Cemre Camuz, Author at The Orbital

21Mar

By Cemre CamuzNo Comments

Opinion

The Hidden Figures of Autism

Cemre discusses the lack of representation of women on the autistic spectrum While autism didn’t exist as a diagnosed developmental disability until about 70 years ago, people now ascribe its attributes to classic figures of human history such as Kant, Einstein, Mozart, and even Steve Jobs. It is unknown whether they were ever on the spectrum, but their speculation brings awareness to the negative labelling that comes with being on the spectrum. Today we’re shown the discrimination those on the spectrum face when trying to apply for work, and our government plans to cut disability benefits to support ‘the really disabled people who need it.’ So, in a month that celebrates Women’s History and a week of Autism Awareness coming up, I wanted to bring to light the women of our past who we...

18Jan

By Cemre CamuzNo Comments

Opinion

New Year’s Revolution

Cemre asks for 2016 to be the push we need to bring more change As we are mostly aware and are constantly reminded on social media, 2016 was a year of tragedies. It’ll probably go down in history as the worst year our generation has seen so far, and while some scoff and move on - and good on you for being able to - others are shaken. Justifiably so. Sure, other bad years, 1939 or 1999 come to mind, were generational disasters for some still alive today. And it’s not just celebrity passings - which to mock is to be insensitive to the celebrity and the people who loved, were inspired by, or needed them - but the endless acts of hatred, violence, bigotry. Probably because we thought those things were left in the 20th century. Last year, though but a month ago, was emotionally and mentall...

12Jun

By Cemre CamuzNo Comments

Opinion

Keep CALM

I’m walking through Waterloo Station and around me are posters and screens showing me the new summer fashion line and the blockbuster movies. With summer here, we are more than ever exposed to what the consumer market says we should look like, eat like, act like, be like. While the pressure on women is intense, the less focused and damaging stress is on men. With chiselled abs on store fronts and male heroes blowing things up and punching it out rather than talking it out on the silver screen and sport season reaching its peak, men are more than ever told that overcompensation is a key trait of their gender and this is dangerous, especially for our generation of young men. Defined as the ‘exaggeration of male stereotypical behavior, such as physical strength, aggression, and sexuality’, ...

9Jun

By Cemre CamuzNo Comments

Opinion

That Deus Ex Machina Life

It’s a tragedy that I can’t recall a time without my phone in my hand, my laptop by my side and the answers to any question a simple googling away, and it’s a sense shared. While technology and knowledge has been the cause for human advancement through the ages, it seems now it’s a way to decelerate and hold us still. As a 90s baby I still recall VCRs, 248mb CDs, AOL dial up is drilled into my subconscious, when it was rare to even have a Nokia phone because they were expensive. Yet now it seems that every broke student has the latest smartphone (not to mention the indignity of eight year olds carting around an iPhone like they actually use it) and if it’s not our phone, we’re watching videos on someone else’s, wondering if getting a tablet is even worth it, face planting ourselves in fro...

22Dec

By Cemre CamuzNo Comments

Opinion

The Holiday War Hits UK

Most of us online will be familiar with the October 31st/November 1st conundrum. One moment everyone is doing their best Jack Skellington impression and dressing up in their coolest totally-un-scary outfits and as soon as the clock strikes 00:00 the Christmas carols fill the air and everything is on sale. Up until the 2010’s the trend has been pretty low-key, and suddenly I’m walking into a Wilko in August where there is a whole section of Halloween decorations and Christmas decorations side-by-side. From August until December the 23rd, for a quarter of the year, retailers are rubbing their hands together and vying for our hard earned money. And that’s without mentioning the catastrophe that is Black Friday. Am I being too cynical? A little – but arguably this wasn’t a trend we ne...

28Jan

By Cemre CamuzNo Comments

Opinion

It’s Time to Consent

Watching Frozen for the millionth time, I’m still surprised that Kristoff asks Anna whether he may kiss her. Expecting the hero to seize a victory smooch, I realised we’ve long forgone consent because we’re not used to seeing or asking for it. Here was a Disney film portraying consent for a kiss, when 55 years ago the kiss in Sleeping Beauty was metaphor to obscure the character’s rape. Our popular culture, which so heavily socialises us, has brushed over the need for consent. We’re all given Sex Ed. at primary school, and talking about sex becomes as ordinary as a DFS sofa sale. So it’s disappointing that university students find drunken hook-ups less awkward than talking about consent. It’s defined as “agreeing by choice and having the freedom and capacity to make that choice.” ...