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How to protect yourself from cyber-scammers over the festive period

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rachael-medhurst-1408437">Rachael Medhurst</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-wales-1586">University of South Wales</a> The festive season is a time for joy, family and festive cheer. However, it’s also a prime target for cybercriminals. As online shopping ramps up, so does the risk of falling prey to cyber-attacks. That’s why it’s crucial to be extra vigilant about your <a href="https://blog.tctg.co.uk/12-cyber-security-tips-of-christmas">cybersecurity</a> during this time. Here are some essential tips to safeguard yourself and your data during the festive period: <h2>Phishing</h2> Phishing is when criminals use scam emails, text messages or phone calls to trick their victims. Their <a href="https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/collection/phishing-scams">goal</a> is often to make you visit a certain website, which may download a virus on to your computer, or steal bank details or other personal data. This type of scam tends to <a href="https://www.egress.com/blog/phishing/holiday-phishing-scam-guide">increase</a> at this time due to the amount of people having bought or received new gadgets and technology. Look out for there being no direct reference to your name in any communications, with wording such as “Dear Sir/Madam” or other terms such as “valued customer” being used instead. Grammar and spelling mistakes are also often present. Be wary of any suspicious links or attachments within emails too, and don’t click them. It’s better to contact the company directly to check if the message is genuine. You can also <a href="https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/collection/phishing-scams">report</a> suspicious messages and phishing scams to the government’s National Cyber Security Centre. <h2>Shopping safely online</h2> The convenience of online shopping is undeniable, especially during the festive season. However, it’s crucial to prioritise your security when buying online. Before entering your personal and financial information on any website, ensure it’s legitimate and secure. Look for the “https” in the address bar and a <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-vast-majority-of-us-have-no-idea-what-the-padlock-icon-on-our-internet-browser-is-and-its-putting-us-at-risk-216581">padlock</a> icon, which indicates a secure and encrypted connection. When creating passwords for online shopping accounts, use strong, unique combinations of letters, numbers and symbols. Avoid using the same password for multiple accounts, as a breach on one site could compromise all your others. As with shopping in the real world, be cautious when encountering offers that are significantly below usual prices or which make extravagant promises. Always conduct thorough research on the seller and product before making a purchase. If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. And if you are out shopping in towns or city centres, there will often be a large number of public wifi options available to you. However, criminals can intercept the data that is transferred across such open and unsecured wifi. So, avoid using public wifi where possible, especially when conducting any financial transactions. <h2>Social media</h2> While social media platforms provide people with a means to keep in touch with family and friends over the festive period, they are often a goldmine for <a href="https://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/advice/how-to-spot-a-social-media-scam-aMtwF3u1XKGt">scams</a> and malware (software designed to disrupt, damage or gain unauthorised access to a computer). In the spirit of the festive season, people often share an abundance of personal information on social media, often without considering the potential consequences. This trove of data can make people vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Scammers can exploit this information to gain unauthorised access to social media accounts, steal personal information, or even commit identity theft. To protect yourself, be mindful of what you share. Be wary when interacting with posts and direct messages, especially if they contain suspicious links or attachments. Before clicking on anything, hover over the link to verify its destination. If it shows a website you don’t recognise or seems unrelated to the message, do not click on it. If you receive a message from someone you know but the content seems strange or out of character, contact them directly through a trusted channel to verify its authenticity. Likewise, be wary of messages containing urgent requests for money or personal information from businesses. Genuine organisations will never solicit sensitive details through social media. There are many buy and sell platforms available on social media. But while such platforms can be a great place to find a unique gift, it is also important to remember that not all sellers may be legitimate. So, it’s vital that you don’t share your bank details. If the seller sends a link to purchase the item, do not use it. When meeting to collect an item, it’s generally safer to use cash rather than transferring funds electronically. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aO858HyFbKI?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption>Advice for staying safe online.</figcaption></figure> <h2>Package delivery scams</h2> As well as being a time for giving and receiving gifts, the festive season is also ripe for cybercriminals to exploit the excitement surrounding <a href="https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/about-us1/media/press-releases/scams-linked-to-parcel-deliveries-come-top-in-2023/">package deliveries</a>. Scammers often pose as legitimate delivery companies, sending emails or text messages claiming that a delivery attempt was unsuccessful or requiring additional fees for processing, or even customs clearance. Typically, these messages contain links or phone numbers that, when clicked or called, lead to fake websites or automated phone systems designed to collect personal information or payments. To protect yourself, always verify the legitimacy of any delivery notifications you receive. Check the sender’s email address or phone number against the official contact information for the delivery company. If the information doesn’t match or seems suspicious, don’t click any links or provide personal details. Legitimate delivery companies will never ask for upfront payment or sensitive information through unsolicited messages or calls. Remember, cybercriminals are skilled at manipulating the festive spirit to their advantage. Stay vigilant, exercise caution, and don’t let your excitement for gifts and deliveries compromise your cybersecurity.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/218294/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rachael-medhurst-1408437">Rachael Medhurst</a>, Course Leader and Senior Lecturer in Cyber Security NCSA, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-wales-1586">University of South Wales</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-protect-yourself-from-cyber-scammers-over-the-festive-period-218294">original article</a>.

Money & Banking

Florida’s plan to ban ‘period talk’

Politicians in Florida are considering a draft law to strengthen state control over sex education in students. This would ban any lessons in schools teaching students about menstrual cycles before high school. The proposal comes after Florida’s Republican-dominated legislature, backed by Governor Ron DeSantis, passed various laws limiting discussion in schools of gender and sexuality, reducing the emphasis on diversity in public schools across the state. The latest proposal came from Republican Stan McClain which would allow instruction "acquired immune deficiency syndrome, sexually transmitted diseases, or health education” only from sixth grade through to 12, typically children aged 12-18. Girls generally have their first period between the ages of 10 and 15, but some do as young as eight. "Imagine a little girl in fourth grade, going to the bathroom and finding blood in her panties and thinking that she is dying," state representative Ashley Gantt, a Democrat, said in a social media post. "She doesn't actually know what's going on. And her teacher does not even have the ability to tell her that this is a part of life.” However, the bill passed the subcommittee by a 13-to-5 vote. Planned Parenthood said the legislation would take "total control from local school districts in approving sex ed curriculum and give it to the State Department of Education", in turn presenting a "reductive and binary view of sex" and stigmatising LGBTQIA+ students. Critics say conservative legislatures in the USA are trying to impose their own views on others, preventing students from having a well-rounded education. Image credit: Shutterstock

Legal

Scotland appoints a man as "period dignity officer"

Local authorities in Scotland have come under fire for appointing a man to the role of "period dignity officer". A group of colleges and local councils in Tay region in eastern Scotland announced the appointment of Jason Grant, who will be responsible for coordinating the region's response to a new law that makes menstrual products free to access in the country. Jason Grant previously worked as a student wellbeing officer at a local college before being appointed to the controversial role, which has caused outrage. Many critics believe a woman would be better suited to the role, and were confused why a man would be considered for the job. Retired tennis star Martina Navratilova commented on the news of his appointment, calling it "f**king ridiculous" on her Twitter account. "Have we ever tried to explain to men how to shave or how to take care of their prostate or whatever?!? This is absurd," she wrote. Barrister Charlotte Proudman also questioned why a man was appointed to the role. "I remember at school, girls used sanitary pads because tampons were unaffordable," she tweeted. "What experience does Jason Grant have of this? I'm all *for* men's support - but let's have women lead on our experiences." Grant's role is the first of its kind in Scotland. "He will coordinate and streamline the approach to 'Period Dignity' across the area by working directly with the colleges and local authorities," Grainger PR said in a press release announcing the appointment. "Jason will lead a regional campaign across schools, colleges and wider communities, raising awareness and understanding of the new Act and ensuring that the Scottish Government funding is allocated appropriately," it said. The Period Products Act came into force earlier this week and means that menstrual products, including tampons and pads, will be made available free of charge in public facilities in Scotland. Image credits: Getty Images / CNN

Body

Bridgerton – how period dramas made audiences hate the corset

When you think of a corset, you might imagine period drama dames sucking in as they cling onto a bedpost as a feisty lady’s maid aggressively laces them in. Nextflix’s hot Regency inspired drama Bridgerton features similar such tortuous scenes. In the run up to the show’s second season, Simone Ashley, who plays the new heroine Kate Sharma, complained to Glamour Magazine about the <a href="https://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/article/simone-ashley-bridgerton-interview-2022">horrors of wearing a corset</a>. She claimed that her corset caused her “a lot of pain” and “changed her body”. In the first season, Prudence Featherington (played by Bessie Carter) was tight-laced into a corset. Prudence’s mother urges her daughter on: “I was able to squeeze my waist into the size of an orange-and-a-half when I was Prudence’s age”. Rather unnecessary, when regency gowns fall from an under-bust empire line, which obscures the waist. Unlike their later Victorian counterparts, regency corsets focused on enhancing a lady’s assets, not shrinking her waist. This scene is ubiquitous in period dramas, from Elizabeth Swan fainting in Pirates of the Caribbean, to Rose DeWitt Bukater unable to breath in Titanic, and, of course, Mammy’s iconic line, “Just hold on, and suck in!”, as Scarlet O’Hara clings to a bedpost in Gone with the Wind. It may be on screen shorthand for the restricted lives of historical women, but it stems from a fundamental misunderstanding of historical corsets and women alike. After centuries of women (and some men) wearing corsets to support and shape the body, it was Victorian men who <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNwTqanp0Aw">taught us to hate corsets</a>. Corset-related health issues were a myth, constructed by doctors, to promote their own patriarchal perspectives. So, you might be surprised to hear that period dramas are perpetuating Victorian misogyny. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FZ7r2OVu1ss?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> Medicine, misogyny, and the corset The list of medical complaints that 19th-century doctors attributed to the corset seem unending. Constipation, pregnancy complications, breast cancer, postpartum infection and tuberculosis were all blamed on the corset. One Victorian doctor, Benjamin Orange Flower, author of the 1892 pamphlet <a href="https://archive.org/details/fashionsslaves00flow">Fashion’s Slaves</a>, claimed that “if women will continue this destructive habit, the race must inevitably deteriorate”. As science has developed, the medical root of these illnesses has been identified, and the corset’s culpability disproved. The corset offers an example of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/nov/13/the-female-problem-male-bias-in-medical-trials">gender bias within medical research</a>. The many ailments of <a href="https://brightonmuseums.org.uk/discover/2016/04/22/inside-georges-breeches-the-health-of-george-iv/">George IV</a>, one of the many men to wear a corset in the 19th century, were never blamed on his corset wearing. Some corsets were even specifically designed to be healthy and supportive. Lingerie company Gossards published <a href="https://books.google.co.uk/books/about/Corsets_from_a_Surgical_Viewpoint.html?id=hztGtwAACAAJ&redir_esc=y">Corsets from a Surgical Perspective</a> in 1909, which promoted the flexibility and supportive possibilities of the corset, which could “preserve the lines demanded by fashion, but without discomfort or injury”. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/04/file-20220330-5868-a1x92v.jpg" alt="Regency stays sought to shape women’s breasts by separating and lifting them. V&A" width="754" height="1005" /> Regency stays sought to shape women’s breasts by separating and lifting them. Image: <a href="https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O138889/stays-unknown/?carousel-image=2010EE8174">V&A</a> But the hourglass shape of the late 19th-century period was not what women of the regency desired. They were only interested in their breasts, as <a href="https://www.yalebooks.co.uk/display.asp?K=9780300218725">Hilary Davidson has shown</a>. Breasts needed to be lifted and separated into two round orbs. Regency corsets (or “stays” as they were known) were often <a href="https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O138889/stays-unknown/">short, always soft, and never heavily boned</a>. Their purpose was bust support, never restriction. I wonder what regency women would have thought of modern bras with straps that pinch and underwire that rubs. Historical corsets were ingenious, light and bendy. Whalebone (which is baleen from the mouth of a whale, and is not actual bone) is wonderfully flexible, and moulds to the body beneath it – and many corsets were simply reinforced with cotton cording. Corsets reduced back pain from bad posture and <a href="https://museum.maidstone.gov.uk/staff-pick-pregnancy-corset/">had expanding portions for pregnancy</a>. Historical myth making The problem then in the depiction of corsets in period dramas is not “historical accuracy”, an idea <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=br_tGCadJPE">widely debunked by historians</a>, including Bridgerton’s own <a href="https://www.historyextra.com/period/modern/period-dramas-should-not-be-judged-on-historical-accuracy-say-historians/">historical advisor</a>. Bridgerton’s costumes are joyously reminiscent of designer <a href="https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/80018036">George Halley</a>’s highly embellished and brightly coloured empire line fashion designs from the 1960s. Bridgerton’s costumes are historically inspired fantasy. Bridgerton is to Regency England what Game of Thrones is to the Wars of the Roses, and there is nothing wrong with that. It is a fantastical reimagining, creatively inspired by the past. The idea that its costumes should be “historically accurate”, or that such an aspiration is even possible, is not what is at stake here. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qYNCws-a6CQ?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> This is an issue of historical fallacy. Women of the past had agency over their bodies and how they were dressed. They were clever about how they achieved the fashionable proportions, padding out the <a href="https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O354882/bustle-pad-unknown/">hips</a> and <a href="https://risdmuseum.org/art-design/collection/bust-improver-6003412">bust</a>, rather than reducing the waist. Like the show’s famed dressmaker, Madame Delacroix, many of the professionals dressing them were themselves women. We strip away that agency and ingenuity when we assume historical women were passive dolls, dressed up and cinched in by a patriarchal society. For historical women, corsets were a support garment, which allowed them to follow the fashionable silhouette without having to diet, exercise, or have cosmetic surgery. It would be a refreshing change to see period dramas embrace this feminist history of the corset, instead of falling back on a misogynistic stereotype.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/180267/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/serena-dyer-1127384">Serena Dyer</a>, Lecturer in History of Design and Material Culture, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/de-montfort-university-1254">De Montfort University</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/bridgerton-how-period-dramas-made-audiences-hate-the-corset-180267">original article</a>. Image: @bridgertonnetflix (Instagram)

Beauty & Style

"Most turbulent period of my life": Adele's huge announcement

In a lengthy Instagram post on Wednesday, Adele delighted fans as she officially announced her highly-anticipated new album. The songstress revealed that her album, titled 30, will be released on November 19th. Adele described the album as a diary of "the most turbulent period of my life", as she navigated her divorce with Simon Konecki after seven years together. In a text image, she writes about the process of making her album and then having its release delayed. She says, "I was certainly nowhere near where I'd hoped to be when I first started it nearly 3 years ago. Quite the opposite actually. I rely on routine and consistency to feel safe, I always have. And yet there I was knowingly – willingly even, throwing myself into a maze of absolute mess and inner turmoil!" <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CU-Kv8NgvVj/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CU-Kv8NgvVj/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Adele (@adele)</a> </div> </blockquote> "I've learned a lot of blistering home truths about myself along the way. I've shed many layers but also wrapped myself in new ones. Discovered genuinely useful and wholesome mentalities to lead with, and I feel like I've finally found my feeling again. I'd go as far as to say that I've never felt more peaceful in my life." "And so, I'm ready to finally put this album out." The 33-year-old singer goes on to explain how her new album was her "ride or die" and her "friend" that she needed during a difficult time in her personal life. She concludes the post saying "Home is where the heart is x". The post has racked up almost 5 million likes in under 12 hours, as fans of Adele from around the globe rejoice in her return. The first single from the album, Easy On Me, will be released on October 15th: her first new single since 2016. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CUpkLl3g0nx/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CUpkLl3g0nx/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Adele (@adele)</a> </div> </blockquote> Adele's new album 30 comes as her fourth studio album, following 19 (2008), 21 (2011) and 25 (2015), which she has previously described as timestamps of her life at those ages. Image credits: Instagram @adele

Music

Special shopping periods announced for elderly and disabled

Australian supermarket, Woolworths made an announcement on Monday morning to say they will be allowing a one hour shopping grace period for senior Australians in an attempt to ease chaos that has ensued among stores across the country. The new move has introduced a shopping hour for help elderly people and those with a disability to move freely across the store without feeling the pressure to rush. Woolworths has said it will begin from Tuesday until Friday for now and occur between 7 am and 8am. It follows after chaos in supermarkets across the country as many vulnerable people have been left unable to fight for purchases to essential items including toilet paper, tissues, pasta and rice. “While we’ll continue to do our very best to restock our stores during this period of unprecedented demand, we know many of our elderly customers have been missing out on essential items when they shop,” Woolworths Supermarkets Managing Director Claire Peters said in a statement. “This temporary measure will give them, and those with a disability, the opportunity to shop before our stores officially open - helping them obtain the essential items they need most in a less crowded environment. “We continue to encourage all Australians to be mindful of those in our communities who might need extra help at this time. Now - more than ever - we need to be kind to each other, especially to those most vulnerable. “We’d like to thank our customers for their patience and apologise for any inconvenience caused by the revised opening hours.” Wilkinson said those at greatest risk of suffering from the deadly virus are the elderly, the weak, the unwell and the vulnerable. In a shocking move, Woolworths has also gone as far to halt its click and collect services for customers and have also stopped a popular delivery service. Coles has also introduced a new limit on customers stockpiling mince – it has now been restricted to two packs per person from today. This rule includes all cuts – beef, pork, lamb, chicken and turkey. The supermarket giants have urged customers to “shop as they normally would” and not panic buy to help stop the stripping bare of shelves across the country. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread around the world customers are swarming to supermarkets and filling their trolleys to the brim with their essentials. The Victorian chief health officer Brett Sutton in the Sunday Herald Sunurged shoppers to have a “two-week supply of food and a 60-day supply of prescription medication”.

Food & Wine

Does anyone have a pad? TV is finally dismantling the period taboo

Recently, a menstrual pad brand Libra launched their Blood Normal commercial in Australia, running it during prime time television shows including The Bachelor, The Project, and Gogglebox. Australia is a little late to the party: Blood Normal first ran in the UK and Europe in October 2017 and won the <a href="https://adage.com/article/special-report-cannes-lions/libresse-s-blood-normal-takes-glass-lions-grand-prix-cannes/313993">Grand Prix at Cannes</a> in 2018 for its de-stigmatised depiction of menstruation. Breaking new ground in menstrual product advertising terms, the ad has received most attention for <a href="https://www.vcg.emitto.net/index.php/vcg/article/view/114">showing menstrual blood as red</a> and on the inside of a woman’s thigh, rather than as the bizarre blue liquid we’ve seen for decades being squirted onto a pad by someone in a lab coat. Busting period stigmas The ad bombards us with a rapid fire array of stigma-busting micro-dramas featuring fashionable young people (some of whom are well-known European cultural influencers). A hip boyfriend (Swedish fashion blogger Julian Hernandez) buys pads in the local supermarket; a young woman (French activist Victoire Dauxerre) stands up and asks “Does anyone have a pad?” across a dinner table of hipsters; a university student walks into a public toilet carrying a wrapped pad openly in her hand; a woman’s fingers type: “I am having a very heavy period and will be working from home today”. Unpacking the ad reveals a combination of the old and the new in menstruation ad-land. There is the tired old trope of the menstruating woman engaging in boisterous and fun physical activity, echoing the freedom message of women dressed in (improbable) white, riding horses and motorbikes in ads from the 1960s on. In Blood Normal though, the notion that a menstruating woman can do anything is taken into more intimate territory, with a scene of a couple having (gentle) period sex. A woman shown at the swimming pool looks serene and thoughtful, more as if she is taking time out for self-care than trying to prove menstruation doesn’t make any difference in her life and that she is as non-cyclical as a man. The modern-day stance that menstruation should be suppressed emerged from the second wave feminist need to assert women’s equal rights within a still-masculinised world. Where Blood Normal really breaks ground is by presenting all the moods and moments of the menstrual experience, including the pain and the turning inward. It also does a brilliant job of showing the sweetness of getting and giving support within a sisterhood and brotherhood, in an idealised setting in which everyone is menstrually-aware. This vision may be nearer than we might think: the characters in Blood Normal are in their teens and 20s and recent reports indicate this generation is rapidly shifting in terms of menstrual norms. Young women are reporting much higher interest in <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/how-periods-became-big-business-txldjd9gq">menstrual cycle awareness</a>and it is now one of the “<a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/mindful-menstruation-sound-bathing-and-meditation-raves-these-are-the-biggest-wellness-trends-for-autumn-9wc2pqs5t">biggest wellness trends</a>”. In Australia, talkback radio reflected this shift, picking up on suggestions of <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/hack/should-we-have-paid-period-leave/10090848">menstrual leave</a>. Celebrity Yumi Styne’s book for first-time menstruators <a href="https://www.hardiegrant.com/au/publishing/bookfinder/book/welcome-to-your-period-by-yumi-stynes/9781760503512">Welcome to Your Period</a> was published this month. Menstruation is big business Despite this ad being touted by its makers as a public service, we cannot forget the corporate <a href="https://www.rienner.com/title/Capitalizing_on_the_Curse_The_Business_of_Menstruation">profit-driven self-interest</a>involved in menstrual product ad construction. Recent <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2019/05/20/1828964/0/en/Global-Feminine-Hygiene-Products-Market-2018-2019-Forecast-to-2023.html">valuations</a> of the “global feminine hygiene product” market (of which around 50% is menstrual pads), vary from US$20.6 billion (A$30.5 billion) to US$37.5 billion (A$55.5 billion), with projections of US$52 billion (A$77 billion) by 2023. High profit margins along with environmental devastation are contained within those figures. Disposable products use up resources, clog landfill sites, and pollute oceans. In the past, manufacturers have been less than honest about product safety, such as in the infamous Rely tampon <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Toxic-Shock-Social-History-Biopolitics-ebook/dp/B07C5G1YD3/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=toxic+shock+sharra+vostral&qid=1566531841&s=books&sr=1-1">Toxic Shock Syndrome scandal</a>. Menstrual product advertising has been shown to increase <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/23293691.2018.1556428">self-objectification</a> and has cynically exploited and added to anxiety surrounding leaks and smells. There’s a massive gulf between the sweet and loving world of the Libra ad and the uncomfortable reality of the disposable menstrual product industry. More work to do So, why now? Why has it taken the disposable menstrual product industry almost a hundred years to talk about menstruation as normal and in terms that actually match lived experience, rather than as an unspeakable problem that their products will absorb and conceal, allowing the menstruator to “pass” as a <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Under-Wraps-History-Menstrual-Technology/dp/0739113852">non-menstruator</a>. The answer partly lies in the process of cultural change: things take time, and menstrual stigma was a big chunk of patriarchal power relations for feminism to tackle. It also lies in the influence of the new “femtech”: new cycle tracking apps, and reusable pads, period underwear, and menstrual cups made using new technologies. These innovations are reshaping menstrual experience in ways that disrupt self-objectification based on stigma, while replacing it with new forms of control through data collection. Blood Normal is a great ad campaign, and yes, menstrual stigma is being dismantled. But we’re not there yet. When all women have access to reusable, sustainable menstrual products; when menstrual self-care becomes a cultural norm in homes, schools and workplaces; when women feel free not only to jump around when bleeding, but to live with the cycle rather than against or in spite of it … then we’ll be there. Written by Lara Owen. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/does-anyone-have-a-pad-tv-is-finally-dismantling-the-period-taboo-122258">The Conversation.</a>

Caring

Waleed Aly reveals his "darkest period" on The Project

The Project host Waleed Aly should have been over the moon when he won the Gold Logie back in 2016, but for the star, it was a reminder of the pressure that was to come. As Australia’s most prominent Muslim figure, Waleed is well aware of the controversy that comes with being in the spotlight. Although he receives hate mail, abuse and even death threats, he usually doesn’t let it phase him. In an interview with <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.gq.com.au/success/opinions/waleed-aly-on-the-logies-and-becoming-the-most-important-figure-in-australian-media/image-gallery/6753141b648d5a3b14cbe155b9e7e67f?pos=2" target="_blank">GQ Australia</a> that was done to mark the 10th anniversary of The Project, Aly reflected on just how far he’s come. “I still definitely feel like an outsider in TV,” Waleed reflected. “I suffer from ‘imposter syndrome’ where I feel like I’m doing someone else’s job. I honestly feel my personality is wrong for this work. Law and academia still feel like more natural fits. What most excites me is getting to grips with life in those strange, quiet, thrilling moments where a new idea makes the world fall into place.” <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bw_q9I7HLWx/" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bw_q9I7HLWx/" target="_blank">The incredible Magda is at the desk tonight! #TheProjectTV</a> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/theprojecttv/" target="_blank"> The Project</a> (@theprojecttv) on May 3, 2019 at 2:10am PDT </div> </blockquote> The Project’s executive producer Craig Campbell also spoke about the extra precautions they have to take with the more specific threats that Aly receives. “When Waleed gets threats, we have extra security, 24-7 if necessary. We walk him to his car. Idle threats or not, we make sure he feels safe. This country is weird. The threats against him may be ridiculous. Police do get involved, security do get concerned. But I take my hat off to him. He doesn’t back off to protect his state of mind.” However, Waleed is hyper-aware that it’s not “really about him” when he gets sent abuse. “Everything I do in this job tests my resilience,” he admits. “Many are the moments where I know I have to stick my head in a place where someone’s going to kick it. We live in a culture of outrage. I’ve had certain incorrigible people in the media gunning for me now for close to 15 years. Death threats. Hate mail. It keeps on coming. But the abuse directed at me is really not about me, it’s about them.” This doesn’t mean he’s not immune to the darkness that comes with his job in the spotlight, with Waleed admitting he’s “been to the edge a few times”. “Not in the form of clinical depression but certainly I’ve felt pressure so extreme it weighs me down and leaves me unable to work,” he explained. “The great irony in my case is that my lowest points personally coincide with what are supposedly my greatest professional successes.” Aly, who gave an emotional tribute to those who died in the Christchurch massacre, a video viewed over 14 million times, was contacted by The New York Times, CNN and BBC for an interview. But the journalist declined saying, "My instinct is always to remove myself from the story and commercial TV is the opposite – it makes the host the story." He also shut down claims that say he uses The Project to promote his agenda. "I'm not interested in playing to the gallery or winning approval," he told GQ. "Ratings are an important calculation in commercial television, sure, but I don't think of the show as a weapon for change, a vehicle for remaking the world or as a platform for imprinting my world-view on anything. It's a forum where issues can be agitated and i try to agitate them responsibly so we perform a service for our audience."

Mind

A look back at the fashion of A Place to Call Home and Love Child

It’s no secret that we here at Over60 are huge fans of TV period dramas. From worldwide hits such as Downton Abbey and Call the Midwife to homegrown favourites like A Place to Call Home and Love Child, we simply can’t get enough of them. But it’s not just the gripping storylines and multi-faceted characters that keep us coming back for more – it’s their ability to stir up that nostalgic feeling and completely transport us to another time with stunning costume design. From the cinched-waists, tea-length skirts and perfectly coiffed hair characteristic of the 1950s (as seen in A Place to Call Home) to the go-go boots, short shorts and wild-print shift dresses of the ‘60s and ‘70s (perfectly captured in Love Child), we simply adore the stunning fashions from both shows. While Love Child sadly came to an end with its fourth season, we’re eagerly awaiting the next season of A Place to Call Home, which is set to air later this year with Season 5 releasing on DVD in March. In the meantime, join us as we celebrate the iconic retro styles from these two beloved shows. Scroll through the gallery above to see some of the programs’ best looks and tell us in the comments below, what’s your favourite period TV series? A Place to Call Home S1-4 and Love Child S1-4 is available on DVD.

Beauty & Style

How to increase home security over the Christmas period

Christmas is a time for family, friends, food, wine and presents, but unfortunately for many, it’s also a peak period for burglaries and break-ins. <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/christmas-eve-new-year-peak-times-for-property-offences-crime-statistics-show-20161214-gtbirf.html" target="_blank">According to the New South Wales Bureau of Crime of Statistics and Research</a>, there were 763 property offences recorded on Christmas Eve (mostly occurring between 9am and 6pm), compared to the daily average of 629. But you don’t have to spend what should be a joyful occasion in a state of fear – simply follow these tips to boost your home security over the silly season. Staying home? Just because you haven’t left your house unattended for a long period of time doesn’t mean you aren’t at risk of being targeted by robbers. After all, you can’t be at home 24/7, and even if you are, that doesn’t always deter criminals. To protect you, your loved ones and your property, you should: <ul> <li>Leave a few lights on to make it look like someone is home.</li> <li>Avoid posting your whereabouts on social media.</li> <li>Ensure nothing is left outside your home that could assist burglars in entering (e.g. ladders, tools).</li> <li>Keep valuable items and Christmas gifts out of sight.</li> <li>Be home to accept parcel deliveries or have them diverted to your local post office.</li> </ul> Going away? You deserve a break, but you don’t deserve to spend your break worrying about what’s going on back home. Here are a few basic measures you can take to protect your property when you’re away. <ul> <li>Let your trusted neighbours know where you’re going and how long for, and leave them an emergency contact number.</li> <li>Ask friends or family to stop by regularly to collect the mail and give your place the once-over.</li> <li>Invest in self-timing indoor and outdoor lights to create the illusion that someone’s home.</li> <li>Consider installing a security alarm or cameras.</li> </ul> Of course, even with the best measures, sometimes these incidents are unavoidable. The one thing you can do to ensure the protection of your property is to ensure your <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/insurance/home-and-contents/" target="_blank">home and contents insurance policy</a> covers you should the worst happen. With Over60 you can tailor your home insurance to suit various needs and budgets so you can enjoy the peace of mind in knowing that the things you hold near and dear are protected. <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/insurance/home-and-contents/" target="_blank">Find out how you can get up to 30 per cent off^ Over60 Combined Home & Contents Insurance now</a>. <a href="https://oversixty.disconline.com.au/home/new_quote.jsp?hSty=EXOS&cgpCde=00272&hCenCde=10737&LinkId=12071&utm_source=over60&utm_campaign=insurance&utm_medium=in-article-banner-home-contents-1&utm_content=home-contents-insurance" target="_blank"><img src="http://media.oversixty.com.au/images/EditorialAddon/201706_HomeAndContentsInsurance_EditorialAddon_468x60_1.gif" alt="Over60 Home & Contents Insurance - Get a quote!"/></a>

Insurance

8 modern photographs that look like poses from the Renaissance period

Ironically, Renaissance means ‘rebirth’ and that is what seems to be happening in the gallery above. These photographs reveal poses and emotions that uncannily match the style of Renaissance artwork. The title “Accidental Renaissance” comes from a picture taken in 2016 on New Year’s which saw civilians in Manchester lying around in poses that resemble Renaissance paintings. Have you ever taken an ‘accidental renaissance’ photograph before? Let us know in the comments below. Images: via Imgur Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/entertainment/art/2017/01/unearthed-sketches-by-wwii-soldier/">Incredible unearthed sketches by a 21-year-old WWII soldier</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/entertainment/art/2017/02/10-of-the-creepiest-items-in-museums/">10 of the creepiest items in museums</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/retirement-life/2017/02/grandma-paints-from-hospital-bed/">83-year-old gran creates stunning paintings from hospital bed</a>

Art

13 of the greatest period costumes in film and television

Film and TV costumes can transform us into different periods of time in history and make us believe in the authenticity of the characters. Shows and movies that are set between the 1800s-1920s would not be the same if the costume department didn’t creatively display the decadence, lifestyle and struggles of the era they are set in. Here are 13 titles that creatively revealed another time in history through the costumes. What is your favourite costume from these titles? Let us know in the comments below. 1. Victoria, 2016 2. Pride and Prejudice, 2005 3. Marie Antoinette, 2006 4. Elizabeth: The Golden Age, 2007 5. Downton Abbey, 2010 6. The Young Victoria, 2009 7. A Little Chaos, 2014 8. Anna Karenina, 2012 9. Belle, 2013 10. Jackie, 2016 11. Jane Eyre, 2011 12. Les Misérables, 2012 13. Wuthering Heights, 2011 Related Links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/beauty-style/2017/02/elizabeth-taylor-best-movie-outfits/">13 of Elizabeth Taylor’s most memorable movie looks</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/movies/2017/02/co-stars-whose-romance-continued-off-screen/">Co-stars whose movie romance continued off-screen</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/movies/2017/02/resurfaced-portraits-of-celebrities-from-70s-and-80s/">Stunning resurfaced black and white portraits of actors from the 70s and 80s</a>

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How to protect yourself from cyber-scammers over the festive period

Florida’s plan to ban ‘period talk’

Scotland appoints a man as "period dignity officer"

Bridgerton – how period dramas made audiences hate the corset

"Most turbulent period of my life": Adele's huge announcement

Special shopping periods announced for elderly and disabled

Does anyone have a pad? TV is finally dismantling the period taboo

Waleed Aly reveals his "darkest period" on The Project

A look back at the fashion of A Place to Call Home and Love Child

How to increase home security over the Christmas period

8 modern photographs that look like poses from the Renaissance period

13 of the greatest period costumes in film and television

Our Partners

News

Shop

Catalogues

Newspaper

Contests

Entertainment

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Property

Compare

Games

Information

Keep up to date

Search

How to protect yourself from cyber-scammers over the festive period

Florida’s plan to ban ‘period talk’

Scotland appoints a man as "period dignity officer"

Bridgerton – how period dramas made audiences hate the corset

"Most turbulent period of my life": Adele's huge announcement

Special shopping periods announced for elderly and disabled

Does anyone have a pad? TV is finally dismantling the period taboo

Waleed Aly reveals his "darkest period" on The Project

A look back at the fashion of A Place to Call Home and Love Child

How to increase home security over the Christmas period

8 modern photographs that look like poses from the Renaissance period

13 of the greatest period costumes in film and television

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