debate Issue 4 | April 2019 | Queerly Beloved
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Contents
Eat Yourself Sober :: Page 26
Who's Ally? Page 10
The Loo Review Page 12
WSA Life Page 18
Baked Brie Recipe Page 36
C OV E R I L L U S T R AT I O N BY R A M I N A R A I
EDITOR Ben Webber ben.webber@aut.ac.nz DESIGNER Ramina Rai rrai@aut.ac.nz ADVERTISING Jesse Jones jesse.jones@aut.ac.nz
CONTRIBUTORS Dan Brunskill, Sophia Romanos, Zoe Holland, Ellen Ranum, Shivani Rajan, Kaat Verheyen, Meoghan Craig, Melissa Koh, Dayna Patel, Leo Walton
PRINTER Nicholson Print Solutions DISCLAIMER
Material contained in this publication does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of AUTSA, its advertisers, contributors, Nicholson Print 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 AUT STUDENT ASSOCIATION (“AUTSA”). 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 AUTSA.
PUBLISHED BY
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Barriers like the long wait time for gender reassignment surgery in New Zealand, non-consensual surgeries on intersex children and the Human Rights Act of 1993 not being as specific as it could be around prohibiting discrimination on the basis of gender identity. The list goes on. In this issue, I encourage you to take a look at Sophia Romanos’ ‘Who’s Ally?’ piece on what it means to be a solid ally for the LGBTQIA+ community. That support can prove invaluable. I grew up around a couple of incredible allies who guided me, let me cry if I needed and made me laugh if I needed that too.
Editor's Letter I grabbed my boyfriend’s hand at the Auckland Pride Walk this year and we were off. Snaking through Albert Park in the brilliant sunshine, up Queen Street and eventually finishing in the middle of Myers Park. I took a deep breath when it was all over; the experience had felt safe and calm and I left feeling really lucky. More than anything I felt super reflective of my privilege. As a white, gay man I don’t get too many funny looks, nasty comments and I’m not made to feel threatened by people that often. Because of this privilege, the problems I face often are not the same as other people within the rainbow people. They seem diluted. I worry about my friends who fall within other facets of the community. Many of my rainbow counterparts are still facing an uphill battle for acceptance.
Also in this issue - we have a little guide to AUT’s all gender bathrooms. If you’re someone who would feel more comfortable using an all gender bathroom then the full list is on page 13 and includes locations across all three campuses. If you’re a rainbow individual and you’re keen to go on exchange, Shivani Rajan and Kaat Verheyen will guide you through some options that might work for you on page 30. Some of these overseas unis have really awesome things in place to support their rainbow communities which is great to see. AUT also has its own brand new Rainbow Coordinator, Jessie Lewthwaite. I’ve met Jessie briefly and she seems awesome. The purpose of this role is to support students that fall under the LGBTQIA+ umbrella so if you’re a member of the rainbow community and you’ve got something to say - she’s keen for you to get in touch. Finally, I’d like to welcome you all back to uni - I hope you had a great little break and you’re ready to knuckle down again for the next little while. Talk soon, Ben
Can't get enough of Debate? Check out our website, like or follow us on social media, or email the editor to get involved. www.debatemag.com
facebook.com/autsadebate
@debate_mag
debate@aut.ac.nz
news
Postgraduate Students Rally to Restore Allowances By Dan Brunskill Students have rallied on parliament to present a petition with almost 3,000 signatures demanding the government restore allowances to postgraduate students. President of the New Zealand Union of Students' Associations, James Ranstead, says the absence of allowances for New Zealand’s 30,000 postgraduate students is unfair and frustrating. “It slaps a level of unfairness in the face of many of our students. “For example, if a student does a five year law degree, they are eligible for allowance throughout. But, if they do a three year undergrad degree and a two year masters, for the final two years of study they are ineligible for allowance.” Ranstead says many postgraduate students are doing research and specialisation in fields like climate change, fresh water and mental health and can’t get the support they need. The postgraduate allowance was scrapped by the National government in 2013 to save $33m from the tertiary budget every four years. Postgraduate students who were previously eligible for allowances are now only able to access student loan living costs. The supporters of the policy said the higher future earnings of postgraduates justified them taking on extra debt to support their
studies. A survey by Victoria University in 2013 found that as many as 40 per cent of students might abandon plans to do postgraduate studies. But Isabelle Sin, a senior fellow at Motu Economic and Public Policy Research, says research conducted found no evidence of a decrease in people enrolling in postgraduate programmes. “Students were able to borrow marginally the same amount as they would’ve received from allowances, so if students can afford to live today they may not worry about taking out a loan, and just pay the cost in the future.” Ranstead says, however, that the amount of student debt is a concern.
student at AUT, who would have been eligible for student allowance, says she’s had to take on extra debt and a part-time job. “It means I’ve taken out a living costs loan, so I have more debt and it means I can’t focus fully on my study.” Poole is working around 20 hours a week and feels like the absence of the allowances devalues higher learning. “People think that postgraduate studies are a selfish decision - when the whole purpose of postgraduate study is to do further research and contribute to a wider base of academic knowledge.”
“There are so many different pressures facing young people and we are really passionate about reducing the amount of debt that students have when they leave tertiary study.”
All three members of the Labour-led coalition campaigned on restoring the postgraduate allowance, but action has not yet been taken. Green MP Chlöe Swarbrick, who received the petition, can’t say if changes to allowances could be expected in the new government budget in May.
Sin agrees increasing student debt is problematic.
“As a backbench MP I only have so much influence.
“We do expect people who go to university to have greater earnings in the future, but if you look at some of the calculations for how long it takes the average student to pay back their loans (which is quite often over $20,000 for a bachelor’s graduate) they can be paying it off for a long time.”
“The aim of the petition is to drum up awareness and to push the focus of senior ministers to make this more of a priority.” Swarbrick says Education Minister Chris Hipkins is committed to enabling more postgraduate studies, but the government is “only in year two of a three-year term.”
Jaimee Poole, a 24-year-old postgraduate
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news
AUTSA Affiliates Pro-Life Club By Dan Brunskill A divided AUTSA student council has voted to affiliate a new pro-life club, despite opposition. Emma Rankin, the president of the newlyaffiliated ProLife AUT, told Debate she knew starting such a club at AUT would be controversial. “It has crossed my mind that I am the face of a very contentious issue at AUT but it is something I am really passionate about and care deeply about.
Because of that passion, I am willing to take the backlash that could come with that.” ProLife AUT is the newest branch of the wider ProLife movement, which also encompasses the ProLife Club at Auckland University. ProLife AUT, which currently consists of only 13 members, states in its constitution that it “aims to educate students on matters relating to the intrinsic value of human life”, and that it shall “engage with those affected by abortion in a spirit of compassion and empathy.”
AUTSA President, Dharyin Colbert told Debate that despite differing views within the Student Council, their job was to represent students. “We have a bunch of students who hold a particular view and at its simplest our job is to represent them and give them the same resources as every other group of students with a particular interest or particular view.” “There are definitely clubs we would not affiliate like hate groups and supremacist groups. For example, the European Student Association which tried to affiliate here last year."
Colbert says there are controversial views and then there are dangerous views and he’s confident AUTSA can recognise those. “If a club becomes militant or aggressive and negative and disturbs safe, open, positive, diverse spaces, then we would review what their role in student life looks like. "I’m very confident that they are sincere, they are genuine and they understand the controversy of their own views and the nature of the reactions. "I’m more than happy to give them an opportunity and a review as we go along.” Rankin told Debate that she didn’t want the group to be judged by the behaviour of other pro-life activists. “We condemn anybody who is being aggressive or being out of bounds with their views. "As a club, we want to convey a spirit of compassion and a spirit of kindness. So, we don’t have any interest in being aggressive.” Terry Bellamak, president of the Abortion Law Reform Association of New Zealand, told Debate that AUTSA should ignore what ProLife AUT says and pay attention to what they do considering what has happened at other universities.
“For example, at the University of Auckland with pro-life groups showing gory posters or confronting people who have had abortions, their presence has not been very respectful.” Bellamak says abortion care is safe, routine health care that women and people who can get pregnant need in order to control their own fertility.
“If a club becomes militant or aggressive and negative and disturbs safe, open, positive, diverse spaces, then we would review what their role in student life looks like."
“Contraception is great, but there is no contraception with a zero percent failure rate, even with perfect use and unfortunately, humans are not known for perfection.”
has no interest in shaming women. “I am a 20-year-old, second year nursing student, so I never want to come across like getting an abortion is a selfish choice for women because if I were put in that situation I would be terrified. The only difference is that in a crisis pregnancy I think the crisis should be addressed not the pregnancy. "We want abortion to be unthinkable in New Zealand, not because women feel shamed or trapped into pregnancies, but because they feel supported and feel that there is wrap around care.” Bellamak says that access to abortion services and providing support to new mothers should not be pitched against one another. “There should be exactly as many abortions as people who don’t want to be pregnant. “It is kind of like airbag deployments, there should just as many airbag deployments as there are head on collisions; and if there isn’t then that’s a problem.” Bellamak says women must be trusted to make their own choices and decide for themselves whether to have an abortion.
Rankin told Debate that ProLife AUT will not advocate for stricter abortion laws and
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What's on
8 Reasonable Demands
Emma Fitts: In the Rough
Where: ASB Waterfront Theatre When: Fri 26 April - Mon 29 April What: In the aftermath of the Big Gay Out,
BIOHAZARD: A HyperQueen Drag Show
Where: Te Uru Waitākere Contemporary
Where: Phoenix Entertainment, K Road When: Fri 10 May What: Welcome to BIOHAZARD: a
six queer activists have gone a little too far. All they want to do is change the world, but they don’t quite agree on how to do it. Factions, frictions and fumbles abound! How much: $17 for students
Parts 1, 2 & 3
Gallery
When: Sat 16 February - Sun 26 May What: Christchurch-based artist Emma Fitts references the practices and biographies of modernist women Anni Albers (weaver), Romaine Brooks (painter), and Eileen Gray (interior designer). The result finds fruitful connections between the past and present, creative disciplines, and queer and feminist stories. How much: Free
dystopic drag show, a feminine infection, an anti-binary bionic uprising. Witness the nation’s most foul-mouthed femmes, pernicious vixens and hyperdermic hyper queens in a night of distasteful and outrageous post-gender performance. How much: General admission $18.43
AAF: Pacific Sisters: He Toa Tāera - Fashion Activists
James Mustapic - The Blair Witch Projector
University Mental Health Day @ AUT
Where: Auckland Art Gallery When: Tues 2 April - Sun 14 July What: A major retrospective, Pacific
Where: Q Theatre When: Tues May 21 - Sat May 25 What: James' stand-up comedy show has
Where: City (Hikuwai Plaza), South (MH
Sisters: He Toa Tāera | Fashion Activists showcases the collective’s innovative costumes and performances, which began as street style before expanding into multimedia experiences in venues from art galleries to night clubs. How much: Free
been haunted by a comedy ghost inside of his projector. He must revisit the ghosts of his past and come to terms with his darkest fears in order to save his show. How much: $18 - $22
building), North (AF building) When: Tues 7 May What: This day is all about having a safe space to talk about mental health and strategies to maintain your own wellbeing. There will be free food across all campuses, sleep hygiene tips, haircuts and much more on the day. How much: Free
Message from the Out@AUT Prez OUT@AUT is AUT’s social group for rainbow students. Debate sat down with the group’s president, Jess Rayner, to find out more about it. What is the main thing that Out@AUT offers students? I think we just want to offer a feeling of connection and support. Especially because university is hard and being a queer person at university is really really hard. We want to let other queer or gender non-conforming individuals know that they’re doing a good job and that there are other people like them.
What inspired you to go for the president position? Honestly it wasn’t my idea. Last year’s president said I’d make a good one myself. Once I spoke to them and they said I’d do alright I realised how important it is to advocate for people who are unable to use their voices.
What can students do to make queer students feel that they belong?
personal reasons and that’s fine. But please, respect us regardless. If it’s not you in a rainbow relationship then it’s not really your business, is it?
"Changes are happening and we’re able to help facilitate in these changes and that’s really exciting." What’s the best thing about being the prez? There are so many cool things about it. It’s a really challenging role. I have a great team of execs that I work with. Along with the execs we’re able to sculpt what we want the year to look like. Changes are happening and we’re able to help facilitate in these changes and that’s really exciting. It’s great being able to give students a voice.
What does Out@AUT have planned for 2019?
I would just say really basic things. Treat us normal. Stop with the
I don’t know if I should be saying… There’s a really cool event that is in its discussion stages. It’s going to be really big,
homophobic language or looks. Respect us as individuals. You might not agree with the Rainbow community, for religious or
extravagant and very queer. That’s all I’m going to say. It’s exciting, so keep an eye out.
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Who’s Ally? Well fuck, it turns out being an LGBTQIA+ ally wasn’t quite the Rubik’s Cube I was expecting it to be! By Sophia Romanos. Illustration by Leo Walton.
I’m still spelling Wednesday out loud as ‘wed-nes-day’ and see ‘ally’ as my friend’s name from primary school. All-in-all, I’m not overly surprised that I was pretty wrong with what I thought being an ally for the Rainbow community was. I consider my knowledge of LGBTQIA+ terminology about hand-in-hand with my phases of the moon knowledge; if I needed to whip out some info I’d be okay, but I wouldn’t stick my hand up about it in class or anything. If there was a discussion around allies, you might as well have just cut my hand off and given it to someone in better need of it because I knew nothing. So, I did what any curious millennial in 2019 would do when they’re confused - I asked my Mum. JK, I googled it. What does it mean to be an ally? Google told me it’s to “Combine for mutual benefit”. If I was a self-righteous wanker I’d say, ‘What’s mutual about giving support to a community’. I would have thought it should be a selfless act where you don’t expect anything back? But I know better than to sit around and have opinions based on sweet fuck all. So, I thought I’d ask people who knew more than I did. I spoke firstly with Kate Aschoff from InsideOUT and then with Toni Duder from Rainbow Youth. Both of these organisations offer support, education and advocacy for queer, gender diverse and intersex youth.
Toni talked me through the basics: that being an ally is very malleable depending on what that particular person is comfortable with. She told me it all comes down to supporting those within the Rainbow community. “Being an ally means that you’re not afraid to advocate for people who are different than yourself, that’s all it means.” She said allyships also encompass those who don’t partake in any derogatory language. It sounds to me like a lot of it centres around being inclusive and not being an asshole - things that some people struggle with more than others. Kate Aschoff was also super helpful at educating my roadkill of a brain. Kate told me allyship is less about the mutual benefit in the typical sense, but about offering support outwards and knowing that if you needed support for whatever reason, you would have allies that would be there for you too. I was a bit nervous to look into this topic as it does feel like there’s a lot of room for error. Identity is a huge topic that will sometimes be multifaceted and hard to get your head around, especially if you’re outside of the group and speaking on it - as I am now. I think those outside the Rainbow community sometimes avoid broaching these things altogether through fear of flat out getting it wrong. Kate was really understanding of this: “I think there’s a lot
of pressure on people to get it right all the time and I don’t necessarily think that’s fair. I think it’s definitely a learning process and something that people need to be guided through and supported through.” So where do we go from here? How do we start becoming successful allies? Toni is passionate about the education and conversations that need to happen in open spaces: “We need to focus less on different identities and more around what active allies look like.” She also says we need to have challenging conversations and figure out how to bridge any generational divides. Before venturing into this piece, sheltered and ignorant me didn’t know what an ally was and I’d never thought it was something I needed to know about either. But there’s so much information and so many people available who can give us clarity. Often we’re just not having these conversations and not educating ourselves further. Kate really pushed this idea home. “I think there’s so many conversations we could and should be having but they happen when people are willing to listen and willing to share.” It’s time to start talking. To your family, friends, Santa Claus, around the dinner table or in the Sensational Chicken line. It doesn’t matter where you start, but what does matter is that we do start learning. Be an ally, be ready to listen and ready to share. It’s easier than you think.
If you need support from the rainbow community: Rainbow Youth info@ry.org.nz (09)3764155 | Or InsideOUT hello@insideout.org.nz 0273314507
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The Loo Review Debate delved into the bowels of AUT’s facilities to find out which random cross-section of ‘all gender’ bathrooms come out on top. AUT has around 60 'all gender' toilets which is pretty cool.
City Campus WZ Building Students in this building study boring things like maths but this means they’re good at calculating the correct vectors when aiming for the toilet bowl. It provides for a very clean bathroom and I am pleased to report there was no wee on the ceiling and the lovely porcelain seat had not yet been kicked off the base of the toilet. Debate would like to point out that around 1 bazillion bored engineering students peered at the editor and subeditor locking themselves in the loo to investigate. It was rude.
WU Building (Now defunct?) I couldn’t find this toilet. If the weird smells and huge stains on the floor are anything to go by, my predecessors may have not had much luck finding it either? The sheer number of signs warning of surveillance made me feel very unwelcome from the get-go and I had a strange feeling I was being followed. The lift never came so I took the stairs causing the building to groan as if it needed to poo too. I left briskly.
WD Building Surprisingly clean but the automatic door smashed into the editorial assistant when she went to open the toilet door and she was already in pain that day from a spider bite she had so we kind of got off on the wrong foot with this one. That being said, it’s much nicer than the men’s toilet next door which is yuck. Would still recommend - but you’ve been warned about the door.
student sat on the sink mistaking it for a chair and broke it off as it looked like it had been reattached. There was peeling paint everywhere despite the building being relatively new. Still a really great lavatory although there’s a few superficial flaws.
South Campus MH Building Walked in and almost lost consciousness from the smell. The toilet was really nice despite this, and MH building in general is lovely and glam af! The poo colour toilet doors are a nice design feature here.
MA Building University students clearly can’t be trusted as this toilet is filled with important signage aiming to teach you the correct order to wash your hands, flush and wipe. The signage even gets into the specifics of how long to hold the flush down for (2 seconds!!). Micromanagement aside, this toilet was fine and seemed very popular.
North Campus AL Building Nickelodeon orange door with a weird grippy floor. Baby change table a nice addition if you happen to have a babyprobably not much use if you don’t. Down a long corridor so very nice and secluded if you like to poo in private.
AF Building
WG Building Shrieks of crazed communications students aplenty! Welcome to WG! Despite the chaos, the WG all gender bathrooms are quite a good option. The one we examined had a drain in the floor which one can only assume is there if people pee so much the toilet overflows. Debate also presumes a comms
This toilet had a fancy automatic door which I couldn’t figure out how to close so I kind of just stood in there with a concerned look on my face as people walked past. It was quite clean and odour was minimal. Would recommend for the tech savvy toilet user.
All Gender Toilets City
WH 505
AC 205
WA 405B, 504, 604, 704
WM 402, 602
AE T01A, T01B
WB 209, 221, 321, 422
WO 903, 1003, 1403
AF 119A
South
WD 103
WR 102, 138A
AG 120
MA 103
WE 216, 217
WS 111, 519
AH 108, 116, 117, 118, 210
MB 102C
AJ 102
MC 107, 208
AL 130B
ME 105E, 105F
AP 111
MH 114, 211, 214, 321, 324
WG 223, 301, 321, 414, 519, 611, 710, 811, 911, 1016, 1216
North AA 102A, 130, 211, 212
AR 108, 132, 143, 145, 152
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RAI NBOW TERMINOLOGY
This is not an exhaustive list of terms. Remember, your peers may like to be referred to by something completely different. Just ask them what works for them!
Asexual a person who
generally has no sexual feelings or desires but may still feel attraction but not necessarily in a sexual manner. Some see asexual as an umbrella term encompassing demisexual.
Bisexual a person sexually or romantically attracted not exclusively to people of one particular gender, thus attracted to both men and women.
Demisexual a person who does not experience sexual attraction unless they form an emotional connection.
FtM a person who was
assigned female at birth but whose gender identity is that of a man. Trans man is a term sometimes used.
Intersex can relate to
a person who is born with a reproductive or sexual anatomy that doesn’t fit the typical definitions of male or female.
Lesbian a person that
identifies as female and is generally sexually and/or romantically attracted to those of the same sex.
MtF a person who was
assigned male at birth but whose gender is that of a female. Trans woman is a term sometimes used.
Non-binary a description of a gender identity that is neither male nor female.
Pansexual a person who
is attracted to certain people regardless of their gender.
Gay a person who is sexually
Queer an umbrella term
Gender Fluid can relate
Questioning a person who
and/or romantically attracted to those of the same sex. A term more commonly attributed to males.
to a person who does not identify as having a fixed gender.
encompassing all identities and expressions outside of the heterosexual, monogamous and gender normative majority.
is in the process of questioning their gender identity, sexuality and/or gender expression.
Which Can of Piss are You? Illustrations by Dayna Patel
Gordon’s Pink Gin
Cindy's
Gin and Tonic
• Friend that has been in your class since 2015 but you only just realised is cool.
• The friend that disappears on a night out and never comes back.
• The one that forgets they’re binge drinking out of a can and thinks they’re fancy.
• Shy but has a banger joke once a week.
•"Cruisers? I used to drink those back in first year.”
Envy • Friend that never shows up but is still in the group chat. • “Can we split an Uber?” • Been “starting their own business” for two years now.
• “If we’re not going to Long Room I’m not coming.”
Smirnoff Blueberry Cruiser
Purple Goanna
Cody’s
Long whites
• Always down to try something new ;)
• Spends the party luring people to get high in their car.
• This is not a colour of the rainbow.
• Claims to be the classy friend.
• Smells weird.
• The one that kind of scares everyone after a few too many.
• Always has their toes exposed.
• Looks like shit
• Hype girl. • “Bar 101 has $3 drinks!!”
• Vegetarian but loves a drunk chicken nuggie. • “I smoke when I drink, but only because it’s social.”
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Making the Move By Zoe Holland | Illustration by Leo Walton
The big smoke. The home to the Sky Tower, bad traffic, crappy public transport, rising house prices and the everpromising Warriors. But, most importantly, home to the good old JAFA. Auckland is a place both loved and hated by New Zealanders. I’m what you might call a ‘Westie’, having lived in West Auckland most of my life. I’m lucky enough to live at home, but a lot of students aren’t. Each year, students from all over New Zealand move from their little hometowns to Tāmaki makaurau. I sat down with a handful of AUT students to talk about what this is like. Alanis is a third year Bachelor of Arts student originally from Dannevirke. She says the move to Auckland changed her in different ways: “I was very naive and immature and I did grow up a lot.” Life in the big city has its perks like Wednesday student nights and the endless number of fast food places on offer but it’s not all bright lights and $3 cruisers. Alanis has had to move an unbelievable six times since arriving in Auckland two years ago. She says money was a factor, but the fact that landlords don’t trust students didn’t help. Second year Bachelor of Arts student Piripi, says life in his hometown of Nuhaka is a whole lot slower than
Auckland. “Everything in Auckland is fast and one thing I really picked up was that something different happens every day.” Another student, Ruamano, whose hometown is Ngaruawahia, was shocked with the enormity of Auckland when she made the move: “I didn’t even know buildings were this tall, I didn’t know there could be so many cultures, there were more cultures than there were Māori.” Ruamano says another surprise was how quickly she developed her own whānau: “We lived through the struggle of having 23 bucks that will last you a week and we lived through that struggle together.” Moving away from the comfort of home can be a life changing move. You’re essentially thrown into having to learn to do the washing, cook meals and any thought you can rely on your parents goes out the window. In a city of around 1.6 million people it can be really hard to find your own way and coming from a small town can make it really tough. Piripi, another AUT student, told me he “kinda felt like a little minority in a giant-ass city”. He says, however, that AUT showed him there were actually a lot more like-minded people from the same communities and background around the place. Although moving into a new environment
can be a little daunting and scary, from talking to those who have done it I realised it can also come with a lot of positives. Alanis says she found her place in Family Bar on K Road. “I found my home there with all the drag queens and got to know them really well before I started university.” She says everyone there made her feel accepted. “Down in Dannevirke, if you’re gay, no one agrees.” It seems a lot of us don’t feel like our hometown is anything special until we actually leave. Ruamano says the feeling of home is something she really misses. Where you come from defines a large portion of who we are, but so does our whānau. Whānau means so much to a lot of people. Alanis really hit the nail on the head with this: “The reason why I’m up here is my family, so when I go back home, I’m reminded that I sometimes lose sight of that”. Student life, often known for twominute noodles and cheap booze, can be frivolous and great. But the reality is that it can sometimes get so hard that all you want to do is go home. A brand-new environment where you’re like a tiny ant can be scary. But what I’ve learned is that there are moments where it can be pretty damn awesome and a lot of people have used it as an opportunity to grow as a person and find their own whānau.
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Want to see your work in Debate? We're forever on the lookout for writers, illustrators and creatives to contribute to the mag. Want to see your work in print? Email us at debate@aut.ac.nz. Too easy! 21
giveaways
Student life can be tough, which is why we search the city for the snazziest stuff to give away. Like the look of something below? Head to our Facebook page (/autsadebate) and fill out the survey pinned to the top of our timeline titled ‘Giveaways - Issue 4’
Rainbow Cake
Deadly Class
Pizza!
Need an excuse to celebrate? Bluebells have a cheeky 6” 2 layer sprinkle cake to give away! With two cafes, and one more on the way, Bluebells is the perfect choice for your next cake occasion, or maybe a cupcake delivery to help you get back in the good books with the other half! Read the instructions at the top of the page to find out how to enter.
Streaming now on NEON, Deadly Class sees orphaned teen Markus (Benjamin Wadsworth) recruited into a school for assassins. Set against the backdrop of 80’s counter-culture, how will Markus navigate this new world? Thanks to our friends at NEON, we have five graphic novel sets of Deadly Class up for grabs. Read the instructions at the top of the page to find out how to enter.
New York is just a trip to Sal's away! With 100% authentic ingredients and original recipes, Sal’s (@salspizzanz) is proud to serve you New Zealand's ONLY authentic NY Pizza! Sal’s has five pizzas to give away to our lucky Debate readers. Read the instructions at the top of the page to find out how to enter.
Un-Burgden Yourself
Cool Ridge
BurgerFuel fuels the human engine and when you’re a student that engine’s often running pretty hot. Take a break with a free burger from BurgerFuel Queen Street. Debate has 5 burger vouchers to give away! Read the instructions at the top of the page to find out how to enter.
Recovering from a big night, hit the gym too hard or feeling the onset of the fresher flu? Cool Ridge Vitamin Water is great tasting, with added functional benefits, no sugar, nasty sweeteners or artificial stuff. In three functional varieties; Immunity, Revitalise and Restore, Cool Ridge Vitamin Water will help get you back on top of your game. Debate has a few packs to give away. Read the instructions at the top of the page to find out how to enter.
Ballet Calling all dance lovers! Be wowed by world-renowned New York dance company, Complexions Contemporary Ballet this coming May at The Civic. Up for grabs is a double pass to the matinee performance on Sat 11 May - don’t miss out! Read the instructions at the top of the page to find out how to enter.
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QUEER ON FILM
Ellen Ranum takes us through some decent LGBTQIA+ films for you to lie back and enjoy on a wintery evening. Or whenever, really.
Tangerine This gritty film follows a day in the life of two transgender sex workers on the streets of LA. This film gives us a unique glimpse into the reality of a subculture that is so rarely depicted on screen. Or if it is depicted, these narratives are often too polished, too neat and wrapped up in a feel-good bow. This movie is raw and authentic and the cast are real transgender actresses who have influenced the narrative with experiences from their own lives. Tangerine explores the desperation, sweat, exhaustion and horniness that comes with living. But don't get me wrong, this film is hilarious too, with zingy one-liners that will have you chuckling well after the closing credits. Oh, and did I mention the entire film was shot on an iPhone 5s?
The Handmaiden
Call Me by Your Name
Nope not The Handmaid’s Tale, this is The Handmaiden. The film is a South Korean erotic and physiological thriller that focuses on the seductions between a handmaiden and a Japanese heiress. But trust me, this is no ordinary tale of seduction. The Handmaiden has more twists than WG has stairs and, like the stairs, leaves you gasping for air at every turn. The film’s incredible colouring and inspiring locations makes The Handmaiden a must see. Erotic. Lesbian. Thriller. Honestly, what more could you want?
Call Me by Your Name. You’ve probably heard the title of this film roll off the tongue of your cinephile friend on a night out. This film has a little something for everyone. Firstly, can I say it stars Timothée Chalamet, who may, objectively, be the most charismatic and gorgeous man on the planet. Secondly, the film is set in 1980s Northern Italy. Watching this film will satisfy your unknown desire to bike across a sunsoaked road, only stopping to swim in the local lake or to read a book in a grassy field. The chemistry between the film's two main characters is electric long before they even touch. When the film ends, the lingering sensation will leave you feeling like a close friend just moved to England or like you’ve just come home to taste your mother's best cooked meal. The warm melancholy lingers.
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Eat Yourself Sober Sophia Romanos teaches you to un-hangover yourself based on absolutely no expert knowledge whatsoever. Illustration by Leo Walton.
Hung, two, three, four, who’s that vomming on the floor?
you’ll slurp that shit up like you’re 11 and KFC Krushers just got invented.
My head was in the toilet one Friday and it was one of those moments in your life where you sit in bed, reflect on your life and google like it’s the sweet lord’s bible.
Depending on what you had on the night before you may or may not have a slice left in the fridge. Even if it’s your flatmate’s, hungover you isn’t normal you so eat now, think later. If you’re ordering in the moment, add in a $5 Whittakers-filled Unholy Donut because that shit is GOOD.
I had woken up wearing nothing but my jewellery and a pillow pet on my face. A good start indeed. My mate came in who I had begged to stuff her fingers down my throat the night before and offered me a pie from Forte. This felt like the best idea until I smelt it in all its meaty steaming glory. If you’ve been that hung and smelt hot food you’ll know it’s the equivalent of satan farting on your face. Here’s what might make you feel better after a night out (but probably still won’t):
Maccy D’s: Don’t google it, but grease is great for you. Cheeseburgers, hash browns, fries. Give yourself 20 minutes after you wake up to chow down so you won’t see it go down the drain afterwards.
An orange: I swear by this. Shove an orange slice in your mouth and
Yesterday’s cold Hell’s Pizza:
Bagels + anything: Mum always told me carbs are like panadol: take two every 4-6 hours. Well, she didn’t, but if she tried it I’m sure she wouldn’t complain. Shove your hair in a bun and your post-dancefloor feet into some slides and slither on down to Best Ugly Bagels or Goodness Gracious, but good god put some sunglasses on - you look terrible.
DIY pancakes: Bacon, maple syrup, bananas (heeeello potassium!) and some round plops of pan-fried batter. Drag up your friends who thought it was better to split an Uber the night before than to go home and make these bad boys. There’s a chance that it’ll soak up the jagerbombs you downed like a champion the night before...I’m skeptical about the absorbency of pancakes - but health aside, it’ll taste fucking amazing.
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AUTSA Clubs
AUT STEM Women AUT STEM Women is a city campus club open to women and gender diverse students studying science, technology, engineering and mathematics. We support students through helping them network (industry visits) and through the development of soft skills (presenting and speaking). We also provide a mini-community within AUT where we support each other with projects, study and future careers outside the university. We try to host many events throughout the year, from pizza all the way to public lectures which can help students engage, make friends, and learn.
AUTM You know that one really elite, really exclusive music club that was full of people you hated in high school? Well this ain’t it. Based at AUT’s City campus, AUT Music’s main goal is to jam out to some of your favourite songs whilst also offering a safe space to play your instrument or sing your heart out. We aren’t elite, nor are we exclusive, so no matter what you play you can always come and see what we do and join in! We have a wide range of music flavours - some of us love jazz, some rock out and others have found roots in soul so there’s no limit to what we can do! We’ll be doing various performances throughout the year so if you want to see us in action, keep an eye out. Otherwise, you can catch us on our Facebook: AUTM. We hope to see you soon!
For more info, email clubs@aut.ac.nz with your name, AUT ID number, phone number, email address and the club(s) you would like to join. They’ll forward your details to the appropriate club leaders.
PRESENTS
New York's
COMPLEXIONS Contemporary Ballet
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Rainbow Exchange A message from Shivani Rajan and Kaat Verheyen of the AUT International Centre.
AUT was the first Rainbow Tick University in the country and we pride ourselves on being an accepting, welcoming and open university. We thought we’d take a look at how our exchange partners overseas compare when it comes to rainbow community people who want to take their degree overseas. Queer support recognises that sexual orientation and gender identity are a part of what makes us unique individuals. Your studies and careers are not limited to New Zealand and it’s really important for your peace of mind to know that you will be supported overseas regardless of your sexuality. More and more students are choosing to go on exchange so here’s our top picks if you’re a member of the rainbow community. Ryerson University in Canada is our most popular exchange destination, probably because it’s very similar to AUT, but in Toronto! The university provides multiple services for all students and is thought of as being an open minded and diverse campus. Rainbow facilities include a centre dedicated to women and trans people, a diversity institute, and an office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. Ryerson even has “RyePRIDE”, a service aimed at building a healthy and queer-positive university.
Checking in with Cardiff University in Wales, this university ensures great support for all students. Recently, Cardiff University has been recognised for its efforts by Europe’s largest LGBTQIA+ equality organisation. One of the main services is Cardiff University Pride which hosts several socials a week and organises other events throughout the year. As an exchange student, this would be an easy way to meet like-minded people while studying abroad. Furthermore, the LGBTQIA+ association represents students that identify as lesbian, gay, bi, trans and other minority sexual, romantic and gender identities. The association works with the Students’ Union to improve the university experience for rainbow students through welfare and awareness campaigns on campus. San Francisco State University in the United States is another partner waving the rainbow flag proudly. Their Queer & Trans Resource Centre is based on the philosophy that all students deserve their identities to be celebrated. The Queer & Trans Resource Centre focuses on building alliances with ethnic, political, religious, and arts communities not only within SFSU but in the public communities too. The centre is open to all students who wish to join in their efforts to promote awareness and understanding of LGBTQIA+ related identities, issues, and culture. These are just some examples of our great overseas partners who are working to support rainbow students. Whether it’s all gender restrooms or events around rainbow issues, more and more is being done to support the community. So, if you’re queer and thinking about doing an exchange, you can rest assured knowing we’ve got your back. If you’re considering doing an exchange, contact Shivani aut.student.exchange@aut.ac.nz
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Two Oceans at Once
What: As an exhibition, Two Oceans at Once holds multiple narratives. These are narratives of arrivals, departures, naming, giving voice, being heard, listening, co-habitation, time, place, memory, knowledge, language and love.
Where: ST PAUL St Gallery, AUT, Ground Floor WM Building. Who: Jane Chang Mi, Ayesha Green, Ruth Ige, Rozana Lee, Nicole Lim, Talia Smith, Vaimaila Urale, Layne Waerea, Yonel Watene. Curated by Cameron Ah Loo-Matamua and Charlotte Huddleston
When: Until 17 May 2019
Hot Choccy Reviews I am not a mega Foodie (Drinkie? Is that even a thing? Who knows) but as someone who doesn’t drink and can’t stand the taste of coffee, my hot chocolate palette has grown a bit over my 19 years of existence. Here are some of the gems I’ve found around Auckland. By Meoghan Craig.
The Garnet Station
Orvieto
One of the most proudly warm and inviting places that I’ve been. It’s run by two lovely ladies who have created
As I walked in it was all hustle and bustle with everyone from mums with toddlers, to businessmen and policewomen all
Westmere | $4.50 | 7/10
a beautifully chic and vintage inspired café. My drink didn’t come with any marshmallows sadly, but was piping hot! I managed to snag a power plug and helped myself to the free wifi to get some work done.
Three Kings | $4.00 | 8.5/10
lined up for their morning fix. The hot choccy was decadently sweet and as cheap as they come. It even arrived with a chocolate silver fern on top. I wouldn’t recommend this place as a study nook seeing as there’s no free wifi or accessible plug ins, but for a hot drink with friends, this place is one to check out for sure!
The Kimchi Project Lorne Street | $4.50 | 10/10
The perfect study/sit-down-to-have-ahot-drink hotspot. You can choose either to sit in a cozy front area of cushioned tables and booths, or keep going and you’ll find a secret garden area out the back. There’s free wifi throughout and the service is SNAPPY. Just two minutes in and my drink had arrived. This is the first place I’ve encountered that puts sprinkles on top - a very nice touch. For a student, The Kimchi Project offered everything I needed and would like in a café and a hot choccy.
If you want to keep up to date with my Auckland hot choc reviews, check out my Instagram @hotchocsof_auckland
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James Mustapic The Blair Witch Projector
Ben Webber sits down with Billy T Award nominee James Mustapic to talk haunted projectors and being harassed by other NZ celebs. What is the Blair Witch Projector about? Basically, it’s about a haunted projector that’s trying to ruin my show. I’m trying to battle with the ghosts of my past and my biggest fears and get rid of the spooky little ghost.
Your past is something you quite like delving into in your shows? Because I’d done the ‘Repressed Memories’ videos I realised I like to play along the forgotten graveyard of NZ TV and also just embarrassing things that I’ve done when I was a kid. I was making videos so young, when I was like 14 or something, so there is so much terrible content I’ve made.
What was it about the humble projector that inspired you? Well I guess I’ve always liked having a bit of multimedia in the show. People who come to my shows will probably have seen my videos so I’ve always liked having some quirky graphics in the shows and things. I thought it would be quite interesting if my projector was trying to hijack my show.
How does this show differ to some of your other live performance work? It’s very multimedia heavy. In the past I’ve tried to do a lot of stand up – and I
like it. But this show is very interactive. It’s almost like there’s two different people on stage even though it’s just me. There’s sort of like a back and forth between me and the projector, we sort of interact.
Does it feel like you’ve come a long way from the web series days? Yeah, I think it does. I never really felt like anyone was watching me. I never had anyone come up to me on the street and say ‘I like your videos’. Now it seems that I have a lot of people who come up and say they watched
So about the Sue Nicholson beef? I go fully into it in my show but I felt quite bad about it. I was really excited to go on Seven Sharp. As a comedian you don’t get these opportunities all the time. I made a joke about Sue Nicholson which wasn’t even a good joke. Sue Nicholson has 170k Facebook followers. They kind of believe she’s a superhero and has superpowers. They are really dedicated fans and so they were furious. Immediately I was reading the comments because I thought ‘this could be good comedy.’ People were saying things like ‘That smug little boy is not funny at all’.
What’s the worst venue you’ve performed? my shorty street videos back in the day. Back in the web days I’d just put something out and have no idea if it was fine or not, whereas with standup you sort of get the immediate feedback whether it’s funny or not. If it’s not funny you never tell the joke again.
standup comedians and people seem quite excited when there’s someone gay on stage. Often the jokes I do about being gay are the ones people find so funny. I guess in a way it’s a different perspective from what they hear on stage most of the time.
As a proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community, have you felt embraced by audiences?
What’s the TV work been like?
Yeah I think it’s been pretty good. I obviously don’t want to speak for all LGBTQIA+ people but I think at this stage (at least in Auckland) it’s a bit of a novelty. There’s not that many LGBTQIA+
It’s been good. It’s very scary. In my new show I talk a bit about being on the Spinoff show and my Seven Sharp appearance which caused a feud with TV psychic Sue Nicholson. But yeah, it’s been fun. You get more money from it.
I did this gig out in Howick and they just hated me. Every other comedian did great out there but they hated me. I couldn’t get a ride and I can’t drive so I had to wait till the end. I was on first and everyone else did amazing. It was so uncomfortable.
Best place to perform? The Classic on Queen Street is a lovely place to perform. I also performed at the Bruce Mason Theatre a couple of years ago, that was fun.
Catch James Mustapic in The Blair Witch Projector May 21 - 25 as part of the NZ International Comedy Festival at Q Theatre.
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recipe
Baked Brie with Honey, Bacon, Thyme, Walnuts, and Pawpaw Remember your first encounter with an unusual flavour/ingredientcombination that threw you off? We’ve all been there. Examples of combinations we’ve grown accustomed to that sometimes made us go: ‘Why didn’t I think of that?!’ include: roast pork and apple; peanut butter and jelly; chilli and chocolate; candied bacon; and most recently, bubble tea topped with cream cheese. Most, if not all, of our behaviours, attitudes, preferences, and even prejudices are learned. We learn them through socialising with others — our parents, grandparents, teachers, neighbours and random people we meet. People who grew up in a culture that feasts on chicken with chocolate sauce wouldn’t consider it weird, but we might.
Queer by definition is whatever is at odds with (sociallyconstructed) norms. People who do not conform to gender stereotypes may experience disapproval and even ridicule. However, just like the now widely accepted chilli-and-chocolate combination, we must drop preconceived notions about how someone is supposed to be and who someone is supposed to love. Instead, we can take intentional steps to unlearn deep-seated beliefs about gender and sexual orientation. Here’s a recipe featuring unconventional ingredient combinations that work surprisingly well together - especially delicious as a topping for toast and crackers.
Ingredients
Method
•
1/2 cup of honey
1) Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a small baking dish (enough to fit the cheese wheel) with baking paper.
•
3 sprigs of thyme
•
2 tablespoons of dried pawpaw, diced (approximately 2-3 pieces, from the bulk foods section)
•
5 pieces of walnuts, whole (from the bulk foods
2) In a small pot, add honey, thyme, diced pawpaw, walnuts, and bacon bits, and simmer for about 5 minutes over low heat. 3) Place brie in baking dish. Arrange pawpaw and walnuts on top of the brie and pour only half the amount of honey over, leaving the remaining bacon and honey aside for later.
section) •
1 slice of bacon (chopped into small bits)
•
1 wheel of brie cheese (I used the Mainland Special Reserve Double Cream Brie)
4) Bake for 10 minutes - the cheese should be soft and will ooze out when cut into. 5) To serve, place brie on a plate, drizzle with remaining hot honey syrup, and top with bacon bits. 6) Serve with toast or crackers.
Melissa Koh is a third year BA student double majoring in Culinary Arts and English & New Media. Follow her dining and cooking adventures on Instagram: @melicacy.
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