It says a lot if I turn on Instagram push notifications for someone. It says even more if that someone is actually a brand, but Fenty Beauty has left me no choice. Rihanna has everyone on the edge of their seats this week, releasing shades of the popular Stunna Lip Paint like they're surprise album drop s.

The long-wear liquid lipstick had originally only been available in red, but three nude shades joined the lineup this week: Unbutton, Uncuffed, and Unveil. And, true to form, it seems that Rihanna has saved the best for last with Uninvited, a jet-black shade that she promises looks good on all skin tones.

We managed to get our hands on the lipstick before its release, and put it to the test on seven R29 staffers in the US office. Is it as universally flattering as Ri-Ri promises? Check out our honest opinions and photos, ahead.

Fenty Beauty Stunna Lip Paint in Uninvited, available now on fentybeauty.com.

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An emotional and history-making Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Thursday has yielded a much-needed compromise: the panel agreed to recommend Brett Kavanaugh for a full Senate vote on the condition that the final vote does not take place until after a one-week FBI background investigation. In response, President Donald Trump has ordered an investigation.

When the explosive allegations first emerged, many Democrats demanded the FBI get involved. Kavanaugh has already undergone background checks during the nomination process; however, with all of the new accusations of past sexual misconduct, this supplemental probe has been deemed necessary. Republican Senator Jeff Flake’s last-minute change of heart helped swing the panel in favour of launching the investigation, though he will likely still vote in support of Kavanaugh. It’s possible that two women approaching him in a Senate elevator, telling Flake his actions tell women that “assault doesn’t matter” could have influenced his decision to call for an investigation.

The Senate Judiciary Committee has requested Trump issue an investigation that is “limited to current credible allegations against the nominee,” to which Trump agreed. In a press conference, Trump called Ford’s testimony “compelling,” and described her as a reliable witness. He later reiterated his belief in Kavanaugh on Twitter, calling his testimony “powerful, honest, and riveting." It’s unclear if the FBI will only look into allegations related to Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s case, or whether that includes the experiences of other women who have since come forward. The new deadline for the Senate’s vote on Kavanaugh is October 5.

The FBI will likely be interviewing people Ford claimed were at the 1982 party and people who knew Ford and Kavanaugh at that time. "I think it will be better for the country that this FBI investigation occur," Senator Amy Klobuchar told NPR. "I'm not sure what the answers will be. It's possible some of the witnesses won't even agree to talk with FBI. But to think we wouldn't even try would be the saddest thing for the country." Already limited by the short turn around time, the FBI might face resistance when collecting interviews. Because it is a background investigation and not a criminal investigation, the FBI cannot subpoena witnesses in order to get them to talk, reports CNN. Mark Judge, an longtime friend of Kavanaugh’s who Ford claims was in the room when Kavanaugh assaulted her, has agreed to cooperate with the investigation though he categorically denies the claims. In a statement released by the White House on Friday, Kavanaugh said he will also cooperate with the expanded FBI investigation.

According to NPR, the FBI will only collect interviews, not pass judgment on the truthfulness of what the witnesses say. While the value of an investigation that is not allowed to draw conclusions may seem mixed, having special agents interview witnesses will likely glean more details in comparison to prepared statements. Additionally, cross-referencing past statements will be equally important. If there are discrepancies, this is where they will be brought to light. Once the week-long investigation has concluded, the FBI will submit their findings to the White House, who will then pass them on to the Senate to take into consideration for their final vote.

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Sometimes it’s hard to be a woman… the words of Dolly Parton came to mind as I lay on my bed, wearing only a towel, diligently pumping up a rubber balloon inserted into my vagina while attempting to breathe in a relaxed, yogic manner. Towards the end of my second pregnancy, having incurred second-degree tears during my first labour, I’d become obsessed with tearing – and how to avoid it, hence the rubber balloon, a.k.a. the Epi-No.

Many women experience tears to some extent during childbirth as the baby stretches the vagina. Most occur in the perineum (the area between the vagina and anus). We’ve all read horror stories about birth, but this piece isn’t one of those, it’s about how to prepare for and recover from a vaginal birth, and what I wish I’d known before mine.

Tears or lacerations are classified from first-degree (to the skin of the vagina and perineum, which heal naturally) to second-degree (to the skin and muscle beneath, which may require stitches), and third- and fourth-degree (all the way to the anus and muscles beneath).

To learn more, I spoke to obstetrics and gynaecology registrar Dr Emma Bredaki, who started by explaining that tears are normal. "Perineal tears are a frequent consequence of birth," she said. "Over 85% of women in the UK who deliver vaginally sustain some degree of perineal trauma, many requiring suturing (stitches)."

There are multiple possible causes of tears, mainly to do with the size, position and speed of the baby coming out, which are out of the mother’s control. However, Dr Bredaki outlines three ways to prevent or mitigate tears.

1. "Your midwife or obstetrician can protect the perineum by pressing on it – or alternatively, apply a warm compress as your baby’s head is delivering, known as 'hands-on'. This can be discussed and added to your birth plan."

2. "If forceps are needed, an episiotomy [when the doctor or midwife makes a deliberate cut before you tear] makes a third- or fourth-degree tear less likely."

3. Additionally, "Perineal massage towards the end of pregnancy is shown by studies to reduce tearing."

What about the Epi-No birth trainer I invested time and £100 in to prepare the perineum by inflating the balloon to a larger circumference over a period of weeks? "No formal research has been completed yet," Dr Bredaki answers, "but clinicians are discussing it. It’s gaining in popularity and independent midwives recommend it, though it’s too expensive to be tested by the NHS. The theory behind it is good, and anything that starts the conversation about birth and the perineum, to normalise tears and challenge the notion of them as a failure, is worthwhile."

Severe, or third- and fourth-degree, tears are rare, midwife Dionne Goldson reassures me. "The overall rate is 2.9% in the UK, slightly higher in first-time mothers. Recovery includes pain management like paracetamol and ibuprofen, arnica tablets that can help reduce swelling, antibiotics to prevent infections, and post-operative laxatives. Storing sanitary pads in the fridge can also provide some relief. Women with third- or fourth-degree tears should be referred to a physiotherapist for pelvic floor exercises to heal and strengthen the muscles affected. Pelvic floor exercises are vitally important to every woman postnatally, regardless of type of delivery or degree of tear. Another referral should be to a specialist gynaecologist or colorectal surgeon, if they are still unable to control bowel or bladder movements after six to 12 weeks."

Additional to the physical recovery, Goldson says it’s important to have "an opportunity to discuss the birth story with the midwife or obstetrician, and receive information. This can provide an opportunity for the woman to debrief which can be vital for emotional recovery, preventing feelings of disempowerment or future psycho-sexual issues."

So, aside from the worst-case scenario, what can you expect from your vaginal birth?

Before

Goldson says: "When I care for women I bring up perineal massage around 34 weeks. I encourage women to locate their perineum (get a mirror if necessary) and massage externally for around five to 10 minutes, twice a week. After 37 weeks the woman can use internal stretching massages, to train the muscles to reach their stretched potential."

Try the Epi-No if you have the budget. It comes with instructions, online video tutorials and the company says they will answer questions if you contact them.

During

If you tear giving birth, you probably won’t feel it happen – as contractions and the baby crowning are pretty intense sensations. If you have an episiotomy, your midwife or doctor will discuss it with you. If you have stitches, local anaesthetic means you won’t feel them going in. If you have small tears you might not need sutures, as the midwife pressing on the wound with a pad can stem the bleeding.

After

Recovery happens in several stages. While stitches are fresh, everything hurts; you can’t do a poo without crying and walking can be a challenge. Washing yourself with water after the loo can help keep it clean.

After the wound has officially healed, the journey to normality isn’t over, in my experience, until you’re able to walk comfortably, exercise, and eventually have sex pain-free. All this could take a few months, so be patient.

Melissa, 28, who had her first baby 11 months ago, experienced complications recovering from her episiotomy and had to be patient. "My recovery from a forceps delivery was extremely painful, and took four months," she told me. "I couldn't sit upright or walk properly for a few weeks, and I developed an infection. I had to have surgery to correct the damage that had been caused by the infection. Three weeks after surgery, I’d largely recovered. My vagina has now gone back to normal, thankfully. I’ve no further physical issues but emotionally, I’m terrified of having a similarly awful recovery if I have a second baby."

Reflecting on the experience, she added: "I don’t think trauma from vaginal birth is discussed enough or even acknowledged. We believe that having a baby vaginally is the best way and that a C-section is major surgery. While both of those statements may be true, there is a huge area in between."

Dawn, 35, who had her son 14 months ago, was disappointed to have had an episiotomy. "I didn’t want one, but was told I had to," she said, "the thought of it made me queasy. It took about four weeks to heal. It was something I wished I wasn't having to deal with at the time. I felt normal after four or five months, once I had had sex that felt good and enjoyable rather than a test to see if everything was okay."

Several others I spoke to said they had recovered well and put the experience behind them, although a common factor was not knowing the likelihood of a tear, being too squeamish or afraid to research it, and then reality coming as a shock.

As for me? My first baby emerged with his hand on his head, and my second was back to back, so I didn’t manage to avoid another tear. But I don’t regret using perineal massage or the Epi-No – if anything, they might have helped me avoid a worse outcome.

Recovering from birth can be as hard as giving birth. You need looking after, as well as your baby. Avoid nasty surprises by asking questions at your appointments, and if something’s not right, keep going back or request a referral if necessary. Be pushy, so to speak. Goldson’s point that psychological help is available for birth trauma is worth remembering.

So is this: You will go back to normal. According to my anecdotal research, the timescale may be longer than stated but in time, you will get your vagina back.

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"No," you tell yourself. "I can't."

Your eyes don't want to open and last night's mascara has congealed into two immovable clumps, which certainly isn't helping the cause. But you don't have a choice, my weak and vulnerable friend, it is time. It's time to wake up and address the throb in your temples and that disconcerting lurch in your stomach. A slow, white wine-induced death is not an option today. The hangover helpline does not yet exist; it's all up to you now, pal.

And so you mentally assess the options before you. Do you a) ignore your body's cry for help and try to sleep it off, b) beg your most empathetic mate to bring supplies to your bedside or c) shower, get dressed, go outside and face the day like a functioning adult person?

Well, you couldn't go back to sleep if you wanted to because hangovers never play a fair game. Your mate is probably in as much of a mess as you are and thus unwilling to help you out, and lol, as if leaving the house is an option.

The furthest one can reasonably go while nursing the nausea, pain and regret of the night before, is putting a film on. You don't want to go pressing play on any old thing, though. Now is not a time for risks. Oh, no. You specifically need the comforting lull of a vaguely familiar movie to ease you back to normality. The next couple of hours of entertainment are a huge investment of your time and we're here to make sure you spend it well.

Team Refinery29 have recommended hangover viewing to share. Ahead you'll find our sincere and well informed recommendations of where to turn in your cinematic time of need, the films we've put on when we've been a little worse for wear. Brave the trip to the kitchen and get that crucial glass of water now. Then, nestle a little further under your duvet, get your Deliveroo order lined up and whack one of these films on. You'll forget last night even happened. Probably...

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Death is one of life's few inevitabilities (along with taxes) but despite its certainty, dying and how we deal with it are still taboo topics in many countries.

A new BBC Three documentary explores how millennials grieve and how we can learn to do it better. Fronted by the presenter and musician George Shelley (of X Factor, Union J and I'm A Celebrity... fame), Learning To Grieve features intimate discussions with his family and friends about dealing with grief in the aftermath of his 21-year-old sister's sudden death in a road accident in May 2017, alongside a broader look at how younger generations cope with grief and its impact on wider society.

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I will never accept that you're gone. You will always be with me. My best friend, my sister, my angel. Too pure and too beautiful to walk among humans, you now exist somewhere else, and I am honoured to have had the privilege to spend 21 years with you by my side. Don't get used to it up there without me, I'll see you soon beautiful girl. I love you Harriet.

A post shared by George Shelley (@georgeshelley) on May 13, 2017 at 7:52am PDT

He meets several other young people who have experienced loss to get advice and guidance about coping with grief in 2018.

Research has linked bereavement to increased rates of suicide and mental health problems among young people, and Learning To Grieve explores this connection head on. Shelley discusses his own use of antidepressants and experiences of therapy since his sister's death, and the tough time he had in the immediate aftermath. "My days were just a blur of takeaways, Netflix and escaping with video games – anything to shut off from the real world," he wrote about the experience recently. "All I can remember from that period is darkness and I just sank deeper into depression."

What on earth are you meant to do when your mum has just died? I had no idea – so I carried on as if everything was normal.

One millennial featured in the documentary is Beth Rowland, 24, who lives in Nottingham. She lost her mum to liver cancer in July 2015 after her second year of university. She describes feeling like she was "stumbling around in the dark, with no idea what to do or how to function" in the aftermath, but she does remember very clearly going for a haircut just hours after it happened.

"I had it booked, had been looking forward to getting a new style, and I had no idea how to call the hairdressers to cancel my appointment," Rowland told Refinery29. "So I went along, sat in the chair and answered 'fine, thanks' when the hairdresser asked how my day had been. That's a perfect example to me of how confusing bereavement is, and often how ridiculous it can be. What on earth are you meant to do when your mum has just died? I had no idea – so I carried on as if everything was normal."

Rowland got involved with the documentary to prevent other young people from plummeting to "the bad place" she was in, she said. Not only is bereavement normal, but so many people know exactly how you're feeling. "When I lost my mum, I didn't think I knew anyone who had been bereaved, but there were actually a lot of people already in my life who had been through the same pain. Unless we talk about loss, it will continue to be something people hide away, don't know how to talk about, and that ultimately can lead to an increase in risk of mental illness."

She believes everyone in the UK finds it difficult to talk about loss (because of our ingrained "stiff upper lip" culture), but younger generations struggle most and particularly those who have lost parents. "It's not normal to not have a mum at 20 – all my friends flock to social media on Mother’s Day to share that their mum is the best mum, friends get married with their mum next to them, others say they couldn't possibly have become a mother without their own mum beside them." This, she believes, is why so many young people find it hard to talk about losing family.

In 2015, Rowland set up Let's Talk About Loss, the UK's first support network for young people aged 16-30 who have been bereaved. "I knew that to get through my experience, I had to do something proactive and positive that would make the world a little bit better. I felt so alone and confused when we lost Mum, and was diagnosed with severe anxiety and depression in 2017 after bottling up my feelings for too long. I'm not ashamed to say that my mental health was very bad and at one time I was considering suicide – I just didn't know how to live without my mum. I'm in a much better place now but I'm only too aware how easy it is to struggle when you've been bereaved."

You might have thousands of Twitter followers but be sat alone at home on a Friday night, feeling completely isolated.

Young people are increasingly talking openly about their feelings, in part due to the gradual falling away of the stigma surrounding mental health, and very often they're doing it on Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr, blogs and other online spaces. This is progress, of course, but Rowland is concerned that talking online doesn't eradicate the loneliness issue. "You might have thousands of Twitter followers but be sat alone at home on a Friday night, feeling completely isolated and without any form of support network." Which is why Let's Talk About Loss holds monthly real world meet-ups, as well as offering online support, which enable attendees to "talk openly about grief wherever and whenever we feel ready and comfortable."

Rowland's advice to other young people currently grieving is always to find their support network. "It doesn't matter who they are, just find people who care about you, will be there for you when you need them, and who will let you talk." She also recommends contacting local and/or national support groups and charities like Mind, Young Minds, Student Minds, Cruse and Widowed & Young. "However you are feeling, however bad it might seem – you are not alone and you can get through this, I promise."

George Shelley: Learning To Grieve is available to watch on BBC Three from Sunday 30th September.

If you or someone you know is struggling to cope with grief, contact the bereavement charity Cruse online or over the phone on 0808 808 1677. You can also contact Rowland's support network for young people, Let's Talk about Loss, via email at hello@letstalkaboutloss.org.

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This week, it’s time to socialise, stargazers. Libra season is here in full force and the urge to schmooze is real. Venus, the planet of beauty, love, and money, goes retrograde this Friday. She's posted up in Scorpio, inspiring you to revamp (if not completely change) the way that you approach romance, finances, and all things aesthetic.

Meanwhile, the moon is waning all week, encouraging us to tie up loose ends before it reaches its "new" phase on the 8th. If you're feeling a little more withdrawn and reflective, this lunar activity could be the cause. Don't force yourself to go out if you'd rather stay in — responding to your personal needs before anything else is the name of the game this week.

Get R29 Horoscopes direct to your calendar, every week with two simple steps!

1. Click this link to download to: Apple / iOSGoogle / Android

2. Make sure you're notified about new horoscopes by switching on event alerts! Apple/iOS: Switch on 'Events' notifications under 'Alerts' in 'Preferences'. Google: 'Add Notification' under 'Event Notifications' in R29 Horoscopes calendar settings. Is there a webcal/iCal feed I can use to subscribe directly?Yes! Here

I subscribed to the calendar on my iPhone but it isn’t showing up on my computer or tablet. How do I fix that? You will need to add an iCloud Calendar subscription. Use the webcal link mentioned above.

Can I subscribe if I use Outlook? Yes. Using the webcal link above, you can add the calendar to Outlook.com or an Outlook desktop client.

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There are several key ingredients for a perfect lazy Sunday: a hot cup of tea in your hand, a Deliveroo order on the way, the sort of feelgood movie that might just help your hangover, and a quick scroll through Instagram.

With this in mind, we've compiled a handy round-up of some of this week's best celebrity posts on the picture-sharing app. Some of these photos are just a little bit extra, others are very cute indeed, and one might make you want to plan a weekend getaway in Paris.

So, take a sip of that tea and get ready to enjoy the lifestyles of the rich and the famous.

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Janet Jackson is no stranger to double standards. In 2004, when Justin Timberlake ripped off her top on stage during their joint Super Bowl halftime performance, Timberlake got to walk away unscathed while Jackson’s career was all but razed to the ground.

At last night’s Global Citizen Festival, Janet Jackson finally addressed the fallout from the event and used her own experience to call for better treatment of women.

“I know about bullying. I know about verbal abuse. I know about physical abuse. I know about abuse of authority,” she said. “I’m sick, I’m repulsed, I’m infuriated by the double standards that continue to treat women as second-class citizens.”

Jackson wasn’t alone. Throughout the night, the whole festival set a defiant, united tone for women, especially those who are survivors of assault.

At one moment, Dakota Johnson shared a phone number for women and girls to speak out about injustices they’ve faced.

"This is my phone number: (212) 653-8806. I want you to call me and I want you to tell me your story in a voicemail," Johnson said. "Or I want you to send me a message at dakota.johnson@globalcitizen.org and I want you to tell me what you've gone through as a women or girl in the world that's been suffering."

Janelle Monáe also showed support for survivors, telling survivors of assault, “I hear you, I see you,” and dedicating her performance to Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, Anita Hill, and “anyone who is trying to make this place a better world."

In many ways, the festival could be seen as a call to action for women — which may have been expressed most clearly by Jackson.

“Enough injustice, bigotry, mistreatment, and mindless prejudice,” she said. “Equality is our demand. Action is our answer.”

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If you’re like us, you’ve spent the past week logging in and out of Facebook. Thanks to the latest Facebook security breach, the constant logging in and out has made it annoying to use sites and apps that rely on Facebook Connect. Apps like Bumble, Spotify, and Instagram all connect using your Facebook account. Can you still use your favourite apps but bypass Facebook entirely?

Well, the answer is a little tricky. Some apps, like Tinder, require a Facebook account login and will not work otherwise. You can’t untether Facebook from these apps, because they are powered by the data they pull from your Facebook account. It’s how you’re able to see your crush’s workplace on their Tinder profile. No Facebook, no swiping. Others, like Snapchat, allow you to use a Twitter or Google login, as well as a separate email address that may or may not be associated with other social media accounts. This means that you can stay logged out of Facebook and still be able to use the service.

That said, a lot of apps and sites want to access your Facebook account, in order to pull data to flesh out the app’s contents. Instagram, for example, really likes being connected to your Facebook account, and not just because it’s owned by Facebook. It’s so you can easily share photos directly from app onto your Facebook timeline. It will also show you Facebook friends that you’re not following on Instagram, so that you can add those folks. This feature is especially helpful when searching for your distant cousin’s Instagram account without knowing their handle or email address. You don’t need a Facebook account to use Instagram — but it helps you get the most out of the app.

For some apps, you don't need to use your Facebook login if you don’t want to. With the security breach, you may even feel safer not connecting them to Facebook. But you’ll lose some social functionality within the app. According to Wired, there is currently some evidence to suggest that malicious third-parties can hack into your apps and steal your Facebook data, but Facebook insists that it is working to patch that vulnerability. When it comes to safety, the answer it really up to you.

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"We try to stay up on trends, but this is less of a trend for us and more of a lifestyle." That’s what Dan Evans, the co-owner of Dagger Mountain Roastery in Valparaiso, Indiana, has to say about oat milk. This past February, Dan and his wife Ashton, who co-own the coffee roastery together, switched to offering Oatly oat milk as the only milk option at Dagger Mountain. It was Ashton’s idea and, at first, Dan was skeptical. Yes, he wanted to save money and stop "exploiting cows," but he wasn't convinced until the baristas on staff had their say. "I told our employees, 'Ashton wants to go completely oat milk,' and they said, 'fuck yeah!' I got really excited once I knew everyone else was on board."

Over the past year, the dairy-averse and beyond have become obsessed with oat milk. You've probably heard about it: Chalkboard signs boasting, "We now offer oat milk" continue to pop up outside local coffee shops, and cartons filled with the plant-based beverage are taking up space in the dairy aisle. Likewise, baristas across the country are suggesting oat milk to their regular customers as well as to their friends and fellow coffee aficionados. Everyone — from foodies to vegans to environmentalists — is talking about it.

The buzz around this new dairy alternative has caused exponential growth in oat milk sales — 425% in the last year, according to data compiled for Refinery29 by Square, Inc. Other plant-based milks like cashew milk, coconut milk, and even peanut milk have also experienced booms in years past, but none of them have ever managed to join the ranks of almond milk or soy milk as more consistent dairy alternatives.

From baristas' perspectives, oat milk lends itself well to creating the best, tastiest beverages. Lauren Sorensen, founder of Stonefruit Espresso + Kitchen in Brooklyn, NY, tells Refinery29 in an email that oat milk’s neutral flavour makes it perfect for espresso and matcha drinks. Coffee drinkers, too, are drawn to its more subtle flavour. "It just tastes better! You can definitely taste the almond milk in a drink, and that's sometimes overpowering. Oat milk is more neutral," Natasha Gonzalez, 22, tells Refinery29.

Many drinkers say its consistency is more similar to cow's milk than that of almond milk or other dairy milk substitutes. "It's usually thicker and doesn't curdle or chunk up in iced drinks like almond milk can," explains Allison Crooks, 30. And Bridget Berry, 23, tells Refinery29, "I'm an aspiring vegan so I have been doing a lot of research and personal experimentation with different dairy alternatives, and I must say oat is my favourite milk replacement as it tastes just as creamy and milk-like as cow's."

Another barista, Brendon Clark of The Wooly in downtown Manhattan, attributes oat milk's creamy texture to its high fat content. Clark says the fat content, which is higher than that of almond milk, is also what makes oat milk steam "wonderfully," which is just another reason why baristas in particular love it. James McLaughlin, CEO and president of Intelligentsia Coffee, the first U.S. coffeeshop to offer Oatly, echoes that sentiment. "Intelligentsia baristas became really enthusiastic about using oat milk because it steams and froths really well compared to other alternative milks."

Back in April, we heard from local coffee shops that they were having trouble keeping Oatly stocked because demand was so high. We reached out to Mike Messersmith, general manager of Oatly US, to find out why he thought the product had become so popular so quickly. "The coffee community is so connected and wired. It’s not even just about trends...when they see a product that allows them to either elevate the coffee experience or that they think solves a challenge that they face in a better way, they're so vocal and enthusiastic and passionate about it that it really expands." Perhaps unsurprisingly, when baristas encourage customers to try something, it's directly reflected in a coffee shop's sales data. According to McLaughlin, Intelligentsia Coffee's CEO and president, "Intelligentsia serves oat, soy, and almond milk in their coffee bars; however, it is oat milk that customers and baristas alike continue to choose as their favoured alternative milk, as 13% of Intelligentsia’s beverages are made with oat milk." Since most of us tend to stick to our usual coffee orders, a product like this needs word of mouth to gain momentum.

Part of the reason that the global market for dairy alternatives is expected to reach $16.3 billion in 2018 is that consumers have become more concerned with environmental impact. "I switched to oat milk because it takes three gallons of water to grow ONE almond, and my conscience couldn’t handle that," Julie Rogers, 23, tells Refinery29. Baristas, too, recognise oat milk's appeal for their environmentally conscious customers. "It's a much more ecologically friendly choice than milk or even almond milk (almonds require a LOT of water to grow, and a lot of the almonds are from California, which has been experiencing droughts!)," Stonefruit's Sorensen explains. For the record, it takes around 383% more water to produce one pound of almonds than it does to produce one pound of rolled or flaked oats, according to statistics from the Huffington Post.

Aside from requiring less water, oats also require less herbicide than other crops because they compete well with weeds. In fact, Oatly guarantees that it does not use glyphosate, a common weed killer. Glyphosate has recently been suspected of being linked to bee deaths and in 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified it as a Category 2A herbicide meaning it is "probably carcinogenic to humans" so cutting back on the weed killer's usage could be better for the environment and our bodies.

One potential negative environmental impact from oat milk could stem from the fact that some commercial brands use sunflower oil or rapeseed oil in their products. Though the environmental impacts of these oils are less than that of palm oil and soybean oil, there is a general impact — herbicide usage, pesticide usage, carbon dioxide production — that comes with growing the plants to make these oils and processing these oils. Overall, however, there has yet to be much research on the topic of how these oils and other oat milk ingredients impact the environment. As the dairy alternative becomes more popular, if drawbacks exist, they will likely come to light just like what happened with soy and almond milk.

When it comes to nutritional value, the difference between oat milk and almond milk isn’t all that significant. Oatly oat milk contains 2 grams of protein and 5 grams of fat, while many almond milk brands contain 1 gram of protein and 2.5 grams of fat. Since oat milk is made from a carbohydrate, it also contains more sugar than other milks. Like almond milk and cow's milk, commercial oat milk brands are typically enriched with vitamins and minerals like calcium, vitamin B12, phosphorus, and vitamin D.

The fact that oat milk is only marginally more nutritious than almond milk hasn't stopped it from dominating the independent coffee shop market. Still, the one factor that could hold it back from finding a permanent place in the hearts of Americans is price. While it can feel like no big thing to pay a little extra for oat milk when you're already dropping money on a latte or cappuccino at your local coffee shop, the price difference between almond milk and oat milk may be enough to deter people from purchasing the milk alternative when they spot it in the dairy aisle right next to the other options. Chiara Diona, 19, explains to Refinery29 that oat milk is hands down her favourite dairy-free milk option, but that isn't enough to make her buy it at the store. "The oat milk options to buy for at-home coffee are never as good as the really expensive coffee shop ones, so I only buy it when I’m out and still use almond milk at home. Oat milk is a splurge."

Oat milk is more expensive. According to The New York Times, that's because it has a higher wholesale price than other milk alternatives. A 32-ounce carton of Elmhurst Milked Oats cost $5.99, which is a dollar more than a 32-ounce carton of the brand's Milked Almonds. That amount of almond milk is even cheaper coming from other brands like Blue Diamond and Silk. For oat milk to reign supreme among all other milks, it needs to find its way into the daily routines of at-home coffee brewers, cereal lovers, and more. However, since oat milk has only recently come on the plant-based milk scene, there isn't much competition. As demand grows, other brands could begin producing their own versions, thus driving down the price.

The oat milk obsession hasn't made it to every part of the country just yet. For example, while oat milk sales skyrocketed in the U.S. generally in the past year, not a single oat milk transaction was made through Square in Nashville, Tennessee during that time. On the other hand, Nashville was the country's ninth biggest consumer of almond milk during the same period. However, word of mouth from baristas and fans still has time to reach those smaller cities and towns, which could eventually spread the trend across the entire country.

In some areas well-outside major cities, that's already happening. Dan Evans says that in Valparaiso, Indiana, people are excited about oat milk even though they're located more than an hour outside Chicago. "There are people talking about it all the time. It's sold at Target now."

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Twelve years ago, I woke up with my last epic hangover. There was nothing special about this particular hangover – just the usual dread, nausea, thirst and sick, sick head – but something inside me snapped that morning. I had a flash of insight. I’d stop drinking. After two decades of epic hangovers, I’d had enough.

I used to be a brilliant drinker – I never threw up, threw punches, fell down, or went home. I could drink large men under the table, do shots like Marion in Raiders of the Lost Ark. Sure, I’d black out, but who wants to remember everything anyway? And so what that my fingertips were tingly, my kidneys achey, my face blotchy, my friends frowny – it was all in the name of fun, wasn’t it?

Except it wasn’t. Fun, I mean. It had been for years, but then it wasn’t. Like a relationship gone sour that you are too scared to leave, I needed to break up with booze. And like ending anything toxic, it felt terrifying at first, then liberating, until it became the new normal. An ongoing, wondrous, joyful normal, of which I have yet to become bored.

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There is more to October than Halloween, you guys. Yes, as we creep closer and closer to – dare I say it – Christmas, people start talking about having "quiet months" and saving money. It's something to do with the weather, I'm sure. But let's face facts, the reality is never quiet and despite your best efforts to convince yourself that there isn't much to do in Awkward October, I'm here to remind you that you're wrong.

We've got another fruitful month of exceptional entertainment on offer here, and I'll point you in the direction of the bits worth getting involved in. If you're looking for your next TV fix, there's a legitimately funny comedy on the way to Channel 4 (finally) and Netflix is reviving one of the most talked-about series of the last three years.

There's art aplenty if you fancy mooching around some cool new exhibitions, illustrator Polly Nor is back with new work and there are a couple of exciting fairs on the horizon, so get your culture cap on. Here's our selection of the best films, shows, exhibitions and albums to add to your calendar next month.

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In 1993, at the age of 10, I had my hair relaxed for the very first time. My mum applied it using one of those DIY kits that featured a beautiful and happy little black girl on the front, sporting a head of long, silky, straight lengths. I remember being hopeful that my mum had finally found the solution to the 'problem' that was my hair. I remember the strong chemical smell and I remember the burning that signalled it was time to wash it out. What I don't remember? Having long, silky, straight hair like the girl on the box.

Some 20 years later, I discovered I had five fibroids after being hospitalised for suspected appendicitis. The ultrasound technician was pretty blasé about it and said I didn’t need to worry, so I didn’t, but in 2014 I went for my 12-week ultrasound scan only to discover I had suffered a missed miscarriage at seven weeks. I went on to have two more very early miscarriages before I decided to do my research. That's when I began to suspect that my miscarriages were happening due to low progesterone. I was formally diagnosed with oestrogen dominance and low progesterone in 2016.

Fast-forward to this year, when I appeared in a BBC interview about a new study conducted by the Silent Spring Institute which showed that black women are exposed to dozens of potentially hazardous chemicals through the hair products they use. Chemicals such as cyclosiloxanes (silicone), nonylphenols (detergent-like substances) and phthalates (a substance added to plastic to encourage malleability) have been subsequently linked to hormone disruption, as well as medical issues such as fibroids, asthma, infertility and even cancer. Were my health issues a coincidence? Perhaps, but since no one could give me a definitive "no", I decided to make a film about it, which I'm crowdfunding for via Indiegogo, using the hashtag #myhaircarenightmare on both Twitter and Instagram.

Why? Because it isn't just this study. There is so much research out there which has pinpointed a relationship between black hair products and health issues. This includes a study published in 2017 by researchers at Rutgers University, which found a link between breast cancer and the use of hair dyes and hair relaxers used by black women, while a 2012 study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that the use of relaxers is associated with fibroids. "We now know that many hair products contain chemicals that are considered carcinogenic and or hormone disrupters, leading to increased risk of medical issues such as fibroids," said Shirley McDonald, consultant trichologist at the Hair and Scalp Clinic. "Trichologists see lots of conditions that are likely to be triggered by hair products," she adds. "In particular, the case of the condition central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia, a type of permanent hair loss to the crown area of the scalp," she adds.

In other words, black women are overexposed yet inadequately protected when it comes to hair products. Overuse of braids, weaves and extensions, coupled with bad haircare practices, has led to an over-reliance on products. And the cultural, historical and societal pressures black women face when it comes to their hair only exacerbate the problem. "A vast number are even seeking to find a magical product or products," says McDonald. "Overall, black women want something that will moisturise and 'grow' their hair." She added that there are women out there who believe these 'wonder' products actually work.

Lekia Lée, founder of Project Embrace, a campaign that seeks to change perceptions of beauty, concurs. "I liken it to throwing money at a problem," she told me. "We have been made to believe that our hair is a problem, so we throw products at it. Unlike women of other ethnicities, black women go on a hair journey, something other women do not have to think about, because their hair may fit the 'norm'."

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A post shared by My Haircare Nightmare (@myhaircarenightmare) on Sep 13, 2018 at 2:06am PDT

In addition, the way black women use products is unique. Products are employed frequently, generously and can be left on for weeks or even months on end, with continuous reapplication in between. Despite research into the individual chemicals themselves, there is very little research being done into the cumulative effects and potential risks associated with this method of product use – and this is worrying. "These chemicals are supposed to be safe in small amounts but the dime-size amount that is recommended is simply unrealistic for black hair," said Cigdem and Terrence Millington, founders of Mrs Milli's, a toxic-free, plant-based hair and skincare company. "This results in bioaccumulation [where toxic chemicals build up over time]," they continued. "The body holds on to these chemicals, until one day, they might come forward as a medical issue. It may seem crazy that a hair cream can cause cancer or fibroids but that’s as real as it gets." And the studies don't suggest otherwise.

The most recent research, conducted in April this year by the Silent Spring Institute, showed that 80% of black hair products tested contain "endocrine disrupting and asthma causing chemicals". The range of products tested included relaxers, hot oil treatments, leave-in conditioners and anti-frizz products. They tested for the presence of 66 harmful chemicals including BPA, phthalates and parabens. A total of 55 endocrine disruptors were detected, while 11 products were found to contain seven chemicals prohibited in the EU, with hair relaxers marketed at children containing the highest levels of chemicals prohibited in the EU. Most concerning of all, they found that 84% of chemicals detected were not listed on the product label.

While cosmetic products are relatively well regulated in the EU, most of the products used by black women are imported, primarily from the USA or Asia, where regulation and testing isn’t as stringent. The EU Cosmetics Directive prohibits the inclusion of BPA, phthalates, alkylphenol and ethanolamine. However, the same study found several products containing these ingredients, making them unfit for sale here. Yet walk into any 'black hair shop' and they are readily available. "The people who make these products are often those who regulate them or have direct connections to the regulators, and to be quite honest, the money is a major factor," the Millingtons continued. "These chemicals allow the products to last longer and they are also very cheap to buy. Also, don’t forget that a sick person is big business in the US. It’s a dirty cycle that needs exposing for the benefit of all women," they added.

And that is exactly what my upcoming documentary, My Hair Care Nightmare, aims to do. The film will provide some much-needed answers, stimulate discussion and question a culture that has created a market which perpetuates the myth that our hair needs to be 'tamed' with dangerous product after dangerous product. This isn’t an issue of 'relaxed' hair versus 'natural' hair. It affects anyone who cares for afro-textured hair in general, from black men and women to parents of black and mixed race children and foster carers, as well as hairstylists who use these products day in, day out. We need to know what’s in our hair products in order to safeguard our health. That's the bottom line.

You can follow Tola's journey on Twitter and Instagram and support the crowdfunding campaign via Indiegogo.

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Earlier this year I started writing a book, Money: A User’s Guide, in which I offer tips on how to understand and sort out your finances, debts, bills and savings, as well as the more emotion-laden stuff, like how should you split cash with a partner? How can you feel more confident about money?

While researching it I started to ask my friends about their relationship with their bank balance and it occurred to me that, at the age of 33, these conversations between us were new. The conversations were also, even when we were discussing our attitudes to life insurance or statutory maternity pay, surprisingly riveting and reassuring. Beyond the odd "bit broke this month", we have never really talked about our personal finances in any detail. I have mastermind-level knowledge of their sex and relationship histories, we are very open and relaxed around one another. Why, therefore, have I never asked any of my friends about something as fundamental to their day to day existence as how much they earn or save, and why do I feel so icky at the thought of revealing to them my own unremarkable financial situation?

Beyond the odd 'bit broke this month', we have never really talked about our personal finances in any detail.

We are not the only ones; a recent survey from Starling bank found that 100% of respondents recall feeling uncomfortable, unhappy, stressed or embarrassed when talking about money in the past.

This is the year of support networks, openness and high-profile sharing. The day I started writing this article, Ruth Davidson MSP, leader of the Scottish Conservatives, was on the cover of The Sunday Times detailing her experience of depression and self-harming. People are posting photos on Instagram of their wonky boobs and belly rolls – even Beyoncé’s talking about her FUPA – while the #MeToo movement has been like a huge women’s WhatsApp group of "Oh my God, it’s not just me" revelations that have helped people challenge sexual harassment and abuse. It is widely accepted that voicing concerns diminishes their power.

But we struggle to speak up about money without fear of judgement from people who we are pretty sure care about us a lot – who have helped us to bed after one too many bottles of Oyster Bay without so much as an eye roll – and fail to be honest about why we do not want to pay £350 for a hen or stag do, in case we set off a hand grenade in our friendship group.

Money – how much of it we have, where it comes from and what we decide to do with it – is extremely personal; it can represent the very essence of who we are or choose to be. But it is also something that everyone has in common and has to find a way to deal with. Unfortunately, as life becomes more expensive, tensions can develop.

Take housing. During the late 20s and early 30s, chasms in wealth start to crack open between those who achieved the same grades at school and split the bill for a mouldy student flat and weekly Nisa shop. The Bank of Mum and Dad can offer some people a level of security which those from different, less financially stable backgrounds feel is totally out of reach, even on a good salary.

The way my friends talk about it makes me feel getting a mortgage should be a rite of passage.

Helen, a 29-year-old charity worker from Edinburgh, says: "In our bubble of university-educated friends, a lot of people can only afford to buy houses because of their parents; either they could live at home to save for a deposit or have been given money towards it. I think it is weird that there isn’t more awareness that this is not the case for most people. The way my friends talk about it makes me feel getting a mortgage should be a rite of passage. It’s like the elephant in the room; our lifestyles look the same on the surface, going for drinks, going on holiday, but we are in very different financial positions."

Those who do buy may also feel unfairly scrutinised and apologetic for being suddenly so much 'richer' as a result of a decision made by their family. Victoria, 26, who is a part-time journalist and works in a restaurant to top up her income the rest of the time, says she feels uncomfortable discussing her living arrangements with friends. "My parents and my fiancé’s parents have just given us some money so we can buy a flat together. When I’ve told people that we are house hunting, the reaction is immediately, how? How much are you paying?! They can’t believe I am buying with my job. It can make me feel really awkward and I change the subject."

Cate Campbell, a relationship therapist and member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, believes there is a lot of shame around money and status. What one person sees as evidence of success, another might view as unacceptable showing off or wastefulness.

She suggests that couples who argue about money should abandon their assumptions and be honest about how they want to organise their finances, advice that is equally applicable between flatmates or colleagues.

I have a close friend who is excellent at being upfront about what she does and doesn’t want to spend, which helps prevent that slide into overdoing it and then feeling resentful. She’s a teacher and says it is easier for others to understand that she has more limited means than people who, for example, work in the City, but has never had a negative response when asking at the start, "Can we go somewhere cheaper tonight?" I often think the same about hen dos; if expectations are set from the outset – I can’t spend more than £150, perhaps I can just come on the Saturday if it is going to cost more? – then you avoid that internal debate about whether you can get out of it when the eye-watering grand total is announced, turning up anyway, blowing your budget and not enjoying yourself at all.

Shefali, 28, who works for an NGO in London, recently said no to a week’s holiday with two of her best friends. "I knew I was running out of excuses and I started dreading the guilt that comes from being told time and again, 'You're in your 20s. Just have fun. This is what overdrafts are there for! Why do you care so much about money? YOLO!'"

She admits she does not feel comfortable with being completely honest about why she is frugal, particularly when invited to spas or fancy restaurants. "Financial responsibility can be predicated on values that you do not want to hang up on display for the world to see and challenge," she says. "Secondly, it's sad when you feel you have to justify your decision, because why can't it be enough to just say, 'I really don't think I can afford it'?"

Nevertheless she really wishes she was better at discussing things like inherited wealth with friends: "Not so that we can compare ourselves but so that we can better understand each other and help each other out."

So go on, I dare you: ask a friend if you can postpone dinner until after payday or talk to them about your credit card debts. What’s the worst that can happen? You might find, given they are kind enough to be considered a confidante on all other topics in your life, that they are far less judgemental than you’d feared, and just as stressed out about money.

Money: A User's Guide by Laura Whateley is out on 4th October 2018, published by 4th Estate

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How do you create a truly inclusive clothing brand? New label Collusion, which launches today, asked itself just that when it first set out. By inviting six creatives on board to imagine, consult and shape the offering, it may well have hit the nail on the head.

Taking into consideration the results of extensive research into the non-negotiable values of Gen Z, the brand's price point starts at £5, the pieces are intended for all genders, sizes are available up to a 6XL, and the collection is animal-free. Each season, a new lineup of diverse creatives will collaborate to create a collection that not only speaks to, but is for, everyone.

The brand's founding collaborators are Rene Matić, Jebi Ndimuntoh Labembika, Chidera Eggerue, Clarissa Henry, Grace Mandeville and Spencer Elmer, who were all involved in every aspect of building Collusion, from "the cut of a jacket, via the brand’s commitment to representation and inclusivity, to the way that it is marketed, photographed, styled and sold."

The collection is available exclusively at ASOS and Collusion's first drop of 200 pieces sees "colour blocking, clashing checks, statement prints, and co-ords," with many of its codes taken from Korean streetwear looks.

Ahead of the launch, we got to know five of the Collusion creatives. Click through to find out why gender-fluid fashion is vital, what it was like collaborating, and their favourite pieces.

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You've heard it in the trailer at least a thousand times. Lady Gaga, as her character Ally, sings, "I'm off the deep end/watch as I dive in." On Thursday, "Shallow," the lead single from A Star Is Born finally dropped, and you can now stream the duet between Gaga and Bradley Cooper's Jackson Maine endlessly. But what do we actually know about the song and the soundtrack that the world can't wait to listen to?

The soundtrack, which is available to pre-order now and will drop on October 5 in step with the film's release, is a whopping 34 tracks long. Many of those are interludes from the film, but 19 of the tracks are original songs, which tells us this movie is not going to skimp on the music. It includes the Gaga performance of Edith Piaf's classic "La Vie En Rose," which is her star turn moment when Cooper's character discovers her in a cabaret. The rest is a slew of new songs, many of which feature songwriting credits by country music stars and well-known Nashville songwriters that indicate there's going to be at least a hint of that country-style storytelling happening.

The soundtrack appears to go in story order based on the film's plot, which gives us some hints about what to expect in A Star Is Born. The first handful of songs, other than "La Vie En Rose," are all Cooper performances, and those are co-writes with Lukas Nelson (son of Willie Nelson — and Lukas is present all over the album as a writer) and Jason Isbell. The first Cooper and Gaga duet is a song called "Alibi," with Nelson serving as the only co-writer and co-producer with the two stars.

"Shallow," which pops up as the soundtrack's 12th track, has an interesting songwriter pedigree. It is the most grounded in the world of pop on the soundtrack, based on who worked on it. It was written by Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson (who also co-wrote and produced much of Joanne), Anthony Rossomando (formerly a live player in Brit rock band the Klaxons and Dirty Pretty Things), and Andrew Wyatt (whose name you may recognise better as vocalist/producer Miike Snow). There's no doubt "Shallow" was stacked to be the film's lead single and painted with a radio-friendly brush by that team of hitmakers. You'll definitely be hearing it at the 2019 Academy Awards. But, looking at the rest of the album, it may be the most mainstream song you'll hear in A Star Is Born.

Gaga's songs have a slew of songwriters and producers on them that span genres, and some of them are people I would have never imagined her working with. "Diggin' My Grave" is a track written by Paul Kennerley, a British dude whose heyday was in the '80s and '90s writing songs performed by The Judds, Trisha Yearwood, and Patty Loveless. He's also an ex-husband of the iconic Emmylou Harris, who produced two of her '80s albums along with some song co-writes.

That's not the only nitty gritty country track Gaga dips her toe into. "Always Remember Us This Way" is produced by Dave Cobb, the guy who gets all the credit for bringing real country back to country music thanks to his work with the Zac Brown Band, Chris Stapleton, Jason Isbell, and Brandi Carlile. The track was co-written by Lori McKenna (Little Big Town's "Girl Crush"), Natalie Hemby (Miranda Lambert's "Keeper of the Flame"), and Hillary Lindsey (too many No. 1 hits by Carrie Underwood to even name) along with Gaga — it's a murder's row of the most outstanding hit song writers for women in Nashville. It would be shocking if that track isn't serviced to country radio as a crossover single.

The back half of the album is loaded with Gaga singles crafted with songwriters and producers she collaborated with on Artpop and Born This Way; they clearly mark a shift for her character away from the "authentic" roots music that Cooper's character performs and a move towards a different kind of art and stardom. Lukas Nelson and Aaron Raitiere (Ashley Monroe, Anderson East) stay on as co-writers for a few of those tracks, possibly injecting some grittiness and a hint of country, but by the end of the album she's going full Gaga, into a glistening world removed from the kind of music Cooper writes. It's a throwing off of the chains, a student surpassing the teacher — and undoubtedly a part of the unraveling of their relationship.

The final song on the soundtrack makes me want to cry just reading the title: "I'll Never Love Again." It gets a film edit and extended version treatment, with Hemby, Lindsey, and Raitiere returning to co-write it with Texan Benjamin Rice (Britney Spears, Selena Gomez) producing. It hints that the story ends with Gaga returning to some stripped down roots, topped with the sheen of pop music, to explore her grief after the inevitable demise of Cooper's character.

Naturally, the film's story arc is tied to the music, which the soundtrack seems to make as central a character as Gaga and Cooper. But what we didn't know was how grounded the songwriting for the movie would be in modern country music that is slightly left of centre.

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After my first job at MTV working as a music programmer, I can't stop trying to matchmake people with music they might like. So, I wrote a book calledRecord Collecting for Girls and started interviewing musicians. The Music Concierge is a column where I share music I'm listening to that you might enjoy, with a little context. Follow me on Twitter or Facebook, or leave me a comment below and tell me what you're listening to this week.

Robyn "Honey"

Could this be Robyn's sexiest song thus far? All that dripping honey in the lyric video is certainly ladden with meaning, as are the subversive double entendres that make up the song. It's most certainly going on my cuffing season makeout playlist and driving up my anticipation for Robyn's October 26 album — she's been gone far too long. Glad to have her back with a driving beat and a little honey.

Pistol Annies "Got My Name Changed Back"

Oh my damnnnnnnnnnnn. If you were searching Miranda Lambert's last solo album for hints about how she's feeling after her divorce from Blake Shelton, you may have been looking in the wrong spot. It may have happened in 2015, but this track from her girl group with Ashley Monroe and Angaleena Presley sounds like she's not done with getting out of that relationship just yet — or maybe she's totally done with it, because she took her name back. The shadeeeeeeeeeeee.

Yaeji "One More"

Confused. Angry. Betrayed. Those emotions inspired Yaeji, who is a triple threat as a vocalist, producer, and visual artist to write "One More." The dreamy, dark track is a meditation on feeling lost in your own life after an unexpected event. In it, Yaeji marries synth elements from KPop with European indie rock and emo sentiments to create something entirely her own.

Phantoms feat. Vanessa Hudgens "Lay With Me"

The Queen of Coachella got together with an L.A.-based electronic duo to create a song that will sound absolutely amazing at Coachella next year. But Vanessa Hudgens' legendary reputation when it comes to the West Coast's tastemaker music festival isn't how this track came about. Weirdly, the guys in Phantoms knew Hudgens when they were all young, and hadn't hung out since they were all around 16. A chance encounter at LAX changed all of that and birthed a pretty sweet electro-pop gem.

Aida Victoria "Dope Queen Blues"

Aida Victoria describes the time in her life when she wrote "Dope Queen Blues" as "a hazy, wild, debaucherous time," and wow are those the exact words I'd use to describe the vibe of this track. It has a little magic spread on it courtesy of The National's Aaron Dessner, who produces (and whose mind has to be responsible for that signature heavy, deep piano part). I've never heard someone sing "we are lost in vain" and sound so gleeful. Thankful to hear those Morphine-influenced horns on this track too, someone needed to bring that sound back.

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With the release of Bad Reputation, Joan Jett has taken a moment to look back on her own life. She’s already an icon, but this documentary spanning the beginning of her career in the ‘70s all-girl band The Runaways to her induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015 makes something else clear: she’s a fighter. She’s gone to the mat for the rights of women in music, for her own right to make and live by her rules, and for control over her career.

“Really that’s all The Runaways were doing: trying to express ourselves the way we knew how, putting it into our songs,” Jett told Refinery29, putting the raison d'être of her groundbreaking girl band into words. “Not much different than what the Rolling Stones were doing. We didn’t want barriers put up on what we were allowed to sing about, say, or play.”

Refinery29 spoke to Jett ahead of Bad Reputation ’s release, and the “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” singer told us about the strangeness of watching your life be turned into a documentary, about enduring criticism from second-wave feminists, and why she’s always faced her fears when people told her she couldn’t do something — and did it anyway.

Refinery29: With this documentary, you got the chance to look back and reflect on the choices you’ve made and the battles you’ve chosen to fight. How do you feel about what you see?

Joan Jett: “I feel pretty fulfilled, looking at the film. I went right along on the emotional journey that my life has been: the elation of The Runaways, the depression when the band broke up, meeting [my longtime manager] Kenny [Laguna]. It took me on this journey again. I feel good about it. I don’t have big regrets, yeah sure here and there in the details I could find stuff I wish I did, but on the main things, I’ve been really blessed and guided by a universal force that took me in the right direction for me.”

What battles do you feel like you’re still fighting?

“I think the gender issue, the roles of what women are allowed to do and not allowed to do, is going to be with us for a long time. That’s always a place to put some energy. Teaching younger people at an early age how to treat people is very important. I think it makes a big difference in how we grow up. Addressing gender issues and what we say to each other, it starts early. Everybody with little kids or kids around knows exactly what I’m talking about. It’s up to all of us to tend to our own gardens and deal with that stuff if we want things changed. If we want guys to treat women differently, we need to focus on how [young] boys and girls treat each other.”

When you were starting out, both with The Runaways and as a solo act, did you think of yourself as a feminist?

“No. The terminology was so new at the time; it wasn’t part of the lexicon. On a day to day level, people didn’t talk about being a feminist or not. It was, at that time, more of a political word. But, I definitely felt criticism from aspects of that movement who were uncomfortable with the fact that young girls and teenagers want to have sex and talk about sex. You don’t just dismiss that aspect of being a woman. I understand, given time to reflect on it, why people may have been a little punchy about it. But it’s frustrating when you’re taking crap from women when you’re trying to follow your dreams. Your parents always told you that you could be whatever you wanted to be, and now you’ve got these women telling you that you can’t for some political reason you don’t yet understand. I was didn’t get it.”

I know what you’re talking about with second-wave feminists. That idea of separating equality from being a sexual being was very real in the ‘80s and ‘90s. Has feminism evolved since then? Is it something you identify with more now?

“The problem with labels is they have boundaries, you know? What a feminist is to one person is not the same thing [to another]. I’m for people being what they want to be; if that’s a woman being a rock ‘n’ roller or a nuclear physicist, which may not be fields women typically go into. You can’t let other people dictate your life to you. I know I’m a woman, I knew I was a girl, but I’m going to do what I’m going to do. I didn’t get caught up in the gender role of it. That’s what I was fighting against the whole time, the fact that people were saying girls can’t play rock ‘n’ roll. It didn’t make logical sense to me. I was in band class playing clarinet and sitting next to girls playing cello and violin, while we played Beethoven and Bach. You’re not saying girls can’t master the instrument, you’re saying they’re not allowed to be the Rolling Stones. Rock ‘n’ roll by its nature is sexual. So, if a girl is going to play guitar or drums, it’s going to be sexual! There’s no way of separating those things. I found out very quickly how uncomfortable people are with people discussing their sexuality, and certainly teenagers discussing it. Really that’s all The Runaways were doing: trying to express ourselves the way we knew how, putting it into our songs. Not much different than what the Rolling Stones were doing. We didn’t want barriers put up on what we were allowed to sing about, say, or play.”

It totally makes sense. With the Rolling Stones and so many bands of the era, women were allowed to be the subject of the song but not allowed to perform the songs because it was too dangerous. It creates a whole culture where women are the muse and not the artist.

“That’s what you’ve got to fight against, because who put down those rules? Where is it written that that’s how it is? That’s the thing: people count on you being fearful, as a woman or whoever you are and whatever you want to do. They count on that fear to keep them from forging ahead and figuring that out. It’s definitely fear-inducing, and it’s not a fear you want to face. But it is doable.”

You’ve had a front row seat to this for decades now. How do you think things have evolved for women in the music industry? What’s the biggest challenge facing women today?

“I think it’s still very much the same as it was many years ago. The appearance is that women have come a lot further, and maybe on some levels they have, but until women really get into positions of power, where they’re making the money decisions of where this and that dollar goes, and are in the upper echelons of things across the board, which is going to take time, I don’t think things will change that much. Because they have not until now. We’re still fighting the same issues that I was discussing years ago. There’s a thing on a loop about what girls can achieve. When they come up, you’ve got to challenge those assumptions at every turn, and it can be exhausting. On some level, it can be easier not to fight and to go along. That’s what women have to decide: do you want to go along, and maybe your life will be a little bit more comfortable if you don’t make waves? But years down the line, they’re going to go, ‘What happened? I’m not happy at all.’ Years down the line, they’ll look back and realise, maybe, that sometimes you have to press for your dreams. You have to fight for your own self, no one is going to give it to you. It’s a lot of lip service until you start actually doing it. Then it seems people like to throw barriers up, as opposed to being helpful.”

When women run into roadblocks and find they’re being told what to do in music, what kind of advice do you give out to the younger generation of women who are seeking your wisdom and experience?

“I think this theme runs through our whole interview, to a degree: stand up for yourself. Confidence also begins young. To help girls find that sense of confidence and learn how to find it when you get thrown off balance — which you always will. It’s not like I have it together all the time. You always have to rebalance, and that’s important for people to know. Everybody has those ups and downs, me too. Every day it’s a struggle to keep yourself motivated and positive, but it’s important. As corny as it sounds, you’ve got to go for your dreams — whatever they are. I find that people, maybe it’s human nature, but that’s depressing...if you’re sitting with people and tell them what your dream is, instead of telling you it sounds cool and you should do that, they tend to go, ‘Are you crazy? You can’t do that.’ People tend to shoot down dreams as opposed to supporting them. You’ve got to resist that. Find someone to support you; it may be your friends and family. It’s important to have someone, even if they don’t quite see what you see, to support you and offer a shoulder to cry on if you need to and a pat on the back when you don’t need it.”

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

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Samantha Morton is far from her Midlands home, where she moved from London seven years ago. She’s in Georgia, filming The Walking Dead, where she’s playing lead baddie, the cunning and sadistic Alpha. But the actress, who has won both a BAFTA and a Golden Globe, and stars in Minority Report and Jane Eyre, shares seemingly few of the characteristics of Alpha – the leader of a group of survivors who dress in zombie skin and shun civilisation and humanity. "Sorry, can you hear the lawnmower behind me?" she apologises. We are here to talk about her new film, Two For Joy. Written and directed by Tom Beard, it’s a delicate and unnervingly intimate portrait of a family’s trip to the seaside. The film – Beard’s debut – tells the story of Aisha (Morton), a woman who is suffering from grief, anxiety and depression following the death of her partner, and her two kids – thoughtful and sweet Vi (played by Emilia Jones), who is seemingly constantly plugged into Duolingo, and her younger brother Troy, who is navigating the tumultuous beginnings of puberty. Vi begs Aisha to take her to the seaside for a weekend break in their late dad’s caravan, as if getting away from their gritty council house, where Aisha struggles with each minute of the day under a heavy blanket of medication, will provide an escape into normality. It doesn’t really but what it does provide them with is a transgressive experience; here they meet Lias, the site manager of the caravan park, his sister, Lillah, played by Billie Piper, and her daughter Miranda, who begins a friendship with Troy that ultimately becomes destructive.

What initially drew you to the script?

Tom approached me with a first draft of his script and I read it and it was really special and incredibly beautiful. That was a long time ago, and I said please stay in touch, and he did. By special, I mean it’s something you may not have come across before, there’s sincerity to it. It was obviously something he wanted to say, he was being earnest, and that is really nice. Nice is not always a nice word but from a female perspective, if a young man is writing a film and you go, 'Oh I wasn’t expecting that,' it’s really beautiful. The experience of making it with him was really special, and I can only imagine he’s happy with it.

There’s a real delicacy to the film, it’s very thoughtful.

He really got to the vein of it – grief, mental health, depression. I thought it was very accurate, and unusual for a man writing the character of a mother. It wasn’t a drama that had to be explained all the time, it was very intimate. And having known his photography, I always knew it was going to look very good. It might have been his first film but he had a natural instinct that often it takes people many, many years to work out. He has a flair for cutting through the bullshit really.

Was the fact that it was Tom’s debut film something you took into consideration when you took on the role?

I wasn’t apprehensive about it. For the simple reason, when you’re taking a photograph, you have to have a way of communicating with the subjects voyeuristically, invisibly, and he’s very good at that. You don’t become very good at it without an ability of looking through the camera and knowing what you want and knowing how to get that. The dialogue prior to shooting was really liberating. We had little money and little time, but it was very intimate. All I ever asked for was a private rehearsal and to shoot it as quickly as possible so those feelings don’t disappear. And he was really respectful of that.

We are expected in society to be great at everything, to bounce out of bed and get it right. We are not allowed to fail.

The film was produced by Blonde to Black Pictures – Sadie Frost and Emma Comley’s production company...

There are a lot of female producers, but we are lacking in the female gaze: you need more female directors and female writers. What great female producers do is that they support their directors and their vision. Emma and Sadie provided a complete blank canvas for Tom. You had the sense that they just wanted to protect his vision at all costs.

There’s such a taboo about medication and I really wish there wasn’t, but also there’s no singular experience of mental health, is there?

For the character of Aisha, it was clear that the medication wasn’t helping her and because of the cutbacks in the mental health system she wasn’t being put into therapy to deal with panic attacks, anxiety, agoraphobia. For her children it must have been tough. It’s insane the levels that the mental health crisis has been allowed to go to. Aisha has suffered grief, has been given medication, but hasn’t even had a proper appointment. We are expected in society to be great at everything, to bounce out of bed and get it right but we are not allowed to fail.

And a lot of that pressure comes from social media.

I am so lucky that I have never been part of that for many reasons! I’ve got normal anxieties that women might have – my children, a healthy level of financial anxiety – but I think for young people now it must be insane how their brains juggle everything. I don’t let my 10-year-old on social media but my 18-year-old I have to let on.

I hate to bring it back to the class system in the UK but certainly with this government and the coalition government preceding it, they have set out to decimate the integrity of the working classes.

How do you think being a young director or actress or writer is different since your career started?

I didn’t realise it was a career when I was a child, it was something I loved and then wound up doing. I think it’s really tough now. The whole landscape has changed. It’s harder. I hate to bring it back to the class system in the UK but certainly with this government and the coalition government preceding it, they have set out to decimate the integrity of the working classes. To not be creative, not to feel anything, not to write anything, not to rise out of the ashes of anything. Grants, young enterprise schemes – it's all gone. The decimation of young people and poverty and the mental health aspect of this can’t be underestimated. Also in families that are seemingly okay, debt is a huge problem. Creativity is always there, it will always burn through, it’s like the weed at the side of the road. But in a general sense we live in a time where there’s no love for the arts even though it's a multibillion dollar industry. You have to do things for the love of the craft. It’s not easy.

Do you do things for the love of the craft or do you do them for the mortgage?

Everything that’s come my way at the time it’s come my way has been a combination of the two – I’m a working mother, I have three children and a mortgage. So you have to make decisions that are part of a bigger picture. I'm very lucky because I seem to get offered the parts that are juicy and require a lot of thought and depth. And I live quite frugally, I live up north – once I was offered a movie in China, I couldn’t even understand the script, it was an action movie. It was a million dollars to get on a plane and go and discuss it, that was the opening offer. But I didn’t understand it. So, no, luckily, I haven’t ever done anything for money. I’ve maintained integrity but I’ve had to keep grafting. But I love the grafting. I love work.

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A senior scientist giving a speech at a workshop about the role of gender in physics isn't usually the stuff of headline news, but one male physicist's "highly offensive" lecture has angered women everywhere.

Why? Speaking to an audience of young, mostly female physicists at a diversity workshop, Professor Alessandro Strumia of Pisa University used his platform to give a highly sexist speech that undermined the mission of the event.

Strumia made a string of remarks that have shocked people both within and outside the scientific community. He said male scientists were being discriminated against because of ideology rather than merit, and that "physics was invented and built by men, it's not by invitation," reported the BBC.

In his presentation, he cited research from an online library which he said "proved" that "physics is not sexist against women. However the truth does not matter, because it is part of a political battle coming from outside."

He also showed graphs which he said showed that women were hired ahead of men whose research had been cited more by other scientists, and others which he said highlighted that female researchers are cited less frequently as they progress in their careers compared to men.

Even more shockingly, Strumia explained the disparity by referring to research showing that "men prefer working with things and women prefer working with people," and another that he said proved there was a "difference even in children before any social influence".

He also said "Oxford University extends exam times for women's benefit" and that "Italy offers free or cheaper university for female (research) students". He also seemed to have a personal interest in his argument, claiming that a job he had applied for had been given to a woman with fewer qualifications.

[Statement] @CERN considers the presentation delivered by an invited scientist during a workshop as highly offensive, and supports the many members of the community that have expressed their indignation. #WomenInSTEM

Full Statement: https://t.co/AlxGQW3zar

— CERNpress (@CERNpress) September 30, 2018

The audience was understandably aghast and the European nuclear research centre CERN, which organised the diversity workshop, has responded accordingly. In a statement, CERN described the speech as "highly offensive". It said it was "not aware of the content of the talk prior to the workshop," and that it had removed slides from Strumia's talk on its website in line with its code of conduct "that does not tolerate personal attacks and insults."

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Monday morning, Strumia defended his remarks, saying that in physics nowadays, "if you want to be hired, it's easier if you are a woman than a man."

Dr Jessica Wade, a physicist from Imperial College London who was at the event, described the speech as "really upsetting" and based on ideas that had "long been discredited". She told the radio programme she believed Strumia "knew full well" when he was preparing his speech that the conference would be attended predominantly by women.

"He proposed an abstract [for his speech] that looked at women's historical representation in academic publishing. Instead, he used this opportunity to insult the people who'd spent an awfully long time putting together the conference, an audience of young women and women scientists all over the world."

She continued: "There were young women and men exchanging ideas and their experiences on how to encourage more women into the subject and to combat discrimination in their careers. Then this man gets up, saying all this horrible stuff."

She criticised CERN, "a forward thinking organisation... which does so much to promote diversity in research, could have invited him to speak to young people just starting off in their research careers when his ideas are so well known."

The evidence that women face barriers in science, technology, engineering and maths careers is overwhelming – women account for only 14.4% of the UK STEM industry, despite being about half of the workforce, and sexual harassment in the industry is reportedly rife.

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