No Such Thing as “Cool”: Inside Manchester’s T4T Club Night
To navigate public space as a trans person in Britain today is to carry an invisible, exhausting weight: a constant mental scan of street corners, casual misgendering at bar counters, and the oppressive static of an increasingly hostile news cycle. But cross the threshold of Islington Mill on a T4T night, and that heavy armour clatters to the floor.
Inside, the air tastes of heat, warm beer, and pure, unpretentious nostalgia. Under soft, non-strobing lights, camera lenses glint with small consent badges, and the floor shakes to an unapologetic 2000s pop anthem. There is no pretence here, no vigilant glances over shoulders, and no need to defend your right to exist. In a world that endlessly debates trans lives, this room responds with pure noise: a living sanctuary where having an uninhibited good time is the whole point.
“Yeah, I’m speaking this language, listen to what I’m talking about”: Etta-May on modernising Gaelic and better opportunities for young islanders.
Etta-May Olley (@ettamaigh on TikTok and Instagram) is bringing the Gaelic language into mainstream content with her own social media videos, as well as special brand deals with some of Scotland’s well-known brands.
Etta-May grew up on the Isle of Harris in the Western Isles – where the population is just under 2,000. With miles of untouched landscape and rolling hills, the Isles are known to be a great place of inspiration for artists and creatives.
As with any remote location, opportunities can be limiting. And while some find better opportunities away, Etta-May described it as a “pull” that keeps the connection to the island so strong.
She recently shared a video to her 6.7k followers on TikTok and 9.7k followers on Instagram about how she felt disappointed that she can’t make the islands her home while also progressing in her career.
From Derry to New York: Róise Nic an Bheatha’s Celtic Cinema
Irish-born Róise Nic an Bheatha is dedicated to bringing world-class filmmaking back to Scotland and Ireland, highlighting the power of celtic languages and culture on the big screen. Now, she’s set off to New York City to make connections and bring Scottish and Irish stories back to the screen. Director and filmmaker Róise was recently awarded $66,000 through the prestigious Fulbright BAFTA Scholarship, giving her the encouragement to go to New York City and study filmmaking at the School of Visual Arts. The 29-year-old is originally from Derry in Northern Ireland but moved to Edinburgh with her family when she was younger, where she learnt Scottish Gaelic. Before going into film, Róise completed her studies at Glasgow University and then worked at the national centre for Gaelic language, Sabhal Mor Ostaig on the Isle of Skye. One of her highest acclaimed films, Le Chéile, went on to be showcased at film festivals across Ireland and Scotland and is known as the world’s first narrative film featuring both Irish and Scottish Gaelic – exploring how language and place can bring people together in unlikely circumstances.
“Get Naked Infront of the Mirror”: Nyasha Saree on dressing a midsize body, finding confidence and building Tsitsi Studios
There is something wonderfully confrontational about getting dressed when you refuse to dress for the body you are supposedly meant to have.
For Nyasha Saree, fashion has never been about making herself smaller, quieter or more palatable. If anything, her approach is the opposite. Zebra print becomes a neutral. Colour is never something to be apologetic about. A skirt can be loud, a heel can be ridiculous, and an outfit does not need to fit neatly into one aesthetic, or one version of womanhood, to work.
Hey, Afua!: Making a Culture Out of Your City
Antagonizine usually likes to keep things Northern. We love the strange little pockets of creativity happening across Glasgow, Manchester, Sheffield and everywhere in between. But every now and then, someone comes along with such a ridiculously bubbly personality that we simply cannot resist. And, well, who doesn't love a free, or at least cheap, cute and cultural thing to do in their city?
Meet Afua Owusu-Ansah, the woman behind @heyafua, a London-based platform dedicated to finding the best free events, exhibitions, workshops, community spaces and cultural happenings across the capital. If you've ever thought London was too expensive to actually enjoy, Afua would like a word.
Where Girls Aloud meets Fiona Apple: Medb - Glasgow’s new rising star
Glasgow’s music scene has a new star on the rise: Medb, a singer-songwriter whose unique blend of pop, post-punk, and experimental sounds has been turning heads across the UK. From her early days in Belfast to her current life in Glasgow, Medb’s journey has been defined by resilience, creativity, and an unwavering commitment to her artistic vision
Music was in Medb’s blood from the very beginning. Both of her parents were recording musicians, regularly played on local radio, and introduced her to the thrill of performing from a young age. Alongside her brothers, who also formed their own band, Medb grew up immersed in music, singing into tape recorders and experimenting on a second-hand Yamaha keyboard. By her mid-teens, she was writing original songs, setting the foundation for the career she is pursuing today.
You Can’t Take The Girl Out of Belfast: Emma Neill
At 27, Belfast-born creator and podcast host Emma Neill has crafted a space online that feels equal parts soft and sharp. One moment she’s talking about hard hitting topics and societal conditioning; the next she’s laughing about drinking cactus jacks in the local park as a teen. Her online presence may appear effortless, but her grounding is unmistakably Northern Irish; rooted in humour, resilience and a refusal to take herself too seriously.
‘Mo Chridhe’: Katie Forbes on sharing the Gaelic Language with Modern Scotland
Katie Forbes sits down with Antagonizine to discuss her art, her love for the Gaelic Language and the family that inspired it.
What does Gaelic look like splashed across the walls of Glasgow?
Inspired by her stepfather's late mother – who she refers to as Granny Annie – and her native language, mural artist, Katie Forbes, brings the language to life with vivid colours and eye-catching designs, along with phonetic spellings to truly reach and include anybody. Katie felt drawn to learning Gaelic and truly embraced the rural Scottish side to her artistic ideas.