Season 2 Episode 2: Ye or Nay, Midnights & Qatar Controversy

We are delighted that you’re with us for the journey on season 2 of Youth Updates. If you missed episode/blog 1 then you might want to check that out here too! However, we’ve got our usual drop of 3 topics plus our word for the month, so settle in! HOT TOPIC: Ye or nay? Ye (formerly known as Kanye West) has been put under a spotlight recently, given some controversial and hurtful statements he publicly made on social media. These comments were extremely anti-semitic in nature and have garnered backlash from all over the internet for his discriminatory remarks. Given his fame and celebrity status it, unfortunately, inspired other hate groups to use it as an opportunity to fuel further hate rhetoric. His comments have been taken extremely seriously and there have been huge repercussions. For example, he has lost his brand deal with Adidas (through whom he had a hugely popular shoe range), has had a documentary shelved, had a waxwork removed from Madame Tussauds and was escorted off the premises of Sketchers HQ when trying to pitch moving his shoe range to them instead. This is just the latest in a string of extreme statements made by Ye – many of which young people are aware of as they do the rounds regularly online. However, he is not a well man and openly acknowledges this too. Another key element in all of this is the faith elements that have been woven throughout his work. For example, his gospel albums, his Sunday service choir and including the name of Jesus in conversations (sometimes in relation to hurtful comments too). When helping young people navigate what they see in both faith and celebrity culture and the impact of Ye’s statements, it’s key we help them deal with it wisely. POP CULTURE: Midnights and Taylor Fever Taylor Swift, the pop songstress, has done it again. She recently released her album Midnights which has swept through the pop music world. As it stands, when you head to the UK chart OR the global chart on Spotify, the top 14 songs are all from her new album (except one song by Sam Smith). If you haven’t heard the album, perhaps go and check it out! Taylor goes all in on story-telling and relatable vulnerability, perhaps making this record so popular. The top song ‘Anti-Hero’ feature the lyrics ‘it’s me, hi, I'm the problem, it’s me’ and relays Swift’s fears of being the problem and her self-awareness that maybe, sometimes, she was. Interestingly, even Taylor can’t full evade the online criticism and recently she had to remove a scene from the video of Anti-Hero after it was called out for being ‘fatphobic’. It relayed a clip of her stepping on some scales that displayed the word ‘fat’. However, many said she shouldn’t have had to remove this as she was commenting on her own personal experiences regarding body image. In fact, in an NBC poll 89% of people said they felt Taylor was not being fatphobic. In the online space, there is power behind people’s words and actions. What do the young people you know, think about all of this? HOT TOPIC: Qatar 2022 The world cup is coming. Qatar 2022 kicks off on the 20th November and finishes on the 18th December. The world cup is a highlight for footie fans everywhere but Qatar has been marred with controversy. At first it was about the fact it would be a winter world cup and debates over the impact of the climate. Since then, it has moved on to the suggested 6500+ deaths of migrants working on buildings and infrastructure which have sprung up since Qatar was awarded the world cup. New stadiums, roads, airports and metros have all sprung up and the worker rights have come under intense scrutiny. There have also been never-ending concerns about the laws of the land and what that means for football players and match goers too. For young football fans, will this still be pure fun and a time to get together around supporting their country? Or will it be impacted by the controversy of Qatar