Introduction by Croakey: While so much of the discussion about Australia’s response to COVID-19 has focused on the health, disability and aged care systems, a new report suggests we should be talking much more about the health impacts of wider policy responses. The report from the Menzies Centre for Health [...]
Introduction by Croakey: Many people in the health sector are keenly awaiting the release of a landmark investigation into climate change and health in Western Australia, as recently previewed at Croakey (the report’s release was expected this month but has been delayed). While systems change and policy development are critical, [...]
In the latest edition of the COVID-19 wrap, public health researcher Alison Barrett brings you resources from the Campbell Collaboration, global perspectives on healthcare worker infections, the latest news from Aotearoa/New Zealand and more. Editorial: Fifty Campbell systematic reviews relevant to the policy response to COVID-19 Campbell Editorial Board, 10 [...]
The world already has one virus to worry about right now, which is why it might have escaped our minds that another one is around the corner. We're fast approaching flu season in the Northern Hemisphere, and the imminent overlap with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has experts concerned, to the point that a new term has been coined around it: the "twindemic."
The twindemic refers to the potential convergence of our annual flu season, which lasts from December to February in the US, with an expected "second wave" of coronavirus cases in the fall and winter. This is a problem, because according to doctors, even a mild flu season puts strain on the healthcare system. In a year where hospitals are already overloaded, that presents a clear overcrowding issue. "This is a real risk," said Richard Watkins, MD, an infectious disease physician and professor of internal medicine at Northeast Ohio Medical University, in an interview with Health.
According to the New York Times, doctors also say that flu can make patients more vulnerable to severe COVID-19. "Coming down with both viruses at once," the article adds, "could be disastrous."
The most important thing you can do is get your flu shot. "I implore people: get vaccinated against influenza," said William Schaffner, MD, an infectious disease specialist and professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, in the Health article. "It's one of the viruses we can do something about." He acknowledged that the vaccine "isn't perfect"; doctors have to predict which strain is mostly like to spread in a given season, and yes, it only lasts you for one season. But that doesn't stop it from being effective. "The flu vaccine is helpful in both reducing the number of flu cases, as well as reducing the severity of the flu," said Natasha Bhuyan, MD, a board-certified family physician and regional director at One Medical, in a previous interview with POPSUGAR. "This means that even if someone gets the flu, they will likely be able to recover at home without the need for any treatment or interventions." And sparing yourself a trip to the doctor right now is in everyone's best interest. (Also, FYI: the flu vaccine does not cause you to get sick.)
"When the flu vaccine becomes available, make sure you get vaccinated," said Anthony Fauci, MD, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and top infectious disease expert, in an interview with Newsweek. "You could at least blunt the effect of one of those two potential respiratory infections." According to the Health article, it's best to get your vaccine some time in October to ensure it lasts through the season, said Amesh A. Adalja, MD, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Centre for Health Security. But if that's not possible, it's fine to get vaccinated earlier or later.
Bottom line: If Americans take it upon ourselves to get vaccinated, we could make a big impact on lessening the force of a "twindemic." For an example, doctors have turned to Australia, a country that faces its flu season from June to August. Thanks to robust vaccinations and strict lockdown measures, Australia's rate of reported flu cases dropped by 99 percent over 2019's numbers. As the US moves into its own flu season, it's proof that flu vaccinations, as well as continued social distancing, will be crucial in heading off a twindemic.
Meet Kiley May, a two-spirit transgender actor and multidisciplinary artist from Six Nations of the Grand River reserve in Ontario. Kiley’s acting CV includes a recurring role in the CBC show Coroner and well as her big-screen debut in the blockbuster horror It: Chapter Two. But Kiley’s love for film and television doesn’t stop at playing characters — she also writes them. Passionate about education, representation and diversity, Kiley is also an emerging screenwriter and filmmaker who’s on a mission to create scripts and roles for Indigenous and transgender women with a focus on positive, empowering portrayals. With support from Netflix and mentorship from Toronto’s ImagineNative Film and Media Arts Festival, the largest Indigenous film and media arts festival, Kiley is currently is the pre-production phase of a short film called Disclosure, which is the first in a trilogy of shorts about the experiences of dating as a two-spirit transgender woman. Here, Kiley shares, in her own words, the motivation behind her film project and how she’d liked to see the transgender narrative change in media.
On growing up, and her journey from childhood to adulthood:
“I grew up on Six Nations reserve, which is near the cities of Hamilton, Brantford and the town of Caledonia in Ontario. I have bittersweet memories of growing up there. It shaped me in a lot of ways, good and bad. I love my community, my family, my people, and I acknowledge that’s where I came from and my roots. I had a lot of great experiences but, because I’m a trans person and because I’m queer, I had a lot of tough experiences, specifically being targeted, being bullied. Six Nations is very much of a small town mentality. When I was a teenager, there was a lot of homophobia and transphobia, which I think is a characteristic of a lot of small towns or rural areas, particularly Indigenous communities that have been impacted by colonization. I feel like bullying is such a coming-of-age experience for a lot of queer people. But speaking for myself, I did experience some violence, bigotry and discrimination, even up until a few years ago as an adult person.
Things have improved tremendously, though. My family has been along on a journey with me. They have grown and become allies, whereas before they had homophobic, transphobic attitudes and beliefs. Now, they celebrate me and I’m seeing a shift in my community — in their consciousness. There’s a lot more people living their truths: living out as queer and trans people on the reserve, which is amazing. Like I said, my community shaped me. It instilled my values and my morals. I grew up following the old, ancient Indigenous traditional ways. I have a real soft spot in my heart for my family and community, but I’m still working through all those layers of what I experienced. I left my reserve in 2007 and moved to Toronto, but acknowledge that both places are my home.”
On identifying as two-spirit:
“That’s a lot to unpack because two-spirit is an ancient identity that pre-dates Canada. I’ve talked to a lot of two-spirit people and I’ve done a lot of my own research digging into the history. What I found is that it’s an identity that exists in a lot of Indigenous communities and nations all across Turtle Island — all across North America — and each community will have their own understanding: their own word in their own language to describe the experience. Their own definition.
This is the simplest way I can sum it up: Being two-spirit is an intersectional identity, which means a person who is Indigenous and LGBTQ. So it is navigating that intersection of those two communities, but it goes so much deeper than that. Historically, two-spirit people were revered and had very sacred, special places in society: roles such as storytellers, artists, warriors and healers. There was a very spiritual, cultural and ceremonial aspect to being two-spirit. But the thing is, not all Indigenous people who are gay or lesbian identify as two-spirit. Some people reject it. I identify as two-spirit because I like the aspect of reclaiming history and reclaiming that ancient reverence and sacredness — the cultural spiritual aspect. I embrace it, but I also identify as queer and transgender.”
On her career path and love for storytelling:
“I’ve carried this love of telling stories and being performative my entire life. I acknowledge that, historically, I come from a people who are storytellers. I come from an oral tradition, so I feel like that’s in me — in my spirit, in my blood. It’s in my ancestral cellular memory. That’s why I left the reserve and went to journalism school at Ryerson University. I wanted to tell my people’s stories. I’ve lived through the ongoing Six Nations Caledonia land dispute and this July marked the 30th anniversary of the Oka Crisis, so I see the importance of speaking up for my people — to be a voice for what we are experiencing. Through journalism school, I realized that I had more of a love for creative writing: I love spoken word poetry. After I finished school, though, I didn’t write for many years until very recently, and began writing for outlets like Vice and Huffington Post. I’m re-entering my writing career. Telling stories feels like my purpose.”
On getting into filmmaking:
“My love of storytelling extends to being a filmmaker and screenwriter. As a trans person, an Indigenous person and an actor, I found myself being very disheartened and frustrated — just fed up — with the representation of Indigenous and trans people not only in film and TV, but in the general media and popular culture. And I’m the type of person to do something about it: I get inspired and motivated by what makes me angry or frustrated and would rather be a solution than just complain about a problem. That pushed me into wanting to be a filmmaker and screenwriter, because I wanted to contribute to more authentic portrayals of my communities and my experiences.”
On her short film trilogy:
“I developed this as a starting off point — to get my feet wet in filmmaking in a sense — with the goal of learning how to screen write, produce and eventually direct. I have long terms goals of doing feature films and TV series. This project explores transgender attraction, desire and love from the perspective of a trans woman. Each short film follows the different stages of a trans woman’s dating experiences, with Part One called Disclosure. The word ‘disclosure’ means to open up, to reveal, to make known, and disclosure is an experience that I have as a trans person: the act of basically coming out or telling someone I’m trans — sometimes for safety reasons. It’s quite an experience and I wanted to create a conversation around it. Disclosure is about a trans woman named Libbie who meets a guy on the street. He approaches her and asks her out on a date, and then Libbie has to decide if, when and how to disclose her transgender status. In the end, he actually discloses something to her too. There’s a lot to unpack with the politics of disclosure. There’s lots of thoughts and feelings around it.”
On her drive behind the project:
“What motivates me to write trans stories is to contribute to more positive, hopeful and authentic characters, because oftentimes when trans women are depicted, it’s through a straight, cis-gender male gaze, and it’s usually really problematic. I did this for myself as an actor, to create opportunities and roles that I love and want to see on the screen but I also did it for my trans sisters. I did it for my trans community to have their romantic comedy moment. To see a trans woman on screen being adored, going on a date and having a kiss in a park. I want to shift the narrative of transgender representation from what historically has been tragic and victimizing to one that’s thriving and about love and happiness. And I hope that the film Disclosure will create a larger conversation about what disclosure actually is and means for trans people, and also for the cis-gender, heterosexual men who are trans attracted. There’s a lot to talk about and I want to normalize transgender attraction and love — crucial topics I feel we never discuss.”
On trans representation in media:
“I feel like I started acting and entered the film industry at the right time because this was during Laverne Cox in Orange is the New Black. She really changed the game. When I think of trans representation before Laverne Cox, there basically wasn’t any. After her, trans representation increased a lot. Things were rapidly improving when I came into the industry. I haven’t experienced big barriers, such as hard rejection, unlike actors five or ten years ago and I’m grateful for that.
What I have experienced, though, is a lack of creativity or opportunities by screenwriters, producers and directors, people who are straight, cis-gender, white men, who don’t really create enough stories or don’t tell good stories. Like, for a while now, casting agents or directors have only really thought of trans performers in a limited sense. They often only see us as trans or queer characters, not as multi-faceted and multi-dimensional performers. Then there’s the terrible history of cis-gender men playing trans women, which is really problematic and a whole other conversation. I would like for people to open up and expand their minds, and to think that queer performers can play anything, which is why I’m hustling and working to get into a position of power — screenwriter, director, producer — to create opportunities. I want to have the right leverage to help shift the narrative.”
Missed our last My Story column? Click here.
The post My Story: Kiley May on Trans Representation in Media and Creating the Character Roles She Wants to See appeared first on FASHION Magazine.
Today, Toronto-based brands La Reyna and Tsaichedelic have launched a collection of tie-dye bodysuits with a portion of the proceeds from the sales being donated directly to organizations supporting the Black Lives Matter movement.
The collection fuses the key offerings from both brands in the form of tie-dye bodysuits (available in XS-XL) that are available in three colours. “We’re really excited about how everything turned out,” says Liv Tsai, founder of Tsaichedelic. She and Kristina Pittam, the founder of La Reyna, are friends so teaming up made sense, particularly when they got together and realized they both wanted an opportunity to raise money for an important cause. The pair decided on The Loveland Foundation and Black Women in Motion, with Pittam telling us, “We wanted to focus on an international organization, as well as something close to home within our community. Black Women in Motion is Toronto-based, and we are based in Toronto so we thought it was a really great fit as well.”
The idea of raising money for donations via a collection is the premise upon which Tsai’s business was started. Earlier this year, she lost her full-time job and decided to launch Tsaichedelic as a way of being able to raise money for frontline workers during the pandemic. Since then, she has been incredibly encouraged by the generosity of her community and their willingness to help in whatever way they can. “Some people gave me $5, $10 more, I even had someone who doubled the price so I could donate more. It’s great to see everyone coming together for these causes. We all have platforms – everyone has the ability to [make an] impact.” She adds, “One idea that one person has can stem into so many other ideas and I think that’s why Kristina and I think this so important because not only are we able to give back but we’re able to inspire others to do the same. Plus, we’re able to connect with more people in our communities.”
Connecting with her community during COVID also brought about a product pivot for Pittam at La Reyna. “It happened by accident with the launch of our upcycled scrunchies in mid-March,” she explains. “When we launched the scrunchies, they sold out immediately and we couldn’t keep up with demand, so this showed us that people wanted to buy into our brand, they just needed to have something a product available that they have the means to purchase, especially during this time. So that gave us the idea to create products that were a bit more affordable in between the price of our bodysuits and our scrunchies and something that they could afford to tap into at this time.” A line of tops has followed as a result, with three more collections dropping the coming months.
Ultimately, both Tsai and Pittam want to do good and make people feel good. “We hope we can bring people a bit of happiness during this time,” says Tsai. “It’s more than just tie-dye bodysuits for us.”
The collaboration is now available online.
The post Toronto Brands La Reyna and Tsaichedelic Team Up on New Bodysuit Collection appeared first on FASHION Magazine.
Music festivals around the world were cancelled this year due to Covid, but artists and venues are still finding a way to get their music to us. Case in point: these upcoming events delivering music performances by Canadian artists that we can livestream right from our living rooms, cocktail in hand.
SCENE Music
SCENE and Universal Music Canada have teamed up to launch SCENE Music, showcasing top artists and emerging performers through interactive programming, socially distanced fan experiences and live events. On August 26 at 8pm EST, SCENE Music’s inaugural event will be livestreamed from The Rec Room Toronto, headlining by Juno-winning rock band The Beaches. Juno-nominated alternative pop group Valley and Montreal-based singer/songwriter Soran are also scheduled to perform. The event will be in support of Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada, the country’s largest child- and youth-serving charitable organization. RSVP here.
Manifesto 14
Manifesto Canada, a multi-disciplinary festival celebrating diverse communities through arts, culture and media, is celebrating its 14th anniversary this year by partnering up with Manifesto Jamaica for a historic 12-hour livestreamed festival. The one-day festival on August 29 is headlined by Grammy-winning musician Koffee (the youngest artist and first woman to be awarded in the Best Reggae Album category), who will be streaming her full concert set live from Kingston, Jamaica. The special event will also feature a slate of Toronto-based musicians including LU KALA, Dijah SB and Osé, as well as a series of music and comedy performances streamed live from Toronto’s Great Hall. On the lineup: Nigerian-Canadian soul singer and rapper TOBi, Indigiqueer Tsimshian musician Joby Okabe and comedian Anasimone George. Manifesto 14 will run from 12pm to 12am EST and be hosted by body-positive influencer Sashagai Ruddock. RSVP for access to the livestream here.
East York Days: Behind the Music
East York Days, an annual concert series presented by Toronto’s East End Arts organization, is going online this year with a virtual series titled Behind the Music. Hosted by a music journalist, CBC Radio’s Errol Nazareth, the three-part series on Facebook Live will feature in-depth conversations and music from the following Canadian artists: Andrea Ramolo and Louis Simao (on September 16), Jenna Marie Pinard & Jay Yoo and Denielle Bassels (on September 23) and Joanne Morra and Amélie Lefebvre (on September 30). Get the stories behind their music each Wednesday at 7pm EST on East End Arts’ Facebook page.
The post Get Your Live Music Fix With These Upcoming Virtual Performances appeared first on FASHION Magazine.
As gyms reopen and more people come together to break a sweat, you will most likely be required to wear face coverings indoors - New York gyms, for instance, will mandate the use of masks at all times as of Aug. 24 - and it's recommended to wear ones while exercising outside near other people. On June 11, Under Armour released a performance face mask for just that.
The Sportsmask is a reusable, water-resistant covering with a three-layer fabric that feels cool, is breathable, and has been treated with PROTX2, which, according to a news release, is a "non-metal anti-microbial technology" shown in lab tests to destroy 99.9 percent of COVID-19 within 10 minutes. (Note: the US Environmental Protection Agency is still reviewing the effectiveness of PROTX2 on the Under Armour mask specifically. According to an Under Armour representative, that is why, on UA.com, the description for this mask reads, "does not protect against viruses.")
The masks sold out in the first hour back in June and, as of August, Under Armour has four different colours total: black, grey, navy, and red. "Although there are new colours to choose from, it is the same proven, great mask that launch on June 11," the company told POPSUGAR.
"Athletes may find it challenging to work out in general-purpose or homemade masks for a number of reasons. They can slip off your face, sometimes the fabric isn't breathable or designed to wick sweat properly," Cara McDonough, vice president of accessories and licencing at Under Armour, told POPSUGAR. "We engineered the UA Sportsmask to solve these common issues." She pointed to the moldable nose bridge that secures the mask in place, the cooling effect of the fabric, and its breathability as key factors that set the Sportsmask apart from other face coverings.
Under Armour athletes, including the NBA's Steph Curry and NFL's Deonte Harris, received the first batch of samples to test them out, according to Forbes. "Whenever you have something covering your mouth and nose, it's going to feel a little restrictive at first," Harris said. "Other masks don't give you as much airflow as this mask does, so it's one of the best options for protection during performance. It's not designed for contact sports, so I won't be using it on the field, but it's perfect for that extra level of protection when I'm working out with others and social distancing is encouraged."
You should wash the Sportsmask the same way you would any other piece of athletic apparel, Under Armour says. Hand-wash or machine-wash the mask after you wear it (though hand-washing is recommended), and lay it flat to dry or use a hair dryer. Under Armour also instructs you to place the mask in the carrying pouch that it comes with after use and to make sure you also wash that pouch inside out.
You can preorder the next batch of these masks on UA.com right now. Each costs $30 and comes in sizes XS/S, S/M, M/L, L/XL, and XL/XXL. Take a closer look at them - and find links to preorder them - ahead!
Today, Canadian intimates brand Knix is launching its newest product innovation in the form of Super Leakproof Underwear. In fact, they’re so good that they completely eliminate the need for disposable products, absorbing the equivalent of eight tampons worth of fluid.
According to research done by the brand, the average person spends 2,535 days – or seven years (!) – on their period, using roughly 5,000 to 15,000 (the equivalent to roughly 300 pounds) of disposable period products during that time. The idea behind the Super Leakproof line is for it to replace the need for these single-use products and therefore save huge amounts of period-related waste from ending up in landfills across the world.
Brand founder Joanna Griffiths tells us that the brand’s Leakproof line has been the focus of constant innovation since its launch seven years ago, culminating in this newest innovation which hits shelves today. Plus, she says the category has come a long way since the brand first launched it back in 2013. “It’s been a wild ride to be honest with you. When I first launched the brand back in 2013, it was really a net new product for the category and no one really knew what it was or what to do with it. It was really hard to find manufacturing partners –everyone kind of scratched their heads at you, like what do you mean? You’re going to do what? (laughs). People just had so many questions about how the product worked.” She continues, “I think that over the past three years we’ve seen a huge shift where there’s so much curiosity and interest around this product line. I think the world has come a really long way in a short period of time in terms of destigmatizing periods and making it less of a taboo topic. It’s the same around leaks that can happen – one in three women leak when they laugh, sneeze or do a jumping jack – I think that conversations that used to be happening in private chatrooms are now making their way into Instagram feeds and the comments section. It’s been really exciting to see that evolution.”
And the numbers are there to back it up. “This is a category that didn’t exist seven years ago when we launched and by 2023 it’s projected to be a $500 million category. It’s actually one of the fastest growing categories in the world,” Griffiths tells us, likening the product to kombucha or Greek yoghurt which went from being localized products to everywhere in the mainstream.
The collection includes five styles – the High Rise, Bikini, Cheeky, Boyshort and Thong – available in an array of sizes (up to an XXXL) and colours, including a limited edition green leaf print which “plays off the top layer of the underwear which actually uses seaweed fibre which is naturally bacteriostatic and quick-drying,” says Griffiths. All styles feature moisture-wicking anti-odor carbon cotton, polyester moisture-lock protection, a leak-resistant exterior for superior absorption, as well as a multi-layer, ultra lightweight and super absorbent extended gusset with full coverage from front to back.
Plus, the brand will be launching kits for the first time in its Leakproof line, categorized by light, medium or high absorbency. All you need to do is pick the kit that’s right for you and you’ll receive five pairs of underwear (four from either the Leakproof or Super Leakproof line, or a mix depending on the kit you choose, and the brand’s Dream Short).
If you’re new to the product and wondering how they’ll fit in with your life and regular laundry cycle, fear not. “You’re going to wear them exactly as you would normal underwear – it’s on the outside of your body so it’s not like a tampon where there’s a time limit,” explains Griffiths. “You can throw it directly into the washing machine with dark colours or you can rinse them beforehand – it’s totally up to you, you can do either. I think it depends on how quickly you’re going to do laundry. And then you lay it flat to dry.”
This category also presents an opportunity for the brand to continue to broaden its message of inclusivity, particularly as products in the Leakproof and Super Leakproof lines allow people who menstruate the freedom to do so whilst feeling safe and protected. Griffiths agrees, pointing to the Dream Short as the brand’s gender neutral style adding that the brand is “absolutely making that transition” to be more inclusive across the entire brand. “Everything from our mission statement to the way we talk about the products, we’re removing the reliance on using women and to change the language that we’re using around people who menstruate, not just women.”
The new Super Leakproof line from Knix is available online and in-stores from today.
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