You do it for the ones you love, though, and for the most part the cab rides and new dresses and presents are a small price to pay for watching the most special day of their lives.
Plus, when it comes to stag and hen parties, you get a fun night out of it too. That is unless you’re this disgruntled bridesmaid whose experience was posted on a wedding shaming group.
The unnamed bridesmaid initially shared what happened on a Facebook page for mums, but it quickly gained traction.
The original post starts by telling the story of a ‘bridezilla’ who couldn’t stop complaining about having sore feet and talking about ‘materialistic views’.
That’s one way to burn your bridges (Picture: That’s It I’m Wedding Shaming)
Although not many specifics are detailed, she was apparently extremely hard to please, and the ‘last straw’ for the bridesmaid was when they spoke about the difference between children and dogs.
As the bridesmaid stated that she’d made a big financial sacrifice to attend the hen – as well as leaving her two toddlers at home – the bride replied that she, too, had made sacrifices in the form of leaving her fiance and dog for the weekend.
The bridesmaid didn’t like that one bit, and by the looks of things an argument ensued. After that, the bride decided to bail on the whole thing and went home at 3am.
So far, so messy. However, from there is where the real drama starts.
At least she’s made payment plans available (Picture: That’s It I\’m Wedding Shaming)
Instead of internally seething like many of us would do, the bridesmaid decided to send her an itemised invoice for everything she’d spent on the wedding so far, right down to $6 for a pair of glasses.
The whole thing added up to $1,621 (£1343.66), including nine hours labour from the bridesmaid when she helped set up the bridal shower charged at a whopping $45 (£37) an hour.
As the cherry on top of an awful way to burn a bridge, the bottom of the invoice reads ‘Bride to be ruining everyones weekend with her miserable attitude, self centered and materialistic views – priceless’.
It’s not clear whether the bride responded to the invoice, but we can safely say that their friendship will be going some to recover from that.
People enjoying their free prosecco at Zizzi (photo: Zizzi)
National Prosecco Day is a time to remind ourselves that, sometimes, the cheaper alternatives in life really are better.
Give us the well-proportioned elegance of a Big Mac over an awkward gourmet burger that doesn’t even fit in your mouth.
Give us a night of ribald banter and £2.50 pints at a Wetherspoons over the stiff formality of a Mayfair private member’s club.
Give us the Grand Bazaar-esque wonders of the middle aisle at Aldi over the dreary, pedestrian reality of a Tesco Express. And yes, by God, give us prosecco over champagne!
Prosecco become hugely popular in the UK in the post-crash, austerity years. It became a cliche to say that the reason everyone was drinking it was simply because they were too broke for champagne.
While there’s probably a kernel of truth to this, prosecco is also just very nice – not to mention being far more drinkable and lighter than champagne.
Nowadays, prosecco has all but achieved supremacy in British culture, rivaled only by gin as the beverage most likely to be referenced on a quirky tea-towel owned by your mum.
In fact, last year the UK consumed more of it than any other country worldwide . If you’re a fan of prosecco, which statistically you probably are, you’ll be happy to hear there are a whole host of deals happening today: here are some of the best.
Zizzi
Italian restaurant Zizzi is offering customers either a free glasses of prosecco or a prosecco-flavoured Panna Cotta desert, which sounds delicious. All you need to do is go to the Zizzi website, download a code and present it to their waiter.
Zizzi’s head of marketing Rachel Hendry, has some enthusiastic words about the bubbly treat.
‘National Prosecco Day is a brilliant reminder to toast the final days of summer,’ she says.
‘It’s undoubtedly the best national day of the year. At Zizzi we love any excuse to celebrate, so we’re delighted to be helping our customers to toast the everyday wins with a glass of fizz or dessert.’
The weather has been feeling distinctly autumnal lately which, really, is all the more excuse to make the most out of the dying embers of summer – with a glass of free prosecco.
A woman enjoying a prosecco Panna Cotta and glass of prosecco (photo: Zizzi)
Free Aperol Spritz
Possibly the greatest contribution that prosecco has made to the world is the key role it plays in the Aperol Spritz – that most basic, yet most delicious of drinks. The good news is that Aperol has partnered with 30 bars across the country to hand out free Spritz’s.
The catch is that you have to wear an item of orange clothing but, according to a spokesperson for the brand, this could be ‘a hat, jewellery, sunglasses or even socks’ – so there’s no need to turn up in an Orange is the New Black jumpsuit.
Bella Italia
Back to Italian restaurant chains, Bella Italia are also offering a free glass of prosecco.
This one is even simpler than Zizzi: instead of downloading a code, you just need to say ‘#nationalproseccoday’ to your waiter. It’s unclear whether you need to pronounce the hashtag.
Various Prizes
If you don’t feel like leaving the house, and instead want to ‘toast the final days of summer’ on your sofa, in front of Holby City (and fair play to you) then a bunch of retailers are offering the opportunity to win some prosecco.
Nisa ask you to follow them on Twitter and retweet this, to be in with a chance of winning a whole case.
Meanwhile, if you want to win two bottles from Londis, head over to their Instagram, go to the first picture and tag one of your mate’s who loves prosecco.
If you’re looking to add something shiny and new to your beauty stash, listen up.
This month we’ve been blessed with some seriously good skincare, makeup and fragrance launches.
From a long-lasting medium coverage foundation from Urban Decay that doesn’t feel heavy on the skin, to a new slew of swoon-worthy lipsticks from NARS and a resurfacing treatment from Murad – that FYI is already receiving rave reviews – our bathroom cabinets and makeup bags have not been disappointed.
Ahead – eight beauty products worth shopping this month.
Murad’s latest skincare innovation InvisiScar Resurfacing Treatment is already causing a stir among skincare fanatics in the US, as the newly launched product boasts an impressive star rating of 4.6 out of 5, with over 200 glowing reviews online at Sephora.
The salicylic acid based treatment claims to help banish pesky acne scars within eight weeks. If you’re not yet convinced of its skincare wizardry, 100% of treatment users agreed that their scar texture was smoother and more even, while 91% agreed the roughness on their scars was significantly improved.
Say hello to Urban Decay’s Stay Naked Foundation. Available in 50 shades, nine intensities, three mastertones and seven undertones, it’s an all-inclusive foundation launch (hooray) with a medium buildable coverage and breathable texture.
The new foundation is joined by 25 shades of Stay Naked Concealer and two Stay Naked Colour Correctors.
If, like us, your beauty bag is always eager to welcome new Glossier products you’ll be pleased to hear this month Glossier dropped yet another Balm Dotcom in the shade Berry.
The juicy balm not only smells good enough to eat and imparts a pretty berry sheen on the lips, it’s formulation of beeswax, lanolin and caster seed oil leaves your pout hydrated and super soft.
Don’t disregard Beauty Bay’s own line of colour cosmetics – they’re impressive in both quality and pricing.
This month the mega online beauty retailer has released a collection of shimmering liquid eyeshadows for just £6 each, which can be worn alone or as a base to intensify powder pigments. Our favourite shades include Moonstone, a silver shimmer and Rutile, an opaque bronze shimmer with silver flecks.
At the third of the price of similar products, you might as well bag a couple of shades, right?
Skincare expert Caroline Hirons dubbed the new hyaluronic/superfood self-tan serum from cult tan brand Tan-Luxe as the ‘dog’s bollocks brilliant’ and boy was she right. It’s fantastic.
The gradual face tanner won’t leave your face looking like a mahogany dining room table, rather it imparts a hydrated sun kissed glow. Its formulation is brimming with skin hydrators including hyaluronic acid, chia seed oil and avocado oil.
Plus it’s non-sticky and the addition of cocoa seed protects from pollution and blue light from your computer screen and mobile phone.
To celebrate their 25th anniversary, Nars is releasing a collection of 27 lipsticks from 15 August – yes, you read that right, 27 lipsticks. They’re also releasing the 12 original shades that launched the Nars brand, from Jungle Red, a vivid blue red, to Blonde Venus, a cool beige.
Better yet, all the original shades are housed in a special red matte soft touch casing embossed with the white Nars logo.
If you’re a lover of cream formulations and multipurpose makeup products, clean beauty brand Ilia has got you covered as they’ve released five utterly gorgeous multi-matte pigments that can be used on the cheeks and lips.
The soft, creamy, buildable pigments will leave you wanting to break up with your powders and apply well with your fingers, dampened beauty sponge and brush.
And if you’re looking for inspiration, Instagram star and MUA Katie Jane Hughes frequents a monochromatic look and how to’s.
Ilia Color Haze Multi-Matte Pigment, £30, spacenk.com
Joanna and Najee with their son who wanted to wear a dress to their wedding (Picture: MDWfeatures/Zen Photography)
Mum-of-three Joanna Minuzzo practices gentle parenting with her children, allowing them to express who they want to be.
The 39-year-old, originally from Scotland and now living in Queensland, Australia, says she wants her kids to be ‘free to be who they want to be’.
So when her two-year-old son said he wanted to wear a dress to Joanna’s wedding, she was happy to oblige.
While she wed her partner Najee, her wee son wore a pretty blue frock while his sisters opted for matching pink numbers.
Joanna says that her gentle method of parenting has brought her closer to her children and they aren’t afraid of showing emotions or interpreting those of others.
They also know that they can come to her with their problems without fear of judgment.
He had a choice of three outfits and decided to go for the dress (Picture: MDWfeatures / Zen Photography)
Joanna’s son initially wanted to wear a top with Minnie Mouse’s face on but was then taken with his sisters’ dresses.
When he asked his mum, Joanna had said no at first. But afterwards, she asked herself why he couldn’t wear one as she could see how happy wearing a dress made him.
Their son had a choice of three outfits to wear. His options included a suit and a kilt from Scotland but he refused to wear them, falling in love with his sister’s dresses instead.
A week before the big day, Joanna borrowed a beautiful blue dress from a friend and her son was over the moon.
He is rocking that dress (Picture: MDWfeatures / Zen Photography)
‘I am raising children who feel secure enough in themselves to be true to who they really are,’ said Joanna.
‘We have a generation of adults who are too afraid of being themselves because of the fear of being judged. I want my children to know that the only person’s opinion of them that matters is their own.
‘My children trust me, they can come to me when they have problems and they know I won’t judge them.’
She revealed that some people were puzzled by the outfit choice while others had said she might ‘make him gay’, something Joanna says is completely ridiculous.
The mum said she also understands that there might be a day where he no longer wants to wear girls’ clothes and she will let him guide her.
Overall, she was pleased with her big day and was especially moved by how her new husband Najee helped their son get ready.
Joanna says she wants her children to be ‘free’ to express themselves how they want (Picture: MDWfeatures / Zen Photography)
‘It gave me chills to see the photographs of my husband helping our son get ready and cemented exactly why I fell in love with him.
‘He put the happiness of his son above everything else, he is an amazing dad, stepdad and role model. The photo reflected a truly beautiful moment between father and son.’
Joanna hopes that by allowing her children to follow their hearts and be their true selves, they will grow up to be more socially aware through not having the traditional gender stereotypes ingrained in them.
‘I don’t want my children thinking they have to conform to stereotypes that don’t serve them.
‘My son likes to wear dresses. He is two, he doesn’t even know he is a boy yet or that there is a difference between him and his sisters.
‘It’s not complicated, I don’t have to dress him in traditional boys’ clothes just because that’s the norm and acceptable.
‘He may grow out of it, he may not. Either way, it doesn’t really matter, what matters is he is happy, he is healthy and he is kind.’
All 36 nurses with their babies or bumps (Picture: Children’s Mercy Hospital)
There’s been a bit of a baby boom at this hospital, with 36 members of staff either giving birth or due to give birth this year.
All the nurses work on the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Children’s Mercy in Kansas City, Missouri.
Incredibly 20 babies have already been born to the staff this year, with another 16 on the way.
The hospital posted a picture of all the nurses with their babies or bumps.
The post said: ‘Our Intensive Care Nursery nurses spend their days and nights with little ones from across the Midwest who need the most advanced care.
‘They’ve also had a baby boom of their own. This photo, taken earlier this month, shows all of the babies born, and still to be born, in 2019.
‘Congratulations to our growing ICN family!’
They’ve all been able to support each other and offer advice (Picture: Children’s Mercy Hospital)
Those babies are going to have lots of playmates – though of the 20 born so far, only two are girls.
For the new parents, the baby boom means they have lots of support and somewhere to vent.
They even have a Facebook group where they can discuss everything.
Some of the nurses already have older children so they’ve been able to offer advice to the others going through their first pregnancy.
With so many pregnancies, the nurses have found their schedules packed with nothing but baby showers.
Critical care education coordinator told USA Today how they’ve all spent years going through different stages of life together.
She said: ‘We were hired fresh out of nursing school and planned each others’ wedding showers.
Martin pressed the delete button on a Facebook post, as he often did.
As the admin of a community Facebook group for over 7,000 people in his village, he had a lot of control – but also a huge amount of responsibility.
The post featured details about a local man who had a heart attack, and not wanting to upset the man’s family, Martin thought it was more appropriate to remove the post.
For that, he received a threatening message – a picture of a man he knew with a knife and a comment below saying he wasn’t very happy about his post being deleted.
After months of being criticised and personally attacked for the things he did in the volunteer role, Martin made a decision – it was time to give up his adminship.
‘Nothing was worth putting my young family who live, work and play in the village in any danger,’ Martin tells Metro.co.uk.
‘Stepping away from it, I immediately had a massive weight off my shoulders.
‘I think the majority of people understood and appreciated that I was a volunteer but some people saw it as a public service. They would get very, very upset if I didn’t respond to their messages within minutes, for example, despite me having a job and family.
‘It became very childish and people became real keyboard warriors behind a computer screen.’
For 10 months, he’d been the one in control of the group – approving posts, looking through comments and ensuring everything remained civil.
Most admins volunteer to moderate groups (Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)
He went into the group with a background in working with social media thanks to his business Bamford Media, but he didn’t realise how much time and effort it would take to administer the group – which he did as a volunteer.
Martin found a small number of people continually disrespected the rules and attacked him for trying to enforce them.
Dr Sarah Hodge, cyber psychologist at Bournemouth University explains that part of this rebellion against Facebook group admins in these groups could be the idea that they are taking away the freedom of the internet.
Dr Hodge tells us: ‘I think a lot of people feel that online spaces are spaces of freedom and people don’t expect their behaviour to be policed, so as soon as you start introducing somebody who’s telling them what to do, it causes friction.
‘They feel a bit like “who are you to decide what I should and shouldn’t do?” and it is a bit of a conflict of authority, especially as the administrator is usually in a voluntary role and really, aren’t different to the people in the group.’
Facebook groups like Martin’s can be incredibly useful – spreading information and bringing communities together like a modern day public notice board or classified section.
But as well as personal abuse, Facebook admins have to deal with issues including scams and bullying.
Most admins are untrained and often the only reason they end up taking care of the group is that either they set it up or they have been appointed by the people who did.
For some, dealing with groups around health conditions and mental health, the messages they deal with can be even more serious – and difficult to deal with without professional training.
It includes dealing with scams and abuse (Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)
Like many groups focused on health, many of the members find that it is a great source of support – especially for connecting with people who understand something that other people around you don’t.
Alicia set the group up because she has dealt with her own mental health problems, including suicide attempts and self-harm.
But Alicia is not a professionally trained counsellor and it can become difficult to manage questions asking about complex mental health problems.
She explains: ‘We take the time to approve members and approve posts, as well as watching for reports from others.
‘If someone needs medical attention or posts that they are suicidal, I immediately contact the person and contact their local police department.
‘It can be difficult but we just want to make sure everyone is taken care of and is safe.
‘At times I get upset and frustrated but in the end I love this group and will do anything to make sure it’s up and running.’
Other health conditions have support groups set up in different ways. Charity Crohn’s and Colitis UK set up their own group, with qualified and trained staff monitoring it during office hours.
By doing this, they hope to ensure that people have a place to get support both from people going through their condition and medical professionals.
The group has over 38,000 members and has stringent safeguarding in place.
Dan McLean, Director of Marketing, Communications and Membership at the charity, explains: ‘We took the decision to set up a closed forum because of the nature of the conditions.
‘People want peer-to-peer support in a private space. They want to share difficult conversations with people who would understand and have similar experiences.
The rules from the Crohn’s and Colitis page (Picture: Crohn’s and Colitis UK)
The rules from the Crohn’s and Colitis page (Picture: Crohn’s and Colitis UK)
‘By establishing the group through the charity, we have staff who are trained in safeguarding. We do have a responsibility to everybody there.
‘We try not to be too involved in most conversations but if people are looking for particular medical advice or if they are feeling depressed or suicidal, we can step in and signpost where they can go for help.’
Facebook does offer advice and information for admins to help them understand how to deal with issues.
In May last year, they released a range of tools including an admin support area where group admins can ask a question and get a response within one business days.
They also put together an admin education centre where groups can read articles and watch videos on how to keep themselves and others safe when running a group – however, these resources aren’t automatically flagged to people when they set up a group.
Last year, they established a Facebook Community Leadership Program, with 115 people chosen from 46 countries to represent a variety of communities.
Within the groups themselves, there are tools including features to establish group rules and ensure members are made aware of them before they join.
Groups also use different levels of pre-approving members and content to ensure the admins are in control of what is posted.
Rate My Plate – a group to critque meals others have made – has over 480,000 members and the admins and moderators go through every member request and post to approve it.
Unlike community or health groups, these are simply fun posts that most people can enjoy.
The group started just over a year ago and people loved the idea of rating or slating mundane meals, while others were just there to watch the comments flood in from the side lines.
But with a group that is based on harsh comments, it can be a fine line between keeping it fun and preventing bullying of members.
Like the Crohn’s & Colitis UK group, there is a dedicated and structured team of moderators behind the group to try to make it work. By approving posts, the admins have a huge amount of control.
Josh, director of Rate My Plate explains: ‘We have three group admins and 12 moderators who approve every post and we’ve been working with Facebook as they release more tools to give admins more control over the group.
This post from Carol C went viral after it appeared on Rate My Plate (Picture: Rate My Plate)
‘The moderators spend every single day actually going through things. No one can post an image without the moderator seeing it first.
‘We want to make sure that people are commenting on the image of the food, rather than people and their character.
‘We can’t pre-approve the comments beneath the post once the it goes up, but we do monitor them and if a post is receiving lots of comments, it does go right to the top. We can turn off comments or delete them on these posts if we need to.’
Group rules include warnings that the group will involve criticism but advise ‘this is not a free pass to get personal’.
Personal insults, continuous petty post reporters and advertising are banned.
Josh adds: ‘We keep an eye on keywords that might indicate abuse. We want honest opinion on the food, not the person behind it.
‘If people are nasty or unkind, we can remove them and they don’t have another chance to get back in.
‘A huge part of the community is that they flag things that aren’t fair and they help our administrators.
‘It does take a lot of time to make this a place where people can comment and criticise the food, something the group was set up to do, without it being a place that is unpleasant to be in.’
A recent trend is for wedding shaming groups, where people post dresses and rings that they have spotted online, specifically for the group to shame.
In other groups, this roasting tone can be misunderstood and nastiness can quickly escalate into bullying.
Dr Mark Griffiths, cyber psychologist at Nottingham Trent University, explains: ‘In a lot of online situations, people say or do things that they would never say in a face-to-face situation.
‘You become disinhibited because you feel anonymous. In a closed Facebook group, you are even further removed because you are in a smaller clique of people.
‘It’s not surprising that people end up trolling or saying things to Facebook group administrators that they wouldn’t normally.’
When this happens and arguments get out of hand, the victims often rely on the Facebook admins to intervene.
Lauren Hannah set up Mrs Hinch Made Me Do It about 10 months ago, and says despite strict rules and constant moderation, there are still incidents of nastiness and bullying that they have to deal with every day.
The group grew out of the popularity of cleaning influencer Mrs Hinch and every day the over 100,000 members create around 100 posts a day, each with lots of comments.
Although most of the post are supportive, light hearted and just people sharing tips about how to keep their homes clean, some are interpreted as rude and arguments start quickly.
Lauren, three other admins and two moderators moderate the group between 8am and 10pm and Lauren says she is online for a minimum of four hours every day.
(Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)
She explains: ‘We get at least one angry/abusive/rude comment a day, which we do not tolerate.
‘As soon as someone acts in that way they are immediately removed.
‘We welcome everyone into the group and a lot of the time it takes people a while and is really frightening to ask for advice and people can be so cruel.’
And when admins call members out for their comments, they often find they are targeted with abuse themselves.
Lauren adds: ‘I’ve had numerous private messages from members that have been removed. I’ve been called every name under the sun.’
Can more be done to protect Facebook group admins from abuse, as well as ensuring people within these groups remain protected?
Facebook groups have become a huge part of our online lives, offering closed spaces and places to meet people who share an interest or problem.
Whether it’s somewhere to connect with the people in your community, somewhere to sell your used furniture or somewhere to chat to someone with the same condition you live with everyday, they are our modern day communities.
Facebook has some basic training in place – but it’s not pinpointed when the group is established.
More tools to have control over all aspects, including comments on posts could also help.
But as members of groups, it’s important to understand the work admins do – and learn not to take arguments and disagreements out on them.
Follow the rules, take a step back if things kick off and try to treat people in the same way you would speak to them face-to-face.
This bride knew she was going to be shat on during her wedding (Picture: Imagine Photography)
Some brides might get stressed about their wedding day, but others are impressively lax about the whole thing.
One woman who had an outside wedding knew there would be some risks, mainly with the weather, but was chill about whatever came her way.
Sadly for her though, it wasn’t that the heavens decided to pour down on her or an unfortunate windy experience – it was the birds that ruined her day.
One of the pelicans flying above the whole wedding processions decided to poo on her.
And all before a single professional photo was taken.
Surprisingly taking it on the chin, the woman in white didn’t seem to mind the bits of dark faeces splattered on her gown.
And even more surprisingly, she called it beforehand as she has a ‘history’ with bird poo.
Wild.
After attending a few other weddings, the woman’s mantra to other brides had always been ‘you can’t stress on your wedding day, because it will never go exactly as planned,’ she revealed on matrimonial website WeddingBee.
So when it came to her big day, she expected some obstacles.
‘The photographer told us, “this is the time to express yourself… these are the over the fireplace’ photos… laugh, cry, do whatever feels right”.
‘They didn’t say “watch out for the birds”.’
‘So, yes, right in the middle of our canoodling… my soon to be husband telling me how beautiful I looked– SPLAT!!’
‘It was horrible. We hadn’t even taken one real picture yet! At first, I screamed “are you serious?!”’
She then revealed that it was to be expected as this sort of thing happens to her all the time.
‘I have a history with birds. They hate me. I get pood on all the time. So why should my wedding day be any different?
‘I told my husband that’s why we’re spending the money on a fancy canopy for the beach – “at least they’ll poo on the canopy and not my face”. If it just weren’t for the first look photos…’
Once the incident happened though, she took it on the chin and laughed it off.
‘So then, I laughed… and couldn’t stop laughing,’ she added.
‘Some Shout Wipes and hankies later, we were back to taking pictures and on to our ceremony.’
The now-married woman also had some words of advice for other brides, saying: ‘So ladies, it won’t go as planned.
‘And when it doesn’t, stay poised. No need to be a bridezilla on your wedding day.’
Left-handed legend Ned Flanders outside the Leftorium (photo: Fox)
Today is Left Handers Day, which was founded in 1992 by The Left-Handers Club (a very cool-sounding organisation indeed).
What better time to consider the history of discrimination that left-handed people, comprising a whole 10% of the population, have faced throughout the years?
Being left-handed has never been easy, even if you were literally a King. George VI, for instance, was forced to write with his right-hand as a child.
It’s been theorised that pre-Industrial revolution, it wasn’t really that big a deal being left-handed. But the more that lefties were forced to use mass-produced tools in the workplace – all of which were designed for the right-handed – the more they came to appear clumsy or incapable.
Similarly, the types of ink pen used in schools at the time made it extremely apparent if someone was left-handed – it was impossible for lefty kids to write without smearing ink on the page.
By and large, this wasn’t treated sympathetically, and left-handed children were forced to write with the wrong hand.
It can be possible to ‘convert’ a child into being right-handed, or ambidextrous, with regular practice – but doing this has also been proven, in some cases, to be harmful to their well-being and development.
So where does all this bias comes from? Well, the idea that that there’s something strange about left-handedness is embedded in many languages.
In English, the word ‘left’ is derived from the anglo-saxon for ‘weak’. We use the expression ‘to have two left feet’ to mean that someone is clumsy – when really, someone having two right feet would be just as bad.
In French meanwhile, ‘gauche’ (left) suggests awkwardness, clumsiness, or a lack of grace. It’s also telling that in many European languages, including English, ‘right’ means moral or correct.
The word ‘sinister’ which, all things considered, is not a great way to be described, is derived from the Latin for ‘left’. In fact, ‘sinistral’ is still used today as a more formal term for ‘left-handed’ – despite the fact it sounds pretty creepy.
One of the most extreme examples of this linguistic bias can be found in Turkish, where the word for right also means ‘alive’, while the word for left means ‘die.’
Given that the the idea of ‘left’ has been thought of in such a negative way, it’s no surprise that left-handed people have had such a hard time.
However, most of the bias that left-handed people experience isn’t because they are thought of as clumsy or evil.
It’s simply because the vast majority of products are designed with right-handed people in mind.
Scissors, knives, cameras, and all manner of sports and music equipment are far more awkward to use if you’re left-handed, unless you buy specialist stuff that’s often more expensive and harder to access.
But the good news is that there has been far greater acceptance of left-handedness in the last century, with forced right-hand writing becoming increasingly rare.
There are also a wide range of positive role models, not least The Simpson’s loveable evangelist Ned Flanders, with his heart-warming plea for tolerance: ‘Lord Loves A Lefty’.
If you’re looking for a way to celebrate the day, the UK’s largest guitar store Guitarguitar are offering free guitar classes for left-handed people this weekend (Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 August.)
If you can already play and don’t need a lesson, you can turn up for a free restringing instead.
Guitarguitar have stores in Edinburgh, Birmingham, Camden, Epsom, Newcastle and Glasgow.
Lauren’s fake tan removal solution (Picture: @Lauurennxxx/Twitter)
After the hottest day ever, the rest of this summer hasn’t been up to much.
Perhaps you’ve turned to fake tan to get a bit of a glow instead.
But we all know getting that stuff off is a bit of a nightmare.
One woman has a clever trick to get it off in minutes.
She puts tan remover in a dishmatic sponge and easily rubs it all over her skin.
Lauren used Bondi Sands tan remover, which costs around £15 online, and the sponge, which cost around £1.50 from the cleaning aisle in supermarkets.
Posting it on Twitter, Lauren said: ‘To all my tanning friends… Bondi sands tan remover in one of these little scrubbers takes your tan off in minutes girls legit seconds!!’
To all my tanning friends… Bondi sands tan remover in one of these little scrubbers takes your tan off in minutes girls legit seconds!! pic.twitter.com/jiOeqhHuoJ
A stunning resort in the Maldives is looking for its next ‘Barefoot Bookseller’ – where they’ll employ one person to run its bookshop on the island.
Yes, this is the ultimate dream job for anyone who fancies spending their life reading on sandy beaches.
The Ultimate Library, in partnership with Soneva Fushi, a 5-star luxury resort in the Baa Atoll, opened the first popup bookshop in the Maldives last December.
After a successful first season, the shop will be opening up once again this October.
According to the resort, the bookshop was created ‘to reflect the stunning natural environment and intelligent luxury that Soneva Fushi provides.’
The website adds: ‘While most of us find that holidays are the only opportunity we get to read for pleasure, finding the perfect book that enhances your destination and opens your mind can be a challenge.
‘Previous Barefoot Booksellers have provided guests with unforgettable literary experiences from writer’s workshops to personal reading consultations. We are interested to see what new ideas you can bring to the role!’
The person who bags the role will have a month’s pre-departure product training with the Ultimate Library team, before flying to the Maldives for a six-month placement role in mid-October.
According to the company, the ideal candidate will be a ‘team player’ with a passion for books.
You will need to have excellent written and verbal English skills, a ‘lively’ tone of voice to write an entertaining blog that captures the ‘exhilarating life of a desert island bookseller’, and the skills to host workshops and other guest experiences.
So, what will your duties be?
The chosen candidate will be expected to run a small bookshop on the island including sales management, and will be responsible for all stock management and reporting back on sales and stock updates.
You will also be hosting experiences for guests such as creative writing classes, bibliotherapy, tutoring and literary lectures.
You’ll need to handle the social media, including Instagram, and write monthly blog posts.
This role sounds perfect for any budding writer who can’t put a book down – who also wants to spend every evening by the ocean with a cocktail.
Faced with climate breakdown, token veggie burgers or vegan sausage rolls just don’t cut the mustard (Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)
Ask most people to think about their contribution to climate change and the first things that come to mind are likely to be their polluting car or that flight to the Med they took last summer. Their dinner plate is not usually one of them.
Yet our meat-heavy diets are copping a lot of flak as one of the world’s biggest contributors to climate change. Only last week, the world’s top climate scientists published a new report warning that reducing the amount of meat we eat will be absolutely crucial to averting climate breakdown.
It’s not the first report to warn us that the way we’re feeding humanity is damaging our natural world beyond repair, and it probably won’t be the last. But the grimness of the findings seems to be perfectly matched by the apathy with which our political and corporate world has reacted to it.
With one truly remarkable exception. Following the landmark report, there’s at least one institution in the UK that has taken drastic action. As part of a series of measures to tackle the climate emergency, Goldsmith’s University, has banned the sales of beef on their campus.
This is the kind of bold, uncompromising measure that’s bound to attract controversy, especially from those who love beef and hate bans. But there is absolutely no doubt that something needs to be done to cut the amount of meat we eat in the western world, and governments, corporate and public institutions all have a role to play.
Take this little known fact: there are now an estimated 70 billion farm animals in the world, that’s 10 for each person alive today. Nearly two thirds of all mammals on Earth are livestock, mostly cattle and pigs; just over a third are humans and just four per cent are wild animals.
The vast majority of these animals are being raised in more and more intensive conditions on industrial farms. The waste that’s created contributes to the massive spread of dead zones in the oceans as well as the degradation of rivers, lakes, and coastal seas.
What’s more, all these animals have to eat. And what do we feed them on? It’s been estimated that between 70 and 90 per cent of the soya grown around the world is not turned into soya milk, tofu or other food for humans – it’s used to produce animal feed to fatten chickens, cows and other factory-farmed animals. And feed producers are driving the destruction of globally important forests and other precious habitats to grow it.
As with many other environmental issues, individual action is important but will only get you so far.
In a nutshell, our over-consumption of meat and dairy is destroying the natural world. And since we depend on it for our survival, we may eventually end up destroying ourselves too – unless we change course, that is.
Scientists and health professionals say that we have to reduce the amount of meat and dairy we’re eating by about 70 per cent by 2030 if we’re to stabilise the climate. This works out as eating one portion of chicken and fish once a week and red meat once a month – with a heavy emphasis on home-cooked meals made from vegetables, pulses, nuts and seeds.
As with many other environmental issues, individual action is important but will only get you so far. We can definitely all make a difference by eating less meat and dairy, and the message is already getting through.
A recent survey found that one third of people were eating less meat and dairy due to concern for their health, animal welfare and the environment. This is genuine progress, no doubt about it.
But what about the corporations that produce and sell the vast amount of meat we still eat? Big fast food giants have made a few timid attempts to catch up with the zeitgeist. Burger King teamed up with Impossible Burger on a plant-based Whopper; McDonalds is trialing veggie chicken nuggets in Norway; and KFC recently trialed a new vegan burger in ‘selected restaurants’ across the UK.
But here’s the thing: brands whose vegan products go viral on Facebook are still aggressively promoting burgers and fried chicken. KFC recently launched a new chicken and bacon burger with billboards taunting vegans and in China it’s reportedly opening two new stores a day where chicken is the order of the day.
If you’re looking for plant-based options on the McDonalds 99p saver menu, you’ll be completely out of luck – unless your appetite can be sated by a side portion of fries or a few salad leaves.
And it’s not just about fast food chains. The world’s leading consumer brands – the likes of Nestle, Mondelez and Unilever – are not exactly pulling their weight either. Back in 2010, these companies promised to end deforestation by 2020 through ‘responsible sourcing’ of cattle, palm oil, soya and other commodities.
Since then, at least 50million hectares of forest – an area twice the size of the UK – is estimated to have been destroyed to produce those foodstuffs.
Eating less meat and dairy is one practical thing we can do to tackle climate change. But big brands and food companies must also take responsibility for transforming the food system – which means replacing most of the meat and dairy in their products with healthy, plant-based foods.
Faced with climate breakdown, token veggie burgers or vegan sausage rolls just don’t cut the mustard.
Introducing your latest makeup must-have: the Marc Jacobs Beauty See-quins Glam Glitter Eyeshadow.
For autumn 2019 Marc Jacobs Beauty has unveiled their Lust & Stardust Limited Edition Collection and it’s exactly what it sounds like – a range of sparkling, lust-worthy makeup products for eyes, lips and cheeks encased in dazzling packaging.
This is one launch you’ll want to get in on early, trust us.
There’s usually a time and place for glitter; festivals, Christmas and New Year’s Eve. But these pots of pressed glitter are super easy to use and deliver major sparkle to any look in a single swipe.
Available in four shades and described as ‘glitter-packed eyeshadow with bold pigment and maximum sparkle’, the See-quins Glam Glitter Eyeshadows have a formulation that falls somewhere between a cream eyeshadow and the looser pigments you’ll find in the likes of Huda Beauty The New Nude Eye Shadow Palette and NARS Mini Wanted Eyeshadow Palette.
They offer high impact dazzle and bold pigment, all without looking excessive.
(Picture: Marc Jacobs Beauty)
The See-quins Glam Glitter Eyeshadows are beautiful when worn on their own, but they can also be layered with other products – simply add black shadow on the outer corners and a few coats of mascara and the night will be yours.
You can also dial the level of pigment up or down; using your finger you can gently press on more or less pigment. And unlike similar products, you’ll find most of the product adheres without lots of fallout, or without the mess of a straight up glitter. It’s that easy.
Glitter Rock is oh so pretty – think twinkling stars in the night-sky. It is basically a smokey eye in a pot.
If you want to spruce up your makeup bag ahead of autumn’s arrival, the Marc Jacobs Lust & Stardust Limited Edition Collection is a great place to start. And you’ll be glad you did before everyone else wants to get their hands on them.
The new drop from Marc Jacobs is now up for grabs exclusively at Harvey Nichols.
The bride doesn’t look thrilled about the wedding, but maybe it’s just because her veil is crumpled (Picture: Rooftop Film Club)
If you’ve been dreaming of the day your pooch can marry his or her sweetheart, we’re happy to announce that the wait is finally over.
Dogs of all breeds and ages can now officially tie the knot at the Rooftop Film Club in Peckham.
This Sunday (18 August), the venue is offering pooches the chance to win a wedding of their very own – complete with a ‘minister’, wedding cake and champagne (the dog-friendly pawsecco kind).
What’s more, the lucky couple will also be given VIP seats for a screening of the Queen’s Corgi, which is playing that same night.
‘For dogs who want to take their partners’ paw in marriage, we’re thrilled to be the first rooftop venue in London to allow dogs to get hitched,’ said a spokesperson from Rooftop Film Club.
‘This year, it’s all about romance and that doesn’t mean just for people.
‘We want to spread the puppy love and encourage people to bring their pooches to the best spot for a wooftop wedding by offering the ultimate prize to really celebrate our furry friends.’
They’re celebrating with bubbly (Picture: Rooftop Cinema Club)
Do you Lola take Fido to be your husband? (Picture: Rooftop Cinema Club)
We asked the organisers whether they believe the use of a ‘minister’ for a dog wedding cheapens the idea of a religious wedding
The event will be officiated by a celebrant and so, the wedding ceremony itself is not religious.
A Rooftop Film Club spokesperson: ‘At Rooftop Film Club, we are all about romance in all its forms, and we strongly believe that our four legged friends deserve puppy love as much as anyone else.
‘We want to provide dogs and their owners the chance to have their happy day. After all, love is love.’
Fancy winning your pooch a wedding?
To be in with a chance to win, email a photo of your puppy couple to the organisers with a reason why these particular pooches deserve a special day of their own.
We can’t help but wonder if they’ll play ‘Puppy Love’ for the first song.
The pillow has ‘Roarsome!’ written on it (Picture: Aldi)
Aldi is selling a new dinosaur shaped pillow, which features a grey T-Rex with a spotty orange belly on a green pillowcase background.
The pillow, which has a 3D effect with the dinosaur’s head and tail – which are stuffed with a polyester filling – poking out of each side of the pillow, also has the word ‘Roarsome!’ on it.
The pillowcause, which is made from 100% cotton, is available for pre-order online today, and will be available in stores from 15 August for just £3.99.
In other Aldi news, the supermarket’s baby range goes on sale this week with prices starting at just £4.
It costs just £3.99 (Picture: Aldi)
The range features loads of items for babies – including a changing table, a cot, a cot bed matters, a Moses basket and even a wardrobe.
Alongside household items, there will also be clothes, bottles and toys, all available from 15 August, like the dinosaur pillowcase.
The budget supermarket is also jumping on trend with a new copper fan perfect for the hot weather.
It’s very pretty and absolutely perfect for any rose gold themed Instagram feed, and it costs just £22.99.
Which to be honest, isn’t the cheapest for an Aldi product, but other stores are selling similar for upwards of £35, so it’s not too bad.
Alongside copper, the fan also comes in chrome – but that’s not really as trendy now, is it?
If you’re bored of your 9-5 office job and you’re looking to try something new, you may be perfect for this role, where you’ll get paid £30 to whisper into people’s ears.
Yes, this is a real thing and yes, you will actually get paid for it.
A company has launched the world’s first corporate ASMR service, where professionals will be on hand to whisper into the ears of stressed out employees to help them relax at work.
ASMR, or autonomous sensory meridian response, is a modern phenomenon where certain sounds trigger a relaxing response in participants, commonly known as ‘tingles’.
The company is looking for professionals to deliver group sessions to businesses across the UK, in a £30 an hour job role.
TeamTactics.co.uk is recruiting experienced members of the public to deliver the ASMR service to businesses across the UK, in a £30 an hour job role.
‘ASMR Artists’ will need to conduct a number of popular ASMR triggers, such as whispering, tapping, eye examination role plays and crinkling material to groups of employees who have opted in to receive the bespoke service.
You’ll also be asked to incorporate office supplies into the ASMR, such as by shaking staple boxes or tapping keyboards.
Though is a reminder that you’re still at work really that relaxing?
A recent survey of 475 people found that a sizable majority watched ASMR videos on YouTube to help them sleep and to deal with stress, and most viewers noticed an improvement in their mood after experiencing ASMR.
Some of the subjects who suffered from chronic pain also said the videos decreased their symptoms.
A separate study shows that those who identify as experiencing ASMR, also experience a reduction in their heart rate whilst exposed to ASMR stimulants, a reduction which is comparable to other stress relief methods like music and mindfulness.
If you fancy yourself as an ASMR pro, all you have to do to apply is send your CV via the website. The role is open to anyone who feels like they can deliver a relaxing ASMR, can show some experience and is comfortable travelling to work places and being in close proximity to strangers.
Tina Benson, managing director at TeamTactics.co.uk said: ‘The ASMR community is a tight knit one, with millions of people across the world engaging and celebrating this new phenomenon. We thought why not bring it into the workplace? Its proven benefits of helping participants relax can only boost team morale and improve the atmosphere in a workplace.
‘Many might feel uncomfortable at the thought of experiencing ASMR in a group setting at work, which is where our ASMR Artists come in. We need a team of professionals who can help put a room at ease and deliver a combination of relaxing triggers that will soothe even the most stressed out employee.
‘You never know, our corporate ASMR service might even introduce a new way of relaxing to some unsuspecting employees who just wanted to give it a go.’
If you can’t choose between wine and gin, we have the perfect solution – Shiraz gin.
Yes, this is a mix of red wine and our favourite spirit.
Four Pillars Gin is made in Australia and it could be perfect for everyone who struggles to make up their mind.
Apparently the distillers steep the grapes in the gin for eight weeks, then press them and blend them with more gin.
They say it creates notes of pine forest, white pepper and spices.
Their website says: ‘2019 was a terrific season for Victorian cool climate Shiraz. And that has given us another belter of a Bloody Shiraz Gin vintage.
‘After a good spring rain, summer brought serious heat resulting in more dominant dark fruit notes than 2018 – tons of delicious plum and blackberry.
‘The gin is beautifully balanced with a delicious sweetness and nice tannins to finish.’
This looks great (Picture: Four Pillars gin)
It’s a bit like a Sloe Gin but has a stronger alcohol content at 37.8%.
The gin is also unfiltered so will continue to develop in flavour, like wine does.
The makers add: ‘Drink it young and fresh with red berry and spice characters, or enjoy it as it develops.’
The whole family in Hawaii (Picture: Paige Overturf)
We love a family holiday but when you all get together it can be costly.
But one man managed to get all 33 members of his family to Hawaii for free – but saving up a million air miles.
Sam Pratt took his family – ranging from ages two to 72 – from Florida to Hawaii to celebrate a whole range of family occasions.
While enjoying their trip away, the family celebrated birthdays, anniversaries and a gender reveal party.
Sam decided to book the week-long trip after he found out the cancer he was diagnosed with a year ago was now in remission.
The family were incredibly excited when he was cleared to fly and they couldn’t wait to go away together.
They had a week-long trip in Honolulu (Picture: Sam Pratt)
His daughter Emily Peterson told ABC news: ‘When we heard the doctors say the words remission and that he would be able to live with this type of cancer and then he got cleared to fly. We were just jumping up and down.’
Sam had racked up the frequent flyer miles for Southwest Airlines through other trips and using a credit card – and he decided now was the time to spend it.
The whole family came together in Honolulu for the trip of a lifetime last week.
He said: ‘I couldn’t think of a better gift to give than travel because not only do you get the travel but you get the memories that go with that.
‘Never in a million years that we think this would be possible. This is a dream It truly, truly is.’
One plucky little fish setting off on the journey of a lifetime (Picture: Whoosh)
‘Despite all my rage,’ The Smashing Pumpkins once sang, ‘I’m still just a rat in a cage.’
But had he written this song in 2019, Billy Corgan may well have claimed to have been a fish in a tube instead.
If you’ve spent any time on the internet on the last week – which, given it’s 2019, you definitely have – you might have seen everyone losing their minds over some fish. But not just any old fish: these fish, you see, were in a tube.
The salmon cannon, created by Whooshh Innovations, transports fish from one estuary to another. But why? For the sheer devilry of it? Well, no.
Humans messed up the salmon’s natural migration patterns by building a dam, and then built this tube by way of apology – which is frankly the least we could do.
‘The fish tube is more than a meme,’ a stern Vox headline chided us all, ‘it could help save ecosystems’. While that sounds very important, it’s also very boring – so let’s talk about the meme instead.
There have been all sorts of theories posed as to why the tube has been such a big hit among millennials, from the Freudian to the nihilistic. ‘Send us down the tube!’ many of us begged.
Some people considered it a damning indictment of the way we live now, whereas for other it simply wasn’t that deep.
‘I love the fish tube,’ Anna, 23, tells Metro.co.uk. ‘I gasped when I first saw it.’
She refuses, however, to see the fish tube as having a wider meaning.
‘I don’t want to intellectualise it,’ she tells us. ‘Just let me have one nice thing. I don’t want to look into the psychology of why.
launch me through the fish tube so i can feel something.
‘I just want to be happy for the fish,’ she says, pausing thoughtfully before adding: ‘shut my brain off and stick me in the f***ing tube.’
Ah, but why does she want to get in the tube? Is it climate change anxiety? The prospect of a no-deal Brexit? The fact she’ll never own a property?
‘Because I’m exhausted!’ she snaps. ‘Why can’t I just get sucked through life!’
Having goaded Anna into ascribing the meme with the very meaning she’d insisted it didn’t possess, I began to ponder; perhaps our love for the fish tube speaks to a yearning for comfort, or safety, or ease?
For having the burden of existence taken out of our hands and instead simply being swept along like… a fish… in a tube?
stick my disgusting body into that fish tube and fire me into the goddamned sun!!! let’s GO
Griff, 26, agrees with this interpretation: ‘As with the feral hog, our deep dive into the fish tube is definitely the next level of deep escapism from our spiraling world. We all want to be sucked away from our cruel, unjust, late-capitalist dying planet.’
But the next person we speak to, Mark, 26, refuses to analyse the meme in any way whatsoever: ‘It means nothing to me, as a millennial. People just think it’s funny – it doesn’t speak to some generational ennui. It’s just a weird thing!’
‘Put that in print,’ he adds, his voice dripping with disdain.
Well, the joke is on him because it’s actually going on a website.
That’s not the say that every meme will have a similar effect, though. Emma, 27, takes no comfort from the fish tube, nor does she experience any longing to join these piscine pals on their tube-based quest.
Instead, the whole thing simply makes her anxious: ‘It really stresses me out. What if the fish gets stuck? They must be so confused. There’s a real pathos to it.’
According to counsellor Hannah, who works with young people (the primary purveyors of these nonsensical memes and obsessions) these seemingly odd connections to things like fish tubes aren’t all that different to Seinfeld-esque comedy skits of the past.
Hannah tells Metro.co.uk: ‘I think memes are this generation’s “Hey and what is it with _____” style stand-up.
‘They’re also a way to relate and be related to in a way that doesn’t involve speaking to or listening to another human. A totally dehumanised way of human connection, if that makes sense.
‘Also they’re an amazing tool for the recognition that someone feels the same as you, but also to completely minimise all your issues. Which is where the facetious stuff comes in.’
This is when the maths comes in. According to Hannah: ‘The fact that it seems to be 40% of people thinking it looks fun and wanting to be a fish to have a go, 55% thinking it’s a metaphor for being a high functioning GAD (general anxiety disorder) sufferer in a capitalist society and wanting to be a fish to escape it and 5% educating everyone else on the biological makeup of salmon in a tube… that in itself is probably significant enough.’
Whatever else you say about the fish tube, it looks like a great laugh – and we’re sure our fishy friends are having the time of their scaly little lives.
So maybe the fish tube meme doesn’t signify anything at all. Maybe, as Mark argued, it’s just a funny video.
But on the other hand, when you really think about it, in an age of climate change and ever decreasing living standards, as the world turns to tyranny, aren’t we all merely a fish in a tube?
Have you been married more than once? (Picture: Getty)
Are you a woman who’s been married more than once? Well, apparently, that might actually be good for your health.
But sorry men – that doesn’t go for you, too.
Marrying multiple times actually buffers women both financially and socially, and increases their children’s survival, according to a new study.
However when it comes to men, their fitness actually drops the more spouses they have, according to the findings.
Study corresponding author Professor Monique Borgerhoff Mulder said: ‘These findings challenge simplistic evolutionary-derived sexual stereotypes about men and women, and force us to consider female strategies in multiple mating.’
Hungarian actress Zsa Zsa Gabor, who lived to 102, famously had nine husbands. Summer of ’42 actress Jennifer O’Neill, now 71, has had the same number. Dynasty legend Joan Collins, 86, is on her fifth.
Gone With The Wind star Olivia de Havilland, 103, has also been married more than once, as has 93-year-old Angela Lansbury and as was Lauren Bacall who died a month short of her 90th birthday.
Six times wed Hedy Lamarr reached 86 – living through two world wars. Numerous husbands are especially protective during difficult times, say the international team.
Prof Mulder said: ‘We can’t pin down the exact reasons for this finding, but our work suggests marrying multiply may be a wise strategy for women where the necessities of life are hard.’
It was a surprise as men typically gain more reproductively from mating with many partners – backing sexual selection theory.
Prof Mulder said: ‘We show women’s fitness rises whereas men’s declines from an increase in the number of marriage partners.’
This was after taking into account the length of marriages, the increased duration of which improves men’s well-being most.
Prof Mulder said it is a puzzle why women would benefit from a regular ‘walk up the aisle.’
She said: ‘Women, as a result of pregnancy and breastfeeding, like other mammals can’t reproduce as fast as can males.
‘This has generated a pervasive perspective on the biological bases of sex differences in our species.’
Her team discovered the phenomenon by analysing data on births, deaths, marriages and divorces of all households in a Western Tanzanian village over two decades.
This is an East African community where swapping partners is a way of life. Women who moved from spouse to spouse tended to have more surviving children.
Men, on the other hand, produced fewer surviving children the more women they married over their lives.
The study published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B is the culmination of two decades of work by Dr Mulder.
She has written extensively about the lives of men and women in the small village where she conducts anthropological and demographic research.
Prof Mulder said: ‘As evolutionary biologists we measure benefit in terms of numbers of surviving children produced – still a key currency in rural Africa.’
She added: ‘It bears emphasising that in many parts of rural Africa reproductive inequality among women emerges not from reproductive suppression as in some other highly social mammals… but more likely from direct competition among women for access to resources.
‘These include high quality spouses, multiple caretakers to help around the house and farm, and, at least in this particular cultural context, helpful in-laws!’
Professor Mulder and her co-author Dr Cody Ross collected information on almost 2,000 people.
Prof Mulder said: ‘By acquiring multiple spouses, women can buffer themselves against economic and social crises, and more effectively keep their children alive.’
Marriage in Pimbwe is an informal affair – defined as sexual partners living together.
Accordingly ‘divorce is easy, and can be initiated by either partner’.
She said: ‘Of course, both men and women may have more sexual partners than marriage partners, but sexual partnerships are quickly recognised as marriages.
‘Fascinating questions remain for evolutionary anthropologists, in determining how
different systems of marriage observed globally in the ethnographic record are linked to the economic vicissitudes of life.
‘Specifically monogamy, polygyny, polyandry and polygynandry, and how these patterns become encoded as social norms and cultural rules.’
‘These recent findings from the Pimbwe describe just one thread in the story.’
