As one of the final two Conservative candidates in the bid to become the next Prime Minister, Liz Truss has pledged that all students who achieve three A* at A-Level be given an automatic interview for Oxbridge. Not only is this pledge loaded with logistical misunderstanding, but also lacks the sensitivity and thought that is needed to increase accessibility to Oxbridge. As well as this, Truss is fuelling the narrative that graduating from Oxbridge is the only route to success in later life – an idea that needs to be deconstructed entirely in order for British society to become more egalitarian.
Explaining her pledge to reform Oxbridge admissions, Truss argued that not enough students are putting themselves forward by applying. This premise alone fails to recognise the disparities that exist between students who are capable of going to Oxbridge – the problem is not in the numbers, but the reasons behind these numbers. Interviewing thousands more students will not solve this. In themselves, too, these reasons vary but ultimately can be traced back to the reputations of both Oxford and Cambridge as historically exclusionary and elitist institutions. If Truss genuinely cares about demystifying these stereotypes – which I doubt she does – there are much more effective means to do it.
The students that don’t put themselves forward are disproportionately affected by a mystified Oxbridge. For example, despite their academic potential, a student from a lower socio-economic background who doesn’t know anyone who goes to either Oxford or Cambridge is likely to be deterred from applying, through fear of not fitting in with people who were privately educated or who have had both parents attend Oxbridge. The reality is, however, that not everyone at Oxford fits this stereotype. By encouraging more interviews, Truss fails to distinguish between this student and their Eton peer, who aspired to attend Oxbridge from a young age. The root cause is not addressed.
Accessibility is about empowerment. It is about knowledge – addressing the legitimate fears that state school students have and enabling them to make an informed choice about what studying at Oxford or Cambridge is like. In my opinion, the most effective way of doing this is through summer schools or school trips through organisations like UNIQ, The Sutton Trust, and Aspire Liverpool. Before I attended UNIQ, I was convinced Oxford was not for people like me. On the train home, I realised I wanted to apply, because the Student Ambassadors proved my preconceptions entirely wrong – they were friendly, loved their subject, and were from a similar background to me. I was also given a mock interview which hugely increased my confidence in what was before an unfamiliar situation.
An alternative, then, to Truss’ push for more interviews is increased funding of these outreach schemes. They have the power to increase equality of opportunity for prospective students. As well as funding, making these schemes more widely known is another idea, for example through advertisement in schools – especially schools that send little to no students to Oxbridge each year.
Not only does Truss’ pledge demonstrate her lack of understanding about accessibility, but it also brings countless logistical concerns. To name the most obvious one, there aren’t enough resources in terms of tutors and time. There would be hundreds more students to interview.
This pledge is also a radical misrepresentation of the admissions process itself. Truss, who herself studied PPE at Merton College, seems to have forgotten the other elements to an Oxbridge application. The process is holistic, encompassing not only an interview but also a specific personal statement, admissions test, and written work. Would these students be forced to prepare for and sit an entrance exam too, or is Truss suggesting an entire redefinition of the admissions process? Regardless, the emphasis upon the interview stage is an unfair one. There is definitely an argument to be made for interviews favouring those who are able to articulate themselves more confidently, aided through specific Oxbridge preparation classes offered at elite private schools or through societies like debating. I worry that with more interviews, the students who don’t have access to this sort of training will simply be overlooked. This is why a holistic admissions process works: where a quieter, less confident student may struggle slightly at interview, having been taught in a class of thirty, their written work is able to articulate their full ability and potential.
Now, back to Truss’ point that students are not putting themselves forward. Radically, this is okay! Choice is integral when making decisions about higher education and next steps in life. Not every student with high predicted grades will want to, or should, apply to Oxbridge. Suggesting the opposite fuels a dangerous narrative, one that already dominates British society. Out of the past 57 Prime Ministers, 43 studied at Oxbridge. Though an Oxbridge degree undoubtedly opens doors, it shouldn’t be perceived as the only route to success when societal barriers prevent so many people from applying in the first place. There are so many ways you can have a happy and successful life – being an Oxbridge graduate isn’t a necessary criterion for this.
So, Liz Truss, accessibility isn’t just a fun bullet-point you can add to your pledges to get a few more votes from your fellow Conservative MPs. It’s important, and there isn’t one blanket solution to the discussion it invites. And this solution is, by no means, mass interviewing.
Oxford in the summer feels remarkably different. Most obviously there is a lack of students wandering around with most of us having gone home for the vacation. However, the streets are far from deserted: Cornmarket street is mobbed. More tourists than ever are littered across the city, trying not to look bored on walking tours and slowly tiptoeing through libraries. Plenty of teenagers attending summer schools can be found marching around in formations resembling packs. The students that do remain seem to be busying themselves in the library with summer reading lists and dissertations. However, the dog-eat-dog struggle to find a great spot in the Rad Cam is over with lots of empty seats. In terms of nightlife, Bridge Thursdays seem to be a thing of the past. Spoons is noticeably quieter and missing the overdressed boys in suits. Lots of interns from other universities are here and potential new friends for people feeling down about their empty college. Breakfast in hall is a strange hybrid between a hotel buffet and the old-fashioned dining hall. Instead of catching up with friends who have managed to make it to breakfast albeit in pyjamas with their eyes still half shut, the dining hall is full of strangers, namely American tourists and people staying in college for conferences. Lincoln College, for example, welcomed students from Bread Load School of English, an intensive summer master’s and continuing education programme for teachers and other professionals. These students had exclusive access to Lincoln facilities and were found dining in hall.
There are certainly pros to staying in Oxford over the summer. Due to the infamously short yet intense terms, residing in Oxford provides the opportunity to potter around museums and make the most of the city without the pressure of deadlines. The libraries remain open, offering the chance to get ahead on the reading. Living alone also grants students the perks of independence and being under their own steam. Importantly some students who have a hard time at home may not wish to return. Lots of international students also stay over the summer.
However, there are cons to remaining in the city of dreaming spires. The people make Oxford, and with friends many miles away, some students may feel isolated. Oxford is an expensive city to live in and even with a job, most of that money will have to go towards paying for rent and living expenses. Often a lot of persuasion is needed for a college to grant ‘vac res’ in the first place. For example, some students from Lincoln College were declined vac res. Oxford colleges are keen to rent out the rooms and profit from our absence from student accommodation.
I was granted vacation residence in Lincoln for a week in August. I volunteered for the Lincoln college charity, Vacproj, which takes children who are involved with the Oxfordshire social services away on daytrips and residentials. The city felt very different without most of my friends. Having a drink in a pub by myself has pushed me to meet new people and put myself out there. Striking up conversations over the threat of wasps falling into a pint has proved effective. I made a new friend, a student from Bristol university who was visiting Oxford for the day. As Yeats said, ‘There are no strangers here; only friends you haven’t met yet’ . I’ve enjoyed long walks in university parks and seeking comfort from my favourite benches and a meal deal. Oxford in the summer is truly a unique experience because there are the same dreaming spires without the dreamers.
Image: George Hodan/CC0 1.0 via PublicDomainPictures.net
CW : mention of disordered eating, body dysmorphia
Ethaney Lee welcomes you to @tenderherbs. From her inventive take on the Instagram business byline with “ethnic grocery store” to the presentation of elegant yet attainable meals, her food account celebrates the art of sharing a dish.
Over one hundred thousand people follow @tenderherbs because of Ethaney’s ability to pinpoint in a post the correspondence between senses borne out in cuisine. Her elegantly presented dishes meet thoughtful captions to contextualize a meal in broader lived experience: steak frites reminiscent of a poignant scene in the movie C’mon C’mon; a breakfast bowl reflecting “the kaleidoscope of feelings” Ethaney woke to that morning. With @tenderherbs, there is no elbowing for a seat at the table or being 1000th in the calling queue for a reservation. The posts are exciting because they extend the possibilities of what users thought possible at home. Each dish appears as inviting as the format used to share it.
In fact, this summer, Ethaney turned this welcoming atmosphere into a reality when she invited followers to sign up for “Dinner Date.” She hosted an evening at her home that set the scene for the New Age Dinner Party in every sense – a sleek aesthetic, consciously-prepared plates, and an experience afforded by social media.
The beauty in Ethaney’s approach to cooking is the creation – it is the fine detail that the chipped edge of a bowl encapsulates the sentiment of a Monday. It is taking pride in simplicity. The honesty in the preparation as in the delivery keeps followers coming back for another helping. @tenderherbs takes the art out of the museum and places it on your wall.
What first inspired you to start @tenderherbs?
I had no interest in learning how to cook growing up. My brother who is two and a half years younger than me is the cook of the family. I thought my mom could teach all the family recipes to him, and it would be fine. When I turned thirty, I realized I couldn’t cook for myself and decided it wasn’t a great look to not be able to care of myself. It hit home when I started dating my boyfriend. I cooked dinner for us, and it was so inedible! I started crying – I was that embarrassed. All of that coincided with me having just quit my job. The pandemic was looming, and I decided to take the time of not working to learn how to cook. I started my Instagram as a silly way for my brother and my mom to keep track of my progress. It was not meant to be what it has become. Preparing dishes is woven into my idea of taking care of myself. It’s how I show care and love for my boyfriend, as well, because we live together. I think sometimes considering your account important can be taken as shallow because it’s a social media platform – but it’s not about the account itself, it’s about what it’s come to represent to me.
In your bio, you describe your account as an “Ethnic Grocery Store.” Could you explain what the term means to you?
I chose the term because I can relate to the word, “ethnic.” I grew up going to Korean grocery stores. When I first started my Instagram, it was kind of an all-encompassing way of describing the things I liked to cook. It sounds comforting.
What considerations factor into a dish you post?
I normally will post one thing I eat that day. I like showing food that makes me happy. I know that sounds really simple. I don’t post everything I eat in a day on Instagram because the “what I eat in a day” can be a toxic food feedback system. My thought process is what do I have today that I know sounds good that I can just post on Instagram? What do I feel like eating today?
I’d be remiss if I didn’t get you to weigh in on the edible flower debate – all aesthetics or flavor-enhancer?
There is a woman in the food Instagram community who said she thinks edible flowers are the most pretentious joke. I feel insecure about that every time I use edible flowers! The answer is I like certain edible flowers. I will not put a whole entire pansy on my salad or a cake. It can look beautiful, but for food, I don’t think it’s necessary. I do like using radish flowers because they can taste like a radish and chive blossoms can taste like an allium.
Could you speak to the synesthetic effect cooking has on you?
I am not the best at expressing how I feel – especially if I am having a hard time. I’ve always been prone to feeling down or depressed, so cooking allows me to share how I am doing or what I am going through with something tangible. With that breakfast bowl, I had gotten into a fight with my brother – we never ever fight – and I woke up feeling very strange. Not good, not bad, but just not right. Cooking allows me to explore how I am doing. It makes me feel better.
To build on that, many of your posts offer insight into why that dish is right for the moment. For you, is cooking catharsis or vice versa?
Both. Cooking is definitely cathartic. If I’m really anxious, I’ll do a longer project like a croissant. It allows me to put my anxiety elsewhere and keep my hands busy. I focus on something that isn’t myself. By the end of the croissant making, I feel a lot less anxious. That’s, in part, why the account has become so addicting: I want to cook something every day because it is this important emotional release for me.
Is running the Instagram account your principal occupation? Do you monetize the account in any way?
@tenderherbs is my main thing right now, which is funny because I don’t make money from my Instagram. I do some projects here and there, but I found it hard to break into monetizing your account. I haven’t worked a 9-5 for about three and a half years now.
Have you always sought to connect with people through cuisine or was this the happy byproduct of developing an account that resonated with a wide audience?
Food was always a way that my family and I connected. My brother is huge into cooking – he got that from my mom. We had dinner together every single night growing up. My mom is the type of person who likes to order the whole menu when we go out so that we can try all the dishes. When my partner and I first started dating, we connected through food. I was just coming out of an eating disorder, and I was stressed about having to go on these dates and eat. The process of us getting to know each other and going out helped me remember and appreciate how good food is and how much connection happens over sharing a meal. I never really expected to connect with people I’d never met in my life through my Instagram and food I eat daily.
I admired the honesty of your post on June 12 in which you described your contending with body dysmorphia. I wonder if you could speak to the Catch-22 of needing social media to connect while knowing it perpetuates a dangerous eating culture among its users.
Throughout my teens and twenties, I never experienced disordered eating. It hit me when I was twenty-seven out of nowhere. Really hard. It’s something I’ve continued to struggle with since then. The “what I eat in a day,” that I touched on before can be really addicting to watch but incredibly toxic because I’ll be like I eat way more than that in a day or I don’t eat meals that seem as well-rounded. Having a food Instagram opens you up to people’s opinions about what you should and should not eat – as someone who struggles with disordered eating and who can be body dysmorphic, it is hard to shake those comments off. That particular day, this person was full-on shaming me for what I eat and cook, and it made me feel really bad. They made me wonder if I had gained weight and wonder whether I should eat dinner that night. I take it as progress to overcome those thoughts and take care of myself. My Instagram keeps me accountable.
To build on the previous point, how much of posting is for followers and how much is for yourself?
It’s both. I use my Instagram as a journal – especially with the captions. Maggie Nelson wrote in Bluets that people just want to be witnessed, and I think that’s so true. For me, the image of my Instagram is for people who follow me, and the caption is more for me. It’s a way that I can express what I’m thinking. Out of that, I can have what I’m feeling that day to be witnessed.
Since the pandemic, the dinner party has seen a renaissance: people of all ages got more into cooking and developed a new appreciation for intimate settings. What are the keys to the New Age dinner party?
A great playlist. I also think candles are key – I like the look of a moody dinner ambiance. Obviously, the food. I don’t ever want people to think that you need to depend on a good table-scape to have a dinner party, but I do think setting the table up makes a huge difference. It sets the mood for whatever you are trying to achieve that night. For Dinner Date, I wanted the night to have an air of romanticism. When I go out to dinner with my best friend, we have a date together. I put together a menu that sounded like what I would want to eat if I were going over to someone’s house to having a friend over. I wanted to make food that I felt comfortable preparing as well. Nothing I wouldn’t cook on a Saturday for dinner. I didn’t want the menu to be fancy or “special.” It was food that I would eat anytime of the week.
Where do you envision taking the account next?
My brother will sometimes bring up the idea of us having a place together in a forest up north where we basically serve two items with one seasonal special dessert. One day owning a small café with my brother would be a dream. For right now, I would love to continue doing Dinner Date – it was a fun and anxiety-inducing experience for me, but it made me really feel okay I can do this, and see that people do like my cooking. It was exciting that people wanted to be a part of something that I want to create. I would like to do more recipe sharing as well.
Anthony Bourdain wrote that “a good cook is a craftsman – not an artist.” Yet, each of your posts appear carefully composed with an attention to texture, color, and light. Have the rules changed? Is artistry a prerequisite to connecting with people through food now?
Browsing through my Instagram feed, a lot of the dishes that people are making look a lot more like art than food. It’s not my preferred way of eating or cooking – which may sound odd given the attention I give to the plating of a dish or ensuring there is vibrance and color in a post. But I do understand what Anthony Bourdain is saying. There are some food accounts which I follow that I can’t imagine are eating what they post at home for dinner. Social media has encouraged people to be more artistic and creative which is exciting, but for me personally, I don’t think it looks delicious to present one chargrilled onion and a balsamic reduction as a meal. For people that come to my account, I don’t ever want the impression to be that the food I am eating is somehow not within grasp. I want people to think that looks good, I want to try to make this.
Supermarkets and other food retailers are developing plans to label foods based on their eco-credentials after Oxford University researchers developed a computer algorithm to accurately judge the environmental impact of more than 57 000 products.
The team was led by Michael Clark and published its findings in the PNAS journal on Wednesday. Initially, the report outlines that ‘One barrier to enabling transitions to more environmentally sustainable food systems is the lack of detailed environmental impact information.’ With the intention of solving this problem, the team developed a computer model that essentially scores products based on four key factors; greenhouse gas emissions, land use, water stress, and eutrophication potential.
In the initial report, the algorithm used publicly available information of 57 000 different food products in order to demonstrate the power of the system, with the hope being that retailers will be able to give customers a clearer picture of how ‘eco’ their food really is in the future.
In fact, Crick told ‘The Independent that several corporations “have either already asked when this information is going to be available, or have asked ‘when can we use this’.”
It is expected that chains would initially display this information in a form similar to the ‘traffic-light’ system currently employed to help shoppers judge nutritional values with more detailed information available by scanning a QR code.
The actual findings from the initial study were perhaps unsurprising: as a general rule, plant-based foods faired better than meat alternatives with vegan sausages shown to have an impact 90% lower than that of their pork counterparts.
However, some revelations might prove more unexpected to the average shopper. For example, the nuts often found in pesto pasta sauces mean that it has a very high environmental impact. Popular breakfast cereals also scored poorly with granola revealed in the top-third worst scoring items. Other product categories such as chocolate and coffee are more dependent on the origin of the individual items themselves, with those developed more sustainably and closer to home far better scoring.
Other interesting revelations included the fact that, with a few exceptions such as nuts, food options with a higher nutritional value often also scored well on the eco-index.
The timeline for the introduction of these labels onto mainstream packaging is unclear. Still, the study does pave the way for a potentially revolutionary new way for eco-conscious consumers to make quicker and better-informed choices.
Everything about Chappell Roan is DIY. A glint of becoming shines through her music and style. Not only is the 24-year old’s look intended to appear “tacky, handmade, and a little rundown,” but she went from working part time at a donut shop to opening for Olivia Rodrigo in a matter of months. Her lyrics seize the flicker of complex queer feelings as they develop. Chappell’s knock-out rhythms and mesmerizing harmonies give voice to the unpronounced fears and excitements of growing up – and they were written from her bedroom in Missouri.
This summer, Chappell has sold-out shows at the Troubadour in Los Angeles and the Bowery Ballroom in New York, but that doesn’t stop her from teaching songwriting as Director of Music at a summer camp that she has attended since she was sixteen. She loves music, and her “slumber party pop” reflects this appreciation for sharing a song with people close to you – whether it be fans in a club or campers putting on a show.
The artist subverts traditional notions of showmanship by rendering consciously garish music and lyrics reflective of authenticity. Pink Pony Club, featured on Hayley Kiyoko’s “Pride” playlist on Apple Music and reaching over 10 million streams on Spotify, encapsulates the discrepancy between performance and reality: a jazz keyboard intro heightens our awareness to sitting in on a show; lyrics make us acknowledge the ways in which we perform on and off stage. Chappell spotlights the rough edges of these contradictions and smooths them into music.
How does Kayleigh Rose become Chappell Roan?
I have never felt super connected to my real name Kayleigh. My grandfather’s name was Dennis K. Chappell, so I took Chappell in his honor. Before he passed away in 2016 due to brain cancer, I told him that I was going to be Chappell for him. Roan came from his favorite song, which was called the Strawberry Roan, an old Western song about a pinkish red horse. It’s a very sentimental name. I do still wish my name was not Kayleigh in real life, though.
In 2017 you released your first album, ten weeks ago you opened for Olivia Rodrigo in an arena. What has surprised and excited you most about your swift success?
I surprised myself that I could do that. I’m independent. I don’t have a label’s bank or the power of an entire building that could move me through the industry in such a fast way. I did this with no money. I think people are scared to talk about the money aspect, but it’s one of the biggest – if not the biggest – parts of it all. We can talk about the passion – of course, that’s awesome, that’s what you need to drive you – but if you don’t have money you’re so set back. That’s what surprised me – having so little money and still being able to push through. Olivia and I have the same co-writer, so I had met her, but we’d never hung out one on one. She had heard Naked in Manhattan and My Kink is Karma before it they were released. She knew about me and asked me to play which was awesome.
You mentioned the money aspect, I’m wondering what were the biggest barriers you had to overcome to get to the point where you could sell out shows?
Most of last year I was working at a donut shop. That was until I got a publishing deal, which is not the same as a label. I got enough money that I didn’t need to work a part time job anymore. Then, I was really able to push my music forward. But it took me months to get over the fear of looking stupid on TikTok. I think 99% of artists go through hell doing TikTok, but you still have to take advantage of it. You have to be okay with tanking. Which is so heartbreaking. Because you see someone do super well, and then you try to replicate it, and it tanks. Then you don’t try, and it does great. It makes no sense. I decided to purposefully be stupid and not make any sense and just post what I like and what I think is funny. If anyone tries to bash me, it’s impossible because I’m already okay with it. I had to go there – be a little delusional. So, the fear of looking stupid and the fear of losing money. And a lot of hoping that you can pull something off. I had no idea if I could headline. Then it sold out. I had to face my fears: I look dumb, I don’t have a lot of money; let’s ride.
When you write music, is it more you sharing what’s on your mind or is it crafting a message that will resonate with fans?
It depends on the song. I consider my sound “slumber party pop.” That’s a super special part of childhood, at least for me. I’m lucky that I didn’t find sleeping over at other people’s houses to be a traumatic experience – I know for a lot of people that’s not the case. I loved going over to my friends’ houses and staying up all night jamming to Gaga and Ke$ha, but also listening to Adele and crying together, talking about that heavy heartbreak or crush. I try to capture that feeling of youth, pure bliss, and exploring sexuality. Pink Pony Club came from me wanting to be a Gogo dancer in L.A. but, truthfully, I’m not confident enough to do that, so I wrote a song about it. But my music also comes from real-life experience – the heaviness of heartbreak and confusion within queerness. Traditionally, if people wanted to label it, I would be bi, but I don’t feel like that’s it. I would date someone who was non-binary if it was right. So, I just say queer.
10.7 million streams on Spotify and 28.7k followers on Instagram. The numbers don’t add up. Why do you think that is?
My socials aren’t massive by any means so it’s not like people are discovering me through my socials. I think they find me more by word of mouth or the shows. If I wanted to get the deal that I want – a lot of money and a lot of freedom because I think that’s what my project deserves – I couldn’t get that right now because of my socials’ numbers. Because they don’t match. Because it doesn’t look on the outside like I’m doing awesome, but I can sell out shows.
On social media, more and more artists craft personas with a “curated authenticity” so that they can give fans an inside-look at their lives while maintaining a semblance of privacy. What demands do you face in terms of social media content and presentation?
It’s everything. Social media is the most demanding part of my job. Daily. I can’t really hate on it because it’s pushed me forward and people know about me because of it, though it’s the most soul-sucking part of my job. But I guess, within a capitalist system, there’s always going to be a part of your job that’s a little soul-sucking, and TikTok is it for me. It’s not that bad to make a TikTok, obviously. It’s not hard. It’s a fifteen second video. But that’s not the point. To some people, it comes naturally, and those people really soar, so it makes you feel bad about yourself if you try hard and it doesn’t work. To be honest, any video that I put out about my music automatically doesn’t do as well as a video of me doing something stupid, saying something nonsensical.
What artists across industries – music, film, fashion – most influence your creative output?
I pretty much base my aesthetic off what a pop star would have worn when I was 8. When I was little, I loved Bratz, the classic Barbie movies, Britney Spears, I was really into fairies and Spy Kids. My style is very influenced by cabaret, burlesque, queer culture, and drag. For music, my inspiration changes all the time. Right now, I really love the Pop Queens: Spice Girls, early 2000s Britney, Gaga. And anthemic pop: Shania Twain, Kate Bush, Cyndi Lauper. I’m a big fan of 90s rock as well and smaller indie rock from the early 2000s. Really all over the board.
How much does place impact your music?
Place impacts me immensely. I think it has to do with my upbringing. There isn’t really a place for showmanship in Missouri in the way that I would like. I want to purposely look “trashy,” not modest, very loud and provocative. To me that is a reflection of and an homage to burlesque. It’s consciously camp. Because I was not allowed to express that kind of showmanship in Missouri where I’m from, the pendulum has swung so far the other way. I don’t think I would have been as outgoing and obnoxious if I had been from the coasts. Because when I was Kayleigh Rose, I was performing all over town in coffee shops in Springfield Missouri and I was very modest. I always wore knee-length dresses and very high necks. Nothing like what I would wear now. I think L.A. and New York give me this freedom to be whatever I want and wear whatever I want.
In My Kink is Karma you negotiate the sincere emotional upheaval of a break-up and having a sense of humor – is this a balance you try to maintain throughout your work?
Dan, my main co-writer and producer, and I always try not to take every song too seriously. I think humor in pop music is great. Lizzo is amazing at that. Gaga is interesting because her camp is serious – Born This Way puts out an important message but still has a laugh behind it. I haven’t gotten to that point, but I’d like to get there. I think right now I’m in the humor category because I don’t know how to explore camp in a serious way. My Kink is Karma is purposely outrageous and funny. I want it to be fun and ridiculous.
Your single Femininomenon comes out this Friday. What does the name mean to you and how is the album different or maybe a culmination of your creative output up to this point?
This is where the queerness part comes in. It’s about the confusion I have in relation to my sexual relationships with men. Something is not connecting. I feel like every man I’ve been with is never satisfying. With a woman, it’s easy and different and wonderful. It’s a phenomenon. It’s a queer song – hidden in there. The song has to do a lot with going for a guy that doesn’t give a fuck about you, and you end up together and you thought this was what you wanted and it’s still just as bad as it was in the beginning. It’s the case for most relationships when you think it’ll get better the longer you stay together, and it just gets worse. It’s a phenomenon that this magical, perfect scenario somewhere out there exists, and it’s probably a woman in my case.
You talked about the inspiration for your music video for My Kink is Karma being burlesque and drag. The representation of female artists in the music industry has shifted significantly in recent years. What role does your image play – if any – in that narrative?
For me, I know that it’s not a label telling me to go out there and wear a mini skirt. I grew up in a heavily religious conservative area. The Midwest loves award shows – American idol, we fuel America’s Got Talent. It creates an Us and Them mentality – a conversation of why do they have to be so slutty? Why can’t pop stars just be modest? They don’t have to show all that skin. As a woman, I am allowed to look sexy and sexualize myself and feel like a sexual being, taking power in my body. I have no control or power over how others perceive me. I know my grandparents tell me that my voice is good enough and I don’t have to wear what I do. It’s almost an act of defiance to be in something very burlesque with nipple tassels, purposely drawing attention to my body. I can be in this outfit and still write a fucking good song and be a good singer. That feels empowering. As long as women feel empowered, then why the fuck does anyone care what they’re wearing? No one’s out there asking Bieber how does your fashion move feminism forward?
What are you most looking forward to about going on tour with Fletcher?
I love touring. I like how hard it is. The shows are the most exciting part, but they are only 30% of the tour. I haven’t toured since 2018! Just performing, that is what I’m most excited about.
What are the next steps for you?
Of course, Femininomenon,comes out this Friday. Before the tour in November, I have another song coming out. We have an album, so we’ll probably just finish the album and put it out at the beginning of next year. A solid, sold-out headline tour with this project is my goal. I want to play the album all over the place. I would love to go on an international tour. I would love to take it to the UK. I want to release amazing, fun merch and videos around it. I want to build this little world that I’ve always imagined and share it with everyone.
The original Human genome project was started in 1990, and aimed to determine the entire sequence within 15 years. In 2000, a rough draft was published to celebrate the international cooperation that was making this achievement possible. This draft was an impressive feat on its own, covering 83% of the genome.
In 2003, the Human genome was announced to be ‘essentially complete’. 99% of the gene rich DNA had been sequenced. The importance of noncoding DNA was not fully appreciated, so most people didn’t realize that 8% of the DNA letters still hadn’t been determined
Ridiculously, only 1% of the human genome actually codes for proteins. Most of it regulates when and where those protein coding genes are switched on. There are also countless stretches of nonsense letters that go on and on with seemingly no purpose. These regions are called ‘junk DNA’.
An especially interesting example of junk DNA is the repeats. Instead of mutating randomly, some sections get over-replicated. The DNA polymerase enzymes slip whilst reading along the double helix, causing these repeats to grow and grow over generations. This is implicated in several diseases such as huntington’s and cancer.
DNA is ‘read’ like morse code except instead of having 2 letters (dot and dash) it has 4: A T G C. This allows it to code for the amino acid alphabet in a shorter space. Each amino acid corresponds to a unique sequence of 3 DNA bases.
Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. Each of them have slightly different properties such as positive/negative charge and hydrophobicity. The genetic code is important because it specifies which order these building blocks should be linked together in a chain. Each chain folds into a specific 3D shape with an important function, and mutation of a single DNA letter can completely ruin this. For example, Sickle cell anemia is caused by mutation of A->T in hemoglobin, leading to a glutamate amino acid being swapped out for valine.
Despite being just a simple repeating pattern, these regions were practically impossible to sequence with the techniques available during the 1990’s. This is because the techniques involved digesting the DNA into tiny fragments and determining the bases bit by bit. Then they would see where each fragment overlapped and put them all in order. Unfortunately, repeat regions can look like utter nonsense.
“cccccc aaaaa once upon a time there aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb ccccccccccccc was a man called bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb Steven bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb aaaaaaaa”
The sentence is interrupted by 3 repeated stretches of ‘b’. After this sentence is cut up for shotgun sequencing, imagine if the cuts are in the middle of the b repeats. You would have no way of knowing which order they are supposed to fit together in! You could end up with a sentence like this:
“cccccc aaaaa once upon a time there aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb Steven bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb ccccccccccccc was a man called bbbbbbbbbb”
Over the last few decades, more accurate and reliable sequencing techniques have been developed such as oxford nanopore. This has allowed these mysterious regions to be explored. The Telomere-to-Telomere (T2T) Consortium is a team of over 100 scientists that are working to fill in the gaps.
We have 2 copies of the genome in our cells, 1 from each parent. Keeping track of which half of chromosomes are which could be a massive problem and cause alignment errors. Therefore, this new sequencing project used a special type of cell called a Hydatidiform mole. This is an empty egg cell lacking its own copy of the genome, fertilized by a healthy sperm cell. The sperm’s DNA becomes more accessible and easy to sequence.
The downside of this method is that it leaves out one of the sex chromosome because sperm can only be X or Y. They chose an X sperm because it is far bigger and would be difficult to obtain on its own. To solve this, Leonid Peshkin (a biologist at Harvard University) donated a Y chromosome sample from his own genome.
Oxford Nanopore sequencing was used to fill in gaps in the centromere. These are patches of each chromosome that don’t contain any genes; instead they serve as handles for the spindle proteins to grab hold of during mitosis. A different technique called PacBio HiFi was used for many repeating sequences. The key thing that both techniques have In common is that they are ‘long-read’ and able to process huge fragments – hundreds of thousands of letters at a time.
After this brilliant effort, all the gaps in the human genome have been filled except for 5. Only ~10 million letters remain to be sequenced.
Even after these tiny gaps are closed, the goal of the human genome project is not quite fulfilled. There are many genes that have significant variations throughout the population. You will have no doubt observed this for superficial things like eye and hair colour, but more pernicious differences lurk below the surface.
Mutant versions of key signalling proteins are linked with an increased risk for diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer’s. Understanding how their genes vary in different people could be an important step in treating these devastating conditions. The Human Pangenome Project are working towards sequencing 350 different genomes from diverse populations.
Medical students entering their sixth and final year have learned they will all have to resit one of their exams after the Proctor’s Office was alerted to allegations that some students had cheated. All marks from the examination have been wiped, as the integrity of the examination was called into question.
Some members of the cohort allegedly received and circulated materials which could have given them an advantage in their Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCE). The OSCE is used to assess how students respond to patients in a clinical setting.
The Chair of Examiners, Dr Sanja Thompson, said in a letter seen by Cherwell that it was “impossible” to know how many students cheated. As a result, all students in the cohort would have to resit the paper. Oxford University said they would not provide specific details about the allegations because of an ongoing investigation.
The date on which students will resit the exam in Michaelmas has not been finalised. In the meantime, a provisional ranking of students in the cohort will be made using other exams which have not been disrupted. The paper will be weighted the same as if it had been sat normally.
A spokesman said the University recognises the anxiety having to resit the exam will cause, and that it is in touch with affected students for pastoral and assessment support.
In 1989, the Berlin Wall fell. It heralded the third era of globalisation. In terms of trade, the basic premise was that barriers between countries would go down, and cash could flow freely between states and across borders, and in return, goods would come the other way.
A certain narrative surrounding global trade at the moment is that such globalisation is grinding to a halt. In fact, it’s reversing, and we’re on the cusp of entering a period of “deglobalisation”. And if so, doom awaits. But there are two things wrong with arguing that way. Firstly, what actually is this “deglobalisation”? Secondly, is it a bad thing?
Especially with the creation of trade blocs, limits in global trade might signal protectionist and nationalist attitudes to commerce: countries would only trade with friends, thus limiting their exports and imports. So, domestic companies in a country would have less competition from foreign ones; such lack of competition disincentivises innovation and quality domestically, driving down consumer satisfaction. However, a deglobalized economy is also subject to an inflation risk. A protectionist country would impose a tariff on goods coming in to drive up prices on those products, thus encouraging the consumption of domestic equivalents. However, assuming the demand for the foreign goods still exists, consumers must spend more to afford the same amount of these goods as before – these tariffs pose an inflation risk. Protectionist attitudes in the US had an inflationary threat, while Indonesia’s nationalist palm oil export ban had an impact on global inflation.
Rana Foroohar makes the argument that deglobalisation and decoupling is not a risk but a reality. Particularly in emerging markets like Latin America, Africa, and Asia, countries are developing their own regional and local supply chains. Decentralised technologies are allowing for “local for local” production. Her argument is driven further by the point that “globalisation isn’t inevitable… [an economy] has to serve domestic needs”.
However, I am hesitant to call this deglobalisation. As of November 2021, there is little evidence to suggest that we are heading towards a deglobalized world. In September, imports in the US were at an all-time high, while China’s trade surplus exceeded pre-pandemic levels. Ports around the world were congested through high trade. In 2020, the year of the pandemic, China overtook the US as top destination for foreign direct investment, and exceeded those levels in 2021. Global trade has not paused.
The deglobalisation we are seeing in the formation of trade blocs and creation of local supply chains as opposed to global ones can be read as protections against risk. If China enters a trade war with the US, and sanctions are imposed on it, then it cannot have all of its reserves in dollars, since they would be blocked from spending in US markets. Countries are facing major supply shortages with disruptions in China as well as from the war in Europe. So, they need to find other ways to acquire their goods since international routes are failing. These establishments of local supply chains are not threats to global trade, but protections against future failures.
I’m not suggesting that we should all close our borders and stop global trade, ignore the benefits of globalised outsourcing, and deny the value of international M&A. And conversely, there are very real and prevalent protectionist attitudes globally (e.g., populist rhetoric about taking back jobs in the aftermath of the Brexit referendum, or Trump’s domestic focus) which are threatening global trade.
But the deglobalisation which we are seeing is not just a simple reversal globalisation or a splitting into factions. Instead, it is a raised wariness of reliance on the international market. Sanctions on Russia proved that even global superpowers could become persona non grata.Global supply crises revealed structural weaknesses in distribution channels. We are not seeing a decoupling of international networks. We are seeing countries and companies attempting to mitigate the risks of trading with the world.
Liz Truss, frontrunner in the race for Conservative Party leadership, has suggested she will reform the Oxbridge admissions system to give all top students a chance for a place.
As part of a six-point education plan announced last Friday, the Oxford graduate proposed that any student with three A* grades at A level should automatically be invited to interview at Oxbridge.
The proposal was put forward in a bid to improve social mobility. The current foreign secretary, an alumni of Merton College, believes that this reform will inspire students who are discouraged by teachers who believe that Oxbridge is “full of toffs.”
Truss told The Sunday Times: “There’s a lot of evidence that women are less likely to ask for a promotion and actually one of the best ways of making the system fairer is to identify the people that are talented and ask them if they want that opportunity.”
UCAS has rejected an approach of this nature in the past since it would “significantly disadvantage underrepresented and disabled students, unless secondary and/or university calendars are changed.” The proposal also puts increased weight on exam performance rather than the other factors which are considered in the current system. The measures are said to be counter-productive since students who are private or selective school educated achieve the highest proportion of these grades.
Truss has further been accused of “micromanagement” by a major teaching union, for the curb in admissions autonomy. Should the proposal be implemented, it would involve 13,000 Oxbridge interviews in England alone, solely from the students achieving 3 A*’s, excluding those who apply on their own merit. The move would compel the universities to hold thousands of extra interviews every year, resulting in what has been described as a “procedural nightmare.”
Diana Beech, chief executive of London Higher, an organisation representing over 40 universities, said, “As well as showing no consideration that Oxbridge might not necessarily be the right choice for everyone, Ms Truss’s proposals reveal no regard for logistics or legalities.”
Furthermore, the reform would require the admissions process to be shifted (a system labelled “post-qualification admissions”) until after results day, which would abandon the current predicted grades system. A plan to implement PQA however was abandoned just 6 months ago by the Department of Education, since support for the proposal was “not strong enough.”
Truss’s pledge has been branded “bafflingly obtuse, poorly thought through and impossible to implement,” however she remains hopeful in her bid to become the “education prime minister” that this policy will “ensure our education system gets back on track.”
More and more people, both supporters of the Labour Party and its members, are growing frustrated with the party’s lack of solidarity with striking workers and trade unions, especially in the face of the rapidly rising cost of living. Apart from that, the stance on the re-nationalisation of key sectors such as rail, water, energy, and mail, is not clear. Both, it is argued, lie in the interest of the working class. But if Labour, a party founded by trade unions, does not stand by workers, what is really left of it?
Some people have noticed that the Labour Party is becoming progressively detached from the needs of the working class. During the rail strike in June, there was no firm support for industrial action voiced by the leader of the party and Starmer even urged his frontbench MPs to stay away from picket lines, which suggests that he does not feel fully confident about the party’s involvement in such disputes. What followed was Sam Tarry being dismissed as shadow transport minister for doing broadcast interviews from an RMT picket line, to which unions reacted with understandable frustration.
The decision angered many members of the Labour Party and the new policy ordering senior MPs not to join picket lines was questioned by mayors Sadiq Khan and Andy Burnham and others. Khan said that he would happily join a picket line and that “the trade unions have been a core force for good to our country over the recent weeks, months and years.” According to Burnham, Labour might come over as a party that undermines workers fighting for better work conditions and the cost of living crisis if they’re not careful.
Actively avoiding controversy stemming from supporting strikes can appear to be wise, as industrial action is often portrayed as selfish, unreasonable, and even dangerous by certain mainstream media. Distancing oneself from such heated debate minimises the potential damage that could be inflicted on the party’s image.
However, detaching oneself from strike action as a party founded by trade unions and aiming to represent the interests of working people is, according to many, a mistake that puts Labour’s integrity and core values at risk. For tens of thousands of working-class people, it means that the party dissociates itself from their cause and neglects their needs.
Apart from that, just recently, the stance on re-nationalisation of key sectors such as rail, water, energy, and mail, was practically thrown in the bin. The pledge of re-nationalisation made by Labour during the Corbyn era was dropped by Starmer, with the exception of the railways. The leader of the Labour Party also said they will not tackle private sector outsourcing of the NHS in case they win.
Given the horrendous prices of train tickets and energy, it is not difficult to argue that the privatisation of these sectors did more harm than good. Especially in the face of how countries such as France, Germany, and Spain deal with these industries, there is a feeling gaining momentum that we ought to change something and bring them back into the hands of the public. The NHS, too, many argue, ought to be protected from privatisation, as private sector outsourcing means less accessibility. Aside from healthcare, private water companies continue to dump increasingly more toxic pollutants into UK’s waters and environmental groups call for their nationalisation in order to protect water supplies. Overall, the case for re-nationalisation is very strong and deserves consideration.
It is visible that there isn’t a strong unison between Labour members and their leader as to whether actively supporting strikes and re-nationalisation is the correct way forward or not, highlighting the ideological tensions and polarisation within the party. Labour is not all about labour and the interest of the working class, which is why Starmer might face even harsher criticism and his formerly celebrated leadership could be questioned further. In the face of the threat of a general strike, Labour has to unequivocally choose its side and decide its ideological position. It may be the challenge that will determine the future of the party.
Image: Mtaylor848, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
