News – Page 4 of 32 – The Orbital

31Jan

By Max FlemingNo Comments

News, Opinion

Are Bisexual People Greedy?

Max Fleming on why we need to consider love as a spectrum. The Bisexual community is often misunderstood by those in the LGBTQIA+ community and heterosexual folk alike. The spectrum of love that Bisexuals feel isn’t often brought to the attention of others and so hides in plain sight, perpetuating loneliness and isolation. The simple answer to the question ‘Are Bisexuals Greedy?’ is no. We are not greedy; we are not disloyal. We are not recognised for who we are. The easiest way to describe the feeling of being Bisexual is to liken it to a spectrum. On one side, you have an interest in one sex, and an interest in another sex on the other side. For example, some Bisexual men might lean towards other men. This does not mean that they are ‘gayer’. They simply have a preference ...

31Jan

By Elena-Teodora ChiujdeaNo Comments

News, Opinion

The Taboo of Virginity

University through the Eyes of a Virgin Over the years, a stigma has been attached to virginity. Whilst the 1960s praised the idea of innocence and purity, particularly amongst women, we now feed off sexual empowerment and diversity. Yet, we still live with this irrational thought: ‘I must be the only virgin on campus’. Not true. We are the generation that is having less and less sex; 18.9% of 18 to 24-year-olds were sexually inactive in the early 2000s whilst in 2018 it was reported that 30% of students and young adults were not having sex. So, isn’t virginity amongst students more normal than abnormal? Why are we avoiding sex like the plague when we are such a sexually aware generation? The logical answer might be the Covid-19 pandemic that forced students to live at home l...

31Jan

By Cecilia Munoz FernandezNo Comments

News, Opinion

The Journey to Self Love

Surely we have all heard the myth about how you can’t love somebody else if you don’t love yourself. As much as self-love is something everyone needs to work on, healthy relationships can actually become a solid foundation for your journey towards self-love. When in a romantic relationship where there is good communication, genuine friendship and companionship, intimacy, sex and affection can become a source of confidence and reassurance. When it comes to sex or intimacy a majority of people find it hard to be naked in front of their partners, it is very common to feel uncomfortable with nakedness for a variety of reasons (like traumatic experiences, purity culture, beauty standards and body dysmorphia) that usually come in hand in hand. Healing your relationship with your body a...

“One More Strike and He’s Out”- Boris Johnson in Trouble

30Jan

By Josh SebonNo Comments

News, Opinion

“One More Strike and He’s Out”- Boris Johnson in Trouble

On 16/12/2021, the Liberal Democrats handed the Conservatives a significant by-election defeat in North Shropshire, halving the conservative vote from 63% in 2019 to just 31% in 2021. This result is not only significant due to the extent of the swing, but because the seat was the 58th (out of 361) safest seat for the Conservatives. It has elected Tories since its conception in 1983 without fail, with an ever-increasing victory margin year on year over the past decade. The Conservative Party chairman didn’t hold back on why his Party had been dealt such a blow, deeming the by-election “a referendum on the Prime Minister’s performance” and stating, “one more strike and he’s out.” There is no secret as to why a referendum on Johnson’s performance has reflected badly on him. 2021 ...

Covid does not discriminate. Rich or poor, you are exposed to the virus.

30Jan

By Elena-Teodora ChiujdeaNo Comments

News, Opinion

Covid does not discriminate. Rich or poor, you are exposed to the virus.

The Covid pandemic started over two years ago. The highly infectious virus ingrained a fear in society that has never been seen before. Places known for their busy streets and tourism turned into ghost towns. Australia is one of the only countries where Covid could not settle its claws amongst citizens, with barely five confirmed cases since March 2020. So, Australia handled the pandemic well, right? Wrong. The praises from all over the world about their good strategies went to their heads. Once the Omicron variant came around, the government freed the Australian population — restrictions be damned. Cases rose quickly during the holidays, but the health care system was over its head. A Covid wave was alien to them. Omicron is supposedly a milder version everyone will get at some point, so...

14Jan

By Rukhe Omo-IkerodahNo Comments

News, Opinion

Is he a Roadman?

Rukhe Omo on the misuse of terms like 'Roadman' and why we need to so something about it. Having been at university a substantial amount of time, the misuse of some terms, particularly by those whose information about inner-city cultures comes from the media, I believe desperately needs to be addressed. As we enter a new year in which the pandemic seems nearing its end, it is more important than ever to set resolutions and intentions for meaning and understanding. With that being said, in 2022 the correct definition and understanding of the root and impact of the arguably coded term ‘roadman’ on working-class males will be known! A ‘roadman’ is an individual who does ‘road’, that being to engage in illegal activities. This is encouraged by disparities in wealth within...

7Dec

By Bridget OSullivanNo Comments

Features, News, Opinion

ERICA OSAKWE: ‘I CHANGED THE LAW’

Trigger Warning: the following deals with themes of domestic abuse. Domestic abuse is defined across government as any incident of coercive, threatening or controlling behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged 16 and over who are or have been intimate partners or family members, regardless of their gender or sexuality. It wasn’t until Summer 2021 that the Domestic Abuse Act was introduced, creating the first ever statutory definition of domestic abuse in Britain. The bill was rushed through in response to increasing domestic violence reports since the onset of Coronavirus. In other words, it took a pandemic for British politics to formalise its definition of domestic abuse in law. This lack of consolidation only serves to feed the tragic reality that one in ten offences ...

Canada’s First National Day for Truth and Reconciliation: is it enough?

7Dec

By Courtney BridgesNo Comments

News, Opinion

Canada’s First National Day for Truth and Reconciliation: is it enough?

September 30, 2021, marked the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada (Bill C-5, An Act to amend the Bills of Exchange Act, the Interpretation Act and the Canada Labour Code). This federal statutory holiday was passed through legislative amendments made by Parliament earlier this year, receiving Royal Assent on June 3. The aim for this holiday was set to ‘[honour] the lost children and Survivors of residential schools, their families and communities’. Residential schools were ‘government-sponsored’ and created by ‘Christian churches’ to ‘assimilate Indigenous children into Euro-Canadian culture’. Their focus was placed on conversion and education. Over 130 schools operated in Canada between 1831 and 1996. They ‘disrupted lives and communities, causing long-term...

7Dec

By James ReynoldsNo Comments

Features, News

‘Danke Mutti’ – Merkel’s Legacy

There is a tale repeated by Germans that dates back to 1963. It speaks of a young girl who had changed into her swimming costume and shuffled reluctantly into the main foyer of her school’s swimming pool. A shy creature, she moved to climb the steps of the highest diving board one by one. Finally, having reached the end of the board, she became paralysed with fear and shivered at the prospect of making the leap. For what felt like an eternity, she stared into the murky abyss calculating the risks involved. After tentatively creeping back and forth for 30 minutes, she glanced at the clock on the wall and jumped. As she glided into the water, the school bell rang out and reverberated across the pool. Angela did what needed to be done. Dr Angela Merkel, the quantum physicist turn...

Beef VS Bug: how we can all limit the 1.5°C rise

23Nov

By Luz Sanchez Real ZielniewiczNo Comments

News, Science & Technology

Beef VS Bug: how we can all limit the 1.5°C rise

I’m not vegan. I flew home last month. I threw away a plastic bottle. Am I a bad person? As of right now, our planet is NOT on track to limit global warming to 1.5°C. And yes, we’ve all played a part in this. That trip to Greece last summer? Not a good choice mate. But that doesn’t mean it’s too late to change. In light of the COP26 that took place in Glasgow this year, let’s have a look at how feasible the 1.5°C temperature rise limit really is, and how we as students are the best people to make that change and save the earth through our eating habits. According to UNEP’s six-sector solution, we can reduce up to 29-32 gigatonnes (GT) of CO2e by 2030, enough to limit temperature rise to 1.5°C. How? By eating bugs. No seriously; reducing food loss and waste, and switching to more sus...