The Queen's Journal, Volume 145, Issue 25

the journal Vol. 145, Issue 25

Queen’s University

BISC struggles with stagnant enrollment, financial problems

since

1873

Women’s Hockey drop OUA Final

Trustees warn about risks to financial viability in annual reports dating back to 2012 I ain S herriff -S cott Assistant News Editor

page 12

For years, the Bader International Study Center (BISC) has been touted as the crown jewel of Queen’s international experience.

Despite this feeling, annual reports reveal the BISC’s struggles with low enrolment and financial instability over the last half decade.

The nearly 600 year old Herstmonceux Castle was gifted to Queen’s by alumni Alfred and Isabel Bader in 1993. Since its inception, the international campus has faced persistent challenges to becoming profitable.

For years after it began operations as a satellite campus, the BISC’s annual expenditures were greater than its income. As a result, Queen’s, a publicly-funded university, was forced to cover their deficits.

In the 90s, Queen’s spent roughly $8 million on the castle in the form of an interest-free loan — money the BISC still owns Queen’s today.

Since the castle is a charity registered in the United Kingdom, it produces annual reports to the U.K. Charity Commission.

According to U.K. Charity Commission reports — which were obtained through Queen’s access and privacy office — the University’s continued financial support of the BISC “has resulted in considerable debt to Queen’s,” over the years.

In recent years, BISC trustees have warned about the campus’ financial viability and potential risks for the future. “The key risk to the charity is a sudden or persistent decline in income causing the BISC to cease to be financially viable,” the report read.

Trustees have echoed this sentiment in annual reports dating back to 2012.

In 2016 — a year of unusually low enrolment with 101 students — the BISC

F r i d ay , M a r c h 1 6 , 2 0 1 8

PHOTO BY AMANDA NORRIS

Hailey Wilson looks on as Western celebrates at the end of the game.

SGPS elects 2018-19 President following second election period Elections see increased student engagement and voter turnout J asnit P abla Assistant News Editor

Following a nullified presidential election, an investigation into an election infraction and a second election period, the Society of Graduate and Professional Students has elected current Vice-President (Community) Tyler Morrison as President for the 2018-19 year.

“There are valuable lessons to be learned by comparing this year’s elections with last,” wrote current SGPS President Adam Grotsky in an email to The Journal. “Last year, voter turnout was in the single digits and every candidate running for an elected position was uncontested. This year, the presidential election was contested and voter turnout soared.”

Morrison, Law ’19, currently serves as the SGPS Vice-President for Campaigns and See University on page 4 Community Affairs. He’s set to begin his

transition with Grotsky immediately, who noted it will be important to expose Morrison to functions external to the SGPS. “Tyler has been intimately involved in the inner workings and decision-making of the SGPS,” he wrote. “The next step will be preparing him for responsibilities external to the SGPS, including serving on Senate, the search committee for the next Principal and working to improve the graduate student experience.”

For Morrison, the upcoming transition period presents an exciting opportunity to craft his team and work alongside Grotsky.

“As I said during the campaign, I have been able to work very closely with Adam (current SGPS President) throughout the year, and have a pretty good idea of what the job entails,” he wrote in an email to The Journal. “However, I am really just excited to get the new Executive together and begin to build on last year’s success by creating a vision of our own.”

During the first campaign period, current Vice-President (Graduate) of the SGPS was voted in as President-elect on Jan. 30. On Feb. 8, the SGPS Judicial Committee announced that the election results would be nullified.

The committee released a follow-up statement the next day which explained the reason for nullification. According to the statement, McKnight had disclosed an election infraction to the committee which involved overspending the allotted campaign budget.

The infraction, while brought to the Judicial Committee, was appealed by candidate Tyler Morrison who pardoned the infraction. At the Feb. 13 SGPS Council meeting, new dates for a second campaign period were set for Mar. 12 and 13, with results released the same night.

In the second campaign, Morrison took the win with 52 per cent of votes. In this election, 38.6 per cent of graduate students voted. In the original campaign, McKnight won with 52.5 per cent of the vote. The voter turnout that time around was at 36.5 per cent.

Following the second election period, Morrison told The Journal he’s filled with relief. “It has definitely been an emotional couple weeks. Campaigns are a curious time, stress levels are up, but you’re given a unique opportunity to engage with the student body,” See Morrison on page 4

What’s Inside?

NEWS

FEATURE

EDITORIALS

SPORTS

POSTSCRIPT

Car stolen in University District

A history of the JDUC: where do we go from here?

National Geographic Editor in Chief recognizes racist past

Men’s volleyball star wins OUA Rookie of the year

Learning from intimate relationships after trauma

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page 6

page 7

page 11

page 15

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News

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Friday, March 16, 2018

Queen’s park catch-up

UNIVERSITY DISTRICT

Student’s car stolen from University district following break-in

Kingston Police actively investigating the case Maureen O’Reilly News Editor On Tuesday morning, Sarah Stern’s housemates noticed her car was missing from their driveway on Frontenac Street.

After looking around, the students realized their house had been broken into and the keys to Stern’s vehicle had been stolen from the home.

In an email to The Journal on Wednesday, Stern, Sci ’20, explained the incident likely occurred just after midnight on Tuesday.

“We realized by looking at the broken screens, blood on the windowsills, and footprints that someone had come in through our windows while we were sleeping, searched for my keys, found them, and drove away with my car,” Stern wrote.

While Stern and her housemates are aware that minor thefts occasionally occur in the university district, this incident left them in disbelief.

“I was shocked and upset that such an invasive, unsettling break-in and large theft happened like this — especially somewhere that so many students call home,” Stern wrote.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Stern looked to Queen’s students for any information about her stolen car. She described the vehicle as a 2012 white Subaru Outback with a Canadian flag sticker and an Illinois license plate.

Stern still has no idea who could’ve stolen her car, but speculates, based on the large footprints and bike tracks in the snow, that it could’ve been two men on bikes. Upon discovering the theft, Stern immediately filed an auto theft report with the police.

was shocked and upset “ Ithat such an invasive,

unsettling break-in and large theft happened like this.

”

— Sarah Stern

In an email to The Journal on Wednesday, Kingston Police said they couldn’t speak to the specific details of the case, as it’s an active investigation. However, Media Relations Officer Cameron Mack advised students to always be prepared to contact police immediately with all details of your vehicle — including colour, make, model, distinguishing features and contents — if stolen.

While Stern and her housemates kept their house locked up, she advised students to take extra precautions to protect themselves from theft.

“Always keep your car keys, house keys, and valuable personal belongings out of sight or with you if possible,” Stern wrote. “We’re very careful about locking our doors but always make sure every window is latched shut — especially as the weather gets warmer.”

Ford wins PC leadership, LCBO releases cannabis store branding Iain Sherriff-Scott Assistant News Editor Doug Ford narrowly wins PC leadership race After a chaotic leadership election, Toronto businessman and former city councillor Doug Ford won the Ontario Progressive Conservative leadership race PHOTO SUPPLIED BY QNSA Indigenous Awareness Week ran from Mar. 12 to 16. on Saturday night.

A leadership contest was triggered a month and a half ago, following former PC leader Patrick Brown’s resignation over allegations of sexual misconduct.

Ford beat out former MPP Christine Elliot, Caroline Mulroney and Tanya Granic Allen for the nomination.

Following the announcement of Ford’s win late Saturday night, Elliot refused to concede the victory. According to The Toronto Star, an email statement from Elliot’s campaign on Sunday cited “serious irregularities” throughout the leadership election.

According to the statement, Elliot won the popular vote and the majority of ridings. On Sunday, she backtracked on this statement and conceded the nomination.

Ford has spent his first week as PC leader speaking to media about his goals if elected.

Ford told reporters on Monday he would scrap the Liberal’s revised sex-ed curriculum.

He also mentioned Tuesday that he opposes the Liberal government’s monopoly framework for cannabis distribution Hannah Stafl believes the week has gained more visibility and favours an open market.

Staff Writer and student participation over the years.

“Regular students that are engaged with LCBO releases cannabis retail logo, Every year, Indigenous Awareness Week us have increased every year exponentially, pundits underwhelmed (IAW) is one of the main endeavours taken which shows that there is a growing on by the Queen’s Native Student Association number of students that really care about Last week, the Liquor Control Board of (QNSA). With daily events planned by reconciliation,” said Doblej.

Ontario released its retail branding for the QNSA, this year’s theme is “exploring Doblej also explained the importance of ‘Ontario Cannabis Store.’ According to an Indigenous identities.” having both Indigenous and non-Indigenous LCBO statement, the cost of the branding for Runing from Mar. 12 to 16, this year’s students participate in the awareness week. the new chain was roughly $650,000.

IAW is aimed at facilitating education about He said one of QNSA’s goals is to bring Following the Liberal government’s the history of Indigenous peoples. The week about more awareness to Indigenous issues pledge to legalize cannabis federally, the was kicked off with a white board campaign and change to reconciliation in Canada. provinces were given the opportunity and poetry slam on Monday. On Tuesday, to establish distribution frameworks organizers hosted a Mass Kiaros blanket for legalization. exercise and film screening of “Angry Inuk.”

Regular students that Ontario has chosen a similar framework Used as a way to interactively teach to what already exists for alcohol — a are engaged with us have the history of Indigenous peoples in government regulated monopoly. increased every year Canada, Tuesday’s blanket exercise is an LCBO’s statement about the branding exponentially, which shows explained “the name is designed to convey a event often hosted by QNSA. that there is a growing The exercise begins with participants safe, simple and approachable environment standing on their own individual number of students that really for consumers, and agency employees, in a blankets, used to represent Canadian land. clear and easily understood manner.” care about reconciliation.

Participants are also given cut-outs, The new, simple logo for the Ontario which are used to represent children.

— Darian Doblej Cannabis Store has received “mixed As the exercise unfolds, the history of ArtSci ’18 reactions” from industry leaders and Twitter Canadian Indigenous groups is explored users since it’s launch. One Twitter user said with participants.

“For reconciliation to really take hold, we the design is “lacking a bit in creativity.”

The exercise continues with the need critical mass. We need 100 per cent Others however, have been more introduction of Indigenous peoples of Canadians,” Doblej explained. receptive to the simplistic look. John and European settlers. The activity was Doblej said the ultimate purpose of IAW Fowler, CEO and Founder of Supreme followed continued with depictions of is to open a dialogue among all students in Cannabis told Global News, “I think a lot treaty-making between the two groups order to promote the history, culture and of people who are looking for a brand to and the subsequent discarding of these contributions of Indigenous peoples. be an exciting name and an exciting logo agreements by the Europeans.

“It’s okay to have questions,” Doblej said. are underwhelmed by what the Ontario This continues with a representation He continued, “just ask them.” government provided.” of the diseases spread by the immigrants To close out the week, Thursday “I actually think that if the stores roll to Indigenous communities and featured a reception with Indigenous out with the same kind of quality and discriminatory laws used to restrict models Ellyn Jade and Siera Bearchell. social responsibility strategy that you see Indigenous peoples. Finally, the exercise The week culminates on Friday, with a with alcohol in Ontario, down the road covers the forced relocation of reception following a town hall hosted we could be saying OCS and conjuring the communities and residential schools.

by Clement Chartier, President of the same kind of images as when we say LCBO Darian Doblej, a head of QNSA’s Métis National Council. today,” he continued.

Organizing Committee, told The Journal he

Queen’s Native Student Association hosts Annual Indigenous Awareness Week This year’s focus is on exploring Indigenous Identities

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News

Friday, March 16, 2018

queensjournal.ca • 3

PHOTO SUPPLIED BY QBACC

The protest took place at Springer Market Square.

Sarina Grewal Assistant News Editor As protests continue in British Columbia (BC) against the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline, students and members of the Kingston community rallied at Springer Market square on Mar. 10 to voice their opposition to the contentious project.

The $7.4-billion pipeline expansion was approved in Nov. 2016 by Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government. This decision sparked concerns regarding oil spills and negative impacts on climate change, creating tension between BC and Alberta’s provincial governments. In addition to environmental concerns, the project has faced opposition due to a lack of consideration for the Indigenous communities in the area.

Sean Price, ArtSci ’18, a member of Queen’s Backing Action on Climate Change

Campus sustainability club organizes protest against Kinder Morgan pipeline

The group partnered with the local chapter of 350 Kingston to demonstrate at Springer Market Square

(QBACC), organized as well as path of fossil fuel dependence participated in the demonstration. by supporting the construction The climate activism club hopes of fossil fuel infrastructure to raise awareness about the that’s going to have to be used importance of conservation and for the next 20 or 30 years?” land sovereignty in relation to the he continued. pipeline project.

Price added that the Liberals “We wanted to show people “continue to break promises in western Canada that there are to Indigenous communities groups of people ... across Canada across Canada with extraction [that] recognize that this pipeline projects that haven’t received full proposes [a problem],” Price said. consultation and don’t have full “It’s a good question — [is] the support from these Indigenous government of Canada going to communities which they impact continue to send us down this most significantly.”

QBACC invited local provincial ROUND-UP candidates for Kingston and the Islands to come speak at their protest. Green Party Member of Provincial Parliament candidate Robert Kiley was

Black History Month at Queen’s

ACSA was “formed for the purpose of advancing issues of importance to students of African and Caribbean descent.”

“I can’t pick a specific part of [Black History Month] that is important to me because I believe every aspect of it is important,” Vowotor said in an email to The Journal. “It is important to hold these types of events because people like to think we have progressed as a society to a point where racism is not an issue. But current events will disagree with that notion,” she continued.

In partnership with the Queen’s Black Academic Society and members at large, ACSA hosted a Black History Month opening ceremony to kick off the month’s celebrations, lectures and cultural festivals.

CBC’s Amanda Parris, host PHOTO SUPPLIED BY ELORM VOWOTOR Amanda Parris addresses the audience. of Exhibitionists, was the keynote speaker at the opening Jasnit Pabla Black individuals. ceremony. Parris spoke to an Assistant News Editor This year, their theme for Black audience of students, staff, History Month was “Resilience,” faculty and the general public For African and Caribbean which the student-run group about themes of strength, Students’ Association (ACSA) on campus hoped to channel courage and vision within the co-president Elorm Vowotor, through events and lectures open context of Black history.

Black History Month is a time to all members of the Kingston ACSA also held a cultural to highlight “the stories, the and Queen’s communities. food festival with the goal to history, [and] the struggles” of According to their mandate, share culture and promote unity

Co-president of African and Caribbean Students’ Association sits down with The Journal

the only invited individual to attend.

“

I think it’s really important that we have strong allies to support Indigenous rights.

”

— Mishiikenh, Elder in Residence

Kiley, who told The Journal he tries to focus on grassroots politics in the community, said he came to the demonstration to support activists and advocate for better public policy.

“This pipeline doesn’t represent good public policy. In my mind, all

policy has to be weighed socially, economically, environmentally and democratically,” he said.

“And across those areas, this pipeline doesn’t make the cut.”

The protest also saw Mishiikenh, an Elder-in-Residence and cultural counsellor from the Four Directions Aboriginal Centre, speak to the many environmentalists present.

“I support the health of our planet … they say that we’re supposed to look after our people seven generations ahead and seven generations back,” Mishiikenh told The Journal.

He stressed the importance of supporting not only the Indigenous communities in BC, but also local youth advocates who will one day be the leaders in the community.

“I think it’s really important that we have strong allies to support Indigenous rights,” Mishiikenh said. “Our ancestors and our grandfathers and grandmothers have put up with a lot and they suffered a lot in their existence here, and it’s time to celebrate and look at Indigenous peoples in a good way,” he continued.

through food. “The cultural “Ghosted Legacies,” in Robert food festival involved us making Sutherland Hall on Feb. 15. “He food from our various cultures revealed the forgotten lives and and sharing it with the general legacies of those students and public,” she wrote. what happened to them here This year, students expressed at Queen’s and after they left a clear focus on the experiences Queen’s,” Vowotor said, reflecting of Black medical students at on the event.

Queen’s. In 1918, the University Following the month’s implemented a ban within celebrations, Vowotor told The the Queen’s Faculty of Medicine Journal she felt that efforts made that forced many Black students by ACSA and other groups were already enrolled to find new successful in celebrating schools. A small group of the significance of Black students, however, graduated History Month. from Queen’s at the time, pursuing “Now that the month is over, successful careers across we are definitely feeling confident the country. about all the progress we made especially regarding the black medical students,” she I can’t pick a wrote. “Their’s is a story that is specific part of [Black never talked about, so we were extremely proud to be able to History Month) that bring their stories to the light.” is important to me Vowotor said events on because I believe every c a m p u s that allow students to celebrate the aspect of it history of their ancestors is important. at Queen’s is integral to creating — Elorm Vowotor a welcoming and comfortable ACSA Co-Preisdent atmosphere at the University.

“These types of events help give Assistant Director of Queen’s us a voice,” she said. “They make University Office of Partnerships us heard and they provide a and Innovation Edward Thomas space for us to be free and truly presented the lecture titled express ourselves.”

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4 •queensjournal.ca

News

Friday, March 16, 2018

News in Brief

OUSA General Assembly passes three policy papers

Nuisance party bylaw will not be in effect for St. Patrick’s Day This story was updated on Mar. 14

SUPPLIED FROM OUSA

AMS delegates at OUSA General Assembly.

Delegates discuss topics including credit transfer and mobility, mature students, as well as student health and wellness Sarina Grewal Assistant News Editor The second Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) General Assembly of the school year took place at Laurentian University this past weekend. Three new policy papers were discussed and passed by the delegates in attendance.

The OUSA General Assembly consists of eight member institutions who come together and debate policy papers written by students that address topics relevant to students in Ontario’s undergraduate programs.

The policies passed at OUSA are used to lobby the provincial government for funding.

The most recent assembly resulted in the three papers being unanimously passed. The papers focused on credit transfer and mobility, mature students and student health and wellness, respectively.

From Queen’s, current AMS President Jennifer Li, Vice-President (University Affairs) Palmer Lockridge and Academic Affairs Commissioner Victoria Lewarne were all in attendance. Joining them

for the assembly were incoming Vice-President (University Affairs) Munro Watters and incoming Academic Affairs Commissioner Julia Göllner.

In an interview with The Journal, Lockridge, Lewarne, Watters and Göllner discussed their time at the assembly.

Lockridge explained the health and wellness paper discussed a variety of subtopics, including sexual and physical health, mental wellbeing, and accessibility.

Lewarne, who authored the credit transfer report, explained it was geared towards “facilitating the process for students to ease the transfer process and looking at credit transfer assessments.”

“We talked about consistency of the system across the sector, and transparency and predictability so that students know what to expect when they’re about to undergo the credit transfer process,” she continued. “Because sometimes it can vary a lot, but [the paper was meant to] act as a guiding source but also still maintaining institutional autonomy.”

In addition, Palmer and Lewarne encouraged students on campus to

add input on the policy papers prior to each assembly.

Watters and Göllner also spoke to their first-time experience at an OUSA conference.

Göllner commented that conversation during meetings proved to be productive and cooperative. She said she “didn’t realize how likeminded the different delegates would be.”

Watters stated she and Göllner were able to meet many individuals from other schools who they will be working with next year.

“We got to have some very interesting and engaging dialogue,” Watters added.

OUSA will also host a transition conference in late April, wherein incoming members like Munro and Göllner will be fully acquainted with their new roles within the alliance.

Kingston City Council passed a bylaw last month that will put partygoers at risk of facing hefty fines. The bylaw, however, won’t be enforceable until City Council completes a third and final reading.

The Nuisance Party Bylaw is aimed at controlling large social gatherings within the municipality by establishing a minimum fine of $500 for individuals who throw or attend a party which fits the description of a “nuisance party.”

A nuisance party can only be declared by officers who are on duty but not present at the scene. The off-site officers will coordinate with officers on the scene to decide how the bylaw will be applied. If a party is declared a ‘nuisance,’ officers will ask hosts to end the gathering and individuals to disperse.

If students don’t obey officers, a fine will be administered.

According to the bylaw, “[a]ny person who creates, causes, hosts, sponsors, conducts, continues, or attends a nuisance party could be charged under a nuisance party bylaw.”

In a Feb. 20 City Council meeting, the Nuisance Party Bylaw was submitted for approval. All councillors present unanimously approved the report as proposed.

According to an email from Kingston Policy and Program Coordinator Greg McLean, the bylaw won’t be presented for a third reading until the Mar. 20 Council Meeting. “The Nuisance Party Bylaw will therefore not be in effect and cannot be enforced on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17,” he wrote.

— Jasnit Pabla

University. However, with the voluntary recognition, these workers immediately joined PSAC Local 901 — Unit 1, Teaching Assistants and Teaching Fellows,” Vieira wrote.

In the same statement, Sharon DeSousa, PSAC Ontario Regional Executive Vice-President, also said, “we knew that these workers were performing the same work as our members, yet were receiving a lot less.”

“Organizing this group of workers was an issue of fairness, so they could have the same opportunities as our other members on campus,” she continued.

Craig Berggold, PSAC Local 901 President closed out the statement provided by PSAC. In it, he said, “[o]ur new members will have immediate access to our recently ratified collective agreement, including all the protections and benefits contained within it.”

In late January, graduate and professional students voted “overwhelmingly” in support of a new collective agreement. The new four-year agreement contains multiple contract changes for teaching assistants Iain Sherriff-Scott (TAs) and teaching fellows (TFs). At Assistant News Editor the time, Berggold told The Journal the new agreement “puts a lot more On Mar. 9, Queen’s voluntarily recognized money into TA and TF pockets.” professional student teaching assistants “This will vastly improve their working (TAs) in the Juris Doctor and Doctor of conditions and provide access to union Medicine programs are falling under the representation,” Berggold said. umbrella of the Public Service Alliance In a recent e-mail interview with The of Canada (PSAC) bargaining unit.

Journal, SGPS President Adam Grotsky said In a statement from PSAC, Lino Vieira, he’s “pleased that law students will now be Political Communications Officer wrote compensated at a rate equal to that of their the recognition was achieved “following a graduate student peers.” coordinated organizing campaign.”

“Law students are taking on increasing “PSAC had applied for certification amounts of debt to finance their on March 7, 2018 at the Ontario Labour education — any change that helps Relations Board to represent Professional ease that burden is one that I welcome,” Student Teaching Assistants at Queen’s Grotsky wrote.

Professional Student Teaching Assistants to Join PSAC local 901

Berggold says new members will have “immediate access” to new agreement

News

Friday, March 16, 2018

ELECTIONS

queensjournal.ca • 5

BADER INTL. STUDY CENTRE

Morrison takes win University focused on selling in by-election BISC to undergraduates Continued from front

believe the SGPS can affect their experience, and I want to change that.”

For Grotsky, this year’s election was a significant one for the SGPS. The President said he was impressed with increased voter turnout in the second election, which remained consistent despite confusion.

“After our first election, and then the JDUC referendum, I was concerned about voter fatigue as we entered our third vote of the year,” he wrote to The Journal. “But with important decisions on the line, students made sure their voices were heard in numbers unmatched in the Society’s history.

Grotsky added last year’s voter turnout for SGPS elections was six per cent. This year’s turnout — which increased to almost 40 percent — is something to be proud of.

“This year’s elections affirmed that students are not the apathetic group we are sometimes labeled as”, Grotsky wrote. “Our student body cares deeply about their

Continued from front

report, trustees were “disappointed” the charity didn’t meet its targets.

Despite the summer 2016 term enjoying “virtually full enrollment,” the report said the fall and winter terms “continue to fall below optimum levels.”

“Student numbers were lower than budget, and the exchange rate of Sterling to the Canadian SGPS dollar was worse than that PRESIDENTIAL assumed in the budget,” the ELECTION VOTE report read.

BREAKDOWN Back in 2013, Queen’s set enrollment targets for the BISC MORRISON at 120 full-time undergraduate 52.5% students. Since then, they’ve only failed to reach that target once.

MCKNIGHT In 2014-15, the BISC hosted 117 46.5% full-time undergrads, and in 201516 that number dropped to 101.

However, the University has steadily increased its planned enrollment predictions in the 2017-18 budget report. Queen’s planned for the enrollment of 115 students at the BISC in 2016-17, which went up to 120 in 2017-18 and a projected 125 in 2018-19.

GRAPHIC BY Following several years of shaky REBECCA FROST leadership at the BISC, Queen’s community and it gives me great appointed Dr. Hugh Horton as the hope for the impact they will new Vice-Provost and Executive make, not just at Queen’s but Director in Apr. 2017. According to beyond,” he continued. the University’s enrolment reports, Dr. Horton will oversee a “strategic

planning process” meant to improve learning and research and increase enrollment.

In addition, Queen’s and the BISC established an “enrolment taskforce” in 2016 to create a strategy for increased engagement with the castle. Since Horton’s appointment and the creation of the taskforce, Queen’s has ramped up efforts to sell the BISC to incoming undergraduate students.

This year, Queen’s introduced

year, Queen’s “ This introduced a

Concurrent Education program at the BISC in an effort to boost enrollment.

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a Concurrent Education program at the BISC in an effort to boost enrollment. To manage the shift, the University moved several spots in the program from the Kingston campus to the BISC. In a statement emailed to The Journal, Queen’s Provost, Benoit-Antoine Bacon said that as a result of the taskforce’s implemented recommendations, “the BISC’s fall 2017 class was the largest ever and Fall 2018 might be larger still.” One hundred and thirty-nine students are

expected to attend in 2017-18, which marks an increase from previous years.

Despite the increased enrollment from this fall, the 2017 annual report indicated “student enrollment during the Fall and Winter terms continued to be low,” despite “diversifying our course offerings.”

In the 2017 report, trustees indicated that to remain financially viable, enrollment of “sufficiently high numbers of students” is necessary.

A barrier for some however, might be the BISC’s price tag.

According to the University’s budget reports, in 2010, a semester at the BISC cost students $14,465. Contrasted to 2016, a semester cost $19,569 and by the end of 2019, prices are projected to increase further to $20,959.

Bacon explained that, “the BISC works closely with Admissions on main campus to achieve enrolment targets, implementing many of the recommendations of the BISC Enrolment Taskforce.”

“Achieving enrolment targets is the key factor towards financial sustainability,” of the BISC. Bacon said the castle’s Enterprise Director, appointed in 2016, is continuing work to make the campus more profitable.

6 • queensjournal.ca

Friday, March 16, 2018

Features

The future of student life spaces at Queen’s What is going to happen with the JDUC? Brigid Goulem Features Editor

Despite being the home of many student services such as the P&CC, The Brew, Tricolour Outlet and Queen’s Pub, the JDUC has never truly acted as a hub for student life on campus.

After years of consultation, the AMS and SGPS proposed the $62.3-million JDUC revitalization project that would’ve secured 8,800 square feet of new study space and 3,200 square feet of new club space for students.

In order to move forward and secure funding for the project, the AMS and SGPS needed to pass a referendum to create a new student fee to fund the project.

While the SGPS passed a $40 fee, the $89 AMS fee failed by a small margin.

With an uncertain future, The Journal looks back at the history of the JDUC and wonders what is to come.

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After years of consultation, the AMS and SGPS proposed the $62.3-million JDUC revitalization project that would’ve secured 8,800 square feet of new study space.

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Before the corner of Union and University served as the home of the JDUC, it was as an orphanage that provided housing and education for hundreds of orphans and disadvantaged children. In 1927, the Orphans Home was purchased by Queen’s University.

In 1929, the building was re-opened under a new name after two years of renovations. The Student Memorial Union building was named in commemoration of the students who died while fighting in the First World War.

Initially, the building was a men’s club because women were banned from almost all of the rooms. It wasn’t until the mid-50s that most of the rooms started opening up to women, with the exception of Wallace Hall (where women were banned until 1960).

Due to a large fire in the main part of the building, in 1947 a large part of the existing Student Memorial Union was re-built.

To this day, this portion of the now-JDUC — situated on Union St. — has externally remained untouched.

In 1964, the back wing of the building was added, which included graduate student residences and the International Centre.

In 1974, the Erickson Wing — the northern portion on University Ave., which now houses Khao and Tri-Colour — was added. It was around this time the building was renamed from the Student Memorial Union to the John Deutch University Centre. It was named after then-University President John Deutsch .

Although the name has changed, the JDUC still has remnants of a war memorial. Located in the Upper Ceilidh of the building, the small and beautiful Memorial Room features two large bronze plaques that have inscriptions of the names of the dead Queen’s students from World War 1, a stone arch and seven oil paintings

by Toronto artist Marion Long that display the men and women from each branch of the Canadian forces.

In 2005, Queen’s main campus was expecting to see a major overhaul in the form of the Queen’s Centre Project. As part of phase three of the Project, the JDUC was supposed to be replaced by a new $24-million student life centre.

Unfortunately, due to the global financial crisis in 2008

and serious planning issues, the and thus limited the potential project was cancelled in 2011. services provided to [students],” With phase one being the only Li said in a recent article one finished — which consists published in The Journal. of the ARC — phase two and “We need a JDUC that all three of the project were never students, regardless of faculty completed. This meant the or year of study, can call home. $24-million Student Life Centre A place where our whole revitalization never came community can come together, to life. whether it’s grabbing a drink at QP Although the project was or printing off an essay at P&CC,” incomplete, this didn’t mean there she said in an email to The Journal. would be no new improvements In a special referendum from Feb. to the student life building. In 2015, 12-13, the AMS proposed an $89 the AMS made upgrades to the non-reviewable student fee that building, the last in the JDUC to would supplement the University’s date. According to a Journal article, $20 million contribution to the the project was financed by a “$1.2 $62.3-million project. According million fund collected through to Li, this was the lowest possible the Queen’s Student Centre fee price, and students wouldn’t have that constituted the AMS’s paid until construction started. capital contribution to Despite an extensive marketing Phase 1 of the Queen’s Centre.” campaign, the Feb 12-13 AMS An agreement between the special referendum — which saw a AMS and the University required 20.8 per cent turnout — failed with that these funds had to be used a narrow 51.1 per cent ‘no’ vote,

by April 2015. In the end, this with a 20.8 per cent turnout. The meant they improved the SGPS’ didn’t collect the fee, which washrooms on the first passed with a 1,065 to 332 vote in floor of the JDUC, added favour of the revitalization. a new universal washroom, new On Feb. 15, Li told The Journal fans, a new skylight in the Upper in an interview that “the project Ceilidh and a restoration of is not at a standstill.”

Wallace Hall.

“There is support, just not on Since then, the revitalization these terms. We need to go back to of the JDUC has been a huge the drawing board and understand priority for both the AMS and what students will vote in favour SGPS. After years of consultation for,” she said at the time. and time spent at the negotiation To address this failure, the table with the University, both AMS has put out a survey to societies secured a historic collect student responses that will agreement to redevelop the JDUC be put into an action plan. for $62.3-million.

According to a recent As outlined in an opinion piece interview with The Journal, Li written by AMS President Jennifer said this information will Li, the University would have shape how the AMS moves committed “almost $20 million in forward with the project direct and alumni contributions when they put forward towards the project.” another referendum in the fall “Over time, such an integral of 2018. building on campus hasn’t done a Although the redevelopment good enough job of contributing project’s future is uncertain, to the student life experience. [The according to Li, the future “JDUC JDUC has] failed to meet basic redevelopment will transform needs for our student services the student experience at Queen’s

ILLUSTRATION BY STEPHANIE JIANG

and ensure that generations of students to come will benefit from the same high quality student experience that we have enjoyed and Queen’s has always been known for.”

According to SGPS President Adam Grotsky, Law ’19, the JDUC project is also very important to the graduate community on campus.

“The original campaign that we ran, the pitch was that a vote for the JDUC was a vote for a graduate student wing in the building which would allow students to have social space, study space just a place to congregate.”

Despite the AMS JDUC fee failing in a recent referendum, Grotsky sees the revitalization of the JDUC as central to maintaining Queen’s reputation for excellent student experience.

need a JDUC that “allWestudents, regardless of faculty or year of study, can call home. A place where our whole community can come together.

”

— Jennifer Li, AMS President

“We are right now known for our student experience,” he told The Journal, “but we don’t hold that reputation permanently.

Other schools across not just Ontario but Canada have built brand new student life spaces.

UBC has done it, Ryerson did it, McMaster did it. These [schools] are our competitors. The longer we hold off on creating space for the 21st century student body, the longer we jeopardize our reputation as the premier student experience in Canada.”

Friday, March 16, 2018

queensjournal.ca

EDITORIALS Throughout its history, National Geographic has participated in racially-biased media coverage of people of colour within the United States and around the world. On Monday, Editor-in-Chief Susan Goldberg formally acknowledged this on behalf of the publication for the first time.

By making an example of themselves, National Geographic has set themselves on a path to repair the damage they caused for racialized peoples and nations covered in the magazine.

This isn’t exactly a new revelation; the magazine has been criticized for years because of its Eurocentric and exploitative coverage of different cultures. But this is the first time National Geographic acknowledged it themselves.

Older publications still exist all around the world and this acknowledgement must be sobering for all of them. As more and more viewpoints are increasingly prioritized in the media, committing to diverse hiring and storytelling is a commitment to future credibility.

What Goldberg’s acknowledgement does is force a major media company to look inward to find things that can and

The Journal’s Perspective

THE QUEEN’S JOURNAL

We can all learn from National Geographic’s acknowledgement of the past should be fixed. Other media outlets need to learn to examine problematic pasts with a critical eye and use them to move forward free of the same mistakes.

We aren’t excused from this either. The Queen’s Journal itself has been continuously publishing since 1873, more than a decade earlier than National Geographic’s first issue. In our 145-year history, there’s no doubt our coverage, including this year’s story about a

potential land recognition sign at University and Union, has been skewed to prioritize white voices.

No publication can create an issue like racism, but they certainly can contribute to it in what they choose and don’t choose to cover.

In an interview with the Associated Press, Goldberg asserted “we needed to own our story to move beyond it.” This isn’t about clearing National Geographic’s name but acknowledging that the publication was problematic and that drawing attention to those issues is important.

This acknowledgement brings awareness to the media’s role in telling stories and photography’s role in how they’re

•7

portrayed and sensationalized.

The legacy of racism in art and photography isn’t spoken about very often. It’s essential to recognize visual storytelling’s impact on how we see the world.

Providing people who have been wronged in the past a platform to tell their own stories and create their own images is essential work for publications old and new.

Revisiting and contextualizing past stories is something that will force readers to think critically about what they see and read about the past. Going back through archives and drawing attention to the issues with past articles and images is something that needs to be prioritized.

Volume 145 Issue 25 www.queensjournal.ca @queensjournal Publishing since 1873

Editorial Board

Joseph Cattana Meg Glover

Editor in Chief Managing Editor

Maureen O’Reilly

News Editor Assistant News Editors

Sarina Grewal Iain Sherriff-Scott Jasnit Pabla

Features Editors

Alex Palermo

Editorials Editor

Ashley Rhamey

Opinions Editor

Caleigh Castiglione

Brigid Goulem

Nick Pearce

Arts Editor

Clayton Tomlinson

Assistant Arts Editor

Sebastian Bron

Sports Editor

Matt Scace

Assistant Sports Editor

Shivani Gonzalez

Lifestyle Editor Assistant Lifestyle Editor

Josh granovsky

Julia Balakrishnan

Photo Editor Assistant Photo Editor

Nicole Langfield

Video Editor

Max Silverberg

Assistant Video Editor

Amelia Rankine

Editorial Illustrator

Stephanie Jiang Rebecca Frost

Graphics Editor Copy Editors

Meredith Wilson-Smith Ejaz Thawer

Contributing Staff

Contributors

Samantha Fink Daisy Fraser-Boychuk Maggie Gowland Alexandra Phillips Michael Zhang

— Journal Editorial Board

Staff Writers and Photographers

Brittany Gilliforte Raechel Huizinga Amanda Norris Hannah Stafl Lauren Trossman

Business Staff

Business Manager

Abby Choudhry

Head Sales Representative LeeAnn Sverko

ILLUSTRATION BY STEPHANIE JIANG

Sales Representatives

Robyn McMurdy Kiera Sitzer

Office Administrator

Faith Villanueva

Want to contribute?

Over the years, I’ve often heard the words, “wait, she looks nothing like she does on her Instagram.”

While there’s plenty of criticism on the over-use of social media, an overlooked issue is how it perpetuates negative body images.

Before posting photos on social media, many girls edit their bodies using photo retouching apps to appear thinner. A great deal of girls shrink their arms, add a thigh gap, elongate their legs, cut out or flatten parts of their stomach, the list goes on. Examples of these apps include Facetune, Perfect Me and Retouch Me. Our society today has everyday women and girls editing photos of themselves just as much as magazines do with their models.

Even though my teachers told us to not compare our bodies to those of celebrities and models, I still compare myself to people like Gigi Hadid or Emily Ratajkowski whenever they post on Instagram.

But what these teachers never mentioned was how we would compare ourselves to our friends.

This is a massive issue that the public needs to be aware

Caleigh Castiglione

We need to be aware of the artificiality of Instagram of. Retouched images on social media perpetuate unrealistic and unhealthy body standards.

As girls edit themselves to conform to what they believe is an “ideal” beauty standard, they fail to remember that all girls have different body types.

When women and girls edit their bodies to look thinner online, the diversity of women’s bodies seems to disappear.

Women have been conditioned to judge each other based on appearance — both subconsciously and intentionally.

By altering their appearance

online, not only are they partaking in an obsessive and ultimately harmful past time, but they’re continuing a pattern of competition with one another. Negative body image is a prominent issue for women and this pattern of editing seems to continue the cycle.

All in all, editing is something girls will likely continue to do because of its normality. I only hope that people begin to employ a more critical eye when on social media. As people passively scroll through their Instagram on a daily basis, they’re led to think

For information visit: www.queensjournal.ca/contribute or email the Editor in Chief at journal_editors@ams.queensu.ca Contributions from all members of the Queen’s and Kingston community are welcome. The Journal reserves the right to edit all submissions.

The Queen’s Journal is an editorially autonomous newspaper published by the Alma Mater Society of Queen’s University, Kingston.

PHOTO BY JULIA BALAKRISHNAN

that the photos on their feed are real representations of girls, and no I’m not talking about the Gigi Hadids of the world.

Comparing themselves to photos they see on their Instagram feeds can impact women more than they may realize. We need to make sure we understand that social media doesn’t always present an accurate depiction of women or their bodies.

Caleigh is The Journal’s Opinions Editor. She’s a third-year Political Studies major.

Editorial opinions expressed in The Journal are the sole responsibility of The Queen’s Journal Editorial Board, and are not necessarily those of the University, the AMS or their officers.

190 University Ave., Kingston, ON, K7L 3P4 Editorial Office: 613-533-2800 Business Office: 613-533-6711 Fax: 613-533-6728 Email: journal_editors@ams.queensu.ca Please address complaints and grievances to the Editor in Chief.

The Queen’s Journal is printed on a Goss Community press by Performance Group of Companies in Smiths Falls, Ontario.

Contents © 2018 by The Queen’s Journal; all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior permission of The Journal.

Circulation 3,000

8 • queensjournal.ca

Friday, March 16, 2018

OPINIONS

My experience at the Jordan Peterson protest Hatred on both sides fuels the result of day at Grant Hall

PHOTO BY NICOLE LANGFIELD

Daisy outside of Grant Hall where the Peterson protest took place.

DAISY FRASER-BOYCHUK, ARTSCI ’19

“I am not going to give this guy with his hand raised like in a classroom the megaphone because I do not care what he has to say.”

Shouted by one of the protest leaders that afternoon outside of Grant Hall, these words concerned me as I attended the anti-Jordan Peterson protest on Mar. 5.

Across from me was a line of people who waited to attend the lecture given by Bruce Pardy and Jordan Peterson. I didn’t know anyone in the line, let alone what they thought. But as a group of boys pointed and made jokes at the protesters, it became clear they had no intention of taking our presence seriously.

Like me, many people who failed to register for the lecture on time consequently thought they would be denied admittance.

I tried to sneak in well before it started, telling security there was a mistake and I had signed up. As I stood in the line of students who had the possibility of getting in after those who had registered, it seemed dauntingly long. I felt my chances of attending were minimal.

As a genderqueer student, I wanted to attend the Peterson and Pardy lecture despite it being tough to see those with authority, like professors, misrepresent the basics of my community. Even though I don’t agree with them, I felt compelled to hear them speak in person.

The night before, I had been studying a debate Peterson and Party gave to the Queen’s Faculty of Law in 2017. I had written

a list of oppositional questions But as soon as I saw friends of because I was sure I’d find myself mine protesting across from me, I challenging them if I got into that changed my mind. I discarded my lecture. They’ve spent a significant chance to ask those questions. amount of energy arguing against In that moment, leaving the respecting trans identities and, as line at Grant Hall to stand with a result, I was motivated to provide my friends seemed more a platform for those who may important.

Even though have found speaking in the lecture this decision meant I could emotionally taxing. no longer debate these In Peterson and Pardy’s questions with Peterson and view, Bill C-16 is a slippery slope Pardy, it didn’t mean my voice towards the forced recognition was inhibited. of a plethora of gender Throughout the events that identities without a “reasonable transpired outside, those with the limit.” In their view, the megaphone rarely relinquished amendment is characterized their hold on it because they by the pathological ideologies feared someone would hijack of social constructivists. the protest. After spews of To them, personal gender profanity, attempted scraps and negotiations should be kept waves of angered put-downs, I within the private sphere thought I would speak up and and as Pardy told the Faculty articulate what I believed we were of Law, “gender should be truly opposing. irrelevant .... just like race should be For me, my point was summed irrelevant ... why would you up well by a sign at the protest. distinguish between someone who The sign quoted Evelyn Beatrice is white and someone who is dark? Hall who once said, “I disapprove Same question with gender.” of what you say but I will defend To oppose them on these to the death your right to say it.” statements, I planned multiple The reason this summarizes questions I never got to ask: my argument so well is because Why do you believe this I don’t believe the academic legislation will result in an unruly debate of free speech was the amount of identities being foundation of our protest. No forced upon you to recognize? one outside the walls of Grant Would this fully and completely Hall “hated free speech.” As well, limit your freedom of speech? the people inside the lecture How did you come to believe weren’t “shameful.” postmodernists think gender The foundation of the protest is a purely subjective construct was the fact that their platform with no external influences? has been popularized by Distinguishing between races supporters who think sensitive being the same as distinguishing “social justice warriors” are genders is a logical fallacy fighting to silence them. This is known as circular reasoning, how a dangerous misunderstanding can they be equated? because it distorts the real reason

people — like those who That was when it struck stood outside Grant Hall on me — Peterson and Pardy’s Monday — are angry. At least supporters hated our protest for me, my primary concern isn’t because they perceive our message what and when Peterson and to be a refusal to hear others’ Pardy utter. voices. They can’t understand The uproar last week was in the pain this lecture has caused response to how Peterson and because, to them, our hurt looks Pardy’s movement is derived from like loathing. Truly, it only becomes a consciousness that undermines loathing after cycles of “bitch,” trans folks’ existence. Their “shame” and “fuck you” are yelled arguments around the “slippery for hours on end. We feed off slope” of compelled speech may each other’s intentions, so by seem logical, but such positionality presenting distrust, it inevitably is motivated by a misunderstanding comes back around even harder. of what it means to be trans.

What divided the groups last We can’t forget that people week wasn’t the walls of Grant don’t make up gender identities Hall. It was whether we allowed out of thin air. It’s an error of hate for the other to be what interpretation to assume people brought us to campus that will create so many gender afternoon. Violence against trans identities that we can’t keep track people is an everyday occurrence of them. and reaffirming their experiences Compelled speech isn’t a rising should’ve been held above all else. tide. The push for trans-solidarity Fighting for your right to free is a wave within an ocean of speech is a logical movement liberation. If Peterson and Pardy but when it’s initiated against a navigated their academia with an group who currently exists with understanding of trans-identities, less freedom, it suffocates them.

I don’t believe such a spark against It won’t soon be forgotten how their lecture would’ve occurred.

Peterson and Pardy have wielded Pronouns aren’t a weapon of trans peoples’ humanity as their silence and recognizing someone stepping stone to stardom. for who they are isn’t about legal To combat this, we need to philosophy. Rather, it’s about love. cultivate communication in order This is what I planned to to overcome misunderstanding, say into that megaphone. I distrust and hate. I’m sure could no longer stand between Peterson and Pardy are genuinely the two energies: one of concerned with promoting their misunderstood anger, the other of rights and freedoms. But if they sneering laughter. think the gender movement is Walking up to the girl with the trying to silence them, they haven’t megaphone, I asked if I could use understood it. it for a moment. She told me, “I do not know you so I do not Daisy is a second-year, trust what you have to say. You gender studies major and cannot speak.” political studies minor.

Talking heads ... what are you doing for St. Patty’s day?

PHOTOS BY NICOLE LANGFIELD

“Having a couple of friends over, got a

“I think I’m going to Ritual.”

“Doing a room crawl at mine, starting

“Going to my friend’s pancake

Temi Ogunsanya Eng ’18

Madison MacLellan ArtSci ’18

Jamie Newell Eng ’18

Sarah Pellegrino ArtSci ’19

bunch of them visiting.”

at 9 a.m.”

breakfast.”

Friday, March 16, 2018

queensjournal.ca

•9

Arts The filmmakers behind With This Ring

PHOTOS SUPPLIED BY AMEESHA JOSHI AND ANNA SARKISSIAN

Independent documentary profiles female boxers in India A lexandra P hillips Contributor Ameesha Joshi and Anna Sarkissian presented a documentary almost a decade in the making to a crowd at the Isabel Bader Centre on Monday and Tuesday.

With This Ring follows three female boxers, LaishraSarita Devi, MC Mary Kom and Chhoto Loura, as they compete for the women’s Indian national boxing team. The documentary revolves around their decision to forgo traditional female roles within Indian society in order to become world champion boxers.

The filmmaking process itself took around six years to complete, with Joshi and Sarkissian traveling back and forth between India and Canada.

ART PUBLICATION

Ranging from gruelling training sessions to an anticipated world championship, their time in India captured many of the crucial moments of the boxers’ careers.

At first, the coaches were hesitant about the filmmakers’ cameras because they worried the documentary crew would distract the athletes.

According to Joshi, the film took longer than expected to make in part because the language barriers “made it harder to build a relationship and to gain their trust.”

However, this hesitation disappeared within two years as the creators’ relationship with the female boxers and the team developed.

Six years later, they had what they needed — nearly 200 hours of footage to work with.

With limited resources and a tight budget, the filmmakers took a DIY approach to the production process.

“There were some things we needed outside help with because they required specific expertise, [especially with] translation, sound design, music, editing,” Sarkissian told The Journal over e-mail.

It took them two years to get Jackie Dzuba, a highly sought-after editor, to help out with these barriers. Luckily, she along with several others, was willing to work for nearly nothing.

The resulting documentary captures the evolution in recognition of not only Mary Kom, a five-time world champion, but also the recognition of women’s boxing in India. By watching, audiences see the challenge of

what it takes to become a national and world champion. This includes the rigorous typical training schedule of three times a day, six times a week for 10 months out of the year.

Especially in India, this life at a boxing training camp is severe.

Joshi and Sarkissian recalled working in conditions of 45 degrees Celsius with no air conditioning and random downpours at any moment’s notice.

These training sessions that the film touches on, follow Devi, Mary Kom and Loura’s ability to manage a trying preparation process along with their personal lives outside of the ring. On top of this, the female boxers faced additional pressures from their families and society as they challenged the gendered

assumptions of the sport.

The duality of living a life and being committed to becoming a national and world champion isn’t only strenuous on the body, but it’s also mentally challenging, a fact the film makes clear. With This Ring captures the raw and undeniably powerful moments in the lives of these female athletes.

Following the completion of this film, Joshi and Sarkissian have taken to university campuses and film festivals to present their documentary.

Sarkissian said she hopes the audience can “connect with the characters and can to their stories.”

Joshi agreed, stating the film “inspires anyone who wants to pursue their dreams to persevere against all odds.”

This philosophy stems from environment” and wanted to give the “state of flow,” which Peng that connection the “medium described as “going with your environment, feeling connected to it deserves.”

“It’s exactly what we wanted,” it, reflecting from it and growing Croke-Martin said of the from it, like a little plant.”

This state of flow can be felt issue’s outcome.

As a result, Blanc’s second throughout the second issue. issue features a combination of The images and lines of poetry soft, pastel photography with poetry to offer an elegant, carefully presented selection of work. Peng incorporates wildflowers into many of his clean shots, which range from beautiful meadows to graffiti-covered streets.

He further extends this naturality to his models, who are often barefoot, without makeup or bare-chested and dressed in casual fashion.

“We don’t tell the models to look to the sky at a 45-degree angle and look sexy,” he told The Journal.

“We have a conversation with them, and it’s a very authentic, natural process.”

“Everything is natural,” Worku added. “At the end of the day, who we are is natural.”

Worku (right) created the magazine.

physically blend together into a colourful collage of art that makes Blanc, which is set to become a quarterly publication, a new asset to Kingston’s creative community.

While Worku intends to return to Queen’s one day, her magazine introduced her to the possibilities of the city outside.

Photography and art magazine Blanc launches new issue Publication highlights Kingston’s local talent, natural beauty R aechel H uizinga Staff Writer When Nunna Worku left Queen’s in 2016, her goal was to turn Kingston into her canvas.

On Saturday night, she launched the second issue of Blanc, a creative magazine that features local talent, fashion, poetry and photography.

Before creating and becoming Editor in Chief of Blanc, Worku studied geology at Queen’s. Over time, however, she found herself putting sleep and schoolwork aside to stay up all night painting.

“I restarted painting in second-year, and I was like, ‘this makes me happy’,” she told The Journal. “At the end of the day, I feel energized by it. Then I was like, ‘okay, goodbye Queen’s, hello Kingston’.”

Along with creative director Ryan Peng, ArtSci ‘18, and marketing director Orlaith Croke-Martin, ArtSci ‘18, Worku wanted to create something

that wasn’t solely affiliated with university students. Instead, she gave a platform to local artists like Kingston designer Francisco Corbett, who held a runway at the launch party on Saturday.

“Kingston is a city full of artists. Unfortunately, as a Queen’s student in the Queen’s community, we don’t see enough of it,” Croke-Martin said. She added that Blanc is a “really great way of showcasing Kingston’s beauty and the beauty of the people here and what they have to give.”

Croke-Martin explained although Blanc’s first issue, released last spring, was their “first taste of what [the magazine] could be,” they still needed to develop their production skills to achieve its full potential.

The team spent long days and nights channeling their passion into the second issue’s theme, ‘Naturally.’

Inspired by the simplicity of summer, Worku explained the team “felt connected to [their]

The film followed three female boxers.

PHOTO SUPPLIED BY ORLAITH CROKE-MARTIN

Arts

10 •queensjournal.ca

Friday, March 16, 2018

SMALL BUSINESS

Selling art in the age of the internet Local business owners discuss how they’ve adapted

C layton T omlinson Assistant Arts Editor In the era of the internet, the typical local arts store is tasked with providing their customers with more than just an interesting inventory if they want to succeed.

Currently, there are a handful of bookstores, art galleries and a record store or two in downtown Kingston that range in variety and cater to a correspondingly wide range of tastes.

Still, they’ve all been similarly put in a uniquely difficult situation, as merchandise can now be easily purchased online. In this day and age, arts stores are faced with very different challenges than other local businesses. In order to avoid failure, they must offer more than their stock to shoppers.

For example, Brian’s Record Option is a Kingston record store that sells music, memorabilia and books. Owner Brian Lipsin spoke with The Journal about his 38 years in business.

Lipsin’s store has been at the same location on Princess St. since 1983 and has managed to weather all the different storms the music industry has thrown at him over the years.

“The scene has changed, it was all records and cassettes which got taken over

by CDs, and now records are taking over CDs again,” he said.

Lipsin explained his inventory is a mixture of whatever people bring in for him to buy as well as the records he orders from distributors.

His success stems from this idea of keeping the customer experience a priority. According to him, it’s what brings people into the store rather than ordering a book or record online.

The store owner works to make sure he’s available to his customers in a way that doesn’t exist in box stores or on the internet.

“I like to think I’m friendly, I’m sort of knowledgeable and I have a pretty large stock,” Lipsin laughed.

However, there are still extensive difficulties associated with running an arts business in Kingston. For one, as Lipsin pointed out, many owners make the mistake of solely targeting Queen’s

students. While this may be fruitful during the school term, for a business like his that makes its money by in-store sales, year round foot traffic is make or break.

He also mentioned the recent construction on Princess has hurt his sales, as the stretch of street in front of his store has been closed off.

To overcome these barriers, Lipsin’s approach is one that values the interactions he has with each customer and his business has done well as a result.

Berry and Peterson Booksellers have taken the same approach as Lipsin, and carved out a personal niche that’s often overlooked online or in larger stores.

Richard Peterson co-founded the only used bookstore in the downtown core in 1976 and its longevity is due to a combination of things.

As Peterson put it, “after 42 years, you get a feel for what people want.”

This understanding has led to him stocking the shelves with classics instead of mass-market fiction and more contemporary work.

“There’s so many people selling [these works] and we wanted to specialize — plus my heart’s always been with good quality literature,” Peterson said. The store’s continued success can be attributed to the owner keeping his ear to the ground and finding out what he can provide that other stores don’t.

What’s more, much of his stock would be difficult to find without the expertise of someone like Peterson. The store is a member of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of Canada and this has put him in the realm of book dealers and collectors behind the used book market.

Berry and Peterson, like Brian’s Record Option, relies on foot traffic and word of mouth to stay afloat rather than sales on an online platform. Although becoming more atypical, this formula has the potential for success.

These local arts businesses survive on personal touches adapted for the internet age, selling their stores as experiences that Amazon can’t provide.

“You adapt, because if you don’t adapt you go,” Lipsin said.

Local arts businesses stay open with a personal touch.

PHOTO BY JULIA BALAKRISHNAN

The Zine fair included several activist publications.

EVENT COVERAGE

PHOTO BY JULIA BALAKRISHNAN

An introduction to Kingston’s zines Modern Fuel hosts underground art fair B rittany G iliforte Staff Writer On Mar. 10, the Modern Fuel Artist-Run Centre hosted the works of local artists, writers and ziners who were united by their alternative artistic sensibilities.

The event presented a book club-sized gathering of amateur artists, preoccupied with eager customers from the very start of the fair.

Many vendors sold their self-published zines — essentially shortened magazines often focused on a single theme or topic — to the crowd of customers on Saturday.

Whether it was an activist art collection, homemade floral postcards, lookbooks or design prints, the atmosphere was welcoming and friendly, with all artists ready to talk about their work.

The art styles themselves were equally diverse. Attending artists used everything from digital design to hand painting to even wearable artwork to express themselves.

Though not the theme of the event, activism was surely present and a central theme of some artists’ work. One vendor who had a more prominent activist message was the AKA Autonomous Social Centre, an anarchist group offering publications like Blue Heron Books and Zines and Pineapples against the Patriarchy.

Meanwhile, vendors such as Small Potatoes and Laura Watson used nature imagery in their artwork, often intertwined with human figures.

Small Potatoes is a newly established artistic group, composed of four individual artists that established themselves as a vendor at the event.

Small Potatoes member Carina Magazzeni makes digital prints from vintage lesbian porn. The images are juxtaposed against the earthly physicality of the images with interstellar settings creating ethereal, vibrant pieces of art.

Meanwhile, member Gabriel Cheung

works to create miniature lookbooks featuring geometric designs. His attention to detail was undeniable on Saturday, as he explained his process of handcutting the images and assembling the small pieces into patterns and designs.

The artistic goal of Small Potatoes is to help local artists who make intentionally “ephemeral” pieces of art sell and market themselves online.

Another vendor at the event was feminist art-collective Temper Tantrum.

According to Caitlynn Fairbarns, the group “curate[s] multi-vendor online marketplace who supports femmes and self-identifying women artists who are creatively outspoken.”

Temper Tantrum distributes art zines both online and at art shows. Not only do they focus their attention on feminist zines, they also support and feature the work of artists who make stickers, iron-on patches and poetry books.

Fairbarns said their aim is to “create a community that pushes each other.”

The name Temper Tantrum speaks to the group’s artistic goal: to direct their rage into their artwork in a productive way. The artwork hopes to overcome the systematic forms of oppression felt by the artists.

Some pieces sold by Temper Tantrum that work to show these particular inclinations are their stickers, which read “Don’t tell me to smile,” with an image of a 60s pin-up style model.

The artwork sold by Temper Tantrum is both feminist and LGBTQ friendly. Through support of women’s and LGBTQ rights, the artwork has a recurrent theme of activist anger aimed at the social ills that exist today.

With groups like Small Potatoes and Temper Tantrum, Saturday’s event fostered a space where all artists’ views and beliefs were valued and supported.

It served as an impressive introduction to the alternative art and creativity that Kingston has to offer.

Friday, March 16, 2018

ALUMNI PROFILE

Love and basketball on campus and abroad

queensjournal.ca

• 11

Sports

Lisa Minutillo and Greg Faulkner: their life in France and at Queen’s Shivani Gonzalez Lifestyle Editor For former Queen’s couple Lisa Minutillo and Greg Faulkner, basketball was always intrinsically tied to their relationship.

In fact, when they met on campus, they were playing for their respective Queen’s basketball teams.

“I was working at Queen’s Sports Camp [in the summer before third year] and I was given the opportunity to run the basketball camp,” Minutillo told The Journal. “The men’s basketball team came in one morning to help up with running stations.”

“I chose Lisa’s station because I thought she was the prettiest and wanted to talk to her,” Faulkner added.

From there, they ran into each other at Ale House during Frosh Week before their third year. Minutillo said she was still hesitant about Faulkner.

“Ale was having a glow-in-the-dark paint party and Greg asked me for some of my paint and I bluntly said no,” Minutillo said. “But somehow we still ended up together.”

For their last couple years at Queen’s, basketball played a fundamental role in the development of their relationship.

“To have someone you are dating be passionate about something that you’re passionate about is an amazing feeling.

[We’re] able to help each other

be better players, coaches and fans because we both understand and enjoy the game,” Mintuillo commented.

Faulkner echoed her thoughts.

“We had the same time off and were busy at the same time, [and] that scheduling allowed for two people with pretty chaotic lives to find time for each other.”

“We both understood the commitment necessary to play, and we were able to support each other through the highs and lows of a long season,” he continued.

Minutillo and Faulkner’s love story and relationship with basketball didn’t stop after they graduated from Queen’s in 2015.

Coincidence or not, both of them took different paths to reach their similar dreams of playing basketball in Europe.

Faulkner said he knew playing in Europe would be an option for him after basketball at Queen’s. Nonetheless, he experienced some setbacks along the way.

“I had shoulder surgery between my fourth and fifth year at Queen’s, but still went to Macedonia to play in the Adriatic League after my final year of eligibility,” he said. “I reinjured my shoulder in Macedonia and had to return to Canada to rehab before finding a contract in France the following year.”

Although Minutillo’s path towards playing basketball overseas wasn’t as direct as her partner’s, it’s similarly where she currently finds herself. When

Faulkner was in his first stint as a pro in Macedonia, Minutillo taught at an international school in Germany.

When her boyfriend moved to France for his next contract with US Laval, she took this opportunity as well.

“I moved to France because when we talked about moving to Europe, we had imagined doing it together. I was in a small town in Germany and Greg was in a small town in France and it ended up being harder to visit each other than we originally anticipated” Minutillo said.

While in France, Minutillo was given the opportunity to coach.

By her second year in the country, the head coach of the team asked if she had any interest in returning to the court as a player for US St. Berthevin.

“Getting back into shape was challenging,” she said, “but it was definitely worth it.”

Currently, Minutillo and Faulkner are settled together in Europe and enjoying it.

“Things have been really good; any time I am playing basketball things are good, getting paid to do it is a nice bonus,” Faulkner said. He added he really enjoys being in Europe.

“We have had the opportunity to visit a lot of really different places — our favourite being

Faulkner (top) and Minutillo (bottom).

Amsterdam, Paris, Munich and Salzburg,” Faulkner said.

Minutillo also commented on the benefits of living in Europe.

“European history is so rich and it is so readily available in towns we visit. On a walk, you can stumble upon castles and old mills, fortress walls and monuments.”

The two agreed that a struggle for them is the time zone difference and being able to keep up with what’s going on back home.

PHOTOS SUPPLIED BY LISA MINUTILLO

“The timing of basketball games back home [isn’t ideal],” Faulkner joked. “France is six hours ahead of Ontario, and so most games don’t start until two in the morning.”

Throughout all of this, Minutillo and Faulkner’s love and support for Queen’s basketball hasn’t wavered since they graduated.

“We will watch both Queen’s basketball teams play, so we are often up late on Friday and Saturday nights to stream the games,” Minutillo said.

Women in Tricolour created on International Women’s Day Queen’s Athletics to provide athletic financial awards for female students

Maggie Gowland Contributor On March 8, Queen’s Athletics launched their Women in Tricolour initiative in honour of International Women’s Day. The Women in Tricolour initiative aims to provide financial awards to female studentathletes to support them in their goals both on and off the field.

The awards will be given based on academic and athletic achievement and to athletes on either varsity clubs or teams. Students will be able to receive up to $4,500 in athletic financial awards (AFAs) from the Women in Tricolour initiative.

Due to the rigorous demands of their schedule, maintaining a part-time job isn’t an option for most student athletes. To offset this, AFAs aim to eliminate

the challenges student athletes face while participating in interuniversity sport.

The development officer for the initiative, Jennifer Butchart, said the idea came from the growing need to fund female student-athletes across Canada.

“Since many female sports began well after their male counterparts, they don’t have the same philanthropic funding base,” Butchart said. “To adhere to OUA and U Sports equity rules we need to increase funding for athletic awards for female athletes so that all of our teams will benefit.”

In the video that announced the Women in Tricolour initiative, several athletes from different women’s sports teams here at Queen’s made statements about the “unprecedented success” these teams have begun to experience.

The Women in Tricolour awards hopes to sustain these levels of success in the future.

Since the beginning of this year, this success has been seen by Queen’s women’s teams throughout the 2017-2018 athletic season who have competed for OUA and U Sports Championships.

From a team perspective, the women’s cross country team won gold at OUAs and silver at the U Sports championships this year.

On an individual level, Branna MacDougall won gold at OUAs and bronze at U Sports, while her teammate Claire Sumner won silver at both championships.

Another individual medal performance was that of Louise Munro, who won silver at the Canadian Rowing University Championships (CRUC) in November. Both the women’s

rugby and hockey team finished second in the OUA this year, earning their spot at the U Sports National Championship.

While the hockey team has yet to

play, rugby finished in sixth.

Butchart said these athletic successes are the type that the Women in Tricolour Initiative hopes to support in future years.

JOURNAL FILE PHOTO

Sports

12 •queensjournal.ca

MEN’S VOLLEYBALL

Zane Grossinger making noise on the hardwood in first season

Setter wins countless awards in first year with Queen’s Matt Scace Assistant Sports Editor Oftentimes, an athlete’s rookie season is a time of growth and adaptation to university-level competition. For men’s volleyball first-year setter Zane Grossinger however, it feels as though he’s skipped this step entirely since his first game in November.

“It’s been a thrilling experience,” Grossinger said on Wednesday morning just moments before the Gaels’ bus left for McMaster for the coming weekend’s U Sports National Championships.

Grossinger’s debut at Queen’s has been nothing short of dynamic, with the setter recently being honoured with the OUA East’s Rookie of the Year award. In 20 games this season — including three playoff

games — Grossinger’s statistics only validate his right to the award. He ranked third in the OUA in assists per set (9.72) and fifth in digs (129), Grossinger is just the fifth player in Queen’s volleyball history to win the award.

“To get Rookie of the Year was overwhelming and an honour,” Grossinger said. “When I looked down the list I was like, ‘What?’” On Wednesday night, he was named to the U Sports All-Rookie team.

Grossinger’s road to becoming a staple in the Queen’s starting lineup has been an unexpected but swift process — not to mention highly impressive.

Going into the season, the setter’s position was assumed to be held by fifth-year Thomas Ellison for the foreseeable future.

Despite splitting minutes with

Ellison during the preseason, Grossinger didn’t expect to be starting for the Gaels early in the year.

But with Ellison injured before their first match against Nipissing, Grossinger was thrown into the Gaels starting lineup.

In his first game, he finished with 35 assists and four digs in a straight-sets win.

“I’ve been fortunate to have the opportunity and play at this level in [large] part thanks to the team I have,” Grossinger said.

Since that first contest against Nipissing, Grossinger has started in all but one of Queen’s games.

The team’s most unique characteristic has arguably been its unparalleled youth — 12 of the team’s 17 players are currently in first or second year. As a member of the team’s young nucleus, Grossinger said his success has been cultivated by his confidence in his teammates, regardless of their experience.

“We have a lot of skilled people on our roster … that’s really helped me have the confidence to distribute the ball everywhere,” Grossinger said. He noted veterans such as Markus Trence and Jack Packham as key facilitators of the team’s cohesive environment this season.

While Grossinger’s accolades were unexpected, success in volleyball is nothing new to his family. With his father

Friday, March 16, 2018

Zane Grossinger above.

having played volleyball for the University of Toronto and his brother currently on the Western Mustangs’ roster, Grossinger is cognizant of the role his family has played in realizing his success in the OUA. “[My dad and I] drove 45 minutes to practice last year three times a week,” Grossinger said.

“My dad has been a huge impact on my volleyball life.”

Being awarded Rookie of the Year, Grossinger said, showed the result of his father’s efforts. “[Winning Rookie of the Year] was really exciting — I called my dad … he cried.”

Since claiming the OUA silver medal last weekend in Hamilton, Grossinger and the Gaels now make their way back to McMaster to compete in the U Sports

WOMEN’S HOCKEY

SUPPLIED BY SHAWN MACDONALD

National Championships. It’s their first visit to the championships since hosting the tournament in 2011-12.

Going into the weekend as the seventh seed, the Gaels are set to play the secondseeded Alberta Golden Bears on Friday as they begin their quest for the program’s first ever national championship.

Owning a 6-1 record in their last seven games, the Gaels come into the tournament with momentum that Grossinger believes could help Queen’s make considerable noise.

“I’m more excited than anything,” Grossinger said. “We’re a feisty team — don’t ever count us out. We work hard and we’re there to play.”

Gaels miss out on gold at OUA Championship Queen’s lose to Western 3-0 at home Jasnit Pabla Assistant News Editor

The Gaels won an OUA silver last Saturday.

PHOTO BY AMANDA NORRIS

INFORMATION FOR ALL STUDENTS IMPACTED

BY SEXUAL VIOLENCE GET HELP, GIVE HELP queensu.ca/sexualviolencesupport Sexual Violence Prevention and Support Coordinator, Barb Lotan bjl7@queensu.ca

With the women’s hockey team playing in the OUA Championship game for the first time since 2014, Queen’s fans filled the Kingston Memorial Centre on Saturday afternoon in anticipation of the team’s pursuit for gold. Unfortunately, the home fans left the arena disappointed after a 3-0 home loss to the Western Mustangs in the McCaw Cup Finals.

“Obviously it wasn’t the result we wanted,” Gaels captain Jessica Wakefield said after the game, “but I’m so proud of the team for battling through to the last second.”

Prior to the championship game, Queen’s celebrated personal accolades for a few members of the team. On March 7th, forward Katrina Manourakis won the OUA Player of the Year award, Stephanie Pascal won Goaltender of the Year and head coach Matt Holmberg won Coach of the Year.

Despite these midweek accolades, the Gaels’ confidence faded early during Saturday’s game.

With Western’s play from the outset focused on quick,

sharp passes and moving the puck aggressively into the Gaels zone, Queen’s was forced to play defence early and committed a cross-checking penalty. Unfortunately for the Gaels, their rivals capitalized on the man-advantage.

Ten minutes into the period, Mustangs defenceman Emma Pearson snuck the puck past Pascal to give the visitors a 1-0 lead. The Gaels had two power plays in the opening frame but failed to capitalize on either.

Even though they had a less than stellar opening frame, Holmberg said they struggled the most in the second period.

“I think the second period was our undoing,” he said. “We weren’t generating pucks to the net and got a couple needless penalties that ruined the momentum.”

While the Mustangs maintained their composure, the Gaels failed to muster any sort of momentum in the second period. Although Queen’s did a better job of keeping the puck out of their zone, it didn’t last the whole period.

With just 22 seconds left in the second frame, Western scored their second goal of the game, giving them a 2-0 lead going into the final period of play.

“At the end of the second I just reminded the team that we’ve had a couple pretty good comebacks this year … 20 minutes is a lot of hockey and they should remain confident,” Holmberg recalled.

Although the coach said he was happier with how his team played in the game’s final period, it wasn’t enough to overcome the Mustangs’ lead.

With less than three minutes left in regulation and still down 2-0, Queen’s pulled Pascal from her net in an attempt to make a comeback.

“I was hopeful,” Pascal told The Journal, of the team’s potential comeback. “Our team has come back from 2-0 before so I didn’t have any doubts.”

The Mustangs sealed the game shortly thereafter with an empty-net goal, winning 3-0 and hoisting the McCaw Cup on Queen’s home-ice.

The Gaels, who finished the regular season atop the conference at 14-3-3, haven’t won an OUA title since the 2012-13 season.

Queen’s season isn’t over yet. As the OUA’s silver medalist, the Gaels qualified for the U Sports National Championship tournament, hosted

by Western in London, ON, starting on March 16.

Albeit disappointed with the result of the championship game, Gaels captain Jessica Wakefield told The Journal her team are ready and optimistic about their opportunity to play this coming weekend.

“We’re just going to make [nationals] the best week ever.

We’re going to enjoy ourselves, play our best and — just like today — anything can happen,” she said.

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Lifestyle

CAMPUS COMMENTARY

Is university supposed to be comfortable or uncomfortable?

How one lecture led me to question my opinion Samantha Fink Contributor I emerged from a class on Monday morning enthralled by everything I’d just learned about Christianity.

In somewhat of a humorous tone, my professor had facilitated a discussion on a few religious Christian beliefs and rituals that I hadn’t been aware of prior. A friend next to me whispered, “Is it bad that I’m not paying any attention?” and I responded, “Yes. This is so interesting.”

I assumed most of my classmates would share my interest, but when I left the class, I saw a look of frustration on a classmate's face nearby.

She explained to me her discomfort in the class was due to her own Christian upbringing and continued faith. She didn’t

like sitting in a class that picked apart a religion she felt so faithful to; she especially didn’t like the satirical tone the discussion had inevitably taken on.

In my initial opinion, it wasn’t discriminating; in fact, most of my classmates had been to Catholic institutions themselves and were enjoying nostalgic laughter at their own schooling experiences. Having no Christian upbringing myself, I listened closely to take advantage of the rich amount of material I was being offered.

As soon as my friend confided in me, my opinion changed. I knew if I’d been in her position, I also would’ve felt small and uncomfortable. As a matter of fact, it was only two years prior that I sat in the back of a tutorial and had my own religious upbringing questioned and interrogated as my face turned beet red.

NEWS

A student sitting in lecture.

Immediately, I felt for my friend, even regretting how much I’d enjoyed this particular class.

As I walked away from her, I realized I’d just sat through one of my most interesting classes of the year, leading me to an internal debate.

Is it a problem that one of my most interesting classes was one that made my friend uncomfortable, or is this a “gold star” in my professor’s career?

I thought about Jordan Peterson coming to speak and Principal Daniel Woolf’s response that University was supposed to make us uncomfortable and challenge our views.

Is university supposed to be

Why is the OJ Simpson trial still on our radar?

A look into how the monumental trial transcended history Shivani Gonzalez Lifestyle Editor In a world where TV shows and news channels are constantly reporting on new crimes and horrific murders, there’s one infamous case that’s continued to stay relevant for decades — the OJ Simpson Trial.

After TV shows like The People v. OJ Simpson: American Crime Story and OJ: Made in America debuted in the last couple years, the spotlight seemingly found its way back to Simpson. But the thing is, it never really left.

To quickly summarize the murders and trial: Simpson, a former NFL player, was tried for the murders of his wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman after they were both found dead in June 1994.

Simpson was eventually acquitted of the crime after evidence wasn’t handled properly, and the jury made a decision in just two hours after being sequestered for 101 days.

This was recently brought back to the forefront in the last week when a never-before-seen interview with Simpson from 2006 was released by Fox News on March 11.

Simpson never admitted to the crime outwardly, but in this interview he details how he may have gone about the murders “if”

he was the one who had done it.

Here he explains he was annoyed with Nicole Brown Simpson for weeks prior to the murder and stated, “I do remember that I grabbed the knife but after that I don’t remember.”

This released interview has made the case even more confusing since it either points to Simpson as the killer or is simply a money grab with a planned book release following soon after. Either way, #didOJdoit has been trending on Twitter ever since.

The case of OJ Simpson was one of those trials where most people were sure Simpson was guilty, but thanks to an extremely talented defense team, he was acquitted anyway.

It makes sense that, at the time of the trial, the country was fascinated by it — after all, it was one of the biggest trials of the decade due to the celebrity factor as well as the uniquely gruesome details of the case.

This fascination is apparent though the influx of TV shows and ongoing analyses of the trial. I was born just over two years after the trial concluded, yet I know every detail about the murder, the arrest and the trial.

What makes this specific case so captivating is all in the details.

It’s almost hard to remember this was a real event because of how

much it resembles a well-planned movie plotline.

The first interesting aspect of this crime story is that it deals directly with race relations.

Since Simpson was an African-American man, his defense was able to plead his case by claiming he was being unfairly treated because of his race. A large majority of African-Americans at the time were rooting for Simpson to be acquitted because he’d been such an icon for the community. Simpson’s defense was able to move his trial from Beverly Hills to downtown LA, where the jury was likely to be much more diverse and therefore

OJ Simpson.

PHOTO BY JULIA BALAKRISHNAN

comfortable or uncomfortable? I’m not sure. For many of us, it’s the first time the principles we’ve been raised on are being brought under microscopic inspection.

If we leave with them intact, was university successful, leaving us happy and confident in our beliefs and values? Or was university unsuccessful, leaving us sheltered and naive?

There seems to be an effort on university campuses to make every group — religious, gendered, ethnic or otherwise — feel welcome and comfortable.

Any professor confronted for making a student uncomfortable is likely to apologize for having transgressed.

However, there also seems to be a push for getting everyone out of their comfort zones as a means of education and enlightenment.

Are these two notions mutually exclusive? It seems to me that

they are; thinking back, I’ve never sat in on a captivating, boundary-pushing class that wasn’t sure to make someone nearby a bit uneasy. By that same thought, I’ve never sat in on a class where everyone left content and refrained from checking Facebook at least twice.

But perhaps there’s a way to merge the two and find a middle ground on which one feels comfortable questioning their own views.

How can we give those who are made uncomfortable a platform to voice their concerns in return?

Can straying from your comfort zone and feeling welcome both be fulfilled at university? Is one of these pillars more important than the other? And, most curiously, do they oppose each other or somehow lead to the same goal? I’m still waiting to find out.

more likely to acquit Simpson.

The second aspect that makes this case read like a compelling movie plotline is the fact there were lots of celebrity connections.

Yes, Simpson was a superstar in his own right, but for this generation, the case is tied to many more famous faces, namely Kris Jenner and Robert Kardashian Sr. During the trial, Kardashian was one of Simpson’s defense lawyers. Meanwhile, Jenner had been best friends with Nicole Brown Simpson and so was famously on the opposite side of her ex-husband.

Considering their prominence in the spotlight today, it’s interesting to see footage of Kris Jenner pregnant with Kendall Jenner and second husband formerly known as Bruce Jenner sitting in the courtroom while the decision was announced.

I spent a good amount of time in high school watching multi-hour-long YouTube videos explaining the trial and the evidence in depth, and I’m evidently not the only one who continues to be fascinated with the case.

While all the other aspects are extremely interesting, at the end of the day, no one knows what happened that day in Brentwood except for Simpson.

That alone seems to be enough to continue to keep us invested in this story.

With the release of this interview, it seems as if we might be a little bit closer to the truth about what really happened that night. As far as I’m concerned, most innocent people don’t go on TV and talk about exactly how they’d have carried out the murder of their ex-wife.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JOSH GRANOVSKY

Lifestyle

14 •queensjournal.ca

Friday, March 16, 2018

Shivani Gonzalez Lifestyle Editor

range from $15 - $40 for a week's rental and come in all different variations of style and fanciness.

On the Let’s Get Undressed website, Ever had an event but no time or money browsers can search the general lookbook to find a cute new outfit? Let’s Get while using a search feature based on size to Undressed is here to help you out. find their perfect dress.

“We believe every girl should have the What started out as a service focused on opportunity to dress up, be confident lending dresses has actually turned into so and strut the streets at least once in their much more. university career,” service manager Sarah “We found that Let’s Get Undressed also told The Journal about Let’s Get Undressed. became more of a platform for hustlers and Like Rent the Runway or Rent Frock entrepreneurs who want to get involved Repeat, the business offers a typical dress with a more hands-on role,” Sarah said. rental service, created in 2015 by three “This has become such a great opportunity female students, conveniently bringing it for people who join us to learn to Queen’s campus. The service carries a more about what it takes to build an year-round collection of dresses that are inventory system, engage partners, lead able to be rented out by students for marketing initiatives and run a start-up,” any kind of event. she added.

Not only does the service Let’s Get Undressed has turned from a make fancier occasions like the Iron Ring simple campus service to a dedicated team Ceremony or ASUS formal more accessible Screenshot of Let's Get Undressed website. of students that work to provide their peers for students, it also works to provide CAMPUS SERVICES with a unique opportunity. a more environmentally sustainable The service now boasts two alternative to shopping. achievements — it rents out This is how the service works: students dresses for accessible prices and can stop by their space — located at SparQ also allows students a chance to Studios in Carruthers Hall — browse gain hands on experience on how to run a the racks, pick out an item of their business in the retail services. choice, pay debit/credit/cash and are to In the future, Let’s Get Undressed hopes return the borrowed dress by 3:30 p.m. to expand and maintain a loyal, dedicated the following Thursday. team of students. They also hope to Let’s Get Undressed not only provides a great service for students looking to rarely- worn dresses off at their space or meet cent discount off of the rental continue to expand the business — both borrow outfits at a low price, it also works an executive member at the ARC to hand it price each time your dress is the selection of dresses they offer as well as the team of staff working together for those who want to lend their dresses off. What’s more, if your dress is selected as rented out.

The dresses currently in the closet to maintain this service. out and make some money. Drop your part of their closet, you’re awarded a 20 per

Queen's "Let's Get Undressed"

A look into to the campus' dress rental service

CULTURAL COMMENTARY

How YouTube created a community of learners amid controversy

The education channels thriving out of the spotlight

that break down all topics of science. The channel’s success led to numerous spinoffs like SciShow Space, SciShow Kids and SciShow Psych.

With the success of CrashCourse to build upon, YouTube’s learning communities have become a safe space for vloggers to teach about their various passions. Vlogger Kati Morton, a licensed marriage and family therapist, started her channel in 2011. With a current subscriber count of over 250,000 ever since, Morton devotes herself to breaking down stigmas surrounding mental illness through education and sharing her experiences working in the mental health field.

With hundreds of videos, Kati works to answer questions many people have about mental health. Her videos outline mental disorders ranging from the more common, like anxiety disorders and depression, to the less common, including schizotypal personality disorder and binge eating disorder. She also addresses prevailing concerns about therapy, with videos titled, “What happens during a

first therapy appointment?” and “Your confidentiality in therapy.”

YouTube comments, notorious for being a venue for hatred and ignorance, are a prime example of the sense of community created by these vloggers. On Kati Morton’s videos, the comments are filled with stories from her “Kinions” about their experiences with mental health and what has aided their recovery.

Despite this past year exemplifying how YouTube can be used for evil and profit, vloggers and their fans remain dedicated to their passion for learning and have maintained a quiet but supportive YouTube community.

And if that community sounds like something you want to be a part of, there are a lot of options just a few clicks away.

Between popular educational channels like Vlogbrothers, CrashCourse, Kati Morton, SciShow, Minute Physics, Veritasium, Smarter Every Day and Life Noggin, you’re bound to find an interesting educational topic that not only piques your interest, but also a supportive community waiting to welcome you.

Sudoku

Students watching a Crash Course video.

Lauren Trossman Staff Writer Over the past year, it’s been hard to escape the detriments of YouTube.

From videos of suicide victims to parents sharing videos of child abuse through “pranks,” it’s been easy to lose hope in humanity’s use of the internet video service.

Despite all of the controversy and negativity surrounding YouTube lately, all hope isn't lost. YouTube still thrives in its creation of supportive communities who continue to share their love for learning everything about anything.

In a 2015 TEDTalk, author and vlogger John Green discussed how, as someone who always found passion in learning, he felt lost after graduating university until he discovered YouTube. For all of the terrible, abusive videos on the platform, Green was able to see there are even more videos that strive to cultivate a love of learning.

In 2007, John and his brother Hank launched their now-famous YouTube channel,

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JULIA BALAKRISHNAN

Vlogbrothers. Through Vlogbrothers, John and Hank were able to share their passion for education, creating two videos a week that covered almost every topic imaginable; from life with a chronic illness to how giant tortoises mate. Over 11 years, Vlogbrothers has continued to grow in fame, creating a community known as the Nerdfighters and even launching Vidcon, a conference for YouTubers and their fans to come together and discuss their platform.

In 2012, John and Hank further committed to the expansion of the YouTube learning community by launching CrashCourse, an educational YouTube channel dedicated to creatively teaching a range of topics typically covered in school including psychology, world history and effective study skills.

Hank Green, the science-focused co-founder of Vlogbrothers and Crash Course, also launched the YouTube channel SciShow in 2012. Hank, who hosts the show with Michael Aranda and Olivia Gordon, uses the platform to make quick, fun videos

Lifestyle

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POSTSCRIPT

Navigating mental illness, trauma and intimacy The unhealthy way I used my relationships as a crutch

Feeling even the slightest bit of love when you’re struggling with your mental health can reinstate value in yourself and your life. But it can also create a dependency on a person to define your self-worth.

It’s a double-edged sword.

Navigating my mental illnesses, trauma and general mental health through intimate relationships has been a challenging road. These partners rebuilt me when I was broken and tore me down to the weakest point I’ve ever been at when I was rejected.

After I experienced a sexual assault in my second year of university, I immediately jumped into a relationship. Looking back, I question so many of the decisions I made. I shaped my day around this person, neglected school work to hang out with him and changed myself to fit the girlfriend mold that would be just right for him. And it all felt so right.

I opened up to him about my assault and he was loving, caring and compassionate. So I defined myself off of how he saw me — I built my self-worth around it, I told myself that as his girlfriend, I’d be okay, safe and I could heal.

Next, I told him about my anxiety, depression and self-harming. He showed me even more love and intimacy and I finally felt accepted. I was the person who I wanted to be.

And then he ended it.

Any feelings of self-worth I’d built in our relationship came crashing down. I hated looking at myself in the mirror. I lost my appetite. I self-harmed. My anxiety went through the roof and I walked around campus shaking for weeks.

“

I hated looking at myself in the mirror. I lost my appetite, I self-harmed. My anxiety went through the roo, and I walked around campus shaking for weeks.

”

I walked around blaming him, feeling angry and even texting him an occasional “fuck you.”

But my pain wasn’t really caused by him. It was caused by myself.

Still, I didn’t have time to reflect on or even realize this, because when I was vulnerable and hurt, another guy showed up at my door holding the intimacy and attention I needed and wanted to build me back up. I took it and

ran.

My friends questioned me, and there were times

I questioned myself too. Either way, after a five-month relationship, I jumped into this unhealthy on-and-off hook-up situation where I was with him only when I was drunk. Subconsciously, I knew I was using him as a crutch to get by.

I’d only see him when I felt the worst about myself — simultaneously using alcohol as a coping mechanism to deal with my anxiety and depression. The vicious cycle of this relationship combined with drinking caused me to feel increasingly depressed with each interaction.

Once again, I didn’t see the common factor in all of this – that I was depending on someone else to reinstate my self-worth. I didn’t spend any time working on myself, coping with what had happened or even just being on my own.

Even after we ended things, I didn’t stop to think about any of this. I blamed him and again, walked around feeling angry.

Without time to reflect yet again, I entered a relationship that lasted from my third year into the second half of my fourth.

Once again, I built myself around fitting into the mold this

person wanted me to be as their girlfriend. But for the first time, this person also experienced some of the same illnesses I did. Because of this, I committed to working on myself to get to the place I wanted to be — I started to see a therapist, with whom I talked about the assault and worked through memories.

Having a partner while you’re revisiting and striving to heal from the trauma of sexual violence can be, again, a double-edged sword. You’re with someone you trust, and I was lucky to be with someone so patient with me and my healing.

But the other side is that you’re not healing on your own.

You’re relying on someone else to help guide you through the process.

After we opened that door, I began to rely on him for everything — for supporting my mental health day to day, for when I experienced thoughts of self-harm or when I battled with alcohol addiction. As you can guess, this isn’t the recipe for a healthy relationship. So we ended too.

But now I’m taking the time to learn. I’m stopping to realize that the onset of what I struggle with

the most came from my assault and I never took time to heal from it on my own.

It’s a hard stop to come to.

Making a decision that will be better for you in the long run is usually the hardest commitment to stick by — especially when your vice is just a text away.

So many of us are in relationships. These relationships are short or long, healthy or unhealthy, casual or serious. But we’re at an age where one in four of us will experience the onset of a mental illness, making navigating these relationships e ve n m o re c o m p l ex and challenging.

a decision “thatMaking will be better for

you in the long run is usually the hardest commitment to stick by — especially when your vice is just a text away.

”

With mental illness(es) or trauma, it can be easier to have someone there to reinstate your

ILLUSTRATION BY STEPHANIE JIANG

value than to try and recognize it on your own. To build you back up when you feel broken. To give you the love that you need. But this is the easy way and it’s often only temporary. You have to remember that what will make you strong is working through these things on your own.

That doesn’t mean that you can’t be in a relationship if you experience a mental illness. But, shaping your worth around your partner places you in a vulnerable position to be absolutely defeated.

If it ends, you could be pushed away from any progress you might have made.

So I look back wishing I did it on my own. I wish I recognized I wasn’t in the place to give myself to someone. And I wish the same for whoever is reading this.

Whatever you’re experiencing, I promise you can move back into a place of wellness and healing on your own.

Rely on your support systems and your partner if you have one but recognize that you’re so much more than what they see.

It’s the higher hill to climb. But once you reach the top, it will lead to the best view.

16 •queensjournal.ca

Lifestyle

Friday, March 16, 2018

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