OPINIONS

Fordham students share their thoughts on lifted mask mandates and how to proceed during this stage of the pandemic PRO-MASK: PROCEEDING WITH CAUTION

ANGELA LOCASCIO

Sta Writer

Why do we still wear masks today? After all, most people we know have been vaccinated, so why be so cautious?

Unfortunately, there are still those people who refuse to be vaccinated and who could transmit COVID-19 to us in just a simple sneeze, cough or touch. COVID-19 is airborne, and despite vaccination efforts, it is still a dangerous virus that has no mercy on the most vulnerable members of our community.

Epidemiologists warn us that although this virus is in its third year, we should not let our guard down yet. It’s too early to lift all pandemic precautions, and we can’t be sure what the future holds. Don’t expect omicron to be the last variant we have to contend with.

Removing masks right now is like pulling the Band-Aid off before the wound is healed. Yes, I fully understand that we cannot go on for the rest of our lives wearing masks. After two years of masking, I am exhausted by it.

But I need to make sure that I do not get sick. I am immunocompromised. I have hypothyroidism, heart issues and high blood pressure. Yes, I take daily medication, and I do feel healthy, thank God. But feeling healthy and remaining healthy is the key here. At 64 years old (65 next month), I am not willing to risk my health.

I know that it is not fun to wear these things on our faces. I want to go out with my makeup on — my red, rosy lipstick— and to feel sexy. Heck, I may be in my 60s, but yes, I think that when I am all dressed up in my pretty dresses and heels that I do feel and look good. Putting on a mask can put a damper on dressing up, but it doesn’t have to take away from a special occasion.

Take my son’s Nov. 5 wedding, for example. Some of my son and daughter-in-law’s guests took them off for the evening, and we respected that. Yet I did wear mine — gown, hair and all — and I still had a great time.

We are seeing a wave of milder infections. Other countries are dialing back restrictions and not pushing the point of mask mandates. The world has begun to think that COVID-19 is going away, but that is not the case.

This is where tearing that Band-Aid off too soon comes in. The crisis is still here; just because things have quieted down does not make it safe to go out without a mask.

Ever take a bandage off too soon? You think by the new scab it’s all healed, and then a few days later, it hurts like hell. Well, this is where we are heading if we become too complacent.

I do want to breathe air freely and feel great in a killer my face to not feel dry and my eyes not to itch due to the mask and my own breath drying my face out. Then again, that is why I carry lotion and lip balm with me.

I ask: Are we settling for complacency that will come back to hurt us in the end? I fear we may be, but according to New York state and Fordham’s recent decisions to lift mask mandates, it’s up to you to answer that.

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY TARA LENTELL/THE OBSERVER

ALICE MORENO/THE OBSERVER

Fordham’s mask mandate is lifted, but it is up to students to determine the necessity of still wearing masks around potentially at-risk groups.

ANTI-MASK: AN OPEN-FACED PREROGATIVE

AASTHA AGGARWAL

Asst. Features Editor

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, masks offer protection against COVID-19. They prevent particles from entering the respiratory tract. They protect people from contracting COVID-19, suitable for the immunocompromised or those who wish to safeguard themselves against the virus.

But they also offer the unparalleled opportunity for self-proclaimed “mask police” (healthy, nosy adults who demand one wear a mask despite a distance of more than 6 feet) to enforce a “recommended” measure against healthy, fully vaccinated adults who are not afraid of the virus.

One must understand that some people have just accepted the inevitable realization that COVID-19 is something that most people will catch and recover from. They are not afraid of catching the virus and do not want the virus to be an inconvenience that prevents them from enjoying normal life.

Masks are an inconvenient accessory for these people. They prevent one from breathing freely, unobstructed by a mask. While they may prevent virus particles from entering the nose, they can also make it feel harder to breathe.

Although scientists say that oxygen levels are not actually depleted when wearing a mask, some researchers have begun to acknowledge that the discomfort of wearing a mask and the anxiety it causes for some are also relevant concerns.

Since Fordham has required all eligible students and faculty to get vaccines and booster shots, and most students are young, healthy individuals, I do not think that masking is necessary right now.

In addition, cases in New York City are decreasing after the latest omicron surge, and while the risk is still there and we may continue to face new variants in the future, we are certainly not in a severely critical moment of the pandemic right now.

On a personal note, I’m naturally claustrophobic, and wearing a mask just fuels my claustrophobia. I hyperventilate while wearing a mask, especially an N95, which only serves to make me nauseous.

Wearing a mask can also cause acne and other skin issues. Acne can stop me from booking modeling jobs. It is a major inconvenience to me and is getting in the way of a fruitful career path.

While I admit that those who wish to protect themselves from the virus are welcome to wear their masks, I am against the mandatory imposition of wearing a mask at this time.

The people who are not imperiled by the virus and do not wish to wear a mask should have the right to exercise this decision for themselves. They should not be shamed for making this decision by the “mask police.”

If people wish to protect themselves from COVID-19, they can very well wear their own masks instead of enforcing a dictum that infringes on other’s boundaries.

CARRIE BERK

Contributing Writer

Content Warning: body shaming

I hate to love Fashion Week. I marvel at the annoyingly gorgeous dresses that grace the runways. I embrace agonizing hours the hundreds of dollars worth of Ubers. Fashion Week is an escape. me feel like a princess — even if just for a few days. But this past season, I felt anything but special.

I was invited to attend the Bronx and Branco show and had the opportunity to be dressed by the brand. When I walked into their showroom, I was surrounded by several colorful clothing racks. There were mini dresses covered in sequins, blazers with feather sleeves, and an all-fringe me to pull a piece to wear when attending the show, and I was eager to try anything and everything on.

But as I rummaged through the racks, I noticed an overar sample size, either a size 2 or 0. I encer to come pull a look if you know you don’t have her size?

Nonetheless, a woman placed a bunch of hangers in my dressing room based on the colors and styles I chose (pink corset bodices are my favorite). Everything was a sample size. I tried a few pieces out of respect for the brand, fully

“My boobs are too big for this,” I laughed, concealing my embarrassment. Every time the woman failed to zip up a dress, at the ground at my sweatpants, eager to get dressed in clothing I was comfortable in and get out of there. dence. I’d be lying if I said sometimes I didn’t compare myself to justify what happened to me at for diversity of body types.

According to a 2016 study from the International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology, and Education, the average size of an American woman is between 16 and 18. But brands are not recognizing this reality. They avoid producing plus-size pieces, whether because they lack the experience or the funds for excess fabric. Not to mention, most models do not surpass a sample size (0-4). Diversity in sizing is an industry-wide issue that needs to be addressed — Fashion Week is only one example of exclusivity.

Regardless of how frustrated I was at that showroom, I didn’t come all the way to leave empty-handed. The designer was nice enough to dress me, so I felt like mini dress with underwire in the were too big for the dress, and it seemed lackluster compared to some of the other out-of-the-box ensembles. But I sucked it up, mustered a fake smile and took a shopping bag home, even though I cried in the car out of embarrassment.

The day of the show, I felt okay in my dress. When I arrived at the venue, photographers snapped a bunch of photos of me. But instead of zooming in on my face close-ups of my bag, a novelty taxi clutch. This seems to be a trend: photographers favor skinnier in camera at myself. Why didn’t these photographers want to take photos of me? I tried my best to hide the features I disliked about myself, but it was no use.

There was a cocktail party before the show, and I noticed the room. Several of them were wearing those size 0 dresses I as if they were showing off their indirectly taunting me — they couldn’t.

It hurt a lot. I couldn’t pull off a bodycon like they could. I couldn’t wear a blazer down to my belly button without some spillage. It was unfair. My eyes darted anxiously around the room, and I counted the minutes until the event was over.

I even noticed a girl in the same dress as me. She looked at least 5’ 10”, sporting the same scanned my body: my toned arms and thighs, breasts, and measly 5’ 2” stature. One of us looked like a model, and one of us clearly didn’t. I continued to compare myself to that girl and every other designer that brushed past me.

The models who walked the runway were no different. As I viewed them from the side, I noticed that none of them had a stomach over their waists. They did not have large breasts, and some of them just wore colorful pasties as tops. Almost every look had cutouts, whether on the collarbone, belly button, ankles, or all of the above. Not only did the of the general population, but the models themselves did as well. resentation of body types. Why design clothes solely for the same mold?

As soon as the runway ended, I rushed out of there, tears welling in my eyes. Street style photographers continued to shoot groups stood in the corner waiting for my Uber. When I got inside the car, I broke down. The show killed know whether to crawl into bed or sweat out the sadness on my Peloton.

Asking me to come to the showroom when the brand didn’t have my size to begin with is not OK. I was set up to be disappointed. Why weren’t they dressing a size 6 or a size 12? It’s unfair to who are thin when there are so many successful creators out there who aren’t a size 0. If they don’t create clothes for larger sizes, that’s their decision, and I can’t do anything to change that. But Week dressing, just because of their size, is toxic. encers. Brands project unrealistic body standards to their customers by showing thinner models on the runway. I may have had a frontrow seat, but the poor message the brand was projecting most certainly transcended the venue. Any girl who sees that type of lineup — whether online or on an Instagram story — could feel triggered.

It’s time to represent realistic body standards. We’re in 2022, and with today’s body positivity movement, the fashion industry should really know better. Brands can’t expect every model or every a size 0. I’m an athlete who works out religiously and eats healthy. But these people have the power to make me feel fat. Why is a size 4 not thin enough? It feels cliché at this point to say every body is beautiful, but one cannot say it enough — some people still don’t recognize or believe it.

This season, Fashion Week lost its sparkle. Instead of admiring all the lavish ensembles, I found myself wincing at the runways, watching one thin person after another show off their look. I critique myself for not having noticed this sooner; underrepresentation of different body types is nothing new. But now that I’ve new perspective.

I will never view Fashion Week the same, but that doesn’t mean I’ll stop attending. As an aspiring fashion journalist, I believe my recent experiences will make me a better, more informed writer and attendee. Modern runways are not just a clothing presentation — they’re a social experiment in diversity and inclusion. Fashion Week now means more to me than just feeling like a “princess.” The privilege to attend comes with responsibility to authentically report what I’m seeing — I’ll never take my ticket for granted.

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY ASHLEY YIU/THE OBSERVER

Ask Em: Should I Get Back With My Ex?

EMILY ELLIS

Head Copy EditorHead Copy Editor

Dear Em,

Should I take back my ex? I recently got over our break-up, but now my ex has reached out to me again. They want to try and make things work, and they apologized for the problems in our relationship in the past. Is it worth trying to reconnect with someone I love, or should I look forward to the future?

Sincerely, Cautious Communications Major

Dear Cautious Communications Major,

Relationships are never easy. They are rarely linear, and they rarely progress the way that you expect them to in your head. When they end, it can feel like you settle into a routine of loneliness and despair. Breakups are hard.

It’s all too easy to fall back into a relationship in order to escape the crushing realization that being single means having to do some things alone. If this breakup is recent, don’t fall victim to this mindset. Give yourself the time and space that you need to build up your own routine and realize that you are fully capable of standing on your own two feet.

To put it simply, don’t get back with an ex just because it’s the easiest and least painful route. Grieving the end of a relationship is an incredible, soul-crushing pain, but you will get through it to the other side. Make sure your grass before you even start to consider getting back into a relationship with an ex.

That being said, it’s important not to rule out the idea that a relationship can grow and adapt over time. While it might not have worked earlier, you both have had priorities and recenter. While I do believe that people rarely change in drastic, life-altering ways, they and changing their lifestyle. Call me an optimist, but love is always worth a second shot. If you feel that strongly about this person, don’t let a past failure deter you from a potential future success.

Many people will tell you to run for the hills. They will say that the relationship ended for a reason, and that people rarely ever change, especially in the relationship category. Perhaps, in your case, they will even be right. But you are never a fool for seeing something through, and if your gut tells you that your ex deserves another chance, follow it. You are the only person who can determine what is best for you in this current moment, so trust your instincts.

Your emotions and your mind might battle, but if your emo against rationality at all, they might be worth respecting. You have so many years in front of you to learn what you want from a relationship, and even if this fails again, you still learned something from it. As long as the relationship is not abusive or harmful to your mental health, it can teach you what you want from a romantic connection in the long run.

This isn’t an easy decision to make, and I’m sorry that you are so stressed about it. But you’ll be OK no matter what you decide.

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY MADDIE SANDHOLM/THE OBSERVER

Have questions about love or relationships in NYC or Fordham? Ask Em! Submit your dilemma with a pseudonym to opinions@fordhamobserver.com.

All questions will be anonymous, and names will be changed. Submissions may be edited for grammar and brevity.

PHOTOS BY OLIVIA STERN/THE OBSERVER

Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick Take Their Romance to the Stage in ‘Plaza Suite’

The off-screen couple returns to Broadway at the Hudson Theatre in Neil Simon’s 1968 comedy play

By OLIVIA STERN Arts & Culture Editor

It was March of 2020 when dynamic acting couple Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick were set to debut in Neil Simon’s comedy “Plaza Suite.” Then, a day before previews were set to begin for the play, COVID-19 shut down Broadway shows entirely.

Now, two years later, they are ready to return to Broadway on March 28 for their official opening night.

The play is structured into three acts — all taking place in The Plaza’s Hotel Suite 719 — showing three completely different relationships, but each features characters played by Parker and Broderick.

The set was simple and, for the most part, consistent across all three acts. Suite 719 had a bedroom and a sitting area, with a fake wall separating the two so the audience could see through to both sides.

I thought it could have changed a bit more throughout the show, but the consistency is an homage to how The Plaza stands the test of time. The fake wall between the rooms of the suite allowed for the audience to have an omniscient perspective of the entire room, unlike the characters.

The entrances and exits to the stage were straightforward. Some doors led to the bathroom and hallway and the windows looked out on the city skyline — one of which Broderick’s character climbs out of, which provided some comedic relief.

The Hudson Theatre’s ornate decorations paralleled that of the regal setting of the famous hotel. Even the lobby looked like a hotel bar.

The conversation felt like the classic married couple banter that you would see on 1960s television. I felt the annoyance of the bickering myself, as if Sam and Karen were my own parents.

Act 1: Visitor From Mamaroneck

In the opening act, the husband-and-wife duo Sam (Broderick) and Karen (Parker), who are visiting from Mamaroneck, are celebrating their wedding anniversary in the city. Despite the expectation that this stay would be celebratory, it was anything but. The conversation felt like the classic married couple banter that you would see on 1960s television. I felt the annoyance of the bickering myself, as if Sam and Karen were my own parents.

The annoyance also came from the plot’s repetitiveness. Maybe part of this was intentional as to genuinely invoke that ally have a plot. Sam and Karen take turns going to the door and turning back to argue with their get more complicated than their failing marriage. The tones change quickly, with humorous remarks transforming into Karen’s yelling pleas for Sam not to leave her.

Some of the jokes were evidently from a different generation, and they didn’t land as well as one might have hoped — unlike Karen’s paper airplane that landed perfectly next to Sam’s head from across the room.

There were casual mentions more laughs back in the day, but I couldn’t help but cringe in the audience as they delivered these lines.

Despite the comedy, I started to pity Karen — love is complicated, especially with a husband like Sam. Parker portrayed the dissonance and internal struggle to either forgive the husband she loves for cheating on her with his secretary or to make him leave their decades-long marriage. With an affair thrown in the mix, I don’t envy her situation. Just like her, the audience is left not knowing when, or if, Sam will return to Suite 719.

From the moment Broderick slid across the an Austin Powers-like fashion, I could tell this character was a stark contrast from the uptight, workaholic Sam.

Act 2: Visitor From Hollywood

The second act provided a lightheartedness that lifted the (Parker) and Jesse (Broderick), former high school sweethearts, are reuniting at The Plaza to catch up. Jesse is now a big-shot movie producer in Hollywood, and Muriel is living in the suburbs with her husband and kids.

From the moment Broderick slid across the wood tin Powers-like fashion, I could tell this character was a stark contrast from the uptight, workaholic Sam.

Parker’s new character was pretty similar to Karen, but a bit more chaotic. Muriel almost reminded me of Lucille Ball or Carol Burnett with her awkward body language and frazzled energy, which I absolutely loved. In fact, Burnett starred in the 1987 television movie version of “Plaza Suite.” es toward Muriel, her naive and distracted self doesn’t notice his hand sliding up her leg. It didn’t help that she was entranced by his celebrity and the escape of suburbia that Jesse represented. Her constant giving-in to his pleas to stay felt like a less-consensual version of “Bad Idea” from “Waitress.” to see the back-and-forth played out on stage, I thought the more overt sexual advances could aware and current audience.

Act 3: Visitor From Forest Hills

The third act introduces Mimsey (Molly Ranson), the daughter of Norma (Parker) and Roy (Broderick), who is unwilling to leave the bathroom of the hotel room to attend her own wedding. This situation adds a other two acts lack.

The visitors from Forest Hills also prey on a very relatable anxiety — that marriage means you’re ending up like your parents. It was clear from the laughs in the room when Mimsey’s greatest fear was revealed that the audience could empathize with it.

Norma has that same chaotic energy as Karen and Muriel, all of them emblematic of how the media portrayed women at that time.

Not only did the show illustrate in vignettes the complexities of marriage and romantic relationships — or the absence of either — but it also is a 53-year-old time capsule showcasing the societal roles of men and women in the context of these partnerships.

The aged jokes still garnered laughs from the audience members who were older than myself, but I could have done without some of them. Besides the plot point of Jesse’s interest in were really central to the plot or dynamic of the relationships — they could easily be replaced with different, more current jokes.

Previews began at the Hudson Theatre on West 44th Street on Feb. 25, and shows will continue to run in a limited engagement until June 26.

By ANA KEVORKIAN Head Copy Editor

What do you think when you -

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