The Northridge Reporter November 2015

Northridge High School 2901 Northridge Road Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35406

est. 2003

the november 20, 2015

north ri d ge

www.northridgereporter.wordpress.com

reporter

The student voice of Northridge High School

VOLUME 13 ISSUE 3

Rising Star Exchange student inspired to make positive changes in home country

Photo by Ja mes Niiler

country.

“The nature is beautiful. We have everything.

We have rivers, a lake... so we have the forests, the mountains, rivers, fields...we have

“

- ’ .

AT A GLANCE page 9

’

zombie run page 6

“

...

People will never give women the credit where it’s due.

“

“M

y name means ‘star,’” she said.

Soft-spoken and quiet, she possesses a winning smile. Proudly bearing the flag of her home country, she explains its origin in the ancient culture of her people.

“The Kyrgyz flag’s color is red. In the middle of the flag is a picture of the Sun, and inside of the Sun it’s called a kuduk. Kuduk is the top of our house - our national, traditional house.”

Meet junior Zhyldyz Apyshova, Kyrgyz exchange student.

“Kyrgyzstan is an amazing country. I love my country and I really miss it,” she said. “Kyrgyzstan is a really rich country in the way of nature and peaceful people, I think. There are a lot of nations, and Kyrgyz people are really glad to have them as guests and as neighbors to live with us.

People are really peaceful and the nature is really amazing.”

Apyshova, a nature-lover, wistfully described the scenic beauty of her home

everything there,” she said.

Apyshova said she would like to become a doctor - but A small country located in Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan not just any doctor. was formerly a part of the Soviet Union. Apyshova is from “There are a lot of plans that I have, so I’ll come back the city of Talas, and is living and studying in Tuscaloosa and graduate from my school, and I want to apply for the for one year. med school. I have a big test after graduating, so I want to “I came through a program - it’s called FLEX, the prepare for that,” she said. “After that I want to open the Future Leaders Exchange Program. The volunteer center in my U.S. State Department, they make some country. I have noticed a kyrgyz issue tests...I participated in the test...and passed here in America there are it. I’ll study here for this year,” she said. a lot of volunteers who that s really Apyshova’s hobbies include watching help each other, who help TV and movies, and listening to music. She the community, so I have knows three languages: Kyrgyz, Russian plans to open a center, important for and English. America doesn’t differ much gather all the volunteers from her expectations of it, she said. from the country of me it s bride “The school is different. At my school, Kyrgyzstan, and solve the I used to study with my classmates for all problems, issues in my kidnapping i classes. I mean, I used to go to school and community.” study with them from the morning until Apyshova’s demeanor want to destroy became more serious as the afternoon. We’re still in the one class and we’re all friends,” she said. “But here she described the issues that I need to find new friends, I need to facing her homeland. go through all these classes, and “There are a lot of it’s hard to become close friends, problems...political because you spend one class a day. [At home] problems, social too. Just two days ago I wrote an essay we’re still in our class and teachers come to about a Kyrgyz issue that’s really important for me - it’s teach us. bride kidnapping. In many Asian countries, there’s still “I think [the that issue, so I want to destroy that,” she said. education here “There’s some people - boys - who kidnap girls without is] not harder any permission and without...anything! They don’t ask the or easier; girl - they just steal her and make her get married to him.

I think But girls can just leave that house if they want. I mean, it’s just they want [to], but sometimes their parents are ashamed of different. people’s rumors about them, and they make their daughter For me stay at that house and live with that man. The problem is it’s a little that girls cannot live with the person they don’t love, and bit harder after several years, they just get divorced most of the time.” because it’s Apyshova was quick to clarify, however, that rates of in English. bride kidnapping are on the decline. Most Kyrgyz date “ M y and marry normally, she said. American divorce rates are favorite part higher than those in Kyrgyzstan, and the issue is a fairly [about living recent one too, she explained. in America “It’s not a tradition. Our great-grandparents from is that] I can generations [ago] didn’t kidnap,” she said. choose my Apyshova is determined to fix the problems in her home classes!

For country when she returns, but for now, she’s happy to be in example, I chose the United States. biology because “I want to say America is such a unique country, and I’m I need to go really glad to be here and get experiences from here, and to med school. I’m really glad to study at Northridge High School, and I In Kyrgyzstan I really like it!” she said. “I’m really thankful and grateful to couldn’t do that. I my parents, to my English teacher, to the FLEX program, don’t think I can tell something I don’t like, I think. I like and to my host family in America for my wonderful year everything!” in America!”

“

JAMES NIILER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

jer’howard paige, sophomore

See story on page 6

2

opinion

The Northridge Reporter november 20, 2015

our thoughts

Women’s harassment must end

T

his month, The Northridge Reporter is featuring the often-controversial topic of feminism as its main theme. Though people tend to quibble about what constitutes a ‘feminist,’ arguing about terminology detracts from the worst issue facing women today: violence of a sexual nature.

In our society, it is deeply disturbing that not only women, but young girls are routinely catcalled, harassed and even sexually assaulted while going about their daily business.

Men rarely need to worry about these concerns. Women, merely due to their gender, face these threats, often on a daily basis.

Sadly, harassment directed against females is not a new phenomenon, and it is doubtful change on this issue can progress quickly. Nevertheless, we call on all individuals to take this issue very seriously. Men, it’s time to start behaving like gentlemen. Refuse to participate in this behavior that degrades not only your victim, but yourself. And ladies, always report harassment and violence that have been directed against you. There is no reason—none—that it should occur. No always means no. It’s time for our society to begin recognizing this fact.

[

[

staff members...

agree.....15 disagree.....0

Art by Rebecca Han

distracting shoulders

distracting

Not long enough

Drug testing sadly misguided, should stop

S

BERT McLELLAND OPINION EDITOR

tudents are being drug tested for the second year running, the continuation of a well-intentioned but sadly destructive policy.

Its ethical foundation is shaky to say the least. The Constitution states that no citizen shall be forced to testify against themselves (the famous ‘right to remain silent’), and requiring someone to submit to a drug test without evidence of possession violates that right. This is why the school system only requires students who drive, or participate in extracurricular activities to be tested; forcing it on all students would be illegal.

The policy is designed to “create a safe, drug free environment for all activity students,” a goal I cannot see it reaching.

The first two rounds of testing (screening 30 students each) has produced zero positives (a fact well worth celebrating).

Should we be shocked? If you’re in a bunch of extra curriculars chances are you don’t have time to be doing drugs.

Randomly testing this small batch of busy students is not going to solve our school’s drug problems. And while some might argue that even if only a handful of students can be stopped from taking drugs the whole thing will have been worth it, but I know for a fact that some students have already left their teams and clubs to avoid being forced to take the test. At this volatile time of our lives, some are unwilling or afraid to give up the escape of indulgence, even if it means sacrificing whatever affirmation they get in sports and clubs. However misguided this may be, it remains a fact: they have been pushed out of exactly the kind of productive environment that helps them.

I should make one thing clear: I do not believe this is a case of an evil, old-

fashioned, persecuting administration that just wants to punish teenagers for being ‘sinful druggies.’ With such limited and increasingly stretched resources, there is very little the school can do to help teenagers through the dangers associated with drug use. Hiring a host of counselors just to teach students in an effective, non-condescending way about the facts surrounding drug use would be wildly expensive, as would be insuring that all students who need it have constant help and a safe environment in which to seek it. Even then, there is nothing schools can do to protect people from exposure outside of campus, or from the various domestic hardships which so often lead us to take up substance abuse in the first place.

In order for real progress to made, the whole nation’s approach to drug abuse has to change. The War on Drugs has failed, and left hundreds of thousands of broken lives in its wake. Drug abuse is a horrible thing; hard drugs can leave one broken, brain-damaged or dead, and even tamer marijuana is not healthy, with a potential for damaging side effects, a nine percent addiction rate, and a negative effect on

brain development if the smoker is younger than about twenty-five (though it is not as deadly or addictive as cigarette smoking).

But locking someone in jail for months and even years just for having a drug in their pocket is wrong, it is deadly, and it does nothing to help the victims of drug abuse. This is too serious a subject to engage in chest-beating, so it’s about time sexy solutions like a ‘War on Drugs,’ are abandoned, in favor of the decriminalized, treatment-oriented approaches that have proved so successful in countries around the world.

But there’s nothing the central office can do about that. In the meantime, I genuinely believe they think they’re doing the best they can, but the whole approach is bad and a little bad is worse than nothing. Any little bit of good it does will be matched by damage to those it harms. Testing a small group of students is ineffective, and testing everyone is illegal. The money spent on testing should be spent on something else.

The policy should be abandoned and it won’t be; that’s a shame for everyone involved.

est. 2003

the north ri d g e reporter The student voice of Northridge High School

Northridge High School • 2901 Northridge Road • Tuscaloosa, AL 35406 • (205) 759-3734 ext. 295 Managing Editor Rebecca Griesbach Feature Editor Rebecca Griesbach Sports Editor Camri Mason News Editor Destiny Hodges

Entertainment Editor Sumona Gupta Opinion Editor Bert McLelland Video Editors Seth Cunningham, Nate Hester Asst. Sports Editors Nate Hester, Jordan Hutchinson

Opinion disclaimer: The opinions in The Northridge Reporter are those of the students and not of the faculty or administration of Northridge High School or the Tuscaloosa City Board of Education.

Copy Editor Thomas Mullins Infographics Editor Sumona Gupta Art Editor Rebecca Han Head Photographer Camri Mason

Letters to the editor: It is the policy of The Northridge Reporter to publish all non-obscene, non-libelous, signed letters to the editor, regardless of the opinion expressed in them. Submit letters to Rhonda Lane in room 109 or email to rlane@tusc.k12.al.us.

The Northridge Reporter reserves the right to edit letters and verify allegations.

Rhonda Lane, Adviser James Niiler, Editor-in-Chief Visit us online at northridgereporter.wordpress.com Follow us on Twitter @NHSReporter Follow us on Instagram @thenorthridgereporter Visit our Facebook page, ‘The Northridge Reporter 2015-2016’ Check out our YouTube channel, ‘The Northridge Reporter’ See our paper ONLINE at issuu.com, ‘The Northridge Reporter’

opinion

The Northridge Reporter november 20, 2015

3

Girls should take pride in their natural beauty

F

destiny hodges News Editor

rida Kahlo, Hispanic artist and iconic feminist, once said, “I used to think I was the strangest person in the world, but then I thought there are so many people in the world, there must be someone just like me who feels bizarre and flawed in the same ways I do. I would imagine her, and imagine that she must be out there thinking of me too.

Well, I hope that if you are out there and read this and know that, yes, it’s true I’m here, and I’m just as strange as you.”

The definition of beauty in the last six hundred years has been a rollercoaster.

From curvy to exceedingly thin, the world’s perception of beauty is an everlasting, inconsistent standard to which women are subjected.

During the Renaissance, women did not worry about losing a few pounds.

Women, who would today be considered heavy, were stunning to men. Their size reflected their wealth. Women who were skinny were known to be poor. If you were wealthy, you had the ability to eat as much as you wanted, so bigger women were very attractive and often sought by men.

Women today should be more like today about confidence. Kahlo was satisfied women of the Renaissance. Even if we are with who she was, a woman with a good not wealthy, we should not care about how bit of facial hair. She had a moustache, a men look at us. Of course everyone likes unibrow and an increased amount of peach to be complemented and seen as beautiful, fuzz, but she did not let that stop her. but we are not bound by their standards of She knew she had flaws like everyone else, but unlike perfection. some women, she In the 1800s, was able to live women wore with her flaws. She corsets to mold did not seek to their bodies. A change. She knew large rear and a she was beautiful small waist was regardless of then considered what other people flawless. thought.

Corsets are This is the similar to plastic attitude women surgery today. today should Women try take on. We are the mold their beautiful!

Our bodies to meet ‘flaws’ are a part the standard of of us. They make beauty, when us who we are, in fact they are beautiful. already beautiful.

The Roaring Women’s ideas to Twenties gave undergo plastic women a boyish surgery to enhance look.

Women their figure are wore long, slinky the product of ‘Self-Portrait with Necklace of Thorns’ dresses to conceal men and their Frida Kahlo (1907-1954) their curves as the absurd, inconstant standards, which cause insecurities; new feminist movement began. Arms and whereas women feel that they must live up legs were now viewed to set the standard for women. to, or exceed, the standard.

By the 1930s and 40s, women started to By the early 1900s, although the idea of a sizable rear end was no longer the standard, work out to build muscle in their arms and legs. It was at this era that the padded bra a small waist still was.

Frida Kahlo was the beauty of the early to was introduced to enhance the appearance mid-1900s. She could teach the women of of breasts.

Students should respect, be honest with themselves Camri Mason sports editor

T

he minute one steps out of one’s home, he or she is going to come into contact with many others besides friends. As a young woman, I know it is important to not only represent myself, but my family as well.

When I see students that act out for just laughs and giggles, it is annoying when the teacher has to argue with a student for half of the class period to stop distracting the class. By the time the student calms down, they think they should get respect from others when they do not have respect for themselves. It is okay to have fun with friends, but it is not okay to act differently than your original character.

One should have self-respect for themselves before they can gain respect from their peers. But having self-respect is such precious thing, because not many people believe it is important to have.

Some people think it is okay to do crazy things and say anything to anyone.

What is really upsetting is that people demand for others to treat them with the highest respect, but they do not do the same. When having self-respect, you treat others like you would want to be treated.

At times, it feels as if it is a battle between the genders when it comes down to what people can, and cannot wear. Lately there have been problems with the dress code at the school, but if you look past the dress code, they are only preparing us for the world outside of high school. We have the dress code for a reason; it is not to stop our creativity, but to ensure that when we go out beyond a school, we represent ourselves as strong leaders.

We do not sometimes appreciate the boundaries we have, because if guys walk around with their pants half way down, they are seen as if they have no home training. For girls, if we have more skin surface shown than needed, we are seen as if we are trying to gain negative attention.

Having self-respect all depends on how we chose to present ourselves and how we act.

One cannot always expect for people to have one hundred percent respect towards oneself, but having self-respect is a way to achieve life goals and live up to your true self.

Marilyn Monroe, an iconic performer and beauty of the age, set the standard of her time with her hourglass figure, the measure of hips and bust are almost identical with a waist smaller than the two.

By the 1960s, women began to become obsessed with being seriously thin, while adopting low to no maintenance hair styles.

They believed that the more natural you were, the more beautiful you were.

The women of today should be more like them. Plastic surgery, excessive amounts of makeup, and photo shop are things used to alter people’s natural beauty. No one needs to change who they are.

Women today such as the Kardashians, who are strikingly beautiful, deceive people with their plastic surgery. They promote self-assurance, but live out the exact opposite. Iconic figures such as Taylor Swift and Nicki Minaj are known as beautiful. Swift is known for her long legs and bold red lipstick. Minaj is known for her large derrière.

Men create these standards that women alter themselves to live up to, and it is simply disgusting. To have a type that you like is okay, but to degrade women who are not your type is vulgar.

Women are beautiful the way they are, and they don’t need anyone to tell them differently.

What is beauty? Is it the structure of your face, your nose, eye color, or cheekbones? Is it the shape of your body, tall and skinny, or short and curvy?

Beauty is personality, and although this is cliché, a person’s morals and the way they express themselves shows true beauty.

‘I LOVE HER...

NOT?’

* * Emotional manipulation should not be tolerated

Jordan Hutchinson Assistant sports Editor ‘Ignorance is bliss.’ This phrase has been spoken so many times that no one really knows what that means, and no one questions whether it holds any truth.

Is ignorance bliss? It seems to me that the people who are emotionally ignorant are not happy or blissful.

I have a motto that I use that works one hundred percent of the time: If someone does not care about you, why care about that person? I see this all the time with friends of mine that care so much about what someone else thinks or feels about them, even when that person has treated my friend horribly and has no regard for what feelings they may have.

It isn’t fair to anyone if one person puts so much work into pleasing someone, and gets treated like garbage in return.

Whether they accept this emotional

strain because that person is someone they respect, or someone they are ‘in love with,’ it doesn’t matter. It makes no sense when people ignore the obvious just to stay within their comfort zone, or because they are scared to move an inch because of how much they feel for the other person. Try new things; be a person, not an attachment.

I have heard the same scenario from so many of my friends, male and female, that it makes me sick.

“They cheated on me again.”

“Well, are you going to break up with them?”

“No, I love her.”

But does this person love you is the question I want to ask every time. It just doesn’t make sense to me how people do not respect themselves enough to stand up when someone does not treat them the way they think they should be treated, and say enough is enough. Have a backbone. Don’t be some doormat that people just step on, because that makes nobody happy, least of all yourself.

My point here is that purposefully ignoring signs that someone does not care about your feelings is ignorant in itself. If this is you or someone you know, shake them and tell them to reevaluate what is going on in their life so it can be better.

4

news

The Northridge Reporter November 20, 2015

Photo by Seth Cunningham

Zombie Run gives back to community SETH CUNNINGHAM VIDEO EDITOR

Photo by Katherine Ray

ARRIVAL German Exchange students gather together before walking through an American school for the first time.

Ger man st udents take on Tuscaloosa KATHERINE RAY STAFF WRITER

German exchange students arrived Friday, Oct. 16 to experience America away from the movie screens. It was their turn to come to Tuscaloosa after Tuscaloosa City Schools students traveled to Schorndorf, Germany last July.

The students said that even with all the American movies and television shows, nothing could prepare them for the culture shift that was to be expected with the exchange.

One of the main requirements of the German Exchange is for the students to be hosted by a traditional American household. Being a part of the daily life of an American family has the purpose of learning and experiencing American culture.

Director of the Sister Cities German Exchange Lisa Keys said that the program immerses the students in American culture.

“The exchange gives folks the opportunity to live with an American family and see what life is like; to experience American culture on a fundamental level,” Keys said.

She said it was always interesting the see the personality of the group, and how they mixed with their families.

“At first you’re scared of doing something wrong,” German exchange student Antonia Schmid said. “But if the family is good, it’s easy to get involved.”

With only two weeks in Tuscaloosa, time was limited, and not a second was wasted. They arrived with a tight schedule that included visiting the Huntsville Space and Rocket center, touring Bryant-Denny Stadium, visiting the Civil Rights Institute and meeting Mayor Maddox.

On Monday, Oct. 19, the exchange students finally had a taste of what a real American high school was like when they stepped onto the school’s campus. They

were, however, shocked on how different school in the United States was from the way the media portrays it.

“It wasn’t ‘High School Musical’,” Louisa Woher, exchange student, said.

Woher and Schmid, two of the German exchange students, expressed the few differences between America and Germany.

When they first came, the amount of cars on the roads was shocking. In Germany, they said everyone walked, biked, or took public transportation to get from one place to the other. Everything was more centrally located, while they said America has their buildings more spread out.

Woher stated that the attitude of the American people was also very different than the attitude back home. While both were positive, she said people in Germany kept more to themselves, not really talking to anyone but their friends and family.

“It’s really sad,” Schmid agreed.

They said that both Germany and America have similar tastes in music and fashion. Despite some surprises, America was overall what they thought it would be.

“It’s not very different from Germany,” Schmid said.

Keys agreed that the two countries have many things in common.

“We are more alike than we are different,” Keys said. “The friendships that are formed are heartwarming. They get to experience so many cultural activities and history. It’s amazing, the things they’re able to do in such a short amount of time.”

Schmid agreed that interesting friendships are a vital part of the exchange.

“You get involved in another culture and make new friends,” Schmid said. “You usually don’t get a chance to really know somebody from another country.”

The next German exchange will happen in 2017, and Tuscaloosa will again be prepared to house the next group of young, curious German students.

The inaugural Zombie Run 5K took place on Friday, Oct. 30 in Alabaster.

The Zombie run is “a 5K set up to be a safe community event for all ages,” said Zombie Run organizer Jamia AlexanderWilliams.

“The event is non-profit, everything we raise goes right back into the community,” said Williams.

This community aspect is evident in the second half of the Zombie Run, in an event called the Goblin Bash.

The Goblin Bash allowed small businesses and organizations in the community to set up tents to advertise and sell products.

“All money from the tickets are split up

evenly and given to the organizations,” said Goblin Bash organizer Melissa Madden.

The organizations and businesses are not the only ones who profited. Attendees also had the chance to win a prize basket during a raffle at the end of the night.

The basket was made up of many different donations from the participating businesses and organizations.

“All money from the raffle and race goes to support deserving students,” said Wesley Hester, a supporter of the event.

The organizers of the event had been planning it since August and were ecstatic that it did so well, hoping that it will become an annual event.

Hester was especially impressed with the outcome of the event.

“This is another example of how wonderful a community we are,” he said.

Well-rounded teacher joins staff

Puzinauskas found art in a “serendipitous KRISTEN LOPER way” and knew she wanted to do something STAFF WRITER with it. She created an art enrichment Suzette Puzinauskas, known by students program which turned into a business, as “Mrs. P.,” was hired at the beginning of where she found “true joy” and knew she the school year, taking the place of previous wanted to teach. art teacher Martine Torain, who transferred Annika Horne, junior, is one of her Art to a school in Birmingham after the first I students this year. Horne said the new day of school. art teacher “is down to earth, inspiring and Puzinauskas has experienced many creative.”

Her favorite thing about Mrs. P. diverse cultures. Born in Morocco, Africa, is her patience. she has lived in Greece, as “I have always been well as six different states in impressed with Mrs. P.’s America. She has taught at a patience.

My class requires a naval academy (NAPS) and also lot of it,” said Horne. “I really taught for the mentally disabled just want to take her out to and in a juvenile center. Locally, dinner and just let her talk she has taught at Martin Luther for hours and hear all of her King Jr., Skyland, Cottondale, Photo by Kristen Loper stories.” and Montevallo elementary Puzinauskas hopes that her students schools. gain an appreciation for art and hopes she She described her experience teaching at can “provide a voice that they can’t express Northridge so far as “an adjustment.” themselves,” said Puzinauskas.

“As a small child, I lived outdoors and was For her, the best part of teaching is that interested in what I saw. I loved working it is joyful. with my hands and problem solving, I went “It’s one place you can do something to school where I learned to teach myself at school where it’s actually enjoyable, and found my love for art through this,” everyone can do it if they apply themselves.”

Puzinauskas said.

F The Northridge Reporter November 20, 2015

feature

5

fem-i-nism /fem ,niz m/: the advocacy of women’s rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men. e

e

Regardless of the connotations that surround the word, the core values of the movement remain the same. Do you feel confined to the traditional roles society has placed on both genders - for women to bear children, keep house and to remain underpaid, while men are expected to mask their emotions and “man up?” Do you feel like you have an unfair advantage or disadvantage based on the shapes of your features, the color of your skin and the way you choose to dress? In a world defined by labels, where femininity and masculinity are far from fluid, do you ever feel stuck, restricted to one side or the other? Feminism aims to break these barriers by reforming a flawed, patriarchal system in which women and men are hopelessly divided. In this spread, we hope to reveal just how differently we experience the world in which we live.

Interview and design by Sumona Gupta

julianna martin, 9

So how would you define ‘feminism?’

Feminism is believing that women should be equal to men in all places in society, basically. In the work field and the social field, women should not be treated like they’re below men.

When (if you had to) did you realize that you were a feminist?

I guess if I had to come to, like, some big realization, I mean, there wasn’t really a moment when I was like, ‘Oh yes, this is how it could be.’ It’s more, I kind of grew up with a mom who taught me to not take any crap from guys and to always remember that girls are just as good and that sort of thing.

How can feminism benefit everyone as a whole?

Well, the thing is, people are taught that girls are ‘weak.’ They’re not as strong or good as men...people will insult men based on their masculinity, and when you use being ‘like a girl,’ ‘feminine,’ or whatever, as an insult, that’s not an OK thing... I mean, you are the way you are, and just because you’re slightly feminine or like things that aren’t traditionally masculine, that does not mean you are any less of a person. And it would also give many really intelligent women opportunities to be able to achieve some of the things, the same things as men, that could really benefit society as a whole. Whether it’s with technology, or research, or just any sort of thing, politics. Because there’s a lot that women could contribute to if they were allowed to.

So how do you think people misunderstand the meaning of feminism?

When people think of feminism, they may think of girls complaining all the time about how things are unfair to them. But the thing is, that it’s not just a bunch of whining women wanting to get a pay raise, it’s people just wanting to be treated fairly. People don’t see that. People think that, often times, feminism is, they want girls to be put above boys, but that’s not the case. No one should be treated as above another person because everyone is, in essence -- natural rights, basically, of being a human. And no one deserves to be exempted from that.

What do you think of people denouncing women, saying they can’t be feminists because of how they dress or what they do?

Feminism also gives women the freedom to act and dress and all sorts of things, the way that they want, the way that they enjoy to or are comfortable with. And you can be more conservative or you can be -- like Nicki Minaj, she’s more risque.

But the thing is, that doesn’t make her any less of a feminist because she’s owning up to it and saying that she doesn’t deserve any crap because of the way she presents herself, because she is being a feminist. She doesn’t deserve to be looked down upon or have her significance as a feminist diminished. Because she really is, she does support women and feminism, even if it may not seem like it to some people on the outside, but she really is. She’s being herself and showing how you can do what you want with yourself.

What would you say to people that think that feminism isn’t needed today?

I’d say that they need to look around and not just see what’s close to them, because, the thing is, feminism is needed. It’s just -- I mean, there’s no other way to put it other than it’s wrong to treat someone differently based on something that they can’t control. And, so, I would tell people to just talk to the women around them, and see how they can be treated differently from the guy, see how they’re oftentimes looked down upon, or don’t make as much, or are seen as weak or something other than a person. Even if you think it’s small, every girl has had probably some instance where they’ve been looked down upon by someone, even if it doesn’t seem that major, it’s happened to everyone.

Art by Julianna

Martin

6

feature

The Northridge Reporter November 20, 2015

Male students, faculty push

Speaking

of the WAGE GAP

REBECCA GRIESBACH & REBECCA HAN MANAGING AND ART EDITORS

. . .

“Are you a feminist?” sophomore Caleb Toshcoff asked a student in the hallway.

“Oh God, no!” he exclaimed before briskly walking away.

“Are you a feminist?” we asked another student.

“Wait, does that mean I’m gay or something?” he said.

Feminism.

High School

In percentages

Graduation Rates

69.7

86.6

College

16

93.2 92.7

24

Hispanic Women Black Women White Women White Men

36

34

Hirability John

Jennifer

3 to 4

Employment

ale Fem

Part-Time Jobs

Male

weekly wages

Asian White Black

Hispanic

% of how much a woman makes to men of the same race

Race

98% 105% 94% 110% White and Hispanic women, as well as minority men, typically earn more than white men in lower paying jobs.

However, racial and gender disparities grow in higher paying jobs: Full-Time Jobs

[ [ 88% 90%

81%

73%

Bachelor’s Degree male earnings

female earnings

$57,000 $39,000 Master’s degree

male earnings female earnings

$78,000 $52,000

Family

% of income spent on family

Females

Males

30-40%

90%

of the 73 cents every family woman makes to every family man

It’s a term Toshcoff said he was first exposed to by news articles and social media.

“I support feminism,” he said. “I’m not like, an activist, or anything, but I believe in feminism.”

Unlike most of his male counterparts, Toshcoff associates the word with “equal rights” and “stopping oppression.”

“There’s a difference between equality and ‘kill all men,’” he said.

His friend Jacob Stephens, sophomore, let out a laugh.

Toshcoff was referring to the popular Twitter hashtag #killallmen, a satirical jab at online feminists which he said has left many with a sour taste for the movement.

“It’s definitely made fun of a lot online,” Stephens said.

For the two boys, this conversation hasn’t left the confines of the computer screen.

Images of women with their faces furrowed in anger, proclaiming their hatred for all men can be seen on sites like “iFunny,” Stephens said.

The idea of the furious “feminazi” is one popularly seen, where women are portrayed to take offense at the slightest kindness and shove their opinions down others’ throats.

Left under the guise of the Internet, junior Owen Schreiber said feminism is “just not something people talk about” at school.

I

t’s a phenomenon junior Will Henson has a simple explanation for.

“We live in Alabama,” he said.

“Especially here, no guy is gonna want to be even associated with the word feminism.”

Culturally, not much has changed in a region deeply rooted in traditional ideals.

Evident in father-son advice and just “hanging out with the guys,” Henson said male-tomale rhetoric is often masked by harmless intent.

“My dad is kind of an offender of ‘accidental” sexism,’ he said.

“He’ll tell me, ‘Oh Will, never

[

*

try to understand women, they’re just mysteries,’ ‘You’ll never understand women, it’s not even worth trying,’ or ‘Never get in an argument with a woman! You’ll always lose.’”

Around age twelve, Henson was introduced to feminism through the Maximum Ride series. However, it didn’t initially rub him the right way. “[The book] was terrible,” he said. “It was real preachy, and I remember really hating [feminism] as an idea and as a concept because the main character would always talk about how men are pigs and all this stuff.”

Henson remained skeptical, alluding to the famed “feminazi” meme. In his eyes, the word only evoked anger.

“I associated it with people getting mad at people,” he said. “...and even though that never actually happened, I thought it was something that could happen, which is a little absurd and kind of a straw man argument kind of thinking.”

Coach Shane Ashcraft also held an initial aversion to the term, which later changed upon study of feminist articles and theory.

“And really, feminism is just… humanism, the belief that women should have equal rights and opportunity, and I would say that about men, women, whatever,” he said.

Attributing the negative connotation of feminism with a general misunderstanding of the term, he said that many equate the movement with female superiority as opposed to equality.

“I think most people put off by feminism have a misunderstanding and think that it means advancement of women instead of men or in spite of men, meaning a very specific set of women that are very angry or forceful, which is obviously not true,” he said.

Contrary to these common misconceptions, Ashcraft said that greater support for the movement could “alleviate some major social strains,” citing the gender wage gap as a notable example of cultural tensions.

“We can’t expect people to get

The United States House of Representatives is only comprised of 19.3% women; in the U.S. Senate, this number rises only to 20% in a country where women comprise over 50% of the population.

along if women are getting paid pennies on the dollar, or when you’re able to get a job because of your gender, your sex, whatever,” he said. “I mean, I wouldn’t be happy if I had an unfair disadvantage based on something I couldn’t control.”

Admittedly, Ashcraft said these social constructs have given him a leg up in the workplace; as male English teachers are a rare find, his gender has actually helped him land a job.

Through coaching football, wrestling and soccer, Ashcraft has seen gender inequality extend from the classroom to the field, noting an overwhelming shortage of women referees and coaches.

To bridge this gap, he said schools should “give equal opportunities to students and employees.”

“We shouldn’t assign jobs to certain employees based on gender. We shouldn’t make certain jobs specific within the school or within the students based on gender, and I think that would trickle down,” he said.

Henson, who has become more “acclimated to the idea” of feminism over the years, came to a similar realization. Gender equality, he said, ensures equal opportunity, and from that, both sexes can live out “the American dream.”

“The American dream is for everybody to be able to make a name for themselves or to make a career out of something they love,” he said. “And I just want to make sure that women aren’t discouraged from a lot of fields of study.” “...like the STEM fields,” he said, citing a “disproportionately low” amount of women taking science, technology, engineering or math-related career paths.

Gender equality would push more women into these fields, which Henson said would advance society as a whole.

“It could bring so many great new ideas and thoughts, fresh new minds - it could just be a really great benefit I think,” he said.

Increasing awareness of these issues, Henson said, would pave the way for progress.

“So many people try to deny that these are problems that are

join

“

In th Dr. Espy, ‘Try out a little

ignoran every day.’

SHANE ASHCRA

the caus

happening in our country and all over the world,” he said.

Although many online jokes surrounding feminism poke fun at a perceived tendency to take offense at the most trivial slight, women in the U.S. and around the globe face many tangible issues, including the aforementioned wage gap. Inadequate maternal care, under-representation in governmental bodies, human trafficking, objectification, discrimination within fields of academia, and violence against women are all issues at the forefront of the battle to end gender inequality.* While he acknowledges that these issues are all too real, Ashcraft remains doubtful that complete equality can be achieved, as “people have their own prejudices.”

He does wish, however, that people would open their eyes to feminism and “have an understanding of the word.”

“In the words of Dr. Espy,” he said, “‘Try and stamp out a little bit of ignorance every day.’”

S

chreiber was hesitant to call himself a feminist, a term he was first introduced to at a church camp he attended one summer.

The treatment of women within entertainment and the media still leaves much to be desired, with looming imbalances in representation and pay between men and women. Actress Jennifer Lawrence recently published an essay examining the gap between her earnings and those of her male co-stars, once more igniting a conversation on gender inequality in Hollywood.

In the business world, women are only 3% of Fortune 500 CEOs.

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he words of y and stamp e bit of

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AFT, FEMINIST

cause

“They talked a lot about civil liberties and progressiveness, and what it means to be a human,” he said.

Both Henson and Schreiber were open to the idea of altering the name ‘feminism’ to ‘egalitarianism,’ a sentiment shared by those who say that the original term comes on far too strongly.

“People just put so much negative connotation on a single word. You could present the same ideas, the same points, and as long as you kept it under a different name, it would have a totally different effect, I think,” Henson said.

Proponents of the term also argue that feminism is too onesided and that focusing only on the gender issues of women will do nothing to bring about equality between men and women.

Egalitarianism, Schreiber said, is a more broad term describing a movement that is “not just for women, and not just for men.”

In fact, gender-specific issues harm both men and women alike.**

S

ophomore Jer’Howard Paige sees feminism as “a chance for equality,” unlike

On the subject of the silver screen, statistics of Academy Award winners still leave room for improvement; of the Best Director Winners in the Academy’s 88 year history, only one, Kathryn Bigelow,has been female.

The Guardian reported that about 40% of all domestic abuse victims in the United Kingdom are male; male victims, at the same time, are often glossed over in ad campaigns and in public opinion pertaining to abuse.

Information from the National Center for Education Statistics, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. Census Data, Phil Borges’ ‘Women Empowered’ and the American Association of University Women Infographics designed by Rebecca Griesbach Men also have a statistical disadvantage in child-custody cases; in 2008, Newsweek reported that 5 out of 6 times, women win sole-custody battles.

5/6

many of his peers, who he said view supporting the movement as a betrayal of one’s own gender.

Paige expressed his dismay upon learning of the rigid roles women were forced to adhere to throughout much of history.

“Women went through this more like way back in the 1700’s,” he said. “We just got off this subject in history. I saw that [women] couldn’t vote, [women] had to stay at home and take care of your husband and kids and all that stuff. And I’m just like well why couldn’t they go and fight in the wars just like men did, why couldn’t they do as much as the men could do?”

For daring to act in the same way as men, Paige learned, women in the past would often face violent consequences.

“Even though the pledge says ‘justice for all,’ there is no justice,” Paige said, expressing his own frustration and disillusionment. “...people will never give [women] the credit where it’s due.”

Feminism for him is an extremely personal story, dating back to when his mother was a high schooler herself with dreams of playing football.

“In my hometown, Marion, my mom told me this story about how she wanted to play football when she was in high school,” he said, “and so they wouldn’t let her on the team because she was a girl, which really made me think, ‘Can’t girls play football too?’

And she was just telling me how it hurt her because she wanted to do that so bad. And I was like, ‘Well maybe it wasn’t meant for you at that time.’”

For Paige, seeing gender barriers being broken down at his own school is an enormous step forward. “...now I see that there’s a football player at Northridge

that’s a girl, and I’m kinda happy because now a female can do whatever a man can do. Now, you see a boy on the cheerleading squad and he can do whatever girls can do. It doesn’t matter at all,” he said.

Although Paige’s mother faced her own gender obstacles in participating in football, she is hesitant to allow her son to enter cheerleading, a traditionally feminine sport.

“I wanna be a cheerleader next year,” he said. “But my mom wouldn’t allow that because she sees it as a ‘girl’s sport.’ And my dad wouldn’t allow that because he sees it as a ‘girl’s sport.’ And how I feel, I should be able to do what I want to do because that doesn’t matter at all; as long as I’m achieving what I want to do in my life, I should be able to do whatever.”

Paige firmly maintained that a person’s dreams and goals are what matters in respect to individual accomplishments, something that gender plays no determining role in.

“I just wanna say, like, sex doesn’t mean anything. Like you can do anything you want to, and nobody should hold you back from that. Whether you want to be able to fight in wars, if you want to go somewhere where men can only go, or go somewhere where women can only go, it doesn’t matter at all. You should be able to go where ever you want to because that’s your goal.”

While he has his own personal feats to overcome, Paige said he has bigger goals for the movement itself, including “peace” and “cooperation.”

“We need to be saying, ‘You can do this, you can do that,’ instead of just saying, ‘You can’t do this, you can’t do that,’” he said.

“Because you can do this. You can do this together. It’ll work.”

“Do you identify as a feminist?”

“Yes I do,” Paige said.

“Yeah,” Ashcraft said.

“Yes,” Henson said.

]

Campaigns such as Always’ #LikeAGirl have emerged seeking to combat negative stereotypes surrounding young women and the effect they have on teenage girls.

[

h for gender equality

7

feature

The Northridge Reporter November 20, 2015

In recent years, the shocking gender gap found in homelessness has also raised the question of whether or not it is a predominantly male issue: the U.S. Interagency Council roughly estimates that of the chronically homeless, about 70% are male.

The path to earning 97 cents of a

man’s dollar Be born with two X chromosomes

...when you have the same academics, work experience and qualifications

Have a caucasian sounding name

Don’t even think about having kids

Don’t have children

Don’t get married

Never turn 44

Remain single

Girls faced with unattainable standards of ‘beauty’

“They called me a pancake and a pencil.”

“Girls aren’t supposed to be so muscular.”

BUT “You look anorexic.”

BUT

“Cheerleaders at my old school used to call me fat.”

“You just need to lose weight.”

“You have too many curves.”

BUT

“You’re too short.”

BUT “You’re too tall.”

Information compiled by Avery Hester and Mayci Hartley Infographic designed by Rebecca Griesbach and Sumona Gupta

“Guys only like me for my boobs and my butt.”

8

feature

The Northridge Reporter November 20, 2015

Photo by Camri Mason Photo illustation by Rebecca Griesbach

What it’s like to be in the dark, alone and a girl REBECCA GRIESBACH & SUMONA GUPTA MANAGING & ENTERTAINMENT EDITORS Trina Busby, English teacher, did not approve of the joking signs some of her senior students were making, referring to their rivals’ (Spanish Fort High School) player being charged with first-degree rape. “No means no,” the posters said, making light of a slogan meant to reveal the darkness behind a highly personal crime.

“You cannot make posters [saying that] and hold them up at the football game,” she said.

“It’s just… In poor taste. Don’t do it... It’s like re-victimizing the victim,” Busby said.

The fear that women face on a day-to-day basis is not trivial. It’s not imaginary or contrived.

In a former issue of The Northridge Reporter, the female staff was invited to partake in a self defense class following an article on an assault of a teenage girl at Munny Sokol Park.

It was there that instructor Michael Holt revealed a gruesome story of a high school softball player, a story of a simple stop at a gas station that went terribly awry.

Two years later - and for the foreseeable future - the issue still persists, as female students and faculty approach daily tasks, empty parking lots and nightly runs with a heightened sense of caution.

Terry Milsaps, junior, runs in Sokol Park regularly. Her father, a former police officer, warns her to always carry pepper spray with her for protection. “[My dad] saw way more [in Tuscaloosa] than you would think, like rape cases and stuff,” she said.

Although

Tuscaloosa could be considered a relatively safe town, Milsaps said she does not feel comfortable walking down the Strip, a popular street on campus, at night.

And it’s not just her, she said, recounting a time when she was walking behind two girls, “their keys clutched in between their fingers,” with their father on the phone for the duration of the walk back to their car.

While she takes care to avoid alleyways and shortcuts through neighborhoods, Milsaps noted that boys her age don’t have to feel the same.

“It’s okay for guys to do it though, because they don’t have any real threats to worry about,” she said.

Young men may be oblivious to the everyday anxieties of their female counterparts, but somewhere along the way, they learn to caution their daughters of the risks of staying out alone.

Megan Liljenquist, science teacher, grew up being warned about the dangers that surround women of all ages.

“My parents were always like, ‘You can’t do that, you’re a girl...’ and you know, ‘You have to be cautious because guys can overpower you,’” she said.

This sentiment was carried over by her husband, who feels the need to keep his wife safe on her nightly runs, cautioning her to carry pepper spray or bring their dog along for

protection.

“My husband wouldn’t do that for himself,” she said. “If he was gonna go for a run, he’d typically just be like, ‘Oh I’m just gonna go’ and didn’t take pepper spray, didn’t take anything like that.”

Burdened by the reality of being a woman alone in the dark, Liljenquist does not have the luxury of exercising when she wants to.

“I’m too scared to venture out…” she said. “...It just kinda creeps me out.”

L i k e

Liljenquist, Milsaps has cause to be afraid.

Walking along the streets of Asheville, North

Carolina with twenty of her fellow camp counselors, Milsaps recalled “the creepiest thing anyone has ever said to [her].”

“One man literally called us a buffet,” she said. “He was like, ‘Oh I can pick whatever I want!’”

Similar comments have kept senior Kathryn Versace from feeling safe, even while running daily errands.

“What’s for dinner?” a man snidely asked her while peeking into her grocery basket.

While

some m a y dismiss comments like these, shrugging them off as harmless, they make women more wary of their environment, prompting them to avoid more unwanted attention.

“If I’m walking down the street, I always cling to one side of the sidewalk,” Versace said. “I don’t really want to interact or like bump into someone.”

After two of her female neighbors were followed home by a “sketchy van,” junior Liza Thornell said she, too, is forced to take precautions when alone in public.

“If I can’t park by the door, I just don’t go,” she said. “The movie theatre? Nuh uh.”

Thornell said she typically relies on her friends to join her in nightly errands, a notion seconded by senior Ragan Ferguson.

“Whenever I get off work late at night, I either get somebody

to walk out with me or, like, I check underneath my car cause I’m always scared that somebody’s gonna be hiding,” Ferguson said.

The precautions these girls take are not merely habit, they’ve become second nature.

Even more so for junior Lakesha Dailey, who spent her childhood learning to grow up fast.

“I used to live in the projects,” she said. “Yeah, I was scared.”

At ten years old, a young Dailey hurriedly walked her Birmingham streets from cheer practice to home, evening after evening.

“I didn’t have my cousins with me, I used to just walk fast and hurry up and get my stuff. And,” she sighed, “I’d walk home... safely.”

She would then call her mother, who worked late and insisted on hearing of a safe return. “[Now], I don’t really think about being scared or anything, it’s just there,” Dailey said after she rattled off what has so quickly become common knowledge to her: “Make sure you’re not walking home in a little tank top, or leggings, or something like that.

“Make sure you’re looking out for who’s behind you.

“Make sure that you’re walking fast, like you’re not lollygagging.

“Make sure you see who’s riding up beside you in the road, that you don’t see the same car twice because more than likely they’re circling you, looking at you.

“Make sure you walk fast if you see a car cruisin’ by.”

For women, they don’t just to have to “make sure” they follow these unwritten guidelines, they simply must.

The Northridge Reporter November 20, 2015

entertainment

Local band brings back old-school soul Photo from the Associated Press

BEN LATTNER GUEST WRITER Paul Janeway, lead singer of Birmingham band Saint Paul and the Broken Bones, has been described as looking akin to either a high school history teacher or an accountant. This is very true, as on stage, he wears suits, bowties, and large glasses. Jesse Phillips, the bassist for the band, once said, “Bottom line is that we’re a bunch of kind of nerdy-looking white guys, and when this sort of earth-shaking soul roar comes out of his mouth for the first time, you can always hear the air being sucked out of the

9

room.” This quote pretty much sums up my experience when listening to the band.

This bunch of “nerdy-looking white guys” is bringing back old-school Alabama soul.

The band itself formed in Birmingham, and all of the musicians are Alabama natives. Janeway himself was raised in rural Alabama, originally training to be a preacher. His roots are evident when he is onstage, his singing taking on a gospel/ call-and-response feel at live shows. His voice brings you back to what this band is all about: soul. He lets passion fly from his mouth, singing about love, life and loss. Janeway’s voice bringing you in, it

captivates you with its natural and heartfelt sound.

But a singer alone is not a band, and Saint Paul and the Broken Bones is more than just Janeway’s voice. Horns and guitars deliver impactful blues, backed up by strong bass and trombone. This sevenmember outfit is dedicated to their music, and it’s clear when you listen that all of them play their hearts out with every song.

One reviewer described it as “chop-mylegs-off-below-the-knees-gut-wrenchingsoul.” I wouldn’t take it that far, but to be fair, most of their songs do make you feel like crying, screaming and dancing at the same time.

There is something magical about their music, probably coming from their insistence on “old-school” methods to record their album, “Half the City.” Most bands usually record parts separately, mixing them together after recording. Saint Paul, however, decided to do a more natural recording, having all the band play together three times, choosing the best of the three to put on their album. This method gives all of their songs a “jam session” quality. They

feel like they’re being played in the back corner of a jazz lounge, live and in person.

I haven’t found this feeling in many other albums I have listened to, and it’s a feeling that really connects someone to the music.

The only thing I would say is a downside to their music is that the songs can sound somewhat similar over a long listening session, but I personally like that they can keep a consistent sound. It shows that they know their music, they know what they do well, and they do it really, really well. Any fan of soul music will enjoy this band, and many fans of gospel and rock will too. “Half the City,” their first fulllength album, is available most places, but personally I would buy it at a local record store. Promote small business and all that jazz. Pick it up when you have the chance.

Saint Paul and the Broken Bones is composed of Paul Janeway on lead vocals, Browan Lollar on guitar and vocals, Andrew Lee on drums, Jesse Phillips on bass, Allen Branstetter on trumpet, Ben Griner on trombone and tuba, and Al Gamble on piano/organ.

You can follow St. Paul and the Broken Bones on Instagram (@stpaulandthebrokenbones), like their Facebook page, or visit their website, www.stpaulandthebrokenbones.com. They are playing two sold out shows at the Bama Theater in Birmingham on Nov. 19-20 and will be performing in Florida at Tallahassee, Orlando, and Fort Lauderdale on Dec. 3-5

Ninth grader plays extra in ‘Woodlawn’

New restaurant not for the health nuts JAMES NIILER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

AVERY HESTER STAFF WRITER

“Woodlawn” is a new movie that teaches people to respect and accept others despite racial differences. A local ninth grader Farris Turner played a cheerleader in the movie.

Turner became interested in acting after seeing her preschool teacher perform in a Tuscaloosa Children’s Theatre play. Inspired, she auditioned for the next play at age five.

Then the opportunity of a lifetime arose and she had the chance to audition for a major movie.

“My agent sent me to the audition and once I got it, they told us a lot about how different cheerleading was back in the day,” Turner said.

Playing the role of a 1960’s cheerleader for a predominantly white school, Turner had to call the main character, the African-American rising football star Tony Nathan, degrading names. It was very difficult for her and the cheerleaders so the squad said a prayer before shooting the scene.

“The night we filmed the Woodlawn vs. Banks game, we all had to call Caleb (Tony) degrading games. Our cheer squad said a prayer before we started shooting,” Turner said.

With Woodlawn being filmed in Birmingham, Alabama, Turner was lucky to film close to home.

“It was such a blessing that Woodlawn was filmed so close to home. I proudly represented Tuscaloosa on set. T-Town is where I started theatre, and my roots will always be here,” she said.

Being in a major movie taught Turner a lot about being a working actress.

“I would definitely say this helped with networking. I now have friends working on ‘Allegiant’ and the production crew.

The adults in the movie taught me a lot about being a working actor,” Turner said.

Photo from the Associated Press

COMING TOGETHER Huddling in prayer, Woodlawn stars overcome racial barriers through common faith and a love for the game. The movie tells the story of an integrated football team’s spiritual journey in a time of intense racial conflict.

New movie ‘life-changing’ for Coleman

JABRIA COLEMAN STAFF WRITER

Oct. 18, 2015 is the day that changed my perspective, when I went to the movies with my family to see the new film, “Woodlawn.”

It was definitely a life-changing experience and is one of the best movies I have seen this year.

“Woodlawn,” set in the early 1960s of Birmingham, is all about learning to embrace where you are in life; it’s based on the true story of high school football star, Tony Nathan. The film opens with some of the events that highlight the Civil Rights Movement. From the bombing of 16th Baptist Church, to living in a city nicknamed “Bombingham,” Woodlawn sets the stage for what it was like living in a city full of depravity and division in the 1960s.

Tandy Geralds, a hard-driven white football coach, is more laid back when it comes to racial differences among his players.

At first, he is nonreligious, but that changes when he is exposed to the encouraging sermons of Hank Erwin. He begins to recognize Nathan’s hidden talent

and his pep talk encourages the team members to start playing and praying together. Moved by Erwin’s speeches, Geralds decides to get baptized at a local black church. Even Geralds’ rival, coach White of Banks High School, begins to benefit from Geralds’ newfound faith.

Meanwhile, Nathan’s fierceness on the football field has opened up the opportunity for him to go to the college of his dreams, the University of Alabama. However, Gov. George Wallace still refused to desegregate the school. Nathan refuses to shake hands with the governor, and it shows his assertiveness in standing up for what he believes. While off the field, the football star still struggles with the harsh realities of today, and is accepting the color of his skin.

Nathan realizes that although he is black, he is still capable of being an excellent football player.

“Woodlawn” has inspired people to not judge others by the color of their skin. We are all imperfect humans, and all have things that we need to work on. We should respect each other despite racial differences, and embrace the fact that we are all unique.

It was a cool, rainy night when I first visited the Southern Ale House - perfect conditions for sampling the hearty fare that is the staple of this rising star restaurant.

Located in North Tuscaloosa along McFarland Blvd., the Southern Ale House occupies the location of the former Desperado’s. Despite its name, the Ale House is not exclusively a bar, or even an alcohol-centric establishment. Rather, it’s known for its delicious - and highly caloric takes on Southern cuisine.

When I entered the Ale House, my eyes were drawn at once to its dark, rich, masculine furnishings. The restaurant boasts wooden floors, extremely comfortable leather chairs, and a spotlessly clean environment. An exposed kitchen allows diners to catch tantalizing glimpses of behindthe-scenes action, and the burnt orange wall color and slightly dim lighting allows for an aura of coziness despite the spaciousness of the establishment.

Ordering a freshly brewed unsweetened tea, I was charmed to see it served in a glass that mimicked the Coca-Cola glasses of bygone years. I was even more charmed when my food arrived - a biscuit entrée known as ‘the Champ.’

The Ale House offers a selection of burgers, chicken, steak, etc., but its hallmark menu items are its

biscuits. In three words, they are wonderful. Freshly baked, crispy on the outside, fluffy within and pleasantly warm - what more could you ask for? Mine was served topped with redeye gravy, fried pork, and a fried egg. I chose mine to come with a side of hash brown casserole.

The fried pork and gravy made for a flavorful and spicy combo.

The pork’s coating was delightfully crunchy, and the egg added a degree of richness. The hash brown casserole, basically slivers of fried potatoes in a light cheese coating, wasn’t exactly thrilling, but delicious nevertheless. Overall, ‘the Champ’ lived up to its name. It was a winner in every category.

It was now dessert time, and upon recommendation from the waiter, I ordered a slice of the house cheesecake. And what a slice of cheesecake it was. Towering, creamy, rich, powerful, with a delicate note of the sweet strawberry sauce drizzle atop it: it was the perfect finale to an excellent meal. Curiously enough, it concluded a meal absent of those things known as vegetables.

So what’s the final verdict on the Southern Ale House? If you’re on a diet, throw it to the wind.

Hasten to this place, and quickly.

You might gain a pound from the rich fare, but it will be a pound not gained in vain. Life’s too short to always eat kale, and the Southern Ale House is a prime example of this philosophy.

SOUTHERN COMFORT The Southern Ale House offers a variety of comfort foods, ranging from biscuits and gravy to burgers and fries.

Photo from the Southern Ale House

10 sports

The Northridge Reporter november 20, 2015

Photo by Camri Mason

LET’S GO Thomas (Grant) Corkren, junior, said he felt like [the football team] could have done better. “Nolan Allen [senior], played well,” Corkren said. “ We ran a lot of good routes [and] made

Football team falls short After what was a fantastic (8-2) regular season for the school’s football program, the team hit the road on Nov. 6 to face Dothan in the first round of the state playoffs.

Riding a three game win streak into the matchup, the hopes for the post-season were at an all-time high.

After ending the regular season with a dominant 30-0 victory over Walker County, it was practically undeniable that the football players had no fear going into the game.

That confidence showed as the team defeated Dothan 48-21.

K.D. Smith, senior right guard, was ecstatic to get the playoff win.

“Knowing that we did all that hard work

and it paid off feels great,” he said.

Ladarius Robinson, senior left guard, said the win can be accredited to the work the team put in at practice.

“All week our main goal was to focus on doing our job and to carry out the plays that coach Smith designed. It paid off giving us a big lead at the half,” Robinson said.

After the win at Dothan, the team earned the right to host an undefeated Spanish Fort in round two, the same Spanish Fort team that ended their season last season.

“We will definitely have to play a physical game. We’ll need the drive to play all four quarters along with top notch execution,” Robinson said before the game.

Despite the physical game that the Jags played, they unfortunately fell short, losing 51-14.

“

“

NATE HESTER ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

We’ll need the drive to play all four quarters along with top notch execution.

LADARIUS ROBINSON, SENIOR

sports

The Northridge Reporter november 20, 2015

Bowling with Bowling Coaches start new team, season on a roll RESHU CHANDRA STAFF WRITER

The bowling team’s first season began right after football season ended.

Head coach Denton Bowling said he is excited for the season to start.

“I think it’s great to be involved with the bowling team because it expands horizons [for students],” Bowling said.

Bowling said practice is held once a week on Thursdays from 4-5:30 p.m. at Leland Lanes Bowling Alley. “[Practice] will be 3 days a week soon,” Bowling said.

Dustin Cooper, assistant coach, and Bowling said they were mainly looking for high scores and technique at tryouts on Oct. 21 and 29.

“We were looking for the highest scorers and people who could bowl straight and

Jer’Howard Paige, sophomore bowler, said tryouts were intense.

“Tryouts consisted of a lot of hard work because our average [of all the games] had to be over 80. [The coaches] took the average of the two best scorers and that’s how they got the top ten,” Paige said.

Senior bowler Isabelle Buettner hopes that bowling will continue throughout the years.

“Hopefully it will carry on because it’s really fun and cool. Even though I’m really bad, I like to bowl for fun and I’m trying to get better,” Art by Rebecca Han she said. team made it, while some of the boys who There are twelve games and two tried out got cut. tournaments scheduled for this upcoming “[It’s] crazy how 1400 students go here season. The season kicked off with games and barely enough tried out. We have six against Altamont and Bryant High School players on the girls’ team and ten on the on Monday, Nov. 9 at 3:30 p.m. at Leland Lanes. boys’,” Bowling said.

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keep the ball out of the gutter,” Bowling and Cooper said.

Bowling and Cooper said all the participants who tried out for the girls’

Photo by Isabelle Nolan

FORE Sophomore Natalie Jacks sup-

ports the Girl’s golf team by donating a dollar to dress up on Halloween day.

Golf team disappointed in sales RESHU CHANDRA STAFF WRITER

O

n Oct. 30, students paid one dollar to wear their Halloween costumes to help benefit the Lady Jags golf team.

Head coach Raquel Murphy said she wanted to raise around $400 with this fundraiser.

“I think this is a very fun and creative way to raise money because it gets students involved, and it allows them to showcase their personalities while also helping the golf team,” Murphy said.

Senior golfer Ryan MacVicar hoped to see a lot of participation from the students.

“I [expected] to see a lot of people dressed up... The money goes towards uniforms and rain suits and such. Golf is an expensive sport and the weather is always unpredictable, so we have to be prepared,” MacVicar said.

On the other hand, sophomore golfer Chelsie Elliot believed that people wouldn’t dress up despite it being a fun and easy way to participate.

“This is high school and students want to rebel and not participate in anything. Even if it’s a cool fundraiser for students to have a fun and affordable way of dressing up in Halloween spirit, they’re just not going to do it,” Elliot said.

Murphy said Elliot was right in predicting that not a lot of students would participate.

“We only raised $45,” Murphy said in disappointment.

MacVicar said there are more fundraisers to come.

“Right now we are selling coupon books for $20 until about Christmas time. It’s great because it’s such an awesome deal.

When Christmas is near, we are going to be gift wrapping at Barnes & Noble too,” she said.

Murphy said she is very excited for golf season to start in January because of the team’s potential this year.

“I think the season will be really good this year. We have a great chance of going to state as individuals because the experienced players [on the team] have improved and we have a few new good people,” she said.

*

The Northridge Reporter November 20, 2015

ettling for a candidate that simply “isn’t sexist” just won’t health services at low prices. cut it.

Sadly, this program is under the scrutiny of the right wing for Nobody - with the exception of Donald Trump - is only three percent of what they offer: abortions. screaming their prejudices from any rooftops, but that, by Candidates like Carly Fiorina have publicly denounced the no means, means bigotry is “imaginary.” organization, dog-whistling against “an immoral America” and This isn’t about Trump, though, who blatantly “tells it like it is.” vowing to do whatever it takes - including overturning Roe v. Wade This is about the politicians who have reinvented racism and - to abolish a woman’s right to choose. sexism through dog-whistle politics, using coded Sanders, however, is far from a dog-whistler. rhetoric to appeal to an audience that’s still behind He has a clear cut message that doesn’t require the times (and afraid to admit it). any quirky quips or cryptic lingo; he speaks out of Prejudice now takes form through campaigns to substance. “preserve Western culture” and to put a stop to “unHe stands up and fights for the rights of not American, anti-patriotic” ideals. only white women, but black women, gay women, Forget multiculturalism, they say. This is ‘Merica.

Hispanic women, Muslim women, elderly women, However, this kind of sentiment does nothing but young women, poor women, disabled women and reverse the efforts feminists, humanists, egalitarians single mothers. And he’s been doing this for years. and other civil rights workers have fought so hard for.

As a twenty year-old in the sixties, Sanders led sitEfforts that, contrary to popular belief, are not over. ins with his fellow colleagues. Today, his platform The Suffragettes, while they paved the way for rebecca griesbach includes solutions to end economic, political, legal women’s rights, were largely unconcerned with the and physical violence against African-Americans. managing editor plight of African-Americans. A movement that As anyone should, he promises to combat all forms Democrat started out with the support of Frederick Douglass of intolerance in America. Since the early eighties, quickly devolved into a white woman’s cause, as they Sanders has stood up for anti-discriminatory policies often spoke out in efforts to bar black males from gaining voting against LGBTQ’s, and during a campaign speech, he vowed to the rights before them.

Muslim community to fight against a raging case of Islamophobia.

New wave feminism brings intersectionality, the idea that privilege He acknowledges prejudice against women in the work force, is broken down not only by gender, but by race and class as well. and aims to bridge the wage gap by signing the Paycheck Fairness This would seem like a huge step in the right direction, but the Act. This includes working mothers, who he plans to offer family movement is often met with resistance - often with comments like, leave, paid vacation and quality day care.

“Women got their right to vote a long time ago; there’s no need for He supports real family values for immigrants as well, meaning feminism anymore.” reunifying and granting their families citizenship and affordable But, in the words of Democratic Presidential candidate Bernie housing.

Sanders, that’s just simply not true.

For women of all ages, he aims to provide a debt-free college Maternity leave, wage inequality and affordable women’s education, expand Social Security and introduce a fifteen dollar healthcare are just a handful of issues that today’s women face. minimum wage.

The injustice extends beyond gender and into racial and class And throughout his whole career, he’s been at the forefront for divides as well, especially with the recent attack on Planned women’s reproductive rights, vowing to expand Planned Parenthood Parenthood, an organization that offers cancer screenings, and other services to ensure quality healthcare for all women. contraception, STD testing and other sexual and reproductive This is what a feminist looks like.

S

Bernie Sanders, a true feminist

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Photo from Wikimedia Commons

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beat election 2016

the

reporter

www.northridgereporter.wordpress.com

the feminism issue

Still Fighting

north ri d g e

est. 2003

November 20, 2015 volume 13 issue 3