Have you ever said a word over and over and over again, until it begins to sound weird, almost as if it is no longer a word and is now something altogether different? Just a noise that your mouth is making, devoid of any meaning, at least that your brain can work out. That phenomenon,…
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Look Back 2020
Coronavirus restrictions have been in place now, in some form, for more than nine months, with the UK going into its first lockdown on March 23rd. 2020 was a year defined by the global pandemic, with the World Health Organization (WHO) first announcing the outbreak of the virus last January. The decade also started with…
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Race in TV adaptations
Adapting a popular book or comic into a TV series is always a tricky task. People become attached to the characters as they envision them to be, so when a TV show alters a character, it’ll never please everybody. Film companies in recent years have made efforts to diversify their productions. One way in which…
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Hamilton: Race, Disney Plus and the arts
Since its debut in 2015, Hamilton has become a Broadway sensation, and its release on Disney Plus means it’s now available for more than just those who can afford a ticket. Chronicling the life of one of America’s founding fathers, Alexander Hamilton, the musical has been praised for its racial inclusion. It has a diverse…
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Does the fantasy genre often focus solely around Western culture and ideals?
The fantasy genre is incredibly broad, fitting many RPGs. but also occasionally platformers, visual novels, and point and click adventure games. It is noteworthy that even in JRPGs – a confusing term referring to both Japanese RPGs and RPGs with certain gameplay elements – a European, medieval aesthetic is common. This is most clear in…
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Diversity in Disney animation
Research shows that children develop a racial bias from as young as five years old. Professor Jennifer Steele conducted a study of this behaviour and concluded: “when we ask children to categorise by race, both younger [5-8 year olds] and older White children [9-12 year olds] show a pro-White bias”. This research bears witness to…
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A sign of the ages: Pieces of a Man
Gil Scott-Heron’s 1971 timeless debut album, Pieces of a Man, is a staple of powerful genius, a commentary that still proves as relevant almost fifty years on from its release. Scott-Heron’s statement of well-crafted intellect was built on a recipe of jazz, soul, funk and spoken-word that ultimately gave him the alias ‘The Godfather of…
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The Bigger Picture: Lil Baby’s protest song is an early contender for song of the year
Atlanta rapper Lil Baby is one of the most prominent artists in popular trap music, receiving a Grammy nomination in 2019 for the hit single ‘Drip Too Hard’ alongside his frequent collaborator Gunna. His album My Turn, released this year, is one of the highest selling of the year, but it’s a single, separate from…
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Pose FX: intersectionality in race
The first episode of Pose FX opens on a disco ball; we see a New York apartment filled with gorgeous guys and girls. While Pose is indeed a show filled with fun and glamour, it also deals with heavy themes. All the girls in the apartment are trans women and are either Black or Afro-Latina….
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