Cursing in disguise

Summer Green

Today my flatmate told me about a study that studied the stuff people do and say beneath the condensed comfort of face masks. The most frequent liberty was the fact that they could swear without anyone realising, which seems like a somewhat British silver-lining. Although, being able to call that one bloke with poor trolley etiquette a nob without him punchingyou in the nose seems like a perfectly sufficient pro for being inwardly un-family-friendly in the middle of Asda on a Tuesday afternoon. Despite this blessing, I’d say that my favourite part is being able to guess the faces that people are making under there – it does make you wonder – because there’s every chance that the old fart dressed like your Year 9 geography teacher is grinning from ear to ear whilst looking at the selection of Brussel sprouts, or maybe even sticking his tongue out just for the thrill of it. I’ve learned to recognise this happiness through crow’s feet and unavoidably steamy glassesand bushing bulbous cheeks but I reckon it would be nice to see an unmuffled chuckle, crooked teeth biting the air, and a tongue once hinged, unhinged, and bouncing freely again.

‘Make Tattooing Safe Again’: Sheffield Based Tattoo Artist Exposed for Indecent Behaviour

by Emily Fletcher TW: SA, Animal Abuse, Transphobia Photo Credit: @ meiko_akiz uki Recently, an Instagram account has been created to provide a ‘space to safely give a voice to those who want to speak out about the behaviour of one, Sheffield based tattoo artist’. A total of 40+ posts have been made by the above social media account regarding one of Sheffield's most popular tattoo artists . Thankfully, all posts are prefaced with a Content Warning prior to sharing screenshots of the messages that have been sent anonymously to the page. The majority of Content Warnings refer to sexual behaviour, abuse, and sexual assault. It is clear that there is a reoccurring theme within each submission, as many clients appear to have had the same experiences with the tattoo artist. Women, mostly, are being made to feel uncomfortable while being tattooed. One of the most vulnerable positions anyone can be in, tattoo artists should make their clients feel comfortable and safe during the pro

Now What? The Aftermath of the 'Manic Pixie Dream Girl'

by Susan Moore Here is a bit about me: I am an open, excitable, creative AFAB who is also moderately attractive. I have a unique sense of personal style and a personality that on the surface can only be described as “bubbly” and “quirky”. For this reason, dating is a nightmare. To be sure, I do not have a hard time finding dates or potential suitors. The problems arise when said dates spend some time with me and decide that I am a rare specimen, and the connection they feel with me is “unlike anything they have felt before”. Then, things go one of two ways. Either a) they decide I am too high maintenance and no longer palatable, or b) they choose to never look further than the surface and are content to date the idea of me rather than the real me. There is something rather interesting, perhaps funny, about my situation. It is in no way unique. I have met so many people who constantly dealt with the same problem. Even funnier still, is the fact that there is a trope that simultaneousl

Eurydice’s Last Words

by Kate Bradley I do not want to return To sit in the stalls, Of an empty black box Strewn with petals Leave the ghost light on, Let it shine like a call home, But I will not come back To turn it off alone. I learn this as we walk Our ever so solemn path Our thudding funeral march, You think we’re going back. As I trace my old steps, I fear of the day When the symphony swells, And I land my gaze On you, yet you will be Enraptured by the sound, If you did twist To turn around, You would not see me. So I am not sorry, I speak out into the empty air And I am not sorry. “Turn Around.” You do, you look You think I fall But I run on, Arms wide open To fall in love With it all “Perhaps she was the one who said, ‘Turn around.” On the X45 bus, back from the Tyneside Cinema, I wrote a poem entitled “Eurydice’s Final Words”, after having seen “Portrait of a Lady on Fire”. That poem was terrible, so I wrote a new one, as my response to the beautifully poignant film. In one scene, Héloïse, an 18

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