5X Weekly Roundup

In this weeks's 5X Press Roundup, we give you a quick break down of 5 trending stories that you may have missed this week, to highlight stories that may have slipped under your radar.  Don't worry, we got you covered! Join the conversation on socials, and head to 5XFest.com/5XPress to read the rest of this week's stories -- trust us, you don't want to miss it!

Big changes to OnlyFans

It looks like there won’t be anymore OnlyFans accounts being created during demon time as Beyonce once so iconically suggested. The subscription-based social media platform which has mainly been known for it’s adult content and being a safe haven for many sex workers, will be changing its ways. Starting this October, the site will no longer be allowing for sexually explicit imagery, but will however be allowing for nudity that fits within the guidelines that the site has set. In a statement by OnlyFans, the company said they are changing the rules to comply with “banking partners and payout providers.” The statement went on to say “in order to ensure the long-term sustainability of the platform, and to continue to host an inclusive community of creators and fans, we must evolve our content guidelines.” The move is a curious one as the notoriety of the platform has arguably been built off of sexually explicit content that many sex workers have been bringing to the table. The move can be seen as discouraging to those who have built a livelihood off of the site, some have even cited leaving behind their day jobs in favour of the platform. Many details of this change remain unclear as the announcement was made on Thursday, however there are some alternatives available to sex workers who want to continue making a living

Taliban takeover in Afghanistan

Images of terror in Afghanistan have been seen all over the news and social media since the Taliban takeover and government collapse earlier this week. Just two weeks before the planned U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Taliban came to Kabul and President of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani fled with his family to the United Arab Emirates. The UAE said this past Wednesday that they were accepting Ghani and his family on humanitarian grounds. Speaking from the UAE on the same day, Ghani said that he had left Afghanistan on the recommendation of government officials and that he was trying to avoid bloodshed. Ghani has been criticized for allegedly taking a large sum of money before he fled for the UAE, but he denies doing so. Since the takeover by Taliban many citizens of Afghanistan have been worried for their lives and futures.The Taliban was previously in power in much of the country from 1996 until 2001, and imposed harsh extremist laws onto the people of Afghanistan, including harsh impositions on women. These restrictions included not working and not being allowed to get an education. Images of chaos at the Kabul airport filled social media as US military planes were seen taking off, one with nearly 600 passengers on board. Other images showed Afghan citizens clinging to moving aircrafts in desperation. U.S. President Joe Biden is facing criticism for the military pullout, which comes after 20 years, but he has said that he stands behind his decision. More recently citizens were seen protesting in the streets with banners that represented the colours of the Afghan flag. In the city of Jalalabad protestors took down the Taliban flag and put up one of these banners and reportedly one person was killed. 

Trudeau announces federal election

Only two years after Canada’s last Federal election, another is quickly approaching during the ongoing pandemic. On Sunday, Prime Minister Trudeau went to see Governor General Mary Simon to request the dissolution of the 43rd Parliament, which she accepted. This means that Canadians will see an election on Sept. 20, giving them only 36 days to think about who they would like to vote for. Since the election was announced, many party leaders have made promises to Canadians in hopes of securing their vote. Trudeau has expressed concern for sectors that have suffered during the pandemic such as arts and tourism, and is also promising the extension of the Recovery Hiring benefit, which began in June. Conservative leader Erin O’Toole is promising to have a balanced budget by 2031, as well as the implementation of a recovery plan to be prepared for crises going forth. NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, who is also soon to be expecting his first child with wife Gurkiran Kaur, is also coming in strong for this election. He is hoping to continue the pursuit of taxing the wealthiest of Canadians in order to recover from the pandemic, as well as having an emphasis on housing and the environment.

Lizzo addresses negative social media comments

Last week, Lizzo dropped the video for her single “Rumours” featuring the one and only Cardi B. The song is as catchy and enjoyable as most Lizzo hits and the video shows a confident and beautiful Lizzo alongside a pregnant, glowing Cardi. The song is an anthem for embracing yourself regardless of what others might have to say, or whatever lies others may want to spread, hence the title. Lizzo goes back to her highschool days in the song and it is no secret that she has also dealt with rumours and negative criticism throughout her career. This past week, Lizzo went on TikTok and Instagram to address criticisms she was receiving. In one Instagram Live she said “It’s like it doesn’t matter how much positive energy you put into the world, you’re still going to have people who have something mean to say about you.” She went on to address the comments as fatphobic, racist and hurtful. The singer also went on Good Morning America this past Wednesday to speak on some of these issues. “Black women have been in this industry and innovating it forever. It is unfortunate that we are the ones that do suffer from the marginalization the most and the erasure the most, and I feel like if it weren't for the internet, if it weren't for social media, I could have been erased. Do you know what I mean? But I chose to be undeniable, I chose to be loud and I chose to be great and I’m still here. It’s difficult.” Here’s to hoping that people leave Lizzo alone and let her continue to be great. 

Farmers’ Protest Mural goes up in Calgary 

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The one year mark of the Farmers’ Protest is fast approaching, and many in the diaspora outside of India are continuing to do the work to show their solidarity. This includes three Punjabi-Canadian artists that have painted a mural titled “Still I Rise” in Calgary, which pays homage to the ongoing fight for farmers’ rights. Ravina Toor from Edmonton, Zoe Harveen Kaur from Calgary and Harneet Chahal also from Calgary are the three women behind the creation of this mural, which includes an image of two elderly farmers; with a man working in the back and a woman at the centre of the piece. In a post to her Instagram, Chahal wrote, “Still I Rise has a woman as the central point. She grounds the piece as women often ground communities.” Zoe Harveen Kaur wrote on her Instagram that this project was initiated by Sami Brar of the First Gen Kids Podcast and has been underway since March. The trio of artists all spoke to the Calgary Herald discussing their own ties to farming, and what it was like to take on a project as large as a mural. This mural was a part of the BUMP (Beltline Urban Murals Project) and is one of 50 murals going up in Calgary.

That's it for this week's roundup! Don't forget to join the conversation on socials and tell us what you think!

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About the author: Monika Sidhu is a freelance multimedia journalist based out of Brampton,ON. She loves covering all things arts and culture and enjoys telling untold stories coming out of her community. Monika recently graduated from Western University receiving a Master’s of Media in Journalism and Communication. In her off-time, you can find her discovering new music, spending time with her dogs or hiding the fact that she is binging reality tv shows.