Race and Ethnicity, Class Natasha Giraudel Race and Ethnicity, Class Natasha Giraudel

Home and Not Home: Why I wouldn’t fight for my country

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.

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Gender Natasha Giraudel Gender Natasha Giraudel

WHY DOES MY TITLE STILL DEFINE MY MARITAL STATUS? A rant on women’s rights, language and lingering inequality

This article challenges the outdated use of gendered titles for women, Miss, Mrs., and Ms., that tie a woman’s identity to her marital status.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.

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Gender, Gender Reassignment Natasha Giraudel Gender, Gender Reassignment Natasha Giraudel

HOW TOILETS BECAME THE FRONT LINE OF THE UK’S GENDER WARS

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.

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Gender, Gender Reassignment Natasha Giraudel Gender, Gender Reassignment Natasha Giraudel

STILL ME, STILL A WOMAN: A Reflection on the week that shook my sense of belonging

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.

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Gender, Gender Reassignment Natasha Giraudel Gender, Gender Reassignment Natasha Giraudel

Are Trans Women Women Under UK Law? Why the debate deserves More than slogans

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.

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STILL BELIEVERS, STILL LEFT OUT: Being Gay and Catholic in 2025

This blog shares the personal reflections of a gay Catholic man in the UK who, alongside his partner, wants to be married in the Catholic Church. He describes the inner conflict between his strong faith and the Church’s exclusion of same-sex couples. Despite knowing supportive priests and wishing for reform like that imagined in the film Conclave, he remains caught between tradition and progress. The piece calls for deeper inclusivity in religious spaces, not just tolerance.

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Religion and Belief Natasha Giraudel Religion and Belief Natasha Giraudel

THE RESPONSIBILITY OF EMPLOYERS TO CELEBRATE CULTURAL CALENDARS: A UK Muslim Perspective

This article offers a British Muslim perspective on the importance of recognising cultural calendars in the workplace. While celebrating events like Ramadan and Eid fosters visibility, the author argues that true inclusivity requires deeper change fair policies, representation and cultural understanding. The piece calls for a balance between celebration and meaningful structural progress in the UK workplace.

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Class, Race and Ethnicity, Gender Natasha Giraudel Class, Race and Ethnicity, Gender Natasha Giraudel

TRYING HARD ISN’T ALWAYS ENOUGH: What it’s really like to navigate work, redundancy and the benefits system

This first-person account tells the story of a young woman from Manchester who, despite working hard and building a professional career, finds herself stuck in a cycle of redundancy, low pay and debt. She reflects on how class background, gender, race and lack of structural support have shaped her journey, raising important questions about whether true social mobility in the UK is really possible. Her story offers insight into the reality of the benefits system and what real support for working-class people should look like.

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Age, Disability, Sexuality, Parents and Guardians Natasha Giraudel Age, Disability, Sexuality, Parents and Guardians Natasha Giraudel

CAN WE TALK ABOUT SMARTPHONES, ADOLESCENTS AND THE LIMITS OF BLANKET BANS?

This article explores the growing debate around banning smartphones for under-16s, sparked by the Netflix series Adolescents. Drawing on her experience in education and pastoral care, a teacher argues that while concerns about screen time are valid, blanket bans risk ignoring the diverse needs of young people. She highlights how age, neurodiversity, parenting situations, and class all affect how children use and depend on smartphones. Rather than one-size-fits-all policies, the article calls for inclusive, age-sensitive guidance, better support for families, and more equitable digital education in schools.

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Health, Race and Ethnicity Natasha Giraudel Health, Race and Ethnicity Natasha Giraudel

PROSTATE CANCER KILLS BLACK MEN MORE. So why are we left out of the cure?

How, in 2025, are we still here? Still testing life-saving treatments on groups that don’t reflect the actual risk pool? Because here’s the thing—and it's not new information—Black men, particularly those of African and Caribbean heritage, are twice as likely to develop prostate cancer as white men. Twice. Yet we’re invisible when it comes to research that might one day save our lives. 

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Gender, Health, Race and Ethnicity Natasha Giraudel Gender, Health, Race and Ethnicity Natasha Giraudel

FROM THE JUNGLE TO THE HEART: I’m A Celebrity' Proves Vulnerability is the Ultimate Survival Skill

I was gutted when man like Melvin (Odoom) was voted out of the jungle on “I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!” on ITV earlier this week. Watching TV presenter and radio DJ Melvin in the jungle reminded me how important it is to see people like us on TV, doing their thing and being real with it. Melvin was great TV but more importantly was his representation as a great role model and vulnerability.

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