This article was published as part of The Indiependent‘s May 2021 magazine edition. When thinking about modern-day role models, Barbie might not be the first name that comes to mind. The first doll was released in 1959, and since then Barbie has repeatedly reinvented herself. Going from a beautiful ‘model’ who only cared about fashion and beauty, Barbie has now become a role model for young people all over the world.

A report detailing a ‘‘deeply worrying’’ and ‘‘dysfunctional and intimidating culture’’ in which ‘‘secret cabal’’ are in control of Liverpool City Council has led to government-commissioners being sent to the city to over-take parts of the City Council.

Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020, millions, if not billions, of people around the world have got into the routine of wearing face masks when leaving their homes.

For the past few months, leaders all over the world have told their citizens to stay at home in order to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. But more and more of them are being caught ignoring these restrictions without serious consequences.

As the countries all over the world started to close down the first wave of COVID-19 earlier in March of 2020, Sweden made a different approach. Instead of closing down, they kept their societies open while just encouraging people to wash their hands and stay six feet apart from each other.

Facebook recently released the news that they are going to ban posts denying that the Holocaust ever happened. The website has, on multiple occasions, been criticised for not filtering the content on the website, as it is one of the biggest and fastest-spreading outlets for ‘fake news’ to circulate the word. This means, by banning Holocaust-denying posts, Facebook will not only prevent false information spreading but also, hopefully, prevent its users from committing hate crimes.

Boris Johnson recently released new laws to try to contain the increasing numbers of Covid-19 around the UK These laws include not being allowed to be in groups bigger than six people, as well as making pubs and bars close at 10 PM every night of the week. But the parliament and MPs seem to be exempt from these new laws. Shortly after the reveal of these new rules, it was revealed that the bar situated in parliament does not have to close at 10 PM, like all the other pubs in the UK.

TW: This article discusses sensitive topics such as homophobia and conversion therapy. Conversion or reparative therapy is a dangerous practice that tries to make members of the LGBTQ+ community to change their personality, sexuality or gender identity. And it’s still being used all over the world.

TW: This article discusses sensitive issues, such as sex and rape. Reader discretion is advised. Even earning a part in the lyrics of a Beyoncé song, OnlyFans has become a popular alternative to porn studios. So popular, that even mainstream celebrities like Bella Thorne wants to try it out. But what happens when they take all the attention away from those who professionally rely on it?