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EDITORIAL Thursday, 8 March 2018

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V I S UAL ARTS 3 Welcome ‘Ladies and Gentlemen’! An interview with the curators behind Durham’s latest exhibition F EATURES 4-5 Estia Ryan writes on the ‘Yes All Men’ Campaign; Heather Pearson explores Durham’s endemic ‘lad culture’ and Hannah Brown interviews Vicky Pryce on female economic empowerment STAGE 6 Was the bard gender-blind? Helena Snider discusses gender-blind casting of Shakespeare’s greatest characters BOOKS 7 Feminism, fiction and false assumptions: in conversation with Lola Fabian-Hurst, President of Durham’s Feminist Book Club F ASHION 8&9 (Girl) Power Dressing - shining the spotlight on the women making waves in the fashion industry MUSIC 10 There’s more than meets the eye: the dichotomous nature of female sexualisation in the music industry TRAVEL 11 A Saving Grace? A discussion of all-female hostels and how they are changing solo travel for women

CREATIVE WRITING

12&13 ‘Baseball’ - a short story that explores the way in which culture seeps into our subconscious F O OD & DRINK 14 The bitter aftertaste of Food Marketing: an investigation into the gendered stereotypes that pervade the industry F I LM & TV 15 Toxic Masculinity on screen: cultural representations of men I N TERVIEW 16 Gender Equality and Diversity: an interview with J Smith, President of DU IntFemSoc Cover Illustration by Katie Butler

www.palatinate.org.uk

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y feminism will be Intersectional or it will be bullshit”.

(Flavia Dzodan) A powerful and insightful quote, Dzodan reminds us as we approach International Women’s Day to celebrate the successes of women’s suffrage including the activists who challenged social norms and defied convention in the continued fight for equality.

It’s important to recognise such progress could not have been achieved without the support of activists from marginalised and underrepresented groups who have sadly not been given mainstream recognition. Their cry for equality was inspirational in a world that at the time tried to take no notice. Sylvia Rivera reflects upon this by stating “we didn’t take no shit from nobody. We had nothing to lose. You all had rights. We had nothing to lose”.

Yet there is still more that needs to be done, especially as we live in a society where companies like the BBC presume it is sufficient for women to wait until 2020 before they can achieve gender pay equality.

A society that seems to only just have woken up to ongoing abuses within our institutions as well as entertainment and is finally starting to listen to the voices of survivors.

A society where disabled people are not treated with equal dignity and have to fight on a daily basis for their rights to exist.

A society where equality stops short when it comes to discussing issues around supporting sex workers.

A society where period poverty has not been eradicated and impacts people from all walks of life including students at Durham University.

A society which still seems to have a huge problem recognising trans and non-binary women identities, including within liberation movements like feminism.

A society where intersectional feminism runs the risk of being subverted by white feminists into a meaningless buzz word.

It’s important as we celebrate International Women’s Day to continue to tackle these issues and to ensure generations after us can look back and ask, “was it really like that back in your day?”.

J SMITH PRESIDENT OF DURHAM INTERSECTIONAL FEMINISM SOCIETY www.facebook.com/palindigo Follow us on Twitter and Instagram: @indigodurham

INDIGO EDITORS Tamsin Bracher Adele Cooke (deputy) FEATURES EDITORS Rosie Dowsing Katie Anderson (deputy)

CREATIVE WRITING EDITORS Chloe Uwitonze Scaling Kleopatra Olympiou (deputy) STAGE EDITORS Helena Snider Helen Chatterton (deputy) VISUAL ARTS EDITOR Madeleine Cater Anna Thomas (deputy) BOOKS EDITORS Tanvi Pahwa Alexander Leggatt FASHION EDITORS Anna Gibbs Francesca Reffell (deputy) FOOD & DRINK EDITORS Emma Taylor Sapphire Demirsöz (deputy) TRAVEL EDITOR Harriet Willis FILM & TV EDITORS Imogen Kaufman Sander Priston (deputy) MUSIC EDITORS Tom Watling Ashleigh Goodall

Have a question, comment, or an idea for a story you’d like to write?

Email indigo@palatinate.org.uk to get in touch.

VISUAL ARTS Thursday, 8 March 2018

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Welcome ‘Ladies and Gentlemen’!

Visual Arts interviews the curators behind Durham’s latest exhibition

By Madeleine Cater Visual Arts Editor visual.arts@palatinate.org.uk

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isual Arts had the opportunity to sit down with Elaine Robertson and Ellen Ranson, curators of the next exhibition at Durham’s very own TESTT Space. ‘Ladies and Gentlemen’ dissects and

of their practice. We then contacted them with a call for artist submissions and from there we were able to compile a range of artists who work in different mediums and discuss gender differently.

How much involvement do you have with the artworks produced? Have you seen them yet?!

Between the two of us we have seen all the work that will be exhibited in ‘Ladies and Gentlemen’.

Some of the work shown is from artists from our Universities so we have seen the progression of the work, and some of the work is new to us.

This has been an exciting process for both of us as it has introduced us to artists locally in new ways. We are excited to see how the work will come together in a group exhibition and how this will spark new conversations between the audience and the artists!

How did the project come to be? And what do you want to achieve with the exhibition?

We were invited by the Empty Shop project to curate a show. We worked together last year directing an art festival called ‘Conny’ and it was fantastic being able to do what we love in our local community! This project is another opportunity to work locally which we’re super grateful to Nick and Carlos for!

Each person’s experience is different. Gender is one feature of identity which intersects with many other features: age, race, class etc. You may not have thought about gender before as a topic for discussion and debate and that’s fine. They’re far too diverse to separate into chunky regional differences.

However, for some people it’s been a topic they have had to come to terms with very quickly and intensively to make sense of their own personal identity, to navigate a society of ‘ladies and gentlemen’, of ‘boys and girls’, which does not accommodate them.

Do you think the way one identifies with their gender will affect the art work produced?

Probably, even if its not a direct engagement. Artists have always had to navigate the way their identity is received as its always been read as integral to what they make. We’re often as interested in who the person is and their backstory as the work itself. Even if an artist doesn’t make work explicitly about how they identify with their gender it’s not uncommon to latch onto, say for example, the ‘feminine’ aspect of a woman painter, even if this projection derives solely from the fact we have realised that she is a woman! Artists can perform, subvert or omit gender from work, but it is an unavoidable projected discussion with some more vulnerable than others.

We decided to do a group show featuring artists who dissect and question the concept of gender in their practice. Elaine became interested in gender studies after studying it as part of her course and a few years ago performed in and co-wrote a sketch show at the Edinburgh Fringe which dissected gender using humour.

Ellen has been researching the intersection of gender in Abstract Expressionism for her dissertation and within her practice.

questions the concept of gender and will be running from 22nd March to 5th April.

Why did Empty Shop and the TESTT Space appeal to you to stage an exhibition?

Empty Shop in Durham has this new, amazing gallery space and studio facility. The gallery itself has space for many different art practices to be exhibited, including a dark space for video installations. It also brings art out of the Newcastle-centric art scene to somewhere where it can reach new audiences.

And how did you find the artists for the exhibition?

We visited many local artist collectives in Newcastle and the local Universities that have a Fine Art course.

This process helped us to explore and decide on our theme of gender. We saw in the work many different ways in which artists were dissecting gender as part

‘Gender’ is one of those words like ‘Feminism’ that people hear and instantly get clammy hands. Unfortunately it’s a topic which has somehow become associated with academia and pretentiousness, or dismissed as aggressive. We wanted to curate a show around gender which has moments of humour and light-heartedness. We hope it encourages a positive discussion.

What is the meaning behind the title ‘Ladies and Gentlemen’?

We chose ‘Ladies and Gentlemen’ as a lifted, well known introductory phrase. That’s why we have it in quotation marks. It’s a reminder of how society functions in a way whereby before anything else we are introduced as ladies and gentlemen or boys and girls. What’s the reason for this? Who does this categorisation benefit? Who does it exclude? With what do we associate the word lady? What do we associate with girl? Which would we rather be called? There’s much to be picked apart and the artists involved do so in a range of ways.

Do you think the concept of gender is received or discussed differently in the North East?

Poster by Luke Dawes, photograph by Elaine Robertson Read the full interview on the Visual Arts section of the Palatinate website

FEATURES Thursday, 8 March 2018

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DURHAM FEMINISM: here and now

Features explores intersectional feminism, the #yesallmen campaign, female economic empowerment and Durham’s ‘lad culture’

By Estia Ryan Vice President of DU IntFemSoc features@palatinate.org.uk

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eminism. It’s become a dirty word to some, a beacon of hope to most. Claims against feminism come in two main forms – first, that it has gone ‘too far’ and is fighting for rights already won.

Second, that it has gone nowhere near ‘far enough’ and must do more to foster inclusion and engagement across intersections. This latter is the view that I personally subscribe to. This is also the view which prompted Durham University Intersectional Feminist Society (IntFemSoc) to start a sister society, ‘Yes All Men’, a few years ago.

Feminism needs to do more to include all genders in the discussion, and this is what ‘Yes All Men’ aims to achieve

ties even earlier, starting with male suffrage in 1832.

Voting was conditional upon the value of property – essentially only allowing rich men to vote. Having a working class background legally robbed you of your democratic right.

Intersectional injustices aren’t limited to suffrage This distaste of ‘lower working classes’ was echoed a century later with Emmeline Pankhurst. The suffrage movement pre-1918 was dominated by female nobles. This of course is not to say that the suffragettes were wrong to achieve what they achieved.

I am personally allowed to vote because of their bravery and courage. It is, however, important to remember that this privilege should not be celebrated so sweetly, as once again, the movement was not ‘for everyone’.

‘Yes All Men’ aimed to open the Feminist discussion to men. The focus was on men from different intersections whether they be trans, non-binary, or any other identity. It’s long been understood that feminism needs to do more to include all genders in the discussion, and this is what ‘Yes All Men’ precisely aimed to achieve.

‘Yes All Men’ has been relatively inactive in the last two academic years, but IntFemSoc is keen to start up the group once again. We must explore why an intersectional project is necessary if we are to be Feminists.

As the old saying goes, ‘if feminism isn’t for everyone then feminism isn’t for anyone’. This new third (coming on fourth!) wave of feminism has learned so much from its predecessors. We now have universal suffrage for all genders, ethnicities, abilities, and socio-economic backgrounds. But we must remember that equality, freedom, and liberation are not transmitted evenly or justly across society.

Equality, freedom, and liberation are not transmitted evenly or justly across society Feminist rhetoric usually begins with ‘universal suffrage’. Most people now know, following the hit film Suffragette, that women gained the right to vote in 1918. But of course, men had to be 21 and women had to be 30. Only in 1928 were men and women allowed to vote at the same age, adding 15 million women to the register. We can track back inequali-

Racism too was rife within suffragette groups.

Virtually no POC women were involved with these early British suffragettes. The exception may be with British Indian women, with the weighty influence of Indian Princess Sophia (god-daughter of Queen Victoria) on the movement. This slight victory for inclusion is also a reinforcement in ‘rich female power’ over genuine liberation.

‘If feminism isn’t for everyone then feminism isn’t for anyone’ Intersectional injustices aren’t limited to suffrage. In the 18th Century, anal sex was punishable by hanging. In 1861 this changed to ‘mere imprisonment’. As late as 1954, there were 1,096 gay men in UK prisons. The Wolfenden Report of the same year concluded that homosexuality, provided consensual, could not in any case be seen as a criminal offence. Note interestingly that at no point in UK history have lesbian acts been illegal. Decriminalization came for ‘sodomy’ in 1967 – but once again, this was not equitable liberation. The age of consent for heterosexuals was 16, while homosexuals had to wait until 21. True consent age equality came with the Sexual Offences Act in 2003.

It was only in 2004, with the UK Gender Recognition Act, that people could apply to legally encode their gender identity. This means that if I were born with male genitalia but was a woman, the law would have disagreed and informed me that my self-identity was invalid and illegal.

Just because our society has come so far, does not mean we can give up the fight for full emancipation now Only in 2010 was gender reassignment included in the Equality Act as a protective characteristic.

Only in 2015 did the idea of allowing non-binary citizens to enshrine their identity through an ‘X marker’ on passports get heard at Parliament. As of now, they are still not allowed to have passports reflect identity. Finally, only in 2017 were previous convictions under ‘sodomy’ laws pardoned (nicknamed the Alan Turing law after the famous WW2 codebreaker).

Our society has come so far in the past century. Nondiscrimination rights are becoming more and more inclusive. Suffrage extends to so many intersections. But just because we have come so far, does not mean we can give up the fight for full emancipation now. Our problems have changed, yes. Some of us are fighting for legal identity recognition, others for awareness and education, but all have a fundamental belief in equality, freedom, and liberation.

How do these tableaus from intersections affect ‘Yes All Men’? I hope that through these words you can see that a group which has at its heart an appreciation for the nuance in identity, relationships, and power-structures is vital for feminism to progress.

This movement has been elitist and privileged for too long, and young people should by no means support something which doesn’t involve them.

Let’s move into the 21st Century with open hearts and open arms. Let’s finally make feminism for everyone.

‘Yes All Men’ is a group with an appreication for the nuance in identity, relationships and power-structures If you are interested in helping organise or attending ‘Yes All Men’ in future, please contact IntFemSoc’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook. com/DurhamIntFemSoc/ Image by Durham Intersectional Feminism Society

FEATURES 5

Thursday, 8 March 2018

Economic Empowerment for Women: An interview with Vicky Pryce

By Hannah Brown Vice President of DU IntFemSoc

You recently published Why Women Need Quotas: what was your main aim in writing this book?

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t has taken some time for women to be even close to attracting the premium that their skills should suggest. Progress has been painfully slow. The percentage of senior executive posts that are held by women is still below 10% in the UK and the pay gap remains. The Pay Reviews currently being conducted show the gap among our bigger companies to be very large, often blamed on the fact that most senior posts are held by men - this is the case in easyjet where most pilots are men and most women stewardesses . Even at McKinsey’s who has a female head of UK operations, the gap seems to be over 80%.

It is not that women don’t have the capabilities to rise to the top. Instead the system wastes their resources by failing to keep them employed in the higher paid jobs and ends up with a shorter and probably not as gifted a pool to choose from in higher job levels. Even though they enter such professions in greater numbers than men, and their pay in their twenties is higher, that gets reversed in their thirties. Women disappear in larger numbers either to have children, or because the culture of an organisation as they move up is not one they feel comfortable in, as they face both conscious and unconscious bias in many sectors as they progress. We have just seen in a recent survey that women are still often asked whether they intend to have children in interviews despite it being illegal.

What do you feel is the most important reason to have quotas for women?

Culture is moving very slowly. Putting women on boards which is what the 30% club is trying to do won’t

solve that as there is no way that a woman board member sitting on numerous boards will be able to influence the culture of an organisation to give women a proper chance. The emphasis should be on ensuring there are enough senior women in executive positions to act as role models and influencers. Enforcing quotas over time in executive positions would compel organisations to change their culture to keep women, even if they have children or want a more flexible type of work pattern – which of course should also benefit the men. That way the pipeline of women as they move up remains fed and by the time one is looking to make senior appointments there is a strong enough pool of both men and women to choose from. It is not positive discrimination- it just allows women to be appointed on merit in proper competition with men not because they have worked three times as hard as men to get there which is unfair or because they are the token woman all boards need! This creates a true meritocracy rather than men appointing other men into senior jobs, which is what tends to happen now.

Why do you think economic empowerment is so important for women in our society today?

First and foremost it is because it is the only fair thing to do. Second it makes good economic sense as what is a majority of the population is able to contribute properly to the economy. Third, if achieved, it will change the power balance forever, something that the #MeToo movement and other campaigns are focusing energy on. In my view, however much we protest and wear black in BAFTA ceremonies that shift in power won’t happen until economic equality has been achieved.

It is about being paid the same for a job you do as the man or as much as an equivalent job would pay. It is for being in senior roles that make the decisions that matter to us all. Yes, women do make most spending decisions in the household because this is the role that is being as-

signed to them. They choose kids’ clothes, holidays, what cereal to get, what to do at half term, how to spread a possibly tight budget. But that does not give them power as they are not represented as much in the roles that make the big decisions about, say, war and peace, or in strategic company decisions that determine the employment and livelihood of millions. And yet unfortunately even if they work full time they still do more than 60% of the household chores while men decide on mergers and acquisitions, accounting rules etc. The balance is not right.

Current practices prevent this power balance from being reversed. But the perception that women are less capable than men in what have traditionally been seen to be male sectors has persisted. And yet during the wars, they provided very good substitutes for the men who had gone off to fight, working very effectively in large numbers in factories and lots of other areas that men had kept to themselves until then.

Once role models are in evidence girls at school will see that options are wider. Subjects they study will change There will be no more President’s Clubs. And yes, feminism may not be the right label. But one hasn’t ditched the word ‘democracy’ which my greek ancestors invented because it has changed so dramatically since greek times. The current emphasis on pay gaps and equal treatment is focussing the minds on what really matters and feminism is being metamorphosed. Remember the vore gained 100 years ago gave women the right to vote if they owned property. Very narrow definition but one that showed that your rights increased in the minds of others in line with your economic assets!

Vicky Pryce’s book: Why Women Need Quotas (Biteback Publishing, 2015).

The full interview can be found online at Palatinate Features

Calling ‘in’ lad culture: a panel discussion

By Heather Pearson Founder, Former President and Current Events Officer of Collingwood Feminism Society

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n the 20th February I organised a panel discussion on Lad Culture as part of Collingwood College Feminism Society.

Nearly 50 people turned up to hear various representatives around Collingwood discuss Lad Culture’s existence, manifestations, and repercussions on the University experience.

With so much interest in the event, it’s clear that the issues of Lad Culture are pertinent and are a huge concern to students. Whilst the panel was great to exchange ideas and discuss its causes and issues, in tackling Lad Culture and making the University environment a better place in general, there needs to be action.

After reflecting on the points brought up at the panel, an important action to tackle ‘laddish’ behaviour was brought up: do not be complacent, be an active bystander.

If someone retreats to sexism, racism, homophobia for a punchline, don’t laugh along or worse, play it off as ‘banter’. Once harmful generalisations of people start becoming a joke, these attitudes are normalised, and that’s when we fall into problematic behaviour – we only need to look to the defamatory actions of two college sports’ teams last term to know that prejudices and harmful attitudes can manifest into serious situations.

Instead of being complacent in the eyes of problem-

atic behaviour, calling ‘in’ someone on their actions helps to change attitudes. Public announcements of someone’s problematic behaviour, which is ‘calling out,’ is a valid way of holding people accountable for their actions - but if this is only going to incite anger from the guilty party, it is easy to get defensive and may even worsen their attitudes. However, to call ‘in’ strikes a balance – taking that person aside and letting them know what they did was wrong, creating a conversation on the subject and extending compassion and understanding. This allows them to analyse their mistakes and hold them accountable for future actions.

The idea of taking a rugby lad aside in 24s to tell him his comment was sexist does seem pretty ridiclous. However, it is time that we start recognising that Lad Culture is not just pints and pulling on a Wednesday night sports social. In everyday life, Lad Culture is present in toxic masculinity, microaggressions, lack of respect, elitist mindsets, and so on - and these can show themselves anywhere from the lecture hall to the nightclub.

Calling ‘in’ is not perfect, however. Sometimes it is important to get angry and not hide that for the sake of someone else, sometimes social pressures can stop you from speaking up, out of wanting to fit in or fear of your safety through intimidation. In this case, do not put yourself under any stress or risk. However, if you are in the position where you can just take a friend aside to let them know that what they said was not okay, then please do so.

If you’re worried about being ‘that person’ or being ‘too serious,’ then it is because you don’t think the situ-

ation is serious enough. And the repercussions can be severe: if unchallenged they may never know it was an issue, heightening their entitlement, which can lead to more serious incidents down the line.

At the end of the day, a comment from a close friend will always resonate more with someone than from a stranger, because you have developed that trust and respect for each other. Aiding each other’s self-development is a key part of friendship, so allow them to learn from their mistakes.

In Durham we have a nuanced experience of Lad Culture - cheap alcohol, a huge importance placed on sports, collegiate competitiveness and the ‘Bubble’ can make Durham seem like a playground for Lad Culture to manifest. Considering this in the aftermath of serious incidents coming from ‘Lads’ last term, the act of calling ‘in’ may seem small and insignificant. However, actions stem from attitudes and behaviours, so tackling it at its source will alleviate its occurrences, and is an action that is not to be overlooked.

Photograph by James Savage via Flickr

STAGE Thursday, 8 March 2018

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Was the Bard gender-blind?

Stage discusses gender-blind casting of Shakespeare’s greatest characters

By Helena Snider Stage Editor stage@palatinate.org.uk

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ender-blind casting is a contentious

issue. When Shakespeare was writing, young male actors played female parts, as women were not allowed onstage until 1660. More recently, however, the converse of this – females playing male roles – such as Hamlet and Julius Caesar, has created outrage. I’ve heard people claim that it’s sexist to give traditionally male roles to women in theatre, as though male acting roles are in some kind of shortage. Indeed, only last year playwright Ronald Harwood has claimed that casting women in male Shakespearean roles is “an insult to the playwright” and “astonishingly stupid”.

comes more inclusive. In my mind, it’s clear that gender-blind casting is a positive step in terms of female advancement.

Here are five of the most iconic genderblind Shakespeare castings:

Indeed, Shakespeare himself toyed with our understanding of gender. Two of his famous comedies, Twelfth Night and As You Like It, centre around the confusions and revelations that arise from female characters disguising themselves as men. So why shouldn’t women play with gender too? As theatre companies and directors have been reinventing Shakespeare’s works and including more women, we are forced to see each play with fresh eyes. For example, there have been contemporary allfemale productions to rival the all-male Elizabethan productions, which have shed new and interesting light on texts.

Mirren said of the role, “Women have been punished for being powerful for many centuries, and I thought that was the remarkable thing about changing Prospero into Prospera: you can bring in that history of female struggle.”

1. Prospera by Helen Mirren

Shakespeare himself toyed with our understanding of gender Gender-blind casting can also prompt the creation of better productions. It’s important to remember that there is no such thing as ‘authentic Shakespeare’; no such thing as “how Shakespeare intended”.

2. All-female Julius Caesar

Phyllida Lloyd’s all-female Julius Caesar was staged within the framework of a women’s prison with the inmates performing the play.

3.

Glenda Jackson as Lear

4.

Cate Blanchett as Richard II

Warner said the production was not meant to be “an exploration of gender”; it was simply a chance for her to take on one of the most complex and satisfying roles for an actor.

There is no such thing as ‘authentic Shakespeare’; no such thing as ‘how Shakespeare intended’ The feminist principle that skilled female actors should have equality of access to meaty theatrical parts is, to me, self-evident. The far fewer number of female roles available in Shakespeare’s plays has reduced opportunities for actresses on the modern stage. It’s simply a fact that most famous plays were written by men and also tend to star more men than women. No one can change this. What we can change is our attitude to casting so that it be-

She appeared in a condensed version of the play, modernising it. Blanchett spoke of the move as a way to bring in a younger audience to the Sydney Theatre Company’s performances.

5. Tamsin Greig as Malvolia

Gender-blind casting is a positive step in terms of female advancement

Her performance prompted Elizabeth Schafer to argue that, “the really remarkable thing about Greig’s Malvolia is not that she is a woman. It is that Greig has completely reconceived Shakespeare’s character.”

Photographs by A Other, ChrisGloverWorth, and Eva Rinaldi via Flickr and Creative Commons

BOOKS 7

Thursday, 8 March 2018

Feminism, fiction and false assumptions Books speaks to Lola Fabian-Hurst, President of Durham’s Feminist Book Club

By Alex Leggatt and Tanvi Pahwa Books Editors books@palatinate.org.uk

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ola Fabian-Hurst is a second year Hatfield student studying Liberal Arts. She is currently the President of Durham’s Feminist Book Club. Books had the opportunity to discuss with Lola the way in which her society talks about gender identity and feminism.

getting to the heart of core issues.

Why do you think poetry is thought of as a more ‘feminine’ pursuit, given how historically the form has generally been dominated by men?

I guess for me the obvious answer is purely the expression of emotion. There’s a bit of a stigma about men expressing themselves in that way and showing hidden, private and internal things and women are expected to show and express that more.

Could you tell us a little bit about the Durham Feminist Book Club and what it aims to do?

The Feminist Book Club is a relatively new club, starting last year. As a club, it aims to get people together talking about how feminism is presented in the arts. Specifically, we don’t just discuss ‘feminist’ texts, but also look at diverse mediums from a new perspective; spoken word, visual texts (for example, spoken word videos), and film. It’s important to stress that this club is not just for bookworms, for example, the next meeting is on The Handmaid’s Tale, but if you don’t feel like reading the text you can watch the new TV series by Channel 4. We meet once every three to four weeks, therefore it is not a huge commitment, and at each meeting there is always so many great recommendations of other authors to read if you are interested. Members don’t have to be English Students, and even if discussion begins with a book, it almost always relates back to a wider issue in society. There is no judgement between the members; when I created it, I was worried that I may not have the best articulated or the most well-informed argument, but ultimately I have an opinion which is useful for the group discussion!

Does the gender of an author affect the way you read a book?

Yeah, I mean the ideal is where people write freely and there would be no judgement, but people inevitably write partially from experience. If it’s a fictional book, for example The Power, the author has written it because she has noticed specific things in society as a woman. Maybe writing in the most authentic, truthful way can only come from that personal experience. Ultimately, it’s not about offering the same perspective over and over again but showing it from a different, new perspective; just because it is from a male perspective doesn’t mean it cannot be accepted - it just a different judgement from a different perspective. Ideally it would be good if women could publish under their name. Having gender neutral initials can take away the importance of gender in authorship.

It also depends on the kind of text; with an autobiographical text, for example, the gender of the author is extremely important since it enriches the story. So I guess there are arguments for both sides.

What are some issues that you believe the literary industry faces when it comes to feminism?

A lot of it comes back to how texts are branded, or portrayed even from the front cover of the book as overtly ‘feminist’. Ideally, a feminist book is just a book which can be picked up by anyone, with men and women reading it equally. I believe there is a stigma when books are advertised as a feminist read, especially for boys. I have given The Power to male friends, and they have enjoyed it, but I think they wouldn’t have picked it up if I hadn’t recommended it to them.

We need to get away from the idea of ‘feminist’ texts and incorporate other texts written on these issues, including those from the male perspective. We are definitely lacking this at the moment, but there has been some movement in the right direction, namely the #HeforShe campaign, which although being controversial got the debate flowing. Ultimately, societal issues can become fictionalised in the text; it is a case of not just exploring everyday sexism, but

too fast to condemn authors by today’s standards (it’s so easy to be critical in a retrospective view, for example towards Milton, and yet for his time he was quite radical: he believed marriage was about equality and a spiritual connection between couples as opposed to woman being a man’s possession).

Clearly the debate has come a lot further from that, but you can’t expect progression to come that fast; the feminist movement has been a long, gradual struggle coming from people being angry and protesting for change. Having these texts to read means we can see how far we’ve come from them, and makes us want to progress even more and figure out whether the issues that writers are focusing on are prevalent now, or might not even be prevalent in a 100 years. For example, people see the over-romanticizing of women and Juliet’s characterization as a fair maiden, and they continue to question why she is presented like that.

I don’t necessarily think of poetry as a female or male thing anyway, it’s one of those areas in the arts where there is a lot of developing poetry across both genders. People are getting into new versions of poetry, like spoken word poetry, where men and women both pursue that. I do think people assume that poetry is more feminine, but I wouldn’t be so quick to label it as one or the other.

Is it unfair to read texts with a proto-feminist critique given that the authors at the time were not aware of the feminist movement?

I think the point is really valid because you have to look at things in their cultural context and not being

How do we get more men engaged in the Feminist Book Club?

I wish as many boys would turn up to the book club as possible! It is difficult to know how to attract boys to the group. I think it comes back to the assumption and stigma of the word ‘feminism’.

Ultimately, it goes back to what people value giving everyone the chance to speak freely, express different views and understanding that people necessarily have different views. I would love it if a guy came along and said this is my experience; at the moment we assume these male perspectives but it obviously cannot do justice to their own experiences.

Photograph by Lola Fabian-Hurst

FASHION 8

Thursday, 8 March 2018

#Age IsNotAVariableor a boundary Imogen De Souza shares her admiration for one of the most interesting, eye-catching influencers of the moment, Lyn Slater

By Imogen De Souza fashion@palatinate.org.uk

D

escribing herself as a “cultural influencer”, Lyn Slater has changed the way we view age in relation to fashion. The 64-year-old runs an extremely successful fashion blog and Instagram account which boasts over 400,000 followers. Refusing to be defined and restricted by her technical status of “old”, the “accidental icon” is more fashion-forward than most twenty-somethings. An avid user of hashtags, she chooses words such as “powerful” and “confident” to illustrate her looks whilst donning garments designed by the likes of Yohji Yamamoto and Karl Lagerfeld.

Why can’t older people be fashionable?

Although possessing a flare for high fashion, her wardrobe also consists of regular high-street labels such as River Island. The affordable and accessible fashion combined with higher-end pieces is just one of the reasons that Slater stands out from the crowd. She even experiments with black lipstick and daring hairstyles that completely transform her appearance. Braver than most, her minimalist yet bold outfits are guaranteed to capture your attention as you scroll through your Instagram feed.

She should be praised for her advocacy of a new attitude towards aging: replacing the perils of old age with literal silver linings However, her success shouldn’t be defined by her popularity or follow count, despite it being indicative of her widespread influence. Instead, she should be praised for her advocacy of a new attitude towards aging: replacing the perils of old age with literal silver linings. Her spirit and message permeate beyond the chic garments, they promote an optimistic mentality that encourages people to question the entrenched rigidities of society. Not just an inspiration for the old, she is a pioneer and activist whose message can be applied to other former ‘taboos’ of life. Why can’t older people be fashionable?

Her spirit and message permeate beyond the chic garments So next time a ‘fashion rule’ pops into your head, just think of Lyn Slater.

Both a grandma and style icon, she fronts a rebellion against societal constraints that promotes the acceptance of the aging process: age is no boundary.

Illustration: @iconaccidental By Anna Gibbs

(Girl) Powe

Palatinate Fashion shines

making waves

FASHION Thursday, 8 March 2018

9

er Dressing

the spotlight on the women in the fashion industry Heritage Fabrics at Emilia Wickstead Photographs: Via Instagram @emiliawickstead

Oversized Headwear from Isa Arfen Photograph: Via Instagram @britishfashioncouncil and @IsaArfen

Our Highlights From The Women Behind The Looks At London Fashion Week

By Anna Gibbs

Bold+Bright Statement Eveningwear from Molly Goddard Photograph: Via Instagram @mollymgoddard

Music 10

Thursday, 8 March 2018

There’s more than meets the eye

Music explores the dichotomous nature of female sexualisation in the music industry

By Eden Szymura music@palatinate.org.uk

I

n light of the numerous sexual abuse scandals that dominate our newsfeeds, the over-sexualised presentation of women in the music industry is more relevant than ever. However, whilst giving the scantily-clad pop brigade a cardigan might stop them getting hypothermia, it won’t solve the more nuanced discussion surrounding music, society and female sexuality.

Whilst I love to put the world to rights, I can only do it 1,000 words at a time. Therefore, I will be turning my attention towards the sexualised image of female musicians rather than the troubling allegations of sexual abuse within the music industry as a workplace.

This article should be seen as merely a strand in a diverse and interconnected web of issues surrounding representation in music.

The over-sexualised presentation of women in the music industry is more relevant than ever Personally, I find reading articles arguing that sexualised women in the music industry are oppressed, or worse, immoral, rather frustrating. This is because to some extent it is true, but also because all too often we fail to recognise it is equally untrue. The assumption that women are sexualised by men for the pleasure of men is a multifaceted dilemma and whilst Britney Spears may fit this stereotype, appearing in sexy air hostess outfits, her use of minimal latex is a bit more complicated than it first appears (who knew).

Whilst it is problematic that sexualised images of women saturate our society, suggesting that they are no more than sexual vessels, it is equally as problematic and naive to assume that all female musicians are coerced into this behaviour. Indeed, I wouldn’t go labelling Beyoncé as ‘oppressed’ anytime soon. In fact, I would argue she confidently uses her sexual identity to empower herself as a woman. All too often, female sensuality is shrouded in taboo, making the honesty of music such as ‘Finders Keepers’ by Mabel rather liberating. Simplistically, music such as this may be assumed to be objectifying. However, the nuance of the singer choosing to objectify herself and owning her identity transforms the message into one of empowerment. This is because the singer is reclaiming her sexual identity and its abilities to make her feel good, rather than constructing it for the male gaze. The assumption that self-sexualisation equates to ‘immoral’ promiscuity is a severe misunderstanding of self-confidence and the individuality of female identity.

Self-sexualisation does not equate to ‘immoral’ promiscuity Nevertheless, although self-expression is key to fair representation, it is concerning that there is often little choice for women but to be sexualised. Not everyone can or wants to be Nicki Minaj; therefore, it is fundamental to female empowerment that women have the choice to sexualise themselves rather than this action being thrust upon them. Therefore, whilst I strongly advocate women ‘owning’ their own bodies, sadly the positive societal effects of self-sexualisation are undermined by it often also being the only

economically successful option. Women have the right to fair representation, including the right to top the charts without over-sexualisation. Fundamentally, the representation of women in the music industry and further afield should be one that is determined by females themselves.

It is fundamental that women have the choice to sexualise themselves rather than this action being thrust upon them

Sex as a theme isn’t the issue; instead it is its unrealistic portrayal However, it is worth noting that men, too, are being increasingly sexualised by the music industry, again perhaps due to the importance of visual marketing compared to the past. Whilst this is yet to reach the levels faced by women, the growing saturation of chiselled men is a concern that should be addressed considering the toxic influence of distorted body images on mental health. Indeed, with the Office for National Statistics reporting suicide as the biggest killer of men between 20 and 49, this should not be underestimated.

It is also worth addressing the insulting representation of non-heterosexual women as a double minority within the music industry. All too often lyrics appear to fetishise lesbian/female bisexual relationships purely for the sexual gratification of men, such as Katy Perry’s lyric ‘it’s not what good girls do, not how I should behave’ in ‘I Kissed A Girl’. Not only is this music harmful in misrepresenting and belittling multiple sexual identities as an ‘experimental game’, but it also highlights the sheer lack of platforms given to non-heterosexual females to write their own narratives.

Distorted body images have a toxic influence on mental health We all know the bottom line is sex sells and this isn’t going to change. Therefore, it is important to stress sex as a theme isn’t the issue; instead, it is its unrealistic portrayal. Most music, particularly pop and rap, does not champion healthy and diverse sexual relationships based on consent and respect. In its place, a glorification of slightly perverted, sadistic and outdated relationship models often normalise abusive behaviour towards both men and women. As someone who loves the expressive qualities of rap, it is incredibly upsetting as a woman to hear repeated casual misogynistic slurs tainting most songs. Whilst derogatory terms towards women may be called part of a cultural identity and dialect, this simply isn’t good enough and it is the normalising of objectification in songs such ‘F**kin’ Problems’ that perpetuate twodimensional stereotypes regarding women. One has to ask how women can be fairly represented within the music industry when they are often, albeit at times subconsciously, undermined by the dialogue used by men; indeed, fair representation is impossible to Images by RicardoTerrazas35 & carolbrunette7 via Flickr achieve until both sexes start changing their language surrounding sex and that means men have an The consensus is that, in such a digitalised world, important role to play in female empowerment. image quite possibly overtakes voice. Why, then, does this not apply to men to the same extent? The eyewateringly successful and unfashionable Ed Sheeran Fair representation is impossible to is testament to the music industry getting it ‘right’ achieve until both sexes start changing for, as consumers, we have managed to look beyond his average looks to find his personality and, more their language surrounding sex importantly, his talent fascinating. Whilst this also applies to Adele, her more universal target market is I’ll end where I began: the fair representation of different to that of the primarily younger demographic women in the music industry can only be described of Ed Sheeran who have grown up in a digital society as a dichotomy, where female musicians should not where image is everything. be forced into sexualisation but also reserve the right to sexualise themselves. It is only through recognising This suggests a positive correlation between female this that we can begin to recognise the doublesexualisation and younger generations, perhaps due to standards faced by women in all walks of life and the the newly placed importance of visual social media. need for a more open dialogue surrounding female sexuality in general.

TRAVEL Thursday, 8 March 2018

11

A Saving Grace?

Travel discusses whether all-female hostels are the “building blocks for the liberation of female travellers”

By Catarina Werneck da Fonseca travel@palatinate.org.uk Throughout my twenty years of existence, I have had a fair share of encounters with the realities of female solo travel. Having been raised in Brazil by my mother – someone who is incredibly keen on world exploration – I was exposed to stories such as the time she had to switch hotels twice whilst travelling alone in America due to certain interactions that made her feel very unsafe. Wanting to pursue solo travel myself, I’ve heard the warnings from family members, seen their frowns and listened to their disapproving sighs when describing my travel plans. “Oh well, at least you are meeting up with that boy from school,” is what I heard from one of my female friends when I let her know that I would be meeting a male friend at one of my destinations; the underlying assumption being that having a man with me would provide safety and protection from the ‘big bad world’. The predominant feeling in society about women travelling alone is simple: they just shouldn’t.

The predominant feeling in society about women travelling alone is simple: they just shouldn’t Thankfully I am not alone when I refuse to surrender to this perhaps ludicrous idea that limits my capacity and desire to see the world without requiring the assistance of anyone else. Whilst hundreds of thousands of words have been written in the form of books, essays and articles about the experience of female solo travel and how to safely do it, one of the most helpful creations in the field of tourism is allfemale hostels. By providing a safe environment for women who are travelling on a budget, fully-female hostels are the building blocks for the liberation of female travellers. Hostelle, a hostel in Amsterdam “founded for women and by women,” aims to facilitate the navigation of women to and from the city. Its founder Bianca Brasdorp describes its environment as “the ultimate girl power!” With themed rooms that range from homages to films like Kill Bill and The Titanic to walls filled with quotes like “I got my own back” and African-inspired paintings of women, the hostel is the perfect place for an empowered travel experience.

Fully-female hostels are the building blocks for the liberation of female travellers On the other hand, other women-only hostels offer less of a feminist stance and more of a gendered concoction of experiences. St. Christopher’s Oasis, a hostel in the heart of London, highlights amenities such as fluffy pillows, full-length mirrors and “lotions and potions,” whilst other hostels like Ecomama, also in Amsterdam, go as far as to decorate their allfemale dorms with blinding hot pink duvets, curtains and rugs in order to attract women who supposedly will be captivated by the ‘girly’ atmosphere. It is hard not to point out the gender stereotypes involved in the marketing of this type of hostel, but the truth exposed by their sheer existence is a much bigger one.

The female-only dorms and hostels are a disheartening reflection of a culture in which men are still a potential threat to women, falling under the umbrella of

measures society has taken in order to protect women instead of attacking the root-cause that helps holds the patriarchy together: the misogyny with which men are raised and taught from a very young age. The famous booking website HostelCulture.com, wrote that “maleonly dorms aren’t nearly as common” as their female counterparts, once again illustrating the sad reality of the demand for female accommodation being still so high in 2018. A world in which women feel the need to stay away from men in order to have a peaceful travelling experience should serve as enough indication that despite all the marches and the #MeToo’s, there is still an abundance of change that needs to be made.

All-women hostels are legitimate international bases for women on the go However, it is unequivocal that while we must fight for this change, female-only hostels should continue to exist as a short-term solution. There is so much to be gained from seeing different parts of the world – those who are privileged enough to be able to do so will acquire knowledge and cultural experience that no website or book can provide. With fully-female hostels, women are allowed access to places they would have otherwise not gone to if shackled by society’s norms that advise women not to travel on their own. Without these spaces, would women perhaps more frequently need a husband, a male companion or family member in order to travel? Would they not feel as safe just jumping on a plane and flying to the other side of the globe, always having to watch their backs or pay for more expensive private rooms? These are the questions that reveal the benefits of all-women hostels, the legitimate international bases for women on the go.

Images by rawpixel.com via Flickr Creative Commons

CREATIVE WRITING 12

Thursday, 8 March 2018

Baseball

By Anonymous creative.writing@palatinate.org.uk Play Ball First Inning

I

’ve never been comfortable with sexism.

It’s always enraged me. I guess that’s natural considering how amazing my mom was. My most vivid memory of her is when I was maybe eight years old.

Tom was long gone, and she’d been struggling to provide for my sister and me. I came home one day from school with tears and snot running down my face because the other boys had laughed at my second-hand sneakers. I told mom that I couldn’t be a cool kid unless I had cool sneakers to match.

I’ve never been comfortable with sexism. It’s always enraged me Mom was clearly stressed. She’d been working all that day and was most likely exhausted.

Yet, somehow, she found the energy to pick me up and hug me so tight that I forgot all about my sneakers and the outside world.

She said, and I still remember these words even now, ‘I’m going to get us through this. I’m going to get us through this.’ She said that like five times. No one would have questioned her sincerity in that moment.

Second Inning She did get us through the tough times right up until her death. Mom was constantly juggling four or five jobs at any one time. She didn’t let her pride get in the way of getting food on the table. She cleaned, she worked in a toothpaste factory, she gardened, she did the dishes in the local Indian, she was a delivery driver.

She was a real life superwoman Only now can I fully appreciate how much she did for us. Her whole existence was dedicated to providing for us. She barely saw her friends and had no time for herself. Even after a stressful twenty-hour day at work, she’d still

Photograph: kelly, via Creative Commons and Flickr

have time to deal with me and my sister’s bickering. She was a real life superwoman.

Third Inning When she died I was inconsolable. In the very final moments of her life, mom was still acting as the provider. She died when a car crashed into her bike when she was on route to work.

When she died I was inconsolable Even at this stage, Tom let me and my sister down. We went to live with our grandmother.

Fourth Inning I guess that explains why I am really hard-

line when it comes to misogyny of any kind.

As far as I’m concerned, the only worthwhile people in my life have all been women. The men have been useless. Part of me thinks it’s genetic.

The only worthwhile people in my life have all been women.

The men have been useless I remember, a year back, an incident when I completely lost it at a sexist remark. It was during that time in a baseball game, prior to the match, when the two teams are psyching one another out. One of my opponents made one of those pathetic ‘your mom’ jokes, looking at me directly in the eye, and I very almost swung for him with the bat in my hand. I had to be restrained by my teammates and escorted off the pitch to calm down. I was very almost expelled

CREATIVE WRITING Thursday, 8 March 2018

13

In Baseball, reality violently invades the narrator’s idealist world; a feminist activist becomes entangled in their own internalised sexism, in a reminder of the way in which culture seeps into our subconscious.

I basically said that she looked fat

afterwards.

Fifth Inning A few weeks later, my history teacher, Mrs McGrath, suggested that I invest my passion for women’s rights into something positive.

The school was yet to have an official Feminist Society, and she thought that I was perfect to start one. I took some convincing but eventually agreed to it.

Sixth Inning

I dreamt that a school friend, who I barely speak to, posted a selfie on Instagram. It was a perfectly nice picture. For some reason, I felt the need to tag one of my friends on the post, making an implicit comment on her appearance. I can’t remember what my exact words were, but I basically said that she looked fat. My friend replied to the comment, saying ‘BANTER!!!’, and then the matter was dropped.

The first meetings of the feminist society were very sparsely attended. Bar a few friends, and a few teacher pals Mrs McGrath had bribed into attending, no one showed up. Even though the audience was tiny I still mumbled through all my speeches, made incoherent points, and struggled to answer questions. I almost gave up.

The next day, another classmate confronted me about the comment. She, quite rightly, said that I had no right to criticise a woman’s appearance like that and that my behaviour had been disgusting. I said that she’d clearly read something into my comment that wasn’t there.

Where exactly had I called this girl fat?

The first meetings of the feminist society were sparsely attended

She said that I had no right to criticise a woman’s appearance

very

Seventh Inning Ultimately, feminism won out. Mrs McGrath and I persevered. We started arranging talks with more controversial and more current subjects. We had a guy rant about the lyrics of Eminem and Tyler, The Creator. We had people talk on feminism and fashion, feminism and sport, feminism and uniform. We even had one girl give a rousing speech on sexuality where she came out to the whole school. There wasn’t a dry eye in the room after that one.

This classmate continued to accuse me. She would not stop until I’d apologise for my ac-

tions. She continued to shout at me and I just remember getting more and more irate at her voice. Her pointing finger of judgement. Her superior attitude. Her voice was so whiny, so annoying. I wished that she would just shut the fuck up.

I tried to walk away from her, but she just kept on following me. I started shouting back at her, swearing at her, telling her that if she didn’t shut the hell up then she’d be sorry.

I wanted to fight her. I wanted to beat her up I wanted to fight her. I wanted to beat her up with something.

Ninth Inning I woke up, drenched in sweat. I stared at the poster, right in my line of vision, on my bedroom wall. It was of a still-frame from Beyoncé’s ‘Hold Up’ music video. I thought of how much of a bloody hypocrite I was and held my head in my hands.

Game Over

We booked controversial speakers. We even had anti-feminists attempting to explain themselves to the obviously hostile audience. The attendance numbers started to shoot up. People were actually asking insightful, intelligent questions. We were inspiring a whole new generation of feminists.

Eighth Inning You’re probably wondering why I’ve told you this whole backstory. Well, the truth is….

The truth is that I’m disturbed. Last night, I had a dream that really disturbed me. I don’t know what it means. All I know is that it’s really disturbed me.

Photograph: gaelx via Creative Commons and Flickr

FOOD AND DRINK Thursday, 8 March 2018

14

The bitter aftertaste of Food Marketing Food and Drink explores the gendered stereotypes that pervade the food industry

By Emma Taylor Food and Drink Editor food@palatinate.org.uk

Y

ou will all have probably seen the scandal of ‘Lady Doritos’ in the headlines a couple of weeks ago. In an interview, the CEO of PepsiCo suggested that the company may start producing crisps specifically aimed at the female market – crisps that were less messy and would fit in a woman’s purse.

Somewhat predictably (and justifiably), the internet kicked off, pointing out women can eat normal Doritos just fine, ‘thanks very much’. It was later declared to be false; PepsiCo released a statement denying any creation of such a sexist crisp.

However, although this particular rumour turned out to be false, the way food is perceived as either ‘male’ or ‘female’ is not. What is worrying is that the rumour was so believable. It could happen.

The possibility of ‘Lady Doritos’? Crisps that are less messy and would fit in a woman’s purse I was buying a birthday card a couple of days ago, and the array of cards almost formed a lineup of gendered food stereotypes. Pink female cards were all cupcakes and sparkling wine; male cards, in blue and grey, were burgers and beer. The sphere of food is permeated by gender norms, from the way food is advertised to us to the way celebrity chefs form their identities. Everyone remembers the classic Yorkie bar (‘It’s not for girls’, and, if that wasn’t clear enough, a picture of a girl with a big red line through her).

Part of the issue is the way food is advertised to

us. Food seems such a neutral ground – it is a basic human need – yet somehow gender stereotypes are manipulated into selling us yoghurt, ice cream and beer. In 2014, McDonalds was heavily criticised for advertising their fries as ‘tall, blonde and gorgeous’, as if women could be classed as food to be consumed for pleasure.

The classic Yorkie bar - ‘It’s not for girls’ However, although this was so blatant it was noticed, my television screen is a kaleidoscope of stereotypes. We have all seen advertisements of women in white dresses floating around in Paradise, eating low-fat yoghurt in the sunshine. The camera moves into a close-up shot of her mouth eating the yoghurt; her lips close around the spoon. The same shot is used to advertise ice cream lollipops and chocolate. Men, meanwhile, flip burgers and down beer. No low-fat yoghurt for them!

In 2014 McDonalds advertised their fries as “tall, blonde and gorgeous” Why is yoghurt (always low-fat) seemingly such a female food? Are there foods that are ‘male’ and ‘female’? Of course not, yet stereotypes dictate

rules that are dizzying. There are articles written for women on what not to eat on first dates (apparently not spaghetti, burgers, pizza or anything too messy which would presumably be ‘unladylike’); cupcake shops are often coloured in pastel pinks.

Food itself is not gendered, the way that food is marketed is gendered In the food world, there are often worrying signals we are still stuck in the 1950s world, in which women whip up buttercream dressed in high-heels and iced with as much makeup as the cake is with icing. This stereotype – of the 1950s housewife, prettily chained to the kitchen – could be applied to some cookbook covers today.

Food itself is not gendered – there is no reason why a fairy-cake with a cherry on the top would be more female than a steak and chips. It is the way food is marketed that is gendered, and that is the crucial difference. There have been huge gains, and women are reclaiming the kitchen in their own way.

Female chefs are making strides in the food industry; the tide is turning. Yet if we insist on advertising ice cream lollipops with such casual sexualisation, there is still a problem. It is this – no matter how sweet the ice-cream – that leaves a bitter taste in the mouth.

Images by Emma Taylor

FILM & TV 15

Thursday, 8 March 2018

Toxic Masculinity on Screen Film & TV

By Martin Shore As The Cure once told us, Boys Don’t Cry. This is a maxim that is easily observed on screens both great and small; where female characters can be emotional, it’s rare to see a male character that doesn’t appear to conform to what we’ve been conditioned to expect.

Even when they do, it typically won’t escape the boundaries of the rom-com, where starting a successful relationship is reduced to having a head of foppish hair and being overly expressive.

considers the cultural representations of men (and its lack of depth)

An audience typically expects a leading lad to be gruff, stoic and impersonal

By Adele Cooke film@palatinate.org.uk

S

he’s that girl. The one with the coy smile, the pouty lips and baby-doll eyes. Holding a well-positioned object or posed away from the camera. She’s wearing little, if anything at all. No, this is not the opening of a porn film, this is a perfume advert.

Coco Chanel to be precise. And you, the viewer, get to watch her take her kit off every second of the day. There is no watershed for exposing the female body. She’s gazing at you from cinema screens, late night television or over your morning cereal. And you, the viewer, see her solely through the male gaze.

Audience members are typically expecting a leading lad to be gruff, stoic and impersonal. Take Woody Harrelson’s excellent performance as police chief Willoughby in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. Despite his letters forming a lot of the emotional force in the latter half of the movie, Willoughby cannot appear as anything but the model of caretaker at the head of the community (hence the anger at McDormand’s slanderous billboards).

It is only in the fact of his very real race against death at the hands of his pancreatic cancer that we see moments of weakness or emotion, and only after he takes his own life that his feelings escape, despite being so significant to the

There is no watershed for exposing the female body: you, the viewer, see her solely through the male gaze

plot.

Hyper-masculinity influences our own development

From reading her Wikipedia page, I think Laura Mulvey has a point. The concepts of the “voyeuristic” or “fetishistic” depictions of men hold up. In her essay ‘Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema’, Mulvey illustrated the way that the male gaze categorises women solely as an image to be looked at and a source of fetishisation, or an object of male pleasure.

More often than not these women are shown through one of three perspectives; the person behind the camera, the characters in the piece or the spectator. Women become objects, without a voice or a perspective, and are often reduced to the sum of their parts, with a close-up of cleavage, behind or legs.

Women become objects, without a voice or a perspective, and are often reduced to the sum of their parts The male, on the other hand, is frequently presented stalking the female. Men become voyeurs, perverts and nymphomaniacs. Women become their prey. Look no further than the Dior Poison, Calvin Klein Euphoria or Paco Rabanne One Million if you don’t believe me. But it’s not just in perfume adverts that this is happening.

You don’t have to look much further to see the male gaze is everywhere. From The Godfather to Inferno, Easy A to Clueless, the male gaze has pervaded every channel of the media, and we have allowed it to become the norm. Why are we surprised women in the entertainment industry feel they are objectified, marginalised and side lined, if this is how women are depicted in all forms of mass media? It’s time to acknowledge and amend this attitude if we want to see positive change moving forward.

The male gaze has pervaded every channel of the media Once you notice it, the male gaze is impossible to ignore. The question is, why are we still overlooking it?

Illustration by Holly Murphy

The phrase ‘toxic masculinity’ might immediately turn some readers away from this article, but hear me out.

Hyper-masculinity does genuinely influence our own development. If what we observe is successful or rewarded in some way, we often wish to emulate said behaviours. I would argue that if we see a lack of masculine figures letting out a few sobs now and then, it may well contribute to the noted difficulty many males seem to have with expressing their own emotions. Sure, it would be ludicrous to see Sly Stallone take a moment to vent his own frustrations being stalked by an alien killing machine in the original Predator. For plenty of people the thrill of a good movie is getting to experience events vicariously that would be impossible to even fathom as the average film-goer. It might make that experience more believable if we occasionally got to see someone squeak out a tear now and then.

We need to see more male expression of human emotion and more rounded characters on screen In attempting to draw attention to male tears on film, I seem to have struggled to find good examples of said behaviour. However, look back to Blade Runner 2049 when Ryan Gosling meets Dr Ana Stelline. This scene features a prolonged close up of Officer K’s reaction to what he learns at her office, and each second that goes past (including the blinking back of some tears!) only increases the weight of the revelation on K’s face. Gosling uses what must be every single muscle to map out what he’s learned, and how much it affects him as he twitches, wipes away at his eyes. This in turn ratchets up tension to the point that he explodes before leaving the clinic to continue his journey.

I want to stress that we need to see more male expression of human emotion on screen. After all, if an actor playing a known Android is one of the examples I have for expression of emotion, I feel like writers and actors should be trying harder to create more rounded characters on screen.

THE indigo INTERVIEW Thursday, 8 March 2018

16

Gender Equality and Diversity: “there is so much more we could be doing” indigo talks to J Smith, President of Durham Intersectional Feminism Society

By Julia Atherley Politics Editor politics@palatinate.org.uk

and probably do not reflect the actual numbers of survivors at Durham University. There is so much more we could be doing in working to tackle this, as well as ensuring survivors are able to access support.

J

Smith is the President of the Durham Intersectional Feminist Society. The group aims to promote gender equality in Durham and help underrepresented minorities. I spoke to J about the role of Feminist Societies at universities and the issues of inequality faced by students at Durham.

This includes extending active bystander training to all students to ensure they are better equipped in supporting others and moving to move towards compulsory consent sessions.

The work that is being done by the University, College Welfare officers on issues like consent, as well as the SU is fantastic, but there needs to be more coordination in linking together student leaders and the University. The It’s NOT Ok campaign is currently collecting feedback from students how they feel these issues could be tackled.

As leader of the Durham Intersectional Feminism Society, what role do you think Feminist Societies play in the fight for gender equality nowadays?

I think Feminist societies play an extremely important role in engaging students who are interested in issues around tackling inequality and social justice. They provide a platform to bring together students from different underrepresented groups in discussing issues that intersect gender identity, sexual orientation, race, faith, class, nationality (to name a few).

This includes working to ensure we are focusing on how we can represent issues including ongoing challenges for students accessing sanitary products at Durham, microaggressions towards underrepresented groups, but also recognising and raising awareness of gender diversity. The need to understand gender equality should not erase or invalidate anyone who falls outside of gender binary. We aim to engage students who self-define as men in the movement in providing a space to discuss issues around toxic masculinity, rigid gender norms including in addressing issues around mental health.

What challenges do you face specifically as a student in Durham? Is Durham doing enough to promote gender equality?

I think there have definitely been positive strides around promoting gender equality including the creation of a Women’s and Trans Associations within our SU, as well as the work that has been done by SU officers and students. The university has helped with the development of a new Trans policy, which alongside the new Trans and Intersex Sports policy will help ensure trans and non-binary students are better supported, including in following their passion within sports. However, if you look at the ratings from the Athena Swan award, there is more that can be done around promoting gender equality.

You self-identify as ‘they’ and use neutral pronouns. Is Feminism now less about women and more about everybody? Do you feel able to represent women’s issues as President of a Feminist Society?

Intersectional Feminism recognises when we discuss women’s issues that this needs to recognise and address issues impacting trans women, non-binary women of colour, women with disabilities, neurodivergent women, LBTQ+ women, women of faith, working class women to name a few. As a society, we have organised a wide range of events from our joint Ace 101 to Gendered Islamophobia workshops, working closely with our Liberation Associations, as well as external organisations like NUS’s Liberation Campaigns and the UK Intersex Association.

There is also a huge attainment gap for working class students, with the university only recently including ‘BME’ students into their university access agreement over the last year.

Both of these reflect when we discuss gender equality we need to recognise how this is impacted on different underrepresented groups, including but not limited to working class students and people of colour.

As President, it’s important to always listen, be open when mistakes are made, and to continuously ask what more can we be doing to ensure our Feminism society is inclusive and accessible.

I’ve tried to do this with the support of our wonderful exec and liberation officers have helped ensure we are constantly working to address how we can better represent women’s issues, but also issues impacting other underrepresented and marginalised groups.

Alongside Oxford University, Durham has some of the highest figures for reported sexual assault in UK universities. Is there something about Durham that enables these figures or is there something else?

My pronouns are ‘she’ and ‘they’ and so from experience I understand what we need to do in order to provide a platform and support the most marginalised women’s voices within our society.

The figures for Durham are absolutely disgusting

Photographs by J Robert Michael Smith