Shannon McGuigan

Insider • 4th July 2022

TikToks about my toddler keep going viral on TikTok. As a gender-fluid parent, it hasn't always been an easy experience.

• Gender-fluid dad Charlie Carter began posting videos with their one-year-old daughter last year. • Many of them go viral, and while they receive a lot of support, the response isn't always positive. • This is Charlie's story, as told to Shannon McGuigan. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Charlie Carter, and it has been edited for length and clarity. Although I have been creating content on Instagram since I was 14, I was initially trepidacious to post on TikTok because o

Refinery29 • 12th June 2022

Body Checking Is Dangerous – & It's All Over TikTok

On TikTok, body checking videos manifest in myriad ways. Overt body checking trends on the platform can look like a fixation on weight and numbers. (Following the Beat media guidelines , we have not included links to the TikToks here.) Certain trends and sounds actively encourage users to disclose their weight and focus on body shape. In other videos, people accentuate certain areas of the body using filters and baggy clothing before revealing and focusing on a specific area of the body. The spe

Metro • 28th May 2022

My mum's confidence was shattered once she started chemo - makeup changed that

Applying her cool ivory No7 foundation with a brush in the bathroom mirror after our shopping spree, my mum had a glint in her eye. It was one of happiness, excitement and a renewed sense of confidence. At that moment, I realised the power of makeup was more than just a superficial thing. For my mother with cancer, it was transformative and, in turn, my love for it was reinvigorated. My mum has always been the strongest person I know and I’m not just saying that because of how she’s handled h

The Indiependent • 27th May 2022

Live Review: Mahalia // Tramshed Cardiff, 24.05.22

As an avid RnB fan, I was elated walking through the streets of Cardiff on my way to see one of Britain’s biggest RnB singers Mahalia. As the line continued to grow to an enormous size down the street, you could feel the anticipation in the air. The excitement was not misplaced as the performances from Mahalia and her opening act Ruti both gave phenomenal and unforgettable shows. As the fans filled the venue and gig-goers clambered to the front of the crowd, onto the stage came Ruti. She belte

Al Jazeera • 23rd May 2022

Tory disdain for the poor is fuelling UK’s cost of living crisis

The British working class is struggling because this country is being led by a party whose members have nothing but contempt for the poor. Britain’s cost of living crisis is spiralling out of control. The rise in food and energy bills is swiftly outstripping the disposable income of thousands of families, forcing them to make impossible choices between heating their homes, buying groceries, or putting aside money for their work commute. According to the National Institute of Economic and Socia

Al Jazeera • 27th April 2022

The basic Tory instinct to silence and demean working class women

The sexist and classist MoS article on Angela Rayner tells us nothing about the deputy Labour leader, but a lot about those governing our country. On April 23, one of Britain’s most-read newspapers, The Mail on Sunday (MoS), published a sexist and classist attack on Angela Rayner, the deputy leader of the Labour Party. The article, headlined “Tories accuse Angela Rayner of Basic Instinct ploy to distract Boris”, claimed that Rayner provocatively crosses and uncrosses her legs in the House of C

Empoword Journalism • 18th April 2022

What is the "Don't Say Gay" Bill supported by Caitlyn Jenner?

What is the “Don’t Say Gay” Bill? Also known as the “Parental Rights in Education” bill but currently revered as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill by critics, is a piece of legislation that states “the classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through [third grade]” or “in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standard” for students in other grade gr

WalesOnline • 7th April 2022

With every holiday home bought, a part of Welsh community and culture dies

With every property purchased and transformed into a holiday home by landlords, a part of the Welsh community and culture dies. For years, Wales has been screaming that we are not for sale. Criticisms of those from afar profiting from holiday homes and the destruction of Welsh communities have been consistent. But the actions of Love Island star, Dr Alex George, and his purchase of four holiday homes in Pembrokeshire ( which you can read about here ) speak to our own contribution to the dissipa

Empoword Journalism • 18th March 2022

Is There A European Refugee Crisis, Or A Racism Crisis?

The Russian invasion currently burning through Ukraine is a war crime; a man-made tragedy. Ukraine is a beautiful country, coloured by its vibrant culture, euphonious language and amiable people. Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine will result in the deaths of thousands of innocent people and the destruction of what was a beautiful country. It has already displaced millions of Ukrainians, with an estimated 2.8 million Ukrainian refugees fleeing to different states within Europe. Europe has wel

Backbench • 15th March 2022

Scotland’s Gender Recognition Act Is Not a Threat to Women

The reform of the Gender Recognition Act (2004) in Scotland caused shockwaves to many so-called feminists on social media in recent days. Furiously blanking through the echo chamber of Twitter were messages and misinformation with J.K. Rowling at the helm. This was all in the name of “protecting” the rights of society’s most vulnerable, white middle-class women for what they interpret as feminism. You know, the type of liberal feminism that exists only to benefit already privileged white women,

The Indiependent • 7th January 2022

'Ted Bundy: American Boogeyman'—Another Forgettable Trip Down Bundy Lane: Review

Following his previously dodgy titles The Haunting of Sharon Tate and The Amityville Murders, controversial horror director Daniel Farrand is back and this time he’s glamourising the heinous crimes of serial killer Ted Bundy. Ted Bundy: American Boogeyman is another cinematic exploration (alongside countless other contemporary documentaries and feature-length films) of the notorious American serial killer Ted Bundy. In the opening scenes of Daniel Farrands’ movie, we see two young women having

Mercury Magazine • 21st December 2021

Travis Scott’s continued attempts to shift blame is abhorrent

Astroworld, a festival meant to be filled with fun and electricity in the air turned into a mass casualty incident, leaving ten dead, hundreds injured and marked as one of the most disastrous occurrences at a music festival since the Woodstock 99’ fiasco. When lives are lost are needlessly lost, when vulnerable people are hurt, it is second nature for the public to desire justice for those who can no longer claim it for themselves. Surprisingly, after Astroworld, there are still Travis Scott fa

The Indiependent • 20th December 2021

'House of Gucci'— Gaga And Driver Shine in Ridley Scott's Latest Stylish Romp: Review : Film Reviews

Mere months after his last film, Ridley Scott is back once again with an all-star cast in ‘House of Gucci’— a story of greed, lust and how the iconic fashion house became a brand worth killing for. The palpable air of not only 80’s Italian glamour, but also the eternal glamour of the titular luxury fashion house is felt all throughout House of Gucci. Director Ridley Scott successfully coordinates every aspect of the film, from his casting, direction decisions, and music choices to create a cohe

Candid Orange • 20th December 2021

The price of sustainability: Whose responsibility is it to save the planet?

In a world that’s warming by the day, the world’s most powerful leaders scrambled together at COP26 to tackle climate change. November 2021 saw the UK host the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties in Glasgow with One goal in mind: to ensure global temperatures do not continue to rise beyond the threshold of 1.5 degrees above preindustrial levels. The effects of climate change have become increasingly more apparent in recent years – from catastrophic bushfires in Australia to the wil

Empoword Journalism • 19th December 2021

Whistleblower Reveals UK Governments' Huge Failures in Evacuations From Afghanistan

A whistleblower has revealed the failures of the UK Government in evacuations from Afghanistan after the Taliban sezied Kabul. Criticism of the handling of UK evacuations out of Afghanistan after the Taliban seized power of Kabul have been plentiful. Former senior desk officer at the Foreign Office, Raphael Marshall, in written evidence to the Foreign Affairs Committee went as far as describing the system of prioritisation of evacuations from Afghanistan as “arbitrary and dysfunctional”, Mr Mar

The Meridian • 8th December 2021

The grip of Chinese Outbound Tourism on international politics

China’s navigation of the chess game that is foreign affairs and international politics is not only remarkably unique but incredibly strategic. Tourism is often disregarded in the discipline of international relations and politics, and outbound Chinese tourism is an unexplored phenomenon that has a significant impact on Chinese foreign policy and international politics as a collective. China has made no secret that it has intentions to increase its soft power. In 2017, Davos, Switzerland, at th

Empoword Journalism • 30th November 2021

NHS Midwifery sector at 'crisis point' in the UK

Vigils have been sparked across Wales, Scotland and England to bring attention to the ‘maternity crisis’ that is occurring within the NHS, with dozens marching to highlight the dire staffing and working conditions. What is happening to midwifery in the NHS? The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) conducted a survey that discovered that 57% of midwives intended to leave the NHS within the next year. The RCM is voicing concern that midwives are being pushed out of the NHS due to lack of staff and as

The Collective Mag • 4th November 2021

Not just a popular Netflix show: Squid Game highlighting South Korea's modern-day slavery

Netflix has popularized many non-English languages shows such as La Casa de Papel (Money Heist), Elite and Narcos. Its original series shows becoming a global hit is nothing new to the streaming platform either, with shows such as You, On My Block, Sex Education and Stranger Things becoming commonly watched shows on the screens of our TVs. Despite Netflix’s continued success with creating global smash hit shows, the South Korean drama Squid Game has surpassed the records set by its Netflix Orig

The Meridian • 21st October 2021

Ethnonationalism: One of Wales' Biggest Threats

There is a narrative that is often promoted in Wales that racism doesn’t exist; we are England’s more friendly neighbour. Although Wales is a country full of culture, history and picturesque views, it is undeniable that there are systemic issues regarding race and ethnicity. Denial of this allows these issues to continue within our communities. As Dr Bethan Harries states “This awkward truth must be acknowledged if the country is to make real progress in redressing racism and inequalities.”

Empoword Journalism • 20th October 2021

The Pandora Papers: Revealing the depths of the Conservative cronyism?

The Pandora Papers are a collection of over 12 million documents that were accumulated and investigated by over 600 journalists from 117 countries. They lay bare the shadow economy of the world’s super-elite. Uncovering the inner working of the finances of 35 current or former leaders, 300 high-level public officials in more than 90 countries across the globe, these papers revealed that such individuals have been using offshore companies and accounts to preserve their substantial levels of weal