‘Fatima’s next job could be in cyber’ (she just doesn’t know it yet), this was the ad that sparked anger in the UK and disbelief around the world. The ad was part of the ‘Rethink. Reskill. Reboot’ campaign initiated in 2019, by the QA company together with the British Government and NCSC in order to encourage the British population to reconsider their career paths and redirect towards cyber alternatives.

Needless to say that it wasn’t well perceived by the public and simply demonstrated the disregard of Boris Johnson’s current government towards the artistic community. Which according to the Arts Council of England contributes to the UK economy with over £10 billion per year.

The inevitable backlash that resulted on social media included judgment and apologies from the culture minister Oliver Dowden over Twitter, who also announced the extra financial support of £1.57bn for the culture and arts sector. The MP stated that the ad was “crass” and “not something from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sports (DCMS)”

However, even if the images of “helpless dancers and sales workers” have been pulled it won’t be easily forgotten nor forgiven. It is absurd how such a vital industry, that is meant to be supported and promoted, was clearly disrespected and underestimated in a period of uncertainty such as the one we’re currently going through. It is true that remote working became a viable alternative, however, this shouldn’t undermine the relevance of creative jobs and their investment in society. And sadly, yet not surprising, this campaign followed. Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s comments made in the past week: “I can’t pretend that everyone can do exactly the same job that they were doing at the beginning of this crisis. And that’s why we’ve put a lot of our extra resources into trying to create new opportunities for people”.

Even if the intention behind both these comments and ads might have been the one to encourage people to find solutions following the Covid-19 pandemic, they did just the opposite.

Creative careers are as important as any others, and we shouldn’t be discouraged from thinking so simply because they may not conform to the outdated perceptions or social norms. Luckily, the reaction of every single one of us, including known personalities demonstrates that the majority of the population realises this and will continue to defend the Arts and Culture industry no matter the actions taken by the government.

If you’re in the mood for a laugh, view some of our favourite tweets:

Words by Chiara Ferrari

The post Undermining the Arts: The Controversial Campaign of ‘Rethink Reskill Reboot’ appeared first on Voir Fashion.

After years of avid campaigning and protesting against the so-called ‘tampon tax’, the 1st of January 2021 marks the date where the UK will officially scrap VAT on sanitary products.

And it’s about time. As we step into the final few months of the year, we have finally reached a point in understanding that periods are not optional. And certainly not considered a luxury. Spotting, bloating and cramps are involuntary bodily functions that cannot be hindered or held back. Ask anyone and if we could fully function as women without the need for periods, we would.

Back in March, the UK Government announced in their weekly budget that the UK will no longer be bound to the EU law regarding sanitary tax; which states that sanitary products are classified as ‘luxury’ items, hence subject to tax. The tax cut means it will reduce the cost of a regular pack of 20 tampons by 7p, and a 12 pack by 5p; making this a 5% reduction per purchase. It may seem like a small cutback, but this change will ultimately save the average woman roughly £40 in their lifetime.

There’s no doubt to say that abolishing this tax is a big step in the right direction, but period poverty is still real and an issue that the abolishment of tampon tax won’t magic away. For those on a low income, the average rate of a box of tampons is still £3.41. Yep, mother nature is no cheap affair.

In a survey of 1,000 women and girls in 2017, charity Plan International generated the shocking statistic that 1 in 10 were unavailable to afford monthly sanitary products and 12% having to improvise with their sanitary hygiene methods. Yes, a 5% deduction may seem small, but it will make a difference; financially and in the movement towards gender equality.

Successful political changes have been made, but looking at the societal impact, there still needs to be improvements. Women facing discrimination and belittlement due to having a period is still a significant stigma that needs to be taken seriously. In a study carried out in 2019, more than one in ten women experienced negative comments about their period at work. I mean, who hasn’t been asked “Is it that time of the month” as soon as you have a moody moment? Or told, “It’s not a real illness.”

Laura Coryton- who has led the campaign against tampon tax since 2014- said in an interview with Dazed: “We are one step closer to ending period stigma, poverty and ensuring that mainstream politics is more diverse.” Ending the period tax is a big step in a very important journey to removing barriers that prevent girls and women from making their mark in the world, due to the impact of period poverty.

It may be a movement that’s classed as a ‘Victory’ and a profound recognition of how far we’ve come; however, however this is only the beginning of ending period poverty in the UK once and for all.

Here’s just a selection of Insta brands to follow who are helping to lead the movement where sanitary products are available to all

@preventingperiodpoverty

@myperiodsubscription

@periodmovement

Words by Clare Stephenson

Graphics by Frances Scott

The post Say Bye to the Tampon Tax and Bring on 2021 appeared first on Voir Fashion.