October in Review

Although this month will likely not be remembered so vividly by history, October has been eventful in so many ways. The tumult surrounding Downing Street has dominated much of current media, and this has meant that news coverage of other, arguably more significant, events has, unfortunately, not been a priority.

In Rushcliffe this month, the go ahead has been given for HS2 to extend to the East Midlands Parkway. There was a high turnout for a march through Nottingham in solidarity with the people of Ukraine, and there was a call to action to support those fighting against the totalitarian regime in Moscow.

October has also seen the celebration of many culturally important events, perhaps most notably Black History Month and Diwali. As I was researching this article, I also uncovered national poetry day. I was inspired to research further and discovered Eisteddfod, a Welsh festival comprised of several ranked competitions including music and poetry, among others. This sort of national cultural celebration seemed to me the perfect example of nationality without nationalism, something I am sure we can all recognise as beneficial.

This, for me, was rather in contrast to Elon Musk's new project with Twitter. Although no one can yet know his plans, his aspiration for a global "Town Square" has me concerned. A crowded space where vendors vie for attention, and those who shout loudest are most often heard, may not be the model which the enigmatic Musk is redesigning the app to, but if it is, then he really doesn't have far to go.

However, for me, the most important occurrence of this month has been the ongoing protests in Iran. Catalysed by the death of Masha Amini, many regard this as the most serious challenge to the Iranian authority in decades. What has struck me most about this movement, alongside the incredible bravery of those demonstrating and the poignant images of headscarves being burnt in the streets, is the international solidarity with the cause. Simple acts like cutting one's hair have spread as a symbol of solidarity across the globe.

Earlier this year UN Women, in a study spanning 20 countries, presented a troubling image. Attitudes towards gender roles are regressing across the world. It is arrogant for us to assume that the fight for equality is one to be fought within our borders. From the United States to the United Arab Emirates, from São Paulo to Sydney, however it chooses to manifest itself, Feminism and the fight for equality must move beyond national boundaries if things are to change. We are citizens of the world first.