Midas Magazine MY AMERICAN LIFE: Vol. 4, Issue 2

MADE BY STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHARLOTTE

MIDAS

VOLUME 4 ISSUE 2

SPRING 2024

Our Staff

Writing

Niko Lopez

Arriana Jones

Alyse Moffitt

Jayla Dennis

Rey Dizon

Kashika Chaudhary

Tarik Liassou

Sonia Pacheco Mejia

Creative

Tyler Wagoner

Richard Nuzzo

Kennedy Rodriguez

Christian Barber

Design

Troy Vong Nguyen

Ethan Javellana

Sarah Carson

Christi Montes

Hannah Alvarado

Editor in Chief

Krishma Indrasanan

Managing Editor

Sanura Ezeagu

Creative Director

MICAH

Design Director

Aily Valencia Cervantes

Writing Director

Ilysia Pitzer

Coordinators

Bethany Collins

Sydney Howard

Jaylen Harrell

Assistants

Nadia Salazar

Lea Ahmad

Aidan McCollick

Shreeya Tadisina

Lexi Shon

Griffin Gross

Misc. Staff

Gabriel Abbate (Website Manager)

Ana Pioquinto (Makeup Artist)

A Note from Our Editors

Photography by: Christi Montes Castro

Styled by: Venus Robinson-Epps and Kevon Anderson

Makeup by: Ana Pioquinto

Car courtesy of: Dawn Pancholi

What is the American Dream?

The titular American Dream is so ubiquitous, so singular that I am sure if we all closed our eyes the exact vision would appear: a white picket fence in middle-class suburbia with a respectable car parked out front. Two kids. Family. A sprawling lawn. A steady marriage – maybe even a pet or two. Granted that might not be your dream, but it is eponymous with what most of us want: stability, safety, comfort and community. But it is not quite our reality – is it ?

Only in the land of the free in 2024 do they spend the most money per capita investing in a prison industrial complex to rob people of their futures (and votes) with a legalized form of slavery. Only in the land of equal opportunity do we penalize working women for having children and stay-at-home mothers for not working. Only in the home of the brave do we forgive our heroes in blue for waiting 77 minutes outside of an elementary school mass shooting.

If there is no American Dream, then what lies in the star-spangled banner-shaped hole in the wall in its absence? Is it an American Nightmare? Or is our reality a nightmare? These questions posed by our editorial board back in December would shape the finalized product of what is today Volume 5, Issue 1 of Midas : My American Life.

Almost anyone across the world watches American movies and TV and listens to American music – even going as far as to adopt American traditions. The quintessential American experience is so vastly well known, but how well is it understood?

Our previous issue, “Let Us Eat Cake” was heavily inspired and drew upon a variety of works in classical art, but for My American Life our staff needed little inspiration when their own lives would provide enough ignition to discover so many stories – from America’s complicated relationship with bodies in the “ War on Weight ” to our affinity for consumerism in “Beauty Queens” and shallowly-constructed feminism explored in “Women! You Can Exploit Too!”.

To avoid regurgitating a repackaged, recycled and shrinkflated version of the original American Dream, the Midas team wanted to explore and reveal a more naked, blatant underbelly of the American experience: the Dream, the Falsehood, the Nightmare and, of course, the Reality.

I leave you with comedian George Carlin who infamously said “It’s called the American Dream because you have to be asleep to believe it.”

Well, we are certainly all awake now.

Krishma Indrasanan Editor-in-Chief

“They call it the American dream 'cause you gotta be asleep in order to believe in it,” is a lyric from a song by one of my favorite rap groups, Coast Contra, which was originally said by George Carlin. I remember going through this album after I discovered them and came across this lyric. Now, this is not the first time any artist has discussed this topic but the reason this specific lyric had a hold on me was because of the amount of layers in just two bars when you listen to the rest of the verse. The whole song discusses the economic state of our country and specifically the relation to the black community. What is so intriguing about this specific lyric is the way Rio delivers this verse. We all know the myth of the American dream. Google’s definition is, “the ideal by which equality of opportunity is available to any American, allowing the highest aspirations and goals to be achieved.” Just with this definition alone, there are too many layers for me to dive in deep for an editor's note but the key thing here is equality to all and any – what a loaded definition. To make matters more comical, the example given under this definition describes a workaholic lawyer living the American dream, directing us back to this amazing song. Throughout the track, the group discusses the hustle and unequal opportunities – and even more if you are a certain complexion – to even get a fraction of this so-called dream. Which brings me back to the lyric in the beginning.

We, as Americans, go through hoops and holes to gain said opportunities and success but what is funny about this quote is that we have seen enough to lose hope, yet we still dream. The creation of this American dream was intentionally set up so that we know not everyone can be a part of it, but despite that, we see the people who did make the dream and we strive to achieve the same, or one of my favorite takes being the dream only exists

in our heads and it was never real. The people who achieved this dream went through hoops as well to get there; they just had a different set of morals and drive. Carlin cleverly wraps these sentences together by using the action of dreaming to sleep and shows that the dream we all want to achieve is truly just a farce that we can only see in our sleep.

I remember when the directors decided on our theme for the semester, and the moment I heard Americana this song was the first to pop into my mind. After listening to the song again and watching Carlin’s monologue about the development of this country it is honestly…depressing. Now, I do not mean to make anyone feel any type of way – I am, but you get the gist – but it is truly crazy how generations of power-hungry old, dead, white men decided to run this country into the ground. So much that we live in a nightmare but sadly we have to be awake to experience it. Even amid multiple genocides, centuries of history and proof, the allure of power blinds man from doing what is needed and right.

With this issue, we wanted to dig into the realization of what this dream is. The reality. We certainly are all awake now to realize the dream has been a nightmare

And maybe that is why we continue to dream.

Sanura Ezeagu Managing Editor

The American Dream

America,

Models: Perry Nguyen, Mariah Babu, Michael King, Rae Scoz, Souroja Sen, Ava Norko

Styled by: Venus Robinson-Epps

Production Assistance by: Shreeya Tadisina, Nadia Narayanan, Samara Hawkins

Car courtesy of: Fransisco Barton

House courtesy of: Thi Thi Nyugen

Eat Your Heart

OUT!

Writing by: Tarik Liassou

Photography

Design

by: Christian Barber

by: Hannah Alvarado

With blood, sweat and all the time in the world, the United States of America shines like the brightest star in the sky. The nation stands as an international superpower unmatched in its influence as it wields a booming economy, technological prowess and extensive cultural breadth. But every shining light casts a shadow, and every dream has its caveat. Beneath all that economic and political bravado, the U.S. hides a dying heart. It is a foregone conclusion. A capitalist and consumerist society is not built to sustain the needs of its people over power and the image of success. Anyone willing to take a closer look will find our population is in the middle of a lethal plague –a sort of emptiness or spiritual poison . If it is not kept in check, this plague will surely kill this country from the inside out.

Here is what I think: this country might as well be on a crash course to suicide. To maintain the stability and dignity of its position in the world, the U.S. has to make a certain kind of sacrifice, an exchange that determines its values and priorities. In return for kingpin status and endless reach, the U.S. dismisses the emotional needs of its people, remaining unconcerned with meeting them beyond the bare minimum. Inflation is constantly on the rise, buying a house is becoming laughably unrealistic and people are getting restless as they are faced with a demoralizing conclusion: to attain security, you have to place money on top. Long gone are those fussy proverbs emphasizing a work-life balance. You cannot afford to live, to leisure or to even get a proper moment with friends or family. That whole life you have worked to uphold? At the rate things are going, do not be shocked to find yourself pouring it all back into work. It is a hamster wheel, and what I consider the worst kind of lifestyle.

Work, as it stands at the forefront of the issue, is all-consuming. Our minds are inclined to keep returning to the hustle and bustle long after we have clocked out, and we are always either building a career or furthering one. The over-prioritization of work is glamorized too, with terms like hustle culture and girlboss being thrown around without much tact. Accompany this with an ever-present collective disdain for any type of rest or relaxation and you get a rough sketch of modern work culture in the U.S. For those easily seduced by this glossy image of hustle culture , you might dub the desire to get away from work as laziness. For those who choose to relax or even just consider it, even a moment that passes without labor is going to feel wasted. It is completely infeasible to live for your work, but somehow that constant focus on it has been normalized. Expectations about work in this country are more than a tad bit overbearing.

Beneath all that economic and political bravado, the U.S. hides a dying

heart.

The U.S. is neck deep in a loneliness epidemic, a mass decrease in social relationships and their quality .

The social platform TikTok is flooded with videos every day of employers wondering why no one wants to work these days, or why their employees are against the implicit expectation to be working overtime and unpaid at that. Counter arguments such as “this was not part of the job description” are looked down upon harshly, disregarded as careless and only wanting to evade what others deem hard work.

There are only 24 hours in a day – so little time and so many ways to spend it. It is becoming increasingly difficult for us to feel fully engaged in our lives when we are trying to find ways to pay the bills and fill our stomachs, always on high alert. People leave their daily pleasures for those late hours of the night when they are free from workplace pressures. Hobbies are devalued as if they are something that can only exist if placed beneath the never-ending demands of the workplace. And amongst all this, there is no time left to maintain healthy relationships either. If you are not able to build enough workplace friendships, you might find yourself completely deprived of proper social interaction altogether. This is showing itself to be a chronic issue countrywide.

The U.S. is neck deep in a loneliness epidemic, a mass decrease in social relationships and their quality. Lyndon Haviland from The Hill notes that loneliness has become a “public health threat” grasping a third of U.S. adults 45 or older with the consequences of isolation being heart disease, depression, dementia and other illnesses. People are lonelier than ever, and it has become more challenging with time to close the gaps they feel among themselves. What is worse is that the average citizen may not be lacking in the quantity of their relationships at all, instead lacking the necessary depth to feel fulfilled within them.

Without the time and energy to cultivate real companionship, life in the States begins to buckle under the pressure. It is a prime example of how beneath a golden surface this society hides poor foundations.

It is a tale of

Struggle

&

Dissatisfaction

The demands of work culture are bearable if you have something to work for. Plenty of people dream of having the perfect all-American family portrait and finally gaining the means to find what lives on the other side of that white picket fence. Parents fantasize about coming home from work to play with their children, have a nice meal and chat with their spouses – maybe even devote some time to a hobby. We are thrust violently into work-centric lifestyles that are built to corner us, painted as our only ticket to that north star: the nuclear family fantasy. If you aim to start a family you might have to focus more on adapting to the workplace than the home you are dying for. It is becoming clear just how much sacrifice is demanded of us for the sake of maintaining an emotionally fulfilling life here in the U.S. But here is a message to all the people motivated by the promise of a fulfilling family life – you may have to think twice. Think back to the image of the white picket fence and see if you can walk beyond it. You might be surprised to find the home you have worked so hard to attain is empty of the life it was supposed to hold. It is a tale of struggle and dissatisfaction, the perfect American tragedy in the making.

We are thrust violently into work-centric lifestyles that are built to corner us, painted as our only ticket to that north star:

the nuclear family fantasy.

Work leads to more work

There are other things to strive for, so the family search may not be the only dream everyone is reaching for as our emotional lives decay. There is another finish line that nearly all of us are running towards at the end of our work – that being the end of our work. Retirement, already so elusive, seems more out of reach than ever before with many having to work until they are well into their 70s; the life expectancy in the States barely reaches past 70. The average citizen can only receive their retirement benefits at 62 years old,

leaving just a small window of time to enjoy a life outside of the labor force. Work leads to more work, serving a higher purpose for the country’s aims but not for its people. If you ask me, nothing about this screams a life worth living. Instead, most people opt for delayed gratification, only hoping they will have enough time to live life later. That hope is what drives us to trade off the quality of our present-day lives, weighed down by careers stretching out endlessly in time, with the promise of a blissful last few years of life.

The

heart

and soul of the U.S. is nothing to be envied.

It is far from the most inviting course of action, and I am sure if more people could, they would try to find another way. But options are limited and no one wants to miss out on what they are sure to get their hands on. Without a better balance between our labor and the fruit it produces, a life worth living for the average U.S. citizen seems to be nothing more than a fairy tale.

If the goal of a nation is to deliver its people to prosperity, then the United States has failed without a doubt. It can claim its innovation and impact, but not so much when it comes to the welfare and happiness of its people. The heart and soul of the U.S. is nothing to be envied. If you want someone to show you what a rewarding life looks like, the States is the last place you want to look.

STANDING IN THE HEADLIGHTS

PHOTOGRAPHY

BY: RICHARD NUZZO

DESIGN BY: TROY VONG NGUYEN

MODELS: SAMANTHA APOSTAL, COOPER LEONARD, AARUSHI KATOCH, “GALLOWAY” (LEAD SINGER IS LAWSON GALLOWAY) • CAR COURTESY OF: COOPER LEONARD

Writing by.............JAYLA DENNIS Design by.................ETHAN JAVELLANA

Gucci Rings Gauntlets AND

AT WHAT POINT DID THE DESIRE TO BE DROWNING ABANDON US IN A SEA OF LOW SELF-ESTEEM AND GREED?

In a world where worth is measured by possessions, we don an armor that both serves to blend in and shield us from ridicule and sneers. The glittering facade offers a fleeting sense of security in an ever-changing landscape of wealth and privilege. As the diamonds and detriments of luxury dazzle and captivate our eyes, it is essential to recognize the deeper implications of their allure. People wear this sparkling armor not just to adorn themselves but to navigate a world where worth is determined by the glittering entrapments of materialism.

Garnishing everyday looks builds a wall, signifying a dichotomy of us versus them. This mindset manifests through rap culture and the perpetuation of wealth in the media. Intriguingly, even those who may not be financially capable often covet these symbols of prosperity. The allure lies in their ability to project a facade of affluence and belonging, creating an illusion of wealth that transcends their reality. In a society where one’s image is paramount, ornamentation has become a tool for crafting a desired identity, wether it is the

perception of being powerful, influential, or simply fashionable. From flashy diamond necklaces to in tricate gold bracelets, these baubles are not just ac cessories – they are symbols of achievement, status, and style. Thanks to advertisements and the allure of celebrity endorsements, we have been primed to believe that sporting these sparkly embellishments is not just about looking good – it is about signaling to the world that you have “made it.” And let us not forget the Big screen and the beats of our favorite tunes, where these jewels often take center stage, reinforcing the idea that they are must-haves for anyone aspiring to be at the top of the social ladder. This relentless exposure charges the idea that owning lavish accessories is synonymous with achieving a certain level of wealth and social standing. While the display of wealth may symbolize success and achievement for some, it can also perpetuate harmful stereotypes and exacerbate existing imbalances.

A Boogie Wit da Hoodie’s song, “Drowning,” recounts the rapper’s lavish lifestyle of affluence covered in diamonds.

"

Chain so heavy I feel like I'm holdin' up a mountain...

"

...Everywhere that I go it's a light show...

In the music video, he is shown stealing diamonds and when he is be ing chased, he jumps into the ocean with them and drowns because the weight of them holds him down. Combining the lyrics, “Chain so heavy I feel like I'm holdin' up a mountain” and “Everywhere that I go it's a light show, I'm surrounded,” the song is a metaphor about how the pursuit of material wealth can suffocate and ultimate ly destroy individuals, but as the lyrics ring, there is much to gain from material wealth too.

It comes back to positive association and what it says about the “look good, feel good” phenomenon characterized by how one's outward appearance can significantly influence their inter nal state of well-being and self-esteem. Positive association is how our minds link certain stimuli or experiences with affirming emotions or outcomes, creating syntonic connections between the things we perceive positively that make us feel good. For many, owning and flaunting luxury items like Cuban chains, gold grills and diamond-encrusted Rolexes represents a sense of attained eliteness which is the incentive to stay at the top or at least above water. Flexing these expensive pieces accentuates our appearance and spotlights how we see our selves, and even more than that, how we want to be seen. As we spend more money on arbitrarily priced Balenciaga pieces,

"There have been plenty of bodies put in chains, particularly Black bodies."

we get closer to fooling ourselves that we are satisfied with who we are, subtly implying that people infer their attitudes and feelings based on their observed behaviors and external cues. Being real only comes about when we have the latest of everything and our chain is heavier than our insecurities. An important thing to note is that these trends have been around for years usually in response to a crisis or social issue. The wave of counterculture fashion in the ‘60s and ‘70s popularized many styles that we knowingly adore and follow today. From minimalist designs to bold statements, the clothes we wear and the jewelry we pair them with reflect our values, aspirations and sense of self. Though continuing the theme of disillusionment, the allure of designer brands and luxury can become a constraint, overshadowing self-worth and internal fulfillment.

Ornamentations have long served as a means of cultural identity and social standing in America. There have been plenty of bodies put in chains, particularly Black bodies. The painful legacy of slavery continues to reverberate through American society, manifesting through disparities in wealth, opportunity, and social justice; the symbolic weight of chains persists, serving as a haunting reminder of the deep-seated inequalities that continue to plague this nation. The prison industrial complex (PIC) is defined as a set of interlocking systems that helps us understand how the enslavement of Black bodies in this country never ended – it was just reframed as something else. Contemplating the motivation behind wearing these gold chains invites reflection on the echoes of oppressive systems in America. It invites us to examine the broader societal shifts that have reshaped our un -

derstanding of identity, status, and liberation, urging us to question the narratives we inherit and the ones we choose to create for ourselves. Within the labyrinth of the PIC, Black men and women are disproportionately ensnared, their lives constrained by chains both physical and metaphorical. Yet, amidst this, they have established a reclamation of identity by being iced out and dripped down. Black athletes, rappers, and performers are prime examples. While the former were imposed upon them, the latter are chosen – a symbol of empowerment and self-expres-

"The symbolic weight of chains persists, serving as a haunting reminder of the deepseated inequalities that continue to plague this nation."

"the chains that once bound them in slavery are starkly juxtaposed with the accessories they wear now"

sion amidst adversity. Despite the semblance of choice, the allure of this finery can mask a deeper entrapment – a voluntary submission to societal pressures and materialistic ideals. In a culture that equates wealth with worth, Black individuals navigate a delicate balance between accreditation and exploitation, using embellishments as a shield and sword in the struggle for identity – think of chain mail, designed to protect warriors in battle and composed of strings of steel linked together, draped and tailored to fit the body. One may ask if it is to protect a fragile body or cage a fragile mind. Societal norms often present themselves as protective barriers, shielding individuals from life’s harsh realities. Much like chain mail, the things that we intend to protect us from the discomfort of vulnerability and rejection can confine us to a superficial existence.

In exploring the intricate tapestry of human existence, the allure of wealth and the symbols that represent it weave a compelling narrative – one that transcends mere materialism and delves into the depths of our collective psyche. With society’s promise of prosperity and success, society’s approval bargains a higher price than we realize. If we are to be free, we must discuss how the pressure to adhere to societal standards of riches affects the poor, perpetuating cycles of debt, exploitation, and disillusionment. We are urged to consider the true cost of our infatuation with pragmatism and pursue a more meaningful existence. May we strive to transcend superficiality and embrace a vision of prosperity that prioritizes authenticity and growth above all else.

The American Nightmare

Coquette. Nymphette. Pastel Grunge. Sad girl. Traumacore. Americana.

No matter what you call the hyper-feminine, Lana Del Rey vinyl aesthetic of the moment, it will have some common themes – think soft, pink bows and lace with angelic and catholic motifs.

Model: Sonnie Zayzay Styled by: Venus Robinson-Epps Production Assistance by: Shreeya Tadisina & Nadia Narayanan

When I Die,

bury me in a heart-shaped casket.

Writing by: NIKO LOPEZ

IDesign by: ETHAN JAVELLANA

n the constant rush of the internet, one aesthetic trend has managed to survive the blast. It has taken different forms and appealed to various people, but at its core, it remains the same. At this current moment, this immortal trend goes by the name of coquette. But before, it went by the name of Nymphette. Pastel grunge. Sad girl. Traumacore. And of course, its original form: Americana

No matter what you call the hyper-feminine, Lana Del Rey vinyl aesthetic of the moment, it will have some common themes –think soft, pink bows and lace with angelic and catholic motifs. Skinned knees staining the ground and dripping onto black Mary Jane heels. Kissing older men in the beer aisle of a gas station in Paris, Texas. Ethel Cain’s music flickering on the radio,

Photography by: TYLER WAGONER

the noise somehow permeating through thick cigarette smoke. But there is a rotten secret hidden beneath the layers of soft tulle. Looking back through internet history, especially on the social media website Tumblr, hyper-feminine aesthetics often cross over into romanticizing disturbing things such as abuse, overconsumption of drugs and alcohol, and in some cases, even idealizing real-life serial killers or school shooters. Could this be because society’s definition of femininity hinges on the eradication of taboo and dirtiness existing within a girl? Or because society’s definition of femininity is completely based on the existence of pain and taboo? It is a little bit of both. With these trends showing no signs of stopping, we are left to question how far is too far in the pink-embroidered wasteland of aesthetics.

We must acknowledge where internet subcultures initially flourished. Tumblr, the infamous blog site almost immediately catapulted to fame, winning a “Best New Startup” award and reaching an astounding value of 850 million in 2010, three years after it was founded. Even with its extreme youth as a company, it was a worthy competitor to the social media giant, Facebook. Tumblr’s appeal was its blog-oriented structure. As a past Tumblr user, I remember earning how to code HTML so I could make the song “Summertime Sadness” by Lana Del Rey play in the background of my black-and-red colored profile as users scrolled through. I would reblog pictures of sad-looking white girls in Gunne Sax dresses and write depressive poems comparing blood to roses. Tumblr was the sad girl empire. It was a breeding ground for new internet subcultures to bloom, and the Americana aesthetic was one of the most influential of the time. Internet users who gravitated towards this subculture tended to enjoy vintage polaroids, pastels, and other traditionally feminine motifs such as heart-shaped trinkets and tennis skirts most notably. They binged the movies “Virgin Suicides” and “Buffalo 66” and hung up Precious Moments crosses in their room. If they were old enough to drive, which was a rarity in the community, they would hang up pink fuzzy dice in their rearview mirror or glue a bobblehead Jesus to their dashboard. The trendsetters of the time were all about glamorizing vintage Hollywood and traditional values and such a cultural

desire for the “good old days” could be seen in the near-spontaneous rise to fame of Del Rey’s debut album “Born To Die.” However, as much as the subculture fostered creativity and propelled many young adults to explore their style, everything was not as it seemed. The whole idea of the internet is that anyone can participate with absolutely no moderation. The screen ensures near-total anonymity, and while at times, this can allow people to better understand themselves without societal pressure, things can get pretty dark when destructive behavior is enabled and romanticized as part of an aesthetic. That is what happened with Americana as it grew – internet communities glamorized drug overconsumption, taboo relationships and “pro-ana” (pro-anorexia) culture, all disguised under the guise of gothic themes. There is something ironic about

The Western world praises

Victoria’s Secret models clean and neat looking

an aesthetic based on both femininity and vintage Western culture being so covertly ingrained in trauma and disorder. It is no secret women’s empowerment is still an ongoing struggle. Feminine beauty is prioritized above all else by society, and women are expected to tailor their appearance to the male gaze. The Western world praises slim, clean-and-neat-looking, white Victoria’s Secret models over any other body type, race or alternative way of expressing physical appearance. Bombshells and icons of the Americana aesthetic include Marilyn Monroe, Kate Moss, Lily-rose Depp, Priscilla Presley and Twiggy. All hairless, petite and white. The influence of societal beauty standards on Americana is notable after just a short scroll through Tumblr. It is worth noting that I write this from the perspective of a Latino man. I rarely see someone from my culture and other non-white cultures represented in Pinterest mood boards. There could be a few reasons for this; maybe people of color (POC) feel awkward or out of place trying to cosplay the lifestyle of people who historically wanted nothing more than near-biological separatiom from us. Maybe we do feel comfortable, but in that case, we are less likely to be promoted by others because of subconscious bias from society saying something like, “Black girls are tough. Fierce. Masculine. Anything but soft.” Either way, whether it is us or them, one thing is for sure; POC do not get to enjoy aestheticizing Americana in the same context as white people do. For us, if we choose to partake in the subculture it becomes political; we are reclaiming something that was taken from us instead of simply enjoying a style.

"

WOMEN ARE EXPECTED TO TAILOR THEIR APPEARANCE TO THE

Male Gaze

Americana is based on a decade infamous for race struggles and subsequently being racially biased is no surprise. Neither is its tendency to promote socially acceptable body types and appearances. However, that is not where the problematic nature of the aesthetic ends. In the early 2010s American teens were seemingly more depressed than ever. Everybody knows about the emo movement based on finding the beauty in depression, emotional emptiness and darkness. Just as Americana influenced modern aesthetics the emo subculture had a heavy influence on Americana. Most participants were either former emo kids or wanted to be emo kids but were too young at its peak. Therefore, the mental health issues that existed among many young preteens of the time intermingled with the standards set by the Americana aesthetic. It was a recipe for disaster. Self-harm became an accessory to see-through tulle dresses and suicide became a catchy rhyme for a poem.

In Tumblr-icon Nicole Dollangangers’ song “Rampage,” she sang about falling in love with a school shooter, going so far as to insert real audio recordings of the Columbine shooters into the bridge of the song. The problematic nature of Americana intensified with trendy Instagram captions such as, “He hit me and it felt like a kiss,” an interpolated lyric off Del Rey’s sophomore album “Ultraviolence.” The rot-romanticization intensified for years reaching its peak around 2014. And then it seems the problematic nature of the style got too intense with the constant barrage of self-harm pictures and pro-ana reblogs because the Americana aesthetic fizzled out around 2015 along with Tumblr’s golden age. However, just because it disappeared in its original form does not mean the style does not live on in modern trends.

Looking at Tumblr icons such as Del Rey nowadays, they are practically unrecognizable apart from their names. Same with the now adult Tumblr girls who worshiped the Americana aesthetic. However, nothing ever dies without a trace. The original Americana aesthetic may have been buried in an unmarked grave and left to be eaten by maggots and mealworms, but its bones remain. Those bones are the foundation for the

"Suicide BECAME

A CATCHY RHYME FOR A POEM "

hyper-feminine trends of today. Coquette, I am still talking about you. At first glance, the two aesthetics might seem incomparable. However, Americana’s influence cannot be understated when it comes to modern-day coquette. Modern-day icons include Lana Del Rey, still, and Ethel Cain. Ethel Cain might sound like a new name, but she has existed within the sphere for quite a while. Her first musical gig as Ethel Cain was an opening show for none other than forgotten Tumblr icon Nicole Dollanganger. Open your Pinterest board and scroll through. Sifting through the Lily-Rose Depps and Kate Mosses

"Americana

IS BASED

ON A DECADE INFAMOUS FOR RACE STRUGGLES

of the internet, you will be lucky to find a black girl. Fun fact: it took me ten minutes to think of somebody who fit the coquette image and also happened to be a person of color. Eventually, I gave up. I did not even bother looking for plus size representation in the aesthetic, knowing I would be invariably let down. It is clear to see that not much has changed. Maybe mental health issues are not as openly enabled nowadays but the vintage values that plagued Americana still plague its offspring. Pink is a girl’s color. To be pretty is to be skinny. White, porcelain skin is the most delicate of all. The rot-romanticization never ended, it just got repackaged with a shiny new Vivienne Westwood bow.

"nothing ever dies without a trace. the original Ameri cana aesthetic may have been buried... ...but it's bones remain

"THE ROT ROMANTICIZATION NEVER ENDED, IT JUST GOT REPACKAGED WITH

A SHINY NEW VIVIENNE WESTWOOD

BOW"

The cultural obsession with the American dream as a visual aesthetic has persisted to this very day. But with it so has the darker aspects of American society and a greater misogynistic worldview. While on the surface level, there is nothing wrong with enjoying things, it is impossible to ignore the implications that come with romanticizing a culture from a troubled past. This is not a call to end the existence of hyper-feminine styles. Instead, it is a call to change the trajectory of societal norms and the pressure they put on people who wish to follow the trends. But with that being said, is it even possible or ethical to completely remove the dark and taboo from life? On one hand, we could be policing art. On the other hand, we could be enabling dangerous behaviors and ideologies. For the internet, the line between acknowledging the existence of mental health and actively enabling it has always been blurred. But the line is there andit is up to us to find solace in the darkness without pretending it is light.

"it is impossible to ignore the implications that come with romanticizing a culture from a troubled past"

WHEN I DIE, BURY ME IN A HEART-SHAPED CASKET pt. 2

WRITING BY: KASHIKA

CHAUDHARY

DESIGN

BY:

TROY VONG NGUYEN

It is 2004. Girls in ruffled mini skirts, layers of polos and Uggs crowd over displays in Hollister as Britney Spears’s “Toxic” hangs in the air.

It is 2014. Halsey plays in the background of American Apparel as Tumblr-era teens browse through tennis skirts, jean jackets and plastic chokers.

It is 2024. Lana Del Rey croons through the speakers of the Brandy Melville and drifts over the delicately laced sleep sets, baby tees and muted tones of modern-day beauty.

Visual and musical aesthetics have been intertwined in the Americana aesthetic since its conception. Every wildly popular fashion style has had accompanying music, and with the catalyst that is Tiktok, it is easier than ever to sell them as a package deal. The newest is the coquette aesthetic, which has grown from its humble beginnings as a mid-2010 alternative style to the year's most popular style. While it is easy to claim the viral, satirical trend of baby pink bows tied around mundane objects does not seep into the psyche of the public, the truth is that it 100% does. With its sudden burst of popularity, we often throw around the word in 2024 but coquette is “a woman who endeavors without sincere affection to gain the attention and admiration of men.” Even in an aesthetic almost exclusively marketed to women, it is still about appealing to the male gaze and the ridiculous standard of faux effortlessness. Coquette is just the most recent of the trending hyper-feminine aesthetics, but through it, we can observe the musical influences on the weaponization of female pain.

Historically, teenage pain , particularly of teen girls, is only acceptable when seen as entertainment, and intolerable otherwise. The public criticizes them at every turn, from the media they consume to their hobbies to their expression of emotions. The angst of girlhood is the heartbeat of American society and is yet simultaneously considered shameful. That shame drives people to chase the ever-changing standards they believe will make them accepted by society through changing what they look like, act like and enjoy to adhere to society’s standards. Although the fashion trends throughout the decades may vary in style, they undeniably value whiteness, thinness and conformity above all. Beyond fashion and makeup, music is one of the most important influences in the mindset paired with the fluid definition of and attitude towards femininity.

THE ANGST OF GIRLHOOD IS THE HEARTBEAT OF AMERICAN SOCIETY AND IS YET SIMULTANEOUSLY CONSIDERED SHAMEFUL.

Feminine pain is a unifying topic for numerous new-age, female Americana artists, from the dimly lit rot of Ethel Cain to the faded patriotism of Lana Del Rey to the pastel goth of Melanie Martinez. Dressed in neutrals and light colors, their varyingly overt displays of softness contrast with the dark themes of their music. Mourning their lost innocence to a catchy chorus, their sentiments of abandonment, trauma and the taboo deeply resonate with fans and beg the question of what it means to be vulnerable. Highly overvalued yet severely misunderstood , the role and definition of femininity are widely disputed. With traditionally masculine traits like assertiveness and competitiveness being valued much higher than feminine traits, such as sensitivity and gentleness, vulnerability is often considered synonymous with weakness. In a landscape where femininity is a liability , hyper-feminine aesthetics subvert the expectations of what a strong woman is and prove that the softness of a woman's qualities does not correlate to her strength. with, “Violet, blue, green, red to keep me at arm's length won’t work,” representing that her lover is either physically or emotionally hurting her, and yet she refuses to leave. She portrays abuse with rose-tinted glasses, but it is meant to recreate the reality for women around the world , as opposed to convincing her listeners that these toxic relationships are desirable.

ART IS MEANT TO BE CHALLENGING, AND PUNISHING WOMEN FOR RETELLING PERSONAL NARRATIVES IS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE.

To get to that point, we have to try to understand how artistic retellings of lived experiences can easily be misconstrued as glamorization, especially through the eyes of a naive audience. Due to the widespread nature of the internet, people are logging on younger and younger, with the average age to get a phone being around 12 years old. Rates of self-harm and suicide have been climbing for decades. Of course, an artist’s intentions are never to fuel harmful behaviors, but with coping mechanisms like eating disorders, self-harm and drug consumption running rampant in the ranks of children and young adults, we are left to attempt to find an answer: where is the line between glorification and reclamation?

Lana Del Rey is a controversial figure in the matter, having been accused countless times of being anti-feminist for glamorizing unhealthy relationships. The megastar has released nine albums and four EPs since 2008 and is hypothesized to have over 200 unreleased songs. Under an innocent look and a golden-age Hollywood presence, she poses a mysterious and soulful character. She has the unique case of unofficially being the front of the coquette aesthetic. From lyrics like, “He hit me and it felt like a kiss” in “Ultraviolence” – a reference to The Crystals’ song in 1962 – to “Tell me you own me” in “Off to The Races,” it is understandable how her songs about abuse are material for young girls to romanticize violence. Del Rey transports us to an idealized version of America, built on blue jeans, apple pie and traditional gender norms, as she repeatedly describes a passive role in relationships with men who range from emotionally unavailable to abusive. The hard-to-swallow pills associated with domestic abuse often get lost in the outright interpretations of her music, and it can come off drastically different than intended. I write this as a supporter of Del Rey, having her as my #1 artist for the 2023 Spotify Wrapped. However, I am old enough to understand that her music is not meant to glorify said relationships but to rather unveil the mixed feelings associated with them. Look into the crowd at one of her concerts and you will find a variety of people but mostly young women. Many of her followers are not old enough; her music is incredibly popular with middle and high school students and that childish oversimplification is what leads to the glorification of her lyrics.

Her music is unique considering she sings from a place of present tense, currently goingthrough-it emotions, of an all-consuming but unreciprocated love. When you read some of the lyrics, they come off as beautifully poetic , yes, but sorrowful , groveling for love and borderline pathetic. Her song “Pretty When You Cry” sings, “I wait for you…You don’t come through…You never do…It’s just what you do,” from the album “Ultraviolence” and depicts a love-sick woman who is repeatedly mistreated by a man and keeps going back to him. “Cinnamon Girl” mimics the changing colors of a bruise with, “Violet, blue, green, red to keep me at arm's length won’t work,” representing that her lover is either physically or emotionally hurting her, and yet she refuses to leave. She portrays abuse with rose-tinted glasses, but it is meant to recreate the reality for women around the world , as opposed to convincing her listeners that these toxic relationships are desirable.

Art is meant to be challenging, and punishing women for retelling personal narratives is counterproductive. Del Rey’s descriptions of her passive roles in relationships might not fit what is considered a traditionally strong woman, but it is still a valid take on femininity. While the choices she sings about are meant to resonate with people who have been through similar experiences, they can easily be used to perpetuate that femininity is a weakness. Whether it is explicitly or implicitly stated, manipulative and violent relationships exist, and so can the conflicted love a victim often feels about their abuser. That being said, her response to criticism and her commentary is lacking, and she neglects the responsibility associated with having many young fans that she is not taking full accountability for. In a now-deleted 2020 response to an onslaught of criticism, she did explicitly mention that her candid representation of “very prevalent emotionally abusive relationships” is just that. However, she mostly used that opportunity to center herself as a sort of victim of the press, emphasizing her advocation for “women who look and act like [her]” over addressing the main criticisms at hand. Del Rey’s lyrics are ambiguous, but with a net worth of over $30 million, it is not a reach to say that she is monetarily and socially profiting off of young women’s romanticism.

Abuse is a universal theme, and to better understand the uniqueness of Del Rey’s music, we need to see what differentiates her from other artists’ depictions of similar issues. Hayden Silas Anhedonia, better known as Ethel Cain, has a less contentious reputation, with her debut studio album “Preacher’s Daughter” gaining her a cult following and critical acclaim. The semi-autobiographical storytelling follows her character, Ethel Cain, through a life of intergenerational trauma, a complicated relationship with religion and her endless search for love that only ends in betrayal. Throughout her life, she has been taken advantage of, and at the end of it all, her soul ascends following a gruesome death and she consoles her mother from heaven. She lends a unique lens dedicated to the rural South and the intersection between extreme poverty and hardcore Christianity, leading to a restricted ability to move through the world. The Southern Gothic style is also a refreshing take on what it means to grow up in America, as well as the rage and self-blame that come with being victimized again and again. In the ninth track, “Ptolomae,” she is sadistically murdered by a man she trusted as she shrieks at him to stop. Heavy distortion, the sound of flies and the tangible pain in her voice paint a picture of an innocent woman betrayed and taken advantage of. This intricately fabricated story represents the characteristics of the everyday struggles of women , just like Del Rey’s music does. However, there is a clear character and storyline involved, allowing a larger degree of separation between fiction and reality. Ethel’s horrific experiences are meant to dramatically echo the living, not directly mimic them. Cain and Del Rey both discuss innocence and passive roles in their relationships with men, but Cain is abundantly clear that this is not something to romanticize through her tone and attitude toward the ones using her. Instead of singing about how she refuses to leave someone who is mistreating her, she sings about being tricked by men, her tragically gruesome ending at the hands of one and her heartbreaking, final goodbyes. Cain uses the tools of tragedy and barbarity to sculpt a cautionary tale, showcasing a unique perspective of violation against her and her femininity that cannot easily be accused of glorification.

Americana and hyper-femininity will always have a dark shadow looming over it – that darkness is what defines it. However, abuse, violence, sex and mental health issues are all very real things that exist within the world we inhabit, no matter how taboo they might be to talk about. It is impossible to police art at the end of the day because the responsibility of what we do with the art falls on the audience. While musicians maintain their right to make the music that they want, we have to be practical in understanding how it can be weaponized against women, as well as how to control rot-romanticization while acknowledging the extremely problematic nature that exists in most modern styles and trends. Art meant to empower becomes an enabler of self-destructive behavior, and the cycle repeats. As an artist, there is a level of responsibility that comes with having a fan base, and when that responsibility goes unacknowledged, what was once a lucrative tool for female solidarity is now a weapon . It is up to us to decide what Americana is defined by –the conservative vintage values of the 50s pin-up girl, or the free-thinking modern values promised to us.

AMERICANA AND HYPER-FEMININITY WILL ALWAYS HAVE A DARK SHADOW LOOMING OVER IT - THAT DARKNESS IS WHAT DEFINES IT.

Design by: Christi Montes

Models: Perry Nguyen, Mariah Babu, Emma Snell, Oluwademilade Fanika, Asia Stevenson, Daniella Fernandez

Styled by: Venus Robinson-Epps

Makeup: Madison Washington

Production Assistance: Shreeya Tadisin & Nadia Narayanan

Photography by: Tyler Wagoner

THE WAR

Writing by: Arriana Jones

Design by: Troy Vong Nguyen

The United States of America, the land of greasy combo meals and fad diets, values food just as much as it does body image. Look on the corner of any average to below-average-looking neighborhood. There is a popular food chain – maybe a McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Burger King or all three – enticing passersby to come in and order whatever their hearts desire for the low price of high blood pressure, heart disease or diabetes. Contrastingly, you will find people giving out anything and everything labeled zero-calorie to promote that all-American healthy lifestyle, but there is a catch! These so-called zero-calorie drinks and treats substitute the calories with sweeteners that also cause high blood pressure and other health complications. In this game of tug of war with the government, we will never win. There are many layers to how weight is affected by and perceived in the U.S., almost like there is a war on weight.

Compared to other countries, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) approve the sale of more foods with certain chemicals and additives, with many of these additives proven cancerous or otherwise unhealthy. Other nations believe it is their responsibility to protect their citizens from such substances, while America believes the decision is solely the consumer’s. However, it makes one think if consumers can even make an informed decision without unbiased knowledge of these chemicals and additives like the USDA and FDA have. Both government agencies have been accused of being inept and incompetent because people have found that the USDA may be skewed to the benefit of corporations, not consumers, as they have driven small dairy farms out of business although they complied with regulations. The FDA overlooks many safety concerns with drugs while being slow to withdraw approved drugs when they are considered dangerous. Both government departments are underfunded but that reinforces how little the government cares about what its citizens are consuming.

Although the nation is known for its overconsumption and high levels of obesity, the American government has attempted to increase the nutritional value of school lunches through the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act that provided meals to low-income children who could not otherwise afford them, reducing childhood obesity to decrease the likelihood of obesity in their adulthood. These habits are easier to form in childhood and progress into their adult lives, helping children feel better about what they eat and their bodies – people often say, “If you eat well, then you will feel well.”

In the early 1960s, obesity rates were around 13%; nowadays, they are around 43%. Desk jobs, vehicular transportation and television use, among other mobile devices, have skyrocketed. It is easier to live a more passive than active life. Roads have replaced trails. Houses have replaced parks. Public policy makes it significantly more difficult to maintain a stable weight. There is an increased availability of ultra-processed, calorie-dense foods; therefore, higher consumption and a lack of physical activity. This is due to economic incentives that come from the prevalence of calorie-dense foods being attributed to policies that led to an increase in the imports of palm oil and high fructose corn syrup and while lack of physical activity is attributed mainly to urban infrastructure revolving around cars rather than pedestrians, bikers and public transportation. To make health-conscious decisions people have to invest a combination of time, energy and money. However, time and money are resources many Americans do not have an abundance of. This has led to a higher rate of disorders centered around the fear of being unhealthy such as orthorexia – a debilitating obsession with consuming healthy foods.

"CORPORATIONS CAPITALIZE ON THESE INSECURITIES AND LACK OF TIME BY PUSHING THESE IDEALS FURTHER...

...TO PROMOTE THEIR PRODUCTS THAT SUPPOSEDLY HELP THE PROBLEM."

Putting a large amount of time into health and fitness is not feasible for most Americans, but that does not mean they do not value them. With the constant push of thinness in the media and everyday conversation, weight loss is on the minds of many; particularly women and young girls. With the ideal body type today, the majority of girls aged seven to nine wish they were thinner, and 40% of them reported that they started dieting by the age of seven. Corporations capitalize on these insecurities and lack of time by pushing these ideals further to promote their products that supposedly help the problem. It is no coincidence that social media trends center around the perception of one's beauty. Whether it is through a glow-up or looksmaxxing, they ultimately have the same goal: to look better in the eyes of society. A sharp jawline is a socially desirable trait resulting from a low facial fat percentage, yet many companies market their gua shas as the reason many have such defined jawlines, but that is not what gua shas even do, they are a tool for lymphatic drainage for health, not beauty. However, that is harmless in the grand scheme of things, it does not harm the body on a biological level. Diet pills or medication with the side effects of weight loss have greatly infiltrated the market. Currently, Ozempic, a medication typically used to treat diabetes, has skyrocketed in use because many are using it for weight loss. The weight loss from it is due to the side effects of nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, and this is causing adverse health effects on people who are consuming it unprescribed. Diet pills have many adverse effects on the body, but they create a sense of euphoria and higher energy levels, increasing the likelihood of addiction. Diet pills have adverse effects even for people who have a healthy relationship with food.

"PEOPLE ARE THE PRODUCT OF THEIR ENVIRONMENTS...

Fatphobia is justified by showing concern for the other’s health. Weight cannot be indicative of health; however, health models like BMI (Body Mass Index) suggest such a belief, but many contributors to weight are not fat. The amount of visceral fat a person has can be linked to health issues down the line but this does not excuse overt discrimination and commenting on others' supposed health out of concern. No one comments when someone is diagnosed with cancer although it is commonly believed that cancer is caused by sugar, red meats and highly processed food and drinks. Given all of this, the fat percentage of someone’s body is not an indicator of biometrics such as blood pressure or cholesterol. Interpersonally, fatphobia seems to be a way to police the behavior of others; systemically, many of the spaces that we occupy are not set up to accommodate plus-size individuals comfortably. Transportation, such as city buses and airplanes, is a prominent example of this discrimination that fails to acknowledge the existence of plus-size people, leaving them uncomfortable in standard bus seating or forgoing safety cautions if they cannot get a seatbelt extender. Many people grew tired of this discrimination and the fat acceptance movement started in the 1960s to combat the societal implications of fatness. The body positivity movement appeared as a subsect of the fat acceptance movement, the most ubiquitous subsect, to encourage people to love their bodies regardless of size. Many make an argument against this because they see it as promoting fatness and thus unhealthy from their point of view. But this is due to the history of people celebrating bodies in a way that pushes their body type to the masses in the form of body checking and thinspo.

People are the product of their environments or the public policy that affects those environments. The national threat of obesity is directly tackled by diet and exercise plans. The so-called health and fitness plans are counteracted by the prevalence of chemicals in foods marketed en masse and a lack of infrastructure to naturally maintain weight. Bodies should not be used as collateral for corporations to push agendas or sell products. No body is inherently healthier than any other body – whether skinny or plus-size. However, through acknowledgment and acceptance, the health of the collective can improve.

...OR THE PUBLIC POLICY THAT AFFECTS THESE ENVIRONMENTS."

TheAmerican Reality

SUENOS

Writing by: Sonia Pacheco Mejia Design by: Christi Montes

Dream big or go home! This nation’s dream belongs to those who choose to forget their roots and become another shadow filled with white hope. ¿Quién soy yo? A woman, first-generation, conunapatriamexicana Ensermexicana,micultura is untouched by the whiteness of America. We live proudly and humbly, inviting you into our casa. We are trabajadores,luchadores,sinceros – a community with grandessueños. Esta patria mexicana lives on the other side of the border raised with the same values as our ancestors. However, the American system recolonizes children of immigrantes to adopt Western values at the expense of our ancestral values although we are often deprived of the same opportunities as natural-born Americans.

"THEY ARE NOT AMERICAN,"

they always say. Claronosoy; I am Hispanic with Mexican roots and American papers. I live and breathe in the so-called land of the free where everyone is equal. But borders exist within America. Poverty, unemployment, racism, gender inequality and immigration are not just another form of disparity Son nuestros muros that affect the way we live. We go another day living on stolen land, seeing the color of our skin, and navigating poverty. We drown ourselves in information but starve ourselves of knowledge. You treat us based on misconceptions about immigration – how can you claim to understand it without experiencing it? The children of immigrants are blamed and made to feel inferior for their existence, told to act more American but never given a chance to be American as you strip us of something you do not own.

"You treat us based on misconceptions about immigration - how can you claim to understand it with out experiencing it?"

Solitude

WE WANT A BETTER LIFE !

Immigrants come here to break the chains of poverty, violence, and mistreatment. I, too, was the product del sueño americano. Mipadre walked el desierto day and night crossing the border at 18. He was the first and only of his family to live on American soil. Mi madre walked the same desert with díasardientesynoches heladas a year after. Both young, barely adults, vinieronpordineropararegresarunañodespués. If not for our great friend dinero their paths might have never crossed. Mipadre had the adolescent dream to join the military; Mi madre would have continue d her education to become a teacher if she had the monetary means. Like me, mi madre is the oldest, making sacrifice after sacrifice since seven years old. She replaced school for work, recogiendoleña, trayendoaguaohaciendocomida. Leaving home at 15 and beginning to work as a live-in maid with what she could save for her coyoteada, she crossed the border.

THEY INVADE US ! American borders are violated in more ways than one. We see illegal crossings, asylum seekers and casual tourists. When we think of borders, we think of physical borders, the ones that prevent people from coming in. Many cross a border daily, monthly or yearly through airports or state lines with the ease of passports or licenses. This is our normal, easytravel, a privilege. Theirs is a fight for mejor.

It has been more than 25 years since mi madre has seen her mother. The fate of their stories changed with me. My parents did not come to begin a family or rip off the government, as some would like to believe. They are not on welfare, they pay their taxes and they are not criminals. They stayed para una mejor vida par a sus hijas. Legally, their children have rights, freedom, and the possibility of becoming what they want. Their sueño for me and my siblings to receive an education paranotrabajar como ellos and with America’s public education system, we can. In Mexico, not so much. The school fees, uniforms and books are too expensive to afford with the average job. Elsacrificiodemispadreses paraeléxitodesushijas.

Am I their éxito? Their oldest daughter, laprimera to do everything – personal caregiver, translator and overachiever. I remember vividly the day I began school, mimadrecaminandoconmigo and dropping me off at the bus stop. That day was the mark of my adulthood as the thought that ‘hoy dejo de ser niña’ came over me. At time, I was a normal child, but at others, I felt like an adult stuck in a child’s body. I remember being told, “Ayúdame a traducir ya que tú sabes inglés.”

I do not blame my parents for using me as a translator. At that age, I did not speak perfect English, and I still do not; the way I speak and think is American. Over the years, a barrier was created between my parents and me –

¿simeentiendesono?

THEY ARE STEALING OUR JOBS !

Would you like to work in the scorching sun picking blueberries or tobacco? Would you want to stand there making pacas of pine needles for hours on end? The U.S. has more than 30 million legal immigrants and 7.8 million illegal immigrants. They are the backbone of America yet their sueños are robbed. To be an immigrant means to become a ghosted supporter – a puppet that is overworked for the success of others, working 40 or more hours-a-week graveyard shifts at the untouchable jobs you do not want. Me duele mucho to see how many are rejected and yet handpicked to display the glory of America, the hero. For my parents, the necessities of life forced them to stay in a country that made them feel unwanted, falsely promising opportunities only to discard them. ‘Tú también eres Americana,’ is an instilled reminder to break the chains of conformity from becoming just another American. Spanish-speaking immigrants have come together to form a community of their own within the prison of American values. We hear Spanish in our everyday lives, but still, children of immigrants have stopped speaking it. Many have become more comfortable with speaking English because it is what they are exposed to. Some fear the aggression of America and come to loathe Spanish because “America speaks English.” This sort of behavior has made me resent this country becoming more and more disassociated with being one of them.

Spanish-speaking immigrants have come together to form a community of their own within the prison of American values. We hear Spanish in our everyday lives, but still, children of immigrants have stopped speaking it. Many have become more comfortable with speaking English because it is what they are exposed to. Some fear the aggression of America and come to loathe Spanish because “America speaks English.” This sort of behavior has made me resent this country becoming more and more disassociated with being one of them.

Even now, alone, isolated in a city with no Spanish connections, I have noticed how sad it is for others to be only monolingual. Honestly speaking, English has made me fearful, uncomfortable and self-conscious of how I express mi amor ymispensamientos. I fear the backlash my parents receive when they speak Spanish and subconsciously converse with them almost exclusively in English, aunqueavecesnoentiendan. My parents do not speak English and I have cut myself off from them, but it is easier than explaining.

Spanish-speaking immigrants have come together to form a community of their own within the prison of American values. We hear Spanish in our everyday lives, but still, children of immigrants have stopped speaking it. Many have become more comfortable with speaking English because it is what they are exposed to. Some fear the aggression of America and come to loathe Spanish because “America speaks English.” This sort of behavior has made me resent this country becoming more and more disassociated with being one of them.

Even now, alone, isolated in a city with no Spanish connections, I have noticed how sad it is for others to be only monolingual. Honestly speaking, English has made me fearful, uncomfortable and self-conscious of how I express miamorymispensamientos. I fear the backlash my parents receive when they speak Spanish and subconsciously converse with them almost exclusively in English, aunqueavecesnoentiendan. My parents do not speak English and I have cut myself off from them, but it is easier than explaining.

WE ARE CITIZENS !

I made my own border to protect myself. It was easier to lessen the burden by separating myself and abandoning who I used to be. My childhood was haunted by worries about whether I would see my parents again after work. When I turned 18, I became an adult and lost the fear of the word undocumented. Welcoming adulthood, I came to live in a stress-free world with my parents. If anything happened, I could take responsibility for my sisters. This is what being the oldest means to me. I am the by-product, but my parents are the real heroes. Their sacrifice allows me to continue.

I do not have big sueños, but I am privileged enough to acknowledge what I have been given – education, housing, stability and much more. The American system has allowed me to be privileged, but it is also the system that is unfair to most. The color of our skin is only a small fraction of ourselves. When we take the time to expand our identity borders, we start to realize the collective stories of nations.

UNAPOLOGETICALLY BLACK ATHLETES

CAPITAL

PHOTOGRAPHY BY: KENNEDY RODRIGUEZ

DESIGN BY: TROY VONG NGUYEN

MODELS: BRAXTON WARE, YA-SHA-RAH BRATHEWAITE, JOURNIE ARMSTRONG, XAVEA CRUMP, TANAYA MELTON, DREW MOORE, ISAAC COLSON, AARYANNA HENRY

PRODUCTION ASSISTANCE BY: SHREEYA TADISINA, SAMARA HAWKINS

UNAPOLOGETIC

UNAPOLOGETIC

FOREFRONT FOREFRONT

Writing by: Alyse Moffitt

Design by: Sarah Carson

You ExploitCanToo!

Barbie” was a hit. Since its release in July 2023, the film earned $1.4 billion at the box office worldwide. It is only the third movie in the last 100 years to achieve this record. Everyone stormed to the theater in pink outfits and Barbie cosplay to celebrate the movie’s release. You might have seen the Instagram selfies of women leaving the theater with tears in their eyes, speaking of how moved they were by the movie’s feminist commentary – some felt the movie displayed their struggles and addressed the injustices women have faced their entire lives. Movie critic Tessa Smith went so far as to say that the Barbie movie was like therapy to her, stating, “It is completely unafraid to dive into the way that women [and men, too] are treated in the real world.” ”

On the flip side, many men have spoken of how sexist they believe it to be and how its feminist message is too strong for their liking. Other men proclaimed themselves feminists with their eyes now open to the inequality within society after watching the film.

So, when I went to the movie theater with high expectations for a feminist film, I left disappointed. Its message on feminism was one-dimensional, lacking intersectionality and centering women’s identities as they relate to capitalism.

Barbie” follows the main character Stereotypical Barbie, portrayed by Margot Robbie, who lives in Barbie Land where there are different Barbies of varying races, occupations and sizes. Robbie’s Barbie is the original everyone grew up with that hardly changed whether she was an astronaut or a nurse. Then, there are the Kens whose job is to sit on the beach and do nothing – treated as mere accessories to Barbies. Discontinued Barbies such as Weird Barbie and Midge are ostracized and isolated from the rest of Barbie Land for their nonconformity.

In the film, Barbie’s life is perfect – her feet are arched just right and she has no cellulite – until one night she begins to have an existential crisis at a dance party. She goes to talk to Weird Barbie who tells her she must visit the real world to figure out who is playing with her and causing these problems. Therefore, Barbie and Ken go to the real world where Barbie is objectified and Ken feels respected. Ken brings the patriarchy back to Barbie Land and it is Barbie’s job to stop him.

Review

The movie may portray a fundamental feminist message but it has much room for improvement. This is not purely the fault of “Barbie” because the root of the problem lies in Western feminism. The problem is masked by terms like “girlbossification” or “girlboss feminism.” Girlboss feminism says that the solution to gender inequality is having more women in traditionally masculine positions of power (“We need more women politicians, CEOs and businesswomen!”). The issue with this theoretical solution is that it ignores how this only benefits the most privileged women who can obtain these positions, and even then they are still undermined and undervalued compared to their male counterparts. How is Kamala Harris becoming vice president helping the average working-class woman in America working the graveyard shift at a factory? Although it is considerable progress and a revolutionary step for women, it does not do much to help women who are facing deep hardship in this nation. Women in poverty still experience violence and abuse, lack of access to affordable childcare and unequal pay. How is a doll depicted as an astronaut going to help an overworked girl with unsafe conditions in a Mattel factory? Do not get me wrong, it is good that girls have representation of women in high-status jobs, but it overshadows the larger problem here.

I have many gripes with the “Be Who You Wanna Be” Barbie doll line. Mattel and many consumers have called Barbie a “feminist icon” because this headline portrays the doll line as having every career you can think of ranging from doctor to news anchor to businesswoman. This iconic line inspires girls to believe they can be anything they want to be, but it feels more like Mattel selling capitalistic achievement and corporate America as a product. They adapt their products to what is trending. After being under scrutiny for promoting unhealthy body image and body dysmorphia in young girls along with sexism, they quickly added this line to suppress the problem. No matter the medium, Barbies seem to promote a very narrow view of success: obtaining a high-status job.

This issue extends into the movie at the heart of Barbie Land. In Barbie Land, the only factor differentiating Barbies that is acknowledged is their occupations. Special attention is paid to those in very high-status jobs – presidents, Nobel Peace Prize winners and doctors, among others. Although the Barbies all work different jobs, they all have the same financial status, living in huge houses and having luxurious goods. The issue with this focus is that it defines women by their relationship to capitalism and takes an individualistic approach to feminism. It seems to promote the idea that the primary way women can contribute to feminism is through professional and financial success. It does not acknowledge that we must dismantle power systems that uplift patriarchy, which goes back to the issue of this girlboss approach to feminism. The movie’s reach is surface-level, ignoring the class struggle completely. By failing to address any downfalls of capitalism, the movie completely ignores how intertwined capitalism and patriarchy are and how you cannot have one without the other.

Another issue with the movie is that it does not address intersectionality at all. There are racially diverse Barbies, plus-sized Barbies and a Barbie played by a transgender actress. Interestingly though, these diversities are never addressed or brought up and do not seem to impact the Barbies’ identities at all. There is no indication of characters with any sexualities outside of heterosexuality. The disabled Barbies and plus-size Barbies hardly get any lines. There are no specific comments made from characters about how their identity affects them. Although there is a diverse cast, “Barbie” fails to address intersectionality in any way which is crucial to feminist commentary today. In the movie, there is a missed opportunity for Gloria’s character to bridge the gap to intersectionality. It is mentioned but minimally presented that Gloria is stressed because of her work life and relationship with her daughter. Rather than showing us her struggles, they tell us. There was nothing unique to motherhood, being a woman of color, or being a working-class woman that was shown through her character. This becomes even more apparent later on when Gloria gives her infamous monologue about the struggles of womanhood. Everything she says is broad and can be applied largely to the experiences of white women – a specific group of women who are hardly ever overlooked. Barbies have always catered to women who look like Margot Robbie and this monologue shows who their target audience is.

Looking at the production background of the movie, it becomes clear it was bound to fail in preaching these messages. “Barbie” is a cash grab for Mattel to control the narrative and minimize their wrongdoings. They poke fun at themselves when showing the Mattel boardroom of all men, but the CEOs and bosses that are shown in the film are seemingly harmless because they somehow mean well. At the end of “Barbie,” Mattel helps Barbie fix Barbie Land and restore things to normal. Mattel is much more self-aware than they would like to portray; they are aware of the original Barbie dolls’ harmful effects on girlhood and womanhood. They are aware that it perpetuates unrealistic body standards for women and young girls, yet once again, they fail to acknowledge these issues and the negative impacts the Barbie doll line has had throughout the film.

It was one-dimensional, focusing on the importance of occupations, specifically high-status corporate jobs, and not touching on the intersecting aspects of identity that affect gender inequality such as race, class, gender identity and size.

Although “Barbie” has its many shortcomings, it does provide good introductory material to feminism. There is no denying that it did inspire a lot of people and introduce them to thinking about feminist ideas. However, it is worth noting that this movie's critique of feminism left much to be desired. It was one-dimensional, focusing on the importance of occupations, specifically high-status corporate jobs, and not touching on the intersecting aspects of identity that affect gender inequality such as race, class, gender identity and size. This movie seems to imply a solution to gender inequality is primarily related to career choice and not much else, failing to understand the interdependency of capitalism and patriarchy. Capitalism and patriarchy cannot be separated and girlbossism ignores this fact.

Model: Chans Strickland

Production Assitance by: Shreeya Tadisia, Nadia Narayanan, Aidan McCollick, Samara Hawkins, Jaylen Harrell

Rey Dizon Sarah Carson

Writing by: Design by: Photography by: Christian Barber

Preamble

Life, liberty and the pursuit of survival.

Life, liberty and the pursuit of verity.

Life, liberty and the pursuit of self-righteousness.

Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness – the overarching, glorious rights we were promised when the country was nothing more than an infant on its knees. These so-called unalienable rights were waved in front of immigrant faces’ like bones to dogs, hoping people would drool over the delusion of the flawlessness of the United States of America. And it worked; America was the utopian home every refugee dreamed of – a white picket fence lining a country full of opportunity. Equality. Possibility. Little did we know, these embers of potential would be snuffed out by things we could not control: the

color of our skin, religion, gender identity and the people we love. From below the pedestal in which the Founding Fathers wrote that “all men are created equal,” we were deceived into believing these documents reserved human rights for everyone who sought to call this country home. Three centuries later, the seeds hoping to sprout immigrant dreams were buried in riot fires, protests and racial violence, all bringing attention to the very root of the problem. If these are our unalienable rights, we might as well be from Mars.

Th e Long Con

I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

We learned the pledge as children, being forced to recite it every morning, five days a week, whether or not we understood its meaning.

"

This so-called dream everyone speaks of is a hoax. It is America’s elevator pitch to reel in its customers, but the product does not meet their expectations. Immigrants leave their homes anticipating a place of equal opportunity that will pour water on their seeds of potential. America, on paper, was that answer. On the outside, it is shiny, idyllic even, but there is more to it than the tower at Capitol Hill is letting on.

From the very beginning, we have been conditioned to blindly believe in the principle “America will provide.” We learned the pledge as children, being forced to recite it every morning, five days a week, whether or not we understood its meaning.

As children learning the mere alphabet, it was likely we did not. We looked up to the flag and were gaslit to believe it guaranteed us justice and that we were all united, strong and protected under one nation. No one stopped this routine, nor saw a hint of fault in it. What is a Buddhist child supposed to do when they pledge that God will protect this country when they were raised to believe He does not exist?

Even then, we have constructed holidays worshiping the Founding Fathers for their supposed bravery and strength. We surround ourselves with fireworks, barbecues and noise to distract ourselves from the reality that America is not all it is chalked up to be. It is not the vibrant, flourishing dream we celebrate it as but instead a monotone, isolating nightmare. What are we commemorating here? The death of hundreds of children every year because of American entitlement? Or the government’s dormancy as people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals are repeatedly targeted for their identities? Fireworks are not the only fires being started in this country.

News Flash:

One

The Constitution. The supreme law of our luminary country. This is where the errors began. For a country that advertises the utmost importance of its citizens, the very foundation leaves out the core values of its people. They were not thinking of anyone other than themselves – the straight, white Christian man. There is no better word than hypocritical to describe a government that deliberately ignores half of its population in its supreme law.

Their smallmindedness did not just end in 1787 when they wrote their prejudice in stone. It continued to metastasize in the 1950s when the phrase “under God” was added to the Pledge of Allegiance. This clause was added even though the First Amendment granted freedom of religion. In other words, the government says you can practice any religion you want in this country without persecution, but they will make sure you remember that Christianity will always be the most prominent and superior. The ancient promise of separation of state and church was disregarded, a trend that continues to come into play today.

Nation under God…”

A Dormant Government

We the People of the U.S., in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

Currently, we are standing on the sidelines and watching as our government prioritizes the lives of wealthy, white men over the rest of its population. There has been an overarching trend where a group of people are targeted for their identities, leading them to raise their heads to the government that is supposed to protect them. As a result, they are met with nothing but apathy and disregard.

"...they are met nothingwithbut apathy and disregard."

We saw this in the 1980s when the AIDS epidemic was at its peak. The disease was initially tied to homosexuality, so of course, there was no sense of urgency when it came to coming up with prevention and treatment strategies. While the LGBTQ+ community grieved their friends, family members and partners, the government watched from their comfortable thrones, counting their riches and lavishing in power. This is the same government that was supposed to step in and help them as they promised in foundational texts and speeches. The same government that pledged safety and security for all. And the same government that dared to call themselves the U.S., but there is no unity here.

In 2020, Asian hate crimes in New York and Los Angeles increased by nearly 150%. Cities became the hotspot of racial violence, including an Asian man in New York City being pushed in front of a subway train following the COVID-19 outbreak. The lack of investigation and punishment in response to these crimes was exacerbated when the president at the time encouraged this behavior. Donald Trump nicknamed the disease the “Chinese virus” and the “kung flu,” alienating and dividing the American people further.

In the same year, Anti-Black hate crimes rose to a shocking 2,871 cases. This time, when the government turned a blind eye the public took justice into their own hands. Riots broke out nationwide, spreading rage like wildfire across the country. Even after the nation watched the nine minutes and 27 seconds of the murder of George Floyd, nothing was done immediately. It took the government an entire year to put Derek Chauvin, the man who suffocated Floyd to death, behind bars. To add to the ignorance, some refused to acknowledge the existence of blatant racism and discrimination within the police force, refusing to say Floyd’s and countless other victims’ names. What self-righteous country overlooks the very slaughter of its people?

Under this stolen land that holds these uniform, suburban houses are the blood of children. Lost friends and family. We are not pledging to the U.S., but we are pledging to the separation of the marginalized and the privileged."

Entitlement Over Protection

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”

In 2023 alone, the U.S. was home to 346 school shootings, 338 more than the second-leading country. The white-knuckle grasp America has on the 2nd Amendment leaves no space for cultural progression without complaints and outrage. The entitlement oozing from the right to bear arms has taken priority over the simple right to proper education and the lives of our nation’s children. The government is not even protecting the classrooms housing the future leaders of our institutions. How can we trust that they will do anything to shelter us when we need them, just as they promised?

The entitlement oozing from the right to bear arms has taken priority over the simple right to proper education and the lives of our nation’s children."

Unlike other countries, the majority of the U.S. views the right to bear arms as something they are inherently entitled to, not as a privilege. That is why the U.S. is the leading country in school shootings. That is why the drills and alarms we practice frequently have become so normalized. We have forgotten what proper education is supposed to look like. The safety and security of our classrooms are being put into question. We should be learning for our futures, not fearing whether we will live to see them.

Red White and See T hrough

This country started with a contract, vowing to provide a utopian fantasy where citizens’ safety, security and freedom were guaranteed. As we open our eyes to the harsh reality of these united states, it is clearer and clearer that the contract was a deception from the very beginning. No one has upheld the contract, nor told us that we are not even considered in the fine print. We learn that the government prospers off a history of gaslighting American children to believe their country will save them when their leaders’ entitlement puts them in danger. We learn that the founders of this country purposefully

left out demographics when declaring the rights of citizens. Under this stolen land that holds these uniform, suburban houses are the blood of children. Lost friends and family. We are not pledging to the U.S., but we are pledging to the separation of the marginalized and the privileged. We are placing our hands over our hearts and celebrating entitlement over protection, the inactivity of our government and the rights reserved only to those who look like the Founding Fathers of this country.

Founded in 2020 by Claire Hambrick in her freshman year, Midas Magazine is UNC Charlotte's premier arts and culture magazine. Drawing inspiration from the ancient mythos of King Midas and his golden touch, Midas Magazine seeks to highlight the four pillars of artistry, identity, community and life-style . Our mission is to illuminate the talents of the UNCC student-body population as well as the burgeoing arts and culture scene found in the greater Charlotte area. Since 2020, eight issues amplifying the authentic voices within our community.

Midas Magazine a nationally-award winning student production that is entirel student-led and created, with the support of Niner Media's professional staff and the funding from the Student Activity Fess Commission.

As part of UNC Charlotte's Niner Media, Midas Magazine joins other student organizations such as Niner Times, Nova Literary Arts Magazine and Uptown Audio. You can visit @UNCCMEDIA on Instagram to learn about Niner Media as a wholen and our upcoming events.

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Volume 4, Issue 2: My American Life of Midas Magazine was printed by iTek Graphics on 8.5" x 11" 80 pound satin cover with gold foil and 80 pound satin text. This issue was created using Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop and Lightroom.

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