It will come as no surprise that ‘coronavirus’ was the most Googled term worldwide during 2020. But, what else did we search for? Here are some of my favourite glimpses of humanity from the internet-sphere in 2020.
20 Good Things That Happened in 2020
We don’t associate 2020 with good news. It’s been a year of doom scrolling, mask wearing and quarantining for many, but behind the miserable clickbait there are plenty of positive stories flying under the radar, from sudden onset lust for Andy Burnham to a fourth season of Big Mouth.
Why We Need to Talk About Perfume Advertising this Christmas
Imagine, for one heady moment, perfume advertising that simply represents a diversity of bodies instead of recycling again and again the sculpted silhouette of the model du jour. Would it change the way we look at ourselves after seeing a beauty ad?
Top Trumps: Lockdown relationship edition
Which type of lockdown relationship are you? A fun game to while away the time until lockdown 2.0 is over!
Mary Wollstonecraft’s Statue: How to Subordinate a Woman on her Own Platform
This week saw the unveiling of a long-awaited statue. Yet the Mary Wollstonecraft sculpture is a striking example of artistic gaslighting: how literally to belittle a woman whilst purporting to honour her.
#BuyLeeds: Support Leeds Indie Business this Christmas
We know it feels a little early to get excited about Christmas - especially with over 2 weeks left of the national lockdown - but #BuyLeeds has definitely conjured a little festive cheer here at Harpy Mag.
Baudelaire, Softbois and the Spleen
In the midst of these strange and unprecedented times, one constant remains: the indie softboi… and he’s got something in common with 19th century poet, Charles Baudelaire.
9 Things to Remember While You Job Hunt
Full disclosure – this isn’t expert advice from a qualified recruiter. But hopefully these job-hunting tips can offer you some solidarity in what is essentially the weirdest, shittest year most of us have lived through, especially if you’re dealing with the added pressure of being made redundant.
Halloween 2020: Get in Witch, We’re Going Nowhere
It was a dark and stormy night… all winter getaways were cancelled, trick-or-treating was pretty much illegal, and who the f*ck knew what to expect from Christmas?!
8 Non-Fiction Reads about Race for Black History Month and Beyond
Black History Month is drawing to a close, but anti-racist allyship isn’t over when the hashtags stop trending. Here’s a list of non-fiction reads about race to get you started and keep up momentum.
Sport and Women’s Empowerment: Four Inspirational Icons
Women’s sport is in crisis. The hype that was built up last year has been jeopardised by the COVID-19 stand-still… but there are some brilliant advocates that won’t be ignored. Discover the four athletes speaking up for the world of women’s sport.
See you on the internet: thoughts on the third place
In community building, the third place is a social one separate from both work and home. Lately, those have all kind of collapsed into each other. Learning this concept took Chloe on a journey – read along, from facepalm to full enlightenment (well, sort of).
6 Captivating Novels by Black Authors to Get on Your Shelves Right Now
Get down to your local bookshop and support Black writing! Check out this selection of the Harpy team’s favourite novels by Black authors.
7 Things to Remember as You Find Your "New Normal"
2020 has either diluted or distilled our personal lives, bringing them to a halt or putting them in a pressure cooker. You might be excited, apprehensive or downright terrified to resume any semblance of pre-lockdown life – however you’re feeling, here are a few things to bear in mind as we begin that transition.
#VogueChallenge: Going Beyond the Social Media Bandwagon
The #VogueChallenge aims to amplify the BLM movement, and calls out racist beauty standards in the fashion industry… but are most people just jumping on another social media bandwagon?
ABA for Autism: Unsupported and Under the Radar
An ABA tutor discusses a much misunderstood and underrepresented form of therapy for autistic children.
The dangers of Liz Truss' proposed reforms
Trump has rolled back protections for the LGBTQ+ community and two Black transgender women were murdered in one week. But while inspirational protests rallying for these women happen in America, the UK government is attempting to push through a policy that would set back transgender rights and endanger the lives of transgender people across the country.
Period Poverty in Lockdown: The Overlooked Impact of Covid-19
Between financial difficulties and inability to access fully-stocked shops, people are finding it more difficult than ever to source necessities, including sanitary products.
Modern Masters Women at the Scottish Gallery
Christina Jansen, Managing Director of The Scottish Gallery, looks forward to the easing of lockdown measures and the upcoming Modern Masters Women exhibition.
Normal People & Sex Trends in Lockdown
Why has Normal People got the nation hooked? There are lots of arty reasons why we like it; lots of ‘oh it's really well made’ and ‘great acting’ and it’s ‘very real’ reasons. But really, we all know, it’s the sex.