November remains an awkward time for all students — after the much-needed reading break, it’s time to go back to preparing for the oncoming exam season. With the end of the semester on the horizon, it offers a moment of reflection on how this semester has fared. This could be the final stretch of your degree, and for others, it could be the closing to your first semester. Without a doubt, we’re all trying our hardest to make it to the finish line.
Movember will soon come to a close — a time when individuals are challenged to grow out their facial hair for the month to raise awareness for men’s health, especially regarding prostate and testicular cancer and mental health struggles that may go unnoticed. To keep the spirit of mental health awareness and support alive, Heart Body Mind offers free counselling to post-secondary students across the coun-
try. The organization includes registered provisional psychologists and graduate intern students, including a U of C master’s student. The Gauntlet is excited to see how the organization can support the campus community.
This time of the year is also marked by the recognition and observance of multiple days to honour human rights movements around the world. The end of November marks the beginning of the 16 Days of Activism campaign against gender-based violence. This year’s UNiTE campaign encourages all to raise awareness and advocate against violence toward women and girls. This continues to be a human rights violation felt across the globe with little signs of improvement. This year, the Gauntlet encourages readers to support women’s rights organizations in their fight.
December approaches and brings with it Universal Human Rights Month, a time when we
are encouraged to advocate for equality and justice for human rights, with World Human Rights Day observed on Dec. 10. This year commemorates the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights being adopted by the United Nations. It is a day to reflect on how far the world has come and look to the future for what can be achieved. This month also observes World AIDS Awareness Day on Dec. 1 — a day to raise awareness for the AIDS pandemic and mourn those who have lost their lives to it.
On a local level, this time of the year brings the celebration of all that we’ve accomplished in the year. Avenue Calgary is awarding its annual Top 40 Under 40. This lineup honours 40 individuals who are trailblazers and innovators across the city in their respective fields, ranging from groundbreaking research to artists with a passion for their craft. This year’s
iteration includes 18 individuals with ties to the University of Calgary. The Gauntlet congratulates all honourees for their dedication and commitment to improving the city and community.
As the semester comes to a close, it is important to remember to pace yourself. The winter holidays are fast approaching and we’re all itching to get it over with. Spend these last couple of weeks doing the best you can without over-exerting yourself. As we near the end, the Gauntlet encourages everyone to hold out just a little bit longer.
— Shreoog Kubur, Gauntlet Editorial BoardEditor-in-Chief: Sophia Lopez eic@thegauntlet.ca
News Editors: Julieanne Acosta Eula Mengullo news@thegauntlet.ca
Opinions & Humour Editor: Ava Zardynezhad opinions@thegauntlet.ca
Arts & Science Editor: Sheroog Kubur arts@thegauntlet.ca
Sports & Lifestyle Editor: Rodrigo Verney sports@thegauntlet.ca
Voices Editor: Aymen Sherwani voices@thegauntlet.ca
Visuals Editors: Megan Koch Valery Perez visuals@thegauntlet.ca
Layout Editor: Ramiro Bustamante Torres layout@thegauntlet.ca
Volunteer Coordinator: Namratha Badawadagi volunteer@thegauntlet.ca
Online Editor: Masoud Karimi Fatemi online@thegauntlet.ca
Business Manager: Gurman Sahota business@thegauntlet.ca
Contributor: Nazeefa Ahmed // Eric Hilbrecht // Enobong Ukpong // Mackenzie Ashcroft // Jillian Cung // Jorja Strickland // Nimra Amir // Logan Jaspers // Sylvia Lopez // Megan Wilson // Furor Arma Ministrat Room 319, MacEwan Students’ Centre 2500 University Drive NW Calgary, AB T2N 1N4 http://www.thegauntlet.ca
The Gauntlet is the official student newspaper of the University of Calgary, published bi-weekly throughout the year by the Gauntlet Publications Society an autonomous, incorporated body. Membership in the society is open to undergraduate students at the U of C, but all members of the university community are encouraged to contribute. Stories under the Opinions and Voices sections contained herein are those of the individual writers, and do not necessarily represent the views of the entire Gauntlet staff. Editorials are chosen by the majority of the editorial board. The Gauntlet is a forum open to all U of C students but may refuse any submission judged to be racist, sexist, homophobic, libelous, or containing attacks of a strictly personal nature. We reserve the right to edit for brevity. Grievances regarding the Gauntlet follow a three-step process which requires written decisions from the Editor, the GPS Board of Directors, and the Ombudsboard. The complete Grievance Policy is online at: thegauntlet.ca. The Gauntlet offices are located on Treaty 7 land.
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Last month, Avenue Calgary Magazine released its annual “Top 40 Under 40” list of 2022. This recognition celebrates 40 Calgarians that have made a sig nificant impact in their respective fields and improved the city with their efforts.
“Top 40 Under 40 is […] a cele bration of early career success, but also of the brains, guts and grit it takes to make change, to innovate, to lift others up, and, in doing so, create a better city and world for all of us,” according to their web site.
In an interview with the Gaunt let, recipient Evan Legate spoke about his award-winning work as board chair of the Epilepsy Associ ation of Calgary (EAC). Legate was inspired to take this position after being diagnosed with epilepsy — a neurological disorder in the brain that causes unpredictable seizures.
MENTAL HEALTH »“I was diagnosed with epilepsy in 2015, and I got great medical care, but I fell through the cracks in terms of getting social support to manage my diagnosis,” said Legate. “I joined the board and be came chair of the epilepsy associ ation in 2018 with a clear vision in place. Now, we are offering many services to people living with or impacted by epilepsy.”
Since becoming board chair, Legate introduced social programs and services to provide different types of help to 30 000 Albertans impacted by epilepsy.
“We built in a referral system for our medical partners at the Calgary Comprehensive Epilepsy Program to refer their patients to us,” said Legate. “We also have pro grams to deal with cognitive rec ognition and memory problems that some people with epilepsy face. The EAC also has a mental health program called ‘UPLIFT’ to deal with negative feelings associ ated with a diagnosis.”
As a partner at Longview Com munications & Public Affairs, Leg ate uses his skills to advocate for government support for the EAC’s Five-Year Revitalization plan, which aims to make the organiza tion a leading one in the country.
“About a year and a half ago, we were ready to approach govern ments to try and find some align ment between what we are doing and some government priorities,” said Legate. “We are currently en gaging in active lobbying efforts to secure funding for increased com munity-based support and educa tion.”
As a University of Calgary graduate, Legate described how his political science education, as well as his active exploration of differing perspectives, prepared him for his position as board chair.
“During university, I sought not to have an echo chamber and look for those diverse viewpoints,” said Legate. “The Board of Direc tors have a diverse range of views
around the table about the direc tion of the association and I think my background in political science helped to prepare me for how to work with others who come at things from a different approach.”
In his concluding remarks, Leg ate encouraged current students at the university to reach out to their respective communities and make positive changes by volunteering their time.
“I think students should real ly look for those opportunities to grow personally and professional ly while improving their commun ity,” said Legate. “There’s no short age of organizations out there who need your help either as a volun teer or as a board member.”
Those interested in learning about and supporting the Epilepsy Association of Calgary can visit their website.
Seeking academic and men tal wellness support for students can be challenging. Aside from the cost of services, the stigma surrounding men tal health can often discourage students from wanting to access the services that they need.
Eunice Mingollo, a psychol ogy master’s student and Uni versity of Calgary alumna dis cusses the partnership between Heart Body Mind Psychological and Assessment Services and MyLearningCoach.ca to offer free counselling services and mental health support to stu dents.
“It’s a free counselling ser vice program between my prac ticum site [Heart Body Mind] and MyLearningCoach, [which] is an organization that provides academic support and grant funding support to students,”
said Mingollo.
As a graduate intern ther apist, Mingollo offers services to students within Alberta and the Yukon territory both in English and Tagalog. Another graduate intern therapist also provides support to students nationwide.
Speaking about the inspira tion behind this initiative, Min
gollo discussed the many road blocks that can hinder students from seeking help.
Her own experience with mental health has made her recognize how the ongoing stigma surrounding counsel ling and seeking mental health assistance can often discour age individuals from asking for help, even when they know they
should.
“Unfortunately, mental health and seeking support, seeking help, is still very stigmatized in our society,” said Mingollo. “You always think about [ the mind set of] ‘what will my peers think if I seek help, especially if they see me just entering a building that’s providing those services.’”
Other barriers include affordability, considering the fi nancial strains that are already imposed on students.
“Other [barriers] include fi nancial barriers, as post-sec ondary students are already tight on money, so they can’t really afford to pay for services that are provided outside of the university,” said Mingollo. “This is unfortunate because some people can’t afford those servi ces, but they need those servi ces right away. So what do you do in those instances?”
“That’s why we created this program. To reduce barriers
and to just let people know that we’re willing, and we’re welcoming of anyone,” she con tinued.
The graduate intern ther apists and their supervisors are also members of the Skip ping Stone Trans Affirming Network. This network allows for the creation of a space that is safe, welcoming, respect ful and inclusive of trans and gender-diverse individuals. Membership in the network further advances efforts in reducing barriers to mental health services.
To learn more about My LearningCoach and the aca demic support provided, stu dents are encouraged to visit their website.
For more information on the free counselling and mental health support program, stu dents can visit and book ap pointments through the Heart Body Mind website.
Julieanne Acosta News Editor
The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence (GBV) is an annual international campaign that runs from November 25 to December 10.
The dates were chosen to signify the meaning behind the campaign — to continue the fight to end violence against women, girls and 2SLGBTQI+ individuals. Nov. 25 was named the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women in 1999 by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly to honour the Mirabal Sisters who were political activists in the Dominican Republic be fore they were murdered in 1960. Dec. 10 — the date that marks the end of the campaign — is the UN’s declared Human Rights Day.
For Canada, Dec. 6 also marks the National Day of Remembrance and Action on
Violence Against Women to re member the mass shooting that killed 14 women at Polytech nique Montréal.
Although this is a global in itiative, Canada’s theme for the 2022 campaign is “It’s Not Just.”
“The theme is a double mean ing,” Canada’s government website reads. “It reminds Can adians of the injustice of GBV and brings attention to how so ciety dismisses and minimizes attitudes and behaviours con tributing to GBV. [...] GBV is not just a private issue, but a sys temic cycle that all Canadians have a role in ending.”
In an interview with the Gauntlet, Lana Wells — Bren da Strafford chair in the Pre vention of Domestic Violence where she leads a prevention initiative called Shift: The Pro ject to End Domestic Violence — spoke on her own research and looking at root causes of GBV
“We are trying to shift the
discourse to prevention and we want to figure out the root causes of violence and prevent it from happening in the first place,” said Wells. “When you go upstream, you’re looking at and trying to understand systems of oppression, like patriarchy, capitalism, white supremacy and heteronormativity.
“These systems of oppres sion manifest themselves through multiple systems and behaviours and how we oper ate,” she continued. “They show up in all our families or communities — all the places where we play, learn and wor ship in — and all of those en vironments have a role to play in the prevention of domestic and sexual violence.”
Shift’s goal is to advance effective primary prevention strategies that change prac tices, policies and legislation. Especially with the changing pace of society, Wells discuss es how world events can affect GBV
“The impact of COVID -19 on various forms of violence, in cluding domestic abuse, vio lence, sexual violence, family violence and child abuse in intimate partner violence and hate crimes has increased,” said Wells. “We know that nat ural disasters or epidemics often lead to increased rates of
domestic and sexual violence.” Wells also explored the role that men and boys have in this discourse.
“One of our research areas is around engaging and mobil izing men and boys. They’re a critical group that we’re trying to mobilize to advance and play a significant role in pre venting domestic violence and violence within their relation ships,” said Wells. “For men, we saw higher rates of suicide and mental health problems due to financial insecurity, social isolation, job loss and substance use. The great thing about what’s positive com ing out of the pandemic is we know more men are seeking help than ever before.”
Throughout the 16 days, people are encouraged to share the campaign on social media using #16Days. To learn more about the campaign, vis it the Government of Canada’s website women-gender-equal ity.canada.ca.
“One of our re search areas is around engaging and mobilizing men and boys. They’re a critical group that we’re trying to mobilize to advance and play a significant role preventing domestic violence...”
November marks the start of Movember — an international campaign where men grow out their facial hair to raise awareness of men’s health issues, such as prostate cancer and male suicide.
In an interview with the Gauntlet, Man Up YYC members Punit Bhatt and Amanda McConnachie discuss the particular challenges men face on campus today.
“Man Up is a club on campus that aims to reduce some stigma around men’s mental health specifically,” said Bhatt, co-president of Man Up. “What we see in statistics is that in Canada alone, 75 per cent of all people who die by suicide are men. It is not well talked about. Men’s mental health is often a subject that is extremely taboo in our culture.”
“Our name is ‘Man Up,’ but we want to change the mean-
ing of ‘manning up’ to being able to have the conversation, rather than the old traditional meaning of being tough,” said McConnachie, vice-president of marketing for Man Up.
Campaigns like Movember allow people to fund social and public health services that increase awareness and access to health resources, such as prostate exams.
“I want to emphasize that it’s not just mental health that Movember covers, but all men’s health, in general, is important,” said McConnachie.
Man Up aims to reduce the
stigma around men’s health through public events that reach out to the campus community and promote conversation. One of those events is Lift Off.
“We set up a bunch of bench press stations for people to lift weights,” said Bhatt. “And essentially, the idea behind it is ‘lifting off’ the stigma behind mental health.”
The goal will be to lift a total of three million pounds between everyone who attends. The event is taking place from November 30 to December 1.
“Our goal is that if we can build these safe practices and these healthy behaviours, it’s something that people can carry forward, not only just as students on campus, but also in their peer group, in their social group and throughout their careers,” said Bhatt.
To learn more about Man Up YYC , visit their website. For updates on their Lift Off event, visit their Facebook page @ManUpMentalHealth.
the largest mass shootings in Canadian history and Dec. 6 is now observed in Canada as the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.
This year marks 33 years since the tragedy unfolded and — since then — remembrance of Dec. 6 has evolved to encom pass a broader initiative to end violence against women in both private and public spheres. Whether it is at home or in the workplace at the hands of abus ers who count on their targets not speaking up.
an official statement on her Instagram regarding Coun cillor Chu’s conduct. “I am not comfortable with liaising with Councillor Chu’s office nor entrusting him with the responsibilities of deputy may or.
in comparison to what hap pened to a 16-year-old girl in 1997… it should, however, dem onstrate that working with this individual has jeopardized my safety and created fear of re prisal for speaking out.”
Aymen Sherwani Voices EditorOn December 6, 1989, 14 women were murdered during a mass shooting at an en gineering college, École Poly technique, in Montréal. The gunman, Marc Lépine, allowed the male students to leave the lecture room before he opened fire, screaming “I hate femin ists” as he did. Claiming he was fighting feminism, Lépine en
tered a school he was rejected from, coming in with the belief that it was because of the pres ence of women there that de nied him his place — with the assumption that engineering is an inherently male discipline and that woman should not work in non-traditional jobs.
Shortly afterwards, the gun man killed himself and blamed feminists for ruining his life in a suicide note. The École Poly technique Massacre is one of
For instance, city of Cal gary mayor, Jyoti Gondek, of has recently made a statement against disgraced council mem ber Sean Chu — former police officer charged with the sexual assault of a 16-year-old — re newing the calls for his resig nation from office.
“[Chu] took photos of my vehicle license plate in a se cured area — photos that later surfaced from a member of the public,” Gondek wrote in
“I found myself in a situa tion where I would be unable to chair the Dec. 6th Council meeting, and Councillor Chu was to have been the one re sponsible to start the day with a recognition of the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women,” continued Gondek. “I am well aware my own experience pales
Since then, Chu has acknow ledged that he did indeed take and share photos of Gondek’s license plate, but fell short of explaining why he did as such. His actions follow a broader and more disturbing trend of the Mayor’s personal informa tion being used for malicious purposes as — earlier this year — protestors stood outside her home threatening her regard ing city vaccine mandates.
For Chu’s presence to remain in City Council — let alone chair a meeting on gendered violence, when he himself is a perpetrator — is a slap in the face of victims, including his own. On Dec. 6, it’s important to remember the victims of École Polytechnique and other women who have faced vio lence in their lives.
A lthough moustaches are a popular topic during the month of November, aka “Mov ember” to mark Men’s Mental Health Month, what is even more important than aban doning one’s electric shaver is discussing how toxic mascu linity affects men. Men are not made out of steel — they are human beings, and it is impos sible to be tougher than nails on a 24/7 rotation as they are expected to be. Men who par ticipate in toxic masculinity as they get older could become socially isolated, which could harm their health, happiness, and general well-being.
Our society fails to let men have a chance to breathe when it comes to being vulnerable because it refuses to legitimize men that are anything other
than “tough guys.”
It is okay to ask for help if you need it — a statement that is easier to write than to actual ly accomplish. Asking for help can be intimidating because traditional means of masculin ity consider this behaviour as a sign of weakness. Not know ing the answers to everything is okay. Asking for help is a necessity and letting problems get pushed aside or snowball into bigger ones is worse than getting the help you need. The myths that surround strength and traditional masculinity keep men from tackling issues that cannot be easily resolved on their own. Our society push es a toxic narrative that men are not allowed to admit when they are struggling thereby forcing men to struggle by themselves without adequate support.
Society harps on men for being emotionally unavailable
while also pushing narratives that expressing emotions is a sign of weakness. However, bigger questions are not being asked — why are many men struggling to be emotional ly available? Emotions can be hard to communicate, espe cially when society tells you to repress them. Men often feel like they need permission to ex press emotions, making it diffi cult for them to feel allowed to have emotions.
This phenomenon can be described as normative male alexithymia, “a subclinical form of alexithymia found in boys and men reared to conform to traditional masculine norms that emphasize toughness, teamwork, stoicism, and com petition and that discourage the expression of vulnerable emo tions” as defined by the Amer ican Psychological Association. Emotions are more than just
acknowledging that sometimes you need a good cry to let every thing out. Properly communi cating and understanding your emotions is not only a benefit for yourself but for the people around you. Dismantling myths that are perpetuated by toxic masculinity are important when addressing men’s mental
health, especially for issues like normative male alexithymia. Understanding how toxic mas culinity harms men is one step closer to shaving off the societ al pressures they face. For the men out there who are strug gling, please seek the support you need — your feelings are valid.
mental health is more than just growing outGendered violence within our own municipal government.
“...it’s important to remember the victims of École Polytechnique and other women who have faced violence in their lives.”
Jorja Strickland Volunteer
I would first like to acknow ledge my hope that the head line of this article drew enough of your attention for an eye roll — maybe even a scoff. Hopeful ly I’ve accomplished that, if not, the rest of this article will at least be refreshing. Let’s focus on the real topic at hand — a raging feminist’s dream: stereotypical women’s hobbies. The societ al expectations. The double standards. The judgment. The shame. The fixed role in society.
Women’s hobbies seem to be something of a joke because they’re not seen as hobbies at all — but as glamorized chores. Some hobbies are just more likely to be accepted as being attributed to women because it makes sense as a social norma tive custom. Why might this be the case, you ask? My conclusion is simple — it’s based on the his torical role that women have had in this patriarchal society. Those centuries when it was a woman’s responsibility to cook and bake for her hard-working husband
and their young children. When it was her job to do the sewing and patchwork and knitting and maybe, just for fun, embroidery for the family.
Women’s hobbies are seen as inferior, dull and simple, but that’s only because they were made to feel that way from years of expectations and forced burdens. We’ve consistently dealt with the reputation of be ing “weak” and “fragile,” and the hobbies that we partake in are used to highlight that argument.
I’m sorry, do you realize how much wrist strength goes into stirring? How much coordina tion it takes to do needlework? These pastimes we undertake are not for the faint-hearted.
Even still, when we stray from stereotypically “dainty” women’s tasks, we still get criti cized. Grilling, brewing beer, leatherworking, and all the likes — we get mocked, becoming the punchline to some obnoxious joke that men tell each other with a fist bump. And yes, I did get all of those examples from a website titled “Top 75 Manly Hobbies For Men” — what’s your
point?
Major hobbies that have been characterized as female stereo types are actually reflections of past generations and the diminu tive role we were forced into, yet this should not be a fact to judge us on or something to mock us by. Instead, it makes us all the more powerful and self-reliant. Hobbies that we are ridiculed for enjoying ultimately form us into well-rounded, functioning people. We can cook our own meals when hungry, yet will still occasionally get Chinese food af ter a long, draining day. We can mend our clothes, or even make our own accessories — myself definitely not included. Con clusively, what people perceive as making us weak, effectively makes us independent and ca pable.
Classifying something as “feminine” or “masculine,” espe cially when concerning hobbies, is grossly inappropriate. As seen in the website that was men tioned previously, these categor ies are drawn from unreliable stereotypes that don’t accurately represent today’s society. It’s like
we assign genders to activities that anyone can enjoy and take part in. It goes both ways too. Men get judged for taking part in things such as baking. That running joke in old sitcoms with a male in a pink floral apron? Imagine a man liking something so clearly for the delicate, weak er sex — cue the laughing track. It’s unfair to both sexes, while women still get associated with that pink, cutesy apron, men get mocked for exploring a hobby that they could very well enjoy. They shouldn’t get subjected to criticism, just as women shouldn’t have assumed hobbies that really just delegate us to housework tasks.
This touches on an import ant social issue — the fact that women and men have always been perceived as opposites. Where men are strong, women are weak, men are large, and women are small. This idea is applied to their hobbies as while men should do things that enhance strength and power, women partake in things that highlight their gentle, delicate characters. Why do these things
have to be so defined? They don’t. Hobbies are things that people do for enjoyment, nothing more, nothing less. They shouldn’t be a statement. Shouldn’t be political. The concept that some are more “manly” or more “girly” shouldn’t prevent either gender from par ticipating in any hobbies. At the same time, those two words alone, when compared, pos ition men as mature and adult and women as childlike and not knowing any better.
I feel like the conclusion here, one that can really be applied to any given rant, is freedom. Freedom for either gender to just do what they enjoy without judgment for not adhering to their delegated role in society. In fact, it’s the 21st century — “role in society” shouldn’t even be a phrase anymore. Don’t be held back from trying something new or from taking up a hobby that conforms to one sex or an other. Do something different, something risky, without fear of getting judged or perceived dif ferently. This does not include birdwatching, you will definitely be judged for that.
WEEKEND OF WINS »
Editor: Rodrigo Verney sports@thegauntlet.ca
The University of Calgary
Dinos have officially start ed their season in a multitude of different sports, but with midterm season and the ava lanche of assignments we have to deal with on a regular basis, it can be a bit hard to keep up with our red and gold. Here is a prepared recap of all the main action you may have missed during these last two weeks so that you can jump right back into it.
The Dinos have shown what they stand for from the getgo. The women’s team has set their eyes on the top spot and hasn’t stopped ever since they started. Their dominance has been felt even before the start of their season with an overall 11–4 record. The start of their season hasn’t shaken their core principles of a careful offence and selfless basketball, winning four of their first five games. The story has been much of the same on the men’s side. Using what they learned from the time they spent with NCAA levels of competition to take a hold of the league. They have been implementing a fastpaced offence and a disruptive defence to cease any of their
competitors’ offences and turn them into fastbreak opportun ities. Their biggest rival, the University of Alberta Golden Bears, still presents some prob lems as they are the only team to beat the Dinos at both times they met this season. So far they stand with a 3–2 record and are looking to break .800 with how their schedule is set up.
Men’s
Dinos are killing it on the ice as well. The men’s team holds a 13–6–0 record overall. The best part is that these wins come from significant leads. It’s not just a win, it’s a message. The team now enjoys a great pos ition in the conference without ever being beaten twice in a row so far. Their game-changing power plays have taken them
so far already and we hope it will continue to push them into a powerful winning season.
The women’s team has had a cold start to their season so far. They haven’t quite been able to figure out how to set the pace that they want to, and as a result, they started their season losing four of the first five games. The team has to adjust their pieces a bit better and focus on seizing every of fensive opportunity that they can get. There is still time for them to bounce back, but they have to do it fast as the ice gets thinner with every game that passes.
The Dinos are taking over the game with a total of 11 vic
tories across multiple sports in just one weekend with the po tential to extend this winning streak. Needless to say, the fu ture is looking bright for them, and with events like the Crow child Classic and Pack the Jack daring closer each day, there is a lot to look forward to.
“The women’s [basketball] team has set their eyes on the top stop and hasn’t stopped ever since they started.”MEGAN KOCH credit DAVID MOLL The men’s basketball team will face the U of A Golden Bears as rivals The women’s hockey team had a rough start of the season.
world’s concern about how mem bers of the LGBTQ+ community would be received in the country, to which Salman promptly said that “they would have to obey by their rules.” The interviewer was quick to press on the matter and Salman reminded him that homosexuality is haram, which means forbidden by Islamic law. He then went on to say that it was forbidden because it is “a damage of the mind” and that homosexu ality “is a spiritual harm.”
iously await how the expected 1.2 million visitors will be treated in these next few weeks.
Rodrigo Verney Sports & Lifestyle EditorThe Qatar world cup has bare ly started and it is already surrounded by a level of contro versy that rivals the infamous ’78 World Cup and the ’36 Olym pics. The history of human rights abuse has been notorious and the offences just keep piling up. On
November 9, a mere 11 days be fore the World Cup kicked off, an ambassador for the World Cup in Qatar described homosexuality as “a damage in the mind” in an interview with ZDF, a German broadcaster.
The interviewee was Khalid Salman, a former Qatari player.
The interview inevitably came to the discussion regarding the
The interview was promptly interrupted by a media officer of the World Cup organizing committee. Nancy Faeser, Ger many’s interior minister, was quick to condemn his remarks and guarantee that she met with Qatar’s prime minister and he had given a “safety guaran tee no matter where they come from, whom they love and what they believe in.” That, of course, wasn’t enough to ease tensions as the world continues to anx
Qatar is on a course to repair the image the country has inter nationally. Constant interviews addressing the alleged rigging of the World Cup votes in its favour and extensive talks on its stance on the LGBTQ+ community have been underway. The country also tried to change skeptics’ per spectives by flying in politicians who criticized the country to persuade them into giving them another chance.
Although it was reinforced in this interview, Qatar’s stance on the LGBTQ+ community is not news to the world. Their perpet ual abuse has been documented for years and it is illegal in their territory. Even if they are free to exert their power within their borders, the problem arises when the world comes to their door step for one of the biggest events in sports. Now, that they’re being
confronted on this stance, it is important to keep an eye out for how they’ll manage the event of legal repercussions because of a person’s gender identity. A prob lem that will involve diplomatic action.
It is not new for FIFA to host the World Cup in a nation shrouded by controversies and problems. The 1978 Argentina World Cup became a known ex ample of FIFA endorsement in a nation amidst one of the worst military regimes it has ever wit nessed. Plans to boycott that edition fell through, leading to an event that should stand for basic human rights to be played in a country broken by a strong military presence. Even though the home team won that cup, the story that will forever be remem bered will be the association of the FIFA brand with Argentina’s dictatorship. We have to wonder if the same won’t apply to Qatar as well.
Unlike other seasons, win ter seems to be the one that brings about the most div ide in our society. It may seem like common sense for some to wear a certain attire or act a certain way during these cold, and sometimes hazardous, months, but you’d be surprised — or not, if you’ve already lost faith a long time ago. Either way, here’s a few different types of people you’ll encounter dur ing the next few months.
I want to understand you and respect you, but it’s hard. You have all spring and summer to wear your beloved basketball shorts but instead, you choose to wear them during the win ter — our winter. When you saw that it was 15 degrees Celsius, I think you missed the minus sign.
The drama queen
There’s always two extreme
Get ready to encounter different types of people this winter.
sides on a spectrum. While mister basketball shorts is way out of line — there’s no arguing that — little miss drama queen
also needs to chill out. Five de grees Celsius does not call for a whole parka jacket, fleece gloves, a toque and the most
The clubber
I get it, you want to look cute
and not pay for coat check at the club. But when it’s -25 de grees Celcius out there, you and that crop top won’t stand a chance. I respect you so much, but just remember that hypo thermia isn’t a look.
The Christmas fanatic
I find you annoying at times. Wearing your fuzzy Christ mas sweater before it’s even December feels a bit criminal. Fight those temptations please — and I swear, I better not see any Christmas sweaters in January.
The no-fear-of-death warrior
You are brave, I must admit. The strength and courage it takes to sprint through grounds of ice and snow, with out the fear of death, is truly mesmerizing. While you might fail at times, I wish you good luck, soldier.
I definitely would place my self in one of these categories, but that’s for me to know and for you to imagine. Mind your business.
Nimra Amir Arts & Science Assistant
Growing up, Calgary-based rapper Japhet did every thing but rap — from being in his school’s orchestra for the saxophone to being in his church’s choir. It was not until he heard a Juice Wrld freestyle that he rapped a freestyle of his own on the same beat at a friend’s studio.
Since then, Japhet has kept returning to the studio. But as he sets out to inspire the young er generation from poor to rich, the rap songs he creates are not like the typical rap songs that have become infamous for glorifying a lifestyle of playing women, taking drugs and being violent. These songs, especial ly because of their popularity in mainstream media, have led to a vicious reality in which younger fans in an attempt to be like their favourite rappers engage in the same glorified lifestyle, but then experience the negative repercussions that are simply not as “cool” as they might seem in the songs. The cycle just keeps repeating. In experiencing this reality firsthand, Japhet, now a rapper himself, has taken responsibil ity for the power that the words in his songs have.
His songs, instead, he says fall into the “pain-infused
loverboy” style that is inspired by rappers like Polo G and Toosii. Despite how tough guys can pretend to be, Japhet has embraced vulnerability in or der to connect with his audi ence on a deeper level — send ing an inspirational message to the younger generation.
“You can be whoever you wanna be, act however you wanna act, say whatever you wanna say,” he said, even if that is a guy who raps about love.
His upcoming single “Trynna Call You” featuring Winni peg-based rapper YSN Fab which is releasing by the end of this year with an accompanying music video follows this same style.
The upbeat song backed with a melodic acoustic gui tar is about approaching a girl and trying to make her his girl friend has been in the works since early this year when YSN Fab made a trip to Calgary. Al ready a fan, Japhet reached out once he heard that YSN Fab was in Calgary — and the very next day, they were both in the stu dio.
“My friends were fanboys in the studio,” he said. “I was try ing to keep my cool but even I was like ‘This is crazy, he’s real.’”
Japhet had recorded his verse first but after listening to the verse recorded by YSN
Fab — who finished in under an hour — he felt like he had to redo his verse the next day to match the power in the vocals. This attention to detail shows in the song which sounds so co hesive.
In just two days, both rappers had executed what they do best — a rap song about love. So, if you too are tired like Japhet that most rappers are “talking about the same shit nowadays,” as he says, then you are in luck. The release of this new single that plays on the strengths of other rap songs in its melodic beat and powerful vocals has set itself apart in its story that avoids glorifying such a harsh lifestyle.
To stay updated with Japhet and the release of “Trynna Call You,” you can follow him on Instagram and TikTok. Until then, be sure to listen to the rest of his discography on Spot ify and Apple Music or watch his music videos on YouTube.
“‘You can be whoever you wanna be, act however you wanna act, say whatever you wanna say,’ [Japhet] said...”
eos of animals dancing along to songs, like popular videos of birds moving along to the rhythm, this is more likely a case of being trained to respond to the beat than having innate beat synchronization.
120-140 BPM. This preference was also observed in the human participants. Mozart’s compos ition fell within this range at roughly 132 BPM.
Sheroog Kubur Arts & Science EditorMusicians have long sung about the power of music — we’re either slaves to it, los ing control or just can’t fight the feeling to get up and dance. Keeping rhythm has been thought to be an exclusively hu man trait until recently, when a study in Tokyo, Japan discov ered that rats are able to keep rhythm as well.
“Rats displayed innate — that
is, without any training or pri or exposure to music — beat synchronization most distinct ly within 120–140 BPM (beats per minute),” said University of Tokyo associate professor Hiro kazu Takahashi.
Keeping rhythm is something that had long been considered only a human trait because of the complex motor functions that go into the movements. It involves the speed that the brain is able to respond to something. While there are vid
Beat synchronization refers to how well we are able to keep in time with a musical beat. The study was conducted at the Uni versity of Tokyo and connected 10 rats to wireless, miniature accelerometers to measure their head movements. A oneminute clip of Mozart’s Sonata for Two Pianos in D Major was played at four different tem pos, ranging from 75 per cent to 400 per cent of the original song. Twenty humans also par ticipated in the study for com parison.
The song was played at vari ous tempos on the assumption that, because rats already oper ate at a faster pace in terms of heartbeat and other body func tions, they may prefer faster tempos. However, the results of the study found that rats, much like humans, prefer a tempo of
“Our results suggest that the optimal tempo for beat syn chronization depends on the time constant in the brain,” said Takahashi.
The study also included other pop songs like “Born This Way” by Lady Gaga and “Another One Bites the Dust” by Queen. Beat synchronization in non-hu man mammals was previously thought to be reactive — akin to jumping to a sudden noise — instead of predictive like in hu mans. The study suggests that beat synchronicity in rats isn’t purely reactive because of the change in movements alongside the changes in tempos.
“To the best of our know ledge, this is the first report on innate beat synchronization in animals that was not achieved through training or musical ex posure,” said Takahashi.
This isn’t the first time re searchers have looked into the
dancing capabilities of animals. Previous research into beat syn chronization focused primarily on primates. In 2014, a group of researchers at the University of North Carolina found out that bonobos, a species that shares 98.7 per cent of their DNA with humans, were able to match the beat of drumming scientists with their own drumming. A 2013 study found that chimpan zees also display the ability to synchronize their movements with a beat as well. Researchers at the University of California found that the California sea lion is also able to bob its head along to a rhythm. In October of this year, a team discovered that harbour seals are also able to keep track of different rhythms.
The Tokyo research team plans on looking further into the effects of music and har mony on the human brain. Takahashi has expressed inter est in music as it leads to a hap pier life and mechanisms that create cultural centres in the brain such as art and music.
Right at the get-go of her premiership, Danielle Smith has fit a career’s worth of scandals in weeks. Normally, her relying on an anti-Semitic source for news and her conspiracy-laden condem nation of Alberta Health Services would have been major headlines by themselves. Yet, she topped all that by claiming the unvaccinated are the most discriminated-against minority group in her lifetime and being confronted with an un earthed clip of her blaming the West for the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Certainly, many Albertans are baffled and angry with the premier, enough that after sparking much fury, she “clarified” that she wasn’t trying to trivialize the experiences of minorities while also apologiz ing for her remarks on Ukraine after trying to deflect blame to the New Democratic Party. Yet, Rachel Notley and the NDP have to be grin
ning. With a controversy-prone premier who has a lifetime of ha bitual quackery — she’s pushed nonsense on everything from COVID to cancer to E. coli for years — the NDP has to feel good about their electoral prospects right now.
With shiny new branding, the NDP has more than just our igno minious premier going for them. 66 out of 87 Alberta districts have an NDP candidate compared to just 37 UCP candidates, giving them a big lead on talent recruitment for the next election. The NDP also has strong, grassroots-oriented fund raising right now. Especially with strong polling after Smith’s elec tion as premier, Alberta’s political environment looks rosy for the NDP. If an election occurred today, Notley would have a great chance at becoming premier again.
The emphasis here is “today.” Aware of how shaky the UCP’s popularity is, Smith is scared to call a by-election in Calgary-Elbow, a seat that has elected a right-ofcentre MLA for 45 of the last 50
years — including two conservative premiers — so she’ll ride her term out, hoping polling will recover. With over half a year till the next provincial election, she may be right.
Voters are fickle in every democ racy, but in nominally conservative Alberta, the “default option” for many is the major right-of-centre party. This was demonstrated earli er this year with the UCP and Jason Kenney — the UCP polled terribly through the worst of the pan demic and lockdowns, but when lockdown measures ended and oil revenues boomed Alberta’s coffers, polling improved despite Kenney’s unpopularity.
Of course, Smith’s demagoguery could make her more polarizing than Kenney ever was, but as vex ing as she is, if the economy is do ing alright, enough Albertans may be willing to overlook her blun ders, especially as they fade to dis tant memories.
This could be accentuated if the NDP focuses on Smith’s scandals.
As the provincial Legislature won’t open until November 29 and she is yet to announce or support any legislation. Smith and the UCP have said and will continue to make asinine remarks and have been and will continue to deserve criticism for those remarks, but this criti cism should be kept proportional to their material effect.
Just look at how American media handled the Trump presi dency. The Trump presidency was unprecedented in its contempt for basic democratic institutions, but the public reaction was damp ened by the media reacting equally incensed to how Trump fed Koi fish in Japan or served fast food to collegiate football champions. They failed to keep their criticism proportional to the severity of those issues, which desensitized the American public to Trump and made it so that his approval rating was essentially stable after 2017 de spite numerous transgressions.
The NDP cannot singularly rely on slamming everything Smith
does and says to win over vot ers. This kind of electioneering is negative, insofar as the NDP is focusing on who they aren’t, on why you shouldn’t vote for Smith rather than positively focusing on why you should vote for them spe cifically. Rather than just assuming that all of Smith’s opponents in the public will default to the NDP, they must remember that Albertans could also vote for a third party or not vote at all. If the NDP wishes to return to government in 2023, they must articulate a positive vi sion for Alberta that goes beyond mere opposition to one politician or party.
No outcome in electoral pol itics is a sure thing, especially more than half a year out. If the NDP thinks they can coast and take potshots from the sidelines while relying on Smith alienating enough voters, then they may be in for a rude awakening come next May. Instead, they must be active and run a positive campaign that tackles issues relevant to Albertans.
During Sagittarius season and with Mars in retrograde, any offence might lead to your villain era. It might just be you asserting your boundaries or planning some revenge. However, it’s important to make sure you don’t go overboard.
Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21)
Your crush keeps blowing you off and leaving you on read, but they seem to still have time to view your stories on Instagram. It’s time to explore new options and let them know they’re just another notch on your belt.
Capricorn (December 22 – January 19)
Everyone relies on you to make plans and know what to
do but they don’t put in the same effort as you do. Go off the grid and see how everyone fares.
Aquarius (January 20 – February 18)
You feel as though your thoughts and feelings might be overlooked and brushed off as you being “weird” or emotionally unavailable. Remember that you have the power to ignore those who bring your vibe down.
Pisces (February 19 – March 20)
Do you cry when you’re in an argument? Remind everyone that it is not a sign of weakness but a warning of what you’re about to unleash.
Aries (March 21 –April 19)
You’ve been wanting to go on
an adventure and no one is as committed as you. Book your one-way flight and say sayonara to those who couldn’t make up their mind.
Taurus (April 20 –May 20)
You’ve had to put up with too much from some people you previously considered friends. Cut off all ties as a form of selfcare.
Gemini (May 21 –June 20)
You find yourself in a messy situation — of your own doing or not — and can’t seem to get out of it. Know that you can always go back to your bag of tricks — run away from it and let others face the consequences.
Cancer (June 21 –July 22)
Feeling under-appreciated and taken advantage of? Take a deep breath and remind everyone how much work and effort you put into everything you do and how you can just as easily put your attention elsewhere.
Leo (July 23 – August 22)
You’ve had to give up the limelight from time to time for others to have a chance which you may have done out of generosity. If others try to overshadow you, it’s time to remind them who the main character is.
Virgo (August 23 –September 22)
Don’t let anyone else take recognition for your work. Set the bar high once more to remind yourself that you were the one up working while everyone else slept.
Libra (September 23 – October 22)
You’ve always done and said as others hoped you would to make them feel better. Speak those unfiltered thoughts to unburden yourself of those expectations.
Scorpio (October 23 – November 21)
Everyone judges you for acting unattainable but they just make it easy for you to close off. Open up more and see who can really handle your deep thoughts and emotions.
Wilson Enchanted to Meet You
3. You may not know this, but Taylor was actually named after this sixtime Grammy award winner named
7. Equally as gifted with a pen as she is with her guitar pick, Taylor acts as a _________ on every one of her albums.
12. Superfans who have been following the superstar since her career’s infancy know her lucky number is
13. Taylor was born December 13, 1989 in West Reading,
1. In 2010, Taylor simultaneously took home the Grammy award for Album of the Year and Best Country Album of the Year for ___________.
2. The full name of Taylor’s only male cat is __________.
4. This album marks the release of the first album that Taylor officially owned.
5. This is the accessory that Jake Gyllenhaal still has in his drawer even now.
6. This European city is a common motif in her songwriting and home to her current partner.
8. Internet sleuths, this is for you! Which album is rumoured to be the next Taylor’s Version release?
9. Finish the lyrics: I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling
____________________.
10. What is the internet’s rather unfortunate ship name for Taylor and her partner Joe Alwyn?
11. How many collective Grammy wins does Taylor currently have?
Send a photo of a completed crossword to volunteer@thegauntlet.ca Be among the first three submitters to be congratulated in our next issue and win a Gauntlettoque!
