 Photo courtesy of George White When looking at the massive steps that feminism has taken throughout history, there has been an undeniable and constant silencing of Black women throughout. Unfortunately, 2021 hasn’t brought an end to this. I want to use this blog to shed light on the particular issue of one Black woman who is being silenced and ignored. Her name is Chidera Eggerue. The issue is that her original ideas have been stolen and white people are profiting from her own work. I wanted to write on it because it seemed like the people around me had no knowledge of the struggle Eggerue was facing. I hope the platform this blog has can spread awareness of her story and offer the spotlight to Eggerue and her work. You are able to read Eggerue’s complete response to this on her Instagram (@theslumflower) where she has a highlight running through the situation in her own words.
Eggerue rose to fame when she started #saggyboobmovement to encourage a love of one’s skin. She has taken leaps and bounds in her career, publishing two books (What A Time To Be Alone and How To Get Over A Boy) and speaking out in various interviews and on her social media platforms encouraging a movement of self-love and inclusive feminism. What has recently been brought to light is another white author is profiting from Eggerue’s work. Praise is being sung for the white feminist, Florence Given, and her book ‘Women Don’t Owe You Pretty’. This book is very similar both aesthetically and with the content to Eggerue’s ‘What A Time To Be Alone’ which was published two years prior. Eggerue and Given both worked with the same management- Diving Bell Group- who seemingly saw no plagiarism and no issues between the two books. When Eggurue first spoke up on Instagram explaining her mistreatment and the blatant plagiarism, she posted screenshots of her management who were merely watching her stories and neglecting to speak or rectify things with her. After days of silence from the management, they emailed her to notify of her immediate termination. Eggerue had previously handed in her three-month contract explaining that her needs have changed and how she no longer wanted white people making money off Black people’s resistance to white supremacy. With this, they had agreed to terminate the contract mid-January 2021. Yet, since her vocalising the mistreatment, they emailed her a blunt instant termination. She has made both interactions public on her Instagram. Eggerue has been honest throughout and has highlighted how she initially endorsed Given to publish her book when she had suggested her ideas. Eggerue believed Given was creating an anthology covering the experiences of women in her audience, not forcing her voice onto Eggerue’s original ideas and profiting off them. However, since realising the similarities that had been stolen from her original work, she contacted Given in June 2020 about how she was uncomfortable with her ideas being stolen. As nothing changed from the conversation, she is now speaking publicly about it. Eggerue has been transparent- posting conversations she’s had with people and making her side explicitly clear and public. While Eggerue has been very earnest about her experiences, Diving Bell Group and Given have released formal, cold statements about the situation. Given believes that she was merely *inspired* by Eggerue and believed crediting her in ‘Women Don’t Owe You Pretty’ was fair compensation. However, the weight of it being a Black woman having her ideas and work be taken credit for from a white woman laces the situation with an added degree of insidiousness. Given also brought to light in her statement that she regularly donates money to various charities such as Black Minds Matter as though she is able to pay off her racist actions. Black Minds Matter have since spoken up about how Given and Diving Bell Group should try to compassionately resolve things with Eggerue. It seems very performative to imply that she isn’t racist by donating money to Black charities when we have learnt that being anti-racist takes a lot more than that. While Diving Bell Group released a shorter, but equally formulaic, statement, they also removed the BLACK LIVES MATTER landing page from their website. It’s indicative of performative racism from their part. Through removing the landing page, it highlights how their support of BLM was only when it was easy for them and not a belief they sincerely uphold. Eggerue put it perfectly in her book when she wrote ‘Quit over-explaining. The world is still going to judge you.’ The statements from Given and Diving Bell Group are over-explained rather than either party taking any responsibility for their actions or actively trying to make things better. Their (lack of) actions speak louder than their words. There is another dark aspect to this story based on the marketing of the two books. It brings to light the issue of the very white, very middle-class industries of publishing and marketing. Eggerue has pointed out that she only receives £1.60 from her £12.99 book. It is concerning to wonder who is really making the majority of the profit from her work. The marketing of the books has also illustrated the inherent racism of the industry. Before Eggerue spoke out, I had seen very little promotion of ‘What A Time To Be Alone’ asides from her speaking about it. Given’s book, however, was everywhere. It was all over social media and in every bookshop. There have been numerous accounts of people going into bookshops finding Given’s book everywhere but when asking a member of staff, finding that the shop didn’t stock Eggerue’s book at all. This is clear erasure of a Black voice- the Black voice who said it first. Moreover, when searching online for Eggerue’s book, Given’s is often the second book suggested. (Even, in some cases, the first.) It would be easy to blame this on *the algorithm* but blaming the algorithm feels like a cop-out. If everyone directs their anger to some techno jargon that barely anyone understands, then that misdirects the anger onto a faceless concept. It means the people who are responsible for putting down another Black, female voice are off the hook when they should be held accountable for this being able to happen. I had seen Given’s ‘Women Don’t Owe You Pretty’ all over my social media for a few months. Every platform was promoting it despite me not following Given, herself. When I saw the initial statement from Eggurue, I bought and read both in order of publication. My take-away was that the books are undeniably similar- even the title of Given’s book is a phrase reworded from ‘What A Time To Be Alone’- ‘I do not owe anybody “pretty”’. Reading one after the other was a weird feeling. Like finishing one book and picking up the sequel where the author just repeats the plot of the first in a less eloquent tone. One of the most ironic parts of Given’s book, I found on the back. The words ‘the game-changing book that every woman needs’ are embossed on the back. The irony is palpable. ‘Game-changing’- I was confused when I read that because the first page of her book mentions not only Eggerue but also the other women who ‘inspired’ this book. It is not game-changing, it is standing on the shoulders of numerous Black women who changed the game first. However, one difference I found between the two was the effect they had on me. Eggerue’s book felt like a warm, maternal hug that was deepened by her mother’s sayings peppered into the pages. It was inclusive, understanding, and powerful. I came away from reading that book with a better understanding of feminism and of myself. It helped me to recognize my own actions and the actions of others. Given’s book took a harsher stance which I felt was rooted in second-wave feminism. Second-wave feminism came about in the 1960’s and encouraged women against being housewives and living off their husbands’ money. Often women were brought up believing being a housewife was their only option so second wave feminism fell on them like a tonne of bricks saying the only way to be a feminist was by fitting in with their particular criteria. Feminism has adapted since with the idea that women can of course be housewives- the important point being that they choose to be. The strict rules of what feminism is, is something that I felt when reading ‘Women Don’t Owe You Pretty’. When writing about the change feminism has on peoples’ lives, Given states ‘one minute “chick flicks” are your favourite movies, the next they’re the stereotype-perpetuating garbage that you blame for making you crave male validation.’ I appreciate that rom-coms aren’t cinematic history and it is important to know that often they don’t portray healthy, functioning relationships but I think it unfair to write them off when people get somewhat harmless enjoyment out of them. In comparison, action movies aren’t particularly cinematic films either, but they’re projected more for male consumption so is that why they’re not torn apart as much and still consumable for feminists? I know I’ve gone off on a bit of a tangent, but it was something that really stuck with me when reading her work. The most important thing that I want you to take away from this blog is what Eggerue has said she wants to happen. She has been clear that we can support her in numerous ways. The first of course, would be to read in her own words on her Instagram about this situation. Another, is people are sending money via her paypal link in her Instagram stories. They are sending the equivalent of buying one of her books thus ensuring all the money goes directly to her and stops white people profiting off her Black story. Her most recent post on Instagram is about the reparations she deserves. Considering Eggerue is the one who has been wronged, it only makes sense for these to be on her terms. She is asking for the royalties of her work to be returned to her. It may seem an obvious solution but Given has retaliated by hiring lawyers (Law being another dangerously white industry) in what can only be viewed as an attempt to scare Eggerue into being silent and complicit. Thankfully, that didn’t work. Eggerue also spoke about how difficult it is to navigate this situation alone and has highlighted how people who she thought would stand by her, haven’t. We need to do what we can to support her. She has stood up for herself when she has been wronged. Her work opened the door for so many and she needs to be celebrated for this. She deserves better. She deserves the mic back.
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 Photo courtesy of George White Winter is usually a busy and hectic time of year. It is often the most frantic period for businesses, and schools and universities are often run off their feet with exams. I knew I wanted to write an article about this time of year but my plan for it changed so many times (sorry, editors!) and I think that reflects how unsettled this winter will be compared to previous ones. Normally, I spend December rushing around a cafe serving coffee to disgruntled Christmas shoppers while trying to fit in seeing all my friends and family. Then, for the rest of winter, I am left catching up on everything I put off over the festive period. This year I am probably doing neither. At first, I was looking at this situation from a fatalistic point of view- that there was nothing I could do to change this and that I should direct my energy towards making the most of a relaxing, much more chilled out winter. I am still clawing at keeping that mentality but in the U.K, the rules seem to be constantly changing. Christmas, for example, was pretty much cancelled leaving me a little setback. My plans had to change again- I was no longer able to see some of my family that I have spent every Christmas with up till now. I am not alone in this. It has been hard to see so many families who had to quickly rearrange their plans and work hard to stick to the rules. It left many people I know stranded in cities and unable to visit any family at all. In the U.K., our Prime Minister ordered a hasty change to the restrictions over Christmas. He had initially released a set of rules to be put in place to slightly relax the constraints that allowed three households to mix over five days for various Christmas meetups. These rules were announced weeks ago, and people made plans accordingly. Since, he has backtracked and changed those rules almost completely. The new orders vary depending on the place in the U.K. where you live. Regardless, there are restrictions across the board. The execution of the latest announcement ran parallel to when Boris Johnson effectively cancelled the Eid celebrations back in May, mere hours before it was meant to begin. Of course, the restrictions for a lockdown are understandable and everyone wants to see the end of the spread of Co-vid 19. However, to create such strict rules with little notice ignores the fact that people have already been preparing for Christmas, similar to the way people had prepared for Eid. There were stories from May of people who had already arrived at family houses for Eid before it had been cancelled. It is difficult to prepare for the rules when they seem to be able to change at any time. At this point, it just seems cruel to have dangled that five-day grace period, to then take it away just days before the event. I am confident that these rules will continue to adapt to the situation, as they should, but I find it difficult to prepare mentally for an unforeseeable future.
I have found that this year my winter will undoubtedly be different. There have been so many changes already. While there are aspects that I have missed, there have also been many parts that I have enjoyed that I wouldn’t have done without these restrictions. My Christmas was spent mainly on my laptop speaking to family members I never usually get to spend that day with. Normally, Christmas is an intimate affair with my immediate family and the days leading up to and following on from are spent visiting other members of the family. However, this year I spoke to nearly all of my family in one day. I still got to share it, to a degree, with people very close to me. It was a unique experience that I will cherish.
I’ve often found kindness and patience to be the answer to most problems. (Although, my inner feminist wonders if that is just how I have been conditioned to think, as a woman.) I think they are two things that everyone could benefit from especially at this time. It is impossible to know what is ever going through someone’s head, but it is undeniable that no-one is in the situation they thought they would be this time last year. So, kindness and patience are something I’m taking forward these next months. The future is very much uncertain. While the new restrictions have been a blow to me, I am trying to see that I have to make the most of what I do have (even if it is different). Change encourages us to live in the moment. Or it reminds us that even if things aren’t quite as we want them to be, it won’t stay this way forever. I guess what I’m trying to say is, no matter what situation you’re in at the moment, it won’t be this way forever. We either make the most of the joy or we sit tight and wait for things to move on. Everyone has collectively experienced some degree of restrictions from the pandemic and it has drawn a connection between everyone. From me writing, to you reading, we have made it through 2020. Who knows what 2021 will bring, but we will make it.  Photo taken by George White My hometown of Manchester, England, has always been known as a friendly city, but it is so much more than that. It has always been one of England’s most progressive cities and is populated with people brave enough to stand, protest, occupy when there is mistreatment. This has been the case since the early 19th century when Manchester was the backdrop for The Peterloo Massacre. What began as a peaceful protest for the vote to be allowed to more than just the wealthy, landowning citizens, turned into a brutal attack to those who were protesting. While this historic event was a tragedy, it is recognised as a powerful movement for democracy in this country. Since then, Manchester has been the base for numerous protests and the people of the city have upheld the legacy. One of the most notable and widely watched protests currently happening in the city is a group of students from the University of Manchester who have previously occupied one of the university buildings due to the dissatisfaction with the way the university has treated them. The students have already had a significant win. After a two-week occupation in a university building, they were awarded a 30% rent reduction for all students in Halls of Residence. To put this in more visceral terms, that is a six-week rent repayment for the students. However, the occupiers weren’t taking such actions for a rent reduction alone. Their demands are:
As distressing as this is, it is unfortunately not a standalone case of the university’s mistreatment. The students who occupied the Halls have been voicing the issues for most of the academic year, whether it is fridges breaking , heating not working, or (the worst, in my opinion) rats and other pests infesting the flats. There have been multiple reports of students having to sleep on the floor after accommodations had flooded. These poor living conditions are where students have been forced to spend all their time when in-person lectures were cancelled very early on in the academic year.
There was another awful incident on the university campus in early November where a young male student was racially profiled by a security guard who believed he was a drug dealer. The occupiers were quick to use their growing voice to speak out about the injustice of the situation and the impact it has on the students who live there. The Vice-Chancellor, Nancy Rothwell, decided to speak to national news rather than address and reassure her students. She claimed, on television, that she had written to the student to offer her apologies. When the occupiers brought to light that this was a lie, she had to come forward and admit her mistake. She sent out a relatively emotionless video to the students and wider public admitting that she had lied. What this shows is how her public image outside of the university appears more important than the welfare of the students who are paying and funding the organisation.
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