Audio Stories by The Spill

It’s our favourite time of the year: when the editorial team gathers to share the books we’re most looking forward to reading over the next twelve months. Author: The SpillCategory: ArtsListen to the full story, or read it⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠. For more Environment stories, head to⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thespillmag.com/tag/arts

Takukam’ story threads together ecology, technology, culture, and disability rights, and at its centre, a commitment to resisting erasure.Author: Chourouk GorrabCategory: CultureListen to the full story, or read it⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠. For more Environment stories, head to⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thespillmag.com/tag/culture

530. That is the number of days since I have written a piece. As I rage-scroll through my previously published work, it dawns on me that this is my own doing. Author: Jennifer HakimCategory: SELFListen to the full story, or read it⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠. For more Environment stories, head to⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thespillmag.com/tag/self/

COP30 will take place this November in Brazil, a country that has become over the years a global symbol of Indigenous resistance to land grabs, deforestation, and extractive capitalism. Author: Chourouk GorrabCategory: ENVIRONMENTListen to the full story, or read it⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠. For more Environment stories, head to⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thespillmag.com/tag/environment/

To love a place is to decolonise.Author: Bowie Yin Sum KungCategory: Environment, SelfListen to the full story, or read it⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠. For more Environment stories, head to⁠ https://www.thespillmag.com/tag/environment/

At a time when DEI is being rolled back and marginalised voices are under threat, this interview is a reminder that resistance isn’t always loud, but is always present. An Interview with Barbara Kennedy-Brown of Fashion Minority Alliance (FMA).Author: Chourouk GorrabCategory: CULTUREListen to the full story, or read it⁠⁠ ⁠⁠online⁠⁠. For more Culture stories, head to⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thespillmag.com/tag/culture/

Céline Semaan challenges us to rethink everything we’ve been taught to aspire to: fashion, education, even the idea of womanhood itself.

"When Instagram becomes the mirror through which we view ourselves, the relentless pursuit of a cinched waist, lean muscles, or the “slim-thick” physique portrayed by influencers can lead to an unhealthy obsession with unrealistic beauty standards." Author: Tade Category: LIFE Listen to the full story, or read it⁠⁠ ⁠online⁠. For more Life stories, head to⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thespillmag.com/tag/life/

This is part three, and the final chapter of our second Fiction story, "Swept Up" by Rhea Dhanbhoora, released as a weekly series throughout this month of September.  "A security guard scurries out of the safe confines of the little stone cottage by the gate to check whether it’s been properly padlocked. The old lady in the floral headscarf nods from the crack in her lace curtains as he squints up to the tall biscuit-coloured building for approval, before scurrying back into the cottage where intercoms click and hiss in terror." Author: Rhea DhanbhooraCategory: FICTIONListen to the full story, or read it⁠⁠ ⁠online⁠.For more Fiction stories, head to⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thespillmag.com/tag/fiction/

This is part two of our second Fiction story, "Swept Up" by Rhea Dhanbhoora, released as a weekly series throughout this month of September. "Wet earth masks the smell of trouble brewing outside, and you ignore the slight whiff of tension in the air, breathe in the familiar memory of white desi corn, sprinkled with chilli and lime." Author: Rhea Dhanbhoora Category: FICTION Listen to the full story, or read it⁠⁠ ⁠online⁠. For more Fiction stories, head to⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thespillmag.com/tag/fiction/

This is part one of our second Fiction story, "Swept Up" by Rhea Dhanbhoora, released as a weekly series throughout this month. "Trees are felled and walls crumble, but you swing back on your rocker, convinced it’s just a phase." Author: Rhea Dhanbhoora Category: FICTION Listen to the full story, or read it⁠⁠ ⁠online⁠. For more Fiction stories, head to⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thespillmag.com/tag/fiction/

This growing tide of racism and Islamophobia, often masked as patriotism, is both appalling and infuriating. Author: Chourouk Gorrab Category: POLITICS Listen to the full story, or read it⁠⁠ ⁠online⁠. For more Politics-related stories, head to⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thespillmag.com/tag/politics

Here are 5 essential shows, films and podcasts about and by Palestinians, sharing their authentic perspectives and history. Author: The Spill Category: CULTURE Listen to the full story, or read it⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠.   For more Culture-related stories, head to⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thespillmag.com/tag/culture

Newsletter heaven is where I now reside, and I find myself smiling at my phone a lot more than I used to. Author: Jennifer Hakim Category: CULTURE Listen to the full story, or read it⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠.   For more Culture-related stories, head to⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thespillmag.com/tag/culture

Where are the limits of help, and the beginnings of harm? Such is the premise of Multiple Casualty Incident, by Sami Ibrahim, hitting the Yard Theatre, Hackney Wick on 27th April 2024. Author: The Spill Category: ARTS  Listen to the full story, or read it⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠.   For more Arts-related stories, head to⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thespillmag.com/tag/arts

Did you know that 41% of the names of the babies born in England and Wales were ‘typos’? The shocking revelation was made this week by ‘I am not a typo’ (IANAT), a new campaign calling on tech giants to “correct autocorrect and spell-check spell-check”. Author: The Spill Category: CULTURE Listen to the full story, or read it⁠⁠ online. For more Culture-related stories, head to⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thespillmag.com/tag/culture

On Wednesday, lawmakers stormed out of parliament with tensions rising to an all-time high among Britain’s three major political parties, after they attempted to outmanoeuvre each other over a vote on a Gaza ceasefire. Author: Jennifer Hakim Category: POLITICS Listen to the full story, or read it⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠.  For more Politics-related stories, head to⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thespillmag.com/tag/politics

As a new year begins, the pages of a good book can be a welcome escape from the world’s complexities, or the means of engaging with them. Here are 6 books we're particularly excited to read this year. Author: The Spill Category: ARTS Listen to the full story, or read it⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠.  For more Arts-related stories, head to⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thespillmag.com/tag/arts/

Being hyper aware of everything happening everywhere all at once thanks to social media, is both a blessing and a curse. Author: Jennifer Hakim Category: LIFE Listen to the full story, or read it⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠online.  For more Life-related stories, head to⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thespillmag.com/tag/politics/

A recent study by People Like Us and Censuswide has revealed that ethnically diverse professionals in the UK are grappling with a dual crisis – the burden of unequal pay coupled with the escalating cost of living.  Author: The Spill Category: LIFE Listen to the full story, or read it⁠⁠ ⁠⁠online ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- also available in Easy Read.  For more Life-related stories, head to⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thespillmag.com/tag/life/

In case you missed it, from 29th November to 5th December 2023, Publishers for Palestine, a “global collective of publishers and others who work in publishing around the world, who stand for justice, freedom of expression, and the power of the written word”, ran #ReadPalestine week. Author: The Spill Category: CULTURE Listen to the full story, or read it⁠⁠ ⁠online ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- also available in Easy Read.  For more Culture-related stories, head to⁠ https://www.thespillmag.com/tag/culture/

Despite what the top 1% wants you to believe, Muslim and Palestinian lives matter.  Author: Mahevash Shaikh Category: LIFE Listen to the full story, or read it⁠ ⁠online ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- also available in Easy Read.  For more Life-related stories, head to⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thespillmag.com/tag/life/

ONS birth data recently revealed that half of Brits were prioritising sex in the months leading up to October. While the idea of a pleasure-centred season sounds appealing, much needs to be improved when it comes to the sustainability of sex and pleasure. We spoke to Ben Foster, Co-founder and Director of The Natural Love Company about sex, self-love, inclusivity, and the environment.  Author: The Spill Category: ENVIRONMENT Listen to the full story, or read it online ⁠- also available in Easy Read.  For more Environment-related stories, head to⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thespillmag.com/tag/environment/

“untitled f*ck m*ss s**gon play” is at the Young Vic Theatre, London from 18th September to 4th November 2023. Author: The Spill Category: ARTS Listen to the full story, or read it online - also available in Easy Read.  For more Arts-related stories, head to⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thespillmag.com/arts Sponsored by Young Vic

The last few months have been hard on Pakistanis, and the media bias is real. Author: Anmol Irfan Category: LIFE Listen to the full story, or read it⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠online ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- also available in Easy Read.  For more Life-related stories, head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thespillmag.com/life

Between fetishisation and microaggressions, the dating game is even harder for women of colour. Author: Amrit Virdi Category: SELF Listen to the full story, or read it⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠online ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- also available in Easy Read.  For more Self-related stories, head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thespillmag.com/self

We are here, we are queer and we are proud. And we deserve accessibility. Author: Hannah Shewan Stevens Category: LIFE Listen to the full story, or read it⁠ ⁠⁠⁠online ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- also available in Easy Read.  For more Life-related stories, head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thespillmag.com/life

The free outdoor festival River Stage has returned to the National Theatre for summer 2023, with the upcoming performance of East London all-round artist Kali Claire. Author: The Spill Category: ARTS Listen to the full story, or read it⁠ ⁠⁠online ⁠⁠⁠⁠- also available in Easy Read.  For more Arts-related stories, head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thespillmag.com/arts

A closer look at the thriving fashion rental market. Author: The Spill Category: ENVIRONMENT Listen to the full story, or read it⁠ ⁠⁠online ⁠⁠⁠⁠- also available in Easy Read.  For more Environment-related stories, head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thespillmag.com/environment⁠

From highly anticipated plays to dance festivals, there are so many events going on in England this season it could be hard to choose. We have chosen six with options for tickets on the cheaper side for arts lovers on a budget. Author: The Spill Category: ARTS Listen to the full story, or read it⁠ ⁠online ⁠⁠⁠- also available in Easy Read.  For more Arts-related stories, head to ⁠⁠⁠https://www.thespillmag.com/arts⁠

Six years after #MeToo, has reality truly improved for women? Author: Shems Rocha Category: LIFE  Listen to the full story, or read it ⁠online ⁠⁠- also available in Easy Read.  For more Life-related stories, head to ⁠⁠https://www.thespillmag.com/life

The ‘self care revolution’ is evolving. From merely being intentional about prioritising one’s own mental, emotional and physical health, it has now moved on to defying the unrealistic gender expectations that deeply tie a woman’s identity to a socially sanctioned establishment: marriage. Author: Patience Tinotenda Mutsetse Category: LIFE  Listen to the full story, or read it online ⁠- also available in Easy Read.  For more Life-related stories, head to ⁠https://www.thespillmag.com/life

After hearing his sister’s name mispronounced at her college graduation, Dr. Praveen Shanbhag felt compelled to develop Namecoach, an AI-powered company on a mission to solve the common problem of name mispronunciation and gender pronoun communication in the workplace and beyond, while finishing his Ph.D. at Stanford. Author: The Spill [Sponsored by Namecoach] Category: CULTURE Listen to the full story, or read it online ⁠- also available in Easy Read. For more Culture-related stories, head to ⁠https://www.thespillmag.com/culture

As I walk back to my seat with my head hung low, my seatmate says: “I told you not to raise your hand, you know you stutter.” It now occurs to me she had wanted to spare me the embarrassment. Author: Idayat Jinadu Category: SELF Listen to the full story, or read it online - also available in Easy Read. For more Self-related stories, head to https://www.thespillmag.com/self

Being in the job market is a lonely affair, just like searching for the right person. Author: Chourouk Gorrab Category: LIFE Listen to the full story, or read it online - also available in Easy Read. For more Self-related stories, head to https://www.thespillmag.com/life

Being an influencer has grown to be one of the most coveted careers in the world, with the influencer economy valued at over USD 100 billion in 2022. Yet, its dark sides, from wage gaps to discrimination patterns, remain underexplored - hidden behind fancy red carpets and PR packages. Author: Oluwatobi Omotoso Category: CULTURE Listen to the full story, or read it online - also available in Easy Read. For more Culture-related stories, head to https://www.thespillmag.com/culture

Welcome to Fiction: Exclusive short fiction stories by emerging authors from the global majority and beyond. "I stood by the window and watched the ceremony unfold. Soon, I was going to be escorted out of the room by the other women. It was the last time I would ever call the room my own. It was the last time I would be a young girl." Author: Kehinde Mercy Category: ARTS Listen to the full story, or read it online - also available in Easy Read. For more Arts-related stories, head to https://www.thespillmag.com/arts

Ramadan is here, and it's that time of the year when I feel better connected to who I am as a person and a Muslim woman - but also when additional scrutiny is on the Muslim community. Author: Chourouk Gorrab Category: SELF Listen to the full story, or read it online - also available in Easy Read. For more Self-related stories, head to https://www.thespillmag.com/self

From live music to theatre plays and dance shows, there is no shortage of opportunities to experience the joy of performance art. On the plus side, these shows have adapted performances for people with disabilities and impairments. Author: The Spill Category: ARTS Listen to the full story, or read it online - also available in Easy Read. For more Arts-related stories, head to https://www.thespillmag.com/arts

Trigger warning: Murder, sexual assault, rape Three months into 2023, misogyny and femicides are soaring, and a group of high-profile men is working hard to normalise them. Author: Michaela Makusha Category: CULTURE Listen to the full story, or read it online - also available in Easy Read. For more Life-related stories, head to https://www.thespillmag.com/culture

I discovered this constant exposure to white-only love impacted my perception of romance and race at an impressionable age. Author: Faridat Musa Category: CULTURE Listen to the full story, or read it online - also available in Easy Read. For more Life-related stories, head to https://www.thespillmag.com/culture

The fashion industry needs a reminder that it wouldn’t exist without the labour and creations of marginalised communities, without their culture, fabrics and craftsmanship, and without their literal blood, sweat and tears. Author: Chourouk Gorrab Category: ENVIRONMENT Listen to the full story, or read it online - also available in Easy Read. For more Environment-related stories, head to https://www.thespillmag.com/environment

Who said pleasure couldn’t help the planet too? Author: The Spill Category: LIFE Listen to the full story, or read it online - also available in Easy Read. For more Life-related stories, head to https://www.thespillmag.com/life

2023 is kicking off with some bangers, including the dark-pop anthem “X”, the latest single from New York-based multidisciplinary artist Alexis Lucena, also known as LEXXE. Author: The Spill Category: ARTS Listen to the full story, or read it online - also available in Easy Read. For more Politics-related stories, head to https://www.thespillmag.com/arts

The NHS will never achieve its socialist goals for our health under the cruel hands of capitalism. Author: Beauty Dhlamini Category: POLITICS Listen to the full story, or read it online - also available in Easy Read. For more Politics-related stories, head to https://www.thespillmag.com/politics

It’s our favourite time of the year. The time for the editorial team to compile the books we’re looking forward to reading during the next twelve months, whether holed up in bed with a nice cuppa, or sipping mojitos on a beach somewhere warm. Here are seven books on our radar in 2023. Author: The Spill Category: ARTS Listen to the full story, or read it online - also available in Easy Read. For more Arts-related stories, head to https://www.thespillmag.com/arts

Welcome to Real Talk, where we discuss all things identity, body, and sex care without shame or filter. No taboos, no clichés, just real-life experiences so you won’t feel alone. We’re all in this together. In this piece, Shems Rocha shares her journey with hormonal imbalance and sexual energy rise one Summer. Author: Shems Rocha Category: SELF Listen to the full story, or read it online - also available in Easy Read. For more Self-related stories, head to https://www.thespillmag.com/self

Patronising stereotypes. Sob stories. Homogenous representations of disability. Inspiration porn. Sadly, all these tropes will be familiar to disabled people, who so rarely get authentic, nuanced representation. Author: Elspeth Wilson Category: CULTURE Listen to the full story, or read it online - also available in Easy Read. For more Culture-related stories, head to https://www.thespillmag.com/culture

A personal note from our founders on the year just passed and what's yet to come Author: Jennifer Hakim and Chourouk Gorrab Category: CULTURE Listen to the full story, or read it online - also available in Easy Read. For more Culture-related stories, head to https://www.thespillmag.com/culture

Spending the holidays in London and looking for something great to do? Here are 7 events we highly recommend this Winter. Author: The Spill Category: CULTURE Listen to the full story, or read it online - also available in Easy Read. For more Culture-related stories, head to https://www.thespillmag.com/culture