gal-dem’s most viewed articles and videos of 2015

#1 House hunting when your name’s not Sophie

Earlier this year, Yero shared her experiences of house hunting in the UK when you have a ‘foreign’ sounding name. The article went viral, with responses from large media outlets and MPs.

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#2 I’m not exotic

Trishna deconstructed the microaggression of being labelled ‘exotic’, explaining that, rather than complimenting her, such a label deemed her to be different or somehow abnormal.

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#3 Black bodies and cheap laughs – Ellen DeGeneres, what’s good?

Remember that skit Ellen did, where actors pretended to be Nicki Minaj’s younger self, adorning a large butt in a family with similarly large butts? Well, Paula had something to say about the tired stereotyping and objectification of black women’s bodies.

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#4 How not to be racist at uni 101 (for students)

Oh no… did they really say that? Liv spoke to women of colour at university and broke down how not to be racist at uni for people who lack a basic filter. This article was shared by Afropunk, and was the first article we posted.

#5 The vortex of western beauty ideals: why I stopped wearing make-up

Too expensive, too light, too dark, too thick, too thin? Xena shared her experience of deciding enough is enough and dropping make-up all together.

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#6 This black woman had her job offer revoked due to her hair and we’re mad

Charlie caught this story as soon as it dropped: a young black woman had her job offer revoked due to the fact that clients would supposedly be unhappy with her braids. Charlie broke down the significance of braids for people in the African diaspora and how discrimination of this sort must be stopped.

#7 Institutionalised white privilege sanitised my writing at Oxford university

Charlotte is an organising member of The Rhodes Must Fall in Oxford movement; she wrote an article about the campaign for an Oxford-based paper – to find that her words had been changed.

#8 Thoughts on the media’s response to Paris

Following on from the devastating attacks in Paris, Jamila reflected on the media’s response and the value of all human life

#9 gal-dem.com interlude series: UK black history month

ifama has been busy working on interlude, and part one was picked up by the likes of Afropunk. This episode featured some of our lovely contributors discussing the white-washed version of history we are taught in the UK.

#10 Having a foreign name in the UK isn’t always easy

Varaidzo wrote a beautiful and personal piece discussing her decision to change her name as a way of reclaiming her identity. She discussed the trials and tribulations of having teachers who were unwilling and unable to pronounce her name properly, and the discrimination she is likely to face because of it.