OCT 2016 VOL XXI ISSUE I SYRACUSE, NEW YORK Your student fee
SIZE MATTERS.
JERK IS BIGGER, AND BETTER.
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JERK THIS What you should hit up or bitch about this month.
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REWIND Rocky Horror Picture Show
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21 +/A Boozy Brew
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NO JUDGMENT Kim Kardashian
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TOTALLY UNSCIENTIFIC POLL Mischief Night
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AMPLIFIED Izzy True
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SEX Talk Dirty to Me
SYNAPSE Don't Gow Up, it's a Trap.
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FRAMED Untitled
IZZY TRUE
CONTENTS MAY 2015 In Tandem 24 Erin Scala was diagnosed with retinis pigmentosa at age 4, a disease that will lead to her eventual blindness. Now, 30 and legally blind, Scala is a talented triathlete who has had the opportunity to compete in the Paralympic Games in Rio.
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SMUT FEATURES 28
Heroin, The "Safe" Way Tyler Gilyard provides clean needles to heroin addicts in Syracuse's West Side.
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Magic School Bus Three SU grads embark on an entrepreneurial adventure aboard a school bus.
GAWK FASHION
EDITOR'S LETTER FEEDBACK PEEPS CLICKBATE
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Culture in your Cloth Who are you wearing?
BITCH OPINIONS BACK OF BOOK
bbygrl 38
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You don’t need loud colors to make a loud statement. We go with the flow in 2016, showing that boys and girls alike can rock the Pantone colors of the year. At Jerk we’re all for deconstructing color associations, and we’re here to show you that baby pink and baby blue is the farthest thing from Instagram basic.
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How can you get ahead in your career when you start off behind?
OCT 2016 VOL XIV ISSUE VI SYRACUSE, NEW YORK Your student fee
City in Color 48 The Connective Corridor is more than just a bus to Pastabalities. Beginning in 2008, the Connective Corridor has installed a series of public art projects downtown and along the bus route.
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Will Work For Free
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Cover Design by Michelle Abrams Photography by Terrell Drayton
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Million Dollar Sidewalk For $6 million it better be paved with gold. Put Them in, Coach Gender is a social construct. So are sports. Black and Blue The problem with the Blue Lives Matter rhetoric.
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DISCOVERSYR Cross Island Chapel
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SPEAKEASY Dana Spiotta
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OBITCHUARY Selfie Stick
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CLOSET CASE This one's a real panty dropper.
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FORM AND FUNCTION How to Dress Like a Donald Trump Supporter
NOISE ARTS & MUSIC 52
People of the Hills: Onondaga Nation If you go to SU, you should know this.
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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Ch-ch-ch-ch- Changes Susanna Heller EDITOR IN CHIEF
Eric King
Gigi Antonelle
Diana Steinmetz
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
MANAGING EDITOR
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
EDITORIAL FEATURES EDITOR
Alex Erdekian Divya Murthy ARTS AND MUSIC EDITOR Emera Riley ASST. ARTS AND MUSIC EDITOR Danny Yarnall OPINIONS EDITOR Caroline Cakebread ASST. OPINIONS EDITOR Megan Falk STYLE EDITOR Trusha Bhatt ASST. STYLE EDITOR Hairol Ma ASST. STYLE EDITOR Hayley Greason RESEARCH EDITOR Mary Catalfamo COPY EDITOR Sienna Lee COPY EDITOR Colin Bouchard FACT CHECKER Hannah Malach FACT CHECKER Matt Sacca FRESHMAN INTERN Sarah Feustle FRESHMAN INTERN Joann Li ASST. FEATURES EDITOR
WEB
DESIGN DESIGN DIRECTOR
Michelle Abrams Jordana Rubin, Erin Reeves, Sami Albert, Minjung Kim
DESIGNERS
ART ILLUSTRATION DIRECTOR
Madelyn Minicozzi Hannah Meader STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Kasey Lanese, Fiona Lenz ILLUSTRATORS Madelyn Minicozzi, Autumn Wilson, Erin Reeves, Alena Sceusa, Bobby Davison PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR
The logical place to start was my caffeine addiction: On average, I was downing a minimum of three cups a day. Cutting out caffiene started off well, but after an hour I found myself uncontrollably weeping at my desk job. Things only went downhill from there. My days without coffee blend together now: I remember lying listlessly on my bedroom floor, dreaming of a rich mocha or, as I got more desperate, just one cup of black coffee. My caffeine cleanse was the longest four days of my life, but I think it did help to curb my addiction—I’m down to one cup a day. Though fleeting, my pseudo-detox might’ve been the fresh start I needed this semester.
PUBLIC RELATIONS COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR
Anagha Das Rachel Young, Larry Stansburry, Olivia Berger, Brooke Tanner, Liam Keyek, Hadassah Lai PR REPRESENTATIVES
DIGITAL DIRECTOR
Aidan Meyer WEB EDITOR Leah Strassburg ASST. WEB EDITOR Tanya David ASST. WEB EDITOR Ellie Breslin ASST. WEB EDITOR Olivia Bosar WEB DESIGNER Brittany Isdith PHOTO EDITOR Chaz Delgado SOCIAL EDITOR Jordan Cramer SOCIAL EDITOR Jensen Cannon DIGITAL INTERN Emily Kelleher
I’ve never trusted people who go on “cleanses,” but when my summer in New York turned into an eight-week bender fueled by coffee and tequila, I knew I was in deep shit. By the time I got to Syracuse, my body had turned into a literal dumpster fire and I was in desperate need of cleansing. New school year, new me. Probably.
BUSINESS PUBLISHER
Esmeralda Murray Christina Tornetta
AD DIRECTOR
CONTRIBUTORS Ryan Polgar, Laura Norton, Sam Reimnitz, Tate Horan, Terrell Drayton, Evan Berlin, Cheyenne Lee, Aliah Abdul Malik, Annie Yang, Divya Yeleswarapu, Molly Garrity, Luke Giordano, Sam McClain, Xiang Weih, Lizzie Michael, Jackie Frere, Madeline Fournier, Stephen Sbiroli, Michaela Quigley, Myelle Longat, Rashika Jaipurior, Sarah
We wanted Jerk to have a fresh start, too. That's why we're a whole inch wider. Hope you noticed! Then, on Page 59, you’ll find that Altruist has been affectionately renamed No Judgment, because there’s nothing altruistic about dragging someone. And don’t worry if this year isn’t going your way—our staff has compiled a list of media to ~inspire~ you to get your shit together on page 61. I learned my lesson: I’m fucking useless without coffee and won’t be kicking my habit any time soon. What doesn’t kill you gives you heart palpitations, amirite? Until then, keep on Jerking.
Epelmon, Anna Leigh Charbonneau, Victoria Razzi, Kelsey Thompson,
MULTIMEDIA MULTIMEDIA EDITOR
Chris Sechler ASST. MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Adriana Ascencio ASST. MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Adham Sharkawy ASST. MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Ryan Harper ASST. MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Amber Ragunas
Bianca Kim, Kay Thomas, Kasey Lane, Aaron Kassman, Helen Kim
Yours until the coffee pot runs dry, ADVISER
Melissa Chessher
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 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 2016 by their respective creators. No content may be reproduced without the expressed written consent of the Jerk Editorial Board.
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FEEDBACK
APRIL 2016 VOL XIX ISSUE XI • SYRACUSE NEW YORK • YOUR STUDENT FEE
We may not give a shit about your feedback, but we always read it. Keep the hate mail coming. It sustains our life force.
Jerk contributors Photography by Hannah Meader
MADELEINE FOURNIER / Senior / Rocky Horror This senior’s hobbies include playing with the Tamagotchi that she has owned since the third grade and listening to 12-hour playlists of awful #throwback music. She absolutely believes in witches. Her favorite curse? “A plague on both your houses!” Fornier gets spooky on page 58 with her Rewind on Rocky Horror.
APRIL 2016 VOL XIX ISSUE XI • SYRACUSE NEW YORK YOUR STUDENT FEE
LIZZIE MICHAEL / Sophomore / Take me to Church No, Michael really does not want to see your disgusting zit popping video. This dual TRF and finance major would much rather watch a cinematic masterpiece like Whiplash—or Spaceballs. During the fall, you can find her drinking pumpkin spice latté directly out of an Ugg boot and then Instagramming it. On page 62, Michael uncovers the tiny gem that is Cross Island Chapel.
SHOW US SOME LOVE Jerk Magazine 126 Schine Student Center Syracuse, NY 13244 @jerkmagazine jerk@jerkmagazine.net jerkmagazine.net
ANNA MEROD / Senior / Will Work for Free Growing up, Merod wanted to be a veterinarian. Now an aspiring reporter, her love for penguins never wavered. She would like to give a big thanks to Jerry Garcia the concert that brought her parents together, but not to her current townhouse for only providing internet service to a floor that she doesn’t live on. On Page 16, Merod bitches about unpaid internships.
FOLLOW, DON’T LEAD youtube.com/jerkmagazine
@jerkmagazine
facebook.com/jerkmagazine
vimeo.com/jerkmagazine
instagram.com/jerkmagazine
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SAM REIMNITZ / Senior / bbygrl Fluffy hair and never being able to sit still are just a few ways that Reimnitz is essentially a squirrel person. Now a communications designer, Reimnitz once studied architecture until he spent four sleepless nights toiling over studio work. If you need some new metal, hit this communication design major up for his jewelry-making skills. This October, Reimnitz art directs the Gawk Feature.
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Westcott Trumps Hate Unity Fest
HIT
JERK THIS
Oct. 1 This fundraiser, complete with a Grateful Dead tribute band, aims to create “a progressive Syracuse” by teaching people how to combat racism, sexism, poverty, pollution, and domestic violence.
13th Annual SYRFILMFEST
Oct. 19-23 This year’s theme: Music in Film. Rock on.
Amy Schumer at the OnCenter
Shit we like Girl on the Train
Lady Gaga’s new album Joanne
Oct. 21 Was it a catchy pop lead single? No, it was a Perfect Illusion. The first song off the album doesn’t inspire confidence in the follow up to ArtFlop.
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Vice Presidential Debate
Oct. 4 What will cable news cover without Trump? Don’t tune in to not find out!
Empire State Marathon
Oct. 9 Running? You mean to Stella’s for breakfast, right?
A BOOZY BREW
Sept. 22 - Oct. 23 Famous works from this renowned children’s book author and illustrator will take you back to when you only read books with pictures in them. Syracuse University: where the wild things are.
Skaneateles Fall Festival
Oct. 1-2 Wine tastings, art galleries, everything fall in one of the quaintest towns in the country.
Shit we like to avoid
BITCH
Oct. 7 Can Emily Blunt and Allison Janney save a cast scarier than the L train after 3 a.m.? How are we going to tell all these white women apart?!
Oct. 1 You were going to go to this anyway, right?
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Maurice Sendak Art Show at the SU Art Gallery
Photography by Hannah Meader
Maybe it’s Starbucks, maybe it’s going to get you fucked up. T here’s no doubt that the middle of the semester drags on in the fall, each day borne ceaselessly against each other. When not even your coffee can wake you up (wake me up) inside (can't wake up), you need something strong, perhaps a Boozy Brew.
Ingredients Ice 1 part vodka 2 parts Kahlua Coffee to taste Milk of choice to taste Sweetener, optional
Directions
Pour ice into the glass Add 1 part Vodka Add 2 parts Kahlua Pour coffee to taste Add your choice of milk to taste Chase with Splenda—if you have to
Syracuse University Family Weekend 2016
Oct. 28-30 SU literally calling your parents to babysit your drunk ass on Halloween.
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CLICKBATE
TOTALLY UNSCIENTIFIC POLL
What We're Getting Off To on the Web This Month
JERKMAGAZINE.NET We know you have it bookmarked, but just in case.
Jerk on the Promenade
Under the Speculum
MISCHIEF NIGHT
If you’re among the 50 percent of your freshman floor that’s not from New Jersey— here’s looking at you, Roslyn—you've probably never thought twice about the night before Halloween. If you’ve never felt the desire to egg or TP someone’s house, you’re a better person than we are. We talked to 100 pranksters in Schine Student Center about their fiendish October 30 habits.
IF YOU COULD PRANK ONE SCHOOL AT SU FOR MISCHIEF NIGHT, WHICH WOULD YOU CHOOSE? WHITMAN: ANY SCHOOL WHOSE DEAN HAS HAD A MAJOR SCANDAL HAS IT COMING. (50%) A new take on Jerk on the Street, we bring you Jerk on the Promenade. Did you know Kent hand-picked every brick on University Place? And that there is a dead body located beneath each bench? And that seven freshmen have puked on it since school has started? Neither did we.
Is your OB/GYN becoming your therapist—or worse, your mother? The doctors who take care of your lady parts are sticking their noses' into the wrong parts of your lady life. Their unsolicited advice turns into sex shaming, prodding where they shouldn't be—if you know what we mean.
WHILE YOU'RE CLICKING AROUND...
IF YOU COULD DESCRIBE HOW MISCHIEF NIGHT MAKES YOU FEEL IN ONE WORD, WHAT WOULD IT BE? EXCITED—I'LL DO ANYTHING WITH MY FRIENDS AS LONG AS WE'RE HAVING A GOOD TIME! (57%) WILL YOU BE PARTICIPAING IN MISCHIEF NIGHT THIS YEAR? A. Fuck yeah, Let's get weird. (4%) B. Maybe, I might go if there's nothing else going on. (46%) C. No way, This crap is stupid. (50%)
SHIPADICK.COM It's my dick in a box. No, really. Ship a Dick gives you the perfect way to tell someone how you really feel. Ranging in themes from Donald Trump to Harambe, Ship a Dick gives true meaning to those beautiful words with which The Lonely Island once graced us.
JOANNE THE SCAMMER A neckbearded man slips on a white fur coat and a blond bob wig, and becomes Joanne the Scammer, the "messy bitch who lives for drama." Her longest-running scam: convincing people she is a rich white woman. Her tweets are as problematic as they are hilarious. @joanneprada
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WHAT WOULD YOU DO ON MISCHIEF NIGHT? A. Spray paint a big dick on someone's house. (29%) B. Smash a mailbox with a baseball bat. (14%) C. Leave flaming dog shit at someone's doorstep. (36%) D. What the fuck is Mischief Night? (21%)
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SEX
FRAMED
Illustration by Bianca Kim
Language Barrier
Daddy Lessons
Bedtime Story
Sex Ed
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I was hooking up with a guy from Poland and he was into dirty talk, but he didn’ t exactly know what qualifies as appropriate sexy English words to use in bed. He started being like, "Are you a dangerous girl?" in his thick accent and I just didn’ t know how to respond. I think he got it from watching James Bond. Either, way me laughing at him kind of killed the mood.
“I was hooking up with a guy this summer, and he was really into testing boundaries. We’ d always done some power play, sometimes I would have to ask him if I could cum, but then it went too far when he started calling me a 'good little girl.' So this guy in Sig Ep and I matched on Tinder and had been talking for a while. He knew I was kinky, but he was WAY kinkier than me. He tried to get me to join a fetish fantasy website that was like Facebook but for BDSM—I wasn’t that invested. One night we were sexting and he asked me if he could share a story he wrote about me. It was a short story about how he wanted to get us a hotel in New York City and use a bunch of sex toys on me: I wanna leash you up and walk you around the room, then fuck you up against the window so all of nyc could see what a slut you really are and I wanna bend you over and fuck you to the sound of your thunderous ass cheeks clapping up against my waist. After I finished reading the short story I responded, “Whoa, that was long.” I was on a date with a guy who taught high school history at a boarding school. When I asked him about his job, he started telling stories about catching students hooking up in classrooms after hours. He took it a little too far and asked me if I would make a move on him if I were his student. I didn’t even realize he was trying to flirt until after I responded, "Um no, that would be inappropriate.
Untitled Helen Kim Senior, Communications Design "I always find myself illustrating whenever I have a free moment, but especially when I have insomnia. I tend to use illustration as an outlet to clear my thoughts and incorporate things I encounter throughout my day—anything from a random T-shirt to just the environment as a whole."
To showcase your work in Framed, email art@jerkmagazine.net.
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K R O W L L I W E E R F R O F
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Unpaid internships are a privilege.
By Anna Merod : Illustration by Erin Reeves
During the summer of 2014, I took one bus and two trains to the Senate side of the U.S. Capitol five days a week. An internship at a news organization that often covers the Capitol sounds good in theory. Interviews with congressmen and a whole work week in Washington D.C., it was an intern's dream. Yet, most of my arduous days were spent in a cramped radio booth that I often shared with my boss. Other days consisted of covering press conferences and rushing back to my "office." Amid constant chaos, I helped push out two to five online stories after covering a day's worth of breaking news in politics. And I did it for free. After a while, it's frustrating to do real work and not get compensated. This situation is not uncommon among college students. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, 39.2 percent of internships held by members of the class of 2015 were unpaid. Even with the uneasiness that stems from giving up a steady source of income for a summer or two, many college students take the risk of accepting an unpaid internship to increase the likelihood of securing their dream job after graduation. I was lucky that my family lives within commuting distance from my work, and that
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I was able to sacrifice a summer's savings for this opportunity, as they support most of my college costs. But what about those students who aren't as privileged as me? Many college students have to support themselves and must work throughout the summer and even the school year to make ends meet. Necessities like rent, food, utilities, and transportation often trump unpaid internships for students from low-income families. Add those obligations to the student loans many students have looming over their heads, and the price tag becomes even more unreasonable. Syracuse University is no exception to the problem. According to the Director of Career Development at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, Kelly Barnett, students often encounter the issue of unpaid internships. “We have students who know that the only reality for them is one in which anything they do over the summer is bringing in income,” Barnett says. "For those students who can only apply for paid internships, the search becomes more challenging and stressful compared to students who can afford to spend an entire summer working for free."
BITCH This would not be such an issue if internships did not impact one’s career prospects, but, unfortunately, they do. According to Forbes, those who had a paid internship have a 60 percent chance of getting a job offer from that company. Particularly because “hands-on experience is the single most important factor in hiring,” Barnett says. In some ways, searching for internships almost feels like taking the SATs all over again. You pay to take classes for an exam designed to test you on things you never learned in a typical high school classroom, and it’s competitive as hell. During one of my SAT prep classes, I remember asking the instructor what lowincome students were supposed to do if they wanted to do well and couldn’t afford tutoring. “I don’t know, they can go to the library and study the books,” he responded before laying his head down on a desk as we started a practice test. I hate to break it to my former SAT instructor, but the solution to inequality isn’t that simple. Just like the SATs, unpaid internships hinder low-income students from invaluable
opportunity whether it’s through a college acceptance or a job offer, solely because they can’t afford to seize the opportunity. When talented individuals are barred from these opportunities, we see the scary impact of poor representation in higher education and the workplace, and it’s not just in media-related jobs either. Notably, there is the sea of young white faces posing behind Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan in a selfie he posted this summer captioned “I think this sets the record for the most number of #CapitolHill interns in a single selfie.” My internship on Capitol Hill was a wonderful, hands-on experience, and occasionally I even miss working there. But it was draining and, at times, really stressful. I felt like I was doing the work of a full-time reporter for free. This experience truly made me a better reporter and invigorated my passion for journalism, but some days it still left me feeling used. So while a paid internship would be a rewarding, less stressful experience for me, I understand now how a paid internship is an absolute right and, for others, a necessity. JM
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The million dollar
SIDEWALK The upscale sidewalk that hundreds of students petitioned against has finally become reality By Victoria Razzi : Illustration by Erin Reeves Unless you live under a rock, you are probably aware of the incredibly underwhelming $225-million campus beautification project. The Division of Campus Planning, Design and Construction (CPDC) completed over 120 campus improvements over the summer—some of which are still being finished. Shockingly, not everyone shares Pete Sala’s endless enthusiasm for these campus "improvements." The CPDC and higher administration were forced to take time off from turning summer into a verb to attempt to placate the hundreds of faculty, students, and community members who did not want many of these projects to take place. "Beautification" to Chancellor Syverud and the crew means renovations like new flooring, finishes, bathroom updates, improvements to the exterior of the Center of Science and Technology, and the University Place Promenade. Basically, University Place is now a giant sidewalk and the Watson Hall bathrooms don’t look like they belong in a trucker rest stop. While the physical construction and cost of the Promenade was problematic, the biggest
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from the fact that the glorious sidewalk was in no way a necessity. Despite that staggering number, the Promenade was not the most expensive project completed. But, since faculty and student concerns were dismissed like a freshmen boy from DKE, it got the most attention by far. Recent closures of the advocacy center and cuts
that it was not even executed well. When we asked students what they thought about it, common descriptors included: "stupid, ugly, pointless, unfinished, annoying, and unnecessary." Too long; didn't read: The Promenade does not have any true academic purpose or value. It is purely cosmetic. While the Chancellor is
to faculty and scholarship programs make it feel like the University doesn’t exactly have $6 million just lying around. At the time the University stated that spending had been exceeding revenue and cuts had to be made somewhere. Since we have not heard otherwise, and are not privy to budget allocation details, it just really feels like the new red shiny bricks beneath our feet are coming straight out of our parents and our hard working pockets. Another downfall of the Promenade is the fact
not solely responsible for the blatant disregard for communication surrounding the project, he has stated several times that the Promenade and additional projects are part of his plan to monetize the university, the Campus Framework. The Promenade should not have had higher priority than the concerns of the SU community. The administration now has the mandatory task of including students in discussions regarding future changes in infrastructure on campus before they've made a decision. JM
issue was the communication surrounding it, or rather, lack thereof. While there was a discussion before the official go-ahead was given, many people feel that it was definitely lacking. In fact, 108 faculty members signed a petition voicing their concerns over the construction of the Promenade back in the beginning of May. Since nothing other than verbal comfort was offered to the concerned faculty, another petition, this time signed by 246 SU students, staff, and community members was submitted to Chancellor Syverud at the end of May. These petitions voiced concerns about bus routes and traffic since University Place was such a major channel for University navigation. Waverly Avenue is busier now, since many bus paths have been rerouted there. Though the sidewalks of the Promenade are heated, the faculty was concerned that the majority of the expensive furniture and lighting will be rendered useless by the inevitable winter tundra-like conditions. According to Syracuse.com, the Promenade cost the University an estimated $6 million dollars. The negativity surrounding this number stems
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put them in, coach Trans* athletes have a right to choose their own team. By Eric Dunay The first openly transgender NCAA Division I athlete—Kye Allums—thinks professional athletic policies limiting transgender people, such as transgender females being unable to play on women’s teams without a year of testosterone suppression, are missing the point. “Sports is [sic] about winning. It’s about competing. It’s about respect. And it’s about how you play the game. It’s not about the body you’re born into,”Allums says in a Time magazine interview. And, frankly, he is right. As long as we are entertained and passionate about the sports we watch, we don’t care if we’re watching men or women—we watch what we enjoy and gender is irrelevant. However, the second transgender athletes enter the equation and the status quo is shaken, all hell breaks loose. For various reasons, including lack of pediatric discussions and registries, we barely know how many young people identify as transgender in America—let alone those who play on schoolsanctioned sports teams, college or otherwise. In May, a story ran in the New York Times that investigated the population of transgender people under 18 and showed just how little we know about transgender youths. A 2015 study in Dane County, Wisconsin found that of 18,494 high school students, 1.5
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percent identified as transgender. Although similar studies have not been done in high schools, the fact is that this population does exist and deserves to be recognized. Today, the Williams Institute estimates that there are 700,000 transgender people in America. These numbers aren’t staggering, unfortunately. They’re used to reinforce critics’ arguments that transgender accommodations on the playing field or in everyday life aren’t worth the effort. Allowing transgender athletes to play for the team with which they identify is only one way to fight the horrendous idea of transgender people being alien or unnatural. Online debates have proposed that there should be an “other” category in athletics. Aside from the logistical nightmare that would cause, the execution of an idea like that would only serve to delegitimize trans* people's right to identify. Secondly, there is an idea that a male who becomes a female would simply dominate women’s sports and the danger of that advantage being exploited is too great. Ten states and Washington D.C. have allowed transgender athletes to play on their preferred secondary-school teams since 2013. The last time I checked, women’s high school sports in DC weren’t losing their integrity. Many have cried foul when hyperandrogenous
females, those with excessive amounts of androgens such as testosterone, have won Olympic track events such as Dutee Chand or Caster Semenya. These are strong indicators of the myth behind testosterone.
,,
frustrating. As quickly as society is moving, there still is very little to base such a decision on. Most college athletic programs, including SU, don’t have policy on the matter and just refer to the exclusive NCAA policy stated above. Sure, a school can express their
IT'S ABOUT RESPECT. AND IT'S ABOUT HOW YOU PLAY THE GAME. IT'S NOT ABOUT THE BODY YOU'RE BORN INTO.
While testosterone does certainly lend an advantage to men when it comes to performance, the 16.1 percent of women who are hyperandrogenous have yet to tear down women’s sporting. So, if hyperandrogenism can’t do it, then why should we expect male-tofemale athletes—who actually often lower their testosterone voluntarily—to overtake and ruin games? Lastly, the notion that trans* women would exploit a possible hormonal advantage in playing women’s sports is asinine. Allums thinks that at the end of the day, this shouldn’t matter. “I’ve been taking testosterone for three and a half years, but just because I now have more body mass it's not going to give me an advantage that I couldn’t get without practicing or without training," Allums told Time, “People talk about that as if men are superhuman, as if just because you were born with a penis, that means you can defeat every single female. And that’s not true.” Admittedly, this discussion can be
mission to be as inclusive as possible when reached for comment, but eventually they will have to decide. SU has yet to be confronted with the issue, but that doesn’t mean some aren’t trying to start the conversation. The LGBT Concerns Committee of SU's University Senate has been working for a few years now on locker rooms that “have some private, enclosed changing areas, showers, and toilets for use by any athlete.” But efforts like this are stalled by the fact that the NCAA and many schools have no concrete number of transgender athletes on record, which emboldens critics. If we want to make strides in creating the inclusive campuses we brag about in mission statements, then schools need to provide protection for athletes playing openly on the team with which they identify. Trying to tip-toe around inclusion with slippery-slope arguments and claims that aren't backed by research only marginalize trans*people more than they already are. JM
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BLACK AND BLUE "Blue Lives Matter" misses the point. Uniforms come off, skin color doesn't . By Abby Leigh Charbonneau : Illustration by Autumn Wilson
The “All Lives Matter” rhetoric that we’ve all heard—and hopefully, by this point, dismissed as meaningless platitude—has mutated once more. Being the distant cousin to the familiar whines of “not all guys...” and “I’m not racist, but...” this counter-argument to Black Lives Matter is just the latest expression of privileged fragility to emerge. But now, it has metastasized into another form: “Blue Lives Matter.” If your mind is like mine and instantly went to Smurfs, let me help you out. Right-wing Facebook abusers began to use the danger associated with a police officer’s job description as a way against having to acknowledge the common factor in the string of deaths that received national attention since the high-media profile cases of Eric Garner and Mike Brown. Although seemingly harmless, there’s a much deeper, more sinister layer of meaning lurking just beneath the surface. So, let’s dive in, shall we? Blue Lives Matter was created in response to Black Lives Matter, and when it rose, it brought with it a slew of problems. It pits the two sentiments against one another; the mirroring structures make it seem like it’s one or the other. And that is a problem. It’s not just a fleeting hashtag, either. Blue Lives Matter as a group has already seen legislation passed in Louisiana that makes violence against police qualify as a hate crime. The very same law against hate meant to protect people from discrimination based upon gender, sexual orientation, disability, race, religion, nationality, and age. Similar legislation is now
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being pushed in Congress. The bill has also spread to Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Chicago, and even left-leaning New York. Think about that for a second: In the few months since Blue Lives Matter has come into existence, it has sliced through legislative red tape like a hot knife through butter, while Black Lives Matter has not been given the same respect. Their message is clear: “Black Lives Matter. But Blue Lives Matter More." Keeping in mind that assault and battery of a police officer is already a heavy charge on its own, this would up the ante a whole felony class to the same level as first and second-degree murder, terrorism, and kidnapping. While it’s true that people have been targeted specifically for being police officers and it should be addressed, a strong level of protection already exists. Hate crime laws are in place to protect groups that
"No one is arguing that Blue Lives don’t matter and no one is arguing that all lives don’t matter." are particularly vulnerable, groups that are oppressed, and groups that have little access to power and justice. Prioritizing police while simultaneously not doing the same for other life-threatening professions, and by giving them that further layer of protection, does nothing but send a message; the legitimacy of blue lives has never been questioned, and immediately led to
swift and strong law change. Let us also take a moment to clarify something: lives are not blue. At the end of the day being blue is a choice that can be revoked. Being black is not. Yes, the lives of police officers matter, and it’s horrific and awful that officers have been killed in the line of duty and worse that they have been targeted; but, if an adult makes the informed decision to join the police force and show up to the job every day, then they are aware of the risk that they are assuming. It’s no doubt that officers put their lives on the line for civilians regularly, but that is no reason to expect black people to remain calm and have an esquire-esque knowledge of the law, or risk being shot. And why when they demonstrate that knowledge, like in Philando Castile’s case—something he learned in a course that he specifically enrolled in to avoid this exact fate— are excuses still being made? What’s almost worse, now people are blaming the murders of police officers in the line of duty on the Black Lives Matter movement, despite the activists behind the movement stating multiple times that they have both condemned and had no connection to those horrific acts. The men and women who died at police hands do not deserve to have their names smeared by raciallydriven fabricated connections. Black Lives Matter was created in response to those deaths. No one is arguing that blue lives don’t matter and no one is arguing that all lives don’t matter. Yet, our actions have proven time and time again that our justice system says—“black lives don’t matter." We fail to indict—not deem guilty or notguilty, but just to indict—officers who have been caught murdering people. Yes, blue lives matter, but no one is born blue, because we are not fucking smurfs. Yes, blue lives matter and all lives matter but that’s
not the point. Saying “Blue Lives Matter” is honestly just the newest way of saying that you don’t want to hear about racial issues because they don’t impact you. While I hate what an overused, trite word privileged has become, it truly is a form of privilege to be able to ignore the current situation in America. The people saying "Blue Lives Matter" are the same people who aren’t saying that Black Lives Matter. If your outrage for the dozens of police officers who have been targeted and shot isn’t at least matched by your outrage for the innumerable black people that have been murdered at the hands of police, then there is a problem. The problem isn’t that people lack empathy for police. The problem is that people are lazy with their empathy. Try to imagine. And if you can’t, then maybe it’s time to listen. JM
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Local cyclist Erin Scala shares her experience as a legally blind athlete.
By Michaela Quigley : Illustration by Autumn Wilson Before she dove into Oneida Lake to compete in the Syracuse Athleta Iron Girl Triathlon, Erin Scala read the essay she wrote for the “Power to the She” award. The accolade is granted to one woman per triathlon who has a powerful, moving story. Scala read to the crowd: “If I had to offer a piece of advice, it would be that life is way too short, whether you are fully sighted or blind. Live life to the fullest, do what makes you happy, and never let anyone tell you that you cannot do something.” When she finished, the starting gun
shot off, and Scala was on her way to completing her first triathlon. Born with retinitis pigmentosa—RP for short— Scala is legally blind at age 30. RP is a disease that targets the retina and can eventually lead to total blindness. It is hereditary and affects males and females equally. According to Ben Shaberman, Director of Science Communications at the Foundation Fighting Blindness, there are about 100,000 people in the U.S. with RP. Being one of them has forced Scala to go about her life differently. Although her cane illuminates her
blindness during her daily routine, in sports for her. Her soccer coach usually picked her to without it, she is simply an athlete. take the corner kicks during the game because of Scala’s parents started noticing unusual her accurate shots, but as the sun began to fall behaviors when she was 4 years old. Scala during one of her games, Scala chose to remove would trip over a pair of sneakers that stood out herself from the game instead of taking the shot. against their Kelly green rug. Her eyes wouldn’t “It broke my heart because she was taking focus when someone would toss her a ball. herself out of the game because it was getting When dusk would fall, she would reach for her dark, and she couldn’t see. This kid just wanted parents’ hands in need of guidance and security. to play soccer like everybody else,” John says. Scala's parents knew this behavior wasn’t Scala didn’t want to chance running into another typical—4-year-old children usually want to player and injuring someone. be independent. After talking to her doctor Scala is legally blind now. People with RP and several eye specialists, she was diagnosed usually lose their vision completely by age 40, with RP. according to Shaberman. Scala can see light “We were frustrated, and we didn’t know and dark and occasionally random movements. what to do," Scala’s father John says. One of our Since she was not born blind, Scala can still children has something that we didn’t know what remember what objects and colors look like. it was and if it was going to cause her to go blind.” “It’s funny, I always tell my parents and my They immediately reached out to organizations family, ‘You look like you did 15 years ago and found relief after talking to Foundation because in my head you don’t age,’” Scala says. Fighting Blindness, where Shaberman works. “I wouldn’t say it’s fun, but you have to look According to Shaberman, RP causes on the bright side and embrace the experience progressive degeneration of the rods and cones you had.” in the retina. The retina is a thin piece of neural Ten years ago, Scala hopped back on a bicycle tissue that lines the back of the eye. When light for the first time without her vision. She rides on enters the eye, it hits the rods and cones, which the back of a tandem bicycle, while a guide rides convert the light to signals that are sent back to on the front and steers. the brain, creating vision. Scala didn’t want to give up anything she People usually notice symptoms of RP when could do before she lost her sight—it’s what the child is in elementary or middle school. The motivated her to start riding. most common symptoms are loss of night and “I wanted to do those things and be as peripheral vision, which Scala’s parents noticed. independent as possible, but still get exercise Peripheral vision is the first to ebb. and be healthy,” Scala says. “Over time, the person’s vision becomes constricted more and more. It gets to the point where it can be like looking through a straw IF I HAD TO OFFER A PIECE OF ADVICE, IT or even a pinhole,” Shaberman WOULD BE THAT LIFE IS WAY TOO SHORT, says. WHETHER YOU ARE FULLY SIGHTED OR BLIND. Having always been an athlete, LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST, DO WHAT MAKES YOU Scala grew up playing several HAPPY, AND NEVER LET ANYONE TELL YOU THAT sports including soccer. Although she had not completely lost her YOU CANNOT DO SOMETHING. vision, night games were a struggle
Photo courtesy of Erin Scala's Facebook profile.
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SMUT without a disability. The effects of physical inactivity include an increase in the severity of a disability and a decrease in community involvement, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Several adaptive sports organizations in Massachusetts found engaging in athletics resulted in an 83 to 85 percent increase in mood. Sports also improved self-confidence and motivation. The local Lions Club in Baldwinsville gave Scala the first tandem bike she rode with John. However, the bike could not keep up with the miles that she was capable of putting on it. With the help of two riders—Mary Jo, who guides Scala and Miles Ross, who works at The Bikery bicycle shop—Scala now has two tandem bikes fit for her athletic abilities. Mary Jo had a sister who was blind and hard of hearing. Her sister was an accomplished cyclist who competed in the Paralympic Games. After Mary Jo’s sister died after an accident, she gave the bicycle to Scala. Ross, whom Scala describes as a second father, rides with her. He has been cycling his entire life and decided to try riding tandem with Scala after he noticed that she needed a partner whose skills matched her own. “The first time that we went out scared the hell out of me. She was not a very good rider,” Ross says. With tandem pairs, the sighted person usually gives cues to their partner like when they are going to shift gears. This pair realized very quickly that they could sense each other’s movements without saying a word. The only time that Ross needs to cue Scala verbally is
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ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL ORGANIZATION ON DISABILITY, PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY FELT 27 PERCENT LESS SATISFIED WITH THEIR LIVES THAN THOSE WITHOUT A DISABILITY. when they are taking a sharp turn. “I learned more positive things about her blindness and awareness and that I don’t have to do more than normal to cue her.” Ross explains that because Scala cannot see, she doesn’t see the potential for accidents such as cars pulling out or objects that are obstructing their path, and therefore she will not react in a way that could leave the bike spinning out of control. Scala wanted to push her boundaries further than riding tandem. One day, she urged Ross to help her ride a bicycle on her own. “I always like trying new things and pushing the limit and trying to outdo myself,” Scala says. Ross suited up in his riding gear and helmet and tried to ride next to Scala. They quickly realized it was too difficult for her to take cues from Ross while he was riding. Ross ditched his bike and ran next to her, instead, yelling signals. “You can imagine the sight in her neighborhood. Here’s the blind girl everyone knows and the idiot with the helmet running next to her,” Ross says. Scala rode two blocks by herself. With cycling comes an involved community. Scala rides weekly with a group called Stop and Sip. The 30 riders cycle for about 30 miles and then reward themselves with burgers and beer. Scala says that while some people are closeminded to the idea of tandem biking, many are willing to give it a try. “It’s another person to talk to. It can be good or bad depending on who the person is,” Scala laughs. As her cycling escalated to more than just a social experience, Scala went to the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. She stood out among the riders and was invited to another camp at the Olympic Training Center in Ohio.
“At this camp, I was told that I could only focus on cycling and literally live, breathe, and only cycle,” Scala says. She turned down the opportunity to train and possibly compete in the Rio Paralympic Games because of her passion for all sports. “It might not make sense, but I felt that not pursuing this was in my best interest as a person and for my well-being and for my personal life. I love cycling, but not to the point of killing myself to do it and giving up things that I love the most.” Scala also pushes herself to compete in triathlons. In 2012, she competed in the Syracuse Athleta Iron Girl Triathlon. She trained every Wednesday for two hours with the CNY TriGroup at Jamesville Beach. Her triathlon began with the swimming portion in Oneida Lake after she finished reading her “Power to the She” award essay. Scala and her guide were bungee-corded together so that Scala could navigate the course. Other athletes didn’t understand why the pair was bound together, so some tried to swim through the 4-foot gap between the two athletes. The two rode the tandem bicycle next and then ran the final third of the race. Scala and her guide each held on to a 2-foot tether. “Wherever they go, I go. It stinks for them, though, because they always have to look out for two people. I have the easy part,” Scala says. Scala finished 190 out of 2,000 athletes. She was the only athlete with a disability. After crossing the finish line, many people questioned Scala about the bungee cord, the tandem bicycle, and the tether used for running. People didn’t understand why she was using the tools, she says, but she was happy to explain and share her story. “Going through the finish line was absolutely incredible,” Scala says. “It was a sense of accomplishment that I trained for so long and so hard and gave it my very best. I had the biggest smile on my face, and I felt proud—not just proud of myself but proud of my guide and I for accomplishing the triathlon together as a team.” JM
SMUT THE PARALYMPIC GAMES BY THE NUMBERS
1,960 The number of athletes participating in the 2016 Paralympic Games.
4,200 The number of athletes participating in the 2016 Paralympic Games.
66
The number of hours NBC covered the Paralympic Games.
6,755
The number of hours NBC covered the Olympic Games.
22
The number of sports played in the Paralympic Games such as powerlifting, sitting volleyball, and wheelchair fencing.
17
How many seconds faster Abdellatif Baka—a visually impaired athlete from Algeria—ran the 1500-meter race than 2016 Olympic gold medalist Matthew Centrowitz.
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HEROIN, The Safe Way SMUT
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The Syringe Exchange Program is distributing clean needles in the West Side neighborhood. 28 10.16
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Story and Photography by Myelle Lansat
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According to ACR Health's website, the AIDs institute of the New York State Department of Health projects SEP projects are responsoble for at least 50 percent of the decline in new HIV cases.
A
large unmarked silver van sits on the corner of Dudley and Fitch street three times a week. The perfectly square lot is open and accessible on all sides. Unfenced homes border its edge and children’s laughter can be heard in the distance. The neighborhood is breathing; busses stop on the corner, dropping students off from school.
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Loose needles cover the ground and drug exchanges take place on the corner. The Syringe Exchange Program (SEP) Outreach Van is in the neighborhood every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 2:30– 5 p.m. The van provides 11 different free, unopened, and sterile syringes along with other injection-use supplies. The van is equipped
with a testing clinic, office area, and meals. opened door and walks in. She picks up a bag The workers administer free HIV and Hepatitis of 30 needles and talks about her attempts to get tests and confidential next-step counseling for clean. health care, substance-use programs, and social The local woman heard about the SEP through services. a friend. She comes every time the van is there. The program is a part of ACR Health, a health “A pharmacy only sells one bag [of needles] and I and human-services provider that focuses on don't have the money for it,” she says. HIV/AIDS and other chronic conditions. As a All clients enrolled in the program are issued state-funded program, the Public Health Law an identification card that legally allows them allows enrolled SEP clients to legally obtain and to carry syringes. The cards give clients access transport syringes. to all SEP utilities, including a small SHARPS Tyler Gilyard has worked for the SEP for more than a year. Each week he drives the van to its designated location. The West Side of Syracuse used to be the only spot in town to get heroin; now it can be found all over the city. He considers Dudley and Fitch street one of the main hubs in the city to get the drug. “You see it all out here,” Gilyard says. The lot where the van sits is the central square of the neighborhood. Abandoned homes frame the neighborhood and serve as easy-access injection use sites and, consequently, overdoses. Children can be found playing just feet away from used and uncovered needles. Stories circulate of children walking a few steps in the wrong direction and being accidentally stabbed with a used needle carrying Hepatitis. Gilyard takes laps around the neighborhood, picking up remains of injection drug use. Needles can be found tucked in corners or under leaves. Most are lying out in the open, scattered around used condoms. The city of Syracuse is on a mission to get rid of all abandoned buildings and to open up spaces in neighborhoods like this. While it may reduce space for individuals to get high, it also takes away people’s homes. There are more than 60,000 homeless people in New York State, including 20,000 children, according to the Department of Homeless Services. As soon as the van is parked, clients start showing up. People walk, ride, and carpool to the van. A woman rides her bike up to the
"It's like learning how to walk again without a man and without drugs." JERK
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"We lose a lot of people here to overdose, so some days can be going great and then we find out someone dies. For the most part, it’s super positive, but there are those days where a ton of people die and it’s hard." One of ACR Health's volunteer events, First Frost AIDS Walk is October 16 this year.
container to properly and safely dispose of used needles. Gilyard finds that most people don’t want to carry the container, though. He explains if an officer sees the container in someone’s car, they search it. A second woman—a longtime client—comes to the van. As she sits and waits for her needles, she and Gilyard chat about getting clean. “Detox will kill me,” she says. “I tried—felt the best I’ve ever felt. But every time I feel like I’m ready, I fall two steps back.” She left with her bag of needles, tiding her over until the next van day. Another woman approaches the van from the corner. Rachel* is an employee at a hospital in Syracuse. She is no longer married and has two kids. Her arms are covered in track marks, and she spends upward of $300 a day to support her drug use. She has been coming to the SEP van
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on and off for six years. “The first time I tried to get clean, these young ladies would bring me anything I needed. They got me into detox and pretty much saved my life a couple of times,” Rachel says about the outreach volunteers. At 42, Rachel has been on her own for nearly 30 years. She’s been addicted to opiates since she was 24. She has been in and out of jail and recently served nine months in Arizona and Tennessee. “I did coke and I was strong enough, but these opiates are kicking my ass,” she says. “I’m a survivor and it's a struggle and I’m going to get through it. It’s like learning how to walk again without a man and without drugs.” Rachel walks away with a bag of needles, clean water, cotton, and a meal. The SEP van is strongly regulated by law
enforcement. Police can park near the lot, watching the clients. The van can only park during its allotted time. If the van does not go one day, Gilyard has to call the Department of Health to inform them and get permission to not show. If the van stays longer than its time, Gilyard can be fined and the program can be pulled. “We lose a lot of people here to overdose, so some days can be going great and then we find out someone dies. For the most part, it’s super positive, but there are those days where a ton of people die and it’s hard,” Gilyard says. In the event that a client overdoses, Gilyard can use an opiate antidote, Narcan, to reverse the overdose and possibly save a life. When one user’s friend brought him to the clinic after he overdosed, Gilyard administered a shot of Narcan to him. Gilyard holds free weekly Narcan trainings
and supplies all of his clients with Narcan kits. “People trust us. They know what we’re here to do; we’re here to help them,” Gilyard says. Gilyard recognizes that the opiate epidemic is growing, and ACR Health is growing with it. Gilyard sees many sad days and overdoses working at ACR Health. Some days it’s stressful, some days it’s good. He has a lot of clients that have accepted heroin as a daily vice and he has accepted that some of his clients will use forever. “We have to accept that [heroin] is something they will do forever. Our goal here is to prevent HIV. So, for people that want to use the rest of their life, that’s totally fine,” Gilyard says. “We agree with them, that’s their right to choose. They have the right to do that. So our goal is that they do it in a safe way.” JM *Name has been changed to protect identity.
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MAGIC SCHOOL BUS
By Rashika Jaipuriar : Photography by Erin Miller and Johnny Rosa
Taking apart an old school bus and transforming it, Out There Productions cruised across the U.S. this summer, visiting start-ups and small businesses.
The Syracuse University alumni will journey from Albuquerque, N.M. to Syracuse over the course of October to May.
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A PHOTO COULD GO HERE.
From left to right: Losa Meru, Erin Miller, and Johnny Rosa.
Passing up suits and subway commutes for a school bus, a trio of Syracuse University graduates is on a mission to travel cross-country and work for their creative agency, Out There Productions—also known as OTPros. After graduating from SU last year, Erin Miller, Johnny Rosa, and Losa Amara Meru decided to take a new ride to work. The team founded OTPros during their sophomore year at SU, creating ad campaigns and explainer videos for local businesses— including fitness, dust collection, food, pets, and fashion. “It’s interesting because we don’t have a specific industry that we focus on,” Miller says. “And not being super experts in an industry gives us a storytelling advantage, where we can look at a company and understand it at barebones and tell that barebones story to other people that are on the outside looking in.” OTPros was propelled to begin its own adventure after being inspired by the Instagram account, @StartUpOnABus, which romanticized the notion of travel. “It’s sort of becoming a trend to follow your wanderlust and that kind of bullshit,” Miller says. “And the school bus is really cool—it’s kind of a food truck for videos.” In their final days at SU, the team bought and
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Their first stop will be Albuquerque, where they will be volunteering at a hot-air balloon festival and pitching their company at 1 Million Cups, a program designed to connect entrepreneurs over a cup of coffee. Sean Branagan, the director of Newhouse’s Center for Digital Media Entrepreneurship, has worked with OTPros for years. Branagan met Miller in freshmen year and says she instantly stood out as “the prototypical crazy entrepreneur.” “It’s not enough to just have an idea; everybody has ideas,” Branagan says. “The attribute that differentiates true entrepreneurs is action [which OTPros was really good with].” Branagan says the team was able to commit full-time to their company after graduation
because of their hard work, courage, and passion. “It takes a lot of work and a lot longer than people are willing to work…[students] will say, ‘can I set my own hours when I’m working?’ Yeah you can, any 20 hours a day that you want [to] work.” Miller says her drive to stick with her company after graduation comes from her team and her clients, who think the trio is "charming as fuck.” “What inspired me to start OTPros was seeing people really passionate and running with their ideas to make it into a living,” Miller says. JM
refurbished an old school bus with money raised through an Indiegogo campaign and donated by the Syracuse community. After completing their crowd-sourced DIY bus transformation, Miller, Meru, and two other friends drove from Syracuse to California in six days, passing through Ohio, Kansas, Colorado, and Nevada, finally, ending in California by way of Los Angeles. Their journey was sprinkled with spontaneous adventures, including a detour to a peach farm in Colorado and an encounter with a woman who had also lived on a bus. “Everything we did was straight out of a movie,” Meru says. “The people we met along
"People don’t just have passion projects; they’re bold enough to take it full-time and that shit’s super inspiring.” the way were so unexpected but also very kind— [by traveling] you just see how other people live and see how other people experience things.” OTPros took a hiatus for the summer, but is hitting the road again in October. “We’re traveling counterclockwise across the country, following the seasons, because we’re pretty scarred from Syracuse winter."
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bbygrl. last year, the internet gave us the blue and black dress. this year, it was the tumblr sensations baby blue and baby pink. in the name of gender fluidity, pantone picked two colors of the year for the first time. buy the pink balloons for your next baby shower: it’s a boy!
stylists
trusha bhatt hairol ma
art direction
sam reimnitz
models
cheyenne lee evan berlin
photographers
terrell drayton tate horan
Jacket: Zara $40 Shirt: Hanes $2
Choker: Topshop $18 Tank: Zara $35 Jeans: Levi’s $85
Shirt: Nün Bangkok $42 Skirt: silence + noise $59
Bra: Out From Under $20 Jacket: Zara $40 Pants: Topshop $65
Hoodie: Anti Social Social Club $78 Pants: BDG $54
Jacket: Members Only $99 Dress: Zara $20
Cap: Champion $29 Shirt: Urban Outfitters $59
STRIPPED
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CULTURE IN YOUR
CLOTH CHINESE CI XIU WHAT IT IS: The Ci Xiu is one of the oldest existing needlework styles in history. Meticulously hand-sewn, Ci Xiu is a luxe form of embroidery that differentiates by regional and local styles.
We all like to mock Urban Outfitters for the brand’s gross cultural insensitivity, but did you know your favorite “boho” shirt uses a traditional Indian print? Jerk is here to clue you in on some of the most popular—and the most culturally appropriated— styles in fashion today.
AFRICAN DASHIKI WHAT IT IS: The dashiki originated from Western Africa as a shirt individualized with bright colors, traditional prints, and embroidery. Made with cotton or brocade fabric and cut to fit loosely, it is ideal for keeping cool in the hot West African climate. As part of the counterculture movement of the 1960s, the dashiki gained popularity in the United States and has since become an emblem of black pride. WHEN WE WEAR IT: Usually dakshikis are casually worn. Some are specially colored and constructed for weddings, funerals, and holidays.
INDIAN BANDHANI WHAT IT IS: Dating back to 4000 B.C.E, bandhani dyeing began in Gujarat, India and continues to be a common practice used for saris and other traditional garments. To create bandhani, cloth is tied into small circular sections and dyed with bright colors, each color combination carrying its own meaning. WHEN WE WEAR IT: Though only worn in certain regions of India, bandhani can be seen in both casual and formal occasions, most regularly worn during the nine-day festival, Navaratri. OFFENDING BRANDS: Madewell, Tory Burch, Issey Miyake
OFFENDING BRANDS: Free People, Clover Canyon, Michael Kors
WHEN WE WEAR IT: True Ci Xiu was worn by royalty in Ancient China, and the designs were a part of daily wear until the 1960s. In present time, Ci Xiu embroidery is worn mainly on major holidays, such as Chinese New Year. OFFENDING BRANDS: Brandy Melville, C/MEO COLLECTIVE, Louis Vuitton
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NOISE
NOISE
City in Color Local artists contribute to a long-running city revitalization project. By Jackie Frere : Photography by Aaron Kassman To most Syracuse University students, the
was extremely important, the visual aspect was
Connective Corridor is simply a free bus system
not something to forget about.
that runs downtown to Armory Square or the Warehouse, in the past 10 years, though it’s become much more than that to not only SU, but just
so we had to rebuild all of that which is really
transportation, the Connective Corridor has
expensive. I’m proud of the fact that I fought to
turned into a budding art hub. Two million dollars
reserve part of the grants for public art.”
While
originally
intended
for
was set aside to assist in the creation of public
The success of the green bike lanes turned into
art along the corridor—featuring interactive
completely reconstructing streets or sidewalks,
public spaces, sign art, art installations, video
adding furniture to the street, and installing
projects, and more to incorporate the public into
lighting. The Connective Corridor project also
the project.
helped add greenery to the city by planting trees
The original idea behind the Connective
Once the bus system connecting the university
Hill and downtown Syracuse. This series of
and city was put in place, and most of the
projects began in 2005 under the watch of former
construction was done, it was time to make the
SU chancellor Nancy Cantor, with the goal of
result look pretty. Higgins calls it “putting the star
urban revitalization for the city. This started with
on the Christmas tree.”
a lit pedestrian walkway and bike-friendly path to
The Urban Video Project was the first public-
join the two areas, which had been segregated
art installation launched in 2008. These were a
after Interstate 81 was built nearly 40 years ago.
series of outdoor video installations that showed
the city and on SU’s campus, the Office of Community Engagement and Economic Development was tasked with finding funding for the grand project. The office raised $47.9 million in donations and grants, and set aside a budget specifically for art. Marilyn Higgins, Vice President of Community Engagement
and
Economic
Development,
helped to begin the Connective Corridor. She says that while the physical part of the project
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and redesigning public parks.
Corridor was to create unity between University
But before green bike lanes were constructed in
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says Higgins, who retired in the summer of 2016. “We needed streets to be in better condition,
to the city of Syracuse.
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“The Connective Corridor project—so much of it was bricks and mortar. That was important,”
work by artists on large screens.
Seven years later, the Office of Community Engagement and Economic Development teamed up with the College of Visual and Performing Arts to create an international call for public art: the Syracuse Summer of Public Art. The call split into two separate requests for two different types of art, and is set to be completed by fall of 2017. “This is the largest infusion of quality public art
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NOISE
that has ever happened in the city of Syracuse,” Higgins says. “For a city the size of Syracuse, investing $650,000 in public art is fairly unusual.” The first call looked for artists to create original installations in the city of Syracuse. Over 250 applicants applied for the $650,000 contest for six spots. These applicants ranged from local Syracuse residents to artists from 17 countries, such as Iceland and Turkey. A selective, 11-person jury made up of VPA professors, Syracuse art professionals and national art experts chose the finalists. Now, artists will be creating permanent art pieces ranging from sculptures to murals to interactive installations over the course of the next year. Dewitt Godfrey of Earlville will be creating a large, shallow sculpture in an alley near Salina Street and Jefferson Street. He says what drew him to the call was his familiarity with the area and the artists’ ability to choose where they get to install their piece with the landowner’s permission. “Normally, or the most common kind of calls there are for public artists, the sites are clearly delineated, so you’re making art for a site that’s already preselected,” Godfrey says. “In this case, the artists were asked to work with the Connective Corridor team, the city and the Public Art Commission to select the site that the artist thought would be a good setting for their work and meet the goals of the project.” Godfrey, a professor at Colgate University and artist of 35 years, plans to create most of his piece outside of the city and bring the finished project to Syracuse. He’ll install it using local services and goods and predicts the artwork will be done in the later half of 2017. The second $150,000 public art request reached out to specific sign painters to create signs in the city that may already resonate with the sign art seen around downtown Syracuse. Five artists were chosen in April of 2015, and Brooklyn resident Jon Bocksel's signage has already been installed downtown.
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His two 16-by-13-foot murals pay tribute to Syracuse’s history and contribution to the invention of the 24-second shot clock and the city’s love of basketball. One mural can be seen on the side of a building when entering Armory Square, while his second sign gives a send-off to visitors. He finished painting the signs at the end of June. Bocksel has been professionally painting signs for about five years, so when he got the offer from the Connective Corridor to create a new art piece, he was excited to do something creative. “Oftentimes, I will be essentially advertising a business, and this case I was able to something more involved with the community. The main reason why I chose the location was because it’s on the edge of Armory Square, so it’s easy to create an entrance and exit to larger Syracuse,” Bocksel says. “... It’s cool to put art on a building where people may not usually choose that space. In other ways, it’s just cool to see the reactions of the occupants of the hotel.” The two calls not only contribute visually appealing art to the city, but also bring an educational aspect to the project as well. Undergraduate and graduate students who took a two-semester class last year taught by professor Tom Hall learned about public art calls from all perspectives of the process. They also were able to speak with the City of Syracuse Public Art Committee and artists who were awarded the commissions in the project. Quinton Fletchall, a former SU student, now works for the Office of Community Engagement and Economic Development as the Director of Public Art. He oversees the artists’ processes and helps them communicate with the city—he’s the go-to guy on Syracuse public art. “The initial planners of the corridor knew the value of public art and the way it plays into economy, tourism, but also how it can speak to community identity. We really wanted to bring that value to the corridor project,” Fletchall says.
“When people walk down the street, public art can create a moment of excitement and curiosity. Giving that to people is the long-term goal, as well as pushing the arts in Syracuse. We want to make this a city for artists.” Despite its public art project coming to an end in the spring of 2017, the Connective Corridor's creators and participants hope to instill a lasting effect on the students and local community around them. The public art installed around Syracuse will be a permanent reminder of a citywide effort to bring a sense of community and inspiration to a place that needed a reawakening of art and color.
“I think this last component of the Connective Corridor can be, in some ways, one of the most important ones. There’s an idea that the Connective Corridor isn’t simply a street or a pathway, but it’s an opportunity to think about how municipality and the university can create a different kind of space, and I'm glad that they see that using art public art in particular as a setting for that is a different idea of what that corridor stands for,” Godfrey says. “It’s an opportunity to put culture at the center, rather than simply making it easier to find your way from one part of the city to the other.” JM
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HISTORY IN THE HILLS
NOISE
NOISE
People of the Hills: Onondaga Nation
or The M Keep ohawk ers o f the Eastr e
The O
neid
a
n Do
e The O Keep nondag ers o a f the Cent ral Fir
Cay uga The
The Sen eca Keep ers o f the Wes tren
Door
The Onondaga Nation is one of nations that make up the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, the oldest democracy on earth. And it's just beyond The Hill.
The Onondaga Nation, like many Native American tribes, has a rich tradition not covered in your history class
The word Onondaga probably doesn’t confederacy served as model for the U.S. show up in your textbooks. If you live out government that would eventually attempt of state, the first time you probably read to extinguish the Nation and continue to the word was on the sign above the claim the Haudenosaunee land as their highway on the drive to Syracuse. Among own. Benjamin Franklin noted on multiple some of the most studied groups of Native occasions prior to the Declaration of Americans, the Onondaga and the Independence that the colonies should Haudenosaunee are sparsely mentioned form a union similar to the Haudenosaunee in textbooks, while Columbus still receives according to Onondaganation.org. praise for “founding” the “New” World. Syracuse University’s most visible In the Native language Onondaga involvement with the Onondaga, outside means “People of the Hills." Residing in of references in a fight song no one knows upstate New York’s mountainous terrain, the words to, was a mascot known as the the Onondaga are a part of Haudenosaunee Saltine Warrior or Big Chief Bill Orange, confederation, a group of six tribes who became the University mascot in the including the Seneca, Cayuga, Oneida, 1950s. He acted as a “generic native Mohawk, and later joined by the Tuscarora, warrior,” Stevens says. that were brought together by a legendary The mascot was eventually abandoned messenger known as the Peacemaker. in 1978 after the Native American Student “The Onondaga Nation was not only the Association protested, saying it was and central nation geographically, but the inaccurate and offensive portrayal of keepers of the Central Council fire,” says Native Americans. Up until that time Scott Manning Stevens, Ph.D., Director of “natives on campus were represented as the Native Studies Department at Syracuse. mascots rather than students," Stevens The Central Fire serves as the meeting says. But you can still find your favorite place for six nations according to Stevens. offensive mascots in FSU’s Seminole Chief The Onondaga have historically Osceola, San Diego State’s Atzec Warrior, practiced a matriarchal society that would and even in professional sports like the make your Women's and Gender Studies Cleveland Indians or the NFL’s Washington professor cry. They still follow a matrilineal racial slurs. heredity, where possessions would get “We cannot treat these events as passed down to the eldest daughter and microhistories or they will continue to be the Clan Mother is a central figure in obscured and forgotten,” Stevens writes in Onondagan and Haudenosaunee society, his chapter of the book Why You Can’t holding the power to select chiefs, Teach United States History without participate in councils, and wage war. American Indians. Relearning what has These practices of government and culture been forgotten about Native American’s —aside from war—have survived today in roles in the foundation and development the Onondaga, who are seen as “the real of America can’t be remedied in a 500 link to the traditions of the Haudenosaunee word article, but a greater consciousness Confederacy”, Stevens says. about Indigenous culture and contributions As one of history's great ironies, the to history is a good way to start. JM
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NOISE
STACKING UP According to the US census in 2010, 2.9 million people, or 0.9 percent of the population, identified as Native American or Alaska Native alone. Additionally, another 2.3 million people or 0.7 percent reported themselves as Native American or Alaska Native in combination with one or more races. Taking a look at Syracuse University's peer institutes—other universities comparable to SU—reveals that while SU does have a higher than average Native American population, could be more accuratly represented in colleges
>1%
<1%
INDIGENOUS STUDENTS >1% Boston College University of
1% 1%
Georgetown University
<1% Northwestren University Tulane University
Rochester
Cornell University
Northeastren
University of Notre Dame
University
Vanderbilt University
George Washington
Boston University
University
Lehigh University
University of Dayton
American University Marquette University
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COLUMB-MISS
The primary school nursery rhyme seems about the only mildly factual information that people remember about Columbus. Members of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy are here to correct the record.
Student Alliance Member, SU grad student HUGH BURNAM: Haudenosaunee COLUMBUS “DISCOVERED” AMERICA If Columbus was your uber he’d take you two towns over and give you a smallpox blanket for the walk home. In 1492 Columbus landed in the Bahamas what would later be called San Salvador. Native people had been inhabiting the continent for nearly 6,000 years at that point. He still thought he was in Asia at the time. 1 star.
SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY
.06%
NOISE
HE’S PRAISED AS A HERO “We [Native People] don’t look at Columbus as a hero so much as Jewish people look at Hitler as a hero, he caused a genocide” Numerous cities and the country of Colombia, not to mentions statues celebrating his “discovery” stand in spite that he essentially kicked off the slave trade and decimated the population of the West Indies. Did we mention the Catholic Church wanted to make him a saint?
THE UNITED STATES WAS BUILT ON FREEDOM “To discover this place and claim it as theirs is a slap in the face to us, it’s saying we didn’t exist. They brought over their ideologies and imposed them [on us].” Colonists didn’t impose every ideology, they also took some, like democracy or surviving the New England winter.
CHELSEA SUNDAY:
President, Potsdam association of Native Americans, SUNY Potsdam
It creates a telling of our history through one perspective “As long as Columbus day is celebrated it’s reaffirming that everybody doesn't give a shit about native history. There’s so much inaccuracy and so much of the story that's untold.
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FACES OF SU
NOISE
Zoe, C h
erokee
Ethan ,h
, Soph
alf mo h
omore
awk, j
unior
, rokee e h C t a, par more i d u a Cl sopho
nior
Jaiden, Half mohawk, Ju
reBekah, Part oklahoma cherokee, junior
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e, heroke c t r a p zie, Macken sophomore
Tawny, mohaw k
, junio
r
NOISE
The onondaga language
Like French, Italian, and Spanish are all romance lanuages, the Onondaga language one of the Iroquois languages. Fluent speakers can understand someone in the Cayuga, Mohawk, or Seneca tribes because the languages are similar. None of the languages are the exact same, though— each is unique to its tribe. It’s an incorporated language, so many ideas and things are included into one word. It has as many as 60 different pronouns.
ENGLISH
ONONDAGA
One
sga’dah
Two
degnih’
Three
ahseh
Four
gaye’ih
Five
hwiks
Eat
sadekhoñ•nyah
Corn
oneñha’a
Bean
ohsahe’da
Mom
ganoha’
Dad
k’niha
I’m thankful
nya wenha
You’re well
ska nonh
Onondaga
Onoñda’gega’
The real people
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REWIND
NO JUDGMENT
ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW
By Caroline Cakebread : Illustration by Alena Sceusa
The old cult classic revamps on Fox this month. By Madeleine Fournier : Illustration by Autumn Wilson
Rocky Horror Picture Show might be the only moviegoing experience that requires a checklist: toast, newspaper, water gun, rice, cards, toilet paper—for throwing, not for using, duh. For the more adventurous, there’s also an unofficial checklist: bedazzled bra, fishnet stockings, white slip, maid outfit. These are for true Rocky Horror fans—the ones who dress in character and who act out scenes from the show, sometimes on a weekly basis. With the new made-for-TV-movie to be released October 20, courtesy of Fox, fans will be able to watch from the comfort of their own homes, although if you were a true Rocky Horror fan, you'd be in fishnets and throwing rice as if every day were a drag queen's wedding. The new lineup features Laverne Cox playing the “sweet transvestite,” Dr. Frank-n-Furter, and Adam Lambert as Eddie. Tim Curry, the original
WE JUDGE
ALBUMS BY THEIR SINGLES.
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Frank-n-Furter, has given the project his blessing and will make a short appearance as the narrator. Although the show will be given a much needed facelift to reflect the 40 years of cultural differences, fans are shivering with anticipation over whether this revival will hit the mark. Will the new movie compete with the 1970 original or will they peacefully coexist? Since the first Rocky Horror had so much audience participation, the new film tries to give a shout-out to die-hard fans, making “the audience” a real character and cutting to “traditions in the theater” scenes right on screen, which makes it easier than ever to adjust to the quirks and the “don’t ask just know” traditions of RHPS fans. Even if you’re a freshman to Rocky Horror, don’t worry, roll up your fishnet thighhighs, throw shit at your T.V., and get ready to do the time warp again. JM
Album
Song
Release Date
Two Door Cinema Club
GameShows
"Are We Ready"
October 14
Sum 41
13 Voices
"War"
October 7
Phantogram
Three
"Same Old Blues"
October 7
Artist
Rating
THE DEAL: Kim Kardashian's meteoritic rise to fame came when her sex tape with Ray J was leaked in 2007. The sensational Kim we just can’t seem to avoid today comes at us in full makeup and blowouts on Keeping Up With the Kardashians. Along with her family, she is the biggest pop culture icon in the world right now—even Cosmopolitan dubbed the Kardashians “America’s First Family” last year. Even those who feign disdain when they see anything Kardashian have probably consumed something emblazoned with a K, be it the Kylie Lip Kit or yet another tabloid magazine turning them into pop culture gods.
up face and waist-trained body are “real” in the same sense that The Bachelor is true love. Kim and her family are products of network producers with dollar signs in their eyes, who, with an ever-rising viewer count, shell out yet another promise to us plebeians of a new drama—after the commercial break, of course.
THE ISSUE: THE DEFENSE: The Kardashians' selfies and materialistic lifestyle Kim is not your typical celebrity asshole. She are everywhere, from the drugstore perfume is, undoubtedly, the star of the Kardashian aisle to the app store, where you can pay $2.99 family, but has stuck with them throughout a month for Kim K: Hollywood. With each new the years and tears. She is also an enterprising product and Snapstory, her fame only continues businesswoman—her app made an impressive to rise, and her haters cry, “Why is she famous $74.3 million in the six months after its release, anyway?” fall into the Snapchat-filtered void. Kim according to Vanity Fair. Over the course of her has worked hard to make us obsessed with her. career she has amassed a net worth of $52.5 Her 72-day marriage to Kris Humphries made for million—not bad for someone who got their start the E! Network’s most watched TV episode in its as Paris Hilton's assistant. Kim is also a wife and history with 10.5 million viewers, seeming more mother, and deserves to be respected as the like a publicity stunt than love. smart working woman she is. Not to mention that, using just the snake emoji and the Snapchat THE (LARGER) ISSUE: Memories feature, she reignited the KanyeThe millions of eyes that tune in to Kim on the Taylor feud with a series of videos that show daily are fed a constant diet of unrealistic body Taylor giving permission for the notorious line in norms and vapidity. This exposure enforces "Famous". And hey, despite the undisputed fact a desire to show off their wannabe Kardashian she is the ugliest of ugly criers, we all still think lifestyles on social media. Women idolize her and she is the hottest thing strutting around the world men salivate over her, but Kim’s surgically-made- right now. JM
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AMPLIFIED
SYNAPSE
DON'T GROW UP, IT'S A TRAP Being an adult is, like, really hard. Between scheduling your own doctors' appointments, perfecting the most delicious ramen recipe, and paying that pesky rent, a handbook explaining how all this shit works would be helpful. Don’t worry, Jerk’s got you covered. October is chock full of media that will help you achieve ultimate maturity—or at least matching socks.
IZZY TRUE Members: Angela Devivo, Izzy Reidy, Silas Reidy, Jon Samuels Sounds like: Mitski, Mal Blum By Stephen Anthony Sbiroli : Photography by Kasey Lanise Jerk Magazine: Where did you come up with the band name? Are you Izzy True, or is that all of the band, like Alice Cooper? Izzy Reidy: When I started the project I knew I wanted to move into a position of more direct ownership, so I got into the idea of having a “rock 'n' roll name.” An ex-partner was rattling off ideas to me in a grocery store and said that one. It reminded me of the Andrea True Connection so I stuck with it. I should note that, while my ego is hideous and distended, my band is cool as hell and collaborate[s] on arrangements with me. JM: Where do you find the most lyrical inspiration? What drives you to write lyrics? IR: I get a lot of inspiration from textures, specifically viscous, gooey, and unknowable things. I was drawn to songwriting as a way of explaining my behavior to other people.
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JM: Does your style influence your recordings or do your recording tactics influence your sound? IR: A big part of the recording process for me is the people I work with. I have sought out folks whose aura and energies feel good to me. The past three releases I've done have all been recorded on reel-to-reel tape which is warm and real and wonderful. I think all that stuff comes through in the sound. JM: Describe your stage presence. What’s your thought process before or during a show? IR: Before the gig I stare into the mirror. I scream "YOU ARE A LOW WORM. YOU DISGUST ME." Then it's show time! How can I make the audience truly feel how superior they are to me? That is the goal. My body is tensed with fear, and I black out for the 25 minutes we play. JM
ALBUM: Rick Astley's 50 Never say never, and so Rick Astley’s 50 was born. Going back to the basics, Astley's latest will teach your cold, dead heart how to feel again on October 7. To elaborate, it’s shitty 80s pop songs that are bad enough to love ironically. “Give you up,” will probably be somewhere on the album, just because. This album will rock your 401k. It will never let you down. And we just taught you how to Rickroll your friends.
ALBUM: Benoît Pioulard's Listening Matter Benoît Pioulard’s first EP was literally born so that frontman Thomas Meluch could pay off his medical bills. While their new album, Listening Matter, wasn’t born out of desparation, and teaches listeners that selling your art doesn’t mean selling out. “Layette,” the first single off the album, is Bon Iver-esque—only you can actually understand what Meluch is singing about. Get health insurance in time for the album to drop on October 14.
MOVIE: Certain Women Starring Kristen Stewart, Laura Dern, and Michelle Williams, Certain Women explores the increasingly complicated, intersecting lives of women living in Montana. Their various trials seem, on the surface, hard to relate to, but it is chock full of life lessons. The indie darling about kick-ass women hits theaters October 14 and might just teach you a thing or two about how to ride a horse, or something.
BOOK: The Secret Loves of Geek Girls The Secret Loves of Geek Girls is an advice anthology from several different creators all across the spectrum of sexuality and identity. While giving helpful advice about love and life, it also features a bunch of fun, geeky references to various fandoms—Sailor Moon, anyone? Plus, it has legit comics from Margaret Atwood and fabulously-titled essays, including but not limited to, “How Fanfiction Made Me Gay.” Trust us, you need it. Find it on shelves October 18.
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DISCOVERSYR
DISCOVERSYR
About 40 minutes east of Syracuse by car, the pond and chapel are a perfect spot to picnic.
Take me to C h urch
The chapel is a roadside oddity, a nearly 3 mile detour from Interstate-90 located just off of a fork in the road—ideal for a pit stop on a longer journey through New York State. While many come to enjoy the tranquility of the pond, others only stop to snap a quick a photo and check the chapel off their sight-seeing list.
Chip and Shirley Dawson, a retired couple that enjoys gardens and public art, agree the chapel is worth a visit. “Except for the occasional car going by, you could be deep in the woods,” Chip says. “How did it feel? I had a smile on my face the whole time.” JM
Two's a crowd at Cross Island Chapel, the world's smallest church. By Lizzie Michael : Photography by Fiona Lenz Tucked in the middle of small-town central New York, a doll-sized chapel floats on the equally miniature Mason’s Pond. The surface of the water is coated with lime green algae, and the dark shade of the surrounding trees make the small stained glass windows and peeling white paint pop. The Oneida roadside wonder is so small that you might just miss it if you drove by too fast. This tiny chapel, although charming, would be almost unremarkable if it weren't for its strange location and oddball world record: Cross Island Chapel is the world’s smallest church, measuring only 28.68 sq. ft. Built on a whim in 1989 by a father and his son, the chapel barely holds three people. It is
so small that even the sign outside the chapel appears larger than the structure itself. Weddings took place inside the church during the early 1990s, although they weren’t an extravagant affair. The bride and groom would squeeze inside the church along with the minister, while guests would wait ashore or float on tiny rowboats in the pond. Today, the chapel is kept by a single caretaker and is opened upon request. Even so, visitors can still admire the structure while sitting in Adirondack chairs along the pond’s shore. The quaint, rural atmosphere of Oneida lends peace of mind. The silence is broken only by the honkings of a flock of geese skidding onto the pond from above. The non-denominational, record-breaking church was known to have weddings in the 90s.
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OBITCHUARY
SPEAKEASY
Selfie Stick CAUSE OF DEATH: EDELKRONE POVIE
Woman of Her Word Dana Spiotta, the author of National Book Award nominees Stone Arabia and Eat the Document explores realities of mortality, friendship, innocence, and American culture in her novels. She's an English professor at Syracuse, too, so we dropped in to ask her a few questions. By Sarah Epelman : Photography by Kasey Lanese Jerk Magazine: How did growing up with a family who constantly moved around shape your life and your views on the world today? Dana Spiotta: Moving every couple of years made me solitary and dreamy—okay qualities for a writer. Socially, I always felt a little on the outside and I feel as if I am from nowhere or everywhere—also useful positions for a fiction writer. But it was lonely sometimes, especially as I got older. My immediate family became a thread of continuity more than my friends.
JM: Your books usually have a strong female lead and each individual story holds a feminist undertone. Are there any female writers who have influenced your work? DS: Many. Joy Williams is a genius. Her work has inspired me over the years. Joan Didion and Susan Sontag on an idea and on a sentence level. Of the more distant past, Virginia Woolf and George Eliot.
JM: The characters in Innocents and Others seem very self-conscious and self-aware. Are JM: How would you say attending an arts high those characters reflected by people in your life? school affected your writing? DS: I think that Faulkner explained it well. Fiction DS: Crossroads was founded as an alternative comes out of experience, observation, and and innovative school. By the time I attended it, imagination. I read about people in the news, it had already become quite prestigious. But it and I wonder what it would be like to live their had amazing teachers, and learning from them lives, to live where they live, and have their helped form my sensibility. It encouraged us to experiences. I like the feeling of escaping myself question authority in a way that seemed very that I get from fiction. The dislocation frees you healthy. I then went to Columbia University, somehow, and then you can put in a lot of your which was much more rigorous but encouraged own experiences, feelings, or thoughts without it independent thought as well. I found the core actually being about you. So I am, in some sense, curriculum very empowering—it made me feel a all of my characters and none of them. JM part of a conversation with the past.
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By Kelsey Thompson : Illustration by Kay Thomas
After the death of 49 unsuspecting photographers during her tumultuous reign, the final photo has been captured and it looks as though Selfie Stick has plunged into her grave. From accidental cliff dives to bull impalements to electrocutions from lightning strikes, her life proved that logically inept individuals are willing to do the craziest shit in the name of the "ultimate selfie.” A lifetime of narcissism and being banned from just about every theme park in existence has led to her premature death. Today we say goodbye to Selfie Stick, the one true solution to capturing large group photos, picking out the egotistical jackass of the group, and documenting everything from tropical vacation photos to trips to the grocery store when you were #feelingyourself. Gone but not forgotten, we say farewell to her notoriety, yet her vainglorious legacy will forever remain. Selfie Stick valiantly fought for her right to selfie in her last few months, but between incessant outcries and her rejection from Lollapalooza, the Colosseum, and the Republican National Convention, it seemed there was only enough room for one faux-tanned, egotistical maniac to take center stage. Though Selfie Stick was deemed petite by society’s standards, Kendall Jenner’s lithe biceps could no longer withstand the weight of it hoisted above her shoulder. Remember, size does, indeed, matter. As time progressed and Selfie Stick faltered,
in came the Edelkrone Povie. No, I did not just sneeze. Following a brawl at Disneyland's California Adventure that included California Screamin’, crying toddlers, and Selfie Stick’s broken neck, Edelkrone Povie found himself to be the newest heavyweight selfie champion, wrapping his wearable glory around users’ necks like an Olympic gold medal. Born in Canada in 2005 to the father of the original selfie stick, Wayne Fromm, Edelkrone Povie proudly followed in fellow Canadian Justin Bieber’s footsteps and became just as much of a self-involved, overhyped tool as he is. The first few years of his life were plagued by much ambiguity, but in 2014 he blossomed before the world’s eyes and reminded us just how much some people love their faces. He became a portable and compact solution for people without tripods or those who could never sprint quickly enough to make it into their photo by the time the camera’s self-timer went off, or more likely, those with few friends. As we once swung our Selfie Sticks around in jubilee and knocked innocent bystanders in the face along the way, so too will we carry onward with POV photography wrapped around our necks, Selfie Stick’s memory residing for eternity in our hearts. Farewell, Selfie Stick. Your memory will forever remain in the pictures on our phones and the carpal tunnel in our wrists. JM
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CLOSET CASE
How To Dress like a Donald Trump Supporter
Getting Intimate
FORM & FUNCTION
“The beauty of me is that I’m very rich.”
Forget about pants. These students prove it’s what’s underneath that counts. Photos by Hannah Meader and Xiong Wei
“My fingers are long and beautiful, as... are various other parts of my body.” “I have a lucky pair of underwear “They’re comfortable, soft, and that I used to wear when I did fit just right. They’ve kind of musicals in high school. Now, I become something to look wear them when I go out and I forward to every so often, and want to ‘get lucky.' I kept them I’ve been through some great because after I decided not to times with them. The best time perform in shows anymore, I I had in them was definitely wanted to see what other luck when I wore them to see Kanye they could bring. I try to wear at Saint Pablo. I knew it would them once every month so the be the time of my life so I luck doesn’t wear out.” couldn’t wear any pair besides my favorite.”
—MOLLY GARRITY
—LUKE GIORANO
“My best underwear is this matching bra and underwear set I have from Victoria’s Secret. Pretty basic, but the reason I have them is quite the story. I went on a blind date with a guy over the summer and he randomly surprised me with a $200 gift card to VS. Safe to say the date didn’t go great, but of course I kept the money. Thanks, Craig!”
“It’s freezing and snowing in New York, we need global warming!”
"I do not wear a rug. My hair is 100 percent mine."
—SAM MCCLAIN
“You know, it really doesn't matter what the media write as long as youve got a young and beautiful piece of ass.”
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