The cheeky Issue

188.2 FEB. 13, 2020

YOUR NEWSPAPER ESTABLISHED 1951

New interviews with Second City comedian Natalie Metcalfe, world champion martial artist Nathan Skoufis, and the University of Guelph’s own Kathryn Harvey.

Plus a special section, where our writers get down and dirty and discuss some of the most risquĂŠ and totally taboo topics of all time, including sexual health, period poverty, and getting tested.

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Mandela Struggle for Freedom On exhibit February 7 to August 3, 2020

THE EXHIBITION FOR EVERYONE WHO REFUSES TO SEE THE WORLD IN BLACK AND WHIITE.

Ken Seiling Waterloo Region Museum 10 Huron Road, Kitchener 519-748-1914 Deaf and hard of hearing (TTY): 519-575-4608 www.waterlooregionmuseum.ca Mandela: Struggle for Freedom was developed by the Canadian Museum for Human Rights (Winnipeg, Canada), in partnership with the Apartheid Museum (Johannesburg, South Africa). Tour management services provided by Lord Cultural Resources.

Developed by:

Mandela Talks Apartheid in South Africa, with Dr. Christopher Taylor Sunday, March 8, 1 to 3 p.m.

Join University of Waterloo professor, Dr. Christopher Taylor, as he discusses the topics of racism and apartheid in South Africa. Afterwards, explore the exhibit.

A Conversation on Human Rights in South Africa, with Patrick Case Saturday, April 18, 1 to 2 p.m.

Join us as we host Patrick Case, a renowned researcher on the topic of genocide and international issues. Case will explore human rights issues in Apartheid Africa and Mandela’s work to unite the country. He will speak to his first-hand experience in South Africa during their inaugural democratic election. Afterwards, explore the exhibit.

Contributing partners:

Media partners:

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IN THIS ISSUE: EDITORIAL Hey you!

4

NEWS Divest

6

On the Radar

6

Wet’suwet’en law

7

OPINION Disater Fatigue

11

Burnout at OVC

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SPECIAL FEATURE: GETTING SEXY Ace

14

Love at a Distance

15

Period Poverty

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Faking It

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ARTS & CULTURE Archival Heads

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Laughing with Natalie Metcalfe

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The World Champion

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Living with Roommates

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Uncut Gems

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FUN PAGES Horoscopes

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Puzzles

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CONTRIBUTORS PRABHJOT BAINS TIFFANY CARTER CARLEIGH CATHCART KEVIN CONNERY AMANDA ETCHES TASHA FALCONER ROBERT FLEWELLING JOSHUA FRADE SARAH KROLEWSKI LEAH MORROW MARIA NICOLE ALLAN SLOAN ELIANA SINICROPI SPECIAL THANKS Nathan Skoufis Kathryn Harvey Dena Van de Coevering Graham Burt Quinn “The Butt” Dougan

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Cover Photo by Alex Vialette

THE ONTARION INC.

EDITORIAL STAFF

University Centre Room 264 University of Guelph 50 Stone Road East Guelph ON, Canada N1G 2W1

Editor-in-Chief Kevin Connery

Phone 519-824-4120 Editorial x 58250 Advertising x 58267 Accounts x 53534 ontarion@uoguelph.ca theontarion.ca @theontation

Copy Editor Jessica Ulbikas

Multimedia Content Creator & Editor Alex Vialette

Circulation Director Salvador Moran BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Director of Layout & Design Larissa Abrams-Ogg

President Heather Gilmore

OFFICE STAFF News Editor Allan Sloan

Executive Director Aaron Jacklin

PRODUCTION STAFF Social Media Coordinator Jacquelina Preza Web Developer Prabhleen Ratra

Business Coordinator Lorrie Taylor Advertising & Marketing Coordinator Patrick Sutherland

Chair of the Board Josh Millen Vice President Finance Mehkansh Sharma Staff Representative Larissa Abrams-Ogg

DIRECTORS Alex Lefebvre Hannah Stewart Jonathan Marun-Batista Miguel Mabalay Tasha Falconer

The Ontarion is a non-profit organization governed by a Board of Directors. Since The Ontarion undertakes the publishing of student work, the opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of The Ontarion staff and Board of Directors. The Ontarion reserves the right to edit or refuse all material deemed sexist, racist, homophobic, or otherwise unfit for publication as determined by the Editor-in-Chief. Material of any form appearing in this newspaper is copyrighted 2019 and cannot be reprinted without the approval of the Editorin-Chief. The Ontarion retains the right of first publication on all material. In the event that an advertiser is not satisfied with an advertisement in the newspaper, they must notify The Ontarion within four working days of publication. The Ontarion will not be held responsible for advertising mistakes beyond the cost of advertisement.

The Ontarion is printed by Hamilton Web.

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EDITORIAL

Hey You Yes, you.

B y Kev i n C o n n e r y

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HE Central Student’s Association (CSA) does a lot of valuable and important work here at the University of Guelph. From the services they offer and the clubs they oversee to the substantial influence bargaining power they have, the CSA fundamentally shapes the university experience for undergraduates.

However, as CSA presidential candidate Nolan Polkinghorne said during the CSA Executive Forum on Feb. 5, “No one really gives a shit.”

The forum, which brought together the candidates hoping to be elected or re-elected to CSA executive positions, was mostly unattended. There were rows of empty chairs and the only audience in attendance were current CSA executives, staff, The Ontarion’s photographer, and me. The one student who was there asked the candidates what they would do to get more folks out next year. We’ve covered their answers in our reporting on the CSA elections, which I encourage you to read, but I still had questions.

So I talked to the president of the CSA. DENA VAN DE COEVERING, the current President of the CSA ran for her position unopposed. As did her predecessor, Jack Fisher, in 2018. In 2017, candidate Jay Rojas also ran unopposed and lost by fewer than 100 votes when reports of his past criminal convictions circulated on social media.

“A student’s life is so busy,” Van de Coevering told me when we met in her office a couple of days after the forum.

There are a bunch of reasons, she said, why students don’t get involved. It’s no one factor, but a combination of finances, workload, stress and other professional and social obligations.

Another reason though, is that this has been a hard year for the CSA. The Student Choice Initiative (SCI) was a blow to almost all student groups, the CSA among them.

“There were many challenges that came with it,” Van de Coevering said. “We started [the year] not knowing what our funding was.”

The SCI is currently deemed unlawful, and, pending a request for appeal, it seems like it may be done. “Looking into the future our budgeting process looks a lot more stable,” she said, as she and I joked about how, without the drama and uncertainty of the SCI, whoever takes over from her will have a much easier time than she did.

Part of the real destruction the SCI wrought (and this was by design) was that, both in cutting budgets and by making budgets uncertain, the initiative compromised the way student groups can operate. If you are not sure what your budget is, it’s very hard to get things done. And if you’re not getting things done, students aren’t going to get

involved.

“It’s great to have this conversation today,” Van de Coevering said, “seeing that we sold out Bill Nye in 30 minutes.”

The Mar. 5 Bill Nye event has been generating buzz across the university since it was announced on the same day as the Executive Forum. And the CSA has leaned into excitement to encourage students to go vote.

Throughout the year, this approach to building student engagement through events has been underlying much of the CSA’s work.

“Being able to create an event that is so engaged with students and that clearly they’re excited to be apart of, that’s probably the victory of the year. To have such uncertainty at the beginning and then to have this great triumph of being able to bring our community together to showcase the great work CSA is capable of doing.”

It is a good strategy.

“We’re engaging students on a fun level,” Van de Coevering said, talking about one of the CSA’s most popular recurring events, Sexy Bingo at The Brass Taps. “It’s a stress reliever for them, they get to learn a little bit about the CSA so they might be able to connect the dots more as to who we are and what we do.”

This is something that I have heard several times from the CSA executive candidates as well as others involved with the CSA. But this idea, that the way to fix low engagement may simply come down to better marketing and event promotion, has never sat quite right with me.

The CSA does need to market itself. If it seems cool (or beneficial or exciting), then students will absolutely want to be a part of it. However, the cynic in me does pause at the idea of organizations and active recruitment because I see two big problems that can emerge.

Good work, important work, change — when done right, these are slow. These are often dull bureaucratic processes, that, like voting, are essential, if unglamorous.

The first is, as with any organization, there is always the risk of recruitment becoming insular. If friends hire friends or create the kinds of programming that their friends are into, then eventually, a bubble forms. Over time, this can alienate new people and that bubble can become a barrier.

Second though, and far more troubling, is that given the inherently political nature and democratic structure of the CSA as well as their substantial budget, one can imagine a kind of advantage that comes from low engagement. If the public — or in the case of the CSA, their membership — are who hold you accountable, then there are reasons you might not want all their eyes focused on you. You can get a lot done when people aren’t paying attention and you can get a lot done because people aren’t paying attention, because in either case, who’s to stop you?

I am not saying the CSA is being disingenuous when they talk about outreach and working to better connect with students. And I’m not suggesting that they are diabolical — quite the opposite actually. I think the CSA is doing very good work. What I am saying though, is that students need to pay attention. One shouldn’t place the burden of engagement solely on any organization. Undergraduates at the University of Guelph (and odds are that’s you, dear reader), need to take their own initiative as well.

I asked Van de Coevering the same questions I’ve been

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asking student leaders all year. How do you get people involved? How do you get people to come out to something?

Time and again the answer I’ve received is that involvement begins with getting students to take a first step.

“You enter into one opportunity, even as simple as one event, and your perspective can grow more and more because you might see more of what’s available, what’s out there,” Van de Coevering told me. “If you take literally just one step forward to being involved in some way — like attending one event on campus — you’re already exploring so much.”

Tyler Poirier, one of this year’s candidates for CSA President said essentially the same thing at the executive forum when talking about how working with SafeWalk eventually led him to run for the position. I have even used a similar version of this when pitching The Ontarion to students who are considering writing. But, as Van de Coevering, Poirier, and I all know, it’s finding that thing that makes people take their first step that is the big challenge.

“Essentially, I think it comes down to what the student wants themselves. Do they want to be a part of a certain club? Do they want to represent this club in what they do and what events they run? If they connect with that passion, and it suits them well, then they’re going to stay on and it’s going to bring them a source of happiness while they’re going through school.”

Van de Coevering is correct in this. Though, I want to put forward a slightly different perspective.

Get involved with stuff because it’s fun and get involved because it looks good on your resume. Do both. But also get involved because things can always be better just as they can always be worse.

Often organizations seeking new members (or participants, or contributors) pitch themselves as fun. We do this because it is true. The Ontarion, for example, is great; come write for us! We are fun, but we’re not always.

Good work, important work, change — when done right, these are slow. These are often dull bureaucratic processes, that, like voting, are essential, if unglamorous.

The CSA, as an organization, has enormous potential.

Earlier this year York University’s student association, the York Federation of Students, sued the provincial government and won. Our student association is no less mighty.

But the CSA also has enormous potential for mismanagement. In January of this year, Ryerson University announced that it would terminate its Operating Agreement with the Ryerson Student Union after reports of alleging the improper use of funds by the RSU Executives.

What incentive is there for executives to do the really hard work when “no one gives a shit”? What incentive is there for executives to commit to projects, or even campaign, when they’re running unopposed? What oversight can there be if no one is watching?

Let this be what gets you to take that first step. Please, go get involved. Run for an executive position next year. Run for president. It’s a good job. Go vote, if it hasn’t closed yet.

Celebrate the CSA for their good work and hold them accountable in those places where they can continue to improve. Tell them to fight for your tuition, tell them to fight the university over divestment and for student safety.

The CSA contributes as much to the overall texture and experience of U of G as the administration does, so make them work for you and make them work hard. And if they won’t, lead them. n

Oppisite are the candidates running for CSA Executives and the Board of Directors. Many of the available positions for the General Election, Winter 2020 were sought by candidates running unopposed. Some positions were not sought by anyone.

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NEWS

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N ew s We’ ve N o t i c e d Fr o m t h e E d i t o r i a l S t a f f

ON THE RADAR Brexit

Photo by Alex Vialette

U of G Is Not Fossil Free Fossil Free Guelph Organizes Peaceful Protest at BOG Meeting B y L e a h M o r r ow

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OSSIL Free Guelph attended the Board of Governors meeting in the form of a peaceful protest after a letter was posted online by the Central Student Association (CSA). This letter, addressed to Dr. Franco Vaccarino and the university’s Board of Governors, urged the university to divest from fossil fuel investments.

The Board of Governors met on Wed, Jan. 22 from 1:15 to 4:30 p.m.

The protesters arrived shortly before and stood outside the meeting room holding signs. In capital letters, one sign asked the Board why they have chosen to not care. Another stated

that the University of Guelph funds Indigenous genocide.

Just before the meeting began, protestors entered the room and passed out flyers that read “Why UoG Won’t Divest” to those present. CSA Vice President of External Affairs, Horeen Hassen, who was among the protestors, handed the CSA’s divestment letter to the Chair and left a copy for Dr. Vaccarino.

Since the meeting, there has been no direct contact from the Board of Governors to the CSA. According to an Instagram poll conducted by the CSA, 84 per cent of students agree that the University of

Letter to the Editor

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AM a 1976 UofG grad and have lived in Guelph since then and continue to read the Ontarion. In the January 16, 2020 edition, archival photos of winter on campus are shown in an article titled ‘Scrolling through a Winter Wonderland.’ In it there’s a photo of a snow sculpted Gryphon — just like the Gryphon on all UofG sports uniforms. Just like the Gryphon used officially by the UofG in it’s marketing information. Just like a Gryphon that may have been carved and placed at the entrance to a building of some ancient civilization.

Am I the only one who would like to see a statue of this Gryphon at the corner of Gordon and Stone to welcome people to the UofG campus instead of that Disneyfied, anthropomorphic, storybook character? Wouldn’t the current statue be placed better somewhere in the depths of The Arboretum as an article of whimsy? And its place taken by a timeless carving of a magnificent, but mythical Gryphon?

Or is it just me? n - Crusty Old Grad

Guelph should divest.

Hassan says that the CSA will continue to put pressure on the university to divest. “The University of Guelph needs to stop capitalizing on the values and moral compasses of our students,” Hassan said. “Guelph will never be a “Green School” if it continues to invest in fossil fuels. It is time to Improve Life by divesting from fossil fuel companies.”

The Ontarion has reached out to the Office of the President and ViceChancellor Franco Vaccarino for a comment on the situation, and has not gotten a reply. n

The United Kingdom has officially withdrawn from the European Union.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson vowed to ‘get Brexit done’ after winning the majority in the UK General Election on Dec. 12, 2019.

On Jan. 23, 2020, the EU received Royal Assessment from the UK signaling the first steps into the UK leaving the Union. BBC reports that as of Jan. 31, 2020, the UK has entered an 11-month transition period, leaving the UK still a part of the EU’s Customs Union. It is still unknown as of this writing if a new customs deal will be reached, or if the UK will fully withdraw with no deal in tact.

Trump Acquitted in Impeachment Trial After a 51–49 vote to not allow new witnesses and evidence in the impeachment trial against President Donald Trump, the Senate has voted to acquit Trump of all charges. Senator Mitt Romney was the only Republican senator to vote to convict Trump on charges of abuse of power.

Trump lashed out a Romney in a tweet saying: “Had failed presidential candidate [Mitt Romney] devoted the same energy and anger to defeating a faltering Barack Obama as he sanctimoniously does to me, he could have one the election. Read the Transcripts!” Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said there will always be “a giant asterisk next to the president’s acquittal.”

Bernie Wins Iowa, or Does He?

Have a Letter to the Editor?

The Ontarion is always eager to hear from readers and the community. If you’ve got something you want to say, why not write a letter to the editor?

We ask that letters be kept to a maximum of 300 words and we reserve the right to edit and refuse letters that are unfit for publication as determined by the Editorin-Chief.

Email: Stories@theontarion.com

After a massive fiasco with precincts reporting polling results, Bernie Sanders and Pete Buttigeig are within 0.1 per cent of each other to seal the win. While Sanders currently holds the popular vote by nearly 6000 votes, Buttigeig holds two Demecratic Delegate votes over Sanders. Sanders said about Buttigeig, “I like [Buttigeig], nice guy, but we are in a moment where billionaires control not only our economy but our political process.” Buttigeig promises to “take that contribution and I’m going to use it to build the campaign that’s going to defeat Donald Trump so that we can actually get the reforms that this country needs.” @THEONTARION

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Photo courtesy of Unistoten.camp

Defending the Land, Upholding the Law. B y R o b e r t F l ewe l l i n g

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T 4 A.M. on Feb. 6, a large force of the RCMP assaulted the Unist’ot’en 39 km camp and blocked media access. Six land defenders were arrested (and released shortly thereafter), and journalists were removed due to “safety concerns.”

The following day saw raids at another Unist’ot’en camp, at the 44 km mark. This time, with four people arrested and defenses torn down. On Friday Feb. 10, 11 more were arrested including three Hereditary Chiefs as the RCMP pushed forward with K-9 units on behalf of Coastal GasLink, tearing down memorials for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women along the way.

These assaults are troubling for a number of reasons, both contemporary and historically. Thus, as more information comes from British Columbia and the Unist’ot’en camps, it is important to keep in mind why those who oppose the pipelines and Canada’s actions are fighting an important battle. Fundamentally, the land and water defenders are also defending freedom and justice.

In 2007, the United Nations adopted the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). This declaration was and is an incredibly significant declaration by the United Nations, as it affirms and recognizes Indigenous rights and directly opposes colonial policies. While 144 nations voted for UNDRIP, Canada, along with three other nations, voted against it.

While UNDRIP is a non-legally-binding resolution, Canada decided to change its vote in 2015 and to adopt the declaration, yet we stopped there. UNDRIP has yet to be implemented in our constitution. The declaration states many things, but one of the most important parts, particularly in Canada where land disputes are commonplace, is the right of Free and Prior In-

formed Consent.

The UN breaks down each aspect of this right.

First, “free” consent is “consent given voluntarily and without coercion, intimidation or manipulation.” It must be selfdirected, and done so by the terms of the community whose consent is desired. For the Wet’suwet’en First Nation, consent for pipeline construction should be collectively agreed upon by its members, free from outside pressure. In other words, consent can only be given with consultation of the Hereditary Chiefs, who hold title rights, and without the outside pressure of the band council, Government of Canada, and armed RCMP presence.

“Prior” consent is sought well in advance, not after heavy machinery and work crews are already en route.

“Informed” consent means that all information regarding the nature of consent is provided and made clear to those giving consent. For the Unist’ot’en, that means the results of environmental inquiries are full and clear, and that due process is followed regarding environmental policies. It also means that visitors demonstrate the nature of their visit and their intent once on the land. That is, visitors to the land must consult with the title holders before entering, stating why they want to visit, and what they plan on doing once they are there. Finally, at any point in this process the party in question has the right to revoke consent.

Lastly, the UN definition of consent affirms that consent is the “collective decision made by the right holders and reached through a customary decision-making processes of the communities.”

What this implies is that the decision of allowing the construction of pipelines is not a decision that rests solely with the band council, elected on terms dictated by the Indian Act. Rather, consent should be

given by all, specifically the Hereditary Chiefs, in accordance to Unist’ot’en law.

Part of decolonizing is recognizing and respecting systems of law and governance that are separate and free from the colonial system. In 1997, the Supreme Court of Canada made a landmark decision in Delgamuukw v. British Columbia. The decision essentially confirmed the existence of the inherent and pre-existing rights of Indigenous Peoples to their lands. For the Wet’suwet’en, this would mean upwards of 22,000 square kilometers in Northern British Columbia is recognized as being under the jurisdiction of Wet’suwet’en governance.

Additionally, the decision recognized the Hereditary Chiefs as legitimate title holders to the land, thus they are able to maintain the jurisdiction and authority to uphold Wet’suwet’en law on Wet’suwet’en lands.

Under this system, Wet’suwet’en land title is “unbroken, unextinguished, and unceded”, and Indian Act provisions should not supersede traditional clan-based governance. Regardless of whether elected band councils have approved the pipelines, enough of the population has demonstrated opposition to pipeline construction such

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that the project should not be allowed to continue. That isn’t to say that elected councils and Hereditary Chiefs cannot work together, nor that non-colonial governments oppose economic and resource development. Rather, there must be a recognition and affirmation of non-colonial laws and governmental structure under UNDRIP. Truth and Reconciliation means nothing until UNDRIP is implemented, affirmed, and recognized throughout the country, and armed police are not used to push the agendas of corporations.

In the words of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, “there can be no development for indigenous peoples without their free, prior and informed consent and without them being involved in every step. These fundamental principles are enshrined in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.” Until our governments, corporations, and the institutions we are a part of divest from fossil fuel industries, the cycle will repeat itself.

Thus, for all intents and purposes, Wet’suwet’en First Nation has revoked, and continues to revoke, its consent. The Unist’ot’en are not protestors, rebelling against the government. That is, “the Unist’ot’en homestead is not a protest or demonstration… Our traditional indigenous legal systems remain intact and continue to govern our people and our lands.”

Wet’suwet’en lands were never ceded or surrendered, and treaty nor contract gave permission to Canada to have its way with the land or its people. Canada simply enveloped and encompassed it during its slow imperial march west, as it attempted to connect its Pacific claims to the territories in the east.

While it may be inconvenient to be late for work or miss your train due to Wet’suwet’en solidarity, it would be even more inconvenient if ViaRail decided to build a new train line directly through your legally owned and unceded house and property, despite your obvious opposition.

That is why their fight isn’t simply in opposition to the pipelines. It is in opposition to the lingering shadow of the Indian Act and colonialism, a force that is still very much alive in Canada and abroad. The Unis’tot’en are not dissenters, they are defenders. They are not anarchists, they are avengers. They are fighting a centuries-old fight against the assimilatory and destructive policies of colonial and imperialist governments. They are not breaking Canadian law, they are upholding ‘Anuc niwh’it’en (Wet’suwet’en law) and the expectations set out by the United Nations. The world is watching Canada, with all eyes are on Wet’suwet’en. n

While it may be inconvenient to be late for work or miss your train due to Wet’suwet’en solidarity, it would be even more inconvenient if ViaRail decided to build a new train line directly through your legally owned and unceded house and property, despite your obvious opposition.

NOW HIRING FOR 7 POSITIONS Professional and Managerial Group

Liaison Officer Admission Services, Office of Registrarial Service Temporary full-time from August 4, 2020 to November 20, 2020 Forbes includes U of G Among Canada’s Best Employers Please read the Application Instructions before applying, which can be found at: www.uoguelph.ca/hr/careers-guelph/how-apply

A Liaison Officer is responsible for helping the University meet its enrolment goals by giving presentations to, meeting with, and answering questions from parents, students, and high school officials.

In visiting about 100 high schools (through the School Visit Program and University Information Program) and attending various university fairs, this position provides the opportunity for extensive travel throughout Ontario.

This position will allow the incumbent to develop and gain further experience in their already demonstrated communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills as they promote the University of Guelph and help young students gather the information they need to choose which university they will attend.

Being a Liaison Officer provides a unique opportunity to acquire knowledge about the University of Guelph and education in Ontario as a whole, as well as an understanding of how this knowledge can be utilized to recruit students.

To see a job description or apply for this position please visit: www.uoguelph.ca/hr/careers-guelph/current-opportunities Classification P02* Professional/Managerial Salary Bands At the University of Guelph, fostering a culture of inclusion is an institutional imperative. The University invites and encourages applications from all qualified individuals, including from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in employment, who may contribute to further diversification of our Institution.

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When a winter storm hits, trust these sources to find out whether the University is open

Sign up to receive emergency email, phone or text message alerts www.uoguelph.ca/beprepared

If the University decides before normal working hours to close because of bad weather or an emergency, every effort will be made to communicate that decision by 6 a.m.

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New Allegations Against Former Track and Field Coach

By Allan Sloan

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Megan Brown | Photo Courtsey of The Globe And Mail/Melissa Renwick

N a tell-all article published

by The Globe and Mail, former University of Guelph track and field athlete Megan Brown shared her experience being coached by Dave ScottThomas.

The article detailed Brown’s introduction to Scott-Thomas, her relationship with the former coach, and how the events impacted and continues to impact her life.

As of Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2020, The Globe and Mail released a follow up article, stating that the president of the University of Guelph has reached out to Brown about the university’s handling of the situation.

“The behaviour reported in the article involved violations of trust and of values we hold so highly at the University of Guelph, especially those of ensuring student safety, health and well-being,” U of G President Franco Vaccarino said in an email to Megan Brown.

Athletics Canada also issued a statement saying, “The Athletics Canada Athletes Council deeply condemns the lack of action taken by Athletics Canada and its leadership at the time that Megan’s family was seeking help and support.”

Scott-Thomas was fired from the University of Guelph after

the university “became privy to new information regarding past unprofessional conduct.”

Scott-Thomas was also the owner of Speed River Track and Field club which has since closed its doors offering refunds to athletes who have already registered for the 2020 season.

The Ontarion considers this an ongoing matter. Anyone with more information about this story is urged to contact The Ontarion, stories@ theontarion.com, or the Editor-inCheif directly. n

BILL BILL BILL! The Science Guy is coming to Guelph

By Allan Sloan

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HE University of Guelph will be getting a dose of science as the Science Guy himself, Bill Nye, will be coming to campus on March 5.

Nye will be giving a presentation at the Athletic Event Centre moderated by The Great Orbax.

Tickets for the event went on sale at 10 a.m. Feb. 7, going for $15 for University of Guelph students and $50 for community members. The CSA told The Ontarion that tickets for the event sold out in 30 minutes. n

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OPINION

The Era of Bad News Understanding “Disaster Fatigue” and How To Fight It B y J o s h u a Fr a d e

I

HAVE lately found the news junkie in me becoming increasingly pessimistic.

Over the last few months, years really, the news has been interesting but increasingly morbid. Just recently, and still ongoing, the impact of the climate crisis has been demolishing coastal Australia in biblical proportions.

Simultaneously, global superpowers have been inciting a third world war through political assassinations, missile attacks, and the illegitimate takedown of a Ukranian civilian aircraft. Before all this, we were seeing the unprecedented destruction to the Amazon rainforest, a decade characterized by mass shootings, and an unapologetic president who

escaped impeachment after countless xenophobic comments and actions. I have been an avid follower of global news for a long time, but even thinking about this last December is enough to upset me.

So, in dire need of positivity, I decided to review the decade’s top stories to remember the ‘good times.’ But instead of finding a steady stream of happiness, I was overwhelmed by the increasing number of stories describing a world full of uncertainties and hopelessness.

In a perfect world, any one of these stories would be enough to spark endless political demonstrations, philanthropic actions, and global discussion. Instead, I succumbed to a period of lethargy

and meloncachly, unable to give a second of attention to any story, as I continued to be buried underneath a barrage of bad news.

It may not have been evident at first, but with the addition of each new mass shooting, climate disaster, or presidential comment comes with it a spreading sense of fatigue alongside the inability to truly process all the actions surrounding the events. At a certain point, the news projected is so far beyond our scope of control that it leads to a feeling of creeping disregard following each new story.

Fearing that my increasing disregard of global tragedy was really a waning love of the news, I recently asked my friends and mentors how the relentlessness of disaster news made them feel.

Although not an official survey, most agreed that it was easier to sympathize with a singularity rather than an array of tragedies. It was not until I spoke to Craig Johnson, a Professor of Political Science at the University of Guelph, that I learned these feelings describe a common cultural phenomenon called “disaster fatigue.”

PUT SIMPLY, disaster fatigue is the exhaustion and depression that is the result of an onslaught of bad news. Remedies can be simple, but are usually impractical. To reference Dr. Christina Mangurian in the New York Times, some of the best options for combating disaster fatigue include unplugging or remembering good news. Unfortunately, if you live in the 21st century, avoiding technology is unrealistic.

I would like to suggest an idea that has been helpful to me, despite its apparent contradictions to the above options. Much like those suffering from anxiety, I found the most helpful step is knowing that I am not alone in

this battle, and neither are you.

If the impending sense of dread steepens with each news flash, talk to your friends or family.

Next, instead of fearing bad news, I would encourage you to face it head on. Ignoring what is happening on a global level is not a practical coping mechanism. As unfortunate as it may seem, this is the new normal. The level of disaster news we are experiencing is unprecedented within our

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i from the government. In the meantime, it’s because people stay educated and informed that any sort of discourse, let alone change, can occur.

Change is slow, even imperceptible at first, but just as there are people who work relentlessly to worsen the state of the world, we as the new generation must work harder to better it. This may not seem like much, but every discussion, post, comment, or share is

Put simply, “disaster fatigue” is the exhaustion and depression that is the result of an onslaught of bad news. lifetime, and the frequency of occurrence is only increasing. We could get used to it, or we could do something about it.

Although some tragedies may garner more media attention than others, all deserve some public attention because an informed public is a powerful political force.

Democratic political decisions are, in theory, driven by a public who elect representatives, so understanding and engagement with the news are important. As an example, look no further than the United States and the current discussion around gun control. The rate of mass gun violence in the United States is exponentially increasing, yet even as guns are still readily available in many states, progress has been made towards limiting or outlawing the availability of certain types of firearms because of public outcry and demonstration. Hopefully, the amount of noise made by American citizens will eventually be enough to stimulate stricter gun reform

a way of exercising your voice. So rather than succumbing to disaster fatigue, finding ways to channel that melancholy into activism is the most effective way to cope with it.

For those of you who aren’t ready to grab this bull by the horns, don’t worry, I understand.

It takes courage and privilege to openly comment and reflect on global issues, and with such a large online community discouraging those who are outspoken, it’s okay to walk before running.

My goal in these few paragraphs was to spread awareness to a feeling that many did not know was diagnosable. As the rate of disaster news skyrockets, we must adjust and continue to speak out about global injustices. To my fellow news junkies who’ve been feeling fatigued, I want you to know you’re not alone. This may be a dark moment in history, but embrace the hell and join me in being a part of the change. n

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FER RUA RY 1 3 T H , 2020

Photo by Alex Vialette

D IA RY O F A V E T S TU D E NT

c

Burnout and Brutal Honesty It’s okay not to love every moment

By Carleigh Cathcart

I

AM going to be honest with you — I’m tired.

I’m tired of sitting in class, tired of writing a test or two every week, and just straight-up tired. This is my ninth (yes, ninth!) consecutive year of university, so I suppose it’s not shocking that I feel this way. But it’s also scary, to feel so unmotivated as I approach my fourth and final year of veterinary school. During a time I feel should be building in excitement and anticipation, I find myself increasingly dreading anything school-related.

It’s not that I regret my career choice, nor is it that I am not incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be studying something I love. I’ve been working towards this point for much of my life, and I have never once doubted that this is where I want (and am meant) to be. But loving something is not always easy, particularly when that something involves a decade of post-secondary education and several hurdles along the way.

The other day in the lab, as I was practicing simulated intestinal surgery, I overheard a conversation between two of my classmates. The essence of their discussion was: “Honestly, I just can’t wait until that feeling is gone, that feeling of always having to be studying. I can’t even watch a movie with my boyfriend without feeling guilty. It’s like I always have to be studying, it’s exhausting.”

Of course, no one enters a professional program expecting it to be easy. Long days and excessive materials are par for the course in Vet Med, and part of the reason that not everyone who loves animals chooses to be a vet. After all, there are several avenues to involve oneself in animal care, welfare, and medicine that don’t involve putting yourself through the DVM ringer.

Evidently though, 120-odd classmates and I have willingly landed ourselves in this position, and all the challenges that come with it.

However, that doesn’t mean that we can’t struggle sometimes. In fact, the veterinary profession has an alarmingly high rate of mental health crises among its members.

Financial constraints, compassion fatigue, client expectations, online abuse, and long hours take a toll on vets across the country.

These challenges are only made worse with the advent of social media, where misinformation is spread daily and the years of education veterinarians put into their degree are constantly questioned, our motives attributed to a non-existent payout some people think our recommendations will earn us.

All this is quite daunting for an upcoming graduate who is tired from school but has not yet even entered the field. Considering the constant and almost life-long pressure on veterinary hopefuls — get good grades in high school, achieve stellar uni-

versity grades while obtaining lots of experience, push through four intense years of vet school where grades are constantly emphasized and rewarded — it’s no wonder we’re susceptible to burnout by the time we can put ‘Dr.’ in front of our name.

So yes, I am tired. As of this week, I’ve written just under 20 midterms or final exams, many of which were followed by full days of class. It’s hard to recover from intense study sessions that feel less like waves than they do tsunamis — but hey, I guess I chose to swim in the ocean.

Thankfully, I’m not swimming alone.

My peers surrounding me are writing the same tests, completing the same labs, and feeling the same fatigue. Albeit in our own unique ways, there are over a hundred fellow swimmers fighting the tides around me and helping each other when someone may have trouble keeping their head above water. Knowing I am not alone has been the greatest source of comfort to me. Somehow,

the vulnerability we allow each other to see in ourselves has only made my classmates stronger and more respectable in my eyes.

In the hyper-competitive veterinary world, exhaustion and isolation are not difficult to find. I would strongly encourage anyone contemplating this profession to ensure they truly understand the work and sacrifices involved. If, like me, you decide it is still all worth it, be sure not to neglect the non-academic aspects of your life (though lapses are inevitable).

Work with your colleagues, not against them.

Continue these priorities not just in university, but throughout your career.

Being honest with yourself, and others, about your needs is one of hardest — and most essential — things you can do. If you do not take care of yourself, you will not be able to help the animals for whom you have made all these sacrifices. I can’t think of anything more heartbreaking than that. n

Considering the constant and almost life-long pressure on veterinary hopefuls ... it’s no wonder we’re susceptible to burnout by the time we can put ‘Dr.’ in front of our name.

The Love-and-Sex issue is a longstanding tradition among many campus newspapers. In the past, we’ve covered everything from body positivity to butt plugs, and this year brings some new writers as well as some familiar names, and stories about love, feeling sexy, and taking control of your health (even if that’s sometimes uncomfortable).

Play safe, play smart, & enjoy!

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All About

Asexuality B y S a r a h K r o l ew s k i

A

SEXUALITY DEFINED

Something many Asexuals have heard when coming out to is, “Oh I’m also trying out celibacy,” but asexuality is very different from just abstaining from sex.

Put simply, asexuality is a term for an orientation describing individuals who experience little or no sexual attraction. While someone who identifies as asexual, or “ace,” does not experience sexual attraction, many ace folks, including myself, are actually quite curious as to what that feels like.

When discussing any orientation we must remember that human sexuality is complicated and all of these terms represent a wide spectrum of experiences. Within the ace community there are many ways for people to identify.

An estimated one per cent of the population is asexual, but because of the limited coverage on asexuality and it being considered an umbrella term, accurate sampling for asexuality has proven to be difficult. The fact that asexuality is an umbrella term is not a downside though, as it means that the ace community is very inclusive and makes room for the many ways people may want to identify.

Here is a guide to understanding a little bit more about asexuality and all the terms that someone can identify themselves by.

DIFFERENT KINDS OF ATTRACTION Everyone knows sexual and romantic attraction, but there are two other types of attraction as well: aesthetic and sensual.

Aesthetic attraction is being attracted to someone’s appearance, and sensual attraction includes things like cuddling, kissing and hugging.

a

And, just because someone is asexual and does not feel sexual attraction, does not mean they do not feel romantic, aesthetic or sensual attraction.

When someone doesn’t want to be in a relationship, this is known as being “aromantic.”

Someone who is asexual can be interested in being in a relationship, which means they would be asexual, but in this case, they would not be aromantic.

Dating does not make someone who is asexual any less of a part of the asexual community.

ROMANTIC ORIENTATIONS For Asexuals who feel romantic attraction or wish to be in a relationship, there are many different romantic orientations that they can be a part of.

HETEROROMANTIC: Romantic attraction to the opposite gender.

HOMOROMANTIC: Romantic attraction to the same gender.

without

gender

ATTITUDE TOWARDS SEX When I was younger, I believed that in order to be asexual I had to be disinterested in sex. I thought if I disliked the idea of sex, I was simply immature and would grow out of it. This is not necessarily true at all.

There are three outlooks that asexual people can take towards sex: SEX-FAVOURABLE: Willing to compromise with a partner, open to finding new ways to experience sexuality.

BIROMANTIC: Romantic attraction to multiple genders.

PANROMANTIC: Romantic attraction considered.

identify by. For example, someone could describe themselves as gray-sexual — referring to someone who occasionally feels sexual attraction, but not very often — or demi-sexual — meaning someone who feels sexual attraction only after developing an emotional connection.

Despite what some may say, gray-sexuals and demi-sexuals are welcome in the ace community, as many people who identify with those labels have very similar experiences to those who are asexual.

being

AROMANTIC: No attraction or desire for a relationship.

GRAY-ROMANTIC: In-between aromantic and experiencing romantic attraction. Someone who is gray-romantic may experience romantic attraction, but not very often, or experience romantic attraction but do not want a relationship.

AROMANTIC VS. ASEXUAL

DEMI-ROMANTIC: A subdivision of Gray-Romantic, where someone who identifies with this label will only feel romantic attraction after developing an emotional connection.

Just because someone is asexual does not necessarily mean that they do not want to be in a relationship.

There are also many other romantic orientations on the aromantic spectrum that someone can

SEX-INDIFFERENT: Occasionally can compromise on some things, doesn’t enjoy sex often but is not upset by the thought of sex.

SEX-ADVERSE/REPULSED: Unwilling to compromise, dislikes the idea of having sex.

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he Asexual community is a very open and accepting one. Even if you are uncertain if you are asexual, it is more than alright to consider yourself asexual for a time in your life and change your label later. With many different labels to express yourself by, everyone can feel welcomed in this community. If you are interested in learning more about asexuality or you believe you may be asexual, the Asexual Visibility and Education Network at asexuality.org is a great place to start. n

Fun Fact:

Fun Fact:

Asexuals loving cake originated from the “Better than Sex Cake,” and new members on the asexuality.org website are welcomed with cake.

No one really knows where the saying “Asexuals love dragons” came from, although some speculate that it came from an interview with J.K. Rowling.

When asked if Charlie was interested in romance, Rowling replied, “He’s probably more interested in dragons.”

Fun Fact: Some asexuals wear black rings on the middle finger of their right hand to identify their asexuality.

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Going the Distance B y Ti f f a ny C a r te r

S

O, you’re in a long-distance relationship, or you’re thinking of starting one, and you ask yourself “How can we make this work?”

Well, congratulations, you are now part of the 1.9 million Canadians in a long-distance relationship, according to Statistics Canada.

That’s seven per cent of the population! In fact, 31 per cent of relationships aged 20 to 24 are long distance. So fear not, because you are not alone.

After conducting several interviews with people in long distance relationships, I hope to help you and your special someone understand that this experience is worth it, and that distance really does make the heart grow fonder.

One of the most difficult experiences while in a long distance relationship is scheduling. This is especially tricky if you have the obstacle of time differences, but

maintaining communication and respect is possible.

As a university student, our schedules fluctuate weekly and can therefore put a damper on trying to communicate with your special someone. I suggest sectioning off part of your schedule for a daily phone call. Treat it as if it were a lecture, so be present, pay attention, and take notes. Well, maybe don’t take notes, but you get what I’m saying.

Another challenge is intimacy, so let’s talk about sex.

With today’s technology, getting intimate with your far-away lover has never been easier! If you and your partner are into it, sending sexy photos and videos spontaneously or during scheduled sexy time can not only help you and your lover get off, but can also boost your own confidence. In fact, I have a friend and

every other week we put on our finest lingerie and help each other with a sexy photoshoot to send to our significant others.

This is a fun bonding experience, and has definitely boosted my confidence. Not only is my boyfriend grateful for the pictures, but my friend is supportive throughout the whole experience. The irony is, not having sex often can lead to positive sexual tension and increase the pleasure you feel when you get the chance for some love making.

When you do finally get that visit from your love, take a trip to the local sex store and buy each other fun toys to use the next time you’re apart. This may seem a bit expensive, since a vibrator can be as expensive as $300. However, there are tons of options for under $30 that will hit the spot just right. Plus, going to the sex store is a fun and cute date idea to explore each other’s sensualities and truly appreciate one

Period Poverty

another in the bedroom.

Another fun idea is buy a bottle of your perfume or cologne to give to your partner, so they can spray it on a favorite blanket or hoodie and be reminded of you.

There are also certain products available online specifically made for long distance relationships, but after speaking to some people about this, these products often times end up being cheap and not what they are advertised to be.

Remember that the key elements to any relationship are communication, respect, and trust. So long as you and your partner are willing to put in the effort to this journey, the destination will be wonderful.

I hope I have given you some fun and unique ideas to help boost the strength of your long distance relationship. n

t

B y Ta s h a Fa l c o n e r

P

EOPLE with uterus’ experience a monthly menstrual bleeding when the uterus sheds its lining.

This menstrual bleeding can be managed by using pads, tampons, or menstrual cups. Managing menstrual bleeding can be very expensive, with a lifetime supply of tampons costing $1,800.

In addition to this, there are often other costs associated with menstruating, such as costs associated with pain management.

All these costs can mean that some people cannot afford to manage their menstrual bleeding. This is known as “period poverty.”

It is important to note that women are not the only people who experience menstrual bleeding, and that not all women menstruate.

Unfortunately, women are often the only people included in the conversation around period poverty. For example, a 2018 survey by Plan International Canada on period poverty and stigma only looked at the experiences of women. They found that 23 per cent of women in Canada have struggled to afford menstrual products.

There is limited research on the outcomes of period poverty, especially in North America. A meta-analysis by the Department of Disease Control in the UK indicates that using materials other than menstrual products regularly (e.g. toilet paper) can increase risk for

bacterial vaginosis and reproductive and urinary tract infections. Work and school attendance and socialization can also be impacted. For example, in Canada 55 per cent of women have missed work, school, or declined social activities because of their period.

TO HELP COMBAT THESE ISSUES on the University of Guelph campus, the Central Student Association (CSA) created the Menstrual Hygiene Product Initiative. The initiative was started in 2016 by Emily Vance, the CSA’s VP of Student Experience at the time.

In an interview with The Ontarion, the current VP Student Experience, Claudia Idzik, stated that they “choose the name because it’s inclusive, there’s no gender attached to the name. Menstrual hygiene is something that every individual who experiences menstruation can identify with.”

Idzik discussed motivations for this initiative, noting that other items, such as toilet paper and condoms, are available for free, so menstrual products should be too. Menstrual products are “a necessary item, but still not deemed as such,” and noted that although the Canadian government has eliminated federal taxes on menstrual products in 2015, the cost is still a barrier to many

people.

Idzik stated that “before this initiative, a lot of pads and tampons could only be found in women’s washrooms, in washrooms that mainly staff used. It was difficult to find any free and accessible menstrual hygiene products.” As a result of the menstrual hygiene initiative, there are menstrual hygiene products available in gender neutral, accessible, male, and female washrooms.

The products from this initiative can be used as an emergency service, as Idzik stated that people may not have access to menstrual products when they start their period. This is supported by the survey by Plan International Canada, which found that 66 per cent of women have been unprepared when their period started.

The CSA has expanded the menstrual hygiene initiative this year to include menstrual cups. Most months, DivaCup comes to the university to do sign-ups for those who would like a menstrual cup, gives information on how to use the cup, and distributes the cups another day.

There will most likely be a distribution in March. n

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In Full View of Everyone Peeing In Front of Strangers and Getting Tested B y Kev i n C o n n e r y

T

HERE was a sign taped to the wall of the sexual health clinic I used go to that read: “Do not ‘Pee’ before seeing the doctor.” Before I had a doctor who I saw regularly, I used to get tested at a free clinic tucked away in a municipal building out the east end of Toronto, and by far, my biggest anxiety when it came to getting tested was peeing.

A typical sexual health test consists of a throat swab, optional blood work (if you want to check for syphilis and HIV, which you should), and a urine sample. I get tested every three to six months, and I am generally not especially anxious about whether I have gonorrhea because I figure I probably don’t and if I do, I do. It’s the peeing though, where I start to panic.

It’s not that I have problems peeing. I actually pee quite a lot. Too much really, since I live off of coffee. My peeing anxiety has nothing to with performance, it’s all about timing.

The clinic operated on a first-come-firstserve system, where you took a number and waited around to be called, like the deli. It had two intake times, and since it could only accommodate so many people, you needed to arrive at least a half hour early if you wanted to be seen by a doctor.

After you got a number, it was another half hour before you were called up to fill out some forms, and then it was another half an hour (or more, depending on your number) before you see the doctor.

So, we’re talking an hour and a half wait, minimum.

I NEVER minded the wait, except (and now we return to peeing) that waiting created a problem.

Everytime I went to get tested, I knew at some point I was going to have to pee, and I also knew that at some point a doctor was going to ask me to pee into a cup.

The goal was to have those two points line up. However, we live in an unpredictable world that is full of chance and chaos, so easier said than done.

And then, to make things worse, what do I do if I arrive already having to pee?

It’s going to be ages before I see the doctor, so do I pee once and then try to chug back a cup of coffee in the hopes that I’ll have to pee again? What happens if the coffee is too hot or my body can’t process the liquid fast enough and then I can’t pee again when called upon? I suppose I could just hold it, sit there, my discomfort steadily growing, and wait until it’s my turn. But let’s say there were a lot of people ahead of me. Would I be able to hold it for that long? What happens if I think I can hold it and I try, but the agony of waiting gets to be too much and I break, only to find when I come back from the bathroom, they’re calling my name and demanding me to pee again?

I am not exaggerating when I say I have spent hundreds of hours considering the logistics of optimal peeing time.

I brought this up with the doctor once while I was getting tested, and she

laughed at me.

“If you have to go that badly while you’re waiting,” she said, “just ask at the counter and they can give you a sample cup.”

As if it were that simple.

Sure, I could just walk up to the the sign-in counter and explain that I am about to piss myself and maybe they’ll give me the little sample cup early. But then what? Am I supposed to sit in the waiting room holding a warm plastic jar of urine? Even if they gave me a bag — for discretion — the waiting room is not nearly big enough to do this without everyone knowing exactly what’s going on.

It’s awkward enough that the candy bowl of free condoms and ketchup-sized packets of lube is right there on the counter by the door, out in the open. Meaning, there is absolutely no way to take a condom discreetly, which is something a shy fella like myself maybe sorta wouldn’t mind.

Some people (people I envy but have literally no way of rationally understanding) are able to utterly shuck any need for discretion. I once watched a woman upend the entire candy bowl of condoms, what must have easily been two hundred condoms, into her purse. They were spilling out all over the floor, but she, like the queen she was, just sauntered out, leaving a trail and looking as if she didn’t have a care in the world. Personally, I think of free condoms much the same as I think of potato chips, if they’re there I’m not taking just one, but to be so bold in full view of everyone… I mean, can you imagine?

I don’t enjoy all eyes on me as I shove fistfuls of rubbers and lube into my pockets, but at least with them you can grab them on the way out and be gone. But disappear into the bathroom and then return and sit awkwardly holding a jar of my own piss like it’s a bad mixed drink, that would be too much.

Instead, every time I’ve waited, squirming around, feeling my bladder stretching out, and then when my name was finally called, I walked calmly towards the doctor, fully aware that any wrong move and I’d piss myself in the middle of a crowded waiting room.

Later, after I’d finished getting checked, as I was about to leave the clinic — spent, and finally able to relax — I’d look back at all the nervous faces still waiting. I’d smile at them serenely, thinking how great it was that they were there. I’d want to hug them all and say thank you, thank you, thank you for doing the uncomfortable thing and taking charge of your sexual health! And then I’d want to politely ask them all to quit staring at me so that I could tip the entire bowl of condoms and packets of lube into the gaping mouth of my backpack and saunter away, unwatched. n

“People Shouldn’t be Afraid to be Tested.”

STIs, a primer B y Ta s h a Fa l c o n e r

S

EXUALLY transmitted infections (STIs) are spread through sexual contact, including vaginal, oral, and anal sex. Rita Isley, the Director of Community Health and Wellness at WellingtonDufferin-Guelph public health, spoke with The Ontarion earlier this month to discuss STIs. According to Isley, Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health sees all STIs but the most prevalent are chlamydia and gonorrhoea.

Isley stated that some symptoms of these STIs include pain urination, genital discomfort, and general unwellness.

Many of the symptoms of these STIs overlap with symptoms of other issues, such as urinary or yeast infections, and 80 per cent of people with STIs are asymptomatic, meaning they experience no symptoms at all.

According to Isley, these STIs are highly treatable, so it is important to get STI testing. Acknowledging the stigma around STIs and getting tested, Isley told The Ontarion that “people shouldn’t be afraid to be tested.”

If you are having unprotected sex with multiple partners or partners who you do not know their sexual health history, then you should be getting tested.

Isley recommended that those who are frequently sexually active or are engaging in sexual activity with multiple

i partners should get tested every four months.

Those who are less sexually active should get tested after each new partner. Those in monogamous relationships should discuss testing with their partner.

Testing is as easy as walking into a doctors office and asking for an STI test.

Walk-in clinics, general practitioners, the campus doctors office, and public health can all do testing.

Public health is located at 160 Chancellors Way. STI tests are by appointment or by drop in from 1:30 to 3:30pm on the first and fourth Thursday of each month.

You can ask to be tested for a specific STI or have the nurses assess what you should be tested for. If you receive testing for one STI that comes back positive, then it is recommended you get tested for others, as STIs are comorbid.

Getting tested orally is also important, as oral cases are increasing.

When discussing sexual health with your partner, Isley suggested just putting your sexual health out there. There is no need to be embarrassed and STIs are treatable. STI testing can be something you and your partner do together.

Isley recommends getting tested before engaging in sexual activity and to frame sexual health conversations as working to keep each other healthy. n

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Talk Nerdy to Me

Faking it.

B y Ta s h a Fa l c o n e r

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228 Woolwich Street, Guelph (519) 823-5360 • speedy.com

Ed

Unfortunately, we currently only have data on cis-men and ciswomen, with most of the research being on cis-women. A study out of the University of Kansas found that females were more likely to have faked an orgasm than males, with 25 per cent of undergraduate males and 50 per cent of undergraduate females having faked orgasm. Zava, a healthcare organization, found that straight women were more likely than bisexual or gay women to fake orgasm, and that gay and bisexual men were more likely to fake orgasm then straight men.

The University of Kansas study found that people faked orgasms during various sexual activities including oral sex and manual stimulation, but most of this heterosexual sample faked orgasms during penile-vaginal intercourse.

There are many different methods of faking orgasm, and many people use multiple methods. There are three main ways in which people act out orgasm, which are bodily acting, vocal acting, and verbal acting.

Bodily and vocal acting are most common. Females tend to moan and breathe faster and harder. Additionally, people may tell their partner they orgasmed when they did not, or else say something positive about their partner or the experience.

An important consideration is why people fake orgasms. Four main reasons people fake orgasms are that their orgasm is unlikely or taking too long, they want sex to end, they want to avoid a negative consequence, and they want a positive reaction from their partner. Common reasons for wanting sex to end include being tired or bored. Females are more likely than males to want to avoid a negative consequence, such as hurting their partner’s feelings. It is worth noting that faking orgasm was not related to one’s ability to reach orgasm with a partner.

Orgasm and pleasure are not synonymous. Therefore, an orgasm is not needed for pleasure during sexual activity. Communicating with your partner can help ensure you both experience pleasure. n

Find us down the street at

at

A: IT’S LIKELY THAT PEOPLE OF ALL GENDERS FAKE ORGASMS.

W

Q: SO... DO WOMEN REALLY FAKE ORGASMS?

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Selection s f rom A&SC

AMANDA ETCHES: WHAT MADE YOU GO INTO ARCHIVES?

Archival Head(s)

KATHRYN HARVEY: I did my PhD in English at the University of Alberta — a biography of Kathleen Innes, a British feminist pacifist during World Wars I and II. When I was trying to find information about her, I discovered her papers scattered everywhere! Some were in the Friends House Library in London, England (she was a Quaker); some at the University of Reading (which holds the archives of the publishing house Hogarth Press, one of her publishers); some in Andover (where she wrote for the local paper); some in Boulder, Colorado at the Archives of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (she was an international co-chair during WWII); some at the Imperial War Museum (her WWI diaries and letters are there); and some at the Fawcett Library in London (more records of her WWI work with the Scottish Women’s Hospitals). Traces of her were all over the world! That led me to wonder, how on earth do these places get these materials?

After my PhD, I was hired by Dalhousie University to do their first digital archive project, and that really got me into archives before I got into archives. I processed the papers of Thomas Head Raddall and was Project Manager of the digital project about his life and work.

Subsequently, I was hired into a full-time position in the archives. I have a minor in Theatre Studies from my undergrad, and I’d been interested in theatre for a while, and Dalhousie has a good theatre archives collection. And then when the Head position came open here at Guelph, I knew I wanted to be here, since we have the best theatre collection in the country! Interestingly, when I was leaving Dalhousie, I was about to approach Daniel MacIvor for his papers because he’s a Nova Scotia local. When I got to Guelph, I discovered that one of our staff members was already processing Daniel MacIvor’s papers! We had just acquired them.

An Interview with Kathryn Harvey Amanda Etches | Associate Chief Librarian

K

ATHRYN HARVEY, Head of Archival & Special Collections in McLaughlin Library, is finishing up her term as Head on Feb. 14.

As a tribute to her 11 years in this position, Amanda Etches, Associate Chief Librarian (Research), sat down with Kathryn to ask her some questions about her career and her legacy over the past decade.

AE: WHAT HAS SURPRISED YOU THE MOST IN THE ELEVEN YEARS THAT YOU’VE BEEN HEAD OF THE ARCHIVES? KH: Probably how versatile one has to be to do this work! Situations present themselves that you would never have expected. For instance, when we first kicked off our recent renovation, I went to a workshop in Minneapolis about archival climate controls and I learned all about physical building issues and HVAC systems and “dew points.” That is not something I would have expected to have to know or be involved in! That’s just one example. The job is really multifaceted though and in addition to having to learn about facilities, I also had to learn about a wide range of other things like legal matters, contracts, negotiations, copyright and permissions, licensing, reference/public service standards, security standards, arrangement and description standards, cataloguing — the list goes on AE: WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF IN THE LAST ELEVEN YEARS? KH: A couple of things come to mind. One of the biggest is systematizing how we do our work and documenting our departmental policies and procedures. As well, having led the team through our most recent renovation, I’m really proud of how we handled that and came out of it. We had to reinvent ourselves and our service model, which we did! And we continue to do so.

AE: DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE ITEM IN THE COLLECTION? WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT IT? KH: Possibly the skull. It’s part of the Phoenix Theatre Company collection and was purchased by the company from the University of Toronto’s med school for use in theatre productions like Hamlet. I remember showing it to Christopher Plummer when I gave him and his wife a tour of our department! When he saw it, Plummer mused that he’d like to donate his skull to an archives! His wife seemed dubious.

AE: WHAT ARE YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT NOW THAT YOUR TERM AS HEAD IS OVER? Photo by Alex Vialette

o

As Head of A&SC, how ironic it is that your favourite item in the collection is a skull, Kathryn! On behalf of all library staff, we wish you only the very best as you get to do again what you love most — be an archivist!

KH: I’m probably most excited about getting to do the things I wanted to do when I joined the profession. Like processing theatre collections, digital preservation, digital projects, and learning more about borndigital records and how to archive them. I’m excited that I get to be an archivist again! n

I S SU E 18 8. 2

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“It All Started With a Groupon” Natalie Metcalfe on her career at Second City

By Maria Nicole

N

ATALIE METCALFE, whose credits include being an actor, writer, director, and comedian, says that her full-time job of writing sketches and performing improv is “an actual dream.”

Over the years, Second City (which has locations in Toronto, Los Angeles, and Chicago) has paved the way for many famous comedians. Former members of the Second City Mainstage Toronto cast included Catherine O’Hara, Colin Mochrie, Eugene Levy, Carolyn Taylor, and as of July 2019, that list has come to include Natalie Metcalfe.

Metcalfe is grateful for the opportunity, and she takes great pride in her work. As a member of the 83rd Second City revue, she is currently performing in “If I Could #Throwback Time,” a live sketch comedy show created through improv. I had the opportunity to speak with her after the show, when she discussed her experiences as a cast member, her creative processes, as well as her experiences as a woman in comedy.

After growing up in Cambridge and attending the University of Guelph, she headed to Toronto, where thanks to a roommate and Groupon, Natalie began her comedic endeavour.

“I had a roommate, she worked for this theatre, and she was like ‘I think you should try it,’” said Metcalfe. The theatre was Second City, a comedy enterprise which offers comedy classes on topics such as improv and writing, from beginner to advanced levels. Her roommate continued her push, telling her to “just go and try it.”

“So I did the Groupon thing,” Metcalfe said. She ended up taking all the classes she could. “I loved it so much. I’d never done improv before and it’s been the love of my life ever since. And it all started with a Groupon!”

Although Metcalfe grew up watching Second City TV, she didn’t think of comedy as a viable career path.

Photo Courtsey of Natalie Metcalfe

“I kind of fell into it and I’m so grateful. A great fall. But it’s also about busting your ass. I knew I wanted to get here but I didn’t know if it was going to happen,” said Metcalfe.

MAKING A career in an industry that deals primarily with live performances is not easy.

“You are performing in two to three shows a night,” Metcalfe explained, “and you just have to keep putting yourself out there in order for someone to see you and go ‘Okay, we’ll allow her to audition for this’ or ‘Yeah, we’ll put her with this company.’ But it’s just, nightly — every single night doing something,” Metcalfe said.

In a Second City Mainstage show, including the current “If I Could #Throwback Time,” the sketches that make up the performance are created from improvisation.

Essentially, performers gather suggestions from a live audience and improvise a scene.

The result of these improvised scenes become the base for the Mainstage cast’s final sketch performance.

“We built these shows from absolutely nothing. And, we built each line, in front of an audience, every night. There’s no writing of scripts... and sometimes that is amazing and the audience loves it and it’s great.”

Inspiration for scenes comes from everyday observations, said Metcalfe. “You’ll observe something and you’re like ‘That’s gotta be something.’ So, most of the things are true to me.”

Metcalfe described that in the creation process it’s important to reframe the understanding of what can be funny and how to make ‘funny’ happen. People tend to think about the hypothetical “Wouldn’t it be funny if this happened,” as opposed to focusing on “Isn’t it funny when this happens,” but allowing the absurdity of a situation to play out on stage results in a genuinely entertaining sketch and show.

When asked about her writing process

with sketch comedy prior to joining the mainstage cast, Metcalfe said she preferred to write with other people.

“All of my sketches had been written with other people,” said Metcalfe. “I had a sketch-duo partner for a long time, and we’d write everything over bottles of wine and pizza. Like, just going back and forth with someone, or improvising just across a table. Just bits, over and over again.”

As a woman working to make a career in comedy myself, a topic that felt important for us to discuss was being a woman in comedy. She explained that while she has experienced some relatively negative situations, she has been rather lucky overall.

Despite this, from the beginning of her career as a comic (and even now), there have been uncomfortable situations.

Metcalfe explained that there was a time when she would be the “token girl” in a show. “Those shows that you’re not paid for, and the shows that are done at a small comedy theatre, and people would have you on because… because you’re a girl.”

Things have changed, being a performer at Second City. Yet, there are still individuals who interrupt shows with inappropriate commentary.

“We’ve even had hecklers on this stage.

People don’t know that they need to just sit there and just watch and enjoy,” said Metcalfe. “Sometimes we have people who say horrible things to us on stage, as women.”

Processing these situations is not always easy.

“I don’t want to just take something in and have to leave the stage afterwards, and be like ‘Why did that guy call me that?’ or ‘Why did he say that?’ I would rather address it. That’s what happens, that’s life.

Someone said something bad and they have to deal with it. But, I’ve been very lucky, as far as being a female in comedy.”

Having situations like this occur during a show is obviously rude and inconsiderate to the performers, but as an improviser,

there are ways of skillfully dealing with hecklers. “There have been times where we have blown past it, we’re pretty good at improvising around things too, so if someone says something inappropriate, we can shut them down. A go-to move is to always close a window on stage. Where, if someone is yelling, you can always go ‘I’m just gonna close the window so the neighbour shuts up,’” said Metcalfe, adding that it’s a good way to tell them, without telling them, to shut up. “We’re in full control.”

While women in comedy, and performers in general, have to deal with these situations on stage, Metcalfe described how far the comedy scene has come with regards to equality. She stated that major theatre companies in Toronto, such as Second City and Bad Dog Theatre Company, are currently all run by women. Metcalfe went on to add that the scene has come so far in gender equality, but there is still work to be done to create a comedic environment for everyone.

“We need to make space for people from all different backgrounds and different abilities. That’s where we need to be going.

We’ve hit this wonderful benchmark for females, and we now need to push further.

We have no choice now. We’re still working towards it, but we’re getting there.”

Metcalfe attributes her successes in comedy to working hard and “always learning.”

She explained doing everything you can to learn more and surrounding yourself with “the best of the best,” have been key in her journey. Metcalfe added that writing and taking real experiences from her life have been crucial in creating genuine content for the stage.

“I want at the end of each show, for people to go, ‘She’s funny and I know who she is.’ I want them to know and understand me. That’s what I want up there, for them to see me as a human being rather than just a performer.” n

THE WORLD CHAMPION

I S SU E 18 8. 2

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I n c o nve r s a t i o n w i t h :

Nathan Skoufis

By Allan Sloan

I

WAS late on the day I was set to interview Nathan Skoufis. It was my own fault, and I was expecting Nathan to be frustrated or to have left by the time I finally met with him. I had it stuck in my mind that as a 21-time world champion martial artist, the owner of his own business, and full-time student, he might feel like I was wasting his time. But when I arrived at The Ontarion office, there he was, patiently chatting with our photographer. Nathan greeted me with a smile, holding my gaze and never breaking eye contact.

Nathan Skoufis, 25, recently competed at the 30th Anniversary National Black Belt League (NBL) Super Grands World Championships in New York State, where he won Adult Black Belt Middleweight World Title, the Adult Black Belt Team Sparring World Title, and the Overall World Grand Champion title. He is the owner of Guelph Family Martial Arts (GFMA) and has been a competitive martial artist for years, in which time he has earned title after title after title...

“I actually didn’t like martial arts at all when I started,” Nathan told me during our interview.

Nathan began his martial arts career at the age of six, after bugging his mom and instructor to let him start a year early. But after a few months, he nearly gave up. “Like most kids and adults, you do something and then once that novelty wears off,” he explained. “You see that you actually have to do work to get high kicks and it just doesn’t come… I didn’t really want to be involved with it.”

Nathan carries an air of confidence about him at all times. There is discipline, likely learned through his years of experience in martial arts, and a certain reservation to everything he says. He had a small smile on his face as he recounted the early days

of his experience with martial arts. “I used to tell my mom every class, I don’t want to come here, I don’t want to do karate, my friends aren’t doing karate, my friends are staying home and playing Mario Kart.”

Despite this, his mother kept him on track.

“She joined martial arts to keep me involved,” Nathan said. “I remember thinking, I can’t let my mom get a black belt and I stop at a yellow belt, it’s embarrassing.”

His mother did end up getting her black belt, and her inspiration didn’t stop there.

“She told me, ‘When something gets difficult you can’t just give up at it,’ and that’s something that’s stuck with me my whole life. Especially now, going to university and running my own business.”

On top of being an active competitor and operating and instructing at GFMA, Nathan is also a fourth-year business student at the University of Guelph. He mentioned that he is also taking classes in child psychology in order to better work with the kids he trains at GFMA, some of whom are as young as three and a half. “We call them knee-high ninjas. And there’s like a hundred of them that do it.”

Nathan’s mother wasn’t his only inspiration. His brother, five years his elder, is also a martial artist, a fifth-degree black belt in karate, as well as a third-degree black belt in taekwondo.

“I was kind of molding myself after him.

As a martial artist, he’s my brother, I kind of wanted to be like him,” Nathan said. His brother no longer competes as a martial artist, but still trains to stay in shape. “I think once you’re a martial artist, it’s kind of a lifestyle that you carry with you.”

Nathan very much reflects that. He doesn’t drink or do drugs (not even in high school, he added), eats a very healthy diet, and trains year-round. This, on top of the work he does at GFMA and going to school.

Nathan’s career as a world champion and business owner has led him to some very interesting places as well, like having the opportunity to meet some people that you could only dream of.

“I studied the people in my sport that paved the way, and did things that I wanted to do, like winning world titles in NBL.” Nathan perked up with the excitement of a teenager meeting his idol as he said this.

“There’s people you look up to and go Wow!” People like Georges St. Pierre, who Nathan got to train with when St. Pierre was starting his comeback to the UFC. “That was a big thing for me.”

Nathan didn’t explicitly say who his idols were when we spoke, however, their impact was no less felt.

“For me, a lot of the guys I looked up to, especially in my style, open martial arts… I’d watch videos or I’d think of things I could use against them, even when I was twelve years old,” Nathan said. “When I got into the adult division I was fighting them, and I beat a lot of them. So I think fighting the idols — and this is a quote that’s overused a lot, but I think it’s relevant — I think you train hard enough so the people you idolise become competition.”

Nathan’s career stats are undisputable. At 25 years old, he’s accomplished and continues to accomplish feats that many people couldn’t even dream of. There is a learned wisdom in his words, and a very stoic deter-

mination behind his eyes.

“I’ve trained for so many years to get to this point,” he says, when talking about what keeps him coming back to competitions year after year. His drive is clear and his passion is obvious, but underlying these is something else.

“I think it’s trying to do as much as I can in anything, whether it’s competing: Can I get 50 world titles? Can I get in the Hall of Fame? What level can I push myself to?

What level of excellence can you reach? For myself.” He adds, as if to dissuade the hint

“I’ve trained for so many years to get to this point,” he says, when talking about what keeps him coming back to competitions year after year. His drive is clear and his passion is obvious, but underlying these is something else. of pride or vanity that, though clearly restrained, shines through when he speaks of his future. “I’m only really competing with myself.”

Nathan is currently working towards qualifying for the 2020 Canadian Olympic Team, as Karate is becoming an Olympic sport in the Summer Games in Tokyo. He was reserved when he talked about this, but made it clear that while winning may not be everything to him, he’s going for gold. n

Photos by Alex Vialette

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FER RUA RY 1 3 T H , 2020

The Art of Living with Other People Tips for Navigating Your Roommate Problems

By Eliana Sinicropi

F

ROM navigating the stress of school and relationships to evolving family dynamics and extracurriculars, university students are constantly performing balancing acts. That’s all without having to add a confrontation with a roommate to the seemingly endless to-do list.

I live with four other girls. As a self-professed introvert, the unending barrage of gabbing, open door policies, and subtle jabs has left me overwhelmed and exhausted. In my first two weeks in the house, I was stunned by the skill with which my roommates wielded the silent treatment and drew blood with pointed barbs. And soon my house, which was once my haven, felt like a war zone.

After months of ducking friendly fire in the form of pointed glances and eye rolls, we have managed to reach an armistice. Here’s how we

did it.

COMMUNICATION IS KEY.

It goes without saying that communication is essential, which is why it shouldn’t go without saying. You want to know the best way to destroy a friendship? Let things fester. When you live with someone, avoidance is often impossible and the longer you drag out a confrontation, the more likely the confrontation will feel like detonating a bomb.

ESTABLISH EXPECTATIONS FOR CLEANING.

I have never met anyone who has the exact same cleaning practices as their roommates. Learn to expect and enforce the basics of cleanliness on your roommates and realize that certain expectations may be unrealistic. While

you may consider sweeping the floors and wiping down the counters an every day routine, I can guarantee you your roommates will not.

This is just enough time for me to come to grips with the fact that I live with other people.

SET UP GROUND RULES FOR YOUR PERSONAL TIME.

Invest in noise-cancelling headphones. Your roommates likely won’t keep the same hours as you.

It’s even more likely that they will attend Dollar Beers the night before you have an important midterm.

Recognize that you and your roommates will handle stress and emotional turmoil differently.

People use different strategies to cope with bad days, and you are not responsible for acting as your roommate’s therapist and vice versa. Personally, I have enforced a one hour ‘time-out’ when I return from campus which prevents my roommates from speaking to me.

TUNE NOISE OUT.

LISTEN TO WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY.

There’s no such thing as a perfect roommate. Be open to criticism and compromise. No one likes to

hear they’re at fault, but the truth of the matter is that at one point you will be. Listen to your roommate’s complaints with an open mind, as the only person you’re hurting by brushing them off is yourself. Angry roommates will lower your quality of life.

Do yourself a favour and learn from my trials and tribulations.

Ultimately, I find the arguments you have while living with someone are easily resolved with a talk or some time apart. You have a responsibility to resolve conflict with your roommates for your own well-being. n

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I S SU E 18 8. 2

TH E O NTA R I O N .CO M

An Enrapturing Account of a Man Hell Bent on Destroying Himself Review of Uncut Gems

By Prabhjot Bains

N

EW York City’s milieu within the Diamond District has never been captured with such audacity and authenticity before. This fast-paced and frenetic world is what defines and fuels every scheme, gamble, and crooked line made by Howard Ratner (Adam Sandler) in his pursuit for the next big rush. He triumphantly claims “this is how I win,” as if the next big winning sports bet will be the one that pulls him away from his ever-increasing debts. Yet with all the people after Howard for their money, he is a man who, first and foremost, excels off the bounties capitalism provides him. He owns and manages a successful jewellry shop where sports stars such as Kevin Garnett shop and provide him with more fuel to lay down those high-risk bets. Armed with a pair of Cartier rimless glasses, a Salvatore Ferragamo belt, and a sleazy goatee, Howard proudly marches through the Diamond District as a man who is ahead of the game, chasing the next big win that will let him leave the bookmaking world once and for all. But as we follow his escapades, both the audience and

Howard realize nothing else in the world is going to match that uproarious gambling high.

Directors Josh and Benny Safdie follow up their acclaimed Good Time, with a meticulous and precarious high-wire act that never stops pulsating the heart.

It’s an anxiety attack that makes you shake your head and viscerally hate every bad decision made

by Howard. This is because the Safdies and their co-writer Ronald Bronstein make you fall in love with Howard and his antics in such a profound way that you actively want to participate in ensuring Howard has a happy ending. He becomes a character who the audience sees as heavily flawed but easily lovable, as he’s a

“Uncut Gems was not only the best film of 2019, but one of the best of the last decade.” man who is loyal to his family, his wife, his girlfriend, and a black opal he just got his hands on. He’s

CINEMATOGRAPHY: 2/2 DIRECTION: 2/2 SCREENPLAY: 2/2 PERFORMANCES: 2/2 ENTERTAINMENT FACTOR: 2/2 TOTAL: 10/10

a walking contradiction who not only enraptures the ones around him, but also the audience who are slowly watching him destroy his life.

While the directors create a strong character study that perfectly encapsulates the lovability of the character, Sandler’s performance is the real gem that catches your eye. Though we’re all used to seeing Sandler make a terrible raunchy comedy year after year, he has never failed to show his prowess as an actor.

In this, his career’s best performance, Sandler embraces both the tender and uproarious parts of the Diamond District by bringing forward a range of emotions that make us loathe and love the

jewel-hustling creature he creates.

However, despite the plethora of feelings this performance brings

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out, what makes it stand out is the sheer humanity that is on display.

In the face of all these tense situations, Sandler brings a level of intimate restraint to his portrayal, as his wavering eyes and perpetual smile add a touch of concern to all the decisions he makes. It’s as if he’s hinting to the fact that he knows he’s making all the wrong choices but can’t help quench his thirst for the next big win. However, the authenticity of Howard’s world is really driven home by the casting of actual New Yorkers who provide an immense bustling and lived-in atmosphere that makes the Diamond District truly feel truly alive.

Shot on glorious 35mm, the Safdies, in tandem with their Cinematographer Darius Khondji, punch us in the face with kaleidoscopic blues, blacks, and silvers that opulently add layers of textures to mesmerize us like Howard’s diamonds. This visual style richly harkens back to the engrossing character-driven cinematic experiences of the 70s.

Through these visual motifs, The Safdie brothers add a nuanced and multi-layered commentary that digs into the hypocrisy of the American Dream by meticulously illustrating that the worlds of sports bookmaking, jewelry, and celebrity all work off the backs of poorer nations to seduce and trap small businessmen like Howard. Yet, with all this subtext, the film truly achieves its characteroriented ambitions by always placing the blame on Howard. He has every opportunity to remedy his predicament, but never chooses to

25

do so. All these thematic aspirations are achieved visually, as one such scene features the digital rendering of a diamond’s insides fading into the colon of Howard.

This truly resonates with the audience and makes them poignantly grasp how his fate is ultimately intertwined with every diamond’s shimmer.

With every glimmer fracturing off Howard’s lenses, Daniel Lopatin’s operatic electronic score pioneers the idea that diamonds do have an audible ability. The Safdies place a heavy emphasis on the sonic landscape of the film, with many scenes being drowned in electronic hysteria that perpetually unnerve the audience into feeling of ever-worsening dread. Yet, the score simultaneously reaches for symphonic ambitions, as it features choral chants that invoke ancient Greek ballads of tragedy. It’s a dumbfounding combination that both excites and frightens while never letting up.

Uncut Gems was not only the best film of 2019, but one of the best of the last decade. The Safdies create a story that couldn’t be told in any other medium than cinema.

Its unique visual language creates a richly textured and anxietyinducing experience that doesn’t need to force its audience to pay attention, because it knows you’re already addicted to its high, like Howard. n

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FER RUA RY 1 3 T H , 2020

HOROSCOPES* ARTFULLY DIVINED BY LEAH MORROW

ARIES ^

TAURUS _

Mar. 21 - Apr. 19 March and April will be a very sexually charged time for you Aries. Hit the clubs because you are bound to meet someone interesting.

d

`

a

Apr. 20 - May 20

GEMINI May 21 - Jun. 20

CANCER Jun. 21 - July 22

Taurus, you are known for your strength and stamina.

These are traits that your partners will begin to recognize and crave as 2020 continues.

Your confidence is sexy, Gemini, and this often translates to the bedroom.

Go out and get what you want. The stars are aligning in your favour.

Be open to new experiences in the bedroom. The stars don’t speak of whips and chains but they are whispering sensually.

e

f

g

LEO b

*

hor y x se

o

pe sco

s!

c

July 23 - Aug 22

VIRGO Aug. 23 - Sept. 22

Leo, you are made of fire. You are fierce and passionate in your sexual endeavours. As the warmer months approach these traits will dominate your sex life..

Virgo’s tend to like control in all aspects of their lives.

Sometimes this can have a negative effect on your sex life. Perhaps it is time to let someone else take the reigns for once.

h

i

LIBRA Sept. 23 - Oct. 22

SCORPIO Oct. 23 - Nov. 21

SAGITTARIUS Nov. 22 - Dec. 21

CAPRICORN Dec. 22 - Jan. 19

AQUARIUS Jan. 20 - Feb. 18

PISCES Feb. 19 - Mar. 20

Hey Libra, you may have had a rocky start this year but your time is coming.

Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there (both in and out of the bedroom).

Trust your instincts and do what feels right.

We all know Scorpio’s are great with their feelings... said no one ever! Just kidding Scorpio. What if you took feelings out of it and just had fun?

Sagittarius love adventure and this is what you bring to your sexual encounters.

This year it’s all about experimenting.

You are the most traditional of the Zodiac signs. This year you will begin to seek contentment in your sexual encounters, whether this comes in the form of a new flame or an old flame is up to you.

It’s time to focus on you, Aquarius. Learning to satisfy yourself will create a healthier and more exciting time in the bedroom for both you and any potential partners.

Peace will be a running theme within your 2020 sex life. You will be able to channel your intuition into all situations to create an ideal environment for sex and romance to grow.

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F U N PAG E

TH E O NTA R I O N .CO M

CROSSWORD

1

ACROSS

19 – Spanish

37 – “Runaway”

49 – Loafers

refusals

1 – Trades

muralist 20 –

singer Shannon

51 – To-do list

68 – Irish county

6 – Side

Milky

38 – Chest related

53 – Coiffure

69 – Russian

10 – Bond, for one

22 – Keep

41 – Dreyer’s

56 – Reindeer of

fighter

13 – Move like a

possession of

partner in ice

North America

70 – Land measure

crab 14 – So what

24 – Slander

cream

59 – In ___ (stuck)

71 – Measured with

___ is new?

28 – Not native

42 – Think nothing

61 – Spicy stew

a watch

15 – Persian fairy

31 – Outfit anew

___

64 – Discharge

16 – Band

32 – Henri’s hat

44 – Tap output

65 – Golfer Calvin

17 – Catbird seat?

34 – Pick up

45 – Works hard

66 – Drag

18 – A party to

36 – Circular band

47 – Polite refusal

67 – Scottish

DOWN

abbr.

26 – Tends

39 – Yale student

musical events

1 – Grounded fleet

11 – Expert

27 – Like custard

40 – Actress Singer

54 – Night vision?

2 – Electrician, at

12 – Yang’s

29 – How some

43 – Crude native

55 –

times

counterpart

losses are shown

borax

Unconventional

3 – Really go for

15 – Steal

30 – Repeated, a

46 – Sharon, e.g.

57 – Apple variety

4 – Cabal member

20 – Ray of

chorus-line dance

48 – Nutritional

58 – Coffin support

5 – Fall mo.

“GoodFellas”

32 – Confuse

std.

60 – Ticked (off)

6 – Rent payer

21 – ___ Lingus

33 – Beethoven

50 – Fourth

61 – Bit of

7 – Util. bill

(Irish carrier)

dedicatee

highest peak in the

resistance

8 – Little helper?

23 – Pink-slips

35 – Flat-bottomed

world

62 – Chou En-___

9 – Doled (out)

25 – Shakespearean

rowboat

52 – Stadium

63 – Schlep

10 – Capitol Hill

sprite

37 – Lady of Spain

used for sports or

65 – Agt.’s take

ANSWERS FROM ISSUE 188.1 1

S

2

14

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by March. 3 at 3 pm. Winners are announced in the paper

O U

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1 4 5 2 7 9 8 6 3

9 6 2 3 4 8 1 5 7

3 7 8 5 6 1 2 4 9

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18

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20 22

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33

43

47

45 49

57

58

68

69

70

71

7 8

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Alyssa Francavilla, Caleb Leary, Meaghan Theodore, Melissa MacLoud-Bisley,

2

7 1 5

3 4

3

5 7

Better luck next time:

4

1

4

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

60

Place the digits 1 - 9 once in each row, column, and 3x3 block.

6

1

55

59

67

WINNER FROM TKISSUE:

27

54

66

3

26

50

65

5

25

46

64

SUDOKU 8 2

12

41

53

56 63

11

36 40

52

62

35

44

51

10

31

39

48

61

30

34 38

42

27

21

Ontarion office.

FAWN TURNER

9

16

The Ontarion office, UC 264,

R

56

6

15

a completed crossword to

R

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66

2 FREE BOB’S DOGS, submit

t h e i r vo u c h e r f ro m T h e

T

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8 9 3 6 1 2 5 7 4

34

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44

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6 2 1 7 5 4 3 9 8

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37

each issue and should collect 33

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65

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4 5 7 9 8 3 6 1 2

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| TH E C H E E K Y I S S U E

13

32

FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN

I

19

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37

45

16

W O O

32

42

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3

28

MONTHLY DRAW

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30

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21

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6

D

2

I S SU E 18 8. 2

2 2

4

5

4 6

1

© 2013 KrazyDad.com

Tina Yan, Sarah Walker

© 2013 KrazyDad.com

GUELPH RECORD SHOW Sunday March 1st 10:30 am 4:00 pm at the Royal Canadian Legion 57 Watson Parkway South 34 tables and over 30,000 vinyl records! Most genres and formats available! Admission is $4.

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