Some Thoughts

I've been meaning to make a YouTube video about this for a while now but I'm yet to do so, therefore I am going to try to express this in writing. (Which is also sometimes easier!)

Due to recent world affairs, discussion of racism, discrimination and equality has become a very common. 

In school we have had assemblies and watched videos on these issues and it has really got me thinking about where I stand with it. 

It really frustrates me when I see people sharing blatantly racist posts and photos that are supposedly supporting 'British Pride'. 

What does it really mean to be British? 

I think that the answer to that question has no solid answer. Each person who considers themselves British has a reason behind it, whether you were born here or whether you are now a citizen here, everyone has their own reason. 

However, discrimination stretches further than racism. 

People are discriminated against because of their race, their sexuality, their religion, their weight, their job, their class, their interests, their clothes, their gender, their age. The list goes on. 

Society has created so many different categories for people and so many different labels that it is almost impossible not to be associated with a stereotype in one way or another. 

Why should a person be defined by a stereotype that society has created for them? 

I watched a video the other day of a TED talk by an amazing woman that has made me think a lot. 

She spoke about 'unconscious biases' and how without even thinking we assume things about people with no proper reasoning to just because of what we know about their race, religion, gender or sexuality.

We judge people based on their labels, without even speaking to them. 

We develop preconceived ideas of people just by the stereotype associated with the label society has given them.

Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs, interests, opinions and ways of life. 

What gives anyone the right to get in the way of that? 

People shouldn't be defined by their 'labels'.

Just because I like watching Pretty Little Liars doesn't mean I have an identical personality to everyone else who likes it too.

Just because I like pizza doesn't mean I'm exactly the same as everyone else who likes pizza. 

Just because I like listening to Bring Me The Horizon every now and again doesn't mean I'm their biggest fan and that's all I listen to. 

So why should people with certain beliefs, interests and ways of life be automatically generalised to fit the stereotype of what you've heard about other people with the same beliefs, interests and ways of life. 

As soon as people are put into categories, there will be conflict. 

Let's remove the labels.

Let's try and take people for who they are rather than who we think they are. 

Just a thought. 

'til next time, 

Hannah xo

Here's a link to the TED talk I watched : What does my headscarf mean to you?

Body Shaming

This week I've been thinking about something that has been very apparent in the media recently.

The concept of people 'shaming' each other for being a certain shape or size is something that I haven't ever understood.

I was motivated to write this post after seeing this photo on my Facebook news feed last night:

A number of my Facebook friends were also expressing their confusion and dislike for these kind of photos that are covering social media.

In my opinion there is no figure that should be percived to be more or less desireable than another.

Surely it is up to the individual how they look, and equally up to the individual who they find attractive.

To teach young girls that there is a specific body shape that is universally desired is not only a lie, but ultimately leads to dissatisfaction with their own bodies.

As well as creating a generation of girls who are filled with self doubt and low self-esteem, these kinds of photos also create expectations of what should be found attractive and desireable within society.

I obviously am not trying to promote clinical obesity and being severely underweight, but I also feel that these two scenarios should be completely detached from this issue. Body shapes and sizes due to medical conditions are not what is being discussed under the title of 'body shaming'.

From what I've watched and read 'body shaming' concerns people 'shaming' those of a particular size.

For example, people who are naturally slim being 'shamed' for being 'too thin' and undesirable to men as presented in the photo above. Or alternatively, those who are considered slightly overweight being 'shamed' for being 'fat' and again, undesirable to men.

It almost seems that body shaming occurs mainly on the basis of what is attractive to men?!

 What happened to girl power?

It angers me that there are even categories for body shapes and sizes. People's weights shouldn't be relevant outside of a medical context.

The fact that women are categorising each other and promoting 'shaming' between categories is something that I don't think I'll ever understand.

After speaking to some male friends it is apparent that body shaming does occur between males as well as females. Men have an ideal that they feel they should be to be at their upmost desirable. However this is less apparent in the media than the shaming between females.

I've been thinking about this recently because of the surplus of tweets, photos and statuses I have seen relating to this kind of thing.

Don't even get me started on that 'Don't Judge Challenge' phase. What even was that. 

By sharing these photos you are encouraging the spread of such a harmful message that plants ideas of ideals.

Be part of the fight against body shaming.

We should be trying to promote self confidence to everyone, not just a certain 'category'.

Social media is such a powerful tool, use it wisely.

Think before you share.

Think about the message you're sharing.

'til next time

Hannah xo

Documentaries

I have recently stumbled into the life consuming world of Netflix. 

And I have to admit...I love it. 

Aside from binging on Pretty Little Liars, American Horror Story and Orange Is The New Black, I have also found myself spending hours watching various documentaries. 

I know this might sound boring, but I can assure you it's not. 

I've recently watched Billie JD Porter's series of documentaries on BBC Three about China. By sitting, on my sofa with a cup of tea and a ridiculous amount of popcorn I have managed to educate myself on current issues and culture across China. Got your interest yet? 

My point is, that if you are interested in the world, there are more ways of finding out about it than watching the news and reading the papers. There are so many documentaries around exploring alternative and edgy topics that you didn't even know existed. 

Netflix allows me to watch documentaries by one of my favourite journalists, Louis Theroux. 

He is one of my favourites not only because of his entertaining presentation and likeable character, but also because of the way he takes risks to explore issues and lifestyles. 

Through watching these programs I have developed an opinion on things. I've started asking questions and researching things that I never would've even considered before. 

Should killer whales be kept in captivity and used for our entertainment?

Just how much is happening to stop the ever growing drug war?

Can severe poverty be eliminated?

How much do we really know? 

What I'm really trying to say is, when you're sat with nothing to do, find something to watch. 

• BBC iPlayer
• All 4
• iTV Player
• Netflix

You might discover something that takes your interest! 

Or you might just go back to watching Dexter. 

Just a thought!

'til next time

Hannah xo