This article explores the controversy surrounding Thomas J. Price’s statue of a Black woman in Times Square. While some viewers celebrated the work for its raw and unapologetic representation, others criticised it for depicting a body that did not conform to conventional beauty standards. Through the lens of W.E.B. Du Bois’s concept of double consciousness, the piece examines how marginalised communities often internalise and reproduce the biases of their oppressors, particularly around beauty and value. The article situates this debate within the broader history of how Black bodies have been represented in Western art and argues for the importance of embracing diverse, authentic depictions of Blackness.

The labels First World and Third World aren’t ancient truths about civilisation, they’re Cold War shorthand. “First World” referred to capitalist states allied with the US, “Second World” to the Soviet bloc, and “Third World” to everyone else. Over time, Third World became synonymous with “poor” or “backward,” masking the role of colonisation and global inequality in shaping development. Yet if we’re talking origins, Africa, humanity’s birthplace, should really be considered the first world. Today, alternatives like Global North/South or developed/developing are used, but they carry their own problems. Maybe it’s time to ditch the numbered worlds altogether.

AI is becoming part of our daily lives, but can it reflect human bias? Explore where AI prejudice shows up in health, policing, and law and what we can do to build fairer, more inclusive technology.

American Eagle’s advert uses a “great jeans/genes” pun, but with a blonde, blue‑eyed actress Sydney Sweeney talking about her looks, it echoes exclusionary beauty standards and even eugenics‑linked language. The lack of diversity turns what could have been a playful idea into something tone‑deaf, and critics argue brands need to stop hiding behind “it’s just a joke” when context clearly matters.

In “Why Hollywood’s Superhero Films Still Struggle With True Diversity in 2025,” Mikey N. reflects on their experience watching The Thunderbolts and other new superhero films, only to be met with the same tired tropes. From colourist casting and one dimensional tokenism to harmful mental health and racial stereotypes, this piece is a powerful call for the genre to live up to its ideals and not just with action, but with authenticity.

Discover how scrolling has quietly become a trap. This article unpacks the psychological, political and societal effects of social media, touching on mental health, growing inequality and the fading promise of inclusion in digital spaces.

Amina A.
Amina is a British Muslim writer and cultural commentator passionate about faith, fashion and social justice. She uses her voice to challenge stereotypes and advocate for a more nuanced understanding of Muslim identity in modern Britain.

Sophie L.
Sophie is a trans woman, activist and speaker focused on LGBTQ+ rights and mental health advocacy. Her journey through gender transition has shaped her bold approach to inclusion, education and intersectional allyship.

Danny C. delivers a raw, powerful reflection on the failings of the UK’s school placement system, drawing from his family’s experience of a failed school appeal. But this isn’t just about personal disappointment, it’s a rallying cry for the countless families of children with special educational needs who are being routinely sidelined by a system that isn’t built to serve them. From inaccessible schools to opaque appeals processes, Danny exposes the silent injustice many face and calls on all of us to speak up, not for preference, but for fairness, dignity and care. It’s an urgent reminder that when public systems fail the most vulnerable, they fail us all.

In “Stop Using My Pain to Justify War,” Kian B. writes powerfully and personally about the weaponisation of queer suffering and how LGBTQ+ identities, especially from places like Iran, are misused to justify political violence and war. This piece challenges lazy generalisations, pink washing and double standards in Western narratives, reminding readers that true care for queer people means caring for them everywhere and not just when it’s politically convenient.

On the 80th anniversary of VE Day, a young British woman of Caribbean heritage reflects on the meaning of national pride, sacrifice and belonging. While she honours the courage of those who fought in WWII, she questions whether she could ever fight for a country that still sees her as an outsider. Amid rising inequality and cultural division, her story is a powerful call for healing, representation and a more inclusive Britain.

This article challenges the outdated use of gendered titles for women, Miss, Mrs., and Ms., that tie a woman’s identity to her marital status. It explores the sexist history of these titles, contrasts them with the universal “Mr.” for men and connects this seemingly small detail to wider gender inequalities in leadership, pay, reproductive rights and societal expectations. It calls for the end of titles that reduce women to their relationship status, urging readers to recognise how language shapes deeper systemic issues.

This article explores the growing controversy in the UK over transgender people’s access to public toilets, highlighting how political agendas and media narratives have warped a simple issue of dignity and practicality. It contrasts the hostile debate over gendered toilets with the widespread, unquestioned acceptance of gender-neutral disabled toilets and challenges the logic of forcing trans men or women into spaces that don’t align with their identities. The piece calls for compassion, common sense, and a return to humanity in how we approach public life.

This article is a deeply personal reflection from a trans woman grappling with the emotional impact of a recent UK Supreme Court ruling that defines “woman” in the Equality Act as referring only to biological sex. She shares the pain and exhaustion of feeling legally sidelined after years of building a life as her authentic self. Despite the hurt, she affirms her identity and resilience, reminding readers that trans people are human, valid, and still here - deserving of dignity, understanding, and respect.

This article explores the complex and often polarising debate around whether Trans women are legally considered women under the UK Equality Act 2010. Written in the first person, it avoids taking sides and instead lays out the competing arguments — from those who believe gender identity should be legally recognised, to those who argue for the importance of sex-based protections. It looks at the potential consequences of both inclusion and exclusion, encouraging respectful discussion and thoughtful policy.