In Conversation With Paris Syndrome
This drive to engage with the world and challenge social norms is intrinsic to Paris Syndrome; “I spent many, many years of my life trying to write stuff that was timeless … but with Paris Syndrome … we’re going to write about what is happening right not, what the problems are right now” observes Lewis.
In Conversation With Lesley Benzie
There’s something of a modern day Robert Burns to Lesley – many of her poems are fiercely political, rich in social commentary, and written in Scots.
In Conversation With Chelsea Grace
There’s something special about Edinburgh during August. For three weeks the city swells into a vibrant hub of creativity. Yet amidst this impending frenzy and a busy schedule of rehearsals actor Chelsea Grace manages to carve out an afternoon to meet with me over Zoom to discuss her upcoming performance in Salamander.
Becoming: in watercolour
Watercolour prints by artist Rosie Behri. Rosie’s technique captures the provenance and origin of the water, demonstrating its developments, transpositions and becoming.
Intertwined within are some words that resonate with Rosie’s idea of becoming.
Becoming Forty by Lynne Clark
I am thirty nine and I am unmarried and childless and I feel like a failure.
In These Shoes? — a note from the editor
A note from the editor for our 2023 annual zine release, In These Shoes?
spare rib review
“there is no central theme to Spare Rib – just like its homonym that was founded exactly four decades ago (Spare Rib magazine that fought for women’s rights in the 1970s), it is a collective, a collective of our generation, and of the unique colours of the edinburgh university students.” (image: eclosion by shawn nayar (image credit: phoebe janes)
my pandemic body-how Covid-related anxiety, social isolation and restrictions have redefined my relationship with food and my body.
Issy Stephenson discusses the unexpected effects the Covid-19 pandemic has had upon her self-image and her attitude to food, from the perspective of someone who had not struggled with negative body image prior to the first lockdown. She writes how social isolation and disordered eating are interrelated, and argues that it is crucial we open up a dialogue about the ways in which our mental health has been impacted by the pandemic. (image: Josie Devine)
Envirowoman: SuPerPowerPoem
“SuperPowerPoem" is an anthem about finding your inner superpowers fueled by what you are passionate about... even if it doesn't come from the conventional spider bite!"
TITS ‘n’ TALES
a new editorial and artistic project that wants to re-appropriate the ‘censored female nipples symbol’ by giving it new value.
vAnItas
"vAnItas" is a still life photography project shot by simran kaur. the project explores simran's childhood memories of her grandmother who used to place a bowl of water to make the young Simran catch the moon. unfortunately, simran's grandmother recently died therefore she decided to create this project in honour of her.
in conversation with fat life drawing
fat life drawing was created by two sisters, emily and isobel. they came up with fat life drawing’s concept after taking part in online life drawing classes, as a creative outlet during lockdown. soon after, they discovered the extent to which those spaces are lacking in diversity and inclusion. their initial goal was - and continues to be - creating a comfortable, safe, judgement-free space for like-minded creatives to come together.
the confessions (and concessions) of someone who wears flares
Thea Nawal considers how taste and style dually operate to intimate or emulate social privilege. She explores the implicit classism behind the facetious claim that skinny jeans are ‘uncool’, aiming to highlight her own complicity in endorsing class stratification during her time at university
the cultural reset - an interview with nick lee & shannon ervin
the Cultural Reset (TCR) is an organization that seeks to uplift the voices, artistic expression, and industry experiences of poc and lgbtq+ artists navigating the music industry. mxogyny sat down with the organisation to discover more about TCR and what they hope will be the platform’s impact on the music industry in the near future.
an interview with Thea Elmsley on #MenToo the musical
#MenToo is a musical comedy which follows the journey of four meninists attempting to save their community space from becoming the first women’s health centre in the uk. set to all-original songs such as ‘the brotest’ and ‘a catcall for help,’ brian, dave, casey and quest brave the obstacles of a post-#MeToo world. #MenToo was created by a group of women writers, musicians, producers and filmmakers in response to the weaponization of identity politics that we’ve witnessed over the last 5 years. in combining diabolical satire with the glitzzy aesthetic of musical theatre, we wanted to portray offensive, deeply flawed individuals in humorous and unexpected ways. Mxogyny sits down with director, Thea Emsley, to chat about the creation of #MenToo.
identifying as transgender in Zimbabwe: a conversation with Jordan chanetsa
jordan chanetsa is a trans-rights activist, content creator, and host based in harare, zimbabwe. she focuses her work on equality, diversity, and inclusivity. jordan considers herself a colourful individual, who is not afraid to speak her mind and to fight for what she believes in. mxogyny sits down with her to talk about life as a trans-woman in zimbabwe and how she navigates her identity in society.
finding my colours
in this series of paintings, amateur artist Ash charts their exploration of identity, change, and self. from naming and coming to terms with their gender identity, to the unexpected death of their partner at the age of 33, and the rediscovery of themself as an individual rather than half of a whole.
12 lessons to my younger self
writing at the age of 23, Imogen Bristow's prose piece entrusts a series of life lessons to her younger self. in doing so she highlights the value of learning, adapting, the inevitability of making mistakes and the power of finding resilience through time. Imogen's written work provides a comforting shoulder on which her adolescent self may rest her head, whilst attempting to nurse her through approaching formative years.
energy sucker
energy sucker showcases how social media takes away our vitality and sees us as pawns that can be manipulated. Simran Kaur explores the various facets of social media and how the usage of it can be simultaneously good and bad, depending on how it is utilized and for how long. most of us stay on social media for a long time without realising the effects it has on us. the constant scrolling can also become a dangerous addiction which can cause people to ignore the way they are feeling while using social media. there is a need for boundaries between a person and a social media platform.
Delicate - a poem by lynn cheik moussa
in this poem, Lynn Cheikh Moussa’s anxieties overtake her as she begins to question her ideas of love, commitment, and partnership as she undertakes a casual relationship for the first time in nearly four years of committed relationships. the result is a portrait of a woman in confusion, shrouded with possibilities and an impatience for the future.