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Virgin, Not That Easy and I Wish We Weren’t Related are 3 of many things Radhika Sanghani has written in her time (so far)! Both a full-time Writer and Journalist, she has also just published her new book Thirty Things I Love About Myself. Go Inspire UK had the pleasure to chat about all things high, low and inspiring in Radhika’s life. Go Inspire UK: What made you want to go into writing and journalism – was it something you always wanted to do? Radhika Sanghani: Yes and no! I loved writing, but I'd never really thought about it as a career. I ended up getting into journalism because I was finishing university and needed a career. I decided to go for journalism and see where it led me - but I wasn't fully wedded to it! I feel that over the years my career constantly evolves and I love that. GI: Who is your biggest inspiration and why? RS: I think now my biggest inspiration is Elizabeth Gilbert, not just because I really admire her writing career, but because of who she is as a person. Her message is all about not being afraid to try and get things wrong and to live a life of curiosity and surrender, rather than always trying to plan or follow specific goals. GI: Your stories are very female centered, why is that? RS: I've always loved reading female-centred stories, and it makes sense to me that now I love writing them too. There are so many books about male-centred experiences that I don't feel bad just focusing on what I find more interesting - which is women. I think life is more complex for women, in terms of how we've lived in a patriarchy for centuries, but also that we're subjected to so many pressures and expectations, and that our biology can make life. It's a lot - and it's something I'll never get tired of exploring in my writing. GI: Why do you write about body positivity – why is it important to be vocal in national magazines and newspapers about body confidence? RS: I write about body positivity because I think it's important to show different narratives. Societal beauty standards are so narrow, and so damaging, that I want to show we can make our own. We can define ourselves as beautiful without looking for external validation. It's a journey I've gone on personally, and am still on, and I think it's important to share it with people. I don't always get it right, but I'm learning to love myself just the way I am. GI: What would you say is one of your favourite pieces you have written in your journalism career? RS: I loved interviewing Richard Ratcliffe over the years about the unfair imprisonment of his wife Nazanin in Iran. She's finally back in England free to live her life with her husband and daughter, but it's a story I worked on for six years and felt really strongly about. GI: Why, alongside your journalism career, were you also drawn to writing books? RS: I love novels and always have. I never let myself dream that it could be a real career option for me because I didn't think I was good enough. But when I had a near-death experience in my early 20s, I realised it was important to me to write a book - whether it was published or not. That's what led me to write my first published novel Virgin. GI: What was your inspiration and writing processes behind Virgin and Not That Easy? RS: I really wanted to write books about female sexuality, and female desire. My book is about a young woman going on a sexual journey to find herself, and ultimately learning to move away from societal pressures and expectations, and instead living for herself. They're comedies because I think this journey can be a humorous one, and they're very raw and honest. GI: How about your new book Thirty Things I Love About Myself – also could you describe a bit about the book itself? RS: So this book is all about Nina Mistry - a woman whose life falls apart when she turns 30. With the help of a tatty self-help book, she ends up going on a journey to try and write a list of 30 things she loves about herself. It's all about our relationship with ourselves, disconnected family, mental health, loneliness and creating community. It's a really positive novel and I hope it helps anyone feeling alone. GI: How do you think your work connects to all different types of women today? RS: I hope my work does connect to many different types of women - and if it does so, I would say it's because of the central themes of identity, loneliness, vulnerability and self-love. These are things all of us deal with on a daily basis, and I love writing about them. GI: What advice would you give to readers of Go Inspire facing various highs and lows in everyday life? RS: I would say ride those waves! All too often, we think that life should only be highs and not lows. But that's not a real life - that's fantasy. Real life is the highs and lows, so just try to be present for them as much as you can. Let yourself feel it all, and take it seriously - but also not take it seriously at all. To me, life is about getting that balance between caring deeply and not caring too much. That enables me to enjoy life without falling into stress and anxiety. GI: How do you find stories that are relevant to your different audiences? RS: I like to think stories find me rather than me going out looking for them - whether it's in terms of non-fiction or fiction. I just try and stay open, and notice things going on around me, and sometimes that can spark inspiration. But my main guiding principle is to write things that I find interesting and relevant, and then just trust that other people will feel the same way. I can't please everyone so I try and please myself as a starting point. GI: What were the stages in your career like – from graduate trainee, features and columnist to freelance writer? Was it in any way daunting going into freelance writing? RS: I was lucky in that I got a job as a graduate trainee at the Telegraph straight after graduating. I worked there for five years as a features writer and columnist, and then I left to go freelance. It was definitely daunting, especially because I have a tendency to be anxious and crave security. But I'm so glad I did it. I learnt there are different ways to define success and to live life. I'm learning now to carve out my own rules and work in a way that works for me, rather than follow the rat race. It's not always easy, but it's more interesting - and it feels much more authentic to me. Instagram: @radhika sanghani Photography by Laura Pink Article by Chelsea Abbott

“How the f*** did I end up being born in this day and age with clowns like these?” “You can’t deny biology, regardless what is going on in someone’s mind.” “Pick up arms and head to Ukraine…this topic is so trivial by comparison.” The following statements were all derived from the comments section of Sky News’ Instagram post documenting the protest which contested the continuation of conversion therapy for those experiencing gender dysphoria in the UK. Whilst thousands of individuals were lining Downing Street, amplifying their voices amidst a sea of prejudice, internet trolls were priming their keyboards, ready to fire off at the first inclination of understandable uproar. Devastatingly though, this wasn’t the first battle for peace that the trans community had encountered. In fact, the Government’s shunning of gender identity pre-dates the 21st century by decades. Often regarded by many as trivial ‘attention seekers’ or worse, the devil incarnates, simply due to being adjacent to the picture of ‘normality’ painted by society, those who feel as though their given gender doesn’t align with their psyche have always been prey to the apex predator oligarchs of the world. Therefore, the latest slap in the face from the UK Government was a mere nail in the coffin of discrimination. But where there is darkness, light always shines within; turn every corner throughout human history and you will see the nobles. Valiant trans and agender activists have ensured that the gender queer voice is heard over the crowds trying to silence them. Gaining an insight into some of these voices truly rejuvenates the soul, alerting those who have never had to fight for the right to be humanised, regarding their gender identity, to a life of constant trials and tribulations, simply to survive, that they may not have known even existed. Individuals have bravely contravened the ‘binary’ format of gender as far back as 9000 years ago. Artistic depictions of transgender individuals were derived from the Mediterranean throughout the dawn of human civilisation. Additionally, Sumerian and Akkadian (Ancient Greek) texts from 4500 years ago are said to document transgender priests known as ‘gala’. Ancient Greece also bore the foundations for future gender non-conformity in other ways, as did the countries of Phrygia and Rome. Scholars believe many of the ‘galli’ priests at the time may have been trans women, a notable figure being Roman emperor Elagabalus, who preferred to be addressed as lady rather than lord and sought reassignment surgery in around the 200 AD period. Indian and Thai natives are recognised as some of the pioneers for expressing themselves as a gender distinct from the traditional two back in the ancient period. The Indian subcontinent of ‘Hijras’ and the Thai region of ‘Kathoeys’ formed a plethora of trans-feminine third gender social and spiritual communities, groups which have been heavily documented via scripture for centuries, and that also include trans male figures. However, before moving forward it is important to note the distinction between many similar sounding terms which are often regarded by the unaware as being synonymous with each other. Prior to 1910, there was no definitive term to define an individual who believed that their birth sex and gender were incongruent. Even though the term ‘transvestite’ was circulated in this year by German sexologist Magnus Hirschfield, the noun is defined today as ‘a person who dresses in clothes primarily associated with the opposite sex (typically used of a man).’ In essence, a transvestite typically aligns their gender with their birth sex, simply presenting otherwise out of love for a particular hobby or look, such as a drag queen or king. Fundamentally though, this of course may not apply to everyone. In 1949, the term transsexual was distributed across the general public, defined in today’s dictionary as an adjective ‘denoting or relating to a transgender person, especially one whose bodily characteristics have been altered through surgery or hormone treatment to bring them into alignment with their gender identity’. Thought to be an early recognition of what we recognise as transgender individuals today, it metamorphosed in 1971 to the latter term, hence many people now classify themselves as transgender, preferring to adopt its shorter form: trans, which was coined mainly in Britain in 1996. Although many align their identity with the noun transgender, its meaning being a person who has ‘a gender identity or gender expression that differs from the sex that they were assigned at birth’, there are those who are more comfortable with the term transsexual, as several believe the desire to receive surgery in order to affirm one’s identity is what distinguishes it from the later term. There are, of course, those who don’t mind which is used, or those who believe that the word transgender accommodates this factor also. In fact, in conversing with many young trans individuals, I discovered that a large majority reject the term transexual altogether, along with ‘transvestite’, deeming them to be outdated upon their reliance on being defined by whether an individual has or hasn’t had gender reassignment surgery. Moreover, it is a matter of preference. In today’s society, the term transgender is the most frequently uttered among those who do not identify with their birth sex, but it can also be used as an umbrella term, encompassing a variety of gender expressions such as gender non binary, where a person is neither ‘male’ nor ‘female’, androgyne, a person having a gender that is either both masculine and feminine or between the two, and gender fluid, a person whose gender expression shifts outside of society’s common expectations of gender, which can often alternate between different ends of the masculine and feminine spectrum. Fortunately, today there are many different terms which individuals can use to feel accepted within themselves, all of which are valid, and come with their own distinct pronouns, which should be respected and confirmed if unknown. As history and human civilisation progressed, so did the freedom of gender expression, albeit gradually. Evidence of individuals presenting in ways atypical to the binary norm can be found at almost every pinnacle moment. These include the Middle Ages, which saw the further emergence of trans men and women across Europe, and the 1800s post-colonial America, during which it was documented that several people began new lives as men, even serving in the military, such as Albert Cashier and James Barry. To many, the concept of gender-reassignment surgery, which enables a person’s desired gender to correlate with their birth sex, seems the epitome of modern medicine. However, we have one pioneering physician and sexologist to thank for paving the way for those who have access to such operations in today’s era. Magnus Hirschfield, despite eventually having his revolutionary work concerning transgender surgeries destroyed by the Nazis in 1933 and his German citizenship revoked, aided in some of the earliest ovarian and uterus transplants, allowing many who were screaming into the void for acceptance the chance to feel at least some comfort amidst the terrors of war. His activism regarding the LGBTQ+ community and his own gay identity cannot be understated; he worked tirelessly to help those who felt lost in a period which was plagued by Nazi homophobic and transphobic Nazi persecution, risking both his profession and his own life until his death in 1935. Although Hirschfield’s achievements in the progression of medical care towards trans individuals was monumental for the era, the fight for gender liberation was far from over. In the decades that followed, both trans and gay individuals were forced to retaliate against targeted police brutality on multiple occasions, notably, the 1959 Cooper Donuts Riot in Los Angeles, observed by many historians as one of the first modern LGBTQ+ uprisings in the United States. Soon after, the Compton’s Cafeteria Riots of 1966 against the harassment of drag queens and trans people would act as the catalyst towards transgender activism in San Francisco. With tensions between trans individuals and police simmering across the decade, it would take just three years before the arduous battle for equality reached a tumultuous boil. Ask almost any LGBTQ+ individual about Stonewall, and regardless of whether they themselves were alive during its occurrence, a subsequent shiver will be sent down their spine. The riot in 1969 spanned across three days, commencing at the Stonewall Inn in Lower Manhattan, when people at the renowned gay bar were finally pushed to the point of contention after yet another police raid Even looking at the harrowing images of gay and transgender youths pleading with hopeless expressions to law enforcement, simply for the right to live freely in America, the country supposedly founded on the basis of freedom, evokes insatiable anger and frustration. Centuries of prejudice can do unimaginable things to the psyche of an individual. There comes a point where the consistent abuse, nefarious treatment and discrimination ignites a spark to make change. Though the journey may be agonising, and the road to solace winding, the eventual reward of freedom via sacrifice is worth every taunt and punch. And that is what the heroic individuals of the Greenwich Village and Stonewall Inn decided during those three days. Trans and LGBTQ+ activism accelerated after the riots ceased. To commemorate the fallen. To commemorate those who lived in a world which barely knew of the term transgender. To commemorate the future generations of children who would grow up with similar struggles. A year later, in 1970, the first pride marches took place in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco, with many of their occupants citing the Stonewall riots as their inspiration for finally feeling comfortable enough to publicly show their identity. Nowadays, LGBTQ+ pride marches are held annually across June, in honour of the Stonewall Riots, all over the world, with millions of members celebrating the noble fight of Lower Manhattan’s gay and trans community back in 1969. One key figure whose light still shines in the hearts of many is Marsha P. Johnson, a self-identified drag queen and LGBTQ+ liberation activist. She was a figurehead of Stonewall and is fondly loved and remembered by many within the community as being outspoken about her own identity and previous struggles to find peace within a society that hated anything that juxtaposed normality. Marsha has been commonly depicted in illustrations, excerpts and flags alike since her untimely death in 1992, of which many suspect foul play to be involved in. So where do trans individuals stand under the gaze of society today? Whilst identifying as anything other than cisgender is no longer illegal in many Western Countries, there are still 13 counties which specifically criminalise trans people, with it not being possible to officially change one’s gender status in at least 47 United Nations member states. Due to these petrifying statistics, today’s trans community could be forgiven for harbouring a certain level of contempt for modern society. In speaking to, Samantha Nelson, a transgender installation manager at Penguin however, I actually found her theology to be the antithesis of this. She said: “Along the way I discovered that none of us ever know the internal conflicts that people around us are dealing with, and we should never insist we know better or suggest that we have all the answers. “What we can do is come together to create an environment and culture where people feel safe and supported, a place where everyone can belong.” If the commentary beneath the news article mentioned at the beginning proves anything, it is that, whether legal in certain places or not, the fight towards total equality for all genders and identities is far from being lit, despite the plethora of activists who continue to lick the blue touch paper. I believe the trans activists across April’s national protests in Britain phrased it best: “Queerness doesn’t need a cure”. But whilst the UK Government and the global oligarchs alike continue to try to silence the trans community, it is vital that their voices remain amplified. Regardless of age, race or background, they exist, and deserve to be recognised by society as valid and amicable human beings. And though the walk toward complete trans liberation may be slow, I found solace in the fact that Samantha has finally reached a stage of comfort in her life: “I could now stand proud and say I am a woman. Always have been. Always will be.”

Misogyny pervades female ontology. All facets of womanhood are dictated by patriarchal standards (education, wage, career, sexuality etc.), but what does this mean for women who are dying, women who are in pain, and women who need medical help? Though it may not come as a surprise, the truth that misogyny exists within the medical field is particularly harrowing. It was a study published in the medical journal JAMA Surgery which inspired me to explore the effects of medical misogyny and the potential of its lethality. It found that female patients operated on by male surgeons are 32% more likely to die and 16% more likely to experience major complications. (At risk of sensationalising these statistics or engaging in fear-mongering, it is worth clarifying that this means if a male patient has a 1% chance of dying in surgery then a woman’s risk is 1.32% if operated on by a man.) When contextualised it may seem the difference is barely worth noting. Yet, the study also uncovered that there was no such disparity for female surgeons, no matter whether their patients were men or women. Also, male surgical patients experienced no difference in their chances of death whether they had a male or female surgeon. Essentially, more women die at the hands of men in an environment that is hypothetically controlled against the variables of social discrimination. The study highlights the extent to which society has built its practices upon a foundation of sexism. Sexism which cannot be removed from medical practice without a healthcare revolution. Women’s history of medical care has never been picturesque. While the term ‘hysteria’ is often associated with Freud, ‘hysteria’ has spoken to exist within women for as long ago as Ancient Greece. They believed that the womb was the root of the problem, any issues with its function were believed to have caused physical and psychological symptoms in women that would be diagnosed as hysteria. As a result, the progression of hysteria throughout time reveals how ancient the traditions of male hegemony are and its persistence throughout the centuries to assign women to a biologically emotional and unreasonable body. While the climate of today's medical care has improved, it is evident that the foundations of medical care are intrinsic to a wider patriarchal understanding of women. Traditions of assigning hysteria seem to have contorted into a modern desire to label celebrities with pseudo-diagnoses: Amber Heard springs to mind as a recent example of this. After her infamous trial against Johnny Depp, she is speculated to have Borderline Personality Disorder and Histrionic personality disorder. Disorders which have a pronounced 3:1 female-to-male gender ratio. Though women no longer endure the label of ‘hysteria’ it appears that the media persistently find a way to quickly identify and label female behaviour that they disapprove of. The catch-22 of medical bias is that while women are diagnosed significantly more often for disorders such as BPD and depression than men, their physical pain is often likely to be treated as a product of a mental health condition, rather than a physical condition. A 2018 study proved this and also that among patients experiencing chronic pain women are likely to be labelled “sensitive”, “hysterical” and “complaining”, while men were “brave” and “heroic”. Gender roles and stereotypes are reinforced within women’s cries for help. Imagine how frustrating it must be for women to be in copious amounts of pain and have it dismissed as an imaginary struggle. For the women who need medical help, these rejections clarify any illusions of equality and it becomes clear that medical systems channel the wider male hegemony.

To understand energy medicine, we must first understand the basic principles of energy itself; “Everything is energy, and therefore, everything is because of energy.” (Serge Benhayon, 1999). Science and quantum physicists show that energy is in the building block of all matter, so this means your physical body, your house, the trees, and the device in which you are reading this are all entangled through invisible forms of energy that interconnect you and everything to the universe itself. Long before scientific influential characters such as Sir Isaac Newton who stated “Energy cannot be created or destroyed; it can only be changed from one form to another” and Albert Einstein who produced the formula E=mc² that expresses the fact that mass and energy are the same entity and can be changed into each other; there were advanced Ancient Cultures around the world who understood and worked with the cosmic universal laws with energy healing being the oldest form of medicine. One of these laws in relation to energy medicine is the law of vibration. Your body is composed of energy-producing particles, each of which is in constant motion, constant vibration. These vibrations generate electromagnetic waves of which transfer energy as radiation from the source of the waves to an absorber. So, how does all of this relate to our health and wellbeing? The vibrations and the electromagnetic energy associated with them can cause changes in your cells, which can then affect how your body functions. Illness, dis-ease, troubling emotions and disempowering thoughts and beliefs are usually associated with a low or unbalanced vibration or energy flow, meaning energy can appear to be uneven or blocked in the body. Energetic stagnation in the body is what leads to physical and spiritual ailments. When we come to this understanding that everything starts on an energetic level before it reaches tangible form, we can begin to embody the concept of so within, so without. Everything in our internal world influences our outer physical reality, what you think, you create, what you feel, you attract and what you imagine you become. Through this lens we can realise the power we possess as energetic beings, and it is through energy medicine or vibrational energy healing that activates the body’s energies toward equilibrium and balance. Energy medicine also referred to as complementary medicine or alternative medicine is becoming increasingly popular and will continue to rapidly increase further. Why? Well because we are beginning to bridge the gap between ancient wisdom and conventional medicine. It is documented that Ancient cultures around the world had what were known as medicine men/women (witch-doctors or shamans) who maintained the health of their tribe by gathering and distributing herbs, performing healing and spiritual ceremonies and working individually with the transmutation and manipulation of energy for overall wellbeing and restoration of health. These Ancient known medicines such as Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda and Shamanic traditions have revolved around a radically different model of the human body and healing based on the body as an entire energy field treating it as one whole, mind-body-spirit. Whereas conventional and western medicine has embraced the anatomical and biochemical model, material body of flesh and blood and focus on curing symptoms rather than eliminating the root cause. Now you can understand that the root cause of all found tangible dis-ease within the body always begins in energetic form. The core principle in energy medicine is that prevention is better than cure, so through understanding that low vibrational frequency can cause dis-ease within the body it is important to maintain our energy to maintain that of a higher vibration. There are many energy medicine modalities that you can benefit from frequently to maintain energetic homeostasis. Some that you may have come across or heard of are Reiki, acupuncture, reflexology, ayurveda, breathwork and sound healing to name but a few, in fact, the National Center of Complementary and Integrative Health identifies more than 200 approaches of which can consist of a combination of 2 or more different traditional modalities. What is important to note is there is no right or wrong form of energy healing, it truly is a felt resonance as to which you feel more comfortable in exploring. The same principle applies to any form of energy medicine with the aim being to restore, rebalance and reharmonise energy flow within the body. There are many reasons as to why energy can become blocked in the body such as toxins, muscular or other constrictions, prolonged stress, un-dealt past trauma, suppressed emotion and expression or even interference from other energies (people, environments, situations etc). 5 Things you need to know about Energy Medicine: 1) Ease physical and emotional trauma All traumas we carry within the body whether emotionally, physically, or psychologically impact the overall functionality of our energy systems creating blockages which for good health and wellbeing require a constant state of flow and balance. 2) Help you achieve your goals and intentions Maintaining a higher vibrational state creates a more positive outlook on your way of thinking and being to motivate you in achieving your life goals. 3) Improves the body’s self-healing ability Energy healing modalities activate your body’s subtle energy system and rebalance your energy centres. By doing this you stimulate your physical body’s own inherent ability to heal. 4) No side effects or contraindications Clients experience a rebalancing process that may evoke some emotional or physical sensations that usually occurs when a deeply embedded trauma or attachment is finally released. Energy medicine also works in conjunction with all other medical or therapeutic techniques to relieve side effects and promote recovery. 5) It is available to everyone Everyone who is interested and willing to receive energy medicine can do so, you do not need to be spiritual or hypersensitive to energies to benefit from it. Some energy medicine modalities such as reiki treatments transcend time and space and therefore you do not even need to be in the same room. Whilst you can explore your own energy medicine practice at home through widely available online videos that guide deep breathing, meditation, or yoga to boost your vibrational energy you may also want to experience working with an Energy Healer for more in depth transformational shifts. Need help deciding on what energy medicine modality is suitable for you? Do some of your own research and then book in a consultation with an energy healing practitioner who can best thoroughly advise. About The Author Francesca Raffa is an accredited Reiki Master, Shamanic Practitioner and Feminine Embodiment Coach she guides women to awaken their undeveloped feminine, embody both their light and their dark in wholeness to break free from limitations and deep-rooted conditioning through intuitive body wisdom and energetic healing. Francesca brings a multi-dimensional approach to your transformational evolvement to live life authentically, fearlessly and free in alignment with your soul’s purpose. www.francescaraffa.com @francescaraffa

Passionate activist Sandy Abdelrahman is Co-Founder of Skaped, an artivist charity for young people in East London. Taking action on human rights at Skaped, Sandy also is an artist, filmmaker, creator, and graduate and also represented the UK as a Youth Delegate at the UN Headquarters in 2017. Go Inspire spoke to Sandy about her activism, and the amazing opportunities she’s experienced over the past few years. Go Inspire UK: Tell us about your career (Reprieve and Amnesty International) and education. (congratulations on your masters degree!) Sandy Abdelrahman: Thank you, it’s been tough doing it in lockdown, but I’m glad I did it. Well, where do I start? My career has actually been in the creative art sector. I graduated with a BA in media; afterwards, I worked as a trained filmmaker for a while, and now I’m a multidisciplinary artist. However, most of my work was inspired by people and politics, and this is where I found my passion lies; within art as a tool to create change in society; and being an activist at a young age, I was seeking another potential way to create change. I have been involved with charities such as Reprieve and Amnesty International, fighting for fundamental human rights issues and enabling voices to be heard, especially in the middle east. At this time, I became increasingly interested in utilizing art to educate young people about their human rights. I’m currently the CEO of Skaped; I deliver workshops/talks that explore inequality, social change and community issues through art. I also work with another amazing organization called Social Ark which empowers young people in East London communities to use their lived experience and start their own social businesses. GI: What about Skaped and The Other Checkbox - could you give us more information on them in particular? SA: Skaped is an Artivist charity that was co-founded in 2017; we encourage young people to engage with community building and social change through the creative arts. We run educational programmes, workshops and art projects that explore identities/intersectionality, community building, and social change issues that matter to them (such as gender inequality, discrimination, gentrification etc.). Skaped was co-founded by two young migrant women who use their lived experiences to inspire and empower under-represented youth to grow in confidence and be more able to create the change they want to see. We wanted to create something that didn't exist for us and be by and for young people for real. We have so far been doing amazing work with our young people and the community. SA: The Other Checkbox, on the other hand, is a very personal project, it's rooted in myself and JC's (co-creator) own lived experience as immigrants and members of the '‘Other'’ ethnic groups within the equality and diversity forms. The project explores this specific community, our sense of belonging, our identities and our commons rather than difference. We kicked the project off with a survey asking 100 individuals about their experience with the forms; we used the analysed data from the survey to create a monthly podcast where we interview individuals to explore representation in national statistics. Listen on Spotify now! And then, we introduced our collective community workshops, where together with participants who also feel '‘othered'’ explored identities, sense of belonging and representation through various creative activities and doll-making. We are creating a new community of ''otherness''. These artworks will be exhibited in a collective exhibition in the Bermondsey project space gallery in January. GI: What was it like representing the UK at the UN Youth Summit in 2017? SA: To be honest, I was very shocked to be selected as a youth delegate; I didn’t expect it at all, however, it was a very proud moment to be standing there representing young people from the UK and speaking about the work we need to do to support the future of young people. It was absolutely extraordinary. GI: Why do you choose art as a form to educate and document important topics? SA: Arts has always been there to document human rights violations, injustice, and inequality all over the world. I believe art is the best method to encourage conversation about human rights and promote the need to protect our rights. Creativity and arts are open to all regardless of background and class, imagination doesn’t need a guard, and can be accessed anywhere. I use arts as a method to express myself, when I first moved to the UK and was struggling to fit in, I found myself through the arts, in particular, I used drama to help me get out of my shell and express my emotions. By allowing people to express their pain and battle through creative arts you’re giving them a tool to speak and share their voice and that’s how we can endorse human rights. Arts can help you think about possibilities and that’s why I believe it’s the best way to promote our human rights. GI: Tell us about one of your favourite projects/pieces of art you have created? SA: Oh, this is hard as each project has a special place; however, it has to be 'Meet an Arab woman', which is a project inspired by the possibility of having an open-minded conversation with people on questions they want to ask or issues they want to address about being an Arab woman. This conversation was open to anything, from questions about our identity, culture, political correctness, and stereotypes to who makes the greatest falafel! It challenges preconceptions of women from the Middle East; I invited people to ask questions about what it is like to be an Arab woman and opened up a discussion via video call, then this information was transformed into a visual art project through zine-making. I wanted to be able to break the barrier and the presumptions people have about Arab Women which, unfortunately, they receive through the media; they are told we are weak, oppressed, controlled and so on. This is not to say that some of these issues are not true, some of us of course struggle with this. Yet, my aim of this project was to ask people to see us as individuals rather than as one general mass. We all have our own stories, struggles, and achievements and we should be able to speak about it and share it without presumptuous judgment. In this project, I wanted people not only to see me as an Arab woman but also to acknowledge the similarities we would have despite our different identities. GI: What made you want to start empowering young voices on topics such as racism and inequality? SA: This came from my own lived experience as a migrant kid and has really shaped who I am today and the work I want to do in empowering young voices. Moving to the UK in my early teen years was a massive step. I didn’t just struggle with the language but with fitting in, especially being the only Arab in the school. I came from a completely different culture, so trying to create a new home was a daily battle. However, this made me more determined to aim for the best for myself and my family. It made me realize the everyday struggles of migrants, people of colour, working class and what young people go through, and they don’t have a space to voice their feeling or worries. Seeing this made me want to create a space for that, allowing young people to talk, listen and learn from one another. To be able to create that community for them. GI: How do you think younger people could raise their voices - in big and small ways? SA: Young people are already doing it and raising their voices, especially on social media, it is the adult who needs to stop for a second and hear it. However, it’s important for the young people to do it in a way in which they feel comfortable and not pushed. Some young people might find themselves joining protests or maybe through signing petitions, others might be through the art and creativity enabling a way that they can still share their voice but still feel safe and comfortable. And that’s what is important understanding that everyone has their own journey and experience. GI: What would you say are some of the biggest topics you tackle in work, or day-to-day life? SA: One of the biggest topics we tackle in work is gender equality as a womxn led organisation there is still misogynistic approach to how some people approach us. However, one of the biggest day-to-day works is actually the importance of self-care, especially as a social justice organisation, we need to acknowledge how activism can be so triggering and tiring, we need to look after ourselves, team, volunteers and others in our community when we’re creating social change. We need to ensure we take time off when needed and not be apologetic about it, know our comfort, stretch and alarm zooms only then we can keep the creating changing without sacrificing our mental health and well-being. GI: Can you tell us about your workshops - where can people find out about them? SA: So, at Skaped we run various workshops from gender equality, introduction to artivism to self-care and exploring identities/self-worth; you can find most of our workshops and programmes on our website on Skaped.org. In terms of our community and belonging at The Other Checkbox, we run workshops that specifically explore these themes and otherness. GI: What are your upcoming ventures/goals - even thoughts for the future? SA: I’m currently running two exhibitions in January: one for Skaped Artivism programme for young people and another for the Other Checkbox collective exhibition both will be at the Bermondsey project space gallery. One of my future plans is to create a gallery/ creative space that is accessible to young people, particularly to those from tough backgrounds. While anyone can be an artist, it is difficult and expensive for many to fund and exhibit their work. For my own artwork, I was to challenge and push myself further. GI: What advice would you give to our readers who are furthering their education, activism or wanting to get involved in campaigns and workshops? SA: This is some advice I always say to young people, be yourself and stand-up for what you believe in. Surround yourself with people who will inspire you, support you, and give you positive energy. It’s ok to make mistakes and feel lost at times you’ll find your way if you stick to your values. Set yourself goals and tasks monthly to achieve these goals whether to read a book by your favourite activist or learn a new skill, whatever it is you set, you need to commit to it. skaped.org Instagram: @Skaped Photography by Laura Pink Article by Chelsea Abbott

Emma is a digital illustrator, empowering and inspiring through positive artworks. Go Inspire UK catch up with our incredibly talented cover artist. Go Inspire UK: We would love to know more about Pixels by Emma and what motivated you to start your journey? Pixels by Emma: Behind the account is me, Emma (she/her), a 27 year old woman originally from Hertfordshire. By day I work in CRM for a high street fashion retailer, by night I’m an illustrator talking about all things body positivity and women's issues. I’m a left wing, liberal, feminist, my personality type is INTJ (IYKYK) plus I’m an Aries… which I think says everything you need to know about me. I started Pixels by Emma during the pandemic, and like a lot of other people I was trying to be somewhat productive during a really really strange time… 2020 was a particularly difficult year for me (excluding Covid). I was made redundant from a job I loved, moved to a new area of the UK, had a few issues in my personal life and also made the difficult decision to be estranged from all of my maternal family. With all of the madness that was going on around me, I craved a creative outlet, so I started to teach myself illustration using Procreate. I had studied graphic design at University but never illustrating, so this was a completely new outlet for me. However, my journey with body positivity started before the pandemic. It actually started with the job I was made redundant from, I was employed to do social media and email marketing for a lingerie brand. Our main focus was lingerie for EVERY body. Body positivity was lived and breathed through everything we did, from internal meetings to our marketing campaigns. Not just an additional shot ticked off the list to make sure we look diverse. I even modelled in one of our Valentines campaigns (see image). As a size UK18 woman with tattoos this was honestly an amazing feeling, I had never felt more empowered. So through my artwork I want to recreate that feeling for others, because there is no right or wrong body type and I think it’s bizarre we would ever think that way. The things we have been taught to hate about ourselves are completely normal things that we shouldn’t be ashamed of… Who someone is or what they look like should never hold them back. That is my biggest drive in everything I create. GI: Your artwork promotes body positivity and empowering women, can you tell us about what these subjects mean to you as an Artist? PBE: In an ideal world I believe that body positivity shouldn’t exist… purely on the basis that a lot of the things we have been taught about our bodies by diet culture are wrong and have been created (usually by a man) to drive profit. Our bodies aren’t trends. You can make money without making people feel bad about themselves. I say usually by a man as when you look into who owns the biggest beauty and fashion companies - they’re almost always owned by men. We live in a patriarchal world and whilst we have made big strides, there is still a long way to go. By using my voice to speak out about what I believe is wrong I am hoping to educate others. I always try to remain authentic and speak from my own experiences whilst being inclusive of different people. Just knowing how I used to feel about my body and hoping I can change that for even just one other person. I have spoken about it in my stories before, but I lost a lot of weight back in 2018 which made me miserable, less confident and so unhappy… when everything in mainstream media and diet culture has led us to believe the opposite. I had disordered eating habits, plus my whole life revolved around food and my appearance. I did not see the issue until my best friend expressed her concerns. That was my turning point. Almost 5 years later and I can safely say that the best and happiest memories in my life had nothing to do with my appearance, weight or size. I’m a true believer that self acceptance starts with your mindset, not your appearance but I also know that it’s hard to separate the two. From posting about this a lot online I know that a lot of trolls believe that being ‘body positive’ means being anti health. I try to educate people that it’s actually pro health. You can be healthy at every size. There is scientific evidence which supports this idea. Plus being body positive doesn’t mean going on strike from fitness. Don’t get me wrong, I’m never going to love cardio (but who does… and isn’t lying) but my gym visits are no longer surrounded by how many calories I’m burning. I’m moving my body for me, to feel good, and to release those endorphins. As for my art, I love drawing the female body with all the lumps, bumps, acne, hair, stretch marks, dip hips, small boobs, big boobs, slim, fat, and more aka *ALL* body types because I believe there is beauty in what we have been taught to hate. My best friend (who I mentioned earlier) has always had the opposite body type to myself, but we both went through similar mental struggles driven by the people around us and the media. Even at school when we were 14 years old, we had the comments that we were ‘supersize and superskinny’ after that particular 00s TV show… I was a size UK8 at the time and I was being called supersized? It’s no wonder we struggled on into our early 20s as well. GI: You continue to authentically bring to life statements that challenge the status quo, who inspired you to have a strong female voice? PBE: I have always been an unreserved individual when it comes to the things I believe in… But I’m also a huge introvert, meaning I hate sharing photos of myself (my personal account is a ghost town) so I love that I can use my voice through art. My biggest inspiration has always been body positive influencers, it takes a lot of guts to put who you truly are out there and I’m in awe of so many of them. One of my favourite influencers when I started was Jess Megan (who unfortunately no longer posts). She had a no bull**** approach to body positivity and I loved that. To change the narrative you cannot sit back and do nothing. However, my biggest pet peeve are influencers who try gatekeeping body positivity for larger bodies only. I say this as a larger woman, the disrespect that slim people receive is equally as damaging. Big, small and everything in between, whatever your body type - we all deserve to feel empowered in our bodies. “Be the change you want to see in the world” is one of my favourite quotes, it resonates with me in all areas of my life - even beyond pixels. A few family members have had some opposing opinions on the topics I speak about, instead of getting angry and reacting emotionally - it’s important to educate. Not everyone will listen but even if we just educate ourselves, slowly others will follow. GI: What does self-love mean to you? PBE: My personal definition of self love is unconditional understanding. Knowing that even on your bad days that you are worthy of all the things in life. I still have bad body image days. I think it’s unrealistic to say you love yourself and your body 24/7 no matter who you are. However, the difference between 27 year old Emma and 21 year old Emma is how I react to the days I feel like this. Instead of falling back into disordered eating, I speak to myself with kindness and remember that my appearance has nothing to do with who I am as a person or what I deserve in life. But sometimes you just have to ride out the feeling, and to me that is what my art is all about. Learning how to speak to yourself with love and understanding even on the days you may not feel like loving yourself or even know how. GI: We’d love to hear more about the cover artwork and the words by Radhika Sanghani. PBE: I mentioned earlier that I believe that self acceptance starts with your mindset, not your appearance… Or mirror in this case. The power of our own thoughts is much greater than words spoken by anyone else. Which is why I love this quote from Radhika, teamed up with this illustration works perfectly. Radhika’s words to me are such a powerful manifestation which can mean something different depending on who the reader is. It could mean that you don’t need anyone to validate your decisions on clothing, career, hobbies, etc… you do them for yourself with your own blessing. Or it could be giving yourself the love you deserve and not expecting it, or even needing it from anyone else. I believe this strengthens relationships with others around us, because you’re not expecting anything from them - relationships aren’t meant to be transactional. PBE: I just wanted to add, thank you so much for asking me to be a part of this issue. Has felt like a pinch me moment! Images: Courtesy of Artist Instagram: @pixelsbyemma Shop: etsy.com/shop/pixelsbyemma Article by Laura Pink

SXOLLIE co-founder Laura Clacey is a strong creator, making cider fueled by trying new adventures. The brand represents the idea of a hustler, disrupter, and go-getter, and Go Inspire UK spoke to Laura about her motivations and inspirations. Go Inspire UK: What was the motivation around curating SXOLLIE Cider? LC: I often found myself staring at the bar not knowing what to order. Wine and G&T would be my first choice but are way more alcoholic than beer or cider. This can be dangerous as the rounds progress, and I just didn’t like the taste of cider. So, I thought, why not reinvent cider? I knew that South Africa has incredible fresh produce, and wanted to see if I could create a positive social and environmental impact by making a natural cider using no added crap, while creating employment and opportunities for people in rural South Africa. GI: What makes SXOLLIE cider stand out from other cider companies? LC: We are the only cider in the UK made from eating apples you know and love We are one of only a handful of ciders without bucket loads of added sugar We are the only UK cider company with B corp certification. We look and taste very different to other ciders in the UK (in that it actually tastes like the apple it’s made from!) GI: How has your business has grown since the start? LC: Gosh, so much this time last year we had 4 employees, we now have 13!!!! GI: Who do you want to inspire with your work? LC: I don’t feel like an inspiration - I’m just doing what I love and hoping to make a great tasting cider that people love. But if along the way young females decide to follow and set up alcohol brands, the world would be a better place!!! Also, if my team feels inspired to wake up every morning and be happy to come to work, all the better! GI: What would you say to any entrepreneurs - especially female entrepreneurs out there who want to start their business idea? LC: Hmm, a few things actually; To succeed you need to either have an idea that is totally unique, OR have an idea that exists already, but do it better. If you can’t do that you will get lost. What makes YOU the right person to make this happen? It’s much more work to run your own business than work for someone else, so if you are considering it because you want an easier life - then it’s not for you. LC: If you’ve thought about these three questions, and taken a hard (and objective) look at your idea, yourself, your motivation and skill set then just go for it and HUSTLE.HUSTLE.HUSTLE! GI: You talk about your life in South Africa a lot on social media - how has starting your business in South Africa affected your work life and the growth of your company? LC: Running an international business is never easy, there are additional supply chain challenges and sometimes not being able to speak to people face to face can be a challenge, but I am proud of our brand (and my) South African heritage. I don’t think it’s held us back, but rather made us unique. No British cider company can copy what we’ve done as the apples we use need sunshine to get that delicious sweet taste. That’s why we don’t need to add any sugar. So that’s our unique positioning which has enabled us to get listings that a small company our size should never have access to! GI: SXOLLIE cider focused on sustainability - what is that process like and how do you ensure your product is as sustainable as possible? LC: For us, sustainability is about much more than just carbon emissions. It’s about people, and the overall health of our planet. Cider as a beverage is the most sustainable beverage on the planet with regards to production, soil health etc. So from the start, I’ve only worked with sustainable suppliers who share our passion for sustainable produce. This extends to our apple farmers, our bottling plant, shipping solutions etc. Having a decade of experience in sustainability reporting and strategy implementation I was uniquely placed to assess our suppliers before using them. Some examples of how this then translates to making the world a better place include: We don’t add any sugar or crap to SXOLLIE. Sugar is one of the most opaque supply chains fraught with human rights issues and modern day slavery. Most UK ciders use loads of sugar (and not surprisingly - sugar doens’t grow in the UK - so where are they getting it from?) Our carbon emissions are lower than our competitors for a number of reasons: We don’t add any sugar - that sugar comes from all over the world. Also, the emissions and environmental damage caused in the sugar supply chain from deforestation to grow it, to the processing of sugar from essentially a grass, to little crystals is dirty and requires a LOT of processing. It’s horrific really. Our shipping emissions (which are offset) are the equivalent of driving 200KM in a truck. As our bottles are produced on-site at the bottling plant we eliminate about 10 trucks of bottles being moved across the country to other bottling sites. It’s about people too, we’ve created numerous jobs in South Africa within our supply chain. Jobs that didn’t exist before. We also hire young talent in the UK and provide training. Our team is really diverse too. I hope we’re creating a positive work culture too! GI: How have you cultivated your creative judgment into your brand? LC: I’m a very creative person - so I’ve tried to do everything differently from the look and feel of SXOLLIE compared to other ciders, to the way we execute marketing - our budgets are small, we need to be creative to get the same stand-out. GI: Can you tell us about the different flavours of SXOLLIE cider and why you decided to use these? LC: We use only single varietal eating apples. We have a naturally sweet Golden Delicious, which is stocked at Nando’s as well as Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and Morrisons. Our Granny Smith is more tart and stocked at Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons as we as on draught at over 60 pubs in London. Then our Cripps Pink is an in-betweener. It won best cider in the world a few years ago… that’s at Waitrose and Morrisons. These are all apples you know and love - so why not try them in a cider!! sxollie.com Instagram: @sxolliexider Photography by Laura Pink Styling/Direction by Marina Sardanopoli Fashion by Ilbou Article by Natasha Farwell

10,000 items of clothing are sent to landfill every five minutes – what can we do to reduce the impact? Fast fashion is cheap, ‘on brand’ clothing that is made quickly to meet demand. Fast fashion is on the rise as social media becomes more popular as fashion trends are created more often. Fast fashion contributes 8-10% of the world's global emissions according to the UN. As well as that brands use toxic dyes that pollute water and harm marine life. To keep the costs of the clothes down they are made abroad where there are less health and safety regulations. This causes dangerous environments for the workers. They are also paid very little as this helps to make the clothes cheaper. Fast fashion not only affects the environment, it's also causing a decline in local high streets. With the help of Covid more people started online shopping more. In January 2020 the proportion of sales online in the UK was 20%, compared to January 2021 when it was about 40% (Office for National Statistics). In January 2022 the proportions began to fall to just below 30% again. Due to this increase in online shopping and fast fashion many high street stores went into administration, such as; Debenhams and Topshop. Both of these retailers were purchased by online brands. Boohoo bought Debenhams and ASOS bought Topshop. However, because these are both strictly online brands they rarely ever keep any stores open of the high street retailers they buy. There are many ways you can spot a fast fashion brand; They sell thousands of styles. They have a short turnaround time between a trend starting and it hitting the shelves. They have a limited quantity of specific clothes to make shoppers buy them before it’s too late. The clothes are made using cheap materials e.g., polyester. To prevent purchasing fast fashion you can buy second hand, this reduces the amount of clothing waste going to landfill. You can also go into sustainable stores or local businesses to keep the high streets thriving. Another way you can help is by selling or donating any unwanted clothes instead of throwing them away. This way once you’ve had enough of a style someone else is able to love it. Finally, if everyone buys a little less clothing, we can help the environment so much. Research by Leeds University and Arup shows that buying a maximum of 8 items of clothing a year could reduce fashion emissions by 37% in the world’s major cities.

In an anonymous online survey I conducted on over 1,300 16-20 year old girls across the U.K, over 80% of them had been a victim of some form of sexual assault. Over 61% of these young girls, had experienced some form of assault during their school years. These shocking, yet relatively unsurprising set of statistics, formulate two key questions. Why are the statistics so high in schools? What needs to be done to prevent these incidents from happening? Before I begin thoroughly investigating this issue and what needs to change, here are some harrowing yet truthful answers to the questions posed. What would you consider to be sexual assault? Any inappropriate touching without consent An act that has taken place without consent Any sexual contact that is non-consensual What do you think can be done to raise awareness of sexual assault? Educating men Educate people on the mental impact sexual assault can have, both in the long term and short term Increased media attention ‘Girls are passive towards sexual assault as they accept it’- do you agree with this statement? Please explain your answer. I disagree, sometimes girls appear passive because they are afraid of telling someone or they don’t want to relive the trauma Not at all- it’s something women have had to deal with, they get told to change their behaviour when education towards men on the matter is little to none Yes, it’s been normalised within our society. The phrase “boys just being boys” is used as an acceptable excuse way too much Girls are just too scared to say the truth out of fear of judgement and the feeling of embarrassment It is evidentially clear from these few answers that the issue itself is largely the fault of society and the taught societal norms. It is, however, extremely important to recognise that not all men take advantage of women and men are also victims and survivors of unwanted sexual attention. Sexual assault is overall defined as “unwanted sexual activity, with perpetrators using force, making threats or taking advantage of victims not able to give consent”, according to the American Psychological Association. Whilst this is the standard definition, the survey brought to light people’s personal definitions. Majority of the answers given were of an extremely similar nature, including ‘anything that is sexual and unwanted’ as well as ‘anything that happens after someone says no’ and ‘the continuation of unwanted vulgar comments’. Despite both the personal and standard definitions being of a similar nature, the one thing that strikes up in every one of them is the idea of lack of consent. Having gone to an all girls school, the education we received surrounding consent was largely geared towards us learning to say no, in comparison to learning what no actually means. The education I received surrounding consent, led me to believe that in a mixed school or boys school, consent lessons would be geared towards teaching the importance of the word no. This anonymous study however, showed that in many U.K schools consent is often treated as a taboo subject, particularly in mixed schools. Many individuals stated how, in their schools, consent wasn’t being taught, and how this was one of the main issues as to why sexual assaults are allowed to occur. One person said ‘educate boys on the meaning of no', with another individual saying ‘the sex-ed curriculum needs to change and fast. The lack of education surrounding assault and consent is what’s causing so many girls to be too scared to speak up’. Arguably, the lack of education from a young age regarding the subject matter could be what is fuelling the increasing number of sexual attacks against individuals. With children attending school from the age of four in the U.K, it becomes the key place of learning and development. It is the setting in which children are taught right and wrong, and so a lack of education surrounding sexual assault and consent doesn’t allow for the issue to be solidified into an individual, and therefore makes the topic a taboo subject. High school students in the U.K spend an average of 714 hours in school per year. Whilst primary school is the place for initial development, high school often sees students settle into their innate selves, with their knowledge of right and wrong having already been developed. With this in mind, the lack of attention given to this issue during a pupils older years, again show that the fault in the education system could be a major contributing factor to the increasing number of sexual attacks. This is because students are not being taught the meaning of no in a sexual context. They are not being taught that pressurising someone into conducting a sexual act or receiving something unwanted in a sexual nature is sexual assault. They are also not being taught the damaging implications of the reality of sexual assault. For society to be able to progress positively, and for there to be a decrease in sexual assaults, the school curriculum must be altered in some way. Whether it’s ensuring that for at least one term a year, there are classes surrounding the consent, or that there are support networks that can be set up for sexual assault survivors, the school curriculum needs to reform to help lower the frightening statistics. Another solution that could help raise awareness to the issue is increased media attention, to both investigating the truth of assault as well as informing individuals of the penalties in place to help combat assault. With sexual assault awareness month being in April, you mainly see and read stories of that nature during this single month. Arguably however, despite it raising awareness of the issue, many of the stories are published to increase readership, as well as ensuring that the news organisation is kept relevant. Due to the media being a constant mass source of information for most people, the lack of stories across the year that investigate the truth behind sexual assault almost diminishes the severity of it. It almost presents sexual assault to only be relevant during the month of April. By alerting people to both the penalties (which need to be made stricter also) as well as how sexual assault experiences genuinely does damage people, the media could play a massive role in helping to also decrease these numbers. Damaging societal norms in my opinion however, is what has caused so many individuals to not speak out about their experiences, as well as creating a perceived passivity amongst women and young girls. In 2021, Rape Crisis England and Wales recorded that five out of six women who are raped do not report the event, alongside four out of five men who avoid doing the same. Over 40% of them found the incident to be embarrassing, with a further 38% saying that it would be humiliating to report it. Society has arguably taught women to become passive and suffer in silence, with the infamous “boys will be boys” statement being too easily used as an excuse. When I posed the statement ‘Girls are passive towards sexual assault as they accept it’ to the 1311 girls who took part in the survey, majority of them disagreed with the statement, yet recognised that society has taught them to be silenced. In other words, whilst they want to do something about it and express their opinions on the issue, they are subject to lack of societal interest on the matter, and therefore are unable to talk about it on a large platform where change can be forced. One girl said “many women I know including myself actively try to stop it progressing, but when you’re the weaker individual you end up giving up the fight”. Whilst many women “discuss sexual assault with anger and disgust”, it is often only to close friends or loved ones, as many “accept it as life” and “don’t want to cause a scene out of fear”. In recent years however, through the development and increased usage of social media platforms, the online community has served as a positive and safe place for women to express their experiences whilst acquiring support in the process. The MeToo movement, initially created by Tarana Burke, has successfully created an online platform, largely on Twitter, for sexual assault survivors to display their reality. This has resulted in a support community being built, as well as allowing women from all over the world to unite and raise awareness on this issue. Whilst it should be recognised that there is definitely an increased knowledge on sexual assault, there is not enough being done, regarding raising awareness of the after effects as well as educating pupils on the topic of consent. Additionally, societal norms have largely contributed to the rise in perceived passivity of girls. Not facing the topic of sexual assault without the damaging phrases such as “boys will be boys”, it almost teaches girls, particularly those of a younger and more impressionable age, that acts of assault should just be tolerated. This shouldn’t be the case. Whilst “boys will be boys”, girls should not have to walk out in fear of getting attacked and assaulted in some way. Women are not objects and should not be treated as such, and so society must learn to teach the reality of sexual assault, whilst also ensuring that there is adequate support for girls who may have experienced any form of assault. If you require support due to any of the issues raised in this piece, here are some people who may be able to help: Your local doctor Rape Crisis helpline: 08088029999 Women’s Aid NHS 111 Contraceptive Clinic

Writer, Stylist, Consultant and Public Speaker Aja Barber has been raising her voice about racism, sustainability in fashion and feminism. The hard-working activist has also recently published ‘Consumed’, her first book on modern-day fashion and its problems. Find out more in her interview with Go Inspire UK. Go Inspire UK: How did your writing career begin? Was it a natural path that followed your work as a fashion consultant? Aja Barber: I was not blessed with a straight forward path into writing. I was writing on social media for ten years (often for free) while working numerous jobs and eventually the topics I talk about (fashion, race, feminism) all took to the main stage. Sometimes you just have to wait for the moment. GI: Can you tell us about your first book, Consumed? AB: Consumed is a deep dive into understanding today's modern fashion industry and it's big problems. In Consumed I explain the history and the fashion industry's link to colonialism and in the second half we talk about us and how we participate. GI: How do you think we as individuals can take the steps to be more sustainable regarding our fashion choices? AB: The first thing I tell people is to slow down. We are all buying WAY too much clothing. And not wearing that which we already own and love. The second thing I tell people to do is figure out your personal style and what it is that you truly love. Notice neither of these tips involve buying new clothing. There's this misconception that participating in the sustainable fashion movement is all about buying the most expensive clothes. I want to fight that because ultimately it looks like buying less and wearing what you have. GI: Can you tell us about your Patreon? AB: My Patreon is a space where people who are interested in this topic can learn more daily. I discuss ethical fashion news, climate crisis (I try and host Zooms for Patreons with climate experts, in addition to giving out ethical fashion news) GI: How do you think individuals could recognise their own privileges and help others moving forwards? AB: Look at where you fall on the scale of things. Are you the citizen who buys 68 items of clothing a year? Maybe it's time to unpick that and find different ways to interact with the system of fashion. Start with reading Consumed :D GI: What has been your favourite project that you have been a part of and why? AB: I'm very proud of my book but also my capsule collection with Lora Gene. GI: What steps do you think bosses/companies can take to promote equality within the workplace? AB: Investigate whether or not your business has an ethnicity pay gap. Are you championing diversity in all the ways you wish to? GI: Why is it still important to promote intersectional feminism in modern society? AB: Oppression doesn't exist in a silo! Sometimes looking at multiple oppressions together can help to paint a better picture of what needs to be addressed and how we address it. GI: We’d love to know more about your capsule collection with Lora Gene. AB: Listen, you don't need new clothes. Many of us need to wear what we own. But when you DO need new clothes why not buy something ethical from a brand that champions size inclusion and treats its workers well? Starting this collaboration with Lora was about offering size-inclusive ethical clothing because many weren't doing that at the time. I wanted to create pieces that we also flexible for changing bodies. My pieces are probably the items I wear most in my wardrobe, to be honest. I love them to bits. And maybe you will too, but first, let's always wear what we have! www.ajabarber.com Instagram: @ajabarber Photography by Laura Pink Art Direction by Marina Sardanopoli By Scarlett Mullender

What is Disenfranchised Grief and could I be experiencing it? Any kind of loss can be extremely painful; however, some losses are (unfortunately) made to feel less significant than others by society in general. These lesser-acknowledged losses which do not get the same scale of attention or sympathy as other forms of loss are known as disenfranchised grief. This form of grief was coined by grief researcher Ken Doka in 1989, however, this term is still relatively unknown. Disenfranchised grief does not always occur when a death is involved; an end of a relationship that you weren’t expecting or those struggling with fertility often experience this type of grief. Doka introduced 3 different forms of disenfranchised grief: The relationship isn’t acknowledged, for example, an unborn baby that has been miscarried or terminated. The loss itself isn’t recognised, for example, someone grieving the loss of a relationship breakdown, such as the end of a romantic relationship or a friendship. It is often the case that losing a job isn’t recognised as a significant loss. The griever is not acknowledged. This may occur when someone is deemed ‘too young’ by others to comprehend the enormity of the loss, or an ex-partner or spouse of the deceased. When it comes to disenfranchised grief, people are refused the catharsis that shared or socially understood grief brings. This shared catharsis may come in the form of actions of love and kindness, such as friends and family calling to check in with you, sympathising with your loss and making themselves available to help you in your time of need. When society does not recognise your loss as significant, quite often you don’t receive the same attention or sympathy as others. If you have experienced a loss that you feel has not been fully recognised or understood by others, you may be experiencing a disenfranchised grief. Implications of disenfranchised grief: Loneliness and isolation When you are not met with the warmth and compassion you need and may have expected, and others do not show an understanding of what you are going through, immense feelings of loneliness and isolation can be evoked which in turn is likely to results in a considerable impact on your mental health. Questioning your own feelings It Is possible that, when those around you show no consideration or acknowledgement to the significance or enormity of your grief, you may start to question the legitimacy of your feelings and the right you have to grieve your loss. This is a similar feeling to that which occurs when someone feels ‘gaslighted’; you are left questioning yourself and may feel you are being unreasonable or overreacting, when, you are not. Depression It isn’t uncommon for those experiencing disenfranchised grief to begin to experience a profound low mood and fall into a ‘dark place’. These feelings can be frightening, especially when it seems they are not justified in the eyes of others. How to deal with disenfranchised grief? Acknowledge and validate your loss (even though others may not) Your loss is valid. Remind yourself you are entitled to feel what you feel, no matter how those around you may be reacting. Give yourself space You are entitled to grieve, so give yourself space and time to feel these difficult feelings. Educate friends and family It may be that those around you simply don’t understand the impact of your loss. It may help to educate people about disenfranchised grief (however don’t feel the need to ‘explain yourself’!). Speak to a professional Speaking to a qualified Counsellor or Psychotherapist can support you in processing the difficult feelings that are coming up for you within a safe a containing space. It may be a good idea to look for a therapist who has knowledge and understanding of this form of grief, enabling you to gain further insight into yourself and the reasons behind what you are experiencing.

Ella, founder of graphic design business Ella Grieves Designs, spoke to us about life after university in the corporate world, why 2021 was the year to start her new business, and her love for typography in this interview. The team at GoInspire adored Ella's work from the first look - including her typography on our cover and having the fantastic opportunity to speak to her about the beginnings of her business. GI: What made you break from the corporate world? What wasn’t working for you that is working for you now? How has it changed/improved your life? EG: It’s safe to say it was something I’d known I needed to do for a while. I joined a graduate level job after University because it seemed to be the right thing to do, looking back I didn’t really know any different. It wasn’t all bad and I genuinely did enjoy it for a little while, but once the reality of ‘this is it’ set in, it was hard to escape that mindset. I was feeling totally unfulfilled both mentally and creatively, which made me really unhappy. I felt trapped in this vicious cycle of working all week, wishing my days away, counting down the seconds until the weekend, being hungover when that time came, and then doing it all over again. The ‘Sunday Scaries’ became an obligatory norm where I’d spend most of the day feeling this awful dread in the pit of my stomach. Not to mention the impact it was having on my physical health too. I was drinking & smoking pretty much every day plus eating awfully. My skin suffered terribly because of these habits which further added to my unhappiness. Overall, as someone who thrives in creative space, being stuck at a desk doing the same thing over and over every day was mind-numbing and it was time to do something about it. It took me almost a year of contemplation to pluck up the courage and make the jump, but when I finally did, it was honestly the most liberating feeling I’ve ever experienced! I remember how I felt coming off of that phone call so vividly- pure relief! I moved back in with my parents, spent 6 months studying like I never have before, and launched my business in June 2021. Fast forward a year, and the difference to my life and headspace is monumental. I now live back in London with my partner and puppy and run my business from home. Since starting Ella Grieves Designs I’ve been featured and stocked in Stylist Magazine, had my work appear in a gallery in Amsterdam, advertised my business across the London Underground and most recently signed with my first in-store retailer! It really is amazing what can happen in a short amount of time and I do have to pinch myself when I think about how far I’ve come. I love my business and am proud of what I do. It’s given me the freedom, confidence, skills and knowledge to work when I want and on my terms. There’s also no stress over hierarchy, micromanagement, career progression, promotions- the options for me are endless and I’m it’s exciting to think about where I could be in 5/10 years from now. GI: Is there a message that you want to convey in your designs? EG: Although all of my designs are quite different from one another, I like to aim for positive, bold and uplifting themes throughout. If I had to choose an overall message, I’d say ‘Be yourself and have courage’ – these are the two important ingredients that go into Ella Grieves Designs. It took me a while to gain these aspects for myself- thinking about it now, perhaps portraying them through my work helped me get there! GI: What made you want to break away from traditional signwriting? EG: It was more to do with timing than anything. I finished University and immediately felt that pressure to go to London and get a job like most of my peers seemed to be doing. This was also something I fully wanted to do at the time. I’d always wanted to experience living and working in London as it’s my favourite place and I’ll never regret doing so. I was 22, didn’t want to settle back in the countryside with my family and so just took the first job that came along. I still live and work in London- it just so happens I’m doing something completely different to what I’d ever imagined doing- which turns out to be way more up my street! Furthermore, as much as I loved the traditional side of signwriting, I’d always had more of an interest in the graphics side of typography and feel like that’s where my more natural talent lies. Learning the Adobe Suite broadened my opportunities massively. I’ve still got a lot to learn but most of it comes as second nature to me now. GI: Do you try to keep elements of traditional signwriting in your work or do you prefer a clean break away from your past career? EG: I think it’s fair to say that if it wasn’t for my time in signwriting I probably wouldn’t be doing what I am today. The job was where I first discovered my love for lettering & typography- it’s quite niche and it’s likely I might not have come across it again. I also know that my style now is very different to what it was back then. Most Artists’ style will grow and adapt with time anyway, it’s all about getting to a point where you’ve realised what you’re best at and what you love doing the most! GI: What was it like setting up your own design business? Did you have a support network professionally or personally to help you through it? EG: To put it bluntly, setting up your own business has to be one of the most challenging things you’ll ever do. For those who have done it themselves, know that it isn’t just sitting down to make pretty pictures and upload them to your Instagram all day (oh how I wish!). That’s genuinely about 2% of what’s involved. Without exaggeration, in those early days of setting up before the launch, there weren’t many days that I didn’t think about throwing in the towel. It’s amazing how many things can go wrong. For example, my laptop completely died on me 2 weeks before the launch. Everything was backed up luckily, however it meant sending it in for repair for a week which was a huge setback. I remember my Mum reassuring me that this was all just a test and that’ll I’ll be better off in the long run by dealing with these issues now rather than later. She was so right! After a while I learnt that every problem has a solution, there was no point stressing, and to just take a step back and address the problem in a calm way. Furthermore, I am so lucky to have an amazing support network around me. My family and partner backed me 100% from day 1 and I wouldn’t be where I am now without their support. GI: Talk us through the process of getting the business off the ground, how did you take graphic design from bedroom to studio? EG: When I say I started from scratch, I really mean it. I literally didn’t even own a desk- I used a bar stool and the top of my dressing table to rest my laptop on! I remember opening Adobe Illustrator for the first time and feeling completely overwhelmed. How on earth was I going to teach myself the Adobe Suite when I barely knew how to work Photoshop? In situations like these, you’ve got to start somewhere. I think I bought a starter course on Skillshare (or something similar) for about £15, and learnt all of the basics over the next couple of weeks. I picked it up pretty easily and began to love the program soon after. Once I was relatively comfortable with the fundamentals, I realised the best way to learn was by just going for it- so I started designing. I’d already sketched out around 25 designs in my pad and set myself a challenge of getting them all into graphics within the next two months. At the start this was gruelling. It involved living in my dressing gown, 14 hour days and a tonne of mistakes, but eventually I got to know the program really well and that’s when designing became fun. To be honest at the start my designs were a bit rubbish, but with practice I got quite good and that’s when I came up with the idea for the Rainbow Postcode. After releasing that, I noticed momentum really pick up and that’s when Stylist Magazine got in touch to stock my prints. I’d bought a desk by this point and had moved into the study, I remember the carpet was always covered in prints, paper and packaging- but I made it work and it was brilliant! GI: Do you think it’s important to support other women in business? EG: Yes, yes and yes! At the beginning of my business journey, I used to spend a lot of time comparing myself to the other incredible women artists & business owners on my feed. It wasn’t a healthy attitude to have and it took me a little while to realise that. With time my perspective completely changed and I now know how important it is to do nothing but praise & uplift one another! So much so, I even created a limited edition print that focuses on this exact concept. Another obvious benefit is friendship! I’ve met some amazing women & fellow business owners on this journey and it’s so lovely to know you’ve got someone who completely understands how difficult small business life can be! GI: What are your main goals for Ella Grieves Designs? Where do you see yourself and the team in the next five years? EG: Where do I begin?! I think over the next year I’m going to focus on the more passive income side of things by gaining the smaller high street stockists- I’d love to have another 5 or 6 by this time next year. I have actually been selected to attend a big trade show that I’m thinking about going for in 2023, which could be a great opportunity to expose myself to buyers from an array of stores. 5 years down the line, the absolute GOAL would be to work with retailers such as John Lewis and Oliver Bonas. This is something that’s a little hard to comprehend at the moment, but then I also thought that about advertising on the London Underground, and that happened! You just honestly never ever know. Moreover, it would be amazing to eventually be able to expand the team and employ someone to help me with the admin side of things. This way, I can spend more time creating! Who knows how far off these things are for my business, but with time and hard work, I don’t see why they couldn’t someday. GI: What would you say to a young woman starting out in the graphic design industry trying to forge their own path? Is there anything you’d want to tell your younger self? EG: Firstly, it is definitely okay and normal to be absolutely terrified. It’s a tricky and competitive field to get into and you will naturally spend a lot of time comparing yourself to other designers. One quote that helped me get away from this is ‘comparison in the thief of joy’ by Theodore Roosevelt. This sums it up perfectly. Comparing ourselves completely takes away any approval of our own achievements- but why should we liken our stage one to somebody else’s stage 5? It’s easier said than done, but just try not to, spend that energy on building your own strengths, rather than focusing on others. Lastly, if I could tell my younger self one thing, it would be to stop worrying about absolutely everything. I used to stress and get myself worked up about the most insignificant uncertainties that in the grand scheme of things, did not matter even slightly. If only we all knew then what we know now! Thank you so much for making our amazing cover Ella! It was fantastic to speak with you! See Ella's work here: https://www.ellagrievesdesigns.co.uk/