The Badger 23/24: Issue 1

F R @thebadgersussex E badger@sussexstudent.com E

The

Badger

thebadgeronline.com

Official newspaper by and for Univeristy of Sussex students and community

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Printed on recycled paper

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4 December 2023

Students Voice Support for Palestine

Keith Gelderloos Staff Writer

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mid the weekly rally held on Mondays in Library Square, Zeena (who requested her surname be kept private), a Palestinian student in her third year at Sussex, stepped away from the demonstration to take a call. An hour later, she returned to the mic, her face already showing the impact of the conversation. She had just gotten off the phone with a friend in Palestine. She told the crowd of having their conversation repeatedly interrupted by bombs going off on the other end. Pain drenched her words.

When she spoke of the possibility that she would not hear from her friend again, that pain spread throughout those gathered – despite being nearly 8000 km from the conflict, the month-old war is still very close to many students here on campus.

The rally on 6 November was the Friends of Palestine (FOP) Society’s fourth on campus. For four hours, leaders of the organization, as well as community members spoke to the crowd. Telling stories of their Palestinian friends and families affected by the war, and personal views on the conflict, they called to the dozens of passersby and listeners to take action and speak out.

“We want to raise awareness,” said Zeena in an interview with The Badger after the demonstration. “We want to make sure that our voices are heard.”

Though her family is from Haifa, they relocated after being removed from their home like many others. To her, joining the FOP was hardly even a decision.

“This is not news to me, this has been going on for as long as I can remember,” she said. “I can still remember my mom pointing at the TV being like, ‘Oh, look at what they’re doing in Palestine’ when I was six years old.”

Only a handful of the speakers that day had as direct a connection to the conflict as Zeena, but when an open mic was offered to the crowd, students and Brighton locals alike took the opportunity to make it known

that the Palestinians had many friends on campus. With a standing crowd of around 40 being maintained throughout the demonstration, and many more students pausing on their way to class to listen in, the impact of the gatherings is clear.

FOP is becoming a felt presence on campus now, but it certainly isn’t by accident. Mo Nasser, the current president of the society has been working hard to grow the organisation.

“We’re going to do a lot more. Even if there was no war, I would still have the same agenda,” Nasser stated, referring to the uptick in events such as these rallies as well as the social events and group trips to other protests in the UK like the major gathering in London on 11 November. “Our focus is raising awareness, mainly to people that don’t know, and mainly to people that sort of oppose us.”

Continued on page 3...

Transport Shortages Continue Read more Lucy Spencer Staff Writer

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ince the beginning of the academic year, rail strikes and bus shortages have caused major disruptions for Sussex students. Both real-time bus updates and fixed timetables have been found inaccurate, causing crowds of students to be stranded at Falmer Station at busy times each day. When buses do arrive, they are often too full to board, meaning many students have had to find alternative routes to and from the university.

In an article for Brighton and Hove News, the managing director at Brighton and Hove Buses, Ed Wills, attributed these issues to a shortage of drivers across the UK. He stated that the company is “doing everything [they] can to recruit more, including [implementing] a 20%

pay increase over the last two years.” The University of Sussex has also chimed in on these inconveniences on social media. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the school claimed to be aware of the “general issues with bus capacity”, and stated that they are in discussion with Brighton and Hove Buses to resolve the problems.

Students have also been affected by train strike action at the beginning of the autumn semester. On 26 September, The Argus reported eight days of disruption due to an overtime ban by the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (ASLEF), a trade union representing train drivers. On 4 October, there was no service across the Govia Thameslink Railway, a network which operates Southern Railway.

Continued on page 2...

inside

Local Life

p6

Features

p9

• A Day Out In Brighton

• The Sleazy Underbelly of Wednesday Night Socials

Arts

p15

Sport

p23

• London Film Festival 2023

• Society Spotlight: Pole Soc

Contents News

• Students Voice Support

p1

for Palestine • Transport Shortages Continue • Dangerous RAAC Concrete Causes Campus Closures • Universities Not a Place of Liberation?

• Marking Boycott Called Off • Student Rental Crisis Worsens • West Slope Construction Continues to Impact Student Life • Clampdown on “Rip-off” Degrees • Sussex Boasts Sustainability Achievments in New Report

Local Life

p6

• A Day Out In Brighton: Get In We’re Going Boat Shopping • When Your Brain Has a Mind of Its Own • Top 10 Winter Date Spots • Anorexia: The Silent Thief

Features

p8

• The Sleazy Underbelly of Wednesday Night Socials • UK’s Childcare Crisis: The Untold Story • International Students’ Journey of Discovery

Comment p10

• The Big Collaboration:

Sussex Students on Media Coverage of the Israel-Hamas War • “What Does a Trans Person Look Like?”: In Conversation with Miri FLC

Arts

p12

• Visiting Virginia Woolf’s

Room of Her Own • Had BookTok Saved Reading?

• The Bloomsbury Effect • Review: Black Cake • Bookish Stocking Fillers • Starbenders: Taking Back the Night?

• In Conversation with Youth Sector • Lovejoy’s Rapid Rise • Leave Room for Folklore • Modern Day Disney and Race Swapping • It’s Not the Happiest Season for the Carols • Review: London Film Festival • Review: Invincible S2 • From Stage to Screen • Deaf Theatre and Accessibility • SMUTS Bring The Addams Family to Life • What’s On in Brighton

Sci & Tech p20

• Convergence & Co-Evolution • Vitamin D in Winter Wellness • Food Security and Rewilding • Recycling in Zero Gravity

Sport

• Emma Wilson Talks

p22

Going for Gold • Formula 1: Anything But Boring • Society Spotlight: Pole Society • The End of Tournament Football?

Letter from the Chief Dear Readers, I hope the start of this academic year has been kind to you! As the autumn semester comes to a close, it’s a great time to look back on all the memories and experiences throughout the year. As a new editorial team who adopted The Badger over the summer, this has been a very eventful time for us.

We have faced many trials and tribulations throughout, but our persistence as a small team of four has meant The Badger has now grown to over fifty members and counting. Applications for The Badger are opening up again soon, so if you’re interested in contributing your skills, head to our Instagram for more information!

I wish to give regards to Professor David Berry, for sending the message that let us know The Badger was in need of adoption. I want to also give my acknowledgements to the other original team members - Maisie Knights (Social Media Manager and

Books Editor), Will Gaffney (Head of Photography), and Anna Hills (Local Life Editor), for starting The Badger along with me, and being there every step of the path to getting us published. I also want to give my deepest thanks to our Senior Editors, Ada Carpenter, Francesca Sylph, and Akanksha Pandey for their unyielding efforts in getting the newspaper published, as without their knowledge and skills, all this wouldn’t be possible.

This edition of the newspaper is full of thought-provoking and exciting articles spanning an extensive variety of topics. Look to Features for an insight into the dark underbelly of Wednesday night socials, our News section to see a discussion into the current bus travel issues, Arts for the latest reviews, and much more. You are currently holding the culmination of months of preparation, hard work, and effort from all of our talented editors, staff writers, and photographers. I hope that you are able to see the love we’ve put into

every page.

Looking to the future, we have some exciting developments. Our website is now up and running, so head there for exclusive onlineonly articles and to share your favourites from this paper! In regards to our schedule, now that we have our first edition out we are hoping to have a regular release at least once every month. The next edition will be coming out in the first week of term next year, so keep your eyes peeled!

I also feel it is my responsibility to acknowledge the horrifying ongoing tragedy that we have covered in this edition - the IsraelHamas war. We share a profound sense of sorrow for everyone affected, and our team at The Badger stands in solidarity with the people of Palestine in calling for an immediate ceasefire.

Until Next Time, Semhar (Semi) Tesfazgy Editor in Chief

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... Transport continued from page 1 Since this fell on a Wednesday, many students were unable to get to campus, which caused their attendance to suffer. This is a particularly pressing issue for the university’s international students, whose visas often stipulate that they must attend lectures in person.

Due to the cost of living crisis, a large number of university students are now living outside

581travelltd.co.uk

the city centre to save money.

As a result, they often rely on more than one bus to transport them to campus. “I was initially impressed with the deals Brighton and Hove Buses were offering,” says a Sussex student new to the area. “Unfortunately, I now find my Student citySaver tickets are redundant and I have to resort to taking Ubers when my buses fail to arrive.”

While these public transport

issues are causing disruption to residents across Sussex, students are inconvenienced in a multitude of ways. As attendance PINs usually expire within the first 20 minutes of a lecture, a time-consuming and difficult journey could lead to learners being marked as absent.

Students have also expressed frustration towards having less time to complete readings or assignments due to arriving home late in the evening.

The Badger Team Editor in Chief Semhar (Semi) Tesfazgy Senior Editors Ada Carpenter Francesca Sylph Akanksha Pandey Head of Social Media Maisie Knights Head of Photography Will Gaffney News Editor Abi Summers News Sub Editors Lola Carron Deborah Oredeko Local Life Editor Anna Hills Local Life Sub Editors Anna Whelan Ophelia Scalzo Features Editor Bec Nicol Features Sub Editor Cynthia Chan Comment Editor Charlotte Berry Comment Sub Editors Mc Jazer Rosini Malonda Jess Mitchell Arts Editor Isabella Poderico Music Editor Harry Turnbull Film & TV Editor Jemimah Kayode Books Editor Maisie Knights Theatre Editor Katie Waldron Science and Tech Editor Sian Scott Science and Tech Sub Editor Jenny Choi Sports Editor Will Symons Sports Sub Editor Kian Shayegan

The Badger • News

Editor: Abi Summers

Dangerous RAAC Concrete on Campus Causes Closures

Yesenia Mahe Darlington Staff Writer

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n September, Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) was discovered in the ceiling of Mandela Hall in Falmer House. Days before the academic year was due to begin, the room was indefinitely closed. Along with the replacement work being carried out in Mandela Hall, five other buildings on campus were found to contain the pre-war concrete during an investigation in June 2022, including the stairwells of Bramber House. Construction is currently underway to replace the affected areas and protect students from the risk of unstable RAAC. After the collapse of a RAAC beam in an English school last year, the Department of Education issued building surveys for institutions around the country to identify any areas where the dangerous material had been used in construction. The University of Sussex found RAAC in Bramber House, JMS, Chichester I, Chester II, and Arundel.

All five buildings underwent immediate assessment works in 2022, but remained open with some restrictions after being deemed safe by the University of Sussex Health and Safety Team. Safety measures such as scaffolding and props are in place, and replacement works are planned.

Bramber House, containing Eat Central and the Co-op, is set to undertake the work first with the replacement of the panels above the five stairwells. While the use of the building is not impacted, students have been able to hear construction noise and feel the vibrations. Work on the first stairwell concluded on 9 October, however, the whole project will continue into the new year, since work was staggered to maintain access to the upstairs seminar

Mural is taken down in Mandela Hall before investigation work. Image: Better Campus rooms in the building.

The closure of Mandela Hall has led to difficulties for student societies that normally use the space for meetings. The co-captain of the Sussex Swallows cheer squad told The Badger: “[We were only] informed less than a week before our first trial being booked in that room. Now our team is unable to dance or stunt properly in the space given, as there’s a lack of spaces to go around the societies.” The Grade 1 listed building status of Falmer House is also slowing down the investigation and replacement process. The iconic original mural, Day’s Rest, Day’s Work, by Ivon Hitchens was moved to storage on 17 November ahead of investigation work.

The University has stated that “the health and safety of staff and students has been a priority throughout this process.”

However, it also prioritised the combination

of remediation work on RAAC panels with other developments to minimise costs and disruption. The replacement of RAAC only began in the last few months, more than a year since the initial discovery.

Alongside these replacement works is the construction of West Slope.

RAAC is a lightweight construction material commonly used across the UK between the 1950s and the 1980s. It was widely used as a cheaper alternative to regular concrete, as it also had a faster production timeline and was easier to install. However, these perks came at the cost of longevity and it is generally less structurally sound. The post-war concrete has a lifespan of around 30 years, and it is “susceptible to structural failure when exposed to moisture” as stated by BBC News. The continued use of this concrete beyond its expiration date has led the Health and Safety Executive to declare that it may “collapse with little to no notice”.

Nationwide, more than 200 schools are urgently attempting to resolve the issue to prevent further disruption to education.

According to a timeline of the deterioration of RAAC put together by The Guardian, as early as 2002 there were signs that this aerated concrete may no longer be wholly structurally sound. The now privatised Building Research Establishment which works closely with the government reported a growing number of cracks in pre-1980 buildings. However, it wasn’t until July 2018 that this issue manifested as a ceiling collapsed in a primary school. This prompted the Department of Education to advise schools to check the integrity of their buildings “as matter of urgency”. In February 2021, there was a formal warning that the life expectancy of RAAC had expired.

4 Dec 2023 • 3 ... Palestine continued from page 1 Like many Palestinians, Nasser’s family history includes displacement and relocation from their original home, which makes the violence happening in Gaza and the West Bank even more personal.

As power and communication blackouts are prevalent throughout the conflict zone, there is little those on the outside can do to be sure of the wellbeing of those living there “I’ve been praying for them. I’m a Muslim, I’m a believer. I just, I pray for them,” Nasser said. “God knows best.”

Throughout the demonstration, Nasser, Zeena, and all of the speakers stressed the importance of vocally standing for the rights of the Palestinian people, and that having these public demonstrations is essential for raising awareness in the minds of those who might feel it’s not important to educate themselves.

The night of the rally, the Sussex Student Union Council met and unanimously passed a motion of solidarity with the Palestinian people.

Among other things, the motion called for an immediate end to the conflict, and for the University to uphold its principles of courage and integrity regarding the conflict. It also opened the door for the Student Union to support the efforts of students campaigning for the cause at the university.

Nasser and the FOP were encouraged by the decision from the council, but Nasser told The Badger that they still hope to see more from the university itself.

“I would love to see the uni take an official stance standing with Palestine. Because no matter who the students are, I don’t think any student stands for the killing of innocent people.”

Universities Not a Place of Liberation?

Abigail Keyla Staff Writer

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niversities are not a place for liberation for students or staff, according to staff panelists at the University of Sussex Students’ Union’s Liberation Round Table on 19 October.

The Liberation Round Table was an open discussion as part of the Students’ Union’s first Democracy Fest, hosted by Maozya Murray, the Union’s Diversity, Access, and Participation Officer. Three panelists discussed instances where the University, instead of being liberating, can be an institution that limits and hinders both students and staff, from rising student fees, scarce disability access, and temporary employment contracts.

First, the panelists brought up the high student fees. One of the panelists recalled how “there was a time when you were paid to go to university – and that was just normal… And also, you didn’t really have to work – being a student is a full time job.”

“Well now, obviously there’s fees, and living costs, that aren’t covered by anyone

else… further down the class hierarchy, the less help you have, the more work you have to do to raise the money, or the more debt you have to get in to be able to get [an education],” they said.

Tuition fees for UK Home students are currently capped at £9,250 until 2025.

The fees mark a 925% increase since 1998, with tuition fee caps increasing 37% each year on average. International students studying in the UK pay at least double that, with fees ranging from £11,400 - £38,000 per year.

The panelists also mentioned the lack of disability access on parts of campus.

As a wheelchair user, it can be extremely difficult to get to certain places around the campus. The University has recently announced plans to transform the Library to make it more accessible for wheelchair users, fitting in a lift to take users from the square to a level main entrance into the library, and a new ramp to the Arts and Silverstone buildings. Wheelchair users currently have to go around the Library building to the accessible entrance at the Institute of Development Studies.

Not only is the university not a liberating place for students, but it also isn’t for staff, suggested the panelists.

One of the panelists touched on matters pertaining to race equity in the university, and the “precarious contracts” that several of the university staff are employed on.

The University and College Union (UCU) has reported on “precarious work in higher education”, with Black, Asian, and minority ethnic staff being “significantly more likely to be on a fixed-term contract than white staff.” The panelists also discussed how such lack of secure work affects not just

staff of colour, but others as well, such as early scholars and women.

While the university might not be a place for liberation, the panelists argued that there is more to it than that: “… Is the university a site of freedom?

No. Is it a site for the struggle for liberation?

Yes. And it has to be.”

The panelists then discussed how to be liberated is to be collectively, not only personally, freed. In a university setting, the panelists agreed that “when both staff and students work together”, collective liberation can be achieved for all.

Artist’s rendition of the planned new Library entrance. Image: Better Campus

The Badger • News

Marking Boycott Called Off

Laura Mellena Staff Writer

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he University and College Union (UCU) took industrial action across the country during the 2022/2023 academic year to improve pay and working conditions for members in higher education. Alongside regular strike action, which meant carrying out only core duties, staff took part in a marking and assessment boycott (MAB) from 20 April. During this time, no marking and assessment associated activities were being done. The MAB was called off on 6 September, after 60% of members voted in favour of suspending it. In her statement, UCU general secretary Jo Grady confirmed that the universities and numerous employers have agreed to end punitive pay deductions and that “the sacrifice that staff has made has been immense and has had an enormous impact on the dispute.”

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All I received in the end was a Canvas notification

On 11 September, on the behalf of the University of Sussex Internal Communications team, Vice-Chancellor Sasha Roseneil expressed that “the last few months have been difficult and stressful for everyone in UK higher education. With the boycott now over, the priority is to mark

4 Dec 2023 • 4

Editor: Abi Summers

and assess the work of our students that remains outstanding as soon as possible.

All outstanding marking and assessment should now be completed on Monday, 2 October.” Roseneil added that if staff have participated in the boycott and all of their remaining marking is complete by this deadline, or they have declared themselves available to complete any marking assigned by that date, all salary deductions for their participation in the boycott will be returned. This comes after some universities threatened to make partial or full salary deductions for their staff for participating in the MAB. A recent Sussex graduate commented: “My final year of university was particularly stressful due to the strikes and the MAB. Planning research was difficult knowing that some professors weren’t around. I also spent the whole summer feeling anxious because I didn’t fully know my grades.” Due to this, applying for master’s programmes was not possible for her. “All I received in the end was a Canvas notification and an Interim transcript. I feel let down by the university and a lot of other students say the same. I paid money for an institution that cannot even pay their staff.” Similarly, a friend of hers was declined a previously secured offer for a graduate scheme because of the missing results. Stories like this can be found across the UK, with the MAB affecting countless students.

Student Rental Crisis Worsens

Abi Summers News Editor

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recent Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) report published alongside Unipol found that student accommodation rent has increased by 14.6% over the last two academic years, leaving thousands of students with little to no maintenance loan left to live on.

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Students are left with just 50p a week to live on

The study revealed that, in the ten university cities surveyed, rent increased on average by £955 from the 2021/22 academic year to the current one, making the average rent price now £7,566 per year. Meanwhile, the average maintenance loan is £7,590, leaving students with a surplus of £24 - just 50p a week - left to live on.

Calls on the government in the report recommended a major reform of the student loan system, stating that “the student maintenance system is broken.” HEPI also campaigned for increased financial support and cheaper accommodation options.

The largest on-campus accommodation at the University of

Sussex, East Slope, costs from £6,817 to £7,176 a year. It has been speculated that the new West Slope rooms could be upwards of this price.

Meanwhile, off-campus a Zoopla report found Brighton is the UK’s third most expensive city to rent in as a student, with the average rental price soaring to £1,369 per month. Students have complained that the rent prices in no way reflect the condition of rooms, with the houses rented out to students being highly likely to be found mouldy, dirty, and broken upon moving in, with little landlord support.

The Sussex Students Renters’ Union is a society aiming to address this problem. Their operating principles are based around the fact that “life as a student often begins with overpriced, poor-quality student halls, and continues into the Brighton rental market with exploitative private landlords.” The Union hopes to bring students together to discuss issues surrounding renting, educate students on their rights as tenants, and campaign for affordability, accessibility, and sustainability in rentals. More information is available on the society page on sussexstudent.com.

West Slope Construction Continues to Impact Student Life Lola Carron News Sub Editor

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he University of Sussex has been continuing building work for the new West Slope accommodation, which will be available to students in 2024. Once completed, the project aims to provide modern and comfortable housing with 1,899 new beds and a variety of room types and communal spaces. The ongoing construction in the centre of Falmer campus has proven inconvenient and disturbing for many students.

The campus development plans are implemented under the ‘A Better University for a Better World’ scheme which the University committed to in 2022, aiming to integrate sustainability into every aspect of university life. Sussex already holds the achievement of the largest solar power project in any UK university, with 3000 solar panels installed. The carefully designed university architecture, originally designed by Sir Basil Spence in 1961, is often renovated and updated to maintain a sense of community and atmosphere, such as the Student Centre that opened last year.

The residential development intends to improve future student experience by reducing the demand for off-campus

accommodation. However, it has caused inconvenience for the students who live in proximity to the construction site.

The site is located near existing student residences, restricting access, and causing loud disturbances during lectures and study hours, making it difficult to maintain a conducive learning environment.

The university administration is aware of the disruptions and has made a conscious effort to diminish the issues, highlighting alternative study spaces such as the library, student union and other study spaces are open. They continue to emphasise the future benefits West Slope Accommodation will eventually bring to the

community. The university states “Balfour Beatty actively manages its impact on the community through noise and nuisance management, workforce behavioural standards and community engagement.”

However, current student experience does not seem to reflect this action.

West Slope will replace the cheapest accommodation previously available, Park Village, which charged students £95 per week. West Slope construction has resulted in an accommodation option of under £100 p/w no longer being available.

Due to the expected extravagance of the West Slope facilities and considering the current East Slope price of £184 p/w, Sussex students worry that West Slope won’t be as accessible as promised.

With its proximity to nature and commitment to sustainable living, the West Slope accommodation will undoubtedly distinguish itself among the range of oncampus living options available at the University. However, the present and future issues of disruption and affordability are decreasing student satisfaction with the development.

Image: Better Campus

The Badger • News

4 Dec 2023 • 5

Editor: Abi Summers

Clampdown on “Rip-off” Degrees James Hews Staff Writer

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n July, the Department for Education announced plans to cap universities accepting students for “rip-off” degrees, as identified by excessive drop-out rates and low employment records post-graduation.

At Sussex, targeted courses will see a drop in their student numbers and possibly their funding.

According to the Office for Students, the independent regulator of higher education in England, nearly three in ten graduates fail to progress into highly skilled jobs or further study within 15 months of graduation. The Institute for Fiscal Studies has also estimated that one in five graduates would be better off financially if they never went to university.

The government also planned to launch a new digital platform this autumn which would allow students to assess the quality of courses with greater transparency. This is responding to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s claim in the press release of these plans that universities are selling “a false dream” to young people. No such platform has yet been realised, however.

The plans show a significant shift in Conservative policy under Sunak compared to past Prime Ministers. In 2015, the cap on university admissions was lifted, leading

to a record number of admissions that year - 532,300 students. In 2023, limits on higher education admissions are being reintroduced.

The approach is being justified as making the tax burden fairer on the British public, by lowering funding for costly degrees offering minimal return.

Another aspect of the crackdown is the reform of foundation year courses, with the maximum fee for classroom-based foundation years decreasing from £9,250 to £5,760. Foundation years teach highly valued skills prior to doing a degree and can therefore help stimulate employment.

In July, Russell Group Chief Executive, Tim Bradshaw, stated he is “glad the Government listened to [Russell Group] concerns to ensure these courses remain viable”.

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Targeted courses will see a drop in student numbers and possibly funding

These reforms also seek to make the cost of higher education better reflect its rewards upon students’ graduation. Baroness Alison Wolf, a panel member of the independent Post-18 Review, whose report in May 2019 helped prompt these reforms, criticised in the press release the “meteoric growth” of foundation years, saying it “is hard to justify

educationally or in cost terms”.

The government reforms aim to grow the economy, creating a more skilled workforce and fewer graduates left unemployed and in debt. This will allegedly allow for more investment in educational areas that the government deems of greater value. This priority has been reflected in the 2020 launch of “T levels”, a technical-based alternative to A Levels for 16-19 year olds.

The government is also promoting apprenticeships as the alternative to “ripoff” degrees. There are plans to expand UCAS so students can apply for apprenticeships alongside traditional degrees in 2024. Jane Gratton, Head of People Policy for the British Chambers of Commerce, emphasised in the government press release that “[apprenticeships] are key to boosting technical skills in the workforce”.

These plans have their opponents.

Many have argued that the new policy disproportionately affects those from disadvantaged backgrounds, diminishing the opportunity for social mobility offered by higher education. Labour has described the policy as a classist, restrictive measure.

Shadow Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, describes “a Government that wants to reinforce the class ceiling, not smash it” as reported by The i. The Standard reported that a Labour spokesperson sees

the plans as “yet more barriers to young people’s aspirations”.

In July, William Davies pointed out in The Guardian that the government is incorrectly treating higher education as a competitive economic market, resulting in “futile efforts to discipline and correct it”, seen in thirteen years of U-turns in education policy. Davies is also critical of Philip Augar, chair of the Post-18 Review independent panel. He says Augar gave the government a basis to “attack the humanities,” arguing that this policy specifically limits the typically liberal aligned humanities subjects.

Public reaction has been mixed. Times Higher Education reported in November on a YouGov poll that showed, from a pool of 1,066 adult Londoners, 33% support the plans, 33% oppose and 34% are neutral.

Within this, 12% strongly supported it, while 19% strongly opposed, showing a reasonably even divide in opinion.

As of 2020-21 figures, approximately 18,500 students study at the University of Sussex. 20% of these are postgraduates and 30% are overseas students. How these numbers are changing following the reforms is yet to be seen - whether there is a surge in foundation year courses or the predicted drop for the humanities.

Sussex Boasts Sustainability Achievements in Latest Report Ada Carpenter Senior Editor

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he University of Sussex published its fourth Annual Sustainability and Sustainable Development Goals Report on 10 November. The report highlights this year’s work by the University and its students according to their contribution to each of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as part of the vision “to be one of the most sustainable universities in the world.”

Key achievements noted include the variety of sustainability oriented degree programs and modules available, the launch of a new “Green Futures” event to encourage sustainable career pathways, and the integration of measures to tackle both the climate and cost of living crises.

The University also published a Biodiversity Strategy and Policy document in May, which focuses on two objectives: to achieve a biodiversity net gain; and to increase the percentage of the campus set aside for nature from the 2022 baseline of 38% to 42% by December 2027. This commitment resulted in Sussex winning a Green Flag award, for well-managed green spaces, for the seventh year running.

The new report’s foreword by ViceChancellor Professor Sasha Roseneil spotlights the University of Sussex’s position of 10th in the UK, and 49th

worldwide, in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2023, which assesses universities against the SDGs. With an overall score of 91.3, it’s true to say that Sussex does outperform many similar institutions. However, the new report fails to mention that the University has actually sunk in the rankings compared to 2022, when it achieved 7th in the UK and 37th internationally. The overall score has dropped nearly 2 points from 93.1 in 2022.

Regarding the drop, a university spokesperson said; “More universities than ever are now choosing to participate in the THE Impact Rankings, with an increase of 181 institutions in 2023 compared to 2022. This, combined with a new scoring methodology, were contributing factors for our slight lower position.”

More cherry-picked statistics are seen in boasts of achieving 100% in the areas of Sustainable Food and Education for Sustainable Development in the 2022/23 People & Planet University League. The report doesn’t include any reflection on the categorisation of the University of Sussex as “3rd class” in the same League, which puts Sussex only 87th in the UK. The foreword also includes several points repeated from previous annual reports, paraphrased slightly or with the year updated.

The Sustainability Team spokesperson pointed out that “Sussex continues to be ranked within the top 50 of over 1,500 universities across the world, which places us in the top 3.1% of published institutions in the THE Impact Rankings 2023. However, we know there is still more to do and we continue to identify and address areas for improvement to make Sussex a truly sustainable university.”

The University does transparently share relevant data. In addition to the annual report, a Performance Dashboard on the

university website details environmental and socio-economic performance metrics beginning 2018. This data, which will soon be updated for 2022/23, includes total energy usage and carbon emissions, as well as financial information such as total university expenditure, research income, and the value of the Hardship Fund. Sussex also reports this data to HESA, the Higher

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Sussex has sunk 12 places in the THE Impact Rankings since 2022

Education Statistics Agency. For 2021/22, Sussex emitted 131,699 tonnes of carbon, calculated according to the Standardised Carbon Emissions Framework for Further and Higher Education (SCEF) developed by the EAUC. This methodology was adopted only last year, making comparisons to the base figure quoted in the original Sustainable Sussex Strategy – 100,670 tonnes of carbon in 2018/19 – difficult.

So, while Sussex is making huge steps in the right direction, the lack of clear and coherent reflection on year-to-year progress in each aspect of sustainable development leaves students wondering if it’s all to show. A more comprehensive review is needed, detailing whether the University is on track to meet the goals set out in the Sustainability Strategy published June 2021.

Local Life

4 Dec 2023 • 6

A Day Out In Brighton: Get In, We’re Going Boat Shopping

Anna Whelan Local Life Sub Editor

B

righton can feel so small when left unexplored; so let’s change that!

After tapping onto the 23 bus, head upstairs and claim a front seat for the full tourist experience. You can now relax for the next half an hour as you sail up Elm Grove, and wind through Brighton’s back streets. I recommend using this time to note the requirements of your hypothetical purchase; the size, the colour palette, the price range, the decking.

Step off the bus once you have reached Brighton Marina Cinema, pass McDonalds and head towards the steps straight ahead, leading you to The West Quay Wetherspoons. Leaving those temptations behind, continue down the boardwalk keeping the flotilla of stationed boats on your right. Some more humble than others, lacking a metres-long mast pointing to the sky, but displaying a proud Latin name on the side nonetheless. A boat or two may have caught your eye; however, I urge you to wait till the end, because there are

plenty more hidden away to see. On your left you’ll pass future dinner prospects Pizza Express and Nando’s, both offering student discounts to further entice you and your friends. Carry on down the boardwalk as far as it goes, crossing a short bridge to reach the Eastern end.

From here, the cliffs should clearly be in sight. As you head towards them, take a peek into the fenced off area where boats

are being repaired and polished. Descend the steps to the beach, and bask in the sun as you lay on one of the groynes you are explicitly told not to climb on. This is your first sedentary stop, and it’s a good one. I suggest removing your headphones and closing those eyes, reminding yourself why people who live by the sea are said to be happier. Listen to the waves murmur beneath your feet, inhale the briny seaweed clinging to the rocky floor, and spot the odd sailboat coasting out to sea.

Although there are noticeably fewer than in town, the marina does share its space with the guileful seagull - getting too close for comfort as per usual. But, for now rest easy, you haven’t a treat for them and merely take comfort in their squawks of disappointment.

By now you must be getting peckish, my favourite spot is actually located away from the boardwalk, tucked away beside the Asda. How to get there is really a matter of personal choice. The options are to go back the way you came, turning right into the residential area before you reach the strip of restaurants, or continue

your exploration and follow part of the Undercliff Walk, keeping the cliffs on your right. The latter will bring you behind the Asda and back around, passing charming houses with their grandiose yachts parked in front. My tour of the marina is complete when you reach The Laughing Dog cafe where I insist you try the bruschetta. There is stable wifi, plenty of tables and plugs all around. Although, if you aren’t here to study, take a look around the quirky shop or take a coffee outside and face the yachts for sale, resisting the urge to claim one of them.

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Remind yourself why people who live by the sea are happier

Now you can hop back on the bus and open a book, settling into your journey. For those of you who aren’t ready to leave, why not stay for dinner, a movie or even a round of mini golf in the famous Globalls? These things tend to be cheaper than purchasing a boat!

When Your Brain Has a Mind of Its Own Abby Kempster Staff Writer

D

o you ever feel that your mind is not truly your own? Almost as if you know that you want to experience a happy life, but your mind is simply getting in the way? We will be breaking down and discussing the most common mental difficulties of university, and the ways in which students have resolved them.

Loneliness Although universities are home to thousands of students, it can feel like one of the loneliest places on the planet. No matter how many societies you join or friends you make, you can still feel isolated. In a survey, two thirds of students stated they felt emotionally lonely at least once within their first semester of university (Schifano 2022).

Many students concluded that in order to stop this feeling, they had to become content with spending time alone. The majority of time spent alone is typically at night and so through learning to enjoy their own company students could begin to no longer feel extremely lonely when their friends or flatmates were not able to hang out in the evening.

Homesickness

Money Struggles

According to the National Union of Students; across the UK homesickness is the one of the most common feelings experienced by university students.

Moreover, it can be one of the hardest emotions to work through, due to these feelings occurring at unexpected times and places.. One of the best ways to overcome homesickness is not to try and ignore the feeling, but rather to embrace it - make university feel like home! There are countless ways this can be done, for example: decorating your room with pictures of loved ones, joining societies of people from the same home country as you, or making meals you would typically eat at home.

Remember, homesickness is extremely normal to experience and does not mean you are failing or unable to cope living alone.

Many students struggle with both feeling that they do not have enough money, and that they do not know how to budget their money.

At the University of Sussex, you can find countless resources to help.

The university offers various jobs on campus - such as in the local Co-op or Student Union shop, or by being a part of the student panel. Furthermore, the student centre has web links dedicated solely to learning how to budget your money through helpful tools such as their online calculator, to ensure you do not overspend. Lastly, the university offers scholarships and funds to provide extra support to those that require it, this includes the Disabled Students Allowance, among others.

Confidence and Comparison In today’s technologically advanced world it is easy to see online posts of people having the time of their lives at university, making you feel that your experience doesn’t match up . Although easier said than done, remembering that everyone simply posts the best versions of themselves online is important. Think of all the pictures you’ve had to take to get the perfect one to post. You are not alone in only posting the perfect pictures online.

Furthermore, comparing yourself implies that if you are not doing the same as everyone else,then you are falling behind. In reality, you can not fall behind when there is no set place you are meant to be. University is not a linear experience. You do not have to have made a certain number of friends by a certain date, or have to join a set number of societies. That is the art of university; there is no singular way in which you must experience happiness here.

If you are struggling with your mental health please reach out to someone you trust, such as a friend or family member, or contact the support team at the University of Sussex. Lastly, remember that although the fight is in your brain and not physical, that does not take away how real it is.

The Badger • Local Life

4 Dec 2023 • 7

Editor: Anna Hills

TOP 10: Winter Date Spots in Brighton

Isabel Seesarun Staff Writer

1

Royal Pavilion, Brighton, BN1 1FN Surely one of the most romantic winter activities!

Get hot chocolate from the indoor café, hold hands as you skate, and laugh when you inevitably fall over!

2

Lucky Voice 8 Black Lion St, Brighton, BN1 1ND

Even if you aren’t the best singer, it can always be fun to have a romantic sing along with your date. Whether you’re into One Direction, Ed Sheeran, Beyonce - sing your heart out!

Image: Andrew Hasson, Brighton & Hove Museums

Image: Brighton Marina

GLOBALLS –

The perfect first date. Mini golf can help you break the ice if you’re feeling a bit nervous and can introduce some competitive banter! The entire venue is in UV light, giving it a fun and upbeat atmosphere alongside its quirky decorations.

4

7

Hatchet Harry’s Axe Throwing

The Painting Pottery Café

Brighton Palace Pier Madeira Dr, Brighton BN2 1TB Whether you’re more into arcade games or rollercoasters – the pier has something for everyone. Go through the rite of passage for every couple by trying to win a soft toy from the claw machines as a treasured memory.

5

Brighton Zip - Bar and Kitchen

Can’t commit to a dinner date? How about bottomless brunch? Spend your Saturday with your date eating amazing food and as many cocktails as you like. Mimosa anyone?

Are you an athletic couple? Axe throwing is an out of the box date idea, if you’re bored of doing the same old thing. It’s extremely fun and you can even order food while you play.

Image: Painting Pottery Cafe

If you’re feeling a bit more artistic, then paint any of the 200 pottery items offered. This is a good option for a first date because you can get to know someone in a relaxed and creative environment.

3

11 Black Lion St, Brighton, BN1 1ND

2 Dyke Rd, Brighton, BN1 3FE

31 North Rd, Brighton, BN1 1YB

Mini Golf, Games and Cocktail Bar 1-5 The Village, Brighton Marina, BN2 5WA

6

The Royal Pavilion Ice Rink

Rum Kitchen

9

8

Brighton Museum and Art Gallery Royal Pavilion Gardens, Brighton, BN1 1EE

There are so many different exhibitions in Brighton Museum that it’s impossible to be bored.

While you’re there you can even get some Pinterest inspired photos together!

Madeira Dr, Brighton BN2 1TB

Surrounded by fairy lights and the incomparable view of Brighton beach, you can bask in the sunset with your drink of choice, for the ideal, chilled evening date vibe. The sunset, a glass of wine, and your partner…what more do you need?

10

Shelter Hall King Road Arches, Brighton BN1 1NB

Seven independent kitchens serving anything from tortas at to bao buns. It has a very relaxed, chilled vibe where you can try food from several different places all at once!

Anorexia: The Silent Thief of Freshers’ Year Cecilia Nguyen Staff Writer

L

ike most girls, I have always grown up with the desire to lose weight. But it wasn’t until my Fresher year, when I first moved out and gained complete control over my lifestyle, did it become apparent how to.

For the first time, the numbers started to add up: the less I ate, the more weight I would lose; and now that I live by myself, it became so easy to ‘eat less’. After a while, I started to associate my ability to restrict myself with a sense of achievement, and subsequently my entire self-worth. That’s how anorexia starts.

As I became more and more paranoid about what I consumed, the illness ended up having more control over me than I had of it. I would spend every waking moment planning my meals, considering every meticulous detail, every minor tweak I could make to cut down on the calorie count. I became terrified of socialising, of consuming anything unplanned. Food was no longer just fuel but a luxury, an addiction that I mustn’t allow myself.

It is just so, so frustrating to now realise how much of my life has been robbed by anorexia. I was always cold, always tired, always distracted by all the contradicting voices in my head asking for more whilst simultaneously condemning me for craving anything at all.

There is unfortunately still a lot of stigma surrounding the topic of anorexia, the most common of which being that the condition stems from vanity, or a conscious lifestyle choice. It does not. While anorexia might have been triggered by a desire to slim down or be more fit, at its core the condition is not so much about weight, so much as it is a destructive coping mechanism. My food intake was the only thing I had complete control over in my increasingly stressful and overwhelming fresher experience, and I clung to what little comfort it provided until I was the one being controlled. Anorexia and eating disorders are not anymore a choice than any other mental illness.

That is why the condition is particularly prevalent among Freshers, with roughly 20% of women and 10% of men developing an ED within the period (NEDA survey, 2013).

It is alarming how many of the disordered eating behaviours are so prevalent and normalised amongst university students; skipping meals, exercising compulsively, or consuming caffeine in excess are all common. While engaging in these behaviours does not immediately lead to an eating disorder, they are all considered common risk factors and warning indicators for EDs.

“

Disordered eating behaviours are so prevalent and normalised amongst university students

It can be incredibly tough to open up to someone when you’re suffering from the ongoing mental battle of anorexia; to convince yourself to choose recovery alone is already a massive challenge, especially if you’re not part of the 6% of ED patients who are medically underweight (according to the American Academy of Psychiatry). I, like many others, was in denial about having anorexia as I found it embarrassing to be in so much torment over something as simple as food. Even now, I’m still struggling

with the mindset that “less is better”, still catching myself purposely ignoring the hunger, just so I can keep experiencing that same blissful emptiness.

I was lucky enough to have friends and family who cared for me and expressed concern, and they have all been incredibly supportive. Even so, there are still times I feel trapped, as if I’m doomed to live with this unbearable voice in my head for the rest of my life.

For anyone reading this who might be going through something similar, I promise that it is worth it to reach out for help no matter how difficult it might appear.

The university offers extensive mental support through the Student Hub, from support sessions to professional therapy.

Besides that, the Mental Health Rapid Response Service is on 03003 040078, but even if you can’t bring yourself to dial the number, please reach out to a friend or family member. Building up the courage to seek support might have taken me a long time, but to this day, it remains one of my proudest achievements yet.

Features

4 Dec 2023 • 8

Getting to Know Brighton:

International Students’ Journey of Discovery Students from Hong Kong and Indonesia share their experiences of visiting a gay pub and attending life-changing classes in Brighton, through which they embark on a journey of self-growth outside their comfort zones and prompt explorations on self-identities. Meanwhile, a Greek student embraces life to the fullest despite the cold weather that triggers his painful allergies.

Cynthia Chan Features Sub Editor

An Introvert’s Gay Pub Encounter October marked the beginning of the Brighton adventure of a shy and quiet Hong Kong girl, So Tung, who decided to venture beyond her comfort zone and visit a gay pub, where she started conversations with two senior men and won her first pub quiz.

The third-year Media student made the courageous decision with her friend to explore the local community, which turned out to be highly rewarding and became her favourite experience in the city.

“I want to engage in activities that the locals do and gain an understanding of how they live their lives. My goal is to enjoy the local culture here. This is an experience that I cannot replicate in Hong Kong,” So says.

With a mix of nervousness and excitement, So and her friend visited one of Brighton’s traditional gay bars, adorned with over 160 years of history.

They found themselves the only young girls amidst a group of senior men, including a filmmaker and a professor.

Smiles were exchanged, and conversation soon flowed, primarily centred around Brighton’s history, culture, and the intriguing concept of “naughtiness” that the professor attributed to the city’s nonmainstream attitude to sex, dressing, lifestyle, and art.

“It is a rare and precious experience to engage in profound conversations with local seniors, rather than just interacting with tourists or exchange students,” So says.

The group teamed up in a pub quiz and named themselves the “East-meetsWest” group. Questions ranged from the country famous for its windmills to the currency used in Japan. So found it

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Brighton’s environment fosters friendliness and openness among its people

interesting to complete the quiz with the two worldly men, who contributed answers to more than half of the questions, and together they scribbled down the answers with giggles. To their surprise, the team emerged as the victors, securing £12 and two shots as their prize, which the girls wholeheartedly offered to the men for gratitude.

The friendly attitude of the two men encouraged So to reflect on the factors that foster a strong bond between individuals in Brighton. “It is due to the willingness to communicate and the environment. Brighton’s environment fosters friendliness and openness among its people, and vice versa.”

“I feel lost both in Hong Kong and in the present, but now I am willing to travel to more places and explore, despite being an introverted person who easily tires mentally. I recognise the importance of pushing beyond my comfort zone,” So adds.

A Search for Self-identity “I am Fakhri. I come from Indonesia and study international relations and development. I am the chairman for Indonesian Youth Summit to promote sustainable development goals. I am also one of the 15 awardees of Indonesian International Student Mobility Awards,” — This is how exchange student Fakhri introduced himself to everyone he met during Freshers’ Week before the start of classes. He is confident, ambitious, with a perpetually busy schedule.

But Sussex appears to challenge his views on his own identity. Fakhri’s initial encounter with Brighton - a city with relaxed, unhurried pace and vibrant atmosphere, accompanied by a sprawling sea that left him astounded - stood in

stark contrast to his hometown of Jakarta, where bustling crowds and constant stress are the norm.

The courses in development studies here provide him with a broader range of perspectives, free from any dominant ethnic influence. This is in contrast to his

“

Here, we are presented with the opportunity to redefine ourselves

previous experiences in Indonesia, where lectures were often presented from a Western-centric viewpoint, lecturers held an authoritative position, and stereotypes were imposed on sport students depicting them as academically less capable.

“There is no strong distinction between right and wrong here. I feel a sense of freedom where every question remains open-ended,” Fakhri says.

“Here, we are presented with the opportunity to redefine ourselves and start a new chapter of our lives. But at the same time, I find myself anxious about whether I am truly the person I want to become,” he says.

Who am I? How should I introduce myself? What are my values? Fakhri begins to question the norms of the past and embarks on a journey of selfdiscovery. The traditional Asian style of self-introduction, which emphasises achievements, no longer resonates with him.

“I want to quit that (Asian) life,” Fakhri says. Breaking free from the stigma of showing off achievements, which had been deemed the ultimate measure of success, became his priority.

“When introducing myself, I focus on sharing my personality and hobbies.

I seek connections with others based on shared interests and genuine appreciation for each other’s personalities. We are all humans trying to connect with other humans,” he says. “I feel more connected to my humanity now,” he says, allowing him to build better friendships.

“Hi, I am Fakhri, you can also call me Nasa. I come from Indonesia. I love photography, movies, walking to the park, listening to music and reading.”

centre at the University failed to provide him with suitable medication.

Despite his illness, Eleftherios embarked on a trip to London with

cherished memories in the UK, even though his allergy caused his normally talkative self to lose his voice.

“I enjoy the relationship with my friend who really knows me as a person and enjoys the time with me, and there is trust between us, which makes up the real enjoyment,” he says.

After writing to the medical centre to express his dissatisfaction with the medical progress, Eleftherios finally received appropriate medication and recovered from his illness.

Finding Enjoyment Amidst Illness Chilly UK weather is not friendly to Greek student Eleftherios Cholidis, who suffers from severe coughing due to his allergic rhinitis. Nevertheless, he greatly enjoys his life in Brighton.

Studying a master’s degree in Strategic Innovation is a long-awaited opportunity after three years of dealing with the COVID pandemic, despite his sickness.

“I am so happy to be here,” Eleftherios says. He worked for the management team of a factory in Greece and Asia years ago, but the three-year pandemic has deprived him of chances to socialise and get to know new people and cultures.

This resulted in him gaining more than 10 kilograms due to the stressful indoor working environment. The decision to pursue a master’s degree in Sussex has brought him rewarding lectures with his favourite professors and the opportunity to connect with over 100 new people.

The relentless cold weather in the UK has been triggering Eleftherios’ severe allergy since mid-October, leaving him without any of his personal medication after six weeks of use. “My allergy strikes every year, but here in the UK, it is three times more intense and painful,” Eleftherios says. Initially, the medical

“

My allergy strikes every year, but here in the UK, it is three times more intense and painful

his newfound friends from Taiwan and Thailand, with whom he shares a strong bond. They spent a delightful day exploring the vibrant streets, enjoying cuisines, and visiting a museum. This experience becomes one of Eleftherios’

The Badger • Features

Editor: Bec Nicol

The Sleazy Underbelly of Wednesday Night Socials

Bec Nicol Features Editor

E

very Wednesday, Sussex students dress up, drink up, and head out to Walkabout, a bar they wouldn’t be seen dead in any other night of the week.

It is the one of two venues that host the weekly Sussex societies social. Everyone spends a few hours there downing cheapish drinks, then cheerily stumbles across the road and makes their way into Pryzm to dance the night away, shoulder to shoulder with hundreds of other Sussex students. Some will look forward to it every week, some will fret until the last minute about whether they should even go, and a lot will spend Thursday tired, grumpy, and cringing over what they did or even who they did.

Society night for the students is renowned for being an “amplification of anything that would usually go on at a club” as one attendee puts it. More booze, more foolish decisions, and lots of lust. Both of these student-packed venues seem to provide a cloak for sleazy behaviour and often disrespectful actions.

An exclusive look into Wednesday nights has revealed the coercive behaviour and sheep-like conformity of many who attend, and raised concerns that others do not feel safe or accepted for not wanting to

participate in the heteronormative hookup culture that consumes the night.

One female student, who decided to stop attending the socials, shares the reasons why, highlighting she feels both Walkabout and Pryzm are unsafe spaces for queer people.

“

There are deep rooted problems in the prevailing hookup culture

“I’ve heard a few homophobic comments being passed around. Also I noticed when girls were hooking up with each other, they were being really over-sexualised by the male crowds on these nights” she says.

It feels disappointing for this behaviour to be demonstrated by young people in this Pride-centred city, who would not react in the same way to a heterosexual make out.

Furthermore, the student recounts an uncomfortable interaction with a group of males from the football and rugby societies. She felt that “there was an implicit suggestion that this interaction meant that I would try to hook up with one of the guys.” She was hugged by one of the men, who shortly after walked away frustrated that she showed no response to his unwarranted embrace. The student suggests that hosting these socials in a wider variety of spaces might improve the

situation, though it seems the problem lies with the attitudes of attendees - rather than the physical location.

In contrast, other students seem to agree that a randy vibe prevails through the night, but do not feel negatively affected by it. One individual said, “I haven’t had a bad experience and haven’t really heard of any… but you can definitely tell men are on the prowl.”

This is prickly wording, as ‘prowl’ does not imply looking for a mate but rather someone waiting for a chance to pounce at one. Apart from its sleaziness, this mindset pushes the boundaries of doing things consensually and respectfully. People should not be spending the night stalking

4 Dec 2023 • 9

the dance floor looking for someone to be their hookup just so they can feel as though they’ve participated in this culture. And those who want to dance the night away with slightly alcohol-lowered inhibitions should not be subjected to unwanted advances.

Beyond the infringements on being respectful that are apparent in this jock utopia, the expectations of these society nights may also be impacting students’ mental health.

Being at university can be a lonely time, with 26% of students feeling lonely compared to just 8% of the general population, according to the Office for National Statistics. To counter this, students may join societies in an attempt to relieve loneliness, and hopefully meet like-minded individuals. But when the standard society activity is a night out in a crowded bar and club filled with preoccupied individuals, it’s difficult to make genuine connections.

Rejection under these circumstances may lead to further feelings of isolation.

While Wednesday nights may be just a bit of fun - as time at university should be - there are some deep rooted problems in the prevailing hookup culture. It can significantly impact students’ enjoyment of the nights and their wellbeing, if this continues unchecked.

UK’s Childcare Crisis: The Untold Story Billy Barnby Staff Writer

T

he UK is in the midst of a childcare crisis. It has one of the most expensive systems in the world, with the average annual cost for a full-time twoyear-old standing at £14,836. Many parents have to sacrifice careers and aspirations to provide domestic care instead. Yet this crisis runs much deeper than exorbitant fees. Behind the scenes, a calamitous concoction of funding shortfalls, staff shortages, and financialised business models is constructing a perfect storm in which childcare provision could collapse completely.

The British taxpayer contributes over £3.7 billion to the early years care sector in the form of parental subsidies.

Children aged three and four (and twoyear-olds whose families receive state support) are entitled to 15 or 30 hours of free care per week, depending on their families’ employment status. In this year’s Spring Budget, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced the staggered expansion of the subsidy to give all children aged nine months to school age the same offer by September 2025.

Unfortunately, the sentiment among many early years professionals is that this policy has missed the mark, and is blind to the structural problems driving

dysfunction. Two fundamental issues lie at the root of this criticism.

Firstly, the money provided by the government to nurseries to fulfil funded hours is inadequate. One nursery manager in Brighton, echoing the feelings of many, explained to The Badger that they felt “free childcare is being mis-sold by the government and will lead to a lot of parental confusion and frustration,” as providers will have to ask parents to pay top-up fees for their spaces. The alternative? Financial losses. If providers do not find ways to balance their books, the funding shortfall is simply too great and they will close, joining the 216 nurseries forced to shut down nationwide in the last academic year alone.

Secondly, there are not enough staff to cover the increased demand for care. With pay comparable to retail and extensive job insecurity, many have left the sector.

Meanwhile, the number of individuals beginning Early Years Teacher Training is down 77% from 2014 levels. Fewer graduates in the workforce raises concern over care standards, particularly for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) who benefit greatly from skilled professionals. In a survey conducted as part of the Junior Research Associate scheme, the material impact of these changes was uncovered. Nursery managers in Brighton consistently ranked ‘finding appropriate qualified staff’, ‘staff

costs’ and ‘staff retention’ as the most pressing challenges to the sector.

A third dynamic affecting stability and quality in the sector is growing dominance of large, private equity backed, financialised childcare chains. The UCL Social Research Institute finds that these chains primarily focus on profit and expansion, through debt-funded mergers and acquisitions. The extraordinary levels of debt and low financial reserves observed in such companies places care provision at risk of collapse at any moment. If this were to happen complex corporate structures allow the investors and architects of the model to emerge relatively unscathed.

Evidence also suggested that these firms spend up to 15% less on staffing costs, speculated to be achieved through low wages and undesirable qualification levels.

“

Austerity, financialisation, recruitment problems, and funding shortfalls work in tandem These revelations come after a prolonged period of austerity-induced closures to council-maintained nurseries, which often provide higher quality care for children with SEND. In an exchange with Councillor Bella Sankey, Leader of Brighton and Hove City Council, she gave assurance that the council “are very keen to safeguard council-run nursery

provision” but acknowledged they are up against it with “more than £25 million in savings to find for next year”. In Brighton, council-maintained Bright Start Nursery is once again under threat. Parents at the nursery who successfully halted its closure last winter have labelled the proposed changes – which will cut places and potentially staff – as both devastating and illogical. They point out ambiguities in the council’s financial case which cast doubt over whether the proposals will actually save the city money.

The sector’s situation is unsustainable.

Austerity, financialisation, recruitment problems, and funding shortfalls are working in tandem to undermine quality and destabilise provision. So what can be done? Well, there is hope. Experts have recommended that public money be withheld from companies that cannot demonstrate financial robustness. They further propose that Ofsted adopt increasingly frequent and rigorous inspections, collecting data on new aspects to aid this process. Others have emphasised the importance of properly funded childcare support that covers nurseries’ operating costs and training incentives.

But, time is of the essence. Urgent action must be taken now to restore stability, or we will reach 2025 and thousands of families will be unable to access the care they are entitled to.

Comment

4 Dec 2023 • 10

• THE BIG COLLABORATION •

Sussex Students on the Media Coverage of the Israel-Hamas War The Big Collaboration provides deeper insights and wider perspectives into current news and global issues. In this issue, two writers discuss the media portrayal of the Israel-Hamas war by mainstream news outlets in the UK and disinformation on social media.

Can Mainstream Mass Media Discuss Modern Day Massacres?

Lucy Spencer Staff Writer

A

s the ongoing Israel-Hamas war has been covered extensively by local and international news outlets, posts on social-media platforms about the conflict are often dismissed as “disinformation”; ignored on the basis that they’re “too emotive”; or scoffed at because they come in between snaps of users enjoying dinner. This is ironic, considering that the language of mainstream news articles mirrors the disingenuous, performative posts that they frequently criticise. The Guardian tore apart Gal Gadot and co’s 2020 cover of “Imagine”, criticising the lack of self-awareness in recruiting multimillionaires to sing about “no possessions” while unemployment rates soared. Yet, looking at today’s front pages, stories about Palestine are sharing the stage with headlines such as “Everton Lose 10 Points over Finance Rules Dinner” (The Sun, 18 November). The severity of this humanitarian crisis is being undermined by traditional media and it’s unsurprising that each post on social media with a shred of empathy is regarded as “controversial”.

When they manage to take a break from writing about celebs going dating, mainstream media outlets seem to

conflate the tragedy of the Gaza conflict with natural disasters. Both UN News and The Washington Post referred to the war as an “unfolding catastrophe”, and The Week reported the “calamity” caused by Hamas. These phrases are commonly used to describe freak accidents or disasters, but can any aspect of this war truly be considered accidental? Traditional news stories are laced with propaganda, condemning Hamas as if the violence in Gaza only began on the 7 October . In reality, this conflict dates back to the early 20th century. Although disinformation is certainly present on social media, at least users are not claiming to be an unbiased

source, while simultaneously omitting pivotal parts of the story.

“

The media cannot walk on eggshells while children are walking over dead bodies

It is not uncommon for news sources to make questionable language choices when attempting to discuss conflict. As a Greek Cypriot, I was perturbed when reading an archived story from The Observer discussing the 1974 invasion of Cyprus. “The Greek Cypriots could make life unbearable for the Turkish Army – just as they did when the British were there,” is a prime example of both the conflation between civilians and the military, and the egotism of the British media. This is echoed in today’s conflict; though the war was exacerbated by both the actions of Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Hamas’s deadly attacks, mainstream media appears to only focus on the latter. The emphasis on the deaths of individual Israeli civilians is unsurprising, considering that many have British or American passports.

However, the media outcry for Palestinian nationals is minimal, which is particularly concerning when taking into account the marked difference in the number of deaths between the two states. According to the

Gaza Health Ministry, as of 15 November, more than 1,200 Israelis and over 11,240 Palestinans have been killed since 7 October.

While it is understandable for Jewish people to compare the appalling 7 October attacks to the European pogroms of the 20th century, should the overall Palestinian cause of self-determination even be compared to the motivations of Nazis in World War Two? The answer should be an unequivocal no. Hamas and Palestine should not be used interchangeably; the classification of the war as “Israel vs Hamas” undermines the fact that the Israeli government is carrying out a collective punishment against an entire population based on the actions of a militant minority. Failing to distinguish between the two enables news sources to deem Israel’s actions (supported by the UK’s government) as self-defence, despite the ongoing murdering of innocent Palestinians. Perhaps the Western guilt for allowing the Holocaust in Europe has caused the media to tread carefully. Clear distinctions between anti-Zionism (a colonial ideology), and antisemitism need to be made; the media cannot walk on eggshells while children are walking over dead bodies. How much worse must things get before a ceasefire is called for?

How Disinformation on Social Media Influences the Narrative Mc Jazer Rosini Malonda Comment Sub Editor

B

eyond the amount of firepower, war is also about who controls the narrative.

While various international and local media outlets are trying to cover the ongoing Gaza conflict, false information and misleading posts are also increasing rapidly on social media platforms to gain support, get sympathy, or incite anger on both sides. It is important to be critical of the information we receive, and remember that real lives are at stake.

Since 7 October, disinformation and misinformation about the war on Gaza have been circulating on social media, particularly on X, formerly Twitter, and TikTok. But first, let us define disinformation and misinformation.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), disinformation is the deliberate spread of false information to incite fear and suspicion. Meanwhile, misinformation is false or inaccurate information regardless of the intent to mislead. In short, the difference between misinformation and disinformation is in the intent. If you accidentally shared or tweeted a

post only to find out that it is false, then that is misinformation. However, if you share it knowing it is false and intending to incite strong emotions, then that is disinformation.

Supporters of both Israel and Palestine are trying to generate sympathy from the users. For example, to generate support for the conflict, a pro-Israeli viral TikTok video showed a prominent general from the Israel Defense Force (IDF) being held captive by Hamas. This post has since been confirmed false by an IDF spokesperson and the Associated Press. Another video circulated on X, from a pro-Palestinian supporter, claims that Israel is creating fake footage and playing the victim. However, this video is actually behind-the-scenes footage of a Palestinian short film about the departure of Palestinians who were forced to leave their homes as a result of the Israeli occupation.

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War is also about who controls the narrative

At times of conflict, the concern with disinformation and misinformation lies in the phenomenon of Truth Decay. This is where people no longer agree on facts

and analysis because of differing opinions and personal biases. Users can no longer trust credible sources of information, and opinion overpowers fact.

One prominent example is the explosion at the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital. There were social media posts circulating that claimed the IDF had bombed the hospital.

Meanwhile, the IDF blamed a failed rocket from a Palestinian armed group. To provide evidence for their claim that the explosion was caused by Palestinians, the Israel government released a video on social media showing that the rocket came from inside Gaza. However, investigations by different news organisations such as The New York Times and Al Jazeera discredited the video.

Disinformation adds to the confusion and tension on social media. Users discredit the death toll of Palestinian civilians from the hospital explosion as “Hamas-run” or propaganda tactics to gain sympathy and support for Palestine. Meanwhile, there are users who use the conflict to justify their anti-semitic comments.

As social media users, we have the responsibility to be critical of what we click, post, and share. When encountering viral posts, look to trusted news sources

to verify the information. Be aware of any posts that trigger strong emotions because that is how false information gets shared.

Check if the post was recently published or if it has been shared on other social media platforms. Next, read the context of the post. If it is a video, double-check what it was about and who was featured. Context provides a deeper understanding and clearer perspective of the issue.

Lastly, view any post that triggers strong emotions with caution. Disinformation uses the power of emotions to ensure that the post will gain traction and hit virality.

But, it also does not mean that all stories that deliberately make you feel something are automatically false.

Social media is used to raise awareness and call for action. Calling for a ceasefire does not mean you support Hamas. It means you support humanitarian aid in Gaza, offer solidarity to the victims on both sides of this conflict, and want to find a more concrete solution for peace.

For Palestinians, justice and peace remain elusive. In times of conflict, neutrality and silence make one complicit with the oppressor. To quote a line from a reality show, “Kim, there’s people that are dying”.

The Badger • Comment

Editor: Charlotte Berry

4 Dec 2023 • 11

“What Does a Trans Person Look Like?”

Charlotte Berry Comment Editor

M

iri FLC (pronouns he/him) is a Brighton born and bred singersongwriter. He is a good friend of mine and incredibly worthy of all the love and praise I know he receives. When Miri is not on stage, he advocates for LGBTQ+ rights. I had the pleasure of meeting him for coffee last month. We talked about his music and his experiences as a transgender person.

Charlotte: When did you first learn about what being trans meant?

Miri FLC: I grew up watching YouTube creators like Gigi Gorgeous. I was 7 when I learned what being transgender meant.

I felt an indescribable connection to trans creators - but I didn’t know why… When I figured out I was trans, everything just clicked.

C: Who supports you the most?

M: I’m lucky enough to have a great support system around me. I have amazing friends and my mum. Some of my trans friends don’t have that. This doesn’t make sense to me - why wouldn’t you want to care for the people you love? It makes me so happy knowing I can be that for other people.

C: Would you say that you have had different social experiences since your transition?

M: Yes! As a man, people just listen to me now. But, when I identified as a lesbian, I was badly bullied.

I’ve loved being able to explore femininity and masculinity. Before my transition, I avoided feminine things. Now I feel confident wearing a skirt in public and it doesn’t threaten my masculinity at all.

Kids grow up in binary boxes. Girls’ stuff is pink, boys’ stuff is blue. Cisgender people are intimidated by people who don’t fit in their boxes. When these kids grow up, they become adults who can’t express themselves and abuse those who can.

C: The media can be a scary place for the trans community. If a transphobic person of influence sat in my seat, what would you say to them?

M: I’ve thought about this a lot. People mistake me as a cisgender man. I would love to talk to Rishi Sunak or whoever about the trans community. At the end of the conversation, I would tell them I am trans and see how their attitudes towards me change. Because how were they to know?

What does a trans person even look like?

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Being transphobic is a choice

People with influence have access to the money and tools to educate themselves.

Being transphobic is a choice. With online resources and social media being so accessible, I don’t understand why people are so against the trans community.

C: You mentioned that people are surprised to learn you’re trans. How does that make you feel?

M: It’s a double-edged sword. It makes me feel good knowing that I look masculine.

But I try when I can to be open about being trans. It is a massive part of who I am, why should my friends miss out on that?!

C: Tell me more about how your music helped your transition.

M: I’ve been on testosterone for two years. Since then, I’ve been struggling to express my emotions - I haven’t cried in almost a year. I’ve talked to older trans men and they have reassured me that this will come back… …From understanding emotion and being able to cry when I felt sad, to having to navigate not letting my sadness turn into frustration, I now understand what my audiences feel when they cry at my music. I now need my music and my songs to bring out those tears and process my emotions.

I’m happy I do that for people and I can now do that for myself.

C: Who are your favourite LGBTQIA+ artists in Brighton?

M: Scarlett Fae is a Brighton-based musician. She’s incredibly talented.

Also, Conor England. He’s a co-founder of Polyglamarous, a queer club night at the Concorde. The Brighton queer community is so grateful for having that safe space.

C: How are you using your music to help vulnerable people in Brighton?

M: As a kid, I used to receive help from Audio Active. It’s a youth group that helps people through music therapy. The people who work there saw music in me and nurtured that. I’m forever grateful. Now, I work as a young music leader! It has been so rewarding.

I’ve performed at and attended fundraising events for trans people… I had a great time at The Actors in Kemptown.

It’s a great queer-friendly pub, I loved performing there.

C: Do you have anything else to add?

M: I love being trans. I am proud of it and it’s not something I’m ashamed of.

As usual, listening to Miri talk about his experiences so eloquently and with so much wisdom was a delight. In recent months, transgender people have been thoroughly abashed in the media. I hope this interview with Miri shows that transphobia and homophobia hurts real humans, each with their own story to tell. Brighton has a reputation for being the queer capital of the UK, however there is always more work to be done. We all deserve to feel safe and welcome in this lovely little city. The Badger will always be here to champion this.

Miri is currently fundraising for his top surgery. If you would like to help, search “Help Miri Get Top Surgery” on GoFundMe. Thank you.

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Arts: Books

4 Dec 2023 • 12

Visiting Virginia Woolf’s Room of Her Own

Maisie Knights Books Editor and Head of Social Media TW: Suicide

A

s a third-year English and Media student studying Virginia Woolf, our module organised a visit to her home, Monk’s House, which is now a National Trust site.

Virginia Woolf is known for her experimental modernist writing and popularisation of the stream of consciousness style that landed her in the literary hall of fame. Her best-known works include The Waves and To The Lighthouse.

She alternated between London and the village of Rodmell, deep in the Sussex Downs, for the last 22 years of her life until her suicide at age 59 in Lewes in 1941.

To the good fortune of all literary buffs, feminists, and English students in Sussex, Monk’s House is preserved as it was when Woolf called it home, instead now full of knowledgeable and friendly volunteers in each room. Despite only being a fifteenminute drive from Falmer campus, the cottage feels like another world. A sense

of intense isolation, both peaceful and suffocating, lingers in the air, amplified by the endless views of Sussex Downs.

Prior to my visit, I avoided looking at photos of the house so I could go into the experience blind. They say one’s home

gives a direct glimpse into the mind, and this is certainly the case for Virginia Woolf’s quaint little cottage. Traces of her linger everywhere, frozen in time: mismatched reading chairs, overflowing bookshelves in every room, delicate teacups and saucers.

It’s an eclectic blend of everything she and her husband, Leonard (also an author), adored. The majority of the furniture is personally decorated by loved ones and members of the Bloomsbury group, a collection of artists and writers who are discussed in more depth later this issue.

A personal highlight from this trip was viewing Woolf’s private writing shed, hidden among the greenery of the back garden. In her essay A Room of One’s Own, Woolf explores the disadvantages faced by female writers due to their lack of privacy when writing. To see the desk at which such revolutionary and historic literature was produced left me feeling motivated and uplifted as a young female writer facing different challenges. Woolf has often been viewed as a feminist and queer icon, and a visit to Monk’s House is a window into her life essential for anyone interested

in learning more about her, whether they have read her works or not.

Monk’s House re-opens for visitors on 29 March 2024. Pre-booking is essential and available on their website.

Image: Monk’s House by Maisie Knights

Has BookTok Saved Reading?

Isabel Cattermole Staff Writer

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aving read my fair share of “BookTok” books, I will never trust book recommendations from TikTok again.

TikTok was launched in 2016, but “BookTok” as a subsection only started to gain attention around 2020. Now, a large section of the TikTok platform is a group of like-minded individuals who express their love for books through the short video format. Typically in these videos, people discuss their opinions on upcoming books and show off the new books they have recently purchased. The rapid growth of the community has given it a substantial influence on the literary industry by increasing sales and introducing a younger audience to books.

The stereotypical demographic for BookTok is young women, many of whom may have not read regularly since creative writing and fanfiction app Wattpad went downhill. Even for those outside the assumed criteria, many bookshops are now sharing the concept with a wider audience, highlighting books that have become popular online. Most people, whether they realise it or not, will be close with someone affiliated with the culture of BookTok. A typical BookTok video involves someone holding up multiple books as they discuss their thoughts and opinions.

Often the sole purpose of these videos is to show off the number of books that the creator has bought, with minimal dialogue and analysis. Though it may not necessarily be the problem, the BookTok trend is a symptom of capitalism due to the focus

on consumerism. Although the trend of haul videos may be helping the publishing industry by promoting sales, the availability of libraries has been completely forgotten and ignored. Furthermore, it is ironic that reading and book culture, traditionally an offline activity and a form of escapism from everyday life, is now heavily focused online, with social media quickly becoming the best and most common way to learn about books.

And what exactly is the audience learning about? With ample research, the people offering their opinions on BookTok can be well-rounded in discussing a wide spectrum of books, but that is only if you know how to look for them. Otherwise, you’ll end up in an inescapable trap of romance, with no way out. The majority of best sellers on BookTok are heart-warming romances, often depicting straight vanilla relationships that fall into one or multiple of the popular tropes. These include friends to lovers, enemies to lovers, fake dating, and so on. With such an emphasis on tropes, the potential long-term impact on literature could be a noticeable decline in the quality or variety of new books.

Due to the increase in revenue as a result of BookTok and the typical type of books that do well, it is a worry that the industry will strongly prioritise romance books, forcibly diminishing the chances for new authors that are not writing upmarket fiction specifically catered to BookTok. Additionally, it is apparent in BookTok books that the authors often follow unoriginal and lazy formulas they believe will lead to instant success. While these books are appealing because they’re fun and light-hearted, there are many great romance books that are easy

to read and aren’t mediocre. Give award winners Everything I Know About Love and The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo a try.

Of course, we must acknowledge that over time there have always been below-themark books, but with the rapid rate of books being released, the standard surely must be suffering as a result.

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It’s important to be open to expanding your horizons and reading a wider variety.

Whilst BookTok has its fair share of problems, reading anything is still better than nothing. And for people more comfortable with short-form content and bite-sized information, BookTok is an effective method of introducing books, a

long-form medium, in an approachable way.

Even if the books that circulate on BookTok aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, it’s still a great way to get into reading. It’s an open community, the books are widely accessible, and it’s fun to compare notes. It’s also likely that many of the people using BookTok will later go on to read a wider range of literature - perhaps it should be seen as the literary equivalent of a gateway drug.

Of course, everyone is entitled to their guilty pleasures and to enjoy romance books. However, it’s important to be open to expanding your horizons and reading a wider variety. Limiting yourself to a tiny subsection of literature because it happens to be popular online is a disservice to yourself and to a reading community that is a lot more than just formulaic romance.

Arts: Books

Editors: Isabella Poderico and Maisie Knights

4 Dec 2023 • 13

The Bloomsbury Effect to the classic works of the Bloomsbury Group’s most notorious members: Virginia Woolf, E.M. Forster, Vanessa Bell, and artist Duncan Grant.

The exhibition begins by highlighting the link between fashion, literature, and theatre - displaying original manuscripts and a digital performance of Virginia Woolf’s Orlando alongside pieces featured in Christopher Bailey’s Spring/Summer 2017 Collection for Burberry. Bailey’s collection sought to emulate Orlando’s gender fluidity and unconventional narrative, fusing billowing sleeves with harsh lines, both masculine and feminine elements seemed intertwined throughout the collection. Woolf’s influence has clearly manifested in the house of Burberry, but the exhibit reveals that the Bloomsbury influence has and will continue to extend beyond one label. The exhibit also includes pieces from Comme des Garçons and Erdem, as well as drawing a particular

Lydia Bowe Sealey Staff Writer

T

he Bloomsbury Group: an eclectic group of innovative creatives, including Virginia Woolf who altered the conservative landscape of the 20th century. Bring No Clothes: Bloomsbury and Fashion at the Charleston Museum is here to enforce that statement. Many would question the modern relevance of the inner circle of writers, artists, and philosophers, but Charleston’s exhibit in Lewes is here to suggest otherwise.

Curator and acclaimed writer Charlie Porter has compiled a meticulous array of sources demonstrating the impact of the Bloomsbury group on contemporary fashion, and in a broader sense, how art and literature have a profound influence on fashion. This showcase is not only a nod to the past and the present, but perhaps also insinuates the future. Continuing to return

Review: Black Cake Paige Braithwaite Staff Writer

C

harmaine Wilkerson’s Black Cake is a debut novel that takes readers from the balmy shores of a Caribbean island to England, America, and beyond.

When matriarch Eleanor Bennett passes away, she shocks her adult children Benny and Byron with the revelation that the true story of her life is very different to what she has told them all these years. To their surprise, alongside their mother’s beloved black cake recipe, Benny and Byron also inherit hours of their mother’s voice recordings and with it generations worth of family secrets.

The novel spans decades, flipping between different periods of the Bennett family life and rotating through different narrators. The reader is completely immersed in all perspectives of this story as we learn why Eleanor was pushed away from her Caribbean home as a teenager.

Forced to embark on a daunting path from the UK to America all alone, we discover how she built the life she manages to provide for her children. A recurring motif in this novel is the titular imagery of “black cake” – a Caribbean fruit cake recipe that Eleanor Bennett teaches to her young daughter, adamant her children will have this connection to their ancestral home.

Wilkerson has discussed in an interview with BookPage, how “the cake symbolises the history of this family” and how Eleanor’s children “don’t know the half of what their parents went through.” Will their mother’s confession alter the path of Benny and Byron’s life?

Black Cake is full of deeply layered but often fraught relationships. Benny is almost estranged from her brother at the time of Eleanor’s death; difficult conversations about her identity having pushed her away.

The novel explores whether these family revelations may help Benny and Byron heal their fractured bond. As well as this sibling relationship, Eleanor’s own relationships are paramount in this book, with her

unbreakable bond with her husband demonstrating the barriers that love can face, and sometimes, overcome. Some of the most vivid and engaging scenes from the novel are centred around the island where Eleanor swam the ocean waves with her best friend Bunny, both intrinsically connected to nature, and eventually to each other. Interestingly, Wilkerson did not start writing Black Cake with the intention of it becoming a novel, but instead began with short stories of two friends swimming the Caribbean shores, and soon realised the expanding universe that was developing.

The novel covers a multitude of years, places and people, allowing Wilkerson to excel in drawing together a fastpaced and gripping narrative. There is a hugely intimate aspect to the lives and perspectives of these characters. Black Cake adeptly takes the reader through different historical periods, from the experience of a Caribbean immigrant in 1960s Britain and onto the 21st century United States.

Wilkerson explores Byron’s experiences as a mixed-race scientist and Benny’s identity as a gay mixed-race woman, grappling with herself and her path in life. Being from Jamaica herself, and now living in Rome, Wilkerson shines a light on the Caribbean diaspora and the connections people can have to their homelands through food and stories.

Black Cake will draw you in and take you on the sweeping Bennet family journey, with Wilkerson seeing it as “the power of a story to shape who you are and how you see yourself.” This is an emotive novel that effortlessly explores the bonds of family, the significance of our past and the lengths people can go to, to make the life they deserve for themselves.

Wilkerson’s story has recently been made into a seven-part Hulu series with Oprah Winfrey serving as an executive producer. I eagerly await to see the transference of these characters and bonds to a screen.

focus on Dior’s Spring/Summer 2023 Menswear Collection by Kim Jones. Jones sought to emulate the whimsical and bucolic paintings of Bloomsbury member Duncan Grant, mirroring his inspiration: the natural environment.

It appears that ‘The Bloomsbury Effect’ has surpassed the 20th century, extending its literary and artistic influence to the future by appearing in the modern creative sphere of the present day. Bring No Clothes: Bloomsbury and Fashion is here to reaffirm exactly that. Alongside a visit to Monk’s House, this exhibit provides a pivotal perspective on the impact The Bloomsbury Group had and continues to have on society as we know it.

Bring No Clothes: Bloomsbury and Fashion by Charlie Porter is on display at the Charleston Museum in Lewes until January.

Image: Bring No Clothes: Bloomsbury and Fashion exhibition by Lydia Bowe Sealey

Bookish Stocking Fillers Her Body and Other Parties is an obscure yet endlessly captivating collection of short

stories that provides a striking commentary into the collective experience of womanhood.

From magical realism to horror to comedy, each short story plunges the reader into a different genre, somewhere new, unconventional and strange. With each story comes deeply layered characters and problems. For example: a wife’s intricate relationship with her husband as she refuses to remove a green ribbon around her neck; a queer mother who had her own child thrust upon her without warning; and a woman who undergoes voluntary weight removal surgery to find the shadow of it haunting her house. It’s safe to say those who are drawn to strangeness and peculiarity will love this anthology. Her Body and Other Parties is unforgiving in its obscurity, lingering in your mind like a fog, while still providing a blank canvas for personal interpretation. Different stories reach out to different people, but fundamentally shared experiences will always be found. Full of softness, vulnerability and visceral emotion, this book surfaces personal anecdotes and images that we might have long forgotten otherwise.

Tilly-Anne Humphrey, Staff Writer

“This is not a life story. It’s a loft story.” In Good Pop, Bad Pop, we unpack Jarvis Cocker’s “mindfill,” a raw expose of musical dreams, born and bred in Sheffield. Trinkets and memorabilia are presented to us from his loft in London, where Cocker reminisces upon 100 objects, pondering whether to keep or to ‘cob’ (throw out) each item. During the holiday period, we often find ourselves rooting about in our lofts for prosthetic pine, recycled baubles and 20-year-old Wrigley’s Extra gum? Cocker reevaluates this experience, using his self-deprecating humour and colloquial charm. Aside from the spectacular graphics, this book displays how juvenile enthusiasm can transform into a life endeavour; how his discovery of punk and jumble sales in the 70’s moulded Cocker into the frontman of Pulp.

Be it a gift for an avid Brit-pop fan, or simply someone in need of a very ‘dip-able’ book, this piece always lingers at the forefront of my mind. Personally, I would keep Good Pop, Bad Pop under the tree, and perhaps ‘cob’ those broken Christmas lights from 2009.

Bonnie Hull, Staff Writer

Dolly Alderton’s memoir Everything I Know About Love is a perfect mixture of relatability, heartbreak and humour. Full of quotes that will stick with you endlessly, this is the ideal gift for your best friend who deserves a piece of writing that will make them feel seen and remind them of the unconditional love that friendships hold. It encapsulates the beauties and complications of female friendships, creating a new appreciation for all the impactful women that you know. With a multitude of touching quotes, it reads as a love letter to all women in the world: “Nearly everything I know about love, I’ve learnt from my long-term friendships with women.” This memoir creates a sense of community between women everywhere; it bonds the female experience and makes you realise that you are not alone. Alderton’s therapising words promote self-love and expression, and therefore, make the perfect book to gift someone who needs to hear some warm, wise words. With deeply personal themes that normalise the often overlooked struggles that women, particularly in their twenties, experience, it’s a book that will leave women feeling seen and everyone else with a new perspective on the people they hold dear.

Megan Bigsby, Staff Writer

Arts: Film and TV

4 Dec 2023 • 14

Modern Day Disney and Race Swapping

Abigail Keyla Staff Writer

D

isney has recently come under fire for their upcoming Disney Princess remake, Snow White. The titular character will be played by Rachel Zegler, the 22-year-old American actress and singer who made her debut playing Maria in Steven Spielberg’s 2022 adaptation of West Side Story. The film’s casting choices, several comments made by Zegler, as well as leaked press photos, have given the public a glimpse as to what this remake will look like, and suffice it to say, the people are not impressed.

One of the most notable controversies is how Zegler is of Latin descent, the “total opposite” of the character she plays who supposedly has “skin as white as snow,” This is coupled with leaked paparazzi pictures that showed the ‘dwarves,’ a band of average height looking men and women of different races.

This is not the first time that Disney has gotten backlash for doing race swaps on characters. From Halle Bailey’s Ariel and her mermaid sisters in the 2023 remake of The Little Mermaid, to Yara Shahidi’s

Tinkerbell in the 2023 Peter Pan and Wendy, to Leah Jeffries’ Annabeth in the upcoming Percy Jackson and the Olympians TV series, Disney has taken to casting darker skinned actors to play lighter skinned animated characters.

One thing is clear: the actors who will or are playing these characters do not deserve the racist backlash that they are receiving from ‘die-hard’ fans because of Disney’s casting choices - these actors are people, who are simply doing their job the best that they can.

And yet, the people are divided. On the one hand, audiences are overjoyed for this representation and argue that the characters’ whose races were changed did not have an ethnicity or culture vital for the plot to function, and therefore, such a small, aesthetic detail can be overlooked.

On the other hand, fans lament the changes race swapping will make to the original animation and their characters, and question why Disney could not create new stories with people of colour specifically in mind, instead of just changing the skin colour of an existing character.

Using diversity to seem ‘woke’ as a strategy is not new. That is to say, it’s a tale

as old as time – well at least up until the modern century. For beauty companies like Dove, to sports companies like Nike, socially conscious marketing (SCM) has been the key to all their concerns: they know that the current generation cares more about social, political, and cultural issues, and so they seek to capitalise on it. So far, it has done them well. Through SCM, these companies were able to raise brand awareness, boost their reputation, bump up their sales, and generate brand loyalty.

“

This method serves as a cheap and simple way for Disney to... garner praise while doing the minimum.

However, it does raise the question: do these companies actually care for the messages they are preaching? Or is it all just for profit?

It can be hard to tell. By simply alluding to these socio-political issues in their products, companies are demonstrating their awareness of these problems, yet also absolving themselves of any responsibility to investigate and solve the underlying

structural problems they are appropriating for their benefit. Though they are different industries, such a strategy is also present within Disney – instead of producing new stories centred around people of colour to address the scarcity of such films in the market, they resort to race swapping, which allows them to bring in more diversity into a film that originally lacks it.

This method serves as a cheap and simple way for Disney to appeal to the masses and garner praise while doing the minimum.

So is incorporating diversity to be ‘woke’ bad and shouldn’t be done at all?

Not necessarily. Including more people of colour, even through race swapping, does contribute more diversity to a film, and its respective market. Such positive representations can act as a strong vessel to empower people of colour. From the young to the old, being able to see yourself, your beliefs, and your culture reflected in popular media can bring great confidence, pride, and joy.

Nevertheless, when you can create new, original stories for new, diverse characters, instead of race swapping as a shortcut, imagine all the unique stories you can get.

It’s Not the Happiest Season for the Carols Atreyo Palit Staff Writer

W

ith the festive season approaching, the most wonderful time of year will soon be upon us! Eggnog, warm fires, carolers, and beautiful gifts are amongst the things I’m immediately reminded of when I think of the Western world’s favourite holiday. Yet, lurking in the shadows cast by the lit-up Christmas tree, are the ghosts of coercion, unwanted attention, and for some, even closet doors. The widely adored tradition of extended families getting together isn’t joyous for those who must hide their authentic selves or aren’t accepted for who they are. Christmas popular culture is overwhelmingly cisheterosexual and family-centric.

It doesn’t help that the majority of Christmas films and songs tell one to go hug their family and be grateful for them when for some queer people, families represent the sore wounds of ostracism, the first source of heartbreak regarding their identities. If not that, there are stories of the perfect love which is either magically born or healed on Christmas, while many LGBTQIA+ individuals are still in the closet, too afraid of society to even express their feelings, let alone to find the ideal relationship.

So, in the sea of Christmas rom-coms like Love Actually and The Holiday, both based on heterosexual joy, it’s a relief to see films like Carol or Happiest Season that tell stories of struggling homosexual relationships. Carol follows toy store clerk Therese (Rooney Mara) who meets Carol

(Cate Blanchett) when the latter shows up at the store she works in to buy a lastminute gift for her daughter. The meeting leads to a love affair which eventually ends in separation, due to the homophobic grounds used by Carol’s separated husband Harge (Kyle Chandler) to justify taking custody of their daughter. Clea DuVall’s Happiest Season tells the story of Abby (Kristen Stewart), who goes away with her girlfriend Harper (Mackenzie Davis) to spend Christmas at the latter’s house, only to discover that Harper still hasn’t come out to her parents, and needs Abby to fake being straight to protect her secret. Their relationship becomes strained, and they almost break up on Christmas night.

Stories about queer people that focus on the struggles of being queer often portray them stereotypically, but neither of the aforementioned lesbian romances fall into that category. The central characters aren’t mouthpieces for homosexuality, and the films both extensively explore the struggles of being queer in a cisheteronormative society. Abby and Harper don’t spend Christmas Eve celebrating, and don’t wake up on Christmas morning next to each other. Instead, they have an argument, and Abby is left alone amongst strangers, her only source of solace coming in the form of her budding friendship with Harper’s exgirlfriend Riley (Aubrey Plaza), who’s a prior victim to Harper’s parents’ homophobia and strictness. Harper is smiling almost all the time in Happiest Season and she appears extremely grateful to have the family she does, but it’s a façade she’s developed to not disappoint her perfectionist parents.

Even though Carol and Therese go on a

road trip where they can fearlessly love each other, their escapade is cut short because Harge keeps tabs on Carol’s homosexual activities to build a case against her. They don’t get to end the festive season in the blissful relationship that traditional pop culture speaks of. Christmas for them is a harsh reminder that cisheteronormativity will always make them outcasts or force them to hide their authentic selves.

However, both films end in the Christmas romcom tradition of reconciling personal differences, in moments of queer joy when the relationships triumphantly challenge their ostracism. So, instead of rejecting the idea of happiness, films like Carol and Happiest Season champion homosexuality, while also acknowledging the sorrow that Christmas brings for many

queer individuals whose lives might unravel in this family-focused season.

If you’re queer, closeted or otherwise, please know you don’t have to force “happiness” at the cost of personal comfort or safety. If the festive season isn’t the most wonderful time of the year for you, you’re not doing Christmas wrong, Christmas has failed you. You’re valid, and I hope more stories like Carol and Happiest Season will continue to break the stereotypes and be the representation we have missed.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health issues regarding their LGBTQIA+ identity, you can find help with the LGBT Foundation at their website, www.lgbt.foundation, or by calling their helpline at 03453303030.

Image: Happiest Season, TriStar Pictures/Hulu

Arts: Film and TV

4 Dec 2023 • 15

Editors: Isabella Poderico and Jemimah Kayode

Reviews: London Film Festival 2023 Isabella Poderico Arts Editor

Priscilla: 4.5/5

s a cinema fan, the London Film Festival is more exciting than Christmas and is always one of the highlights of my year. Here are the highs and the lows from three of the festival’s biggest films.

Sofia Coppola always impresses, but I think this may be my new favourite of her films. The cinematography is simply gorgeous, filled with beautiful pastel pinks and blues, stunning symmetry and meticulously crafted movements, which highlight both the beauty and vulnerability of Priscilla’s predicament. Cailee Spaeny is nothing short of brilliant, picking up Venice Film Festival’s Best Actress award, which was very well deserved.

Her performance of this young, impressionable girl will captivate your heart, and she really is the star of this biopic, never once being overshadowed by Elvis. The casting of this film was absolutely spot on. Spaeny plays Priscilla so graciously; she’s vulnerable, but classy and charming. Jacob Elordi, who is almost famous at this point for exclusively playing rather cruel boyfriends, makes a charming Elvis, highlighting their problematic and controversial relationship. The Elvis shown in the film is the ‘private life’ Elvis, not his on stage persona, which was brilliantly portrayed by Austin Butler in Baz Luhrmann’s biopic. This makes it hard to compare whose performance is superior, due to the fact they are such different interpretations of the same ‘character’. However, Jacob Elordi’s version of Elvis is made specifically to capture Priscilla’s story.

The towering and dominating height difference, coupled with the child-like innocence that Caliee Spaeny captures so well, really brings depth to both characters and Priscilla’s incredible story. Shocking at points, constantly engaging, and fueled by manipulation, lust, and love, Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla has shone a new, engaging, and critical spotlight onto ‘America’s Sweethearts’, definitely making it into my top 10 films of 2023.

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Ferrari: 2/5 I was lucky enough to snag some last minute tickets for this year’s surprise film Ferrari, which was directed by Micheal Mann and stars Adam Driver and Penelope Cruz. I will try to keep this review ‘spoiler free’ as Ferrari doesn’t race into cinemas until later this month. However, what I will say is that it follows Ferrari founder Enzo Ferrari for a relatively important three months of his life as he juggles between his wife, mistress and his true love: sports cars.

The film portrays him as a rather selfish and unlikable figure, inserting humorous elements amongst the drama to try make the story a little more interesting. Later on they seem to double down on this strategy, attempting to rebuild compassion between him and the audience by showing that he can be a caring father, despite casually brushing off a major incident and constantly pushing blame onto others. One thing I struggled with is the fact that there is a complete lack of narrative arc, tension, and build up: the first hour of the film is relatively dry, although watchable. The real action and shock of the film does not occur until the final quarter of the film, and then it is merely brushed off, despite shocking and jaw-dropping visuals. The only character who seemed to have any real depth is Laura Ferrari, portrayed by Penelope Cruz, who is a grieving mother struggling to come to terms with the death of her son. Shockingly, Laura Ferrari is one of the only characters to have a good Italian accent, and Cruz’s performance is by far the stand out. Considering it’s the second time in Adam Driver’s career that he plays a rich and insufferable Italian man, he ought to have nailed the accent by now, but as someone with an Italian father, I can tell you it was far from it. Despite an impressive A-lister cast, I wouldn’t be surprised if audiences decided to swerve away from this car-wreck.

Images (L-R): Priscilla, A24. Poor Things, Film4.

Jemimah Kayode Film & TV Editor

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nvincible is an animated superhero show that focuses on Mark Grayson, the teen son of the world’s strongest and most celebrated superhero Omni-man.

An Amazon Original, the first half of the second season was released between the 3 and 24 November to excellent reviews.

Similar to The Boys, where superheroes are not exactly paragons of peace, Invincible is known for its dark take on superheroes. The superheroes in this world appear good, just, and righteous to the public eye, but behind closed doors a different story unfolds.

After an agonising two years of waiting due to the animation process, large cast, and COVID-19, the first episode of season two dropped at the beginning of November.

Season two starts off slow, but picks up almost exactly where season one left off - in the aftermath of the fight between Omniman and Invincible. Both Mark (voiced

by Steven Yeun) and his mother, Debbie Grayson (Sandra Oh), are trying their best to move on with their lives, going back to school and work. The audience watches Mark deal with PTSD and immense guilt over the lives lost during the fight with his

Poor Things: 5/5

Poor Things by Yorgos Lanthimos is brilliantly bonkers, in the best way possible. With a wonderfully unique aesthetic and beautiful visuals, it takes on a peculiarly colourful, yet gothic approach. I was utterly mesmerised from the second I sat down, and the bold characters and creative choices somehow got crazier as the film progressed. This film is a steampunk, retrofuturist, comedy-horror, which is an absurdly intelligent weave of the genres that blend together perfectly. It is squeamish and uncomfortable, but oh-so lovable and utterly hilarious. If you are a fan of Lanthimos’ other work, such as The Lobster and A Killing of a Sacred Deer, like I am, then you will love Poor Things just as much as I did, with this being Lanthimos’ magnum opus so far. One thing to note is that this is certainly not a film to watch with your family, as it explores sexuality in a very graphic way. However, it never creates Emma Stones’ character Bella Baxter into some kind of overly sexual femme fatale. Instead, she captures you into her bizarre journey of finding herself in a messed up world of her own through her shocking adventures and promiscuous exploration. Emma Stone’s performance is exceptional, and Bella’s character progression is phenomenal. She seeks vengeance on all men who have wronged her, whilst exploring the world with an innocent and truthful heart. Mark Ruffalo’s performance is also nothing short of brilliant as he portrays the wacky, eccentric, cruel but hilarious Duncan Wedderburn. This film should be on everyone’s bucket list, and is certainly one to watch once it makes its way into cinemas in January 2024!

Review: Invincible S2 father. Despite this, he is still trying to be a hero. Meanwhile, Debbie finds solace at the bottom of her wine glass and comes to terms with the fact that her husband of many years viewed her as little better than a pet. It’s heartbreaking to watch her try to be strong for her son and herself as they both come to terms with their new reality.

The episode also introduces new troubles for the second generation of the Guardians of the Globe, consisting of Rex Splode, Rudy/Robot, Dupli-Kate, Shrinking Rae, Monster Girl and Black Samson. In a fight scene, we see that it takes the Guardians too long to defeat monsters and it costs lives.

Furthermore, leadership issues start to arise within the team and significant changes are made. Whilst it’s nice to see how they have overcome their mistrust of each other from season one when they were just getting to know each other, it’s hard to watch as you realise that team solidarity just isn’t enough.

The introduction of Angstrom Levy, a character from a different reality who can create portals to different dimensions, promises something much greater on the horizon. Levy is this season’s “big bad” and with his power set you can already tell that we’ll be in for a ride. Levy’s role throughout the episode makes it clear that he is a man

with big ideas and dreams, and is willing to do anything to save his Earth. He sets up the premise for the coming season, and his involvement in the end-credit scene leaves room for much anticipation for what’s to come. Perhaps an epic clash that will be nothing short of world-altering?

However, I have some apprehension that the plotline of alternate realities could fail just as it did in Marvel’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, where there was just too much happening at once. Let’s hold onto the hope that they will pull it off like the producers of Everything Everywhere All at Once, and somehow weave in touching moments between Mark and his friends and family.

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It showed us ongoing trauma recovery, incredible fight scenes and new powers.

The slowness of the season two opener of Invincible has allowed the showrunners to come up with a strong and coherent start, unlike some other recent superhero shows such as Marvel’s Loki. Rather than being catapulted into a hectic scenario, Invincible season two eases viewers into the situation, and sets the stage for exciting developments.

I thoroughly enjoyed this episode of Invincible. In just 49 minutes, it showed us ongoing trauma recovery, incredible fight scenes and new powers, whilst maintaining the tone we know and love from season one.

The episode really gets the audience to feel for Debbie and Mark as they pick up the pieces of the season one finale. Furthermore, we are left with tons of questions about what the future entails for the Guardians of the Globe and how our Invincible will fare against the looming threat of Angstrom Levy.

As always, the voice acting is amazing.

In particular, the raw emotive performance

by Sandra Oh adds significantly to audience empathy for Debbie’s situation. Overall, the writing and pacing of the episode was very well done, and I’m excited for what the show’s producer and creator Robert Kirkman will show us next. Considering Invincible’s amazing twists, I can’t wait to see what’s in store.

I recommend this show to those who are 18 years or older, as there is quite a bit of blood and gore, and to those who love all things superheros and sci-fi, as well as fans of The Boys and other adult animation such as Vox Machina and Rick and Morty.

Arts: Music

4 Dec 2023 • 16

Starbenders: Taking Back the Night?

Isabella Poderico and Harry Turnbull Arts Editor and Music Editor

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he quartet from Atlanta, Georgia is bringing back glam rock in a unique and contemporary way, appealing to both the 70s originals and newer generations alike. Their big hair, outlandish costumes and extravagant makeup make them easy to identify, and paired with their atmospheric and experimental rock sounds, they are rising star(bender)s in the modern rock scene. The Badger was lucky enough to attend their concert at Brighton’s iconic Green Door Store, touring their recent album Take Back the Night.

Fronted by singer and guitarist Kimi Shelter, the band enters the stage and opens with their headbanger ‘Blood Moon’, immediately setting the tone for the rest of the gig. They keep up that energy for the next 4 tracks, with rhythm held astonishingly well by drummer Emily Moon, who puts her entire body into smashing those drums into oblivion. With ‘Looking for Veins’ and ‘We’re not Okay’, the band takes a slower, more brooding and eerie interlude to their hardcore metal sound, potentially appeasing you emo or goth fans out there.

Then, without any prior warning, the driven high octane pop-rock of ‘Body Talk’ blesses our ears, followed by my favourite of the night: ‘Seven White Horses’. A track characterised by a western-tinted guitar riff, killer harmonies and a catchy hook, it was the perfect middle point for the concert. The remainder of the concert was defined by impressive screamo-inspired vocals from Kimi, a vain and atmospheric

presence from guitarist Kriss Tokaji, and anthemic bass lines courtesy of Aaron Lecense, our personal favourite performer of the evening.

We thought this gig was fantastic from start to finish. A real team unit that produces an amazing sound, and isn’t afraid to push the boundaries of conventional rock music. Before the gig, we were able to interview the band about their new album, inspirations and what they would wear on a normal day.

Isabella: Your new album Take Back the Night has just dropped. What sets the direction of this music apart from your older music?

Kimi: I think it’s the natural progression in our story. It’s the next chapter of what we do. We wrote the album during Covid, and I think it is fueled by restlessness and powerlessness. We tried to lean into the polarity of light and dark, and we used our music to portray our feelings of powerlessness.

Harry: So you’re very glamorous, resembling the likes of Kiss, Blondie and Bowie - big hair and lots of makeup. Which artists do you take inspiration from?

Kimi: We definitely take a lot of inspo from the 70s but really we love all of those guys, everyone from Freddy Mercury to Bowie, carved such iconic silhouettes, and we just pick the best of fashion history to inspire our looks. We get all our clothes from charity shops, you can have an idea of what you want in your head, but when you go into the store it’s what the universe gives you, and I think that’s what ends up making it individual, and not just a

costume. We keep it fashionable but not costume, and we have a lot of fun with it and our expression.

Emily: My tape is actually from Ace Hardware. Please sponsor us!

Isabella: Are there any fashion or music collaborations you guys are planning on doing in the future?

Emily: Ace Hardware!

Kimi: We have worked with Anna Sway on her makeup line, and we are always open to opportunities like that in the future, but I think sustainability is really important for us, so whoever we end up working with would definitely have to fit our morals.

Harry: How did you guys fend during COVID-19? Was it easy to stay in contact?

Aaron: I think we had a better time than most, we spent a lot of our time moving around and rehearsing, and kept the creative space on. We wrote, and filmed a

lot of music videos, making like 5 videos.

Kriss: Our record label allowed us to stay engaged and creative if you look at how many videos were done in 2020 alone.

We did keep the production of the videos small though.

Harry: What is the biggest culture shock coming from the US to the UK? Kriss: In America, everything is on all the time, they don’t give a f*ck over there, and we should give a f*ck.

Kimi: But I think we are all really grateful to travel, we get super excited to go to different places, we go with the flow, and we eat where the locals eat. We experience the culture and embrace it, it’s like magic to us.

Listen to the full interview on Harry’s Instagram page: harryturnbullmusic Image: Isabella Poderico

In Conversation with Youth Sector Harry Turnbull Music Editor

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ne of the less talked about bands in the British music scene, Youth Sector are turning the tide on what is perceived as pop rock. Local to Brighton, they have recently been demonstrating their talents and putting their name in people’s mouths by embarking on a killer tour, supporting the likes of The Kaiser Chiefs and COIN whilst completing a headline tour of their own, releasing their newest EP Quarrels, and even playing in Castles! I was lucky enough to chat with them in June ahead of their EP release show at the famous Prince Albert, a venue loved by many in Brighton.

Youth Sector has described their EP as a testament to previous works.

Guitarist Brad characterised the project as containing “elements of the sounds that we (Youth Sector) had in the last two EPs, but the scope is a bit broader, and every bit of it is just a bit better.” Bassist Josh doesn’t hesitate to point out that “this time we worked with a different producer, so it has a different kind of production style

which helps it stand out from the others.”

Youth Sector has a history of outlandish, artsy and charismatic production. Taking inspiration from Talking Heads, they are a pioneering effort to bring back the Avantfunk art rock that took the world by storm in the mid-60s.

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Youth Sector has a history of outlandish, artsy and charismatic production.

What sets this EP apart lyrically is the thematic darkening that the band collectively agreed was more prominent as a result of their more mature approach to songwriting. This is reinforced in their track ‘Free Parking’, a satirical yet highly political take on capitalist downfalls, plasticity and flaws of everyday life. In the track, they open with a strong statement about the two-faced British public as a result of capitalist ideologies being embedded in their habitual routines: “These Plastic People are quick, they’re driving in their plastic cars, they need plastic permits.” The lead singer Nick describes “‘Free Parking’ and ‘Benign Fire in a Small Room’ as very

insular and inward-thinking, whereas ‘The Ball’ and ‘Definitive Guide to Easy Living’ are much more outward-looking and dig into more political themes such as antihomeless architecture and failures of the UK government.”

This highly political lyricism combined with upbeat, funky instrumentation puts into place an interesting juxtaposition.

Brad adds that “funk has a higher overarching influence than other postpunk bands,” and their reasoning behind it is to again stand themselves out from more mainstream indie rock bands so people can hear their messages. I would argue Josh is the key pusher in this funk rock sound, and he elaborates on his Bass journey, stating “More bands should use the Bass as much as they can do, and shouldn’t be scared to explore it a bit more.” The Bass is a highly experimental instrument, with multiple new and interesting ways being found to play it.

Youth Sector is one of the more important bands in the indie grassroots scene in the entire UK at the moment.

Their instrumentation is extremely retro and nostalgic which can appeal to older

audiences as well as a newer, less attentive generation, whilst their lyrics are very timely and prominent in today’s political climate. Covering themes of anti-homeless architecture, covert capitalist control and governmental flaws such as how they handled Grenfell, they are not afraid to be outspoken but are incredibly smart in how they convey these messages.

I was lucky enough to see them live very recently at the Komedia Picturehouse and music venue in Brighton. They are not only extremely clever in their writing but are fantastic performers. It was a fresh blend of old classics, newer hits and future releases that kept casual and hardcore fans alike entertained. Frontman Nick had impeccable control of the crowd to the point he split the audience into three groups to sing different parts of his song for him. They are a team effort, as reinforced by their uniforms, and with approval from Rock ‘n’ Roll legend Elton John, calling the quintet “so energetic and I absolutely love their song” (about track ‘Teeth’) during his Rocket Hour for Apple Music, they really are ones to watch in the indie rock music scene.

Arts: Music

4 Dec 2023 • 17

Editors: Isabella Poderico and Harry Turnball

Lovejoy’s Rapid Rise in the Indie Scene Jack Mayfield Staff Writer

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truly think [Lovejoy] is having a big impact on the return of indie music into the mainstream,” were the words of Jack Saunders on Radio 1’s Official Chart Show, and for good reason. The indie rock unit hailing from Brighton has grown exponentially from their formation just two years ago with their latest single ‘Normal People Things’, charting at Number 27 in October, making it their most successful release to date.

Will Gold (Lead Vocals and Guitar), Joe Goldsmith (Lead Guitar and Backing Vocals), Ash Kabosu (Bass Guitar), and Mark Boardman (Drums) make up the quartet who attract 2.5+ million monthly listeners on Spotify, and almost 130 million streams of their most played song ‘One Day’, released as part of their debut EP Are You Alright? in May 2021. ‘Pebble Brain’ followed three months later. However, they would then take an almost two-year hiatus from releasing original music whilst working on their sound.

Marking their return earlier this year was the release of ‘Call Me What You Like’,

which propelled them into the eyes of the industry by being their first track to chart.

This would then form a part of their latest EP Wake Up & It’s Over (WU&IO) released in May. During this time they would tour the UK thrice, the US twice and play multiple venues in mainland Europe. Alongside this, the band have also played multiple festivals across the globe including this year’s Glastonbury and Reading/Leeds Festivals.

Answering a question regarding their influences, Kabosu in an interview with DIY Magazine said “I’d say we’ve always been inspired by the likes of Arctic Monkeys, but I feel like we’re really wearing that inspiration on our sleeve for at least a few of these new songs.” This has never been more true than ‘Portrait Of A Blank Slate’ with the heavy bass line clearly signalling back to the early days of the Sheffield outfit.

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There was never a moment where I wouldn’t see someone jumping and singing along.

Unsurprisingly, the Brighton band have played multiple iconic venues across the city that Sussex students will no doubt be

aware of: The Hope and Ruin (hosting their debut show), Concorde 2, Brighton Dome, and most recently their Halloween gig at the Old Market in Hove. It will inevitably not be long until they return to their hometown, which I am eagerly anticipating.

Fortunately for me, I managed to attend their latest tour of the UK to witness their biggest gig yet, with 18 songs played to a sold-out O2 Victoria Warehouse of 3,500 people in Manchester. There was never a moment where I wouldn’t see someone jumping and singing along to a number (let alone myself), a rarity for the size of the venue and demonstrating how much attention the four-piece demands.

The words ‘debut album’ probably keep the boys of Lovejoy up at night however fans and critics alike are eagerly anticipating hearing what they can produce in an LP. I personally recommend seeing Lovejoy if you ever get the opportunity, but until then give WU&IO a listen, as it’s a good indication of where the band is heading sonically. See what you think!

Image: Lovejoy Performing at O2 Victoria Warehouse, Manchester in September by Jack Mayfield

Leave Room for Folklore Connor Hymers Staff Writer

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his is a death by a thousand cutbacks, by countless noise complaints and escalating operating costs that can’t be covered. The Music Venue Trust revealed to NME that one in ten of the UK’s grassroots venues will close in 2023. How can they survive when the groundwater is tainted? When the money that trickles down from the top is just a drop in the ocean of debt these venues accrued during the pandemic.

I spoke to scene stalwart Jack Hooper, incredible musician and venue manager of The Folklore Rooms, to talk about the importance of grassroots venues to Brighton.

Connor: Now the dust has settled after the pandemic, what challenges do you face as a venue manager for The Folklore Rooms?

Jack: The Folklore Rooms found itself in a unique position as we launched the venue during the pandemic... It was a colossal challenge as we didn’t know how the landscape was looking and how/when/if we would be able to fully open so we had to complete the work on the venue and hope that when the time came, we were ready

to go… As a small and independent music venue, we can only ever make so much money, in order for us to stay afloat and to bring over 200 shows a year to the city, we need the support of the wider music community in Brighton. Fortunately, we have found the existing and growing scene in Brighton has been very supportive since we’ve opened.

C: What support is available for grassroots venues in response to these challenges?

J: The Music Venue Trust has been brilliant for us (and hundreds of other venues). The additional introduction of the Pipeline Investment Fund earlier this year was also a big boost, as they are able to give funds directly to the GMVs. We’re hopeful that next year we will be able to apply for some additional funding via that route, as they have recently teamed up with other larger corporations to raise funds. Organisations like MVT and MVA in Brighton are fundamental in our existence.

C: Small venues are essential for their intimate and unique atmospheres.

How do you think the shift to larger, corporate-owned venues might change the experience for both musicians and their fans?

J: I guess it’s just a very different

experience... You lack the personal touch of intimate venues and feel like the performer or audience can be looking at you straight in the eye. That’s the thing I love about intimate venues, the audience and performer being in the same space rather than an imaginary wall between the two. Bigger rooms have their perks, none less than the financial implications but small to medium venues are more magical.

C: Grassroots venues play a crucial role in nurturing emerging talent. How do you think the absence of these venues might impact the next generation of musicians and their development?

J: If you don’t have them how can you have bands? They are fundamental to not just growing acts into larger ones, which is so often mentioned, but also keeping a strong and passionate music scene within that environment. Music venues are safe havens for people, it’s where we go to be with friends, make new ones and share our art. We are seeing on average one music venue closing every single week in the UK - To think of the amount of memories and creative influence that has been lost to that is tragic.

C: Can you recall any specific experiences that you would share to encourage students to spend their time

University of Sussex’s student radio station Broadcasting live 24/7 from Falmer House Established 1976 urfonline.com urfofficial

and money in grassroots venues?

J: It’s about friendships mainly... I’ve made friends for life by being involved in music and in particular the live music scene… In spending money in these places you are supporting both your own endeavours and that of the music scene you’re now a part of! It’s essential.

The Folklore Rooms continue to provide a stunning backdrop for the city’s brightest up-and-coming musicians alongside renowned and revered artists like Passenger and Wunderhorse. It is essential that we protect our GMV’s; live music attendance in the UK is at a record high yet the billions earned in revenue seem to be stuck behind a dam the size of the 02 Arena. However, cracks seem to be forming. Ticketing outlet Skiddle has launched a trail-blazing initiative introducing a 50p ticket levy with proceeds going to MVTs Pipeline Investment Fund, a decision that will hopefully influence other ticketing services. The Folklore Rooms serves as proof that all is not lost, unperturbed by the uncertainty of the pandemic. It sits alongside Hope and Ruin and The Rossi Bar at the beating heart of Brighton’s music scene.

ADVERTISMENT The URF 24 Hour Broadcast is back for 2023!

Date: 24 - 25 November

This year, we’re fundraising for 3 charities: Clock Tower Sanctuary / @theclocktowersanctuary The Black and Minority Ethnic Young People’s Project / @bmeypp Medical Aid for Palestines / @medicalaidpal

Arts: Theatre

4 Dec 2023 • 18

From Stage to Screen

Francesca Sylph Senior Editor

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arlier this autumn, cinema-going Swifties were surprised with a sneak peek of the Mean Girls musical movie.

As audiences across the US strapped in to watch the musical event of the year, a 30foot tall Reneé Rapp sauntered onscreen with her signature Regina George smirk.

The secret first trailer dropped ahead of screenings of The Eras Tour concert film in October. As Vulture correctly assumes, “the Venn diagram between ‘girls and gays who make friendship bracelets’ and ‘people who want to see the Mean Girls movie musical’ is likely a circle.” This upcoming adaptation of the stage show is one in a long line of musicals being given the movie magic makeover.

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Someone being excited about theatre is a wonderful thing.

The recent stage-to-screen transformation trend has two forms. Firstly, there are filmed stage shows, which bring the magic of the theatre into cinemas and homes across the globe. Perhaps the most well-known example is Hamilton. Filmed onstage at the Richard Rodgers Theatre in June 2016, the live capture of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s magnum opus was slated for an October 2021 theatrical release, until COVID-19 reared its disruptive head.

Hamilton instead dropped on Disney+ in July 2020, creating another wave of fandom frenzy. The most recent musical to be given the big screen treatment is Waitress. A live stage recording of Sarah Bareilles and Jessie Nelson’s pie-loving musical masterpiece is to be released in theatres across the US

this December. Other stage shows that can currently be found on streaming services include Jonathan Larson’s Rent (Prime Video), Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods (BroadwayHD), and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s controversial Cats (BroadwayHD).

The second way to bring musicals to the movies is through adaptation. As opposed to simply filming a live performance, this method involves transforming the stories and songs from beloved stage shows into feature films. The most recent example is, of course, Mean Girls, which has gone through several layers of adaptation already. The upcoming musical is an adaptation of the stage show, adapted from the 2004 film of the same name, originally based on Rosalind Wiseman’s 2002 book Queen Bees and Wannabes. It’s hard to keep up, right? Matilda the Musical is another stage-to-screen adaptation which dropped on Netflix earlier this year, starring Emma Thompson as the tyrannical, shoulder-pad-wearing Miss Trunchbull and Lashana Lynch as the sweeter-thannectar Miss Honey. Other stage musicals to be given a recent cinematic facelift (to varying degrees of success) include Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story, In the Heights, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, and the utterly unforgivable Dear Evan Hansen.

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between ‘high’ and ‘low’ art. According to a study by The Stage in 2022, top-price West End tickets rose by 21% from 2019 to 2022, jumping up to £140.85 from £116.09. For context, average UK inflation from 20192022 was around 12%. Given the current cost of living crisis, it’s not dramatic to say that many theatregoers are being priced out.

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It’s not dramatic to say that many theatregoers are being priced out.

While some may argue that watching theatre through a screen (big or little) destroys the magic of live stage shows, I would argue that it simply pulls back the

exclusive curtains, allowing everyone to experience the magic. How many teenagers in their bedrooms were introduced to the joy of musical theatre after Hamilton dropped on streaming services? Shouldn’t we be encouraging that excitement, in whatever form it may take? It’s true: live theatre does hold a special kind of magic, and we should support local theatre whenever possible. But, until tickets are priced fairly, filmed theatre should be embraced and encouraged. At the end of the day, someone being excited about theatre is a wonderful thing. It shouldn’t matter if they paid £400 to sit in the dress circle, or £1.99 to rent the experience on Prime Video.

Image: Paramount Pictures

Live theatre has arguably become an exclusive and elitist activity.

Live theatre has arguably become an exclusive and elitist activity, regulated to middle and upper-class circles. This is partly the result of astronomically high ticket prices, and partly the result of intellectual snobbery which distinguishes

Improving Accessibility in Deaf Theatre Katie Waldron Theatre Editor

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heatre is meant for all to enjoy, but what if you were unable to enjoy it to its fullest potential? The British Deaf Association estimates that around 87,000 people in the UK use British Sign Language as a first language, which suggests to us at The Badger just why accessibility should be so important. An interview with the University of Sussex’s John Walker, Senior Lecturer in the British Sign Language and Deaf Culture elective, unveils all that should be known about theatre accessibility for the Deaf and hard of hearing communities - specifically around the Brighton and Hove area.

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What if you were unable to enjoy [theatre] to its fullest potential?

Due to the advancements and increase in inclusive technologies, booking accessibility tickets for a theatre show is easier than ever before, “Most theatres

provide online booking and it is quite easy to purchase a ticket. The problems occur when ticket purchases run into problems and there is no way to contact the booker,” John states. Instead of calling up theatres to amend bookings, unless the theatre has a contact point set up “with some of the major online interpreting companies such as Sign Video or Sign Live,” accessible shows begin to seem inaccessible for certain audiences. Despite this, when issues do not arise, John mentioned that Brighton creates good access to shows.

Such shows as Flarewave Festival funded

by Brighton Dome and Art Council celebrate deaf artists and performances from inspirational speakers, university doctors, and poets alike. John himself took to the stage to present a talk on Deaf-led Art. There are also regular interpreted performances in the Brighton Dome and Theatre Royal, in which they also employ a deaf usher who “helps us with bookings face to face, or guiding us to our seats. [On the usher] Farah is just brilliant at that.”

So, what can theatre companies do in order to sort out issues such as a lack

of accessibility for the Deaf and hard of hearing communities? Interpreters translate spoken word into Sign Language, yet issues arise when the placement of them is incorrect on stage. John shares some insightful advice on what exactly theatre companies can do in order to address accessibility issues. “Don’t place the interpreter on the steps at the farthest corner of the stage… I miss most of the action.” John also mentions thinking less about action and more about inclusion culturally, where he suggests bringing “Sign Language into the theatre itself.” which would also increase show accessibility.

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Interpreters translate spoken word into Sign Language, yet issues arise when the placement of them is incorrect on stage.

John further recommended Grounded

by Deafinitely Theatre and Can I Start Again Please by Sue MacLaine. These plays have good accessibility and set a good example for other shows and venues to follow. Both of the shows left John feeling

like he “saw the world very differently after each performance.” The Deafinitely Theatre company produces theatre for Deaf and hard of hearing communities as well as hearing audiences. It incorporates storytelling in British Sign Language with spoken English, making it the first professional theatre company within the UK launched and led by the Deaf community.

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There are major issues that still need to be addressed such as communication between the theatres and customers.

The Badger takes away from this insightful interview with John Walker that there are facilities being improved with accessibility for Deaf and hearing audiences. However, despite this, there are major issues that still need to be addressed such as communication between the theatres and the customers to make performances more accessible.

Arts: Theatre

4 Dec 2023 • 19

Editors: Isabella Poderico and Katie Waldron

SMUTS Bring The Addams Family to Life Dani Henao-Ramierz Staff Writer

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he Addams Family is a well-known, iconic franchise containing several movies - both animated and live action - as well as a musical and popular TV series, featuring a ghoulish family with an exclusive appeal to things occult and death-related. However, the musical follows a different storyline. An exclusive interview with Sussex University’s Musical Theatre Society gave us an insight on the behind-the-scenes of their production of The Addams Family.

As summarised by director Charlie, “I think the central issue is people’s relationships with each other. It starts with Wednesday falling in love with a boy called Lucas, who is very normal, and doesn’t seem to work in the context of The Addams Family. I think it’s a lot about him trying to find his place in this family alongside Wednesday. There’s also Gomez and Morticia having marital issues.”

In terms of the process and what it took to put this show together, cast members Pandora and Elliot, who play Morticia and Lucas respectively, were more than happy to describe the audition process.

“We warmed up together, then danced as a group, then you went in smaller groups to perform this dance. It was one by one for both singing and acting. After this it was callbacks, and it was a similar process again. We did a read through with another character to see if we had the right chemistry.”

It’s no secret that performing takes a lot of work, Pandora and Elliot described what it was like overcoming the hardest parts. Pandora told of her experience: “I’ve been in musicals before but this is the first time I’ve had solos. I thought it would be more scary than it is. Acting is my favourite part and I’ve done acting for a long time.

I enjoy the singing too but it’s definitely the hardest part for me.” Elliot/Lucas doesn’t have his own number in the show,

elaborating, “I definitely prefer dancing of the three (singing, dancing, acting) so when I saw I wasn’t getting my own song I wasn’t very down about it because I still get a little time to shine with my parts in other songs.”

An interview with Charlie gave me the chance to ask “Why The Addams Family?”

Charlie said it was about doing something different: “Last year’s production was Footloose, and I was thinking about what the society has done in its previous years and what might be new because The Addams Family has quite a different aesthetic. I was thinking about something that was in the current culture, which was The Addams Family. Wednesday (Netflix series) came out and I think we wanted to take advantage of that when picking the show.”

The Addams Family and Footloose are vastly different shows. While both iconic and with many adaptations, Footloose is a colourful spectacle centered around dancing and the feel-good nostalgia of the 80s. On the other hand, The Addams Family is a heavy juxtaposition with its spooky, black-

and-white aesthetic centred around the macabre. Charlie also confirmed that this year’s ensemble for The Addams Family is smaller than the number of cast members they had in the year prior for Footloose.

When asking both Charlie and producer Libby if they had difficulties bringing their vision to stage they said, “It’s always a process of collaboration in a way, we haven’t had difficulties like that yet because we did the casting so well. We didn’t go in with such a set interpretation of the characters, it was very nice to see what people bring themselves. It’s very nice to have performers who are switched on. It makes everything so easy to work with.”

Libby described some of the events behind the scenes and the work that goes on to put on a production. This year’s consists almost entirely of the same production team as last - just in different roles. That didn’t change their rhythm, however, as “Everyone had an idea of what they were doing and what role they’d be in.”

She also confirmed that they were able to

fill in more niche roles through interviews they held for new people to join backstage through their creative director. I believe new additions to the cast and the behindthe-scenes team will only introduce our University to the many more talented people we have on campus, and encourage more to engage with SMUTS and other forms of creativity.

I myself was given the privilege of watching the cast perform ‘Tango de Amor.’

At such an early stage of rehearsals, it was so clear to see the passion, hard work and talent that has gone into this collaborative piece - from everyone involved. For such an iconic show, it was incredible to see how SMUTS has made it their own.

Congratulations to everyone, both behind the scenes and in them!

The team expressed excitement to show their production of The Addams Family. The show runs from the 21st to the 24th of February. Tickets should be on sale from December, so make sure you don’t miss out!

Image: Zeeshan Tirmizi

What’s On in Brighton...

Maria Fernanda Plaza Staff Writer

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hristmas season is upon us, which means one thing in theatre Christmas shows are back and they are everywhere. From themed Christmas shows to Christmas music concerts, they seem to be dominating the scene.

Theatre lovers are in for a treat with the diversity in performances this holiday season. So, whether you want to spend an evening immersed in Christmas carols, or you want to see a cabaret show with your mates, there are hundreds of shows taking place at the moment and many more to come. Don’t forget to keep an eye out as there may be one that interests you.

We have chosen a few shows taking place in Brighton’s most iconic theatres and comedy venues to curate a timetable of what’s on in Brighton in the last month of the year and the beginning of the next.

Theatre Royal Brighton Live at Christmas (comedy) 11 December Tickets from £27.42, for ages 16+ Fairytale of New York (concert) 14-15 December Tickets from £26.50 Six (musical) 19 December-6 January 2024 Tickets from £29, for ages 10+ (mature themes and sensitive subjects) And Then There Were None (play) 9-13 January 2024 Tickets from £13, for ages 12+ (sensitive themes)

Brighton Dome

Komedia Brighton

Nutcrusher (dance) 6 December Tickets from £7.50 (features nudity)

Brian Bilston (poetry) 10 December Tickets from £8, for ages 14+ (under 16s to be accompanied by an adult)

Christmas with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (concert) 10 December Tickets from £15 Camilla George (concert) 10 December Tickets from £17.50 So... You Knew? (theatre) 14 December Tickets £10/pay what you choose, for ages 15+ (adult language) Viggo Venn: British Comedian (comedy) 16 December Tickets £22, for ages 12+ (recommended)

Joe Black’s Kleines Kabarett (cabaret) 12 December Tickets from £20, for ages 16+ (contains adult content and themes) Comedy at Christmas: The Best of Edinburgh Fringe (comedy) 18 December Tickets from £14, for ages 16+ Suspiciously Elvis Christmas Special (Elvis themed night) 19 December Tickets from £59, for ages 9+ (under 16s to be accompanied by an adult)

Science and Tech

4 Dec 2023 • 20

Convergence & Co-Evolution

Sian Scott Science and Tech Editor

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iscussions on ethical dilemmas surrounding the emergence and evolution of Artificial Intelligence (AI) are prevalent in today’s mainstream media. However, could plans to limit, or even eradicate, the use of AI systems, such as ChatGPT, be hindering our potential to mitigate the effects of climate change? Is the government unintentionally blocking Earth’s most adaptive, and potentially powerful, ally?

A recent publication in the journal, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), argues that the convergence of AI and ecology could be both instrumental in the race against climate change, and in advancing the capabilities and stability of AI systems. Barbara Han and researchers from the Cary Institute of Ecosystems Studies (CIES) present the concept of AI utilisation in complex ecological modelling; addressing issues such as the biodiversity crisis and disease outbreaks, and how ecological models could simultaneously be used to enhance, tune, and improve AI performance.

“The implications of a successful convergence go beyond advancing ecological disciplines or achieving an artificial general intelligence—they are

Zeeshan Tirmizi Staff Writer

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critical for both persisting and thriving in an uncertain future.” Barbara Han, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, co-lead of the 2023 paper.

The use of AI processing in the ecological sphere is already in action. AI has been found to succeed in finding patterns in large datasets and at calculating accurate statistical predictions, especially with regard to finding interactions between different variables which cannot be easily measured. This is particularly notable when considering the unpredictability of nature, and trends in environmental data.

Over the past two decades, there has been a notable surge in the exploration and evaluation of ecosystem services, particularly in the context of climate change, and ensuing conservation initiatives. The majority of these studies leverage remote sensing techniques, facilitated by advancement in AI systems.

The progress in satellite imaging technology standards, made feasible through AI, has significantly enhanced spatial, spectral, radiometric, and temporal research. In turn, this has enabled greater observation and classification of the Earth’s surface vegetation, highlighting changes in habitats and loss of biodiversity. This is just one example of how AI is working as Earth’s green accomplice; AI may find missing links or propose unique hypotheses which lead

to new lines of research.

“The use of AI in ecology has the potential to transform the way we study and understand the natural world and to provide valuable insights and tools that can help us better protect and preserve the environment.” Sajjad Reyhani Haghighi, 2023

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The potential synergy between AI and ecology emerges as a beacon of hope in the face of climate crisis.

Envisioning AI’s contribution to the field of ecology may be easier than contemplating the reverse. How can ecological models advance a machine’s ability to perform cognitive functions?

Han and researchers from CIES propose that processing mechanical data from resilient ecosystems will inspire more robust and adaptable AI architectures, especially in addressing mode collapse (the generation of limited or repetitive outputs, rather than capturing the full data diversity). Underpinned by ecological resilience theory, AI may be able to adopt mechanisms from resilient ecospheres to effectively manage and respond to more extreme pressures and demands, involving skills of resistance and recovery.

Researchers suggest that independent

developments in ecology, such as species adaptation in response to the warming Earth, and artificial intelligence could intentionally collaborate; yielding advancements in both fields. However, one consideration to note is that despite both disciplines visualising theory through predictive modelling, their languages and vocabularies are entirely independent of each other. Additional questions arise regarding the primary functions of both disciplines: the scientific field of ecology emphasises ‘understanding,’ whereas artificial intelligence is programmed to be performance focused - not to mention ethical considerations, such as data protection and security issues.

There is still a long road ahead - as they say, Rome wasn’t built overnight.

But, as society grapples with the ethical dimensions of AI, the potential synergy between AI and ecology emerges as a beacon of hope in the face of climate change, offering a promising trajectory toward a more sustainable future.

While ChatGPT results may still yield high plagiarism scores and Amazon’s Alexa might occasionally mishear your instructions, can we truly fault AI for minor errors when it may be carrying the weight of climate change mitigation on its shoulders? It’s got bigger fish to fry (well, sea temperatures to cool).

Vitamin D in Winter Wellness

itamins play a crucial role in maintaining good health and supporting efficient growth. Among these essential vitamins, vitamin D is particularly important for bone health, immune system support, and mental well-being. However, in the UK, it is very common to be vitamin D deficient. A 2022 review published by the UK Department of Health & Social Care estimated that 20% of children and 17% of adults have low levels of vitamin D. The best source of vitamin D is through safe sun exposure, which triggers synthesis in the skin. When ultraviolet rays from the Sun reach the skin, they interact with a compound called 7-dehydrocholesterol.

This interaction causes the compound to transform into previtamin D3, which is later converted into active vitamin D in the liver and kidneys. Vitamin D plays a crucial role in regulating the absorption of calcium and phosphorus in the intestines, promoting strong bones and teeth.

The latitude of the UK influences the relative angle of the Sun, leading to a reduction in direct sunlight exposure, particularly noticeable during the winter months. This has implications for the synthesis of vitamin D in the skin, which can lead to consequential deficiency, causing symptoms such as fatigue, hair loss, and mood changes.

While diminished sunlight exposure

can contribute to vitamin D deficiency, it is not the sole determinant. Adequate vitamin D levels can also be achieved through dietary sources (such as fish, mushrooms, yoghurts, and chickpeas) and supplements.

Vitamin D supplements can be bought in most pharmacies or health shops, as well as being prescribed by a GP. Preservation of vitamin D within the body is also promoted by a healthy lifestyle. Research published in the 2016 IOSR Journal of Pharmacy indicated a correlation between smoking tobacco and magnesium deficiency, which is needed to activate vitamin D in the bloodstream.

Additionally, according to information published by the National Health Service (NHS), those who come from countries in Southern Asia and Africa are at an increased risk of vitamin D deficiency when residing in the UK. This is due to the greatly reduced sunlight exposure compared to the Southern Hemisphere.

Melanin, the pigment responsible for the colour of the skin, protects against the harmful effects of UV radiation from the sun, reducing the risks of skin cancer and other related diseases. However, melanin also absorbs UVB radiation, which is crucial for the synthesis of vitamin D. Therefore, individuals with darker skin who have higher amounts of melanin may be more susceptible to vitamin D deficiency. In regions with lower sunlight exposure or for individuals with limited sun exposure, this can lead to challenges in obtaining suffi-

cient vitamin D solely from sunlight.

The Badger spoke to Deepti, an international student from India: “We stay indoors because it’s so cold, so the chance of exposure to sunshine is reduced. I can tell when my body needs vitamin D. I get cramps in my legs, feel weak, and have consistently low energy levels. My doctor has prescribed a monthly dose of 60000 IU (a unit of supplement measurement) to be taken every alternate month.”

In the pursuit of overall well-being, with consideration of Vitamin D, the interplay of sunlight, diet, and lifestyle choices plays a critical role in moving towards a vibrant and healthy life. By adopting a proactive

approach, through knowledge of personal risk factors and routine health examinations, it is possible to maintain a healthy level of vitamin D and mitigate deficiency and consequential side effects. While the season boasts umbrellas, cosy fires, and scarves, remember to consider the role of the sun’s medicine, even if it does come from chickpeas or supplements at this time of year.

Any information published in this article must not be treated as medical advice.

It is always important to consult a doctor with any worries you have regarding your health.

Image: Zeeshan Tirmizi

The Badger • Science and Tech

4 Dec 2023 • 21

Editor: Sian Scott

Food Security and Rewilding Ivory Fong Staff Writer

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he media has loved pitting conservation and agriculture against each other, each side seemingly having conflicting interests and competition for land. The polarisation on topics surrounding nature and food often feeds into the wider “blame game”, where passionate stakeholders from both sides accuse the other of reduced biodiversity or food production. The question of how to maximise profits to sustain livelihood while maintaining sustainable use of resources has become more pressing than ever.

Though these changes present challenges to combating food security issues, many researchers and farmers are engaging in a constant balancing act, utilising sustainable practices that benefit both humans and biodiversity. The Sussex Sustainability Research Program (SSRP) has supported many such projects, hoping to use an interdisciplinary approach to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). One such project under the program focuses on examining ways to achieve both “Zero Hunger” (SDG 2) and “Life on Land” (SDG 15) simultaneously along the South Coast of Sussex through rewilding and community agriculture.

Leading the project is principal investigator Dr. Chris Sandom, an expert in rewilding and ecological restoration. He emphasises that the point of rewilding is to let nature take its course as much as possible and encourage diversity. This differs from traditional approaches to conservation, which often

prioritise saving specific endangered species and habitats. He believes that nature is highly dynamic and requires diverse approaches to conserve it, so both traditional and rewilding approaches to conservation go hand in hand. “Traditional conservation can be seen as the emergency services, while rewilding is the aftercare, making sure the wider environment is supportive to all of nature. Both approaches are vital.”

This sounds promising for the wildlife side of things. However, how can biodiversity and agriculture co-exist and mutually benefit each other when there is a finite amount of space? “You’re not going to feed everyone if you’re rewilding everywhere. Similarly,

you’re not going to feed anyone if you’ve got a complete collapse of nature everywhere.” says Sandom. He agrees that some sites such as Knepp Estate in West Sussex, which is famous for its rewilding success, are producing less food now compared to past large-scale intensive farming. However, rewilding is important in sustaining a farmable landscape in the long run, providing essential ecosystem services such as pollination, minimising floods, and mitigating climate change. While maximising profits and crop produce sounds like the quickest way to solve the global food security crisis, traditional agricultural practices such as homogenisation of crop species and clearing large areas of land do come at the serious cost of losing a stable, healthy environment for all that inhabit the planet.

This is not to say that food production cannot be intensive and has to be completely ruled out. While one particular site can encompass both food production and nature conservation, Dr. Sandom suggests that a more large-scale balancing act can also be achieved where different sites balance each other out. “Another way to look at it is one site could do food production intensively, while another site could do nature conservation intensively, while others take a mixed approach often called agro-ecological or regenerative farming” he says. It is hard to say that there is a one-size-fits-all solution to these complex issues and it is unlikely there will be one single land use that is perfectly balanced and benefits both humans and nature equally. Rather, his research indicates that there needs to be a diversification of what we do in conservation.

Dr. Sandom has found that no two rewilded sites in their study are the same in terms of the large herbivore species assemblage and the density of animals in a given space.

This shows that rewilding is largely dependent on the context and specific conditions of the site. Thus, Sandom and his team have engaged with different involved stakeholders to understand specific needs, and come up with tailor-made solutions. More about his research as well as other projects under the SSRP can be found in an audio-visual exhibition at the Institute of Development Studies here at the University of Sussex, which will be showcased until March 2024.

Images: Sussex Sustainability Research Program Exhibition by Ivory Fong

Recycling in Zero Gravity Jenny Choi Science and Tech Sub-Editor

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pace travel is levelling up, and it’s not just about fancy rockets and shiny gadgets. In an era where sustainability is increasingly vital, space exploration has embarked on its own green revolution.

As humanity sets its sights on ambitious missions beyond Earth’s orbit, the importance of sustainability becomes ever more apparent. Recycling in zero gravity emerges as a pivotal solution, not only reducing the environmental impact of space missions but also in ensuring the long-term viability of human activities in the cosmos.

The challenge of sustainability in space is two-fold, involving both environmental and logistical considerations. Traditional space missions rely heavily on massive rocket launches that emit harmful gases and pollutants into Earth’s atmosphere, contributing to climate change and harming the planet. Additionally, these missions demand frequent resupply missions from Earth, resulting in the heavy consumption of resources and soaring costs.

The environmental impact extends into space as well, with accumulating space debris posing risks to operational satellites and spacecraft. Recognising these challenges, there is a growing urgency for space agencies and companies to adopt more sustainable practices; emphasising

recycling, eco-friendly propulsion systems, and responsible space debris management to ensure a greener and more viable future for space exploration.

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Recycling in zero gravity [is] an essential cornerstone of sustainable space exploration.

The International Space Station (ISS) stands as a pioneer in the pursuit of sustainable practices in space exploration. As a collaborative effort between multiple nations, the ISS has served as a testing ground for recycling initiatives that demonstrate the feasibility of eco-friendly technologies.

One prominent example is the Water Recovery System (WRS), a ground-breaking recycling technology that plays a central role in the sustainability of space exploration. The innovative system employs a series of purification processes, including filtration, chemical treatment, and distillation, to effectively recycle wastewater into potable water. The WRS’s operation ensures that astronauts aboard the International Space Station have access to a continuous supply of clean, safe drinking water while orbiting the Earth.

One of the primary benefits of the WRS is its significant contribution to cost reduction. By recycling and reusing water, the system lowers the demand for water resupply missions from Earth, thus reduc-

ing the overall expenses of space missions.

The WRS has a substantial positive impact on the environment, as it lessens the need for rocket launches to transport large quantities of water. This, in turn, minimises emissions and the associated carbon footprint.

The WRS has set a benchmark for future space missions, highlighting the importance of recycling in achieving a more eco-conscious and cost-effective approach to space exploration. The WRS being situated on the ISS not only exemplifies the importance of recycling, but also offers valuable lessons for future deep-space missions where resource conservation is paramount.

ISS goes beyond just recycling water; it’s also a pioneer in recycling air, creating a closed-loop environment that’s vital for the sustainability of extended space missions. Air recycling on the ISS involves a system that scrubs carbon dioxide exhaled by astronauts, purifies it, and then releases reclaimed oxygen back into the cabin air. This feedback-control system ensures a continuous supply of breathable air, reducing the need to send large quantities of oxygen from Earth.

The importance of air recycling becomes evident in extended space missions, where the ISS’s closed-loop environment serves as a model for future ventures to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. The ISS’s air

recycling system is not only a technological achievement, but a key element in securing the viability of long-duration space missions and human presence in space.

Recycling in space presents a unique set of challenges that demand innovative solutions. In the microgravity environment of space, there is no clear “up” or “down,” which results in the movement of fluids and gases behaving differently from what we experience on Earth. This unusual dynamic complicates the processes of separating, purifying, and redistributing resources. However, through continuous research and development, engineers and scientists are making significant strides in adapting terrestrial recycling methods for space, ensuring that we can effectively manage vital resources and sustain future long-duration space missions.

Recycling in zero gravity isn’t just a concept; it’s an essential cornerstone of sustainable space exploration. It not only minimises the environmental impact of our cosmic endeavours but also enhances resource efficiency. Innovative technologies that promote recycling are paving the way for a more responsible and eco-friendly future in space, ensuring that our exploration of the cosmos is not only adventurous but also aligned with our commitment to protecting the Earth and the celestial bodies we encounter.

Sport

4 Dec 2023 • 22

Emma Wilson Talks Going for Gold

Will Symons Sport Editor

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o the untrained eye, windsurfing is a rather peculiar watch. Athletes wrestle with their eight-metre sail, harnessing the wind to reach speeds upwards of 40 miles per hour. Races are won in a winner takes all final after six days of hard-fought racing. To Emma Wilson, it’s an art form. At only 24, the Nottingham native has dominated the sport for half a decade. Since 2018, she’s amassed nine senior podium placements, including Olympic bronze in Tokyo and World Cup gold last April.

This year has been the most fruitful of her career, clinching bronze at the World and European championships, and silver in an Olympic test event alongside her World Cup victory. Now, with only eight months until the action gets underway in Paris, Wilson is looking ahead to what she believes will be an incredibly tough competition.

“I didn’t expect to medal in every event this year, I just set out four events that I really wanted to peak for, so I’m super happy. Now I’m selected for the games, I have another chance now to plan, and work out what I want to peak at next year.

I hope to just keep pushing, learning and enjoying it.

“There is something super special about wearing the Team GB kit and feeling like you’re part of something huge. It really motivates me and pushes me to be the best version of myself.

“The standard right now is super high, and with this new class I think it will just keep going higher as we all understand it better. The Israel team is very strong with

a lot of good girls and then there’s the French, Italian, Spanish, Kiwis andDutch.

There are so many people who could medal at the games. I think that’s what drives me to work harder and give my best. It’s exciting.”

Wilson will be competing in a new class in Paris, meaning she’ll be using a brand new IQFoil board, never before seen at the Olympic games. Female athletes previously used the slower RS:X model. In contrast to its predecessor, the IQFoil model glides above the water due to hydraulics on its underside, allowing athletes to immediately reach speeds of up to 25 kilometres per hour, five times the starting speed of the RS:X. “At the start it was pretty tricky. I did a lot of crashing and had to get quite a bit stronger to deal with the equipment.

My first competition, I surprised myself a lot and realised I could be good at it. I’ve just gone from there. I just keep trying to improve each day.”

Despite her tremendous record, Wilson’s World Cup win was her first senior gold, falling agonisingly short beforehand.

After a thrilling few days of racing, she snatched gold on the final afternoon in Mallorca, narrowly beating France’s Lucie Belbeoch in second place.

“Yeah, that was amazing. Only six weeks before, I’d had an operation on my arm, and I didn’t really know what to expect. So, to come back straight away and win was huge for my team and I. I felt relieved but also just ecstatic, it was incredible to win, and the way I won it as well - with such a consistent series, I was very happy.”

Despite her previous defeats, Wilson was anything but surprised by her first gold: “I don’t think I ever doubted it. I

just wondered when I would do it, I was never going to give up. I just sometimes wondered how long it was going to take me. So yeah, after missing out a lot of times I think it meant even more to me.

“It was physically & mentally tough, with six days of racing and a winner takes all final at the end. Whenever I’m racing, I just try to do the simple things well and be really prepared for it. And remember why I do it when it gets tough. Having a big team around you to help is also massive, and it wouldn’t be possible without them.”

Wilson is part of something of a water sports dynasty. Growing up on the Dorset coast, she was introduced to windsurfing by her mother Claire, who herself competed at the 1992 and 1996 Olympics. Emma and her brother Dan - now a professional sailor himself, would battle it out in the typical sibling style.

“My family has always been super supportive. When we were younger my brother and I would just race each other all the time and I think that really helped. I was so competitive, just trying to beat my older brother.”

Despite the sport’s niche nature, Wilson is eager to spread the windsurfing word: “Anyone who wants to get involved should go get a lesson and give it a try, I’d say between May and October is the best time to learn in the UK. Where I train in Weymouth there is a great little centre called the OTC that runs lessons and will help you out with everything you need.”

To keep up to date with her Olympic journey, Emma can be found at @ emmawilson_gbr7 on Instagram or on her website: emmawilsonwindsurfing.com.

Image: Getty Images

Formula 1: Anything But Boring Jack Mayfield Staff Writer

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n a season of 22 races, you’d expect Formula 1 to have multiple Grand Prix victors well, not in 2023.

Max Verstappen, this season’s drivers’ champion, has won 17 of the 20 races at the time of writing, claiming pole position 11 times and winning four of the six sprint races. Many fans have branded the Red Bull car as one of the fastest the sport has seen, even outperforming Mercedes’ dominance with Lewis Hamilton in the few years prior to 2022. Regardless of Max’s rampant run, this season has actually been more competitive than you may think, and anything but boring.

To see the interesting details, we must disregard the reality of the drivers’ and constructors’ championships. Verstappen and Red Bull won their respective trophies with scarce competition, so their dominance must be ignored to see the excitement below. (And to be quite honest, we’ve heard enough about them anyway.)

Let’s start with Aston Martin. The

car, which last season finished seventh, was rumoured to be rather quick during February’s pre-season testing. The team from Silverstone traded a retiring Sebastian Vettel for Alpine’s Fernando Alonso, who would ultimately get the most out of the car early in the season. Alonso seemed to love the third step on the podium, claiming the position in four of the first five races.

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This season has actually been more competitive than you may think, and anything but boring.

The main competition to Aston at the beginning of the season was Ferrari.

However, due to their inconsistency in both reliability and strategy, it was Aston that snagged the spot as “best of the rest” in the early stages.

Round seven in Barcelona saw the resurgence of Mercedes, with both their drivers getting on the podium. McLaren also brought an upgrade to Silverstone (round ten), where Lando Norris claimed the team’s first podium finish of the season.

Meanwhile, Aston began dropping their

pace as the pack began to catch up.

Returning from the summer break, the battle between Mercedes, McLaren and Ferrari reached its peak during round 15 in Singapore. Botching their set-up, Red Bull allowed an opening for one of the three teams to steal a race win from the dominant Verstappen.

Starting from pole position, Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz led Norris, Russell, and Hamilton - all four drivers separated by less than a second. But with Russell dramatically crashing out in the final lap, the podium place fell to his teammate, Hamilton. For the first time all season, we had a podium free from Red Bull insignia, featuring three different teams - a fine example of what this season could have been.

William’s Alex Albon and Alpha Tauri’s Yuki Tsunoda are both deserving of an honourable mention, each outperforming their respective cars’ capabilities. Alpine’s Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly were equally surprising, the former snatching third in Monaco and the latter climbing the Dutch podium.

Let’s consider for a moment what the

2023 championship standings would look like without Red Bull. In this alternate reality, Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton tops the championship with 314 points. Fernando Alonso is hot on his tail with 298.

Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris would also be in with a sniff, as only five points separate the former teammates at Mclaren, and Sainz sits just 48 points behind Hamilton.

A similar story lies in the constructors’ championship, Mercedes and Ferrari battling it out for the trophy with only twenty points separating them heading into the final two races.

Obviously, this exciting battle for the trophy isn’t the reality. But even if the Red Bull car was slightly slower, you can imagine how much closer the fight for the championships would have been.

Now we wait for the winter break to be over. A new season will begin soon enough, in which F1 will hopefully be a little more competitive. For now though, just know even if Red Bull dominate once again, there is plenty going on behind.

The Badger • Sport

Editor: Will Symons

4 Dec 2023 • 23

Society Spotlight: Pole Society Lucy Spencer Staff Writer

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s a sport, pole fitness is much like its participants – resilient, self-assured, and thick-skinned. The journey this activity has endured has aptly been filled with twists, turns, and bumps; prior to the 21st century, pole dancing solely conjured up images of strip clubs, meaning it had to fight hard to be considered a legitimate form of exercise. While there’s nothing shameful about sex work, the differences between stripping and pole fitness have only recently been recognised. Following an 11-year campaign, the president of the International Pole Sports Federation (IPSF), Katie Coates, was finally able to persuade the Global Association of International Sports Federation (GAISF) to class pole fitness as a sport in 2017. This acknowledgement enabled the stigmas surrounding the sport to subside, and subsequently, pole fitness became a popular workout across the globe.

But why are there so many fans of pole fitness? First, it’s a great activity for increasing mobility, strength, and flexibility. Holly Hadfield, Pole Society’s current President, makes clear that these benefits are enjoyed by every participant.

“As a disabled person, it is difficult to find a way to keep fit, that I enjoy, and that caters

to my mobility needs,” she states. “Luckily I found such a supportive environment within pole and could not recommend the sport enough.” This claim is echoed by writer Akili King, whom, in an article for Vogue, expresses that pole fitness helped her in healing from PTSD as she could “feel both emotionally soothed, and physically strengthened at the same time.” It’s evident that pole fitness does not discriminate, but rather welcomes those with disabilities and/or mental health conditions with open (un-moisturised) arms.

While it’s wonderful that pole fitness accommodates a range of groups, some may still be apprehensive about engaging in the sport due to what constitutes polefriendly clothing. In order to grip the pole effectively, skin exposure is beneficial.

Writing for The Telegraph in 2021, columnist Hannah Tan-Gillies comments on her initial nerves towards displaying her body in public. This is something that is seemingly echoed by Sussex students, as one of Pole Society’s frequently asked questions centres on attire. Hadfield however, says that members of the society “will never be pressured to do anything that [they] find scary or uncomfortable [as] all of our members and teachers are so welcoming.” This support is reiterated in the answer to the aforementioned Pole

Society FAQ, which suggests PoleJunkie and CXIX’s “sticky” leggings and tops, should members not wish to expose their arms and legs. Further evidence of the supportive environment can be found in videos of past Pole Society showcases, with each performance accompanied by uplifting cheers. This encouragement has lasting effects outside of the studio too, as members often walk away with increased body confidence and appreciation.

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Pole fitness does not discriminate, but rather welcomes those... with open (un-moisturised) arms.

Beginner or gold-medal winner, Pole Society can provide a workout for you.

Even if your only prior experience of the marriage of “pole” and “dancing” involved walking into a lamppost following a night in Chalk, this society won’t judge. “PoleSoc is incredibly inclusive and caters to all levels of skill and fitness,” Hadfield says. “We run classes for beginners, intermediates, and advanced members.”

It’s unsurprising that PoleSoc is one of the University of Sussex’s most popular societies. The factors outlined above, as well as the fact that a term membership is

just £25, cause it to be immensely popular.

I have first-hand experience of just how sought-after a Pole Society membership is. Earlier this term, the society ran backto-back taster sessions for three hours, in order for students to indicate their interest in becoming members. Unfortunately, when I arrived - unfashionably late in a baggy tracksuit and Converse, just in time for the last half-hour, there were still around 50 students waiting in line. If you can relate to my experience, rest assured that there will be a second taster session next term, as well as future workshops that will be available on a first come, first serve basis.

Pole Society really does seem like a family, minus the dad falling asleep in front of the television. Hadfield has been a part of PoleSoc for years, acting as Co-Welfare Officer during the 2022-23 academic year, and president since September. “I thought I would be a good fit for the role because I have a strong relationship with many members, and was really keen to highlight the inclusivity and diversity within our society.”

Even during our brief correspondence, Hadfield did just this, giving credit to the society’s committee and members. “They’re amazing, and our society would be nowhere near as great without them.”

The End of Tournament Football?

Kian Shayegan Sport Sub-Editor

M

odern football fans have grown up seeing competitions such as the Champions League and the World Cup with the same format time and time again, and I can quite confidently say I’ve never heard anyone complain about them or advocate for their change or improvement.

So why are both FIFA and UEFA drastically changing the competition formats of the World Cup and the Champions League, and what questions do these changes raise about the essence of the game?

The World Cup is expanding from 32 to 48 teams, reorganising into 12 groups of four. Additional slots are distributed among continents, whilst the top two teams from each group, along with the eight best third placed teams, advance to the knockout stage.

Conversely, the Champions League abandons the group stage entirely for a single league of 36 teams, each side playing eight matches against different opponents.

The top eight teams advance directly to the last 16, while those placed 9th to 24th engage in a playoff round.

It’s no surprise that financial gains are a driving force behind these changes, with a projected $1 billion increase in income, and $640 million in additional profit for the World Cup. FIFA President Gianni Infantino says the money will be reinvested in football: “Increasing the size of teams which can participate will increase the investment

in football development, to make sure that the teams can qualify”. Although doubts linger due to the vagueness of the statement (i.e., who’s the money actually going to, and is it in responsible hands) and FIFA’s history of corruption. Similarly, UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin cites improved competitive balance and increased revenues for the Champions League, aligning with a broader trend of prioritising financial interests over the purity of the game.

Cup. There’s next to no chance that one of the big nations will get knocked out in the group stages, simply because the minimum number of points you need to progress is less, and the standard of opposition is weaker, due to 16 more nations being allowed to enter.

The financial motivations of FIFA and UEFA are evident. Longer stays for top teams translate to increased viewership and, consequently, more revenue. Yet the evident disregard for the fans’ enjoyment

From an entertainment perspective, there are two main problems. Firstly, it now seems virtually impossible for so-called ‘giant killings’ to occur. This is mainly due to the dilution of competition and number of games played, especially in the World

and the unpredictability of the game raises questions about the values driving football’s governing bodies. Can you ever see Brazil finishing rock bottom of their World Cup group with opponents such as Tanzania and Lebanon, or Real Madrid

Image: Wikimedia Commons

finishing lower than 24th in a 36-team league? I’m not too sure.

There’s clear proof that quantity is prioritised over quality too, especially when you consider how many games the players now have to play, and how tough it will be for them to be at peak physical fitness for all of them.

Those playing in Europe will now have to play twice a week, most weeks for a whole season, and if the World Cup is on, they’ll have to travel earlier due to it now being a bigger tournament. This leaves them with less rest time despite having an even more action-packed season, completely disregarding the fact that injuries have already been exponentially increasing in recent seasons. This season in the Premier League there has been an increase of about 96% for hamstring injuries (the most common injury for footballers) compared to the last campaign, with 53 incidents - 26 more than during 2022-23, despite being less than a third of the way into the season.

In summary, the recent alterations to football tournament formats raise fundamental questions about the direction of the sport. The balance between tradition, entertainment, and financial interests appears precarious, with potential consequences for the quality of competition, the thrill of the game, and the health of the players. As football navigates this evolving landscape, the phrase ‘football: made by the poor, stolen by the rich’ becomes increasingly reflective of the current state, as decisions by governing bodies seem detached from the values that make football what it is to those who matter the most: the fans.

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