2013-05-21T07:10:30-04:00 Layla Haidrani http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/author/index.php?author=layla-haidrani Copyright 2008, HuffingtonPost.com, Inc. HuffingtonPost Blogger Feed for Layla Haidrani Good old fashioned elbow grease. tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.3285878 2013-05-16T11:16:14-04:00 2013-05-17T06:26:51-04:00

Layla Haidrani http://www.huffingtonpost.com/layla-haidrani/
As opposed to its counterparts Geordie Shore, The Only Way is Essex and The Valleys, who are arguably not as addictive as they once were, MIC has have witnessed an unprecedented surge in popularity.

Although the characters appear to attract trouble for tabloid headlines, it makes me wonder who really are the victims of the show, them or its passive, submissive consumers?

MIC arguably reinforces the class system of Britain, using big-names fashion brands, restaurants and bars to keep the passive consumer content. As sociologist Thorstein Veblen has argued aptly in The Theory of the Leisure Class, those who do not fit in the leisure class use material goods, apparel and amusement pursuits to demonstrate their wealth but this is merely a façade. These viewers have failed to realise that MIC have not only been paid to promote these brand but are also enjoying the fame that come with being part of such a high-profile programme. A friend of mine who works in a luxury fashion house has revealed, that despite the owner being very good friends of a recurring character, has to resort to pay the character to wear the goods in exchange for PR of the brand.

MIC characters and producers may thus be satirising the aspirational consumers, who instead of going out and creating a better life for themselves as the characters are doing, are sitting in their living room eating a packet of crisps and watching the main characters open up their own lucrative businesses, websites, books and opening up companies. You can no doubt be sure that straight after the programme ends, viewers, almost robotic and submissive, have logged online to order that new make-up product or clothing in the vain hope and promise that these goods will offer them.

However, I cannot deny that the programme is a form of escapism after a long day of lectures and sport practice or work, as the Only Way Is Essex used to be a guilty pleasure of mine. After all, how addictive was the Louise-Spencer plot and their Christmas special?

Yet it is the slavish devotion of its Twitter followers, Instagram fans, and even going as far to follow them in real life to club nights and openings has arguably gone too far. These characters despite being wealthy already have somewhat connived the British public into buying their goods. After all, I know many people, who are desperate to be a 'Candy Kitten,' watch Millie Mackintosh's make up tutorial on YouTube slavishly and play 'Sexy MP' online almost obsessively.

The saddest part is when young viewers are sucked into this kind of world, where only goods and products deem you worthy enough to be included in such an exclusive, homogeneous world.

Made in Chelsea is a programme that not only perpetuates the class system, but is created to make others feel inferior merely so that they can gain money in the promise that this new playsuit or new perfume will make you 'Sloane Street material.'

Next time you turn on the telly to watch that Made in Chelsea episode you've waited for all week, perhaps you should think about how much you are benefiting as opposed to the cast.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.2705332 2013-02-17T06:19:22-05:00 2013-04-19T05:12:02-04:00

Layla Haidrani http://www.huffingtonpost.com/layla-haidrani/
Low-income families who live in council housing who are still able to afford to live in Camden will however not be affected. In a period of grave economic downturn, why is the current government making everyday life more difficult for poorer families? Despite Camden having average levels of prosperity in the region, there is serious deprivation in the borough, with 44% of its deprived quota in the bottom 30%. It is yet another example of the Tory Party's inability to understand the common struggles of the working man and appears to have a limited capacity for strategically visioning the country.

Camden Council has blamed lack of available housing and high private rents, with the Labour-stronghold borough viewing areas as far up north as Bradford, Leicester and Birmingham with lower housing rents. Councillor Sarah Hayward, leader of Camden Council has stated 'The scale of the cuts and the lack of provision by this government for high living costs in the capital mean that some will have to look outside London. It will be impossible for families to continue to live in their current accommodation'.

The media depict benefit claimers as lying, cheating, and alcoholic dependents on the state but being a resident in Camden, I am aware of the financial struggles of single working mothers as well as families living on the bread line. Pick up any daily copy of the Daily Mail and emblazoned headlines such as 'getting £1000 a week on benefits...why should I work?' creates uproar, hysteria and resentment towards benefit-claimers who view them as unfair to people who work. Yes, there are benefit claimers that are fit to work and choose not to and yes this shouldn't occur, but at the same time we cannot discriminate against those who desperately need it to feed their children and survive in a period of severe economic decline. Additionally, many benefit claimers do work but do not earn the required amount needed to provide for their families. Regardless of political affiliation, people cannot defend a policy which results in families being evicted and sent hundreds of miles away. Rents are far too high, and wages are lower and these areas need tackling. Benefits cannot be based on subjective formula; they need to be calculated in terms of the needs of the individuals.

Camden has an excellent history in supporting communities within the borough and has had to set aside £1.1 million next year as a result of the government benefit caps. Other boroughs have instead proposed to remove people and rehouse them further away. April 2012 witnessed Newham's council, East London, attempting to find homes for families 160 miles away despite Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith stating that there had been "thousands of houses" within the five mile district. Westminster council is also considering a similar scheme, with an estimated 2,372 households affected.

In a society which claims to be founded on equality, it appears that 'social cleansing' appears to becoming more and more institutionalised. Camden Council is attempting to work with the families who will be affected yet the Tories appear to be looking in another direction, unconcerned at the difficulties faced by everyday workers. Society should be collaborating together to end this social apartheid that the Tories are implementing yet nothing is being done against the constant victimisation of the poor in contemporary society. What else needs to happen for society to realise that the government's cuts are simply not acceptable?]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.2510884 2013-01-19T09:31:28-05:00 2013-03-21T05:12:01-04:00

Layla Haidrani http://www.huffingtonpost.com/layla-haidrani/
At present, 30,000 disabled students entered higher education in 2012, an increase of 75% from 2004, UCAS figures report. Currently, Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) funds a non-medical helper and welfare benefits with full-time students receiving £70 a week through DLA to pay the extra costs of living with a disability. Part-time students are also eligible for Employment and Support Allowance benefit for £99.85, which pays for personal support to help disabled people work. However, without the support of welfare benefits and academic support provided by DSA, many may not be able to enter university and have thus limited the potential of disabled recipients. A decent education is pivotal in leading disabled people into work, yet the barriers are substantial.

The government need to stop creating barriers for disabled students if they want them to participate in society. Disabled students want to make a difference in society and participate, evident in the rise in applications for university. Yet extra funding and finance from welfare benefits is essential for this to occur. The Tories' insistence on removing a welfare state will cause continuous problems for many disabled students, with many either being put off or obstructed by financial concerns.

This is the stance adopted by Neil Coyle of Disability Alliance who views that some students may lose out completely: "If people are mis-assessed, they simply won't get their DLA. It's a huge blow to students because their benefits are linked, so if they don't get DLA then they won't get housing benefit either."

And it is not just finance that is to become an issue for students. There is fear that university cuts may lead to an abolishment of widening-participation premium, where the Higher Education Funding Council for England finances universities to support disabled students through disability advisers. If the money isn't there, there will simply be no support for disabled students.

Students at my own university, University of Kent are concerned that the slashing of disability benefits may threaten the availability of support for its disabled students. A student has remarked that the Disabled Support Service has supported her so well that "I could not have achieved my distinction without you all! It is a truly amazing team, which has given me so much confidence. I strongly believe that your contribution to the department will have a positive impact on generations of Kent students."

Kent Union's disabilities officer Jonjo Brady expresses his anger at the government's treatment at disabled people: "It is nothing short of heart-breaking. Not only are we seeing radical cuts in benefits for those whose lives literally depend on such income, but also a massive drop in support for disabled people socially as hate crime continues to rise. The current proposals for benefit reform, such as the replacement for DLA with PIP, are unrealistic at best and potentially fatal to billions of people at worst. As for Atos? Well, you just need to look at how they run their own company to see how unequipped they are to deal with 'fit to work' assessments. The government need to rethink and rethink fast."

The Paralympics were a great example of success of disabled people, proving that given enough support, they are able to achieve their dreams. Yet even this were clouded by campaigners who were protesting against its sponsorship by ATOS, UK's leading occupational health provider who has come under criticism for its assessments leading to many disabled people being denied their benefits. More than half of people were stripped of their disability benefits as they were perceived as 'fit for work' and were left unemployed and without income.

In a society which prides itself on equality and helping people at a disadvantage, the Tories have failed to see the bigger picture. In order for disabled students to participate in society, a degree is essential. But this will be virtually impossible without the support of welfare benefits and academic support from the DSA. Big Society? I beg to differ.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.2427136 2013-01-07T16:56:18-05:00 2013-03-09T05:12:01-05:00

Layla Haidrani http://www.huffingtonpost.com/layla-haidrani/
Figures show that working class white males who entered university in 2011 were 13% down on the previous year and a mere 30% of male school leavers applied to university this autumn 2012 UCAS figures have recorded. Yet why has notable absence of white working class boys in not only universities but the education system itself been highly publicised only now?

The performance of working class boys has always been of concern to Ofsted, the education standards watchdog for decades but why have no preventive measures been created to ensure that white working class boys are not falling through the system?

Perhaps the decline in university applications may be a result of the demonisation of the working class, subtly present in institutions across the country and conveyed in popular culture and media. With shows such as Little Britain, Some Girls and The Jeremy Kyle Show presenting the white working class as thick, sex-obsessed and barely interested in schooling, it is little wonder that our society is ingrained with prejudices and hostility towards them. With these prejudices perpetuating society, it is little wonder that they are put off going through an institution.

Willetts is apt when stating that the absence of male working class whites in university is 'the culmination of a decades-old trend in our education system, which seems to make it harder for boys and men to face down the obstacles in the way of learning'. It would not be unreasonable to suggest that working class males internalise negative expectations of their teachers and peers. In school, they do not enjoy learning the curriculum, viewing it as irrelevant to their aspirations. Rather, they display more respect for football and are inspired by football players.

Furthermore, historically working class families do not aspire to education. Perhaps governments needed to channel these negative perceptions of education to the working class but the previous Labour government has failed miserably. Preoccupied by policies on emigration, their education dogma 'one size fits all policy' has deeply neglected young males in schools.

Before even suggesting they should apply to university, it's about time people re-thought how to treat the working class as a category, not dividing them by races.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.2338432 2012-12-20T10:49:11-05:00 2013-02-19T05:12:01-05:00

Layla Haidrani http://www.huffingtonpost.com/layla-haidrani/
The Lad Bible, a website which appeals to males and their masculinity and based on making a mockery of women's intellectual abilities, put up an image of Jessica Ennis titled 'Jessica Ennis's arse last night...', gaining over 38,000 likes and derogatory comments such as 'I would wear that ass like a glove' and 'Now that gentleman, is an arse I would love to hang out the back of'. When typing Jessica Ennis onto Google search, the second item that comes up is 'Jessica Ennis bum'. What kind of society do we live in in that an award-winning sports medallist is reduced to simply biological parts of a woman's body?

It appears that sexism in contemporary society not only affects sportswomen and women in the public eye but transpires to the everyday woman. Misogyny is still subtly somewhat present in mainstream universities. Women who are sexually liberated are persecuted and berated for their casual attitudes to sex in comparison to men who are praised for the highest number of women they can sleep with during their time at university. Furthermore, the Everyday Sexism Project (follow @EverdaySexism) reports stories of women being harassed in public places such as cafes, bars and are simply reduced to breasts, legs and arse by male customers, friends and colleagues. One girl, Caro, catalogued that men she had come into contact with 'still think it's OK to talk about 'smashing' a woman, or make a rape joke in the name of banter. It's frightening that they don't realise that even if they think they're being ironic, they are contributing to rape culture'.

Critics have argued that misogyny is to blame at the hands of women, who have willingly cooperated in the male perception of women, viewing that women prefer to occupy a physical rather than a mental position in men's minds. This could not be more wrong. Where have women ever chosen to be referred to as 'a smashing pair of tits' or 'be ruined'. Did Jessica Ennis become a sportswoman so men could solely discuss her arse?

Perhaps women have aspired to glamour modelling and being footballer wives because they have come to terms with the fact that feminism is dying and that we are never going to gain true equality, and have realised they may as well use their looks and bodies for a better end result, gaining wealth, a famous boyfriend or husband and perhaps celebrity status.

No matter how much Britain prides itself on gender equality, I highly doubt there will ever be a time when men and women will be treated as equals and women will respected and admired for their intellectual abilities, rather than their physical appearance.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.2320914 2012-12-18T05:34:06-05:00 2013-02-17T05:12:01-05:00

Layla Haidrani http://www.huffingtonpost.com/layla-haidrani/
The Tory party appear to have a limited capacity for strategically visioning the country that its biggest political rivals have. The abandoning of the western congestion charge and the extortionate increase in public transport fares which have hit the poorest hardest show a party unable to understand what the majority of the country and its supporters desire. Despite the media perpetuating the idea that they are liberal conservatives, this is a farce.

The Tories holds the core values of free market economy of the Margaret Thatcher era and is a sympathiser to the economic agendas and policies that tycoons and the upper-middle class attempt to maintain and thus keep him in power. Surely there is something to be said about the fact that all political leaders in our country are Etonians. Open critics have pointed to the fact that the Cabinet is homogenised: all male, white, southern bias and Oxbridge educated, showing Cameron's struggle to modernise the Conservative party. These politicians who make up most of the Conservative Party have been educated in the crème de la crème schooling who have no understanding or awareness of the struggles of the common man.

Their introduction of the £9,000 university tuition fees for students entering university in 2012 was frankly ludicrous. Combining this with high accommodation fees, rising food prices and core textbooks, students leaving university after graduation will be burdened with the fact that they will be carrying on average £43,000 in debt, creating more pressure to gain a job in an already scarce job market. Thus it is little wonder that the National Union of Students (NUS) stated that more than a third of students are on the verge of dropping out of university. NUS President Liam Burns and Vice President, Welfare, Pete Mercer stated, '"We see a system in which many students are trapped in their own personal austerity, unable to progress, sustain their education or succeed."

Additionally, the scrapping of the EMA (Education Maintenance Allowance) of college-aged teenagers (16-18 year olds) has led to irrevocable damage within the lower social classes. Many have been forced to drop out of college and thus unable to pursue academic aspirations. The EMA allowed students an incentive to continue pursuing academia while supporting and enabling their studies that their parents would be unable to financially support. Thus, the scrapping of the EMA and the introduction of the £9,000 fees perpetuate the Tory ideal that merely privileged people should able to gain an education. The Labour party never stood for creating a barrier to education. Rather, they relentlessly pursued academia to be a sought after goal of the working classes to improve their position and remove the economic hardships of their predecessors.

I am ecstatic that Britain is finally seeing the Tory party for who they are really: out of touch politicians who have no idea of the struggle of the working man. The future for the Tory party will remain split and heading in the wrong direction, whether it has any direction at all, but one thing is guaranteed, the next UK election will show how far the Tories have come out from public favour.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.2277971 2012-12-11T12:21:50-05:00 2013-02-10T05:12:02-05:00

Layla Haidrani http://www.huffingtonpost.com/layla-haidrani/
However, has this fundraising initiative gone too far? Research has shown that universities all across the country from Bristol to Cardiff have both men and women's naked calendars. Warwick University's 2012 male rowing s naked calendar was titled 'the naked calendar to end all naked calendars', encouraging readers to 'feast their eyes' on the delights of the male flesh. Furthermore, presented as the 'perfect stocking filler' and for less money than a pizza at your local Dominos, you can feast your eyes on any the gorgeous young things of the netball or rugby squad's university naked calendars across the country. This is no different to my own university, with annual naked calendars being held by many sports clubs.

However, groups of women posing semi-naked on a field with sticks doesn't sound a fundraising initiative for charity, it just sounds tacky. Although many argue that it is purely for fundraising purposes, in my own university sports team, the majority of women who participated were not made aware and did not even seek to find out which charities were being helped. Rather, they just view it as an opportunity to strip and attempt to gain notoriety with friends and family both back home and on campus.

By no means am I a prude. Yes sex sells - you would only need to see advertisement, popular television shows and music to be made well aware of this and after all, my generation were consumers of the Skins culture. However, I view myself as a feminist and believe that women should be allowed to make choices for themselves. But I can't help but feel that women are just victims in the 'liberation game'. As opposed to being liberated by posing semi-naked, they are in fact just helping women to be perpetually viewed as sex objects, something to be 'bought', 'sold' and then tossed away once the Christmas period is over.

Thus it is any wonder that from lads' magazines to university sites such as Uni. Lad, from advertisement to pornography, women's bodies are continuously used as a tool to sell and gain profit. Women instead of helping themselves have continued to hinder progress. Why aren't women allowing themselves to be proud to show off their mental capacity such as academic ability but have chosen the route of posing naked? After all, there are more women at university than men. And as shallow as it sounds, these women are not even being paid for it. I can understand the appeal of women aspiring to pose topless in FHM for the cash incentives and the promise of celebrity with the added perks of perhaps a reality television show and a sleazy premiership footballer boyfriend, but when you are being hung up in a stranger's living room in just your pants, who is ultimately winning?

My concern is that if women keep stripping, it will continue to perpetuate the view that we are there solely for men's enjoyment, bodies are able to be 'sold' and tossed away without a second thought.]]>