I’m very sorry to say this, but it looks as though 2019 will be as cursed a year as 2018.
Just eight days into the new year the first menswear trend has been declared. And it’s pure evil.
Brace yourselves: Goat feet shoes are coming.
Let us explain.
On the Golden Globes red carpet, Australian actor Cody Fern showed up wearing black boots that had a cleave down the middle, making his feet look like those of a goat… or the actual Devil.
These boots are the creation of Maison Margiela, and they’ve actually been a thing for 30 years. They’re called the Tabi boots, and were first designed as women’s boots with a higher heel.
Last year, Margiela released a men’s version of the Tabi. Now, with the help of a celeb, they might actually trickle their way down from the catwalk, to celebs, to street style types, to the high street.
GQ has declared that after decades of existence, 2019 will be the year the Tabi – and other shoes to give you goats’ feet – will go big.
They might be right. While one celeb alone cannot make Satan style shoes a trend, two might just be able to, and back in August BTS’s Jin wore a silver pair for the concept art for Love Yourself: Answer.
BTS’s Jin wore the shoes for concept art (Picture: Big Hit)
First the Kpop scene wears something, then the edgy celeb men, then Harry Styles, and then bam, everyone’s into it.
As with all great fashion items, the Tabi boot is divisive.
Some people adore shoes that make their feet look like goat’s hooves, while others, shockingly, don’t want to walk around in the shoes of the Devil.
But what we all must accept is that goat boots are coming. We must brace ourselves, and hastily figure out whether we need to invest in special socks (the shoes are actually inspired by Japanese tabi socks, which have a split toe design to allow wearers to put on their sandals, so they’d be a good place to start).
Imagine every time you went abroad you had to declare how many units of alcohol you would be likely to consume or if you would be taking illegal drugs? Or simply likely to fall asleep in the blistering sun and become sick from sun stroke?
Sounds ridiculous, right?
Well, when you travel abroad with a disability, you have to be prepared to disclose information about your pre-existing medical conditions, including your mental health.
It can sometimes feel like you are being interrogated and something as simple as going on holiday can turn into a very costly ordeal.
Travel insurance should cover things such as accident, injury, stolen and lost goods or flight cancellations but many insurance companies will not insure for medical costs that arise from pre-existing impairments.
If you want to get travel insurance when you have a disability you need to seek a specialist insurer.
Since 1 October 2010, the Equality Act replaced most of the Disability Discrimination Act, making it illegal for insurers to offer less favourable products and services based on someone’s disability. However, the law allows insurers to apply special conditions or premiums to people with disabilities in a particular set of circumstances.
Being ‘high risk’ has meant that I’ve been refused travel insurance in the past
Ultimately, it all comes down to one simple word in the legislation: ‘reasonable’.
As insurance is based on risk, the Equality Act still allows insurers to apply premiums to disabled people as long as they can prove that they are deemed to be fair and justifiable.
As someone with brittle bone condition I guess I’m seen as an uber risk!
Being ‘high risk’ has meant that I’ve been refused travel insurance in the past or have been given quotes into the hundreds of pounds, sometimes exceeding the cost of my plane ticket, and I am certainly not alone.
Research done by the leading disability charity, Scope, has shown that 26 per cent of disabled adults feel they have been charged more for insurance or denied cover altogether because of their impairment or condition.
I’ve heard similar stories to mine and many people have told me that travel insurance is a no-go when you have an undiagnosed condition.
So what do people end up doing? They either pay through their teeth, stay at home and never travel abroad or they simply don’t disclose their disability or long term health condition, leaving them very vulnerable when they do take a trip. Doing this can also mean that their cover is invalidated, leaving them with expensive medical bills.
The irony is that when you live with a disability, everyday is a risk assessment. We know our disability, our bodies and our needs inside out. For those of us who experience chronic pain, we will take every precaution to insure we minimise that, and we know what our limitations are.
Given the fact I have brittle bones, I would never, for example, go on a jet sky, bungee jump, or go white water rafting. I wouldn’t ever do anything that put me at risk – not only would that ruin my trip but it would also potentially ruin it for family and friends who were with me. No one wants to go on holiday and end up in A&E in a foreign land.
The reality is, I’m no more high risk then someone consuming too much alcohol on holiday and accidentally falling from a balcony, yet disabled travellers are the ones paying premiums for travel insurance.
Sadly I fear things will only get worse once we leave the European Union. Without a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), that little blue and grey thing we don’t know where we’ve put, people with disabilities may need private medical insurance before entering the EU, adding to the already high extra costs that people with disabilities endure which is estimated at £550 per month.
Going on holiday isn’t a basic human right. However, travel should be accessible to all – the world is already such a disabling place and disabled people can feel ostracised and alone as a result.
No one knows what’s around the corner in life and I am not ignorant to the fact that I could break something when on holiday. Yet anyone can have an accident, become sick from eating bad sea food or being reckless trying to impress friends and drink themselves into oblivion.
Why single out a section of society that is already facing so many barriers including financial ones?
If you feel as though you have been unfairly treated you can contact the Equality and Human Rights Commission which has detailed information on its website at equalityhumanrights.com/en
It is a world away from your average discreet bullet or cute little rabbit.
I’m sure we can agree that its appearance is a little intimidating, even for the frequent sex toy user.
But, if you’re after an exceptional climax and quickly at that, it won’t let you down. Trust me.
What is it? It looks like some kind of retro body massager…
The Lovehoney Classic Mains Powered Magic Wand Vibrator follows the same tried and tested design as the popular Japanese-designed Hitachi Magic Wand. Unlike most common sex toys it isn’t shaped like a part of the male anatomy.
Instead, it has a long handle and a large head that vibrates for clitoral stimulation.
Although the Hitachi Magic Wand was originally manufactured as a back massager, it gained notoriety after American sex educator and godmother of masturbation Betty Dodson started teaching women how to use the device to pleasure themselves in the 1960s.
Since then, magic wand vibrators have been crowned as the ultimate orgasm tool.
Should I stock up on batteries now?
No – this baby runs on the mains. It’s not surprising the device doesn’t run on batteries – no AA battery would be able to keep up with the ridiculously powerful vibration from the magic wand.
While this has meant I’ve not scrambled around for batteries when the mood has taken me, I have found myself battling with the cord under the sheets as it’s pretty lengthy: it’s 1.8 metres, ‘for versatile use’ – whatever that means.
How does it work?
The device is easily operated by applying the soft and smooth head on your whole vulva and scrolling the wheel to operate the level of vibration. Note: it has no pulsation patterns.
On first use I started off slow with some gentle vibrations and as I turned up the power I instantaneously felt the magic. Within minutes the intense build-up of tension in my body had been released and I was left throbbing and fluttering.
I had to pluck up the courage to use it at maximum speed, as even at the halfway point it’s pretty relentless. At full whack, it’s enough to make your teeth chatter.
It delivers a very different orgasm to your bullet vibrator as it stimulates your entire sex organ (vulva, clitoris, labia).
In short, you’ll be left satisfied and very sensitive after you orgasm – although everyone’s sensitivity is different.
If you can, or do withstand this device to its full potential, I salute you.
Who’s it for?
If you’ve ever had trouble climaxing, have never had an orgasm, get off on direct clitoral stimulation, or simply want a better orgasm, it’s for you. It’s also equally good when used alone or with a partner, to enhance your (or more likely his) foreplay technique.
You said it was loud, how loud are we talking?
As expected, the stronger the vibration the louder the device was. If you lack personal space, or the walls of your bedroom are paper-thin, you’ll struggle to muffle the sound completely with your duvet.
If you’re playing music and it’s under the duvet, you should be ok.
Final thoughts?
Personally I don’t like to rush when it comes to masturbation and favour the combination of clitoral stimulation and vaginal penetration, which the Magic Wand doesn’t offer.
You could combine it with a dildo for penetration, or save this for when you have an urgent need to orgasm – and fast.
In a nutshell, the Lovehoney Classic Mains Powered Magic Wand Vibrator is dependable, powerful and a great go-to for a quickie.
Sex toys on trial: The Lovehoney Classic Mains Powered Magic Wand Vibrator
Overall score 4/5 It’s a classic and gets the job done.
Satisfaction 4/5 Guaranteed orgasms are great. But blended orgasms (clitoral and vaginal) are better.
Ease of use 5/5 It’s fool-proof. Just scroll and go-oh.
Noisiness 3/5 Quiet it is not. But it won’t call attention to your room.
The Lovehoney Classic Mains Powered Magic Wand Vibrator is available to buy online for £49.99 here.
After the merriment and positivity of New Year’s Eve and insistent promises to be a better, healthier you in 2019 comes the hard part —actually sticking to the resolutions.
According to a 2015 ComRes poll for Bupa, only one in eight British adults actually managed to stick to a resolution the previous year.
Doesn’t sound too promising, right?
But thankfully, if you’re partaking in Dry January, or want to scale back on your drinking, there are plenty of low alcohol and alcohol-free drinks from noseccos, nojitos and nogronis to help make this resolution more achievable.
With that in mind, here are 10 of the best alcohol-free drinks, including beers, wines and spirits to try. That may even help you comfortably navigate the rest of the 2019 social calendar hangover-free.
Heineken Alcohol Free Beer
(Picture: Amazon)
Described by Drink Wise Wales as having ‘none of the unpleasant aftertaste that mars so many other zero-alcohol beers’, Heineken’s first-ever alcohol-free beer is a must-try for
Boasting just 53 calories per bottle, Beck’s Blue is an alcohol-free beer that is created using the same process as traditional Beck’s, and has all the same four natural ingredients: barley, hops, yeast and water.
One of the earliest names to make its mark in the alcohol-free market, Seedlip offers drinkers a sophisticated, alcohol-free alternative to spirits and comes in three varieties that open up a world of mocktail possibilities.
Another alternative to gin, Ceder’s Classic keeps it traditional with flavours of juniper, coriander, geranium and Cape floral fynbos. Other varieties, Wild and Crisp, are also available, offering different flavours including ginger, cucumber, camomile and clove.
The alternative to Campari, Crodino is actually the most consumed non-alcoholic aperitif in Italy.
Taking its name from Crodo, the small town in the North West of Italy, Crodino is made using traditional mix of infused and distilled herbs, plants and fruit pieces that are ripened for six months.
If you’re looking to survive the party without drinking a drop, the alcohol-free alternative to Prosecco arrived in last year, finally giving party-goers something to celebrate, as well as something with which to celebrate.
In the UK, 49% of girls have missed an entire day of school because of their period.
Some girls say they use socks or taping toilet paper to their pants because they can’t afford pads or tampons.
Period poverty is an issue.
And although we are one year on from the Free Periods protest where over 2,000 people gathered outside Downing Street to ask the government to take action, nothing more has been done.
Today, the same group, in partnership with the Red Box Project and supported by The Pink Protest, are launching a campaign to mount a legal challenge against the government.
In 2018, the Scottish government became the first to provide free access to menstrual products in all schools, colleges and universities, whilst in Wales, the government pledged £1m to address period poverty. In England, there are still have no policies in place.
Free Period, advised by advised by Law firm Hausfeld & Co, aim to raise funds for legal costs, with the requirement that £10,000 must be raised in 30 days for any of the pledges to be collected.
The money will be used to explore the legal aspects of the issue and to push the government to make a change.
The #FreePeriods protest in December 2017 (Picture: Ben Katzler for Metro.co.uk)
The 19-year-old founder of Free Periods Amika George commented: ‘I am tired of the government’s inaction and so, just over one year on from our Free Periods protest to Parliament, I am proud to launch a legal campaign, calling on the UK government to provide free, universally accessible menstrual products in schools and colleges.
‘With support from others, we are confident that we can bring positive change to our communities by offering young girls access to the menstrual products they need in order to participate in their education, which is their fundamental human right.’
Anna Miles, Co-Founder of the Red Box Project and director of Free Periods added: ‘We are proud to provide thousands of schools with red boxes of free period products. This is made possible by the kindness and generosity bestowed upon us by local communities across the UK and the hard work of our over 200 volunteer coordinators.
‘But access to education should not rely on the kindness of others. It is time for the government to step up.’
When we launched What I Rent, we expected some comments on how people live in London.
We expected that people outside of London would call everyone idiots for paying so much to live in teeny-tiny flats, and comments from Northerners sharing how little they pay for their three-bed house in the country.
What we didn’t expect was the intense interest that emerged in people’s toothbrushes.
Each week when we take you inside a different person’s rented property, there’s one photo that’s bound to attract comments, usually negative: the toothbrush shot.
And when we dare to miss out a picture of someone’s dental tools, we’re in big trouble.
So to satisfy all the toothbrush fans, we’ve put together a list of every single toothbrush featured on What I Rent thus far, so you can peruse and judge to your heart’s content.
Oh, and a spoiler: Some of these photos are accompanied by updates from the toothbrush owners themselves. Exciting, right?
Laura says people were mean because three of the toothbrushes in the pot were touching.
She would like to clarify that the three that are touching were all hers, because for reasons unknown she had three toothbrushes. She has since cut down.
Recently her toothbrush holder broke, and she thought of What I Rent when buying a new one.
It was at Phil’s house that we discovered our photographer, Alexander, had been telling people I was the one interested in toothbrush shots.
This is not the truth.
In reality, it was Alexander who took an interest in people’s toothbrushes. I then saw the trend emerging and expressed curiosity. After that, toothbrush shots were a necessity.
‘I find it really upsetting that there is one electric toothbrush with one head, and a separate manual toothbrush,’ wrote one Redditor. ‘Like aren’t they sharing the electric one, is one of them just using a manual while the other uses the superior electric?’
This edition of What I Rent attracted one of my favourite comments of all time: ‘I was terrified as I was scrolling… no toothbrush pictures! But they saved it for the end. Close call.’
The electric toothbrush is Rebecca’s. Marcus uses a manual because he brushes in the shower and has concerns about using an electric brush under running water.
What I Rent is a weekly series that’s out every Tuesday at 10am. Check back next week to have a nose around another rented property in London.
How to get involved in What I Rent
What I Rent is Metro.co.uk's weekly series that takes you inside the places in London people are renting, to give us all a better sense of what's normal and how much we should be paying.
You'll need to have pictures taken of your kitchen, living room, bathroom, and bedroom, plus a few photos of you in your room. Make sure you get permission for your housemates!
You'll also need to be okay with sharing how much you're paying for rent, as that's pretty important.
A conversation began two years ago on Netmums about whether women should open the door to strangers without wearing a bra.
The conversation has still not died down as people have weighed in over the years about whether it’s inappropriate or just convenience to let servicemen in without covering up one’s nipples.
The discussion began when one woman posted on the forum detailing how the women whose houses her husband, a tradesman, enters are often braless.
‘Are they just showing off or am I reading into it too much?’ she asked the readers.
Are you wearing a bra, love? (Picture: Getty)
‘I asked [husband] a few questions about it and he said it’s about half of them that don’t have one on,’ she wrote.
‘Like, they are still wearing what they wore to bed. Such as quite thin tops. Not see-through but very thin comfy tops which make everything very noticeable like nipples
‘Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think we need to wear bras if we don’t want to but I know a lot more than half of us do so if they know he’s coming around, why would they still be braless?’
Worryingly a lot of the answers were slut-shaming in nature and labelled braless women as ‘tarts’ or ‘looking for attention’, but most people jumped in defence of women who choose to forgo a bra so early in the morning, and in their own homes.
‘No way on God’s green earth am I dragging my boobs into the straitjacket they call a bra at 7am. You can call it “tarty” if you like. I call it MY house,’ wrote one user, Rachel J.
In a similar vein, SLP wrote: ‘I think you/your husband think a bit too highly of him if you think women are doing on purpose, I’m going to hazard a guess, it’s 7am, they’re knackered and not expecting someone they have hired out to be over-evaluating their chest in their own home’.
One woman whose partner is also a labourer revealed that her husband’s married male colleagues catcalled women who were fully dressed, so it really doesn’t matter what women are wearing.
‘Men just seem to find it easy to sexualise everything about a woman. Tell him to avert his gaze next time and be professional,’ added Jessica O.
Some turned the conversation on its head and questioned why one should get dressed up for a tradesman and make themselves look presentable.
The original poster also failed to realise that tradesman tend to leave a large window of time for their appointments. Who wants to wear a bra longer than they need to, especially at home?
If you fancy an eggs Benedict the way it was meant to be made, you can try our recipe.
A Tesco spokesperson said: ‘Our Café team are really passionate about serving our customers great quality breakfasts and we’re sorry this eggs Benedict didn’t meet our usual high standards.
‘We’ve offered Thomas a gesture of goodwill and would welcome him back into store soon so we can put this right.’
A study of women visiting sexual health clinics has found that one in four have experienced some form of reproductive control.
The study, published in BMJ Sexual and Reproductive Health and conducted by Bournemouth University, looked at studies dating from 2010 to 2017, focusing on clinics in the US.
The results were shocking, and experts have called for health professionals to screen for coercive control when dealing with patients.
Researchers defined reproductive coercion and control in this study as ‘actions that interfere with a woman’s reproductive intentions and any actions that pressurise or coerce a woman into initiating or terminating a pregnancy.’
So, it could refer to stealthing (when the condom is taken off during sex), a partner lying and saying they’ve had a vasectomy, or piercing a condom before use.
It could also mean emotional blackmail or threats in relation to contraception, and some women reported pressure to have a baby or terminate a pregnancy.
(Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)
On top of that, the article stated that some had even had their IUD ripped out by a partner.
Although these findings come from America, it’s believed that the situation in the UK may be similar.
As a result, authors recommend that those administering birth control should look for signs that a woman is being coerced.
This includes recognising when women are looking for ‘concealable’ methods of contraception, or when they make frequent requests for emergency contraception or STI testing.
It was also recommended that those who turn up to health centres with escorts should be prompted to take their appointment alone so their privacy is paramount.
Dr Sam Rowlands, who worked on the research told Buzzfeed News: ‘The behaviours are about trying to get her pregnant one way or another, so either encouraging her to have a family, to discontinue contraception, and if that doesn’t work, influencing condom use…
‘Some women will come in and request contraception that ‘he won’t know about’, so the classic one is a contraceptive injection because you can’t see where the needle went in, or having an [intrauterine device] with the threads cut very short so he can’t feel it…
‘What was surprising was that it was so very common.’
Stephanie Agnew, 32, has cone-rod dystrophy, meaning she can only see some light and dark shapes.
On her wedding day in Queensland, Australia, all the guests and her husband-to-be wore blindfolds so they could experience the ceremony in the same way Stephanie did.
Now the couple has been gifted a multi-sensory wedding album so Stephanie won’t miss out on the memories.
The album comes with essential oils and ten different fabrics that were handed to Stephanie on the wedding day so she could learn to associate each memory with a certain smell or touch.
The multimedia gift also came with a video of the big day so Stephanie could have an audio copy of the wedding and all that happened.
Stephanie inherited cone-rod dystrophy which means she can only see light and dark shapes (Picture: Lemon Tree Film House )
She was able to touch the fabrics handed out to her on the wedding day in the album (Picture: Lemon Tree Film House )
The multimedia album was the work of photographer James Day, who enlisted the help of Lemon Tree Film House and Vision Art who planned for every detail of the wedding to be captured over a year.
‘We’ve always had a strong belief that audio is just as important as visuals in a great film. But in this case, audio was more important than the visuals so we set out to capture as much of a narrative as possible so that Steph and Linda [her mother, who also has cone-rod dystrophy] would be able to relive the wedding day in its entirety,’ they wrote on their blog.
In the reaction video of Stephanie opening the album, she’s seen getting emotional as she leans in and opens the album.
What she felt were pictures in a flash (PIAF) a form of heat photography that causes black lines, letters or shapes that are drawn, printed or copied on the capsule paper to swell.
The album played audio which included words from husband Robbie Campbell who could be heard saying: ‘Steph, I woke up today with a smile knowing that today I marry the girl of my dreams.
‘You are my inspiration and I can’t wait to begin my life as your husband.’
The guests wore blindfolds during the wedding except for Stephanie’s mother who is also blind (Picture: Mark Pawlyszyn)
Stephanie touched 10 different fabrics on her wedding day that went into the album (Picture: Lemon Tree Film House )
After feeling and hearing the album, Stephanie commented: ‘I couldn’t even imagine. I have never seen anything like this before.
Essential oils also accompanied the album so smells could envoke memories (Picture: Lemon Tree Film House )
(Picture: Lemon Tree Film House )
They got married at Stephanie’s great aunt’s house, where she had visited as a child, so she could remember the amazing view over the Glasshouse Mountains.
Before guests put on their blindfolds an owl from Raptor Vision flew down the aisle, resting on Stephanie’s arm and delivering the rings.
We are hypersexualised from an alarmingly young age and there is a collective tendency to dissect us into nothing more than body parts and sexual acts.
From music videos to movies to images of celebrities – the mainstream media perpetuates this obsession with the black, female form – at the expense of acknowledging us as human beings with brains and hearts and opinions, as well as tits and ass.
It’s a form of sexual racism, and it needs to stop.
Fetishisation means to form an obsessive, sexual connection based on a particular feature or item – and racial fetishism is where that connection is based on person’s race or ethnic group.
You know what the stereotypes are. That black women are ‘wild’ in bed, aggressively dominant sexually, promiscuous, always up for it.
They are beliefs that derive from long-standing stereotypes about black women – namely the Jezebel stereotype – and they are contrasted by images of the purity and self-control of white women.
The inference is that black women are the type you can enjoy in the bedroom, but not necessarily bring home to your mum.
It’s a trope that began in slavery in the 1800s, where black, female slaves were reduced to nothing more than ‘breeders’, and were frequently raped by slave owners. But the legacy of this dehumanising behaviour still lingers today.
Of course, this isn’t a view shared by everyone. Plenty of people are able to see through these stereotypes for what they really are – prejudiced, racist slurs.
But the anecdotal evidence of how often black women are approached with propositions based solely on sexual stereotypes, suggests it is still a worryingly common belief.
It isn’t only only black women who are subject to sexual racism. It is something faced by all women of colour.
Whether you’re Asian, Hispanic, mixed-race, or, basically, any variation of not-white, it seems there are certain sexual assumptions people will make based on your skin colour.
Asian women are submissive, Latina women are feisty, black women are easy.
And, in other parts of the world, white women are also fetishised because of their skin tone and appearance.
In the UK it manifests in the language used to describe women of colour.
Skin tone is often equated to something edible. We are ‘caramel’, ‘chocolate’, ‘mocha’. The message is clear – we are something to be devoured, our sole purpose is to provide pleasure through consumption.
But sexual proclivity has nothing to do with skin tone, or race. How could it?
What’s really going on here is projection. People are projecting their racial prejudices onto women in the form of fetishisation. It’s more widespread than you might think, and more often than not, it’s entirely unconscious.
Student activists Sara, Sarah and Alison, have decided something needs to be done to raise awareness about the damaging effects of racial hypersexualisation.
They started the #F*ckYourFetish campaign because they were tired of people making assumptions about their sexuality based on their race. What they want is to hold people to account.
(Picture: Campaign FYF)
‘From being sexually harassed to seeing dating sites allowing users to promote their fetishes, we see women of colour being reduced to stereotypes everywhere,’ they tell Metro.co.uk.
‘The campaign was necessary because of the way in which this problem has been normalised in society.
‘As women, we often don’t even realise that we are being racially sexualised and that is problematic. In the same way, sometimes men can’t see its harmful effects, especially when they are the ones perpetuating it.’
The girls, who are all in sixth form together, hijacked advertising space on the London Underground to promote their campaign.
Predictably, they have received backlash from the #NotAllMen brigade, but they say it’s vital that everyone acknowledges and understands what they’re trying to achieve.
(Picture: Campaign FYF/Metro.co.uk)
‘In day-to-day interactions, women are fetishised through the concept of sexual “preferences”, we believe it happens because some men think it’s a compliment and a way to appease their desires,’ they explain.
‘Words like exotic are thrown around, as such, women of colour become objects for gratification rather than women with minds. Overall, it feeds into a system that keeps women subordinate.’
Sarah, Sara and Alison are Asian, Afro-Latina, and black African, respectively. They are still teenagers, and already they have a disturbing amount of experience of being racially fetishised.
‘For me, hypersexualisation has been an undercurrent for as long as I can remember,’ explains Alison.
‘I was always told to not dress “fast”, and that wearing makeup would make me look “ready”. I often asked, “ready for what?” Until it clicked. Ready for sex.
‘It infects our households, and our mothers dress us to make sure no one sexualises us for spaghetti straps on dresses, or for showing our legs, or having a pair of jeans that over emphasises the bottom.
Sara’s experience as an Afro-Latina has been slightly different.
‘For me, racialised hypersexualisation is often linguistically focused,’ says Sara.
‘As soon as people learn that I am from Dominican Republic, their response is to call me, “Mamasita”. I am called, the “lightskin Latina with the big back”, or “The Spanish girl” – there’s so much more to me, and I find it so reductive.’
‘Society needs to realise that objectifying and sexualising women is not okay,’ explain the campaigners.
‘This change needs to take place in people’s mindsets where they finally view women as equals. So men need to stop basing their “type” on their racial preferences.
‘Stop the catcalling and the wolf-whistling, stop the harassment and stop controlling women.’
(Picture: Campaign FYF/Metro.co.uk)
It’s disheartening that today’s sixth form students are still facing these archaic stereotypes about sex. But awareness is the first step in changing behaviours, and campaigns like this can be the starting point.
Experiencing racial fetishisation is incredibly hurtful and demeaning.
Whether it’s offensive comments on dating apps, presumptuous behaviour on first dates, or a reluctance to take things beyond the bedroom – fetishisation based on race isn’t merely an expression of sexual preference, it’s racism.
By casting women of colour in certain sexual roles, before understanding anything about them beyond their appearance, we make it clear that their only value is that of a sexual commodity.
Non-white women are more than simply sexual objects – it seems ludicrous to have to say that, and most of us know this consciously.
It’s the unconscious that potentially needs examining – particularly when it comes to sexual preferences and inherent assumptions.
A man who wanted to break up with his girlfriend ended up accidentally proposing to her with the ring he had intended to give to a work colleague he’d been secretly seeing.
Christmas might be the most wonderful time of the year but for Reddit user aptly named Propermistakeregret, it was a nightmare.
And yes, there was alcohol involved.
It’s happened to all of us at some point, right?
He shared the glorious story with fellow Redditors and how much he regretted it. Oddly enough, no one had the tiniest bit of sympathy.
‘I’m seeing someone else, wanted to break up with her. I bought the ring for a work colleague, wasn’t planning to propose until the holiday we planned,’ he wrote.
‘During New Year’s Eve, I proposed to my girlfriend. It’s been posted on my friend’s Snapchat, my girlfriend’s Facebook page, everywhere.’
‘I saw people proposing so I wanted to go with the flow and proposed to my girlfriend whilst partially pissed. Can I get the ring back and cancel the engagement please?’
Looking for legal advice, the poster wanted to know if there were legitimate ways for him to get the ring back. But unfortunately, as the law experts on Reddit explained, it wouldn’t be possible unless perhaps the ring cost a fortune and he was able to show that he was so intoxicated that he lacked legal capacity to offer a gift.
Mood (Picture: Getty)
After a few unforgiving comments from users including pleas for the poster to and see a therapist, he posted an update; he is now marrying his original girlfriend.
‘I’ve had a long and hard think to myself, I decided to hand in my four-week notice to my boss and start afresh.
‘I think it’s best my girlfriend doesn’t find out about the affair I’ve been having so I’ve spoken to my colleague and told her I’m not going on holiday with her and I’ve ended it with her.
‘I’ve known my girlfriend longer and my mum gave me a call saying she’s happy and she’s always wanted grandchildren and whatnot so I didn’t want to disappoint my mum. I’m going to marry my girlfriend.’
He revealed that his girlfriend has started planning the wedding on her Macbook and he doesn’t want to interrupt or upset her.
‘I think it’s the right thing to do,’ he added. ‘Just worried that my colleague will somehow get a hold of my girlfriend and tell her about the times we’ve slept together. That’s my final decision and I think I’ll stick to that.’
Let’s hope the girlfriend doesn’t peruse through Reddit while making her plans then.
When it comes to food, two is always better than one right?
But when it comes to pizza, it turns a larger one is better than two medium ones.
People have been doing nerdy food maths for the betterment of society and their latest equations found that an 18-inch pizza leaves you with more bang for your buck than two 12-inch medium ones.
Naturally, people were shook.
But hey, at least you’ll save a few quid on your next order.
The folks at Fermat’s Library, a software developer which analyses academic papers, carried out the important work.
Measuring the area of both pizzas – that’s π r squared (as if you’d forget that from GCSE maths) – Fermat’s Library found that an 18-inch has 254 square inches while a 12-inch has 226.
The library tweeted their results and received over 50,000 likes and over 1,000 replies, with people weighing in with their calculations and arguing that it’s just better to have two pizzas, even if it means less food.
‘The crust is arguably the best part and two 12-inch pizzas have 33.3% more crust than an 18-inch pizza. And now I’m hungry,’ tweeted one follower.
It’s important to note that we disagree – the crust is not the best part.
‘The pizza industry has known this for years but kept their studies hidden. Thanks for speaking truth to power,’ joked someone else.
Even though it’s factually accurate, one person argued that logistically it’s a better shout to get two.
‘If you have a party of let’s say, four people, everyone getting four slices is going to be a better party than everyone getting two slices that are “bigger”.’
Also let’s not forget that two pizzas mean two different flavours and toppings, especially if people have specific dietary requirements.
But still, something to remember next time you’re ordering in with your pals (or by yourself, whatever, we don’t judge).
One great thing about Netflix is the fact it allows you to have multiple accounts.
The not so good thing? Generally, this means your friends and family get to use it for free while you’re the sucker paying for it.
Sometimes, like in this guy’s case, it’s not just your family and friends mooching off of you.
A Reddit user shared a screenshot of a conversation he’d had with his ex-girlfriend’s friend, who he hadn’t spoken to in over two years.
The friend had messaged him to ask him to pay for his Netflix so that he could continue watching it, as the previous payment had bounced.
(Picture: Reddit)
The poster had absolutely no idea who was texting him, and was shocked when the guy explained he was his ex’s friend. Oh, and that he’d been using the Netflix account, sneakily and free-of-charge, for over two years. The cheek of it.
And it gets worse.
After the Reddit user explained that he’d be changing his password, the friend had the audacity to call him a ‘tit’ asking what the difference was when he used it or not.
And then, he called him ‘cheap’ for not letting him have access to the account again.
Yes, really.
After being told he wasn’t allowed back on the account, He said: ‘Whatever you can’t even afford £10 haha’.
To which the poster responded: ‘Hahaha the irony of someone saying I can’t afford to pay for something that they have been leeching off of for over 2 years.’
(Picture: Reddit)
Amazingly, the friend actually tried to log into the account again, but of course was denied, explaining that he was pretty upset because he had no plans for that night and just wanted to watch Netflix. It just gets better and better, doesn’t it?
Again, told that he’d no longer be able to use the account, the poster got called a ‘cheap c***’.
Charming.
So, what can we learn from this? To always change your Netflix password when you break up with someone.
Or just get them to pay for their own – it seems like much less hassle.
Finding a hair stylist when you have afro hair can be tricky.
It depends where you live. There are certain pockets of London and other major cities that have black hairdressers on every corner, and loads of places to buy products.
But in the majority of the UK, more rural areas, and even in large parts of the capital – resources are few and far between.
I live in Crouch End and work in Kensington – two areas of London that are wealthy and predominantly white. And, as such, I can’t find a local stylist for love nor money.
Getting my hair did involves an hour-long schlep across London, and calling in favours from my friend’s aunties who can do braids at short notice.
None of my white friends have this problem. They can go get a trim on their lunch break, or pop out on a Saturday morning to pick up new foundation.
It’s alienating to know that mainstream commercialism doesn’t care about the needs of black women.
(Picture: Roxene Anderson/Metro.co.uk)
High street brands are starting to get it. But they are slow on the uptake.
More big make up brands are finally extending their ranges to include options for darker skin.
It was only recently that Superdrug started stocking black hair products as standard – there is now normally at least one or two deep conditioners, leave-in creams and edge controls tucked away on the edge of the hair care aisle.
But it’s not enough. Black hair demands a multitude of products, and a cursory shelf in among the white hair care isn’t going to cut it.
Monique Tomlinson is the General Manager of The Peckham Palms, a new, purpose-built afro hair and beauty centre that has just launched in south London.
Monique understands the importance of carving out spaces for black people where they don’t exist in the mainstream.
‘The black community need places where they can celebrate the diversity of their heritage and culture; where they can feel valued and safe, and where their mental and emotional well-being is enhanced,’ Monique tells Metro.co.uk.
‘The Palms is a space where black stylists can develop their craft, work in a co-working environment, and where a group of black women can learn from and support one another.
‘The stylists are also offered vocational training, business clinics, a dedicated booking platform, and marketing support, as part of the salon rental package.
‘It’s a place that’s about sisterhood, empowerment, enlightenment and celebration, and where black consumers can invest in a black-run, female-led business.’
(Picture: Roxene Anderson/Metro.co.uk)
The development of a hub dedicated to black hair and beauty feels revolutionary. In a society that normalises whiteness as the standard of beauty, black hair and make-up is often sidelined and forgotten.
The harder it is to find hair and beauty products, the more it is reinforced that black hair and dark skin are not the norm, are not acceptable, are not beautiful.
Peckham Palms aims to change that. The creators want to develop a space where black beauty is the focal point, rather than an afterthought. And they aim to take on the giants of gentrification.
‘We are providing marketing and business support for other Peckham afro hair and beauty businesses, so that they can benefit from economies of scale – i.e. businesses banding together for mutual benefit in buying products,’ explains Monique.
‘We aim to host market traders and services from other small businesses so that black customers can support and invest in black enterprise and help others to grow.
‘We want to show that there can be a more diverse and disruptive business practice, products and retailers, other than what’s currently on offer in other areas of London that have undergone gentrification.
‘We aim to be here for the next 20 years so that stylists are not priced out as Peckham goes through regeneration, which tends to happen following an influx of new residents and new businesses – and the inevitable increase in market rents.’
The Palms will offer a range of technically complex hairstyles, from braiding and weaving to corn rows and bantu knots. They also aim to be an inclusive social hub with cafes and work spaces for both customers and stylists to make use of.
Ultimately, the Plams’ business model is forward-looking and progressive. They want to grow the UK black beauty industry as whole and, as such, they will empower their stylists through part-ownership of the venture.
‘The Palms exists to support and grow London’s lucrative afro hair and beauty industry, with a mission to put the power back into the hands of the communities, and to create new opportunities for women to work collaboratively and to thrive,’ says Monique.
‘There is no other destination space in London, designed with hairstylists and led by black women, that celebrates all that is Afrocentric, and where customers wide range of needs can be specifically catered.’
Peckham Palms opened in January, and even if you don’t live in south London, it sounds like it would be really worth the pilgrimage.
According to new research, penguins split from their partners for winter, but still remain faithful.
How cute is that?
Scientists say a breed of penguins found on the coast of South America are among the most faithful couples in the animal kingdom – despite spending months apart each year.
This was revealed after a study discovered why stranded Magellanic penguins are much more likely to be female.
It is because they travel further from their Patagonian breeding ground in southern Argentina to the northern coast of the country. This takes them 620 miles away where they are more likely to run into trouble – leaving most of the males behind.
The discovery, published in the journal Current Biology, sheds fresh light on the extraordinary lifestyle of the species – also commonly found around the Falkland islands.
(Picture: Getty)
Every year thousands become trapped through oil spills and falling fish numbers – with females three times more prone.
And the reason is simple – they venture farther north than males where they face more potential trouble.
The research found that male and female penguins split for the winter as they followed eight males and six females during the non-breeding season in 2017, by fitting tiny geolocators to their legs to see where they go.
The penguins finished breeding in late February. Afterwards they began their migration through April – returning to the grounds in September or October.
During the wintering period the tracking devices showed females reached more northern areas than males did. There were also other gender differences – such as females not diving as deep under the water.
The researchers said these behavioural differences between sexes in winter could be related to competition for food resources or factors related to differences in size.
(Picture: Getty)
Regardless of the reasons, we know that penguins split up over winter, but that doesn’t put an end to their love.
After returning from their period of separation, penguin couples will get right back together.
Penguins are incredibly loyal birds, and they travel up to 10,000 miles a year in their search for food and love.
Recent research found one couple have remained faithful to each other for 16 years – almost their entire breeding life – despite each of them taking solo trips totalling 200,000 miles. Each year they have returned to the same nest – and each other – to produce a new brood of chicks.
The penguins arrive at their nesting sites in September – spring in the southern hemisphere – and find their partners among the 100,000-strong colony by the distinctive sound of one another’s calls.
Once reunited at their old nest the birds groom each other to re-establish their bond. After mating, the female typically lays two eggs.
The parents take turns standing over the eggs while the other partner goes out to sea, swimming up to 100 miles a day in search of the fish and squid they feed on.
They really are the most heartwarming creatures, aren’t they?
Japanese university students Misato Kawasaki, 21, and Mayu Otaki, 22, are in a relationship and hope to get married one day.
But sadly for the students at Utsunomiya University, queer unions are not recognised nationwide in Japan, meaning Mayu cannot propose to girlfriend Misato even though she wants to.
To protest the lack of marriage equality in their country, the pair has travelled to 26 countries where gay marriage is legal.
They’ve been crowdfunding for their six-month trip and documenting it all over their social media to highlight the problems faced by same-sex couples.
In each country they visit where gay marriage is legal, they pose for a photo together then share it online.
Mayu (left) and Misato want to bring to light the lack of marriage laws in Japan (Picture: Mayu Otaki)
‘It is to increase people’s awareness towards LGBT groups. For me, I feel that people living in Japan seem to be not interested in LGBT topics,’ Mayu told Metro.co.uk.
‘When I was thinking how to solve this situation, I wanted people to get interested in this in a fun way. So we decided to get dressed, take photos and upload them on Instagram.
‘Another reason is to show everyone that sexual minorities are everywhere out there. It is normal. Through this project, I want to cheer up a lot of people and tell them that there is nothing to be ashamed of.’
Mayu explained that same-sex marriage is illegal in Japan but there is a ‘partnership certificate’ that same-sex couples in 10 districts can get, but not in Ibaraki and Tochigi, where they live.
So far, they’ve travelled to 16 European countries where 29 out of 50 countries recognise some type of same-sex unions.
They’ve gone to six countries in the Americas, Taiwan in Asia as well as Australia and New Zealand.
‘I want to know the difference between Japan and the countries where same-sex marriage is legal, for example, the treatment towards sexual minorities or other minorities.
‘Also, I want to experience the atmosphere out there. So I’d love to talk to many different people in the 26 countries.’
In the future, once they’ve returned from their trip and when Japan’s laws are changed, Mayu and Misato hope to open their own wedding company.
On their crowdfunding page, they have set a target of a million Japanese yen (£7,300) to help subsidise their journey. So far, they’ve raised 372,710 yen (£2688).
This bride seems pretty tame in comparison, but people are still pretty baffled by her wedding decisions.
On Facebook, a bride-to-be wrote that she planned to give her wedding guests some maths challenges on the big day. Guests will need to figure out the answer to the maths problem to find out where they sit.
That in itself might be bothersome. Imagine being a few glasses of bubbly deep and then having to work out some algebra. Not fun.
But what’s leading to more questions is the bride’s statement that she’s tailored each maths question to the guest’s ‘mathematical background’.
So essentially, she’ll look at a guest’s lifestyle and history, work out how good they are at maths, then give them a question they should be able to solve.
Surely that could cause quite a few issues? Imagine if someone is presented with a problem they can’t solve, and is struck with self-doubt and embarrassment. Or, worse, if someone is given an extremely basic maths question that they take as an insult to their intelligence?
(Picture: Getty)
The bride wrote: ‘Since both [husband] and I are mathematicians, our wedding (which is coming up so soon!) will be perfused with mathematical tidbits.
‘For example, at the dinner, guests will be required to answer a mathematical question in order to find out where they sit.
‘Every guest/couple will be presented with a unique, bespoke question: its difficult and subject matter drawn directly from what we know their mathematical background to be.
‘In fact, a large number of our guests have research-level mathematical background, so for most of them their question has been drawn directly from their research paper or thesis.
‘It’s been a rather time-consuming but very entertaining process to look at all kinds of papers that I wouldn’t ever normally look at. Like, for example, set theory!’
‘Potentially belittling to certain guests,’ wrote one Redditor. #Incorporate your passion for math in a way that won’t be frustrating or embarrassing in my opinion.’
Another commented: ‘Ok. I’ll put your gift in a safe and you can work out the combination.’
Some people were fans, though. ‘This sounds like an amazing idea that’s a lot of fun for both the couple and the guests,’ wrote one.
But mostly, people expressed doubts that they’d be able to find their table: ‘Upon looking into my background, they would likely decide to just sit me at the kid’s table.’
We’ve fallen head over heels in love with a puppy named Remus, who only responds to Harry Potter spells.
Anna Brisbin, a voice over and screen actress and YouTuber, shared a video of herself giving Remus Harry Potter spell commands using a wand, and him responding to them perfectly.
Remus is seen dressed in the cutest Harry Potter outfit, and does tricks such as catching balls, walking in circles and turning lights on and off by himself with a flick of Anna’s wand.
For instance, when Anna waves her wand and says ‘Stupefy’, Remus will lie down on the bed.
He jumps up at ‘Wingardium Leviosa’ and rolls over at ‘Avada Kedavra’. It’s the cutest thing.
Alongside posting to YouTube, Anna also posted the video on Twitter, where it has received over 700 likes and a whole bunch of comments from people who think Remus is a very good boy:
That’s right, forget your ‘New Year new me’ gym regime, more importantly it’s time to hit refresh on your beauty stash.
We thought last year topped the list when it came to exciting beauty launches, but a month into 2019 and we’ve already seen Fenty Beauty release a groundbreaking range of 50 concealers. Yes, five-zero. And Charlotte Tilbury has finally launched her first skincare cleanser.
It’s been a month of non-stop product drops.
But with so many new beauty products launching, it’s hard to pick out the good from the not-so-good. So to help you out, here are 11 brand-new beauty products that are worthy of adding to your treasure trove.
Huda Beauty’s new Matte & Metal Melted Shadows have been impossible-to-keep-in-stock since their release.
And it’s not surprising as the dual-ended liquid eyeshadows combine a rich matte and a metallic eyeshadow, both of which are effortless to apply and stay in place without fading or creasing.
If you’re looking to introduce Retinol cream to your skincare routine to help reduce fine lines and wrinkles, Drunk Elephant have released a vegan Retinol cream that promises to ‘dramatically diminish the appearance of fine lines’ and ‘reveal a vibrant, younger-looking complexion’.
But a word of warning, it’s relatively strong stuff, so integrate the cream into your routine slowly and gently to avoid redness and irritation.
Come winter, our skin is craving an additional dose of hydration to keep our skin plump and glowing, as moisturiser isn’t always enough.
Introducing Allies of Skin Triple Hyaluronic Antioxidant Hydration Serum, a daily hyaluronic acid serum infused with antioxidants and peptides that does just that.
It’s pricey, but it will leave your skin feeling perfectly hydrated – and looking brighter, firmer and more youthful. It’s simply one of the best hyaluronic acid serums out there.
Charlotte Tilbury may be best known for her glow inducing makeup and cult Pillow Talk collection, but she’s no stranger to skincare either.
To accompany her Magic Cream, Dry Sheet Mask and Brightening Youth Glow, Charlotte has dropped a two-step cleansing duo dubbed as ‘a miracle Spa-in-a-jar duo’.
The first step cleanser – Citrus Oil Radiance Cleanse – contains vitamins A, C and E, which hydrate and brighten the skin and the Purifying Charcoal Cleanse draws out toxins to purify and detox your skin.
For perfectly defined eyes, Benefit Cosmetics has a great, new liquid liner pen that’s easy to control and has a long-lasting formulation.
Available in black or brown, Benefit’s Roller Liner never flakes and the black shade stays black. It also doesn’t drag, smudge and has a stain finish. What’s not to like?
Releasing next month, Urban Decay’s Brow Blade has already got tongues wagging within the beauty community with Huda Beauty proclaiming its by far the best brow product she’s ever used(!).
The double-ended cruelty-free brow tool features a waterproof pencil and ink stain fine point pen, to help you can create the perfect hair strokes for defined, flawless arches.
Morphe has ticked the diversity box with their upcoming release of Fluidity, a new foundation which comes in a whopping 60 shades, totally trumping leading beauty brands.
Launching on 17 January on the Morphe UK website and beauty counters, we expect the brand’s very first matte, full-coverage base to be a hit, especially with an incredibly reasonable price tag of £16.
And it looks as though Morphe isn’t stopping there, as they’re also unveiling 31 concealer hues, 15 sheer matte powders, and two primers.
Celebrity hair stylist Jen Atkin has teamed up with a French perfumer to release a line of fresh clean scents (think light, airy, and shower-fresh) and they’ve exceeded expectations.
Our favourite of the four fragrances, North Bondi stars citrus notes of bergamot, with woody amber and addictive white musk.
If you’re a die-hard fan of OAUI’s, you’ll be pleased to hear the scent isn’t too dissimilar to their original dry shampoo and can be spritzed onto your hair, pulse points and wherever you want to smell utterly amazing.
Rihanna’s much-loved makeup line Fenty Beauty is expanding and welcoming five new products. Deep breaths.
Firstly, forget 50 Shades of Grey, as from 11 January Fenty Beauty is launching 50 matte, creamy, crease-less concealers named Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Concealer.
This launch comes a year after Fenty Beauty released their 40-shade range of foundation, which is also due to increase to 50 shades.
And if that wasn’t already excited, Fenty Beauty is also welcoming four shades of Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Setting Powder, a Powder Puff Setting Brush, Precision Concealer Brush and Lil Precision Makeup Sponge Duo.
