Gender norms may not have been as concrete as we think they were — The year is 1150ce, and Finland is a brutal place to be. The normal dangers of sub-zero winters, wild bears, and wolves are set aside as war and faith bring change to the land. Finish tribes clash over power disputes as Sweden and Denmark prepare to invade with Catholic crusades…

Body hair is feminine. Here’s why — I was eighteen when a boy told me he would turn me away at the door if I had “one hair on my body.” Despite growing up with a happily married mother who rarely shaved her legs, I believed him. …

Video games don’t let you hurt kids, but I can kill a cat? — You spur on your horse, jerking sideways at the last second to dodge a tree. Together, you hop over a small river, your eyes fixed on the small gray creature darting between the underbrush. It disappears — have you lost it? Just as you start to reign in your horse…

What we publish and how to become a writer — At Divided, we love welcoming new writers with diverse viewpoints and exciting content. If you have an area of expertise or just a new way of looking at something, chances are we’d love to have you. …

Oh, how I envy you — Most people put happy wishes, family pictures, or even the odd tree decoration in their Christmas cards. Surprisingly, you sent a COVID conspiracy leaflet with yours. It feels wrong to approach you directly about this unexpected gift. Our friendship has always been quite formal, after all. And the card was…

Human evolution is more complex than you think — A taruca deer, grazing on shrubs in the grasslands of Peru, only has moments to live. Too late, it pauses to sniff the air. Humans, crouched with spear-throwers are only meters away. The taruca turns to run, but an 18-year-old hunter rises from the grass in front of it and…

As with all minority groups, representation in media is the first step to sloughing off our invisibility cloaks — I often refer to my sexuality as the “invisible” one. Which is odd as bisexuals arguably make up more than half of the LGBT+ community. The issue is that for years there have been two options: you are gay or you are straight. …

Yes, and that’s a problem — Disney’s release of Mulan 2020 was preceded by the headline news that the lead actress, Liu Yifei, had “tweeted” support of the Hong Kong police. Why is everyone so upset? Because the Hong Kong police have been aggressively stifling freedom of speech during protests for human rights. Why am I…

The LGBT+ community is losing its flag — here’s why this matters — In March, 2020 COVID-19 sparked a global pandemic. In the UK, lockdown was quickly followed by a huge outburst of support for the NHS (the National Health Service) in the form of weekly clapping, money donations, and the nationwide use of a rainbow flag. This support was really important for…