Photo by Caleb Woods on Unsplash

Doom scrolling through TikTok, Instagram or whichever social media platform fills your evenings, it is hard to ignore the constant stream of influencer promotions flooding our screens. From luxurious brand trips to lavish launch parties and towering billboards, influencers have become some of the most powerful figures in the beauty industry, holding enormous influence over audiences and markets alike. But beneath the glossy packaging and carefully curated routines, lies a less comfortable truth. Many brands and influencers are profiting directly from our insecurities.

There is a particular confidence that comes with claiming to protect someone. It places you on the side of the righteous, the reasonable, the good. When men take to the streets to declare themselves the protectors of women, it is worth asking what kind of danger they believe they are responding to. The answer is rarely subtle. Migrants, strangers, outsiders. Yet the violence women experience does not usually come from the figures being named on those signs.

Three days ago, on October 15th, Victoria’s Secret made its long-awaited return to the runway. Broadcasted live from Brooklyn, New York City and watched by millions around the world. The show drew in over 10 million viewers within hours—a staggering number for a brand many had written off as a relic from a bygone era. But the moment the wings hit the stage, so did the debate. X (formerly Twitter) split in two: some viewers applauded what they saw as a modern, more inclusive comeback, while others dismissed the show as the same old fantasy, with a new shiny marketing strategy of so-called 'empowerment'.

Across the globe, birth rates are falling fast. We are living through an era of political pronatalism; several national campaigns can be seen urging families to have more children. However, members of the public seem unaffected by the push for the pro-birth initiatives. Current parents have raised long-term concerns, like economic and social realities that are affecting the size of families and quietly reshaping the future of parenthood.

In an era when global crises unfold live on our phone screens, the outdated notion that politics belongs solely within government chambers is rapidly losing ground. Politics is no longer confined to parliaments or press conferences. It is now showing up on stages, in galleries, and on runways. The impulse to separate it from culture has not only become impractical, but is also now out of place in the society we live in. Spaces once seen as neutral or untouched by politics are being reclaimed as places of protest, solidarity, and public reckoning.

Chris Brown is currently performing nine shows across the UK, including not one, but two sold-out shows this month. Both Saturday the 21st and Sunday the 22nd of June, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was filled with excited fans who delved into their pockets to watch the notoriously known women abuser perform live. Why do we keep letting men like Chris Brown thrive?

Gender inequality remains a persistent issue in sport, and the media plays a significant role in reinforcing that imbalance. While women’s sports have gained visibility over recent years, much of the coverage continues to focus on athletes’ bodies, appearances, or personal lives, rather than their athletic achievements.

In 2025, Afghan women face intensifying poverty and oppression under Taliban rule. As the country’s economy crumbles and aid dries up, survival, not freedom, defines daily life for millions of women and girls.