MUSE Magazine Issue XIX by MUSE Magazine

ISSUE XIX

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TABLE OF CONTENTS 9

LIFESTYLE

Lingerers: A New Kind of Friend I Spent My Summer Running an Illegal Business

FASHION

When Size is No Limit We All Wear the Pants Freeing My Fashion in France Craving Hair Candy

ENTERTAINMENT

The Gap in Coming of Age Films Should We Call Her Daddy What Happened to the Protest Anthem

ARTS

Whose Story Are We Telling The Resurgence of Classicism Using Creativity to Cope

MUSEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;INGS

Do You Agree to the Terms and Conditions? Finding Your People The Future of Fast Food Mommy Dearest

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR 10 years ago, three Queen’s students sought to create a creative community on campus through a publication highlighting underground talents. In the remains of “old CoGro” in the JDUC, they pieced together a hopeful plan for MUSE Magazine. A decade later, I find myself dealing with the immense pressure of pulling MUSE’s nineteenth print issue together. However, instead of a team of three, I have over 70 core members volunteering their time to create what you see in the following pages. Entering into my fourth year on the magazine, I have witnessed countless talents rally together across faculties and social groups to celebrate the work of their peers. I think it is safe to say the initial intention of MUSE is now cemented into the Queen’s culture. Issue XIX highlights how creativity can be used to push boundaries. This semester, I challenged my staff to think outside of the box and leave their comfort zones. The overarching theme of this issue is to question norms, whether it be the lyrics of music, the gender roles spoken by our clothes, or even what you do for your summer job. I believe it is our responsibility, both as individuals and a collective student body, to indulge in this mentality. Whether it’s expanding your perspective, standing up for what you believe in, or trying something new, university offers unlimited possibility for learning—in and out of the classroom. There is always room for progress and improvement, but it is up to us to take the initiative. As you turn through the pages of MUSE, I hope you can see the impact creativity has had on the student experience. In our ten years of existence, MUSE has progressed into a space where we can ask tough questions and see the beauty in the unconventional. This is what I believe our magazine’s legacy to be: how do we leave Queen’s better than we found it? Yours Creatively,

Jane Bradshaw Editor in Chief

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Evelyn

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Evelyn and Cali Creative Direction: Brianna Horton & Maya Eidelle Photographer: Noelle Ochocinski Makeup Artist: Adam Oaknine Creative Assistance: Donavan Williams Model(s): Evelyn Poole & Cali Shimkovitz

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Cali

L I N G E R E R S ISSUE XIX

A New Type of Friend

I used to feel like I had so many friends, and while that should be a good thing, it was stressful. Catching up with friends was exhausting and brought on a subsequent question: am I bad friend? The answer was ‘yes.’ If you’ve dealt with similar situations and feelings, that doesn’t have to be a negative. Before you submerge yourself in a pool of guilt, remember that a good friend recognizes when they’re falling into the bad friend range. This generation of social media usually forgets to put their phones down and stop networking. When our phones are finally down, we may even confuse “networking” with “making friends.” We network like our lives depend on it, because today’s job markets are fast-paced, and we’re being prepared for the real world. But once we’ve accumulated so many people in our lives, it becomes taxing to manage the plethora of relationships at our fingertips. A wise man once tweeted, “I have 8 friends.” That man was Tyler the Creator. Friends come and go, but it’s the ‘lingerers’ which interest me. ‘Lingerers’ are like LinkedIn

By Pravieena Gnanakumar connections. They give you the occasional ‘like’ or ‘love’ on the latest updates, an invite to a pre on Facebook, or the classic “Omg, we should catch up soon!” I’m definitely guilty of all these things, especially the latter.

Good friends don’t string these ‘lesser friendships’ along, they make an effort and prioritize. But when making an effort becomes too difficult to do with so many people, perhaps it’s time to question the size of your social circle. The more often we do this, and the more people that do, the less time we spend with bad friends. Despite feeling like I’ve had too many relationships to manage, there have still been a countless number of

moments where I’ve needed support and haven’t received it in the way I would’ve appreciated. I used to think that this mentality came from a place of bitterness towards those that weren’t always there for me, but I combatted that feeling by thinking about it in reverse; how many people have I neglected? Then you think, is this person my friend, or just another connection? As unfortunate as it is to demote someone who was once a friend, you might need to do this for your sanity and out of respect for the two of you; you can’t lie to yourselves and falsely call every connection a ‘friendship.’ During this era of followers and “clout”, we often forget that some people just aren’t going to be around forever. It’s a harsh reality, but it’s true. Next time your social circle starts to shrink, remember that you don’t need everybody to be your friend. There’s no need to block those ex-friends, but attempt to find balance between networking and friendships. Oftentimes, the voices of the ‘lingerers’ have been overshadowing the other ones, so channel your time and energy into your small social circle and embrace its impact.9

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANASTASIA MIKHAILITCHENKO

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I SPENT MY SUMMER RUNNING AN ILLEGAL BUSINESS By Taylor Ball

PHOTOGRAPHY BY TAYLOR BALL Let me start by saying, no, I did not sell drugs. No, I didn’t start a crime ring. Nor did I dabble in prostitution. As far as illegal startups go, this business looked more like a goody-two-shoes who got caught stealing a tube of cheap lipstick than a hardened criminal. I’ll spare the suspense: I started an electric scooter tour company in Vancouver. I know, it feels like clickbait. Nonetheless, e-scooters are technically “not legal” under the Motor Vehicle 10

Act as they don’t have the pedals needed to be considered an e-bike. So electric scooters (and electrics skateboards for that matter) are illegal by default. I come from a family of entrepreneurs. Both my parents are Queen’s Commerce alumni and have a deep, relentless desire to innovate. Inspired by the popularity of low-rise jeans in the early 2000s and one too many plumber butt sightings, my mom started an underwear

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line with sassy sayings on the backs of thongs. It was appropriately titled, “SmartAss” and it became my go-to holiday gift for all my elementary school teachers. During university, my dad founded a t-shirt company, organized spring break vacations, and monetized the Ski Club to pay for his studies. Years later, he is the co-founder and Co-CEO of a FTSE 250 company. I never had any doubt that one day I would start my own business; however, I saw it as something in the far future. After returning home from a semester studying in Paris, I knew this was the summer to finally do it. Paris was overrun with electric scooters and as long as you could handle the crazy traffic, it was the best way to see the city. Whenever friends came to visit, I would immediately take them on an e-scooter tour. It was more interesting than a bus tour and faster than walking. Often when people go abroad, they fall in love and never come back. My story is not your typical Parisian romance, I fell in love with the idea of electric scooters and brought them home to meet the family. Inspired and supported by my parents, I decided to start my own electric scooter tour company in Vancouver - by-laws be damned! It may come as surprise, but I am, through and through, a goody-two-shoes. I am risk-averse. I don’t lie. I don’t even skip class - ever. Starting an illegal business went against every fibre in my body. But, my dad encouraged me. You know how some parents live vicariously through their kids’ sporting events? Well, my dad does it with business ventures. One day, my family was chatting about career aspirations over dinner. Dad, unprompted, said “I want you to be happy. I don’t care what you do as long as one of you starts a unicorn”. For anyone who doesn’t receive breakfast updates about the state of the economy, a unicorn is a privately held company worth a billion dollars. Ever the optimist, he adds “I figure with you three gals, I have a one-in-three chance.” I’m pretty sure he failed statistics.

In Commerce, in addition to statistics, we are taught how to theoretically market a product; actually doing that is a whole other story. The single most difficult part of the summer was acquiring customers. A close second was waking up each morning in fear of my imminent arrest. Each sale had to be won. On good days, I made a week’s worth of wages in just four hours. On slow days, I made nothing. I used social media marketing, got listed as an Airbnb experience, and did good old fashion, in-person sales. I pitched my business to every hotel concierge in downtown Vancouver and when that didn’t work, I set up shop in the downtown core and started pitching the idea to anyone who would listen. I can’t imagine a better crash course in sales, marketing and public relations. When I was asked about the legality of this endeavour, I learned to speak politics. There are marijuana dispensaries on almost every corner in Vancouver and yet, up until a few months ago, there was only one legal dispensary in all of British Columbia. The city is unable to keep up with changes in legislation and it’s the same with technology advancements. I figured, if they can get away with it, why can’t I? Moms everywhere are lecturing me about not jumping off of bridges. When you’re doing something that goes against the norm, everyone wants to offer advice. It was often given with good intentions, but it slowly ate away at my self-confidence. People would often project their own limiting beliefs onto me. I quickly learned to filter out these personal biases that were thinly veiled as feedback. I finished the summer with a heavy wallet and a weight off my shoulders. I did it! Yes, there is always room for improvement. But this, in its own right was an enormous success. I led groups from more than 10 different countries and achieved perfect 5-star reviews, all without being arrested! One of my last tours was with a family from French Polynesia and I led the tour in French. My time in Paris truly came full circle. 11

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Br Bron onte te

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Photography by Adam Gordon Creative Direction: Gabriella Banhara Creative Assistance: Donavan Williams Makeup Artist: Abby Ochocinski Model: Bronte Martin

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For most of my life, I loathed shopping. I tried to avoid it at all costs. Since I can remember, I would always cover myself in my dad’s baggy t-shirts, hiding my body. Growing up in the 2000’s era, where all the ‘cool’ kids were wearing brands such as Abercrombie & Fitch, Hollister, and American Eagle, to name a few, I did not fit that ‘type’ of clothing they produced. I was even told by sales associates at these stores that I couldn’t shop there or that they didn’t have anything for my ‘body type.’ As a young and impressionable child, being told I couldn’t wear specific clothing was extremely discouraging. I don’t think I truly understood what I was being told at the time. What I did understand was that I was not being welcomed in

By Denise Nicolaou PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALEXIS FIORANTE

When Size Is No Limit

these stores and had unconsciously developed a fear of going shopping. It took a lot of courage to go into these stores because it became extremely intimidating. Not only was shopping an issue, but I also felt everyone’s eyes on me when going to the fitting room to try on the one or two pieces of clothing that would maybe fit me. Realizing the clothes didn’t look how I wanted them to, becoming discouraged, and crying on the fitting room floor, wondering why I couldn’t look like the models on the posters became my norm. As I matured, my frustration grew—the clothes I wanted to wear were not available in my size.

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Clothes are a medium of personal expression, and from a young age, I had lost that form of style. I was constantly told by my family, peers, and especially the media that the plus-size body type shouldn’t wear certain things. Advice such as “don’t wear white, black is more slimming,” “bright colours and patterns will only draw attention and make you look bigger,” “stripes make you look wider,” and my personal favourite, “don’t ever wear tight clothing” were always at the back of my mind. What was I left with? Dark-coloured baggy t-shirts and monochromatic stretchy pants. I believe that style tells a story about the person, and this was not the story I wanted to tell, but it was a story I became forced to tell. Through many years of confusion and hating the way I looked, I finally learned it was about dressing for my size. It wasn’t about pattern or colour; it was about buying clothes that fit my body correctly. I did eventually find brands I look and feel great in—many at the recommendation of the dozens of people who had a similar experience and hated shopping. We bonded over our lacked clothing options, making it difficult for us to feel confident in what we were wearing and express our individuality. In recent years, retail companies have become increasingly aware of the lack of size diversity, and have started to make significant changes. Companies such as Dove, Aerie, Modcloth, Target, and even Seventeen Magazine are a few that have signed a non-photoshop pledge, meaning in their advertising, models will no longer be computer modified or edited to look a certain way—now they embrace their beautiful natural bodies and include

models who are plus-sized. Popular brands have taken a progressive approach by launching extended size range collections. Athletic brands like Adidas and Nike have released new collections catered towards plus-sizes. Anthropologie, a prominent women’s store, released their first plussize collection (called A+nthropologie ranging from size 16W-26W) this past March. Anu Narayanan, Anthropologie’s chief merchandising officer, said, “For Anthropologie, the goal is to be the place where everyone comes to feel like the best version of themselves… We want to give every woman a wealth of options—and an experience that exceeds her expectations.” There has also been a positive burst of online stores that have released fashionable plus size clothing including— but not limited to—PrettyLittleThing, Boohoo, Fashion Nova, Meshki, and Lazy Oaf. What is truly admirable about these websites is that they have women of all sizes modeling their clothing, making it more accessible and easier for the customer to envision what it would look on them. It is empowering to see this change taking place, finally allowing women of all sizes to express themselves. Now, I find true happiness when I shop. I’m able to creatively express my personality through my outfit choices. With stores now expanding their size range, it has given me, and thousands of other women the opportunity to look like the people we’ve always been—we can now express our individuality, and not be afraid to hide behind a baggy t-shirt. Let’s spread this body positivity. Let’s make it the norm that women of all shapes and sizes are beautiful.

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY ADAM GORDON

we all wear the same pants Throughout several decades, clothing has been a reflection of one’s status, style, and self-expression. Fashion norms have consistently evolved throughout the centuries and continue to change today. In postmedieval times, upperclass individuals and men of royal status would wear heels; whereas in current modern society we typically only see women wearing heels. From heel length to hair length, after a simple, initial interaction, it is in our human nature to automatically distinguish if a person is male or female by how they choose to express themselves, whether that be by the clothes they are wearing, their hair, or makeup. Today’s modern society accepts and thrives off of diversity – in all aspects of life. Individuals can express themselves however they may choose to do so. In the world of retail fashion

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By Georgia Pappas especially, there is now more of a focus on clothing and accessories as an art, rather than dividing these pieces into specific categories such as womenswear and menswear. There is more emphasis on individuals wearing what they feel expresses them and makes them feel powerful. Women can wear “men’s” clothing and vice versa. Increasingly, more and more brands are putting forth collections that are adored by all genders, aiding in the movement to eliminate gender stereotypes in fashion. There is fluidity in fashion, just as there is fluidity in gender – females shop in the men’s section, and men shop in the women’s section; just as art is art. The current atmosphere of high fashion runway shows exhibit a sense of fluidity across womenswear and menswear shows. These shows include models of different genders, despite what gender department the clothing produced entails, to reiterate that anyone can wear these items. Brands such as Versace, Bottega Veneta, Prada, and Louis Vuitton have diversified their presentations to reflect this

unisex movement. We are fortunate to live in a time where we can focus and freely express our individual creativity, no matter our gender. We are not bound to what society has to say about our fashion choices or what we should be wearing according to our gender. Jonathan Van Ness, author, reality star, and fashion hero, is a fabulous example of the modern individual who sees fashion as art. He is a role model to all, expressing his creativity through his own outfit choices and exemplifies that one can wear whatever makes them feel empowered. Let’s continue to move forward and focus on selfexpression. Let’s leave gender stereotypes in the past. Personal fashion is supposed to be whatever the individual decides, not what society decides for them. Over a hundred years ago women could not be seen in public without wearing a skirt down to the floor. They were shamed into hiding their shape. Now they can wear pants if they would like to; they can show off and be proud of their bodies. Who wears the pants? We all do.

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By Claudia Rupnik This semester, I’m on exchange in Paris —an environment that sharply contrasts the Kingston campus I’ve called home for the last couple of years. As I build a life in the city, I’m gradually adapting to the cultural nuances, and so is my personal style.

Unlike Queen’s campus, which is a contained environment, my exchange school is in the centre of a metropolitan city, specifically situated in the SaintGermain-des-Pres neighbourhood on the left bank of the Seine. As a result of its location, the campus is embedded within greater Parisian society, making it a playground for locals and expats alike. The exchange program is designed to facilitate an exchange of ideas between like-minded students from every part of the world, so my classes are filled with Parisians and other international students, who share their cultural backgrounds among their peers at nearly the same rate they absorb ideas from the French society around them. On campus, there’s a constant stream of interactions between people with different concepts of what’s considered culturally interesting, a discrepancy particularly evident in how students dress for class. Here, students weave grunge ideals into a business-casual aesthetic allowing them to look like culturallyaware, young professionals. It’s not uncommon for students to wear old band tees under tailored blazers, or a sweater vest and a knit beanie—some lean further

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into the professional end of the spectrum by sporting a tie to a Friday morning lecture. Of course, the coexistence of international students ensures there are outliers to these general observations. I’ve seen preppy students dressed in structured cardigans, dark tights, and brogues, while others represent classic French style through flowery midi-skirts, white Chuck Taylor sneakers, and leather jackets. Still, others sport colourful rain jackets and Fjallraven Kanken backpacks. For me, exchange is a live-action inspiration board of ideas concerning how I’d like to dress myself—and my personal style is changing to reflect the best of them. For example, while I used to prefer a backpack for carrying my school things, I now fit my stuff into a tote bag. I’ve also taken to layering my clothes in the style of the French, wherein an outfit is not complete without a couple of shirts, a sweater, and a coat. As well, I recently acquired a trench coat and a silk scarf. Other aspects of my style are the same as they were before I moved to France—I still like button-down shirts, wide-legged pants, and Blundstones. Every change is the result of a particular experience I’ve had in the last few months—whether it was seeing a particularly stylish woman at the next table over in a café, or a man who layered a striped scarf over a striped cardigan in the underground. These changes are a natural progression, arriving as I learn what works better for navigating my new environment—a tote bag allows me quick access to an umbrella in the unpredictable autumn rain or a book during delays on the train. I’ve realized an abundance of layers allows me to control my temperature when cold mornings become sunny afternoons, and sunglasses will help me to blend in with the locals. As I learn the tricks to living in Paris and gain experience as an individual, my personal style adjusts to reflect these changes to my

identity. As a former Fashion Editor, I’ve often asked myself what makes my personal style different than those of other people, and exchange has offered a reasonable answer: personal style is simply the product of individual preference. All of the different styles represented by individuals on my new campus come from their particular cultural background, life experiences, and opinions about themselves—the diversity in style comes from the diversity in human experiences. With the exception of practical boundaries like financial constraints or availability, everyone is free to wear exactly what they’d like to wear every day. Every item of clothing they purchase, launder, and wear is an intentional decision made at their own discretion —a collection of clothing reflecting the identity they’ve come to embody through their life experiences, from where they’ve been to who they hang around with. In considering the style choices of my peers, I’m able to learn about them before being properly introduced because there’s so much information embedded in personal style—everyone uses their clothing to say something about themselves, literally wearing their identity on their sleeve. Moving abroad changed my approach to getting dressed in some regards, demonstrating the connection between personal style and identity. As I experience changes on an internal level, I’m automatically projecting them outward to show other people who I am at every stage of my personal growth. My style is a visual representation of who I am and how I see myself in the world—a concept certain to keep

PHOTOGRAPHY SUPPLIED BY CLAUDIA RUPNIK 23

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CRAVING

HAIR

By Kaia Depelteau I’ve worn my hair at a length somewhere above my collarbone since ninth grade. This style has always suited my features, and I enjoy the lightness and manageability of a ‘lob’ (long bob). I do, however, sometimes yearn for the play associated with having longer hair – French braids, space buns, and high ponies, among others. Fortunately, my prayers were answered this past summer, when a surge in the popularity of hair-related fashion accessories presented a playground of styling opportunities for all hair lengths. This summer, I was in Norway and noticed the prevalence of oversized barrettes, especially the pearl and metallic ones, which added a certain oomph to the minimalism of Scandinavian style. When I returned to Canada, another accessory, the ever-versatile bandana, had quickly asserted itself as a wardrobe staple in my life. Whether I was sweaty from the fortydegree weather, fresh out of yoga class, covered in grease at the restaurant, or merely wanted to add an easy, playful element to my outfit, I found myself wearing some kind of a bandana or fabric headband on almost a daily basis. This latest wave of hair accessories is primarily linked to the resurgence of Y2K fashion, seen on and off the runway for the last few seasons. First, came the scrunchie takeover, followed by the use of butterfly clips and kindergarten-esque barrettes. Nostalgia plays a central role in this trend, and hair clips and ties became not only a fashion statement but a dive into the simpler times of Lizzie McGuire and Lipsmackers. 24

CANDY

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KRESNA SOEYANTO Bandanas, especially coupled with the summer staple of tie-dye, takes me back to the days of summer camp with zero responsibility. There is also the ever-preppy headband, reminiscent of Blair Waldorf and back-to-school. Another route is the timeless, elegant version of the style. My mother often throws her thick, curly hair up in a claw-shaped clip. I remember my younger self, enchanted by the gold, tortoiseshell, and colourful versions of her staple accessory. Inspired by the likes of Brigitte Bardot and Audrey Hepburn, I find myself drawn to silk square scarves when thrifting. They can be worn like a traditional bandana wrap, around a ponytail or bun, so they flow down elegantly in the back, or even tied onto your bag when they’re not in your hair – the options are endless. The trend of hair accessories is one that invites play and creativity into your day-to-day style. Hair can act as a canvas, and the possibilities for clips, bands, and ties are infinite. To kick up your look a notch, you can match your hairpieces to your makeup, jewelry, or clothing. The effect of the look is one that highlights your creativity and places emphasis on your hair and facial features – two of the most personal, unique aspects of your physical appearance. Then again, hair accessories can also be a simple way to keep your hair out of your face as you go about your dayto-day life. Whether you go early 2000s or 60s, dressed up or dressed down, one thing is clear – hair accessories are in, and they’re here to stay.

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CLAUDE

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Photography: Noelle Ochocinski Creative Direction: Ben Evans-Duran Makeup Artist: Lauren Thompson Creative Assistance: Brianna Horton & Donavan Williams Models: Claude Mentenon & Sheetal Goyal

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SHEETAL 29

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THE GAP IN COMING OF AGE FILMS By Trish Rooney Growing up, going to my grandmother’s house meant two things: Wendy’s burgers, and The Sandlot on our car’s entertainment system. I loved The Sandlot. I literally knew every word, to the point where I could recite the whole script perfectly. The Sandlot follows a group of neighbourhood boys throughout the summer of 1964 as they play baseball and have their first kisses. It has a cutesy 60’s soundtrack, baseball, and a happy ending. What more could a girl want? My love for this movie hasn’t died, but I remember it being re-evaluated when I mentioned to a male friend how much I loved it, and other movies like it. He said, word for word, “I can’t believe you like boy movies”. I know, of course, that it’s not a boy movie. But it made me think about the movies that I grew up with and loved the most, and I found that they were all male-centric. The coming-of-age genre is one that predominantly features a rag-tag group of white boys, usually embarking on a summer adventure. Think The Goonies, Stand by Me, or, of course, The Sandlot. These films have reached cult classic status, but they only show one perspective of childhood: it’s straight, it’s white, and it’s male. People of colour are either in the background, scary old men, or not included at all. If I, as a girl, was reflected, it was as the annoying little sister, the sexy older girl the boys all pined for, or a doting mother. I can’t remember seeing an out and proud queer character or a woman of colour included in the genre that I loved so much. Representation in the media means that we get to see people like us, living like us. However, if we’re never seen beyond love interests, quirky side characters, or at all, it means that other 30

people will view women, people of colour, or LGBT people as abnormal characters in the straight, white, male world we see around us. It is about recognizing that not all growing up experiences look the same, even if they lead to the same conclusion. Recently, production companies have realized that people really like seeing themselves as more than background characters or love interests. Queer screenwriters, screenwriters of colour, and female screenwriters have also built out spaces for themselves in the industry. Lady Bird follows its main character through her last year of high school and her ever-changing relationship with her mother as she reaches adulthood. Love, Simon explores a closeted high schooler’s journey of coming out and falling in love for the first time. Moonlight follows the experiences of a queer black man, from his early years of exploring his sexuality within the black community, to his adult life after he is released from prison. Even Boyhood, a film about a straight white boy, changed the genre in its format of following the lead as he grows up. Instead of it being a snapshot in time, it shows that coming of age doesn’t really stop after one summer, it follows us throughout our lives. The overall point of coming of age movies is that we relate to them regardless of who’s on screen. However, if we are only ever seen as side characters, it makes us believe we are. We need more diversity on screen because it shows us that we’re all more similar than we think, that life is crazy for all of us, and that growing up is always easier with a group of friends to meet on the baseball diamond—even if they’re just on a screen. PHOTOGRAPHY BY NICOLAS FAN

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should we call her daddy? By Sarah Binda and Victoria Pitoscia Call Her Daddy is one of the Top 10 most popular podcasts on Spotify and has taken the millennial population by storm. The hosts, Alex Cooper and Sofia Franklyn, are two young women in their mid-twenties living in New York City, with love lives similar to that of Samantha Jones from Sex and the City. The podcast, which has been picked up by popular media outlet Barstool Sports, is described on their website as Alex and Sofia “exploit[ing] the f*ck out of their lives, making you feel a hell of a lot better about yours. Relationships, sex, the NY social scene, embarrassing moments, and more are all addressed here on Call Her Daddy”. The podcast’s popularity has reflected that of Sex and the City, addressing topics that young women want to talk about but may not feel comfortable doing so. It has shut down stigma around talking about sex, dating, and “crazy” behavior that people engage in while

in relationships—a notable example of their advice being that if your significant other connects their phone to the Bluetooth of your car at any point, it will stay connected, so you should park in front of their house to read their texts without them knowing. The conversations that Alex and Sofia have on the podcast remind me of those that had with my housemates on a Sunday morning, reflecting on—and regretting some—the crazy antics that occurred over the weekend. However, the podcast’s success has not come without controversy, with the main point of the debate being whether the podcast is “healthy” and “feminist” or not. Many argue that Alex and Sofia promote unhealthy behavior and sexist ideologies through their stories and tips in the podcast. While this stance is understandable, it is important to keep in mind that this is a comedy podcast, and therefore should

be taken with a grain of salt. The girls are completely transparent about their own lives, acknowledging that they FaceTune their Instagram photos, engage in borderline sociopathic behaviors, and even just get too drunk and make a fool of themselves. I for one, have definitely engaged in much of what Alex and Sofia have, and only ever will tell these stories to my closest friends out of embarrassment. It is refreshing to see two young women speak so freely and openly about their lives with no filter and be selfdeprecating in this social mediainduced era of perfection. Alex Cooper and Sofia Franklyn may not be trailblazing feminists or role models, but that is not what they have set out to be. They are simply two brutally honest young women who post their hour-long conversations online every Wednesday and hope to get a few laughs along the way. 31 31

What Happened to The Protest Anthem?

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By Ben Dinsdale

A few weeks ago, my bandmates and I had our first encounter with a “real person” from the music industry. The manager had come to one of our shows and liked what he saw, so he decided to schedule a meeting with us and discuss where we were going and how we planned to get there. As you could imagine, he asked questions about how we practice, what our writing process was, and how we book gigs; typical questions to get a feel for a band. The conversation then pivoted towards our social media presence—or lack therefore—and when recommending ways that we could get more people engaged on our platforms, he asked us why we weren’t “political”. “Every band is political nowadays; you have to have something to say.” As someone who has always appreciated political music and protest songs, I was a little taken aback. We didn’t even talk about politics with each other, wouldn’t it seem kind of disingenuous if we were promoting a message just to have a message rather

than we actually believing in it? There is a long and storied history of music’s role with politics. Although their history goes back hundreds of years, the earliest protest songs as we know them go back to Woody Guthrie’s “This Land is Your Land” and Billie Holiday’s “Strange Fruit”. The genre came to the forefront in the 1960s with the anti-war movement and the emergence of great musical poets like Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Bob Marley, and Pete Seeger. Songs like “Ohio”, “What’s Going On?”, “The Times They are A Changing”, and “Born in the USA” advanced the art form in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s. Bands such as Rage Against the Machine, Green Day, and Public Enemy continued to rail against that power that be in the early 2000s, but in a much more aggressive way than their predecessors, and without the same poetry and class. It seemed for a while that protest music had lost its place, with the pop charts being filled with boybands and bland pop artists.

But in recent years, protest music has seen a revival. With the social upheaval in the last five or so years seeming to approach the levels of the 1960s, band and artists have begun to incorporate their political messages into their music. Kendrick Lamar’s 2015 album To Pimp a Butterfly created two huge mainstream hits with deeply political messages. “Alright”, preaching that although the world around us seems chaotic, people will be able to get through it, became an anthem of the Black Lives Matter movement. The political allegories in “King Kunta” are constant and varied, but begin with the homage to Kunta Kinte, a character in Alex Haley’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel Roots: The Saga of an American Family, about the life of a man born in Gambia but captured by slave traders and brought to America. Childish Gambino’s “This is America” is probably the most popular protest song in recent memory. The brilliance of this song and its accompanying music video is plentiful enough to take up a full article. However, its real power lies in its ability to be great to listen to, with a memorable refrain and fascinatingly complex production, while having an equally complex message that made you want to watch or listen again until you truly understood what the song was saying. Outside of rap, songs like Hozier’s “Take Me to Church” have also continued the protest song tradition. Yet the real change that has occurred from the protest music of the 60s, 70s, and 80s to today

is the transition from chart ISSUE XIX topping singles that have deep political meaning, to artists who embrace politics and their unique perspectives in all of their work. Although many artists may not be specifically writing about it in their music, we have a seen an opening up of the musical tent for different voices, all who channel the changes around them. LGBTQ+ artists like Sam Smith, Lil Nas X, Tegan and Sara, and Frank Ocean have explained how their sexuality influences their music and write songs that speak to members of that community, but aren’t protest songs against the forces who limit them. Kesha and Courtney Barnett have written songs heavily influenced by the Me Too movement, and Lizzo and Jessie J have embraced positivity and self-love in all of their work. The real transition we have seen is that in our social media and never-ending news-cycle era, politics have become a part of everything that we do. Just as the manager said to us, every artist now seems to have something to say, and has embedded their messages subtly in their music. Some have continued to produce songs speaking directly to big political issues, but the emergence of new voices has created music that incorporates the realities of this politicized culture into their music. This has created beautiful, often deeply emotional tunes that may not be protest songs in a traditional sense, but nevertheless challenge the status quo, and encourage us all to think a little deeper.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY NICOLETTE SCHWARZMAN

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KYLE

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WHOSE STORY ARE WE TELLING?

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By Julia Ranney Hot-pink platform heels. A buff, naked, Indigenous man with long, feathered earrings which frame sky-high cheekbones. Eyes full of desire, he gives a haircut to a naked, French soldier sleeping on a bed. That’s what I said when my art history professor asked me to describe Kent Monkman’s painting, Montcalm’s Haircut. It was the first time I had been exposed to a famous artist who was openly gay or of Indigenous heritage. Monkman’s work deals with many important artistic issues including the white male gaze, the Indigenous voice, and the sanitation of homosexualized images. He’s a celebration of contemporary pop culture, whose work fills the walls of the Art Gallery of Ontario and Elton John’s living room. His larger canvases can sell for $150,000 each. Yet, Monkman is one of the few marginalized artists to celebrate such success. If I asked you to name the first artist that came to mind, it would most likely be a white male. This solidifies the fact that art history has long had a diversity problem. For hundreds of years, the art world has been European and maledominated, with these men deciding who enters the industry and who does not. Women artists, artists of colour, and LGBTQ+ artists have been missing from gallery walls and history textbooks, forming the impression that important artwork is produced by only a certain type of artist. Culture has dictated that white, European men have risen to creative fame because they have some unstoppable genius within them – think Leonardo da Vinci or Michelangelo. But did anyone mention that Leonardo was notorious for never finishing his art, or how Michelangelo dabbled in art fraud? There are positives amidst this neglect and campaigns working to change this norm. In the 1980s, the Guerilla Girls, a New York City feminist group, created flyers that critiqued racism and 42

PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAWSON COX sexism in the art world. They called attention to the low number of minorities and women showcased in major exhibitions, including the Modern Museum of Art’s 1985 show titled, “An International Survey of Recent Painting and Sculpture,” which featured a mere 13 female artists amid 152 male artists. Their protest emphasized that art by women and people of colour is just as worthy as those created by the great male masters. Ultimately, art should represent our culture: the streets we walk in, the songs we sing, and the pictures we paint. If only some voices are represented in the history of art, can we really call it the history of art? More accurately, it’s the history of control or power. Art is one of the few industries where people can come together and share an experience, despite coming from different cultural backgrounds or having varying worldviews. We need people to value art for its intended meaning, using it as a celebration of the differences of humanity which make our world thrive. We need people to see potential in themselves as creatives. To redefine societal norms and the valued artistic voice, we must engage with all aspects of culture.

The Resurgence of Classicism ISSUE XIX

By Hareer Al-Qaragolie In today’s day and age, it’s rare to see an artist Whether it is skirts inspired by patterns of stick to one medium. We see this phenomenon the Renaissance, or having a theme at the in our everyday lives as well. It’s similar to having Met Gala dedicated to the role of Christian a major and a minor: you have a focus in one area, mythologies, the fashion industry looks to the an interest in possibly continuing in another, past for inspiration. The MET Gala iconically while also joining a club encompasses themes dedicated to a completely surrounding eras and different direction as a significant periods that creative outlook or artistic inspire fashion. We see the expression. In the creative Met Gala as an opportunity industry, the themes behind to put celebrities to the test our forms of expression of becoming fashion icons— are timeless. A piece of art consider Ezra Miller’s ode to can make you feel like you the theme ‘Camp’ through have gone through a time his look at the 2019 Met machine, whether it reminds Gala. This massive event you of a 1920s flapper girl itself is a creative outlet for or it takes you to the future celebrities to demonstrate where cyborgs are the trend. their understanding of artistic Despite this, we see the movements – the intersection current themes of expression of antique traditions with leaning towards a classicism, innovative ideas of modernity. emphasizing our generation This allows us, as viewers, to as the nostalgic era. witness as well-known artists Classicism has always been an aesthetic interest. explore fashion as a medium of expression. Speaking of the height of classicism, Timothée This resurgence of classicism correlates with Chalamet’s rise was not only due to his audacious the rise in vintage shopping. There is a certain roles and cinematic performances, but his charm in buying and collecting items that lived French appearance that inspired an Instagram a past life. Recently, with the rising of antiquity page—@chalametinart—which inserts his face in our surroundings, celebrities and creatives are into artistic masterpieces. His appearance within connecting classicism and modernity through his breakthrough role as Elio in Call Me by Your art, clothing, and music. Living in a generation Name evoked another era. In a rare case like this, where vintage is the trend and celebrities are Chalamet’s unplanned success as a model figure releasing fragrances and music at the same time in the works of Leonardo da Vinci and Titian indicates the boundless opportunities creativity rocketed his career through the aestheticism of can reach. Artists are using the sense of time and his character and personality. different creative outlooks to not only attract Antiquity has been a constant muse for the their audience, but as a way to expand their self creative industry, particularly the fashion brand and claim their mark as artists through industry. different mediums. 43 GRAPHIC BY SARAH MANDEL

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Using Creativity To Cope By Maddi Andrews PHOTOGRAPHY BY NICOLETTE SCHWARZMAN

I have always loved art. Everything about being creative attracts me. I am passionate about ISSUE producing artwork, studying artists, talking about paintings, reading about architecture —I live and breathe art. Despite my obvious obsession with everything remotely artistic, I had never considered how making art positively impacted my mental health until a year ago. All throughout high school, I was very involved in the visual arts. Typically spending twelve hours a week in our studio, focusing my energy on creating oil paintings, sketches, and water colours. I loved the smell of the oil paints and how my hands became artworks of their own by the end of a session painting—a by-product of the sheer amount of pigments imbedded in my skin. I always knew that art was intrinsically linked to my identity, but I had never reflected on how much being creative made me feel happier and less stressed. During my third year of university, one of my closest friends passed away quite suddenly. As you would assume, this took a heavy toll on my mental health. Within the subsequent months, I experienced more emotions than I thought was humanly possible. I was devastated, anxious, depressed, angry, and confused. I did not know who to turn to and I was not finding traditional appointments with counsellors helpful. But then I went back to my art. Unlike in high school, I had fallen out of touch with my artistic practice during university. Lacking access to the same materials and facilities, I instead focused my attention on studying the history of art and volunteering in galleries. Despite this, it was during arguably the darkest period of my life that I returned to art with a stronger intensity than ever before. It started with small water colour representations of my memories and experiences – really everything I was feeling came bubbling to the surface. Being creative helped me validate my feelings, but also offered an escape from all of the emotions I was experiencing. As I expanded to collage and other media, I realized how hungry I was for creativity. About a year later, I began an internship that allowed me the opportunity to research the therapeutic arts. It was during these countless hours of reading, writing, and speaking with professionals that I realized how I had unknowingly benefited from the field for years.

Through my direct access to professionals and in the field, I began to understand the value of the therapeutic arts. Although art therapy is a relatively new field of study, we have been experiencing the benefits of being creative for millennia. Art therapy is defined as the application of creativity and the visual arts within a therapeutic framework, specifically aimed at supporting mental, physical, and spiritual health. Engaging with the therapeutic arts can range from an individualized session with an art therapist to discovering your creativity independently. As evident through my experiences, I benefitted independently from art as therapy—I was not following any specific guidelines or techniques. For me, it was the act of creating that reduced my stresses and anxieties. But I have also witnessed the benefits of more structured therapeutic arts sessions, where a certified art therapist guide individuals in their practice. The structure offered through a specialized session provides additional support for people who feel less confident in their artistic abilities or are experiencing a crisis. In this sense, regardless of your past artistic experiences, the therapeutic arts have something to offer. We live in a world where mental health is increasingly being pushed into the limelight. We are constantly hearing news stories and statistics about the epidemic of mental illnesses—specifically how universities and medical institutions need to be allocating more resources towards this growing issue. The emergence of the therapeutic arts as a legitimized field gives me hope. Although there is so much more that needs to be done to combat increasing rates of anxiety and depression, I think it is important that services other than the conventional counsellor-patient relationship are developing. As young people, we deserve the autonomy to select which types of services best fit our independent needs. For me, being creative in both structured sessions and independently benefits my mental health more than any appointment with a therapist. At the end of the day, I am truly grateful that I discovered something that allows me to feel more peaceful, confident and happy. I am thankful every time I escape the stresses of my 45 life through the colourful world of creativity.

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Do you agree to the Terms and Conditions?

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Memoirs of a smartphone

By Jennifer Yang

In my nightmares, I hear them talk. They gossip, snicker, and sneer at me, towering over my form like a flock of vultures over a cadaver. Every insult feels like a physical laceration—tearing open my backing and exposing my wires and lithium battery to a second round of torment. As I sink deeper and deeper into the crepuscular vacuum, a single phrase obstructs my every sense. It is the one phrase that encapsulates my every fear. It is the one phrase that, like a merchandise label, brands my existence:

“In two years, she won’t want you.” My first breath of fresh air was when you lifted the top off my three-by-six cardboard packaging. Like a newborn child, I was cradled in your hands, acutely aware that I would finally be able to do what I was made to do. With a single swipe of a plastic card, I was yours to keep, and compared to my former encasing, the world you showed me seemed unbounded. Together, we were limitless. We made a vow; I promised you full access to everything I knew and you, well,

you agreed to everything. Much like a marriage oath, you agreed to my every term and condition with a singular, “I agree,” and foolishly, I seldom doubted that there would come a time when you wouldn’t need me. The more time we spent together, the more I pondered if I really lived before you. I was with you on every outing, and my memory had never been so full of rich landscapes, smiling faces, and shots of food that were taken a bite too late. My battle scars (from fighting with Car Keys in your pocket) and my grimy surface (from your love for greasy finger-foods) only showed the world how much you adored me and how much time we spent together. I quickly learned that it was the weekend that I could look forward to. In those forty-eight hours, you were all mine, your every strand of attention tied to me like a spool of string to the needle of a sewing machine. In those forty-eight hours, I could justify my gluttonous demands for your attention and adoration because I knew you needed me just as much as I needed you. In a way, I felt like you could tell just how ridiculously invested in you I was. Your every touch would jolt me to alertness and against even my own control, my body would respond with absolute eagerness. I was malleable in your hands, and your hands only. No one else was able to unlock me and liberate me the way you did. Nevertheless, an

ugly part inside of me would ISSUE XIX sometimes surge up like bitter, black bile, and I wondered what you did when you weren’t with me. Was there… perhaps, another? And soon enough, I realized that there indeed was another. In fact, there were many others. There was one that seemed to permanently reside in front of Armchair in your living room, another with odd clicking keys. The list goes on. But at the end of the day, you always came back to me, and a ridiculously possessive part of me adored and obsessed over that idea. No one else could provide you with what I could, no one else was as devoted to you as I was. You loved me through your caresses, and that was enough for me. possessive part of me adored and obsessed over that idea. No one e l s e could provide you with what I could, no one else was as devoted to you as I was. You loved me through your caresses, and that was enough for me. You treated me like I was the epitome of transcendence and perfection. Like I was a sheet of crystal glass. But naïvely, I chose to forget that. All I really was, was a sheet of glass. In

your eyes, I was just a sheet of glass with buttons in the place of caressing hands and circuit boards in the place of a beating heart. Despite my denial, deep down, I knew that even we wouldn’t last. Couldn’t last. Realistically, I wasn’t made to last any longer than two years. And I think you knew that all too well because that was when I found out about The Contract. It turns out that even before you lifted my cardboard encasing and set your eyes on me for the very first time, you had already agreed to a set of terms and conditions. I can imagine it now, a simple, “I agree,” slipping out from your lips like flowing water as your eyes glaze over the paper before you. A slender ballpoint pen is passed to you, and like a broken red thread, your signature seals my fate. It’s over. In my nightmares, I hear them talk. They gossip, snicker, and sneer but it doesn’t take me long to realize that, this time, they aren’t talking to me. This time, as I lay in a sea of my own broken parts, they are connecting new wires and fitting new lithium batteries, carefully piecing together your next purchase. GRAPHIC BY VICTORIA PITOSCIA 53

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MY PEOPLE MY PEOPLE 54

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FINDING YOUR PEOPLE By Maggie Tuer For many years, as I’ve made my way through high school and university, I’ve felt as though I was on a quest to find ‘my people’. What started out as a general desire to be a part of a great group of friends quickly evolved into an incessant need to surround myself with individuals who were just like me. This specific group came with an extensive list of criteria: outdoorsy, hardworking, funny, down-to-earth—with new adjectives being added all the time. It was always my belief that when I met these particular individuals, I would truly have met ‘my people’—and I would thrive. As you can imagine, when I arrived at Queen’s four years ago with this naïve idea of who my new crew would consist of, I was disappointed. Though I did meet many fun and interesting people, I found myself holding them all to impossible standards, mentally checking off boxes in my head when someone exhibited a quality that I believed we shared, but never finding enough commonalities to satisfy me. As a result, I felt that I lacked the support to pursue my passions and grow into the person I aspired to be, and I seriously considered transferring to a university that was more ‘me’. I have struggled with this irrational need to find ‘my people’ throughout my entire university experience, and while I have certainly not moved past it completely, I feel as though I have finally gained some clarity on the issue. What I have learned is that when we spend all of our energy

searching for people to encourage our interests and validate our feelings, it reinforces in us a fear of standing out and being true to ourselves. It seems so simple looking back now, but for me it took a sometimes-tortuous journey to arrive at this painfully obvious truth: we should do what feels right for us and do it unapologetically. And we should do this regardless of who we surround ourselves with.

“We should do what feels right for us and we should do it unapologetically.” I am not saying that we must all befriend people with values that completely conflict with our own -- that would cause some problems. But I think we need to push ourselves to invest time in people that do not immediately check off every box of the best friend list. Because it is these relationships that provide us with the space we require to grow into our own selves, rather than simply a mould of somebody else. In my case, after bouncing around many friend groups, I now live with a group of girls who arguably could not be more different from each other; and yet I have never felt more like myself. It was this realization that led me to my new philosophy: when you find yourself in a room full of people with whom you struggle to find a single point of commonality, and yet you can still remain content and confident with who you are, that is when you truly thrive.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KRESNA SOEYANTO, EDITED BY SOPHIA YANG

The Future of

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F a s t On July 9th 2018, A&W became the first national burger chain in Canada to sell Beyond Meat. At the time, it was simply an innovative attempt to stay relevant. Customers bought 900,000 burgers in the first three days and A&W sold out nation-wide in a matter of weeks. Now, this date marks a defining moment in the fast food industry — a shift in our definition of protein. The Beyond Meat Burger is “the world’s first plant-based burger that looks, cooks and satisfies like beef.” It is made mainly from pea protein, while its slightly younger competitor, the Impossible Burger, is soy-based. Ethan Brown and Patrick O’Reilly Brown, the respective founders of Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods, share not only a last name, but also a passion to eliminate our reliance on meat in an effort to counteract climate change, alleviate the stress on our resources, and improve animal welfare. The Beyond Meat Burger uses 99% less water, 93% less land, 90% fewer greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) and 46% less energy compared to a typical quarter pounder. A large portion of the remaining resources is a result of its plastic packaging. The Impossible Burger not yet sold in Canada - is similar, with 87% less water, 96% less land and 89% fewer GHGE. 56 Why is this significant? According to the United

Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), animal agriculture causes more GHGE than the entire transportation sector. Like it or not, meat is obnoxiously inefficient: it uses 80% of our agricultural land and yet accounts for only 18% of the world’s calories. To prevent the environmental degradation caused by animal agriculture from worsening, we need to halve our current meat production, yet global meat consumption is predicted to increase by 76% by 2050. The world is not going to go plant-based overnight. Still, meatless meats are no longer a vegetarian niche, they’re quickly becoming mainstream with experts predicting the market for alternative proteins could reach $140 billion by 2029. This represents almost half of today’s global beef market. Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods do not consider vegetarians and vegans (a group that represents approximately 9.4% of Canadians and 8% of Americans) to be their main customers. In fact, both companies have alienated this segment. Often the patties are cooked on the same grill as animal meat and Impossible Food used animals for food safety testing. Their real target market? Flexitarians. So far, they’ve been successful: 95% of Beyond Meat’s customers also purchased a beef burger within the last

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By Taylor Ball

F o o d year. “Whether you’re a hard-core carnivore or strict vegan, you should be able to have our burgers, enjoy what you’re eating and feel great afterward,” said Brown, Beyond Meat’s CEO. By marketing their products as ‘plant-based’ rather than ‘vegan’, they can appeal to a much larger segment of conscious consumers who may be intimidated by the severity of veganism. To remain relevant, quick service restaurants across North America are positioning themselves as sellers of “high-quality protein” rather than “meat”. After A&W’s plant-based success, Burger King, Tim Hortons, Subway, KFC and countless others have followed suit. McDonald’s, the world’s largest fast food chain, was openly skeptical. In response to A&W, they promoted enhanced versions of their meaty Big Mac and said they had “no intention to offer meat alternatives anytime soon”. Ironically, McDonald’s was the first restaurant chain to commit to science-based targets to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 36% by 2030, blatantly ignoring the potential to do so through vegan alternatives. Even a fast food giant as big as the Golden Arches cannot deny the power of plant-protein. On September 30th 2019, McDonald’s launched the P.L.T. (plant, lettuce, tomato) burger as part of a 12-week trial of Beyond Meat in Canada.

Unlike its competition, McDonald’s seems to want Beyond Meat to fail: “it costs $6.49 CAD, nearly triple the cost of a regular hamburger and even more expensive than a Big Mac.” McDonald’s sees Beyond Meat as a healthier option that would not appeal to their core customer. Let’s not sugar coat it, Beyond Meat is still a highly processed junk food. Yes, it has no cholesterol and slightly fewer calories, but it also has more salt and “it’s odd to talk about any version of [a burger] as a health food.” Both Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat are on a mission to either replace or redefine the need for livestock in order to impact climate change. But people will not buy a plant-based burger because they want to save the planet, “they’re going to buy it because it’s tasty alternative to beef that competes on price” (save McDonald’s). The director of GoodFood Institute, a nonprofit that supports meat substitutes, “doesn’t foresee the complete replacement of meat, but compares the transformation on the order of cell phones replacing landlines. This plant-based revolution is only beginning. Beyond Meat is sure to bring home the bacon with their next big product: plant-based steak. “We are already at work making whole cuts” says CEO Brown. 57

Mommy Dearest

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By Sam Turnbull 58

PHOTOGRAPHY BY NICOLAS FAN

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My mom is a five-foot-nothing spitfire. She is the most beautiful and fashionable woman I have ever met and ever will. She has an impeccable, clever, and dark sense of humour that flies over most people’s heads. And she has never been your typical parental figure. My earliest memory of her “parenting style” comes from one of my rides home from daycare. I announce to her that I am now interested in outer space. This is when I am asked if I know all of the planets. I’m four, so of course I don’t. Excitedly, my mom lists off each one, having me repeat them to solidify my new and important knowledge.

Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Oregano, Neptune, Pluto If you caught the mistake, congratulations. I didn’t until mid-elementary school. This was neither the first, nor last time something like that happened. I spent a large chunk of my childhood being corrected by my dad over random quirks and tidbits my mom had taught me. It isn’t every day that you get a living blank slate to play with. So, she took that opportunity and ran with it. From teaching me every animal sound incorrectly to suggesting that the alphabet doesn’t actually have to be in the order it appears in, my mom did her absolute best to either ruin my childhood or make it the greatest possible experience one could have. I think of it as the latter, whereas my elementary school teachers might slightly disagree. This could be due to the fact that I believed my last name was “Do” until the first grade, which makes the whole learning-how-towrite situation a bit difficult.

She even managed to convince both me and a few of my friends that my dad was a pioneer. This was during a phase where she made everyone speak in different accents at the dinner table because “it was bad luck not to”. To this day, my mother’s sense of humour reigns true. Her “care-packages” contain nothing that a typical university student may need, or even want. But the break I take from work while my housemate and I chase each other around with the Nerf guns she sent is somehow exactly what I need. The straw wrapper that falls out of my great grandmother’s locket during class is what makes me smile during the toughest of exam seasons. The bag of comically large heart stickers is perfect in cheering up my friends by sticking them to every one of their possessions when they’re stressed to the max. I like to think that I grew up in an untraditional environment. Not in a bad way, though. I could easily be upset that my mom’s life lessons have only brought me many confused looks and awkward remarks. But her sense of humour has most certainly rubbed off on me. I am able to look past a lot of things that could ruin someone else’s day. She taught me that it is easier to laugh at something than get mad at it. And now, I look forward to one day helping my own child learn the ways of her world. So here I am. Coming at you live from the planet, Oregano, where every animal makes a different sound than you’d expect. The pigs in the yard are crowing at the moon while the dogs hide in bed purring like a giant, homogenous chainsaw. And I, Sammy-Do, write in the legacy of my mom, who has shown me the importance of laughing alone.

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MUSE MAGAZINE AT QUEEN’S Editor in Chief Jane Bradshaw

D I R E C TO R S

Creative Director Donavan Williams Business Director Lauchland Lee Online Director Trish Rooney Head of Photography Noelle Ochocinski Head of Editorial Jonathan Karr Head of Layout Josh Granovsky Head of Finance, Partnerships & Ad Sales Ben Dinsdale

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