Last night I was lucky enough to have a ticket to see Chappell Roan on her opening night at Brixton’s O2 Academy. It felt almost surreal to see such a huge star in an intimate venue, and to finally hear the songs live that I’ve had on repeat for most of 2024.

Her drag-style performance was captivating to watch, and her vocal control when dancing around the stage was simply sensational - she was made to be a performer. But we also got a glimpse of her more sensitive side, when she shared how nervous she gets speaking to crowds, or when singing with only her piano for accompaniment.

There’s a particular feeling in being in a room full of people just like you, connecting to songs which emulate the queer experience that’s often hard to describe in words. It was a communal relief from hetero- and cis-normative pressures, and a space she's carefully created for people to just be. To a crowd adorned with glitter, sequins, hearts and devil horns, she told us, “this is a space for you, you belong here”. ❤️🔥

- Stef, Marketing & Community Lead

QUICK FIRE NEWS 🧨

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🧑⚖️ Sharing intimate images without consent gets harsher sentence

🙅♀️ Buffer zones around abortion clinics prohibit protest

🏠 Plaques on houses honour women murdered inside

LETS GET INTO IT 👇

UK worst in Europe for paternity leave 👨🍼

There has been a step up in campaigning for better paternity leave rights this week, with activists from Dad Shift attaching baby slings to statues across central London.

Are we really the worst? The UK currently offers just two statutory weeks of leave for new fathers, paid at £184.03 a week. This offering - along with cultural attitudes - mean that most men don't take any time off after having a baby, they simply can't afford it. For those that do opt for paternity leave, one in two found that they struggled financially. Sweden, in contrast, offers 18 months of leave, with 13 months at just below 80% of earnings.

So, what next? Campaigners are calling for a more affordable paternity leave and with a substantial time increase that will support equality among parents. New research shows that 90% of fathers said they wanted to be a bigger part of their children’s lives, and the government have a part to play in facilitating this.

British children getting shorter and hungrier 🥺

In other countries, like most of Eastern Europe, child poverty has steadily fallen, while across the United Nations, the UK has seen the biggest spike.

Now, in the UK, our poorest fifth are are worse off than the poorest fifth in most of Eastern Europe. The height of five year olds paints a shocking picture of this, height being an indicator of proper nutrition. An average five year old in 2020 is now smaller than in 1990.

Why is this happening? Wealth inequality in the UK is vast, meaning a small subset of the country are using up far more resources than the majority of children. They have access to more teachers per person, more and better food, shelter, warmth, toys, etc.

🔴 6% of children, the best-off children of all, live in families that each year receive and spend a third of all the income in the UK.

Tackling child poverty is high up on the government's agenda with a taskforce due to publish a plan by Spring 2025.

Is body positivity a thing of the past?

For some time it felt like we were making some progress towards rejecting unrealistic body ideals, in the very least superficially. Talking about your extreme diet was less acceptable and we were seeing more body diversity in the media.

Where did it all go wrong? With the rise of Ozempic it feels like the tide has changed. Originally a medication for diabetes, it's now hailed as a miracle weight-loss drug which hordes of people are proudly jumping on. Plus-size representation is no longer cool and the skinny y2k look is back in.

Why it matters For one, the effects of Ozempic for weight loss are under-researched, not to mention the psychological impact. Inflammation of the pancreas gland and alterations in blood salt levels have both been recorded. Many of those taking Ozempic have no real medical need for it, but it is easy to secure. Take Lottie Moss for example, model and Kate Moss' sister, who took a high dose of the drug and was rushed to the hospital after experiencing a seizure. She lost 7kg in just two weeks.

This regression in the narrative around weight and body acceptance makes it clear that previous body positivity efforts were merely a trend. We must push for a bigger societal shift that truly lets us accept our bodies how they are, and stops glorifying thinness as the ideal.

THIS WEEK WE'RE LOVING 🥰

🎼 Coldplay provide special vest to hearing impaired at concerts

👁️ World’s first whole-eye transplant

🩸 Menstrual blood could revolutionise healthcare