Hollywood is still hell-bent on attacking a man with Tourette’s. Most disgusting of all was Saturday Night Live’s (SNL) sketch in which celebrities who’ve been accused of various harmful actions ‘jokingly’ blamed their actions on Tourette’s.

Last week was absolutely horrific to witness as a disabled person. In the aftermath of the BBC airing a man with Tourette’s shouting the N word at two black actors, disabled people, and particularly people with Tourette’s, faced off-the-scale hatred.

SNL airs fucking disgusting sketch

Don’t get me wrong, Black people had every right to be hurt and upset about what happened, even though many attacked them for being hurt. And, disabled people were shot down when it came to correcting misinformation. Social media, the papers and TV were full of people essentially saying that people with Tourette’s should not be allowed in public.

Seeing that was bad enough, but then Saturday Night Live aired a fucking horrific sketch.

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— Saturday Night Live (@nbcsnl) March 1, 2026

In the skit, celebrities who are seen as ‘controversial’ speak to the camera in a personal service announcement style. They tell the audience that actually their horrific behaviour isn’t their fault. In the scenario they realised, thanks to the BAFTA incident, that they have Tourette’s.

Firstly, we see a comedian playing Mel Gibson excusing his own behaviour with Tourette’s. Just to remind everyone, Gibson previously said that Jews rule the world and told his ex-girlfriend she should be raped by Black men. This attempts to place intentional racism as somehow comparable to something involuntary i.e. Tourette’s tics. Thus, the ‘joke’ suggests says that John Davidson was intentionally racist.

But it gets worse.

The sketch also features several known abusers, excusing their actions with Tourette’s. Louis CK blaming exposing himself to women on Tourette’s; Armie Hammer excusing mentally and physically abusing women via Tourette’s; Bill Cosby saying he drugged and raped multiple women because he has Tourette’s.

The message is clear: we don’t believe you

By ‘excusing’ intentional abuse, harm, and other heinous actions via Tourette’s, it’s portraying the condition itself as an excuse. As last week has brought to the fore, Tourette’s is not intentional, and people with the condition are often deeply distressed by their tics.

The message to people with Tourette’s is clear: we don’t believe you and think you’re weaponising your disability

But it also sends a clear message to all disabled people who’ve been trying to raise awareness of a deeply misunderstood condition.

It’s bad enough to see a disabled man mocked by the biggest comedy show in the world. But to then have his disability used to excuse some of the most horrific celebrities who have committed the very worst crimes is inexcusable. SNL knew exactly what they were doing. They took a scenario that sparked widespread anti-Blackness and ableism, and made a further mockery of people with Tourette’s.

The video is the very definition of punching down.

Featured image via X

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) announced that it is pausing the Pathways puberty blocker trial for trans youth healthcare.

A week later, the MHRA announced that it was recusing Professor Jacob George from the trial due to his social media posts. Although the medications watchdog didn’t go into detail, it turns out that George has a history of posting transphobic bile.

Except, George isn’t just some guy who was working on the trial. He’s the chief medical and scientific officer of the agency – a role that was created just one month ago. George also happens to be the one who raised the ‘concerns’ that led to pausing the trial.

Are we even pretending that this isn’t a fucking stitch-up any more?

Puberty blocker trial

As a quick recap for the situation – we’re testing puberty blockers in the first place on the recommendation of Dr Hilary Cass. The government appointed Cass to review trans youth healthcare in the UK in spite of the fact that she has no experience in trans care whatsoever.

Her review has been roundly criticised as bunk science based on the foundational assumption that being trans is a bad thing. Nevertheless, her conclusions were used as an excuse to justify the continued halt of the use of puberty blockers in the UK.

That gutting of trans youth healthcare caused a massive spike in suicides. The government lied about it repeatedly.

Meanwhile, the same puberty-blocking medications are still used routinely for children with precocious puberty. For some reason, we’re not at all concerned about the safety of these medications when they’re not given to trans people. Funny, that.

When Cass’ recommended trial rolled around, it was criticised for coercing trans kids to participate in a study in order to access healthcare. Likewise, advocacy group TransActual highlighted that the senior personnel of the study were a who’s who of medical transphobia.

Cue Professor Jacob George.

Anybody checking for bigots?

George entered his position as the MHRA’s chief medical and scientific officer on 5 January, just two months ago.  The newly-minted civil service role would have him oversee the agency’s scientific, research, and innovation activities.

George’s posts characterised trans people as a “militant minority” opposed to women’s rights, and urged:

Citizens, wake up and smell the coffee.

He called the inclusion of Imane Khelif – a cis woman boxer – in the sport a:

denial of biological reality [who] means that women are being put at risk of brain injury

Likewise, George also fawned over notable transphobes like JK Rowling and Ted Cruz, calling the former “a treasure of our time”.

On 27 February, the MHRA quietly announced that it was removing George from overseeing the puberty blocker trial. The agency stated that:

Following the identification of social media posts made prior to his appointment, Professor Jacob George is recused from further involvement on the Pathways clinical trial as a precaution.

Because the abundance of caution in trans youth medicine apparently only extends to making sure an open bigot isn’t in charge once it gets aired on the fucking radio.

Suddenly, the MHRA has issues

On George’s recommendation, just a month into his new job, the MHRA paused its puberty blocker trial. A letter from the agency to the Department of Health and Social Care ( DHSC) cited a need for more stringent bone density monitoring, among others. It also stated that:

Since potentially significant and, as yet, unquantified risk of long-term biological harms is present to participants and biological safety has not been definitively demonstrated in this proposed cohort, at the very least, there should be a graded/stepwise approach starting with those aged 14 as the lower limit of eligibility.

In spite of George’s recusal, the pause is still in place. King’s College London, the trial sponsor, is now in talks with the MHRA to address the ‘concerns’. A DHSC spokesperson said:

‘Political pressure’

To be clear: the MHRA previously approved the Pathways trial methodology, before George was appointed (and before his job even existed). However, the study later met with objections from vocal transphobes in society. Even Hilary Cass identified the fucking stitch-up:

There are no new research findings and the MHRA hasn’t presented any new evidence. It feels to me like they are responding to political pressure rather than to science.

She added that raising the age limit to 14 made no sense:

will make the results invalid. It would make the design really, really flawed and you should not be subjecting children to a flawed study.

And highlighted other, even more nonsensical points in the MHRA’s letter:

There were some bizarre things, that children won’t be able to tell you if they’re bleeding. Well, anyone who can’t tell you if they’re bleeding can’t consent to this treatment. That seemed completely bizarre.

‘No compelling scientific reason’

Likewise, Dr Max Davie, a paediatrician with experience at the NHS Children and Young People’s Gender Service, was more direct in naming Prof George as the issue:

The tweets by Professor George give a clear indication of his personal views on the topic. He is quite at liberty to hold whatever views on gender identity he may, but what he cannot do is allow these views to affect the fulfilment of his public duty.

He added:

To be clear, there is no compelling scientific reason to halt the Pathways trial. While Prof George’s personal convictions are not the only possible explanation for the MHRA’s abrupt volte-face, it is the only one for which we have evidence.

The current pause on the Pathways trial is just another chapter in this whole sordid and biased affair. Trans healthcare is being held to an impossible double standard.

Transphobes know that the government will seize on their every criticism, no matter how spurious. If they can’t halt gender-affirming care entirely, they’ll delay and reduce it, causing death by a thousand cuts.

First, we needed to deny hormone therapy in favour of puberty blockers. Then, we needed to stop blockers in favour of a trial. Now, we need to stop the trial in favour of sweet fuck all.

Meanwhile, it’s the UK’s trans youth paying the price for this open bigotry.

Featured image via the Canary

Prime Minister Keir Starmer addressed the House of Commons on Monday afternoon (Alamy)

4 min read21 min

Over the weekend, the US and Israel carried out military strikes deep inside Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior officials.

Iran has retaliated by firing missiles and drones across the Middle East, targeting Gulf states and military positions. The states targeted by Iran are UK allies, and where thousands of Brits are based.

British officials publicly stated the UK military did not participate in the US/Israeli strikes and did not endorse the offensive military actions.

However, on Sunday evening, Starmer announced that the UK had agreed to grant the US permission to use British military bases for “limited and specific” defensive strikes against Iranian missile sites and launchers.

The government says that it is protecting British people in the region by targeting Iranian military capability “at source” to stop Tehran releasing missiles. 

Since the conflict escalated, the RAF has intercepted an Iranian drone that was headed for a base in Iraq where British military personnel are based. Iran has also launched a drone at a British base in Cyprus. The latter, which took place before Starmer’s statement on Sunday, caused minimal damage but no casualties.

Speaking to MPs on Monday, Starmer said: “President Trump has expressed his disagreement with our decision not to get involved in the initial strikes, but it is my duty to judge what is in Britain’s national interest; that is what I’ve done, and I stand by it.”

He added that the UK would continue its “defensive actions” in the region, which he described as the “collective self-defence of long-standing friends and allies”.

“We believe that the best way forward for the region and for the world is a negotiated settlement in which Iran agrees to give up any aspirations to develop a nuclear weapon and ceases its destabilising activity across the region,” he said, adding that this had been the “long-standing position of successive British governments”.

He said that any UK action must have a “lawful basis and a viable thought-through plan”, adding that “we all remember the mistakes of Iraq and have learned those lessons”.

There is a belief among British security officials that Iran has the capacity to continue attacks on British allies in the Gulf for at least a week. So far, Tehran has launched attacks on states including Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

The government estimates that there are around 300,000 British people in the region.

“Iran has hit airports and hotels where British citizens are staying. It is deeply concerning for the whole house and the whole country,” he told MPs.

“I’ve been speaking to our Gulf partners over the weekend, they’re outraged by Iran’s acts, particularly as they played no part in any strikes, and they’ve asked us to do more to defend them. Moreover, it is my duty, the highest duty of my office, to protect British lives.”

Starmer urged all British citizens in the affected areas to register their presence so they can be given support. He said that the government was in close contact with the travel industry and governments in the region to help them “return home as swiftly and safely as possible”.

“We’re looking at all options to support our people,” the PM said.

Starmer said that there would not be a parliamentary vote on the action taken by the government so far, as it has been limited to defensive, rather than offensive, action.

He added that the government was also reaching out to communities across the United Kingdom, including Muslim and Jewish community organisations, amid concern that the conflict in the Middle East could impact community tensions in the UK.

“We’re making sure that sites across the country, including places of worship, have appropriate protective security in place,” Starmer said.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch criticised the government for not offering more support to US strikes on Iran, highlighting that the UK’s allies in Canada and Australia “immediately backed the action taken by America against this despotic regime in Tehran”.

“I have made it very clear that the Conservative Party also stands behind America taking this necessary action against state-sponsored terror,” she said, accusing Starmer of hesitating over the decision to allow the US to use British air bases. 

US President Donald Trump has said that while it was “useful” that the UK had agreed on Sunday evening, “it took far too much time” to come to the decision.

Badenoch continued: “It took Iranian missiles hitting allies in the Gulf before he finally made a decision, and even after that, the foreign secretary said this morning that the government has put limits on the actions of our allies, operating from our bases.

“Unbelievably, in his statement today, the Prime Minister still cannot say whether he backs the strikes or not.”

Lupita Nyong’o is using her platform to champion a cause close to her heart with the Make Fibroids Count campaign.

Lupita Nyong’o shares her story

Over the weekend, actress and activist Nyong’o spoke about living with Uterine Fibroids. This is a condition that causes lumps to grow inside and on the walls of the uterus.

This is a massively painful condition, but due to medical misogyny, it’s one that isn’t talked about or recognised enough.

Last year, Nyong’o revealed she has had 77 growths, with 50 still growing inside her. The largest was the size of an orange. As she said recently on Instagram, this inspired many other people to come forward to tell their stories.

She said:

Last July, I ended a decade-plus of suffering in silence and publicly shared my diagnosis for the first time. Women worldwide responded with their own stories. I felt less alone, and more convinced than ever that this is not something we should accept.

There’s something deeply wrong when a condition this widespread is this poorly understood. Do you accept this as the status quo? Neither do I.

As she said on Instagram, Fibroids aren’t rare, but thanks to periods and gynaecological health still being seen as a taboo, it’s very rarely spoken about. Millions of people are living their lives in excruciating pain because they’re told period pain is normal.

Nyong’o wants to #MakeFibroidsCount

Nyong’o is sharing her own story in the hopes of raising awareness and fundraising for research into the condition.

Fibroids are often represented by fruit because it’s the easiest way to make size comparisons. Whilst some are the size of blueberries, some uterine fibroids can be the size of a cantaloupe. To raise awareness of this. Nyong’o posed with 77 pieces of fruit to represent each of her fibroids.

Nyong’ has partnered with the Foundation for Women’s Health to promote the  #MakeFibroidsCount campaign. It encourages others share their story of living with uterine fibroids and donate to better research. The campaign aims to raise $200,000 dollars, which will aid better research, training and understanding of Uterine Fibroids.

Nyong’o said of the campaign

Fibroids may be common, but they are not normal.

I was told they were just something women live with. I refuse to accept that. Millions of women are suffering in silence, and we deserve better answers, better care and better options

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How you can #MakeFibroidsCount

You can take part in the campaign in the following ways:

Donate: You can donate to the FWH x Lupita Nyong’o Uterine Foundation Grant here.

Share: If you live with uterine fibroids, post an image of you with fruit to represent the invisible weight you carry. If you don’t live with it, share people’s stories. Use the hashtag #MakeFibroidsCount.

Raise funds: as well as donating, you can also start your own fundraiser. 

It’s incredible to see someone with a platform such as Lupita’s speaking up for a condition which is often disregarded or ignored. We need more of this from Hollywood.

Featured image via the Canary

Good nutrition is a cornerstone of health at every age. It supports immune function, energy levels, recovery after illness, and overall well‑being. Yet for many people, access to structured nutritional care through traditional healthcare settings isn’t always straightforward. Barriers like limited appointment availability, geographical distance, cost considerations, and time constraints can make it difficult for patients to get personalised dietary guidance from dietitians or nutritionists.

That’s where alternative and accessible options play an increasingly important role. Today, many online platforms allow people to find nutritional products, supplements, and support tailored to specific needs. For example, individuals seeking therapeutic nutrition options — whether for recovery, weight maintenance, or chronic conditions — can explore products such as fresubin, which provide ready‑to‑use formulas designed to support diverse nutritional goals. These options add convenience and broaden access beyond traditional clinical channels.

Why nutritional care matters beyond the clinic

Traditionally, nutritional advice is delivered through appointments with healthcare professionals, such as general practitioners or registered dietitians. While this model works well for many, not everyone has easy access to these services. In rural areas, clinic schedules may be full, and specialised dietetic services might be limited. Even in cities, waiting lists can be long, or consultations can be expensive for those without comprehensive insurance coverage.

Beyond access, people’s lives are fast‑paced. Many juggle work, family commitments, travel, and social obligations, leaving little time for in‑person visits. The result is that individuals may struggle to implement nutrition plans or find interventions in a timely way when they need support most — such as during recovery from illness, managing a chronic condition, or adjusting diet for aging‑related needs.

Digital solutions for nutritional support

In response, digital and online services have made it easier to take proactive steps toward better nutrition. These services come in many forms, including:

• Online educational resources, such as articles, videos, and guides that explain nutritional principles and healthy eating habits;
• Virtual dietitian consultations, allowing people to discuss dietary concerns without traveling;
• Home delivery of targeted nutrition products, such as high‑calorie supplements, fortified drinks, and specialised formulas suited to individual requirements;
• Apps and tracking tools that help users monitor their diet, nutrient intake, weight changes, or food reactions.

This flexibility means that nutritional support is no longer limited to traditional appointments — it can be woven into daily life in manageable, practical ways.

The role of convenience and personalisation

One of the key drivers of online nutritional care adoption is convenience. Rather than spending hours researching which products might help or traveling to a store only to find limited stock, people can browse trusted platforms from home, read product descriptions, compare ingredients, and order what they need for delivery.

Customising nutritional care doesn’t stop at product choice. Many online services provide personalised recommendations based on age, health status, dietary restrictions, and lifestyle factors. Such tailored approaches help people feel more confident in their decisions and more engaged with their own health outcomes.

Nutrition in everyday life

While specialised formulas and supplements are useful tools, good nutrition is ultimately rooted in daily habits. Understanding balanced meals, portion sizes, and nutrient diversity is important for everyone, not just those with specific conditions. Online platforms often offer educational content and meal planning ideas that help users integrate healthy eating practices into their routines.

By having both educational resources and easy access to targeted products, individuals can build a foundation of sound nutrition while addressing specific needs as they arise. This dual approach makes nutritional care more attainable for a wider audience.

Supporting caregivers and families

Access to nutritional care isn’t just about individual needs — it also benefits families and caregivers. Parents managing children’s dietary needs, adult children supporting aging parents, or caregivers assisting individuals with chronic conditions all gain from having easy, reliable access to both information and products.

Rather than juggling multiple physical trips to pharmacies or relying solely on memory of product names, caregivers can use online services to reorder familiar items, track delivery dates, and ensure that nutritional support is consistent and reliable. This peace of mind can significantly reduce stress and improve the quality of care provided at home.

Looking ahead

The trend toward improved access to nutritional care online is likely to continue as technology evolves and consumer expectations shift. Key developments may include:

• More interactive virtual consultations with nutrition professionals;
• AI‑assisted recommendations based on uploaded health metrics;
• Seamless integration between online platforms and clinical records;
• Expanded educational libraries tailored to diverse health conditions.

These innovations will support a future where nutritional well‑being is more integrated, accessible, and actionable for people in all walks of life.

Conclusion

Accessing nutritional care outside traditional healthcare systems has transformed how individuals and families approach diet, wellness, and recovery. Online resources, targeted products, and flexible delivery options help people meet their nutritional needs even when in‑person options are limited. By combining education, personalisation, and convenience, online nutritional support empowers individuals to take charge of their health in practical and meaningful ways — ensuring that good nutrition remains a cornerstone of well‑being across different stages of life.