an introduction from Sudeeksha, BODY TALK zine’s founder
how a young graduate launched a platform in the midst of a global pandemic that brought creatives around the world together to destigmatize mental health and redefine body image.
sandpaper kisses - a poem by Nicole garwe
writer and mxogyny editor, Nicole Garwe, explores the difficulties of healing after assault. she speaks from her own healing experience and from stories she has heard from the women around her. sandpaper kisses explores the idea that healing is never linear. the piece describes moments when familiar haunting memories return--greeting you without a trigger and without warning. moments you pick at like a scab, and moments where you are forced to relive your lack of power and voice.
from a fine art student to a Tamil - British photographer
in this piece, 'From a fine art student to a Tamil-British photographer', Mathushaa Sagthidas reflects on her creative journey as an artist but also as a young woman, trying to navigate her position in and outside of the creative industry as an Eelam Tamil. she reflects on unexpected hurdles she had to overcome to discover where her creative passions lie.
narture cic: an artist’s collective with a new way forward
Looking forward to a post-covid world, the Ayr-based arts collective, Narture, are working towards a project that aims to revive their historic market town through art, gastronomy and science. We caught up with one of their founders, Saskia, to chat about the motivations behind the project and how you can get involved.
elevating the work of East and Southeast Asian artists and makers in the UK: an interview with DontCallMeOriental
Don’t Call Me Oriental (DCMO) is a platform, shop and pop-up exhibition space that elevates the work of East and Southeat Asian (ESEA) artists and makers in the UK. deputy editor-in-chief Michelle Moira Mei Ling Firth speaks to founder and director of DCMO, Mildred Cheng, who shares her experience thus far in creating DCMO.
sexy
this fictional short story by Hollie Sherwood-Martin chronicles anxiety, harassment and intimidation of a young woman at a concert. the aim of the piece was to capture that ‘awful feeling of certainty, panic, and guilt’ shared by young women around the world when they find themselves alone, outside, at night. the story is paired with the writer’s own artwork.
creating a community space of solidarity and empowerment for East and Southeast Asians: an interview with racismunmasked
RacismUnmasked is a platform for raising awareness about racism against East And Southeast Asians (ESEA) in Edinburgh, offering a valuable space for the community to share their experiences, and find comfort, solidarity and empowerment in doing so. deputy editor-in-chief Michelle Moira Mei Ling Firth talks to members Feiya and Can about their work in the movement - about the importance of creating a community space for ESEA people in the UK; finding catharsis in shared experience and solidarity; as well as the challenges associated with activism.
freshly plucked fruit
in this poem, Aarti Mukhedkar takes back her power. the piece is about resilience, strength, resistance and fortitude. it is a reminder that your growth will replenish you. your roots are indestructible and unreachable.
the erasure of brown women from the body hair movement is nothing new, but this time we’ve had enough
writer and activist Henna Amin explores the erasure of brown women from the body hair movement, the aestheticisation and appropriation of BIPOC features by the beauty industry and the intersects of race and gender in regards to beauty standards. the piece is accompanied by a series of graphics by Sahar Ghorishi.
catharsis and, or as, art: how grief changed my relationship to art
deputy editor-in-chief Michelle Moira Mei Ling Firth reflects on her struggle to reconnect with art after painting her way through the initial months following her dad’s death. within, she discusses the tension between art as catharsis from trauma, and art becoming trauma, and how this changed her relationship to art. the piece was edited under the kind guidance of editor-in-chief Rachel Baker.
i really do have love to give – a photo essay exploring racialised ace identity, by audrey chan
“i thought there was something deeply wrong with me.” in this photo essay on asexuality, audrey chan dives into the performativity of compulsory sexuality, the possibility of love and attraction beyond sexual relations, and the unspoken discomforts that exist in between. the photo essay is accompanied by an interview between audrey and deputy editor-in-chief michelle moira mei ling firth.
to my fifteen-year-old self - a letter by Ellie Jeans for eating disorder awareness week
in this letter to her fifteen-year-old self, twenty-one-year-old Ellie Jeans reflects on her gradual recovery from bulimia: on the micro-victories and the failures in-between; to let her know that recovery, though a long and tumultuous process, is worth the wait. the article is accompanied by an illustration by Alex Skyrme.
get to know: TintED
as remote learning continues to be the norm, we caught up with TintED magazine on how they are creating a community online, committed to elevating BAME voices on Edinburgh University’s campus.
an interview with three pound coin
mxogyny content editor Debbie Shamir chats to co-founder and artistic director, Ben Fleming and co-founder and co-executive producer, Doug Stephenson about their new theatre company, Three Pound Coin, and their motivations for creating this new platform.
another (Chinese) new year - an illustration series by Cherie Chun
in this series, Another (Chinese) New Year, Cherie Chun reflects on the dawn of a new year in the COVID-19 pandemic. she hopes that with this series, people will be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel. she speaks to Michelle, deputy Editor-in-Chief about the subdued festivities, the cultural influences in her work, and her practice as an artist and fashion designer.
featured artist: robbie masters
in light of the release of their new digital comic, A Void, we catch up with Robbie Masters on their inspirations as an artist and why they have produced this unique piece of work.
focus
in this poem, Seraphina Adebayo describes the strain of what another lockdown can do to the human spirit. there are undertones of torment and frustration in the mind and the body. but as the poem goes on, these are only temporary states of emotions. there is a glimpse of positivity in the hopes it reflects the rest of the year. the poem is accompanied by a graphic by Lunares Alethia.
review of resistance and hope, edited by alice wong
reviewing Resistance and Hope, an essay collection about disability justice in the wake of Trump’s election to the US presidency, Mia Nicole Davies examines how resistance and hope have helped the disabled community fight, survive, and thrive over the past four years, and how vital it is that they continue to do so.
2020 in film
editor-in-chief Rachel Baker runs us through her favourite films this year, celebrating the way that our screen habits have shifted in this unprecedented year for the creative industries.
naked attraction: can a show centred on objectification be empowering?
Juliette Grossman explores the portrayal of nudity on Channel 4’s controversial, yet oddly mesmerizing, Naked Attraction which claims to "start where a good date often ends - naked.”