Volume 49, Issue 7

ECZYAPP THE M’S PLAYLIST LOCKED ON LEAFS

EczyApp is free and has been available on Apple’s App Store since May of 2022. The app allows patients to manage their ecze ma flare-ups over time by tracking aspects of their lifestyle that could be triggers. This includes everything from diet to mood.

>> read more on page 08

I believe that music impacts how we feel. Sometimes, sad music makes us sadder, and upbeat music can help us feel invincible. So, pop in those earphones, strut down your hallway, and be pre pared to feel like the badass people you already are.

>> read more on page 10

Mere minutes after William Nylander tied the game, defense man Jake Muzzin had a horrible turnover—he passed the puck to Josh Anderson of the Montréal Canadiens and accidentally helped the rival team score a winning goal.

>> read more on page 12

NEWS

Federal government lifts work hour limit on international students

Mihail Cubata Contributor

To fight Canada’s labour shortage, Sean Fraser, the Minister of Federal Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship, announced that from November 15, 2022, until December 31, 2023, the Government of Canada will no longer restrict international students to working less than 20 hours a week.

“This change will help sustain Canada’s post-pandemic growth, and provides a boost to thousands of employers in sectors that are facing the most severe labour shortages. And as a result, many post-second ary students will gain even more work experience in Canada,” wrote Fraser on Twitter.

Dr. Barbara Murck—UTM professor passes away at 67

Elizabeth Provost Editor-in-Chief

On October 15, 2022, the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) lost an exceptional environmental scientist and educator. Dr. Barbara Murck, a professor in the Department of Geography, Geomatics and Envi ronment passed away peacefully in her sleep after a brief battle with pancre atic cancer.

Born on November 6, 1954, Dr. Murck graduated from Princeton Uni versity magna cum laude in 1976. After completing her degree in Geological and Geophysical Sciences, she then completed her PhD at the University of Toronto in 1986, and subsequently joined the Department of Geology and Programs in Environment in 1995. Dr. Murck then became an essential edu cator for the Master of Science in Sustainability Management program at the Institute for Management & Innovations.

Over the last two years, Dr. Murck taught almost 25 per cent of UTM’s stu dents. Through her full-year course, ENV100: The Environment, a classroom of almost 1,200 students had the opportunity to observe Dr. Murck’s selfless ness, her supportive and loving attitude, and her passion for social justice, sustainability, and the environment. She fostered those same qualities within her students, mentoring many throughout her time at UTM. Her colleagues remember her endless reservoir of time and devotion towards others.

Ford administration’s “Strong Mayors, Building Homes Act” faces criticism from former Toronto mayors

Emily Rogers Contributor

This past August, the provincial government put forth the “Strong Mayors, Building Homes Act” to address the pervasive housing crisis in the Greater Toronto Area. The bill passed on September 8, 2022 and on November 15, 2022, when it takes action, Toronto mayors will be given more power in creating and directing committees and bringing “provincial priorities” to the attention of the city council. They will also receive increased respon sibility over the municipal budget proposals.

The biggest shift, however, comes with a new veto power for mayors, which can only be overruled by a twothirds majority vote. As a member of council, the mayor is included in this vote. This veto power is intended to be used to support provincial agendas geared towards aid ing the city’s housing crises. Alongside the new mayoral powers, the province will invest $1.5 million into con struction and maintenance of new housing in the city.

Although the act aims to increase the executive effi

ciency of municipal offices, in an event on October 11, 2022, hosted by U of T’s School of Cities, former mayors raised concerns about how the new bill could weaken democratic institutions within the city. Former mayor David Crombie, who served as mayor of metropolitan Toronto for six years, outlined the core principles he found important when governing at the city level.

“Council is supreme,” he stated—adding that coun cil should receive advice “from independent civic [ser vices],” in order to best represent the needs of residents.

Crombie believes that the “Strong Mayors, Building Homes Act” hinders these principles by removing the “accountability” held by the mayor. Accountability, as he explained, is when the city council sets forth executive actions publicly and cooperatively, without the overpow ering influence of any one actor.

The province asserts that these new mayoral powers are tools to avoid council conflict that hinders progress and slows change. However, a power dynamic shifted in favour of the individual does not eliminate the challeng ing differences between city councillors, as former mayor Barbara Hall argued at the event.

Editor | Larry Lau news@themedium.ca

Ontario education workers are asking: pay raise or strike?

Federal government lifts work hour limit on international students

Starting November 15, 2022, international students will be able to clock in more than 20 hours of work, thus addressing labour shortages.

Mihail Cubata Contributor

>> WORK HOUR continued from page 01

The 20-hour limit was enforced to ensure international stu dents focus on their education, however, the removal of the limit has been welcomed by international students, who say it is long overdue.

The removal of the work hour limit is part of Sean Fraser’s “Strategy to Expand Transitions to Permanent Residency,” a 39-page document which lays out the Federal Govern ment’s plan to leverage foreign workers and international students to address Canada’s labour shortage.

Job vacancies in Canada hit record highs in 2022. In September, Statistics Canada reported that in the year’s sec ond quarter, there were nearly 1 million vacant positions. Ontario was the province with the most openings, with 379,700. Fraser’s report blames Covid-19 and the resulting decrease in immigration for the current labour shortages.

Yusuf Larizza Ali Contributor

TIJANA MARTIN/THE CANADIAN PRESS

In a statement released on October 3, 2022, President of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Mark Han cock, and National Secretary-Treasurer Candace Rennick, re ported that education workers in Ontario have sent a “powerful message” to the Ford administration regarding the value of pub lic education and its employees.

In a vote organized by Ontario School Boards Council of Unions (OSBCU), 96.5 per cent of 45,433 education workers voted in favour of taking action against the Ontario government for undervaluing public education.

Ongoing friction between the provincial government and education workers over a lack of funding and adequate pay, has sparked several strikes in the last few years. Issues brought along by the Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting inflation have made pay for front-line education workers especially pertinent.

In August, the provincial government made a proposal to in crease the salaries of education workers by 1.5 per cent, and by two per cent for those with salaries less than $40,000. However, the initiative was poorly received as CUPE reports that wages in the education sector have fallen by over 11 per cent in the past decade, considering inflation.

“Today, students have no service guarantees,” said Laura Wal ton, president of OSBCU, in a statement released by CUPE in late August. “Tomorrow, education workers will have nothing to prevent their wages from being devalued again and school boards will still have problems keeping and finding employees due to low pay.”

As a result, the CUPE has expressed verbal support for the education workers, stating that their 700,000 members nation wide will stand in support of the OSBCU until a fair deal for both workers and students is reached.

Kristine Hamilton, an educational assistant and OSBCU member says there are “not enough people to go around,” and employees are “exhausted.” Although many education workers want action, there is no guarantee a strike will happen.

Regardless, the continuing tension between the OSBCU and the provincial government will have multiple implications across the education sector. As the two parties seek to reach an agreement, parents, students, and teachers are waiting to see if there will be a pay raise or a strike.

Though many support the amendment, others have criti cized the change in policy, speculating that it could bring some unforeseen consequences.

“The program might help, but it’s not clear if it’s the best way of doing so,” University of Toronto Economics Profes sor Ronald Wolthoff told The Medium. “If students start to work more, it’ll limit wage increases and put pressure on people that are already doing these jobs full time and facing high inflation rates.”

Wolthoff also believes that although international stu dents might value the extra income of a part-time job, the work they do often doesn’t match the skills students develop during their studies.

“There’s a question of whether it would be better to improve access to loans and financial support so international stu dents can focus on their studies, graduate, and work in a job that matches their specializa tion sooner,” Wolthoff says.

“Temporary foreign workers have played an increasingly important role in Canada’s labour market,” reads the docu ment. “Their contributions, while working across all sectors and skill levels, have become even more apparent during the Covid-19 pandemic and Canada’s economic recovery.”

The report cites the restrictiveness of Canada’s immigra tion policies as another contributor to the labour shortage.

Alongside his announcement of lifting the 20-hour cap, Fraser also said his office was launching a “pilot program” that would automate applications for study permits. “This will help us decrease our processing times and reduce our backlogs,” shared Fraser on Twitter.

“As a top destination for international students, we’ll continue to ensure interna tional students gain valuable work experience in Canada, while ad dressing the needs of our businesses and communities across the country,” Fraser concludes on Twitter.

Dr. Barbara Murck—UTM professor passes away at 67

Elizabeth Provost Editor-in-Chief

>> DR. MURCK continued from page 01

Evident in her equitable curriculum and field course to Ecua dor, in her authorship of more than 20 books and publications, and in her personal hobbies, Dr. Murck loved the natural world. She was heavily involved in community service, volun teering often while also dedicating her time to exploring, and conserving the Bruce Trail corridor—hiking the 900-kilome tre trail end-to-end just short of two times before her passing.

A testament to her work ethic and diligence, Dr. Murck re ceived U of T’s President’s Teaching Award in 2010 for her ac complishments inside and outside the classroom—the highest award a U of T educator can achieve.

After 27 years at UTM, Dr. Murck is remembered as a pas sionate, kind, and enthusiastic instructor, who left a lasting im pact on her students, her colleagues, and her field. She worked at UTM for just under 30 years and her expertise leaves the impression of a lifetime.

The Medium’s Editorial Board sends our deepest condo lences to Dr. Murck’s family and friends. We will honour and hold constant her impact as long as we stand as a publication. She is a testament to the power of kindness and hard work, and we will live in her excellence every day.

Students, faculty, and staff mourn the loss of an inspiring academic and an impactful member of the community.

Increasing tension between the provincial government and education workers over low wages on the brink of escalation.

CAPTIAL MARKET

DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY/UTM

U of T and the Government of Canada educate on cyber security

Ford administration’s “Strong Mayors, Building Homes Act” faces criticism from former Toronto mayors

Emily Rogers Contributor

>> STRONG MAYORS continued from page 01

Hall, the last mayor to hold office prior to the amalgama tion of Toronto in 1998, explained how differences in council opinion stem from different interests across the city.

“It might have been tempting to use a veto,” she laughed, as she discussed difficulties in getting full support for her policy initiatives. However, she imagined that such a power could spawn “division and animosity” among members of council, making it much more difficult to cooperate in the future.

In her time as mayor, Hall recalled that when policy did not initially receive full council support, however, working towards that support ultimately improved her policy initiatives— a point that Art Eggleton, another former Toronto mayor, agreed on. Eggleton believes it to be important for mayors to garner support on policy and “to represent the voice of the whole council and constituency.”

subsidies to the TTC and rent-geared-to-income housing. The willful ignorance towards residents’ struggles coupled with a reduced, weakened city council, is a “disabling” of democratic institutions, Sewell contested.

Eggleton, who was the longest sitting mayor of Toronto for 11 years, also critiqued the provincial agenda. While the legis lation is clearly stated to address the housing crisis in the city, he pointed to a lack of specificity in these goals. “What kind of housing are we talking about?” he asked, further explaining that the city is in an affordable housing crisis, and legislation needs to be able to reflect that regardless of provincial goals.

David Miller, who ended his term as mayor in 2010, said “there’s a magic in municipal government that isn’t present in provincial and federal governments.” He stated that this comes from the partnership between residents, the council, and the mayor. It saddened him to say that the new act is a “ward that disempowers engagement.”

This year, the Government of Canada’s “Cyber Month” campaign aims to educate Canadians on the impor tance of cyber security. The Communications Security Establishment of Canada launched their 2022 campaign, “Fight phishing: Ruin a cyber criminal’s day!” at the begin ning of the month—the focus is on protecting Canadians against phishing.

Phishing is when a cybercriminal impersonates an indi vidual or institution in order to gain sensitive information from a user. The criminal might claim to be affiliated with a legitimate organization, however they only intend to steal the victim’s usernames and passwords. Every day, an average of 3.4 billion phishing emails are sent across the world.

The Government of Canada’s “Get Cyber Safe” initiative conducted a Cyber Awareness Tracking survey amongst Canadians this past March. The survey demonstrated that one in four Canadians report feeling unprepared to protect themselves against a cyber threat. In fact, 25 per cent of Canadians recall having found a virus or malware on their computer.

“Over the past year, we have seen an increase in phishing scams,” says Sami Khoury, Head of the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security. “That’s why this Cyber Security Awareness Month is critical to educate Canadians. […] Making sure we all know how to detect, prevent, and mitigate phishing cam paigns is best practice for strengthening our cyber defences, which helps to keep us all safe.

The Covid-19 crisis saw a sharp rise in phishing scams. Cyber criminals would often impersonate pharmacies to get private information under the excuse of booking an ap pointment for a vaccination. Some scammers also pretend ed to provide fake unemployment checks to Canadians who lost their jobs during the pandemic.

The University of Toronto is committed to educating and helping the tri-campus community stay secure through their own Cyber Security Awareness campaign. In partner ship with the Ministry of Public and Business Service Deliv ery, the itinerary aims to inform students on how to protect themselves against phishing and other digital scams in order to keep their online accounts secure.

On November 2, 2022, University of Toronto Mississauga students can join the conversation about keeping their on line accounts protected over coffee with Isaac Straley, U of T’s Chief Information Security Officer. This event will in clude a brief presentation by Straley followed by a 40-minute Q&A period. The registration deadline is October 26, 2022.

During the discussion, the panel of former mayors fre quently suggested that the province is unconcerned with representing the city constituency. John Sewell, mayor from 1978 to 1980, recalled when the Ford administration killed

Harvard professor raises awareness on homelessness

Angelina Jaya Siew Contributor

On October 13, the St. Michael’s Foundation hosted an event with speaker Dr. Howard K. Koh, a profes sor of Practice of Public Health Leadership at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. At the Annual Louis L. Odette Family Lecture, Dr. Koh raised awareness regarding the rising global crisis of homelessness and discussed in novative solutions. Dr. Koh believes that home lessness is caused by “a complex constellation of factors.”

According to Statistics Canada, every night, between 25,000 and 35,00 Canadians are with out a home. In a single year 235,000 Canadians will experi ence a night of homelessness. In March 2022, Statistics Canada revealed that close to 15 per cent of Canadians have experi enced hidden homelessness—a term used for people who live with family and friends because they have no other options.

Dr. Koh highlights that individuals who are diagnosed as physically and mentally ill, as well as victims of substance abuse, often lack the resources to afford proper housing.

According to Dr. Koh, when facing unsheltered homeless ness, people often have limited access to healthcare, are ex posed to severe weather conditions, have poor nutrition, and face increased risk for HIV/AIDS, lung and liver diseases, as well as mental health and substance use disorders.

Dr. Koh continued, saying, “people experiencing homeless

are often literally living on the fault lines of society” because, “daily struggles for safe shelter and a warm meal overshadow health needs, leaving common illnesses and injuries to fester.” Dr. Koh also notes that, “In Canada, Indigenous Peoples are overrepresented in the homeless population.” According to Sta tistics Canada 10 per cent of Indigenous Peoples living offreserve have experienced unsheltered homelessness. In tackling the issue of homelessness, Dr. Koh emphasizes that “we need to appreciate signs of hope.” The Government of Canada recently increased its investments in Reaching Home, a program designed to aid in decreasing rates of homelessness across Canada. The Canadian gov ernment pledged almost $3 billion to the pro gram, which will be spent over the coming 9 years. They also committed an additional $567 million to be invested over the next two years.

Reaching Home funding is key to supporting the ser vices provided by shelters across the country. Reaching Home has also funded education programs, job training programs, and social integration activities. As of 2018, there were approx imately 392 emergency homeless shelters in Canada. In To ronto, Reaching Home has raised almost $50 million this year, giving the city the opportunity to fund more than 80 projects.

Despite the encouraging steps, Dr. Koh believes that more awareness needs to be raised on the severity of the issue: “We have simply fallen short in educating students about what is happening right outside our own organizations.” He adds that, “hopefully every sector of society can step up and do more [to curb homelessness],” including private businesses, individuals, and universities.

Cyber Security Awareness month is an opportunity to learn how to protect yourself against cyber scams and phishing emails.

The act grants City of Toronto mayors new powers to pass policy more efficiently but comes at the cost of a weakened city council.

Dr. Howard K. Koh discusses the reasons, issues, and solutions for homelessness in his lecture hosted by St. Michael’s Foundation.

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Want to learn to cram? Step right up and take an exam!

Exams are an assessment of retention, not skills and knowledge.

The Medium

Exams are an unfair method of evaluating student success and knowledge. In many classrooms, exams and other stan dardized tests represent a significant and unjust portion of a student’s final grade. These inconsiderate testing methods de termine the student’s acceptances into other courses, programs, and careers.

A test is only an accurate measure of comprehension if stu dents retain the knowledge they are tested on.

German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus created a graph called the “Forgetting Curve.” This memory model displays how information gets lost with time. Within the first 24 hours, the brain experiences a steep decline followed by a slower, gradual fall in the following days. Students who fail to revise frequently, especially within 24 hours after their lecture, struggle to retain a large quantity of what they have learned.

The structure of academic settings braces students for nega tive academic outcomes. It orients students to focus on grade point averages instead of acquiring knowledge and enlighten ment—what school is supposed to be about. Stu dents study to pass exams rather than to demon strate their learning. With student timetables packed with so many courses, the density of coursework, readings, and assignments— along with jobs, extracurriculars, and their

personal life responsibilities—it becomes difficult to find time to simply relax and restore their energy.

Even without the concern for time, test anxiety and stress may also hinder academic performance. Naturally, high stakes cause high stress. According to an article by Ipsos, 40 per cent of Canadian university students feel high levels of stress because of exams, with eight per cent citing excessively high stress. So, we might think that moving away from “traditional” test-taking methods, like your average Scantron final exam worth 40 per cent of your grade, might be useful, right?

Well, not quite. Even with so many methods of assessment, academia almost encourages students to cram information. A survey by the Indiana University of Pennsylvania concluded 99 per cent of students admit to cramming their coursework, in stead of learning and understanding the content out of interest.

As students, our bodies can work against us, and stress from exams leads to physical and psychological symptoms such as self-doubt, nausea, fear, stomach pains, and sweating.

Aside from memory retention and test anxiety, we must con sider that exams are not reflective of the real world. Our abil ity to perform a job well is not rooted in our ability to memo rize the correct answers. Tests scores should not define us, nor should they affect us.

Teaching should focus on learning. While it is understood that there must be a method of as sessment to ensure students hold the knowledge necessary to succeed in other areas of life, exams are not accurate tools to measure intelligence.

Searching for treasure—the study room jackpot

Alan Tran Contributor

Who else is tired of scouring for a study cu bicle in the library? I certainly am. Worry not, there are countless other rooms, chairs, and spaces to open your laptops, type your essays that are due in an hour, or cram those last-min ute notes before your test.

Maanjiwe nendamowinan (MN) houses an abundance of rooms to explore. There’s an unwritten rule: if you see an empty room, it’s yours. Don’t search for these spots during lec ture hours, as they’re always in use, but after 5 p.m., you can usually find a room for yourself and some friends. MN has a dedicated study space, room 3285—just take the spiral stairs up to the third floor and make a right. The room has large glass panels and white cubicles to claim, giving the space a modern and quiet atmosphere. Small couches and “reflection spaces’’ are scattered around the building. But, maybe you want to study somewhere more scenic and exciting. On the fourth floor of MN, through the doors by the stairs, there is a balcony that reveals a beautiful view of our autumn trees.

Deerfield Hall (DH), MN’s sister building, tries to copy MN but in a smaller way. DH has a dedicated study space on the second floor

in room 2080, on the right of the elevator. She places chairs, couches, and reflection spaces around her floors, embracing us in her glory.

Do you mind noise? A hidden spot on cam pus would be the Oscar Peterson Hall’s dining hall. Students outside of residence often miss exploring this building, so this one’s a secret gem for many. I haven’t visited the building once in my four years here—until now. The old-school style cafeteria contains open tables and chairs. It’s similar to Davis, but less modern, a little smaller, and much quieter.

Maybe you want somewhere quiet and isolated? Try the Health Science Complex. It’s the large glass building between the Communication Culture and Technology (CCT) building and the Davis building. There are wooden seats, and at the back rest some small, black, circular tables. The glass wall has a view of con struction but trust me, it’s quiet.

And that’s not all. Here are a few of my most honorable mentions: the Red Room in the Student Centre, the Kaneff study rooms, the quiet area at the back of the Davis food court, the second floor of CCT, and the study rooms and chairs in the Instructional Building.

And the rest is up to you. Once you start to explore more spots on campus, you’ll find the space that suits your needs best. Good luck!

A witty review of the best study spots on campus.

AURORA PICCIOTTOLI/THE MEDIUM

A memoir of a graduate student with the mental capacity of a chicken nugget

Changing Leaves:

Learning to ask for help

Aia Jaber Managing Editor

God, this week was awful. And not in the “oh, mid term season” kind of way, but in the “why am I so incapable” kind of way, or “thinking I was going to have a heart attack” kind of way. Sort of ironic that me, and everyone I know, had a huge mental health spiral the week of our Mental Health Awareness issue.

The truth is, my anxiety got the best of me this last week. I spent moments clutching my heart, calming myself down in the middle of a panic attack. I spent an hour looking for counsellors at 3 a.m. on the night be fore my midterm. I sent voice notes of myself hyperven tilating, fully planning on admitting myself to the hos pital, desperate for a way to feel safe and grounded. As much as I tried to rationalize my thoughts, I couldn’t. My usual coping mechanisms failed miserably.

To be honest, I feel like a failure. In school, at work, in my relationships. I feel like a failure for having panic attacks. I never anticipated it would get this bad. I never thought I would reach a point in my life where I’d feel like the leaves won’t change. That my life is stuck like this for a longer time than I can handle.

In my last addition to Changing Leaves, I talked about how good moments are guaranteed, and that those mo ments are what help us get to the next happy point. But truthfully, I didn’t feel that sentiment this week. I crave a solution, I crave compassion, not empathy—a distinc tion I learned from my counsellor today. And yes, I said counsellor. I sought out the Health and Counselling Centre at school. And I don’t know where it’ll go, but I need help working through my severe anxiety. Because the honest truth is, I can’t do this alone.

Lydia C. Rehman Contributor

Ever felt the mid-semester crisis? A student at Pace Univer sity describes it perfectly; she shares that students become so swamped that figuring out where to start is a complete puzzle. The late nights, early days, and overload of tasks and meetings encourage a mind fog, inhibiting us from working further. For those in their final year, although you may be a pro, it’s a com pletely unmotivating space. In these times of stress, burnout, and the demands of academic and student life, those who choose to be kind to themselves will always win. This is especially true for graduating students who are plagued with the dooming pres sures and thoughts of what comes next.

As a student who graduated in the peak of the pandemic two years ago, and is now graduating from the Master of Public Health Program in Indigenous Health from U of T, the biggest lesson I’ve learned is to remember that a grade point average is not forever. Each of us are on our own paths, and these paths will look different depending on the individual. Especially if you’re me, and have test-driven every major imaginable, you are exactly where you need to be.

“My advice: be confident in who you are, and know that you have made it this far, and should continue with what is best for your personal well-being.”

Caring for your well-being should be made a priority before making the panicked—and serious—decision of applying to a

graduate program. In your final year, you begin to feel the pres sures of the real world, and paralysis of what to do next. Along side the future’s uncertainty, many of us suffer with imposter syn drome. My advice: be confident in who you are, and know that you have made it this far, and should continue with what is best for your personal well-being.

Academia is an interesting place—it’s a place of prosperity and opportunity, assuming you learn how to accessibly navigate it. It’s a hard space to be in if you don’t have guidance, or if you haven’t found opportunities that are right for you. When this happens, it can be isolating, lonely, and discouraging, and for those in that position, I commend your ability to get through it. Hard work and resilience are never to be undermined—be proud of the ac complishments achieved in your time as a student.

Just remember to choose kindness. The experience of reaching this level of achievement is a huge milestone in your journey— there is no need to be hard on yourself. Reflect back to your first year of university, and think about the kinds of support, guid ance, and resources you wish you had been provided, and be proud you made it to where you are.

To the students who are feeling stuck and pressured in decid ing what’s next—whether it’s graduate school, work, an extended well-deserved vacation, or maybe even retirement—reach out to the Career Centre to learn more about their Recent Graduate Opportunities Program. And don’t forget, there are other great campus resources who can share more information and guid ance on what to do after graduation!

From one emerging scholar to another, this isn’t the last you’ve heard from the asthmatic chicken nugget. I will hopefully be back for the end of this trilogy, provided I am successfully admit ted to a PhD program. That way, I can update you when I learn how to combat the mid-semester crisis on the third attempt!

Mid-semester crises, questioning success, and the dooming thoughts of what’s next from a U of T master’s student.

Will I ever dance in the kitchen at 2 a.m.?

Elizabeth Provost Editor-in-Chief

Dear Liz,

I feel genuinely scared that I’ll never find the sweet, wholehearted kind of love that I want. Am I just unlucky or do most guys just want to hook up? In my past rela tionship, there was so much focus on sex and physical intimacy, and it left me feeling hollow and empty. I just want someone to bring me flowers when I’ve had a bad day or slow dance with me while we bake cookies at 2 a.m. Does that type of love even exist nowadays? Am I setting myself up for disappointment by expecting a love like that?

Signed, Hopeless Romantic

Dear Hopeless Romantic,

As a 21-year-old in the 21st century, with a (slight) addic tion to my phone, I spend an (unhealthy) amount of time scrolling on TikTok. Aia, our Managing Editor, recently sent me a video from a relationship coach who posted a message I’d like to share with you.

She said, “if it were impossible, you would have never had the vision.” Relationships like the one you’ve described, exist. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have thought of them in the first place. Dancing in the kitchen to “your song,” kissing in the rain while wearing their jacket, and feeling safe in your lover’s arms, all exist. Granted, you might not find these qualities in the first person you meet, or the second, and maybe not even the third. But not settling for potential or being satisfied (or seemingly unsatisfied in your case) with attention, should be a conscious decision you make every time. As should staying single until your standards are met.

I recently went on a date. It was a rash decision made in the heat of feeling like there was suddenly something wrong with me for not being in a relationship. The guy was very open about what he wanted in a partner (unusual, I know), and wanted to pursue things further.

However, I realized that although he wasn’t a horrible match, he didn’t meet my standards. I also wasn’t ready for the type of mature, serious, long-term relationship he was looking for (he was 26 and practically ready to have kids). More importantly, I realized that I have absolutely no clue what I’m looking for at all. Because really, I shouldn’t be look ing. The perfect man will come at the perfect time—as cliché as that sounds.

My mother once told me to write a list of things I want in my partner and never settle for less. I was 15 and the list care fully curated in my Notes app consisted of icks like “doesn’t wear no-show socks” and “doesn’t eat yogurt with a dispro portionately small spoon.” When I’m ready—and I urge you to do the same—I’ll take my time to make that list with every quality that I’ve ever wished for. And until my needs are met, I will not settle for less, and neither should you.

It seems like you’re still carrying the weight of your past relationship—it’s haunting you into believing that what you had is all you’ll ever receive. It’s not. There’s love that engulfs you like a warm hug, and that makes you feel like you’re home—the “sweet, wholehearted kind.” And I promise you, it’ll come when you least expect it.

10 things that have lasted longer than Liz Truss

:Elizabeth Provost Editor-in-Chief

On October 20, 2022, British Prime Minister Liz Truss announced that she was stepping down, only six weeks into her tenure as the Conservative Party’s leader. But, don’t feel bad folks, her short term has made her eligible for a 115,000-pound yearly allowance for the rest of her life.

The day before her resignation, in response to a boisterous start to her reign, Truss expressed that she was “a fighter and not a quitter.” As someone who often gives up at the first sign of any minor incon venience, and who’s been con

victed of having relationships shorter than the time it takes for the moon to orbit the earth, from one Liz to another, here are ten things that have lasted longer than Liz Truss.

1. My open ticket with the Office of the Registrar from first year

2. The bruise on my knee from unintentionally joining a mosh pit this summer

3. The unanswered email to my first-year chemistry pro fessor asking how I could succeed in the class

4. The unopened can of tuna in The Medium’s office, next to the toolbox in the kitchen cupboard

5. My bumper, which has been hanging off my car since I hit a curb three months ago

6. My mother’s patience after picking shitty men

7. My will to live (surprisingly)

8. The show Riverdale 9. My gym membership 10. Donald Trump

We need to get rid of conscription

Conscription denies citizens of their basic human rights.

Angelina Jaya Siew Contributor

Conscription refers to the mandatory enlistment in a country’s military. The earliest report of conscription is in the 27th century BCE and it continues to be utilized today. The debate about its relevance resumed in the past month, as Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a de cree forcing 300,000 citizens into active military service in attempts to bolster Russia’s forces in Ukraine. Failure to comply to the order would result in legal penalties ranging from fines to imprisonment.

Immediately following this mandate, widespread pro tests in Russia commenced, demanding Putin to cut back on conscription. These protests are clearly indicative of the deep-rooted resentment that exists against the harmful sys tem. World leaders may have gotten away with it in the past, but in today’s modern and educated society, conscription is an infringement of someone’s rights.

“Conscription takes away people’s basic human rights by forcing them to carry out violent acts against their will in the name of their country.”

Men are forced to abandon their personal lives and risk their safety. Conscription takes away people’s basic human rights by forcing them to carry out violent acts against their will in the name of their country.

Russia has begun enlisting citizens with no prior military experience as well as new fathers. How is it morally accept able to order men—who may not be suitable for military service—to risk their lives?

It is also immoral to force fathers to leave their partners and children, knowing they may not make it home from the war. The situation is even more dire if the fathers are the sole breadwinners, as their families would lose their source of income.

Conscription tears families apart, yet we still allow it to happen.

It is also challenging for men to reintegrate into society after military service. Making the transition from being on the battlefield to working a desk job is extremely difficult, as there are many negative lifelong psychological implica tions that come from being a soldier. Many of the men who survive war may return with permanent disabilities, which may hinder them from living normal lives.

The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy con demns the conscription of Russian men, declaring (in Rus sian), “Why should their husbands, brothers, sons die in this war? For a war that one man wants. For a war against our people on our land. [Putin] does not send his children to war.”

It is clear to me that conscription denies citizens their basic right to freedom. It is completely unfair for men to be forcefully separated from their families and risk their lives for a cause they may not believe in. Unfortunately, this is the case for many Russian men. The cost of patriotism should never be the violation of free will and possible death.

RUSSIAN DEFENSE

PRESS

Is Dubai’s “Free Bread” initiative really helping the poor?

The initiative’s progressive stride might not be all that it presents itself to be.

Andres Krauss Contributor

Iwas on Instagram the other day and stumbled upon the headline “Dubai of fers free bread via vending machines for residents.” Naturally, I didn’t think much of it, but regardless, I clicked the link.

The article summarized the “Bread for All” initiative that offers free bread via vending machines across Dubai. This is part of ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s “zero-hunger vision” within the United Arab Emirates (UAE). He recently remarked that “no one will go hun gry in the land of the Emirates.”

For context, this is amid continu ally increasing prices in the City of Skyscrapers—a global phenome non that has spread rapidly in light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

At first glance, this project ap pears selfless. However, it becomes clear the initiative is merely to promote the modernizing and ad vanced image of Dubai, but hides the ulterior motives associated with their plan.

For such a well-publicized en deavour, little information has been released on the details of the program. The “Bread for All” initia tive is surprisingly vague.

“For such a wellpublicized endeavour, little information has been released on the details of the program.”

According to an article by Arabian Busi ness, the vending machines are located at “10 Aswaaq branches across Dubai.” How ever, a quick Google search clarified that this meant there are only 10 machines total across the large city. In accordance with the little transparency provided by the Emirati

government, little is known regarding the budget and launch dates. For those curi ous, notice how the program is not even recognized on the UAE’s “Services A to Z” webpage. By making simple fact checks, it is clear this project is inflated by media sources.

Regardless, proximity to poor neighbour hoods would be most effective in serving the target audience. This, however, is not achieved. According to this map, the vend ing machines are located in retail supermar kets and malls—away from those in need.

“There are only 10 machines total across the large city.”

As for the contents of the actual bread, the process is vague. The most detailed description provided by an official government media outlet is, “after a short wait, as the bread is be ing prepared, it will be dispensed from the machine.” It is unclear how the vending machines will be restocked, let alone what the ingredients are, or whether the machine itself makes bread or simply dispenses hot buns.

The lack of details for those in need, as well as the absence of long-term goals, signifies the lack of effort—and good intent—behind the project. It is clear, through a simple analysis of the program itself, that publicity of the

UAE is the primary focus. This is especially apparent when looking at other programs that Dubai has released and their human rights violations.

“Publicity of the UAE is the primary focus.”

A lack of sewage systems and inadequate access to drinking water, shelter, and food are all issues that Dubai’s administration avoids. However, in the midst of these over whelming issues—as well as the increased costs of living due to Covid-19—the gov ernment routinely invests in high cost proj ects to attract foreign tourism. For instance, according to The Global and Mail “Abu Dha bi has provided about $25-billion in bailout funds for Dubai [….] funnelled to stateowned conglomerate Dubai World.” Just imagine, had that money went to the “Bread for All” initiative, there would certainly be more than 10 vending machines.

Ultimately, the “Bread for All” initiative is an important program, but it is deceptive. It is clear that the action serves as a dis guise for Dubai’s human rights violations. As global citizens, we should be ready to recognize faulty or incomplete information from online sources—even from seemingly reliable media outlets. In this way, we can observe how apparently effective food ini tiatives can have glaring faults and be over whelmingly inconsistent with the rest of a city’s policies.

KHALEEJ TIMES

“Cancel culture” isn’t real and Ye proves it

Juan Esteban Lamilla Cuellar Contributor

In less than a month, Kanye (Ye) West has proudly boasted a white-lives-matter shirt, spewed antisemetic speech on Jew ish people via Twitter, and wrongfully claimed George Floyd’s death—who was murdered by police in 2020—was due to a fentanyl overdose. Controversy isn’t new for the American rapper. He’s had a long history of anti-black and antisemitic behaviour. Lest we forget when Ye sold confederate flag mer chandise during his 2013 tour, or his 2018 TMZ interview when he said “when you hear about slavery for 400 years… For 400 years? That sounds like a choice.” Ye also pushes an tisemitic conspiracies and tropes, such as accusing rapper Diddy of being “controlled” by Jewish people. And this is only naming a few cases.

“He’s had a long history of anti-black and antisemitic behaviour.”

Apologetics will often remind us that Ye was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2016 after hospitalization, but most of us can agree mental health is far from an excuse for rac ism. For a generation supposedly infused with the power to “cancel” someone through a few buttons on our phones, why haven’t we been able to pull it off on this prime candidate? Simply put, the power to “cancel” never existed.

As Vox states, there is often a pattern to “cancel culture.” They go on to explain, “A celebrity or other public figure does or says something offensive. A public backlash. […] Then come the calls to cancel the person—that is, to effectively end their career or revoke their cultural cachet.” The Pew Research Center has pointed out, the definition of “cancel culture” var ies broadly from person to person, often with a direct correla tion to the individuals political leaning. USA Today explains how critics of such collective behaviour often argue that it suppresses freedom of expression due to a fear of retaliation, while others such as Forbes claim that perhaps it is sim ply “long overdue accountability for the elite and powerful.”

“Ye’s antics capture attention, and thereby, dollars from those who provide him with a platform.”

Collective action against a disliked individual isn’t a 21st century concept. Was the French Revolution caused because King Louis was cancelled? Individuals rec ognize when authority fig ures are abusing their pow er—pushing communities

to come together to enact change. The medium has changed in modern times, but the basic goal has not.

The truth is, Ye is a profitable individual. In a capitalist market, Ye’s antics capture attention, and thereby, dollars from those who provide him with a platform. I’m not excused from this either; I used his name in the headline of this article to grab your attention (and since you’ve made it this far, it seems to have worked). So why would those who actually have the power to “cancel” him—like labels, sponsors, and the news— not do so?

Individuals may seem “cancelled” when they are collectively shunned, but that is simply the capitalist market deciding when a star is no longer deemed valu able. This is the balance that ultimately decides who gets “cancelled” and who doesn’t. And as the saying often goes, “any publicity is good publicity.” Ye is just far too profitable for any social me dia campaign to remove him from the public eye.

“Individuals may seem “cancelled” when they are collectively shunned, but that is simply the capitalist market deciding when a star is no longer deemed valuable.”

Ye is proof a capitalist society values profit over ethics.

features

Editor | Prisha (Maneka) Nuckchady features@themedium.ca

EczyApp: BIO434 students help users manage their eczema

Emily Prete Contributor

When Gurjap Deol, Sherry Du, and Vani Jain applied to BIO434: Social and Developmental Determinants of Hu man Health, they weren’t expecting to emerge as tech develop ers. But just a couple of years later, these three graduates, along with Isabel Yu, are the creators of the EczyApp, a health app with a userbase of around 2,000 patients with ecze ma—an irritating condition that causes skin to become inflamed, dry, and itchy.

EczyApp is free and has been available on Apple’s App Store since May of 2022. The app allows patients to manage their eczema flareups over time by tracking aspects of their lifestyle that could be triggers. This includes everything from diet to mood. The app also features a community forum where users can support each other, a section with gener al information about the inflammatory skin condition, and exclusive videos from derma tologists. “We have a lot of friends and family who suffer from eczema,” explains Jain, “and especially through a lot of research we did, we knew that there’s no cure, but the best way to treat it is to self-manage and track your flare-ups, and just know what triggers your eczema and to avoid those things.”

the end of the course after it was over, like most people do. But we decided to take it further,” shares Deol. When the course ended, Dr. De Souza-Kenney connected the group to resources like ICUBE on campus, which provided them with entrepre neurship workshops. She continues to keep in contact, and still reaches out to them with opportunities.

After the course, they knew that making the app a reality would require a lot of work. As such, they brought Yu onto the team. Together, they started looking for grants and fund ing to hire an app developer, which they received through U of T’s 2021 Student Engagement Award. “At that point, we’d started [thinking of] ideas and making the UI design, but we only started the app development process af ter we received the funding,” recalls Jain.

Although Yu never had Dr. De SouzaKenney as a professor, she adds that “One thing that’s really helped our team is that she’s been so encouraging because we’re all women of colour trying to get into tech [and] we’re pretty underrepresented there. […] It’s an in spiration, and she’s always encouraging us.”

sign for Health at the Ontario College of Art & Design Uni versity, in part due to her involvement with the EczyApp. “It’s a combination of both of my interests, I guess, because of health care, and then now because of EczyApp, design.”

Yu is conducting Neuroscience research at McLean Hospital, the largest psychiatric facility of Harvard Medical School. She shares that, “[the project] shifts your focus to a more person-fo cused approach, which I think is really important for all sorts of biology careers.” She adds that she benefitted enormously from the different perspectives making EczyApp gave her.

Du feels the same way. She’s currently pursuing a Master of Applied Ecology in the Murray Lab at the University of Toronto Mississauga. She explains that the applied angle they had to take in BIO434 was not often introduced in their undergradu ate biology courses. Another value she believes the project fos tered was the role of interdisciplinary collaboration. “One of us reached out to a dermatologist, and then Vani also reached out to an app developer, so it was a lot of going outside of our initial little network,” Du shares.

VANI JAIN/ECZYAPP

The project started as an assignment—a 45-page capstone proposal. “When we initial ly started, we didn’t even start with the concept of an app,” Deol recalls. She explains that they had originally planned on developing a toolkit—an idea more in tune with the theme of the course. “The app part came to us afterwards. Towards the end of the course, we transitioned from doing a toolkit to the app, because we thought it would be more acces sible,” continues Deol.

The three teammates credit their professor, Dr. Leanne De Souza-Kenney, for encouraging them to move forward with it. “She was kind of like our biggest motivator, and reason that we actually went with it. Because we could have just stopped at

The four creators tackled everything that goes into making an app, from investigating their legal obligations to user testing. Jain ex plains that developing app required a lot of research. She adds that most of it was through beta-testing and requesting feedback on the app from friends, family, and the community. “Asking them, ‘What do you think would help you more if you have eczema?’ Those kinds of things,” says Jain.

For Jain, being part of an interdisciplinary team of under graduate science students enabled her to learn tremendously. “Tech was never really a thing that any of us thought we would go into. It’s just that we found an idea we were passionate about, and we were willing to learn so much just to get it out there,” she shares.

For Deol, her biggest takeaway was the design process itself. “When we first started using Figma,” an application for inter face design, “I was like ‘what in the heck is this?’ I was so lost, but we designed the whole thing ourselves on Figma and it was amazing.” Deol is currently completing a master’s degree in De

Jain is excited to bring her experiences to a future career in genetic counselling. She explains that the numerous skills she gained from her work on the app, like critical thinking, prob lem-solving, and networking will help her in the field. “I think [making EczyApp] helped me a lot, and it showed me another side of what I’m passionate about and what I would be willing to do for something that I really do care about,” Jain shares.

All four members emphasize how the project developed their teamwork skills entirely over Zoom. Du also highlights knowl edge translation, explaining how learning scientific communi cation skills entailed the ability to explain difficult concepts in a user-friendly manner most beneficial to patients. After all, she notes that the real goal of BIO434 was not just to understand the obscure literature, but rather, to apply that knowledge to improve people’s lives.

The team continues to post educational content on EczyApp’s Instagram and is currently collecting user feedback for an up date, hopefully within a year from the app’s launch date. Until then: “We’re very lucky to have each other as a support group,” says Jain. She continues, “We met over Zoom with an idea and we’re such good friends now, and we have this amazing app. One class can do that to you, so if you take all the opportunities you’re given, you can make something good out of them like we did.”

How do we react when those we care about act unethically?

Dalainey Gervais Associate Features Editor

As an inspiring journalist, I hold a set of ethical and moral codes: write with integrity and truth when sharing a message with the public. No matter what field you are in, there are moral codes required to

uphold professional standards. Even in our personal lives, we set boundaries and hold ethical values, although, these are often not synonymous with those outlined by our pro fessions. But what happens when people we care about cross those boundaries? Rachel Forbes, a PhD candidate at the University of Toronto, evaluates that personal struggle by asking: what do you do when someone you

love crosses your ethical boundaries?

Forbes completed an Honours Bachelor of Science with a Psychology Research Spe cialist in 2017, and a Master of Arts in Psy chology in 2018—both earned from U of T. Forbes worked as a teaching assistant for dif ferent courses in the Department of Psychol ogy, and under the supervision of University of Toronto Mississauga professor Jennifer

Stellar, Forbes is expected to receive her PhD in Psychology by the end of the year.

Forbes published her article “When the Ones We Love Misbehave: Exploring Mor al Processes within Intimate Bonds” in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology: Attitudes and Social Cognition

>> ETHICAL CODES continues on page 09

UTM alumni share how their time at UTM helped them launch an app.

PhD candidate Rachel Forbes studies the importance of upholding moral standards and why we are less harsh on our loved ones.

>> ETHICAL CODES continued from page 08

In her research, Forbes discusses how we react when our loved ones do something unethical. To develop and implement our ethical codes, we rely on our grasp of moral ity—a code of conduct often described as the self’s perception of what’s right or wrong. It could be thought of as the common imagery of having an angel and devil on your shoul der, guiding you through decisions.

Forbes’ research stands out among the abundant studies on morality for its unique viewpoint—rather than focusing solely on morality in the context of strangers, she con siders people’s moral responses to unethical actions performed by those they care about. As a hypothesis, Forbes predicted that the emotional response of individuals would be significantly less negative toward transgres sors with whom participants have a personal connection, and more negative toward the unethical behaviours of strangers.

Forbes’ research was conducted over four independent studies. In the first, Forbes col lected data from 207 participants who were in a romantic relationship for a minimum of one year. She studied the participants’ reac tions to three hypothetical situations—each designed to be immoral, and each involving a different transgressor: a romantic partner, a friend, or a stranger. To understand each participant’s opinion on the hypothetical acts, all participants were asked to rate how

unethical they believed each act was on a scale of one to seven, where one was “not unethical,” and seven was “very unethical.” For example, a participant could have been asked to rate the ethicality of their romantic partner committing theft, lying about having paid a bill, or starting a rumour. Results of the study favoured Forbes’ hypothesis, dem onstrating that participants showed stronger negative responses to strangers, and tended to be more lenient toward individuals they had intimate bonds with.

The second study served to replicate similar results from the first study by ask ing nearly 500 participants to recall both a time when people in their lives had done something morally wrong, and one when strangers misbehaved instead. Participants

were then asked to attempt to reason as to why each person had chosen to do some thing unethical, and then rate their acts on the same scale as the first study. The results demonstrated trends similar to those from Forbes’ first study.

Because the second study asked partici pants to recall an event that happened in the past, Forbes identified a potential for retro spective bias—our tendency to recall past events and their frequency inaccurately. So, the third study aimed to eliminate this factor by asking participants to report daily unethi cal acts experienced with strangers, roman tic partners, coworkers, and friends over 15 days. Unsurprisingly, participants reported that their loved ones had conducted many more unethical acts than strangers. Howev

er, as Forbes predicted, participants reported feeling less angry towards their friends and romantic partners for committing immoral actions as compared to strangers.

The final study asked participants to bring a romantic partner, friend, or acquaintance with them. The subjects were then asked to reveal to each other unethical decisions they had made in the past. Forbes provided each participant with a survey that suggested that the other had done something unethical. The participants had to rate themselves and their partners on an ethical scale similar to that from studies one and two. Forbes’ study revealed that participants were less critical of their loved ones, but more critical of them selves in their morality ratings, supporting Forbes’ original hypothesis.

Over the course of these four studies, Forbes was able to identify that there is, in fact, a difference in the ways that people perceive immoral acts done by their loved ones versus those by strangers. Forbes also noted that this watering down of our moral responses could be our way of safeguard ing our relationships. An interesting find ing demonstrated that individuals felt some embarrassment or emotional burden when thinking of their loved ones as acting un ethically. Thus, in trying to protect the inti mate bonds we share with people, we end up translating the burdens of their transgres sion onto ourselves.

MCCOMBS/THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS

Sexual abstinence not the way to go for adolescents?

Meghna Patil Contributor

Sex education is supposed to provide youth with the knowl edge and skills needed for a lifetime of sexual health. How ever, in Canadian sex education, abstinence is often empha sized and encouraged, but is that really the ideal solution for adolescents who are participating in early sexual experiences?

In her research, Diana Peragine, a doctoral candidate at University of Toronto Mississauga’s (UTM) Department of Psychology, explores the importance of diversity and inclusiv ity in sex education. Her recent research on sexual activity for adolescents was published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine in collaboration with UTM Psychology instructors Doug Vander Laan and Emily Impett.

In an interview with The Medium, Peragine explains that ab stinence is encouraged because early sexual activity has been associated with other problematic behaviours, such as “teenage smoking, drinking, and drug use,” and has been “linked to a number of negative health outcomes in the process.” Although abstinence can be an effective strategy for preventing some of these outcomes, it is not the only one.

Additionally, Peragine argues that sexual health is not only achieved by avoiding difficult situations but is also about learn ing how to maintain safe sexual attitudes. “Freedom from un wanted pregnancy, disease, and abuse should be the floor—not the ceiling—for sexual encounters,” Peragine points out, par ticularly emphasizing this idea in early sexual experience.

In the 1990s, sex education in Canada, and particularly On tario, was quite different. The 1998 curriculum’s primary focus was abstinence. The most current model, which was released

in 2019, still places importance on delaying sexual activity and encouraging abstinence. The curriculum maps these concepts as healthy choices in sexual development because they reduce risk factors, such as pregnancy and disease.

However, Peragine notes that “healthy sexual development also includes learning to heave functional and healthy sex.” She says that because of certain limitations within the current cur riculum, “students may not only be getting an incom plete education, but one that educates them away from sexual health.”

For a long time, sex that fell outside the norm for procreation was viewed as immoral and un healthy by religious and medical standards. As a result, Peragine notes that adolescent sexuality has been “condemned, discouraged, or ignored in early education for the very same reason as samesex sexuality,” which excludes young people who identified as a LGBTQ2s+.

But what about the different factors that have contributed to the current curriculum, and how have they impacted different groups of people within the community?

Peragine and her colleagues’ re search found that an “earlier sex ual debut is a predisposing and protective factor for sexual health” and may have more benefits than risks, such as “greater sexual excitation and fewer sexual desire difficulties,” explains Peragine.

In her collaborative research, Peragine observes that in a survey of more than 3,000 Canadians, “sexual debut occurs at age 17, on average, when defined as first penetrative sex,” yet more than 90 per cent of those surveyed had earlier sexual ex periences, which included solitary and oral sex. She later adds that “adolescence is a time of sexual discovery and experimen tation,” emphasizing the need for research to update the cur rent sex education curriculum.

Currently, there is not a single, defined strategy for reforming sex education in Canada. Peragine brings up the im portance of acknowledging that in dividual provinces and territories have different perspectives on what good sexual health looks like, and it is ultimately up to them to tailor cur riculum decisions, up to school boards to interpret the curriculum through their lens, and up to teachers to decide on the delivery and way sex education is pre sented to their students. All of this com bines into what Peragine coins a “patchwork system.”

As Peragine says, “If sexual health is a human right, then sexual health education must strive toward full and equal realization of that right, including equal oppor tunities for learning to have safe, enjoyable, and healthy sex.”

UTM psychology doctoral candidate Diana Peragine provides her insights on the Canadian sex education system, and dives deeper into the concept of abstinence and early sexual experiences.

Editor | Julia Skoczypiec arts@themedium.ca

The M ’s Playlist – Aia’s Off-beat October

Aia Jaber Managing Editor

October is the month of midterms. It’s the month of all-nighters, last-minute Halloween costumes, and energy drinks that get you through long lectures. It’s the month that causes burn-out. October is when we desperately wait for winter break and hot cocoa, longing for cheesy Christmas movie nights and fuzzy blankets.

It’s easy to forget to take care of ourselves and fall into the grooves of Frank Ocean and Adele. It sometimes feels like they’re perfectly depicting our cur rent mental states. My go-to sad songs include “Jealous” by Labrinth, and anything by Conan Gray. My favourite song used to be “Pluto Projector,” but the singer of that song—who I will not name—is dead to me.

Anyway, I believe that music impacts how we feel. Sometimes, sad music makes us sadder, and upbeat music can help us feel invincible. So, pop in those earphones, strut down your hallway, and be prepared to feel like the badass peo ple you already are. Because if celebrities can act as delusional as they are, then why can’t we envision ourselves singing at a concert in front of our adoring fans at 2 a.m. on a Monday. Ha! If that’s delusional, then call me crazy.

With that, I let my playlist tell its narrative.

“Queer alien gender things” in Victoria College Drama Society’s rendition of Hedwig and the Angry Inch

American tunes on the radio. As she listened to artists like Lou Reed and David Bowie, Hansel would bang her head to the faint beat she heard against the oven door. She dreamt of a life of love and fame.

Glitter, rock n’roll, and sexual innuendos. A German drag queen with layers of colour ful dresses and a collection of blonde wigs. On October 14 and 15, 2022, the Victoria College Drama Society (VCDS) at the University of Toronto St. George Campus presented Hedwig and the Angry Inch—a genderqueer comedydrama rock musical. Directed by Anthony (Ani) Palermo, this two-actor show starring Hedwig (Thomas Cordoso Quinn) and Yitzhak (Emma Coulson) wowed audiences with head-bang worthy songs and sentimen tal dialogue. I left the show thinking about what it means to “find home” in a world where “home” seems like a lost journey.

Since its original off-Broadway premiere in 1998, Hedwig and Yitzhak have graced audiences on stages worldwide. According to Broadway Buzz, the show’s creator, Ameri can actor John Cameron Mitchell, based the character of Hedwig on his long-time babysit ter, Helga—a divorced “German army wife but also a prostitute.” The show was also adapted into a musical film of the same name in 2001.

Hedwig is a queer, genderfluid rock singer from Communist Germany. Born as Hansel and raised by a cold-hearted single mother, Hansel became fascinated with Western rock music. In her tiny East Berlin apartment, Han sel’s mother forced her to listen to music in the oven—to try and muffle the sounds of the

The show captured Hansel’s experiences as she searched for her “other half.” After meet ing Luther Robinson, a US solider—uncast in the production but referred to as “sugar dad dy”—Hansel was ready to fulfill her dreams in America. Before she left Germany, Hansel’s mother, Hedwig, gave Hansel her passport and forced her to perform a sex reassignment surgery. Her surgery was far from perfect, leaving her with an “angry inch” of flesh be tween her legs.

Hedwig’s story is one of finding truth and acceptance within oneself, no matter how lonely our surroundings may feel. Mixing fistpumping songs like “Angry Inch” and “Sugar Daddy” with ballads like “The Origin of Love,” the performance depicted the rocky, gender bending road of Hedwig and her back-up vo calist—and later lover—Yitzhak. They called their fiery duo “The Angry Inch.”

In an interview with The Medium, Palermo spoke of their rendition of the show and what they hoped for audiences to learn from it.

“When I pitched the show to Victoria Col lege, I kind of went into it with the idea of finding home in yourself,” said Palermo.

After reading the paperback version in “Queer Writing,” an English course at the University of Toronto, Palermo explained that they identified with Hedwig’s character in a “poetic way.” Her gender journey and how

it plays into societal systems of the past and present inspired Palermo’s take on the show.

“[Hedwig’s story] made me think about what it means for genderqueer, non-binary, and trans people to live in a world that is of

TAVARES

ten times harmful because of its systems,” Pal ermo explained. The show’s theme of “finding comfort and safety in yourself” was of utmost importance in Palermo’s directing.

With a fun twist, Palermo explored Hed wig’s character as an intergalactic creature.

“I had this concept where I wanted to see Hedwig as this alien figure from another planet. Because the show has been done in the same way—in the original cast, the Broadway revival, and basically every interpretation I’ve seen—I wanted to mess with that concept in a way that still fit, [while interpreting] new things through it.”

As one of a few in-person shows that Pal ermo has directed, Hedwig and the Angry Inch strummed a vibrant and infectious chord.

“The space [that the show took place in] is like a little concert venue and lounge for stu dents,” said Palermo. “It’s untraditional but working in it was intriguing for me. I thought that there was something about being so close to the action [and] playing with that intimacy factor [that] has been so much fun.”

To conclude, Palermo used a string of un related words to describe the show. “It’s queer, explosion, magic, art,” they said. Truly unfor gettable, Hedwig and the Angry Inch by VCDS left me wanting more. By the end, my friends and I left the venue dancing, singing, and wishing we wore sparkly outfits.

For those that missed the show, do your self a favour and listen to Hedwig’s original Broadway soundtrack. Perhaps the iconic drag queen can remind you about the value of lov ing yourself.

Julia Skoczypiec Arts & Entertainment Editor

A conversation with UTM’s star director Anthony Palermo on acquiring self-love through an intergalactic rock musical.

DJ Habibi Funk and the power of cultural appreciation

In an interview with DJ Habibi Funk, we see the impacts of amplifying cultural music in Western media and beyond.

Rola Abdelbasset Contributor

Icame across Habibi Funk’s music in the most unexpected way. A friend of mine drunkenly posted an Instagram story, dancing in a tight venue in Beirut, Lebanon. The music that was being played caught my attention—but by the time I hit the next story, I forgot all about it.

Fast forward to when I was researching a young Egyptian ac tor named Ahmed Malek. An Algerian musician of the same name popped up on my YouTube search—his music was in col laboration with Habibi Funk. By then, the set that my friend shared snippets of on Instagram had been fully released on “Boiler Room’s” YouTube channel—an outlet that features the music of DJs around the world. I clicked over to Spotify, looked up Habibi Funk, and saved the playlists under his name.

Two years later, the show Ramy became available to stream on Hulu. As I watched, the soundtrack made me hesitate with a feeling of familiarity. Songs by Egyptian composer Hani Sha nouda were present in each episode. I recognized the collection of songs from Habibi Funk’s playlists. I thought: maybe Habibi Funk had something to do with this? But how could a DJ be in volved with selecting the soundtrack of a show, especially when the songs aren’t his?

I did some more research and came across Habibi Funk Re cords, a music label co-founded by Jannis Stürtz—otherwise known as Habibi Funk. I soon learned that Habibi Funk was playing a set in Toronto, and I immediately wanted to get in touch with him.

In a two-part interview—first conducted in the lobby of a Toronto high rise, and then in my friend’s car on the way to the venue where Habibi Funk was playing—Stürtz shared his musical inspirations and the meaning behind his record label.

According to Stürtz, the main purpose of Habibi Funk Records is to promote music created mainly in the Southwest Asia and North Africa regions. His label features the works of Kamal Keila—a jazz composer from Sudan who was influenced by Ethiopian and Congolese sounds—and of late Moroccan singer Fadoul, who used Brazilian music to inspire his work.

“The main purpose of Habibi Funk Records is to promote music created mainly in the Southwest Asia and North Africa regions.”

While being a DJ is fun and has “a good synergy with the running of the label,” Stürtz doesn’t think of it as his main role. Instead, he uses his music knowledge to get in touch with the many artists whose songs the label re-releases. Being a DJ en ables Stürtz to have face-to-face interactions with music cre

ators, allowing him to “build a working relationship” with artists from older generations who are not as familiar with promoting their music on the internet. Through these partnerships, Habibi Funk Records redistributes older releases in exchange for tem porary rights that allows the label and the artists to evenly split profits. Stürtz finds that providing artists with a moment “in the limelight” is the most rewarding part of his work.

Stürtz further clarified that he stopped using the word “discovered” within the context of his work. He realized the problematic nature of the word, due to its associations with colonialism. In the past, Stürtz faced accusations of cultural appropriation online—for profiting off Arab culture as a Ger man white man. I asked him about those accusations and im mediately sensed agitation. Stürtz emphasized that while he “welcomes critical interpretations of his work, [he] tries to be as transparent as possible in a business where [cultural appropria tion] is far from unheard of.”

To value each artist’s work and story, the label prints a sum mary of each license deal in the booklets that accompany the records sold. Stürtz says that he understands the sensitivity that comes with distributing non-Western music, but he states that he “will not see eye to eye” with those taking issue with his iden tity. Additionally, Stürtz finds that many of those who attack him for his work online don’t take the time to learn about what he’s actually doing. He has found himself engaging in conversa tions with people who mistook him for other white creatives who have inaccurately attributed him with “shitty mixes.”

On the contrary, many listeners appreciate Stürtz’s work and share his passions. Stürtz shared some fun experiences that he had in the days leading up to the interview. He visited Hani Sha nouda in his Cairo home with Ramy Youssef—an American comedian who stars in Ramy—along with other fun but “hec tic” occurrences. His occurrences stand as testament to how culturally rewarding Habibi Funk Records is. His label remains appreciated by the artists who feel represented by his projects.

How Studio Ghibli and Disney films present gender roles

Almost every little girl born between the 80s and the 2000s dreamed of a powder blue, sparkly Cinderella dress for her birthday.

Girls, globally, loved the movie—or rather, they loved wearing bright pink t-shirts from the Disney store imprinted with the prin cess’ face. But as generation Z and mil lennial groups grew up, the story of Cinderella became a lie. Disney never promised its viewers real-life happy endings with their prince charming. Instead, they told tales of princesses that sparked immense female body image insecurities.

Studio Ghibli, a Japanese anima tion studio, was founded in the mid80s by artist Hayao Miyazaki, director Isao Takahata, and pro ducer Toshio Suzuki. In 2017, Studio Ghibli films became distrib

utable in North America. Through characters who defied hurtful female stereotypes and promoted healthier relationships with them selves, the studio has transformed Western movies into films that displayed actual hero ines. Today, Studio Ghibli continues to depict their protagonists as strong and independent, while many Disney princesses still follow the same “damsel in distress” trope.

While the studio’s heroines have friends and sidekicks, they never need saviours. They are brave and capable of fighting for what they believe in—whether it is environmental sustainability, a dream job, or better health. On the contrary, the well-known Disney princesses that grew up with us create their destinies on the basis of charm ing princes, fairy godmothers, or talking animals. They exist only as beautiful victims who fall help lessly into a villain’s trap.

Studio Ghibli animations dis play a more realistic type of ro mance—grounded in friend ships and mutual interests

rather than physical appearance. Their hero ines do not need to impress their love inter ests with long eyelashes and sparkly dresses. For instance, Sheeta and Pazu, from the stu dio’s well known adventure film Castle in the Sky, travel and accompany one another on their journey for an extended period of time before developing feelings for each other. A similar “friends to lovers” relationship exists for Sophie and Howl from Howl’s Moving Castle, who fall in love through open conver sations and comfort from one another.

The studio places no emphasis on the physical appearance of its female characters. Their hero ines look and act like real-life, awkward, pre-teen girls whose bodies have not fully developed yet. 15-year-old San, from the Ghibli film Princess Mononoke, has no obvious curves or a waist smaller than her head—unlike Jasmine from Aladdin, who is the roughly the same age as her.

I have to give Disney some credit for their later princess movies. While Snow White, Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty followed the “poor damsels” pattern, Merida from Brave and Elsa from Frozen stay true to their am bitions and don’t actively seek a prince or saviour. Still, even though these princesses are represented as self-sufficient heroines, they remain mostly passive. They rebel, but only verbally, and the films fall back into the princess-needs-prince storyline.

Studio Ghibli’s heroines fearlessly embody contraries. Their characters merge good and bad, ruthlessness and compassion, and masculine and fem inine attributes. Each movie the stu dio releases helps young girls all over the world understand that beauty lies in the imperfections within and around them. Most importantly, Studio Ghibli breaks through the gendered norms that the West ern film industry captures in its princess stories, encouraging girls to stay true to themselves and be independent.

Olga Fedossenko Contributor

Analyzing the skinny, big-eyed ideal of Disney’s heroines versus the relatable female characters of Studio Ghibli.

HABIBI FUNK

sports & health

Spectacular Failure

Editor | Alisa Samuel sports@themedium.ca

With the 2022-23 NHL season officially underway, the Toronto Maple Leafs prove they only know how to lose, spectacularly.

Omar Khan Columnist

On Wednesday, October 12, 2022, the Leafs had their first loss of the season in their opening game. With just 17 seconds to go in the third period, mere minutes after William Nylander tied the game, defenseman Jake Muzzin had a hor rible turnover—he passed the puck to Josh Anderson of the Montréal Canadiens and accidentally helped the rival team score a winning goal.

Though the Leafs defeated the Washington Capitals and the Ottawa Senators in their next two games, some fans were quick to point out that the team’s defense and top players are not playing up to standard.

“Every fan saw this loss coming.”

In particular, Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and Mi chael Bunting have yet to hit their full potential as their per formance against the Arizona Coyotes shows.

It is projected that the Arizona Coyotes will have one of the worst seasons in National Hockey League (NHL) history. The team consists of no star players and hardly any talent. Any team, especially on home ice, would be able to easily outplay Arizona for the win—any team except for the Leafs.

Every fan saw this loss coming. In the 24 hours leading up to the game, the Leafs’ Twitter page listed subpar teams like

The University of Toronto Mississauga’s Archery Club hits the bullseye

through the sport.

Ottavia Paluch Contributor

T he University of Toronto Mississauga’s (UTM) Archery Club is a place for stu dents to learn archery in a safe environment whilst meeting other UTM students. “[The club] is open to everyone, as we provide coaching for those who are unfamiliar with the sport,” says Fadlan Arif, a UTM student studying math and statistics.

“I also enjoy talking to new people and creating a sense of community, especially as things are finally returning to full capacity.”

As president of UTM Archery, Arif over sees the operations of the club and delegates responsibilities to the executives on his team.

“What I enjoy most [about the role] is hav ing direct communication with all my [team

members to achieve our] vision for the club,” he says. “I also enjoy talking to new people and creating a sense of community, especially as things are finally returning to full capacity.”

The team was able to hold only a limited number of practices and events during the 2021-2022 academic year, which made it dif ficult to schedule consistent practices. Arif has since found reason to be optimistic about the club’s future.

At the 2022 UTM Student Union Campus Groups Awards Gala, the Archery Club won the Stay Active award. This award goes to a

campus club or society that gives students the opportunity to steadily engage in physical ac tivity. Winning the award gave Arif and his team a sense of validation, “like all the hard work [they] have done has been for some thing.”

Arif attributes the success of the UTM Ar chery Club to its goal of making archery ac cessible. “Bringing in students from all skill levels and providing [them with] coaching lowers the barrier of entry to a sport that I feel many are intimidated by.”

“I want [the club] to be a safe space where

everyone knows each other, and where stu dents can be themselves while also having a goal in mind,” he says. “And by making practices more casual, students are allowed to make the club whatever they want it to be, from a hangout with friends to a space to fo cus on refining their archery skills.”

For Arif, perfecting his form is what moti vates him to attend every practice. “I’m also a competitive person, so participating in tour naments gives me a sense of joy.”

Much is in store for the UTM Archery Club over the remainder of the school year, including tournaments and the formation of a competitive team that will face archers from the other two U of T campuses in the winter months.

Saturday, October 22 also saw the start of “The Archery Games”—bi-weekly archery competitions where members play against each other for a chance to win prizes. In No vember, the club’s general members and ex ecutives can get to know each other through a social.

More information on the UTM Archery Club and its activities can be found on Insta gram and Discord.

Fadlan Arif talks community,

ADAM HICKEN/THE MEDIUM