Ohana #002

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WELCOME TO HANA

ISSUE #002

Ohana was founded in January 2021. The name Ohana originated from the Hawaiian term which refers to a person’s extended family. As Ohana’s aim is to ensure all readers feel like they are part of a bigger family in society where everyone is embraced and accepted, the name was a natural fit. Ohana’s mission is to inform, form debates, shift discussions and raise awareness about important and relevant topics and issues. The magazine is dedicated to diversity and inclusion, which is reflected in editorials, opinion articles, essays, news, politics, and lifestyle content. With fashion becoming an evermore important entity from which social, cultural, and political statements are made, Ohana aims to engage with readers through the lens of fashion and contemporary art. Moreover, Ohana focuses on raising awareness of the nine hidden characteristics, ensuring that others are mindful of how they may be discriminating against one another. With this in mind, the logo was designed to embody all that Ohana stands for. It is simple and clear with the larger circle representing the Ohana family as a whole, and the smaller circle representing you, the reader, as an individual within the Ohana family.

As Issue Two marks the end to many of the team member’s University experience, we are saying goodbye to two of our designers, Lucy and Yoana. We wish them the best of luck in their future careers as designers, and their creative flair will be greatly missed. Although, with every goodbye, we will say a hello. So, for this issue, we’ve welcomed Joshua, a Fashion Branding and Communication student, to the design team, and for Issue Three, we’ll also be welcoming Harry, an Illustrator student. The second issue focuses on three specific hidden characteristics: age, religion or belief, and marriage and civil partnership. Along with a few feature articles, it also covers a broader spectrum of topics that we believe need to be brought to light. The feature articles include an interview with The Fashademix, an article authored by Olivia Marsh, a Fashion Branding and Communication student, and a Banana Bread Recipe to keep you occupied while the lockdown remains in effect.

FOUNDER AND EDITOR IN CHIEF Fashion Business and Promotion Graduate Emily Orr Ohana Magazine

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MEET THE TEAM

The team behind Ohana is made up of a community of young creatives who strive to push culture forward in order to make a real impact.

Zobiya Shukeel

Ayesha Naveed

Katie Jones

Nakul Patel

Yoana Petrova

Charlotte Chambers

English Language and Literature Writer

Illustration Illustrator

Morgan Blythe Fashion Promotion Writer

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English Writer

Art and Design Designer

Megan Brooks

Fashion Branding and Communication Writer and Designer Ohana Magazine

Illustration Illustrator

Fashion Promotion Writer

Jessica McEwan

Fashion Business and Promotion Writer and Social Media Exec


Jessica Sohal

English Language and Literature Writer

Carina Coelho

Fashion Branding and Communication Writer and Designer

Cherie Kwok Illustration Illustrator

Joshua Davies

Fashion Branding and Communication Designer

Diana Padovac Art and Design Designer

Lucy Lee

Graphic Communication Designer

FOLLOW US ohana.magazine Ohana Ohana Magazine

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CONTENTS hana Issue #002

AGE 08 Fashion and Ageing 10 Ambition Grows on a Blue Daffodil Studded Hill The 9 Protected Characteristics:

14 Are Music Tribes History?

It is against the law under the Equality Act 2010 to discriminate against someone because of their:

15 Confidence

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16 Bring the Outside, In.

Age Disability Gender reassignment Marriage and civil partnership Pregnancy and maternity Race Religion or belief Sex Sexual orientation

Ohana will aim to raise awareness of these characteristics. For editorial enquiries, email: ohanamagazine21@gmail.com Keep up-to-date on our Instagram: @ohanamagazine Connect with us over on LinkedIn: Ohana 6

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RELIGION OR BELIEF

MARRIAGE AND CIVIL PARTNERSHIP

18 You Can Tell The Future?

40 Creative Dating in a Covid World

20 Ramadan Rambles

42 You’re in Your Own Bubble and You Don’t

21 Hobbies From Home: Will They Continue

Even Know It

Post-Lockdown?

44 The Predator In Your Pocket

24 What Is It? & Why Does It Matter?

45 Surfing The Crimson Wave

26 Making BIG Money Moves

48 Something old, something new, something blue,

28 Are We Seeing a Change Within Fashion

something borrowed

Towards Disability?

50 It’s Bigger Than a Dress

32 Attaining the Unattainable

52 The 24th of April

33 Appreciation or Appropriation 34 Beauty and the Media 36 The Fashademix Interview

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Fashion and Ageing ... By Charlotte Chambers

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ashion notoriously entertains the lifestyle of the youthful; filled with glamour, beauty, energy and a hint of rebellion (own up, we have all worn an item of clothing shunned by our older relatives!). All things not often associated with growing old, a period associated with grey hairs, wrinkles and sensible, wise maturity; all things on the less glamorous side. Fashions for the older generations are often associated with more serious and sophisticated tones, as opposed to the more playful features of the youthful fashions. But, why is it that our tastes seem to change? Or, do they even change? Is it that we feel the need to become more serious as we age just because society seems to shovel us onto this conveyor belt? “Dress your age” is a term we are all accustomed to hearing - but why? I believe everyone, regardless of age, should be able to wear what they like and what makes them feel confident and happy. When you search “dressing your age” there is an abundance of articles informing the reader on what clothes are age appropriate for different stages of their life. The idea of having to tone down your colour palette and up your sophistication in the way you dress seems bizarre to me. Ageing is the one certainty in life, something you cannot prevent, but why should this inevitability mean that you have to change the way you dress to please society. Do not listen to the stranger on the internet, telling you what “5 items you should not have in your wardrobe after 50”.

that I enjoy and feel good in. The idea that as I move further along my journey that I will have to start dressing maturely, no more colour and print clashing, is something that does not sit right with me. All that being said, by all means, allow your tastes and styles to change as you move along your journey – this is one of the beauties of life, discovering new trends and finding which ones fit you best as you move along. I think this is one of the best things about fashion, you do change and develop as you age and fashion can be a wonderful way to express these changes and reflect the person you are in such unique and fun ways. Embrace the changes in your tastes, but only if they are for you and not for other people in society.

“you do you, boo”

As a young pre-teen and even into my teenage years, I spent a lot of time trying to buy and wear clothes that my classmates wore. I was so focused on dressing in a way that I thought they would approve of. I found no joy in this, I had no form of self-expression and I blended right in with the crowd. As a result, I am a firm believer in wearing what I want, what I think looks good on me, and not worrying about whether or not it is trendy, and I have the most fun putting outfits together

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s a kid, growing up couldn’t come soon enough. Grown-ups were cool, they had independence to do whatever they wanted and freedom to go wherever needed. Future me was going to flourish and thrive on this unconstrained reality. I do believe that every new day, I become closer to that childhood dream. Yet, everyday that dream girl seems to move slightly further out of reach. Everyone has had a childhood dream that shattered when meeting reality. No one can prepare you for it and when you realise how hard it actually is to be the world’s first trapeze performer whilst painting elephants and juggling fire simultaneously, your aspirations are met with a sudden demise and we no longer perceive the world through rose tinted glasses. The mocking voice of adults who promise ‘trust me, you don’t want to grow up fast’ plays over and over again like a broken record whenever adulting get too much. There comes a point when we need to suddenly figure out our whole lives before we leave school and although the idea is liberating, it’s not always as fun as one imagines it to be. Figure out what you want to do. Do it fast. Think carefully, you’ll be doing it until 65. There’s plenty of options. Not enough options. The moment you acknowledge that you have a future, the countdown for forever begins. If you want to succeed, you must work for it before you can even decide what you want to succeed in.

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In today’s climate, success and youth come as a packaged deal. As a kid, everything in my checklist needed to be completed before I was 30, anything after and I’d be too old. As I write this at 18, I feel the burden of the weight of my future expectations I clung on to for so long. I feel ambitious and hopeful for change. My perceptions of the world no longer revolve around being the best or most influential, but rather the desire to be better and pursue the little dreams that I believe will make the biggest difference. The way we perceive ourselves and the expectations we hold dear can be blinding and yet also sublime. The power we hold and the hopes we manifest can create a path that we did not always expect and yet, it always seems to work out for the best. Ambition should help shape the way we live our lives, so we can feed the blossoming hope for everything that awaits us. When we stop thinking about what we need and actually live in the moment, we are no longer constrained by expectations, rather driven by a force that makes us feel whole.

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Far too often, the biggest regret on a person’s death bed is that they worried too much or they didn’t spend enough time with their family or on themselves. If we take a moment to free ourselves of these expectations we place on ourselves and aspire to experience life, we might be able to recognise that , yes, the grass is greener on the other side. But why can’t the grass on this side be bright blue and studded with daffodils all over?

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Are Music Tribes History? By Charlotte Chambers

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usic and fashion have always been intrinsically linked to each other and this is clear to see through music videos and shows, red carpet events and catwalks. Katie Baron, in her book ‘Music + Fashion’ describes the two as “twin agents of creative expression” and addresses how various artists have collaborated with stylists and designers to create unique moments within both fashion and music. For example, David Bowie and Japanese fashion designer, Kansai Yamamoto’s collaborations changed the landscape of twentieth-century pop culture, their collaborations broke boundaries and bent gender norms. This connection used to also be notable amongst consumers within different music tribes. I have often found great amusement in looking back at family photographs of my parents from the 70’s and 80’s and taking great delight and inspiration from how they and their friends dressed. To me, it is clear to identify their different music tastes and others from that time, simply through their style of dress. You had your punks and goths, hippies, rockers, mods, teddy boys, new romantics and skinheads (to name a just a few)... But I can’t say I see this in today’s society, I cannot look at someone on the street and know what music they would be into.

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So, what has changed? Various studies into this all seem to point to one factor; technology. It seems to be that the increase in technology has allowed younger generations wider access to various forms of arts and media, allowing people to be more eclectic with their tastes and interests than before. While music is still influential, it could be that there are other factors that are now forming these consumer subcultures and tribes. Music used to be an investment of sorts, a young person would save up all their money for the latest release on vinyl, and these vinyl’s would become collectors’ items, someone’s music taste would be their identity and how they connected with others. However, today, music is almost expected to be readily available with little to no investment behind it. People are clearly still into music, it just doesn’t seem to play as big a role in their identity. Today, I believe fashion influences music more than the other way round. People are influenced by what artists wear and how they wear it, rather than dressing to fit in with a music genre. I think there is also more of an element of simply fashion influencing fashion; for me, personally, I have noticed my own interests shifting from dressing to fit in with the people who liked the music I liked, to following and gaining influence from people whose aesthetic I like and just simply dressed how I like where I have no idea what music they might actually listen to. It appears as though an individual’s own aesthetic seems to be what forms today’s tribes and subcultures.

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Confidence. By Zobiya Shukeel

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onfidence. You either have it or you don’t, or so that is what we all believe. Some people just radiate confident energy that never seems to falter and as for the rest of us, we can only wish to possess the power that captivates anyone we meet. Confidence and self-belief often come handin-hand and the struggle to maintain the two is very real. The conversation that often follows is whether confidence comes with age. Older women just don’t seem to be confined by the views of others and pay no heed to judgement to live their lives. Maybe it’s because the longer you live with yourself, the more you understand and accept the reality of your most liberated self. But isn’t it a shame to have to wait around for that Isaac Newton getting hit on the head with an apple moment? Social media has proven to be a leading force for the future change. For better or for worse, the presence of social media in our daily lives has led to an integral change and acted as a leading force in the way we perceive beauty standards. It allows exposure to the varieties of limitless beauty and yet there has never been more of a need to edit your life and deceive others as well as yourself of having a picture-perfect life.

The problem isn’t choosing to only show the good, the problem is that we are unable to accept and love our own bodies when these highly saturated and unrealistic images want us longing for a version of reality that just does not exist. With the presence of digital distortion, confidence has never seemed so far away. This is something past generations have never had to face and they can live in blissful ignorance of the ever-changing trends that allows interrupts the journey to becoming the most confident version of yourself. Fake it ‘till you make it, the verbatim of every self-help/ confidence book, but does it really work? Like anything that is practise continuously, the more times your fake confidence, overtime it will become a habit of your everyday life than a conscientious decision/ practise of your everyday life. We’ve all heard that confidence is the best makeup and like the skill of makeup, confidence needs to be learned. It’s a journey that you’re on continuously, throughout your life. Learning to be comfortable and kinder to ourselves is a step closer to being confident.

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arot cards originated in the late fourteenth century France and Italy as a parlour game. An additional 21 trump/triumph cards were created to add to the existing set of cards with the suit’s wands, swords, pentacles, and cups. Exclusive to nobility, these decorative cards had to be commissioned by artists and could be bespoke, depicting family and friends as the various numbers. By the eighteenth-Century people had started using these cards as a divination tool. A way of gaining knowledge of the unknown by supernatural means. Many tarot readers will say phrases such as “spirit…?” to ask a question to the cards, calling on spirit guides to help them through the reading. It can be a common misconception though that readings are pulled from thin air. Your reader should ask questions, the cards need you to put them in context and find what they are trying to tell/ reveal to you. I was gifted my first set of tarot cards for my 19th birthday. A set of Rider-Waite tarot cards, well known amongst tarot card readers. Although it is said that your first set should be gifted (and find you) this is just a barrier set by the gatekeepers of the spiritual community. So, if you are drawn to tarot that is fine too, buy them for yourself! Throughout lockdown psychics have had to move online and find platforms where they can continue to offer spiritual advice. Etsy, a website for selling handmade goods, has become a hub for psychic readings of all kinds. Digital readings can be purchased and received via email or Etsy chat. One of my few new hobbies during this lockdown has been reading.

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By Ayesha Naveed

Ramadan Rambles. Midway through Ramadan 2021. Honestly how has it gone so fast; every day comes as quick as it goes. This year has been strange, not as strange as last year’s complete lockdown Ramadan. But still, not the same as other years. So far, I’ve not felt hunger, I’ve only felt somewhat thirsty. Physically apart from feeling somewhat tired, I have somehow become more productive now than before. Before I got stuff done however due to the crazzzyyy time at this part in the academic year, I need to get more done. So optimising time is something which I have now more than before done. Getting allllll the things doneeeee. Before Ramadan I set myself small goals to improve myself, becoming a better Muslim. my main aim was improving praying as before I prayed occasionally – never as consistent enough. Ramadan for me is a time where I can get closer to Allah and make small changes which can become habits that I can continue through my life. Apparently, a habit takes at least 18 days to form so let’s hope I can form these habits to make myself better and more disciplined. So far, I’ve kept up with my routine of praying and reading abit of Quran after prayer. This time has really helped me to become more reflective and overall, in a better peaceful mindset.

University and Ramadan is not the best combination. My normal sleep schedule has gone out the window, so every year is abit different. When I was younger, I would look forward to Ramadan way more. However, as much excitement there is it has died down slightly as I have way more on my plate to get through. Taking a nap in the day just creates guilt and panic in me so I just refuse to do so. Also, music. Music. Music. I’ve been trying to not listen to music during Ramadan and am doing well so far. Usually, I listen to music as I do errands and mainly university work. I have found things to replace it such as white noise and some YouTube videos that can be watched in the background.

Halfway through. Nearly Eid. Looking forward to Eid, hopefully I can maintain this routine after Ramadan.

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reedom is on the horizon, with July 19th at the forefront of everyone’s mind right now. The pandemic has meant many have had to adapt to working from home, and with varying restrictions, we found ourselves confined to the same four walls - needing an escape. Now with the days becoming longer, wide-spread vaccine rollout and plans with friends in parks and pub gardens once more – it begs the question of what happens to our new hobbies and interests we all found ourselves doing at home, in our extra free-time over the past year? Many people turned to learning a new skill, such as baking banana bread, making TikTok’s or exploring nature. 31% of brits have read more since lockdown began, and it is ranked as the third most popular hobby over the pandemic (ONS). Crafting became the UK’s favourite hobby, such as DIY, candle making and knitting. This could be due to the fact that there are many studies proving how crafting something with your own hands can have huge mental health benefits. Google Data search trends show that searches for ‘yoga’ and ‘learning a new language’ peaked in March 2020, as lockdown first hit. People were finding fun, new ways to keep busy indoors. Ohana spoke to a range of individuals to gain a further insight to see if these newfound interests will continue once the world opens up again. Karla, 23, spent as much time in nature as possible, running and hiking. She said, “I also started volunteering, my motivation was having more free time and awareness for urgent environmental issues”. Karla will be continuing these hobbies because she said they are crucial for a better future. Rachel Hunt, 20, practiced more yoga over lockdown to stay active indoors. She also said “I learnt how to use Adobe Photoshop, as it’s a necessary skill to have for my University work

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Jessica Sohal, 21, did the couch to 5K over lockdown and has kept up running ever since! Jessica said, “I have gained a new style of fitness skill. I’ve always wanted to start going running and the fact I had time to do so over lockdown motivated me to get started. I hope to keep it up!” and it will benefit me in my future career”. Anonymous said, “I did more baking and more workouts as I love both of those things already! I improved upon my existing skills and I wanted to improve on baking just because its time away from screens and therapeutic for me”. They also did more workouts at home, because no pubs or restaurants’ were open so they were able to stay on track. When asked if they will continue these hobbies after lockdown, they said, “workouts for me are usually 4x a week but baking I find hard to fit in. I’ll still try to though to relax away from my phone”. Many respondents’ hobbies were started to unwind, away from the noise of the world. Morgan Blythe, 26, said that she “joined an online pilates group that had live daily classes. I do this every morning at 9.30am because it gets me up and starts the day. I also feel it has helped my posture and I feel a lot more toned and strong from it! It was a great way to have a routine. I still go for daily walks, but pilates made me feel I was doing another form of exercise and I have noticed the difference!”. Morgan also taught herself how to knit, but once uni got busier she has stopped doing it so much, but she found it very therapeutic! She said she intends to keep to her new hobbies as much as she can, but “once our lives start to get a bit busier, fitting in pilates might drop to the bottom of my priority list but I hope I can keep up with it because I’ve loved doing it. I actually feel frustrated with myself that I didn’t get round to doing it this week!”.

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Megan, 20, said that she “got into crystals, house plants, learning tarot cards and practiced meditation”. Megan’s motivation for learning tarot was because she got the cards for her 19th birthday in 2020, and she said, “I will continue learning tarot after lockdown, as it’s really fun to do with friends”. If you are interested in learning more about Megan’s tarot journey, head over to Page ? to learn about tarot history, what they are and how she uses the cards! Nakul, 21, took the time to create art, game and bake. He said he “didn’t develop new hobbies but did more of what I used to do in free time”. Having that extra time spent at home in lockdown meant we were all able to spend more time doing what we love. Emily, 20, said “ From the beginning of Lockdown, I started doing Chloe Ting workout programs with my Dad every evening. I also attempted to learn French and persevered for three months, but as my workload increased, I was unable to continue. My main motivation for pursuing these new hobbies was boredom and a desire to learn new skills. To this day I still do Chloe Ting with my Dad and I am trying to re-start learning French, which I really enjoyed doing when I had the time.” Jessica McEwan, 21, responded that she was really busy with a lot of university work and side projects, and said, “I didn’t really develop any new hobbies really but definitely had more time to cook and experiment in the kitchen! I made a plan to start teaching myself sign language, but I ended up being too busy”. Jessica also hopes that she will still have the time to cook, after the world opens up again!

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Banana Bread Recipe Credits go to John Kanell at Preppy Kitchen

Prep Time 10 Minutes

Cook Time

Servings

50 Minutes

12 Servings

Ingredients

Preparation

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1. Preheat the oven to 350F.

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1 3/4 cups all purpose flour (215g) 1 tsp baking soda (6g) 1 tsp salt (6g) 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (3g) 3/4 cup brown sugar (150g) 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature (113g) 2 large eggs 3 ripe bananas (430g) 1 tsp vanilla (5ml) 2 tbsp of plain yoghurt

2. If your bananas aren’t ripe enough, bake them (in the peel) for about 10 minutes at 350F (177C) or until they blacken. 3. To make it easier to remove the loaf after baking, grease the loaf pan with softened butter.

Instructions 1. In a bowl, mash the bananas with a fork or an electric whisk. To Note: Don’t worry if your mashed bananas have lumps; this will add texture and flavour. 2. Combine the Flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl then whisk together and set aside. 3. Cream the butter, then add the brown sugar and mix on high for 3 minutes, or until well combined and lighter in colour. 4. Mix in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract. 5. Mix in the mashed bananas and yoghurt. 6. Gently fold in the dry ingredients until thoroughly combined. 7. Transfer batter to a greased loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes. 8. To see if the bread is fully cooked, insert a wooden skewer or toothpick into the centre of the loaf; if it comes out clean with no wet batter, the loaf is done.

Have you tried this recipe? Show us today! Tag @ohana.magazine Ohana Magazine

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What Is It & Why Does It Matter? By Jessica Sohal

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hese were two questions that used to go through my head all the time from a young age. It wasn’t until I was 21, and I was having a deep conversation with two of my friends, that it hit me... that I should know what it is, and that it does matter! You’re probably wondering what I’m waffling on about. People always used to tell me that I should respect, uphold and abide by my cultural values. And, why does it matter? Was exactly my response.

So, what is it? Culture. It isn’t just about food, arts and traditions. In a broader sense culture defines us – who we are as people, how we aim to live our lives, and allows us to deem what sort of behaviour we’d class as acceptable or unacceptable. Most importantly, our culture contains the implicit rules by which we

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live and what we value. Life as we know it, is very complicated. It changes every second and so does our culture and lifestyle. If it wasn’t so, we would still be in the non-digital age rather than being a part of this global, digital world! Growing up I always used to be labelled with the term coconut, which to put it simply meant “brown on the outside, white on the inside” – it’s a reductive cultural stereotype, that still gets thrown about. To be honest, the term never used to bother me when I was younger. You could say it was probably because I felt like there was a need to fit in, according to western influences, without consciously realising it! Saying that, I still think even now, the youth feels the urge to duplicate western culture in order to be more cosmopolitan. It’s quite ironic, millennials, more than any other generations, consider themselves politically

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independent, religiously unaffiliated, and interested in a wide variety of different nations, cultures, ideas, and beliefs. We want to travel, and be exposed to new things. Yet many of us probably don’t have a clue about our own heritage and culture… I mean, I’ll hold my hands up to it!

just gives us that little something, something, compared to others we surround ourselves with. Jokes aside, knowing about your culture gives a sense of pride, it also offers a connection to something bigger – a place, a historical legacy. In reality, who really just wants to blend in?

As a British-Indian, only now have I become more in touch with my roots. I’ve always spoke the language (Punjabi), listened to Indian music, ate the food, dressed up in traditional outfits, but for me that’s as far as it went. Which is sad and quite shallow really, because there’s so much more than that to being Indian. But what’s even more saddening, is that as a generation who moves with the times, will we move so far ahead that we forget our own roots along the way?

Culture is meant to be preserved, shared, learned and developed. With the advancement of technology and breakdown of the barriers that stood between countries of late, this culturesharing practice has gone international and radical. But it doesn’t mean that our very own culture should be sabotaged.

As individuals, we are on a journey to figure out our identity, who we are and what makes us so different. But our cultural identity in itself

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Making BIG Money Moves By Morgan Blythe

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etting a job after graduation is an exciting moment. It is what you have been working towards for the past three years. Whether it is a new city, new friends, a new home, all of these experiences are what you should be getting in your twenties. Although, whether it is a grad-job or a junior role, the salary is often unrealistic and unreasonable, and the question of “how will I live”, often gets pushed aside. It is fair to say that not having the comfort of student finance will be challenging, as arranged overdrafts and pasta for dinner have been standard for so long. But what about when you are out in the working world? For me, the obvious ‘post grad’ job in fashion was in London. I always knew London was expensive, whether it was a trip into central for a coffee, or a night out in Soho. Either way, it would leave a dent in the bank account, and moving there was still a shock to the system. Suddenly you are paying £700-£900 in rent for a small box room, nearly £200 a month for an Oyster Card and an obscene amount of money on socialising (an essential), all on a £20,000 annual salary. Once rent, bills and general living costs were sorted, you were not left with a lot, and honestly, it was hard. The job was entry level, but it was tough. I was working long days, and spending two hours a day on the tube, but at the time I did not care. I assumed that working hard would mean a promotion, optimistically. However, in a job role as a Buyers Admin Assistant at this particular fashion company, the salary went from £20,000 to £21,000 when promoted to Senior Buyers Admin Assistant level. I know, groundbreaking.

According to UK Talent, the average fashion salary in the UK is £29,000 per year, with entry-level positions paying an average of £22,500. UK Talent also states that the average salary for a Buyer is £32,500 and an Assistant Buyer is £24,200. After speaking to a few like-minded graduates and ‘millennials’ out in the working world, it is clear that starting salaries are a tough, uncomfortable subject. It seems that a good starting salary for London is £25,000-£27,000, and that is something you can live off. Starting salaries are something that brands have to consider in order to get anywhere with a young professional, and maybe we need to look at it as “if you don’t ask, you don’t get”. How many times have you applied for a job without seeing an hourly pay or salary on the job description? I think the best way to look at this is, yes, the job is exciting, an amazing opportunity and you deserve everything you get. But know your worth. I found that budgeting was a good way to keep track of your outgoings, especially my big shopping habits… But at the end of the day, you have worked hard, so do not be afraid to ask about money. How else will you prepare to live your post grad life?

I am not trying to scare you off. London is an amazing city, as are many other UK cities. The busyness, excitement, it is everything a twenty something year old should be living through.

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“The average fashion salary in the UK is £29,000 per year, with entry-level positions paying an average of £22,500.”

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Are We Seeing a Change Within Fashion Towards Disability? By Olivia Marsh

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ome of us may refer to buttons as pretty accessories, zips as convenient fasteners and hooks as stylish or easy fixes. But what if these ostensibly handy fasteners turned into battlegrounds every time you tried to put on your favourite pair of jeans? Or what if buttoning up your shirt felt like following a never-ending dot-to-dot trail of frustration? Well, this is the reality for many in the disabled community. Often forced to adhere to basic and unrepresentative clothing trends due to brands overlooking the inclusivity of such crucial aspects of a garment. Having grown up with siblings who are disabled, I’ve always been perplexed by the lack of affordable and accessible clothing that is neither adaptable nor appropriate for those who require it. Shopping has been especially difficult for my sister, who has Cerebral Palsy. Knowing that no matter how many pairs of jeans she tries on, none will fit her comfortably or over her

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splint, she dislikes the prospect of shopping. Is there, however, hope for a more inclusive future of clothing? A shift in heightened disability awareness has united both small and large brands to stop viewing the disabled community as a challenge but rather as strong, capable individuals. In 2016, Tommy Hilfiger released their Tommy Adaptive range to “make getting dressed easier for everyone”. Utilising high quality fabrics found in their original collections, the brand wanted anyone with a disability to feel empowered and have the same style opportunities as others. Its adaptive collection made use of new stretchy materials for its adapted tops and jumpers, as well as wide leg openers that can be adjusted to fit around splints and casts. Magnetic buttons and one-handed zips were integrated into their garments, removing the hassle from dressing.

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By demonstrating how clothing can be made more adaptable and inclusive, the brand helped to emphasize the importance of adaptive clothing to other brands and the wider public. On par with Tommy Hilfiger are Nike. When Nike released their FlyEase trainers, it sparked global interest as they were the first brand to design trending footwear for impaired consumers. Made for handsfree application, it was the trainer many had waited a lifetime for. These premium brands are just two examples of how brands are progressing and becoming more accessible to people other than their typical consumer. Able2Wear is a highly experienced brand with a successful reputation, particularly specialised in clothes for wheelchair users. They are well-known for their wide range of accessories, such as easy-to-fasten belts and expertly designed clothing. It’s clear that they understand who they’re designing for. It’s a brand

my sister knows well, but in her opinion, she said “sometimes buying from separate brands just because they understand doesn’t always solve the problem. Its more accommodating to see ‘normal’ fashion brands adjusting their own ranges to save being shifted elsewhere.” Despite this, Able2Wear continues to be a force for change, leading by example and supporting a consumer that many brands overlook. With the success of these brands among global audiences and consumers, it highlights the importance of viewing adaptive clothing as a necessity and long-term desire rather than a fad. By incorporating clothing applications such as magnetic or simple-touse accessories, clothing becomes more accessible to a whole new audience. It exemplifies how the industry should be while also representing those who, for the most part, feel left out. Nonetheless, the industry still has a long way to go...

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Attaining the Unattainable By Zobiya Shukeel

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he ability to edit in today’s day and age is transformative. Getting rid of anything unwanted and bring focus on the good allows us when done right, to excel. From editing essays to pictures on Instagram, we only show what we want people to focus on. If only the idea of beauty was as easy to pick out and please those who view it. The idea of beauty was so far out of reach in my early teenage years, that from a young age I started to plan all the things I would do to change my appearance. Dark hair, it needs to be lighter. Blemishes that covered my nose would be covered up by makeup and my skin- well, I would only feel worthy once I lightened it up and the only solution to this innate problem would be to buy a shade of foundation three shades lighter. neatly furnished box. The lack of representation I encountered through the media always left me It’s not the qualities of these appearances that I thinking beauty and comfort in my skin was never desired so much but the idea of not looking like going to be easily attainable. myself that led to these endless daydreams and the longing for something unattainable. To want what It wasn’t until I was exposed to a whole host of you can’t have is a term that we are familiar with; women through social media and actively sought the longing for something we know is unattainable out individuals, that my eyes opened to the idea of is exciting. A challenge- to be better. What I digressing beauty standards whilst accepting myself didn’t realise was that beauty did not come in a as beautiful. The ability to filter my consumption of toxic ideas and interact with people who inspire this change in self. The focus on Eurocentric beauty standards has started to diminish. Or rather, it has become less sought after. After all, why would we want to mute the very aspect of ourselves that makes us so unique? We as a society are heading towards this muchneeded change, the once barely heard voices of people embracing their ethnic features that go against the mainstream conventions are heard by more and more people, today. To wear your truth is when we attain the unattainable- the confidence to be unapologetically ourselves.

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ppreciation or ppropriation By Ayesha Nareed

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he online retailer ASOS is my go-to and I’m pretty sure that’s the case for most people. Recently, they launched a new South-Asian line including a ‘bridal’ range. However, when they announced this there was huge backlash, as their idea of what ‘bridal’ does not fit actual south Asian Bridal wear. Their Bridal range received backlash as they were not as heavy, decorated and embroidered as traditional South Asian Bridalwear. From the twitter outrage it was seen to be a launch which was cultural appropriation. Representation for South Asian people in western fashion. ASOS told The Manchester Evening news ‘This product is part of our new South Asian wedding collection. One of our ASOSers, who is South Asian, suggested we create more pieces like this, so we can make sure we’re offering the best fashion for a variety of occasions.’ Adding how ‘It’s something we feel passionately about, and which we want to continue in the future’. The intentions of this launch were good, judging through the comments however it could have been done better to truly epitomise South Asian Bridal wear. Without the label the launch could have seen a different reaction. However, I think the cultural appropriation stance would still have stood. Asos are a retailer who bring trend pieces to consumers for a low affordable price. They are a fast fashion brand. At the core of that they make clothing more accessible for the consumer. Thus, it is understandable from a business perspective why they decided to delve into the South Asian market. This ultimately can be seen as a good thing, sometimes you need clothes fast and cannot always go to the store to get something. American Youtuber Kaur Beauty reviewed the collection and stated how in the UK it is more accessible for South Asian people to get clothes. There are many stores, and we have a variety of options. In the states however they have a very limited pond to chooses from. Personally, my standpoint on this is if you need Asian wear quick it is a good option. They are readily available. However, I would only use it for emergencies if I had to because in the UK, we have small businesses and brands which have a variety of options available. My only issue with this launch is really, why did they have to make their own line. ASOS are a retailer which supply other brands, not just their own. Instead of releasing their version of South Asian wear they could have contacted South Asian designers like Maria B or Khaadi. This way they could have been diverse and giving other brands a bigger platform to grow.

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Beauty & Culture in the Media By Ayesha Naveed

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eauty is something which is yearned after. What is considered to be the epitome of beauty is always influenced in some capacity by culture and the media. Every culture influences beauty standards around the world; for example, in America, the goal is to appear ‘youthful.’ Celebrities like JLo are fawned over by millions, as she appears young and youthful at the age of 51. Instead of focusing on her talent, everyone is curious about her beauty secrets. Whereas in most Asian countries’ fairness is considered beautiful rather than tanned which is seen as beautiful in Brazil. South Asian beauty is focussed on having lighter skin. A fair skin tone is more envied and deemed to be beautiful. In Pakistan there is a reinforcement of beauty only being something which is skin deep. Beauty is defined through the media, plastering adverts of whitening creams such as Fair and Lovely. As it is seen, and perpetuated heavily in the media it has influenced what society in South Asia deems to be attractive. Celebrities endorse this, by starring in adverts and promoting it on their socials. When I was younger and had visited Pakistan, I was given whitening cream. Nevertheless, I had no idea this was the cream’s purpose and rather thought it was just to help with my acne. I only realised when I returned to the UK and everyone asked how and why my skin had lightened so much. I had no clue – it was any different. It works slowly and you don’t realise the change immediately. In hindsight I can question how it was so freely available and given. My skin tone has always been medium tan, in foundations that’s the range I go for. So, it is so weird to think even my skin tone still needs to be lightened. This obsession with lighter skin largely stems from the colonisation of South Asia.

inclusive sense of what beauty is. Especially recently, with the emergence of the body positivity movement. Furthermore, being pale is seen as undesirable in America and being tan is more desirable. So, while women in South Asia expose themselves to harmful chemicals, found in these skin lightening creams, such as mercury and arsenic. Women in the United States, on the other hand, risk skin cancer by spending hours in tanning booths to get a tan. Beauty is measured differently in different parts of the world. Aside from that, beauty standards evolve with the times. The media is now instilling one idea of beauty in us, hammering into us what is acceptable in the fashion and beauty industries. Location and time are also important factors in how we perceive what beauty is. Another factor in recognising beauty is maths and symmetry. All these different elements are so overbearing and perpetuate the notion that you should never be satisfied with how you look and always change with what is deemed beautiful at the time. Instead of accepting and loving however you were made. Beauty is something we all have, but in this world takes a little bit of time to see. Although, when you do, you will see a diamond that has always been there.

From South Asian homogeneous beauty standards, in America there is a more heterogeneous view on beauty. There is a more

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The Fashademix Podcast By Carina Coelho

est-friends Sophie Johnson and Laura Arrowsmith, both lecturers on BCU’s BA (Hons) Fashion Business and Promotion course, have begun an exciting new podcast called The Fashademix, debating all the latest fashion news, retail and academia. Ohana had an insightful interview with them to find out more about the podcast and what their future plans entail.

What is The Fashademix about? Laura: Sophie and I have been friends for over 13 years as we met studying the same course at BCU in 2008. We work together very closely, and we’re often naturally discussing our opinions on fashion news and sharing our views with students. It’s a big part of what we do, and we thought it was only fitting to put our discussions in a podcast format. We decided to break it up into three sections which are educational but still chatty and engaging! In the know - This will cover the latest fashion topics and business news, recent national headlines or local retail updates. Get to know – This is where you’ll hear a variety of interviews with industry experts, other academics and students from a breadth of fashion courses. Like to know – Here we’ll shine a spotlight on products, brands or people in the fashion and retail industry.

Why did you both want to start a podcast and how long have you been doing it for? Sophie: In fashion and academia, you need to be able to put yourself out there. So, we felt it was quite natural for Laura and I. We planned it out before Christmas, but lockdown happened, and we tried several ways to record from home, but it didn’t work. Laura then reached out to Brum Radio, and now we’re recording our seventh and eighth episodes! We’ve been doing The Fashademix since March 2021.

What topics have you discussed? Laura: Sustainability, fast fashion retailers, starting a business from scratch, the evolution of influencers and how that’s changing, retouching images, vanity sizing and the Justin Bieber effect. Sophie: I feel that we’re going to have to go back to so much. For example, we’ve done one on sustainability, but I’m coming across different things constantly that I feel we need to do another sustainability episode and break it down into subtopics.

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Laura: We got shared on a couple of Instagram accounts about 2 weeks ago and within 24 hours we’d gained 400 followers. Now, when posting questions on our socials, we get such passionate messages from people who are buyers at Burberry and ex-buyers of Boohoo, and they’re giving us amazing feedback which inspires great topics for future podcasts as well.

What has been your favourite episode to record so far and why? Sophie: We have such a laugh in the studio! We have the most amazing producer called Pete who is a volunteer at Brum Radio. He’s an absolute legend; we sing to him and everything!’ Laura: Yeah, I don’t think it’s a particular episode I think it’s the overall experience! The outtakes we have are hysterical. There’s 30 seconds at the end of each podcast where there’s a couple of out-takes but they’re only the PG ones! We do all have such a giggle, it’s really fun to be in the studio and talk to new people whilst having a laugh. Sophie: I like when we differ a little bit in opinion, because we know we’re not going to fall out with one another because of an opinion. I think that’s important, to get across that you can have differing opinions. Laura: It’s funny because our minds are just so different, but we’ve got the same common interests that we both want to be great lecturers and we want to keep educating ourselves, I think that’s really important.’

Do you have any longterm goals or future plans for the podcast? Laura: Brum Radio said they’d host us for 6 months, and we said that if it goes alright, we’ll carry on. Within a year or two, our goal was to be in the Top 10 in iTunes, that would be a real achievement. But now, we’ve got to number 3 in the space of 5 episodes! Obviously, number 1 would be amazing, but I think for us it’s to build a bigger portfolio and have a louder voice. We love chatting to people, supporting and championing people and that’s what the podcast aims to do. Sophie: I can’t wait for someone to join BCU because they want us to be their lecturers and be taught by us, those two lecturers off The Fashademix podcast! That would be my moment of oh my god, that’s really cool!’ Laura: That would be an incredible moment. I think that’s a lot about what being a lecturer is, making a difference and that rewarding feeling from when you’ve enhanced somebody’s experience and journey. Sophie: Our podcast coming out on Thursday is a Fashion Education special, because we want to break down the stigma surrounding the negativity in the fashion industry, people think that there aren’t any jobs. Breaking down that stigma is really important for people who do want to come into fashion. It’s a dream career, but it’s absolutely not out of reach. The industry is one of the biggest in the world, we all wear clothes so why would there ever be no jobs! It’s all about having that conversation and making it a viable career. Laura: For us, it was talking about well, because of COVID there is going to be so many new jobs out there and I think it’s about reassuring people that if you have a passion for something – go and do it.


Do you have any exciting special guests lined up for the future? Laura: A buyer from COS is coming in, someone from Gymshark, Hidden Fashion, someone in Social Media from Pretty Little

Do you have any advice for someone who may want to start a podcast? Sophie: You’ve got to have a USP. For example, when we started, there is so many fashion podcasts, but we have that edge because we educate people. There’s so many people that start a podcast but there’s no competitor analysis, there’s no stepping out and realistically thinking who is your consumer? Laura: You’ve definitely got to know your consumer. We thought that all of our listeners were our students, but then when we now answer questions, more of our listeners are people who are in the fashion industry. Ask yourself, what do they want to know instead or hear about?

Where can we listen to The Fashademix podcast? Sophie: Our podcast is available on Spotify, Apple podcasts, Amazon Music and Google Podcast, and on the Brum Radio Website. New episodes are released every fortnight on Thursdays!


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hat defines a ‘relationship’? In a world that has been turned upside down, our relationship status is no exception to change. Dating, marriage, moving in together, all of these huge relationship milestones have been challenged this year. Couples have had to rethink their next step and put a pause on taking things to the next level. Or, they have challenged the norm and gone into relationships with full power by doing lockdowns together after a few months of dating and getting married after a week of planning. So, now that lockdown is lifting, plans can be made and socialising can resume, how will these pandemic relationships progress? There is certainly a different pressure with dating now, compared to our parents/ grandparents’ era. As a 26-yearold should I be married or considering marriage now? Should I be ready for children? In my head, I am still ‘living my best life’ working hard at University and looking for future jobs. Settling down is not on the cards right now. However, I have friends and family that are my age who are at this stage in life, and that is great for them, but it is not for everyone, yet… Timelines are an unrealistic concept. Take my grandparents for example: after 5 months of knowing each other, they were married and 60 years later, they celebrated their big diamond anniversary over the Easter weekend in 2021. This is a huge achievement. Even being with someone for that long is mind blowing. Is this something that you can imagine happening? The pandemic has influenced a huge amount of innovation in many aspects. Dating is no exception. Singles on online dating platforms are thinking of new ways to draw in the attention of their matches. Witty ‘pandemic related’

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chat-up lines and alternative ways of physically dating are all taking shape, such as sending surveys to your matches for them to fill out: “Application for a summer fling”, and “Application for next spooning partner” to name a few. This seems like an exciting way to mix up the mundane ‘swipe left swipe right’ ritual. I was subject to this ‘new way of dating’, and in lockdown one, I went on a ‘virtual date’. For me, texting someone everyday for weeks without being allowed to meet, was an unusual experience. But we were in a lockdown, so what else could we do? When we spoke on the phone, it was like we’d known each other for months, even though we had never met. It was a strange concept to think that I had made a connection with someone through purely texting. But our ‘virtual date’ went better than I thought it would. We did an online pub quiz (who doesn’t love a pub quiz?), a classic lockdown activity, but it was entertaining, and it was good to be able to put a voice to a photo! Another fun way that singles are connecting is through music. Streaming sites like Spotify are offering something that sites like Tinder do not: emotional data. Tinder is built on first impressions and algorithms but sharing a song or a playlist on your Tinder profile you can immediately create some kind of connection or common ground. Bumble, which is a female led app (we love to see it!), has also teamed up with Spotify, and you can now swipe based on someone’s most listened to artists. For someone who uses Spotify daily, receiving a playlist would be a different way to quickly understand someone, and there are so many playlist genres to choose from, like uplifting, sad, mood and chill. I believe there is such a stigma behind admitting you met someone on an app, but “I met them on Spotify” sounds a bit more interesting, doesn’t it?

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You’re in Your Own Bubble and You Don’t Even Know It. By Emily Orr

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ill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, has said that technology such as social media “lets you go off with like-minded people, so you’re not mixing and sharing and understanding other points of view.” He believes, as many of us surely do, that this is in fact a downside to social media and a detriment to society, rather than something that has helped us to develop. Social networking sites such as Facebook foster homophilic environments and communities in which people who share similar ideologies only interact with one another. When a Facebook user likes or interacts with an article or post of a certain ideology, an algorithm is designed to show that user other posts of the same ideology. Which can and does result in homogeneous personal networks, leading to limited social worlds and ‘echo chambers’. This can have a significant impact on the information people receive, the attitudes they form, and the interactions they experience. This behaviour is termed as ‘groupthink’, and it’s all caused by a set of highly-developed algorithms. So what is an algorithm? Algorithms control what we see by personalising our social media feed. Social media platforms use this technique to grab our attention and keep hold of it, all by tailoring what we see to suit our interests. Gradually the points of view that we are exposed to become increasingly limited and narrow. When you choose to click on a link, the algorithms used by a social media platform learns what your preferences are, and will begin to provide more and more content that matches your interests. Dr Elisa Celis from Yale University claims that “By ever more carefully selecting what we see, these algorithms are distorting reality. Social media platforms effectively become echo chambers in which opinions can become increasingly extreme.” We frequently hear people talk about ‘finding our tribe,’ which is a particularly common phrase used

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when referring to Instagram and refers to those who share our worldview, such as those who like and comment on our posts. This experience on social media can be uplifting, although it can also lead to harassment and trolling for those who don’t believe in the same point of view. It can also lead to individuals only trusting certain sources and assuming that every piece of information they provide is reliable and true. It begs the question of whether these sources reinforce biases by just showing us what we want to believe in. Thus generating a ‘filter bubble’ of information and strengthening our confirmation biases. On top of this, with the emergence of ‘identity politics’, we are seeing a rise to the phenomenon of fake news. As we so often skim, share and retweet quickly, these processes happen without a second thought or consideration as to whether the information we are seeing is reliable or not. As a result of this, we have a tendency to believe people who share our views without taking the time to check the facts. Additionally, when we see news that contradicts our tribe’s beliefs then we tend to disregard it or label it as fake news. Furthering this, our biases are created, manipulated and perpetuated by what is known as the ‘availability cascade’. So the more we hear something, the more likely we are to believe it. Paying selective attention to things that interest us, causing us to see and notice information that reinforces our beliefs everywhere. Eli Pariser coined the term ‘filter bubble,’ to describe how someone using social media or online search engines creates a one-sided view or political view since they only interact with accounts of similar backgrounds or feelings. It forms a unique information landscape for each of us based on our pre-existing beliefs. Meaning that users start to exist in their own cultural and ideological bubbles, oblivious to alternative viewpoints, believing that their point of view is universal.

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The phrases ‘echo chambers’ and ‘filter bubbles’ tend to be used synonymously. While some may argue that the term ‘echo chambers’ is more widely used as an epithet (to refer condescendingly to someone else’s failing), the term ‘filter bubble’ is much more commonly used to refer to one’s own blind spots or to approach the phenomenon in a neutral or academic way. Recently the term ‘filter bubble’ is increasingly being used to describe online mechanisms of information polarisation, such as the algorithms found on social media and search engines. The term ‘echo chamber’, on the other hand, refers to both online and offline systems that complement each other and function simultaneously. In this context, ‘echo chambers’ refers to human knowledge behaviour, while ‘filter bubbles’ refer to algorithmic information filtering how the results are presented.

various points of view. So, when we are confronted with opposing or challenging viewpoints, we are more likely to react more radically and with prejudice. Sometimes, these bubbles even lead to a false sense of social homogeneity, in which we develop very strong in-group identities and detach ourselves from any groups that differ. So, the next time you’re scrolling through your feed, consider how others might perceive or even miss out on seeing the same information that you are.

‘Your identity shapes your media,’ says Pariser in his book Filter Bubble. This quote claims that we allow the media to shape our thoughts as a result of the recreated messages we receive on a daily basis. It’s crucial to note that algorithms themselves do not cause ‘filter bubbles’, or subsequently ‘echo chambers’; they simply reinforce and amplify existing information and behavioral patterns. Therefore it’s up to us to accept or deny fake news uncritically; to check, falsify or ignore them. So, if ‘filter bubbles‘ are made by algorithms and ‘echo chambers’ by users, the ‘echo chambers’ influence the ‘filter bubbles’. However, ‘filter bubbles’ often reinforce existing ‘echo chambers’ as well. All sounds a bit complicated, but what does it actually mean? In summary, as the spread of online information is continuously suppressed, we are losing our ability to think critically about broader picture issues and Ohana Magazine

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The Predator in your Pocket By Jessica Sohal 44

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n unfortunate side effect of life in lockdown has been the increase in online abuse. Cybersecurity firms, charities and police alike have all reported an increase in online stalking, harassment; even serge in cases of revenge porn. Internet usage and screen time has risen as a result of being in lockdown, making it difficult for victims to conceal their locations and avoid social media. As a result, not only is online abuse more common, but its consequences are also more serious. With the lockdown isolating us all more than ever and social distancing limiting physical interaction, the majority of people have turned to online and digital contact. Therefore, it has been somewhat inevitable to become obsessive and fixated with different media platforms as there has been fewer things to distract us. According to a specialist Domestic Violence solicitor, Rachel Horman-Brown “one of the quickest ways for people to gain control is through technology … and now more than ever people can invade the lives of others faster and more efficiently than ever before”. The Stats Stalking in particular, has been on the rise during lockdown, especially on social media, but those who experience it still struggle to be taken seriously. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) recorded stalking and harassment offences increased by 20%* during the UK coronavirus lockdown, with figures rising to 31%* as restrictions eased over the months. Statisticians analysing the ONS data found that the reports on these cases rose, despite other crime figures dropping during 2020/21. Sadly, 71%* of women will experience some sort of harassment in their lives. And despite recent progress in the UK stalking law, separating stalking from abuse or nuisance remains difficult. Just 12.7%* of stalking offenses that are reported to the police result in a criminal conviction. According to studies, legal penalties alone do not always resolve the perpetrator’s fixation and obsession, so the criminal justice system cannot be relied on exclusively to minimize the threat of stalking. Stalking is generally recognised as a gender-based violent crime, with perpetrators predominantly being men, and victims predominantly being women. In fact, The National Centre for Victims of Crime makes the connection impossible to ignore: • •

54%* of femicide victims reported stalking to the police before being killed 76%* of intimate partner femicide victims were

stalked before being killed 67% *of femicide victims reported being physically abused before being killed (Femicide: the murder of a woman)

In line with this, the use of spying apps and stalkerware in the UK increased by 83% between March and June 2020, according to anti-virus platform Avast*. Even without this app, the way we live our lives now – still connected, socialising through social media – allows stalkers to easily track victims. Aside from the physical harm, stalking can have a devastating effect on a victim’s mental health, fuelling paranoia, tension, and anxiety. The stakes are undeniably high, and it seem that whether or not a victim’s case will be taken seriously is something of a lucky dip. And, with technology making it easier than ever to intrude into someone’s life, it seems like these mechanisms appear to be evolving faster than the structures to prevent it. Reclaiming the Streets These striking figures address the importance of women’s safety concerns, which follows the death of Sarah Everard. We know about Sarah because the media and social media picked up on her disappearance; however, other cases unfortunately have not/did not get the same attention. So, there is the question as to why this is the case? Although Sarah’s incident was deeply disturbing, for most women, it wasn’t shocking. For me and maybe many more, the case struck a nerve. Society makes us hyper-aware of the fragility of our life as women. From the first day of puberty, the possibility of being assaulted, abducted, or murdered is embedded in our psyche. It affects everything from planning our route home on a night out, to always being consciously aware of our surroundings whenever we are alone. Cases like Sarah Everard’s exemplify a pervasive fear that society has made acceptable. In response to the recent incident, a virtual awareness in women’s protection took place on Twitter and Instagram. The fact that concerns about women’s safety has risen to the surface is a positive. Looking at it from this perspective, it gives us all a chance to reflect and reevaluate, but most importantly to educate ourselves and younger generations. The importance of the matter is to be able to recognise when enough is enough. Ohana aims to offer our readers a perspective on critical events shaping our world. If you’ve been affected by the themes discussed in this article, you can find more information from the National Stalking Helpline, Metropolitan police: Stalking, Victim Support and Network for Surviving Stalking.

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Surfing The Crimson Wave By Megan Brooks

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e Shark week survivors all make it through unique body battles. Through light rain or heavy storms. Not knowing where or when the battle will begin or if you even have any weapons to defeat it! And the torture of an increased hormone dose; the list goes on… But we do this all whilst still trying to continue with our lives, going to obligations with crippling cramps or the worry that the battle has made it past the barricades! So why with all this that we go through MONTHLY have we had to pay for the “luxury” of the fight? Or hide that we are even in the battle? Let us start to bust that stigma.

Not to mention the taboo surrounding Mother nature’s gift. Going to an all-girls school people would still take it upon themselves to mock those who had caught the girl flu for the first time. Like this natural cycle we all would get was something to be ashamed of. I cannot imagine what it would have been like to go to a mixed gender school. Where not everyone would be joined by that shared battle in the end. The Body form website shows statistics from a “survey of more than 1,000 girls, nearly half were embarrassed by their period”. Which is also shown to impact on girls learning and attendance, another branch of Period poverty.

As of the 1st of January 2021, Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced the “Tampon Tax” (A nickname but applies to all sanitary products) has been officially abolished. The sexist law that charged VAT (Valueadded-tax) on sanitary products in the UK is now no more. Hurray! A move to end period poverty in the UK. In addition to these, free sanitary products are being rolled out in schools, colleges, and hospitals. Period poverty is the phrase used to explain how those in low-income households do not always have the funds to afford or access period products. These individuals sometimes turn to less suitable methods of dealing with that time of the month. This can lead to missed lessons and ultimately impact futures.

Pantone and INTIMINA have joined forces to break that taboo surrounding periods. Being on the rag is not shameful or mysterious. It is a natural body function. Contrary to what sanitary product adverts would have you believe the red wedding is not blue! Therefore, Pantone have created “an energising and dynamic warm red shade encouraging period positivity”. They want those who check in to the red roof inn to feel proud of who they are and what their bodies can do!

In 2020 Scotland became the first in the world to make period products free, making that dreaded visit from Aunt Flo a lot easier. Lidl Ireland have also joined the team letting girls ride the cotton pony, free of charge! As of the 19th of April 2021, sanitary products will be free in their Ireland stores. According to the Body form website “In the UK, 1 in 10 girls can’t afford to buy menstrual products, while 1 in 7 have struggled to afford them” and “over the course of a year, 137,700 children in the UK miss school because of period poverty.” The impact this can have on those who must wear the red badge of courage every month is a tragedy and wholly unfair.

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Whilst we are at it let’s drop the nicknames and start calling it what it is. A menstrual cycle. The monthly annoyance that one day might let us bring life to the world… If we choose. By educating children that menstruation is not dirty or something to be embarrassed about, we can break the stigma. It is natural! And with more and more strides to make our menstrual cycles less of a financial burden, we can focus on the battle at hand and make more leaps towards our goals. Us menstrual cycle conquerors are powerful forces and let’s not forget it! Anything you can do I can do bleeding!

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Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue By Morgan Blythe

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he global pandemic has encouraged people to re-think their priorities in many ways, particularly regarding weddings, and the industry has been turned upside down because of it. These huge events that notoriously require months, maybe years of planning, have been postponed, scaled down or even cancelled completely. As a 26-year-old, marriage is not on my radar right now, so I cannot comprehend how difficult it must be for couples who are having to put their ‘dream’ wedding on pause. Over the last year I have had three ‘wedding is cancelled’ messages, and it has become obvious that people do still want the big, elaborate wedding, and the idea of a small ceremony with a few close friends or family attending who are masked up and socially distanced, is not the ideal day for everyone. So, what is next for these memorable events? Could we see more couples going down the road of more meaningful, smaller ceremonies, known as ‘mini-monies’? There is evidence to suggest that the ‘less is more’ approach is taking off in the wedding industry, which is understandable, as that is all we have known for the last year and a half, due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Naturally, as a Fashion enthusiast, I am drawn to the history and future of the wedding dress. I remember trying on my mum’s wedding dress when I was younger, with its puff sleeves, frills and lace, a classic 90’s dress. I have always assumed that I would have something old, new, borrowed and blue, that is the tradition, right? But after the year we have had, will the ‘something new’ be forgotten? In an article written by Vogue, there is a discussion regarding the increasing concern in sustainability, and in Lyst’s 2020 wedding report, it showed that there was a 38 percent increase in searches for ‘vintage’, ‘second-hand’ and ‘pre-owned’ relating to wedding dresses. For an extravagant piece of clothing such as the wedding dress, that typically has only a single use, this is not surprising, as there is so much to consider when picking the perfect wedding dress, including the price!

Celebrities are influencing the progression of the ‘unconventional’ wedding dress. In September 2018, Bella Mackie got married in a gorgeous yellow silk dress. In October 2018, she did an interview with British Vogue where she suggested that the wedding industry has been working hard to make women feel that there is no other choice but to get married in a white dress. Other celebrities such as Mandy Moore, wore a blush pink gown for her ceremony, Kiera Knightley recycled a pink Chanel dress that she had worn to the 2008 BAFTAs, and Anne Hathaway got married in a pale pink Valentino gown. The list of silhouettes to consider is vast, and what was once an easy decision regarding dress colour, is now surrounded with connotations of going against the norms, which is not a bad thing! Clearly, this is rubbing off on millennials and generation Z, and traditions are changing. In a recent survey, I established that 65 out of 70 females in these demographics voted yes to wanting to get married. 42 percent of the participants said that they wanted a big white dress. Interestingly, 70 percent said they would wear something pre-owned or vintage, and just over half of the participants said they would prefer an intimate wedding over a big one. This created quite a conversation, and many of the participants seemed torn with some of the questions. It is fair to assume that the idea of going down the sustainable route with a wedding dress is the ‘right’ thing to do. So, what would make you say yes to the dress?

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ou’re on a fun shopping excursion with your friends and your dream dress is right there on the mannequin – RESULT! You trawl through the various sizes on the rail until you hit your size. But, have you ever stopped to take in what the rest of that clothing label might tell you? Or what that even means? “Made in Turkey” it might say. So, you know where it was made but what you don’t know is who made it, what conditions they made it under and where the materials to make it were sourced. “Why does that matter?” you might say. It matters because, without this transparency, disasters like the Rana Plaza Factory collapse would occur more regularly and fall under the radar. To put it simply, we are talking about people’s lives behind the scenes of your dream dress. In 2013, a factory known as the Rana Plaza collapsed in Bangladesh. Killing more than 1,100 employees and injuring more than 2,500 other

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The 24th of April By Jessica McEwan

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aturday April the 24th 2021. Ring any bells? Any significance? To most maybe not. It’s not a public holiday, nor a religious celebration. St David’s Day? No, that was the day before… So, what is so notable about the 24th of April this year? Well, unless you have been living under a rock or have TikTok uninstalled on your phone (I don’t blame you by the way), then what you won’t be aware of is the seedy trend that swarmed social media in the week prior. Coined ‘National Rape Day’ the 24th of April vastly became a focus point for many young females who feared their safety, as messages of sexual harassment, threat and violence were set to be acted upon on this one particular day. I think of it as some sort of dark and twisted purge – yes, like the movie. Don’t believe me? You only have to Google ‘National Rape Day’ for a stream of news articles to appear, all claiming that this movement is centred on this day and grew from social platforms. Yet, the lines about where this all came from are pretty blurred. Firstly, according to a mass of videos and reports, the trend was started by six men on TikTok who shared a video encouraging other men to sexually assault women on this day. They allegedly said it is legal to do so, and shared “tips” on what to do and the video is said to have first been posted in March 2021. As reported by Know Your Meme, the trend was started by internet ‘trolls’ on the platform and rapidly spread outside of TikTok and onto Instagram. However, additional reports started to immerge, rumouring it began in a group chat at Exeter University after screenshots were leaked. So what could have started of as perceived harmless banter, quickly transpired into a viral trend. Regardless of its origins, the facts still with stand. But how did young people react online? As someone who had to delete TikTok due to overconsumption and lack of productivity (it’s pretty frickin addictive), this twisted trend appeared on my Instagram stories. Posted by @sayitloudspace the post was titled “24th of April. A Threat from men to women. R*pe, Sexual Violence, Sexual Assault & Threats.” Pretty impactful. From then on, the 24th of April seemed to absorb my social media with over half my following resharing the post, or that of similar. It quickly occurred to me that this was an issue.

Whilst (to my knowledge) there were no direct reports of sexual abuse that were specifically targeted on the 24th of April, young people still took action and were consciously aware. Perhaps most notably, @ Ladbible shared a post whereby the Cardiff University Football lads walked their female friends home, acting as their chaperones. Ben Marett was determined to do something to support female students at the university and together with his friends, the business and human resource management student operated a text service from 9pm on Saturday through to 5am on Sunday morning. In a statement to Sport Bible, Ben said “What we’re doing isn’t ground-breaking, it’s such a small gesture, but it makes a difference to so many people. In response to later claims that the day was a social media fuelled hoax, Ben suggested that “Even if it’s a hoax, this is a problem on every night out. Regardless of whether it is ‘National Rape Day’, we’ll be out there.” Hoax or no hoax. The point withstands, that rape, sexual assault, violence or threat is unacceptable. At no point should it be at the forefront of any joke, and certainly not one that’s chucked around the lads group chat as banter.

If you have been triggered by the following topic(s) please seek support at: Rape Crisis https://rapecrisis.org.uk Victim Support https://www.victimsupport.org.uk/crime-info/typescrime/rape-and-sexual-assault/ The Survivor Trust https://www.thesurvivorstrust.org Supportline https://www.supportline.org.uk/problems/ rape-and-sexual-assault/

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