Double Vision: February 2020 Issue

EDITOR IN CHIEF Lauren Chung

DEPUTY EDITOR Elise Andersen

ART DIRECTOR

Konz

PRESIDENT Tanvi Tilloo

COMMITTEE DIRECTOR Carlo Romagnolo

COMMITTEE ADVISOR Jen Farley ON THE COVER Amanda & Emily Muchmore photographed by Annika Ide

ART CURATOR Channing Smith

DIRECTOR Annika Ide

DIRECTOR Maria Dayneko

EDITOR Kate Lawless CULTURE EDITOR Katie Herrick

MEDIA AND MARKETING DIRECTOR Emily Bian

EVENTS COORDINATOR Ashleigh Perry

WRITERS

Urbach Amy Shircel Corbin Woessner Elizabeth Karnowski Grace Reber Jamie Randall Juliette Cohen Kelly Rampolla Karissa Kroll Manon Bushong Mason Braasch Paige Olson

STAFF WRITERS Ariana King Ella Warren Emily Fleming Gabrielle Gronewold Gylf Forsberg

Jessica Katz Josie Brandmeier Kora Quinn Olivia Peters Shannon McManus Shelby Evans Sydnie Albert Talia Abbe MODELS Brooke Pernsteiner Corbin Woessner James McKnight Kelly Rampolla Manon Bushong Olivia Stack Saja Abu Hakmeh Sarah Troy Seth DeGier Zoey Dlott

ART Abbey Meyer Andie Almond Channing Smith Courtney Cotey Katie Herrick Lindsey Swiggum Maya Hofman Riley August Sammy Meyerson PHOTOGRAPHY Annika Ide Audrey O’Neill Emma Gray Jessica Tenenbaum Molly Jacobs Seth DeGier Zack Kielar

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CULTURE

SEEING DOUBLE

The difference between who you are and who others think you are

PARTISANSHIP: A DOUBLEEDGED SWORD

Why we probably should have listened to George Washington

THE SAME PLAYING FIELD

An analysis and critique on the double standard in sports

ONES AND ZEROES

The presence and effects of social binaries on society

“2020” VISION

In a swing state, looking at politics can be like seeing double

NOT ONE AND THE SAME

The push for individuality in a world that decides who you are

LECTURE OVER LIFE

Our mild dissociation is a side effect of the college routine

SOCIAL SYMPTOMS

Perspective: loving someone and being loved with a chronic illness

LIFESTYLE

A NEW LENS

How being in a Jewish sorority has changed my experience at college

18 26

SIGNIFICANT OPTIONS FOR SIGNIFICANT OTHERS

Monogamy isn’t the only option

THE DOUBLE STANDARDS OF GIRLHOOD

Two definitions for many different lifestyles

THE STORM

If you were happy before them, you can be happy after them

MONEY TALKS

How to have hard conversations about splitting costs with friends

THE IMPOSSIBLE TASK: FINDING YOUR SOUL TWIN

Looking for meaningful relationships in college

TECHNOLOGICALLY TWO-FACED

An exploration of social media and the identities we showcase

FASHION

A CENTURY OF FASHION INFLUENCE

A look into how fashion in the 1920’s has influenced trends today

COLORED VISION

A new way to enhance your look in a unique, subtle way

TO DYE FOR

How tie-dye has made its way into modern fashion

LAYERING UP

Moda’s guide on how to layer without sacrificing style

BODY STANDARDS HAVE NO PLACE IN FASHION

How we are influenced by the media to accept body standards in fashion

GENDERLESS BEAUTY

How fashion and society are growing as one

MIRRORS, OFF THE WALL

A futuristic trend hitting the fashion world by storm

ARTS

KANYE’S SPIRITUAL TURN

The many perspectives of Kanye’s spiritual turn

A SECOND LOOK

2019’s performances and movies that weren’t nominated

EITHER MARRIED OR DEAD

The two options for female characters and two endings of Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of “Little Women”

TO WIN: TELL THE SAME STORY ABOUT A MAN

Why the lack of female storytellers and stories at the Oscars is not surprising

letter from the editor

Lauren Chung photographed by Annika Ide, Photography Director

Dear Readers,

Before you roll your eyes at ‘new year, new me’ content, let me preface this letter (and issue) by saying this: we get it. There’s nothing more frustrating than the post-New Year’s market filled with overzealous resolution plans and endless guides to weight loss. That’s not what this issue is.

You must admit, though, that there is something inherently attractive about a fresh start. A new year gives you that opportunity. A new decade urges you to take those opportunities. At least it should. So, while we recognize that New Year’s content is highly saturated and overdone, we still want to offer content that’s useful for a time period that fosters not a sense of rebirth, per say, but rather a sense of reconsideration.

Double vision is defined as the simultaneous perception of two images, usually overlapping, of a single scene or object. Double vision offers the opportunity to hone in on areas of our lives where there might be a duality to an issue, thought or event, and aims to either educate you about its counterpart or, perhaps, even persuade. Our staff aimed to dissect areas of intersection—both those that seem obvious and those that we might have overlooked.

Amy Shircel shed light on what it’s like to live in a swing state, and how living in Madison in particular can feel like a bubble compared to the rest of Wisconsin. Shircel discusses the dangers of living in a white majority state, writing that both implicit and explicit biases transfer into adulthood— and therefore political preferences.

Karissa Kroll urges self-love through accepting your body’s shape and size as exactly how it is. Kroll writes about the all-to-familiar phenomenon of scrolling through social media and saying to yourself, “that looks great on her, but I could never pull it off.” She challenges what it means to “pull something off,” concluding that, now more than ever, we need to realize that being supportive of others’ beauties does not equate to diminishing our own.

Gylf Forsberg challenges the social binaries that exist within our society, arguing that they are not caused by themselves but those who place themselves in power. Forsberg relates the ones and zeros—on and off, respectively—of the binary code to binaires that exist in our world. He writes, “In order to achieve progress, we must not neglect the presence of these binaires, but instead ensure the balance between them.”

As we’re nearly two months into the new decade, take time to allow yourself to be open. Recognize the dualities in our society. Challenge them, as Forsberg suggests, and find a sense of balance in yourself for the courage it takes to reconsider your own perspective. Grow as an individual and progress our society, not only because it’s a new calendar year but because it’s up to you to initiate change.

A NEW

KANYE WEST

THE MANY PERSPECTIVES OF KANYE’S SPIRITUAL TURN

By Paige Olson, Contributing Writer Graphic by Abbey Meyer, Associate Arts Curator

Kanye West tells the story of his life through his music; he always has and it seems that he always will. One of West’s first debut albums, released in 2004, was “The College Dropout,” marking the start of a musical career of nearly 20 years. Throughout this time, fans have seen a wide range in attitude and spiritual belief from West.

The most dramatic change as of re cent followed the release of “Jesus Is King” on October 25, 2019. Accord ing to Rolling Stone, Kanye West has been on a 15 year spiritual journey.1 So, although his dramatic change in religious belief came as a surprise to listeners, his personal struggle with his religious identity has been present in his music from that start. Nonethe less, “Jesus Is King” was a huge album for West, marking a signif icant change in his musi cal direction.

Early in West’s career, he showed a clear interest in his own faith, as exem plified by the song “Jesus Walks” off of “The College Dropout”. This song pro moted the idea that the rap genre is limited to ref erences of guns, sex, lies and videotapes and that West felt restricted on his ability to talk about Jesus or positive messages. This maked it clear that spiritu ality has always been a part of West’s life, but the music that came later in his career also gave light to the very dark experiences and influences that continue to overpower him.

views and with the public.2 West even began touring the country and creat ed an event called Sunday Service that includes his music, a gospel choir and verses spoken from the Bible. Writ er Joe Coscarelli from The New York Times harps on the fact that “the al bum’s lyrics contained no curse words from either West or his collaborators (Ty Dolla Sign, Pusha T, No Malice) and instead focused almost exclusively on religious salvation.”3 Kanye made a major decision not to use curse words, given that his previous albums were covered with more explicit language.

Commentators seem to agree that this is one of the biggest changes they have seen in Kanye West, and the feedback is following into two oppo site perspectives. Many of West’s orig

ing.”5 The preachy, dogmatic style that came through Kanye West’s new al bum provided less dark and emotion al relatability than listeners might be used to. Overall, the reviews did not seem to have any all-out haters; there were simply feelings of slight disap pointment. Of course, West is setting a new set of standards for himself that is prone to scrutiny, so it is not a surprise that scrutiny came.

“GOSPEL AND R&B HAVE MIXED BEFORE, BUT WEST BRINGS HIS OWN STYLE”

On the other hand, the rapper re ceived lots of praise for his new style as well — “Jesus Is King” still made the charts. West’s album was high ly praised for its gospel sound and heavy use of gospel choir. Members of the Christian community have ac cepted and supported Kanye West’s change in musicality choices, such as Christian rapper Lecrae who tweeted, “Regard less of how you feel about #KanyeWest the content is refreshing to hear.”6 On the other hand, the use of a gospel choir isn’t re ceiving praise from other communities. The Conver sation writes about West’s use of gospel: “Kanye’s song writing, sound craft ing, production values and sheer force of expression commands respect. And yes, for me, that’s gospel.”7

“Jesus Is King” is different because it not only explicitly shares Kanye West’s conviction about God, but the musi cality is also different. Rolling Stone writes, “sounding as if he were record ed from one room over, West is no longer the brash bandleader standing in the center of the storm”1. The arti cle goes on to state that West does not blare his sometimes-controver sial opinions through his music, but chooses to share these ideas in inter

1 Brendan Klinkenberg, “Kanye West Reaches for Greatness But Falls Short on ‘Jesus Is King’”, Rolling Stone, 2019.

inal listeners are disappointed by “Je sus Is King,” or at least less impressed. There is a sense that the musicality and production is not as strong in this album as with others. One student in the HS Insider of the LA Times says that, “to me the album will be good for another audience, not for the peo ple that like his original style.”4 Along with musicality, some listeners report ed that the simplicity to West’s lyrics made it underwhelming. In a Pitchfork article, Rawiya Kameir writes, “though Jesus Is King offers some resolution to the darkness hinted at on Pablo, it lacks the deeply human searching that made that album effective and mov

2 Ibid.

3 Joe Coscarelli, “Kanye West Teases ‘Jesus Is King,’ a New Album With No Cursing”, The New York Times, 2019.

4 Ibid.

Though Kanye West cer tainly takes inspiration from gospel and soul artists like Kirk Franklin and Aretha Franklin, he is also paving the way for an entirely new sound. Gospel and R&B have mixed before, but West brings his own style. His musical jour ney has been long and has evolved, and because of that, he has created new music that is innovative and inge nious. I think one can find something to respect about his new album, “Je sus Is King”. ·

5 Rawiya Kameir, “Christianity is the unwavering focus of Kanye’s gospel album, a richly produced but largely flawed record about one man’s love of the Lord (and himself).”, Pitchfork, 2019.

6 Lecrae. Regardless of how you feel about #KanyeWest the content is refreshing to hear. God will get His glory. And #JesusIsKing. Octo ber 25, 2019, 12:07 PM.

7 Andrew Legg, “I teach and play gospel music and I think Kanye’s Jesus is King is a remarkable gospel album”, The Conversation, 2019.

SEEING

By Gabrielle Gronewold, Culture Staff Writer Illustrated by Andie Almond

Everyone’s morning is different. Maybe as you leave your house in the morning you’re running out the door, maybe your socks don’t match or maybe you’re on your way to do sun salutations and have already eaten a perfectly meal-prepped breakfast. Regardless of your AM reality, it ex ists, and that specific version only exists to you.

As your day precedes, each person you pass on the street or interact with has their own reality and version of that very day. In each version, you play a completely different role with a com pletely different presence.

Your life as you know it only exists to you, but there are infinite versions of you in the perceptions of others. There

is no single fixed reality. Therefore, there is no one single version of you. Our own unique experiences and per ceptions all make up who we are and how we perceive ourselves, those around us and our world overall. This means that the person who we are, think we are and others think we are are all completely different.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHO YOU ARE AND WHO OTHERS THINK YOU ARE

The separation of who we think we are compared with who we actually are re ally comes down to the subconscious and unconscious mind. The subcon scious mind lies right under conscious ness and is not in complete awareness.1 The unconscious mind controls auto matic processes the conscious mind doesn’t notice such as thought pro cesses, memories and motivations.2

Without realizing it, you’re able to com plete a number of tasks like talking, walking and even eating without ever consciously thinking about how to do it.3 These unconscious actions add to the multi-faceted sides of our personal ities that shape who we are.

It may seem that the minuscule actions of our daily lives—like talking or walk ing—don’t contribute to who we are. But, in fact, when we speak, walk or perform any action we typically don’t actively plan it beforehand, making each time different and sometimes coming out unlike how we intended.4 Yes, we have things like memories, souls and personal tastes that con tribute to how we act, but we also have a great amount of substance that exists without us noticing.

The person we consciously think we are doesn’t account for the nat ural and intuitive actions we take without acknowledgement. You may know your love language and how you react when people lie to you, but there are whole untapped sectors of our personalities hidden deep in our minds.

Beyond our own perceptions of our selves lies the perceptions of others. It’s easy to assume that people around you think similar things about you and your personality—give or take. In reali ty, there are a set of factors that shape how differently people perceive us.

People pick up on others’ personal characteristics based on how accessible they are to them personally. For exam ple, some people are naturally inclined

1 “Subconscious vs Unconscious: What’s the Difference?” Writing Explained.

2 Ibid.

3 Eric Haseltine, Ph.D., “You Aren’t Who You Think You Are,” Psychology Today, September 5, 2015.

4 Ibid.

to notice others’ appearances first, dif fering from those who first may notice the sound of someone’s voice or humor. This means that people’s perceptions of others differ not because of the person they are analyzing, but rather their own intuition and subconscious actions.5

The person you are in the mind of oth ers isn’t completely influenced by the person you actually are or the person you think you are. Yes, your actions and personality shape a lot of what others think of you, but in all honesty, what others think of you has more to do with them than with you.

Despite this, people still naturally care about what others think of them. Take social media, for example. People are

learn about others without even leav ing their house.7

But still, why? If we know people’s per ceptions of us are really dependent on their own minds, why do we care what they think?

It could be coming from a place of self-esteem enhancement. For exam ple, one of the main motivations for using Tinder is to boost self-esteem.8 When someone matches with you on Tinder it targets the reward systems in our brains and releases dopamine.9

It’s also been proven that knowing that people think we’re attractive and like what we’re doing on Instagram makes us feel “good.”10 We are all hu mans with a natural inclination for self-obsession and a need for fulfill ment, but the adoration we receive from people—especially on the inter net—really has nothing to do with us. People finding you funny, charming and physically attractive within the first few moments of meeting you is more of a reflection on them than it is on you.

So, why is this a good thing?

It is precisely because you can be exactly who you want and need to be without considering what others might think of you—they don’t even know what they actually think of you.

constantly posting pictures of what they look like, who they’re dating, what they ate that day and what they’re do ing on a Friday night.

Some claim that the internet allows people to express themselves in new, unique ways that can be especially helpful for those with social anxiety.6

Others use social media to satisfy self-presentation goals and to show off their lives. The need for belong ing is also a motivator for using social media. People can communicate and

5 R. Jhangiani, H. Tarry, “Principles of Social Psychology.”

6 K. McKenna, A. Green, M. Gleason, “Relationship formation on the internet: What’s the big attrac tion?” Journal of Social Issues, 2002

There are infinite possibilities of who you are in the world. Everyday brings a new opportunity to make your own ravishing experiences or influence the experiences of others. The concept of there being so many versions of “you” in your own mind and the minds of others can be quite daunting. But, giv en the right amount of thought, it can open doors for you to be comfortable being whoever you want, whenever you want.

·

7 Gwendolyn Seidman, “Self Presentation and be longing on Facebook,” Science Direct, February 2013.

8 G. Orosz, “The personality, motivational, and need-based background of problematic Tinder use,” US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, April 12, 2018.

9 Rob Henderson, “The Science Behind What Tinder is Doing to your Brain,” Psychology Today, May 2, 2018.

10 Leopold, T. “Can social media make you hap py?” CNN. May 1, 2015.

SMOKE AND MIRRORS

Kelly Rampolla photographed by Molly Jacobs, Staff Photographer, and Emma Gray, Staff Photographer

Directed by Sarah Troy, Fashion Director

Edited by Annika Ide, Photography Director

By Jamie Randall, Contributing Writer

Even before I came to Madison, I thought about rushing a sorority. I wanted to rush because I knew that it would help me make friends and that feeling part of a group would make this large university seem smaller. I didn’t have any particular sorority in mind when rushing. I knew that there were different sororities for different philanthropy opportunities, network ing and other purposes. I just knew I had to find the one that fit me.

I got a bid from Sigma Delta Tau, a historically Jewish sorority and real ized that the majority of the people I would now be spending my time with are Jewish. I, however, am what is considered a “fake Jew.” My mom is Jewish, which therefore makes me technically Jewish, but my dad is not Jewish. Honestly, religion hasn’t real ly played a role in my life up to this point. I grew up celebrating Christ mas, didn’t have a bat mitzvah and have never celebrated a high holiday, like Passover or Yom Kippur. That’s

not to say that I haven’t attended any thing for my friends. The majority of my town is Jewish and I have been to more bar and bat mitzvahs than I can count. Regardless, I myself have never felt attached to the Jewish religion, or any religion, for that matter.

I wouldn’t say that I immediately felt like an outsider when meeting my friends or joining SDT. It just felt weird at first because I had never really been a part of a religious group, especially one that was Jewish.

There have been instances during my time in SDT where I wished I had those shared experiences. There was one night where we were sitting around and everyone was sharing their bat mitzvah date and when they got to me I said I never had one, to many people’s surprise.

Since coming to college and having Jewish friends, I’ve been able to im merse myself in the

Jewish community. I have been to Shabbat dinner at the Chabad house almost every Friday, I have gone to Challah for Hunger and I participate in Humorology with ZBT, a fraternity that is also historically Jewish.

Now, instead of making me feel like an outsider, being part of the Jewish com munity makes me feel welcome. Partic ipating in all of these activities related to the Jewish faith have allowed me to get a first hand glimpse of what it would be like if I were to actually con vert to the religion.

While SDT brought me and my friends all together, I’d like to think I would’ve become friends with these girls even without our sorority. These girls are accepting of me, regardless of my re ligion, and I have realized that me not being Jewish is only one difference out of the many commonalities between us. I am grateful for joining SDT and how it has shaped my experience at UW so far.

·

HOW BEING IN A JEWISH SORORITY HAS CHANGED MY EXPERIENCE AT COLLEGE

SIGNIFICANT OPTIONS FOR SIGNIFICANT OTHERS

MONOGAMY ISN’T THE ONLY RELATIONSHIP OPTION

By Shelby Evans, Lifestyle Staff Writer Illustrated by Abbey Meyer, Associate Arts Curator

With divorce rates as high as 50 percent, it might be worth considering that monogamy doesn’t always work. Maybe we aren’t like geese that mate for life. Instead, maybe there is an alternative style of fulfilling relationships.

In a Ted Talk given in 2018, Kathy Slaughter says that as hu mans we are meant to be excited by new experiences. We develop new relationship energy, but when we settle into a long-term relationship with someone we stop getting excited and we stop evolving.1 We evolve when we try new things, or when we meet new people and form new connections be cause we challenge ourselves.

Open relationships aren’t chaos. Slaughter makes the case that if two individuals talk about it, consent to open relation ships and are aware of what’s happening it can be beneficial to a relationship.

Researchers found that men are more likely to engage in open relationships, and younger people are more likely to prefer them.2 So, if this is a trend, then why do we look down on people who practice open relationships? Half of all marriages end in divorce. Maybe, if more relationships were open, there would be less heartbreak.

Slaughter addresses that in monogamous relationships sim ple things, like forming a new friendship, can be seen as a betrayal by a significant other. For example, in a heterosexual relationship, a guy might become friends with a girl in his class and begin studying with her. He might not think that he is betraying his girlfriend, but it is possible that the girlfriend can see this as a psychological betrayal.

1 Kathy Slaughter, “Love Lessons From Open Relationships,” TEDxTalks, June 8, 2018.

2 Nichole Fairbrother, Trevor A. Hart, and Malcolm Fairbrother, “Open Rela tionship Prevalence, Characteristics, and Correlates in a Nationally Repre sentative Sample of Canadian Adults,” The Journal of Sex Research Volume 56, Issue 6, April 1, 2019.

Relationships can be limiting when we build too many walls to define them. It can be as simple as being open with each other and discussing each other’s desires to making new friendships with new people, or as complex as pursuing oth er sexual partners.

Wanting to try new things is part of being human. People get bored and pick up a new hobby; maybe they run a marathon or they learn to knit. Sometimes people get antsy and start traveling more. We follow through on those whims.

If two consenting adults agreed that pursuing other romantic partners was acceptable, and they were allowed to follow de sires of sexual or emotional change, those adults could con tinue loving each other. They could come home to each other at the end of the day, and they could continue growing and spending their lives together.

We might not know if this is the best way for us as human beings to function, but the love, marriage, death formula doesn’t seem to be working. Creative alternatives might help us understand that we can love one individual while also hav ing sex with others.

Life is about trying new things—settling into a relationship where you aren’t challenging yourself isn’t healthy. Open re lationships aren’t about going out every weekend to try to find someone new to hookup with. Rather, open relationships can mean whatever you and your significant other want it to mean. Ultimately, it’s about not being judgmental.

It’s about time we strip back the common misconception that open relationships are about not loving the person you’re with or sleeping around. Open relationships are about respect, growth and, most importantly, love. ·

1

PARTISANSHIP: A SWORD

WHY WE PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE LISTENED TO GEORGE WASHINGTON

Written & Illustrated by Katie Herrick, Culture Editor

Waaaaayyyyy back in 1796, George Washington began preparing to leave the role of United States President and give his parting words of advice through his famous Farewell Address. Among other topics, he discussed his thoughts on political parties, namely his fear of the then-forthcoming divi sion into two parties.1

It makes sense that he would spend time warning the American people of this division when we take into account what was happening at the time politically; Thomas Jefferson

“George Washington’s Farewell Address,” Wiki pedia, Wikimedia Foundation, February 8, 2020.

and Alexander Hamilton were lead ing two new opposing parties.2 How ever, most of his arguments still make sense today—probably some of the only writing from his time to do so— and almost foreshadow our current political state.

Washington argues that sectionalism will lead to the downfall of American politics, creating a system of constant revenge, popularity contests and overall lack of activity that is best for the American people. Sound familiar to politics today? Washington felt that the creation and enforcement

2 Ibid.

of political parties would just weaken the government overall.3

Based on just the textbook definition, political parties make sense. There are multiple opinions on every top ic. Therefore, you support the party that aligns with your beliefs on most issues.

In practice though, this falls apart. Of ten, people agree with just one opin ion from a party and blindly support and follow the rest. Other times, they don’t understand any of them and just believe what their parents, friends or

3 Ibid.

maybe neighbors support, doing little to no research on topics.

That’s not to say that everyone follows the crowd though. There are plenty of people who make a commitment to politics and use their power and privi lege to ensure rights for all people. For the most part, though, political parties are a distraction.

They distract the government from their duties—politicians spend billions of dollars and months of their time in office campaigning—strike a divide between members of opposing par ties and provide foreign nations an easy way to impose their will upon the country.4 (Hi, Putin!)

Our current inability to discuss topics as adults and acknowledge what is actual fact versus what is just opinion stems from the in nate othering that political par ties allow. We see those in the op posing party as enemies, instead of other human beings with ex periences and thought processes unique to them.

And let me be clear—people who support racists, rapists and other “-ists” deserve to be othered, but there is a line. Disagreeing on on line information rights is slightly different from disagreeing on hu man rights.

The current state of politics has divided the country so far that it is rare for two people from oppos ing sides to have a conversation that doesn’t end in screaming or yell ing. Like I said, sometimes someone is just ignorant, but mostly we simply re fuse to even consider something sug gested by the opposite party.

No one person can be right about ev erything, and though you may think your opinion is correct, it is important to at least consider the other side as well when it comes from a valid place with sound reasoning.

One of my favorite videos of all time is from Jimmy Kimmel back in 2013. He sent an interviewer out to ask people if

they liked Obamacare or the Affordable Care Act (ACA)—the exact same thing. An alarmingly large amount of people had no issues with the ACA but strongly opposed Obamacare.5 Why? Because it had “Obama”—a democrat—tied to it.

This is what I mean. We simply cannot get anything done when we oppose or support things simply based on who created them. The last time we were so deeply divided was probably the Civ il War. But the fight isn’t just between parties, it is also within the parties.

And while it makes sense to have some intraparty fighting, as over time parties have come, gone and switched platforms—the Whigs, the OG Demo crats, and Federalists for example—we

Two parties is not enough to encom pass all the political issues we face to day, but once we get five or six parties we become so divided no one person can really even win. So, what is the an swer then?

I am not sure there is one. Maybe we should have listened to George Wash ington, but also, he had slaves, so maybe not. All I know is that we have become so extreme on both sides that we have resorted to violence, terror ism and just overall unacceptable and childish behavior.

Take the impeachment trials for ex ample. This is not a partisan issue, and never was supposed to be. But by looking at what party Trump is from instead of at the evidence that proved his crimes, Republi cans chose to vote out of a spirit of winning, over an actual com mitment to justice.7 No one is above the law, and that should have been recognized regardless of political affiliation.

are at a level that is making partisan tasks feel bipartisan.6

This makes sense though. Like I said before, there are a multitude of opin ions on a single topic. How then, can we have just two parties? Realistically, there are more than two parties, but we all know that next to no one votes for them, and when they do, they are criminalized for it.

5 “Six of One - Obamacare vs. The Affordable Care Act,” YouTube, Jimmy Kimmel Live, October 1, 2013.

6 “List of Political Parties in the United States,” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, February 8, 2020.

As we head into another presi dential election year—one many of us have been counting down to since 2016—it is important to remember why we have a demo cratic form of government in the first place. Government was cre ated to make sure everyone has basic human rights and the means to live. We need to stop focusing on which party created certain bills, laws, ideas or theories when making voting decisions and in stead focus on both the contents and what is most just and beneficial.

So, while parties enable us to support people we know share our values and beliefs, they also allow us to put oth ers down and distract us from doing what is best at times. If we hope to bring our country back together and move forward in a positive manner, we have to acknowledge, celebrate and understand our differences in a healthy, adult manner.·

7 N. Fandos, “Republicans Block Subpoenas for New Evidence as Impeachment Trial Begins.” The New York Times. The New York Times, January 21, 2020.

A

of Fashion

By Talia Abbe, Fashion Staff Writer Illustrated by Maya Hofman

The start of a new decade brings ex citement and expectations. One could even call 2020 “The Twenties 2.0” in an ode to the 1920s. Last century’s ‘20s were a decade of contradictions: shorter skirts, bobbed hairstyles, more makeup and a love for tennis shoes. The Jazz Age seemed like a never-end ing party, where, after the chaos of the first World War, people decided to live like there was no tomorrow. During this time, F. Scott Fitzgerald famous ly helped perpetuate the idea of the American Dream, which, filled with great wealth and optimism, is an ideal istic motivator that still holds true in society today.

The 1920s brought with it a sense a revolution that spilled into nearly every avenue, in cluding fashion. For the first time, fashion was seen as a way of self-expression.1 The days of long skirts and corsets were no longer, as women re belled against societal norms by cutting their hair and wearing shorter clothing. In a period defined by post-war optimism, these women em bodied the sense of freedom felt by Americans through the way that they dressed.

Women were experiencing a greater sense of freedom in the earlier part of the cen tury. As new opportunities arose, women seemed to be ditching the old ones. A more masculine look became pop ular while new and colorful fabrics appeared. Corsets and waistlines became looser, and women adopted straighter silhouettes in their skirts and dresses. Hemlines came up as the famous flapper style came into play, arguably the signature look of the time period. Women wore sequined dress es and smoked long cigarettes, and danced the night away without a care in the world.

Many different designers shaped fash ion in the 1920s, but one of the biggest

1 History.com Editors, “The Roaring Twenties History,” History, April 14, 2010.

icons was Coco Chanel.2 She helped epitomize 1920s fashion with her shiny bobbed hair cut. Her collections includ ed pleated tennis style skirts and loose cardigans rather than formal jackets. One of her greatest contributions to this period was the timeless Little Black Dress, designating black as a go-to col or for women’s wardrobes.

Many of these staples from the 1920s have influenced fashion today. State ment necklaces that are popular today are based on the bold styles that were once worn by Coco Chanel. The hem

in the 1920s have officially become a staple in modern society’s sportswear. Lastly, bright colors are back and better than ever with a surge of pastels and neons. Now that it has been 100 years, we are ready to see the drastic fashion transformation that will influence the next century.

Lauren Yiannakou, Senior Editor of Womenswear for WGSN, has spilled some of the new trends that will influ ence fashion for decades to come. Ac cording to Yiannakou, women are ready to ditch their sneakers for a more girlier party outfit; in order to take on casual wear, with its high volume dresses.3

Multi-use fashion that incor porates adjustibilty, modu larity and reversibility is be coming the next big thing in 2020. With popular fashion brands such as FARM Rio and Everlane creating reversible jackets for the winter or Out door Voices exhibiting their functional rip pants, consum ers are demanding clothing that provides solutions. Re movable mid-layers, detach able sleeves and hoods and adjustable hemlines are soon to come.4

Lastly, eco-conscious cloth ing and resale or rentals are all the rage, getting consum ers excited about expanding their closet in a sustainable and cost-effective way.5 With all of the talk about saving the environment and climate change in today’s world, why not rent your clothing or go that extra step to help save the environment?

lines have stayed short, and, in fact, have gotten shorter since then.

People today wear what they want, expressing their individuality just like those in the 1920s. While we might not walk around in flapper dresses with feathers sticking out of our hair, many celebrities have adopted the bob cut, such as Hailey Bieber. Cardigans and sweaters that first rose to popularity

2 Liz, O’Donnell, “1920’s Fashion,” LovetToKnow,

Now that it is 2020, let us make our own fashion legacy that will influence the next 100 years worth of trends. Let’s reinvent the feeling of the 1920s with a new sense of freedom and individuality. ·

3 Pina Tanisha, “6 Fashion Trends Of 2020 That Will Shape The Industry For Years To Come,” The Zoe Report, December 4th 2019.

4 History.com Editors, “The Roaring Twenties History,” History, April 14, 2010.

5 History.com Editors, “The Roaring Twenties History,” History, April 14, 2010.

THE SAME PLAYING FIELD

AN ANALYSIS AND CRITIQUE ON THE DOUBLE STANDARD IN SPORTS

By Mason Braasch, Contributing Writer Illustrated by Abbey Meyer, Associate Arts Curator

On Sunday, February 2, millions of viewers tuned in to watch the 53rd Su per Bowl. The next day, it was talked about in classrooms, offices and homes among football fans and “people that only watched the commercials.” This one football game is a commonality among millions of people who may otherwise have nothing in common.

Sports are widely recognized and cel ebrated in America, and, oftentimes, create athletes that are celebrated as celebrities by the masses. Names like Lebron James, Tom Brady and Lionel Messi are recognized among various, diverse groups around the world. Rare ly though, are names such as Babe Za harias or Billie Jean King—two talented and accomplished athletes—recogniz able by the average person.

Why, in a society that so heavily praises sports, are female athletes ignored—and even criticized—while male athletes are glorified? The answer

lies in the history of sports themselves. It is not hard to spot the gendered as pects of sports. Very often, sports are split into categories of “girl sports” and “boy sports.” This is a widely accept ed split that has become the norm in our society. “Boys sports” are often vi olent and aggressive—such as football and boxing—whereas sports that are deemed “appropriate” for women fo cus more on grace and beauty—such as tennis or figure skating.

Rarely do people cross these gendered lines, and if they do, they are seen as rarities with outsiders even question ing their sexuality—something that has nothing to do with sports. These gen dered categories, as well as their con sequences, are not only the result of the patriarchy and stereotypical gen der roles, but also the lingering results of what is known as “The Skirt Theory.”

The Skirt Theory is the idea that the only sports acceptable for women

were those that allowed them to don long and conservative skirts, coincid ing with the ideals of femininity as delicate and graceful. Today, this tradi tion can still be witnessed in women’s sports such as field hockey, lacrosse, tennis and golf, demonstrating the dif ficulty of escaping the customs and culture of gender and sport.

The struggle of women’s uniforms in sports goes beyond the skirt, though. Many sports organizations have been criticized for the apparent sex appeal that comes to play in athletic wear for women. For example, the uniforms for women’s and men’s volleyball are dras tically different; while men wear stan dard athletic shorts, similar to those of basketball and soccer, women must wear tight and, at times, revealing shorts. These shorts, nicknamed “bun huggers,” are said to increase the range of motion in athletes. Yet, it raises the question of why male athletes do not also need this “expansive range.”

The way that women’s bodies look outside of the uniform has also be come an issue. Strong and muscular figures—while sought after in men— are often criticized and questioned when belonging to women athletes. The most glaring example of this crit icism is found on four-time gold med alist, Serena Williams.

Although Williams is one of the most distinguished tennis players in the world—no doubt thanks to the pow er that her frame possesses—she receives criticism daily for being “manly” because of her strong arms. Wiliams has even received questions regarding the use of steroids, proving that the notion that women can be as naturally strong as men is almost un fathomable for some.

In an activity where strength is a key component, why are women con demned for attempting to achieve their full athletic potential? The fact

that Tanya Harding—a figure skater who is known for her groundbreak ing spins and jumps—was criticized for having legs that were “too ath letic,” and Serena Williams continues to be criticized for her “manly arms,” proves that society deems female athletes as no more than a pretty face that should focus on beauty and grace rather than athletic skill.

Obviously, women are not in sports to prove how great they can look in a ponytail. Female athletes are strong, talented, motivated and de termined. Will they ever receive the praise that is constantly thrown at their male counterparts?

Unfortunately, it is going to take some work for the rightful praise of female athletes and equality in sports among genders to be achieved. However, we as a society have been making strides towards this achievement. In 2012, a rule was modified by the Internation

al Volleyball Association to allow a Muslim woman to wear a full-body suit instead of the standard bikini for beach volleyball. Actions and modifi cations such as this bring hope for a more inclusive future in the world of sports, as well as bring to light differ ent models of what an athlete is and isn’t supposed to “be” or look like.

So, while we don’t necessarily need to ignore Lebron’s dunks or Tom Brady’s passes, it is important to ac knowledge the skill and strength that female athletes exhibit, as well as normalize the different shapes and sizes of female athletes.

On February 5, many people around the world celebrated National Girls and Women in Sports Day. Perhaps by diving into the history of sports and the double standards that exist within them female athletes will get the recognition they deserve on more than just one day of the year.·

The DOUBLE STANDARDS of GIRLHOOD

TWO DEFINITIONS FOR TWO LIFESTYLES

By Kora Quinn, Lifestyle Staff Writer Illustrated by Channing Smith, Arts Curator

As someone who grew up playing with dolls and going to school dressed up as a princess, when I hear the word “girl hood,” I associate it with just that: young girls with ribbons in their hair playing “house,” safely within the comforts of their room.

However, I also had more than my fair share of tree-climbing and knee-scraping growing up. I have three brothers, so nat urally, I wanted to do everything they did while still embrac ing all the associated aspects of being a young girl. I assume that mindset wasn’t unique to just me. So, when I really look back at my experience as a child, I begin to wonder: what exactly makes girlhood, girlhood and why can’t it be synon ymous with “childhood”?

The concept of girlhood is unique in that it appears, at least from my individual experience, to have far more definitions than initially come to mind. A lot of the toys I grew up playing with had undertones of domesticity that taught virtues such as being gentle and nurturing (i.e., baby dolls). Yet, I also

have distinct memories of the unfiltered freedom of belting into hairbrushes and seeing who could kick a ball the farthest on the playground.

There seems to be this double standard surrounding the term, and it dates all the way back to the origin of the word “girl.” There are two initial meanings, the first coming from the Old English word gyrela meaning “dress” or “apparel,” and the second from Middle Low German’s gör or göre, meaning “small child.”1

Gör(e) used to be neutral in gender, but over time, the En glish translation forced a divide in the definition and creat ed the two separate concepts of girlhood and boyhood. For hundreds of years, this divide of gender was represented pri marily through work. Boys would do outdoor, physical labor while learning skills necessary to follow in their father’s foot steps of becoming the sole monetary provider of a family.

1 Jacqueline Reid-Walsh, Keywords for Children’s Literature: Girlhood (New York: New York University Press, 2011), 92-95.

Girls, on the other hand, would care for the home by clean ing, cooking and providing a welcoming space for the men to return to.

Today, the divide in gender is represented through play, and, in turn, the roles boys and girls can visualize themselves fitting into. For example, one year for Christmas, my mom made me a dollhouse. I have countless fond memories of spending hours imitating the functions of a home including creating interactions between members of my play-family. At the same time, my brothers were using their new rock tumbler or fancy science kit. While my mom’s intentions were always good, gendered play doesn’t allow children to explore the vast array of interests available to them. My childhood dollhouse allowed me to establish key elements of my personality today such as my desire to be a mother and my eye for design. My brother’s science kit led him to his love for chemistry and discovery. Curiously, I have no interest in science, and my brother has no interest in design.

The images associated with girls and boys still largely remain despite entering into a more progresssive era. This shift, how ever, only emphasizes the double standard around “girlhood” and what it means moving forward. When looking at gyrela and gör(e), you see these origins perfectly highlight the two lifestyles’ girls follow in their adolescence—not two separate lifestyles but a singular, intertwined existence. For me, it was the interaction of expressing femininity while still running wild. For others, it might have been the exploration of their identity through clothing and channeling their childhood wonder.

The double standard lies in the image of gentle, rosy-cheeked girls and the wild, spirited nature of children. Girlhood should be synonymous with “childhood.” When I look back at my life, the nostalgia comes from all my experiences, not just those experiences that were specifically associated with femininity. While many people may still resonate most with the Old En glish definition that conjures up images of dresses and toys such as dolls or kitchen playsets, girlhood also just means “small child,” confined within no boundaries, capturing all the elements of youth.

ONES & ZEROS

THE PRESENCE AND EFFECTS OF SOCIAL BINARIES ON SOCIETY

By Gylf Forsberg, Culture Staff Writer James McKnight, Seth DeGier & Saja Abu Hakmeh photographed by Jessica Tenenbaum, Staff Photographer & Audrey O’Neill, Staff Photographer

Under a stack of dusty books and keepsakes in my family’s basement is a worn VHS tape with the word “Op posites” brushed across it in bright primary colors that are now faded. This tape introduced me to the basics of the world in terms of opposites and

pairs as a kid. The cars drive over the bridge, the boats sail under it. As chil dren, we are often taught to view the world through these pairs, as it helps make sense of the complexity of the world around us.

One of the most influential concepts in ancient philosophy is this idea of pairs, more specifically, cosmic oppo sites. The Ionian and the Pythagorean schools of thought express that the nature of the universe is housed with in a balance of these cosmic oppo

sites—odd-even, one-many, right-left, male-female, rest-motion, straightcurved, light-darkness—all elements of life can be broken down into bal ances of these pairs.1

The idea of a binary, or a set of op posites, has been carried throughout history, with several power structures and dynamics having a foundation in the basic idea of “this or that.” Per haps the most defining binary of so cietal structure is the difference be tween male and female.2

Many elements of our modern society are dominated by this binary—restau rants only have women’s or men’s re strooms, brands package the same product differently for genders and the conflation of fuzzy images of gen itals in an ultrasound translating to nurseries overwhelmed with various shades of pink or blue.

Upon birth, the doctor’s assignment of sex—male or female—often car ries expectations for you throughout your life. You were assumed female at birth, therefore a majority of soci ety will assume you will identify as a woman, be attracted to men and have a predisposition to the color pink. This is, however, not the case. Gender, sex and sexuality are all independent from each other.3

This gender binary also has immense power carried with it. Throughout history, the majority of organized society has been patriarchal, with most major powers throughout the world being controlled solely by men..4 Although there are examples of matriarchal so cieties throughout time, many of these were snuffed out by the trampling of white, male feet and the influence of these masculine-centric societies are still felt immensely today.

Of the CEOs listed at the top of the Forbes Fortune 500, only 24 are wom

1 H. Thesleff, “Metaphysics and Number Theory,” Britannica, February 21, 2013.

2 D. Bergner, “The Struggles of Rejecting the Gen der Binary,” The New York Times, June 4, 2019.

3 K. Conger and G. DuBois, “How Sex and Gender - Which Are Not the Same Thing - Influence Our Health,” Stanford Medicine.

4 C. Higgins, “The Age of Patriarchy: How an Unfashionable Idea Became a Rallying Cry for Feminism Today,” The Guardian, June 22, 2018.

en—a mere five percent.5 For every dollar a man earns, a woman will only earn 82 cents6 and 81 percent of wom en report experiencing some form of sexual harassment in the workplace.7

These statistics highlight the jarring discrepancy in the power dynamic based on the man-woman binary, and in the case of sexual harassment, how the group in power can abuse the po sition they are placed in by the binary.

The man-woman binary, however, is not the only set of opposites that we see everyday. Rich and poor. Liber al and conservative. White and nonwhite. Abled and disabled. Straight and queer. These binaries, when stacked upon each other, can sur mount to an indomitable force, as is often the case with the rich, white, able-bodied, straight man exploiting every form of his opposite. The in tersectionality of these binaries can contribute to many varying aspects of one’s experience, both introducing layers of privilege and enforcing ele ments of oppression.

As the powers of the world expanded through the age of exploration, men in power were met with individuals whose only difference lay outside of their gender. When white colonialists ravaged the continent of Africa, they saw the binary of skin color as another way in which to secure power.

This continued through years of op pression, through slavery, segregation and racism—issues which are far from resolved today. The power dynamics established by these binaries are still echoed in modern society, although many wish to ignore the presence— cue the white people saying they “don’t see color.”

Although it seems that we are con sistently subjected to these bina ries, the delineations between oppo sites seems to have become slightly

5 5. ZamTheWriter, “Just 24 Female CEOs Lead the Companies on the 2018 Fortune 500-Fewer than Last Year,” CNBC, May 21, 2018.

6 C. Hess, V. Lacarte and A. Hegewisch, “Pay Equi ty & Discrimination,” Institute for Women’s Policy Research, September 11, 2019.

7 R. Chatterjee, “A New Survey Finds 81 Percent Of Women Have Experienced Sexual Harass ment,” NPR, February 22, 2018.

blurred in some cases. In 2019, the Mirriam-Webster Dictionary defined their word of the year as “They.”8 They, the gender neutral pronoun, signifies the blurring of this male-female bi nary, with a third form emerging not held by a strict binary-opposite. Many individuals are realizing that some bi naries are not rigid, rather inherently constructed by our society.

Social binaries are all around us, but I would say that the issues affect ing society today are not caused by the binaries themselves, rather the exploitation of them by those who place themselves in power. Binaries may in fact create an “us vs them” mentality, but they can also lead to the creation of a shared experience and pride in identity. The ancient phi losophers of the Pythagorean school were obsessed with binaries, but they were also cogniscient of the balance between them, which is necessary to life itself.

Binary code, the basis of modern computing, is based on a series of ones and zeroes. One being “on” and zero being “off”; similar to the base binary held by the Pythagoreans. The interplay between the two opposites is central to the functioning of the coding language. In the same way, in order to achieve progress, we must not neglect the presence of these bi naries, but instead ensure the balance between them. It is not necessary to disregard these binaries, in fact it is detrimental to do so, because it leads to the disregard of a shared identity and experience.

It is necessary, however, to under stand the implications of the pre-es tablished power dynamics associat ed with these pairs. It is necessary to unlearn the stereotypes and assump tions we associate with these binaries.

The programs central to modern so ciety—the website on which you are reading this—are based on strings of these numbers, and the interplay be tween them. With just ones, or just ze roes, none of this code would run.

·

8 “Why Merriam-Webster Chose ‘They’ for 2019 Word of the Year.” Merriam-Webster, December 9, 2019.

IN A SWING STATE, LOOKING AT POLITICS CAN BE LIKE SEEING DOUBLE

By Amy Shircel, Contributing Writer

The most anticipated time in politics is here: the 2020 presidential election. More people go to the polls during a presidential election year than during any other politi cal election—by far.1 About 60 percent of eligible voters turn out for the presidential election compared to a mere 40 percent for midterm elections and 15 percent for local elections.2 Presidential elections motivate the most people to perform their civic duty.

1 “Wisconsin Voter Turnout Statistics,” Wisconsin Elections Commission, 2018.

2 K. Capps, “In the U.S., Almost No One Votes in Local Elections,” CityLab, 2016.

The 2020 presidential election in particular will be con tentious and extraordinarily competitive, with Wisconsin feeling the brunt of this fight. Wisconsin itself is a battle ground—a swing or “purple” state. Before Donald Trump won Wisconsin in the 2016 presidential election, no Repub lican had taken the state since Ronald Reagan in 1984—32 years prior.3

To add to this drama, the Democratic National Conven tion will be held in Milwaukee in July of 2020. Wisconsin is always a tight margin of victory for whichever party will

3

“Presidential Voting History by State,” Ballotpedia.

win: three out of the last five elections were decided by less than one per centage point of the popular vote.4

In 2016, Donald Trump proved victo rious over Hillary Clinton by just 0.7 percentage points.5 Simply put, all eyes will be on Wisconsin this elec tion season.

It’s no secret that Madison, Wisconsin is quite a deep-blue city. The Wash ington Post published an article in January of 2020 stating that Madison, “has the feel—and smell—I’ve come to expect from a liberal college town.”6 Most students and community mem bers are not afraid to talk politics, and it is no secret that the majority of citizens fa vor the more progres sive candidates.

Most Madison residents love their progressive mayor, liberal univer sity and politically ac tive friends. They eat at restaurants that fly the rainbow flag year round—not just during Pride month—and at tend political rallies during their free time. However, living as a progressive within the Madison bubble can of ten lead to one becom ing ignorant to what goes on in the rest of the state.

In reality, the rest of Wisconsin is nothing like the city of Madison or the Univer sity of Wisconsin-Madison’s campus.

For born and raised Wisconsinites, it is quite easy to get into vehement political arguments when you return home for Thanksgiving.

The state of Wisconsin is jaw-drop pingly white—in the last Census, about 87 percent of Wisconsin resi

4 K. Heller, “All eyes are on Wisconsin, the state that’s gearing up to define the presidential elec tion,” The Washington Post, November 5, 2019.

5 “Wisconsin Presidential Election Voting History,” 270toWin.com, 2020.

6 K. Silver, “Why You Should Visit Madison, Wis,” The Washington Post, January 22, 2020.

dents identified as white, seven per cent black, three percent Asian and one percent American Indian.7 Sev enty percent of Wisconsin’s small population of black residents live in just Milwaukee alone, and, as a result, many Wisconsin kids grow up never interacting with a person of color.8

Growing up surrounded by a sea of whiteness causes Wisconsinites to carry implicit and explicit biases into adulthood, which are then reflected in their political preferences.

In my hometown of Kenosha, Wis consin, it is common to see a pickup truck driving around town with a large

nearly unacceptable to be politically incorrect, the outside world can seem almost like an alternate reality.

The current state of politics in Wis consin favors a Republican majority. We are infamously known as the most gerrymandered state in the country, meaning that congressional district maps are drawn in favor of one politi cal party over another.9

In 2011, the Wisconsin Grand Old Par ty (GOP) drew new congressional dis tricts in a way that gave them even more of an advantage to keep Wis consin controlled by the Republican party. Clearly, politics in Wisconsin is contentious and parti san. While the city of Madison seems like a liberal paradise, all you have to do is drive out side of city lines to ex perience a sharp politi cal difference.

confederate flag flying from the back.

My younger sister, a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewa ter, told me that many of her friends from rural Wisconsin had “never seen a black person” before their freshman year at the university.

While overt examples of racism and bias are not uncommon, acts of subtle racism are an everyday experience for black people, especially in Wiscon sin. In the Madison Bubble, where it is

7 “Quick Facts Wisconsin.” United States Census Bureau. 2019.

8 “African Americans in Wisconsin: Overview.” Wisconsin Department of Health Services. 2018.

As a political science and public policy stu dent, I follow Wiscon sin politics closely—it’s what I do in my free time. I have been wait ing, as have many oth ers, for the 2020 pres idential election since the moment Donald Trump won the elector al college in 2016. If you were in Madison that year, you can remem ber the atmosphere on campus the day after the election: the air was somber, professors were sympathetic and everything moved in slow motion.

In Madison, we were shocked, hurt and confused. However, the majority of the state was celebrating. Due to the current state of Wisconsin politics, the reality is, we should have seen it coming. In a swing state, looking at politics can be like seeing double. ·

9 Gilbert, C. “New election data highlights the ongoing impact of 2011 GOP redistricting in Wis consin.” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 2018.

“WHILE THE CITY OF MADISON SEEMS LIKE A LIBERAL PARADISE, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS DRIVE OUTSIDE OF CITY LINES TO EXPERIENCE

SHARP POLITICAL DIFFERENCE”

A SECOND LOOK

2019’S PERFORMANCES AND MOVIES THAT WEREN’T NOMINATED

By Josie Brandmeier, Arts Staff Writer Illustrated by Abbey Meyer, Associate Arts Curator

I am not convinced that the members of the Academy watched many movies this past year. On one level, I under stand it. The Academy’s governing body created a 53-page PDF listing all of the films eligible for nomination this year, and I’d imagine if one person had to watch all those movies it would take over a month of binging. It’d be much easier to skim through, circling the recognizable names and the movies that probably were good… Scorsese…. Tarantino…. movie about war…. Damon & Bale combo….movie that the lead actor “lost 30 pounds for the role”… that movie you keep hearing about on Twitter…

The idea of some old guy in the Hollywood Hills procrastinat ing on his homework and voting for the familiar names seems innocent enough. To put it bluntly, though, it actually sucks.

This season, only one person of color was nominated for an acting category, and #OscarsSoWhite was trending like it was in 2015 and 2016. That old white guy in the Hollywood Hills is probably taking a nap, and the Academy is disap pointing us again with a lack of diverse and interesting sto ries. So many moving, original and groundbreaking stories were told this year, and it’s disappointing to see just more of the same stuff being recognized. That is why I don’t want to spend any more time talking about the Academy.

Instead, what I would like to do is highlight some of the amazing performances and movies from the past year that did not get nominated—movies that brought more voices to the table. Performances that left your jaw open in the the

atre. Unnominated movies that caused me to Google them to make sure that they did indeed come out in 2019 and were eligible for this season’s Oscars. Films that make me want to drive to California, knock on the door of a precari ously placed mansion in the Hollywood Hills and yell at that old white guy, “DID WE SEE THE SAME MOVIES?!”

HUSTLERS

“Hustlers” is a true story about how a group of female strip pers, hit hard by the 2008 Great Recession, started a drug ging scheme to make ends meet. The film doesn’t exploit or shy away from the inherent sexuality of a movie about strip pers, it simply tells the story like it was. It destigmatizes sex work by showing the women in the film as empowered, unique and interesting individuals. The friendship between Constance Wu and Jennifer Lopez (GIVE THEM OSCARS!) was intimate and messy and a beautiful representation of female friendships and chosen family. Also, Lopez was terri fying… and so hot. Hustlers received no nominations.

DOLEMITE IS MY NAME

Based on a true story, Eddie Murphy plays Rudy Ray Moore of the 1975 blaxploitation film “Dolemite.” After having door after door shut in his face, Rudy Ray Moore starts a comedy act that, by pure force of will, he turns into a hit anti-es tablishment, kung-fu film. Eddie Murphy is hilarious, Da’Vine Joy is a treasure and the overall design of the movie was vibrant without feeling stylized. As a movie critiquing the pretensions of Hollywood institutions, it’s only fitting that it got absolutely zero recognition from the Academy.

LUPITA NYONG’O, US

Lupita Nyong’o is one of the most dynamic actors of our time and she proved it in Jordan Peele’s second horror mas terpiece, “Us.” In the film, Lupita plays two characters: Ade laide, and her underground doppelgänger, Red. As Red, Lu pita transforms her presence to feel inhuman and absolutely terrifying. As Adelaide, in a twist-ending revealing her dark past, Lupita gives one of the most unsettling and intense performances I have ever seen. Horror hardly ever gets recognized by the Academy, probably because it is widely enjoyed and very accessible, giving up a degree of “pres tige.” In my heart, Lupita is the best actress. “Us” received no nominations.

THE CAST OF “PARASITE”

“Parasite” is something the Academy almost got right. Bong Joon-Ho’s Korean thriller surrounds a family of four anti-heroes who learn how to be masterful scammers and manipulators, highlighting how poverty and a broken sys tem can infect a society. On Oscar night, it made history by being the first non-English language film to win Best Pic ture, along with three other awards. However, something was missing in Hollywood’s celebration of the film: acting nominations. The ensemble cast who carried the film, Song Kang-Ho, Jang Hye-jin, Choi Woo-Shik and Park So-Dam, did not receive a single nomination for their performances in “Parasite.” To receive no acting nods is incredibly rare for a Best Picture, only happening 11 other times in Oscar his tory. The lack of recognition is part of a pattern of movies featuring Asian faces being celebrated as technical mas

terpieces without recognizing the performances on screen (see “Slumdog Millionaire” and “The Last Emperor”). The performance by the entire family is masterful; they bend your emotions to their will and make you sympathize with them despite their moral misgivings. Yet somehow with all its overwhelming praise for “Parasite,” the Academy did not see that.

***

I’ve only mentioned a few of the movies that deserved more recognition. “Midsommar,” “Uncut Gems” and “The Fare well” are a few honorable mentions not even recognized by the Academy.

It may seem silly to get worked up over nominations for award shows, but I argue that they do really matter.

When the Academy nominates movies for prestigious awards, they send a message to the world about what they think is “good art.” They create an agenda for what stories are worth telling, and what stories are not. While the odds that anyone from the Academy would read this are about as low as the ratio of female-to-male best directors (1 out of 91), I hope that next season, before they vote for the movies that will shape film history, they take a second look at their ballot.

·

DUALITY

Amanda & Emily Muchmore photographed by Annika Ide, Photography Director, and Seth DeGier, Staff Photographer

Directed by Maria Dayneko, Creative Director, Nina Waech, Creative Assistant, and the Creative Team: Amanda Libmann, Emily Bian, Kate Colby, Olivia Bian, Samantha Starks & Shannon McManus

THE PUSH FOR INDIVIDUALITY IN A WORLD THAT DECIDES WHO YOU ARE

By Shannon McManus, Culture Staff Writer Graphics by Lindsey Swiggum

Every Christmas morning when I was younger, I remember seeing an identi cal number of boxes addressed to my sister and me. I knew what my family would give me based off the presents my sister would open just before me. Don’t get me wrong—I am grateful that I was even able to get presents at Christmas, but at a young age I saw the gift-giving as a thoughtless process of receiving whatever my sister got.

When my family introduced me to soccer it was because my sister had started it and loved it. When my sis ter began taking art classes, I did too. I was “just like her.” My teachers would know me as “a McManus.” I cannot even count how many times I heard the words, “Oh! You must be Allison’s sister!”

And I was. In those times, I was known as Allison’s sister. I was seen as a mini version of her. I wasn’t confident enough in myself to break out of that mold. I was expected to be like her be cause that is what other people saw me as. I accepted being in her shadow be cause we were raised in the same fami ly. I did not know how to truly be myself

yet. So, I allowed others to choose who I was for me.

Soon enough, I would learn that I could break out of that shadow, but, unfortu nately, it would be on me to enforce my own identity.

In many ways, we have all been stuck— stuck in an identity forced on us by someone else. For me, I was stuck in the shadow of my sister, whether others were aware of it or not. Others, howev er, have stronger forces telling them who they are or that they cannot be who they want to.

Whether it’s someone questioning their identity because their views, actions or looks differ from the “norm”, or one’s own family denying who they are, many of us can attest to being pushed to wards a one-size-fits-all way of life.

Humans enjoy categorizing. It makes us feel comfortable to know everything be longs somewhere, including ourselves. Yet, when it comes to categorizing peo ple, we often ignore each other’s differ ences, merely focusing on how we feel in our own “category.” Too many times

andwe treat others in the way that we think they should be treated, never acknowl edging their differences and uniqueness within their individual identities.

People think others should act in a way they themselves act based on how they personally see the world. Why would anyone else see it differently? This viewpoint, though, is harmful to those with identities different from the main stream. Expectations can be based on how people see themselves, allowing us to ignore the possibility that not every one is the same as we are.

Trying to fit someone into a box in which they do not belong simply makes them feel displaced, hurt and unrecognized for who they truly are.

Hardships that come with the treat ment of one’s identity can be ignored as well. Oftentimes, the typical as sumption in today’s culture is that the person next to you has had similar life experiences as you. Awareness that we come from different backgrounds and grew from different experienc es as individuals is slowly becoming widely accepted. However, many peo

ple still have the natural assumption that our lives aren’t that much differ ent than the lives of those around us.

Purposeful or not, people look to oth ers living their lives even slightly dif ferent from theirs and judge. The un derlying thought is “why don’t they do that like I do?”

With visible identities like race, gender and sexual orientation, we may even judge our own identities for being dif ferent. Because of the enforcement of the dominant culture, many people are pushed to view themselves as be ing wrong, rather than embracing who they truly are. This mentality creates misery, making people feel they have to be, look or act a certain way in or der to be accepted and loved.

Yet, there are reasons why people may cover up their identities without believing them to be wrong. People fear revealing their true selves to oth ers because they have seen aspects of themselves deemed acceptable—of ten with violent repercussions—simply because it is not the “norm” in other people’s words.

Black people are rightfully embracing their identity today, yet some still strug gle, thinking the way they live or pres ent themselves is embarrassing. They judge their own natural hair because it is not the “typical” straight hair seen on white people. LGBTQ+ people are still pressured into heteronormative rela tionships, and questioned when they embrace their own identity. There is no right or wrong way for humans to em brace themselves, yet standards of how people should act are enforced by our culture every day.

White, cis, straight beauty, living and career standards are forced upon us ev ery day, erasing personal identities and making acceptance of ourselves even more difficult.

Minority groups may feel their identities tested every day in some way. Even if others do not mean to push them into a box, the feeling still remains. People need, and deserve to be, valued for who they are, not for who others think they should be.

Even an identity as small as not being the same person as your sibling can af

fect how you see yourself and how you choose to live your life. It took me years to become the person I am today—to choose what I want to do based on my own opinions rather than what felt clos est to my sister’s footsteps.

We need to do better. People do not need to fit a certain standard. We can not choose how people identify, nor should we force our own identities upon them.

Instead of assuming everyone wants to be treated the same way, we need to keep everyone’s individual wants and needs in mind. No, you need not be close to everyone around you, but respect for how they choose to live is essential.

Pushing people into a box of standards where they do not belong harms their identity—something that is essential to being a human. We all want to be able to be ourselves and be accepted for just that. This all begins when we allow others to be true to themselves in ways that will make them comfort able and valid, regardless of how that makes us feel.

·

THE STORM

IF YOU WERE HAPPY BEFORE THEM,

By Jessica Katz, Lifestyle Zack Kielar, Contributing

1

That smile you gave me when I entered the car. Gosh, I remember that smile.

That charming smile calmed my nerves.

The thoughts racing through my mind disappeared.

It was just me and you.

Yes, I’ll be your girlfriend.

I would adore being known as yours and you as mine. We fit together like a puzzle.

The piece I’ve been searching for— in clear sight yet hidden from my mind.

STORM THEM, YOU CAN BE HAPPY AFTER THEM

Lifestyle Editorial Assistant

Contributing Photographer

2

Everything in the world has become so amazing surreal dream-like

When did the sky get so blue?

Overwhelmed with these joyous feelings the euphoria the butterflies the elation and it is all because of you.

3

You grabbed my hands and pulled me into the crowd — Now we were dancing.

You were grooving like a grandpa while I subtly swayed to the music. You grabbed my hands once more.

Something was different this time. I was gazing into your soft green eyes.

I felt joy in my heart. I love you.

4

The scariest part of losing this is the risk of losing you.

If I can’t kiss your lips or lay my head on your chest, Can I please hold your hand or hug you or just look into your eyes?

Maybe not today maybe not tomorrow but someday I hope.

5 Through the dry, dry desert through the forest poked and scratched through the wave-raged waters

I’ve made my way to the field. It’s serene here.

I lie down on the lush, bright green grass. I feel a slight breeze.

As I look up at the baby blue sky, the sun beams down on my face. I inhale the sweet scent of the flowers surrounding my body. I can finally close my eyes

Take a break from our chaotic journey.

6

The most ferocious storms are followed by rainbows. There’s a glimmer of hope in each raindrop, each lightning bolt, each strike of thunder.

The damage is done; Now commences self-growth. It’s time to learn from each fight each doubt each miscommunication.

I’m ready to find the best version of myself. I’m ready for my rainbow. And I begin to bloom.·

MONEY TALKS

HOW TO HAVE HARD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT SPLITTING

to talk about money with your friends. That conversation can be awkward, even uncomfortable, but it is so import ant to be able to discuss expectations and responsibilities when it comes to splitting expenses with roommates in college. Learning these money man agement and mediation skills is key to setting yourself up for success in life and for avoiding conflict with your roommates in college.

The first thing to note about splitting costs is it is much easier with certain people than others. Be careful about who you choose as your roommates. Make sure they are people you trust to set aside enough money for rent and utilities each month, instead of asking you to cover their part until they (may be) pay you back. Involving money in a friendship can be tricky, so having pos itive relationships with these people is incredibly important.

Inevitably, some expenses will be evenly split. You’ll share the financial responsibility for paying rent and for your utilities like gas, heat, water and maybe for Internet access. For those obviously necessary parts of life, set clear deadlines on when payments are due and to whom. Do you pay online or with checks? Who drops off those

Venmo’s them every month? Be honest with each other about things like when and how often you are paid and who is the best with remembering deadlines. Every payment plan will be different for every group of people.

I would highly recommend you not purchase expensive or “permanent” things together. Before moving in together, discuss what bigger things your new home lacks, like furniture or a television. Then decide who will buy what of these things, instead of splitting the costs for each of them individually. This will avoid the even tual conversation about who is taking what when you move out at the end of the lease.1

But what about those things you buy together that benefit the whole apart ment or house but aren’t part of your baseline housing expenses? You can split costs on things like olive oil, sug ar, Brita filters, light bulbs, toilet paper and much more. It can be helpful to set a monthly budget for household sup plies, thus outlining what specific items you all agree are essential for your home and making sure you don’t over spend. For these smaller items that will

1 Susan Johnston Taylor, “How to Split Travel Costs With Friends,” USNews, June 17, 2013.

apps and settle up at the end of the month. Or you can keep track of costs and Venmo one another for toiletries and cooking essentials.

When going out to dinner with friends, pay for your part of the bill or use apps like Venmo or PayPal to send money to pay for your individual meal. That way you can avoid any tension over some one ordering one drink and another ordering a full lunch and somehow paying the same. Pay only for what you use, eat or do just to be fair. Do the same for concert tickets and travel costs. Be honest and accountable for the money you spend. And pay your friends back sooner rather than later, instead of forcing the person you owe money to to have to ask you to pay them back a week later. Don’t let your friend buy you drinks every time you go out and not repay the favor.

The reality is that everyone has a dif ferent financial situation. But the ma jority of people in college will be liv ing with roommates or having to split expenses for something or another. Being clear and direct when talking about money with friends and being sensitive to everyone’s different in comes or spending habits can save time, money and relationships.

·

By Amanda Jentsch, Contributing Writer Illustrated by Keely Bradish

Scene: A young woman sits in front of a publisher’s desk asking if the company will buy any of her stories. The pub lisher replies in the affirmative, but adds, “If the main char acter’s a girl, make sure she’s married by the end. Or dead, either way.”1

The young woman in question is Jo March, a featured char acter in Louisa May Alcott’s “Little Women.” The publish er’s words certainly hold true for Alcott’s characters (spoil er alert): Beth dies, and Meg and Amy both get married. But, in a somewhat surprising, uncharacteristic move, so does Jo, a character who refused to marry the entirety of the novel.

In director Greta Gerwig’s 2019 adaptation of the 1868 novel, Jo seems to have it all by the story’s end: she runs a thriving school, is married to the handsome, intelligent Professor Bhaer, and publishes her first novel, “Little Wom en.” I walked out of the movie theater satisfied, thinking that this was a sweet ending to a wonderfully made movie.

However, according to some, the movie didn’t have a sin gle ending. What I thought was a culmination of every thing that Jo had struggled with and worked towards was actually a dual ending — two possibilities for her future. I managed to get my hands on the screenplay, and the fan theory appears to be correct: Gerwig intended for the lines between fiction and reality to be blurred.

In one possible storyline, Jo, as demanded by the publisher, is married and opens the school. Jo had argued with the

1 Little Women, directed by Greta Gerwig (2019; Culver City, CA: Columbia Pictures, 2020), YouTube.

publisher about it, citing her character’s assertion through out the entire novel that she will never marry, but he shuts her down with the lovely quip, “Girls want to see women married. Not consistent!”2

The other possible storyline shows Jo, possibly single, watching her published book be formatted and printed. The movie closes on her fulfilling her greatest dream, look ing into the endless possibilities of the future. So which ending is Alcott’s true ending?

The pressure Jo faces mirrors the pressure that Alcott felt while publishing her novel. According to Alcott’s diaries, she received endless fan letters asking about Jo’s love life, along with pressure from her publisher, so Alcott ultimately decided to marry off her adamantly-single heroine.3

In an interview with Vanity Fair’s podcast, “Little Gold Men,” Gerwig emphasized her focus on multiple plotlines, time frames and possible interpretations.4 She wanted to show many takes on what a “happily ever after” could look like.

Real or fictional, women have so many more options than to end their story “married or dead, either way.” Happy end ings take many forms, and while they may not always look like what we anticipate or what we initially take them to be, Greta Gerwig’s fresh take on a classic certainly invites conversation on what fans believe should have happened to Jo (and the rest of the March girls), and the perception of women’s role in society. ·

2 Ibid.

3 Ryan, Patrick. “Little Women Ending Explained.” USAToday. 29 Dec 2019.

4 “Sorting Through SAG, Critics Awards, and All The Rest,” Dec 12, 2019, in Little Gold Men, produced by Vanity Fair, podcast, 1:37:00

OUR MILD DISSOCIATION IS A SIDE EFFECT OF THE COLLEGE ROUTINE

By Olivia Peters, Culture Staff Writer Illustrated by Riley August

In Madison, every winter morning starts almost the same for the entire student body. We hear our alarm, roll out of bed, pull on clothes, brush our teeth, fix our hair, collectively brew thousands of cups of coffee across campus and then leave for class.

This morning routine requires nextto-no thought, as it becomes muscle memory after only a few weeks of repetition. Some people’s minds are alert the moment they wake up, oth ers’ may take hours to become fully present. We sleep-walk through our days in a sense, but we’re not sleepy. Sometimes in these long and mono chromatic winter months, mental clar ity comes and goes sparingly.

The scariest part, though, is what comes after days of being on auto-pi lot. Wondering things like: How is it already Thursday? What did I have for lunch yesterday? Why can’t I re member what my friends and I talked about last night?

Zoning out for hours or days at a time is not something any of us want to do. It’s not a mental or physical health is sue either. Rather, it’s more of a state of mind that many of us sink into when we’re surrounded by a draining set of

circumstances—a mix that’s unique to each individual. For me, it began my first semester of college when I took too many credits and joined too many clubs all at once.

The scientific name for this is called mild dissociation. The American Health Association describes it as similar to daydreaming, offering the example of someone driving down a familiar road and realizing that they don’t remember the last several miles.1 While this definition fits, I personally experience it in stretches longer than a few moments and with less severi ty—I retain most memories, they can just be hard to recall.

Few are able to identify exactly what causes the haziness of thoughts and visions during these periods where we essentially “lose time.” Addition ally, what triggers mild dissociation varies from person to person, so it is important to be introspective about when and how it occurs in order to change it.

What is it about winter in college that contributes to this being such a common phenomena? Maybe it’s the

1 “Dissociation and Dissociative Disorders,” Mental Health America.

stress of classes and exams. Do we all hide from the stress by letting the days pass and our academic obliga tions drive our bodies? I dull my in ternal voice in order to suppress the anxiety I feel about upcoming dead lines all the time. If I didn’t, it would be impossible to have down time or relax because there is always an up coming deadline no matter what day of the week it is. My roommates of ten demonstrate this behavior on Monday nights while they watch “The Bachelor” saying things like, “I have an assignment due in two hours… but it’s fine!”

Could it be attributed to eating hab its? I have two cups of coffee a day, and I know people whose caffeine in take is triple that. I’m nearly always ei ther hyper, with my thoughts all over the place, or I’m crashing. Alcohol definitely has something to do with it as well, the hours in a day spent hun gover run together like no other—not to mention the night before usually translates to spotty memories and poor recollection at best.

The weather is certainly a contribut ing factor as well. During winter, all the colors blend together and there isn’t anything particularly vivid or

exciting outside—I find myself walk ing all over town with an extremely low awareness of my surroundings. We also spend most of our time in doors, sometimes going over a week without seeing the sun.

Maybe it’s just the demand of col lege overall. Everyday we are chal lenged and expected to perform at levels that may be the highest of our entire lives. The intensity demanded from our brains is extremely draining. That’s not to mention the hundreds of hours worth of teachings we’re forced to store somewhere in our brains. I sometimes come home from class and collapse straight into my bed due just to the weight of the mental strain.

It might be that we’re us ing so much brain power for school, that, in order to cope, our subconscious puts our personality on the backburner. We don’t have enough time or energy to be creative and actively en gage with our out-of-class hobbies. Just a few months into the semester and I al ready feel less like myself.

I’ve realized how long it’s been since I was able to have more than an hour or so of genuine free time.

Despite all these logical the ories, my chief concern isn’t what’s causing this minor transient dissociation. Sure, it’d be great to know, and, yes, it would be awesome to cut things from our lives that are obscuring mental clarity. But to me, that’s not a sure bet, and quitting college isn’t an option either. Instead, what I’ve been choosing to focus on are the moments that force me to be present.

I work for the Wisconsin Union The ater helping guests at events, and was working on this one no-name-band’s concert on a very mundane weekday night. As the band played, I realized how good they were—in fact, I real ized they were amazing and sounded much like the bands I obsess over on Spotify. Then, I started to really notice their aesthetic. The lights and visuals

being projected behind them, paired with the artistic beauty of their lead singer, was transfixing.

I started feeling all of these things at once, tears slipping down my face. I had been anxious the week prior, go ing through the motions anticipating this day to blur together with all the others. The surprise of both the mu sic and the moment woke me up out of the fog. I walked home on top of the world, for seemingly no real ap parent reason. I felt the cold Wiscon sin air on my face and I was happy to be in college.

I stayed mentally alert for the next few days until the event had faded from my mind. That moment was the

me feel really present. What works for me are things like music, travel, being scared by horror movies and seeing my family. My daily routine is pretty devoid of emotion; to me, these things elicit a really strong emotion al response. I think strong feelings shock me out of my daze like a cup of cold water pouring onto my brain. I obviously always have feelings, but these are the moments I become re ally aware of them—my body and my mind are able to reconnect.

Find those moments that give you a sense of “clarity,” as it’s different for each of us. Once you figure out what it is for you, don’t just be satisfied in simply knowing. Put these moments in your schedule. Force them to hap pen. Push back your bed time on a weeknight, spend 50 bucks you should prob ably save. Try to become more aware of important moments that you’re not appreciating as much as you should.

Let whatever you choose motivate you through the slow days, and reach for it with desperation when you need it. The alternative is to keep going like we’ve been going. On the extreme side, you’ll burn out. On the less extreme side you’ll feel like your life is not in balance.

answer to the problem I had been pondering the past two years of col lege. At first, I felt like I needed to plan more moments like this—lifelines to pull me from my weekly routine. Then, I realized maybe what I needed to do was learn to appreciate some of the beautiful parts of my week I was lumping into my “routine.”

I think college turns all of us into goal-oriented monsters with assign ments and deadlines to complete. To combat that, I’m currently forcing myself to be event-oriented instead of goal-oriented.

I’m always looking forward to that next significant moment that’ll make

I want to make my rou tine sustainable and enjoy able because college is an incredibly unique and tumultuous time.

Winter in Wisconsin holds so many opportunities academically and so cially—we are all waiting for the sun, trying to make it by while having a lit tle bit of fun. To get through, it’s im portant to commit to plan moments that can refresh and awaken our minds—to try doing a better job of ap preciating seemingly normal or boring things we encounter every day. The worst of the winter will soon be over and it’s time to be present, to step out of the fog.·

COLORED VISION

A NEW WAY TO ENHANCE YOUR LOOK IN A UNIQUE, SUBTLE WAY

By Kelly Rampolla, Contributing Writer Illustrated by Sammy Meyerson

One of the most unique fashion trends on the rise is colored contacts. What are they and why are they popular? Colored contacts are exactly what they sound like: contacts that change the color of your eyes. Ranging in shades from brown, blue, green and even grey and purple, colored contacts allow you to temporarily change your eye color and overall look. For some, this might give you more confidence than when you aren’t wearing them, similar to wearing makeup or dyeing your hair.

Both colored contacts and regular con tacts are the same in terms of how you insert them. This makes them easier to use for people who already wear pre scription contacts because they are familiar with how to use them. Colored contacts can come in various prescrip tion strengths, or without any prescrip tion whatsoever. However, Dr. Justin Ba zan of Park Slope Eye in Brooklyn, New York explains that even if you do not require a prescription you should still see a doctor because they could dam age your eye if the lens is not the right strength, shape or thickness. Make sure to always have the contacts checked

out by a doctor before you wear them.1 Colored contacts should be cared for the same way that regular contacts should be treated. For example, if you opt for two week contacts be sure to only wear them for the instructed two weeks and dispose of them after. Wearing old contacts can be dam aging to your eyes and cause serious side effects. Wash your hands each time before you touch your contacts or eyes. Risking dust or a piece of hair on your finger or contact can cause a lot of pain and can sometimes scratch your cornea. Lastly, to clean and store your colored contacts, use contact solution to maintain pH levels and a sanitary environment.

Colored contacts come in three differ ent types that provide three different effects. The three types are visibility tint, enhancement tint and opaque tint. Aimme Rodgers in “All About Visions” states that visibility tint does not usual ly affect eye color—instead, it is a light blue or green tint that allows the nat ural color of the eyes to be seen more clearly. Enhancement tint, on the oth

1 Denton, Elizabeth. “7 Things You Need To Know Before Trying Colored Contacts.” Seventeen. Seventeen, November 5, 2018.

er hand, changes the natural eye col or completely. These contacts have a darker, more intense tint. These are the best option for people with light-col ored eyes, as they layer on top of one’s natural eye color to create a new color. The last type of colored contacts are opaque tint, which are best for people with dark eyes that want to change their natural eye color to more unique, exotic colors such as purple or gray. 2

As with any change to your body, whether permanent or temporary, it’s important to take the proper steps to ensure that you are making the safest choice possible. While colored con tacts can be a fun way to change up your look, not taking the time to do research and have them checked by a doctor can lead to serious side effects.

It is more fun to look and feel good when you know nothing can go wrong. If colored contacts are something you want to try, then go out and find a pair you love that is safe to wear. Have fun expressing yourself in a unique, vibrant new way! ·

2 Rodrigues, Aimee. “Color Contact LensesChoosing the Right Colored Contacts.” All About Vision. Accessed February 12, 2020.

THE IMPOSSIBLE TASK: FINDING YOUR TWIN SOUL

LOOKING FOR MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS IN COLLEGE

By Juliette Cohen, Contributing Writer Illustrated by Maya Hoffman

On occasion, one of my best friends and I like to visit a psychic in our hometown. Initially, we took everything this wom an said with a grain of salt because we couldn’t actually believe a psychic in the back of a random bookstore. We just wanted to go for fun.

Almost every time we left, we would laugh about the crazy predictions we got. One time, our psychic told me I had a future in STEM when I legitimately had a B- in chemistry. Bottom line: I never really bought into the mystique.

This all changed after one reading last spring that shook me to my core. The psychic stared into my eyes and deep into my soul when she told me some thing that actually resonated with me. She told me that I would meet and mar ry my “soul twin.” I had obviously heard of soulmates, but had never heard of something like this.

I asked her what the hell that meant.

She told me that when a soul is creat ed it splits in two. One part becomes you and the other part becomes your soul twin. She told me I was extreme ly lucky and that most don’t even meet their twin, let alone marry them. I left the appointment in a dreamlike state, envisioning my future husband—my soul twin.

Before this point, I had never given much thought to my romantic future; I was only 17 at the time. The only thing I ever thought about was what prom would be like or what the cute boy in my French

class would say to me to make me send him my homework. This prediction got me to seriously think about my perfect match. What did he look like? Was he funny, smart, worldly, kind, loving?

After carefully considering these fac tors, the image of this perfect match emerged in my mind. In my head I be gan to picture our first meeting, our ro mantic love affair, his proposal and, of course, the perfect wedding: a winter affair at the Plaza Hotel. (Side note: I’ve been planning this wedding since I was 10.) Now that my interest was piqued, I went home and spent the whole night looking up Twin Flames.

The idea of a soul twin is not a new con cept. In fact, its origins are in ancient Greek mythology. According to Plato, “humans were originally created with four arms, four legs and a head with two faces. Fearing their power, Zeus split them into two separate parts, con demning them to spend their lives in search of their other halves.”1 Hence, the term “Twin.” Dr. Amanda Noelle, a Twin Flame psychic said in a Bustle article, “Your Twin Flame is your spiritual twin... Twin Flames exist in many different re ligions and different schools of thought ... and is essentially your spiritual other half. The purpose of the relationship is to grow and evolve together, but also to give back and serve the world by raising the vibrations.”

2

1 Admin. “The Myth of Soulmates.” Elli Gold, 21 Feb. 2018

2 Kahn, Nina. “How To Find Your Spiritual Half On 11/11, The Luckiest Day Of The Year.” Bustle, Bustle, 9 Nov. 2019

Something that also stuck with me is the fact that you can only have one twin flame. There is some person out there in this world who was the other part of me, and that part was something that I was going to be lucky enough (appar ently) to find.

I ask myself constantly why this silly psychic reading has stuck with me over the years. Maybe it’s my subconscious childhood complex that wants the fairy tale ending with Prince Charming. Or maybe it’s my hopeless romantic side that longs for milkshake dates, ice skat ing and love letters. However, keeping in mind that the only boys available are frat stars whose affections lie within a bottle of Burnett’s, and the only form of chivalry on campus is an invite to a for mal, looking forward to this perfect guy is understandable.

The idea of a soul twin, or someone you are destined for, is something that I yearn for. It is also a good reminder to search for meaningful and positive rela tionships. Keeping this all in mind I am also aware of what’s realistic and what isn’t. I’ve come to the realization that psychics, soul twins and “imaginary” husbands are fun to think about, but to fixate on someone who doesn’t neces sarily exist is silly.

This is a huge world. There are billions of people. One of them might not be an actual soul twin, but there is someone out there for every person, or soul for that matter. All you have to do is live your life and keep your mind, heart and eyes open.

·

TO DYE FOR

HOW TIE-DYE HAS MADE ITS WAY INTO MODERN FASHION

By Corbin Woessner & Manon Bushong, Contributing Writers

Corbin Woessner & Manon Bushong photographed by Jessica Tenenbaum, Staff Photographer & Emma Gray, Staff Photographer

Up until recently, tie-dye historically had a 70’s flower power connotation. In the United States, tie-dye became known for being associated with the psychedelic era. Tie-dye claimed its fame in pop culture when perform ers Janis Joplin, Joe Cocker and John Sebastian wore tie-dye on stage at Woodstock in 1969.1 Although the trend began to die out at the start of the 80’s, it is now making a strong comeback in today’s fashion.

Tie-dye has taken Hollywood by storm and all of our favorite celebrities have been sporting the trend this season. Everyone from Gigi Hadid to Tim othée Chalamet and Beyoncé have been rocking the tie-dye trend and everyone has certainly been loving it.

During Paris Fashion Week, tie-dye dominated the runways of Prada, Stel la McCartney, Proenza Schouler and R13. These designers put their own twist on the original print by com bining it with elevated fabrics such as denim and linen to make it more

1 Eliza Brooke, “A Short Cultural History of TieDye”.

fashion-forward. Instead of keeping tie-dye strictly on the runway, these designers integrated the trend into the streetwear scene. This modern take on tie-dye goes far beyond just plain old t-shirts. Tie-dye can be seen across all clothing pieces, from em bellished Prada skirts and dresses to utility shorts from Proenza Schouler to denim boiler suits from Stella Mc Cartney. Although tie-dye might be a blast from the past, it is clear that it’s an evolving trend that is continuing to be seen on and off of the runway.

While it’s hard to escape images cir culating of celebrities sporting so phisticated tie-dye looks, this trend is certainly not limited to high fashion. Whether you are walking up Bascom or grabbing a bite at the Union, you are bound to spot a student incorpo rating tie-dye into their look. Given the vibrant and quirky nature of these prints, tie-dye possesses the capa bility of turning any casual article of clothing into a trendy outfit with a put-together feel. Considering the popularity of dressing comfortably to class, it’s no surprise that tie-dye has

become a staple design on t-shirts, sweatshirts and sweatpants.

If you strive to look put-together but often find yourself inclined to take the cozy route, wearing a tie-dye sweat suit allows you to check off both of those boxes. A colorful tie-dye sweat shirt with coordinating joggers is a bold and energetic look that enables both self-expression and comfort. If you prefer a more subtle look, layering a cute tie-dye tank top under a sweat er or loose denim jacket allows you to feature this bubbly trend in an outfit without flaunting it from head to toe.

Regardless of how it’s styled, tie-dye is undeniably a spunky and nostalgic trend capable of revamping any out fit. From red carpet looks to casual sweatsuits, this do-it-yourself print is anything but dull. Tie-dye clothing is rapidly appearing on the shelves of popular stores such as Urban Outfit ters, Free People, and ASOS. Join us in reinventing this colorful comeback trend, whether it be purchasing a trendy tie-dye look, or creating your own unique piece. ·

MODA’S GUIDE ON HOW TO LAYER WITHOUT SACRIFICING STYLE

By Alysse Urbach, Contributing Writer Olivia Stack photographed by Seth DeGier, Staff Photographer Hand-lettering & graphic elements by Lauren Chung & Allyson Konz

Layers are the quintessential fashion trend of the fall and winter seasons, and have recently gotten the spotlight on the runway. In the past, layering was only seen as a tool to keep warm, but, if done right, it can be chic and trendy. It’s easy to feel bulky when layering, but with a creative eye and just the right pieces you can perfect this look. De signers like Balenciaga have played with different layers by adding textures, proportions and colors. They have made dressing practical fashionable, elevating simple outfits by making them more unique and interesting. Plus, layering is a great way to revamp old clothes and transition into the new season.

The perfect way to transition into different seasons is add ing any long sleeve top under a dress. A dainty dress with a comfy tee underneath is the perfect mix of casual yet fem inine, plus you’re dressed for any temperature. Transition your outfit from a night-time look by adding a leather or jean jacket.

Wanna go back to the 90’s? One of the best, yet simple, ways to layer is by add ing a long sleeve tee or turtleneck under a graphic tee. This trend adds a little grung iness to any outfit. It is stylish, cool, trendy and comfy.

If you’re layering to keep warm, bundle up with sweaters and jackets. Pair a neutral sweater with a jean jacket. Adding a puffer on top will keep you warm but still looking trendy and fashionable, giving off an effortless, cute vibe.

From layers of gold chains to retro pendants, to chok ers, layering necklaces has become an art form of sorts. Playing with different tex tures and sizes of chains al lows every piece to stand out. Try adding a simple gold choker with a simple pendant to create a perfect contrast that pairs with your brand new layered look. ·

SOCIAL SYMPTOMS

PERSPECTIVE: LOVING SOMEONE AND BEING LOVED WITH A CHRONIC ILLNESS

By Ariana King, Culture Editorial Assistant Zoey Diott and Brooke Pernsteiner photographed by Zack Kielar, Contributing Photographer

It’s a warm February night, and I’ve made the long trek towards Union South to visit fellow Wisconsin Inter national Scholar, Zoey Dlott. Sitting across from me, Zoey is snuggled up in a fuzzy fleece jacket. On the couch adjacent to us is her best friend and adored roommate, Brooke Pernstein er. I’ve known Zoey since freshman year, but it wasn’t until I opened up about my own story with chronic ill ness that I learned she had one too.

Postolarois (POTS) and mast cell ac tivation syndrome (MCAS) aren’t the kinds of diagnoses you usually think of when someone mentions chronic ill ness. At least for me, “chronic illness” means depression, anxiety, irritable bowel syndrome, heart irregularities or maybe even cancer.

To be honest, I hadn’t even heard of POTS or MCAS before the interview, which Zoey says isn’t surprising be cause they aren’t very common—at least, not commonly diagnosed.

POTS is a disease that causes auto nomic dysfunction, meaning the ner

vous system doesn’t work quite right.1 It affects involuntary functions like blood pressure and heart rate, so that enough blood doesn’t go to the right places at the right time. For people with POTS, this causes a highly elevat ed heart rate, which does not decrease shortly after standing up as it normal ly should.2 This symptom is certainly prevalent in Zoey’s life, as well as un regulated body temperature (hot and cold flashes), lightheadedness or diz ziness and extreme, chronic fatigue.3

On top of these difficulties, MCAS makes Zoey “allergic to everything.”4 For those afflicted with MCAS, the mast cells that are responsible for re acting to allergens malfunction and are set off by non-allergens.5 Whether someone with MCAS is actually aller gic to something doesn’t matter—the mast cells act up anyways. Because

1 “Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome and chronic fatigue in adolescents: Working toward recovery,” Mayo Clinic, November 25, 2015.

2 L. Torbog, “Mayo Clinic Q and A: All about POTS — postural tachycardia syndrome,“ Mayo Clinic, March 18, 2017.

3 Zoey Dlott, Interviewed by Ariana King, Informal interview, Union South, February 1, 2020.

4 Ibid.

5 “Mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS),” Ameri can Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Technology.

of this, Zoey has a super restrictive diet and can’t eat foods high in his tamines like tomatoes, bananas, dairy and avocados.6

When asked about the daily impact of her two conditions, Zoey admits it’s a constant. She can rarely go out to dinner with friends because of her di etary restrictions, not to mention her extreme fatigue in fighting to get off the couch. Zoey also taught her room mate Brooke how to use the epi-pens she carries with her at all times, and their pantry and fridge are always packed with ice packs and medicine.7

Yet, for the most part, you wouldn’t know that Zoey is sick. She’s been told several times over that she’s “very high functioning”—but that doesn’t mean it still isn’t incredibly frustrat ing for her. As Zoey and I commiser ated later, brain fog, or the inability to concentrate or focus from fatigue, is a very real barrier to overcome when studying for classes.8

6 Zoey Dlott, Interviewed by Ariana King, Informal interview, Union South, February 1, 2020.

7 Ibid. 8 Ibid.

While she used to be very involved in sports in high school and has al ways been a high-achiever academ ically, Zoey just can’t be as “go-gogo” anymore. It’s something that is hard for people who knew her grow ing up—like her identical twin sister— to understand.

“When we’re together, she’ll want to do all these things. We can do some of them, but I probably won’t have the energy to do the rest,” Zoey says.9

To Zoey’s credit, she still does a ton and is, in Brooke’s words, “very pro active” about getting the help she needs.10 She’s incredibly open about what she’s going through, and hardly complains in caution of not wanting to make life harder for anyone else.

“I’ll tell my friends if I’m too tired to go out because I don’t want them to think it’s because of them,” Zoey confides. Additionally, Brooke tells me Zoey doesn’t like it when people try to ad here to her diet—she doesn’t want her

9 Ibid.

10 Brooke Pernsteiner, Interviewed by Ariana King, Informal interview, Union South, February 1, 2020.

roommates not to have fun or not go out to eat just because she can’t. Her roommates still try to find something she can eat anyways.

On top of that, for someone who’s had to deal with a hell of a lot, Zoey is fairly optimistic and unapologetic about her privilege, even within the chronic ill ness community. Zoey had felt sick for a long time before her diagnosis, but “was lucky” to be diagnosed a little over a year after seeking treatment, as well as have the financial capability to fly back and forth to her home-state, Virginia, for treatment.

Throughout her activism, Zoey stress es the individual nature of chronic ill ness—just because you know someone with POTS, MCAS or any other chronic illness, doesn’t mean that people with the same diagnoses will exhibit the same symptoms. Even when it comes to external factors, like emotional sup port, not everyone’s experiences are the same.

11

Of course, she’d never have chosen to deal with POTS and MCAS, but it’s played a direct role in her career path and inspired her to become a health social worker. Personal experience has also led Zoey to advocate for those with invisible illnesses, which is pretty damn empowering. Reaching out and sharing her story has helped her make friends with other people with chronic illnesses and compare notes on different sup port strategies and medications.

When asked for concluding thoughts, Zoey gives one final shout-out to her support system: “When you get sick, you start losing friends, but I am ex tremely fortunate to have such good friends.” Zoey’s illness brought all her roommates closer together, but some times, it tears people apart.

12

11 Zoey Dlott, Interviewed by Ariana King, Infor mal interview, Union South, February 1, 2020.

12 Ibid.

Friends can move on without you, not be willing to accomodate or sim ply not understand that things have changed and refuse to accept it. You never know who will be there until it happens to you. Because Zoey doesn’t know if this has happened to me, Zoey is the one who reaches out after our interview. If I ever want to talk, she will always be there.

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Technologically

AN EXPLORATION OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE IDENTITIES WE SHOWCASE

By Elizabeth Karnowski, Contributing Writer Jack Greenwood photographed by Meghan Vieth, Contributing Photographer

Icon, legend and star Dolly Parton re cently highlighted the multiple per sonalities we tend to showcase on varying social media platforms. She posted a grid with four different pic tures of herself each representing dif ferent personalities on different apps. Her post instantly took off, causing people to post their own versions of the Dolly Parton Challenge.

This prompted me to consider how I viewed each social media platform and its purposes differently from one another. It’s safe to admit that users of these apps showcase themselves differently when jumping from app to app or virtual life to real life.

Facebook shows the more “angel ic” side of us all. Most young people post different life updates for their family and friends to read about and stay connected.

Twitter has a few popular uses. Twitter users post memes, raunchy jokes that

make a statement, news updates or simply whatever is on someone’s mind at a specific moment in time.

Instagram is notorious for showing life through a carefully curated lens. Users post the highlights of their life through posed pictures with clever captions.

Tinder is for people looking for a lit tle excitement in their life. Shown through pictures displaying your beauty, a witty bio and flirty conver sations, Tinder can show you as who ever you want to be.

Not only does our appearance vary across social platforms, so does the manner in which we interact with the platform as well as other users. On Facebook, it’s customary to upload an entire vacation’s worth of pho tos to an album rather than posting them individually, as we would on In stagram. We don’t expect hundreds of likes on our Facebook album, but quickly consider deleting an Insta

gram photo if it doesn’t get “enough” likes. On Twitter, we rarely share pho tos of ourselves and instead choose to share memes that match the con text of a tweet. The number of friends we have on Facebook doesn’t matter nearly as much as the number of fol lowers we have on Instagram.

Our friends and followers interact with us differently on across platforms as well. Your Instagram comments might be filled with tons of your friends say ing “GORGEOUS” on what you feel is one of your best pictures to date. Facebook comments and interactions are typically wholesome remarks from a family member telling you how fun it looks like you’ve had at an event or how proud they are of you. Twitter re plies are a different breed of interac tion. Somebody can choose to reply with text, a photo, or both, which can make the overall exchange more inter esting. Interactions had on Tinder can also vary in the outcome. Sometimes an exchange can go really well and

you end up getting somebody’s Snap chat or going on a date to further the connection. Otherwise, it’s filled with flirting that ends up at a dead end.

Every social media platform took time to transform into what it is now. Re member when we used to write out cheesy inspirational quotes in bright colors, take a picture of it, blur out the background and post it to our Insta gram in hopes of your followers hav ing the impression that you’re artsy?

Although initially created by app de velopers for a specific purpose, each form of social media has a set of un spoken rules and guidelines about what type of content is “okay” to post.

The apps we use daily are still evolv ing, but when did society come to the consensus that certain social media would be used for different purposes?

Facebook originated as a way to con nect people around a university cam

pus but now is consumed with the oc casional update on a family member, angry political posts and outdated memes.1 Similarly, Twitter was made as a blog website where people could post updates about their day for oth ers to see. To an extent, Twitter is still used as such but has also implement ed different features for its users. Twitter is now seen more as a form of entertainment or even a news source for many rather than a way to update followers on your day.

Most people who use the Internet to day tend to express different parts of themselves on different kinds of so cial media. Because of this, following someone on all of their social media accounts doesn’t guarantee you get the full picture of them. Think about what you decide to post on your var ious accounts for a second and then compare it to your real life. Consider this but with a celebrity or influenc er you follow. Through social media,

1 Mark Hall, “Facebook,” Britannica.

we’ve created this universe where it’s easy to have the mindset that you know all about a certain person when in reality you know only a sliver of their life.

We’ve all been in the position where we send a picture to our friends that we’re considering posting to Insta gram but are afraid it’ll be too basic or irrelevant. In reality, it’s not import ant whether what we’re considering posting is something our followers want to see or not—we’re just under the impression that we must post similar content as to what we’re see ing in our feeds. The idea of putting up a front for your followers has be come extremely glorified in the past few years and it can become mislead ing as to how people might judge you as a person.

If your personality were judged sole ly on social media presence, would it be accurate with how people really know you?

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BODY STANDARDS HAVE NO PLACE IN FASHION

HOW WE ARE INFLUENCED BY THE MEDIA TO ACCEPT BODY STANDARDS IN FASHION

By Karissa Kroll, Contributing Writer Illustrated by Sammy Meyerson

Anyone who loves fashion recognizes that clothes do more than simply cover our body. Aside from acting as a barrier between our naked bodies and the outside world, clothing has the ability to affect our attitude and percep tions of ourselves.

Waking up and taking the time to pick out an outfit that I not only feel good in but also look good in is crucial for me to go about my day with an extra pep in my step. What you wear can have a huge influence on how you feel about yourself, even if you don’t realize it. Maybe you feel super hot wearing a pair of sweatpants and an oversized hood ie or maybe you feel like you can own the day in a full on suit co-ord. What we wear is a personal statement, but in our media-focused society, it’s no secret that a lot of what influences our decisions is based on what other people do. In fact, looking to others to find inspiration for fashion can be a great way to develop your personal style. I often look at social media to see a wide variety of people with fashion sense so I can then derive my own look.

In finding your niche of influencers whose style you admire, it’s easy to not only focus on what they are wearing, but also how they look in it. You may think that because something

looks amazing on them, you have to make it look amazing on you, without paying mind to the fact that they may be a foot taller than you or have completely different propor tions than yours. The reality is that not everyone will feel amazing in the sweatpants, or might feel completely out of place in the suit.

It’s not really our fault that we base our expectations so firmly on other people considering the media is always pressing certain body standards. Fads in fashion come and go fast. But, what if the clothes that are “trendy” right now aren’t clothes that you would feel the most like yourself while wearing? Whether it’s a crop top, in which you’re self conscious about your winter “fluff,” or it’s platform Doc Mar tens, in which you might already be taller than everyone else without them, trends always push us towards noticing a certain body standard and whether or not our features fit it.

This can be dragging, especially on the youth whose bodies are still changing. It causes people to feel like they wouldn’t be able to wear something as well as whoever they saw do it first because they don’t have the same body type as them. We see it all the time from comments on social media and often from our own mouths: “It looks so good on her,

but I don’t think I could pull it off.” But, what does “pulling it off” even mean, really?

Certain clothing brands contribute further to setting ex clusive style trends due to their disclusive sizing. Brandy Melville, for example, has been under rap in recent years because of only carrying one size (which often does not fit all). Their brand is extremely popular within girls of high school age, causing a negative self perception for many other girls — both those of that target demographic and not — who don’t fit into their clothing. However, the question arises: Is having stores specific to smaller sizes just the same as having stores that market only plus size or taller figures?

While body inclusivity is on the rise, there is still a gener al body type that many brands favor over others to mod el their clothing. In the worst cases, not only is the item shown on a “slimmer” model on their website, but the item isn’t even made in sizes that will properly fit a curvier frame and no plus sizes are offered.

Thankfully, a few brands are beginning to make a true ef fort at body inclusivity and positivity, including Forever 21,

Dolls Kill and Pretty Little Thing. American Eagle has taken inclusivity a step further with their new curvy line; we know that not only do shoppers require a range of sizes, but fits of clothing must be considered too. A common complaint when it comes to pants shopping is that jeans often fit snugly in the thighs and not in the waist. With a curvy line of pants, shoppers are given confidence and acceptance for themselves because their commonly underrepresented body type is now specifically highlighted there—and in an uplifting manner. The idea that certain garments compli ment a certain body type starts to fade when brands don’t just have one specific body type representing their brand.

At the root of finding your own personal style is the ac ceptance that you have your own original body. It can be difficult when social media, influencers and clothing brands themselves show us one thing and we are expected to ad here to those standards, so it’s important that we acknowl edge what we see and love, but then turn the focus onto ourselves and what makes us feel comfortable, fashionable and confident. This is when our individuality flourishes. So, if you find that your cute new skirt looks slightly different on you than it did on your favorite instagram influencer, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t look bomb on you, too. ·

TO WIN:

Tell the Same Story About a Man

WHY THE LACK OF FEMALE STORYTELLERS AND STORIES AT THE OSCARS IS NOT SURPRISING

By Shelby Evans, Lifestyle Staff Writer

The Oscars have done this before, and they will do it again. Greta Gerwig will never get the nominations, let alone the win, she deserves.

Let me preface this by saying that the only best picture nominee I’ve seen this year is “Little Women.” Here’s why: I’m so tired of being told that stories about mediocre men are deemed the best.

As a woman in her twenties, it takes work to find a movie that will feature characters and a plot that I can iden tify with. Some people go to the mov ies to get away from the world; those people’s favorite movies might include something like “The Avengers.” But I am one of those people who believes that film is art. I want to be forced to think hard — to identify and feel deeply for what’s happening on screen.

I know that I will not be able to ful ly connect with Quentin Tarantino’s characters from “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.” I got what I could from mob movies, like “The Godfather,” and I don’t need a similar story from “The Irishman.” I don’t care how trag ic “The Joker” is. Simply put, I don’t need another story of a man’s de scent to madness.

In an interview, Gerwig described what she saw in the March sisters were, “four really talented weirdo girls who were ambitious and funny and competitive and kind of crazy.”¹ I can identify with that. I see my childhood friends. I see my current friends. I see myself. I am reminded of all that is bad and good in the world and how we can continue to live with those con flicting emotions.

“Green Book” did not teach me those emotions. I wasn’t reminded of the human condition of what it means to love from that film. “Little Women,” on the other hand, explores these im portant themes.

The dialogue surrounding Gerwig’s “Little Women” shouldn’t be around how the “Little Women” adaptation has been done before. Instead we need to discuss how male-dominat ed narratives that consciously reject women continue to get the praise.

In 2015, “Birdman” won best picture by telling the story of a once-successful actor’s descent into mediocrity, and eventual madness. That one-sentence synopsis sounds pretty similar to how “The Joker” plot is talked about. And

yet, in 2020 Greta Gerwig was left out of the best director category.

It’s an easy blow to yell that the Acade my is sexist. They are. Gerwig was able to direct “Little Women” without any of her cast or crew knowing that she was six months pregnant by wrap.¹

Putting aside Gerwig’s amazing craft, singling out that she spearheaded a large studio project while carrying a child is incredible. Dealing with ex haustion, morning sickness or any sort of side effects that come with preg nancy is a heavy weight for women. Gerwig did it without anyone know ing, all while creating a successful, Os car-nominated film.

That’s something Quentin Tarantino and Martin Scorsese could never do.

The Oscars are going to continue to pick safe choices for best directors and best pictures. Those safe choices are the stories that have been told be fore about a man, by a man.

So, how can you be nominated for the Oscars, and how can you win? Appar ently, you make a film that has already been made.

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GENDERLESS BEAUTY

HOW FASHION AND SOCIETY ARE GROWING AS ONE

By Sarah Troy, Fashion Director Sarah Troy photographed by Molly Jacobs, Staff Photographer Edited by Seth DeGier, Staff Photographer

As society has become a more and more accepting place, we have been able to adapt our style to express our views and personality. In alignment with society’s movement towards a more accepting environment, the fash ion industry is becoming more pro gressive in terms of removing the asso ciation between clothing and gender.

Fashion is often seen as one of the most basic forms of self-expression. If this is true, why has society implemented guidelines on which gender can wear what? Individuals are sick of seeing gender stereotypes being forced into their closets. Fashion-forward thinkers are embodying this sense of stylistic freedom, regardless of gender, into their wardrobes.

So, what might gender neutral style look like, and how can you achieve it?

Some of the most common gen der neutral trends include traditional menswear such as oversized blazers, dress shirts and trousers, ‘dad’ sneak ers, loose jeans and streetwear. Design ers such as Riley Studio, Olderbrother, NotEqual, Toogood London and Oliv ia Oblanc have built their collections around the idea of gender-neutral clothing. Riley Studio explains their choice to design gender-neutral cloth ing best in their mission statement: “We believe in individuality and that’s why we design without gender in mind. Style knows no boundaries, and neither should we.”1

Next time you shop, take a look at the opposite gender’s section of the store. Zara and TopShop are two of my fa vorite places to shop in the men’s sec

1 “Collections,” Riley Studio.

tion. Another, more sustainable, place to shop for the opposite gender’s clothing is at your local thrift store. My favorite thrift shop here in Madison is Saint Vincent de Paul’s.

For some more inspiration, I curated my own go-to genderless outfit. In the photos I am wearing a pair of wide leg trouser pants from TopShop, a pair of dress shoes from Jeffrey Campbell, a thrifted sweater and a long thrifted coat. I accessorized with minimal jew elry and styled my hair into a low bun.

Dressing genderless is an inspiring way of pushing your own personal style to new limits and going out of your com fort zone. Next time you go shopping, challenge yourself to try something new and you might just fall in love with genderless fashion.

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MIRRORS; OFF THE WALL

A FUTURISTIC TREND HITTING THE FASHION WORLD BY STORM

By Grace Reber, Contributing Writer Illustrated by Courtney Cotey

Mirrors are what we have become accustomed to relying on for checking in on ourselves in many different ways. Stopping by a mir ror to fix your hair and makeup or solidifying an outfit has become a societal norm. In recent years, however, mirrors have moved from walls right onto the clothing and accessories that can be seen both on the runway and in our daily lives.

The mosaic mirror design has been on the rise since the mid2010s with runway shows like Tom Ford’s Spring 2014 collection and Dolce & Gabbana’s Fall 2016 collection, which have incorporat ed this unique take on reflective clothing in dramatically different styles of dress.

This trend of mirrored design is not limited to clothing. Design ers including Tom Ford, Dolce & Gabbana, Virgil Abloh (creator of Off-White and a UW Madison graduate) and Illesteva have cre ated mirrored accessories such as sunglasses, bags and shoes to align their brands with the rising style.

Most of these creations range in cost from 200 to over 5,000 dol lars, making them unattainable to the common population. While mirrored mosaic pieces haven’t exactly made it into mainstream, ready-to-wear clothing stores, the idea of reflection and mirrors in clothing is apparent in many styles. Many popular online re

tailers like Pretty Little Thing and Revolve offer very similar styles, such as the use of silver sequins or reflective fabrics, at a fraction of the price.

With the accessibility of this upand coming-trend with many popular online retailers carrying reflective and mirrored items, rocking the style has never been easier or more accepted with many celebrities and big name brands backing the trend, in cluding Kate Hudson, Michelle Williams and Jennifer Lawrence.

While these celebrities tend to sway to the extremes with this trend, including full mirrored dresses, jumpsuits and acces sories, not everyone is going to want to look like J-Lo in her Su perBowl HalfTime Show mirrored bodysuit. Luckily, flashy isn’t the only way to go about this style.

To many the idea of wearing a reflective accessory or article of clothing can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. Safer op tions include mirrored sunglass es or bags that add a flash of unique style to a fairly simple out fit. Something more adventur ous could include flashy mirrored boots paired with black jeans and a basic bodysuit to spice up your style for a night out.

Whether you decide to pull off a full mosaic ‘fit or stick with an understated mirrored accessory, this universal trend allows anyone to, literally and figuratively, reflect their own personal style.·