Issue 714 // 25 Jan 2021 by Exeposé

exeposé

Officially the UK’s Best Student Publication

ISSUE 714 25 JAN 2021 exepose.com @Exepose

THE UNIVERSITY OF EXETER’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1987

University fails to furlough casual workers again

Guild “work to widen debate” amidst second transphobia controversy Pete Syme Deputy Editor

Exeposé spoke to student workers who typically staff Marketplace’s accommodation shops about the decision not to furlough workers. “Of course, we have no committed shifts because our manager sorts them

HE Debating Society’s inviting of controversial speakers Dr Joanna Williams and Baroness Claire Fox to a motion on the “Snowflake Generation” has attracted condemnation from students, whilst the Guild says they “work to widen debate and challenge, never to narrow it.” It comes just four months after their last controversy, when Caroline Farrow was un-invited and then re-invited to a debate on sex work after the society was made aware of her “anti-LQBTQ+ views.” The Free Speech Union had sent a letter to the Vice Chancellor after hearing of her deplatforming, before Guild management intervened to tell her the invitation would not be rescinded. Internal investigations were then opened by both the Guild and University, with a Guild spokesperson saying: “we are committed to ensuring that we are transparent in what we find in the review so that answers are given to questions.” Exeposé understands that the University had reminded the Guild of their responsibilities to uphold freedom of speech laws. Students on the Overheard at University of Exeter Facebook page expressed their embarrassment at Friday’s speakers, with one asking: “How the fuck did you get her approved by the Guild?”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

Emily Im News Editor

Image: Pete Syme

Bryony Gooch Editor

HE University will not furlough casual staff employed at Marketplace, as the retail chain reduces its opening hours for the foreseeable future of the lockdown.

An email from Human Resources, originally sent on 13 January to Marketplace management but received by student workers on 21 January, confirmed the University’s stance on furlough: “The position with regards to casual staff is that furlough arrangements will only apply where work had previously

SCIENCE Leaving the EU and Frankenfoods PAGe 29

Image: Think London, Gareth Evans

been assigned or was due to be assigned to workers, and where workers meet other government eligibility criteria. “Therefore, unless you have previously been advised of times/dates/ hours/shifts, no commitment to any work has been confirmed and furlough would therefore not apply.”

FEATURES Women’s rights in Latin America PAGe 11

ARTS & LIT Merchant goes missing

Image: Bryan Ledgard

PAGE 17

News Editors Print: Emily Im & Chloe Pumares Online: Elen Johnston & Ella Shadwell news@exepose.com

Beyond Exeter Editor Print: Sumiah Elbortoukaly

Lifestyle Editors Print: Ceri Jackson & Georgia Shepherd Online: Millie Betts lifestyle@exepose.com Arts + Lit Editors Print: Will Evans & Amelia Gregory Online: Lucy Aylmer & Anna Wilmot artsandlit@exepose.com Music Editors Print: Bridie Adams & Ollie Leader de Saxe Online: Tom Bosher & Holly Lamb music@exepose.com Screen Editors Print: Olivia Garrett & Francesca Sylph Online: Olivia Gomez & Jim Norman screen@exepose.com Science Editors Print: Laura Haughey & Lauryn Mitchell Online: Isabel Murray & Vincent Plant sciandtech@exepose.com Sport Editors Print: Joel Edwards & Nick Powell Online: Elise Hamerseley & Harry Scott Munro sport@exepose.com Chief Photographer photography@exepose.com Copy Editors Danni Darrah, David Fallshaw, Emily Mason Proofers Kamila Bell, Bryony Gooch, Pee Syme, Richard Ainslie, George Clark, Blood, Sweat & Tears

@exepose @exepose facebook.com/exepose issuu.com/exeposeexeter Advertising SalesandBusinessDepartment@exeterguild.com

(01392) 722607

The opinions expressed in Exeposé are not necessarily those of the Exeposé Editors nor the University of Exeter Students’ Guild. While every care is taken to ensure that the information in this publication is correct and accurate, the Publisher can accept no liability for any consequential loss or damage, however caused, arising as a result of using the information printed. The Publisher cannot accept liability for any loss or damage to artwork or material submitted. The contents of this, unless stated otherwise, are copyright of the Publisher. Reproduction in any form requires the prior consent of the Publisher.

Students review the nodisadvantage guarantee PAGE 4

MUSIC Predicting what 2021 has in store for the music industry PAGE 21

SCIENCE Looking at the long term impacts of COVID-19 PAGE 28 Image: wikimediacommons

Features Editors Print: Bethany Collins & Joe Newell Online: Simon Eidesvik & Becca Wells Foreign Correspondents Co-ordinator:s: Ross Chatwell & Catherine Lloyd features@exepose.com

Screen looks at everyone's favourite new steamy period drama, Bridgerton on Netflix (page 25). Looking for something to read? Arts + Lit are here with some recommendations to keep you warm through January (page 16). Science discuss the potential ramifications Brexit may have on our food industry (page 29). Join us in Music to remember MF DOOM, one of the greatest, most enigmatic rappers we had the pleasure of experiencing (page 21). Feel free to pop over to Features, and read about some tasty analysis on Donald Trump being banned from... most places on the internet (page 9). Sport have the ultimate scoop on BUCS' inability to run any sporting events for the rest of the year and how this impacts the AU (page 32). And if you're taking part in Veganuary, Lifestyle have a mean Vegan Chilli recipe you'll be dying to try (page 14). Hopefully this issue can cure your January Blues, but if you feel something is missing, know that you are always welcome to write for us yourself. As always, Exeposé welcomes new writers, proofers and general members. We are a student group that requires you to have absolutely no prior experience, just a passion for all things journalism or a love of creativity. We welcome everyone. All you need is curiosity and a drive for giving things a go. But for now, take it easy. Carry on reading. Good things come your way. Kamila & Bryony

Image: trnavaUniversity (unsplash)

Comment Editors Print: Isaac Bettridge & Cassia Grace Online: Gaia Neiman & Jennifer Medlicott comment@exepose.com

T has been a long year and it's only January. One of our editors is writing this editorial from the discomfort of their childhood bedroom. They don't have a desk and their lower back aches from leaning back on a pillow against the wall. Working from home is a strange life to lead, and indeed making this issue while everyone is spread across the country some in Exeter, other still at home - has been an experience. January is a hard enough month without a national lockdown in place, or a global pandemic. The glitter of Christmas has settled and you're hit with the cold reality of a new year. That being said, we could all do with some change around here. The new year comes with the prospect of new beginnings. This is the time to make changes, if that is what you want to do. Our New Year's resolution, for example, is to get a physical print copy out at some point this year. We apologise for the current PDF format. We understand that some of you may miss the rustle of pages - the useful nature of our newspaper in fixing wobbly desks. But we're glad that you're reading. Anyway, on with the show! This week in News you can read about the student response to the University's No Disadvantage Policy. Surprise surprise, not everyone is happy about this No Detriment placeholder (Page 4). Meanwhile, Comment raise concern over the level of support provided by the University during these uncertain times (page 7).

NEWS

Image: Alina Vilchenko (pexels)

Editors Print: Kamila Bell & Bryony Gooch Online: Madeleine Baker & Ria Kalsi Deputy: Richard Ainslie, George Clark & Pete Syme editors@exepose.com

Editorial

Image: Olia Danilevich (pexels)

EXEPOSÉ

Devonshire House, Exeter, Devon, EX4 4PZ

SPORT

Women's Rugby's fight against sexism PAGE 31

CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE!

There are even more great articl es on the Exeposé website. From the latest university news to current affairs, music and theatr e reviews and more, visit us at www.exepose.com

Worldwide university news South Korean medical exams to be held twice

HE South Korean government has backtracked on its previous position to allow its 2021 medical students a second opportunity to take their medical licensing exams. It is expected that 6,000 students will take their annual medical licensing exam that is now being held for a second time this year. In a press briefing on 31 December, Korea’s Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters explained the practical medical licensing exam would take place for a second time this year due to concerns for anticipated medical personnel shortages. 85 per cent of final-year medical students boycotted the exam in September 2020, over proposed medical reforms, meaning without the government’s U-turn South Korea would have been short 2,700 doctors this year.

Scottish universities Sport returns to Pakistan PM to tackle switch to remote learning American Universities student drug addiction

OLLOWING a revised plan, the Scottish Government has told its universities and colleges to change to remote learning until the end of February, with the majority of students not predicted to return to campus until the beginning of March. This move excludes students who are already on university campuses, students whose courses demand in-person teaching, students attending essential placements and students whose well-being necessitates staying on campus. Colleges are expected to practice the same guidelines with the hope that this will lead to primarily remote learning from January to February. All arrangements are subject to a future review of COVID-19 conditions.

HE Patriot League will resume all Spring and Autumn sports this year. Field hockey, lacrosse, men and women’s football and volleyball are among those that while return to regularly scheduled seasons. Cross-country and swimming will compete in the Championships but without a regular schedule. One of the first sports starting this season will be American university wrestling. Matches are scheduled for 15 and 29 January, and 7 February. Sports involved in the big leagues will be limited in the number of different teams they can compete against. Spring sports were partly cancelled and Autumn sports were completey scrapped in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

AKISTAN'S Prime Minister, Imran Khan, has announced he is forming a special council to develop and implement a strategy that will limit illicit drug use at universities. The council will be made up of representatives from various ministries, including Health and Education. Speaking at the inauguration of the Anti-Narcotics Force in Rawalpindi on 7 December 2020, Khan said that seven million youths in the country were addicted to drugs. He continued; “Besides law-enforcing actions at national level, we have increased coordination with universities and will work with the Higher Education Commission to eradicate the menace of illicit drugs at the campuses." Stories by, Kamila Bell, Amber Hogan, Chloe Pumares and Emily Im

Images (LtoR): National Cancer Institute, Cian Leach

25 JAN 2021 | EXEPOSÉ

NEWS

“A complete lack of care and consideration” CONTINUED FROM FRONT Joanna Williams was condemned as transphobic by signatories of an open letter when she spoke at King’s College London in 2018. Last year, she penned a report titled “The Corrosive Impact of Transgender Ideology” which proposes that transgender children should be misgendered at school if they do not have parental approval. In the report, written for right-wing think tank Civitas, Dr Williams questions why transgender pupils are free to use the toilets and changing rooms that match their gender identity, claiming that it makes schools “riskier” for girls. She has also written articles decrying “trans tyranny”, claiming that the word “woman” is now an expletive and “declaring your pronouns is pure narcissism.” Baroness Claire Fox also spoke at the event. Foxes appointment as a peer has been condemned as she has not apologised for defending IRA bombings. She was a leading member of the Revolutionary Communist Party when they defended such actions in 1993. The Guild has previously faced criticism for sanctioning the appearance of Katie Hopkins to argue against refugees in 2018, and an ECU speaker who was accused of homophobia. A Guild spokesperson said: “University of Exeter Students’ Guild is commit-

ted to supporting freedom of expression. Everyone has the right to free speech within the law. We work to widen debate and challenge, never to narrow it. Decisions about speakers and events are made on the basis of promoting and protecting the right to freedom of expression. “Friday’s debate, like others held by the Debating Society and student groups across the country, aimed to encourage balanced and respectful debates by ensuring strong mitigations are in place so that unlawful hate speech will be condemned and not tolerated. These mitigations include a balance of views and experience of speakers, an experienced Chairperson, and digital debate risk mitigations. An Event Approval Panel was convened in the risk assessment and approval process for this debate involving both Exeter Students’ Guild and University of Exeter to ensure that freedom of expression cannot be abused for the purpose of unchallenged hatred or bigotry. “Peaceful protest is also a protected form of expression; however, protest should not be allowed to shut down debate or infringe the rights of others if the event is well managed in accordance with the law.” LGBTQ+ Society’s Transgender Representative, Dimitri Georgiev, said: “Although the debates may not be centred around transphobic topics, the act of invit-

ing openly transphobic speakers into our University spaces signifies that the Debate Society are complacent in normalising transphobia. “Those responsible for these invitations must realise their duty to think critically about who they invite, what kind of message this sends to the public, and ensure that they do not contribute to the hostile environment trans people are subjected to in our current day and age. They must understand their responsibility to every student, ensuring that robust risk assessments exist to prevent additional harm to marginalised groups. “Furthermore, it is regrettable that multiple times each year we have a problem with noted transphobic speakers being given invitations to speak on campus, but have not had opportunities to welcome and promote prominent trans speakers and thinkers. If these debates are an attempt to show both sides of the argument, then they are clearly failing in this.”

dents was reduced by 30 per cent between September and January. The strikers are also calling for reduced tuition fees, aggrieved by the quality of education and lack of inperson teaching. One student wanted “recognition that online teaching is not as good as in-person” while another argued that “the Uni lied and tricked us into coming back.” There was also a sense of distress that those students on practical courses, who have had to return to Exeter, are living alone with inadequate mental health support. The group explained that this is currently the primary issue for them. The Exeter Rent Strike told us that they “feel very mixed emotions right Image: Cleo Garrett now. On the one hand we are happy

that rent has been waived for all University owned accommodation for the current national lockdown period. On the other, we realise this was the bare minimum they should have done. “There is a lot more the University needs to discuss with us and other student representatives in order to come to a solution to the issues we have raised on behalf of students. The University’s communication has been terrible. We have sent multiple emails and had no response bar a three sentence email from the VC’s assistant telling us they would talk to student reps about our demands.” “It’s been over a week and a half since our first email and the University have yet to meet with us. We have had an extensive meeting with the Guild who agreed all our de-

If these issues affect you, you can get in touch with: www.exeter.ac.uk/wellbeing www.exeter.ac.uk/speakout exeter.nightline.ac.uk

Guild condemns “xenophobic” Exefess post Kamila Bell Editor

HE Guild have spoken out against a “xenophobic” Exefess post published on 18

January. The Guild responded with a joint statement from Ruby Jones, VP Welfare & Diversity, and Penny Dinh, VP Education: “This is unfortunately another example of an anonymous platform being used to share xenophobic and unacceptable messages. Your Students’ Guild and we as an Officer team absolutely stand against any form of discrimination, which is what this post clearly is. “International students should be made to feel welcome in Exeter for the duration of their study, as we’re sure every Exeter student would expect to be if they were studying abroad. It’s so important that students continue using the Speak Out system and report instances of hate and discrimination such as this, whether it’s on campus or online.” The post in question read: “Anyone have any experience living with an international student? I’m living with

one next year and am really nervous. Any tips would be appreciated x” This is not the first time anonymous university confession pages have published harmful and “xenophobic” content. A previous anonymous confessions page, ExeHonesty, was shut down in November 2019, when the University reported several posts to the police that contained Nazi propaganda. In response to the instances where racist posts had previously been published, ExeHonestly admins said “it is standard practice on social media for posts to occasionally get through.” ExeFess has previously been reported to the police for hate speech directed at Guild election candidates in February 2020. Sexually violent threats have also previously been published to ExeFess’ sister page Sexefess.

If these issues affect you, you can get in touch with: www.exeter.ac.uk/wellbeing www.exeter.ac.uk/speakout

Meeting agreed between Exeter Rent Strike and senior management

Pete Syme Deputy Editor

VER 500 Exeter students have pledged to withhold rent from the University to demand rent reductions for the entire year as well as further mental health support. Senior management has now agreed to a meeting on 25 January after being set up by the Students’ Guild, although the group was set up on 5 January. The Exeter Rent Strike works primarily through their Instagram @exeterrentstrike, where they gained over 1,000 followers in the first 24 hours. The group has been inspired by those at other universities like Manchester, where rent for all halls resiImage: Sebastiaan ter Burg

Image: Pterre, Wikimedia Commons

Unite Students’ renters able to apply for 50 per cent rebate

Chloe Pumares News Editor

mands were reasonable and helped us to focus on the areas we need to prioritise. “Students are stuck in limbo, not being treated fairly and being told nothing by senior management, some transparency and honesty would go a long way. “We, as the representatives of the student body, condemn their total inaction and appeal to them now to meet with us as a matter of urgency.” A University spokesperson told Exeposé: “We have received a letter from a group of students about rent reductions and student wellbeing and the Registrar is happy to meet with the group online to discuss their concerns. We have worked with the Students’ Guild and will meet with the group early next week.”

NITE Students, one of the largest student property providers in the UK, has announced a 50 per cent rental discount for students not living in their accommodation between 18 January and 14 February. This announcement was accompanied by the policy issued by Unite that

certain students who are eligible can also request a four week extension to the end of their tenancy either to finish their studies, continue part time work or just enjoy Exeter in the summer. Unite also issued the criteria for students to apply for the rebate, as the residents tenancy agreement must fall within the 2020/21 academic year, be paid directly to the company, and renters must not be currently living in the Unite property they are renting.

Other criteria states that the tenants must not move in between January 18 and February 14, or have any rent payments outstanding on any account. Renters also must not cancel or leave the contract during the rent discount period. In order to get the rent rebate residents also must physically apply by filling out a form by 22 January as the rebate will not be applied automatically. Those who have been successful and considered eligible will be contacted by

the end of February and the rebate will be applied to their accounts by the end of March 2021. Speaking to one student who resides in one of Unites’ accommodations here in Exeter they state that while “obviously everyone would have wanted 100 per cent rebate for at least one month” people are “still grateful that there is some kind of discount [as] there wasn’t one in [the] October/November lockdown.”

Unite operates 177 properties in the UK and expect that 50,000 students which equals two-thirds of their tenants who are unable to return to their accommodation due to lockdown restrictions will be able to claim the partial refund. While Unite have offered a 50 per cent rebate this time, there was not one in the November lockdown and the other top student provider Student Roost is offering a 100 per cent refund for six weeks.

25 JAN 2021 | EXEPOSÉ

NEWS

“The University has a duty of care to its staff and those it employs” CONTINUED FROM FRONT

a day before the week starts,” one employee pointed out. “But surely work was due to be assigned as a rota comes out every week.” The email from management revealed that there were only two available shifts for the next week offered to the 19 student workers on a “first come first served basis.” A student worker described how “I said I can make one of the shifts in five minutes after the email was sent and I didn’t even get the shift. We have to be scavengers for one shift.” Exeposé asked student workers how they had been directly affected not only by the reduced hours, but by the decision not to furlough staff. “It’s extremely stressful”, one student expressed. “I came back to Exeter before the lockdown as I needed to work. Without any access to work I’m now stuck in the city with no income and unable to return home. “I’m reliant on my job to cover my bills and expenses and now have no way of doing so when I’m not going to be paid and have no financial or contractual protection from the University.” A Registrar email sent on 5 January revealed that “in-person teaching will be delayed until at least mid-February

for all students” except for a select few students studying for “future critical worker” courses. Another student stated: “I’ve been dependent on the money from the part-time work at the University since the start of the last academic year. To be told there won’t be any shifts, with hardly any notice, has been detrimental.” Marketplace employees are in a casual agreement with the University. Exeposé asked student workers whether or not they had contracts which might show their entitlement to furlough. “I never signed a contract,” one student confirmed. Instead, Exeposé found that to work for Marketplace, students have to fill in a document called the “Casual Employment Questionnaire”. The questionnaire aims to “assess your suitability for employment” by asking prospective workers questions such as “state five personality traits you think are essential for delivering customers a great service” and when they might possibly be available to work as “shifts can vary between weeks.” Student workers also described an online induction that covered “fire safety, diversity, extremism etc.” and “a separate new one for COVID regula-

tions”. One student worker commented on the casual nature of the agreement with the University. “It’s had its benefits in terms of being flexible, and it obviously means there’s no minimum hours you have to complete… But now the situation is pretty crap.” A University of Exeter spokesperson said: “There are a number of issues which the University has had to take into consideration about which employees and workers may be eligible for furlough under the Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. Each employer has to consider how the Government’s regulations and associated sector guidance that has been issued affects them, alongside the operational and financial impact of the pandemic. The University is only utilising the scheme where planned or assigned work which had been budgeted for is disrupted by the pandemic, unless the government has advised of restrictions which do not allow the scheme to be used due to the way in which services can be associated with public funding. “Additional temporary work arising from the pandemic is creating some alternative employment opportu-

nities across the University for casual staff and those that we have not been able to furlough are being offered alternative work wherever possible. “We know that many students are struggling financially through the pandemic and we have put in place a number of support measures including a doubling of the support available through the hardship fund, in partnership with the Students’ Guild and Students’ Union.” One student worker criticised the University’s response: “While I appreciate the University setting aside funds for students, it isn’t enough to cover monthly consistent wages. “However it’s more a matter of principle - the University has a duty of care to its staff and those it employs. To be abandoned at the worst part of the pandemic yet shows how little the University cares for its student staff.” This is not the first time student workers have spoken out against the University for not furloughing their casual staff. In July 2020 the University came under fire for failing to furlough casual student workers during the first lockdown. At the time, the Students’ Guild had furloughed their casual student workers.

Students express disappointment over the nodisadvantage guarantee Emily Im News Editor

NIVERSITY of Exeter students have responded to the no-disadvantage guarantee with disappointment, confusion and a touch of humour. The guarantee, emailed to students on 15 January, outlined three safety nets which the University developed following consultation with the Students’ Guild and student representatives. The first point explains that exam boards will compare the average marks achieved by each year group with the equivalent marks from previous years. If there is any “significant deviation”, they will “apply appropriate adjustments.” Students for Academic Mitigation (S4AM) have argued that this is not a new policy. It also reiterates that students can apply to defer assessments and go through the appeals process without providing evidence. The third policy, aimed at final year and postgraduate students, states that the University will be expanding their definition of the “borderline zone’’ which could lead to students being awarded a higher class of degree. They

intend to clarify this definition in later emails. Taking to social media, students posted memes to express their dissatisfaction with the guarantee. One described the email as “waffle” while others argued the University had mentioned protocols that had been introduced before or were always in place, even prior to the pandemic. Some comments also suggest that students did not fully understand the guarantee because of how it was written.

Not being able to access adequate resources has worried and upset me. Speaking to Exeposé, one student said; “I’m seriously disappointed with the nodisadvantage policy. I was particularly annoyed with how the email used words like ‘safety net’ and ‘no detriment’ without offering anything tangible to protect my grades. I’m a third year History student and practically need access to certain resources such as the library and archives to complete my degree adequately. Being offered no protection facing the dif-

ficulty of simply not being able to access adequate resources has really worried and upset me. “I’m struggling - this period has been so tough on my mental health. Working in a space not designed for full-time work has presented physical difficulties such as screen headaches and back pain. “Students need some pressure off and the University could provide this through flexible deadlines, an easier system of appeals, changing the weighting of years or having bottom 30 credits not counting. [All of this] would make a big difference in genuinely helping students and showing the University cares.” Another student said the email made them “so angry I was about to puke.” They continued: “it shows just how little respect the University has for us. It was so incredibly vague and had no mention of how they were going to demonstrate implementation. “Personally, I think that reducing the weighting for final years would be a great help. My final year is worth twice my second year and four times my year abroad. Even if it was the same as my second year, it would take a load of stress off.” On the borderline zone safety net,

they said: “It’s far too vague. We need clear and well-documented measures so there isn’t any room for the university to change the meaning at the last moment.”

S4AM will continue to push until students are satisfied S4AM Spokesperson

Another student said; “I haven’t seen postgraduates mentioned in too many emails so it seems the University is ignoring us. We only study for one year, for starters and we don’t have a class to compare ourselves with for no detriment. However, our grades this year have 100 per cent weight on our degree. We’re also last in line for in-person teaching. I paid for tuition fees and am paying rent entirely out of my savings and I can’t say it’s money well spent.” A spokesperson for S4AM said; “It is clear to students that more needs to be done, and S4AM will continue to push until students are satisfied with the deal they are offered. With this in mind, the collaboration with the University is ongoing and we believe we are finally heading

Positive COVID-19 cases attributed to “gatherings of multiple households” Kamila Bell Editor

HERE were 32 positive cases confirmed by the University’s COVID-19 statistics website in the period of 12 January to 18 January. A Registrar email sent to students on 20 January stated “Several of these new cases are associated with halls of residence where there have been gatherings of multiple households.” Three students were fined £200 each following a party in Lafrowda on 9 January. The Registrar email continued “It is critically important that all students who are in Exeter or Cornwall, and all staff returning to campuses, get two tests, three days apart, at our campus testing centres. “If you have returned to Exeter or Cornwall, regardless of why and when you may have returned, or where you may be living, or if you have stayed in your University accommodation over the break, you should get tested.” University of Exeter has conducted around 5,000 COVID-19 tests through the Rapid Response Hub. A University of Exeter spokesperson stated around 30 per cent of students have returned to on-campus accommodation. However, the total number of students who have returned to Exeter is unclear as numbers cannot be confirmed for private accommodation. The University calculates figures from HALO tests alongside data from Public Health England to formulate the number of positive cases for students and staff.

in the right direction. We are currently awaiting clarification and answers to questions raised in meetings and by students on our Google form.” Penny Dinh, VP Education, said: “The work of Students for Academic Mitigation and our Student Representatives can’t be understated in lobbying the University to create lenient and supportive policies to protect student outcomes – the position we’re in now wouldn’t have been possible without the student voice and feedback being so prominent. “I know that many students still have concerns and questions – we’re going to continue fighting to ensure those worries are eased and that students have the best support and policies in place. It’s so important you continue speaking to your Student Reps and giving feedback to us so that we can get the change that you want to see.”

LIFESTYLE

ARTS+LIT

MUSIC

SCREEN

LIKE OUR FACEBOOK PAGE /EXEPOSEEXHIBIT

25 JAN 2021| EXEPOSÉ

Comment

COMMENT EDITORS:

Isaac Bettridge Cassia Grace

Trust me, I’m (almost) a doctor: medical students speak out Isaac Bettridge Comment Editor

HILST all students have been affected by the shift to online learning, some have had it worse than others, and none more so than medical students. Medical courses require a tremendous amount of practical learning and inperson experience that is difficult to replicate over Zoom or Teams, and with the NHS becoming overwhelmed by COVID-19, many have been denied placements and ward work that is usually central to their degree. As such, in order to better understand how they are coping with the effects of the pandemic, I’ve spoken to two first-year medical students to gauge how they’ve been coping with this most unusual of academic years.

Both expressed a desire for the quality of online lectures to improve

Both expressed many of the frustrations concerning online learning that have been experienced by all students. Neither had been on campus for

anything more than rare clinical skills sessions all year. The first student complained that it hardly felt like a university experience at all, lacking the interaction and stimulation they expected from higher education. The varying quality of online lectures was a common theme: most are pre-recorded, allowing for little interaction, and many are simply re-uploaded lectures from last year, with poor quality audio that makes it difficult to understand the information being given. More specifically though, both students expressed concerns that the nature of online learning would detract from the value of their degree and potentially impact their performance down the line. There was an emphasis on the need to develop both professional skills, such as performing injections and other such procedures, which are usually taught in practical sessions that have now been cancelled, as well as interpersonal skills involving communicating with patients. These skills are crucial for any medical professional but are hard to practice over Zoom. Both respondents were worried that this would impact t h e i r

performance in placements and in their professional lives. Students have not had the opportunity to build up practical and social skills early on in lower-risk environments than those they will encounter both later on in their degrees and in their careers.

Both students expressed great gratitude for the tireless work of the staff Speaking of placements, an often-repeated concern was that with COVID-19 patients filling up hospitals and staff understandably becoming extra-cautious about bringing in any new people, many students have had their placements cancelled or postponed indefinitely. In particular, concern for fifth year students, in the final stages of their learning and about to graduate onto the wards with potentially minimal real life experience of them, was expressed by both interviewees. With regards to lockdown and COVID-19 rules, a sense of increased pressure on medical students particularly was expressed. The first student reported peers having placements cancelled after instances of rule-breaking were reported among their cohort, regardless of whether they had come anywhere near the offending student. However, both argued that the potential damage that could be wrought by a COVID-positive person entering the wards made such stringent measures necessary, if not entirely welcome. Despite these complaints, both students expressed gratitude for the tireless work of the staff to set up and run their courses. There was a recognition of the vast amount of work done by medical school teachers, who have apparently not had a single day off since March, to devise a whole new online course in a subject so innately practical, and much of the work they have done has been well-received. The second

student told me of one instance where a student complained about the lack of quizzes in one seminar only to find them heavily incorporated into next week’s learning and commended the responsiveness and attentiveness of the staff to student’s complaints. As well as this, they praised efforts such as the mass testing of medical students before placements as evidence that the University was listening to and attempting to address their concerns. As for the future, there was a notable unwillingness to predict or hope for anything in particular, a wise choice given how frequently hopes and plans have been dashed over the last year. The students expressed hope that more in-person learning and something approaching a normal learning experience could be possible later this year as the vaccine rollout gains pace, and they were greatly thankful for innovations such as live anatomy sessions that have helped them to keep up with the challenges of their degree in a COVID-safe manner.

Many students have had their placements cancelled or postponed indefiinitely Both expressed a desire for the quality of online lectures to improve, specifically an end to the use of last year’s pre-recorded ones, but also said that they understood the significant challenges the pandemic has posed that have led to many of the problems they are currently experiencing and thus rendered untenable their desire for in person learning to resume in full. Let us hope that their dreams, and ours, can become a reality sooner rather than later. Images L to R: pexels, jonathanborba and christophergower, unsplash

The Guild Officer column

Image: Students Guild

Sunday Blake Guild President

WISH I could be writing this column all about how I was so excited that we’d get back to normality in 2021, but I think it’s fair to say it’s not been the start to the year any of us had hoped for. Despite the obvious and extremely serious challenges facing students around mental health, wellbeing, their studies and everything else, we’ve had some wins so far. I’m delighted the University has agreed to waive rent for University and nominated accommodation for the duration of lockdown – there’s still, of course, work to do in finding a solution for the many, many students in privately rented accommodation. This is an issue I will continue campaigning on with the other Full-Time Officers. We’ve made baby steps towards a safety net, however there is still work to be done. I’ll carry on working with the other Russell Group Presidents to ensure students get the support they need. With issues like these, I can’t stress enough how important student feedback is. I’m certain we wouldn’t have been able to get the wins we’ve got since the pandemic started without the overwhelming amount of feedback and info students have given us. Please continue speaking to us and telling us how you’re being affected.

COMMENT

25 JAN 2021 | EXEPOSÉ

No comment, no support? Isabel Langguth Contributor

URING such turbulent times, there has clearly been a lot of anger going around and this recently became directed at a post on the University of Exeter’s Instagram page regarding mental health and wellbeing. Shortly after the post went online, it was deleted due to students commenting on the post with negative personal experiences of the University’s policy regarding mental health during the pandemic.

Students have been nationally scapegoated and silenced When questioning students about their experiences with the University, the opinions were mixed: “They have been pretty good with me. I emailed them once about feeling very low and wanting to go back during the lockdown, so they arranged multiple meetings with someone to speak to.”

“My experience with mental health at uni has been okay. I have been able to email them and ring them when stressed and that, but sometimes they don’t pick up, or I have to wait a few days for a response.” “After losing a family member to Covid, I have been struggling with my mental health and didn’t know if I could start again this term. After contacting my tutor, he and all my lecturers have been in contact with me, offered me support, if ever I needed someone to turn to they said they would be there to help.” Ruby, a fellow student and owner of the YouTube channelRuby Granger, has long been an active and integral participant in the public conversation about student mental health. During the pandemic, she has been open about her struggles with mental health due to the many uncertainties impacting a student’s day-to-day life. Ruby was happy to comment on the situation: “many students have struggled greatly, and yet have been nationally scapegoated and silenced, especially at the beginning of the academic year.” Ruby found Exeter’s response

to students’ online comments to be “disappointing... especially when such comments can and will continue the hugely important conversation about mental health... by seeing the extent of the problem we can start to solve it.”

Image: Pixabay

However, Ruby’s personal experiences with the support systems in place at the University have been good. “My personal tutor has always been available to me and other students she works with,” but acknowl-

edges that “not everyone is so lucky.” She stated: “I think students need to know that someone is looking out for them - especially if they are in Halls. The most important thing is that students know they always have somewhere to turn and that needs to be the University’s priority.” Many commented that this was due to the University not reinstating the no-detriment policy used in the previous academic year. It provided a safety net for students during such uncertainty and the adjustment to new teaching styles and living. While the University did make the exams open book and some with 24 hours - it seems that this is not enough to compensate for many people, who found that the exams were made significantly more difficult, making access to notes more a burden than a benefit. One student commented: “The lack of support has been awful. Open book exams have been exceedingly difficult because we have access to our notes, despite not actually having time to consult said notes. The vast majority of my cohort feel they have failed their exams. There is still

no tangible reassurance that we will achieve the grades we deserve.” On 15 January, the University emailed students to announce the new measures they are putting in place to act as safety nets for exam grades. The University has agreed that “each department will take a consistent approach and will compare average marks, and the distribution of marks, achieved by each year group this year with the equivalent marks from previous years.” While the University is now tak-

Refusing to listen to criticism is not the way forward ing steps to respond to students’ concerns about exams, it is vital that students feel they can discuss their mental health experiences and the University is equipped to help them. Preventing an open discussion and refusing to listen to criticism is not the way forward and deleting the Instagram post may well prove to be a grave mistake for the University.

Agony Aunt

DEAR AGONY AUNT,

I am simply e x h a u s t e d with this pandemic and struggling to stay motivated, especially as I didn’t manage to make it back to Exeter before the lockdown. Teach me how to work please?

Yours in distress, Demotivated Dweller

DEAR AGONY AUNT, I CAN’T STOP COMFORT EATING. That’s it. Stop me.

Yours, Full-Bellied Baker x

DEAR FULL-BELLIED BAKER,

Unless it is making you objectively unhappy, don’t stop. Sleep. Bake. Eat. Repeat. That’s it. That’s my advice. Walk generally for health, but you need only walk for DEAR DEMOTIVATED DWELLER, I feel you. Try to make your home working set as long as it takes to exorcise the guilt from your system. up comfy, whether that’s investing in a cheap bed desk, lighting candles, working via Zoom with coursemates or drinking lots of hot chocolate (or all of these!). Do your Much love, best to remember that you aren’t alone, the circumstances are NOT your fault. It’s cold, dark and generally scary at Agony Aunt xx the moment, so be as kind to yourself as you can and don’t worry if you’re not always working at full steam, there’s no shame in that. Much love, Agony Aunt xo

Image: geralt, pixabay

DEAR AGONY AUNT, I feel older than I should. I simply do not understand how to Tik or Tok and would like someone to explain it to me? Like what is it? And why is it?

Yours, TikTok Toddler

DEAR TIKTOK TODDLER,

So, you know how everyone will have their “five minutes of fame”? TikTok is everyone competing for fifteen seconds of it. It’s like Vine (before its expiration) and the music industry had a baby. But honestly, who knows. TikTok is just great.

Much love, Agony Aunt x

Features

25 JAN 2021 | EXEPOSÉ

FEATURES EDITORS: Bethany Collins Joe Newell

Censored?

Lucy Aylmer, Online Arts and Lit editor, asks whether Donald Trump should be an online exile

ONALD Trump’s Twitter account was permanently suspended in the first week of January amid the storming of Congress. Twitter have stated the ban was on account of three offending tweets which were a “severe violation of our civic integrity.” These tweets spoke warmly of those storming Capitol Hill by labelling them “patriots.” The President was also suspended from Facebook and Instagram after Mark Zuckerberg condemned the attacks on the US Capitol as a “violent insurrection against a democratically elected government” and that allowing Trump to use their service posed risks that “are simply too great.” Facebook and Instagram’s suspension is ongoing and will be reviewed after the transition of power on 20 January. Many other social media outlets such as Snapchat, YouTube and Amazon Web Services have also taken decisive action against Trump.

Many have raised concerns over the undue power that the Big Four tech giants hold Amazon Web Services (AWS) removed Parler, a Twitter alternative that has a predominant conservative culture. Parler has since stated that AWS’s decision is “motivated by political animus” and that by removing Parler it has caused a serious breach of contract which requires a 30-day notice period prior to termination. Many have raised concerns over the undue power that the Big Four tech giants hold, and Parler’s claim can attest to this. Is it right that companies such as Amazon or Twitter can prescribe what people can and cannot say? The oligopolistic power that these companies hold can create controversy amongst the public. Conser vatives have argued that Google searches create bias against republicans and as such

these oligopolies serve to “restrict conservative speech” and produce “filter bubbles.” According to Paula Bolyard, supervising editor of PJ Media, 96 per cent of Google searches for Trump were attributed to antiTrump media outlets. Conservatives, including Trump, agree that media bias disenfranchises republicans by limiting news choice and prioritising speech.

Banning Trump derails the free spech ethos of social media sites Trump is not the only politician to raise concerns over social media censorship. German chancellor Angela Merkel promptly denounced Twitter’s decision to ban Trump, on grounds of the “right to free speech.” Continuing, Ms Merkel stated that companies such as Facebook or Twitter should not have the power to restrict site content; instead, it should be for regulators to enforce upon internet platforms. Other prominent political figures such as Alexei Navalny, a Russian blogger and dissident, have been quick to accuse Twitter of acting on impulsive

emotions and “personal political preferences.” Indeed, many journalists believe that people have the right to freely express and share their social media platforms in order to initiate discussion. Tom Standage, deputy editor of The Economist argues that social media is a two-way discursive environment where information is passed horizontally, rather than being delivered vertically from a central and verified source. Standage identifies that social media accommodates free expression. Banning Trump derails the free speech ethos of social media sites. These arguments do not deter from the shocking events that

unravelled last week. Five people died during the attack, including one police officer and a subsequent 60 Capitol Police officers were injured. The events were completely devastating a n d unnecessary. Twitter has defended its action and claimed Trump had received multiple warnings. In May, Twitter attached a warning to an offensive tweet that Trump posted in reference to the Minneapolis riots stating that “when the looting starts the shooting starts.” Further action has involved adding factchecking links on posts which may be misleading. Many think that Trump’s expressive tweets calling for action against the presidential election outcome provoked anger and incited violence, which led to the storming of Congress, whilst The Independent have cited Trump as a threat to “national security and public safety.” Clearly words need to be accounted for,

particularly when they concern the US President. According to the American Business Law Journal, boundaries between private speech and public speech are becoming increasingly blurred due to social media. Therefore, some argue social media users need to be held accountable for content published on personal social media accounts as this infringes upon the public domain. As seen in the Capitol attacks, words can galvanise and inspire unwarranted sentiment that indoctrinates people to behave recklessly.

96 per cent of Google searches for Trump were from anti-Trump media

Many think that Trump’s expressive tweets incited violence Social media sites do have a responsibility to protect their users. Fake news and extremist ideology are being deployed on social media, resulting in the spread of dangerous and misleading information. According to Forbes, social media users are more likely to believe fake news on social media sites. Therefore, companies are coming under increasing pressure to take decisive action against user behaviour. Arguably, Trump’s latest actions were the last straw in a series of controversies that have bought @realDonaldTrump and social media head-to-head. Perhaps his punishment is far overdue.

Image: Gage Skidmore

25 JAN 2021 | EXEPOSÉ

FEATURES

The students are revolting

Esmé Tilling situates renewed petitions and online campaigns within the recent history of student protest

N 4 January, Boris Johnson announced the third lockdown as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Consequently, university students were warned not to return to their on-campus accommodation and that teaching would be online until at least mid-February. This announcement, however, has triggered an immediate response from many dissatisfied students who have expressed feeling completely neglected by the government. These students believe that online teaching is not sufficient for the £9,250 tuition fees they are nevertheless being charged for the academic year. The resultant effect of this has been the return of online petitions and a collective protest on social media. This is not, however, an unfamiliar occurrence. Towards the end of the academic year in 2020, there were multiple petitions all concerning the reimbursement of tuition fees for

university students as a result of the disruption caused by both COVID-19 and strike action. These petitions collectively gained over 500,000 signatures, compelling the Government to respond to the matter. Based on the Petitions Committee report in July 2020, it is apparent that the Government has acknowledged that the “COVID-19 outbreak has hugely disrupted the education of university students” and in turn “students have told us they are not receiving the standard of education that they had expected, feel they are entitled to, or which offers true value for money in light of the amount they are paying in tuition fees.” However, the Government maintained that “some students have continued to receive an excellent education” and resultantly the committee determined: “We do not therefore believe that there should be a universal refund or reimbursement of tuition fees to all university students.”

So, whilst the concerns of university students were recognised, no significant change was made. One could suggest that this is the cause of the increased resistance from students in the current lockdown.

57 per cent reported a worsening of their mental health

The recent protests concern more than just tuition fees, however. At the University of Exeter, student voice is partly expressed by the Instagram account @exeterrentstrike which gained almost 1,500 followers in just one week. The account, whilst acknowledging that a “reduction in tuition fees is an equally pressing matter,” focuses solely on refunds for accommodation. It is argued that students should not have to pay for university accommodation to which they have been told they cannot return. On top of this, @exeterrentstrike claimed that “there has been little to no regard for students’ wellbeing.” Indeed, there is equal emphasis and concern amongst university students regarding the mental health services available during this next lockdown period. The Office of National Statistics conducted a survey on students at the end of November 2020 as a means of providing

information on the student experience during the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey found that “more than half (57 per cent) reported a worsening in their mental health and wellbeing between the beginning of the autumn term (September 2020) and being surveyed.” This can readily be used as evidence for student dissatisfaction, which can only be assumed has gotten worse with the announcement of yet another lockdown. Social media, as a tool to voice these demands and enact social change, is incredibly effective, particularly now when individuals cannot physically protest in public. By simply signing a petition, following an account, liking/ sharing a post, students are given the accessibility to share their concerns and also reach the wider community. Much like the @exeterrentstrike, over 45 universities in England are using platforms such as Instagram and Twitter to gain student support and declare their demands. Most of them are encouraging students to withhold their rent payments until a suitable response from the universities is made. As a result of this collective resistance, the University of Exeter recently announced that rent charges will be waived for students living in University accommodation if they do not return to this accommodation during

the lockdown period. Multiple other universities have since followed suit, such as the University of Cambridge, the University of Manchester and the University of Bath, adjusting rent charges appropriately. Not all students are satisfied with this result, however, given that the concern regarding tuition fees has remained ignored.

The Government remains adamant that online learning is "excellent education"

It is clear, therefore, that little has changed for university students when comparing the first and the current lockdowns. Initially, one could have argued that universities were doing the best they could to adapt to an unprecedented occurrence. However, can one still use this argument two lockdowns later, to placate the everincreasing dissatisfaction of university students over their supposed neglect? Can the Government remain adamant that online learning is “excellent education” while cancelling GCSE and A-Level exams because of the shift to online schooling? These are questions which are triggering a strong student response, and for which answers are needed.

Digital poverty

Eirwen Abberley argues that digital reliance in education continues to impede social mobility

HE COVID-19 pandemic, which has taken children out of classrooms and forced them to learn from home, is threatening equal opportunity in education. According to a report by the Edge Foundation, children from higher-income households are spending 30 per cent more time each day on schoolwork than children from the poorest fifth of households. Although most parents will be struggling to educate their children in lieu of school teachers, this responsibility falls hardest on those who cannot afford all of the necessary equipment, or private tutoring. Many children in these poorer households will be trying to learn without sufficient internet access or space to work. Parents who are working full-time from home have to juggle their own responsibilities and try to school their children too. Considering that children from poorer households are already 11 months behind their peers when they start school, the impact of this pandemic on educational disparities could

be resounding. During the first national lockdown, this unequal playing field seemed like a provisional and temporary fix. But now children have missed almost six months of learning in school. As well as putting enormous strain on parents, it could have a very damaging effect on children’s long-term education. Stress about grades and qualifications is something that all students approaching GCSEs, ALevels and university deadlines will be facing. These are important stages, when people are trying to obtain qualifications that could shape their future. The lack of governmental consideration for students of different economic backgrounds was evidenced in the summer, when A-Level and GCSE results took into consideration pupils’ postcodes. Before this decision was amended, students from poorer areas

were looking at losing their university places because they came from a low-income background. While Boris Johnson has announced that 2021’s grades will be teacher-assessed, this could still have a worse impact on students from lowerincome households who are not able to access a computer or the internet to complete all of their work.. As well as major disparities in educational performance, the pandemic

has created what can only be described as a mental health crisis. The charity Mind has found that 73 per cent of students say that their mental health declined during lockdown. Students across secondary schools and higher education are facing many challenges, from the struggles of online teaching and self-motivation to the loss of social interaction. Some students will be trying to learn in unsafe or even abusive environments, with little support from teachers or friends. Already, the lives of too many young people have been lost due to isolating circumstances and a lack of mental health support. Universities offer free counselling services, but many students face weeks of waiting before they receive any actual help. So why does digital poverty still exist in one of the world’s most developed countries? There is one quite simple answer: because poverty still exists. A House of Commons

report showed that in 2018/19, 14.5 million people in the UK were living in "relative low income" poverty, despite the UK being the sixth wealthiest country in the world. In that statistic, there are 4.2 million children, and possibly more, who do not have equal access to education even when they can attend school. Moreover, the people most likely to be living in poverty are those who are not white. In response to fears that the pandemic will exacerbate social inequality, LSE’s Centre for Economic Performance has suggested potential solutions, such as introducing a one-off tax on the richest one per cent to finance living wages for key workers, job guarantees for people who are unemployed for more than 12 months and a national tutoring service to help children who have been disadvantaged by home-learning to catch up. One thing is certain: action needs to be taken to aid against social immobility, and the worsening mental health crisis.

Images: TOP - petitions.parliament; BOTTOM - https://fshoq.com

FEATURES

25 JAN 2021 | EXEPOSÉ

Victory and defiance in Latin America Maggie John considers women's rights in Latin America in the wake of developments last month

HE Catholic Church has a notable influence on culture and politics across Latin America and it has done for centuries. There is a significant machoistic culture in Latin America and life for women is very difficult. Femicides continue every year and in many countries abortion and birth control are illegal. Although the situation is slowly starting to improve in some countries, it can be argued that in others the situation is in fact getting worse, despite the tireless efforts of women’s rights groups.

the legalisation is a progressive step; it is often the case in Latin America that a woman who had an illegal abortion as a result of rape, for example, would face harsher punishment than her rapist.

very important in facilitating legislative change, and contrasts with other countries under conservative leadership. Alcorta is hopeful that Argentina’s decision will encourage other Latin American countries to legalise abortion and is

women’s rights. Yet, as such significant progress is being made in Argentina, the opposite is occurring in Brazil, where there has been an “increasingly intolerant climate” under Jair Bolsonaro since 2019. Bolsonaro is a vocal opponent of samesex marriage, abortion and secularism, and his views are often described as far-right and populist, although he denies these claims.

Argentina's decision marks a significant step in the progression of women's rights As one of Latin America’s largest and most economically assertive countries, Argentina’s decision to legalise abortion marks a significant step in the progression of women’s rights. Although Latin America and the Caribbean have the largest rate of abortion across the world, it was until recently only legal in Uruguay, Guyana and certain parts of Mexico: Mexico City and Oaxaca. Devastatingly, the majority of abortions are performed illegally and over 750,000 women receive medical treatment every year as a result of complications from unregulated abortions.

All those women who have been criminalised will have their cases dismissed On 30 December 2020, it became legal for women in Argentina to electively terminate their pregnancy within the first fourteen weeks for free in public hospitals. The Argentine Minister for Women, Gender and Diversity, Elizabeth Gómez Alcorta explained that “all those women who have been criminalised will have the benefit that their cases will be dismissed.” Whilst abortion was not subject to as tough a punishment in Argentina compared to other countries,

Arg entina’s decision was spurred on by the Green Wave Movement, whose members have spent the past five years campaigning for safe and legal abortion, adorned with green scarves. Giselle Carino, director of the International Planned Parenthood Federation, Western Hemisphere region, told The Guardian “if the scarf has long been the symbol of women’s fight against abusive political power in Argentina, now it is also a symbol of hope and feminist transfor mation.” It demonstrates the power of protest, determination and fighting for what is right. President Fernández has been a supporter of legalising abortion since he was elected. His more liberal politics were

“confident there will be a change”. Argentina’s decision now means that ten per cent of women in Latin America can access elective abortions. Whilst there is a significant way to go, it marks a serious turning point for

T h e r e is an evident gender discrepancy between his supporters, and he is not particularly liked by female voters due to his misogynistic opinions. On 2 January 2021, visual artist Juliana N o t a r i unveiled a sculpture of a 33-metre vulva in a rural art park, which has provoked a significant response from supporters of Bolsonaro. Notari told people in a Facebook post that her sculpture was intended to “question the relationship between nature and culture in our phallocentric and anthropocentric western

society” and to also “provoke the debate over the problematisation of gender,” which it certainly has, fuelling a so-called culture war between leftists and conservatives.

The situation in Brazil is an example of how dangerous populist, far-right politics can be However, it is important to remember that the concept of a culture war in Brazil is not a new phenomenon. According to The Guardian, Bolsonaro has “repeatedly maligned culture,” describing artists who are opposed to his regimes as “decadent spongers who milk public funds to peddle

communist garbage” since he became president. Both events are incredibly significant in terms of women’s rights in Latin America, particularly because they are so different. The ruling in Argentina shows what can be achieved, aided by a more liberal government. It is an enormous step in the right direction and a reassurance that change can be secured. Whilst the situation in Brazil is an example of how damaging populist, far-right politics can be, it is encouraging to see manifestations of resistance. In the somewhat near future, we might see further advances in Latin America, and life will become easier for women. Progressive legislation is necessary to make a lasting difference. Images: Flags- Pixabay; Map - Wikicommons

LIFESTYLE

ARTS+LIT

MUSIC

SCREEN

LIKE OUR FACEBOOK PAGE /EXEPOSEEXHIBIT

lifestyle

STUDY BREAK

the future of film festivals

Image: Keir Hardie, flickr

Image: Alexandre Chassignon, Flickr

Image: Stefan Brending

Image: pixabay

LIFESTYLE do veganuary

screen

THE bookshop bites back

Image: pixabay

MUSIC

ARTS + LIT

Image: Wokandapix, pixabay

A DMC with dma’s

Image: Zoltan Tasi, Unsplash

study study break break

14 -15

16 -17

20 -21

24 -25

LIFESTYLE EDITORS Ceri Jackson Georgia Shepherd

ARTS + LIT EDITORS William Evans Amelia Gregory

MUSIC EDITORS Bridie Adams Ollie Leader de Saxe

SCREEN EDITORS Olivia Garrett Francesca Sylph

STUDY BREAK Puzzles by Matthew and Richard 25 JAN 2020 | EXEPOSÉ

lifestyle

the stay at MEXICAN VEGAN

Extending

CHILLI

Veganuary

EGAN. Plant-based. Plant-powered. ECOMING a vegan can seem daunting. There are as many ways to say it If you are a confessed cheese lover or as reasons to try it. No longer just a lifelong meat-eater making food ada fashionable trend in eating habits, vejustments may seem impossible. However, as ganism could be the answer to the “broa society, we are conditioned to eat certain ken” state of the planet, described by things so finding substitutes that work for you the UN secretary general in December. may just require a little bit of thought. I am For some, the word "vegan" triggers a delucky enough to have a mum who has been fensiveness of their own dietary habits and fully vegan for five years now and one of my a mockery of said vegans. Whilst still often favourite vegan recipes of hers is a Mexican perceived as radically weird, veganism in the quinoa chilli. Quinoa is a great meat substitute UK has become significantly more popular, as it is very high in fibre and high in protein. one of the reasons for which might be the This warming, hearty meal is a great Mexicritical state of the environment. It is comcan alternative that can be made as spicy as mon knowledge that the planet is in dire your tongue can handle. It is both filling and need of rescuing, and with the farming indelicious but also quick and easy to make! dustry contributing 15 per cent of all greenIngredients: house emissions globally, going 1 tbsp olive oil vegan might be the best solution. 1 large red onion, sliced The direct consumption of plants 2 large garlic cloves, crushed rather than meat reduces several 1 red pepper, chopped steps in the food chain and conse1 tsp smoked paprika quently reduces the environmen1 tsp chilli powder (if you tal waste produced, there being like it hot and spicy) fewer stages. Using 80 per cent of 2 tsp cumin farmland to create animal prod400g can chopped tomatoes ucts which contribute to a mere 2 tsp vegan bouillon stock Image: Alexas_Fotos (Pixabay) 20 per cent of our calorific needs powder is neither efficient nor environmentally sen80g quinoa sitive. Large-scale veganism would see a de400g black beans, drained and rinsed creased land space used for animal farming and the land used to grow feed for animals, To serve: instead replaced with land used to grow Garnish with coriander food for humans. No longer just a quirky 2 tbsp of vegan yogurt choice, veganism also extends past vegetari1 large avocado, smashed or sliced anism in minimizing the detrimental effects Nachos of the methane created by the dairy indusJalapeños try on the environment; not to mention the alarming treatment of the cows involved. Step 1: In a non-stick frying pan, heat the oil Having a plant-based diet is not only enand fry the onion and garlic for eight minutes vironmentally positive, but also positive for on a medium heat. Add the pepper and your health. The body is not designed to eat spices and fry for a further two minutes. meat (hello, where are those sharp incisors?) Step 2: Tip in the tomatoes and a can of water, but is evolved to digest plant material. It defstir in the stock powder and quinoa. Bring to the initely requires a “don’t knock it ‘til you try it” boil and can cover and simmer for 20 minutes. attitude, but the increasingly wide variety Step 3: Once the quinoa is cooked, stir in the of vegan options means turning to plantblack beans and cook for five more minutes. powered alternatives has never been easier, Step 4: Serve with coriander, vegan yonor has there ever been a greater cause. gurt, jalapeños, avocado and nachos. It also makes a great filling for tacos and wraps. Ella Lee Martha Palmer

MENTAL HEALTH maintenance

OR many, mental health has been an incredible struggle throughout the past year. Now with people either at home or at uni, many will feel isolated or alone. The past year has been difficult for everyone and many have realised their mental health is far more important than they ever realised. We have all been spending more time alone, or at least separated from the world, and inevitably this has strained our mental health. Humans are social beings, we are not meant to spend significant amounts of time alone, and this last year has forced us to do that. January is arguably the worst month of the year anyway, let alone when we are isolated from the people that normally help us through it. Honestly, I am not the font of all knowledge when it comes to mental health struggles, but as someone who has wrestled with them over the past few years, I have a few tips and tricks of how to look after yourself. Firstly, if you are struggling to the point where you cannot see a way out, GET HELP! It may not feel like something you want to do but, there is nothing more important than helping yourself. Charities like Samaritans, Mind, Papyrus, CALM, all have helplines that will help you if you are struggling (numbers will be at the end of this article). Secondly, do not put unnecessary pressure on yourself. Uni can be stressful at the best of times, let alone when you are alone at home, or in your accommodation. If you feel like you cannot dedicate yourself to work one day, don’t. The readings and lectures can wait until you feel better. Have a bath, watch TV, do something that you love. Make time for yourself and treat yourself with kindness – that is all we can do right now. GO OUTSIDE! Nothing helps me more than escaping the same four walls. Obviously, it is harder to get out with Lockdown 3.0, but just a walk/run/yoga session in nature (and maybe some music or a podcast) really does

Image:

Jess Simpson(Unsplash)

help you clear your head of all the anxieties. Give yourself mini goals that are achievable. Set a step goal, or a goal of how many pages of a book (that isn’t for Uni) you want to read. Set yourself the goal of doing a lecture, maybe two. Allow yourself to not meet your goal, but set the goal nonetheless. Now more than ever it is the little wins in the day that help us remain positive. Create some kind of routine – this added structure allows you to feel more in control of things that otherwise may overwhelm you. Communicate. Call friends, family, someone you haven’t spoken to in months. Now more than ever it is so important to remember that we are not alone, and by speaking to others it is so much easier to realise this. Most of all, love yourself and allow yourself to do nothing, don’t put excess pressure on yourself. If you feel like you are having a bad mental health day, allow yourself to do what you need to, to make it through Lockdown 3.0 because trust me we are all just trying to make it through. Just remember you are not alone. Jess Steward

CALM 0800 58 58 58 MIND – 0300 123 3393 Papyrus – 0800 068 4141 Samaritans – 0330 094 5717

exhibit

lifestyle

EDITORS: Ceri Jackson and Georgia Shepherd

25 JAN 2021 |

home vegan Lockdown 3.0

stay at home fashion

ITH University classes and society events being completely online at the moment, there can seem little point in putting together any outfit other than the comfiest, cosiest sweats or PJs. You know the drill – waking up in the morning (or mid-afternoon – oops) and squeezing your extra few lockdown pounds into some jeans. You think, “Oh god, I don’t remember these being so tight and restrictive” before taking them off, putting on some extra-stretchy leggings, then proceeding to lie around watching Bridgerton and binging on toasties. Maybe that’s just me. Even so, here are some tips for beating the quarImage: Lauran Chouette antine fashion slump you might have hit and finding an excuse to serve looks that dreams are made of. Firstly, buy some cute sweatpants! You’re beyond the days of wearing the same old PJ bottoms you’ve had since you were 12 all the time – they’re probably covered in bobbles with next to no elastic left in them. Seriously, get some new ones. There are some really stylish ones out there, like the Juicy Couture tracksuits if that’s your vibe, not to mention the oversized 90s look you can find in joggers from Missguided or ASOS. Or get some soft, ribbed leggings or flares. Whatever you go for, it’s going to look better than the 10-year-old Primark Harry Potter ones you have lying around. Move on in style (and in comfort). Wear things that make you happy! Look, if you want to wear jeans around the house because it makes you feel good, I promise I won’t judge (even if I do feel extremely uncomfortable on your behalf ). Hell, even put on your old prom dress if that’ll lift your spirits! Use clothes to practice self-care, dress intuitively and, most importantly, dress for yourself and for nobody else. Sometimes the simplest looks look the best. I’m talking basic oversized jumpers, t-shirt dresses, crop tops, gym leggings, plain white trainers, the list goes on. The point is you don’t need to own high-fashion items to look put together. Minimalist fashion is actually pretty on trend right now, so why not take advantage of some plain items in your wardrobe? If you like, dress them up with accessories like layered necklaces, hoop earrings and a shoulder bag to make them pop. One of the difficult aspects of lockdown for fashion lovers is the fact that fashion is so people-centric. Often, we dress to show off to others, to impress those around us or to express personality to friends and strangers alike. Though quarantine may seem like a dead spot for fashion because none of this is as possible as before, it actually has a pretty big silver lining – it encourages you to dress to make yourself feel good, happy and comfortable, and not to get attention from other people. And even if you do want to show off your style, you still have the opportunity to do that over social media. Whatever you wear, I know you’ll slay. Bridie Adams Image: Imani Bihati

HE somewhat anticlimactic start of a health services, our incompetent Govhighly anticipated year began with ernment and the term "wellbeing" being the announcement of a third lockthrown around as frivolously as a sweet down, triggering with it a string of infuriatwrapper. Yet as someone who, in previous ing clapbacks regarding rent, assessment years, has put a lot of emphasis on the bepolicies and mental health from almost ginning of a new year (I blame my Russian every student. But as I sit, peacefully waitheritage) and the resolutions that come with ing for the ineludible HouseParty version it, the third lockdown was a blessing in dis2.0, I question how our approaches to this guise for me to simply remain productive in lockdown have differed from last year. the activities I was already connecting with, The exhilaration of the unknown of the without the added stress of a “New Me”. first lockdown meant our lives changed Nevertheless, the first lockdown allowed drastically, be it for better or for worse. Alme to explore more interests and hobbies though it varies from household to housethat I wouldn’t have otherwise known and hold, for me and many that have stuck with others, the dust has me for good. I have settled now and even begun exploring the though we live in area that I live in again masks and are scoldand connecting to ed for hugs, it seems nature more, alongwe have reached what side supporting small will be a “normal” for businesses with a the next few months. takeaway coffee from Personally, I no longa new place every er feel the pressure time. Since the shutthat came with all ting of gyms (my secthe new trends in the ond home), skipping first lockdown; some has made a pleasant kind of necessity to return to my routine rebrand or - heav(a highly underrated Image: @karencantuq en forbid - what were you doing with form of sport), and I have had time to allow your life? Without this pressure, the start the bookworm in me to thrive as I devour of the new year has been easier for me the reads that have been waiting patiently to navigate and forgive myself when on my shelf. I have realised that the value of things don’t quite go the way I expected. not succumbing to the pressures that have It is difficult to be grateful for this time arisen with lockdown is underestimated. without acknowledging the overwhelmed Danni Darrah

DEVON RAPE CRISIS Helpline: 01392 204 174 Email: support@devonrapecrisis.org.uk REED MEWS WELLBEING CENTRE Phone: 01392 724381 Email: wellbeing@exeter.ac.uk Website: http://www.exeter.ac.uk/wellbeing/contact/

EXETER SEXUAL HEALTH CLINIC Phone: 01392 276892 Unit 4 Sidwell Street, Exeter, Devon, EX4 6NN EXETER NIGHTLINE SERVICE Email: listening@exeter.nightline.ac.uk

arts + lit

Reading resolutions

Arts + Lit writers share their New Year reading resolutions for 2021

OW that I’m officially in my twenties, I’ve reached the tipping point between young adult and adult books, and I’m finding that YA just doesn’t seem to do it for me anymore. So, my reading resolution for this year is to start the transition to adult books (although the classic YAs will still hold a special place in my heart). I’m a little daunted at the thought because I have no idea what to start with, but I am excited to try something new as well. After eight years of only reading YA, this year, it’s finally time for a change. – Katie Edgar

S an English student, I am frequently exposed to weird, wonderful and sometimes extremely annoying examples of literature. Sometimes it can be tricky to just sit down and enjoy a book when the impulse myself and many other humanities students have is to always be analysing it. So, my resolution for this year is simply to chill and actually read some more books for fun. Books that take you far away. Especially at the moment, but indeed at any other point in your life, there is no shame in needing a little escapism. – George Clark, Deputy Editor

S an English undergraduate, it’s safe to say that I read a lot. Yet, often, as the term gets underway and the pressure starts to mount, I find myself reading only for work and never for pleasure. This year, I’m going to make more of an effort to balance the two by restricting my bedtime reading to books unrelated to work. I find that reading is the perfect activity to wind down and switch off (it certainly beats mindless scrolling), but only if it doesn’t remind me of everything I need to do! - Holly Van Ryssen HIS year my main resolution is to continue reading throughout term time. We all know the feeling, you get to the end of term, relax back into reading for fun over the holidays, come back to University and never touch any of the books you got for Christmas. My solution to this? Short stories. They’re quick enough to read that you can spend under ten minutes reading per day and still count it as having read. If you want recommendations, David Sedaris is my favourite short story author. The New York Times also publishes short stories. - Jo Leyland

Coming soon Amelia Gregory, Arts + Lit Editor, tells us about the book release she is looking forward to this year

LONG with many other readers I must admit that I have spent the last couple of years happily within the Sally Rooney bubble that has taken over the literary world. The release of Conversations with Friends in 2017 initiated the widespread love for the Irish author and s c r e e n w r i t e r. This success was followed by the bestseller Normal People, which had everybody firmly hooked on her writing. This obsession only escalated when we received the TV adaptation of Normal People in 2020 which helped us through the early days of the first lockdown. And now she is, yet again, saving the start

of 2021 with the announcement of her third novel to be released on 7 September. Are You follows Alice and Eileen, two friends navigating their 20s, and similarly to her previous novels consist of many emails shared between the pair. The familiarity of this form, hopefully alongside Rooney’s usual loveable and relatable characters, will probably come as some comforting and exciting news for Rooney’s fans. Although September is still a few months away, this new release is something to look forward to in the months ahead and might even inspire a rewatch or re-read of Rooney’s earlier works. I mage:Pexels.com

Books to beat the January blues Tabitha Hannam recommends what to read this January

Wintering by Katherine May

ATHERINE May’s memoir offers a moving contemplation on the fallow periods in life. The book follows her through the winter seasons as she ponders the subconscious craving for refuge as a respite from the harsh, inky days. May explores the similarities between humankind and nature, and suggests that the moments of difficulty, the gloomy, winter-like interludes in our lives are moments when we should retreat and care for ourselves. After all, plants and animals don’t fight the winter, they adapt and embrace the oncoming months, trusting in the seasonal cycles. May is a seasoned veteran (pardon the pun) at wintering, her memoir transporting the reader from the Arctic Circle to the biting cold of a quick dip in the British sea as she discovers coping strategies to endure and enjoy the darkest months of the year. This is the perfect comfort book for the January lockdown, a quietly insistent memoir offering wisdom on wintering.

Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin

ROVIDING the greatest ‘what if’ YA narrative surrounding the triumph of Hitler at the end of the Second World War, Wolf by Wolf follows Jewish resistance fighter Yael on the exclusively male 20,780-kilometre motorcycle race from Berlin to Tokyo in an elaborate plot to assassinate Hitler. Yael, or Experiment 85 as she is known to the Third Reich, can change her appearance at will, making her the perfect assassin. The gritty magical realism intertwines with the political and physical bearings of the Axis Tour. The competitors traverse deserts and Russia’s mountainous passes, whilst Yael must also fight to keep her secret safe. With only two books in the series, Wolf by Wolf is a thrilling tale of determination, feminism and betrayal balanced on the explosive power of a motorcycle.

Private-Keep Out! by Gwen Grant

N need of comfort and laughter, I found myself returning to this childhood favourite: Private-Keep Out! The book details the adventures of a spirited girl as she grows up in a northern post-war mining town. As the youngest of six, the narrator recounts a number of episodic chronicles in which she is invariably the cause of mischief (and much hilarity). As many of us are stranded with our families during the third lockdown, this book is a beautiful homage to the importance of family, reminding us of the merriment that can emerge when we are all together.

Images: Pixabay, Pexels.com

exhibit

arts + lit

Morpurgo’s missing merchant

Amber Hogan weighs in on the debate around Michael Morpurgo’s upcoming Shakespeare anthology

HILDREN’S Laureate Sir Michael Morpurgo has recently come under fire for not choosing to include The Merchant of Venice in his upcoming retelling of ten Shakespeare plays for children ages six to 16. The characters are relocated into modern settings and retold for accessibility and education. Morpurgo will include relevant topics such as gangs and drugs to aid the storytelling and will write the stories in modern English, while preserving the core elements and themes. The aim is to encourage children to recognise Shakespeare’s work and the impacts it has on modern culture and storytelling without being hindered by archaic and complex language. Blended with Morpurgo’s authorial skills and theatrical experience, the collection promises

Image: Birmingham Museums Trust

25 JAN 2021 |

EDITORS: Amelia Gregory and William Evans

to consist of enjoyable and thought-provoking tales based on classic Shakespearean stories. Morpurgo has faced backlash, however, since releasing the list of plays he intends to retell. Opposition comes from an accusation that excluding The Merchant of Venice was a concerted effort to avoid the topic of antisemitism, and to censor the study of Shakespeare by implying that antisemitism was not present in the Bard’s plays. The Merchant of Venice has been concerned in a debate of antisemitism for years but has been used as an educational tool within the schooling system for explaining England’s history with antisemitism. The play initiates a complex discussion on the dual nature of Shylock, a Jewish character, as both a sympathetic human victim of hate crimes and a character

constructed from harmful Jewish stereotypes. Analysis of the two aspects of his characterisation offer chances to discuss the harm of stereotypes and provide access to the issue of antisemitism today alongside its long history. Morpurgo denies the accusations of censorship, but there is still an argument to be made on the responsibility of including – or not including – the play and the practice of canonical construction that Morpurgo is undertaking. It is perhaps the responsibility of a writer when handling literary works so deeply embedded in the study of English Literature to explore and include the parts that are more challenging to discuss and which signify parts of English history that demand acknowledgement in the name of progression. There are other factors that must be considered concerning Morpurgo’s collection, however. The Merchant of Venice itself is gruesome in a way that’s blatantly inappropriate for six-yearolds. Morpurgo’s proposed inclusion of gangs and drugs in the other plays renders this reason for exclusion unconvincing. Another reason for exclusion is that it could be harmful to bring The Merchant of Venice’s brand of antisemitism into modern contexts; Shylock’s manipulation and imposition of historical punishments – his rights to a pound of flesh – do not have a true modern equivalency in England. Despite Shylock’s empathetic speeches about his denied rights and human equality, his actions include demanding the mutilation of others and making financial moves that promote antisemitism. Furthermore, he is forced into a religious reformation at the end of the play as a punishment.

It seems very difficult to find a place for the retelling of these plot points, and risks adding to modern antisemitism by forming untrue and biased associations without appropriate contextual information to situate Shylock’s demands.

THERE SHOULD BE NO PLACE FOR DENYING THE SUFFERING FACED BY JEWISH COMMUNITIES There should be no place, in the society of today, for denying the suffering faced by Jewish communities and how they continue to suffer antisemitism to this day. However, this is a topic that demands careful and complex conversations. Without situating the play in its historical contexts and accompanying discussion of Shylock’s representation, the inclusion of The Merchant of Venice in a collection aimed at six to 16year olds risks producing misconceptions borne from a lack of knowledge. Sir Michael Morpurgo’s play selection is entertaining enough to encourage children to engage with Shakespeare, and perhaps to form a foundational understanding of theatre that can lead to a proper analysis of The Merchant of Venice in its original form and context. Antisemitism is an imperative issue in Britain today, and it would be improper to encourage readings of The Merchant of Venice that did not address the histories, contexts and analyses in all of the complexities that they demand.

Return of the indies

William Evans, Arts + Lit Editor, reports on the end of a 25 year decline of independent bookshops

GAINST all odds, 2020 marks the first year since 1995 that the number of independent bookshops in the UK has risen. After a 25 year decline – during which, over 1,000 independent bookshops closed – 2020 saw the opening of 50 new independent bookshops, as recorded by the Booksellers Association.

INDEPENDENT BOOKSHOPS ARE MORE THAN PLACES TO BUY BOOKS The statistics aren’t entirely optimistic, however. A number of closures last year have been masked by bookshops registering with the Booksellers Association for the first time, in order to seek assistance during the pandemic. Nonetheless, the increase of independent bookshops in a year of so many unprecedented challenges is frankly remarkable and promises new growth for the industry which has been in dire need of help for so many years. Independent bookshops are more than

places to buy books and their protection is in the interest of anybody who is culturally inclined. Independent bookshops commit themselves to important work that has been neglected, more often than not, by corporations, such as focusing on minority representation, world literature and moving beyond canonical reading lists. Round Table Books in Brixton, London is just one example of an independent bookshop committed to being more than just a bookseller. At the foreground of the Black-owned business mission is the representation of BAME communities in children’s literature. Following a study that found that one per cent of 9,000 children’s books featured a BAME protagonist, Round Table Books has committed to only selling books that feature a main character of an ethnic minority. Aside from running the occasional promotion, larger corporate booksellers often fail to position this literature at the front and centre of their businesses. Round Table Books, like independent bookshops across the UK, has been forced to close its shop during ongoing COVID-19 restrictions. A platform that was launched late last year is proving to be crucial in maintaining independent bookshop

business when non-essential establishments must keep their doors closed. Bookshop.org’s UK launch provided a platform for independent booksellers to compete with sites like Amazon. The platform facilitates local delivery from independent bookshops, including Round Table Books, and allows customers to choose which independent bookshop they would like their money to go towards. Another bookshop using Bookshop.org to continue selling to book lovers is closer to home. Bookbag opened in Exeter’s McCoys Arcade last December and was open for just two weeks before having to close due to COVID-19 restrictions. On their Bookshop.org page, Bookbag describes its aims as “celebrating stories from all over the globe” and tell readers to “expect books and music pairings and a mix of events.” The opening of Bookbag is especially exciting in a student city that, up until now, has been mostly devoid of independent bookshops. Take part in protecting these culturally crucial businesses and buy independent. With platforms like Bookshop.org making it easier than ever to choose a local bookshop over Amazon there really is no reason not to.

Image: William Evans

music

In conversation with: DMA's

Ollie Leader de Saxe, Music Editor, sits down with DMA's guitarist Johnny Took to discuss life, lockdown and live music

USTRALIAN alt-rock and britpop revivalists DMA's have risen to prominence over the years with their bold sound and hectic live shows, even being championed by the likes of Liam Gallagher. Music Editor, Ollie Leader de Saxe, logged onto a Zoom call with guitarist and songwriter Johnny Took to find out how the band has been coping in lockdown and the process behind their third record The Glow. First and foremost, congratulations on the release of your third album. Have you been happy with how the album’s been received so far? Yeah, especially for being in COVID and it being new for everyone releasing music in this time. It’s been weird not to tour it, but I think we’ve done the best we can considering the situation, and that everyone seems to be winging it at the moment you know? In the UK we’re entering lockdown again, but Australia is going back to a sense of almost normality in way. It must be strange watching the rest of the world sinking back into it again. It’s shocking. I definitely feel very privileged to be in Australia right now where things are slowly getting back to normal. It’s just been so hard for everyone around the world, so I feel super lucky to be here. I even managed to get out of Melbourne before they went into their second lockdown, so I’m lucky to be out here otherwise we’d be in lockdown for the release of the album, which would have been weird. It’s super inspiring. We did some shows here, at the Factory Theatre, they were COVID-safe shows, and I think we got 150 people into an 800 people room, following what the guidelines were, and yeah, they went really well. They were acoustic gigs and they were super vibey and you can tell people really want live music back. We’ll get there slowly, but it’s happening.

Image courtesy of Ian Cheek

So what’s the thing you missed most over lockdown? Was it the live shows, or the smaller things in life? Being able to travel to different countries, as we obviously love coming to the UK particularly. And we had some really special shows lined up so that was a real kick in the teeth for us. Yeah, I saw you sold out Manchester Casterfields. Also I saw you had Alexandra Palace, Dublin. You’re right. It was gonna be a really great year. But, you know, everyone’s in the same boat so we can’t really whinge. I mean, the whole world is at a standstill, so we just gotta try and get better as soon as possible.

YOU CAN TELL PEOPLE WANT LIVE MUSIC BACK Even though you’re playing bigger shows, you’re still reaching out to smaller towns and cities. Is this a conscientious effort to reach different parts of your audience? We definitely try and make the effort to. There’s something so frustrating about it now, because we obviously can’t get over. When these shows come around next year, if they can go ahead, that’s gonna be great. And we love working with the towns, rather than just the big cities. Is there a part of you, now you’re playing massive arena shows, that misses playing the smaller, more intimate shows? I’ve actually been playing some shows, some smaller acoustic shows with my partner Hayley Mary, and she just released a new single. We went to Wollongonga and played in front of thirty people. It was like super, super intimate. There was something s up er

beautiful about it. They’re kinda more terrifying, as you can see everyone’s faces [laughs]. The new album seems like a pretty big departure from the first two DMA's records, sonicallyspeaking. Was it a conscientious effort to push the boat out with your sound or was it a spontaneous, in-the-studio, sort of thing? I guess we’ve always been into production. That’s how we started, recording our own songs. We were doing that for two years before we played a gig. I think something we’ve always been conscious of is that’s we’ve done a lot with guitars, and were listening to a lot more electronic music, or music with electronic aspects; I guess it was a natural progression. What sort of stuff were you listening to when you were writing The Glow then? I don’t know, anything from Air to the Chemical Brothers, Underworld and shit like that. Soulwax, Jesus and the Mary Chain, and a couple of classic bands I like, that sort of sound, guitars with pop melodies. I think that was what was cool about incorporating Stuart Price [producer] ‘cus he brought that electronic element in, and it’s sometimes hard to progress into that world so definitely using a producer like him helped. Do you think DMA's sound will be more electronic and dancy going forward then? I think we wanna do both. Maybe go something where we’re not allowed to use any synthesisers or drum machines, and then do something where it’s only synthesisers or drum machines. I’ve noticed that despite new, bigger electronic sound, lyrically the album sounds more vulnerable than other DMA's records, especially songs like 'Learning Alive' and 'Silver'. Do you ever feel uncom-

fortable about revealing too much on a record? Probably more so when I was younger. But now I just think the lyrics have to be really good and come from somewhere, but normally it just comes from treading a vibe in the demo. One of my favourite songs on the record is 'Hello Girlfriend', but reading into the lyrics it’s surprisingly morbid for such an upbeat song. Do you ever think about this stuff when you’re writing? Not really actually. It’s like, different every time. I don’t really think about that. I guess that’s kinda cool. I think happy-sad is the best genre anyway, so that kinda works.

THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING NEW TO DO. Despite having loads of upbeat moments, there's as lot of melancholic moments too. It’s almost a record of contrasts. Yeah, there are still some songs that have that repetitious melodic movements; they still have that conventional songwriting. You mentioned in another interview that the titular glow of the album is the process of striving for something better and the exhaustion that comes with it. Do you think the DMA's have finally reached that glow, if that’s even possible? I don’t think anyone ever reaches it. There’s always something new to do. You know, it’s constantly changing for everyone. It’s hopeful which is nice.

exhibit

EDITORS: Bridie Adams and Oliver Leader de Saxe

music

25 JANUARY 2021

Tarot cards and album charts

Exeposé Music Writers give their predictions for the upcoming music year

LUBS will of course be closed for the foreseeable future due to COVID-19. Since house music and EDM is heavily associated with clubs, and people are probably less likely to listen to it alone in the comfort of their homes unless they’re already big fans of the genre, I predict that these kinds of music will become more integrated with other genres. Instead of hearing pure house tracks, we might hear a house-style beat in a pop or hip-hop song instead. It’s more versatile, less club-centric, but still danceable and upbeat. We’ve already seen work like this in 2020, as in Lady Gaga’s album Chromatica and in the music of hip-hop artists like Doja Cat, Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion. While we can imagine these playing in clubs, they also work in a quarantine-friendly context. Why not listen to 'WAP' in the shower or 'Rain on Me 'while baking yet another banana loaf? It’s a vibe. Bride Adams, Music Editor

RLO Parks was awarded the 2020 BBC Introducing Artist of the Year and her song 'Black Dog' has amassed nearly 12 million streams on Spotify. Arlo’s music is poetically sensitive and thoughtfully details the complicated, often-inexplicable aspects of love, grief and heartbreak. Easy Life and Glass Animals are just a couple of the wonderful collaborations Arlo Parks has already secured. With the likes of Billie Eilish captioning her Instagram posts with Park’s lyrics, and her new album Collapsed in Sunbeams set to be released by the end of the month, 2021 is undoubtably going to be a great year for this artist. Kamila Bell, Editor

HAT would soundtrack the apocalypse? A choir of angelic voices? Lo-fi hip-hop beats to be damned to eternity to? What if I told you it was something little more angular, something a tad more danceable even? For I, all-seeing clairvoyant I am, predict 2021 will usher in the post-punk renaissance. I With Shame and Viagra Boys already dropping some of the funkiest, filthiest and most frenzied music of the last twelve months just two weeks into January, can you imagine what else lies in store in amongst the plagues and riots and Laurence Fox tweets? I’m salivating into my mask just thinking of how excellent the debut Black Country, New Road record will be, ready to bask myself in the pit of sulphur to get my hands on the IDLES and Gary Numan covers of Gang of Four coming out later this year. 2021 will be the year where post-punk returns to its former glory, and who knows, maybe in a few months times we’ll be able to bask in this glory in-person. A man can only dream… Oliver Leader de Saxe, Music Editor

HILST TikTok may not have seeped its way into everyone’s psyche, what it has undeniably done is show the power it holds over the music industry. First glimpses of this occurred in March 2020 where you would struggle to turn the radio on without hearing Superlonely and opening the TikTok app showed numbers of people dancing in their gardens under the basking sun to the same tune. In the first fortnight of 2021, Olivia Rodrigo’s 'Driver's License' broke Spotify’s record for most streams in one day, peaking at 17 million, four times the amount of what was previously achieved by the nearest competitor. And if you were to open TikTok that week you undoubtably could not scroll without seeing people crying to Rodrigo’s debut single. I think as we move through 2021 the music industry will begin to use TikTok to their advantage, part of their marketing tool, releasing 30 seconds of an artist’s new song hoping a viral trend will latch onto it and their streams will soar. Kamila Bell, Editor

Images (LtoR): SamuelWren98, jmangi1, paul hudson

Kneeling at the temple of DOOM

Richard Ainslie, Deputy Editor, explores the legacy of the late, great MF DOOM, your favourite rapper's favourite rapper

OU probably haven’t heard of Daniel Dumile. You might not even have heard of his alter ego MF DOOM. The term ‘underground rapper’ was made for this man; he never sat atop the charts, nor would his songs end up on the Hip-Hop Anthems playlist on Spotify. A few hundred thousand people were regularly streaming his music until his death was announced on New Year’s Eve. That has since gone up 900 per cent. Whenever a musician dies, there begins the musical autopsy. Who was he, the man with the metal face? I would throw my opinion into the ring by saying that he was one of the funniest, most sophisticated and skillful rappers of hip-hop’s fifty-year history. What better place to start than with his own words? Tripping off the beat kinda, dripping off the meat grinder Heat niner, pimping, stripping, soft sweet minor China was a neat signer, trouble with the script Digits double dipped, bubble lipped, subtle lisp midge I would be amazed if you can read those lyrics in your head and put them into a natural rhythm, but on the track ‘Meat Grinder’ from the album Madvillain, MF DOOM does just that. Look at the complexity in the lines – the half

rhymes, the assonance, the way that entire bars rhyme every syllable with another bar – then listen to the track and appreciate how DOOM manages to flow from line to line without dropping a single beat. This was second nature to him. Take another verse from ‘That’s That’ off the Born Like This album: Cornish hens switching positions Auditioning morticians, saw it in a vision, ignoring prison Ignoramuses enlist and sound dumb Found 'em drowned in cow's dung, crowns flung I won’t pretend to know exactly what he’s talking about, something about people who join the military maybe? But I don’t need to; if

Image: TheArches

the words themselves don’t knock you flat and make you marvel at the distance hip-hop has come since the 80s, then at least notice the vast chasm that separates a rapper like MF DOOM from one like Post Malone. For technical skill, he makes most mainstream rappers look like the kid playing the triangle in the school orchestra. His career began in a group called KMD which he formed with his brother and a friend in the late 80s. But after his brother was hit by a car while crossing a major highway and killed, he spent a few years near-homeless and sleeping on park benches. He returned in the late 90s with a mask and a new identity as MF DOOM, modelled on Marvel villian Victor von Doom. His first album, Operation: Doomsday, was a new template for his music. You can see the influence of early Wu-Tang in the soft synths, scratches and dense pop-culture references, but he brings a unique flow to the tracks, and you can see the seeds of the hyper-complex, multi-layered lyrics that later albums burst with.

Over the next few years, he hit his stride with the album MM…FOOD and his first, and best, collaboration album - Madvillainy with producer Madlib. Madlib’s production skills open wide the field for MF DOOM to shine, and you will find his most adventurous verses here. The rhymes run over each other in vast, multi-line tangles like a nest of snakes wrapped around one another, and yet they never stop moving either. Flow is one of those rap words that is so easy to use, but hard to understand. Listen to a song like ‘All Caps’ and you will know what it means. DOOM sandwiches together hundreds of staccato syllables that would normally cohere like Velcro, but he blends them together so that they come out like velvet. 2009’s Born Like This carries on the tradition with 21 tracks of sample-heavy supervillainy. After 2010, his solo work was slim and his collaborations were underwhelming, but perhaps because he was refused entry to the US and had to relocate away from his family to London, in a way made homeless for a second time. While his legacy is yet to take a firm shape, the overarching mystery of the man stands out. His mask and inscrutable lyrics throw up more fog than they dispel, but through all the obscurity, his skill and individuality shine through. He may finally step out of the shadows and into renown, for the remarkable rap talent he was.

screen

A jazz-step in the right direction? Olivia Garrett, Screen Editor, discusses the diversity efforts made for Pixar’s Soul

IXAR has always been ahead of the game. Their ability to marry visual storytelling with obscenely lovable characters has left us choking through sobs for twenty-five years. And with this pioneering attitude they have now brought us Soul: their first feature film to have a Black lead. It shouldn’t be news to anybody that Black representation in Hollywood is still patchy at best. Let’s not forget that Soul was released in the same year that only one person of colour was nominated for an Academy Award. With that in mind, I’m sure Pixar heavily prioritised the diversity of this film with the aim of simulating the authentic lived experiences of African Americans. Starring Jamie Foxx and Tina Fey, Soul tells the story of hopeful jazz musician Joe Gardener who has an accident the day before his big break and must find a way back from the ‘Great Before’ (the land of unborn souls), all the while learning about what it means to have a ‘spark’. Uplifting, existential, and supported by stunning luminescent visuals, Soul just screams classic Pixar, except this time they went the extra mile. Not only featuring their first Black protagonist, but also their

first Black-led animation team, Pixar demonstrated a strong and sensitive commitment to the feelings of their artists. They brought in a multitude of leading Black creatives such as playwright Kemp Powers, who helped shape the script, cinematographer Bradford Young, who assisted in effectively capturing Black skin on screen, and actors such as Daveed Diggs. Diggs, who plays Paul in the film, commented that those consulted gave many varied notes, including the presence of multiple languages to complement the background noises of the urban New York setting. They also made use of jazz veterans Herbie Hancock, Roy Haynes and Jon Batiste to help put as much life and realism into Joe’s love of music. Joe’s design in particular was the subject of many conversations from the animation team,

who consulted a Culture Trust of Black Pixar employees to make sure that the representation sat comfortably with them. As a result, his design has been praised for its ability to represent achievable bodily norms, without falling into the realm of the uncanny valley and all its creepiness (looking at you Polar Express).

THE AIM OF SIMULATING THE AUTHENTIC LIVED EXPERIENCES OF AFRICAN AMERICANS. While his design has been praised and the shape of the souls was congratulated for avoiding that awful cliché of gendering what does not need to be gendered (see the volcanoes in Pixar’s Lava), there has been some criticism in regards to the racial insensitivity of body swapping. It has been pointed out that in recent years a trend has emerged in cartoons where a person of colour is removed or detached from their body, and therefore their racial identity. From Emperor’s New Groove to the newer Spies in Disguise, characters of colour are ritually placed in the bodies of animals, or in this case, blue blobs. Joe is also at one point transferred into the body of a cat while

22 (Tina Fey) inhabits his body. The fact that while in his body a white woman essentially ‘fixes’ Joe’s life, by repairing relationships and helping others, has led critics to point out his lack of agency as a Black man and accuse the film of subscribing to the often-seen white saviour complex.

SOUL JUST SCREAMS CLASSIC PIXAR, EXCEPT THIS TIME THEY WENT THE EXTRA MILE With this in mind, there is still clearly a way to go in the representation of Black stories, but this has got to be acknowledged as what it is: a good start. With that level of care and thought, Pixar could go on to make many more films that celebrate the right levels of diversity and authenticity. That being said, Soul really does bring a genuine and heartfelt story to life and signifies Hollywood’s potential for making wholesome, diverse stories in the future.

Sex and the regency

All images: Disney +, imdb

Chloe Pumares, News Editor, considers the merits and modernity of the much-loved Bridgerton

RIDGERTON may have all the components you expect from any other Regency-era drama; a handsome, mysterious male lead, an intriguing female protagonist looking to marry, and a thriving society full of expectations. Yet, after all eight episodes dropped on Christmas Day, viewers have found that it is anything but a typical period drama. Based on a series of books by Julia Quinn, the show is set in 1813, near the beginning of the nine-year Regency period named for the transfer of power from King George III to his son George IV. The main love story between Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor) and the Duke of Hastings (Rege-Jean Page) is set against the backdrop of high society London, where gossip is rife, and a new anonymous column written by the mysterious Lady Whistledown has emerged. Although accurately portraying the number of columns at the time which detailed the lives and scandals of London’s elite, the show exaggerates what

was often more subtle in reality. This show has been praised for its modern interpretation of a Regency drama; focused more on the escapism and fantastical elements, than those founded in historical accuracy. Perhaps this is what we all needed after the disaster of 2020. Within the first ten minutes of Shonda Rhimes’ production we see the eldest Bridgerton brother Anthony in an opera singer’s boudoir, signalling the beginning of the sexiness and sensuality that is to be expected from the rest of the show. The depiction of sex on screen is extensive. We see the eldest Bridgerton sister at first navigating the difficulties of court and trying to procure a satisfactory marriage, all while slowly exploring her sexuality, encouraged by the dashing Duke of Hastings. While many viewers were surprised, with many on Twitter warning new viewers to not watch the show with their parents, it is in fact a somewhat accurate depiction of the Regency era, which was a lot less conservative than the Victorian

era that followed. In short, sex was everywhere in Georgian England. Another aspect which highlights the shows keeping with the times is its multicultural cast. There have been positive and negative views of the showrunners decision to build on the theory that the real Queen Charlotte may have been of dual heritage. Also, the Duke of Hastings and Lady Danbury are played by non-white actors. This may not be the most accurate portrayal, as while there were non-white members of the upper class, they were not as common as Bridgerton would have you believe. Amongst the praise for the show’s freeness there is criticism. Some say it has a “boring’” overused plot, and it is merely a “historical Gossip Girl.” Yet a scene which has caused the most controversy is in the sixth episode, as many have criticised the showrunners for ignoring male rape. The scene in

question sees the newly wedded Duchess of Hastings (Phoebe Dynevor) refusing to stop having sex with the Duke of Hastings, despite his requests. Viewers took to social media following this scene as they feel the rape that took place was “glossed over.” It does appear that this scene was meant to be seen as Daphne taking control of her sexuality, which seems a fundamental misstep from the show’s creators. Many have made the comparison that if the scene had played out the other way around then it would never be seen as anything other than what it is: a rape. Yet, despite this criticism, many cannot wait for series two. While I do not find myself as in love with the series as many (as a history student the historical inaccuracies pain me), I find myself looking forward to it as well, especially for the escapism it offers during these uncertain times. All images: Liam Daniel, Netflix, imdb

exhibit

EDITORS: Olivia Garrett and Francesca Sylph

screen

25 JAN 2021

Minari’s Golden Globes controversy T

Francesca Sylph, Screen Editor, reports on the exclusion of Minari from the Golden Globes

HE Hollywood Foreign Press AssociaArkansas in order to start a farm, chasing tion (HFPA) announced recently that their own American Dream. Minari, which is Lee Isaac Chung’s Minari will not be a semi-autobiographical tale loosely based eligible for Best Picture at the 2021 on Chung’s own upbringing, stars both Golden Globes but will instead be Korean and Korean American acclassified as a foreign-language tors including Steven Yeun (The film. According to eligibilWalking Dead, Okja, Burning), ity guidelines, contenders Yeri Han (Worst Woman), in the Best Drama or Best Youn Yuh Jung (The HouseComedy/Musical categomaid) and adorable sevenries must feature at least year-old breakout star Alan 50 per cent English diaKim. Minari premiered at logue. Just last year, Lulu the Sundance Film Festival Wang’s The Farewell and in January, winning both Pedro Almodóvar’s Pain and the U.S. Dramatic Grand Jury Glory were side-lined by HFPA Prize and the U.S. Dramatic guidelines, picking up multiple Audience Award. It began a one nominations but ultimately being week virtual release on 11 DecemImage: Minari, IMDb excluded from the top awards. Despite ber 2020 and is scheduled to be released its historic win at the Oscars, Bong Joon Ho’s theatrically on 12 February 2021 by A24. The Parasite was also denied a Best Picture nomiexclusion of Minari from the Best Drama catnation at the Golden Globes, condemned to egory has caused outrage; directors, writers, the “children’s table” of awards. producers and actors have condemned the Written and directed by Lee Isaac Chung, HFPA’s outdated eligibility guidelines, deMinari follows a family of South Korean immanding change. migrants in the 1980s as they move to rural Lulu Wang took to Twitter last month in

order to criticise the HFPA. In response to thinly veiled racism. Variety’s tweet announcing that Minari won’t The HFPA’s exclusion of Minari from the be competing in the Best Picture categories, Best Picture categories is very telling about Wang spoke out against HFPA’s “antiquated what Hollywood considers to be ‘American’ rules that characterizes American as only stories. As author Min Jin Lee (Free Food for English-speaking.” She wrote: “I have not Millionaires and Pachinko) wrote in response seen a more American film than #Minari this to the controversy, “Everyone in America year. It’s a story about an immigrant famexcept for Indigenous people came from ily, in America, pursuing the Amerisomewhere else by choice or force. can dream” (@thumbelulu). Lost The English language is not actor Daniel Dae Kim also an indigenous language” (@ commented on how these minjinlee11). America is a guidelines invalidate imcountry of immigrants and migrant stories: “The film immigrant stories are the equivalent of being told backbone of the Amerito go back to your councan Dream. There is still try when that country is time for the HFPA to adactually America” (@danjust their guidelines (and ieldaekim). Glee actor Harry hopefully they will). By deShum Jr. tweeted that Tarannying Minari a Best Picture tino’s Inglorious Basterds, which nomination on the basis of its features German, French and Itallanguage, the HFPA risks a potenImage: Minari, IMDb ian dialogue (30:70 in favour of foreign tial boycotting of the Golden Globes languages over English) did not receive the from some individuals, or at least some very same treatment (@HarryShumJr), suggesting targeted speeches. that this not about language barriers, but

Cannes film festivals survive COVID? Amber Hogan discusses the future of film festivals in the virtual world

ILM festivals in the 21st Century act as an opportunity to share and network for creators and enthusiasts alike, with new festivals popping up almost annually for the past few years, and some, such as the Venice Film Festival, nearing almost 80 annual iterations. They offer a chance to premier new projects, to share excitement, to celebrate tradition, and to broaden the industry’s reaches. Certain film festivals cater exclusively to underrepresented groups that might otherwise have found it essentially impossible to get recognition due to the selectiveness of what actually gets screened in the cinema. Crossing the bridge between spectators and creators allows for audience feedback from a much wider test screening that is full of enthusiasm and diversity, and offers huge opportunities for the distribution of noncommercial films. With the arts industries

suffering from underfunding during the panup excitement and anticipation for whenever demic, cancelled projects and the sacrifice of the projects are able to continue production. traditions, online film festivals could It’s known that the Sundance be the sense of unification and festival, one of the so-called ‘Big understanding that commuFive,’ has been announced to nities have largely lost over go online between 28 Januthe course of the panary to 3 February with demic. The film industry no gathering to be seen in particular has been besides select and conknown to “die” and yet trolled in-person screenfind ways to come back, ings. The Berlin festival and perhaps seems to will go online this March have the best shot at sucand hopefully hold a minicessful transition to online festival in June as well. The options as a primarily viewerCannes Film Festival however centric experience. Keeping the has not made any announceImage: Flickr hype and excitement up about film rements regarding virtual options, and leases and projects is vital for the industry fans of the festival are left wondering what and the festivals themselves. Whether online they’re intending with a mixture of hopefulor in-person, these festivals will hopefully stir ness and the suspect of naivety or denial re-

garding the convener’s hesitance to commit. Online events undoubtedly offer improved accessibility through a hugely cut down need for mobility, international streaming, and a trend in cheaper ticker prices. The limiting factor seems to be simply the access to Wi-Fi and a screen/speaker. There is also the fact that without the setup and foot traffic of a festival, environmental impact will be almost negated in some cases, as well as limited disruption to hosting economies - although the local vendors and businesses that may have benefitted from the influx of visitation will miss out this year in some instances. Overall it seems difficult to quantify whether this is for better or worse, but comfort can be found in the idea that it will hopefully be an evolution towards to safety at least, should that remain necessary.

Screen EDITORS’ PICKS: 2021 most anticipated Francesca Sylph Screen Editor

Malcolm & Marie

Sam Levinson reunites with his Euphoria star in this upcoming black-and-white romantic drama featuring John David Washington and Zendaya (potentially the most attractive combination of all time) as the titular couple. When a director and his girlfriend return home from his film premiere, simmering tensions rise to the surface and bring forth a romantic reckoning. Streaming on Netflix from 5 February.

Image: Malcom & Marie, IMDb

Olivia Garrett Screen Editor

In the Heights

If, like me, you were one of the thousands that ‘discovered’ Hamilton last year, then you’ll be greatly anticipating Lin Manuel Miranda’s next hit. Based on his 2008 Tony-winning musical, and including the likes of Anthony Ramos and Stephanie Beatriz, In the Heights is set to impress this summer.

olivia gomez

jim norman

Online Screen Editor

Dune

The French Dispatch

The first attempt at adapting Frank Herbert’s classic for the big screen was undertaken by the wonderful surrealist indie film director Alejandro Jodorowsky back in the 70s. Unfortunately, Jodorowsky was way ahead of his time as his imagination took him places that the film industry hadn’t even begun to consider yet. I’m curious to see what Denis Villeneuve will do with this wonderful sci-fi gem of a project he has undertaken, and will it compare to Jodorowsky’s crazy big vision?

Wes Anderson’s tenth feature looks set to be everything that we hoped it was going to be. Described as “a love letter to journalists” working in a fictionalised French town, the film boasts an impressive cast of Andersonian regulars and newcomers. With whip pans and warm colour palettes a-plenty, The French Dispatch has already gone a long way to making it onto my top 10 films of 2021. Image: The French Dispatch, IMDb

study break

| 25 JAN 2021

exhibit

STUDY BREAK CROSSWORD

SUDOKU

Down

Across Shadow - rumba (anagram) (5) Tea-flavouring plant (7) Grid (7) Went out with (someone) (5) Leaves (of a book, say) (5) Cameron (anagram) - affair (7) Singer - bird (7) Famous (5) Be - live (5) Reading (of a story, say) (7) Bishop’s staff - cirrose (anagram) (7) Cutting tool (5)

1. Before January was added, how many months were in the Roman calendar? 2. What star sign is associated with the latter half of January? 3. Who was the presenter responsible for the case of mistaken identity as to the winner of Best Picture at the 2017 Academy Awards? 4. How many years was the bug-ridden Cyberpunk 2077 allegedly in development for?

Joker, 12 Garrison, 14 Mandrake, 15 Wrench, 16 River, 18 Danger, Down: 1 Turnip, 2 Abet, 3 Carousel, 4 Used, 5 Distinct, 6 Needle, 8 24 Knife. Romance, 15 Warbler, 17 Noted, 19 Exist, 21 Version, 23 Crosier, Across: 7 Umbra, 8 Jasmine, 9 Network, 10 Dated, 11 Pages, 13

ANSWERS

1 Root vegetable - run pit (anagram) (6) 2 Assist (a criminal) (4) 3 Rotating (airport) luggage carrier (8) 4 Second-hand (4) 5 Clear (8) 6 Knitting rod (6) 8 Comedian - wag (5) 12 Fortification - roarings (anagram) (8) 14 Naked arm (anagram) - Mediterranean plant (8) 15 Mechanic’s tool (6) 16 Large stream of water (5) 18 Risk (6) 20 Follow closely (4) 22 Part of the eye (4)

20 Tail, 22 Iris.

7 8 9 10 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 24

Trivia: 1) 10 2) Aquarius 3) Warren Beatty 4) 9 5) Taylor Swift

Trivia corner - Animal Kingdom

5. Which singer made an appearance in 2019’s most furrociously spectacular feline film?

LIFESTYLE

ARTS+LIT

MUSIC

SCREEN

LIKE OUR FACEBOOK PAGE /EXEPOSEEXHIBIT

Science

25 JAN 2021 | EXEPOSÉ

SCIENCE EDITORS:

Lauren Haughey Lauryn Mitchell

Long COVID

Lauryn Mitchell, Science Editor, examines the science and impacts of long COVID

OVID-19 is currently at its worst in the UK, with deaths averaging at 933 per day. But sadly, the short-term effects of COVID-19 are not all we have to worry about. Some people have been experiencing symptoms of a new variant

of the disease coined “long COVID,” which often lasts for months and leaves sufferers feeling debilitated. Long COVID, formally known as post-COVID syndrome is classified as when someone who has had COVID-19 experiences symptoms for over twelve weeks which cannot be explained by further diagnosis.

10 per cent of COVID patients go on to suffer from long COVID

Image: Pixabay

The symptoms of long COVID are extremely wide-ranging and include chronic fatigue, anxiety, breathlessness, muscle pain and many others. In one

study, more than 200 symptoms were recorded. This disease is still in the process of being studied to find causal factors. A study from the University of Trieste looked closely at the lungs of those who had passed away from COVID-19 and found severe damage, including “massive abnormal blood clotting in lung arteries and veins,” which may have exacerbated the risks of long COVID. On the flipside, some studies have theorized that long COVID in fact causes damage to other organs. For example, months after COVID-19 recovery, imaging of the heart has shown damage to the cardiac muscle, leaving patients more prone to heart failure later in life.

Similar damage has been found in the brain, which may be linked to the lack of oxygen obtained when breathing is restricted by COVID-19. Others believe that long COVID is due to an overreaction of the immune system which does not go back to normal after infection.

There is a relatively small amount of strong research on the effects of long COVID Since this is a multisystem disease, it is unlikely that one drug will be de-

veloped which can target the whole disease. A more likely approach currently being used is to target each symptom separately. For example, breathlessness can be eased with breathing exercises and improvement can be monitored with pulse oximeters. As long COVID is an aspect of the disease which has only recently been recognised, there is a relatively small amount of strong research on its effects. Therefore, we should all stick to the guidelines set in place by the government to limit cases of COVID-19 in the UK and henceforth limit the cases of long COVID which can be completely life-changing to those affected.

DNA of the brain: what makes us human?

Jessica White looks at the science behind what differentiates us from other animals

E often hear the expression “Humans are more evolved,” which suggests we have experienced a greater rate of evolution- but evolution is just the natural selection of random mutations that occur over time. Humans are no more evolved than gorillas or chimpanzees, in fact, we share 99 per cent of our DNA with chimpanzees. So, with this in mind, what makes us different... what makes us human? Scientists have been trying to answer this question for many years.

If we share most of our DNA with chimpanzees, then why do we look and behave so differently? This is simply due to the mechanisms in our cells. We may have the same instructions, which are our genes, but how these are expressed differs between species. When a gene is expressed, proteins are made. How many, where and when proteins are produced is determined by gene expression. This process is controlled by regulatory elements. To understand how and why humans are different, we must identify the regu-

latory elements and how they work. Researchers at SIB and the University of Lausanne have conducted research focused primarily on these regulatory elements in the brain. They compared how strongly proteins involved in gene regulation bind to genes across different tissues. These binding sites are formally known as transcription factor binding sites. When a transcription factor (which is a complex protein) binds to one of these sites, the gene is then copied and used to produce a protein. By comparing the binding affinity

of transcription factors within brain tissue to heart and liver tissue, it was possible to identify transcription factors involved in cognition. Through comparing what they found to the same areas in chimpanzee and gorilla brain tissue, the researchers identified some of the regulatory elements that have been positively selected for in humans. Humans have only evolved from our most common ancestor between 200,000 to 300,000 years ago. Relative to the time that life began, our cognition has evolved rapidly. Through understanding the gene

Man’s best friend

regulators that control gene expression and ultimately make us unique as a species, we can understand how the human brain is changing. In a world that is constantly evolving, our brains can only just keep up. Although much of our behaviour is determined by learning in our environment, the part played by our intrinsic brain function cannot be ignored. When we expand our understanding on what makes us cognitively different from our closest relatives, we can perhaps understand the biology that contributes to how we behave as humans.

Lauryn Mitchell, Science Editor, delves into how dogs are being used to look at ageing in humans

IKE we needed any reasons to love dogs more, our furry companions are now being used as model organisms to study the processes of ageing in humans. The process in dogs has been found to be similar to that in humans, therefore scientists have been making correlations between the processes and how the underlying mechanisms may work. The reason that science is using dogs to study humans, rather than simply just looking at humans, is because dogs have a shorter life span than humans, meaning that we can observe the ageing process more quickly We can look at how the dog’s personality and physiology change from child-

hood (or puppyhood) to old age. Studies carried out in Vienna found evidence that the personality of dogs change as they age. Like humans, dogs tend to become calmer, less hyper-active, with age. Humans become more resistant to change as they age- for example the best age to learn a new lamguage is at ten years old. Elizabeth Head, a neuroscientist from the University of Kentucky explains the changes of personality in dogs, she says that This trend is similar in humans, for by middle-age dogs become more resistant to change and take longer to learn new tricks. This trend is similar in humans, for example it is said that the best age to learn a new language is at ten years old.

Image: Pixabay

Interestingly, at around six years old, healthy dogs begin to show betaamyloid plaques- indicators for Alzheimer’s disease, explaining why some dogs get so-called “doggy dementia.” This correlates with humans, who begin to form similar Alzheimer indicating plaques at around 85 years old. There are also epigenetic similarities between humans and dogs. Epigenetics is the association of “genetic markers” with genetic material which alter the expression of genes. The Pittsburgh school of medicine have studied one type of epigenetic marker called DNA methylation. They showed in their study that the rates of DNA methyla-

tion were similar between dogs and humans, especially in later stages of life. So, what does this mean for studies on human ageing? Well if the dog was a smaller, more simplistic organism, with less ethical implications attached, they could be used to study human ageing in more depth. For example, dogs could be used to examine factors which speed up ageing or the onset of diseases such as dementia or Alzheimer’s. But since these are complex organisms, this sort of research will not be carried out on dogs, therefore the data obtained is limited. However, this information is certainly insightful and brings us closer to our beloved companions.

EXEPOSÉ | 25 JAN 2021

SCIENCE

Brexit brings Frankenfoods

Lauren Haughey, Science Editor, explores what new gene-editing laws could mean for sustainability and animal welfare

Images: Pixabay

S we are all tired of hearing, Britain has finally left the European Union and is once again free to take the reins on relationships and regulations. While conversation about Brexit has often been dominated by talk of immigration and economics, a government consultation launched on 7 January threw something else into the mix. For the first time ever, gene-editing of crops and livestock (commonly known as Frankenfoods) may soon be permitted in England as ministers consider loosening the tight agricultural restrictions that the European Union has in place. It is questionable, however, whether the proposed legal alterations will be met with scepticism, as a survey by The Royal Society indicated that 70 per cent were most comfortable with the stricter rules surrounding genetic science.

Although gene-editing technology dates back to the 1990s, it often still feels like it’s viewed through a dystopian lens. Thus, it’s important to get the facts right.

Although gene-editing dates back to the 90s, it is often viewed through a dystopian lens The gene-editing conversation largely picked up pace with the Environmental Secretary, George Eustice, giving a speech at the 2021 Oxford Farming Conference. It was here that Eustice gushed about the exciting possibilities of cisgenesis, in which plant traits can be altered to allow growth despite evolving challenges such as climate change and disease. Eustice is by no means the first to consider these possibilities; global biotech and non-profit companies have also invested heavily in climate-resistant crops. This is especially noticeable within the Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa Project, claiming to have increased yields by 30 per cent, with 40 million people benefiting from a crop resistant to the harshest of con-

ditions. Other nations have used the technology for completely different purposes. Last December, Japan saw the launch of Sanatech’s new "super tomato," suggested to lower blood pressure and provide nutritional benefits. Projects such as these can arguably provide comfort in the idea that cisgenesis is our friend and potentially something we can trust to enhance future sustainability.

Cisgenesis is potentially something we can trust to enhance future sustainability While gene-editing certainly has its benefits, eyebrows have risen particularly high when the discussion concerns livestock. Peter Stevenson, Chief Policy Adviser at Compassion in World Farming, has been central to highlighting the ethical concerns of this. In his argument he points to what we’ve already seen with geneticallymodified broiler chickens. While these birds grow fast enough to keep up with the pressure of a booming meat industry, they often suffer from leg abnormalities,

bone fractures and osteoporosis. With the prospect of disease-resistant livestock on the horizon, Stevenson further worries that farmers hungry for profit will be keen to stock these animals intensively, only taking us backwards in animal welfare and towards harsh, industrial farming.

Genetically-modified chickens often summer from leg abnormalities and bone fractures Even though Stevenson’s viewpoint can be deemed as a worst-case scenario, it is vital to consider this for an accurate representation of the situation. It’s a dilemma. Without drastic action to curb greenhouse gas emissions, food security in Britain is at high risk. That’s why the Frankenfoods of Brexit are in some ways a blessing, allowing a reduction in vulnerability when considering the uncertainty of future conditions. However, that doesn’t mean we should settle for lesser animal welfare. To capture both a sustainable and ethical agricultural industry, gene-editing should be conducted with caution.

A turning point for climate change?

Becca Wells, Online Features Editor, shines a light on what 2021 has in store for climate change

N April of last year, The Guardian circulated images depicting the downward trend of air traffic, with many planes left stranded at airports as COVID-19 began to take hold of our globe. Undoubtedly, these visuals were emblematic of growing anxieties surrounding the pandemic, but were also seen as a beacon of positivity; they highlighted a drastic decline in air travel, an industry responsible for two per cent of the world’s CO2 emissions.

After a moment in the spotlight, talk of climate was soon pushed aside for that of COVID-19 After a moment in the spotlight, talk of climate was soon pushed aside for that of COVID-19, swamping the media with rising death rates and restrictions. It was in fact these restrictions which also halted the progression of climate change mitigation. In 2020, Glasgow was on track to hold the all-important five year follow-up conference after COP25 was held in

Paris. In respect of COVID-19, this meeting was delayed to 2021. Now that the new year is finally here, we can look forward to November. It will be in this month that countries across the world will be held accountable to their previous agreements and promises. If all nations followed through on their words, it would be possible to halt global temperature rise to 2°C above pre- industrial levels by the end of the century. However, the current reality is bleaker, with an estimated 3°C increase, double the original aim agreed in Paris. Despite this grim picture, all is not lost. Experts have told The Independent that the dramatic decrease in travel may not rebound to its preCOVID-19 rates, given that many have realised that online Zoom conferences largely eradicate the need for unnecessary air travel. Another story lost amongst the flood of COVID-19 headlines was from President of China, Xi Jinping, announcing that the country will reach carbon neutrality by 2060. This is a huge step forward for a country

whose carbon emissions amount to 28 per cent of global output. In addition to this, Biden’s inauguration is set to derail President Trump’s lessthan-effective climate agreements, placing the USA back under scrutiny and open to accountability. Finally, the COP26 UK Director Simon Sharpe has written extensively on forecasts for the near future of climate change. He professes that

"Limiting global warming well below 2°C now requires transformational change." This is widespread knowledge, and something which more and more countries are working on.

Xi Jinping announced the country will reach carbon neutrality by 2060

Sweden has even produced postage stamps featuring environmental activist Greta Thunberg. Only by holding individual countries under scrutiny will we truly have a clear forecast of our climate future. We can only hope that positive news stories surrounding our global efforts to reduce carbon-dioxide emissions will rise again above dominant COVID-19 narratives.

Image: Pixabay

SPORT

25 JAN 2021| EXEPOSÉ

Is Premier League football oversaturated?

Harry Richards questions whether the beautiful game has become the boring game

ECENTLY, Rory Smith of The New York Times wrote a Twitter thread arguing against what he calls the "lack of a match day" for the Premier League. His argument, roughly summarised, is that football being televised from 12pm-10pm every weekend does not benefit the product, and football without emotional investment can be boring if its low quality. In the first lockdown, we had no football at all – and we missed it. When the Bundesliga resumed with a drab 0-0 draw in the Revierderby, BT pulled in a peak of 652,00 viewers – more than most of their Premier League viewings. However, we have had football behind closed doors for half a year now, and it has become part of the monotony of lockdown. With all the restrictions, days can blur into one. As Smith explains, excess of anything, including sport, can make it seem boring. Another impact of losing the Saturday 3pm timeslot hosting multiple games is in Fantasy Football. Before the pandemic, my phone would ping every few minutes with the traditional reply of “who got the assist?” as people check their teams.

The more functional number 10 has replaced the 'aesthetic' number 10 Fantasy Football is maybe the best way to be invested emotionally in ‘bad’ football matches; in no other environment would you root for a 0-0 between Sheffield United and Newcastle. Sometimes the best parts of football are not the games themselves, but the whole experience around it. Articles, memes, and fantasy football are all parts of the Premier League ‘product’, and in stretching out the matchday the PL are diluting this.

Smith also points this out, adding that people are watching games they would not in ‘normal circumstances.’ Burnley beating Sheffield United would never be anything other than a 3pm fixture last on Match of the Day, but now it is broadcast on Amazon Prime. Yet this is somewhat disingenuous; the vast majority of viewers did not watch games like this before, and they certainly don’t now. Burnley, the side most associated with the traditional direct low block, have been featured on Monday at 5:30 – the new graveyard slot – four times.

Quite a lot of games are one-sided or a bit dull or too cagey or massively lacking in quality RORY SMITH The tweets saying football "fell off" are not talking about this type of match, but a perceived drop in quality of the top sides, or the death of "aesthetic" number tens. While both this and oversaturation were concerns pre-pandemic, there is no denying that these concerns have intensified recently. Nostalgia is obviously a factor: when I look back to the early years of Klopp’s reign at Liverpool, I remember Mane’s winner in the derby, or Lovren’s header at the death against Dortmund – not the 2-0 loss to Newcastle that was probably a worse watch than most games this season. In a similar way, people glorify the highlights of Riquelme and forget the games they were more ineffectual than the more "functional" modern ten, like Bruno Fernandes, ever is. But, is there a more compelling reason for this attitude? The impact of empty stadiums has to be mentioned, for obvious yet intangible reasons: fans add the soundtrack, a sense of

involvement and intensity to the spectacle.

Fans will return with a fascinating title race for them Tom Worville has shown that ‘every Premier League team bar Villa are pressing less this season.’ A romantic fan might attribute this to the absence of the "12th Man," but the impact of a heavy schedule – without a real pre-season break – is a far more tangible reason for this. This is not to say every team is deploying a low block every game, but it does show a marked difference; a difference that is not tactical in the traditional sense, but tactical in managers trying to preserve their players. The heavier the schedule, the more likely managers are to rotate star players for worse ones, or to run these players into the ground. Either way, the quality suffers. There are reasons for positivity. Fans will return, with a fascinating title race for them to return to. Following that we have the Champions League knockouts, as well as EURO 2021 to look forward to. This season has been a test of how saturated football can be, and the rest of the season will be no less overloaded. Fitting the recently postponed

games into an already packed schedule will test both players’ health and fans’ enjoyment. The hope of fans, and executives, is that the rest of this season will be far higher in quality. A title race between Manchester City and Liverpool was expected, but this season we have Leicester, United and Spurs all in reach, which promises a more exciting run-in than last season. Although the saturation will continue, international level players will not have a summer break until 2022 - there is hope for more quality, especially once fans return.

It only takes one more European night to drag me right back in As a Liverpool fan, it only takes one more Anfield European night to drag me right back in. Hopefully, the title race can offer a similar experience for neutrals, and if the Euros do take place in a post-vaccine Europe it could

still be a fantastic fan-experience at home and in the stadium. So yes, football can endure the oversaturation – it is not the first time the Premier League has suffered from it but continued to grow regardless. But it has never had to do so in soulless, empty stadiums before with players’ bodies under as much physical pressure. In sport, fans acknowledge quality varies a lot but that does not mean we turn the TV off. 30 minutes is enough to turn off a bad movie, but in football you never know what might happen and that hope will continue to keep us coming back.

(Images) Two at the top: Pixabay; Bottom: Wikimedia Commons

SPORT

25 JAN 2021 | EXEPOSÉ

Why #ICare

FA Cup third round: the review

Harry Scott-Munro, Online Sport Editor, explores Women's Rugby's pushback against sexism

ITH the news that the Women’s Six Nations was to be postponed, the announcement on social media sadly allowed for latent sexism to rear its ugly head, with comments such as “who cares” and “who even watches women’s sport?” appearing underneath social media posts of disappointed players. Quite rightly, these comments were met with indignation by those who appreciate and respect that sport is sport, no matter who is playing it. It did however, prompt many current and former international players to speak out; Bristol Bears and Wales fly-half Elinor Snowsill responding to the trolls by declaring #ICare. It has resonated and had a major impact within sporting circles, with vast swathes of players, coaches and supporters joining in with the hashtag. Full-time professionalism is something in devel-

opment in the women’s game, and it cannot be denied that the largest crowds - when they return - and television audiences are found in men’s rugby, meaning that is where the money is. However, as England winger Abby Dow eloquently put it: “The men sell out Twickenham, we know they are the money makers. As a women’s team, we can’t complain about the disparity in money, but we can complain about the disparity in investment.” Dow makes an incredibly valid point. The Men’s Six Nations will continue as normal throughout February and March, whilst the Gallagher Premiership league season has been largely uninterrupted thanks to regular testing at all twelve clubs, something that hasn’t happened in the Women’s Premier 15s due to lack of funding. It is one of the reasons cited for the two-week suspension of the women’s league season, with a large number of players juggling parttime work with the rigours of professional sport on a part-time wage.

The women’s game is growing, of that there is no doubt. Clubs such as Exeter Chiefs and Sale Sharks wouldn’t have invested the time and effort into launching their own women’s teams for this season if the potential growth wasn’t there. However, negative perceptions and stigmas still remain.

We can complain about the disparity in investment ABBY DOW, ENGLAND PLAYER As somebody that has worked in a women’s rugby set up, I see first-hand the effort that goes into every match and the high quality of competitive action that I know I am privileged to be able to watch live in the current COVIDaffected climate. Alas, despite the quality of the Premier 15s, only one game a week from the league is publicised and live-streamed by the RFU, whereas every men’s game is broadcast live on BT Sport whilst fans cannot attend. There will always be bigots and narrow-minded people in this world but

by showcasing the product and all that is good about the women’s game, more people will be able to watch and appreciate the game and the women who play it. Incidents such as the London Irish kit launch, where female models were used alongside professional male players, highlighted that work still has to be done. However, the majority of people see female athletes for exactly what they are, highly skilled athletes at the top level of their individual sports. With sports such as rugby desperate to retain their grassroots heart in the face of current adversity, it is more important than ever to show that rugby is a game for all. Young girls need to be able to look up to the likes of Emily Scarratt (pictured) or Sarah Hunter and aspire to reach the same level that they have. They need to know that they can strive to play any sport they want to the highest level possible, without fear of derogatory comments. Words matter, now more than ever and I know that I for one, alongside many others, will be delighted to watch the Women’s Six Nations when it finally does get underway.

Image: Pierre-Yves Beaudouin

Re-Wrighting his story

Elise Hammersley, Online Sport Editor, looks at those for whom one career was not enough

T the age of 33, TV personality Mark Wright made his professional football debut last month for Crawley Town FC, as they triumphed over Leeds United in the FA Cup. A young Wright enjoyed a brief senior career with Southend United, but he made a name for himself on the ITV reality series TOWIE, along with various presenting work and appearances on I’m a Celeb and Strictly Come Dancing. Wright joins the ranks of Britain’s “dual talents”, an accolade enjoyed by those who achieve notable success in more than one field of expertise.

A young Wright enjoyed a brief senior career with Southend Perhaps even more impressive are those who excel in multiple sporting arenas. Former professional rugby union and league player, Gerwyn “The Iceman” Price recently won the 2021 PDC World Darts Championship, becoming the first Welshman ever to achieve victory in the tournament. Price previously played rugby for Neath and Cross Keys, as well as a stint in Rugby League with South Wales Scorpions. He made the switch to darts in 2014 after successfully joining the PDC.

When interviewed by the BBC last year about his incredible sporting story, Price said "What would I have preferred? Playing for Wales or playing darts? I think I probably would have preferred to play rugby to be honest."

I think I would have preferred to play rugby GERWYN PRICE, WORLD DARTS CHAMPION.

While Price suggests he would have preferred success in rugby, excelling in two sports is perhaps of mutual benefit. While on the surface darts and rugby could not seem further from each other, there is something to be said for the transferable skills that come with performing at an elite level in any sporting arena. No doubt the hard work and dedication derived from his time in rugby has helped advance his career in darts, and with footage going

viral of Price playing for Cross Keys at the start of this year, a steady hand and logical mind also clearly served him well in rugby. These aren’t the only dual talents that have been on display throughout the years. Multi-talented Ellyse Perry has represented her country of Australia in both cricket and football. If you thought that wasn’t enough to place her in the sporting history books, Perry made her debut in both sports nationally at the age of 16, making her the youngest ever cricketer to represent Australia. American athlete Jim Thorpe was another versatile sportsman, winning two Olympic gold medals in the 1912 Summer event in both pentathlon and decathlon.Versatile is actually a slight Image: James Boyes understatement

considering he also played professional baseball and American football, as well as semi-professional basketball. Thorpe became the first Native American to win a gold medal for the United States, as a member of the Sac and Fox Nation in Oklahoma.

Ellyse Perry has represented her country of Australia in cricket and football A host of fighters have also rose to fame after achieving success in multiple combat sports. In the modern day, Vitali Klitschko earned his first world title in kickboxing before turning his talents to pro-boxing, winning the heavyweight title in 1999. He also joined the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger in crossing the boundaries between sport and politics, as he is now a Ukrainian politician and mayor. Readers might also be familiar with Ronda Rousey who is arguably one of the most famous modern female fighters. She is a former professional mixed martial artist and judoka. Having made a name for herself as the first female fighter to sign with the UFC, Rousey is now a professional wrestler for the WWE.

Henry Hood 2nd Year English

S ever in the FA Cup, there’s always a story behind every game. This year’s set of third round matches were no different. The round began with Liverpool facing fellow Premier League side Aston Villa. An outbreak of COVID-19 forced Villa to field a youthful side, with many of the players being driven to the stadium by their parents since they were too young to drive. Although Villa lost, their equalising solo goal by 17-year-old Louie Barry was one to remember. We also saw Mourinho’s Spurs take a trip to Marine FC, a team in the eighth tier of the English football ladder. Unsurprisingly, the largest gap between teams in FA Cup history saw the latter thumped 5-0, a scoreline which doesn’t reflect the joys of watching Spurs’ Vinicius over-celebrating after crashing a shot in from one yard out, and also watching two-time Premier League winner Joe Hart almost concede to a trainee-plumber from 30 yards. Fellow out-offavour England goalkeeper Jack Butland made his first start for Crystal Palace, and any hopes of keeping a clean sheet and losing the nickname "poppadom hands’" were thwarted by Adama Traore, long range was too powerful for Butland at his near post as Wolves went through

The equalising solo goal by 17-yearold Louie Barry was one to remember Later on in the round, heroics from Brighton’s third choice goalkeeper Jason Steele caught the eye after he saved four penalties against Newport, despite being at fault for a last minute equaliser. Such heroics were not something enjoyed by Leeds fans though, after their team crashed out 3-0 to Crawley Town following a shaky performance from three-time Champions League winner Kiko Casilla. Other notable exits included West Brom deservedly losing on penalties to Blackpool and Derby being beaten 2-0 away by non-league Chorley on a pitch surrounded by a wall of snow.

Goalkeeping heroics were not something enjoyed by Leeds fans Looking closer to home, Exeter City’s 2-0 loss to Sheffield Wednesday saw their cup run come to an end as they failed to carry over their form as the top scoring side in League Two. A baffling miss by Rory McArdle from two yards out was perhaps the clearest indication that it wasn’t their day.

Sport

25 JAN 2021 | EXEPOSÉ

SPORT EDITORS: Nick Powell Joel Edwards

The BUCS stops here

Term one and two sports hit with shock cancellation

Image: Rory Selvey

Nick Powell Sport Editor

LMOST all University Sports will have no competitive season whatsoever this year. British University & Colleges Sports (BUCS) announced that their programme for “2020-21 League and Knockout season has been cancelled”. It follows numerous postponements by university sport’s governing body, who announced in a statement that “the unpredictable nature of nationwide lockdowns and restrictions” had made it impossible for competitive sport “to go ahead in a safe environment” before the end of term two. BUCS had initially accounted for the immediate uptick in cases after the

second national lockdown by extending the start of sporting seasons from their January start dates to the middle of February – with “collision sports” Rugby League, Rugby Union and American Football due to start at the beginning of March. But the grim reality of the new mutation of COVID-19 and its devastating consequences have seemingly necessitated a decision they admit, “will be disappointing for many.”

The grim reality of the new mutation of COVID-19 seemingly necessitated a decision However, the statement went on to add “to put competition on during this

time would risk player welfare and safety, and that is not a chance we are willing to take.” Whilst it was difficult to imagine scenes like the photo above taking place anytime soon, for many it would have been even harder to fathom most sports not being played for a full 18 month period, almost half of most students’ university sporting lives. In an Exeter Athletic Union (AU) council meeting, attended exclusively by AU representatives and University Club Captains, President Ben Hart remarked: “I know this is not what any of us wanted,” but encouraged those present to try and involve their clubs in campaigns such as Press Pause – a charity campaign of challenges for clubs to complete over lockdown – among other things to keep

their members involved in Exeter Sport as much as is possible.

It was difficult to imagine scenes like the photo above taking place anytime soon He went on to say: “We will do our upmost to facilitate sport as soon as possible…and that will involve exploring all opportunities,” with the goal to re-start training sessions as soon as possible after lockdown and mooted the possibility of scaled-back competition organised during term three, with AU Student Sport Manager Charlotte Raymont encouraging committees to keep possible ideas coming in.

Though some of the committees of clubs in attendance foresaw the possibility of the season being cancelled and duly charged lower fees, matters have been further complicated by the fact that refunds will now need to be given by a large number of clubs, whose initial fees included charges for coach travel and BUCS competition fees. Such administraive considerations are what are likely to have forced BUCS’ hand in making the decision well over a month before seasons were due to start. These will be different for different clubs, with some sports having been able to offer more training sessions than others. Whilst there is no doubt all clubs will look to act in their members’ interest, calculating the right amount will likely be a difficult and complicated task.

For live scores and in-depth reports, follow us on Twitter @exeposesport CONTINUED ON PAGE 31