'Beyond the binary' Issue 19, Volume 48

STUDENT MEDIA AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2017 · VOL 48 ISSUE 19 · BADGERHERALD.COM

Beyond Beyond the the binary binary While the university tries to support transgender, nonbinary students, gaps in services remain

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Herald Editorial Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Managing Editor News Editor Digital News Editor Features Editors City Editors

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Hayley Sperling Publisher Nina Kravinsky Business Manager Emily Neinfeldt Business Associate Vidushi Saxena Community Outreach Coordinator Alice Vagun Marketing Manager Teymour Tomsyck Maija Inveiss Montana Leggett Helu Wang Dana Kampa Yusra Murad Advertising Director Connor Touhey Advertising Manager Aly Niehans Advertising Executive Ben Cross David Hayes Celeste Benzschawel Kristin Washagan Madeline Sweitzer Izabela Zaluska Frances Smith Brighton Lindberg Riley Steinbrenner Chairman Katie Cooney Vice Chairman Greta Zimmermann Vice Chairman Joshua Duncan Vice Chairman Melanie Tobiasz Members Dan Chinitz Matthew Norman Amos Mayberry

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State Editor Opinion Editors Opinion Associate Sports Editors ArtsEtc. Editors Copy Chief Associate Copy Editors Photo Editors Design Director Comics Editor Social Media Coordinator Banter Editor Video Directors

14

NEWS

6

FEATURE

24

ABORTION INSURANCE THREATENED

7

Republican legislators are looking to implement a bill that would limit the Government Insurance Board’s abortion services, affecting 250,000 public sector employees.

John Batterman Sam Streeck Jacob Bawolek

Board of Directors Briana Reilly Hayley Sperling John Batterman Tyler Lane Emily Neinfeldt Nina Kravinsky Yusra Murad Emily Hamer Jacob Bawolek Alice Vagun Teymour Tomsyck Bobby Zanotti Kevin Bargnes Stacy Forster Benedict Will Haynes Jason Joyce Davy Mayer Polo Rocha Paul Temple

Advisers

5

Tyler Lane Bobby Zanotti Luke Presberg Briana Reilly Billy Maloney

DIVERSIONS

PHOTO PAGE

16

OPINION

26

10

ARTS

20

SPORTS

SHOUTOUTS

PORN MEETS EDUCATION

12 HISTORIC START ON DIAMOND

PornHub uses platform to teach sex ed amid adult entertainment.

ON SCHOOL CHOICE

21

The Badgers dropped their first game of the season, but at 8-1, are setting early UW records.

16

The College Republicans and Democrats share their takes on Sec. of Education Betsy DeVos and what her confirmation means for school choice and Wisconsin.

MADTOWN CRIER

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Tuesday 2/21 The Head and the Heart at the Orpheum Theater, 8 p.m., $31-$51

Madtown refuses to slow down. Here are some upcoming events The Badger Herald recommends to keep you up to speed.

Thursday 2/23

Friday 2/24

“Seeking Asylum” Art Installation at the Mosse Humanities Building, 6 p.m., FREE

89th Annual Student Art Show at Union South, all day, FREE

Wednesday 2/22 Flavors of the World: Social Justice in South America, at Union South, 6 p.m., FREE

Thursday 2/23 Karmen Gei (2001) at the Marquee, 7 p.m., FREE

Friday 2/24 Four Seasons Theater Cabaret with Wendy Jones Hill at the Frederic March Play Circle, 7:30 p.m., $19

Saturday 2/25 Colony House at The Frequency, 8:30 p.m., $16

Sunday 2/26

Saturday 2/25 Salsa Fest at Union South, 9 p.m., FREE

LVL UP w/ Palm and Trophy Dad at Memorial Union, 8 p.m., FREE

Monday 2/27 “Miss Hokusai”(2015) at The Marquee, 7:30 p.m., FREE

Katie Cooney

The Badger Herald

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NEWS

Budget Series

Grassroots organization, communication drive ASM’s budget lobbying Student government works with UW administration, state legislators to ensure students are key part of deliberations

by Vidushi Saxena News Editor

As Gov. Scott Walker’s proposed state budget moves through the state Legislature, Associated Students of Madison has one chief concern.

That’s Gov. Scott Walker’s proposal to make segregated fees — which all students pay to support certain campus groups and services — optional.

Gov. Scott Walker unveiled his budget proposal earlier this month. It will soon go to the Joint Finance Committee, which digs deeper and edits it, ASM Legislative Affairs Committee Chair Sally Rohrer said. Joint Finance Committee works on it until May or June, after which it is presented to Walker to sign.

As the finance committee deliberates on the proposal, ASM’s Legislative Affairs Committee lobbies for specific issues it believes will significantly impact students. Student Services

“Our core beliefs are not reflected in what legislators create for us, and that’s the challenge that comes with convincing them that we need this.”

Zahid Abdul-Wahid SSFC member

Finance Committee member Zaakir AbdulWahid said a lot of this lobbying is based on grassroots efforts from within ASM and around campus.

Grassroots efforts involve students taking their concerns to ASM, and ASM then working toward bringing these to administration and legislators. ASM committees also support student campaigns like the Fund Our UW campaign, Abdul-Wahid said.

“Lobbying Days” is another effort that involves students from different UW System schools who go and talk to individual legislators about the importance of funding and the impact it has on student services.

Grassroots organizing in UW relies heavily on how ASM, students and budgetmakers communicate with each other, Abdul-Wahid said. But the communication process between Joint Finance Committee, Walker and ASM is “long” and “monotonous,” he said.

“As much as we can say it and as much as we can protest, it’s so hard for our opinions to actually translate to increased funding,” Abdul-Wahid said. “Our core beliefs are not reflected in what legislators create for us, and that’s the challenge that comes with convincing them that we need this.”

The lack of communication in turn impacts how UW lobbies because fewer students are aware of budget process. This lack of campus awareness limits the grassroots organizing ASM can do, Abdul-Wahid said.

Rohrer said there is also a disconnect between administration and student budget priorities. For instance, UW Chancellor Rebecca Blank supports an increase for instate tuition, which ASM opposes. Rohrer said it is also concerning Blank has not released an official statement on Walker’s proposal to make segregated fees optional.

“We obviously are working on the budget as students and [Blank and UW System] are working on it as administration or Board of Regents,” Rohrer said. “But while we have similar motives, our priorities are fundamentally different.”

Rohrer said ASM’s biggest concern this budgeting cycle is Walker’s segregated fees proposal. Other concerns include making 60 percent of degree programs three years long by 2020 and tying funding for the UW System to performance metrics. She said both these measures could potentially diminish liberal arts education while favoring science, technology, engineering, math and business programs.

Rohrer said false information, like some legislators’ claims that ASM favors liberals despite its status as a neutral organization, makes it difficult to show legislators what UW needs.

ASM spokesperson Jason Klein said ASM is focused on reaching out to individual state legislators, particularly JFC members.

ASM also held a lobbying training session that informed people on how they can assist ASM’s efforts.

“It’s really going to be best if this is not an ASM issue, because it isn’t,” Klein said. “It’s a student issue in general. It would be so much better if other student organizations and services that benefit from this money could come together and show legislators that these services are vital to the student body.”

Avery Aurand contributed to reporting this article.

Dana Kampa The Badger Herald

Photo · Associated Students of Madison’s biggest concern this budgeting cycle is Gov. Scott Walker’s segregated fees proposal. Other concerns include making 60 percent of degree programs three years long by 2020 and tying funding for the UW System to performance metrics.

Anne Blackbourn The Badger Herald February 21, 2017 • badgerherald.com • 5

PHOTO

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So long, Bascom snowman

Photo · A pile of snow and grass from the once life-sized snowman perched at the foot of Bascom are all that remain after a weekend of unseasonably warm February weather.

Riley Steinbrenner The Badger Herald 6 • badgerherald.com • February 21, 2017

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UW student aims to reshape motherhood, help marginalized mothers

Levingston’s organization shines light on moms’ everyday lives, fills gap in literature about maternal figures like herself

by Madeline Westberg Reporter

As a Ph.D. student at the University of Wisconsin, the founder of the Infamous Mothers organization and a mother of six, Sagashus Levingston is reshaping the concept of motherhood.

Levingston grew up on the South Side of Chicago, attended Catholic school and a private boarding high school. She went on to graduate from the University of Illinois with an undergraduate degree in English.

She earned her master ’s degree from UW in Afro-American studies through the Bridge Program in the English department.

The program allows English doctoral candidates to specialize in Afro-American studies as well. Levingston is currently working toward her Ph.D. in literature.

Levingston researches the experiences of mothers, taking a rhetorical approach to literature. She said her interest in this research came after taking a class on global feminism.

The class was her first exposure to feminism and was a positive experience.

It gave context to her experiences as a woman, but it was not addressing women like her, she said.

Levingston described herself as someone outside of normal constructions of respectability. Calling herself “black, single, bald-headed [and has] a lot of kids by a lot of different men,” she noticed there was hardly any literature highlighting single mothers and their lives.

So Levingston decided to focus her research on filling that gap. “[My research] became about marginalized moms making a difference in the world, giving back to the system,” Levingston said.

Levingston wrote about these topics in her dissertation “Infamous Mothers: Bad Moms Doing Extraordinary Things” and in an archival book “Infamous Mothers.”

Coming out in April 2017, the book collects stories and personal experiences of moms in Madison.

In addition to writing and researching, Levingston serves mothers directly through Infamous Mothers, an organization she created to empower women in the community. The organization offers personal and professional development training for mothers, community events, publications and a space for identity.

“[My research] became about

marginalized moms making a difference in the world, giving back to the system.”

Sagashus Levingston Founder of Infamous Mothers

Levingston said the organization seeks to support women in their daily lives and change societal perception of marginalized mothers.

“I wanted to help them speak their truth and not be penalized for it,” Levingston said.

Through the development training, Levingston helps women develop plans for managing the stresses of motherhood.

While Levingston works alongside social workers and doctors, she makes sure

mothers get to stay the experts on their own lives.

In addition to helping moms, the organization tries to inform “people who shape the realities of these moms,” Levingston said. She engages with the public through trainings and speaking events to bring up the complexity of issues many Infamous Mothers are facing.

“You can’t change the conversation if you don’t have the conversation,” Levingston said.

Levingston also discussed the importance of taking classes that encourage learning about people’s experiences and perspectives. She said classes in technology, science and business are important because they move society forward but added they may only be looking at one set of issues.

Gender and women’s studies, ethnic studies and humanities courses should not be optional, Levingston said. “[By learning about culture and identity], you can create technology, business and medicine to address a larger array of interest,” Levingston said.

Bill looks to limit abortion services for 250,000 public sector employees Democrats oppose legislation, said it ‘throws women under the bus,’ ignores their rights to reproductive health care

by Izabela Zaluska Copy Associate

Republican state legislators proposed bill would limit abortion services to public sector employees, which has raised concerns from women’s reproductive health advocates.

Currently, the state Group Insurance Board provides abortion services at any time during a pregnancy. The bill, which Sen. David Craig, R-Vernon, and Rep. André Jacque, R-De Pere, introduced, will prevent GIB from contracting or paying for abortion services, Jacque said in a cosponsorship memo.

If passed, the 250,000 public sector employees GIB covers will need to pay for their own abortion services, unless it is a case of rape, incest or if the mother ’s life is in danger.

Wisconsin law prohibits Medicaid and Affordable Care Act from covering the cost of abortion services, Matt Sande, Pro-Life Wisconsin legislative director, said.

State Rep. Ron Tusler, R-Harrison, said the bill will provide “equity” so that “taxpayers are not funding abortions for any group of people in Wisconsin.” “[This bill] goes in line with the same type of thought — if we’re not allowing people on Medicare to use insurance to purchase abortions, why would we allow government employees to do the same thing?” Tusler said.

Tusler said the bill is different from past legislation defunding clinic abortion services in that this bill is not stopping anyone from getting an abortion. It is simply removing abortion from insurance plans and stopping tax money from going toward abortions. People can still get abortions but they will not be insured.

But state Rep. Lisa Subeck, D-Madison, said in a statement the bill interferes with women’s access to reproductive health care and “decisions that should be made by a woman and her doctor.” She said the bill “throw[s] women under the bus.”

“Republicans should be ashamed of

themselves for putting women’s health and safety in jeopardy,” Subeck said.

A similar bill was introduced in 2013 before dying in the state Senate. But this time Tusler said he expects the bill to pass because of wider support in the Legislature.

Anti-abortion groups Pro-Life Wisconsin and Right to Life Wisconsin expressed their support for the bill and the idea that taxpayer dollars should not be funding abortions. Sande said though abortion is a legal right, it is not the government’s responsibility to fund it.

“If you object to abortion, you should not have your taxpayer dollars going to such a practice,” Chelsea Shields, Wisconsin Right to Life legislative director, said.

In an email to The Badger Herald, Nicole Safar, director of government relations for Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin, called blocking women from safe, legal abortions “shameful.”

Legislators should focus on their job

creation promises and stop working to end insurance coverage for important medical care, she said.

“Abortion is a deeply personal medical decision that should be made by a woman in consultation with her doctor, her family and her faith,” Safar said.

Both Shields and Sande agree pro-life taxpayers shouldn’t have to compromise their conscience by funding abortion services. Sande said in addition to protecting people’s conscience rights, PLW wants to see the state move forward with encouraging alternatives to abortion, like easing adoption processes.

PLW and Wisconsin Right to Life have asked legislators to sign on as cosponsors to the bill. Tusler said the campaign to cosponsor the bill has been “strong.”

“I feel there’s strong public support and a strong cosponsorship,” Sande said. “And you will see action on this bill.”

The bill is currently moving through the state Assembly.

February 21, 2017 • badgerherald.com • 7

NEWS

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F I E L D N OTES

UW researchers provide testing ground for driverless vehicles Process ensures safety, security of different types of cars, sets Wisconsin’s future in automation research in motion

by Kruti Yellapantula Science Writer

As scientists work to make driverless vehicles a reality, University of Wisconsin moves to prepare the state to become their testing ground.

Wisconsin was designated a testing ground for autonomous vehicles last month. UW collaborated with the Madison City Council, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and various companies in the state to submit a proposal to the U.S. Department of Transportation in December last year for this designation.

There are only nine other states that received approval to test AVs. Wisconsin’s AV testing grounds includes 400 acres of roadways and crash-testing facilities originally built as a testing ground for American Motors cars. Now Google, Tesla and other such auto-manufacturers use them. They are private and secure testing areas, Jon Riehl, transportation systems engineer at UW Traffic

Designed by Anli Deng

Operations and Safety Lab, said.

Wisconsin’s testing grounds also look to ensure optimum AV efficiency and safety. The transition period to such vehicles would be at least 10 years, Peter Rafferty, a transportation researcher in UW’s civil and environmental engineering department, said.

Researchers have focused on developing AVs and other driverless vehicles for a decade now, and they have studied the theoretical aspects of the technology and its safety extensively, Riehl said. Now, it is time to work on its implementation.

Riehl said AVs will be the future of transportation.

“If we really go back, since we had the horse and buggy to the combustion engine, that was a huge change,” Riehl said. “Since then we have been looking to automate systems.”

Manual cars have nearly been phased out across the nation. Technology has advanced enough to automate almost all parts of cars, starting with its braking system. The hardest part was determining whether the vehicle can

think on its own and make its own decisions, which came later, Riehl said.

An AV does everything on its own, Riehl said.

The Society of Automotive Engineers defines six levels of automation from zero to five. Level 0 vehicles hardly have any automated features, while level 5 vehicles are fully autonomous or driverless. Researchers are working toward developing level 5 cars, which will involve extensive artificial intelligence. Some circumstances can be programmed and fixed for the vehicle, but it will still need to learn and adapt on the go, Rafferty said.

“When we talk about automated vehicles, automated features, autonomous or fully driverless vehicles, it can mean a lot of different things,” Rafferty said.

Level 1 and 2 vehicles are available for consumers. Tesla autopilot vehicles are a good example of level 2, which are partially automated vehicles, Rafferty said. In these types of vehicles, the driver is expected to be attentive and ready to take over when something happens.

Rafferty said while there have been videos on YouTube of actors in Tesla autopilot vehicles playing cards or sleeping in the drivers seat, few such instances have lead to crashes. Rafferty believes AV technology could actually make driving, walking and biking safer because inattentive drivers would not be a problem.

But there is still a long way to go, and AVs still can’t operate in rain or in snow.

“It is a real challenge to get these things to operate everywhere at all times,” Rafferty said.

Advances in robotics or machine vision and different sensing technologies could help the vehicle make good decisions on the go, Rafferty said.

Weather conditions are not the only challenges researchers are working through.

The patchy regulatory framework across different states in the country is difficult to

FI ELD NOT ES

FIELD NOTES

FIELD NOTES

work with as well. Wisconsin is one of the only states in the legal “gray area,” meaning no law explicitly prohibits the operation of AVs, but nothing explicitly allows it either, Rafferty said.

Assigning liability and culpability is another area the AV testing grounds team is working on. The Department of Motor Vehicles in each state will register these vehicles and ensure they meet the Federal Motor Vehicles Safety Standards. Law enforcement bodies like the state police should be on board as well, since they need to know what they are dealing with, Rafferty said.

Riehl said it is important to understand how law enforcement can pull over an autonomous vehicle. Questions like whether or not it would be a passenger ’s fault or the car ’s if someone is asleep at the wheel when a violation occurs remain.

AVs will be under a lot of scrutiny, possibly more than vehicles that now have drivers in them, Riehl said. He said once these vehicles prove themselves in the testing grounds, they will be brought into the campus and city.

Rafferty said the next step would be to introduce these to UW and Epic’s Verona campus. Autonomous shuttles could replace human-driven passenger vans on Epic’s campus in the future.

For a short term demonstration, one of these AVs could be on campus later this year. But this depends on industry partnerships, state support and funding resources, Rafferty said.

There is an ongoing debate about AVs’ environmental and social implications. For the community, AVs are a general improvement because it reduces human work, Riehl said.

But AVs can be expensive, and taxi and truck drivers could lose their jobs, Riehl said.

Riehl said it is important to account for these societal differences when developing this technology.

“In 30 to 40 years, it will all be autonomous vehicles, and land use will have to change accordingly,” Rafferty said. “We all have to start thinking about it now, before it comes.”

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ASM calls on administration to provide reparations for black students Legislation asks university for free tuition for students of color, others; officials question legality of methods

by Alice Vagun Digital News Editor

In an attempt to push University of Wisconsin officials to act on their diversity and inclusion rhetoric, Associated Students of Madison Rep. Tyriek Mack introduced legislation to provide full and free education for all black people, undocumented people and currently and formerly incarcerated students.

The legislation, called “Cognitive Dissonance,” listed several steps the student council recommended the university take to back up its mission “to attract and serve students from diverse social, economic and ethnic backgrounds and to be sensitive and responsive to those groups which have been underserved by higher education.”

ASM passed Mack’s legislation Wednesday calling on the administration to re-evaluate admissions criteria and pay reparations to black people in the form of free education.

Cognitive dissonance is defined as the state of having inconsistent thoughts, beliefs or attitudes as it relates to decisions

and attitude change. In an opinion piece for The Black Voice, Mack compared this phrase to the university’s inability to act on actual change to provide an inclusive environment.

“Ultimately, the inclusive rhetoric propagated by these white supremacist institutions have little real meaning,” Mack said in the op-ed.

Now, Mack said “Cognitive Dissonance” will compel the university to move toward action.

According to a statement from ASM, the list of demands includes creating a special task force assessing the utility and feasibility of test-optional admissions and geographically weighted admissions by Mar. 10.

Mack also demanded the university works to ensure the Office of Admissions has sufficient resources to accomplish such changes to policy once the task force creates the report.

The list of demands includes increasing generic, unrestricted, need-based financial aid yearly to 10 percent of total giving. If UW Foundation does not reach this goal,

“If no one challenges the

university’s empty promises, then the racial composition of campus will remain stagnant.”

Tyriek Mack ASM Student Council representative

it could establish 2 percent of all gifts be allocated to unrestricted generic needbased financial aid. Mack also demanded reparations for the “systemic denial” of access to high quality educational opportunities in the form of full and free access for all black people, including undocumented and currently and formerly incarcerated people to UW. In the legislation, Mack and cosponsors Rep. Omer Arain and Rep. Katherine Kerwin pointed to the achievement gap between majority and underrepresented students as one means to reconsider admissions criteria and offer free access to UW for all black people.

“If no one challenges the university’s

empty promises, then the racial composition of campus will remain stagnant,” Mack said.

But UW spokesperson Meredith McGlone said in an email to The Badger Herald that the university has done more than simply talk about diversity.

“We’ve increased the proportion of students of color from 11 to 15 percent over the past decade,” she said. “We’ve been recognized nationally for our work closing the graduation gap between majority and underrepresented students.”

McGlone also noted the university has increased need-based aid through programs such as the $100 million Nicholas match and the $10 million Chancellor ’s Scholars match.

When it comes to the application process, McGlone said a Board of Regents policy specifically notes either an ACT or SAT score must accompany all undergraduate applications. This approach is consistent with other Big Ten universities, she said.

The university shares ASM’s goals of increasing the number underrepresented students on campus, she said, but questioned the student government’s methods and its legality.

“It’s unclear that the methods that they’re suggesting are either legal or the best approach to accomplishing those goals,” McGlone said.

Photo · Associated Student Council Rep. Tyriek Mack, pictured above, is pushing the legislation called ‘Cognitive Dissonance,” a term he uses to describe the administration’s diversity missions.

Alice Vagun The Badger Herald February 21,. 2017 • badgerherald.com • 9

ARTSETC.

@BH_Arts

LVL UP channels laid-back charisma, expert musicianship in latest LP Carefree, modern lo-fi rock band prepares to perform new releases at upcoming concert in Der Rathskeller

by Hunter Reed ArtsEtc. Writer

New York-based lo-fi quartet LVL UP are carefree and nonchalant on the surface.

In fact, their name came from a Facebook chat between band members Mike Caridi and Dave Benton on the rationale of “fuck it, this sounds good.” However much LVL UP wants you to believe they don’t care, though, their music says otherwise.

Composed of guitarists Caridi and Benton, as well as bassist Nick Corbo and drummer Greg Rutkin, LVL UP has found a foothold in the modern rock scene. Their infectious personalities, humble attitudes and collaborative creativity have translated to a series of successful studio albums and EPs, as well as critical acclaim and a devoted fan base.

From garnering Pitchfork’s praise to landing a coveted SXSW slot this spring, LVL UP is rising from their simpler days of recording albums in apartments to becoming a big name in the crowded indie rock scene.

Their latest LP Return to Love is the culmination of the band’s work over

the past few years since their formation during their college days. The 10-track set features buzzing guitars, soaring synths and a chorus of the members’ almost identical vocals colliding together to create a modern lo-fi aesthetic with elements borrowed from the genre’s predecessors.

Return to Love is a major stepping stone in the group’s creative and professional evolution.

“The process for Return to Love was kind of similar to the other records in that we did a lot of the writing separately.

A lot of the songs were probably 75 or 80 percent completed when we brought them together,” Corbo said. “We tried the best we could to learn [some of the songs] before we went into the studio and then did a lot of the arrangement and collaborative type work [there].”

The professional studio sessions let Return to Love be a creatively focused project, but also a more experimental one for the group. With added resources and instruments at their disposal, the LP features more nuanced production that brings exciting texture to the band’s already detailed sound.

“I think it was definitely nice to go to a place and work on [the album]. It makes it easier to focus and be more productive.

When we did the first record, we had some places we went to to record. But on Hoodwink’d, we did it mostly at the apartment that me and Brad were living in at the time. It wasn’t the same sort of ‘we’re going to be able to go here and definitely work on this right now’ type of situation,” Corbo said.

Having previously performed in Madison a handful of times, the group is excited to bring new twists to their live set at Der Rathskeller at Memorial Union on Feb. 26. Live performances are where the group can shine through as modern indie rock stars, with the four of them working together on stage to make a set full of energy, personality and inspired rock.

“Our live show is a little different,” Benton said. “We don’t have all the instruments, especially with the new record. We try to do things a little more different, like switching up the arrangements.”

LVL UP is currently, for example, working on one of their songs off of Return

of Love, Hidden Driver, to transform it into a four-piece set, where keyboard parts are performed on a guitar.

Ultimately, LVL UP is a group about connection and a collective love for music.

Their studio albums, live performances and warm personalities make connecting to them that much easier.

Though LVL UP may seem like four dudes just going with the flow, the group genuinely cares about making an impact and developing their artistry. Benton exemplifies this perfectly when talking about connecting with fans.

“It makes you feel good,” Benton said.

“It makes you feel kind of validated on the project you are doing and definitely nice because I’ve been that other person before.

It’s nice to think that you may be causing that feeling in someone else.”

LVL UP will be performing with Palm and Trophy Dad on Sunday Feb. 26 at Der Rathskeller in Memorial Union, presented

by WUD Music.

Moonrise Nation embraces femininity, nuanced lyrics in upcoming release Emerging all-female trio aims to connect deeper meaning with high-energy, danceable tunes using modern folk flair

by Aidan McClain ArtsEtc. Writer

Comprised of a current University of Wisconsin student, a UW alum and a third friend, this female-trio is bringing a modern twist to folk music with their soon-to-be-released LP. Their previous self-titled EP has already garnered them a following, and was created with Prince’s drummer Bobby Z.’s production label Copycat Records. The band members are constantly separated and living their own lives, but this group isn’t letting distance get in the way of creating meaningful music.

Moonrise Nation tells stories through their songs. With all three members writing lyrics, the creative process is unique and personal. Producer Steve Shirk pushes the girls to step outside of their comfort zones while writing music, and motivates the band to push the boundaries, which are the theme of the album, both physically and metaphorically.

“We thought a lot about the meaning behind the album and we came up with boundaries,” said current UW student Arden Baldinger, known as Arden Bee. “My sister’s best friend passed away her junior year of college. Finding the boundaries between the living and the not and staying connected to those people who are no longer with us.”

10 • badgerherald.com • February 21, 2017

The band’s music is personal, but that doesn’t mean it won’t make you move. While folk is the main genre, the album is also comprised of ballads and more pop-style songs, such as the first single “Glamour Child.” The main goal is to create balance — songs with lyrical importance but the ability to get people up and moving.

That goal has evidently been achieved, with the band’s work being featured on Spotify and iTunes Music — there is an obvious demand for their innovative sound. The popularity of the band is sure to grow, especially with their music being selected for four Spotify playlists, each with millions of followers.

Moonrise Nation is taking everything in one step at a time and still can’t believe their success.

“It’s still so pleasant and surprises me every time that people are into our music,” said Bee. The upcoming album is the band’s main focus, and will surely attract an even larger following.

As for postrelease, the band wants to go on tour for the album. Madison Square Garden is the any band’s dream, including Moonrise Nation.

But, in terms of sound quality and atmosphere, this band chose the Opera Theater for dream venue.

Moonrise Nation is entering the music industry at a perfect time, especially in terms of the

meaning behind the band’s name. The moon has always been a symbol of fertility and femininity, and the all-girl trio embraces their strength and womanliness, and puts it in the music. Nothing is more important in the creative process for this group than being raw.

“A majority of people like music because it makes you move but a lot of people don’t listen to lyrics,” Bee said. “That’s something that’s always bothered me. If I could hope for anything as an artist, I want them to listen to what we’re saying.”

With many people watching the group’s progress, it’s important to do well and put everything into the music. Moonrise Nation is carefully curating their album, in order to show their serious musicianship to their fan base.

“We have a lot of music that’s on the books so it’s important to pick what songs we were going to do and just think about piecing an album together,” Bee said. “I can really only think of the album release, which is the nearfuture thing.”

This album holds a special place in the members’ hearts since the music comes from intimate personal experiences. But nonetheless, the band wants to share the music with the world.

Moonrise Nation hopes to succeed with their

album release, and eventually tour the album.

“The only thing I can think of is it coming out,” said Bee. “I can really only think of the album release. Touring is the band goal.”

Photo · All three of the trio contribute to the songwriting process.

Photo Courtesy of Moonrise Nation

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ARTSETC.

UW grad student uses exhibition to share stories of undocumented immigrants Garcia’s art installment for master’s thesis will be on display to all viewers until Feb. 23 to show its important message

by Celeste Benzschawel ArtsEtc. Editor

University of Wisconsin graduate student J. Leigh Garcia is holding her MA thesis exhibition, “Seeking Asylum,” at the Humanities building. The exhibit opened Feb. 18, and will be closing on Feb. 23. The installment is inspired by her correspondence with six undocumented men who are facing deportation.

The Badger Herald talked with Leigh about her project and its inspirations.

The following interview was edited for style and clarity.

The Badger Herald: Tell us about yourself.

J. Leigh Garcia: I’m from Dallas, Texas.

I’m half Mexican, half white. So, that’s kind of how I got interested in immigration. I’m a grad student in the art department here, in printmaking. Printmaking is really good for political work because it has a history of being used as a way to spread propaganda or political statements, so that’s how I got into printmaking. But the installation I’m doing has very little printmaking.

BH:

You wrote letters to six men facing deportation. How did you find out who these people were? How did you start talking to them?

LG:

It’s hard because there’s so many people that I could have talked to that are undocumented and facing deportation, but it’s such a sensitive subject.

It’s hard as an outsider to approach them.

I actually have a professor, Emily Arthur, here in printmaking whose childhood best friend is a writer who works with a nonprofit in Georgia. They have a house called El Refugio. They housed the families of the men who are facing deportation. Their families want to come visit them on the weekends, and since they don’t have a place to stay, this organization helps them with that. She’s the one who gave me the contact.

I started with 40 different men and wrote them all a letter, and about 20 of the letters were returned straight from the detention center to me, most likely because they were already deported. That was the first round of letters that I got back. It was a setback, and it was really emotional for me. Over time, I got used to getting them back in the mail. I have them still, as a record.

BH:

Were the men all in the same detention center? Did they know each other?

LG:

I don’t know if they knew each other. I felt weird asking them if they knew a certain name because I want to keep their anonymity and to protect their rights. I think the detention center is a big one; it might be solely for immigration. There’s actually one close by in Dodge County that has a couple pods of immigrants that are facing deportation. I volunteered there a few times.

BH:

How long were you in correspondence with the six men? Do you still talk to them?

LG:

I’m only talking to about two or three now. The letters just slowly stopped coming, because they’ve probably been deported. Stewart Detention Center has a really high rate of deportation. I think it’s actually the highest in the country.

The judge there is really strict. I’m only writing to two guys right now. But now and then I’ll get one from an extra guy that I’ve never heard from before. One of them for sure is getting deported in March. He’s just waiting for a court date. He’s kind of the last guy. We write back and forth pretty often.

BH:

What kinds of stuff did you talk about? Did they just volunteer their stories to you?

Yes. It was surprising because they were so open about their stories. You can tell that there’s a need for their story to be told — they will send three or four handwritten pages. When I ask them questions, they are very open about it. A lot of them are in detention because they got DUIs. It’s a cultural difference — in Mexico and other Latin American countries, drinking and driving is not a big deal at all. It’s not seen as that horrible of a thing.

My favorite story is about a man I call Birdman. He came over about 15 years ago with a group of about 30 people. They hired what’s called a coyote to help them cross the border. They were traveling by foot through the Texas Chihuahuan Desert with about 100 degree heat, and the border control found them. He hid in a bush and all 32 other people got picked up and deported immediately.

He was hiding behind the bush for two hours, and then for two days after that he was in the desert by himself. He said he didn’t have any water or food for two days. He was in the desert dying from dehydration, and saw a

LG:

little red bird. He followed it and it led him to a town. It’s a symbolic and beautiful story. He followed it to a town in Arizona, and then saw this other Hispanic guy who was working on the side of the road. He went up to the guy and started speaking Spanish, and the guy told him to pretend to be doing road work. He started doing the construction. Some border control agents were going by, and so the guy knew he would have gotten caught. The worker said to go down this road, and there’s a guy there who will hire you. So, Birdman found work.

BH:

Do the men have similar stories, or are they drastically different?

They’re actually pretty different.

I was expecting them all to be Mexican and to have come over the border, maybe driving or walking. The most surprising thing to me is where they’re from.

Most of them are from South America, Ecuador even, and Honduras and Guatemala. Where I volunteer at Dodge County, there are people from China, Cameroon, all over. People from Africa even. They go through Central America, up into Mexico, and then they cross that border. It’s not even really Mexicans coming over, which I think is really interesting. One guy from Ecuador had a story about crossing over by boat, and the boat almost capsized.

There were women screaming and crying.

They got caught because of the big scene.

Just things like that you don’t even think about.

LG:

BH:

emotional because I take it for granted, and I think a lot of us do.

BH:

What about your exhibit makes it interactive?

LG:

The show is going to be in the dark. Everyone is going to be given a flashlight before they enter the space.

There is a chain link fence that I made out of rope and paper that you have to crawl through.

The installation has sand all over the ground and random pieces of clothing. I imagine it will shift a lot with people moving through.

It’s supposed to be immersive. It’s supposed to transport you to the mind of someone who might be dehydrated or stressed.

BH:

What is the message you would like people to take away from the installment?

LG:

It’s really important that people are starting to pay attention to these things.

I feel like my role as an artist in this installation is about giving a voice to people that are undocumented. In so many ways, they are silenced. What I would like people to take away is that, and to be appreciative of everything that we have and to realize that people actually do risk their lives to be here.

Where did this idea stem from?

I grew interest in this because my grandpa came over illegally. In 1940 he crossed the river, and then he ended up getting some kind of false document because he has citizenship here.

Also, about a year ago, a friend posted a link on Facebook about this county in Texas about a hundred miles north of the border. People die in this county every week. Baylor University went down there because they heard about this cemetery full of undocumented people. They went to the county expecting to find 15 or so bodies, but they found 356. They were buried in really deplorable conditions, like six inches underground, or in trash bags or milk crates.

From there I started doing research. If you have to die just to get here, it makes me

LG:

Photo · “Seeking Asylum” aims to be a voice for a silent majority of people through providing an avenue for their stories.

Photo Courtesy of J. Leigh Garcia

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UW creative writing student presents abstract poetry talent through ‘ghazal’ Crowley displays original piece remniscent of traditional Arabic verse as means to reinvent, pay tribute to classic style The spectre came, reached through my skin, my neck, with icy fingers, probing from my neck.

Interview by Celeste Benzschawel ArtsEtc. Editor Story by Daniel Crowley Guest Writer

Welcome to StoriesEtc, a place where University of Wisconsin students can share their original creative writing with the community, whether it be poetry, short stories or anything in between. As a section dealing with the arts, it feels only natural to create an opportunity for students to share their creative talents.

This week, readers are introduced to a poetic form called ghazal, a form that “in some cases, uses art between stanzas and separates them into patterns like a tapestry or textile,” Daniel Crowley, this week’s contributor, said. “Traditionally, the form was a poem, visual art and sometimes music all kind of mixed.”

This type of poetry usually centers around themes such as love and separation, and is often presented without a title. It took root in the Arabian peninsula, and has been sung by Iranian, Indian and Pakistani musicians.

The Badger Herald: Tell us about yourself. What’s your major? Year in school?

My turtleneck hides broken pipes.

A Heartbeat asked, and choked my neck.

Daniel Crowley: Third year, creative writing major, also doing research with the Center for Healthy Minds.

The fuck and flight. Alone, today and next.

“Appear, puppeteers! laugh through thy neck!”

BH:

I begin with anything that strikes as something I would benefit from writing about — as opposed to thinking, or conversing. I am unknown to the people reading this poem; the reader has no basis for what meaning they create other than words — and weird words at that! I love the ghazal. It wants people to be creators rather than consumers.

DC:

BH:

Let’s meet Danny:

Define your writing, authorship and perspective.

When did you start writing creatively?

Almost exactly three years ago in

DC: Buenos Aires, Argentina. I would fill

ETT AT THE S

up a piece of paper with riddles, poetry, flash fiction and doodles, and give them to friends and strangers. It was very productive and passionate work, but nothing remained in my possession from that time. It was an era of art for art’s sake. Now, every words transcends into the eternal internet.

Talk about your creative process.

BH: What inspires you, and how do you get from an idea to a finished product?

L A I SS E Z L E S B O N TEMP TUE

SDAY, F

UA EBR

S ROULER!

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UNION.WISC.EDU/MARDIGRAS 12 • badgerherald.com • February 21, 2017

The cliché answers are strong emotion a concrete idea. Meditation and yoga have been key in cultivating a capacity for being inspired consistently and honestly. “Submit” is the word for how I get to the finished product, that is, I rarely achieve the actual “finished product,” I just submit, give up trying to make it a perfect representation of my thoughts. It’s a matter of saving energy.

Most of what I start writing, I shouldn’t finish, but I can’t find out what I need to finish unless I start writing.

DC: and/or

Here is a sample of Daniel’s work:

All giggles, the prancing yank of strings, In time, those notes cry out: “my heart! my neck!”

Wise tracts are lines to untrained eyes.

Bending, reigning wind, saved my neck.

While holding séance for wraiths, I heard: “Underground Man, for love, bend thy neck.”

ARTSETC.

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PornHub’s new sex ed section has potential, currently lacking New addition to adult website aims to provide helpful information amid sexual imagery to provide context, more realistic view of intimacy

by Meredith Head ArtsEtc. Writer

Historically, pornography and sex education have been at odds. Particularly given the abysmal state of sex education in the U.S. (and elsewhere), young people are frequently left with no sexual health resource apart from porn.

Abstinence-only education fails to answer questions from curious kids on the brink of puberty, and with widespread access to technology it is no surprise so many underage folks access pornography. The dangerous combination of insufficient sex education and explicit sexual imagery leads to unrealistic and unhealthy misconceptions about sexuality. Think for a moment: If you indulge in adult entertainment, have you ever seen a condom in porn?

Yet, PornHub — one of the most popular porn sites around, catering to almost 70 million visitors every day — launched a “sexual wellness” center this week. PornHub wants to be the porn consumer’s “one-stop shop, available 24/7, to facilitate your needs, be it comprehensive information regarding STIs and safe sex, the latest in sex tech or advice on how to approach a friendswith-benefits arrangement.”

They recruited sexologists, experts on transgender issues and anyone else PornHub

could find worthy of an international online sexual health center.

That all sounds amazing; comprehensive education hand-in-hand with porn, crushing the miseducation effects of those who consume pornography without an understanding of sexuality outside of porn scripts. But the execution of PornHub’s project falls a bit short of an ideal educational resource.

PornHub sexual wellness center: the Hump Day review For one thing, PornHub’s Sexual Wellness Center is a little hard to find. One can only find it on their main adult entertainment site by going to the menu bar at the top, clicking “More” and then clicking “Sexual Wellness Center.”

If PornHub wants to truly educate those interested in their content, educational information would be more prominently displayed or even required viewing before the porn plays. For example, portions of their comprehensive article on consent could be displayed on-screen during pornography scenes. Of course, this sort of integration might displease some viewers, but perhaps those are the people most in need of sexual wellness education.

The website itself gives off a completely different vibe from PornHub’s dingy black-andorange theme. Its clean white and blue design gives off a more clinical feel, appropriate for the

amount of expertise involved. Dr. Laurie Betito, renowned sex therapist, directs the site along with a variety of other doctors and specialists.

PornHub even included Sophia Banks, a transgender advocate and author of the site’s Trans 101 portion. One contributor is a neuroscientist who studies the role of neurobiology in clinical sexology. So PornHub absolutely gathered an array of impressive experts to spearhead their project. But the contributors are lacking in people of color, a disappointing fact that parallels the porn industry itself.

Nevertheless, some of the articles fall far short of perfect. An article titled “Top Erotic Positions for Lesbians” features an enormous graphic of scissors and lists “The Scissor” as “most popular among the lesbian community.”

Though many lesbians do enjoy scissoring, most women find scissoring exhausting, unsafe or simply insufficient to reach orgasm. Scissoring requires quite a bit of flexibility and repositioning, and this article perpetuates the prevalent myth all lesbians scissor constantly.

One promising article about period sex turned out to actually recommend a product called Flex that sits at the base of the cervix, collecting blood so that “sex is possible without the blood spilling out.” Far from destigmatizing period sex, the article simply endorses covering up a natural bodily cycle. And the piece fails to discuss benefits

of period sex, which range from improving mood to soothing cramps.

In addition, the site still uses the term “sexually transmitted disease” rather than “sexually transmitted infection.” Many experts and educators have made the switch to saying “STI,” because “STD” is stigmatized and, frankly, not medically accurate.

When we come into contact with chlamydia, for example, bacteria are the infection — the physical source of the disease. Chlamydia does not become a disease until symptoms (burning urination, itching, etc.) begin to show up.

Since STIs are often asymptomatic, calling them “diseases” would not be correct. PornHub also lists yeast infections as an “STD,” even though yeast infections cannot be passed along via sexual activity. Finally, the authors fail to mention flavored lubricants and condoms, as well as sugars in foods, can easily cause yeast infections if inserted into vaginas.

Perhaps hopes ran too high for a sex education resource from PornHub. But this service has potential to be reshaped into something even more sex-positive and accurate, and it provides a wealth of information to those without any access to sex education at all. This one goes out to the sapiosexuals — because nothing is hotter than knowledge.

Joshua Hodges discusses eccentric stage performances, progression of ideas STRFKR founder, leadman openly welcomes changing musical vision, dance-fueld energy in latest indie rock releases

by Teymour Tomsyck Features Editor

A decade after launching indie rock project STRFKR, Joshua Hodges returns to Madison for the first time since releasing his fifth studio album Being No One, Going Nowhere.

Hodges acknowledged his live performance has changed somewhat since the laser-dominated early days. The changes haven’t been the result of any singular vision of what the show should or shouldn’t look like, but a progression of ideas and technology brought on by band members over time.

Even the onstage dancing, such as the memorable dancing astronauts when the band visited in 2016, is just a matter of who they happen to be traveling with and what they want to do onstage.

“Depending on the group of people we have

and if someone has an idea for something new that’s just kind of how it happens,” Hodges said.

“Right now we have our own wall and our own lights and dancers.”

With his most recent album, Hodges said he’s had a creative vision from the very start. The newest album needed to mesh well with the dance-fueled energy of STRFKR performances.

At his house in the Joshua Tree Desert, Hodges said he went about his creative process in his usual way — messing around on instruments until he finds something he likes. In the desert, he can do this easily without having to worry about potentially annoyed neighbors.

Hodges had such a particular vision for the final product that he started from scratch several times after making very significant progress on the album.

“It’s always just me dicking around with

something and then building on it ... like a beat or a baseline,” Hodges said. “I wanted something that would translate well to the live show but … a lot of the albums aren’t super dancy but that’s the reputation we have because of the live shows.”

In his free time, Hodges said he’s been listening to the drone band Bitchin’ Bajas. It might seem unusual but he doesn’t usually listen to music that sounds similar to his own work.

Podcasts are Hodges’ other preferred method of distraction, especially those on topics such as conspiracy theories and politics. But since the election he hasn’t been able to listen to political podcasts.

Socially, Hodges said he doesn’t have any particular artists who inspire his work. He does, however, have a cadre of friends who he occasionally confers with, such as one of the

members of RAC. “I have a list of 15 podcasts that I cycle through like comedy ones and Savage Lovecast,” Hodges said.

As far as new material, Hodges said he’s finished recording the live album and is only waiting for the album artwork to wrap up. We can also expect more glimpses into his creative process down the line as he continues his ongoing vault series.

The vault series is a series of unfinished songs he’s written over the past decade that never made the final cut but he is now trying to preserve.

“I went through all these demos that I had ... and I decided to release them as is,” Hodges said.

“It’s like sharing the process.”

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Transgender students face added pressures pursuing higher education while UW organizations look to help University Health Services strives to reduce minority stress, improve access, transparency in mental health care for LGBTQ+ campus community members Designed by Anli Deng

by Maija Inveiss Features Editor

For James Van Able, being transgender on a University of Wisconsin System campus means questioning day-today actions like using the restroom or walking from class to class.

“That forever fear of ‘what do I pass as right now?’” Van Able said. “Do I pass as anything? Who sees me as what?

Who’s going to be accepting of this?”

Van Able, a Madison resident, recent University of Wisconsin-Green Bay graduate and transgender male, said as a student the experience was “pretty ok,” as long as he could find a safe place to go.

While most professors did the best they could, Van Able said overall, people do not have the necessary experience or education when understanding the transgender populations.

According to the Williams Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles, about 1.4 million adults 18 and older in the U.S. identify as transgender. For young adults, 0.7 percent of 18 to 24-year-olds identify as transgender.

Katherine Briggs, interim associate director of the LGBT

Campus Center, said while UW tries to provide inclusive services and opportunities for all students, some gaps remain.

Understanding personal preferences

Briggs said the university has established a preferred name policy, which allows students to indicate the name they prefer to use on campus regardless of whether or not they’ve changed their name legally.

According to the Office of the Registrar, UW established the policy in fall 2013 to let faculty, staff and students use their preferred names wherever legal names are not absolutely necessary. But legal names are still used on financial aid documents, payroll, official transcripts, diplomas and federal immigration documents.

Steve Starkey, the executive director of OutReach, the LGBT community center for South Central Wisconsin, said personal pronouns are crucial for transgender individuals to feel understood. “[Pronoun use is] very important in terms of them feeling welcome and feeling that they are not being misgendered and not being disrespected,” Starkey said.

Briggs said transgender students have access to all the same services as cisgender students, so it’s important for all resources to be inclusive.

A cisgender individual is someone whose personal identity or gender correlates to their birth sex.

Transgender students face the same issues as their peers, on top of having to navigate UW through a “trans lens.”

“A lot of the struggles are the same, so like roommates and classes and balancing job and work and that kind of thing,” Briggs said. “There is the trans lens on top of that which means also thinking about who are you out to at any given point, what programs or systems allow you to designate your gender on a form or your pronouns when they’re collecting information.”

Outside of these thoughts, Briggs said many transgender students also need to think about who Photo · Shannon Juniper Neimeko, an associate counselor at University Health Services, finds many people in the they can confide in, their representation in curricula transgender community suffer from minority stress. and if people will respect their personal pronouns.

Marissa Haegele The Badger Herald

14 • badgerherald.com • February 21, 2017

According to information given to The Badger Herald, University Housing has worked to add more genderneutral bathrooms. New buildings have one genderneutral restroom per floor, as do renovated buildings where possible. But many academic and residential buildings on campus don’t have any gender-neutral bathrooms.

At Phillips Residence Hall there is also Open House, a gender learning community that provides more inclusive living arrangements.

To help educate students, Starkey said every spring OutReach meets with every section of human sexuality classes at UW. During the panel they have different speakers of various races, ages, socioeconomic statuses, sexual preferences and gender orientations.

“So they get an understanding that our community is diverse and that we’re not one monolithic,” Starkey said.

“We don’t all look like Will from ‘Will & Grace.’”

Overall, Starkey said many people accept lesbian and gay individuals, but when it comes to transgender issues, it can be challenging for many to understand since it is an umbrella term that can include male to female, female to male, genderqueer, drag performers and people who crossdress. He said even people at OutReach can struggle to remember the various pronouns.

Van Able changed his name midway through his time at school and most people were able to transition to the new name and pronouns. But many still didn’t understand various terms or how to work with transgender students.

“A lot of times there are weird flub-ups with terminology or kinda being awkward about it,” Van Able said.

Tackling transgender-focused health care

When looking back at his college experience, Van Able said health care and counseling is one of the largest areas that needed improvement. When he started taking testosterone injections, there was not too much the health and counseling professionals could do to help him cope with the strain.

According to research from the Williams Institute at UCLA, 70 percent of 17,105 respondents across 23 countries agreed transgender people should be allowed to have gender-affirming surgery. A majority also agreed people should be able to change the sex listed on identity documents.

Outside of the transitioning process, Van Able said the experience of being transgender greatly shapes individuals’ mental health. He said there is a lot of depression and anxiety among the transgender community.

“A lot of mental health concerns happening all at the same time and then when you’re on campus, feeling always worried about how you look, how you’re passing, all the stress of school working, having to work one or two jobs,” Van Able said. “It’s very, very overwhelming.”

Shannon Juniper Neimeko, an associate counselor at University Health Services, was hired specifically to have a transgender health focus for students on campus. She said the university is currently trying to improve access and

transparency to health care for LGBTQ+ students.

Neimeko said at UHS there are many mental health counselors who focus on gender identity concerns and hold psychosocial consults for individuals interested in hormone replacement therapy. UHS also hosts the LGBTQ Support and Empowerment group, which meets a couple times a week.

Overall, Neimeko said minority stress causes many health disparities among transgender populations. Many people have to overcome personal barriers from past negative experiences. “[I don’t want to] pathologize the experience of transgender, nonconforming students because there is an amazing amount of resilience in the population,” Neimeko said.

Starkey also said there are few transgender-specific health services available. Many insurance companies don’t offer transgender health care coverage and hormone therapy is not always available.

Starkey said OutReach has many clients looking for competent doctors. Recently, he said there was a female to male transgender person who went to Meriter Hospital, and the doctor refused to use the male name and sent the individual home. Two weeks later, they had to undergo gallbladder surgery.

“If you look at what’s lacking for LGBT people, and especially transgender people, that a big problem is access to trans-inclusive health care that’s affordable, and access to doctors that are competent and supportive,” Starkey said.

Providing inclusive access and safe spaces

Starkey said a lot of transgender individuals are ostracized, bullied or teased because of the way they look.

“Coming [to Madison] there’s definitely more spirit of acceptance, you see more diversity, it’s a lot more visible, trans, nonbinary communities just around,” Van Able said.

Overall, Starkey said there are a lot more opportunities in Madison than in smaller, rural communities.

Outside of the campus center, Briggs said other student life offices try to make safe spaces where students can feel seen and heard. But if students don’t know how to access services, they might as well not exist.

“This campus is really interesting, because in some ways it is really progressive and accepting, in other ways it’s not, which is going to be the case anywhere,” Briggs said.

One challenge on campus is bathroom use. For Van Able, it was always terrifying to use the bathroom. Briggs said even with all-gender inclusive bathrooms, many transgender or nonbinary people want to use regular bathrooms.

Currently, Briggs said there are no policies in place on restroom use or provisions.

Campus also does not have guidelines or building codes for new building projects or renovations.

Briggs said they have been working with Rec Sports to include gender-neutral spaces in the new Southeast Recreational Facility.

Briggs said the university also plans to make a committee with student participation that will work to make guidelines.

One of the LGBT Campus Center’s biggest concerns though, Briggs said, is to connect all individuals to a community.

“Your experience is just going to be so much better if you have a group of friends or community that feels like a family,” Briggs said.

In the classroom, Briggs highlights the importance of faculty and instructional staff.

Briggs said advocates for the LGBTQ+ community can have a make-or-break impact. The LGBT Campus Centers offers services to train and consult individuals on campus, as does OutReach.

“Being neutral supports the status quo and the status quo is always negative for marginalized people,” Briggs said. “The more they can show up for their students, the bigger difference it can make.”

1.4 million adults 18 and older in the U.S. identify as transgender.

For young adults, 0.7 percent of 18 to 24-year-olds identify as transgender.

Source: Williams Institute

Photo · According to a study from the Williams Institute, a majority of respondents agreed people should be able to change the sex listed on identity documents..

Cadence Bambenek The Badger Herald

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Today’s lesson plan: School choice, vouchers, Betsy DeVos College Republicans: Sec. of education will return power to states

College Democrats: Public schooling must be protected

Betsy DeVos is your secretary of education.

Rest assured, in the next four years, children are not going to become illiterate, the public school system is not going to self-destruct and public schools themselves are not going to disappear.

DeVos, a very successful businesswoman in her own right, as well as the former chair of the Republican Party of Michigan, knows governing is done best at the local and state level. For instance, Gov. Scott Walker’s educational reforms in Wisconsin have prepared our students well for success beyond the classroom.

Allowing states to govern education the way they best deem fit for their students allows for programs like Walker’s fully funded school choice program. School choice allows parents who are below 150 percent of the poverty line to choose a schooling option that is the best fit for their student.

As we all know, our parents usually know what’s best for us. A family’s income or zip code should not define a student’s education, according to DeVos. School choice gives students the opportunity to attend thriving schools that will prepare them for what comes after they graduate. It’s no wonder parents in Milwaukee have expressed such strong support for the program.

The main criticism of school choice is the money follows the students away from public institutions. But school choice programs ensure the money is going to benefit the student.

While there is no evidence increased funding for public schools creates better results for students, Walker is still increasing funding per pupil across the board, so schools continue to see money flowing into the system.

Milwaukee is an example of a city where government funding has not improved the quality of education. Research conducted in 2013 and 2014 demonstrates the benefits of school choice across the country. In a strong majority of cases, there are positive impacts for everyone involved in the education process — private schools, public schools and the

With the recent appointment of Betsy DeVos as secretary of education just barely squeaking by on the Senate floor, it is clear many Americans are skeptical of the sweeping education reforms DeVos has vowed to champion.

School choice is a good idea in theory.

Failing schools close, and students of those schools are sent to better public schools, charter schools or given private school vouchers.

People like DeVos have heralded charter schools as the simple solution to our failing education system for years, even though charter schools often perform worse than traditional public schools but are shut down at a much lower rate.

It’s no wonder DeVos does not support holding charter schools to the same federal accountability standards as traditional public schools. Eighty percent of the charter schools in the Detroit Charter School System she is largely credited with creating had academic achievement below the state average in reading and math.

School choice only helps children who live in already privileged communities.

Closing down a failing public school that serves primarily low-income students often shifts their option from a failing public school to a failing charter school.

Working parents and single parents often don’t have the time to research the many different schools their child has access to. Without the means to ensure their children go to the best charter school, “school choice” is not left to the family but to a lottery. Randomization is no way to ensure every child’s needs are met by their school. Private school vouchers often help only a tiny percentage of students, if they are offered at all.

School choice may also affect rural

students. A Manhattan Institute study showed schools in Milwaukee affected by students leaving through the choice program actually encouraged those schools to improve. School choice is a win-win-win for students, parents and schools.

Common Core failed for the same reasons school choice thrives: Local school boards and state governments know what their students need better than the federal government.

Common Core tried a top-down approach to education, and Walker and the Republican Legislature’s continued support for better standardized test programs and accountability standards challenge the notion we need to set a minimum for our students. Instead, they would rather we push every student to achieve everything they can.

Common Core assessments have shown the federally mandated curriculum has resulted in lower test scores nationwide. Common Core has trapped many states into adopting and keeping the curriculum program under the guise of increased federal funding.

For instance, in New York, parents and teachers have been outraged at the decrease in student performance since the Common Core’s implementation, and teachers’ associations have suggested attention be returned to the new curriculum and not the teachers.

Wisconsin never implemented Common Core, and state standards have been pushing students farther than Common Core ever would have. State accountability standards have also drawn focus to struggling schools, and all parents receive a letter detailing alternate options for their student to receive a quality education. Wisconsin is ensuring power is in the hands of the parents, not federal bureaucrats.

DeVos understands governors like Walker and school boards across the nation know what their students need better than the federal government. She will return power to where it belongs, and will make education great again in this country.

communities DeVos has clearly given very little thought to. Local public schools often serve as anchors in rural communities, frequently doubling as the only sports programs and food assistance programs in the area.

School choice is not even beneficial in theory for many rural areas. New charter schools often drain resources from a community’s education budget, and can be impossibly far away for many students.

There simply are not enough students in many rural areas to justify a large education “market.” In addition, forcing school systems to pay for students’ busing to the school of their choice could be financially catastrophic.

The threat to Wisconsin public schools from this new administration only adds to the list of reasons why Wisconsinites need to re-elect Tony Evers for state superintendent in April.

Evers is a progressive champion of education who will continue to fight to ensure every child has the option to go to a good neighborhood public school. Evers believes treating education like a market is no way to ensure every student has a fair shot at a good future.

He will continue to invest in students and ensure funding for education is distributed equitably among communities across Wisconsin. Investing in students, for Evers, means investing in local neighborhood schools to ensure children always have a place to learn that is committed to the community and the specific needs of the children who live in it.

With the attacks on public education coming just weeks into the new administration, it is clear Wisconsin needs a progressive champion overseeing its schools now more than ever.

February 21, 2017 • badgerherald.com • 16

OPINION

@BHopinion

Journalism students poised to restore public faith in media While alternate facts, Trump put sanctity of press in peril, new generation of reporters strive for truth

by Connor Touhey Opinion Editor

As President Donald Trump’s time in office progresses, we’re beginning to learn more about how his administration intends to deal with inquiring media outlets.

We’ve been promised transparency.

But that’s probably not going to happen.

Based on the first few weeks of the Trump administration’s interactions with the media, journalists and the public should be very, very concerned going forward.

In essence, what we’ve seen from the Trump administration is a complete disregard for the truth. At various points, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, White House Council Kellyanne Conway and even the president himself made statements which were flat out, blatant lies.

They’ve kept the media in the dark on their policies a number of times and called various well-respected news outlets “fake news” if they dared to dispute any of the preposterous claims Trump and his puppets make.

Seriously, sit down and watch a White House press briefing one of these days.

Sean Spicer is a joke.

So, basically, what we know is that unless something drastic changes, the next four years are going to be hell for today’s journalists. But as scary as Trump’s war on factual, quality journalism has become, I think it actually offers an opportunity for those of us who currently study journalism.

While journalists of today struggle with a public that insists, regardless of evidence, everything they say is false, journalists of tomorrow might have an opportunity to end, or at least tame, the madness of the partisan press.

Right now, for every New York Times, Washington Post and Wall Street Journal, there seem to be two outlets like Breitbart or Drudge Report. While it’s easy to blame the public for being so easily persuaded by news that isn’t true, think about your own life. Is it not easier to convince any of us on previously held biases?

If you hated former Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton or Trump for whatever number of reasons, would it really be tough for you to be convinced of accusations against them, regardless of whether they’re true or not? I know for a fact I’ve experienced that first hand and I’ve watched dozens of friends and family members do the same.

It’s human nature.

We know the news is so saturated with outlets that warp what the news actually says that it’s impossible to disseminate fact

17 • badgerherald.com • February 21, 2017

from fiction.

The solution is the journalists of the future — students studying in Vilas or sitting in The Badger Herald offices at 11 p.m. on a Tuesday night.

While it might seem like the Trump administration is bad news for students of journalism, I would venture to say it isn’t.

In fact, it’s probably good news. he way journalism students think and are being taught has already changed significantly since Trwump announced his candidacy for president more than a year ago.

Our curriculum insists on evidence. If it isn’t ethical, don’t report it. If it might not be true, don’t even pitch it.

I’m sure this has been the case in journalism schools for the last century, but I don’t think many of those who’ve gone into journalism before this generation had the same motivations this one does.

The motivation for this generation isn’t, “I want to report the news.” It’s, “I want to tell people the truth and make it so thoroughly backed up by evidence that it is impossible not to acknowledge it is a fact.”

Journalists have effectively been called out by the public, and students of journalism are listening. For the first time in a long time, the public chose to listen to a politician over the press.

That’s a slap in the face, especially when we know just how often politicians lie and how thorough good journalists are in reporting the truth.

While it might be too late for many journalists already into their careers, it isn’t for us. We have an opportunity andwe intend to take it. For those journalism students coming out of school in the next few years, concerned over whether you’ll have to work for a politically motivated media outlet when all you want to do is report on the truth, don’t worry.

Media outlets are learning their willingness to use opinion content over fact might be easier to sell, but it isn’t doing them any favors with a good portion of the population. Think for a second of how the public views Fox News and MSNBC. Half of us hate one of them, the other half hate the other.

I’m no businessman, but I would assume having half of the country despise your product probably doesn’t give the longterm growth of your network much to be optimistic about.

Dividing news outlets by political affiliation might seem great right now, but eventually the public will come around and they will slowly shift back to the middle.

While outlets like Huffington Post

Photo · While there is a growing, overwhelming sense of mistrust toward press, commitment to hard evidence, thorough sourcing from young journalists could be a silver lining Haley Winckler The Badger Herald will still be around, their relevance will deteriorate. More outlets will move back in the direction of The New York Times or Wall Street Journal where good, solid journalism has been their formula for decades.

Slowly but surely, more outlets will recognize that in the long run, biases ruin trust and without trust, news outlets cease to be relevant.

At the same time, a new generation of highly motivated, fact-seeking young journalists will emerge from schools like

the University of Wisconsin, ready to embrace the new era of journalism.

So rest easy, America. While you might hate journalists today, you won’t for long.

The future of journalism isn’t dark. Today’s journalism students will be tomorrow’s eyes and ears of the world, and hopefully there will be a lot less partisan bullshit included.

Connor Touhey (ctouhey@badgerherald.com) is a senior majoring in political science, history and journalism.

OPINION

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Unstable adminstration poses threat to national security President lacks foresight when it comes to safety, choosing to tout his power, deny valuable advice at America’s expense

by Gwynna Norton Columnist

On Monday, Michael Flynn resigned from his post as national security adviser, and millions of people breathed a very short sigh of relief.

After the revelation he discussed sanctions against Russia in a phone call with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak before President Donald Trump took office, the Justice Department worried he could be vulnerable to blackmail.

In his resignation letter, he admits only he gave “incomplete information” to Pence and others because of the “fast pace of events.” Lt. Gen. Joseph K. Kellogg Jr. has been appointed acting national security adviser.

On the subject of ties with Russia, Trump tweeted the topic is “nonsense” meant to distract from the failures of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton’s campaign, and the “real scandal” is that “classified information is illegally given out by ‘intelligence’ like candy.”

He also expressed concern that information on his dealings with North Korea could be leaked — this, from a man who discussed those dealings in the middle of a crowded dining room.

On Saturday, while at Mar-a-Lago, Trump received a call about a North Korean missile test, and proceeded to discuss it with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe over dinner. Though press secretary Sean Spicer insists he was actually briefed in the Sensitive

Compartmented Information Facility there, any policy discussion at the table would have involved sensitive information. A Congressional committee has since asked for more information about security precautions taken.

In addition, Trump and Abe read documents with the aid of phone flashlights, i.e. phone cameras pointed directly at the documents.

Previously, experts raised concerns about the security of Trump’s own old Android phone.

If compromised, his phone — or the phones of anyone else in the room — could potentially track location, record audio and video and give hackers access to his personal accounts.

This would obviously be disastrous.

Someone with compromising information on the U.S. president would hold a huge amount of power. This raises a question: why does he not seem to care?

Given his massive ego, it seems unlikely he would admit he doesn’t know how to implement good security practices. Perhaps he is unwilling to change because he genuinely believes, against all evidence, that he knows better.

In the past, he has questioned the legitimacy and knowledge of experts who have disagreed with him, and there’s no reason to believe he would be any more willing to listen to security experts who want him to give up the convenience of tweeting at any time.

In the case of the North Korean crisis, I’m sure he enjoyed everyone got to watch him wield power. His immense desire for publicity and positive attention is fundamentally at

odds with the necessity of keeping information private.

He’s found his way into an exclusive group of powerful people, and he wants to make sure everyone knows it. His strategy for handling legitimate concerns about the security and foreign ties of his administration seems to be semicoherently yelling about how the people who exposed them are the real danger, rather than his own irresponsible administration.

This childish “Who, us? No, you are!” response is a ridiculously poor attempt to deflect attention from the actual issues at hand.

People want to know if their government is compromising the integrity and security of the country.

This is the main issue; if members of our government can be blackmailed, our entire country could be unknowingly steered by the agenda of whoever holds that blackmail material in their hands.

Regardless of how you may feel about the political decisions of Trump and his administration, their security is our security.

When the intelligence community is reportedly nervous about what they can safely tell the president, it’s clear we’re all at risk.

Trump has no sense of responsibility about his power, and he acts like an arrogant child.

If he continues to ignore the advice of people with experience, he will flat out have no idea how to run this country, and it seems increasingly unlikely he’ll find the barest scrap of humility necessary to seriously consider the opinions of another human being.

He can’t admit he is wrong, and he will

continue to endanger everyone in this country.

This man is not fit to be president.

Gwynna Norton (gwynna.norton@gmail.com) is a senior majoring in mathematics.

Photo · Even Trump supporters should acknowledge his irresponsibility.

Amos Mayberry The Badger Herald

Professor’s claim people choose sexuality fallable, misleading Individuals mature naturally into sexual identity, just as in other aspects of life

by Letter to the Editor

I am writing to address my concerns with Dr. Lisa Diamond’s assertions homosexuality is a choice, as referenced in Lilly Martinez’s article published Feb. 10. I certainly agree with Diamond that “there is no single cause for sexual orientation.” Google the question “where does homosexuality come from” and you will be presented with a myriad of studies that each conclude something different. In short, sexuality is complex and we aren’t positive of its origins.

However, Diamond seems to contradict her assertion of homosexuality as a choice when she discusses how genotype, phenotype and environment affect the expression of homosexuality. People are unable to choose any of those three components. We cannot choose our genotype, we cannot always

choose the environment we live in and since the phenotype is expressed based on the combination of genotype and environment, individuals have little to no control over that as well.

Diamond believes because sexuality has components of fluidity it must be something people choose. However, this logic has its own faults. First, Diamond presented a study that tracked the sexuality of adolescents. This is not sufficient data to proclaim sexuality as a choice because many things fluctuate for adolescents. Adolescents are just becoming sexually mature, and the hormone releases that accompany these changes are cause for mood swings, irritability and other behavioral differences.

Second, as we become more mature our preferences change, but that does not equate

to a choice. For example, as a child I did not enjoy asparagus, as an adult I do, however, there was never a conscious moment in my life where I decided I was going to like asparagus. In conversations I have had with members of the LGBTQ+ community, they experienced a similar phenomenon. There was never a point where they decided to become homosexual, rather they became aware of it.

Perhaps what Diamond needs is to offer us her definition of “choice.” Does she mean people who are homosexual realize their attractions “feel” right and then “choose” to act on them? But even then, the choice is the action, not the sentiment of homosexuality.

Maybe what Diamond means to suggest is people choose to pursue same-sex relationships, and that is what makes

homosexuality a choice. But that leads us to questions of is homosexuality an act or an identity, or both? Ultimately, our question should be “so what?” So what if homosexuality is or is not a choice? Why are we transfixed on making someone’s sexual identity their only identity?

Instead of attempting to discern with problematic logic whether or not homosexuality is a choice, why don’t we extend love, compassion and understanding, and legitimize the voices of a marginalized community who have their very personal decisions questioned.

Leah D. Holloway (lholloway@wisc.edu) is a junior majoring in community and nonprofit leadership and communication arts February 21, 2017 • badgerherald.com • 18

OPINION

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Tension rises as Trump signals relationship with dangerous leader Before engaging in negotiations with Putin, well-documented threat to new democracies, president must consider Russia-U.S. history

by John Graber Columnist

President Donald Trump continues to signal the development of a new relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump’s intentions remained obvious in his interview with Fox News host Bill O’Reilly before the Super Bowl.

During the interview, O’Reilly claimed Putin is “a killer,” a statement the Kremlin believes Fox News should apologize for.

Trump’s response to the incident was to justify Putin’s actions, saying, “There are a lot of killers. We’ve got a lot of killers. What, you think our country is so innocent?”

Remarks like these are concerning for many people. One retired general, Barry McCaffrey, even called Trump’s response “the most anti-American” statement ever made by a president.

Trump’s comment is certainly far from Ronald Reagan’s famous speech calling the Soviet Union an “evil empire” in March 1983. Anti-Putin activist and Russian chess grandmaster Garry Kasparov took to Twitter to say the president’s statement was “like comparing a surgeon to Jack the Ripper because they both used knives.”

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, also criticized Trump’s argument of moral equivalence. He rhetorically asked on Twitter: “When has a Democratic political activist been poisoned by the GOP, or vice versa? We are not the same as #Putin.”

Rubio was referring to the many suspicious deaths of Russian journalists, politicians and businessmen. Specifically, I think he was likely pointing to the deaths of people like former KGB agent and Putin critic Alexander Litvinenko, who was poisoned in 2006 with polonium-210 at a hotel in London. Another example is democracy activist Vladimir Kara-Murza, who has been hospitalized in Moscow from poisoning.

I really am curious as to what Trump means by “killers” in America. I don’t remember the last time a rival politician or journalist was offed by a president in my lifetime.

Even if there was one, it doesn’t happen on a regular basis. Does he mean people who commit homicide? That’s far different from a government actively seeking out and eliminating all forms of opposition.

I think the president needs to do more research to understand the man and the regime he is dealing with.

The man Trump is dealing with, Putin, was the president of the Russian Federation from 2000 to 2008 and returned to power five years ago. In the midst of the 2012 presidential election, Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney said 19 • badgerherald.com • February 21, 2017

Russia was “our number one geopolitical foe.”

Then-President Barack Obama responded to Romney’s claim in a debate by saying “The 1980s are now calling to ask for their foreign policy back because you know, the Cold War has been over for 20 years.” Only a few years later, Putin annexed Crimea into Russia and intervened in the Syrian Civil War to back a fellow autocrat.

Putin is a former KGB agent and runs his nation with an iron fist. He isn’t on track to reach the levels of Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin or Mao Tse-Tung, but Putin has created a dictatorship similar to those of the past. He and his cronies reap the rewards while the common people and anyone who stands in his way suffer.

He has become a master of propaganda by arresting owners of large media corporations, and having the assets sold to his allies.

On the global stage, Putin is cunning in achieving his goals. During the 9/11 terrorist attacks, he cleverly decided to contact President George W. Bush (the first leader to do so).

The move made Bush see him as an ally in the War on Terror, which meant Putin wouldn’t have to worry about international opposition over his domestic actions.

Fast forward eight years and the Obama administration was making similar mistakes. At a conference in Geneva, Switzerland, then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton handed Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov a tawdry toy red button to “reset” foreign relations with Russia.

While Putin wasn’t in office at the time of the Geneva conference, it’s obvious he was still pulling the strings. Putin merely swapped jobs with his prime minister after his presidential term was up, as Russian law requires. It was only a matter time before Putin would return to his old job.

Putin’s omnipotence appears unmatched in his own domain, but the U.S. cannot let more countries come under his umbrella.

Since the Russian Federation intends to reestablish the power of the Soviet Union, the free democracies of the West have a duty to stop him.

Putin’s rhetoric of protecting compatriots or minorities in neighboring countries is a weak justification for his military interventions. Any American president should respond by saying he threatens the existence of new democracies and should work to defend those nations in peril.

Negotiations with the Russians must keep the U.S. and nations that can’t defend themselves protected at all costs. If Putin wants the U.S. to end sanctions, then

it would only be fair to ask him to end aggressive actions in Ukraine and Syria.

Keeping him contained is of paramount importance. Any deal with Putin must benefit both sides.

It’s time for the president to put his negotiating talents to the task. The entire globe is on his shoulders over the next four years. With any agreement made, Trump

has to make sure he avoids a rerun of 1938, when Western leaders were more than willing to accept the false promises of a dangerous dictator.

John M. Graber (jgraber3@wisc.edu) is a junior majoring in history and political science.

Photo · Russian president has carefully crafted himself a dictatorship. Cunning and manipulative, Putin may just convince Trump to take a deal Americans might pay the price for.

Hayley Sperling (top), Riley Steinbrenner (bottom) The Badger Herald

THIS WEEK IN WISCONSIN SPORTS MEN’S BASKETBALL 2/19/17 71 WISCONSIN 60 MARYLAND

WIN

MEN’S HOCKEY 2/18/17

WISCONSIN MICHIGAN

WIN

6 4

SOFTBALL 2/19/17

7 5

WISCONSIN HOFSTRA

WIN

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL 2/18/17 53 WISCONSIN 41 RUTGERS

WIN

WOMEN’S HOCKEY 2/18/17

WISCONSIN MINNESOTA

TIE

1 1

2/19/17

WISCONSIN MINNESOTA

TIE

0 0

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SPORTS

Badgers off to best start since 2012-13 in Florida tournament

Wisconsin finished Michelle Smith Invitational Sunday, improving to 8-1 after suffering season’s first loss Saturday

by Nolan Beilstein Beat Writer

2017 has been particularly kind to the University of Wisconsin softball team.

At only the six game mark in the season, the Badgers had already managed to accomplish something no other Wisconsin team has done in their 22 years of program history: start a season 7-0.

The Badgers have kicked off 2017 undefeated through a six-game winning streak, which included two victories last Thursday in Tampa against the University of South Florida Bulls and the Binghamton University Bearcats.

Coming off their impressive showing at the Uni-Dome Classic in Cedar Falls, Iowa, last weekend, Wisconsin (8-1) continued their success by knocking off the No. 20 Bulls (3-2) in the first game of a doubleheader.

With the help of another stellar pitching performance by freshman Kaitlyn Menz and some timely hitting in extra innings, the Badgers were able to fend off USF with a score of 3-1 after the game went into extras tied at zero.

Menz, who improved to 4-0 on the season, showed poise early by working out of three jams. These jams featured two baserunners with two outs in the first three innings while Wisconsin could not get rolling at the plate.

The pitcher ’s duel continued all the way into the eighth inning. After a fielder ’s choice forced out the lead runner at home, Sara Novak came up to the plate with the bases loaded and one out. Novak then sent a pitch up the middle for a two-RBI hit, giving the Badgers a 2-0 lead.

Wisconsin was able to tack on one more run on a sac bunt by Brooke Wyderski.

Menz surrendered one unearned run in the bottom frame, but did not budge getting a double play and a ground out to end the game — giving the Badgers their second extra-innings win and first over a ranked team this season.

The following game against Binghamton (0-1) had the looks of another close match, but Wisconsin’s offense came alive in the final two innings, producing seven runs and forcing the mercy rule in a 9-1 victory.

Kirsten Stevens got the start for the second game and kept the trend of solid pitching going, striking out 10 and scattering four hits and one run over the course of six innings.

Despite only collecting two hits, the Badgers held a 2-1 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth when the game became one-sided with the help of some fielding blunders by Binghamton.

Wisconsin had Kelsey Jenkins on first with two outs when Chloe Miller singled with an error by the left fielder advancing both runners one base, setting the stage for Wyderski. The junior knocked in both

runners with a base hit to center, giving the Badgers a 4-1 lead. Novak added another run with a single, extending her hit streak to six games.

Wisconsin put the nail in the coffin the following inning, courtesy of a three-run homer by Stephanie Lombardo, increasing the score to 8-1. A Jenkin RBI single made the score 9-1, which triggered the mercy rule and secured the win for the Badgers.

The Badgers winning ways continued thanks to contributions from the offense and pitching.

Wisconsin has outscored their opponents 3510 while their top two pitchers, Menz and Stevens, combine for a record of 6-0 and average a .45 ERA. Following the wins, Wisconsin left for Clearwater, Florida, to compete in the Michele Smith Pediatric Cancer Foundation Invitational.

Photo · With the help of some dominant pitching, UW has started the 2017 season on a bright note in the hopes of erasing some UW improved to 7-0 against postseason disappointment from a year ago.

St. Joseph’s University Hawks, lost their first match Herald Archives of the season to No. 14 James Madison University Dukes who then came home to regain the lead with a three-run homer making the scored (3-1), but rebounded to take on a fielder ’s choice making the score 3-2.

4-0. down the Hofstra University Pride.

In the bottom of the third, leading 4-1, Wisconsin took on St. Joseph’s in the Mariah Watts held the Hawks scoreless for first game of a double header on Saturday the rest of the game giving the Badgers the Wyderski delivered again this time with win. a two-run home run. Wyderksi finished and were able to extend their best start in Scheduled to play immediately after, with five RBIs in the game. Another run program history to a record of 7-0. The first runs of the game came in the third innings Wisconsin’s game against James Madison in the fourth inning gave Wisconsin a 7-1 went through a lengthy rain delay. The advantage. when good baserunning by Brianna Hofstra began chipping away at the lead Flugaur. The junior pinch ran for Stephanie Dukes got to Kaitlyn Menz early scoring in the sixth inning with a two out bases Lombardo after a leadoff single, stole three runs in the first with three RBI clearing double that made the score 7-4. second, advanced to third on an error and singles and tacked on another run in the eventually game home to score on a wild fourth inning increasing the deficit to 4-0. The Pride loaded the bases up again in the top of the seventh. Watts got a groundout pitch. Later that inning, Brooke Wyderski Menz pitched the complete game with four earned runs. to first for the second out which brought doubled home Chloe Miller making the The Badgers could not find an answer home another run making the score 7-5. score 2-0. for James Madison pitcher, Megan Good. With the tying run on second base, Watts Angela Morrow got the start and In danger of being victims of a perfect ended the game with another groundout delivered a quality start part 3.1 innings game, Wisconsin did not collect their first giving Wisconsin the win. allowing two earned runs. The Hawks baserunner until the top of the sixth when Wisconsin now continues their tour came back to tie the game in the fourth in Florida heading to Fort Meyers for courtesy of a Sarah Ostazewski homer and Flugaur reached on an infield single to third with two outs. the Sheraton Invitational from Feb. 24 to evened the score at two after a Raelynn The next morning, the Badgers took the Feb. 26. The Badgers will play five games Genovese RBI double. field against Hofstra. This time around, facing the Florida International University In the bottom half of the frame, it was Wisconsin’s turn to answer. Heather Wisconsin’s bats were the ones making Panthers, the Boston College Eagles, the noise early. Miller got the Badgers on the Florida Gulf Coast University Eagles, the Rudnicki pinch ran for Melanie Cross after Hofstra University Pride and the Rutgers Cross doubled down the left field line. board with an RBI single and Wyderski A sacrifice bunt sent Rudnicki to third added the exclamation point for the inning University Scarlet Knights.

February 21, 2017 • badgerherald.com •21

SPORTS

@BHeraldSports

Badgers get much-needed victories against UM in Madison

Wisconsin secures fifth overall weekend sweep of the year after defeating Michigan Friday, Saturday nights at home

by Ben Pierce and Peter Tongas Associate Editors

The University of Wisconsin men’s hockey team got back on track with a 5-2 victory over the Michigan Wolverines Friday night.

After suffering their first sweep of the season, Wisconsin (16-10-1, 9-4-0-0 Big Ten) rebounded nicely against the Wolverines (9-15-3, 2-9-2-2), scoring three goals in the last 10 minutes of the game to beat Michigan 5-2.

Wisconsin jumped out to a 1-0 lead halfway through the opening period, with freshman Trent Frederic slotting home a rebound to mark his 11th goal on the year.

The Badgers held the lead entering the second period, but not for long, as Michigan leveled the score just one minute into the middle frame on a power-play goal from Cooper Marody.

Wisconsin answered with a power-play goal of their own 11 minutes later, as Cameron Hughes converted on a beautiful give-and-go with Luke Kunin to give the Badgers a 2-1 lead heading into the third period. The goal extended Hughes point-streak to 11 games, the longest streak for a Badger since 2013.

The final period would prove to be the most entertaining, with the Badgers scoring three goals in the final 10 minutes to propel them to victory.

The Badgers held a lead for the start of the third period, until Evan Allen equalized things for the Wolverines with 12 minutes remaining in the contest.

After the equalizer, however, it was all Wisconsin. The Badgers took the lead for the third and final time Friday on Frederic’s second goal of the night, a point blank finish in front of the net off a nicely slotted pass from the Badgers’ captain, Kunin.

Wisconsin closed the door on the Wolverines with two minutes left, as sophomore Jarod Zirbel put a no-look drop pass from Aidan Cavallini over the shoulder of the Michigan goalie to give the Badgers a 4-2 lead.

Seamus Malone added another goal just 18 seconds later, putting the Badgers up by a final score of 5-2.

Freshman goalie and Michigan-native, Jack Berry, made some big saves for the Badgers down the stretch, and saved 25-of-27 shots on the way to his second win over the Wolverines this season.

After the 5-2 victory over Michigan, the Badgers hit the ice again Saturday night in search of a weekend sweep over the Wolverines.

Wisconsin didn’t waste any time getting on the board, eight seconds to be exact, when sophomore Trent Frederic caught the Wolverine defense on their heels to give the Badgers an early 1-0 lead.

Michigan didn’t waste much time of their own responding just 35 seconds later, tying the game at 1-1 before a minute of hockey had been played.

Just under four minutes later the Wolverines

22 • badgerherald.com • February 21, 2017

struck again to take a one score lead early into the first. This game was cracking up to be a high scoring affair as the opening minutes ensued.

After senior Corbin McGuire committed a hooking penalty, the momentum looked to be falling into the lap of Michigan with an upcoming power play opportunity.

That momentum would be turned upside down, when Trent Frederic forced a turnover leading to his own breakaway goal to tie the game once more at 2-2.

“He reads it well he’s a brilliant hockey player as far as recognizing opportunities,” head coach Tony Granato said regarding Frederic’s shorthanded score.

The Badgers entered the first intermission tied with the Wolverines and would leave the second period in a tie as well, after both teams netted a score in the second.

Michigan was not backing down this time as they responded to a third period goal from defenseman Jake Linhart, forcing the fourth tie of the game.

Another Wisconsin defenseman would find the back of the net when sophomore Peter Tischke scored midway through the third giving the Badgers the 5-4 lead and eventually the win.

“Obviously, they’re a good team, they’re hard, they never give up, and after they came back after that fourth goal and we got the fifth one we just realized that we had to bear down and finish the game,” Tischke said following Saturday’s win.

The Badgers did bear down as the third came to a close forcing the Wolverines to pull their goaltender with minutes remaining. Adam Cavallini silenced any late game heroics with an empty net score ending the game in a 6-4 victory for the Badgers.

Cameron Hughes finished the night with an assist hat trick, two of those assists going to Cavallini, who along with Frederic had two goals on the night.

Trent Frederic finished the weekend with an impressive four goals over the two-game series, as he continues to light it up for the Badgers.

“The puck was coming to me and guys were making nice plays and I just happened to be there so it was a good weekend and it’s good to get two wins,” Frederic said.

A sweep for the Badgers this weekend means a chance to jump into first place in the Big Ten next weekend as they head to Minnesota to take on the No. 5 Gophers.

“Next week will be a challenge. We had two great games against Minnesota here a few weeks back. We know the skill that they have, we know we’ll have to be at our best,” Granato said.

Next weekend’s matchup could very well be the biggest series of the year for the Badgers, and after sweeping the Wolverines at home, Wisconsin looks poised to make a run for the number one spot in the Big Ten.

Photo · UW got back to the top spot in the Big Ten alongside rival Minnesota after two wins at home this weekend.

Cody Schwartz The Badger Herald

Shorewood Pool is seeking lifeguard/swim instructors, assistant pool manager, water ballet instructor, masters swim instructor, and swim and dive team coach. We are an outdoor, 50-meter pool only 5 minutes away from campus. This is the best way to spend summer! Lifeguards and manager applicants must hold CPR and lifeguard certifications.

Please contact: info@shorewoodpool.com or call 267-2680 for more information. Info and applications also available at www.shorewoodpool.com. Application deadline February 21st.

SPORTS

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Wisconsin tears Terps 71-60 behind huge second-half performance

Maryland had lost 20 straight, true road games against ranked opponents heading into Madison, UW made it 21 Sunday

by David Hayes Senior Sports Editor

After dropping two in a row for the first time all season, the University of Wisconsin men’s basketball team rebounded with a statement win over No. 23 Maryland at home Sunday with Big Ten title implications on the line.

The No. 11 Badgers (22-5, 11-3 Big Ten) battled back and forth with Maryland between minor lead changes throughout the majority of the first half.

The offensive production by both teams quickly turned into a competition between Wisconsin forwards Ethan Happ and Nigel Hayes, and Maryland’s star guard Melo Trimble.

UW’s two star big men combined for 16 points and 5 rebounds for the Badgers, while Trimble went 5-of-8 from the floor with 15 points for the Terrapins. Trimble began to take charge in the final moments of the first half, sinking back-toback 3-pointers for Maryland on their final two possessions and giving the Terps a 6-point cushion heading into the locker room.

To the surprise of many, senior guard Bronson Koenig entered the game to replace freshman guard D’Mitrik Trice barely five minutes into the first half. Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard announced Saturday Trice would be starting in place of the injured (calf) senior guard Bronson Koenig.

“Not knowing how good Bronson was going to be [Sunday], I decided yesterday that Trice was going to start regardless,” Gard said.

Koenig had started 85 consecutive games for the Badgers – a streak that began in the 201415 season – prior to missing Wisconsin’s loss to Michigan last Thursday night.

Koenig was a nonfactor in the first half to say the least. The Badgers second-leading scorer

logged a full 14 minutes but was held to zero FG from the floor despite three attempts. Luckily for Koenig and the Badgers, there’s always a second half in basketball.

While Koenig returned to the court in the first half as a player, the second half witnessed the return of Bronson Koenig as a scorer.

In a span of 37 seconds, Koenig nailed his first 3-point attempt of the half to tie the Terps at 36 before taking the ball back down the court and draining a long two to give UW its first lead of the half — a lead Wisconsin wouldn’t surrender for the remainder of the game.

“Everybody had a hand in the outcome,” Gard said. “We played more mature in the second half.

We grew up during the 15 minutes we sat in the locker room.”

Koenig’s offensive boost came during a 9-0 Wisconsin run, over which the Badgers knocked down five consecutive baskets as part of a 7-of11 shooting stretch. Yet, thanks to Trimble’s 27 points and debilitating 3-point accuracy, the Terps weren’t ready to go quietly.

Halfway through the second half, Maryland had sliced Wisconsin’s lead down to a mere 3 points as fouls became a problem for both teams.

Sunday’s game against Maryland witnessed more foul calls (48) than the Badgers have seen all season.

The foul charges weren’t limited to the players either. With a 4-point game at just less than 9:30 to go, Maryland head coach Mark Turgeon was issued a technical foul after throwing a fit of rage

Photo ·Wisconsin got just the win it needed against Maryland and secured the victory through the play of some unsuspecting role players.

Riley Steinbrenner The Badger Herald while voicing his displeasure with the officiating.

With less than eight minutes remaining, two key big men from each team – including three starters –­ were forced to ride the pine as spectators with four fouls each. Maryland starting forward Damonte Dodd’s foul trouble held the 6-foot-11 senior to only 14 minutes on the floor with zero points to show for it.

For Wisconsin, Sunday’s game was won from the paint. While both teams were plagued with excessive fouls, Wisconsin’s star forwards Happ and Hayes dominated the Terrapins around the rim.

“3-13 in the paint in the first half, 11-17 in the second,” Gard said. “I’m not a mathematician but I know that’s a lot better.”

Nigel Hayes finished with a double-double (21 points, 10 boards) and with the addition of Happ’s performance the pair combined for 41 points and 17 boards, along with 25 trips to the free throw line.

“They [Happ and Hayes] were terrific, we couldn’t guard them,” Turgeon said. “We couldn’t double them.”

While Hayes and Happ headlined the win, redshirt freshman guard Brevin Pritzl’s

performance was perhaps the story of second half for the Badgers. The redshirt freshman guard totaled 23 critical minutes off the bench, and his seven rebounds plus seven assists brought an added electricity to the Badgers game toward the end of both halves.

As Trimble’s buckets kept falling, Maryland brought it within four points with less than seven and a half minutes left until a second effort

by Pritzl on an offensive rebound kicked off a Badgers 8-0 run to seal the game.

This late game push was enough to prompt Maryland head coach Mark Turgeon to pull Trimble from the game for the final four and half minutes of his team’s loss. In the absence of their star player, the Terps finished the game riding a near seven-minute drought without a basket before a layup finally fell with 25 seconds remaining.

Wisconsin ended the second half with only one turnover, which was committed with less than two minutes remaining, compared to seven in the first half.

February 21, 2017 • badgerherald.com • 23

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24 • badgerherald.com • February 21, 2017

C T H A I R T O A C L O A T T E E S N T R I G S

Send 300 dpi scans of your work to comics@badgerherald.com or jduncan@ badgerherald.com. To promote artistic liberty, any size and format is accepted.

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K N O C K O V E R

CALL FOR COMICS AND ART:

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A NEW YORK TIMES CROSSWORD DESIGNED BY ROBYN WEINTRAUB

CLIFF’S NOTES

FRESHMAN PARKING LOT

BYRON LIND

MICHAEL HILLIGER

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ACROSS 1 One may hold a ship in place 12 Network initials 15 Visa option 16 It resembles an “n” when lowercase 17 Northeast nickname, with “the” 18 Man buns, e.g.

19 Remain stationary while facing the wind, in nautical lingo 20 Toy car driver?

22 Actress Headey of “Game of Thrones” 23 ___ Sea, now four lakes 25 A.C.T. subj.

26 Jones for 27 ___ metabolism 29 Warm spot in the snow 33 Crop, e.g.

34 Life partners?

35 Square things 36 Many a listicle 37 Stereotypical man bun sporters 38 Plot elements?

39 Keep score, say 40 Understanding 41 Eponymous Paris suburb

42 Circle of friends at a party, perhaps 46 Breathers?

49 Harrison’s vice president 50 Hospital lines, briefly 51 Like moderates, politically 54 Beaut 55 Common film background 56 Francis II dissolved it in 1806: Abbr.

57 Game for the gifted?

14 Disney toon often pictured eating spaghetti 21 Social group?

23 Shakespearean forest 24 Impoverished state 26 Shelters for sheep 27 ___ DeVos, noted school choice advocate 28 Contact, say 29 Rama’s wife, in Hinduism 30 Upset 31 “Let’s see what you’ve got” DOWN 32 Hidden 1 Immune system 33 Thread part component 35 Bass organ 2 Strong fiber 37 More caustic 3 Tree that can survive forest 39 Pre-Columbian fires civilization 4 Tony winner 42 Hercules slew it Rivera 43 Bygone 5 Elephant’s-ear 44 Filled again, as 6 Sappho a flat dedicated one to 45 Circus Maximus, Aphrodite e.g.

7 National park 46 Virtually sights 47 Fixes badly?

8 Robin’s refuge 48 Subject 9 Permit preceder 10 Official records 49 Little jerks 11 Swim ___ 12 Like a watchful 52 Suffix indicating a double bond driver 13 Copernicus, for 53 Boulder setting: one Abbr.

February 14, 2017 • badgerherald.com • 25

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