TikTok is flooded with this image of spotless kitchens, flowery aprons and picture perfect homes – neatly folding together retro glamour and domestic bliss. For audiences tired of hustle culture and girlbossing, the trad wife lifestyle holds a certain allure. It’s a throwback to an era we’ve been told was simpler and happier. Yet, like all nostalgia, there’s a catch: this rose-coloured view overlooks the … Continue reading The Trad Wife: A Redux
Entitled and Vulnerable: Young men and the Red Pill Movement Picture this… the year is 2024 and you are a twenty year old male. You attended an all-boys, state secondary school where you never really fit in, but you managed to make some friends. In recent years however, you have witnessed these friends swallowing the dreaded red pill and falling down the rabbit hole of … Continue reading The Red Pill
Each studentÔÇÖs experience with sexual health differs entirely, however, it is evident that practising safe sex isnÔÇÖt necessarily everyoneÔÇÖs priority. In a 2021 study done by┬áYouthSight, for the Higher Education Policy Institute, it was found that 56% of sexually active students had never had an STI test. This could be due to a variety of reasons, for instance, a lack of high-quality sex education provided … Continue reading Sexual Health Resources at Uni: Are We Shagging Safely?
In the years following the MeToo movement, there have been great strides in our collective societal understanding of what consent should look like. It is now included in our sex education curriculums – the importance of gaining consent, the need for it to be enthusiastic and informed. It is now the norm that there should be no ambiguity about if your sexual partner said ÔÇ£yesÔÇØ. … Continue reading Consent: Are We Asking the Wrong Question?
Why does it seem like so many people come out while at university? A new social circle and a fresh start can mean that people become less apprehensive about other peopleÔÇÖs reactions, whilst also having the opportunity to build more queer friendships and relationships. As I was entering my first year, I would probably describe my situation as having one foot in the closet and … Continue reading Coming Out of Your Hometown
Words by Madeline McCabe-Smith It is safe to say a significant amount of university students have dabbled in the world of online dating, whether itÔÇÖs in search of a potential life-long partner or simply out of curiosity. EveryoneÔÇÖs experience is unique, and the outcomes differ considerably. The development of technology has blessed us with the ability to discover the world of dating in a brand-new … Continue reading Are Dating Apps Leaving Us Lonlier Than Ever?
Words by Holly Hostettler-Davies Imagine this: ItÔÇÖs 2022 and you and your partner decide to live with your best friends, who are also a couple. YouÔÇÖve been on countless meals out, days at the beach, shopping trips, walks in the park – many double dates. YouÔÇÖve even been on trips together, shared living spaces for a short time. But now youÔÇÖre going to share a … Continue reading The Endless Double Date
This article should give some simple tips and templates for communicating with your partner effectively about different issues. How do you bring up an issue without worrying or upsetting them? What is the best way to ask them to listen to you? One of the first lessons in communication that I remember took place upon the rug of my reception classroom, five years old cross … Continue reading Get on The Same Page: A How-To on Harmonious Communication
Porn seems to be a rather contentious issue depending on the relationship; some have no qualms whereas others consider it to be akin to cheating. I think the topic of porn and how it functions in relationships is a unique issue. PeopleÔÇÖs views are extremely polarising. For my current relationship, porn acts as a way for myself and my partner to satisfy our own needs. … Continue reading …Are You Still Watching?
In my experience, your perception of ÔÇ£the pillÔÇØ shifts hugely as you enter your university years. Birth control goes from something maybe a few of your friends are on, to it being a rare occurrence to find someone who can be prescribed the pill and who hasnÔÇÖt been. It seems to be a modern medical superpill. From cramps to spots to sex, youÔÇÖll generally hear: … Continue reading Birth Control: A Tough Pill To Swallow?
Cardiff UniversityÔÇÖs student union club nights can be deemed an incredibly favoured aspect of Cardiff University culture. Simply walk along Park Place or Senghennydd Road between approximately 8-11pm on a Wednesday, or Saturday night and youÔÇÖll get a feel for the sheer popularity of these events. Aided by an endless flow of VKs, students enjoy mingling with other likeminded people, but how successful are these … Continue reading Are Student Union Nights the Heart of Cardiff StudentsÔÇÖ Dating Scene?
Words by Katie Brosnan External validation is an addictive drug. Whether you seek it from dating apps, social media or in person, it can either leave you feeling delighted or disgusted. As a result, seeking external validation can make you engage in a pattern of toxic cycles until you feel that bit better. Social media normalises these cycles too; weÔÇÖve all heard of Hot Girl … Continue reading The Validation Game
In a meagre ten years since same-sex marriage has been recognised within UK law, the concentrated history of queer movements has been celebrated with shifts to an accepting cultural discourse. Yet this history by far exceeds the mass change and activism which has occurred across British history for the last ten years, and February acts as a necessary period of reflection, remembrance and rejoicing for … Continue reading Queer History Month: Essentialist British History
An Ode to friendship in women. There is a special type of magic laced in the love between friends, my heart five pounds heavier in the company of my own. Only one ring away from all the right people at all the right times. Silent pacts sealed in shared bathroom stalls and the warmth of living room lights. The simple intimacy of knowing and being … Continue reading Cupid’s Corner: Sharing Cardiff Students’ Love Notes
We asked our contributors if they were team Valentine’s, Galentine’s or against the holiday altogether: Personally, I love both Valentine’s and Galentine’s! Any opportunity to spread love and positivity to those close to me is always a winner. For many however, Valentine’s can be a lonely and stressful time for those not in relationships and this is not helped by the commercialisation of Valentine’s. The … Continue reading Valentines vs Galentines: Commercialising Relationships?
Content warning: Sexual assault, violence Love them or loathe them, nightclubs and drinking culture are fundamental elements of theuniversity experience. From the insufferable hangovers endured during lectures to holding on inseminars during group discussions; even if you donÔÇÖt go to nightclubs, they act as spacestailored for young people to mingle and make new memories. The inescapable culture ofclubbing has eternalised the position of nightclubs at … Continue reading Night On The Town: Are Nightclubs Sites Normalising Sexual Assault?
While acceptance of diverse gender identities is on the rise, it can still be difficult to explore and understand what that looks like for yourself. Non-binary identities in particular are often misunderstood or dismissed, making it much more challenging to be open and comfortable in your identity. Non-binary is an umbrella term for those who experience their gender outside of the binary of man or … Continue reading Breaking The Binary
Tick Tick Boom Set in the theatre district of 90s New York City, HIV and AIDs is an unwelcome and threatening backdrop in Lin Manuel-MirandaÔÇÖs directorial debut: Tick TickÔǪ Boom! Based on the semi-autobiographical musical by the late, great, Jonathan Larson (portrayed by Andrew Garfield), Tick TickÔǪ Boom! embodies the dread of getting old and running out of time, only emphasised by close friends who … Continue reading Spotlight Recommends: Your Favourite Media Discussing HIV And Aids
Financial independence ÔÇô the status of having enough wealth to pay for your living expenses for the near future without being dependent on others. But when it comes to being in a relationship, how should the finances be handled? Of course, at the end of the day itÔÇÖs down to what you and your partner feel most comfortable with, and only you know what works … Continue reading Financial Independence: What Does It Mean To Gen Z?
The AIDS crisis gripped the world for most of the 1980s and 1990s, with an estimated 40.1 million people having died of HIV and AIDS by 2021. At the time, rather than being seen and treated as a serious pandemic that posed a threat to everyone, the perception of it was distorted to become a moral disease caused and spread by the LGBTQIA+ community. The … Continue reading Unpacking The AIDS Crisis and The Continued Discrimination Against the LGBTQIA+ Community
