Opinion – Page 28 of 31

28Jan

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Opinion

The Ugly Girls Club

The Ugly Girls Club is probably the coolest trending feminist campaign out there. What came as an insult from another student towards the RHUL feminist society, turned out to become a powerful tool in dealing with the subject of society’s vision of women. The little incident that sparked the selfie campaign shows everyone how the feminist movement is wrongfully regarded by most people who are unaware of their true beliefs. Unfortunately, many men and women assume that equality has been reached for all; they see feminism as an anti-male movement by women that are unhappy with how society is. Sadly I once held this view on feminism, due to the fact that I had never come by any inequality and thought there was no need for women to constantly fight for something that wasn’t needed. I was us...

28Jan

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Opinion

New Year, New You

New Years Resolution’s are the chance for us to brag to our friends about turning over a new leaf, becoming ‘a new me’. A new me who goes to lectures and seminars, who makes use of the gold gym membership bought back in Freshers week, who doesn’t waste all their money on VK’s just because the bar queue is shorter… All new years resolutions we’ve heard and said to ourselves plenty of times, only to be broken within the first month. Because let’s face it, the person you are on December 31st 2014 is definitely the same person you’ll be on January 1st 2015. Despite this, new years resolutions are a tradition. And since so many of us are going to make them, why not make a couple which are student relevant? New years resolutions might not make Royal Holloway a better place but if, for once, w...

28Jan

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Opinion

Am I a Man or a Muppet?

What’s your favourite Muppet movie? For me, it’s the 2002 TV movie ‘It’s A Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie’. For those who haven’t seen it, it’s basically an ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ pastiche. The Muppets are yet again trying to win back the Muppet Theatre (seriously, it’s like one of Lew Zealand’s amazing boomerang fish) while Kermit has an existential crisis and wishes he’d never been born, with predictable results. Plus Whoopi Goldberg is God, which is one of the best casting decisions of all time. Now, I can tell that right now you’re thinking a) what is wrong with you Flic? Muppet Christmas Carol is clearly the best Muppet movie, and b) what’s the point you’re trying to make here? The Muppets are for kids. So I should probably make an admission; I get anxious. In this contex...

28Jan

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Opinion

F*minism

The English language has many a foul word. Most are four letters. Many we now accept in day-to-day conversation without so much as a flinch. But utter ‘feminism’ in a conversation and it is likely one of two things will happen: a) conversation will continue albeit with some odd looks in your direction, or b) there will be silence. Utter silence. Please exit, stage right. So what is it about the word ‘feminism’? Even people who support gender equality often shy away from the F word. Automatically, the first thing that leaps to my mind when someone says ‘feminism’ is an incredibly butch lesbian with a buzz cut angrily shouting at police. In the 80s. This isn’t to say that I dislike or judge lesbians, angry people, people with short hair, or even people who were alive in the 80s! But if I,...

26Nov

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Opinion

MY BODY MY RIGHTS

The campaign for women’s rights persists. Conformed to two options, women and girls carrying an unwanted pregnancy must either continue with their pregnancy or pursue clandestine methods. This is the reality thousands of females in El Salvador struggle against every day. Abortion in all circumstances, was banned in 1998 meaning women would face a severe sentence of two to eight years for abortion and those found guilty of assisting her face six to twelve years imprisonment. The risk is especially great for young girls and those in poorer areas. Shockingly women with miscarriages have also been charged with aggravated homicide which can lead to up to 50 years imprisonment. María Teresa Rivera, a 28-year-old single parent is currently serving a 40-year prison sentence for havi...

26Nov

By Abbie CheesemanNo Comments

Opinion

Defined by the act of choice, not by the act itself.

… Shouldn’t it rather be something that I give, not something taken from me? Last year, I wrote an article about the term ‘virgin’ being used as a slur against individuals who have not had sex. As a virgin myself, I was frustrated by the openness that some people took upon themselves to discuss another’s lack of sex, whether by choice or not. My aim was to explain how virginity is something that should only concern the individual themselves and not a crowd of people saying the why’s and should’s about virginity. So, with SHAG Week fresh in our memories, I felt like it was perhaps time to provide a more positive spin on my previous article on virginity, rather than condemn those who use it negatively against people. The day that I do lost my virginity, whether that is tomorrow or in a...

26Nov

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Opinion

Keep Calm and Carry On

Third year carries a certain prestigious expectation of being completely and utterly terrifying. Not only does it count more toward your degree, it is also your last opportunity at scoring a good mark, meaning you didn’t just waste thousands of pounds on a bad grade. For many of us, numerous deadlines have been handed out throughout the week and we are forced to think about that 10,000-word dissertation that we should have been reading for over summer. Not to mention all the job applications, the constant searching for graduate schemes and, of course, the dreaded plan of what to do with your life after university. As I stare at the mountain of books piled next to my desk I know I should be feeling some sort of anxiety about the term ahead. I should be stressed about all the essays, read...

26Nov

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Opinion

The Backlash Against Feminism

There is no doubt that 2014 has been a great year for feminism (please note, before I fully begin, that I believe feminism entails equal rights for all genders). With the popularity of the HeForShe and the “This is What a Feminist Looks Like” movements feminism has gained a whole host of new supporters. However, with any movement for equality throughout all of history there seems to be a backlash. Feminism has always experienced groups of people who disagree with it, who fail to understand it or who just think gender equality is down-right ridiculous. I may have been more willing to understand such point of views if I was born fifty, seventy or a hundred years ago. But in the modern age where everything seems to be developing and advancing positively, why is it that gender issues remain...

26Nov

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Opinion

Third Culture Kid Life

Whenever we hear the word immigrant we firstly assume it is an adult in search of better prospects. With the word immigration being rife, which has become part of local and national political debates, we often forget to reflect upon second generation immigrants. It was at the age of 8 when I moved from Egypt to Italy with my mum and brother, where my dad was already living and working. That, for me, meant being exposed to a completely different culture, an unfamiliar language and, above all, different norms and values. On my first day of school, I had the feeling of having lost all points of reference, a feeling of lack of approval, a feeling of fear and vexation, which resulted in me becoming a tearful infant. I had to immerse myself in an unfamiliar cultural environment, I was stri...

26Nov

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Opinion

Remember Remembrance Day?

At the beginning of November, reminders of Remembrance Day were everywhere. But what do you remember a couple of weeks on? Maybe it’s the winter’s newest accessory trend, the poppy. Pinned onto woolly coats and jacket collars, everyone had one. You might remember the poppies at the Tower of London. The sight of 888,246 blood red poppies pouring from the window and surrounding the castle was an impressive and powerful sight – as were the crowds gathered around it. Perhaps you think of the Royal Family at the Remembrance Sunday service. It’s always nice when the Queen pops out, as well as seeing Kate’s most recent fashion choice. Heck, they even managed to get David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband in one place together! It may remind you of the nightly news stories and televi...