Empire Times 47.5

VOLUME 47

EMPIRE TIMES ISSUE FIVE

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SEX, LOVE & BODY

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Categories: Fiction Poetry Visual Art NonďŹ ction Photography

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Sex, Love & Body Empire Times would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians—the Kaurna people— whose land extends from Cape Jervis up to Port Wakefield, encompassing Flinders University’s many Adelaide campuses. We would like to pay our respects to the Elders of the Kaurna Nation past, present, and emerging, and extend that respect to the other First Nations people as well. We recognise that this land was stolen and that it was never ceded. It always was—and always will—belong to the First Nations.

Editors

Cover Art

Amy Bennett Bec Manser Carmen Giffen

Carmen Giffen // 1

Sub-Editors Amy Lowe Brooke Cantley Celeste Northcott Elissa Unferdorben Jacob Barrey Joshua Collison

Visual Artists Amy Bennett // 19 Bec Manser // 3, 20-25, 30 Brie Dark // 10 Molly Manson // 11 Courtney Egan // 18

Masthead & Logo Bec Manser

Writers Amy Bennett Amy Lowe Anon Anu Francis Brie Dark Brooke Cantley Bryce D. Edwards Celeste Northcott Elissa Unferdorben Imogen Deller-Evans Jack Williamson Joshua Collison Maddie Hand Sheridan Phillips Sly Tabby Knight

Photography Amy Bennett // 38 Unsplash // 14, 28

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WARNING: EXPLICIT & NUDE CONTENT IS INCLUDED WITHIN THIS ISSUE. Empire Times is a publication of Flinders University Student Association (FUSA). The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the editors, Flinders University, or FUSA. Reasonable care is taken to ensure that Empire Times articles and other information are up-to-date and as accurate as possible as of the time of publication.

No responsibility can be taken by Empire Times for any errors or omissions contained herein.

Special Thanks Anu Francis Imogen Deller-Evans Jody St Clair Molly Turnbull

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contents President’s Address

6 // A statement from our SC Student President

Is Fanfiction Dictating Our Romantic Expectations?

8-9 // Is it really that different from genre fiction?

You Are Perfection 10 // Beauty knows no bounds

Lover 11 // A poem

Girls Like Girls Like Boys Do? 23 // A short creative piece

Sex Bloopers 12-13 // So-bad-you-have-to-laugh sex stories

Sex, Love & Body 14-15 // Teaching LGBTQ+ right

Humans of Flinders

A Beginner’s Guide to Sex Toys 24-25 // An introdution to the bedroom

Pets of Flinders 26-27 // Meet some cute pets

16-17 // Hear from other Flinders’ students

Springtime 20-22 // A short story

+Size 29 // The long journey to acceptance

The Antithesis to Love

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Political Correspondence 32-33 // Q&A with uni political clubs

Puzzles & Activities 36-37 // A comic and fun things to do

The Cook Nook 38 // Potato & egg rendang recipe

online exclusive: find them at empiretimesmagazine.com Barbie For President The world’s most influential doll

nts

contents

30-31 // How porn ruined my life

From the Editors

n past themes like this it’s typically about love, sex, and beauty, but we decided it was important to include body. Pride is also there, in spirit. Many people struggle with selfimage, identity, body issues, and disability and mental health factor into this, too. We felt it was important to try and touch on as many things for such multi-faceted subjects.

Amy beaming up! My whole damn philosophy about how we should treat ourselves is pretty much summed up in that one Vine where the guy is jiving about in his undies, calling out, ‘Accept yourself! Love yourself!’ It’s not easy looking at a mirror and being genuinely happy with what you see, but if you don’t then I sure as hell will. I hope this issue helps: that it can teach you how to learn to accept yourself, and love yourself, even just a little bit.

Carmen here! In isolation, I’ve found solace in my hobbies, and leaning majorly into the ‘cottagecore lesbian’ type of watching breadmaking and embroidery videos on TikTok! Learning what clothes you feel comfortable wearing, out of the public eye has also been a strange and liberating experience too (although the wait times for online shopping orders have been excruciating!). It’s also given me a deeper appreciation for the love I have for my friends, and been a stark reminder of who I am when I’m alone and how I can love myself through that.

Hey there everyone, Bec checking in again. I never thought that I’d changed all that much from when I was younger, but recently I’ve been going through family photos and it’s honestly a little mind-blowing .

I’d always been self-conscious about certain parts of myself (including my weird, weird eyebrows), though I found myself thinking that I was nowhere near as bad as I believed at the time. Guess that’s a reminder to be kind on yourself in the present because no one’s a harsher critique of you than you.

Amy, Bec, and Carmen

Empire Times Editors, 2020

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President’s Address

I do not wish to provide my usual president’s statement for this edition of Empire Times. As another cis straight white dude, there’s enough people who walk, talk, and look like me providing their opinions on issues they’re not remotely qualified to provide them on. During this time, we need to sit down, shut up, listen, and learn from our people of colour and First Nations peers.

Celebrating multiculturalism and just not being racist aren’t enough. As students we have such a wealth of privilege at our fingertips to self-educate and not rely on the emotional labour of our people of colour and First Nations classmates.

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A dear friend of mine and fellow student activist has put together an Australian centric Anti-Racism resource that we can all access and share to learn more about the systemic inequality in our country and what we need to do to be actively anti-racist.

You can find this resource at: tiny.cc/fusablm Aboriginal Lives Matter.

Black Lives Matter.

~ words by Josh Rayner Bachelor of Public Administration

CARMENS PRIDE THING

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Is Fanfiction Romantic

please don’t make me ditch all my Mulder x Scully smut

I sometimes wonder if I’ll ever “outgrow” fanfiction, the way we (allegedly) outgrow playing with stuffed animals or watching cartoons on a Saturday morning. It seems unlikely, given that my relationship with the medium can be traced back almost a decade, all the way to the onset of my adolescence. Still, the fact remains, that culturally speaking, fanfiction belongs to the “cringey” teenage fangirls that primarily dwell in high school libraries and Tumblr hashtags, and I’m a second year uni student desperately trying to obtain a shred of credibility as a writer. My affinity for fanfiction is hardly helping my case on that front, and putting it out to pasture may well benefit whatever professional career I’m trying to cultivate. But I shan’t—I’m unable. I’ll continue to read it (and occasionally write it) until my eyes go square and my brain turns to a puddle of overly romantic, fluff-fuelled mush. But why?

Some would argue that a near constant consumption of fanfiction at an impressionable age has left me with questionable expectations.

After all, this is a medium driven largely by young people with limited romantic experience, whose relationship ideals have been established either

by Disney Movies or the love-triangle riddled hellscape that is Young Adult fiction. It’s not unreasonable to suggest that I am part of a vicious cycle, in which my potentially toxic romantic expectations are nurtured and cultivated so that I might in turn provide future generations with my own brand of problematic trashfests.

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Unsurprisingly, I disagree.

I’m aware that I don’t have much of a leg to stand on given that I’m single, currently uninterested in finding a romantic partner, and biased towards fanfiction as a whole. But hear me out—I have a point, I swear. We live in a society where the consumers and producers of fictional media are two separate entities that rarely overlap, and any real change in terms of positive romantic portrayal, representation, and original storytelling is determined by the dollar. I can rattle off a limited number of truly healthy romantic relationships that I’ve seen portrayed in pop culture, and can count the number of queer relationships in that category on one hand. When I was beginning to question my sexuality as a teenager, my sources were limited, and I had no idea how to navigate my rapidly changing situation. It was especially frustrating when I felt like I could recognise and identify with the chemistry that was taking place onscreen between two same sex characters, only to have that shot down, dismissed, and overruled. So, to be able to log onto Archive of Our Own (AO3) and see that chemistry play out the way I wanted it to was a huge deal. Am I guilty of forcing queer characters into every bit of media I consume? Course I am—I’m hungry for representation. But I don’t think that’s an unrealistic expectation. I’m not out here insisting that every fictional character in the history of the world is gay (though some of them totally are—I’m looking at you, Remus Lupin, and your queercoded lycanthropy) but is it so hard to

Dictating Our Expectations? include a queer person who isn’t dead by the end of act three? One who maybe ends up with the person they’re in love with?

you’d be surprised how many hits can wrack up on a five thousand word fanfic that’s largely uneventful, consisting of nothing other than two beloved characters waking up and having breakfast I can’t possibly stand here and say that my standards for relationships are wholly realistic.

I know on some level that I’m never going to end up with Lisbeth Salander from The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo or Jax Teller of Sons of Anarchy (a depressing concept I’ve learned to live with, though it’s not easy). And in that regard I guess fanfiction is enabling a fantasy.

But if you look at the kind of fanfiction I’m searching for (and the kind of fanfiction the community as a whole is providing) then I don’t think we’re being at all unreasonable. The Coffee Shop AU—where a beloved fictional couple meet in

a coffee shop rather than their canonical location— is still king among most fandoms; an apt indication of how “unrealistic” our romantic expectations are becoming. Friends-to-Lovers is another highly popular trope that’s actually quite healthy; having a friendship with your romantic partner can hardly be considered unfeasible. You’d be surprised how many hits can wrack up on a five thousand word fanfic that’s largely uneventful, consisting of nothing other than two beloved characters waking up and having breakfast. I should know—I’ve read thousands of them, and written more than my fair share.

Is there problematic, unhealthy fanfiction out there? Of course. There’s fanfiction that condones and fetishises all sorts of toxic behaviours. But can you name a creative medium that doesn’t contain a single piece of toxic content? Or even a piece of mostly acceptable content that doesn’t contain at least one problematic component? I dodn’t think so. And besides, how many other forms of artistic expression do you know that exist outside the realms of capitalism, caters to and is created by typically marginalised groups, and won’t shame you for your unsettling fixation with Jareth the Goblin King? Not many. So, maybe cut us fanfic fanatics some slack.

~ words by Tabby Knight Bachelor of Creative Arts (Creative Writing)

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ty u a be

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YOU AR

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What exactly makes a person look perfect?

If beauty could be described as a certain set of physical traits and we all wished to conform to this style of beauty, wouldn’t we all aspire to look exactly the same? I believe this concept does a huge disservice to what the word “beautiful” truly represents.

Let’s begin by discussing what many people consider the ‘imperfections’ of their skin. Vitiligo, stretch marks, moles, scars, freckles, and varicose veins are just some of the traits that you might consider as a ‘blemish’ to your skin. First of all, how dare you, you gorgeous thing. Second of all, I am here to announce that this is utterly and completely incorrect. In fact, they are nothing to be ashamed of; they are a part of your perfect body and they are part of what makes you, well, you. Unlike anybody else.

Scars and stretch marks represent the words of your story. They are the text on your skin’s pages. They don’t define you, but they are a part of you and you should never feel like you need to hide them.

Whether that scar be from tripping over a rock when you were young, or from the mark

of a surgical tool. Whether your stretch marks are from simply growing, or bearing a child. It is a part of your book’s pages and a mark of the experiences that make you who you are.

As for freckles, moles, varicose veins, and vitiligo, I’ll use another metaphor: if your body is the canvas, your freckles, moles, veins, and vitiligo are the paint. Your body is a piece of art and you should treat it as such. As the wise Bob Ross once said: ‘It’s the imperfections that make something beautiful, that’s what makes it different and unique from everything else.’ Considering how talented a painter he was; I think he knows what he’s talking about.

Bob Ross once said: ‘It’s the imperfections that make something beautiful, that’s what makes it different and unique from everything else.’

I am more than aware that I am missing some “imperfections”; I imagine it is likely that as you are reading this, you may be thinking of that specific aspect of your body that makes you anxious, that you try to hide. But please know that no matter what it is, it is not imperfect. It is a part of you, and you are so beautiful.

~ words & art by Brie Dark Bachelor of Media and Communications

LOVER.

~ words & art by Molly Manson A pseudonym

I’m not the curviest woman you know but when I’m with you I don’t mind because the curves I desire are yours against mine; the curve of your palm against my hip the curve of your lips against my shoulder the curve of my stomach as I gasp when you touch my thigh.

You fit so beautifully against me I forget my self-esteem when I’m with you.

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empire times

SEX BLOOPERS ~ words by Sly, Bryce D. Edwards & Jack Williamson

Pseudonyms

COUNTRY LOVING Once upon a time I worked for the picking season in a country town. I lived in a tent on an organic apple orchard but regularly convened in the central park, a social gathering place. We would drink locally grown wine, Frenchman made moonshine and swap fruits from our farms. I met a lovely fellow and in the dark of the night, we journeyed up a hill and around a bend to what appeared to be the middle of nowhere. He escorted me to his tent, and we proceeded to get to know each other‌ VERY LOUDLY. As you may

already know, sex in a tent may as well be out in the open when considering sound dampening.

In the light of the morning, I popped my head out of the doors and to my dismay, rather than being alone under some cherry trees and far away from any signs of civilisation, I saw twenty tents neatly sprawled plus a farmhouse. Cherry pickers start early, so the occupants were already in the trees and I was mocked and mimicked from above for the remainder of the day.

PRIVATE QUARTERS In my teens I travelled to Europe with my boyfriend. General etiquette for staying in hostel dorms includes not turning on the light late at night and if you must do the deed, be alone or be quiet! My partner and I were away for six months, which is a long time without privacy, however we had found the perfect solution. If you are a germaphobe read no further. Our intimate times would happen in the bathroom, on the toilet no less. We thought we were smart, in the only room that locks, he would sit on the (closed) toilet seat and I would sit on him. Our plan seemed polite and flawless but as you may have guessed, toilets are not made for rocking. Drunkenly one eve we ripped a toilet off of its fastenings. As it sat on an angle away from the wall, we felt fortunate no plumbing was damaged. We toed our mistake back into place and guiltily slunk away, never to mention it again.

In the light of day, an innocent party was blamed for our poorly planned escapades and we did not speak up, shame! Instead we started forking out for private rooms.

WATCHING THE TIME My friend told me this story once, and I haven’t really wanted to look at a wristwatch since.

So, there was this guy, and I don’t know the circumstances of where he was or who he was with, but anyways he was getting down and dirty with another guy. Really down. And let me tell you that the human body is amazing thing. It can achieve amazing physical feats. Logic be damned when it comes to the bedroom. These two people are really getting into it, and one thing leads to another, and soon there’s no other to put this besides saying that pretty vigorous anal fisting was

involved. Afterwards, when all is said and done, this friend of a friend notices that he’s lost his wristwatch. He swears he was wearing it before, and now it’s mysteriously disappeared. Where o’ where could it be? Well, maybe, it got lost… inside that other guy. They never found the watch, apparently. Stranger things have happened. But my advice to all future endeavours for you young and aspiring fisters: maybe take everything loose off your wrists first before putting it inside someone else.

THE OTHER KIND OF FIRE-HYDRANT My first blow job. Giving, not receiving. It was... traumatic, to say the least, but I’ve moved past the finer details to be able to view the whole debacle in a humorous light. Dear lord I hope someone reading this finds it funny. Alright I’ll set the scene: I’m eighteen, I’m experimenting with sexuality, this guy in one of my classes is game to try stuff, so— naturally, being curious—I do. This is where things get gross. Essentially, when you go down on a guy who has never actually received a blow job before, they get the job over and done with pretty fast.

And you can get nervous and flinch back. When this happens you get a jizz-facial, otherwise known as “fire-hydranted.” It really does do wonders for your pores, if you’re ever interested. So I’m sitting there, glazed like a Krispy Kreme, eyes squeezed shut because they’re already starting to sting, with the guy ABSOLUTELY SPACED OUT ON THE BED. I have no idea what to do at this point.

Do I say something? What’s protocol for when a guy you barely know Jackson Pollocks on you? He came to eventually and helped me get cleaned up but suffice it to say we didn’t really talk a whole lot after that day.

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SEX, LOVE & BODY Last year I wrote about navigating sex, love, and beauty with a disability and this year I am back to tackle sex, love, and body as a gay woman.

SEX The queer community broadens the horizons of sex and reduces some of the taboo that surrounds it through normalising the idea that sex is not exclusively between a cisgender male and female for the purpose of procreation. However, our school sexual education curriculum is lagging significantly behind, with most Australian students graduating from high school with no formal education about anything bar cisgender, heterosexual sex.

trigger warnings: mentions of queerphobia, mental illness, suicidality

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Firstly, failing to teach students about safe non-heterosexual sex can place any of those students at significant risk of acquiring sexually transmitted infections and diseases if they engage in sex outside of heteronormative bounds.

Secondly, uninclusive sexual education fails to teach queer students that they are normal and valued. This in turn maintains the high rates of mental illness and suicidality amongst queer people, which include 28% of homosexual and bisexual Australians reporting high or very high psychological distress compared to 11% of

heterosexuals and evidence suggesting that queer Australians have the highest suicide rates of any other Australian population group.

Finally, a lack of inclusive sexual education fosters queerphobia by failing to educate non-queer students. Being queer is not a choice, but instead a perfectly normal diversity factor for which bullying and discrimination toward will not be tolerated at school nor within wider society, and improving inclusivity in education can help do that.

LOVE Queer love has always prevailed. However, with same-sex marriage finally legalised in Australia, I am hopeful that the queer youth of the future will not have to be exposed to the hatred and queerphobia that devastated the Australian queer community during the 2017 plebiscite. There is nothing quite like having your government ask Mr and Mrs Smith down the road to decide whether or not you should be gifted the right of marriage.

Simply put: love is love, and thankfully society is getting better at realising that, but we still have a long way to go. Statistics surrounding mental illness, suicide, health, and homelessness amongst the Australian queer community are heartbreaking and directly attributed to queerphobia and the prejudice, discrimination and abuse that it inflicts upon queer people. However, the legalisation of same-sex marriage was an important step towards equality that I hope will help reduce queerphobia and improve these statistics. On a personal note, it allowed me to fulfil a life-long dream that I never knew I had by spending time with a married same-sex couple and their beautiful children; finally, a family that reflects what I see for myself in the future.

love is love, and thankfully society is getting better at realising that, but we still have a long way to go BODY For far too long, members of the queer community have been told and raised to believe that a significant and important component of not only their bodies but of who they are—a component that they cannot change—is wrong. That their body, the people they have sex with, and those they fall in love with, are wrong, unnatural, and even sinful. We are in 2020 and there is absolutely no excuse for queerphobia. Ignorance is not an excuse, nor are beliefs. There simply is no excuse. Instead, we must rally together to ensure queer youth grow up surrounded by family, friends, and a society that accepts and supports them, and ensure that they have positive role models who share their queer identity that they can look to for guidance and reassurance. As a gay woman I am grateful to live at this point in history and hold great hopes for the future of our queer community—a community of which I am immensely proud to belong to. As a future secondary school health teacher, I hope to be instrumental in advocating for inclusive and comprehensive sexual education for all students and to be the positive role model that 14-year-old me needed whilst she unknowingly repressed her sexuality at a religious school. There is hope, and at the very least there is bucket loads of (eco-friendly) glitter.

It is high time we stop letting condoms on bananas steal the sex ed show and instead let dental dams on grapefruits step into the limelight (citrus pun intended).

~ words by Anu Francis Bachelor of Education (Special & Secondary Education)

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of HUMANS

FLINDERS STUDENT: BACHELOR OF ARTS (HIGH ACHIEVERS)

what do you find most beautiful about yourself?

I have quite a bit of work cut out for me in terms

Brooke

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of finding something physically beautiful about me (but I have always loved my long lashes—they’re beautiful), I’m still working on truly loving myself.

However, I think my mind is a beautiful thing. It’s whip-smart and imaginative. I have always been more comfortable in pursuits of the mind, both academic and imaginative. My ability to get lost in a world of my own making is a wonderful thing.

Writing feels like home to me, and my mind allows me that kernel of belonging. I find that to truly be beautiful.

STUDENT: BACHELOR OF LETTERS (CREATIVE WRITING)

Joshua Growing up with depression, it’s hard to deem any of yourself “beautiful”. With your own body seemingly trying to work against itself, how do you find beauty through that? Despite all I’ve been through, all I will go through, the most beautiful thing about myself is my persistence. If it weren’t for my ability to never give up, I would have done so a long time ago. For as long I am persistent, I am destined to find something about myself to call beautiful.

STUDENT: BACHELOR OF ARTS

Amy What I find most beautiful about myself is the love and effort I put into caring for animals. Not only do I have an asthmatic cat who needs constant love and attention, I also volunteer to rescue, rehabilitate, and release native wildlife through Save Our Wildlife Foundation Inc. (look us up on Facebook!). It takes a lot of time, it isn’t cheap, I have a constant stream of bottles and pouches that need washing and sterilising, and I lose a lot of sleep but making an effort towards conservation of native species is a rewarding and beautiful experience and I get the chance to raise more awareness about them, too. Sometimes I even bring possum joeys to class!

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Online Exclusives Barbie for President

by Maddie Hand ‘Due to the popularity of Disney and Bratz, who offer more unique characters, Mattel will have to continue to evolve Barbie to be more inclusive and to have better body positive messages.

Past versions of Barbie to keep up with fashion trends and social issues shows Mattel’s continual commitment to improve the Barbie doll.’

Our whole issue can be viewed online, with a range of many other select articles, art, photography, poems, and short stories, on our website: empiretimesmagazine.com

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Springtime Persephone’s mother had told her that pomegranate seeds tasted sour. So, she had never bothered with the peculiar fruit, even when Demeter had been the one to tend to the soil and create only the most delicious, bountiful produce.

Under her mother’s watchful eye, the mortal realm they lived in had never known land that wasn’t lush and fertile. Persephone had scarcely travelled beyond her mother’s domain to know much else, either.

It had been three decades since Persephone had been forbidden to even try. Demeter was not cruel, but Persephone was young and needed protection.

She loved her mother, of course! But their conversation had grown stilted, their emotions clashing, and Persephone spent more and more time thinking of a life outside of her mother’s world. The dark stirrings of men and gods alike were dangers that Demeter had long ago decided she needed to safeguard her daughter from.

Even if Persephone had long ago chosen the man who deserved to be her husband.

He still came to the meadow every day, even when Persephone did not. For years he had done so, and for each of those millenniums the lonely pomegranate tree still bore fruit. Persephone did never quite have the courage to eat one, especially because it would mean defying Demeter. And so, with every new season, that fruit was left untouched, falling to the ground to blacken and rot.

Sighing, Persepshone wondered if he would be waiting for her in that meadow today, too.

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She wondered if he would make her the same offer that he did all that time ago.

~ ‘It’s quite cold.’

Persephone flinched at the sound of a strange voice, stumbling into a turn to find an unfamiliar man standing beneath the pomegranate tree. It was obvious that he wasn’t mortal. The dark blue chiton he wore, hanging from an olive-skinned shoulder, was immaculate. Silver patterns fringed the fabric, shaped like bones. No dirt or dew clung to his sandals though the ground was wet and soft with the morning thaw.

A simple six-pronged crown pressed his dark curls against his forehead.

At Persephone’s lingering silence, the man—no, the god—pushed off the trunk of the pomegranate tree he was leaning against, clearing his throat. ‘I meant, it’s quite cold today,’ he said, gesturing at the surrounding meadow, as if Persephone hadn’t recognised that life and colour had yet to be coaxed out of its wintertime slumber. ‘Moreso than usual…’ He finished with a halting kind of unsureness.

‘It’s nearly springtime.’ Persephone ringed her fingers in the fabric of her epiblema—her dress—with a frantic nervousness that made her mouth dry.

It eased the frantic pulse of Persephone’s heartbeat as she saw the tense line of the man’s body relaxing.

Crease lines appeared around his eyes as he smiled.

‘Is spring not the loveliest of seasons?’ He asked.

‘Yes,’ Persephone breathed. The man’s gaze was the

colour of sun-baked earth in the heat of summer. A similar warmth flushed through her, and she turned her face away to hide her pinkened cheeks.

At the edges of her vision, Persephone saw that that the decorations at the edges of her epiblema—once meek, green buds of lilies of the valley—had now bloomed into pink flowers. Her magic had seeped into her clothes, and it made her emotions obvious, oh, what if he saw— ‘Persephone!’

Demeter was marching towards them. Her expression was creased into a fearsome displeasure that Persephone hadn’t seen in eons.

‘Mother, we were just—’ Persephone started, but Demeter stood wordlessly in front of her, putting herself between Persephone and Hades. The air around them—which had been warming up, abandoning the freeze of hibernation, had chilled once again.

say in his defence. She gripped Persephone’s arm and guided her away, muttering under her breath, ‘Never accept anything from him under any circumstance.’

Yet, when Persephone looked back over her shoulder at Hades, he offered a small wave in goodbye. His smile was just as broad, if a little strained.

~ From that day on, the nymphs had told Persephone that they sometimes glimpsed the man under the pomegranate tree. How long it had been, Persephone didn’t know.

The bright, full petals that had flowered on the trim of her epiblema had only bloomed once. Oh, how she missed how beautifully vibrant they had shone in Hades’ presence—and how Hades had made her feel. Huffing, Persephone fingered the edge of the fabric again, seeing again how the flowers had receded into shy buds. The space beneath her sternum ached to know she was so far from Hades.

‘I will not have you tempt my daughter with flimsy promises and fruit, Hades!’ Demeter said, her chin stubbornly tilted up. Like a warrior facing a battlefield.

Persephone was left to slowly mouth his name, Hades; he was a god, and King of the Underworld nonetheless. Yet he was also a man who stood under pomegranate trees and remarked upon his favourite season of weather.

With a nervous glance at Persephone, Hades sighed. ‘I wasn’t…’ He trailed off, running a hand across the back of his neck.

‘We’re leaving, Persephone,’ Demeter said once it became clear that Hades had nothing to

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He had sometimes delivered her notes in the palm of the nymphs, or gifts. On especially calm nights, Persephone had even dared to evade her mother’s watchful gaze and run to the meadow. Hades would find her in the morning, and they’d share what few precious moments they could before the sun rose and Demeter was roused.

Persephone reached for the pomegranate with a weighty silence. Her fingers slipped into the dividing line Hades had cut into the fruit, pulling it apart. Seeds glimmered inside like blood-red jewels. Persephone’s eyes flickered up to Hades’ as she put the pomegranate slice to her mouth, her teeth pressing down onto its flesh. Hades inhaled sharply.

If Persephone ate a seed, or any number of them, she would be accepting Hades’ proposal.

She swallowed them whole.

Except, today it was bright outside, and Persephone wasn’t scared if her mother stopped her. Hades had made the same proposition every time—if she ate the seeds of a pomegranate, it would bind their lives together. It was Persephone who was the one to refuse Hades’ marriage proposal on the first day of every new spring, because there was so much that could be wrong.

Although, the cold had seeped into her body now, and she wondered how long winters would be without him. It scared her.

Hades’ arms came around her body in a full, enveloping embrace that had been prolonged by decades. There was a stray lock of dark hair that curled over his forehead as he leaned down, and his eyes were still as warm and brown as the earth beneath them. He looked like he had been melded from the materials of the earth, and he would welcome Persephone into it. Down they would go, into his home, the Underworld.

So, Persephone ran.

Persephone wasn’t surprised to find her mother had been wrong all along. The seeds weren’t sour: they tasted sweet.

The sun was warmer, and the stirrings of life were evident in the fluttering of birdwings and the returning greenery of plants. No longer would the world be confined; it was waking up. Maybe that was also a sign of her emotions changing, and flourishing, finally.

Hades’ mouth was soft on Persephone’s.

~ words by Bryce D. Edwards A pseudonym

Hades, as usual, was waiting for her. She launched into his arms, the breath spilling out of her as she demanded, ‘Give me the pomegranate.’

Today was the first day of spring, after all.

Colour flushed in Hades’ face as he grinned, reaching up for a pomegranate in the branches.

They separated as he pulled the fruit down and traced a line down it’s middle, revealing a clean slice that would make it easier to open and devour.

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~ art by Bec Manser Bachelor of Creative Arts (Creative Writing)

GIRLS LIKE GIRLS LIKE BOYS DO? “Who do you like?” The gaggle of eight-year-old girls glares at me like I’m a sacrificial offering. I like a lot of people. But of course, they want to know who I like-like.

“I don’t like anyone,” I say. “Liar,” they croon, “You must like someone.” I conjure mental images of my male schoolmates, and, like I’m holding auditions and they’re my hopeful Romeos I call next, next, next. I like-like none of these boys. I wonder how anyone can. But apparently they do, so I should, too. The boy who sits next to me in class doesn’t call me Jabba the Hutt! So I decide: “I like Nate”, spurring an eruption of elated giggles.

And surely it’s normal to pick a random crush of convenience.

And I wonder, “What is a crush?”

~ Then I see her. We pass in the science corridor. Her eyes are a sweet, golden brown: warmer than honey. Her lilting voice chirps my name. My breath catches and my heart stops and all I can do is smile weakly.

And I don’t know what this is, but I’m crushed under some weight that stops me breathing every time she says hello.

~ ~ A dark-haired girl laughs by the year seven playground, the tips of her canines peeking out.

She has nice teeth. I think I’m jealous of her. Why else would I consider her so cool?

I tell my sister: “There’s a girl at school and I think she’s beautiful.”

She nods sagely. “Girl-crush,” she explains. “I get them a lot.”

And it makes some sense. This is a just a girl-crush, and I’m completely heterosexual.

~ A boy in high school opens the door for me. He’s nice and I want to be friends, meaning I must like him. So, when he asks me out two weeks later, I’m baffled as to why I immediately turn him down.

My sister comes out as bisexual.

She’s attracted to boys and girls. Until now I had never considered or even thought it was allowed for girls to like-like other girls.

I ponder past crushes; my hand-picked collection of the least repulsive boys in school. Then I think of canine teeth. Of brown eyes and a bright voice.

Of how I longed to pass her in the hall again, and to hear her say my name.

Things make sense, so much real sense, at last. And I think, “Girl-crush, my arse.”

~ words by Imogen Deller-Evans Bachelor of Creative Arts (Drama)

~ art by Bec Manser Bachelor of Creative Arts (Creative Writing)

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When I first entered an adult XXX store the array of shapes overwhelmed me. My novice eye couldn’t tell a finger vibrator from a cock ring. If apprehension stands in the way of your exploration, you are not alone. This guide, though not exhaustive, aims to make comfortable that which can ignite exploration, promote play, and increase pleasure!

Vibrators That Also Penetrate Stick vibrators vary from the size of your finger, growing from there. These magic wands are a starting point if a full-size dildo purchase incites apprehension.

Non-Penetration Vibration Basically, anything that looks like a bean, egg, or bunny does not have to penetrate to kindle pleasure. Marketed towards vaginas, they come battery or remote operated yet egg vibrators can massage the balls also, for double the fun!

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Dildos That Also Vibrate Traditionally dildos were made phallic for penetration and did not vibrate, yet plenty these days do. Whether you desire a true to penis copy or a rabbit to tickle your anus/ clitoris, the choice is yours as the range extends to fantasy animal cock, like the dragon penis pictured.

Butt Stuff In the name of exclusivity, lets skip anal dildos and vibrators to address the more classic butt plug. Used for pleasure and stimulation, and made of glass, metal, or silicone, we have surpassed practicality; the possibilities for elegance are endless! If you ever wondered why they appear in a set, the varying size prepares the anus for penetration. Butt plugs ascend in size and by slowly increasing through the day or week, the anus stretches to minimise eventual potential discomfort.

DO NOT cross contaminate your nether regions! Please be vigorously, meticulously, fastidiously clean.

Penis Stuff Placing first in penis paraphernalia, cock rings help increase pleasure and maintain erection through stifling blood flow. Some are vibrators as well! However when penetration’s the intention, blow job simulators and penis masturbators are only a click away! Just remember that soapy hot water; if your toys do not smell clean, they’re not.

this guide, though not exhaustive, aims to make comfortable that which can ignite exploration, promote play, and increase pleasure!

Couple Stuff There are finger vibrators, partner vibrators (the toy penetrates one while the other presses against it) and double-ended dildos. The couple array is extensive!

Whip and Tricks If your fetish tends towards bondage, discipline, sadism or masochism (BDSM) there are starter kits galore. Ball-gags range in shapes and sizes, as do whips and collars. Be safe (and educated) out there.

Start small, be clean, and respect your partners.

Common curtesy is to inform your partner if you have used your sex toy(s) with previous persons.

General practice is to buy new for/with each partner. Store clerks are often knowledgeable, sex-positive, familiar with their product and able to help if you have questions. Relax and enjoy the ride!

~ words by Sly A pseudonym

~ art by Bec Manser Bachelor of Creative Arts (Creative Writing)

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of EDORBEN F N U A S IS L E : R

OWNE

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hugs, g n i v i g e k li I bunny y m h t i w g n li snugg f the f o t e g ‘ g n i y la and p lounge’.

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If you think your pet has the stuff to become Flinders’ Next Top Model, email us! empire.times@flinders.edu.au

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OWNER: CELESTE NORTHCOTT

- I like pulling the squeakers out of stuffed toys.

- Yes, I’m a fierce guard dog. Yes I hide when it rains (because it might thunder). We exist.

- My hobbies include hide and seek, napping, and being nervous.

OWNER: AMY BENNETT

Polnareff

Ponyo - I like eating my bed (an aquatic plant) as much as I enjoy sleeping in it.

- I will always win a staring contest.

- My hobbies include swimming (in all directions, I’m quirky like that) and, no, I do not practise martial arts with my rat sensei.

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+SIZE

Coming to accept my body has been a very long journey. I was bullied in primary school during years six and seven because I was a chubbier kid.

This is where my body issues and low self-esteem stem from. It did not improve at all during high school, either; I was slightly overweight during early high school, but I gained most of the weight in years eleven and twelve, becoming severely overweight. My view of my body was pretty negative; I don’t like to remember how I felt during those times. When I think about high school, I feel like I’m taking a step backwards in light, I don’t want to go backwards.

Clothes shopping has never been easy for me. I’m a size too big for regular stores, but an odd shape for plus size stores like City Chic. City Chic’s ‘extra small’ is slightly too big for my stomach area, but a size too small for my bust, so I can’t exactly buy many things from them. The only clothes in my wardrobe that seem to fit me properly are a $5 shirt from Big W and $40 jeans from JayJays. That combo tends to be my everyday outfit, which I can style either up or down (depending on the occasion). Seeing more and more plus-size models in the media and online has helped improve my view of my own body. Right now, I feel the most confident in myself I have ever been. From here, I want to go on to explore different styles with clothes, makeup, and jewellery to see what style suits me best and enhances my natural beauty.

The way I viewed my body began to become positive during late 2016 when I met my partner.

He loves me for me, making it easier to see myself as beautiful because someone else did.

During the summer of 2016-2017, I started taking some medication that unintentionally caused me to lose weight. Over the past year and a half, I have gained some of the weight back. Some days I still wake up, look in the mirror, and think ‘that fat roll right there is ugly’. But most days, I wake up, look in the mirror, and see myself as a beautiful, confident woman. I can look at myself without cringing.

I still feel the pressure to be thin. And to be completely honest, I have tried a few weight loss supplements. They didn’t work. I also tried a few diets during the gap year I had after high school, but they just made me feel worse about myself: I’d end up failing them and having a terrible binge eating day, then feel guilty for overeating.

Overcoming that feeling of guilt was a huge step for me. Some days are not going to be good days, and you’re going to want to eat a whole bag of chips, and other days you’ll be able to resist that.

It’s ok. Nobody is perfect, and all you can do is your best. Surprisingly, I am not sad or disappointed that my weight loss attempts didn’t work. I’ve come to learn that every body shape and size is beautiful and unique.

surrounding yourself with the right people is so important when you are learning to accept yourself; you need to be around people who love you for you The biggest thing that helped teach me to accept that all bodies are beautiful was getting away from high school and the childish people I knew there. Surrounding yourself with the right people is so important when you are learning to accept yourself; you need to be around people who love you for you and don’t make negative comments.

This positivity extends past people you know; having more exposure to plus size women in the media and being able to go to plus size stores and see beautiful clothing can be a big help. For me, seeing other plus size women feeling beautiful and confident in themselves was inspiring. One of the main lessons I have learnt in my journey is that accepting yourself for who you are and owning your body—while it is hard sometimes—makes life even more beautiful and worth living to the fullest.

~ words by Sherian Phillips Bachelor of Arts

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S TO LOV

THE ANTITHESI

E A Study in Truth trigger warnings: mention of porn and masturbation addiction, suicidal thoughts

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It’s very interesting how love works. It brings us together, has many faces, and feels unique. Love is everywhere, especially in moving pictures. If there is anything I learnt as a film student, movies are supposed to convey reality. However, my addiction to pornography and masturbation (PM) has allowed me to see love in an entirely different light after my struggles with it. Too long have I spent in the shadows looking at lifeless pixels, and it was time I changed for the better.

My story began somewhere in the middle of a hillside cul-de-sac. I was born into a conservative family to a proud father and a compassionate mother. They taught me that I should love people like Jesus Christ loved us. When I was becoming

a teen, I came across my first erotic temptation through my trusty dictionary. It had an explicit page on human anatomy. It started out as a little habit that I rarely engaged in. Little did I know that it would become a nefarious drawback in my growth.

I became a teen, and I had my first crush on a girl.

She was into sciences, like I was, and achieved higher grades than me. She was nice to everyone and passionate about study. Best of all, that girl was tenacious and never gave up on her dreams. I was smitten with her more than anyone else before or since. But I was an extremely shy person, and I didn’t know my sneaky little porn habit was making it worse. I genuinely cared about that girl, and I helped her as often as I could. She was extremely happy, and that joy made me more in love with her.

At the end of the year, I gave her a present wishing her well that summer. Her smile as we parted is one I will never forget.

too long have I spent in the shadows looking at lifeless pixels, and it was time I changed for the better That summer, I knew I was moving to Adelaide, and foolishly decided that calling her on the number she gave me, which was futile. Increasingly depressed, I turned more to PM, and slowly became addicted. After arriving in Adelaide, I was feeling very lonely and porn helped numb my senses. My parents told me not to peek at naked people when I was a kid, and there was a reason for that. It was then my addiction started developing into more hardcore internet porn, and things fell apart quickly. I masturbated to porn more than I saw my family. It was sapping my energy like a vampire, and I became less confident and more cowardly. I could not even talk to girls without thinking about unusual sex. I was

severely perverted, and I could not establish many friendships, let alone get a girlfriend, as a result.

2015 was the worst year in my porn addiction. I was so dependent on porn that I could not function without it. I failed my maths and science topics that semester. My dream career of medicine was lost.

I lost interest in music, which is really something to me. Porn was killing me at this point, and the spiritual guilt associated with all these years was becoming unbearable. I wanted to die, and felt rotten to the core.

Sometime later, I went on a camp with school.

There I realised that I was a mess because my porn addiction had so thoroughly affected my life.

I had to do a complete 180o and get my affairs in order. That crucial moment marked my first serious attempt at quitting. It was extremely hard, and I failed so many times as I suffered from withdrawal symptoms like reduced libido, depression, and lack of motivation. I started uni a few years later, and I was still an addict. I knew that I had to double my efforts, because I must build my new image before entering the industry.

I am happy to report that soon, I will be two years sober. Instead of PM, I now play in a band, I am social, I help other people, and I am enthusiastically planning for a successful future. Most importantly, I have learnt to see women as people who deserve love. I have finally learned how to love others. But the damage was done. Things could’ve been very different today. I lost my dream career, I lost so many work and volunteering opportunities. Worst of all, I lost the girl I was most smitten with.

Giving up porn was a blessing for me, because it made more motivated to live life. I am in a much better position now than when I started PM. For that, I am grateful.

~ words by Anon A pseudonym

~ art by Bec Manser Bachelor of Creative Arts (Creative Writing)

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POLITICAL CORRESPONDENCE SOCIALIST ALTERNATIVE 1. We start from a point of

LEFT

understanding that because of the oppression people face under capitalism, they are actively discouraged from being political. Women, POC and many other oppressed groups face every element of this system telling them to sit down, not to rock the boat too much, lest oppression come down on them even harder. We want to actively counteract that. We argue for our members to be fighters, to rock the boat as much as possible, and especially for people of oppressed identities to take back the confidence capitalism has ripped from them.

We also see systematic oppression of people by gender, race, sexuality, etc as being fundamental parts of the oppression of the working class by capitalism. The struggle against capitalism requires a struggle against all forms of capitalist oppression.

So, our fight will always include involving ourselves

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in struggle against racism, sexism, homophobia and all the forms oppression takes. We want whoever feels rage at the injustice of capitalism to join us in that fight.

2. They should be increased.

The bosses and government will want to push the costs of the COVID-19 triggered global crisis on to ordinary people whilst bailing out companies like Qantas to the tune of $715 million.

We demand that Centrelink payments be increased to protect ordinary people from the crisis of capitalism.

This system that constantly denigrates unemployed or underemployed people whilst spending billions on bailing out businesses, investing in a racist police system, and on weapons of war is barbaric and should be opposed. As revolutionary socialists, we are fighting for a society built around human need, not for profits for the 1%.

FLINDERS UNIVERSITY LABOR CLUB 1. The Flinders University Labor Club exists to allow for a greater diversity of progressive students within the processes and structures of the Australian Labor Party. We work with a variety of clubs across campus to encourage more students to actively engage the only progressive political party capable of legislative change. We’re proud ally’s to all of Flinders University’s autonomous communities, and are glad to see FUSA expanding its offering of collectives this year to ensure more diverse representation and advocacy.

The Australian Labor Party has, and continues to strive to increase diversity within our state and federal parliaments.

Whether it be affirmative action policies that ensure more women are elected to parliament or caucus committees to ensure migrant and POC voices shape public policy—the ALP is seemingly

CEN

1. How do you support diverse voices in your party?

2. Should the increased Centrelink payments be sustained post-pandemic?

2. The Flinders University Labor Club has always proudly campaigned for increasing the reach and support of Centrelink payments. As one of the wealthiest nations in the world, Australia can afford to support its residents by maintaining an increase to the Job Seeker, Youth Allowance, Austudy and Abstudy payments.

It is absolutely shameful that the current Coalition Government expects people to survive on a measly $40 a day.

It is not enough, it has never been enough, and the Labor Opposition could certainly be doing more to fight against a snap back to earlier support payment rates.

NTRE

described the Liberal Party as a ‘broad church’ in which liberalists coexist with conservatives. This ‘broad church’ is the result of the Liberal Party’s tireless promotion of free speech and its commitment to practising what it preaches. The most obvious example is the fact that sitting Liberal parliamentarians may ‘cross the floor’ on issues they are passionate about.

This directly contrasts with the Australian Labor Party, which punishes diversity of opinion as demonstrated by its suspension of George Georges and Graeme Campbell in the 1980s. The Liberal Party also leverages the value of free speech at grassroots levels. For instance, the South Australian Young Liberal Movement holds regular policy-making meetings in which members may freely and openly critique the issues of the day in a respectful and encouraging environment.

Ultimately, the Liberal Party takes every opportunity to

champion a free marketplace of ideas.

2. Social security has long been a vexed issue in Australian politics and will likely continue to be a vexed issue in future. Broadly, the Morrison Government’s unprecedented support to Australians reflects the unprecedented moment we find ourselves in. The Morrison Government’s Coronavirus Supplement has benefitted some 235,000 students who receive Youth Allowance, AUSTUDY or ABSTUDY. The Coronavirus Supplement has also been of particular benefit to rural and regional students in enabling them to continue studying away from home. FULC commends the Morrison Government for its timely and effective economic response and is confident the Government will continue supporting Australians throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

RIGHT

the only party striving for our representative democracy to actually represent the diversity of our population. However, much more work needs to be done.

FLINDERS UNIVERSITY LIBERAL CLUB 1. John Howard famously

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BE A BETTER HUMAN In 2017, The Australian Human Rights Commission conducted a randomised survey of university students, including students here at Flinders, and released the National Report on Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment at Australian Universities.

The report offered many suggestions for Universities to adopt and while we think those recommendations are fantastic, here at Flinders we want to do even better!

This initiative was created with a group of Flinders students from the ground up, to reflect our campus culture and what we think everyone needs to appreciate—consent, respect, and empathy. The campaign is called Be a Better Human, because we don’t just want it to be about what we shouldn’t do; we want it to be about self-improvement for everyone. And when we say ‘everyone’, we really do mean everyone. We’re encouraging everyone who is part of our campus community to take a moment and consider how we can ‘better’ our behaviour.

In 2019, FUSA was presented with three awards (Best Marketing Campaign; Most Successful Digital Initiative; Most Successful Visual Design) as part of Tertiary Access Group’s Campuslink Conference. Since it’s inception, Be A Better Human has been adopted by universities nationally, including Swinburne University, Latrobe University, University of New England, Queensland University of Technology, RMIT, Edith Cowan University, and many more.

Let’s Talk About Consent!

Consent is about saying “yes” and about respecting and accepting a person’s right to say “no”. Consent is required at any stage of being intimate with

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someone—asking for a dance, a date, to make out—and at any point in a relationship, whether you’ve just met or you’ve been going steady since the dawn of time.

But let’s talk about consent and sex! You may think you know it well, but read on ahead and reaffirm that you’re on the right track. It is important to be able to communicate what we want, when we want it, and how we want it, with whomever we’re wanting it with. Don’t pressure anyone into having sex and don’t do anything that makes the other person feel uncomfortable. Sex should be about mutual pleasure, so communication is key. Check in with the person you’re having sex with and make sure they are enjoying themselves and want to continue.

Equally, if someone is pressuring you or making you feel uncomfortable—it’s your right to say “no”. Consent is something you give, so it’s also something you can take back.

Affirmative Consent When asked about consent back in the day, we might have said something like “no means no” and while that’s still the case, consent goes far beyond this now. Affirmative consent is when the verbal and physical cues a person is giving you show that they are comfortable, consenting, and keen to continue. It’s all about the proactive asking and giving of consent between people. A “no” is still a ‘no’ but the absence of an enthusiastic and ongoing “yes” is a ‘no’ as well.

Every person has the right to choose to have sex the way they want, and to make that choice freely every time without feeling pressured due to their circumstances or out of fear of repercussions.

Saying “yes” to a kiss or allowing your partner to touch you, caress you, take your top off etc doesn’t imply a yes to everything.

The most basic thing to remember is that consent is voluntary, enthusiastic, and continuous.

Without Consent If someone does something to you that you don’t want, for example, coercing or forcing you into sex

when you’ve said, or were unable to say no, then that’s non-consensual sex, and sex without consent is considered indecent assault or rape under South Australian law.

But what does ‘without consent’ really mean?

Being bullied, tricked or intimidated with words or violence into having sex or physical contact is coercive control and that’s non-consensual; so is having sex with someone who cannot clearly and freely give consent. This category includes minors (under the age of 17), people who are intoxicated, passed out or asleep, as well as those with a mental impairment that may inhibit them from being fully aware of what they are agreeing to.

Fore more information: https://sa.criminallegal. com.au/crimes/sexual-assault-laws-sa/ Consent in Relationships Sex can be non-consensual in all types of relationships, even if you and your boo have been going steady for 6 months or 60 years. Sex varies and what worked in the bedroom last week might not feel right now. If your partner doesn’t feel like it, if they want to slow down or stop altogether for any reason, you have to respect this. Remember they know what’s right for them, just as you know what’s right for you. Just because you’ve entered into a relationship doesn’t mean there is perpetual consent. Failure to stop when someone says no, if they can’t consent, or they were coerced into having sex (that old “come on, baby” line), is illegal and constitutes rape.

Yarrow Place Yarrow Place provides free counselling to people who were 16 years or older at the time of their sexual assault. It is primarily a face-toface counselling service (although can provide ‘outreach’ counselling by phone). Clients of the service are registered and allocated to a counsellor for consistency, with scheduled therapy appointments.

8226 8777 1800 817 421 (After Hours Toll Free Number) sahealth.sa.gov.au/yarrowplace I800RESEPCT 1800RESPECT is Australia’s National Helpline responding to Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. They are available 24/7 for phone or online counselling and to provide referrals to appropriate services around Australia. We always provide this option to sexual assault survivors and encourage them to call as needed for support i.e. when experiencing a trauma reaction such as a nightmare or flashback. It can be a fantastic first introduction to counselling (as callers can be anonymous if they would like) and a gateway to services. Online chat is available.

1800RESEPCT or 1800 737 732 1800respect.org.au

Helpful Contacts If you or someone you know is subject to an on-campus incident, Flinders security staff are available 24/7 on 8201 2880. Life threatening and criminal incidents can also be reported to police by dialling 000.

Health, Counselling & Disability Services (including Student Equal Opportunity Advisors) flinders.edu.au/current-students/ healthandcounselling/health-service/ 8201 2118 counselling@flinders.edu.au studenteo@flinders.edu.au

All information was provided by Flinders University Student Association.

For more on Be A Better Human or to download the free campaign material, visit: fusa.edu.au/babh.

Join the discussion online with: #BeABetterHuman, #BaBH, or @fusassociation.

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PUZZLE

~ comic by Carmen Giffen

Bachelor of Creative Arts (Creative Writing)

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ES &

~ word search by Amy Bennett

Bachelor of Creative Arts (Creative Writing)

WORD SEARCH

Y S P R H F T W C H P J O J X L A T V B T O O K X K O L H U M R X F X Y I S S I I E O E I M I G S E G Q I U D M T H S N T Z P O A M L E W W B E N D U G F W P A N Q Q N A D X K M H U I Z R E U V E C R E U B X C U O B Y B K U T P K D M V F Y D O V D A J B Z E S G C P U Q D W Q K W I Q R L P U U S Y A E P E N I S R S K T N I I L N F U V P P U F W M Z T I T S R V T Q N Y D O B S M L T A D R A T N W N Y O R C D X E H V K F P Y Q O M S J A E K W S L S X B J J B V X N U M W T E D D M S V U Y P T Q W D Q I Y E A M R V F S I M P E R F E C T I O N S E N A E I E H A Y T I D I U L F S I J X R I N V L A R X C H G S Y P L E A S U R E G J O X F H F I C X X I U X H B L R W X A M L E Z R M R A E G Z W N R I S E I L V M L S G J U O X A P L J O D L R E D N E G C S X B W N Z N F T M X R I E M L S H P T J Z U O B O S G K A B K T P N O K U T G E W E C E D S T T O N I Y K G V M C M U I Z Z I W F G R X G B C X S P X Y X E H A C H U T O L E E J T B E G A O K T W R V J B R R J R H S P S K V A G R T O C W F G X ACCEPTANCE ASS BEAUTY BINARY BODY CLIMAX DISABILITY

FLUIDITY FRECKLES GENDER HAIR IDENTITY IMPERFECTIONS LOVE

MAN MOLES PENIS PERSON PLEASURE PRIDE QUEER

SEX SEXUALITY SKIN SPECTRUM TITS VAGINA WOMAN

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The Cook Nook Potato & Egg Rendang Gluten-free Vegetarian

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 small potatoes, chopped coarsely • 1/4 cup vegetable oil • 1 medium onion, chopped finely • 185g jar rendang curry paste (some brandd may not be vegetarian or gluten-free, so check information label to be certain) • 270ml can coconut milk • 1/3 cup water • 4 eggs • Pinch of salt and pepper to taste

METHOD:

1. Cook potatoes until tender and drain 2. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat 3. Cook onion and curry paste, stirring, for a few minutes or until onion softens 4. Stir in coconut milk and water, and let simmer 5. Add potato to the pan, cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally 6. Season with salt and pepper for flavour 7. Heat remaining oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Break eggs into pan and fry.

8. Divide between bowls and serve to your liking

TO SERVE:

The rendang can be eaten alone, but alternatively it can be served with: • Roti or naan • Rice • Coriander and/or chilies as a garnish

~ photography by Amy Bennett

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Bachelor of Creative Arts (Creative Writing)

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ET 2020 EMPIRE TIMES // 47.2

Amy Bennett // Amy Lowe // Anu Francis // Anon Bec Manser // Brie Dark // Brooke Cantley Bryce D. Edwards // Carmen Giffen // Celeste Northcott Courtney Egan // Elissa Unferdorben Imogen Deller-Evans // Jack Williamson // Jacob Barrey Joshua Collison // Maddie Hand //Molly Manson Sheridan Phillips // Sly // Tabby Knight

UPCOMING ISSUE:

ISSUE 6: CORONA TIMES ISSUE 7: CONNECTION Want to get involved? Get in contact! empire.times@flinders.edu.au

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