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“Your campus, your voice” Friday 11 October 2019 15.3

HOMOSEXUALITY IN THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND

HILARY NYARKO

GAY VICAR ANDREW FORESHEW-CAIN SPEAKS OUT

WHY I WAS MARGINALISED OUT OF WOMEN’S LACROSSE

Feature | Page 12

Sport | Back Page

Down it, fresher Representative body for universities publishes report into society initiations.

By Jeanne Bigot Newspaper News Editor Universities UK, the representative organisation for UK universities, published a series of guidelines in collaboration with Newcastle University regarding initiation rituals in University societies.

The 42-page document, published on 23 September, comes three years after the premature death of a Newcastle

University student, Ed Farmer. The first-year student passed away in 2016 as a result of heavy intoxication during an initiation ceremony.

An inquiry revealed that the initiation ritual played a significant role in the tragedy.

UUK’s recommendations aim to serve as guidelines for first-year students and parents. They are also aimed at universities to help them deal with the phenomenon.

This is not to say that all initiations are dangerous, and all should be banned. Social events in societies can be open, friendly, and enjoyable for everyone.

The idea of initiations is perceived by many to be a secret rite of passage freshers have to participate in order to be included in a team or society.

The secretive aspect of them is part of what makes them toxic. People might feel scared to report anything they feel

uncomfortable with.

Universities UK’s report defines excessive initiation behaviour as ranging from excessive alcohol and substance consumption to peer pressure, coercion, intimidation, and bullying.

These events spread across various societies, but attention has been brought to sports societies’ initiations being particularly excessive, especially at Kent.

Continued on Page 3...

Canterbury MP delivers powerful address on domestic violence “ Photo by UK Parliament

“They don’t tell you that they like the idea of strong, independent, successful women but not the reality”

By Alejandro Javierre Website News Editor On Wednesday, 2 October, Canterbury MP Rosie Duffield gave a harrowing speech on her domestic violence experiences that moved Commons members to tears.

The Labour MP, who has served the constituency since 2017, spoke at the passing of a domestic abuse bill hearing put forward by the Conservative Party.

Continued on Page 5...

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Friday 11 October 2019 InQuire

Brexit and Erasmus: What should University of Kent students expect?

By Iqra Ahsan News Sub-Editor For those who do not know what Erasmus is, or who are thinking of applying for 2020/2021 and are nervous about Brexit, read on.

Launched in 1987, Erasmus allows students to experience global education through exchange programmes. Ranging from three months to one academic year, this programme allows students from the United Kingdom and Europe to study abroad and experience a different culture. Monthly grants are also provided by the European Commission How does Brexit fit into all of this?

The UK is set to leave the European Union on October 31. However, there is a chance that the current deal is on the verge of a stalemate.

If the UK is set to leave by the end of

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A no-deal Brexit will leave the EU with potentially disastrous effects, both politically and economically, and also for more programs like Erasmus+.

Once the UK leaves the EU, deal or no deal, the UK may have to pay to be a part of Erasmus, similar to countries of the European Economic Area such as Liechtenstein, Iceland, and Norway do.

Another alternative is that universities are advised to set up relationships with overseas universities.

The University of Kent already has European study centres in Brussels, Paris, Rome, and Athens. Kent also has relations with international universities across the globe, therefore exchange programmes can potentially be created between Kent and other overseas establishments.

While the situation with Brexit is unclear, the University of Kent has tried

to clarify the situation for its students and staff.

Karen Cox, Vice-Chancellor, has stated that “we are still the UK’s European university. Europe is part of our DNA and we are determined to remain outward-looking”.

On University of Kent’s website, more information is available for students worried about the possible outcomes of Brexit on their studies. European students in Kent, who might be worried about their rights to study in the UK and travel in and out of the country regularly, can be reassured. As the web page states: “As a current student, you will be able to live and study in the UK after the UK leaves the EU. The rights you currently have are protected, so you can continue to live your lives as you do now.”

Trump likely to be impeached over Ukraine leak, claims Kent academic

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this month with a deal, then students who are studying abroad in the 2019/20 academic year will be fully funded by the Erasmus+ program. If there is a further delay, funding will still be guaranteed. If the UK leaves the EU with no deal, the courses will still be paid for, but the funding will depend on whether or not the course has begun.

For students applying for the Erasmus program in the 2020/21 academic year, much of the funding is still left undecided. If the government does leave by Halloween, then they do not have a lot of time to decide what to do next. If the Withdrawal Agreement passes and a deal is reached, the UK can continue to participate in the Erasmus scheme until the end of the programme. Staff and students will be provided with complete mobility periods and receive funding until 2020/21.

On 24 September , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced that the house will begin a formal impeachment inquiry into US President Donald Trump.

This move stems from a complaint made by a whistle-blower from within the intelligence community which alleges the President tried to pressure Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, into investigating a political rival.

The allegation focuses on a phone call that took place between President Trump and newly elected President Zelensky on 25 July. The whistle-blower was not on the call but received this information from more than “half a dozen U.S. officials”. The complaint highlights two key issues.

Firstly, Trump has urged Ukraine and China to reopen a criminal investiga-

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tion into Hunter Biden, son of former vice-president and 2020 Democrat candidate Joe Biden. The unclassified whistle-blower complaint claims Trump tried to “solicit interference from a foreign country” to increase his chances of re-election in 2020. Secondly, the whistle-blower accuses the White House of trying to cover up the conversation by making the transcript of the call classified.

The inquiry primarily focuses on whether Trump used his position to withhold military aid to Ukraine in exchange for a political ‘favour’. The now partially released transcript has started to corroborate some of the statements made by the anonymous whistle-blower.

Many have highlighted a key line within the transcript in which Trump is quoted as saying: “I would like you to do us a favour though” in response to the Zelensky’s mention of buying more military weapons from the US. Following this, Trump requested Zelensky to “look into” Hunter Biden further.

Supporters of the inquiry frequently sight this as an example of a quid pro quo and extortion of a foreign government. House Speaker Pelosi commented on the severity of the situation exclaiming that “the impeachment of a president is as serious as our congressional responsibility can be”.

In connection to these recent revelations, the inquiry is likely to investigate the intentions of the White House suspending all US security assistance to Ukraine on 18 July under Trump’s instruction. Notably, Trump made this request a week before the call with President Zelensky which is at the

centre of the investigation.

As more is revealed daily, the scope of the investigation continues to grow.

New information has revealed that more top U.S. official may have been involved in a more widespread pressure campaign towards the Ukrainian government.

The transcript revealed that Trump’s lawyer Mr Giuliani was asked to discuss the issue of corruption with the President. This is mentioned within the complaint alongside the note that Giuliani met with Zelensky’s advisers in early August.

William Barr, Attorney General, has become embroiled in the scandal as the complaint stated that he “appears to be involved” in some capacity. The transcript released by the White House quotes Trump as offering Barr’s services to Zelensky to “get to the bottom” of his suspicions about Biden.

Whilst the President has admitted to mentioning the Biden family during the call, he has vehemently protested his innocence and claims the new inquiry “is not an impeachment, it is a coup”.

President Trump commented that the topic of corruption was only mentioned in the call as he feared “people like Biden and his son” could potentially be “adding to the corruption” within Ukraine.

In regards to the suspension of military aid, Trump argued this was an effort to persuade other European countries to contribute more to the joint effort in Ukraine. The President tweeted his frustrations stating that the inquiry was “The greatest Witch Hunt in the history” of the United States.

The coming weeks are likely to see

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more revelations as the investigation continues. Several key figures have been deposed and are expected to speak with Congress behind closed doors, but the White House said they will not corrperate with the investigation.

The House will be back in session on 16 October coinciding with the Democratic presidential candidates holding a debate. Candidates will likely discuss the issue and their position on the inquiry. Mid-October is also the deadline for Trump’s lawyer Rudolph “Rudy” Giuliani to produce Ukrainian documents to the House Intelligence Committee which could potentially reveal more about the infamous phone call.

Contacted for comment, Dr Andrew Wroe, University of Kent Senior lecturer in American politics, gave InQuire his thoughts on whether or not the impeachment will go through. To him, “Trump will be impeached in the House if there is a vote, but he’s very unlikely to be convicted in the Senate. Senate Republicans…will not vote against the President unless some extraordinary and incriminating new evidence of the upmost malfeasance comes to light.

As it stands, Senate Republicans are simply scared of Trump…they are scared for their jobs. So long as they think that keeping their jobs requires them to support the president, Trump is probably safe.

“The impeachment inquiry confirms that we are witnesses to one of the most divisive, polarised, partisan and vituperative periods in American history.

And it’s going to get worse in the course of the next year.”

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InQuire Friday 11 October 2019

News

Universities UK publish crackdown guidelines on initiations ...Continued from Front Page.

Photo by Pixabay

blurry. Most students taking initiations are legally adults and defining where consent ends and where peer pressure begins has always been obscure.

On initiations, Vice-President (Student Engagement), Emily Window, told InQuire: “ [Kent Union’s] approach to initiations in recent years has been proactive, relying on honest and open communication with student groups and as a result, we have seen far fewer issues and complaints.”

Ms Window mentioned Kent Union’s position on initiations and peer pressure, declaring: “We are quite clear that students should never feel pressured to do anything they don’t want to do and that Kent Union is here to provide support.”

It is up to the University and Kent Union to communicate with students to inform them about initations and cases behaviours that are deemed unacceptable.

If you are set to take part in an initiation ceremony in this new academic year, remember to stay safe and only do what you feel comfortable with. If you have any concerns, please contact a trusted friend or family member, or Kent Union at kentunion@ kent.ac.uk.

It is necessary to point out, beyond the general toxicity initiations can have, the United Kingdom’s problematic history of binge-drinking, especially in universities. The 2019 Global Drugs Survey, which examines nations’ habits of alcohol and drug consumption, placed the United Kingdom first for binge-drinking practices.

Despite a 10% decrease in alcohol consumption in the past three years, the United Kingdom’s relationship with binge-drinking remains concerning.

This is where initiations can become dangerous – when peer pressure meets young participants, binge-drinking culture and a lack of report or supervision.

The United Kingdom’s relationship with alcohol has long been complicated.

While social drinking remains ordinary,

the Office for National Statistics has revealed in 2017 that people aged 16 to 24 are increasingly likely to be teetotallers, but also increasingly likely to participate in binge-drinking.

Extreme initiations, known as hazing in the United States, have become a part of the public discourse in various countries for a while. In France, there have been various reported incidents at hazing ceremonies for decades, such as cases of rape, physical violence, and injuries. The psychologically and morally humiliating aspect of hazing practices has often been underlined.

In France, hazing notably occurs most frequently in smaller ‘elite’ universities or courses perceived as prestigious like medicine or business schools.

While initiations in UK Universities are different, the cult-like aspect remains the same, and the codes are

similar: secrecy, rites of passage, a social status that comes with having taken the initiation before.

A 1998 law in France defines hazing (bizutage) as “a person bringing someone – willingly or unwillingly – into enduring or committing humiliating acts during events or meetings linked with the school and socio-educational system”. ‘Bizutage’, in France, is punished with six months’ imprisonment and up to a 7500€ fine.

Initiations might seem attractive to new students, in terms of meeting new people and being a part of the group and while they do not all consist of dangerous or inappropriate behaviour, they do derive from a problematic culture of peer pressure.

Regulating initiations seems difficult.

Defining the boundaries of what is acceptable and what is consented to is

Kent Union defines excessive initiation behaviour as: • • • • • • • • • • •

Coercion to undertake activities against a person’s will Forced consumption of alcohol Humiliation of a person Forced acts of nudity/nakedness Victimisation of individuals described as “freshers” Consumption of abnormal/unpleasant substances Bullying, discrimination, harassment Sexual harassment Physical acts perpetrated against a person’s body e.g. hair shaving Psychological torment Isolation or ostracising of a person/persons through the removal of their mobile phones, geographical remoteness or physical/psychological isolation

“The culture of sport initiations needs to change” Sport | Page 22

Canterbury ‘high risk’ area for flooding

By Emily Regan Features Sub-Editor As autumn comes in, heavy rainfall and floods become a regular occurrence in Great Britain. To help locals prepare, the government has released a map of areas that could be affected in case of heavy rainfalls, such as the remnants of Hurricane Lorenzo that hit the area in early October.

Locally, Whitstable, Margate, Herne Bay, and Canterbury are some of the areas that will be impacted by the rise in sea and river levels. Whitstable, Margate and Herne Bay are considered ‘high-risk’ due to their position along

the coast. Canterbury is at a mixture of medium and high-risk because of the proximity to the River Stour, with some parts marked as high-risk.

Over the years, farmland and housing have settled on floodplains that protected most areas along the River Stour.

This has resulted in an even greater risk of flooding. To protect Ashford, flood storage reservoirs were put in place in 1990 at the Upper Stour.

The City of Canterbury rarely experiences substantial flooding. One of the worst floods to hit Kent was in 1953.

20-feet-high waves hit coastal towns, villages and farmlands were flooded.

Afterwards, many coastal defences

were replaced in the county. However, as they aged and got damaged, new defences were designed and built.

Coastal defences are put in place to protect the land behind it. However, these will not always work because the water could go over them in cases of violent storms or rainfalls. This will always be a risk on the coast.

During high tides, water is prevented from draining into the sea. This causes a bigger risk of flooding especially if there is an increased amount of rainfall.

The drastic shifts in weather conditions can lead people to wonder if climate change is to blame for bigger flooding risks. To a certain extent,

climate change does impact rainfall patterns and causes a rise in sea levels.

Since the industrial revolution, greenhouse gases have constantly been released into the atmosphere. This then forms a blanket around the planet causing there to be an increase in the global temperatures.

Scientists have seen a rapid increase in temperatures during the 20th and 21st centuries. Humans have undeniably influenced this but natural factors, such as volcanic eruptions, are included in this change.

A recent study by the Met Office for weather and climate change analysed the changing weather patterns in the

country. Extreme winter rainfalls have become seven times more likely to happen.

This is due to climate change, which is caused by human activity. Additionally, flooding has increased by at least 20% in England and Wales. Advances in technology have allowed scientists and meteorologists to make these predictions and inform the population of possible risks. In that way, science can prevent history from repeating itself.

Have you been affected by flooding? Email us at newspaper. news@inquiremedia.co.uk

4

News

At a glance Universities reducing meat consumption to help in the fight against climate change Universities in the United Kingdom have taken a stance against global warming by adjusting the dietary options of their on-campus restaurants.

In August, Goldsmiths, University of London announced it would be banning beef from its cafes to tackle climate change. The University of Cambridge decided to remove beef from its menus in October 2016.

An internal study on the carbon footprint of the University’s catering service showed that removing beef products will cut their carbon emissions by 10.5%.

University of Cambridge celebrates 150 years of female students Despite being the second oldest university in the United Kingdom (founded in 1209), the University of Cambridge celebrated 150 years since the admittance of female students.

Women could only get into Cambridge starting from 1869 and could only get awarded degrees from 1948 onwards. The exhibition ‘The Rising Tide: Women at Cambridge’ opens on 14 October in the university library. It tells the struggles female students and academic staff faced in the early years of their integration.

Dr Lucy Delap, who co-curated the exhibition, highlighted the importance of remembering female students’ struggle at Cambridge and their “ongoing campaigns for gender justice.”

Ice rink opening in Canterbury for Christmas Dane John Gardens will take on a frozen hue this winter, with the installation of an enclosed ice-skating rink from 29 November to 1 January.

The ‘Canterbury on Ice’ project will allow up to 140 skaters at a time to enjoy festive fun regardless of the weather conditions, thanks to the enclosed rink.

Seasonal hot drinks and food will be available inside the skating rink, allowing everyone to enjoy special festive activities in Canterbury. Tickets are available at canterburyonice.co.uk, priced at £12.50 for adults and £9 for children.

Corrections •

•

We would like to clarify in response to a Opinion piece in the last issue by Elisabeth Few titled ‘Humanities degrees are an expensive library membership’ that not all Humanities schools have 1 hour of office hours a week.

The artist mentioned in the review of Lazix coffee house, ‘Canterbury’s hidden coffee shop’ is George Kirkpatrick, not George Fitzgerald.

We will report any inaccurate information published as soon as the error is discovered. Editorial corrections will be printed on this page. For more information, contact George Knight at: editor@inquiremedia.co.uk

Friday 11 October 2019 InQuire

School of Anthropology and Conservation officially declares climate emergency

By Jeanne Bigot Newspaper News Editor On 25 September, the University of Kent’s School of Anthropology and Conservation officially declared a climate emergency.

A ‘Climate and Environment Emergency: Looking Ahead’ event was held two weeks ago with the aim of awakening consciences on the environment, and to detail what the University was doing to make its contribution.

Grimond’s Lecture Theatre was packed – all 215 seats were occupied, some people even had to sit on the steps to attend the conference.

Throughout the two-hour-long event, various speakers took the stage to express their opinion on the climate emergency including professors, staff members, Kent Union representatives and, student activists.

At the beginning of the conference, Tracy Kivell, Professor in palaeoanthropology, formally declared a state of climate emergency on behalf of the School of Anthropology and Conservation.

The decision to make this declaration was student-lead. The news comes after the official climate emergency declaration in July by Canterbury City Council and of a network of 7,000 universities on a global scale, including the University of Glasgow. The United Kingdom officially declared a climate emergency as a country on 1 May 2019.

The SAC recognised that declaring climate emergency, although highly symbolic, was a small step towards a wider array of decisions in the fight against climate change. In their sustainability plan, the SAC detailed that it aimed to reduce its carbon footprint by 45% by 2025, and 100% by 2040. It also established plans to create staff-student groups tasked with working to meet sustainability goals.

University sustainability goals are inspired by the United Nations’ SDGs. Photo by Wikimedia Commons

One question immediately came to mind at the event: how is one university department declaring climate emergency going to change anything? With the United Nations estimating that the world has eleven years left to solve the current catastrophe, declaring a climate emergency may not seem enough. The speakers during the conference justified the meaningfulness of their actions.

One institution cannot, on its own, solve climate change, but actions like these are about being a part of a web.

Declaring a climate emergency is mostly about compelling others to do the same. It is also about raising awareness of the urgency of the situation.

Discussions surrounding climate change have been around for a while.

The first green party in the United Kingdom, PEOPLE, was created in 1972. The difference here, between mere talks of climate change and declaring a climate emergency, is the administration-wide recognition that something needs to be done.

“For me, the choice is simple: Extinction, or rebellion” Dr Charlie Gardner highlighted that, in the case of a climate emergency, voting, petitioning, donating to NGOs or sharing memes on the internet was all good sentiment, but that it was not enough.

To him, non-violent civil disobedience is the only way to get any sort of change. During his speech, he cited

Emmeline Pankhurst and Rosa Parks as icons of nonviolent civil disobedience, which the environmental movement should strive to imitate.

Emotions were palpable in the crowded lecture theatre as Dr Gardner lectured for a few minutes about the importance of environmental activism.

His sympathy to the environmentalist movement Extinction Rebellion was made clear, as he advocated for their activism, and even said, at the end of his speech: “For me, the choice is simple. Extinction, or rebellion.”

Kent Union President, Sasha Langeveldt, also took the stage to highlight the different decisions taken by Kent Union to contribute to the University’s sustainability effort. Programs have been put in place, such as the foodbank and freecycle organised earlier this September.

Water fountains have been installed in each college to allow people to fill up their reusable water bottles, with each student living on campus received for free starting this academic year, made from ethically sourced sugar cane to reduce plastic waste.

While Ms Langeveldt detailed the efforts Kent Union has made to make Kent greener, she honestly admitted that the University, and Kent Union, could not declare climate emergency as of yet, because they were still working to achieve higher green standards, and making empty promises would not be honest.

Catherine Morris and Emily Mason of the University of Kent’s Sustainability Team also explained how they contributed to making Kent a greener place every day, detailing their work of support and advising staff and students at the university.

Among the different projects they launched are carbon, water and waste

management strategies, and sustainable food plans. The Future Proof program that they started aims to review the University’s environmental impact against the United Nations’ recent Sustainable Development Goals, and to designate sustainability champions who learn, promote and educate others about the importance of green action.

Karen Cox, the University’s Vice-Chancellor, briefly took the stage to express her pride at having the SAC department working for such a commendable goal, and to see students, faculty members, and University staff working together cohesively.

During the question and answer session, an interesting issue was raised of inclusivity in the environmental activist movement. The movement is acussed of being predominantly white and middle-class. To this issue, one speaker acknowledged the sometimes-problematic aspect of the movement against climate change. The panel noted that for a lot of people, civil disobedience was not an option especially in countries with a history of police brutality aimed at racial minorities, such as the United States.

Speakers highlighted that recognising the lack of inclusivity in the movement means working towards more diversity and less eurocentrism. They also mentioned it meant focusing on how minorities in the global north and countries in the global south were more likely to suffer from the effects of climate change.

The amount of work that needs to be done to reverse the current environmental emergency is daunting. However, Dr Gardner crystallised the vague feeling people had in that crowded lecture hall: “I’ve been an environmentalist since I was a young child, and I’ve never had hope in our future. Until now.”’

5

InQuire Friday 11 October 2019

News

Labour MP Rosie Duffield bravely recounts her tragic experience with domestic abuse in Commons After six months of what she described as a “withdrawal” period, she began to move on from the ordeal.

According to Government statistics, Kent had the joint-second highest rate of domestic abuse-related crimes recorded by the police per 1000 of the population in 2018. The region was tied with West Yorkshire at 16 incidents per 1000 residents that year – and came just below County Durham.

According to the charity Safelives, nearly two-million people in the UK suffer from some form of abuse, with 8.2% of the female population having experienced domestic abuse each year.

Seven women a month are also killed by a current or former partner in England and Wales.

...Contiuned from Page 1 Speaking to the House of Commons, Duffield said: “Domestic violence has many faces and the faces of those who survive are varied too.”

She added: “Abuse isn’t just about noticeable physical signs, sometimes there are no bruises.”

According to the Office for

National Statistics, domestic abuse-related crimes accounted for roughly 12% of all reported crimes in 2018.

Ms Duffield MP described in her speech how her fiancé – who she got engaged to very shortly after winning the Canterbury seat – psychologically abused her over the course of over a year. She said: “When they ask you out, they don’t

present their rage, and they don’t tell you that they like the idea of strong independent successful women but not the reality.

“They don’t threaten, criticize, control, or exert their physical strength in increasingly frightening ways – not yet.

“You learn that ‘I’ll always look after you, I’ll never let you

go’ and ‘you’re mine for life’ can sound menacing and are used as a warning.

“It’s when the ring is on your finger that the mask can start to slip. Reward, punishment, promises of happily-ever-after, alternated with abject rage.”

One day, as her abuser left for the day, Ms Duffield MP took his keys to the house and locked him out.

If you are personally affected by any of the issues involved in this article, then please contact the Victim’s Support domestic abuse helpline at: 0808 109 7445.

Photo by UK Parliament

Fake News Finder Below are five headlines from recent printed or online press.

Two of them are fake news. Will you be able to tell which ones?

A. ‘French chef sues after losing top rating ‘for using cheddar’ B. Donald Trump forgets German Chancellor’s name, calls her ‘Angela Bikram’ C. Florida man reunited zith his iPhone X more than a year after losing it in the ocean D. Horse elected mayor of Frigilania, Andalucia, Spain E. Dutch police arrests bird for ‘taking part in a robbery’

Think you know the answer?

Email newspaper.editor@ inquiremedia.co.uk for your chance to win a prize!

6

Friday 11 October 2019 InQuire

Opinion

The view and opinions in this article are those of the author’s and does not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of InQuire Media.

Sam Smith is non-binary: deal with it

Photo by Cheltenham Ladies’ College | Facebook

Naoimh Rogers

Eton Mess: Britain’s feudal education system Following of the Labour Party Conference — whereby the party announced that, should they assume power, they would ban private education nation-wide — Website Opinion Editor Josh West writes on the prospect of equal education for all in the UK.

O

n Sunday 22 September at the Labour Party Conference, Angela Rayner, Shadow Education Secretary, announced that – should Labour form a government – all private schools in the UK would be abolished and their “investments and properties” redistributed across Britain’s state schools “democratically and fairly”.

All I can say is that it is about damn time.

We in this country live in a medieval feudal education system, where the richest children go to elite private schools and the poorest are forced into a state-run system of decreasing resources and crumbling finances. The Department of Education revealed in June that 8.8 million students are attending 24,000 schools across the UK. Atop 10% of this mounting heap of students and consequent taxpayer investment stand the ivory towers of 2,600 private schools, housing 580,000 (6.5%) students.

These bastions of middle and upper-class segregation charge an average of £17,000 a year; from small ones charging £3,000 a term to ancients like Harrow charging £41,000 per-annum.

Not only do they receive hefty private investment, but they also receive charitable donations and overseas contributions. Because of these charitable donations, many have charitable status, meaning they often do not pay any taxes at all; the headteacher’s union, HMC, announced that this would mean £150 million of annual unpaid taxes.

Here is a system whereby schools that

are struggling to keep up with increasing populations, a 1:22 teacher-student ratio and government cuts are paying taxes in full, whilst schools receiving thousands in private investment with one teacher per nine students pay nothing at all. What is this, if not Victorian elitism?

Yet we hear the same excuses that ‘lots of students are on scholarships’ or ‘I know a student whose family is on benefits’. To these I say, of the half-million students that attend private schools, a mere 41,000 (7%) attend through a scholarship or bursary. So much for ‘charitable status’.

With these facts, only one conclusion can be made of private schools. They maintain an archaic tradition that the richest in society get the best teachers, the best resources and, consequently, the best jobs. How is it excusable that a boy from a rich family in Chelsea with a single brain cell and diabolical grades gains access to amazing education and jobs, whilst a girl raised on benefits in Tower Hamlets with amazing SATs and engagement in extracurricular activities is forced into a run-down comprehensive with more criminal reports than GCSEs? We are snuffing our future intelligentsia and professionals, and people wonder why this country is in a mess.

But some argue it is excusable. Following Labour’s announcement, many have come forward stating they will go to court on grounds of parental right to decide where their child goes to school.

Sadly, with two-thirds of senior judges

coming from private schools, it is likely that these selfish elitist bigots will win.

Alongside these are the fearmongers who state that 50,000 teachers will be out of a job, not to mention the ‘billions of pounds placed on the taxpayer’, according to teaching union SCL leader, Geoff Barton.

To these arguments, I give these answers. Teachers will not be unemployed unless they resign but will be integrated into a new system where their amazing skills can help more pupils than before.

To Geoff Barton, I have this calculation: multiply the average yearly private tuition cost of £17,000 by the amount of self-funded private students, 540,000, the result approximates a possible investment of nearly £9 trillion to the economy. Of course, nowhere near this much will be put into schools by families, but can anyone seriously say that a rich family will not try to improve the school their child has been allocated?

Rich donors build libraries or buy computers for private schools all the time, now they could do it for everyone; not forgetting private school assets will be divided too.

Ultimately, I am a dreamer and it would be a gargantuan task for any government to pull this off; but if they do, and all children are taught, assessed and treated equally, can anyone call this unfair?

Malcolm X famously said “education is our passport to the future”; our collective future seems rather bleak when only 10% of us hold these educational passports.

“Private schools maintain an archaic tradition that the richest in society get the best teachers, the best resources and, consequently, the best jobs”

I

t is no secret that Sam Smith has come out as non-binary, much to the ire of many internet bigots and morning TV presenters (I am looking at you, Piers Morgan). The hatred and trolling that has been continuously fired at Smith since their coming-out is vast in both its volume and its range of creativity. Many refuse to accept the artist’s identity based on the opinion that their appearance and voice is too ‘masculine’, so sorry to all baritones but you are all officially men.

How so many people fail to grasp the concept of someone wanting to feel happy and comfortable in their skin just because they disagree or misunderstand is even more baffling. To help clear up this confusion, Merriam-Webster has ever so kindly added ‘they’ to their dictionary as a gender-neutral pronoun. It has been put in place to help transphobes accept that their inability to understand is not a valid excuse for bullying people.

Despite all of the onslaught that Smith has faced, the high-profile nature of their coming-out has set the wheels in motion for a long-awaited change in the music industry: gender-neutral award categories. The Brit Awards have announced that in the 2021 awards season they will be introducing the category Best Solo Artist. The announcement has ensued objection from many people, who seem to be forgetting that Best Pop Group, Best Newcomer and Best Album are all gender-neutral categories.

Sam Smith is not the first artist to come out as non-binary and is unlikely to be the last. Instead of spending your time sending hurtful messages online, take the time to educate yourself and help make the world a better place.

Photo by W.Carter | Wikipedia Commons

7

InQuire Friday 11 October 2019

“Welcome week was

like one big obstacle course in finding ‘the hype’”

Opinion

UKC Freshers’ Week: Did it live up to the hype?

Cassie Curno A

Photo by Picpedia

ll summer you have been waiting for freshers’ week. You have even been waiting for freshers’ week since A-Level exam season.

Sick of familiar faces and ready for change, you romanticise the idea of joining new societies, living by yourself and having new experiences. You spend time choosing new cutlery, you load up the car, say goodbye to your hometown and make the journey to university. One thought will linger in your mind.

Will fresher’s week live up to the hype?

Most freshers will have asked themselves this same question. I know I did. For weeks people tell you it is a time full of drinking with strangers that feel like instant best friends. They reminisce how ‘it will be the making of you’. UKC put almost everything in place to make this happen.

The University Freshers’ Fayre was a bustle of

shouted slogans, free food and people politely telling the Domino’s guy they do not need another massive paper bag. Events were happening at Venue and in Canterbury every night. Day-time activities were happening alongside the late-night events if boozing was not your cup of tea. It could not have been easier to find friendly, like-minded people than in those first five days of freshers. Find being the crucial word.

Welcome week was like one big obstacle course in finding ‘the hype’. That is the part people leave out.

It is about getting out of bed, hungover and anxious, and going to your introductory talks. It is about staying up until 2 am playing Twister with people you hardly know and getting lost around campus at least twice a day. In these ways, and more, you can find the things that make fresher’s week worth it.

Looking back on what I thought freshers’ week would be like, and the experiences shared by others, perhaps it did not live up to the hype. That ‘hype’ was overtly simple, based on rose-tinted stories and my persistent optimism. I was more homesick than I had anticipated, found meeting people more tiring than I thought I would. Nevertheless, fresher’s week taught me so much. I had to work for it. It taught me there is no harm in asking. There is no shame in feeling lonely. Sometimes being late is the best way to make friends – banding together, desperately trying to find your way around Rutherford.

It was an imperfect, completely exhausting whirlwind of a week. It forced me to push boundaries, overcome fears, and I had the best time because of that. It lived up to the hype in an entirely different way. A way I did not know it needed it to.

Robin Savage

Leeds students can do their laundry for free, why can’t we?

S

Photo by Flickr

ometimes in life, it is those everyday injustices that rattle us the most. Whether it is the queue jumper at the bus stop or the inconsiderate flatmate who leaves the kitchen a mess, reality can sometimes feel like an irritating succession of daily wrongs.

And for students across the country, few injustices vex more than those wrought by Circuit Laundry, a company more interested in rinsing us of our money rather than dirt on our clothes.

Being a student is expensive. On top of the astronomical tuition fees, there are living costs and accommodation charges to pay for, with rent for halls at the University of Kent ranging from £4,650 to £7,800.

When those of us living on campus are forced to pay £4 for a single load of clothing to be washed and dried, having already paid an extortionate amount for rent, it is hard not to feel shortchanged. After all, a student who does 14 loads of washing in an academic year (or once a fortnight: a conservative estimate) will end up paying £60 for the privilege of not smelling offensive in lecture theatres and clubs.

That is not to mention the poor service that Circuit provides which only compounds the injustice of the steep charges. The ma-

chines will not accept any form of detergent except laundry pods, which are more expensive per load than liquid or powder. Neither are you permitted to use fabric conditioner, increasing the potential for clothes to be

damaged in the cleaning process. You are forced to pay either through the app or with a special Circuit card, and both methods are overly laborious and seem designed to swindle you of even more money, demanding you pay in at least £5 to your fund despite a wash and dry costing £1 less than this.

But the infuriating thing is that it does not have to be this way. In September 2017, the University of Leeds became the first university in the country to remove laundry charges for those living in halls. Instead, students are administered with “laundry credits” worth 20 free washes each, surely more than enough to clean a years’ worth of sweatdoused socks. If Leeds can help reduce living costs in this way, then there is no reason Kent cannot remove this burden too.

We have been hung out to dry by the combined malevolent forces of money-grubbing student accommodation, and now by Circuit – a company so evil it would move Al Capone to appreciatively doff his Fedora from the fires of Hell. Maybe it is time for us to get up on our soapboxes and demand change because we should not be made to feel as though clean clothing is a luxury and not a basic need.

“

For students across the country, few injustices vex more than those wrought

by Circuit Laundry, a company more interested in rinsing us of our money rather than dirt on our clothes”

8

Friday 11 October 2019 InQuire

Editorial

Cartoon Editorial Anthropology’s climate emergency too cool for other schools?

The School of Anthropology recently declared a climate emergency to “reduce emissions by at least 45% by 2025, reaching net zero by 2040 or, at the very latest, 2050.” But as student publication, we ask, how efficient really is this climate call in persuading other bodies to take action? This is not the first move made at Kent to put a change to our climate impact; pressure from Kent Union programmes and protests from student groups have shown a clear desire in the University to think about climate policy. Even though there’s a clear dissatisfaction from these movements, both Sasha Langeveldt, Kent Union President and Karen Cox, the University of Kent’s Vice Chancellor, admitted that the University and Union could not themselves call a climate emergency because it would be offering empty promises. As much as the School of Anthropology is calling this ground-breaking change, these changes may not be a priority for the rest of the University. Although it seems simple for us students, it would not be a simple or effective business decision for the University. Calling a climate emergency is a loose term in itself, but often means restrictive and expensive changes such as riding campus food outlets of single use plastics, limiting printing opportunities, using absolute renewable energy and thinking about the external impact and carbon output of the buses we use (which the University already does with its bio-fuelled UniBus service). Not only does this pose large risks, but it’s quite a change of structure. Students cannot make these changes overnight in major organisations, but the beginning of climate action comes from grassroots influence. It is clear that change is spreading out to university bodies, however the question remains – will the School of Anthropology’s step impact other groups or is this just their priority alone? These small steps are good – but as students, we probably should not expect much change from the university itself. Instead, think about what you’re doing on a daily basis to reduce your climate impact and support action groups looking for change. The School of Anthropology represents the right attitude, but now we must look to its neighbouring schools and beyond, otherwise this climate emergency may spread no further.

Gays shall not be excluded from the Lambeth Conference

Next year, the University of Kent will be hosting the Lambeth Conference, the decennial assembly of bishops. The event, held every decade, is meant to serve a collaborative and consultative function, expressing the mind of the communion. However, a story published by InQuire in March exposed how convener Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, personally contacted gay and lesbian bishops saying that they were not allowed to invite their spouses because of internal pressure from various conservative factions. This was not something that we as a newspaper expected to hear because the University has a duty in championing inclusivity. We appreciate that the University has a commercial arm in its operations; the organisers relied on a legal exemption in the Equality Act to support its stance – although this is argument was disputed at the time by Conservative MP for Ribble Valley, Nigel Evans who said this could equate to workplace discrimination. In the light of the range of comments and criticisms received, the University Council, attended by Vice-Chancellor Karen Cox, maintained a pledge to offer accommodation to those same-sex spouses affected by the decision. Whilst we are happy with this decision made and believe that groups should not be excluded based on their sexual orientation, any externally organised event which occurs on campus in the future should respect the diversity of its population – the University should ensure this at all times. Moreover, the University must take steps to ensure that staff and students continue to feel secure and valued in their study space, making explicitly clear that people who feel unable to work on this conference will be able to opt-out with the full support of the University. In our feature for this edition, we talk to Andrew Foreshew-Cain, the first vicar in the UK to come out, who believes that the issue of homosexuality needs to be reconciled through rational dialogue and discussion. Let the conference bring people together from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and outlooks to debate and reflect on a wide range of issues within Christianity.

‘Departure’ by Armaan Latif. Edited by Syan Bateman. Send in your cartoons to design@inquiremedia.co.uk

Photo of the week

By Tahmid Morshed

Hey, you...get back to work

Our past editorials promoted utilising your time at University. We have promoted getting involved in extra-curricular activities and pushing your social boundaries to meet new people and try new things. In a radical turn, this editorial promotes the opposite; you need to get back to work! Although it may feel that the year has only just begun, we have entered our third week of the autumn term and the first deadlines are looming on the horizon. The tantalising wash of freebies, alcohol and fun that was Welcome Week is now firmly behind us, and the time has come to get stuck into your studies. Getting started early will help exponentially in the long-term. Although it may seem easier to ignore your readings and classes now, you will only regret it in the next few weeks. These fleeting moments are the crucial foundations upon which your assignments require you to build. Whatever you study, getting the basic understanding of your topic started now will not only help in your approaching tasks, but also in any end of year examinations or future modules. If you’re having trouble getting your work organised, then take advantage of the limitless academic resources that the University of Kent offers. Book yourself into sessions with the Student Learning Advisory Service, visit their office for free calendars and materials, or browse the Templeman Library online resources available for all Kent students. Speak with your academic advisor and use anything the University offers. For the price you’re paying, you should everything you can get. In your breaks, research the employability resources that the University is investing in. Exclusive opportunities, many of them flexible around your degree, are all effortlessly obtainable through Kent’s offerings in the Employability Scheme, Careers Services and Innovation and Enterprise Centre.

Although these resources are external to your studies, they are invaluable for your future after university; for the jobs that you are aiming for by undertaking your degree. These first crucial weeks offer you a unique opportunity to plan and get to grips with what you want to pursue and achieve. Use them now or never; they will not come again.

Send in your photos to photography@inquiremedia.co.uk, or tag us on Instagram @inquirekent and Twitter @inquirelive

Have something you want to say? Write a letter to us and be featured in the next newspaper at newspaper.editor@inquiremedia.co.uk. Please include name and telephone numbers.

9

InQuire Friday 11 October 2019

Lifestyle

Halloween

An English Halloween

E

xperiencing Halloween in my country has been very different from what I expected it to be like in England. Some could say that Czech Halloween is uneventful in comparison to the English one. The reason why is mainly because it is not our traditional holiday and many people believe that this event is merely a ‘fashion tradition’ or an imitation of Western culture.

A Day of the Dead Czech ‘Halloween’ is not celebrated on 31 October, but 2 November. We call it ‘Dušičky’, and we celebrate this day by visiting the graveyards and decorating the graves of our deceased relatives with flowers and candles. Isn’t that, after all, the original purpose of Halloween? You may think it is crazy because Halloween without costumes and trick-or-treating is

“Autumn nostalgia”

no Halloween. In the Czech Republic, it is interesting for everyone to feel the unique atmosphere underlined by the autumn nostalgia of fog, fallen leaves and the end of summer fun which brings a rather sad mood. My family has been going to the graveyard on that day since I was little. Unfortunately, I will not be able to do it this year, because I am living in England. But even from here, I will be remembering my loved ones that passed away, which is the most important aspect of our tradition.

me much. But I have nothing against foreign customs; therefore, I am excited to experience it here in England for the first time. After all, Halloween and ‘Dušičky’ have the same roots.

We just celebrate it differently. Even though Halloween is originally American, it seems to be very popular among English people and that is why I am expecting people dressed up in costumes, scary film binges, themed events and Halloween parties. This year, my boyfriend and I are planning to get matching costumes for a party. We will also be spending a quiet night in watching scary movies.

“This event is merely a ‘fashion tradition’”

Hello Halloween The 31 October is coming and as a person who has never experienced it here before, I cannot wait! To speak for myself, a ‘Day of the Dead’ is close to me and Halloween does not tell

Halloween goes commercial Even in the Czech Republic people are warming up to this concept, and some traditions have already taken root. This year, you will probably

Photo by Anton Darius Unsplash

By Anna Tunkova

Czech Republic versus English Halloween “Halloween and ‘Dušicky’ have the same roots”

see plenty of decorations, shops selling costumes and other Halloween novelties. While the older generation does not favour this modern way of celebrating and tolerate it only in the case of children. Others use it as an excuse to get drunk and do not care much for the meaning of the event.

I think that some people just like the idea of dressing up in costumes and other traditions that come with celebrating Halloween. It is for this reason alone that Halloween is slowly becoming increasingly popular in my country. Frankly, Halloween celebrations are much more cheerful than what we are doing, which is why I am hoping to do a combination of both this year.

Halloween make-up L

ove it or loathe it, we all feel pressure to comply when it comes to our Halloween look and as university students, we are trying to impress on a budget. Sure, we could always resort to the classic devil and angel with our best friend but this Halloween why not abandon those redundant, overdone Halloween looks and branch out? 2019 has been a year of big moments in pop culture.

Need a little bit of inspiration? Look no further.

Here are a few suggestions on how to impress with Halloween makeup inspired by the big moments of 2019.

Avengers Endgame With ‘Avengers Endgame’ being the highest-grossing movie of the year thus far, why not channel your inner Captain Marvel or Captain America?

All you will need to achieve this look is a bright eyeshadow palette (MUA Pro Neon Eyeshadow

Photo by Mrschaudhary | YouTube

Palette in the shade ‘Colour Burst 001’ can be found in Superdrug for only £5), a silver liquid eyeshadow (Bourjois Satin Edition 24HR Liquid Eyeshadow in the shade ‘Drive me greyzyn’ in Superdrug for £6.99) and blue and red lipsticks (Rimmel’s Stay Matte Liquid Lipstick in the shade Blue Iris would work perfectly for this look and you can get a red lipstick as cheap as £3 from MUA). If you are not super artistic or have access to prosthetics, here is the sort of look you can achieve without breaking the bank.

Disney Toy Story 4 If you are looking for a Halloween look reminiscent of your childhood and you enjoyed ‘Toy Story 4’ released in June, why not try some funky eye-

Photo by sincerely_mels | Instagram

shadow looks? You can make them as simplistic or detailed as you want, using the colour palette or go wild and add some glitter and face paint.

To achieve these looks you will need a colourful eyeshadow palette (the MUA palette used for the Avengers look would be perfect) and a face paint palette (on Amazon for as little as £8).

Pop music in 2019 For those of you who do not want to go as extravagant for their Halloween look, choosing a makeup look from a popular music video of 2019 could be for you. here is an example from Ariana Grande’s ‘7 Rings’ music video and check out Lizzo’s ‘Juice’ video. For these, you can make an impact whilst utilising products you likely have in your makeup bag. For Ariana’s look, all you will need is to apply your normal base products, add a killer winged liner, stick some stars underneath your eyes (Gypsy Shrine sell some beautiful ones) and

By Katie Daly

a glittery lip. To nail the perfect glitter lip, you can either purchase a kit in Superdrug or for a more budget-friendly and natural option, try adding some regular glitter in with your lip gloss.

As for Lizzo’s look, all you will need is an orange blush, smoky blue shadow and a pop of red on the lips. This look can also be manipulated to suit other colourful celebrity looks regardless of your skin tone.

Photo by Sharon McCutcheon Unsplash

10

A

Food & Fashion

This years autumn fashion

utumn is one of the most beautiful times of the year; where everyone is preparing for winter by starting to layer up for colder days. And you know it is autumn when the orange and red leaves start to fall off the trees, decorating the streets. The noise of leaves crunching beneath your feet screams autumnal vibes. The days get much shorter as the clocks turn back.

Nevertheless, autumn can be an awkward time of year for fashion. It can become difficult to dress with the weather being very unpredictable. There is always a fear of rain unexpectedly coming along causing your outfit to be ruined. For this autumn/winter you should prepare yourself by updating your wardrobe with the latest fashion trends for 2019.

Jumpers are a staple for your wardrobe,

Photo by inky 2010 OCAL

Lifestyle

Friday 11 October 2019 InQuire

By Ellie Pearce

and they can always be dressed up or down for whatever the occasion. There are so many types of jumpers you can choose from whatever your style (oversized, turtlenecks, cropped, fitted, etc.). Whatever the jumper there is bound to be one that suits your style.

Also remember to layer up when it starts to get colder. You can even chuck a couple of layers on underneath your jumper and get away without wearing a coat (some people think coats may ruin your look) and finish it with a crossbody bag (or your standard tote if you need to carry a lot).

Speaking of classy and fashionable looks here are a few ideas: •Oversized aviator biker jacket with an oversized turtleneck jumper paired with wet look

leggings and heeled ankle boots; •Oversized checked or plain blazer with a cami top underneath tied together with a belted bum bag or a seat buckle belt, mom jeans, and chunky trainers; •Longline teddy coat with a knitted turtleneck top paired with a check skirt, tights and Chelsea boots; •Turtleneck jumper dress with high knee boots and a crossbody bag.

•If you want to feel put together but comfy at the same time, joggers will always be your best friend!

Pick any pair of joggers you like, preferably not skintight. Pair with a high neck bodysuit, a long chunky knit cardigan, and some chunky trainers and you are good to go.

A key thing to remember is that the standard autumnal colours are burgundy, khaki, and the classic tan. Recently I have been noticing a range of neutral shades and all of them paired together can look classy and fashionable.

Remember to try and stick to these colours as you will be right on-trend. Even add some classic animal prints or patterns if you do not want to look too simple and basic.

Top tip: For hair, you can add more of a sophisticated look with a middle parting slicked back with a low bun; it will never fail to impress.

Homely hot beverages W

hen I think about autumn the first thing that comes to mind is the delicious seasonal drinks it brings. There is nothing I love more than wrapping up and sitting inside away from the cold with a piping hot beverage. But one problem with these autumnal drinks is that they can be expensive and by the end of the season you can end up spending lots of money trying to satisfy your pumpkin spiced latte cravings. If only you could recreate some popular autumn drinks at home for a fraction of the price. Well here are a few you can.

Pumpkin spiced latte

One seasonal favourite is the pumpkin spiced Latte which is released every year when the autumn season rolls around. This drink tastes delicious and is perfect for long evenings or cold mornings.

You will need:

• 300 ml of dairy or non-dairy milk

• 1 tablespoon of pumpkin puree (which can be purchased from Ocado)

• 1 to 3 tablespoons of sugar depending on desired sweetness

• 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract

• 1 teaspoon Pumpkin spice (which you can buy on Amazon and is great to keep in the cupboard to add to biscuits or cakes)

• 2 teaspoons of coffee, mixed with a little water

• Whipped cream (optional) Simply heat the milk, pumpkin puree and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until hot but don’t boil. Remove the saucepan from the heat and mix in the vanilla extract, pumpkin spice and coffee. Pour into a mug and top with whipped cream. Add a sprinkle of pumpkin spice if desired. and enjoy.

Campfire hot chocolate

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By Mia Kirkland

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Photo

by Adam Kargenian | Emory Bee

Of course, we cannot do drinks recipes without having something a little naughty. This alcoholic spiced apple cider is super easy to make and automatically makes you feel cosy and ready for autumn.

You will need:

• 250ml of apple cider (or apple juice if you don’t drink alcohol)

• 1 orange, cut into slices

• 1 cinnamon stick

• ½ teaspoon of allspice Simply add all ingredients into a saucepan, stir and bring to a simmer over medium heat.

Once finished, pour into a mug and serve. (You can use the orange and cinnamon stick to decorate).

oto

Spiced apple cider

Ph

One of my favourite evening treats is a hot chocolate; it is warm and sweet and is a perfect little pick-me-up.

This hot chocolate recipe has a little seasonal twist, with notes of orange and yummy autumnal spices.

You will need:

• 300ml of dairy or non-dairy milk

• 1 tablespoon of hot chocolate powder

• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon

• 1 orange (zest and juice)

• Whipped cream (optional) Begin by heating the milk and the zest of the orange in a saucepan. Whilst you are doing this mix the juice of the orange, hot chocolate powder and cinnamon together to make a paste. Once the milk has heated up, but not boiled, pour the milk through a sieve to remove zest and mix the milk into the choc-orange paste. Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon if desired.

11

InQuire Friday 11 October 2019

Travel memoir series

Travel

Lifestyle

Vietnam: Part deux

“Where there is life, there is love.” (1971)

A

fter our hair-raising escapades up on the “Roof of Indochina”, it was time to move on to the next stage of the trip– the three-day motorbike tour running parallel to the border with China. The journey to the starting point – the small town of Ha Giang – was particularly tiresome. As a result of our ingenious cost-cutting measures, we ended up on a rather compact minibus that was primarily being used to transport coffee up and down the country. The bus trip was long and perilous, and I slammed my head against the window hundreds of times trying to have a nap.

When we finally arrived at our hostel, we were informed that many people had died horrible deaths embarking on the Loop (an attraction we wanted to try where you ride a motorcycle on a dangerous mountain-side road) – one person told us he had almost been killed just a year previously. Flooded with visions of me joyfully speeding off the top of a mountain to an early (and difficult to recover) grave, I elected to go for the “easy rider” option – for a few dollars a day, I would ride on the back of the bike with an experienced motorcyclist.

Because I knew no Vietnamese and him no English, we could only communicate by shouting each other’s names to convey a particular emotion or instruction and laughing at each other over meals. We spent virtually the entire day on the move, only stopping to explore a spooky-looking cave here and there. We

stayed at some sort of corn-on-the-cob farm on the first night of the loop, where we had a wonderful local meal and sampled many shots of “happy water” – rice whiskey. A few times we noticed locals taking pictures of us on their phones; perhaps I had forgotten to put on my trousers that day or something.

The following day felt decidedly overcast when I woke up. I decided to wear a vest for the next leg of the loop. Throughout the day, when stopping off for photos or meals, I noticed a peculiar smell concentrated around my exposed shoulders. It was not until we arrived at the next stop that I noticed how it looked like I had been in some horrible radiation accident. The uncanny odour was the smell of me slowly roasting alive. For the next week or so, I had to sleep lying on a wet towel and even basic movements, such as putting on a t-shirt or opening a door, became excruciatingly painful.

The last day of the Loop involved a visit to China. We noticed a very large stick with a border guard sat next to it and were told that it was the Chinese border. Better safe than sorry, I placed just one foot over the stick.

That evening, we karaoke’d with some Dutch tourists at our hostel. We were treated to some truly incredible landscapes near the border and I now have a deep desire to visit China soon.

Next came Cat Ba Island. We were told it was less crowded and the commercialised

Photo by Amy Ngo | UnSplash and Mohamed Hassan | Pixabay

alternative to the more famous Ha Long Bay – unfortunately, it proved to be both crowded and commercialised. We had some nice afternoons swimming in the sea though, and an evening spent on a floating restaurant at the harbour. We concluded our stretch here with a boat trip around the famous limestone islands, including kayaking through caves.

Our next stop was Ninh Binh, another delightful rural town. Unfortunately, because of my sunburn and heavy cold, I did not do much apart from drink lemon tea, but my friends Robyn and Danny visited the set of 2017’s “Kong: Skull Island”.

After a few days of recuperation and light cycling, we embarked on a 30-odd hour bus trip to Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam’s southernmost international city. This time, the bus was furnished with reasonably comfortable couch beds (although I found I had to contort my body to fit in it when I wanted to sleep).

Ho Chi Minh was vibrant and full of good eateries. Our favourite perhaps being the French-style snails available from a stall in a backstreet. It was fascinating to see the remnants of Vietnam’s colonial history – many of the buildings are adorned with Catholic and French-looking imagery. Of course, most dramatically, Vietnam’s turbulent relationship with the West can be explored in the famous War Remnants Museum. It is an incredible museum, jam-packed with wartime vehicles, weapons, uniforms and memorabilia from

Vietnamese society. Certain portions of the exhibitions were difficult to remain emotionally detached from as they offered a much-needed depiction of the USA from another perspective. Vietnamese history is moving, frequently shocking, but also inspiring – did you know Vietnam had a person in space eleven years before the UK? I suggest that any gastronomer in the city of Ho Chi Minh pays a visit to Hungry Pig (“Bacon Makes You Sexy” is their motto). The café offered a wide range of pork-related snacks with amusing names such as “The Notorious P.I.G.”, “Pigmund Freud” and “Hogwarts”. I was excited to sample some of these creatively titled porcine fancies. In a severely hungover lapse of concentration, I ordered a baguette at random called the “Pigless”. Needless to say, there was no pork.

The last noteworthy thing to take place on my trip was the confiscation of some antique wartime lighters I had bought for my friends at home. They contained philosophical engravings from American GIs, as well as illustrations of iconography such as the Huey helicopter or the American eagle. At airport security, I was told I would only be able to keep one in case of explosive aeronautical accidents. I decided to keep the one with my favourite little maxim carved onto the back.

By Dominic Jordan

12

Friday 11 October 2019 InQuire

Feature

Out of the closet, into the cloisters The crisis over sexuality in the Church of England goes to the heart of the priesthood, into a closet that is trapping men. Andrew Foreshew-Cain, the first vicar in the country to come out gay, tells his story.

Bill Bowkett

C Newspaper Editor

onfronted by the appearance of an enraged female worshiper, Rev Andrew Foreshew-Cain was harassed and condemned of being a “false Shepard”.

Ignorant of whom Andrew was and his 30 years of active ministry, the Christian woman denounced Andrew as a miscreant to God for the crime of loving another man.

Andrew Foreshew-Cain, 55, has been married to his husband, Stephen, since 2014 when samesex marriage was legalised. They have now been together for 16 years. Unfortunately, the closet of the Church of England (C of E) hinges deeper on an unfeasible contradiction. Anglican leaders have driven gay congregants away in shame and have

insisted that homosexual tendencies are unkempt.

Yet, many are gay. “It is one of those open secrets nobody talks about.” Revealed Andrew.

but Foreshew-Cain was baptised and remembers being “fascinated by the bible and finding the stories interesting and engaging.”

Their stories are unspoken, veiled from the public sphere, known only to one another, if at all. Members feel uncomfortable to talk about their sexuality in fear of hostility and ill-treatment. But Andrew is not your normal Anglican.

The first vicar in the country to come out gay, Foreshew-Cain has been nicknamed the ‘rebel priest’ for his outspokenness and criticism of the church.

Despite holding no particular candle for the institutional church, Andrew has not been put off from exercising his religious beliefs.

Those who have a personal relationship with God often include deity in their daily lives, and Andrew finds his connection with Christ to be personally prominent.

“I’m one of those people who’s always believed in God and had a strong sense that there is the eternal and the divine. I’ve always felt quite close to that. That’s never changed throughout my entire life.”

“I said they had to throw me out, which is what I was threatened with”

Andrew was only 8 when he knew he was gay, after having multiple “crushes” with boys at school.

“I had been aware of my sexuality,” revealed Andrew. “I was extremely fortunate to have grown up in a very liberal family who weren’t hostile in any way towards my sexuality.” It was also at this time when Andrew began to be fascinated with Christianity. His family was not traditional churchgoers,

Although open about being both Christian and invert, Foreshew-Cain does not feel a moral conflict. When people read Genesis or Matthew, and the other verses implying that marriage is between

and man and a woman, they will find contradictions. But the Bible, Andrew asserts, “might refer to what we perceive as being homosexuality”. Interpretants will assert that the Bible is to be interpreted according to the ‘plain meaning’ conveyed by its construction. Andrew thinks this is problematic. “We take the entire book and we use that as a test for the authenticity of Christianity. That’s a complete mistake. The scripture is descriptive of the social reality at that time, and not prescriptive of all time.”

Reflecting on his past, Andrew said that his family was broadly accepting of his sexual orientation when he came out: “I didn’t get a massively negative attitude towards my sexuality from my family at all. My parents had a lot of gay and lesbian friends. It made me experience my faith and my sexuality more in a sense. It was never a particular problem for me as a Christian.”

It seems unimaginable to hear Andrew say this, given the era he was brought up in. His adolescence ended with fear as the world faced an ill and unknown virus.

“The AIDS crisis occurred and was happening all around us. My friends and I were living in this upright protected little student bubble. Somehow, we managed to get through it all relatively unscathed”. Andrew accepts that this is “a privileged

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InQuire Friday 11 October 2019

thing to say” because prejudice was rife during the epidemic. Queers were the victim of abject homophobia and Andrew says that the LGBT community continue to be downgraded as “second-class citizens”.

As Andrew began experimenting with his sexuality, the C of E was shifting socially towards an agenda focusing on equality and diversity. The Osborne report saw the Church become more accepting of homosexuality, but its contribution to Christian discourse saw the Church begin to fragment. As the LGBT community became more visible in wider society, people started coming out, and gay relationships began to be seen, discussed and normalised within Christianity itself.

“The Church of England found itself on the back foot. It fought against it. It began to clamp down on its gay clergy. After the ordination of women was resolved in ‘94, the battleground shifted to sexuality.”

Feature Andrew denounces celibacy as “hard-line” and when asked about his experience with sexual intercourse, he paused and giggled: “Well…I like it quite a lot!”

A

fter two decades of service, Andrew left with a fractious exit in 2017 which made headlines across the country. “I have a consciousness of God at all times. I trust Jesus.

I believe in the divine.

But I don’t believe in the institution of the church anymore. Their behaviour towards gay and lesbian people in the last decade or so is abhorrent. They use us as a political tool. If the bishops knew that a particular attitude towards young people was causing them to have mental health issues, self-harm and resulting in elevated rates of civil unrest, they would think twice.”

“It is one of those open secrets nobody talks about”

Foreshew-Cain was accepted into university and got involved with the Christian Union, but immediately began to question his involvement. “I never signed up to the Christian Union declarations of faith because it always made me feel uncomfortable.

I wasn’t a classic evangelical.” It was at this time that Andrew met his first boyfriend. “We kind of fell in love, we didn’t know we were falling in love. I think everybody else around us knew that we were falling in love. We just knew that we were really good friends. We both had a close and intense relationship.”

Post-graduation, Andrew held ministry positions at St Mary with All Souls, Kilburn, and St James’, West Hampstead, but after his wedding was made public, Andrew was “blacklisted” from finding a new job. “Other people have made it a problem for me, the institution has made it a problem for me. And when I took the conscientious decision to marry, it famously became a problem for me.”

“I was struggling with the institution” A victim of systemic bullying, Foreshew-Cain said the news of going into partnership with Stephen caused a breach with his bishop, who disciplined him. “Because I was already the vicar of the church, I said they had to throw me out, which is what I was threatened with. It would have been a very public thing to do. I was just disciplined and told that if I ever left, I would never be allowed to work and find a job ever again.”

Alongside marriage, gay priests must wrestle with celibacy and is often seen as a compromise in Anglicanism. “Insisting on celibacy,” Andrew argues, “implies that God will only accept you if you don’t have sex; that is, if you don’t want what everybody wants, which is to be loved by somebody and to love them on their terms. The need an innate desire for an intimate connection with another person is crucial.” Weighing his words,

The environment for gays in the community has grown only more hostile. The University of Kent is due to host the Lambeth Conference next year, a global Anglican event that takes place once a decade with representatives from more than 165 countries set to attend. Bishops were cleared to invite their spouses, but Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby personally told same-sex partners they would not be allowed to attend, stating it would be “inappropriate”. Students have been vocal critics. Aaron Thompson, ex-Kent Union President, argued that this event undermines Kent’s “commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusivity”.

In a statement released afterward a meeting of senior officials, Vice-Chancellor Karen Cox said the conference will act as a forum to discuss “issues on which opinion within the Communion is currently divided” and that all couples will be offered accommodation on campus. Despite the change, Andrew sees this move as a cash-grab (tickets cost £5,000-a-head). “The money at this conference is extraordinarily expensive, it is the same as a luxury cruise line. The university is putting commercial interests above its moral values.”

“I was blacklisted from finding a new job”

Andrew’s story is both disconcerting and sad for a multitude of reasons.

The church may not have a problem with same-sex relationships. Queers make up a large proportion of the Church clergy, and up to 14 of the 26 Lord Spirituals – bishops – are secretly gay. “David Koepp, the former Archbishop of York, said it was a ‘grey area’ for him and others. Looking at it myself, it is a huge great ‘pink flamingo’.” However, when gays and lesbians ask to get married in a church, the C of E suddenly has a problem, which Andrew says is beginning to undermine the covenant of union. “Bishops seem to be incapable of seeing that, while acknowledging that gay and lesbian people are married. It’s not undermining marriage as a concept. It’s strengthening marriage. It’s welcoming people into the institution, a whole group of new people who are finding its joys and its pleasures and enhancing it as a social situation.”

Nine out of 10 parents in the Church of England now accept women priests. This, Andrew emphasised, is what the Church of England should do on sexuality; recognise the primacy of conscience: “There’s a new reformation going on in the West, between those who are seriously progressive in their attitudes towards women, gay and lesbian

that’s a big step.”

people, and those who are conservative. And I think what we are seeing is a realignment at the moment and that’s happening within the churches. This is causing problems. There’s a division between what the official line is and what the people truly believe.

And long-term that’s not sustainable. At some point, you’re going to have to reconcile the two sides. At the moment,

Today, Foreshew-Cain is back in the ministry. He works as chaplain of Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford University, which operates outside the C of E jurisdiction. “I was struggling with the institution.”

An institution, Andrew cites, that is “homophobic and regressive”. Intaking a breath of fresh air, Andrew elated: “Since leaving, I feel much more my true self then I could ever be within the Church of England. I am happier and more content. And then in lots of ways my I feel stronger.”

The University of Kent and Church of England have been approached for comment.

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Friday 11 October 2019 InQuire

Entertainment

Film, Television & Music

The Farewell: Culture shock and heartache A good drama is measured in its emotional moments, and what impression they leave on the viewer.

This requires the film to construct convincing characters, an interesting storyline, and space for the viewer to find some sense of poignancy in its central theme.

Joe Cumner says The Farwell manages this with flying colours.

The film concerns itself with Billie, a young Chinese-American woman who returns to her homeland of China to attend the wedding of her cousin. In reality, the wedding is a ruse, constructed so that the family can gather to bid farewell to the matriarchal Grandmother, Nai Nai, who has cancer. The twist is that they have not, and will not, tell her about her diagnosis in fear of making her upset.

From the outset, the film presents a theme of conflict. This could be between Billie and her parents, who seek to control aspects of her life or the internal conflict that members of the family feel when speaking to Nai Nai. Billie constantly questions the decision not to tell her, with the re-

Photo by A24

sponse being that it rests on Chinese cultural traditions. This feeds into another area of conflict, a cultural one. Despite having grown up in China, Billie is ingrained in American culture. Her Mandarin is not as good as her relatives and she gazes upon the rapidly expanding Changchun with a childlike wonder.

As central themes go, it is incredibly profound and contextually poignant, helped more so by the fact that the film explores it wonderfully. As the action unfurled, I found myself questioning whether or not I would act similarly in Billie’s situation, looking upon the more sentimental and traditional aspects of the family’s life with a strange nostalgia. It forced me to recall the strange things my family does when they meet, harkening back to meals around the table and nights filled with endless laughter, of which the film contains both.

The performances are outstanding.

Awkwafina completely sheds the comedic internet personality for which she gained acclaim and effortlessly slips into Billie’s shoes. She is subtle, affecting and believable as the emotionally torn protagonist, helped by a

show-stopping turn from Zhao Shuzhen as Nai Nai. The scenes when the two are on screen were electric, as their palpable chemistry and witty back-and-forth lit up the screen.

The film also looks fantastic. Lulu Wang has taken the utmost care in presenting her directorial vision, resulting in a colourful, vibrant and well-composed cinematographic palette. More often than not, she made a bold decision in how she presented the on-screen action, which paid off every time. There is also good use of music. Look out for a rendition of Harry Nillson’s ‘Without You’ in Mandarin.

At the least, The Farewell will make you want to call your grandmother.

At the most, it will make you treasure those around you and your fondest memories because you never know when they will sadly pass away.

The Farwell will be available on Amazon Prime 26 October and DVD/ Blu-ray 12 November.

American Horror Story 1984: M83 returns with cinematic Schlocky fun for longtime fans brilliance in DSVII At last! American Horror Story, Ryan Murphy’s infamous anthology, returns.

In a series that has been getting increasingly worse, since season three, a ninth season missing much of the core cast – including mainstays Sarah Paulson and Even Peters –seems like a hard sell. Is it possible that it can break from the downwards spiral American Horror Story has been heading down for years? Holly Pym takes a look.

When I first heard that this season, subtitled 1984, would be focusing on classic slasher movies, I was intrigued and (cautiously) excited. The first episode did not disappoint, with elements taken straight out of I Know What You Did Last Summer, Sleepaway Camp and Friday The 13th establish-

ing the tone, characters, and storyline. It focuses on a group of young people going to work as camp counsellors at the newly reopening Camp Redwood – the site of the largest campsite massacre in American history.

A highlight of the season is the new theme song, a reworking of the theme that has stayed consistent since season one.

A synth-filled 80’s take on the disturbing song is refreshing and fun, something that will surely be popular in the current Stranger Things and nostalgia-filled mediascape. Billie Lourd’s Montana also stands out as a hilarious character, her deadpan delivery of insane lines somewhat reminiscent of her Booksmart and Scream Queens characters. Emma Roberts’ Brooke serves as a refreshing role for the AHS mainstay, who has often played crueller charac-

ters in the series, and here she plays the final girl stereotype well. As a former Glee fan, it was certainly interesting to see Matthew Morrison’s role in the show, though I will not give too much away on that (it has to be seen to be believed, trust me).

With an explosive opening scene, ripe with sex and murder, and featuring a depiction of real-life serial killer Richard Ramirez (Zach Villa), the show, as always, is not shying away from controversial topics. However, much of the episode feels like something we have seen before. This is obvious, coming from an homage to classic horror. In previous instalments, American Horror Story has always managed to create fresh, exciting takes on classics. It is important to remember that this is only the first episode and there is much more twisted, frightening goodness to come.

But with an ensemble of pretty ordinary characters and a plot that feels like it has been done many times, it seems there is little hope for a return to the glory days of American Horror Story. But Murphy’s series has always been known to shock, so I am completely ready to be proven wrong by whatever plot twists will inevitably be thrown at viewers by the TV mastermind.

American Horror Story: 1984 is available to watch on NOW TV and Sky Go.

Photo by Fox

Photo by Mute

After several years of relative inactivity, Anthony Gonzalez’ award- winning music project M83 returns with Digital Shades Vol. II. Rory Bathgate looks at this powerful return to the artist’s roots that simultaneously highlights how much his sound has evolved.

The sequel to 2007’s Digital Shades Vol. 1, DSVII is not a follow up in name only, boasting strong retro-elements. In many ways, the album looks back at the humble start from which M83 commenced, an inward journey that goes back as far as childhood. Indeed, Gonzalez has stated “the inspiration behind this record is mainly video game music”, particularly from 80s and

90s titles. Its connections to the soundtracks of sci-fi and fantasy films of the same era is also striking, with powerful synth lines reminiscent of John Carpenter. It is worth noting that DSVII comes hot off the heels of M83’s superb soundtrack for the arthouse film Knife + Heart and is similarly cinematic in style. Tracks like Mirage would not be out of place in a sci-fi film whilst Taifun Glory, a melancholic piece led by a soulful piano line and backed by an ethereal synth choir, sounds like the lead track from an obscure 70s J-Horror. Jeux d’enfants could also work as the theme for a drama. Its soulful reservedness reminded me of the work of Ghibli collaborator Joe Hisaishi (one of the best in the industry and no small feat to emulate). I am in

no doubt that M83 has a bright future producing film scores.

Nor would I be surprised to find sections of DSVII cropping up in productions in the next year or two.

For me, the album’s standout tracks were Hell Riders, Feelings and Temple of Sorrow for the simple reason that they work well on their own. Although the rest of the album blends seamlessly, I feel like it is these three that will populate most people’s playlists.

Hell Riders is a wondrous opener to the album, coupling dreamy bass with an increasingly complex series of string and keyboard lines to give a taste of both the album’s consolidated tone and its great scope. Temple of Sorrow is likewise a cracking sendoff to the album. Its rhythmic drum beats build ever so slowly to a joyous choir and then explode into a truly triumphant, punchy, exuberant synth line. I highly recommend ingesting the album in one sitting if you have the opportunity. It makes for transcendent evening listening, and as a single musical unit rivals the works of other electronic mainstays Home and Com Truise.

Overall, DSVII is a must-listen for fans old and new. Years in the making and inspired by the best of its genre, it proves that M83 still have much more to give.

Those on the lookout for a highly polished, atmospheric electronic album need look no further.

DSVII is available to stream or be purchased on CD, Vinyl or digital download now.

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InQuire Friday 11 October 2019

Gaming

Entertainment

Fire Emblem: Three Houses — a compelling story but little challenge

The continent is on the verge of war. Three bordering nations have maintained an uneasy peace for several hundred years, but things are beginning to shift.

The kingdoms’ teenage heirs have enrolled at The Officers Academy, an elite military school that holds powerful secrets.

This is the world that Fire Emblem: Three Houses thrusts the player into, writes Chris Atkinson.

Taking the role of Byleth, a mercenary turned teacher at the Garrag Mach Officers Academy, players must teach their students military and battle tactics, transforming them from a ragtag group of young adults into the future leaders of Fódlan.

As expected, the interactions are where the game shines. At the beginning of the game, the player needs to decide which house they will lead, with the different houses corresponding to a different nation. Will you go with the Adrestian Black Eagles, led by Edalgard? The Blue

Lions, headed by the Crown Prince of Faerghus, Dimitri?

Or perhaps you will be swayed by the charms of Claude, and decide to ally yourself with the Golden Deer and, by extension, the Leicester Alliance? It is an important choice, which comes very early in the game and one that has lasting consequences, affecting the missions that the player can take later on. But this can be an issue, especially since the three storylines massively diverge in the second portion of the game. For my first playthrough, I allied myself with the Black Eagles and had no idea what was happening with either the Golden Deer or Blue Lions, making me feel that another playthrough would be mandatory. At nearly 40 hours per playthrough, this time commitment could be a deal-breaker for some people.

Another potential deal-breaker is how easy the game is. Like all Fire Emblem games, the majority of gameplay comes from the top-down tactical combat, and a few key changes in Three Houses have simplified this significantly. For example,

gone is the weapon triangle, the rock-paper-scissors aspect of combat that would make some units useless in certain situations. The most notable change is the inclusion of the ‘Divine Pulse’, an ability exclusive to Byleth that allows them to rewind time. This has a variety of useful applications, allowing you to try new unit positions and even save the lives of your favourite characters on the battlefield. However, it does make the game very easy. If you want a tactics game that challenges you, I would look somewhere else.

Overall, I enjoyed my time with Fire Emblem: Three Houses. A solid tactics game slightly let down by some of its mechanics, the true joy comes from the characters and writing. Give it a try if you are a Fire Emblem fan or are waiting for the next Persona game.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses is available on the Nintendo eShop and GAME Canterbury for £49.99

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Friday 11 October 2019 InQuire

Culture

Theatre

Frankenstein: All about Shelley, review

Photos by The Marlowe Theatre

By Holly Pym Writer

A

s an avid and passionate (sometimes overly-so) fan of Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus, I felt a compulsion to attend a viewing of Rona Munro’s adaption of Shelley’s classic story at the Marlowe Theatre. I had managed to obtain £10 tickets for the show using the Marlowe’s Discovery Scheme, which offers discounted tickets for people aged 16-26year olds. My seat was in Row C, the third from the stage, giving an excellent view of the beautiful staging. A collection of white furniture including walls, books, and leafless trees revealed little about what would happen in the production.

The play began as expected, true to the opening of the novel. However, it was soon interrupted by Mary Shelley (Eilidh Loan) making clear that this would not be a conventional linear adaption of Frankenstein. The production played out with Shelley serving as a narrator.

One of the highlights of the production was the intertwined character progression of Shelley and Victor Frankenstein (Ben Castle Gibb). Creating interesting parallels between the two, served to highlight the stark differences between their traits and the progression of the character’s individuality.

The choice of Shelley as narrator and character leads to a quirky and revealing take on the novel.

Her struggle is shown, and she blatantly points out the theme of the danger of ambition, though not at all in a forced manner. She comes across as a genuinely interesting woman, with her and the Monster serving as the most fascinating characters. One of the most intriguing choices is Shelley’s ability to interact with none of the characters but the Creature, making clear he is as much of her creation as he is Victor’s.

With no set changes and a cast of seven, the

“Her struggle is shown, and she blatantly points out the theme of the danger of ambition, though not at all in a forced manner”

play uses its constraints intelligently, with actors serving multiple roles and utilising the entire stage, climbing from lower levels to upper levels via the fake trees and an upside-down tree which lowers to resemble the infamous lightning strike which brings the Monster (Michael Moreland) to life.

Lighting and sound are also used to great impact, making me jump a fair few times throughout the play. The choice to give the Monster a reverb in his voice was an excellent sound design choice, making the character seem truly powerful and inhuman.

Overall, the play was thoroughly enjoyable.

Though somewhat unsure of it at the beginning, it soon gripped me and told a beautiful story, with the themes from the novel shining through perfectly.

In a scape rife with Frankenstein adaptions that lack the depth and meaning of the novel, this play is one for fans of the book.

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InQuire Friday 11 October 2019

Culture

Books

The Uncertainty of Hope

by Valerie Tagwira

Status: Where do you belong?

Photo by The Marlowe Theatre

“They were killed trying to cross borders, because they were trying to get to a country to become safe.”

By Syan Bateman Head of Design Photo by Nobandile Mutseyekwa

By Dakarai Jane Bonyongwe Books Sub-Editor Valerie Tagwira is both a doctor and an author. Her novel, which won ‘Outstanding Fiction Book’ at the National Arts Merit Award for Literature (NAMA) in 2008, explores challenges faced by Zimbabweans citizens in their day to day lives. It also takes a look at Operation Murambatsvina, a controversial slum clearance programme which displaced millions of people from their homes. This book is heavy to read. As I write this review, I am not sure how to phrase how I am feeling about what I have read. Why? It is because everything that Valerie Tagwira wrote has more truth in it than fiction, and that is tragic.

Issues of domestic and social abuse. The reality of privilege versus poverty.

The effect of traditional customs over individual rights. Tagwira mentions all of the above, and it is about time we start to join in on the conversation.

Set in 2005, there are many facets of Zimbabwean life that Tagwira touches on. From the cultura pressure that keeps Onai in her marriage to the economic hardships that force them all to tread the line of the law to survive.

It was not an easy read because it forces you to acknowledge realities that have become the norm despite having no justifications. I had many questions with no answers, which left me feeling frustrated at the injustice that is real today.

Domestic abuse is often overlooked in society due to its sensitivity as a subject. I kept thinking that if I was Onai, I would leave and go back home. In her case, secrecy was no longer a concept; everyone in Mbare knew about Gary’s abusive and adulterous tendencies. At the rate rate they were going, she risked being killed suffering at the hands of

the man whom we are not sure ever loved her.

So why face the risk of HIV due to her husband’s promiscuity? Why does she stay?

She stays because her kids are young and still in school. She stays because she does not want to be the first divorcee in her family. She stays because despite being the breadwinner, she has nowhere else to go and does not want to make her children homeless alongside her.

Ironically, through the veil of hatred and fear, I suspect that she stayed because part of her wanted to make it work. She was waiting for him to change but he did not.

On top of all of these personal issues, the society as a whole is dealing with the effects of corruption especially as many of them are displaced in an aim to clear the streets of illegal vendors. It is not so bad since those whose homes were destroyed were promised free and legal housing, but one month turned into two months of waiting. The next thing they knew, they were being asked to pay processing fees to quicken the construction of their homes. In a time of hyperinflation, no one can afford to do this and so they remain homeless and dying.

This is one of those books you just have to read for yourself. It is eye-opening, thought-provoking, and questions a lot about what we as citizens, and women, have come to accept as day to day life.

Even if you are not Zimbabwean, you should read it because I suspect you will find something that impacts you a great deal. Rich or poor, male or female, this is a book about people and their lives. I think we should at least acknowledge that this is someone’s truth.

Get your copy at www.weaverpresszimbabawe. com.

A

fantastic blend of music, visual art, and storytelling depicting one person’s journey through understandings of nationality, identity, and self-discovery. It was a performance that balanced on the edge of physical spaces – the gaps in the world, the space beyond boundaries, before ‘what was’ and ‘what will be’.

Fluidity and uncertainty dominated throughout the whole show and led to a haunting and provocative exploration of a British man’s journey through different countries. Colliding with different cultural and personal perspectives of what it means to ‘belong’ somewhere, he travels across the world to discover the essence of who we are. From the Navajo reservation in Monument Valley to a bar fight in Serbia, to meeting a suicidal American in Singapore, the main character called Chris as well, battles with thoughts of identity and possession.

Can you ‘belong’ to a location? The Maori identify themselves with the rivers and canoes of their ancestors, Navajo people only have borders to their land for legal purposes. What do you do with the history of your people? A British man is protected by his nationality during a brawl in Serbia just because of his nationality, how much weight do our ancestor’s actions carry?

Many of the questions that Chris brought to the stage were intermingled with mine. I have dual nationality. I am half-Korean and half-English, but I was raised in England. A lot of my late teenage and young adult life has been in search of something that I feel like I lost – that sensation of belonging, of identity with being Korean. This performance was centred around a white man who

“Passports.

They do not belong to you.

But they are your responsibility”

was trying to abandon it and bury it. This difference in worldview was exceptionally well displayed and discussed. But what does it mean to remove your nationality? Is it the colour of your skin? Is it a suit that you can change or a stone in your heart or a scar on your stomach?

Can you locate it, can you remove it, or will it only mutate?

These questions and more were raised during the hour and a half runtime. It was done in such an incredible way. You could ruminate on the questions and the possible answers with leisure, even as more and more information was brought to light. I was sitting on the front row, so the speakers were pretty loud (warning for high pitched constant static and loud tones) but the music was exceptionally well performed and blended perfectly with the prose, the story, and the images that crossed the background.

Overall, it was an incredibly provocative piece that was done with a lot of sensitivity and self-awareness with the story being told from one person’s limited perspective. It was a tremendous way of opening the door for other people to understand each other.

Photo by John Dewar | Flickr

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Friday 11 October 2019 InQuire

Culture

Interview with Funny Rabbit creator

By Hal Kitchen Website Culture Editor

Photo by the Univeristy of Kent

I spoke to Funny Rabbit organiser and Emcee Oliver Double, a founding member of the University of Kent Stand-Up Society Tom Blake and stand-up Matt Hoss, two graduates of the University.

Matt Hoss is now a touring comedian that has worked with the likes of Stu Goldsmith of the Comedian’s Comedian Podcast, and through his contacts in the industry is able to book acts for Funny Rabbit that would normally be beyond the price range of a campus venue like The Gulbenkian, so said Double: “We get better than we should with the budget”. The line-up for the Autumn season includes television stand-ups Nathan Caton, Eleanor Tiernan, and Laura Lexx, a former Kent graduate whose show Knee Jerk won the Comedian’s Choice Award at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival and Five Star reviews from the Edinburgh Festival Magazine. Funny Rabbit has “an ethos of diversity in [their] bookings”, and as a result of Jayde Adams’s unfortunate cancellation, the 20 September show was the only one of their events not to have a female comic on the bill. This diversity extends not only to moral standpoints but to more malleable respects such as types of comics. In this respect the 20 September performance was very typical, with musical comics, one-liner acts, surrealists and observational acts sharing the same bill.

The guest spots on Funny Rabbit are always on offer to University of Kent students and alumni. For the 20 September performance, Christie Hinchcliffe was a former student, now working as part of the touring comedy and acting troupe Left

Foot, Right Foot, and Alf White is the current vice-president of the Stand-Up Society. Double said: “Other members of the stand-up society have been on the bill […] we also offer guest spots to Drama students on relevant modules.”

Double himself has been doing stand-up since the 1980s. He started a university comedy collective with which he toured the UK, worked with The Last Laugh Sheffield between 1992 and 1997 and holds a PhD in Stand-Up Comedy. His style of topical humour readily plays into a place of widely held outrage at modern politics, but as he says “being idealistic isn’t funny, but being ridiculously idealistic is” so he delivers his political screeds in a comically exaggerated form of hyperbole, parodying his sense of outrage even as he vents it on behalf of his audience. His political targets are all more thin-skinned than they would have you believe, taking offense at the least provocation, so he sees how over the top he can get.

His material is all as ad hoc and topical as he can make it.

His brief segment on this publication was written based on the week’s headlines. One regular staple of the Funny Rabbit performances is the element, not just of audience participation, but competition. Each month Double sets his sight on a new target of political ridicule (it has been Boris Johnson twice) and gets his audience to contribute to a derisory letter to be sent to them after the show. He said the practice started when he started receiving catalogues from a prominent pro-Leave campaigning company, and someone suggested forwarding them to the company’s head office without postage and with a note attached for the chairperson. He has incorporated it as a closer ever since.

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InQuire Friday 11 October 2019

Photos by The Gulbenkian

What’s on...

Dora and the Lost City of Gold 6-19 October 2019 It: Chapter 2 8-27 October 2019 Wishbone Ash: 50th Anniversary Tour 11 October 2019 Funny Rabbit Comedy Club: Nathan Caton & Mark Simmons 11 October 2019 NT Live: Fleabag 12 September-12 October 2019 The Metropolitan Opera: Turandot (Live) 12 October 2019 Explosive Light Orchestra – A Celebration of ELO & Jeff Lynne 12 October 2019 Bait 7 September-13 October 2019 Jon Culshaw: The Great British Take Off 13 October 2019 NT Live: A Midsummer Night’s Dream 17 October 2019 Wasteland 17-18 October 2019 Stella 19 October 2019 See-Through 19 October 2019 Hustlers 19-22 October 2019 Moana Sing A-Long 20 October 2019

Prices Full - £8.70 GulbCard Member - £6.70 Senior - £7.70 Registered Disabled - £7.70 Student - £6.00 Student GulbCard Member £5.00 Unemployed - £7.70

Photos by Funny Rabbit | Facebook

Funny Rabbit

Oliver Double’s comedy show is endearingly intimate, messy but very funny, writes Hal Kitchen.

U

pon entering the Gulbenkian main entrance one finds the far end of the café walled off by a curtain. It produces a small performance space with more of a comedy club intima-

cy. As one of the evening’s comics Tom Taylor’s barbed description put it: “The sort of venue comedy might be performed at, were it to be made illegal.” The evening is kicked off by the organiser and Emcee Oliver Double, breaking the performance atmosphere with some tried and true methods of warming up an audience, picking on one particular member, chosen for their shyness, to embarrass with a song. His short opening set was a mixture of outdated popular reference points and uncomfortably raw topical material, culminating in the sing-along number “Scary Statistics”. It invites audience members to contribute their best description of our prime minister Boris Johnson, to be sent to him personally.

He then invited the first of the guests on, the aforementioned Tom Taylor.

Another musical comedian, Taylor has more of an eccentric, awkward persona, seated at his keyboard delivering self-deprecating one-liners about “having a C in English as a foreign language”. The first half was closed out by “a bit weird” alternative comic Alf White, who rose from the audience to

confound the audience members with some bravely surreal character comedy, mostly enjoyed by their friends sitting with them.

After a short intermission Double welcomed back the audience with an extended Bridget Christie-esque diatribe read-aloud that left Aaron Banks, co-founder of the Leave EU campaign, on the floor in tatters, alongside a copy of this very newspaper.

Christie Hinchcliffe then delivered a strong introduction to the second half with a short, dry satirical set in the vein of Andy Zaltzmann.

Scheduled to perform last was stand-up Jayde Adams, who unfortunately cancelled at the last minute owing to illness, which led to a 15-minute delay on the opening curtain. The closing set was instead performed by Andre Vincent, stepping in with a considerable air of professionalism, rattling off an effortless last-minute set that proved a near high point of the evening with observational comedy about his life on the festival circuit, going to the doctors and not getting “young people”. He approached the set so well that it feels as if he could have done another hour if demanded. Double then closed the evening out with some fun audience participation and a persuasive invitation to return next month.

Despite some awkward moments which most certainly added to the atmosphere, Funny Rabbit was a playful event that hit its stride as the night went on, where each performer had a clear, immediately definable and distinct persona ensuring something for everyone.

Funny Rabbit is a monthly event staged on campus at the Gulbenkian. The next event will feature Nathan Caton and Mark Simmons. Tickets are available at the Gulbenkian box office.

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Friday 11 October 2019 InQuire

Science and Technology

Say “no” to single-use plastics

By Steven Allain Writer We have all heard in the news recently how plastic straws and microbeads have been removed from the shelves to reduce their environmental impact.

Whilst this is a step in the right direction, there is still a long way to go if we are to reduce the amount of single-use plastic we use each year by a significant amount.

Recent events such as Greta Thunberg’s selfless drive to save the environment through school and global climate strikes, as well as the strikes and acts of civil disobedience organised by Extinction Rebellion, demonstrate how we as individuals can make a positive impact. It is all about the choices we make at both the individual and societal level.

With this in mind, let us jump into some research to see how you can help save the planet and reduce your plastic footprint in the process.

Researchers from the McGill University in Canada recently analysed the effects of placing four different readily available tea bags into boiling water. The scientists found that a single tea bag can release billions of microplastic particles into the cup, which is thousands of times higher than the amount of plastic previously found in other food and drink items, such as plastic water bottles.

At this moment in time, the potential health effects of drinking these particles are unknown and further study is needed to investigate any possible health impacts. What is clear is that by making your morning brew, you may be inadvertently releasing billions of microplastics into the environment and into your body. This can easily be remedied by

Photo by Jasmin Sessler | Unsplash moving to a brand of tea that uses plastic-free bags.

The relatively recent surge in public awareness about the damage caused by single-use plastics has not escaped the political sphere. In September Canada’s Green party admitted to photoshopping a picture of leader Elizabeth May to show her holding a reusable cup with a metal straw, rather than the single-use paper cup she was photographed holding. More recently, at the Conservative party conference one of Boris Johnson’s aides was filmed

passing him a coffee in a single-use cup and another aide, after realising what had happened, snatches it from him declaring: “No disposable cups.”

The government has pledged to ensure that all disposable coffee cups are recyclable by 2023, so whilst you are waiting for that to happen why not buy a reusable coffee cup? They are relatively inexpensive and most coffee shops offer a small discount for bringing your cup. You can also buy a reusable drinks bottle, not only does bottled water

contain microplastics, but the bottles also tend to end up in the environment, even when we think we have recycled them.

The next one is a surprising area that not many people think of when it comes to reducing their plastic footprint. Fast fashion is a huge source of plastic pollution, without most people even realising. Most cheap and affordable clothes are made from synthetic fibres which slowly break down over time when they are washed or exposed to UV light. An average-sized load of synthetic materials can release over 700,000 fibres in one wash. This then leads to microplastics and fibres entering the environment, on top of the fact that worldwide a truckload of clothes is sent to landfill every second.

This problem can be lessened by avoiding synthetic fibres such as acrylic and polyester for natural fibres such as cotton and wool. Even these fibres have their environmental issues, as they require a huge amount of water in their production. The most effective thing you can do is not to buy into a culture of fast fashion. When you are out buying clothes – be it at Primark or Selfridges – maybe it is time to start making a conscious decision about whether you need a certain item of clothing and where it is going to be in a couple of months.

Plastic is all around is. Our modern day societies are tied to the petrochemical industries. Current estimates suggest that by 2050 there will be more plastic in the ocean by weight than there are fish.

This is a scary thought for both us and the health of the world oceans, which depend on fish stocks to survive and prosper. It depends on us and the decisions we make to reduce our impact on the environment.

Canterbury festival science talks

By Hal Kitchen Website Culture Editor

Talk: Emma Byrne: The Science of Bad Language – Monday 21 October

T

he Canterbury Festival begins on 19 October and runs until 2 November. Among the arts exhibitions, musical and theatrical performances, are a series of paid science-based talks, activities, and workshops on offer to students and the general public. The University of Kent, under the guidance of Professor Dan Lloyd, is sponsoring some of these workshops and talks.

Use of taboo language is often dismissed as evidence of a lack of proper vocabulary, however Dr Emma Byrne will be arguing in defence of swearing, looking into the scientific and medical benefits and the evolutionary psychology of profanity.

Meeting at the Cathedral Lodge at 7.30pm, tickets are £10.50 Photo by TK Hammonds | Unsplash

Talk: The Genetics of Superheroes – Sunday 20 October Following his sell-out 2017 performance, television scientist Simon Watt will be returning to the Canterbury Festival to give a talk on the genetic truths behind the X-Men Franchise, in an attempt to answer the question: “Could we one day use genetics to make ourselves superhuman?”

Photo by Wikimedia Commons

For an informative but informal approach to science-themed partying, you can join University of Kent scientists afterwards for a mixology themed chemistry workshop at the Ballroom cocktail bar for cocktail-themed experiments.

Meeting at The Ballroom, Orange Street at 6.30pm, tickets are £27.00 which includes 3 cocktails

Meeting at St. Mary’s Hall Studio Theatre at 3pm, tickets are £8.50

Workshop: Agar Art – Saturday 19 October

Talk: Chris Lintott – Wednesday 30 October

A workshop blending scientific methodology and media with the visual arts side of the festival, where University of Kent scientists invite participants to use microbes as paint, and agar gel as a canvas to create petri dish paintings. It will be photographed and sent out once the microbial cultures have grown.

This year’s Kent College lecture will be from astronomer Chris Lintott,of the BBC series Sky at Night, to give a talk on Zooniverse, an online platform for citizen scientists which gathers data online through the contributions of thousands of volunteer citizen scientists.

Meeting at Stacey Building at 2pm, tickets are £8.50

Workshop: The Cocktail Laboratory – Sunday 20 October

Meeting in Kent College Great Hall at 8pm, tickets are £10.50

Photo by Andrew Wong | Unsplash

Talk: Gina Rippon: The Gendered Brain – Thursday 31 October Although many argue that the gender divisions in our society are products of the default division of the sexual binary, Professor Gina Rippon will be presenting the evidence for why this is untrue and that gender roles are in truth the products of socialisation.

She will look at how childhood upbringing affects the direction in which the brain develops resulting in the gender stereotypes so many of us assume to be ‘natural’.

Meeting at the Cathedral Lodge at 8pm, tickets are £10.50

Tickets for all events are available via the Festival Box Office. canterburyfestival.co.uk 01227 457568

InQuire Friday 11 October 2019

What you need to know about BUCS T

he national university sport league, BUCS (British Universities & Colleges Sport), began again on Wednesday but freshers at the University of Kent may not be aware of what BUCS is or what it means to clubs and teams. This guide will explain all these burning questions, as well as detailing any upcoming fixtures – that are all free to watch.

What is BUCS? BUCS is the University sporting league. There are forty-seven sports registered into the BUCS league that teams can be entered into, from rugby to surfing. To check out fixture times, go onto the BUCS Playwaze website or app to see what you are interested in.

When does it all begin?

Home games began Wednesday, 9 October and will continue every Wednesday onwards until 3rd December!

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Sport

22

Friday 11 October 2019 InQuire

Sport

Megan Warwick

Newspaper Sport Editor and Social Secretary

Initiations should never be enforced on students The view and opinions in this article are those of the author’s and does not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of InQuire Media.

F

or those of you who are unaware, initiations – or hazing – are rituals members of a sports team will use to induct new members into their club, usually through a series of challenges and heavy drinking. However, initiations vary from club to club. Some will treat them lightly as a reason to meet new members and socially engage with one another. Others will go slightly riskier and tell their members what they have to do, inflicting a hierarchy. The ‘seniors’ will be known as old girls or boys, and those who are new to the club are known as ‘freshers’ not just for that night, but for the entirety of the year.

Some clubs reach an extremity of giving and forcing members of their club distasteful tasks that they must undertake because they had to do it. According to a The Tab, members of the Manchester University’s Rugby Club had come forward and stated that “they had to rub chilies on their genitals and wrestle in sick”, which may stir up grotesque images in your mind.

It opens up a notable question: are Initiations a positive or negative aspect of sports clubs?

As a member of a sports club myself, I have always enjoyed initiations. Dressing up all orange, getting drenched in flour, and having to find the craziest item was all very amusing. But as a non-drinker, I cannot imagine having to force alcohol into my body to complete a challenge.

And, in my sports club, I am very lucky that no one has ever made me feel like I have had to.

Others are not so lucky. And, the punishment of not drinking enough? Drinking more.

According to The Times, at Arts University Bournemouth, an older student threatened a first year student by shouting “if you flake out, you’re f*cked”, a suggestion that individuals are unable to object what is happening to them.

I think the conduct of initiation depends so much on the individual. There are extremities – I remember hearing that older girls were cutting off first-years’ eyelashes, which is a violation of their body – but if someone is happy to do something that makes them look silly, then let them.

Saying that challenges should never be reinforced. Common sense should be used to know when something is going too far, and someone is not okay with that.

Perhaps initiations are somewhat intimidating. The word sounds dangerous and compelling, something that would warn new individuals to the club right off. A welcome social or event sounds more applying. If individuals are doing challenges, it should be laid out to them. The worst case is when an individual turns up expecting a meet-and-greet but is met with the challenge of downing a pint or competing in wheelbarrow races.

The most important thing is that it should be promoted that individuals are always allowed to say no.

Photo by Pixabay

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InQuire Friday 11 October 2019

Sport

Fitness and confidence is for all body types Confidence in ourselves comes not only from how we think but also how we treat and love ourselves. Zoe Langhorn’s article details how accepting yourself is one of the first steps in doing this.

Photo by Medical News Today

...Continued from Back Page The demographic will always be mixed.

I feel other sports that are not as widely accessible have only been played by those in grammar or private schools.

You are never really going to get the chance to do it, therefore the demographic gets smaller as you go up.

When I felt this way, I spoke briefly to the head of my school, which was towards the head of the season because I felt like everything was going wrong.

I had a panic attack after one of my matches, and I thought ‘I can’t do this anymore, I don’t want to play’.

I spoke to my captain at the time, and she really wanted me to stay. I felt like I wanted to carry on, but I was still reluctant. I felt like she genuinely did want me to stay. She was really cool, but the majority of people saying I should not leave were, in my view, on the fence.

Whether I was to leave or not, I felt like it would not have made a difference to them. Of course, you do not want your team member to leave, but there would have been no active effort to get me back if I had tried to leave.

This problem trickles down to a smaller scale. I think lacrosse needs to be more accessible to more boroughs in London and inner city schools. I was lucky to go to a school and university where I was able to play the sport. However, most of my friends who did not go to my school did not get that opportunity. If they had, I feel like things would be very different.

At the university level, it is widely understood that there will be anomalies – I would call myself an anomaly – but people should not brush the problem under the carpet. They should try to

Body types have always been so prevalent within the media, creating a perception that we are expected to look a certain way. The way we look, eat, train, and think is different and working to be the best version of you, in a way shaped for your assets and strengths, is important.

The idea of keeping fit is different for all of us. Naturally, we all have different body types. This should be okay. When looking into fitness as a broad concept there are so many different variables affecting each of us. Scientifically, we see three categories of body types, even though we can each be situated anywhere along the scale, or somewhere in between.

Those of us who find it easy to gain weight and be seen as ‘fat’ or ‘overweight’ would be a part of the

understand where I am coming and not labelling it ‘she’s just saying that because she’s black’. It’s awesome being black but at the same time, it does come with its issues. Addressing these problems face on, instead of being passive and not really seeing it, will make a massive difference. It will change how individuals see the sport as a whole.

I am working to change this. In association with Afro Caribbean Society and Kent Women’s Lacrosse Club, I am organising a BAME Lacrosse only session on 26 October. It will be free for all that have never tried the sport before, to give it a chance. I want people to love it and put their preconceptions away about the sport. That is what I hope will happen on the day. We can just have fun. People can make fully informed judgements about the sport, and be able to say, ‘at least I tried it’, whether they like it or not. I do not want people to think that lacrosse should just be known as a heavily white-dominated sport.

This session will open up people’s minds. Any sport can be for you, and it should not be narrowed down to demographics. You just need one person to show you how ‘lit’ a sport can be. I want to highlight that there is a problem with inclusion in sport and that we should change this. Hopefully, there are not any hard feelings, and that people see that the sorting of this issue is nothing to do with individuals personally. We are trying to sort sports inclusion as a whole, not individuals.

I want to say to those individuals who have ever felt excluded, you are not alone. You are not the first and you will not be the last. We are all in this together and we are trying to find a way through

Endomorph category where gaining fat, as appose to muscle mass, occurs organically. Although it is viewed as negative by some, this is not something that should knock your confidence. It is all about loving the body we have and working with it to get where we would like to be. Not every person can look the same, as we are all individuals and should not be compared. People who fall under endomorph should practice cardio with an element of weight training, alongside a low-carb diet with a large intake of protein and fibre.

On the other end of the scale, we have Ectomorph body types. People with this body type see a faster metabolism but, in direct contrast with endomorphs, find it extremely hard to gain weight whether that be fat or muscle mass.

Bringing its hurdles and lack of confi-

this. For those that are trying to make a change, keep fighting the good fight.

There will be so many no’s and obstacles in your way. It is those game-changers that are going to play sports better as a whole, especially at university.

The Welfare Officer from Women’s Lacrosse, who is helping organise the BAME-only session, sees that the representation in sport needs to change and that the session is a positive step in the right direction. She states: “We as a club strive to provide a fun and accepting environment for all our members and all of the individuals who come to try out the sport. We want everyone to share our love for the sport, and play it in confidence. Therefore, I think hosting a BAME specific event is definitely a great start to spark discussion on the matter of acceptance. And I hope it will cause other sports socities to reflect on the matter”.

If you are interested in attending the BAME only session on 26 October, contact Hillary Nyarko on habo2@kent. ac.uk or the Women’s Lacrosse Facebook page.

dence, most people are uncomfortable about something surrounding their bodies. A standard regimes includes low-cardio and plenty of weight training, with a high carbohydrate and calorie diet.

The category lying right in the middle of these two is mesomorph, which society has been socially designed to aspire towards, making it easier to gain muscle mass and lose fat. The ideal fitness plan for this body type is a varied plan surrounding cardio and weight training.

Those who fall in this category can focus upon a certain area of their body that they would like to improve. Although this body type is what we desire, each of these body types should be worn confidently. Stay confident and find your perfect routine.

“I want to say to those individuals who have ever felt excluded, you are not alone.”

Sport www.inquiremedia.co.uk/sport

InQuire

Photo by Hillary Nyarko

Disclaimer: This is a promotional article

Hillary Nyarko starts first ever UKC sports BAME-only session Hillary Nyarko is a second year Philosophy and Politics student.

She is the Afro Caribbean Society Sports President and was also a member of Women’s Lacrosse. This is her story of being marginalised and why there needs to be change.

I

would say the extent of marginalisation in sport depends so much on the sport itself. Globally, exclusion in sport exists. The thing about a sport is comradery. I guess when you are with your team members, personal identity does not really come into it because you are essentially one unit.

There is no ‘I’ in team, so personal differences should not come into Sports politics, but they do under the surface.

Last year, when I joined Lacrosse, I was so excited as I had played in secondary school alongside with Netball. But when I made the conscious decision to join university, I wanted to get back into lacrosse.

When I came, I felt like I did not belong for many reasons: a mixture of me being a fresher, me being a minority, maybe even being from London. I feel those like three things encompassed my personal identity, coming into Kent and seeing people that had already made friendship group. It was quite an unsettling experience.

At the first training session I attended, I came in and I felt that the other girls had already formed friendships. This seemed like a reunion for them. But, for me, I felt like I was not a part of the circle. At that training session, no one really tried with me and I thought that if I was a returner and there was a fresher on the team, I would try to make them feel more welcome.

I felt that over the weeks, it did get a bit better but not significantly. I remember the first match I played so clearly because I came into the changing room and everyone was there, in their sticks, in their kit – which I did not even have at this point – and it was very much like I was thrown into the deep end. I did not know what was going on. We had a pre-match prep talk and I just remember feeling outside. A vivid moment I remember was that I had this old t-shirt on, and it was so much older than everyone else’s.

Sudoku

That put the nail in the coffin. I felt like, ‘wow Hillary, you are an outsider’. It was nuts, I came out that match feeling very much outside the circle. No one actively said or went out of their way to exclude me. It was individuals not doing anything that contributed to it. You may not actively be doing it but you are still passively doing it. It is sort of like they were not trying to make myself, or anyone else who feels excluded, involved.

There was no ‘we don’t want you on the team’ or ‘we don’t want you here’, but I felt like individuals would ignore me like I was not there. There were only a couple of people I really spoke to, but I felt like I did not gel as well as I should have.

I went to one social. It was my first and my last. I just felt like it was more of a mini gathering, but really informal. I was out of the loop; people already knew each other. It was not my scene.

I have heard other personal experiences of people feeling excluded from sports. It is more prevalent than you would know. Unless you actively seek it or are in the same boat as someone, you would not even notice. Many of my friends who are at London universities shared similar experiences of joining a team and thinking ‘this is not a bit of me’. London teams are different, because it is more international and multicultural. It is really sad.

If sport was a massive circle, I would say that these issues run through all sports clubs. But, when you begin to dig deeper into the data of different sports teams, then the issues around diversity are so different. I would not compare netball or lacrosse, because netball is more widely accessible – the majority of girls have had some experience with the sport.

Continued on Page 23...

Quick Crossword

Compiled by Matthew Sapsed Across

1 3 8 9 10 11 13 14 17 18 19 21 22 23

Ship's company (4) Loose-knitted wrap (5) Duplicate (7) Root vegetable (5) Enemy (3) Cliche-ridden (9) Hang around (6) Shameless (6) Wear informal clothes (5,4) Transgression (3) Poisonous snake (5) Exact (7) Topic (5) (Human) tissue (4)

Down

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 12 15 16 17 20

Wary (7) Swear word (9) Position (6) Scatterbrained (6-6) Falsehood (3) Measure for earthquakes (7,5) Tall water grass (4) Gauge (9) Case for a light (7) Pair (6) Gaming cubes (4) However (3)

Answers: 27/9/19 Crossword Across: 1 Grate, 4 Bare (Great Bear), 7 Attitude, 8 Sell, 9 Boss, 11 Audience, 12 Commentator, 15 Space bar, 17 Lack, 18 Yeti, 19 Identity, 21 Heat, 22 There. Down: 1 Get, 2 Alias, 3 Educate, 4 Blend, 5 Respect, 6 Electric, 10 Occupied, 13 Machine, 14 Torrent, 16 Built, 17 Latte, 20 Tie. Sudoku