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The Guardian
25-04-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
We obsess over the angry young men going Reform. But what of the anxious young women going Green?
Sometimes a political backlash doesn't take the shape you expect. Though there are times when it goes off like a firework, as young men's TikTok-fuelled surge of enthusiasm for Nigel Farage did last summer, sometimes it's more of a long, slow burn. The most underexplored form of revolt against mainstream politics right now is the second kind, involving not angry young men lurching rightwards but anxious young women turning, if anything, more sharply left. Almost a quarter of women aged 18 to 24 voted Green last July, roughly double the number of young men who voted Reform, though predictably it's the latter who have since got all the attention. While the big parties chased avidly after so-called Waitrose women, well-heeled home counties matrons considering defecting from the Tories, they had little to say to their daughters. So it was the Greens who ended up cornering the market in a certain kind of frustrated gen Z voter: typically a middle-class student or graduate in her early 20s, whose conscience is pricked every time she opens Instagram by heartrending images of orphans in Gaza or refugees drowning in the Channel, and who can't understand why nobody seems to care. She's angry about the rampant misogyny of some boys she knew at school, Donald Trump, greedy landlords and a burning planet, and the Greens' more-in-sorrow-than-in-anger social media posts attacking Keir Starmer for choosing welfare cuts over wealth taxes strike a chord. But deeper down, perhaps, she's angry that despite slogging diligently through school and university and possibly a master's (the Greens do best among the highly educated) she still can't count on a lifestyle like her parents had. For all the girls who put their heads down and worked at school while the boys kicked off and absorbed all the teachers' attention, there may be something grimly familiar about a Labour party that seemingly takes them for granted while bending over backwards to placate noisy Reform voters. Why isn't this quiet form of female political alienation ringing more alarm bells? The obvious answer is that there aren't enough of these young women to swing an election, but young Reform-voting men caught the public imagination despite being an even smaller drop in the electoral ocean. And though it would be dangerous to get complacent, detailed research on so-called 'Reform-curious' voters to be published next week by the thinktank Persuasion counters some of the wilder assumptions about gen Z men's politics, finding that while it's true they are more likely than older male voters to think favourably of Farage, they're less likely to actually vote Reform. Strikingly, they're also less likely than middle-aged gen X men now to say that feminism has gone too far. Maybe it's not just schoolboys who should be sat down and made to watch Netflix's Adolescence, as MPs keep arguing, but their fathers. The growing consensus meanwhile among political scientists is that if young men's and women's worldviews are (as polls suggest) becoming ever more starkly polarised, the driving force behind that split is women becoming sharply more liberal, not men becoming radically more rightwing. Rosie Campbell, professor of politics at King's College London, is one of surprisingly few academics to have dug deeper into younger women's political choices. For a start, it looks as if earlier waves of feminism have been the left's unexpected recruiting sergeant: the historic trend is for women to become more liberal as more of them go to university or move into the labour market, and 57% of British university students are now female. But Campbell's hunch is that young women's radicalisation also has a lot to do with Brexit and its unfolding consequences. Women are noticeably more anti-austerity and pro-remain than men, she points out, which suggests they're likely to have found the past nine years more frustrating. As the two biggest parties fell over themselves to embrace Brexit and then to rule out big wealth taxes, these women are likely to have been pushed further and further out to the political fringes. Alongside her colleague Rosalind Shorrocks, Campbell traces the start of the Green surge back to a pool of young female voters attracted by Jeremy Corbyn's promise of a 'kinder, gentler politics', who backed Labour in 2017 and then voted Green in the following set of European elections, and are unlikely now to be enthused by Starmer explaining why he no longer believes trans women are women. The final piece of the jigsaw, she suspects, may be social media: are the same algorithms blamed for leading young men down rightwing rabbit holes similarly reinforcing young women's anger at social injustices, by feeding them an endless diet of the content they seem to click on most? If so, the gap between gen Z men and women is likely to grow, with consequences not just for politics but for the lives they may end up living alongside each other. Perhaps there will never be enough of them to count electorally. Or perhaps their furious idealism will simply fade with age. But the failure even to be curious about what it is young women are trying to say, just because their chosen revolt against the mainstream takes a less aggressive or destructive form than young Reformers', feels profoundly unfair. Sometimes it pays to listen to people sitting quietly at the back, not just the ones screaming in your face. Gaby Hinsliff is a Guardian columnist
South China Morning Post
08-04-2025
- Health
- South China Morning Post
Animal-based skincare is back: Gwyneth Paltrow is a fan of bee venom, K-beauty favours snail mucin and some swear by salmon sperm, while La Prairie, Rodial boast innovative products
Vegan skincare once held court as the undisputed queen of the beauty aisle, flaunting plant-powered formulas that promised to banish dullness and moral guilt in one green swipe. But social media thrives on reinvention, and the tides have recently turned. Enter the primal allure of animal-based skincare, a revival that's part old-world remedy, part TikTok-fuelled fascination. Leading this renaissance is beef tallow, an ingredient once relegated to pie crusts and candles , now rebranded as a moisturising marvel. With a fatty acid profile said to mimic the skin's natural oils, beef fat is feted for addressing everything from dryness to fine lines. Tallow Original Balm. Photo: Handout Advertisement 'Some people think that beef tallow is unethically sourced,' explains Stella Dinnis, medical aesthetician at Florida-based St Pete Wellness & MedSpa. 'However, it can be sourced responsibly – the animals are raised ethically and live in natural conditions. Also, tallow is usually a by-product of the meat industry, so it uses parts of the animal that would [otherwise] go to waste.' Dinnis also dismisses a common misconception: 'Many assume it clogs your pores because of the grease, but tallow is easily absorbed, which helps hydrate and repair the skin. Its structure is similar to the oils we produce in our skin.' Still, she cautions that everyone's skin is different. Animal-based skincare may seem novel in today's world of lab-engineered serums, but its history runs deep. The ancient Egyptians slathered themselves in animal fats and honey; the ancient Greeks swore by donkey-milk baths for radiant skin; while in Korea, snail mucin – the central component of mucus – has been a beauty staple for centuries, revered for its hydrating and healing properties. COSRX Advanced Snail 92. Photo: Handout In today's market, animal-derived collagen , for example, is often praised for its anti-ageing properties, but how does it compare to plant-based or synthetic options? 'A problem with plant-based alternatives is that they are not technically collagen,' notes Dr Gizem Seymenoglu, a medical aesthetician at the Longevita clinic in London. 'That's because plants do not produce this protein. However, in light of the environmental impact of bovine and marine collagen, vegan collagen does offer a suitable alternative,' she adds. Dr Hannah Kopelman, a dermatologist at the New York branch of Kopelman Hair Restoration, explains that the effectiveness of animal-derived collagen lies in the fact that it contains the same amino acids our bodies use to build collagen – like glycine, proline and hydroxyproline. 'These act as building blocks to replenish and repair the skin's collagen matrix,' she says. La Prairie Skin Caviar. Photo: Handout Egg-white facials, straight from vintage beauty lore, are also making a comeback. This DIY trend involves slathering whisked egg whites on to the face to tighten pores and smooth the skin. While proteins in egg whites offer a lifting effect, the result is often short lived, and once you factor in the smell, and risks like salmonella and allergies, the experience is far from spa-worthy. Still, influencers are actively flaunting their 'egg-white glow' all across social media.
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Justin Bieber sparks concern as he steps out in NYC amid marriage woes claims
Justin Bieber cut a tense and weary figure in New York City on Wednesday, fuelling speculation about trouble in his marriage to Hailey Bieber. The Sorry singer, 30, stepped out in the Big Apple wearing a bright yellow hoodie, oversized cargo trousers, and fuzzy slipper-like shoes. At one point, he was pictured grabbing his crotch as he strolled down a busy Manhattan street. Later, he was seen hopping into a waiting SUV. Meanwhile, Hailey was spotted separately, leaving a building alone in Union Square later that evening. Their latest outing comes just days after the couple, who have been married for over six years and share their son, Jack Blues Bieber, appeared to put on a united front during a cosy date night. But behind the scenes, things may not be as picture-perfect. Sources tell that Hailey's inner circle is becoming increasingly worried about his 'unacceptable behaviour,' with some reportedly encouraging her to walk away from the relationship. A insider told the outlet last week: 'Hailey's been struggling with Justin almost since the start of the marriage. She loves him madly but he's a loose cannon. Some of her friends have advised her to go it alone and leave him. 'His behavior is sometimes unacceptable. She's put up with a lot.' A source then claimed that Hailey and her inner circle had hoped fatherhood would bring a change in Justin, especially after he was so present for her following the birth of their son in August 2024. But according to the insider, 'it hasn't stuck.' The Standard has contacted Justin and Hailey Bieber's rep for comment. Meanwhile, Justin recently attempted to shut down speculation about trouble in their marriage after fans noticed he had unfollowed Hailey on Instagram. Last week, the Love Yourself singer was suddenly not following the Rhode Beauty founder, igniting rumours of trouble in paradise. Hours later, he addressed the situation, claiming his account had been hacked. 'Someone went on my account and unfollowed my wife,' he wrote on his Instagram Story. 'S*** is getting suss out here.' The timing was especially curious as the incident came just days after the 30-year-old shared a sweet photo of himself and Hailey ice skating during a trip to Aspen, Colorado, seemingly proving all was well between the two. Hailey then sent a subtle message to fans amid the speculation about her marriage, posting a mirror selfie on her Instagram Stories on January 23, which showed off her $1.5 million upgraded engagement ring and a tote bag embroidered with the words "Mrs. Bieber". The 28-year-old is no stranger to addressing online chatter about her marriage. Back in December, she subtly clapped back at TikTok-fuelled speculation with a pointed Instagram Story. Sharing a viral TikTok clip, the model captioned the post: '[M]e to all of you on the internet,' alongside a heart-hand emoji. In the humorous video, the creator repeatedly says: 'You're not well, and it's okay,' with added laughter. Her post came amid a wave of fan theories about her relationship with the Peaches hitmaker including one from TikToker and podcast host Sloan Hooks, who speculated that the couple had been subtly feuding on Instagram. His video, which garnered nearly 500,000 likes, claimed he had received a 'tip' about tension in their marriage. He pointed out supposed hints, such as Bieber posting a photo of himself with Jacquees' song B.E.D playing—a track Sloan described as 'a man wanting sex, not love.' Shortly after, the beauty founder reportedly shared SZA lyrics: 'But if it's f*** me, then f*** you.'
