RUiN Mag Issue 5 by Madison Paloski

Dissatisfied with the way the magazine industry was going, Madison Paloski and Raegan Cleary

wanted to do something about it. Tired of the generational gap between who was making magazines and who was reading them they wanted something for young adults, by young adults. Think of Ruin Mag as your neighborhood zine with a twist. We are here to report on all the fashion, art, music and lifestyle news that other magazines are afraid of. We wanna hear what you, the readers, have to say. And most of all, we’re here to shatter your expectations.

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Madison Paloski (she/her) Creative Director @maddiiiooyx

Raegan Cleary (she/her) Editor-in-Chief @raegarific

Emma Burkard (she/her) Staff Writer @emmaburkardd

Emma Ingenohl (she/her) Social Media Manager @emmaingss

Ashley Burke (she/her) Graphic Designer @ashleyburke17

Gregg Casazza (he/him) Art Director @greggariously

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We asked ruin readers... What is in my hot girl* summer tote bag

Challenging times spark personal growth and self-love

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How to bring the heat with your hot bitch summer fit I like it deep Paradisiacal Fantasies

Vaxxed, snatched, and waxed Persephone role play The history of hot girl summer That’s not hot

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A very juicy summertime playlist The how to guide for a hot vaccinated girl summer Does your straight boyfriend know he’s in a queer relationship?

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Meet the girls, gays, and theys reclaiming bimbo culture

summer heat.

Layout by Ashley Burke

“doing something nice for someone without looking for anything in return”

“tall boots”

“skateboarding” “matching lingerie sets, even if no one’s seeing it”

“lighting candles while dancing in my room”

“multiple rings”

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“long hair & big shoes”

“being financially stable for the first time”

“strong brows and a hot outfit”

“smoking weeeeed”

“driving with the windows down + music blasting”

“holding hands with my gf in public”

summer heat.

instagram: @ruin.looks

Graphic created with photos from Pinterest

the anniversary edition.

*Editor’s note: while I identify as a woman and will be referring to my personal tote bag set up as my “hot girl summer” tote, anyone regardless of gender identity can be hot and carry a canvas tote. All hot people carry canvas totes, that’s a fact. As much as I love a cute little handbag, sometimes they don’t always get the job done, especially now that most summer adventures can resume (as long as you’re vaxxed, obvi). While this will vary on the person and the activity, here’s what I keep in mine to ensure I’m ready for whatever hot b*tch summer will bring. The Bag: The key ingredient in my hot girl summer tote, is the bag itself. Not only do I love the NEWSPRINT tote from the RUiNStore ($15) as a way to plug the zine but it’s super roomy and can fit all my hot girl necessities. Water Bottle: Staying hydrated is key to having a hot person summer. I love the Corckcicle 16 oz classic canteen in rose quartz. Not only is this reusable bottle super cute, but it can also keep drinks cold for 25 hours, or hot for 12. The wide-mouth lid means you don’t have to put up a fight to get ice cubes in. You can even fit a whole bottle of wine or a fifth in the 25 oz size and two bottles of wine, or a handle in the 60 oz size because glass is the last thing you’re gonna want to worry about at the beach or on a picnic. Snacks: While most of my hot girl summer activities involve food, hav-

ing a snack just in case doesn’t hurt either. Normally I throw whatever is around into my bag, but some of my favorite portable snacks include dried unsweetened mango or Clif Bars-- I highly recommend the Peanut Butter & Honey with Sea Salt flavor. PMILK: PMILK is an acronym that stands for Phone, Money, ID, Lipgloss, and Keys. I saw it in a Seventeen magazine article 10 years ago and ever since then I always repeat it to myself before

going anywhere. Most of that is pretty self-explanatory but on my keys, I have a personal alarm, and when situations allow pepper spray because self-defense is hot. As for lip products, I love Dr. Lip Bang’s Lip Freak Buzzing Lip Balm and the ColourPop x Lizzie McGuire So Juicy Gloss. Daily Medication/ TUMs / Pain Reliever/ Extra Tampon: Girl Scouts taught me to always be prepared. While taking any daily medication with you seems like a no-brainer, you never realize how important it is to carry other things like Advil or an extra tampon until you ~really~ need them. Not to mention your friends will be eternally grateful for saving the day. Book & Airpods: Depending on the occasion I don’t always carry these with me but they definitely come in handy during an impromptu trip to the park. Try to name something better than reading a book in the shade on a hot summer day-- you really can’t. Currently, I’m reading Front Row: Anna Wintour: What Lies Beneath the Chic Exterior of Vogue's Editor in Chief by Jerry Oppenheimer. If I’m not reading you can find me listening to RUiN’s Summer Heat Playlist or my favorite podcast at the moment The Candle Coven, where married couple and Bijou Candles co-owners Alaina and Jocelyn talk pop culture and the fabulous ladies that inspire their candle scents. by Raegan Cleary, @raegarific summer heat.

Challenging Times Spark Personal Growth and Self Love

lot has changed in the past fifteen months (jeez that’s putting it lightly, isn’t it?). A pandemic turned our world as we know it upside-down. With this came immense loss, as well as immense perseverance. We watched as the world attempted to maneuver this great challenge from behind the computer screen. Our lives turned digital. Zoom meetings and classes, Facetime calls to the loved ones we couldn’t see for the time being. Lots of scrolling through TikTok and Instagram and so many seasons of reality TV watched on Netflix and Hulu. We saw hundreds of thousands of people come together to create the biggest movement for racial equality since the Civil Rights Movement. But possibly the biggest change to occurred this past year was within each of us (cue the Big Mouth theme song by Charles Bradley, “Changes”). Some people literally changed their physical appearance by cutting bangs and mullets and changing their sense of style, while others had some more unseen changes happen. What is it about this time that allowed so many people to fully come into themselves? Did we all really “find ourselves” and become who we were always made to be? What inspired these changes to develop and grow? Isolation played a major factor in the changes college senior Kaitlyn Durante saw in herself over the past fifteen months. “I feel like a huge thing I’ve learned and developed is not feeling guilty for self care and putting myself first. I feel like quarantine and being isolated kind of forced that,” Kaitlyn says. After spending months on end alone by ourselves, we were driven to care for ourselves and as Kaitlyn also points out, “It was needed. Not only was I myself coping in an escapist way, most of us in society do too”. We were forced to face ourselves over this past year and truly come to terms with the fact that all we have are ourselves. Kaitlyn stresses the importance of creating a precedent from this experience and to not go back to the previous “normal” when it comes to self care and even being a bit selfish when it is necessary to.

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PJ Titus, a student at Suffolk University experienced a similar phenomenon saying that being in quarantine sent their personal reinvention “into orbit”. “I really had time to sit with myself and it made me think about my gender identity more than I already was”, they reveal. They spoke about caring less what others’ opinions are and how they stopped comparing themselves to others. “I’ve done a lot of self work,” PJ says. “Realizing, I’m not perfect and I need a lot of work.” PJ also introduced an interesting perspective on finding sanctuary online. They say, “I found joy from scrolling online and I found so much inspiration and new styles that I like to experiment with now”. For Lasell University student Claire Shepard, the internet was also a safe space to occupy during the pandemic. “TikTok became a way for me to express myself,” she says. Claire opened up about coming to terms with her sexuality this past year after never questioning it prior. “I quite literally did not question my sexuality at all the first twenty years of my life,” she goes on to say. “I grew up in a very conservative area, lesbian was a bad word. I grew up with so much stigma and it was very internalized for me.” TikTok was a place of welcoming for Claire in her self discovery. People on the app validated her sexuality and even celebrated it! Her journey with self-confidence took-off once she was able to come to terms with her true self. And quarantine had a big part of this for her. “There’s pros and cons with all of it,” Claire says. “It was hard sitting alone with your thoughts. You can’t really distract yourself from things because you’re just sitting in your house.” But Claire brings up an interesting perspective on how this time also allowed her to educate herself on the important and hard issues that were happening all around her during the heart of the pandemic. “The Black Lives Matter movement got really big during quarantine and [...] opened my eyes to bigger picture things that I never recognized. As a white person I’m very privileged, and these were things I never really thought about before,”

she says. Like Claire implies, The Black Lives Matter movement became amplified during isolation due to people having the time to pay attention. Not having to do the normal routines of daily life allowed for many people to learn about the world around them.

Nicole Powers, a recent Lasell graduate who studied fashion marking, took the time during isolation to reflect on her personal consumption within the industry. “I knew I was graduating soon and I was nervous about the fashion industry and where it was going in terms of inclusivity, branding, and diversity. Consumers had the power [during COVID] to speak up about what they believed in and became passionate about what they were buying,” Nicole says. She goes on to say how this was reflected in her own buying habits. “I fell in love with thrifting and online second-hand marketplaces,” she says. Nicole recognizes that none of the dangers of fast fashion are going away, and therefore it was important for her to educate herself on how to better navigate the world of fashion through a lens of respect for the earth and its inhabitants. Despite the stillness that was the outside world during quarantine, there were many changes happening within each of ourselves. Many people came into their true selves during this insane journey that has been straight out of a sci-fi film. Whether it was the time alone, or the increase of the online world, or the opportunity to learn about other important causes that need attention around the globe, many of us can look within and see how we have evolved during COVID-19. We had to adapt to our surroundings and learn to live in a pandemic, that in itself is a huge change. And there’s nothing hotter than changing to become more of who you are meant to be. Even if you can’t see the physical ways in which you have changed, or can’t feel them inside, look back at yourself and realize you should be incredibly proud of yourself for getting through this and for continuing to navigate it. by Emma Ingenohl, @theevirgosun

summer heat.

Photo by Albina White from Pexels.com

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Accessorize. Adding sunglasses, hats, jewelry, etc. to your outfit is one of the best ways to elevate your summer look. When you can’t layer jackets and sweaters while out in the heat, you can add dimension to your look with accessories. The bolder the better— a small but powerful piece can make a simple outfit so much hotter! Sometimes, a hot b*tch accessory isn’t what you would think— maybe it’s your favorite book at the beach, a camera around your neck, or a water bottle keeping you hydrated ( YES, hot b*tches hydrate). Stand out. Summer is the best time to wear loud colors and patterns. Hot b*tches get noticed, and they love it! Challenge yourself to wear the brightest colors, crazy prints, and wild pieces that might be out of your comfort zone but are things you really love. The confidence boost that comes from wearing a bold piece is unmatched! Wear your thoughts. Hot b*tches have important things on their mind and they want to be heard. Now that we can finally go out on the town again, we want to wear fun articles of clothing with phrases, quotes, and other words written on them for people to read. Maybe you want to stand up for a cause you believe in, make a political statement, support an artist, show off your favorite musician, or wear something with kind or inspiring words. Graphic tees, trucker hats with sayings,

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and beaded necklaces, and bracelets with letters on them are some of our favorite ways to share a message through your clothes this summer. Get Creative. Summer is the perfect time to get crafty and create totally unique pieces for yourself or support other creatives’ work. What’s hotter than wearing something literally no one else has because it’s a one-of-a-kind? Bleaching or painting your jeans, diy’ing tops from an old t-shirt, sewing and flipping thrifted pieces, and going to the craft store to make your own jewelry are just a few ways you can express your creative mind through your outfit this summer. Making your own clothes or supporting the creations of other independent artists and designers will be sure to get your look noticed and make your outfit a conversation piece. Nail Designs. Funky nail art is arguably one of the most fun trends this summer. Your nails can be a way for you to totally express yourself in an artistic way. The possibilities are endless with your nails, whether you choose your favorite color, a swirly multicolor design, smiley faces, or something inspired by your favorite artist or designer. The best part is even if the rest of your look isn’t so “hot”— your nails can always be put together. Long or short nails, it doesn’t matter, just do whatever makes you happy! Matching Sets. Yes, hot b*tches love to make a statement,

but they also want to look put together too. A matching set for the summer is the best way to create an outfit that looks so cohesive and fashionable. Matching sets can come in so many forms: a top and skirt, a pants look, or a bathing suit with a matching sarong. You don’t even need to buy a matching set together to make one— just put together some pieces of the same color and congrats, you’re the most effortless looking hot b*tch on the street. Bonus points if you perfectly coordinate accessories, shoes, makeup, nails. Imagine how hot a head-to-toe matching look would be! Be comfortable. The most important way to feel and look like your hottest self is by wearing whatever makes you feel good! No hot b*tches outfit looks the same. If you love being trendy, wear all of the Pinterest trends! If you love showing skin this summer, rock a little bikini and cutout clothes. If you love wearing baggy pants and hoodies, wear them. If you feel fire when none of your clothes match, clash those patterns baby! If you feel the freest with no makeup or hair products, go out wherever you want like that. (And vice versa to all of these). The key to being the hottest possible version of yourself is making sure you feel amazing and comfortable in whatever you wear. Hot b*tches don’t compare their looks to other hot b*tches, they just do their own thing. Express yourself this summer and be true to what you love to wear because nothing is hotter than that. by Emma Burkard, @emmaburkardd photography by Tomas Provencher, @tomprophoto

Wear your thoughts. Hot b*tches have important things on their mind and they want to be heard. Now that we can finally go out on the town again, we want to wear fun articles of clothing with phrases, quotes, and other words written on them for people to read. Maybe you want to stand up for a cause you believe in, make a political statement, support an artist, show off your favorite musician, or wear something with kind or inspiring words. Graphic tees, trucker hats with sayings, and beaded necklaces and bracelets with letters on them are some of our favorite ways to share a message through your clothes this summer.

summer heat.

esides me, the only man in the world to have had even one single interesting thought, men are, as a whole, rather unremarkable. This fact does not impede them from socially manspreading, taking up space in such an intense and insane way that I couldn’t help but wonder… If men say they are so deep, why haven’t they drowned? Perhaps you are currently thinking “not all men!” and to that I say of course you are right, and we have already covered this— all men except for me. There is something within the hardwiring of so many men that allows them to think that the things they have to say are somehow the most important and unique thing ever to be said. We really should feel lucky to be in their presence, to experience their hot take on why “the Office is good actually.” In a culture which lambastes the “not like other girls” girl, there

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sure does seem to be a lot of “not like other boys.” Boys who think they are edgy for liking “light BDSM” like slight choking or pinning. “Have you ever seen Pulp Fiction?” they ask hardly waiting for you to answer. Afterall, as the cultural mavens they are, questions are less so for learning about another person, but instead, a chance to talk more about themselves. (i.e “I actually have a poster from the original Cannes Film Festival Poster. It’s such an underrated film, Tarantino is the most prolific auteur of our generation.”) Other times this pretention manifests in music taste, which you will be made to listen to through a cracked-screen iPhone speaker. It should be made a federal offense to force someone to listen to more than 15 seconds of any song in this way, and I should be given an honorary Oscar for the performance of enjoyment that I mirror back each time this happens (and I do it all without Tarantino’s expert direction as well, how’s that for prolific?). I have, on more than one occasion, been made to read Notes app poetry written in ABAB, and one man even read it aloud to me. Was I supposed to snap? Should I have shed a single tear and then held him close to my chest? “You are so special!” I’m like one of those gorgeous truffle pigs, and can usually sniff this kind of man out within the first few minutes of knowing them. When the conversation is so completely dominated by a man, it is a safe bet that no orgasm will be had. This sucks, as not only will the date be bad but, the sex will doubtless be bad as well. Like the man who told me he had a voyeurism kink. Having a reading comprehension level of at least an 8th grader, I replied that I would be willing to try that, if I got to pick the guy. He looked at me dumbfounded, explaining that he wanted to have public sex, which, for those of you following at home, is not the same thing.

“I’m really into kinky sex,” he told me again at the end of our date. Cool I thought, let’s see what this means for him. Apparently, kinky sex just means trying to dry fingerblast me and trying to put a condom on while still soft. But why did I still go back with him, I can hear you asking. First of all, let me just say that’s not very Hot Girl of you, and B.) well yeah, I don’t really have a good answer.

nestly be asked to fake it anymore. And yes that goes for sex as well, you are allowed to make a man feel bad who doesn’t make you feel good. I’m pretty sure I read that on a popsicle stick somewhere, or at least it should’ve been. And one last pro-tip, if he asks if you want to see a photo of a mixed-media art project he worked on about Global Warming, the answer is always no. by Gregg Casazza, @greggariously

At the end of the day, many of us still allow for men to railroad these conversations and believe that they are great Casanovas, who have changed our lives. They feed off of this validation, this is why months later you may see them view your story after they said they didn’t want anything serious, or send you a text out of the blue. They do this not because they actually want to hear from you, but because they need to have their ego stroked and reminded that they are in fact the center of someone’s universe. So again, what should I, the World’s Most (and only) Interesting Man do? While a man waxes rhapsodic on a date, I take inventory of the restaurant. How many tables are there? What was our waiter’s name? Is it pronounced tapas or tapus? Then when he stops to drink some water or heaven forbid take a breathe, I ask calmly, “Want to ask me anything about me or my life?” After I have thrown what is effectively a Mario Kart Blue shell, I have control of the rest of the night. When they say they had a good time, I always reply with a, “how could you have thought that went well?” In the year of our Lorde 2021, we cannot ear-

Graphic created with photos from Pinterest

summer edition. heat. the anniversary

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RUiN Mag.

summer heat.

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The use of color throughout our issue is bright- and for a reason. A post- pandemic summer has been all that we have been dreaming of for the last year and a half, and finally, the time has come. Throughout our dreamlike sequence, we wanted to signify glowing self-love with paradisiacal scenery and garments to make our new reality live out our pandemic fantasies. We spent too long being locked away and finally are able to come out with our newly- found confidence and sense of style (with feathers to match). CREATIVE TEAM: Creative Direction and Photography by Madison Paloski, @maddiiiooyx Modeling by Madiha Khan, @meadowpebblez Styling by Madison Paloski @maddiiiooyx, Raegan Cleary @raegarific, Emma Pereira @emmapereirayo, and Emma Ingenohl @theevirgosun Pink top and pink gloves made by Coconut Head, @coconut_head____

summer heat.

RUiN Mag.

A Very

Juicy Summertime Playlist

1. Good 4 u- Olivia Rodrigo 2. I Like it Like That- Hot Chelle Ray 3. Down With The SicknessDisturbed 4. What A Man Gotta Do- Jonas Brothers 5. Whine Up- Kat Deluna 6. Bring Me to LifeEvanescence 7. Brutal- Olivia Rodrigo 8. ButterBTS 9. Montero- Lil Nas X 10. All The Small ThingsBlink- 182 11. Lil Bit- Nelly & Flordia Georgia Line 12. Peaches- Justin Bieber 13. Bodies- Drowning Pool

by Nikolle Dixon, @nikolledenise summer heat.

The How To Guide For a Hot Vaccinated Girl Summer

or all the Pfizer princesses and Moderna mamis. It’s been a rough year and a half, and now the world’s re-opening to the most anticipated summer in a long time. Here are 10 things you can do while adjusting to the new old normal.

even the community near you. Caring about others is the ultimate hot girl activity.

Club. Bus. Another club. Everyone’s covid comfort level is different

Travel! Even if you can’t travel abroad, you can still go to a different city and become the mysterious main character type of your dreams sitting in the corner of their local coffee shop.

Hang out with friends you haven’t seen in a while. Whether they’re in the same city or hours away, there are some friendships that have had a hiatus - not because you chose to end them with the excuse of covid, but because covid put a halt on them. Especially those friends you were just getting to know before covid. Grab a drink and catch up with them.

Re-download those dating apps. Or let’s be honest, just open them again. Whether you dated during the pandemic or not (Not judging. It was lonely out there.) Now you can meet new people without the fear of a kiss sending anyone to the hospital. Pick up a new hobby. You might have less free time now, but you also have more hobbies to choose from that were near impossible to perfect while stuck inside. Join (or start) a club. The only thing better than your favorite thing in the world is meeting people who also love said things. There are so many different organizations and groups within communities, and now is the time to join and meet new people. On the flip side, you can also start a club. You’re not the only one who loves that one obscure movie from the 90s with the chicken foot. Become more politically active. The pandemic has opened people’s eyes to the injustices in our world, and we shouldn’t stop now that we have more free time to pay attention to other things. Find ways to help

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Move to a new city. It sounds dramatic and hasty, but you just survived a global pandemic. If there was a time to start a new life and completely shake things up - it’s now. You’ve also been stuck inside for the past year, so it’s not like you’ll miss your old favorite places any much more than you already do.

with good reason. And we should all take precautions to protect the most vulnerable amongst us. But with that being said, if you’re healthy, vaccinated, and have been wearing your mask dutifully for the past year and a half - you deserve a post-covid weekend of partying.

Have a self-care day. True, you were able to mid-pandemic, but take everything re-opening as a chance to start scheduling regular selfcare days out in the world. Whether that looks like a spa day or taking an art class, do whatever you need to schedule some “metime.” The pandemic might be close to over, but that doesn’t mean you should stop spending quality time with yourself. Follow your f*cking dreams. Corny, but whatever. This pandemic has made most people take a good, long hard look in the mirror. More than likely, everything that hasn’t led to your personal growth has been cut out from your life - or should be. It’s almost post-pandemic, if you’re looking for a sign - this is it. by Ynessa Rhodes, @yneass

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“BUT HE DOESN’T U N D E R S TA N D THE WAY I HOLD CHAMPAGNE FLUTES AND THE WAY I GET JEALOUS AND ANGRY AND CONFUSED AND OVERWHELMED WHEN I HANG OUT WITH A GROUP OF MY GUY FRIENDS BECAUSE I’M NEVER GOING TO GET TO BE ONE OF THEM.”

he ever played live because I told him Anthony Kiedus is a predator and he didn’t question me. But he doesn’t understand the way I hold champagne flutes and the way I get jealous and angry and confused and overwhelmed when I hang out with a group of my guy friends because I’m never going to get to be one of them. He tells me I could cut my hair and he thinks he is helping. I bring him to a basement show, his first-ever. My friend’s band is playing and they are terrible, we’re drinking shitty, warm beer, there are way too many people packed into this disgusting space, and I love it. And I feel embarrassed of him. I want to hold his hand and kiss him and spin him around, and I do. I tell myself I love this man because I do.

few months ago I saw a tweet that read, “does your straight boyfriend know he’s in a queer relationship?” and I haven’t been able to drive it from my mind.

We tip the touring band and leave with a few of my friends to go to an open mic in someone’s living room. The disintegrating Allston apartment walls are hidden under nonsense and the room smells like weed, cigs, and camomile. I haven’t had a night like this since the world ended and I feel euphoric.

I’m a bisexual, non-binary femme. After ending a rough relationship with a cis, straight guy in early 2020, I swore I was done with men forever. I was also 18 and made a lot of impulsive declarations for the fuck of it, but I really thought I meant that one.

As we listen I listen to the stories escape the people around us, he tugs on the hem of my shirt. I brush his hand away and he doesn’t try again. And this time, the awkward unease isn’t cast on the shape of the man sitting next to me, but inward.

Aside from the general toxicity, we existed in two different worlds. He was a feminine dude who was prominent in local DIY culture and presented himself as an allied advocate, but it was clear anything I thought was a genuine connection between us was scathed by an impenetrable language barrier.

BECAUSE I THOUGHT SHOWING HIM MY THINGS WOULD MAKE HIM ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE BOY I MET.

How do you teach someone to find solace in creation when they’ve never not felt whole? Two years have passed, and the cycle of hypocrisy continues. I met this one through a group of mutual friends, and he’s doing everything right. He listens when I tell him how his friends make me uncomfortable, he doesn’t get defensive when I explain how his words have hurt me even though he spoke them free of malice. He skips the Red Hot Chili Peppers whenever they come on shuffle even though he knows every word to Scar Tissue and Snow was the first song

“Did you have fun?” “The music was interesting, I like seeing you dance … To be honest, I don’t think I understood anything anyone said at Raiel’s place, though.” And I wonder, was that the first time he engaged with material that didn’t exist for him? The first time he heard the unfiltered thoughts of people who the world was made by but not for? I tell myself I love this boy because I really think I do. What is it like for him when I’m in his world? Does he worry about how I’ll cringe when his brothers talk about their underage girlfriends? The way I shut down when I see the whiteboard on his friend’s wall and he tells me not to concern myself with the meaning of the tally marks? Or what about when I get into it with his childhood best friend when he told me I wear my optimism like an overzealous child?

I WANT TO TELL HIM HE IS MORE STRANGER TO ME THAN A LOVER SOMETIMES, BUT I AM SCARED HE WILL TELL ME THE SAME THING. by Anonymous

When I saw him for the first time, almost eight months ago now, he was laughing at a joke made by one of his roommates about a girl’s leaked OF content. A girl who couldn’t have been older than 18, whose agency was stripped away, this made his Jack and Coke resurface through his nose. And why wouldn’t it? The train ride home was quiet.

summer heat.

Vaxxed, Snatched and Waxed: Why Hot People are Getting the Covid Vaccine I

t’s no secret that getting the COVID-19 vaccine has been the most widely debated topic in 2021. Whether it be political, religious, or just out of personal choice, many people are deciding to opt-out from getting vaccinated and are dividing the US between those who are willing to and those who are not. But is this divide going to help us finally reach the end? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the COVID-19 vaccines were developed using science that has been around for decades, are not experimental, and have received and continue to undergo the most intensive safety monitoring in U.S. history. Many people remain skeptical of whether or not to trust the CDC in regards to this information. However, these same people have trusted other vaccines and have received them through their local doctor’s offices, so the real debate seems more out of fear than just about vaccines. An article in The New York Times titled “Faith, Freedom, Fear: Rural America’s Covid Vaccine Skeptics” is a thoughtful read detailing the resistance in white repub-

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lican communities, specifically one in Appalachia. Although they say it is not political, many expressed in the article that they are unsure of the long-term effects of the vaccine and that it was developed in haste. With these groups of people, there are certain ways to reach this mindset. As stated by Dr. Leana Wen in an interview with CNN, the main way to regard this group of people is to make vaccines easy and trustworthy. To do this, she suggests getting rid of the scariness attached to mass vaccination sites and instead of putting the vaccine in the hands of physicians, pharmacists, churches, and clinics, all places that these people know to trust. All it takes is one trustworthy person in the community to take the lead and create a chain reaction amongst the community to get the vaccine. This would show that changing your mindset and believing science can lead to being reunited with family and friends, and living life as what a pre-pandemic 2021 could look like, which can be enticing to others in the community.

The proof is in those who refused vaccination and then turned fatal when catching the life-threatening virus. Although Michele Preissler was vaccinated, her husband was still on the fence. Even though he was reluctant, he planned to get the shot eventually, but things turned to the worst-case scenario before he even had the chance. After catching COVID at a family wedding, her husband was hospitalized after a month, and not long after that, he knew he was going to die. To this day, Preissler still mourns the death of her husband and is haunted by his final choice. Another example can be found in Josh Garza, who was lucky enough to survive after a double lung translate. Although he was one of the first categories of people eligible for the vaccine, he told ABC News he didn’t want to be categorized as a “Vaccine Guinea Pig”. He explained how he thought that everything he

ho need to g w r o t et sec

was doing was good enough, but ended up still getting COVID-19. A mere few days away from dying, a double lung transplant saved his life and he now lives to say he regrets his decision because he now knows the vaccine could have spared him. After four months hospitalized, Garza said, “if I could do it all over again, no doubt. I will get the vaccine.” The main sector of people who need to get the vaccine to drive herd immunization is young people (we’re looking at you readers!). According to the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, adults 20 to 49 are the super spreaders leading COVID- 19 surges. The longer coronavirus spreads, the more it mutates, which we have already seen starting to occur. The key to ending this pandemic isn’t just to get vaccinated, it’s to get vaccinated as soon as possible. Although we’re getting a taste of normalcy this

tion is a z i n the mu m i vacc ine to drive herd

young p eop le”

“

ai em

“The main sector who need to get the vaccine to drive herd immunization is young people”

summer, it’s important to remember we’re not entirely in the clear yet. Dr. Leana Wen warned the US that with the world opening up and as back to normal as much as you can be post-pandemic, people are going to start enjoying the world and be complacent towards their decision to not get vaccinated and still be able to enjoy the normalcy. With this spike, she worries that those who are on the fence about getting vaccinated will ultimately choose not to because of the pace at which places are opening. This is all good in the summer and the fall, but with winter, cases could start to rise again restarting this whole process. With the more vaccines rolling out, the more the economy has been boosted by being able to open up at full capacity again at longer hours. Many restaurants, bars, movie theaters, and sporting venues are now able to cater to larger crowds making business boom for the

first time in over a year. People have been hit more economically during this pandemic than ever before so this surge has been a huge relief on many shoulders, especially those who own small businesses. In order to keep this boom up, it’s important to make sure that states are pushing vaccination rollouts. Businesses are doing the best they can to say thank you and drive morale to get the shot by offering incentives for anyone who shows proof of vaccination, including free menu items. In response, Los Angeles internal medicine specialist Dr. Jorge Rodriguez announced, “If you want to open up America, get vaccinated.” To end on a happy note, it’s important to see just how much the vaccine has helped since it first rolled out. A Washington Post

analysis has found that states with higher vaccination rates now have fewer coronavirus cases. Infections are dropping in places where most residents have been immunized and are rising in many places people have not. Amongst the states rolling out more vaccines and having fewer cases, New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island have been at the forefront. Rhode Island had a daily average of over 1,000 cases in December and now, as of June 2021, has a daily average of 26 cases. Even though there is still a chance of catching COVID once vaccinated, health care workers have been applauding that their exhausting workdays are being alleviated with a drop in cases being hospitalized from the virus. So, do your part in flattening the curve, and please, believe in science! by Madison Paloski, @maddiiiooyx summer heat.

RUiN Mag.

ell is my house- 2:45 P.M. January, February, March into April, white winter air feeling around like cold fingers through my living room and my face is dry, reflective from the not-light and flaking. I’ve eaten pomegranate seeds, am sitting and shaking in wait. If hotness is a state of mind, then it is also a state of being, the defining factor being a confusion of psychic and physical boundaries, a transcendence into the metaphysical. My hotness is the only true connection I feel with the natural world. It’s a stream running through us. This is the way nature has put me together. I’m hot in the summer when I let the heat into me. Please turn off your goddamn air conditioning when I come over. I’ve got a heat kink.

I feel hot when in the mornings I wake up wet and shiny. There’s romance in the sheen and in somewhat of a fitful night of sleep, no? It’s something invisible that continuously brings me back and forth from the dream ether. A little bit of death, come back, give in, return. I wake up hot to the touch. Sleeping beneath a skylight, the coming morning is what wakes me. I am the heat in my bedroom, the right color and weight like I’ve been worked through overnight, my subconscious bodies focused on a new becoming. I come downstairs for coffee with a face full of freckles, drenched, full of proof. I feel hot in the way I move, the way I slip off a shirt, how my face drips, trailing things down other parts of my body. I feel hot where my eyes survey, where little imperfections surface. In a tweet from 2019, artist and icon, Kelela, writes “one of the most healing things I’ve done is expose the parts of my body I’m most insecure about”. Summer is a practice in hotness, in exposure, in celebration. Heat is a practice in submission. Now, I wear little shirts that expose my shoulders, my arms, and the strange curve of my back. I wear a speedo to the beach, underwear in the house unless I’ve got somewhere to be. I take photos in full sun, acne violent. I wear ill-fitting things, or things that fit just as they should, take them off when people want, leave them forgotten on the floor. I feel hot when I’m told what to do, when I wanna give in. I suppose I’m a bit selfish. I

run without a shirt, rib cage armoring. I like my thin wrists, I like my body hair, all of it. I like the way my body changes throughout the day, swells and compresses, the way it becomes stronger, then weaker, how parts of it come and go, how each morning I think I look a little different for reasons lost to the night. Isn’t that fun, how we change? I maintain eye contact on the hottest days. Look at me sweat. Get in my way. My stomach is full of honeysuckle and cold white wine, radishes, lemon juice, pink fish and white rice, plums, nectarines, accidental cherry pits, mint and dill, arugula, dark coffee, pb & j’s. I pluck silvergrass from the yard, cut my hair short, read before bed, dance with you, walk my fingers up from your hipbone to your cheek, make new shapes, slip in and out of them. Like Persephone ascends, I come to in the warmth. Unlike her, though, I rule nothing. If heat lacks boundaries in its reign, then so do I in the image I hold of myself. Apparently, she also takes her job as Queen of the Underworld quite seriously, doesn’t just sit bored on her throne. This is where we differ. I am a time-waster, don’t love anything that much. Maybe I feel hot when I feel there is nothing between me and the air, or the feeling of it. When in books like Deliverance or Annihilation, our heroes adapt to their environment, become a part of the system in order to survive, I perform a similar transformation. I’d rather melt into the mainframe of the season. Maybe I forget I’m a body or maybe I remember that that’s all I am. Like sex, sometimes, it’s easy to forget you’re a body, a thing actually at all, and this thing that is heat gives me that same release. Maybe I feel whole because I feel fluid and easy and my body falls into a low, quiet frequency, humming and is a touch illuminated, like a glow. I feel hot when I fall into a place between feeling and unfeeling. Some days I wake up in a swamp, the sheets have been sweat through and my face is slick. It’s 7 in the morning and I rise as the queen of the bog, I imagine, moss wraps around me as I kneel and reach my vined arms up and over left and right. I’ve become the in-

visible thing, the heat making its way into my DNA, it’s replaced my temperature and gone through into my skin, making a home there. My body is where we both live now. Its twilit, the air seethes and there are flowers that bloom like jellyfish gleam in blues and pinks beneath the water. My way is shown by firefly light and I hear a buzzing, it becomes my silence, sweat bees swarm. Some days I look over and you’re there, rolling over and over, rosy and pulling me closer as if trying to make your way through, making sounds, coming together then separating, sickly sweet. I find your heartbeat, sink deeper. I’m shining like the inside of a half-eaten cherry, like juice on your lips. In my dreams, I lay with others with faces full of acne and beady eyes, fold myself in unnatural ways to catch the sun in barren pockets of my body, look up directly into it. I want a bad night’s sleep with a lover, I want to feel faint and I want stinging eyes, I want to smell and I want to be near-naked in the kitchen filling up the ice tray with tap water, I want you to hold the freezer door open for me, I want a sticky chin and hands, I wanna be in a bad mood, I’m gonna be hot and sneezing from the pollen floating in through the open windows. Every time you kiss a different part of my body you’ll taste something new. Eventually, it draws blood. I’m pricked by browning grass-likes like planted needles, turned red and tender beneath the sun, watch my skin molt, fall hard against sand, pinned by the sea and crying salt tears, laughing with chipped teeth. Still, I hold on to this. You’ll have to pry it from my cold hands. I’m hot at the extent of the Earth, a pallbearer to my risen body at the end of it all. I’m my own preacher now, screaming before stained glass over a choir of wet mouths and tinny bugs, do you feel it yet? It’s a little harmony of devotion, carried by paper fans and the grace of cool air or maybe the beginning of a storm. I’m this way for now, heatful and changing, letting myself alter. I’m hot because I feel hot, in all it radiates, in all it takes and when the winter comes, maybe I’ll see you in hell. by Peter Ganovsky, @yourplastictoy_

summer heat.

Th e

RUiN Mag.

Su m m er

Girl

r o t is H

ot H f o

hile the concept of “hot girl summer” can go back decades-- I mean who doesn’t feel amazing when the sun is shining. It was only in 2019 that Megan Thee Stallion coined the term and defined that feeling most people get in the summer. In May of that year, Megan released her mixtape Fever where the cover art had the phrase “She’s thee hot girl and she’s bringing thee heat,” and called herself “thee hot girl” on the song “Cash Shit,” thus inventing hot girl summer. She later went on to define Hot Girl Summer on Twitter, as “Being a Hot Girl is about being unapologetically YOU, having fun, being confident, living YOUR truth, being the life of the party, etc.” Despite the name, Megan clarified that hot girl summer is for everyone and shouldn’t be defined by gender. “[Hot girl summer] is basically just about women — and men — just being unapologetically them, just having a good-ass time,” She said in an interview with The Root. What’s great about Hot Girl Summer is that it’s all about doing what makes YOU feel hot. This is why the concept became viral with almost two million hashtag posts on Instagram alone. Even celebrities were getting in on the trend. Anything can be a hot girl summer. Naturally, the term was also met with some backlash, insisting that it was just an excuse to “be hoes” to paraphrase the naysayers. However, that is far from the truth. Sure for some people, hot girl summer could mean a summer fling, but for others, it means wearing a cute outfit and taking bomb pics. Most importantly, hot girl summer is about looking and feeling good for yourself and not for the approval of others, especially men.

“ . . . j us t b e i n g u n a p ol o g e ti c a l ly th e m , j us t h av i n g a g o o d a s s ti m e . . . ” Finally, to remind everyone that summer 2019 was the official start of hot girl summer, Megan released a single of the same name featuring Nicki Minaj and Ty Dolla $ign. In true hot girl summer fashion, this song became Megan’s first number-one single, solidifying herself as a household name and Patron Saint of Hot Girl Summer. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 Pandemic got in the way of hot girl summer 2020. Don’t get me wrong, staying home and saving lives is hot, but you also couldn’t deny the vibes were off. Not being able to share hot girl summer with our friends and family was a bummer. We did the most, we could given the circumstances but with all the uncertainty in the air, hot girl summer 2020 felt like a small blip on the radar. Then on Dec. 11, 2020, a glimmer of hope came to us in the form of the COVID-19 vaccine. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine got approved for emergency use authorization in individuals 16 and over and saved hot girl summer for the 2021 season. As summer got closer anticipation for hot girl summer grew. With nearly half of the US fully vaccinated,

things are beginning to open up, and it appears that hot girl summer can resume in a modified fashion. Instead of drinking White Claw on our porches, we can go finally back to Aperol spritzes on rooftop bars. Not to mention our Lorde and Savior resurrected to give us “Solar Power,” aka the new beach pics anthem. Things aren’t back to normal yet and it’s very likely that they won’t ever be, but the concept of hot girl summer, along with its viral community on social media, has given a sense of hope when we need it the most. If living through a global pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that life is too short to feel anything but hot. by Raegan Cleary @raegarific

summer heat.

This Summer’s Forecast Escalates the Importance of the Climate Crisis 38

RUiN Mag.

While we may be having a hot girl summer, Mother Earth shouldn’t be! Climate change is known as major weather changes and conditions over significant periods of time and some of the most noticeable and major effects of climate change are the decreasing amounts of ice and snow in the Arctic, raging wildfires, rising sea levels and the rising ocean temperatures. Even our access to certain foods and grains is becoming limited. Climate change affects not only the Earth and the animals that live on it, but it affects us in many ways as well! Climate change is caused by a variety of factors but if you’re looking to get involved and save the Earth, here’s some helpful tips! Join the fight and speak up for sustainability, reduce your water waste, decrease food waste, try period panties/menstrual cups, and reduce your meat intake! There are so many ways you can get involved in your community to reduce the spread of climate change! By speaking up and joining the fight, you can get your friends and family to care more and be more vigilant about their waste. Join local protest

and activist groups in your area and make your mark on the streets! Voice your concerns on social media and speak to your elected officials, don’t underestimate how much you’re capable of! When reducing your water waste, you also reduce carbon pollution. You can reduce your water usage by shortening your showers, turning off the sink when brushing your teeth and consider switching to water-efficient fixtures. Water is a precious resource, and we often forget how lucky we are to have access to it. By decreasing your food waste, you can cut down on energy consumption. According to The Natural Resources Defense Council, about 10 percent of the energy in the United States is used for growing, processing and packaging food, only for 40 percent of it to be wasted. Not only does decreasing food waste help the Earth, but it helps you save money and be more resourceful too! According to Stanford Mag, about 12 billion pads and 7 billion tampons are wasted per year. Not only are pe-

riod products difficult to break down and are often thrown out incorrectly, the production of them also impacts the environment in negative ways. Both period panties and menstrual cups are great alternatives that are healthier for both you and the environment. A total win-win situation! Reducing your meat intake is a huge step in sustainability. It takes 2,500 gallons of water to produce a pound of meat, compared to the 25 gallons of water to produce a pound of wheat! Try meatless-Mondays and consider making the transition to pescatarian, vegetarian or vegan! Not only will you be saving the animals, but you’ll decrease your carbon footprint! The effects of climate change affect everyone all over the world. From extreme weather, dirty air, health risks, rising seas and endangered ecosystems and species, we’re all at risk. While we all deserve a hot girl summer, we won’t have many left if we don’t take some action and advocate for our Mother Earth! Hot girls care about the environment and speak up against climate change! by Alyssa Birkholz, @alyssaa.rita

summer heat.

“B

imbos” in the media have always had the spotlight, but never usually for the right reasons. Bill Clinton was reported as using the word frequently to describe women who appeared vapid and very attractive. According to Urban Dictionary, a bimbo can be described as “a stupid, egotistic blonde, usually with big breasts who wears loads of makeup.” While the word has always come with negative connotations, there has been an influence of women reclaiming the word, and becoming famous for it. The latest to rise in (Tik Tok) stardom has been 21-year-old Chrissy Chlapecka. Many of her videos on the platform, which she shares with her 3.5 million followers, speak about important political and social matters, such as the Black Lives Matter movement, the LBTQIA+ community, being pro-choice, and being pro-sex work all while in a high-pitch ditsy voice and tight pink clothing. Some of her infamous quotes include: “Are you a leftist who likes to have your tits out? Do you like to flick off pro-lifers? Then this is the place for you. Are you good at math? Are you good at reading? Well, then if you are, how?” showing that Chlapecka is anything less than stupid. Although there are mixed reviews on the way she presents herself, that is literally the point. Chlapecka claims she often uses the “bimbo” aesthetic to promote feminism and empower others that being hot does not lessen your self-worth. Even with the backlash, Chlapecka now has a career. What started as a tabloid mainstream comment to trash women, this misogynistic shorthand has become a whole beautiful pink fantasy land affectionately titled ‘BimboTok’ on the app Tik Tok. According to Rolling Stone, Chlapecka is leading the charge to transform the bimbo into an all-inclusive, gender-neutral leftist icon for ‘girls, gays, and theys’. Gen Z has found themselves leaning into this ideology in a very aspirational way and content creators are taking notice. Danish model and sex worker, Alicia Amira, mar-

RUiN Mag.

kets herself on Instagram as the “founder of the bimbo movement” and has gained an incredible following and coin since. Although there is also the term “himbo” that has been circling around since the 80s to describe a ‘beefy, kind, and stupid’ male, according to GQ, bimbo is becoming the more all-inclusive term for more to relate to. Another influencer, Griffin Maxwell Brooks, proves that reclaiming bimbo culture isn’t just for women. The 19-year-old who describes themselves as a ‘non-binary bimbo’ has a following with upwards of 31.4k followers on Instagram and is continuously seen wearing glittery mesh tops, high-heeled boots, makeup, and constantly changing colorful hair. According to Brooks, for them, bimbofication has been a way to subvert traditional expectations associated with gender and sexuality. Rolling Stone reports that Brooks says, “The modern bimbo aesthetic is more about a state of mind and embracing, ‘I want to dress however I want and look hot and not cater to your expectations.” They followed up saying, “There’s a lot of internalized homophobia in the gay community. In adopting this very feminine aesthetic at times, one of the things I had to do was be OK with no longer fitting this mold so some gay men will not be attracted to me.” While promoting this aesthetic can be a way to promote individuality, Gen Z is not the first to take part in marketing this. The most well-known of bimbos include Paris Hilton, who dominated the early 2000s with her style, attitude, and looks. According to The Telegraph, the Simple Life’ star has claimed that her image as a “spoilt airhead” is false and she is really a deep thinker with artistic tendencies. She said, “I was playing a character. The producers said they wanted Nicole and me just to be crazy and funny and say outlandish things.” The hotel heiress-turned-celebrity saw the opportunity to entertain and hiding behind the “dumb blonde” aesthetic, was able to market her public persona to create her own wealth and make a name for herself, making her one of the most iconic people of

the early 2000s. Bimbo culture has become an important staple in the feminist movement. The idea of reclaiming the word, instead of catering to the negative implications, allows Gen Z to truly be unapologetically them. ‘BimboTok’ proves to be a step in the right direction to promote hyper-femininity and hypersexuality. And remember, in the wise words of Chrissy Chlapecka: “Being this gorgeous isn’t hard, all you have to do is step on Republicans and Homophobes!” by Madison Paloski, @maddiiiooyx

“Being this gorgeous isn’t hard, all you have to do is step on Republicans and Homophobes.”

Meet the Girls, Gays, and Theys Reclaiming Bimbo Culture summer heat.