The Spill

09/07/2024

"As a BIPOC psychotherapist, the frustration of witnessing mental health professionals, with huge platforms, choosing to remain silent on current social issues and injustices is profoundly disheartening 😒.

Mental health work is ☝🏽inherently interconnected with understanding the pervasive impact of oppressive systems on individuals’ well-being, particularly for marginalized communities. [...]"

📷✍️ .poc.therapist

20/06/2024

Refugee is a circumstance, not an identity.

📷

10/04/2024

Eid Mubarak

📷 .visuals

02/04/2024

Some thoughts on radical joy:

🖤The Revolution I seek is nurtured by joy, love and humanity.

🖤Carry your joy to the revolution.

🖤”Hard times require furious dancing. Each of us is proof.” - Alice Walker

🖤Affirmation: I allow my joy to revitalize me.

📷✍️

27/03/2024

No further comment.

✍️📷

21/03/2024

Did you know that 41% of the names of the babies born in England and Wales were ‘typos’? The shocking revelation was made this week by ‘I am not a typo’ (IANAT), a new campaign calling on tech giants to “correct autocorrect and spell-check spell-check”.

This isn’t the first time autocorrect is used in creative campaigns advocating for social change. Last year, the ‘Autocorrected Pay Gap’ national campaign run by not-for-profit used real autocorrect cases on people’s names to highlight subconscious bias, linking it to the pay gap between ethnicities and highlighting the dangers of misidentification and the sense of exclusion it triggered for individuals with diverse names.

Has your names ever been impacted? Tell us in the comments.

🔗 Find out more in our latest article: 'I am not a typo’ Campaign Challenges Tech Giants to Update Harmful Systems to Reflect our Multicultural Society. (Culture)
🔊Available in

* The I Am Not A Typo (IANAT) campaign and open letter can be found on https://www.iamnotatypo.org/

05/03/2024

On Wednesday, lawmakers stormed out of parliament with tensions rising to an all-time high among Britain’s three major political parties, after they attempted to outmanoeuvre each other over a vote on a Gaza ceasefire. That day was aptly called “the day British democracy failed” by The Guardian. Britain as a democracy is not only failing us voters, it’s also failing the thousands of Palestinians trapped under Israeli bombs, and it should be ashamed of itself.

This week’s uproar in parliament stemmed from Speaker Lindsay Hoyle's decision to allow a vote, breaking precedent, that would aid Labour in avoiding a rebellion over their stance on the “Israel-Hamas war”, the British mainstream media’s name for Israel’s mass ethnic cleansing in Palestine. Lawmakers protested, and some even attempted private proceedings, which rarely happens. Even though Hoyle apologised, using concerns over lawmakers' security as an excuse for this chaos, these actions ultimately lead us to a constitutional crisis while the clock continues to desperately tick for Palestinians. As I write these words, every single child in Gaza is forced to starve by the Israeli regime.

This is an extract of the article 'Over 30,000 Palestinian People Were Killed by Israeli Forcecs Since Last October, and We Can't Overlook the UK's Complicity'. Read the rest of the article online, in our Politics section.

📷 credit: Alisdare Hickson on Flickr
🔗 https://www.thespillmag.com/article/over-30-000-palestinian-people-were-killed-by-israeli-forces-since-last-october-and-we-cant-overlook-the-uks-complicity/
✍️ Jennifer Hakim ()
🔊 Available in .

27/02/2024

The pages of a good book can be a welcome escape from the world’s complexities, or the means of engaging with them.

The Spill reading list for 2024 is finally here! We selected 6 books we're excited to read this year.

📕 Not the End of the World, by Hannah Ritchie
📘 Mongrel, by Hanako Footman
📗 My Brother, My Land: A story from Palestine, by Sami Hermez, with Sireen Sawalha
📕 Women of Good Fortune, by Sophie Wan
📘 Where Sleeping Girls Lie, by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
📗 No Son of Mine, by Jonathan Corcoran

What's on your list??? We want to know 😊 👇🏼

22/02/2024

Protect them ❤️

📷 ⚡

01/02/2024

As two boys float together on the Dead Sea, they enter a poetic dream realm connected to the spirit of the Palestinian people.

📽 Salt

From the Poetic License series on
🔗 https://www.google.com/amp/amp.nowness.com/story/salt

Writer & Director: Mateusz Miszczynski
Cinematographer: Jakub Stoszek
Starring: Qais Abweh & Firas Abu Haith

18/12/2023

It's not over.

Today marks another global strike for Pvlest.nians. If you can, don't go to work, protest, don't spend any money and/or flood your social platforms to show your support.

We'll be back in 2024 with some updates. Until then don't give up.

Continue to fight, use your words, your voice and money towards causes worth your time, energy and yes, money. We sure will spend more wisely moving forward.

See you all in January!
Take good care until then ❤️🍉

18/10/2023

Repost from

15/10/2023

Repost from Here’s to liberation and here’s to peace ❤️‍🩹

19/09/2023

Is it fair to say that the fashion industry is evolving towards a greener future?

According to , the rental model generated a whopping $5.87 billion last year and is projected to soar to $7.5 billion by 2026. This isn't just a trend; it's a solution to combat declining sales.

Globally, clothing production has doubled in the past 15 years, while the lifespan of a typical garment has plummeted by 40% (). We're buying more and tossing clothes aside faster than ever. That's where renting steps in as a sustainable antidote.

🌟 However, the key lies in designing clothing rental models with the environment in mind, not just as a profit source for companies.

🔗Find out more in our article by Sohel Sarkar: Report: Are Clothing Rentals Good News for a Warming Planet?
👁🗣Available in audio and easy read, as usual!

21/07/2023

We know it's Friday, and Fridays usually call for lighter content but life doesn't get lighter for some people around the world, and this illustration from .zerrouki is a good representation of how most politicians, grand leaders and institutions are treating people of colour.

Yes to refugees
Yes to migrants
Yes to freedom
Yes to respect
Yes to safety
We deserve it all, regardless of the colour of our skin.

📷 .zerrouki

07/07/2023

Inaccessibility Crushes Community Pride 🌈 For Disabled People

Another Pride has come and gone, celebrating the existence of q***r people around the world. But, sadly, disabled LGBTQ+ individuals continue to be left out of community spaces and events. Inaccessible venues, lack of disabled toilets ♿️, and absence of quiet spaces for neurodivergent individuals are just some ways our sub-community is excluded from q***r spaces.

Inaccessibility crushes the LGBTQ+ community spirit, and it's time to change that. We need to prioritise accessibility and inclusion in all events, from Pride parades to clubs and online gatherings. Everyone deserves the chance to celebrate their identity without barriers.

🌍 It's important to raise awareness and build a more inclusive community. By amplifying the voices of disabled LGBTQ+ individuals, demanding accessible venues, and supporting organisations like Brownton Abbey, Q***r, and Regard, we can create real change.

🤝Non-disabled and disabled q***r folks alike, it's time to come together, engage in these events, and ensure their continuance in the future. Let's make accessibility the norm, not the exception.

📣 We are all part of one umbrella, and it's crucial for Pride events to make essential changes to help include disabled people. Pride needs to bring the community together and leave no one behind.

+ ***rCommunity

20/06/2023

Let this be a reminder to anyone judging you on who you are and where you are from.

Repost from :

“Our immigration stories do not start with us, but with our ancestors and the generations behind us,” writes for .

‘No matter how small or great the migration – whether it’s one city to another – or how many generations ago – it could have been your ancestors from centuries ago, or your parents – everyone has a story of migration which has shaped who you are today.’

In ’s latest initiative inspired by our incredible Guest Writer, , the team invites you to tell your story and help send a message to those fleeing their homes around the world that they are not alone.

You can write your story, sing it, film it, speak it, or draw it. To tell your story is to send a message of compassion. 🧡

📖: Read Miguel’s full written piece via which is all about shifting narratives and removing ‘illegal’ from the word immigrant.

02/05/2023

The kind of Met Gala we'd be behind 👀

📷

Photographer:
Model:
Hair:
Makeup:
Styling:

29/04/2023

Did you know that 44% of people have had their names mispronounced in an interview? 🤯

This small but impactful detail can make people feel like an “other” and disregarded. That’s why we spoke to Dr. Praveen Shanbhag, Founder & CEO of Namecoach, an AI-powered solution that helps with name mispronunciation and gender pronoun communication in the workplace and beyond.

Learn more about Namecoach’s mission to promote diversity, equity and inclusion in our interview with Dr. Shanbhag: https://www.thespillmag.com/articles/%E2%80%9Cpronouncing-someone%E2%80%99s-name-correctly-is-the-first-step-in-showing-that-you-respect-them%E2%80%9D%3A-an-interview-with-dr.-praveen-shanbhag%2C-founder-and-ceo-of-namecoach

Meet the AI-powered company on a mission to solve the common problem of name mispronunciation and gender pronoun communication in the workplace and beyond

10/03/2023

"The mainstream media tend to create mass hysteria when a woman goes missing. Speculation occurs on social networks, sometimes accusing those around her, seemingly forgetting that a real person is missing."

That's the reality that endure many women, especially in Britain today, and the fact that we are seeing gaining further influence online is a real concern for all women everywhere. When is coupled with power and influence at large scale, it only takes away from women and girls around the world from feeling safe mentally and physically.

And the fact that some media help amplify those toxic and dangerous narratives by deflecting and making fun of women's painful stories and experiences only add fuel to what is clearly a wildfire.

As shared with us in this article, "Britain’s underlying problem is that it treats misogyny as merely an opinion, and not what kills women. It has become mere entertainment with controversy at its centre, while muffling the screams of millions of women worldwide."

🔗 Access the article: Women Are Celebrated This Month, but the Media Has Turned Their Suffering Into a Spectacle, online.

✨️ Available in and .

14/02/2023

It's the day of all things romance, of chocolate-dipped strawberries and champagne, teddy bears and cheeky Nando's dates. Also the perfect time to stay in, experiment, and treat yourself (or your lover, if they're lucky) with the **oy of your dreams.

We've selected our faves to give you some ideas. The cherry on top: they're all ! Let's get to it, shall we? 😏

Happy , whether you're in a loving relationship with your other half or yourself ❤️

10/02/2023

2023 is kicking off with some bangers, including the dark-pop anthem “X”, the latest single from New York-based Alexis Lucena, also known as LEXXE.

Pairing swirling with raw, diaristic lyricism, the professionally trained ballerina turned chanteuse has created a song that is euphoric and emotional all at once.

A heartwarming tale of . “X” holds a very special meaning, as an ode to her father, Xavier (X), who passed away 20 years ago.

The non-traditional release date of the track on Sunday, January 29th was her late father's birthday.

📷 LEXXE]
🔊LEXXE]
✍️ The Spill
🔗 Read the full story in our Arts section

03/02/2023

"The NHS holds a constant place in our news cycles, Twitter feeds, and across all spectrums of political agendas. The attacks against it are endless, with headlines branding it an institution ‘on its knees’ and failing all of us, without providing much nuance on the reasons behind its chronic underfunding – but my desire to defend it has never been stronger.

Hardly a week goes by without different factions of the NHS staff having their professionalism criticised by ministers and the mainstream media fulfilling their agenda. GPs are held responsible for increasing A&E waiting times, while nurses are blamed for ignoring sick and helpless patients. The same nurses who are undermined as they exercise their right to strike for better working conditions, and told by cabinet ministers that they’re “helping Vladimir Putin” in his assault on Ukraine by demanding a pay rise.

What is scarcely reported by mainstream media outlets is how their pay has been frozen for years. Meanwhile, the cost-of-living crisis and inflation are decimating wages in real time, and corporations’ profits are increasing."

In this new piece, Beauty Dhlamini explores how is the root of the ongoing crisis at the NHS, and how instead of blaming the problems on the workers, politics should focus on helping the NHS turn things around. As strikes take over the country, its time for the government to re-evaluate its priorities and help do their jobs in decent conditions.
#

17/01/2023

How often have you found yourself using words that didn't quite transcribe what you had in mind?

Think of words people use on a regular basis and have become part of our , such as , , , and so on.

How many of these words are accurate representations of the situation or environnement you're taking about? How many of these words have the opposite effect of what you're trying to share?

The idea is not to consider everything as obsolete or negative but reconsider our approach to language in a factual and historical context, and aim to make conscious efforts to speak with a more and accurate language.

So we ask you. How do you keep up with the ? How do you make sure what you write or talk about is not having the opposite effect of what you initially wanted to share?

We are here to learn. Let's learn together ❤️

Post inspired by ' words, and previous article from .gorrab on the power of words (available online at thespillmag.com/self)

13/01/2023

Despite that the disabled community makes up 22% of the UK population, there is still today a great gap in presenting them accurately.

Somehow, when we read, listen or watch stories about people with disabilities, it's almost always through the lens of inspiration to others, struggle and/or pain. But being disabled doesn't always mean any of this. There is also happiness and joy - but somehow there's less visibility over these stories, and it's time to change the narrative.

In this article, Elspeth Wilson addresses that very specific point and why it's important to diversify these stories and give disabled people the opportunity to talk about their experiences in whichever way they feel is most representative of their experience. Whether it's about joy or struggle.

✨️ Find out more online
✨️ Available in and (as usual)

Let us know your thoughts on the topic 👇🏼

09/01/2023

It's been quite the break, and while it's hard to believe that we crossed another year off, we are glad to be back and continue our work with our wonderful community.

So per the usual, we wanted to share a few personal words on our journey and how we're starting 2023.

And you.

✨️What's your plan for 2023?
✨️What would you like us to cover more this year?

Let us know in the comments. We're here for you 💫

19/12/2022

"Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I'm wise, so I am changing myself." RUMI

We are taking some time off to rest, reflect and come back stronger in 2023.

Make sure you take some time for yourself between work commitmemts, friends celebrations, and family reunions - your body and mind will thank you for it.

If you're spending this end of year alone, just keep in mind that being alone doesnt always rhyme with loneliness, and it can be a great opportunity to be totally self-centered. No shame here.

Thank you for the continuous support this year, and see you all in January 2023.

14/12/2022

What does self-love love mean to you?

One's pleasure is a unique experience that can't be compared to someone else's, and is not always 'sexual' to the strict sense of the term. But in that instance, Shems Rocha tells us how she reclaimed her body and sexuality.

Find out more online thespillmag.com/self

12/12/2022

Words of wisdom today 🙏🏼

Posted •

07/12/2022

And another year almost wrapped with our content available on .fm

In a few words:

✨️We've travelled a lot. Hello to our international audience 🖐🏼

✨️ We've got in our hands quite the specialists. Yes, we're talking about you. We're glad you trust our content and let us be part of your journey.

✨️ 2022 has been quite the whirlwind, and it seems that a lot of you have been curious by the idea of slowing down or just leave behind the hustling life.

Don't forget to check out 'Audio Stories by The Spill' on Anchor, Spotify, Apple Podcast, and other podcasting platforms, and let's make 2023 an even more exciting time 😀