The Week Unwrapped: Trans chess, goalkeepers and twitching
Why is women’s chess bringing in a trans ban? Why was Nike so reluctant to sell Mary Earps’s shirt?
Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days. With Emma Smith, Julia O’Driscoll and Harriet Marsden.
You can subscribe to The Week Unwrapped wherever you get your podcasts:
In this week’s episode, we discuss:
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Trans chess ban
Chess’s world governing body FIDE has banned trans women from competing in female events for two years while it conducts an investigation into their participation. The decision has led to a backlash in many quarters, including some of its own affiliate organisations. National chess bodies in both the UK and US have said they will ignore the ban. What is FIDE trying to accomplish, and will it have to back down?
Replica kit
Nike, manufacturer of the official England football kits, came under fire this week for its decision not to produce a replica of goalkeeper Mary Earps’s kit. Fans made their own version of the sports star’s shirt to wear during Sunday’s World Cup final, and a petition calling on the brand to release the shirt for public sale was signed by more than 150,000 people. Nike has now secured limited numbers of the shirt to go one sale — but why was it so reluctant to do so in the first place?
Birdwatching
More and more of us are turning our eyes to the skies, as the popularity of birdwatching continues to grow. Interest in twitching increased during the pandemic, as cities went quiet and birdsong rang out. Now new apps, social media networks and technologies are attracting a younger demographic. Aficionados say birdwatching is cheap, inclusive and beneficial to mental health. But could it also help conservation efforts?
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
The Week Unwrapped: Has the rainbow lace campaign tied itself in knots?
Podcast Plus, could 'sexsomnia' claims derail more rape trials? And will 3D printing undermine gun controls?
By The Week Staff Published
-
The Week Unwrapped: Is population growth going into reverse?
Podcast Plus, will the Taliban stop women working as nurses? And are honey fans in a sticky spot?
By The Week Staff Published
-
The Week Unwrapped: Is Britain falling out of love with the cuppa?
Podcast Plus, is HIV in retreat? How is Bob Geldof reshaping the Band Aid story?
By The Week Staff Published
-
The Week Unwrapped: Are we any closer to identifying UFOs?
Podcast Plus, will deals with Tunisia and Kurdistan help Labour? And what next for the Wagner Group?
By The Week Staff Published
-
The Week Unwrapped: Will China's 'robot wolves' change wars?
Podcast Plus, why are Britain's birds in decline? And are sleeper trains making a comeback?
By The Week Staff Published
-
The Week Unwrapped: Is the Big Apple drying up?
Podcast Plus, will we benefit from a phone company shake-up? And is marriage good for your mental health?
By The Week Staff Published
-
The Week Unwrapped: Should we talk to the voices in our heads?
Podcast Plus Macron charms Morocco, and do Americans really work harder than the rest of us?
By The Week Staff Published
-
The Week Unwrapped: Should we send fewer women to prison?
Podcast Plus will fungi get their own kingdom, and what is Meta doing with facial recognition?
By The Week Staff Published