DEBATE ISSUE 03 | MARCH 2017
Feature Artist: Rachel Barker
CONTENTS Pg 4 Editor’s Letter
Pg 16 The Bloody Solution
Pg 28 Flowers Of The Youth
Pg 5 Prez Sez
Pg 18 Cool Shit
Pg 30 Reviews
Pg 6 The STD Spread
Pg 20 Why Being Vegan Makes You Sexy
Pg 32 Comics
Pg 8 Love and Sex
Pg 22 How To Seduce A Woman
Pg 33 Recipe
Pg 12 Go Fuck Yourself
Pg 24 Give Us The D
Pg 34 Puzzles
Pg 14 Feature Artist
Pg 26 The Unseen Spectrum
C O V E R I L L U S T R AT I O N B Y H O P E M C C O N N E L L
EDITOR Laurien Barks lbarks@aut.ac.nz SUB - EDITOR Grace Hood-Edwards DESIGNER Ramina Rai rrai@aut.ac.nz
CONTRIBUTORS Grace Hood-Edwards, Cordelia Huxtable, Rachel Barker, Amelia Petrovich, Bridie Chetwin-Kelly, Conor Leathley, Nicky Price, Shivan, Hayley Stevenson, Natalie Lim, Hope McConnell ADVERTISING Harriet Smythe hsmythe@aut.ac.nz
PRINTER Nicholson Printer Solutions DISCLAIMER
Material contained in this publication does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of AuSM, its advertisers, contributors, Nicholson Printer solutions or its subsidiaries.
Debate is a member of the Aotearoa Student Press Association (ASPA)
This publication is entitled to the full protection given by the Copyright Act 1994 (“the Act”) to the holders of the copyright, being AUCKLAND STUDENT MOVEMENT AT AUCKLAND UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED (“AuSM”). Reproduction, storage or display of any part of this publication by any process, electronic or otherwise (except for the educational purposes specified in the Act) without express permission is a break of the copyright of the publisher and will be prosecuted accordingly. Inquiries seeking permission to reproduce should be addressed to AuSM.
PUBLISHED BY
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Editor’s Letter Hey All! Thanks for spreading us open and having a look at our sexy pages this week. We’re all about sex and sexuality in this mag, and we hope you appreciate everything we’ve put together for your pleasure (reading pleasure, please save any other kinds for off-uni locations) (or at least sneaky uni locations ;) ) (okay I’ve been told I have to say off-uni, definitely off-uni). The sexiest new thing in my life would have to be the pole dancing classes I’ve been taking. I signed myself up for a month-long pole dancing course because it was one of those things that I kept saying I wanted to try, but was never actually getting around to doing. I have to say, it’s exceeded my expectations! I never suspected I’d find so much pleasure in wrapping my hands around a long, hard, and kinda slippery tube and taking it for a spin….but now that I’ve started, I really don’t want to stop!
I really thought that when I walked into my first class, I’d be Queen Gump: weak as hell, with sweaty af hands, and zero flexibility. And surrounded by these ripped, crazy strong women who would make me regret a lifetime of avoiding pushups. I was mostly right. I can’t climb up the pole, my spins are always slipping due to ridiculously sweaty palms, and I really don’t know if I’ll ever be able to touch my nose to my straightened knee. But I sure as heck don’t want to stop trying. These crazy strong women are all kinds of inspiring! They’re friendly, and smiley and absolutely genuine, and they’d probably smack me if they heard me using the term Queen Gump, because the only words they know when it comes to describing the ladies (and one gentlemen) in their classes are ‘beautiful’ and ‘gorgeous’ and ‘graceful’. They’re forever building each other up, congratulating each other’s accomplishments, and have truly been a delight to learn from.
On my first day, my instructor told us that pole dancing has helped her appreciate her body, not for what it looks like, but for what it can do (but added on, that the ‘what it looks like’ part gets appreciated automatically with the ‘what it can do’ part). Now, this appreciation doesn’t have to be pole dancing related if that’s not your thing, but I thought it was a cute reminder, especially going into a sex issue. Appreciate dat bod of yours for the things it can create, the way it moves, the people it can hug, not the way a big ol’ piece of glass reflects it. There’s a special kind of confidence that lies in that kind of appreciation, and each and every one of y’all deserves to experience it! So hopefully this magazine inspires some self-love this week (in more ways than one) may you all walk around with the confidence of a thousand pole dancers. I’ll be sure to join you when my legs stop shaking from muscle exhaustion. Have a good week! Laurien
Student Rep Council (SRC) Nadine Tupp
Student Rep Council (SRC) Dharyin Colbert
Kia Ora and Hello,
Nau mai e Rangi, e Rongo e Huia mai e te pia, ko te tāura, ko te tauira Tēnā ko te aka, ko te more, ko te weu, ko te mātauranga e Tēnei te matatau ka eke, eke panuku, eke tangaroa Haumi e, hui e, tāiki e! Kia ora and Welcome to AUT! My first year at uni was so much more than I ever thought it would be. New people, new ideas, new perspectives. All I can say is soak it all up, my friends! Now, in my second year of computer science (DCT for life!), I’ve gotten much more involved in helping to create this wonderful environment for us all to come together, thrive, and grow. As Māori Affairs Officer, it’s my privilege to represent our unique Māori world view to your council and your university. It’s our job to make sure that we are catering to your needs and that you have all the support and services to continue achieving your goals. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to drop me an email at maffairs@aut.ac.nz and we can have a kōrero, no problem! For the last 10 years, Māori academic achievement at the highest level has been growing year on year and I know, together, we can continue to make our whanau, hapu and iwi proud!
I am Nadine Tupp and I’m in my second year of a Bachelor of Science where I’m majoring in Geospatial Science and Applied Conservation. My passion is in using remote sensing technology to map areas of cultural and environmental importance, especially in mapping the advancement of climate change and human impacts in these important areas. So I also love being out in the environment cycling, running or tramping throughout New Zealand. But I also have a passion for giving back to the community and taking all the opportunities that come my way, so I am also your 2017 representative for the Health and Environmental Sciences on the Student Representative Council this year. Thus, if you have any ideas or thoughts you wish to pursue, questions, or want to raise any issues that are affecting you within this faculty, send me an email any time of the day or the semester, as I’m there to give you all a voice and hand if you ever need one. You can get in contact with me at hesfacultyrep@aut.ac.nz. University can be an overwhelming place, especially during your first year, but I encourage you all to get stuck into it. Give your studies your all, ask any questions you have in your classes, join a sports team or club, make the most of the services that are available to you and get to know the new people around you. Best of luck for the year ahead, Nadine
Dharyin
THE STD SPREAD Grace Hood-Edwards | Illustration by Ramina Rai
I was shocked by a news story I saw a few months ago, at the tail end of 2016. It was probably lost amongst the flood of nonsense that permeated the news in those last few months, washed away by insane politics and beloved celebrities’ deaths. However, I think we should be talking about it more. And that was the fact that STDs hit an all-time high in the US last year. Three of the most common STD’s – chlamydia, gonorrhoea, and syphilis – are increasing in rate. In total there were over 1.5 million diagnoses of these three diseases, with syphilis increasing acutely by 19 percent. Medical professionals are particularly concerned with the increase of congenital syphilis as well; where mothers pass syphilis onto their children in utero – which can lead to stillbirths and infant death. A report from the CDC stated that the progress against STDs has “unravelled”. In the past, a highly probable reason for the lowered rate of STDs was the overwhelming societal fear of HIV. As people took steps to avoid HIV, they also lowered the chance of catching other sexually-transmitted diseases. There has been, however, a destigmatisation of HIV in recent years – which is a positive change. There are treatments for HIV available, and it is no longer a death sentence. People have, supposedly, educated themselves or been educated about HIV, and people who suffer from it are no longer pariahs simply for catching an illness. These are all really great things and show a nice trend in recent years. However with the fear no longer present within general society, our caution around sex has lessened. One of the causes being attributed to the rise of STDs is the spread of a subculture surrounding casual sex. Whilst it makes me feel immensely like an out-of-touch adult to airquote the word ‘hook-ups’, it is impossible to deny the fact that the societal rules and pressures around sex
have visibly loosened. This is to the point that, what would have previously been kept in the dark and under wraps, has filtered into the mainstream. Not intending to sound like a doomsday crier, but sex is everywhere - and if I have to see, or read, or hear another media outlet trying to integrate the term Netflix and chill into their daily broadcasts, I might scream. My sanity being beside the point, the rise of casual ‘dating’ very likely has something to do with the growing prevalence of STDs. Whilst nothing has been proven, and as any psych student will tell you – correlation does not equal causation – medical professionals do believe that Tinder and its ilk have some link to the spread of STDs. This may feel like something you’ve heard before - the all too common occurrence for technology to be blamed for every aspect of humanity’s downfall. It’s easy to blame the new, scary technology; and it is even easier to dismiss such claims around said technology. When every crime and fault is laid at the feet of millennials, it becomes easier and easier to ignore criticisms of the younger generation by the old. However, in this case, it cannot be denied that there is an increase in STDs and that it is drastically affecting young people more than old. This tendency isn’t necessarily new, as the commonly-held idea of your 20s is to go wild and experiment, yet the amount of STD diagnoses in the US is the highest it has ever been in recorded history. It is something we should all care about. The demographics most at risk for STDs are young people, ethnic minorities and gay men. In both the US and NZ, it is 14-24 year olds who are both the largest group of carriers and those most at risk. Students should be concerned, and should be paying heed to all the safe-sex billboards posted around campus. They’re not just there for show. Along with an increase in STDs comes the worrying spread of drug-resistant STDs.
There is the worldwide risk of a new strain of gonorrhoea, which is becoming antibiotic resistant. This super-bug’s gradual resistance to treatment, puts the millions of current carriers and all future carriers at risk. Another little known super-bug STD has become present in Australia and NZ, and it’s estimated that 1 – 3 percent of the population could be infected with this drug resistant illness known as MG. It has many of the health risks of chlamydia, yet is practically unheard of. Testing for this STD only became available in NZ very recently, and isn’t part of routine screenings at sexual health clinics. It is still available through your GP, or sexual health clinic, upon request. It’s so obvious and clear that we need to be practicing safe-sex that I don’t know what more I can say. I don’t know the magic words that will automatically make you use a condom, although that would be one heck of a spell. I’m just going to say what you’ve heard countless times, and hope that it acts as another reminder. With this exorbitant rise of STDs, it’s all the more important to practice safe-sex and to be proactive about it. It’s that simple. There’s no need to be afraid and freak-out, as that is never helpful, but definitely get checked out. The idea of visiting the doctor might seem outlandish and far out of the capacity of a student budget, but there is healthcare on campus that you can speak to and there are free sexual health clinics, such as Family Planning, that can be contacted. Whilst most STDs can generally be treated by antibiotics, if left untreated they can lead to a variety of problems (gonorrhoea – infertility, chlamydia – birth defects, syphilis - neurological/vision issues), so make sure you are getting screened. If you feel like your sexual health education was a bit limited in a NZ high school, do some research. But I’ll give you two basic tips anyway. Always use a condom. Birth control does nothing to STDs. Prevention is the best defence, so stay safe everyone.
LOVE
& SEX
Grace Hood-Edwards |Illustration by Ramina Rai
When thinking of what to write for this week’s theme, all I could keep coming back to was the reality of it all. The impact that sex, and all that comes with it, has on real people. How does it fit into their lives, what are their thoughts about it? I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing people about love and sex and how they approach both.
Iana What is love to you? I’m such a romantic. I think love is what makes the world go round. I think it’s the basis of everything good. I think love is the most important thing humans can feel in any capacity. Love is what keeps me alive, really, like what’s the point if you don’t have people to love or things you are passionate about in this world?
Can you talk about the first time you felt you were in love?
be all these other things. I totally get that it’s important to other people to define themselves this way, but it didn’t really work for me personally. I used to use labels to help define myself when I was going through a darker time and trying to get in touch with myself again, and they definitely helped me get a hold back on my life, but I can’t say I’m too fussed about them now! Which is a good thing!
What does sex mean to you? Sex is very important to me. I feel like the physical side is needed to balance out the emotional side of a relationship. Sex means being close to the person I love, as well as satiating those carnal desires and unintentionally pissing off my flatmate.
What’s something that makes you happy?
Oh god, I’d find it hard to think about a time I haven’t been in love! I find it tricky to talk about because my ‘first love’ was abused so heavily I can’t really look at it and say that it was really a good thing. I convinced myself I couldn’t live without him and - please, for the love of God, never do that ever.
Basically my favourite thing is waking up next to someone you love and there’s always a moment where everything is okay no matter how much other shit is going wrong in your world. There’s someone who can take it all away for a moment.
What was your coming out like?
Any advice for anyone, or anything?
I never ‘came out’ really. I’ve always felt like I don’t want to define myself by ‘what’ I am, but ‘who’ I am, rather. I want people to notice what I can do - my talents, my creations - and that I just happen to
Your self-worth is one of the highest valued things you will ever have and don’t let anyone take it away from you. Self-love is also a form of love just as important as all others!
‘But I felt that when I was in love, I just knew. It’s just good, and warm. It makes you feel whole and healthy, and I think that’s important.‘
Caleb How do you identify yourself? It’s unnecessarily long and a little pretentious, but I’m an aromantic, polyamorous heterosexual. Platonic feelings are the most important to me, monogamy is challenging, and sex is part of my life -but not particularly connected to the rest of it.
Did you ever come out? Obviously, being heterosexual it wasn’t so much a coming out - but I do tell people the other stuff. I’m aware how much ‘aromantic, polyamorous heterosexual’ sounds like ‘guy who wants to sleep with lots of girls without emotional involvement’ which does lead to quite a bit of judgement from anyone who don’t quite get it. But I had to tell people I was getting involved with about the aromantic thing, because I wanted to be honest and I didn’t want them to get hurt. I think some of them have not quite believed me, or thought they could change me, or assumed it was me playing hard to get and would go away eventually. I think because not enough people are aware what it means (I often have to explain it as being ‘like asexual, but without love instead of without sex’ -which just sounds pretty bad) it doesn’t get taken seriously. Which can lead to huge crises later down the track, and people being hurt by something that is out of my control. But I have found people who accept me and help me live my life to its fullest, and they’re the best to keep around. As for polyamory, I think society is at a point where people are willing to turn a blind eye to people’s choices that they may have previously
disapproved of (in terms of perceived promiscuity, etc.) – but they’re still not giving it the full respect it deserves, as a lifestyle which is able to be functioning and healthy. So people are less surprised at that one.
How would you advise your friends to do better? To the ones who are in the community: I’m hardly in a place to advise you to do better, you’re all incredibly brave and strong and capable and have been through a lot. Just remember that we’re all family. To the ones who aren’t: Help out where you can. We’re all still family too.
Any advice? Just do what you want. People will probably judge you anyway so why restrict yourself?
Jemma
(to be known as) What have you always thought about love? Oh – that’s a really big question. To be fair, I think that changed a lot with me coming to terms with my sexuality. When I thought I was straight, I was like ‘love isn’t real because I’m not really feeling it’. Then, I realised I was gay and I met my girlfriend and I was like – love is a thing, and I’m feeling it, and I’m in love. It changed a lot. Obviously, before I realised I was gay, it didn’t really feel accessible to me. So I didn’t think it was really… real. Does that make sense?
Can you talk about the first time you felt you were in love? The first time I actually realised was when I was talking to one of my friends about my current girlfriend, and I was just gushing about her for a very long time. My friend asked me ‘Jemma, are you in love?’ and I realised ‘Oh my god, I am.’ I don’t know, I just think it’s something you know. It sounds so cliché, and everyone says that, and it’s really annoying. But I felt that when I was in love, I just knew. It’s just good, and warm. It makes you feel whole and healthy, and I think that’s important.
How do you define yourself? As a lesbian. I define myself by my sexuality a lot. My sexuality has caused me a lot of pain in the past – not my sexuality, but having to hide it and having people say casually homophobic things. Accepting it was a huge part of who I am. I do define myself by my sexuality a lot. I think it’s really annoying when people, especially straight people, say ‘Don’t define yourself by your sexuality!’ and I’m like ‘No – that’s how I choose to do it.’ Because it’s such a big part of me.
What do you think about the current attitudes towards the LGBT+ community? What do you think they are? What do you think is the general attitude in NZ, and the world? I think NZ gets a lot more credit than it deserves in terms of attitudes towards LGBT+ people, because it’s not incredible. It’s better than a lot of countries, and I’m really
grateful for that and I acknowledge that. But I also think we could do a lot better. I’ve been on the bus holding hands with my girlfriend and had people behind me yelling aggressive stuff about how they hate gay people and how they want to kill all these people, and that’s a thing I’ve actually lived through. Yet people want to be like ‘New Zealand is the most accepting place ever’ – which it’s really not. In general, a lot of people are – if not accepting – not outright horrible about it. But there are people who are outright horrible about it, and a lot of people let it slide. I feel like a lot of my straight friends have friends, or are in relationships with people, who are very homophobic. But they don’t call it out, they just go along with it. We can still go a long way, but we’re kinda getting there. World wise, it’s pretty bad. Literally, in my own country where I come from, it’s illegal to be gay.
What would you suggest could be improved? A huge thing is 1) educating yourself; and 2) if you call yourself an ally, call out people who are homophobic or transphobic – instead of just standing there and being smug in a little ‘I’m enlightened’ way. If you want to make a difference, make that difference. Also, I find something a lot of straight people do is, when you casually come out to them – like saying I’m just going to meet my girlfriend – they do the whole ‘Oh I support you! That’s great!’ Like - I’m just telling you about my day, I’m not having a huge coming out with you. It’s just treating us as people, which I know is really obvious, but apparently a lot of people seem to forget that.
How would you advise your friends to do better? Calling other people out – and not expecting credit for it. Like a lot of my friends might say ‘stop using the word gay’ and then they’ll look at me like ‘Did you see that?’ I don’t know what you expect me to say, do you want a cookie for being a good person? You’re just being a basic human being.
What impact does the Trump-fiasco have on you? It’s terrifying. You always have the selfish part like, how does this affect me directly? Generally the world follows America, so if America does it there’s nothing to say NZ won’t follow. But also, there’s just so many LGBT people living in America. I have friends who are gay or trans and living in America, and it’s just terrifying thinking what could happen to them. Especially concerning younger gay people still in the closet – because that’s a terrifying space to be in. Now some are scared they can never come out, and that’s just horrifying. Obviously it’s even worse for trans people who are literally having their basic rights questioned. Trump sucks, basically. Possibly Mike Pence is even worse. It’s just not a good situation to be gay or trans or bi in America.
Do you think, as some have suggested, that it’s helping create social bonds between people? I think that’s really easy for privileged people to say, to say ‘Oh it’s bringing people together’. I don’t think gay people want to be brought together because of the fear of being killed
or oppressed or harassed. Sure people are coming together, but I think we’d rather be happy and secure knowing that our lives aren’t threatened.
Talk about a memory that makes you happy? New Year’s Eve with my girlfriend was really cool, because it was the first time I’ve ever had a partner on New Year’s Eve plus it was our first one together, the first of hundreds. We went to a burger place on the waterfront and had beer – it was great. We saw the fireworks and I was being really sappy to her. I was basically declaring my love for ten minutes, and this guy yelled ‘Just kiss already!’ And we did. And it was really cute. It was really nice. It was a New Year with her, starting it off with her, there’s no way it could have gotten off to a better start. I just felt really loved and happy. [her girlfriend interjects: gaaaay!] Shut up!
To wrap this up – any advice? My advice is always going to be towards young lesbians because I love them all, and I would die for them all. At all young, or older, lesbians – you’re going to be okay. I know that a really big thing for us is never finding someone – if you want to find someone that is. If you don’t, it’s fine obviously. But if you do, you’re gonna find someone that loves you just the way you are. Just ‘cos you’re gay doesn’t mean you have to stick with the first person you find, because you will find the right person. You’re gonna be happy, because you deserve to be happy and safe.
Cordelia Huxtable “Sex positivity is an attitude towards human sexuality that regards all consensual sexual activities as fundamentally healthy and pleasurable, and encourages sexual pleasure and experimentation.” (Cheers, Wikipedia). This is your fortnightly sex-positive column! Why? I strongly believe that we can all benefit from having more sex-positive information and education in our lives. We build our own personal sexuality encyclopaedias through a combination of our experiences, education, families, culture and media. Let this be another source for your encyclopaedia. I’m a self-proclaimed sex geek. I’ve volunteered as a sex educator in New Zealand and Canada, co-hosted Sex City Radio (Toronto) and facilitate meetups for other sex geeks. I’m currently studying psychotherapy at AUT, I blog at cordeliahuxtable.com and I’m so glad to be writing this column for Debate. In this first column, I’m taking it right back to the bedroom with some thoughts on masturbation. Knowing how to pleasurably fuck yourself (whatever that means to you) is a great way to get to know your sexual self. If you’re interested in the myriad of sexy things you can do with other people, knowing what turns you on, how you like to be touched and what you fantasize about is pretty crucial. So, lock the door, get cosy and have yourself another “O-Week”, because you deserve it. If You Find Orgasms Hard To Come By (heh): Often, we believe that orgasm is the end
goal of arousal. You masturbate, you climax, you’re done. This works for some people, and it doesn’t work for others. Let’s rethink this sexual script by changing orgasm into a possibility, rather than a must-have.
scan your body and see how many muscles you can relax, slowly inhale and exhale, and you might find that the urge to orgasm will subside. But here’s the delicious part...it likely won’t subside to nothing.
When you start to masturbate, explore what happens if you tell yourself: “maybe I’ll come, maybe I won’t?” See how present you can be in your body from moment to moment. If this feels too vague for you, I suggest setting a boundary, like: “for the next five minutes, I’m going to see if I can make each touch more pleasurable than the last.” Set a timer, cut yourself some slack, take it slow. Starting with just three minutes of play, whatever that might look like to you, is awesome.
As you resume you might find your level of arousal is at a slow simmer, rather than a full boil. Turn up the heat, but before you boil over, breathe, relax and go back down to the simmer. You can “edge” yourself this way as long as you want to (or as long as your body will let you!).
You’ll probably already know this, but nothing kills orgasms quicker than pressure to orgasm. Be with your body, explore what feels good, pay attention how you get turned on. I encourage you to read Come As You Are, by Emily Nagoski. This exceptional book explains the science of arousal: how your central nervous system directly affects your ability to get turned on, and that arousal non-concordance is surprisingly common (your brain is saying one thing, your genitals another). You do you. You get to write your own sexual script. You can still be a sexual person, and experience a TON of pleasure without ever orgasming, or orgasming infrequently. If You Climax Early, or Want To Prolong Your Pleasure: Try edging yourself. This technique requires awareness of your breath and entire body. As you get close to orgasm/ejaculation, quickly
When you do orgasm, you’re likely be rewarded with one that is long and powerful. Sometimes the opposite can occur: you turn the heat down too low and lose the simmer altogether. Yes, it’s frustrating! Pat yourself on the back and return when you’re feeling refreshed and ready to try again. For master masturbators, see if you can keep your breath slow and muscles relaxed as you tip over the edge. This requires a lot of focus and can feel pretty counter-intuitive: as we climax we often tense up. Experiment with relaxing into orgasm and see if it prolongs and heightens your sense of pleasure. For more, check out Urban Tantra, by Barbara Carrellas. She writes about being present in your body, tapping into your sexual energy and orgasming with intention. I’ll leave you with two things: 1. Masturbation is so normal. 2. Shame about masturbating is also very normal. Shame = antithesis of sex positivity! I’ll be tackling it in the next issue.
Feature Artist
Rachel Barker What did you study at AUT? I graduated AUT last year with a Communications degree (where I majored in radio). Although definitely don’t expect to ever hear me on the radio! What do you most like to sketch/illustrate/ paint?
Even so, I always try to capture emotion, and essence even without faces. I’m very inspired by the Instagram circuit of body positive/sex positive artists. There are so many wonderful female artists online and it’s become a great space for more explicit art because there are less regulations on tumblr/Instagram than there are on TV or other mediums. What’s your dream job?
The only thing I really care for is people. I always think landscapes and such are really impressive, but they do nothing for me. I’m all about painting people and skin and trying to nudge boundaries when it comes to body/sex positivity. What or who inspires you most when it comes to art? Ever since I was a kid, I was fascinated with faces, but I tend to shy away from them a bit with painting and focus on women’s bodies.
At the end of the day, I want to be a filmmaker. I read a wonderful essay once written during the French new wave that discussed how film was the highest form of art and expression because it could make a person understand a feeling without ever explaining it. The essay mused that the great philosophers of our world would have all worked with film to express their ideas if they only had the resources. I hope to always paint and work on canvas, but film is the art form that fascinates me the most and the one I want to understand.
Th e Bloody Solution Amelia Petrovich I’ve had periods all my life, but when I heard that Pharmac was considering funding for menstrual products, I was still a bit confused. Pharmac is a Crown owned entity here in New Zealand that decides, on behalf of District Health Boards, which medicines and pharmaceutical products are funded for use in the community and hospitals. A lot of people I know applaud the idea, if around 50 percent of New Zealanders menstruate, then why not make access to products easier? Other people hate the proposal, why fund disposable products when better, re-usable options exist? I figured it was time to read a little and decide where I stood on the whole bloody conversation.
Pam Waugh, head of the Salvation Army’s social service department, says that New Zealand has a major access problem when it comes to adequate menstrual health products. In 2016 the Salvation Army ran a campaign for sanitary product donations as a temporary fix for the scores of Kiwi women forced to use rags, newspapers and telephone book pages while bleeding. For Ms Waugh, Pharmac funding could mean products as cheap as $2 or $3 compared to a less affordable $7 or $8, meaning menstrual hygiene wouldn’t break the budget for as many. Labour MP Louisa Wall also says many young women and girls miss formal education monthly because they can’t access these products. When it comes to choosing between learning as normal and hiding a messy flow at home, it seems Kiwis would rather choose the latter.
So what’s the problem with funding products?
disclose their ingredients. Campaign for Safe Cosmetics cites dozens of harmful chemicals that are included in sanitary
needed, but to solve the issue of access right here and now we need to find a middle ground. That sweet spot between
The situation for us in New Zealand sounds pretty dire, and definitely not the kind of thing you’d expect in a developed country. It’s easy to see Pharmac funding as an easy fix. In reality though, widespread use of disposable pads and tampons isn’t as ideal as it may seem.
products, harmful to both the environment and the people that use them. Dioxins, pesticides, bleach and chemical fragrances are just a few of these and, while organic alternatives exist, the fact that many of them only need to be purchased once means that any big company would lose out financially in stocking them.
familiarity and innovation.
Disposable tampons are currently used by over 100million women worldwide, and pads are even more popular. The fact that so many people already use these products make it a multi-billion dollar industry, one that’s shaped the way we think about menstruation. Melanie Shaw, co-founder of Lunapads, says that many people have only ever been exposed to disposable products and have brand loyalty entrenched at an early age. Sophie Zivku, Divacup’s communication and education director, says that the paper sanitary products industry has already instilled a belief that periods are to be hidden and not talked about. There’s a lot of hype over ‘discrete’ sizes and ‘silent’ wrappers, with many people more comfortable throwing away sanitary items never to be seen again than reusing more sustainable products.
Does that mean Pharmac shouldn’t fund sanitary products then? From where I’m standing, not necessarily. All of these facts- the manipulative marketing, the environmental impact, the health risks- mean that funding sanitary products in New Zealand could be problematic, but the niggling thought that’s remained for me is that this is a problem with access. People like The Salvation Army and The Labour Party want the most amount of Kiwis to have access to hygienic products in the shortest amount of time possible, and I’m not convinced that simply funding reusable products like moon cups or washable pads is a fix-all right now.
But are these items really never seen again? Of course not.
Sure, buying a product once is better for the consumer, but if our ‘out of sight, out of mind’ mentality and collective affinity for
The average woman will use around 11 000 tampons in her lifetime and each tampon will outlive the woman who used it for decades. Many sanitary product companies also aren’t obliged to publicly
pads and tampons is as prevalent at Ms Shaw and Zivku say… would the majority of people actually make the transition? In my mind, the move towards re-usable sanitary items is a positive one and reeducation and conversation is desperately
Enter bio-degradable pads and tampons. Yeah, they’re real, and what’s more there’s a Kiwi brand making really amazing ones right now. Organic Initiative (Oi) are a New Zealandbased company specialising in pads and tampons made from organic cotton, popped into boxes and packages made from plant starches. They’re disposable and able to be chucked away just like everyone is used to, but the difference is they’re easily broken down by the environment. Not only that, they also contain none of the harmful toxins that mainstream sanitary products tend to. Good for us, our environment, and our conscience. To me, Pharmac funding products by Oi or similar biodegradable sanitary product companies feels like the perfect solution. It’s a safe version of what everyone is already doing and, if made even cheaper, more people would be able to access adequate menstrual hygiene products, which was the goal in the first place right? We need everybody to be able to buy the products they need, then high-minded conversations about reusable options and openness about menstruation can thrive and make a difference. It’s a bit of a bloody debate, but maybe that’s the bloody solution.
Cream Dreams We’ve still got some sweet, sweet, $5 vouchers for Lewis Road Creamery products to giveaway this week. And with their new Orange Chocolate flavour lingering about like the saucy minx it is, it’s a prime time to get your hands on a free voucher. To be in to win, Facebook message us with your name, campus, and tell us what flavour of milk you’d like Lewis Road Creamery to release next!
Bounce What Yo’ Mama Gave You Uptown Bounce has given us five 2-for-1 passes to give away this week - the perfect first date option if you’d like to impress your crush and show off just how much you can sweat (hot… real hot). To win one of these five passes, Facebook message us your name, campus, and the super cool trick you can do on a trampoline (make one up…we’ll never know).
Hole In One We’ve got two adult passes to play an 18-hole round at The Original Adventure Golf course! To be in to win this swingin’ prize, Facebook message us your name, campus, and best golf pun.
Moj-O Face We’ve got oh so many coffee vouchers to give away! Please take them off our hands and go get yourself and a friend a Mojo coffee! 2-for-1 vouchers galore at our AuSM reception desk, just come on in and ask our lovely receptionists really nicely for one!
FLAPS FLAPS Retouched is a revised version of the sell-out 2016 show, FLAPS, an immersive, divised, vignette-structured theatre piece. It is a visceral, honest, celebratory exploration of what it’s like to have a vagina. Debate’s got two tickets to this show on April 4th to give away, so if you’d like to get amongst FLAPS, Facebook message us your name and campus! FLAPS Retouched is running from March 28 – April 8th at the Basement Theatre.
A-Maze Me Odyssey Sensory Maze wants to send you and a pal (or lover, or mum, or maybe you could go twice by yourself… it’s definitely a double pass, but they might feel sorry for you if you proposed the ‘can I go twice’ idea). We’ve got two of these double passes to give away this week, so to be in to win, just Facebook us your name, campus, if you could have one sense heightened, what would it be?
Why Being Vegan Makes You Sexy
Bridie Chetwin-Kelly If we could, first of all, remove the stigma around veganism. Not wanting to kill animals, caring about other beings and wanting to save the environment is not weird. If anything, it’s damn sexy. Ask yourself, what is so good about slitting animals throats so we can eat something our bodies aren’t even designed to process? What is so good about taking new born calves away from their mothers just so we can have an ice-cream that is proven to cause acne? Especially when there is a plethora of non-dairy options out there? There’s not really a good argument for eating dead animals so let’s look at some reasons it’s sexy not to! Giving a shit, that’s sexy. Being brave and having a heart, that is hot as hell. Especially when it means you could be saving the life of an innocent animal. Compassion. That’s sexy. Standing up for what you believe in and giving a shit about the world around you. Realising that veganism isn’t just about eating some tofu and kale it’s about saving the environment, animals, your health, and people in the long run. Vegans who do it right are ridiculously healthy and literally have a sexy glow. You know what vegans don’t get barely any of? Cholesterol. That means they have really good blood flow which means less chance of impotence. Hear that, men? Have you noticed that healthy glow that vegans tend to have? That’s because of all the vitamins they get from plants. Namely, A and E. This is known to fix your skin complexion and get rid of blemishes. It also means the more vitamins you are getting from a plant based diet, the healthier your hair and nails will be. Saving the planet is super sexy Let’s talk about the effects that being vegan has on the planet. People who only eat plant based diets only require 1/3 of the land needed to support that of an omnivore human. Additionally, if the world’s population stopped eating red meat, we could
stop global climate change by 2020. Even if we just stopped feeding grain to the animals we kill for meat, we could provide that same grain to underdeveloped starving nations and reduce world poverty. I’m going to pause here just to give you a list of really hot people who all happen to be vegan: Jhene Aiko, Miley Cyrus, Jared Leto, Nate & Nick Diaz, Ellie Goulding, Ariana Grande, Liam Hemsworth, Peter Dinklage and the list goes on. But I’m a gym goer and love my sexy gym body! Getting protein without harming a single animal, can you imagine? That’s right. There’s plant-based protein for all you serious gym goers. One teaspoon of spirulina = 4 grams of protein. Put that in your shake and drink it! And guess what else, pretty much everything has more protein than eggs. Like, half a cup of edamame beans has 6.6 grams. Half a cup of chickpeas has 7.3 grams. And an egg? 6 grams. 6 grams and one life. Bonus Point: Bloating is not sexy I’ll come out and say it straight, humans are not designed to digest dairy. An effect of this is serious bloating and bad acne. You know that feeling you get after eating ice cream or milk or too much cheese? Yeah, that isn’t supposed to happen to you. Based on the fact that you are forcing your body to consume something that you were not born to process, your body is becoming inflamed because of the products you are putting into it. We were born lactose intolerant, shouldn’t we stay that way? Want to know more or see some real sexy vegans in action? Check out the groups around Auckland who can show you a whole new world. Facebook: Auckland Vegans, Auckland University Animal Rights Group (who are always looking for more members, email them at auanimalrights@live.com) & Auckland Vegan Actions. Instagram: @Veganeaaats for all the food you can imagine in Auckland, @Accidentallyvegannz for all the supermarket products you didn’t realise were vegan.
How To Seduce a Woman By Laurien Barks Illustration by Hope McConnell Ah, there you are, ya cute lil newbs. All sitting in your lecture theatres. Bored of class already, and looking to your local sexed-up student mag for pointers on how to get that hottie two rows over. If my little brother’s reading this from his first year business class…I’m…I’m so sorry, there’s really no recovering from reading one of your sister’s articles when it includes the heading ‘Make Your Peen Smell Good’. It’s been nice knowing you, but I understand that we can never see each other again. For the rest of you, buckle down and prepare your broins (groin brains) for some serious know-how. You see, last year, one of our beloved sub editors wrote a piece entitled ‘Cos-no Sex Tips’ inspired by Cosmo magazine’s tips on how to impress your man. Well, this year I decided to reverse things, and look to men’s magazines for tips on how to impress your special lady. All of the following pointers were provided by men, for men, for women. Enjoy.
MAKE YOUR PEEN SMELL GOOD Despite the old sayings, a stanky peen is NOT the way to a woman’s heart. Before I looked to men’s magazines, I would have just said ‘shower’ (granted there were no underlying health issues to address)…but it turns out I am very silly and naïve! No, try
‘Dude Wipes’, the wet wipe that has all the benefits and convenience of a wet wipe, without all the girly connotations! You’re a man, and your stink is man-sized, so make sure you wipe that cesspool of a crotch with something that measures up to your masculinity!
DO IT IN THE KITCHEN Do it in the kitchen, and use the tools surrounding you to amp up the heat! That’s right, “that wet dish cloth rolled up could be a fun way to spank each other”. And “that spatula isn’t just for flipping pancakes!” So ultimately…impress your lady with a solid light spanking session in the kitchen with various tools.
GIVE HER A SEDUCTIVE HANDSHAKE If you’ve just met a cutie with a booty, and want to seduce her on the spot...well, my friend, you’ve come to the right place. A hug might be a bit much seeing as you’ve just stopped this rando on the street, but if you don’t touch her in some way immediately, she will lose interest and you will never ride the bang train. Solution: give her a soft but dominant (none of that submissive shit) handshake, stare deep into her eyes so she knows you’re attracted to her - careful here, find the line between ‘I’m attracted to you’ deep staring and ‘I want to wear your face skin’ deep staring - and hold onto her hand for an extra two seconds. If you do this
correctly, she should be naked before you pull your hand away.
JUST KEEP F***ING TOUCHING HER So, you’re still talking to this special lady in the street, she hasn’t reported you for your ‘sexually aggressive’ (yes this is a quote from a 2016 article) eye contact yet, and you just can’t get enough of touching her. While she’s blabbing away, be very aware of what she’s saying, not for the content, but for the opportunities for touch that her words open up. When she says something even remotely funny or challenging or witty, do NOT stand back and appreciate that shit from afar - you get in there and you TOUCH her. On the arm or shoulder will do nicely, as you say something like ‘that’s cheeky!’ Make it appear as natural as possible, so her brain doesn’t even register that you touched her at all. Her unconscious mind however, is a different story - it will be telling her that you’re a person she could (and should! Look at you, you touchy, sexy, feeling man, you!) definitely sleep with.
MAKE HER VAGINA SHAKE Literally all you need to do to make this happen, according to a men’s mag, is tell her she smells nice when you hug her at the start of date. Guys...how have we not discovered this before, that sounds amazing!
GIVE U S T H E D Conor Leathley She wants the D, as the saying goes. Well, it certainly seems that we, as film-goers, want the D – Disney. It’s a tale as old as time. Disney release a safe, focus-group-tested film that will prove easily digestible to mass audiences. Said audience will flock to the theatre, appeased by the latest offerings from their corporate overloads. The audience is pleased by this high floor, low ceiling product and is eager for the next. Disney, pleased with the profit margins, goes back to the drawing board to see what other existing properties are available to exploit. Familiarity doesn’t breed contempt, it breeds cash. To Disney, it appears that they consider us, their audience, to be an easily agreeable symbiont that doesn’t want to be challenged or emotionally tested when watching a film. I find their lack of faith disturbing, though not entirely misplaced. As evidenced by the highest grossing box-office films of this decade, we will very rarely stray into the unknown. Gee willikers, I’m no different as I see all the comic book releases. I’m probably more of a sucker because, besides Logan and a couple of others, I still watch them despite my emotions ranging from apathy to pure resentment for most of superhero films released since Watchmen. The latest piece of movie magic released by the mouse is Beauty
and the Beast, a remake (redux?) of the 1991 classic. But now, it’s in live action! Wow! Cool! Adjectives! I mean, if Disney straight up just rereleased the animated film, it wouldn’t make any money because people already either own it or can readily watch it online. But chuck Emma Stone in it and then suddenly everyone is clamouring to see it? I get that Jennifer Lawrence being the lead is a big draw, but the 1991 version was the first animated film ever to be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Anna Kendrick as Belle simply won’t make it a better movie. Which begs the question; do we need this picture? I don’t think so, especially when there is already a superior version available. It is also continuing a worrying trend of Disney remaking their old properties into live action films: The Jungle Book, Cinderella, Mary Poppins. It’s lucky that Walt Disney isn’t alive or he might try and remake some of his anti-Semite material. I understand it in a case like King Kong, where the technology has improved, or Dredd, which was a vast improvement over a terrible original. But when you’ve already planted your flag on the highest peak, just leave it be. Josh Gad’s character, LeFou, may be an argument against that, as he seems to have the first exclusively gay moment in a Disney film. For that I congratulate them. They realised that assigning a small, ultimately inconsequential character the tag of ‘gay’ wouldn’t dramatically hinder their box office takings (outside of certain
religious groups). I get that it is one small step in the right direction, but to me they’re being armchair progressives and I don’t think that Disney should be celebrated for doing this. What I would stand up and celebrate is having a story set around a gender or sexually diverse character that isn’t pandering or contrived. A genuine risk.
It is also continuing a worrying trend of Disney remaking their old properties into live action films: The Jungle Book, Cinderella, Mary Poppins. It’s lucky that Walt Disney isn’t alive or he might try and remake some of his anti-Semite material. Now, of course I don’t believe that they will do that. When it comes to issues such as these, I personally don’t believe that Hollywood is racist or bigoted or homophobic and so on. I believe that they are amoral. The only thing that they care about is making money. Unfortunately, a consequence of that is white, heterosexual casts and staid storylines. They’re what makes big money, not diverse casting, reducing the incentive to do so. Just look at like 95 percent of the top grossing films ever, or the majority of Oscar winners.
Conversely, you might point out the very diverse casting of the most recent Star Wars film, Rogue One. To that I would say 1) They cast that movie knowing that none of the cast likely wouldn’t appear in another film and 2) It’s freaking Star Wars! They made a movie with Jar-Jar Binks, racist Japanese caricatures, a drunk Jedi and terrible child actors and it still made one billion worldwide! To me that says that the casting is irrelevant in terms of risk taking. Just quickly on Star Wars. I proper love the series, even though I think that the prequels are objective trash (you can love something and still be critical of it). At least George Lucas, the creator, was trying something new each time. After Disney purchased the franchise from Lucas, the first film that they made, The Force Awakens, is a beat for beat replica of the 1977 original. I would cheer any of the Disney remakes if they were based off existing properties, but took a different path. But of course, they won’t, it will just be a live action replica with a couple of new bells and whistles. It could even be exceptional, though it doesn’t need to be. We accept the quality that we think we deserve, as long as we are repaid in novelty, fan worship and familiarity.
The Unseen Spectrum Nicky Price The topic of sexuality and gender identity is becoming an increasingly common point of discussion, with members of the rainbow community facing less prejudice and stigma than ever before. While a great deal of progress has already been made in the acceptance of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals, there are still sections of the community that face a greater level of ignorance and hostility. Before I begin to tackle some of the lesser known sexualities and gender identities within the rainbow community, I first have to address the perception of sexuality and gender identity. Many people believe identities to fall into clear-cut categories - male or female, straight or gay, cisgender or transgender. In truth, sexuality and gender identity are more like a spectrum. A person may identify as bisexual, but have a preference for the opposite gender. A person may identify as female, but sometimes feel more male. It is from this idea of a spectrum that many alternate identities were born. First, there is the matter of gender. While the majority of the population identifies as either male or female, some people don’t identify as either. There are many terms for this, including agender, non-binary and genderqueer. Some people feel that they lack a gender completely. Some feel that their identity is something other than male or female. Some feel that their identity is somewhere in-between. Others feel that their gender identity shifts - usually referred to as genderfluid. Some days they may feel more male, some more female, some days they might feel that neither term fits.
sexual attraction, has little to no interest in sex, or somewhere in-between. Some asexuals may be repulsed by sex, others may enjoy it, and some may simply be indifferent - and all of these can still fall
The other thing about orientation and gender identity is that no single identity cancels out another. A seemingly ‘straight’ individual might be asexual. A transgender individual might be aromantic. A non-binary
or lesbian. They may also identify as homosexual, but this is rare due to the stigma associated with the term. Individuals who feel attraction to two or more genders commonly identify as bisexual. Polysexuality is usually defined as an attraction to more than one gender, and pansexuality an attraction to multiple or all genders. The three terms can, however, be interchangeable.
under asexuality. Similarly, aromantic refers to a person who does not experience romantic attraction. They might be perfectly happy having sex, but feel no need to be in a romantic relationship, or do not have romantic feelings towards others. A person might be both asexual and aromantic, or they might be only one or the other.
person might go by ‘he/him’ pronouns. A genderqueer individual might identify as heterosexual, or gay, or lesbian, and the beautiful thing about the rainbow community is that they are free to identify as whatever they like.
Queer can also be used in reference to sexuality or romantic orientation, a word that has historically been used as an insult, but is being reclaimed by the rainbow community for their own purposes. It refers to a person who does not fall under heterosexual or cisgender.
individual might
Then there is the matter of orientation. Individuals who feel attracted to a single gender (typically the same gender as themselves) often identify as gay
Those paying attention might have noticed the use of the term ‘sexual and romantic orientation’. Put simply, sexual orientation refers to who you are attracted to sexually, and romantic orientation refers to who you are attracted to romantically. While these are often the same, they aren’t always. A person might be comfortable having sex with people of different genders, but only be interested in relationships with women. A person might be comfortable having sex with women, but is only interested in relationships with men. Which leads us into the two final identities I wanted to address - asexuality and aromanticism. Asexuality refers to an individual who either does not experience
A seemingly ‘straight’ be asexual. A transgender individual might be aromantic. A non-binary person might go by ‘he/him’ pronouns. Both asexuality and aromanticism can also fall on a spectrum - two examples of this being individuals who identify as demisexual or greyromantic. Demisexual refers to sexual attraction only occurring when a strong emotional bond exists, while greyromantic refers to people who only rarely experience romantic attraction. You can also have demiromantic and greysexual individuals.
If I can leave you with any impression, any message from reading this, it is that there are no limits to identity. If you are a cis woman who identifies as gay but decides to date a man, nobody has the right to tell you that you are not gay. If you are a transgender man who decides to wear a dress, nobody has the right to tell you that you are no longer a man. If you identify as bisexual, or genderqueer, or heterosexual, and you realise that that identity no longer defines you, then you are free to change it. You are free to identify as anything, and should anyone tell you otherwise, they are wrong. Despite the amount of progress the community has made, there are still hurdles in our path. You only need to look at the transgender bathroom debacle in the United States, the laws surrounding homosexuality in Russia, or the limits on gender identity here in New Zealand to realise this. Yes, no matter what you identify as, you will probably face stigma and judgment at some point in your life - but there is not a single person on this earth that has the right to tell you who you are allowed to be.
F l o w e r s o f t h e Yo u t h
Photography: @gathum (www.gathum.co.nz) Models: Jamie & Becca @Clynemodels Makeup: @madeupbyruth Hair by: @saimai_utto
Reviews
I A M G IA NT
G R EEN LIG HT
Dead Fl ower Rel ea s e Pa r t y
Lo rd e - Si ngl e
Reviewed by Hayley Stevenson
Reviewed by Hayley Stevenson
It was a dreary but perfect night to step out in the wet, hit the traps and head to an iconic, unpretentious, and sadly soon to be gone, music venue for my virgin IAG gig. With the full tilt sound amid many red lipped, dolled up birds at the Kings Arms Tavern, if this four-piece band had a task to carry out, they certainly did it in a visceral kind of way. The lads thrust into Russian Doll, keeping me on a razor’s edge, then into Razor Wire. Belting into Neon Sunrise, we began to really Let it Go. Hearing the new single Dead Flower live after we’d seen their latest video…it met all expectations. I am Giant has gone through a metamorphosis with Ed Martin leaving the band in 2014, followed by Ryan Redman as front man, and now replaced by the old lead guitarist ninja. Aja Timu on vocals was awesome – inaugurating a new era. My favourite of the night would have to have been Transmission, which got heaps of air play last year, yet the band managed to squeeze the last remaining life out of this distinctive formula, with a volatile performance, and meticulous, tight drums by Shelton Woolright. Bassist Paul Matthews was on high alert playing tunes we know inside out. Together they’ve taken that great instrumental leap. A combination of Woolright’s intricate thrashing and the band’s improved song writing adds to Dead Flower’s endless remix possibilities. It’s got a deep meaning if you read between the lines. We can look forward to more of some of this risky, beautiful art. Let’s hope the new album due out mid – year has a rocket ride to the top of the charts, perhaps clearing the air for that comeback blowout.
Devonport’s Rock Royalty, Lorde, does it again. Green Light, the new hit we’ve waited so long for from the sophomore album Melodrama is finally out. It’s her first single since her 2014 Hunger Games number Yellow Flicker Beat. Green Light is that catchy break up anthem, a big keyboard hook - an infectious dance song with that signature angst. Cathartic for Lorde to write and produce. With her low purr and haunting verses, it’s about Lorde’s metamorphosis into adulthood, moving out of home, buying a house, and finding herself. Green Light echoes hints from her past hits on her Heroine album, with its danceable direction, this song has really taken flight. The video directed by Grant Singer sees Lorde dancing on cars and with a neon hue in a public bathroom with Jack Antonoff playing piano in background. Lorde’s freedom from pain - “Thought you would always be in love, but you’re not in love no more” – will loom, resonate and hit home with many millennials. Reminiscent of Robyn’s (the Swedish pop demigoddess) Dancing on my Own, whom Lorde adores and is heavily influenced by. We all tend to forget the fact that Lorde signed to a development deal with Universal in 2009, (prefame) spent ages moulding songs, and it was 2012 before the Love Club EP was released. Lorde worked on developing her writing and honed her style prior to unleashing and marketing herself to the world. With two million views in 48 hours, perhaps this is the perfect pop song striding to a triumphant conclusion. Lorde is certainly asserting herself once again and this pop genre.
Like Cheap Movies? Student Card’s got you covered. With discounts on movies and food, to insurance and stationary, they’re a student’s dream. Valued at $20 each, these cards are a steal, but we’ve got 5 to give away this week, so that’s even better.
FIN Syd
To be in to win a student card, email debate@aut.ac.nz with your name, campus, and favourite movie of 2016/2017.
Reviewed by Bridie Chetwin-Kelly For those who don’t know, Syd AKA Syd The Kid is one of the members of Odd Future. You may also know her as part of The Internet, with whom, she has made three albums. “Fin” is her first solo offerings. It’s confusing but at the same time, it makes sense when you want to make different kinds of music, which is exactly what she has done.
I have listened to and liked Syd’s stuff previously but I wasn’t entirely sold on this album. It’s got the offerings of her bold and charismatic personality that shines through her music, and a really strong RnB feel, but I think that personally, I like The Internet’s sound better. Unwaveringly sweet and sensual vocals, this album definitely has some seriously good tracks on it. Where the highly sexualised lyrics become somewhat dull, the production is some of the best RnB I have heard.
The whole album has got the feel of the effortlessly cool vibe that Syd is now known for whilst also being incredibly sexual. The coolness of releasing this in the current state of America just adds to the effortlessness of Syd’s image. Syd is gay and if you watch her videos you’ll see that her love interest is always a woman or women. Syd doesn’t try too hard with her vocals or her sound. It’s smooth and feels hushed, like she wants her music to be whispered into the ear of her lover. Then sometimes, you hear her pushing and really going for it. The single All About Me is an example of this. Exhibiting what she’s really got, it’s understandable why it was the first single. I also didn’t know who 6lack was, but I do now and I highly recommend listening to his feature on Over for The Weeknd fans.
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AUT accepts ‘All Gender Toilets’ Hayley Stevenson For some staff and students, returning to AUT has been a liberating process. The green light has been given for any AUT students or staff members to use the ‘all gender’ toilet if they feel uncomfortable using either the female or male toilet. The implementation of ‘all gender’ toilets into AUT has been an interesting, yet legally controversial issue, though it doesn’t appear to be a divisive decision. The shift has been received as positive - promoting and accepting diversity is key in a rapidly changing world. AUT’s Rainbow Community Manager, Audrey Hutcheson, supports students, and works collaboratively with rainbow community providers for the benefit of AUT students. ‘Now it’s up to either staff
@n.limb
/n.limb/
members or students to make a conscious choice to use the ‘all gender’ toilets’, says Audrey. Sade Young, a second year AUT Communications student, is happy with the ‘all gender’ toilet option. From time to time, Sade is a user of the facility which evidently was not a hard decision for her to make. ‘It helps people to feel safe because people that don’t conform to the gender binary, who are transitioning can feel uncomfortable or slightly threatened choosing between either male or female toilets’ says Sade. So like it or lump it, the signs are up and in full force at AUT, with the hope of a more accepting community to embrace the change.
Dragon Noodles Ingredients
1) Begin to boil water for the noodles. Once the water reaches a full boil, add the noodles and cook according to the package directions (boil for 5-7 minutes). 2) While waiting for the water to boil, prepare the sauce. In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, soy sauce, and sriracha.
125g lo mein noodes 2 tbsp butter Âź crushed red pepper 1 large egg 1 tbsp brown sugar 1 tbsp soy sauce 1 tbsp sriracha 1 handful fresh cilantro 1 sliced green onion
3) In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat. Add the red pepper to the butter as it melts. Whisk an egg in a bowl and then add to the melted butter. Stir gently and cook through. Once the egg is done cooking, turn off the heat. 4) When the noodles are tender, drain the water and then add them to the skillet with the cooked eg. Also add the prepared sauce. Turn the heat onto low to evaporate excess moisture, and stir until everything is coated well with the sauce. Sprinkle the sliced green onions and cilantro leaves (whole) on top and serve!
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Circle all the words in the wordfind, tear this page out & pop it into the box on the side of the red Debate stands, and you could win a motherflippin’ sweet prize!
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Got an idea? Your North Campus Student Representative subcommittee want to meet with you and discuss any ideas you have for the North Campus. Whether you’ve got a suggestion, solution, or just need to get something out there, we’d like to hear from you.
1PM | North Shore Campus | AF107 27th March,15th May, 4th August, 6th October
You’re welcome to speak to us privately too. Feel free to send any questions to: hesfacultyrep@aut.ac.nz
U L H C LUN H N L C U L H N C U H L N C U H L C LUN H N C U L L H N C U H L N C U H N L C U HSTUDENTS CH N CALLING C U HL L N ALL AUT U H L N C U H N – WE NEED YOUR VOICE! L H LU CH LUNC LUNCH H C N U H N L C U L H N C U L H N CH C U H L N C U H N L C U L H N C U H L N C C U H L N C U H N L C U L H N C C NCH UNCH LU CH LUN N U L L H N C U H L N C U H N L N C U H N L C U L H N C U H L N U H NC L N C U H N L C U L H N C U H L N U L UNC LUNCH N U H L C H N C U H L N C U H L C UN U H N L C U L H N C U H L N C U H L C LUN U H N L C U L H N C U H L N C U H L C LUN H N L C U L H N C U H L N C U H N L C U L H N C U H L H N C U H L N C U H N L C U H N C U HL L H N C U H L N C U H N L C U L H N C U H L H N C U H L N C U H N L C U L H N C U L N CH H C U H L N C U H N How could we improve STUDENT LIFE?
“For once I felt I was in a safe environment where my voice was heard and I believe real change will occur.” Third Year Engineering Student
“It was a great opportunity to express my views. Desna and her team really want to understand students.” Second Year Colab Student
“I want to share my experiences and help improve AUT ...particularly for my younger brother.” Third Year Creative Technologies Student
You’re invited to lunch with Professor Desna Jury, Pro Vice-Chancellor of Student Success.
AUT is committed to providing a rewarding learning experience for you. So how can we do better?
Come along for a casual chat and enjoy some lunch in a safe environment. Bring a friend – the more the merrier!
Select from four dates at each AUT Campus: -
Tues Weds Tues Weds
28 March 29 March 04 April 05 April
12.30pm – 2.00pm. 12.30pm – 2.00pm. 12.30pm – 2.00pm. 12.30pm – 2.00pm.
City North South City
Confirm your lunch spot and preferred date to lisa.warner@aut.ac.nz
WA6 AF128 MB317 WA6