My first edition of The Week Unboxed for 2024 and to be honest it’s been a slow start to the year so it’s taken me a while to get back into the series but we’ll start with…
LABOUR SAYS INEQUALITY COST THE UK £34BN IN 2023
We start with ‘No s**t Sherlock’ news, Sir Keir Starmar is talking about the inequalities in employment and the pay gap. If you weren’t already clear it’s an election year, this story should be the biggest indicator.
Looking at how many of the high profile Black MPs seem to be pretty quiet, if not silent, I’m not sure that Keir Starmar is someone I would trust to fight for my racial justice with more people of colour in the Conservative party as opposed to his own.
He seems to have always been absent when voting on bills affecting women and refugees.
I haven’t much trust in this Labour party. With infighting and a stance that seems particularly wishy washy, confidence is not inspired. More will be said over the coming weeks as every major party starts to canvas for our votes. I’ll be keeping an eye on their policies going forward to understand because I don’t know what the party really stands for. Their uncertainty is even obvious to our Stateside cousins including comedienne Amanda Seales who can blatantly see, they are no longer for the labourers (workers) of the country.
ENGLAND’S SEXUAL HEALTH SERVICES AT BREAKING POINT
This has been a longstanding issue for years as public health services hit breaking point. Services were already being closed, losing investment and overstretched pre-pandemic. I remember speaking to someone in the industry years ago and realising just how vital a service it is in not only treating STIs but basic sexual health education, helping those who may have been victims of abuse, preventing pregnancies safely, all sorts.
It’s been a much devalued service and despite the article implying that those from the younger LGBTQ communities are more likely to be spreading viruses, I think it spreads further than that particularly for those who are still sexually active in their 50s, 60s and beyond. The advancements in sexual health and education is so vast and stops post compulsory education so it’s easy for older generations to think they know it all. It’s interesting how the fundamental services we all need are given the lowest priority on the list by the UK government.
ENI ALUKO SAFETY THREATENED BY THE ALLEGED CARLESS COMMENTS AN EX PROFESSIONAL PLAYER
Earlier today I wrote a review of First and Only, a book by Jennifer R Farmer which discusses the lack of protection of Black women in the workplace and here we have yet another case of first hand evidence of it. Eni Aluko, a Football pundit and former England striker, spoken openly on her Instagram abuse allegedly hurled at her by a former male professional thay likened her Pol Pot for some commentary she made on a match. In response, Aluko said she felt vulnerable and the incident meant that she no longer felt safe at home after trolls picked up the male player’s comments and attacked the star.
What I was pleased about was that ITV, Aluko’s home channel, released a statement condemning the actions of the male player.
What is interesting for me is that someone in the public eye who is probably used to being on the receiving end of vitriol at times has no filter. People in the UK take football very seriously with an increase in domestic abuse cases often rising when England lose games so the impact of backlash is far reaching. For anyone who’s ever watched Beckham – you can see my review here – his kicking of a player during a critical England match spawned YEARS of abuse after Glen Hoddle spoke against him to the press. So if that can happen to a high profile and beloved player then add the fact that Aluko is not only female but Black adds a cacophony of angles to attack the player especially in a country that is disenfranchised and blaming the “foreigners” and not their government who have spent over a decade ignoring its people.
Instead of an apology the former athlete doubled down on his comments. It’s saying something if The Mirror calls your comments ‘vile’ and ‘heartless’. I really wonder where his bitterness comes from…
PIERS MORGAN ON THE BREAKFAST CLUB STILL TALKING ABOUT MEGHAN….
If we were going to take on The Breakfast Club’s Donkey Of The Day segment their guest booker would win. It’s already weird to have Piers Morgan on a show with a predominantly African American audience but to bring him on when he has a history of obsessive behaviour with The Duchess of Sussex, Megan Markle, is just dumb. In the clip below Charlamagne and DJ Envy seem unsure of what to make of him.
Piers continues to cash in on his obsession and criticism of the Sussexs in an attempt to stay relevant. Despite the fact they left FOUR YEARS ago and certainly aren’t as potent for newspaper sales as they have been, it’s super sad that we’re here…yet again…unprovoked. I hope he gets bored of having the same conversation over and over again for all our sakes.
AND ON THAT NOTE…
I loved this affirming statement British actress Lashana Lynch got from her grandmother. She talks about her grandmother’s words to her that she is not lucky but that success is achieved by hard work and a focus to manifest what you want. Coming from the matriarch of Lashana’s family it was great to me that we could all be blessed by her words.
