Through its content, Jerk is dedicated to enhancing insight through communication by providing an informal platform for the freedom of expression. The writing contained within this publication expresses the opinions of the individual writers. The opinions expressed herein are not those of Syracuse University, the Office of Student Activities, the Student Association, or the student body. Additionally, the ideas presented in this publication do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Jerk Editorial Board. Furthermore, Jerk will not be held responsible for the individual opinions expressed within. Submissions, suggestions, and opinions are welcomed and may be printed without contacting the writer. Jerk reserves the right to edit or refuse submissions at the discretion of its editors. Jerk Magazine is published monthly during the Syracuse University academic year. All contents of the publication are copyright 2024 by their respective creators. No content may be reproduced without the expressed written consent of the Jerk Editorial Board.
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
When I think of reclamation, I think of land reclamation—like how the Onondaga Nation recently reclaimed 1,000 acres of land in its fight to rightfully reacquire ancestral lands from the U.S. government (long overdue, if you ask me!). But the longer I reflect on this concept, the more I realize it can also be symbolic. Reclamation can equally mean a group’s reassertion of cultural artifacts and ideas, like how the new generation of the LGBTQ+ community reclaimed the word “queer” and mended its meaning. We use the term “reclamation” interchangeably between physical things and abstract concepts, and yet the result is always the same—a feeling of empowerment and justice that only comes from demanding what’s rightfully yours.
It’s a classic “David and Goliath” story (for our purposes, we’ll talk about this in terms of art history only). Goliath, aka “Mr. Big Man,” has bullied the town for a while until scrawny-looking David stands up to him and takes him down with a slingshot. Even though Michelangelo sculpted him as a buff, 16th-century frat boy, the idea of David as the “underdog” standing up to Mr. Big Man is one that applies to our exploration of reclamation. And now I’m going to shut up about art history (can you tell I minored in it?) and turn the conversation to some serious shit.
We live in a time where Big Man bullies constantly take what’s ours and push us back into our seats when we try to stand up. In our current political climate, sometimes it feels like our voices are drowned out by the sound of Big Men arguing. Arguing over our things. Our rights. Our lives. In 2022, we saw the results of this as we lost our right to choose with the overturning of Roe v. Wade. And now we face the dystopian possibility of what seems like an evil plan to take even more of our rights while Big Man bullies dare call it a “project.”
In this issue, we dive into the concept of reclamation
and the different meanings it has for us here at Jerk . We tackle the importance of young voters reclaiming their voices during this challenging yet crucial election cycle through two different perspectives. On page 59, we discuss the elemental role Charli XCX’s Brat album has had in engaging young voters through its endorsement of the Harris campaign. We also hear from international students on page 23, as they dissect their opinions on the election and their inability to vote despite living under U.S. policies that affect them daily. We celebrate the reclaiming of curly hair patterns with a bouncy photoessay on page 35, and analyze how some women are reclaiming lingerie for its visibility rather than its “sexiness” on page 49. Here at Jerk , we believe in taking back what’s yours. Whether it’s by wearing a slip dress as everyday outwear, exercising your civic duty and voting in this election or using a slingshot to take down a bully— okay, maybe that last one is metaphorical—we encourage you, Jerks, to stand up for what you believe and reclaim what’s due. It’s about time.
Always unapologetically,
Karla Perez Editor In Chief (she/her/hers)
Reinventing
Fei
Closet
JERK ON THE INTERNET
Jerk Magazine is exploring new ways to compliment our print mag. Find additional content on social media and our website jerkmagazine.net.
Words By Chandler McCoy
What
we love
DUNE: PROPHECY
NOVEMBER 17
Still reeling from Dune: Part Two? Maybe still a little confused? We’re finally getting the backstory we deserve. Although we’ll miss Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya in this prequel, we’re so excited to dive into the origins of the world of Dune, with an all-new cast and characters.
SIMONE BILES RISING PART TWO
OCTOBER 25
As if she didn’t already give us everything in part one AND the Paris Olympics this summer, Simone Biles will continue to share her story in the second installment of her Netflix docuseries. With emotional vulnerability and unapologetic honesty, we’re even more invested now than we were watching her break records in Paris.
WICKED
NOVEMBER 22
The wait for the film adaptation of the beloved Broadway musical is finally over. Even just seeing Ariana Grande as Glinda in the trailers has been giving us life. Honestly, we’re getting impatient waiting to hear Cynthia Erivo hit those high notes in “Defying Gravity.”
GLADIATOR 2
NOVEMBER 22
We’re running to theaters to go see our Roman Empire, Paul Mescal, with his new ripped physique as he fights for his life in this sequel to the 2000 film directed by Ridley Scott. Plus, he’s fighting Pedro Pascal? We’re sat.
ELECTION ANXIETY
NOVEMBER 5
Okay, we understand it’s our civic duty and every vote counts, but could we please have one election that doesn’t put every last one of our civil rights on the line? Maybe even one that doesn’t have us sweating bullets every time we read the news? We’d feel much more confident if our presidential debates didn’t feel like an SNL skit.
OUTER BANKS SEASON
FOUR, PART TWO NOVEMBER 7
Netflix, I’m gonna hold your hand when I say this: it’s not 2020 and we’re not bored enough to watch this show anymore. And even if we were, it’s gotten impossible to follow. Seriously, Chase Stokes, we know you have something better to do.
VENOM: THE LAST DANCE OCTOBER 25
This franchise should’ve taken a page out of The Amazing Spider-Man’s book, and quit before they could finish the trilogy. The only thing we’re excited about is the fact that it’s the final movie.
HALLOWEEKEND
OCTOBER 31-NOVEMBER 2
As fun and exciting as it seems in theory, Halloweekend is nothing but stress. We’re coordinating three or more costumes with three different friend groups and draining our bank accounts in the process. To make matters worse, if it’s not done early enough (i.e. the first week of October) you’re basically screwed. And let’s be honest, our bodies can’t handle another threeday bender.
You have a new relationship that’s been budding, but it may be time to talk about where it’s headed. Prepare for intimate and deep discussions this month. We know you feel emotions intensely, so be mindful and have empathy. Don’t let your emotions get the best of you.
TAURUS
ARIES GEMINI
May 21 - Jun. 20
Woah, woah, woah, Taurus; It’s time for a mental health check-in. You’ve been keeping yourself busy, but don’t forget to do things that bring you balance and joy. Recharge. Tap into those old hobbies that you haven’t been making time for. Have a self care night—you deserve it.
A new person or project will come into your life this month, but make sure you don’t take on too much at once. You will have to move on from something to start this new journey. Think about your priorities and make a smooth transition into a new chapter of your life.
This month is all about taking action. It’s the perfect time to get a grip on your life. Take charge and get shit done. Focus on self-improvement and keep moving forward. The world is your oyster, Cancer.
LIBRA
Libra, we know change is hard, but it might be time to let go of what’s been weighing on you. It’s okay to outgrow things, and it’s time for a fresh start. Get your glow back by focusing on what makes you happy!
Not to call you out, but have you been masking your emotions again? It’s okay to be overwhelmed and ask for help. We know it’s hard to admit you’re struggling, Capricorns. Reach out to your friends or family for support, and be kind to yourself. Appreciate your support system this month.
CANCER LEO VIRGO
You may have just ended a chapter of your life. Whether it was personal or professional, we know you’ve been holding it together. Lucky for you, the forecast this month is looking sunny and bright. Expect rainbows after this storm, Leo, because good things are coming!
Aug. 23 - Sep. 22
Did somebody say rich? This might just be your month, Virgo. Look for opportunities for financial growth. You know your worth, and everyone else is about to find out. A promotion could be in your sights. Get ready to roll in it, babes.
SCORPIO
Have you been having a LOT of fun Scorpio? We can tell. It might be time to lock in and focus on your work and professional opportunities. $2 Tuesday can wait a week. Still make time for fun, just remember: it’s all about balance.
SAGITTARIUS
Nov. 22 - Dec. 21
Great news for our Saggitarius friends: you have good things coming! This month will mark the beginning of new friendships or relationships. You’ve been putting yourself out there, and it hasn’t gone unnoticed.
- Aug. 22 Oct. 23 - Nov. 21 Jan. 21 - Feb. 18
AQUARIUS PISCES
Feb. 19 - Mar. 20
A little birdie told me you’re exhausted. Luckily, this month is going to bring new opportunities and, best of all, A BREAK. Go on that impromptu trip with friends. Take a walk. It’s time for a change of scenery, Aquarius. Remember to change up your routine and make some time for fun!
Oh Pisces, you’ve been spending a lot of money, haven’t you? Maybe you don’t need that $7 coffee today. Save up and be responsible. You’ll get your bread up soon, but have some patience.
Words by Madeleine Oliveros | Art By Alissar Michel Youssef
TO LABEL OR NOT TO LABEL?
The
notorious “situationship” and why queer people feel reliant on this kind
of relationship
Words by Maddy Brousseau Art by Kate Tang | Designed by Megan Radakovich
After a good night of gabbing with friends and getting the 411 on life updates from school to sex, here at Jerk we’ve noticed a common thread between stories: an involvement in a “situationship.”
This term is particularly prevalent in Gen Z’s vocabulary, thanks to social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok where it is often employed. Although most Gen Zers can unproudly say they’ve been in a situationship, there seems to be a disbalance between how queer and straight people navigate this kind of relationship.
What defines a situationship? Two people in a relationship who don’t want to define and/or label what they are, according to Carina Hsieh, who coined the term in 2017 when dating apps were on the rise. People didn’t want to consider their matches a relationship after only going on a few dates, so as to not confine themselves to an exclusive relationship—thus, the term “situationship” was born. It’s “a hookup with the emotional benefits,” as Hsieh describes it.
As dating apps become more popular, it seems like more hopeful singles are looking for less labels and more unrestricted fun. According to clinical sexologist and dating coach Myisha Battle, the gray area that situationships provide “help[s] people focus less on defining where they’re going and on fully enjoying the present.” Situationships can give people who are questioning their identity a safe space to have new sexual experiences with different people.
“I enjoyed being free of the label,” Alina Champon, a junior at the University of California,
Santa Barbara, said while reminiscing on how her first queer situationship gave her clarity on her sexuality. “I was really just looking to have fun and I got what I wanted out of it.”
But what happens when a lack of commitment is a result of secrecy? The idea of a situationship isn’t a new idea in the queer community, as queer relationships had to be hidden for centuries. Only recently has pride for the LGBTQ+ community become celebrated in the United States, but only in some places.
“In my closeted situationship, the lack of a label impacted me more because I wanted to be at a place where we felt similar enough to be girlfriends proudly. It was more like I was striving to be at that point even though it was not realistic,” said a SUNY ESF student, who asked to stay anonymous due to the continued secrecy of her past situationship.
This secrecy is even conveyed in the media we consume. If you think about popular television shows like Euphoria, Elite, Killing Eve and movies like All of Us Strangers and Portrait of a Lady on Fire, they're filled with queer relationships that are more down-played compared to the straight relationships that are clearly established. It’s hard for queer people to see proper relationships on screen.
According to author and professor
at University of Virginia, Andre Cavalcante, queer characters are written “incompletely.” He explains that the media also attempts to portray gay situationships or relationships as “normal,” undermining homophobia and normalizing the incomplete relationship portrayed in the program.
Zac Wilson, a junior at Syracuse University was in a few queer situationships throughout high school, and when he started college, he realized his opinions and preferences had changed. “Secrecy was definitely involved, but it was fine for what it was,” he said. “I looked at it as life experience; now I want something else.”
When comparing this to people in straight situationships, it seems like the cause is completely different. Statistically, lesbian, gay or bisexual adults are more likely to be on dating apps in comparison to their straight counterparts, according to a study done by the Pew Research Center in 2022. As previously mentioned, the term “situationship” was created from the rise in popularity of dating apps, so is this also part of the reason queer people find themselves in situationships more often?
Maybe, but Jerk interviewed five queer people that have been in situationships and five people
that have been in straight situationships, and none of these 10 interviewees met their partner on a dating app. However, the difference between their experiences is clear as day. Straight situationships revolve around a fear of commitment, while queer situationships revolve around a fear of coming out and a lack of pride in the subjects’ sexuality and partners.
“I enjoyed being free of the label because we didn’t feel the pressure to act like a stereotypical boyfriend and girlfriend. Keeping it as a situationship felt like less pressure on the both of us,” UCSB student Sophia Schaefer said. “There was no secrecy because it was so casual and neither of us cared if other people knew about the situationship.”
SU junior Nirai Kabilan agreed that her situationship allowed her and her partner to be romantic without the pressure of a label. “We just weren’t in a place to be in a committed relationship, and there’s a freedom in not having a label,” she said.
There might be many reasons straight people don’t want to be in official relationships, but the reasons consistently seem to be different than their queer counterparts. After all of these discussions, here at Jerk we wonder, are situationships even a productive way for queer adults to engage freely with their sexuality?
ZOHRA MEKKI
Words by Caroline Erskine | Photographs provided
Syracuse University senior Zohra Mekki has always loved art. Growing up attending a Waldorf school, in which holistic and experiential education are prioritized, creativity has always been a vital part of her life. Since kindergarten, she has known she would pursue the career of an artist after school.
Mekki came to SU as a studio arts major before switching to illustration because of the increased job opportunities. “I realized that if I’m paying money for school, I should have something set up afterwards,” she said.
Since switching majors, Mekki has had some professional opportunities already. During her junior year, while studying abroad in Florence, Italy, Mekki heard that the author Faith Consiglio was searching for an artist and sent her a portfolio on a whim. Consiglio ended up liking her style and commissioned a piece for her young adult science fiction book “Serpentina.” Mekki worked with her for a few months while abroad, and her book cover was published earlier this year.
Because of the constant changes that have to be made for clients, Mekki had to work in a digital medium so the edits could be made quickly and easily. Though digital art makes this process much more efficient, she prefers oil painting or acrylic.
Mekki discovered the joy of oil painting during her semester in Florence, which was a transformative experience for her. With a lot more freedom in her curriculum, she finally had time to experiment with more time-consuming mediums
like oil painting, sometimes waiting days for a layer of paint to dry before being able to continue. Now, back at SU, where “they treat the major kind of like a job, like you’re working for a client,” she doesn’t have time to oil paint as much as she would like, although it’s still her favorite painting style.
Mekki enjoys making art but has struggled to find meaning behind many of her pieces. Last summer, she decided to try something new and blend her love of portraits with her strong feelings about the Israel-Hamas war. She painted a piece called “Abandonment” for her hometown’s annual art festival. The piece is a portrait of a Palestinian child, “reflecting the uncertainty and heartache that these families are enduring day by day.”
Her decision to have this displayed for sale in her hometown Coopersburg, Pennsylvania, was a brave one, as many of its residents do not share Mekki’s views of the Israel-Hamas war. The staff of the festival hung her painting above a trash can and it did not win any prizes. However, it was sold to a buyer.
“With this kind of thing, it’s good to make people a little bit uncomfortable,” she said.
Though this was her first piece that she said had a more profound “meaning” to it besides being for practice or money, Mekki’s goal is to get her name out there and make a positive impact in the world through her art. Despite her dream of becoming a children’s book illustrator, she described the Palestine piece as “the first of many” works that will have a greater purpose.
WITCH'S BREW
Try reciting this after a glass or two of this brew: “Double, double toil and trouble; fire burn and cauldron bubble”
Words and Photo by Kaitlyn Paige
Ah, Halloweekend. Another four-day bender, but this time with costumes and candy corn. While you’re busy scrambling together one more last-minute costume, you shouldn’t have to worry about drinks, too. Jerks, we’ve got you covered.
Whether you’re looking for a pregame drink before going out, something to sip on during a horror movie night or you simply want to get into the spooky spirit, Witch’s Brew checks all the boxes. With this drink, you’ll woo (or spook) your friends!
INGREDIENTS
• 1 ounce of vodka
• 2 ounces of Lemon Lime Sprite
• 2 ounces of any dark fruit liqueur (raspberry or blackberry work best but any will do)
• Silver edible glitter (optional)
• 2-3 drops of purple food coloring
• Drink shaker
PROCEDURE
1. Add vodka, liqueur, and glitter into a drink shaker
2. Shake until fully mixed
3. Pour into a glass (or a cauldron if you’re feeling wicked)
4. Add Sprite and drops of purple food coloring to finish
5. Use a spoon (or a wand) to stir and then serve
NO, THE “JOURNALISM B.S.” IS NOT THE DEATH OF THE MAG MAJOR
Magazine students will still have things to talk about during Newhouse Ambassador tours, we promise
Words by Kiran Hubbard
Art by Mara DuBay | Designed by Emma Coyer
Newhouse was in a state of uproar late August when Syracuse University dropped the announcement of the semester: magazine, news and digital journalism and broadcast and digital journalism will be combined into one major starting fall 2025. Magazine students bemoaned the inevitable crushing of their specialization under news while print writers everywhere accepted their fate as being tied to BDJ sports men. Candlelight vigils were held. Tears were shed. Also, has anyone asked how this will affect the future of the CDC’s Wizarding Competition?
Look, we understand. Identifying as a BDJ or MND major feels so much more personal than telling someone you “study journalism.” We too hold our tracks near and dear to our hearts, so we’ll hold your hand as we say this: the change is really not as big as it has been made out to be.
The single biggest implication of this decision is the semantics of the degree on graduates’ diplomas. Furthermore, students will no longer formally declare a specialization such as magazine or public affairs journalism.
Professor Greg Munno, the Interim Chair of the MND department, emphasized that this shift is meant to maximize student flexibility, not erase anyone’s concentration.
“Within that [journalism] major, you’ll have two distinct tracks. You’ll have the MND track— and we’re still calling it MND—and it’ll still have separate leadership. And you’ll have the BDJ track,
which will still be called BDJ and will still have its own separate leadership and identity,” said Munno. “We thought to a certain extent that the tracks were a little bit overly-complicated and were perhaps restraining students from taking the MND electives that they most want to take.”
Aside from the addition of a three-credit course in visual journalism to core requirements, these new MND and BDJ “tracks” are not significantly different from the current majors. Both programs, as well as their secondary sports communications tracks, will offer students more elective credits than their predecessors; this increases student autonomy over their course load without making them petition to take the classes they want.
Freedom over these elective credits extends across the print/broadcast line: if a broadcast major decides they want to take reporting or a print student wants to learn audio news writing, the new requirements make it much easier for them to do so. Munno said this ability to cross-train was another driving factor behind the decision; multimedia versatility is intended to work handin-hand with the more general “journalism” major designation to improve graduates’ marketability as they enter the workforce.
This might not be comforting to those who already feel like their specialties are underrepresented in the journalism department. We get that it can be discouraging to show prospective students around Newhouse and only
have a few strewn-about magazines to represent an entire concentration, especially compared to the ACC control room or the Daily Orange receptacles everywhere on campus. So will this merger ultimately just shove magazine majors even further under the rug?
In short—no, it won’t. Specialty magazine classes are not going anywhere—long-form writing, digital design for magazines, and other upper-levels will continue to be offered at least once a year. New students who want to stay highly concentrated in magazine writing will have every opportunity to do just that.
“We’re completely committed to maintaining the magazine focused classes. It would be a huge mistake for us not to, because I think we have more magazine students than we do hard-news students,” Munno said. “We’re very committed to not alienating those students.”
All of this considered, the backlash this announcement was met with may be unjustified. Additionally, sentiments vary widely from student to student: asking five Newhouse majors what the merger means would likely yield five very different answers.
Somewhere during the clamor and confusion that came after breaking this news, we think a lot was lost in translation. Many students are unsure of what is actually changing, and the “NO LONGER OFFERED” banners that temporarily decorated the MND and BDJ web pages offered little reassurance.
This was the case for BDJ junior Tyler Oldano, who wished there was more transparency surrounding the merging majors.
“I’m in the BDJ program and I don’t really know what’s going on, I don’t know the future of my own program,” said Oldano. “Even though it won’t be affecting me when I graduate, it will be affecting how I recommend the college to other people, it will be affecting how I talk to my friends back home who are also interested in journalism.”
Besides a few news articles and social media posts breaking the news, little has been thoroughly explained about the switch to the student body as a whole. Adding in the confusion of using “majors” and “programs” interchangeably, someone could feasibly come away with the impression that one or both programs—and their associated classes— will cease to exist in favor of an entirely new one. We feel that the resistance to this change would be significantly lessened if people had easy access to more information about the intentions and decision-making process behind the merge.
As for what this means for incoming freshmen and potential applicants, Newhouse Director of Admissions Julie Walas hopes to reach a broader audience with the newly generalized major.
“People need to have skill sets that really diversify the type of journalism that you can produce and the content that you can create for any media outlet. So I think this matches the industry, I think that it was going to shift anyway. But I don’t think it’s going to displace or dissuade anyone from applying. I’m hoping it drives in more applications,” Walas said. “Our hope is that it really does benefit the alums and the current students too to have a journalism degree from the Newhouse School. That’s what the industry is propelling us to do.”
STRIPPING AWAY THE SPARKLES OF CHEER
The unspoken truths about the team-spirited sport
Words by Cecilia Catalini and Annabel Adams
Art by Maddie Sloyer | Designed by Ailani Wong
If you have ever attended a professional football game or sat in the stadium of your local high school, you have probably witnessed the miraculous stunts and routines of your local cheerleading team. Over the years, participation in the sport has grown. According to a study found in the National Library of Medicine, the number of cheerleaders in the U.S. rose from 3.2 million to 3.8 million from 2010 to 2019
But, the popular sport requires a lot of commitment. First, entering the sport can be highly expensive; shoes and accessories are just a few examples of what cheerleaders need in order to join a team. All-star teams, or essentially club cheer teams, travel often for competitions, tacking on additional costs for transportation.
The required commitment to the sport stems from the fact that cheerleaders must go through intense and meticulous training because of the level of danger in the sport. A cheerleading season is typically up to 11 months long—even at the high school level—with the season beginning in May of one year and ending in April of the next. Athletes spend their summers conditioning and working out so they can build the muscle necessary for executing elaborate stunts and tumbling skills.
The length of a cheerleading season can affect the mental and physical health of athletes, according to former cheerleader and coach at Oxford High School in Connecticut, Gianna Carloni.
“For two-and-a-half minutes, you cannot let anything outside of what you are doing take up any space in your mind—leave anything not happening
within the walls of that gym outside the doors, because once again, it doesn’t work and becomes unsafe,” Carloni said. “For two to three hours a day, you don’t have to worry about school, relationship or family troubles, [or] any stressors in your life. You only have to focus on the sport you love.”
However, the strenuous nature and prevalence of body image issues in cheerleading cause turmoil for athletes.
“I remember getting fitted for my practice wear with a varsity rep my senior year, and I was the only person on the team getting a size large in the shorts. I felt so out of place and like I didn’t belong because the standard was a size small,” Carloni said.
She also detailed how throughout her athletic and coaching career, the number of athletes trying out for Oxford High School’s team each season has significantly decreased since she first tried out in 2012. Oxford went from turning away over 30 athletes 12 years ago, to having a total of 10 athletes try out this year, with no incoming freshmen participating. Carloni believes the lack of interest in the sport may be due to “kids [finding] the love of having valuable time to themselves” during the pandemic, since student-athletes were not dedicating all their free time to a sport as they previously had. This may be singling out the students who are most dedicated to cheerleading; however, it seems that students are no longer trying out for a sport just because it seems fun or interesting and they are leaving the job to the seasoned athletes.
Today’s media has shined a light on how the
cheer community functions. Popular Netflix shows like Navarro Cheer or America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders have shown a little bit of how professional cheerleaders are treated and how it differs from local competition cheerleaders.
Despite seeing the athletic movements, training and dedication of cheerleaders in such shows and the community as a whole, there is still debate about the “validity” of cheerleading being considered a sport.
Additionally, the misrepresentation of diversity on screen, especially in Netflix’s America’s Sweethearts is something to consider. The show followed the stories of cheerleaders who were predominantly white while also demonstrating the small number of non-white candidates at tryouts.
Christiane Gbabiri graduated from Syracuse University earlier this year and now coaches the junior varsity team at her alma mater, Amos Alonzo Stagg High School. According to Gbabiri, the diversity within cheer teams depends on the level, with professional cheerleading being less accessible to minority groups.
“I think probably at a college and at a high school level, it's more diverse and more accessible. I think that as an adult when you're a professional cheerleader because you really want to be or you really love it, then it's difficult,” Gbabiri said. “Because you're supposed to be making money and it's like you don't get paid that much—it's not very fair wages. And they have a very, very specific way that they want you to look, which I think is true in general around cheerleading.”
for people,” Gbabiri said.
Being a dedicated youth or high school-age cheerleader also requires access to a reliable adult, transportation and money for fees or financial aid. Children from low-income families may not even have access to these resources for school, let alone an after-school activity.
“Obviously, in college, the school paid for everything. They paid for all of our camps, all of our uniforms, everything. So it was, I think, a little bit more accessible,” Gbabiri added.
But that’s not to say the world of cheerleading has not changed at all. Carloni noticed differences today as a coach from when she began cheering in 2011. When she used to audition for cheer, she never saw a male cheerleader try out or even “be a part of” the team and saw very few people of color make the team.
So how do we change this? First, by encouraging more diversity on screen that reflects our actual communities. Change can never truly happen unless we include proper representation in our media. This includes representation of teams that may be unconventional cheer teams, but have experiences that deserve to be shown and representation of the disparities caused by the costs related to cheerleading at all different levels. Secondly, by creating a safe and fun environment that serves as a collaborative community for all. Standards of cheerleading are important, but listening to cheerleaders’ boundaries and voices is important to create a safe space that is welcoming.
There is a difference in payment between the high school and college level as well. Teams are more easily funded at the higher level of college.
“In high school, we had to pay for everything. If we thought we had to get uniforms, we would fundraise for those, or we would pay for them. So it would end up being over $1,000, which is difficult
“I think having really clear expectations and consequences—that's really important,” Gbabiri said. “But also, I do try and keep practicing on [listening] to their input. If they're really wanting to do one stunt and I have a different stunt in there, I'll have a conversation with them and make them feel like their opinions are valid and their emotions are valid.”
Reflective, reliable data collection is essential to inform LGBTQ+ discourse
Words by Brenne Sheehan
Art by Maddie Sloyer | Designed by Eva Aurnhammer
Back in April, the Biden administration created a new framework for enforcing Title IX, a federal law that prohibits federal-funded educational institutions from discriminating against students on the basis of “sex .”
The revision extended protections of the law to transgender and gender-nonconforming students, prohibiting schools from barring such students from bathrooms, school sports and other gendered programs.
All over the country, conservative and fundamentalist groups, such as Moms for Liberty, rallied to “bring back Title IX,” claiming that allowing trans students, more notably trans women, access to sports and locker rooms was unfair to cisgender women.
“He was changing in the same room as me!”
“He was looking at all the girls in the locker room!”
“He took away the trophy that should have been mine!”
Echoes of typical transmisogyny and transphobia were—and still are—repeated time and time again.
But one can only wonder, is it true that trans women perform better at sports than cisgender women? We turn to data to debunk such confining assumptions, but are left in the dark.
We are left with incomplete performance datasets that cannot reflect high school and collegiate athletics because they do not include reportable fields for sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) data. We are left with focus groups of the few dozen trans female athletes that do exist and do play women’s sports, but are too scarce for analysis.
Stereotypes take the place of fact and greater discourse is riddled with overgeneralized narratives of trans people.
“When we don't have good data and don't have good evidence, then it allows people to fill in the blanks with stereotypes and assumptions," said federal policy director Elana Redfield of the Williams Institute, an interdisciplinary LGBTQ+ research firm based out of the UCLA School of Law.
As a community, when we rally to invoke policy that prevents our criminalization, address mistreatment in prisons or grant more affordable access to gender affirming care, we are in constant need of reflective demographic data that represents our struggles.
In order to engage in well-informed discourse, activism and policy making, we must first advocate for the collection and proliferation of reflective SOGI data. Doing otherwise jeopardizes the livelihoods of marginalized queer and trans people everywhere.
The data is out there
According to Redfield, opt-in response survey methods are the most effective way to collect SOGI data. Here, responders can attest to their own gender identity and sexual orientation through questions such as “do you identify with the sex you were assigned at birth? ”
But in greater demographic surveys collected at organizations, such as the Pew Research Center, the groups that do not identify with the generic “male” or “female” gender descriptions are often too small to analyze separately.
“One challenge is that often we just don't have
enough people in one of the categories to be able to talk about them separately—it's really hard to get enough samples of trans and nonbinary adults,” said Anna Brown, a research methodologist of public opinion demographics at Pew. “When we have wanted to report on the experiences of that group, we've often done qualitative research.”
And while qualitative research with focus groups and small samples can be pivotal in gathering the opinions of at least a few trans people, collecting more SOGI data through greater means and public government agencies would be more effective in informing policy measures for our community.
The U.S. Census Bureau started collecting SOGI data in smaller regional studies in 2021, less than a year after the 2020 census was completed, according to their official website. This means the next U.S. Census in 2030 will be the soonest we see Americans’ gender and sexual identities in the most reliable sources of public data.
Waiting another six years for reflective census data when LGBTQ+ “issues” are a hot topic in conservative politics could mean additional gaps vulnerable to disinformation.
But why have we waited so long to include this data? According to Redfield, a lot of the Williams Institute’s lobbying for SOGI data collection by the U.S. government was pushed back by the Trump administration.
The Williams Institute has worked in advocating for SOGI data to make its way to federal data collection surveys. According to Redfield, it wasn’t until the Biden administration that SOGI questions were included in federal research.
“The biggest challenge is that there has been tremendous resistance to even asking about sexual orientation or gender identity in any context for a long time,” Redfield said. “Part of it was the presumption that people might not answer, but what we found was that in testing these things, people are less likely to share their income than to share their SOGI.”
Redfield said that there’s also
other rhetoric circulating about the validity of trans identity that makes it even harder for SOGI data to make its way into data collection.
“It has only recently tipped over to the point where they’re saying that trans people aren’t real,” Redfield said. “SOGI inclusion advocates have to start with rejecting the premise that SOGI itself isn’t legitimate.”
But wouldn’t collecting demographic data on queer and trans people be helpful in further proving conservative discourse? It is evident that conservative and anti-LGBTQ+ lawmakers don’t want the proliferation of SOGI data because it would actively disprove assumptions about queer and trans people.
In addition to the work of data collection institutions such as Pew Research and the U.S. government, queer people have a duty to represent their identities through participation in data collection.
If you’re a queer, trans or other LGBTQ+ identifying person, it is your duty to report and participate in surveys that attempt to represent greater demographics of our community. Because without our own mobilization and representation, we will always be reduced to stereotypes and fake numbers.
Strong, reliable data is essential to killing misinformation in LGBTQ+ communities.
THE DEATH OF THE FRAT FLICK
Don’t their wrists hurt?
Words by Maryn Ascher
Art by Kate Tang | Designed by Emily Saraidarian
It’s an action-packed Friday night at your favorite janky frat house. You’re wearing your favorite cropped tank, you’re dancing with your girls. There’s two random people next to you making out (and it’s making you really uncomfortable). The drinks are flowing, the music is popping and the frat boys are... flicking?
The frat flick epidemic has taken over these sweat-stained, slightly reeking of B.O. late night ragers. Rooms filled with 5’5” boys who desperately need fashion advice and clearly don’t know how to dance, resorting to flicking their fingers in the air with a false sense of confidence. You look left, you look right, they’re everywhere! So much so that you almost fall victim to the epidemic as well (but you refrain because you have morals).
The popularity of the frat flick emerged within the last year thanks to TikTok, which has provided us with plenty of commentaries on this unoriginal dance move. Watching random guys around you attempt to look cool just by standing there and moving their fingers truly makes you take a step back and think: frat culture is just so corny!
The fratmosphere is quite the spectacle. A group of guys who think they’re the shit throw a party littered with red solo cups. Their house looks like it’s going to fall apart at any moment. The drinks consist of gatorade mixed with an unknown amount of cheap vodka. A shirtless DJ is playing EDM music that you’ve never heard of, and he definitely isn’t very good at transitioning songs (also please put a shirt on)! You accidentally make eye contact with a guy five feet away from you, and the next thing you know he is tapping your shoulder and asking you if he knows you from somewhere (the answer is no, and use a better pick up line next time! Literally how are you supposed to
answer that question?) Or maybe a guy is dancing a little too close to you, and suddenly he’s all up in your grill, grabbing your waist and practically begging you to dance with him. Nearby, a group of at least ten guys gather together to simultaneously shotgun Natty Lights.
Looking around the dingy rooms of a frat house is an out of body experience. It makes you wonder, “Why do I even come here in the first place?” Alas, you put on your prettiest top and step foot into that house again and again and again, watching those little frat men flick their little frat fingers with glee. It’s their world, and we are just living in it. It’s a world filled with cringe and confusion, yet one thing is clear: the frat flick has got to go!
AN OUTSIDE LOOK INTO AMERICAN POLITICS
International students share their perspective on American politics and the upcoming election
Words by Jojo Wertheimer
Art by Mara DuBay | Designed by Abigail Aggarwara
When Syracuse University junior Javier Berczely was in sixth grade, his literature teacher paused class to pray for Marco Rubio to beat Former President Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential primary.
Berczely is from Madrid, Spain, where he attended an American Catholic school from the time he was 10 to 18 years old. While this was the first time Berczely recalls talking about American politics at school, it certainly wasn’t the last. Around the 2016 presidential election, the floodgates opened; Berczely remembers sitting on the bus on the way back from a field trip when one of his classmates brought up Trump. It was “just a bunch of 12 year old Spanish kids” talking about the U.S. election, he said.
Even after the 2016 election, the talk about American politics didn’t stop. When Berczely would watch the news with his parents, politicians like Trump and Clinton made headlines. In school, where most of the students were Spanish but some were American, it was present at all times, he said.
Now, Berczely is experiencing his first American election on U.S. soil. But like other international students without U.S. citizenship, he can’t vote.
“I have an opinion on who is a better fit to be president, but I personally wouldn’t vote [if I could],” said Berczely, who plans to graduate university, get a job or go to grad school for a few years and then be back in Madrid by 25 years old.
Berczely's dad, who lives in Madrid, has dual citizenship in Britain and Austria, where he can
legally vote in elections—which he does.
“I don’t tell him it’s wrong, because I don’t think it’s wrong, but the outcome of the election doesn’t affect you as much if you don’t live in that country,” Berczely said. “I don’t plan on living in the U.S. long term, so I would feel like my vote would be, not useless, but wouldn't really reflect what Americans would want.”
While international students without U.S. citizenship can’t vote, they’re directly impacted by policy decisions. Within the first week of his presidency, Trump enacted an executive order banning people from six majority-Muslim countries from entering the U.S., according to the Chronicle of Higher Education . Some students and academics were stranded mid-flight. Changes to visa programs under Trump created significant employment challenges post-graduate for some international students, and a proposed policy to restrict student visas to a two or four year time frame could have discouraged international students from coming to America, according to Forbes . Over the course of his presidency and beyond, Trump has run his political campaign on an anti-immigration platform, creating a social climate that has been described as hostile, or even inhospitable to outsiders.
If elected, Harris is expected to enact more supportive policies for international students, including continuing and potentially expanding post-graduated visa and citizenship pathways, according to a report by the Economic Times
“I think every American right now is very nervous, no matter who they support. Obviously I know the outcome can be pretty bad, but I feel like it doesn’t really affect me as an individual,” said Berczely. “I do have opinions, but they’re not as passionate as the opinions I have about Spanish politics."
SU junior Seven Nam, who is originally from South Korea but moved to Chile when she was 12, has little interest in American politics, and would also choose to not vote in American elections if she could. Nam hasn’t put much thought into either of the candidates, partly because she can’t vote, but also because she doesn’t see herself represented in American politics.
“We don’t have as much power as other people, I would say, when it comes to politics because we don’t see any examples of strong Asian leaders in politics right now. Maybe there
are, but it’s not widely recognized,” Nam said. “The president and the vice president, neither of them are Asian, so [I’m] just like, okay, I guess [I’ll] just stay neutral and see where things go."
Some international students do care deeply about the state of American politics and its global impacts, and are frustrated by their lack of a vote, according to a report by the Chronicle of Higher Education . But for those who don’t follow American politics, some political news still gets their attention. Nam, who sees most of her American political news on TikTok, was particularly shocked by the assassination attempt on Trump that occurred this last July.
“I guess because there's a lack of gun control here, that may be the cause of it,” she said.
The dramatics of American politics also stand out to Berczely, who said the use of religion in Trump’s politics feels disingenuous.
“I’m a Catholic person [and] a religious person. Seeing politicians like Trump—who very clearly, at least from what they show, are not religious at all—mention God in their speeches, feels incredibly, I wouldn’t say disrespectful, but fake,” he said. “The fact that some people don’t catch up on that is something that I find very shocking.”
Berczely also thinks certain hot topics in American politics are discussed at too great a length, while politicians are completely missing others “that could really affect the future of American citizens.”
“Artificial intelligence is on the rise—how are you going to change the education system to help students adapt to the new world we’re entering?” he said. “In respect to the U.S. election, I haven't heard anything about AI. Maybe I missed something, but I seriously don’t
know why it’s not being mentioned. Maybe it’s because it’s not a deciding factor, but it’s an important issue that has to be discussed.”
For Americans, election season can be brutal, with seemingly endless stressors and a lot on the line. But the perspective of international students can serve as a reminder that this moment in American politics is temporary, and there’s hope for the future.
“Every country thinks their politics are the worst and that politics in this specific time in history is the worst it’s ever been,” Berczely said.
“I do think that politics in America right now are not great, but I don’t think people ever go around saying, ‘Hey, politics right now are amazing.’ There’s always been shitty candidates in any country or in any elections, so I do think it’s a bad situation, [but] I don’t think it’s historically bad.”
LOCK UP WHEN YOU LEAVE
Examining issues of public safety across (and beyond) our campus
Words by Kiran Hubbard and Chandler McCoy
Art by Maddie Sloyer | Designed by Molly Zagroba
“In short, our campus is one of the safest places you can be.”
This is according to Syracuse University’s Safety and Security page on syracuse.edu. The Department of Public Safety’s combination of on and off-campus patrols, the Orange ALERT and blue light emergency systems and campus security’s collaboration with local authorities are all cited to support this claim.
But some students feel this semester’s changes to DPS’s Residential Safety Program are making our campus quite the opposite. According to DPS’s Residential Safety Program page, first and second-year residence halls now receive security from Residential Security Aids (RSAs) from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., then from residence community security officers (RCSOs) from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. In previous years, these dorms received 24-hour security, mainly from RCSOs.
The news staff on SU’s Campus & Community News page explained these changes as a means of adapting to the changing needs of students and the community. As a result, 33 fewer RCSOs and three fewer RSCO coordinators returned to their positions this year.
Underclassmen living in dorms with these new policies are noticing the difference. Ivy Daitch, a sophomore living in Haven Hall, noted one of the shortfalls that stuck out to her. She said that while a dorm like Haven has multiple I.D. scanners before anyone can get to its elevators and rooms, in Lawrinson Hall, where Daitch lived her freshman year, students—or anyone who enters the building—
can go directly from the front doors to the elevators if there is no security there to stop them.
Furthermore, there is a risk of people entering the building without scanning an SUID at all, referring to the habit many residents have of scanning their own I.D. for anyone who asks or letting someone into the building behind them.
“I feel like certain dorms should have 24-hour security and other dorms I’m okay with it,” Daitch said. “I think it really does depend on, does the security actually do much.”
This, in addition to putting a lot of focus on measures like the "two guests per resident" rule introduced last semester, is a huge flaw in DPS’s operations according to Daitch.
“I just think overall security has a lot of things to work on because the measures that are in place don’t do anything and the stuff that needs to be done isn’t there,” Daitch said.
Not all students agree that the lack of aroundthe-clock security is a negative change. Sophomore Sophia Damico, who lives in Watson Hall, feels that scanning is enough of a preventative measure to keep out intruders; in fact, she wishes that anyone with an SUID would be able to scan into any dorm regardless of their residence. The one concern she listed had to do with the gate barring the courtyard of Watson being left open.
“That makes the whole building accessible without having to scan anything anywhere,” Damico said. “I don’t really feel any less secure besides that.”
Student concerns are not limited to residence halls and other campus buildings. Many off-campus residents have noticed an uptick in crimes as of this semester—everyone seems to know someone who had their house or car broken into, property damaged or valuables stolen. According to the Syracuse University Daily Incident and Crime Log published by DPS, as of Oct. 2, there were 53 incidents of larceny, 13 of trespassing and 11 of property damage on and off-campus. That averages to a count of larceny every 1.1 days, trespassing every 4.5 days and property damage every 5.3 days.
The greater Syracuse area experienced a significant rise in property-related crimes during the first half of 2024. According to Syracuse Police Department data, property crime was up by 26.6% for the first six months of 2024 compared to 2023. This corresponded with a 19% decrease in violent crime and 16.1% increase in total crime during the same time period.
DPS declined to interview on the topic of campus safety, and a representative said that
the department did not have any statement at this time. Instead, they referred any questions to two online materials posted by SU and its affiliated sites: a Campus & Community article announcing the new residence hall security model and a page outlining the jurisdiction of DPS. The department’s law enforcement authority extends to campus proper, other buildings owned and operated by the university and any streets or sidewalks that connect these properties — including multiple blocks of Euclid Avenue, which is highly concentrated with student housing.
Junior Ava Bauknecht lives just off-campus with five housemates, none of whom felt they had any reason to feel unsafe in their new home after moving in. However, only a few weeks into the semester, someone broke into their living room through a cracked window and stole Bauknecht’s JBL speaker. Although the individual believed to be responsible for this, and a multitude of other break-ins, has since been apprehended, Bauknecht and her roommates do not feel the same sense of security they did earlier in the year.
“It’s freaky, because every now and then I’ll see random people walking up and down the street and getting back in their car, that could very much be an Uber Eats or a DoorDash or something. But still, now that this has happened, I’m very hypervigilant,” Bauknecht said. “It’s definitely put it into perspective for me that it’s not so much it could happen to you, [but] it will happen to you if you don’t take the proper precautions. Which is unfortunate, we shouldn’t have to live in fear.”
Bauknecht’s transition from living in BBB freshman year to her house was an abrupt one in terms of DPS visibility. Compared to the near-constant presence she was accustomed to in her dorm, there are very few patrols on the streets surrounding main campus.
Despite the lack of physical presence, there is a consistent perimeter of cameras on the corners and intersections closest to campus. Additionally, once Bauknecht and her roommates realized their property was missing, DPS was quick to respond and
transfer them to the proper SPD members. The authorities took their complaints seriously and handled them efficiently, including bringing in an officer to collect evidence for the stolen speaker.
While not every incidence of offcampus crime can be prevented, DPS has recommended students take these measures to protect themselves against break-ins and theft:
Always lock your windows and doors; secure your residence; make your residence look occupied; be sure your outdoor lighting is working and sufficient; lock sliding glass doors and place a wooden dowel or metal bar in the track of the door; don’t leave any valuable items near windows; take pictures of anything valuable; install tracking software like Find My; if you have a security alarm, make sure you turn it on when leaving your residence.
These guidelines align with the advice Bauknecht signed off with: “Lock your cars, lock your windows—hug your kids.”
INTO THE WOODS
A look at the ESF timber sports team in full swing
Words by Sophie Davis
Photos by Owen Sellers | Designed by Abigail Aggarwara
Axes swinging, logs rolling and blocks of wood cut perfectly in half with superhuman precision. For many, these images remain fossilized with the towering burliness of Paul Bunyan and other flannel-clad lumberjacks of American mythology (or worse, brooding “manly men” peddling Old Spice deodorant). Among the SUNY ESF woodsmen, however, timber sports feels as alive, authentic and human as ever.
ESF’s oldest athletic team, The Woodsmen, were established as a club in 1912 before obtaining official school-affiliated team status in the 1950s. Today, the team boasts a roster of roughly 50 axethrowers, loggers and woodsmen of all trades. Competing with other colleges in team and single events based on preserving old forestry practices, ESF has developed a reputation as one of the most developed collegiate timber sports teams in the northeast. The Woodsmen have been able to achieve this status through faculty support, high interest from students and an active alumni network—many of whom have returned from professional timber sports careers to foster the next generation of woodsmen.
If the idea of a career in timber sports is new to you, fear not. We here at Jerk were also surprised to hear about this robust subculture, complete with events like super swede, cookie stack and crosscut to hell. Even current leaders on the team admit they were unfamiliar with its intricacies before joining the team.
“It was one of those things that I was like, ‘where else am I ever going to do this?’” said Luke Myers, who has been a part of the Woodsmen for three years. “I’m at tree school, let’s do the tree sport,” said Woodsmen Vice President Siobhan Scully of her decision to join the quintessential ESF team.
The fact that current leaders on the team have embraced the sport in such a relatively short time represents one of the core pillars of timber sports: regardless of stature or gender, everyone has an opportunity for success.
“Most of the events, [...] it doesn’t matter how big or small you are, once you figure out that technique, you can figure it out. Also pretty much everyone is starting at the same level when it comes to collegiate timber sports. You don't need any experience,” said Woodsmen President Kaisa Mackey.
Mackey’s collegiate birling prowess is itself a testament to the limitless possibilities of timber sports at this level; balancing on a spinning 10-foot long log that floats in the water, Mackey has carved out a name for herself as one of the best birlers in the northeast (and, for those who are curious, recommends wool socks to properly take on the oftentimes frigid temperatures of the water).
For timber sports novices who might not understand how birling, axe-throwing, crosscutting and seemingly infinite other events can occur at the same time, ESF senior Quinn Maelgin described the average collegiate meet as a sort of intensified track meet, with lots of overlapping events. Only instead of sprints and the occasional shot put, classic events for the Woodsmen include sawing logs in half and running timber downhill as fast as they can.
“My parents have a blast every time they come to a meet. Sometimes you go to a sports event and you watch your kids play and it's so boring, but there’s so much to do. This is just an area where there’s a lot going on and there’s a lot more complexity than meets the eye,” said Scully on the non-stop action of timber sports, especially as it’s elevated by the natural beauty that surrounds players and spectators alike during meets.
With enough axes and chainsaws to satisfy even the most terrifying horror movie villain, it’s no secret the sport has a higher liability risk than most. But the team is quick to explain that in addition to the personal protective equipment they put to use—including metal booties and chainmail shin guards that somehow have yet to be featured on the SU fits instagram (let’s get on that, people!)—most safety concerns are best combated with plenty of training and assurance that each team member knows how to use the equipment properly.
The Woodsmen have also come to understand the importance of fostering emotional comfort as well as physical comfort among new members.
“In the past it has been the stereotypical mullet and mustache, so I can see why it was, to some
extent, exclusive, but we are trying to be more inclusive through things as simple as the music we play at practice—it’s not just country! We’re trying to be more inclusive in everything we do across the board,” Myers said of the stereotypical Brawny paper towel mascot lumberjacking has become indelibly intertwined with.
Another factor that cultivates open-minded team culture is the fact that both of their head coaches are women, but Mackey emphasized that “it’s a sport and if anyone wants to do it, they shouldn’t be pushed out for social reasons.”
Despite the clichés, Maelgin believes the close-knit nature of the timber sports community motivates the team to make greater strides towards inclusivity, noting that “we’re not a sport that's able to afford the luxury of being exclusive for the sake of exclusivity, we just want to see people doing what we enjoy.”
You too might be wondering whether spending their weekends casually swinging axes and balancing effortlessly on logs in freezing cold water affords the Woodsmen any clout in the larger ESF community. Scully admits that she did somewhat feel she achieved quasi-celebrity status after first joining the team as a freshman, especially since the group is often colloquially referred to as “the closest thing ESF has to a frat.” Now, however, she is quick to assure us that the Woodsmen’s “just another athletics team,” and we need not
fall at their feet if we catch a glimpse of one of them walking around campus—regardless of how impressive their athletic pursuits are to those of us who have trouble balancing on our own two feet under even the most ordinary of circumstances.
Of course, much of the team culture still seems to be an active rejection of the Letterman jacketsporting polishedness associated with other athletic teams. Exchanging shy chuckles when asked about how they approach team building off the field and reflecting fondly on the man named Bucket who used to be their timber supplier, it’s clear that the Woodsmen take some pride in their gritty, do-it-yourself mentality. The team didn’t have official coaches until the 90s, and even now students are tasked with fundraising, planning meets and managing equipment for the team.
While their micro-celebrity status may be debatable, the Woodsmen understand how foreign the concept may sound to those outside of its orbit.
“There are definitely mixed reactions when I first explain to people what it is,” said Myers of the sport. Mackey reported similarly diverging views; “Some people don’t know what it is, but other people are like ‘that’s so cool! You swing axes!’”
Myers’ advice for those who aren’t sure which side of the spectrum they fall on? Come check out one of their meets! “If you’re not going to do it, you might as well come watch it cause you’re never gonna see it anywhere else.”
LOVE YOUR CURLS
Words by Jojo Wertheimer
Photos by Ailani Wong | Designed by Emma Coyer
If Syracuse University senior Jayandre Boscin is having a bad hair day, the rest of his day is automatically bad too. Like many others with curly hair, the strands of Boscin’s hair are as important to his identity as the strands of his DNA. This is what curly hair means to who we are, as told by SU students.
“When I fix my hair, it’s kind of like putting on an outfit,” said Boscin. “Sometimes I throw it in braids, do it how my ancestors had it [or] do it how my Caribbean family [does it]. Whether I have it in my braids, whether I have it out, whether I have it in my afro—no matter what, it’s a part of me. Without my hair, I wouldn’t be who I am.”
“It became something important to me because I felt like I always needed to have straight hair to be pretty,” said junior Natalia Cancel-Quintana. “But once I really grew into it, and once I learned how to do my curls, I started to look at myself in the mirror and say, ‘this is me, and I love it.'
That’s when I was like, ‘I’m not going back’—and I haven’t straightened my hair since.”
“A lot of mixed children have curlier types of hair, so it’s really a way to, not only identify myself as a person, but identify myself as my culture [and] my ethnicity,” said Baker, whose father is Black and mom is white.
“If I'm with people of color, I can just let it out,” said Boscin. “I don’t have to think twice about [my hair] because everybody else knows how it is to have this hair.”
“My hair has always been more high maintenance than a lot of my friends,” said freshman Eliana Rosen, who used to straighten her hair for special events. “But now I love having curly hair. It’s something that makes me unique, and it’s also something that connects me to my Judaism because it’s a very sort of Ashkenazi Jewish thing to have curly hair.”
“When you have curly hair, it takes like two to three hours to get ready in the morning—to have it dry, to be set. But I wouldn’t have it any other way,” said sophomore Matt Malkiewicz. “That’s really what ties me to my culture. I’m pretty white, but having that side of the family and being able to kind of rep that on my head is such a big part of my life.”
“[My hair] is one of the first things people notice about me,” said SU sophomore Jensen Baker. “At first, I used to hate that. I used to do everything to make my hair straight [and] to put my hair back. But as I continue to grow up, I continue to embrace it and realize that it being the first thing people see about me isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s an amazing thing because curly hair is so beautiful.”
TULA GOENKA
Jerk gets "reel" with the TRF legend
Words by Cecilia Catalini
Photo by Collin Synder
A career in communications, let alone filmmaking, is not always something that’s celebrated—at least not in the case of television, radio and film Professor Tula Goenka. If it wasn’t for Goenka’s uncle who saw the beauty in filmmaking and arts as a poet himself, who knows if Goenka would have moved to the U.S. and started her journey in storytelling.
Although she started with an undergraduate degree in sociology, Goenka always loved movies. After receiving a graduate degree in communications in India, she took her first step towards her dream by coming to the U.S. in 1984, where she attended the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and earned her masters in television, radio and film. She then moved to New York City and worked various jobs as an editor and was even a production coordinator for MTV.
Starting to work postgrad, Goenka worked as an assistant editor on Salaam Bombay! , the first feature film she worked on and the first of two films that would change her life. She found herself connected to the story by Mira Nair as it centered around the city of Bombay, where she went to graduate school and where her parents spent part of their lives.
Second was Do the Right Thing by Spike Lee. Goenka did not get the job as assistant editor easily—Lee was not sure if he wanted her for the job. But it was head editor Barry Alexander Brown who pushed Lee to trust Goenka to help on the film. Ultimately Goenka found the film to be an important learning experience, as it allowed her to see “how American society works” and learn
more about American history, such as the civil rights movement.
Throughout her time in the U.S., Goenka has spearheaded numerous projects in New York City and at Syracuse University. She helped cofound Sakhi for South Asian Women, a women’s organization that advocates for survivors of domestic violence. Through the organization, she coordinated a South Asian Women’s film festival, which inspired her and Professor Roger Hallas to create the Syracuse University Human Rights Film Festival.
“Our intention was to bring to campus important and impactful films that Syracuse students would not have access to,” Goenka said.
As we see the film industry changing, we also see a stronger inclusion of South Asian representation in production and on-screen storytelling in film. Goenka notes that streaming services have played a significant role in telling South Asian stories, as the Indian film industry continues to grow into one of the biggest in the world.
“With streamers, filmmakers are using Western modes of storytelling for South Asian stories and that is very exciting,” Goenka said.
With South Asian filmmaking still expanding, Goenka works to bring other subjects of interest to the table and tell lots of different kinds of stories. Goenka is currently working on her “Look Now” project that centers around breast cancer survivors.
“This year, I am trying to recenter myself and get back to some of my projects.”
STOP AND SHRED THE FLOWERS
Syracuse’s beloved skate shop blooms in a new location
Words by Olivia Fried
Photo by Olivia Pagel
We know all too well how easy it is to stay in our little bubble up here on University Hill.
Whether you’re looking to indulge in a sweet treat, play a game of pickleball or challenge your friends to a couple of rounds of Mario Kart, it would seem as though our Syracuse University bubble has everything we need. But for those of us looking to explore beyond the comfort and confines of our community, downtown Syracuse is a good place to start.
The Flower Skate Shop, located on Walton Street near Armory Square, can be recognized from afar by the flowering wall decals that adorn the entryway. The inside of the shop stays true to its name as visitors are first met with a giant skate ramp that sits beside a nearly 5-foot-tall sculpture of a flower.
Behind the ramp, the shop’s unique merch is laid out for skaters who want to buy some gear or anyone who’s interested in their designs. The wide selection includes hoodies and t-shirts featuring sketches of flowers created by local artists. Charlie Giancola said the majority of their sales come from those outside of the skating community that simply like their clothing designs and the energy in the shop. A favorite memory of his was when a family came in to shop and left with bags full of the store’s merch simply because their last name was Flower and they loved the designs.
However, with a wide variety of artsy boards from reputable skating companies and a handbuilt ramp to test them out, Flower Skate Shop has become a spot for Syracuse’s skating scene to buy equipment and try new tricks. Many customers will spend a few hours at the shop, skating and hanging out with the owners.
Giancola said what sets the shop apart from others is its interactive nature and the owners’ interest in connecting newcomers with skating opportunities in the area. As avid members of Syracuse’s skating scene, Giancola and his co-owners know the best parks in the city and have local connections who frequently organize meet-ups.
Giancola’s vision for the shop was influenced by his desire to have visitors feel welcomed by the energy in the shop and the casual feel. “I wanted the shop to be a space I enjoyed to be in too,” he said, pointing to the vinyls and video game setup he uses throughout the day.
The Flower Skate Shop moved into its new home on Walton Street just months ago in February, and has since made the space more of its own. Throughout this time, though, the goal of the shop has been to make their space a welcoming community and they would love for that to extend to SU.
Photos by Kat Shaw | Designed by Eva Aurnhammer
RECLAIMING LINGERIE
The revived "underwear-as-outerwear" trend can be a powerful tool for female autonomy
Words by Joelle de Poto
Art by Kate Tang | Designed by Megan Radakovich
Undergarments are at the core of any good outfit. Literally.
Cloaked under layers of visible clothing, they provide support as the unseen heroes of fashion. However, the mutable aspect of fashion is that every staple has the potential to be changed, radically altered or repurposed. This is the case with lingerie and the history of its sexualization. The term “lingerie” refers to women’s underwear, nightwear and intimate apparel, but undeniably also carries the word sexy with it. Sexy slip dress, sexy brassiere, sexy thong and so on.
It is unequivocal that lingerie and eroticism are linked together, especially considering the influence that lingerie brands such as Frederick’s of Hollywood and Victoria’s Secret have on consumers. The hyper-commercialization of lingerie, which has predominantly been orchestrated by men, arguably contributes to the patriarchal control over women’s bodies. Why else would a man be responsible for hiring Victoria’s Secret Angels? At the same time, women are not “pandering to the male gaze” when they wear lingerie. A cornerstone of cultivating personal style is wearing what you feel good in. Yet, it is hard to avoid succumbing to unrealistic beauty standards.
For example, although constantly sexualized, cleavage is not inherently sexual, nor is “underboob” or even a “bikini bod”—so how have women’s bodies and clothing become hypersexualized in today’s climate? Dana WilsonKovacs, author of Dressed to Impress: Looking the Part, stipulates that there is little evidence of
lingerie being considered sexually stimulating prior to the nineteenth century. However, according to Wilson-Kovacs, there is one item of lingerie that was considered erotic as far back as at least the fourteenth century in Europe: the garter.
The garter, prior to the invention of elastic, was a textile band tied below the knee to hold up hosiery. While the garter’s use was commonplace, an erotic appeal developed because the garter was essentially the border between the clothed body and the naked one. The mere thought of the garter was, for many men, utterly titillating.
On the other side of the same coin is women’s underpants, which many people in Western society refused to adopt until the nineteenth century, during which they gradually became acceptable and preferred over petticoats. In Britain, it was mainly through advertisements, especially from medical professionals, that women gave in to the practical appeal of underpants.
Ironically, women’s underpants were met with much more resistance than lingerie items that are typically ascribed sexual connotations, such as the corset. A likely explanation is that women’s underpants are, above all else, functional. It is arguably harder for the voyeur to create fantasies about an item of clothing when even he knows it serves the woman wearing it more than it can ever serve him.
However, the growth of the underwear industry changed this purpose of functionality so that it became a product with a surplus of stylistic options to choose from. Underwear no longer sought to answer “yes” to questions of "Is it hygienic?" and "Is it practical?" Instead, the trendiness and visual aesthetics of underwear began to compete with cleanliness and practicality for importance.
The intense effect that the mass production and advertisement of undergarments has had on women’s consumption of lingerie is hard to ignore. Women’s bodies are constantly facing new “trends.” In the 1920s, the desired female silhouette was boyish and shapeless and in the 1990s it was “heroin chic.” In the 2020s, the trend seems
to change every year from being “slim thick” to getting a “BBL” to taking ozempic.
Yet, against all odds, women should still maintain the agency to wear whatever the fuck they want. In fact, women exerting this agency is radical, especially in the climate of the overturning of Roe v. Wade, masculinist influencers promoting misogynistic ideologies and the growing popularity of “trad wives.”
One of the most notable decades for wearing visible lingerie was the 1980s, but women in the 2020s have also been quick to adopt this trend. The popularized trend of “underwear-asouterwear” places highly-sexualized articles of clothing in mundane, everyday environments, thus de-emphasizing their sexual connotations while still allowing women to feel confident in their outfits.
A slip dress worn as an everyday dress is functional as outerwear, just as it is functional as a nightgown. When a woman confronts society with lingerie as her outfit, she is helping to destigmatize women’s bodies and to challenge the belief that women’s undergarments are taboo. Of course, if a woman decides not to confront society in this way, she can still assert her agency and bodily autonomy because she knows her choice is her own. Amidst influence from major brands trying to influence trends in women’s bodies, it is important for women to not only wear what they enjoy, but also, at times, question why they enjoy what they enjoy.
Wearing “underwear-as-outerwear” is about turning the inside out. When we do this, we do not simply just expose ourselves and make ourselves vulnerable—both literally and metaphorically—but we also create a sense of transparency and perhaps visibility. Wearing lingerie can be cathartic because it can allow women to be visible according to their own terms. The hope is that when a woman says, “Let me slip into something more comfortable,” she actually means it.
FORM AND FUCTION: How to dress like...
A FANGIRL
We’re finally putting the fashion of a modern fangirl in the spotlight
Words by Maddy Brousseau
Photo by Alicia Hoppes
Fangirls are supporters that ride for their favorite comics, movies, music or science fiction. The term became more mainstream when describing fans of Elvis Presley and The Beatles in the 50s and 60s and became a global phenomenon as more heartthrobs emerged on the media scene. Fangirls have become the backbone of so many industries by buying concert tickets, attending conventions and making sure to be in movie theaters opening weekend. It’s finally time to stop making them the punchline, and start respecting the effort and energy it takes to be a modern fangirl.
MINI SKIRT: Tuck your cute top into a mini skirt. The skirt is short enough to still be called mini but long enough to cover you up when jumping behind the barricade.
PLATFORM SHOES: For shoes, high top Doc Martens or Converse. The chunkier the better. Fangirls need tall heels to see their favorite artist on stage above the crowd.
EXCESSIVE ACCESSORIES:
Chunky silver necklaces and bracelets stacked with the neon wristbands that came with your ticket gives a fun pop of color. Maybe include matching friendship bracelets you made with your friend for the concert.
CUSTOM MADE SHIRT: To stand out in a crowd, wear a one-of-a-kind ironic Etsy shirt or fan-made concert merch. You have to stand out in the audience so your favorite artist notices you!
BLACK TIGHTS: Chilly outdoor concert, an easy way to cover up bare legs for a fan girl is with fishnet or sheer tights—black of course.
CLOSET CASE: UNSIPPED
Why beverages have become everyone’s favorite outfit elevator
Words by Sophie Davis
Photo by Brenna Desmond
“There is a special bond between girls and the fun drink wall at the grocery store” reads a now-viral TikTok posted by user @jamisencasey earlier this fall. The video is just one piece of commentary on a larger trend of people delighting in the “fun drink” craze as more and more beverage options become available and the idea of rewarding oneself with small treats becomes increasingly popular. More than sustenance, drinks have come to be regarded as miniature indicators of one’s energy, aesthetic and personal branding. So, if you’re looking to level-up your ‘fit for class, close out Depop and look no further than the CVS drink case.
Red Bull: Anna Long
A trusty accessory for any SU student looking to pull an allnighter (or even an all-dayer), Red Bull is “a late night thing that’s ready at a moment’s notice,” according to Long. Pairing the drink that “gives you wings” with an Americana-inspired denim ensemble, Long pays tribute to the classic convenience store drink. Commenting on the overarching craze, Long shared that “having a fun drink definitely puts you in a certain mood and it really encapsulates how you feel. If it’s a bad drink then I have a bad day.”
Coffee: Maddie Eggendsperger
From the wholesomeness of People’s Place to the endlessly facey line at Pages Café, iced coffee is a mainstay on campus and a natural addition to Eggendsperger’s cozy fall look. “Sometimes when you walk with a drink in your hand people look at you a certain way,” she said on the trend. “It can say a lot about you, but also complements the outfit you’re wearing.”
Created to embody “community, friendship, and environmental stewardship,” Guayaki Yerba Mate has gained a cult following as a naturally-brewed, earthy alternative to other caffeine beverages. McVicar, a self described “big drink person” paired the drink with the flowy, Woodstock-esque aesthetic the drink has come to be closely associated with.
Yerba Mate: Kate McVicar
REINVENTING THE "HAUS" SHOW VENUE
Sage Haus puts a spin on the underground music scene
Words by Fei Chan and Laura Lemgruber
Photos by Kailyn Peng | Designed by Megan Radakovich
Long green and lilac arrows led guests to an inviting sage-green house. Chalk flowers encircled a greeting etched on the entrance’s pavement: “Welcome to Sage Haus.” Past the entrance, local vendors selling handmade jewelry and reworked garments filled the hallway leading to the backyard. As the farmers market’s first guests trickled in—all wearing neon green wristbands with “Sage Haus ♡s U” handwritten on them—they were met with warm greetings from their friends, chatting in anticipation for the show to begin. Soon enough, the sound of the evening’s first band, XO, filled the warm afternoon air. Farmers market posters and colorful banners lined their stage, framed by the backyard’s greenery. Although this may not sound like your typical house show, it was the setting of Sage Haus’ inaugural show.
Sage Haus, appropriately named after the house’s sage green exterior, is the newest live music venue in Syracuse University. It seeks to create a unique, curated ambiance at its shows that feels personal to guests by pouring extra care into the finer details. Alana Lugo, a freshman at SU, remarked that the farmers market “felt more intimate” than other shows. “Everything felt very cohesive,” she said. “From the vendors, to the food to the decor—everything felt like it blended together.”
The two masterminds behind it all, Anjali Engstrom and Romy VanAlmen, met freshman year at SU and have been inseparable ever since. Both in the Bandier Program at the S.I. Newhouse
School, they share a passion for music and were quickly drawn to the student house show scene. Now juniors, they decided to collaborate on their capstone project—this is where Sage Haus comes in. Besides their love for the shows they've frequented since their early days at SU, Engstrom and VanAlmen wished to create a space that stood out. Each night at Sage Haus, a new room transforms into a stage, creating a completely different experience than the last. From an open-
air farmers market show to a cozy living room set, guests at Sage Haus are sure to enter a different setting each time they attend. “We want people to be like, ‘I went to Sage Haus and it was the best time ever,’” Engstrom said. “But the next time they come it’s something completely different.”
Engstrom and VanAlmen take a three-pronged approach when creating an “elevated house show.” The first is by ensuring the audience has a “truly memorable experience” at their events. The second
is having one-off events, meaning all of Sage Haus’ events are one-of-a-kind and will never be repeated again by them. The third is making sure attendees know who they are—not for notoriety but to make them feel like they’re being welcomed to their home.
“We want people to come back every time having an amazing experience, and we want them to know that when they come back, it won't be the same, but it will be of the same quality,” Engstrom noted.
Another way they’ve “inverted” the typical house show structure is by having three distinct stage locations: their backyard for full daytime band sets, the living room for acoustic sets and the basement for DJ boiler room sets.
Sage Haus is also the only fully female-run student house show venue in the university area—a change from the typically male-dominated house show scene. Engstrom and VanAlmen’s perspective from being female performers themselves helped them decide what they wanted to incorporate into their own house show experiences, including a special eye for detail. Engstrom and VanAlmen gave the experiences a personal touch by handdelivering invitations to their closest friends for their very first boiler room set and hand-writing notes on the farmers market wristbands.
More importantly, however, their own experiences influenced them to strive to prioritize the physical comfort of their audience by upholding a limited capacity for each event and making sure they extend a hand to attendees to make sure they feel taken care of. This means openly making themselves known as the people leading Sage Haus and making themselves available to, if necessary, hand out water, help attendees find their way home and address any discomfort that may arise—anything that lets people know they’re there for them and aren’t just the faceless figures of another student house show venue.
“If anything were to happen, we're there for people and we just want people to know that,” VanAlmen said.
This sentiment was decisively expressed in their latest show which was held in a cozy, candle-lit living room. Unlike the animated performances from Sage Haus’ first show, the night’s three performers—CC
Cosenza, McKenna Fenimore and Nancy Dunkle— played slow, acoustic sets. Dispersed around the living room, some on the floor, some lounging in the couches around the room, the audience was hypnotized by the music. Throughout all three sets, guests were captivated by the performances, a few even becoming emotional at some of the particularly heart-wrenching songs. The homey armchairs on the stage, the flowers decorating the room and the whimsical purple and blue lighting created an intimate atmosphere completely unlike their past show. As Engstrom and VanAlmen took the stage to introduce themselves in-between sets, their care and love for the show were evident.
Sage Haus is the pair’s Bandier capstone project, a long-term project for which Bandier students are tasked with building their own business that aligns with their professional interests. But above all for them, it is a labor of love and friendship. They acknowledged that being best friends, roommates and business partners doesn’t work for everyone, but it’s strengthened their bond.
“[Romy's] someone that is really reliable and I trust her with my life—I trust Romy more than anyone,” Engstrom said. “And I just know in every scenario, that we will have each other's backs.”
One factor that helped them is how the capstone structure allowed them to delegate separate roles for Sage Haus. Engstrom serves as the director of marketing and VanAlmen as the director of production and booking, but they still make sure all decisions are made together. They also receive help from their roommates, Cookie Klinger and Grace Ferguson, and their other close friends who often volunteer as makeshift event staff.
“It just feels so good to execute something to that level with your best friend and your [other] best friends,” Engstrom said. “Our roommates could not have been better, more supportive people in this process, so it's just been a real treat.”
Looking forward to next month, students can keep an eye out for details about Sage Haus’ house show tailgate on Nov. 2, an event that will combine live music with a traditional college tailgate vibe. Yes, the frats and their “darties” will always be there, but they hope this gives an alternative option for those who want a different kind of tailgate experience.
PACKAGE INTRO
FROM 365 TO 911
Why college may not be the place to be brat
Dek
Words by Juliet Seith
Words by Name
Art by Kate Tang | Designed by Molly Zagroba
Art by Name
Let’s face it—Syracuse University has a teeny tiny reputation as a “party school.” We know it, you know it, and we are proud of it. After all, who wants to spend their early adulthood somewhere boring?
Partying has always been a key part of college culture, especially at SU, and with the release of Charli XCX’s Brat a few months ago, house music has returned to the mainstream, only improving the weekend experience. The aesthetic curated by the album encourages excessive drinking and drug use along with other risky habits, which seem cool—in concept. You can only listen to a hot woman sing about “bumpin’ that” so many times before you become infatuated by the desire to try it yourself. However, here at Jerk , we’re taking a closer look at the dangers this “brat” persona creates for young college students.
The correlation between the “crude” music we listen to and our behavior has long been criticized by older generations. We tend to shrug these comments off because, OBVIOUSLY, we know the difference between ourselves and these artists. However, according to a study conducted by Bridgewater University professors, musical choices that include references to drugs like alcohol or marijuana can put college students at risk of drug abuse. The same goes the other way, as the study also proposed that students already using substances can seek music that confirms their behavior as the norm.
According to the study, when students listen to music about using drugs, they are significantly more likely to use these drugs than students who do not. When this style of music is as mainstream as Brat has been in recent months, this starts to become worrisome. After all, Charli XCX is a 32-year-old woman with a good few million to fall back on in case of an emergency. The last thing
a freshly 18-year-old student needs is a quick line or bottle.
These actions are harmful in more ways than just a student’s health. An SU first-year student who requested to remain anonymous said she noticed some of the actions taken by her peers are more intense than she would have ever expected.
“There was a girl in front of one of the frats passed out. My friend and I went over to try and help her, and another girl called 911,” she said. “But so many people walked by as if this were the most normal thing, and then, when emergency services finally showed up, a lot of people seemed more annoyed than concerned.”
While there were still many students who came to the unconscious girl’s aid, she said that the normalcy with which others treated the situation was unlike anything she’d ever seen before. She followed up with the girl a few days after the situation.
“I guess she’d taken an edible and drank, but she said it wasn’t even that much,” she said.
Adrian Berger, a third-year SU student, spent the first weekend of the semester working security for a door at one of SU’s student-run house shows, where he saw his fair share of overly-intoxicated students during his five hours working. Often, the first couple weeks of school can be the most dangerous, especially for new students who are starting to experience the college “party scene,” he pointed out.
“The freshmen are not careful and do not know their limits. They haven’t had time to learn, so they go crazy, which quite often has bad results,” he said.
When asked for examples, Berger said, “I just remember looking out at the street and seeing someone slumped on the sidewalk; it was a student who drank too much, so the ambulance needed to be called to make sure they were okay. I think they
probably got carried away and didn’t realize how much they were drinking and how quickly. It’s just a lack of experience.”
While he enjoyed his time working the door and found the experience quite rewarding, keeping
Obviously, the music isn’t going anywhere—and this isn’t to say that it should. Charli knows what she is doing—that shit is catchy! But the culture it creates was designed for a world that college students cannot and should not be a part of.
KAMALA, SO CONFUSING
How does a British pop star’s album become the branding for an American presidential campaign?
Words by Annabel Adams
Art by Mara DuBay | Designed by Emily Saraidarian
The summer of 2024 proved to be a memorable era in many young adults’ lives. Between the release of a pop culture phenomenon, the announcement of the first woman of color presidential nominee and their unexpected symbiotic relationship, how could one forget?
This exists in the context
June 7, 2024 : Pop culture as we know it was flipped onto its head with the release of Charli XCX’s sixth studio album, Brat . The release of Brat made history for Charli’s career, as it debuted at number three on the all-genre Billboard Top 200 chart. Suddenly, one could not open social media without seeing something Brat-related or in the Brat style; thus, “Brat Summer” commenced.
July 21, 2024: President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the presidential race and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee. On the same day, Charli announced “kamala IS brat” on X, cementing her endorsement for Harris. The Gen Z-savvy professionals behind the Kamala HQ account quickly changed its X header to “kamala hq” in the style of the Brat album cover, and made multiple posts confirming the Brat rebrand.
Jerk conducted an interview with Dr. Nick Bowman, a professor in the S.I. Newhouse School who specializes in media psychology, to learn more about how the Harris campaign hopes to put the “pop” in popular vote. Bowman explained that “campaigns have always embraced young staffers, [so] it should not be surprising that campaigns are able to communicate to young people.” In true Gen Z fashion, Harris' campaign staffers were quick to edit her iconic laugh and coconut tree line into memes and TikTok videos with Charli’s songs, cementing Harris as Brat and capturing young voters’ attention.
Political pop
So, really, what does a British party girl have to do with the American Democratic nominee? Bowman points out that a musician’s brand is normally aligned with certain political ideals
from the moment of their debut. Charli is often associated with “queer demographics” and being unapologetic, which connects with young voters.
“Craft is embedded in cultural narratives,” Bowman said. “It’s hard to hide their politics.”
Charli’s nationality also plays a strange role in this endorsement. She cannot vote for Harris, so why endorse her? Well, “Liberalism is liberalism, no matter where you live,” Bowman said, concluding that it’s natural that Charli would feel strongly about the most prominent liberal politician right now.
Bumpin’ that vote
There are many arguments against politicians embracing endorsements. One respondee to a student survey Jerk conducted stated that this affiliation “tarnish[es] [Harris’s] name” and that “stupid, trash singers shouldn’t change [your] political views.”
Yet, it is hard to ignore that we live in a highly politically apathetic country. According to a study conducted by the Pew Research Center, people under the age of 30 made up only 15% of all voters in the 2020 presidential election. So, maybe Harris did need to have a “Brat Summer” in order for young Americans to actually cast their ballot this November.
THE KIDS BELIEVE IN BRAT, JUST CONFESS IT
How the color green defined a season and influenced the attitudes of the youth
Words by Miguel Rodriguez
Art by Maddie Sloyer | Designed by Ailani Wong
A year ago, if you were to ask someone what the word “brat” meant, and if that someone you asked had a strange obsession with reading the eleventh edition of the Merriam-Webster dictionary as a child, they probably would have said:
“The meaning of ‘brat’ is child; specifically: an ill-mannered annoying child.”
Since then, Charlotte Emma Aitchison, a singer-songwriter most famously known as Charli XCX, has taken the word and used it to begin a cultural revolution.
Following a long journey in the music business that spanned nearly 15 years and began with a 14-year-old Charli performing at underground raves, the artist released her sixth studio album Brat in the summer of 2024. The album was released to critical acclaim and extreme popularity, debuting at No. 3 on the Billboard Top 200 chart, and making a meteoric impact on popular culture.
Notable for its minimalistic cover art that depicts an acid green square with low-resolution text of the word “brat” in the middle, the album’s booming soundscapes, sonically hopping songwriting and unapologetic subject matter, provides its listeners with modern-day sounds of liberation that shout, “be yourself and fuck anyone else who says otherwise.”
Whether she’s reminiscing about “bumpin’ that” in a bathroom over the grimiest party beat (which we don’t condone here at Jerk), or yearnfully singing about parenthood and settling down, Charli never fails to be honest with who she is.
According to Theo Cateforis, a pop music
scholar at Syracuse University, Charli’s lack of fear when it comes to experimentation and saying what she wants is what makes her so popular amongst the younger generations of music listeners.
“I am not surprised at all that she would have an album that would go viral and that would somehow end up intertwined with a presidential campaign,” Cateforis said. “While she has one foot in mainstream pop, I think she also has a bit more of a kind of edgy experimentalism to her. So because of that, something like Brat is able to seem not simply as a kind of manufactured marketing ploy but something attached to an artist who has a level of credibility.”
This attitude is reflected in the album’s viral marketing and reception from fans. Around the time of the album’s initial release, acid-green billboards and murals brandishing the Brat album cover could be spotted all over the world as Charli made her way from city to city on a tour of album release raves. There, Charli would DJ her album to seas of fans drenched in acid-green clothing and free-flowing expression. What followed was the beginning of what people and popular media dubbed “Brat Summer,” a phenomenon that Charli described as knowing no form. Brat Summer could be sipping Dom Perignon and riding on a luxurious speed boat or, as Charli said in an interview for the BBC’s Sidetracked, “It can go that way, like, quiet luxury, but it can also be so, like, trashy. Just, like, a pack of cigs, and, like, a Bic lighter, and, like, a strappy white top, with no bra. That's, like, kind of all you need.”
CLUB CLASSICS
A Jerk-curated checklist for your brattiest nights
Words by Juliet Seith
Art by Adam Draft-Johnson | Designed by Kate Tang
AH, Friday night! Some will call it the best time of the week, while others will give this award to Saturdays. We here at Jerk say that wherever your preference may lie, it’s important to take advantage of the evening and make the most of your night. To enhance your experience, we have compiled a list of important necessities for a wild, story-packed, Insta-worthy night (and a relatively painless morning after!). Here’s everything the ultimate brat should remember when prepping for a night to remember:
Mini sunglasses. No more practical at night than when it’s pouring rain, but as the ultimate cool girl accessory, they’re a perfect touch. Amazon sells three-packs for less than $10, which is great if you are prone to losing things when partying.
Full bottle of water. Leave this on the nightstand and do NOT touch her all night. Your morning self will be eternally grateful. Good group of friends. This could even be one other person you trust to stick by your side throughout the night. You need to make sure there are people looking out for you and then do the same for them. It's the best way to ensure everyone’s safety.
Code word. Girl, the NUMBER of times throughout the night you may end up in a conversation or interaction you do not want to be in is astonishing. If you aren’t the direct type, pick a word or phrase you and your friends can easily say or text to let each other know you need an exit plan ASAP.
Black mini skirt. Need we say more?
Electrolyte drink mixers. Not only can this make some stronger drinks taste better, but it is also a great way to prevent
dehydration. Gatorade and Liquid IV are classics and easy to find, but we recently discovered ONLY Hydration and think their packets taste much better and less artificial.
Protein. The concept of carbs “soaking up” alcohol in your body is unfortunately a myth. Any alcohol you drink will enter the bloodstream no matter how much you eat beforehand. BUT! Drinking on an empty stomach will lead to irritation in your small intestine. When the alcohol has protein to travel with, its effect on your organs is less severe. If you take nothing else away from this list, please, please, please understand that eating before you drink will not only make the evening easier but will prevent long-term damage to your body.
Body glitter. This may not be essential for every night, but if you want to improve a mediocre outfit easily, this is the best hack. Charged phone. The worst thing that can happen on any given night is to be under the influence and separated from your friends with no means of communication. Portable chargers are bulky and get lost too easily to rely on, so just make sure you’re as close to 100% as possible before you leave home.
Everyone you meet will have their own methods they swear by to make their nights as amazing as possible. Talk to your friends and try different practices until you have your own perfect routine to make every weekend as Brat as possible.
XO, Jerk
BRAT SUMMER? NO, BRAT SEASON!
A playlist for the brattiest Jerks
Words by Mams Jagha
Art by Kate Tang | Designed by Emily Saraidarian
As the seasons change, so do our playlists! If you’re anything like us here at Jerk , the only thing you were bumping this summer was Charli XCX’s latest album, Brat . But as we transition into cooler months, with less sunlight and the return to school, we still crave songs that capture the Brat vibe while reflecting the shifting seasons. Lucky for you, we’ve curated a list of five tracks that are perfect in any playlist and can “bump” all year round!
“We Still Don’t Trust You” by Future & Metro Boomin ( We Still Don’t Trust You)
Young Metro's production in “We Still Don't Trust You,” released less than a month after “We Don’t Trust You,” showcases Future's return to his softer side, à la HNDRXX and High of Life. The title track, “We Still Don’t Trust You” (get it, cause it’s the same name as—nevermind!) featuring The Weeknd's smooth vocals over a spacey disco beat is versatile enough for your house playlist, pregame playlist or even, accidentally, your winter vibes playlist!
“Perfect (Exceeder) [Martijn Ten Velden Vocal Remix]” by Mason & Princess Superstar (Single/Saltburn Soundtrack)
Straight from the world of Saltburn, this thrilling electro-house track is perfect for those who need an escape. From living room runway catwalks to getting ready routines before going out with friends or even a little motivation while walking to class, this personal hype song infuses a bit of glamor into your everyday life!
“Massive” by Drake (Honestly, Nevermind)
Drake’s diverse talents merge in his debut dance album, Honestly, Nevermind . Drawing inspiration from house, ballroom, Baltimore club, Jersey club and more, this emotional track hits home for house rap lovers. Backed by a deep house beat, this song is the perfect addition to lively car rides with friends or a pumped party playlist. His ability to mix heartfelt lyrics with danceable beats highlights the versatility prevalent in not only this song but the whole album.
“Elevation” by The Dare ( What’s Wrong With New York)
The debut studio album by American musician The Dare is bringing back indie sleaze! The album’s eighth track, “Elevation,” is a dance ballad fused with elements of 2000s pop that make you really feel “elevated.” The euphoric anthem perfectly captures feeling carefree, young and alive— emotions we all crave in today's world. It really does make you ask, “What's wrong with New York?”
“365” by Charli XCX (Brat)
Last but not least, “365” by Charli XCX! With its infectious beat, this club pop track embodies a mix of upbeat energy and reflective lyrics, making it the best way to end a playlist just like Charli ended her album!
RUN-IN WITH ROCCO
Jerk sat down with Giulianna Iapalucci (professionally known as “Rocco!”) to discuss her music journey and new album, Big Man
Words by Sadiya Kherani
Photos by Maya Lockwood
Q: How did you come up with your artist name, “Rocco!”?
GI: Last September I was on tour playing drums with my friends in Shallow Alcove, and we were just shooting the shits and throwing nicknames around. They just landed on Rocco for me, and they just kept calling me Rocco—so it just kind of stuck.
Q: What inspired this EP?
GI: The EP is called Big Man because one of the title tracks off the EP is called “Big Man,” and the hook of the song is, “I tried to be a big man, but I'm not.” So the entire EP just tells the story of heartbreak. I think I was going through a lot last year, and was having a lot of character development, if you will. I kind of just wrote “Big Man” as an ode to the fact that I was trying to do the right thing so many times, and it was always falling short and was always the wrong thing somehow. So I was just like, “Holy fuck, I'm trying to be the bigger person, the better person, but I’m just not.” So that's what the entire EP is about. I feel like it's an ode to my character development over the past year.
Q: Where do you see your music career going after this EP?
GI: I think, ideally, I would love for it to keep pushing and do well, and to lead to me writing more music and releasing more music. But I also would love for it to influence my drumming career in a way because that's my top priority always. I'm trying to interweave the two, like interweave the whole Rocco shit and my drumming shit and make it, you know, work symbiotically.
Q: How did you first get into music?
GI: Well, I started playing percussion in fourth grade, and then I did that until I graduated high school. And somewhere along the way, I started playing the drum set and then, I really got into music. When I came to college I needed something to do and my parents were like, “Oh, you’re good at music, do music.” I really started loving music when I got here. Before I got here I was like, “It's fun. It's a hobby.” But now I'm like, “This is the shit.”
MAKING SENSE OF THE MAGCON PHENOMENON
A throwback to when our parents paid $150 to watch Cameron Dallas and Nash Grier do push-ups in a hotel lobby
The Jerks who had social media access way too young might remember Magcon: the touring group of social media influencers made up of Cameron Dallas, Nash Grier, Carter Reynolds, Matthew Espinosa, Shawn Mendes, Jack and Jack, Aaron Carpenter and Mahogany Lox. A group that had 2013 fangirls in a chokehold.
If you’ve never heard of Magcon, it was originally created in 2013 as a group of five internet friends on one Vine account, calling themselves “Five Dudes Vining.” Within hours, the account surpassed 100k followers. Just a few months later, the group expanded and became the Magcon we came to love.
The group noticed the success of influencer groups and began touring small venues like hotel lobbies. During these events, fans were able to meet the group and take photos in which they were carried and kissed by the boys, all while watching their favorite influencers dance, sing and perform popular internet challenges.
The group took social media by storm, eventually selling out large, 400,000 capacity venues in major cities within the U.S. Thousands of fans paid hundreds of dollars just for the chance to lock eyes with Nash Grier, listen to Jack and Jack rap the alphabet or see Shawn Mendes play the guitar.
Syracuse University junior Olivia Stockmeyer was a big fan of Magcon and found them relatable. “They weren’t too much older and I watched their videos all the time so they felt accessible, like I was able to easily meet or have a personal connection with them,” she said.
Whether you were a fan or not, what the group was able to achieve was unheard of at the time. Besides YouTubers, they were some of the first social media influencers to build full-fledged fandoms solely because of their online presence (only with six-second videos!). One could argue they paved the way and helped set the precedent for the success and reach of today’s social media influencers, which have become more like brands that users subscribe to.
At the same time, we must also recognize its exploitative nature. At its formation, most members of the group were in high school. Despite selling out venues, they were paid very little while experiencing extreme burnout and pressure from fans and management alike—eventually leading to the group’s downfall.
As we look back on Magcon, as silly as the meetand-greets were, it’s important to reflect both on its cultural impact and darker realities, especially for the young creators behind it.
