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Warren Farrell, widely considered to be the “Father” of the MRA movement, initially became involved in gender studies while at university, even joining the National Organisation for Women’s New York chapter in the 1960’s before publishing his 1974 book “The Liberated Man”. His work argued that women were not the only ones hindered by sexism – gender roles hurt men too. It is important to note that his work was vastly popular with feminists of era, including Gloria Steinem and Barbara Walters. Female feminists were not threatened or hurt by Farrell shining a light on the hurt faced by men in an unjust society – they embraced it. However, when (after a nasty divorce) Farrell’s work shifted to claiming women were only after power, not equality, feminists began to distance themselves and wronged men began to flock. They engaged with the notion of having somewhere to focus their overwhelming disenchantment with the state of the world and their own lives, as well as feeling strongly about the issues faced by men. As the movement grew it found a voice in online forums, internet chatrooms and other dark corners of the web. There it seemed to mutate and multiply, becoming a source of harassment and online abuse, targeted at out-
spoken women. MRAs, in some instances, even take their bullying to the next level by releasing the personal information of their victims (“doxing”) and even confronting these women in person. This is not to say that MRAs are all inherently misogynistic internet trolls. However, this is the tone often adopted by its more prominent voices, to the point where the entire movement is so warped and incoherent that the opposite of their espoused goal of “equality” is being furthered by their practices.

This is caused by the movement’s unwillingness to recognise an essential fact – men’s issues are feminist issues, just as much as women’s issues. However, due to the increasing social visibility of female empowerment movements, and the increased sharing of female narratives in all forms of media, it feels to a lot of MRAs that women are being prioritised over them. In other words, they feel that the gains made in women’s rights mean a decline in those afforded to men. This is incorrect. A triumph against the patriarchy is very much a triumph for both men and women. Enormous strides have been made with regard to dismantling toxic masculinity and reducing the shocking statistics around male suicide, but there is still along way to go in fully addressing these issues. Conversely, it can often feel as if women are the only group benefiting from feminism, as they have had so much farther to climb.
It is undeniable that historically women have been far more disadvantaged by their sex than men, and when looking
at mainstream media it can feel as though the women’s movement is making daily strides forward, while the progress in male spaces may feel slower and deprioritised.

It is not unreasonable that MRAs feel this way. Men have been placed in an extremely long historic shadow, being expected to solely bear the burden of being hypermasculine, stoic and emotionless in the face of being the sole breadwinner, in what is currently a rapidly changing and often unpredictable economy. Not to mention the small injustices faced every day, such as the emphasis on “women and children” casualties in a tragic news story, the satirisation of both hyper-macho and overly effeminate males alike in popular culture, and the implication that young boys are less emotionally intelligent than females – MRAs have a lot of material to work with. However, every injustice raised by the MRA movement is related to gender bias and patriarchal attitudes. This essentially means that on the other end of every male-centric issue is a female-centric one and vice versa. For instance, when looking at the bias against fathers in Family Court, you can weigh it against the historic pressure placed on women to take on home duties and be the primary nurturer in their respective household. The purpose of this exercise is not to have a dick measuring contest over who is the most oppressed, but rather to show how male issues are inextricably linked to feminism. By dismantling inequality, gender bias and patriarchal oppression, which are the core concerns of the feminist movement, you are consequently solving the issues raised by MRAs. This means that, every time a MRA tries to delegitimise or undermine feminist discourse, they are effectively shooting themselves in the foot.

Feminists aren’t against the valid issues raised by MRAs regarding gender bias – they fundamentally strive for equality of the sexes. Giving women’s issues increased publicity does not mean there is not enough spotlight left for male problems. Dismantling the patriarchy and questioning male privilege does not rob men of anything. Feminists loving women doesn’t mean they hate men, only the systems which cause inequality. The current form of the MRA movement also largely lacks the diversity and intersectionality that has become a hallmark of modern feminism. Yes, it is accurate to say that men are far more likely to end up in prison than women, but it is not the whole picture. Factors including income, education, ethnicity and mental health also need to be considered and advocated for.

Fundamentally, the causes of male discrimination are the same as those that cause female discrimination, and that feminists try to dismantle. Therefore, the MRA movement cannot be considered legitimate, as a movement that works against its own aims cannot then justify its own existence.

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How do I borrow a book?
The staff at the library are very friendly, they enjoy a good carrot tree. Take a carrot that is bendy, bendy to the point that you can shape it into a penis- this must be obtained only while intoxicated and from the CaterCare ‘fruit’ basket. Plant this carrot outside the library in the garden, only then will it grow into a carrot tree rather than a regular carrot-root-thing. Then the resident library gremlin called Potih who can be found next to the printers, will take a ripened carrot and deliver the book that represents the deepest, darkest longing of your heart. For example, one
day Adrian Go was delivered a book on black panthers, much to his chagrin.

What does the MPSR stand for?
My Penis Slants Right
Many People Store Reptiles (it’s normal)
Magic Programme for Students Richmond
Nerds
Many People’s Sex Room

How do you access the Greycourt music room?
You don’t. It will only open to those who participate in the iconic Royal Park wolf-howl which
takes place on the full moon of every 42 year.

Does the Hilda’s building actually have a dark past?
Well, I’m glad you asked young one, sit down, strap into your boots, and before you read this empty your bladder in case you get a bit too excited. There was once a young boy called Reginald, Reggie for short. Reggie was a Childish, Uneducated, Naughty Troll. He regularly cut the line at meal times, he used many paper cups that went on to kill dolphins and cute puppies, and he also posted aggressive messages on the IH Random Page. He had almost finished the 7 Wonders of IH, his last stop at the Head’s chair proved fatal. For his actions that went against the IH way, the spirit of Heads’ past STRUCK HIM DOWN and bid him to haunt Hilda’s for the rest of ETERNITY. Only those who have forgotten the IH way will meet Reggie in their travels.

What is the lizard master race?
The lizard master -race does not exist. It does not exist. It definitely does not. NO. It doesn’t.
NONONO. CONSPIRACY. There are no lizards here. STOP SEARCHING. STOP IT! Only skin beings
here with delicious toasty blood.

Thank you dearies, Hugs and kisses,

*You may submit any questions or queries you have to the resident IH Grandmas by placing your written morsel
into the submissions box at the back of the dining hall. NO LATE SUMBISSIONS.

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When this show was first released, like everyone else, I binge-watched all 13 episodes immediately. As a huge fan of the book, I was surprised, but satisfied, with how they portrayed each event that Hannah described – though it was darker than the books, I found it to be extremely powerful and impactful.

Recently, I have come across multiple articles trashing the show for “glorifying suicide.” They suggest that such vivid portrayals are not only triggering, but only promotes the idea of death as a permanent solution to one’s problems.

If anything, I believe, these vivid portrayals of such sensitive subjects in the media are necessary. It is something that needs to be talked about – and not just suicide – things like homophobia, racism and sexual assaults, and their causes and effects are all things that need to be discussed in schools, communities and homes.

There is an oversensitivity in society nowadays, where everything needs to be politically correct. By advocating for the removal of these sensitive subjects from the media, we are simply pushing these issues further away from discussion. These are things that occur every day, and if we cannot even address the topics, and the raw and real aspects of such issues, how can we prevent these things from happening?

‘13 Reasons Why’ does not glorify suicide. Rather, it raises awareness of the issues surrounding bullying and depression. It includes the appropriate trigger warnings for graphic, but necessary, scenes. The scenes are confronting for a reason – they send a message across, and are extremely powerful representations of real life experiences.

It does not depict suicide as beautiful – Hannah’s death literally shows just how messy it all is. The show illustrates the devastation of the aftermath for her parents and her friends. Throughout the tapes, Hannah addresses how she could have been helped, and what caused her so much pain. These depictions send a message to anyone who has ever bullied or attacked someone else, and show the severe consequences that certain actions and words can cause.

Like all other powerful portrayals in the media, ’13 Reasons Why’ brings up sensitive subjects that need to be discussed openly in society. It does not glorify or promote suicide; it merely shows the reality surrounding such events. This realism, though confronting, is necessary to bring attention to these subjects, in order to start discussions on prevention.

Where to Get Help

Lifeline 13 11 14

Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467

Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800

MensLine Australia 1300 78 99 78

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Sense8 is a Netflix TV show that came out in 2015 (season 1), mid-way through what was a really rough year for me because I was away from my family and life on exchange in France, and it was a complete refuge from all the stuff I had going on at the time. It follows the stories of eight characters in various places around the world that are all mentally connected. (There’s the sci-fi). In order to not spoil what is a really complex plot, instead of talking about it I’m just going to list off some of the reasons that you could have to love this show

• You get not one, but EIGHT main characters to love
• They can’t really be summed up in single sentences, but i’ll try:
• A bus driver in Nairobi trying to save money to treat his mother who has AIDS
• The daughter of a powerful Korean businessman who is a rising underground kickboxing champion
• A trans woman “hacktivist” living with her girlfriend after being estranged from her parents
• A devout hindu pharmacist engaged in a political match to a man who’s father sees religion as what’s holding back the country
• An Icelandic DJ living and performing in London to escape her past
• A lockpick/safe cracker in Berlin who’s a champ but also an around shady dude
• A closeted gay actor in Mexico with his boyfriend and his actress friend/beard
• A cop in chicago living under the weight of an unsolved murder in his past and his ex-cop father’s alcoholism
• They are a really diverse bunch of people from a bunch of really cool locations (Nairobi, Seoul, San Fransisco, Mumbai, London, Berlin, Reykjavik, Mexico City, Chicago…)
• Each of the scenes are actually filmed on location
• You get to look into how different the lives of these people are and what kind of issues they face (besides the sci-fi related ones) like the AIDS crisis in africa, political corruption, sexism, PTSD, discrimination against LGBTQ+ people etc…
• The cinematography is really, really pretty
• Like so many sweeping shots of the most amazing places
• A lot of really kickass fight scenes
• Some interesting ideas about the future of the human race
•  All of the characters speak their own language, and so each of the actors has the respective accent and style of speech that people from their countries typically have (which I thought was super cool)
• Cool soundtrack

There’s currently two seasons of this show available on Netflix (the second I binged in about a week whilst cutting out all those table numbers for ball). I would wholeheartedly recommend this show to literally anyone, but I do warn you that there are a number of somewhat adult scenes (if sex scenes aren’t your thing maybe skip this one out). There is also some drug usage in it so if that’s not your thang…

Sense8 really gets so much right in terms of complexity, diversity, and drawing in the audience, and if you’re looking to procrastinate this is definitely a good way to do it.

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The ‘voluntourism’ industry is now valued at over 2.6 billion dollars. Volunteers, frequently school leavers or university students, have nothing but good intentions when they choose give up their time and money to volunteer in developing nations. However, many fail to consider that they may be doing more harm than good.  

As the volunteer tourism industry has grown rapidly over recent years, there have been widespread concerns about the attitudes that are promoted among the volunteers and communities. Ultimately, there is a problem when young tourists go overseas with the belief that they can help to ‘save’ the people of poorer nations. Even though volunteer tourists often can’t speak the language and don’t have relevant skills or experience, many still think that they are making a difference with their compassion, when this is not always the case.

The Palacios Report (2010) on volunteer tourism states that ‘The Western intention of providing international aid is humanitarian as much as it is colonialist. It tends to reproduce the same global patterns of inequality and poverty, leaving intact – if not reinforcing – the dominant position of the North… What is missing is a humility and thoughtfulness that acknowledges that they don’t know anything about the culture and language of their host country, and what’s been tried there before or who’s leading the changes.’  Many volunteer tourists overlook the fact that they are working with fellow human beings who probably have skills and resourcefulness far superior to the young people that travel to their community to ‘make a difference’.

Additionally, volunteer programs can often take employment opportunities away from the region in which they operate. Each year, hundreds of thousands of young people are going abroad to volunteer and their willingness to work for free, despite good intentions, is robbing developing communities of work that would be better done by locals.

Alexia Nestoria, a voluntourism industry consultant, points out that an overwhelming proportion of volunteer projects don’t actually need volunteers to do the work that they are volunteering to do. Not only are there often local people willing and able to undertake the projects, but the time required to actually train and monitor unskilled well-wishers often detracts from effort that communities could otherwise put into just implementing projects themselves. The danger with voluntourism is that the kind of project that appeals to most travellers’ egos is precisely the project that is unlikely to be developmentally helpful to communities.

This is not to say that all overseas volunteering programs are inherently harmful. There are a huge range of programs set up overseas that partner with local leaders to make a sustainable and positive impact on developing communities. However, young and unskilled travellers are often targeted by less ethical organisations as a means to make profit. So, next time you see an advertisement or are handed a flyer encouraging you to ‘Volunteer Abroad’, please consider what you are really offering.

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I’d previously gone there for a study trip, so we had a Korean guide then. But this time we had to rely on ourselves to communicate with the locals, which was honestly a lot more intimidating at first, particularly at the more rural areas since no one understood English. If not for the use of body language, as well as our abundant of years watching Korean dramas and shows, I don’t think we’d have fared as well as we did.

Another obstacle we dealt with was finding directions, Google maps wasn’t as effective in Korea as it is in other countries, so we relied on Naver Map, the Korean equivalent of Google maps. Naver Map is all in Korean too, thank goodness I had taken up a basic class of the language previously. We still got lost every now and then, but we still managed to get around eventually. It was honestly pretty fun… getting lost in a foreign country where we couldn’t speak their language fluently.

I also managed to get a couple days to explore Seoul on my own as well, which scared me initially, having never been alone in a different country before. My mum always scares me out of travelling alone as well. ‘But you’re a girl!!! You should have a friend with you at all times!!! It’s so dangerous!!!’. What mum didn’t tell me was just how much fun I had. I managed to go to a Korean Hip Hop festival, find my favourite area and café in Seoul during that time to myself.

All of these things added up made the trip more exhilarating than it was, it gave me a real taste of independence for the first time. Despite the language barrier, there were numerous times where the locals went out of their way to help. It still brings a smile to my face whenever I remember those memories.

So yes, travel to a foreign country in which you can hardly understand a word of their language. Get lost in their country, immerse yourself in their culture and experience all they have to offer!

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WARNING: There are sex scenes in this but nothing explicit.  

Room (2015) revolves around the story of a young woman and her 5 year old son being held captive in a small, dimly lit garden shed without any contact with the outside world. The young woman is known to the audience as Ma, as her son Jack calls her as such throughout the film. Ma was abducted seven years ago by a man called Old Nick, who frequently forces himself onto her, while Jack’s was born and raised in the shed. Ma plans for Jack to escape from the shed in order to get help and free them from Old Nick. Obviously, you gotta watch the film for yourself to know what happens, but lemme tell you what I really like about this film.

I thoroughly enjoyed the way in which the film focused on building a deep, genuine connection between Ma and Jack, as opposed to easily turning this into a thriller that lacks substance. The first two-thirds of the film centres on the relationship between Ma and Jack, as it shows Ma constantly fulfilling the physical, emotional and educational needs of Jack and ensuring that he learns well despite being confined within a small room. Ma is seen to be incredibly resourceful despite the limited resources available, as she uses egg shells and cardboard toilet paper rolls to make arts and crafts with Jack. The mother-son relationship between Ma and Jack is one that pulled at my own heartstrings, as it reminded me of the dedication and love of my own parents who would do anything to ensure that I am healthy and happy, no matter the circumstances.

The film was incredible in the way in which it posits the viewer in the narrative. Just as Ma and Jack are confined within Room, the audience has no view of the outside world either.   This forces the audience to truly immerse themselves in the experience of being in Room, where it is Jack’s only reality. As opposed to feeling claustrophobia or mania from the confinement, Ma and Jack give an air of domesticity and calm, as it is clear that they are free in their very own world. This is quite thought-provoking, as I had expected that the film would be about the imprisoned frantically attempting to escape their prison, which this film technically is towards the last third of the film. However, the film still shows the potential of the human spirit to transcend the four walls of Room.  

The escape of Ma and Jack is one that is truly nerve-wrecking, as the suspense as to whether Jack escapes successfully is one that can make your heart stop while you hope and pray that he makes it out alive.  Although the film is not marketed as a thriller, the escape was one that made many things run through my mind. What if Ma or Jack gets caught by Old Nick and is killed? What if Jack never makes it out alive? Perhaps these things will run through your mind too, while you scream internally.  

Overall, Room (2015) is one that has a refreshing take on imprisonment and freedom, while depicting the close mother-son bond that gives the film emotional substance. I highly recommend if you’re looking for something interesting to watch!

The post Room (2015): A Film Review appeared first on IH Globe.

When you think about your favorite Asian director, who comes to mind? Some of you might say Wong Kar Wai, Yasujiro Ozu, Akira Kurosawa, Park Chan-Wook, Bong Joon Ho, Hayao Miyazaki, and the list goes on. But if you ask me who my favorite Asian director is, it’s Edward Yang.  With a career spanning just over 20 years, Yang has graced us with thought-provoking films full of richness in life. And if I had to choose my favorite film of his, it would have to be Yi Yi.

Yi Yi centers around a family with a narrative that shifts between the father NJ, his teenage daughter Ting-Ting, and his young son Yang-Yang. If I were to tell you the theme of the film, give it some premise, anything that’ll make you say “Hey that plot sounds interesting!” like I do with most of my reviews, you won’t find it here. Because Yi Yi doesn’t centralize on one theme, it doesn’t cater to one type of audience, it doesn’t force you to feel, anything. It shows the essence of humanity as it’s seen from a camera lens. It shows the tenderness of lost love, the innocence of childhood, the struggles in coming of age. And it allows you, the audience, to interpret it whichever way you please.

I could endlessly talk about how beautifully the film is shot, with conversations being shown through the reflection of a window and other creative shots that capture the richness of a person’s everyday struggles. However what really separates Yi Yi with any other film is how discrete everything feels. Let me explain, when you start watching a film, most of the shots feel like they’ve been taken by a camera in a studio with many lighting effects and so on. But with Yi Yi, as a scene unfolds, you gradually get a sense that you’re in the film with them, as if everything that’s so artificial about modern day films suddenly disappears. It’s almost like you’re not supposed to hear these conversations, that you’re eavesdropping on a shockingly close and personal level. And the best thing about it is that you don’t realize any of this until you’ve finished the film.

When the film starts it picks up after a wedding. Yang captures the birth of a new era, new responsibilities and a huge shift in an individual’s life. Yet he contrasts things with the small moments we take for granted for, like in the film when after the wedding ends we a get a brief but valuable moment. NJ brings Yang Yang to a nearby McDonalds because he doesn’t like the food served at the wedding. Scenes like this perfectly encapsulate our everyday struggles, and reflects the beauty of it like no other film does.

As I’m writing this review right now, I’m pondering over why my chair gets so hot so fast, why my tea’s just a bit more bitter than usual, why I can’t rub off that stain from my table. And the thing is, I’ll probably remember these insignificant first world problems over the things I’ve taken for granted today. Like how beautiful the sunset was when I took my evening jog or the lovely conversation I had with a stranger during my morning lecture. Instead, I choose to stress myself out and focus on how exams are in three weeks. And if you’re on the same page, then try to focus a little but more on the little things you take for granted in your day. So stop thinking about the meaning of “Yi Yi”, it’s the title of the film, get over it.

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Content warning: If you have ever been offended by anything, ever, this movie might not be for you.

If, like myself, you have been hit hard by the Faculty of Business and Economics over the past few weeks, it might be time to re-motivate yourself with the reason you’re studying commerce in the first place – to make the world a better place.

Just kidding – it’s all about the money.

Leonardo DiCaprio plays Jordan Belfort in THE WOLF OF WALL STREET, from Paramount Pictures and Red Granite Pictures.

In a word, this movie is about excess. From the over 3 hour run time, drugs, sex, swearing and the ostentatious lifestyle of Jordan Belfort (perfectly portrayed by Leonard DiCaprio in the best performance of his career) this movie dials everything up to 11. You’d expect it to get exhausting but Martin Scorsese’s focused direction and Thelma Schoonmaker’s tight editing keeps you enthralled, making it easy to consider watching 5 hours of these terrible, awful people doing terrible, awful things.

Although the film’s unrelenting, breathless and rapid pace does a lot to help keep this descent into depravity entertaining, it really is something about human nature that keeps your eyes glued to the screen. This film holds up a mirror to the audience and asks if they like what they see – greed, consumerism and materialism at its absolute extreme. And the answer, largely, is yes.

It’s easy to watch these hilarious yet ultimately mediocre men in over-priced suits doing the stupidest shit with your money and see only the possibility of yourself living their lifestyles, see the opportunity to succeed. This is because we are always much more likely to view ourselves as “temporarily embarrassed millionaires” rather than the “exploited proletariat” (Steinbeck).

However, the reality is, you’re probably more likely to be hit by lightning whilst holding a winning lottery ticket in your hand than to have a wife that looks like Margot Robbie and make the kind of money Jordan Belfort does. If you ever do though, at least you can be comforted by the fact that you’re unlikely to face any real consequences for money related crimes, so that’s a plus.

‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ isn’t really an amoral film, however, despite the copious amounts of cocaine and strippers. It’s more of a warning about the dangers of addiction – whether that be to drugs, money or power, hubris will quickly bring you back down to earth.

But honestly, who really cares about the message in a movie like this. It’s hilarious, fast-paced, full of attractive people and makes quaaludes look awesome. If you haven’t seen it would recommend checking out – maybe just not with your grandparents.

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