The Iconoclast Summer 2020

S U M M E R 2 0 2 0 S I X T H F O R M M A G A Z I N E 

I S S U E # 1 0 

THE END 

OF AN ERA 

POLITICS, ARTS 

& OPINION 

WHY BLACK LIVES 

MATTER MATTERS 

MASKED TIMES 

BY OLIVIA STARR

Contents 

3. Locked Down 8. Acceptance 

9. Black Lives Matter 

13. Iconic 15. Happy & 

Inglorious 19. Paranoia, 

Greed, Neglect 25. The Forgotten 

Continent 27. Escape 

31. Coming Out 33. Stream 

39. Modern Man 41. Enough 

Excuses 43. News in Haikus 

45. End of an Era 

01 Scarlette 

Joe Dobbyn Olivia Starr Daniel Bellamy Tobi Smith Izzie Blair 

Ellie Allen Florence Earnshaw William Moody Chloe Manning 

Gilby Katie Lee Zoe Balaam Mamie Michael

THE ICON 

EDITORIAL 

If you put the back covers of the last four editions of The 

Iconoclast next to eachother you would see the beginning 

of a rainbow. In reality, all this was an overly ambitious 

folly of mine that I hoped would encourage me to keep 

making enough magazines until I completed it. Naturally, this 

never happened so it leaves me searching for a deeper metaphor 

I could invent to attempt to rationalise and explain the decision 

I made when I began editing this magazine in February 2019. 

Here’s what I came up with: it represents the diversity of thought 

that makes this magazine so unique. The Iconoclast, thanks to 

pioneering minds long before me, is a platform for ideas and 

creation that is totally free. There is no smothering spotlight nor 

a passive-aggressive comments section. It represents liberty to 

think and express concepts which are often brave, sometimes 

controversial and always crucial to our progression as a society. 

This is the final edition of The Iconoclast. It is at the very heart of 

our name that when the new takes over, the old must be changed, 

challenged and replaced. As King Edward VI Sixth Form closes 

and makes way for a new community and a new culture, it is our 

duty to do the same. I cannot wait to see what the future holds. 

02

ON THE COVER: 

“Masked Times” 

by Olivia Starr

THE ICON 

LOCKED 

DOWN 

DANIEL BELLAMY 

with art by Olivia Starr 

As I lazily recline on my sofa – one arm carelessly tossed over the armrest, 

my head lolling lifelessly over the edge and my feet thrust up into air – my 

dusty mothball of a brain begins to conjure up several pressing questions. 

When will this lockdown be over? How will I keep myself occupied 

in the time? Why, oh why, does my back ache so much? All important 

questions that I’m sure have been on all of our minds of late. 

But if you can picture me contorted into this alien position, with the curtains closed, a tea stain 

smeared around my mouth and endless reruns of Love Island dancing before my near lifeless 

eyes, your most prominent question might be; ‘is he all right?’ The answer to that question, 

dear reader, is ‘no.’ I am very far from alright; I miss my friends and I miss my many enemies. 

But these are sacrifices it seems one must make in order for this nightmare to end. This 

is the general opinion of most, aside from those who clearly know better and take little 

Timmy for a day out to the beach anyway because Fiona from Facebook worked 

out that was linked lockdown to some deep state conspiracy. We can all be grateful 

for people like Fiona. But I digress, we are all sick and tired of this endless slog of 

nothingness. What is the point of this seemingly aimless ramble of an article, I hear 

you ask? Well dear reader, I am about to take you on an incredible journey through my 

mind and the apparent lack of originality and creativity that currently lurks there. 

04

05 

SUMMER 20

THE ICON 

My first idea for an article was to write an 

advice piece for how to stay strong in this 

dystopian world we live in. It would not 

only aid in calming certain tensions, but it 

would give people like Fiona a step by step 

guide on how to survive this apparent hell 

on Earth (that doesn’t just consist of ‘raging 

against the machine’). Preach your 

heart out Fiona, the world is your lobster. 

This plan fell apart rather quickly, as I soon 

realised, I was in fact the primary target audience 

for said advice article and really wasn’t 

the right guy to start running my mouth on 

how well I’m doing. I’m not in the Fiona 

camp of anti-vaxers and flat-Earthers, mind 

you, I’m in the Derek camp of those who 

have been resorted to lifeless shells of men 

by this pandemic and who really can’t be 

bothered to do anything about it. I need help. 

Every afternoon I wake up, fall out of bed, 

shamble downstairs, fry some eggs, make 

some toast, eat, sit for an hour watching 

stupid videos of nothing, have an hour long 

shower, get dressed (sometimes), eat lunch, 

sit and watch more videos of nothing until 

dinner, eat dinner, go to bed at 3:00am. If 

this is the kind of advice that you wanted 

to hear, then I’m kicking myself right now, 

cause that’s just the tip of the iceberg. I 

haven’t even touched on the night I woke up, 

shambled downstairs and ate a whole chicken 

breast at 4:30am. The amount of cheese 

I’ve been eating has been equally ungodly. 

This is my life. I have now just resorted to 

a gelatinous, slightly depressed, blob, who 

never changes out of his dressing gown. 

Unless you need advice on how to lose 

your neck in five weeks, I don’t think I’m 

the man for the job. People have been posting 

about their daily runs, different projects 

their working on, or just the sheer joy at 

spending time with the family, since this 

lockdown began. Go and read one of those! 

You’ll find far more uplifting and inspiring 

stuff from those people than me. You 

can see now why an advice article from me 

would really be to the benefit of no one. 

Now, my next idea was technically perfect 

for me; an article on my school years and 

how they impacted me as a person. This 

also came to a sticky end, however, as I realised 

my life really wasn’t all that interesting. 

It was full of sitcom style failures, but 

nothing that I could use to wave my lookhow-impressive-I-am 

banner. I could talk 

about the time I got stuck at the top of an 

A-frame for half an hour because I was 

too scared to climb down the other side. I 

could talk about the time I threw up on the 

bus ride to the London trip, all over my 

trousers and schoolbag in front of my surprisingly 

judgemental Year 5 classmates. 

It was around this point I realised that it 

wasn’t the quarantine that had ruined me – 

had always been a shambling mess of an individual, 

quarantine just allowed me to ‘shine.’ 

What I really wanted to do was call out all 

the people I grew to, in the most pantomime 

way possible, hate/loathe/despise over the 

years of school and detail just how repugnant 

they are. A chance to expose the three 

witches from Macbeth, who just happened 

to work at my primary school, for example. 

I’m sure many loving parents would respond 

with ‘oh well they’re just doing 

their jobs; they want the best out of you.’ 

I’m sorry, but the child catcher from Chitty 

Chitty Bang Bang was just doing his 

job but I’m fairly sure he could be characterised 

as, at the very least, ‘a bad egg.’ 

But what’s the point in focusing on the raging 

bitterness that apparently dominates my 

sordid heart. What’s been one of the few rewarding 

things to witness over the course of 

this quarantine has been the colourful sense 

of togetherness and community people are 

demonstrating. Be it our reinvigorated pride 

for the NHS or the deeply moving Black 

Lives Matter movement we are seeing at the 

moment, we are proving to be a resilient society, 

despite all those Fionas out there. My 

droning would do nothing but add bitterness 

into the world and right now, I’m sure we can 

all agree, that is something we can do without. 

“The Multiple Faces 

of Lockdown” 

06

SUMMER 20 

My third and final idea for an article involved 

violence in the media, a topic I regard with 

particular fondness because it’s one of the 

few things I claim to be a minor expert on and 

has absolutely nothing to do with this accursed 

quarantine talk we can’t seem to escape. 

Does watching violent things 

make you violent? The answer 

may shock you, it is, ‘probably.’ 

I mean it sort of depends of the kind of person 

you are, I guess. If a toddler watched 

Game of Thrones, would they have the sudden 

urge to get into a political war with a 

rival family and murder their enemies at 

a wedding? Probably not. If a young person 

watched another person on TV beat 

someone with a hammer would they be 

influenced to replicate this behaviour 

should a quarrel arouse? Possibly. It’s a 

long and tedious debate to be had and one 

that has been argued time and time again 

by people far more intelligent than me. 

Do I think that programmes like Love Island, 

or beauty pageants are far more harmful 

to our society than people calling each 

other ‘bitches’ on Grand Theft Auto? Yep. 

Self-esteem or lack thereof is the biggest 

killer in our society. But you can see why 

I didn’t choose this as a topic of discussion 

for my article, because you are all intelligent 

people, so you know all this already. 

I’m sure your quarantine mood would not 

be improved by a Derek like me coming 

along and lecturing you on information 

you’re already privy too. All that would 

achieve would be patronising you and frustrating 

you. As I’m sure you’re all already 

to some degree frustrated with being cooped 

up inside for this long – I see no reason to 

add to this. The real reason I didn’t want to 

talk about violence in the media was because 

as much as I hate hearing about the 

coronavirus and lockdown, it is important, 

and I daresay healthy, to discuss it. 

Carrying on as normal and discussing the 

usual schlock I fill this magazine with would 

be in poor taste because, quite frankly, we 

need to talk about this. As I said people 

are frustrated, and in some cases probably 

frightened. The purpose of this magazine is 

to create a sense of community and if the 

community is collectively burdened with the 

pressures of quarantine, we need to look out 

for one another and talk about the problem. 

So, what can you take away from this meandering, 

dare I say flippant, ramble from a 

quarantine-crazed mad man? Well take this. 

The world is a confusing, eventful place 

right now and there is probably a lot of tension 

in our society that is in desperate need 

of being relieved. Don’t moan or complain 

about how poorly you are handling it, don’t 

look for grievances of your life past or present 

to rant and vent to the world and most 

certainly don’t ignore the issue entirely. 

Keep positive and stay safe. Talk to others 

in your community who are suffering likewise 

and may be in desperate need of your 

support. Take this as a lesson on how to be 

human. I think I slightly threw up in my 

mouth writing that, but I’m serious. How 

we react to this situation defines us, be we 

a Fiona, a Derek, or something else entirely. 

You may have gathered that I am not exactly 

coping well in this lockdown, but that’s why 

I’m here – to remind myself that things, in 

the end, will be fine. No matter how much 

cheese you find yourself living off. 

07

THE ICON 

ACCEPTANCE 

TOBI SMITH 

W 

hether it is a relationship, a job or not being 

able to finish your last year of school, it 

is not within your control, so the only thing 

you can do now is accept it and move on. 

Personally, I have been dealing with a lot of things 

since before COVID-19 plagued us, so my mind 

was even more scrambled when I realised that 

I’m not going to complete my last few months 

of school, or even take my exams. I felt lost, like 

my work for the past two years was all for nothing 

and I’m sure a lot of others felt the same. 

However, I now have a lot of time (a little too much 

time perhaps) to reflect on everything that has happened 

so far. I realised that the more time I spend 

dwelling on the circumstances I can’t control or 

haven’t been able to control, the less time I have to 

focus on the circumstances that I can influence. For 

example, I can’t change the fact that the world is 

now suffering from a pandemic, but what I can do is 

lessen the chance of spreading it by staying at home. 

Not only is it about looking at what you have the 

power to do, but also looking at the bigger picture. 

If you’re always focused on what is happening in 

the present, you’ll never be able to see the possibilities 

that lie ahead, so the chances you have 

of thriving in the future become slim to none. 

This idea of acceptance is a way to 

help you get to that future you want. 

Although you can never truly stop thinking 

about what has happened or what is happening, 

accepting it gives you a way to progress 

and process things with a clearer mind. Everything 

in life is an opportunity to learn, and learning 

helps you become wiser than your past self. 

Stoicism has teachings that tend to reflect this. Stoics 

don’t brood over their circumstances nor do they 

impulsively react to them, no matter what it may 

be. Their principles are to have self-control, not get 

attached to external things and accept everything as 

it is. These methods supposedly give you an easier 

way to be content and happy within yourself, as it is 

said that nothing can make you happy or unhappy 

without you wanting it to do so. Also, a quote from 

the stoic philosopher and Roman emperor Marcus 

Aurelius says, “how much more grievous are 

the consequences of anger than the causes of it?” 

Whether you like or dislike stoicism, I think everyone 

can agree that always trying to retaliate can 

make the situation worse than if you were to accept 

it for what it is, think it through and then work it out. 

In 2019, a study was published looking at 

‘happiness and hope’ for the patients suffering 

with multiple sclerosis. It was found that 

through Acceptance and Commitment Therapy 

(ACT) they were able to significantly improve 

their mood compared to the control group. 

Additionally, another study published in 2013 examined 

life satisfaction and feelings of control in elderly 

people. It compared those living in residential care 

to those living in the community. They concluded 

that those living a more satisfied life in old age were 

able to accept the things they can and cannot change 

and willingly adapt to their surroundings. They also 

found that being more accepting in circumstances 

where control is limited enables more fulfilment. 

Both articles present the idea that being able to accept 

and adapt to what you are granted in life can change 

your outlook. I understand that it is easier to say than 

to actually do and I would be lying if I said otherwise. 

However, I’ve been in tough situations where I’ve 

had to accept life for what it is, such as when two of 

my relatives passed away in the same year. There 

is no real preparation for such an event, so it’s hard 

to judge how much it affects you. With that being 

said over time I accepted that it was something I 

couldn’t change and was able to adapt to my new 

normal. Had I kept it as a constant negative thought 

in my head, my A levels would have suffered, 

though now that doesn’t really matter anymore. 

Acceptance is a very important aspect of life that 

everyone needs to partake in, so that we can all 

reach our full potential. Nevertheless, you are 

the only person who can control what you see in 

front of you, both metaphorically and literally. 

08

SUMMER 20 

BLACK 

LIVES 

MATTER 

IZZIE BLAIR 

We’re often taught about the American 

Civil Rights Movement of 

the 1950s and 60s but not of the 

Civil Rights Movement here in 

the UK. We’ve heard of the Little 

Rock Nine, what about the Mangrove Nine? 

We’ve heard of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, 

what about the Bristol Bus Boycott? 

Through this selective history of Black civil 

rights, we distance ourselves from atrocities 

committed in and in the name of our country. 

Britain’s History: 

British Slavery was banned in 1833 through the 

Slavery Abolition Act. Following the success 

of the industrial revolution and trade becoming 

direct between America and other countries, 

Britain recognised it no longer needed 

slave-based goods to economically prosper. 

Two years ago, HM Treasury stated that in 

1833 “the British government used £20m 

[£16bn today], 40% of its national budget, to 

buy freedom for all slaves of the Empire.” Further 

stating that “millions of you [UK citizens] 

helped end the slave trade through your taxes.” 

Whom was this money being paid to? Surely 

those who had suffered most from slavery? 

In reality, this “debt” was still being repaid 

to the slave owners’ descendants, 

through taxpayers’ money, as recently as 

2015. This immense sum of money was 

not to “free slaves” but to ‘line the pockets’ 

of the 46,000 British slave owners as 

compensation for losing their “property.” 

The notion that UK taxpayers helped to “buy 

freedom for slaves” is a satisfying but misleading 

one. This idea uses the capital and 

benevolence of abolitionism to provide a 

means of redeeming Britain’s troubling colonial 

past. As opposed to financially supporting 

those who had been oppressed for 

centuries by us, Britain paid money to stop 

slave owners complaining about Black people 

receiving basic human rights. Whilst 

there may have been no striking alternative 

at the time, nearly 200 years later we should 

not still be conveying the narrative that we 

ended the slave trade whilst ignoring out own 

involvement in its presence and maintenance. 

This is an on-going theme within Britain, often 

downplaying or denying our central role 

in the transatlantic slave trade, whilst simultaneously 

claiming credit for the end of slavery, 

expecting this to undo all other wrongs. 

The first British ship to transport slaves was 

captained by John Hawkins in 1562. This lasted 

for over 300 years. It was our ship owners 

who earned profits of more than 50% for each 

voyage transporting slaves. It was us who established 

the Bank of England through the 

09

THE ICON 

money gathered from the slave trade by merchants 

and landowners. It was us who transported 

an estimated 3.4 million Africans in 

11-12 thousand ships to the British colonies in 

the Caribbean, North and South American and 

numerous other countries. Our history is tied 

to slavery and racism as much as America’s. 

Britain’s Present: 

Racism in the UK hasn’t gone away. It 

has just become veiled by new terms: 

“anti-immigration”, “hostile environment” 

and responding with “but” to 

any conversation about racial injustice. 

The British Nationality Act (1948) gave citizens 

of the UK and its colonies the right to 

settle in the UK, encouraged to do so as a way 

of boosting the economy in a post-war Britain. 

As those who moved to the UK had a legal 

right, they were told they did not need and 

never received documents upon their arrival. 

Any work or schooling was not officially documented, 

other than the same records as those 

given to UK born citizens. This group of immigrants 

were dubbed the Windrush Generation. 

In 2012, the Hostile Environment policies 

came into place. Theresa May, Home Secretary 

at the time, stated it was to create a 

“really hostile environment for illegal immigrants.” 

The Windrush Generation now 

needed documents they were never given by 

the government to prove to the government 

that they were here legally. Unable to prove 

their citizenship, they lost homes, jobs and 

contact with loved ones after being wrongfully 

deported in masses. The Home Office 

made a profit of £800m between 2011 and 

2017 through these policies. The policy remains 

in place and those most affected have 

yet to receive compensation. The Windrush 

generation suffered at the hands of modern 

governments due to the decisions of past governments. 

Our history with racism lingers. 

In the UK, if you are an ethnic minority you 

are more likely to live in poverty than White 

people, (35.7% vs 17.2%). This could be 

due to a number of reasons stemming from 

systemic racism. For example, in education 

just 4% of Black school leavers attend 

a Russell Group university. Then when applying 

for jobs, UK-born Black workers 

were paid 7.7% less than UK-born White 

workers with similar occupation and education 

characteristics. This is one of the highest 

gaps on these terms among all ethnic groups. 

The fire at Grenfell Tower in 2017 perpetuates 

these racial inequalities, existing within 

the richest borough of London. Tenants of 

the building had, for years before the fire, 

been raising concerns about how the local 

council were cutting corners on the safety 

of residents and refusing to listen to their 

comments. In 2014, £10m was spent on a 

regeneration project to improve the aesthetic 

of the building to surrounding conservation 

areas and the onlooking luxury tower 

blocks. The added exterior material has been 

blamed for allowing the blaze to spread so 

quickly through the tower. The experiences 

of the residents of Grenfell are part of a 

larger structural inequality in general, and 

housing in particular, in which residents 

(who are often, though not always, ethnic 

minorities) are pushed out of quality housing 

in favour of regenerating the city for affluent, 

and largely White, renters and buyers. 

Racism in the UK is both overt and subtle 

and is both systemic and institutionalised. 

In 2017, the Lammy Review showed that 

whilst Black people comprise 3% of the overall 

population of England and Wales, they currently 

make up 12% of its prison population. 

Stop and Search rates within the UK between 

April 2018 and March 2019 were 9.5 times 

higher for Black people than for White people 

(38 for every 1,000 and 4 for every 1,000). 

In 2018, figures from the Home Office 

showed that 12% of incidents involving 

the use of force that had been recorded 

by police were against Black people. 

Racism within the UK is engrained and present. 

10

SUMMER 20 

The UK is not innocent, despite what we 

want to believe. The narrative of “it’s just 

America” is a dangerous and misleading 

one, directly undermining the racism 

and discrimination still felt by Black people 

and other ethnic minorities within the 

UK today. The least racist is still racist. 

Why Now? 

The Black Lives Matter movement, under this 

name, has been present since 2013, founded 

by Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors and Opal 

Tometi. However, a “Black Lives Matter” 

movement has been present throughout history. 

If you’re active on social media, you will be 

more than aware of the current prominence 

of the movement, specifically following the 

murder of George Floyd by the Minneapolis 

Police Department on 25 May this year. 

Unfortunately, George Floyd’s death is one 

among too many. Both American and British. 

This is not just a political issue; it is a human 

rights one. This is not a movement 

that should be labelled as a social media 

“fad” or one which should simply fade 

away as people get bored by the sharing 

and the hashtags. It also shouldn’t have 

taken another death to be paid attention to. 

In a day and age when everything is filmed, 

saved and shared, it is near impossible to shy 

away from the injustice faced by Black people 

and other ethnic minorities, still, in our 

supposedly liberal society. For that reason, it 

is becoming increasingly more important to 

address issues such as systemic and institutional 

racism and identify White privilege. 

Ethnic minorities are being failed by the system 

that we, as White people, created and 

want to believe in. It is not their job to fix it. 

Why This Should Matter to Everyone 

Do not let this be an issue forgotten. Do not 

become complacent because “others are talking”. 

As White people, this is just as much our 

battle to fight. It is not the job of Black people 

to educate us. Hold yourself accountable 

for educating yourself and those around you. 

Advocacy means going beyond having conversations 

with people who already agree with 

you. It is time to have those uncomfortable conversations 

with family members and friends. 

“Privilege, particularly White or male privilege, 

is hard to see for those of us who were 

born with access to power and resources. 

It is very visible for those to whom privilege 

was not granted.” – Francis E Kendall. 

John Boyega, the black actor known for his 

role in Star Wars, has been protesting in London. 

He gave a speech at the Black Lives 

Matter protest in Hyde Park and stated: “I 

don’t know if I’m going to have a career 

after this but f*** that.” Many White celebrities 

such as Lewis Capaldi, Billie Eilish, 

Timothée Chalamet and Madonna have 

also protested and used their platforms, and 

most likely will receive no backlash in their 

wider career for doing so. Protesting against 

a violation of human rights should not 

cause someone to fear for their job security. 

According to the Harvard Business Review, 

research repeatedly confirms that those with 

ordinary privilege have the power to speak up 

on behalf of those without it and have particularly 

effective influence when they do. It is 

an unfortunate but real fact, which means that 

our education and understanding of the issue, 

as White people, is paramount to the wider 

support of the Black Lives Matter movement. 

However, we should not be speaking for someone 

whose experiences we do not and could 

never understand. Use your voice to project 

Black voices and experiences further. Use your 

time to educate yourself in order to speak out 

against injustice, racism and discrimination. 

The idea is to speak out and with but not over. 

Listen. Learn. And, if necessary, unlearn. 

As young people, we are the generation 

influencing change. Don’t let the generation 

after us have to do the same thing. 

11

THE ICON 

LISTEN 

Code Switch 

About Race 

Pod Save the People 

Momentum: A Race Forward Podcast 

The Diversity Gap 

DONATE 

National Bail Out 

The Innocent Project 

Black Visions Collective 

Discrimination Law Association 

Show Racism the Red Card 

IT IS TIME 

TO LEARN 

WATCH 

13th Ava Duvernay 

See You Yesterday Stefon Bristol 

Selma Ava Duvernay 

The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution Stanley Nelson 

The Hard Stop George Amponsah 

READ 

Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge. 

Me and White Supremacy by Layla F. Saad. 

White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk about Racism by Robin DiAngelo. 

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou. 

The Good Immigrant by Nikesh Shukla 

12

SUMMER 20 

ICONIC 

JOE DOBBYN 

To forge a new world, we must first destroy 

the old. It is an ideal this magazine stands 

for – a new generation finding a voice and 

dismantling the dearly held views of the 

past. The Iconoclast is more than a dramatic 

name for a student journal; it states 

our belief in the rebuilding of our culture. 

Iconoclasm as an idea is vague and mercurial 

and, in some senses, it can be brutal and absolute. 

The mysterious and possibly insane 

pharaoh Akhenaten erased his kingdom’s 

past when he abandoned Egypt’s traditional 

religion in favour of the all-powerful sun 

god Aten. The faces of the old gods on temple 

walls were chiselled away and an entirely 

new culture was forced into existence. 

After his death, Akhenaten too was erased. 

Stories like this are distant and almost 

comical, but with iconoclasm we run the 

risk of creating a destructive and reckless 

force that puts short-sighted goals ahead 

of long-term progress. We are not like 

Akhenaten. Our brand seeks to challenge 

thoughts, but not to destroy them. Through 

choice words and scrutinised sentences, 

we express our minds in order to shake 

at the cores of the institutions and ideas 

that hold our society in an obsolete past. 

The toppling of slave-trader Edward 

Colston’s statue in Bristol last week, ignited 

the debate over modern iconoclasm 

raises a question: what should 

our relationship with our murky and often 

shameful history look like in 2020? 

To answer this, we must look at three 

questions: who we remember; how 

we remember and why we remember. 

Many believe that who we remember is 

predetermined – history has given us stat- 

13

THE ICON 

ues and it is not our job decline them. The 

protestors that tore down Colston would 

disagree. Their belief (and it is equally 

justified) is that those who embody views 

that were evil then and evil now have no 

place on the reverential plinths we give to 

those who change the world for the better. 

But as soon as we expand this question 

beyond the undeniably evil – Colston in 

Bristol, Cecil Rhodes in Oxford and Nathan 

Bedford Forrest (whose likeness can 

be found across the United States despite 

his leadership of the Ku Klux Klan) – we 

encounter problems. The simple binaries 

of good versus bad and remove versus revere 

are simply not compatible with most 

of history’s pre-eminent figures. Churchill, 

Nelson or Napoleon could not be simply 

branded as ‘hero’ or ‘villain’ as they 

conquered evil while propagating it themselves. 

A blanket form of iconoclasm 

would have to be blind to the nuances and 

the complexities that we must accept and 

engage with in order to bring about lasting 

societal change that is more than cosmetic. 

Iconoclasm is not limited to antiquity. 

Throughout time it has oscillated in its appearance 

and its power. The invasion of 

Iraq in 2003 culminated with the US military 

staging the 21st century’s most memorable 

iconoclasm. As Sadaam Hussein was 

brought down by the rope tied around his 

neck, the hate and oppression that statue 

represented continued to loom. The region 

is still fractured, and the ideology lives 

on. This destructive iconoclasm took the 

place of the propaganda it sought to purge. 

That is not to say that iconoclasm always 

takes this face. In the French Revolution, 

when art was seen as a symbol of the elite 

and therefore enemy, a battle began between 

revolutionaries who wanted the old 

world forgotten and those who understood 

the value of preserving the story of a nation. 

The Louvre, a palace captured from royalty, 

became the new home for statues and 

memories of the ancien régime. And here, 

as they so often do, the French got it right. 

Those revolutionaries, despite blood being 

spilled for their cause, knew that in the 

right environment, symbols of a world they 

abhorred could serve a purpose. The concept 

that even the most troubling memories 

should be preserved and made examples 

of succeeded. France leads the world 

in its relationship with its heritage, which 

is often far more distressing than our own. 

Effective iconoclasm takes the form 

of a change. In the case of a statue, 

a change of environment, a change 

of presentation and, in the end, a 

change in our relationship with them. 

This leads us on to why we should remember. 

Many would argue that it is a question 

of historical pride versus modern values, 

but this again is dangerously simplified. The 

aims of iconoclasm are to forget and to move 

on. To direct precious anger and passion towards 

icons of the past distils a complex 

and deeply rooted problem down to a poorly 

carved lump of stone. When Cecil Rhodes 

eventually steps down from the walls 

of Oriel College, will Oxford’s problems 

of inclusivity and elitism be solved? No. 

We may feel less guilt because we will no 

longer look our past in the eyes but rates 

of prosecution for black people will still 

be three times higher than for white people, 

black people will still be nearly 10 

times more likely to fall victim to Stop 

and Search and ethnic minorities will 

still be twice as likely to live in poverty. 

Making symbols of a problem disappear undoubtably 

feels like progress but destructive 

iconoclasm does not fix our history. It hides it. 

14

ELLIE A 

HA 

INGL 

THE GH 

PATRIO 

15 IN THE 

SUMMER 20

THE ICON 

LLEN 

PPY & 

ORIOUS 

OST OF 

TISM 

UK 

Patriotism. 

A word 

that is perhaps 

more suitable in the 

vernacular of a seventyyear- 

old than a seventeen-year-old. It emanates 

a sense of early 20th century wartime 

propaganda; the type to claim that ‘your country 

needs you’. In a modern society, though, the concept of patriotism 

may be tinged with a bitterness that only hindsight can provide. 

Now more than ever, it is a grey and undefined area, and what 

it means to be patriotic is under scrutiny. It begs the question, in a 

country of accessibility and free information, can one ever be truly patriotic? 

This question first rooted in my head on a Monday morning in late September. 

My peers and I were in the process of walking a group of Chinese exchange students 

to our school. The planned route took us through a historic town centre of Bury 

St Edmunds via the ruins of the Abbey – the idea being to introduce the exchange students 

to a part of our heritage and culture. Things were progressing on-schedule until 

it was time to leave the Abbey and make our way to the school, where English 

students were waiting to meet their Chinese counterparts. Instead, our departure 

was delayed because staff wished to film the Chinese students partaking in a 

small show of national pride. By chance, the exchange trip had coincided 

with the 70th anniversary of the Communist Party seizing power in China. 

The Shanghai contingent spent a painstaking amount of time perfecting and reperfecting 

their parade lines: resulting in multiple takes of the same song, the same 

coordinated flag-waving, and the same stringent marching formation. Meanwhile, we 

could only stand by and take in the surreal event in a somewhat bemused silence. 

The sight of such unfettered devotion to a country and its governing powers was 

unfamiliar to us, and it felt disrespectful to talk between anthems that the students 

knew by heart. What struck us most was the nature of such unquestioning devotion. 

One amongst us highlighted the simple fact that these children had never 

been taught a full account of the Communist Party. No revolutions or rebellions. 

No Tiananmen Square. No famines. Just success and triumph and glory. 

This experience, and the questions it provoked, have arguably 

little to no relevance in our own country. Patriotism 

does not tend to influence our everyday 

lives in Britain – instead it tends to 

peak at particular events or holidays 

that are celebrated on a wide-spread 

scale. The 2012 London Olympics, 

or the wedding of Prince Harry and 

Meghan Markle, are prime examples 

of the euphoria that can be generated 

around our national identity. However, on 

an interpersonal and individual level, we 

don’t tend to exhibit overt patriotism. While 

a British citizen may know the words to God 

Save the Queen, they probably haven’t taken part 

in a military parade; the sight of which is considered a 

standard display of pride in North Korea. 

16

SUMMER 20 

PICTURED: The military parade to 

celebrate the 60th anniversary of the 

Chinese Communist Party in 2009 

In fact, being a ‘proud patriot’ in Britain often 

comes with connotations of racism or 

elitism hidden under a veneer of chauvinistic 

intention. It is a term commonly employed 

by the most deplorable in our country, such 

as the EDL. Furthermore, our government 

and leaders, including those of opposing parties, 

regularly change - celebrating a government 

ruling for 70 years is something that 

simply wouldn’t happen in the UK. Thus, 

there is little sense of legacy or loyalty in 

our country beyond the current state of affairs. 

Even our Royal Family, despite enduring 

for hundreds of years, is fading as a 

symbol of national pride. Increasingly, The 

Queen, and what she represents, is viewed 

as dated and out-of-touch. However, it does 

force one to consider that, if we have the 

choice to be patriotic, should this choice be 

affected by the truthful state of our country? 

Indeed, Britain’s past is arguably just as 

murky as China’s, and it would be innately 

hypocritical to exclude it. Unlike China, 

communication and freedom of information 

is a cornerstone of British society: this transparency 

leads the exposure of problematic 

events, both historical and modern. Predominantly, 

the UK was built on the back of inhumane 

practices. Like many Western powers, 

we benefit from the exploitation of Asian 

and African countries by our ancestors to this 

day. Our economy is a product of colonialism, 

slavery and inequality, and it is no coincidence 

that most LEDCs are located on the 

very continents that Britain robbed of value. 

Furthermore, modern controversy is fed to us 

by news outlets that are more accessible than 

ever. Can one be proud of a country where 

members of our Royal Family use private jets 

to travel between countries while advocating 

for climate crisis awareness? Can one be 

proud of a country of football fans that condemn 

racism while simultaneously exhibiting 

implicit biases every day? Can one have pride 

in the so-called ‘United’ Kingdom when divisions 

between constituent countries are wider 

than ever before? Where I can identify as 

‘English’ over ‘British’ on my UCAS form? 

17

THE ICON 

That being said, there has been an undeniable 

increase in the sense of national 

identity over the past few months. As a 

generation that is yet to experience a major 

conflict like the First or Second World 

War, we are feeling for the first time what it 

is like to live in a society where patriotism 

is actively encouraged. I mentioned earlier 

how the Royal Family are increasingly perceived 

to be a symbol of outdated values, 

and yet The Queen’s recent address was 

met with hugely favourable reviews from 

a range of British citizens. This rise in national 

pride is predictable: psychologically, 

humans seek stronger 

alliances to their social 

groups during times of 

hardship, and Coronavirus 

has demonstrated 

that our most fundamental 

identity is often our 

nationality. During this 

period there has been 

nothing more vital than 

essential key workers 

who have kept the country 

functioning and put themselves at risk 

while doing so. It is ironic then that the majority 

of these essential roles remain starkly 

underpaid, often by the state, and that these 

nurses, cleaners, bus drivers – to name a 

few – have predominantly non-British origins. 

Can one be proud of a country that is 

riddled with class divides, wealth inequality 

and unfair wages? Or should we take pride 

only in key workers, that are often neglected 

by the very people we vote into power? 

There are evidently many potential answers 

and layers to these questions; none of which 

can be fully encapsulated in a single article. 

In terms of patriotism, I personally feel an 

immense sense of pride when I hear about 

“THERE IS NO 

WAY OF CHANG- 

ING HISTORY 

BUT AT LEAST 

WE HAVE THE 

FREEDOM TO 

LEARN FROM IT.” 

acts of selflessness or bravery by British 

people, such as the story of Captain Tom. I 

love British culture: Shakespeare, Bohemian 

Rhapsody, Harry Potter. I like to engage 

with politics because I care about what 

happens in government. Simultaneously, 

I condemn and abhor parts of our country 

both present and historical. I believe we are 

a deeply divide nation, but I also believe 

ignorance to this isn’t necessarily bliss. 

While it may make most of us feel uncomfortable 

to consider our country’s misgivings, 

it is important to acknowledge the 

reality of them. There is 

no way of changing history 

but at least we have 

the freedom to learn from 

it. We are able to stand 

up and call out injustice, 

attend the climate 

march, retweet that article. 

In a sense, this is a 

form of patriotic devotion 

equal to flag-bearing 

and parade marching, 

because it shows a dedication to the 

future of one’s home nation. A subtler, 

quiet pride is still pride, nonetheless. 

Where we are born is a lottery, but it determines 

whether we get to use that innate 

desire for identity in a positive way. If you 

are born in China, you will be raised to be 

patriotic without question. If you are born 

in the UK, you have the opportunity to 

question. In most parts of the world? People 

have much bigger and more pressing 

matters to think about. To have the choice 

to be patriotic is therefore a privilege. It is 

a chance to do and be better than before, 

and what is more patriotic than that? 

18

This series is an exploration into 

montage within photography, 

inspired by the artist duo Gilbert 

& George. Montage as a 

process was a key component of 

the German Expressionist film movement 

to create a surreal and distorted world that 

portrays people’s psychological states 

through the imagery. From this I took 

three current issues and portrayed the associated 

emotions through the use of montage. 

The photograph you see now focuses 

on the emotions of paranoia and fear in 

these times of the coronavirus. I have use 

the symbol of the hands as a metaphor for 

the virus and changed the colour to an acid 

green to stand out from the red and oranges 

of the rest of the photo to show the hands 

as an imposing threat to our civilisation.

PARANOIA 

GREED 

NEGLECT 

BY FLO EARNSHAW

SUMMER 20 

GREED 

This is about the climate emergency. For 

this I wanted to present the emotions of regret 

and greed which you can see through 

the sand timer running into the persons 

mouth showing how thanks to greed 

and consumption, time in running out. 

21

21 

SUMMER 20

THE ICON 

NEGLECT 

For the final photograph I focused on 

the rise in homelessness in the UK. 

Through scale and colour I wanted to 

convey the feeling of neglect and show 

the divide in wealth within the country. 

22

SUMMER 20 

THE 

FORGOTTEN 

CONTINENT 

WILL MOODY 

Whilst the wheels of the 

world economy have ground 

to a halt and gone into reverse, 

the continent of Africa 

will suffer the most. 

As the numbers COVID-19 infection rise 

daily, it can be a terrifying spectacle but 

Sub-Saharan countries such as Angola are 

driving blind with no testing of their own. 

Health infrastructure is often poor, meaning 

they lack the basic equipment, such 

as bandages and soap. There are few hospitals 

equipped with proper facilities and 

staff usually only have basic training, relying 

on foreign medical experts to lead the 

way. Smaller health budgets mean they lack 

the stockpiles for an extended crisis, and 

they cannot afford the large-scale spending 

needed to tackle this emergency. The lack of 

state aid and a basic welfare system means 

that people are forced to work even if they 

risk the life of themselves or their family. 

Compared to western countries there is no 

form of debt relief for businesses or a furlough 

system to keep people safe. This is 

simply because it is too expensive, and these 

countries are already up to their shoulders in 

debt. People are therefore forced to travel on 

densely packed buses or trains making the 

risk of infection higher. Africa is vulnerable. 

The humanitarian scale of this problem will 

be huge, and it might be too late, but the economic 

issues will be long-term. When the 

stock markets crashed, it spurred the western 

world to inject a huge fiscal stimulus much 

vaster than ever seen before – trillions of dollars 

were spent in order to protect the economy 

and stave off a second ‘Great Depression’. 

Even so, in two weeks 6.5 million Americans 

found themselves unemployed (now 

totalling 36.4 million as of 28 May). But 

Africa was hit harder with large scale ‘reverse 

capital flow’. This means investments 

were withdrawn in favour of safer 

bets like gold or American treasury bonds. 

Sub-Saharan governments are struggling to 

raise money because interest rates have risen, 

and firms have seen their debt to equity ratio 

skyrocket. Firms for no fault of their own are 

25

THE ICON 

penniless. Meanwhile, nations like South 

Africa have seen its exchange rates fall by 

20% since the start of the year compared to 

the dollar and Namibia has seen a 25% drop. 

This too has resulted in costs of importing 

increasing meaning that much-needed medical 

equipment is more expensive than ever. 

The Pandemic has resulted in a massive fall 

in global demand that African economies 

are reliant on to export their commodities 

and low value-added goods. The consequences 

in the short-run are harsh: a loss in 

jobs, increasing levels of debt and a slowdown 

in growth, but the long-run 

consequences are more punitive. 

Africa will likely 

see large-scale disinvestment 

which 

means infrastructure 

will degrade 

and the capacity of 

the economy will 

likely fall causing 

future generations, 

in an already impoverished 

area, to have 

less. Absolute poverty 

is predicted to increase 

from 632 million people to 

655 million – this is people living 

on a daily wage of less than $1.90. 

COVID is estimated to push over 49 

million into extreme poverty, says the 

World Bank, and in a continent of 1.3 

billion, it is predicted potentially 1.5 

million people could lose their lives. 

Nations will be deprived of key workers 

dragging them back from years of progress. 

With the destruction of firms and 

the loss of talented workers, innovation will 

likely stagnate too as few private firms survive. 

Without innovation economies struggle 

and Africa will be left further behind. 

Politically, Africa is famed for crookery and 

corruption and tumultuous times leaves all 

nations vulnerable to political mood swings 

as we saw from the financial crisis. On one 

hand, countries could become more isolationist 

and authoritarian, imposing protectionism 

to make them less vulnerable to the 

outside. In 2008, nations quickly imposed 

tariffs resulting in food prices rising significantly 

in East Asia – making the situation 

worse. On the other hand, and hopefully 

what will occur, nations will realise that our 

sluggish response and ‘every man for himself’ 

attitude has resulted in a worse crisis 

and thus we will choose to cooperate more 

by removing barriers to trade. Increasing 

trade will allow countries to specialise and 

do what they are best at – making everyone 

better off. This is especially true in Africa 

where the key to growth is through exogenous 

factors – foreign aid, foreign experts, 

and foreign machinery. The lack of global 

leadership and coordination this time has resulted 

in our sorry state of affairs and hopefully 

next time we will be more prepared. 

The key fact to note is although international 

trade may have spread coronavirus, it 

was political isolation and the will not to act 

whilst others struggled which proliferated it. 

To tackle the issues ahead for Africa, the 

West needs to offer a helping hand. Firstly, 

we need global cooperation and a reduction 

in the barriers of trade. This will 

allow for more integrated economies 

which are more efficient 

and able to cope with these 

sorts of events. Secondly, 

the global community 

needs to double-down on 

standards and 

regulation and 

pressure China 

to improve its 

health and safety, 

where wet markets 

(reported to be the 

source of the virus) 

are all too common 

and slaughterhouses 

are a cesspool 

of disease. Finally, 

we need to increase 

foreign aid through 

any means – for example, 

in the numbers 

of soldiers used to help 

distribute goods and the funding 

for hospitals and education. The 

last 10 years has seen foreign aid as 

a percentage of GDP fall which is wrong. 

Foreign aid can help countries provide the 

essential services for a decent standard of 

living and a prosperous economy by letting 

nations come to terms with their debt. The 

AIDs crisis was only controlled thanks to 

the efforts of foreign cooperation and assistance, 

11 million children have been rescued 

from malnutrition thanks to these efforts 

and, growth on average has been 1-2% 

faster per year by rooting out corruption 

and increasing stability. The sooner Africa 

can stand on its own two feet the better. If 

we don’t act, we may see another 20 years 

of Sub-Saharan stagnation and even more 

years of high child mortality, low literacy 

levels and persistent gender inequality – 

leaving a continent 40 years in the past. 

26

SUMMER 20 

25ESCA 

OLIVIA STARR’S

THE ICON 

PE26

SUMMER 20

THE ICON 

Du ring 

lockdown, 

art 

has become 

a form of escapism. 

It helps find 

focus and provides 

freedom which can 

be challenging during 

this time. However, 

my joy for art and 

exploring some of 

my favourite photographs 

has delivered 

release and brought 

light into the difficulties 

of this time. 

24

SUMMER 20 

COMING OUT 

CHLOE MANNING 

Since being in quarantine, I’ve had the 

desire to come out. To be honest, I 

even have a whole speech written on 

my notes page ready for the social media 

post cliché. However, LGBT+ people 

across the globe have been advised to “think 

hard” before coming out whilst in lockdown. 

This advice was given by the Albert Kennedy 

Trust (AKT), a charity that cares for homeless 

LGBT+ people, as they feared there may be 

negative responses from family members during 

this lockdown. Research by AKT found 

that 25% of UK adults would feel “ashamed” to 

have an LGBT+ child, and 20% would worry 

about how other family members would react. 

As a member of the LGBT+ community, I 

know that coming out to my family is something 

I will inevitably have to do. These figures 

worry me, as I’m sure they do other closeted 

queer people, and they may cause people to stay 

in the closet for longer periods. The uncertainty 

about how others will react is one of the major 

reasons why some LGBT+ individuals choose 

not to disclose their sexuality and/or gender 

identity to others, often for many years after 

they accept it themselves. This can have serious 

impacts on the mental health of these people. 

Feeling as if you must hide your identity from 

people can be isolating and stressful. LGBT+ 

people are at an increased risk of developing 

mental health disorders and isolation is believed 

to be one of many explanations for this. Stress 

and fear raise cortisol levels in the body, contributing 

to depression and general ‘wear and tear’ 

of the body. It can also lead to the development 

of internalised homophobia. This is when an 

LGBT+ person takes the biases and prejudices 

against the queer community and turns them in 

on themselves. For some, coming out is a way 

to relieve these feelings and accept themselves. 

LGBT+ people often fear telling their family the 

most, as these tend to be the people, we’re closest 

to and rely on. A survey by the UK Government 

found 24% of LGBT+ respondents weren’t 

open at all about their LGBT+ identity with the 

family members they live with. This percentage 

was higher among 17- and 18-year-olds, where 

it almost doubled. This is likely because younger 

people rely more on their family members 

for essentials such as food and shelter as well as 

emotional support, which all become at stake. 

Although these figures seem high, it also means 

that over half of the respondents live openly. 

This is very positive. I understand that in certain 

situations it is actually safer to remain in 

the closet, however, in this generation LGBT+ 

people are finding it a lot easier to come out and 

be accepted than they may have years ago. This 

is because of the changes in societal views creating 

safer environments for LGBT+ people. 

This change has led to coming out being a 

celebratory event for many queer people, as I 

personally believe it should be. Whether it’s 

done by hopping out of a wardrobe dressed in 

rainbows or just in a conversation, it is often a 

very memorable event for everyone involved 

31

and can have a huge number of benefits. 

For many individuals, coming out is seen as 

a display of self-acceptance and can lead to 

people feeling much happier. It gives a sense 

of freedom and allows individuals to live 

their lives without feeling as if they have to 

hide part of themselves. When Ellen Page, an 

actress who has starred in Inception and X- 

Men, came out in a speech in 2014, she stated 

she was “tired of hiding… and lying by omission”. 

This is a feeling many openly LGBT+ 

people recall feeling before they came out. 

A further reason to celebrate coming out is 

that it tends to become easier to meet other 

LGBT+ people and therefore make more 

friends (or find people to date). Meeting others 

with shared experiences and being able 

to discuss them openly can help to break 

the feeling of isolation that many LGBT+ 

feel, and that first relationship can often 

be an exciting and memorable experience. 

As well as this, coming out is often seen as an 

inspiring and empowering event. It can show 

other people that they can also come out if 

they want to and it can give them someone 

to talk to about possible worries they may 

have. In her speech, Page also stated she had 

a “personal obligation” as well as “social responsibility” 

to be honest about her sexuality. 

Coming out is empowering because, in the 

society we live in, it is seen as an act of a defiance. 

Living as an openly queer person is 

an act of political resistance and a refusal to 

adhere to the ‘norms’ of society. Whilst this 

may seem scary, it’s also extremely positive. 

It has global implications and helps create 

role models for people who may be closeted or 

questioning their sexuality around the world. 

When I speak of coming out in this manner, 

I am mainly referring to when an individual 

comes out to the most important 

people in their lives, such as their friends 

and family. In reality, the majority of 

LGBT+ people find themselves having 

to come out on many occasions throughout 

their whole lives, whether it be a new 

workplace or when meeting new people. 

For this reason, an LGBT+ person’s ‘coming 

out story’ may span their whole lives 

with differing reactions and including many 

different means of coming out. For some 

people, having someone come out to them 

could be surprising, they may have questions 

to ask, or they could be absolutely thrilled. 

Each experience is different from the last, 

making coming out so unique to each 

LGBT+ individual who chooses to do it. 

Overall, for many people coming out is not 

only a way to relieve the severe mental strain, 

anxiety and feelings of isolation they may 

feel, but a cause for celebration. If a closeted 

LGBT+ person’s mind wanders during this 

lockdown, it is reasonable that they may think 

about coming out and how it could change 

their lives. While the advice from AKT is 

understandable, as extreme reactions could 

render some LGBT+ people homeless and 

without support, it is simply that - advice. 

For some, it may have taken years to build the 

courage to think about coming out. A lockdown 

shouldn’t stop them from doing this if 

they believe their environment is safe, nor 

should it stop them from celebrating. Lockdown 

or not, there is no real right or wrong 

time or way to come out. It is a personal decision, 

and no one should feel pressured into it. 

Personally, it’s been years since I accepted 

my sexuality and whilst I’m out to 

a lot of people in my life, I’m not out to 

everyone just yet. While I’d love to post 

the speech written on my notes page, I 

think it’ll stay there for the time being. 

32

SUMMER 20 

SCARLETTE GILBY 

STREAM 

With people 

streaming an 

extra 170 million 

hours of 

television per 

week since lockdown 

began, there 

has never been a 

better time to watch. 

Fear not; whether 

you are really in need 

of a laugh right now, or 

craving a dark, complex 

plot to distract you from 

reality, here are some of 

the newest and most underrated 

shows to binge over the 

next few weeks. You can find 

all of these suggestions on Netflix, 

BBC iPlayer or All4. Ratings 

by Rotton Tomatos and IMDB. 

HERE’S WHAT 

TO WATCH IN 

LOCKDOWN 

33

THE ICON 

UNORTHODOX 

Based on a true story, UNORTHODOX follows 

the life of Esty (Shira Haas), a 19-year-old 

girl fleeing from the constraints of her Hasidic 

Jewish community in Williamsburg, New York. 

While it is unclear what Esty is running from 

in the beginning of the series, her story is told 

in the form of flashbacks, which show glimpses 

of an arranged marriage to Yanky (Amit 

Rahav) as she attempts to construct a new life 

in Berlin. What started as a dazzling display of 

defiance and freedom turns into a thriller once 

Yanky and his cousin Moishe (Jeff Wilbusch) 

arrive in Berlin to return Esty to New York. 

95% NETFLIX 

CELEBRITY SAS: 

WHO DARES WINS 

The newest series of Channel 4’s toughest 

reality show sees 12 familiar faces undergo 

the most realistic reconstruction of the 

SAS selection process, and Ant Middleton is 

holding no prisoners. One of the most gripping 

and extreme reality TV options available, 

CELEBRITY SAS pushes the likes of 

Katie Price, Joey Essex, Helen Skelton, Lauren 

Steadman, and many more to their limits 

in the unforgiving landscape of Raasay, 

one of Scotland’s most remote islands. 

81% All4 

AFTER LIFE 

After being one of the most watched shows 

of 2019, Ricky Gervais returns as the nation’s 

favourite pessimist in series 2 of the Netflix 

Original, AFTER LIFE. Still battling with the 

loss of his wife (Kerry Godliman) to cancer, 

Gervais’ Tony Johnson shifts from outwardly 

hating the world to wallowing in guilt at his 

tentative relationship with nurse Emma (Ashley 

Jensen), which is only amplified by the decline 

of Tony’s father (David Bradley). A comedy 

set in misery, After Life is one to make you 

laugh, cry, and feel every emotion in between. 

73% NETFLIX 

TOP PICK 

KILLING EVE 

The chemistry between work-obsessed ex- 

MI5 operative Eve (Sandra Oh) and enticingly 

loveable assassin Villanelle (Jodie Comer) 

ever-increases as the unlikely pair continue 

their epic game of cat and mouse. While Eve, 

Carolyn (Fiona Shaw) and Kenny (Sean Delany) 

still face the consequences from their 

explosive actions in the series 2 finale, series 

3 of Killing Eve sees Villanelle at her most 

human and the Twelve at its most vulnerable. 

With plenty of action, laughs and unexpected 

twists, KILLING EVE continues its 

reign as one of TV’s most powerful dramas. 

90% iPlayer 

34

HIDDEN 

GEMS 

MIGHTY BOOSH 

Noel Fielding and Julian Barratt’s THE 

MIGHTY BOOSH is a staple show for fans 

of whacky comedy. Series one follows the 

surreal lives of long-time friends Vince Noir 

(Noel Fielding) and Howard Moon (Julian 

Barratt) through their adventures while working 

at an illusionary zoo, while series two and 

three follow their exploits while living out in 

Shoreditch, London. Off-the-wall and completely 

unpredictable, the unlikely pair open the 

doors to their fantasy-meets-comedy realm of 

shamans, talking animals, monsters and more. 

100% iPlayer 

29 35 

Award-winning and delightfully original, 

FLOWERS is a dark, gothic comedy about 

a family set in the trappings of dysfunction. 

The series starts with the failed suicide of 

Maurice Flowers (Julian Barratt), a depressed 

children’s author and begrudging husband 

to Deborah Flowers (Olivia Colman), who 

is painfully pretending to be happy. Their 

children, the Flowers twins, are equally as 

disturbed, and the series follows the family 

as they try to bargain their way through 

relationships, mental illness, and disorder. 

FLOWERS 

100% All4

THE ICON 

60 DAYS IN 

60 DAYS IN provides a never-before-seen perspective 

into the reality of being an inmate in 

an American prison. The reality show follows 

seven ordinary volunteers as they are placed 

undercover into Clark County Jail, Indiana at 

the hands of County Sherriff Jamey Noel, who 

aims to receive an insight into vice and corruption 

amongst inmates and prison staff within 

the jail. The volunteers aim to stay in the experiment 

for two months across separate wings of 

the prison, with no knowledge of each other’s 

presence and strict rules to follow in order to 

remain strictly undercover. Chaos and drama 

ensue as prisoners begin to suspect the moles 

amongst them, and some of the volunteers 

even begin to behave like inmates themselves. 

80% NETFLIX 

RACE ACROSS 

THE WORLD 

RACE ACROSS THE WORLD is an exciting, 

intimate reality show in which contestants 

attempt to journey from one side of the earth 

to the other in pairs without going anywhere 

near an airport, all for the price of the air fare. 

No other show has ever shown the realities of 

travelling – the good and the bad – quite like 

this. Especially not with the prospect of a cash 

prize of £20,000 for the pair who gets to the 

end destination the fastest. The latest series 

follows five teams on an epic adventure from 

Mexico to Argentina, where the contestants 

ditch their phones, internet access and comfort 

in an attempt to become champion adventurers. 

83% iPlayer 

WANTED 

A gripping Australian action series that will 

forever go down as one of Netflix’s most underrated 

programmes; WANTED follows 

the chaos that befalls troubled supermarket 

cashier Lola (Rebecca Gibney) and wealthy 

finance worker Chelsea (Geraldine Hakewill) 

after they unexpectedly meet in the wrong 

place at the wrong time. Travelling across 

multiple continents, the two women take up 

space in an overarchingly male world of corrupt 

police, politics, and their personal lives 

as they attempt to unravel their accidental 

involvement in a complex criminal plot. 

86% NETFLIX 

RAKE 

Loosely based around the real-life barrister 

Charles Waterstreet, the Australian drama 

follows the exploits of the chaotic, loveable 

Cleaver Greene (Richard Roxburgh); a brilliant 

but self-destructive Sydney barrister who 

nearly always defends a guilty client. While 

RAKE follows Cleaver’s haphazard career 

with his assistant Nicole (Kate Box) and solicitor 

Barney (Russel Dykstra), the series 

interweaves the barrister’s incessantly dysfunctional 

family life and relationship with 

sex worker Missy (Adrienne Pickering) with 

the barrister’s many personal scandals. Truly 

a must-watch for any comedy and drama fans. 

100% 

NETFLIX

SUMMER 20 

TIGER KING 

watch INNOCENCE FILES 

If the record-breaking TIGER KING has 

converted you into an avid documentary addict, 

then Netflix’s THE INNOCENCE 

FILES should be next on your watchlist. Not 

just your everyday true crime doc, The Innocence 

Files provides a dark and often uncomfortable 

exposé into the surprising frequency 

of wrongful convictions in the American 

criminal justice system, and how they can 

rip lives apart. The shocking documentary 

follows the work of The Innocence Project, a 

non-profit organisation that works to exonerate 

wrongful convictions through the revisiting 

of DNA evidence. Racial discrimination, 

forensic scams and corruption are all prevalent 

and recurring themes in these cases, separated 

into episodes defined by what went wrong (e.g. 

witness, evidence, etc) making it a must-watch 

for anyone interested in true crime or justice. 

100% NETFLIX 

SHERLOCK 

watch WALLANDER 

If you’re into eccentric detectives with 

dark pasts like SHERLOCK, then WAL- 

LANDER will most definitely be for you. 

In this English-language remake, Kenneth 

Branaugh stars as Kurt Wallander, a depressed 

detective stationed in Ystad, Sweden. 

Struggling to balance his career and 

his rocky relationships with both his adult 

daughter Linda (Jeany Spark) and his father 

(David Warner) who is slowly succumbing to 

Alzheimer’s disease, the series follows Wallander 

through gruesome murders, disappearances, 

and personal losses. If this alone does 

not grab your attention, then the beautifully 

bleak cinematography of Swedish landscape, 

88% iPlayer 

LOVE ISLAND 

watch TOO HOT 

TO HANDLE 

Missing LOVE ISLAND? No one will judge 

you if you choose to indulge on Netflix’s ‘disgustingly 

bingeable’ new dating show, which 

sees a blend of attractive singles from America, 

Canada, Australia and the UK attempt to 

improve their reputations under a set of rules 

imposed by an Alexa-like virtual assistant, 

Lana. The rules are as follows: there must be 

no sexual contact between the contestants for 

the entirety of their stay, or else the $100,000 up 

for grabs by the end of the show will be slowly 

lost. Shallow, dramatic and obscene, TOO 

HOT TO HANDLE is the provides the perfect 

option for fans of mindless entertainment. 

38% NETFLIX 

FLEAGBAG 

watch CRASHING 

If, like most, you are obsessed with the masterpiece 

that is FLEABAG, then it’s important 

you become well-versed in another chapter of 

the Phoebe Waller-Bridge bible: Channel 4’s 

CRASHING. One of Waller-Bridge’s more 

underrated creations, Crashing follows several 

‘Property Guardians’; a gang of misfits 

who legally squat in an unused hospital in 

return for cheap rent and strict rules. Phoebe 

stars as Lulu, who stumbles back into the life 

of her childhood friend, Anthony (Damien 

Molony), and much to the dismay of his uptight 

new fiancée (Louise Ford), wreaks 

havoc on their relationship. The group also 

features French artist Melody (Julie Dray) 

82% All4 

37

THE ICON 

BLACK MIRROR 

watch INSIDE No.9 

The disturbingly original stories from BLACK 

MIRROR are matched, if not beaten, by the 

five series of INSIDE NO.9 produced by the 

brilliant minds of Reece Shearsmith and Steve 

Pemberton. With every episode linked by the 

number ‘9’ in some shape or form, each story 

is completely different and unpredictable from 

the next. Laughs, tears, terror and action all 

come together as one across the series, making 

it impossible to review as a whole. A must watch. 

100% iPlayer 

THE OFFICE 

watch THIS COUNTRY 

Likened to ‘THE OFFICE in its glory 

days’ and set in a very small, very boring 

Cotswolds village, THIS COUNTRY series 

3 sees cousins Kerry and Kurtan Mucklowe 

return to the screen in a mockumentary that 

captures the very essence of youth in rural 

England. Written by and starring real 

life siblings Daisy and Charlie Cooper, This 

Country is a bleak comedy that comes across 

as both realistic and equally ridiculous. 

96% iPlayer 

IF YOU 

LIKED

SUMMER 20 

MODERN 

MAN 

Modern masculinity was an intriguing 

theme for me to explore. I studied 

both the stereotypical representation 

of masculinity and the changing 

understanding of what defines masculinity. 

This shoot focused on the feminine, soft and 

KATIE LEE 

vulnerable side to males, whilst still being 

confident within themselves. I was inspired 

by Cherry Au’s ‘Queeroes of London’ collection, 

which focused on showing people 

accepting themselves for who they are 

and encourage others to do the same. 

39 

MODEL: 

Henry Skillern

THE ICON 

38

SUMMER 20 

ZOE BALAAM 

Due to the growing awareness surrounding 

LGBT+ people in modern media 

there are bound to be controversies. An 

increasing number of these aren’t based 

on fact and have been exaggerated out of proportion 

to be used now as an excuse for homophobia. 

These ‘homophobic excuses’, in today’s world, 

can be seen every time you log on to social media. 

Almost invisible messages hidden inside 

seemingly harmless posts may be published innocently 

but can seriously harm those they target. 

An example of this is the rainbow poppy. This 

poppy was made by a single eBay seller without 

any official link to the LGBT+ community or the 

official Poppy Appeal. Despite this, it was used 

as a ‘homophobic excuse’ that was plastered all 

over social media. There were posts about how 

the red poppy was a symbol of all soldiers so 

there was no need to be pushing the LGBT+ 

agenda, or that it was red poppies that grew in 

the fields rather than rainbow. It was argued that 

the integrity of the poppy and what it stands 

for was at stake. I found all of these comments 

within posts on common social media sites. 

However what failed to be mentioned was that 

it’s not just red poppies sold for Remembrance. 

There are black poppies for black soldiers, purple 

for the animals that died and white for peace. 

When did you see any of these growing in the 

field? But more importantly, how often do you 

hear anything negative about these colour variations 

despite them being more widely available? 

So why did the rainbow poppy cause such 

an outcry? The problem for most wasn’t 

the integrity of the poppy but rather its perceived 

link to the LGBT+ community. In 

other words, it was a ‘homophobic excuse’. 

Many pose the argument that the rainbow poppy 

is a ‘local controversy’ with it being spread 

across social media rather than mainstream, 

globalised media – therefore there is little point 

getting so hung up about it. However, viewing it 

through the eyes of a LGBT+ person, this form 

of homophobia can be seen on a daily basis. 

On top of this there are a multitude of other 

examples of ‘homophobic excuses’ that are 

widespread and commonplace. This is bound 

to have a negative effect on these individuals. 

Disproportionally scrutinizing the actions of the 

LGBT+ community helps to build and maintain 

stereotypes. These are often negative and can 

create self-fulfilling prophecies for the people 

of the community. This means when they hear 

something negative via the media about them 

and their community, although it may be incorrect, 

due to being constantly subjected to these 

beliefs they begin to adopt the behaviours being 

shown. This is because they see no way of 

stopping the misconceptions being spread and 

after being worn down they see no other way 

of stopping it other than take on the behaviour. 

41

THE ICON 

As the stereotypes being shown on the media are 

often negative, this causes negative self-fulfilling 

prophecies with negative behaviours to be adopted. 

Within the media there has been uproar over 

Trans athletes, more specifically male to female 

athletes (MtF), competing in female sport. 

This ‘homophobic excuse’ has turned into a 

media panic, taking initial worries towards 

MtF athletes and blowing them out of proportion. 

It has been portrayed that MtF athletes 

have an unfair advantage within women’s sport 

due to their naturally raised testosterone levels. 

However, what is rarely mentioned is that MtF 

athletes can’t compete within women’s sport without 

chemically lowering their testosterone levels 

to within the ‘normal’ biological women’s range. 

Another argument is that although their testosterone 

levels have to be within the female 

range they have already had exposure to the 

higher levels and therefore will retain some 

advantages over biological women. Scientific 

research on this topic is still inconclusive. 

This ‘advantage’ would also be present in some 

biological women as there have been examples 

of biologically female athletes having naturally 

higher levels of testosterone that fall outside 

of the ‘normal’ female testosterone range. 

Higher testosterone levels coupled with more androgynous 

looks can be caused by a sex variation 

called intersex, which can often go undiagnosed. 

These athletes get tested and therefore get criticism. 

Biologically female athletes with the same 

raised testosterone levels but who don’t present 

physically rarely undergo this same treatment. 

Trans and intersex athletes are subject to 

this unfair and dangerous level of scrutiny 

as they are forced to undergo these invasive 

tests as well as being pressured into chemically 

or even surgically altering their bodies. 

Many people who push these arguments want 

to ban MtF athletes from women’s sport, but 

what’s the alternative? If it is enforced that all 

athletes compete within their biological sex category 

there would be uproar. This would result 

in transgender men competing with biological 

women. These men would have an unfair advantage 

as they would have higher levels of testosterone 

and it would be unethical to require them 

to stop hormone treatment in order to compete. 

Another alternative would be banning Trans athletes 

all together. This would entail excluding them 

based on how they were born – again unethical. 

The statistics around transgender athletes demonstrates 

the extent to which this issue has been exaggerated. 

It has been estimated that up to 0.75% of 

the UK population identifies as transgender, this 

being around 200,000 - 500,000 people according 

to the Government Equalities Office in 2018. 

In the four Olympic Games since transgender 

athletes were allowed to compete in 2004 there 

have been just under 1,500 British competitors. 

If the proportions were equivalent, this 

would amount to 10 transgender British 

competitors (both MtF and FtM), though 

if they did have a competitive advantage, 

this number would probably increase. 

However, there has never been an openly 

Trans athlete at the Olympic Games. 

Within other major sporting competitions 

there have been a few stories of transgender 

women winning major events but there 

would be very few people who could name 

even one of these women. Comparing this to 

the list of biological women athletes that almost 

anyone would be able to name it calls 

into question whether this is so great an issue. 

All the evidence, despite how little there is, 

points towards minimal to no benefit of being 

an MtF athlete and that, while it is worthy 

of extra research, it certainly isn’t going to ruin 

the integrity of women’s sport as the media 

is trying to make out. Therefore the disaster it 

was supposed to be, leading to the “downfall 

of women’s sport”, was an exaggerated media 

panic based on fiction and scaremongering 

that was born as an excuse to be homophobic. 

This only just scratches the surface of the ‘homophobic 

excuses’ present in today’s media. I hope 

I’ve been able to demonstrate how not everything 

you hear in the media, especially that related to 

minorities, is true and that when you don’t have 

all the facts it’s easy to accidently be harmful. 

My aim is not to stop people from having an opinion 

but to help them understand the consequences 

of opinions that have been adopted and how 

they are often exaggerated beyond the facts as a 

(sometimes oblivious) excuse to be homophobic. 

I must also stress these excuses aren’t just limited 

to homophobia and can be extrapolated to most 

other minorities that face discrimination. 

42

SUMMER 20 

THE NEWS 

IN HAIKUS 

Despite popular demand, poet-in-residence Mamie Michael has returned. 

She has yet again taken it upon herself to improve the news by 

compressing the headlines down into 17 succinct syllables. 

A haiku is a short Japanese poem. A typical haiku has 17 syllables 

- five in the first and last lines and seven in the middle. It is usually 

cutting and profound. 

43

THE ICON 

Dominic Cummings 

caught in Durham rehearsing 

a Specsavers ad. 

Donald Trump just wants 

you to know that he’s the most 

least racist ever. 

“Coronavirus!” 

How many people read that 

in Cardi B’s voice? 

That Carol freakin’ 

Baskin got Joe’s whole tiger 

zoo - a conspiracy? 

Have you seen Normal 

People yet? Conell’s chain is 

just everything. 

Whatever is said, 

excuses made, truth hidden, 

Britain’s racist too. 

Jacinda Ardern 

New Zealand Prime Minister: 

A Goddess on Earth. 

44

SUMMER 20 

END OF 

AN ERA 

ELLIE ALLEN 

Alegacy defines us long after we 

are gone. It is the culmination of 

experiences, actions and words 

that shape a lifetime. In short, 

it is the immortal and unique 

impact we leave on the world 

and the people who follow 

us, and it is something that 

is embedded into the culture of King Edward VI 

School. The concept of legacy is on display in the 

Lower Hall, where generations of Head Boys, 

Head Girls and Sports Captains are engraved on 

mounted plaques. Legacy is forged through our 

Shanghai Exchange Partnership, which is older 

than many of our youngest students. It is embodied 

in the staff who have seen multiple members 

of the same family pass through their doors. It is 

carved into stone in the walls of St Edmundsbury 

Cathedral in the form of students who gave their 

lives in conflict. Our Sixth Form is an extension of 

this legacy; an establishment that many of us had 

heard of long before we applied. Students oftentimes 

came from a broad background, a variety 

of establishments, to attend a Sixth Form reputed 

for its environment both cultural and academic. 

For those who attended Lower School, it was 

seen as an ideal to strive towards. Within the 

Sixth Form itself, the bonds formed between 

Year 12 and Year 13 intensified that general 

sense of inheritance: every student knew of their 

precursors and were aware that they themselves 

would be succeeded in turn. Students knew any 

claim ‘their table’ in the Foundation Room was 

only temporary. Before them, it was the hub 

of another person’s world – the centre of their 

life for a year or so – and after them it would 

be passed on to someone else. It meant that the 

Sixth Form had a shifting face. Each year-group 

introduced new characteristics, hallmarks or 

traits which allowed it to evolve into something 

different from the last. Whether this was the Sixth 

Form netball tournament, the infamous Christmas 

Show, or that daily mad dash at 10:00am 

for the Sixth Form Cake. In many ways, this distinctiveness 

acted as a reminder that we were all 

temporary fixtures within the school. Vital and 

important placeholders, but in no way a permanent 

feature. This year proved, more than ever, 

that this cyclical and ever-shifting motion is simply 

another aspect to this stage in our education 

and lives. If anything, it taught us to value and 

make the most of whatever time we are granted. 

Across year groups, though, our Sixth Form’s 

overarching ideals of community, enthusiasm 

and involvement remained: they were simply 

reimagined by every new set of students. Alongside 

these values certain rites of education also 

remained a constant. UCAS applications, mock 

exams, leaver’s celebrations, and the Summer 

exam series, to name a few. Teachers and staff 

also acted as a more permanent feature, as individuals 

who committed their days, and often 

their nights, to the success of each and every 

student. From the front-desk staff to members 

of the SLT, cleaning and catering staff, pastoral 

support officers and form tutors. People who 

likely saw you at your worst as well as your best. 

Teachers who put on lunchtime study groups, 

replied to your e-mails, and gave you feedback. 

A staff body that welcomed fresh faces every 

September and yet strived to make you feel 

important, as an individual and a year group. 

It was on Friday 20 March that this cycle of legacy 

and inheritance came to a close. The class of 

2020, the very last of its kind, left King Edward 

VI exactly eight weeks earlier than expected. 

This group is just as distinctive and unique as 

every other year, and how best to define us? Primarily, 

we are the year group of change: a group 

45

THE ICON 

The Four 

Heads in the 

traditional 

pose. Photograph 

by Zoë 

MacLachlan 

that frequently faced uncertainty and disarray but 

never failed to persevere. Those of us who were 

with the school since the beginning of Year 9 saw 

the handover of leadership from Geoff Barton to 

Lee Walker, and between two Sixth Form teams: 

Stuart Small and Abi Thorpe, followed by Penny 

Quintero-Hunt and Debbie Quick. We saw the 

regional move from three-tier to two-tier education. 

In classrooms, we were one of the first 

years to experience new GCSE and A-level reform 

– producing some of the hardest courses 

and exam series’ that the country has ever seen. 

We experienced the opening of Abbeygate Sixth 

Form College, and the anxiety surrounding Kegsit. 

In the wake of which, we made our voices 

heard and convinced the school board to reverse 

their decision on where we would spend our final 

year. Beyond Grove Road, we saw political upheaval 

in the form of Brexit and Donald Trump, 

the rise of the young activist, and now a pandemic. 

We protested against climate change, raised 

vast amounts of money for causes we believed 

in, and we worked hard for our education even 

when relegated to the Library, or the C Block sofas. 

It seems only fitting that our year were the 

ones to experience exam cancellation, nationwide 

lockdown, and potential delays to our next 

steps: ‘unprecedented’ was already in our nature. 

Despite experiencing a school career defined 

by change, the class of 2020 still embodied the 

best traits that the entire Sixth Form was regarded 

for throughout its history. There was no 

better demonstration of this than on our last day 

of school. Despite being given less than 3-days’ 

notice, we did what we have always done best: 

make the most out of everything thrown at us. 

Music rang out in the Foundation Room, to 

which students danced in unworn May Ball 

outfits. We held an in impromptu quiz, presented 

end-of-year awards and exchanged gifts. 

We shared hugs, laughter and some tears too. 

While we were denied of many of those rituals 

and rites – the May Ball, the Leaver’s celebrations, 

completing our courses, saying a proper 

goodbye – we still made the most of our short 

time as placeholders at the school. Perhaps a 

small pride can be held in the knowledge that 

this time there will be no one to reinvent the 

Sixth Form. That we did it right, for the last 

time, in spite of everything happening around us. 

It seems strange that the Foundation Room, 

Study Centre, Library and classrooms will never 

again see a set of bright and brilliant Sixth Form 

students. Not only that, but the fact that such 

an important mark in the school’s history coincided 

with the most unusual of circumstances. 

But solace can be taken in the knowledge that 

the Sixth Form itself continues to impact people. 

It has altered a vast number of people – 

whether students, staff, even parents – who create 

their own individual imprint on the world. 

Sporting icon Billie Jean King surmised it best 

when she simply stated: ‘Create your legacy 

and pass the baton’. While that baton will no 

longer be passed between year-groups, it is already 

being passed through families, between 

friends, to colleagues and peers. Like those who 

came before us, we have learned so very much 

from our time in King Edward VI Sixth Form, 

and its final lesson is this one of legacy. 

46

GET IN TOUCH 

iconoclastbse@gmail.com 

@iconoclastbse on Twitter and Instagram 

SUMMER 2020 

Ə

The Iconoclast Summer 2020

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