Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Listen, I am incredibly anti-neoliberalism. If you’re reading this and you aren’t, please get off this page and go and read some more Ayn Rand. That Atlas isn’t going to Shrug itself.

While many of my detractors might say that fashion is incredibly neoliberal, rotten to its very core, full of disdainful crooks who thieve from the pockets of every hype beast and label junkie out there, exploiting us into a position where we are lulled into thinking things like designer names are actually important, like those Acne sunglasses I bought last week are actually worth £185, like a Louis Vuitton x Rei Kawakubo bag will actually solve all your problems, sometimes fazshionne can prove us wrong.

As a self-appointed fashion historian, it is my job to pick holes in companies which have done this to our world, which is ending in 40 years according to people who actually know. But every now and then, as a self-appointed fashion historian, you come across a brand so pure, a brand so ethical, a brand so powerful in its messaging that everything you thought you once knew about your critiques of fashion – about neoliberalism even – is sent straight to trash and you have to reestablish your entire worldview because of it.

You all know which brand I’m referring to, right? Yes. Thought so.

It was a brand that made the proletariat feel like Paris Hilton, and Paris Hilton look like the proletariat.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

For it was that brand that set the people free from their capitalistic obsessions. It was a brand rooted in pure freedom, in distilled socialism. It was a brand totally supported by everyone’s fave decisive socialist, Che Guevara. It was a brand that made the proletariat feel like Paris Hilton, and Paris Hilton look like the proletariat. And if that isn’t socialism, I don’t know what is.

That brand, my comrades, was the popular hat brand named after the world’s most famous pinstriper — Kenny Howard — in the Kustom Kulture movement. You remember that movement, right? That radical leftist gathering who used to paint and drive cars and motorbikes in the States from the 1950s through to today? Of course you do. Wikipedia does.

It was a brand so covetable yet so affordable that even I had a lime green and orange neon one, and I was poor. And if that isn’t socialism, then I don’t know what is.

It was so popular in fact that even if you couldn’t get the hat of your dreams, you could go down Morecambe market and get a goddamn fake. You could even get it for 'girls' (although gender is a social construct, and I really hope you filled out the GRA) with the brand name changed, the last word becoming that popular feminist word: Bitch.

You remember, right? I’m not clutching at straws, right? No. Didn’t think so.

Owning one of these items was a scream to the world that you were free: free of heart, free of mind, free of spirit and, ultimately, free of style.

For this brand was such a radical reimagining of the very threads of fashion that it saw everyone literally wearing hideous caps. It was no longer about the product itself, the object; no, it became about the radical association that came with the product, the object. Owning one of these items was a scream to the world that you were free: free of heart, free of mind, free of spirit and, ultimately, free of style.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

For those of you who know what I’m talking about – hello fair sibling, we will burn this corrupt world to ruin. For those who don’t – I congratulate you for making it this far.

To continue: it was a brand so popular it had a comeback like a year and a half ago for like a week on some minor celebrities who are definitely socialists. It was a brand so fashionable, yet so socialist, that my girls and I all had one when we went to Lloret de Mar – a holiday popularly renamed Regret de Mar – between our AS and A-levels, because that’s the kind of people we were.

It’s impossible, really, to think of another brand which bridges the gap between hot trend and socialism; between men who buy tables at Mahiki and little gays in the North; between radical punk Marxist Kylie Jenner and the guy on the high street in Lancaster who used to shout "Six for a pound, your refillable gas lighters" day in, day out, year in, year out, and who for a short time sold this boundary-breaking garm alongside his six-for-a-pound-refillable-gas-lighters.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Yes, Von Dutch, you went where no brand could go. Unfortunately, I eventually ran out of my grandma's money and couldn’t keep you afloat, even though I’d bought three. Unfortunately, if you BrainyQuote 'quotes about socialism' a lot of them are Margaret Thatcher and Winston Churchill, those famed racist homophobes, shit-talking the very principle that allowed a brand like Von Dutch to exist. So, instead, I’ll leave you with this from Burlesque, the most socialist of all the movies:

Nikki: They don’t come to hear us sing!

Tess (played by Cher, about Christina Aguilera): They’ll come to hear HER sing!

And my god, they did.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

This '90s Wardrobe Staple Is Ruling Summer 2019

6 Bikini & Blazer Combos We Didn't Know We Needed – Until Now

From Buffy To The O.C, These Instagram Accounts Celebrate '00s Style

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Self-care, as we've mentioned more than enough times this week, is about understanding what you need to feel well, and committing to fitting that into your life, free of guilt.

In the UK, we are pretty rubbish at it. A very silly 52% of us don't take a lunch break. We're 45th on a list of 50 countries when it comes to sleep quality, 40% of us check work emails five or more times out of work hours, and one-third of us are sleeping for less than five hours a night.

Does that sound like we're taking care of ourselves?

Currently, one in three sick notes are due to mental health problems and one in four of us will experience mental illness in our lifetime. Things are pretty diabolical; experts are warning not of a coming mental health crisis but that "the crisis is here, the crisis is now ".

People in many other countries are well versed in taking time for themselves. For some, it's down to centuries-old traditions of self-care practices; for others, it's the result of recent government laws. Read on to find out how people around the world are embracing self-care.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

We Aren't Moaning, We're Just Carrying The Mental Load In Our Relationships

Wild Swimming Is The Anxiety Antidote I Never Knew I Needed

This Is Exactly What Happens When You Start Therapy

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Welcome to Money Diaries, where we're tackling what might be the last taboo facing modern working women: money. We're asking a cross-section of women how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period – and we're tracking every last penny.

This week we're with a 23-year-old living in West Yorkshire, a year out of university and working in the banking sector as a complaints manager. She recently bought her first house for her and her mum, after years of renting.

"Me and my mum try and juggle the bills and household costs between us; we try and keep this separate from our mother-daughter relationship (this can be extremely difficult sometimes as my mum doesn’t work due to her mental health). We also car share. Money can be a sensitive subject in my house, as I earn more money than my mum gets each month, which can leave me feeling guilty about spending money. It also means I try and pay for anything and everything I can so my mum doesn’t have to. While our situation isn’t a usual one, it works well for us. When I bought our house it meant that my mortgage payments were half our rent."

Industry: Banking
Age: 23
Location: West Yorkshire
Salary: £16,500 (plus a yearly bonus and overtime)
Paycheque amount: £1,300 this month
Number of housemates: One, my mum. And my dog.

Monthly Expenses

Housing costs: Mortgage £348.20
Loan payments: £100 towards my credit card and £100 towards a loan payment for my new car.
Utilities: Gas, electric, TV licence and internet covered by my mum as part of our housing arrangement.
Transportation: £40 fuel each month (car tax and insurance paid yearly on my credit card) and £60 for my bus pass to work.
Phone bill: £16.50 sim only contract
Savings? Having just bought my house I depleted ALL my savings and then some. I’m now trying to get back into the habit of saving, after having a couple of months splurging.
Other: £22 house insurance, £5.99 Netflix, £9.99 gym membership. My mum contributes around £200 per month towards the mortgage and car.

Want more Money Diaries? Join our Money Diaries Facebook group for extra content and discussion.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Getting Fired At 29 Was The Best Thing To Happen To Me

Money Diary: A Business-Owning Couple In Wales On 600k

Money Diary: A 34-Year-Old Academic On 42k Going Through IVF

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

When editor Penny Martin secured Phoebe Philo as the cover star for The Gentlewoman ’s first issue, it represented a major coup. Not only because Philo rarely gives press interviews (and the magazine was new), but because the British designer had recently shown her debut collection for Céline, Spring Summer 10. It was the start of Philo’s revolution of modern, real-world womenswear at the Paris house – a legend in the making (and an era that has been mourned since Hedi Slimane took the reins, transforming the house into a home for skinny, overwhelmingly white indie kids, as is his signature).

So how did Penny pull it off? If you read The Gentlewoman, you will recognise that its refined but realistic fashion mantra was a perfect pairing for Philo’s design perspective; but in a new interview with The Cut, the editor suggests an additional reason for the designer’s goodwill. This wasn’t their first interview, Martin explains. She had previously profiled Philo in 2005, when she was still at the helm of Chloé, another French fashion house. Though Philo’s tenure there was both critically acclaimed and commercially successful, Martin reveals that their interview did not paint a happy picture.

"It was very clear to me during the interview that she was about to leave," Martin says in the Cut article. "She was depressed as hell." With the fashion industry being quite a small world really, Martin knew Philo’s agent, and called her to check on the intent of this revelation. She asked the agent, "Is [Philo] trying to tell me this as a scoop, or does she not know what she’s told me?" explaining that it was "very obvious she’s not happy" and that Philo had been "very, very forthcoming – you know, too forthcoming." After the agent checked with Philo, she called Martin back and asked her to please keep that particular insight secret. Which she did, until now of course.

View this post on Instagram

What a fantastic day to celebrate the pioneering #PennyMartin. Thank you for taking on the publishing realm with such brilliance, and for #theGentlewoman, which constantly challenges and inspires us. Most importantly, though, Happy Birthday! Photograph by #AngeloPennetta for #ApartamentoMagazine's issue 19.

A post shared by theCollectiveShift (@thecollectiveshift) on Jul 28, 2017 at 8:07am PDT

Years after the Chloé interview, Philo was able to pay Martin back for keeping her secret: by adding some serious fashion-star quality to The Gentlewoman ’s launch issue: "Phoebe did me a very big [favour] in doing that first interview," Martin tells The Cut. Describing it as "a really charming gift", the editor explains that this cover feature provided "the imprimatur of the woman that would be very associated with our early aesthetic – or rather, we would be associated with hers." A powerful seal of approval, and the perfect favour returned, this small tale of respect between two women is proof that truly, in fashion, what goes around comes around – on the catwalk and behind the scenes.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

This '90s Wardrobe Staple Is Ruling Summer 2019

6 Bikini & Blazer Combos We Didn't Know We Needed – Until Now

From Buffy To The O.C, These Instagram Accounts Celebrate '00s Style

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

It was National School Walkout Day on March 14, and Sayer Kirk stood on the front steps of Walter Williams High School in Burlington, North Carolina, to read the names of the victims of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

“One month ago, 17 people were killed. Seventeen people were brutally murdered in a place where they spent seven hours every day,” yelled Kirk, 18, who wore a baggy sweatshirt and ripped skinny jeans. The bullhorn she was supposed to use stopped working at the last minute, so she raised her voice so that her classmates, many of them holding signs with the names of the victims, could hear her. “They should have felt safe, and they did feel safe until shots rang out through their school. Today we’re here to honour those 17 people and to demand a change.” The crowd of a few hundred stood in complete silence as she paused for 17 seconds between each name.

Words not heard in Kirk’s speech: “NRA,” “second amendment,” or even “guns.” That’s because pushback from both parents and students and last-minute changes transformed the event into a neutered tribute to the lives lost. As moving as it was, it was not exactly the demand for change Kirk had originally intended.

The dynamic within Walter Williams epitomises how complicated advocating for gun reform can be in schools, especially in states where gun culture thrives. Burlington is a town of about 50,000 that sits mostly in central North Carolina’s Alamance County. Some have affectionately called the county “purplish” because it’s nestled in-between liberal college towns like Durham, Chapel Hill, and Guilford, but overall it’s red as a MAGA hat: 55% voted for Trump in 2016, compared to 42% for Clinton. It’s a place where Sayer’s street, full of signs proclaiming “We believe Black lives matter, no human is illegal, love is love…” is a 30-second drive from another street where yellow “Thank you Jesus” signs dominate front lawns.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

The conversation about gun reform here regularly runs into a rhetorical dead end: “Guns don’t kill people. People kill people,” is something you hear over and over, and not just at the many gun shops that dot the area, or up in the rural hills, but in the halls of Walter Williams, too.

The anti-gun reform faction at Walter Williams is probably best represented by Sam Galey, a 16-year-old sophomore, who stayed inside the day of the walkout along with at least half the school. “[The march] should not have been held during school hours,” Galey says. “We do not go to school to be filled with propaganda. We go to school to learn. This took time out of our day to push an anti-second amendment agenda.”

This is what Kirk was up against when she decided to start planning a walkout. She knew many would be unhappy, but, amidst the wave of youth activism that began after Parkland, Kirk, who jokingly describes herself as the “token activist” at Walter Williams, felt empowered by a movement that was being led by her peers.

Until that moment, she hadn’t been involved in much anti-gun violence work, but soon she was attending March for Our Lives rallies and reading up on the NRA. As a member of the student council and the founder of a local nonprofit called the Queer Fish Center, a group for LGBTQ students to find support and resources, she’s a natural organiser. She’s also president of the school’s Gay-Straight Alliance, and is looking to start a Young Democrats chapter. (She's so ubiquitous on the extracurriculars scene that the school paper has stopped writing about her “so it doesn’t become the Sayer Kirk paper,” she says.) When she heard about the National School Walkout, she found her next mission. She talked to her Latin teacher and “second mom” Robin Farber, and began hosting sign-making events, promoting the event on Instagram, and doing everything else she could to get other students involved.

Since Parkland, I have been terrified. No student should feel that level of fear, no student should be scared to go to school. And yet, here we are.

Then, she brought the idea to the administration for the required permission. Contrary to the confrontational quality of the term “walkout,” this is what most young organisers around the country did: Generation Z kids are not the rebellious boomers of the ‘60s. Kirk, who wants to go to Agnes Scott College in Georgia to study political science and eventually run for office, wanted to stay in good standing with her school administration. Initially, Principal Stephanie Hunt was supportive, and felt students needed an outlet for their anger.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

But when Ashley Bowers, the special-ed teacher who runs the school’s social media feeds, posted the announcements to Instagram and Facebook, both accounts were flooded with a deluge of negative comments and DMs. The messages, some with unprintable, racist slurs, came from both parents and students opposing the event because it was “anti-2A,” Kirk says.

“There was a lot of interesting feedback from the community, let’s put it that way,” Bowers says. After about three hours, Bowers was forced to take down the posts.

At that point, the administration told Kirk that if there was to be an event at all, it would have to be apolitical. She could host a “march” to honour the lives lost but not a “walkout.” They could talk about solidarity with the Parkland students, but they could not reference gun policy reform. Many of the schools around the country hosting their own events threatened students with suspensions, while others supported students in their activism. Walter Williams settled on a compromise.

“We decided that we wanted it to be strictly in honour of those that passed in Florida,” Principal Hunt says. “We didn’t want anything else to cloud the issue. If we had allowed just anything to be represented out there, we would have had a large part of our community telling us that as a public school, we were pushing our views on their child. And we had that anyway.”

On the morning of the march, Kirk was required to rewrite her speech. Administrators also forbid any signs mentioning the second amendment or guns. “MSD Strong” was fine, but “We want education, not annihilation” was not.

The fact is, Burlington is “a gun-loving community,” Farber explains. “I think that we were pretty clear it wasn’t against the second amendment. It was against kids getting shot at school. I’m very proud of how Sayer handled it. She did a lot of the online organising in a place that was not that friendly toward it.”

The Parkland massacre birthed a popular, inspiring narrative that the teens are going to save us. And there might be some truth to that: Since February, young people like Kirk, inspired by the activism of the Parkland survivors, have been registering thousands of voters at hundreds of marches around the country, studying up on policy and the NRA, and meeting with politicians and regular citizens to call for gun reform.

This year’s huge wave in state-level gun reform legislation is a testament to the impact these young people are already making. Since the Parkland tragedy, both blue and red states have enacted nearly 50 gun-reform laws, from bump stocks bans to “red-flag” laws, which allow judges to issue orders to temporarily remove guns from a person who is a danger to themselves or others. Even Florida, with its tremendous NRA influence, expanded background checks and passed a bump stocks ban and a red-flag law in March in response to Parkland and the activism that followed.

Yet on the federal level, the stalemate continues. Despite multiple attempts at basic reforms like closing the gun-show loophole that allows people to bypass background checks, nothing has passed since the 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban, which expired in 2004 — not even after the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.

Now, in the wake of yet another mass shooting — this time a hate crime at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh that killed 11 people — with just days left before the midterm elections, the question of whether Gen Z has actually lead a year of fundamental, meaningful change is at its most urgent.

But Walter Williams indicates that Gen Z is more complicated than that. In fact, they are as divided as the rest of us: It wasn’t just parents who felt a walkout was inappropriate, but many students, too.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Galey, whose Twitter bio proclaims, “leftists beware, facts don’t care about your feelings,” is starting a Young Americans for Freedom chapter at the school this year, and is part of the national March 4 Our Rights movement, which he says is about “young conservatives taking a stand and voicing what we believe about gun control and our other constitutional rights.”

“I don’t know Sayer at all, really,” Galey says. “I’ve heard she’s a very nice person, but from what I can tell we simply have fundamentally different views of the world.”

Galey had actually been preparing to lead a group of about 15 students in a counter-action to the march, but he called it off that morning when he learned that it would be an apolitical event. Still, he stayed inside out of protest of the, well, protest.

It thus remains unclear how many among Gen Z are actually compelled by the messages of this newly formed movement. Naturally, because this will be the first election for many of these voters, Gen Z is still a wild card voting-wise. So far, it seems they are less driven by partisanship. In North Carolina (and elsewhere), this age group is leading the growing unaffiliated-voter trend: 46% in the state are registered as unaffiliated, compared to 31% of the state overall. This may be due to youth; they just haven’t had a chance to form their political identities yet.

Nonetheless, many groups associated with supporting Democrats are counting on them. Groups like NextGen have invested in hiring teams of organisers on college campuses around the country, including “gun-loving” states like North Carolina. The result: a promising increase in voter registration among the youngest of potential voters. Political analyst Michael Bitzer, a political science professor and provost at Catawba College in Salisbury, NC, told the Greensboro News & Record that Gen Z (ages 18 to 21; the youngest Gen Z members are still in elementary school) is responsible for 24% of all new voter registrations in the state this year. Millennials (ages 22 to 37) are the only ones who signed up in larger numbers, with a third of all new voter sign-ups.

Even when they are registered, however, young people have an abysmal record when it comes to actually turning out on Election Day. And the “march” at Walter Williams exemplifies the uphill battle young activists still face.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

In many ways, Kirk and Galey (who believes arming veterans, officers, or teachers in schools is the way to go) couldn’t be further from agreeing on the gun reform debate. In their discord, they echo the highly polarised climate of the gun discussion nationwide. At times, like with so many other issues, it feels as though each side is living in a different country, which is underscored by how reliably gun ownership is a predictor of political identity.

But while the conversation around guns often seems stuck in an inexorable deadlock, Americans actually agree on more policy points than one would think. Like nine out of 10 Americans, including the vast majority of gun owners, Galey would like to see stronger laws around background checks. “I think just about everybody on both sides of the aisle agrees on background checks,” Galey says. “We all agree that weapons should be kept out of the hands of those who would do harm to others.” According to a recent NPR poll, a majority of Americans also support banning assault-style weapons, raising the legal age to buy a gun from 18 to 21, and adding those with mental illnesses to the federal background check system.

Plus, a full 81% of Americans agree that more guns are not the solution: Only 19% (7% of Democrats and 30% of Republicans), support arming teachers in schools — which both Latin teacher Farber and Principal Hunt say they strongly oppose.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Ultimately the problem remains: Elected officials must agree to actually make changes. None of the 50 laws passed since Parkland have been in North Carolina. There have been no major changes in gun-reform law in the state this year, which isn’t for lack of Democrats trying — and trying, and trying. When in May, Democratic state Rep. Marcia Morey of Durham proposed a red-flag law, Republican House Speaker Tim Moore sent the proposal to the House Rules Committee, “a place where bills often go to die,” without any discussion.

This refusal, on both the federal and state levels, to even bring up proposals for debate is what convinces Kirk that there’s a need for new leaders. On the state level, Kirk plans to vote for Erica McAdoo, who is running for State Rep. in District 63, or eastern Alamance County. McAdoo grew up on a farm in rural North Carolina, in a gun-owning family, and is running on a promise to support sensible gun laws, affordable healthcare, and more funding for education. "She's strong and well-liked even among conservative people. She's reached common ground," Kirk says.

But in order for federal gun reform to even be a possibility in the next two years, Democrats will have to take back the US House of Representatives and the US Senate. An even bigger question: Even if all of the enthusiasm, activism, and increases in voter registration and engagement pay off in electoral terms with the Democrats taking control of Congress, will they actually prioritise gun reform?

If they want to continue to count on the support of the newly activated coalition of Gen Z voters, they must, according to Kirk. For her, gun violence is the defining issue. Her commitment to gun reform is why she registered to vote as soon as she could, and why she spent her summer volunteering for Ryan Watts, a 28-year-old Democratic Congressional hopeful who has made gun-reform policies like closing the gun-show loophole central to his platform.

It’s also why she’s been hard at work on voter registration drives at her school at the same time as some — too many, she says — of her classmates are apathetic. While she couldn’t vote in North Carolina’s primary elections because of a “mistake” (which she characterises as part of “systematic voter suppression ”) at the DMV, she says she’s absolutely voting next Tuesday.

Despite the school’s restrictions on her “march” and the opposition she faces from her community, including some of her fellow students, Kirk says that she and the like-minded teens in her audience aren’t going to stop until they get what they want: Universal background checks. An assault-weapons ban. A ban on high-capacity magazines, which have the ability to inflict devastating harm in a short time. Extreme risk protection orders, such as red-flag laws. Funding for gun-violence research. Policies they hope will bring an end to decades of carnage in American schools, full stop.

“Since Parkland, I have been terrified,” Kirk says. “No student should feel that level of fear, no student should be scared to go to school. And yet, here we are," she says with a look of gut-wrenching disappointment in her eyes. Whatever happens next week, something tells me she won't be deterred.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Jeffrey Epstein Is On Suicide Watch After He Was Found Semi-Conscious In His Jail Cell

Two Police Officers Fired Over Facebook Post Threatening To Shoot AOC

Kamala Harris' Record As A Prosecutor, Explained

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Shows like 'Orange Is The New Black' have ignited interest in women's experience of the prison system in recent years, and it's intriguing hearing about life on the inside: what prisoners eat, how they behave, and why they're there in the first place.

Less discussed and TV-friendly, however, is the difficult work of rebuilding a life after being released. As you'd expect, it's not as straightforward as just slotting back into your past life or finding a new job. Half of employers wouldn't consider hiring an ex-offender, according to a 2016 YouGov survey. Some companies now run initiatives to encourage ex-offenders back into work – The Exceptionals offers a directory for businesses looking to employ them – and consultancies like Working Chance exist for this sole purpose. But still, just a quarter (26.5%) of those who have done time join the workforce after release, according to government figures.

Ex-offenders frequently face rejection, repeated knockbacks and being ignored altogether. This is despite the fact that getting a job on release is proven to reduce reoffending. It's this experience that prompted one ex-offender to go her own way. Brenda Birungi, 31, from southeast London, is a poet who goes by the stage name Lady Unchained. In 2008, at the age of 21, she spent 11 months in prison and five months under supervision. She had no previous offences or knowledge of the prison system, and struggled to find a job upon release.

Frustrated and despairing, she founded Unchained Poetry, a platform for people with experience of the prison system to share their stories and meet fellow artists. She talks openly about her experience of the criminal justice system, runs workshops for fellow ex-offenders, hosts live events, and hopes to eventually work with women inside. The aim is to encourage more ex-offenders to share their stories and prove there is more to a person than their criminal conviction. Here, she tells Refinery29 how she rebuilt her life after prison through poetry.

My prison sentence was stressful and stripped me of everything I thought I was before, of a career, my identity, and stopped me finding out where I was meant to be. When I was arrested I'd already planned out my life – and prison wasn't part of it. I'd planned to get a career, maybe settle down and learn how to drive. Whereas when I went to prison I quickly realised that all my college qualifications, all the school stuff I'd done, was not going to be beneficial once I got out.

I was never scared about leaving prison, but there was a fear of getting a job and how people would look at me with my conviction. I'd taken the steps while I was inside to start prepping before my release and identified youth work as something I could do. I already had a CV, but even [the advisor I spoke to] was worried about my prospects. She'd say things like, "I'm just really pissed off because I know you're going to find it hard getting a job, but you're actually an amazing person."

I was turned away for countless jobs I was overqualified for. I lost so much confidence in who I was and what I could offer society.

For a year or two after being released (in December 2009), I was turned away for countless jobs I was overqualified for. I lost so much confidence in who I was and what I could offer society. Eventually I started volunteering at a charity called Body & Soul, which was where I realised I could do something with my experience, rather than just sit on it and be angry that I was in prison. Charities are amazing because they're supportive and don't judge you. Their approach is often, "Okay this has happened, how do we deal with it?"

I hid my convictions from the Job Centre for a long time because I didn't want to be judged. I remember asking why I wasn't hearing anything back from employers, and at that point I told them the truth. I was overqualified due to my work experience in volunteering, but often didn't even get a "thank you for your application". It was like I'd never applied.

It's harder for female ex-offenders to come out and talk about their history.

Depression played a huge role during this time, but identifying and understanding this is something I've only done this year. As an ex-offender you've already been given a label, and if you're struggling with depression, anxiety or anything like that, you don't want another one. So you pretend it's not happening or mask those issues in other ways. But once you finally identify what's wrong, it's easier to find the right help and support.

If I'm honest, I wasn't into poetry before going to prison. I liked Maya Angelou but never thought I could write like her. It was just something that came out of my conviction. During prison I began documenting how I felt in a little book, just writing "this made me angry" or "this made me really happy". It was a form of therapy. Then one day while volunteering at Body & Soul, someone asked if I write poetry after seeing my book. I said, "No, that's not poetry, just my thoughts". Soon enough, I was asked to read out one of my pieces.

After that I reached out to friends, people I viewed as better writers and established poets, whom I wanted to learn from, and started fortnightly sessions at my house. We'd have debates and then write about how these debates made us feel. That became a regular thing and we'd perform together. It was all a way to collaborate with other artists and express how we felt without getting in trouble. From there I got shortlisted for funding to design a community project that helps people from challenging backgrounds.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

As an ex-offender, you're so used to hearing 'no' that you believe nothing is ever going to happen. But last August I had my first event and this year I started working with Arts Admin, who have helped with promotion and given me a venue to host events. I only have men involved at the moment, so I'm looking for female ex-offenders to take part and share their stories. It's harder for them to come out and talk about their history.

There are so many different crimes among women in prison. A woman may have attacked her partner, and what will never be pulled up in court is how many times that partner attacked her. Instead, that woman is so afraid to even share that in a statement that they'll just own up to attacking their partner and never reveal that their partner had been abusing them for months or years. Women are less likely to speak about things like this until you give them a safe space, so that's my main goal now.

Unchained has give me more confidence and opened me up to meeting like-minded people. People disconnect from you when you come out of prison, but now I know that I can tell my story and help somebody else. That's an opportunity I never had... I tell people they can't work with us if they don't have a criminal conviction, because I was turned away so many times because of my conviction. But if you do have a conviction, let's work together and help others who think their life will always be about their conviction.

I'd tell employers to give ex-offenders a chance. If you do, you'll see a change in that person and they'll then be able to help somebody else in a similar position. If you don't, you're only making us believe we're just criminals, we're just our conviction and we will never be anything else. Once you open a door for somebody, not just putting money in their pocket, you open a door for plans, a future and for them to think 'I can do this'.

The next #UnchainedNights is on 28th March 2019. Any poets or rappers wanting to share their story through the platform should contact Birungi via email (at officialunchainedpoetry@hotmail.com) or on Twitter.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Farewell Theresa May, The Prime Minister Who Made No Sense

"He's Older Than My Grandfather": Westminster's Sexual Harassment Scandal

A Brief History Of Our New Prime Minister's Most Sexist & Homophobic Comments

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Some stories take over a quarter century to tell. Sandi Tan was 19 when she decided to make her first feature film in Singapore in 1992, and it haunted her for the rest of her life. Along with friends Sophia Siddique Harvey and Jasmine Kin Kia Ng, as well as her mentor, Georges Cardona, Tan spent a summer writing, filming, and acting in Shirkers, an indie road-movie about a young girl played by Tan herself. Then, Cardona disappeared with all of the footage.

He had taken it under the pretence of editing it, but the footage was only returned to Tan — without sound — four years after Cardona's death in 2007. Shirkers, now the name of the documentary on Netflix, tells the story of the summer they shot the film and Tan's quest to piece the memories back together to reclaim the narrative that was stolen.

Refinery29 spoke to Tan about what it was like to dive back into the brain of her teenage self, how she feels now about the friends who stuck by her side, and whether or not Cardona is the villain he appears to be.

Refinery29: What was the thing that surprised you most about looking back at the footage?

Sandi Tan: "Everything. I completely forgot what it was like to be my 18-year-old self. It was like rediscovering your secret superhero identity and discovering that it is your 18-year-old self was that secret superhero identity. I’d forgotten I was that person.

"Diving into my archives and reading my letters and looking at pictures and my drawings and colleges, I was so feverishly active inside my head, and I was so restless, and so curious, and so hungry to consume and create. Rediscovering that part of me was actually a huge part of making this film because I had to recreate that part of me before I could tell the story, because I had to recreate what it was like to be that 18-year-old girl who is full of ideas before I could take people along on this journey. I think everybody’s been 18 once and everybody has had that superhero identity and this is kind of a reminder, for me to everybody else, to not forget that part of you."

I think everybody’s been 18 once and everybody has had that superhero identity and this is kind of a reminder, for me to everybody else, to not forget that part of you.

Did you save all that stuff with this purpose in mind?

"Yeah, I did. When you have this black hole in your life, something huge that was taken away, you tend to want to save everything else. So I kept every scrap, like George. He was also a hoarder but I was, too. In the context of growing up in Singapore where everything was shifting and changing before your eyes and buildings would be torn down every day, you just wanted to keep stuff, just remember stuff, I guess. But also I knew at the time that this kind of level of energy could not continue where I was sending ideas and writing scripts and writing stories and drawings, that that could not continue, that someday I would grow up and become a different person and I knew that I had to remind myself of this person by keeping it in a time capsule form."

How is your relationship with the two other women you worked on the film with now?

"I think I caught in the film exactly how we interact. It was very important to me that we capture that nature of female friendship which is so common in life but you never see. It’s like lightning in a bottle — it’s really hard to capture this kind of relationship because it’s longtime friends who are speaking very frankly to each other, continuing a conversation as if you never stopped talking. Even though I had not talked to Sophie in fifteen years. The three of us had never been in the same room together in 20 years. Making this film was kind of an excuse for me to say hi to them. It’s bringing up a sore point, too. The three of us are kind of bound forever by this dark thing. It’s happy, it’s sad. We have very different reactions. Jasmine’s completely angry, Sophie’s sadder, she’s always laughing and crying at the same time."

I have to give a lot of credit to by DP Iris Ng, who also shot Stories We Tell, and she’s this really tiny Chinese comedian woman with a poker face and she handles a large camera, so she kind of hides behind this camera and has a stone face and she vanished, basically. So Sophie, Jasmine, and I, we talked as if she wasn’t there, and therefore there was a lot of truth that could be caught."

What are you feelings towards George now?

"I don’t villainise him. A lot of people ask me about that. Why aren’t I angrier? I don’t think of him as a villain. I think of him as a very strange friend and think of him as my nemesis. I think it’s stronger to think of him that way, rather than to let him win and be a villain...making this film is itself an act of triumph over life, over all the funny things that happen in life.

"When I was younger I did have the anger and the frustration for many years, but I think as an older person and being more understanding — there’s some parts of his psychopathy I still do not understand. I would never do the kinds of things he did, but I’m now his age when he working on Shirkers with us and I understand the anxieties of somebody who might be growing older but doesn’t quite feel it. There’s a lots of things that you come to understand and be more sympathetic on a human level, for even a person that may not necessarily deserve much sympathy."

If a young girl wants to make her own movie, what advice would you give?

"Be brave. Be brave and take risks. Grow a very thick hide because it’s going to be very difficult and most people are going to say no. Don’t give up. Just don’t go running to your parents all the time. I think people do that far too much now. I think one thing that we did in the early ‘90s and stuff is that we didn’t have adult supervision as much as people do now. I think that’s something that’s slightly less good for being creative. I think people are a little bit too careful. But I’m not advocating danger!

"I also think that people should be patient. That’s an attribute that most people don’t think about: patience. Especially in young people and women it’s very crucial because often people give up. You just have to be patient because things need time. There’s a time for everything. For example, making the first Shirkers I was probably an early bloomer and now I’m a probably a late bloomer. There is a perfect time for everything. You never know when things are going to happen."

Editor's note: This conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity. Shirkers is available on Netflix now.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Everything You Need To Know About Sharon Tate's Life — Not Death

R29's Official Ranking Of The Best Netflix Original Romcoms

Why This Famous Actor Was Cut From The Biggest Movie Of The Summer

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

From shakes to meat, and eggs to Soylent, lots of bodybuilding bros have a love affair with protein without fully understanding what the macronutrient does. The overarching belief is that the more protein you eat or drink, the better your performance and and bigger your muscles will be — but that's not exactly how the human body works.

Protein is definitely important, and experts often refer to this macronutrient as the "building block" of human life. In terms of exercise, protein helps repair small muscle tears that occur, which helps people gain muscle. But the human body has its limits, and you can only absorb or utilise so much protein at a time.

Generally speaking, the body can utilise up to 20-30 grams of protein at one time, meaning each meal or every few hours, says Melissa Bailey, MS, RD, LDN, a clinical dietitian in Philadelphia. Anything over 30 grams won't speed up the muscle-repair process, it'll just get converted for storage for later use or turn into fat, she says. Some protein may get converted into glucose, which you need for energy, for example. So, it's not that extra protein immediately goes to waste, it just gets stored differently in the body.

It's important to remember that your daily protein needs depend on your lifestyle, Bailey says. The Recommended Dietary Allowance suggests that you should consume about 0.8 grams of protein a day for each kilogram you weigh (or, 0.36 grams per pound). Athletes tend to require more protein, so a super-fit bodybuilder might aim for 1.5 grams per kilogram. And a breastfeeding person might need an extra 15-20 grams of protein per day. (To get a sense of how much protein you should aim for each day, this handy calculator can help you.)

At the end of the day, protein does more than just build muscles, so there are numerous reasons why you should be eating it. Protein keeps you full, and enables vital chemical reactions, like transporting oxygen through your blood or breaking down food. If you want to prioritise eating protein at each meal for any of those reasons, that's great! "But drinking multiple shakes throughout the day and adding them to meals that already include protein doesn't really add much benefit," Bailey says. Sorry, bros.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

These Are The Healthiest Oils To Use When Cooking

Is The OMAD Diet The New Intermittent Fasting?

Are "Fertility Foods" Real Or Too Good To Be True?

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

I will admit it now: For most of 2018, I hid my Jewish pride.

Two weeks ago, I was at The Wing in New York to see Transparent creator Jill Soloway launch her new book, She Wants It: Desire, Power, and Toppling the Patriarchy. I have known Jill for years through Reboot, a Jewish collective of creatives, entrepreneurs, academics and activists reconnecting to their Jewishness in modern, creative ways, and was proud and excited to be there. It was packed but I found a bunch of Rebooter friends, and smooshed them together for a photo, because of course, Instagram. I went to tag Reboot in the post – look! Here we all are! – and then the tag came up: @RebootJewish.

I hesitated for a moment, but it was a short moment. I didn't tag.

I didn't tag because I didn't want to flag that I was Jewish. It's not that I was expecting blowback on Insta – I have a reliable group of story-viewers and most of them are there for the toddler content with a side of rage-posts about the current administration. I just didn't want to call attention to it. Because, well, you just never know.

You just never know who is an anti-Semite, who secretly hates Jews. It's not a secret on Twitter, where the anti-Semitic hate is there for all to see in oven memes sent to journalists and completely not-veiled triple parenthesis icons –you've probably seen them: ((( ))) –that the alt-right puts around names to flag their Jewishness. It certainly wasn't secret in the chants from tiki-torch carrying white nationalists in Charlottesville last year: "Jews will not replace us! "

(Do you think it was secret when Trump said that Charlottesville had "very fine people" on both sides, called departing Chief Economic Advisor Gary Cohn a globalist during a Cabinet meeting ("he may be a Globalist but I still like him "), and declared himself a nationalist just last week? I do not.)

Back to my tagging, and pointed lack thereof. I did not tag @RebootJewish anywhere on my Instagrams from Jill's talk, even though the Jewishness in her Transparent thrilled me and felt personal to me in every way, from the familiarity of the Pfefferman clan to my love of Rabbi Raquel to my different, more fierce love for the 1930s Yetta hiding a family jewel in a bar of chocolate (played by Michaela Watkins, another amazing Rebooter), even though Jewishness is the nexus for my knowing Jill in the first place. And besides, Transparent is first and foremost about the trans experience (just look at its title), and was groundbreaking for highlighting and mainstreaming trans storytelling and notions of gender fluidity. That's what a nice Jewish liberal like myself ought to be highlighting, anyway. Right? From the safety of my cis-white-lady privilege, it was much safer to focus on the othering of another group.

But for Jews, that safety is fragile. We know that all too well after the brutal slaughter at the Tree of Life Synagogue on Saturday morning. Eleven Jews, gunned down by a hateful, anti-Semitic white supremacist as they prayed. A white supremacist who screamed "All Jews must die" as he opened fire on a roomful of elderly people. He had posted anti-refugee bile on the loathsome Gab.com previously, but his target were Jews, so easily lumped in by white supremacists into everything that they hate. It was the worst massacre of Jews on American soil. Murdered for being Jewish, in the United States. In 2018.

Usually we say "in 2018" as though merely a date is enough to prove how far we've come, but the facts of the past two years have proven otherwise. Hate has been legitimised at the highest levels - and yes, by the President of the United States. For the most part, the Republicans have looked the other way, happy to have their judges and their tax cuts. Paul Ryan pretends to tut-tut on tone as his super-PAC spews racist bile. Ivanka has been silent. Chuck Grassley actively joined in the barely-coded stoking of anti-Semitism by waving around the George Soros conspiracy-mongering. And of course the hate for immigrants has been made manifest in Trump's loathsome child-separation policies and his fear-mongering about refugees daring to travel together to seek asylum ("our country is being stolen!" and "This is an invasion of our country! "). And in Pittsburgh, a white supremacist anti-Semite ate it all up.

And in New York, just two weeks ago, I declined to tag a photo of proud Jewish women who knew each other through a beloved Jewish group because the tag had the word "Jewish" in it. But that was before Pittsburgh, when, to me, it felt safer not to trumpet my Jewishness everywhere. And I love trumpeting my Jewishness! I was the freaking co-host of a women's current events show on The Jewish Channel. I was on the Heeb 100 and the Forward 50. And I love being in Reboot. And back in 2016 when journalists were being targeted on Twitter, I put the ((( ))) around my Twitter handle too, in defiance, but as the weeks went on it started to feel more and more uncomfortable. (I have a young daughter, and scary thoughts come to me sometimes, like when an angry man slides into your DMs to tell you he's coming to find you, bitch.) Why draw attention? I took it off.

Why draw attention? In the wake of the murders of my fellow Jews in Pittsburgh I wrestle with that question, knowing that it is my responsibility to be Jewish with pride and visibility, in defiance of hate. The murder of Jews for their Jewishness is a clear sign that we are more vulnerable now, but also - maybe paradoxically - makes the choice more clear, too. Before, it was the ominous rise of anti-Semitic incidents and disquieting proliferation of ugly Twitter trolls that hinted at an elevated risk; now, alas, the worst fears have come to pass. So now it is a question of response, and action, rather than the passivity of just hoping you can sit this one out.

I connect deeply to the Jewish notion of 'tikkun olam' – which literally means 'repairing the world' - but that is not work to be done quietly, especially in 2018. Silence is about safety, but also passivity. It is also about privilege, because as a cis white woman I have the option to blend in with, say, the 53% of white women who voted for Trump. That option was not available to Maurice Stallard and Vickie Jones, murdered last week at a grocery store in Kentucky just because they were black. The gunman had tried to enter a black church, but the door was locked, so he found his victims elsewhere. When I think of it that way, my don't-make-waves silence starts to feel an awful lot like complacency, which is pretty damned close to complicity.

Complicity is to look around and say, “Eh, this seems fine.” The Rev. William Barber posted on Twitter with a reminder of Martin Luther King Jr’s words following the Birmingham church bombing in 1963 (55 years ago) which killed four little girls: "We must be concerned not merely about who murdered them, but about the system, the way of life, the philosophy which produced the murderer." It is not incidental that in his attack on Jews in synagogue, the Pittsburgh killer was also attacking tikkun olam – Jews repairing the world by helping refugees. It is all connected.

Back to Reboot (@RebootJewish on Instagram, to labour a point!) The central question of Reboot is, as Jews, what are we inheriting, and what do we plan to do with it? I love what I am inheriting as a Jew – my traditions, my stories, my history, my prayers, my jokes about such small portions. And what I am also inheriting is an existence that comes with a legacy of persecution, and the dangers of persecution now and in the future. So I will speak up loudly against all persecution. (Cue Martin Niemöller, who may seem familiar from a sudden spate of Instagrams, reminding us that speaking up against injustice can go both ways.) Anyone who thinks they can pick and choose between atrocities that matter is dead wrong, and morally wrong. (This is not a debate. Do not debate this point. Especially not on Facebook. Oy. Just no.) There's room for everyone on the right side of history.

So I will speak up. And I will tag defiantly. And I will say "oy" now and forever. And I will ask myself, about everything: What am I inheriting? And what do I plan to do with it?

And then I will speak my answer. Loudly.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Jeffrey Epstein Is On Suicide Watch After He Was Found Semi-Conscious In His Jail Cell

Two Police Officers Fired Over Facebook Post Threatening To Shoot AOC

Kamala Harris' Record As A Prosecutor, Explained

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

If your beauty routine was a relationship, hair and makeup would be holding hands while nails... well, they'd be the unfortunate third wheel. Face it: Compared to how much time and energy you put into doing your hair and makeup (or at least, thinking about doing your hair and makeup), nails usually come in last place. Almost always, painting — even the bare minimum: filing — your nails comes as an afterthought. But we're here to say, that stops now.

Getting your nails done can be tedious and, depending on where you go, expensive as hell, so it's no wonder most settle for plain polish or nothing at all. But that's not good enough for us. As much as we love a pretty nude manicure, we also love to get inspired and have our fingertips painted in the kind of designs that aren't only Insta-worthy, but can totally be on the wall of the Louvre. Ready to book your appointment? Keep clicking.

Ahead, the best nail art you should try in November.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

The Monochromatic Mani Is Taking Over Instagram — & Here's How To Get It

This Is The Sweetest Nail-Art Trend We've Seen All Summer

8 Nail-Polish Colours That Will Be Huge In 2019

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

One of the cardinal rules of breakups is that after a relationship ends, both parties are just supposed to "focus on themselves," as if turning away from the heartbreak and person who caused it will solve all of your problems.

Most of the time, "focusing on yourself" just means that someone is not going to engage in more relationships or put the energy into dating again, says Esther Boykin, LMFT, a relationship therapist in Washington D.C. This can be a helpful step for people who feel like there are parts of themselves that they lost or haven't given enough attention to while in a relationship, she says. So, how do you begin to focus on yourself? Is it a matter of deleting all your dating apps and becoming a hermit? Do you have to spend time journaling until you figure your life out? Not really, and focusing on yourself is easier than it sounds.

To start, you've got to separate your life into quadrants: your relationships, overall physical wellbeing, mental state (including emotional health and anything that stimulates you intellectually), and community or spirit, Boykin says. Then, think about which areas of life are going really well, and which ones need extra support, she says. "If people are a little more intentional about choosing an area of focus, it isn't overwhelming," she says. From there, you can take tangible steps to improve or foster the quadrants that you feel need it the most.

For example, maybe you've always wanted to learn a foreign language, or take a pottery class, but never had the time in a relationship. Or perhaps you want to expand your circle and make time for friends and family. Or maybe all you ever do is go out to drinks with your friends, and you want to do something more creative, like start a book club or spend time in nature. If any of those things make you feel good, then amazing — you're focusing on yourself. "Self care doesn't have to be doing things by yourself, and even 'focusing on me,'" Boykin says.

Even people in relationships can benefit from focusing on themselves, because it's easy to get caught up in your partner's needs when you're in a relationship, Boykin says. "Especially if people move into the stage of the relationship where your day-to-day routine is intwined with someone else," she says. "You stop thinking about, Well, what new things do I want to learn or do for myself? " Figure out how to have a balance and create structure in your life so you can have time alone and connect with others, she says. It's kind of like the oxygen mask metaphor: You have to take care of yourself first before you can take care of others.

Throughout this process, it's important to remember that "very rarely is a thing you need the opposite of what you have," Boykin says. In other words, the solution to your dating problems might not be to swear off dating. Or if a relationship ended badly, that doesn't mean that you should never be in a relationship ever again. To that same point, if you're someone who enjoys being alone, you don't have to go out and be social, and vice versa. "Create more time for whichever of those experiences gives you the most energy or makes you feel the most nourished or nurtured in your life," she says.

In other words: do you, whoever that is.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

I'm Best Friends With My Boyfriend's Ex & It's Awesome

If You’re One Of These Signs, Ask A Leo Out

We Met On Tinder, Now We're Getting Married: 3 Couples Who Found Love Online

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

The following is an extract from Revolting Prostitutes: The Fight for Sex Workers' Rights by Juno Mac and Molly Smith

In the weeks leading up to Christmas 2006, sex workers in the small British town of Ipswich feared for their lives. The bodies of two sex working women had been found in the previous week, and the killer was still at large. Out in the quiet streets, a local news film crew approached a young woman named Paula Clennell, one of the few who remained waiting for clients in the usual spot. When asked why she was risking her life out on the streets when a murderer was on the loose, she explained, "I have to work. I need the money."

Paula, a mother of three in her twenties, had been selling sex for some time. After her children were taken away from her, she became depressed and began using heroin. By the winter of 2006, her dependency on drugs had reached a stage where she needed an income of around five hundred pounds a day to support herself. For Paula, as for so many people in similar situations, selling sex was the only viable way to obtain this kind of money. A friend encouraged her to try indoor escorting in the hope it would be safer – as well as legal under British law – but in her situation, that level of organisation and financial overhead was unrealistic. Street work, though criminalised, meant she could sell sex whenever she wanted and return home with instant cash. She had no partner and no manager to split her money with.

A few days after her appearance on the news, Paula vanished. By Christmas, her body had been found, along with those of four other women.

A few days after her appearance on the news, Paula vanished. By Christmas, her body had been found, along with those of four other women. Steve Wright, a local man, was later found guilty of all five murders.

Nine years later, Daria Pionko’s smiling face jumped out of news reports. Daria was just twenty-one and had moved from Poland to Britain ten months before. Daria’s mother, Lydia, described her as a kind-hearted and joyful girl who was always eager to help others. A few days before Christmas 2015, a young man named Lewis Pierre kicked Daria to death in Holbeck, Leeds, in order to steal eighty pounds from her. Daria’s body was discovered by her housemate and friend Karolina, who was also a street-based sex worker.

Daria had been working in the Holbeck 'managed area'. This is a place where street-based sex workers and clients can meet without fear of arrest, an arrangement the only one of its kind in Britain. (In most of Britain, sex workers who wait for clients in public places may be charged with 'soliciting' or 'loitering with intent to commit prostitution'. Their clients may also be charged with 'kerb crawling'.)

Daria had left the managed area with Pierre, as was compulsory: although sex workers can meet clients without fear of arrest in the Holbeck zone, sex there is not permitted – they are forced to leave the managed area and find a dark alley or patch of woodland where they can conduct business in secrecy. In doing so, sex workers risk arrest. They also, of course, are at risk of attack in these hidden spaces. When Lewis Pierre reappeared in the lens of the same CCTV camera that caught him walking away from the managed area with Daria, he had blood on his steel-capped shoes.

In responding to such horrific stories, it is easy to make them purely about male brutality and the disposability of prostitutes. These themes have resonance for us, too, as they surely do for any sex worker who has stepped into a car or a hotel room with a stranger. The emphasis on male violence as the conceptual framework through which to understand these murders allows non-prostitute women – who may themselves be survivors of male violence – to empathetically and discursively 'enter into' the experience of the prostitute.

While this empathy is welcome, there is a danger that this sands away the specifics of Paula and Daria’s lives and the lives and experiences of prostitutes as a whole, which then become draped around the figure of the 'everywoman'. As Beth Richie argues, the 'everywoman' victim/survivor concept was created in the 1970s as a strategic rhetorical move on the part of the nascent feminist movement to demand attention for the epidemic of male violence. But this has transmuted over time into something closer to a focus on the 'default woman' – and the 'default woman' is certainly not a drug user or a sex worker. Nor is she a survivor of state violence. Daria and Paula’s lives were shaped by specific realities, including the ever-present threat of criminalisation. These young women were acting rationally in a system designed to harm them at every turn.

Instead of asking questions about how the state makes women like Daria and Paula unsafe, media coverage tends to channel the worldview of their aggrieved neighbours. The fact that selling sex is technically not a crime in Britain does little to render sex workers as relatable – or grievable – in the eyes of police, residents or journalists. Sympathetic perceptions of sex workers are readily tossed aside for something more callous. Mike Veale, chief of the Wiltshire police, indicated that when a prostitute reports a crime, he takes her less seriously than other victims: "If you have a six-year-old girl who has trauma in her vagina or anus you would expect me to believe her. If you have a drunken prostitute, making allegations regarding a bad debt, you have to make more of a judgement."

Judgements of this type are not in short supply. A few years after the Ipswich killings, one journalist wrote, "The girls killed in Ipswich were not working in the stupidly PC term 'sex industry'; they were junkies ... Can we afford rehab for the girls in Ipswich – and everywhere else? Speaking as a taxpayer, I’d say: erm, well, um. Good question. " Indeed, it seems the Ipswich killings, and the questions they raise, drew a particularly vicious strain of rhetorical cruelty into the public arena, suggesting that hatred of sex workers and collective guilt about social neglect are closely bound together. Another journalist called the five Ipswich women "disgusting, drug-addled street whores" and bridled at what he considered excessive mourning, writing, "We do not share in the responsibility for either their grubby little existences or their murders. Society isn’t to blame ... death by strangulation is an occupational hazard."

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Who, then – or what – is to blame? Why didn’t Paula and her friends have access to a flat that they could have taken turns using with clients instead of being driven away, alone, in a car? Why was she paying five hundred pounds a day for opiates that the National Health Service could have provided in a safe version for a fraction of the cost? Why was she stuck trying to manage her trauma through street heroin instead of through more sustainable support services? Instead of being supported to be the loving parent she desperately wanted to be, Paula was left depressed and in profound poverty. For Daria, too, these questions bubble up painfully. An evaluation of the Holbeck managed area had already noted, months before Daria’s murder, that the "most notable time of risk for sex workers is away from the Managed Area". Women like Daria and Paula need so little – some basic safety and resources — that it is easy to imagine society meeting those needs. Yet, at the same time, they needed so much – in that to imagine a society that takes their safety seriously is to imagine a society profoundly transformed.

Revolting Prostitutes: The Fight for Sex Workers' Rights by Juno Mac and Molly Smith, £11.34, published by Verso Books.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Lisa Taddeo Of Three Women Picks Her Four Favourite Books

What Being Friends With Anna Delvey Was Really Like — Before Getting Scammed

These Magical Photos About Sisterhood & Home Feel Like A Fairy Tale

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

If you regularly browse the wellness pages of the internet, it's likely you'll have come across more than a few mentions of essential oils.

Essential oils are lovely. They are the very essence of a plant, its purest scent; they diffuse beautifully in oil burners, go great in baths, and we're at the beginning of some interesting research into whether essential oils can be used to help treat different medical issues.

Please note the 'at the beginning of" part of that sentence. NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) classifies aromatherapy (using oils to improve physical and mental wellbeing) as a complementary medicine, which means that it shouldn't be used as an alternative to traditional medicine, just as a possible addition.

One thing we do know about using essential oils is that you should definitely not be putting them up or in your vagina. This, my friends, is a very bad idea indeed.

To some of you, this may sound like a given: the vagina = not a part of your body to play silly buggers with. In fact, though, there are a huge number of blogposts advocating the use of various oil concoctions for vaginal odour, for yeast infections (thrush), bacterial vaginosis, vaginal dryness... and that's just on the first page of Google. You can even, if you really hate having money, buy this ready-made mixture of oils named Holy Yoni (for topical use only) for $48 (£37). For the non-Goopers out there, "yoni" is Sanskrit for "womb" but has come to mean vagina, vulva or uterus.

"I don't recommend [using] any oils at all!" says Shazia Malik, a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist practising in London. She believes the essential oil craze is a side-effect of the digital evolution. "There is an increasing trend to Google and try to self-manage problems, and to look for so-called 'natural' remedies," she tells me. "Unfortunately, there is a lot of unregulated information which can be misleading and even harmful."

The vagina is not a part of your body to play silly buggers with

Sadly, thanks to poor education and other cultural factors, many women feel under pressure to have a 'perfect' vagina. To be clear, such a thing doesn't exist; vaginas are all fine, just as they are. Refinery29 recently reported on the dangers of unregulated vaginal 'rejuvenation ' procedures, a demand for which has stemmed from an unrealistic idea of what form, shape and colour the female genitals 'should' take. According to Malik, myths like these may be behind the current interest in vaginal oils. "There has been a cultural shift in what is perceived as normal or beautiful. [This] has meant that what really is normal may sometimes be perceived as otherwise, for example feeling that a normal and natural odour isn't or needs to be masked."

Tea tree oil seems to be a particularly popular choice of vaginal oil across the blogosphere, especially for treating thrush and odours. Malik tells us it's because it's known as an antiseptic (an unnecessary addition as a vagina should have millions of healthy bacteria already in place). Worryingly though, tea tree oil appears to be the reported catalyst for a number of hospital trips, including claims of a woman left with permanent scarring after soaking a tampon in the stuff. It's important to remember that any essential oil should be heavily diluted before it comes into contact with the body anyway but putting it inside yourself can be very dangerous indeed. Malik lists pain, scarring, the killing off of healthy bacteria, burning of the skin and creating a predisposition to infection as just some of the potential dangers.

So it's a no on the essential oils. Even if you think you need it. "The vagina is a self-cleaning and moisturising organ and does not need extra oils, moisturisers or deodorants," states Malik firmly. "The only time moisturisers may be needed is in some sexual disorders, while breastfeeding, when the vagina can be less lubricated, and after the menopause."

"Wear cotton underwear, change daily – more often if exercising or heavy discharge – and don't wear underwear at night," Malik continues. "Do not use vaginal hygiene products and don't douche. Wash with warm water and/or unscented products for the vulva."

Basically, no matter how high maintenance you are, your vagina's the opposite. Leave it alone. It'll thank you.

For more news and reporting on cosmetic and non-cosmetic procedures targeted at women's vaginas, visit our #YourVaginasFine microsite.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

I'm Best Friends With My Boyfriend's Ex & It's Awesome

These Are The Healthiest Oils To Use When Cooking

Can’t Afford A Trainer? These Are The Best Workout Apps

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

When it comes to vitamins in skincare, there are two in particular that skin experts will always sing the praises of: vitamin A – this is what retinol is derived from and it has the ability to increase cell turnover, boost collagen and minimise fine lines, acne and hyperpigmentation – and vitamin C – a skin-brightening antioxidant that protects against environmental aggressors such as pollution and infrared light.

A good, solid skincare regime should consist of both of these elements (vitamin C in the morning and vitamin A in the evening, alongside a slathering of sun protection in the AM, of course) but if our Skin Deep series has taught us anything here at R29, it's that skin is complex, and often calls for something more. Enter: vitamin K. Not as well known as A or C, it's a bit of an unsung ingredient in the skincare sphere, but if you suffer with parched patches and skin inflammation, it might just be worth incorporating into your routine. So what exactly is it?

"Vitamin K is essentially a group of compounds found in many things including food, such as leafy greens, liver and eggs," explains facialist Michaella Bolder. "Following research, this particular ingredient was found to be just as important as A, C and E, mainly because of its anti-inflammatory properties," something Kirsti Shuba, cofounder of skincare brand Katherine Daniels, expands on.

"Vitamin K is for skin recovery," says Kirsti. "In topical application, it is often used for bruising, swelling and is sometimes applied to cuts and grazes to aid the healing process – surgeons often prescribe a vitamin K cream to aid healing after surgery, for example." Michaella seconds vitamin K's wound healing properties but explains that it has the potential to go a little further. "Topical application is even beneficial for conditions such as eczema and psoriasis," she says, as recent research suggests it plays a significant role in inhibiting the inflammation typical of these skin conditions, such as redness and swelling. "In turn, vitamin K strengthens the skin's natural barrier function, enabling it to grow stronger and to retain hydration for longer," says Kirsti, which makes it a great one to incorporate into your skincare routine come the winter months, when skin can get much drier.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Of course, it's best to visit a dermatologist or GP for help with symptoms of eczema and psoriasis. In fact, Dr Anjali Mahto, consultant dermatologist and author of The Skincare Bible: Your No-Nonsense Guide To Great Skin advises not to rush out and buy products which contain vitamin K as a sole agent, as other, more researched ingredients show clinical benefit, too. But if you're looking to combat the odd patch of dry skin, you can find vitamin K in many skincare products, such as Summer Fridays' Overtime Mask, £39, and Kat Burki's PH+ Enzyme Essence, £92, which also boasts vitamin C for protection against pollution and other environmental issues.

Research also suggests that vitamin K can minimise broken capillaries under the skin, something Michaella and Kirsti both acknowledge, which could be why you're likely to find the ingredient inside many eye creams. R29 rates Goldfaden MD's Bright Eyes, £48, and Clark's Botanicals Anti-Puff Eye Cream, £70, especially for hydrating taut skin and minimising fine lines, but whether vitamin K or any other ingredient in eye cream is able to penetrate the skin deep enough to target dark circles is still up for debate, according to dermatologists.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

'90s Makeup Is Back: Here's How To Wear It In 2019

Neon Eyeshadow Has Never Been More Popular, But Is It Safe?

Black Actors Are Getting Huge Roles In Hollywood, But Still Doing Their Own Hair

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Sustainable luxury fashion brand Maiyet has made its name by partnering with global artisans and advocating slow, fair and eco fashion. Having set a precedent for responsible consumption, it's now opening a pop-up concept store – The Maiyet Collective – playing host to the brands producing the most exciting sustainable pieces (which we actually want to wear).

Located at 40 Conduit Street in London, the store will feature new brands on a rotational basis and include everything from fashion and jewellery to beauty and homeware. Open three days each month, always running from Thursday to Sunday, there will also be a programme of panel talks, workshops, book signings, performance art and film screenings.

Ahead, we choose four of our favourite ethically minded eco-conscious brands, from incarcerated knitwear makers to those tackling denim's water waste. Click through to shop The Maiyet Collective's best brands.

The Maiyet Collective is open 1st-3rd November, and 29th November-1st December. Visit themaiyetcollective.com to request an invitation to The Maiyet Collective concept store and receive details of upcoming events.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

6 Bikini & Blazer Combos We Didn't Know We Needed – Until Now

These High-Cut Swimsuits Will Give You Legs For Days

Your Hot Weather Survival Hack: Clothes That Don’t Touch Your Body

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Living an ethical, plant-based, vegan life – though rewarding – can be tricky. And never trickier than at 5pm on a Friday when reaching for a well-earned glass of wine. Because it’s a sad and sorry fact that not all wines are vegan. We know.

But why is this? Surely grapes + sugar = vegan-friendly? Well, apparently it’s just not as simple as that. We asked Isabelle Legeron, a Master of Wine and founder of RAW WINE to explain…

"Some winemakers use what are called 'processing aids’ to ‘fine’ their wines in order to remove residual cloudiness. The aids can be made from clay or pea protein but can also be derived from egg, milk and even fish. This is why some wines are not suitable for vegetarians or vegans."

Okay, so how can we tell if a wine is vegan-friendly?

"Unfortunately you can’t always tell from the label if a wine is vegan-friendly. I would say most artisanally made, low-intervention wines are suitable, but the best way to be sure is to buy wine from an independent wine store with knowledgeable staff. At RAW WINE we require full disclosure from producers and we share this information with visitors."

We’d also add that a spot of online shopping can make your vegan wine hunting a tad easier too, with outlets like Ocado and Waitrose enabling you to search specifically for vegan wines. In the meantime, we’ve rounded up some of our favourite vegan-friendly wines so you can make a toast to wine time, without the worry.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Aperol May Be Your Favourite Summer Drink, But What Exactly Is It?

9 Tips Straight From Chefs Who Meal Prep For A Living

The Best Brunch Spots To Try In Every Part Of London

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Happy Vegan Day! In case you hadn't noticed, being vegan is very "in" right now. Of course, food choices shouldn't ever be "in" or "out". You should eat what makes you happy. But it is noted that avoiding animal products is a positive thing you can do to help with the sustainability issues our planet is facing. So, if veganism is for you, wave goodbye to eggs, say adios to steak. Set fire to mountains of brie and manchego. Do what makes you feel good.

Just because your vegan lifestyle is making you feel good though, doesn't mean it comes without its own set of issues. In this age of the vegan fad, it can get a little tiring answering things like "IS QUORN VEGAN" on a daily basis (answer: some is, some isn't), or getting yet another eye roll from Aunty Carol at Christmas dinner when you explain once more for the cheap seats in the back that no, your veganism isn't a phase.

To help everyone be more mindful of the vegans in their lives, I lured two Refinery29 vegans (Nina Joyce, PR Director and Sadhbh O'Sullivan, Social Media Editor) into a conversation using a packet of seitan and asked them what they find most annoying about being vegan. Click through to find their answers.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Aperol May Be Your Favourite Summer Drink, But What Exactly Is It?

9 Tips Straight From Chefs Who Meal Prep For A Living

The Best Brunch Spots To Try In Every Part Of London

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

As we move into the colder months, the planets ebb and flow through their paths, both direct and in retrograde. Venus, our planet of beauty and charm, will end her retrograde and return to her usual path on the 16th. Have you been waiting to pull the trigger on a new beauty ritual? You may learn more about an up-and-coming mask before it’s all over Instagram.

On that same day, our speedy communication planet, Mercury, enters his third retrograde of the year. When one area of your life regains speed, another must hit the brakes. Prepare yourself for intense internal change at the beginning of the month when the new moon arrives in Scorpio. Guard yourself against reacting too quickly or severely to loved ones during this time. On the 22nd, the Sun enters Sagittarius and the full moon enters Gemini the next day. Everyone will be ready to share their ideas, no matter how wild.

Get R29 Horoscopes direct to your calendar, every week with two simple steps!

1. Click this link to download to: Apple / iOSGoogle / Android

2. Make sure you're notified about new horoscopes by switching on event alerts! Apple/iOS: Switch on 'Events' notifications under 'Alerts' in 'Preferences'. Google: 'Add Notification' under 'Event Notifications' in R29 Horoscopes calendar settings. Is there a webcal/iCal feed I can use to subscribe directly? Yes! Here

I subscribed to the calendar on my iPhone but it isn’t showing up on my computer or tablet. How do I fix that? You will need to add an iCloud Calendar subscription. Use the webcal link mentioned above.

Can I subscribe if I use Outlook? Yes. Using the webcal link above, you can add the calendar to Outlook.com or an Outlook desktop client.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

No Matter Your Sign, You’ll Love These Astrology Sites

Your Horoscope This Week

A Beginner's Guide To Reading Palms

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

View this post on Instagram

Makeup for @marni by @patmcgrathreal

A post shared by @ jessmaybury on Oct 10, 2018 at 6:04am PDT

Jess Maybury was 17 when she booked her first modelling job, alongside older sister Reba Maybury (a writer, publisher and dominatrix), for the respected fashion and culture magazine, AnOther. It was an auspicious start and Jess quickly became a regular face on the arty London fashion scene, known for her statuesque figure and unique beauty. With a mix of Pakistani and Welsh heritage, Jess is tall with long, dark hair, an angular jaw and the bored but beautiful almond eyes of a Pre-Raphaelite muse.

Initially, Jess appeared on the catwalk and in photoshoots for emerging designers such as Claire Barrow and Marta Jakubowski, and then more established brands including Gareth Pugh and Acne. Autumn Winter '15 brought her first campaign, a gothic vision for Lanvin, and she recently appeared in the Autumn Winter '18 Vivienne Westwood campaign with Reba. After becoming embedded in London’s art and fashion communities, and working on her own eccentric shoots with partner Joshua Gordon (a filmmaker), Jess has become well known in the industry here.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

This past fashion month, however, Jess burst onto the international fashion stage in a major way. Cast for the Spring Summer '19 Marni show in Milan, Jess was given the prestigious role of opening the show – an honour usually bestowed on a model the designer believes epitomises the mood of the collection, and the current moment in fashion. Having walked for Ashley Williams in London, Jess then finished fashion month walking for Kenzo and Sonia Rykiel in Paris.

Refinery29 caught up with Jess over email to hear about her first major fashion month, and also found out why she quit college, how she came to love her unique beauty, and how she copes with freezing cold modelling shoots...

Where are you from, and what’s your background?
I grew up in a small village called Woodstock which was quite boring and full of old people, and moved to London to do a degree in illustration at Camberwell but didn’t like it – it definitely wasn’t worth £9,000 a year. Since then, I’ve been experimenting with my own work and doing projects with my boyfriend. Working a boring job to pay rent and modelling when something comes up, which makes life far more exciting.

What’s the best thing about being a model during fashion month?
I can get time off work from my job, and love meeting interesting designers and stylists who I respect and adore, like ASAI and Fran Burns, who have really supported me.

What is the biggest misconception people have about modelling?
That it’s all glamour the whole time. A lot of my shoots have been outside in the middle of the freezing winter or swimming in icy water, but I can’t complain because they’re generally amazing experiences with people I love working with, and the benefits outweigh any bad points. I got to hold a fox called Cherry for Print magazine, which was really incredible.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

You opened the Marni show in Milan, which is a huge deal. How did that come about? When did you find out? And what did it feel like?
It was really amazing and surreal. I was asked to go to Milan for the weekend to visit them and found out I was opening the show the night before, which was so shocking. I kept thinking why would they want this big buggy woman to open their show?

How do you relax after show season?
Because I’m not a full-time model I’m not as busy as other models so I don’t feel too drained by it all, but when I am away I miss spending time with my boyfriend, so I try and squeeze in some day trips to galleries or to a farm to see some piggies with him.

How would you describe your personal style?
Well, my favourite colour is brown so any look with an array of chocolate and caramel tones is right up my alley. Me and my sister have been collecting and sharing vintage Jean Paul Gaultier for years! My style icons would range from Grace Jones to my mum and her collection of Indian and Afghani tribal jewellery.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

And what about your beauty routine?
I don’t really have one, I’m quite the lazy pig. I just wash my hair every day and put it in a plait, that’s my only daily ritual. I love a body oil but usually have to steal one because they’re quite expensive.

Have you always been confident in your looks?
Oh, definitely not. I looked like a big tall worm my whole life and then cut my hair into a bowl cut (accidentally) when I was 14 so the teenage years were quite hideous, but I think kids and teenagers need to look like freaks. If you peak when you’re young then the rest of your life is downhill from there. I love being tall now and making men on the Tube feel really small, but I also love that my boyfriend is shorter than me, it’s a perfect combination.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

There’s an increasing crossover between models and influencers. What are your feelings about being an influencer, or street style personality?
I suppose it depends on the 'influencer'. It’s only a term that’s existed in the last few years and has little meaning because none of these people do anything and aren’t actually very interesting. But I suppose models and influencers alike are both desired because of their physical appearance. I just wish the younger generation didn’t care about putting all their efforts into street style and selfies and actually had knowledge of art history, literature and good films. People just praise the rich kids of celebrities now, it’s boring.

As well as a model, you’re also a photographer. How would you describe your style and practice?
Jean-Paul Goude and Cindy Sherman have been favourites since an early age. I’m only getting to grips with what I want to do; I often feel pressure to say "I’m a photographer" but I just want to create art that’s not just for Instagram as that doesn’t hold any value to me. I want to work on meaningful projects until I’m happy to put it all out there, no matter how long it takes.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

This Is Officially Summer's Favourite Floral Print

All The Changes To New York Fashion Week

All The Best Fashion Moments From The Orange Is The New Black Premiere

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

When it comes to renting in London, affordability is obviously a relative concept. Though there are many other areas of the country where rents are rising rapidly, the capital remains eye-wateringly expensive compared to most of them.

But if you're prepared to move a little further away from the city centre, you'll find that average rents drop considerably. According to the latest Landbay Rental Index report, the average London rent in a shared house of two people is £1,944 – which amounts to a hefty 49% of each tenant’s income.

By contrast, the lowest London rents can be found in the borough of Bexley, at the city's south-east edge, where the average rent in a shared house of two people is a much more reasonable £1,022.

Sutton, one of London's southernmost boroughs, is second-most affordable, with the average rent in a shared house of two people coming in at £1,071. Havering (£1,083) in the east, Croydon (£1,143) in the south and Bromley (£1,191) in the south-east are close behind.

At the other end of the scale, the boroughs of Kensington & Chelsea (£3,051), Westminster (£2,938), Camden (£2,253), City of London (£2,138) and Hammersmith & Fulham (£1,918) are the most expensive places to rent. This isn't too surprising as each is a central and traditionally wealthy borough.

Commenting on the report, Landbay's CEO and founder John Goodall said: "Historically, desirable locations are likely to hold a rent burden that may make living costs insurmountable. Young professionals now need to weigh up a variety of factors, including commuting length, travel costs, and above all rent. This is especially true if they hope to save and invest, with the goal of achieving that first step onto the property ladder in the future."

A report last year found that several towns in the south-east have become hotspots for Londoners seeking to reduce their living costs, with Slough, Thurrock and Broxbourne coming top of the list.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Flexible Working Is The Future, According To New Survey

Getting Fired At 29 Was The Best Thing To Happen To Me

Money Diary: A Business-Owning Couple In Wales On 600k