Latest news with #AnnaWilliams
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pointless or positive? - Suffolk students split on changes to voting age
Suffolk students have mixed reactions to the government's announcement of a lower voting age to 16, with views ranging from "pointless" to "positive". A group of students from Abbeygate Sixth Form College have reacted as news emerged that 16-year-olds and 17-year-olds will be allowed to vote in the next general election which will be held by 2029. Hailed by Labour as "the boldest and most ambitious change to our democracy for decades" the changes to voting law also include automatic voter registration to stop potential voters from missing out. Penny Norman, 16, and Anna Williams, 17, have different views on the changes (Image: John Nice) Some students, such as Anna Williams, are in favour of the plans. Anna, 17, is currently studying for her A-levels including politics. She said: 'I think there is always two sides to every story but I think it is a really positive thing. It hopefully means the education in schools [about politics] will improve. I didn't know very much [about politics] before starting at Abbeygate." She has an optimistic view of politics currently, saying that the state of politics in the UK is "a complicated one, overall there is always good things and bad things, but we will come out okay". Joseph Haynes, who studies politics at Abbeygate (Image: John Nice) However, some students are very much against the changes to increase the voting franchise. Penny Norman, who studies politics at Abbeygate, said: "'I think it is really bad. I'm not fond of the idea. I don't think people are mature enough." Joseph Haynes, who also studies politics agreed with her saying: 'It seems a bit pointless. They [the government] are probably just doing it to distract from the state of politics right now.' Olly Haughton of Suffolk New College (Image: John Nice) 'It's in a state – all the parties are basically the same and there is not much difference between them. Olly Haughton, 19, from Woodbridge studies at Suffolk New College, and whilst he currently eligible to vote, he said that he "could see why there are concerns". The Esports student said: "I can understand why they are doing it, but I can see why there are some concerns. Some 16-year-olds (from my experience) aren't always the most mature. But I can also see the opportunities with it as well.'
The Guardian
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
My unexpected Pride icon: the diva women of fighting video games inspired me
Growing up, fighting video games such as Tekken and Street Fighter were a core part of bonding during summer holidays for my brothers and I. For me, beat-em-ups were less about nurturing any masculine impulses toward strength and destruction, and more about the lore of the fighting game and its varied fighting styles, which played like a dance on the TV screen. That, and the ever-expanding rosters of sexy, glamorous femme fatales. There is a joke I have often heard that you know a young boy may be of the lavender persuasion if he only picks female characters in beat-em-up fighting video games – the parents might think it's because he fancies them, but really it's a form of diva worship. That was certainly true for me. As a fan of the Japanese beat-em-up fighting series Tekken, I have had a lifelong fascination with two characters: Nina Williams and her sister, Anna. Nina debuted in the very first Tekken game in 1994. A complex, ice cold, blond bombshell assassin from Northern Ireland, Nina is distinct for her skin-tight purple outfits and knee-high boots, with a fighting style which blends aikido and koppojutsu. While the Tekken community believe her early designs appeared to be derived from Sharon Stone's performance in Basic Instinct, later iterations of the character drew from a wider pool of femme fatales including Kill Bill's Beatrix Kiddo (in Tekken 7, Nina wears a destroyed wedding gown). Why did Nina unlock a kind of queer longing in me? Certainly there's the adoration of femininity that was consistent for me as a child with a precocious sense of my sexuality, but there was also something in the precision and elegance of her movements. Where other Tekken characters relied on brutish punches and head-butts, female characters such as Nina delighted me with their slaps, jabs and rhythmic, pirouetting gracefulness. As a young gay kid who was often teased and bullied for a preference to hop, skip, jump and prance around like a ballet dancer, I drew confidence from Nina's own assuredness. Over the course of the series, Nina Williams enjoyed an intense, campy rivalry with her younger, arguably more glamorous sister Anna, which entailed stolen dresses and heels, dramatic slaps, snatched bikini tops, and one murdered fiance. High camp, classic drama. But Anna clearly longs for love and acceptance from her sister despite Nina's hostile, unfeeling disposition – something which I think spoke to me as a queer boy wanting the same in a world I felt didn't want me. When Tekken 8 was released last year, Anna Williams was left off the roster, prompting backlash. When she was finally released in an update, redesigned with an asymmetrical bob with red highlights and a bazooka nicknamed 'Lucky Tom', there was much celebration particularly from queer fans. Mother is back! But Tekken isn't especially sentient about its appeal to queer audiences (despite the inclusion of a genderless character, Leo Kliesen, in the sixth game). In a video discussing Anna's popularity, series game designer Michael Murray expressed surprise that 'Anna is really popular among LGBTQ+ players', while executive producer Katsuhiro Harada remarked that 'Anna is particularly popular among lesbians'. Much of this is because of Anna's personality in the series – histrionic, flirtatious and sensual. In an interaction with an older male character she says, 'well hello you silver fox, looking for a good time?' I'm planning to steal that line to set up my next Grindr encounter.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Illinois law to require police take sexual assault sensitivity training
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WTVO) — A bill that would require police officers to take training on sexual assault sensitivity is headed to the governor's desk to become law. 'Anna's Law' passed the state House and Senate unanimously. The bill is named after 23-year-old Anna Williams, who struggled to get police to take reports of her sexual assault seriously. Currently, police officers in Illinois are required to take tracking on 'Cultural Perception' and 'Common Myths on Sexual Assault and Abuse.' Anna's Law would require law enforcement officers to take training on how to identify sexual abuse, and how to address conflicts of interest, such as when an officer knows either the victims or the alleged perpetrators. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Anna's Law aims to protect victims from re-traumatization
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WGN) — A bill requiring additional training for police handling sexual assault cases is one Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signature away from becoming law. WTVO-TV, WGN's sister station, reports that the bill, called Anna's Law, would amend the Illinois Police Training Act to require the additional training while an officer is in their probationary period, to learn how to handle cases in which the officer knows either the victim or the abuser. The bill is for Anna Williams, who says police did not listen to or believe her when she filed a sexual assault report. The training would help law enforcement officials avoid re-traumatizing a victim and instead promote best practices for sensitively handling cases. Sponsored by Illinois State Senator Mary Edly-Allen (D-Libertyville), Anna's Law, Senate Bill 1195, aims to minimize the trauma experienced by victims by providing training programs for officers. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
State lawmakers advance bill requiring police training to minimize trauma for sexual assault victims
Illinois lawmakers on Thursday advanced legislation requiring increased police training on sexual assault cases that would include practices 'meant to minimize traumatization of the victim.' The training required by the legislation, now heading to Gov. JB Pritzker's desk, would also focus on identifying and addressing conflicts of interest when officers involved in the case are familiar with the victim or accused. The 'trauma-informed' training is intended to promote handling people involved in sexual assault cases in a sensitive way, said state Sen. Mary Edly-Allen, the bill's sponsor and a Democrat from Libertyville. The bill was dubbed 'Anna's Law' because it was championed by an Illinois resident, Anna Williams, who told state lawmakers that she was unfairly overlooked by law enforcement when she filed a sexual assault report. 'The detective working my case lied on my statements, and it was brushed off when I mentioned it to the chief,' Williams said at a late April legislative hearing. 'I was frequently asked if I was sure that it was not consensual. If we pass the bill, it will help survivors heal from the assault, and then it gives them a fighting chance. It will validate their experiences.' An initial version of the bill was met with opposition in part due to a provision penalizing officers if they did not complete the training, Edly-Allen said. Law enforcement officials also wanted the training to be administered by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, instead of the state Department of Human Services as initially written, she said. 'Personally, I did not want anything punitive,' Edly-Allen said. 'It's about when you know better, you do better, just understanding that we all experience life differently.' The Illinois Sheriffs' Association initially filed in opposition of the legislation, but said Thursday they switched their position to neutral after the bill was amended in the Senate. Proponents of the legislation also include the Illinois National Organization for Women, Illinois Collaboration on Youth, the AIDS Foundation of Chicago and The Network: Advocating Against Domestic Violence. 'The passage of Anna's Law is another step in the direction of ensuring our law enforcement responses to sexual and domestic violence are survivor-centered and trauma-informed,' said Maralea Negron, director of policy, advocacy and research at The Network: Advocating Against Domestic Violence. 'Addressing conflicts of interest in law enforcement responses will directly support survivors who hesitate to report because of these associated risks.' Edly-Allen credited Williams with pushing her to champion the legislation. 'I actually was a little nervous carrying the bill originally, but her determination and her unwavering bravery to say 'No, this is wrong, we need to change it,' empowered me,' Edly-Allen said. 'She empowered me to do this legislation.'
