annexation to the strain of complete democratization in the ‘90s after almost 30 years of national military rule. Long before Parasite, Joonho was already known for his thrillers that blend the unsettling with absurd comedy, making you laugh, perhaps too loudly, when just a second ago you were keyed up by high-risk tension. The crime mystery Memories of Murder, his second film, based on South Korea’s first confirmed serial killings and featuring idiotic detectives, is a masterpiece of dark humour and cinematic beauty. His comedy is highly visual, playing

with character choreography. Simultaneously, it highlights serious issues like police brutality and the egotism and incompetence of authority figures, framed within a national memory of tragedy. Yet, even in the middle of human failure and cruelty—even in the middle of a murder—the scenes are draped in the beauty of the rural countryside: paddy fields and long dirt roads. Another outstanding film is Park Chan-wook’s LGBTQ thriller, The Handmaiden based on Sarah Water’s Fingersmith. Set in 1930s Japanese-occupied Korea, it features glamourous cinematography. Two crooks decide to steal a fortune off a rich man and his isolated niece, a Japanese heiress, but the plot unravels into unexpected directions. The grand house and the heiress’ dresses and jewels highlight the film’s concern with colonial subjugation and class. It is striking for its exceptionally graphic depiction of lesbian sex, while achieving a box office success in a country in which

same-sex marriage is not yet legal (though there is a rising acceptance of homosexuality standing at 44 per cent according to a 2019 Pew Research Center survey). Unsurprisingly, it has received some backlash from critics for reproducing girl-on-girl porn for the joy of the male gaze, however the pornographic spectacle remains faithful to the book. In The Guardian, the author counters: “Though ironically the film is a story told by a man, it’s still very faithful to the idea that the women are appropriating a very male pornographic tradition to find their own way of exploring their desires”. And in The Handmaiden, there is a clear difference when these women perform sexual acts for one another and when they do so for men. Like Memories of Murder, it possesses a very visual, wicked sense of humour which pops up in unexpected places, be they woeful situations or in the midst of an orgasm. Like most countries, South Korea suffers from unequal opportunity for women directors. But in the past decade there has been a steady rise in female filmmakers, though they are not initially given the same level of

Image: Memories of a Murder, CJ Entertainment, IMDb

creative autonomy and funding as their male peers, as stated by BFI. Yet classics like Take Care of my Cat, and memorable, directorial debuts, including Yoon Ga-eun’s The World of Us and Kim Bora’s House of Hummingbird, defy these obstacles. House of Hummingbird, set in 1994, is a quiet, delicately shot and painfully lifelike coming-of-age film about a 14-year-old girl from a dysfunctional family who searches, unconsciously at times, for ways to lessen her loneliness and gain love. It reveals a keen understanding of the hardiness of an ordinary girl and the everyday challenges, at home and at school, many teens are expected to simply brush off. There is a surprisingly hopeful feeling to the protagonist and her wide-eyed, blooming consciousness of the world. As the New York Times asserts, in a film which features betrayals, income gaps, familial neglect and a national disaster, it manages to keep an impressively non-melodramatic tone, choosing to focus on the quiet aftermaths of tragedies. What happens after all the bursts of drama, death, disappointments? We just move on. Image: The Handmaiden, CJ Entertainment, IMDb

Caitlin Barr reviews Lee Issac Chung’s tale of immigration in the American heartland

EE Isaac Chung’s Minari, a semi-autobiographical drama based in rural 1980s Arkansas, follows the Yi family as they navigate the trials of achieving the American dream as South Korean immigrants. Returning to the cinema to see a film about connection was a beautiful experience after over a year of isolation. What first struck me about Minari was its quietness and tender feel. A muted colour palette, sparingly used score and intimate plot all contributed to this mood, but it was predominantly the relationships between the characters which gave the film its softness. Despite multiple conflicts in the Yi family during the course of the plot, their love for each other felt tangible. In particular, the relationship between seven-year-old David and his grandmother was touching while also being complex and realistic. Youn Yuh-jung’s award-winning performance as Soonja is mischievous and crushing all at once, with a distinct warmth. Alan Kim’s grasp of the precocious,

charming David seemed so honest and natural that I forgot he was playing a part at times. In fact, every part in Minari is played brilliantly by its talented cast. Steven Yeung’s portrayal of Yi patriarch Jacob is perhaps the standout, as his character grapples with trying to build a farm, keep a family, and assimilate into Arkansas culture all at once. The only criticism I have in terms of the performances in Minari is that I feel like Noel Kate Cho as David’s older sister Anne was criminally underused – I would have loved to see more of her characterisation and funny, assured performance. Most of Minari takes place from the perspective of David, giving the whole film an air of naivety. In particular, arguments between Jacob and Monica are imbued with a deeper sense of gloom given that we are experiencing them through the eyes of their young son. However, this choice also makes the film deeply relatable despite its very specific setting – while watching the film I could remember what it felt like to be young and thrust into new situations, even if my childhood was far less dramatic than David’s. Chung gives us elements of each character to identify with – Jacob’s relentless drive to achieve, Monica’s anxiety, Da-

vid’s curiosity – making the experience of watching Minari far more immersive. Throughout Minari, there are countless things that could go wrong, including David’s heart murmur. This imbues the film with a sense of urgency despite its relatively slow pace, making it a tense viewing experience even when things seem to be going well. The climax of the film somehow still manages to come as a shock despite the quiet building of suspense throughout, illustrating Chung’s masterful skill for pace. Sentimental without being saccharine, Chung’s script combines wit and mischief with deeply emotional, profound scenes, bolstered by Emile Mosseri’s wonderfully restrained score. I found myself waiting for the inevitable in a film about the immigrant experience – a racist remark or a cold shoulder from a local – but this never came. Chung chooses to focus on connection and common experiences rather than division

and exclusion. The character of Paul particularly illustrates this – a man with a learning disability is given purpose by the Yi family as a helper on their farm, and he welcomes them into his life in return. The members of the local church similarly extend warmth and kindness to the family, despite the social context of the film (the naissance of Reagan-era America). It was refreshing to see, even if at times it seemed like wishful thinking. Chung tackles difficult and taboo topics with a real strength and honesty, supported by his cast’s wonderful and emotive performances. The film is a true tour-de-force of emotion, connection and what it means to have a dream in America.

All images: Minari, A24, IMDb

study break

| 23 JUN 2021

exhibit

STUDY BREAK CROSSWORD

SUDOKU

Trivia corner

1. What is the oldest pub in Exeter?

2. What is a group of resting otters called? 3. What is the flattest place on Earth?

4. How many teeth will crocodiles have in their lifetime on average?

ANSWERS

5. What was the name of the man who ate a Cessna 150 aeroplane between 1978 and 1980? 6. What is the largest nightclub in the world?

Trivia: 1. Ship Inn, 2. A raft, 3. Salar de Uyuni, 4. 8000, 5. Michel Lotito, 6. Privilege Ibiza

Science

23 JUNE 2021 | EXEPOSÉ

SCIENCE EDITORS: Lauryn Mitchell Ellen Rogers

G7 agrees on climate and health action, but will they enforce it?

George Edwards looks at the outcome of the recent G7 summit and how likely they are to see it all through

VER the weekend of 11 to 13 June, world leaders gathered in the Cornish tourist hotspot of Carbis Bay to meet and discuss key global events. G7 is a committee consisting of the UK, USA, Canada, France, Germany, Japan and Italy. Each year, these countries’ leaders meet to discuss global issues. This year, leaders from the EU, India, South Korea and Australia were also invited to attend. The UK government hosted this year’s summit, and decided it was important for world leaders to meet in person and in one of the most biodiverse areas of the country. Although the G7 itself, unlike the UN or EU, cannot pass any laws, their decisions have global impacts. In 2002, the G7 played a vital role in organising a global fund aimed to fight AIDS and malaria. The agenda for this year’s summit focused mainly on recovery from COVID-19, including, according

to the G7 2021 Priorities List, creating “a stronger global health system that can protect us all from future pandemics”. However, several other key topics were discussed, including decreasing the global carbon footprint, climate change, trade and how to “promote global development and democracy, supporting girls’ education… food security, health as well as sustainable development financing.” In terms of global health security, the G7 agreed to support and fund clinical trials aimed at bolstering global health defences, work on mutual recognition of vaccine passports, assist developing countries to respond to epidemics, both viral or bacterial, and increasing funding for national health services. Also they pledged to support and strengthen the World Health Organisation. Provided these commitments are carried out, the G7 will pave the way to improving global health security. This should Image:Flickr therefore enable the

On the agenda: - Create a stronger global health system - Decreasing the global carbon footprint - Climate change - Trade deals - Promoting global development and democracy - Supporting girls’ education - Food security - Health - Sustainable development

world to respond faster and more effectively to new diseases and hopefully avoid another situation like COVID-19, along with improving health in developing countries. The G7 summit also led to climate agreements, especially on decreasing the use of coal. The summit agreed to offer $100 billon a year to assist poorer nations in coping with rising heat or sea levels and finding renewable sources of energy, yet this target is highly unlikely to come close to addressing the urgency of the climate crisis. Funds like this have been promised in the past, though rarely delivered, so how can we be sure this will be carried out and whether it will be spent effectively? President Biden informed the conference that he was aiming to end coal usage in the US, as the UK has promised recently. (Although they then supported the opening of a new coal mine in Cumbria), with Germany and Japan fol-

lowing suit. This is to put pressure on China to do the same. On top of this, the G7 countries have agreed to spend $2 billion on helping developing countries move to renewable energy, though whether this sum is large enough is yet to be seen.

$100 billon/year to assist poorer nations in coping with rising heat/ sea levels All these agreements sound great in theory, but similar promises have been made at previous G7, global UN and climate summits such as the Paris Agreement, then not followed up on. If the G7 countries do finally act on the agreements made, there will be a high chance of succeeding in ending the pandemic sooner, stopping fossil fuel emissions and beginning to protect the world against both climate change and Image: Wikimedia disease outbreaks.

The Delta Variant: what risks does it pose?

Alaia Lafleur examines the potential threat of the new COVID-19 Delta Variant

HE Delta Variant or B.1.617.2, also formerly known as the Indian variant, was cited by Boris Johnson in a Monday news conference as a leading cause in England’s month-long delay to the expected June 21 reopening. It is now the prominent variant in the UK, and intensive care numbers are increasing while daily new cases in the UK more than doubled from 3,165 on the June 1 to 7,742 on June 14.

17 per cent less effective at preventing symptomatic illness The Delta variant is 60 per cent more contagious than the Alpha, or Kent variant and is responsible for

more than 90 per cent of new cases according to public officials. Prominent symptoms in this strain include a runny nose, a sore throat and headaches. So, there is a danger that people will mistake it for a seasonal cold and continue meeting up with others. Due to the relatively recent upsurge of this strain in the UK there is still not enough data at the moment to ascertain how deadly it is compared to others, but Public Health England says it seems to be leading to more hospitalizations. Either way, a higher rate of contagion will inevitably lead to a higher death rate as more people are admitted to ICU. Furthermore, the government has reported a first COVID-19 jab to be 17 per cent less effective at preventing symptomatic illness with the Delta strain when

compared to Alpha variant, making cases even more likely. The good news? Public Health England has released an analysis using 14,019 cases of Delta infections, between 12 April and 4 June. It indicates the Pfizer and AstraZen eca vaccines are respectively 96 per cent and 92 per cent effective against Delta hospitalization after 2 doses, similar to Alpha numbers. So, vaccination is absolutely integral to restraining the current

trend. Accordingly, the BBC reports in England and Scotland the gap between vaccine doses for those over 40 will now be eight weeks instead of 12, and in England the government expects to offer 18-year-olds and above their first doses by July 19th, Image: IGI two weeks early. A reopening delay could help the country be better prepared with more people be-

ing protected from the vaccination.

The Delta variant has now been identified in 74 countries Another cause for concern is the way this strain is affecting developing countries which do not possess the same advanced health structure and monitoring system. It has now been identified in 74 countries. According to The Guardian, hospitals in Jakarta are reaching 75 per cent in occupancy as Indonesia expects its peak to come in July, and the two main COVID-19 hospitals in Afghanistan are having to turn away patients, as they are deficient in oxygen and other medical supplies and have no more beds left.

SCIENCE

EXEPOSÉ | 23 JUN 2021

Seeing the light Ellen Rogers, science editor, discusses a new gene-based therapy for blindness

ETINITIS pigmentosa (RP) is a genetic disease caused by a mutation in one of 71 genes. The genes encode proteins needed for cells in the retina to absorb light and transmit signals to the brain needed for sight. The gradual death of these cells as a result of these mutations can cause blindness, transforming a patient’s life. RP affects two million people worldwide, but there is no proven cure. A new optogenetic therapy for RP involves the injection of a lightsensitive protein into the eye. This protein absorbs amber light (wavelength 600-615 nanometres) and

causes nerve cells in the eye to fire signals to the brain, which then translates them into the images that we see. Re-introducing the communica-

In a recent study, a blind patient became able to count objects again tion between the eye and the brain can help restore a patient's vision. In a recent study, a blind patient became able to count objects again, as well as see the white stripes of a pedestrian crossing. Throughout therapy, the patient has to wear goggles which

control the amount of light entering the eye (crucial for the protein’s function). The goggles also emit the pulses of amber light needed to trigger nerve signals and help the patient see. This therapy is different to other approaches commonly used to treat or counteract the symptoms of genetic diseases. Gene therapy, which has successfully treated an early-onset variant of RP, is based on the replacement of a faulty gene with the version that produces the working protein. Another approach, gene editing, involves the use of molecular tools (e.g. CRISPR-Cas9) to repair genetic variants within the pa-

tient’s cells. Gene editing has shown promise in correcting the mutation behind another eye disorder, Leber Congenital Amaurosis 10. Optogenetic therapies differ from both gene therapy and gene editing by having the potential to restore a patient's lost vision (rather than just delay disease progression and vi-

sion loss). This brings hope that a cure for blindness might not be as far away as it may seem.

Image: Streetlab/Institut de la Vision. J.A.Sahel et al. Nature Medicine 2021.

High hopes for new PTSD therapy Pete Syme explores MDMA's controversial history and its newly-discovered use in relieving PTSD

E T H Y L E N E D I OX YMETHAMPHETAMINE or MDMA has had a controversial history, with psychotherapeutic experiments dating back to 1970 before being co-opted by the party scene and outlawed as a Class A drug in Britain in 1977.

New research published in Nature Medicine suggests that, when paired with intense talk therapy, MDMA dramatically eased symptoms in PTSD sufferers. Barbara Rothbaum, a psychologist at Emory University has described it as “kind of a new zeitgeist in psychiatry”. Popularly known as Mandy, or as the main chemical in Ecstasy, MDMA has been popular on the rave scene for its enhanced sensations and sense of euphoria. The effects have been attributed to its effect on serotonin transporters, prompting

the brain to create more of the neurotransmitter known for feelings of well-being and happiness. Typical antidepressants like SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) focus on the same chemical in the brain, but do not work for up to 60 per cent of people with PTSD. This latest trial with MDMA resulted in 67 per cent of participants improving so much that they no longer qualified as having a PTSD diagnosis, compared to 32 per cent who took placebos. However, as co-author Amy Emerson notes, while there is “a

lot of hope”, there are also “a lot of barriers to break down related to this treatment”. The drug’s use among young partygoers has resulted in tragic deaths usually caused by dehydration or overdose, and its illegality would be difficult to overturn despite the positivity of psychotherapy studies. In November 2020, Oregon

Its illegality would be difficult to overturn despite the positivity of psychotherapy

became the first state to legalize psilocybin – the chemical in magic mushrooms - for therapeutic uses. As more studies take place examining MDMA and other illegal drugs’ impact on mental illnesses, it is possible that more states and countries begin opening up to their use in psychotherapy. Beyond a bag of powder which keeps ravers throwing shapes throughout the night, in a clinical setting, MDMA could significantly improve mental health.

Image: Portokalis/iStock.com

What can we learn from Venus?

Ellen Rogers, science editor, discusses the aims and significance of NASA's newly proposed missions to Venus

N his first address as administrator, Bill Nelson announced that NASA will send two robotic probes to Venus between 2028 and 2030. These missions will be part of NASA's Discovery Program, which aims to “unlock the mysteries of our solar system”. The missions follow limited prior exploration of Venus, which billions of years ago was geologically and atmospherically similar to Earth. Since then, however, Venus has transformed into an ‘inferno’ planet with a

surface hot enough to melt lead. The two drones, each costing approximately £350 million ($500 million), will be sent to study 'Earth's twin'. The first, Veritas, will orbit Venus and map the planet’s rocky surface in order to study its geological history. The other, DaVinci+, will orbit the toxic upper atmosphere to determine if Venus ever had oceans

or was capable of sustaining life. This could help answer age-old questions stemming from human existentiali s m .

These missions may have implications for our own planet's future Researchers hope that the information gathered on these missions will allow them to construct a timeline of the events that caused Venus to transform so drastically.

Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Furthermore, since Venus was so alike Earth at the beginning of our Solar System – with similar size, density, gravity and geology – the findings of these missions may have implications for our own planet’s future. This is especially relevant in the face of Earth’s climate change crisis – with Venus potentially acting as an ideal model for how the greenhouse effect, if left unchecked, could change our planet.

23 JUN 2021 | EXEPOSÉ

SPORT

Euro 2020 preview

Stanley Murphy-Jones gives us insight into Europe's biggest football tournament

URO 2020, now new and improved in 2021, was going to be an intriguing tournament even before the world turned upside down. The plan to set games across Europe was an exciting prospect, and theories on how the different climates and fans would affect the results were circling long before spring of 2020. In fact, we have found ourselves in an unprecedented situation which has eclipsed any initial intrigue about where games will be held, instead the questions we ask are; How many people are they allowing in that stadium? Do you think the absence of fans is going to affect the gameplay? And is it technically ‘coming home’ if we’re playing all our games in Wembley? However, in spite of these questions and despite all the reasons to not go ahead with the Euros, we are lucky enough to be settling into what could be a brilliant summer of football. This brilliant summer of football could be improved exponentially (in my humble opinion), if England were to be successful. I am writing just as England have carefully swept past Croatia

in their opening match, winning their opening game in a European Championship finals for the first time, so as you can imagine, I’m feeling pretty good.

I have watched England play in tournaments as long as I can remember and at no point have I been as chilled out as I was when

Image: Flickr

watching us against Croatia on Sunday. I would attribute this chilled out feeling to the calm but quietly confident mentality which Gareth Southgate seems to emanate. After the game, Gary Neville referred to Southgate as "our greatest asset" and I’m inclined to agree. Southgate’s experience in managing England at a tournament level (whether it be the U21s or the current squad) is impressive enough on its own, but his protection of his players and his firm but fair attitude towards the media are unmatched by England managers in my lifetime. Moving past the manager, the squad England have is certainly one of the strongest in the tournament, the depth in attacking positions along with our numerous fullbacks makes this squad incredibly dangerous to any opposition. I’m not entirely sure I want to predict where England will finish because I don’t want to jinx it, but I do believe that with our squad and Southgate’s leadership, this team certainly has the potential to do very well.

Finally, I thought I would make some predictions, so that in a month I can return to them and see just how wrong I was. There are two teams who I believe the most likely to win this tournament, and they just happen to be the two teams who made it to the final of the Euros in 2016: France and Portugal. Despite their rating and their win in the last Euros, I would still argue that Portugal are underrated. Ronaldo, Jota, Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, Ruben Dias, Pepe… Is my argument just going to be listing their players? Yes. That should be enough. France on the other hand, I don’t have time to list all of the incredible French players so instead I will talk about one. If N’Golo Kante was to win the Euros for France (yes, for not with) then he would have won every major trophy (UK and International) that he is currently able to enter. That would be cool. Don’t get me wrong, France play some incredible football, but mainly I’ve chosen them because of Kante. In summation, I look forward to the rest of this strange European Championship, and I hope that England don’t have to play France or Portugal at any point soon.

Ollie Robinson suspended

Harry Richards looks at the young cricketer's suspension and its affect on the sport

HAT a week for Ollie Robinson. It should have been this week he announced himself on the international stage, after taking seven wickets in the first test match against New Zealand. Yet, it is not his sporting talent this week that have led to Robinson being in the spotlight. Tweets dating back to 2012 and 2013 have surfaced that show him making racist and sexist ‘jokes’. Subsequently, the ECB have dropped him for the second test and his county, Sussex, have announced he is taking a “short break from Cricket”, leaving him out for their first two BLAST matches. The government has come out in support of Robinson, with Culture Secretary Oliver Dow-

den — backed by Boris Johnson — stating that “[the tweets are] a decade old and written by a teenager. That teenager is now a man and has rightly apologised.”

EVERY NINETEEN YEAR OLD SHOULD KNOW BETTER This might be true — Robinson’s sacking in 2014 by Yorkshire for “deeply unprofessional actions” seems to have been a wake-up call for a young man who matured late both sportingly and socially. Eventually, he will return to Sussex and maybe get a chance at England after his suspension. The most damning impact is on English cricket. When he made

the tweets, he was nineteen, older than some of you reading this — he had left school and was contracted to Yorkshire. Every nineteen-year-old should know better. And even if somehow, they do not know better, the cricket system should either educate them, or sanction them for such behaviour far sooner than 10 years later. The Robinson saga has shined a light on Cricket as a whole – and it is telling that three of England’s highest-level cricketers have also now apologised for deleted tweets. Anderson made a homophobic comment on teammate Broad’s haircut in 2010, and Buttler and Morgan mocked “subcontinental elocution of English” as recently as 2018. None of these players have

been suspended, so is Robinson just unlucky to be the ‘new kid on the block’? Of course, his tweets were far worse but at the same time, Anderson’s comment of “for me it's 10 or 11 years ago, I've certainly changed as a person” can also be applied to Robinson - so what’s the difference? The ECB will have to answer these questions.

MANY CRICKETERS WILL BE SEARCHING THEIR TWITTER We live in the social media generation; teenagers’ mistakes are no longer brushed under the carpet because there is no record of their misdeeds. Young people

are held to a higher standard, and if they fail those standards their later careers will be affected. Many young cricketers will now be frantically searching their twitter accounts for similar misguided comments. Are they deleting their tweets because they know it is wrong, or because they are now aware of the consequences? And is it right they will get away with it? That is the danger the ECB, and society, are facing. By punishing old tweets, are we eradicating racist jokes, or merely pushing them underground? The problem is we do not ever know. Only Robinson himself will know if he has truly matured past his tweets. We can only hope he has, and that it will not happen again.

SPORT

23 JUN 2021 | EXEPOSÉ

Mental health in sport Henry Hood, Online Sports Editor, discusses Osaka withdrawing from the French Open

OR those who haven’t heard of Naomi Osaka, she is the world’s second best tennis player and earns $60m a year making her the highest paid female athlete ever. She has made headlines recently for withdrawing from the French Open for mental health reasons, having clashed with the organisers over refusing to attend press conferences due to the mental strain it causes. While many articles have been written on the fines threatened, the details of the fiasco, and the bravery in breaking down mental health stigma, I would like to address a different avenue. Why is this another instance of raising awareness after the breaking point?

Why would current athletes speak up if there isnt any formal wellbeing JACK NOWELL, WINGER

pressure, be the ones to do all the work?

The French Open has issued an aopology statement and promises of starting dialogue I would like to end with a theoretical situation, so bear with me. Imagine you, the reader, are actually a director of some important sporting organisation. Imagine you are seeing athletes from every sport come out and complain about the lack of support, confide their own struggles that have gone under the radar or have been ignored, every stigma-breaking statement. Why wouldn’t you want to pre-emptively place some form of sports psychology system for athletes, or counselling, or therapy, or anything along that line? Even if it was merely a PR stunt to implement anything concrete, would you not do it anyway?

It is not as if there isn't already a framework to support athletes when they have physical injuries and illnesses. It is not as if an organisation would not step in if a sporting club or entourage did not have sufficient physical therapy available that was hindering their athletes. Athletes do not have to pay for their own surgeries and physiotherapists. It is covered by an overarching organisation. So why is it not the same for mental illnesses? Imagine just how good you could appear by making a statement, not in response to a crisis, but in response to your own concerns about the athletes whose performances single-handedly fund your organisation. It is hardly as if there have not been enough instances of mental health issues in sports to warrant change. This is why you should not care what any company or organisation says about their cares about mental health until they implement concrete change. Not words, not apologies, not corporate statements, but therapists, counsellors, psychologists and measures put in place. Anything.

Time and time again organisations simply do not bother to care about mental health, or if they do it is only on a surface level. To name a distressing example, Love Island has only just introduced formal therapy for their contestants for the upcoming show, despite three separate cast members committing suicide in the past year. And while we are seeing more athletes beginning to speak up about their own struggles, many of them are retrospective from retirees such as ex-Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps or ex-England cricketer Freddie Flintoff. Why would current athletes speak up if there isn’t any formal wellbeing framework available to support them in the first place, and if speaking up means they get hounded by the press?

Athletes should not have to pay for treatment of a mental illness Even after Osaka has admitted her mental health issues, it is hardly as if change is being brought about. The French Open has unsurprisingly issued an apology statement, alongside some vague promises of starting a dialogue to help athletes, but it doesn’t promise concrete change. Wimbledon director Jamie Baker has attempted to jump the gun by saying "the phone lines were always open [to Osaka’s team] to discuss any issues", which places an unhelpful onus on the athlete to perpetuate change instead of the organisation. Why should the athletes, the victims of press scrutiny and immense performance

red

it:

Fli

Super Saturday round-up Joshua Hughes 1st Year Politics & Sociology

VER the weekend came the highly anticipated final round of the Premiership rugby season. Super Saturday had a significant impact on the final standings in the table, ensuring high-level European rugby and the all-important home semi-finals. Earlier in the week, Eddie Jones named his England squad and players selected were looking to impress and justify selection. Even in the build-up to the weekend, it was clear that the full spectacle of a normal year would not be on the cards. COVID-19 outbreaks in the London Irish and Gloucester camps resulted in the cancellation of two games, which ended the season in a similar manner to how it had begun. While both Bath and Northampton Saints failed to qualify for the top four, the prospect of top-level European rugby was still very much to play for. A high tempo game in which the lead changed hands several times produced some stunning tries from both teams, with Taulupe Faletau finishing off a great move and Rory Hutchinson scoring off a well worked set piece play. The talent in both of these teams’ squads would suggest that they should have finished higher in the table – both teams will feel they have underperformed this season. Harlequins, although in the top four, were unable to qualify for a home semi-final, which led to an extremely open game against Newcastle Falcons with 12 tries scored. Quins were looking to put their away thrashing by Sale behind them, doing just that with an early brace from Danny Care and a try from Jack Kenningham. However, Harlequins’ defence again let them down with recent England callups Jamie Blamire and Adam Radwan crossing the whitewash. The Falcons began the season superbly, winning four out of five, but ended it in stark contrast. Ultimately, Quins proved to be too much for Falcons to overcome, but their defence coach Jerry Flannery will be concerned going into the semi-final. In terms of outcome, the Exeter Chiefs - Sale Sharks match held the most significance. It was third place vs second with both teams playing for a home semi-final. In what was probably the most physical encounter of the weekend, both teams demonstrated why they deserved to be in the top four, showcasing strong defences and direct attack. The Sharks went ahead early with a try from Byron McGuigan, they then stretched their lead to 16 with further scores from AJ MacGinty and Aaron Reed. However, a Sam Skinner red card rejuvenated the struggling Chiefs side and tries from Luke Cowan-Dickie and Stuart Townsend were topped off by a Joe Simmons penalty which gave Exeter the win. The Chiefs cemented their second-place finish in the table and Sale will be travelling back down to Sandy Park this weekend for a highly anticipated rematch in the semi-final.

Sport

23 JUN 2021| EXEPOSÉ

SPORT EDITORS: Oscar Young

The Walking Bus

Image: EUWRFC

Cassia Grace Deputy Editor

VERHEARD at University of Exeter has a seemingly endless supply of entertainment; from people trying to find true love for their friends, to a continuous barrage of requests for TP tickets. Few posts have attracted as much attention as Sophie Owens’s post offering to walk girls’ home as part of the EUWFRC’s ‘walking bus,’ which received almost one-thousand likes.

No one should feel afraid to walk home at night

The post stated that, “No one should feel afraid to walk home at night or let the worries of not knowing how to get back ruin their vibes!” I spoke to Sophie about what inspired the walking bus initiative. Unsurprisingly, her response was that the public outcry after the murder of Sarah Everard triggered a massive influx of Overheard posts reporting harassment and abuse and the common theme seemed to be “We don’t feel very comfortable walking home.” As a woman, this sentiment struck a chord. Leaving clubs earlier or later than I would like just so that I wouldn’t be walking home alone, having my friends track my journey, and spending money I didn’t have on a taxi only to

panic when they took an unfamiliar route home. The list goes on, and sadly a very familiar one to most women. I recently spoke to an eighty-year-old woman who said she would always carry an umbrella with her in order to stab the feet of any handsy tube-riders; although very badass and firmly solidifying her as my idol, it also goes to show how deep rooted such harassment is. The walking bus offers a simple solution to this age-old issue; women must become pack animals! Sophie and her fellow EUWRFC members donned their pink high vis vests (supplied by R Storage), took to the streets and began asking strangers if they needed help getting somewhere. The response was overwhelming.

Exeter University recently topped the list for sexual assault reports made to the Everyone’s Invited ‘rape culture’ list. Sophie stated that although “all universities face similar issues” the report and the prevalence of harassment cases demonstrated that this culture of sexism and abuse is “deep rooted in Exeter.”

This culture of sexism and abuse is deep rooted in Exeter

The EUWRFC organising the walking bus also comes at a time when men’s rugby is facing multiple allegations of sexual harassment and racial abuse. This speaks of a much

For more coverage of the Euros, head to @exeposesport

larger issue of rugby and varsity sports culture at University; with Fresher’s only a few months away, we anticipate the annual allegations and investigations into bullying and hazing during initiation, which Sophie described as “more pronounced” in sports societies. The EUWRFC is working hard to prove that this does not always have to be the case; sports societies can “be good people and make a difference.” In a time of so much uncertainty and division, the walking bus is a shining example of how easily we can come together to do something good. If you would like to join the walking bus, then get in contact with Sophie over Facebook.

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