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FAMILY

I love my elderly dad but the toll of being the dutiful Greek daughter weighs on me

In Greek culture, the elderly traditionally stay at home. The responsibility of looking after them falls to unmarried daughters. It can be a lonely and...
THEATRE

It's not enough to have a diverse cast, we need diverse audiences too

It makes sense to have a diversity strategy that targets your audiences as well as your creative teams.
CULTURE

Why fighting over the bill is more than about money

In Chinese culture, paying for something communicates respect, gratitude and kindness, and illustrates how much you value your relationship with a person.
CULTURE

'Digital diet': how much junk are you consuming online every day?

The current way we’re consuming digital content — mindlessly, constantly — could be contributing to an overall sense of depression and unease, akin to what might...
FEMINISM

What was really going on behind the Kerri-Anne and Yumi stoush

Kerri-Anne Kennerley used a classic deflecting tactic with Yumi Stynes on Studio Ten earlier this week on Australia Day. The result? An important conversation was...
MIGRATION

How my love of English created a gulf with my migrant mum

Our daily exercise was simple: one page of journaling per day. A tiny ritual that would soon take me further into English, and away from my mother.
CULTURE

'Emergency compliments': How sending an email right now could improve your mood

It’s maybe antithetical to have a selfish reason for giving compliments, but bringing other people amusement cures a bad mood like nothing else.

Slow Summer

This summer, SBS is slowing down. 

 

Slow Summer is four marathon slow TV events, 3 hours each in primetime on SBS and streaming live on SBS On Demand, starts 6 January 2019.

 

Join the conversation on social #SlowSummer

SLOW SUMMER

The story behind the 'Magoo loves Juanita' graffiti on the Indian Pacific rail line

“We’ve been through everything together and she’s my soulmate."
CULTURE

How watching a 3-hour train trip on TV helped me embrace mindfulness

Could Slow TV become a form of meditation for a generation conditioned to experience the world through screens?
CULTURE

'Slow tech': What it is and how to do it

Follow the principles of slow living so you don't lose hours in an Instagram black hole.
Mental health

My year of slowing down: how I learned to say no

When I would go out, people would comment that they hadn’t seen me for a while, would ask whether I was ok. I found this strange - especially because I’d felt the...
Slow TV

The slow little death: why slow TV is sexy

Slow TV has a proposition for you: the promise of ‘head orgasms’. Could it be the herald of a new sexual revolution?
HEALTH

Why I’m determined to meditate this weekend - even if it kills me

We are currently facing peak meditation pressure.
Slow Summer

The double life of New Zealand’s Milford Sound

Rudyard Kipling called it the eighth wonder of the world, but truth be told, this ancient beauty has long been living a lie.

On The Ropes

Climb into the boxing ring for new Aussie drama 'On The Ropes'. Fast and compelling, it debuts on SBS at 8:30pm on Wednesday 28 November. 

ON THE ROPES

The secret world of Muslim female-only parties

The Muslim women raves I grew up with were the ultimate bachelorette party.
On The Ropes

What it really feels like to be punched in the face

No matter how much ‘boxercise’ you’ve done in the past, that first right cross to the nose puts you back in your place.
Sport

The group helping Muslim women dive into swimming

My self-consciousness in wearing a burkini influenced my decision to steer clear of swimming pools. It all just felt too hard.
ON THE ROPES

My dad thought I was at dance class, but I was really at the boxing gym

For Sadaf Anwar, there's nothing more empowering than taking out a male boxer.
Muslims Like Us

'I have always been a fighter'

"I had to have a really defiant nature and kind of stubborn nature to fight through the walls of opinions, particularly what other people in my family told me was...
Women in sport

What's it like to be a Muslim women's wrestler

What it’s like to navigate the traditionally sexualised sport of women’s wrestling as a Muslim.
Comment

What Muslim woman stereotype are you talking about?

Muslim women are not a novelty, nor is it surprising to see them succeed.

Is Australia Sexist?

Is Australia Sexist? premieres on SBS Australia, 4 December, 8.40pm, and will be available to stream at SBS On Demand.

Year in review

10 of the worst moments for women in 2018

Here are some of the moments that show that the treatment of women is still a concern in 2018.
IS AUSTRALIA SEXIST?

Are men victims of sexism?

For men doing it tough - feminism can be an easy scapegoat.
Is Australia Sexist?

This woman was catcalled eight times in eight minutes

"It was what I expected unfortunately, which is quite disappointing."
Is Australia Sexist?

Yumi Stynes got to live out the fantasy of many women online dating

I have lost count of the number of inappropriate approaches I’ve received on dating sites, from ‘I really want to kiss you’ (from a total stranger) to ‘Hey sexy,...
Is Australia Sexist?

Dolls for girls, trucks for boys: the experiment exposing our bias

The type of toys we choose for boys and girls can create very limited and damaging roles and stereotypes in the future.
CULTURE

Four in 10 Australians think women lie about being victims of sexual assault

According to a new survey, 43 per cent of Australians believe women "make up" claims of abuse when going through a child custody battle.
Is Australia Sexist?

These kids have learned the harsh reality of Australia's gender pay gap

This girl’s face when she looks at her lolly bag is all of us receiving our pay cheques.

Culture

Your stories. Your words.

Would you like to write for SBS Life? Send us an email at pitchtolife@sbs.com.au 

THEATRE

It's not enough to have a diverse cast, we need diverse audiences too

It makes sense to have a diversity strategy that targets your audiences as well as your creative teams.
CULTURE

I wanted to eat like the white people in the movies

My childhood is littered with moments when I realised food was the opening to a life like everyone else.
Identity

Carly Findlay: I finally see my skin as my identity

My mum has dark skin. My dad has white skin. But I don't feel black or white.
Grief

Marie Kondo came into my life just as I needed her

How to Kondo your life: the grief edition.
AUSTRALIA DAY

My strange and unexpected love of Australia's beach culture

There's a freedom to being the only brown body on a white beach, but you are treated differently.

Opinion

The latest commentary on what's going on in our world. 

FEMINISM

What was really going on behind the Kerri-Anne and Yumi stoush

Kerri-Anne Kennerley used a classic deflecting tactic with Yumi Stynes on Studio Ten earlier this week on Australia Day. The result? An important conversation was...
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

Aya Maasarwe, I'm sorry we couldn't save you

I am 28 years old and I am bone tired of saying over and over again: we deserve to live. We deserve to not be killed. We deserve to get home safely.
COMICS

Are we ready for a white Spider-Man?

Look, I understand. White people need heroes too. But do we have to change the identity of already established superheroes just to accommodate political correctness?
CULTURE

The Gillette ad backlash has proved just how fragile masculinity can be

We can't demand a nuanced representation of masculinity and then boycott every brand who dares paint men as anything other than stoic.
Plus fashion

I love my body and want to dress in clothes that make me feel amazing

Just because I'm fat doesn't mean I don't want to look good.

Health

 

Beyond studies and research, we examine how our health impacts the rest of our lives.  

More
CULTURE

'Digital diet': how much junk are you consuming online every day?

The current way we’re consuming digital content — mindlessly, constantly — could be contributing to an overall sense of depression and unease, akin to what might...
CULTURE

'Emergency compliments': How sending an email right now could improve your mood

It’s maybe antithetical to have a selfish reason for giving compliments, but bringing other people amusement cures a bad mood like nothing else.
Dying to live

'I can breathe': Read this beautiful letter from a lung transplant recipient to her donor's family

"I haven’t been able to tolerate cold air for years, and we’re on a mountain. And I can breathe. I can walk up steps. I can sing."
CIRCUMCISION

How it feels to be circumcised as an adult

“I think the issue comes down to the cultural aspect of, ‘I don’t want to talk about my d*ck. It works fine. I don’t want to acknowledge that it doesn’t.’”
HEALTH

Here's what deep breathing does to your body

When it comes to anxiety, the effects of deep breathing are pretty remarkable.
PERSONAL GROWTH

How I made good on my New Year's resolution

Failure can be a painful and humiliating thing to face, and any new year’s resolution – in fact, all goal-setting – brings with it the threat of failure.
BODY IMAGE

I didn't feel pretty unless my hair was straight

I went to school with girls from a range of different cultural backgrounds: Egyptian, Lebanese, Italian. As different as our looks were, we all had one thing in...
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Sexuality

Celebrating the diversity of sexuality in Australia and its multicultural communities.

Follow SBS Sexuality on Facebook. 

SEXUALITY

Meet the gay imam who started South Africa's first LGBTIQ friendly mosque

I was in crisis. I fasted for 80 days. I vowed I wouldn't stop fasting until Allah gave me a sign and told me what he wanted me to do with my life.
CULTURE

Straight and gay males can be friends – just look at ‘Sex Education’

In popular culture, straight and gay male friendships onscreen are scarce.
Trans awareness

How India's trans community is fighting discrimination

"If the public could open their minds a little bit, we are ready to meet them."
CULTURE

My first Christmas as an out trans person changed my life

I was scared, not that I’d be cast out, or disbelieved - I was scared I’d be hurt.
MUSIC

Here are six queer Aussie anthems you can vote for in the Hottest 100

LGBTIQ+ artists around the world got down to what they do best this year: making compassionate, important art.
RELATIONSHIPS

I'm okay with having only short-term relationships

"Slowly, we’re moving towards an understanding of different love languages and attachment styles," writes Jonno Revanche.
CULTURE

How my name taught me to take pride in my non-binary body

For many trans people, changing their name is an important part of embodying identity. But what if your name also carries your cultural heritage?

Family

Parenting for modern families: new rules for a new age.

More
FAMILY

I love my elderly dad but the toll of being the dutiful Greek daughter weighs on me

In Greek culture, the elderly traditionally stay at home. The responsibility of looking after them falls to unmarried daughters. It can be a lonely and frightening...
CULTURE

Why fighting over the bill is more than about money

In Chinese culture, paying for something communicates respect, gratitude and kindness, and illustrates how much you value your relationship with a person.
MIGRATION

How my love of English created a gulf with my migrant mum

Our daily exercise was simple: one page of journaling per day. A tiny ritual that would soon take me further into English, and away from my mother.
CULTURE

Why are mothers fleeing family violence being accused of child abduction?

In Australia, mothers fleeing domestic violence with their children can still face harsh legal consequences.
MIGRATION

Now that I'm a mum, I understand my own mother so much more

What I learned reversing my mother's migrant journey from Australia to Asia.
PARENTING

The post-natal mental health ward supporting Indian mums

“After my pregnancy, a ghost entered my body and kept talking to me bad things that disturbed me. The ghost made me scared."
CULTURE

The challenges of raising bilingual children

Kirsty Sword Gusmao reflects on how language forms a young person's identity.
More

Relationships

Let's talk about it all: from love and dating to divorce and estrangement (and everything in between).

More
DATING

I never dated as a teen. Now I'm on Tinder

There is a positive to online dating in your 30s. I know who I am as a woman and what I actually like in a guy.
Relationships

Gaslighting: how it chips away at your sense of self

Gaslighting relies on lying, deceit, manipulation, which are couched in benevolent terms.
RACE

Taunted and fetishised: being an African American man in Australia

Just like the United States, racism preys on us here. Someone whispers ‘Blackie’ as they pass by me at a train station, or yells out ‘n*****’ down the aisle of...
Culture

At 25, I thought I was the last virgin on Earth

Growing up in a strict Catholic Vietnamese migrant family, sex was a minefield of guilt and a topic to be avoided at all costs.
RELATIONSHIPS

A fight about tea almost destroyed my relationship

I nearly broke up with my white American boyfriend over chai tea.
Family

My relatives think I live in a sharehouse, but I live with my partner

Marriage is an inextricable part of adulthood for many young people of colour, what happens when you choose to stay unmarried?
relationships

What it's like dating a psychopath

She’s just a little harder to read, or be read by, than most people.
More

More dispatches from Life

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THEATRE

It's not enough to have a diverse cast, we need diverse audiences too

It makes sense to have a diversity strategy that targets your audiences as well as your creative teams.
My entire life I have been subjected to watching lived experiences that are polar opposite to my own on television and movie screens. I could still see parts of myself reflected in pre-dominantly white, hetero, cis, able-bodied narrative. ...
FAMILY

I love my elderly dad but the toll of being the dutiful Greek daughter weighs on me

In Greek culture, the elderly traditionally stay at home. The responsibility of looking after them falls to unmarried daughters. It can be a lonely and frightening path but I’m doing all I can.
I watch my father; lost and pale, as he’s surrendered to the care of strangers. His legs are like brittle twigs, easily broken. Once a man who filled a room, solid and imposing. Now he hardly makes a dent on the hospital bed. Ours has been...
CULTURE

'Digital diet': how much junk are you consuming online every day?

The current way we’re consuming digital content — mindlessly, constantly — could be contributing to an overall sense of depression and unease, akin to what might happen to our bodies after years of eating junk food.
Recently an essay on Medium suggested an annoying but kind of amazing concept: “digital nutrition.” Along with the generally agreed-upon five pillars of human health — sleep, diet, work, interpersonal relationships, and exercise — a new fi...
CULTURE

Why fighting over the bill is more than about money

In Chinese culture, paying for something communicates respect, gratitude and kindness, and illustrates how much you value your relationship with a person.
We all know the familiar scene: two or more Asian parents fighting over who will pay the bill for dinner. At six years old, I was already sneaking around to snatch the bill right out of their hands and deliver it to my mother. I grew up kn...
EDUCATION

Why times tables and cursive writing still matter for school children

As school goes back for another year, educators defend the relevance of two traditional skills they say remain key in the age of smart phones and keyboards.
A 15-year-old at the family dinner table declares she doesn’t need to know the times tables off by heart – she has a smart phone to do those calculations for her. The 11-year-old sitting beside her declares he doesn’t need to know cursive ...
FEMINISM

What was really going on behind the Kerri-Anne and Yumi stoush

Kerri-Anne Kennerley used a classic deflecting tactic with Yumi Stynes on Studio Ten earlier this week on Australia Day. The result? An important conversation was derailed.
COMMENT If you are a woman of colour in Australia, you can often find yourself stuck in the the Bermuda Triangle of Derailed Conversations.  Let me explain. I am at a panel talk or having a discussion with a colleague, or online. I talk ab...
CULTURE

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez shares her skincare routine on social media

"Fierce millennial women with perfect skin are taking over the world, and there's nothing you all can do about it."
Newly elected US congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is known for many things: her progressive political platform, being the youngest woman ever to serve in the United States Congress, and, it seems, her wonderfully involved skincare ro...
MIGRATION

How my love of English created a gulf with my migrant mum

Our daily exercise was simple: one page of journaling per day. A tiny ritual that would soon take me further into English, and away from my mother.
It’s 1995. I am a kindergarten student at Carlingford West Public School, waiting for a door knock from my ESL teacher. Mrs Woodhead is middle-aged, Jamie-Lee Curtis hair, loose cardigan, jeans. Three times a week, she knocks on my classro...
Grief

Marie Kondo came into my life just as I needed her

How to Kondo your life: the grief edition.
What other option do you have when your world explodes but to pick up the pieces and fold them into thirds? 1. Pick up the book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing, when your aunt points t...
CULTURE

I wanted to eat like the white people in the movies

My childhood is littered with moments when I realised food was the opening to a life like everyone else.
Noodles. I need noodles in my life. Not the kind we get in a bowl of aromatic steaming broth in the high street canteens we all love, or the kind we find dried in packets in our corner shops.  I need noodles the way people get them in whit...