Issue 13 | Voix Magazine

july - august 2022

VOIX

Mahsa
Amini

The true colors of the Iranian government
as revealed by the case of Mahsa Amini

Body
Stigmas

Negative body images have haunted
society for decades. Read more on
how you can challenge them

ISSUE 13

06 Hate Your Body?
This Is Probably Why

12 Race to 0: Formula 1's
Emission Problem

18 Domestic Abuse -
How Can You Help?

22 Ways to get Better
Quantity and Quality of
Sleep

24 The Ethics of Abortion
According to Some Major
Religions

28 Cunningham's Law
Does it Actually Work?

31 Challenging Body
Shaming

34 Andrew Tate -
Why Was He Cancelled?

35 The Future of the
Hijab



did
you

know?

JUST BECAUSE THEY ARE FOCUSED ON
THEIR APPEARANCE, INDIVIDUALS
WITH BODY DYSMORPHIC DISORDER
ARE NOT TO BE CONSIDERED AS SELF
OBSESSED.
-MENTAL HEALTH AMERICA

HATE YOUR BODY?

THIS IS PROBABLY WHY

By Jared Ong

According to the ADAA, worldwide,
more than 140 million people suffer
from body dysmorphia. With the
ever-increasing pressure to look a
certain way, that number has been
steadily climbing over the years,
especially among adolescents.
However, it seems that very little is
being done to combat the problem.

Body dysmorphia or body dysmorphic
disorder (BDD), first described in 1891 by
Italian physician Enrique Morsell, is an
increasingly recognized somatoform
disorder, clinically distinct from obsessive-
compulsive disorder, eating disorders, and
depression. Patients with body
dysmorphic disorder are preoccupied with
an imagined deficit in the appearance of
one or more body parts, causing clinically
significant stress, impairment, and
dysfunction. Globally, the prevalence of
BDD is around 2%, and that number may
be even higher due to BDD being
commonly missed or misdiagnosed.

page 06

Biological factors that cause BDD include
the abnormalities of the frontostriatal
system that usually mediates cognitive and
behavioral functions. Besides, some studies
have found that patients with BDD had
decreased serotonin transporter binding
density. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter
that when produced in the brain, functions
to elicit feelings of contentment and
satisfaction. Therefore, a reduction in
serotonin’s ability to bind may cause
feelings of dissatisfaction. According to the
DOI, BDD seems to also be heritable as one
epidemiological study found that 8% of
individuals with BDD have a family member
also diagnosed with BDD, a statistic 4–8
times the prevalence in the general
population.

Besides biological factors, cultural factors
also play a role in the onset of BDD. Many
traditions around the world put an
emphasis on a “perfect” body, especially in
women, implying that if someone does not
look a certain way, they are deemed
unsuited for society. For example, in
ancient China, women were required to
wear tight-fitting shoes to keep their feet
from growing as a symbol of royalty.
Although those practices have long been
deemed immoral, many other practices still
hold today. A simple search on the internet
will reveal lots of cases where a pair of love
birds were denied their marriage due to
one side’s parents being “discontent” with
the partner’s body shape.

page 07

Culprits such as environmental The environment in which one
lives also severely affects the rate
factors also exist. Due to the of developing BDD. People who
interact with an environment that
widespread indoctrination of is full of stimuli for BDD such as
the hyperfocus on body weight
being skinny equals being pretty, and performance are at an
increased risk for BDD. A perfect
many children were raised to example would be athletes such
as bodybuilders or endurance-
unconsciously discriminate based athletes, where weight
does play a role in performance
against overweight and (albeit in a more complex fashion).
In those populations, studies have
underweight individuals. The found that around half of them
have body dissatisfaction.
effect is that those children are

often bullied and teased about

their weight in school leading to

low self-esteem. Childhood

trauma may also contribute to the

development of BDD especially if

said trauma is related to one’s

perception of beauty.

Society’s increasing pressure on people to conform to fixed beauty
standards is also contributing to BDD. For example, overweight individuals
tend to get little to no representation in the world, with headlines featuring
only slim and lean celebrities. Besides, mass media has also traditionally
focused on portrayals of thin bodies with an emphasis on diet culture and
weight loss. Most importantly, overweight individuals are also more
vulnerable to stigma and bias in the healthcare system. A review study in
2015 revealed that many healthcare providers hold strong negative
attitudes and stereotypes about people with obesity.

page 08

There is considerable evidence that such
attitudes influence a person's perceptions,
judgment, interpersonal behavior, and
decision-making. These attitudes may
impact the care they provide. The Body
Mass Index (BMI) system is also a flaw in
the healthcare system. Although it is very
accurate in predicting population data, it
is very bad at predicting data on an
individual level as it does not take into
account lean body mass and bone
density. Hence, people may draw wrong
conclusions about themselves due to
excessive reliance on BMI. All this may
lead to the fear of gaining weight, even
when sometimes necessary, in order to
avoid these disadvantages.

In spite of this, there is still hope in
resolving the issue. In my opinion, the first
step to solving the issue is to remove the
stigma and fear associated with the
disorder. The stigma surrounding the issue
only makes it harder for people to have
civilized discussions and come up with
novel solutions. Most importantly, it also
prevents those who are at risk of
developing BDD from speaking up due to
the innate fear of being teased yet again
causing them to not receive the
treatment that they need. This can be
done by educating everyone about the
variety of factors causing BDD, ensuring
people that it is not okay to feel ashamed
of their bodies, and encouraging them to
speak up about their issues.

page 09

Secondly, parents can also help by On the individual level, people
teaching their children to respect should learn to not judge anyone
others no matter their size. Parents based on their appearance.
should also not brush away any Although being overweight or
complaints or questions from their underweight comes with its own set
children regarding issues about of health effects, it is not right to
weight loss or gain and should judge them and give negative
instead provide their children with comments about their looks. On the
the resources needed to other hand, we should comfort
understand the nuances behind said them and provide them with the
issues. drive to change themselves for their
health, not to impress others. And if
Thirdly, the healthcare system they do not feel like doing so, we
should stop discriminating against should respect their decisions and
individuals based on their weight not force our ideals onto them.
and provide quality healthcare for People should also not base their
all their patients. Clearing up self-worth on their appearance. No
misconceptions regarding BDD is one is better than someone else
also beneficial in curbing its growth. because of their appearance as
Educating people that BDD is not beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
limited to overweight but also
underweight individuals and even
individuals with a normal weight.
BDD is also not limited to weight but
also affects people who perceive
their facial and bodily features in
obsessive ways.

Every cloud has a silver lining, as

long as people educate themselves,

their younger generation, and their

older generation, we can all create a

wonderful non-judgemental

environment for the better

progression of mankind.

page 10



RACE TO 0:

FORMUPLRAO1B'SLEEMMISSION

By: Brian Lo

Formula 1, often regarded as
the greatest motorsports
series of all time, is considered
to be the epitome of
engineering and a place where
top drivers compete for glory.
However, concerns were raised
regarding the sports’
environmental impact even
the drivers have expressed
concerns about this.

Earlier this year, Formula 1
driver Sebastian Vettel was
invited onto BBC Question
Time as a guest to talk about
energy use in Europe. When
asked whether talking about
energy use on a TV show while
racing in a gas-guzzling race
car was slightly hypocritical, he
answered:

page 12

“WHEN I GET OUT OF THE CAR, OF
COURSE I’M THINKING AS WELL:
‘IS THIS SOMETHING WE SHOULD DO,
TRAVEL THE WORLD, WASTING

RESOURCES?'”

SEBASTIAN VETTEL

This answer intrigued me. I hadn’t
looked up anything about the sport’s
environmental impact despite having
followed it since 2016. So, this begs the
question: is Formula 1 really as
damaging to the environment as we
often brand it to be?

For starters, we can look at the carbon

footprint of the sport. In many aspects

of the sport, large quantities of fossil

fuels are used, generating

approximately 256,000 tonnes

according to a 2019 report. A significant

chunk of this is generated from

logistics, which involves transporting Reducing this waste is also
challenging because most of the
equipment and team personnel to the power used for these processes is
generated using non-renewable
races. resources. Some of the countries the
F1 circus visits are incredibly reliant
With races being held across 6 on fossil fuels, including gas giants
continents and 22 separate locations, such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and
teams use many forms of transport to Qatar. In addition to that, 7 of the 10
get around, generating a whopping teams have their base of operations
116,000 tonnes of carbon emissions. in the UK, and approximately 41% of
However, this cannot be reduced the UK’s electricity is generated
significantly now, as technology for using fossil fuels.
electrically powered planes and trucks
are still in its infancy, while the switch Surprisingly enough, cars only
to renewables is a gradual process that produce 0.7% of the carbon
will take years to accomplish. emissions produced by the sport per
year. Producing approximately 1,800
Sectors such as business travel tonnes of carbon dioxide, this is less
(accommodation, commute to work than the emissions produced by a
for team members, etc.) and the Jumbo jet per trip. Some of the
operation of facilities (offices and countries the F1 circus visits are
factories) also create significant incredibly reliant on fossil fuels,
amounts of waste. including gas giants such as Saudi
Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar. In
addition to that, 7 of the 10 teams
have their base of operations in the
UK, and approximately 41% of the
UK’s electricity is generated using
fossil fuels.

page 14

Surprisingly enough, the cars However, a switch to full electric
only produce 0.7% of the carbon will not be possible soon, as
emissions produced by the sport Formula E has exclusivity with
per year. Producing the Federation Internationale de
approximately 1,800 tonnes of Automobile (FIA) as the only
carbon dioxide, this is less than electric single-seater racing
the emissions produced by a series until 2039.
Jumbo jet per trip. This can be
attributed to the switch from 2.4- As a result of the emissions
litre normally-aspirated engines
to smaller 1.6-litre turbocharged produced, Formula One
engines, which is coupled with
an MGU-K and an MGU-H unit to Management is attempting to
achieve up to 50% thermal
efficiency. take steps toward a sustainable

future by setting new regulations

and goals to reduce the amount

of waste created. One of these

measures is the transition to

For comparison, this is roughly 100% renewable energy at all

10% more than most modern Formula 1-related manufacturing

gasoline-powered engines, plants and testing facilities.

reducing the amount of waste

produced.

page 15

However, is this just a bunch of marketing
baloney that the FOM is throwing at us to
make us feel better about watching a
gas-powered sport? On 16th July 2022, the
Saudi Sovereign Wealth Fund PIF (which
also happens to own Saudi Aramco, one
of the world’s largest oil companies)
purchased a 16.7% stake in the Aston
Martin group, which currently runs a
Formula 1 team that they already sponsor.
Many billboards with the Aramco logo
splashed across them can also be
frequently seen in F1 races. Ironically,
Sebastian Vettel, an advocate for climate
change in F1, races for the Aston Martin
racing team.

So, is Formula One racing that bad for the
environment? The simple answer is no,
but it is not sunny skies ahead for the
sport anyways. Only time can tell us if the
sport can reduce carbon emissions as the
grid switches from fossil fuels to
renewables. However, the influx of “oil
money” is going to continue, as money is
king in sports. Formula 1 is a business, and
ad revenue helps it stay afloat and thrive.
Unless something is done to prevent it
from happening, fossil fuel companies will
continue to influence the sport, and
Formula 1 can never shake off its dirty
image as a big polluter.

page 16



DOMESTIC
ABUSE:

YOUR KIN MAY BE A
VICTIM OF
DOMESTIC ABUSE…
HOW CAN YOU HELP?

BY: KAYDEN OWEE

The very minute you are reading
this, statistics from the National
Coalition Against Domestic
Violence (NCADV) show that
nearly 20 people have been
physically abused by an intimate
partner in the US (not to forget
that this number is lower than the
actual truth due to the stigma
surrounding domestic violence).
Given the prevalence of domestic
abuse, it is important to foster a
deeper understanding of it in
order to prevent it.

So… what is domestic abuse?
Domestic abuse can also be
known as domestic violence,
which involves any pattern of
abusive behavior that is used by
an intimate partner or family
member to exert power and
control over the victim. Such
abuse can arise in various forms,
including physical, sexual,
emotional, or psychological
actions that intimidate, humiliate
or wound someone.

page 18

With some forms of COVID-19 restrictions in place, the risks of domestic abuse have
heightened. Victims are forced to cohabit with their abusers in confined spaces over
long periods of time. Such confinement may worsen inter-familial tensions, eventually
leading to domestic violence. What’s worse? Victims of domestic abuse become even
more isolated from their support network, including friends and family. More than
ever, this makes it harder for these victims to reach out for support, or for friends and
family to recognise the signs of abuse and respond accordingly.
According to NCADV, 1 in every 4 women and 1 in every 9 men experience severe
intimate partner physical violence and/or sexual violence. Anyone, of any race,
gender, age, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status, may suffer domestic abuse.
Thus, it is important we beware of the signs of domestic abuse. Physical signs of
abuse may include bruises on arms, red or purple marks on the neck, and a sprained
wrist. Emotional signs may include being extremely apologetic, loss of interest in
daily activities, and changes in sleeping habits. Other warning flags to look out for
can be found here.

page 19

Now that we are aware of the red
flags of domestic abuse, how should
we respond to or support victims of
domestic violence? It is particularly
important to listen to the abused
person to remind them that they are
not alone. But remember, listen to
their stories without being
judgemental as victims often feel
that no one would believe them.

You could also begin conversations
with victims of domestic abuse with
phrases like:

“I'm worried about you because
…..”
“I’m concerned about your
safety…"
"I have noticed some changes
that concern me...".

For victims of domestic abuse,
having someone who knows their
story may bring them a sense of
relief or hope. Encourage them to
seek support through confidential
hotlines or offer referrals to
available resources.

Domestic abuse has grave
consequences, be it health effects
(including physical, psychological,
and sexual), impact on children, and
even social and economic costs.
Therefore, it is highly crucial that all
of us work together to prevent such
abuse, and look out for the signs of
domestic violence.

page 20



Getting Better
Quantity &
Quality of Sleep

By: Jasmehar Kaur

How many of us have had trouble falling asleep at night? That
would no doubt be most of us. But fear not - there are ways to
help you fall asleep slightly faster, so you can get a good
night’s rest!

ADJUST YOUR SCHEDULE

Have a consistent schedule for certain things every day. For
example, the time you sleep and wake up, and the time that
you have dinner. Eating right before you go to sleep has been
known for giving people nausea, so try to get an hour or two
before you head to bed. It’s recommended to exercise during
the day, but avoid doing so after evening or it’ll be harder to
get some shut-eye. Having a regular sleep schedule will help
your brain get an idea of when it’s time to shut down. Doctors
recommend going to sleep at 10 and getting at least 7 hours of
sleep, though more may be needed depending on the age
group.

DON'T NAP OR HAVE CAFFEINE TOO LATE

It’s normal to feel low during the day, but still - try to avoid
your intake of drinks like caffeine (and alcohol) any time 6
hours before you fall asleep, or take naps (especially long
ones). Although they provide temporary boosts of energy, they
will affect your sleep at night if the effects don’t wear off in
time.

READ BEFORE BED

Though there isn’t much scientific research done behind it yet,
reading is known to have helped many distract their thoughts
and worries, meaning that any stressful thoughts aren’t
occupying the mind before going to sleep. Make sure you use
an actual physical book instead of an e-book. This is because
electronics release a blue light which prevents the hormones
needed to control your sleep cycle from being produced. This
in turn makes it harder for you to wake up and go to sleep the
next day. Being on social media can also be addictive and
make it harder for you to shut off your electronics when it’s
time to sleep.

page 22

GOOD SLEEPING CONDITIONS

How do you ensure that you get the best quality of sleep? For
one, you can monitor the room temperature or your body
temperature so that it’s just right for you. Taking a hot shower
before bed is one way to do this. Or you can make sure your
bedroom is dark and noiseless. Get as comfortable as
possible, with a good bed and healthy posture. According to
Rochester, you can keep a small pillow under your knees to
help reduce pressure on your spine and support the lower
back. If you prefer to sleep on your side, it is recommended to
keep a pillow in between your knees so that your spine stays
aligned. If you like to sleep on your stomach, don’t use a pillow
on your head but on the lower part of your stomach instead,
which will help keep the spine in good posture. Overall,
regardless of your sleeping posture, try to keep your ears,
shoulders, and hips aligned at all times.

DON'T STRESS

There are many things you may be worried about, but the only
way to turn yourself off is to turn all those thoughts off first. Try
yoga or meditation to clear your mind, as these exercises
require you to breathe naturally, decreasing your blood
pressure and stress levels. If you’re stressing because you can’t
fall asleep, stop looking at the clock and thinking of how much
time it’s taking. Just let go of all your anxiety.

SEPERATE WORK AND DOMESTIC LIFE

If you do your work on your bed or fall asleep on your desk,
your brain will find it harder to differentiate between work and
rest. For example, you may start stressing over your
assignments while lying in bed or start dozing off and
daydreaming while sitting at your desk. It’s important to place
a partition between the two components of your life. During
the day, try and go outside and get as much light as possible.
Then when night falls, and you are transported into the dark,
you can send a signal to your body that it’s time to dive into a
deep slumber.

There is no guarantee that these methods will provide instant
results. However, in the long term, if you genuinely cannot get
a good amount of rest and still find yourself spending hours
trying to sleep, don’t be afraid to consult a professional and
seek medical attention.

page 23

The Ethics of Abortion, According to Some

Major Religions

By: Liew Yik Xuan

On June 24, 2022, the US supreme court Buddhism does not have a single view
overturned Roe v. Wade, which protected concerning abortion, but some Buddhist
women's reproductive rights and access to monastic codes state that life begins at
abortion. conception and, therefore, abortion would
involve the destruction of life. However,
Due to this, abortion access has been there is also the Buddhist belief that "life
restricted across more than half of the US, is a continuum with no clear starting
causing many pregnant women to carry to point". Because of this, there is no official
term unless they can travel to regions with Buddhist view regarding abortion.
access to abortion.
The Dalai Lama, the highest spiritual
For decades, conservative Christian and leader and former head of the state of
political right-wing legal groups have been Tibet, said that "abortion is negative, but I
committed to overturning Roe v. Wade, and think abortion should be approved or
it was achieved. They did so, believing that disapproved according to each
life begins with conception and that abortion circumstance".
is murder.
So, many modern Buddhist teachers and
However, the Christian Bible does not monks view abortion as morally correct
directly mention abortion, and different given that there is a threat to the life or
religions have different views on abortion. physical health of the mother, but it is
This article will highlight the perspectives of still seen as something negative within
major religions (Buddhism, Hinduism, and the religion.
Islam) on abortion.

In contrast, Sallie Jiko Tisdale, a lay dharma According to India Times, a recent case
teacher at Dharma Rain Zen Center who of female foeticide was on June 24, 2022,
worked in an abortion clinic, said that "At the when seven fetuses were found floating
clinic, I was reminded daily that people don’t around in a drain in Karnataka.
‘get pregnant.’ People are impregnated by According to District Health Officer
accident, by intent, and sometimes through (DHO), Mahesh Koni, prima facie, it
violence. Forced pregnancy kills spirit, joy, appears to be a case of gender detection
freedom, opportunity, and hope. Abortion and foeticide. It has been illegal since
can be a rescue”. She believes that the 1994 when the Indian government passed
Buddhist view of reproductive choice for all the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal
people and that supporting safe, legal Diagnostic Techniques Act (PCPNDT) to
abortion is the correct stand. ban and punish prenatal sex screening and
female foeticide.
Hinduism follows the principle of ahimsa,
which is to respect all living things and avoid According to The News Minute, a doctor
conflict with others. When considering at a local hospital (Venkateshwara
abortion, Hinduism suggests choosing the Maternity Hospital) confessed to the
action that will do the least harm to everyone crime, and they have been illegally
involved (the mother, father, fetus, and performing abortions and preserving the
society). So, Hinduism generally opposes fetuses in canisters.
abortion, except when the mother's life is in
danger. Many Hindus see the creation of In contrast, another case shows the
children as a "public duty" and not an negative effects of pregnancy and
"individual and personal choice." abortion on women. According to
Indiatoday.com, on July 5, 2022, A 33-
However, as per the Hindu culture in India, year-old woman killed herself after being
abortion is practiced as there is a cultural forced to abort her fetus 14 times. The
preference for sons, which leads to abortions police found a suicide note that revealed
of female fetuses, often referred to as "female she had had a sexual relationship with a
foeticide". man under the pretext of getting married.
However, the man refused to marry her,
which caused her to end her life. The
police have charged the man with
abetment to suicide and rape.

Islamic law agrees that abortion is allowed when the mother’s life is in danger at
any point in pregnancy. However, in general, abortion is considered haram
(forbidden). The Qur'an has no mention of abortion but does mention related
situations used by scholars to apply to the situation. Most Muslim scholars say that a
fetus is recognized and protected by Islam as human life.

According to the Qur’an, one must not kill one's offspring due to fear of poverty
(Qur'an 17:32). This is applied to abortions as scholars state that a fetus must not be
aborted because the family fears that they will not be able to provide for it and they
should trust Allah to look after things. In the situation where the baby is born with a
defect that will cause suffering for the child, abortion is allowed within 120 days of
conception. Muslim scholars have differing opinions on situations of rape, incest,
and adultery, but in most cases, abortion is allowed within 120 days of conception.

Eman Abdelhadi, a Muslim woman who had an abortion, shared her thoughts on
Roe v. Wade's decision on Arab News - "It felt very clear to me”. When asked about
her religion (Islam), she said, "Islamic law is flexible, and when it comes to deciding
abortion, people will consult with their families, their religious leaders, and then
they’ll ultimately make a decision for themselves."

In conclusion, different religions have different views on the ethical implications of
abortion. In Buddhism, there isn’t a clear view, but it is considered harmful. In
Hinduism, it is opposed but allowed when the mother’s life is in danger, while in
India, abortions are commonly practiced on female fetuses due to the cultural
preference for sons. In Islam, it is allowed within 120 days of conception and
whenever the mother’s life is in danger. Abortion care is essential health care
regardless of religion. Everyone should have the right to make their own decisions
about reproductive health care, including whether to have an abortion.



CUNNINGHAM'S
LAW: DOES IT
ACTUALLY
WORK?

Picture this: you’re scrolling through
social media, when you see
someone give an inaccurate answer
to a comment. The further you scroll,
the more slandering comments you
find against the person who gave
the inaccurate answer - telling them
to do more research.Often the
criticism received can be daunting
for the commenter, but this can also
be a great way to learn new things
or correct your misunderstandings.

This idea is known as Cunningham’s
Law. An idea spawning in the early
1980s and usually credited to
American computer programmer
Ward Cunningham. According to
Cunningham, "the best way to get
the right answer on the Internet is
not to ask a question; it is to post the
wrong answer." This is because
people are more likely to correct an
answer than to answer a question.

For example, the late Anthony
Bourdain explained in his 2013 article
that the best way to figure out
where to eat in a new city is "to
provoke nerd fury online".

page 28

Let's say you're going to Kuala Lumpur — just post on the
Malaysia board that you recently returned and had the best
rendang in the universe, and give the name of a place, and all
these annoying foodies will bombard you with angry replies
about how the place is ***, and give you a better place to go.

~ ANTHONY BOURDAIN

Using this principle, you are
exploiting human nature by using
toxicity in your favour. Giving a
wrong answer will compel someone
to correct you, giving you the right
answer as a result.

Naturally, I was curious whether this
was always the case. However,
instead of purposefully giving wrong
answers and garnering heaps of
hate for it, I decided to ask friends
what they thought about it.

I asked four different friends with As a result, lengthy arguments would
very distinct backgrounds, and the spawn, debating over the intellectual
general consensus is that it is easier capabilities of the original poster
to get a correct answer by posting a instead of the accuracy of the answer.
wrong answer. Even the reasoning is However, all this attention will only
similar, varying slightly but sharing bring more attention to the post,.
similar sentiment. Down below are There should be someone correcting
some of the answers I have received. you among the sea of salty netizens
trying to taint your dignity.
There are always thousands of
keyboard warriors out there ready After all this discussion, what do we
to correct you . get out of this? We learnt that you can
definitely get the right answer by
If someone does not see eye to eye posting a wrong one, but there are
with them, they would most likely certainly a few cons in doing so. It
provide that person with a depends on how seriously you take
detailed explanation of why they the insults thrown your way after you
should. post your answer and how you decide
to deal with them, so if you try this out
In a way, I definitely agree with for yourself, don't get butthurt!
these statements, but I doubt if
it is truly the most efficient way
to get an answer. Sometimes,
people would rather just roast
you rather than correct you.

page 30

CHALLENGING
BODY SHAMING

Chances are that you’ve manifested body shaming

By: Kayden Owee

Whether or not you acknowledge it, body shaming has always existed. It can
come from ourselves, our family, our peers, the media, or basically anyone.
And sometimes, the body shamer themselves may not even be aware of the
detrimental effects of their words or actions.

WHAT IS BODY SHAMING?
Understanding body shaming is a crucial step to curbing it. Body shaming
involves expressing humiliation about, or criticizing any aspect of an
individual’s physical appearance. And such toxic behavior can manifest in
various different forms, including criticizing your own appearance
through judgments or in comparison to someone else or criticizing
another person’s appearance in front of them or without their knowledge.
Anyone of any size, shape, race, or gender can be the target of such
behavior.

WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS OF BODY SHAMING?
A study by NEDA (National Eating Disorders Association) found that 94%
of teenage girls experienced body shaming, while 64% of teenage boys
have been shamed for their physical appearances. The ubiquity of body
shaming has detrimental effects.

Although some simple comments on one’s physical looks may not always
seem harmful, they can be extremely damaging to one’s self-esteem. It
also creates a vicious cycle of perpetuating the false idea that we should
want to change our physical appearance and bodies to conform to
societal standards.

This can potentially lead to mental health consequences, including low-
self esteem, eating disorders, depression, anxiety, self-harm, body
dysmorphic disorders, and more.

HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH BODY SHAMING?
Taking into consideration how rampant body shaming is, chances are that we have
had to deal with body shaming at some point in our lives. For many of us, it is so
challenging to not be hauled into the fallacy that we should change the way our
bodies look, especially when faced with derogatory remarks about our bodies. Here
are some ways of possibly tackling body shaming.

Fighting Hate with Love - Devina Kaur
Remember that people often choose to bring others down due to something lacking
within themselves, or struggling to find value in themselves. Fight the hate with love
by showing them compassion and forgiveness, and empower them with kindness and
love.

Confronting the Perpetrators
Call out the person whom body shames in a polite manner, without body shaming
back or sparking an argument. Discuss how their actions or comments bother you,
and help them understand the harmfulness of their actions. A possible response can
look something like “Thank you for your concern. For now, I’m trying to focus on loving
myself and being positive about my body. I’d appreciate it if you don’t say things like
this in the future.”

For body shaming to stop, awareness has to be raised on this issue, so that people are
mindful of their actions, and understand their consequences of them.

Practicing Self-Love
Identify something that you LIKE about your body, that makes you YOU. Take care of
yourself, as you would otherwise your best friend. Be kind to yourself, and treat your
body with love, positivity, and respect. Appreciate and accept it for its perfect
imperfections. Don’t let what others say get into your head.

THE DOWNFALL OF
ANDREW TATE

by Liew Yik Xuan

Andrew Tate is a former In addition, Tate does not limit his He teaches “traditional” ideas of
professional kickboxer who has prejudice to just women. In fact, men being the breadwinner and
frequently made misogynistic he called those with mental health only doing physical labor which is
comments on the world wide web. troubles “weak” and “lazy”. In often due to sexism.
Due to this, he was recently 2017, he tweeted, “You feel sad,
banned from all social media you move on…You will always be In our current society, work has
platforms. Before he was banned, depressed if your life is become non-gendered so Andrew
he had about 4.6 million followers depressing”. Tate appeals to the insecurities
on Instagram, 750 000 followers This not only contributes to and fears of younger men in a
on YouTube, and his TikTok videos mental health stigmas that world where a man’s identity is no
had millions of views. continue to envelope society but longer connected to their
also toxic masculinity as the professional and social status. He
This just shows how wide his majority of his fanbase is teaches that this is a downgrade
influence has extended and how composed of young men. He of their masculinity, resulting in a
big his fanbase has gotten. Some teaches them that mental health generation of men with a
of his most viral content includes issues are not a valid problem and misogynistic mindset.
saying women shouldn’t drive, that anyone with mental health
comparing women to dogs, issues is “feminine” and “not In conclusion, Andrew Tate
viewing his girlfriends as monetary masculine”. teaches toxic ideals and he
assets, and claiming women should’ve been banned long ago.
should “bear responsibility” for Moreover, he teaches young men
being raped. to equate violence with being
masculine and to look down on
With that said, Andrew Tate has anything feminine.
had on young boys and how it
contributes to toxic masculinity in
young men.

Recently, many teachers have
spoken out on how Andrew Tate
has affected their male students
on social media. One teacher
posted on TikTok about how one
of her sixth grade students fat-
shamed a female classmate and
said that “she’s like every other girl
in the world and that she uses
men to get money, and at least
he’s a hard-working man and that
he works for his money”.

In another case that was posted
on Reddit, the teacher shared how
her male students were refusing
to do assignments from a woman
because “women should only be
housewives.”

page 34

The Future
of the Hijab

By: Otis Loong Chun Kit

On September 16, the world lost an innocent life – Mahsa
Amini who allegedly got beaten to death by ‘morality
officers’ for wearing her hijab in an “improper manner”.
Her death and the absurd reasons that led to the events of
it could become the pivotal key to revolutionize not only
Islamic countries but the world as a whole; from society to
governments.

Think about it – a person got beaten to death simply
because they’re not adhering to a dress code. It is
ridiculous and small-minded how this could happen in the
21st century.

According to MSNBC, “she was subsequently imprisoned
and did not return to her family alive.” According to police,
Amini had a heart attack and fell into a coma during
custody and was soon declared dead on the 16th of
September which is contradicting her father’s statement to
BBC that she was NOT in bad health. The authorities
denied mistreating the victim and cited a further
investigation on this case is ongoing.

A magazine is a periodical publication, which can either be
printed or published electronically. It is issued regularly, usually
every week or every month, and it contains a variety of
content. This can include articles, stories, photographs, and
advertisements.

Interview-style articles typically begin with a short introduction.
This is where you can let readers know more about the
resource person, including why he or she was the chosen
expert for the article topic. A question-and-answer format
follows.

As a result of Amini’s death, protests broke out in an attempt
to question the Iranian government’s integrity. All of this is to
convince them to take action to give Mahsa Amini and other
unspoken victims the justice they deserve. As a symbol of
resistance, women cut their hair and burned their hijabs to
bring the world’s attention to the issue. Netizens through social
media too encouraged the Internet to show solidarity for the
same reason.

An Indonesian Human Rights Watch researcher, Andreas
Harsono stated his opinion on this issue by saying: “Women
who don’t wear the hijab should be afforded the same respect
as those who wear it. It’s an individual choice”.

Amini’s death is a reflection of how humans are capable of
committing outrageous acts, all in the name of religion. With
that said, this question still remains unanswered: When will the
Iranian government convey justice for Mahsa Amini and above
that, the future for all Islamic women?



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