Taylor Swift’s music video “Anti-Hero” from the album “Midnights” has been edited to remove a scene in which she steps on a bathroom scale displaying the word “fat.” Variety confirms that the music video on Apple Music no longer depicts the scale; rather, Swift’s anti-hero clone simply looks at her with a disappointed expression. Internet users are divided over the scene because it implies that being fat is bad. (Variety)
Taylor Swift has asked an important question: do we all want to be sexy babies?
Taylor Swift’s song “Anti-Hero” invites listeners into the complexities of her mind, allowing them to see themselves in there as well. Olivia Petter argues that vulnerability is associated with success for the singer, and it’s no surprise that “Anti-Hero” quickly became a fan favourite on Midnights. Swift explores what it means to be constantly scrutinised – not just by others, but also by yourself – in the song, and how exhausting it can be to constantly police one’s actions and appearances, the Independent reports. The track’s takeaway is that it’s okay to be contradictory and make mistakes. (Independent)
Taylor Swift, Fatphobia, and Me
Taylor Swift may experience the concept of being “fat” as an “intrusive thought” or a “nightmare” — a valid experience that many individuals of all sizes can relate to. In reality, she has never existed in a “fat” body. Olivia Wong argues that Swift may struggle with a sense of being overweight, but she is a “thin white woman who has benefited from her thinness”. Wong pens that the “fat” scene in the Anti-Hero music video is harmful to her not only because it reinforces the notion that being “fat” is undesirable, but also because the word “fat” is a trigger for many individuals who exist in these bodies. The article further states that perhaps Swift did not intend to be fatphobic or send a message to her overweight fans that their bodies are her worst nightmare. “But are we expected to believe that the woman who leaves math clues in her track lists didn’t carefully construct every aspect of the video she wrote and directed and couldn’t think of a better, less triggering word?” (The Cut)
We’d love to hear your thoughts. What do you think of the Anti-Hero music video?
Tebogo Ditshego, a media specialist, claims that generation Z is rejecting the thumbs-up emoji. It’s “abrupt, rude and even passive/aggressive”, according to Zoomers. Ditshego further states that it’s critical to teach Gen Z and millennials appropriate social media and workplace etiquette. Additionally, he says that empathy is a crucial component to take into account when communicating via social media (especially apps like Whatsapp). One should consider “how the other person going to respond and what’s their interpretation of the emoji”. The thumbs-up emoji, according to Ditshego, can indicate either “yes” or “take a hike.” (eNCA)
Gen Z canceled the ‘hostile’ thumbs-up emoji and wants to ban these 9 others
Gen Zers criticise the famous thumbs-up emoji for being “rude” and “aggressive,” going so far as to say they feel attacked anytime they encounter it in the office. Jack Hobbs and Alex Mitchell pens for the New York Post that after a Reddit user admitted to not being “not adult enough to be comfortable with the thumbs-up emoji reaction,” others joined in to agree and mention other popular emoticons, such as the red heart. Older employees were perplexed by the response, explaining that they use the thumbs-up in work-related talks to indicate “I approve” or “I understand and will obey,” the New York Post reports. (New York Post)
Gen Z Have Cancelled The Thumbs Up Emoji And Here’s Why You Should Worry
John Brandon writes for Forbes that emojis should be safe and trustworthy to use, and they shouldn’t have any extra hidden meanings or hints. Brandon questions why some emojis we use have come under fire. New research shows that the Gen Z generation no longer uses a few emojis as much as they used to. As soon as you learn that a particular emoji, like the thumbs up, is impolite or condescending, a new emoji will appear with a different meaning. Brandon believes that the solution to this issue is to “avoid these types of proclamations”. (Forbes)
We’d love to hear your thoughts. What do you think of the thumbs-up emoji?
Business Insider reports that Kanye West’s social media rants and interviews rely heavily on numerous antisemitic stereotypes, including but not limited to the following: “It’s the Jews who run the media, the Jews who run the record labels, and certain businesses he can’t trust who have distorted his life”. Kanye West’s tweets are based on a lot of old, dangerous antisemitic stereotypes for weeks, the kind that sometimes lead to synagogue massacres. (Business Insider)
Kanye West is allegedly trying to ‘distract’ everyone from his recent controversies, here’s how – Oh! My Mag
Kanye West has been in the news for many different reasons. “From his feud with his ex Kim Kardashian to insinuating a new angle to George Floyd’s death, and making anti-Semitic comments, he has been doing it all.”
Oh! My Mag reports that West is preparing to step things up a notch. The businessman and artist wants to build a cohort of communities, which he wants to call a “Yecosystem.” The idea came from West’s desire to make the world a better place. (Oh! My Mag)
Kanye West dropped by Johnny Depp’s lawyer
Camille Vasquez, Kanye West’s renowned attorney, will no longer represent the controversial rapper. Kanye, who legally changed his name to Ye, reportedly fired the company after supposedly left the door open to work with him again on the condition that he retract his series of anti-Semitic remarks. (Bang Showbiz)
Adidas Finally Drops Kanye West
Adidas has ended its partnership with Kanye West due to the rapper’s anti-Semitic remarks. In a statement released on Tuesday (25 October), Adidas said: “Adidas does not tolerate antisemitism and any other sort of hate speech. (The Independent)
Abortion has been legal in South Africa since November of 1996 and is regulated by the Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Act 92 of 1996 (amended in 2008). Women of all ages can legally have an abortion in South Africa. A girl under the age of 18 is also allowed to have an abortion, with the consent of her legal guardian. A woman that is mentally ill and who is not compos mentis needs the consent of a guardian to legally terminate a pregnancy.
If a woman is less than 13 weeks pregnant, a pregnancy may be terminated without giving any reasons, if the woman is between 13 and 20 weeks pregnant, the pregnancy may only be terminated under specific conditions, such as social or economic threats. After 20 weeks of pregnancy, termination will only be allowed if there are serious threats to the lives of the mother or baby, or if the foetus has birth defects.
Although these laws have been put in place to protect women and allow them the right to choose what happens with their bodies, unfortunately, some women still have to jump through hoops to safely terminate pregnancies.
On 3 October 2022, the mother of a baby girl found dumped in the bush near Oaklands Drive in Dawncrest, KwaZulu-Natal claims she had contacted social workers twice before resorting to dumping the infant.
According to Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA), the baby was found with a bag containing nappies, a bottle of milk and a pacifier by a man who was picking mangoes. The baby, who is approximately three months old, was also found with a note from the mother. In the short letter, the mother pleaded with whoever found her baby to not judge her but rather help the infant.
“You might be wondering why I dumped my baby, don’t wonder just help her if you can or call authorities but don’t judge me. I have spoken twice with social workers they delayed assisting, I know this bad, but I had no option the system is fragile, and we can’t even abort safely anymore, hospitals have strict rules,” the mother wrote.
*Samantha from Limpopo
*Samantha from Limpopo struggled to have a safe abortion in 2018. “I was a student at the University of Johannesburg and wasn’t ready to have a child. I was in my early twenties and in a relationship with a man who blatantly told me he wouldn’t be in the child’s life if I decided to keep it,” she tells The Fuse.
A few weeks in the pregnancy, *Samantha made the difficult decision to terminate the pregnancy. “I started at the clinic on campus to just find out more information about where to go, if there were any costs involved and all that. But when I went to various clinics and hospitals, even social workers – I was never helped,” she adds.
Panicking because the weeks went by quickly, *Samantha resulted in having an illegal abortion. “I couldn’t risk having this baby; they were not going to have a good quality life. I don’t come from a wealthy family, it just wouldn’t have worked. I did what I had to do.” *Samantha describes the experience as very traumatic and something she wishes no woman needed to face. “I know we’re told the laws are there to make things easier for women, but that’s not the reality,” *Samantha concludes.
*Thandi from Gauteng
“When I was 17, I was raped by my uncle at home. It was a very tough time for me, I didn’t understand what was happening and why it was happening. Luckily, I was sober minded enough to get a rape kit from the local clinic. I then spoke to my teacher at school because I was scared to speak to my mother about it – but I did eventually, with the help of my teacher.
My mother had some trouble believing me at first, but after some time, she did. A few weeks later, I found out that I was pregnant. I, for obvious reasons, didn’t want anything to do with that child. My mother understood and took me to Marie Stopes to get a safe abortion. I’m glad I got the support of my mother, because I know most young girls aren’t always so fortunate.”
Door of Hope
Door of Hope Children’s Mission is a home for abandoned children – it is based in Berea, Johannesburg, and aims to provide a home for each child. “In 1999 the Berea Baptist Mission Church, under the leadership of Pastor Cherly Allen, made a hole in their wall and made a ‘Baby Box’, allowing for mothers to leave their babies any time, day or night, for the church to take care of them.
The moment the baby is places in the box, care workers on duty receive an electronic signal alerting them. The baby is taken in and the anonymity of the ‘donor’ is ensured. News quickly spread and now some babies are brought in personally by their mothers, and others by the police, hospitals, clinics, community members etc.,” says a Door of Hope representative.
Having an abortion might not be a viable option for every expecting woman, but the Door of Hope might just be an option for many.
Thabiso Mnguni, 29, was born in Soweto but because his parents were forced to move back to rural KZN in KwaNongoma because of the ongoing political violence at the time, he didn’t spend much time in the popular township in Gauteng. He spent his formative years in eMatsheni eziNduna (commonly referred to as eVuna) in KwaNongoma before moving to Pietermaritzburg at the age of seven.
“To be honest I was a restless kid, I got into trouble quite often and had an aversion to school and rules. My dream as a child was firstly to be a soccer player, which was quickly replaced by the job of president, not because of the prestige that the title carries.
But because I thought it was cool that the only other person who was allowed to speak on the radio beside the well-respected radio presenters was this person my grandmother called uMongameli, which means president in isiZulu,” Thabiso tells The Fuse.
“I had no idea what a president was at the time and what he or she did for a living. KwaNongoma didn’t have electricity until 2001 so our only source of news or entertainment growing up was the radio. By the time I was around ten years old I already knew that I wanted to be an entrepreneur and I’ve never wanted to be anything else ever since,” he adds.
After completing high school, Thabiso graduated with a Bachelor of Finance from the University of Johannesburg, majoring in Investment Management. He went on to complete Equity and Bonds Trading certifications with the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. He is currently in the process of completing an Advanced Diploma in Financial Markets.
The birth of Kofi Kulcha
In May 2019, Thabiso started his business, Kofi Kulch. Having always loved coffee, he knew he wanted to get involved in the coffee industry somehow.
“I began the process with the purchase of a VW Kombi, which I was busy converting into a mobile coffee bar before the COVID-19 pandemic struck.
“It prompted me to halt the idea of completing the conversion of the kombi and go ahead with launching my instant coffee line, which I had initially planned to do in 2021,” he says.
As challenging as it proved to be launching a product during a lockdown, the business started operating officially in October 2020.
Entrepreneurship is a huge learning curve that provides so much opportunity for growth but a lot of headaches as well. Among the challenges Thabiso experienced was gathering enough capital to get the business started and operational.
“The manufacturing process for instant coffee is quite costly and full of risks, which could be quite frightening for any entrepreneur. I used up my entire savings and investment accounts as well as my provident fund when I left my previous job in 2019 to get the business up and running. Since then, the biggest obstacle, which many entrepreneurs face, is that our business hasn’t been immune to the complexities of mastering distribution and scaling up of the business as there are so many moving parts to take into cognizance.
“On the personal side, my biggest challenges would definitely be time management as well as multitasking as I dedicate so much time to new ideas and trying new approaches that can improve both myself and the business.”
It takes a village
Since starting his business, Thabiso has received overwhelming support from all quarters to an extent that Kofi Kulcha has received orders from old friends in places as far as Kenya and the UK.
“I consider myself lucky to have great business and personal mentors who have become family to me. I also have a great support structure with my aunt being my biggest cheerleader and motivator,” Thabiso fondly shares.
One of his highlights was being nominated for African founder of the year under 30 by the FOYA Global Awards, and his fondest memory is the immense support he received from the late Dr Sindi Van Zyl who was one of the first people he sought advice from before starting his business.
Thabiso’s take on entrepreneurship
“I’d say the biggest misconception about running a business is that everything must go overwhelmingly right as a confirmation of the viability and success of the business and that anything contrary to that is a sign of possible failure. It’s honestly far from that.”
Thabiso compares entrepreneurship to the trade of farming; often the effort and energy invested today may not be reaped immediately but rather in a few months or a year. Relationships one has built and fostered years prior can play a pivotal role in your success when you least expect it. So, rather than seeking, more days are spent trying to connect dots that refuse to connect, putting out fires and avoiding disaster than anything else.
Without the risk of coming across as a business expert of any sort, the best advice Thabiso can give from his humble entrepreneurial journey is to start today and start with whatever resources you have, and once you have begun don’t stop no matter how difficult it seems.
“We often wait for the ‘perfect’ time to start, unfortunately, there is no such perfect time. The sooner I started the sooner I made mistakes that I learnt from, and early successes gave me the momentum to keep going and since then it’s been a process of rinse and repeat.
“A book I would recommend for any budding entrepreneur is The Alchemist. It may not be a book about business, it’s more so a book about self-discovery and in many ways that is what entrepreneurship is. It’s basically a journey of self-discovery and self-actualisation in the form of a business, which is usually an extension of our personalities, hobbies, or passions,” he concludes.
On 28 September, Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Njabulo Nzuza paid the East London Home Affairs branch a surprise visit to assess the level of service delivery. Like many South Africans, he was appalled by not only the poor service but by the way citizens are treated and spoken to.
“We conducted the visit in order to establish if what we had planned in Pretoria boardrooms is what actually transpires on the ground.
“We also wanted to get first-hand experience of what our customers face in each visit so that whatever mistakes we discover, we’re able to find systems to rectify them,” Nzuza tells The Fuse.
Although the office opened on time and customers were able to get most of their needs sorted, what baffled Nzuza is how rudely people were being treated by some of the staff at the home affairs branch.
“Some people were being turned away instead of being helped. Others were just treated in a poor manner. They were handled with no care or dignity, which is completely contrary to what this ministry believes in.
“Those culprits have been identified and will be dealt with accordingly. We will visit all these branches and uproot and deal with anyone who goes against our policies. No citizen will be treated badly, and everyone will be helped accordingly.”
Speaking to The Fuse, one citizen who wished to remain anonymous shared their experience.
“It’s really disheartening sometimes when you desperately need something sorted and don’t get the help you need, instead, you get rejection and spoken to in a very dehumanising manner. I’m really happy that the deputy minister visited the branch and saw for himself. Hopefully, now things will get better. It’s time.”
If you’ve ever had a similar experience at any Home Affairs branch, then this initiative might be the hope for better service delivery.
TimesLIVE reports that two family pit bulls mauled 10-year-old Gqeberha kid Storn Nuku when he and his cousins were playing in the yard.
While playing with a bottle filled with marbles, one of the dogs bit Nuku’s nose, causing bleeding, and then the attack started. The child was mauled to death on Monday, traumatising the family and creating a horrifying scene.
A spokesperson of the Pit Bull Federation of South Africa, Lins Rautenbach, issued a dire warning to the general public: “Do not buy Pitbulls!”, as reported by The South African”.
“We do have a problem in South Africa, and unfortunately the very people who claimed to be tasked with preventing this are actually exacerbating the problem,” said Rautenbach.
Rautenbach noted that various significant participants, such as backyard breeders, irresponsible owners, rehabilitation centres, and even those who organise dog fights, contributed to the aggressive temperament of dogs.
According to Lins Rautenbach, in South Africa, there are a high number of pit bulls that have been badly bred by irresponsible breeders and are violent by nature, which has led to an increase in attacks.
She said that a dog’s temperament is mostly inherited rather than learned, thus if a puppy is born to two violent parents, it will likely have an aggressive disposition as well, Cape Talk reports.
Most Twitter users agree that pit bulls should be prohibited in South Africa.
PitBulls are dangerous animals not pets and they are a grave danger to kids and human beings in general
If you have a weapon and you see a pit bull charging at you, kill it! It doesn’t matter who the owner is
Owning a pitbull as a pet should be illegal. If one insists they 'need' it or they can 'train it well' then they must signed a binding contract that enables the law to prosecute them for assault and murder committed by their beloved pitbulls.
Ya'll should know that pitbulls are crossbreed /descendants of bulldogs and terriers or staffordshires, this dogs were made to have a solid grip and bite with aggression. They're actually fighting dogs, not really to domesticate. These are dangerous animals. pic.twitter.com/8mHnCf9Ny5
While the majority of Twitter users feel that pit bulls should be outlawed in South Africa, Fiki Orzim, a well-known TikTok user, explains how pit bulls should be cared for.
The killing of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini on September 16 has caused protests and rallies across the world. The young lady died in police custody after being arrested for improperly wearing a hijab and exposing some of her hair.
In many places of Iran, protests against the theocratic state’s treatment of women continue. Women have been especially vocal, ripping down photos of Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and slain general Qassem Suleimani. Both behaviours were inconceivable months ago, as was the sight of Kurdish, Persian, and minority women without hijabs.
Iranian journalist and activist Masih Alinejad, who has always opposed Iran’s compulsory hijab law, invited feminists and freedom fighters around the world to join the protests in Iran over the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who was detained for wearing a loose headscarf (hijab).
According to a research group, Elon Musk’s SpaceX has enabled its Starlink service in Iran.
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace senior fellow Karim Sadjadpour tweeted Sunday that he had talked with Musk about utilising Starlink in Iran. Sadjadpour tweeted that Musk gave him permission to disclose Starlink’s activation.
A rights group organisation confirms that more than 75 people have been murdered in Iran’s demonstrations spurred by the detention and execution of Kurdish lady Mahsa Amini.
“The Iranian authorities’ official death toll, meanwhile, remained at 41, including several members of the security forces.”
Faith Nketsi recently tweeted that a Malawian gardener who worked for her mother stole their belongings. According to Nketsi, they embraced the Malawian family as if they were their own.
This event sparked a Twitter discussion. Some individuals questioned whether or not we should assign a nationality to crimes, while others suggested that we should rather recruit South Africans.
Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa gave his address at the Union buildings on Heritage Day. And despite the fact that he was not reacting to Nketsi’s post, he reminded South Africans of the term Ubuntu. According to Ramaphosa, Ubuntu is part of South Africa’s tradition and should be extended to people from other African nations.
Ubuntu is part of South Africa’s tradition, according to President Cyril Ramaphosa, and should be extended to people from other African nations.
In response to xenophobic attacks and a narrative about foreign nationals promoted by certain political leaders, Ramaphosa preached a message of ubuntu on Heritage Day.
The South African reports that Faith Nketsi aimed at an ex-employee she accused of stealing from her mother’s residence days after announcing that burglars had stolen two of her Chanel purses.
She alleged on Twitter that a former Malawian gardener had broken into her home and then fled. Faith Nketsi intended to relate her story of being scammed, but instead sparked xenophobic sentiments among her followers.
Anthony Kaziboni writes for The Conversation that more than 900 violent xenophobic attacks have been documented in South Africa since 1994, resulting in at least 630 deaths, the relocation of 123,700 individuals, and the looting of around 4,850 establishments.
The outbreak of xenophobic violence challenges societal stability and cohesiveness, tolerance, the South African constitution, and the social fabric upon which the nation’s democracy is built.
Faith Nketsi recently tweeted that a Malawian gardener who worked for her mother stole their belongings. According to Nketsi, they embraced the Malawian family as if they were their own.
This event sparked a Twitter discussion. Some individuals questioned whether or not we should assign a nationality to crimes, while others suggested that we should rather recruit South Africans.
Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa gave his address at the Union buildings on Heritage Day. And despite the fact that he was not reacting to Nketsi’s post, he reminded South Africans of the term Ubuntu. According to Ramaphosa, Ubuntu is part of South Africa’s tradition and should be extended to people from other African nations.
Ubuntu is part of South Africa’s tradition, according to President Cyril Ramaphosa, and should be extended to people from other African nations.
In response to xenophobic attacks and a narrative about foreign nationals promoted by certain political leaders, Ramaphosa preached a message of ubuntu on Heritage Day.
The South African reports that Faith Nketsi aimed at an ex-employee she accused of stealing from her mother’s residence days after announcing that burglars had stolen two of her Chanel purses.
She alleged on Twitter that a former Malawian gardener had broken into her home and then fled. Faith Nketsi intended to relate her story of being scammed, but instead sparked xenophobic sentiments among her followers.
Anthony Kaziboni writes for The Conversation that more than 900 violent xenophobic attacks have been documented in South Africa since 1994, resulting in at least 630 deaths, the relocation of 123,700 individuals, and the looting of around 4,850 establishments.
The outbreak of xenophobic violence challenges societal stability and cohesiveness, tolerance, the South African constitution, and the social fabric upon which the nation’s democracy is built.
