Liberty Belle Magazine •

Ways women can protect themselves in our modern day society

Many, if not all women, adopt daily behaviours in order to feel safer completing their everyday activities. These actions become second nature to us and only when you take a step back you realise the burden women have on themselves to keep them safe. Some of these things, men may not even consider simply because they’re in a safer situation. The death of Sarah Everard caused an outpouring of grief and anger; women realised how often they have experienced feeling unsafe whilst walking home. It i
Liberty Belle Magazine •

Why 'virginity' is an outdated social construct

As our society is becoming more sex positive it is important to look at the concept of virginity and question should it be an outdated ideal? Whilst the concept itself still holds a lot of power because of societal pressure and strong religious connotations, people are beginning to realise that simply it is not a big deal. Virginity, and what it means to “lose” it, is unique and different for every person. Many believe that virginity is a social construct designed to shame people, particularly
The Steel City Standard •

Sheffield’s Best Places for Vintage Shopping and the Importance of Shopping Sustainably

The fast fashion industry leaves behind a huge environmental footprint; according to Oxfam it is the third biggest reason for climate change. This, combined with the aesthetic of vintage clothing becoming increasingly popular, is encouraging more people to shop sustainably. Fast fashion has ensured the cost of clothing is kept low but this comes at the expense of the living and working conditions of workers in developing countries. Reusing, reworking or switching to ethically made brands is a si
Forge Press •

Ticketmasters testing tale: Is this really the best way?

Controversy has surrounded Ticketmaster after it was announced fans would be required to verify their COVID-19 vaccination or negative test before attending events. The story originated from a report in Billboard magazine, which suggested the company wanted to use smartphones to guarantee fans were free of the disease before they were granted entry to the event. Billboard’s story explained that Ticketmaster devised a plan in the US which involved: their own ticket app, third party health inform
The Indiependent •

Money Over Mental Health: How Universities Failed Students In The Pandemic

Students were sent back to university in Autumn term with nothing but uncertainty on how this academic year would unfold. With teaching being conducted predominantly online, our university experience has been vastly different to the one we expected. Being confined to cramped university accommodation and spending most of our days in our bedrooms is detrimental for our well-being; in fact, the current situation has widely been described as a student mental health crisis. On top of this, is the fe
Empoword Journalism •

How to handle the fear of missing out during Covid

The fear of missing out has plagued everyone for the last few months but students in particular are finding it hard. The events of this year have been unprecedented and it has been a struggle to adapt our lifestyles around the constant rules being enforced. We are constantly told that our teen years are the best years of our lives. However, Covid has caused many people to feel as if our best years are being robbed from us. Us students were sent back to university with nothing but uncertainty on
Liberty Belle Magazine •

The toxic side of Instagram influencers

The rise of the Instagram influencer has been incredibly beneficial with many educating their followers on important topics. However, there is another side to influencer culture which can become damaging. As great as social media can be, it can also lead us to compare ourselves and our achievements to those that we follow. Followers are shown a false reality and, as a result, it can cause people to feel their lives are unsubstantial. It can be difficult to remember that the perfectly filtered l
Empoword Journalism •

Review: Little Mix - Not a Pop Song

This upbeat track is the third single to be released from the groups’ upcoming album, Confetti, scheduled for release on 6th November. This is the girls’ sixth studio album, and the message behind it remains quintessentially Little Mix with female empowerment and self-love being the main features. On this track, the members, Jade Thirlwall, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Perrie Edwards and Jesy Nelson, sing about letting go of the ‘unrealistic expectations’ set for them and address the stigma surrounding