Activism
Gender Stories: Jacob Tobia knows that Mx is more powerful than Mr or Miss
“Nothing about me is weird; society makes me weird.” — Jacob Tobia has a stiletto collection rivaling Ivanka Trump and facial hair most men would envy. But this 24-year old Southerner turned Brooklynite is neither masculine nor feminine. Jacob is genderqueer – or gender neutral – identifying as a person who sees beyond having only two gender options. As an advocate, working for Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice by day and moonlighting as a writer and TV personality after-hours, Jacob pushes for non-conforming gender acceptance every waking moment. Whether it’s penning a piece for Huffington Post asking why “dressing professionally” can’t mean a clean-shaven man wearing pearls, or publicly criticising transgendered media-darling Caitlyn Jenner, Jacob is out to make equal rights for genderqueer people a reality no matter how uncomfortable it makes others.
Written by: Jacob Tobia / Megan Broussard
British prisons are becoming increasingly more violent
An increase of 207% since 2012 — In a culture of systemic overcrowding, job cuts and ever-increasing numbers of prisoners, violent altercations are becoming a familiar sight in jails across the UK. "Wholesale reform is needed," experts have warned.
Written by: Adam White
The 15-year-old activist who's suing the US government for destroying his and your future
Meet the Earth Guardians — Xiuhtezcatl Roske-Martinez has been championing the protection of the environment since he was 6 years old. He's also spoken in front of the United Nations, and is one of 21 youths suing the US government for failing to protect future generations from the devastating effects of climate change. Now he's leading a collective of millennial activists determined to save the planet before it's too late.
Written by: Adam White
Cubans are online and hustling despite restrictions and censorship
Finding imaginative ways to get online — Access to the internet in Cuba is heavily restricted, and not available in people's homes. Zenaida, however, found an imaginative way to get online, and then she started hustling.
Written by: Catherine Hickey
The Netherlands is closing down a load of prisons due to a lack of inmates
Could we stand to replicate? — In a climate of rehabilitation, community service and electronic tagging, jail cells in the Netherlands are being left completely vacant – leading to mass closures of prisons around the country. Could it be yet another progressive Dutch stance we could stand to replicate?
Written by: Adam White
Meet the Ladies in White - Cuba's most notorious dissidents
With Obama embarking on a historic state visit to Cuba, human rights abuses on the island have been once again pulled into the spotlight. Theo McInnes recalls meeting the Ladies in White - Cuba's most infamous dissidents, who once again faced mass arrests this past weekend.
Written by: Theo McInnes
Cuba's first-generation entrepreneurs have mixed feelings about 'the changes'
The push and pull of capitalism — As Cuba steps into its free-market adolescence, what does the future hold for budding entrepreneurs? Huck meets the taxi drivers, shop owners and teens with dreams as 'los cambios' - ‘the changes’ - take root.
Written by: Catherine Hickey
Facing a coup, protests erupt in support of Brazilian democracy
Battle lines drawn on the streets of São Paulo — In response to anti-government protests and fears of a media-backed coup d’etat, Brazilian progressives make a show of force in defence of democratic values and the rule of law.
Written by: Alex King
Escalating corruption scandal sparks anti-government protests in Brazil
Could a leaked phonecall bring down the Brazilian government? — Huck reports from the ground in São Paulo, where right-wing protestors spent the night on the streets calling for president Dilma Rousseff, who heads Brazil’s most progressive government in history, to step down.
Written by: Alex King
The Affected Ones: Why French teenagers are joining ISIS
Radicalised Runaways — Breaking down the phenomenon of ‘jihadi girl power’ – a transgressive subculture that has little to do with religion and everything to do with escapism.
Written by: Cian Traynor
