Dallas bikesharing trend makes its way to Denton with more VBikes NEWS: PAGE 3
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2018
VOL. 112 No. 5
CHEER WANTS MORE
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Sex misconduct survey shows need for more peer training By Lizzy Spangler @LizzySpangler UNT students expressed moderate confidence in their ability to intervene as a bystander and expressed low levels of confidence in peer empathetic response toward sexual misconduct and consent, according to a university survey. The university released the results for the Assessment of Sexual Assault Perspectives (ASAP) survey on Feb. 1, sending the results to students’ UNT email addresses. UNT’s Title IX Coordinator Inya Baiye said conducting this survey was about getting baseline data so the university could see the effectiveness of prevention and education Inya Baiye efforts. “We’re in a different place from our students, as administrators,” Baiye said. “For us to be able to speak adequately to our students’ concerns, we need to know what those concerns are.” Conducting the survey The university conducted the ASAP survey between Feb. 13 and March 28 of the 2017 spring semester, sending students links to the survey via their UNT emails. The survey was also advertised through the Dean of Students and the Office of Equal Opportunity websites, Blackboard and posters. UNT used The AdministratorResearcher Campus Climate Collaborative survey and partnered with Texas Woman’s University, along with seven other higher institutions and five organizations for a $750,000 U.S. Health and Human Services grant. This partnership is part of the Cultivating Safe College Campuses Consortium, for which this grant is intended to help create “a consistent and effective response to campus sexual assault in participating Texas institutions of higher education,” according to the ASAP survey results. “When we got into our consortium, that [survey] was one of the things that the consortium had recommended to do as well,” Baiye said. “[The recommendation] is to survey the population and do it for three years.” TWU’s Center for Research, Design and Analysis analyzed the collected survey information, performing a validity
O’Neal pushes administration and donors to support spirit squads By Jordan James @JordanJamesTV At times when the Super Pit is lifeless and the crowd seems disengaged, the cheerleaders are there to keep spirits up. “Defense! Defense! Let’s go defense!” among other cheers ring throughout the Super Pit at every home basketball game. It is something the crowd has grown numb to at this point, but it is also a luxury they, along with the team, would sorely miss if it were absent. Everyone in attendance knows the chants and the phrases by now. They have become synonymous with the North Texas athletic program, and it is because of the work of the North Texas cheerleaders. This dedication is not an option for them. School pride and a love of cheerleading have kept those like cheer captain Skylar Myer coming back year after year, even now as a graduate student.
“It’s just been such a good experience, doing something that I love with the people I cherish the most and representing the university in such a positive way,” Myer said. “It’s a lot fun to be able to stand on the sideline and be a part of something [special]. Win or lose, we support the [teams].” In college athletics, teams — along with coaches — are defined by their win-loss record at the end of a season. For cheer coach Tracie O’Neal, those numbers are meaningless. She understands what’s important, and it is not the score at the end of a game.
SEE CHEER ON PAGE 5 Top: North Texas Cheer warms up running through chant passes. Tate Owen Bottom: Coach Tracie O’Neal provides constructive criticism for the flyer in the stunt. Tate Owen
SEE SURVEY ON PAGE 3
Salty Lady brings something sweet to Denton’s stage By Amy Roh @rohmyboat
Sarah Palin, ninth governor of Alaska and 2008 GOP vice presidential candidate, addresses a crowd at the 2018 Lincoln Reagan Dinner hosted by the Denton County GOP. Sara Carpenter
Sarah Palin encourages unity at Denton County GOP dinner By Zaira Perez and Devin Rardin @zairalperez | @DevinRardin Former governor of Alaska Sarah Palin spoke about President Donald Trump, undocumented immigrants, media bias and uniting the Republican Party during her speech at the Denton County Republican Party’s 2018 Lincoln Reagan Day dinner Saturday night. The dinner was hosted at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Denton Convention Center. Texas State Senator Jane Nelson led the reception as the
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master of ceremonies. Nelson welcomed Palin on stage with a request to the crowd to sing “Happy Birthday” for Palin, whose birthday was on Sunday. “[Palin] is a warrior for everything the Republican party stands for,” Nelson said. In her speech, Palin said the three greatest threats facing Trump are Democrats, people within the Republican Party and the media. Division within the Republican Party is threatening society, Palin
SEE GOP ON PAGE 2
City considering plan to decrease parking, traffic issues near UNT pg 3 City planners are seeking input for the Oak Gateway Area Plan on Feb. 22 to get an idea of what residents would like to see in the area.
Taking clothes off is an everyday task, but for burlesque performers, it’s an art and a statement. Now, their presence is about to grow under the producers of Salty Lady Burlesque, a company that produces and performs theatrical burlesque. The newly emerging company is the brainchild of Lilith Gray, a DFW icon who’s spearheaded shows like Tuesday Tease, Glitterbomb and the Texas Queerlesque Festival. And with Salty Lady, Gray aims to shed light on a niche performance art rarely seen in Denton. “What we’re trying to do is integrate theatrical dialogues, monologues, stand-up comedy and narrative,” Gray said. “Throughout the history of burlesque, there’s been a lot
of this, so it’s not innovative, but it is innovative for the area.” Denton has held a notable history with drag performance, but Gray said this will bring the art of burlesque to more audiences. “There is a lot of drag in Denton right now,” Gray said. “There are drag shows and Glitterbomb and a lot of stuff happening, but there’s not a lot of burlesque happening.” For some, the concept of burlesque may only be from movies or TV shows, but Gray said there are more layers to it. “The word burlesque is ‘to poke fun at’ or ‘to satirize,’ so that’s the root of it,” Gray said. “There is a side of sexuality and a side of eroticism that usually accompanies it. There’s usually a strip tease of some sort, a statement, character or a narrative.”
SEE BURLESQUE ON PAGE 4
IN THIS ISSUE
ARTS & LIFE
Vivienne Vermuth performs her routine at Glitterbomb. She is an experienced DFW burlesque performer. Omar Gonzalez
Local singer-songwriter Austin Leach details his journey in music pg 4 DFW native Austin Leach finds himself reaching a bigger audience with new music inspired by his outlook on life.
SPORTS
Kee and softball team hope to learn from first week’s opening tournament pg 5 Freshmen pitchers Maria Priest and Hope Trautwein settle in after struggling in first game and sophomore Lacy Gregory breaks school single game RBI record.
OPINION
“Deepfakes” are a troubling new trend for porn pg 6 In the sea of internet scandals, Deepfakes are the newest form of catfishing. Challenging the idea of revenge porn and intruding on privacy, Deepfakes is pushing all the boundaries.
NEWS Page 2
North Texas Daily Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief Kayleigh Bywater @kayleighbywater Kayleigh.Bywater@unt.edu
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2018
Palin says Texas can ‘revitalize’ US identity GOP CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 said, encouraging guests to hold the Republican Party accountable. Palin said Trump does not know who to trust in the White House and there are “vipers in Trump’s own staff” who gossip to the press in order to make him look bad.
“Trump is attacked because he represents an awakening,” Palin said. She said Trump represents a fundamental transformation for the United States and people are tired of establishment politics. Palin emphasized media bias, saying the press publishes propaganda, which is a tragedy because America’s finest are
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Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick addresses the crowd at the 2018 Lincoln-Reagan Dinner hosted by the Denton County Republican Party. Sara Carpenter
fighting and dying for a free press. “What the press likes to focus on is labeling us conspiratorial,” Palin said. The former Alaska governor said jumping on the Trump train feels like a gut punch because of the attacks on him. “We use that stuff as fuel,” Palin said. “The harder they hit, the higher the octave.” Palin also criticized “pink pussyhatted fake feminist Lena Dunham” for saying white men do not understand what it is like to be attacked. She said white, male, straight Christians are who a lot of people want to see on the endangered species list. Palin said undocumented immigrants disrespect the rule of law and “disrespect those following the law.” “After the Democrats’ temper tantrum, they know Americans won’t vote Democrat, so they’ll import people who will,” Palin said. She thanked everyone who is running for office and emphasized the importance of midterm elections. Palin said she thinks these elections will be monumental.
Changing the monument: Denton County’s approach By Devin Rardin @DevinRardin The Denton County Commissioners Court is exploring options for context after years of controversy surrounding the 100-year-old Confederate monument on the courthouse lawn. Chairman John Baines explained to commissioners last Tuesday the Confederate Monument Committee’s recommendation to keep the statue and add context. The commissioners applauded the 15-0 consensus and unanimously accepted the recommendation. “I thought they did a great job and I’m very appreciative of all the time they put into this,” Judge Mary Horn said. Potential avenues to change the monument The committee’s proposal includes a plaque under the archway that denounces slavery with strong language and video kiosks on either side of the statue. The kiosks are meant to examine race relations in Denton and honor veterans. Peggy Riddle, director of the Denton County office of history and culture, said the office is considering a granite structure with language about civil rights, slavery and the Jim Crow era. The office, which is located in the courthouse, is researching various options. Riddle visited the Texas Historical Commission in Austin for input and suggestions. “We are working with the Texas Historical Commission’s architectural staff to make sure we follow all the procedures we need,” Riddle said. The monument is within the state archaeological site so commissioners must file a permit before making changes to the courthouse exterior. The commissioner’s court will decide on the context based on the office of history and culture’s recommendation and, possibly, a new committee. Willie Hudspeth, a local activist, suggested forming a committee of people who ask to be on it. “It’s a good opportunity to try and get the community truly involved in making the county continually better,” Hudspeth said. There are kiosks suited for the outside environment, but Horn has expressed concerns. “[I don’t know] whether or not it would be a good idea to subject that equipment to the outside elements and [risk] possible damage by all the people on the Square,” Horn said. “Unfortunately, not everybody behaves themselves.” There is also interest in a video to show the historical context of the monument. Horn added that the first floor of the courthouse has a video room so it is just a matter of creating the kiosk. Commissioners are looking at examples from cities across the country who have made similar adjustments to their Confederate monuments. There is no deadline for this project but Horn said they want to get it right. “Things are happening, certainly, nothing is decided yet but we are examining all avenues,” Horn said. Public opinion on the monument UNT’s Student Government Association (SGA) submitted a resolution in support of moving the statue in September 2017.
Version 1 of the advisory committee’s concept design for additions to the Denton County Confederate soldier monument, as presented to county commissioners on Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2018. Courtesy “That resolution was us saying [the monument] is detracting from the overall environment that UNT is supposed to be,” SGA Senator Jordan Villarreal said. “It’s supposed to be an open and inclusive environment and that detracts from that mission and goal.” After this response, the commissioners decided to vote on an advisory committee to discuss the statue’s fate. It was a 4-1 vote with the dissenting opinion from Commissioner Hugh Coleman. Each commissioner appointed members to the committee. It originally consisted of 10 members but five women were appointed after two meetings. Hudspeth was Horn’s appointee and John Baines, who owns a bookkeeping and accounting service in Denton, served as the chairman. “Certainly John Baines did a great job of keeping everyone focused,” Horn said. Committee’s process and recommendation The committee’s first meeting was in October 2017. It was not open to the public until the third session. Baines said they were discussing whether or not the statue is a monument to the Confederacy or the soldiers. They narrowed their choices to keeping the monument and adding context or moving the statue. “They put a lot of hours going all over the County,” Horn said. “A lot of miles on their cars and gave anybody that wanted to address the committee the opportunity to say whatever they like. I’m very appreciative of all the work that they put in on this.” After three months, committee members voted on a recommendation on Feb. 1. Baines led the group to a compromise, which resulted in every member voting for added context. Villarreal said a committee chosen by partisan elected officials did not make sense. He continued saying the three open-minded members were placed on the committee so it would not look biased. “The people picked on the committee were obviously tilted toward a decision,” Villarreal said. He is not a fan of the decision but says it is an adequate compromise. “I am saddened to see the results but I am happy that they are, at least, adding context so it’s not just a glorification of the past,” Villarreal said. “Now it can actually be a piece of history with added context.”
Palin said Texas, which she called Alaska’s little sister state, will save the nation. Notable Republicans in attendance included Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, former representative of Florida Lt. Col. Allen West and Representative Michael Burgess. Governor Greg Abbott addressed the audience with a recorded video message. “It is you all in Denton County who help elect Republican leaders and keep Texas the premier state in America,” Abbott said, encouraging continued involvement from guests. Texas Auctioneer Myers Jackson led a live auction during dinner. Items auctioned off included a framed Tax Reform H.R. 1 Bill signed by Trump which sold for $7,500 and an AR-15 with a one-year membership for Crossfire Defense Academy and Range which went for $3,600. Palin ended her speech by saying the rest of the country looks to Texas as elections come up. “Texas, we’re counting on you to revitalize America’s identity,” Palin said.
UNT’s new rules lift open party freeze By Bianca Mujica @biancamujica96 On-campus open parties hosted by student organizations are once again allowed after the freeze implemented by Vice President of Student Affairs Elizabeth With was lifted in late January. “There’s been incidents throughout the years and ultimately after an incident at an open party last fall, while it wasn’t the party that struck the freeze, it was kind of the last straw,” said Dr. Melissa McGuire, co-chair of the taskforce appointed by Dr. With to recommend changes for open parties. The incident in question occurred at a party in September 2017, where an altercation resulted in a student going to the hospital. The injuries were not long-term, but it still raised concerns among UNT Police and the administration about the nature of open parties. Those concerns were overcrowding, unknown guests in attendance, large amounts of cash at the door, fights, injuries, crimes, substance use, weapons, unruly crowds and venue cleanup, police said. In all cases of fights and altercations, the instigator was someone not affiliated with UNT, McGuire said. “The challenge we have is not with our students, because our students care about our environment and our campus,” With said. “It’s people that don’t have any commitment to our campus that are willing to disrupt that.” A major point of consideration for the Elizabeth With taskforce was the benefit of open parties to student organizations: fundraising, recruitment, publicity, socialization and branding. To reach the best possible compromise, the taskforce was comprised of campus entities that oversee open parties – such as Risk Management and the Union – and the student organizations that most often host them – such as the National Pan Hellenic Council and the Black Student Union. Among the open party rules in place prior to the freeze were having a certain number of police officers present depending on the number of people in attendance and using wristbands to keep track of how close the party was to reaching capacity. The new rules address each concern raised by the administration and police department but do not prevent student organizations from hosting open parties. For example, an Event Safety Committee (ESC) representative must be present, marketing for the party must be reviewed in advance and a police officer will escort a student with the money raised at the door to a secure location. Some rules, like meeting with the organization several days before the event, cannot be implemented until an open party happens. The main concern, crowd control, is being handled by requiring attendees to buy presale tickets, use the university ticketing system and show university ID when presenting or buying a ticket at the door. Another result of the taskforce’s efforts is an accountability committee, which will be headed by McGuire to address unregistered parties within Greek houses. “We can only know about parties that go through Student Activities,” McGuire said. “But we know there are parties going on in Greek houses that aren’t on the radar of the Event Safety Committee.” Dean of Students Dr. Maureen McGuinness said the new guidelines allow organizations obeying the rules to host parties even if others do not. Those who don’t will be made aware of the consequences and possibly face an investigation. The taskforce’s recommendations have been added to the ESC website as of late January, when the freeze was lifted. A memo sent by ESC Chair Brittany Landau said organizations must send a representative to a large event planning training, which have already begun.
NEWS AROUND THE WORLD Florida shooting leaves at least 17 dead
US is No. 3 in Winter Olympics medals
Athletic referendum re-vote ends today
A shooting at a Florida high school left at least 17 people including students and staff dead Wednesday afternoon, CNN reported. The alleged shooter, a 19-year-old former student, was in custody by Wednesday night. The suspect allegedly used an AR15 rifle and multiple magazines, the Sun-Sentinel reported. School authorities said the suspect had been a student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, where the shooting occurred, before being expelled for disciplinary reasons, CNN reported.
The U.S. was No. 3 in Winter Olympics gold medal rankings as of Wednesday night with four gold medals, following Germany in first and the Netherlands in second place. The U.S. won gold in the women’s and men’s snowboard slopestyle and halfpipe. Notable U.S. Olympians included Chloe Kim, 17, who won gold in the women’s snowboard halfpipe and become the youngest woman to win this medal. Mirai Nagasu, 24, was the first American woman to land a triple axel and helped Team USA win a bronze medal in the women’s free skate.
UNT’s Student Government Association is encouraging students to vote in the second round of voting on the intercollegiate athletic fee increase. The first vote occurred in December 2017, but was not finalized after a complaint led to a discovery of unauthorized flyer distribution. The new round of voting began Tuesday and closes at 5 p.m. Thursday. If passed, the referendum would need to be approved by the Board of Regents for athletic fees to increase by $6.25 per credit hour. The increase would give athletics an additional $3.5 million to their budget.
UNT to put on showing of Broadway opera ‘Street Scene’
Internationally known UNT Opera Director Jonathan Eaton will present “Street Scene” with music by Kurt Weill on Feb. 22 to 25 in the Murchison Performing Arts Center, according to UNT. Showings will start at 8 p.m. on Feb. 22 through Feb. 24 and 3 p.m. on Feb. 25. Tickets are $15 to $25 for general seating or $35 with dessert and wine. Discounts are available for students and others. Find out more at www.thempac.com.
By Sarah Sarder
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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2018
Climate survey data guides program choices for UNT SURVEY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
check and applying weighting procedures to correct for any disparities between the sample characteristics and UNT’s characteristics. The original number people surveyed was 3,058 before a validity check which reduced the valid responses to 2,637, which was 7.4 percemt of the UNT population at the time. The validity check eliminated responses where the participant either completed the survey in too short of a time, incorrectly answered more than half of the attention trap questions or quit the survey before reaching the sexual harassment sections according to the survey results. “I didn’t have a specific [participant] percentage goal,” Baiye said. “Ideally, I’d love for every student on campus to take the survey, but that’s unlikely to happen.” Survey demographic questions concerned areas ranging from age and race to classification and living situation. In terms of the actual survey, there were 19 survey modules students were asked about, including topics such as sexual misconduct victimization and perpetration, perceptions of campus climate, anticipated peer response and bystander intervention. Complete findings of the survey The survey revealed in two of the 19 survey modules, Module 14: Anticipated Responses from Peers and Module 16: Bystander Intervention, survey respondents didn’t answer in ways that were consistent with survey outcomes. Because of this finding, UNT will focus on new campus-wide initiatives to help improve these module areas. “As far as the anticipated responses from peers, I can’t say that I know exactly why students would indicate that they have concerns about that,” Baiye said. “It’s something we have to delve into and that’s part of what we are planning to do, actually, with our survey data.” Baiye said they want to pull in people who are experts in health promotion and education, using their expertise to better understand the data and how to target that issue. “As far as the bystander intervention piece of it, the program that we’ve introduced is Green Dot,” Baiye said. “But it takes time to change a culture. So, we’re going to have to see how our campus response to Green Dot [is].” While responses for Module 4: Perception of Campus Climate Regarding Sexual Misconduct and Module 13: Response Usefulness were ideal, the university plans to introduce new programming alongside what already exists. Respondents also reported above-average perceptions of campus safety, satisfaction with UNT’s response to campus sexual violence and a positive perception of campus climate towards sexual misconduct according to the results. In terms of data surrounding whether respondents experienced sexual violence, 13.6 percent said they had been a victim – 18.1 female, 8.9 percent male and 8.5 percent first-year students. However, only 2.2 percent of respondents reported they perpetrated sexual violence. A total of 12.2 percent of participants said they had been victims of dating violence and 17.4 percent reported being a victim of stalking. Planned programming UNT plans to implement two new programs specifically designed to help
with bystander and peer training where sexual misconduct is concerned: Green Dot and Eagle Watch. Green Dot is a bystander intervention training program and Eagle Watch targets intervention in instances of sexual misconduct, relationship violence and gender or power differentials. Senior Stephanie Irazarrii said she appreciates the university’s efforts in trying to combat misconduct. “Everybody can talk about it. They can agree, disagree about what is going on,” Irazarrii said. “But if action is not taken, then it really shows that nobody cares.” Beyond Green Dot and Eagle Watch, the university plans to implement three more programs: It’s On Us, White Ribbon Campaign and One Love. It’s On Us aims to end sexual assault while the White Ribbon Campaign, for which the university is working with athletics starting with the football team, aims to end male violence against women and girls. When deciding what programs to implement, Baiye said they focused on the results. “We looked at the grades that we had and also the summary of the results as given by the consortium and things that they talked about,” Baiye said. “So, the response from peers, bystander intervention, those, of course, were two of the things that came up.” UNT is also working on improving participation in programs led by Counseling and Testing Services and the Meadows Center for Health Resources by developing a marketing campaign. Specific programs where the university wants to enhance participation include CAREfrontation, IMPACT and the Healing Arts Showcase. In November 2018, UNT plans to roll out Men’s Health Month initiatives, partnering with Denton County Friends of the Family to develop programs about healthy relationship strategies. “We are still in development around the specifics of that,” Baiye said. “But that is a desire that quite a few of us have and that I think is part of
Infographics by Lizzy Spangler the national conversation, which is trying to get more male participation in programs relating to interpersonal violence.” Baiye says they want to make sure they aren’t limited in their scope. Using language to ensure that no one is alienated and is inclusive is part of that. “Anything that [UNT] could do, I feel like they shoud,” said Nancy Casarrubias, business computer information systems junior. The 2017 ASAP survey results can be found on the UNT Division of Institutional Equity & Diversity’s webpage.
City considering plan to decrease VBikes makes its way to campus parking, traffic issues near UNT By Jacqueline Guerrero @gagaart1
By Devin Rardin @DevinRardin With a steadily growing student body, UNT has been at the center of extensive development over the past few years. Now, authorities are attempting to address the issues that come with rapid development before they arise. City planners are developing a plan called the Oak Gateway Area Plan to mitigate traffic and parking issues new developments may bring to the neighborhoods surrounding UNT. The plan focuses on making the area compatible with development and growth. The plan targets the area between Panhandle Street, Carroll Boulevard/Fort Worth Drive, Bonnie Brae Street and Interstate 35. Planners want to preserve the historic neighborhoods in the northern section of the area and accommodate areas undergoing development. “We are looking at providing some plan, direction or guide for the area,” said Ron Menguita, the long-range planning administrator for Denton.
“We’ve got a lot of development activity in the area. The main issues we are trying to deal with is parking, traffic and how these new developments are compatible with the surrounding area.” The plan looks to address issues such as lighting, bike lanes sidewalks and creating more open spaces such as parks. City planners are collaborating with stakeholders, students, residents, real estate agents, builders and the university for input. The city also hired a consulting firm to help lay out the plan. “We want to make sure we reach out and address everyone’s concerns,” Menguita said. “We may not have all the solutions and all the answers but we are going to try to do as much as we can.” Students who can’t find parking on campus often park in the neighborhoods surrounding UNT, Menguita said, which leads to blocking driveways and parking near intersections. Menguita said he wants to address this with the area plan and create parking for everyone without impacting
A map of Denton shows in yellow a portion of the area where city planners want to improve parking, traffic and bike lanes. Courtesy | City of Denton
neighborhoods. He said he believes the plan will make UNT students safer with more lighting and bike lanes. “The university is growing and we want to make sure we grow with it,” Menguita said. Although the university is a partner, the city does not have jurisdiction over UNT so the plan will not make any changes to campus. “We are hoping it will continue compatible growth between the university and the city,” said David Reynolds, the associate vice president for facilities at UNT. “It’s a symbiotic relationship between the city and the university. I think it is a good effort to have us working together in the planning process.” UNT’s Student Government Association is on the planning committee for the area plan. SGA President Barrett Cole said a majority of students live in the neighborhoods that will be affected by the plan. She said the ultimate goal of the project is safety and improving the lives of people in the community. “I think city improvement is much needed in this particular area,” Cole said. “The idea that they are even hiring a consulting firm to look at the area is a positive. The fact that they are willing to spend so much time reaching out to different constituent groups and people in different areas says a lot. I am excited to see how that culminates into a final project.” The project is still in its early stages as planners gather information and collect data. Funding and specifics have not been discussed. “It’s not intended to be a restrictive code or that type of thing,” Reynolds said. “[The planners] are just trying to get a feel for the city’s growth and the type of things the city residents would like to see in the area in terms of the land use, housing or businesses.” Those involved will present a plan to Denton’s city council for consideration by summer 2018. Officials will host a community workshop at 6:00 p.m. on Feb. 22 in the Calhoun Middle School cafeteria for public input.
Rent-a-bicycle services have been dominating the city of Dallas and now they’re making their way to Denton and the UNT campus with VBikes. Over 30 bikes are in the area and more are on their way. VBikes started after owner and founder David Shan saw the popularity of bicycles in China while working with Massimo Motor Sports and decided to bring the same idea to Dallas in December 2016, VBikes Denton manager Thomas Elliot said. The name “VBikes” comes from the design of the bikes — bars and handles in the shape of a letter “V.” Elliot is in charge of moving the VBikes from place to place. As of now, there are 10 VBikes stationed on the UNT campus and 25 more placed near campus, Elliot said. In Denton — excluding Denton Square due to city complaints — there are 33 VBikes located throughout the city including public areas like Midtown apartments and places the Denton County Transportation Authority stops at. “The city decided they didn’t like [VBikes] on the Square, so I promptly removed them,” Elliot said. “But they used to be one of our busiest areas, that’s why there’s been a few more on campus recently, rather than pulling them to stock the Square.” As for VBikes on campus, Senior
A VBike sits on a bicycle rack outside of Sage Hall. More VBikes were added to campus recently, leading students to question whether they are helpful or bothersome. Mallory Cammarata Communications Transportation Specialist Trista Moxley thinks they are a good addition to the university. UNT is set to start a partnership with Spin Bikes, another bike sharing company based out of California, next month. The VBikes allow for students who don’t have a car or a UNT parking permit to ride the bicycles to their destinations. Students may pay an hourly fee of $1 or can pay a monthly fee of $14.95 for an unlimited amount of rides, according to VBikes. Riders pay via the free VBikes mobile application. One concern for the VBikes on campus is bike safety. With the heavy construction and traffic on campus, riders need to be aware of their surroundings, especially around pedestrians, Moxley said.
“We want to make sure the campus is accessible and safe for everyone,” Moxley said. “I think that we are definitely making an effort to being bike friendly. There are plans to continue this effort in the next few years.” VBikes are intended not only for riders to get around quickly but to limit the number of bikes on campus. Instead of students purchasing a bike on their own and having to maintain it, VBikes allow for them to pick one up and not worry about the hassle of caring for a bicycle. “With the bike share, rather than buy that bike, put that money into a bike share [such as VBikes],” said Christopher Phelps, senior director of transportation services at UNT. “Put that in there so you always have a safe, wellmaintained bike and no more worry.”
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Austin Leach channels his faith through music By Jenelle Garcia @jenellerenea Local singer-songwriter Austin Leach looks down at his coffee as he recalls his earliest memory of his desire for music as a young boy, the process of making his music come to life and his long-term goals mixed with what he does on a day-to-day basis. “I remember being 7 or 8 years old and finding a passion for how music was written in the classical sense,” Leach said. “Which later led to the best gift at 10 years-old — a drum set, which then led to everything else.” The 24-year-old Fort Worth native has come a long way since, as he now finds himself making a breakthrough with local listeners. “I knew he had talent, especially after second grade when he sang ‘Can’t Buy Me Love,’ and all the parents were on their feet singing along with him,” Austin’s mother Susan Leach said. Talent wasn’t always easy to navigate at a young age for Leach when he looks back on his musical process, which has brought him to where he is now. “Through trial and error, doing a lot of things terribly and then moderately OK and building up. You have to give people something to care about,” Leach said. Upon his most recent releases from mid-2017, “Mama,” “Wished It Was You” and “Looking,” the local songwriter noticed a popular audience gravitation toward his lead single “Mama.” “The song actually came about as I was housesitting for a friend.” Leach said. “It wasn’t a story, but there was a progression and the line ‘I should have listened to my mama’ streamed out [of me], and I actually really liked it.”
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My favorite part of performing is finding the connection piece with the audience to take my personal experiences in hopes that someone else will relate.
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In what seemed like a moment of musical magic, Leach uncovered the cultivation of his accidental new song and soon found a collaboration in the right studio team in January 2017. “We are both songwriters and aspiring artists, so we would bounce ideas off the other for advice and perspective,” vocal coach Amanda Visser said.
Sophmore, a Dallas-based indie band composed of high school students, performs at a house show in Denton. TJ Webb
DFW singer-songwriter Austin Leach looking over Ed Sheeran’s ‘Divide’ album at Recycled Bookstore in Denton. Ashley Gallegos “Eventually that led to Austin asking for help with vocals.” The first time Leach heard the song for himself, he was on the way to Tulsa, Oklahoma from Dallas to visit his grandma. “My favorite part of performing is finding the connection piece with the audience to take my personal experiences in hopes that someone else will relate,” Leach said. “But it’s still nerve-racking.” Drawing inspiration from Ed Sheeran and Coldplay, Leach manages to find ways to bring songs to life with catchy rhythms and easily relatable lyrics. While keeping strong values from childhood, Leach maintains his faith is what keeps him going day-to-day in finding the courage to go out and express his story and life through music. “I think the most inspiring thing about Austin chasing his dreams is his outlook on life, people and how he can help others be better people,” Susan said. “His music has never been about him, it’s always how his lyrics will impact another.” Though he has many long-term goals in the music realm, the singer hopes to continue showing off his music and collaborating with other artists. “[I strive] to constantly be around people who are challenging me and who are life-giving,” Leach said. In the music world, creating something out of nothing can be a whirlwind of anxiety, pushing the limit of the creativity within an artist, but that doesn’t intimidate Leach. In fact, the one-man band has upcoming shows taking place in California and Chicago later this year. “[You have to] be okay with not being your best right off the bat, and to enjoy the process,” Leach said. “Be vulnerable to the process to learn through it all.”
Local indie band ‘Sophmore’ is quickly gaining popularity By Claire Lin @claire_grace_ It is expected that not all high school bands formed in a garage make it beyond the driveway. Perhaps the drummer isn’t committed enough and college application season is coming around. Then, one by one, members start becoming noticeably absent as each one goes off to attend a different university. Fast forward 20 years, and they are probably sitting in cubicles with slight scoliosis. This is definitely not the case for the thriving North Texas high school band Sophmore. “We got serious and started sophomore year in high school,” said vocalist and guitarist Mykul Mesta on how the band’s name came to be. Now, four out of the five members of the band are juniors at Marcus High School in Flower Mound. The newest member of the band, Travis Norton, who plays a diverse combination of synthesizer and saxophone, is 19 years old and attends North Central Texas College. Norton, along with Mestas, Logan Krupovage on drums,
Drake Shelburn on lead guitarist and Trevor Woods on bass guitar, make up the local indie band. Sophmore’s frequent shows attract a variety of teenagers and listeners who want to escape the real world for a few hours. The boys know how to enamor the crowd with not only their music but also their electric energy as well. “They had the entire audience under their spell as they jammed out like we were in a coming-ofage ‘90s film,” Sophmore show attendee Hailey Dufresne said. “It’s definitely something I’d want to be a part of again soon.” The boys of Sophmore maintain a fun-loving and wild presence on stage, making it easy for fans to see they love what they do. “It is a dream come true to us because we love music, creating it and displaying it in front of people,” Mesas said. “I think our band has great potential, and we’re about to release some new music that is much better than our old stuff.” With musical influences from well-known indie bands like Hippo Campus and Beach Fossils, Sophmore still manages
to create their own sound. In fact, it was their original sound that attracted Kyra Ganson, who now works as the band’s photographer. “I would personally describe their style as garage rock/indie alternative,” Ganson said. “They have a very interesting tone in my opinion, very unique.” Denton is known for being a fertile crescent of music in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, with talent pouring in all the time. Opportunities the Denton scene has provided have not been lost on the guys of Sophmore. “We are all definitely very grateful for the immense music scene in Denton,” Ganson said. “It has helped us make connections and has really formed who we are now.” Though Sophmore has been playing shows for about a year in the DFW area, the band plans on not only continuing after high school, but also taking on new areas. “All in all, even though the band is small right now, I can really see it going somewhere,” Ganson said. “We all really love what we do, and I know [Sophmore is] planning on touring at some point.”
Burlesque adds new facet to Denton art scene BURLESQUE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Austin Leach plays some tunes near the Denton Square. Ashley Gallegos
Gray will be producing shows alongside partner Chloe McDowell, who is the artistic director at Sundown Collaborative Theatre in Denton. McDowell will bring more theatrical elements to the production, most notably in their second show next month. “It sounds like a really interesting challenge, and I’m really excited to explore it,” McDowell said. “We have a show in the Black Box Theatre in March, so I’m super excited for that.” Unlike other shows such as Glitterbomb, Salty Lady is not an entry-level production. Performers must have significant experience for the company’s vision of high-quality theatrical performance to be featured. “People use troupes in different and collective ways and really, it’s just me and Chloe producing shows,” Gray said. “We have a ton of performers and what we find is that makes it artistically competitive, so they’ve got to step up their game.” Gray and McDowell have been in the industry for years now, and if they find a performer they see fit, they will cast them for the shows. Each performer has different preferences, talents and types of audiences. “At this point we’ve been producing long enough that I know all the performers in the scene,” Gray said. “I know where they’re at and what their strengths are. So I kind of know what I want.” For Birdie Holly, a 24-year-old burlesque dancer, Salty Lady is a new medium of performance. Holly has spent her whole life in theater but entered the world of burlesque in July of last year. “Denton hasn’t, up until now, had a show like this before,” Hollie said. “It’s really nice for people like me to have more space to perform and have a different variety of shows and styles to do.” Holly has been an up-and-coming star and ever since she started, and said she has found a place where she truly belongs. “I finally feel like I’ve found my community, my space and my niche of performing, and I’m so grateful for it,” Holly said. “I’ve kind of been wandering around aimlessly trying to find the thing that fit the best — and I feel like I’ve finally found it.” Not all shows in Denton are exclusive to experienced burlesque performers, however. Anyone interested in burlesque can find plenty of opportunities to learn the art.
Onyx Fury, a local Denton dancer, performs at Glitterbomb hosted at Andy’s Bar. Omar Gonzalez “There are some schools for burlesque, there are online classes, and coming to Glitterbomb is a great place to see all different levels, body sizes, all different talents,” Gray said. “Coming here is really good for new performers because they can see what resonates with them and what doesn’t.” For performers and audiences alike, Gray said the community is a welcoming environment sansjudgement or exploitation. “We are, as a community, primarily womendirected, and I think that makes a difference in a sense of collaboration and unity,” Gray said. “There’s not an element of seediness or exploitation, and when it does pop its head up, it gets squished real fast within the burlesque community.” The relationships developed in the inclusivebased community have also been key in creating a tight-knit group of people. “[It’s the] community that comes with that,” McDowell said. “There’s a sense of camaraderie from witnessing [the shows].” Amidst a bruising political climate, Gray said audiences can rest easy in knowing they will be in a safe, fun space. “It’s kind of a terrible time to be an American, but we have really strong values of [being] explicitly anti-racist, anti-transphobic, anti-sexist, and we don’t tolerate that,” Gray said. “So you know you’re coming into a safer space and can maybe forget about the world for a bit and feel like things aren’t so terrible. There’s boobs and tassels and funny people, so I think it’s important to provide entertainment in harder times.”
SPORTS Page 5
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2018
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Graduate assistants motivated to help men’s basketball By Asher Feltman @asherfeltman Between film, practice, rehabilitation and traveling, off days are rare for the men’s basketball team. This especially holds true for Chris Blakeley and Luis Lopez. Blakeley and Lopez, both 23 years old, have been graduate assistants for head coach Grant McCasland’s team since 2017. Well before regular season games or team practices, the two were hard at work helping the Mean Green fulfill their potential as a team. “I have an emotionally charged love for basketball, its history and the many great people I have met and will continue to meet through the game,” Blakeley said. “It’s those relationships I cherish.” For their undergraduate degrees, Blakeley attended Abilene Christian University and Lopez attended Oklahoma Christian University. Both have aspirations to be a coach for their own teams, whether it be at the collegiate level or in Blakeley’s case, the NBA. The path to becoming a head coach requires prior experience as an assistant and, before that, involvement in a school or organization’s coaching structure to help understand the ins and outs. As for being an assistant coach, they both show the knowledge required to already fill that role for a smaller school. However, like most jobs, they have to put in their time and work their way up. That trek up the ladder can begin with being a graduate assistant. During most of the day, players and coaches can find Blakeley and Lopez in the gym or the locker
room. They could be performing jobs as important as being the scout team for McCasland during practice, to menial tasks like checking player’s emails or picking up lunch. “I love the game of basketball,” Lopez said. “I love everything that is involved in making a program successful. Whatever my role is within a program, I will do my best to excel.” A 6 a.m. wake up call starts the day for the two. They begin with workouts, not for the team, but for themselves, before preparing to assist the players in their workouts. By 7:30 a.m., they have showered, eaten whatever breakfast they can find and gotten to work. Most days, work starts with preparing for 9 a.m. practice. Before the players and coaches enter The Super Pit, Blakeley and Lopez have gone over film and set up the court so all involved can step right in to a ready gym. Practice time is the most consistent part of their daily routine. After laying the foundation for drills and scrimmages, they pick up a whistle and turn into referees. When it comes time to split up the guards and big men, Lopez takes the guards and Blakeley the bigs. The two have worked out a symbiotic, friendly system with the players after months and countless hours working together. Practice wraps up around 11:30 a.m. so players can get to class in the afternoon, but prior to a complete dismissal, an optional post-practice shootaround has become a popular event. If there’s one word to describe what they do during that time, they use “rebounder.” Shootarounds before and after practice
are always rebounded by a mixture of assistant coaches of graduate assistants, but these two are always there, making sure players have somebody collecting their makes and misses. At noon, the two grab lunch and work on breaking down film, scouting the upcoming opponents and other forms of game preparation. From that time until they sleep, they are mostly on their own. The coaching staff entrusts them to their “homework” such as reviewing game plans — not to mention the actual homework they have from their
Monday and Wednesday night classes for their master’s degree. Blakeley and Lopez admit it is a lot of work, and they are surrounded by basketball seemingly all day, but it is exactly where they want to be. “Sometimes you just have a feeling inside of you that knows this was what you were born to do,” Blakeley said. “It’s that feeling of fulfilling your purpose that ultimately fuels me daily and gets me out of bed each morning, ready to do what I was created to do.”
Top: Luis Lopez referees during practice. Bottom: Graduate assistants Chris Blakeley (left) and Lopez (right) both have goals of coaching in the future. Photos by Rachel Walters
Mean Green Cheer finds ways around funding obstacles CHEER CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
After hitting the ball out of Lovelace Stadium, freshman Lacy Gregory (6) runs around the bases to home plate for UNT’s second run of the first inning. Sara Carpenter
Takeaways from softball’s opening weekend By Luis Diosdado @luis_diosdado9 Softball played the Mardi Gras Classic last week in Monroe, Louisiana, working with several new tools in the three games. The Mean Green left Monroe with one win and two losses along with plenty of takeaways. Defense This was the focal point of the team after head coach Tracey Kee headed back to Denton with those two losses. In the Mean Green’s 12-10 loss to the University of Louisiana at Monroe, they racked up five errors leading to four opposing runs. “Defensively, I was completely disappointed,” Kee said. “We drill our defense so hard and for us to not be able to make the simple plays really costs us.” In the following game against Central Arkansas, North Texas carried a 4-2 lead with no errors into the final inning, all signs pointing to its first win of the season. However, two errors in the final frame allowed Central Arkansas to come back and get the walk-0ff victory. In Friday’s win against Tennessee-Martin, the error bug did not completely forgo North Texas, as they committed two more in the match up, putting their team total up to nine for the weekend. “We’ve been working on it, and we will have it fixed going into Elon this weekend,” Kee said. Offense Headlined by sophomore infielder Lacy Gregory’s monster performance, North Texas put up 19 runs on 26 hits in the three games. Ten different Mean Green players got a hit, and eight different players scored a run. “Coach [Natalie] Kozlowski has really worked hard on the hitters’ mental approach,” Kee said. “I thought she had them completely prepped for the type of pitching we saw.” Lacy had the hot bat, going 7-for-10 with four doubles, two home runs and 12 RBI’s in that three game span. “One of our approaches is to score early,” Lacy said. “We never really want to give the other team a chance to think that they are in the game.” However, Lacy was not the only one to do damage with the bat. Sophomore Hannah Rebar homered twice in the tournament, while junior infielder Sam Rea made her presence known with a home run of her own, her first in a Mean Green uniform.
Situational hitting Kee and her coaching staff pride themselves on the small ball mentality and see it as the most important aspect when it comes to winning games. This means being unselfish and moving runners over into scoring position. “For us, it’s our bread and butter,” Kee said. “We’re typically not a team that’s going to live off of the long ball. Our kids understand the whole philosophy of ‘get them on, get them over, get them in.’” Freshman utility Kourtney Williams made a pivotal impact in the game against Tennessee-Martin by getting on base twice. Williams walked her first at-bat and got on base with a hit her second time. Both times Williams reached base, she was bunted over by sophomore utility Lindsay Gregory and then immediately driven in by Lacy to contribute to two of the five runs. Pitching Coming in to this season, Kee was given a fresh deck with three new freshman pitchers making up a brand new rotation. With freshman pitcher Ally Lindsay out with an injury for the opening tournament, Kee was forced to roll with two freshman pitchers — Hope Trautwein and Maria Priest — to start out. Both girls struggled in their starts, but also showed glimpses of solid pitching in relief. Priest started game one and only survived 2.0 innings while giving up nine runs, only five of which were earned runs. Trautwein came in as relief and slowed down a good hitting team, allowing just three runs on two hits for the remainder of the game. Both girls made adjustments in the next two games and settled down. Against Tennessee-Martin, Trautwein started strong, going 4.2 innings with five strikeouts and two runs on four hits allowed. Priest came in and allowed just three hits and no runs to get the save. “From the first game to the next two, it really just allowed me to find a groove and make adjustments,” Priest said. “After that first game I was able to take a step back and say ‘okay I’ve done it, now I know what to do’ and make those adjustments.” Lindsey is expected to come into the rotation and add that much needed third arm for Kee and her defense this coming weekend. North Texas starts the Elon Tournament on Friday at 11:15 a.m. against Bowling Green. “We only had two girls available to start these games, and I think for us, we’re going to need that third arm going forward,” Kee said. “Getting Ally back will be a big key for this weekend.”
“No matter what the athletic programs are doing, we still have a job to do,” O’Neal said. “So, it doesn’t matter what the records are, our job is not going to change. The [cheerleaders] do it for the love and passion of the sport, to support and to be ambassadors for their university.” Home for O’Neal has always been UNT. The 1999 graduate received her bachelor’s degree in marketing and later returned to get her master’s degree in education. While at UNT, she fulfilled her childhood dream of becoming a dancer for the North Texas dance team. After spending time as a teacher and working in the corporate world, O’Neal grew tired of the everyday regiment and decided to return to her roots. Years later, she is now embarking on her seventh year as the cheerleading coach at North Texas. While most of her athletes describe her as a hardnosed coach, they understand there is a method to the madness. “She’s very old-school and very tough on us,” mat captain Jarrod Gonzalez said. “It’s a lot of love, and she only does it to get the best out of us. We wouldn’t trade her for anyone else.” Along with her athletes, the North Texas athletic department has also had their fair share of heated exchanges with O’Neal. UNT has gained the reputation among students for prioritizing student athletes over the needs of spirit groups on campus. The North Texas cheerleaders and dancers do not have a facility on campus to practice in at their convenience. While the dancers are subjected to finding any random room across campus to practice, the cheerleaders use the busy Volleyball Center as a place to train. Most facilities on campus are designated for education purposes or specifically for student athletes. Since cheerleading is not officially a university sport, they are forced to spend money from fundraisers to have a place to practice. If they are not spending money, they are working around other team’s schedules. “I’ve been around this sport long enough, I kind of know where we stand,” O’Neal said. “That doesn’t stop me from fighting for things, for my kids, that I think that they deserve. I would do anything for a donor to come in and build a practice facility for all of spirit, cheer and dance.” When O’Neal initially took the job at North Texas, she was facing
an uphill battle. They did not have much money or the necessary cheer equipment to represent UNT. She spent her first five years looking to rebuild the cheer program from the ground up. A part of the rebuilding process was leaving the athletic department to seek funding. As of January 2017, the cheerleaders are considered an organization of Student Activities. This move has allowed them to access additional funding from student services fees incorporated into tuition. Previously, the cheerleaders would spend a majority of their money on practice space and competitions. Since transitioning to student activities, the need to fundraise has decreased, but it has not stopped O’Neal from continuing to do everything she can for her team. “Moving into student affairs, nothing is given to you for free,” O’Neal said. “Yes, we have more money, but that means we also have more responsibilities and appearances and things we have to do for the president’s office. It’s
been interesting trying to change into a new part of the university.” O’Neal described the transition as a blessing, considering how far they have come over the past few years, both from a financial and team standpoint. That same level of gratitude has trickled down to the cheerleaders who credit student affairs for their transparency and understanding. With competition season underway for the North Texas cheerleaders, their sights are set on having a good performance at the National Cheerleaders Association Daytona competition. The team will continue to adjust practice schedules to accommodate student athletes as they understand it comes with being a cheerleader at North Texas. “It’s challenging but we also know our role,” O’Neal said. “The kids know their place. They know they’re not scholarship athletes, unfortunately. They know they’re not going to have the perks of a scholarship athlete, but they don’t do it for that.”
The UNT cheerleaders currently share a gym with the volleyball players for practice sessions. Tate Owen
Student Service Fee Advisory Committee/ Group Proposal Presentations Date: Friday, February 23, 2018 Location: Union, Room 412 Time: 8:00 AM
OPINION Page 6
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2018
NTDAILY.COM
Athletic fees shouldn’t empty students’ pockets By The Editorial Board @ntdaily
UNT students are voting Tuesday through Thursday on a referendum that would increase UNT’s intercollegiate athletics fee from $10 – not including about $2 which athletics receives from the student services fee — to $16.25 per credit hour. While there is disagreement on whether there should or shouldn’t be additional funding to athletics, the information the athletics department has shared does not present the entire picture. The athletics department is quick to advertise the $4.25 per credit hour increase. While this figure is truthful, its presentation is deceptive. The $4.25 per credit hour increase, when expanded, tells a different story than those in support would lead you to believe. Assuming the required 120 credit hours to earn a bachelor’s degree, this amounts to a $750 increase overall over the course of a student’s undergraduate career. ($16.25 x 120 hours = $1,950; students pay $1,200 under the current athletic fee system.)
According to The Institute for College Access and Success, the proportion of indebted 2016 graduates from UNT is 63 percent with an average of $25,249 of student loan debt. Students simply can not afford to take on an additional $750 of debt. The athletics department has also failed to provide a detailed plan of how the money is intended to be spent. The athletics website advertises that the $3.5 million investment from students will give money to general public relations, travel budget, spirit and student organizations. In a tweet from Athletic Director Wren Baker, “An athletic fee increase would not take money away from any other clubs or organizations. The student service fee which funds clubs and orgs will have an additional $100k to allocate. $200k will be allocated to the Green Brigade (band), club/rec sports and spirit squads.” That means $200,000 allocated in total for the Green Brigade, 31 club sports, recreational sports, cheer, dance and more. What about the other $3.3 million
estimated to be raised annually by the increase in fees? Why does the athletic department refrain from providing a financial rundown for the students who would pay the fees that support them? The university expects students to vote on a referendum for which little information is being made public and for which little information may even exist. As investors in the UNT system, students deserve more accountability from this public institution. Baker expects students to have blind faith based on victories by the football team. While it should be said that the athletics department should receive more funding, there are surely more cost-friendly alternatives. In fact, maybe the athletics department should take note from the College of Music. According to a UNT news release, in 1998, Bill and Margot Winspear donated $2 million (more than $3 million in 2018 when adjusted for inflation) to complete a theater inside of the Murchison Performing Arts Center.
While athletics’ marketing for this referendum could be misleading, athletics should still try to raise money for what they need to build up the program and make it successful. Building better corporate partnerships and relationships with donors could be more
beneficial than asking students to open their wallets a little wider. The $4.25 increase sounds like an average drink at Starbucks. But just like buying 120 coffees, it all adds up in the end.
Illustration by Austin Banzon
To the singles on Valentine’s Day
By Rachel Herzer @coolrachdoritos
Illustration by Austin Banzon
Yes, we have to talk about it. It’s Valentine’s Day, and you’re single. But before you do a Twitter thread on reasons why someone should date you, let me explain why finding love isn’t the be-all, end-all solution to life. I always tell my friends when they complain about being single that having a significant other does not solve all your problems. I love my boyfriend, but my life is not perfect. I still have anxiety. Sometimes I
get panic attacks late at night. I’m still stressed about school and the future. I still deal with body image issues. Do you see what I’m saying? Getting a boyfriend doesn’t naturally fix your life, as much as your brain tries to convince you it would. I do not want this to come across as whining to the single, “less fortunate” people, kind of like a “the girl with the healthy relationship still isn’t happy” kind of thing. But that is actually part of the problem — this belief we hold that if you have a partner, you’ve somehow won, you’ve made it, you’ve accomplished something. Think about when couples get engaged. Why do we congratulate them? It is not really worthy of praise. We are happy for them, sure, but it’s not like they did something admirable or impressive. Putting on fake lashes without tweezers, now that deserves congratulations. Plus, relationships are a lot of work. You can’t be as selfish in a relationship.
It’s a whole other person you have to concern yourself with. A healthy relationship requires communication, honesty, respect and a whole mess of other things — things you might not be so great at and need to work on personally. Which is completely worth it if you are really down for your partner, but come on, I’m trying to make you feel better about being single. I know what you are probably thinking — this line of thought sounds all well and good in philosophy, but it’s different trying to implement it in your own life. At the end of the day, you still get sad sometimes because watching “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and getting wine drunk on a Thursday would be a lot more fun with a partner. All I can tell you is just hang in there. What is meant to be will be, you know? One bit of advice that always stuck with me is that there are two things you should never force: a relationship and a fart. And I haven’t pooped my pants yet.
‘Deepfakes’ pushes the boundaries between revenge porn and catfishing
By Spencer Kain @spencer_kain “Deepfakes” are new pornographic clips featuring some of Hollywood’s biggest stars. But, these clips were not leaked by internet hackers from the personal files of these celebrities, nor were they released by porn studios with celebrity lookalikes. Instead, they are real pornographic clips with faces of Hollywood’s biggest stars cropped onto actual porn stars. Deepfakes are achieved with the help of artificial intelligence and some clever
Photoshop by swapping the faces of porn stars with the faces of actors, musicians and even politicians. A user on Reddit this past December began flooding the app with these Deepfake videos, “starring” singers and actresses like Taylor Swift, Emma Watson and Natalie Portman. Unfortunately, these few celebrities were not the only ones whose faces were used in sexually explicit videos orchestrated by the Deepfake AI algorithm. Fortunately, the two social media outlets where these videos were first released, Reddit and Twitter, have banned “Deepfake” videos on each of their respective services. However, in January, before these videos were blocked, another Reddit user published an app which allows anyone to produce these Deepfake videos, without relatively any grueling technological processes. If these Deepfake videos are to gain further momentum on porn websites and
other XXX rated websites, it could mean big trouble for Hollywood and the concept of revenge porn. Any random person could crop any famous person’s face onto a sexually explicit video and release it to the public. How are we, as the public, then supposed to distinguish between what is actually real and what is fake? These Deepfake videos present a very troubling reality in the porn industry. Just like a couple of years ago when many famous celebrities’ nude pictures were leaked, including Jennifer Lawrence and Kate Upton, Deepfakes will once again put celebrities’ private lives and business into the public. Yes, these videos may not technically be real, but it will still infiltrate the lives of these celebrities in the most inappropriate, invasive way possible. Not only can celebrities faces be put in these videos, but people have the ability to put anybody’s face in these videos. A random person could insert their crush’s
face into one of these Deepfake videos to see a sexually explicit video featuring their crush. Just creepy, right? One of the more troubling aspects rooting from these videos is the idea of revenge porn being utilized. I don’t need to explain what revenge porn is to you, but anybody who has been dumped who wants to get back at their ex could easily insert their face into one of these videos and post it to social media everywhere and claim it really is the
person who dumped them. Revenge porn is already a troubling thing, but these Deepfake videos could make it even more of a serious, invasive issue. As if these past few years haven’t felt enough like we are living in an episode of “Black Mirror,” Deepfakes come along to further prove we might actually be living in one.
Illustration by Austin Banzon
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