In Yara Shahidi 's short-film, X, a Black child leaves home one morning to go to school. He puts on his Converse Chuck Taylors, eats cereal, goes to science class — he's a regular kid. But as he steps out into the world, we see him physically shift and evolve to match the expectations and stereotypes projected onto him by the world he lives in.

Shot predominantly on Fairfax Avenue in Los Angeles, and with almost no dialogue, X manages to powerfully convey the spectrum of emotions experienced by people who feel marginalized within public spaces. They're a young girl trying to ward off the unwanted approach of a grown man, or a Black teenager eyed suspiciously by a convenience store owner. It's only when they feel safe in their environment that they can truly be themselves.

X is the g rown-ish star's directorial debut, and part of season 2 of the Shatterbox Anthology, a partnership between Refinery29 and TNT that seeks to give women opportunities to tell new and unusual stories behind-the-camera.

"It's really about what’s it’s like living in a space you don’t own," Shahidi told Refinery29 at the Toronto International Film Festival, where the film screened for the first time. "I think it’s something everybody can relate to — especially as a brown person, but also as somebody who is on the internet nowadays, where you are constantly witnessing trauma of other people, being desensitized to it, and also living next to it, and with it, in a way that isn’t often addressed, and in a way that makes you grow up really quickly. And so, [ X] was almost a literal adaptation of what it would be like if we grew up based on our surroundings."

Shahidi, who co-wrote the film with g rown-ish writer Jordan Reddout, says that she was inspired by the 1956 French classic The Red Balloon, which shines a light on that country's socio-economic disparities by following a little boy's journey through Paris.

"I wanted something that drove you through [Los Angeles] in a similar way," said Shahidi, who starts as a freshman at Harvard this fall. The result is a beautiful 13-minute short that intersperses scenes of quiet loneliness and alienation with bursts of color and joy. Without any deep individual character development, or plot twists, Shahidi's creativity as a director is the driving narrative force.

The title, X, was originally a place-holder name for the unnamed main character. "When we were writing the draft and didn’t know what call the character, we just called them X," Shahidi explained. "But what it represented was [the fact that] I didn’t want this to seem like this was a story that was happening to this one young boy. Not to reduce a character to an algorithm, but it’s very much a variable or a stand-in for anybody. Especially now, when we witness what happens on a daily basis to kids —  especially kids of color — every iteration of X is representative of everyone who goes through daily discomfort, and almost earned paranoia of not knowing what will happen to you next in your surroundings."

That's a feeling that Shahidi, who was born to an African American mother and an Iranian father, says she is very familiar with. One scene, in which a girl deals with an unsafe situation by pretending to call her friend about a fake karate class, is based on Shahidi's own experience.

"Whenever my brother and I felt uncomfortable with somebody behind us, we’d start talking about karate really loudly, as if that would ward people off," she said. "Like, ‘Oh, they know karate, back away!’ It’s those moments that I feel like each iteration of X allows us to explore. Every change is intentional. X transitions into a girl for that bus scene, because it’s a special kind of discomfort."

The film ends on an ambiguous note, something that Shahidi says was intentional, and came out of conversations with Reddout about the point they were trying to make. "We came up with the idea that we didn’t need a finite ending," she said. "It’s cool not to have a clear moral of the story, because to say that there’s a moral of the story would say that there is some sort of solution. Whereas, there isn’t a solution, and it’s more a film about awareness."

The experience of directing has been formative for Shahidi, who rose to fame as Zoey Johnson on ABC's black-ish, and stars in the Freeform spinoff based on her character's college experience. She definitely wants to try to direct a full-length feature down the line, but also believes that sitting in the director's chair has had an impact on her work as an actress.

"I realized what I really love about g rown-ish is that all the cast has had some sort of experience in some other area of this industry other than being an actor," she said. "And it may be through their parents, it may be through a friend, but I feel like we all moved into this with an overarching appreciation for what everyone does. You realize that as important as you are as an actor, it’s not possible without sound. It’s not possible without wardrobe, it’s not possible without continuity, and props, and set design, and the director, and the grips. It makes the process really enjoyable when you operate as a collective, understanding that you’re one part of the machine. And so you can appreciate your part as an individual, while still appreciating everybody else."

"X" is currently available to stream across TNT's digital distribution platforms, including Roku, Amazon Firestock, Apple TV, Xbox One, and TNT's website.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Sometimes We Just Want To Watch People Having Affairs (On Screen)

Netflix Warns People To Stop With The "Bird Box Challenge"

Letitia Wright Was The Highest Box Office Earning Actor of 2018

There's a lot the UK could learn from other countries to improve the majority of our lives. New Zealand left us envious recently with its efforts to solve its housing crisis and enthusiasm for a four-day work week, and we're always taking notes from the Nordic countries when it comes to quality of life (on gender equality, happiness... the list goes on).

In the UK, a huge number of us are struggling to survive financially because of the cost of living crisis – with the living wage "failing to cover families' basic needs", households owing almost £19bn in "hidden debt" and millennials bearing the brunt of the fallout from the 2008 financial crisis. Could we solve it by taking inspiration from elsewhere?

The concept of a universal basic income, also known as a citizen's income, has moved from the fringes to the mainstream in recent years. In short, it means that everyone would receive a guaranteed (non-taxable) income from the state – regardless of need or employment status – to cover their basic needs, instead of receiving means-tested benefits. The idea isn't new, but as living costs balloon, the impact of austerity worsens (in June the UN launched an investigation into poverty in the UK), and left-wing politics gain sway, the policy is picking up support in the UK. Supporters argue that it would reduce inequality and give people financial security (and greater freedom) in a difficult and uncertain economic climate.

Several tech giants (including Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg), politicians (including Jeremy Corbyn and Bernie Sanders) and economists have also shown support for the idea, while several cities around the world are currently experimenting with basic income schemes, have done so in the past or are planning to. A two-year pilot is underway in a poor district of Barcelona, it's shown positive results in Kenya, and Stockton in California will next year become the first US city to provide a guaranteed basic income for some of its poorest residents. Macau has provided a small basic income since 2008. It's also been experimented with in parts of the Netherlands and Finland, and even parts of Scotland are contemplating trials – so is it something the UK as a whole should consider?

Labour thinks so. In August the party said it would include a pilot of a universal basic income scheme in its next manifesto. The Green Party has had it in their manifesto almost since they were formed in the 1970s, the SNP has many backers, and the Lib Dems have also flirted with the idea over the years. A recent poll found 40% of the public back the policy.

Universal basic income for younger women would mean more would be able to concentrate on their education.

Big campaign groups have been lobbying for its introduction for years and have only stepped up their messaging recently. Barb Jacobson, coordinator for Basic Income UK, a group pushing for the policy, believes universal basic income would give everyone added security and would particularly benefit young women.

"Universal basic income for younger women would mean more would be able to concentrate on their education instead of having to work a job as well, and/or would be able to do the kinds of internships necessary for some jobs," she told Refinery29. "These are only really viable now if you have rich parents who can support you. It could also mean that young women would not have to get into such high levels of debt for their education."

Jacobson also believes it could support voluntary and other unpaid work and give younger people more time to develop their talents and ideas, she added, "or even start their own businesses, rather than being forced to take the nearest available job no matter how unsuitable. Some people call it 'venture capital for the people'."

It would also be particularly beneficial for those with children and precarious employment contracts. "Universal basic income would give people the security of knowing that money will be coming in regularly, no matter what kind of contract they’re on, or if they're raising children or looking after someone," Jacobson continued.

"Most people say that if they had a basic income they would be able to complete their education, spend more time with their families and/or do more for their communities. There is a real crisis of people not having time to look after themselves or each other, caused not just by the cost of living rises and wages flatlining, but the precariousness of many contracts and people having to work multiple jobs to make ends meet."

But not everyone believes free money is the solution to all our social problems. Finland decided against extending a two-year trial in April, while Hamilton in Ontario, Canada, cancelled a three-year trial early despite yielding positive results. Critics also believe the policy is too expensive and risks creating dependency among the poorest in society.

Far better would be to rebalance the unearned income and asset wealth that older generations have accrued.

Some also believe there are more effective ways to redress intergenerational inequality in the UK. Liz Emerson, cofounder of the Intergenerational Foundation, told Refinery29 it was "sceptical" that universal basic income would help younger people. "It won't help to rebalance the income and asset wealth inequality that has arisen between older to younger generations," she said, adding that it would also be "prohibitively expensive".

"Far better would be to rebalance the unearned income and asset wealth that older generations have accrued from hoarding housing and housing supply, paying themselves overgenerous pensions and universal benefits, and pulling the drawbridge up behind them," she continued. "That means increasing taxation on asset wealth, for example housing and final salary pensions, and removing unfair overgenerous universal benefits for the one million over-65s living in millionaire households."

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

BBC's New Dirty Vegan Cooking Show Leaves Viewers Impressed

Why The 2019 Women's March Organisers Want You To Bring Flowers

British Forced Marriage Victims Are Having To Pay To Be Rescued

When I first heard that Cynthia Nixon was running for governor of New York, I rolled my eyes. Good grief, I thought. Another celebrity. Didn’t we have more than enough of those in politics already? Although I now live part-time in New York City, I was born and raised in Rhinebeck and have a house in Columbia County; my heart and home are upstate. I assumed Cynthia’s policy proposals would lean heavily on the crumbling New York City subway and other issues that impact residents of Manhattan, and neglect the problems facing the rest of New Yorkers.

But then I watched her campaign video, and I was impressed. Really impressed. Not only was she fluent in the needs of upstate New Yorkers, but her campaign got at the heart of real issues. She talks about economic inequality and systemic racism, taxing the rich, and closing loopholes for corporations and the ultra-rich. After that I did something that I used to do a lot, less so recently. I went to her website, emailed her campaign, and blindly offered my help.

Soon after, I got the chance to meet her, and I began to develop my commitment to Cynthia. I fully believe she is the right person for the job and is qualified to lead the state forward.

Cynthia has been advocating for better education policy and civil rights in New York state for years. She wants a single-payer healthcare system and to legalise marijuana for everyone and make the industry work for people across the state. She grew up working class, with a single mother, and her three kids attend or attended New York public schools. She understands the importance of investing in public education and has consistently fought for funding that is owed to our children’s schools. In upstate New York, more children than ever are living below the poverty line, and she is the only candidate who wants to give everyone a fighting chance.

I’ve seen firsthand what it takes to govern — patience, empathy, passion, grit, and an unending commitment to make the lives of those you serve better.

Growing up in Rhinebeck in the 1980s and '90s, I always had a job: I worked at Kilmer’s IGA, Del’s Dairy Creme, and the Beekman Arms. I sold anemones out of Pitcher’s barn on days they didn’t use the honour system. When I graduated from Rhinebeck High School in 1994, I was able to pursue what might now be called an impractical curriculum at the University of Vermont: Japanese mixed with rural sociology. That summer, I babysat so I could work an unpaid internship for Senator Bernie Sanders. Ten years later, I was hired by Barack Obama when he was a senator. I eventually became the White House deputy chief of staff for operations for him as president.

I always felt lucky. I had opportunities that I just don’t see for younger people anymore: to explore, to have some confidence in the system’s ability to support me if I needed it. The cost of my college education didn’t follow me around in the form of student loans. Healthcare was cheaper and more reliable. I was confident that if I worked hard, I would get where I needed to go.

Now, young people don’t even have the confidence that they can pay rent, and too many families live in fear that a single health problem will bankrupt them. I don’t support Cynthia because I’m some renegade socialist; in some ways I’m as establishment as they come. I support her because I’ve worked in politics for a long time and understand that governing isn’t a right — it’s a privilege.

I’ve seen firsthand what it takes to govern — patience, empathy, passion, grit, and an unending commitment to make the lives of those you serve better. I believe Cynthia will wake up every day thinking about the families of New York state and putting them first.

I was disheartened when I saw politicians I respected coming out to endorse Governor Cuomo in the primary. Over and over again, he has shown New Yorkers that he will put the interests of himself and his friends above those of ordinary people.

It can’t be business as usual anymore. On Thursday, September 13, we must elect Cynthia Nixon as the next governor of New York.

Alyssa Mastromonaco is the former White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations for President Obama. Views expressed here are her own.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

What You Need To Know About The New US Congress Swearing-In

Family Pleads For Help Finding Gunman Who Killed 7-Year-Old Jazmine Barnes

Elizabeth Warren Is Running For President Of America In 2020

For her wedding, which was televised on The Real Housewives of New York, she wore a custom Marchesa gown and a $170,000 diamond necklace. She was a published author. She starred in an international eyewear campaign, had several sold-out clothing collaborations, and appeared on billboards across the country. Almost a year ago, her death was covered in People and Page Six. She was my dog, internet celebrity Toast, who boasts over 362,000 Instagram followers.

I never thought she would die. She was too famous, too cute for death.

Toast changed my life. Everyone thinks their dog is special, and I respect that. But Toast had an undefinable, impossible-to-manufacture charisma. I am an introvert, and she enabled me to reach a lot of people and do a lot of good while remaining behind the scenes. It’s a role I was very used to. As a publicist for a number of years, my job was to promote the client. Toast, on the other hand, was a natural at being famous.

I fell in love the first time I saw her, a Ruby King Charles Spaniel, eight years ago: someone was petting her and she was jumping on their leg. She didn’t look sad or broken — just happy to be free and to forge an instant connection with another living thing. That was Toast.

Toast was rescued from a puppy mill in North Carolina and brought up to New York City to be fostered. Puppy mills are factory farm-like facilities that supply puppies to pet stores; puppy mill rescues are usually the parents of those pet store puppies and are bred in continuous, brutal cycles. I learned all of this when I got my first puppy mill rescue, Muppet, in 2010. My eyes were opened even wider six months later, when six-year-old Toast, happy as she was, came to my then-husband and me in terrible condition.

When I decided to start her Instagram account, she had been living with us for three years, and I’d observed how people were drawn to her. Being a fashion publicist, I knew exactly what to do: I dressed her up like fashion icons and asked Who Wore It Better. (She almost always won.)

Her account began to take off when influential editors and designers took notice. Eva Chen did a funny video for Lucky; Leandra Medine from Man Repeller did a side-by-side outfit shoot with her. Karen Walker, the famous eyewear designer, cast Toast as the sole model for her spring/summer 2015 collection. Her face was in retail stores worldwide. It was a really big deal!

Toast became the Gigi Hadid of dogs. Big black SUVs would arrive to pick us up for shoots and appearances; she had dressing rooms with her name on the door; brands clamored to send her products like cashmere dog toys from Barneys, $1,000 dog beds from Jonathan Adler, and quilted barn jackets from Canine Styles (a lifestyle brand for dogs). She flew first class. Whenever she checked into a five-star hotel, there would be a special menu just for her. TV crews from all over the world wanted to interview her and, of course, she was always in demand for photo shoots. Every day, my package room had some gift or offering for Miss Toast. The only mail I got was a ConEd bill.

Her televised wedding (to another Insta-famous dog, Finn), was nicer than I could have imagined and certainly grander than mine. Fairy godmother Darcy Miller (party guru and founding editor of Martha Stewart Weddings) created three wedding cakes with matching custom cake toppers. (Oddly, Real Housewives star Ramona Singer cut the cake before anyone else had a chance to.) If you haven’t caught that 2016 episode of Real Housewives of New York(from season eight) , it’s definitely worth a watch. The best part of the over-the-top event: how much awareness and funding we raised for the anti-puppy mill cause.

Despite her supermodel-dog status, Toast was never a diva. She knew her cues for photos, and never got shy on camera. I remember taking her to Good Morning America for the first of four appearances. The energy in the room, the little red light alerting the anchors that the world was watching, made me incredibly nervous. I was sweating bullets, and could barely hand her off to a producer. Toast, on the other hand, couldn’t have cared less. She cozied up in George Stephanopoulos’ arms and nearly fell asleep.

I launched Toast’s Instagram not just as a fun, creative outlet but as a way to help dogs. I had gone most of my adult life unaware of the inhumane practices that take place in puppy mills, and I wasn’t alone in my ignorance. I knew that if anything was going to change, we needed to get more people on our side by educating them. Our mission was to push the #adoptdontshop message, specifically surrounding puppy mills.

We raised money for many charities, but our main focus was the Humane Society of the United States. As a board member of Humane Generation, I was able to attend a puppy mill raid, and saw firsthand the hell these dogs live through; I was constantly amazed by both their resilience and their sweetness. Even though their only interaction with humans had been negative and abusive, some of them would just look at you through matted fur and wag their tails. If you saw these breeding dogs, you would never stop to look at the puppies in the pet store window again.

Through Toast’s feed, we were able to promote the adoption of senior canines and to raise awareness in general about fostering and improving the lives of dogs. Toast eventually starred in a national ad campaign aimed at shifting the stigma that shelter dogs are broken, unhappy, and not suitable pets. Her billboards can still be seen over the country, and fans still send pictures to me all the time.

View this post on Instagram

Adopt Don't Shop! Is there a @shelterpetproject billboard in your town? Look at my IG stories! 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

A post shared by TOAST MEETS WORLD™ (@toastmeetsworld) on Apr 2, 2017 at 7:55pm PDT

When I started Toast’s Instagram, my friends and family thought I was crazy. Toast didn’t become a star because of some viral video or explosive post. She became a star because I believed in her, and I worked hard to get people to see what I saw. I knew that if others could truly see this incredible little being, they would love her as much as I did. What I didn’t know when I started was how much this animal would impact me as a person. I had so much confidence in Toast, in her ability to connect with people and make a difference in their lives; this eventually inspired and boosted my own confidence.

When Toast was asked to appear in a 2015 NARS makeup shoot for Man Repeller (Again, think about that concept! This is a dog!), I was thrilled. But I had no idea that shoot would affect me so much. I met the site’s head of creative, Amelia Diamond, on set; she offered to do a style profile on me aimed at showcasing styles for curvy women. I was over the moon yet very anxious – but I had learned from the best, Toast, to just go with it. After the piece came out, a lot of women commented on how meaningful it was to see a body type like mine on a site like Man Repeller. Seeing their responses made me realize that I, too, had the ability to connect with people. I had found my new project: The12ishStyle.

Losing Toast last December was difficult not only because I loved her so much — it was also the final goodbye to a past life. She was a thread to my old marriage (I got a divorce in early 2017) and my old self; without her, there was nothing connecting me with that past. It was oddly freeing. Her death was a passing of the torch: I had gotten to where I needed to be. She no longer had to teach me about confidence. I could stand on my own.

Toast passed away last December when I was out of town, two days after our latest vet had told me he felt optimistic about her health, despite a recent diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension. On a Saturday night at 9 p.m., she vomited blood, laid down, and closed her eyes. She didn’t want me to be with her when she went, and I will have to put faith in the universe that there were reasons for that. Although she was loved by people all over the world, she was also my dog. I loved watching her run into the building after walks (especially because she refused to actually walk on them). She made me laugh every day, whether it was finding her snacking on a roll of toilet paper she dragged in from the bathroom, or snoring so loud I would have to move rooms if I was on a call.

It is a very strange feeling to privately mourn the loss of your pet while also coming up with a plan to announce her passing to hundreds of thousands of fans. I took a week to gather my feelings and create the best way to channel my grief. I set up a link to donate to our favorite anti-puppy mill charities, and we raised over $10,000. The messages that came through alleviated my sense of loss and filled me with gratitude for all the lives she has touched.

While many don’t know this, I do have other dogs: Toast’s siblings, @MuppetsRevenge and @UnderPantsTheDog (who passed away just last month — it’s been a rough year for my pups). But someone else came into our lives with very auspicious timing: Cheese.

My fiancé and I decided to foster her just before Toast became really sick. We then became so caught up in dealing with Toast’s health that we never really processed the fact that this little creature had been living in our home for almost three months.

While we worried about Toast, Cheese took time to recover from her own past as a breeding dog at a puppy mill. She learned to live in a home, sleep in a bed, and walk on a leash. She lost weight, and her coat got shiny. When Toast passed away, it was as if she passed on on some of her energy into Cheese. While my love was suddenly strong for this pup, I was so nervous about introducing her to the internet and waited until the time felt right. Toast will never, ever be forgotten, but Cheese helped all of us heal.

Just about every day, someone tells me — in person or via social media — how much they loved Toast. It’s a welcome but bittersweet reminder of her impact on this world. She was and is a positive force. How lucky I was to be her mum.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

We Want Scalloped Hems On Everything – From Bed Linen To Blouses

31 Perfect Looks To Copy This January

Michael Kors Finalises Its Versace Buy (& What That Means For You)

Get ready to basically never use social media again. The upcoming movie Assassination Nation, the first project in Refinery29's feature film partnership with Neon, explores the new terrifying reality of hacking. What would happen if all of your texts, photos, and internet searches got leaked to the public? In the the case of the town of Salem, all hell breaks loose.

Lily (Odessa Young), Bex (Hari Nef), Sarah (Suki Waterhouse), and Em (Abra) are in the midst of this hell when Reagan (Bella Thorne) finds them in this exclusive clip. The girls are talking about the recent hack of their principal, played by Colman Domingo, which prompted people to accuse him of child molestation after the hacker revealed he had taken naked photos of his daughter when she was six. This could just be a misunderstanding, but Reagan doesn't have any sympathy.

"I mean there's two types of people in this world," she says in this exclusive clip. "The people who have come to terms with privacy is just dead, then there's the old people that are still trying to fight it."

She goes on to, somehow, liken this to a man who buys her things from her Amazon wish list because he likes her Instagram (in case you needed the vibe of this film to be any clearer). It's a sultry, tense thriller scarier than any slasher film. Watch the clip below!

It’s Heathers meets The Purge when a town-wide data leak means four teen girls have to rise up against slut-shaming, hate, and toxic masculinity. Get ready for Assassination Nation , the first film in an exclusive partnership from Refinery29 and Neon. In UK Cinemas 23rd November 2018.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Sometimes We Just Want To Watch People Having Affairs (On Screen)

Netflix Warns People To Stop With The "Bird Box Challenge"

Letitia Wright Was The Highest Box Office Earning Actor of 2018

It’s been a full year since Apple unveiled its most expensive, premium iPhone, the iPhone X, introducing new words — Animoji! The notch! Face ID — into our collective vocabulary, relegating the home button to less expensive models, and officially kicking off the era of the £999 smartphone.

Still, the event left many questions in the minds of users: Would prices on future iPhones continue to rise? Would the home button be completely phased out? Would we ever see an iPhone 9?

Yesterday, Apple CEO Tim Cook answered those questions and more when he took to the stage at Apple Park ’s Steve Jobs theatre to unveil the latest additions to Apple’s iPhone lineup and the newest Apple Watch. Ahead, a rundown of the most important product reveals. (Want to know how to pre-order the new iPhone? Head to our pre-order guide to find out.)

Keep checking back: Refinery29 will continue updating this piece live throughout the Apple Event with news on new devices.

iPhone Xs

The rumours were true: The next generation iPhone X is called the Xs.

It doesn’t look much different than the X, but comes in a stunning new gold finish as well as silver and space grey. The 5.8-inch super retina display has greater dynamic range, meaning you’ll see more colours in the photos you take and videos you stream.

There’s also a 6.5-inch iPhone Xs, called the iPhone Xs Max, with a super retina display that Apple says is the biggest display ever on an iPhone, thanks to the edge-to-edge screen.

A new chip promises to make the Xs and Xs Max perform faster when you're sharing photos, streaming, and even unlocking your iPhone with Face ID. The storage capacity is also worthy of note: The Xs can store up to 200,000 photos.

There is no additional camera this time around (you'll still see only two cameras on the rear of the phone), but the 12 megapixel wide-angle camera has a new sensor and the true-tone flash has been improved. A new feature called Smart HDR will merge multiple photos — taken simultaneously with a single press of the shutter button — to provide the highest quality photo possible. In Portrait Mode, the background blur is improved and you can edit the photo after taking it to adjust the depth of field, increasing or decreasing that blur (to be fair, this is something Samsung users are already familiar with).

There's a much-needed battery boost, too: You'll get 30 minutes more battery life on the iPhone Xs, and an hour and a half more on the iPhone Xs Max than on the iPhone X.

You can get both iPhone Xs and Xs Max in three sizes: 64 GB, 256 GB, and 512 GB. You won't find any cost breaks here: Xs, like X before it, starts at £999. Xs Max, meanwhile, starts at £1,099. Pre-orders will begin this Friday, September 14, and the phones ship on September 21.

iPhone Xr

There's also one more iPhone, called the iPhone Xr, that comes in the fun colours many have speculated about for years now — blue, coral, red, and yellow, in addition to white and black.

There's still an edge-to-edge display (6.1-inch), this time LCD, meaning the home button is gone. In its place, you'll use Face ID like you do on the X and, now, Xs and Xs Max. The iPhone Xr only has one camera, the same 12 megapixel wide-angle camera that's in the Xs and Xs Max. You'll get an hour and a half more battery life on the Xr than you did on the iPhone 8 Plus.

You can get the iPhone Xr in 64 GB, 128 GB, and 256 GB and it's slightly more affordable. Unfortunately, pre-orders for Xr will not begin until October 19; it will ship on Oct 26.

Apple Watch

As predicted, Apple unveiled the next generation of the Apple Watch, Series 4. Watch now has a sleeker, completely redesigned edge-to-edge display with curved corners. The screens are over 30% larger than on previous models, making it much easier to see and read more information at once. Fortunately, no bulk has been added: Series 4 is thinner than Series 3.

There are also playful new watch faces, including ones that let you simultaneously track multiple time zones while traveling or add photos of friends you contact regularly (simply tap one of the photos to call straight from the screen).

Watch’s speaker has also been redesigned to be 50% louder, and the microphone has been moved to the side (below the digital crown) to limit echoing.

As for health upgrades — a major focus of Watch since the beginning — Series 4 can now detect when its wearer falls by recognising specific movements associated with a tumble. You'll get an alert from Siri to contact emergency services that you can act on or choose to ignore. There's also a big focus on heart health: Watch will be able to detect abnormally low heart rates and irregular rhythms indicative of atrial fibrillation. Users can also take an on-demand electrocardiogram (ECG) straight from their wrist to share with their doctors. Both the ECGs and heart rhythm alerts received FDA-clearance.

Despite the many additions, Apple says Watch still has all-day battery life. Series 4 is available in silver, gold and space grey aluminium finishes, as well as silver and space black stainless steel. There's also a new gold stainless finish. The price starts at £359 for the GPS only model (Series 4 with GPS and cellular will start at £499), and pre-orders begin this Friday, September 14. The Watch will be available in-store on September 21.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

This Is How To Download Photos From Instagram

Here's How You Can Share Your Top-Nine Instagrams Of 2018

Are Influencers Actually Less Influential Than We Think?

When you're a celebrity offspring, you stand out even amongst the models of fashion month. It's why last season, Kaia and Presley Gerber saw their first catwalk, campaign, and editorial jobs, and the season before that, the Hadids made their mark on the industry, too. But SS19 has seen another wave of already-famous models get their break at New York Fashion Week. At Gypsy Sport on Tuesday, Lourdes Leon — of the Madonna matriarchy — could be spotted front and centre.

But Rio Uribe's latest vision actually helped Leon blend in. For SS19, Uribe paid homage to indigenous cultures, which featured a blessing of the land (which, let's not forget, was stolen) before it began. Intricate stage makeup and a brazenly inclusive lineup of Instagram- and street-casted models helped Leon feel more like a model than celebrity-by-association. In fact, it was only after-the-fact that people realised who was standing front-and-centre in a shell bra and ripped denim. Also in the show was RuPaul's Drag Race star Nina Bonina Brown and viral model Samirah Raheem.

The choice to place the collection in the middle of Samsung's experiential space at 837 Washington Street was a peculiar one, but not that much if you take into consideration the attendees: lots of millennials — and iPhones — and the fact that the show was a collaboration with Tumblr. But somehow, in all of its haberdasher-like, anti-establishment glory, it worked. Uribe is known for sparking conversations around important topics, and his latest collection was no different: earthy textiles met harsh, unfinished edges, which — if one can read that much into a frayed denim corset or a skirt with faux foliage growing out of it — alluded to a government currently in a state of flux; see: immigration, diversity, and environmental destruction.

Gypsy Sport may not yet be mainstream, but it's unclear whether or not Uribe wants it to be. After all, the right people will find their way to the New York-based brand. But one thing is a little more obvious: There seems to be a lot Uribe wants to say.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Is This Why Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Wore All-White For Her Swearing In?

Melania Trump Wore Appropriate Shoes For Once — & People Are Upset

The Best Fashion Memes 2018 Gave Us

The summer of scams is apparently not over. The latest, however, is more of an un-scam, or something people have been led to believe is a scam, but isn't.

Recently, a message has made its way around the internet warning users to look out for texts that say things like, "Someone complimented you! See more:" and then give you a link to click on.

Several Twitter users have linked these messages to sex trafficking despite no credible evidence. "Ladies be aware. This shit is getting out of control. Do NOT click on those links!!" wrote one Twitter user. There was another, more popular, tweet, which got more than 100,000 RTs and likes, and has since been deleted.

It read: "LADIES, if you have received a text recently saying ‘a friend has complimented you in IRL’ With a link attached below it, DO NOT open the link! It is linked to sex trafficking. All your information, (including location) can be taken simply by clicking on the link. SO DON’T DO IT!"

But according to Snopes — the urban-legend debunking site — the claim is "completely unsubstantiated." Those texts link to a new social app called IRL, and while the unsolicited messages may be annoying, there's no proof that they're in any way connected to a sex trafficking ring.

IRL, which stands for "In Real Life," "aims to solve technology addiction by bringing people together in real life," according to its mission statement. An IRL user can send an invite to a non-user through text. So, if you received one of these messages, it's likely that one of your friends has added you on the app.

Ladies be aware. This shit is getting out of control. Do NOT click on those links!! pic.twitter.com/f11I64kegk

— Grayson Emory (@graysonemory) September 5, 2018

An IRL spokesperson told Gizmodo that the tweets are "incredibly false rumours and nowhere near accurate." In a July thread on Reddit, Abraham Shafi, one of the cofounders and CEO of IRL, explained the company's privacy policy:

"We do not spam or harvest your contacts. There are only two types of messages that we send. (1) A message with the name of the person that has sent you an invite to hang out (via text message if you don’t already have the app, or a notification within the app if you’ve already downloaded IRL). (2) A message is sent when you’ve received an anonymous compliment, where you can request to reveal the name of nominator in the app (via text message if you don’t already have the app, or a notification within the app if you’ve already downloaded IRL). If users don’t want our texts anymore, they can respond 'no' or 'stop' and we will never send another text message."

It's smart to be wary of texts from unknown numbers, and not to click on weird links that people send you. But it's also smart to verify every rumour before spreading false information. That said, sex traffickers have been known to recruit online, especially through direct messages on Instagram, Mary David, the communications director for Journey Out, an anti-sex trafficking organisation in L.A., tells Refinery29. "Instagram is an incredibly common sex trafficking recruiting tool, targeted toward teens and college students," she says. "They're being DM'ed, and sometimes it will be in the comments."

For everyone who gets those dumb ass IRL texts on like a daily basis: ITS A SHITTY MARKETING SCHEME NOT SEX TRAFFICKING. https://t.co/Vvk4dZPfKV

— Madeline Grace (@maddrain) September 9, 2018

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Ivanka Kicks Off New Year With Women's Economic Development Project

What The Women In US Congress Wore To Their Swearing-In — & What It Means

US Doctor Fired After Tweeting She Would Give Jews "The Wrong Meds"

On Tuesday, Coach debuted its latest Americana-inspired collection at New York Fashion Week. And while we're sure you caught the industrial set-up, the star-studded front row (hey, Selena!), and conspicuous metal dinosaur sculpture on Instagram, it's likely you missed a few key Disney details.

Amid the return of the classic Coach logo and prairie dresses were a few familiar cartoon faces. There were the bolder and more obvious pieces like a Dumbo-print sweater and a handbag prominently featuring Bambi's Thumper, but the best Disney elements were undetectable to the immediate eye. You know hidden Mickeys? Well, try hidden Dalmatians. Found on peasant blouses and frilly skirts, there were a few prints that wove in more obscure Disney characters like Bambi's forest friends and a handful of the 101 Dalmatians. You may have to pull out a magnifying glass to notice the subtle detailing, which makes it that much cuter.

This is far from Coach's first Disney rodeo. Fans know the Tapestry-owned brand's creative director, Stuart Vevers, is a longtime Disney fan who has built an ongoing partnership with the family-friendly company. The first Disney x Coach collaboration was a Mickey-focused accessories collection that launched back in 2016 and wouldn't stop selling out; Coach even released a Coach Outlet exclusive follow up so more fans could get their hands on the product. Their most recent collaboration eschewed Mickey and Minnie for Snow White's universe with a darker ready-to-wear offering.

Coach's SS19 collection won't be available until spring deliveries early next year, but some of the Disney pieces were made available immediately following the show. Click through to see our favourite Coach x Disney moments, and shop them on Coach.com for a limited time only.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

8 Jewellery Brands That Fashion People Love

Meet The Viral Designer Inspired By Dapper Dan and Virgil Abloh

Michael Kors Finalises Its Versace Buy (& What That Means For You)

Switching up your style doesn’t necessarily mean chopping off all your hair or dying it pink. You can always experiment with other, less permanent, ways to update your look. The first thing you should try? Adding a few hair accessories. Barrettes and hair slides can make a fun statement without the commitment, and they don't take a lot of skill to pull off at home.

This season at New York Fashion Week, beautiful hair pieces took centre stage, from the highlighter-hued scrunchies at VFiles to the elegant turbans spotted at Cushnie Et Ochs. And we're keeping track of the standout accessory moments you’ll want to copy ASAP (in case your front row ticket got lost in the post...again).

Scroll ahead to see the many different ways you can incorporate hair accessories into your look.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Meghan Markle's Facialist Says This DIY Face Mask Is The Key To Glowy Skin

Dear Daniela: Is It OK To Set My Makeup With Hairspray?

The Celebrity Makeup Trends You'll See Everywhere In 2019

"There are a lot of good conversations about trans issues happening at the moment, but I think a lot of people don’t really think or talk about trans and nonbinary people getting periods," says Mia, who is from London and identifies as nonbinary. "On adverts it’s always cis femme women with long hair saying, 'Look – you can wear a short dress and be on your period!' but that’s not everyone’s experience. It’s not about trying to silence cis women in any way, it’s just about recognising that other people have periods too."

If you walk into a shop to pick up some sanitary pads or tampons, you may take for granted the way that these products look. Most packaging is as innocuous as possible; they could be tissues, or a packet of sweetener – nondescript in order to spare cis women like myself the embarrassment we’re often told we’re supposed to feel about menstruating. But for others, the ritual is extra complex; products are stored in a shop's "feminine hygiene" section and, despite being designed to go unnoticed, often the packaging can feel very gendered. This is something that a trans man or a nonbinary person might feel a little uneasy about picking up and taking to the counter. They may already be self-conscious about passing, worried about whether their preferred toilets will have a sanitary bin (men’s bathrooms usually don’t), or feel an uncomfortable sense of dysphoria around having a period to begin with.

These are the type of experiences Mia was talking about when they claimed that there is still a nuanced conversation that needs to be had around trans and nonbinary people and periods. Personally, Mia tried to initiate this conversation last year, when they tweeted from @CissexismDaily – the account they run that aims to challenge everyday instances of cissexism and transphobia – about some free menstrual hygiene products given away with tampons. A pouch to keep your hygiene products in, Mia felt that the gift was distinctly aimed at cis femme women, and it made them feel uncomfortable.

Mia explains: "If you don't look like a traditional woman, just doing things like buying tampons or going into women’s toilets, even if it doesn’t lead to a specific case of discrimination or violence, can still give you a heightened sense of awareness; a fight or flight feeling comes. It puts you on edge because it’s drawing attention to the fact that you’re not a woman, and it makes you ready to be questioned about your gender."

Elijah, a trans man who is also from London, says he can empathise with Mia’s words. He was lucky in that his periods stopped after his first shot of testosterone (sometimes it can take years) but before this, when he was already presenting – or socially transitioning – as a man, he still had to go to the chemist and pick up sanitary products once a month. "If there was going to be an occasion when someone genders you for no reason, as soon as you have that product in your hands, that’s it. People think, 'Ah I know what you are now!' and I found it fucking awkward, obviously."

Over the phone, Elijah explains that it was only after he stopped getting his periods that he started to realise, with hindsight, just how much dysphoria they caused him. We agree about how, if you don’t want a vagina, having blood come out of it is like a metaphor straight from a horror film: "It was not an area I let anything or anyone into physically or sexually, so to be bleeding from there once a month for a large proportion of your life was a surreal thought," he says, giving the discomfort of his first period as an example.

"I was 13, and I was already really struggling with puberty, stubbornly trying to not let things change. My mates were embracing makeup, boys, flirting but I couldn’t make peace with it. So when I got my period as well, I started to feel super uncomfortable physically. Every month, I felt really dirty and embarrassed by it. You know when people say, 'I’m on my period, it’s so annoying!' I never said that sort of stuff. I remember being in the bathrooms at school, and waiting until everyone left to change my pad. That sound of it ripping off your pants was a sound that I hated so, so much."

While the conversation around trans people and periods needs to go further in including those who experience extreme discomfort while buying sanitary products, or dysphoria around the period itself, there are of course trans people who don’t get periods, which can bring its own set of difficulties. Refinery29 writer Juno Roche, who identified as trans and now identifies as nonbinary, explains that they know trans women who find it hard to hear or talk about periods, because it’s something they haven’t experienced.

Although Juno doesn’t feel this way – "I don’t feel it’s a conversation I can’t be involved in, even if it’s not something I’ve experienced" – they can see how the current climate might be reinforcing the feeling for trans women. Online, self-proclaimed feminists are using periods as a stick to beat trans women with, saying 'You’ll never understand what it’s like to be a woman because you’ll never have a period'. Juno finds this upsetting and unhelpful: "We get attacked, with people saying, 'Unless you have this set of things, you can’t be real' and I think that’s an issue. It’s odd that a small group of women are using the kind of essentialism they rallied and fought against to define womanhood. But also because there are many cis women who struggle with their periods, don’t have periods, or whose periods stop, for any number of reasons."

Juno explains that, online of late, they have seen trans women discussing how they have experienced the psychological or physiological symptoms of a period, whether it be due to their hormone cycle or psychosomatic, or because, as Juno processes it, trans women are forced into a constant position of having to root themselves in the biological. Whatever is causing it, Juno thinks these women’s experience is valid: "I wanted to be a mother and for a long time I felt guttural sadness at that not being able to happen. I think that if there are trans people who feel like they’re having symptoms then rather than scorning them we should collect evidence, honour people’s experiences. It’s like, 'Let’s not say pregnant men because it’s for a few people' but surely the point is we work towards being nicer and kinder to those in the minority?"

Elijah agrees, and adds that there might be positives for all of us when it comes to including more people in the conversation around periods. He explains that while he doesn’t bleed anymore, he still gets menstrual cramps, as well as hormone dips due to his testosterone, and that both these things have taught him to acknowledge the regular emotional downtime one might need. "I’ve come full circle from being like, 'Yay, my periods are gone!' to being like, 'Actually, this is part of my life because it’s all hormonal'. And if you don’t feel great, that's fine, just eat a bowl of pasta in bed and watch cartoons," he laughs. "Periods teach us to do self-care. We can all learn from that, even cis men, because we all have cycles in our moods, don’t we?"

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Your Guide To Every Single Planetary Retrograde

The Relationship Resolutions Worth Setting In 2019

Lactic Acid Training: Everything You Need To Know

And that's a wrap on New York Fashion Week! Each year we look forward to the peacock-ing pomp and circumstance that surrounds fashion's bi-annual event almost as much as the runway shows themselves. Street style has become an event for fashion's movers and shakers to get creative with the latest from luxury and indie designers.

While the street style looks we saw this season were every bit as flashy as their predecessors, they didn't quite hit their stride. Where past events have been a hot spot for discovering new styling tips, new "must-have" handbags, and new brands, there was a lot of the same old, same old. But that's not to say there weren't a few standout trends that we're still adding to our shopping lists. If anything, the most worn street style pieces reinforced all of the items we loved from the AW18 runways (read: cheetah, suiting, and neon). And best of all? They're actually available for purchase. Ahead, find 10 influencer- and editor-approved trends to venture into this Autumn.

There is a lot of product out there — some would say too much. At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team, but if you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

I Got My First Bespoke Suit & I'm Never Wearing A Dress Again

Meet Autumn's Best Accessories, From Mock Croc To Hiking Boots

How To Wear Autumn's Chic New Trend: Upmarket Tie-Dye

Instagram is fashion's favourite social media. The visually focused platform gives purveyors of popular culture a wide scope to inspire and be inspired. And although every 'gram is creative in its own way, there's a handful of artists, models and critics that become the centre of the sartorial focus once fashion month rolls around.

Even before the latest trend is seen on every aspiring street style star and their celebrity muse, it makes an appearance on the 'grams of these industry mavericks. Ahead, we've put together a shortlist of 20 creators to keep your eye on for the best fashion and beauty looks (and a bit of bad behaviour) this London Fashion Week.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Is This Why Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Wore All-White For Her Swearing In?

Melania Trump Wore Appropriate Shoes For Once — & People Are Upset

The Best Fashion Memes 2018 Gave Us

Most of us gasp in sympathy when we hear of women having twins or triplets. Yes, we might want babies, but ideally one at a time – with just the right gap before a sibling comes along.

Our Western approach to motherhood has developed through both choice and necessity, and we’re having fewer children than ever before. We have increased access to contraceptives, we can choose to prioritise our careers instead, and we may be caring for ageing parents and therefore having another child doesn’t seem practical or financially possible. The spiralling cost of living may have also influenced our decisions to keep our families small. It was little surprise when the Office for National Statistics revealed that 2017 saw the lowest birth rate in England and Wales in a decade.

Becoming a parent in the UK is typically something we hope will be controlled, well thought-out and devoid of surprises. We have the luxury of choice, with the number of women opting to freeze their eggs tripling between 2009 and 2014.

But for mothers in rural Kenya – a country with an estimated three million orphans and the fourth largest HIV epidemic in the world – the duty of care they feel towards their nation’s abandoned children overrides that freedom. A few miles from the country’s fifth largest city, Eldoret, is a village where women feel called to play their part in raising the orphaned population.

Emmy Nyangasi has three biological children, aged 16, 14 and 12, but since 2009 she’s cared for 18 children at any one time. With her husband Tom, she’s employed by Open Arms Village as a house parent in a children’s home called Ushindi – meaning 'victory' in Swahili.

"It wasn’t easy at the beginning. The other children would run to me for a hug, which confused my own children and made them cry," says 38-year-old Emmy. "Bonding was difficult – I couldn’t remember all their names and needed a sharp memory. But it was my duty to be the parent they had never known.

"It took two years before we felt like a family. Now you wouldn’t know which are my biological children, as they’re loved equally. I love waking up and hearing them say 'Good morning, Mummy'."

Nine children’s homes, a baby home, school, clinic and offices comprise the purpose-built village. More than 150 children are given a home, family and education, mostly funded by external sponsorship.

Joseph* was found abandoned at a school when he was around 8 months old. He was taken to hospital with deep marks on his neck and a cut on his ear, probably a result of attempted strangulation. Once his wounds healed, he was committed to the care of Open Arms and, seven years on, is thriving.

Siblings Isaac* and Mercy* were abandoned and went to live with their alcoholic grandmother. She neglected to feed them and the children found comfort in a puppy, sleeping in its bed and sharing what little food they had with it. They were discovered here before being brought to Open Arms.

Sarah Maswai has been a house parent since 2010 and previously ran a primary school with her husband Paul, a pastor. She believes that, despite their hardships, love and faith can transform abused children.

"They have been exposed to a different kind of life," says 50-year-old Sarah. "At first nothing could penetrate their hearts and it was hard to build a relationship. But by demonstrating our love, and the love of God, we are able to change their attitudes to life."

Most of the children were abandoned as babies, often left for dead in cowsheds. Stigma brings many children to the village, because those born through sexual assault or incest, and those who have been sexually abused, are alienated by their community.

Babies face a number of health issues related to being abandoned in the cold. Many have pneumonia and other respiratory infections, as well as HIV-related illnesses, diabetes and sickle cell anaemia. In addition to her role as a parent, Emmy takes children for hospital appointments and ensures each child has the correct medication.

In the UK these babies might be taken into the care of the authorities or adopted, but there is no such infrastructure in Kenya – and if there were, it’s unlikely it could meet the demand. There are temporary refuge homes and remand centres (essentially a children’s prison), but Open Arms is one of the few places where children are raised in a family unit.

Emmy’s family once lived in poverty and she recalls feeding her children raw sweet potatoes when they couldn’t afford to cook. This suffering, she believes, helped to prepare her for her current role.

"It might sound upsetting, but at one time in our lives, going three days without a meal was normal," she explains. "Because of our difficult past, the children know we understand what they’ve been through.

"Looking after children is where I am meant to be. You couldn’t do this role unless it was your calling in life. In the past, me and Tom were desperate to help street children and wanted to adopt two orphans, but didn’t have the space or the finances. Now we’re parents to so many. When I’m asked outside the village if they are my children, I answer yes without a second thought."

House parents are usually over the age of 30 when hired, with no more than three biological children. Couples undergo a rigorous interview process to ensure they’re right for the role. They also work a 'trial weekend', interacting with children and doing chores.

Help is available for cleaning and cooking for such large numbers, with around 100 employees working in the village. Nine couples work as house parents, alongside cooks, teachers, counsellors, agricultural staff, housekeeping and management. The children have their own daily chores, such as sweeping or washing clothes.

The homes are single-storey, stone buildings with solar-powered heating. Each house has a communal living space and bedrooms with bunk beds. House parents work six days a week and have one weekend off per month, when they can leave the village and visit friends and family.

Despite the traumatic start to life experienced by Open Arms children, the house parents have great hopes for their futures.

"We are raising these children to change Africa, one life at a time," says Emmy. "I see leaders in our children. One day this country will have a president who grew up in Open Arms Village. It’s a great honour to know I am helping to raise not just this generation, but also impacting their children and grandchildren."

"I really care about their futures," adds Sarah. "The local community depends on them. I want them to dream big and work hard, but my greatest joy is when a child tells me they wish to forgive their parents for abandoning them."

*The names of orphaned children have been changed

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Your Guide To Every Single Planetary Retrograde

The Relationship Resolutions Worth Setting In 2019

Lactic Acid Training: Everything You Need To Know

Before the digital age of Instagram and InDesign, there was fashion illustration, the revered medium through which artists captured the very best of fashion. Drawing live from catwalk shows, illustrating editorials for printed publications or sketching looks for new collections, the most pioneering artists worked closely with designers to bring their creations to life – often launching the careers of muses and models, too.

To coincide with London Fashion Week, Gray M.C.A, a collective that uncovers rare and dynamic 20th century fashion illustration from private international collections, presents Drawing on Style, a new exhibition celebrating the art form. Assembling works from artists such as Antonio Lopez, Jason Brooks, René Bouché, Bil Donovan and even Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld, the exhibition will showcase works that have graced the pages of Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and The New York Times.

Ahead of the exhibition, we talked to illustrators Bil, Jason and the show's curator Connie Gray, about the history of the art form and what fashion illustration means in today's digital age.

Drawing On Style runs 14th-21st September 2018 at Gray M.C.A Gallery 8, 8 Duke Street St James’s, London, SW1Y 6BN

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Pantone's Colour Of The Year 2019 Has An Important Meaning Behind It

The Show Goes On: Every Look From The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show

Here's What Else We Know About Victoria's Secret's Impossible Beauty Standards

Supporting each other through periods is a familiar pastime for most women. From the colleagues trading ibuprofen and sanitary products on Slack to the housemates curled up on the sofa with a hot water bottle, watching Jennifer Lopez films, we've managed to turn one of the downsides of the female reproductive system into a bonding experience.

But imagine, if you will, what it must be like if you don't get a period. For many of us, the first reaction to this is probably, "Great!" But it's an issue that requires deeper thought. Because of course, having a period carries factors which can be hugely integral to your life, from the camaraderie of period pain all the way to fertility.

Women don't get periods for many different reasons. Some may undergo early menopause, some have had hysterectomies for medical issues. Some may be transgender, some suffering from eating disorders. The reasons women don't have periods can be complicated and diverse, but don't take away from one central fact: period or no period, if you identify as a woman, you are a woman.

Photographer Bex Day has travelled around the UK and Germany meeting, talking to and photographing these women. Read on to find out how being period-free has affected their lives.

Lydia

I was diagnosed with a rare form of womb cancer when I was 24 and the treatment I was put on, a hormone-blocking treatment, didn’t work. I had no other option but to have a total hysterectomy with ovary preservation. This surgery included both my womb and cervix being removed, so I no longer menstruate, although my ovaries still work and I have a monthly cycle (and PMS!) like other women.

It’s very easy to get used to your normal and forget just how bad having periods was. My friend had to deal with a heavy period when she was skiing, and just the disruption and faff to her day, along with incredible pain, really made me think, "Thank God I don’t have to deal with that anymore!" Every now and then I also get flashbacks to horrific situations I was in from heavy bleeding, like going past a café in Hyde Park and remembering being there and running to find a toilet, feeling blood down my legs and on my trousers. It was awful and I am so glad I don’t have to live with that worry anymore.

I once had someone say to me, "I know the menopause is hard, I have been through it," likening my situation to hers and completely ignoring and undermining the fact I was only 24, on cancer treatment and had lost my fertility. The same person – a colleague – also said to me: "I know cancer makes people selfish, you have to be to survive, but you need to start thinking about work now…"

I am so glad I don’t have a period anymore. It is such a relief to not have to worry and navigate my way through life with regular toilet stops. Everything else that led to and has followed from my surgery takes an awful toll on me. Recovering from cancer is a difficult and long process and I would do anything to not be infertile. But that can’t be changed, it has happened now and not having a period is just the small silver lining I get from all of the shit I have been through.

Liza

In 2013, after years of struggling with my health and period, I was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). I had very irregular or nonexistent periods for years but have worked hard to live healthily and they are, at the moment, okay. Before, though, I was very difficult and moody; when my hormones were out of whack, it felt like no reason or logic could bring me out of that dark headspace and physical discomfort. Weeks of my life disappeared every month to a silent monster that refused to budge inside of me. I lost, overall, eight years of my life to period-related hormonal stuff.

Not having my period forced me to take a closer look at my health holistically, so I am grateful for that. But I do find it frustrating when older women say to me things like, "That’s strange. I never had that problem. I barely noticed my period. Ever."

Now, I've accepted it. It is what it is. Not having a period doesn’t impact my identity. I feel womanly precisely because I am.

Alex

I am an open, transgender woman and I was born with all things male. I came out as transgender this year but had been mentally transitioning for four years. While I cannot ever physically experience what other women feel, I feel so much empathy towards women on their periods, I want to sympathise and talk to them about it. And I can hug them to comfort them.

Some people will never see me as a woman, only as an "aesthetic woman", because I cannot fulfil the practical elements of womanhood. I cannot have genetic children or give birth. Does that make me less of a woman? To some, yes.

I accepted not having a period a long time ago, and it rarely passes my thoughts. I can’t do it, therefore I can’t yearn. I am happy I don’t get all this pain and the painfulness of childbirth but I can also wish that I could experience the things that I would have if I was born with a female body.

The way I see it, there are a lot of women who don’t have their period. A lot of women can’t have children. Some women around me can’t. My identity does not hinge on a technicality and neither does theirs. Are biological women who don’t get their period still women? Of course they are. So I am still a woman because I don’t have one. My experience is just different from the other women around me. My experience as a woman is beautiful and not having a period cannot take away what burns so strong inside me.

Rachel*

I do get my period now, but for several years I didn’t as my weight wasn’t on a healthy level. I tend to lose weight when I’m stressed and, several years ago, when I was doing a very demanding internship, I lost a lot in a short amount of time. It shouldn't have been a surprise that because of this my period stopped. Because I'm naturally slender, it took a long time to gain enough weight to get back to normal in a healthy way.

I sometimes think that part of the issue was that for a long time I was more in touch with my "masculine" side, always putting work first, trying not to show stress or insecurities. It wasn't until I started taking more time for myself and allowing myself to be more in touch with myself and my "feminine" side that everything got back to normal. You could say the balance between feminine and masculine was a bit off. Nevertheless, I did feel just as much a woman then as I do now that my period has come back.

For a very long time I wasn’t sure what to think of not having my period. In a way it was a good thing, as I used to have horrible cramps and it was nice not having all the trouble that comes with that. It was only after my period had stopped for more than two years that I started to worry if I had harmed my body for good – especially as I get older and start to think about whether or not I’d like to have children one day.

Annabel

I have never actually had a full, natural period. When I was 15 years old I was diagnosed with premature ovarian failure, this means that before reaching puberty I had already experienced my menopause.

When I was told what was happening, I was incredibly angry as it was very clear to me and my family that I was born to be a mother. I struggled for a long time, questioning my identity and my purpose as, for so long, "being a woman" to me was "being a biological mother" – I felt my body was wrong. It has taken 10 years to accept that even though naturally I cannot conceive, I can still be the woman I want to be. I used to long for periods just to be "normal", and for a long time I would lie about it to everyone around me, to avoid explaining why I don't have periods.

When people suggest that "maybe it will happen soon", it’s very frustrating. I don't think many people understand, or can even contemplate, experiencing menopause at 15. I was put on six different pills to try and stimulate my ovaries, I had countless blood tests, ultrasounds, CT scans and God knows how many invasive procedures to come to a conclusion of why my body wasn't responding to any kind of medication or therapy. But what more can I do? The NHS can't do anything else and unless a miracle happens, there is no solution. The thing about the menopause is it is final.

Women are so resilient but I've also come to believe that most, if not all, women have a maternal instinct and with that choice and decision being completely taken from you it's hard not to challenge who you are. If you are a childless woman because you CHOSE not to have children, that is one thing, but being a childless woman because you didn't have that choice can really damage your identity.

Rosie

I don’t get my period because I suffer from endometriosis and take the pill back-to-back to avoid having a "normal" period, which would leave me in a great deal of pain and would potentially encourage more endometriosis to form. Not having my period allows me to pursue the things I want in life. Because of modern medicine, I have a successful career, a good degree, I’ve travelled to different countries and formed great friendships and relationships.

I missed a great deal of school because of pain to do with my periods, which I now understand was as a result of my endometriosis. Fortunately this did not have too much of a detrimental effect on my future, but memories of my adolescence are dotted with episodes of severe pain, vomiting and the feeling of missing out.

When I was about 20 I approached my (female) GP with a list of ongoing symptoms and queried whether they could be caused by endometriosis and she laughed at me, and told me categorically that it wasn’t, without any medical checks, scans or further investigation. I went away feeling like a fool, and didn’t raise it again until four years later, when the pain and bleeding became unbearable and I was being prescribed three codeine a day just to cope with daily life. They then found that endometriosis had spread across three different areas.

When I was first diagnosed I felt like a ticking time bomb – it was flagged by my consultant that my eggs may be poor quality, and that my endometriosis could affect my fertility. I was recommended to start being proactive by the age of 27 if I wanted to have children. I’m in a happy relationship, with a dog, lovely partner and house that we call home, and I have now accepted that what will be, will be. I am in control of my own body and I’m 26 and a half and not planning on trying for children any time soon.

It’s strange because I do not feel that not having periods affects my femininity in any way; it actually makes me feel empowered as a woman that there are medical ways of not letting this condition control my life and hold me back.

Valeria

I always had very strong, long and painful periods and when I got into a long-term relationship I researched the best contraceptive for my needs. When I learned that in most cases the implant stopped periods altogether, I opted for that. I'm on my second one now and had only one period in the last four years.

There are many little incidents that make me feel like not having my period is a good thing. In between implants, for example, I have a very, very strong and heavy period for up to two weeks. I often wake up with my sheets or clothes stained.

Something people often say which I find so frustrating is: "I don’t think it’s healthy to stop your periods entirely." As if I haven’t researched, plus you are not a doctor!

For now I feel free, I feel like I can do anything without worrying about my period, especially because when I have it I’m in a lot of pain. I will want to have children in a couple of years so I will have to stop the implant and go back to having periods.

Sometimes, even though my periods are very heavy and painful, I do miss it. I miss that feeling of my body working in a cycle. I know my body still works like that, but I can’t actually see it anymore. Sometimes not having my period and having my girlfriends talk about how painful theirs is, makes me feel kinda jealous – almost left out.

Flowers provided by Precis

*Indicates name has been changed

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

What Happens If You Miss A Day Of Birth Control?

What It's Like To Be Pregnant With A Brain Tumour

What It's Like To Be Fat At Christmas

We’re constantly told that periods shouldn’t stop us from getting on with our everyday lives. Aside from the widespread misinformation surrounding menstruation and PMS (no, guys, it’s not just a tummy ache), tampon commercials regularly feature women dancing in pristine white dresses, biking up mountains and even jumping out of aeroplanes (which is great, if that’s the sort of thing you usually do). But the one activity yet to be acknowledged by advertising and indeed the mainstream narrative is – whisper it – period sex.

It’s a weirdly divisive topic, given how absolutely natural both sex and periods are – but as with many things, it’s a matter of personal preference. According to one survey, 45% of people queried said it was at least "kinda gross", while just edging in with the majority were the 55% of people who said it was "natural or awesome".

Obviously, period sex can be totally awesome. Some women report stronger orgasms when they’re on, and there’s evidence to suggest orgasms can help cure cramps. Plus, you’ve got a bit of extra lube to help things along. But if you’re part of the pro-period sex camp, you’ll know that it brings with it a few additional considerations. These are usually completely manageable, but as these stories demonstrate, sometimes things can get a bit… out of hand.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

What Happens If You Miss A Day Of Birth Control?

What It's Like To Be Pregnant With A Brain Tumour

What It's Like To Be Fat At Christmas

Word on the street is that if you get cast for the Marc Jacobs show, you better be ready to make a drastic hair change. Last season it was dramatic haircuts, and the year before that it was controversial dreadlocks. And for the designer’s Spring/Summer 2019 show, models were asked to colour their hair — and 37 of them agreed.

“I’ve never worked on anything where there was so much willingness to try new things,” Josh Wood, Redken global colour creative director, tells Refinery29. “This is the biggest colour project I have every worked on. Every single girl is a different colour. It was like a colour revolution.”

The colour lineup included a mix of antique pastels, inky blacks, rich reds, silvery blondes, and bold brunettes, and every shade was chosen to coordinate with the fabric in the collection. “Marc signed every single colour off himself, and each girl had one or two fabric swatches that we were matching the hair colour to,” says Wood.

The Redken team started by bleaching the models using Flashlift. Then they added a darker shadow to the roots, layered on a metallic base colour, and — once each model was fitted in her outfit — finished with the vibrant hair colour. Some of the models had to undergo five or six processes before reaching the final colour and the entire thing took three days, with Wood still colouring hair just hours before the runway.

In addition to the new colour, some of the models also got haircuts. Akiima Yong, of IMG, got her hair chopped and painted a pastel pink before the runway. She tells R29 that it was her decision to make the change (and her agency was also informed). “I’m OK with it. I’ve never had my hair pink before, and I wanted to cut my hair already,” she says. And as for her other jobs during fashion month, she’s not particularly concerned. “I don’t know how other designers will feel, but this is the last show. Nothing is going on until I go to the next city.”

Guido Palau, Redken global creative director, echoes that the option for a makeover is all up to the models. “It was really up to the girls. You can’t be dictatorial,” he says. “Marc is very lucky that a lot of girls want to do his show, and the girls are more open to change now. There’s not a stigma attached to having your hair buzzed off like there was a few years ago. I’m always surprised. We had more than we needed.”

As for the styling, the beauty look was inspired by the starlets of the ‘50s, like Barbara Streisand and Lee Radziwill. In a contrast to all the individualistic, natural hair looks we’ve been seeing for the last few seasons, this look is a throwback to women with polished hairstyles. After all the cutting and colouring, models either got teased bouffants with flipped ponytails, egg-shaped bobs, or cropped buzz cuts.

“We’ve seen lots of natural looks, and it’s very cool, but a 'finished woman' was something Marc wanted to emphasise again,” says Palau. “She has been to the salon; it’s a very coiffed look. This is kind of fashion in a fantasy way.”

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Meghan Markle's Facialist Says This DIY Face Mask Is The Key To Glowy Skin

Dear Daniela: Is It OK To Set My Makeup With Hairspray?

The Celebrity Makeup Trends You'll See Everywhere In 2019

Thanks to government budget cuts to local councils, sexual health services in the UK have come under increased pressure in recent years – and now professionals are warning that the situation is reaching breaking point. A prominent doctor has described contraceptive access in England as at a "crossroads" and linked the crisis to increased abortion rates.

"My concern is that the unmet need (for contraception) might get translated into unplanned pregnancies and possibly the increased abortion rates that we are seeing today," Dr Kasliwal, president of the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (which represents 15,000 doctors and clinicians), is quoted by the BBC as having said.

Half of all councils in England have cut, or plan to cut, sexual health services, with long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs), including the coil and implant, bearing the brunt, reported the BBC. While condoms and the pill remain the most commonly used contraceptives, the coil and implant are becoming increasingly popular with women.

Three-quarters of English councils cut the number of long-acting reversible contraceptives fitted between 2014 and 2016, because there were fewer GPs with the time or training to put them in, according to data from the Advisory Group on Contraception reported by the BBC. Only doctors who have been trained can currently fit coils and implants.

Tilly Thorns, 23, was made to wait nine weeks to have a copper coil fitted at a sexual health clinic in Homerton, east London, two years ago. The long wait made her anxious and doubt her contraceptive choice, she told Refinery29. "Was I making the right decision? They kept pushing other forms of contraception on me, like the implant, other pills and the injection, and questioning my motive for wanting the coil, which was a big decision for me anyway that I'd heavily researched and thought a lot about.

"I had to take so much time off work that I had to start calling in sick just so I could go to appointments," Thorns added.

Laurene, 27, had a similarly difficult time when trying to have a coil fitted at Homerton Hospital. She had to wait six weeks for her appointment and received no explanation for the wait: "They just said it was the standard procedure. It was frustrating having to wait that long for something important like that.

"Thinking of other people who needed it more than me made me go mad – they shouldn't have to wait that long. Luckily I didn't have to put any urgent plans on hold – I was just thinking of those who needed it more urgently than me."

The stress of not being in control of my body in the way I'd like to be makes me quite panicky.

Even accessing the contraceptive pill, which is still celebrated for its ease and reliability (despite the recent backlash against it), can be difficult. Jazmin Kopotsha, 25, has been struggling to access the combined pill without issues in London since 2015. After a series of "notoriously long waits" to be seen at the GP practice where she was registered, she decided to visit a walk-in centre to pick up her contraception before a holiday two years ago.

"It's confusing because some [walk-in clinics] offer free contraception, while some give you a prescription – there's no clear rule on why, at least not from my asking around," she said. On top of that, "None of the [clinics] open after working hours were in my borough, so I had to travel for three hours to an obscure centre in west London."

Kopotsha has also tried using Lloyds online doctor, which has come with its own issues. "They charge about £20 after you do an online consultation but you still have to wait a week for them to dispense, because you have to be seen by a pharmacist who takes your blood pressure first and you may have to book an appointment. It's the same drama as seeing a GP."

The impact on her life has been inconvenient to say the least. "I've had to pause my sex life a few times, particularly when I've been with long-term boyfriends. The stress of not being in control of my body in the way I'd like to be makes me quite panicky. There are pros and cons to the pill, but having to reorientate your life, relationships, travel plans because you can't get medication doesn't help anyone."

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

BBC's New Dirty Vegan Cooking Show Leaves Viewers Impressed

Why The 2019 Women's March Organisers Want You To Bring Flowers

British Forced Marriage Victims Are Having To Pay To Be Rescued

For several seasons now, Raf Simons has treated his runway shows for Calvin Klein like short films. Most of his collections — if not all of them — have been a hit since his debut at the New York-based label in 2017, though they've all been rooted in roughly the same idea: It's a dark time in America. But after his SS19 offering, which paid homage to the post-Watergate film Jaws and featured blood-splattered clothes, bitten skirts, and more, it's worth asking: Is it time to say "We get it already"?

Though his references are more literal than his own masterful interpretation, there's nothing cliché about Simons' vision. He's got a knack for tapping into unchartered territories of the minds and closets of his loyal followers, reminding them that being bold is sexy — and facing one's fears can be, too. This was obvious in the ultra-cropped and half-zipped wetsuits, leopard print (which, at first glance, we didn't think held its own in the line-up), graphic muscle tanks featuring the daunting Jaws film poster (and the "cK" logo, of course), and high-slit skirts with shark bites taken out of them ( "Don't go in the water! "). Then something less predictable happened: As the show made its way to the finale, models wore billowing graduation capes with matching mortarboards, accompanied by Simons' signature celebratory fringe.

Like any good climax, it almost had us — but it was yet another literal note Simons wrote down during his self-education in American cinema: The Graduate. The only connection between the polar-opposite cult classics? Scuba gear, which is worn in both films. To someone who's more of a TV buff, this transition was less smooth as it should have just been cut. So, how could Simons know blood-dyed tie-dye, skin-tight scuba trousers, and rubber Western boots would resonate with customers come spring? Perhaps it's a secret he'll never tell, or maybe he knows everyone else on the NYFW schedule will stick to what they know for a spring collection — florals, overdrawn silhouettes, sandals — leaving him space to do something different.

Maybe we, as a country, are obsessed with our past; flawed as it may be and given the state of our union. Film has played a crucial role in pop culture and in Simons' collections (he's cited Safe, Carrie, Easy Rider, and The Shining as influences for his versions of Americanisms). And we're well-aware of his affection for Andy Warhol.

That being said — and pardon the pun — people are bound to eat it up, as they do anything the ready-to-wear maestro does. If Simons says to jump in shark-infested waters, ask yourself if you'd get in should the prize of survival be a Calvin Klein-branded wetsuit. This is the heralded "saviour of American fashion " we're talking about here. We're not condoning putting one's life (or finances) in danger for the sake of fashion, but hey, you saw those bags.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

8 Jewellery Brands That Fashion People Love

Meet The Viral Designer Inspired By Dapper Dan and Virgil Abloh

Michael Kors Finalises Its Versace Buy (& What That Means For You)