thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-16--The Gender Pay Gap Is About To Get A Lot Worse

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This year, companies with more than 250 employees will not have to include furloughed employees in their gender pay gap calculations.
And given 57% of such companies made use of furlough, the accuracy of whatever gender gap we are presented with will mean, in my view, diddly squat.
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What’s the big deal? You might say. After all, furloughed employees will be included in the headcount of the company, and the bonus gap. It will just be the mean and median pay gap calculations that are affected.
But this still means wiping around 3.2 million furloughed men and women off the gender pay gap record. That number is more than a third of the total number of people on furlough in late March and early April.
And because the lag between companies calculating their data and publishing it takes one year, we may not know the true picture until April 2022 or beyond.
When it comes to whether more women or men were furloughed, the data is patchy. According to HMRC, by the end of July, 34% of men and 29% of women who were eligible for furlough took it.
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The gender breakdown doesn’t get much more specific than that. This is unfortunate, because 31 March is when the public sector calculates its gender gap figures, and it’s 5 April for the private sector.
What does seem clearer is the furlough split between mothers and fathers. The Resolution Foundation found in May that mothers were 14% more likely to be on furlough than fathers.
Mothers are more likely to quit their jobs, be made redundant or do fewer hours than men during the virus. In other words, more mothers are being pushed out of the workforce.
In the meantime, the gender pay gap may be widening, not narrowing. Figures from Business In The Community found that, from the 5,000 or so companies that did submit this year – even though Liz Truss scrapped their obligation to do so one month before the deadline, the gap had widened to 12.8%, from 11.9% a year earlier.
“It may seem churlish to quibble about whether the gender pay gap has worsened but coronavirus has shown how important rigorous, segregated and consistent data collection is.”
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It may seem churlish to quibble about whether the gender pay gap has gone up or down by 0.9% in 12 months when so many lives have been lost and so many more are at risk because the data and systems behind our test and trace, for example, have been so badly executed.
But coronavirus has shown how important rigorous, segregated and consistent data collection is.
Back in April the Women’s Equality Party called for the government to publish sex-disaggregated data during Covid to better understand trends. The fact that I can’t tell you how many women versus men were on furlough until the end of July is telling.
No doubt some companies are rubbing their hands in glee about this chaos. There are already numerous loopholes, for example, claiming that, even if your parent company is a massive multinational, if your subsidiary has fewer than 250 staff you don’t have to report.
Companies can file misleading or even inaccurate data, and even though the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) proudly claimed there was eventually 100% compliance in 2018/19, that doesn’t mean what companies submitted was 100% correct.
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Criticism of our pay gap requirements is gathering steam. Women’s groups such as Fawcett Society and the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership at King’s College London have, just this week, criticised the “light touch” of our reporting laws compared to Sweden, Australia, Iceland, Spain and other countries.
Last October, a senior Bank of England official called for reporting to extend to companies with 30 or more employees, rather than 250. This must happen. We can expect ethnicity reporting to be introduced in 2021. This must happen also.
And why not? As it stands, the reporting burden on HR departments is not that onerous. You report, via an online portal, how many people you employ, and the mean and medium hourly pay data, separated for men and women, and the same for bonuses. You don’t have to break it down any further. Most companies do it on an Excel spreadsheet.
So, yes, we should be reporting how many people were furloughed at each company, their gender, what percentage of pay they received, and if they were hired back, and after how long. Why is that so complicated to mandate? The EHRC budget may have been slashed massively since 2010 but they still get around £18m of taxpayer funding a year.
Of course, even when the gender pay gap reporting is back on track and hits zero – a distant dream usually only found in dystopian novels – we will still not have the full picture.
A zero % pay gap ignores the fact that women do 60% more unpaid work than men. A zero % pay gap disregards the huge swathes of women who make up the majority of low-paid and insecure work such as zero-hours contracts.
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It is enshrined in our law that every woman should have equal pay for equal work. Virus or no virus, equal pay should not only apply to those at the biggest employers who were lucky enough to continue to work in March and April.
Rachael Revesz is a freelance journalist.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-16--UK Coronavirus 'R Rate' Rises But Growth Rate Drops

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The UK Covid-19 R-rate has risen slightly to between 1.3 and 1.5, as the government enforces local lockdowns across England.
Data released on Friday by the Science and the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) shows the estimate for reproduction number, or R rate, for coronavirus transmission.
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Last week, the value was 1.2 and 1.5, with a growth rate of between +4% and +9%.
The latest figures show while the R rate has risen to between 1.3 and 1.5, the growth rate has fallen to between +4% and +7%.
An R rate between 1.3 and 1.5 means that on average every 10 people infected will infect between 13 and 15 other people.
A growth rate between +4% and +7% means the number of new infections is growing by 4% to 7% every day.
Any R rate above 1.0 means that the pandemic is growing in the UK and the value has been at that level or above since late August.
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This week, Boris Johnson announced England would be split into “medium”, “high” or “very high” local coronavirus alert areas.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-16--DJ Sideman Says BBC Cannot Push Race Issues 'Under The Rug' Any More

Former Radio 1Xtra DJ Sideman has said the BBC can no longer push issues around race “under the rug”.
Sideman Ian West - PA Images via Getty Images
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In a new interview with the PA news agency, Sideman – real name David Whitely – urged the BBC to improve diversity among senior managers and introduce training for its employees on race, stating that it needs to show an “understanding of the times that we are in”.
He said: “Things are changing and Black people’s issues are not an issue you can push under the rug any more.
“It is something that you have to address, it’s something that you have to have an action plan for or these things will happen again and it will be embarrassing for you.”
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More than 18,000 people complained to the BBC earlier this year over a news report, in which social affairs correspondent Fiona Lamdin repeated a racial slur allegedly used during an attack in Bristol.
The BBC initially failed to apologise for the language used, which featured in broadcasts on the BBC News Channel and local news programme Points West.
The day after Sideman announced he was leaving the corporation over the matter in a video he shared on Instagram, the then director-general Tony Hall admitted the corporation had “made a mistake”.
Sideman said the journalists who reported on the assault should have had training on how to deal with the situation, adding: “You might not know what it feels like to have to deal with a racist attack, what it feels like for your very existence to have been an issue to somebody.”
He said that while there is institutional racism in the BBC there also is in “almost every organisation in this country” and he is not out to “slander or malign” the broadcaster.
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Sideman said his mindset had changed following the Black Lives Matter movement and “the Sideman prior to George Floyd’s death probably wouldn’t have done what I did”.
He said he received “overwhelming support” from other employees at the BBC after announcing his resignation.
Speaking about his video, Sideman said he had not expected it to gain so much traction, saying: “I look back on what I did and think wow, people really amplified my voice and made it louder and made it have more impact.
“If social media didn’t make the big stink of it that they did, then it wouldn’t have been as monumental a thing as it was with the BBC apologising just over 24 hours later.”
He added that his actions should not have been necessary.
“18,000 people complained the right way, the boring way,” he said. “They went on a website and typed in a long, boring email. What I did was a video on Instagram.
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“That to me says something about our society, that what I did caused more of a stink.”
A BBC spokesperson has said in response to Sideman’s interview: “We are committed to building an inclusive, welcoming, modern and diverse organisation, which is why we have taken steps to change the editorial policy on offensive language, increased training for all staff, and introduced policies to improve representation on and off air.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-16--Donald 'Unbelievable Idiot' Trump Roasted For Being Unable To Tell Fact From Fiction

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President Donald Trump on Friday morning attempted to bash Twitter and Democratic nominee Joe Biden by tweeting a story from a conservative satirical website that he appeared to accept as real.
Trump shared a spoof story on The Babylon Bee titled “Twitter Shuts Down Entire Network To Slow Spread Of Negative Biden News.” The Babylon Bee describes itself as “the world’s best satire site, totally inerrant in all its truth claims” and uses the tagline: “Fake News You Can Trust.”
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The spoof story contained such lines as:
After seeing account after account tweet out one particularly bad story, CEO Jack Dorsey realised he had to take action. Dorsey smashed a glass box in his office reading “Break In Case Of Bad Publicity For Democrats.” Inside the case was a sledgehammer for smashing Twitter’s servers.
And:
Dorsey ran downstairs and started smashing as many computers as he could, but he did need to ask for some help, as the hammer was pretty heavy.
Trump tweeted the article with this straight-faced comment:
“Wow, this has never been done in history,” the president wrote. “This includes his really bad interview last night. Why is Twitter doing this. Bringing more attention to Sleepy Joe & Big T.”
Twitter Shuts Down Entire Network To Slow Spread Of Negative Biden News https://t.co/JPmjOrKPcr via @TheBabylonBee Wow, this has never been done in history. This includes his really bad interview last night. Why is Twitter doing this. Bringing more attention to Sleepy Joe & Big T — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 16, 2020
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Other satirical stories on The Babylon Bee recently include “Mark Zuckerberg Pops Out Of Man’s Shower To Warn Him The Story He’s Reading Is Fake News” and “Trump Spends Afternoon Shouting From White House Balcony During Twitter Outage.”
Trump has previously acknowledged he doesn’t really scrutinise what he retweets or shares with his 87 million Twitter followers.
“You see something that looks good and you don’t investigate it, and you don’t look at what’s on the helmet exactly, which is in miniature, and you don’t blow it up,” the president told Barstool Sports’ founder Dave Portnoy in July.
Trump was chided during his town hall on NBC Thursday for retweeting conspiracy theories and misinformation. “You’re the president; you’re not someone’s crazy uncle,” said host Savannah Guthrie.
Following Trump’s fake news gaffe, Twitter users were more than happy to point out The Babylon Bee’s satirical nature:
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Babylon Bee is a satire site, you unbelievable idiot.
Christ on a cracker, you are dumb.#Trump2020Landslide #fridaymorning pic.twitter.com/SakrddgSaI — Holly Figueroa O'Reilly (@AynRandPaulRyan) October 16, 2020
THE BABYLON BEE IS A HUMOR SITE YOU CREDULOUS FOOL — Jeff Tiedrich (@itsJeffTiedrich) October 16, 2020
.......how have we not all learned this is a site that publishes satire? https://t.co/beKFztV705 — Kasie Hunt (@kasie) October 16, 2020
The leader of the free world, after being compared to a "crazy uncle" who will retweet anything on live TV last night, has woken up and retweeted a satire site believing it to be real news.
Dear Undecided Voters, what the hell are you "undecided" about?!!! https://t.co/sHjU7WnFmF — Dan Slott (@DanSlott) October 16, 2020
SATIRE IS LITERALLY DEAD https://t.co/kDiSLKQi9V — Latika M Bourke (@latikambourke) October 16, 2020
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-16--Rudy Giuliani Is 'Putin's Puppet' On Damning New York Daily News Cover

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There are lots of strings attached to Rudy Giuliani on the New York Daily News’ latest front page.
The tabloid newspaper depicted President Donald Trump’s personal attorney as being controlled by a puppeteer, Russian President Vladimir Putin, on its cover Friday.
“PUTIN’S PUPPET,” said the main headline.
Below read: “Rudy gets tangled in bizarre Russia-Biden plot.”
Putin's Puppet 🤡
Rudy Giuliani gets tangled in a bizarre Russia-Biden plothttps://t.co/9xMaOjdInH, https://t.co/IRBgGo6fqJ
(on the night of the presidential town halls, too) https://t.co/MfLUjIsEAt pic.twitter.com/SH2l7unmsZ — New York Daily News (@NYDailyNews) October 16, 2020
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The cover story centered on a Washington Post report that U.S. intelligence officials had briefed the White House in 2019 that the former New York City mayor was being targeted by Russia to propagate misinformation to Trump.
The Daily News has previously portrayed Giuliani as one-third of the slapstick comedy trio “The Three Stooges.”
The New Three Stooges: Larry, Moe and ... Rudy
Rudy’s cronies tried to find political dirt on Biden.
Now they’re charged with running a scheme that funneled $ backing Trump’s reelection.
See it → https://t.co/hWAvY0c9W7 pic.twitter.com/6ueupp1jEG — New York Daily News (@NYDailyNews) October 11, 2019


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-16--Lincoln Project Trolls Donald Trump Jr. With A Brutal Edit Of His ‘Crazy Ad’

The Lincoln Project , a conservative organisation opposed to Donald Trump , is taking on a different member of the president’s family in its latest effort.
The never-Trump group has given a digital makeover to a video featuring Donald Trump Jr. The original spot was a 6-minute attack on Hunter Biden, son of Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, and other members of the Biden family. But the Lincoln Project’s version took those attacks and turned them back on the Trump family ― and it did the job in about a minute:


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-16--Gyms Can Stay Open In Tier 3 Lancashire But Must Close In Tier 3 Liverpool

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Gyms will be allowed to stay open in Lancashire, which has been put into tier 3 lockdown – even though they must shut in Liverpool, the other area of England under the highest restrictions.
Under the tier 3, or “very high”, category, people from different households are not allowed to mix, pubs and bars not serving meals must close, and residents are told not to travel outside the area.
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But additional measures, such as closing gyms and leisure centres, can also be brought in on a discretionary basis.
Joe Anderson, the mayor of Liverpool, said the three-tier local system was already an “inconsistent mess” having only only been introduced this week.
Liverpool City Region has demanded immediate clarification on why Lancashire Gyms are allowed to stay open and Liverpools close. Inconsistent mess we now have Tier 3 A and Tier 3 B. Are Gym users in Lancashire more safer than those in Liverpool Region 😱 #COVID-19 #shambles — Joe Anderson (@mayor_anderson) October 16, 2020
On the other hand, from Monday, soft play areas in Lancashire must close, but they remain open in Liverpool.
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Matt Hancock, the health secretary, said the measures in Lancashire, which come into force on Saturday, were needed due to an “unrelenting rise in cases”.
The tier 3 restrictions apply across all parts of Lancashire and include Burnley, Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool, Chorley, Fylde, Hyndburn, Lancaster, Pendle, Preston, Ribble Valley, Rossendale, South Ribble, West Lancs, and Wyre.
The Liverpool region was the first to be put into the “very high” category and has been living with the rules since Wednesday.
A furious row between local politicians and the government has so far prevented Greater Manchester from also moving into tier 3.
Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has demanded any stricter measures must be accompanied with more financial support for people and businesses.
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But Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary, said more action was needed in the city to control the virus and avoid a second nation lockdown.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4′s Today programme he urged Burnham to “do the right thing by the people of Manchester”.
London will move into tier 2 on Saturday, banning people from separate households mixing indoors – including in pubs and restaurants.
Essex, Elmbridge, Barrow-in-Furness, York, North East Derbyshire, Erewash and Chesterfield will also move into the second tier of measures.
Carrastock via Getty Images


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-16--'You're So Handsome When You Smile': Voter Flirts With Trump And It's Cringeworthy

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Donald Trump appeared rather flattered after being told he was handsome when he smiles by a former Hillary Clinton voter – though she isn’t planning on voting for him.
In what surely must be the weirdest moment of Trump’s Town Hall with NBC on Thursday, retired professor Paulette Dale awkwardly flirted with the president before she grilled him about his immigration policies.
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Dale – who is a registered Republican who voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016 – appeared flustered as she was called on to put a question to Trump.
“Good evening, Mr president. I have to say you have a great smile,” she told the 72-year-old Trump.
“You’re so handsome when you smile.”
The president appeared to enjoy the compliment, his face somewhat reddening as he thanked her multiple times.
In case you missed it, this lady thinks @realDonaldTrump is handsome when he smiles… #election2020 pic.twitter.com/lHyOA7jLhH — Mikey Smith (@mikeysmith) October 16, 2020
After recovering her composure, Dale went on: “As the daughter of immigrants to the United States who fled eastern Europe due to religious persecution, the United States’ immigration policies are very personal for me.
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“Surveys show that most Americans and the majority of Republicans support the Dreamers program. So my question for you, Mr. President, is: If you are elected to a second term, do you expect to pursue your previous efforts to cut the DACA program?
Trump replied: “We are working very hard on the DACA program and you will be, I think, very happy over the course of the next year, because I feel the same way that you do about it.”
After the event, Dale told the New Times: “I wish he would smile more and talk less.”
Despite her inexplicable crush, she said she currently plans to vote for Democratic candidate Joe Biden.
“I think the man has a nice smile. However, I’m not a fan.”
Perhaps she was less than impressed with Trump’s refusal once again to denounce supporters of the far-right conspiracy theory QAnon.
The second presidential debate had originally been scheduled for Thursday, but Trump pulled out of the event after organisers decided to turn it into a virtual affair following his diagnosis two weeks ago.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-16--Only Shirley Bassey Could Make A Covid-Compliant Outfit This Fabulously Camp And Instantly Iconic

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There’s no denying’s been a pretty dark week – but thank goodness Dame Shirley Bassey is here to bring some much-needed sparkle to proceedings (and then some).
The Welsh singer has celebrated her 70-year career in showbusiness with what can only be described as an absolutely iconic Covid-compliant photoshoot.
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A sequin-clad Shirley matched her facemask to her glittering gold dress for the snap, which gives Strictly Come Dancing a run for its money in the camp stakes.
Camp Matt Holyoak/PA
Shirley was photographed in Italy this autumn ahead of the release of her first new album in more than five years.
I Owe It All To You, due for release on Decca Records, is being described as a “grand finale” and will be dedicated to her fans.
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Shirley sans mask, but being just as iconic David M. Benett via Getty Images
It will include both new material written especially for the 83-year-old, as well as tracks chosen to reflect her life and career, during which she has released 70 albums and sold nearly 140 million records.
Some of Dame Shirley’s biggest hits include the theme songs to the James Bond films Goldfinger, Diamonds Are Forever and Moonraker.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-16--Wales Imposes Travel Ban On UK Visitors From High Coronavirus Level Areas

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The Welsh government has confirmed that a travel ban preventing people from areas of the UK with high levels of coronavirus from entering Wales will come into force later on Friday.
First Minister Mark Drakeford confirmed the news and in a statement, said the number of Covid-19 cases across Wales was growing, with the health services coming “under pressure”.
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“To keep Wales safe, the Welsh Government is therefore amending the regulations to make it clear that people living in areas with a high prevalence of coronavirus in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland would not be able to travel to parts of Wales where there is a low prevalence,” Drakeford said.
A welcome to Wales sign near Llangua in Monmouthshire, south-east Wales PA
“It is vital that we keep communities which have low levels of infection as safe as possible and this sensible and necessary restriction will help prevent the virus moving from more urban, highly populated areas to more sparsely populated areas.”
Drakeford admitted the Welsh Government is “looking very carefully” at introducing a circuit-breaker lockdown to slow the spread of the virus in Wales.
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People are already unable to enter or leave areas of Wales subjected to local lockdown restrictions without a reasonable excuse such as work or education.
As of Friday, there have been a further 979 cases of Covid-19 diagnosed in Wales, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 34,005.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-16--Prepare For No-Deal Brexit On January 1, Says Boris Johnson

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Prime minister Boris Johnson has said that the UK must be prepared for no trade deal with the EU by January 1.
Accusing Brussels of “refusing to negotiate” and having “abandoned” talks, he said in a statement on Friday that the “Canada-style trade deal” the UK wants “won’t work” and the UK may go for the “Australia solution”.
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Despite deadlock between the two sides in Brussels this week, Johnson left open the possibility of further talks, suggesting if there was a “fundamental change in approach” from the EU, UK negotiators would return to the table.
It comes as EU leaders, including German chancellor Angela Merkel, urge the UK to continue trade talks.
The country’s economy faces a cliff edge when the transition period, during which the country remains bound by EU rules, ends on December 31.
If no deal is agreed it would see the UK fall back on to World Trade Organisation terms with the bloc.
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Speaking to broadcasters, the PM said: “From the outset we were totally clear that we wanted nothing more complicated than a Canada-style relationship based on friendship and free trade.
“To judge by the latest EU summit in Brussels, that won’t work for our EU partners.
“They want the continued ability to control our legislative freedom, our fisheries in a way that is completely unacceptable to an independent country.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel ASSOCIATED PRESS
“And since we have only 10 weeks until the end of the transition period on January 1, I have to make judgment about the likely outcome and get us ready.
“And given that they have refused to negotiate seriously for much of the last few months and given that this summit appears explicitly to rule out a Canada-style deal, I’ve concluded that we should get ready for January 1 with arrangements that are more like Australia’s based on simple principles of global free trade.”
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It comes after the UK set a deadline of Thursday to decide whether to continue talks with Brussels.
Asked if he would be willing to listen to advances from Brussels, Johnson continued: “As far as I can see, they have abandoned the idea of a free trade deal – there doesn’t seem to be any progress coming from Brussels.
“So what we are saying to them is: ‘Come here, come to us if there is some fundamental change of approach’.
“Otherwise we are more than happy to talk about the practicalities that I described – social security issues, road haulage and so on.
“But unless there is a fundamental change in approach, we are going to go for the Australia solution.
“And we should do it with great confidence – as I said, high hearts and confidence because we can do it.
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“There was always going to be changes on January 1 but it is becoming clear that the EU don’t want to do the type of Canada deal that we originally asked for.”
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said EU negotiators would travel to London next week to “intensify” talks despite the comments.
She tweeted: “EU-UK talks: the EU continues to work for a deal, but not at any price.
🇪🇺-🇬🇧 talks: the EU continues to work for a deal, but not at any price.
As planned, our negotiation team will go to London next week to intensify these negotiations. — Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) October 16, 2020
“As planned, our negotiation team will go to London next week to intensify these negotiations.
Merkel had attempted to dispel tensions on Thursday night by suggesting that the EU could give some ground and that the UK must “remain open to compromise” earlier this week.
“In some places things have moved well, in other places there is still a lot of work to be done,” Merkel said. “We have asked the United Kingdom to remain open to compromise, so that an agreement can be reached. This of course means that we, too, will need to make compromises.”
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-16--I’m A Sex Worker Who Has To Decide Whether To Risk My Life To Pay My Bills During Covid-19

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A lot of the job in full-service sex work is just trying not to die — and the coronavirus pandemic is making that even more difficult.
Sex work can be extremely dangerous. One study estimated that street-based full-service sex workers are 60 to 100 times more likely to be murdered than women who don’t do sex work. However, it’s impossible to get specific numbers because the murders of sex workers often go unreported and uninvestigated.
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The death of a sex worker, especially a trans woman of colour, is a common occurrence that’s met with little outrage. The police are yet another source of violence for sex workers.
So all we have are ourselves and one another. And virtually all full-service sex workers take some kind of precaution against getting murdered, whether it’s carrying a weapon or pepper spray, requiring references, sharing blacklists (including word of mouth) or any number of other methods.
I have the privilege to be able to screen clients, which many more-marginalised sex workers can’t do because they can’t afford to turn away clients. Similarly, when Covid-19 hit, a lot of sex workers (including myself) stopped seeing clients in person. Of course, the ability to stop seeing clients (at least for now) is a privilege that many sex workers don’t have ― I was only able to qualify for unemployment based on my straight-world freelance writing work.
Since then, the US government has offered minimal support, and governors have begun encouraging businesses to reopen in states even as the rates of Covid-19 are increasing. Now, as I’m watching the Covid-19 numbers tick up on the news, I am terrified I might have to go back to work.
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“Covid-19 disproportionately affects the most marginalised people, so it will also disproportionately affect sex workers.”
I am also thinking about all the sex workers who have had to continue working ― and no doubt make up a portion of the over 200,000 Americans who died from Covid-19 ― because a lot of us don’t have the ability to take time off before our money runs out. (Of course, the world will never know how many sex workers die of Covid-19 because we can’t be open about our jobs, and even when we are, our families may decide to cover up what we do.)
The decision of when to go back to work ― if you even have the privilege to be able to make that decision ― is not unique to sex workers. However, sex workers are facing extreme and unique circumstances when it comes to deciding to work during the pandemic.
First, Covid-19 disproportionately affects the most marginalised people, so it will also disproportionately affect sex workers as a whole, as we tend to be more marginalised.
Specifically, sex workers are disproportionately likely to be disabled, which means many of us are at higher risk of complications (or death) due to the coronavirus. I started sex work after becoming too sick to work other jobs. Luckily, I really like it! What kept me from doing it sooner was the danger and the lifelong stigma. Then I got sicker, and eventually the danger of sex work was less than the danger of not having the money for my medications, so I started seeing clients.
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Another problem is that because of the nature of our jobs, the risk of contracting Covid-19 from clients is high. There’s just no way to do what we do without a decent amount of contact (though sex workers are geniuses and people are trying). But the defining feature of full-service sex work is the, uhhh, closeness of the contact.
A lot of people assume that full-service sex workers can just move their business online into OnlyFans pages or camming or other virtual services to solve that problem. There are many reasons this isn’t a solution.
“Online work also pays much less than full-service work, especially when you are first starting out.”
First, while all of these are under the umbrella of “sex work,” the business models are completely different. And yes, sex workers all have some kind of business model whether the model involves accountants and LLCs, or certain areas you frequent so clients know where to find you.
Another problem with transitioning to online work is it’s not possible for the tons of us who now suddenly have kids at home because schools and day cares are closed or have remote learning.
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Online work also pays much less than full-service work, especially when you are first starting out online. There are a ton of variables. Of course, those who already have a following (and there are full-service sex workers who do) have the easiest time making the change financially.
However, a lot of people have to work a full 40 hours to make what they usually make in just one hour offline. Even though OnlyFans is having a cultural moment, it still takes a decent chunk of the money you do make, and with the market so saturated, it’s much harder to make money unless you already are well-known in some way.
For me, all of those things are an issue, but primarily the fact that with my kids being home all the time, I’m not able to create the content needed for a consistently active online presence. My illnesses also make it impossible for me to make content at the pace needed to make enough money on OnlyFans.
So here I am, trying to figure out whether it is safe to start seeing clients again. On the one hand, I am in a state with low infection rates. On the other, my immune suppressants put me at such high risk that I need to be careful. Today, I have my immediate needs met. But there are bills coming due that I don’t know how we’re going to pay.
Almost all my local friends are back seeing clients, and I have started to set up socially distant outdoor dinner dates, but haven’t gone on any yet as I write this. (Yes, people do pay me sometimes to just have dinner ― I’m incredibly charming! Though I will be honest: It’s not what the majority of clients are looking for.)
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I may start requiring recent Covid-19 tests, but even this plan has a lot of problems because of the wait to get results and the period of time between when someone takes a test and when we meet up. As I write this, I don’t know how else I will be able to make ends meet. So I will likely do what sex workers do every day: risk my life to pay my bills.
It’s not all doom and gloom. There is no one better to go through an apocalypse with than sex workers. The pandemic has once again shown that sex workers are the backbone of the left as many of us are organising (and funding) mutual aid efforts for ourselves and our communities. Just because the system sees us as disposable doesn’t mean that we are. Sex workers are super-survivors and I do have faith that whatever happens, and whatever incalculable losses we endure, sex workers will get through it.
This article first appeared on HuffPost Personal


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-16--Wedding Venue Owner Could Face £10,000 Fine After Allowing 100 Guests At Celebration

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The owner of a west London wedding venue could face a £10,000 fine after police shut down a reception attended by more than 100 people.
Officers from the Metropolitan Police were called to the Tudor Rose in Southall on Tuesday evening and say they found a large number of people in breach of coronavirus regulations.
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Body-worn video footage from the Met showed a crowd of guests who were not social distancing or taking other steps to prevent transmission of the virus.
The footage, filmed by an officer wearing a bodycam, shows people being ejected from a wedding that took place at the Tudor Rose in Southall, west London PA
Under current guidance, the number of guests allowed at weddings is limited to 15 people – and venues must adhere to Covid-secure guidelines.
The crowds were dispersed by officers to ensure guest numbers complied with the law.
Senior officers reported the owner of the venue for consideration of a £10,000 fixed penalty notice for the clear breach of regulations.
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Area commander, Chief Superintendent Peter Gardner, said: “This was a dangerous and foolish breach of the regulations, which have been designed specifically to keep people safe from transmitting a deadly virus.
“Restrictions on large gatherings, such as weddings, have been in place for months and quite frankly there can be no excuse for this flagrant and arrogant violation of the law.
More than 100 guests were at the wedding PA
“There was clearly no attempt by the venue owner to enforce the regulations or keep their patrons safe – it is for this reason we have reported them for a £10,000 fine.”
It comes as London braces itself for tighter restrictions, after announcements that alert levels in the capital are to increase from “medium” to “high” from midnight on Friday.
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“Everyone has a responsibility to keep themselves, and their families, safe from coronavirus,” said Ch Supt Gardner.
“As cases of coronavirus rise across London, officers throughout the Met will be redoubling our efforts to clamp down on those individuals and businesses who breach the regulations and put themselves, and others at risk.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-16--Lancashire To Be Placed Under Tier 3 Coronavirus Lockdown

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Lancashire has agreed to escalate its coronavirus lockdown restrictions to tier 3, the highest alert level, from Saturday.
People from different households will not be allowed to mix, pubs and bars not serving food will be forced to close and residents will be told not to travel outside the area.
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It is the second area of England, after the Liverpool City Region, to be put into the tier 3, or “very high”, category.
Matt Hancock, the health secretary, said the measures in Lancashire were needed due to an “unrelenting rise in cases”.
“I know how heavy these additional challenges will weigh on everyday life for the people of Lancashire – but they are critical in bringing this virus under control,” he said.
“Without them, we risk the health of your loved ones, your most vulnerable, and your local NHS services. Now is the time to play your part, and we will make sure you are supported.”
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A financial support package of £12m will be given to the region by central government.
The tier 3 restrictions apply across all parts of Lancashire and include Burnley, Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool, Chorley, Fylde, Hyndburn, Lancaster, Pendle, Preston, Ribble Valley, Rossendale, South Ribble, West Lancashire, and Wyre.
In addition to the baseline tier 3 restrictions, from Monday the adult gaming industry, casinos, bingo halls, bookmakers and betting shops and soft play areas must also close. Car boot sales will also not not be permitted.
But gyms will be allowed to remain open, even though they have been closed in Liverpool.
A furious political row between local politicians and the government has so far prevented Greater Manchester from also moving into tier 3.
Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has demanded any stricter measures must be accompanied with more financial support for people and businesses.
But Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary, said more action was needed in the city to control the virus and avoid a second nation lockdown.
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Speaking to BBC Radio 4′s Today programme he urged Burnham to “do the right thing by the people of Manchester”.
London will move into tier 2 on Saturday, banning people from separate households mixing indoors – including in pubs and restaurants.
Essex, Elmbridge, Barrow-in-Furness, York, North East Derbyshire, Erewash and Chesterfield will also move into the second tier of measures.
It comes amid warnings there are around 47,000 Covid-19 infections occurring daily across England, with deaths expected to hit 240 to 690 per day by October 26.
The Medical Research Council (MRC) biostatistics unit at Cambridge University estimated cases are doubling in under seven days, with a “substantial proportion” of those being asymptomatic.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-16--As EastEnders Announces Another Recast, Here's 12 Other Characters Who Got A New Head

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EastEnders has announced Chelsea Fox is returning to Walford after a decade away – but you’ll be forgiven for not recognising her when she arrives back in Albert Square.
The character is the latest in a long line to be recast, with Zaraah Abrahams succeeding Tiana Benjamin in the role of Denise Fox’s eldest daughter.
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Chelsea was last seen in 2010 when she went to live with her grandmother, unable to cope with being known as the step-daughter of serial killer Lucas Johnson.
Tiana Benjamin (left) and Zaraah Abrahams as Chelsea Fox in EastEnders BBC
While it is currently unknown what brings Chelsea back to the Square, her recast has got us to thinking about all the other times EastEnders bosses gave a character a different head...
Ben Mitchell
Played by: Charlie Jones (2006–10), Joshua Pascoe (2010–12), Harry Reid (2014–2018) and Max Bowden (2019–)
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BBC
Two other actors also played the youngster back in the ’90s, but since returning to Albert Square when Kathy Beale “died” in 2006, these four stars have been tasked with portraying as her and Phil’s troubled son.
Lauren Branning
Played by: Madeline Duggan (2006–10), Jacqueline Jossa (2010–2018)
Mark Cuthbert/Getty Images/BBC Pictures
While Jacqueline certainly made the role of Lauren her own, Madeline was the original actor to play her when the Brannings rocked up in Albert Square in 2006. Under Jacqueline’s careful watch, Lauren took centre stage in a number of key storylines, including battling alcoholism, figuring out who killed her best friend and even falling from the roof of the Queen Vic.
Bobby Beale
Played by: Alex Francis (2007–12), Rory Stroud (2013–14), Eliot Carrington (2014–2017) and Clay Milner Russell (2019–)
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BBC
Yes, we know - we should have solved the ‘Who killed Lucy Beale?’ case when Bobby was randomly recast as the plot kicked off. The Beale family have proven difficult for the soap’s bosses, and all of Ian’s kids have been recast at least once. Kevin Curran also starred as Bobby when he was a tot.
Lucy Beale
Played by: Melissa Suffield (2004–10) and Hetti Bywater (2012–15)
BBC Pictures
Another two actresses also played Lucy in her younger years, but it’s Melissa and Hetti that fans will remember. Hetti was only in the role for less than three years, but the impact of her murder in 2015 is still a topic regularly revisited on the soap to this day.
Mark Fowler
Played by: David Scarboro (1985–87) and Todd Carty (1990–2003)
PETER BROOKER/REX Shutterstock/BBC Pictures
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Todd took over as the son of Pauline and Arthur Fowler, following David’s sad death. The character went on to become one of Walford’s most-loved residents, and when Todd left to the soap in 2003, it was an emotional goodbye as Mark set out on an adventure after being told his HIV medication was no longer working. The character later died off screen in 2004.
Sam Mitchell
Played by: Danniella Westbrook (1990–2000), Kim Medcalf (2002–05) and Danniella (2009–10, 2016)
Dan Wooller/REX Shutterstock/Nils Jorgensen
After a high-profile battle with drug addiction, EastEnders bosses recast Danniella’s role as Sam in 2002, with Kim Medcalf playing her until 2005. But then in one of the most high-profile recastings soapland has ever seen, Sam morphed back into Danniella when the character returned in 2009.
Martin Fowler
Played by: Jon Peyton-Price (1985–96), James Alexandrou (1996–2007) and James Bye (2014–)
BBC Pictures
James II took over the role when Martin returned to the Square in 2014. While it initially took fans a while to get used to the change, James II has transformed the character into one of the show’s most popular, who has been involved in some huge plots over the last six years.
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Michelle Fowler
Played by: Susan Tully (1985–1995) and Jenna Russell (2016–2018)
BBC
Much less successful, however, was the recasting of Martin’s elder sister Michelle, who returned to Albert Square after a 20-year absence with a brand new head. Viewers struggled to accept someone else playing the iconic character, and Jenna left the soap after less than two years in the role.
Shabnam Masood
Played by: Zahra Ahmadi (2007–08) and Rakhee Thakrar (2014–2016)
BBC Pictures
Rakhee’s starred in a number of emotional storylines after taking over the role of Masood and Zainab’s daughter, with the character’s stillbirth making for some of the most tear-jerking soap scenes of 2015.
Dennis Rickman
Played by: Harry Hickles (2012–15) and Bleu Landau (2015–2020)
BBC Pictures
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Prior to Bleu taking over the role of Dennis, Sharon’s son had spent a lot of time in his bedroom and rarely featured in storylines. But the character was later involved in one of the show’s biggest ever plots in 2020, when he was killed off in the dramatic boat crash as part of EastEnders’ 35th anniversary episodes.
Peggy Mitchell
Played by: Jo Warne (1991) and Barbara Windsor (1994–2010, 2013, 2016)
BBC
Recognise this Mitchell matriarch? Nope, thought not. This is Jo Warne, who starred as Peggy Mitchell in 1991, before being replaced by soap icon Barbara Windsor. Can you imagine an ‘EastEnders’ without Babs? Nope. Us neither.
Peter Beale
Played by: Every actor in existence.
BBC
Thomas Law and Ben Hardy are just two in a long line of Peter Beales, as a whooping seven actors have tackled the role. With Ben now busy cracking Hollywood, Dayle Hudson became the latest star to portray Ian’s eldest son when the character made a welcome return in 2020.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-16--How 'Childcare Bubbles' Work In The Three Tiers

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Half-term is fast-approaching, and with news that London, Essex, York, Chesterfield and parts of Surrey, Derbyshire and Cumbria are to join tier 2 lockdown from midnight Friday, scores of parents are worried about how that could affect their childcare arrangements.
The good news is, according to the government guidelines, informal childcare arrangements are still possible despite the new tier system. Families are allowed to form “childcare bubbles” with friends or relatives to help them look after their kids.
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“A childcare bubble is where someone in one household provides informal (unpaid and unregistered) childcare to a child aged 13 or under in another household,” the guidelines state. “For any given childcare bubble, this must always be between the same two households.”
A government spokesperson told HuffPost UK people are allowed to form childcare and individual support bubbles across tiers – meaning grandparents in a tier 2 area could travel to look after grandchildren in a tier 3, and vice versa.
“People can still form support and childcare bubbles across tiers, although they are encouraged to form these close to their home,” they added. This is designed to prevent the virus spreading from an area where there might be a higher rate of infection.
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Juanmonino via Getty Images
If you’re not sure exactly how it works, here’s how the rules are laid out, according to the three-tier system. You can check the government online postcode checker on its website to see how the restrictions affect you.
Tier 1: Medium
Registered childcare settings and schools are exempt from the ‘rule of six’. This includes supervised activities for children – such as wraparound care, youth groups and activities and playgroups. You can continue to use early years and childcare settings, including childminders, after-school clubs and nannies.
Family and friends can continue to provide informal childcare as long as groups from different households don’t exceed six people. You should, wherever possible, keep your distance from people you do not live with (unless you have formed a support bubble with them).
Thanasis Zovoilis via Getty Images
Tier 2: High
Registered childcare settings and schools are still exempt from the ‘rule of six’. This also includes supervised activities for children – such as wraparound care, youth groups and activities and playgroups. You can continue to use early years and childcare settings, including childminders, after-school clubs and nannies.
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The following people are allowed to provide childcare support in private homes and gardens:
registered childcare providers, including nannies
people in your support bubble
people in your childcare bubble
Friends or family who do not live with you and are not part of a support or childcare bubble must not visit your home to help with childcare. Childcare bubbles are to be used to provide childcare only, and not for the purposes of different households mixing where they are otherwise not allowed to do so.
Tier 3: Very high


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-16--Bizarre Russian Disinformation Campaign Claims UK Covid Vaccine Will Turn You Into A Monkey

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A Russian fake news campaign aiming to undermine the Oxford University Covid-19 vaccine is claiming that it could turn people into monkeys.
The bizarre reports and images were uncovered by a special investigation by The Times and claim patients can develop ape-like characteristics because the British-made vaccine uses a chimpanzee virus as a vector.
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One state TV channel even ran images of a suit-clad prime minister Boris Johnson with the hirsute features of a chimp. A Whitehall source told the newspaper the propaganda was “reckless and contemptible” and could damage people’s health.
Russian propaganda claims the British-made vaccine can turn you into a monkey .
The campaign is aimed at influencing nations to purchase the Russian frozen vaccine (Gam-Covid-Vac – known as Sputnik V), which has been trialled in the Burdenko Hospital in Moscow, involving both civilian and military volunteers.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “Any attempt to spread lies about coronavirus while we are trying to come together to find a vaccine is utterly deplorable.”
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They added that the UK has made its position “very clear to Russia” and “we know their track record in this area.”
Foreign secretary Dominic Raab told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “It’s a shabby piece of disinformation but it is very serious because it is an attempt to disrupt the attempts to find a safe vaccine.
“We know that Russia has a track record of using disinformation as a foreign policy tool [...] but actually any attempt to spread lies about Covid-19, and the vaccine in particular, when we’re trying to come together as an international community to resolve a global pandemic is utterly deplorable.”
It comes as the head of MI5 admitted British spies were racing to defend coronavirus vaccine work against hostile powers seeking to steal or sabotage research data in the race for the global first of providing a jab that could provide immunity.
Oxford University’s vaccine candidate, which has been licensed to AstraZeneca, is in late stage trials, while a vaccine candidate being developed by Imperial College London is in early stage clinical trials.
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“Clearly, the global prize of having a first useable vaccine against this deadly virus is a large one, so we would expect that a range of other parties around the globe would be quite interested in that research,” MI5 director general Ken McCallum told reporters.
McCallum, who was named the new boss of the security service in March when the United Kingdom was under national lockdown, said there were a range of threats against the vaccine development work.
“I guess there are two bits we are on the lookout for: attempts either to steal unique intellectual property that’s been generated in that research, or potentially to fiddle with the data,” he said.
“And then the second risk we’ve got to be alive to is the possibility that the research is still high integrity and sound, but that somebody tries to sow doubt about its integrity.”
Britain’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) said in July that hackers backed by the Russian state were trying to steal Covid-19 vaccine and treatment research from academic and pharmaceutical institutions around the world.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-16--Piers Morgan Admits He HAS Met With Britain's Got Talent Bosses About Returning To The Judging Panel

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Piers Morgan has responded to rumours that he’s set to return to the Britain’s Got Talent judging panel.
On Friday, The Sun reported that Piers had been approached to replace David Walliams in a bid to refresh the ITV talent show.
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According to the tabloid, a source claims the Good Morning Britain presenter would do the show if the “terms are right” after being approached by two senior ITV executives.
Piers later retweeted a photo of The Sun’s story, and did nothing to dispute the story with the accompanying caption...
Piers was a little more forthcoming about the rumours during an interview with his former co-judge Amanda Holden and Jamie Theakston on Friday’s edition of the Heart Breakfast Show.
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“It’s pretty obvious that the golden hour of Britain’s Got Talent was when I was a judge with you and Simon [Cowell], when we got 20 million viewers for one final,” Piers joked. “Obviously it’s not quite as strong as this year.”
He then added: “There’s something driven by the media that it needs a bit of spice back in the pot, of course it doesn’t get spicier than me.
“Let’s see what happens! I’ve had conversations,” he admitted.
Could @PiersMorgan be returning to @BGT as a judge? 😲
We set @AmandaHolden on the case to find out... pic.twitter.com/oKPosJekEk — Heart (@thisisheart) October 16, 2020
Piers was one of the show’s original judges alongside Amanda Holden and Simon Cowell when it launched in 2007.
David is reportedly contracted to do one more series of BGT, while Piers’ contract with GMB also expires next year.
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A Britain’s Got Talent spokesperson told HuffPost UK: “Unsurprisingly, during these times, it won’t come as a shock to the public to hear that no such discussions have taken place regarding BGT 2022.”
This year’s series of Britain’s Got Talent was won by comedy singer Jon Courtenay.
Of the 10 acts in the final, Jon received a total of 35.7% of the total vote, following the performance of his original song in the final.
For safety reasons, the performances in this year’s BGT final were pre-recorded ahead of time, although the results of the public vote were announced live.
Comedy singer Jon’s win was a notable one, as it marked the first time a Golden Buzzer act – picked by one of the judges to automatically win a spot in the semi-finals after their audition – has gone on to win the competition.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-16--Family Of 'Loved' Covid Doctor Paralysed On Ventilator Could Be Forced To Leave UK

Friends of a “loved and respected” hospital consultant who is paralysed on a ventilator after contracting coronavirus say they are worried his family will be forced leave the UK while he remains in intensive care.
A fundraising campaign has begun to help get legal assistance for 44-year-old consultant cardiologist Dr Basem Enany, who is in intensive care at Leeds General Infirmary after developing a rare complication of Covid-19.
As of Friday morning, more than £73,000 has been raised.
Dr Enany’s wife and four daughters have been unable to visit him in hospital due to the virus and now face the prospect of having to leave the UK when the Egyptian locum’s contract expires at the end of November.
His friend and colleague at York Hospital, Dr Sanjay Gupta, said Dr Enany was working as a locum at York Hospital before he became ill, but his contract is due to finish at the end of November.
He said his friend’s work visa will not be renewed and, therefore, his wife and four daughters, the youngest of whom is four, will be asked to leave the UK.
But, on Thursday evening, the Home Office said Dr Enany is not under threat of enforcement action and said it would be contacting the family and hospital to help.
Dr Gupta, said Dr Enany regularly spent long shifts on Covid wards looking after very sick patients at the height of the pandemic.
But in mid-September the consultant developed the symptoms himself, although he did not catch the virus at York Hospital as he was on leave.
Dr Gupta, who is also a consultant heart specialist, said his friend developed a weakness in both legs and this turned very rapidly into a progressive paralysis that spread to his arms and then his respiratory muscles.
He said Dr Enany was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome, which is a rare complication of some viruses, including Covid-19, only seen in 31 other cases across the world.
Dr Enany was put on a ventilator a fortnight ago and remains unable to move his arms and legs or breathe unassisted, although his brain is still functional and he is able to communicate.
Dr Gupta told the PA news agency: “He came to this country to help and now he is in a terrible situation.
“It’s just horrible what’s happened to him and we all just want to do everything we can to help.”
Dr Gupta said on his GoFundMe page: “Basem’s current status is that he is stable but still critically unwell.
“There is a chance that he may be able to regain the ability to breathe without support and gain function of his limbs but there is also a high chance that he may not make it, or be left with permanent disability.
“What is certain is that he will spend several months in intensive care and will not be able to go back to the profession that he loved so dearly for several months or even years.”
Dr Gupta described Dr Enany, who lives in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, is a “devoted husband and a loving father”.
He has started a fundraising campaign to help secure specialist legal advice for the family’s immigration situation and also support them as they face losing Dr Enany’s income.
Dr Gupta said: “He is the sole breadwinner for his family. Before this sudden illness, Basem was a completely fit and healthy man.
“As part of his job, Basem has looked after and saved the lives of several critically ill cardiac patients and is loved and respected by his colleagues and his patients.”
He said: “As a friend and colleague, I feel both heartbroken and helpless. Whilst I am worried about Basem, I am equally worried about the future for his wife and daughters.”
A Home Office spokeswoman said: “Dr Enany is here entirely legally and has every right to remain the UK. Our thoughts are with his family, and we will be urgently contacting them and his employer so we can help at this difficult time.
“Health and social care professionals from all over the world play a vital role in hospitals and care homes across the UK and we are hugely grateful.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-16--9 Celeb Moments That Brought Us Joy In A Week Of Tiers And Fears | Good Vibes Only

9 Celeb Moments That Brought Us Joy In A Week Of Tiers And Fears | Good Vibes Only
It’s been a week of tiers and fears, but there was still plenty of joy to be found in the world of entertainment. Gemma Collins gave us serious I’m A Celebrity deja vu as she had an encounter with a polar bear and the voice of Peppa Pig shocked fans as she changed lanes with a role in Netflix’s The Haunting Of Bly Manor. Meanwhile, Lewis Capaldi did not hold anything back in his latest Instagram story and it was also 20 years since one of the most memorable – and mortifying – awards show moments ever.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-16--Sir Michael Palin Slams 'Dangerous' Trump: 'He's Outdone The Satirists'

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Sir Michael Palin has said that Donald Trump has “outdone the satirists”, calling him a “dangerous figure”.
The Monty Python star said the US president is hard to make amusing jokes about as it is “very, very difficult to be funnier, more absurd and more outrageous than he really is”.
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Speaking to CNN, Michael said: “People see him, well not as a figure of fun actually, a more dangerous figure than that.
Sir Michael Palin Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock
“People really see that, there’s nothing much a comedian could add to it, saying, ‘Oh by the way, do you know that Donald Trump has got an orange face?’
“We all know that!”
He added: “All those little things, that one might have dreamt up, exist. They’re there already. He’s outdone the satirists.”
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He also labelled the US president’s rallies as “quite sinister”.
Donald Trump Shutterstock
Sir Michael also shared his thoughts on UK prime minister Boris Johnson, saying he “looks like somebody that’s been created by a satirical show”.
He added: ”[People have to] try and find the humour there somehow, but it’s difficult to find at the moment to be honest.”
It is not the first time Sir Michael has blasted Trump, as he called the US leader “completely bizarre” during an Australian TV appearance in 2018.
“Trump is just his own man. Actually as a comedian I like him. Because it’s so completely bizarre and idiotic, his behaviour. And totally, completely shameless. He’ll change his mind about anything at any moment and it’s quite bracing that in a way.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-16--US Coastal Town Orders Locals To Stop Calling 911 About Giant Fish

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The local government of Wareham, a town in southern Massachusetts’ Plymouth County, has asked locals to please stop calling the police about a big, blobby fish that has been spotted minding its own business in coastal waters.
The fish — a whopper of a creature that has attracted dozens of emergency calls since Monday from locals mistaking it for a shark or a seal, according to The Cape Code Times — is an ocean sunfish.
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Formally known by the genus name Mola, the ocean sunfish (Mola mola) can grow to nearly 10 feet in length, weighing in at more than a stunning 4,400 pounds.
An enormous sunfish in San Diego, California, with a diver nearby for scale. Barcroft Media via Getty Images
Sightings of the monstrously sized swimmer began popping up in Wareham’s Broad Cove, with enough locals calling 911 to eventually warrant personnel from the Warham Department of Natural Resources to take a look.
Their verdict, as reported on Facebook: “The sunfish is doing normal sunfish activities. It’s swimming. It is not stranded or suffering. The sunfish is FINE. ... PLEASE STOP CALLING THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ABOUT THIS SUNFISH!!”
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Ocean sunfish are no strangers to New England, and in September, one was freed after it managed to wedge itself along a pier at the Scusset Beach State Reservation at Cape Cod Canal in Massachusetts, with footage capturing only a brief glimpse of the fish’s fin on the New England Coastal Wildlife Alliance’s Facebook page.
Carol Carson, president of the New England Coastal Wildlife Alliance, told The Cape Cod Times that sunfish sightings happen every fall and that the big swimmers are generally gentle giants — except for their tendency to spit at people when bothered.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-16--Name Brexit Lorry Park After Nigel Farage, Petition Urges Kent County Council

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From ‘Nigel Farage to be stripped of his EU Pension’ to ‘Nigel Farage must be involved in the Brexit negotiations’, the lead Brexiteer has been the subject of a petition or two in his time.
But a new petition focuses on permanently associating Farage’s name with one of the most unpopular unintended consequences of the UK’s departure from the EU.
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Hundreds of people have already signed a petition, set up yesterday, to name a post-Brexit lorry park in Ashford, Kent – soon set to hold up to 1,700 vehicles in a bid to avoid huge queues on the M20 – after Farage himself.
By early Friday morning, the petition had reached more than 5,000 signatures.
Addressed to Kent County Council, the petition states: “It is fitting that every lorry driver, every commuter and every local resident has a chance to link this fine example of civil engineering to its true hero.”
It continues: “It maybe that Mr Farage will be unable or unwilling to attend the unveiling of this great honour that we do him but that shouldn’t get in the way of seeing his name and huge gurn plastered all over the boundary fence.”
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May it be forever known as the #FarageGarage pic.twitter.com/IaKPMga7Lz — R1ch1e5 (@R1ch1e5) October 15, 2020
Potential chaos on the M20 through Kent due to customs delays at the Channel crossing has been a key point of contention throughout the Brexit process, with preparations becoming increasingly urgent as the UK gears up to leave EU regulations behind on January 4.
The government’s Operation Yellowhammer documents, which assess the potential implications of a no-deal Brexit and were made public in 2019, state that in a worst-case scenario it could take lorries up to two-and-a-half days before being able to cross into France.
An aerial picture shows excavators working at the Brexit lorry park near Ashford in Kent. BEN STANSALL via Getty Images
It emerged on Thursday that portable toilets could be installed alongside roads in Kent in case lorry drivers get stuck in congestion – a week after the Government confirmed that lorry drivers using the Channel crossings will need an access permit to enter the county following the end of the transition period.
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The huge site in Ashford has also become the topic of renewed anger after a public consultation was released on the plans, four months after work began.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-16--Trump 'Kisses Dictators' Butts', Republican Lawmaker Says In Blistering Attack Caught On Tape

Continuing, Sasse said, “The United States now regularly sells out our allies under his leadership, the way he treats women, spends like a drunken sailor. The ways I criticise (former) President (Barack) Obama for that kind of spending; I’ve criticised President Trump for as well. He mocks evangelicals behind closed doors. His family has treated the presidency like a business opportunity. He’s flirted with white supremacists.”
He also slammed the president for refusing to take the Covid-19 pandemic seriously for months, saying his leadership during the health crisis has not been “reasonable or responsible or right.”
The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment.
James Wegmann, a spokesperson for Sasse, in comments to The Washington Post would not say if the senator will vote for Trump. Sasse, 38, is seeking a second term in November. Along with that race, Wegmann told the Post his boss is focusing on maintaining GOP control of the Senate.
Sasse was endorsed by Trump in September 2019 and easily defeated a challenger in Nebraska’s GOP primary in May. In a Twitter spat with Trump in August, he called four executive actions signed by the president “unconstitutional slop.” That prompted Trump to attack him as a “RINO” ― Republican In Name Only ― and claim Sasse had gone “rogue” after getting his support when he needed it. The senator responded that he never asked for the endorsement, “nor did I use it in the campaign.”
Sasse is heavily favoured to win reelection. His Democratic challenger, Chris Janicek, has refused to drop out of the race despite revelations that he sent sexually explicit text messages about his campaign’s fundraising director. In response, Nebraska’s Democratic Party has endorsed another man as a write-in candidate.
Listen to the recording from the Washington Examiner below.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-16--Love Actually Child Star Labels Festive Romcom Cheesy And Sexist: 'I Think It's A S*** Film'

One of the child stars who starred in Love Actually has labelled the film “cheesy and sexist”, 19 years after appearing in the Christmas classic.
Lulu Popplewell played Emma Thompson’s daughter Daisy in the 2003 movie, who most film fans will remember for her star turn as a lobster in the school nativity play.
Lulu Popplewell played Emma Thompson’s daughter Daisy in the 2003 movie. Universal
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Asked about Richard Curtis’s Yuletide favourite, which follows eight London couples as they deal with different complications to their relationships. Poppy admitted she thought the film was “shit”.
“I don’t regret it at all,’ she told the Almost Famous podcast. “Look, softly be it spoken I think it’s a shit film.
“I think it’s aged badly. All the women in it are sort of passive objects. I think that there was an article describing them as passive objects to be acquired.
“On re-watching it’s not great. You also have to remember that [Richard Curtis] was writing in the context of the time.
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“I mean, I don’t know how he excuses more recent work. But it was in 2003 or whenever it was out.
“But it is also not for me because I don’t like cheese. I’m glad people like it.”
Lulu Popplewell Comedy Arcade/ Twitter
Lulu also reminisced about meeting superstar Hugh Grant, who played the prime minister, for the first time.
“I remember meeting Hugh Grant as well, ’cause Richard introduced me to him,” Poppy recalled.
“And he said, ‘Oh god do I have to speak to her? I hate children’. Non-ironically. Which I thought was really funny.”
Love Actually Universal
And Lulu revealed she wasn’t allowed to watch the film when it came out because she was too young.
She continued: “I wasn’t even allowed to watch it when it came out because it was a 15 – there’s nipples and everything.”
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-16--5 Fibs You Were Told This Week About Coronavirus, Test And Trace, And Cornish Pasties

Both statements are false.
Herd immunity does not require the absolute eradication of a disease but occurs when a large enough percentage of a population becomes immune so that it doesn’t spread exponentially.
For instance, if 80% of a population have immunity to a virus, four out of every five people who come into contact with someone with the virus will not get sick and further spread the disease.
Herd immunity is achieved either through vaccination or exposing enough of a population to the virus in question. It is supported by decades of scientific research.
Secondly, new cases of measles and chicken pox still occur because people are not born with immunity to them, meaning the disease is impossible to eradicate entirely – but prevalence diminishes gradually over time.
The DHSC did not say whether Dorries’ tweet was an official government line when asked by HuffPost UK.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-16--Gloria Estefan's Daughter Emily Says Mum Had Hurtful Response To Her Coming Out

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Musician Emily Estefan opened up about her journey to living authentically as a queer woman this week, noting that her sexuality wasn’t initially embraced by her mother, Gloria Estefan.
On Wednesday’s episode of the Facebook Watch series Red Table Talk: The Estefans, Emily spoke at length about the moment she came out as a lesbian.
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Speaking to her mother directly, the 25-year-old said she was urged to keep quiet about her personal life around her Cuban grandmother, Gloria Fajardo.
“I was like, ‘Hey, I’m in love with this girl,’” Emily recalled. “The first thing you said was, ‘If you tell your grandma and she dies, her blood is on your hands.’ I just wasn’t ready for that.”
“So that’s where my hurt started,” she added. “I’m never going to forget that.”
These days, Emily is happily in a relationship with Gemeny Hernandez, and the two women aren’t shy about expressing their love for each other on social media.
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Gloria notably didn’t rebut Emily’s claim on Red Table Talk: The Estefans. Still, she said her daughter was “remembering things, as we all tend to do, in a different way.”
“I was trying to protect both my ailing mother from any shock that could affect her health, and Emily from anything that could harm their relationship,” she explained.
Fajardo died in 2017 at age 88. Still, she never learned the truth about her granddaughter, who came out publicly that same year.
The conversation may come as a surprise to many fans. As the lead singer of Miami Sound Machine and a solo artist, Gloria Estefan garnered a diverse fan base, and she has expressed her support for LGBTQ causes in numerous interviews.
Emily Estefan (middle) with her parents, Emilio and Gloria Estefan. David M. Benett via Getty Images
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In 2012 and 2015, she guest-starred on Glee as the mother of lesbian cheerleader Santana Lopez, played by Naya Rivera. She also appeared opposite Jim Belushi in 2017’s A Change of Heart, about a racist and homophobic man (Belushi) who undergoes a heart transplant, after which he begins to moonlight as a drag queen.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Emily said she didn’t want the new episode of Red Table Talk to change fans’ minds about her mother, but hoped it would encourage conversations between LGBTQ youth and their parents.
“I wouldn’t be doing anybody justice if I went up there and lied and said that it was easy or that there weren’t complex emotions involved, even though my mom has been such a fierce supporter of the LGBTQ community,” she said. “Everybody has a perspective. And as human beings, we’re always trying to be understood instead of understanding.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-16--Instead Of These Ableist Words, Use Inclusive Language At Work

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When you talk about something going poorly at work, how do you describe it? Think carefully.
If you say “insane,” “psycho,” “lame,” “moronic,” or “crazy,” that’s ableist.
You may work with someone who has a disability or have one yourself, so it behooves you to learn about the power everyday words hold and the pain you can inflict by using inconsiderate language at work.
Ableism could be showing up in your language at work.
Ableism has multiple working definitions. It’s the discrimination and oppression of people with disabilities. One law review journal describes it as the “stereotypes about people with disabilities that acts as a barrier to keep them from achieving their full potential as equal citizens.”
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And as disability activist Stacey Milbern describes it in the video below, ableism is “a system of oppression that favours ablebodied-ness at any cost, frequently at the expense of people with disabilities.”
Ableism is reinforced when terms that refer to abilities are used as pejoratives. Words like “crazy,” for example, perpetuate the false notion that having a mental illness or psychological disability is so horrible and undesirable that it can be used as an insult, as attorney Lydia X. Z. Brown notes in a blog post on the violence of linguistic ableism.
When your workday is going horribly, call it “overwhelming” or “ridiculous” instead of resorting to words associated with mental illness. Brown offers alternative phrasing like “wild, confusing, unpredictable, impulsive, reckless, fearless, lives on the edge, thrill-seeker, risk-taker [and] out of control” you can use instead of words like “crazy” or “bonkers.”
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Be careful about the metaphors you use at your workplace, too. Instead of being “crippled” by the amount of work you have to do, consider better alternatives like “frozen by, stopped by, completely stuck,” Brown suggests.
Consider who is in the room when you use metaphors around physical ability. Douglas Kruse, co-director of Rutgers University’s Programme for Disability Research, uses a wheelchair and noted that phrases like “let’s all walk over” can be excluding people who do not have that physical ability: “It’s a little odd when we talk about, ‘Let’s all walk over to the student union together.’ Well I’m not walking, but it’s not meant in any hostile way.”
nadia_bormotova via Getty Images
But when words around physical ability are used in a pejorative phrase, it can be seen as hostile. Terms like “blind spot” or metaphors like “falling on deaf ears” can also perpetuate false ideas about what living and working with a disability is like. “People who are blind, for example, do not lack in knowledge; they simply have different ways of obtaining it,” educator Liat Ben-Moshe notes in an essay on disabling language in the classroom.
“When a student tells me, ’I didn’t know what do. I was paralysed,’” Ben-Moshe writes, “I think to myself, ‘Funny, I’m paralysed, but I do know what to do.’ I stop listening to my student’s complaint and feel offended by the conversation.”
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By using more precise language, you show consideration to your colleagues by not making ableism one more factor they have to deal with on top of deadlines and deliverables. For more examples of words to avoid, check out the longer glossary of ableist language and alternatives that Brown maintains on their blog.
If you call out ableist words, it doesn’t need to be a long conversation.
Lisa Schur, Kruse’s co-director at the Rutgers program, noted that not everyone is in a psychologically safe work environment that enables them to call out instances of ableist language. But if you do feel comfortable challenging it, you can use the script that Schur did when a colleague said an idea was “crazy” during a workshop.
Schur said she raised her hand and said, “’When you use the word crazy, that actually can be hurtful to people who have mental disabilities, who deal with mental illness.′ And that was all I said, and people acknowledged that and moved on.”
By calling it out, you can be an ally for people with disabilities. “Often people with those kinds of [mental or cognitive] disabilities may be reluctant, because it’s calling attention to their specific disability,” Schur said.
And when you’re thinking of using a word like “crazy,” “it’s better to say ‘that just doesn’t make sense’ or something much more neutral,” Kruse said.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-16--Does Dry Cleaning Kill Covid-19 On Clothing?

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But what about the “dry clean only” clothes in our closets that can’t be tossed into the washing machine? Would dry cleaning sanitise these items against Covid-19?
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First, you need to know a bit about how the dry cleaning process works. The term “dry cleaning” is somewhat of a misnomer, as your clothes do get wet ― just not with water. Instead, a chemical solvent ― most commonly perchloroethylene ― is used to clean garments. (Green dry cleaners may use liquid carbon dioxide, a silicone-based solvent or a wet cleaning method instead.)
After that, the garments may be ironed, steamed or pressed. Turns out, it’s the higher temperatures used during these processes — not chemical cleaning solvents — that are capable of killing the virus, said Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious diseases doctor and professor of medicine at University of California, San Francisco.
“The high level of heat used in pressing and ironing during the dry cleaning process is pretty reliable,” he said. “The virus hates heat.”
So is dry cleaning better at sanitising than doing laundry at home?
Based on current research about fabric and Covid-19, there’s no indication that one method is better than the other, as long as your laundry reaches a high enough temperature. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, flu viruses are killed by heat above 167℉ (75℃). Studies of the coronavirus recommend 20 minutes above 140℉ (60℃).
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artwell via Getty Images The chemicals used in dry cleaning don't kill viruses, but the heat applied during pressing and ironing can.
“There isn’t evidence that dry cleaning is more or less effective at killing the coronavirus compared to washing in the washing machine,” said Melissa J. Perry, professor and chair of environmental and occupational health at The George Washington University’s Milken Institute School of Public Health.
In other words, you don’t need to spring for professional dry cleaning on items you wouldn’t normally dry clean.
“Dry cleaning can be used for dry clean-only materials, whereas regular laundering is sufficient for washable garments and bedding,” Perry said.
When doing laundry at home, the CDC website says you can “launder items as appropriate in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.” But it recommends using the warmest water the fabric will allow and drying the items completely.
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“A normal wash cycle, combined with the use of a deep-cleaning detergent, is sufficient for everyday cleaning in healthy households and also very effective for killing respiratory viruses that cause colds, flu and Covid-19,” microbiologist Kelly Reynolds, a professor and department chair at the University of Arizona, told Futurity.org, noting that higher water temperatures generally kill more germs.
If someone in your household is sick, however, you should take extra precautions when doing their laundry. Wear disposable gloves when handling their dirty clothes or linens, avoid shaking them out (you don’t want to disperse the virus) and wash your hands afterward. You can also machine-dry clothes on the high heat setting for added protection.
“When cleaning garments at home, one can also increase the efficiency of killing the virus by using bleach in the cleaning process when garments allow bleach,” said Diana Ceballos, assistant professor at the Boston University School of Public Health.
Do I need to dry clean clothes more often during Covid-19?
It depends, Chin-Hong said. “Certainly if the [garment] belongs to a family member who has recently been diagnosed with Covid, I would prioritise this to be dry cleaned as soon as you can,” he said. “Otherwise, it may be a good idea to dry clean these items if back from a vacation or travel. Or, if used in a potentially risky environment as an essential worker — like in health care — you could have them cleaned more frequently.”
andresr via Getty Images You’re more likely to contract the virus by congregating with unmasked patrons inside a dry cleaning establishment than from the clothes themselves.
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But if you’re not sick and have no known exposure to the virus, then there’s no need to make extra trips to the dry cleaner.
“Dry cleaning as usual to maintain the cleanliness of the garment is sound practice and there is currently no evidence to suggest more dry cleaning than usual is necessary,” Perry said.
How worried should I be about coronavirus on my clothes?
At this point, not very. The primary way the virus spreads is through close person-to-person contact and through the air. While transmission via surfaces is possible, it’s less common. And soft surfaces, like fabric, are thought to be less hospitable to the virus than hard ones.
“There is generally very low risk that the virus can live for a long time on clothing or bedding unless someone has recently coughed on it with a lot of respiratory secretions,” Chin-Hong said. “Viruses probably live for one to two days on fabric, compared to five to seven days on cold hard surfaces like doorknobs and faucets. [The virus] is not a great aficionado of soft and porous surfaces like most clothing.”
You’re more likely to contract Covid-19 by congregating with unmasked customers inside the dry cleaning establishment than you would be from the clothes themselves, Chin-Hong said.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-16--Isolated and Confused: Expectant Mums Feel The Strain Of The Tier System

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Pregnant women and new mums have told HuffPost UK they’re worried about being isolated under the new three-tier system, with friends and family banned from visiting across much of England.
The new system, which came into place on Wednesday, divides the country into categories and restricts travel to higher tier areas. Mixing indoors with another household is also completely banned in tier 2 and tier 3 areas.
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At midnight on Friday, a number of areas including London, Essex, York and north-east Derbyshire will be moved from tier 1 to tier 2, as restrictions increase.
It comes after pregnant women have spoken about the strain on their mental health during the pandemic. They were placed in the “high risk” group in March and since then, many have had to attend appointments, scans and even parts of their labour alone, due to restrictions in hospitals. Antenatal classes and postnatal midwife visits – both vital support services for women – have also been heavily disrupted.
Laura MacLeman, 33 and based in Croydon, London, is worried about the changing status of the capital under the new tier system.
The first-time-mum has already had a challenging pregnancy; she’s only seen her midwife once in six months, her husband hasn’t been allowed to attend any of her scans, and she’s still not sure how much of the birth he will be able to attend.
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Now, the new restrictions will cut her off from her parents, who have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of their grandchild.
“My parents are in South Yorkshire, which has already been put into tier 2,” says MacLeman. “I’ve only seen my mum twice while I’ve been pregnant, and we haven’t been able to hug when I have seen her, which has been tough.”
Laura MacLeman Laura MacLeman
Her biggest concern, though, is the lack of information about how long the tiers are expected to last and whether we’ll still be subject to these rules by her due date in January.
“It seems like regions that have been put under restrictions haven’t come out of them, so I’m hugely worried about whether my parents will be able to come and meet their first grandchild,” she says.
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MacLeman and her husband are also anxious about how they’ll cope without regular contact with friends in London, plus they’re worried antenatal classes won’t take place and midwife visits will be limited as cases continue to rise.
“It takes away your confidence quite a lot,” saysMacLeman, who has documented her experience of pregnancy during the pandemic on Instagram with @pandemic_preggo. “It feels like you’re really being left to go it alone and trust your instincts when it comes to pregnancy and parenting.”
Another frustration to her is that the whole of London has been lumped into the same tier. “It just all seems so arbitrary – my brother-in-law lives less than half an hour from us outside the M25, will we be allowed to mix with him or not?” she asks. “It’s also frustrating because Croydon has one of the lowest infection rates of all the London boroughs, way below the 100 threshold.”
Olivia, a 26-year-old from South Yorkshire, is 35 weeks pregnant and already living under tier 2 restrictions. “The thought of possibly having the baby but no family being able to meet the baby after is upsetting and also scary,” says Olivia, who chose not to share her surname. “I feel like any mum with a newborn needs all the support from family and friends around them.”
Olivia’s concerns are heightened because she has experienced complications throughout her pregnancy. She’s been in and out of hospital with bleeds, and at one point had to stay in overnight for observation, without her husband. She was permitted one visitor, but as the couple already have two children, her husband had to stay home with them.
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She’s currently having growth scans every three weeks, which again she’s had to attend alone. “It’s all a very anxious time and upsetting time,” she says. “I do feel like covid has slightly spoilt my pregnancy experience for me.”
The introduction of the tier system has also worried new mums. Nana-Adwoa Mbeutcha, who gave birth to her fourth child seven months ago, is hoping her area of Bedfordshire remains in tier 1.
“Currently I’m barely sleeping because my baby is up all night, but I have support from my husband and my mum. Take that away and I’d be a mess,” says Mbeutcha, who is one fifth of the Dope Black Mums podcast.
“Just as restaurants and pubs are will be given leeway to still serve food even in worst hit areas, similar thought needs to be given to those who are vulnerable or genuinely need support. My heart goes out to single parents especially.”
Nana-Adwoa Mbeutcha Nana-Adwoa Mbeutcha and her youngest son.
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An online petition is calling for new mums to be able to form support bubbles in regions where households are prevented from mixing. It quickly gained more than 7,000 signatures after the tier system was introduced on Wednesday.
Samantha Dunn, 34 and based in Newcastle upon Tyne, has been trying to gain support for the petition through her Instagram account, @mummymacadventures.
Dunn was 35 weeks pregnant when the UK went into lockdown in March. She had to attend appointments and growth scans alone, despite the fact that her husband is a key worker and was working in a hospital the entire time. She’s concerned the new restrictions will be tough on pregnant women once more.
As a new mum, Dunn has also felt isolated for the past month, since Newcastle upon Tyne was placed in local lockdown.
Samantha Dunn Samantha Dunn and her family.
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“We have not been allowed to socialise with anyone outside of our own household,” she says. “I feel very lucky that things like Facetime are available to keep in touch with family and friends, but obviously it just isn’t the same.”
Dunn adds that she’s been “hugely” worried about the impact on mothers‘ mental health throughout the pandemic.
“I feel particularly for first time mums who may not yet have that support network of other mum friends that you make during maternity leave,” she says.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-16--Deporting An Autistic Black Man Exposes This Government's Hypocrisy On Racism

Osime Brown Change.org
This Black History Month, across my newsfeed I’ve seen government ministers issuing statements about how much they value Black Britons.
The problem is, I find it hard to believe, when I know at the same time they are working to deport a vulnerable Black autistic man to a country he doesn’t know and isn’t safe in.
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Osime Brown is a 21-year-old who is autistic and has learning difficulties. He was convicted after seeing friends steal a phone, under the controversial Joint Enterprise Law, despite witnesses saying he tried to stop his friends from committing the crime.
Now, after serving a prison sentence, Osime is facing further punishment of deportation to Jamaica, a country he has not been to since the age of four.
Osime’s mum, Joan, says that with no support network there her son’s life is at risk if the deportation takes place. With little idea of what’s happening, one heartbreaking question Osime asked his mum was: “Which bus would I have to catch back from Jamaica to visit your home in Dudley?”
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Aa Black autistic person myself, with autistic children, his situation feels close to home. One of my children is the same age as Osime, and I can imagine too clearly how horrifying it would be to go through that situation, as both a mother and as an autistic person.
I can also see how Osime’s case speaks to systemic issues too. I run an autistic-led organisation called Autistic Inclusive Meets. We have always campaigned for inclusion, and protested against the abuse of autistic people. So, I’ve seen time and time again how our government systems fail both Black and autistic people – and Osime’s case is the unfortunate culmination of this.
Osime wasn’t diagnosed with autism until he was 16. Overall, that is late for a diagnosis, but it is not uncommon for Black boys. Black people statistically struggle to gain access to assessments let alone diagnosis. Instead of getting the academic and social support he needed then, Osime, like many of us, was wrongly seen by his teachers as troublesome, stubborn and stand offish. Covering his ears due to sensory overwhelm was seen as rudeness. Meltdowns due to sheer frustration at not being able to communicate his needs was seen as bad behaviour.
“Osime’s case is one that should never have come to be.”
As a teenager he then fell in with the “wrong crowd”, who would ultimately steal the phone that led to his conviction. It’s something that many autistic people are vulnerable to; we can often be susceptible to peer pressure and suffer from low self confidence that can lead to falling into groups like this.
All of this is compounded by how criminalisation and deportation disproportionately impact Black people in the UK. The Joint Enterprise Law Osime was convicted under is disproportionately used on young Black men.
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Moreover, from the attempted deportation of thousands of elderly members of the Windrush generation, to the attempted deportation of the Roberts twins to different countries, the last decade has seen this government work to unjustly remove Black Britons with links to the Caribbean – often under inhumane circumstances.
In the last six months I have been working with Osime’s family to stop his deportation from taking place. 132,730 people have now put their names to our Change.org petition, we’ve held two protests outside the Home Office, appeared on national TV, and won the support of MPs like Nadia Whittome and John McDonnell, along with Neurodivergent Labour.
Now there looks like there could be a glimmer of hope. After previously being told that once released from Prison Osime would be sent to a detention centre, the Home Office has back-tracked on the ruling and let him return home into his mother’s care whilst he awaits his deportation.
Speaking with his mother, she told me Osime is in a state of exhaustion and feels dizzy going up and down the stairs. She speaks fondly that he’s enjoying her home cooking; fried dumplings and ackee is a favourite meal he has long been without. She’s happy to watch him sleep, yet still goes to bed crying as she knows he may still be ripped from his home and placed on a plane unaccompanied to Jamaica any day.
While his removal is still imminent I have to hope that if we keep speaking out, we can and will get the government to listen.
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Osime’s case is one that should never have come to be. As a society we need to unlearn our biases, and develop better ways to support Black and neurodivergent people. What people like Osime need is community support, not criminalisation and deportation.
This month, I need the government to know that if they want to show they value Black Lives they need to do more than a social media post, they need to start supporting and protecting the lives of Black people like Osime.
Emma Dalmayne is an autistic mother, activist, author and CEO of Autistic Inclusive Meets.