OPENWIDE THE FIMS’ A LTERNATIVE ST UDE NT PUBLICATI ON
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Issue Quote
WORLD 4-5 Elections, Baby 6-7 biting the bullet on mental health
“Nice hair though” - Conservative Ad
When voting for your riding was SO last election A stigma becomes a bullseye
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 8-9 We came, we raved, we loved Fast fashion 10-11 #HMBalmaination: abomination 12-13 the london underground 14 Whitewashing History Why the raver is the modern day hippy
Cheap and cheerful really isn’t that cheerful
Yes, there is more to London than Richmond Row
Because Hollywood can’t ever be factual
Western Life
About the cover Art done by Tracy Xie Voter turnout in the past federal election reached 68.5% - the largest since 1993. The campaign was so long, how could the youth ignore it? But how real is this youth voter engagement? Having a prime minister with the dashing looks of Trudeau sure help keep things interesting, but when is the line crossed into a politics of spectacle? Is youth voter engagement superficial like a snapchat - lasting for only 10 seconds - or will the Liberals make an effort post-election to engage the younger voters?
15 How to Rideshare 16-17 Student Health Exposé 18-19 Paying to be me: Why identity groups should be free People can be creepy so Facebook stalk them first Getting the right kind of help is rewarding USC’s club system needs a revamp
Creative 20-21 Zine canada 22 Communist manifesto edited by fims girl
Making light of the heavy stuff since the invention of water wings
First year FIMS is all you need to fully understand Marxist theory
Disclaimer: The sole responsibility of this publication lies with its authors. Contents do not reflect the opinions of the University Students’ Council of Western University (“USC”). The USC assumes no responsibility or liability for any error, inaccuracy, omission, or comment contained in this publication or for any use that may be made of such information by the reader.
Editor’s Note “Okay I e-mailed her she’ll be there until 4:30 - we have time.” *30 minutes go by* “It’s 4:15 we have to go!” “Quickly just transfer what you have!” “Export it to PDF in her office but first we need to get there!” *Graphics team runs from Somerville to the third floor of the UCC* Lactic acid burns in our legs, but we finally make it to Shari’s office in the nick of time. Shari had to review the Openwide in your hands before approving our Launch Party to celebrate its release on November 5th. As I’m writing this, it has yet to be formally approved, but at least we’re on the right track. This small scale example - getting an event approved by the USC and all the people it has to go through shines a light on a larger issue of bureaucracy. Think of the larger institutions in our world - like our government. There is so much that goes on behind the scenes and probably even more red tape that we could ever imagine. In an age of instant gratification, slow change can be disheartening. Trudeau is not going to change Harper’s Canada overnight and people shouldn’t be upset when he doesn’t. Sustainable change takes time. Time, however, is limited, whether it’s our time on this earth or literally how much time you have to finish that essay. All I would like to end with is, with your limited time, I hope you choose to spend it with us as we celebrate this issue at our soon-to-be approved event at Martini Bar on November 5th. This issue is dedicated to Veronica, Jenna, and Tracy. You make Openwide look good. A special thanks goes out to all the contributors, editors, Harry, and graphics team that dedicated their fall days to this issue.
Letters to the editors Let’s have a conversation. See something in this issue you want to respond to? E-mail your thoughts, musings, comments, concerns to openwidezine@gmail.com and we’ll either publish them on our site [openwidezine.com] or in our next issue.
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Follow us: Twitter.com/openwidezine
Write for us: writers.openwide@gmail.com
STephanie Gordon Editor in Chief Marwa Hassan Managing editor liam Dorey World Editor laura palumbo
Arts & Entertainment editor
samah ali western life editor
Erica Wallis Creative editor Kyle Simons Head of Promotions
Arielle Goodman Promotions neal Mcauley Promotions Veronica Cheung Graphics Jenna Murphy Asst Graphics jhana ellard web editor Tracy xie Photograpy
openWIDE// WORLD
Elections, Baby // LIAM DOREY
In the longest election that Canada has ever seen, the over decadelong reign of Stephen Harper’s Conservative government is over - going out like a lamb with little more than a whimper. The 78 day campaign saw many twists and turns, with the public eventually deciding to go red. Justin Trudeau will be Canada’s next prime minister after leading the Liberal Party to a stunning majority government win, crushing the hopes of Stephen Harper, who had been seeking his fourth consecutive term as the Right and Honourable. Trudeau, who became Liberal leader in 2013, faced more than two years of Conservative attack ads before defeating Harper, including a barrage of “just not ready”
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ads that were ubiquitous enough that school-age children could recite them. Suddenly in Justin Trudeau Canada has a prime minister-designate who’s all about change. Bringing about a new era for Canada with hope and trust; inclusivity and belief for all members of our great nation. It is fantastic having these grandiose plans coming from the Liberals, especially following their success to the point of a majority government in Ottawa - but change will not come immediately. What Trudeau can do, of course, is change the tone. That costs nothing, and a lot of Canadians want it to happen. He can make Canada’s positions abroad more nuanced, less absolutist, and replace Canada’s swagger at the UN with some actual diplomacy. He can walk back
the talk about how terrorists threaten us daily in our very homes, and perhaps speak honestly about the effectiveness of our combat mission in Iraq and Syria. He may end up joining the rest of the Western world in supporting the nuclear deal with Iran, and perhaps even recognize that there are two sides to the question of Israel and Palestine. But sweeping reversals of Stephen Harper’s legacy? It’s been almost a decade, and Harper changed the status quo - even Trudeau himself seems to understand that. Some of the changes in this election weren’t seen on the ballot. This year the amount of voter activity increased consistently as every day passed, with waves of contributions on social media. Even with a major amount of election costs being cut, leaving many poll workers overworked, changes were being made to make voting more accessible - leading to the highest voter turnout in decades of over 69% of eligible voters. While the new Liberal government should begin the process of greatly increasing this number, however much of the success could be attributed to voting accessibility for citizens and the idea finally that every vote counts. The increase in voter turnout exceeding 60% over the 2011 election can be strongly linked to the massive amount of slacktivist movements across social media finding over 445K people simply sharing their attendance to “Stephen Harper’s Going Away Party”. Events such as these, as satirical as they may appear, do serve a purpose. Pages such as these, and those in support of the exConservative leader create a medium for those looking to further educate themselves and be in contact with those who share a similar political view. Within this page, thousands have come across and began supporting the movements of “Strategic Voting” and “Voting Together” - the idea of making sure every vote counts. In cities such as London, where the two largest ridings have been traditionally red or blue, strategic voting aims to educate voters on how to ensure not that the party they want to win succeeds, but that the party they don’t want to see elected stays out of parliament. These campaigns urge to stop the 5 million votes in 2011 that were wasted due to the progressive vote divide. In these districts, the combined progressive vote would have been greater than that of the total support for the Conservative government. 5 million Canadians went to the poll and cast a ballot to make a statement and ended up changing nothing. So for the case of our Forest City, strategic voting often will suggest you vote towards either the Liberal and Conservatives regardless if you’re more in favour of the
openWIDE// WORLD
Socialist NDP government; as a vote towards the greatest Liberal, for example, will provide a stronger chance at defeating the Conservative MP. The concept of strategic voting comes with its own implications for democracy - is strategic voting taking away the freedom to choose in favour of a more pragmatic approach? It also brought the prospect of electoral system reform into discussion during elections, with the Liberals promising to look into other alternative voting systems such as proportional representation once elected. The strategic voting campaigns made use of various social media, and this strongly benefited the rise of Trudeau’s Liberals. The Broadbent Institute’s most recent study revealed that Canadians under 35 are more leftwing, being “more favourable to the idea of government intervention in the economy, ensuring a decent standard of living for all, increasing health-care spending and protecting the environment.” It comes as no surprise because the younger generation has usually swayed towards the political left, but this means there is more to gain for the left by engaging the youth, and by doing so through places they frequent, like the Internet. In the past decade, Canada has changed dramatically since the Liberals and Paul Martin lost to the Conservatives. Same sex marriage is now a thing. Over 7 million Canadians are now from other countries. This country is desperately in need of an overhaul, and the voting population was in resounding agreement. Change will not come overnight, but there needs to be faith that it will happen for all present and future Canadians. Justin Trudeau now bears the weight of 33 million expectations that citizens and largely himself have created. The honeymoon exodus of Liberal advocates will pass, just as they did for one Barack Obama 6 years ago. Just as there is a strong conservative America, there is one for Canada also. Ultimately, Obama was forced to abandon a massive proportion of his progressive agenda of massive tax breaks, financial protection, and the overhaul of policy. These broken electoral promises led to the eventual resistance of America’s senate. Luckily for Trudeau, his majority in the house should not keep him from maintaining his promises. However if his platform reflects eventual outcome, the general public might not sympathize with his charm with a possible tax increase.
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openWIDE// WORLD FEATURE
biting the bullet on mental //health LIAM DOREY Just in case you had not heard, there was once again another mass shooting in the United States recently, this time at an Oregon Community College – killing 9. I want to say that this has come to me as a surprise, that somebody in the United States has gone and shot somebody over something that I have no knowledge of, for a reason that I could never comprehend as just. But I cannot. In a time where the world’s most powerful nation faces over ten thousand gun-related violent acts annually, even here in Canada I have become immune to seeing another shooting pop up on CNN. This student, in Oregon, had thirteen firearms. Thirteen. And with these thirteen high powered weapons this student came to the mere conclusion that ‘hey, let’s go to school and line up my classmates to be shot’. It is a shame every time one of these mass shootings happen, to see President Obama walk onto the stand at the White House in hope of explaining (in his statement) what the authorities had found to be the motive, and how the government is looking to stop something like this. But the big problem is, if the President decided to release a statement on the podium for every mass shooting in the States (be that 3 or more dead plus the shooter), he would have to go to the stand more than once for every
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single day in 2015. There is more than one mass shooting for every day this past year. Pardon me. There are two massive struggles that are facing the US Government directly in the face right now, and only some people seem to acknowledge this. Gun Control and Mental Health. Obviously from a governmental standpoint they are on two entirely different sides of the spectrum for what is on their present agenda: one generates revenue, the other takes from it. Yet, it is infuriating for me to come across statements from right wing individuals damning those trying to generate a stronger law against the availability in guns, while saying that the mental health of the shooter needs to be prioritized. Then just do it. Time and time again people use the mental health stigma, and the idea that a person in possession of these weapons would be incapable of doing such an atrocity without struggling from an illness that can only be in their head is disgusting. Using mental health as a scapegoat, however never actually initiating any legislation to begin the improvement of in in your country is terrible. Politicians seem to argue for mental health in order to take the pressure off gun legislation, keeping their
openWIDE// WORLD FEATURE
friends at home sporting a cabinet of assault rifles – and their buddies at the NRA promising large PAC donations (for their own upcoming re-election) happy. It is especially unfortunate how that anytime a mass shooting occurs, our southerly neighbours seem to do anything to steer the conversation away from the fact it was the gun that killed the person, but the mental health of that person. The American Journal for Mental Health explicitly states that “… adults with mental illnesses were more likely to be victims than perpetrators of community violence than somebody without mental illness.” I am not saying that the focus needs to be solely taken away from the progression of mental health support, and turned towards that of gun legislation and control within the United States; however, I do look at it this way: those who seem to run the most powerful country in the world only want to attack prevalent problems with their best interests in mind, attacking a single issue without resolution for the other. They also seem to want to address these problems when there is an accident to bring it to the foreground. What has actually come out of a media blitz after a mass shooting beside increased discussion of the issue? Which while valuable, does not seem to have
slowed down the occurrence of the shootings. People need to come to the realization that gun violence and mental health are issues that need to be separated from a conversation entirely, as they are two separate issues entirely. People will always struggle with mental illnesses as long as treatment is stays difficult, just as gun violence will continue as weapons stay readily available. Solving mental illness is not going to solve gun violence. While these issues usually intertwine and reinforce each other, thoughtful solutions need to be made to address each individually. It is easy to blame gun violence on mental illness, but it is not easy to pair up mental health solutions with adequate gun regulations. You are never going to see in Canada’s Parliament the issue of military underspending if a crowd at a Blue Jays game gets a little rowdy and tips a hotdog stand. Then why do people immediately associate firearm violence with mental health? It is appalling to me that those who struggle most are thrown to the wolves as pawns anytime there is an attack with a gun. People need to stop allocating mental health as the problem, and start generating a solution for it. Because the real bullets being fired, are being aimed at those with the least protection.
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openWIDE// ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FEATURE
“We were first drawn by the sound. From far away, the thunderous, muffled, echoing beat was comparable to a mother’s heart soothing a child in her womb of concrete, steel, and electrical wiring. We were drawn back into this womb, and there, in the heat, dampness, and darkness of it, we came to accept that we are all the same. We came to accept that we are all equal. Not only to the darkness, and to ourselves, but to the very music slamming into us and passing through our souls: we are all equal.” A Raver’s Manifesto, Anonymous This past summer a mass exodus of over 360,000 people flocked towards a small hill outside of Brussels, Belgium. Croatian, Brazilian, Japanese and Canadian flags alike were seen draped atop the shoulders of a new generation
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We Came, We Raved, We Loved // LIAM DOREY
of Flower Children, as the gates of Tomorrowland opened once again for another year. Funneling toward the main stage (a massive structure combining the essence of steampunk and LED’s with some resemblance to a medieval fortress), thousands of people clad in colourful spandex, neon tutus, and other expressive attire gaze in awe at the spectacle they are about to partake in, a juxtaposition of electricity and nature. The one thing about EDM (Electronic Dance Music) that cannot be explained until experienced is that events such as Tomorrowland exist less for the acts themselves, and more for the culture. EDM cannot seem to shake the stigma
openWIDE// ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FEATURE of substance abuse and a state of trance, reducing an entire culture to nothing but “getting really high while dancing.” Yes, there is no denying that EDM has associations with drug use, but there is so much more to it than that. Tomorrowland itself takes on different forms as it is held across Brazil, the United States and of course, the original festival in Belgium. So, as with any subculture, there’s pluralism at play. When we look at it through a broader lens, however, EDM culture holds similarities to many other subcultures. As a musical movement, EDM’s aims are ambitious and expansive, not unlike those of rock ’n’ roll in the ’60s and ’70s. Festivals are an escape for many people, creating a place of solace where the stressors of the outside world do not exist; where every person is unified in the common goal of having a positive experience. The hippie subculture, often referred to as “Flower Children,” surfaced in the ‘60s and ‘70s as a movement that rejected mainstream life and government in favour of a more casual lifestyle. With this casual lifestyle came more laid-back and unconventional forms of dress, the recreational use of drugs, and the proliferation of the phrase “Make Love, Not War.” The alienated middle class in the ‘60s, where materialism and repression of the public voice ran rampant, saw music become the perfect medium for the hippie shift to find its voice. Psychedelic rock music created a connection to the listener - an array of messages creating a stimulating pathway to emotional, spiritual, and political connect. Sound familiar? It seems as if our P.L.U.R. (peace, love, unity and respect) loving generation of electronic music fans are more or less a reincarnation of flower children, but with a technological twist. Just as the escapists of 2015 turn towards a music festival, the Flower Children of the hippie movement followed the music to Woodstock, the pantheon of the hippie movement. It began in a simple field, which grew quickly to an audience of Flower Children exceeding 400,000, bonded together in the hope of spreading peace and music at a simple dairy farm pasture. In tune with the idealistic hopes of the ‘60s and ‘70s, Woodstock satisfied the attendees, creating a place of social solace and freedom from what previously held back the misfits, now identifying as the counterculture generation of hippies. However not all pastures were green during the hippie area, aspects of rave culture spawn negative ideologies and practices that take away from the fun loving concept. Women who wear loose clothing and dance are often objectified and are encouraged to become sex objects, otherwise damned as “uptight”. MDMA and other hard drugs are passed around as mere decorum, acting as the unspoken wristband to real festival enjoyment. These mindsets are not Westernized practice however, they have existed as a component of EDM since it began to spawn in Europe decades ago, creating a gateway to every festival across the globe. Those outside our generation seem hesitant to accept EDM as a genuine genre not to mention as a separate subculture, with plenty of this hesitation due to the negative
connotations associated with it. But with all of this negativity, it is impossible to deny the unifying reach a simple branch of music has. The ability to span continents, with thousands of people in search of the same experience. The confidence in knowing a journey to a small field outside of Brussels will bring together so many others dancing to the same beat and singing the same song. Electrifying. Peace, Love, Unity and Respect seem to serve as a fitting mantra for those who found a sense of belonging with the music and the drug. But the thing with Woodstock, Tomorrowland and EDM is that the drug wasn’t whoever got high and danced - it was the thrill of finding yourself among a crowd of individuals all different but searching for the same thing. The thing, the it factor that really makes every festival and the music culture of EDM special, is the people. However, it is important to note that the composition of the crowd, especially with the recent boom of EDM, is still (but not always) affluent white 16-24 year olds. The limited representation at these events do not echo EDM’s rhetoric of all people. Much like how the commodification of hippie culture reduced its ties to core values, the growing popularity of EDM sees this subculture suffering the same fate. A subculture all about the music can be reduced by the public to massive music festivals and “sick drops.” Even though the term “EDM” itself is an umbrella term for dance, house and trance music, among other micro-genres such as electro, techno, and deep house, these nuances are lost among those not fully invested. Popular music also borrows from popular subgenres of its time, and there are many examples of EDM elements in top 40 hits of today. Capital’s ability to adapt is its best and worst feature, and it’s only a matter of time until another sub-culture gets picked up, smoothed out, and sold to the masses. Modern day music festivals capture the Woodstock ideology, but with a contemporary flare. EDM is a whole new world of music, and as the first technologically empowered generation, it’s only fitting that our anthems be electronic. Among the pervasiveness of individualism, as a result of the growing neoliberalization of society, is a growing need for collectivity. Music festivals help produce this sense of a collective. There’s no denying that the popularity of these festivals speak to the mood of society, the “structure of feeling.” However, one should question whether festivals answer this need or answer it in a very superficial way – reproducing the demand or desire for collectivity. Canadian Techno apostle Deadmau5 coined the term “EDM Land” in 2011 during an interview with a certain damned CBC journalist, saying how the full-fledged spectacle of festivals such as Tomorrowland, Ultra, Digital Dreams and VELD alike “integrate the aural, the visual, and the cultural to create a comprehensive site beyond the music, where thousands would come regardless who is pushing the buttons. These super festivals are about the indulgence of a communal fantasy.” One thing’s for sure, the growing popularity of EDM is definitely more than just about the music.
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openWIDE// ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
#HMBalmaination:
Fast Fashion Abomination //Kyle Morrison If you are remotely interested in fashion, you are probably aware of the Balmain x H&M collaboration set to be released next month. This Haute Couture fashion icon and Swedish multinational retail company are about to take the industry by storm, as two unique but complementary fashion worlds are about to collide. Given the hype surrounding the release, I think that it is important that we peak behind the glitter and glam, and take a closer look at some of the darker, more sobering aspects of the fast fashion industry. Amancio Ortega—the owner of Zara for over thirty years—has been
ranked by Forbes as the fourth richest person in the world, with the Bloomberg Billionaires Index reporting combined assets of USD $72 billion. According to Forbes, Stefan Persson— the chairman of H&M— currently has a net worth of $23.4 billion, Just to provide even more context, Kendall Jenner (who appears in the Balmain X H&M campaign) has a reported net worth of $6 million, and although her salary is not disclosed, most “it” models get paid extremely high for large-scale campaigns like this one. Garment workers in Bangladesh, where a large portion of factories manufacturing clothes for H&M and Zara are based, make 3,000 taka a month (about $50 CAD). This is far below 5,000 taka, what is considered a minimal living wage. This is the bare minimum to provide a family with food, shelter and education. 85% of these workers are women. Many are forced to work 14-16 hours a day, 7 days a week, in extremely hazardous conditions. Often, windows are barred and doors are locked, preventing workers from taking breaks, but also preventing workers from being able to escape in the case of an emergency. Sexual harassment and discrimination are commonplace, and many female
openWIDE// ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
workers are denied maternity leave from employers. The crux of the issue came to a head in 2013, where a factory collapse in Rana Plaza saw a death toll of approximately 1,129 people. Luxury? Not so much. I don’t know about you, but I certainly don’t want the clothes I put on my body to be connected with such suffering and hardship. Fashion is supposed to communicate who we are to others. What sort of image are you portraying by wearing clothing manufactured by companies who fail to provide their employees with a reasonable living wage, and force them to work under such inhumane conditions? As much as these stores attempt to represent individuality and affordable luxury, their image couldn’t be any further from the truth. The designer collaboration is nothing more than a marketing ploy to create flash-in-the-pan excitement and hype. Yes, their styles are on point and their prices are affordable, but is it really worth it to support this kind of exploitation? I know, you’re probably wondering “what is the fashion-loving student on a budget to do?” Well, luckily for you, upcycling, shopping ethical designers, and shopping vintage are three great ways to ensure that you don’t look like an #HMABOMINATION this season.
When you upcycle your clothing, shop at ethical designers, or shop at vintage clothing stores, you are able to subvert the system of planned obsolescence upon which the fast fashion system depends. You are also supporting entrepreneurial opportunities for women, many of whom take great pride in their work. Nonetheless, it is equally important to use your informed voice to hold these companies accountable. I would be more than willing to pay the extra retail cost if it meant that conditions for these workers would improve. Voicing your opinion and ceasing to support the practices of fast fashion will eventually force companies to respond. By demanding that companies maintain transparency in their labour practices, we can ensure a quality of life that is truly more luxurious for everyone involved.
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openWIDE// ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
London
UnderGround: An Inside Look at London’s indie arts and culture community //Brianne Savage The audience spills onto Richmond and around the corner of Horton between sets at Forest City Gallery’s curated concert series, Hear Here. First on tonight’s docket is Stuka, a lofi electro band from Toronto whose music is both ambient and dancey; second is Whip Kisser, a screamy grrrl fronted band; and headlining is Soupcans from Toronto, a weirdonoise group whose appearance has the gallery packed with folks ready to experience something creative and intense. But I’m not here to write about the bands, I’m more concerned with the audience. These eclectically wardrobed folks are what make up London’s underground arts and culture scene. A small but mighty force that seeps into the nooks and crannies of the city’s downtown spaces. Even if you don’t recognize it, it’s always there, just beneath the finely polished surface of London’s mainstream nightlife. London’s arts scene is a tight knit, supportive community of people who want to “just play loud with their friends,” as Ashley Houghton, a local artist and musician who runs an arts collective called Squeek, puts it. If London has such a burgeoning arts community, why am I constantly met with complaints from fellow Western students that “there’s nothing to do in this city!”? The answer it seems, has to do with a serious lack of funding and venue space. Holly Painter, a self-employed spoken word artist/public speaker and the volunteer Director of the London Poetry Slam says, “that with funding at a premium there is often competition between arts groups for audiences and grant money, and that can cause rifts in the community rather than people working to grow together.” Another such rift in the community is between local artists and local businesses. “Our band was banned from the
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APK… and another group was kicked off stage and had the cops called on them for burning a Bible,” says Houghton about the Alex P. Keaton, a local venue that used to be a hub for experimental artists and musicians. Another local musician, Andrew Weiss, talks about “one bar in particular that a huge part of the scene has sworn off because of its lack of real support for musicians,” that has left a void in the community. As with any community, there are deficiencies and politics, but London has “a lot of really passionate artists and organizers who do the best with what they have, which is not much,” explains Western student and visual artist, Jacqueline Dee. Filthy Rebena is a vintage and consignment store on Dundas that hosts art shows, concerts, and even stage-plays in the basement. “I think it’s important for people with space to use it for everything possible in order to support the artistic community. I have all this space, so I’m happy to let people use it,” Natalie Bradshaw, the store’s owner, explains. Another space that has become popular for shows is Out of Sound Haus, associated with the boutique label Out of Sound Records, and is literally someone’s house where shows are put on because there is such a lack of supportive space for musicians to play. It’s not the only space of its kind either. The Loft is an apartment that hosts shows and has become another popular venue for performers, and in the past, the Open House Arts Collective ran out of a house known as the Yale Street Speakeasy. Unfortunately, as people graduate or move these spaces close down. This seems to be a big reason why London’s art scene is kept so underground: the spaces and faces are always changing as people come to the city and then inevitably leave for cities like Toronto, Montreal, Halifax, and Vancouver, which have better artistic prospects.
openWIDE// ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Creating a sustainable arts community is not just about funding and venues though, it requires an effort from the community itself. “I don’t think we’re there yet in terms of just having our own artistic economy, where people are collecting each other’s stuff, supporting each other’s stuff, there for the sake of the art or the music, and not there for the sake of themselves and their own performance,” Houghton explains. This lack of financial support from members of the arts scene is a common complaint from local artists. “I’d love to see a more diverse crowd, and more willingness to open their wallets to keep local artists going. I get more people who complain about the cost of artisan goods here than in any other city,” Dee says of her experience selling art all over Ontario. London may have an exciting and intense underground arts scene, but the fact that it’s underground means that it’s hard to break into. Megan Arnold, a local visual artist and musician, explains that “it’s almost always the same faces at every event. It’s like getting a new kid in your class when someone unfamiliar shows up: you notice.” There is
Art Credit: Jacqueline Dee jd-draws.tumblr.com certainly a desire among people who are part of the arts community for new people to show up to events, but because artists must self promote and events are held in out-of-theordinary locations, it’s hard to get the word out to different social spheres. “Even if you get a special events license so that you can serve alcohol, those events are required to be invitation only,” Bradshaw says. Since that is the case, events are mainly promoted on social media, so, as Arnold puts it, “in the independent scene, it’s all about who you know.” If you’re looking to get involved in London’s arts and culture scene, check out LondonFUSE for event listings and articles about what is going on in the city. Don’t be put off by events that are held in a store’s basement or someone’s house because that is often where the most novel and creative artistic experiences can be had. Once you know where to look in London, a whole new world will open itself up to you. Have fun!
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openWIDE// ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Whitewashing History Apparently, mainstream North American audiences are a very fragile bunch. The Stonewall riots are a difficult part of recent history to revisit. They were a direct result of oppressive laws and public ignorance that forced LGBTQ+ individuals to form communities on the fringe of mainstream society. These riots are a cornerstone of LGBTQ+ history as they are the precursor to modern pride celebrations. On June 28th, 1969, the police raided the Stonewall Inn, a popular gay bar in Greenwhich Village of New York City. This raid included invasive physical exams of all the femalepresenting patrons. Any man dressed as a woman was arrested. The exact timeline of the night is foggy, since queer history had been largely undocumented before the past decade or so. However, the general understanding is that angry crowds formed outside the bar as people were arrested. Most accounts mention the same characters over and over: Stormé DeLaverie, the popular drag king and butch lesbian who claims to have thrown the first punch; Sylvia Rivera, the teenage Puerto Rican trans-woman who is said to have thrown the first bottle; Marsha P. Johnson, the black trans-woman who led the violent push-back against the police and continued to push for LGBTQ+ liberation long after the riots. The riots lasted for three days. The movie Stonewall pays gross disrespect to the women, people of colour, and drag queens like the three mentioned above by showing a cis, white man as the assumed leader of the riots. This white saviour erases the identity of the activists leading the riots. Roland Emmerich stands by his choice, insisting that the protagonist Danny is able to honour the struggles of these people. He misses the point; why do we always need a pretty vanilla cookie to chase the hard stories? The stories of minorities,
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// RACHEL KELLY
especially people of colour, are only given the green light to go mainstream if they feature a privileged hero. Apparently mainstream audiences have a really hard time dealing with a race that isn’t white or a gender that isn’t binary unless they have a pretty, white saviour to ease them through the story. Netflix’s show Orange is the New Black is referred to as a “shrine to white girl problems” by Bad Feminist author Roxanne Gay. The protagonist, Piper Chapman, is white, educated, and affluent; she represents a fraction of American female prisoners. The storylines featuring queer women, disabled women, and women of colour represent the majority of such prisoners, but they all appear as supporting characters for Piper’s drama. In The Help, the lives of all the black women are told through Skeeter, the white woman they have spent their lives serving. Despite her approaching them and being embraced as their equal, they are expected to settle for less than her in the end and be grateful for it. Erasure is important because it stops us from seeing the reality of issues. Queer people of colour are less likely to come out to their families or be out in their communities. They are also significantly more likely to be rejected by their community; as a result, the majority of homeless queer youth are racial minorities. Most surveys report anywhere between 70-80% of transgendered people have experienced violent or sexual assault, and nearly half have attempted suicide. All members of the queer community face different levels of discrimination but Emmerich’s choice, like the choices made in countless other stories, erases the significance of the demographics that need the awareness if their situation is to improve. Our need for a white saviour is dangerous.
openWIDE// WESTERN LIFE
how to Rideshare School begins when it gets crisp in the fall, but despite the new backpack and the freshly sharpened pencils, students miss their people. Whether it’s to visit loved ones or go sightseeing, it’s always worth a trip out of London for some much needed R&R.
// Brittany Tilstra
London, unfortunately, is located at the saddest end of the 401 in Canada’s crotch. To get anywhere is a true pain and the choices are limited. VIA Rail and Greyhound benefit the organized traveler who plans months in advance. But don’t be deceived by advertisements touting seemingly cheap fares—beware the service fee or tax tacked on at the end of the transaction. The cheapest student fares for one way trips from London to Toronto start at approximately $22 spiking upward to over $100 (thanks but no thanks VIA). This brings us to the option behind door number three: ridesharing. Rideshare groups have popped up on Facebook in recent years offering drivers and passengers a platform to connect. Western students favour “London - GTA Rides”, a group with over 5000 members. These closed groups offer an alternative to Kijiji and Craigslist carpooling ads from men that only have first names. Fees to Toronto generally range between $10 and $25, usually arranged by direct messaging closer to the date between the driver and the passenger(s). The admins of these groups have posted guidelines that ask posters to only post once and to be specific. They also ask that posters respect the arrangements made, otherwise they need to notify the drivers/passengers accordingly. However, ridesharing raises a few concerns, especially to the lone traveler. How can a poster depend on the driver or passenger whom they’ve never met? How can a passenger trust that they will get what they paid for? What if a driver bails on a passenger? But primarily, what about safety? What if the driver is dangerous? What happens if there is a car accident? What if the passenger is dangerous? It’s true that ridesharing offers up an opportunity to be kind to our wallets and maybe even meet some cool new people, but
the concern for safety is real. It’s recommended to check out the driver’s or passenger’s Facebook page. Do you have any friends in common? Does it seem like a real Facebook profile or a fake account? Try to have a conversation with the person beforehand, have they done rideshare before? As a passenger, make sure that the destination and payment are clear and agreed upon by both parties. Don’t feel shy about asking about the driver’s record or to see their driver’s license. A step further would be taking a picture of their license plate or ID and send it to whoever you are meeting at your destination. Text someone regularly throughout the trip and make sure they know your exact destination and estimated arrival time. Or try out the Companion app—the app that lets a friend track your progress home. Same goes for drivers, ask to see some ID and make sure that someone else knows who is in the car with you. Safety is especially a concern for females and it’s important that you feel safe—don’t take that feeling for granted. It’s okay to make a fuss over your own safety and any reasonable passenger or driver will understand that concern. If you have a bad feeling, you don’t have to follow through with the ride. That being said, users’ experiences have ranged from lovely rides with casual banter to the occasional tense and silent, with no major incidents thus far. For the price point, students may sacrifice the protection and security of a regulated and dependable service for peer-to-peer ridesharing. Perhaps the creation and use of apps like Kangaride that verify rideshare drivers and passengers is on the horizon for London’s students. Come on you thirsty Ivey kids, get on it.
v.16.2// 15
openWIDE// WESTERN LIFE FEATURE
Student Health Expos
// MELANIE CONNELLY
Mental illness: a gaping wound that is only truly seen, felt, and grasped by the affected person. It is estimated that one in five Canadians will develop a mental illness at one point in their lives, yet it is not something that is taught or discussed anywhere near as much as it needs to be, especially on campus. Western puts up a good front saying they care about mental health. With their social media campaigns, posters, and events such as Western Let’s Talk, it seems as though it is all under control. However, their services simply do not measure up to the misleading campaigns. Awareness is not the issue at Western. The services offered are not adequate in comparison to the number of individuals suffering. The entire process of receiving help is an extreme pain for anyone experiencing distress from mental illness. With a school that has well over 28 thousand students, one may ask if merely 6 psychiatrists, 2 general practitioners, and 2 social workers are enough, not to mention the lengthy wait periods, and how busy each of the councillor’s schedules are. These resources are not enough and this issue demands immediate attention and resolution.
16 //v.16.2
In October of 2014, I gathered the courage to schedule an appointment with a doctor at student health to discuss the depression and anxiety I was facing daily. At the appointment, my problems
openWIDE// WESTERN LIFE FEATURE were reduced to my brother-in-law’s recent diagnosis of cancer. I was disappointed, but was convinced I was just being emotional. I received a referral to see a social worker and academic accommodation due to extenuating family circumstances. Soon after, I returned to a different doctor and was diagnosed with major depressive disorder with severe anxiety. I was struggling to the point where I would come home from campus, shut myself in my room, and falter into an anxiety attack — withering in pain, gasping for air, wanting to scream, desiring self-harm, reflecting negatively on every aspect of my day, crying hysterically, and wishing my life would just end. Rapidly, the anxiety attacks began happening daily, on top of the depression I was experiencing. I was stuck in an extremely dark mindset. I was so down and alone with my thoughts and embarrassed to the point where I stopped leaving my house and doing things I loved. I went to see the social worker twice and felt no relief. I had lost all desire to try and get better. I stopped making appointments. When my doctor realized how severe my suicidal thoughts were, I was referred to a psychiatrist. After a month of waiting, my first appointment was unsatisfying. A few key points were touched upon and important questions were asked. They suggested that I drop all of my classes, move home under my mother’s care, and end my relationship. This was completely overwhelming for me and was not the form of help I was hoping for. I felt intimidated and overwhelmed by the psychiatrist. I feared going back. In February, I called my family whilst having an anxiety attack behind North Campus Building and admitted that I could no longer go through this on my own. We decided it would be best for my health to move home so I could have the proper care I needed to recover. I dropped most of my classes. I called student health and left a message on the cancellation line saying I had moved home and found a new psychiatrist, when truly I had not. I was not contacted again by the
counselling department that semester. The services for mental health provided through Western were not enough for me to be able to cope on my own. I was unable to be independent or finish my studies. I felt that my social worker, doctor, and even my faculty, were too busy to deal with what I unfortunately felt were petty, personal issues. I needed so much more than what was offered. Unfortunately, situations like mine are extremely common. There should be an easier way to receive mental health care at Western. We should not feel like we are just a number to student health. We should not have to go through several services just to get on a waiting list to see a psychiatrist when we are suffering now. We need a different form of patient intake and we need different services available. Despite what we want to believe, there is still a huge stigma. Those suffering often feel pathetic and useless, as people that do not understand the deeper issue. You can’t ‘just be happy’ or force yourself to do things you feel you are no longer capable of doing, these naive statements don’t help. That is not how mental illness works, it is not that simple. I had a very difficult year, but now with the right medications and supports finally set up, I am getting better. A social worker in my hometown was able to see me weekly and was an amazing support system. I am feeling happy in a way I never thought I would feel again. Of course there are still bad days, but it does get better, and you are not alone, I promise. Your friends, peers, and family want to help you. If you need help, please make the call. Good to Talk: 1-866-433-0701, Student Health: (519)6613030, London Crisis Response Line: (519)433-2023, and in emergency: 911. But it seems as if Western just scratches the surface when it comes to their resources. We need more help. We need more resources. We are suffering and we are reaching out to you. Do something. v.16.2// 17
openWIDE// WESTERN LIFE
Paying to be ME:
WHY IDENTITY GROUPS SHOULD bE FREE // SAMAH ALI Clubs connect students; they draw people with similar passions and interests. They plan events and have socials revolving around their shared ambitions. With over 167 clubs, 600 executives, and 10,000 undergrads taking part in the University Student Council club system, you can argue that the USC makes bank. You can also argue the USC banks off of the 53 identity group members paying to be themselves — paying to join a space where they can share their cultural, religious, or racial identity.
If you are a person of color or subscribe to a particular faith group, it’s vital to find a group of people who share the same identity as you. This bond provides a safe space to recover and recharge after dealing with others who don’t understand. A shared identity is like being at home, and if you’re not from London an identity group may be the source of your survival. At Western, identity groups are lumped under the same umbrella as all the other clubs, ranging from the Acapella Project to Pre-Medical Society. Working under the USC Club system, each club is required to charge membership fee during registration. Of course most of these clubs work towards specific mandates, like teaching members how to harmonize or providing resources when studying for the MCAT. This fee gives each club the budget for functions and socials throughout the year. However, not all of the money earned from the memberships goes directly to the clubs. $1.25 goes towards the USC Club Insurance policy, insuring all members under the USC clubs system. Whatever is left pumps to the club’s annual budget, which is often not enough for full year programming for most identity groups. Certain spiritual and cultural groups take on more than just the conventional club social or knitting party, some have to take on an entire holiday or month. The Black Student Association is in charge of Black History Month, an international month of Black awareness and history. However, the club’s minimal budget cannot possibly cover all the speakers, banquets, and events for one month let alone an entire year of events. 18 //v.16.2
openWIDE// WESTERN LIFE Have no fear though, the USC has come up with a mediocre plan for the lack of funding. Their applicationbased Grant System allots money for clubs outlining their event and why they need extra funding. With a budget of $100,000, any club can apply for additional funds, but why is this the only resource for all clubs? Identity groups do not function like your average hobby or interest based club. These groups provide a service, comparable to the services charity groups strive to achieve. It’s counterproductive for one to pay to be an identity when you are born into it. It’s also counterproductive for one to pay to join Habitat for Humanity Western when that money should be going towards the charity. This is common sense, but the USC is missing something. One school that’s acknowledged the differences between clubs is York University. Operating with an optional club donation fee included in their tuition – similar to the USC Donation Fee – $300,000 is collected and goes towards community and service groups on campus. This money is then divided amongst service groups offering them a yearly budget to hold events, banquets, conferences, and discussion-based symposiums, allowing students to join clubs to better themselves and the community rather than paying. By the way, said groups have to be established as a service to the students and the community. If they don’t, they function as a regular interest-based group. York’s system allows their community based groups to thrive holding annual conferences for everyone in the community, so why is the USC not following the same structure? What is happening with the money taken from our tuitions, where is it going, and how is it being spent? Of course students have rough ideas — running operations at The Spoke, Western Film, Creative Services, etc — but do they really expect service groups on campus to ask their members to pay? And if they do, how many members actually pull through with this expectation? This structure causes identity groups to have high attendance rates with low budgets, making these groups tremble under the services they need to provide to continue their safe spaces. It’s a unethical system benefitting no one but the person in charge of the Grant System, sifting through tonnes of applications from identity groups operating with minimal funds. It’s unreasonable for a student to pay to be Muslim, Southeast Asian, Italian, Black, French, what have you. Trying to reach out to find others like you on a campus flooded with 30,000 people shouldn’t be taxed but rather funded. The Grant System makes sense for average clubs looking to host case-by-case events, but does not consider the importance of funds for identity groups who need to provide a service for their members. If only the USC acknowledged these differences and safe spaces, maybe more care would be put back into identity groups.
openWIDE// CREATIVE
ZINE CANADA
SILENTLY WONDERING, “WHY BOTHER?” SINCE 1906
WESTERN TO ESTABLISH SATELLITE CAMPUS IN SPACE
ON ACTUAL SATELLITE
ALREADY ACHIEVED EXCELLENCE ON THE WORLD STAGE, THE FINAL FRONTIER IS NEXT Western space program will commence, pending attachment of giant rockets to Middlesex tower. “We might even be the first campus on Mars,” announced a hopeful president Chamit Akma amid camera flashes at the grand unveiling last night. The university president proceeded to lift up his dress shirt, revealing a large tattoo of Matt Damon’s face on his chest. Suppressing a sheepish giggle, “I’m really excited to go visit Matt”. FIMS students are reportedly “pretty bummed” at the diversion of all their faculty funding to the new space program.
PLANS FOR TIM HORTON’S
SUPER EXPRESS LOCATIONS REVEALED The new franchises will consist of a high-speed conveyor belt, made from repurposed airport walkways attached to formula 1 racing car engines. A constant stream of hot coffee will be shot downwards at the end of the conveyor belt into the ready mouths of tired students. Customers will be able to pour cream and sugar in their mouths before embarking on the conveyor belt. The billing system for the service has yet to be revealed, but some speculate it will be covered through a universal tuition increase, or an automatic deduction from student’s Western cards via wireless scanner.
20 //v.16.2
RECORD NUMBER OF STUDENTS SHOW UP TO ADVANCE POLLS
“I thought this was the Tim’s line” said student when asked who they were voting for “Wait, then how do i get into the bookstore” replied another “This isn’t social science academic counselling?”
ALL WORDS HAVE BEEN BANNED ON CAMPUS
TO THEIR INHERENT MICROAGGRESSIONS Students must communicate using nautical flags
NAUTICAL FLAGS NOW BANNED ON CAMPUS
The flags were removed after complaints that they alienated those who identified as Pirate, or had been abducted by sea men
LOCAL GOOSE FEELS MISREPRESENTED BY AGGRESSIVE WESTERN FLOCK #notallgeese
WESTERN ANNOUNCES MORE
READING BREAKS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR Refers to them as “Saturdays” and “Sundays”
USC LIVESTREAM REACHES RECORD 2 VIEWERS Comments disabled for the video
STEPHEN HARPER WAS REVEALED TO IN FACT BE A PIECE OF DRYWALL IN A BLUE SUIT “He’s walking asbestos!” Elizabeth May shouts from Parliament Hill.”
UC HILL TO BECOME SKI RESORT TO GENERATE MORE REVENUE DURING SLOWER MONTHS Ski Lift will not be added as “walking is part of the experience”
LOCAL STUDENT ASKED HOW HE’LL SPEND LOTTERY MILLIONS “Tuition mostly” student said “with the other $10? Maybe a hamburger I dunno” FIMS TUTORIALS BAN STUDENTS FROM SAYING “iPHONES ARE, LIKE, ENSLAVING US” Participation marks go down 95%
FIMS’ MIT PROGRAM RECEIVES $100,00 PRIVATE DONATION FOR QUANTUM COMPUTING Mistaken for Massachusetts Institution of Technology
TINDER PREMIUM ACCOUNT INCLUDED IN WESTERN TUITION Administration figures it’s another great way to screw over students
GREYHOUND TRIPS THE NUMBER ONE
openWIDE// CREATIVE
CAMPUS COSTUME STORE ANNOUNCES HARPER WIG COMING TO WESTERN “Nice hair though” responds Justin Trudeau
IN TYPICAL APPLE FASHION, TWO MOVIES ABOUT STEVE JOBS
ARE TO BE RELEASED WITHIN
MONTHS OF EACH OTHER
Second one is marginally better than the first, and also incompatible with most televisions
LONELY MALE IN BUTTON DOWN SHIRT FOUND WITH HANDS IN POCKETS AT CEEPS
“It was a compliment” he insists after being walked out on by offended girl
GEESE INVITED TO
PARTICIPATE IN MENTAL
HEALTH AWARENESS WEEK ON CAMPUS Prompted by reports of “geese bullying” UNFAIR TRADE CHOCOLATE
BARS ARE RELEASED
Guarantees 3 Peruvian children died to make every bar
SIRI 1ST ELECTED FEMALE
PRIME MINISTER
“I’m sorry Dave, I’m afraid I can’t help you with that” she says
OPENWIDE HIRES CONSULTANT FROM
THE GAZETTE
HOW TO DATE YOUR TA Editor’s note: Sorry for the misprint, that wasn’t satire.
JAYS FAN EXCLAIMS “I CAN’T WAIT FOR JOSH DONALDSON TO SLAM DUNK AGAIN!” Stores scramble to restock shelves with baseball hats after facing stampede
CAUSE OF STUDENT EXISTENTIAL CRISES Most common thought is “Do I really love my boyfriend or am I just used to having him around?”
v.16.2// 21
openWIDE// CREATIVE
22 //v.16.2
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