The Big Issue that nobody is talking about

Could the The Big Issue’s digital push endanger its crucial vendors?

It is one of the many pleasures that comes with walking down a busy sunny city street. The hustle and bustle of of the lunch hour alongside the quiet crescendo of a Big Issue vendor, reminding us that the life of the ‘street paper’ is far from over.
The “Extra, extra real all about it” of the early 20th Century, is now replaced with “Big Issue! Big Issue!”, it’s a constant reminder that even the blandest of business districts are still full of life.

In their red jackets, Big Issue vendors are beacons of hard work, reminding us of our social responsibility. We can help change somebody’s situation with just a few coins, it makes a big difference. Different to traditional charity, we are able to receive something physical in return for our money and also immediately see the cause to which we are helping. The magazine is packed full with with interviews, opinion pieces and always plenty of material from the vendors. Personally, seeing the vendor on the street, is the only way in which I am reminded to buy the magazine. I often enjoy the conversation I have with the vendor, one lady telling me last week that she was studying Professional Editing and Writing whilst selling the magazine to earn her keep.

But could a change to its business model threaten the very livelihood on which its vendors survive?

Will all vendors get a free iPad?

My first indigenous experience

“Welcome to Hell”, the butch woman at the counter cracks a half smile. With her knotted Britney-esque cardigan, long black skirt and gothic make-up this shop assistant is not to be messed with. She oozes sass, the kind best left for a playground bully none of us are brave enough to confront but all secretly want to be befriend. I have my work cut out.

Mamihlapinatapai

Last week I learnt a new word and it is Mamihlapinatapai. I was chatting to my friend Beatrice over the phone and recounting to her about a recent bout of adji-badji I experienced. Her response was: “Oh my god that is Mamihlapinatapai!”. I was like hold up sista, don’t you starting using dem long ass words mmmm…

She gave me a brief explanation over the blower but my credit from Oz was running low so I checked out what the word meant online. I learnt that it is actually is derived from the Yaghan language of Tierra del Fuego which is a country in South America near Argentina.

Life in Melbourne

So some of you might have been lead here by my excerpt in the Howitt Hall newsletter for which I am eternally grateful for. Those who are returning readers, welcome back! I apologise for not having posted recently as University work piles up, but I hope to do more exciting things in the next few weeks which I will be able to update you on. Melbourne life continues here and I am starting to feel a bit like a local, which is really nice actually. My aim in doing this exchange in Melbourne was to start to live an Australian lifestyle and whatever that might be, I think I am having a pretty good go or a ‘fair go’ as the Aussies might say. But it’s not all plain sailing actually, studying Australian Idol here (nope, it’s not a singing competition- as much as I would love it to be) has made me much more aware of the inequalities in the country and has definitely shed light on my initial image of Australia- Steve Urwin and Sheila’s Wheels. It’s a country full to the brim with culture and I can’t wait to get my teeth stuck in to it when I start my travels mid-July.

Marching on: the battle for gay marriage

On the 11th May I will take to the streets of Melbourne with thousands of other Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Heterosexual people to campaign for Equal Marriage in Victoria and a wider Australia. There is huge pressure from the LGBT community in Australia after  France has just become the 14th country where marriage equality is legal. The other 13 countries are New Zealand (as of last week), Uraguay, Norway, Sweden, Portugal, Spain, Belgium, Canada, South Africa, Argentina, Denmark, The Netherlands, and Iceland. The lower house of parliament, the National Assembly, voted 331 to 225 to adopt the bill, which allows gay marriage and adoptions by gay couples.

Here is a video made by Tschitchat about the march last year:

University outing: My first Queer Ball

I had never been to a Queer Ball before, sure I had been to a couple of balls in my time but a Queer one was to be a new experience. After all, who would pass up the opportunity to hang out with hot guys and not have to think about getting back home after your night out? Situated at Sir Johns on campus, couple of lads and I donned our ‘nautical’ attire as the theme suggested and made our way down to the campus bar.

Facing the ‘faggot’: the changing face of comedy

Last week I got a call from my cousin Carol who lives here in Melbourne and she offered me some tickets for me and my mates to go down to the city and check out some of the live comedy at The Comics Lounge in Melbourne. Why not, I thought. Free comedy, can’t be a bad thing.

Well, most of the comedy was good but the one thing that stuck out was the overt use of the word ‘faggot’, constantly used in a derogatory way. The audience; mostly wide middle aged men chuckled along as this crass comedian bounded the homophobic slang word around like some sort of cunning adjective.