Soaliha Iqbal

28th March 2021

The Major | Coming Autumn 2021

The Major will be Australia's most diverse online publisher, and we're so excited to bring you opinions, coverage and ideas from some of the best Bla(c)k, Indigenous and people of colour creators around the country.

Want a little taste of what The Major will be? Sign up to our official newsletter mailing list below, and between now and our launch date, you'll get one article per week direct to your inbox. It'll give you a little dabble at the amazing content we'll be making, with diverse Austra

Mamamia • 21st August 2020

We need to talk about the different reactions to Zoe-Clare and Areeba’s edits on The Bachelor.

To catch up on all The Bachelor Australia 2020 recaps and gossip, check out Mamamia’s recaps and visit our Bachelor hub page.

We're only two weeks into this season of The Bachelor and well, it's already been a lot. And unfortunately for all the wrong reasons.

Everyone tells me not to expect much from a show that pits women against each other to vie for the attention of a man, and they’re right, but even my lowest expectations for Australian TV didn’t account for the racism I've seen unfold thi

5Why • 9th June 2020

#BlackLivesMatter Protesters In Long Bay Jail Are Getting Tear Gassed So Bad It's Affecting Locals

The #BlackLivesMatter movement in Australia is building incredible momentum, with hundreds of thousands of protesters marching across the country on Saturday – but the protests aren’t just out on the street. Prisoners in Sydney’s Long Bay Jail, where David Dungay was killed, have been protesting too.

There’s been ongoing protests at Long Bay prison in NSW for the Black Lives Matter movement, but their treatment is starkly different from our own treatment out on the streets.

The Immediate Actio

5Why • 7th May 2020

All The Debate Around Adele Losing Weight Is Gross And Needs To Stop

Yesterday, Adele posted a picture on Instagram for her 32nd birthday, and it broke the internet.

She’s looking way slimmer than before, she’s changed up her entire style, and overall she seems to be thriving. That’s definitely what the comments on Instagram and Twitter reckon, and that was my first reaction too. Then I had to ask myself why I feel so invested in a woman’s bodyweight.

TBH, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with cheering her on – if Adele is healthy, happy with her weight loss an

5Why • 30th January 2020

It's 2020 And Yet We Have Ridiculously Racist Headlines Around The Coronavirus

We previously spoke about the absolutely disgusting racism coming out of Aussies around the coronavirus, and how much anti-Chinese hysteria was being excused and justified on the grounds of people’s fear.

As we’ve stated, anyone using the coronavirus as an excuse to be openly racist and breed anti-Asian sentiments can get fucked.

Unsurprisingly however, it’s not just people online – actual newspapers have been posting glaringly racist and offensive headlines, mostly to do with Asians, in regar

5Why • 28th January 2020

Stop Using The Coronavirus To Justify Your Racism Against Chinese People, K?

If I see one more racist tweet against Chinese people because of the coronavirus I’m going to cancel the whole of Australia because quite frankly, I’ve had enough.

From blaming Chinese people by inferring that they’re unhygienic and uncivilised to demanding that we lock them all up and close our borders to Asia, the anti-Chinese/anti-Asian hysteria in Australian media around the coronavirus is quite frankly, disgusting.

Don’t Act Like Chinese People Somehow Deserve The Virus

For some reason,

5Why • 12th November 2019

The Government Is Absolutely To Blame For The Bushfires And Here's Your Proof

Over 150 homes have been destroyed in devastating bushfires, and it’s only spring. Three people are dead. Many are severely injured. Hundreds of koalas were described as ‘cremated.’ This is the climate crisis. This is what the government was warned about. But nobody listened. And now, people are dying.

The Government Is Putting Through A Pro-Coal Bill Right As We Burn In Bushfires

NSW Parliament, who have been sending thoughts and prayers for the raging bushfires in their state, are at the sam

Mamamia • 3rd November 2019

'I was told to take off my hijab off by a security guard. It's part of a much bigger story.'

Last Friday, on the 25th of October, I was going out to dinner in the city with my friends. After finally completing my midterm exams, and then being surrounded by a jubilant crowd in a climate protest, I was feeling empowered.

The crowd’s repeated cries that “change is coming” sounded like a unique and powerful melody, one that bubbles up inside you and fills you with something special and hard to find – hope. I left that protest feeling full of laughter and jubilation, with a sense of quiet c

5Why • 15th October 2019

Why All The Incel Comparisons To The New Joker Movie Are So Wrong

Admittedly, when I originally saw the trailer for the new Joker movie I didn’t have much interest in it. I’m not really a DC girl, and after the abysmal performance of Jared Leto’s Joker, I was pretty put off.

After its release, the reviews seemed really mixed – on the one hand the movie was hailed as beautiful, revolutionary and a deep commentary on society, and on the other hand… people were saying this movie validates incels? I kept hearing whispers that this was a movie that validates white

5Why • 8th October 2019

Rapture Nightclub's Treatment Of Women Just Proves Rape Culture Is Still Alive And Kicking

Rapture nightclub from Perth has been outed after their appalling response to a woman’s request for stronger security.

19-year-old Shantel Smith was enjoying a night out at Rapture nightclub when she started to have symptoms commonly associated with date rape drugs. This led her to believe her drink must have been spiked, which was consolidated after she spoke to other friends who had attended the nightclub and had the same issue.

The next day, she messaged Rapture nightclub on Facebook to let