Author: Paige Cowan-Hall

118 Women: Women’s Safety Is A Pandemic

118 Women: Women’s Safety Is A Pandemic

Posted by | Mar 22, 2021 | |

118 women. That’s the number of names read out on International Women’s Day. The number of women killed last year and the reality of women’s safety and gender based violence in the UK. There are many things that made Sarah’s case above so many of those named stand out. Her race? Her class? Her education? An amalgamation of all these factors most likely but for now I want to address that number.Why? Because the cases of Sarah and Nicole and Bibaa are outliers. They were killed by strangers, and though like many women, I have been harrassed on the streets and women’s safety in public spaces is a genuine concern, that isn’t where the biggest danger lies.

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Twerk To Success: Bami Kuteyi Talks Success And Empowerment

Twerk To Success: Bami Kuteyi Talks Success And Empowerment

Posted by | Mar 4, 2021 | |

Bami is the founder of Twerk After Work a fitness company that offers a wide range of twerking classes, from twerk after work- fitting fun and fitness around the average 9-5, to classes that teach twerk technique (great for women like me who resemble a chicken when they attempt to get down), and self love and confidence boosting twerk classes. It’s clear that feeling confident and empowered is at the heart of Bami’s business. Which is Dope Black Thought wanted to sit down with her for an interview. Bam Bam Boogie isn’t just a series of fun fitness classes, it’s a successful business, one that has not only survived the Covid pandemic but thrived. After all, Bami is a shrewd business woman, landing a job at Google as a Digital Marketing Specialist straight out of graduating university, before using her position there as springboard to her new role as a successful entrepreneur.

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Consent And Stealthing In Bridgerton: Wait, Daphne, Wait!

Consent And Stealthing In Bridgerton: Wait, Daphne, Wait!

Posted by | Feb 16, 2021 | |

here has been a lot of love and some hate regarding the show ‘Bridgerton.’ It was beyond refreshing to see black people in a period drama where their race was not the focus, where they aren’t delegated to the role of servant, instead playing heroes and queens integral to the storyline. The show’s popularity could also mean positive change in castings when it comes to diversity. Something, as a black actress and writer, I absolutely celebrate. On the other side, there have been accusations of colourism levelled at the show. In the main Bridgerton features black people with lighter skin tones in main roles – Men of a darker complexion are relegated to the stereotypical roles of strong man and in the case of the Duke’s Father, the black absentee dad. That is not to mention the sheer lack of black women with darker skin. I literally could not think of a single one. But there is one criticism levelled at the series that struck me and had me asking: Did I just watch a rape scene? And did I just see female stealthing and is that even a thing?

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